Drinking from my Saucer

"The happiest people don't have the best of everything, they just make
the best of everything that they have.....

I've never made a fortune, and it's probably too late now.
But I don't worry about that much, I'm happy anyhow
And as I go along life's way,
I'm reaping better than I sowed.
I'm drinking from my saucer,
'Cause my cup has overflowed.

Haven't got a lot of riches,
and sometimes the going's tough
But I've got loving ones all around me,
and that makes me rich enough.
I thank GOD for his BLESSINGS

and the mercies HE's bestowed.
I'm drinking from my saucer,
'Cause my cup has overflowed.

I remember times when things went wrong,
My faith wore somewhat thin..
But all at once the dark clouds broke,
and the sun peeped through again.

So LORD, help me not to gripe,
about the tough rows I have hoed.
I'm drinking from my saucer,
'Cause my cup has overflowed.

If GOD gives me strength and courage,
When the way grows steep and rough.
I'll not ask for other blessings,
I'm already BLESSED enough.

And may I never be too busy,
to help others bear their loads..
Then I'll keep drinking from my saucer,
'Cause my cup has overflowed.

Your Desert Emotions....Joy or Hell?

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:2-3

We all face trials and circumstances in our life that we would describe as pure misery and pain, physically and emotionally. “Pure joy” is the last emotion that comes to our mind when we are beset by such trials. Yet not only James, but Peter and Paul give us the same exhortation; which leads me to believe that faith is more than what we believe, it is also how we feel. Very possibly how we feel, whether joy, or sorrow, or love, or hate, or optimism or pessimism is a greater test of our faith and its authenticity than any other test. But all too often we separate how we feel in difficult trials from what we profess to believe.

Paul and Silas as the story is told in Acts 16 had been stripped and the text says “severely” flogged. They were then put into stocks in the most inner portion of the jail. They should have been groaning as I was out loud every minute or so at times during the last two days of sickness. Instead they were praying out loud and singing hymns to God. I am sure this testimony when they should have been groaning in pain led to the jailer’s conversion after the earthquake that opened all the cell doors in the jail. Paul’s and Silas’ faith produced a completely unexpected emotion in the midst of pain.

The Bible doesn’t call us to stoicism in such trials, nor to giving into the emotion normally associated with pain or stress or depression; rather, it calls us to “pure joy.” To exhibit joy when the circumstances call for the opposite emotions of sorrow, pain, stress, or misery demonstrates that our faith is real and vibrant. It is not an easy test of our faith, but James says when we exhibit the emotion that verifies our faith, it is a test which produces maturity and completeness in us as true believers. Our first inclination in any trial will be to give into the emotion most often associated with such circumstances. That is when our faith must click into gear and our emotive response be what the world would never expect. Why? Because we know Who is with us in the trial; we know what He has promised; we know our end; and we know our faith is being tested and we want to pass the test! So, consider it pure joy whenever…..

Anderson

Question.

In my BSF study one of the questions last week sent us to Luke 6:45 ( 45The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.) This scripture made me think of Jeremiah 17:9 ( 9 The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?) So, how can a good man bring good out of a deceitful heart? Is the heart still deceitful and untrustworthy even after Christ? Can we trust what our hearts tell us or are we to only trust what is seen in deeds and in actions, for ourselves and others? I would love your input.

Spiritual Leadership

Samuel Brengle on spiritual leadership:
“It is not won by promotion, but many prayers and tears. It is attained by confession of sin, and much heart-searching and humbling before God; by self-surrender, a courageous sacrifice of every idol, a bold uncomplaining embrace of the cross and by eternally looking unto Jesus crucified. It is not gained by seeking great things for ourselves, but like Paul, by counting those things that are gain to us as a loss for Christ. This is a great price, but it must be paid by the leader whose power is recognized and felt in heaven, on earth and in hell."

I'd Need a Savior

Encouraging words for my wife that didn't wake up in the best of moods this morning.

Strength for the Day

“When Jesus was in the house He asked His disciples, “What were you arguing about on the road?” But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest. Sitting down Jesus called the Twelve and said, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.” Mark 9:33-35

Anderson's Applications:
It is both ironic and relevant, and I had to laugh as I read it again, that this argument among the disciples took place “on the road.” For that is the very place where many (myself included) often push to be “first.” My lane slows to a halt while the other seems to be moving, so I quickly change lanes to move ahead and “lo and behold” the new lane's traffic stops as fast as I move into it. We sometimes fail to graciously yield to the driver trying to enter traffic, or follow the courtesy of every-other-car when lanes are forced to merge. From a distance away I choose the shortest lane at the toll booth, and, what do you know, something causes one car ahead to sit there while the once longer lane I avoided speeds on its way car by car. Hurrying to catch a plane at the airport I choose the escalator where the “disorganized” Americans fail to recognize the “civilized manner” of standing, or as the British say, queuing, to the right so one can hurry past. Pulling into the parking lot of a popular restaurant that takes no reservations there is the compulsion to hurry to the door as quickly as possible to get your name on the list for the next available table. My daughter recently shared her experience of trying to board an airplane in one foreign country where the customers crowded toward the door en masse pushing others aside despite the fact everyone already had assigned seats. Her description after the fact was hysterical, but the experience was not very pleasant in the moment.

While there may at times be mitigating circumstances that call for us to hurry if we can, we all must admit that there is an instinct in our nature to behave as the disciples did here in many kinds of life situations. We may not argue per say that we are the greatest, like Muhammad Ali used to “perform” for the media, but our behavior and our thought process says something akin to it. We feel our agenda is very important; more important than others around us. We sense if we do not hurry we may miss out. We take to heart the axiom that “the early bird gets the worm” for every situation, even when it means counting ourselves as more important than another. It is not an instinct that disappears when we come to know and follow Christ. It did not for the disciples; and I know myself as well and have observed many other Christians. In my own experience when I have come across a believing man or woman, who talks little of them self, graciously gives way to others, is calm and controlled when others are rushed and harried, and does not seek the place or seat of prominence in place of others, I am impressed that I am in the presence of someone who has taken the Savior’s personality to heart, described in Philippians 2, and simultaneously are always conscious of their own shortcomings; seeing their true nature.

Observing such a one, which I have found to be rare, makes a powerful impression on us. But such impressions alone are not powerful enough to transform our own character in turning away from the nature that instinctively drives our inner spirit; from the compulsion of the tyranny of the urgent in our own agenda; from the incessant prick and suggestions of the arrows of the evil one; to wearing Jesus’ attitude as our own heart and skin. This is what it means for “Christ to be formed in you.” It necessitates a fighting resolve by your spirit to keep your eyes fixed on Jesus no matter the pressures or leisure of the moment. And most of all it calls for a humility of indebtedness; what He has accomplished for you can only be reciprocated with love. Genuine love imitates Him! “We love [Him and others] because He first loved us.” (I John 4:19)

Who Am I?

A Prayer

Father, I ask You to bless myself, my family, friends, relatives and those for whom I care deeply, who are reading this right now. Show us a new revelation of your love and power. Holy Spirit, I ask you to minister to our spirit at this very moment. Where there is pain, give us your peace and mercy. Where there is self-doubt, release a renewed confidence through your grace. Where there is need, I ask you to fulfill our needs. Bless our homes, families, finances, our goings and our comings. Most important Father, I ask that you give each and every one of us the power and wisdom to turn to you when it fills like the world is falling around us. You are our strong tower. In Jesus' precious name. Amen.

Discussing Defiance

There has to be a better way of communicating than shouting at one another.
by James Dobson, Ph.D.

Pry open the door of communication.
But how can you talk to someone who won't talk — someone whose language consists of seven phrases: I dunno. I don't care. Leave me alone. I need money. Can I have the car? My friends think you're unfair. And, I didn't do it. Prying open the door of communication with an angry adolescent can require more tact and skill than any other parenting assignment. Often, mothers and fathers act like adolescents, shouting and screaming and engaging in endless battles that leave them exhausted but without strategic advantage. There has to be a better way of communicating than shouting at one another. Let me propose an alternative.
For purposes of illustration, suppose that a 14-year-old boy named Brian has entered a period of remarkable defiance. He is breaking rules right and left and seems to hate the entire family. He becomes angry when his parents discipline him, of course, but even during tranquil times he seems to resent them for merely being there. Last Friday night he arrived home an hour beyond his curfew but refused to explain where he was or why he was late. What course of action would be best for his parents to take?
Let's assume that you are Brian's father. I would recommend that you invite him out to breakfast on a Saturday morning, leaving the rest of the family at home. It would be best if this event occurred during a relatively tranquil time, certainly not in the midst of a hassle or intergenerational battle. Admit that you have some important matters to discuss with him that can't be communicated adequately at home, but don't tip your hand before Saturday morning.
Then at the appropriate moment during breakfast, convey the following messages (or an adaptation thereof):

A. Brian, I wanted to talk to you this morning because of the changes that are taking place in you and in our home. We both know that the past few weeks have not been very pleasant. You have been angry most of the time and have become disobedient and rude. And your mother and I haven't done so well either. We've become irritable, and we've said things that we've regretted later. This is not what God wants of us as parents or of you as our son. There has to be a better way of solving our problems. That's why we're here.

B. As a place to begin, Brian, I want you to understand what is happening. You have gone into a new period of life known as adolescence. This is the final phase of childhood, and it is often a very stormy and difficult few years. Nearly everyone goes through these rough times during their early teens, and you are right on schedule. Many of the problems you face today were predictable from the day you were born, simply because growing up has never been an easy thing to do. There are even greater pressures on kids today than when we were young. I've said that to let you know this: We love you as much as we ever did, even though the past few months have been difficult in our home.

C. What is actually taking place, you see, is that you have had a taste of freedom. You are tired of being told what to do. Within certain limits, that is healthy evidence that you are growing up and becoming your own man. However, you want to be your own boss and make your own decisions without interference from anyone. Brian, you will get what you want in a very short time. You are 14 now, and you'll soon be 15 and 17 and 19. You will be grown before we know it, and your mom and I will no longer have any responsibility for you. The day is coming when you will marry whomever you wish, go to whatever school you choose, and select the profession or job that suits you. Your mother and I will not seek to make those decisions for you. We will respect your adulthood. Furthermore, Brian, the closer you get to that day, the more freedom we plan to give you. You have more privileges now than you had last year, and that trend will continue. We will soon set you free, and you will be accountable only to God and yourself.

D. But, Brian, you must understand this message: You are not grown yet. During the past few weeks, you have wanted your mother and me to leave you alone — to let you stay out half the night if you choose, to fail in school, to carry no responsibility at home. And you have blown up whenever we have denied even your most extreme demands. The truth of the matter is, you have wanted us to grant you a 20-year-old's freedom during your 14th year, although you still expect to have your shirts ironed and your meals fixed and your bills paid. You have wanted the best of both worlds with none of the responsibilities or limitations of either. It doesn't work that way. So what are we to do? The easiest thing would be for us to let you have your way. There would be no hassles and no conflict and no more frustration. Many parents of 14-year-olds have done just that. But we must not yield to this temptation. You are not ready for complete independence, and we would be showing hatred (instead of love) for you if we surrendered at this time. We would regret our mistake for the rest of our life, and you would soon blame us too. And as you know, you have two younger sisters who are watching you very closely, who must be protected from the things you are teaching them.

E. Besides, Brian, God has given us a responsibility as parents to do what is right for you, and He is holding us accountable for the way we do that job. I want to read you an important passage from the Bible that describes a father named Eli, a priest in the temple, who did not discipline and correct his two unruly teenage sons. [Read the dramatic story from 1 Samuel 2:12-17,22-25,27-34; 3:11-14; 4:1-4 and 10-22.] It is very clear that God was angry with Eli for permitting his sons to be disrespectful and disobedient. Not only did He allow the sons to be killed in battle, but He also punished their father for not accepting his parental responsibilities.
This assignment to parents can be found throughout the Bible: Mothers and fathers are expected to train their children and discipline them when required. What I'm saying is that God will not hold us blameless if we let you behave in ways that are harmful to yourself and others. The Bible also tells parents not to overcorrect and demoralize their children. We're going to try harder to conform to that Scripture too.

F. That brings us to the question of where we go from this moment. I want to make a pledge to you, here and now: Your mother and I intend to be more sensitive to your needs and feelings than we've been in the past. We're not perfect, as you well know, and it is possible that you will feel we have been unfair at one time or another. If that occurs, you can express your views and we will listen to you. We want to keep the door of communication wide open between us. When you seek a new privilege, I'm going to ask myself this question: Is there any way I can grant this request without harming Brian or other people? If I can permit what you want in good conscience, I will do so. I will compromise and bend as far as my best judgment will let me.

G. But hear this, Brian. There will be some matters that cannot be compromised. There will be occasions when I will have to say no. And when those times come, you can expect me to stand like the Rock of Gibraltar. No amount of violence and temper tantrums and door slamming will change a thing. In fact, if you choose to fight me in those remaining areas, then I promise that you will lose big-time. Admittedly, you're too big and grown up to spank, but I can still make you uncomfortable. And that will be my goal. Believe me, Brian, I'll lie awake nights figuring out how to make you miserable. I have the courage and the determination to do my job during these last few years you are at home, and I intend to use all of my resources for this purpose, if necessary. So it's up to you. We can have a peaceful time of cooperation at home, or we can spend this last part of your childhood in unpleasantness and struggle. Either way, you will arrive home when you are told, you will carry your share of responsibility in the family, and you will continue to respect your mother and me.

