Which way do we go to get away from the witch fire? (Not to mention all the other fires around us!) The witch fire is still actively burning—as are 14 fires in all at this time. 400, 000 acres, over 1, 000 houses have burned. The wind is the threat, carrying live embers and sparking new fires. How small we are when the elements wield their power.
What I saw today typifies what I’ve seen since I’ve been in So Cal. On one hand, there are those who seem indifferent—perhaps because they personally are not affected. But on the other hand, there’s a strong remnant of God’s people here—and they’re not shy about proclaiming it through deed and action. (OK, so we all see through a different perspective—something I tackle in my article in next month’s Indeed Mag. (Walk Thru the Bible), entitled “Single Vision.” And also in my booklet, Women (& Men) in Dark Glasses!) I see through European eyes, and having lived 2 decades in atheist France where “Christian” is just weird.
Here in San Diego, news programs highlight stories such as this: A young couple’s entire house burns to cinders. They grab their kids, their dog and their Bible. Their testimony? They’re glad they’re safe and grateful they grabbed their Bible. “That’s the most important.”
Churches have opened their doors as shelters to receive evacuees, create animal centers, or become medical centers. Generosity overflows. Yes, sure, there are plenty of panicking people and animals. But there are caring Christians around making a difference. And as for the firefighters, they’re heroes. They’ve forgone food, sleep, comfort—so that many still have homes.
However, I’m sure all can use extra prayers—that we wouldn’t be paralyzed in the doom and gloom but that we’d stay vigilant and sensitive to instructions from above.
As for me and my house, we bow our knees in awe trusting the One who will use this for His glory—and pray for all those who need a special touch from Him at this time. This is not just about fires and ferocious winds. It’s about God—and what He is trying to say to all of us through the elements. May He grant us ears to hear, and hearts to obey.
Janey DeMeo©October 2007
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Monday, October 22, 2007
So Cal Fires -- alert!
“It’s just stuff,” my friend Cameron tells the TV crew as he and his family are being evacuated to avoid the fires. I’m watching him on TV even as I write this. So far, my family and I are not touched directly by the fires. Yet if I step outside, I smell smoke, and the skies are black with smoke. Several nearby towns are on fire. People have left their homes, their belongings and some were left with a horrible choice—which pets to take and which to leave since they didn’t have room for all of them. Oh, what a terrible ultimatum.
At this time, 300, 000 people have been evacuated due to these fires. Curiously, one fire that was an instigator began at Witch Creek. They call it the Witch Fire. And all that right before Halloween. Thank God our trust is not in man, nor in superstition, but in the Living God. No fire is a threat to Him for He is a consuming fire.
Just today I was thinking of how amazing our God is to place the sun in exactly the right place. If it were closer to earth, we'd burn to death. If it were farther, we'd freeze. His is in perfect control. I find such contrast in the fact that man is unable to even control the fire...
May we all be praying for those whose lives are affected by these devouring fires. God have mercy. And may the Lord draw people close to Himself during this time—and save the helpless, whether big or small, young or old.
At this time, 300, 000 people have been evacuated due to these fires. Curiously, one fire that was an instigator began at Witch Creek. They call it the Witch Fire. And all that right before Halloween. Thank God our trust is not in man, nor in superstition, but in the Living God. No fire is a threat to Him for He is a consuming fire.
Just today I was thinking of how amazing our God is to place the sun in exactly the right place. If it were closer to earth, we'd burn to death. If it were farther, we'd freeze. His is in perfect control. I find such contrast in the fact that man is unable to even control the fire...
May we all be praying for those whose lives are affected by these devouring fires. God have mercy. And may the Lord draw people close to Himself during this time—and save the helpless, whether big or small, young or old.
CSFF blogtour
I'll be posting a full review on The Bark of the Bog Owl by Jonathan Rogers on Wed.(in between posting the fire situation updates).
Janey L. DeMeo
Janey L. DeMeo
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Don’t Be Chicken – Fight Fried Cruelty!
This blog will be short but not sweet. More sour than sweet. I’m sorry but I feel compelled to say something about this issue—the unfathomable suffering that is allowed to take place in America.
Before I discuss this kind of willfully inflicted suffering – acts of cruelty – let me premise it by stating that statistics clearly suggest that people who are cruel to animals are often cruel to children. It makes sense. Cruel people are bullies who want to victimize those who are helpless. Thus, animals—then children!!!
