Search Results for: what are your frustrations with the church

Outrage at the Raping Comments of an Islamic Cleric

Opposing secular, spiritual and political groups have today joined together in their outrage against the raping comments of an Australian Islamic cleric. In a Ramadan sermon, Sheik Taj al-Din al-Hilaly, reportedly compared “women who wore make-up and dressed immodestly to meat that attracted cats.” The Australian, (Australia’s major national newspaper) quoted the cleric as saying, “If you take out uncovered meat and place it outside on the street, or in the garden or in the park, or in the backyard without a cover, and the cats come and eat it … whose fault is it, the cats or the uncovered … Continue reading →

How You Can Interfere in Opportunistic Prostitution

Opportunistic Prostitution is the exchange of a required good, instead of money, for sexual favors. In its simplest form, in consensual situations, it’s where one party has sex with another because the other paid for dinner, bought an expensive gift, or said nice things. Ummm…sounds like some marriages I know of. A strange view of consensual sex, opportunistic prostitution is not uncommon amongst our young people. Much blame is placed upon young street kids for being promiscuous. Often what the kids are doing is just surviving. Entering into opportunistic prostitution keeps them alive and safe. They exchange sex with someone … Continue reading →

Disasters and Marriage

Disasters affect relationships in one of two ways. They can bring a couple closer together as they cling to each other for support and comfort and love. Or they can produce so much anger that people turn against each other and take out their frustrations on those closest to them. This is eyes exactly what is happening in Christchurch. Reports show ‘domestic violence has surged by 50 percent after a major tremor rocked New Zealand’s second city last September.’ That tremor was ‘the prelude to Tuesday’s quake that left at least 123 dead and destroyed parts of the city centre.’ … Continue reading →

The Cruise, My Marriage, and a Taste of the Amazing Race

One of the unexpected things Wayne and I got to do on our Alaskan cruise was play a game that gave us a taste of how we’d do on the Amazing Race. We fared about as I expected, but we also did a little bit better than I expected. Boat Activities Our first full day on the ship was a day at sea. (For those of you who haven’t taken a cruise before, that means it’s just you and the boat out on the open water. You don’t stop at any ports.) The first cruise we took (a short one … Continue reading →

What Have I Done to My Marriage? – Part Three, Salvation Strategies

Yesterday I wrote what turned into Parts One and Two of the “What Have I Done to My Marriage” mini-series. Where I left off in the saga was how Wayne and I weren’t even on speaking terms this past weekend. In our years together we’ve had our moments of silent treatments, but they usually remain just that –moments. Saturday morning we went a few hours giving each other the silent treatment, and then again that night and into Sunday morning. That’s highly unusual. Fear and Doubt Sets In Sunday morning I woke up frantic, unable to push the following thoughts … Continue reading →

Don’t Take It Personally

Rule number 853 of parenting: Don’t Take Things Personally! Okay, maybe it should be in the top ten of rules for parents, but learning how to not take the things your child says and does personally is one of the major challenges that I’ve wrestled with over the years. After all, it’s pretty darn hard not to take something like “I hate you!” to heart… The fact is, as soon as children are able to talk, they will start complaining and saying unpleasant things and it often feels like they are taking all of their frustrations out on the closest … Continue reading →

Seven Songs You Won’t Find in the Hymnal

Posted on by

Every Sunday, we pick up the hymnal and sing a variety of songs meant to encourage the Holy Spirit to join us in our worship. We also use these beautiful songs in our family home evenings, and listen to them throughout the day. The Lord has told us that “the song of the righteous is a prayer unto (Him),” and we try to utilize these wonderful expressions. But there are a few songs that we won’t ever find between the covers of our little green books, and I would like to share just a few of them with you. For … Continue reading →

Staying in the Race

Posted on by

I think one of the more challenging things for me as a Christian is to stay in the race; to keep going and not get burned out. This is not to say I ever consider rejecting God. I know that He exists as there is evidence all around me. I’m talking about keeping myself from becoming discouraged or backsliding. I do become weary on my Christian journey from time to time; I notice this more when I’m not taking the Sabbath rest I need. Sometimes I feel too like I’m fighting a losing battle against the declining morals of society. … Continue reading →