thoughts on the news of the day: ahhhh

hmmm…..

Ahhhh….. remember the good old days?  Those days when you could open up your internet server and read without being bombarded by ads.  Seems like now whenever I log on, I am invited to a picture that encourages me to go to a news article.  Turns out that now when I try to do just that, the page offers me a video to watch which invariably has an advertisement that I am forced to view before the video begins.  First of all, I wanted to casually peruse the article, I didn’t want to be forced to receive the information in the order that the videographer insists.  Second, I really don’t want to have to wait for inane advertising prior to obtaining the information.  After all, that’s why I go to the internet for my news anyway; online, it used to be that I wasn’t forced to wait through advertising of products I didn’t need or care about. 

I wonder if we will eventually have a PBS of web sites.  Places you could go to where there wasn’t any advertising.  Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind ads on the side of my email box, especially because I get my email for free, so it seems only right.  Television viewers have somewhat solved the commercial advertising problem.  Recording and fast forwarding take care of that dilemma.  

My opinion is that commercial websites are missing the boat … and that it will backfire soon.  Guess we’ll see.  You know, I had been considering adding advertising to this blog …. But I think I will resist just a little bit longer …. wow, does that mean I’m out of touch?

hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: angels

hmmm…..

When I was growing up, the common belief in my faith community was that everyone had an individual guardian angel assigned to them.  I was so enamored with this idea that I named my guardian angel …. kind of like you would name a doll or a puppy dog.  The angel was responsible for keeping us safe and out of harm’s way.  This was especially comforting to us as we were learning how to crawl under our desks when the sirens might blare informing us of a nuclear attack by the Russians.  They never did.

As I matured in my faith, I began to question that particular stance.  I had some questions.  Do I worship the angel or do I pledge my faith to Jesus?  How is it possible that there would be enough angels to go around?  What about when you died, did you become a guardian angel?  Was your angel reassigned?  I heard people say, when they lost a loved one, “Another angel has earned her wings.”  How did all that work?

Don’t get me wrong, its not that I don’t believe in angels … I do.  They are clearly present in the Bible. I have heard far more angel stories from friends, acquaintances and church members than to doubt their existence.  I am just not sure how the whole angel thing works.   Besides, I like the idea of angels being messengers sent from above to pass along truths that we have forgotten.  Things like God loves us, God watches over us and God protects us. 

Like most faithful believers, I am not sure what that means when bad things happen.  Painful events make us doubt.  But that is when we need God most … to comfort us and strengthen us and help us through the hard times.  I like to think that what’s important is that God knows my name;  and that all of heaven rejoices when I call God’s name.

hmmm…..