H. Finally, Brian, let me emphasize the message I gave you in the beginning. We love you more than you can imagine, and we're going to remain friends during this difficult time. There is so much pain in the world today. Life involves disappointment and loss and rejection and aging and sickness and ultimately death. You haven't felt much of that discomfort yet, but you'll taste it soon enough. So with all that heartache outside our door, let's not bring more of it on ourselves. We need each other. We need you, and believe it or not, you still need us occasionally. We're going to be praying for you every day and asking the Lord to lead and guide you. I know He will answer that prayer. And that, I suppose, is what I wanted to convey to you this morning. Let's make it better from now on. Do you have things that need to be said to me?

The content of this message should be modified to fit individual circumstances and the needs of particular adolescents. And the response from the teenager will vary tremendously from person to person. An open boy or girl may reveal deep feelings at such a moment of communication, permitting a priceless time of catharsis and ventilation. On the other hand, a stubborn, defiant, proud adolescent may sit immobile with head downward. But even if your teenager remains stoic or hostile, at least the cards have been laid on the table and parental intentions have been explained.

I Am Thankful

FOR THE WIFE WHO SAYS IT'S HOT DOGS TONIGHT,
BECAUSE SHE IS HOME WITH ME, AND NOT OUT WITH SOMEONE ELSE.

FOR THE HUSBAND WHO IS ON THE SOFA BEING A COUCH POTATO,
BECAUSE HE IS HOME WITH ME AND NOT OUT AT THE BARS.

FOR THE TEENAGER WHO IS COMPLAINING ABOUT DOING DISHES
BECAUSE IT MEANS SHE IS AT HOME, NOT ON THE STREETS.

FOR THE TAXES I PAY BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM EMPLOYED .

FOR THE MESS TO CLEAN AFTER A PARTY
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE BEEN SURROUNDED BY FRIENDS.

FOR THE CLOTHES THAT FIT A LITTLE TOO SNUG
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE ENOUGH TO EAT.

FOR MY SHADOW THAT WATCHES ME WORK
BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM OUT IN THE SUNSHINE

FOR A LAWN THAT NEEDS MOWING, WINDOWS THAT NEED CLEANING, AND GUTTERS THAT NEED FIXING
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE A HOME .

FOR ALL THE COMPLAINING I HEAR ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT
BECAUSE IT MEANS WE HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH.

FOR THE PARKING SPOT I FIND AT THE FAR END OF THE PARKING LOT
BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM CAPABLE OF WALKING
AND I HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH TRANSPORTATION.

FOR MY HUGE HEATING BILL
BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM WARM.

FOR THE LADY BEHIND ME IN CHURCH WHO SINGS OFF KEY BECAUSE IT MEANS
I CAN HEAR.

FOR THE PILE OF LAUNDRY AND IRONING
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE CLOTHES TO WEAR.

FOR WEARINESS AND ACHING MUSCLES AT THE END OF THE DAY
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE BEEN CAPABLE OF WORKING HARD.

FOR THE ALARM THAT GOES OFF IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS
BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM ALIVE.


This may be some corny email that does the rounds, but seriously think about it.

Be grateful. We have all these things when some have none.

But we all are offered GRACE and LOVE. I pray that we all take up the offer and share it.

No Exuses

Scriptural Basis:
“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the end of the world.” Psalm 19:1-4

“…what may be known about God is plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” Romans 1:18b-20

Anderson's Applications:
As a college sophomore I spent part of a summer on the beaches of southern California witnessing to and discussing the gospel and matters of religion with a whole variety of individuals enjoying a day in the sun. It wasn’t very difficult to initiate conversation. Many were interested in talking about life and death and life beyond the grave. But when the person of Jesus Christ and the claims of the gospel entered the discussion invariably the question would arise: “How can Jesus Christ be the only way to heaven and salvation when there are “millions” around the world who have never even heard His name?” That was the summer of 1966, and again this week in 2009 a 90 year old gentleman expressed the same thought to me. I have heard the same “question” countless times in the intervening 43 years. It is normally introduced as a question, but it becomes quite clear that the person speaking already has their answer; which is apparently reason enough for them to reject the claims of Christ and the Bible.

Perhaps the largest religious poll ever taken in America on religion was begun in 2007 and completed in 2008 by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. Of those who claimed to be Christian (76 % of America says it is), that is, those who say they made some profession to believe in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, an astounding 52% said that at least some non-Christian faiths can also lead to eternal life, while 65% agreed that many other religions can lead to salvation and its reward. By what authority do they presume to make this claim? Certainly not on the authority of the Scriptures! One would have to do great violence to the text and the unanimity of its authors to support such an opinion. Consequently, their “authority” has to arise from their own reasoning persuaded by a personal sense of “fairness” and their personally conceived idea of who God is, quite apart from His own revelation. It isn’t “fair” they say for Jesus Christ to be the only way of salvation when there are so many religions in the world and so many people who have not had the opportunity, as far as they perceive, to find out about Jesus. Yet the Bible declares that men everywhere throughout the world in every age are without excuse. It says that what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. But they suppress the truth even as it presents itself to their senses and their own consciences.

The question is, if the creation that all human beings may observe and contemplate tells us that God is, and even what He is like, how does man proceed to the knowledge of God’s special revelation, His Word, which culminates in His Son, Jesus: who He is, why He came, what He did, and that He alone is the perfect, visible expression of God? I can, of course, answer this for myself, from my own experience. I can answer it about others who have given similar testimony of their own experiences. But I cannot answer for the many I have no knowledge about, either from ages past or from far-flung parts of the globe. Nor can anyone say with any certainty that the faceless multitudes have had no opportunity to know Him, whom to know is life eternal. I must rest on the veracity of the Scriptures and the character of the God who made the universe and revealed Himself in his own fashion to His creatures. Just as He inexplicably provided a lamb at the appropriate moment for Abraham, or ordered the movement of the planets in the heavens to arrest the attention and faith of the Magi from a distant land, or by any myriad of ways in which He chose to reveal Himself, His message, and His Son apart from the written Word of God, so God is able to make Himself known where the Bible or a Christian messenger is not readily available.

In any case it is foolishness to reject the truth yourself because of mere perception, unsubstantiated perception, that there are multitudes who have no opportunity to learn of the God who created them and the world, and sent His One and Only Son for the purpose of man's salvation. Each individual must answer for him or herself, and not flee personal accountability on the lame excuse that nameless others have not been accorded fairness or justice. Leave that with the God of the universe, while you respond personally to the evidence God has paraded before your own eyes and heart. You know what it is; and if you conveniently forget or ignore it now, you will be reminded of it at the Judgment. "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers." Psalm 1:1

by Stephen Leonard

Do You See It?

Jesus said: “Consider the ravens: they do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable are you than birds…Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.” Luke 12:24 and 27

When is the last time you stopped to watch a bird doing its thing or scrutinized a flower and the unique beauty which sets it apart from all the other flowers you have ever seen with your own eyes? When did you last take the time to observe something in the creation and purposefully think about what it is, how it works, how it came to be, and what its glory is? Is life so demanding, pressured and fast that to even contemplate doing that seems to you somewhat wasteful of your time and priorities? At first glance this instruction from the “Master-builder and Creator” appears to be solely aimed at an antidote for worry and anxiety, something all of us know quite well. In fact we know such “burdens” better than the Creation in which we live. Jesus’ method to teach us what life ought to be reaffirms a principle we find throughout Scripture: the Creation is not just there to provide a place in which to eat and drink, live and die. It is there to reveal its Creator, lead us to increasing knowledge of who He is and who we are, and elicit from us wonder, awe and praise of Him who has brought it all into existence and holds it together.

Our capacity to do exactly what Jesus commands of us sets us above the rest of the Creation. We were not created to be like the “brute beasts of the field” whom He has placed us over as rulers. We each have been given the capacity to CONSIDER the world in which we live and the things we find in it. Doing so is not a waste of time or a frivolous exercise in Jesus’ eyes. It is necessary to the knowledge of God and His Son, whom to know is real life; life that does not come to an end. God chose to reveal Himself to us through two "maps," both of which are focused in His Son: the Creation and the Scriptures. “For by Him (Jesus Christ) all things were created; things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, all things were created by Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:16-17) The whole point of Psalm 8 is that when we accurately consider the world in which we have been placed we come to understand who we are, that He cares for us, and because of our observation we are brought to exclaim with joy, “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!” (Psalm 8:1 and 9) This is the benefit and resulting joy of taking time to observe, consider, and delight in His creation. We must read and do His Word. But we must also consider and glory in what He has made for our joy and knowledge, especially the knowledge of Him!

The revelation of the Gospel in the Scriptures is necessary to an understanding of sin and salvation in Christ; why He had to die, and rise from the grave. But it is the Creation which necessarily complements the Scriptures to display the awesome beauty and love and glory of the character of God in His Son. He has created all this that you might see and experience, consider and learn, how much He thinks of and cares for you! Read Proverbs 8:27-36 and you will see exactly this. Here you see the merger of both the Creation and His instructions aimed by the Spirit of God at your eyes and your heart in order that you might find Him, and in finding Him, find life! (vs. 35) But notice also verse 36: “Whoever fails to find me (in Creation and in the Scriptures) harms himself; all who hate me (that is, ignore me) love death.”

Its summer; you have few excuses like the cold, the rain, the snow, or whatever. Get outside; walk, observe, think, praise, and delight...to this specific end: that you might know, love, and enjoy Him more!

By Leonard

The Speeding Ticket

Jack took a long look at his speedometer before slowing down: 73 in a 55 zone. Fourth time in as many months. How could a guy get caught so often? When his car had slowed to 10 miles an hour,Jack pulled over, but only partially.Let the cop worry about the potential traffic hazard. Maybe some other car will tweak his backside with a mirror.The cop was stepping out of his car, the big pad in hand.

Bob? Bob from Church?
Jack sunk farther into his trench coat. This was worse than the coming ticket.
A cop catching a guy from his own church. A guy who happened to be a little eager
to get home after a long day at the office.
A guy he was about to play golf with tomorrow.

Jumping out of the car,
he approached a man he saw every Sunday,
a man he'd never seen in uniform
'Hi, Bob. Fancy meeting you like this.'
'Hello, Jack.' No smile
'Guess you caught me red-handed
in a rush to see my wife and kids.'
'Yeah, I guess.' Bob seemed uncertain.
Good......
'I've seen some long days at the office lately.
I'm afraid I bent the rules a bit -just this once.'
Jack toed at a pebble on the pavement.
'Diane said something about roast beef and potatoes tonight.
Know what I mean?'
'I know what you mean. I also know that you have a reputation in our precinct '
Ouch.
This was not going in the right direction.
Time to change tactics.
'What'd you clock me at?'
Seventy. Would you sit back in your car please?' 'Now wait a minute here, Bob, I checked as soon as I saw you, I was barely nudging 65.' The lie seemed to come easier with every ticket.
Please, Jack, in the car'
Flustered, Jack hunched himself through the still-open door. Slamming it shut, he stared at the dashboard.
He was in no rush to open the window.
The minutes ticked by.
Bob scribbled away on the pad.
Why hadn't he asked for a driver's license?
Whatever the reason, it would be a month of Sundays before Jack ever sat near this cop again.
A tap on the door jerked his head to the left. There was Bob, a folded paper in hand, Jack rolled down the window a mere two inches, just enough room for Bob to pass him the slip. 'Thanks.'
Jack could not quite keep the sneer out of his voice.
Bob returned to his police car without a word.
Jack watched his retreat in the mirror.
Jack unfolded the sheet of paper.
How much was this one going to cost?
Wait a minute.
What was this? Some kind of joke?
Certainly not a ticket. Jack began to read:

'Dear Jack, Once upon a time I had a daughter.
She was six when killed by a car. You guessed it - a speeding driver. A fine and three months in jail, and the man was free. Free to hug his daughters, all three of them, I only had one, and I'm going to have to wait until Heaven before I can ever hug her again.
A thousand times I've tried to forgive that man. A thousand times I thought I had. Maybe I did, but I need to do it again. Even now, Pray for me. And be careful, Jack, my son is all I have left.'

Jack turned around in time to see Bob's car pull away and head down the road. Jack watched until it disappeared. A full 15 minutes later, he too, pulled away and drove slowly home, praying for forgiveness and hugging a surprised wife and kids when he arrived. Life is precious. Handle with care. Drive safely and carefully. Remember, cars are not the only things recalled by their maker. Funny how you can send a thousand jokes through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding the sanctity of life, people think twice about sharing. Funny how when you go to forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it to them.

Pass this on, you may save a life. Maybe not, but we'll never know if we don't try. May today there be peace within you. May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be. I believe that friends are quiet angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly.'

Life For Christ

“Only one life ‘twill soon be past; only what’s done for Christ will last.”

God knows each day ordained for you, and the moment of your death, while you do not. Live today for what you are willing to die for, and do not concern yourself with when it will come. It will come soon enough!!

(Psalm 139)
1 O LORD, you have searched me
and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue
you know it completely, O LORD.
5 You hem me in—behind and before;
you have laid your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.
7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, [a] you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
11 If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,"
12 even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
16 your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
17 How precious to [b] me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
18 Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand.
When I awake,
I am still with you.
19 If only you would slay the wicked, O God!
Away from me, you bloodthirsty men!
20 They speak of you with evil intent;
your adversaries misuse your name.
21 Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD,
and abhor those who rise up against you?
22 I have nothing but hatred for them;
I count them my enemies.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.

