The Liebster Award 2016

About The Liebster Award: The Liebster Award 2016 is an award that exists only on the internet, and is given to bloggers by other bloggers.

Rules:

1: Thank the blog who nominated you and link back to them (don’t forget to comment on this post so I can check out your answers).

2: Make a blog post outlining 11 facts about you,

3: Answer the 11 questions from the blog who nominated you.

4: Prepare 11 questions for those you will nominate.

5: Nominate 5-11 new bloggers (those who have less than 200 followers) by commenting in one of their blog posts.

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Thank you to both Allison at School Essays and Jada at Jada’s Blog for nominating me and my blog for the Liebster Award. I was definitely not expecting it, and it means a great deal to me!

 

11 Facts About Me:

1. I LOVE Jesus! He is my Lord & Savior, and I have dedicated my life to him.
2. I got engaged when I was sixteen, and I am (soon to be) married at eighteen! I am so blessed to have found my soulmate this early in life ❤
3. I want tons of kids! I am madly in love and I can’t wait to have a family!
4. Animals are my joy, my calling and my passion! I am working towards becoming a service dog trainer, and I am so grateful to be employed at a doggy daycare now!
5. I have a cat named Rocky; he loves to walk on a leash and he sits on command for treats. Rocky also enjoys wearing cat-sized t-shirts.
6. New England will always be my home at heart! (Go Pats!)
7. Taxation is theft, and I want to abolish the government.
8. I homeschooled online for my last few years of high school.
9. Fall is my favorite time of the year, and not just because pumpkin is delicious.
10. I want to have my own dog rescue/shelter one day.
11. I want to live on a farm of rescue animals, all my own to love and care for!

 

My answers to Allison’s questions:

1. Were you looking forward to answering these questions? Yes!
2. Who is your role model? Jesus Christ ❤
3. How long have you had a blog? A few years.
4. Have you always had the idea of blogging in your mind? I have always been a writer but I have not always been a dedicated blogger 🙂 so I guess I would say no.
5. Do you listen to music very often? Every single day!
6. Do you view friendship as something to cherish? Absolutely.
7. Favorite quote? It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog.
8. Favorite flower? Tiger Lilies
9. Favorite person in history? Jesus 🙂
10. Would you prefer writing something or making a craft? I love to do both but I would probably rather make a craft on any given day.
11. How long did it take you to answer these questions? Maybe a minute or two.

My answers to Jada’s questions:

1. What do you believe? I believe in the power of Jesus Christ, God and the Holy Spirit!
2. Why do you believe what you believe? Because Jesus personally saved me. He shows me his love and mercy every day.
3. What do you want in life? I want to make God, and my husband proud of me. I would love to be a mother almost more than anything; and I would also love to train service dogs.
4. What matters most to you? God, family, and animals.
5. What purpose do you find in life? God has a plan for me, and that is more than enough to keep me going.
6. What defines you? I am an extremely strong willed and opinionated person. I am loyal to the death of me, and I am not afraid to go against the crowd if it means doing the right thing. You could say I’m a rebel 😉
7. What are the three most important goals in your life? Serving God, Serving God, and Serving God
8. How do you view the world? The world is a sad, dark, broken, lost place that we must endure; however it is a place to learn, and grow. Darkness only offers the opportunity to bring light. We can bring light into a dark place here, so I see the world as an opportunity to do good.
9. What are three things you dislike? I dislike sin, which pretty much covers all three things.
10. What are three things you like? I like (love) God, my family, and animals – also freedom, but I know that’s four things!
11. How would you describe yourself? Hard working, adventurous and outgoing; maybe a little fun and ridiculous too. More than anything though, I’m an empath.

My Questions to the blogs I nominated:

1. What matters most to you?
2. What is your favorite animal?
3. What is the most powerful emotion?
4. What is your dream career/job?
5. Where, in your opinion, is the most beautiful place on earth?
6. If you could have any superpower what would it be?
7. What is your favorite song/band/genre at the moment?
8. What would your dream vacation look like?
9. If you could change any one thing about the world, what would it be?
10. What is your best/favorite recipe (for anything!)?
11. What is one cause you support and/or would like to bring more attention to?

