Uhm....seriously?

Man sells pot to pay for police academy
August 24th, 2010 @ 10:40am
By Randall Jeppesen
OREM -- A man who says he was just trying to save up the money for the police academy is now looking at the other side of the justice system because of what he's accused of doing to get the cash.
According to the Daily Herald, police got a search warrant to check up on the activities of Marcos Antonio Ramirez of Orem after reports surfaced he had been selling drugs. Officers found he had marijuana, a scale, a stolen gun and drug paraphernalia.
Ramirez admitted to knowing the gun was stolen and that he was selling the drugs, but the reason he gave was a little unique.
The Daily Herald reports Ramirez told officers he had been selling pot for five months to pay for the police academy.
Police arrested Ramirez on suspicion of possession with intent to distribute, possession of a stolen firearm, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a controlled substance.
E-mail: rjeppesen@ksl.com

This makes perfect sense right?
You know, like the woman who became a prostitute to pay for her wedding
or the guy that sold child pornography to pay for his elementary education degree.

Satan makes it so easy for us humans to rationalize decisions.
I don't think anyone wakes up in the morning and says, "I think I'll make a really bad life choice today that will effect not only me but those around me."
Satan is much more subtle than that.
He's crafty. (and not in the glue-gun, decoupage kind of way)
He makes things that are bad look not so bad (that movie was great except for a couple of parts)
He makes things that are good look nerdy or old fashioned.
He's a stinker.
We all make small everyday decisions that effect our entire lives.
My parents used to be voluntary clergy out at the prison. I remember the stories they would tell of the men and women they worked with.
Most of them would not be experiencing those heartbreaks if they had only made a few small choices a little differently. "If I hadn't listened to that friend", "if I hadn't gotten into his car", "if only I had not gone to that place"...
little choices.

One of my greatest worries is that my children will make one or two bad choices that will lead to a future heartbreak. That they will be influenced and let other people make choices for them. That I will have failed as a mother.
This is fear. This is Satan. This is trickery.
One of my greatest expectactions is that my children will remember what they have been taught. That they will have the confindence to stand up for what they know is right. That they will be leaders and will influence others to make good choices.
This is faith. This is a loving God. This is hope.

I know that my children will make mistakes and bad choices. We all do. It's part of the learning process. I only hope that they will learn from those mistakes, that they will recognize the tricks of Satan and that they will embrace the power of Jesus Christ.
And above all, that they will never think that it's okay to sell drugs to become a cop.

Here's to faith, hope and some really good rules.

(I do love them so)