The Red Envelopes

I recently read this on another site, and thought it sounded like a really good idea. Just as our president had recently taken several symbolic actions in support of abortion, embrionic stem-cell research and other anti-life acts, maybe we as pro-life conservatives should take a stand and get his attention. The stuff below explains things better.

Personally, I'm going to try this. I don't know if it will have any affect, but at least President Obama will know that people are concerned about these issues.

The Story... Below is a letter that has been circulating with a great idea. The message began in silent prayer from a faithful follower who was spending quiet time with God.

"Dear Friends and Intercessors:

This afternoon I was praying about a number of things, and my mind began to wander. I was deeply distressed at the symbolic actions that President Obama took as he began his presidency. Namely, that he signed executive orders releasing funds to pay for abortions, permission to fund human stem cell research, and federal funding for contraception.

I have been involved in the pro-life movement for nearly 20 years, and it pained my heart to see a man and a political party committed to the shedding of innocent blood. This man, and this party lead our country, but they do not represent me or the 54% of Americans who believe that abortion is wrong and should no longer be legal.

As I was praying, I believe that God gave me an interesting idea. Out in the garage I have a box of red envelopes. Like the powerful image of the red LIFE tape, an empty red envelope will send a message to Barack Obama that there is moral outrage in this country over this issue. It will be quiet, but clear.

Here is what I would like you to do: Get a red envelope. You can buy them at Kinkos, or at party supply stores. On the front, address it to:

President Barack Obama

The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

N.W. Washington , D.C. 20500

DON'T FORGET YOUR RETURN ADDRESS. THEY WON'T BE DELIVERED WIHOUT IT.

On the back, write the following message.(or something like it. Including scripture is a great idea also!)

"This envelope represents one child who died in abortion. It is empty because that life was unable to offer anything to the world. Responsibility begins with conception."

Put it in the mail on March 31st, and send it. Then send this website to every one of your friends who you think would send one too. I wish we could send 50 million red envelopes, one for every child who died before having a a chance to live.

Maybe it will change the heart of the president.

~Warmly, Christ Otto

Let's Send 50 Million red envelopes (and Counting) to the President!"

[redenvelopeproject.org]

~Trav

Simply Rachel: A review of 'Rachel’s Tears'

A personal confession before I start this: I’m not a real big fan of non-fiction books, unless they have big glossy pages covered in brightly colored pictures and how-to instructions. Any day of the week, I would much rather read a novel that a biography or a “true-story” type of book. Thus, I am perhaps not the best person to critique a non-fiction book like Rachel’s Tears. With fiction, I know I can comment on the plot, or the character development, or the suspense/romance/adventure/creativity/whatever. With this…well, let’s just jump in and see how it goes.

Rachel’s Tears was first published in 2000, a year after the horrific day of April 20th, 1999; when two troubled teen boys attacked their peers at Columbine High School in Littleton Colorado. The book is actually a 10-year anniversary edition of the book, which was written by Beth Nimmo and Darrell Scott, the parents of Rachel Joy Scott, a teen who died tragically that day.

I think that one can come to know Rachel pretty well though the pages of Rachel’s Tears. I’d like to think I did – though of course, a book written by loving parents and friends doesn’t – can’t – portray whole person. The temptation is to idealize Rachel, to put her up on some sort of a pedestal with a plaque saying “Here she is, the girl who died for her faith. Be like her.” Naturally, we know that Rachel had her problems too – after all, who doesn’t wake up with bad hair in the morning, or get grouchy around 10pm, or hog all the good, crispy fries in the carton? As a fallen people, we live fallen lives – it’s simply a fact.

In Rachel’s Tears, I think her parents gave in to this temptation a little bit – not so much in what they did say, but in what they left out. In fact, they made a point of writing numerous times that they weren’t trying to make Rachel out to be some kind of saint, and that she wasn’t perfect. But the book focuses so predominantly on Rachel’s good side that it leans a bit in the saint-making direction anyway.

Now, that being said; the Rachel I came to know in the pages of this book (filled with entries from her prayer journal; notes to and from friends; and poems she had written) seems like someone I might enjoy being around. Yes, I know she probably had flaws that the book never touches on, but the depth and sincerity of her talks with God are amazing. She was a girl passionately on fire for God, with a deep awareness of her need for him, and her need to share the Truth with others.

Repeatedly, the point is made that Rachel never preached at people – that she would never “beat people over the head” with the gospel, and that she was more interested in “walking her talk” than with just going through the outward motions. Rachel lived solely for God, and she lost friends and opportunities – and eventually her life – because of it.

It was challenging for me to read about Rachel’s faith, so obvious and plain to the people around her. Despite never “preaching”; the accounts of her friends, and the journal entries she left behind show that Rachel was very blunt about her faith. She was honest with people, and wanted them to be honest with her. She told people, very frankly, about exactly who Christ was to her, and how he was working in her life.

I think the best word I can use to describe both Rachel’s Tears and the teen herself is ‘simple’. Not that she was shallow or two-dimensional, but that she had one main purpose in life, and that the drive to fulfill that goal shone through in everything. Most people wear a mask of conformity and “tolerance” on the outside, and then wonder why the faith they think they have inside never shows outside the walls of a church. Rachel was turned inside-out for God, and her desire to glorify and serve him was extremely evident in her life.

As an inspirational read, this book is exceptional – there were several passages that nearly made me cry. (Again, though, we have to be careful not to turn Rachel Scott into some perfect role model. She was a person you could do well to imitate, but then, she was imitating another, and He would be an even better choice.)