My nominees are:

(If you have already been nominated by someone else and I was unaware then disregard!)

 

Odessa

Justice

Dawson

Jada

Jadian

Always Be Honest With Yourself

Rounding the corner to my 18th year of life has been quite the whirlwind of emotions. I have made it this far; but how far will I go? What is important to remember, and what would the future me be better off forgetting? Among all of the questions however, I have found an overwhelming amount of answers. Maybe too many for my own good, at times.

Most of the questions we have in our teens years, are, presumably answered by our own trial and error. Unfortunately, nobody is truly capable of warning us of the dangers we will set for ourselves ahead. Most likely, we will repeat our parents mistakes; we will say and do the same exact things that all young adults did before us (but good luck getting them to admit it). We will go on through life believing that we have all the answers already; until, one day, we realize we don’t. That will be the day that we turn back to those who were once like us; those who partied and made the wrong choices but will never admit it. And our parents and grandparents, and for some like me, great-grandparents will fill in those question marks with wise answers. They have lived our days already, and believe me, they had the same questions too.

As someone who spent their entire life running away, I find myself lost in the past quite often. For many years I wondered what it would be like to have a dad. I’d bask in the realm of imaginary childhood memories, and I’d piece together the person I could have been today. Most of all though, I would imagine asking my father the questions that accumulated throughout my life.

In the movies, I would see little girls. They were much too young to sit up front, but they were always comfortably seated in the passenger side nonetheless. The wind would toss their beautiful long hair as they glanced at their father endearingly. It was always at this point in the film that the solemn and cherishable fatherly advice would be graced upon the daughter. These car rides were always the best and worst part of the movie for me, because they were the moments I dreamed of all my life, but would never experience.

As each year passed, my family fell apart more and more. By the time I was fifteen I had lost my mom (she didn’t die, she is just gone from my life), and I was separated from my two younger brothers. I met my biological father, and shortly after beginning to build a relationship together, he left me again. I never felt enough love or trust for my biological father to ask him the questions only a Dad could answer…so I didn’t; and they built and built.

At fifteen, I fell in love. I mean, I really fell head-over-heels madly in love with a handsome gentleman named Carmine. After almost a year, we got engaged in the very same place that we met! What I didn’t realize when I fell in love was that I fell for every part of Carmine, including his family, whom always welcomed me with open arms and gave me all the love they possibly could. God had quite interesting plans for Carmine and myself, and shortly after getting engaged we moved across the country to Florida, to move in with his parents.

Carmine’s dad (whose name is also Carmine) has always been a ball buster. He is a trouble maker and an instigator; just like me. We clicked the minute we met, and we have always had a strong unspoken bond. After moving in with his dad, we only got even closer. I don’t drive so he would often drop me of at work, and I began to look forward to our sunrise drives more than anything else in the day. We would stop at the gas station, see our friend Bob, and be on our way with coffee in hand. I loved our morning routine, and so did Dad.

One day, as I was getting home from work, I walked in and yelled “Carmine, I brought you your favorite, a double fudge cookie!” and I’ll never forget the words that came out of his mouth at that moment. He sat up from the couch, turned around, and stared at me with a tough-yet-sweet look in his eyes. “Whats with all this ‘Carmine’ nonsense?!” he barked (as he quite often does). Confused, I responded “well, what am I supposed to call you…?”. “Dad” he said. And even though fireworks were going off on the inside, I just smiled, gave him his cookie and said “Okay, Pops. You got it.” and walked into my bedroom.

I had thrown around the use of “Pops” or “Dad” here and there but it was by no means a regular thing; it was more experimental than anything. I wasn’t sure how I felt about it, and I didn’t want to make Carmine’s parents uncomfortable either. Yet, here I was, on a Tuesday night covered in cake flour from work, beaming with pride that this old man wanted me to call him Dad.

