Wanna Be Happy? Wanna Be Successful?

It's incredible how simply and purposefully the word of God has instructed His people, yet how easily we find ourselves confused or disgruntled with our lives.  God has blatantly instructed us as to how we should react, respond, and execute our decision-making, yet we spin in circles wondering why we are unsuccessful, unfulfilled, and short-changed.  The real problem, is that we just don't listen.  If we did, we would realize our problem is easily identified using a simple hand mirror.  I pray for the fullness of God's will for any who read this.


Proverbs 21
Chapter 21

1 The king’s heart is like a stream of water directed by the LORD;
he guides it wherever he pleases.2 People may be right in their own
eyes,
but the LORD examines their heart.3 The LORD is more pleased when
we do what is right and just
than when we offer him sacrifices.4 Haughty eyes, a proud heart,
and evil actions are all sin.5 Good planning and hard work lead to
prosperity,
but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.6 Wealth created by a lying tongue
is a vanishing mist and a deadly trap.t
7 The violence of the wicked
sweeps them away,
because they refuse to do what is just.8 The guilty walk a crooked
path;
the innocent travel a straight road.9 It’s better to live alone in the
corner of an attic
than with a quarrelsome wife in a lovely home.10 Evil people desire
evil;
their neighbors get no mercy from them.11 If you punish a mocker, the
simpleminded become wise;
if you instruct the wise, they will be all the wiser.12 The Righteous One
t knows what is going on in the homes of the wicked;
he will bring disaster on them.13 Those who shut their ears to the cries
of the poor
will be ignored in their own time of need.14 A secret gift calms anger;
a bribe under the table pacifies fury.15 Justice is a joy to the godly,
but it terrifies evildoers.16 The person who strays from common sense
will end up in the company of the dead.17 Those who love pleasure
become poor;
those who love wine and luxury will never be rich.18 The wicked are
punished in place of the godly,
and traitors in place of the honest.19 It’s better to live alone in the
desert
than with a quarrelsome, complaining wife.20 The wise have wealth and
luxury,
but fools spend whatever they get.21 Whoever pursues righteousness
and unfailing love
will find life, righteousness, and honor.22 The wise conquer the city of
the strong
and level the fortress in which they trust.23 Watch your tongue and
keep your mouth shut,
and you will stay out of trouble.24 Mockers are proud and haughty;
they act with boundless arrogance.25 Despite their desires, the lazy will
come to ruin,
for their hands refuse to work.26 Some people are always greedy for
more,
but the godly love to give!27 The sacrifice of an evil person is
detestable,
especially when it is offered with wrong motives.28 A false witness will
be cut off,
but a credible witness will be allowed to speak.29 The wicked bluff their
way through,
but the virtuous think before they act.30 No human wisdom or
understanding or plan
can stand against the LORD.31 The horse is prepared for the day of
battle,
but the victory belongs to the LORD.

APPLE-SEED.

Hard to believe but numbers don't lie[or so they say.....I suspect the scale at home is a bit untrustworthy....maybe even pathological...].....it's been nearly two years since my last blog.  Life has been BUSY!!  Let's see....shortly before my last post, I got married to the most incredible girl whom has ever breathed breath.  Life has never been the same.  I'm so happy.  Like, truly truly happy.  I've legitimately discovered myself, and am just comfortable in my own skin.....I've learned to live with the multitude of mistakes I've made[and still make.....hopefully fewer now though!], and I've put my regrets to bed.  I've moved on, towards and into a happier, more.......authentic place.  Now, just a few days ago, I discovered the most incredible news I've received since Melissa agreed to marry me......we have begun our family!!!!!  We are expecting our first child, and I just could NOT be happier!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  My life is so full, and I've been so content, and now this.....honestly, a part of me at times feels as if I don't deserve this much.  However, for some reason God has decided I do.  Wow.  My relationship with Him has continually grown deeper and deeper as well, as He has revealed Himself and made clear His plans in and for my life.  I am so grateful to Him, and even though I am very very happy to be here living this incredible life on Earth with all of these amazing blessings, I have also begun to crave more of Him.  I cannot wait to be in his presence in heaven......I don't want to rush anything along, but I am so looking forward to eternity with Him.  Like, for real.  However, before then, there is work to do!  I am embracing my role as husband and father whole-heartedly and with pride.  I plan to use all that is in my power, and all of His favor to accomplish the things He has set before me.  For some reason, with this new gift of life on the way for Melissa and I, it felt like the right time to begin this blog again.