If you care about right and wrong, being a light in a dark world, please check out this VIDEO. It explains what the missing ingredient is in Kentucky Fried Chicken—cruelty. Go to: www.KentuckyFriedCruelty.com to see how they treat their chickens. And if you’re wondering how this affects you, just remember: unchecked cruelty breeds more cruelty—which affects the children!
Or if you’re wondering what you can do…well, for one thing, stop buying KFC. Boycott them. Make a statement about cruelty. If we don’t nip this one, bigger cruelties will be ignored. Let’s not be chicken. Let’s open our beaks loud and cluck until our voices are heard and this cruelty ends.
Janey DeMeo©October 2007
Before I discuss this kind of willfully inflicted suffering – acts of cruelty – let me premise it by stating that statistics clearly suggest that people who are cruel to animals are often cruel to children. It makes sense. Cruel people are bullies who want to victimize those who are helpless. Thus, animals—then children!!!
If you care about right and wrong, being a light in a dark world, please check out this VIDEO. It explains what the missing ingredient is in Kentucky Fried Chicken—cruelty. Go to: www.KentuckyFriedCruelty.com to see how they treat their chickens. And if you’re wondering how this affects you, just remember: unchecked cruelty breeds more cruelty—which affects the children!
Or if you’re wondering what you can do…well, for one thing, stop buying KFC. Boycott them. Make a statement about cruelty. If we don’t nip this one, bigger cruelties will be ignored. Let’s not be chicken. Let’s open our beaks loud and cluck until our voices are heard and this cruelty ends.
Janey DeMeo©October 2007
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Are We Following England & France?
Gatwick is way better than Heathrow. Trust me. It’s cleaner and looks less threatening. Last year I went to London via Heathrow—only a week before the liquid bomb scare. The airport stank of terrorism. But this year I went via Gatwick. Much better. But this blog is not about airports. It’s about life. And England is hot on my mind…
Since I was young—when my parents first took me to France—I didn’t want to spend my life in England. Not sure why really. The cold maybe? Or just my fairytale mind believing the grass is always greener someplace else. I actually wanted to live in France, probably because I’d tasted of its beauty and spoke the language. And that’s exactly where I ended up—for almost a quarter century. But it wasn’t the weather, nor the language, not even the fine food that took me there. It was Jesus. His call and His purpose. And now we’re in America for that same call and purpose—to serve Him.
So what about England? Where does it fit? Well, I realized during this recent visit to my precious family that I’m a Brit no matter what. I might not live in England but part of England still lives in me. Part of her history and culture. And there are things I miss: the green, the sound of British birds (they have a different accent you know), the quaint villages, tea houses, marmite… Yes, England still holds a certain charm—in spite of the pervasion of Islam and Liberalism. You just need to stop to smell the lovely, English roses along the way.
However, if we’re not careful, there may come a time when we no longer smell the roses. Either they’ll have lost their scent or we’ll have lost our sense. Sense of smell, of course, but also our SENSE. Some things just don’t make sense. Here’s something senseless I recently heard on radio that infuriates and alarms me.
America is so tolerant of Islam that it’s paving the way for ingrown terrorism—using our tax dollars to do so. Hear this. Right in the city of the 9/11 attack, NY, tax dollars are funding a school teaching in Arab promoting the Islamic culture. It looks to be no more than a thinly disguised incubator for Islamic radicalism. Hear full details here: http://www.issuesineducation.org/ (Are Schools Promoting Islam?).
Since half the classes will be taught in Arabic, and most of us don’t understand it, who’s to control the spread of Islamic propaganda and the promotion of Jihad? One of the school’s big promoters is from CAIR, the Council of American Islamic Relations. CAIR’s founder, who promotes this school in New York City, said “Islam is in America to become dominant.” He promotes this Islamic school, the Kallil Kabron International Academy (not sure if this is how you spell it).
Meanwhile, if you want tax dollars for a Christian school, you won’t get them. This is forbidden. We can’t publicly promote Christianity, sing Christian carols etc. or the ACLU would jump down our throat. But where is the ACLU on this issue? It’s a totally double standard. We’re also, apparently, allowing the Muslims to have their own parade. Disgraceful. Distasteful. Disgusting.
We need to recognize the Trojan horse, the enemy’s permeation into American society. Ignorance is not bliss. It’s cruel stupidity. WAKE UP AMERICA! We’re supposed to be in war against terrorism—not breeding it in our back yard. Let’s not follow the foolish footsteps of England and France in such matters.
For more details, check out the Thomas More Law Center: www.ThomasMore.org or “Are Schools Promoting Islam” here: http://www.issuesineducation.org/ Or call Issues in Education: 1- 888-ISSUES9. And do read Tom Tancredo’s book, In Mortal Danger.