What Did "I" Do

Sometimes we wonder, 'What did I do to deserve this?' or 'Why did God have to do this to me?' Here is a wonderful explanation! A daughter is telling her Mother how everything is going wrong, she's failing algebra, her boyfriend broke up with her and her best friend is moving away. Meanwhile, her Mother is baking a cake and asks her daughter if she would like a snack, and the daughter says, 'Absolutely Mom, I love your cake.'

'Here, have some cooking oil,' her Mother offers. 'Yuck' says her daughter.

'How about a couple raw eggs?' 'Gross, Mom!'

'Would you like some flour then?

Or maybe baking soda?'

'Mom, those are all yucky!'

To which the mother replies: 'Yes , all those things seem bad all by themselves. But when they are put together in the right way, they make a wonderfully delicious cake! '

God works the same way. Many times we wonder why He would let us go through such bad and difficult times. But God knows that when He puts these things all in His order, they always work for good!

We just have to trust Him and, eventually, they will all make something wonderful! God is crazy about you. He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning. Whenever you want to talk, He'll listen. He can live anywhere in the universe, and He chose your heart..

Psalm 4

Trust in God for Deliverance from Enemies

Give ear to my words, O LORD;
give heed to my sighing.
Listen to the sound of my cry,
my King and my God,
for to you I pray.
O LORD, in the morning you hear my voice;
in the morning I plead my case to you, and watch.
For you are not a God who delights in wickedness;
evil will not sojourn with you.
The boastful will not stand before your eyes;
you hate all evildoers.
You destroy those who speak lies;
the LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful.
But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love,
will enter your house,
I will bow down toward your holy temple
in awe of you.
Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness
because of my enemies;
make your way straight before me.
For there is no truth in their mouths;
their hearts are destruction;
their throats are open graves;
they flatter with their tongues.
Make them bear their guilt, O God;
let them fall by their own counsels;
because of their many transgressions cast them out,
for they have rebelled against you.
But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
let them ever sing for joy.
Spread your protection over them,
so that those who love your name may exult in you.
For you bless the righteous, O LORD;
you cover them with favor as with a shield.

I Got Tagged

Sue over at, http://myroadasitravelit.blogspot.com/, tagged me on "What are my passions". So here goes;
1.Christ
2.Healthy marriage
3.My kids
4.Motorcycles....even though mine bit me Sunday and my wife wants me to sell it
5.Hunting....Work has kept me from doing that for the last 3 years but not this year
6.Cooking
7.Laying on the couch and watching golf until I fall asleep, with no kids around.
8.Staying in nice hotels.
9.Doing woodwork.
10.Doing nothing at times.
11.My cats, Killer and Molly.

On My Mind Today - Lord Have Thine Own Way

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Thou art the Potter, I am the clay.
Mold me and make me after Thy will,
While I am waiting, yielded and still.

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Search me and try me, Master, today!
Whiter than snow, Lord, wash me just now,
As in Thy presence humbly I bow.

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Wounded and weary, help me, I pray!
Power, all power, surely is Thine!
Touch me and heal me, Savior divine.

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Hold o’er my being absolute sway!
Fill with Thy Spirit ’till all shall see
Christ only, always, living in me.

My Therapy

This is what I call therapy!!!!!

For My Wife On A Bad Day

I love you

The Stranger

This is very interesting and not the ending I had expected!!!!
A few years after I was born, my Dad met a stranger who was new to our small Texas town. From the beginning, Dad was fascinated with this enchanting newcomer and soon invited him to live with our family. The stranger was quickly accepted and was around from then on.
As I grew up, I never questioned his place in my family. In my young mind, he had a special niche. My parents were complementary instructors: Mom taught me good
from evil, and Dad taught me to obey. But the stranger...he was our storyteller. He would keep us spellbound for hours on end with adventures, mysteries and comedies.
If I wanted to know anything about politics, history or science, he always knew the answers about the past, understood the present and even seemed able to predict
the future! He took my family to the first major league ball game. He made me laugh, and he made me cry. The stranger never stopped talking, but Dad didn't seem to mind.
Sometimes, Mom would get up quietly while the rest of us were shushing each other to listen to what he had to say, and she would go to the kitchen for peace and quiet. (I
wonder now if she ever prayed for the stranger to leave.)
Dad ruled our household with certain moral convictions, but the stranger never felt obligated to honor them. Profanity, for example, was not allowed in our home...Not from us, our friends or any visitors. Our longtime visitor, however, got away with four-letter words that burned my ears and made my dad squirm and my mother
blush. My Dad didn't permit the liberal use of alcohol. But the stranger encouraged us to try it on a regular basis. He made cigarettes look cool, cigars manly and pipes
distinguished.
He talked freely (much too freely!) about sex. His comments were sometimes blatant, sometimes suggestive, and generally embarrassing.
I now know that my early concepts about relationships were influenced strongly by the stranger.
Time after time, he opposed the values of my parents, yet he was seldom rebuked... And NEVER asked to leave.
More than fifty years have passed since the stranger moved in with our family. He has blended right in and is not nearly as fascinating as he was at first. Still, if you could walk into my parents' den today, you would still find him sitting over in his corner, waiting for someone to listen to him talk and watch him draw his pictures.
His name ? . . .

We just call him "TV."

He has a wife now....We call her 'Computer.'

Dental Hygiene

I need the name of a good dentist. That's some grill she's got going.

Sin In A Leader

I’ve been really bothered lately about something that I would like to share with the one or two people that actually read this blog.

Not only am I the so called “spiritual leader” in my home, I am also a children’s leader at BSF, 5th and 6th graders, and in children’s ministry at my home church. So, what’s the problem?

I haven’t been feeling like the leader that God desires from me.

Through my last fast He reveled to me that there are areas of sin in my life that are keeping me from receiving the Holy Spirit in its fullest capacity. One cannot be a spiritual leader of any kind without the FULL indwelling of the Holy Spirit and sin will keep that from happening every time. I recognize those areas, some of which I knew of but chose not to stop. I plan on stopping those that I am aware of and I will continually pray that He reveals to me those that I cannot see. The sins that I am aware of is not consistent with what you should see in a person that professes to be a Christian. Continuing to sin the same sin over and over is keeping me from the intimate relationship with God that I desire, that He desires, and is keeping Him from using me to my fullest potential, for His glory.

The personality of the spiritual leader influences others because it is penetrated, saturated and empowered by the Holy Spirit. As the leader gives control of his life to the Spirit, the Spirit’s powers flows through him to others.

Spiritual leadership requires superior power, which can never be generated by the self. There is no such thing as a self-made spiritual leader. A true leader influences others spiritually only because the Spirit works in and through him to a greater degree than those he leads.

Samuel Brengle, a gifted leader who served for many years in the Salvation Army, outlined the road to spiritual authority and leadership:

“It is not won by promotion, but many prayers and tears. It is attained by confession of sin, and much heart-searching and humbling before God; by self-surrender, a courageous sacrifice of every idol, a bold uncomplaining embrace of the cross and by eternally looking unto Jesus crucified. It is not gained by seeking great things for ourselves, but like Paul, by counting those things that are gain to us as a loss for Christ. This is a great price, but it must be paid by the leader whose power is recognized and felt in heaven, on earth and in hell."

God Did It With A Nail

A man dies and goes to heaven. St. Peter meets him at the Pearly Gates and says, 'Here's how it works. You need 100 points to make it into heaven. You tell me all the good things you've done, and I give you a certain number of points for each item, depending on how good it was. When you reach 100 points, you get in.'

'Okay,' the man says, 'I was married to the same woman for 50 years and never cheated on her, even in my heart.'

'That's wonderful,' says St.. Peter, 'that's worth two points!'

'Two points?!' he says.

'Well, I attended church all my life and supported its ministry with my tithe and service.'

'Terrific!' says St. Peter.. 'That's certainly worth a point.'

'One point!?!!'

'I started a soup kitchen in my city and worked in a shelter for homeless veterans.'

'Fantastic, that's good for two more points,' he says.

' Two points!?!!

'Exasperated, the man cries. 'At this rate the only way I'll get into heaven is by the grace of God.'

' Bingo ! 100 points ! Come on in!'

We often try to fix problems with WD-40 and duct tape.

God did it with a nail.

AMEN?

Trust in the LORD!!!!

Today, everywhere we look, we see “a whole lot of shakin’ goin on!” The economy is shaking; as are institutions, corporations, and government; jobs are shaky; the culture, marriages and families are shaking; whether you are personally or not, many people are being shaken by the circumstances unfolding in their personal world. If any words well describe what we are witnessing today in the world, and in the core foundation of people’s lives, they are the words, “shifting sand.” Certainty is in short supply, producing increasing anxiety; “What’s going to happen to me and my family?” On some the “shoe has already dropped”; out of work, home foreclosed, retirement wiped out, savings gone, net worth halved or worse; and that is “just” the “economic shoe.” What about the “shifting sand of the culture”: addictions more rampant and seemingly unbreakable; anger and rebellion among children and teenagers; pornography like the proverbial fog creeping through windows of the eye and under doors of hearts; terrorism, crime, and security concerns abounding; relationships and marriages suffering earthquake tremors and devastation; depression, disease, injustice, frustration are taking their toll.

If you have gotten this far, your countenance has probably fallen. You are probably thinking, “How is this going to give me STRENGTH for my day?”

One of the things for which I am most grateful, especially since I am technologically challenged in a technological world, are reset buttons. I wish every “gadget” had one; a button you simply push once you foul up your “gadget,” and poof, its back to normal. Unfortunately, not every “techno-gadget” has one. But reset buttons remind me of a truth C.S. Lewis wrote in one of his letters regarding “trust in God.” He said, “Relying on God has to begin all over again every day as if nothing had yet been done.” For those who think, “I tried trusting in God in the past, and look where it got me”; or “I try to trust in God, but why am I still being shaken like a leaf blowing in the wind?” several concerns come to mind. What exactly does the Bible ask us to do when it commands “trust in God?” And, am I using my “reset button” every day; renewing my trust in the Lord in the midst of each day’s troubles, circumstances, and battles; and even in the midst of those rare uneventful and perfectly good days.

I read the other day the statement, “Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ,” which is also to say, “Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of God.” You cannot trust in God unless you have an accurate idea of who He is. Knowledge of the Scriptures is in appallingly short supply in today’s Christian world. Is it any wonder then that “trust in God” is not being practiced, and many professing Christians are shaking or being shaken right along with the unbelieving world? A brief study in any Scripture concordance of the phrase “trust in God” or “trust in the Lord” reveals that trusting in the Lord involves ALL of the following: fearing the Lord, honoring the Lord as holy, obeying His commands, knowing who He is, doing good, trusting in His word, taking refuge in Him, doing so with all your heart, trusting in quietness and not whining, trusting with joy and peace in your spirit. On the negative side “trusting in the Lord” means NOT trusting in gold, riches, wealth, lies, deceptive words, chariots and horses (or, modern weapons of war), extortion or stolen goods, princes or presidents, fortified cities, your own deeds, other people, or even, and especially, yourself!

There are specific verses in Scripture supporting each of these descriptions of what it means “to trust” or “not trust” in the Lord. I fear that even with this being the most published Bible verse in the world; “In God we trust,” is printed on every American coin and paper bill which are being printed like they were going out of style (TRILLIONS apparently doesn’t mean much anymore to many people); we have grown numb to what trust in the Lord means and cease in practice to renew it day by day with a focused heart.

Yet, for those who learn and experience what it is to trust in the Lord, He will surround you, just as the mountains surround Jerusalem, both now and forevermore.

“Fear not I am with you, O be not dismayed; for I am your God, and will still give you aid; I’ll strengthen you, help you, and cause you to stand, upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.”

Guidance

Dancing With God

When I meditated on the word Guidance,
I kept seeing 'dance' at the end of the word.
I remember reading that doing God's will is a lot like dancing.
When two people try to lead, nothing feels right.
The movement doesn't flow with the music,
and everything is quite uncomfortable and jerky.
When one person realizes that, and lets the other lead,
both bodies begin to flow with the music.
One gives gentle cues, perhaps with a nudge to the back
or by pressing Lightly in one direction or another.
It's as if two become one body, moving beautifully.
The dance takes surrender, willingness,
and attentiveness from one person
and gentle guidance and skill from the other.
My eyes drew back to the word Guidance.
When I saw 'G': I thought of God, followed by 'u' and 'i'.
'God, 'u' and 'i' dance.' God, you, and I dance.
As I lowered my head, I became willing to trust
that I would get guidance about my life.
Once again, I became willing to let God lead.
My prayer for you today is that God's blessings
and mercies are upon you on this day and everyday.
May you abide in God, as God abides in you.
Dance together with God, trusting God to lead
and to guide you through each season of your life.
If God has done anything for you in your life,
please share this message with someone else.
There is no cost but a lot of rewards;
so let's continue to pray for one another.
And I Hope You Dance !

A Kept Woman, or a Kept Man?

Most probably no one relishes being known as a “kept woman,” or even a “kept man.” In modern vernacular the terminology has its negative connotation and usage; yet this is exactly who you are in Christ, and for which a believer ought to be daily and passionately grateful!