P.S.  Right now our baby is the size of an apple seed.

Desires Of The Heart

I am in the midst of reading a book authored by John Eldridge entitled "Desire".  I had read another book of Mr. Eldridge's["Wild At Heart"]when my wife Melissa had turned me onto it and told me it was great.  It was great.  When I saw this book sitting on the shelf at Barnes and Noble, it called out to me.  I didn't know at the time who had written it, but the title grabbed me and said "you know something about this don't you?" "maybe there are some answers in here".  Maybe there are, it's too soon to say.  However, within the book this morning I ran into this quote by C.S. Lewis that says

"I knew only too well how easily the longing accepts false objects and through what dark ways the pursuit of them leads us.  But I also saw that the Desire itself contains the corrective of all these errors.  The only fatal error was to pretend you had passed from desire to fruition, when, in reality, you had found either nothing, or desire itself, or the satisfaction of some different desire.  The dialectic of Desire, faithfully followed, would retrieve all mistakes, head you off from all false paths, and force you to live through...a sort of [experiential] proof".

I'm still processing a bit, and am as of yet unsure as to why this hit me so hard, but strike me smartly it did indeed.  You see, I am straining to learn the ever-so-delicate balance of doing what you know you should and need to do, and doing what the wildness of your heart compels you to.  I know that God understands desire very, very well.  In fact, it was He who programmed it into us, that we might understand something greater than mere existence and/or survival.  And yet, most of us see our desire[s] as more of an enemy that doesn't fit into the requirements of our day-to-day life.  When you are young, it is a motivator.  As we age, somehow it becomes an unrealistic[and oftentimes heartbreaking]irritation.  I know I struggle with my own.  I have had a deep-down dream as long as I can remember, that I have only recently come to understand for the selfish and unreasonable thing that it is.  Somehow, the true desire that God Himself had planted inside of me, got twisted and became something else altogether.  C.S. Lewis' words resonate profoundly with me, as I know he was correct.  God grants us all abilities and talents and gifts that we may build up the kingdom of heaven for His glory, and for his satisfaction.  Somewhere along the way, most of us start buying the concept that we should use all we have for a personal payoff.  You know.......God's most beautiful angel, Lucifer, thought the same thing.  Things didn't turn out so well for him[at least, they won't by the end].  Now, I am starting to understand that the desire within us is not something to be avoided or scared of, but to be genuinely enjoyed in it's purity and as the gift it truly is.  Our desires are not evil, but rather, choices we make as a result of our desires sometimes are.  The trick here, I guess, is to be able to differentiate between the two.  The easiest way I see to do that, is to ask yourself "who does this benefit?  Me or God?".  If the answer is God, you're gonna win everytime.

(Psalms 37:4-6) Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.  Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.  He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, And your justice as the noonday.

Blown Away.

