painful connection

for the last two years almost, i have had the privilege of volunteering with the ems department in our town. and through this experience i have witnessed the gamut of emotions displayed by family members as they watch often times helplessly their loved ones suffer. this has always struck at my heart. growing up in high school and thinking about what i would do with my life, i remember my mom encouraging me to go into nursing; i had the heart for it she claimed. and isn't it funny, that though it was not the direction i wanted or felt called to, God has incorporated it into my life.

i always heard how strong the love of a parent for their child could be. and i have seen it with my own eyes. but today it hit home in a way i never imagined it would. granted, she has only been with us for a few weeks, but regardless she has become a part of this family, a part of me. today i watched helplessly as the doctors wondered the same thing i did: is she going to make it? is she going to fully recover? the answer was out of reach, and all we had to trust was God. as her body lurched with every breath my mind raced; what if she gets to tired? what if she cant breath on her own anymore? is this going to cause long lasting damage to her body? how long will it take for her to recover?

as the doctors and nurses did their job in the ER, my wife and i watched. after continuous breathing treatment she was admitted and placed in the pediatrics unit. they continued to care for her as she continued to fight for breath. her peds doc pulled us aside and explained that this was not bronchitis, this was the worst kind of asthma attack one could have; and she is starting to get worn out fighting for breath. we would monitor her for some time and may need to transport to a more specialized unit.

there we sat, trying to maintain composure in front of her. thinking we had some time and she could stabilize. her heart rate continued to race, and her breathing labored. soon her doc informed us they were preparing the helicopter to transport her to a specialized unit. then the flight nurse and paramedic showed up. our hearts and minds began to race just as fast as hers. and i began to fully understand the worry and concern i had seen before with parents in the ambulance.

how is this going to end?

they prepped her for the flight, transferring wires and tubes and giving shots to help with nausea. we called our works to inform them we would not be in today. then we raced to the car, knowing that they would beat us to the next hospital. about an hour later we arrived and find our way through the hospital to find our daughter in icu. she is panicky, with more tubes and wires.

the rest of our afternoon was spent with phone calls, holding hands and trying to keep ourselves together. the heart beat continues to race, and she continues with breathing treatments; but she improves. all throughout the experience God has been faithful to provide people who have been caring and an encouragement. we thank the friends and family who have been praying for us through this, and have supported us with this calling God has placed in our hearts to care for these kids

and now she lies in her bed, trying to sleep despite the noises and lights. and i sit here exhausted and in need of rest. and to that, i say good night praying God continues to provide the blessings He has been so generous with today. your thoughts and prayers mean the world to us tonight!

what it is

i have to be honest, this posting is in part due to feeling obligated to writing something since it has been so long, and the other part is a feeling of need to get some things on "paper". the fact that i cannot even remember the last time i wrote something here without looking says a lot to me, especially since i used to be on here almost daily. what a change.

and i think that is what has been running through my brain. change. the last year of my life has been the most turned-up-side-down year of my life. this time last year i just finished saying good-by to my dad and grandpa, knowing i would never see them this side of life again. in just over a month, it will be the one year anniversary of both of them passing. and while I celebrated the passing of my dad from this life to the next, the stinging reality of him being gone continues to settle in. the number of days i have aught myself picking up my phone to call, just to chat, and then realizing no one would answer are numerous. though, there is no bitterness. i rejoice knowing that this is only temporary. while my earthly father is not with me, i know that one day i will re-join him with my Heavenly Father also.

you know, it is funny how God's plans are often times so different than ours, and always infinitely better. when amanda and i decided to get married, i expressed caring about nothing more than knowing my dad could be present. we discussed dates, and changed our minds a lot. at one point we decided we would like to be a-typical and get married on march 11th, 2011. and over the course of time the date again changed to my parents' original wedding date, august 15th, of 2009. it was not until this past winter though that i finally realized how God orchestrated everything in this situation. had we gotten married in march of this year, my dad would not have been with us. see, God knows the number of our days, but not only with regards to our death. God knows the number of our days with regards to every part of our life. He knows when we will breath next, the number of breaths we take, how many beats our heart will make, and the list goes on. what a blessing God provided in this situation, allowing my dad to be present for one of the most important days of my life!

i think of this when i hear people allude to God not being good, or the idea that God does not know what He is doing. perhaps that is you. and perhaps like me, it is just going to take some time before you can see God's goodness in your life. that old saying "hindsight is 20/20" is often true. i encourage you, should you feel as though you are alone; should you feel as though God has abandoned you, look back. sift through your life and look for those places God has delivered you and blessed you. and remember them. often i have found in the end, that the times i feel most alone and far from God is when He is right next to me. i might not realize it, perhaps because the pain seems so much it clouds everything else out of view. but that does not mean God has left.

i have found it easy to slip into the mindset that as a Christian things will go great in my life. after all, this is often how being a believer is advertised. but the truth is, life becomes much harder. but we do not journey through it alone; we have a Deliverer. One who has walked the path before us, has faced the trials and temptations you and i face, and has gained the victory with no blemish.

this is what it is. what God has lead us to in life thus far. He is the Commander. I do not know where exactly we will end up, but i find rest and security in knowing He does. I hope you can find that same rest and security. and let us not forget, it is only found in one person, Jesus Christ. that is what it is.

p.s.- hope this makes some sense to you. cause, to be frank (though i am luke) it did not transfer to paper as easily as it flowed through my mind.