Actively expressing personal gratitude to the One who keeps us, rests in understanding not only what you know and see with your eyes concerning your life, but also in what you do NOT see! Unfortunately, because our eyes are not ably focused on the whole reality of our life and world, gratitude neither shapes nor penetrates our daily thoughts and actions as it should. We take so much for granted, or we are simply oblivious, or we do not believe what He tells us. If our response is any one of these three, our faith is woefully deficient and needs “stirring up.” If in our spiritual journey we are sincerely intent on ascending “toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus,” (Philippians 3:14) the purpose of these Psalms of Ascents, we must learn and live more thoroughly the truth of Psalm 121: the Lord is my keeper!

The real world picture of Job 1, exposing the Accuser for our benefit, is not peculiar to Job’s life. Satan is every believer’s constant accuser. And while Job’s trials are not exactly mirrored in every life, God’s Word does not give you one iota of confidence that Satan is not pursuing these same ends with each one of us; and doing it yesterday and today. Do you really know all that happened in your life today or last week? Or only what you saw with your eyes? Did you see the “stalking lion” by your path? (I Peter 5:8) Did you feel the heat of the “flaming, poison darts” as they just missed your chest? (Ephesians 6:16) Did you hear the Accuser’s lies on the tongue of a “friend?” (Matthew 16:23) Who kept the oncoming car from swerving into your lane; a “head-on” is always a few feet away. Who quelled the cancer germ from getting a foothold in your body? Who shielded your eyes from seeing something that could have led to an act of devastation in your life or marriage? Did you see through the masquerader who, “dressed” as “an angel of light,” almost got away with his subterfuge? (2 Corinthians 11:14) I just feel he, she, they, it, are so nice! There is much we miss of all that transpires in our personal world!

It is not that we do not know the nature of the battlefield (ala Psalm 120), but apart from vigorous faith we do not see or anticipate everything in our path; even with faith we do not always see how the spiritual battle rages. So much is hidden from our eyes, precisely that we might exercise the gift of faith. And mercifully, that we might not be cowed by fear every step of the journey, (when is the next shoe going to drop?), The Keeper of our souls is not silent. He is there, and He is not asleep! Even when we might think He slumbers. But then we do not always know, except when he chooses to make us aware, when He keeps us from evil. We know He has and He is and He will, because He tells us so; and we are still here; and we woke up this morning to another day.

It is a great loss in your life if you do not glory each day in personalizing the comfort of Psalm 121. It helps to substitute “my” for “your” and “me” for “you” throughout all 8 verses. You do not always need to know when He or His servants (angels) “keep” you. You just need to know and acknowledge that He does! It is enough!

by Stephen Leonard

What Do You Focus On?

Have you ever wondered how those ice skaters can gracefully spin in one spot at an enormous speed and not fall down? This is how they do just that. Before they begin their spin they pick a spot to focus on and as they begin to spin, every time they make a revolution they snap their head around and find that focal point. If they ever loose that focal point they spin out of control until they fall on their butts.

Our world keeps us spinning, sometimes slowly, sometimes with enormous speed. So what is our focal point that keeps us on our feet? Christ! If we take our eyes off of Him we will spin out of control until we fall. Sometimes we fall hard, real hard. Sometimes we take innocent people down with us. Either way, we will fall.

We must keep our eyes focused on our Lord no matter how slow or fast we spin or we are in great danger of falling and falling hard.

When an ice skater falls they may get physically injured. When we fall we are spiritually injured, or worse, we may trample on the Son of God. Even insult the Spirit of grace.

Psalm 25:15
My eyes are ever on the LORD, for only he will release my feet from the snare.

Psalm 123:1
I lift up my eyes to you, to you whose throne is in heaven.

Psalm 141:8
But my eyes are fixed on you, O Sovereign LORD; in you I take refuge—do not give me over to death.

Do We Not Fear Him?

I find myself at a loss for words when I read this passage.

Hebrews 10:26-31
26 For if we deliberately sin after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a terrifying expectation of judgment, and the fury of a fire about to consume the adversaries. 28 If anyone disregards Moses' law, he dies without mercy, based on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 How much worse punishment, do you think one will deserve who has trampled on the Son of God, regarded as profane the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know the One who has said, Vengeance belongs to Me, I will repay, and again, The Lord will judge His people. 31 It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God!

Why do I continue to satisfy my earthly desires against His warnings? Why do I continue to do the things that I know He hates instead of doing the things that I know He loves? Even when I feel convicted, I do it anyway.

What does that make me? And don't say human! I am suppose to have new life in Him.

Romans 6:4
We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

Father,
Forgive me for the ways that I have deliberately sinned against you and the Spirit of grace. I know that I am a sinner and I always will be this side of the Holy Place, but to do unholy things with the knowledge of the truth is a disgrace to my LORD. Forgive me LORD, and give me the strength to be holy in all that I do so that I may bring glory to you, the Father. This I pray, for I am blessed to be a blessing.
In Jesus' name, Amen

God Says So...So Listen To Him

You say: 'It's impossible'
God says: All things are possible (Luke 18:27)

You say: 'I'm too tired'
God says: I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28-30)

You say: 'Nobody really loves me'
God says: I love you (John 3:1 6 & John 3:34 )

You say: 'I can't go on'
God says: My grace is sufficient (II Corinthians 12:9 & Psalm 91:15)

You say: 'I can't figure things out'
God says: I will direct your steps (Proverbs 3:5- 6)

You say: 'I can't do it'
God says: You can do all things (Philippians 4:13)

You say: 'I'm not able'
God says: I am able (II Corinthians 9:8)

You say: 'It's not worth it'
God says: It will be worth it (Roman 8:28 )

You say: 'I can't forgive myself'
God says: I Forgive you (I John 1:9 & Romans 8:1)

You say: 'I can't manage'
God says: I will supply all your needs (Philippians 4:19)

You say: 'I'm afraid'
God says: I have not given you a spirit of fear (II Timothy 1:7)

You say: 'I'm always worried and frustrated'
God says: Cast all your cares on ME (I Peter 5:7)

You say: 'I'm not smart enough'
God says: I give you wisdom (I Corinthians 1:30)

You say: 'I feel all alone'
God says: I will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5)

Fridays Songs

Praise You In The Storm


Word Of God Speak

Our Pets

I'm not much of a dog person, actually I don't like them at all, but I thought that this dog is something special and worth sharing.
The K9 above is Brutus, a military K9 at McChord. He's huge - part Boxer and part British Bull Mastiff and tops the scales at 200 lbs. His handler took the picture. Brutus is running toward me because he knows I have some Milk Bone treats, so he's slobbering away! I had to duck around a tree just before he got to me in case he couldn't stop, but he did. Brutus won the Congressional Medal of Honor last year from his tour in Iraq . His handler and four other soldiers were taken hostage by insurgents. Brutus and his handler communicate by sign language and he gave Brutus the signal that meant 'go away but come back and find me'. The Iraqis paid no attention to Brutus. He came back later and quietly took out one guard at one door and another guard at another door. He then jumped against one of the doors repeatedly (the guys were being held in an old warehouse) until it opened. He went in and untied his handler and they all escaped. He's the first K9 to receive this honor. If he knows you're ok, he's a big old lug and wants to sit in your lap. Enjoys the company of cats.

K-9 Congressional Medal of Honor Winner

Thought you'd find this interesting. Talk about animal intelligence and bonding with humans! Remember that they can't do a lot of things for themselves and that they depend on you to make their life a quality life!

A PET'S TEN COMMANDMENTS.........

1. My life is likely to last 10-15 years. Any separation from you is likely to be painful.
2. Give me time to understand what you want of me.
3. Place your trust in me. It is crucial for my well-being.
4. Don't be angry with me for long and don't lock me up as punishment. You have your work, your friends, your entertainment, but I have only you.
5. Talk to me. Even if I don't understand your words, I do understand your voice when speaking to me.
6. Be aware that however you treat me, I will never forget it.
7. Before you hit me, before you strike me, remember that I could hurt you, and yet, I choose not to bite you.
8 . Before you scold me for being lazy or uncooperative, ask yourself if something might be bothering me. Perhaps I'm not getting the right food, I have been in the sun too long, or my heart might be getting old or weak.
9. Please take care of me when I grow old. You too, will grow old.
10. On the ultimate difficult journey, go with me please. Never say you can't bear to watch. Don't make me face this alone. Everything is easier for me if you are there, because I love you so.

~Take a moment today to thank God for your pets. Enjoy and take good care of them. Life would be a much duller, less joyful experience without God's critters

Our Lamb

Mary had a little Lamb,
His fleece was white as snow.
And everywhere that Mary went,
The Lamb was sure to go.

He followed her to school each day,
T'wasn't even in the rule.
It made the children laugh and play,
To have The Lamb at school..

And then the rules all changed one day,
Illegal it became
To bring The Lamb of God to school,
Or even speak His Name!

Every day got worse and worse,
And days turned into years.
Instead of hearing children laugh,
We heard gun shots and tears.

What must we do to stop the crime,
That's in our schools today?
Let 's let The Lamb come back to school,
And teach our kids to pray!

Time...How Much Do You Think You Have Left?

A man came home from work late, tired and irritated, to find his 5-year old son waiting for him at the door.

SON: 'Daddy, may I ask you a question?'

DAD: 'Yeah sure, what it is?' replied the man.

SON: 'Daddy, how much do you make an hour?'

DAD: 'That's none of your business. Why do you ask such a thing?' the man said angrily.

SON: 'I just want to know. Please tell me, how much do you make an hour?'

DAD: 'If you must know, I make $50 an hour.'

SON: 'Oh,' the little boy replied, with his head down.

SON: 'Daddy, may I please borrow $25?'

The father was furious, 'If the only reason you asked that is so you can borrow some money to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march yourself straight to your room and go to bed. Think about why you are being so selfish. I don't work hard everyday for such childish frivolities.'

The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door.

The man sat down and started to get even angrier about the little boy's questions. How dare he ask such questions only to get some money?

After about an hour or so, the man had calmed down , and started to think:

Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that $25.00 and he really didn't ask for money very often The man went to the door of the little boy's room and opened the door.

'Are you asleep, son?' He asked.

'No daddy, I'm awake,' replied the boy.

'I've been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier' said the man. 'It's been a long day and I took out my aggravation on you. Here's the $25 you asked for.'

The little boy sat straight up, smiling. 'Oh, thank you daddy!' he yelled. Then, reaching under his pillow he pulled out some crumpled up bills.

The man saw that the boy already had money, started to get angry again.

The little boy slowly counted out his money, and then looked up at his father.

'Why do you want more money if you already have some?' the father grumbled.

'Because I didn't have enough, but now I do,' the little boy replied.

'Daddy, I have $50 now. Can I buy an hour of your time? Please come home early tomorrow. I would like to have dinner with you.'

The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little son, and he begged for his forgiveness.

It's just a short reminder to all of you working so hard in life. We should not let time slip through our fingers without having spent some time with those who really matter to us, those close to our hearts. Do remember to share that $50 worth of your time with someone you love.

If we die tomorrow, the company that we are working for could easily replace us in a matter of hours. But the family & friends we leave behind will feel the loss for the rest of their lives.

A lesson to myself!!!

BUSTED!!!!!!

I finally got to take a break at work and guess what? One of my "workers" thought it would be funny to document it. I told her that if the "higher powers" ever saw these she would be unemployed. Oh, and she better not use these photos to blackmail me for a raise.

Strength For The Day

Isn't It Time To Emphasize the Uniqueness of Jesus?

Scriptural Basis:

“Let it be known to you and to all the people… that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, this man is standing before you. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” The Apostle Peter, Acts 4:10-12

Christianity Today-Online polled its readers last week on what theme they thought the magazine should address most in 2009. The choices were evangelism, catechesis (the church’s teaching responsibility), the uniqueness of Jesus Christ, abortion, and persecution. 1822 readers responded to the poll, and the winner by 11% over 2nd place (35% overall) was “the uniqueness of Jesus Christ.” Undoubtedly some of these themes overlap and all of them have an importance and urgency to them, but why is “the uniqueness of Jesus Christ” a theme worthy of theirs or anyone’s greatest attention?

Simply, because the message of the whole Bible from Genesis to Revelation never fails to emphasize it! Jesus declared it over and over that it might get through our thick skulls. None of the other themes have any validity, relevance or authority if Jesus, the One who commands us to do something about these themes, is not who He says He is. Paul declares Jesus’ essential uniqueness and exclusive place in our salvation, as well as the only reason for the existence of the universe, when he wrote to the Colossians, “by [Jesus Christ] all things hold together.” (1:17)

“All things” refers to more than the created, material universe. It also means society, civilization, justice, goodness and truth; everything that exists. Jesus Christ not only brought all things into being, but He holds it all together; including the mouths that denounce Him with obscenities, the hands that perpetrate every type of evil, the minds that devise lies and fraud to their own aggrandizement, the proponents of each and every other religion who in their man-made idolatry seek to nullify Him in subverting the truth, which He is. After all He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” (John 14:6)

The second reason to emphasize Jesus’ uniqueness in 2009 is that apparently, if you believe recent polls, a remarkable number of professing Christians, even Evangelicals, have caved to the intimidation of being considered intolerant and a bigot to admit they believe that Jesus, as He Himself testified, is the ONE and ONLY way to salvation. Who is at fault here; pastors, ill-taught, ignorant Christians, pervasive pluralism in our culture, seeker-friendly churches offending no one while teaching and preaching “mush?” I recently read over Christmas that 70% of Britons today do not believe in the historicity of the account of Jesus’ birth. This is the nation of John Wesley, George Whitefield, and Charles Spurgeon.

