The Chivalric Code

I quote from my World History text book:

"This code pictured the ideal knight, one who was courageous, loyal, honorable, courteous, and gallant. Few...were able to live up to this standard completely, but the code gave them a goal."

Personal Responsiblity

Personal responsibility: has our country lost it? Check-out this article that was on the U.S. chamber's site (www.uschamber.com):

The 'Not My Fault' Crowd

By Thomas J. Donohue, President and CEO, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
October 24, 2006



"Why is it that when anything goes wrong in someone's life these days, someone else gets blamed and a lawsuit is filed? Put on a few pounds? Fast food restaurants are responsible. Didn't get that promotion at work? Discrimination. Burned your tongue on coffee, a product designed to be hot? The vendor's fault! I'm gonna sue! Whatever happened to personal responsibility? Has it become old-fashioned?

Trial and personal injury lawyers are leading the growing "not my fault" crowd to courthouses like kids to a candy store, inviting them to shed personal responsibility in exchange for some cash. Plaintiffs are seeking remedy for the most frivolous of "injuries" and redress for the slightest of alleged slights. You've heard the crazy examples--a woman successfully sues McDonalds after she spills coffee on her lap exiting the drive-thru; a New jersey college student sues for damages after he falls out of a loft bed while taking a nap; the convenience store thief sues a store owner after employees beat him up during a robbery attempt.

Who suffers? Everyone, in the form of higher prices for products, courtrooms jammed with frivolous complaints, and the erosion of a bedrock American principle we can no longer take for granted--taking responsibility for one's actions.

The fear of being subject to a potentially bankrupting frivolous lawsuit has led some product manufacturers to create the most inane of warning labels. My favorite is the one on the baby stroller that says, "Caution: remove baby before folding stroller." On a household iron: "Never iron clothes while they are being worn." In the manual of a chainsaw: "Do not attempt to stop the blade with your hand."

Has it come to this?

One of the reasons I am so proud to represent business owners is that they take responsibility for their actions. If they try and fail, they don't blame somebody else--they examine what went wrong, work harder, and try again."


Although what the article says, I agree with, one thing this article misses is the responsibility of the judge to judge rightly. Some judges today have lost the wisdom that judges of old once had: the ability to discern between when someone is responsible and when someone isn't.

Salvation in Christ

As I learn more about people, and more about this world, I see what a miracle salvation is. When I just think about some of the unbelievers I know, and how cool it would be for them to come to Christ, I realize that it's a miracle that I'm saved. Without Christ working in my heart, I never would have turned to Him. Now I can't imagine life without Him. What a joy it is to watch someone turn from darkness to the Light. In two recent occasions, I saw this very thing. One is a man who is very close to me who, since his birth, has been prayed for for three generations. Within the last two years he came to Christ. Oh, how excited I was! And now to see him growing and changing in the Lord. Another is a young man whom I know just barely, a young man who strayed far from the Lord. Recently he renewed his life in Christ. Now I see him with a joy and kindness in his eyes that was never noticeable before. It's so neat to see God's hand working. Indeed salvation is a miraculous thing: a thing only God can do. Salvation is in its self such an awesome thing. That God would send His Son, Jesus, to die for the human race: His enemies who were dead in trespasses and sin. Not only did Jesus free us from our sins, but brought us into glorious light. And here's a slammer, something I've been thinking about of late, that God would reward us for our good deeds, even though it is with His power that we do those things. Indeed, God even looks for reasons to reward His children. All I can say is that our God truly is an awesome God!

A Woman in the World

A woman's role in the world: it's a curious thing. The Bible seems to indicate that a woman should stay home, love her husband, and love her children. But what if she has no husband, she has no children, and thus frankly has no home to keep. What is she to do? A woman cannot very well find herself a husband, I mean she can't go looking. So what's a girl to do? Obviously, if she is grown, she needs to find a job. Preferably a job in a moral atmosphere, a job that would be somewhat feminine in nature. But what if I don't want to? What if one wanted to go to D.C. and fight for freedom, what if a young woman wanted to investigate crime, and be in the law enforcement realm? The fact is, that I want to do all of the above. I want to do so many things that I don't think are biblical for a Christian woman. Can I still fight for freedom? Yes, in a different way. Can I still work for justice? Yes, in a different way. That may be quietly campaigning for a local politician, or writing to the editor. Or maybe if God works in a different way and I get married or something, the only way I might be able to do support justice and freedom is by praying. It sometimes can be hard to submit to what God says in His word to do. Especially when one has built most of his/her plans around it. I must not focus on the present, however, on my desires, goals, or ambitions, but on the reward, the hope I have of Heaven. The hope of God Himself saying to me, "well done thou good and faithful servant". What a hope that is!

