H.R. 2647 With A Little Something Extra...

Tied in with the new defense bill H.R. 2647, which sailed through the House is another bill, the "Hate Crimes" bill. Now it's up to the Senate to decide whether or not Christians will be able to speak the real truth or speak the "politically correct truth".

Here's what Rep. Mike Pence, R.-Ind. had to say about it: "To put it quite simply, adding hate crimes provisions in this defense bill put us on a slippery slope of deeming particular groups more important than others under our system of justice. Singling out particular groups of victims erodes our long-standing legal principles of equal protection under the law.


"The First Amendment to the Constitution provides that ‘Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.'" I guess that's been thrown by the wayside...

"But there is a real possibility that the provisions in this defense bill, having to do with hate crimes and sexual preferences, could have that effect. These provisions, as written, could have a chilling effect against religious leaders in this country.

"As has been previously stated by Judge Carter of Texas, under Section 2 of Title 18 of the U.S. Code today, an individual may be held criminally liable who ‘aids, abets, counsels, commands, induces or procures' in the commission of a
federal crime. Therefore, to put a fine point on it, any pastor, preacher, priest, rabbi, or imam, who may give a sermon out of their moral traditions about sexual practices, could presumably under this legislation be found to have aided, abetted or induced in the commission of a federal crime.

"This will have a chilling effect on religious expression, from the pulpits, in our temples, in our mosques and in our churches. And it must be undone," Pence said. "The provisions added to this legislation threaten religious freedom by criminalizing thought. It is simply wrong to further criminalize thought and chill religious expression of Americans."

I couldn't have said it better myself.

So what should we do? We need to get on our knees and pray that the Hate Crimes provisions are stricken from the National Defense Authorization Act for 2010. Pray the Senate will put a stop to this nonsense before its too late.

Source Used:PENCE CALLS HATE CRIMES PROVISION IN DEFENSE BILL “UNCONSCIONABLE” found at:
http://mikepence.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3721&Itemid=94

And They're Off...

Parents in the Alameda Unified School District in California are suing the school district for the right to opt their children out of the classes that plan to teach their children, even as young as kindergarteners, all about alternative lifestyles. On top of that, but the school district has decided to become the "thought police".

Yes, you read it right: The schools want to indoctrinate the children into their way of thinking; they want the children to embrace different lifestyles as status quo, to discourage them from thinking for themselves. Politically correct thoughts are the only thoughts allowed inside the heads of the children within this district.

I can hardly say I blame the parents. I mean, who in their right mind would want to send their children to school and have them come home acting like creepy Stepford Children?

America, we need to wake up! As parents, our rights are slowly being taken away. We're losing the right to homeshchool our kids and teach them about alternative lifestyles when they're mature enough to understand what an alternative lifestyle is.

Sources cited:
"Angry Parents Suing California Schools Over Mandatory Gay-Friendly Classes" by Fox News at:http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,546280,00.html?test=latestnews

"Gay Curriculum Proposal Riles Elementary School Parents" by Katie Landan at: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,521209,00.html

This is just disgusting

Evidently, I'm mistaken about the Constitution or someone slipped in a new law giving the courts the right to decide for a parent whether his or her child is home schooled or not. I mean really, when did it become okay to take a child who is excelling in her school work that's been created by certified teachers and approved by her school district and force that child into public school against the primary custodial parent's wishes?

The child in question has already been going to public school for three classes she needed. Isn't that enough socialization? Evidently not.

"According to the court order, the guardian concluded that Amanda's 'interests, and particularly her intellectual and emotional development, would be best served by exposure to a public school setting in which she would be challenged to solve problems presented by a group learning situation and...Amanda would be best served by exposure to different points of view at a time in her life when she must begin to critically evaluate multiple systems of belief and behavior,'" Pete Chagnon said in his article titled "New Hampshire Court orders Christian homeschooled girl to attend public school" at: http://www.onenewsnow.com/Education/Default.aspx?id=659638/.

In other words, the court has the right to take a smart child, one who seems to be every Christian parent's dream come true, and throw that child into the world full time instead of part time.

Here's another heartbreaking thing going on in our world. In Adams county, Colorado, two children were taken from a single father for no reason whatsoever. Social Services, needing a good reason to keep his children away are claiming he's been abusing the children even though they've acquired no concrete evidence. None whatsoever. (And no, I'm not mentioning any names as I'd like to protect the innocent. And yes, I do know this family personally and am personally familiar with the horrendous happenings.) Evidently there are other parents in Adams County, Colorado who have been filleted and thrown on the grill for no reason.

