Confusion About War, Etc.

Last night was a lot of fun. For some reason Sunday's are the days I feel the most homesick. I think it's because you know that's when you usually saw everyone. Anyway, I had children's meeting last night. For those of you who know what I'm talking about I graced them with a Bobbobliwink story. It's been a long time since I did one of those I think I pretty much wore them out at home so that was fun then we stayed afterward and played games to celebrate Cousin Randy's 30 b-day. fun!

Today I am home alone, ;-( but my hubby just called to tell me that he is done with wiring the speck house for Gospel Echoes. Yippee, so he should be home in like an hour and a half. He is the best!!! Even though I didn't really enjoy the fact that he chose to work over the weekend. I have to admit I am very proud of him. It was all volunteer and he just plugged away at it even though I am sure there would have been other things he would have rather done. He is such a hard worker!

Tonight Tom and Jewel are coming over for supper, that should be a lot of fun. But I am sort of nervous because I am making this big meal and ....what if it doesn't turn out Oh well, I'll just do my best, but hey Tom's a good cook ... yike... they may just have to stop at Mickey Dees on the way home. Well, I need to go start on my dessert and finish a little clean up.

One more thing...even though I am a strong believer in the "Thou shalt not kill, and "turn the other cheek" and I personally could never kill another human being and send him to eternity, I must say on this day Memorial Day...I am thankful for the men who gave their lives, so that I can be free, but I am thankful a lot more to my Saviour who set me free spiritually, and it really is He ultimately that gives us our physical freedom too, but He did use people to do it, didn't He?

I love the freedom that I enjoy here in America, and I have to admit when I hear the National Anthem my heart does this swelling thing inside of me that I can't quite quelch. Am I being hypocritical? I'm glad we went to war with the enemies of freedom, but I am sad about the many souls that are dying without knowing Jesus as their personal Saviour. I am glad that the people in Iraq are finally being delivered from the cruel oppression of an evil dictator, but I am not glad that we had to kill precious human lives to do it. I'm glad that there are people like President George W. Bush in office who believe that God is to be the ultimate ruler of us and our nation, but I could never go into politics myself, my conscience wouldn't let me.

Just some thoughts....sometimes to be honest I get a little confused about this area of my faith it just seems a little hypocritical, maybe some of you can help me sort this out a little. This is a discussion I had with a man I cleaned house for last summer...Maybe you all would have some better responses than I had... I really never felt good about it. It went something like this...

Man: So you think it was good that we went to war? Good!
Me: Well, politically I do.
Man: What?
Me: Well, the Bible tells us that we need to turn the other cheek and that we are not to kill.
Man: That word kill means murder, to kill without a cause. Plus those verses mean in our personal lives not as a whole nation. There is a verse that says that God sets rulers in authority for the punishment of evil doers.
Me: Well, I dunno, I just know I could never send a person to eternity with out Jesus.
Man: How do you know you would do that? Your not the judge. They might go to Heaven.
Me: Well,...(why is it when your in a conversation like this your mind just goes blank)
Man: How can you say that you are thankful for your freedom, yet you would never defend your country.
Me: Well, I believe I am a citizen of another country.
Man: So do I that's why we have to stand up against the evil that is trying to come in....
Me: Well, that's not my responsiblity. God is the judge.
Man: Yeah, well so we can't punish anyone for doing wrong? Imagine what kind of chaos that would cause. I have a video for you to watch,"You have time to watch it?"
Me: Um, no I got to get home
Man: Some other time then?
Me: Maybe...(oh brother what did I get myself into, I have a horrible time saying, "No" to people.)
Maybe you all would have had some better responses then I did, it's funny later I thought of all these things I should have said, but I just felt a bit tongue-tied at the moment... well gotta go,