my reflection on hope

I've been reading a series of Advent scriptures for the first time this Christmas. Yesterday, God really helped these passages come alive to me and I want to share my reflection with you all to encourage you as well.

There are many this year who seem to have nothing to celebrate this Christmas. Those who are out of work, barely scraping by to just put food on the table...those who lost their homes (or vacation homes) in Hurricane Sandy...those who lost children at Sandy Hook elementary...and even my family who lost my uncle Kent just a couple months ago. If Christmas is about material gifts, then the poor have nothing to celebrate and the rich who suddenly lose revenue or homes, etc have nothing to celebrate. If Christmas is about family, then those who lost children, or spouses, or family members, or friends have nothing to celebrate. If Christmas is about security and peace, then none of us have anything to celebrate because there is war and instability everywhere we look.

BUT.

Christmas is not about any of these things. Christmas is the celebration of a promise fulfilled. God promised a Savior would be born in a manger, that He would be born of a virgin, and that He would save us for all eternity. The people in the Bible who believed in those promises in the Old Testament (and did not see them fulfilled) lived in terrible circumstances. The Israelites were wanderers in the wilderness and when they had their own country it was taken from them and they were captives and slaves. And yet, they continued to rejoice and follow the Lord...because they had HOPE. In the gospels, the shepherds and the three wise men were told that a king and a savior was born, they believed, and they went and saw baby Jesus and saw the fulfilled promise. Nothing changed in their circumstances. But they had hope.

We can celebrate and rejoice this Christmas because God sent his Son, Jesus, to earth, to live as a man, fulfill the law, and die on the cross for our sins. Then, he rose from the dead, conquering death, and finalizing our salvation. We who believe in this saving power have the only hope available. We are adopted as sons into God's family and will live in eternity with him forever.

And even better, anyone who doesn't have this hope now, or understand it, is welcome. God has his arms wide open for any who choose to believe. That's the greatest gift.

I hope that this encourages you as much as it encourages me. 

Merry Christmas,

Emily

Cream of Zucchini Soup

I made Cream of Zucchini soup tonight for dinner. Yummy! I never liked eating zucchini as a kid, and I still don't like it raw on salads, but there are so many good cooked recipes for it!

Recipe from my grandmother:

1 lb zucchini sliced (4 cups)

1/2 c water

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp sugar

2 Tbsp chopped onion

2 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp flour

1/2 tsp salt

dash pepper

2 c milk

Peel, cut out seeds and slice zucchini. Combine w/water, 1/2 tsp salt and sugar. Bring to boil, cover and simmer 15 minutes or until tender. Puree in blender. Cook onion in butter til tender. Blend in flour, salt and pepper. Add milk and pureed zucchini. Cook and stir until thickened and boils.

Enjoy!

Women Deserve Better

Last year, "Dr." Kermit Gosnell was arrested on murder charges, for murdering women as well as infants. He ran an abortion clinic in Philadelphia which had the most horrifying conditions. It's now being referred to as a "House of Horrors."

Women were given "anesthesia" by a teenager, instruments weren't kept sterile, and Gosnell carried out shoddy abortion procedures. Women contracted diseases, became infertile, and died at his clinic. Infants were born alive and then had their spines severed with scissors to complete the abortion.

What decade were these horrors happening? 1970s? No. 1980s-2000s. Present day. Under the nose of two different state administrations (both governors were pro-abortion).

How are abortion clinics kept safer than before abortion was legal? Through regulations. However, the abortion industry is less regulated than nail salons. They don't come under any of the safety provisions as any other surgical facility in the state. Don't women deserve better care?

Senate Bill 732 will give Pennsylvania women the protection they deserve from men like Gosnell. But the abortion industry claims abortions are safer without it. That this will endanger women more than help them. Abortion clinics fight safety regulations with passion. And claim to support women's health. False.

Time to pass Senate Bill 732. Women in 2011 deserve better!

