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    <title type="text">GBYG Blog</title>
    <subtitle type="text">GBYG Blog:</subtitle>
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    <updated>2008-11-23T18:32:26Z</updated>
    <rights>Copyright (c) 2008, Admin</rights>
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    <id>tag:goldbeachyouthgroup.com,2008:11:23</id>


    <entry>
      <title>Happy Thanksgiving&#8230;Are We&#8230;&#8230;.Really? (A Reminder)</title>
      <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.youthgroupnorthwest.com/index.php/blog/happy_thanksgivingare_wereally/" />
      <id>tag:goldbeachyouthgroup.com,2008:index.php/blog/index/6.118</id>
      <published>2008-11-23T21:01:00Z</published>
      <updated>2008-11-23T18:32:26Z</updated>
      <author>
            <name>Admin</name>
            <email>youthgroupnorthwest@yahoo.com</email>
                  </author>

      <content type="html"><![CDATA[
        <p>I stumbled across this yesterday on Halloween, and now it&#8217;s November and for me November means the beginning of the holiday season! It&#8217;s a time of anticipation, spending time with family and friends...and a time of reflection...and a time of gratitude. But as I pondered what I read, I realized that if we as a nation would just choose to give...if we would choose to help others, our perspective would be much different than it seems to be! We tend to be (as a nation) so wrapped up in self that we don&#8217;t take the time to give people the benefit of the doubt...or the benefit of anything else for that matter. But we can make a diffence...if we choose to. And it starts with you and me!
</p>
<p>
Check it out:
</p>
<p>
&#8220;The other day I was reading Newsweek magazine and came across some poll
<br />
data I found rather hard to believe. It must be true given the source,
<br />
right? The Newsweek poll alleges that 67 percent of Americans are unhappy
<br />
with the direction the country is headed and 69 percent of the country is
<br />
unhappy with the performance of the president. In essence 2/3s of the
<br />
citizenry just ain&#8217;t happy and want a change.
</p>
<p>
So being the knuckle dragger I am, I started thinking, &#8216;&#8217;What we are so
<br />
unhappy about?&#8217;&#8217; Is it that we have electricity and running water 24 hours a
<br />
day, 7 days a week? Is our unhappiness the result of having air
<br />
conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter? Could it be that 95.4
<br />
percent of these unhappy folks have a job? Maybe it is the ability to walk
<br />
into a grocery store at any time and see more food in moments than Darfurhas
<br />
seen in the last year?
</p>
<p>
Maybe it is the ability to drive from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic
<br />
Ocean without having to present identification papers as we move through
<br />
each state? Or possibly the hundreds of clean and safe motels we would
<br />
find along the way that can provide temporary shelter? I guess having
<br />
thousands of restaurants with varying cuisine from around the world is just
<br />
not good enough.
</p>
<p>
Or could it be that when we wreck our car, emergency workers show up and
<br />
provide services to help all and even send a helicopter to take you to the
<br />
hospital.
</p>
<p>
Perhaps you are one of the 70 percent of Americans who own a home. You may
<br />
be upset with knowing that in the unfortunate case of a fire, a group of
<br />
trained firefighters will appear in moments and use top notch equipment to
<br />
extinguish the flames thus saving you, your family and your belongings. Or
<br />
if, while at home watching one of your many flat screen TVs, a burglar or
<br />
prowler intrudes, an officer equipped with a gun and a bullet-proof vest
<br />
will come to defend you and your family against attack or loss.
