Memorial Day with guest blogger Julie Marie Rahm

Hello everyone. I'd like to introduce my sister in Christ Julie Marie Rahm. She tells us about Memorial day and what it means to her. I'll let her tell you about herself.

Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. It commemorates U.S. Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen, and Guardsmen who died in the line of duty. And on this Memorial Day, I feel honored, privileged and delighted to be a guest blogger for the amazing and talented Victoria!

I am proud to be part of a family who serves in our nation’s military. My father served in the Navy and Naval Reserves for 24 years. My husband served in the Marine Corps for 26+ years. And, our son-in-law serves in the Air Force and recently returned from Afghanistan.

As a little girl I can remember going with my family to a National Cemetery on Memorial Day and listening to speeches by Veterans and politicians. “We are here today to honor those men and women who gave their lives in the service of our country…” The word “gave” was upsetting to me, because my dad was in the Navy and I wanted him to be alive for a long time. I did not talk about it at the time. I thought about it for years.

Now I understand. People misspeak about our fallen service members. No one in the military willingly gives up his or her life. On an individual level they are willing to risk their lives and place themselves in grave danger for our country and for each other. Sometimes the risk turns out badly. It is our country and its leaders who are willing to give the lives of our service members. It becomes easy to think of the “military” as an inhuman entity, not as an organization of valuable human beings created by God. As a nation we need to be mindful of how we use our military power, only as a last resort when we have no other choice.

So as I listened to politicians speak on this Memorial Day and heard the words “… honor the service men and women who willingly sacrificed their lives…” I was reminded of the one man who truly did willingly sacrifice his life, Jesus Christ. He gave his life so we who believe in Him may live free from the bondage of sin and death and look forward to eternal life with God in heaven. That is an important message today. What comfort it brings to families and friends of fallen service members to know that their loved ones are in a state of pure positive energy basking eternally in the indescribable love of God.

Thank you for reading my thoughts on Memorial Day. I invite you to follow my blogs at http://www.americasmindsetmechanic.com/ and http://www.militarykidsspeak.com/. May God bless you, your family, our nation and our world!

Thank you Julie Rahm for taking the time to write about Memorial day. It's an important day, that Americans often forget about. God gave the ultimate sacrifice, and these men and woman are following in His footsteps.

Here is the link to a video for Memorial Day: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nJTqpKlZ9U&feature=related
To God alone be the Glory.

How can I be so blind?

I was bored there was nothing to do, so I watched a show I don't like. It's safe and there was nothing else on.
Why did I ever watch it?

I'm watching TV as the world is screaming out "Save me!" I'm sitting here watching the world away, while children are dying screaming out to us, "Save me!"
How can I be so blind?

I'm watching something that I don't like, while some kid is crying watching her mother who is dying. And I am sitting here whining 'cause there is nothing on the TV?
What is wrong with me!?

Put the remote down! Get off facebook! Put your gameboy down!

There is always a job opening in the "God's hero's" department. You don't have to be popular, strong, smart, or good looking to change the world. All it takes is for you to apply to God's hero's department. Do what He says.

I do not want to be watching TV while people are being beaten, and tortured and dying when Jesus comes back.

What if there is a girl next door who is being beaten by her father? And I am sitting here watching TV on the couch and calling myself a Christian? She's screaming out for someone to save her!
What is wrong with me?

We were never meant to watch our lives away by watching things on the TV! And watching TV does not fulfil you!

Do something for Christ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

To God alone be the Glory.

God's Love: Example A

God's love is so amazing and powerful. He's love is so rich and real it can penetrate into any soul. God loves everyone equally. He doesn't love you more because you're rich, or less because you're poor. God is calling everyone to be His.

It doesn't matter who you are or what you look like. God knows you're heart and loves you still. Here is a great example of God's captivating love.

(Incase for some reason you can't wtch the video here is the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmAIIe8GTLI )

To God alone be the Glory.

Are You Ready?

If you found out the world is going to end tomorrow for sure, what would you do? "Well I'd get ready of course." You'd say.