Since I was young—when my parents first took me to France—I didn’t want to spend my life in England. Not sure why really. The cold maybe? Or just my fairytale mind believing the grass is always greener someplace else. I actually wanted to live in France, probably because I’d tasted of its beauty and spoke the language. And that’s exactly where I ended up—for almost a quarter century. But it wasn’t the weather, nor the language, not even the fine food that took me there. It was Jesus. His call and His purpose. And now we’re in America for that same call and purpose—to serve Him.
So what about England? Where does it fit? Well, I realized during this recent visit to my precious family that I’m a Brit no matter what. I might not live in England but part of England still lives in me. Part of her history and culture. And there are things I miss: the green, the sound of British birds (they have a different accent you know), the quaint villages, tea houses, marmite… Yes, England still holds a certain charm—in spite of the pervasion of Islam and Liberalism. You just need to stop to smell the lovely, English roses along the way.
However, if we’re not careful, there may come a time when we no longer smell the roses. Either they’ll have lost their scent or we’ll have lost our sense. Sense of smell, of course, but also our SENSE. Some things just don’t make sense. Here’s something senseless I recently heard on radio that infuriates and alarms me.
America is so tolerant of Islam that it’s paving the way for ingrown terrorism—using our tax dollars to do so. Hear this. Right in the city of the 9/11 attack, NY, tax dollars are funding a school teaching in Arab promoting the Islamic culture. It looks to be no more than a thinly disguised incubator for Islamic radicalism. Hear full details here: http://www.issuesineducation.org/ (Are Schools Promoting Islam?).
Since half the classes will be taught in Arabic, and most of us don’t understand it, who’s to control the spread of Islamic propaganda and the promotion of Jihad? One of the school’s big promoters is from CAIR, the Council of American Islamic Relations. CAIR’s founder, who promotes this school in New York City, said “Islam is in America to become dominant.” He promotes this Islamic school, the Kallil Kabron International Academy (not sure if this is how you spell it).
Meanwhile, if you want tax dollars for a Christian school, you won’t get them. This is forbidden. We can’t publicly promote Christianity, sing Christian carols etc. or the ACLU would jump down our throat. But where is the ACLU on this issue? It’s a totally double standard. We’re also, apparently, allowing the Muslims to have their own parade. Disgraceful. Distasteful. Disgusting.
We need to recognize the Trojan horse, the enemy’s permeation into American society. Ignorance is not bliss. It’s cruel stupidity. WAKE UP AMERICA! We’re supposed to be in war against terrorism—not breeding it in our back yard. Let’s not follow the foolish footsteps of England and France in such matters.
For more details, check out the Thomas More Law Center: www.ThomasMore.org or “Are Schools Promoting Islam” here: http://www.issuesineducation.org/ Or call Issues in Education: 1- 888-ISSUES9. And do read Tom Tancredo’s book, In Mortal Danger.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
How Kids Inspire My Writing
Someone asked how much children inspire my writing. Here’s my answer:
My children were not just the inspiration but also the catalyst for my first published work. I wanted to honor God as a mom, but also as the senior pastor's wife, and women's teacher in our Theological Institute in France, I felt responsible to study biblical parenting—particularly in light of the atheistic and pessimistic French culture producing many unhappy parents and kids. While I knew God wanted me to be Spirit-filled and parent according to biblical principals and higher love, I also sensed He wanted me to encourage fellow parents in the journey. He was calling me to be a conduit to pour out to others - albeit a sinner saved by grace and a mom learning to parent. So, I did things back-to-front and published my first book in France before I'd written much else (just a few booklets and newsletters, but that's all).
That book is entitled, Mon Dieu, ces enfants! published by Editions Vida. It now exists in a different format in English as a book & workbook in one—fabulous for individual or group study:
Heaven Help Me Raise These Children!-- Biblical Direction for Practical Parenting Issues. Order at www.Carepointministry.com (Click on PARENTING).
