Thursday, March 26, 2009
Thursday, March 5, 2009
My Sermon - Thank God for America
Here is a sermon I preached on Thursday, March 5, 2009 in the upper-school chapel at Master's Academy.
________________________________________
Thank God for America
Turn in your Bibles to Psalm 33:12-18.
“Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance. From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind; from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth; he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do. No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength. A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save. But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,”
Two moose hunters were flown deep into the Alaskan tundra. As the pilot prepared to land on the small dirt runway, he said to the two men, “Now I’ll be back to pick you up in a week, but remember that this plane is small and I can only take out you two, your gear, and one moose.” The plane landed and he let them off. A week later he returned and he saw them at the end of the runway. Surprisingly, they BOTH had a moose! He landed and taxied to where they were and said, “I told you I only had room for one moose! This plane just can’t make it with those big animals inside it.” The two men said, “Well, last year we came hunting in this same area. We both got a moose. The plane was the same size as yours and the pilot allowed us to load both of them on the plane.” The pilot didn’t want to look like a less skilled pilot and told them okay “Okay”. So, the pilot loaded up both animals, pushed the gear in, and squeezed both men in. He got to the end of the runway, revved the motor up, accelerated down the runway and lifted off. It looked as though they were going to make it. But at the last minute the plane hit a tree limb, flipped over, and crashed. There was debris and moose limbs flying everywhere as the plane crashed along the ground. Finally the dust settled, and one of the hunters poked his head up between two limbs and he said “Where are we?” The other hunter poked his head up through debris and said, “I’m not sure, but I think we’re about 150 yards father than last year.”
Those who fail to learn from history are determined to repeat it. If there is one lesson we need to learn from history, it is this - the stability of the country is dependent on the morality of the people. That’s the reason behind Psalm 33 when it says “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.” God has kept His promise to this nation. God has fulfilled His promise to America for over 200 years.
In the past, some Americans have gone to the extreme of deifying the nation and equating patriotism with Christianity. For those of you who don’t know, I’ll tell you what “deify” means. The 1828 definition of “deify” is “To make a god; to exalt to the rank of a heathen deity; to enroll among the deities;”
I know believers who get very upset if the American flag is not displayed properly, but don’t ever notice if the Bible is misquoted or misinterpreted.
God is not an American. He is the God of every tongue, tribe and nation. Our allegiance to Jesus Christ is above our allegiance to the state. If the government gives directions contrary to what we know to be God’s will, Christians must follow Peter and John’s example, who, when commanded by the civil authorities to keep silent about
Jesus, said, in Acts 5:29, “We must obey God rather than men!”.
But in recent years, an increasing number of Christians are going to the opposite extreme. They have complete disregard for the country. In some Christian circles, they ridicule any patriotic celebration and they call it improper for believers in Christ because we are “strangers and foreigners” in this world and our “citizenship is in heaven”. After all, they reason, America is a corrupt government based on a greedy capitalistic system, and to praise it is naïve at best, and idolatrous at worst.
But what is right?
I will give you three reasons why being patriotic and expressing allegiance to our country is appropriate.
Reason number 1: We are to Obey our authorities.
The Bible commands us in 1 Peter 2:17 to “honor the king”. That command was written when Palestine was under a corrupt Roman government which persecuted Christians. Christians are to show respect for those whom God has placed in positions of authority. That means that regardless of whether or not your candidate of choice won this past election season, we are to obey their leadership.
If that command to honor the king and be patriotic was legitimate in the days of the apostles, who had limited freedoms, how much more true is it to us today?
Think about how blessed we are to be Americans.
Think about our abundant resources and lush landscape. I know EVERYONE here has been to the beach. But how many of us have been to the Smoky Mountains, Alaska, Cape Cod, Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls, Yeehaw Junction in Florida? We have a continent full of wonders like none else.
Think about our courageous forefathers.
Five signers of the Declaration of Independence were captured by the British and tortured. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. One lost his son in the Revolutionary Army. Nine of the fifty-six fought and died during the war. What kind of men were these signers? Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists. Eleven were merchants, nine were farmers and large plantation owners. They signed and pledged their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor.
Thomas McKean was so hounded and harassed by the British that he lost all his property and possessions. He served in Congress without pay and he lived in poverty for most of his life.
Carter Braxton of Virginia watched all his ships destroyed by the British Navy. He sold his home and property to pay his debts.
Thomas Nelson Jr. lost his home when General Cornwallis took it for British
headquarters. Nelson calmly urged General George Washington to open fire on his house, which was done. The home was badly damaged.
Think about how much better we have it than others before us.
Columbus discovered America in what year? 1492. Have you ever thought about how much better we have it than did the first settlers of America? There was an article in Life Magazine about the 1500’s. It traced some of our popular customs and sayings to life at that time. Supposedly, these are true. Here we go:
At that time, people only took baths once a year. It would usually be done after they planted all of their crops. So when they were incredibly filthy, they would bathe for once that year. A bath consisted of a large tub full of very hot water, much like today. The man of the household would bathe first, then she sons, then the mother, then the daughters. When it was finally time for the baby to be bathed, the water was often times VERY dark and murky. So much so that you could lose a person in it. Hence the saying “Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water.” Most people would get married about a month or two afterwards when they didn’t smell to bad. But brides, not wanting to smell bad at their wedding, would carry flowers with them, hence the Bouquet of Flowers.
Most houses of the time had a floor made of dirt, hence the saying “dirt poor”. The wealthy had slate floors which would get slippery in the winter when wet. So they spread “thresh” on the floor, which were pods of grain, to help keep their footing. As the winter wore on they kept adding more thresh until when you opened the door, the thresh would fall out. So they created a piece of wood to go on the bottom of the door frame to hold the thresh in, hence the saying “threshold”.
Here’s another one: the people of the time ate mostly vegetables, and meat was a real treat for them. When company came over for dinner, they would hang up bacon to show it off. It was considered a real compliment if the man of the house could “bring home the bacon”.
People at the time realized that they were burying some people alive, when they thought that they were dead. So, they tied a string on their wrist and would lead it through the coffin, up through the ground, to a bell on the surface; so if you woke up in your coffin, buried alive, you would ring the bell for help. (How they would help you I have no idea). Someone would have to sit up in the graveyard at night and listen for any bells to ring, hence the term “graveyard shift”. They would know that someone was either “saved by the bell” or was a “dead ringer”. I’m not too sure about that last story, but oh well. I think you get the idea.
As you can see, not many of us would want to live in a time with dirty baths, smelly people, hanging bacon, and being buried alive.
If the people who founded America were able to obey their rulers in the hard conditions that they live in, we should be able to obey ours in our ideal living conditions.
The second reason why being patriotic and expressing allegiance to our country is appropriate is because of Gratitude.
If we fail to give thanks for the United States of America, we are being completely blind to the fact that, although this IS an imperfect nation, it has been especially blessed by God. Contrary to what Revisionist Historians would tell you, this country was founded upon biblical principles. James Madison, one of the chief architects of our Constitution, wrote, “We stake the future of the American civilization not on the power of government…but on the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God.” That sounds awfully familiar, doesn’t it? (For those of you who don’t know, that’s CHRISTIAN SELF-GOVERNMENT.)
Maybe it is time for us to have a Declaration of DEPENDENCE. Here are four ways we depend on God.
*Our Laws depend on God.
Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” God’s truth determines what is right and wrong.
*Our Liberty depends on God.
Deuteronomy 8:17-18 says, “You may say to yourself, "My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me." But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth,” All that we have and that we have created for ourselves depends on God. Our leaders, our constitution, and our founding fathers can’t give us liberty, only God can. And our Founding Fathers recognized that.
*Our Security depends on God.
Psalm 127:1 says, “Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.” Our safety and security, both nationally and at home, depend on God.
*Our Future depends on God.
Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” God is wanting and ready, and trying to help us and guide our future.
The third reason why being patriotic and showing allegiance to our country is appropriate is because it Impacts our Christian Witness.
When Christians are disrespectful to their country, good citizens are turned away from Christianity by their attitude. But when Christians are positive, appreciative, and are contributing citizens, it enhances the opportunity to lead others to Christ.
From the beginning, America’s greatest resource has been her people. We need to help everyone in all ways possible. Like the Bible says in Matthew 7:12, “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” Not only do we need to help other people to lead them to Christ, but we especially need to help fellow believers! Galatians 6:9-10 says, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”
I will leave you with one last story:
A pilot was flying a group of basketball players back home after a game. When they were about to land, they were told that the fog was to dense to land right at the moment, and that they were to circle the airport until the fog cleared. So, they circled the airport for about 2 hours. Finally, the voice of the pilot came over the speakers. He said, “I’ve got some good news and some bad news. The bad news is that we are about to run out of gas. The good news is that I’m parachuting down to get more.”
This is NOT the time to bailout on America, this is the time to get more intense with your service. We need to help our community in EVERY way possible. On the back table there are some fliers and papers to sign up to volunteer for different community activities. I encourage all of you to sign up for at least one. Let’s pray.
________________________________________
Thank God for America
Turn in your Bibles to Psalm 33:12-18.
“Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance. From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind; from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth; he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do. No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength. A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save. But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,”
Two moose hunters were flown deep into the Alaskan tundra. As the pilot prepared to land on the small dirt runway, he said to the two men, “Now I’ll be back to pick you up in a week, but remember that this plane is small and I can only take out you two, your gear, and one moose.” The plane landed and he let them off. A week later he returned and he saw them at the end of the runway. Surprisingly, they BOTH had a moose! He landed and taxied to where they were and said, “I told you I only had room for one moose! This plane just can’t make it with those big animals inside it.” The two men said, “Well, last year we came hunting in this same area. We both got a moose. The plane was the same size as yours and the pilot allowed us to load both of them on the plane.” The pilot didn’t want to look like a less skilled pilot and told them okay “Okay”. So, the pilot loaded up both animals, pushed the gear in, and squeezed both men in. He got to the end of the runway, revved the motor up, accelerated down the runway and lifted off. It looked as though they were going to make it. But at the last minute the plane hit a tree limb, flipped over, and crashed. There was debris and moose limbs flying everywhere as the plane crashed along the ground. Finally the dust settled, and one of the hunters poked his head up between two limbs and he said “Where are we?” The other hunter poked his head up through debris and said, “I’m not sure, but I think we’re about 150 yards father than last year.”
Those who fail to learn from history are determined to repeat it. If there is one lesson we need to learn from history, it is this - the stability of the country is dependent on the morality of the people. That’s the reason behind Psalm 33 when it says “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.” God has kept His promise to this nation. God has fulfilled His promise to America for over 200 years.
In the past, some Americans have gone to the extreme of deifying the nation and equating patriotism with Christianity. For those of you who don’t know, I’ll tell you what “deify” means. The 1828 definition of “deify” is “To make a god; to exalt to the rank of a heathen deity; to enroll among the deities;”
I know believers who get very upset if the American flag is not displayed properly, but don’t ever notice if the Bible is misquoted or misinterpreted.
God is not an American. He is the God of every tongue, tribe and nation. Our allegiance to Jesus Christ is above our allegiance to the state. If the government gives directions contrary to what we know to be God’s will, Christians must follow Peter and John’s example, who, when commanded by the civil authorities to keep silent about
Jesus, said, in Acts 5:29, “We must obey God rather than men!”.
But in recent years, an increasing number of Christians are going to the opposite extreme. They have complete disregard for the country. In some Christian circles, they ridicule any patriotic celebration and they call it improper for believers in Christ because we are “strangers and foreigners” in this world and our “citizenship is in heaven”. After all, they reason, America is a corrupt government based on a greedy capitalistic system, and to praise it is naïve at best, and idolatrous at worst.
But what is right?
I will give you three reasons why being patriotic and expressing allegiance to our country is appropriate.
Reason number 1: We are to Obey our authorities.
The Bible commands us in 1 Peter 2:17 to “honor the king”. That command was written when Palestine was under a corrupt Roman government which persecuted Christians. Christians are to show respect for those whom God has placed in positions of authority. That means that regardless of whether or not your candidate of choice won this past election season, we are to obey their leadership.
If that command to honor the king and be patriotic was legitimate in the days of the apostles, who had limited freedoms, how much more true is it to us today?
Think about how blessed we are to be Americans.
Think about our abundant resources and lush landscape. I know EVERYONE here has been to the beach. But how many of us have been to the Smoky Mountains, Alaska, Cape Cod, Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls, Yeehaw Junction in Florida? We have a continent full of wonders like none else.
Think about our courageous forefathers.
Five signers of the Declaration of Independence were captured by the British and tortured. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. One lost his son in the Revolutionary Army. Nine of the fifty-six fought and died during the war. What kind of men were these signers? Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists. Eleven were merchants, nine were farmers and large plantation owners. They signed and pledged their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor.
Thomas McKean was so hounded and harassed by the British that he lost all his property and possessions. He served in Congress without pay and he lived in poverty for most of his life.
Carter Braxton of Virginia watched all his ships destroyed by the British Navy. He sold his home and property to pay his debts.
Thomas Nelson Jr. lost his home when General Cornwallis took it for British
headquarters. Nelson calmly urged General George Washington to open fire on his house, which was done. The home was badly damaged.
Think about how much better we have it than others before us.
