Stuck in Larval Mode

Caterpillar eating Sweet Potato leaf - One day he'll fly!


I've just read an interesting article in the new SCP (Spiritual Counterfeits Project) Journal, entitled "Ironies of Disbelief: Militant Atheism and the Law of Unintended Consequences" by Brooks Alexander. Apparently some Social Scientists have turned up statistical verification of the old bit of wisdom attributed to G.K Chesterton, and known as "Chesterton's Paradox."

"Chesterton devoted his life and career to demonstrating that orthodox Christian faith is the essence of sanity - and that its denial is prelude to delusion."

What we've always suspected - that atheists end up believing just about anything, rather than nothing at all. There comes an openness or susceptibility to superstition and unreason. Real Christianity, according now to Social Science, is a protection. We were created to have a relationship with God, to know him, and any other life is stunted really.

On a parallel note, so many, not very young any more, people, the children of family members and acquaintances on my prayer list, seem trapped in a state of what has been termed "arrested development." Some are able to function to greater or lesser degrees than others, but trapped all the same, holding on to hurt and bitterness; clinging to a "victim" status quo - a place that makes the dark world celebrate, I'm sure. I see them wandering the malls, on the streets and in Borders, thinking they just can't face working, but meanwhile getting further dug into limbos of medicated lazy craziness. Those chemicals rarely seem to get anyone truly out of the so-called "imbalance."
Without the protection of sincere faith, as well quite often of honest work, which is a definite help to sanity, and which men were created to do, we will flounder, stuck in developmental ruts, instead of flying as we were meant to, using all the gifts God created in us to their fullest.

A scripture I was reading today (Lev. 23:32a) - has Moses giving the Israelites instructions on observing the Sabbath. One day a week was for rest. "It is a sabbath of rest for you and you must deny yourselves." It's a "denial" really because our work was meant to be fulfilling and even enjoyable as well as worthwhile. Not that it always is, but providing for ourselves and others is at least satisfying. It should be the goal of every parent to help their children discover what God-given talents they have, what interests, what they enjoy that is worth pursuing. Oh, if I had it to do over, what things I might do better...

The Land Vomits

Lava flow - photo by Linda Bruce

There is a set limit to the sin of a nation and then the land itself is defiled, to the point - "it will vomit you out as it vomited out the nations that were before you." Lev. 18:28
America is walking in that path & may get itself vomited soon. It's not politically correct around here (or anywhere for that matter) to suggest such a thing, but that is precisely what happened in Hawaii, and, in Mexico, South America and many other places as well. History is full of people getting vomited out of their lands. Sin defiles. There are consequences.

Our bodies are a parallel or parable for that. We can take only so much crap into ourselves before we chuck it (sorry Chuck); get sick; go to the doctor. Actually we can go for quite a few years before the old system starts shutting down, backing up or causing a whole lot of trouble for us. And, there's a spiritual allegory here too. Aging, we start to show in our faces as well as our bodies the effects of our lifestyle mistakes (sin), besides just darn getting old. We're all terminal and will eventually die (physically), but some things can be prevented/repented of, and there is hope for eternity.

On a personal note, what am I doing to cause my body grief? For a number of years I had an anger problem and, had I continued on that particular path, would no doubt have some nasty physical consequence trailing along behind. Notice I say "had", however, I really blew it the other day. Totally lost my temper at our neighbor. Believe I've about got what it takes to apologize now.
Also, I need to stop obsessing about petty annoyances, like quads and helicopters. Instead, commit to using them as an opportunity for prayer.