What I believe



I believe in God, my Father, my Almighty, the Ancient of Days. I believe in Genesis 1:1. I believe that everything is possible with Him through Him. I believe He has marked me as His. I believe that all my sins melted off with the grace of forgiveness when I was baptized as an adult. I believe my life began anew that day as the sins of my past were washed away.

I believe in Jesus Christ the only son of the Father. I believe Jesus left the majesty and glory of Heaven to suffer the indignity of humanness. I believe Jesus suffered for my sins and through his death I am forgiven. I believe that Jesus conquered death and evil by rising from the dead. I believe the Shroud of Turin is real.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, my guide, God who dwells within me, who gives me strength and now leads and teaches me.

I believe in forgiveness of sins, that all life is precious regardless of quality, intellect, age or wholeness. I believe that everyone and everything has a divine purpose, I believe in the sanctity of life at any age. I believe that God condemns those who take advantage of the poor. I believe that I cannot divorce my religion from my relationships. I believe true religion should result in righteous acts. I believe that God requires not only personal righteousness but also social responsibility. I believe in anonymous acts.

I believe that the Bible is true and God breathed, II Timothy 3:16. I believe that God will come again to judge all mankind. I believe in salvation, forgiveness of sins and life ever lasting.

Monday, February 21, 2011

I'm Doing the Best that I can

His mom is 91, suffering from chronic COPD. She calls her lungs greedy, they steal from the rest of her tiny body. She weighs in twice a day, monitoring her body's needs as she monitors the barometric pressure. The higher the pressure the harder she struggles to breathe. She holds her oxygen tubing in her capable hands making it seem more like an exotic string of pearls than her life line. She holds it, twists it and I think of Loretta Young.

She battles bladder cancer and has astonished the docs with her outlook and perspective. She tells them in her quiet southern voice that chemotherapy is not the best option for her but she thanks them just the same. They don't get it or her . . . really . . .if they were honest. They always ask her how she is doing and she always answers "I'm doing the best I can" and for her that's enough.

Would that ever be enough for me? Could I ever be that gracious?

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