One of the blogs I follow regularly is by Michael Yon. For those that do not know who he is, here is an excerpt from his bio:
Michael Yon is a former Green Beret...who has been reporting from Iraq and Afghanistan since December 2004. No other reporter has spent as much time with combat troops in these two wars. Michael’s dispatches from the frontlines have earned him the reputation as the premier independent combat journalist of his generation. His work has been featured on “Good Morning America,” The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, CNN, ABC, FOX, as well as hundreds of other major media outlets all around the world.
Yesterday Michael posted a dispatch from the Republic of the Philippines. He is there spending time with US Forces that are advising & training Filipino military and national police in their war on Islamic Terrorism. It is a great read (and Micheal Yon Online is a blog I recommend you follow since his dispatches are always great reads).
Many of you know that our church is involved in many different 'humanitarian' projects around the world (we call them Glocal Impact Projects). Although we know these projects are making a difference in the lives of those directly involved, sometimes it is easy to overlook part of the larger picture. I think the last paragraph of his dispatch does a good job of showing how something as 'minor' as collecting & sending textbooks can have an impact. The entire dispatch is worth reading, but I will include that final paragraph here:
There are other actors in this endeavor who also appeared in Iraq and Afghanistan. Private groups in America -- often just a couple of people with a will to make a difference -- are shipping much needed English textbooks, wheelchairs and other aid to war zones. It is difficult to convey just how helpful these tiny points of light were in Iraq and are in Afghanistan. The contributions to success are immeasurable, but they certainly are significant, and this was in fact pointed out to me today when soldiers talked respectfully about “Books for Barrios,” “Knights Bridge International” and others. Whether the donations are textbooks, wheelchairs, or in the form of doctors and nurses donating time and expertise to mend cleft lips and palates, their generous actions go far to improving lives, building international bridges, and, indeed, even fighting terrorism.
Will the the rise in government spending have an impact on religion in America. Chuck Colson addressed that topic in his Breakpoint Commentary today.
In his classic book, Democracy in America, Frenchman Alexis de Tocqueville marveled at how Americans could accomplish almost anything through voluntary associations—especially churches. They built schools, hospitals, sent missionaries all over the world. He wrote, “I frequently admired the boundless skill of Americans in setting large numbers of people a common goal and inducing them to strive toward that goal voluntarily.”
De Tocqueville doubted that government could ever accomplish all that American citizens could do through their associations. But he also warned that if government should supplant the good work of these associations, the American people would ultimately end up dependent upon government. And this, he said, would imperil not only American democracy, but “civilization itself.”
For our latest mission, we picked a random couple getting married at the City Clerk’s Office in Manhattan and threw them a surprise wedding reception. The couple was treated to dancing, toasts, cake, and gifts, all with complete strangers.
Let me start by saying I do not watch this show. We do not have cable so it is not an option for me, but I would like to think I would not watch it even it was available.
That being said, I just read a blog post over at Stuff Christians Like. It has some very interesting insight. I really like this:
Did Jon and Kate get what they deserve? I don't know. I've seen other Christians express this opinion but I don't know Jon and Kate. I know me. And I didn't get what I deserved. I got grace. I got forgiveness. I got Christ. I got rescued from the ruins of a life that seemed beyond redemption. I got a second chance and a 10th chance and a 300th chance. I didn't get what I deserved. And when we say that someone, "Got what they deserved," whether we're talking about a reality TV couple, our relatives or our neighbors, we lose sight of grace, which is the undercurrent of our ntire faith and a gift we do not deserve.
