My family welcomed a new baby girl last week. She was born to my nephew and his wife. There’s always such excitement over the birth of a new baby to love, isn’t there? Joy and hope! My family has two more girls being born this year. And we have a couple of other cuties under 2 years old…it’s terrific to welcome all these very young children into our family…and our world.
But it makes me think of our America and what it meant to us to grow up with freedom, respect, patriotism, dignity and promise. True ‘hope,’ one might say. One might add that that ‘hope’ has pretty much vanished with the president who ran on hope and change.
So what kind of world awaits these precious children in my family and yours?
For one thing, will they be able to proclaim their Christian faith? Will they have faith?
I’m reading a book about the Armenian genocide which happened, mostly, because Turks didn’t like intelligent, Christian Armenians living amongst them. Armenians were **”flogged, stripped, scorched, shot, smothered, stabbed, starved, bayoneted, decapitated, drowned, crucified, asphyxiated, eviscerated, axed, hanged, and/or “outraged,” (what they called raped back in the day).” As most of you probably know, Armenia was the first Christian nation in the world and even Soviet Russia, when Armenia was an ‘SSR’ allowed their churches to stay open, unlike other soviet satellite countries.
1.5 million Armenians died. Some, a very small handful, ‘converted’ to Islam to save their lives or that of their children, but most did not…they stayed faithful and died for it.
But let’s put faith aside for now; what kind of world WILL our babies inherit?
Will they inherit a country that encourages hard work rather than entitlement, patriotism for the country that gave their ancestors so much, character that includes morality (how much less can girls where at the beach after today’s skimpiest bikinis, for example?), an appreciation for the sanctity of life, appreciation for democracy and capitalism? etc etc?
Worrisome, isn’t it. SO………we hope and pray that, somehow, their parents are giving them FAITH to face a future that’s so much less than ours was. And is now.
Isaiah 41: 10
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
That (and another from Matthew) is my ‘life verse,’ I hope it blesses you. And for a lot of children who don’t even know the Lord’s Prayer, which most of the Americans our age have always known, what will they have? What will they lean on, depend on for solace, hope and comfort to face what might be ahead? Where will they go to in times of trouble?
I’ll leave you this Sunday on a more positive note when contemplating this question: PRAY HARD! 🙂
Z
**from THE SANDCASTLE GIRLS, by Chris Bohjalian.
geeez2014
GeeeZ .... 
As to what we leave our child4en:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ei0r1o386lq19ax/Keira.mp3?dl=0n
Also,
Pastor Levon Yuille said this morning that 80% of our youth are not attending Sunday School.
That does not bode well.
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I don’t want to sign in to Dropbox, can you tell us that that link is, Ed?
And yes, as I said above, you get a roomful of adults and most will at least know the Lord’s Prayer. Go into any elementary school today; think 25% might know it? I doubt it.
I think that says a lot because all that goes WITH having learned it is missing… and you’re right; that does not bode well.
Particularly after our conversations here about how “without Christianity, you can’t hire enough policemen” or the very obvious assertion that Capitalism doesn’t work without faith; goodness, honesty, willingness to help others.
We’ve become an I’M THE MOST IMPORTANT society (look how parents are afraid of their little kids these days) and that’s scary.
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It’s sad, indeed, that the demise of this once great Christian Nation is, moreover, self-imposed.
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As to what we leave ourchildren:
https://m.soundcloud.com/your-voice-your-ad/yvya-govern-408-ed-real
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Congrats on the new baby. But, you’re quite right, what kind of America are they inheriting? I would venture to say that truly our America, the one we grew up with, has long since died. It was a slow, suffocating death, but it’s gone nonetheless. It started about 1917 or so when Socialism reared is demonic head and gripped the hearts of the greedy. Instead of fighting it, our ancestors welcomed it’s deceptive warm embrace. It was death. They just couldn’t / wouldn’t see it.
But, I’m going through my gloomy stage of grief. Please forgive if that’s too much of a downer. I do hope your day is blessed. And keep looking Up. HE is our only hope.
1 Thessalonians 4:17 – Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (niv)
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“Armenia was the first Christian nation in the World”. To denote this, the King of Armenia around 300 A.D. proclaimed all Armenians will become Christians, and to denote this, they will add the last 3 letters of “Christian” (ian) to their surnames. Some have changed them to “yan” to pronounce more easily. Just adding a bit of history,
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@Z..FYI..”I don’t want to sign in to Dropbox, can you tell us that that link is, Ed?”
You don’t have to hon…just cancel that and download the audio file..if you want.
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Nothing controls you like debt – a real look into the future Ed.
Here’s another one: “Italy got an ugly warning last week, when Islamists on a boat filled with illegal African immigrants threw 12 Christians into the sea. Facing a similar uncontrolled border surge, the U.S. needs to get the message, too.” The Christians were praying, you see. They were all trying to sneak into Italy. It shows the inner compass of Islamists who, too, may be sneaking across our border, and for the specific purpose of havoc since they ain’t coming from any nearby muslim country just for a better life. Here’s the full IBD editorial: http://tinyurl.com/py47pe2
It’s not unlike what we see happening at universities everywhere now, is it? “Christians, stop that Jesus bit and get on board with the culture or you’ll be harassed, humiliate, prosecuted and left without a job in the future.”
We can only model and pray for those who come behind us. The deck is stacked to make them strong or wither away. 5% want to be Hillaries, 5% will stand as strong Christians. It’s the 90% in between where the strength to stand or weakness to fold will make the future. Since the media, entertainment and all education will push them to make them fold I don’t harbor a lot of hope.
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John, can you explain your comment? Thanks!
Mal, I don’t think the word CHRISTIAN was happening then during 300 AD; not sure that our ‘ian’ is anything but ‘son of’, like “Mac” in Scottish, for example…. ??? Makes sense, what you said, but …??
Sparky, I know my grandparents who came from Armenian Turkey nor my first gen. dad or naturalized mom didn’t accept Socialism, but I think you’re right; so many have…
thanks for the Thessalonians…so uplifting (in more ways than ONE, come to think of it :-))
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Ed, well said…thanks!
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“John, can you explain your comment? Thanks!”
Our departure from Christian values and the inevitable negative consequences thereof are, in my opinion, surely “self-imposed”. My comment, in no small part, arose from your comment: “without Christianity, you can’t hire enough policemen” or the very obvious assertion that Capitalism doesn’t work without faith; goodness, honesty, willingness to help others……………………….” I fear the direction that [we] are heading in. If I’m wrong in my observation(s) that our society is eschewing Christianity and its values then I stand corrected. I don’t know how else to “explain” it.
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thanks, John! I thought you meant Armenia particularly and it confused me.
Couldn’t agree more with you this is happening….it’s actually happening in ALL countries; yes, rather ‘self-imposed’.
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Armenia- NOT AT ALL! In reviewing my original comment I see why it was confusing. It’s my editor’s day off, LOL.
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John…yes, I thought you meant they brought the genocide on themselves! 🙂
Glad we cleared THAT up !!
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Z, So what kind of world awaits these precious children in my family and yours?
Not good at all.
Until government ‘leadership’ around the world acknowledges the problem, there is no solution to the moslems. islam has no business in civilized countries. They are all (except for one or two converts) Invaders. And that’s just the moslems. Add in all the other life sucking problems created by the democrats – education, energy, financial, racial, entitlement, and it’s going to be a real circus.
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Z, I believe the word “Christian” did exist in the 3rd Century when that action by the King of Armenia took place. In fact, I believe it existed during Christ’s time and is also used in the Bible.
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