Columbus discovered America in what year? 1492. Have you ever thought about how much better we have it than did the first settlers of America? There was an article in Life Magazine about the 1500’s. It traced some of our popular customs and sayings to life at that time. Supposedly, these are true. Here we go:
At that time, people only took baths once a year. It would usually be done after they planted all of their crops. So when they were incredibly filthy, they would bathe for once that year. A bath consisted of a large tub full of very hot water, much like today. The man of the household would bathe first, then she sons, then the mother, then the daughters. When it was finally time for the baby to be bathed, the water was often times VERY dark and murky. So much so that you could lose a person in it. Hence the saying “Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water.” Most people would get married about a month or two afterwards when they didn’t smell to bad. But brides, not wanting to smell bad at their wedding, would carry flowers with them, hence the Bouquet of Flowers.
Most houses of the time had a floor made of dirt, hence the saying “dirt poor”. The wealthy had slate floors which would get slippery in the winter when wet. So they spread “thresh” on the floor, which were pods of grain, to help keep their footing. As the winter wore on they kept adding more thresh until when you opened the door, the thresh would fall out. So they created a piece of wood to go on the bottom of the door frame to hold the thresh in, hence the saying “threshold”.
Here’s another one: the people of the time ate mostly vegetables, and meat was a real treat for them. When company came over for dinner, they would hang up bacon to show it off. It was considered a real compliment if the man of the house could “bring home the bacon”.
People at the time realized that they were burying some people alive, when they thought that they were dead. So, they tied a string on their wrist and would lead it through the coffin, up through the ground, to a bell on the surface; so if you woke up in your coffin, buried alive, you would ring the bell for help. (How they would help you I have no idea). Someone would have to sit up in the graveyard at night and listen for any bells to ring, hence the term “graveyard shift”. They would know that someone was either “saved by the bell” or was a “dead ringer”. I’m not too sure about that last story, but oh well. I think you get the idea.
As you can see, not many of us would want to live in a time with dirty baths, smelly people, hanging bacon, and being buried alive.
If the people who founded America were able to obey their rulers in the hard conditions that they live in, we should be able to obey ours in our ideal living conditions.
The second reason why being patriotic and expressing allegiance to our country is appropriate is because of Gratitude.
If we fail to give thanks for the United States of America, we are being completely blind to the fact that, although this IS an imperfect nation, it has been especially blessed by God. Contrary to what Revisionist Historians would tell you, this country was founded upon biblical principles. James Madison, one of the chief architects of our Constitution, wrote, “We stake the future of the American civilization not on the power of government…but on the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God.” That sounds awfully familiar, doesn’t it? (For those of you who don’t know, that’s CHRISTIAN SELF-GOVERNMENT.)
Maybe it is time for us to have a Declaration of DEPENDENCE. Here are four ways we depend on God.
*Our Laws depend on God.
Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” God’s truth determines what is right and wrong.
*Our Liberty depends on God.
Deuteronomy 8:17-18 says, “You may say to yourself, "My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me." But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth,” All that we have and that we have created for ourselves depends on God. Our leaders, our constitution, and our founding fathers can’t give us liberty, only God can. And our Founding Fathers recognized that.
*Our Security depends on God.
Psalm 127:1 says, “Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.” Our safety and security, both nationally and at home, depend on God.
*Our Future depends on God.
Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” God is wanting and ready, and trying to help us and guide our future.
The third reason why being patriotic and showing allegiance to our country is appropriate is because it Impacts our Christian Witness.
When Christians are disrespectful to their country, good citizens are turned away from Christianity by their attitude. But when Christians are positive, appreciative, and are contributing citizens, it enhances the opportunity to lead others to Christ.
From the beginning, America’s greatest resource has been her people. We need to help everyone in all ways possible. Like the Bible says in Matthew 7:12, “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” Not only do we need to help other people to lead them to Christ, but we especially need to help fellow believers! Galatians 6:9-10 says, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”
I will leave you with one last story:
A pilot was flying a group of basketball players back home after a game. When they were about to land, they were told that the fog was to dense to land right at the moment, and that they were to circle the airport until the fog cleared. So, they circled the airport for about 2 hours. Finally, the voice of the pilot came over the speakers. He said, “I’ve got some good news and some bad news. The bad news is that we are about to run out of gas. The good news is that I’m parachuting down to get more.”
This is NOT the time to bailout on America, this is the time to get more intense with your service. We need to help our community in EVERY way possible. On the back table there are some fliers and papers to sign up to volunteer for different community activities. I encourage all of you to sign up for at least one. Let’s pray.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
North American Union, Part 1
Here are 3 names you should already know:
President of the United States - Barack Obama
Prime Minister of Canada - Stephen Harper
President of Mexico - Felipe Calderon
*As you know, there are only three countries in North America - Canada, USA, and Mexico. These three countries are looking to form a union of the three, known as the North American Union.
You need to know that this plan to create the North American Union is NOT admitted by current leaders, but is in progress.
The North American Union will have one common currency, the "Amero", (an American version of the Euro).
*The former President of Mexico, Vicente Fox, is quoted as saying a "convergence of our two economies, convergence on the basic and fundamental variables of the economy, convergence on rates of interest, convergence on income of people, convergence on salaries." He saw that if the convergence occured between the United States of America and Mexico, it would "erase that border, open up that border for [the] free flow of products, merchandises, [and] capital as well as people".
*The Trans-Texas Corridor, (aka, the NAFTA Superhighway) was first proposed by Texas Governor Rick Perry in 2002. It consists of a 1,200 foot (366 m) wide highway that also carries utilities such as electricity, petroleum, and water, as well as railway track and fiber-optic cables. Ron Paul called it "the NAFTA Superhighway" and framed it within "the ultimate goal" of creating a North American Union. NASCO denies a new proposal for a "NAFTA superhighway" saying, "it exists today as I-35."
**************************
This is just the first part of a series in which I will be sheading light on the audacities of the proposed North American Union.
President of the United States - Barack Obama
Prime Minister of Canada - Stephen Harper
President of Mexico - Felipe Calderon
*As you know, there are only three countries in North America - Canada, USA, and Mexico. These three countries are looking to form a union of the three, known as the North American Union.
You need to know that this plan to create the North American Union is NOT admitted by current leaders, but is in progress.
The North American Union will have one common currency, the "Amero", (an American version of the Euro).
*The former President of Mexico, Vicente Fox, is quoted as saying a "convergence of our two economies, convergence on the basic and fundamental variables of the economy, convergence on rates of interest, convergence on income of people, convergence on salaries." He saw that if the convergence occured between the United States of America and Mexico, it would "erase that border, open up that border for [the] free flow of products, merchandises, [and] capital as well as people".
*The Trans-Texas Corridor, (aka, the NAFTA Superhighway) was first proposed by Texas Governor Rick Perry in 2002. It consists of a 1,200 foot (366 m) wide highway that also carries utilities such as electricity, petroleum, and water, as well as railway track and fiber-optic cables. Ron Paul called it "the NAFTA Superhighway" and framed it within "the ultimate goal" of creating a North American Union. NASCO denies a new proposal for a "NAFTA superhighway" saying, "it exists today as I-35."
**************************
This is just the first part of a series in which I will be sheading light on the audacities of the proposed North American Union.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Friday, February 27, 2009
What Logan Smith believes/is.
You all do not know much about me, so I figured I would tell you about who I am and what I believe:
***I am a certified Life Guard. I am Red Cross certified in First-Aid, CPR/AED, and Waterfront Lifeguarding. I chose to get these certifications because I want to be able to respond to any injury I see in anyone. I recognize that as the world spirals faster and faster out of control, there will be more and more violence. I am ready and willing to help anyone in anyway because of this training.
***I am a Survivalist. This means that I train and prepare to survive scenarios and situations that most would deem as "apocalyptic". This includes, but is not limited to: Extreme Natural Disaster, EMP Attack on the U.S., Martial Law in America, Intense Christian Persecution in America, Complete Collapse of Economy in America, and any other thing you can think of.
**I am the leader/founder of a survival group called CDSF. Here is CDSF's mission statement:
"Christian Defense and Survival Force (CDSF) is an organization created by Logan Smith in August 2008. We are devoted to spreading survival awareness and mentality. In order to do this, we train ourselves and anyone willing to participate in Survival Techniques for all areas, Basic and Advanced First Aid for all emergencies, Self-Defense from all threats, and training in Biblical thought and world-views. What we study and practice are determined by current Local and Worldwide conditions. We believe that we are living in the End Times as predicted in the Bible. Recognizing that these could be our last days, we learn to appreciate every day as a gift from God and how to protect ourselves and our loved ones."
***I am very politically involved. I am the Communications Director of the Teenage Republicans of Vero Beach (TAR's). I campaigned for McCain in '08, but I recognize President Obama as my leader that I must support.
***I am an Intelligence Officer on the website http://www.whenshtf.com/ I reccomend everyone goes and signs up on this website. If they ask, tell them gatorboi117 sent you.
***I am a Disaster Manager at Master's Academy. I was given this postition because I am certified, via a college class, in Multi-Hazard Emergency Planning for Schools. I chose to be in this position because I want to be ready to help my peers in the event that a disaster happens while I am at school.
*******************************************
Here is what I believe:
***I believe that our government is working towards a one-world-government, or New World Order. This is being done in many ways. One of the most alarming is the combination of Canada, U.S.A., and Mexico to form the North American Union. The three governments are also working towards a North-American currency, which will be known as the Amero.
***I believe that the U.S. government has alarming plans for Americans. I know that they have prison camps, (known as FEMA camps to survivalists due to the fact that they are owned and sponsored by FEMA) all over America. These will be used in the event of Martial Law being declared in America. Against the Posse Comitatus Act, U.S. troops are being stationed and used at home. U.S.A. is moving towards becoming a Police State.
***I believe that due to the fact that most of the world hates America (Iran, Russia, terrorist organizations, North Korea, and China being the most prominent) we all are at significant risk everyday of our lives.
********************************************************************
That is who I am in a nut-shell. If you would like to hear more about a specific subject, e-mail me at gatorboi117@hotmail.com
***I am a certified Life Guard. I am Red Cross certified in First-Aid, CPR/AED, and Waterfront Lifeguarding. I chose to get these certifications because I want to be able to respond to any injury I see in anyone. I recognize that as the world spirals faster and faster out of control, there will be more and more violence. I am ready and willing to help anyone in anyway because of this training.
***I am a Survivalist. This means that I train and prepare to survive scenarios and situations that most would deem as "apocalyptic". This includes, but is not limited to: Extreme Natural Disaster, EMP Attack on the U.S., Martial Law in America, Intense Christian Persecution in America, Complete Collapse of Economy in America, and any other thing you can think of.
**I am the leader/founder of a survival group called CDSF. Here is CDSF's mission statement:
"Christian Defense and Survival Force (CDSF) is an organization created by Logan Smith in August 2008. We are devoted to spreading survival awareness and mentality. In order to do this, we train ourselves and anyone willing to participate in Survival Techniques for all areas, Basic and Advanced First Aid for all emergencies, Self-Defense from all threats, and training in Biblical thought and world-views. What we study and practice are determined by current Local and Worldwide conditions. We believe that we are living in the End Times as predicted in the Bible. Recognizing that these could be our last days, we learn to appreciate every day as a gift from God and how to protect ourselves and our loved ones."
***I am very politically involved. I am the Communications Director of the Teenage Republicans of Vero Beach (TAR's). I campaigned for McCain in '08, but I recognize President Obama as my leader that I must support.
***I am an Intelligence Officer on the website http://www.whenshtf.com/ I reccomend everyone goes and signs up on this website. If they ask, tell them gatorboi117 sent you.
***I am a Disaster Manager at Master's Academy. I was given this postition because I am certified, via a college class, in Multi-Hazard Emergency Planning for Schools. I chose to be in this position because I want to be ready to help my peers in the event that a disaster happens while I am at school.
*******************************************
Here is what I believe:
***I believe that our government is working towards a one-world-government, or New World Order. This is being done in many ways. One of the most alarming is the combination of Canada, U.S.A., and Mexico to form the North American Union. The three governments are also working towards a North-American currency, which will be known as the Amero.
***I believe that the U.S. government has alarming plans for Americans. I know that they have prison camps, (known as FEMA camps to survivalists due to the fact that they are owned and sponsored by FEMA) all over America. These will be used in the event of Martial Law being declared in America. Against the Posse Comitatus Act, U.S. troops are being stationed and used at home. U.S.A. is moving towards becoming a Police State.
***I believe that due to the fact that most of the world hates America (Iran, Russia, terrorist organizations, North Korea, and China being the most prominent) we all are at significant risk everyday of our lives.
********************************************************************
That is who I am in a nut-shell. If you would like to hear more about a specific subject, e-mail me at gatorboi117@hotmail.com
Monday, February 23, 2009
Are we ready to help others?
Today, just as I finished working out after school, I see an 8th Grade boy running up to me.
He says "I just heard a car crash over there" pointing about a quarter mile away on this busy road. I say thanks and tell him to stay there as I take off sprinting. I get there and I see 3 cars have crashed into eachother. Pretty decent damage, but nothing horrific. I also notice that a police car is there, I assume he was on the road at the time of the crash. I look to make sure everyone is alright, then I wait until more authorites arrive, then I leave.