Rachel’s Tears was a challenge to me, to be more dedicated to God and to the spreading of his gospel. Maybe it can be for you too – after all, as Rachel’s brief life showed, we have no guarantee of tomorrow. Why not live in the fullest service to God that we can now, before tomorrow doesn’t come, or comes without us?

I give Rachel’s Tears a four out of five stars: * * * *

~Trav

Relevant Links:
Download Sample Chapters
Thomas Nelson Product Page
Browse Other Reviews

A New View of the Universe

My dad recently showed this to me, so I thought I'd share. This is totally mind-boggling:

This is a scale model of the five smallest planets in our system: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, and Pluto.

Now here are the four larger planets added in: Uranus, Neptune, Saturn and Jupiter.

Here are the planets next to our sun - all correctly sized.

Then here is our sun - Sol - next to some of the smaller stars in our galaxy.

And then those stars beside some other well-known, bright stars. (at this scale, the sun is one pixel large)

Now here is the view from the Hubble Telescope: Those spots? Not stars - those are galaxies, filled with billions of stars the size of Antares and the rest up there. Now check out this close up of one of those 'dark' spots in the above pick:

And then, here's the kicker:

Is that amazing or what? We have such a cool, huge, amazing God, who says that he knows each of those stars by name, and measures the universe with the span of his hand. And yet he cared enough to be born as an infinitesimally small baby to save you and me.

Now that's worth thinking about.

~Trav

Some Art

I don't have anything important to write at this moment in time - like I ever do, right? - but I thought I'd post a few of my drawings. These aren't the best renderings, because I just took pictures of the originals with my cell phone camera, and it doesn't turn out all that well. But enjoy anyway. Sorry they're so dark.

~Trav

A Seperation Agreement Proposal

I just read this, posted by Sulmandir on http://www.bindingoftheblade.com/. This is the funniest thing I have read in a good long time. Enjoy!


"To: All American liberals, leftists, social progressives, socialists, Marxists, and Obama supporters, et al.
From: John J. Wall - a Conservative American

Dear Liberals, Leftists, and Socialists: We've stuck together since the late 1950's, but the latest election process and your bailout stimulus plan has made me realize that I want a divorce.

Although we've tolerated each other for many years for the sake of future generations, the sad truth is that the relationship between conservatives and liberals has run its course. Our two ideological sides of America can not and will not ever agree on what is right. Therefore let's just end it on friendly terms. You go your way, and I'll go mine. We can smile, chalk it up to irreconcilable differences, shake hands, and go our own way. But to do that, we'll need a "Separation Agreement." I have drawn one up. I hope you agree with it.


SEPARATION AGREEMENT PROPOSAL
I propose that our two groups - Conservatives and Liberals - equitably divide up the country by land-mass, each of us taking approximately 50% of the total square miles.
I'll co ncede that this is the most difficult part of the separation agreement, but I'm sure our two sides can come to terms. After that's done, the rest should be relatively easy!

Our respective representatives can effortlessly divide other assets since both sides have such distinct and disparate tastes.

For example, us conservatives don't like redistributive taxes, so you can keep them! They're all yours!

You are also welcome to take the liberal judges, the ACLU, the affirmative action crowd, the NAACP, and the National Organization of Women. We don't want any of them.

We also don't want Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid. You can have them.

Since you hate guns and war, we'll take the firearms, the cops, the NRA, and the military, that you hate so much.

Along with Pelosi and Reid, you can also have Oprah, Michael Moore, Stone (Oliver and Sharon), and Rosie O'Donnell (You are, however, responsible for finding a bio-diesel vehicle big enough to move all of them).

We'll take the capitalism, greedy corporations, pharmaceutical companies, Wal-Mart, McDonald's, and Wall Street.

You can have your beloved homeboys, hippies, and illegal aliens.

We'll take the hot Alaskan hockey moms, greedy CEO's, and rednecks.

We'll take the Bibles. You can have all the copies of "Mein Kampf."

We'll take Fox News. You can have NBC, CNN, MSNBC, CBS, ABC and Hollywood. You can also have National Public Television.

We get Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity. You get have Al Franken and Keith Oberman.

You can make nice and kiss up with Iran and Palestine. We'll retain the right to invade and hammer the brains out of any country that threatens us.

You can have the peaceniks, and war protesters. When our allies or our way of life are under assault, we'll help provide them security.

We'll keep our Judeo-Christian values.
You are welcome to Islam, Scientology, Humanism, and Shirley McClain.

You can also have the U.N. but we will no longer be paying the bill.

We get the Hummers, SUVs, pickup trucks, motorhomes, oversized luxury cars, power boats, Harley Davidsons, and private airplanes.

You can have all of the 4-cylinder and hybrid vehicles. You get the mopeds. You can also have all the kayaks and canoes.

You can give every one of your people healthcare, if you can find any practicing doctors.

We'll continue to believe healthcare is a luxury and not a right.

We'll keep "God Bless America" and the National Anthem. You can have "Imagine", "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing", "KumBaYa", and "We Are the World".

We'll practice trickle down economics, and you can give trickle up poverty your best shot.

And by the way . . . since it often so offends you, we'll keep our history, our name, and our flag.

Getting a little tense??? Would you agree to this? I'll bet you ANWAR which one of us will need whose help in 15 years.

Sincerely, John J. Wall - a Conservative American
P.S. Also, please take Barbara Streisand, Jane Fonda, and Alec Baldwin. We don't want them either."


Thanks, Sul. This is priceless. lol

~Trav