Don't get me wrong, I believe very strongly that children need to be removed from an abusive or negligent household. But when no abuse can be proven, and when the allegations are coming from an awnry ex who is obviously spouting lies, I think the ex should be investigated. But no. That doesn't happen in Adams County Colorado. In Adams County the innocent are guilty according to the powers that be, and there's no stopping some of them.


Article cited:
“New Hampshire Court orders Christian homeschooled girl to attend public school” written by Pete Chagnon found at: http://www.onenewsnow.com/Education/Default.aspx?id=659638/

I've just finished another book...

Here's a little about it: In this fast paced sci-fi fantasy thriller called The Keepers: Liberation, after several terrifying events send Kayla speeding down a collision course with the devil himself, she finds out that no one is who they claimed to be, not even her parents or her fiancé. Traveling into the near future, she discovers a plot by man's oldest enemy to exterminate the human race. With time running out, she's desperate to find her twin brother Kayleb. Without him, it will be impossible to stop the coming apocalypse.


The Keepers is scheduled for release on September 1st and is available for pre-order. To snag your copy of The Keepers head on over to: Amazon or to Barnes and Noble

To find out more about the book and other projects I'm in the process of writing and or editing (the ones that really don't belong on The Bossy Church Lady's site) go to: http://www.sandrapurdue.com/.

Here’s where The Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act is doing some good.

Unfortunately, it’s not good enough in this instance. “Dwight DeLee was found guilty of first-degree manslaughter for the fatal shooting of 22-year-old Lateisha Green outside a Syracuse house party in November because of anti-gay bias” the article said. “The jury acquitted DeLee, 20, of a more serious second-degree murder as a hate crime charge.”

Can you believe that? DeLee only got a minimum of 10 years, but no more than 25 years for taking a life in cold blood. Regardless of whether the victim was a transgender or not, a life is a life no matter whose it is and what he or she chooses to do with it.

I think Mr. DeLee should have gotten more prison time, way more; not the death sentence, but life for what he did. The story I’m talking about is here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31967807/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/

I guess what’s really rattling my cage, aside from the pompous creep DeLee only getting 10-25 years for premeditated murder, is that the bill is so lopsided that we’ll start seeing pastors, church leaders, and believers alike thrown into prisons, given harsh sentences and steep fines for preaching straight from the Bible.

I pray I’m wrong. But if you look around, it’s already happening around the world. As it happens, socialism is right on America’s doorstep, trying to forcefully break the door down, threatening to come stomping in to take over what little common sense we have left. If we don’t keep watch, the ugly beast called socialism will strip America naked, tie her up and leave her to be raped of whatever goodness is left.

Article cited:
“Hate crime conviction in transgender's killing: Man guilty of manslaughter, not second-degree murder” found at:http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31967807/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/

I Saw Your Star: A Final Tribute

I Saw Your Star: A Final Tribute

Brilliant and powerful, your star crossed the sky
It was impossible to view with the naked eye
Eclipsing the sun, it rocked the universe
Here on Earth, it shook the foundation
Of all we knew, of everything established
Away with the old, something new has come
All borders collapsed; an unstoppable instrument
You gave love, life, laughter, hope, inspiration
A sight to behold, tales will surely be told
Of all you freely gave, asking little in return

Something shifted, changed; the cosmos rearranged
Dignity incarnate, you marched onward
Always looking forward; the hope for better days
Your head held high, you still beheld the lowly
Swaddling everyone, you held them tight
Allowed them to feel your unending affection
The end in sight, you gave a final gift
A burst of brightness, an extra dose of love
Energy spent, transcending hardships and pain
You looked to the future, became something new

One thing certain to stand the test of time
Is the undying love you left behind
Always in your heart, forever safe and secure
Is the world you touched, graced with your beauty
Equally unforgettable will be your majesty
One thing I know; a thing that's true
Deep inside of me and the hearts of the world
From now on, to the end of time and beyond
You will never be forgotten, always in our hearts
Your star will remain, burning brighter than ever before

Copyright 2009 Sandra Purdue, A.K.A. The Bossy Church Lady. You can use whatever I write for whatever purposes as long as you don't take credit for what I've written.

They’re Still At it…

Well, folks, they’re still at it. This time it’s U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder trying to pull American’s britches over their heads in order to blind everyone so they can be led into the dark, swirling void of insanity he wants America to become.

What, exactly, what am I ranting about this time?

I’m glad you asked.