Walking back, I thought to myself "I was ready. But is everyone else?" One of the cars were all people of spanish decent. I knew what I would say. (Estas bien? Es la cabeza bien? ect.) But do other people? I knew what I would do if they were hurt, (seeing how I'm First-Aid and CPR certified), but do other people? It made me think, are we ready to help others in all ways possible?
It reminded me of the story of the Good Samaritan. When a man was lying injured, people passed him by. Maybe they didn't care, maybe they didn't have time to help him, maybe they didn't know how to help him, but they should have tried! Yet, no one did. That is, until someone despised by other men came and helped him.
How ready are we? Being unready to answer God's call to help people is ignorant and idiotic. We should ALL be ready to respond to and help others in ALL ways.
That's just my thoughts on this.
Matthew 25: 35-36, "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
He says "I just heard a car crash over there" pointing about a quarter mile away on this busy road. I say thanks and tell him to stay there as I take off sprinting. I get there and I see 3 cars have crashed into eachother. Pretty decent damage, but nothing horrific. I also notice that a police car is there, I assume he was on the road at the time of the crash. I look to make sure everyone is alright, then I wait until more authorites arrive, then I leave.
Walking back, I thought to myself "I was ready. But is everyone else?" One of the cars were all people of spanish decent. I knew what I would say. (Estas bien? Es la cabeza bien? ect.) But do other people? I knew what I would do if they were hurt, (seeing how I'm First-Aid and CPR certified), but do other people? It made me think, are we ready to help others in all ways possible?
It reminded me of the story of the Good Samaritan. When a man was lying injured, people passed him by. Maybe they didn't care, maybe they didn't have time to help him, maybe they didn't know how to help him, but they should have tried! Yet, no one did. That is, until someone despised by other men came and helped him.
How ready are we? Being unready to answer God's call to help people is ignorant and idiotic. We should ALL be ready to respond to and help others in ALL ways.
That's just my thoughts on this.
Matthew 25: 35-36, "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Favorite Quotes - Part 1
This is the first in a series I will have every now and then. It is basically just some of my favorite quotes. Here we go:
"I didn't feel like I was in the United States," he says. "I felt like I was in some kind of police state." - Craig Johnson
"When a well-packaged web of lies has been sold gradually to the masses over generations, the truth will seem utterly preposterous and its speaker a raving lunatic." - Dresden James
"Men think in herds, go mad in herds, but recover their senses one by one." - Charles Mackay
“He that would make his own liberty secure must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself.” - Thomas Paine
"You cannot invade the mainland United States. There would be a rifle behind every blade of grass." - Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto
"Congressmen who willfully take actions during wartime that damage morale, and undermine the military are saboteurs and should be arrested, exiled or hanged." - President Abraham Lincoln
“May those who love us, love us; and those who don't love us, may God turn their hearts; and if He doesn't turn their hearts, may he turn their ankles so we'll know them by their limping.” - An Irish Prayer
"We ask not your counsel nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you. May your chains rest lightly upon you and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen." - Samuel Adams
"This will be the best security for maintaining our liberties. A nation of well-informed men who have been taught to know and prize the rights which God has given them cannot be enslaved. It is in the religion of ignorance that tyranny begins." - Benjamin Franklin
"I cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article of the Constitution which granted a right to Congress of expending, on the objects of benevolence, the money of their constituents." - James Madison
"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote." - Benjamin Franklin
"Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." - John F. Kennedy
______
That's all for now!
"I didn't feel like I was in the United States," he says. "I felt like I was in some kind of police state." - Craig Johnson
"When a well-packaged web of lies has been sold gradually to the masses over generations, the truth will seem utterly preposterous and its speaker a raving lunatic." - Dresden James
"Men think in herds, go mad in herds, but recover their senses one by one." - Charles Mackay
“He that would make his own liberty secure must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself.” - Thomas Paine
"You cannot invade the mainland United States. There would be a rifle behind every blade of grass." - Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto
"Congressmen who willfully take actions during wartime that damage morale, and undermine the military are saboteurs and should be arrested, exiled or hanged." - President Abraham Lincoln
“May those who love us, love us; and those who don't love us, may God turn their hearts; and if He doesn't turn their hearts, may he turn their ankles so we'll know them by their limping.” - An Irish Prayer
"We ask not your counsel nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you. May your chains rest lightly upon you and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen." - Samuel Adams
"This will be the best security for maintaining our liberties. A nation of well-informed men who have been taught to know and prize the rights which God has given them cannot be enslaved. It is in the religion of ignorance that tyranny begins." - Benjamin Franklin
"I cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article of the Constitution which granted a right to Congress of expending, on the objects of benevolence, the money of their constituents." - James Madison
"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote." - Benjamin Franklin
"Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." - John F. Kennedy
______
That's all for now!
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Basic First-Aid Knowledge
I wrote this a month or two ago to educate some friends of mine who wanted to know about first-aid. Since I'm trained and certified in First-Aid and CPR/AED, I knew what I was talking about. I also referred to my first-aid training manuals for somethings I couldn't recall at the moment.
_____________________________________________________________________
We live in a VERY dangerous world. It's been said before, but I'll say it again: everything can harm you. When simply crossing the street can get you hit by a car, when walking into a bank someone could shoot you, when walking down the wrong street can get you attacked, when driving a car can lead to an accident, and with other unimaginable consequences, we walk on a tight rope of sickness and health. Sometimes, you'll find someone injured with emergency responders already there, sometimes they'll be on their way, and other times, they won't be coming at all. I, Logan Smith, am professionally certified by the American Red Cross in Waterfront Life Guarding, CPR for the Professional Rescuer, and First Aid. I will be sharing what I know from my training, my research, and my Red Cross training manual. This blog is to tell you how to respond to and treat a number of injuries. Just as a WARNING: this blog will have some graphicly discussed material and body parts mentioned occasionally that MAY be offensive to some, but are entirely necessary to understanding the material.
First off, I must explain the risks of all of this: bloodborne pathogens and disease-causing agents. Below are a list of "common" bloodborne pathogens that you may come across while performing first-aid.
Hepatitis B: signs and symptoms are fatigue, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, nausea, vomitting, and joint pain. It can be transmitted through direct and indirect contact. It is usually transmittied through blood and semen.
Hepatitis C: signs and symptoms are fatigue, dark urine, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, and nausea. It is transmitted through direct and indirect contact. It is usually transmitted through blood and semen.
HIV: There may or may not be signs and symptoms in early stages. In late stages, signs and symptoms include fever, fatigue, diarrhea, skin rashes, night sweats, loss of appetite, swollen lymph glands, significant weight loss, white spots in mouth, yeast infection (you don't even want to know how you can tell if you have one) and memory or movement problems. It is transmitted through direct and possibly indirect contact. It is usually carried in blood, semen, vaginal fluid, and breast milk.
Those are just the most common bloodborne pathogens. Below are a list of disease-causing agents.
Viruses - hepatitis, measels, mumps, chicken pox, meningitis, rubella, influenza, warts, colds, herpes, HIV (the virus that causes AIDS), genital warts, smallpox, and avian flu.
Bacteria - tetanus, meningitis, scarlet fever, strep throat, tuberculosis, gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, toxic shock syndrome, Leggionaires' disease, diphtheria, food poisoning, Lyme disease, anthrax.
Fungi - athelete's foot, ringworm, histoplasmosis.
Protozoa - malaria, dysentery, cyclospora, giardiasis.
Rickettsia - typhus, Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
Parasitic Worms - abdominal pain, anemia, lymphatic vessel blockage, lowered antibody response, respiratory and circulatory complications.
Prions - Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) or bovine spongiform encephalopathy (mad cow disease), kuru.
Yeasts - candidiasis. (for more information regarding these diseases, visit the CDC website at http://www.cdc.gov/ )
Now, here is why I told you all of this: when performing any type of first-aid on a person, you are vulnerable to becoming infected by something that person may have if precautions are not taken. Precauitions would be wearing gloves when performing first-aid, minimizing contact with exposed skin with that person, and using a CPR mask when giving CPR. Sometimes, you may not have any of these things. That is when you would have to make a judgement call: do you want to risk your life saving this person, or wait for more help (that may never come) and risk this person dieing. Either choice can work, just the outcomes are different. If you a pregnant, you may not want to perform first-aid without the necessary precautions, as you and your unborn child or more vulnerable.
Now, let's get into the first-aid.
Initial Assessment
When you come upon a victim, there are a few things you can do before rushing in to save them. First, look at your surroundings. Why is the person hurt or unconscious? Is it do to electrical shock? If so, use a dry wooden stick or other non-conductive material to move the victim away from the source. Did they slip and fall down? If so, be careful coming to them, as you may slip also. Is there a poisonous gas in the room? If so, cover your mouth, grab the victim by the back of their shirt and pull them out of there as carefully as possible, (if the person is too large, grab them by the ankles and drag themout this way). Or, you could open windows to let the place ventilate before coming back. The main point is to be aware. Don't take unnecessary risks, as this may just make yourself a victim, making the next person having to rescue two people.
Allergic Reactions
About 2 million people in the United States are at risk from anaphylaxis, and 400-800 people die from it each year. It can be caused by insect stings, penicillin, asprin, food additives such as sulfites, certain foods such as shellfish and nuts. These can all triger a reaction in susceptible people. Signs and symptoms are: swelling of the face, neck, hands, throat, tongue or other body parts; ithching of the tongue, armpits, groin, or other body parts; dizziness; redness or welts on the skin; red, watery eyes; nausea, abdominal pain or vomitting; rapid heart rate; difficulty breathing or swallowing; feelings of contriction in the throat or chest. Most people who are prone to this carry an epinephrine auto-injector with them. It is a type of syringe full of a drug used to temporarily stop the attack. If someone is having an attack, immediatly call emergency services. Then, take their auto injector, locate the middle of the thigh as an injection spot, hold the injector at a 90-degree angle to the thigh, grasp it firmly and remove the safety cap, firmly jab it into the victim's thigh and hold it there for about 10 seconds (you will hear a click), remove it from the thigh and massage the injection site for several seconds. Always bring them to the hospital, as this is not a cure, it just stops the attack for a short while; the victim will need additional medicine that can only be administered at a hospital.
Choking
If someone is choking on an object, this can lead to death. If a child or adult is choking, but is able to cough, incourage them to keep coughing. If they cannot cough, summon EMS personnel. Lean the victim forward and give 5 back blows with the heel of your hand between their shoulder blades (provide suport by placing one arm diagnally across the chest). Then, stand behind the victim with your arms around them, make a fist with one hand and cover it with the other hand, thumb on top. Place the fists on the abdominen just above the naval. Give 5 upward thrusts. (If thet victim is to large to wrap your arms around or pregnant, give chest thrusts).
Rescue Breathing
If a victim is unconscious, stopped breathing, but still has a heart-beat, rescue breathing is needed. Adult - tilt the head back and lift the chin to open the airway. Give one breath just enough to make the chest rise (it should last about one second). Do this every 5 second for about 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, check for a pulse for no longer than 10 seconds, if there is a pulse, monitor the victim until EMS personnel arrive. If no pulse and no breathing, move on to CPR (will be discussed later). Child - same steps as above but this time give one breath ever 3 seconds.
CPR
If someone has no pulse and no breathing, CPR is needed.
Adult CPR - to compress the chest, place two hands on the center of the chest; compress it about 1 1/2 - 2 inches. Breathe into their mouth for about 1 second (until chest clearly rises). A cycle of this would be 30 compressions followed by 2 breaths; repeated. The rate of compressions would be about 100 per minute. (Here is a tip: the song "Another One Bites the Dust, found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMenB9Ywh2Q ; it has a beat that goes dun dun dun, this is the perfect rate for giving chest compressions to an adult.)
Child CPR - to compress the chest, place two or one hands on center of chest.; compress about 1 - 1 1/12 inches. Breathe into their mouth for about 1 second (until chest clearly rises). A cycle would be 30 compressions followed by 2 breaths, repeated. The rate is the same as the rate for an adult.
Infant CPR - to compress chest, place 2 or 3 fingers on the center of the chest, just below the nipple line. Push about 1/2 - 1 inch. Breathe into their mouth for about 1 second, or until chest clearly rises (WARNING: it is possible to burst an infant's lungs by blowing too hard! Simply give a puff of air, usually a mouth full.) Give them a cycle of 30 compressions followed by 2 breaths at a cycle the same as an adult and child. If you do not feel comfortable with giving the breaths, still give chest compressions, this can do wonders for a person until EMS personnel arrive.
Also, if there is an AED in your location, use it immediatly. An AED (automated external defibulator) gives an electric shock to re-start a heart. Simply turn it on and follow the directions, it gives easy to follow instructions that anyone could do. Make sure you are not touching the victim or the victim is not in water or wet when it gives off the charge.
First Aid
This is a very important thing to learn, as it will be most often applied. Below are a variety of injuries and how to treat them.
Spider Bites/Scorpion Stings - Summon EMS PersonnelWash the woundApply a cold pack to the siteIf available, give the victim anti-venomCare for life-threatening condtionsMonitor the victim's air-way, breathing, and circulation (ABC's)Keep the victim comfotable
Snake Bites
Pit Viper - rattlesnake, cotton mouth, or copperhead.Summon EMS personnel Wash the wound.Keep the injured area still and below the heart.
