Allowing the Tests

I got a phone call recently from a family member who has struggled with drug addiction all of her life. She was back in the hospital due to her body breaking down from years of drug use. Every talk I had with her in the past, all the begging, pleading, angry feelings and sadness I had in the previous years fled away as I listened to the fear in her voice. My fear at this point is that once again she will check herself out of hospital against medical advice. Those we love who are held in the grip of drug addiction tear at out heartstrings and take us for a very sad ride. I have and will again do everything I can for her. I've never abandoned her and I won't now. I am planning to visit but I am NOT planning on giving her a stern talking to on the subject of how the drugs are destroying her. I have done all of this before. A few years ago I finally got to the place where I got out of God's way and stopped enabling her. In order for an addict to get clean (or not) it is their choice and the first thing we must do is step aside. Let them fall without us there begging, yelling, freaking out, and at our wit's end. I admit it is scary to let them go. It's scary to trust in God and get our hands and heart out of the equation. When I say our "hearts" out of the equation I don't mean we stop loving them, I only mean that we MUST have distance at this time for their sakes to allow them to fall without reaching out to stop or ease that plunge they are sooner or later bound to take. I am very afraid of losing her. I don't want her to die. I see it as such a waste if it takes her life in order for her to chase her next high. But here's what God has said to me regarding that:
God told me that we all must ALLOW THE TESTS in the lives of those we love. He has given all of us FREE WILL and whatever comes of this will be of her own doing and by her own hand. There, I said it. Simple huh? No, not quite. All my life I have wanted to have some control over helping those I love in order for them to be ok. This is a control issue that I am dealing with and am much better than I used to be. So here's what I've decided... I will allow my loved one's test. I will love her and be there for her. I will not preach at her or scold her. If I did, it would only be repeating what she ALREADY knows and has heard from me many times before. Please keep this loved one of mine in your prayers, she is very special to me.

On the True Meaning of Family

I always thought of the word "family" as etched in stone. The old saying, "blood is thicker than water" I had heard many times and I believed it was true. It wasn't until later in life that I started to question this.
Sometimes, our family members can hurt us beyond belief and it can often seem as though strangers are more apt to be kind and loving toward us than our own flesh and blood. The words of Jesus come to mind, "A man's enemies will be those of his own household". Why should this be? Remember the story of Cane and Abel? With these brothers, jealousy led to outright murder. In a productive and fruitful family unit there must be love, compassion, and a mutual respect for one another.
A true family is not one in which the members will only come to you when they need something from you. This would be called a dysfunctional family. What about the story of Joseph and his brothers? You know.... the brothers who sold him into slavery because they envied him; his coat of many colors; and his dreams?
Just because you have a brother or sister doesn't mean they are necessarily looking out for your best interests. A friend that you meet along the path of life can bond with you and love you more than a blood relative ever could. When you are raised in a dysfunctional family it seems that every member is out for themselves. This is sad and if you happen to be going through the heartache this brings, just know that you are not alone. I know how painful this can be. I have had to sever ties with toxic family members. Was I right to go no contact with them? I'm not sure, but I only know that the alternative was killing me spiritually, emotionally, and physically. When you are in a catch 22, what can you do?
Toxic people leave us little choice. In this life, we will have to deal with those who for numerous reasons are just too lethal to mess with. It is then that you will have to make decisions based upon what you are able to endure. Don't feel guilty for severing ties with those who suck the life out of you and only use you for their own gain...even if they are family members.

Libby Escapes Prison Stint: Some Good Ole Boys are Above the Law

I wish I could say I'm surprised that our President has commuted Scooter Libby's prison sentence, but I am not. I figured the President would pardon Libby. As it happened, Libby had already been given his prison number which was 28301-016!

Yes, a prison stint was nipping at Libby's heels and he was feeling the heat (or was he)? Then out of the blue, wa-la! Bush stepped in and saved the day for Libby. This is nothing but favortism at it's highest level. Although Libby broke the law, he will not be held accountable by serving the prison sentence which was handed down to him by the courts.

Here's the facts:

• Libby was found guilty of Obstruction of Justice and was to serve 30 months in prison.
• There was a hefty fine as well but our President has said that the fine will stand.

Like that's going to make a difference. Libby's friends and family can have a few cocktail parties and raise the money for his fine of $250,000.

Since yesterday's act of our President, Libby will not have to suffer the consequences of his lawlessness. President Bush has said that the jail sentence handed down by the courts was "excessive". But I say that the President and his cronies ability to dodge accountability is excessive.

Cheney In The Spotlight
These people are unbelievable. And as if Libby dodging prison via his friend, President Bush isn't enough, vice-president Dick Cheney recently theorized that he is not part of the executive branch!

According to the Courant, "Vice President Dick Cheney's penchant - no, obsession - for secrecy reached a new low recently when he claimed that he doesn't have to obey an executive order issued by the president because the veep "is not strictly part of the executive branch."1

If you want to read more on this, there is an article entitled "When the Vice President Does It, That Means It's Not Illegal". Who knows? perhaps these people think they aren't accountable to God himself. So, what does this say of the morals and values of those in our present administration?It says that President Bush and his friends who serve in Washington are above the law. It says that they use their power to show favortism. It says that Libby and others who break the law won't be held accountable as the rest of us would under the same circumstances.

Democrats Do It Too

For those who may think that this administration is the only one which leans toward croneyism, Bill Clinton did this sort of thing as well. Here is a list of those clinton pardoned while serving as president.

This nation is a mess and I don't believe that the next President is going to be able to salvage it.

1. http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/editorials/hc-cheney.1.artjul02,0,1936531.story

If Envy Could Speak

If envy could speak, it would say, "there is something you have that I want". Who would envy speak to? It could be your neighbor, a stranger, or even your best friend.

• When we are not content with what we possess, we will be envious of others and what they do possess. I've never put a lot of stock in possessions, but there are many people who do. We are quick to take note of our brother or sister's life and sometimes conclude that we've been given a raw deal when comparisons are made.
  

Why did Joseph's brothers fake his death and sell him as a slave? They envied him. They all knew that he was Jacob's favored child. The dream Joseph had which depicted his brothers all bowing to him only made matters worse and more tense between Joseph and his brothers. There is an awesome simplicity in this bible story. Joseph's brothers believed they had been handed a raw deal and baby brother Joseph was a young, spoiled kid who had everything handed to him by their father.

But Joseph was God's chosen, and he did in fact love his brothers, whether they recognized it or not. One thing about envy - it blinds us to such an extent that we won't really see the love people have for us. Everything else is blocked out when the green-eyed monster is set loose in one's life.

I have been envied and yes, I knew it at the time. What I wanted was to be able to sit with that person and say, "Look, I love you, and all that I have is yours. You don't have to be envious of me and angry at me for anything. If you want or need anything I have, just ask for it and it's yours.

But envious people are never reasonable. they would rather sit in a corner and sulk about what they lack and what you have! They then stew on the matter and the end result is often hatred toward those people they envy. People waste precious time being consumed with envy. If you are honest with yourself, you know whether envy is a destructive force in your life. If so, pray this prayer with me and let's cut envy out of your life altogether!

Dear God, I have allowed envy to take me for a ride. Envying people causes me to resent them and I don't want this anymore. I know that me not being contented with what things I do have is the root of envy. So I ask you then In Jesus's name to take charge of every aspect of my life, especially with respect to envy and it's grip that I've been under.