Forget "Soak the Rich" - Soak the churches, homeless shelters, and poverty fighters

I didn't vote for Obama.

Shocking, I know.

I know many Christians voted for him thinking he would bring some of the things Jesus promoted to America. They saw him as an agent for change, certainly. That's how he branded himself. Many thought that "change" would include more help for the most downtrodden.

Think again.

I read this article and it certainly made me angry. Obama wants to eliminate the tax deduction for wealthy givers. These are the people that give 40% of the total donations according to the WSJ. He believes this would bring the government at least $11 billion (gotta pay for those AIG bonuses somehow...). We know that the very wealthy can take the hit. They can most certainly afford to pay more taxes. I'm not grieving for them. The problem is this: if a dollar spent on a new car brings the same tax benefit as a dollar spent on Habitat for Humanity, the dollar is going toward the car more often than not.

I believe Obama knows it would hurt charities and he is fine with that. After all, Obama promised transformative change. I don't think people heard what he was saying. He didn't say he was going to make America better; he said he was going to TRANSFORM it. Well here we go. This is what he meant. In the old days, churches and charities served the people. Under Obama, the government will decide what to do with the dollars you earn. Help the poor, maybe. Buy green vehicles for government workers, absolutely. Pay for abortions all over the world, already in process.

Even the most liberal groups are screaming about this. They know what Obama knows, this is an end to their good works. And if you have a favorite charity or church you support, say good-bye to that as well. They simply cannot take the hit of reduced giving.

So, Christian, how does this sit? I guess Obama's just following the dictate of Jesus, "Take your neighbor's money at the end of a gun and with the threat of jail, and use it for whatever you feel is best."

Oh, wait. Jesus didn't say that.

Why Worry?

That's what this week's sermon is called. Obviously, in this current economic climate, it's a perfect topic.

Some of you know that a couple of weeks back, Tim came a hair's breath away from being laid off. The industry he works in is notorious for lay offs and since he doesn't have his degree in engineering, we know he'll be the first to go. And in these times, with his background, it'll be time for a new career.

Sound scary?

I mean we have two kids, a dog, and a mortgage. I home-school full time, which doesn't pay all that well.

But God is good.

If God is not good, then none of this life matters. We can't trust Him and our life is a series of meaningless random events. If God is not good, I'm sleeping in on Sunday mornings. If God is not good, then goodness doesn't exist. It's all a mirage.

But God IS good.

I BELIEVE that. And that is what make this adventure called life a little less scary.

So as we waited to find out - job or no job - we rested in the fact that God is good. His plan is perfect. He will take care of us in the best way possible. We were actually at a point where we were excited about the next step He has for us.

But Tim didn't get laid off... this time. It's coming, but not this month.

If I had to guess the mind of God, a very tough challenge for someone who can't figure out LOST, I would say He saved the job so we could continue to give to our church. I think this was a big answer to prayer for Damascus, and we are very happy to be able to tithe to such a great place.

So for those of you who were praying for us, thanks. We're right where God wants us.

I'm Famous - kind of...

Actually, I think it would be more proper to say my niece is famous. After all, it is a picture of her that graces the cover of this book.

I took this shot at her wedding in December. In exchange for the friends-and-family discount, she allowed me to post some of the pictures on istockphoto.com. This is my biggest seller, so it is quite fun to see at least one place where this image was used.