Elapid Snake - coral snake - Summon EMS personnelWash the woundApply elastic roller bandage (make sure it's not too tight! A finger should easily, but not loosely, fit beneath the bandage. Monitor skin above and below it for color and warmth.)Keep injured area still and lower than the heart.
For all Snake Bites, DONOT apply ice, DO NOT cut the wound, DO NOT apply suction, DO NOT apply a tourniquet, DO NOT use electric shock
Stings
Insect Sting If the stinger is still in, carefully scrape it away with a plastic card. Wash the wound with soap and water. Cover the site and keep it cleanApply a cold pack to reduce pain and swellingWatch for allergic reactions
Marine Life Sting - Summon EMS personnel if the victim does not know what stung him or her, was stung on face or neck, known to be allergic to marine life, or starts to have trouble breathing. Wash the wound with soap and water. If it is a jellyfish, sea anome, or Porteguese man-of-war sting, soak the area with household vinegar, baking soda mixed in water, or rubbing alcohol as soon as possible.For a stingray, sea urchin, or spiny fish sting, flush the wound with water. Soak the area in hot water for about 30 minutes. If hot water is not available, hot sand may have a similar effect. Then carefully clean the wound and bandage it.
Wounds
Closed wounds (internal bleeding)-Summon EMS personnel immeditatly if the vicitm complains of severe pain or cannot move the area without pain; the force that caused it was enough to cause serious damage; an injured extremity is blue or very pale; the victim has excessive thirst, becomes faint, drowsy, or unconscious; the victim is vomitting blood or coughing up blood; the vicitm has a rapid or weak pulse; the victim has swollen, bruised, or hard areas of the body, such as the abdomen.While waiting for EMS, care for any life-threating conditionsKeep the victim calm and re-assuredKeep them from getting too hot or too cold.
Open Wounds - There are different types of open wounds. There are: Abrasion(scraped away skin) Laceration(cuts bleed freely), and deep cuts (bleed severely). Avulsiona cut in which large amounts of tissue or even an entire body part a ripped away or torn loose. Puncture do not bleed too much, but easily become infected. To care for these you should: cover the wound with dressings, such as sterile gauze padapply direct pressure firmly against the wound, wash the wound, apply anti-biotic ointment, cover the wound.
Shock
If a victim has suffered serious injury they may go into shock. Signs and symptoms are:Restlessness or irratabilityAltered level of consciousnessPale, ashed, cool, or moist skin, Nausea and vomitting, Rapid breathing and pulse, Excessive thirst To treat shock or minimize effects of it, you should:Summon EMS personnel. Control external bleeding. Keep victim from getting chilled or over heated. Have the victim lie down and elevate legs slightlyComfort and reassure victim.
Eye Injury - If there is an eye injury, you should: Summon EMS personnel, Help victim into comfortable position, Do not remove object from eye, Bandage loosely and do not put pressure on it. Stabalize object if possible
Mouth or Teeth Injury - If this occurs, you should:Rinse mouth out with cold tap water, Have victim lean slightly forward or place the victim on their side, Apply a dressing (for inside cheek: place folded sterile bandages inside mouth against wound. for outside cheek: apply direct pressure with sterile dressing. for tongue or lips: apply direct pressure with sterile dressing ; apply cold to reduce swelling and pain) If tooth is knocked out: rinse out mouth with cold tap water; have victim bite down on roll of sterile gauze in place where tooth was; save any displace teeth (rinse it carefully and place it in milk or water).
Injuries to Abdomen - You should: Summon EMS Carefully remove clothing around the wound. If organs are sticking out, do not attempt to push them back in, Cover organs with moist sterile dressing and cover dressing with plastic wrap, Place folded towel or cloth over dressing to keep organs warm, Care for shock
Nose Bleed There are many myths about what to do with a nose bleed, here are the facts: Have victim lean slightly forward, Pinch nostrils shut, Apply cold pack to bridge of the nose, Apply pressure above upper lip
Severed Body Part(s) - Summon EMS personnel, Control Bleeding, Wrap and bandage wound to prevent infection, Wrap the body part(s) in sterile gauze, Place body part(s) in plastic wrap, Place body part(s) on ice, but do not freeze it, Care for shock, Be sure the body part(s) are taken to hospital with the victim.
Animal and Human Bites - If the wound is severe, you should: Summon EMS personnel, Control the bleeding If it is minor:Wash wound with soap and water, Control bleeding, Cover with sterile bandage
Emergency Child Birth - This is a very dangerous situation. If this happens, you should:Summon EMS personnel. Tell the dispatcher the woman's name, age, and expected due date, how long she has been having labor pains, if this is her first child. You should also:Talk with her to help her remain calm, Place newspapers or abosrbant material on flat surface for her to lay on. Control the scene so she will have privacy. Position her on back, knees apart, feet flat, and legs spread. Remember, the woman delivers the baby, so be patient. The baby will be slippery, so be careful and do not drop it. Place baby in blanket or towel and lay next to woman. (Tips: do not let the woman get up and use bathroom. Do not hold the woman's knees together, this only complicates things and does not slow the process. Do not place fingers in the vagina for any reason. Do not pull on the baby.)
Scalp Injuries - Scalp injuries bleed heavily. Here is what to do:Apply gentle pressure at first because there may be a skull fracture. If spongy area or bone fragments are felt, do not put direct pressure on the wound. Summon EMS if seriousness of injury is not known. If no sign of fracture, control bleeding with several layers or dressings.
Embdedded Objects - These are objects that remain in open wounds. You should: Summon EMS personnel, Place several dressings around it to keep it from moving., Do not remove object
Burns - Burns are very dangerous and can be from a variety of sources, but here is general information: Remove person from source, Cool the burning with cool running water, Cover area with loose dressing, Minimize shock, Prevent infection.
Electrical Burns - Summon EMS, Check the scene for safety (if power line is down, wait for fire department or power company to disconnect the power)Do not cool the burn, Be prepared to perform CPR, Cover burn with dry guaze loosely
Chemical Burns - Summon EMS, Brush chemicals off with gloved hand, Flush with water for a long time
Sun Burns - Care is the same from any other burn, Keep it out of sunlight
Broken Bones and Muscle Injuries
The best thing to do here is to summon EMS and keep the joint imobolized. Whether this is making a splint or tieing it to another limb, be careful to not move it much and wait for EMS.
Well, there is a basic on all injuries you may come across. Although you can learn a great deal or information, the best training is from an institute where you can be certified. I reccomend the American Red Cross ( http://www.redcross.org/ ). Study and prepare yourself, you may never know when someone's life depends on you. Whats worse is that if an apoalyptic scenario took place, EMS would be out of the question. Then, you would have to care for this person yourself. Serving Faithfully, Logan Smith.
____________________________________________________________________
When faced with an emergency situation, it is always best to allow the most trained/certified person to administer the first-aid/care. If no one else is around, it will be up to you to save and protect your fellow man. I reccomend taking first-aid classes to everyone, they may just save you or a loved ones' life some day.
_____________________________________________________________________
We live in a VERY dangerous world. It's been said before, but I'll say it again: everything can harm you. When simply crossing the street can get you hit by a car, when walking into a bank someone could shoot you, when walking down the wrong street can get you attacked, when driving a car can lead to an accident, and with other unimaginable consequences, we walk on a tight rope of sickness and health. Sometimes, you'll find someone injured with emergency responders already there, sometimes they'll be on their way, and other times, they won't be coming at all. I, Logan Smith, am professionally certified by the American Red Cross in Waterfront Life Guarding, CPR for the Professional Rescuer, and First Aid. I will be sharing what I know from my training, my research, and my Red Cross training manual. This blog is to tell you how to respond to and treat a number of injuries. Just as a WARNING: this blog will have some graphicly discussed material and body parts mentioned occasionally that MAY be offensive to some, but are entirely necessary to understanding the material.
First off, I must explain the risks of all of this: bloodborne pathogens and disease-causing agents. Below are a list of "common" bloodborne pathogens that you may come across while performing first-aid.
Hepatitis B: signs and symptoms are fatigue, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, nausea, vomitting, and joint pain. It can be transmitted through direct and indirect contact. It is usually transmittied through blood and semen.
Hepatitis C: signs and symptoms are fatigue, dark urine, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, and nausea. It is transmitted through direct and indirect contact. It is usually transmitted through blood and semen.
HIV: There may or may not be signs and symptoms in early stages. In late stages, signs and symptoms include fever, fatigue, diarrhea, skin rashes, night sweats, loss of appetite, swollen lymph glands, significant weight loss, white spots in mouth, yeast infection (you don't even want to know how you can tell if you have one) and memory or movement problems. It is transmitted through direct and possibly indirect contact. It is usually carried in blood, semen, vaginal fluid, and breast milk.
Those are just the most common bloodborne pathogens. Below are a list of disease-causing agents.
Viruses - hepatitis, measels, mumps, chicken pox, meningitis, rubella, influenza, warts, colds, herpes, HIV (the virus that causes AIDS), genital warts, smallpox, and avian flu.
Bacteria - tetanus, meningitis, scarlet fever, strep throat, tuberculosis, gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, toxic shock syndrome, Leggionaires' disease, diphtheria, food poisoning, Lyme disease, anthrax.
Fungi - athelete's foot, ringworm, histoplasmosis.
Protozoa - malaria, dysentery, cyclospora, giardiasis.
Rickettsia - typhus, Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
Parasitic Worms - abdominal pain, anemia, lymphatic vessel blockage, lowered antibody response, respiratory and circulatory complications.
Prions - Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) or bovine spongiform encephalopathy (mad cow disease), kuru.
Yeasts - candidiasis. (for more information regarding these diseases, visit the CDC website at http://www.cdc.gov/ )
Now, here is why I told you all of this: when performing any type of first-aid on a person, you are vulnerable to becoming infected by something that person may have if precautions are not taken. Precauitions would be wearing gloves when performing first-aid, minimizing contact with exposed skin with that person, and using a CPR mask when giving CPR. Sometimes, you may not have any of these things. That is when you would have to make a judgement call: do you want to risk your life saving this person, or wait for more help (that may never come) and risk this person dieing. Either choice can work, just the outcomes are different. If you a pregnant, you may not want to perform first-aid without the necessary precautions, as you and your unborn child or more vulnerable.
Now, let's get into the first-aid.
Initial Assessment
When you come upon a victim, there are a few things you can do before rushing in to save them. First, look at your surroundings. Why is the person hurt or unconscious? Is it do to electrical shock? If so, use a dry wooden stick or other non-conductive material to move the victim away from the source. Did they slip and fall down? If so, be careful coming to them, as you may slip also. Is there a poisonous gas in the room? If so, cover your mouth, grab the victim by the back of their shirt and pull them out of there as carefully as possible, (if the person is too large, grab them by the ankles and drag themout this way). Or, you could open windows to let the place ventilate before coming back. The main point is to be aware. Don't take unnecessary risks, as this may just make yourself a victim, making the next person having to rescue two people.
Allergic Reactions
About 2 million people in the United States are at risk from anaphylaxis, and 400-800 people die from it each year. It can be caused by insect stings, penicillin, asprin, food additives such as sulfites, certain foods such as shellfish and nuts. These can all triger a reaction in susceptible people. Signs and symptoms are: swelling of the face, neck, hands, throat, tongue or other body parts; ithching of the tongue, armpits, groin, or other body parts; dizziness; redness or welts on the skin; red, watery eyes; nausea, abdominal pain or vomitting; rapid heart rate; difficulty breathing or swallowing; feelings of contriction in the throat or chest. Most people who are prone to this carry an epinephrine auto-injector with them. It is a type of syringe full of a drug used to temporarily stop the attack. If someone is having an attack, immediatly call emergency services. Then, take their auto injector, locate the middle of the thigh as an injection spot, hold the injector at a 90-degree angle to the thigh, grasp it firmly and remove the safety cap, firmly jab it into the victim's thigh and hold it there for about 10 seconds (you will hear a click), remove it from the thigh and massage the injection site for several seconds. Always bring them to the hospital, as this is not a cure, it just stops the attack for a short while; the victim will need additional medicine that can only be administered at a hospital.
Choking
If someone is choking on an object, this can lead to death. If a child or adult is choking, but is able to cough, incourage them to keep coughing. If they cannot cough, summon EMS personnel. Lean the victim forward and give 5 back blows with the heel of your hand between their shoulder blades (provide suport by placing one arm diagnally across the chest). Then, stand behind the victim with your arms around them, make a fist with one hand and cover it with the other hand, thumb on top. Place the fists on the abdominen just above the naval. Give 5 upward thrusts. (If thet victim is to large to wrap your arms around or pregnant, give chest thrusts).
Rescue Breathing
If a victim is unconscious, stopped breathing, but still has a heart-beat, rescue breathing is needed. Adult - tilt the head back and lift the chin to open the airway. Give one breath just enough to make the chest rise (it should last about one second). Do this every 5 second for about 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, check for a pulse for no longer than 10 seconds, if there is a pulse, monitor the victim until EMS personnel arrive. If no pulse and no breathing, move on to CPR (will be discussed later). Child - same steps as above but this time give one breath ever 3 seconds.
