saint kansas on November 23, 2007 at 5:22 AM

Hey, U2 and the Pixies can inhabit the same world peaceably.

Nice.

I am thankful to the soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines who volunteered for the fight and put their lives on the line every day to preserve freedom for their children, our children and for generations to come.

And thank you and the rest of this stie’s staff for what you do. You may not be in Iraq wielding a weapon, but you do wield a type of weapon the MSM and liberals hate: unfiltered/unbiased information allowing people to know all the facts thus making educated (instead of ignorant, which they prefer) decisions and conclusions.

So, thank you.

You may not know me, but I know everything about you ~ Psalm 139:1
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I know when you sit down and when you rise up ~ Psalm 139:2

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I am familiar with all your ways ~ Psalm 139:3
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Even the very hairs on your head are numbered ~ Matthew 10:29-31
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For you were made in my image ~ Genesis 1:27
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In me you live and move and have your being ~ Acts 17:28
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For you are my offspring ~ Acts 17:28
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I knew you even before you were conceived ~ Jeremiah 1:4-5
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I chose you when I planned creation ~ Ephesians 1:11-12
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You were not a mistake, for all your days are written in my book ~ Psalm 139:15-16
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I determined the exact time of your birth and where you would live ~ Acts 17:26
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You are fearfully and wonderfully made ~ Psalm 139:14
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I knit you together in your mother’s womb ~ Psalm 139:13
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And brought you forth on the day you were born ~ Psalm 71:6
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I have been misrepresented by those who don’t know me ~ John 8:41-44
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I am not distant and angry, but am the complete expression of love ~ 1John 4:16
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And it is my desire to lavish my love on you ~ 1 John 3:1
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Simply because you are my child and I am your father ~ 1 John 3:1
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I offer you more than your earthly father ever could ~ Matthew 7:11
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For I am the perfect father ~ Matthew 5:48
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Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand ~ James 1:17
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For I am your provider and I meet all your needs ~ Matthew 6:31-33
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My plan for your future has always been filled with hope ~ Jeremiah 29:11
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Because I love you with an everlasting love ~ Jeremiah 31:3
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My thoughts toward you are countless as the sand on the seashore ~ Psalm 139:17-18
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And I rejoice over you with singing ~ Zephaniah 3:17
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I will never stop doing good to you ~ Jeremiah 32:40
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For you are my treasured possession ~ Exodus 19:5
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I desire to establish you with all my heart and all my soul ~ Jeremiah 32:41
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And I want to show you great and marvelous things ~ Jeremiah 33:3
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If you seek me with all your heart, you will find me ~ Deuteronomy 4:29
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Delight in me and I will give you the desires of your heart ~ Psalm 37:4
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For it is I who gave you those desires ~ Philippians 2:13
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I am able to do more for you than you could possibly imagine ~ Ephesians 3:20
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For I am your greatest encourager ~ 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
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I am also the Father who comforts you in all your troubles ~ 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
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When you are brokenhearted, I am close to you ~ Psalm 34:18
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As a shepherd carries a lamb, I have carried you close to my heart ~ Isaiah 40:11
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One day I will wipe away every tear from your eyes ~ Revelation 21:3-4
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And I’ll take away all the pain you have suffered on this earth ~ Revelation 21:3-4
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I am your Father, and I love you even as I love my son, Jesus ~ John 17:23
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For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed ~ John 17:26
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He is the exact representation of my being ~ Hebrews 1:3
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He came to demonstrate that I am for you, not against you ~ Romans 8:31
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And to tell you that I am not counting your sins ~ 2 Corinthians 5:18-19
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Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled ~ 2 Corinthians 5:18-19
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His death was the ultimate expression of my love for you ~ 1 John 4:10
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I gave up everything I loved that I might gain your love ~ Romans 8:31-32
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If you receive the gift of my son Jesus, you receive me ~ 1 John 2:23
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And nothing will ever separate you from my love again ~ Romans 8:38-39
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Come home and I’ll throw the biggest party heaven has ever seen ~ Luke 15:7
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I have always been Father, and will always be Father ~ Ephesians 3:14-15
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My question is ~ Will you be my child? ~ John 1:12-13
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I am waiting for you ~ Luke 15:11-32
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God
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Sorry this post is coming the day after Thanksgiving. Your post saddened me greatly. I know that events in life can really shake us up. I wandered for about 6 years after I went through a divorce that I didn’t want. It was extremely painful. I don’t have any advice for you other than this: cry out to God to reveal the reality of Christ’s work on the cross for you, get in his Word and ask the Holy Spirit to illuminate the scriptures for you, find a church of true believers who are active in their faith and are not just playing games, a church where the Bible is preached and the people love each other. And finally, when you find that church, focus on finding a way to minister to others. God will flood you with blessings in your heart that you won’t even see coming. I am taking it that at one point you have invited Christ into your life as savior. If that is not the case, it is no wonder that you are frustrated and disillusioned, but that is another post entirely.

