there are a lot of facebook statuses and overheard conversations i've encountered recently about people being "scared" about the election, fearful for our country, likening political candidates to figures such as....Satan.
For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things were created through him and for him. - Col 1:16
Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work - Titus 3:1.
i am not telling you to not pray for our country, to not pray for godly decision making, to not stand up for what you believe. but as a follower of Jesus Christ - you are called to submit to the authorities He has put in place. He has put in place. God is in control. our perspectives are very narrow, very small. God has gone before, behind, and with us into all of time.
stop being disrespectful. stop thinking you know everything.
do what you can (i.e. vote according to the convictions God has placed on your life) in faith and let God be God.
and stop slandering people. now.
"the Lord your God is with you" and He longs for your eyes to be fixed on Him, on eternity. "be anxious for nothing." He is in control.
God establishes governments to maintain some level of order in a broken world - not to fix anything, not to play god.
let's stop believing that God for a millisecond can stop being God. let's recognize that if Jesus Christ ceased thinking of us for a moment - life would end. "He is before all things and in Him all things hold together."
it is okay to get upset though....Jesus got upset when he saw what the merchants were doing to His Father's House and I guess I'm just getting upset to see what Americans are doing to our country. Not that I think this is the Lord's house (I know it is in Heaven), it just frustrates me that's all.
Suppose that every day, ten men go out for a coke and the bill for all ten comes to $100.
If they paid their bill the way we pay our taxes, it would go something like this:
The first four men (the poorest) would pay nothing.
The fifth would pay $1.
The sixth would pay $3.
The seventh would pay $7.
The eighth would pay $12.
The ninth would pay $18.
The tenth man (the richest) would pay $59.
So, that's what they decided to do. The ten men drank in the bar every day and seemed quite happy with the arrangement, until one day, the owner threw them a curve. 'Since you are all such good customers,' he said, 'I'm going to reduce the cost of your daily coke by $20. 'Drinks for the ten now cost just $80.The group still wanted to pay their bill the way we pay our taxes so the first four men were unaffected. They would still drink for free. But what about! the other six men - the paying customers?
How could they divide the $20 windfall so that everyone would get his 'fair share?' They realized that $20 divided by six is $3.33. But if they subtracted that from everybody's share, then the fifth man and the sixth man would each end up being paid to drink his coke. So, the bar owner suggested that it would be fair to reduce each man's bill by roughly the same amount, and he proceeded to work out the amounts each should pay.
And so the fifth man, like the first four, now paid nothing (100% savings).
The sixth now paid $2 instead of $3 (33%savings).
The seventh now pay $5 instead of $7 (28%savings).
The eighth now paid $9 instead of $12 (25% savings).
The ninth now paid $14 instead of $18 ( 22% savings).
The tenth now paid $49 instead of $59 (16% savings).
Each of the six was better off than before. And the first four continued to drink for free. But once outside the restaurant, the men began to compare their savings.
'I only got a dollar out of the $20,' declared the sixth man.
He pointed to the tenth man,' but he got $10! ''Yeah, that's right,'
exclaimed the fifth man.
'I only saved a dollar, too.. It's unfair that he got ten times more than I!
''That's true!!' shouted the seventh man.
'Why should he get $10 back when I got only two?
The wealthy get all the breaks!
''Wait a minute,' yelled the first four men in unison. 'We didn't get anything at all. The system exploits the poor!
'The nine men surrounded the tenth and beat him up. The next night the tenth man (the richest) didn't show up for drinks, so the nine sat down and had cokes without him. But when it came time to pay the bill, they discovered something important. They didn't have enough money between all of them for even half of the bill!
And that, boys and girls, journalists and college professors, is how our tax system works. The people who pay the highest taxes get the most benefit from a tax reduction. Tax them too much, attack them for being wealthy, and they just may not show up anymore. In fact, they might start drinking overseas where the atmosphere is somewhat friendlier.
David R. Kamerschen, Ph.D.Professor of Economics University of Georgia
For those who understand, no explanation is needed.
For those who do not understand, no explanation is possible.
i like it. and i like the coke substitute. those men should really be asking why they are paying an average of $10 for a simple carbonated drink. lol! ;)
I can’t hold my excitement in anymore!! This time tomorrow we’ll be starting our 3-day weekend in NEW YORK CITY!
I’m taking my first vacation day since work started in JULY! WoO hOo!!
Highlights:
• Frozen Hot Chocolate @ Serendipity
• Central Park in the Fall
• 2 Broadway shows!!!
• Times Square
• SHOPPING!
• Worshipping at UWM Church of Christ again
• Quality time with my girls!
