Anthem

I can see why to try in futile despair

To redeem our nation so deeply ensnared

A victim of history, a hostage of tears

Breeding venomous citizens on a pretense of fear

A lumbering weight has been chained round her neck

Thrown into the lake with devastating effect

The circular ripples grow outward with ease

Their terrible consequence unable to cease

So many in search of a savior in vain

Find it in pride or pretense or pain

Auditioning idols to absolve their guilt

Calling all the wrong gods to a role they can't fill

And when you stand before God your worthiness to show him

And your hands remain empty of any real token

With your anger and hatred and judgmental thought

Paid for by a Man who proved He was God

Will you still deny Him in favor of sin?

This Jesus, the Savior who died, but now lives?

© 2006 C. R. Alexander

I, Peter

    Later, Jesus appeared to me beside the Sea of Galilee. This is how it happened.  Several of us were there.  I said, “I’m going back to the way things were before all this . . . the discipleship. The execution . . .” 

    “We’ll come too,” they said.  So we returned to what we knew and with which we were most comfortable.  We tried all night to be successful in our old endeavors but had nothing to show for our efforts. 

    At dawn, Jesus was standing on the beach but we couldn't see who it was.  "Hey kids,” He called.  “Have you found what you were looking for?”

    “No,” we replied ruefully. 

    Then He said, “Try focusing your efforts a little more to the right and you’ll get what you were looking for.”  At first, I thought it was ridiculous, but we did what He said.  And He wasn't kidding!  We couldn't even haul in our entire bounty because it was more than our net had the capacity to contain. 

    Then one of my companions who knew Him best said, “It’s the Lord!”

When I heard that, I scrambled to get presentable and splashed right into the water, then sloshed to the shore!  The others stayed with the boat and dragged our bounty in with it since we were really only about 100 yards away.  

    When we all got to the beach, we found breakfast waiting for us—fish cooking over a fire, and some bread.  That fire reminded me of how I had very recently denied even knowing Him to those who asked me about it while we were warming ourselves in the chilly night air around a fire much like this one. That was right before they killed Him. I kind of stared into the flames getting lost in thought for a bit.  

“Bring some of your bounty you just pulled in,” Jesus said.  Grateful for the distraction, I went to the boat and dragged our load to shore.  There was an abundance of loot in the net and yet it somehow hadn't torn. 

“Now, come and have breakfast!”  Jesus said warmly.  

    None of the others dared to ask who He was.  They KNEW it was the Lord.  Then He served us bread and fish (and even ate with us.) This was the third time He had appeared to us after His execution and resurrection. After breakfast, He asked me, “Do you love me unconditionally?  With all you have and with all you will ever be?”

    “You know I think you’re wonderful and I am very fond of you!” I replied.

    He nodded. “Then minister to My children,” He said.

    After a moment, he repeated the question, “Do you love me unconditionally even to death?” His gaze was piercing. 

    I wiped a crumb off my mouth and nodded, “You’re a really great friend and I love being with you! I never thought I'd see you again!” I hoped I was reassuring Him.

    “Then take care of my children,” He said.  I absently nodded my head.

    But He hadn't made His point, I guess.  “Are you my friend? Do you like me?”

    At this point, I was troubled that He had asked me a third time and I noticed He watered down His question a bit to reflect what my answer to Him had been the previous two times. “You know everything Lord!” I swallowed hard. “You KNOW I love being with You and I’m so glad to see you again.  You’re practically my best friend in the entire world!”

He said, “Then minister to my children!”

A few weeks later, I was standing in front of a crowd in Jerusalem . . .

--This blog post was inspired by today's sermon on John 21 at New Work Fellowship in Hopkinsville, KY preached by Paster Cory Pitt on April 21, 2013.  Click here to hear the whole thing!  http://www.newworkfellowship.com/#/mediasermonsbaptisms

Freedom of the Masses

This started out as a Tweet.  Then I realized I needed more characters to convey my thoughts.  So then I decided to turn it into a Facebook post but I realized I could alienate groups of friends from all over the political spectrum.  So I decided to post this as a blog entry and limit the potential backlash since far fewer people will actually read it this way! 

