Unfortunately for me, I’ve never been a big fan of it (change, that is). Nonetheless, without it I wouldn’t be able to enjoy the wonderful blessings God has allowed me to experience.

Let’s face it: Sometimes, change is painful. Other times, it’s down-right scary. But, what I’ve come to learn is that whatever emotions it brings to the surface, it’s necessary.

Recently, I found myself stagnant in my faith. I realized — gasp — it’s time for a change! For so long, I’ve felt pretty stationary, neither changing, nor evolving in my understanding of Christ, Biblical principles and the relation of the former tenets to my own journey. So, a few months back, I sat down with my journal and tried to target the areas in which I’m deficient — areas in which I truly need to grow, not only in my understanding of the Lord, but also in the ways in which I think and interact with others.

As I sat and thought through the major issues I’ve faced (and continue to), God gave me a very solid list of six elements, in order form, that I can and should work on within myself. Collectively, I call them my “ChristLog,” as they are truly the items I need to improve upon to not only have a healthier relationship with God, but to also continue growing in nearly every possible respect. Even if you’re not a Christian, I believe you can take this same principle (i.e. pinpointing the blemishes within yourself, jotting them down and working through them on a regular basis to improve upon yourself).

I am by no means perfect. Trust me. But, this list is something I can look at daily as a reminder of the areas in which I fall short. Remember, these are issues — in order — that I believe I need to work on within myself (yours may be different). I decided to share these items with you in an effort to be transparent, while showcasing some of the areas I believe many of us, especially Believers, struggle in. So, here’s my list. Please let me know if you compose your own ChristLog. Would love to hear about it!

Let God take the helm: Quit trying to be in total control (there’s. At the end of the day, very few life occurrences are completely controllable. Seek God’s guidance in everything: Jobs, major decisions and the like. Go to God daily (something I still struggle with this, mainly because of time — which is a terrible excuse). But, truly letting go and letting Christ guide the process is the best way forward.

Believe God for everything and anything: Christians are always saying that God can do anything. But, I limit Him way too much. Sometimes, the weight of life can be overwhelming, but why not challenge myself to truly believe that He is capable of doing everything and anything? Essentially, I need to quit limiting God’s power in my own life. This ties back to letting him take the helm, no?

Be content and satisfied with what God has given: Instead of focusing on what’s next, why not enjoy what’s happening “now?” I need to calm it down a bit and take a moment to smell the fresh air. Ambition has always been a blessing, but it has also been a curse. Sometimes, I fail to appreciate the unbelievable experiences I’ve been blessed to have. Sometimes, God wants us where he wants us and not necessarily where we want to be. Understanding this can be freeing to say the least. I’m still working on that.

Learn self-control in all areas of my life: There are so many areas here to focus upon. But, everyone struggles in this area in some way. Avoiding temptations, making the right decisions, etc. Once one accepts that God’s at the helm and learns to take the passenger seat and allow Him to do the steering, this area will become a bit easier. It’s a process.

Be the best husband I can be: Self-explanatory. And, it’s an ongoing process.

Accept situations that are out of my control: Let’s face it. Even after we let God take the helm, there are certain issues (family problems and more extreme examples of emotional turmoil) that are virtually impossible to look past. Accepting that some of these unfortunate incidents and ongoing events are reality is the first step. Then, praying for healing on an ongoing basis is the next step. Again, it’s a process. Sometimes, we simply can’t control what’s going on in our lives, especially when it concerns others around us. So, we forge on — but with God on our side.

So, what does your ChristLog look like? What do you struggle with? Think of this as a contract with yourself. Trust me — it’s a huge help. Learn more about God here.

While all of this is fun — and tiring — the real meaning of Christmas has nothing to do with us and everything to do with Christ.  When we give gifts, we do so to celebrate what God did for us.  When we put up and decorate our Christmas trees, we’re commemorating the cross Christ hung on.  He came to Earth to give his life for mankind.  On Christmas, we celebrate this gift, while praising God for his everlasting love for us.  There’s nothing more important than this occurrence.

As you celebrate today with family, don’t lose sight of the real meaning of Christmas.  Christ came so that we may live.  It’s not a fable.  It’s the ultimate sacrifice (here’s a great discussion about why Jesus came — and died).  Please enjoy this Christ Day and read the Christmas story (as told in Luke 1 and 2 below).  God bless!

THE BIRTH OF JESUS FORETOLD

²⁶ In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, ²⁷ to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸ The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

²⁹ Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. ³⁰ But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. ³¹ You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. ³² He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, ³³ and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

³⁴ “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

³⁵ The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called^[a] the Son of God. ³⁶ Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. ³⁷ For no word from God will ever fail.”