That was 12 years ago. And although I write on many subjects today, my now-grown children still inspire me. But, equally inspiring are the orphans and suffering children I work with. Their stories are compelling and need to be
told. Their daily struggles, their dreams, their brokenness, their compassion, their unique personalities, their sense of justice because of the injustice they’ve seen—those things motivate my writing. They enthuse me with passion so much so that even when my writing is not directly related to them, it often provides a tool to publicize their needs by allowing me to put my website in the bio line: www.orphansfirst.org
I wonder how much I'd be writing if it weren't for the children. But then again, we’re all children in our Lord’s eyes. So, I guess for as long as there are people, I’ll be writing. (I do love animals, but they don’t read a whole lot…)
Janey L. DeMeo©October 2007
Founder/director of Orphans First - www.orphansfirst.org
www.JaneyDeMeo.com
My children were not just the inspiration but also the catalyst for my first published work. I wanted to honor God as a mom, but also as the senior pastor's wife, and women's teacher in our Theological Institute in France, I felt responsible to study biblical parenting—particularly in light of the atheistic and pessimistic French culture producing many unhappy parents and kids. While I knew God wanted me to be Spirit-filled and parent according to biblical principals and higher love, I also sensed He wanted me to encourage fellow parents in the journey. He was calling me to be a conduit to pour out to others - albeit a sinner saved by grace and a mom learning to parent. So, I did things back-to-front and published my first book in France before I'd written much else (just a few booklets and newsletters, but that's all).
That book is entitled, Mon Dieu, ces enfants! published by Editions Vida. It now exists in a different format in English as a book & workbook in one—fabulous for individual or group study:
Heaven Help Me Raise These Children!-- Biblical Direction for Practical Parenting Issues. Order at www.Carepointministry.com (Click on PARENTING).
That was 12 years ago. And although I write on many subjects today, my now-grown children still inspire me. But, equally inspiring are the orphans and suffering children I work with. Their stories are compelling and need to be
told. Their daily struggles, their dreams, their brokenness, their compassion, their unique personalities, their sense of justice because of the injustice they’ve seen—those things motivate my writing. They enthuse me with passion so much so that even when my writing is not directly related to them, it often provides a tool to publicize their needs by allowing me to put my website in the bio line: www.orphansfirst.org
I wonder how much I'd be writing if it weren't for the children. But then again, we’re all children in our Lord’s eyes. So, I guess for as long as there are people, I’ll be writing. (I do love animals, but they don’t read a whole lot…)
Janey L. DeMeo©October 2007
Founder/director of Orphans First - www.orphansfirst.org
www.JaneyDeMeo.com
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Alarming News from the week of 9/11
Heavy stuff, this weeks news. China bans lead paint on toys to be shipped into the USA. Bravo. Wonderful. So does that mean that toys remaining in China—or going to other countries—will contain lead paint? Silly me. I forgot. Many little Chinese kids, and most kids in the third world, don’t have toys. Not like Americans. But if they’re lucky enough to have one or two, they’ll likely be laden with lead. Deadly lead!
The thought of children consuming lead—or any poison for that matter—because of man’s greed, his desire to make more money with less care, faster, is heavy stuff.
I’ve been thinking about hot topics relating to the welfare of children. Take, for example, the McCanns, now accused of killing their missing child, Madeleine. I don’t know all the facts, and I’m convinced the media won’t give them to you. It’s hard to glean objective reports among the grapple and grab for sensationalism. Is Portugal’s trying to cover something up? It is hard to imagine that this couple who seem to love their twins could have done anything to that little princess. I do know one thing for sure: God knows. And I’m praying that truth be revealed.
Meanwhile, I know about another couple accused of killing a child. I choose not to give details here but I spent some time researching their story. If you read some articles, you’d swear the parents were culprits—or at best disciplinarian fanatics. But if you dig deeper, it’s not that hard to read in between the lines. It sure is looking as if some “force” is trying to destroy a Christian family and discourage fostering and adoptions. It reminds me of a sad conspiracy reflecting the dark times we live in. I’m praying for the couple concerned and for truth to be revealed.
More news: A school principle left her child in her SUV for 8 hours. The car got unbearably hot. The baby died. She apparently forgot the child in her haste to get to her job. Should she be prosecuted? Oh my, how did we ever get to this place? This is insane.
I don’t want to stir up controversy. I know little about the above news items. I have no right to spout an opinion. But what I do want to say is that we cannot just gullibly believe what the media spouts out. And when we hear that America’s (happily) is taking measures to refuse toys with lead in them, we can rejoice—yes, do let’s rejoice—but let’s not close our hearts to the thought that so many children elsewhere are not protected. It’s just not economically interesting to seek their protection.
My conclusion: We need to pray like we’ve never prayed before. We need to talk to God about all these issues, ask for His wisdom, guidance and also ask Him what we should do. And we need to pray for His truth to be upheld.
