Admission to Heaven

What is the price of admission to Heaven?  Is there a certain number of good deeds that must be done?  Is there a "To Do" list that will guarantee our final destination?  Or is there a list of things that we must not do in order to reserve our place in heaven?

Religion has debated this heavy topic on many occasions.  Pastors, priests, ministers and preachers have lead their congregations to believe one way or the other in their weekly sermons with topics such as charity toward others, good deeds, setting a Christian example, don't be an adulterer, don't lie, cheat or steal.  While all of this guidance makes us better people in general, can it really change our ultimate fate?  

I am currently reading an e-book on this topic that I have found to be very provocative.  Done. : What Most Religions Don't Tell You About the Bible by Cary Schmidt is a fairly short, easy read on the subject of doing versus done.   I do not know the author's credentials but regardless of their background, I personally feel that this author presents a question that has been on my mind since I began my exploration of life as a Christian.  If God gave us his only son, Jesus Christ, as our personal savior and allowed him to be crucified to cleanse mankind of their sin debt, what action of man could possibly "trump" that?  Did the death of Christ guarantee all of us our place in heaven? 

Without attempting to summarize the entire text, the author states that the Bible clearly indicates that man is incapable of being without sin, it is our fundamental nature to be sinful since Adam and Eve first decided to eat of the forbidden fruit. Yet, God loves us unconditionally and wants a real relationship with us, regardless.  The author continues to say that God does not want to be our task master, checking off a list of do's and don'ts, but rather wants to be our Father in every sense of the word, our ultimate resource, our Alpha and Omega.  It all boils down to the fact that God does not care what WE do, it is about what HE has done.  He has cleared the books, our account is clear.

At this point in my journey, I am not sure what I think in reference to my ultimate destination.  I was not raised in church and did not attend Sunday School.  Traditional, structured religion has not shaped my belief in God.  I have always just known that there was an ultimate power in control of our lives.  It is reassuring to note that I am not the only one who wonders about the bias of religion and the effects of man's interpretation of the Bible.  I am sure that I will continue to find questions and answers and more questions as I read the Bible and seek to expand my knowledge of Christianity.  

Please let me know if you have found this post to be enlightening or thought provoking, and definitely feel free to comment with any other books that might enrich my spiritual journey or might benefit others in their search for answers.

** Please note, that the above link will take you to Amazon.com, a website I love, but I am in no way affiliated or compensated by Amazon.  This e-book is currently free for Kindle users, but as always, prices are subject to change without notice.  I am also not associated in any way with the author or publisher of this book. **

An Unexpected Miracle

Cat with 2 faces lives 12 years, sets record - Break News - Ohio


So where will you find your miracle today? This Janus cat has surprised everyone by simply surviving. With his extremely rare condition, he is a miracle. I hope today everyone remembers that they too, are miracles. Make the best of being alive. Don't just survive, THRIVE! As the cutesy bumper sticker says, "Be the Change You Want to See."

A New View on Things

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Ok, got the Empire Avenue blog verification taken care of up there. So now on to the real posting stuff.

I am trying a new outlook on things.  I am going to strive to do things that not only make me happy but make me feel good.  No, I have not turned into a selfish hedonist.  I am just going to focus on doing things that make a difference in my life and the lives of others.  I want to be proud of my actions not in a braggy kind of way, but so that I look back on my life as having mattered. 

As a single female without children in today's society, having a relevant impact seems so vague.  I will never send a child that I created out into the big world prepared by my teachings, exposed to my beliefs and values.  When I die I will not leave behind a family of mourners, I will be blessed if I am missed by a handful of true friends.  That to me just seemed kind of hollow and sad.  So I decided to make a change, today, now.

I will let people know that I value them.  I will actively seek to improve my knowledge and share with others what wisdom I may gather.  I will seek to atone for the close minded thoughts that have seeped into my mind.  I will make an effort to assist others in their endeavors and support them as they face life's challenges.

Maybe I will succeed, maybe I won't, but I know that I will be better for having made the journey.  I will share the journey with you and let you know what I think.  It might even be worth 2 cents.

Wishing you all the best in your search for love, life and the pursuit of happiness.
Monica

http://www.empireavenue.com/MONIPIX/connections

Imagine... there are OTHER ways to waste time at work besides Facebook.  Who would have thought it possible?  I have become entangled in the world of Empire Avenue www.empireavenue.com upon the request of my friend, techno geek and fellow blogger Ben Harrington.

Empire Avenue is a social networking site that allows you to invest in your friends.  A stock market for social media.  You earn money from your friends and through your activity across the web.  I am still very much on the lower end of the learning curve, so don't just take my word for it.  Check it out and invest some hard earned eaves (Empire Avenue's currency) in my profile if you feel froggy.  And if you could, please click through the link at the top of the page so I can get credit for my words of wisdom or what some would call my blog.

I look forward to sharing more of what makes me think, but right now, I should probably work.

TTFN,
Monica 

Why are bathroom door handles backward?

Well, not really backwards, but wrong.  I was in a state of the art office building yesterday complete with hand sanitizing stations.  However, the entrances to the restrooms were push entry but exiting required touching the beautiful brushed chrome handle.  Doesn't that defeat the purpose of thoroughly washing your hands?
The contractors/architects should consider switching the handles.  Let me touch the door when my hands are presumable grubby and germ infested.  Then when I exit, theoretically squeaky clean, I can just lean into the door preserving my germ free status. 
And yes, I know there are many NASTY people who do not wash their hands after using the restroom, but that is a whole other drama.  I think it should be perfectly acceptable to point these people out to everyone, especially in restaurants, for the gross, thoughtless, germy jerks that they are.  No one wants them handling the menus, the tables and door handles. Ewww, yuck!

Why Do People Drive Stupid?

Is it genetic? Is it environmental?  Or is it just plain old-fashioned stupidity?
Why would you drive in the dark AND the rain without your headlights on?  On my way home, the road was filled with vehicles that did not have their lights on at all, while some made a feeble effort with just their parking lights.  To top it off, I seem to recall that most states have laws that require the use of your headlights when your windshield wipers are operated.  Believe me, if these cars weren't using their wipers, they either have a death wish or must have serious Rain X.  So lawbreaking idiots without your headlights STAY OFF the roads when normal sane people are driving.
And for another thing, it is not illegal or immoral to use your turn signal.  It is more than appropriate to turn your signal on when merging, changing lanes, or dare I say, turning.  I can not fathom why it is so difficult for people to extend their little finger a mere two to three inches in order to activate their turn signals.  Even if you call them blinkers, let them blink!  Use them to share your intentions with the rest of the world.  Save yourself and us, a lot of stress from the parking lot to the interstate.  As Martha Stewart says, blinkers are a "Good Thing!"
Update 12/1/2010
Why can people not put down their makeup, their newspapers, their cell phones, their breakfast and whatever else is distracting them, and DRIVE?  On the way to a seminar yesterday, I observed at least ten people that didn't even have a hand on the wheel.  Grrr!  I know that some people are blessed with talented knees, but really? 
And then there were the HOV lane hogs who were sailing by, all alone!  I understand that the state would lose money if they eliminated the carpool lanes, but how about a little bit of enforcement.  I lost count of how many violators I encountered on my way to and from my meeting.  Do people really feel that entitled to special treatment?