"Einstein felt, at most, man had attained 1% of the possible knowledge of the universe. Do you think it's possible God is able to do unexplainable things with the 99% we don't understand?" -from
Rooms by James L Rubart

Sunday, December 23, 2012

Christmas isn't ruined

as we approach Christmas, the warm and fuzzy time of the year, i've still been thinking a lot about people going through tough times, especially those still suffering loss in newtown, connecticut.
i've been ruminating on things i've heard people say on t.v., and they've gotten me thinking. one thing i've noticed is that the Bible has answers for everyone's questions and comments!

"Evil visited this town today." -said by a newscaster reporting in Newtown.
that is true, in sense. but it's not the whole story. evil LIVED in newtown way before Dec 14, 2012, and it lives there still. you see, evil lives in every human heart. here is a description of what our evil hearts look like:
"They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, ruthless. Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them." Romans 1:29-32
"Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin. As it is written, 'There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away... there is no one who does good, not even one... there is no fear of God before their eyes.'" Romans 3:9b-12, 18
doesn't sound very good. and though we like to think we're not a part of it, we are... you are. i am. on our own, we simply do what is selfish. we do what is right in our own eyes. (Judges 17:6)
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23 that's a common verse, but what does it really mean? well, for all our trying, all our 'good deeds,' all our efforts to 'be nice' and 'better ourselves,' we fall short. like someone shooting arrows at a target: chances are if you're 2 miles away, your arrow will fall short. you can shoot all you want, you can be the best aim ever, you can get a bigger bow... your arrow will land somewhere in the weeds between you and the target. that's how it is with our piddly human 'goodness.'
sounds like a big bummer.
it is.

"Adam Lanza may have been mentally ill." -lots of newscasters over the week.
well, if you have been reading my blog recently, you might know what i think about a lot of 'mental illness' charges. click here to see my mental illness post. and i would like to say a blip here about that. in recent years, when something terrible happens within the American borders, the finger gets pointed at mental illness. 'well, in order to do something that terrible, he must have been mentally ill. no one would do that if they were thinking correctly right??'
that is faulty thinking. it's based on the premise that we are all fundamentally 'good' to begin with.
we're not.
remember, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
and Isaiah 53:6a puts the blame squarely on us: "We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way."
mental illness isn't always the answer. SIN is.

this idea of mental illness really touches on the whole huge question everyone keeps asking: "WHY??!"
how could this happen? how could someone kill children? why does evil happen? why? why?! WHY?!
in a short answer: because we, as humans, are allowed to CHOOSE. think back in your memory bank to the story of Adam and Eve, the first humans, created by a perfect God and placed gently into a perfect garden. they had it good. they had it better than we've ever experienced. they WALKED WITH GOD every day!!! (see Genesis 2:4-25)
but. God didn't want robots who would follow Him because they didn't have any other choice. He wanted a relationship with people who would CHOOSE to love Him. but you can't choose if you don't have multiple things to choose from. so God also placed in that garden ONE tree of choice, among all the other trees and bushes and plants full of perfectly scrumptious fruits and vegetables. that tree embodied everything that was opposite of God: He is good, it housed evil; He is love, it enabled them to hate; He is righteous, it gave them the desire to do wrong; He is pure, it caused them to be dirty and rotten. and they had the choice: avoid it or choose it. where did they end up? under that tree, chomping down its crooked fruit, because they wanted to turn to their own way. they wanted to satisfy self above all else. (see Genesis 2)
and humans are still making that same choice every day.
from Hitler to al-Qaeda to crooked government officials to Adam Lanza to that other driver giving you the finger (or was that you?).

are we stuck there? are we irreversibly and hopelessly left with evil hearts?
there's more to the story.