Earlier this afternoon, I was reminded of exactly why I fell in love with and ultimately married my wife.  Not that I needed a reminder, mind you, but I found myself mindful of her greatest attribute nonetheless.  It is her heart.  Her heart, is incredible.  Today, I watched her carefully cut her client's hair into a much shorter style, and not because her client was ready for a change or because she wanted to spice up her look for her husband.  It was because she has cancer.  She is going through chemotherapy, and her hair is falling out.  In clumps.  I watched Melissa tenderly comb through the thin, matted mess of what used to be full and healthy hair and also watched it fall in chunks to the floor as she did so.  I stood close by, mostly just as moral support for the client whom I've come to know just over the last few months[and who is an absolute sweetheart with a gentle soul], and to keep the spirits up with jokes and stock comments like "the important thing to remember is that it's just hair, and that it will grow back".  Internally, I was thinking how hard this must be for her and what a shock to the system it would be if it were me in that chair, much less a woman.  Melissa did the necessary work, while helping and allowing the woman to maintain her dignity and pride.  I saw her[Melissa]blinking back her own tears at times, and knew how terrible she was feeling inside.  Melissa has such a wonderful way with people.  She impresses and moves me.  She makes me want to draw nearer to her, so that I may learn to be more giving of myself.  She is a true inspiration to me, as well as most who know her.  The way she lifted this fragile woman up today, and brought such a calm strength to the table, just really struck me.  Melissa is a hair stylist, but is so much more than that really.  I have a distinct feeling, that most of the people who come to her come for what they get out of the time spent with her, even though a haircut or color is also thrown in as part of the deal.  She is an amazing woman, with an incredible heart that must make our Jesus smile.  I can honestly say, that I took a step back today and remembered why I fell so deeply in love with her in the first place.  One of the byproducts of falling by the way, is that you are left to look up.  I can tell you assuredly that this afternoon, my wife gave me a reason to look up to and respect her for who she is, what she does, and the way she loves.  I thank God everyday for this incredible partner in life who not only meets all of my needs and desires, but who truly blows me away.

Go ahead....check my left hand. Yep, there's a Hus-band.

             