³⁸ “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

THE BIRTH OF JESUS

¹ In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. ²(This was the first census that took place while^[a]Quirinius was governor of Syria.) ³ And everyone went to their own town to register.

⁴ So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. ⁵He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. ⁶ While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,⁷ and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

⁸ And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹ An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰ But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. ¹¹Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹² This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

¹³ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

¹⁵ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

¹⁶ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. ¹⁷ When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, ¹⁸ and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹ But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰ The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

]]> http://www.billyhallowell.com/2010/12/merry-christmas-america/feed/ 1 http://www.billyhallowell.com/2010/09/wisdom-when-you-least-expect-it/ http://www.billyhallowell.com/2010/09/wisdom-when-you-least-expect-it/#comments Mon, 27 Sep 2010 14:44:52 +0000 Billy Hallowell http://www.billyhallowell.com/?p=896 I’m abandoning political and social issues to blog a bit personally today.  It was an excellent weekend — one willed with fun, laughter and a whole lot of wisdom.  I’m turning 27 tomorrow (Tuesday), so I spent Saturday and Sunday with friends and family.  We ate, drank wine (ate some more) and truly enjoyed ourselves!  After consuming way too much pizza and dozens of Candlelight’s delicious wings (if you live in the NYC/Westchester area, you likely know these wings well), we played Taboo and laughed our ways into oblivion.

On Sunday, my wife and my friend Bridget joined me in our backyard to try out my new helicopter from Brookstone (it’s a remote-controlled unit that, in my view, is super cool).  Okay, I know what you’re thinking — this soon-to-be 27-year-old shouldn’t be playing with children’s toys.  That’s neither here nor there.  I have a penchant for technology, regardless of the recommended age of usage.

Anyway, we headed outside, I turned on the remote control and before I had a second to collect my scruples the helicopter shot up over our big white fence and landed in our neighbor’s backyard.  After trying to figure out how to conspicuously get the toy — and failing — I realized I had no choice but to knock on my neighbor’s door.  So, I did just that.

Upon knocking, my neighbor and I got into a discussion about nearly every topic under the sun (and fortunately, she willingly let me into the yard to collect the helicopter).  My neighbor (we’ll call her Ellen) ended up bringing some excellent words of truth to my ears.

See, Ellen suffers from a rare and painful disease.  She’s also in her eighties (though she’d easily pass for 50).  Over the course of 45 minutes or so, Ellen shared many of the struggles she’s had in her life, while I sat and listened patiently.  While this would typically be an extremely depressing experience, there was something captivating about the way she spoke.  Unlike so many others who have been scorned and battered, Ellen seemed happy.  Even in discussing various travesties, she was bubbly and seemed to have a very positive outlook.  She said,

You know, many people see me in pain.  Then, they see me the next day out working in the yard and they say, ‘Ellen, what are you doing?! You were so ill yesterday! You need to rest.’  I tell them, ‘Today is today and yesterday was yesterday.’”

See, it’s Ellen’s philosophy that we need to prevent ourselves from allowing the pain of yesterday to permeate our life experiences today.  This concept truly stuck out to me.  If God commands us to forgive and move on (which He does), Ellen’s theory rings true.  However, it’s often extremely difficult to simply move on and forget.  Furthermore, when we have a bad or painful experience, many of us (myself included) carry negative emotions for days, weeks, months — even years.

In listening to her life’s pain, Ellen described how she’s used betrayal and disappointment to learn to take care of herself, while ensuring she becomes a stronger person. In the end, I was glad to hear Ellen’s story and to soak in some of her wisdom.

Personally, I struggle with worry, though I know the promises God has made through Jesus Christ. Still, I worry about life circumstances I cannot control. Perhaps control, itself, is the issue. I know I am not alone in this struggle, but hearing Ellen’s testimony of sorts made me more aware of my own deficiencies in the areas of forgiveness and reliance upon the Lord.

“Today is today and yesterday was yesterday” is an excellent philosophy.  Rather than dwelling on the worries and pain of yesterday, we should be ready and willing to move forward, with each day starting on a clean slate.  What started out as a lost toy in my neighbor’s backyard ended in some unexpected wisdom. I always love when God gives us words of wisdom in, from and at the most unlikely of places.

So, I’m opening the comments up on this post for people to share their prayer requests.  I’ll be RTing them, praying and asking others to do the same.  If you’re feeling down and out, looking for jobs and struggling in this lagging economy please don’t give up.  I have faith and you should too.  Something will surely come your way!  Post your prayer requests (or praises — to encourage others with your success stories).  Feel free to do so anonymously as well!

It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword.  When he saw that this pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.  After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each.  Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.

Considering that James had already been murdered, the situation looked pretty grim for Peter.  But, just when Peter’s life was placed on the chopping block, God sent an angel to the rescue.  The angel appeared in the cell, smacked Peter to wake him up, told him to grab his stuff, released his chains and guided him past the guards and away from the jail.

