For some time now, I’ve wanted to change Here I Raise My Ebenezer to facilitate adding shorter articles, published more frequently, in addition to the longer articles that I’ve been publishing four or five times per month. Well, this is the first of those shorter articles. Its sole aim is just to let you know about the related change on this blog site.
As of today, when you go to https://ebenezerposts.com/, you’ll notice a new menu option. In addition to Home, About and Gary Wiram – Editor, you’ll see a new tab entitled Stones of Help. Clicking on that tab will take you to a page containing only shorter articles (presently, only this one). These shorter articles will also appear on the Home page, along with the longer articles.
OK, that tells you what the change is and its purpose. But, what about that name? Stones of Help?! To fully understand why I chose that name and where it fits in, you might want to refresh your memory on the meaning behind the name of this blog site, Here I Raise My Ebenezer, by revisiting the About page along with revisiting a previously published article entitled Setting Up an Ebenezer. With your understanding renewed , let me tell you that the origin of the name Ebenezer is a Hebrew phrase meaning “stone of help”. For me, then, Stones of Help seemed like a fitting way to define these shorter articles as building blocks meant to help Here I Raise My Ebenezer in achieving its overall objectives.
Hopefully, this change will also make it easier for you to regularly stay tuned in to Here I Raise My Ebenezer. As you do, I’m sure you’ll get a better understanding of where Stones of Help fits in. With that said, I want to remind you that I sincerely appreciate your readership and to encourage you to feel welcome to add to the discussion on any of my article topics by contributing your related comments.
Hi Gary
I thought I’d comment. Stones of Help is an excellent title for the Ebenezer articles. My remarks are generally simple and perhaps naive. It is true that social values have declined greatly. “Fiances” have become permanent partners in lieu of spouses in many cases. Gay marrriage is now legal in some areas. I just don’t think gay relationships are marriages – they are civil unions. In the WWII era, Dads worked and Moms stayed home with the kids. When I got married, Shirley was employed too, but when she became pregnant we decided that she would stay home and be a full-time Mom. Somehow it worked out and we were even able to afford a starter home on my lone salary. I give her full credit for success of our 2 daughters, I didn’t have that much positive effect in my view. I must say, probably not many families in today’s era can buy a home on a single salary early in marriage. Today there are many more single-parent families, typically single Moms with low income. Some kids grow up in drug-infested neighborhoods and to fail or drop out of school is “cool”. The economy is struggling because of corporate greed and corruption. Too often employees are now regarded as liabilities or expenses, rather than an important investment. Outsourcing of jobs and services is the norm, to maximize profits. Profits have to be maximized to be “all that the market will bear”. Packages are commonly downsized. If a competitor is making more profit, I believe that companies may go to more profit-making excess, to keep up. In other words, there can never be enough profit, even if it hurts the employee and consumer. Gas/oil prices are highly excessive. Re school shootings, I believe guns are way out of control in the U.S. Guns for hunting or self defense (if needed) are ok. I don’t think anyone in the public should own an assault rifle. I don’t believe citizens should carry guns, except perhaps off-duty police. I know this is debatable. In today’s political environment, gun control will never happen.
The decline in values is evidence of Satan’s working to destroy, divide and conquer. Satan works mightily to destroy familial relationships and values. He works mightily in world conflicts. He works mightily in our own Federal Government. You might think this is a liberal point of view, but I think much of out Gov’t policies are driven by personal hatred, or at least contempt, for our president. I can understand dissension, but I can’t understand the hateful attitudes demonstrated by some of our so-called celebrities. I have gotten all kinds of hate e-mail with exaggerations and half-truths stated as facts. I’m not seeking to incite debate and know you may have different opinions which you are free to express. I’ll conclude by saying I wish our gov’t. officials would seek to find a way to work together for the benefit of the public. It would be a win-win and I think that’s what they are paid to do and expected to do.
Thanks for listening, Gary. The only way we’ll re-establish right values, is to be “looking unto Jesus”, the Source of all right standards and moral principles. Hopefully, we who believe will have victorious faith and love.
Keep up the good work.
Terry