CPR
If someone has no pulse and no breathing, CPR is needed.
Adult CPR - to compress the chest, place two hands on the center of the chest; compress it about 1 1/2 - 2 inches. Breathe into their mouth for about 1 second (until chest clearly rises). A cycle of this would be 30 compressions followed by 2 breaths; repeated. The rate of compressions would be about 100 per minute. (Here is a tip: the song "Another One Bites the Dust, found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMenB9Ywh2Q ; it has a beat that goes dun dun dun, this is the perfect rate for giving chest compressions to an adult.)
Child CPR - to compress the chest, place two or one hands on center of chest.; compress about 1 - 1 1/12 inches. Breathe into their mouth for about 1 second (until chest clearly rises). A cycle would be 30 compressions followed by 2 breaths, repeated. The rate is the same as the rate for an adult.
Infant CPR - to compress chest, place 2 or 3 fingers on the center of the chest, just below the nipple line. Push about 1/2 - 1 inch. Breathe into their mouth for about 1 second, or until chest clearly rises (WARNING: it is possible to burst an infant's lungs by blowing too hard! Simply give a puff of air, usually a mouth full.) Give them a cycle of 30 compressions followed by 2 breaths at a cycle the same as an adult and child. If you do not feel comfortable with giving the breaths, still give chest compressions, this can do wonders for a person until EMS personnel arrive.
Also, if there is an AED in your location, use it immediatly. An AED (automated external defibulator) gives an electric shock to re-start a heart. Simply turn it on and follow the directions, it gives easy to follow instructions that anyone could do. Make sure you are not touching the victim or the victim is not in water or wet when it gives off the charge.
First Aid
This is a very important thing to learn, as it will be most often applied. Below are a variety of injuries and how to treat them.
Spider Bites/Scorpion Stings - Summon EMS PersonnelWash the woundApply a cold pack to the siteIf available, give the victim anti-venomCare for life-threatening condtionsMonitor the victim's air-way, breathing, and circulation (ABC's)Keep the victim comfotable
Snake Bites
Pit Viper - rattlesnake, cotton mouth, or copperhead.Summon EMS personnel Wash the wound.Keep the injured area still and below the heart.
Elapid Snake - coral snake - Summon EMS personnelWash the woundApply elastic roller bandage (make sure it's not too tight! A finger should easily, but not loosely, fit beneath the bandage. Monitor skin above and below it for color and warmth.)Keep injured area still and lower than the heart.
For all Snake Bites, DONOT apply ice, DO NOT cut the wound, DO NOT apply suction, DO NOT apply a tourniquet, DO NOT use electric shock
Stings
Insect Sting If the stinger is still in, carefully scrape it away with a plastic card. Wash the wound with soap and water. Cover the site and keep it cleanApply a cold pack to reduce pain and swellingWatch for allergic reactions
Marine Life Sting - Summon EMS personnel if the victim does not know what stung him or her, was stung on face or neck, known to be allergic to marine life, or starts to have trouble breathing. Wash the wound with soap and water. If it is a jellyfish, sea anome, or Porteguese man-of-war sting, soak the area with household vinegar, baking soda mixed in water, or rubbing alcohol as soon as possible.For a stingray, sea urchin, or spiny fish sting, flush the wound with water. Soak the area in hot water for about 30 minutes. If hot water is not available, hot sand may have a similar effect. Then carefully clean the wound and bandage it.
Wounds
Closed wounds (internal bleeding)-Summon EMS personnel immeditatly if the vicitm complains of severe pain or cannot move the area without pain; the force that caused it was enough to cause serious damage; an injured extremity is blue or very pale; the victim has excessive thirst, becomes faint, drowsy, or unconscious; the victim is vomitting blood or coughing up blood; the vicitm has a rapid or weak pulse; the victim has swollen, bruised, or hard areas of the body, such as the abdomen.While waiting for EMS, care for any life-threating conditionsKeep the victim calm and re-assuredKeep them from getting too hot or too cold.
Open Wounds - There are different types of open wounds. There are: Abrasion(scraped away skin) Laceration(cuts bleed freely), and deep cuts (bleed severely). Avulsiona cut in which large amounts of tissue or even an entire body part a ripped away or torn loose. Puncture do not bleed too much, but easily become infected. To care for these you should: cover the wound with dressings, such as sterile gauze padapply direct pressure firmly against the wound, wash the wound, apply anti-biotic ointment, cover the wound.
Shock
If a victim has suffered serious injury they may go into shock. Signs and symptoms are:Restlessness or irratabilityAltered level of consciousnessPale, ashed, cool, or moist skin, Nausea and vomitting, Rapid breathing and pulse, Excessive thirst To treat shock or minimize effects of it, you should:Summon EMS personnel. Control external bleeding. Keep victim from getting chilled or over heated. Have the victim lie down and elevate legs slightlyComfort and reassure victim.
Eye Injury - If there is an eye injury, you should: Summon EMS personnel, Help victim into comfortable position, Do not remove object from eye, Bandage loosely and do not put pressure on it. Stabalize object if possible
Mouth or Teeth Injury - If this occurs, you should:Rinse mouth out with cold tap water, Have victim lean slightly forward or place the victim on their side, Apply a dressing (for inside cheek: place folded sterile bandages inside mouth against wound. for outside cheek: apply direct pressure with sterile dressing. for tongue or lips: apply direct pressure with sterile dressing ; apply cold to reduce swelling and pain) If tooth is knocked out: rinse out mouth with cold tap water; have victim bite down on roll of sterile gauze in place where tooth was; save any displace teeth (rinse it carefully and place it in milk or water).
Injuries to Abdomen - You should: Summon EMS Carefully remove clothing around the wound. If organs are sticking out, do not attempt to push them back in, Cover organs with moist sterile dressing and cover dressing with plastic wrap, Place folded towel or cloth over dressing to keep organs warm, Care for shock
Nose Bleed There are many myths about what to do with a nose bleed, here are the facts: Have victim lean slightly forward, Pinch nostrils shut, Apply cold pack to bridge of the nose, Apply pressure above upper lip
Severed Body Part(s) - Summon EMS personnel, Control Bleeding, Wrap and bandage wound to prevent infection, Wrap the body part(s) in sterile gauze, Place body part(s) in plastic wrap, Place body part(s) on ice, but do not freeze it, Care for shock, Be sure the body part(s) are taken to hospital with the victim.
Animal and Human Bites - If the wound is severe, you should: Summon EMS personnel, Control the bleeding If it is minor:Wash wound with soap and water, Control bleeding, Cover with sterile bandage
Emergency Child Birth - This is a very dangerous situation. If this happens, you should:Summon EMS personnel. Tell the dispatcher the woman's name, age, and expected due date, how long she has been having labor pains, if this is her first child. You should also:Talk with her to help her remain calm, Place newspapers or abosrbant material on flat surface for her to lay on. Control the scene so she will have privacy. Position her on back, knees apart, feet flat, and legs spread. Remember, the woman delivers the baby, so be patient. The baby will be slippery, so be careful and do not drop it. Place baby in blanket or towel and lay next to woman. (Tips: do not let the woman get up and use bathroom. Do not hold the woman's knees together, this only complicates things and does not slow the process. Do not place fingers in the vagina for any reason. Do not pull on the baby.)
Scalp Injuries - Scalp injuries bleed heavily. Here is what to do:Apply gentle pressure at first because there may be a skull fracture. If spongy area or bone fragments are felt, do not put direct pressure on the wound. Summon EMS if seriousness of injury is not known. If no sign of fracture, control bleeding with several layers or dressings.
Embdedded Objects - These are objects that remain in open wounds. You should: Summon EMS personnel, Place several dressings around it to keep it from moving., Do not remove object
Burns - Burns are very dangerous and can be from a variety of sources, but here is general information: Remove person from source, Cool the burning with cool running water, Cover area with loose dressing, Minimize shock, Prevent infection.
Electrical Burns - Summon EMS, Check the scene for safety (if power line is down, wait for fire department or power company to disconnect the power)Do not cool the burn, Be prepared to perform CPR, Cover burn with dry guaze loosely
Chemical Burns - Summon EMS, Brush chemicals off with gloved hand, Flush with water for a long time
Sun Burns - Care is the same from any other burn, Keep it out of sunlight
Broken Bones and Muscle Injuries
The best thing to do here is to summon EMS and keep the joint imobolized. Whether this is making a splint or tieing it to another limb, be careful to not move it much and wait for EMS.
Well, there is a basic on all injuries you may come across. Although you can learn a great deal or information, the best training is from an institute where you can be certified. I reccomend the American Red Cross ( http://www.redcross.org/ ). Study and prepare yourself, you may never know when someone's life depends on you. Whats worse is that if an apoalyptic scenario took place, EMS would be out of the question. Then, you would have to care for this person yourself. Serving Faithfully, Logan Smith.
____________________________________________________________________
When faced with an emergency situation, it is always best to allow the most trained/certified person to administer the first-aid/care. If no one else is around, it will be up to you to save and protect your fellow man. I reccomend taking first-aid classes to everyone, they may just save you or a loved ones' life some day.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Sexual Purity - A Lesson for a Friend
This entry is a little different than the last ones, and is directed at one of my friends. I hope that she finds this and reads it.
_________________________
So far this week has been alright. Besides from me getting new running shoes (which are super awesome, but heavy!) and other things like that, I've found myself in a position I didn't think I'd be in: someone's conscience.
Do you remember the cartoons (or if you're some of my friends, you still watch them) where a character is trying to decided between a good decision and a bad decision. Suddenly... POOF! A little devil appears on the character's shoulder. He begins whispering in his ear why he should make the bad decision. POOF! The little angel appears on the other shoulder and whispers in the other ear. It's an argument back and forth until the character makes the good decision.
Well, Monday night I was that little angel, I think. Let me explain.
One of my friends (whose name will NOT be mentioned, but she is a girl) myspace messaged me Monday evening. She says one of her guy friends wants to have sex with her, and she doesn't know what to do. She says she wants to, but is afraid of becoming pregnant. She asked ME what she should do.
Whoa. Talk about PRESSURE! She is what I'd call a lukewarm Christian. She believes in God, goes to church, etc. But her lifestyle doesn't really show it.
Now, she gave me the opportunity to give her advice. There are two ways to advise someone for me. I can either use the Bible, or use logic from a Biblical Worldview. Rather than thump her on the head with a Bible and throw verses at her, possibly annoying her, I took an alternative route. Here is what I pointed out:
*Studies show that over 25% of U.S. Teens have at least one STD
* Protection doesn't always work, and failure can lead to disasterous and life ruining consequences
*Many teenage girls who become pregnant consider suicide
*It is very hard to obtain a job as a teenage girl if you are pregnant
*Most of the guys who will impregnate you will NOT support you during and after your pregnancy
Now, aside from the facts, here is the other things I pointed out to her. Right now, at this age, it is hard to see the future. But, it is easy to know that giving yourself away to someone else is horrible. U.S. Adults who have had sex BEFORE marriage and married a different person say that their spouse is disappointed in them. Some even say the "right one" refused to marry them because of the fact that they were impure. Most adults in america who have sex with people other than their spouse are usually depressed and never find fulfillment.
Saving yourself for marriage is a very important thing to do.
Now, here is the rest of my "sermon". It's Bible time!
*1 Corinthians 6:15-16, "Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, "The two will become one flesh."
*Mark 10:6-9, "But at the beginning of creation God 'made them male and female.' 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.' So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate."
*Romans 8:12-15, "Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation—but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father."
*1 Corinthians 7:1-2, "Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good for a man not to marry. But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband."
*Hebrews 13:4, "Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral."
*1 Timothy 5:1-2, "Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity."
These verses show how being pure is a thing to strive for. In today's world, it is VERY rare, but something to be cherrished.
I hope and pray that my friend takes my advice. After talking with her, she says she is going to try very hard to take my advice, and will keep my posted. I think she will stay true to herself and true to God. I'm praying that she will.
Job 31:1, "I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl."
_________________________
So far this week has been alright. Besides from me getting new running shoes (which are super awesome, but heavy!) and other things like that, I've found myself in a position I didn't think I'd be in: someone's conscience.
Do you remember the cartoons (or if you're some of my friends, you still watch them) where a character is trying to decided between a good decision and a bad decision. Suddenly... POOF! A little devil appears on the character's shoulder. He begins whispering in his ear why he should make the bad decision. POOF! The little angel appears on the other shoulder and whispers in the other ear. It's an argument back and forth until the character makes the good decision.
Well, Monday night I was that little angel, I think. Let me explain.
One of my friends (whose name will NOT be mentioned, but she is a girl) myspace messaged me Monday evening. She says one of her guy friends wants to have sex with her, and she doesn't know what to do. She says she wants to, but is afraid of becoming pregnant. She asked ME what she should do.
Whoa. Talk about PRESSURE! She is what I'd call a lukewarm Christian. She believes in God, goes to church, etc. But her lifestyle doesn't really show it.