     
        It happened.  The long and winding road that Melissa and I have been on for the last 12 years, finally offered up a conclusive destination named happiness.  By happiness, I mean a life-long commitment to each other commonly referred to as the holy and sacred union of marriage.  Marriage!  I can't believe it happened, and that I am a husband!  Not only a husband, but the husband of the most amazing female to ever grace the planet.  Our wedding was a long time coming, and a long time in the making.  We[and by we I mean Melissa, her Mother, her Father, and I]had a year of planning and of detail-sorting invested in this thing.  It all came to a culmination and fruition on December the 12th, 2009.
        The whole wedding weekend was very surreal to me.  I knew it was happening, and was aware of the events that unfolded and swirled around me, but somehow had a hard time feeling a presence of mind and maintaining a mental sense of reality.  I honestly felt, for the greater portion of those 48 hours or so, that I was sleepwalking in a beautifully soft and hazy dream.  A lot of the family members and friends from both sides flew in on that Thursday night, to an atypically cold Atlanta weekend.  With highs only in the 40's and a promise of a Saturday drizzle, it wasn't exactly the weather we'd been hoping nor praying for.  However, there was nothing to do but bundle up and make the best of it - besides, it still probably felt like a day at the beach for the gaggle of hearty, thick-blooded Minnesotans.  So, Melissa and I spent that Thursday evening going to one of our favorite steak&sushi restaurants with my family and a couple of close friends.  The food was great, the atmosphere was festive, and the smiles and hugs were plentiful.  Afterwards, we all adjourned to the white light laden outdoor square where we were able to take group pictures in front of an absolutely towering Christmas tree.  It felt so good to be standing in the middle of Atlantic Station, in my adopted hometown of Atlanta, with my soon-to-be-wife and all of my loved ones.  I don't know the exact word for that feeling, but I felt warm inside.
        The wedding rehearsal was slated for 11am the next morning, so after seeing everyone made it back to the downtown Marriott Suites and enjoying a brief reunion with the Golden clan, it was time to head for home and a few hours of sleep.  Well, sleep didn't come easily that night, but the morning sure came quickly.  After a few violent "snooze" slaps to the 'ol alarm clock, I was showered and on my way to our rehearsal.  Can I say I was shocked?  I was shocked at how easily the rehearsal went by, and at how well-behaved everyone was!  We had no problems of any kind, and were finished before I even knew it!  Awesome.  Afterwards, everyone sort of gradually dispersed in different directions like so many loose marbles on a slowly spinning merry-go-round to enjoy the Atlanta afternoon however they saw best.  I, spent the next hour and a half setting up the private wine cellar at SHOUT Restaurant with my soon-to-be Father-in-Law for our rehearsal dinner, while my lovely Fiance' went to be pampered at a beautiful and exquisite bridal shower being thrown in her honor at The Four Seasons.  Alan[Melissa's Dad]had made a video for us that he planned to show at the dinner that night, and for which he had rented in a movie-projector and massive mobile screen.  Once the scene was set, we had some time to kill so Alan suggested I come and lunch with him, his Uncle Max, and his cousin Jeff.  I did, and had the distinct pleasure of getting to know those two interesting and engaging gentlemen for the next two hours.  The stories and shared laughs really helped me to settle down a bit and get outside of myself for a time.  Then, back home to an empty house[the dog was already in the kennel, where she would have to stay for the next couple of weeks while we were busy being honeymooners].  I showered, put on some fresh clothes, and went out to run a few errands involving flowers, flower petals, and some candles.  Once all was in place and each line of my to-do list was checked, it was time to go to the rehearsal dinner.  My Mom and Dad were so wonderful and sweet to put on our rehearsal dinner at one of the coolest and hippest night-spots/restaurants in the downtown area.  The whole event was just a smash including the food, the video Alan had prepared[extremely moving and touching, I think I had some dirt in my eye a few times], and the speeches made by our Father's.  With lots of love, lots of laughing and lots of crying, the dinner was just a great big success that was wildly appreciated by Melissa and I.  Again, it was time to go home and try to convince my eyes and mind to submit to sleep, tomorrow was to be our wedding day!!
        Okay, so I'm sure most people that have been married know that sleeping the night before the big day is practically  laughable.  I don't think I slept more than 2-3 hours, tops.  But, whatever - today was the day I had waited for my whole life!!  I don't think men necessarily dream about their wedding day the same way women do as little girls who want to grow up and be a princess and wear the gown and have the ball etc., but it is something we think about.  I had hoped it would happen someday, and since I'd met Melissa, I'd prayed it would be with her since I couldn't see myself ever even being capable of giving my heart to another!  And so, now, here we were.  This was to be the day I would stand before my family, friends, and God to vow my lifelong loyalty and commitment to the girl of my dreams.  She was off being pampered/beautified/whatever it is women do when they get ready for something really big, and I was left to do - what else?  Go to Waffle House!!  My Mom and Dad and Brother drove out and met me at the Waffle House nearest me[and where my favorite server works who always gives me a hard time with her back-woods, trailer-park-with-blow-up-furniture, just-fell-off-the-turnip-truck southern accent.  "Excuse me ma'am, can I get a cup of coffee?"  "No you can't."  "Okay, thanks."  "How about a waffle and bacon-biscuit?"  "NO.  I'm tired."  Sooner or later, she winds up plunking down a sweet tea for me on the table, and slinging me a plate of food - sometimes, if I'm lucky, it's even what I ordered.  Why do I keep going back there.....?].  Anyway, breakfast was greasy and good and I was full.  Me and my Dad hung out together afterwards, hitting up a music shop and just kinda catching up on some quality time together.  Then, it was back home to shower, shave, and get ready to go get married.
        The ceremony was to be at 6pm that evening, but I had to check in to our wedding night suite at The Georgian Terrace first, at 3pm.  The Georgian Terrace is a beautiful 100 year old historic hotel where everyone stayed for the Premiere Party of "Gone With The Wind" back on Dec 15th, 1939[almost exactly 70 yrs before our wedding!], and is a place Melissa has always been enamored with.  After making sure to do some personalization and finishing touches to the room, I was picked up by my best man and groomsman to be delivered to the Wimbish Mansion[our wedding location].  Now, let me tell you something - when you spend a year putting together ideas and details for an event, you think it's going to be cool and you hope it's going to be spectacular, but you don't really know how the end result will look until it's actually done.  Well, when I walked in to the Wimbish, I was BLOWN AWAY.  I will never forget how beautiful it all truly was.  It was warm, and dim, and candlelit, and up-lit, and soft, and elegant, and romantic.  I mean, I'm talking romantic.  There were flowers everywhere.  Bunches of them covering everything, in their white and red splendor.  Truly a sight to behold.  Now, all I had to do was kill and hour and a half until showtime.  Let me tell ya - I could not sit still.  I paced, and paced, and drank Diet Cokes, and paced, and fidgeted, and paced, took some pics and video with my boys, and paced, and paced.  That 90 minutes, was tough!!  That was probably the most anxious I've ever been, and ever hope to be!!!  I was ready though, I was ready.  And before I knew it, it was time.  The officiating Pastor - Dr. David Cooper, Senior Pastor of Mount Paran Church of God in Atlanta, GA[who has been a constant source of inspiration and spiritual encouragement to both Melissa and I for the last year or so, and whom we felt so very blessed to have marrying us]had arrived and after a little small talk, the moment came for us to walk out in front of all of our gathered loved one's.  Out we went, and up onto to the stage I took my stand.  The harpist's hands were interpreting the music of angels, and I felt as if my heart would surely burst.  Suddenly, the music stopped, and a new song["Dodi Li", which is a Hebrew love song]began, indicating my bride was about to walk out.  And then........there she was at the top of the stairs with her Daddy.  Pastor Cooper took my arm at this point, and whispered in my ear "take a good look - you are gonna' remember that the rest of your life.".  I believe him.  I have never seen ANYTHING like my Melissa in that moment.  Words could never even hope to describe how incredible and transcendent her beauty was.  It was just an inside-out glowing pureness of the likes few will ever see[at least outside of the fortunate attendants].  People often refer to someone looking "like an angel", but Melissa actually resembled what I imagine an angel must actually look like - for real.  Good work God.  I watched her walk up the aisle, towards me!  Unbelievable.  When she was finally within reach, I grabbed her and pulled her to me, unable to hide my relief at being within the same breathing space as her once more.  She does that for me you know - helps me feel like I can breathe.  The rest of the service was a bit of a blur, to be honest.  I was lost in that dream-like state I spoke of earlier, unable to believe this was happening.  My sister read some scripture[quite well, by the way - I was proud of her], and Dr. Cooper spoke on love and commitment being a covenant.  Then, I had a song played that I had written and recorded for my bride entitled "When I Look In Your Eyes".  She had wanted me to sing, but I told her no way!  I knew I wouldn't be able emotionally to get through singing live, so I figured this would be the next best thing.  Plus, it was a surprise that she didn't know about[I'm big on surprises, they're fun!].  After all of that, he said "repeat these vows after me" which I did, and then she did, and before I knew it he was declaring us husband and wife and told me I could kiss my bride!!!  And I did!!  Like, 10 times!!!!  I couldn't help it!!!  We were immediately whisked off and up to take pictures, and eat some finger food before going down to be "officially" announced at our reception.

