Destinations

I’ve been largely AWOL for the past week or so. There are many reasons for this. First and foremost, I’m a plodder at best; second, there has been the added load of getting through Christmas and its additional requirements. As you might know, today is my 57th birthday. Weather-wise, it’s a gloomy day in northern California. It is a perfect metaphor for a birthday. Yes, I’ve reached the age where the wish “happy birthday” is an oxymoron.

Here is Tullian’s Christmas meditation. As always, he encourages his readers with the gospel.

We still enjoy wonderful freedom in America. This article reminds us that many in other parts of the world pay a dreadful price for their faith in Jesus. The title, Christianity ‘close to extinction’ in Middle East, says it all. How we need to pray for our brothers and sister.

Finally, there is good and bad news on the Obamacare front:

An appeals courts has given a victory to Christian colleges suing over Obamacare’s requirement that they provide free contraceptives and morning-after pills.  But another appeals court has upheld the requirement for Christian-owned businesses.

Keep praying. This battle is far from over. Remember this issue here is that companies run by Christians are being required to provide abortion causing drugs. As believers most of us don’t have a problem with contraceptives for married couples; we do, however, believe it is wrong facilitate the termination of pregnancy.

The mandate requires businesses and organizations, with some exceptions, to provide access to contraception coverage — Hobby Lobby was most concerned about coverage for the morning-after pill, which some consider tantamount to an abortion-causing drug. Hobby Lobby has refused to comply, while saying the fines could add up to $1.3 million a day. . . .