Yet America is hard on Britain’s heels. A non-vague, specific poll by the Pew Research organization this past summer produced results that 54% of professing Christians in America who attended church at least weekly believed that Jesus was NOT the ONLY way to salvation. There were other paths that were equally valid. 37% of white Evangelicals admitted they believed this; 75% of mainline Protestants; and 85% of non-Hispanic white Catholics.

Let me ask a question; would you rather be called a bigot and intolerant by an ignorant world now; or told by Jesus at the most important time in your life, “Depart from me, I never knew you?”

May the theme of the Apostle Paul’s life also be yours in 2009: “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ, for it is the power of salvation for everyone who believes.” (Romans 1:16) And if that is your confession, may you also be ready to “always give an answer for the faith which is in you,” when someone asks, how can you believe Jesus is the ONLY way to salvation?

“Heavenly Father, I know I will be tested in this; give me courageous, steadfast faith to confess Jesus before men, that He might confess me before Your presence in the courts of Heaven. Amen.”

by Stephen Leonard

Look at us
After all these years together
Look at us
After all that we've been through
Look at us
Still leaning on each other

If you want to see
How true love should be
then just look at us

Look at you
Still pretty as a picture
look at me
Still crazy over you
Look at us
Still believin' in forever

Look at us
After all these years together
Look at us
After all that we've been through
Look at us
Still leaning on each other

In a hundred years from now
I know without a doubt
They'll all look back and wonder how
We made it all work out

Chances are
We'll go down in history
When they want to see
How true love should be
They'll just look at us

Give Me Words To Speak

Facts to Ponder (Ha Ha)

Doctors:
(A) The number of physicians in the U.S. is 700,000
(B) Accidental deaths caused by Physicians per year are
120,000
(C) Accidental deaths per physician is 0.171.
Statistics courtesy of U.S. Dept of Health Human Service

Now think about this:

Guns:
(A) The number of gun owners in the U.S. is 80,000,000.
(Yes, that's 80 million..)
(B) The number of accidental gun deaths per year, all age
groups, is 1,500.
(C) The number of accidental deaths per gun owner is
.000188

Statistics courtesy of the FBI

So, statistically, doctors are approximately
9,000 times more dangerous than gun owners.

Remember, "Guns don't kill people, doctors do."

FACT: NOT EVERYONE HAS A GUN, BUT
ALMOST EVERYONE HAS AT LEAST ONE DOCTOR.

Please alert your friends to this alarming threat. We
must ban doctors before this gets completely out of
hand!!!!!

Out of concern for the public at large,
We have withheld the statistics on lawyers
for fear the shock would cause people to panic and seek
medical attention!

Family (could be yours, I know it's mine at times)

I ran into a stranger as he passed by,
'Oh excuse me please' was my reply.
He said, 'Please excuse me too;
I wasn't watching for you.'
We were very polite, this stranger and I.
We went on our way and we said goodbye.

But at home a different story is told,
How we treat our loved ones, young and old.

Later that day, cooking the evening meal,
My son stood beside me very still.
When I turned, I nearly knocked him down.
'Move out of the way,' I said with a frown.
He walked away, his little heart broken.
I didn't realize how harshly I'd spoken.

While I lay awake in bed,
God's still small voice came to me and said,
'While dealing with a stranger,
Common courtesy you use,
But the family you love, you seem to abuse.
Go and look on the kitchen floor,
You'll find some flowers there by the door.
Those are the flowers he brought for you .

He picked them himself: pink, yellow and blue.
He stood very quietly not to spoil the surprise,
You never saw the tears that filled his little eyes.'
By this time, I felt very small,
And now my tears began to fall.
I quietly went and knelt by his bed;
'Wake up, little one, wake up,' I said.
'Are these the flowers you picked for me?'
He smiled, 'I found 'em, out by the tree.
I picked 'em because they're pretty like you.
I knew you'd like 'em, especially the blue.'
I said, 'Son, I'm very sorry for the way I acted today;
I shouldn't have yelled at you that way.'
He said, 'Oh, Mom, that's okay.
I love you anyway.'
I said, 'Son, I love you too,
And I do like the flowers, especially the blue.'


FAMILY
Are you aware that if we died tomorrow, the company
That we are working for could easily replace us in
A matter of days.
But the family we left behind will feel the loss
For the rest of their lives.
And come to think of it, we pour ourselves more
Into work than into our own family,
An unwise investment indeed,
Don't you think?
So what is behind the story?

Do you know what the word FAMILY means?
FAMILY = (F)ATHER (A)ND (M)OTHER (I)
(L)OVE (Y)OU

Our Thanksgiving Week

This is what my wife and I did for our thanksgiving week off. Yep, we scarred our bodies, with Christ in mind though. Should of heard my wife screaming ;) Yes, the top one is mine. The bottom one was one that I already had but I added more color to the flames.

Before anybody thinks that I am a clansman let me tell you that I did research the “flaming cross” before I did it. They are known as “The Flame of Faith Cross”. A special commission for a Christian missionary, these crosses represents the flame of faith that sustains him as he carries the gospel deep into heathen lands.

A sign appeared to the Roman Emperor Constantine as a light in the noon-day sky. At the same time, he heard the words, In Hoc Signo Vinces (In this sign you shall conquer). The shape he saw was of a flaming cross.

1 Corinthians 10:31
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

I did this for the glory of God. And when people see them it gives me an opportunity to witness for Him.
God bless!!





Someone stop me!! This was my third in three days. It took three solid hours and I still have to go back for the color part. I'm going to do shades of purple and white where there is no black. This one just happens to be on my side....you know, where all the ribs are. OUCH!!!!

Bathroom Dance

I bet that you can't tell that I love my kids.
Another phone video...not the best quality.

Veggie Tales

My little ones singing and just having fun.
PS. Turn down your volume. It was done on my phone and the stereo was up pretty loud.

Jesus Loves the Little Children

She jumped up as soon as she saw the surgeon come out of the
operating room. She said:
'How is my little boy? Is he going to be all right?
When can I see him?'

The surgeon said, 'I'm sorry. We did all we
could, but your boy didn't make it.'

Sally said, 'Why do little children get cancer?
Doesn't God care any more? Where were you, God, when
my son needed you?'

The surgeon asked, 'Would you like some time alone with
your son? One of the nurses will be out in a few minutes, before he's transported to the university.'

Sally asked the nurse to stay with her while she said good
bye to son. She ran her fingers lovingly through his thick
red curly hair. 'Would you like a lock of his hair
?' the nurse asked.

Sally nodded yes. The nurse cut a lock of the boy's
hair, put it in a plastic bag and handed it to Sally.

The mother said, 'It was Jimmy's idea to donate his
body to the University for Study. He said it might help
somebody else. 'I said no at first, but Jimmy said,
'Mom, I won't be using it after I die. Maybe it
will help some other little boy spend one more day with his
Mom.' She went on, 'My Jimmy had a heart of gold..
Always thinking of someone else. Always wanting to help
others if he could.'

Sally walked out of Children's Mercy Hospital for the
last time, after spending most of the last six months there.
She put the bag with Jimmy's belongings on the seat
beside her in the car.

The drive home was difficult. It was even harder to enter
the empty house. She carried Jimmy's belongings, and
the plastic bag with the lock of his hair to her son's
room.

She started placing the model cars and other personal
things back in his room exactly where he had always kept
them. She laid down across his bed and, hugging his
pillow, cried herself to sleep.
It was around midnight when Sally awoke. Laying beside
her on the bed was a folded letter. The letter said:

'Dear Mom, I know you're going to miss me; but
don't think that I will ever forget you, or stop loving
you, just 'cause I'm not around to say
'I Love You'. I will always love you, Mom, even
more with each day. Someday we will see each other again.
Until then, if you want to adopt a little boy so you
won't be so lonely, that's okay with me. He can
have my room and old stuff to play with. But, if you
decide to get a girl instead, she probably wouldn't like
the same things us boys do. You'll have to buy her
dolls and stuff girls like, you know. Don't be sad
thinking about me. This really is a neat place. Grandma
and Grandpa met me as soon as I got here and showed me
around some, but it will take a long time to see everything. The angels are so cool. I love to watch them fly. And,
you know what? Jesus doesn't look like any of his
pictures. Yet, when I saw Him, I knew it was Him. Jesus himself took me to see GOD! And guess what, Mom? I got
to sit on God's knee and talk to Him, like I was
somebody important. That's when I told Him that I
wanted to write you a
letter, to tell you good bye and everything. But I
already knew that wasn't allowed. Well, you know what
Mom? God handed me some paper and His own personal pen to
write you this letter. I think Gabriel is the name of the
angel who is going to drop this letter off to you. God
said for me to give you the answer to one of the questions
you asked Him 'Where was He when I needed him?'
'God said He was in the same place with me, as when
His son Jesus was on the cross. He was right there, as He
always is with all His children. Oh, by the way, Mom, no
one else can see what I've written except you. To
everyone else this is just a blank piece of paper.
Isn't that cool ? I have to give God His pen back
now He needs it to write some more names in the Book of
Life. Tonight I get to sit at the table with Jesus for
supper. I'm sure the food will be great.

Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. I don't hurt
anymore. The cancer is all gone. I'm glad because I
couldn't stand that pain anymore and God couldn't
stand to see me hurt so much, either. That's when He
sent The Angel of Mercy to come get me. The Angel said I
was a Special Delivery! How about that?

Signed with Love from God, Jesus & Me.

Pain is an Opportunity

Scriptural Basis:

“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Revelation 21:4

Pain is the bane of human existence. Its very presence can completely reverse the joys of life, quickly changing your outlook from delight to misery. Just think of the many things in life which bring joy and laughter to body and soul; then, add pain, and suddenly, what once was satisfying no longer is. Even death becomes preferable to unrelenting pain, whether physical or emotional. Hence, the prevalence of depression and suicide; or Job’s anguished request for God to crush the life left in him; or even more, the cry that it would have been far better if he had never been born. There is nothing that lays one so low as pain in the body or misery in the heart.

The last few days I have witnessed severe physical pain in my wife as she recovers from major back surgery. We both have spent countless hours beside beds and in hospitals with spouses who eventually died of disease after experiencing excruciating pain throughout their illness. I have borne the emotional pain of a parent in the death of a child and in war the death of men I led into battle. We all are familiar with pain in body and in soul, some more severe and unrelenting than others, but, nevertheless, pain!

God’s Word is not reticent in warning us of pain in this life. It says it is not only normal, but expected. There are few days that pass without some form of pain. Peter tells us not to be surprised when “we experience painful trials, as though such suffering is strange.” Instead, he says, we are to “rejoice that we participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed.” (I Peter 4:12)

Now you may consider such Scripture references as referring solely to the pain received when specifically doing something to proclaim the gospel, or verbally standing up for Christ and for truth in the public arena; the pain of persecution from skeptics or enemies of God. So you may tend to dismiss any correlation when you bang your thumb with a hammer, stub your toe, break a leg, or suffer a periodic headache, or even a more severe migraine. You may think that suffering the painful ravages of cancer endemic to your family or any other sickness is not really applicable to the concept of “suffering with or for Christ.”

Such thinking is wrongheaded! Peter writes in I Peter 4:1, “Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude.” This refers to pain in Jesus’ body, whether the terrible agony of the cross or the weariness of walking along a Galilean road. You are doing something that displays who Christ is to you and in you by your response to a sliver in your finger. Because of His world-view of the present and His expectation of the future, what was His attitude, His visible and internal response to pain? You are a witness of His glory as you lay suffering pain in a hospital bed, or experience a painful accident before a watching world, even when your watching world may be but a few family members and some medical personnel. The presence of pain provides opportunity for the stretching of faith, the crucible of developing character, the earnestness of discipline.

When pain strikes it is difficult to think of anything else, but may I suggest thinking of these four truths: (1) Jesus is your colleague in pain, every pain (Hebrews 4:15); (2) Your present pain is not worth comparing to the glory that will be revealed in you (Romans 8:18); (3) Every instance of pain, even private, is an opportunity for witness of who you really are (Romans 12:1-2 and Hebrews 12:1). (4) Use every incident of pain to remember the cross (Hebrews 12:2).

Encouragement:
“Abba Father, I know my pain can make or break me. Use it to conform me to Him who suffered that I may one day be free from all pain.”

by Stephen Leonard

Just Music That Makes Me Feel Good Today

Simple but so powerful

Make-A-Wish

There are very few parts of my job that I enjoy. This just happens to be one of them. I was contacted by Make-A-Wish to build a train for a little boy named Tyler. I am not going into detail of what his issues are but I can say that he did deserve my company to do this for him.

Every time an employee got to work on Tyler’s train they had a smile on there face and it was fun to see there enthusiasm, not something that I see very often around here.

I think the one that got the most pleasure out of doing this is my office manager, Janessa, she is the one in the photo with Tyler. She got him a conductor’s uniform and the entire family matching shirts and hats.(She even went around begging companies to donate emblems, shirts and hats). She also delivered the train and met the family and was videoed by two news crews that were there for the occasion.

What a blessing to be able to do this for such a deserving young man. Praise God! Enjoy Tyler!!!!!

My First Award

My first award, thanks Sue for the thoughtfulness. I’m glad I can make you laugh.

Like Sue said, over at My Road As I Travel It , there are no rules for me to follow but if I find the time to pass it along I definitely will.

