Did You Know There Is Nothing New Under The Sun?

It is quite true! There is nothing new under the sun according to the Word of God.

“What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; There is nothing new under the sun! Is there anything of which one can say, “Look! This is something new? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time.” Ecclesiastes 1.

Solomon is recorded as a brilliant man of great spiritual wisdom who became King of Israel. He also built the first grandest majestic Temple that was ever constructed to worship the Lord in. It was built in Jerusalem upon Mt. Moriah using the finest quality furnishings and materials.

Solomon had everything that anyone could ever want or ever imagine and more! He denied himself nothing and indulged himself in a host of pleasures. He had wealth, riches, honor, prestige, power, affluent status as well as God’s favor. He is recorded in the Word to be the richest man that ever lived; or will live! What more could one possibly ask for? Yet he discovered that it was all meaningless especially when you are not right with God

It is in the latter days of his life when he recorded the practical wisdom that we find in Ecclesiastes! One might find it a bit disconcerting, pessimistic and or negative because it exudes such an abrasive uncompromising Truth! Solomon wants to get our attention as he shouts to us vociferously that life without God is futile! In actuality he is not trying to discourage us but to get us back on track! To point us to the straight and Narrow Path that leads to the Lord! He ardently and passionately encourages us to first seek happiness in the Lord rather than people, places or things!

Disillusionment, despair, disappointment and chaos are the foreboding ominous consequences when we place anything above God! Seeking God first will result with an invaluable, priceless, abiding tranquil inner peace that is only found in Him!

Whatever is going on about us is in this world is temporal. It will only last for but a few moments in the summation totality of time! Life in actuality is quite diminutively short on this side of heaven. What is of the utmost importance is where each of us will spend eternity! Time is of the essence, Solomon warns us to commit to our Creator now rather than later!

Quintessentially there is nothing more important than time! The Scriptures record what has been and what will be! Everything that is happening now has happened before and will happen again… History continually repeats itself! At some point life as we know it will all come to an end. It is at that time we all will have to stand before God the Father our Creator.

We are living in some interesting times. Unexpected tragedy laden climatic weather conditions are prevalent throughout the world. There is a profuse abundance of heinous crimes being committed daily. Throughout the world as well as foreign and domestic terrorism steadily is on the rise. Diseases, sickness and famines of all sorts abound worldwide! Morality pushed aside and relationships of all sorts begin to emerge. Marriage between a man and a woman is no longer considered sacred by many. Marriage now has alternative options… We have been here before!

Notice how there is an undisclosed movement towards trying to establish a new normal! There is an unstated subtle attempt to desensitize us towards extinguishing traditional morality. One must only flip a switch and tune in to the television or their hand held hi-tech gadget of choice momentarily to see what’s happening!

All throughout the Word of God we can see how devastated the people as well as the land became due to immorality and disobedience. A proliferation of food shortages and famines began to abound! A once productive and fruitful land region abruptly interrupted by drought resulting in scarcity, starvation and barrenness! Life becomes futile and desolate when we ignore God’s principles time after time. Lord help us!

God has always had a solution for past, present and future problems. WE can always have hope in the Lord! Each day is a precious gift from the Lord! Absolutely NO one but GOD can make a day! There is no greater power, principality or authority, nor will there ever be. God is infinitely Supreme! He is Omniscient, Omnipotent & Omnipresent! He is King of kings and Lord of lords! The world gives us many options that lead us away from the Lord’s principles.

There is a plethora of philosophies, beliefs, religions and endless opinions and varied lifestyles… We can learn much from God’s Word. Solomon is a prime example. He provides us with a wealth of wise sage antidotes for life and living in Ecclesiastes.

We are to enjoy life but not ignore, disrespect or disregard the Lord. He is the Giver and Sustainer of life. Life will spring forth a varied abundance of ups and downs. Things come and go! Seasons change… It is how we respond and relate to whomever or whatever we encounter in life that matters most! It is what determines our character… God has created each of us for a purpose! Life is about discovering that purpose.

Human effort apart from God is futile! Without the breath from God’s Spirit we are nothing more than mere decaying dust living in vain. We should reverently respect God and honor His principles for life and living! He is the Potter and we are the clay, with Him we can do or conquer the impossible. Pray for spiritual discernment! Take time out to spend some time with the Lord each day! We all benefit when we seek God above all else! Now is the time to do just that!

In this 21st century there is still nothing new! If you are searching for some answers camp in Ecclesiastes for a while! Here you will find some stern wise warnings! Wisdom often goes unheeded. In Ecclesiastes we can learn about life!

Absolutely nothing is hidden from the Lord anywhere in this entire universe! Let us commence to welcome and receive the precious gift of spiritual wisdom from the Lord! The wisdom from above is pure and yields peace. It is precious and incalculable. “The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded than the shouts of a ruler of fools. Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good.” Ecclesiastes 9. Open our spiritual eyes Lord!