Maggie's Story

For those reading this, let me first clarify that I (Luke's wife) have confiscated Luke's blog for the purpose of sharing Maggie's story (with permission, of course :)). Luke is not the author of this one. I understand this will also be posted to his facebook (which makes me feel mildly awkward, but I think I can manage). I hope you enjoy it.

She sits in the back of the class, head hung low. Her teacher seems to like her, but she’s not too sure. No one spent much time with her when she was little. Now, she’s skittish around new people and places. She doesn’t understand why sometimes people cross the street, rather than having to pass close by her, and she doesn’t know why people make comments about her as she walks by. Her foster parents have started her in a new program, hoping to catch up on the socialization she missed growing up. Her new family agrees that it’s helping, but the stigma surrounding her just never seems to go away.

Meet Maggie. She’s not your ordinary “foster child.” Maggie is a 35 pound red pit bull. We never intended to take her in, much less keep her as long as we have. You see, we already have four dogs, two of which are pit bulls. A woman from work approached me, asking if we would taken in an eight month old puppy. She explained that they had taken the dog in to keep her from the shelter, only to find that a couple months down the road (and with a new baby), they could no longer keep her. The woman told me that the dog was going hungry. I told her there was no way we could take the dog in, and my husband confirmed my logic later that night. But as the day progressed, the words “going hungry” echoed through my mind. I thought to the day we had gotten Ryland, my Staffordshire. We met his owners at a Quik Trip. When I saw the five month old puppy, I bit back tears. Trying to hide my anger, I sat down to pet the worst looking puppy I had ever seen. Although his eyes were bright, his every rib showed. His coat was dull and he shook in the wind. We paid the fifteen dollars the couple had asked for and took him home. It took months to bring his health back.

Later that night, I asked my husband about the puppy my coworker had told us about. He reminded me that we were spending too much on dog food now. I reminded him about the state that Ryland had been found in. As it turns out, my husband has a heart as soft as mine. I guess that’s why I married him, because when I told him we needed to take in this dog, he agreed.

We told ourselves that two weeks would be the limit. After that, she would go to the Humane Society. We knew enough about their testing process to know that she wouldn’t qualify for being adopted just yet. We had to work with her at home. We potty trained her, taught her to sit and to sleep in her own crate at night. At home, she reminds me of a daisy. Gentle and pretty, she’ll sheepishly walk over and gently lay her head on my leg. It’s her way of asking if she can climb up on the couch and cuddle, soaking up any attention she can get, the way a flower soaks in the sunshine. In public, though, she might as well be Dogzilla. And Dogzilla is not the easiest dog to find a home for.

Her timid personality is misinterpreted around new people. Her shyness is seen as aggression; her lack of training and socialization are viewed as behavioral problems. So, somehow, her “two weeks” have turned into eleven. Although potential new owners have met her, they were intimidated by her behavior. I can’t say that I blame them- a bully breed is not for everyone. Even though I’ve been around dogs my whole life, I wasn’t sure where to start with Maggie, either. It doesn’t help that so many people think negatively of her breed.

I listed an ad online, asking for help with training, and hoping that someone would work with our meager budget of $50. Our knight in shining armor came in the form of the Complete K9 owner and trainer, Toney Turner. Something about our plight caught his eye, and he called, asking for our story. Four million cats and dogs are put down every year, and a large majority of those are pit bulls. I should stop and clarify here that the term “pit bull,” according to the Pit Bull Recue Central, is not a breed, but rather describes dogs that are viewed as “pit bulls” to the public, including the American Pit Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, and Staffordshire Bull Terriers. Toney must have realized that Maggie was special to us. I felt silly as I tried to explain the bond we had already. I stumbled over my words, and said, “Well, she is a good dog. At least, at home, she is. In public, she gets scared and barks and will growl if someone comes too close. But at home, really, she is a really good dog.” Mr. Turner laughed and said he understood, but I was frustrated. You see, even though someone else was willing to give me so much of his time, I was unable to explain why Maggie was so special. I guess it’s because she’s an inspiration.