Seems fitting that my only reader gives me an award. Trying to make me feel better? It worked ;)

Tom the Baptist

Matt. 18:4-5
'Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child
is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes
a little child like this in my name welcomes me.'
Tommy's Mother looked out the window and noticed
him 'playing church' with their cat. He had the cat
sitting quietly and he was preaching to it.
She smiled and went about her work.
A while later she heard loud meowing and hissing
and ran back to the open window to see Tommy
baptizing the cat in a tub of water.
She called out, 'Tommy, stop that! The cat is
afraid of water!'
Tommy looked up at her and said, 'He should have
thought about that before he joined my church.'

Prop me up

Every time I am asked to pray, I think of the old deacon who always prayed, 'Lord, prop us up on our leaning side. After hearing him pray that prayer many times, someone asked him why he prayed that prayer so fervently.

He answered, 'Well sir, you see, it's like this.... I got an old barn out back. It's been there a long time; it's withstood a lot of weather; it's gone through a lot of storms, and it's stood for many years.

It's still standing. But one day I noticed it was leaning to one side a bit.

So I went and got some pine poles and propped it up on its leaning side so it wouldn't fall.

Then I got to thinking about that and how much I was like that old barn. I've been around a long time.

I've withstood a lot of life's storms. I've withstood a lot of bad weather in life, I've withstood a lot of hard times, and I'm still standing too. But I find myself leaning to one side from time to time, so I like to ask the Lord to prop us up on our leaning side, because I figure a lot of us get to leaning at times.

Sometimes I get to leaning toward anger, leaning toward bitterness, leaning toward hatred, leaning toward a prideful heart, leaning toward a lot of things that I shouldn't . So we need to pray, 'Lord, prop us up on our leaning side, so we will stand straight and tall again.

If you stare at this barn for a second you will see who will help us stand straight and tall again.

Letter to Satan

I know what you have been trying to do to me and my family and let me tell you that it’s not going to work. I have Christ on my side and in Jesus’ name there is nothing that you can do to keep me from loving my wife and my children, as Christ loves the church. You thought that you could come between my wife and me by subjecting her to thoughts, images and actions that are only loved by you. You thought that you could come between my wife and me by giving me thoughts and actions towards my wife that are not of God. I did not show her the love that she needed. I did not show her the love that Christ shows His church. I did not treat her like the individual that she is. I did not give her the respect that she deserves. I treated her as my puppet and lost control of my thinking when my puppet didn’t do what I wanted her to do. You lead me to believe that my wife was not good enough in certain areas in my life. You gave me undisciplined thinking towards my wife and my children. I allowed you to give me a distorted attitude and outlook on what God wanted for me and this family. But my Savior is stronger than that. Through the Holy Spirit my love for her is stronger than that. All that your efforts did was made us come closer to Him and in doing that you are going to loose once again. We put all of our trust in Jesus Christ that what happened is just going to make our faith stronger and to make our marriage stronger. Yes, you get into my head at times and give me images and thoughts that are not pure, but that will not last. Through the power of Christ, every time you attack me with thoughts and images that are not of God, that are not pure and righteous I will call upon His name and He will guard my heart and my way of thinking. I will not be influenced or controlled by you. I am already victorious from the blood that Christ shed for me on that tree so your attempts are a waist of time. All that they are going to do is make me and my family stronger solders for Him.

Bobby

I Keep Telling Myself

There is NOTHING –

No circumstance,

No trouble,

No testing

That can ever touch me until; first of all it has gone past God and past Christ, right through to me.

If it has come that far, it has come with great purpose, which I may not understand at the moment.

But as I refuse to become panicky,

As I lift up my eyes to Him

And accept it as coming from the throne of God for some great purpose of blessing to my own heart, no sorrow will ever disturb me, no trial will ever disarm me, no circumstance will ever cause me to fret for I shall rest in the joy of what my Lord is.

THAT is the rest of victory.

Christ

A Minister passing through his church
In the middle of the day,
Decided to pause by the altar
and see who had come to pray.

Just then the back door opened,
A man came down the aisle;

The minister frowned as he saw
the man hadn't shaved in a while.

His shirt was kind a shabby
And his coat was worn and frayed, the man knelt, he bowed his head,
Then rose and walked away.

In the days that followed,
Each noon time came this chap,
each time he knelt just for a moment,
A lunch pail in his lap.

Well, the minister's suspicions grew,
With robbery a main fear,
He decided to stop the man and ask him,
'What are you doing here?'

The old man said he worked down the road.
Lunch was half an hour.
Lunchtime was his prayer time,
For finding strength and power.

'I stay only moments, see,
because the factory is so far away;
as I kneel here talking to the Lord,
This is what I say:

'I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, LORD,
HOW HAPPY I'VE BEEN,
SINCE WE FOUND EACH OTHER'S FRIENDSHIP
AND YOU TOOK AWAY MY SIN.
DON'T KNOW MUCH OF HOW TO PRAY,
BUT I THINK ABOUT YOU EVERYDAY.
SO, JESUS, THIS IS JIM
CHECKING IN TODAY .'

The minister feeling foolish,
Told Jim, that was fine.
He told the man he was welcome
To come and pray just anytime.

Time to go, Jim smiled, said 'Thanks.'
He hurried to the door.
The minister knelt at the altar,
He'd never done it before.

His cold heart melted, warmed with love,
And met with Jesus there.
As the tears flowed, in his heart,
he repeated old Jim's prayer:

'I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, LORD,
HOW HAPPY I'VE BEEN,
SINCE WE FOUND EACH OTHER'S FRIENDSHIP
AND YOU TOOK AWAY MY SIN.
I DON'T KNOW MUCH OF HOW TO PRAY, BUT
I THINK ABOUT YOU EVERYDAY.
SO, JESUS, THIS IS ME CHECKING IN TODAY '

Past noon one day, the minister noticed
That old Jim hadn't come.
As more days passed without Jim,
He began to worry some.

At the factory, he asked about him,
Learning he was ill.
The hospital staff was worried, But he'd given them a thrill.

The week that Jim was with them,
Brought changes in the ward.
His smiles, a joy contagious.
Changed people, were his reward.

The head nurse couldn't understand
Why Jim was so glad,
when no flowers, calls or cards came,
Not a visitor he had.

The minister stayed by his bed,
He voiced the nurse's concern:
No friends came to show they cared.
He had nowhere to turn

Looking surprised, old Jim spoke
up and with a winsome smile;
'the nurse is wrong, she couldn't know,
that in here all the while
everyday at noon He's here,
a dear friend of mine, you see,
He sits right down, takes my hand,
Leans over and says to me:


'I JUST CAME AGAIN TO TELL YOU, JIM,

HOW HAPPY I HAVE BEEN,
SINCE WE FOUND THIS FRIENDSHIP,
AND I TOOK AWAY YOUR SIN.
ALWAYS LOVE TO HEAR YOU PRAY,
I THINK ABOUT YOU EACH DAY,
AND SO JIM, THIS IS JESUS
CHECKING IN TODAY .

Many people will walk in and out of your life,
but only true friends will leave
Footprints in your heart.

May God hold you in the palm of His hand
And Angels watch over you.

But for those of us who are already His, He not
only holds us in the palm of His hand, but has
engraved our names there, and we are continually
in His sight (Isaiah 49:16)

Jesus said, ' If you are ashamed of me,' I will be ashamed
Of you before my Father.'

Yes, I do love God. He is my source of existence and Savior.

He keeps me functioning each and everyday. Without Him, I
will be nothing. Without him, I am nothing but with Him 'I can
do all things through Christ that strengthens me.' Phil 4:13

So this is me ... Just Checking In

My Redeemer Lives

This is a true story!

The son asked his father, 'Dad, will you take part in a marathon with me?' The father who, despite having a heart condition, says 'Yes'. They went on to complete the marathon together. Father and son went on to join other marathons, the father always saying 'Yes' to his son's request of going through the race together. One day, the son asked his father, 'Dad, let's join the Ironman together.' To which, his father said 'Yes' too.

For those who don't know, Ironman is the toughest triathlon ever. The race encompasses three endurance events of a 2.4 mile (3.86 kilometer) ocean swim, followed by a 112 mile (180.2 kilometer) bike ride, and ending with a 26.2 mile(42.195 kilometer) marathon along the coast of the Big Island Father and son went on to complete the race together.

NOW WATCH THIS VIDEO:

Getting Real.

Christianity needs more men of God like Paul Washer, he tells it like it is. He is not diplomatic or politically correct. Too many Christians are compromising their faith and conforming to the world and see nothing wrong with what they are doing. We are not sensitive to sin because we are comparing ourselves to other Christians when we should be comparing ourselves to how the Bible says that we should live. Christianity in America IS in danger if we don’t stop living like the world and start living like the Bible tell us to.

Hell is real and tough love, not diplomacy, is what is going to keep "believers" from going there.

Here is a sermon that really hit home for me.

Like it or not…. it is the truth.

God bless!



Here are the CliffsNotes for the above sermon in a video.
Paul Washer Jam 1

What I Feel Like Today

......like taking a cat nap.

Baskin' In The Sun

Two robins were sitting in a tree. "I'm really hungry", said the first one.

"Me, too" said the second. "Let's fly down and find some lunch."

They flew to the ground and found a nice plot of plowed ground full of worms. They ate and ate and ate and ate 'til they could eat no more.

"I'm so full I don't think I can fly back up to the tree", said the first one.

"Me either. Let's just lay here and bask in the warm sun", said the second.

"O.K." said the first.

They plopped down, basking in the sun.

No sooner than they had fallen asleep, a big fat tom cat snuck up and gobbled them up. As he sat washing his face after his meal, he thought, "I love baskin' robins."

10 Things on Tuesday

Today I'm thankful for.....
1. A forgiving God
2. Jesus' sacrifice
3. Shalene(my wonderful, wonderful wife)
4. Shalene and I studying His word together
5. Mercedes, Mikey, Aniston, Syanne(my kids)
6. Being a Dad
7. My families health
8. My job
9. Being able to give to others
10. My church family

What are you thankful for?

God bless!!

Stewards Of His Time

I have had a little extra time to myself at the office today, OK my back hurts and I don’t want to move so I’m being lazy, and towards the end of the day I really started to feel convicted for not doing all that I could. That guilt went from not doing enough at work today, to not being efficient with ALL the time He has given to me. I do spend time in His word but am I doing it at the right time of the day. Are earthly things keeping me from doing His will? When things of this earth occupy our time and our thoughts we lose that voice within us that is His will. Am I being a good steward with the time He has given to me?

The following was written by Mrs. Crystal Paine;
Redeeming the Time:
Early Rising“There is gold in the morning hours…” How true a statement! Get up before dawn, begin your day with God, and you will feel so much more of His blessing and presence all day long. No matter how comfortable your bed feels, or how tired you think you are, get up and you’ll be glad you did later. During this early morning time with the Lord, put your day into the Lord’s hands and ask Him to give you the grace to make the best use of it. The busier you are the more essential this time with the Lord is.
Planning
It has been said, “One minute in planning saves three to five minutes in execution.” One of my most-used items is my planner. Every morning, after my time in the Word, I pull out this worthwhile asset and write down everything on the calendar page for the day which I feel God would have me to accomplish. Throughout the day, I am constantly referring back to this page and seeking God’s guidance as to what He would have me to do next. It is wonderful to plan, but we also must have a flexible spirit. God often brings unexpected assignments into our day and we must drop our list and do His will. “To Jesus there was no such thing as interruptions in His God-planned life. There was always enough time for Him to accomplish all God intended for Him to do.”
Proper Priorities
We all need to be continually examining our lives and making sure that in all we are
doing we are seeking first the Kingdom of God. Our greatest danger is letting the urgent things crowd out the important. Would you live any differently if you knew you only had a few weeks to live? We will be eternally responsible for how we used our time. I don’t know about you, but it can be very easy for me to get caught up doing good things and in the process overlook the best things, the things God desires for me to be doing.
“To obey is better than sacrifice…”
Eliminate Time-Wasters
~Hobbies~
Take a close look at those things in your life which would be considered “hobbies.” How are these benefiting the lives of others? More importantly, how are they bringing glory to God? Are there things in your life which you are involved in at the expense of your relationship with the Lord and your family?
There are only three things which are going to matter in eternity—God, His Word, and
people. Wrap your life around these things. In the end, it is not going to matter how long you lived, but how well you lived. Set your mind on the main business of life. Stop getting sidetracked with petty things you’ll wish you hadn’t pursued when your life comes to an end. Eliminate these things and concentrate on what is really going to matter. How large a portion of your time has been related to the things of God?
~Worrying~“Why worry when you can pray?” The hymn states it so clearly. Some people are so
anxious about tomorrow, they can do nothing today. Forget the fretting and follow
Oswald Chamber’s life motto: “Trust God and do the next thing.”
~Laziness~
Time is used in preparation for Eternity, therefore, others should never have reason to accuse us of laziness. Time comes to us in segments all day long. A lot can be
accomplished in five minutes. Time is a limited resource and we would be wise if we acted like we believed it. The sooner we get it into our head that life has a deadline, the wiser we will be.
~Procrastination~
Don’t put off until tomorrow what ought to be done today. I recently heard a good
definition of procrastination, “Waiting for a perfect time or condition to do what God has called you to do.” No one should take for granted that they will have a long life. Don’t put things off until tomorrow for you might not have a tomorrow. “Procrastination is the devil’s tool to rob you of usefulness.”
Make the Most of Situations God Places You In
The world is continuously passing away. Our time is not recoverable. “Seize the day.”
Our lives belong to God. If we misspend our time, we are misspending our lives. We
would do well to follow Theodore Roosevelt’s motto: “Do what you can, with what
you’ve got, where you are.” At the end of your life, are you going to look back with regrets? Have you done your best for Jesus? Let us live each day with eternity’s values in view!

