Church + Politics = Bad News.

It's true. While the church maintains a certain set of "accepted truths" - that God created the world, that Jesus came and died for our sins and rose again on the third day - there are still many things that divide us. Baptism. To dance or not to dance? Hymns versus "contemporary" music. A laundry list of things that, while they make us different, don't really have much to do with our basic beliefs.

And along come things like ... *insert scary music here* Proposition 8. (If you are in California.) This is my take on it. And you can scream at me or disagree all you like (but I'll still like you!)

I'm going to vote YES on Prop 8. I have lots of different reasons for it. God created man and woman and told them to "go forth and multiply." They were the example for marriage. Later on in the Old Testament, God actually destroyed two entire cities because TEN righteous men could not be found within their walls. God doesn't HATE homosexuals. People seem to forget that there is a difference between the sinner, and the sin. God HATES the sin, but LOVES the sinner. Homosexuality isn't any different than anything else - and if you look at the other sins listed in the Ten Commandments - murder, theft, adultery - we have laws against them too. Even some of the "minor" ones - ones that would be hard to make laws against, such as coveting what someone else has or being rude (not honoring) to father and mother - are looked down upon.

So clearly, we can't just follow SOME of what God wants. God wants everything. Revelation 3.15-16 states, "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth." We don't get to pick and choose which parts of God's law we like, and what we don't. Christianity doesn't work that way, folks. CHRISTIANTY IS NOT A BUFFET - You don't get to pick and choose which parts of God's law you want to obey and ignore the parts you don't like.

There are other reasons beyond the religious for voting YES on Prop 8. Many who support the NO vote on Prop 8 whine about "rights" being taken away. But getting married isn't a right. It's a privilege. We already limit who can and cannot get married. I read a great article recently on the "secular argument against gay marriage." In it, the author basically stated that we allow opposite-sex couples get married who can safely procreate and contribute to society. Some couples aren't allowed to marry, such as first cousins (and closer relatives). It is also illegal in all states to marry or pass off more than one person as one's spouse. This was all brought up in the article to show how heavily regulated marriage is in different states. I'm not going to re-write the entire article, but it shows how marriage is a numbers game, and those who are married receive certain financial allowances that those who aren't married don't receive. (Here, you're obviously old enough to read - enjoy. :) The Secular Case Against Gay Marriage

I do have another, more basic reason for voting YES on Prop 8. 8 years ago, 61% of voting Californians (approx. 4 million people) said that marriage should be limited to one man and one woman. Four judges (based in San Fran, of all places) decided we weren't smart enough to make such a decision, and overturned our choice. Why should they choose for us, when we had already chosen? Why do we have to go through this again? You realize, of course, that if Prop 8 doesn't pass, then every time judges "don't like" one of our voted choices (on anything) they'll feel they have the legal precedent to just overturn our choice. Because they've ALREADY DONE IT! I realize other states are voting on this issue this year as well, and may not have gone through this before. But we have! Why should we have to do it again?

And I just have to say ... one more thing I'm TOTALLY sick of: People who try to say that inter-racial marriage and gay marriage are somehow equivalent!!! Oh my gosh. I suppose it has to do with what you believe, but for me, people don't CHOOSE to be born Caucasian, or Chinese, or German. So one can't be discriminated against based on one's genes. Being gay isn't in a person's genes. Why would God create people like that? (I fully understand that people will want to be angry over my opinion, but don't let me stand in the way of you believing what you want to believe.)

This is why Christians shouldn't get into politics. Not that we shouldn't vote - I think we SHOULD vote, I think it is morally responsible to vote, and I think if Jesus were here today, He'd be voting too. (I just don't know who He'd vote FOR!) I just think that we shouldn't let politics divide us. I have tried to keep my mouth shut when I hear people talking about various issues, or politicians, or propositions, because I don't want our political beliefs to divide who we are as children of God. That said ... I care deeply about voting, I am glad I get the opportunity to vote, and I will be at the polls on Tuesday. And you should be too!

Sheesh. Silly people. Stop bickering over politics, and blog your feelings out instead.

Secrets suck.

Why do people trust other people with secrets? I know some doozies. And because this thing isn't exactly fully private, I can't write any of them down. I suppose that is the hardest part about having a diary without a lock on it: nothing stays hidden for long.

It almost reminds me of what we're studying in our life group - the book of James. We've been talking about the third chapter, where James refers to the tongue in the same like as trying to control a horse with a bit, a ship with a small rudder ... and, get this, he calls the tongue "a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body." Wow! Who knew that by such a small spark, we could set a forest fire? James knew. He tried to warn the people in his letter that if they weren't careful, gossip would overtake them.