My husband came home telling me about what he’d heard on the Rush Limbaugh show today. You know me; I just had to check it out. I couldn’t help it. My fingers dancing over the computer keyboard, I came across the transcript of the show he was talking about. It’s titled, “Holder: Whites, Ministers, Military Not Protected by Hate Crime Law” and can be found here: http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_070209/content/01125116.guest.html.

To sum it up, Rush was talking about the meeting that took place between Eric Holder and the Senate Judiciary Committee last week, on June 25, to discuss the “The Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009”, otherwise known as the “Pedophile Protection Act”, during which a telling question was posed by Jeff Sessions, a Senator from Alabama (bless his heart the dear man, I’m thinking and smiling).

The simple, hypothetical question asked by Senator Sessions left Eric Holder unable to answer satisfactorily, betraying the potential for ugliness if the bill passes.

But before I get to the all important question, let me give you a chilling piece of information: This bill, also known as H.R. 1913 has already been passed by the House; it’s been waiting for approval by the Senate as S. 909 for some time. The text of H.R. 1913 is here: http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h1913/text. The text of S. 909, introduced to the Senate is here: http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-s909/text.

Here’s what President Obama had to say about the bill: “I urge members on both sides of the aisle to act on this important civil rights issue by passing this legislation to protect all of our citizens from violent acts of intolerance – legislation that will enhance civil rights protections, while also protecting our freedom of speech and association.”http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Statement-by-the-President-on-HR-1913-the-Local-Law-Enforcement-Hate-Crimes-Prevention-Act-of-2009/.

“While also protecting our freedom of speech and association” the president said. Sounds great to me. I mean, if Christians and other religious groups won’t be forced to water down their doctrine, then all is good and well. Everybody’s happy, right?

Er… not so fast. The question that came from Jeff Sessions during the meeting was a hypothetical one in nature, but oh so revealing! Now that the spotlight has been thrown on “The Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009” which is being pushed by the Attorney General and his cohorts, we can see how seriously Eric Holder is taking President Obama in addition to the potential chaos this bill would introduce.

The question Jeff Sessions asked Mr. Holder was what would happen if a minister decided to preach from the Bible about the wrongness of homosexuality and was subsequently attacked by a gay activist because of what he said.

Eric Holder, the U.S. Attorney General, admitted that the statute doesn’t address that issue. Later, he reveals that the bill will fail to protect whites and the military. You can listen to the two hour hearing here: http://www.senate.gov/fplayers/CommPlayer/commFlashPlayer.cfm?fn=judiciary062509&st=xxx.

If this passes, proponents, special groups, advocates for said special groups can threaten, harass and injure opponents all they want. Dear God if a preacher mentions that homosexuality is wrong on the pulpit, he or she can expect a lynch mob to be waiting outside the church, ready to torch him or her alive. Naturally there will be no repercussions for said mob, no accountability whatsoever.

Can you imagine what will happen in the public schools?

Along those lines, it’s my understanding that all those science fiction stories featuring the “Thought Police” will soon be coming to life in every courtroom if this bill passes. Judges will be expected to read the minds of the defendants to decipher what said defendant must’ve been thinking when he or she dared to speak offensively in the presence of certain groups.

I can see it now: Courtrooms all over America will become theaters where the curious can go to be amazed. In all seriousness, barring psychic activity on the part of the judges, I can’t imagine how this determination will take place.

Will they whip out a deck of Tarot Cards and lay them out? Will some prefer Oiga Board while others lean towards mediums? To make it easier and less confusing, should all courtrooms be merged with the nearest circus?

Stay tuned folks: America is about to round another corner and I pray these proposed changes will be tweaked a bit to make our country even better for everyone so that no one will get away with discrimination, reverse-discrimination, and the violence that stems from both.

The way I see it, one of the things that makes our country so rich, so satisfying, is the small groups of individuals that don’t care to be like everyone else and aren’t afraid to let their differences show.


Copyright 2009, Sandra Purdue. You can use anything I’ve written for any purpose as long as you don’t claim you wrote it.


Sources used:
“Holder: Whites, Ministers, Military Not Protected by Hate Crime Law”. Here’s the link: http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_070209/content/01125116.guest.html.