as i watched news coverage two fridays ago, it struck me how the commentators kept referring to how this 'ruined Christmas' for everyone. when describing that sentiment, Brian Williams on NBC noted how just days before, "The kids were dreaming of gifts under the tree."
yes, Christmas will be painful for those families and friends and this time of year will never be the same as long as they live on this earth.
and if all those kids and their families were looking forward to at Christmas were gifts under the tree, then yes, Christmas was ruined.
but the real Christmas can't be 'ruined' by horrors like this.
in fact, Christmas is the answer to horrors like this!
it's the answer to the evil in our hearts!
it's the answer to evil in the world!
a lot of Americans have it backwards these days. Christmas has become about gifts and buying and selling and advertising and sitting in 'Santa's' lap and decorating with lights and eating big meals and being so busy that you almost hate the season...
it's not about any of those things.
Christmas is about GOD, that Creator of the perfect people in the perfect garden who wanted a perfect relationship with humans, being so distraught about the broken relationship between Him and His humans, that He BECAME a human baby in order to communicate His love to them, even though WE are the ones who broke the relationship! 
mindblowing!!!
and a perfect answer to the hideous ugliness of death.
when death happens, Christmas is God saying, "I came to earth to save you from evil."
when a man in China stabs elementary students, Christmas answers, "Turn to Me and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28
when Lanza shoots up a school, Christmas responds, "I want to comfort you and I will give My life to make it possible for you to join Me in heaven!"
when pain is overwhelming, Christmas answers, "In the midst of chaos and terror, I am your source of peace that the world cannot understand." Philippians 4:7
it is appropriate that Christmas is coming so soon after something so terrible. when people cry out to Him for help, God comes and does not delay with His comfort and peace.

i can't say how many times i've heard and read the almost annoying quote on facebook and the news that this tragedy causes us to "go home and hug our children a little tighter."
well, that's nice.
it's better than being unaffected. it's good to realize that we have been spared. the tragedy inspires people to do better. so in that regard i'm happy to hear that overused quote.
but that's not the best we can do. real better is searching for God after we've been faced with the horror of evil.
how do you spare your own child from becoming Adam Lanza? living a good life and giving great Christmas gifts and hugs aren't going to do it.
'what will help?' you ask.
good question.
RESPONDING to God's gift of Jesus this Christmas is the best response, our greatest hope.

  • for those of you who do not know Jesus, now is the time to search for Him. "'You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart. I will be found by you,' declares the Lord, 'and will bring you back from captivity." Isaiah 29:13-14a    'but i'm not in captivity,' you may be thinking. in 2 Peter 2:19, Peter says, "a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him." sounds pretty straight forward and almost redundant, but it really is quite deep. think about it in your own life. what has mastered you? as in, what is your number one priority? is it your job? is it your hobby? is it your family? is it just simply YOU? then you are in captivity. you are a slave to that thing or those people or to your own finite mind. Jesus is the only choice that can offer you true freedom. if you choose to follow God as your master, He offers freedom. you will really have the power to be 
          free from sin
"When you were slaves to sin, 
you were free from the control of righteousness. 
What benefit did you reap at that time 
from the things you are now ashamed of? 
Those things result in death! 
But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, 
the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. 
For the wages of sin is death, 
but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Romans 6:20-23
"For we know that our old self was crucified with Him 
so that the body of sin might be done away with, 
that we should no longer be slaves to sin 
--- because anyone who has died has been freed from sin."
Romans 6:6-7
"You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness."
Romans 6:18
          free from anxiety
"Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you."
1 Peter 5:7
          free from the pressure to earn your own salvation
"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."
Ephesians 2:8-9
          and most exciting, free from eternal death
"Who is the liar? 
It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ... 
No one who denies the Son has the Father; 
whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also...
And this is what He promised us 
--- even eternal life."
1 John 2:22a, 23, 25
  • for those of you who honestly say, 'Jesus masters me,' now is the time to SHOW it. in a world of pain, God offers peace and joy and freedom. and YOU are the means by which He chooses to do so. don't focus on worldly things this Christmas, like the lie of Santa and gifts and frustrated shopping trips; focus on JESUS. let His hope, joy, and peace overflow through you so that you can be a light to guide others to Him.
"May the God of hope 
fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, 
so that you may overflow with hope 
by the power of the Holy Spirit."
Romans 15:13
        because
"Salvation is found in no one else, 
for there is no other name under heaven given to men 
by which we must be saved."
Acts 4:12


this year, let's dream of something other than gifts under a tree. they won't save you; they won't comfort you; they won't satisfy you. 
don't let Christmas to be 'ruined' in your heart by the pain of the world; let Christmas answer the hurt. it is the story of God's own response to evil. He sent His Son to show us the way and save us from it all!

