Saturday, February 28, 2009

50 Million Killed in 36 years

WOW! That's a lot of babies......this letter/article came through my inbox today and though it is all too lengthy to share here, this part i found worth sharing.

The Roe(in roe vs. wade case) Justices.....didn't anticipate "the policy imposed by the Court to be an unmitigated disaster. In the thirty-six years since Roe and Doe, abortion has taken the lives of more than fifty million unborn victims--each a distinct, unique, precious human being. It has done immeasurable moral, psychological, and sometimes physical harm to women who are so very often, and in so many respects, truly abortion's "secondary victims."
It has corrupted physicians and nurses by turning healers into killers. It has undermined the moral authority of the law by its injustice. It has abetted irresponsible--even predatory--male sexual behavior. Far from reducing the rate of out-of-wedlock births, particularly to poor women, illegitimacy has skyrocketed in the age of abortion. Now the abortion license has metastasized into widespread elite support for deadly embryo experimentation and even, in my home state of New Jersey, to the express legalization of the horrific and grisly practice of fetal farming--the creation of human beings by cloning or other processes for the purpose of harvesting their tissues and organs at any point up to birth for experimentation and transplantation."

Of course, from the pro-life vantage point, success on the judicial front is only the prelude to the larger political struggle over abortion. If Roe is reversed, the result will be to return the matter to the domain of ordinary democratic deliberation for resolution by the state legislatures or the Congress. The burden will then be on the pro-life movement to win the struggle for the soul of the nation. We must, with God's help, persuade our fellow citizens to fulfill the promise of the Declaration of Independence by bringing the unborn fully within the protection of our laws.

On this score, we have a marvelous model in the great anti-slavery crusader William Wilberforce. When he began his work against the monstrous evil of chattel slavery, the odds appeared to be long against abolition. He was attacked by partisans of the slave power as a zealot, a religious fanatic and, most perversely, an enemy of freedom. He was, they said, imposing his religious values on others. If he didn't like slavery, well, no one was forcing him to own slaves. He should mind his own business and stay out of other people's affairs. Less vitriolic critics said that he was unrealistic. He was a dreamer. He was making impossible demands. Does any of this sound familiar?

Wilberforce refused to be intimidated. He would allow nothing to deter him from his mission of Christian charity to free the slaves and end the practice of slavery. He was undaunted by the ridicule often heaped upon him.

A more recent hero, Mother Teresa of Calcutta reminded us during her final visit to the United States that prayer is the most powerful weapon in the pro-life arsenal. Wilberforce would certainly agree. We must ask God's forgiveness for our great national sin of abandoning the unborn to the crime of abortion and implore His guidance and assistance in recalling the nation to its founding ideals of liberty and justice for all. While not all pro-life citizens are in a position to be activists or exercise leadership in the social and political spheres, all are able to participate in the prayer effort, and no one's prayers are superfluous."

*thoughts from Dr. James Dobson in his newsletter and thoughts shared from Professor Robert P. George. Professor George is McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence and Director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University. He is a member of the President's Council on Bioethics and previously served on the United States Commission on Civil Rights. He also sits on the editorial board of Public Discourse.

things that make me go "hummmmmmmmmm". what do you think?

Sunday, February 22, 2009

An Opportunity You Might not Want to Miss......

Hundreds of Fathers and Daughters Will Gather This March in Georgia on
Friday, February 20, 2009 10:15 AM
From: "Vision Forum" familyvision@lists.visionforum.com(to see full graphics and ad.)

Father and Daughter Retreat — Limited Space Available!

Join Dr. Voddie Baucham, Doug Phillips, Scott Brown, Geoff Botkin and a Panel of Visionary Young Ladies for the Father and Daughter Event of the Year!

The average father in America spends less than ten minutes a day with his daughter. He knows little about her life or her heart. He can quote detailed sports statistics and daily gas prices, but he has little or nothing to say of eternal value to his little girl when the two of them are alone — which is almost never. Is it any wonder that the average daughter is emotionally and spiritually disconnected from her father? She invests her own time in the pursuit of fantasy, peers, boys — anything that will fill the gaping hole created by the absence of godly, fatherly manhood in her life.