Bills H.R. 1913 and S. 909 can be found respectively: http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h1913/text and: http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-s909/text

The White House: Office Of The Press Secretary, "STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT ON H.R. 1913, THE LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT HATE CRIMES PREVENTION ACT OF 2009" is here: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Statement-by-the-President-on-HR-1913-the-Local-Law-Enforcement-Hate-Crimes-Prevention-Act-of-2009/

Video of the meeting between U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and the Senate Judiciary Committee: http://www.senate.gov/fplayers/CommPlayer/commFlashPlayer.cfm?fn=judiciary062509&st=xxx

About the “LGBT Pride Month”

Once again, I’m, I don’t even know what… disappointed, disillusioned? They’re too mild of words. Perhaps disgusted is the word I’m looking for. And why? I came across an article titled: “Obama declares June 'LGBT Pride Month'”. The opening paragraph says: “In a presidential proclamation on the White House website, Barack Obama has lauded what he calls "the determination and dedication" of the LGBT movement by proclaiming June as "Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month". But that’s not what’s really bothering me, what with our National Prayer Day only being only one day and all that’s held on the first Thursday of May. No.

What really frustrated me were the results of a related poll I saw smack in the center of the article that went like this: Question: “What's your reaction to Barack Obama's proclamation designating this month as 'LGBT Pride Month'?”

Out of 120,619 responses, more than sixty-four percent (64.93% to be exact) said that it’s a well deserved celebration. A scant 35.07% of respondents said otherwise (I added the opposing comments together to come up with that number).

Here’s the link to the article so you can see it for yourself:http://www.onenewsnow.com/Politics/Default.aspx?id=551240

Now, before anyone gets their skivvies in a bunch, let me just say that I still believe that everyone should be treated equally, with dignity and respect. After all, we all belong to God. Each of us is God’s unique masterpiece with all of humanity being a beautiful multi-faceted gem. That’s not the way certain groups see things, unfortunately, as their opinions are the only ones they see as right—to hell with everyone else and theirs as reverse discrimination and harassment are warranted in their minds (read my last post if you don’t know what I’m talking about).

“LGBT Americans have made, and continue to make, great and lasting contributions that continue to strengthen the fabric of American society,” the president’s proclamation said and I agree. The link for the proclamation made by President Obama is here:http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Presidential-Proclamation-LGBT-Pride-Month/

Here’s what I don’t understand: We have reverse discrimination happening all over the place that’s going unchecked; it’s like nobody cares anymore. Both types of discrimination are threatening to tear apart our country, but the law only sees something terrible about discrimination against minorities and certain groups of people. Discrimination of any kind should be illegal, but it’s not.

And, yes, I’ve lived reverse discrimination; I saw it with my own eyes, and suffered from it at one of the companies I worked for in the past, and it’s just as ugly as discrimination against special groups, made worse by the fact that there are no laws against it.

Here’s another interesting article I came across that’s related depending upon your outlook: “Next on Senate agenda? 'Pedophile Protection Act' 'Hate crimes' law definitions would protect 547 sex 'philias'” posted by Bob Unruh at WorldNetDaily at: http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=97115.


“Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., today confirmed he will fight the "hate crimes" legislation pending in the U.S. Senate and, if necessary, will launch a filibuster against the plan that critics have dubbed the "Pedophile Protection Act,"” is what another source regarding the issue said.

Peachy. Just lovely. Okay, so they want to protect the people that have destroyed the lives, the very souls, of so many innocent children? I don’t know why I’m surprised anymore; I really don’t.

Show me any loving parent, whether they’re gay, lesbian, or anywhere in between, that thinks it’s all right to molest their kids, or any children for that matter.

Let’s take this a bit further. Suppose a parent who just happens to be gay or lesbian goes after someone that just molested their kid(s). Will they be jailed? Or does the latter law only apply to straight people? We desperately need more people like Jim DeMint who will step up to the plate for the victims of pedophiles.

Another thing I came across recently: When have the laws changed to require Christians to obtain permits to gather in one’s home? ““If the county thinks they can shut down groups of 10 or 15 Christians meeting in a home, what about people who meet regularly at home for poker night? What about people who meet for Tupperware parties? What about people who are meeting to watch baseball games on a regular basis and support the Chargers?”” Broyles asked in the article titled: “Couple: County Trying To Stop Home Bible Studies” posted on 10 News.com.

Unbelievable! Are we going to require a permit to host a birthday party now? What about gatherings on New Years, Thanksgiving, or say…even Christmas?

Here’s what we need to do: We need to strap in and get ready for an interesting ride as the United States is undergoing some strange transformations. God only knows what we’ll become; it frightens me to think about it too much.

Let me know what you think by posting your comment.

Copyright 2009 Sandra Purdue A.K.A. The Bossy Church Lady, all rights reserved.