Talk about being saved by the bell.  In Peter’s hour of need, God came through.  While we won’t always be rescued by angels, the knowledge that God is in control and that He knows the best path for our lives should never escape us.  We may be faced with tough situations in which we must ensure some pain (not everyone has such a heroic and angelic rescue), but if we maintain our faith and knowledge that the Lord is at the helm, those dead-end dilemmas won’t overtake our lives.  The Lord really can — and often will — rescue us in our hour of need.

Verse nine reads, “Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision.”  We may not recognize that the Lord is at work in the midst of personal chaos (hindsight is always much more accurate than our perceptions while dealing with life’s dramas), but we should remain faithful and follow God’s calls, as Peter did in Acts.  What an awesome lesson to retain and practice.  Anything truly is possible with and through Christ.

Fisher’s entry is a good reminder that our focus should be fixed upon Christ (and, primarily, on how we can be more like him).  With this as the basis for our thoughts and actions we are exponentially more likely to succeed.

I’m not preaching here, as practicing this is a prime struggle for me.  That said, the “Our Daily Bread” piece resonates with me and leaves me thinking about how I need to keep my focus on Christ if I want to “win” in life.  Often times, I am consumed by opportunities and experiences, but I don’t always take the time to ensure that said experiences are, indeed, blessings the Lord wants for my life.

As a Christian, the hardest act is remembering that, no matter what, the Lord has a plan for my life.  While I may move forward in exercising my free will, the only way I will find the proper path is to align myself with the Father’s will.  I know, I know — it sounds much simpler “on paper.”  But, practicing what is preached here is essential.  Just some thoughts for you on this fine Thursday.

Be sure to read the entry and be praying for this change in your life (if you’re already keeping proper focus, rock on!).

Here, our forefathers very clearly tackle a number of issues – religion, government restraint, the freedom to speak openly, the allowance of a free press, peaceful assembly and the right to formal complaints against perceived government abuses. And this is only the short list. The amount of socio-political power possessed in the amendment’s 45 perfectly assembled words is mind-boggling. How so many on the left can continue to mis-characterize, utilize proof texts and unabashedly slaughter the amendment’s original intent is beyond me. While this continued misunderstanding is horrifying, of greater concern is the notion that Americans will potentially have another unfit Justice overseeing first amendment rights. Jacob Sullum has more on the potential danger to individual rights Kagan’s nomination may pose:

Together with some of [Kagan’s] academic writings, her arguments in [specific] cases provide grounds to worry that she will be even less inclined than Stevens, who has a mixed First Amendment record, to support freedom of speech.

Sullum covered Kagan’s penchant for censorship in detail, so I won’t recount his argument here. What I will do is tell you why the left, and Kagan, have the first amendment radically wrong (liberals: listen up):

Our forefathers (most of them, anyway) believed in the Almighty, and referenced Him in the Declaration of Independence. The “establishment clause” in the Bill of Rights is intended to prevent the American government from establishing a church, as was the case not only in England, but in such states as Massachusetts and Connecticut, which both had established churches (Congregational) and retained them in some form for decades afterward – Connecticut until 1818 and Massachusetts until 1833.

That said, nowhere does it say that religion cannot be present in public venues. The left’s continued assault on free speech and religious practice is alarming, especially considering that the vast majority of Americans do, indeed, believe in a higher power. Congress may not create a law establishing a particular sect or religion, yet the left takes that to mean that a cross cannot be placed on public property and the Ten Commandments must be removed from every public venue. It’s clear that there’s a major disconnect between original intent and current interpretation. In fact, many times, liberals, themselves, violate the spirit of the first amendment by demanding that various cohorts not freely practice.

In terms of the press, I believe it is essential that we allow journalists and networks the right to decide how they want to distribute information. Nowhere in the first amendment would support for the Fairness Doctrine be found, as this regulatory shenanigan does little to provide actual “fairness” in reporting. In fact, this is a backdoor method Democrats incessantly salivate over, as they dream about using it to squash conservative successes in broadcast markets. Once again, it flies in the face of the individual rights guaranteed by the first amendment.

While the aforementioned examples are not necessarily tied to Kagan, a general pattern based on her past statements, papers and articles showcases an individual who appears bent on stopping many of the rights guaranteed by our Founders. Unfortunately for Kagan and her ideological bedfellows, the offensive quality of a statement, image or media outlet has nothing to do with its constitutionality. The people are protected, whether she likes it or not.

Today’s entry is about America’s “National Honesty Day.”  And, to be quite honest (no pun intended), this is the first time I’ve heard of such a designation.  Alas, April 30th is Honesty Day!  Read more about it here.