This father-daughter deficit has helped to place our nation in a cultural depression so great that we are suffering from the most significant family crisis in the history of our country. But that is only half the story.

Here is the other half: Christian families are in the business of defying popular trends and statistics. Spurred on by the Scripture’s discipleship directives, more and more fathers are setting aside the distractions of the world and are pursuing their daughters’ hearts. And when God turns the hearts of fathers to their daughters and daughters to their fathers, He is “mak[ing] ready a people prepared for the Lord” (Luke 1:17).

where & when:
That is why hundreds of fathers and daughters will be coming to the world-famous Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Georgia, March 27-29 for the 2009 Vision Forum Ministries Father and Daughter Retreat.

A Time of Celebration
The Father and Daughter Retreat is a time of learning and fellowship, but it is also a time for celebration. Fathers and daughters can enjoy the world famous Callaway Butterfly Gardens; they will have time to enjoy long, meaningful walks; and, and they will participate in our Father and Daughter event Games.

A favorite part of this celebration has always been our signature “high tea.” Fathers and Daughters come dressed in their best as they enjoy a beautifully catered event, complete with assorted fine English teas, scones, tarts, cucumber sandwiches, and pastries. Each attendee is given their very own porcelain teacup to take home as a memento of this special occasion.

‘What He Must Be... If He Wants to Marry My Daughter’
This is the title of Dr. Voddie Baucham’s new book from which he will be drawing his messages at this year’s retreat. He is joined by Doug Phillips, Geoff Botkin and Scott Brown for the most powerful line-up of messages in the history of this event. Young ladies in attendance at this year’s retreat will also hear the testimonies of visionary daughters: Jasmine Baucham, as well as Anna Sophia and Elizabeth Botkin (authors of So Much More, and hosts of The Return of the Daughters).

Fundamental questions will be addressed:

Register Now — Space is Limited!

© 2009 Vision Forum Ministries, 4719 Blanco Road, San Antonio, Texas 78212. All Rights Reserved.

Friday, February 20, 2009

MMerge Inc. is NOW on FACEBOOK, friend us!!

Friend us on Facebook and join the MMerge Ministries, Inc. Group. We'll still post here to the blog for those of you that aren't on facebook, however, we are finding that facebook is a very effective and vastly used tool for networking and ministry!

Also, the 25 Random things about you note has circulated around the WORLD and my inbox enough times that i finally took some time to respond. I won't paste the entire note here...you can find that on facebook by friending Myra Micah Periwinkle Johnson Jackson but here's a taste of my randomness:

(copied from my facebook notes page)
ok, here it is.......
1. I like to brush my teeth in the shower, it's warmer
2. I'm greedy but for more kids than the general public accepts as "normal" :)
3. I like everything SEE THRU, except clothes of course, that shows that yes i am paranoid and modest and want you to be too :) modest that is...
4. I am more random than your averag JOE or JESSE in my case and yes that is a name i wantd to use for our fourth child but couldn't b/c Jesse Jackson just would NOT have worked for her or me. one of the sweetest youth girls i know is a Jesse, I wished i could have named Rebekah after her.
5. My next children's names WILL be Jeremiah and Joanna Jackson, twins from Africa, i hope, pray and am trusting the Lord for this one!!! Miracles do happen and stranger things than this have already, in our lives.
6. I want one child from EVERY continent and a penguin from Antartica.....no money to do it but i BELIEVE and have EXPERIENCED, YAWEH(God) always have, always will and always continues to provide for me and my family and my friends and all those who are loved and called according to HIS purposes.
7. I think faster than a speeding bullet, people tell me, and act faster than others usually want to, most of the time. it drives my husband, dad and most of my family crazy!!!
8. And when people don't think, act, listen or operate on my time table I tend to get alittle.......lets say.....UPSET???? IRRITATED????? HIGHLY ANNOYED at times????? IMPATIENT????? UGLY????? BRATTY acting??? did i cover it all folks that know me well?
9. *edited*, actually deleted
10. I must have IRISH SPRING bar soap in the reg. flavor AND moisturizing body wash with sponge in the shower at ALL times or else it's just not that good but i'll survive trust me. i have to go DAYS w/o a shower sometimes and i've been on mission trips to a 3rd world country and other places i have survived to tell about w/o showering or brushing my teeth AND sleeping with the largest insect flying things I have EVER seen b4 in my life and yes those were in my bed when i woke up in the middle of the night. And YES, i freaked out!!! But not near as much as i have FRRREAKED out in the last year, trust me there too, it has been bad, that bad. Well worse i guess........
to be continued if you want it to be......