Sources used:

“THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary For Immediate Release, June 1, 2009 LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER PRIDE MONTH, 2009 BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A PROCLAMATION”:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Presidential-Proclamation-LGBT-Pride-Month/

“Obama declares June 'LGBT Pride Month'” by Jody Brown and Allie Martin - OneNewsNow - 6/2/2009 7:20:00 AM. http://www.onenewsnow.com/Politics/Default.aspx?id=551240

“Next on Senate agenda? 'Pedophile Protection Act' 'Hate crimes' law definitions would protect 547 sex 'philias'” Posted: May 04, 2009 9:08 pm Eastern by Bob Unruh © 2009 WorldNetDaily. http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=97115

“Senator threatens filibuster of 'Pedophile Protection Act' DeMint signs on to fight against privileged status for homosexuals” Posted: June 04, 2009 10:40 pm Eastern by Bob Unruh © 2009 WorldNetDaily. http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=100162

“Couple: County Trying To Stop Home Bible Studies” POSTED: 5:31 pm PDT May 25, 2009, UPDATED: 1:45 pm PDT May 28, 2009 Copyright 2009 by 10News.com. All rights reserved.
http://www.10news.com/news/19562217/detail.html

Coming To A School Near You: A Mandatory “Gay Day”

A “Gay Day” is already being observed in California for children as young as five, and parents are helpless to stop it.

In fact, according to the article, Death threats target opponents of 'gay' promotion posted by Bob Unruh at WorldNetDaily on April 18, 2009, those who are in opposition to the day are receiving death threats. Come on, death threats? I mean, non-gays are accused of all sorts of things, including bigotry and homophobia, and some of us are, I’m sure, but does that make it okay for someone to threaten to kill us or harass us because we would prefer to have a say regarding what our children are learning?

Let's take this a bit further, shall we? Suppose we do have a say and decide to keep our children home on Gay Day, does that give the proponents the right to threaten us?

“Laurie Higgins of the Illinois Family Institute noted the goal cited by GLSEN is to reduce bullying on school campuses, especially bullying perceived as targeting homosexual students or those with other "alternative' sexual lifestyles,” Bob Unruh said in the article.

Okay, let me get this straight: It’s not all right for a straight person to oppose an alternative lifestyle, but it’s hunky dory for those who support living an alternative lifestyle to harass anyone in opposition to their lifestyle. Got it… not!

How do they know that we’re not teaching our children to respect the rights and privacy of everyone that lives an alternative lifestyle at home? They don’t. How do they know that we’re not teaching our children that God gives all of us a choice and that it’s not our place to judge?

Here’s what an activist quoted by WorldNetDaily in the article titled, “Stealth lessons on homosexuality” had to say about it: “‘The students are warned against "bigoted" values by learning to define "homophobia" and "prejudice,’ England said.” Then she goes on to ask, “‘What kindergartner isn't going to walk away believing they are bigoted or homophobic when their teacher tells them traditional values they are taught at home are hateful?’ questioned England.” Need I say more?

The article continues: “‘CRI has found other districts with policies very similar to SFUSD and parents needs to know that their public school is probably in the process of implementing these policies,’ England's report said.”

But here’s the clincher: “At the same time, school districts are explicitly explaining why they are under no obligation to notify parents about any of the sexual orientation lessons and activities. They have concluded teaching all students to embrace the multisexual agenda is part of creating a "safe" school environment.”

A safe environment for whom, the violent people in support of this madness? For crying out loud, I pray that this country will do something about the horribly lopsided laws that are now in effect, which serve as fuel for this insanity.


Works cited:

BRAVE NEW SCHOOLS Stealth lessons on homosexuality California districts teach, but don't tell parents Posted: May 02, 2009 12:15 am Eastern at WorldNetDaily at: http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=96803

Death threats target opponents of 'gay' promotion 'Actions of Day of Silence supporters are speaking louder than the silence' By Bob Unruh © 2009 WorldNetDaily Posted: April 18, 2009 12:15 am Eastern. http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=95289

Mandatory 'gay' day for K-5 students Board imposes homosexual curriculum on classes
Posted: May 28, 2009 11:50 pm Eastern By Chelsea Schilling © 2009 WorldNetDaily http://wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=99442

Copyright Sandra Purdue 2009.

