boo-tube.....

I enjoy checking out utube videos and being exposed to new music, or a giggling kid or cute puppy or my daughter dancing in a school production etc. These are things that make me smile. (I almost broke into Julie Andrews singing "My Favorite Things.")

What I DON'T enjoy is the latest vindictive postings such as a gaggle of girls beating the crap out of one of their "friends" for posting something on her MySpace, or the lastest.... the vile rantings of a wife who's in the middle of divorce proceedings.

Life happens. Someone gets angry and posts something unflattering on their website. It's a mistake that will be regreted. Men and women sometimes go through very ugly divorces. There's pain and heart ache, and again, regret of some issues will follow. WHY make things worse by posting what can only be described as "crap" in the heat of the moment? Take some time, take a breath and cool down.

On the other side...WHY do viewers take such pleasure in watching this stuff? Does it make them feel better about themselves? Does it continue to roll and spurn more vile ideas in the video voyeurs themselves?

Yes, we're blessed with the right of free speach. However, God gave us a conscience. It would behoove us to use it :)

let the water come and carry us away….

I went back home March 15 – 23. “Home” is Ozark, Missouri, nestled snugly between Branson and Springfield. I went back for a much needed week of relaxation and to visit my friends and family, of course.

It started raining on Monday. Down, down, down it came with no stopping in sight. Finally, the clouds parted and the skies cleared on Wednesday morning. Relief! I’m thinking this quite possibly could be how Noah felt once the rains ceased. My dad checked his rain gauge…8.5 inches. YOWZA! That’s a lot of water!

Fortunately, the folks live high on a hill with no danger of flooding. Others were not so lucky. The Finley River runs through my small town. Several homes and businesses were invaded with murky flood waters. The Ozark Park, conveniently located along the banks of the Finley, flooded big time. Thankfully, the waters seemed to recede as quickly as they rose, leaving a huge mess behind…dirt, rock, huge chunks of asphalt that had broken from the roads, tree limbs, and of course a bevy of rubbish. The community began cleanup and it was just another day.

Flooding is rarely, if ever, looked at as a good thing. Damage? Yes. However, the sludge is brought to the top and disposed of. The result – a much needed cleansing.

Comparatively, a spiritual flood is much like a physical flood. The junk…the trash…the unsightly…rises to the top and is carried away by the blood of Jesus. Can I get a “hallelujah?”