From then on, our morning rides were different. Almost magical. After all these years with unanswered questions, God gave me the father I always needed and I didn’t waste one second taking advantage of it. I must have asked him so many questions that he wanted to duct tape my mouth shut but he didn’t. He didn’t even ask why I inquired about his childhood dreams and plans, he just answered me.

Fast forward to last Thursday evening. It was muggy and hot, but the sky was absolutely breathtaking, so I cracked my window anyways. As the sun touched down on the earth and the wind tangled my hair, I found comfort knowing that this was my father-daughter-movie-moment. This was the day I waited my whole life for, and I was ready for it.

“Dad?” I spoke half confidently half nervously. “What is the one piece of information that you need to pass on (to me) in this life? What is the key to success?”
I looked over to the driver side and Pops was thinking. I mean, he was really thinking. I know when he is searching for just the right thing to say because he takes his time, and he puckers his mouth on his chewing tobacco like it helps him focus. He kept his eyes locked on the road even as I pressed him with my yearning stare, and he said to me “always be honest with yourself.”

I don’t think there is an emotion to describe this milestone in my life. It is a moment that my old man will likely forget, but I will cherish it forever. This, the day that I unlocked the secret to life, success, and happiness, will live forever in my heart and mind. Thank you for being my father, and loving me like your own Old Man. God was keeping you for me all of this time.

Having a Dad means knowing that one day, this person will live on through you. To be able to take this one answer from him, the most important thing he will ever pass on to me, was worth waiting more than a thousand years for. There is something about the safety of a father that makes you feel like they hold the answers to every question in the universe. And suddenly, once I asked this one, crucial question, the other ones didn’t matter so much anymore. I worry less, and I live more. Dad gave me freedom in this moment that will inhabit my soul until the end of time.

Is God Real & Where is The Proof? Part One: The First Day

Quick background info: Since graduating high school I no longer have weekly writing assignments. I have grown to really love blogging and so in order to continue I am getting all of my topics/questions from my readers, friends and family! I will be posting polls occasionally, and I would love to hear your opinion! If you also have ideas for other segments you would like to see blogged about I would be interested in taking those suggestions as well.
If you are interested in submitting your answers to the poll for this series (it is only one question as of right now), you can access it while it is still live at PollEv.com/lillianhayne780
I hope that anyone coming across this will read what I have to say with an open mind, no matter what you believe in. To ask open-mindedness of you and not exercise it myself would be just wrong, so I welcome all questions and debates gladly. In my opinion (and experience), the best way to make discoveries is by challenging what you’ve come to know and believe. 

Is God real? This is the most simple, difficult question that has ever existed, if you ask me.

Well, not only do I believe that God is real, but I know it for a fact; He is very much alive and at work all around us in the world today. I know that God is real because He sent His Son, Jesus Christ to earth to live and die on the Cross for you and I. The life of Jesus and everything that He did for us is recorded within the Holy Bible. I know that the recounted events in the Bible are accurate because the book as a whole has been scientifically, mathematically and historically proven to be accurate time and time again.

I know that a common misconception about Christians is that we all believe science is foolish and/or that we ignore facts. Well friends, I am here to tell you exactly the opposite. In fact, science constantly supports the Word of God! One of the greatest (and most easily observed) examples of this can be found in the creation of the very earth you’re standing on!

Think back to everything you ever learned about the Big Bang. If you’re unfamiliar, this is the theory that out of nothing, a hot and dense area (referred to as the singularity) was materialized. Within a fraction of a fraction of a second, at this focal point the ‘Big Bang’ occurred and the universe was born. (What?!) The entire universe, born from nothing in “less than a hundredth of a billionth of a trillionth of a trillionth of a second” (Chow). Scientists don’t know quite much more than this about the very beginning of our universe. They cannot say or prove how the singularity came to be, or what caused it to start the Big Bang.