More news: One in a million have sextuplets. A 29 year old in Tampa gives birth to sextuplets—5 boys, one girl. She chose not to eliminate any. (Good for you gal! Those babies belong to God). The babies are beautiful, as is the couple’s other little girl. I wonder how they’ll cope. I also wonder if they used fertility drugs (the news didn’t go into that). And I wonder again what will happen to the thousands of abandoned children, not wanted, stuck in the foster system or some orphanage somewhere.
Meanwhile, a 16-year-old kid drops out of high school and now works for UPS. Why? Because his mom is now in prison for 2 years. Why? Because she bought beer for her minor’s birthday party, at his request. She took the car keys from all the kids who were there and insisted that they stay the night. Still, she bought them beer illegally. And now she’s behind bars. And Ryan’s life is ruined. Sure, his mom made a mega mistake. But my heart breaks because this kid’s heart is broken. His life is destroyed because of it. No future for him now. Just a broken heart—unless God does a miracle. I’m counting on the latter. I’m trusting God will do a miracle for Ryan. Let’s pray for him.
Commemorated on 9/11 this week: 2, 974 died at the Twin Towers and the crashed planes combined—all that because of terrorists. Tragic. But the greater tragedy is that America is still letting in illegal immigrants from high risk countries. I would encourage anyone to read of In Mortal Danger by Cong. Tom Tancredo and learn some of the things that are still taking place in America.
Blessings,
Janey DeMeo©September 2007
The thought of children consuming lead—or any poison for that matter—because of man’s greed, his desire to make more money with less care, faster, is heavy stuff.
I’ve been thinking about hot topics relating to the welfare of children. Take, for example, the McCanns, now accused of killing their missing child, Madeleine. I don’t know all the facts, and I’m convinced the media won’t give them to you. It’s hard to glean objective reports among the grapple and grab for sensationalism. Is Portugal’s trying to cover something up? It is hard to imagine that this couple who seem to love their twins could have done anything to that little princess. I do know one thing for sure: God knows. And I’m praying that truth be revealed.
Meanwhile, I know about another couple accused of killing a child. I choose not to give details here but I spent some time researching their story. If you read some articles, you’d swear the parents were culprits—or at best disciplinarian fanatics. But if you dig deeper, it’s not that hard to read in between the lines. It sure is looking as if some “force” is trying to destroy a Christian family and discourage fostering and adoptions. It reminds me of a sad conspiracy reflecting the dark times we live in. I’m praying for the couple concerned and for truth to be revealed.
More news: A school principle left her child in her SUV for 8 hours. The car got unbearably hot. The baby died. She apparently forgot the child in her haste to get to her job. Should she be prosecuted? Oh my, how did we ever get to this place? This is insane.
I don’t want to stir up controversy. I know little about the above news items. I have no right to spout an opinion. But what I do want to say is that we cannot just gullibly believe what the media spouts out. And when we hear that America’s (happily) is taking measures to refuse toys with lead in them, we can rejoice—yes, do let’s rejoice—but let’s not close our hearts to the thought that so many children elsewhere are not protected. It’s just not economically interesting to seek their protection.
My conclusion: We need to pray like we’ve never prayed before. We need to talk to God about all these issues, ask for His wisdom, guidance and also ask Him what we should do. And we need to pray for His truth to be upheld.
More news: One in a million have sextuplets. A 29 year old in Tampa gives birth to sextuplets—5 boys, one girl. She chose not to eliminate any. (Good for you gal! Those babies belong to God). The babies are beautiful, as is the couple’s other little girl. I wonder how they’ll cope. I also wonder if they used fertility drugs (the news didn’t go into that). And I wonder again what will happen to the thousands of abandoned children, not wanted, stuck in the foster system or some orphanage somewhere.
Meanwhile, a 16-year-old kid drops out of high school and now works for UPS. Why? Because his mom is now in prison for 2 years. Why? Because she bought beer for her minor’s birthday party, at his request. She took the car keys from all the kids who were there and insisted that they stay the night. Still, she bought them beer illegally. And now she’s behind bars. And Ryan’s life is ruined. Sure, his mom made a mega mistake. But my heart breaks because this kid’s heart is broken. His life is destroyed because of it. No future for him now. Just a broken heart—unless God does a miracle. I’m counting on the latter. I’m trusting God will do a miracle for Ryan. Let’s pray for him.
Commemorated on 9/11 this week: 2, 974 died at the Twin Towers and the crashed planes combined—all that because of terrorists. Tragic. But the greater tragedy is that America is still letting in illegal immigrants from high risk countries. I would encourage anyone to read of In Mortal Danger by Cong. Tom Tancredo and learn some of the things that are still taking place in America.
Blessings,
Janey DeMeo©September 2007
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