</p>
<p>
This, all in the backdrop of a neighborhood free of bombs or militias raping
<br />
and pillaging the residents; Neighborhoods where 90 percent of teenagers own
<br />
cell phones and computers. How about the complete religious, social and
<br />
political freedoms we enjoy that are the envy of everyone in the world?
<br />
Maybe that is what has 67 percent of you folks unhappy.
</p>
<p>
Fact is we are the largest group of ungrateful, spoiled brats the world has
<br />
ever seen. No wonder the world loves the U.S., yet has a great disdain for
<br />
its citizens. They see us for what we are. The most blessed people in the
<br />
world who do nothing but complain about what we don&#8217;t have, and what we hate
<br />
about the country instead of thanking the good Lord we live here.
</p>
<p>
I know, I know. What about the president who took us into war and has no
<br />
plan to get us out? The president who has a measly 31 percent approval
<br />
rating? Is this the same president who guided the nation in the dark days
<br />
after 9/11? The president that cut taxes to bring an economy out of
<br />
recession? Could this be the same guy who has been called every name in the
<br />
book for succeeding in keeping all the spoiled ungrateful brats safe from
<br />
terrorist attacks? The commander in chief of an all-volunteer army that is
<br />
out there defending you and me?
</p>
<p>
Did you hear how bad the President is on the news or talk show? Did this
<br />
news affect you so much, make you so unhappy you couldn&#8217;t take a look around
<br />
for yourself and see all the good things and be glad?
</p>
<p>
Think about it......are you upset at the President because he actually
<br />
caused you personal pain OR is it because the &#8220;Media&#8221; told you he was
<br />
failing to kiss your sorry ungrateful behind every day. Make no mistake
<br />
about it. The troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have volunteered to serve, and
<br />
in many cases may have died for your freedom. There is currently no draft
<br />
in this country. They didn&#8217;t have to go. They are able to refuse to go and
<br />
end up with either a &#8220;general&#8221; discharge, an &#8220;other than honorable&#8221;
<br />
discharge or, worst case scenario, a &#8220;dishonorable&#8221; discharge after a few
<br />
days in the brig. So, why then the flat-out discontentment in the minds of
<br />
69 percent of Americans?
</p>
<p>
Say what you want but I blame it on the media. If it bleeds it leads and
<br />
they specialize in bad news. Everybody will watch a car crash with blood
<br />
and guts. How many will watch kids selling lemonade at the corner? The
<br />
media knows this and media outlets are for-profit corporations. They offer
<br />
what sells, and when criticized, try to defend their actions by &#8220;justifying&#8221;
<br />
them in one way or another. Just ask why they tried to allow a murderer like
<br />
O.J Simpson to write a book about how he didn&#8217;t kill his wife, but if he did
<br />
he would have done it this way......Insane! Stop buying the negativism you
<br />
are fed everyday by the media. Shut off the TV, burn Newsweek, and use the
<br />
New York Times for the bottom of your bird cage. Then start being grateful
<br />
for all we have as a country.
</p>
<p>
There is exponentially more good than bad. We are among the most blessed
<br />
peoples on Earth and should thank God several times a day, or at least be
<br />
thankful and appreciative.&#8221; &#8220;With hurricanes, tornados, fires out of
<br />
control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country
<br />
from one end to another, and with the threat of bird flu and terrorist
<br />
attacks, &#8220;Are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of
<br />
Allegiance?&#8221;
<br />