        Whilst we had been busy being the focus of the camera's lens, our guests had been enjoying a wonderful cocktail hour with live jazz including piano, upright bass, and sax[I really wish I could've been there, that stuff is my fave!].  Now it was time to party - "ladies and gentlemen, please give me a hand in welcoming our newly married couple, Mr. and Mrs. Tony Sims[weird!!  awesome!!!].  Now we were off and rolling!  As we sat at our sweetheart table[which is really just a small table for two], the food starting showing up as well as well-wishing guests and family.  The dinner was fantastic, the vibe was awesome, the room had been completely transformed since the ceremony into a kind of posh, classy, over-the-top grand ballroom filled with glowing light and flowers and I was still shaking my head going "is this real?!".  Next it was time to cut the cake, which was honestly too cool for words.  The girl who made our cake is the most incredible artist, and she did exactly what we wanted - and it tasted even better than it looked!!  We didn't really know exactly how to cut the cake[no one ever really gave us any kind of instruction]so, I took the knife in hand, and cut two teeny-tiny bite size cake cubes.  It was kind of funny, people laughed, and we ate our incredibly small "bites" of cake!  Then, back to shmoozing!  A couple of glassed of champagne later, your's truly was ecstatic, in love, and feeling no pain.  So, it was time to take the microphone from the band leader, and declare my love for my bride in song.  I sang a couple of songs for Melissa including "The Way You Look Tonight" [which I meant every single word of]and "How Sweet It Is[To Be Loved By You]"[which I also meant every word of!].  That kind of kick-started the party, and people were getting loosened up by then, so it was time to dance!  Let me tell you something, you haven't really partied until you've danced with a room full of Jewish people.  These folks know what to do.  We all just had a blast getting crazy, and I threw down some pretty sick moves - yeah, it happens from time to time.  The party was in full swing, and everyone had a smile on.  Those few hours, were some of the happiest I have ever had in my whole entire life.  I've never had such a feeling of being filled up and somehow, totally, complete.  It was awesome.  And too soon, it was time to go.
        I had convinced Melissa months before, that I had settled on just renting a standard black limo for our post-wedding transportation, but that wasn't quite true.  She has always had a deep love for horses, and I thought it would be most appropriate to include her favorite animal and hobby into our most special of days.  So, I commissioned a horse-drawn carriage to pick us up at The Wimbish Mansion, and take us all the way down to The Georgian Terrace[which is at one of the coolest and busiest areas of downtown Atlanta, right across the street from the Historic Fox Theater].  The only problem was that there is some kind of zoning laws in that particular stretch, so the carriage company had to arrange for the police to escort us on our trip.  I told Melissa to enjoy it, because it's probably the only time in our lives that we will shut down Peachtree Street with a police escort!!  Our photographers[the amaaaaazing and incomparable ALMASY]arranged to meet us down at "The 'Terrace" to take a few more shots in that incredible space before we called it a night and headed up to our suite.  So, after a few more pictures and before we turned into a pumpkin, we stepped into the elevator and went up, up, up, crashing straight through the roof and into the rest of our lives.  Our wedding, was a dream come true.  "Dream Come True" is one of those phrases that is way overused, but in this case, it is perfectly accurate.  I could've never expected to have so beautiful and wondrous a wedding, and I am the luckiest man in the whole wide world to have the best wife a man could ever ask for.  The night may have been a dream, but it is only the beginning.  This fairy-tale is far from over, and in fact has just begun.  The best is most definitely yet to come, but we surely could not have started this marriage any better.  For I am my beloveds, and my beloved is mine from December to Eternity, 12/12/09 ----------->