So, in short, scientists have no solid claims or evidence as to how the universe really began in the first place. Knowing that humans cannot create life from non-life as a divine and Holy God could (and did), it is safe to assume that we are not God. We are not the creators of this universe, and it is impossible to evolve (even spiritually) to this degree of power and authority. Obtaining this very information has caused many scientists have come out and say that the creation of the universe physically could only have been caused/completed by a “divine being,” or “God” (Wolper).

This is the truth that I have come to know and believe: Jesus Christ, Yeshua HaMashiach is the very God that these scientists have come to speak undeniably of. I know that the Bible truly is the inspired Word of God because it is only solidified, strengthened and proven true when matched up with scientific/historical facts. In Genesis, the very first chapter of the (KJV) Bible, we read how God describes the first day of creation:

(1) In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth.
(2) And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
(3) And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
(4) And God saw the light, that it was good:and God divided the light from the darkness.
(5) And God called the light Day and the darkness He called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

We already know that God created the heavens and the earth because unbiased scientific fact has proven that there are no other possible alternatives to a divine being. So as for Genesis 1:1, science and the Bible agree. We also know that before the creation of the universe, (with the exception of God) nothing existed; there was simply empty space and void. So, according to Genesis 1:2, current scientific theory also coincides with biblical worldview perfectly.

Years worth of the intensive research has also proven that during the Big Bang, tremendous amounts of light were created by tiny electrons glowing all at once. (Think  of a symphony; one instrument wouldn’t be much to hear, but a whole universe of instruments could certainly put on a show!) Not to mention the fact that the earth and the sun were created around the same time as one another. The Big Bang timeline obeys the exact recorded biblical command of God in Genesis flawlessly; He said Let there be light, and most certainly there was (Wolper)!

After exploring the first day of creation, we can surely conclude that science has supported every single biblical claim presented to the tee. Thus far, it is undeniable that the bible is in fact scientifically and factually sound. I believe it is also important to restate that the Big Bang theory does not disprove God, rather it exhibits the results of one of the Creator’s greatest commands of all time.

Science is a tool for humanity, especially the Christian community. In my opinion, we should embrace and study it; otherwise it is liable to become misunderstood, and used as a weapon against us. A Christian with true faith knows that our God is scientific, and a meticulous planner. No number of mathematics formulas or soil testing can disprove his divine knowledge or creation because everything that is, is from Him. All patterns, formulas and anomalies point to God because they were made by God, and I challenge anyone who believes otherwise to attempt scientifically disproving the presence/existence of God. I know that I can prove what I believe, can you?

Seeking truth is what led me to faith, but faith is what finally taught me truth.
I can only hope and pray that something so beautiful and powerful will happen to you too.

PLEASE KEEP IN MIND: physical and visible/measurable facts are not the only way to prove the existence of God. Personal experience/testimony of Jesus Christ, God (Yahweh), and the Holy Spirit are some of the strongest and most influential pieces of evidence that someone can share. Although I have chosen to focus on the raw and factual basics for now, I will absolutely share my testimonies and experiences of the spiritual realm at some point in the near future. I do want to encourage everyone reading this to take the time to consider the possibility that God created the universe, the earth and you! If you ask God for the truth with your whole heart and you’re seeking Him in faith, God will reveal Himself unto you. Maybe He is speaking to you now, and maybe He has been speaking to you for a long time. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by finding the truth for yourself!

Embrace truth, love, light, and life always! May God Bless You!

Related Verses/Verses to Consider:

Matthew 7:7-8 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 

James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and He will draw night to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Please feel free to ask any personal or spiritual questions (about God or otherwise) that you think of upon reading this. All other questions are welcome too and I will do my best to answer them! As always, I love feedback of all types so tell me what you think! Anyone looking for one-on-one discussion can reach me by email at LillianHC816@gmail.com.