"And the peace of God, 
which transcends all understanding, 
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." 
Philippians 4:7



Monday, December 17, 2012

when children die

life is pretty manageable here in the US. we can meet someone, fall in love, get married, get an apartment, have a child, settle into new situations, adjust to jobs, life just moves along at pace.
then tragedy hits. a 20-yr-old kid walks into Sandy Hook Elementary and massacres 26 people. each one is a precious face; an individual human being; someone's child, sister, cousin, friend; most are children.

unimaginable grief.
senseless pain.
deep evil.
confused disbelief.
shock.
where can we turn?
what's the next step?

what does the Bible say about losing a child?

3 accounts of a parent losing a child stand out to me in the Bible:

FIRST, we have King David, the 'man after God's own heart.'
he desired God as his #1. it didn't mean he was perfect. after all, he lusted after someone else's wife and had that guy killed so he could get her, just to name one of his most glaring sins! but he repented, and that made all the difference to God.
David still had to live with the consequences of sin, however. we see in 2 Samuel 12 that his baby, born to that other man's wife, became seriously ill. David spent a whole week fasting and praying for his sick baby, stricken with grief and hope and fear and dismay, but his child died.
gut-wrenching.
painful.
his servants didn't even want to tell him the news, for fear that he would 'do something desperate.' v. 18.
that's what we want to do when tragedy strikes: something desperate. we want to get justice by our own hands, we want to yell, scream, express ourselves, cry, find God and ask Him questions. some desperate options are good, some not so good.
what did David do?
"Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate... Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba." 2 Samuel 12:20
David got up from the ground. he had been laying, kneeling, begging, groveling, all things devastatingly low. but then he got up. basic things first - manage to somehow get up.
he washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes. he did something normal, something daily... took a shower, shaved, put on a favorite cologne...  it didn't mean he didn't care anymore, it just meant he had to keep on living.
he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. worshiped? you ask. how could he worship? God didn't do anything! God presided over the death!! but yes, David worshiped God, no matter how he felt. David acknowledged that he wasn't God; God is God. whether it seems like it or not, God is in charge, and He is the author of everything good. He is watching, He does care, and He is also saddened and angered by evil. worship frees us, and it energizes us, because it gives control back to God. it refreshes us and restores us as we claim that God is sovereign and we submit.
then he went to his own house... and he ate. he survived. i've heard that parents (and others) might feel guilty for living when their child dies. they feel that they failed at their job. but, to anyone in Newtown, who might feel like that, you DIDN'T fail, you are NOT guilty. it is GOOD that you survived. if David could make it through, even though he really WAS guilty of causing his son's death, you can make it too.
then David comforted his wife. once he had been filled up with God's restoration, and had done some basic human functions to feed his body and spirit, he was able to pour out comfort on his wife.

SECOND, we have Job, tested by Satan on his commitment to God.
what was his story?
Job 1:1 tells us that he was "blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil." this was a wealthy and very blessed guy: he had loads of land, sheep, camels, oxen, donkeys, servants, and most precious, a big family - a wife and 10 kids!
the bummer? he lived on earth, where Satan is allowed to disrupt and cause bad things to happen. Satan personally went to God and challenged Him, saying that the only reason Job was so faithful to God was that he was so blessed. true that it's easier to praise God when things are going well, so God decided to let Satan test Job.
in one disastrous day, Job lost all of his possessions to raiding armies and a lightning strike. but most terribly of all, a tornado destroyed the house where his children were and they all died!
now, Job wasn't aware of God's conversation with Satan. all he knew is that he lost every single thing that he had in one day. all he knew was the disaster, and he also knew he hadn't done anything to deserve it.
what did Job do?
"At this Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said:
'Naked I came from the womb,
and naked I will depart.
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;
may the name of the Lord be praised.'
In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing." Job 1:20-22
Job... tore his robe and shaved his head. he grieved fully. he was completely in a deep well of despair. he faced the horror and wallowed in it. it's good to grieve. if you read more of Job, you'll realize the extent of his grief: anger, frustration, despair, despondency, aching pain, confusion, doubt, and more. this didn't mean he needed medication or 'treatment,' as psychologists and doctors say these days. it meant he was going through the natural grieving process.
then he fell to the ground in worship. again with the worshiping. these are God's men... and they worship. he told it how it was, and then praised God for being God. and as the last verse says, maybe for our benefit as readers, what he said was not sinful.

