This is Joel's Old Blog

The life and death of Baby Noah Steven

You must read the story of the life and death of a 7 month old boy in Denver, Noah Steven - Some friends passed along the story -   If you are parent.. this story will bring tears to your eyes, as it did mine-- If you are not a parent, it will still move you deeply. 

Written by the mother,  "

Truly "Crowned in Peace" is Noah Steven Graves There is "Nothing Missing, Nothing Broken", not in Noah, anyway...He is missing from my arms and my heart is broken but not destroyed. I have not met a more perfect little person.  Today Emily said after our photography session, "Mom, don't let him go." I said, "I won't but if Jesus wants him, I'm not going to disobey because do you remember how mad he got when the disciples tried to discourage the little children from coming to him?"She understood...You see, when Jesus directed us to have faith like a child, it was quite simple, really.Think about it...when we tell a child that there's this God that we can't see with our eyes or feel with our hands who created the whole universe, that loves us unconditionally, He lives in Heaven and there are castles there, no crying, no sadness, sickness or hurt...usually the response is, "I love God. I want to go there!"..

More photos and writings from parents here

First Muslim in US Congress

What an amazing story today of Ellison being sworn in to the US Congress as the first Muslim in Congress.  An amazing interview here -  Indeed, an issue that will be on TV talk shows,  radio shows  -- Many will be angry as many live in fear-- This story is a great dialogue and discussion, indeed.  The Quran he used in the photograph was owned by Thomas Jefferson -  I must point out that 2 other US Congressman are Buddhists --  Hank Johnson (Black man from Atlanta) and a Japanese woman from Hawaii , a fact that most probably do not realize.  The religious make up of our elected officials will become more and more diverse in the years to come, even on a national level -- 

As Ellison was asked how he became Muslim, he replies...   "I'll tell you this much. When I walked into the Muslim student union [at Detroit's Wayne State University] I was very impressed how well represented all the peoples of the world were in the room. You had people who were Caucasian, you had them African, you had them South Asian, you had Latino and you had people who looked like they might have been Chinese. And they were all there—and I was impressed by that ... It seemed like something that was good at unifying people. And that's what set me down this path."

Would Ellison's experience have been the same if he had walked into a Campus Crusade for Christ or Intervarisy meeting?   

I have to state that I agree with Ellison to use the Quran in his photo --  What makes our nation great is the 1st Amm.  "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances...