What is Important?

Our church had its "consecration Sunday" last weekend. This is the Sunday when members make a pledge for giving during the coming year. We had Rev. Roger Russell from Wesley United Methodist Church in Canton, IL as our guest minister and he was excellent. His sermon focused on Matthew 22: 15-22 where the Pharisees are trying to trap Jesus in a discussion regarding taxes and money. Jesus responds, something to the effect that we should give to Caesar what is Caesar's and give to God what is God's.
Just like the Pharisee's I want all the benefits of living in America (police, firemen, paved roads, electric lights, indoor plumbing, etc.) but I don't want to pay taxes for them. But that isn't even what made me nervous, it was when Rev. Russell said the verses weren't about money but with God's ownership of me. I live an orderly life because I was created by an orderly God, I show love because my God is love, and I seek eternal life because I was created by an eternal God. God's rule in my life should be foremost because he owns everything about us. My focus must become less on things of this earth and more on things of importance to the One who created me.

Travel

We took a short trip to Vincennes and New Harmony, Indiana. While in Vincennes we visited Grouseland, home of William Henry Harrison and the George Rogers Clark Memorial (middle photo) where you can see several Revolutionary War burial sites. We spent a couple of hours in New Harmony where you can get an excellent cup of coffee at the establishment pictured. I am more and more amazed by the 19th century era of American History. Harrison had a wonderful home built (400,000 bricks) and he thought of everything, indoor well, all walls were brick which made it more difficult for angry locals to shoot you and it was harder to burn the house down. The sacrifice these men made for our nation is amazing. I know they had their faults, I've heard all that, but when compared with the people we elect today they were saints. I have always been disappointed with our treatment of Native Americans but can't seem to find any example of someone else who handled a similar situation any better. I would like to think we could have allowed them to continue to live their lives without relocating them.

As I look over all the change that occurred from 1800 to 1900 it truly fogs my brain to try and come up with what should have been done. As Bob Dylan sang so eloquently, "the times they are a-changing." That was the case, once Independence was won, a new Constitution established and the government began making "internal improvements," the future almost seems to be set in stone. The people here first were now in the way of progress. I know in 2010 what many people think when they hear I don't carry a cell phone with me........strange person.