 

 

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Chow, Denise. “The Universe: Big Bang to Now in 10 Easy Steps.”Space.com. Space.com, 18 Oct. 2011. Web. 23 May 2016. <http://www.space.com/13320-big-bang-universe-10-steps-explainer.html&gt;.

Wolper, David L. “Genesis And Science: More Aligned Than You Think?”The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 25 May 2011. Web. 23 May 2016. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-l-wolper/genesis-and-science_b_500201.html&gt;.

(L115) Why Should I Choose The Ron Paul Curriculum?

NOTE: If you are looking for an accurate and honest recount of what the RPC is like, please see my article/essay The Truth About Gary North & The Ron Paul Curriculum

1.) The ability to incorporate lessons/courses that are important to you or your child (which are not already included in the curriculum), and the ability to learn (or teach) through experience.
This is not to say that the RPC is lacking courses in any sense, however should you have a child interested in studying something specific, then you have the ability to meet their educational cravings. This means going into the real world and allowing your child to do exactly what it is they are learning about. If you pair this hands-on-learning with a years worth the essays, projects, research, etc. it could end up counting as a high school credit.
This ability to personalize your own (or your child’s) education is something that cannot be found anywhere but in a homeschool environment. Thanks to the RPC specifically, I was able to create my own entrepreneurship course with all of the information of I acquired about starting a business in my junior year. I designed the entire course myself, and with supervision from my guardian I set my own goals and regulations as well. I created my own business; this meant I had to create a written business plan, make a custom logo, advertise on a budget, manage a schedule, be in charge of tracking and allocating my own expenses and profits, serve my clientele, and so much more. It actually became a good source of income for the time I was running it, and I ended up expanding my services after a few months. (Had I not moved across the country, I would still be in business today.) Not only did this custom course offer me real life experience, but it gave me an understanding of entrepreneurship which has helped put me on a path to be a successful adult.

2. The ability to learn (or teach) at your own pace!
We all learn at different speeds and in different manors. Some people like to do one course each day of each class. Others (like me) like to focus on one course per week. The Ron Paul Curriculum offers the ability to learn and teach at your own speed for the entirety of your K-12 duration because the parents are 100% in charge of the deadlines! No rushing, no lost sleep, no stress; for you or your children! Sick child? Family emergency? No worries! School can wait until tomorrow – there will be no catching up to do, and no negative repercussions. You as the parent are in control; what better way is there to make sure you are satisfied with their progress and growth?

3.) A like-minded community of families and children, all at your fingertips.
The peer-run feedback boards of the Ron Paul Curriculum offer a broad range of constructive criticism, as opposed to getting one opinion from a single teacher. This allows your child to expand their own understandings of what they believe and why. It will also build your child’s conversational and debate skills, all the while connecting them with kids like themselves all around the world.
It didn’t take long for me to build both academic and personal relationships with other homeschoolers through our blogs. I learned how to put my knowledge into conversational practice, simply by offering and receiving feedback from other students.

4.) Flexibility
Every family dynamic is different, as is each individual child. No matter the work hours, travel abilities, and physical limitations of you or your child, the RPC can fit your needs. All you need to get class done is internet and a computer. In today’s day and age, these things can even be accessed for free at a library if need be.
During family emergencies, I have still been able to reach my own personal deadlines and goals because I do not need to be home to do school. I can be on the train, a plane, or even at the hospital completing certain tasks.

5.) Christian, and liberty-based: all in one!
Not only will your child get an honest and true education, but they will also get a morally sound education. I think that this piece really does speak for itself considering how hard it is to get top-notch educators living by the freedom philosophy.
The first year I was a member of the RPC, I was not religious. I was not offended, or crushed with Christian standpoints. I was simply educated enough to understand the morality of Christianity. By my second year in the RPC, I had been born again. I did find my new understanding of God to be quite helpful and enriching when it came to some of the things I was hearing, however this is not only a curriculum for Christian families by any means. The RPC suited my needs when I was both a Christian, and an atheist; it also gave me my first real life lessons about freedom, and liberty. I don’t know what more I could have asked for.