My husband and I began the pursuit of adopting a child from foster care in March of 2009. We don’t have any kids of our own yet. It makes me laugh when people ask why we don’t want kids of our own. Of course, I tell them, we want children of our own. Adoption means a family just as much as a biological addition. We aren’t opposed to having biological children, but we want to adopt first. Someone asked my mother why we would want a child from foster care- after all, she said, those children have “issues.” My mom smiled and asked if she knew anyone who didn’t. The woman caught on quickly. God says that all children are a blessing. He doesn’t say “biological children” or “children without issues.” He says “all children.”

A couple months ago, as we got closer to meeting the children we hope to invite into our family, I began to feel overwhelmed. What would I tell them when they came with hurts that need healing? With tears that need drying? With Maggie, I found my answer. I would tell them what Maggie taught me. You keep on going. We are the fourth family that Maggie has been with. She keeps on going. She looks up to her master to follow, just as we look up to ours for guidance. And she keeps on going.

When we do adopt, and our children have struggles, I will tell them Maggie’s story. I’ll tell them how Maggie went through four families before she found the perfect one. I’ll tell them that she was scared of people, and sometimes people didn’t want much to do with her, either. When our children are sad or feeling as an outcast, I’ll tell them that most people thought Maggie was a lost cause. I’ll tell them that, even though she had problems, we didn’t give up on her. And we won’t give up on them, either. Because of Maggie, I’ve found an inner strength, too. Just like we didn’t give up on her, I won’t give up on myself. I know life isn’t always kind, and is rarely perfect. But I won’t give up.

Everyone deserves a second chance.

We can’t keep Maggie if we want to adopt, or be foster parents. We already have an American Pit Bull and a Staffordshire Terrier, and neither is a very favorable breed where the state is concerned. We’ve been informed that we need to find her a new home. She is now in training with a wonderful instructor, and he won’t give up on her, either. Our children will likely never meet Maggie, but I hope I am able to tell them that Maggie found a great home with new owners that love her for who she is, and that they are pursuing more training. I will not accept the idea that I may have to tell them an unhappy ending for her. I will not tell my children that, in the end, we did give up on Maggie, that we had to take her to the shelter. I will not tell them that she had to be put down, because I know there is hope.

Mr. Turner says that Maggie’s behavior problems are out of fear. She is terrified of people. Unlike our American Pit, who loves everyone and is very affectionate, Maggie is looking at around a year more of training to become properly socialized and learn to trust.

Maggie has taught us to keep moving forward. We can only keep her for another four to ten weeks, and we hope to find her an appropriate, loving home by then. Although we can’t keep her, we can keep the memories she’s given us. We can keep the lessons she has taught. Most importantly, we can keep our hope.

Special thanks to Ashley Wing for editing my story- you took four pages of my jumbled thoughts and emotions, and turned them into a story that deserves to be told.

A special thanks also to Toney Turner, owner of Complete K9 for believing in Maggie as much as we do.

marriage equals humbling

it has been just over one year and two months since amanda and i were married. it has been a rough year with many obsticals, surprises and everything between. but in the end we have grown closer together, and our love has grown deeper. as i process some of those events and trials, i plan to write more. but for now i want to meditate on a verse i read again today.

1What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?

i read this in James 4 this evening, and i could not help but think of my marriage. i have encountered many people over the last year, whether it be by their words or just through interactions with them, that seem to think amanda and i have things all figured out. and as much as i would love to say yes we do, there is so much more we have to learn.

there is so much more i have to learn.

that we do not fight and bicker in public does not mean that this does not take place at times within our home. it does. pastor hauter told us that conflict is inevitable, combat is optional. how we react to the conflicts we face every day is up to us. we make the choices and have to live with the consequences. and how often do we fight because of the desires within us?

how often is it because of selfishness on our part?

it hurts and yet is relieving to say, much of what i argue about and get upset over is rooted in selfishness. i struggle with placing my wife over my own desires. i struggle with loving her more than myself. i struggle with laying my passions and desires, wants and needs, my selfishness aside and instead place hers at the top of my priorities.

and this is a problem. a BIG problem. this selfishness is completely contradictory to what i am commanded to do. Paul commands husbands to "...love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 28In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself" (Ephesians 5:25-28). to love my wife as i am supposed to i must put aside my selfishness.

and that is not easy. temptation in every form creeps up quickly, Satan is sly in his tactics. But he is no match for God! Jesus told His disciples that with God, all things are possible (Matthew 19:26). we, as man, are wicked sinners incapable of pleasing God, let alone fixing our own problem. and that is a hard pill to swallow. i am a fixer, just ask my wife. and it kills me when i cannot fix something. but that is the truth. no matter how hard we try, completeness is unattainable on our own. apart from God, nothing can be made right. and apart from God, our passions and desires cannot be overcome.

it is He who holds the power. it is by His spirit in His children we become conquerors. and it is by His Son, the Christ Jesus, that we can have that Spirit of God. It is mercy and grace that allows us to be made humble and accept Christ as the King of our life. and it is by those means also that as His children, we can overcome our selfishness and love our wife as she should be.

an endless seeking

once again i find that it has been some time since i have last written much of anything. my desire to write more and more seems to vanish quicker and quicker as time progresses and "life" takes over. like so many other things held so dear, i continue to need to fight to make time for writing.

and here i am sick, home instead of work, mulling over recent past events. so much has happened in the short span of time since last writing. new jobs, new place to live, new dog, soon to be new bunnies, and as always, new problems and accusations.

but something seems to come up with every problem we have encountered. not so much a phrase, but a point. that is, you have to do things for yourself. you have to provide for yourself. you have to figure everything out for yourself. you, you, you. and yet, Scripture tells me the exact opposite.

God, God, God.

it makes me sick to see so many people call themselves followers of Christ, and yet are blindly enslaved to the worlds ideas that God does not care about you. that instead of trusting God to provide for our every need as He has promised, we should instead fight for all of these things we "deserve" on our own.

17Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.

this is from 1 Timothy, where Paul tells Timothy that this life is not about cars and money and big houses. it is not about getting everything that this world has to offer. you see those things pass away, they do not last. so why put your hope, your faith in them? Jesus said something similar as recorded in the gospel of Luke,

22Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 24Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! 25Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? 26Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? 27Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith! 29And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31But seek His kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

our focus should not be on us. our focus should not be on fulfilling all of our needs ourselves. truth is, no matter how hard we try, we will never succeed. we will always be short a buck, and thinking a newer house or car would make us happier. it makes me wonder, should our needs even be of concern to us? Jesus said not to worry about them. Jesus said that they would be provided for by the Father. all we have to do is seek His kingdom. all we have to do is follow Him.

it seems to be an issue of trust at the core. do we trust ourselves, or God? the first appears to be easier than the latter. i find it interesting that trusting in the intangible is often times difficult for people, yet it is what we are commanded to do. though, i am sure that the intangible is real; i am sure that the God of the Bible is real, alive, presence with me right now. i have seen His mighty hand provide for my wife and i over and over and over again. without fail, when it appears that we just wont make it, He shows up. when all the critics told us we would never find jobs and should just settle with fast food work, God provided amazing jobs for both of us. when the critics told us we should just settle with government housing, God opened the door for us to rent a house and bring our three dogs at an affordable price and in a safe community. when the critics told us that God only helps those who help themselves, we stood back and looked to God. and you know what?

HE showed up, mightily.

it is not that we are to be lazy. we are not commanded to sit around and do nothing, waiting for God to do everything. the point is, where is your trust? is it in yourself, or in God?

He knows what i need, when i need it, before i ever think about it. and i know, by His word, that He will be faithful to provide. all i have to do, is trust and seek Him. seek His kingdom. not my own, not myself.

after all,
HE is God, not i.

the joys of political science

recently in my political science class, we were instructed to pick a topic covered in our text and write a research paper on it. the 2nd Amendment has always been something of interest to me, as i firmly believe in the Constitutional right to keep and bear arms. following is my research paper on this topic, which i am hoping you find to be enjoyable ;-)

The Second Amendment: Is Bearing Arms a Constitutional Right?

Luke Wagner

POLSC115 On-Line

Prof. Stan Mendenhall

November 27^th, 2009

“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”

- 2^nd Amendment, United States of America Constitution

“To disarm the people is the best and most effectual way to enslave them.”

- George Mason

“They that can give up essential Liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither Liberty nor safety.”

- Benjamin Franklin

“Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it.”

- Declaration of Independence

“I ask, sir, what is the militia? It is the whole people, except for a few public officials.”

- George Mason

“…No free man shall be debarred the use of arms within his own land.”

- Thomas Jefferson, Virginia Constitution of 1776

Table of Contents

I. History of the Second Amendment

a. How it came to be

i. The writing of the Constitution, penning and acceptance of the Second Amendment

b. Purpose and intentions of the Founding Fathers

II. Everyone has an Opinion

a. Modern Interpretations

i. Why most are wrong

b. Even Liberals admit they are wrong, sometimes

c. Who is the Amendment intended for?

III. One more Purpose

a. The right of Self-defense

b. Why is this important?

IV. Is Bearing Arms a Constitutional Right?

a. Changing times equals biased tolerance

b. The Government as Master

c. It shall not be infringed upon

d. The next step

The issue of the Second Amendment can be described as a “hot topic”, perhaps now more than ever before. In recent years it has gained attention with other issues like abortion and gay rights, always gaining greater notice during election times. With this issue come opposing viewpoints and thoughts covering extremes on both ends, and others being found more towards the middle of the spectrum. In this short paper it is my desire to explore the ideology and purpose of the Founding Fathers behind the 2^nd Amendment, historical and modern interpretations of the Second Amendment and, in the end, come to a final conclusion as to whether the right to own and use a firearm today is truly a constitutional right. But as with all research papers, first a little history must be brought to light.

History of the Second Amendment

When this great country was first being formed, it was under British rule. Comprised of small colonies spread along the east coast facing a mysterious wilderness of sorts to the west, it was vastly different from what we find the United States of America to be today. After the first pilgrims landed in James Town in 1607, the first representative assembly was established (Welch, 22). Over the next several years there were constitutions and assemblies within each colony, but because of British rule the assemblies had to submit to royally appointed governors and troops. It was not until 1774, after years of conflict between self-government by the colonies and the mother British government, that the Continental Congress was established in an attempt to coordinate their actions. Two years later in 1776 Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence. Five years after that, while the Revolutionary War was still taking place, the States ratified the first constitution. This constitution was called the Articles of Confederation, and allowed each state to retain its own “sovereignty”, in essence making each state supreme over the national government.

The Articles of Confederation were short lived though, and in 1787 the Constitutional Convention took place in Philadelphia with fifty-five delegates from the State legislatures being present. It was at this meeting that instead of revising the Articles of Confederation as they had been instructed to do, they created a brand new constitution. After much deliberation, conflict and compromise, on September 17^th, 1787 thirty-nine of the original fifty-five delegates signed what we now have and call the Constitution. Soon after the ratification of the Constitution, George Washington became the nations first President in 1788.

It was James Madison who drafted twelve amendments, including the 2^nd, which we will be examining here. After being drafted, Congress proposed them, and then the States ratified ten in 1791. For the 2^nd Amendment in particular, there were many factors behind the writing of it. As with all the contents of our historical documents, the words and phrases used were carefully selected, often times being debated over for long periods of time. Ideas for the wording and meaning of the 2^nd Amendment came from many sources, mainly from similar documents that were earlier drafted for State Bills of Rights, as well as from many suggestions from state conventions. A great example of this is the Virginia Constitution of 1776 in which Thomas Jefferson penned, “…No free man shall be debarred the use of arms within his own land.” With all of the State Constitutions including a section on the bearing of arms though, four beliefs could be found across the board: 1) the right of the individual to possess arms; 2) the fear of a professional army; 3) the reliance on militias controlled by the individual states; and 4) the subordination of the military to civilian control (Court).

On June 22^nd, 1788 the 2^nd Amendment was penned. The purpose for penning such an Amendment was well grounded in history and experience. Having just ended the Revolutionary War with Britain, there was a very real fear of the creation of a standing army, one which could in time threaten democracy and civil liberties, such as had happened in Rome and Britain (Origin). The purpose is perhaps best described by Professor Joyce Malcom, as she points out two distinct goals of the penning of the 2^nd Amendment: 1) it was meant to guarantee the individual’s right to have arms for self-defense and self-preservation, and 2) those privately owned arms were also meant to be used in militia service (LaPierre, 14). The 2^nd Amendment that we have in the Bill of Rights today is not, however, the original wording. When it was first penned, the amendment was much lengthier and more explanative, as can be seen in the following:

“That the people have a right to keep and bear arms; that a well-regulated militia, composed of the body of the people trained to arms, is the proper, natural, and safe defense of a free state; that standing armies, in time of peace, are dangerous to liberty, and therefore ought to be avoided, as far as the circumstances and protection of the community will admit; and that, in all cases, the military should be under strict subordination to, and governed by, the civil power.”

Here we see the intention of Madison and the other Federalists in penning the 2^nd Amendment. That original purpose was clearly “to establish a ‘well-regulated’ democratic army of citizen-soldiers instead of a professional army; not to encourage the anarchic proliferation of weapons in civil society” (Origin). What we read above was eventually whittled down to what we now read in the Bill of Rights:

“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”

Everyone has an Opinion

Over the years, as with any issue or topic, there have been different interpretations of the 2^nd Amendment. As mentioned before, they range from one extreme to the other. Three interpretations are identified in the online article “The Second Amendment”:

1) The civilian militia interpretation, which holds that the Second Amendment is no longer valid, having been intended to protect a militia system that is no longer in place.

2) The individual rights interpretation, which holds that the individual right to bear arms is a basic right on the same order as the right to free speech.

3) The median interpretation, which holds that the Second Amendment does protect an individual right to bear arms but is restricted by the militia language in some way.

Those in favor of gun laws will either align themselves with the first or third interpretation for their defense. But when the Amendment is closely examined within the context it was written, and when the original context of certain words used is taken into consideration, the first and third given interpretations have no grounds to stand. Let’s look at the word militia, the fourth word in the 2^nd Amendment. A modern interpretation can be found at Dictionary.com, giving four definitions for the word:

1) A body of citizens enrolled for military service, and called out periodically for drill but serving full time only in emergencies.

2) A body of citizen soldiers as distinguished from professional soldiers.

3) All able-bodied males considered by law eligible for military service.

4) A body of citizens organized in a paramilitary group and typically regarding themselves as defenders of individual rights against the presumed interference of the federal government.

Found at the same site defining the word militia is the following dated 1777: "the whole body of men declared by law amenable to military service, without enlistment, whether armed and drilled or not." This definition, dated closely to the time of writing of the 2^nd Amendment, gives us a clearer understanding of what Madison meant when he used the word militia. Shortly after the penning of the 2^nd Amendment, co-author George Mason said to the Virginia Assembly, “I ask, sir, what is the militia? It is the whole people, except for a few public officials.” He also made a clear distinction in his writing entitled Fairfax County Militia Plan between a “standing army” such as a guard unit, and a “militia,” composed of private citizens (LaPierre, 5). It is clear that the Founding Fathers, the authors of our founding documents and the 2nd Amendment, referred to the common people when using the word militia, not an organized military party as many today claim. Akhil Amar, a Yale Law Professor, is quoted speaking on the subject of the definition of the word militia in the 2^nd Amendment,

“When the Constitution means ‘states’ it says so… The ultimate right to keep and bear arms belongs to ‘the people,’ not the ‘states.’ …Thus the ‘people’ at the core of the 2^nd Amendment are the citizens – the same ‘We the People’ who ‘ordain and establish’ the Constitution and whose rights to assemble…is at the core of the 1^st Amendment. …Nowadays, it is quite common to speak loosely of the National Guard as ‘the State militia,’ but when the 2^nd Amendment was written…’the militia’ referred to all citizens capable of bearing arms. Thus ‘the militia’ is identical to ‘the people’… (LaPierre, 13).

Further, Professor Malcom points out that the idea or argument that today’s National Guard members are the only persons entitled to own and bear arms has no historical ground. The “militia” referred to in the 2^nd Amendment is the people (Guns, 15). Perhaps my favorite quote on interpretation of the 2^nd Amendment comes from CNN’s “Crossfire” co-host, liberal Michael Kinsley:

“My New Republic colleague Mickey Kaus says that if liberals interpreted the second amendment the way they interpret the rest of the Bill of Rights, there would be law professors arguing that gun ownership is mandatory” (LaPierre, 12).

One More Purpose

While the purposes of the 2^nd Amendment have been outlined previously, there is one that I believe is important to expand upon. Professor Malcom touched on the fact that one of the purposes of the 2^nd Amendment is the protection of the right to self-defense. However, today this is a point that is viciously argued against by those desiring gun laws, often saying that self-defense is not grounds for ownership of firearms. Wayne LaPierre, author and chief national spokesman of the National Rifle Association says in his book,

“The Founders’ purpose in guaranteeing the right to keep and bear arms was not merely to overthrow tyrants. They saw the right to arms as crucial to what they believed was a prime natural right – self-defense” (LaPierre, 20).

Even as early as 1765, the right to self-defense was considered an absolute right (LaPierre, 24). Today, the protection of this right is of greater importance then ever before. The point proven by many studies done over the years is that criminals fear armed citizens. Common sense tells a person that an unarmed citizen is more easily made a victim of a crime than one in possession of a firearm. LaPierre draws on a study done in 1993 by Florida State University criminologist Gary Kleck that says, “As many as 2.45 million crimes are thwarted each year in the United States by average citizens using firearms, and in most cases the potential victim never has to fire a shot” (LaPierre, 23). Further pointed out by LePierre is that, “Counterattack – self-defense – has proved to be a more effective deterrent to crime then any of the laws on the books. Criminals don’t fear the law – but they do fear armed citizens” (LaPierre, 26).

Those in favor of gun laws will often times argue that these laws will lower crime rates. Yet, as pointed out, study after study has supported the fact that armed citizens are the best deterrent to crime. I remember learning from a fellow student at a place of secondary education that several of the students had concealed weapons permits and carried handguns with them in class. The fact that I was surrounded by competent and armed individuals made me feel safer than I had ever been before. I knew that, should an individual come through a door with the intentions of harming another, they would be either scared off or stopped in their tracks. It is interesting that other countries like Britain and Australia have seen increases in crime rates since banning firearm ownership by their citizens. George Mason once said, “To disarm the people is the best and most effectual way to enslave them” (LaPierre, 5). Criminals know this and bank their success in completing a crime on it. It would do America good to learn from the mistakes of other countries.