To begin, I have three unfinished blog posts in my documents folder explaining my stance on gay marriage, what I love about Korea, and even a letter to Karen Klein, the bus monitor who was bullied by a group of middle schoolers in New York State.  But I have ADHD and all of those blog entries will remain unfinished in my documents folder until the day I die.  This is not a tragedy.  Today I will finish this blog entry.  Not because it’s more important, but because three is the limit of unfinished posts I’m willing to harbor on my hard drive. 

There is something called “ethics in Journalism.” Opinionated citizens simultaneously throw their two-cents' around about how biased our news sources are and--at the same time--post articles with deplorable journalism standards or lack thereof.  Let’s be honest: we like articles that agree with us whether or not they are truthful, researched, peer-reviewed, or unbiased.  Without thinking twice, we’ll click the “share” button on Facebook and circulate any article that slams our opponent on any issue about which we feel passionate!  When we do this, we are merely contributing to the degradation of the press; First by allowing for lower standards to support our point of view, second by circulating and providing exposure to articles that do not meet even the minimum criteria of a free and responsible press. 

According to Journalism.org (2012, Project for Excellence in Journalism), there are nine principles of journalism.  They are “1. Journalism’s first obligation is to the truth. 2. Its first loyalty is to citizens. 3. Its essence is a discipline of verification. 4. Its practitioners must maintain an independence from those they cover. 5. It must serve as an independent monitor of power. 6. It must provide a forum for public criticism and compromise. 7. It must strive to make the significant interesting and relevant. 8. It must keep the news comprehensive and proportional. 9. Its practitioners must be allowed to exercise their personal conscience” (2012, Project for Excellence in Journalism).

As private citizens, we are free to circulate any nonsense we want simply because it strikes our fancy or makes us laugh or cry. I will support your right to voice any opinion you want in any medium that is available!  But consider this—when you circulate an article simply because it says something you agree with but is lacking in the minimum requirements for responsible journalism such as credit to the writer, quotes from those in attendance, free of opinion, or that panders to a certain point of view, do yourself a favor and DO NOT repost it!  YOU are now a component of the press if you have and use any social media!  YOU are responsible to understand the requirements of a free and responsible press.  If your point of view is really that valuable, then you will have no problem finding and circulating articles that at least meet the minimum requirements when sharing any document that support your beliefs. 

And if you do choose to continue to circulate articles that don’t at least meet the minimum criteria, do not make it your habit to cry “foul!” when you see a posting, especially one that does follow the above stated principles of journalism, that supports an opposing viewpoint.  Your side of the fence deserves to have thoughtful, responsible, researched, and relevant propaganda that verbalizes its viewpoint accurately and truthfully, doesn’t it?  Don’t make yourself and your opinion look foolish by circulating garbage. 

Reference:

Project for Excellence in Journalism, (2012), Principles of Journalism, journalism.org, retrieved December 19, 2012 from http://www.journalism.org/resources/principles.

Deployment Journal Final Month!

A link to the video mentioned in the last status is attached.  Enjoy and remember, this is from 2011.

Mar 24

This day will be dedicated to the completion of paperwork. I certainly hope my backside can withstand the "pressure!"

facebook, this paperwork ain't gonna get itself done, so Ima hafta log out for awhile. Don't worry. I'll be back :)

Mar 25

Why is it that March came in like a Lamb and is going out like a lion? It's just wrong!

I wonder how hard it would be to get the cell company to issue me a specific phone number. I was thinking 481-516-2342!

Mar 26

Welcome home AdVon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

thinks that the conversations people have while playing video games would be enough to put a man behind bars for a very long time!

Mar 27

responded to Caleb Arnold, "You need shorter legs" when he tried to argue that he needed longer shorts.

Mar 28

I think he's trying to move himself back home in boxes!!

Dear Classmates.com--I'm not interested in paying a yearly fee to find out who "visited" my profile!

Mar 29

If you're thinking about getting a new or different mobile phone, please--for all that is good and righteous--do NOT waste your money on an LG Ally. You've been warned!