THIRD, we have the most incredible one, the whole culmination of the Bible: God the Father, who voluntarily allowed His only Son die on behalf of everyone on the planet.
there's a lot of talk about the heroes who have emerged from the terrible story at Newtown, Connecticut. and they were definitely heroes. they were teachers who led children to safety and locked the doors and covered young ones with their own bodies. they were children who comforted their friends and stayed quiet in the terrorizing chaos and led an escape out the door right past the terrorizer.
Jesus was the original hero who gave His life for others. and also heroic, His Father had to let it happen to bring salvation to us.
God let His Son be raised by mere humans,
allowed Him to be ridiculed and beaten,
and after enduring an unfair trial full of false accusations and bribery,
He was forced to look the other way as His precious, perfect Son clothed Himself with OUR despicable sins and took our punishment of death.
Jesus cried out to Him in total anguish, and though God could have called the whole thing off, He didn't, for our sakes. He knew the future - that because of Jesus' perfection, He would be raised again to live forever.
God understands pain. He chose to go through it to save you and me. He chose to go through it so that when we experience death, we can look forward to LIFE after death, if we know Jesus.

we turn to what the Bible says because it lets us know we're not alone. God wasn't missing during David's time, or Job's time, or now in your time. and He understands what you're going through.


"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose... 
"If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all.... Christ Jesus, who died -- more than that, who was raised to life -- is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:
'For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.'
"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither life nor death,
           neither angels nor demons,
                            neither the present nor the future, 
                                              nor any powers,
                                                          neither height nor depth,
            nor anything else in all creation,
will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Romans 8:28, 31b-32, 34b-39

"The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord;
He is their stronghold in time of trouble."
Psalm 37:39

do you need a stronghold? if you know Jesus, take refuge in Him and worship Him. if you don't know Jesus, please search Him out. try Him and see for yourself if He proves to be who He says He is.


Sunday, December 16, 2012

for Newtown, Connecticut

as i worked yesterday, i had the radio on to the Christian music station available to us, KLOVE. they referred all day to the horrible killing of 28 people in Newtown, Connecticut.
in the course of the day, they read 2 different quotes that i would like to share with you.

a prayer by Max Lucado, Christian author:


Dear Jesus,

It's a good thing you were born at night. This world sure seems dark. I have a good eye for silver linings. But they seem dimmer lately.

These killings, Lord. These children, Lord, Innocence violated. Raw evil demonstrated.

The whole world seems on edge. Trigger-happy. Ticked off. We hear threats of chemical weapons and nuclear bombs. Are we one button-push away from annihilation?

Your world seems a bit darker this Christmas. But you were born in the dark, right? You came at night. The shepherds were nightshift workers. The wise men followed a star. Your first cries were heard in the shadows. To see your face, Mary and Joseph, needed a candle flame. It was dark. Dark with Herod's jealousy. Dark with Roman oppression. Dark with poverty. Dark with violence.

Herod went on a rampage, killing babies. Joseph took you and your mom into Egypt. You were an immigrant before you were a Nazarene.

Oh, Lord Jesus, you entered the dark world of your day. Won't you enter ours? We are weary of bloodshed. We, like the wise men, are looking for a star. We like the shepherds, are kneeling at a manger.

This Christmas, we ask you, heal us, help us, be born anew in us.

Hopefully,
Your Children



words from "Scott & Kelli's" Pastor Ray:


Today is a heartbreaking day. Our nation experienced the second worst school shooting in American history. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and everyone affected by this senseless tragedy. I, like all Americans, am devastated. 
During tragic times like this there is inevitably a mad scramble for CLARITY. How could this happen? Why would a good and loving God let this happen? Who’s to blame for this senseless violence? 
The problem – Shallow Christian clichés fall short and ultimately Clarity never comes…because at best, we see ‘through a glass dimly…'
During times like this we think we need Clarity when we really need is CERTAINTY. 
• I am certain that this senseless act breaks the heart of God because…
               I am certain that God understands what it means to lose a son.
• I am certain that every one of todays victims was precious to God
• I am certain that God is near to the brokenhearted
• I am certain that no life ever is devoid of meaning no matter how short.
• I am certain that Jesus meant it when he said, ‘Let the little children come to me’. 
• I am certain that life is precious and that every day with your kids is a gift.
• I am certain that America needs to rediscover a reverence for life.
• I am certain that a day is coming when suffering will cease and God will reign.
• I am certain that when anyone closes their eyes here for the last time and wakes up in the arms of Jesus - they will be more alive than they have ever been. 