 

(L60) The Ultimate (PorcFest) Proposal

This is my eighth speech for the public speaking course of the Ron Paul Curriculum. This week I was tasked with telling a story that included props, or visual aids. I had planned on including photos as well, but my printer was on the fritz so I stuck with the dress and the ring! 🙂 Let me know what you guys think. Like, share and as always, comment away!

(L100) Income Redistribution

“Would it be moral to grade exams, so that all students get C’s? If not, is it moral for the state to redistribute incomes?”

It would be nothing less than immoral for a teacher to assign grades in accordance with equality, rather than true individual scores. The reason that giving every student a C (for example) would be wrong, is that every student did not earn a C. Some students earned a much higher grade, and are being punished (receiving negative sanctions) because of those who did not score as high as they did. Others however scored lower than a C, and are being rewarded (receiving positive sanctions) for doing worse than the other students. While obviously far from fair, this system cannot even be chalked up to being remotely positive as it rewards the underachievers and punishes the successors.

The only way to fairly award grades to students would be to grant them the exact grade that they earned. Each student, regardless of each others score’s, would have to reap the rewards or consequences of the grade that the results of their test’s warranted. (Now, yes, I do recognize the flaws in standardized testing, and I understand that many students fail not due to effort exerted, but because of the fact that they are being forced to learn in a way that they do not understand. In this example however, I am referring to an imaginary class of students, all of equal learning ability who have either scored higher or lower based upon the effort they put into studying and learning the test material. In short, this would mean that it would take every student the same amount of time to learn the same amount of information; thus, every student gets the grade that they worked for and can all be graded using the same scale.)

In both the academic and career worlds, people (should) get what they work for. I personally work my little butt off to earn an income that can support my needs, and to be stolen from is heartbreaking. Now, when I speak of being robbed, I am not talking about a masked purse-snatcher assaulting me on the street. No. I am speaking directly about your friendly neighborhood politician; I am talking about his superior, and the man in charge of him too. Every single hard working American is robbed at gunpoint on a daily basis, but does it hurt you the way the plain-sight bandit does? Would you cry the same, or file a report with the police the very same? Do you even notice?

More often than not, these questions are answered with a simple no. Sometimes however, these practices are even encouraged with phrases resembling, “I am just doing my part” or “it’s for the greater good”. So what exactly is the greater good and who is the authority on such? In my opinion, the greater good is to “love thy neighbor” and the overall authority is God. What I do know however is that funding the lives of lazy, alcoholic, drug using, and/or jobless adults and their offspring with stolen money is not the greater good. Welfare programs not only theoretically encourage mooching and joblessness, but have been proven to increase poverty levels throughout the United States. It also has been shown to destroy marriages, reduce the likelihood of a welfare child having a successful future, and increase mental health and home abuse issues.

Why should somebody be granted what another person earned at the threat of force and violence? Would God believe that this is the greater good? Did God say that “thou shalt not steal, except by majority vote”? Absolutely not. God said to help those around you, he said to be generous and love every man. I believe that there are people out there that do truly need help, but I do not believe that coercion and theft are the ways to help them! Allow people to keep that which is theirs; their income in full. Encourage one another to share, trade and lend a helping hand. Charity has changed hundreds of thousands of lives already, and I don’t believe that the power in giving is lost. We can make a difference, even as one person. We can reduce poverty, mental illness and spousal/child abuse. We can build communities that revolve around charitable action and helping rehabilitate people; but first, we must stand up against being forced to enable these things with our own weekly paychecks.

Theft is immoral whether you wear a business suit or a hoodie. It hurts the lives of people on both the receiving and the losing ends.

(L95) In 20 Years I Will…

“The lifestyle I want 20 years from now”

In 20 years time (if we all survive on earth that much longer), I will be 37 years old. By this time, I will hope to have accomplished the majority of my goals (and maybe some dreams too)!

