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Not for Sale

END IT!

Today is April 9 and it’s Shine a Light on Slavery Day.  Many of you probably didn’t realize the 27 Million people are still in some form of slavery – most of them against their own will.  This happens in the third world as you might expect, but also is happening at an alarming rate in America where 14K-17K people are caught up in sex trafficking each year! This maybe even happening in your town, on the streets you drive down everyday.   Even more frightening is that of the 27 Million, 80% are female and 50% are children!

Today, take a moment to consider those people, surf over to the End It Movement web site and educate yourself about this human travesty.  And then think about what you can do to raise awareness of this issue, and help take steps to end it!

Defend the weak and the orphans;
defend the rights of the poor and suffering.
Save the weak and helpless;
free them from the power of the wicked. Ps 82 NCV

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Daily Post

Taxes – Yuck

I finally did my taxes last night – which by the way is an interesting way to account for your year.  I entered all the data provided for me by my financial institutions and employers in the nice little boxes.  I scowered my online checkbook looking for deductions.  Alas, I could not get the red number to turn to green and gave up the fight with a dreadful result:

Federal Tax Due - Yikes!
Federal Tax Due - Yikes!

Yes, I owe.  It’s times like this that real challenges can sit in front of you.  Paying is of course one of those, but not really the challenge that crossed my mind today.  The challenge is how you look at this bill.   I am not a big fan of taxes, but I do understand the “give to Caesar what is Caesar” thing.  The real question is do I understand the give to the Lord what’s the Lord?  I am going to be resentful and frustrated?  I am going to be filled with anxiety over this money?  Or alternatively, am I going to trust that there is a reason that I will be separated from so many portraits of dead presidents?

Last night, I started out thinking, man, all the things I could do with this money.  I could have bought a chaise lounge for my back porch, or I could have padded my bank account, or I could have taken a trip back to West Virginia to see the championship trophy ( oh, that’s right, scratch that one!)  But you get my idea and my lament  – oh,  all the things I could do with that money.  But then this morning I stumbled across an underlined verse in my old college Bible – which I have been using quite often lately – from 2 Peter.

19They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him. 2 Peter 2:19

Hm, Money can be a dangerous master.  Maybe, its becoming my master?  So, that’s the way I am trying to think about this little dent in my check book.  Am I a slave to money? Or am I going store up my treasures on spiritual things – like relationships, and contentment and joy.

19“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. Matthew 16:19-20

Can we look at things like this that happen to us in life as a gift from God as well?  Maybe sometimes, we need to have gentle reminders of what we are slaves to?  What has mastered you?  What should you give away?