so as you try to sleep through another impossible night, Newtown, i pray that you allow yourself to fall into the only arms that can bring true comfort: Jesus' arms.
and like max and pastor ray:
1) pray. God hears every kind of prayer, be it angry, confused, shocked, distressed, frustrated, horrified, despairing, questioning, doubting... HE WILL ALWAYS LISTEN.
2) think: of what are you CERTAIN? is there something you can point to that you know about God? what is the rock you can lean on?
if you are looking for a place to lean today, or just a place to hide and cry, God IS those things:

"He tends His flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in His arms
and carries them close to His heart;
He gently leads those who have young."
Isaiah 40:11

"He who fears the Lord has a secure fortress,
and for His children it will be a refuge."
Proverbs 14:26

"As for God, His way is perfect; 
the word of the Lord is flawless.
He is a shield
for all who take refuge in Him.
For who is God besides the Lord?
And who is the Rock except our God?"
Psalm 18:30-31

"Lift up your eyes to the heavens,
look at the earth beneath;
the heavens will vanish like smoke, 
the earth will wear out like a garment
and its inhabitants die like flies.
But My salvation will last forever,
My righteousness will never fail."
Isaiah 51:6

"My soul clings to You;
Your right hand upholds me."
Psalm 63:8


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Friday, December 14, 2012

where is the hope?

in light of today's terrible, horrific shooting at a Newtown, Connecticut, elementary school, i quote the verses i read today:

"I love the Lord, for He heard my voice;
He heard my cry for mercy.
Because He turned His ear to me,
I will call on Him as long as I live.

The cords of death  entangled me,
the anguish of the grave came upon me;
I was overcome by trouble and sorrow.
Then I called on the name of the Lord:

'O LORD, SAVE ME!'


The Lord is gracious and righteous;
our God is full of compassion.
The Lord protects the simplehearted;
when I was in great need, He saved me.

Be at rest once more, O my soul,
for the Lord has been good to you.

For You, O Lord, have delivered my soul from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling,
that I may walk before the Lord
in the land of the living.
I believed; therefore I said, 
'I am greatly afflicted.'
And in my dismay I said, 
'All men are liars.'

How can I repay the Lord
for all his goodness to me?
I will lift up the cup of salvation 
and call on the name of the Lord.
I will fulfill my vows to the Lord 
in the presence of His people.

Precious in the sight of the Lord 
is the death of His saints.

... Praise the Lord."
Psalm 116:1-15, 19b

maybe this doesn't sound like the right set of verses to you... 'praise the Lord??' 'all His goodness?' 'be at rest?' 'the Lord protects the simplehearted?' 'the Lord has been good to you???' it's wrong! all wrong!!! surely this can't apply TODAY with children dying at the hands of a crazed gunman!
but wait. think of the deeper current running through these verses. these quotes don't come from David's (the author) circumstances. David is the one who was hunted down for years by the king of the land, Saul. David hid in caves in the wilderness for decades, just trying to stay alive. he knew anguish, he had people die around him, he felt the pain of betrayal, he knew the fear of being pursued.
but he was praising God anyway!
how does this happen?
yesterday i almost got a parking ticket. i just about lost it. i thought we were going to have to pay about double our entire monthly rate, just for not having the tag hanging in the window one night!! i was mad at the city, mad at the car, despairing that i have no money for this kind of thing, frustrated that i shop at the dollar store trying to save and then have to blow it on one dumb parking ticket! i could barely stand to read words of praise in my Bible that day... i was so upset!
all over a parking ticket.
needless to say, i have no way of understanding the terror, horror, anguish, pain, anger, the sheer despair of losing a child or loved one in a nightmare like today's in Connecticut.