GOD BLESS!!

My Beautiful Wife

What have I done to deserve such a precious woman?
ILYSVVM!!

To Live Like A Dog

• When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
• Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joy ride.
• Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.
• Take naps.
• Stretch before rising.
• Run, romp, and play daily.
• Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
• Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
• On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.
• On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
• When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
• Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
• Eat with gusto and enthusiasm. Stop when you have had enough.
• Be loyal. Never pretend to be something you're not.
• If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
• When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by

Our Mothers Day Photo

"wii" had a wonderful day. Hope you did as well.
God bless!

The Price of Children

The government recently calculated the cost of raising a child from birth to 18 and came up with $160,140 for a middle income family. Talk about sticker shock! That doesn't even touch college tuition .
But $160,140 isn't so bad if you break it down. It translates into:
* $8,896.66 a year,
* $741.38 a month, or
* $171.08 a week.
* That's a mere $24.24 a day!
* Just over a dollar an hour .

Still, you might think the best financial advice is don't have children if you want to be "rich."
Actually, it is just the opposite. What do you get for your $160,140 ?
* Naming rights. First, middle, and last!
* Glimpses of God every day.
* Giggles under the covers every night.
* More love than your heart can hold.
* Butterfly kisses and Velcro hugs
* Endless wonder over rocks, ants, clouds, and warm cookies.
* A hand to hold, usually covered with jelly or chocolate.
* A partner for blowing bubbles, flying kites
* Someone to laugh yourself silly with, no matter what the boss said or how your stocks performed that day.


For $160,140, you never have to grow up. You get to:
* finger-paint,
* carve pumpkins,
* play hide-and-seek,
* catch lightning bugs, and
* never stop believing in Santa Claus.

You have an excuse to:
* keep reading the Adventures of Piglet and Pooh,
* watching Saturday morning cartoons,
* going to Disney movies, and
* wishing on stars.
* You get to frame rainbows, hearts, and flowers under refrigerator magnets and collect spray painted noodle wreaths for Christmas, hand prints set in clay for Mother's Day, and cards with backward letters for Father's Day.

For $160,140, there is no greater bang for your buck. You get to be a hero just for:
* retrieving a Frisbee off the garage roof,
* taking the training wheels off a bike,
* removing a splinter,
* filling a wading pool,
* coaxing a wad of gum out of bangs, and coaching a baseball team that never wins but always gets treated to ice cream or pizza regardless

You get a front row seat to history, to witness the:
* first step,
* first word,
* first bra,
* first date, and
* first time behind the wheel.

You get to be immortal. You get another branch added to your family tree, and if you're lucky, a long list of limbs in your obituary called grandchildren and great grandchildren. You get an education in psychology, nursing, criminal justice, communications, and human sexuality that no college can match.


In the eyes of a child, you rank right up there under God. You have all the power to heal a boo-boo, scare away the monsters under the bed, patch a broken heart, police a slumber party, ground them forever, and love them without limits. So, one day they will, like you, love without counting the cost. That is quite a deal for the price!!!!!!!

A Childs Excitement

Another Day At Work.

Some days I really dislike my job.
I guess you have to get out from behind the desk at some point.

I finally got tired of giving other people money for something that I think I can do. So today I learned how to paint. Here is the before.


2 coats of sealer, 3 coats of color and 3 coats of clear later......AND 5 HOURS IN A PAINT BOOTH. I now understand why I paid my painters so much money. And this is only the trailer, the engine is twice this size. What fun.


Here is a CAD drawing of how big this train is going to be. The part that I painted today is just the trailer.


I have a job though....right?

Three Things

Three things in life that, once gone, never come back
1. Time
2. Words
3. Opportunity

Three things in life that can destroy a person
1. Anger
2. Pride
3. Unforgiving

Three things in life that you should never lose
1. Hope
2. Peace
3. Honesty

Three things in life that are most valuable
1. Love
2. Family & Friends
3. Kindness

Three things in life that are never certain
1. Fortune
2. Success
3. Dreams

Three things that make a person
1. Commitment
2. Sincerity
3. Hard work

Three things that are truly constant -
Father - Son - Holy Spirit

I ask the Lord to bless you,
as I pray for you today,
to guide you and protect you,
as you go along your way.
God's love is always with you,
God's promises are true.
And when you give God all your cares,
you know God will see you through.

In God We Still Trust

The song you are about to listen to is from a Diamond Rio concert.
They received an immediate resounding standing ovation, and continue to do so every time they perform it! Everyone who loves America should be thrilled to hear this song! Although Diamond Rio has never before done a statement song, they felt compelled to record 'In God We Still Trust.' But guess what? Sadly, major radio stations wouldn't play it because it was considered 'politically incorrect'. Consequently, the song was never released to the public. So America, see what you think. If this offering speaks to your heart and you feel the need to share it with friends and loved ones, please do.

Phone Pics

Here are some phone pics from our vacation. We went to Southern California for 6 days to hit the amusement parks. Had a great time and we all made it back safe.

The Firemen

In Phoenix, Arizona, a 26-year-old mother stared
down at her 6 year old son, who was dying of
terminal leukemia. Although her heart was filled
with sadness, she also had a strong feeling of
determination. Like any parent, she wanted her
son to grow up and fulfill all his dreams. Now
that was no longer possible...
the leukemia would see to that. But she still
wanted her son's dreams to come true. She took
her son's hand and asked, "Billy, did you ever
think about what you wanted to be once you grew
up? Did you ever dream and wish what you would do
with your life?"

"Mommy, I always wanted to be a fireman when I grew up."
Mom smiled back and said, "Let's see if we can
make your wish come true."

Later that day she went to her local fire
department in Phoenix, Arizona, where she met
fireman Bob, who had a heart as big as Phoenix.
She explained her son's final wish and asked if
it might be possible to give her six-year-old son
a ride around the block on a fire engine.
Fireman Bob said, "Look, we can do better than
that. If you'll have your son ready at seven
O'clock Wednesday morning, we'll make him an
honorary fireman for the whole day. He can come
down to the fire station, eat with us, go out on
all the fire calls, the whole nine yards! And if
you’ll give us his sizes, we'll get a real fire
uniform for him, with a real fire hat, not a toy,
one with the emblem of the Phoenix Fire
Department on it, a yellow slicker like we wear
and rubber boots. They're all manufactured right
here in Phoenix, so we can get them fast."

Three days later fireman Bob picked up Billy,
dressed him in his fire uniform and escorted him
from his hospital bed to the waiting hook and
ladder truck. Billy got to sit on the back of the
truck and help steer it back to the fire station.
He was in heaven. There were three fire calls in
Phoenix that day and Billy got to go out on all
three calls. He rode in the different fire
engines, the paramedic's van, and even the fire chief's car.
He was also videotaped for the local news program.

One night all of his vital signs began to drop
dramatically and the head nurse, who believed in
the hospice concept that no one should die alone,
began to call the family members to the hospital.
Then she remembered the day Billy had spent as a
fireman, so she called the Fire Chief and asked
if it would be possible to send a fireman in
uniform to the hospital to be with Billy as he
made his transition.
The chief replied, "We can do better than that.
We'll be there in five minutes.
Will you please do me a favor?
When you hear the sirens screaming and see the
lights flashing, will you announce over the PA
system that there is not a fire? It's just the
fire department coming to see one of its finest
members one more time.
And will you open the window to his room?
About five minutes later a hook and ladder truck
arrived at the hospital and extended its ladder
up to Billy's third floor open window,
16 firefighters climbed up the ladder into Billy's room.

With his mother's permission, they
hugged him and held him and told him how much
they loved him.
With his dying breath, Billy
looked up at the Fire Chief and said,
"Chief, am I really a fireman now?"
"Billy, you are, and the Head Chief, Jesus, is holding your hand,"
the chief said.
With those words, Billy smiled and said,
"I know, He's been holding my hand all day, and the angels have been
singing...”
He closed his eyes one last time.

BEING A MOTHER

A story.

After 21 years of marriage, my wife wanted me to take
another woman out to dinner and a movie. She said, 'I
love you, but I know this other woman loves you and
would love to spend some time with you.'

The other woman that my wife wanted me to visit was
my MOTHER, who has been a widow for 19 years, but the
demands of my work and my three children had made it
possible to visit her only occasionally.

That night I called to invite her to go out for
dinner and a movie.

'What's wrong, are you well,' she asked?

My mother is the type of woman who suspects that a
late night call or a surprise invitation is a sign of
bad news.

'I thought that it would be pleasant to spend some
time with you,'

I responded. 'Just the two of us.'

She thought about it for a moment, and then said, 'I
would like that very much.'

That Friday after work, as I drove over to pick her
up, I was a bit nervous. When I arrived at her house, I
noticed that she, too, seemed to be nervous about our
date.

She waited in the door with her coat on. She had
curled her hair and was wearing the dress that she had
worn to celebrate her last wedding anniversary.

She smiled from a face that was as radiant as an
angel's.

'I told my friends that I was going to go out with my
son, and they were impressed,' she said, as she got
into the car.

'They can't wait to hear about our meeting.'

We went to a restaurant that, although not elegant,
was very nice and cozy. My mother took my arm as if
she were the First Lady.

After we sat down, I had to read the menu. Her eyes
could only read large print. Half way through the
entries, I lifted my eyes and saw Mom sitting there
staring at me. A nostalgic smile was on her lips.

'It was I who used to have to read the menu when you
were small,' she said.

'Then it's time that you relax and let me return the
favor,' I responded.

During the dinner, we had an agreeable conversation,
nothing extraordinary, but catching up on recent events
of each other's life. We talked so much that we missed
the movie.

As we arrived at her house later, she said, 'I'll go
out with you again, but only if you let me invite
you.' I agreed.

‘How was your dinner date?' asked my wife when I got
home.

'Very nice. Much more so than I could have imagined,’
I answered.

A few days later, my mother died of a massive heart
attack. It happened so suddenly that I didn't have a
chance to do anything for her.

Some time later, I received an envelope with a copy of
a restaurant receipt from the same place mother and I
had dined.

An attached note said: 'I paid this bill in advance.
I wasn't sure that I could be there; but nevertheless,
I paid for two plates - one for you and the other for
your wife. You will never know what that night meant
for me. I love you, son.'

At that moment, I understood the importance of saying
in time: 'I LOVE YOU' and to give our loved ones the
time that they deserve. Nothing in life is more
important than your family. Give them the time they
deserve, because these things cannot be put off till
'some other time'.


Somebody said it takes about six weeks to get back to
normal after you've had a baby .. Somebody doesn't
know that once you're a mother, 'normal' is history.

Somebody said you learn how to be a mother by
instinct… somebody never took a three-year-old
shopping.

Somebody said being a mother is boring ... somebody
never rode in a car driven by a teenager with a
driver's permit.

Somebody said if you're a 'good' mother, your child
will 'turn out good'....somebody thinks a child comes
with directions and a guarantee.

Somebody said 'good' mothers never raise their voices…
somebody never came out the back door just in time to
see her child hit a golf ball through the neighbor's
kitchen window.

Somebody said you don't need an education to be a
mother.... somebody never helped a fourth grader with
his math.

Somebody said you can't love the second child as much as you love the first ... somebody doesn't have four
children.

Somebody said a mother can find all the answers to
her child-rearing questions in the books.... somebody
never had a child stuff beans up his nose or in his
ears.

Somebody said the hardest part of being a mother is
labor and delivery....somebody never watched her
'baby' get on the bus for the first day of
kindergarten or on a plane headed for military 'boot
camp.'

Somebody said a mother can do her job with her eyes
closed and one hand tied behind her back ...somebody
never organized seven giggling Brownies to sell
cookies.

Somebody said a mother can stop worrying after her
child gets married....somebody doesn't know that
marriage adds a new son or daughter-in-law to a
mother's heartstrings.

Somebody said a mother's job is done when her last
child leaves home....somebody never had grandchildren.

Somebody said your mother knows you love her, so you
don't need to tell her.... somebody isn't a mother.

