CREATIONS
BY
KAREN

IN GOD WE TRUST

The other day I heard someone protesting that “they” were trying to have IN GOD WE TRUST eliminated from U.S. coins and bills. Now, I am not quite sure who “they” is, as this “they” seems to get blamed for a lot of things in this world. E.g., they told me to do it; or, they said it was okay; or they were all doing it too, etc. Anyway, I pulled my wallet from my purse and retrieved a few coins and a few bills, and sure enough there it was, on all the money, in capital letters, IN GOD WE TRUST. Yes, I have seen it before, but to tell you the truth, it has never really had an enormous impact on me. God Himself, not the words, is where I place my trust.

Sure, our forefathers based this country on the foundation of the Christian faith, and I feel that the pledge of allegiance should continue to contain the words, “One Nation, Under God.” I was greatly moved when congressional figures of both political parties stood on the steps of the United States Capitol Building on the evening of 9/11 and sang “God Bless America.” And I think it is fantastic that NASCAR engines don’t rev up before a race until after the invocation, and no one has ever questioned it.

However, melting pot that it is, the United States now has many faiths, and therefore, not all those living here have the same religious beliefs. While I, personally, and strongly, believe that Christianity is the one True Faith, I don’t feel it is right to cram this down the throats of those who do not agree. Far too many people are so caught up in the cause that they forget to walk the talk, so to speak.

To name a few, there are organizations fighting to allow the nativity on government property, and those trying to prevent the Christmas Tree from being renamed the Holiday Tree. Seriously? An actual organization? Do you honestly think that when you visit the tree lot at Christmas you will risk being arrested for referring to your purchase as a Christmas Tree? And likewise, I am sure there are groups out there that have been formed to prevent the elimination of IN GOD WE TRUST on our U.S. Currency.

This is all well and good, but these so called committees may well be what are giving we Christians a bad rap! The sad truth is that the Nativity isn't allowed on the government lawns anymore. Instead of ranting and raving about it, perhaps we could bond with our fellow Christian neighbors and put the Creche on our own lawns. (I am sure we could find a place somewhere between our enormous inflated snow globe and Frosty the Snowman.) Picture thousands of nativity displays across your hometown. The lack of a Nativity in front of the Courthouse would certainly be a lot less evident. neighbors and put the CreThe

Should we write dozens of "Letters to the Editor" and fwd. emails to complain about the lack of prayer in school? (See Mary Had A Little Lamb) But is it really a teacher’s duty to teach a student to pray? I feel that one of the many obligations we have, as Christian parents, to teach our children prayer at home. Perhaps, as parents or grandparents, we could pause for a mere 60 seconds before sending our children out the door to ask God to bless their day, and ask His angels to watch over them. Additionally, we could pray for other families as well. Let us focus on bringing God back into families.

Where am I going with this? Instead of using our energies protesting that ‘this and that is wrong’ and ’this shouldn’t be so’, we should instead be acting more like Christians. For example:

Smile, say hello and be kind to a stranger on the street ~ especially one who seems unpleasant. Who knows? They may have just gotten some distressing news from their doctor, lost a loved one, or been terminated from their job.*

Be kind to the checkout person at the grocery or retail store, or a waitress/waiter at the restaurant.The customer before you may have been very rude to them.

Let someone waiting in traffic go ahead of you. It will only mean getting to your destination a few seconds later than before.

Do a favor for someone without expecting something in return and don't make them feel like they owe you anything.

Do “random” acts of kindness, E.g., If someone drops something, pick it up for them; when you are headed to the coffee pot at work ask your co-worker if he/she would like a cup as well. Offer to take someone's shopping cart to the corral. You are going there anyway.I call this ROCK. Random acts Of Christian Kindness

Pick up a piece of litter and throw it into the nearest trash receptacle. Don't have the attitude , I didn't drop it, I'm not picking it up!

Shovel the walk ,mow the lawn or rake the leaves for an elderly neighbor.

Watch your tongue and think before you speak. (That’s a hard one!!)

Write a letter to someone serving overseas.

Do something (not just offer) for someone who has lost a loved one. I know of someone who routinely washes the cars of grieving family members just before a funeral. They don’t just offer, they simply show up and say something like, “I want to help you out during this difficult time. Please allow me to wash your cars.” No one has ever refused. And many have said that it was the nicest gesture anyone made during their time of grief!

Above all else, ACT like a Christian, and SHOW the love of God.

*Hebrews 13:2 says, Remember to welcome strangers because some who have done this have welcomed angels without knowing it.

Think about it. People are more apt to be drawn to our faith if we Christians actually look and act like we are happy; not if we look and act like we are raving lunatics screaming “Keep prayer in schools!” “Keep ‘In God We Trust’ on the quarter!” “It’s a Christmas Tree!”

In closing, we all know the saying, actions speak louder than words. If we have to wear a shirt or carry a sign proclaiming that we are Christians, then our actions must not be convincing enough. Consider this: If you were arrested today for being a Christian, would your actions be enough evidence to convict you?