the psalmist, David, in his deepest despair, in the midst of 'the grave, death, trouble and sorrow,' cries out to God, 'O LORD, SAVE ME!' and then he praised God for doing just that: saving him.
but you say, 'God didn't save these kids today! they died! He didn't save their lives!' it's true that He allowed this thing to happen. He allowed evil to occur.
BUT when it comes to those who have earnestly cried out to God, 'O LORD, SAVE ME,' nothing can touch them. nothing. anyone who belongs to Jesus cannot be touched by Satan. their bodies may be harmed and ill and wounded, and they may even DIE, but Satan cannot touch their souls!
"For You, O Lord, have delivered my soul from death." vs 8
God allows people to make choices. and He even allows evil choices to affect other innocent bystanders. the world is fallen. every human living on this planet has done something wrong, even if it was just one sin. for most of us, it's been a whole countless debacle of sinning! but when we honestly repent of those sins, turn around and walk towards God, He forgives us and SAVES OUR SOULS! after that, barring you throw your own salvation away and reject Christ, your soul will NEVER be touched by Satan again. THAT'S something to praise God about. David wasn't happy about his circumstances, and praising God didn't mean that he didn't acknowledge his deep pain. it just meant that he chose to lean on God in the midst of it. if you know God, then you know He wins in the end.

"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;
His love endures forever.

Let those who fear the Lord say:
'His love endures forever.'

In my anguish I cried to the Lord,
and He answered by setting me free.
The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?
The Lord is with me; He is my helper. 
I will look in triumph on my enemies.

It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in man.
It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in princes."
Psalm 118:1, 4-9


'what can man do to me?' nothing.
nothing at all.
he may kill me, but he cannot touch my soul, if i belong to Jesus Christ.

there is tragedy in the world, there is horror. but there is also HOPE. hope that shines like a bright spotlight into your life and mine.
when you look at a shooting like today's, i hope it causes you to think about your own soul's safety. is your soul protected by Jesus?



Thursday, December 6, 2012

NEW! from the Ridiculous Realm

have you heard of the DSM? it's the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Illness here in the US. apparently, there's a new one coming out.
i remember reading my abnormal psychology textbook and thinking every other paragraph, 'i think i have that disorder!' 
then i had another thought: many of the 'diseases' or 'disorders' seem to be there for 2 simple reasons:
1) to avoid responsibility
2) to make money for pharmaceutical companies

why do i say this? well here are some 'disorders' from DSM-4 (and a couple proposed for DSM-5):

Oppositional Defiant Disorder (arguing, losing temper, annoying people)
Sibling Relational Problem (brothers and sisters just can't get along)
Partner Relational Problem (in case you're arguing with your spouse over what disorder you have)
Intermittent Explosive Disorder (3 violent episodes per year)
Mathematics Disorder (can't add or subtract easily??)
Caffeine Intoxication Disorder (possible with just 2 cups of coffee per day)
Factitious Disorder (acting like you have an illness)
Disorder of Written Expression (bad handwriting - so.... every doctor, ever)
Scrupulous Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (one symptom is 'excessive prayer'!)
Internet Use Disorder (like me, tonight)
Caffeine-Induced Sleep Disorder (drank soda, can't sleep... what's happening!?)
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (includes 'not listening,' fidgeting,' and 'losing things')
Gender Identity Disorder (possibly to be changed to Gender Dysphoria)
Compulsive Shopping Disorder (i'd say 90% of Americans suffer from this)

now, i know it can be good to label problems so that we can identify what's happening. and i know it can also be helpful to be on medication, if there is a real disorder. and when i say 'real disorder,' i mean when 10th-grade Billy honestly tries to write his name and it comes out total gibberish - then maybe he does have Disorder of Written Expression (medication isn't the answer even then, but i'm sure some doctor would put Billy on some pill asap!)
do you realize that "10% of American kids are now taking psychiatric drugs" and that "at least 3 million American children are taking amphetamine drugs like Ritalin as a result of ADHD diagnoses" alone??? how sad! and how scary!! (Citizen Magazine)
why is this happening?
well, as far as i can see, it comes down to those 2 things i mentioned earlier: 
avoiding responsibility 
making money for pharmaceutical companies.

think about it. 
we live in a 'me first' society, with our ipods and iphones and me-time and self-help. every advertisement has us convinced we haven't taken enough time to spend enough money on ourselves.

take today's family situation, for example: 
parents are struggling to raise their kids while keeping their full time jobs. cost of living is going up, paychecks are staying the same or going down. it's not easy. plus, many new parents are young and unmarried, which makes it even harder. 
what happens when the kid wants to play? parents put them in front of the t.v. or give them a video game. 
what happens when the kid does something wrong? parents worry that if they discipline, the kid won't be their friend! so to placate them, parents give them food and soda and whatever else they want.
in the end, how does this style of parenting turn out? parents have angry kids (Oppositional Defiant Disorder), who fight with their siblings (Sibling Relational Problems), who haven't gotten any help with homework and can't add 2 and 2 (Mathematics Disorder), who throw tantrums (Intermittent Explosive Disorder), who can't pay attention in class (ADHD), who fake being sick so they don't have to face reality (Factitious Disorder), who end up serial soda drinkers wondering why they can't sleep (Caffeine-Induced Sleep Disorder), and who think buying things will make them feel better since that's what their parents did to make them stop whining (Compulsive Shopping Disorder). 
and there you have it: 8 'disorders' in one kid...

clearly, i'm exaggerating. but parents are convinced that they have done everything right, and they are not interested in changing the way they do things. so what's left to do? label a disorder. if it's a disorder, then no one can be blamed. then no one has to change.
and if it's a disorder, the doctor can prescribe a pill for it. did you know that doctors get paid by pharmaceutical companies to hand out drugs? and i don't just mean a little here and there, i mean boatloads of money, boatloads of drugs!!! one guy who specialized in "pediatric bipolar illness," Joseph Biederman, "received more than $1.6 million, mostly from.. a division of Johnson & Johnson.. between 2000 and 2007." these doctors are being paid to diagnose these disorders so they can medicate people! and as far as the DSM goes, "70% of the psychiatrists working on the DSM-5 revision have financial ties to the pharmaceutical industry." (Citizen Magazine)
if that's not a conflict of interest, i don't know what is!!!
but, hey, a win-win situation! the parents don't have to change or admit negligence, and the doctor gets paid millions! everyone's happy!
........
except the kid. 
except the whole next generation, who have been on psychotropic meds since they can remember. (this includes anti-psychotics, anti-depressants, anti-obsessives, anti-anxiety agents, mood stabilizers, stimulants, and anti-panic agents, to name a few) most psychotropic medications are NOT approved for use in children under 18, but MANY children are being prescribed these meds anyway with no real checks and balances! 
here are some of the side effects of various psychotropic meds. as you read them, think about a 13 year old taking medication because a doctor decided her 'mood swings' meant she was bipolar, or think of a boy who fidgets being given meds for ADHD:

dizziness
blurred vision
confusion
nightmares
lightheadedness
excitement
trouble sleeping
cold hands
weakness
nausea
headaches
vomiting
anorexia
changes in vision
hallucinations 
seizures
blackouts
frequent urination
swelling of the eyes, face, lips, tongue, throat, hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs
loss of coordination
constipation
rigidity
tremors
skin rashes
menstrual problems
rapid heartbeat
sensitivity to the sun
drowsiness
thoughts or attempts of suicide
acting without thinking
frenzied, abnormal excitement
feeling helpless, hopeless, or worthless
severe sedation
dystonia (spasm of muscles - can prevent opening the jaw)
tardive dyskinesia (involuntary movements from long-term use - irreversible!)
increased risk for diabetes and obesity
impotence
hypothyroidism
kidney damage
hepatitis
pancreatitis

sounds like something you want your kid to take, right??
my husband works with boys who are on these medications. for the most part, the meds are not fixing the problems. the kids are angry and frustrated with their lives. they have single parents and missing fathers; they've been sexually abused and, without guidance, they are turning around and raping their siblings; they've been passed along through grade after grade without being able to read or write; they choose to join gangs, trying to fit in, trying to be cool and tough so they don't get mistreated. 
they're sad.
they're lonely.
and everyone's too busy trying to figure out how to medicate them to make their bad behavior stop. 

what if someone just prayed for them? what if someone took the time to teach them how to read, one-on-one? what if there were a RESPECTABLE ADULT MAN who would ACT LIKE A MAN and be an example, instead of smoking in front of the kids and then telling them not to smoke, or cussing them out and then telling them not to swear, or watching porn and then telling them to respect women, or yelling at their mother and then telling them off for having a temper? 

what's the point of this long, long post?? 
maybe just awareness. 
maybe a call to prayer.

our country is running down the road of selfishness and irresponsibility, all the way to dysfunction and ultimately destruction. we pass the blame. we cover up the ugliness. we medicate our wrongness instead of dealing with the SIN problem.

where do we stop?

in the Bible, God claims to provide peace, joy, love, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, perseverance, blessings, beauty, power to overcome the world... 
it sounds like God has all the answers, not the doctors pushing pills and diagnoses for their own monetary gain. 

to whom will YOU turn?


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