...it puts it all in perspective.

Two good friends from college lost their young child last week.  He had been born with a lot of problems as I've come to understand and he finally gave up the fight. 

The two of them are absolutely wonderful people.  It breaks my heart for them.  I haven't really seen them in 20 years, but that doesn't change anything.

But the perspective on politics, world religions, daily troubles, etc. is this:  Ultimately nothing else matters - except the soul.

Paul says in his first letter to the church in Thessalonica "we do not want you to....grieve like the rest of men who have no hope."

My friends will see their young son again and he's perfect now.  I can't imagine the depth of their loss - but how much more would it hurt to believe it was just over and they were gone forever.

The Thessalonians were under intense persecution for their beliefs and the town was known for riots and mobs.  There must have been many people pulled from their homes and killed simply because they believed in Jesus and confessed His name.

My friends' son was taken gently to perfection by God.

Either way, all other things are just noise.

My hope is in Jesus who fully revealed the heart of God in the beatitudes (Matthew 5 and following).  No revenge, no hatred, no bitterness, no self-righteousness - just self-sacrificial service to friends and foes.  That is the God I serve and the one who waits with those who've gone before.

sharp

Terrorists, too cowardly - or more likely atheistic - to strap bombs to themselves, apparently couldn't find any Muslims who were willing to kill themselves for the cause. So they grabbed a couple of women with Down's syndrome, strapped bombs to them, sent them into a market full of Muslims in Baghdad and blew them up by remote control.

The scary thing for me, is the Wahhabi Muslim I saw interviewed who said he was proud of the "sister" who blew herself up to kill as many Jews as possible.  Jews who were deserving of death because....well, they were Jews.  That makes sense, right?

God said through his Holy Spirit that "God cannot be mocked, whatever a man sows that will he also reap."

It's scary to think of the eternity that those who do these things are preparing for themselves.  Surely the vast majority don't believe the way those terrorists do.  Michael Yon gives accounts of Iraqi towns full of Muslims who want to live peaceful lives and work together to build their communities.  Surely they don't agree with those who do these things.  But they seem silent.

Is there an answer?

sharp

At a rally last night a crazy heckler started shouting at Bill Clinton.  He almost handled it with grace.  But then his true colors came out.

Clinton told the person to speak up.  Then he quickly poured it on him. 

Would I have done the same?  I don't know.  But I know this, it was a fighter and divider, not a unifier that we saw.  And his wife is the same.

She was so condescending and over-the-top with her disdain for all conservatives - and showed unbelievable gall in her actions that were both criminal and shameful - that there is no way on this planet that she will be the President of anyone but the angry left.

Obama seems different. Romney, too. We'll keep watching. 

sharp

Nope. Not much at all.

That stunt in Florida was the last straw.

sharp

Any guesses on the next one?

sharp