Welcome to TSP!!
The word from Pooh, today, is, “Oh Dear!!!” The world is turning upside down.
This opening blog is written on a day when Americans face devastation, destruction, and the “great unknown” in almost every geographic area of the United States…by the way, are you an American? What does it really mean to be an American? This is an important question at a time such as this.
It seems that there is only one group of people who can claim to be true Americans. The rest of us are just immigrants from different places and cultures around the world. I remember living in different places in the United States where the locals would not accept you until your family had been there for at least one generation and understood how to “act, think, and talk” like everyone else. Maybe that is what it means to be an American.
So many people in the United States want to focus on their cultural identity rather than seeking to identify with this great cause called “America”. Perhaps, they have forgotten that it is the very freedom that is granted through the writings of our forefathers, based on the precepts of Christianity; eg, bounded by the absolute authority of God, that has established a wonderful country where they may seek improvement in their lives; provided they are willing to work at it.
By seeking to enhance our cultural differences, we force our dogmatic religious differences to the forefront of our daily interactions with each other, for we all practice some form of religion based within whatever or whoever we place our faith. We all have faith in something or someone.
I wonder what life in these United States would be like if, instead of constantly highlighting our differences, we made a determined effort to celebrate those things that we have in common; like the desire for a better life in a country that has in-place the guiding principles that can make that happen.
We face multiple geographic crises, today. The Christian God has noted that devastation will come to the land of the people who turn from Him. We have the opportunity to set aside our differences and seek to pull our strengths together to, once again, stand, shoulder to shoulder, as a formidable nation of immigrants.
Let us seek to reconcile ourselves before the Holy God rather than depending on those things that will one day fail that we may once again have focus and purpose to our existence.
Blessings,
Pb
You are encouraged to contribute to the thoughts of this blog via the comment section. Please, refrain from irrational, vitriolic hyperbole. Instead, seek the path of communication that will yield reconciliation under the banner of truth. As our guide, Winnie the Pooh, has said, “Sometimes, if you stand on the bottom rail of a bridge and lean over to watch the river slipping slowly away beneath you, you will suddenly know everything there is to be known.” (http://thinkexist.com/quotes/winnie_the_pooh/)
The Spirit of Poohbear 
I definitely feel you on this one. I resonate with the experience of various and sundry geographic regions even within a state at times in my short life thus far. America, the great "melting pot", it is obvious a chemist didn't create that descriptive. As a nation, we still struggle over 200 years later with whether the liquid in the pot is a compound or a solution. The solvent truly is that overarching grace of God which forged this nation and the principles of which you speak. With time, new solutes have been introduced which would have no part of that solution involving the aforementioned solvent. That is what has led to our current situation of judgment where the impurities within this melting pot are beginning to be burned off as the heat of judgment is turned up on this pot's contents. Whenever I contemplate things like this, I am brought back to a scene from the Lord of the Rings films. Remember when Frodo says, "I wish the ring had never come to me!" Gandalf responds,"As do all who live to see such times..." I have thought about that many times lately, my desire to not have been born or chosen for "such a time as this" and the calm gentle response of Jesus that "I know, my child, so do all those who have been called to see similar days, but I am here with you." I wonder "How long will be too long?" "Is there any hope to turn this thing around one more time?" "Are we but Jeremiahs, helpless to proclaim the Word of the Lord as the lot has been cast on this generation and this people?" Even as I see a wealth of books and strategies published for what we are missing, and what we've lost and how to fix it, I find Jesus words testifying against the possibilities from the Mount of Olives two millennia ago: "Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold." Then Paul chimes in: "Without love, I am nothing..." Yet, I try and walk on when I am not stumbling because of my own frailty and cursed weakness, my inane lack of discipline. Mustering what strength I can for my boys, my wife, and the community that God has me a part of for this season of my life. I guess if you are Pooh, I am providing a healthy dose of Eeyore or on my brighter days Piglet. How I long for the Tigger-ific days of old when we could sing the songs of Zion in freedom. 'til next time...Thanks for your thoughtful input. It does seem that we may be on the verge of “all is lost”. Let us tejoice knowing our Savior comes and point our families to the unity that is found in Christ Jesus. Perhaps Hillary was right: it does just take a village. Unfortunately, she didn’t understand the village of which she wrote, but we know and we cling to the hope found in the blood of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
By the way, I would never presume to be the Pooh, rather I am just one who seeks the path of enlightenment through the 100 acre wood by seeking his humility and simplicity.
Best of Hunny to You, my friend,
Pb
Hi Charles! So fun and exciting that you started a blog. I hope you enjoy doing as much as my 21st Century Christianity class and I did. I like your blog title; it’s very clever. Blessings.
Thanks Em. You have inspired my “inner pooh”.
Charles