Oh, and by the way, here’s a link for the book called The Little Book of Big Reasons to Homeschool:

The Little Book of Big Reasons to Homeschool By David & Kim d'Escoto / B & H Publishing Group If you're looking for a short and painless way to get acquainted with homeschooling--or to gain some encouragement that you're doing the right thing--this concise book is packed with informative and persuasive information that backs up the claims made by homeschoolers. Focusing on the history of homeschooling and the benefits to the mind, body and soul, a variety of statistics, anecdotes and practical information will help to clarify the most important reasons to homeschool. 74 pages, softcover.

Do I have to?

Even though the Bible says we are to honor our parents, a lot of people are left wondering if they still have to honor their folks even if they aren't deserving of any honor. In a nutshell, yes. The Bible is clear on this matter and it says that we should if we want things to go well for us. No matter what our parents do or don't do currently; or even did or didn't do for us, and some of us have had lousy childhoods, we are commanded by God to honor our parents. It's the fifth commandment.

Now before anyone gets their panties in a bunch over what I've just said, let me quickly make an important point regarding this matter: No child should ever willingly comply with something so offensive such as sexual abuse by a parent or cooperate with parents that want to make the child do something against God, or do something illegal. In that case, he or she (the child) can and should do as prescribed in First Timothy 5:1 and give your parent a gentle rebuke. "Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers," (1 Timothy 5:1 NIV).

Let me point out some verses from the Bible that state the same thing I just said: Romans 13:1-2, and 1 Peter 2:17 are two of them, and then there's Daniel 2:22. What the verses are saying is that God is the one Who appointed your folks to be your folks. Likewise, it is God who sets up authority figures such as the president, the police, our bosses, and teachers.

Because it was God's will that our parents ended up being our parents, we honor God by showing respect to our parents. No matter how awful they may be, even if we can't stomach the sight of him or her, or believe he or she has risen from the bowels of hell itself, we're to show our folks some respect.

No matter what, we are never to be contemptuous toward any authority figure. Below are two conversations, one is an example of utter disrespect on the part of the child; the other is an example of how to honor God by honoring the parent.

Wrong:

Parent: "No, you cannot stay out past curfew; it's a school night."
Child: "You're too strict! I hate you!"
Parent: Stands there flabbergasted.

Right:

Parent: "No, you cannot stay out past curfew; it's a school night."
Child says with no hint of anger or sarcasm: "Okay; just thought I'd ask."
Parent: "No problem."
Child: "I love you," and hugs or kisses parent on cheek, "I'll be back on time."
Parent: Smiles and thanks God for giving him or her such an awesome kid.

Of course, there are other ways to honor your folks, such as:

· Helping them financially

· Caring for them, even letting them live with you in their golden years

· Showing them simple respect like the second conversation above

· Showing appreciation for whatever they do for you, no matter how small the gesture may be

· Mowing the lawn, helping with other chores without having to be asked--or threatened

· By walking in your faith

· Being faithful to God always brings honor to your parents

Remember: You honor God when you honor your parents and others in authority.


Copyright 2009 Sandra Purdue, A.K.A. The Bossy Church Lady. You can use whatever I write for whatever purposes as long as you don't take credit for what I've written.

Why Celebrate Easter?

Why on earth would we celebrate Easter? And why in the world would we let our kids believe that there's an Easter bunny? Finally, why would we decorate eggs with little kids and then hide them, and encourage those same kids to hunt for them?

Because our Easter celebration is a cue for the wee ones--and for us older ones--that something special happened.

Not only does our celebrating Easter let the kids know that something extraordinary happened, but it's also our opportunity to tell the children what happened that makes the day so special. However, if we leave it at the finding of eggs, eating a bunch of chocolate bunnies and marshmallow peeps, and getting a huge stuffed animal, the real meaning of Easter Sunday is lost.

God demonstrated His undying love for us by coming to this world and dying in one of the ugliest ways imaginable for our sins so that we could live. Easter is our way of celebrating the fact that God was resurrected on Easter Sunday, three days after dying. We celebrate the Lord's victory over evil on Easter Sunday.

If we leave the true meaning of Easter out of our celebration, however, then the real reason for all of the hoopla on one Sunday in particular will be lost; there's really no reason to celebrate on that day.

This Easter, celebrate loud, celebrate proud I say: Tell everyone that'll listen what God did for you and for them. If you've wandered off the straight and narrow path, recommence your life in Christ by first celebrating His resurrection with the rest of the believers, and then by making the commitment to follow Christ Jesus always.


Copyright 2009 Sandra Purdue, A.K.A. The Bossy Church Lady. You can use whatever I write for whatever purposes as long as you don't take credit for what I've written.

Is It Faith Or Works That Saves?