You know, Michael, it was the influence of other believers that God used to bring me back. We are not intended to be Lone Rangers, suffering the travails of life alone with no support. I pray that you keep seeking, keep a tender heart, and do not allow the lies of this world to draw you away from the true, true meaning of all that is. I pray that God bless you and show you his presence. My wife and I will be praying for you today.

Bryan’s post makes a fine consolation, though. Well said. Except for the part about That Band That Shall Not Be Named.

U2 Pixies

And right now, I thank God that we are still free to thank God!

Out loud.

That is such a wonderful expression of openness, appreciation, and sincerity!

William

God Bless you and your family! I pray your son will return home as planned. God Bless our Military Men and Women and God Bless America!

Mcguyver on November 22, 2007 at 11:13 PM

The first guy is knowledgeable about the Bible, but he doesn’t say anything about baptism. What about Acts 2:38. Repent and be baptised for the remission of sins…

Happy Thanksgiving to you Bryan!

Michael in Mi,

Your prayers do matter. I think it’s time to start your own traditions. It’s time to pray for someone to share your life. It’s time to reach out to family members or friends and have them come to your house for Thanksgiving next year. Does it matter if it’s traditional? No. Have pizza. All that matters is that you are together.

Reach out. Pray. Look for signs. Be grateful.

It will come to you. I promise.

Rightwingsparkle on November 22, 2007 at 9:37 PM

Pizza and sushi!!

Our Thanksgiving family history…

2002 my son was in Ft Carson

2003 my son was in Baghdad Iraq

2004 my son was home

2005 my son was home(sorta)…on RnR-leave midway through Iraq tour two. We took him to the airport on Thanksgiving day for his return to Iraq. An NBC television reporter asked us for our opinion. We told him our opinion was one of Thanksgiving.

2006 my son was home

2007 my son is in (unknown) Iraq

2008 my son will still be in Iraq

2009 my son will be home

There are a lot of sons and daughters in dark and scary places around the planet. No matter if you agree with it or not, the bottom line is our sons and daughters willingly give us the peace to offer our Thanksgiving. Something both the Left and the Right need to sit down, shut up, and agree on.

Remember them tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after that.

Nuf said. Time to offer a toast to all those in harms way.

And to: Michael in MI on November 22, 2007 at 8:42 PM

Here are some former Muslims that are not questioning their newfound faith.

Rightwingsparkle (who I have met and who lives here in Houston with me) has some great advice for you. I would offer some more because it seems you need it. When adversity hits someone, if their faith is strong, they rely on their faith to get them through and it usually does. If their faith is not so strong, they will suffer setbacks because they will not just turn over their problems to God -something like “let go and let God” I’ve been down to my last dollar, no job, no way to pay the rent and have prayed to God to just show me the way and completely turned everything over to Him and totally removed my problems from my mind. God does answer prayer – maybe not in the way you want, but in the way He knows will benefit you. I have never been disappointed. It is absolutely amazing what faith will do. Sometimes God gives us adversity to test our faith to make us stronger (read Job). I’m no scholar, but I think the whole idea of faith is just to put it out there and then let go (sort of like jumping into a swimming pool with your dad, knowing he’s there). You have to let go. Too many people want to hang on and try to solve these problems theirselves – they don’t want to trust God.

I thought about this last night before fell asleep. The Johnson family story was heavy on my heart and I decided I was most thankful this year not just our troops but perhaps moreso for the families of them.

thank you.

I say, they are welcome.