</p> 
      ]]></content>
    </entry>

    <entry>
      <title>Help&#8230;Get me out of this!</title>
      <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.youthgroupnorthwest.com/index.php/blog/helpget_me_out_of_this/" />
      <id>tag:goldbeachyouthgroup.com,2007:index.php/blog/index/6.108</id>
      <published>2007-09-12T19:04:00Z</published>
      <updated>2007-09-12T13:11:27Z</updated>
      <author>
            <name>Admin</name>
            <email>youthgroupnorthwest@yahoo.com</email>
                  </author>

      <content type="html"><![CDATA[
        <p>When stuff&#8217;s happening in your life that you don&#8217;t like, what do you do, who do you turn to? The answer really determines who you trust. It&#8217;s reallly important that we turn to our Creator during tough times, and it&#8217;s there where we&#8217;ll find comfort and peace and rest. God may provide you with a way of escape, and it will be up to you to choose to receive it or God may not take the stuff that bothering us away at all, because He&#8217;s more concerned with our character than with our comfort. Check out the latest devotion for more!
</p> 
      ]]></content>
    </entry>

    <entry>
      <title>DEVO</title>
      <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.youthgroupnorthwest.com/index.php/blog/devo/" />
      <id>tag:goldbeachyouthgroup.com,2007:index.php/blog/index/6.88</id>
      <published>2007-05-10T13:30:00Z</published>
      <updated>2007-05-10T14:38:08Z</updated>
      <author>
            <name>Dan</name>
            <email>goldbeachyouthgroup@yahoo.com</email>
                  </author>

      <content type="html"><![CDATA[
        <p>Hey Guys&#8230;
</p>
<p>
If it seems like you&#8217;re always having &#8220;issues,&#8221; always arguing or debating with others or just wanting to know what God&#8217;s will is for your life, then check out the latest DEVO for some insight. It will definately shed some light on the reality of life! I found it to be enlightening for me...so I wanted to share it with you! The question is: Are you (and I) willing to actually live it out or will this DEVO just be words on a page that just remain.....there?
</p> 
      ]]></content>
    </entry>

    <entry>
      <title>Air Hockey in the Game Room</title>
      <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.youthgroupnorthwest.com/index.php/blog/air_hockey_in_the_game_room/" />
      <id>tag:goldbeachyouthgroup.com,2007:index.php/blog/index/6.59</id>
      <published>2007-02-03T03:46:00Z</published>
      <updated>2007-02-03T05:14:43Z</updated>
      <author>
            <name>Dan</name>
            <email>goldbeachyouthgroup@yahoo.com</email>
                  </author>

      <content type="html"><![CDATA[
        <p>I got to play air hockey with one of the best players in the group. And I was immediately down 2-0. Then to my dismay, my opponent announced: We&#8217;re playing to 3! I thought I was doomed! But you wouldn&#8217;t believe what happened...I scored once, then twice, and then.......the winning goal. Game over. I won!!! Can you believe it? The response from my opponent was the loudest &#8220;NO&#8221; scream you&#8217;ve ever heard! It was so loud...they likely heard it for miles.
</p>
<p>
But I&#8217;m up for a re-match...if you are! If you win...you get a strawberry milkshake. But if I win...you have to admit that I really did!&nbsp;  <img src="http://www.youthgroupnorthwest.com/images/smileys/shade_smile.gif" width="19" height="19" alt="cool smile" style="border:0;" />&nbsp;
</p> 
      ]]></content>
    </entry>

    <entry>
      <title>Check out the new DEVO!</title>
      <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.youthgroupnorthwest.com/index.php/blog/check_out_the_new_devo/" />
      <id>tag:goldbeachyouthgroup.com,2007:index.php/blog/index/6.54</id>
      <published>2007-01-09T02:39:00Z</published>
      <updated>2007-01-09T04:16:31Z</updated>
      <author>
            <name>Dan</name>
            <email>goldbeachyouthgroup@yahoo.com</email>
                  </author>

      <content type="html"><![CDATA[
        <p>I wanted to urge you guys to check out the new devotion on the DEVO Page. It is one that we can all relate to, understand and apply to our lives! So who says the Bible isn&#8217;t relevant for today?&nbsp;
</p> 
      ]]></content>
    </entry>

    <entry>
      <title>Thanks and Happy New Year</title>
      <link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="http://www.youthgroupnorthwest.com/index.php/blog/thanks_and_happy_new_year/" />
      <id>tag:goldbeachyouthgroup.com,2007:index.php/blog/index/6.50</id>
      <published>2007-01-01T10:36:01Z</published>
      <updated>2007-01-01T11:41:16Z</updated>
      <author>
            <name>Dan</name>
            <email>goldbeachyouthgroup@yahoo.com</email>
                  </author>

      <content type="html"><![CDATA[
        <p>Thanks to all of you who came and helped with our second annual GBYG New Years Eve Party! It was an awesome time! God bless you and Happy New Years Day 2007 to you all!
</p> 
      ]]></content>
    </entry>


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