Jesus is coming soon, but I don't know how soon. We really need to change our lives so we're not living for Christ when we want to, but always.

Are you living today like it's your last?

I know I'm not. You say, "Well I think I'll know when I'm going to die, so I'll worry about that stuff then."

What if you get in a car crash tomorrow? I don't think you'll know till then. Nobody wants to think about death. But if Jesus came back right now, or you die right now, will you be pleased? I don't want to die now because I know there is so much more I can do for Christ. I'd hate to go to heaven knowing I could have done more.

I want that glory when I go to heaven. I want God, the Creator of everything, look me in the eye and say "Well done. My good and faithful servant."

I mean, can you even imagine? The God of the universe telling you what a good job you did? Amazing! I want God to use me in every way possible. I want to live my life to the fullest for Him.
I want to live everyday, like it is my last. It's not going to be easy. But I'm going to try. Will you?
To God alone be the Glory.

Step Back and Look Around

Go ahead. No matter how extremely bad things are in your life step back, and look around. Yes, maybe you are in a big mess or maybe this is the best day of your life; but still, look at what God has done for you.

You might be thinking- "Yeah? You wanna know what God has done for me? He took my Mom's life!"

Maybe He did. But look at what else you have. Maybe it's just a dandelion in front of you. He put it there for you to see. Whether you look at it as a weed or a flower it's up to you. That's true for everything. God has a plan for everything. He's not just taking whatever is gone, for fun.

It's for His glory. Look at this amazing place God has made for us! It's beautiful and carefully designed just for us. Watch butterflies flutter past your window or lightning from a thunder shower; and thank God for them.

Look at everything God has done and made, and thank Him. It doesn't matter what you're going through or how you feel, take the time to look at what God has done for you in your life, or given you or made for you. Go ahead. Step back and look around.
To God alone be the Glory.

Patience

I'm learning patience by trusting God. There are so many things I want to happen. God is in control and it will happen in His perfect timing. I believe God wanted me to start this blog so I'm giving it up to Him.

He will do with it as He pleases. It's His blog, after all I am His.

"All of my plans, all of my dreams, I lay them down before your feet. All of my time, all that was mine, I now submit to your design." -Aaron Shust.

Ha ha...trusting God leads to faith. So It all comes back to Him. Everything does.

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we cannot see."

Hebrews 11:1

To be honest, It doesn't matter what I want. Nothing matters in this world but God. The only reason we are here doing what we're doing day after day is because God is in charge. He created everything, He is in charge of everything.

And whatever I want WILL NOT HAPPEN. Unless God allows it to happen. This isn't just me. I know I'm not the only one.

We need to have Faith in God, trust Him who allows us to decide if we want to trust Him. Even though He has already proven Himself trustworthy.
To God alone be the Glory.

Unconditional Love

God's love is so amazing, so powerful. He loves us more than we could ever imagine. The greatest love that you've ever known is like a speck of dust, next to Jupiter. God's love is huge and unconditional.

The God of the universe loves you! How amazing is that? The Creator of everything, loves us even though we're sinful, make mistakes and sometimes spit in His face; He still loves us unconditionally.

I absolutely love this video. I get goose bumps every time. Watch this video and get a small glance of His out-of-this-world love! >

(If for some reason you can't watch the video from my blog here is the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoC1ec-lYps

To God alone be the Glory.

God is there for you.

God is in control. We forget that a lot. No matter what is happening in your life. He has a plan for you. Even when it seems like nothing is going right.

He is in control of everything. He knows what you're going to do and what you have done. God is there for you. Pour out your heart to Him.

He is there through the good times and the bad. We just don't think about Him much when everything is going fine. God is so great, so grand, yet sometimes we forget in the business of our earthly lives.

Yet when we cry out to Him in pain, He is there waiting for us, saying "Why didn't you come to me sooner?"

God's love is so overwhelming and yet, sometimes we take that for granted.

To God alone be the Glory.