Gratitude Dude.

Well, I think I've finally hit that point.  "What point" you say?  The point where you're old enough to stop looking at the world through hungry eyes that flash with desperation.  You know - desperation to be recognized, to "make your mark", to have all of your wildest and most selfish dreams come true.  The point where you are able to take a good, hard, slow look around and realize that you have a LOT to be grateful for.  Is this what they call........maturity?!  Nah, couldn't be....I'm only 31.  But it's probably something very similar, or maybe even a little taste of it.  Either way, the other day I was looking at the TV, watching some show about troubled kids being parented by surrogate "tough love" parents for a week.  It made me think about my own childhood.  It made me think about my teen years.  It made me feel like that was a lifetime ago!  While watching that program, I think I actually had a glimpse or small understanding of how hard it must have been at times to raise me.  It made me feel very, very grateful for my parents.  It helped me[admittedly, in a limited sense]understand how hard they worked to provide for me.  How much they sacrificed for me.  How much they tried, and how they did the best they could.  Honestly, I don't know how common a thing that is anymore.  It really kind of clicked in a moment, and humbled me.  I wasn't always the easiest person to put up with.  I didn't always try my hardest, or my best.  I did things that they disagreed with, and even when they told me how they felt and what they expected of me, I did them anyway.  I was dishonest and disrespectful at times.  Through all of that, they loved me.  They made some of the best moments in my life possible, because they cared, and they put up with me through my worst, even when I didn't deserve it.  That, is amazing love.  Now of course, looking back, I wish I could revoke every one of those moments that fell short of the mark, because they deserved better.  Obviously and unfortunately that is impossible, but I can absorb and use what they have taught me.  I am so very appreciative of the nurturing parents that they were, and the supportive and encouraging parents that they continue to be.  I think about the people in my life[family in particular]a lot.  I am fascinated by the choices God made and makes.  I firmly believe in God's plan, and His greater awareness.  I think it's absolutely incredible that out of the billions and billions and billions of human beings who have graced and presently reside on this planet Earth, God chose THOSE two people to be your parents[my parents], don't you?  One of the ten commandments is "Honor Thy Mother and Father".  Think about the selection process!!  We are darn well supposed to honor them, because God thought very long and hard about that decision!  I think it's amazing, and I think my Momma and Daddy are amazing for stepping up to the plate.  The older I get, the more understanding and grateful I am becoming.  Now to just work on that darn maturity.........!!

