What's Important?

     Well, since I've last posted, I've moved several hundred miles away from my home (this was at the beginning of the year) to work a temporary job in my state's beautiful Capitol. I'm part of the House Floor Staff, which means that I'm a non-partisan worker who does... Just about everything and anything from setting up committee rooms with coffee, driving Representatives to the airport, to passing notes during sessions, to giving tours, to cleaning, to filling in in at a desk in a legislator's office like I am right now. I absolutely LOVE my job and am pretty disappointed that we're already halfway through the session. However, there is one thing that I'd been wishing I could do here in the Capitol that I cannot due to my non-partisan status: Influencing legislators and legislation to reflect my values. One of my favorite activities ever is campaigning and discussing issues that concern me. However, the restrictions on me are to the extent that I must consciously maintain facial expressions that do not reflect agreement or disagreement with a representative speaking during House Floor Sessions. And believe me, that can get tough. =D

     I was eating Sunday afternoon lunch with a few friends I've made, including a Senator whom I have come to deeply respect. We were discussing work, and I was asked about how I enjoyed my job and what I'd like to do in the future. I mentioned how I love my job... and how because of my non-partisanship and constant working throughout the building I can get to know people without the barrier of politics between us... but also how I wished I could be in a position where I could have more influence and make more of a difference. Legislator's staffers have more of an influence on things than you'd ever think. It sometimes seems that it's to the extent that the staff does everything except be the figurehead that shows up in the news. 
     When I said this, the Senator paused and cocked his head. After a moment, he said something in a couple brief sentences that I can't recall well enough to transcribe here, but this is a deepened version of what he told me: "You know, all them issues and bills stuff we have to deal with that goes on is kind of important. However, what's really important is people. God doesn't need bills to get His work accomplished, but He needs people to talk to and encourage people because that's what's really important. In doing that, we can draw them to Him. And you can do that better than we can since we're partisan and have politics in the way. So you can go do the important stuff." 

I love that Senator. 

~Esserita

Rise up, children of this generation!

I saw this devotional online and it's riveting!

[Linktothe"online"version]

MATTHEW 2:16, "Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men."

MATTHEW 2:16-23

Satan was the real motivator of Herod's actions. Ever since the Lord first prophesied that a man would bruise his head, Satan has been seeking out this "seed" of the woman (Gen. 3:15).

It appears that Satan is able to perceive when the Lord is making a major move in the earth. In the days of Moses, Satan moved Pharaoh to kill all the male children of the Israelite slaves, and here he motivates Herod to kill all the male children in Bethlehem. No doubt he was seeking to eliminate this "seed" who was going to bruise his head.

Once again, we see children being slaughtered today. This time it's through abortion. Our youth are also being attacked in unprecedented ways. Is it possible that Satan thinks this is the generation that is to bring in the second return of the Lord? Is he, in desperation, trying to stay off his doom by destroying this generation?

We need to have enough spiritual perception to recognize that just as in the days of Moses and Jesus, this slaughter of the innocent children today is an indication of an even more important struggle in the spiritual realm. We might be the generation that sees the Lord come back. Praise the Lord!

It's amazing to think that WE'RE the ones that are going to make a difference.  We need to fight for those children.  They are our warriors... the ones who will turn the world around.  The LORD is coming back soon!

Mizzoria~