Connor's assessment of MUN is that it was like a life-size game of Axis & Allies!

effectively ignored all responsibilities this afernoon. Fear not--they'll still be there tomorrow =/

Mar 30

Our 3 free tickets to see Soul Surfer in Nashville on Thursday will be waiting for us at the Box office!! So excited to see Arlene Newman-Van Asperen in her role as Sydney Blanchard!!

Apr 1

If anyone has gotten a series of steroid shots for decreasing inflammation (and consequently reducing pain), could you please share your experience? It's being recommended to me for degenerate disk "disease" (I don't like the connotation) in my lower back. Thanks.

Somehow it got to be April without me noticing :) YAY!! Welcome back again, April!

‎"Your sarcasm always ceases to amaze me," said Caleb. "There you go with your sweeping generalizations again," I retorted.

Apr 2

Hey, Robyn Randall, Magen Kelley Roberts, Melissa Settje Ice, & Carrie Carlile Odell--it's April already!! I was going to tell you yesterday, but I didn't want you to think it was an April Fool's joke ;-)

uh oh . . . Caleb just discovered gLee on Netflix streaming. We are in trouble now :)

gLee pilot ends. Chris, stage front/left casts dramatic stare at Caleb, sitting comfortably in armchair stage center back. Together, "THAT was a good show!"

Connor scours the internet for alternative versions of "Friday Friday!" including cowboy poetry and soul searching blues for the sole purpose of slowly killing me--aided by a platypus. Should I maybe tell them they're not listed in the will?

Apr 3

learned two guitar chords tonight and my fingertips are on FIRE! I don't know how you guitar players do it.

Apr 4

You know how they dilate your pupils at the optemetrist? Well this time, it was like dilation on steroids and I can expect it to be this way until about noon tomorrow. The good news is, she found out that my previous prescription was off by +2 in each eye!

Apr 6

is gonna get bounced from appointment to appointment like a pinball today. >ding<

Apr 7

I finished up a call with my husband by saying, "Well, I better let you go. You're starting to sound all warbled and distorted and I don't even know what you just said, but it sounded really sweet!!"

really can't drive to Nashville this evening for the Soul Surfer premiere. I wish we had a teleporter. All the cool kids have teleporters, 'cept us! *pouts*

New item on bucket list: to be part of a flash mob performance. Who's with me?

Apr 8

It's gonna be ok.

The reason for the imipending gov't shut-down according to the 6th graders I worked with today (who were excited that "all the schools were shutting down" with it)--because there's no money left. We gave it all to Japan!! And there you have it. LOL!

Pizza, garlic bread, dessert, and a movie all for $23.40! Not a bad way to spend a Friday night with the kids :)

Apr 9

Just dropped Connor off at APSU for his ACT. Now Caleb and I need to find something to do til 1! Any suggestions?

performed the ceremonial changing of the thermostat to AC and scrubbing of the grill and the car today. Summer may begin. GO!

Apr 10

‎'nother guitar lesson with Connor. Ouch!

Apr 12

Hey, Barsanti Elementary families--come to the Parent to Parent workshop tomorrow (led by yours truly and Lashelle Pruitt Thompson) for tons of great info on Preventing the Summer Slide (you know, how kids forget a pretty good % of what they learned during the school year over the summer!) It's at 11 am. See you there :)

I'm not sure if this is against any school rules, but Caleb Arnold has been selling his artwork for $1 to students at school. Two students were so intent on one of his pieces that they drove the price up to $20!! I'd post it for you, but he won't let me--LOL!

Apr 13

We're sad to miss youth group tonight with Gateway Student Ministries, but very excited to attend tonight's National Honor Society induction ceremony for Connor Arnold!

I'm torturing The Beagle by BBQing chicken. I expect him to tell me where he hid the money, who his accomplice is, and his middle name before sundown :)

Apr 15

Finally gonna use my Relache Spa Groupon tonight that I had purchased just before the flooding closed it for a time. Hopefully I'll be in good enough shape to help lead our workshop in Nashville afterward!

mailing off round 2 of scholarship applications today--nothing like waiting 'til the deadline, eh?

If anyone is wondering why our deployed military makes extra money while overseas, I can tell you exactly where it all goes. You're welcome, Verizon =/

Apr 17

UNceremoniously turned the thermostat from A/C back to heat. Probably should have done that last night.