The Big Bailout

Politics.  Man, I HATE politics.  I get so sick and tired of these overgrown school children with their popularity contests and "my camp is better and bigger and smarter than your camp" mentalities.  I've harbored a lot of frustration and anger over the political system for quite awhile now, and today I've decided to blog it all out.  Why can't we just sit down as a people, take a look at the problems at hand, and figure out the best way[s] to deal with them like grown adults?  Why can't we respect and honor each other and let our concerns revolve around what is truly best for the man[or woman]next to us instead of playing financial and/or power games?  I try to watch the news to stay up on what's going on nationally/globally because I am legitimately interested, but have reached a point where I can barely stand to watch the "news" networks because of the political slant and bias[based on the party affiliations of the controlling interests]they put on everything that comes down the pike.  You know something?  I didn't vote for Obama at this last election.  You know something else?  I didn't vote for McCain either.  In fact, I didn't vote.  I told myself the reason that I didn't was because I had moved from MN to GA, and didn't get my ducks in a row for the absentee mail-in ballot in time.  However, that excuse was only partially true.  The other[and maybe bigger]reason was that I didn't like either one, period.  I think politics as a whole are a crooked, greasy business, and politicians can be trusted no further than I can throw them.  I simply didn't want to vote for McCain, and I didn't feel right about Obama either, so I didn't vote at all.  How's that for some honesty??  Bush did this....Obama did that....the Iraq war was a misled mistake...the bailout plan isn't working and it's Obama's fault....Bush was/is dumber than a sack of rocks.  Whatever.  Then, the other day at Church, it was all put into perspective for me through the always enlightening and often inspiring Dr. David Cooper[Senior Pastor of Mount Paran Central Church in Atlanta].  If you are a Christian[and I am]then what exactly are you worried about?  He asked us "do you believe in God"?  I do.  He asked us "do you believe the Bible is the divinely-inspired word of God"?  I do.  He said "then do not look to man for guidance, but look to God"!!!!  Doh!!!  Oh yeah.....that's right - -  God!!  Sometimes we forget all about Him!!!  If you believe that God is the creator of the universe, and that He sent His Son to die for our sins and salvation, than does He not surely have His finger on the pulse of ALL mankind?!  Does He not know what happens before it happens?  Are not all things possible only because He allows them?  Surely!  So why do we struggle over whether or not we are Republicans or Democrats??  I've got a better idea - how about we all stand together as Christians?!!  Now THERE'S a revolutionary idea!!!  Why don't we worry a little more about why they are throwing bibles and prayers out of our schools and a little less about how Barack is handling his first year in office?  I'm here to tell you, the world is not going to end because some nutbag in Iran gets his hands on a nuke.  If you want to know how the world is going to end, in fact, my suggestion is that you go read the last book of the bible.  As Dr. Cooper loves to say, "READ THE BOOK"!!!  Want to know how to handle your finances?  Read the book.  Want to know how to how to have prosperous relationships?  Read the book.  Want to know how to be a good husband/son/daughter/mother/child?  READ THE BOOK!!!!  You want to concern yourself with the ways of the world?  With earthly things?  With politics?  Go ahead.....I'm going to continue to try to set my sights heavenward, like He instructs us to do.  I feel a whole lot safer trusting God with my life than George W or Billy Clinton, that's for SURE!!  Which leads me to my point - the bailout package.  Lately, I've heard lots of talk about this unsuccessful bailout package, and how we are no better for it.  You wanna know something?  We have already been handed the real "bailout package" and it happened two thousand years ago on Calvary.  Thanks to God's unbelievable mercy and grace that I do NOT deserve, I don't have to worry about what man does and says.  I already know how it's going to end anyway.  Others can go ahead and seek the guidance of the president or their political parties, I choose to turn my eyes heavenward and await the coming King.