The following is an essay that I found about a year or so ago. I thought it had excellent lessons to be learned for our nation as well as individuals.  I have lifted a quote or two from this for various articles, for it has great insight into our nation’s character. This was written in 1999, but the same applies today.

“We spend more, have less.
We buy more, but enjoy it less.
Bigger houses.  Smaller families.
More conveniences.  Less time.
More degrees.  Less sense.
More knowledge.  Less judgment.
More experts.  Less wellness.
Get too angry quickly.
Stay up too late. Get up too tired.
Read too seldom.  Watch TV too much.
Pray too seldom.
Multiplied our possessions. Reduced our values.
Learned how to make a living, but not a life.
Added years to life, but not life to our years.
We have been to the moon and back, but have
trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbor.
Cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul.
Write more, but learn less.
Plan more but accomplish less.
Learned to rush, but not to wait.
Built more computers to hold more information,
but have less communication.
These are the times of more leisure, but less fun.
Two incomes, but more divorce.
Fancier houses, but broken homes.
Quick trips, disposable diapers, and throw-away morality.
More medicines.  Less health.
Fast food.  Slow digestion.
Tall men.  Short character.
Steep profits, but shallow relationships.
It is a time when there is much in the window,
but nothing in the room.”

Author Unknown

“So I gave them up unto their own heart’s lust:  and they walked in their own counsels.  Oh that My people had hearkened unto Me, and Israel had walked in My ways.”    Psalms 81:12-13

“Rebellious people are allowed to do as they please.  This, however, is God’s way of dealing with hardened people.  Examples are numerous:  Israel clamored for a king and God gave them Saul.  I Samuel 12.  The prodigal was not hindered from going into a far country.  Luke 15  
Demas was not stopped from walking out on Paul.   II Timothy 4:10

Eileen Light