“The conclusion of the matter!”

“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter; fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, included the hidden thing, whether it is GOOD or evil.” Ecclesiastes 12.

SEXtexting And TEENS

 Keeping The Lines of Communication Open

SEXtexting & TEENS   

Do you have TEENS?

Living in this audacious, adventurous 21st century with all its technological advances has its advantages. You can keep the lines of communication open or stay in constant contact with anyone at anytime, just about anywhere in the world. You can call, talk, track or text message when you have the right, GPS system, computer, cell phone, I pod, television, blue tooth ear piece,  Nintendo DSI, mobile devices or some other…

How often do you get a text?

On the other hand it is hard for some to just “be” in the moment, because they are always texting and calling someone else while in your presence. Their attention is divided between you and somewhere or some else? The quality of time spent is usually minimized. They have a hard time just being in the moment or giving their undivided attention to what’s going on “right now”.  Having the capability to be accessible is great.  But I believe it is really getting out of hand. Perhaps there should be some “rules of etiquette ” honored and accountability exercised when alone or while in public or in the presence of others? And what about the teens?

Reina Hardesty is a 13 year young teen, from Southern California, who is an amazing, creative, prolific texter. How she ever managed to get anything else done?  She actually sent approximately 500 texts daily that totaled 14,528 text in one month. It is a good thing that her father had unlimited texting plan. Otherwise, at 20 cents per text his bill would have been somewhere around a whopping $2,905 !!!   After this her parents  set some boundaries “no texting after dinner”.

I wonder what this does as far as their  overall health is concerned?  How much healthy sleep can one get? How much time for homework or anything else for that matter? Is texting addicting? At what point is it considered so…

 Wait there’s more!  Emilee Cox, another witty, vivacious, energetic, teen texter who is 14 years young, has smashed Reina’s record. At 74 text per each hour she was awake, she texted over 35,000 text in one month.   She also manages to get good grades. 

Miley Cyrus who is a popular teen idol, favorite hobby is going shopping. She really likes Chinese Food and watching “High School Musical with her sisters. But apparently the famous Miiley Cyrus  and her  older boyfriend were caught texting during Church service.  They thought they were being discreet  “They were not only busted but…”

It is important that we keep the lines of communication open with our teenagers. Peer pressure is real. There is always something lurking to pull them off track. For emergencies it is fantastic! We should be concerned. They need guidance. The ability to stay in contact is a plus. But here too we also need some “rules of etiquette. ” These 21st century teens have taken texting to a whole new level.

Here are a few more stats,

*Texting of this nature is nothing new. According to a 2008 Nielsen study, teenagers between the ages of 13 to 17 “ to an average of 1,742 texts a month.

Sextexting is also becoming a growing trend among teens.  Sextexting is when revealing photos or messages are sent across a cell phone. It is actuallly flirting with danger. You do not always know how large or who your audience really is. Teens that are caught could possibly be prosecuted as sex offenders. Unknowingly they send pictures or messages with improper content that once they have been published they cannot be retrieved. it is just not a good idea to get so personal anyway. On many occasions they have sent messages to a friend, who sent it to a friend and that friend sent it to … Right now this is even being pursued by some prosecutors to possibly be considered as “child pornography”. So it is important to have a serious chat with them about being careful in this area. Nothing more than “G” rated texting allowed!

Oprah Winfrey recently dedicated a whole television show to the perils of America’s newest “OBSESSION” = texting while driving! Did you know that when you text or use a cell phone while driving you significantly increase the chances of having an accident? It is the equivalent of having 4 drinks while driving! You are driving with a decreased attention span. It is called “Distracted Driving! “ You are not only putting your life in jeopardy but the lives of many others as well! The show is inclusive of many who have experienced the consequences of someone using a cell phone while driving. The statistics of the many casualties are mesmerizing and alarming!

Ms Winfrey asks that everyone designate their car as a ‘”NO PHONE ZONE!” She goes so far to have a campaign asking you to sign a contract agreeing to do so. The contract is available on her website! During the show one mother is interviewed. Her story; As she approaches her home after a Dr.’s appointment she sees a little girl lying in the streets surrounded by a crowd! She sees a mangled bike… Much to her dismay the distraught mother realizes it is her little girl and the emergency crew are attempting to pull her clothes off ……. The little girl was “15 PEDALS “ FROM HER FRONT DOOR! The driver was on her cell phone! After intensive care in the hospital two days later her beautiful little girl dies…

This is one of many. This show is a must see!!