With all of the books out there and all of the information that a person can obtain on the Internet, I have to admit that I'm flabbergasted by the fact that people are still lending an ear to the false doctrines that some of the major religions have been churning out for centuries.

Every time I think about some of their guidelines, I get the willies. No. Actually, I get upset; I'm terrified for the poor people who believe the madness that these churches have been pumping into the heads of their followers.

Which brings me to the point of this article: I'm writing this article with the hope that the truth—at least the truth about this particular false doctrine that I will be addressing—can be spread around so that certain people who have been misled can come back to the Lord before its too late.

Specifically, the false doctrine that I'm talking about here is the one that teaches that people must do something, or do a ton of somethings, to earn their way into heaven.

People say all the time, "I was raised such and such (whatever religion he or she was brought up to practice), but I’m not anymore," or, "My parents made me go to such and such church, but I don’t believe in God." Why do you suppose that might be? Because they weren't taught to know God. Because they weren't taught that believing in Jesus will make the difference between going to heaven or hell after he or she dies. They've been left feeling empty; they haven't learned that God loves them unconditionally… even if they haven't done anything to deserve it.

From the time that these people first stepped foot in certain churches they were taught to believe that if they're a good person who does good things for other people, all in the name of the Lord, then God will throw open the doorway to heaven for him or her. All that does is leave people with the feeling that they have to be perfect or God will cast them aside. They believe that God won't love them if they aren't good. And, since they've messed up once or twice, there's no reason to keep trying to have a relationship with God. Why? Because these churches aren't teaching them any differently.

I've got news for you: Nobody is good except God (Mark 10:18).

Now I don't want you to think for an instant that I'm saying that Christians shouldn't do kind things for others. Proverbs 3:27 tells us that it is a sin to withhold good from another when it's in our power to do so and James 2 tells us that our faith without works is dead. In other words, if we have real faith, we'll want to do good things for others.

Good works or acts of kindness are meaningless unless they're done out of love. You do good things for others because you love of the Lord and because you love your brother or sister and you want to help him or her. What good has ever come of doing something when the mere thought of doing it, even if it is in the name of the Lord, causes one to roll his or her eyes?

If thinking about doing something for another gives one a feeling of dread or extreme anxiety, then the inspiration hasn't come from God; it has come from the desire to please the flesh. It's coming from a yearning to please other men.

The desire to be helpful or do kind things for others is a fruit of the Spirit of God. Part of the joy of helping someone else is to see him or her smile; to make their day a bit easier. Heaven forbid anyone being denied the joy of being able to help someone else. But the joy of doing something kind for someone else is taken away when people are forced to do it in order to earn that golden ticket into heaven.

I've listed a few verses below that should prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that we can only be saved by having faith in Christ Jesus:

• "For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." John 6:40 (NIV) I don't see anything here that says that we have to do anything in particular to earn salvation, do you? All I'm seeing here is that whoever will believe in Jesus will have everlasting life. I hope you agree.

• "For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee." Psalm 86:5 (KJV) This is saying that the Lord is merciful and ready to forgive all who call upon Him for salvation. It doesn't say anything about having to do anything in particular to become saved.

• "And Jesus said to him,'Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.'" Luke 23:43 (NKJV) Notice that Jesus didn't say, "If you do this or that, then you can go to heaven with me"? Seriously, what could the man have done while he hung on the cross but believe?

• "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." John 3:16 (NASB) I see nothing here either that says that we have to do anything to get into heaven, except believe in Christ Jesus.

• "It is by grace you have been saved." Ephesians 2:5 (NIV) And, verses 8-9 say, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast." Funny, I don't see that we have to DO anything to get to heaven here either. We are saved by grace.

• "Who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time." 2 Timothy 1:9 (NIV) Need I say more?

To drive home the point completely: Nowhere in the Bible does it say that there's some kind of weird karma thing that God uses to determine whether or not we go to heaven and there's no way to purchase our way into heaven.

Again, what is it that makes a person worthy of going to heaven after he or she dies?

A person must believe in Christ Jesus as his or her Savior and repent from his or her sins in order to be saved. That's it. There's nothing more.

I repeat: Anyone who believes in Christ Jesus as his or her savior and has turned away from his or her sins is saved; he or she already stands justified before the Lord.

Next time, we'll talk about another false doctrine—Purgatory.


Copyright 2009 Sandra Purdue, A.K.A. The Bossy Church Lady. You can use whatever I write for whatever purposes as long as you don't take credit for what I've written.