Enjoy your weekend folks and spend some good, quality time with your family, that doesn't include just going to "church" together for an hour on Sunday morning :) You have to "go the extra mile" if that is the case for you and yours and quality time. Adventure OUTDOORS/INDOORS together!!

OR....visit www.jellytelly.com today or this weekend with your pre-school- elementary aged kids, grandkids, nieces, newphews or your nieces and newphews friends :)

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Divinely Led

It's pretty astonishing to me how many times i have been tagged with that 25 random things about me note on facebook. I really do want to respond b/c 2 of my friends responses have inspired me to but i can't put that ahead of some personal requests. It's funny isn't it? Ask someone to tell you 25 random things about THEMSELVES and they will respond pretty fast and send it ALL OVER THE WORLD. But ask someone to tell you one thing random about someone else or unique about someone they should know deeply and they have to "think on it for a few days". That's pretty backwards thinking/acting in my world. The world I live in puts personal relationships with others ahead of random antedotes about myself. I am not saying this to point fingers or judge but to say this........look up the TINY WOMAN w/ the GIANT LEGS, google her and you will be AMAZED!! She does NOT live in the world we live in. Well she does, she's lives in Europe but she is planets away from the kosher lives we WALK/RUN/talk through and take advantage of everyday.
This person is phenominial! Her UNIQUENESS is 1 of a KIND and each and everyone of us is just as unique. i don't know the exact % but i think around 60% of us if not more, i'm trying to be fair here, have a HARDER time finding it due to buried internal depths and hurts of our lives........i encourage us all after watching that life changing life story to DIG DEEP and DISCOVER....YOUR 1 of a kind UNIQUENESS and GIFT to us all. Your 1 cell difference than ANYONE else but MISTAKE? A MUTATE? NOT HIS FATE. HE made each on GREAT and HE makes NOT 1 MISTAKE.

LIVE ON! LIVE STRONG! LIVE YOU!!!!! THE YOU-NESS OF YOU IS FABULOUSLY TRUE!

Summer Proposal

Thank you all who have given your input and gotten involved to help! Here's what was proposed at the meeting last night.

Dear Major and Board of the city of McMinnville, Tn,

We, the citizens of McMinnville, Tn and surrounding counties would like to propose an addition to the purchase of the Gilley Pool passes this summer. We would like to request an additional option to be added to the Gilley Pool Summer Pool Passes. With this addition, we understand there will be added cost to the current cost of the Gilley Pool passes. We would like to propose an increase of somewhere within 75-85 dollars to be added on to the current price of this summers pool passes. We would like this price increase to include use of the whole Recreation Center, not just the outside facilities but the inside facilities as well. The gym, weight/workout-room, tennis court, raquet ball court, ping pong and other tables that are played on for games, inside walking areas, and upstairs areas for play. We would like to propose that when you acquire you pool pass, you may chose to pay for an individual pass/plan, family pass or deluxe individual/family package, which would include the "extra" inside benefits. Each of these categories or packages would be represented by a different color pass or different color stickers for identification and protection purposes, along with the picture i.d. on your pass.

The price increase for deluxe passes would not include extra rooms or "special" reservations/activities or events, that the Recreation Center puts on or requires special reservations or "extra" payments for. This proposal would in essence be a combination pass of what is already available for a civic center indoor 6 month pass and an already established pool pass. This proposal would be a new purchase price for a combination usage. With the exception of those that already have exsisting Civic Center indoor passes currently. Those patrons could be provided the opportunity to "add on" the "extra" to their currently held pass, possibly with a slight discount if they have been faithful members of any length of time. They could recieve their discount just like the rest of us by purchasing "early bird" specials with an added incentive for their already faithful membership deeming the county and economy can withstand "early bird specials" this year, understandly so, if not.