Finally seeing Soul Surfer!! — with Connor Arnold and Caleb Arnold at CARMIKE CINEMA - CLARKSVILLE GOVERNOR SQUARE 10.

Repost--FACEBOOK has 4 "new" VIRUSES !!
#1--If you get a notice of a PHOTO TAG ... DO NOT OPEN IT !
#2-- If you get a notification that a friend reported you for offensive behavior etc.. DO NOT open it !
#3-- get 5000 FACEBOOK CREDITS-
#4-- message from your friends via chat saying click this link .. DO NOT OPEN

Apr 18

is in the market for a 160g ipod. If you've got one you'd like to sell, let me know!

Good night, Johnboy!

Apr 19

Ibupfrofen? Check. Aspercreme? Check. Worskshop supplies? Check. Written instructions? Check. Sense of humor? Anybody? Anybody? Bueller?

got a facefull o' dirt today :)

Thanks to Tim Childers I was able to offer a really cool craft for our Early Literacy workshop this morning :) Thanks, Tim!

‎"She turned me into a newt!!"

"Why do you think i have dis outrageous accent?"

Apr 20

1am. 2 kids. 1 dog. 1 cat. Bathroom downstairs. Waiting out a tornado warning with our pillows someone please tell me when it's all clear?

Back to your lives, citizens :-)

I am doing my best to not live in that nervous, anxiety producing state of expectations of things to come, but will likely succumb in the next couple of days regardless of my best efforts!!!!!!!!!!

Apr 21

Checking out the school — with Caleb Arnold at Heritage Christian Academy.

When Caleb Arnold spotted a banner that said "WWJD," he turned to me and said, "That should mean 'Why would Jesus die?'"

Apr 22

Whether Christian, Jew, Muslim, or Atheist, there’s no denying that Jesus Christ’s death on the cross was manly. Accused of calling himself the King of the Jews—which subverted the power of the Emperor—and of supposedly spreading teachings contrary to Judaism, Jesus was brought to trial. A simple denial would have saved him, but Jesus stood firm. (Thanks Traber Cass)

Apr 23

It's 3am plus change and i must be one dedicated army wife to welcome home soldiers that I'm not even married to!

Wheels down for main body 4! Welcome home soldiers :-)

The race is on to get some shut-eye before the sun rises . . .

My eyelids must have gained 50 lbs each!

Apr 24

Accident or stalled vehicle on eastbound 24 before exit 11.

Celebrating Easter morning on the freeway stuck in traffic! Never done that before--LOL!!

I love how when Thomas called Jesus Lord and God after seeing Him in person with the scars from His execution, Jesus commended him for believing because he had seen. But He also commended me for believing, even though I've never had the privilege of seeing Him in person resurrected--Jn 20:29. Thanks God ♥

This should be interesting... I wonder how many people read my status. You and I wake up in the Psychiatric Ward together. Using only four words, what do you say to me? Note: if you comment, you must copy and paste this to your status, so I may comment on yours as well. Be a good egg and play along... 4 words is harder than you think.

Apr  25

I hate it when I "accidentally" drop a freshly grilled hot dog on the ground right in front of the Beagle ;-)

Apr 26

Phone rings. "Hello?" My neighbor asks,"Hey! Can you look and see if my trampoline is still in my yard?"

is dumbfoubded that the most iconic movie of her youth was set in an era in which she wasn't even born yet!

‎Connor Arnold--"I love how everyone dies at the end of Hamlet." 
"Great! Thanks for spoiling it for me!"—me

and it wouldn't be complete, if after jimmy-rigging the trampoline between our two fences with bungee cords, the beagle didn't recognize his opportunity for escape and galavant around the neighborhood--like it was a perfectly acceptable practice.Caleb Arnold gets the prize for running him down, tackling him to the ground, and fashioning his shoe laces into a leash to bring him home!

oh, and I literally defended Connor Arnold from an army of buzzing, angry bumblebees with a flyswatter while he mowed the grass since SOME one (I won't mention Kenny McNeil II by name) used up all my bee and wasp killer on a renegade gang of mutant stinging insects while they buzzed around his head!