Is Bearing Arms a Constitutional Right?

Times have changed since the founding of this great country and the writing of our founding documents. But changing times does not justify the reinterpretation of a constitutional amendment protecting the right of every law-abiding U.S. citizen. Perhaps LaPierre says it best:

“If ‘changing times’ justifies ignoring or re-interpreting the 2^nd Amendment, then ‘changing times’ affect many Constitutional rights, not just the right to arms” (LaPierre, 18).

Changing times is another point raised by those in favor of gun-laws. It is the same as their argument of tolerance with regards to the issue of religion. Those who are Christ following Christians are labeled as intolerant by those who hate Christians. Who is intolerant? Who, with regards to the 2^nd Amendment right to bear arms, is contradictory in their thoughts and arguments?

It is very clear that the right to bear arms is a Constitutional right, one that our government has no right to take away. The arguments based on crime, the interpretation of the word “militia”, and changing times do not stand when compared to history. Our Founding Fathers had very clear intentions in writing the 2^nd Amendment. It also appears clear that they knew at some point in the future of this great country, that right would be challenged by the government meant to protect it:

“As the Founding Fathers knew well, a government that does not trust its honest, law-abiding, tax paying citizens with the means of self-defense is not itself worthy of trust. Laws disarming honest citizens proclaim that the government is the master, not the servant of the people…” (LaPierre, 21).

Our government has clearly shown just this, a lack of trust in the people it is meant to serve. The government has positioned itself as a master, as one does who owns a slave. It is my belief that to lie down and give into the pressures of the government with regards to the 2^nd Amendment is one of the most unpatriotic things an American can do, right along with fighting for laws contradicting the 2^nd Amendment.

I often times wonder what our Founding Fathers would think of this country were they to be alive today. My guess would be “ashamed,” not only of the leaders, but of the people as well. Benjamin Franklin once said, “They that can give up essential Liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety” (Guns, 10). The right to bear arms is a Constitutional right, whether it be for self-defense, hunting, or collection. It is a right protected by the Constitution itself, and one that should not be infringed upon by the government. But, things will not change unless the American people wake up and realize this fact. Nothing will change for the good of this country unless the American people recognize their duty as citizens to hold our elected officials accountable to the oaths they have taken to uphold the founding documents of this great country. That, though, is a hard pill to swallow these days, and one that is met with great opposition. This does not however negate the need to stand and fight; for if not, we will soon be like other countries around the globe: unarmed, defenseless and cornered by the government created and meant to serve us, the American people.

Bibliography

Cornell, Saul. A Well-Regulated Militia: The Founding Fathers and the Origins of Gun Control in America. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006.

Cothran, Helen, ed. Gun Control: Opposing Viewpoints. Farmington Hills, MI: Greenhaven Press, 2003.

Doherty, Brian. Gun Control on Trial: Inside the Supreme Court Battle Over the Second Amendment. Washington, D.C.: Cato Institute, 2008.

Farewell to Arms?: Gun Control. Dir. Paul Marca. Hoover Institution & KTEH/San Jose Public Television, 1999.

Freedman, Warren. The Privilege to Keep and Bear Arms: The Second Amendment and its Interpretation. New York : Quorum Books, 1989.

“The Ideological Origins of the Second Amendment.” GunCite. 03 Nov. 2009

http://www.guncite.com/journals/shalideo.html

LaPierre, Wayne. Guns, Crime, and Freedom. Washington, D.C.: Regnery Publishing, Inc., 1994.

“Origin of the Second Amendment.” Project for Global Democracy and Human Rights. 03 Nov. 2009 http://www.worldpolicy.org/projects/globalrights/usa/2ndamend.html

“SAF Gun Rights Frequently Asked Questions.” Second Amendment Foundation Online. 06 Oct. 2009 http://www.saf.org/default.asp?p=gunrights_faq#1.

“The Second Amendment.” About.com: Civil Liberties. 03 Nov. 2009

http://civilliberty.about.com/od/guncontrol/p/2nd_amendment.htm

“The Second Amendment Goes to Court.” Origins: Current Events in Historical Perspective. 03 Nov. 2009

http://ehistory.osu.edu/osu/origins/article.cfm?articleid=7&articlepage=1&altcontent=no

“U.S. Constitution: Second Amendment.” FindLaw For Legal Professionals. Cases & Codes. 05 Oct. 2009 http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/data/constitution/amendment02/.

Welch, Susan. Understanding American Government 12e. Boston: Wadsworth, 2008.

Williams, David C. The Mythic Meanings of the Second Amendment: Taming Political Violence in a Constitutional Republic. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2003.

to slay

8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.