Texting while driving is also hazardous. No sneaking a text in because no one’s watching. Watch the road! Another big, No! No! We need to be in contact but we also need to give them guidelines. I think that a simple contract might possibly be a viable solution. If they are old enough to have a cell phone they should be responsible enough to make a contract that is reviewed often and renegotiated when or if necessary. Hmmmm possibly limiting their calling by giving them a restricted calling plan? Knowing that you are going to randomly review their messages, Hmmm…This really is to let them know that you care enough to take the time to show that you are concerned and they matter. Of course they won’t see it this way…

In this high tech society it may be hard. But, keeping the lines of communication open is important! Let them know you are there for them and they matter!   Give them kudos whenever the opportunity arises. It is crucial and beneficial to make sure that you take the time to spend quality time with them without a television, computer, cell phone, I pod, CD player, blue tooth ear piece or some other distraction… Just maybe they won’t feel the need to take up sextexting?

The “No Phone Zone”

Living in this audacious, adventurous 21st century with all its technological advances has its advantages. You can keep the lines of communication open or stay in constant contact with anyone at anytime, just about anywhere in the world. You can call, talk, track or text message when you have the right GPS system, computer, cell phone, Ipod, tv, blue tooth ear piece, Nintendo DSI, mobile devices or some other…

On the other hand it is hard for some to just “be” in the moment, because they are always texting and calling someone else while in your presence. Their attention is divided between you and somewhere or someone else? The quality of time spent is usually minimized. They have a hard time just being in the moment or giving their undivided attention to what’s going on “right now”. Having the capability to be accessible is great. But I believe it is really getting out of hand

Oprah Winfrey recently dedicated a whole television show to the perils of America’s newest “OBSESSION” = texting while driving! Did you know that when you text or use a cell phone while driving you significantly increase the chances of having an accident? It is the equivalent of having 4 drinks while driving! You are driving with a decreased attention span. It is called “Distracted Driving! ” You are not only putting your life in jeopardy but the lives of many others as well! The show is inclusive of many who have experienced the consequences of someone using a cell phone while driving. The statistics of the many casualties are mesmerizing and alarming!

Here are 5 things you can do to help you stop using your phone while you are driving, which can save your life as well as the lives of others.

1. Practice how to “be” in the moment, giving your undivided attention to what’s going on “right now”.

2. Have some “rules of etiquette” honored, and accountability exercised when alone,in public, or in the presence of others concerning using your phone to make calls or send text messages. These rules should be practiced while driving as well.

3. Do you have teens? Sextexting is also becoming a growing trend among teens. Keep the lines of communication open with them in other ways. It is crucial and beneficial to make sure that you take the time to spend quality time with them without a television, computer, cell phone, I pod, CD player, blue tooth ear piece or some other distraction… Just maybe you or they won’t feel the need to call or text while driving, and not sextext at all.

4. Designate your car as a ‘”NO PHONE ZONE!” as requested by Oprah Winfrey. Watch the show and Take The Pledge This Can Save Your Life

5. Honor your pledge and make your car a “No Phone Zone” while driving.

FACEBOOK or MYSPACE

Facebook or MySpace

Social Networking “CRAZE”

What do you think about the latest “in-thing” craze with social networking websites like Facebook and MySpace? They are constantly changing the human fabric of the internet. I just recently discovered that there are actually tons of them. There are (2) two that appear to lead the pack. Oh! and let’s not forget about Twitter! Facebook which has over 200,000,000+ active members world wide, then Myspace which has at least 200,000,000+ or even more… It appears Facebook has now overtaken Myspace and is currently the most popular according to Compete.com. There is a difference in their appearance. MySpace allows you to customize and decorate your space and Facebook only allows plain text.

 

Are social network websites places to stay in touch, or get in touch with old friends and make new friends? Or are they a place for networking, name dropping or simply to spread or keep abreast of the latest gossip? Or is it a place where your boss can find out what you really think? Or what about that potential employer after you graduate? Or even better you never really know who is watching you…

 

There are some questions in regards to security. Once information has been posted one must remember its out there in an endless cyberspace. I personally think one should be mindful of any information and photos that are published. Make sure that it or they, are not something that may come back to bite you. That slur about your boss or that picture of… Oh well! You may want to think twice before you post anything that is rated higher than PG. You never know where it will end up…

 

Who would have ever thought back in February 2004 Facebook would have grown to some 200,000,000 million members… I found this quite intriguing. Here is some information I found interesting . Facebook was started after a student Mark Zuckerberg was blogging about a girl and trying to find a way to get her out of his mind…

 

Here is a little background information on Facebook

“Mark Zuckerberg founded Facebook with fellow computer science major students and his roommates Dustin Moskovitz and Chris Hughes while he was a student at Harvard University

Website membership was initially limited to Harvard students, but was expanded to other colleges in the Boston area, the Ivy League, and Stanford University. It later expanded further to include any university student, then high school students, and, finally, to anyone aged 13 and over. The website currently has more than 200 million active users worldwide.

Facebook has met with some controversy over the past few years. It has been blocked intermittently in several countries”

Facebook headquarters are located in Palo Alto at generates revenue in the $300 billion and upwards. MySpace headquarters are located in Beverly Hills CA and solely generates its income from advertising. For these two corporations social networking is big business! Nowadays you just never know!

What social network do you prefer?