One Night With the King

My mother, sisters, and I had a girls-night-out the other evening and went to see
"One Night With the King", a movie based on the story of Esther. All in all the movie seemed fairly accurate. Not completely, however. But then again, who could expect any different from Hollywood? However, in no ways did the movie directly contradict the Biblical account. The movie added historical information that the biblical account does not include, which was nice. All the characters were cast very well, I thought. My two older sisters loved it. I was slightly more skeptical. Indeed, I liked it too, but in its nature "One Night With the King" is a love story and I am not too keen on love stories. Unfortunately, like most movies today, the movie included kissing. Something that I find detestable to watch. Nevertheless, "One Night With the King" I think is worth seeing. Not often does a good movie come out in theatres, and when it does, one might even put up with a little kissing to see it.

Justice: Capital Punishment

Capital punishment, it's in the Old Testament law. It seems biblical and I support it. But I bring forth the following the examples from Scripture about murderers who didn't receive the death sentence:

Cain, he murdered Abel. God didn't kill him. Why?
-Maybe it was because God wanted to show His mercy.
-Or maybe it's because staying alive was greater punishment for Cain then death would be. (Gen. 4:13 Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is too great to bear!
14 “Behold, You have adriven me this day from the face of the ground; and from Your face I will be hidden, and bI will be a vagrant and a wanderer on the earth, and cwhoever finds me will kill me.” New American Standard Bible)

David, he murdered Urriah, God didn't kill him. Why?
-Maybe it's because David repented
-Maybe it's because of David's humility, or
-Maybe it was because David was God's anointed

The fact is, we don't know. But of course, God knows and He knows best. But how are judges to rule when a murderer repents, today? Are they to make an exception from the direct command to kill the killer? No, I don't think so. God granted mercy (as He has done for all of us) be He commands us to put to death those who took it upon themselves to end the lives of others. In so saying, I must clarify that when one approaches a murder case, one must use extreme care in rendering the death penalty. One innocent man/woman convicted is one too many. Also, I've learned through various circumstances to pray for those in death row. Not only for their salvation, but for their families. I've been following the story of a murderer in Illinois who was recently convicted for a crime he committed in 2002. He killed four people. He is a violent, and evil man but his mother was quoted as saying she loved him. Often I forget that, as much as I want the murderer to convicted, I forget that they have a family too. A family who loves them. Oh, how tragic murder is! How tragic death without Christ is! Let us end therefore in saying, "Come quickly Lord Jesus. Amen."

Dating vs. Courting

Dating vs. Courting, it seems like one of the main points of discussion in the Christian world today. In my view, dating is an unintelligent thing to do. Firstly, it is defrauding. Meaning that if one does not do it with the intent of marriage, false hopes could be raised only to be dashed when a couple 'breaks up'. Secondly, it can be very tempting. Usually, dating includes three things in the Christian dating arena: hugging, holding of hands, and spending a lot of time together. These things can tighten a physical relationship which, before marriage, is a bad thing to do. On the other hand, courting is with the intent of marriage. It does not defraud, (I say this with the meaning of most of the time) and if done correctly, it is a "no patty fingers if you please" (the Quiet Man) kind of relationship. Overall, as the Bible gives no direct command here, I believe the courting is the more godly way to go. In summary, I would like to share a rather sad story that emphasizes my view. My cousin was unofficially engaged to a girl who dated a man during high school. When she started to date my cousin, her ex-boyfriend was not too happy, and ended her life in murder. Now, I am not second-guessing the past, nor am I questioning God's sovereignty, but is it possible, that if this girl had waited until after high school, when she could marry, if she had not allowed this man to get emotionally attached to her, could it be that she would be alive? All this happened 5-6 years ago, but it recently hit home that dating may not only be an emotional risk, but also a real physical risk. I have purposed in my heart to wait for the man God has intended for, I have decided that courting is the best way to do it. To sum it up by Scripture "Keep your heart with all diligence for out of it springs the issues of life."