.:♥:. Harry Potter .:♥:.

Okay so how many of you looked at the title and groaned? Yeah thats what I thought. There is all this hype about Harry Potter, and I'm not going to lie I read every book and started watching the movies. This post is pretty much a similar rant to my previous post on Twilight, but honestly I don't know which one is worse. Today I was ready a study that showed that Wicca and Witch craft books and hotlines would spike after every new release of the HP book or movie. Here is a blog post by Girls, God and the Goodlife on Harry Potter back in 2005:

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This weekend has changed my writing life. I was watching various reports on the newest Harry Potter Book. Several guest were debating whether the novels were fantasy or based on the occult. Other guests were debating whether it even mattered if the books were a form of occultic teachings as long as the children liked to read. Some guests admitted that they purchased the books for themselves and loved them.

Then I turned to CNN where a guest related that, according to several occult organizations, interest in the occult was up at least 12%. These organizations were regularly receiving calls from children asking "How can I become a witch?"

My jaw dropped and I thought that couldn't possibly be true when I answered a call from my aunt. We were trying to get together that day and she explained to me how the whole family was tired. Why? Because they had stayed up all night to get my nephew the new Harry Potter book and he was already almost done with it. He is eight years old. They made it a wonderful family outing and stood patiently for hours to get the book.

My blood ran cold.

Overreacting am I? Children are calling up occult organizations and asking how to become witches! When is the last time a church, let alone several Christian organizations, reported that children were so moved by a book that they were receiving calls about how to become a Christian? How about reports on CNN that Christian organizations were reporting an INCREASE in these calls? How about children and their families standing patiently in line to receive the Lord?

Perhaps as writers, like I as a Christian, we have hesitated. We have chosen to be invited in, waited patiently or wanted not to offend. Meanwhile, the enemy hasn't even had to storm our gates, we opened them and let the children run out. Some of us lead the way (many Christians buy the books)! Now, there is no doubt that it is NOT Christ who has the hearts and minds of a whole generation. But hey, if it gets the kids reading, right?

Maybe now, more than ever, we should just write. Come hell or highwater we write from our hearts, lead by the Lord. Whether we reach one reader or millions, we just trust the Lord to get it to who needs it. And controversy? Bring it on!

And just maybe we should jump into the fray of today's world. Not embrace the violence, sex and rampant occultisim, but certainly not ignore it. Have we whitewashed the heart, the redemption, the danger and the humanity from our work? Have we whitewashed the Lord? The worst offense of all, have we made Him boring and out of touch? Have we done the devil's work for him?

The Bible is certainly one of the most moving and life changing books of all time, it is also (in my experience) one of the least read. Sure, people can quote and paraphrase all day. But does anyone really sit down and read it for fun? Maybe somebody does, but in the numbers that read this Harry Potter?

Why is this? The Bible is full of sex and violence, fascinating stories and incredible feats. But how many people know this? The writers of the Bible didn't flinch when reporting the facts. They didn't care about being politically correct or offending someone. They didn't whitewash the battles, the sin and the faults of themselves or others. They didn't leave out passion, sex and lust. They didn't turn away from abuse, incest and murder. Yet, this book has lead untold numbers to the Lord, and is in fact called the word of God. So why are Christian writers doing this?

What if, as writers, we are called to write for such as time as this. What if we aren't just to say "hey, read the bible", but are called to write the way to it? Called to draw a treasure map to it. To lead people down the road to it, to rush towards it and draw people to follow us. To point the way with certainty to a lost and dying world?

And what if, just what if, someone else is doing that exact same thing for the Devil and we have simply stood aside and watched curiously while the spell has been cast?

.:♥:. Forgiveness .:♥:.

Is there someone out there who has really cheesed you off? Have you forgiven them? Why not? Are you familiar with this verse? "And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."
Who are we to with hold forgiveness from someone, when we break God's heart with all our sin? Here's a beautiful song by Chris August, it's called 7x70. Follow along with the lyrics:

I’ve been living in this house here
Since the day that I was born
These walls have seen me happy
But most of all they’ve seen me torn
They’ve heard the screaming matches
That made a family fall apart
They’ve had a front row seat
To the breaking of my heart

7 times 70 times
I’ll do what it takes to make it right
I thought the pain was here to stay
But forgiveness made a way
7 times 70 times
There’s healing in the air tonight
I’m reaching up to pull it down
Gonna wrap it all around

I remember running down the hallway
Playing hide-and-seek
I didn’t know that I was searching
For someone to notice me
I felt alone and undiscovered
And old enough to understand
Just when I’m s’posed to be learning to love you
Let me doubt again

7 times 70 times
I’ll do what it takes to make it right
I thought the pain was here to stay
But forgiveness made a way
7 times 70 times
There’s healing in the air tonight
I’m reaching up to pull it down
Gonna wrap it all around

I lost count of the ways you let me down
But no matter how many times you weren’t around
I’m all right now

God picked up my heart and helped me through
And shined a light on the one thing left to do
And that’s forgive you
I forgive you

7 times 70 times
If that’s the cost I’ll pay the price
7 times 70 times
I’ll do what it takes to make it right
I thought the pain was here to stay
But forgiveness made a way

7 times 70 times
There’s healing in this house tonight
I’m reaching up to pull it down
Gonna wrap it all around
Yeah
I’m gonna wrap it all around

I’ve been living in this house here
Since the day that I was born

.:♥:. What Are You Listening To? .:♥:.

What are you listening to? What do you let your children listen to? A lot of people really don't pay any attention to what is on the radio. I am choosing to cut out of secular music out of my playlists because they are so inappropriate & definitely don't reflect Christ. I have such an issue with this because I really like a lot of songs on the radio. Now I'm not saying its ALL bad (example LOVE Taylor Swift, she is such a sweetie and her music is clean) but like have you ever listened to some of these lyrics? For example, when I Like It - Enrique Iglesias comes on the radio I start singing along and dancing. But check out the first verse:
Girl please excuse me If I'm coming too strong
But tonight is the night We can really let go
My girlfriend is out of town And I'm all alone
Your boyfriend is on vacation And he doesn't have to know
BAM! Infidelity, is this really okay to be listening to?
What about this:
Come here rude boy, boy
Can you get it up
Come here rude boy, boy
Is you big enough
Take it, take it
Baby, baby
Take it, take it
Love me, love me

Tonight
I'mma give it to you harder
Tonight
I'mma turn your body out
Relax
Let me do it how I wanna
(Rude Boy - Rhianna)

Question: WHEN DID THIS BECOME OKAY?!
For the past two years I have been working in daycares, play zones, and a kindergarten class and I hear 4 &5 years olds SINGING to this. Don't even get me started on the music videos!
I'm gonna end my rant here but these two girls will share their testimony with you about why they gave up secular music

.:♥:. The Comeback! .:♥:.

I'm back, hooray!!
So here's the story, my laptop carrying case, had a shoulder strap and when I was walking home, it just snapped. Yeah I know right? My laptop screen was busted, as in it was like black and I couldn't see anything. So I took it back and they fixed it, and I still have all my files on here, I didn't lose a thing! So now I'm back and ready to blog, and boy do I have a lot of blogging to catch up on!