Secrets ... gossip. Similar, yes? Secrets are things we don't want anyone else to know, that can often be destructive. Gossip can be too; whether it's true or not, gossip can end a friendship, ruin a marriage, destroy a church, split a family. And it's a secret that doesn't even have to be true!

Just goes to show you that the "old" saying is true: For three people to keep a secret, two of them have to be dead. Cynical? Perhaps. True ... Heh heh. Decide for yourself.

James 3.3-12

3When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

7All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, 8but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

9With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. 10Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. 11Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

All the pretty little horses.

I just ... think this is sweet. I was already thinking of it, and had to look it up. Just to see how sweet it really is.

    Chorus:
        Hush-a-bye, don't you cry,
        Go to sleepy little baby,
        When you awake, you will have cake,
        And all the pretty little horses.

   Black and bay, dapple and grey,
   Coach and six-a little horses,
   Hush-a-bye, don't you cry,
   Go to sleepy little baby.

   Chorus:
        Hush-a-bye, don't you cry,
        Go to sleepy little baby,
        When you awake, you will have cake,
        And all the pretty little horses.

   Way down yonder, down in the meadow,
   There's a poor little lamby,
   The bees and the butterflies peckin' out its eyes,
   The poor little thing cried mammy.

   Chorus:
        Hush-a-bye, don't you cry,
        Go to sleepy little baby,
        When you awake, you will have cake,
        And all the pretty little horses.

The child sleeps. The mother ... blogs.

And so she sleeps. I suppose I should explain the way I intend to run my blog. Most of the time ... my thoughts are just out there. Not written to any one person or group of people, just me writing down my life in the hopes that writing it out - I dunno. Makes me famous? Helps me remember later down the line when I'm old and senile? Makes sense to someone somewhere somewhen? I dunno. (Why does anyone really write a blog in the first place?)

Sometimes though, my blog is going to be written as letters to my child. And eventually, to my children. I realize my daughter is only two months old, but I do plan on having another. I loved being pregnant. And I plan on being pregnant again in a couple years.

To those of you who I've only recently reconnected with: Here's my life since high school graduation in 500 characters or less (I think!): Graduated 1996. Ventura College, then CLU, graduated 2001 with a B.A. in religion. Got married two months later (July 22, 2001.) It was, at the time, the happiest day of my life (As all wedding days should be, right?) I've traveled to three continents, been to Hawaii twice, and still manage to love being at home (but I still have to get out so I don't get house happy - funny, right?) We've been in our current apartment for almost 5 years.

Hmm. What else. (I know, I'm over my 500 char. So what, it's my blog.) March 3, 2007 was the saddest day of my life. It's the day my first baby angel was returned to heaven. At the time, I was horrified that I could have done something to cause such sadness, but I've been constantly reassured that it wasn't my fault. (I knew I wanted children though - Can I just say how hard it is when you're childless and trying, and the whole world keeps asking, "So when are YOU going to get pregnant??" I died a little bit each time someone asked me that, like it was my fault that I wasn't pregnant yet.) We had a hard time getting pregnant, and then we had a hard time staying pregnant.

December 30, 2007, at 3:30 in the morning (because I JUST couldn't wait) we found out we were pregnant again. Being diabetic and pregnant certainly wasn't easy, but I did everything I was asked to do. 22 pounds and nine months later, on August 27th @ 8:47 in the morning, Michaela June Douglas was born into the world. (By the way, just to make my fellow new mommies and mommies-to-be jealous ... I've already lost all my pregnancy weight. Go me!)

Speaking of, she's asleep, and it's late, and I'm tired. I'll write more when I find the time.

To my darling daughter:

Sleep sweet now, my pretty little baby, for you will soon explore
a world of wonders just waiting to be found by your chubby little fingers.
All the flowers shiver in anticipation of your first toddling steps,
and the birds hold their breath for your first high pitched squeal of laughter.
Somewhere, a pony is taking its first steps, to hold you up when you are small
and ready to ride the "big" pony at the county fair.

Sleep sweet now, my pretty little baby, for when you are all grown,
you will miss these days when your biggest worry was ... nothing.
No worries, no cares, and all trusting, knowing that mommy and daddy will love you
and care for you and see to your every need.
Sleep now, my precious child.

Love, Mommy

Wow. A blog. Go me.

So lots of folks have tried this out, and I suppose I was destined to get one eventually. This one has to be short, as I have a fussy baby who's desperately trying not to go to sleep nestled in my arms. But I should explain the title. There is a song which, as much as I love it, I can only remember part of two lines from, and I pulled the title from it:

Blue skies shining on me, nothing but blue skies do I see.
Blue birds, singing a song...

I'll post soon, when my child allows.