Now, she gave me the opportunity to give her advice. There are two ways to advise someone for me. I can either use the Bible, or use logic from a Biblical Worldview. Rather than thump her on the head with a Bible and throw verses at her, possibly annoying her, I took an alternative route. Here is what I pointed out:
*Studies show that over 25% of U.S. Teens have at least one STD
* Protection doesn't always work, and failure can lead to disasterous and life ruining consequences
*Many teenage girls who become pregnant consider suicide
*It is very hard to obtain a job as a teenage girl if you are pregnant
*Most of the guys who will impregnate you will NOT support you during and after your pregnancy
Now, aside from the facts, here is the other things I pointed out to her. Right now, at this age, it is hard to see the future. But, it is easy to know that giving yourself away to someone else is horrible. U.S. Adults who have had sex BEFORE marriage and married a different person say that their spouse is disappointed in them. Some even say the "right one" refused to marry them because of the fact that they were impure. Most adults in america who have sex with people other than their spouse are usually depressed and never find fulfillment.
Saving yourself for marriage is a very important thing to do.
Now, here is the rest of my "sermon". It's Bible time!
*1 Corinthians 6:15-16, "Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, "The two will become one flesh."
*Mark 10:6-9, "But at the beginning of creation God 'made them male and female.' 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.' So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate."
*Romans 8:12-15, "Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation—but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father."
*1 Corinthians 7:1-2, "Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good for a man not to marry. But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband."
*Hebrews 13:4, "Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral."
*1 Timothy 5:1-2, "Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity."
These verses show how being pure is a thing to strive for. In today's world, it is VERY rare, but something to be cherrished.
I hope and pray that my friend takes my advice. After talking with her, she says she is going to try very hard to take my advice, and will keep my posted. I think she will stay true to herself and true to God. I'm praying that she will.
Job 31:1, "I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl."
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
A New Leader has come.
Today is a monumentous day in our nation's history. We, as a nation, have proven that the democratic process works. We have proven that a peaceful transition of power is possible. We have proven that despite your race, gender, or socio-economic background, you can be whatever you want to be.
This day, January 20th, 2009, we have sworn in our first African-American President. It is a tremendous day in America's history.
Let me tell you what this entry is NOT about:
*this is NOT about my political orientation.
*this is NOT about whether I supported McCain or Obama in the elections.
What this thread is about is what we need to do as Christians.
Face it, Barrack Obama is our new President of the United States. He is the leader of the Free World. There are some plans he has in store for the US that I am not exited about, but that doesn't matter right now. What matters right now is this: he is our President. He is our leader. God has put him in control, and God has raised him up.
*Romans 13:1-7, "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor."
*2 Chronicles 7:14, "if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
*1 Peter 2:13-17, "Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king."
*Psalm 146:3, "Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save."
As Christians, we need to honor those that God has placed in leadership of us. Whether or not we like them or not. Remember, God is still in control.
Jeremiah 29:11, ""For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."
This day, January 20th, 2009, we have sworn in our first African-American President. It is a tremendous day in America's history.
Let me tell you what this entry is NOT about:
*this is NOT about my political orientation.
*this is NOT about whether I supported McCain or Obama in the elections.
What this thread is about is what we need to do as Christians.
Face it, Barrack Obama is our new President of the United States. He is the leader of the Free World. There are some plans he has in store for the US that I am not exited about, but that doesn't matter right now. What matters right now is this: he is our President. He is our leader. God has put him in control, and God has raised him up.
*Romans 13:1-7, "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor."
*2 Chronicles 7:14, "if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
*1 Peter 2:13-17, "Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king."
*Psalm 146:3, "Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save."
As Christians, we need to honor those that God has placed in leadership of us. Whether or not we like them or not. Remember, God is still in control.
Jeremiah 29:11, ""For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."
Saturday, January 17, 2009
WMD Attack on the U.S.: What Threats do we Face?
Here is a blog I wrote elsewhere about a month ago.
_____________________________________________________________________
We all know what kind of world we are living in. This is a world of sinful desires such as adultery, fornification, homosexuality, and other sexual sins. Also, it is a world where lieing is not only thought of as "ok" in some circumstances, but it is actually recommended. A world where violence is often times chosen as the answer. Where the strong attack and take advantage of the weak. Above all, this is a world suffering from sin. A world suffering from sin can NEVER be at peace. All promises of peace are nothing except lies and illusions to take our trust off of God. By making us think that we can achieve peace, we see no need for a God that will judge us. A God that says the world will end in turmoil. We would be decieved if we believe these plans for middle-east peace can actually work. But that is not why I'm writting this. I am writting this because of the threat of one thing: WMD's (Weapon's of Mass Destruction).
Weapon's of Mass Destruction (WMD's) come in different types. They are Chemical Weapons (a weapon using chemicals to kill or injure a person), Biological Weapons (a weapon using a virus or bacteria to spread a disease that will kill or injure people) or Nuclear Weapons (a weapon using a radioactive substance to either produce a nuclear explosion or to produce contaminated material to injure or kill people). In today's world, these are not hard to come across. A Chemical Weapon can be made by someone with the money to buy chemicals or the know-how to create it themselves. A Biological Weapon can be made by someone buying a pre-made one or by someone simply producing a type of bacteria or virus. A Nucelar Weapon can be made by someone with the money to buy one or the materials, or by someone who can mine and purify Uranium. I will take a look at each one of these in greater detail.
***********Chemical Weapons These are weapons or "agents" that cause a variety of symptons in the human body. They can do everything from shutting down bodily functions like breathing to actually burning your skin upon contact. The easiest way to spread these is by gas form, which can drift around. The most common chemical agent is Tear Gas, which is primarily used by Law Enforcement; it irratates your eyes and can induce vomitting. There is a variety of chemical agents. In traditional warfare, they have shaped battle fields. Almost all chemical agents can be avoided by simply locking yourself in an enclosed space, such as an interior room or a car, covering all air passages, and for extreme measures you could cover your face with a damp cloth to breath out of. The worst case scenario would be a terrorist attacks. These are usually inpredictable and can strike in heavily populated civilian areas. The most likely agents used by a terrorist are as follows:
************Sarin*********
Sarin is an oddorless and colorless vapor. It is known as a nerve agent. It's initial symptons are: runny nose, tightness in chest and contriction of pupils. Soon after, the vicitm has difficulty breathing and will experience nausea and drooling. As the victim continues to lose control of bodily functions, the victim vomits, defecates and urinates. This phase is followed by twitching and jerking. Ultimately, the victim becomes comatose and suffocates in a series of convulsive spasms. Sarin can be abosribed through the skin when it is present in high doses, but is usually inhaled in. A victim who recieves a non-lethal dose to Sarin, but does not get immediate medical attention, will suffer permanent neurological problems.Even in low doses, it can be FATAL. Death may follow in one minute after direct ingestion of about 0.01 milligram per kilogram of body weight if an antidote is not immediately administered.
************Chlorine-Gas*******
Chlorine Gas is simple to make. It is able to be made with common household appliances in a matter of seconds. Symptons include irratation of eyes, skin, and lungs. It reacts with water in the lungs and form hydrochloric acid, which will in effect, burn the lungs. Also, it will irrate the back of the throat and mouth. Because it is heavier than air, it will condense at the bottom of poorly ventillated areas.It can be lethal if the vicitm does not get fresh air. Also, if too much is inhaled, it can cause damage to the throat, lungs, and eyes, which would need medical attention. It isn't too farfetched to think that terrorists could attack a populated area with a Chemical Agent and cause casualties and injuries. Chemical attacks are the simplest and easiest of all WMD's.
**********Biological Weapons*******
A Biological Weapon is a weapon using pathogens (viruses or bacteria) to injure or kill people or agriculture. Ideal characteristics of a biological weapon are: high infectivity, high potency, non-availability of vaccines, and delivery as an aerosol. Anthrax is one biological weapon that could be used in future attacks. Terrorists already used it to perform small scale attacks on government offices, but they were not too effective. If they were to perfect the disease and the delivery, it could be catastrophic. You can be infected by Anthrax in 3 ways:1.) Pulmonary (respiratory or inhalation) anthrax.The symptoms are cold or flu-like symptoms for several days followed by severe (and often times fatal) respiratory collapse. Even if the disease is spotted, it can rarely be stopped, even if in the early stages. Mortality is nearly 100%.2.) Gastrointestinal (eating) anthrax.This is most often caused by eating anthrax infected meat. Symptoms include: vomitting of blood, severe diarrhea, inflamation of the intestinal tract, loss of appetite, and sometimes sores or lesions on the intestines, mouth or throat. After the bacteria has reached the bowels, it spreads throughout the blood-system. The mortality rate is 25%-60%, depending on how soon medical help is reached.3.) Cutaneous (skin) anthrax.This usually shows up 2-5 days after exposure. It starts as a boil-like skin lesionand progress to a large, painless ulcer, usually black or concentrated as a dark spot (resembling break mold). They usually are not fatal, especially if medical attention is reached. But if left uncared for, 20% of the time it will progress to infections and death. It is hard to say what the ideal biological weapon would be, but there are a few. The flu strand that killed 40-50 million people in 1918 has been recreated in labrotories. It is not hard for a group of terrorists to infect themselves, and then set out to make contact with as many people as possible. Touching every door handle, hand rail, and every other item that contact is made with commonly as possible. Or, it could be created in an aersol form and sprayed over large amounts of people. This is one of the hardest to protect yourself against. If the pathogen is transfered by human-human contact, lock yourself indoors and do not venture outside except for emergencies. Wear gloves and do not let exposed skin touch anything. Wash your hands regularly. If it is air-borne, then do not venture outside at all, except for extreme emergencies. If you have a gas-mask, use it. If not, use a damp cloth and stay indoors as much as possible. if it is water-borne, boil ALL water, whether you think it came in contact with it or not. Bottled water is ideal. Do not come in contact with any stagnent water or untreated water.
*******Nuclear Weapons********
These come in 3 basic categories: Thermo-nuclear, EMP, and "Dirty Bomb". ***********Thermo-Nuclear***********
This is your traditional nuclear bomb. It's effects are an initital flash, which can burn and blind you, followed by a shock wave, which can level buildings, followed by thermal heat, which can set things on fire spontaneously, regardless of is they are in contact with the fireball, followed by nuclear fallout, which is contaminated material thrown into the upper atmosphere that rains down on surrounding areas. Let's examine the effects:1.) Initial Flash: this WILL blind you. Do NOT look at it. Also, if you are too close, the light could burn your skin. If you see the flash, you are generally too close. Take immediate cover in ANYTHING, such as a building or even a ditch.2.) Shock Wave: this is like wind, or an earth-quake. It can destroy buildings, blow cars and people away, and hurle projectiles great distances. This is one of the main reasons why you must seek shelter after seeing the flash. It can cause severe injury if caught in it.3.) Thermal Heat: this is the fireball seen at the explosion. It will set EVERYTHING on fire inside of it. Also, if you are simply too close to it, you will catch on fire also. It will cause burns if you are too close to it. Another reason to seek shelter.4.) Nuclear Fallout: this is radioactive material that rains down on surrounding areas. Also, it can rain down far from the blast site if it is caught going down wind. It doesn't take much exposure to cause serious injury or death if the radiation is concentrated. Symptoms of Radiation Sickness in small doses include: nausea and vomitting within 24 hours. Symptoms of medium doses include: nausea and vomitting withing 24 hours for several days. Then, they will suffer not further symptoms for a couple of weeks. Next, they will esperience hair loss and will have blood cell damage. This will usually require medical attention, but only in half of the cases. High Doses of Radiation include the following symptoms: nausea and vomitting for a week within 24 hours. Next, they have no symptoms for about a week, then they have hair loss and bleeding from mouth, throat and skin. They are also vulnerable to sickness. People in this state need immediate medical care and will usually not survive without it.
*********EMP********
This attack has no immediate effects on humans.It is created by an EMP bomb or a traditional nuclear bomb. It is an invisible Electro-Magnetic Pulse that effects nearly all electronics. It permanently fries their circuits, rendering them utterly useless. If an electronic is plugged into an outlet, or has an atenna, it will almost definitly be destroyed by an EMP. Cars and other vehicles may still work, but gas pumps will not. Unfortunately, not much is known about what will be effected by an EMP. But expect ALL electronics to be rendered useless.
*************"Dirty Bombs"***********
This is an explosive laced with radioactive material. Symptoms include radiation sickness, as discussed above. It is easily spotted if when a bomb goes off, either in the air or on the ground, a large plume of dust starts to drift. Get indoors, preferible underground and away from the "drift zone" (the direction the wind is blowing the plume) and seal off air holes. Follow the directions given to you by emergency officials and get far away from the blast zone if possible.
_____ As you can see, a terrorist with any one of these can do MASSIVE damage both to infanstructure and people. It is not hard to see why awareness is needed.
A recent report (found here: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/12/01/national/main4641534.shtml?tag=topStory;topStoryHeadline ) stated that an attack on the U.S. is expected by 2013. That's just 5 years! In a nutshell, it says that terrorists are getting to eager to attack the U.S., weapons are to readily available, and the country is to open, to last much longer without a major attack. Our officials know this, that is why they are deploying 20,000 troops state-side to help local law-enforcement in dealing with "terrorism". (article found here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/30/AR2008113002217_pf.html ) Question is: what will they define as terrorism? Sure, it will start out as how we define it today, but what could it progress to? If anything, it sounds like a violation of the "Posse Comitatus Act" (found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posse_Comitatus_Act ).
Are you ready?
