Purpose…meaning…underwear

Once upon a time in a land called the United States of America if someone told you that they see you’re underwired you were embarrassed. As I was sitting at a transportation stop that has minimal traffic I saw four young men in the matter of 5 minutes casually walking down the street with their plaid, blue, red and green underwear showing. And three of these youths, I don’t know how the pants stayed at the below the posterior position without walling to their ankles. For some reason they believe this is the “style”.

I have long held to the position that the word under held the definition of underneath something. Hence the definition of underwear would be underneath something that you are wearing, such as other clothing, and not exposed for the world to see your “style.” Let us now visit where this fashion trend’s origin is rooted and its REAL connotation.  

The origin of this fashion statement is embedded in the prison system. When inmates wore their pants in this fashion it was at statement to other inmates that they are available for intimate relations with fellow inmates. Young men is this the message that you want to express to others of your gender? Parents is this the desired statement that you have for your maturing men, that you have been entrusted to instruct toward being a productive person in society? Youth, men and parents this fashion trend makes a statement. Is it the statement that you want to present to the world? 

All are not His

This past week I was reminded that, all sheep do not belong to the same shepherd. Well… most in Him would say…. I know this.  It is commonly recognized that sheep, cattle and any other livestock do not belong to one shepherd. The same is true in the realization that not all places of worship belong to the almighty Father God, the head shepherd. ”I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me…” John 10:11 NASB I was told last week that when I’m not able to go to my own place of worship that I should just go to the church down the corner. Should I seek council from someone who doesn’t see fit to worship or praise the Lord? I… think not!

Okay let’s get to the nuts and bolts of this situation.  Not all places of worship teach and preach the word, praise the Lord, serve His people, focus on increasing the knowledge of its membership and most of all serve Him! Most places are filled with people who think that their obligation of servitude ends at the once a week church service and or attendance of study at mid-week. Their lives do not reflect the teachings and preaching on a daily basis through the fruits of the spirit. Most places of worship’s are hung up on the inner member circle busyness and increasing the number on members on its rolls.

 
Over the years I’ve visited and have even joined a few churches. In these lost places of worship I have seen the window dressing but no substance to ministering to the membership, visitors and all who enter their doors. In these places I have gone in and left just as empty as when I entered. The members are unfriendly and want to keep the status quo. They reject the presence of gifts in the visitor whose only desire is to serve the King alongside them. I have gone to great lengths in my search for my current place of worship. And I’ll say with great pride they are real in their service, growth, fellowship, and are inviting to new comers towards their service alongside them as co-workers in the Almighty’s vineyard.

So to those who say worship at any church all I can say to them that it is my desire for you to seek Him. For it is only He who can remove the scales so that the truth and discernment can shine upon and give you the knowing of what real worship and servitude looks like. I am looking forward toward my everlasting crown of glory and have received my shepherding from that which is of Him. ”And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.” 1 Peter 5:4 NASB

Every day is a day of Thanksgiving!

As a hymn of spirituality states “Every day is a day of thanksgiving”, let us not forget this as we move through the next couple of months of celebrations into a new year. We shall eat the bounties of what we’ve been blessed with from the Lord, we shall show kindnesses that we reserve only during this season, and we will even grin, smile and tolerate people that just totally get on our nerves. I say do not let this be a two month commitment to blessings others. Let us continue these niceties into the coming years. For even in our trials you better believe that there is someone going through something that out magnifies your situation.

 

My challenge to you is: if you don’t think that you have anything to be thankful for, start a gratitude journal. And in it list a minim of three thankful situations or experiences that happen during your day.  I bet that you will have something to be thankful for even if only the smile of a child or that you didn’t respond negatively in a provoking situation. As you commit to doing this for yourself you will find that you have more blessings of gratitude to count than you ever thought.

Have a most splendid and safe Thanksgiving and for those of you traveling I pled traveling mercies upon you, your families and friends

Peace be unto you,

dlee Deason

My child come back to Me

In my living room I have a numbered Paper Lithograph titled “Liberty” by Artist Thomas Blackshear. I purchased this piece of art October, 2001 during a visit to Little Rock, Arkansas. It is described as: Liberty by Thomas Blackshear depicts the Statue of Liberty with a tear in her eye as she overlooks the city of New York and Jesus can be seen in the clouds in the background.  (Part of description is retrieved from:  http://www.christcenteredmall.com/stores/art/blackshear/liberty.htm) This website also notes that the artist Thomas Blackshear purchased two of these published prints and gave one to President George W. Bush to hang in the Oval Office at the White House. At the bottom of the work is the caption: "If my people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways: then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." -- II Chronicles 7:14 KJV It is also noted that Mr. Blackshear had worked on this work for two year completing it September 2000 and after September 11, 2001 it sold out.