Our Legacy

The legacy we leave behind says a lot about the relationship we had with the Lord when we were still alive. Our actions, our words, and how we lived our lives will not only determine our future blessings in God’s kingdom, but they will also have a lasting impact on our descendants. When most people are worried about leaving their children with homes, money, stocks, bonds, and whatever else is important to them after they die, we need to keep in mind the greatest inheritance that we can pass on to our children and our grandchildren is the Lord.

Last time, we examined the life of Joseph to see how we can make the most of the trials that we can face in this life. During that study, we saw how our reactions in the face of our trials can have a lasting impact on our own lives as well as affect the lives of our families and descendants. Consider how ripples move outward on a pond; everything we do affects others for better or worse.

This time, we’ll look at the end of Joseph’s life and the end of his father Jacob’s life, to see what we can do to pass on the greatest inheritance of all: God.

Before we look at the end of either man’s life, let’s reexamine how seventeen-year-old Joseph reacted after he was sold into captivity. Though he cried and pleaded for his life, even at his young age, we can see that he had faith in the Lord. How? Because he didn’t complain, grumble, or try to kill his master or anyone else in an attempt to escape: He worked like he was working for the Lord. Through Joseph’s actions, we can see that his father, Jacob, shared his faith and knowledge of God with him while he was still young.

Genesis 22:18 tells us that God promised Abraham that his descendants would be a blessing to all nations. Had Jacob kept silent about the Lord and His promises, had Joseph not known God, as a worst case scenario, he could have reacted in ways that could have thwarted God’s plan for his life and the lives of his family, and future generations, all of which could have profoundly affected the lives of you and me. At the very least, God would have had to use someone else to channel His blessings. Joseph would have missed out on the blessings that God was waiting to bestow upon him and his family. Had Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, or even Joseph not believed God’s promises and passed them on, we might not even know the Lord.

Moving to the end of Joseph’s father, Jacob’s life, we read all about what he left behind for his family, “Then Israel said to Joseph, "I am about to die, but God will be with you and take you back to the land of your fathers.” Genesis 48:21. (Emphasis and underlining mine.) Notice that Jacob didn’t leave gold, silver or any other riches behind? Don’t be mistaken, the small tribe of Israel was extremely prosperous in the land of Egypt. Jacob could have put plenty of emphasis on who was going to get all of his worldly possessions and left everything else out, but he didn’t.

Rather, Jacob passed on the best he had to his son and grandsons: The legacy of God. He reminded Joseph about the promise that God had made to him and gave him a small plot of land that two of his other sons had taken from the Amorites several years beforehand.

Could Joseph make use of the land at the time he received it or any other time during his life? No. Does the Bible say that Jacob ever did anything useful with the land? Nope! So why on earth would Jacob bother with it in the first place? Because Jacob believed God’s promises with all of his heart, he passed on the land as a down payment, an assurance that God would some day fulfill His promise to the children of Israel. That alone is a pretty powerful statement about his faith in the Lord.

Now as we move toward the end of Joseph’s life in verse 50:23 of Genesis, we can see that one of his son’s children was counted as his. Undoubtedly, he taught them about the Lord and repeatedly told them everything that God promised him and his ancestors in his old age. The children probably sat at his feet, fascinated, while he told them all about what God had done for him during his life and what He had done for his ancestors. Perhaps they even made up skits and performed them for everyone who would take the time to watch. The point is that the children were taught about the saving grace of God, which is the most important thing any of us can learn during our lives.

Reading the account of Joseph’s death in verses 50:24-25, we see that he passed his inheritance, the promises of the Lord, on to his brothers and children. “But God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” (NIV) That’s all that he needed to say to ensure that the legacy of the Lord would be passed on.

After that, like Jacob and Joseph before them, whenever the children of Israel would face trials of their own, they too could draw on the promises of God for strength. Most importantly, the inheritance Joseph passed on to his children is the knowledge of God; the kingdom of heaven, so that after they die, they can be with the Lord forever.

We are called to do the same. The best way to ensure that the inheritance of God is passed from generation to generation is to give our lives to God and then share our beliefs in Him and our knowledge of Him with our children and grandchildren like Jacob and Joseph did.

Ephesians 1:11 tells us that our inheritance is God and His kingdom. Right now, I’m going to challenge you by asking you to make your decision now: Do you want to pass on the legacy of the Lord so that your children and grandchildren can live forever, or do you want to pass on earthly blessings, things of this world that are only temporary blessings that your children and grandchildren can’t take with them after they die?