Well, the downstairs bathroom is stocked: emergency dog and cat food rations, drinking water, pillows, blankets, MRE's, and I hear thunder in the distance, but I'm wondering if there's enough room in said bathroom for us now =/

Apr 27

I can't be sure why, but I'm really missing our island home right now. It can't be all this crazy weather, can it? Aloha oe . . .

is avaiable to stuff and stack sandbags along the banks of the Cumberland if anyone is heading up an effort. At least I'm available til about 3am.

‎Chris Arnold loves it when Connor walks away from his computer with facebook up ;-)  [Connor’s status]

Connor Arnold loves it when his mom leaves her facebook open! I promise to buy him a new iPod! And maybe that $3000 guitar he wants! He's just so amazing

Apr 28

is on a bus . . .

Over.

Officially.

Is.

Depliyment.

This.

Welcome home main body 6 wheels DOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"!!!!!!! =D

When our host asked, "How many tonight?" I may have replied a little too enthusiastically, "FOUR!"

I have always wanted to make a video for him with this song. The time has never been more perfect than now!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xpr1o2W7T0Q&feature=plcp

Deployment Journal Month 11

(Just a reminder--this is from 2011)

Feb 24

Super excited to share with Fort Campbell's 8th graders and their parents tonight at Fort Campbell High School at 6:30pm in the Commons! If you have an 8th grader and haven't RSVPed, it's not too late. Email PtoP.Campbell@MilitaryChild.or​g. Prayers appreciated for a great turnout and to put many parents' and students' fears to rest. ♥

Had the terrible consequences all imagined in her head. On the 2nd to the busiest day of the week, she drove off post oblivious to the absence of her purse containing every scrap of her identity until reaching down to grab it at the store. She imagined having to hire the secret service to retrieve it for her, but as luck would have, she wasn't the first person to have commited this oversight . . .

although the tornado warning seems to be isolated to Clarksville (as opposed to Fort Campbell area) and I'm blissfully unaffected by it as of yet, I'm reminded that the last tornado warning we had was the day our guys left, which means, if it's becoming tornado season again, their homecoming is getting closer =D

Feb 25

Stood before one giant last night and facing another one in a couple of days. It's hard to hear the Voice of truth when it's so much softer than the giants'.

Guess who's kid beat out all the other regional participants in German Writing at this year's Regional Foreign Language Competition??

Feg 26

I love the smell of my youngest child cooking breakfast in the morning. There's nothin' in the world smells like that =D

made a preemptive strike with ibuprofen. Remind me not to help organize any public events for at least . . . 6 months or so. Thanks.

Feb 27

Giant #2 is goin' down today! I think I've got one stone left :)

Had an amazing turnout at Tell Me A Story today! Thank you to all of you who came out--Gateway Student Ministries, Bobbie Marie Gregg, Katie Neely, &Gateway Christian Church

Feb 28

gets one lazy day today and is not going to blow it by trying to be productive or anything crazy like that!

Mar 1

was about to chastise Caleb Arnold for being too picky on his ice scraping this morning; and then was really about to let him have it when, after he finished my car, he didn't get in right away. He was scraping Connor Arnold's windows so it would be ready when he left for school. Instead I said, "That is one of the most loving, brotherly things you could have done for Connor!"

Mar 2

is juggling. But if you look closely, you'll see that I'm actually just dropping balls and replacing them with sharp, dangerous objects.

Mar 3

I discovered that somebody recorded a demonic, gutteral "rawr" on my phone that plays whenever somebody sends me a facebook message. You're gonna try it now, aren't you? Caleb comes to the top of the list as a suspect =/

Mar 4

Hey everyone, Nothing Rhymes with Orange is performing for the first time at Fort Campbell High School's talent show at 6pm. I just made a facebook page for the band--you should "like" them!!