This artistic impression is so fitting to the plight of the United States. I was in prayer and the remembrance of the suffering and loss of life out east returned from September 11 to the new sorrow caused by nature by Supper Storm Sandy.  This is what my Lord brought to me: on October 30, 2012 at approximately 09:06 am “Thus says the Lord – U.S. you are warned, particularly the east coast. Your sin is ramped, get back to Me.” In some ways I almost see the events in the U.S.’s as a version of a modern Sodom and Gomorrah. But unlike Sodom and Gomorrah these modern cities on the east coast have had a two warning. And in this last disaster God’s promise of never destroying though the use of water, the rainbow, was vivid after the rain subsided.

…some waited in long lines, you might ask why?

I have pondered the electoral process in the United States this past week. Not the outcome, the contenders, backbiting snipes, or issues of high level leader’s infidelity. I was thinking about a caller in the 2^nd hour of the program “Chris Fabry Live!” on Moody Radio on Election Day, November 6, 2012. The caller put it all into perspective of election suffrage, what it means to her and her biblical carriage that keeps her going and standing firm. 

The caller’s name was Pearl and she resides in Chattanooga, Tennessee. She had such a pleasant outlook on the election process though she saw the results over years of African-American suffrage first hand. Many may say, “How could this be, not here in the United States?” Her two brothers fought in World War II and when they came home at the end (1945) they could not vote. The right to vote had been granted to men; no matter color, race, or previous servitude with the 15^th amendment ratification in 1870. They still could not vote. Yet they were abled bodied to fight in the war.

In the 1960’s her sister was fired from her job because her husband took African-American voters to their polling places to vote. Yes, this was during the time of the enactment of the 24^th amendment (the voting rights act) 1965. In other words the 24^th fixed the loop holes for African-Americans who were made subject to poll tax, qualifying test (literacy), racial gerrymandering and discriminatory enforcement of registration rules. And keep in mind woman suffrage was enacted in 1920 with the 19^th amendment.

 
Pearl stated that whoever wins the election is her president. She stated that she serves a God who sits high and looks low. The radio caster Chris Fabry was clearly in awe of this woman’s attitude being that she had seen voter racism first hand.  The scripture she clings to is Proverbs 3:5-6, which states “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledged him, and he shall direct thy paths.” KJV. Yes, we the American Public did our duty under our citizenship right to vote our conscious. But in the end the result is unto the Lord.

Matter of fact we even saw the 21^st century attempt at gerrymandering and discriminatory voting practice. But these people would not be moved, they were committed to voicing their choice. And to them I raise my hand in salute. For many people died, were denied, abused, and manipulated out of their citizenship right to vote in previous years, no let’s say century. But these people know the significance of their one vote and its importance to the overall outcome.

Today we must move forward with the people’s chosen leadership. Let all areas of government work with this people’s expressed leader to the betterment of our citizens and world.   

Faced with a decision…sure you know what you would do

Okay Lord your gentle nudging has become a push and now it is a shove. Over the past few weeks I’ve been pondering the comments that some politicians have made about an issue surrounding what they term as right to life. It is not this writings intent to support/not-support this issue. The desire is to be thought provoking and open the door for REAL conversations and HONEST inflections. When a few politicians voiced their stance about this issue and it brought about a remembrance of a situation and conversation on this matter in a prior work setting. 

Everyone has this person in residence at their work location; the one who is the equal opportunity aggravator. There stances, comments, interactions mange to go beyond the boundaries of race, age, or gender. At this work location we often have what I call “pow-wow sessions” or discussions in the break room. This particular morning before we started working my most opinionated aggravator voiced the following comment. “Abortion should not legal.” I looked at him and my immediate thought was ohhhh no he didn’t. My comeback was as follow: “I am soooo… tired of men telling woman what to do with their body. Now, you have two daughters who about the same age as my daughter (tweens). There is no way that you can tell me that if one of them is rapped by a ____ man you wouldn’t be running to the nearest abortionist.  I recognize that abortion in deed is a sin but I tell you until you are faced with this life situation you do not truly know what your action will be.”

Needless to say the whole table in the break room went silent. There wasn’t anything else to be said. You can say you are for or against something but when you are actually faced with this challenge the test is at hand. My thought is… can you be honest with yourself and everyone else that when this choice knocks on your life, will you or won’t you keep your stance? The longer you live…the more opportunities of life challenges will test your stance.

Note: It has become made aware to me that the person mentioned in this writing is going through an illness challenge. My prayers go out to him and his family for healing and salvation.