Worry - Anxiety; Concern - Excitement;

Recently I wrote about the difference between a reaction and a response. Along that same thought process consider the difference between worry and anxiety and how they are different from concern and excitement. Normally it doesn't take very long when conversing to hear someone express a matter in which creates worry and anxiety. Worry almost seems like the activity of the month that continues to repeat itself. Anxiety is witnessed in our actions and mannerisms. Observing others normally produces an immediate alarm as to an individuals anxiety level. Worry and anxiety we hear in the selection of words used to describe situations and we see the impact of events and their toll on our lives as we approach their arrival. Philippians 4:6 tells us to be anxious in nothing. This particular scripture instructs Christians to approach life with the constant practice of eliminating anxiety through the practice of thanksgiving. Verse 6 also instructs us in handling difficulties and situations as Christians by sharing our burden with God and to do so directly through a conversation. An often witnessed approach to issues that have the potential to max out our stress levels which produce worry and fret is the position that we can fix the situation even when we know to do so is beyond our skill or talent set. This approach also includes the attitude that we are accomplishing our goal by demonstrating worry and anxiety. The practice of such leads to no such successful resolutions, ever! It will lead to wrong decisions as we rush into actions without the consideration of consequences and we react without thoughts of a response. Concern is an attitude that allows for the weighing of options and even when we face difficult moments, conditions or issues we can be excited about outcomes and answers through faith. The invitation of God is for all of us to approach Him with a confidence amidst our concerns. For Christians this should be our first step in all matters and for those who are looking for solutions an option to try in a first step in building a relationship with Jesus Christ. Until then

Family Memories - My most important memory growing is?

Growing up as a little boy I have some great memories. My memory bank includes lots of different moments with a lot of different people. I remember the time my Aunt Jean Mills bought me a big teddy bear and today as an adult she reminds me that for some reason when I was little I always stepped on her toes. My memories include eating green apples from my great-grandmother Ellen Bingham's porch. That memory includes eating too many of them too. It is funny what you can remember and my memories of my great-grandfather's include me making them mad. "Pap", my mother's grandfather, George Martin Carnes, Sr., I would upset when I would let the well bucket drop down into the well or I let it hit the sides causing dirt to fall in the water. My dad's grandfather, Nasby Mills, I would upset anytime I'd let the screen door slam. Watching "Pap" roll his cigarettes from a Prince Albert can I always found amazing for some reason. My grandfather Alonzo's sister, my Aunt Dorothy, provided me with hundreds of memories when I was growing up. Being able to write and I.O.U. (this means: I owe you) and picking out a piece of candy and getting a soda pop on her is not my most precious memory but it was one gesture for sure that meant she loved you. Riding horses and ponies is a childhood memories from both the Carnes and Bingham side of my families. My great-uncle Jeff and aunt Evelyn Warren were in the logging business and owned a saw mill. Besides eating my aunt's cooking, pulling on the airhorn in his log trucks until the air tanks were empty were always fun! I don't believe my cousins enjoyed having to scotch the wheels and build back up the air pressure was any fun for them, but it was a blast for me. I could write a column each week for a year on memories from my childhood and just begin to touch the surface of my memory bank. The memory most cherished for me is remembering when and where it was that I became a Christian. I remember the questions I was asking and I remember the answers I was given. It is amazing how any single moment sticks with you and how important single activities and events really are. Sharing with my family my personal memories is very important to me. The most important historical fact is that I personally know Jesus Christ as my Heavenly Father and in Him I place all my trust and confidence. Until then

Politically Correct - Political Correctness really?

Political correctness has been a long evolving process. The term actually became a regular part of frequent conversation in the 1990's. Sparing usage of the phrase 'politically correct' can be discovered from speeches and some published articles from the 1960's but the meaning has varied with individuals and organizations. For example the term during the 60's referenced a consumer or a lifestyle choice. The White Panther Party used the term to work toward a cultural revolution. They were a counterculture era group that started at the suggestion of Huey P. Newton, co-founder of the Black Panther Party. The White Panther Party was not a white supremacist group. To the contrary their efforts worked with ethnic minority groups. How is that for politically correctness? If you are confused I might suggest you are not alone. Names can be misleading and it is only through conversation about vision, purpose, mission statements that explain direction and learning about goals can one make an informed evaluation of intent regarding the term 'politically correct'. To be a person that is kind or listens to others as they speak some would describe as 'politically correct'. These actions I personally would describe as characteristics of a descent human being. To hear someone make a false statement and to not share correct information is the actions of someone attempting to be 'politically correct'. To agree with someone's opinion or thoughts when you disagree is the work of being 'politically correct'. The ability to agree to disagree is the work of maturity. To hold a different opinion and respect the thoughts of others is a mark of integrity. 'Politically correct' is overrated even though it appears society applauds it's every turn at the moment. Jesus Christ certainly was not 'Politically correct' oriented. He loved sinners, hung out with prostitutes, and Jesus even demonstrated love to a thief that was being put to death at Calvary on a cross for crimes. Jesus was so not 'politically correct' that He even showed love to the Roman Soldiers that nailed Him to His cross on Golgotha's hill. In the political correctness of our current day the accepted practice is to treat everyone equally and to never show a difference in people. The practice being pushed today includes that you and I forget we have an opinion or the ability to think for ourselves, much-less demonstrate the skill to think outside the box. The very fact that Jesus Christ loved us before we loved Him and even if we never love Him, clearly marks Him as a person not in the slightest way 'politically correct'. If you are a Christian then I believe our lives will be marked as followers of Christ as not in the least 'politically correct'. Our lives will demonstrated a fairness as exemplified by the actions of Jesus Christ where He offers a plan that is exceedingly abundantly above and beyond all that we could ever ask or think. Until then