They just finished their one-song set! Sounds much better on stage than in my garage ;)

to the girls who were sitting behind me, and anyone else who thinks it makes you look better when you degrade other people--the only person it makes look bad is you! You're too beautiful to let such ugly words come out of your mouth :(

Mar 5

I just finished filing my taxes with TaxACT, you can try it for free:http://budurl.com/TaxACTFB1

Mar 6

has always loved the ending of episode 17; season 1 of LOST! It's the best TV writing in existence :)

Mar 7

The muscle soreness is just settling in from my first attempt at hula in many months. Ouch!

Mar 8

You know who understands that love is an action and not just a word?? Our military supporters--that's who!! They are love personified and there's no other way to put it ♥

When you go to your profile look at the first 6 friends in the sidebar: what if they were your team for the Zombie Apocalypse? Mine: Ross Knudsen, Katheryn Light,Cindy Turner, Mikayla Twite, Melanie Keene Twite, & Paxton Tupper. We'd pretty much kick zombie butt--I'm pretty sure.

Mar 9

It was touch-n-go for awhile, but Nothing Rhymes with Orange--rather HALF of NRWO-- is performing tonight at Gateway Christian Church at 7pm or sometime thereafter!

paid respects to some of the best at the Eagle Remembrance Ceremony today.

Mar 10

I'm ridiculously excited for having a legit excuse to buy myserlf some platform boots, bell-bottoms or stiff polyester minidress (not too mini, mind you!) with crazy psychadellic patterns all for the good cause of helping out at the VICE night fundraiser tomorrow night!! Thanks OSC and Magen Kelley Roberts for the groovy opportunity :)

I'm sure lots of parents out there would also want to hear their child say, "Hey Mom, I'm getting really good at knife throwing!"--Caleb Arnold

‎"Do you see what happens??" Connor Arnold glared at Caleb Arnold. "When I do what you tell me to do, I always die!"

Mar 12

‎"Doesn't matter what you heard; 'Impossible' is not a word. Just a reason for someone not to try!"—Kutless

Mar 14

I'm pretty impressed that my kids go to Financial Peace University every week with me. In fact, it was Connor Arnold's idea :) If only every teenager had this information before graduating high school . . .

Mar 15

Ready to lead our Early Literacy workshop on "Owen & Mzee," a remarkable story about 2 unlikely friends--a hippo and a tortoise!

is settling down with a loaded inkpen to fill out some scholarship applications. Somehow, i'm not scheduled to go anywhere this evening and I intend to stay put, my pen my only companion!

Mar 16

Now hiring: secretary. Must be available 24/7, like to clean, and not require a paycheck. Only serious inqiries please

Mar 17

Would like to say Happy St. Patrick's Day to Patty Hanaway, Pat Hanon, Patty Colvin, Patti Chromey, Pat Kelly, Patrick Bowler, Patti Gray, & Patti Faber. Just 'cuz :)

Resisted the urge to yell at my neighbor, who is washing his car in the uncharacteristically warm, sunny weather we're having today, 'If it rains, we're all blaming YOU!!"

Went to the library to look for 4 books--the authors' last names were Obama, Palin, Wright, and Beck. Two had waiting lists for them. Two were on the shelf. I may have to become a democrat ;-)

Mar 18

gave Connor Arnold a funny look when he called our cat a "fascist, chauvinistic kitty." Chauvinistic? Really?

Would anyone in CA, NV, TX, or AZ like to buy a $19.99 gift card from me to 99c Only? It's for a good cause! We're trying to do something nice for our soon-to-be-returning soldiers but we don't have these stores anywhere near us.

Mar 19

is going to spend all tomorrow afternoon addressing Connor's graduation invitations, so don't bother me, OK?

I thought the moon was supposed to be phenomenally huge tonight. Looks pretty average to me ;-)

Mar 21

At the risk of inadvertently advertising for Kellogg's cereal, I gotta agree with Connor: It's marketed as crack for kids!!

Mar 22

Our first group of soldiers made it home today!! Welcome home TORCH!!

You mean, you'll put down your rock and I put down my sword and we try to kill each other like civilized people?"

Mar 23

Well, Caleb Arnold and I have the house to ourselves for the next 5 days whileConnor Arnold goes to Washginton DC with Fort Campbell High School's Model UN team! I hope we can keep ourselves out of trouble ;-)

is gonna blow this popsicle stand!