_____________________________________________________________________
We all know what kind of world we are living in. This is a world of sinful desires such as adultery, fornification, homosexuality, and other sexual sins. Also, it is a world where lieing is not only thought of as "ok" in some circumstances, but it is actually recommended. A world where violence is often times chosen as the answer. Where the strong attack and take advantage of the weak. Above all, this is a world suffering from sin. A world suffering from sin can NEVER be at peace. All promises of peace are nothing except lies and illusions to take our trust off of God. By making us think that we can achieve peace, we see no need for a God that will judge us. A God that says the world will end in turmoil. We would be decieved if we believe these plans for middle-east peace can actually work. But that is not why I'm writting this. I am writting this because of the threat of one thing: WMD's (Weapon's of Mass Destruction).
Weapon's of Mass Destruction (WMD's) come in different types. They are Chemical Weapons (a weapon using chemicals to kill or injure a person), Biological Weapons (a weapon using a virus or bacteria to spread a disease that will kill or injure people) or Nuclear Weapons (a weapon using a radioactive substance to either produce a nuclear explosion or to produce contaminated material to injure or kill people). In today's world, these are not hard to come across. A Chemical Weapon can be made by someone with the money to buy chemicals or the know-how to create it themselves. A Biological Weapon can be made by someone buying a pre-made one or by someone simply producing a type of bacteria or virus. A Nucelar Weapon can be made by someone with the money to buy one or the materials, or by someone who can mine and purify Uranium. I will take a look at each one of these in greater detail.
***********Chemical Weapons These are weapons or "agents" that cause a variety of symptons in the human body. They can do everything from shutting down bodily functions like breathing to actually burning your skin upon contact. The easiest way to spread these is by gas form, which can drift around. The most common chemical agent is Tear Gas, which is primarily used by Law Enforcement; it irratates your eyes and can induce vomitting. There is a variety of chemical agents. In traditional warfare, they have shaped battle fields. Almost all chemical agents can be avoided by simply locking yourself in an enclosed space, such as an interior room or a car, covering all air passages, and for extreme measures you could cover your face with a damp cloth to breath out of. The worst case scenario would be a terrorist attacks. These are usually inpredictable and can strike in heavily populated civilian areas. The most likely agents used by a terrorist are as follows:
************Sarin*********
Sarin is an oddorless and colorless vapor. It is known as a nerve agent. It's initial symptons are: runny nose, tightness in chest and contriction of pupils. Soon after, the vicitm has difficulty breathing and will experience nausea and drooling. As the victim continues to lose control of bodily functions, the victim vomits, defecates and urinates. This phase is followed by twitching and jerking. Ultimately, the victim becomes comatose and suffocates in a series of convulsive spasms. Sarin can be abosribed through the skin when it is present in high doses, but is usually inhaled in. A victim who recieves a non-lethal dose to Sarin, but does not get immediate medical attention, will suffer permanent neurological problems.Even in low doses, it can be FATAL. Death may follow in one minute after direct ingestion of about 0.01 milligram per kilogram of body weight if an antidote is not immediately administered.
************Chlorine-Gas*******
Chlorine Gas is simple to make. It is able to be made with common household appliances in a matter of seconds. Symptons include irratation of eyes, skin, and lungs. It reacts with water in the lungs and form hydrochloric acid, which will in effect, burn the lungs. Also, it will irrate the back of the throat and mouth. Because it is heavier than air, it will condense at the bottom of poorly ventillated areas.It can be lethal if the vicitm does not get fresh air. Also, if too much is inhaled, it can cause damage to the throat, lungs, and eyes, which would need medical attention. It isn't too farfetched to think that terrorists could attack a populated area with a Chemical Agent and cause casualties and injuries. Chemical attacks are the simplest and easiest of all WMD's.
**********Biological Weapons*******
A Biological Weapon is a weapon using pathogens (viruses or bacteria) to injure or kill people or agriculture. Ideal characteristics of a biological weapon are: high infectivity, high potency, non-availability of vaccines, and delivery as an aerosol. Anthrax is one biological weapon that could be used in future attacks. Terrorists already used it to perform small scale attacks on government offices, but they were not too effective. If they were to perfect the disease and the delivery, it could be catastrophic. You can be infected by Anthrax in 3 ways:1.) Pulmonary (respiratory or inhalation) anthrax.The symptoms are cold or flu-like symptoms for several days followed by severe (and often times fatal) respiratory collapse. Even if the disease is spotted, it can rarely be stopped, even if in the early stages. Mortality is nearly 100%.2.) Gastrointestinal (eating) anthrax.This is most often caused by eating anthrax infected meat. Symptoms include: vomitting of blood, severe diarrhea, inflamation of the intestinal tract, loss of appetite, and sometimes sores or lesions on the intestines, mouth or throat. After the bacteria has reached the bowels, it spreads throughout the blood-system. The mortality rate is 25%-60%, depending on how soon medical help is reached.3.) Cutaneous (skin) anthrax.This usually shows up 2-5 days after exposure. It starts as a boil-like skin lesionand progress to a large, painless ulcer, usually black or concentrated as a dark spot (resembling break mold). They usually are not fatal, especially if medical attention is reached. But if left uncared for, 20% of the time it will progress to infections and death. It is hard to say what the ideal biological weapon would be, but there are a few. The flu strand that killed 40-50 million people in 1918 has been recreated in labrotories. It is not hard for a group of terrorists to infect themselves, and then set out to make contact with as many people as possible. Touching every door handle, hand rail, and every other item that contact is made with commonly as possible. Or, it could be created in an aersol form and sprayed over large amounts of people. This is one of the hardest to protect yourself against. If the pathogen is transfered by human-human contact, lock yourself indoors and do not venture outside except for emergencies. Wear gloves and do not let exposed skin touch anything. Wash your hands regularly. If it is air-borne, then do not venture outside at all, except for extreme emergencies. If you have a gas-mask, use it. If not, use a damp cloth and stay indoors as much as possible. if it is water-borne, boil ALL water, whether you think it came in contact with it or not. Bottled water is ideal. Do not come in contact with any stagnent water or untreated water.
*******Nuclear Weapons********
These come in 3 basic categories: Thermo-nuclear, EMP, and "Dirty Bomb". ***********Thermo-Nuclear***********
This is your traditional nuclear bomb. It's effects are an initital flash, which can burn and blind you, followed by a shock wave, which can level buildings, followed by thermal heat, which can set things on fire spontaneously, regardless of is they are in contact with the fireball, followed by nuclear fallout, which is contaminated material thrown into the upper atmosphere that rains down on surrounding areas. Let's examine the effects:1.) Initial Flash: this WILL blind you. Do NOT look at it. Also, if you are too close, the light could burn your skin. If you see the flash, you are generally too close. Take immediate cover in ANYTHING, such as a building or even a ditch.2.) Shock Wave: this is like wind, or an earth-quake. It can destroy buildings, blow cars and people away, and hurle projectiles great distances. This is one of the main reasons why you must seek shelter after seeing the flash. It can cause severe injury if caught in it.3.) Thermal Heat: this is the fireball seen at the explosion. It will set EVERYTHING on fire inside of it. Also, if you are simply too close to it, you will catch on fire also. It will cause burns if you are too close to it. Another reason to seek shelter.4.) Nuclear Fallout: this is radioactive material that rains down on surrounding areas. Also, it can rain down far from the blast site if it is caught going down wind. It doesn't take much exposure to cause serious injury or death if the radiation is concentrated. Symptoms of Radiation Sickness in small doses include: nausea and vomitting within 24 hours. Symptoms of medium doses include: nausea and vomitting withing 24 hours for several days. Then, they will suffer not further symptoms for a couple of weeks. Next, they will esperience hair loss and will have blood cell damage. This will usually require medical attention, but only in half of the cases. High Doses of Radiation include the following symptoms: nausea and vomitting for a week within 24 hours. Next, they have no symptoms for about a week, then they have hair loss and bleeding from mouth, throat and skin. They are also vulnerable to sickness. People in this state need immediate medical care and will usually not survive without it.
*********EMP********
This attack has no immediate effects on humans.It is created by an EMP bomb or a traditional nuclear bomb. It is an invisible Electro-Magnetic Pulse that effects nearly all electronics. It permanently fries their circuits, rendering them utterly useless. If an electronic is plugged into an outlet, or has an atenna, it will almost definitly be destroyed by an EMP. Cars and other vehicles may still work, but gas pumps will not. Unfortunately, not much is known about what will be effected by an EMP. But expect ALL electronics to be rendered useless.
*************"Dirty Bombs"***********
This is an explosive laced with radioactive material. Symptoms include radiation sickness, as discussed above. It is easily spotted if when a bomb goes off, either in the air or on the ground, a large plume of dust starts to drift. Get indoors, preferible underground and away from the "drift zone" (the direction the wind is blowing the plume) and seal off air holes. Follow the directions given to you by emergency officials and get far away from the blast zone if possible.
_____ As you can see, a terrorist with any one of these can do MASSIVE damage both to infanstructure and people. It is not hard to see why awareness is needed.
A recent report (found here: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/12/01/national/main4641534.shtml?tag=topStory;topStoryHeadline ) stated that an attack on the U.S. is expected by 2013. That's just 5 years! In a nutshell, it says that terrorists are getting to eager to attack the U.S., weapons are to readily available, and the country is to open, to last much longer without a major attack. Our officials know this, that is why they are deploying 20,000 troops state-side to help local law-enforcement in dealing with "terrorism". (article found here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/30/AR2008113002217_pf.html ) Question is: what will they define as terrorism? Sure, it will start out as how we define it today, but what could it progress to? If anything, it sounds like a violation of the "Posse Comitatus Act" (found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posse_Comitatus_Act ).
Are you ready?
5k today!
Today, I woke up at 6:30 am. I ate a piece of bread with peanut-butter on it, and got in the car.
Master's Academy was having a Patriot Run, which is a 5k, (3.1 miles if you don't know)! I was super excited.
It was freezing cold, but I had a fun time! I ran it in 21:20, I got 1st place in my age group (15-19 year olds) and 8th place over all. It was a great time.
Just letting you know!
Master's Academy was having a Patriot Run, which is a 5k, (3.1 miles if you don't know)! I was super excited.
It was freezing cold, but I had a fun time! I ran it in 21:20, I got 1st place in my age group (15-19 year olds) and 8th place over all. It was a great time.
Just letting you know!
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Guidance through times of bad luck.
I've been having a great weekend. I came home from watching the Varsity Basketball game at school and did an hour and a half of homework! That's right, I did homework on Friday night. Call me a nerd, I don't care. Now I can laugh at all of you who have to stress about it this weekend.
But seriously, I've been doing great. The "hand of stress", as I call it, has moved away from me, and I'm having a good time. Unfortunately, it seems like it has moved on to someone else.
My good friend today lost his best friend. His dog ran out into the street and got struck by a car today. Dead. Just like that. All it takes is one moment, and things will never be the same again.
Why does this stuff have to happen? It's one of those things where you retrace your steps, thinking: "Maybe if I would have taken a little longer opening the door, maybe he would have just missed the car." But it's no use now. It already happened. Too late!
Has this ever happened to you? I know it's happened to me before. Times like these really stink, don't they? I remember when I was younger, about 8, in Cub Scouts. After the meeting we were all standing around outside playing with mulch. My mom always told me to never throw sticks, it could hurt someone, so I sat out and watched my friends have a mulch-war. They were all throwing mulch at each other as I watched on. I decided that just one throw couldn't hurt, right? I pick up a decent sized piece of mulch and throw it at a kid standing about 8 feet from me. BAD MOVE! The mulch hits him right in the eye! He gets a splinter in his eye and has to go to the hospital. I dropped out of Cub Scouts after that happened and I don't know whatever happened to him. He could have a glass eye for all I know!
Times like these I ran over and over in my head after the instance, thinking what I did wrong, (besides throwing the mulch). Have we ever made a mistake? Have we ever had just plain old bad luck? What should we think, as Christians?
Jeremiah 12:1, "Righteous are you, O Lord, when I complain to you; yet I would plead my case before you. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all who are treacherous thrive?"
Why does God allow evil to happen? One may even go as far as saying God causes evil to happen. Is this true?
Well, it's something called chance. It happens to everyone, so get used to it. Matthew 5:45, "that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous."
This verse says that good stuff AND bad stuff happens to good people AND bad people! If something bad happens to you, don't frett! God is still in control! Here's an analogy: it's like being a parent. Think about it: your parent can step in at any point and stop you from what you're doing, but they let you make decisions. Sometimes bad, but they still allow it to happen, even if they don't want to. Often times they do step in though.
Imagine all of the horrible things that would happen if God just removed His hand of protection from each and every one of us for only a second...
We need to take everything in stride, and seek God for guidance and comfort.
*Psalm 32:8-10, "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you."
*Proverbs 3:5-6, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."
*Isaiah 41:13, "For I the Lord your God will hold your right hand, saying to you, Fear not; I will help you."
*1 Corinthians 14:33, "For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints."
*1 Peter 3:14, "Even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. "Do not fear what they fear ; do not be frightened. Take Courage."
God is always watching us, always giving us advice, and always helping us through our times of trials. Know that God is there, and God will never leave you or forsake you. Isaiah 41:10, "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
So tonight, let's thank God for His guidance.