Thank you for your consideration and we look forward to a great summer of increased sales and usage for the city of McMinnville and our surrounding neighbors that also use our facilities regularly.

Other noted recommendations: an early morning swim lane during water aerobics time and to have special member "nights" druing the summer months the pool is open as an additional incentive for deluxe pass holders. Once the swimming season is over, those deluxe members can chose to remain as indoor 6 month Recreation Center members or cancel completely.


Signed,

Matt and Myra Jackson
Co-Directors
MMerge Ministries, Inc.
McMinnville, Tn 37110
931-273-5802 or
find us on the web. www.mmerge.blogspot.com for all your family resource needs.

Saturday, February 7, 2009

I need/want your help, PLEASE, it could only take a sec!!

Way #1 you could help: if you haven't noticed or checked out www.jellytelly.com WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR??? ok i know, it's been a busy week but now IT'S THE WEEKEND!! make some time to relax, slow down and spend a few minutes with you kids watchin this great stuff, way BETTER than any Sat. morning cartoons my kids usually watch, take time to check it out before another Busy week starts and help me spread the word THANKS!

Way #2: Help me begin to make my dreams/goals start heading toward a reality. I have always wanted to write, i have always loved to write and i've always said that "one day i should write a book" well the research phase is beginning now. If you have known me or even just met me for any length of time you are who i want to help me!!! Please help me by completeing the following statement in the comment section.

i have known myra since __________(give a general date or amount of time) and she __________________________________________________________________. (no more than 7 sentences and all those that are from way back in the day, please keep it clean and appropriate, THANKS :)!!! You never know, one day 10 years from now your statements might be mentioned in my published LIFE STORY !!!

Thanks my FRIENDS, you FUEL me!!!
Myra

if you haven't friended us on facebook, please do!
Matt Jackson
Myra Micah Periwinkle Johnson Jackson

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Who Doesn't Like a FREE gift?

www.jellytelly.com www.jellytelly.com
WOW! During the sometimes dull, cold and LONG winter months i am constantly looking for things to HELP and SPICE UP our homeschool rountine, well our life for that matter! It is around Jan/Feb. each year that we notice DRAG and Attitudes popping up in the Jackson Household due to all the "together time" and lack of time outdoors :)
CAN ANYONE OUT THERE RELATE???? Well if so and even if not, YOU HAVE GOT TO CHECK THIS OUT!
www.jellytelly.com and please spread the word! i know a number of you are tapped into vast networks of people that can help promote this and that would appreciate this resource as well. Anyone/everyone else out there please spread this link around to your friends, family, church leaders(children's/youth pastors), homeschool groups/friends,etc.

This is also a great homeschool resource!! We watched it this morning and all just laughed together infront of the computer screen and LEARNED ALOT TOO!!! we learned biblical truths and scientific facts and none of us even knew school could be this cool :)
so join us each week day as we learn and grow with these great biblical and educational videos. And theres fun games too! It is going to be FREE for the next two months, they have dropped the subscription cost inorder to promote more and recruit more users for the next several months.
www.jellytelly.com My kids look forward to getting up and seeing the next days videos. It's been a new fresh inspiring way to begin our day! And i hope you enjoy it to! I also have some invested interest in promoting this site.......The creator Phil Vischer is a friend of my sisters. Phil Vischer is the creator of Veggie Tales which has gotten bought out now and is being run by someone else. In order for Phil to continue making a living and using his God given talents to minister to kids he needs our support, even if it's just sending masses of people to use the site for free for the next several months! Phil and his family are inspiring followers of Christ, with an above average way of relating God given truths in biblical ways that make a lasting and eternal difference for all!
join me and others in supporting www.jellytelly.com
Thanks and enjoy! Have family time tonight and watch Thursdays videos they were great! Or have fun Friday tomorrow and watch them all :) There's even one for the weekend that you can watch sometime Sat. or Sun.

Blessings!