If wishes where horses... then I'd ride one to the National Open

Hi guys! right now, I actually wish I were somewhere else. I mean, I know I'm supposed to be content and all, and that God definitely has a really good reason for me not being at the National Open tournament...

But I'm feeling kinda' anxious. I'm really really wishing I were there with you guys. And I'm really curious as to the results thus far. :( I really want to apologize for not making it down there. I do not like missing tournaments. :(... At all.

Anyways I just wrote this to let you all know I'm thinking of ya'll and praying very hard that you do your best and reach out to each other!! (and I know you guys always do) :)

Praise God He controls everything! And I'll see you all next week!

P.S. I was wondering if anyone could possibly e-mail the ARC group when they find out who has broken and all... it gets really intense here not knowing... :P Thanks ya'll! and God bless! :D Ooo... maybe I should e-mail ya'll about that... :)

My government etc...

Hello all! Due to the temporary shortage of ARC events to blog about... (sadness... :P hehe) I have been wanting to write a blog on the current status of the US Government. SOooo... here we go! enjoy!

1st, I want to point out a major premise of this current administration :)

What was this government created for in the first place? the protection of the rights of the people. The government was granted the right to tax the people, and enforce just laws in order to protect its citizens. The constitution was drafted in order to restrict what kind of laws where passed and to limit the power of the different branches of the government.

When asked what the government was created for, most people would agree it was for the protection of the people's rights. But not too long after the government was formed, it decided it needed to also educate its peoples. This was a MAJOR mistake on behalf of the United States of America. We will never stop feeling the effects of the regulated, prison-like, indoctrinating public school system. (sorry to use such harsh words, but it's true... )

My Government has also decided it is not going to stop there. Which leads me to point 2.

My government has failed to protect its most innocent of peoples. You know what I'm talking about. I'm talking about the mass murder and genocide inflicted on the most basic forms of innocent life: abortion.
This new administration, My Government, has decided it's not only O.K. to murder babies in the mother's wombs, but out of them as well. Under the RIDICULOUS defence that the baby is only alive after a certain point. My government is not protecting the baby's rights. Their rights to life, liberty, or the pursuit of happiness. Instead it encourages murder.

What brought me to the writing of this post though is found in point 3.

My government has recently decided it is in responsible for the economy. Under the shade of an "economic crisis" (begun by the labor unions), the government has taken MY money (which has been pledged in order to protect American's rights) and given it to a bunch of automotive leaders in order to "stimulate the economy". The auto companies FAILED to address the labor unions properly and instead of being disciplined or replaced, they are rewarded with more money to waste. MY MONEY TO WASTE. It is not my Government's job to control the economy. That is The People's job. If they would allow the people to keep what they earn, they would stimulate the economy.

My government is ruining our education, devestating MILLIONS of baby's rights to life liberty and pursuit of happiness, and is destroying the economy by taking earned money and giving it to those that did not work for it. Neither do they (in my humble opinion) deserve it.

My advice to my government, go back to the purpose of the government. We where founded by the blood of brave men's souls. PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF THE CITIZENS!

My advice to all the people in my GREAT country, PRAY WITHOUT CEASING, practice your communication skills so that when the time comes, you are prepared to stand up for WHAT is RIGHT!

God is sovereign and completely in control. Completely. Allow Him to use you! :)

Sorry if it was a little long... but I had a lot to say. :)

In Christ,

Ben Chambers

analysis...

ello everyone! I believe I have finally (for the most part) recovered from last week's tournament. my affirmative case is battered, my Duo is still too short, and my Apologetics box is not nearly as big as I had anticipated. lol!

Ok! so here are some random facts that came to my attention during the January Speech and Debate Warm-up tournament, finished off with a moral lesson at the end! :) (yaaaay... :P)

1. Counter plans (though a TON of fun) are REALLY hard to run. :P

2. an apologetics round without a card or a pen is not nearly as easy. hahah!

3. Football (in excess) is sometimes not a good thing. :P lol!

4. There's NOO such thing as too many friends! :)

5. ARC is TOTALLY the best speech and debate club eva! and i am SOOOO blessed to be the president! thank you all! :)

6. Suitcoat Button's are held together by VERY thin threads... and they don't sew themselves back on.

7. My debate partner is the awesomest partner imaginable! I wouldn't dream of having anyone else beside me in a round. (even when my idea's aren't the best) ;) thank you so much Hope!!

8. Believe it or not, it IS actually worth it to get a good night's sleep. (as if i would know ;-P )

9. Interns are TOTALLY the best judges!

10. Subway sandwiches can get old... FAST! lol!

11. I drink more water at debate tournaments than at a football game. (and that's a lot!)

12. Fo Sho is a TON of fun to say! :D

13. Duos are the most fun speech and debate event EVER!! the more people watching, the more fun it is! :) thanks to everyone who watched us!

14. throughout the tournament, at a lot of different points, i was INCREDIBLY scared!!! God kept bringing a passage in Hebrews to mind though throughout the tournament that kept me going. even though I was still frightened, God gave me just enough courage to keep moving at the best of my abilities.

Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

Now, it's important to note that it's NOT A SIN to be afraid. Everyone fears something. Some fear writing, some fear speaking, some fear acting, some fear spiders, some fear being stuck in the middle of the ocean with nothing but a liferaft and a stick of gum. Lol. ok, seriously though even Jesus was nervous before the crucifixion. God understands. that is why He wrote on the subject so many times throughout the Bible.

I would like to draw your attention to the first verse however, "Let your conversation be without covetousness..." then in the next verse "SO that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper..."

One thing I have really grown to understand throughout my life, so long as I can control my tongue, or I do my best I possibly can at what I do, I truly have no reason to fear because the Lord is my helper. The only times I really had a reason to fear was when I didn't have the right motivations.

So, in other words, do not fear. :)

Hope you enjoyed my... randomness! :P Thank you all for reading. Please Post! and God bless!

-Ben