The entry caused me to think over how prone we all are, as sinful beings, to lying.  Sometimes the lies are simple or, as we tell ourselves at the time, harmless.  Other times, our lies multiply and breed even more mis-truths.  I know I’ve been guilty (and, unfortunately, will likely be guilty of such offenses again in the future) of this.  In the Bible, Proverbs 13:5 says the following,

A righteous man hates lying, But a wicked man is loathsome and comes to shame.

Additionally, Proverbs 12:17 says,

He who speaks truth declares righteousness, But a false witness, deceit.

After my conversation with Nate Phelps yesterday (son of “pastor” Fred Phelps), lying and the damage it can do is such an appropriate topic (an article will follow, though you can read my past thoughts on Westboro Baptist Church here).

In the end, we’re all prone to lying, but we’re not incapable of stopping.  Surely, we can be more aware and place more value on the truth.  Even small lies are unacceptable, though they may not seem so at the time.  In discussing politics, in our jobs, when dealing with family and in other areas of life, we may perpetuate mis-truths without even realizing it.  We’ll never be perfect, but this is one area we can all strive to work harder to rein in.

Just some thoughts to start the day.

“For the past 22 years, I have dedicated my life to serving my community as a New York City pastor and spiritual leader. I have counseled the suffering, married couples, helped the grieving, fed the hungry and have acted as a liaison between my community and the government.” – Michel Faulkner, NY Post

In Feb., Rev. Michel Faulkner officially entered the ring to compete in a Congressional race that is sure to draw national attention.  This Nov., Faulkner is challenging Rep. Charles Rangel, a four-decade seat holder in the 15^th Congressional district.  Faulkner has a track record of success in truly uplifting the downtrodden.  Unlike Rangel, if elected, Faulkner won’t champion self-centered earmarks, they’ll be no ethics violations and most importantly – no pandering to the establishment.  Faulkner is the real deal and in a district with immense need.

What is perhaps most intriguing about Rev. Faulkner is his eclectic past.  While on his intriguing journey from NFL football player to college dean to pastor to his current role — Congressional candidate — Faulkner has consistently worked to improve the lives of those in need.  Unlike Rangel who is prone to ethics allegations, irrational earmarking and questionable conduct, Faulkner provides a fresh and untarnished aura.  As a representative, his background and passion would surely meld to formulate viable and effective leadership.  Unlike many politicians who enter the field for shear personal gain, Faulkner’s aspirations can be traced back to his intense faith and belief in the Almighty.  He wants to place power back into the hands of the people.

His past experience includes serving in a pastoral capacity in a number of churches, working to help the economically disadvantaged, assisting those with HIV/AIDS, serving on various NYC tasks forces, and forming his own not-for-profit that focuses on leadership development.  Faulkner’s resume shows him to be a genuine individual whose intense personal faith has bred a genuinely heartfelt duty to his fellow man.

Faulkner’s political platform is as robust and encouraging as his past works.  Aside from his unwavering belief that government should truly be driven by the American people (a virtue that Congress and the Obama administration have clearly forgotten), Faulkner champions ideals that have traditionally benefitted the most valuable areas of our society.

Take, for instance, his views on small business.  With massive government intervention and excessive spending, many fear the financial burdens that bigger government will lay on all Americans.  Anyone who understands the nation’s fiscal compositions knows that those individuals who own small businesses are especially at risk.  In a Feb. 2009 New York Post piece, Faulkner wrote:

“…we must recognize that nearly 80% of all jobs in America today are created by small businesses, and for that reason we need to reduce the red-tape and tax burden on these critical economic engines.”

In addition to his staunch support for small businesses, Faulkner also places a high value on education.  He is an unabashedly exuberant supporter of charter school expansion, as he believes that an increase in charter schools would improve the overall quality of education.  Faulkner also wrote that charter schools “…generally have outperformed public schools and stimulate a level of parental involvement unseen in the traditional public school environment.”

Countering the insane ideological deficiencies that lay behind Charlie Rangel’s pork-barrel antics (one example being Rangel’s own earmarking of $2 million in funds for the creation of “The Charles B. Rangel Center for Public Service” — also known as “The Monument to Me”), Faulkner believes that American politicians should be working to reduce wasteful spending.  This is exactly the thought process that Congress needs to adopt.  Rather than authorizing laws laden with 900 pork-barrel projects (i.e. Obama’s stimulus), our lawmakers should be prudent and calculated in how they spend the people’s money.

This is only a glimpse into the life of an intriguing individual – an ordinary man with the potential to make extraordinary change in one of the most Democratic districts in the nation.  To get more information on Rev. Michel Faulkner or to donate, please visit his campaign site.  Now is the time to come together, not only for sake of New York, but also for the future of America.  Let’s take the House back — one district at a time.