Philippians 4:4-7, "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
This blog post is dedicated to Spencer Locke. I pray he will recieve comfort in his time of loss.
But seriously, I've been doing great. The "hand of stress", as I call it, has moved away from me, and I'm having a good time. Unfortunately, it seems like it has moved on to someone else.
My good friend today lost his best friend. His dog ran out into the street and got struck by a car today. Dead. Just like that. All it takes is one moment, and things will never be the same again.
Why does this stuff have to happen? It's one of those things where you retrace your steps, thinking: "Maybe if I would have taken a little longer opening the door, maybe he would have just missed the car." But it's no use now. It already happened. Too late!
Has this ever happened to you? I know it's happened to me before. Times like these really stink, don't they? I remember when I was younger, about 8, in Cub Scouts. After the meeting we were all standing around outside playing with mulch. My mom always told me to never throw sticks, it could hurt someone, so I sat out and watched my friends have a mulch-war. They were all throwing mulch at each other as I watched on. I decided that just one throw couldn't hurt, right? I pick up a decent sized piece of mulch and throw it at a kid standing about 8 feet from me. BAD MOVE! The mulch hits him right in the eye! He gets a splinter in his eye and has to go to the hospital. I dropped out of Cub Scouts after that happened and I don't know whatever happened to him. He could have a glass eye for all I know!
Times like these I ran over and over in my head after the instance, thinking what I did wrong, (besides throwing the mulch). Have we ever made a mistake? Have we ever had just plain old bad luck? What should we think, as Christians?
Jeremiah 12:1, "Righteous are you, O Lord, when I complain to you; yet I would plead my case before you. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all who are treacherous thrive?"
Why does God allow evil to happen? One may even go as far as saying God causes evil to happen. Is this true?
Well, it's something called chance. It happens to everyone, so get used to it. Matthew 5:45, "that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous."
This verse says that good stuff AND bad stuff happens to good people AND bad people! If something bad happens to you, don't frett! God is still in control! Here's an analogy: it's like being a parent. Think about it: your parent can step in at any point and stop you from what you're doing, but they let you make decisions. Sometimes bad, but they still allow it to happen, even if they don't want to. Often times they do step in though.
Imagine all of the horrible things that would happen if God just removed His hand of protection from each and every one of us for only a second...
We need to take everything in stride, and seek God for guidance and comfort.
*Psalm 32:8-10, "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you."
*Proverbs 3:5-6, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."
*Isaiah 41:13, "For I the Lord your God will hold your right hand, saying to you, Fear not; I will help you."
*1 Corinthians 14:33, "For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints."
*1 Peter 3:14, "Even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. "Do not fear what they fear ; do not be frightened. Take Courage."
God is always watching us, always giving us advice, and always helping us through our times of trials. Know that God is there, and God will never leave you or forsake you. Isaiah 41:10, "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
So tonight, let's thank God for His guidance.
Philippians 4:4-7, "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
This blog post is dedicated to Spencer Locke. I pray he will recieve comfort in his time of loss.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Getting through times of suffering.
We've all been there. Something happens to you and you're thrown out of the loop for like a week. Doesn't it really bite?
This morning I was walking to homeroom when I felt a sharp pain in my butt. At first I was like "Ah! What the dashes?!" but then I realized what it was: the world just bit me in the butt.
But whatever! I got over it! I enjoy trials, it builds character, lol.
Ever seen one of those motivational posters? You know, the ones that shows a beautiful picture, shows a word, and then puts a short sentence or two under it? Well, I remember seeing one that showed someone in the military doing an extremely tiring workout drill. The word said PAIN, and it read under it "pain is fear leaving the body.".
Have we ever been afraid of pain? Think about it: most of us run away from pain. There are very few people who will stay in a situation that causes pain.
When the human body is in danger, it unleashes hidden energy in the form of Adrenelin. Adrenelin is a chemical in your body that is realesed in times of stress or danger. It heightens your senses and gives you incredible bursts of strength. When this happens, people act in a way called the "Flight or Fight Syndrom". Basically, someone gets this energy and either runs away from the problem or stays and fights it.
I remember seeing a video on the news of when a man crashed a small helicopter into a ditch. He fell out of the helicopter and it rolled on top of him. The helicopter was holding him under the mud as his friends looked on in horror. Suddenly, his friend (who was a little on the heavy side) runs to the helicopter screaming his name. He grabs the helicopter's landing gear, and puts all of his energy into lifting the weight of the helicopter. You can hear him scream in agony as all of his life goes into moving the huge weight. He finally lifts it just enough for people to drag the pilot out from under the helicopter. This man used the "Fight" part of the "Flight or Fight Syndrom" by facing his adversary, which was the helicopter.
Have we ever been in a time of trial? Some of us have. I know I've been in a couple of life-threatening situations. I thank God that I chose to "Fight" the problem rather than run from it. (I'll go into detail about what happened in the instances in another post.)
As Christians, what do we have to lose from suffering? Think about it: how many of you know the benefits of suffering? I know it sounds crazy, but suffering does have a point to it!
Think on this verse:
Romans 5:3-4, "Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope."
That's right! Suffering makes us harder, better, faster, stronger. Okay, maybe not quite like the song (some of you will know what I'm talking about), but it does give us perseverance, character, and hope.
Hope. It is a wonderful thing. Hope alone has kept people alive while out in the wilderness, lost. It is the will to live, the will to push forward, the knowledge that whatever you are going through at this moment wont last forever.
Think on these verses:
*1 Corinthians 4:12, "We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it;"
*2 Corinthians 1:7, "And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort."
*2 Corinthians 4:17, "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all."
*2 Timothy 2:12, "if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us;"
*James 5:10, "5:10 Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord."
*1 Peter 4:1, "Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin."
We see here that we are called to endure sufferings! Looking at this, you may even look forward to sufferings! Okay, maybe not, but you look forward to the end result.
Suffering produces:
*perseverance
*character
*hope
So tonight, let's all thank God for His guidance through our sufferings to our reward, eternal life with Him.
1 John 3:16, "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers."
This morning I was walking to homeroom when I felt a sharp pain in my butt. At first I was like "Ah! What the dashes?!" but then I realized what it was: the world just bit me in the butt.
But whatever! I got over it! I enjoy trials, it builds character, lol.
Ever seen one of those motivational posters? You know, the ones that shows a beautiful picture, shows a word, and then puts a short sentence or two under it? Well, I remember seeing one that showed someone in the military doing an extremely tiring workout drill. The word said PAIN, and it read under it "pain is fear leaving the body.".
Have we ever been afraid of pain? Think about it: most of us run away from pain. There are very few people who will stay in a situation that causes pain.
When the human body is in danger, it unleashes hidden energy in the form of Adrenelin. Adrenelin is a chemical in your body that is realesed in times of stress or danger. It heightens your senses and gives you incredible bursts of strength. When this happens, people act in a way called the "Flight or Fight Syndrom". Basically, someone gets this energy and either runs away from the problem or stays and fights it.
I remember seeing a video on the news of when a man crashed a small helicopter into a ditch. He fell out of the helicopter and it rolled on top of him. The helicopter was holding him under the mud as his friends looked on in horror. Suddenly, his friend (who was a little on the heavy side) runs to the helicopter screaming his name. He grabs the helicopter's landing gear, and puts all of his energy into lifting the weight of the helicopter. You can hear him scream in agony as all of his life goes into moving the huge weight. He finally lifts it just enough for people to drag the pilot out from under the helicopter. This man used the "Fight" part of the "Flight or Fight Syndrom" by facing his adversary, which was the helicopter.
Have we ever been in a time of trial? Some of us have. I know I've been in a couple of life-threatening situations. I thank God that I chose to "Fight" the problem rather than run from it. (I'll go into detail about what happened in the instances in another post.)
As Christians, what do we have to lose from suffering? Think about it: how many of you know the benefits of suffering? I know it sounds crazy, but suffering does have a point to it!
Think on this verse:
Romans 5:3-4, "Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope."
That's right! Suffering makes us harder, better, faster, stronger. Okay, maybe not quite like the song (some of you will know what I'm talking about), but it does give us perseverance, character, and hope.
Hope. It is a wonderful thing. Hope alone has kept people alive while out in the wilderness, lost. It is the will to live, the will to push forward, the knowledge that whatever you are going through at this moment wont last forever.
Think on these verses:
*1 Corinthians 4:12, "We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it;"
*2 Corinthians 1:7, "And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort."
*2 Corinthians 4:17, "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all."
*2 Timothy 2:12, "if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us;"
*James 5:10, "5:10 Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord."
*1 Peter 4:1, "Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin."
We see here that we are called to endure sufferings! Looking at this, you may even look forward to sufferings! Okay, maybe not, but you look forward to the end result.
Suffering produces:
*perseverance
*character
*hope
So tonight, let's all thank God for His guidance through our sufferings to our reward, eternal life with Him.
1 John 3:16, "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers."
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
How I found Comfort in my time of Trial
Have you ever felt like the entire world has turned it's back on you? Nothing is going right? Like God is watching you squirm around, and doing nothing? Like nothing is worth living for? Why even get out of bed?
Well, that isn't how I feel. I only feel like one part of the world has turned it's back on me. I feel like only some things are going wrong. I feel like God is trying to help me in every way. I feel like I still have purpose to live for. I find reasons to get out of bed.
Now, there IS a point to this little rant.
Very recently, something happened to me. Nothing horrible, just something a little personal. (hint: don't worry about it, lol). Anyway, at first, I was shocked. I just sat down for a good 30 minutes and couldn't move. I couldn't belive it. The first thing that occured to me was "what did I do wrong?". I knew I did something wrong. If I had done everything perfectly, it wouldn't have happened. I messed up somewhere, but where?
Next, I thought "why did God let this happen?". I'm not someone who thinks God turns His back on me. I never think he is punishing me, I understand the whole theological points behind suffering. What I was searching for was: what will I learn from this?
After that, I thought "why even continue on with my life?". Now I wasn't even considering committing suicide, I was just wondering why even keep trying at my everyday life. Why even do homework, workout, do chores, brush my teeth, etc.
Lastly, I thought "how will I find COMFORT?".
Comfort. It's something EVERYONE needs at one point or another. You can never be too comforted. Everyone wants to be COMFORTable. It's what we seek for as people. We all try to get comfort from different sources. Some turn to food (ever heard of comfort food?), others turn to entertainment, some turn to people, but, the truly wise turn to God.
God IS comfort. It's what he is best at. When I was in my time of grief, I turned first to the Lord, which was something I usually don't do. Here are some verses I found:
*2 Corinthians 1:3-5, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows."
*Matthew 5:4, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted."
*Psalm 34:18, "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."
*Isaiah 66:13a, "As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you."
I can't tell you how much these verses comforted me. Knowing that God was there. God knew EXACTLY how to comfort me. That, well, comforted me!
Then, I thought of this: this has happened to someone else! I'm not the only one who has felt like this! I recalled this verse: Ecclesiastes 1:9, "What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun."
God has been there, done that, and He knows what it's like. It's no big deal to Him. Yet, He still comforts us.
Tonight, let's all thank-God for Comfort.
Psalm 119:28, "My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word."
Well, that isn't how I feel. I only feel like one part of the world has turned it's back on me. I feel like only some things are going wrong. I feel like God is trying to help me in every way. I feel like I still have purpose to live for. I find reasons to get out of bed.
Now, there IS a point to this little rant.
Very recently, something happened to me. Nothing horrible, just something a little personal. (hint: don't worry about it, lol). Anyway, at first, I was shocked. I just sat down for a good 30 minutes and couldn't move. I couldn't belive it. The first thing that occured to me was "what did I do wrong?". I knew I did something wrong. If I had done everything perfectly, it wouldn't have happened. I messed up somewhere, but where?
Next, I thought "why did God let this happen?". I'm not someone who thinks God turns His back on me. I never think he is punishing me, I understand the whole theological points behind suffering. What I was searching for was: what will I learn from this?
After that, I thought "why even continue on with my life?". Now I wasn't even considering committing suicide, I was just wondering why even keep trying at my everyday life. Why even do homework, workout, do chores, brush my teeth, etc.
Lastly, I thought "how will I find COMFORT?".
Comfort. It's something EVERYONE needs at one point or another. You can never be too comforted. Everyone wants to be COMFORTable. It's what we seek for as people. We all try to get comfort from different sources. Some turn to food (ever heard of comfort food?), others turn to entertainment, some turn to people, but, the truly wise turn to God.
God IS comfort. It's what he is best at. When I was in my time of grief, I turned first to the Lord, which was something I usually don't do. Here are some verses I found:
*2 Corinthians 1:3-5, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows."
*Matthew 5:4, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted."
*Psalm 34:18, "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."
*Isaiah 66:13a, "As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you."
I can't tell you how much these verses comforted me. Knowing that God was there. God knew EXACTLY how to comfort me. That, well, comforted me!
Then, I thought of this: this has happened to someone else! I'm not the only one who has felt like this! I recalled this verse: Ecclesiastes 1:9, "What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun."
God has been there, done that, and He knows what it's like. It's no big deal to Him. Yet, He still comforts us.
Tonight, let's all thank-God for Comfort.
Psalm 119:28, "My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
