KRAUTHAMMER

This morning I woke thinking about Dr. Charles Krauthammer.  Mike and I miss that dear man; we've already had a year of missing him on the FOX NEWS nightly panel.

The Cruses were two of Charles' conservative bobbleheads.  We loved hearing him reason.

I guess that's why it's strange that within his conservative "flock", there is wide divergence of thought.  Guess we're not total bobbleheads.  Why?

The doctor's personal beliefs belie huge chunks of my worldview...BIG THINGS... such as who he worships.

On Dr. Krauthammer's Wiki page, it speaks of him having Orthodox Jewish parents, but choosing to be "non-religious".  He practiced "ancestor worship" (a fusion of Shinto and Jewish thought).

 He also fully supported scientific evolution and abortion legislation, while opposing capital punishment and intelligent design.

Those philosophical beliefs are polar opposites to mine.  Guess conservatives aren't all sheep, cloned to group-think.

So why did we love Charles Krauthammer?  Well, if you like videos, you can see for yourself at this LINK.  And what else?

I loved:

*HIS INTELLIGENCE.
Dr. K's gifting led him to literary accomplishments such as books, a Presidential candidate's speeches, columns, and a Pulitzer (plus other awards).

In medicine, his psychiatric research discovered a new kind of bipolar mania.  And of course, there was his wonderfully witty repartee on television.

Of course, SMART doesn't get anyone to God...

*HIS MORALITY. Charles Krauthammer was the husband of one wife and a family lover (see son Daniel at left).  He and Robyn were generous charity-givers and Charles was a decent man whose life story preached the value of life.

But of course, LIVING A GOOD LIFE doesn't get you to God...

*HIS PERSEVERANCE AND COURAGE.  These character traits pushed Dr. Krauthammer to complete medical school after his devastating spinal cord injury in 1972...and also to live a full life, marrying Robyn in 1974.  One way he made the most of his paralysis was to develop the skill of composing his medical school papers in his head so that he could then dictate them.  Later that skill helped him put cohesive thoughts together as he made political analysis.

Still, neither PERSEVERANCE NOR COURAGE buy a ticket to God...

We all come to the Lord as God says to come.  There's no going off in the Shinto/Ancestor weeds.  The quote on the right seems to suggest that Dr. Krauthammer's life was his own.

Does holding tight to your lifeplan get you to God?

God says we are sinful and the way to be with Him is to come humbly through the Sacrifice He provided for our sin.  We are to bow, confess, and ask that the blood of the Messiah's sacrifice be applied to our life.  Then (and only then) is our debt to God paid.

I'm not so self-aggrandizing as to suggest that I knew Charles Krauthammer's heart.  But IT IS POSSIBLE to see the paths he employed toward God...and it is possible to examine the words his mouth professed.  I can remember years ago praying that the Lord would send someone to Charles Krauthammer.  Maybe you prayed that, too.  We have no idea what Dr. K's final decisions might have been.  I sincerely hope there was an unknown "update" to his Wiki page, known only to God.

Yesterday and today we have seen people put "REST IN PEACE" on Dr. Krauthammer's picture.  What exactly does that mean?  How does someone rest in peace?

Most know that "shalom" is the Hebrew word for peace.  Shalom suggests more than just the absence of struggle; shalom is a return to wholeness as God remakes you into the person He intended from the beginning before sin took its toll.

OUR REST IS COMMUNION WITH GOD.

Rest begins at salvation and continues into eternity. And what about when you go to be with the Lord?  Then you experience shalom because you are continually refreshed in His presence FOREVER.

But the other option?  Separation from God is a place devoid of any rest.  There is no option to choose to "rest in peace" after death.  THAT'S why there is sadness today for Charles Krauthammer as he met his Maker.

God is faithful to set life choice before each person.  He entreats us in Deuteronomy 30:19 to "choose LIFE!" because He would have us join Him.  After all, He is the God of all PEACE, offering the ultimate Peace Sacrifice, His Son Jesus.  As the Jewish prophet Isaiah said 700 years before the Messiah came..."For a child is born to us, a son is given to us.  The government will rest on his shoulders.  And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and PRINCE OF PEACE."

OASIS GOES TO HARRISON

Someone asked me who my Oasis group was.  It's just some women who love Jesus and each other.

When Oasis gets together, each meeting becomes something different.  Last time we met, there was porch-sitting on a sunny, 75 degree morning.  This time five piled into the van to go to Harrison because Jan and Bobbie are our June girls in need of a birthday party.

All along the way, one member we call "Junior" was in the third seat, calling out cow/red barn alerts. The hooting and laughing was deafening at times, but don't we profit from women of differing ages?  The one with the most life experience in our group was born in 1929 and the chickiebaby was born in 1952.

At first we had Oasis rules that we were only to serve coffee.  You can imagine how fast that rule evaporated as legitimate intentions to shower one another with good things swerved into more.  Isn't this the loveliest tablescape?

We all were full of anticipation because our "long-distance" member always has a treat for us.  We are like little kids when we go to Jan's house.  This time we got to take home the vases on the table.  Jan would say they were nothing, but just some things she cut out of her yard.  But there's something about when someone makes a fuss over you...

When we pray at Oasis, we ask that our conversation honor the Lord because we all are aware of our capacity to stray into the weeds with our mouths.  I wish "catty" didn't come so easily for women!  This time our conversations were as serious as the abuse of women...to a lighter fare, the newest decorating trends.

There is a storm going on now in a denominational convention because of their leader's remarks about women.  Our Oasis "reading file" assignment was an article from a pastor in the same denomination who took a different stand.  I found his comments to be refreshing.  LINK

And one more thing.  All these women are involved in ministry, so there's always much to catch up on.  One is in prison ministry, two are in "one-to-one" ministries, two are leading Bible studies, and Bobbie is the quintessential lady with noble character who opens her mouth in wisdom.  There is much to learn at Oasis.

My favorite Friday thing?  My best favorite was just the shiny time together which refreshed my soul.  But an also favorite was the fun talking about decorating as we saw Jan's upgrades...and then she took us to go through another house she is working on that was almost complete. And third favorite?

Jan's husband.  We arrived Friday at 10:00 and were still gabbing at 3:00 when Ron walked in.  It was the end of his work week and Oasis came to attention, knowing it was time to exit stage left.  But instead of smiling, waving, and going off to the garage...Jan's husband plopped down in our circle and fearlessly joined in.  What a great guy!

We were made to live in community.  We just follow God's example because He lives in the community of the Trinity.

Women need other women.  We need to release some words so our husbands won't have to hear everything that is on our minds.  And we desperately need the prayers that shore one another up.  Galatians says "carry one another's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ".

So what's so good about Oasis?  We smile at the future together!

BIRTHDAY BABES

LOVE THE GRANDS ON THE WALL

BRING ON THE CHICKEN POT PIE

LITTLE HIDEYHOLE FOR GRANDS
(behind the curtain it says "enter His courts with praise")