The truth about Planned Parenthood

Truth about planned parenthood:

Planned Parenthood cites that they do breast cancer screenings, in truth they admit they don’t do mammograms http://tinyurl.com/6jk7ajr

Planned Parenthood fights against laws to protect child sex abuse victims http://tinyurl.com/6kyy7jm

Planned Parenthood was founded in the eugenics movement http://tinyurl.com/4j69nno

Planned Parenthood recently mandated every affiliate perform abortion http://tinyurl.com/2bwegyb

Planned Parenthood fights against statutory rape reporting laws http://tinyurl.com/4ac9xjm

Planned Parenthood is a billion dollar company http://tinyurl.com/67aa53f

Planned Parenthood opposes a any “legislations that elevates legal status of a fetus to that of an adult” http://tinyurl.com/45csn4w

Planned Parenthood ignores statutory rape reporting laws & fights against them http://tinyurl.com/4vj6o6z

Planned Parenthood would willingly accept donations for racist purposes http://tinyurl.com/kjnmmn

Planned Parenthood vows to spend $10 million to elect pro-abortion Dems http://tinyurl.com/4hh9a8b

Planned Parenthood's affiliates have been caught bilking and overcharging taxpayers http://tinyurl.com/4whho86

Planned Parenthood in Washington State tried to force a young girl to have an abortion http://tinyurl.com/4t5q5zl

Planned Parenthood in Kansas ignored at least 164 cases of statutory rape http://tinyurl.com/4fbk4om

Planned Parenthood in San Francisco tried to cover up an 11 yr old girl’s rape http://tinyurl.com/4aevx98

Planned Parenthood in Virginia advised a man with STD’s to donate blood http://tinyurl.com/4zfn9zy

Still think they should get taxpayer funding??

(information from The Cloakroom Blog)

Spinning...

I just took a personality test that said I am interested in security and peaceful living above all else. Wow, isn't that boring? True, but boring.

It's definitely been my mode of operation for most of my life. But right now, I'm craving an adventure. Ever since I "took the plunge" and involved myself in the Sam Rohrer for Governor campaign during the primary, I've started enjoying the unexpected. Now that the campaign is over, where do I go from here?

I still have my full-time job, and I love what I do, but is there something more I can be doing (in my free time)? Do I have more skills than I thought I did? Am I capable of more?

I'm currently reading Going Rogue by Gov Sarah Palin and it's inspiring me to jump in more. But what to jump into? Local politics? Help another conservative organization? I just don't know.

Any ideas out there?

If the post office ran healthcare...

Congress passing regulations based on who they want to punish and who they want to reward, affecting our mail (and maybe our health?)...read this blog post and leave your comments.

And this is by far the best description of how the postal system works (regarding customer service), and it's funny too!

Enjoy!

GEICO for Health Insurance?

Last night I watched Michael Moore's "Sicko" with a friend. A co-worker had loaned it to her, singing its praises, and my friend was not really sure what to think of it. I feel honored that she came to me for advice and asked me to watch it with her and discuss it in depth.

I held my tongue until about the last 15-20 minutes. I wanted to make sure I heard what he was saying and allowing my friend to form her own opinions (this was her second viewing) before jumping in and tearing it to shreds.

There were of course the usual villians involved: Richard Nixon (how is this not old yet?!), Ronald Reagan, Republicans in general... Hillary Clinton was a knight riding in on a white horse...gag.

I could write post after post on the problems with the film, however, I just want to talk about one point. I do agree that the system we have today has many flaws. But, turning into Canada and Britain is not the answer. (or shipping people off to Cuba)

Why can't health insurance be like auto or homeowners insurance where it's on an individual basis (not through a company policy)? I think McCain talked about changing it to this type of system in his campaign. Does anyone know why it isn't like that now?

Allow more competition, and allow people to choose the plan that works best for them with their health needs, income level, and life situation. Personally, I'd love to have a health savings account plan where I can put away money now for when I may need it in the future. I never go to the doctor and I'm not using any prescriptions. I'd love to accumulate my current insurance payments into a fund for if I get married and have a baby, or get a devestating illness or injury. Instead, I'm throwing money away every year on a plan that includes free colonoscopies and mammograms which I don't need at this time in my life, but my co-workers do.

What are your thoughts on this? Do you know how the health insurance system became tied to employers instead of individuals?