First and foremost, I would love to have a big family! This would mean as many kids as Carmine and I could comfortably afford, (no grandkids yet, but hopefully they wouldn’t be too far off in the distance). They will be raised in the outdoors, making forts and mud pies rather than downloading apps and begging for the latest trending toy. They will all be homeschooled, and our children will learn through true experience like we all should have!

To go along with our large and well functioning household, it would be a dream to carry out everyday life self-sustainably. (I’ve always lived on a farm in my heart!) We would have goats for milk and cheese (it is much healthier for humans than cow milk and/or cheese). Horses for riding and plowing fields. (Not only are they good work animals, but they are extremely therapeutic; knowing how to ride, care for and work with horses are fantastic skills to have.) I certainly wouldn’t complain if I was allowed to have a donkey or mule either! Chickens (and roosters) would certainly be a must; I’ve had them before and not only are they great for waking you up before your alarms do, but the eggs are delicious. There is a difference between meat chickens and egg chickens contrary to common knowledge, and it would be possible we could have meat chickens to sell to others. I just don’t think I would be able to eat an animal I raised, and I am not huge on meat anyways.

Last but not least, I hope that Carmine and I may have both achieved our career goals and fulfilled our callings. This would mean, most importantly, that we will have our own liberty based church. Carmines indisputable calling from God is to be a preacher, and I couldn’t be more proud of his persistent studies and growing relationship with The Lord. We have both grown so close to our Creator since we were born again in May of 2015 and I can’t even imagine the things that could happen within the next 20 years! As I am still unsure of my calling, I do know that it is either to bake, or to work with animals. I have always had a special relationship with animals, mostly dogs, and God has used them to touch and greatly affect my life since I was born. On the other hand however, I feel that I am being drawn to bake, and decorate. I am not quite sure of the significance of this yet, and only time will tell. I sure hope that 20 years is enough to find out! It would be beyond my wildest dreams to have a dog rescue animal rescue in general); a farm would make fantastic space for a dog sanctuary as well.

The one thing that I am sure of is that God will grant Carmine and I exactly what we need in this life, and that is all that I could ever ask for. Only time will tell quite what that means!

The Source (L65)

Is the state the source of human rights?

The state is not the source of human rights, I believe, because I am a sovereign human being. For the state to be the source of my rights, would also mean that they could deprive me of those very rights. This is not the case. Some people believe that God is the source of our human rights; other people believe that the source of their rights is, well, themselves. It is also widely accepted that the constitution is the source of these rights. Personally, I believe that God made me a sovereign being, and has granted my rights and liberty here on earth. It is up to me however to defend those rights against the state, and any other false source claiming authority over me.

Covenant Sanctions: The King James Bible (L50)

The idea of covenant sanctions is crucial to understanding the key messages of the King James Bible. There are both the positive and negative sanctions of man, and god. Man is to practice what he preaches, and what Jesus preaches. Upon either doing or not doing so, man undergoes the wrath or grace of god, as well as the wrath or grace of himself. Every decision has consequences, both of god and man. It is not enough to live inwardly holy, it must be put out into the world around man as well; should a man continue on the path of righteousness throughout his life, he should prosper after perseverance. The King James Bible is a call for righteousness and subordination, and however man decides to respond, he shall in turn be responded to as well.

Luther & Calvin Writing Assignment (L10)

Explain Luther’s main points in the selection you read from On the Freedom of a Christian.