There’s a thought. And a hard one to practice. I was confronted today by my wife about my attitude lately. In all honesty, it has been one of rudeness and bitterness. And I was stuck with the question of why. Why am I bitter? Why am I so tense and angry? Why is it affecting me this way?

And then Amanda asked me something I had yet to think of.

Does my attitude have anything to do with my most recent work environment?

Now, in all honesty that was an area I didn’t want to visit again. I had walked away from it, feeling damaged enough, and here I am asked to re-examine it? Perhaps it is the counselor in her, but she had a point; I needed to examine it more closely.

So reluctantly, I spent some time reflecting on that past environment and noticed some similarities in my thought patterns. While working where I did, it was made very clear to me that I did not give enough, or perform good enough. My performance was expected to be perfect, and though I knew perfection was not achievable, the criticism and negative attitudes constantly surrounding me, in time brought me down. In time, my thought pattern switched from one focused on Christ to one focused on myself. It changed from one of positive, Christ-centered thought to one of negative and overly critical thought.

I had allowed, unknowingly, this negative attitude to take over my thought life. And in turn, it has had a negative effect on my relationship with my wife. Instead of responding out of love and grace, I have misinterpreted everything as criticism and recoiled back until enough is enough, and I spring back with hurtful negativity. And all the time I have sat here wondering why things have not been fun like they used to be. Why do we not enjoy each other like we did before the wedding?

See, I never realized the significance of my thought patterns in relation to other areas of my life. I had been raised with the mentality that you leave work at work, and just assumed that meant the attitude stayed as well. And honestly, I had tried on several occasions to do just that. But the reality I believe is that you can never fully leave work at work; you can never fully separate an attitude associated with one thing from another. Our attitudes are transcendent; they are not independently attached to a given situation. They follow us from one to the other, just as we walk from point “a” to point “b”. Yet, I don’t believe we think that.

So we end up in a spot much like I am. Angry, bitter, stressed out, recoiling and springing with venom at those we love most. And all the while, not knowing why. Paul tells us though, in his letter to the Philippians how we should think.

8…whatever is true…noble…right…pure…lovely…admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy think about such things.

Our thoughts should be on what is good. What is holy…our thoughts should be on Christ and our Father. Not ourselves, and not the negativity we find surrounding us. Paul knew what a negative thought life could do to a person. He knew the destruction it could bring in its wake. He knew from experience that our thoughts have significant bearing on our actions and our words. The impact is great, for good or bad.

We live in a fallen world, so negativity will be with us until the end. Everywhere we go, everything we do; there will always be an element of negativity surrounding us. Yes, even within a group of believers. Being Christian does not make one immune to negativity. But the truth remains; God provides a way out when faced with sin and temptation. When we find ourselves pressed by negativity, we can turn to Paul’s words. See, it’s so easy to criticize someone, to put them down; especially when we’ve had it done to us. But as followers of Christ, we are called to be different. We are called to be holy just as the Father. Not that we will be perfect, but that in recognizing our imperfection we strive to follow Christ in all that we do. And practice of Paul’s words brings something much greater than any high some bit of criticism towards another can. It brings peace from God, one that transcends all understanding. The peace that deep down we humans desire, the filling of the void all posses from the fall; Peace from God is the answer we seek. The question then, is how badly do we want it? Are we willing to lay our pride down? Are we willing to humble ourselves not only before God, but in front of others? Are we willing to appear weak, when all we have shown is strength? Are we willing to trust in a God who is infinitely greater, infinitely more powerful, and infinitely more capable of fulfilling our needs than anyone or anything else conceivable?

Our beliefs shape our thoughts, and ultimately shape our actions. The real question we must wrestle with is what do you believe about God? Is He what the Scriptures say? Or is He some evil kill-joy, trying to ruin our lives? The things Paul encourages us to think about are essentially traits of God. He is noble, trustworthy, pure, true, right, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy! That is my God, and those are the things I want to think about. I want to think about Him. What I believe about Him, shapes what I think about Him. And in turn, this effects how I think about other things in my life.

Negativity, just like any other sin, only has a hold on us as long as we allow it to. Not that we in of our selves can defeat it. No, it is Christ! But as long as we lie down and allow ourselves to be overrun by Satan, negativity’s grasp on us will not weaken. It’s with Christ, when we wake up and recognize His power within us, through the Spirit we become more than conquerors. When we let go of the reigns of our life and turn them over to Christ, only then will negativity’s grip be broken. And with this freedom through and in Christ, we can practice Paul’s words of exhortation. We can through Christ, find the peace we long for. And ultimately our thoughts can be rightly placed on God and His Son.

Our thoughts influence more than we realize. And more than that, our beliefs are of greater importance than we often give them. We though, are the only ones who can decide what those beliefs will be.

So I ask, how do you want to think?