Luther makes many points in his work On the Freedom of a Christian, but, of all his ideas, one of his strongest was that of which he makes clear the process by which an unrighteous man becomes a righteous man, and this was, he said, by justification. Luther went on to say that this justification could be carried out by faith alone; that good works had no meaning in the great order of things. He was a firm believer that human beings were a truly corrupt people, and so he taught that good works should be done purely out of one’s love for God, rather than to get one into heaven. His lack of faith in the human race was reflected in his works on multiple occasions, where he shamelessly wrote of all men’s inability to avoid sin. “For example: ‘thou shalt not covet,’ is a precept by which we are all convicted of sin; since no man can help coveting, whatever efforts to the contrary he may make. In order therefore that he may fulfil the precept, and not covet, he is [109] constrained to despair of himself and to seek elsewhere and through another the help which he cannot find in himself; as it is said: ‘O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help.’ (Hosea xiii. 9.) Now what is done by this one precept, is done by all; for all are equally impossible of fulfilment by us.” He also later wrote that “Christ is full of grace, life, and salvation; the soul is full of sin, death, and condemnation.” Luther makes it a point to be clear that he believes the “the whole Scripture of God is divided into two parts, precepts and promises. The precepts certainly teach us what is good, but what they teach is not forthwith done. For they show us what we ought to do, but do not give us the power to do it.” Overall, I find Luther’s main points from this excerpt to be somewhat morbid in the sense that he believes those who have not found salvation of God are condemned to a life, and afterlife of sin and misery. One who is not devoted to a life of religious faith is not living much of a life at all because he will continue on to spend eternity in hell.

Explain Calvin’s main points in the selection you read from the Institutes of the Christian Religion. How does Calvin answer those who say predestination makes God into a being who dispenses justice unequally?

In the given selection of Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion, each of his major points involves justifying and defending God’s “gratuitous elections” of predestination. Starting in Book Three, Chapter 21, Calvin’s opening statement is that “The covenant of life is not preached equally to all, and among those to whom it is preached, does not always meet with the same reception.” More simply stated, Calvin is declaring that the conditional promises made to humanity by God are not equal to each being, and that although he is not an unjust God, not all is made fair for each man by Gods will. He goes on to say that “by predestination we mean the eternal decree of God, by which he determined with himself whatever he wished to happen with regard to every man. All are not created on equal terms, but some are preordained to eternal life, others to eternal damnation; and, accordingly, as each has been created for one or other of these ends, we say that he has been predestinated to life or to death.” Here, Calvin is saying, in a quite blunt fashion, that God does as he wills – not with no reason, but none such reasons are explained other than that he decides with himself. Meaning in a greater picture of life, it does not matter the good deeds one has carried out, or the bad deeds one has done, because in the end God has already decided what’s going to happen to you when you die. Towards the end of this selection, in Chapter 23, Calvin offers quite the response to those who say predestination makes God into a being who dispenses justice unequally ; “Wherefore, it is false and most wicked to charge God with dispensing justice unequally, because in this predestination he does not observe the same course towards all.” Calvin states, quite correctly in fact, that it would be even more unjust, and actually unequal if God were to decide the same fate for every man. If the good and the bad are all passed onto heaven, what fairness is in that? Likewise it would be quite unequal to sentence the good and the bad to a life of eternal damnation. However, here Calvin is simply distracting people with other hypothetical inequalities of God’s rule, and he fails to prove why predestination is still a fair and equal way. Just because God is sending different people different places, doesn’t exactly mean he is sending them to the right places. Going into specifics, Calvin says “we admit that the guilt is common, but we say, that God in mercy succors some. Let him (they say) succor all. We object, that it is right for him to show by punishing that he is a just judge. When they cannot tolerate this, what else are they attempting than to deprive God of the power of showing mercy; or, at least, to allow it to him only on the condition of altogether renouncing judgment?” In mercy, God can help man. But then, ‘they’ respond, why not help all? Calvin’s argument to this is that God shows he is a ‘just’ and fair judge by punishing, rather than taking pity on all. He then attacks the people questioning this logic of predestination by stating that they’re attempting to deprive God of the power of showing mercy, because they say unless he has mercy on all, let him have mercy on none. In reality, this is not what the people are saying, but accusing one of questioning Gods judgments is a quick way to shut them up in this setting.