Father's Love Letter

The Cry Of A Father's Heart From Genesis To Revelation

You may not know me, but I know everything about you
…Psalm 139:1

I know when you sit down and when you rise up
…Psalm 139:2

I am familiar with all your ways
…Psalm 139:3

Even the very hairs on your head are numbered
…Matthew 10:29-31

For you were made in my image
…Genesis 1:27

In me you live and move and have your being
…Acts 17:28

For you are my offspring
…Acts 17:28

I knew you even before you were conceived
…Jeremiah 1:4-5

I chose you when I planned creation
…Ephesians 1:11-12

You were not a mistake, for all your days are written in my book
…Psalm 139:15-16

I determined the exact time of your birth and where you would live
…Acts 17:26

You are fearfully and wonderfully made
…Psalm 139:14

I knit you together in your mother's womb
…Psalm 139:13

And brought you forth on the day you were born
…Psalm 71:6

I have been misrepresented by those who don't know me
…John 8:41-44

I am not distant and angry, but am the complete expression of love
…1 John 4:16

And it is my desire to lavish my love on you
…1 John 3:1

Simply because you are my child and I am your Father
…1 John 3:1

I offer you more than your earthly father ever could
…Matthew 7:11

For I am the perfect father
…Matthew 5:48

Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand
…James 1:17

For I am your provider and I meet all your needs
…Matthew 6:31-33

My plan for your future has always been filled with hope
…Jeremiah 29:11

Because I love you with an everlasting love
…Jeremiah 31:3

My thoughts toward you are countless as the sand on the seashore
...Psalms 139:17-18

And I rejoice over you with singing
…Zephaniah 3:17

I will never stop doing good to you
…Jeremiah 32:40

For you are my treasured possession
…Exodus 19:5

I desire to establish you with all my heart and all my soul
…Jeremiah 32:41

And I want to show you great and marvelous things
…Jeremiah 33:3

If you seek me with all your heart, you will find me
…Deuteronomy 4:29

Delight in me and I will give you the desires of your heart
…Psalm 37:4

For it is I who gave you those desires
…Philippians 2:13

I am able to do more for you than you could possibly imagine
…Ephesians 3:20

For I am your greatest encourager
…2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

I am also the Father who comforts you in all your troubles
…2 Corinthians 1:3-4

When you are brokenhearted, I am close to you
…Psalm 34:18

As a shepherd carries a lamb, I have carried you close to my heart
…Isaiah 40:11

One day I will wipe away every tear from your eyes
…Revelation 21:3-4

And I'll take away all the pain you have suffered on this earth
…Revelation 21:3-4

I am your Father, and I love you even as I love my son, Jesus
…John 17:23

For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed
…John 17:26

He is the exact representation of my being
…Hebrews 1:3

He came to demonstrate that I am for you, not against you
…Romans 8:31

And to tell you that I am not counting your sins
…2 Corinthians 5:18-19

Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled
…2 Corinthians 5:18-19

His death was the ultimate expression of my love for you
…1 John 4:10

I gave up everything I loved that I might gain your love
…Romans 8:31-32

If you receive the gift of my son Jesus, you receive me
…1 John 2:23

And nothing will ever separate you from my love again
…Romans 8:38-39

Come home and I'll throw the biggest party heaven has ever seen
…Luke 15:7

I have always been Father, and will always be Father
…Ephesians 3:14-15

My question is…Will you be my child?
…John 1:12-13

I am waiting for you
…Luke 15:11-32

Love, Your Dad. Almighty God

How To Dance In The Rain

It was a busy morning in the ER, about 8:30, when an elderly gentleman
in his 80's, arrived to have stitches removed from his thumb. He said he was
in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00 am.

I took his vital signs and had him take a seat, knowing it would be over
an hour before someone would to able to see him. I saw him looking at his
watch and decided, since I was not busy with another patient, I would evaluate his wound.

On exam, it was well healed, so I talked to one of the doctors, got the
needed supplies to remove his sutures and redress his wound.

While taking care of his wound, I asked him if he had another doctor's
appointment this morning, as he was in such a hurry. The gentleman told me
no, that he needed to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his
wife.

I inquired as to her health. He told me that she had been there for a
while and that she was a victim of Alzheimer's Disease. As we talked, I
asked if she would be upset if he was a bit late. He replied that she no
longer knew who he was, that she had not recognized him in five years
now.

I was surprised, and asked him, "And you still go every morning, even
though she doesn't know who you are?" He smiled as he patted my hand and
said, "She doesn't know me, but I still know who she is.."

I had to hold back tears as he left, I had goose bumps on my arm, and
thought, "That is the kind of love I want in my life."

True love is neither physical, nor romantic. True love is an acceptance of
all that is, has been, will be, and will not be.
The happiest people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they
just make the best of everything they have.

"Life isn't about how to survive the storm,
but how to dance in the rain."

The Lovely Wreck

An old man who'd lived all his life back up in the hills came to visit a childhood friend. Now he'd never laid eyes on a train or the iron rails on which they run.

Standing in the middle of the tracks one day, he heard a distant whistle... WOOOO--ooo---OOOOO! but didn't have a clue as to what it meant or his impending danger.

Predictably, the old boy is hit -- fortunately it's just a side swipe, and he's thrown, head over heels off the tracks, gets off with minor internal injuries, a few broken bones, and some bruises.

After weeks in the hospital recovering, he's at a friend's place for dinner one evening. Standing in the kitchen, he hears the rising whistle of the family tea kettle wooOOO....

Springing into action, he grabs a rolling pin and mercilessly bashes and smashes the once merry kettle into a useless, shapeless hunk of copper.

His friend, hearing the fuss, rushes into the kitchen, sees what's happened and asks his friend, "Why'd you wreck our lovely tea kettle?"

The mountain man replies: "Man, you gotta kill these things when they're small."

What's for Breakfast?

A mother and father were frustrated with their two boys that had developed a foul mouth from being around kids at school. The Father told his wife, "I know what my father would do if I used words our sons are using. He would grab us up and whip us with a belt. I believe that is the only thing that will work with these boys."

Being desperate, the mother said, "O.K., we will try that first thing Monday morning."

On Monday morning the first boy came down the stairs for breakfast. He sat down and the mother asked him what he wanted.

The boy said, "I guess I want those "blinkety blank" cornflakes. Without saying a word the father grabbed him and whipped him good with a belt.

The second boy had witnessed the event from the top of the stairs. The father looked up at him and said, "What do you want for breakfast?"

The second boy said, "I don't know, but I sure don't want any of those "blinkety blank" cornflakes."

Menopause Jewelry

My husband, being unhappy with my mood swings,
bought me a mood ring the other day so he would be
able to monitor my moods.
We've discovered that when I'm in a good mood,
it turns green and when I'm in a bad mood, it leaves a
big red mark on his forehead.

Maybe next time he'll buy me a diamond

James The Crab: Creationist vs Evolutionist

Something cute for my little ones to enjoy.

This Is Just A Joke.

An American magazine held a competition, inviting its readers to submit new scientific theories on ANY subject. Below are the winners:

5th place (Subject: Probability Theory) If an infinite number of rednecks riding in an infinite number of pickup trucks fire an infinite number of shotgun rounds at an infinite number of highway signs, they will eventually write the complete works of Shakespeare in Braille.

4th place (Subject: Bio-Mechanics) Why Yawning Is Contagious: You yawn to equalize the pressure on your eardrums. This pressure change outside your head unbalances other people's ear pressures, so they then yawn to even it out.

3rd place (Subject: Symbolic Logic) The Chinese are technologically underdeveloped because each of their alphabetical characters represents a whole word or phrase, rather than a single letter. Thus they cannot use acronyms to communicate technical ideas at a faster rate.

2nd place (Subject: Newtonian Mechanics) Deforestation may cause earthquakes, tidal waves, or even the total destruction of our planet. Just as a figure-skater's rate of spin increases when the arms are brought in close to the body, the cutting down of tall trees may cause the Earth to spin dangerously fast on its axis with disastrous results.

Winner (Subject: Perpetual Motion) When a cat is dropped, it always lands on its feet, and when toast is dropped, it always lands buttered side down. Therefore, if a slice of toast is strapped to a cat's back, buttered side up, and the animal is then dropped, the two opposing forces will cause it to hover, spinning inches above the ground. If enough toast-laden felines were used, they could form the basis of a high-speed monorail system.

The Husband Store

The Husband Store has just opened in New York City that sells husbands. When women go to choose a husband, they have to follow the instructions at the entrance.

You may visit this store ONLY ONCE! There are 6 floors and the value of the products increase as you ascend the flights. You may choose any item from a particular floor, or may choose to go up to the next floor, but you CANNOT go back down except to exit the building!

So, a woman goes to the Husband Store to find a husband.

On the 1st floor the sign on the door reads: Floor 1 - These men have jobs.

The 2nd floor sign reads:Floor 2- These men have jobs and love kids.

The 3rd floor sign reads: Floor 3 - These men have jobs, love kids and are extremely good looking."Wow," she thinks, but feels compelled to keep going.

She goes to the 4th floor and the sign reads: Floor 4 - These men have jobs, love kids, are drop-dead good looking and help with housework."Oh, mercy me!" she exclaims, "I can hardly stand it!"

Still, she goes to the 5th floor and sign reads: Floor 5 - These men have jobs, love kids, are drop-dead gorgeous, help with housework and have a strong romantic streak.

She is so tempted to stay, but she goes to the 6th floor and the sign reads:Floor 6 - You are visitor 31,456,012 to this floor. There are no men on this floor. This floor exists solely as proof that women are impossible to please. Thank you for shopping at the Husband Store.

Looking For Jesus

An old drunk stumbles across a baptismal service on Sunday afternoon down by the river. He proceeds to walk into the water and stand next to the preacher. The minister notices the old drunk and says, "Mister, are you ready to find Jesus?" The drunk looks back and says, "Yes, preacher, I sure am." The minister dunks the fellow under the water and pulls him right back up. "Have you found Jesus?" the preacher asks."Nooo, I didn't!" said the drunk. The preacher then dunks him under for quite a bit longer, brings him up, and says, "Now, brother, have you found Jesus?" "Noooo, I have not, Reverend."The preacher, in disgust, holds the man under for at least 30 seconds this time, brings him out of the water, and says in a harsh tone, "My God, man, have you found Jesus yet?" The old drunk wipes his eyes and says to the preacher, "Are you sure this is where he fell in?"

Memo From God

I am God. Today I will be handling all of your problems. Please remember that I do not need your help.

If life happens to deliver a situation to you that you cannot handle, do not attempt to resolve it. Kindly put it in the SFGTD (something for God to do) box. It will be addressed in My time, not yours. Once the matter is placed into the box, do not hold onto it.

If you find yourself stuck in traffic; Don't despair. There are people in this world for whom driving is an unheard of privilege.

Should you have a bad day at work; Think of the man who has been out of work for years.

Should you despair over a relationship gone bad; Think of the person who has never known what it's like to love and be loved in return.

Should you grieve the passing of another weekend; Think of the man in dire straits, working twelve hours a day, seven days a week to feed his children.

Should your car break down, leaving you miles away from assistance; Think of the paraplegic who would love the opportunity to take that walk.

Should you notice a new gray hair in the mirror; Think of the cancer patient in chemo who wishes she had hair to examine.

Should you find yourself at a loss and pondering what is life all about, asking what is my purpose? Be thankful. There are those who didn't live long enough to get the opportunity.

Should you find yourself the victim of other people's bitterness, ignorance, smallness or insecurities; Remember, things could be worse. You could be them!!!!

Brain Transplant

In the hospital, the relatives gathered in the waiting room, where a family member lay gravely ill. Finally, the doctor came in looking tired and sombre. "I'm afraid I'm the bearer of bad news" he said as he surveyed the worried faces. "The only hope left for your loved one at this time is a brain transplant. It's an experimental procedure, quite risky, and you'll have to pay for the brain yourselves." The family members sat silent as they absorbed the news. At length, someone asked, "Well, how much does a brain cost?" The doctor quickly responded, "A female brain goes for $20,000. A male brain costs $50,000." The moment turned awkward. Men in the room tried not to smile, avoiding eye contact with the women, but some actually smirked. A girl, unable to control her curiosity, blurted out the question everyone wanted to ask, "Why does the male brain cost so much more?" The doctor smiled at her childish innocence and then said to the entire group, "It's a standard pricing procedure. We mark the female brains down because they're used."

Thank God For Women

Top Ten Reasons For Women.

10. God worried that Adam would always be lost in the garden because He knew men would never ask for directions.
9. God knew that Adam would one day need someone to hand him the TV remote because men don't want to see what is on TV; they want to see WHAT ELSE is on TV.
8. God knew that Adam would never buy a new fig leaf when the seat wore out and therefore would need Eve to get one for him.
7. God knew that Adam would never make a doctor's appt for himself.
6. God knew that Adam would never remember which night was garbage night.

5. God knew that if the world was to be populated there would have to someone to bear children because men would never be able to handle it.
4. As Keeper of the Garden Adam would never remember where he put his tools.
3. The Scripture account of creation indicates that Adam needed someone to blame his troubles on when God caught him hiding in the garden.
2. As the Bible says, "It is not good for man to be alone", he only ends up getting himself in trouble.
And the NUMBER ONE reason...


1. When God finished the creation of Adam he stepped back, scratched his head and said, "I can do better than that."

My Big Girl

For The Women

One day, Eve was walking in the garden with the Lord. She said, "Lord, the garden is wonderful, and the animals and birds provide such joy, but I am still lonely sometimes." "No problem!" the Lord replied. "I will make you a man for a companion. He will desire to please you and to be with you. But I have to warn you, he won't be perfect. He'll have a difficult time understanding your feelings, will tend to think only of himself, and will stay out late with his bowling buddies." "What's bowling?" Eve asked. "Oh... never mind. I was just getting ahead of myself, sorry." "That's OK. I think I can handle this 'man'," Eve replied. "Great, I'll get right to it!" God said, and started grabbing some mud and shaping it. Suddenly, the Lord stopped and said to Eve, "Oh, there's one other thing about this man I'm making for you." "What's that?" asked Eve. "You'll have to tell him he was here first."

Snow Bound Kids

Heading up to the snow in our car, rocking out to some "heavy veggies". Again, quality bites, I used my phone.

The Real Prayer

So far today, God, I've done all right. I haven't gossiped, haven't lost my temper, haven't been greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish, or over-indulgent. I'm really glad about that.
But in a few minutes, God, I'm going to get out of bed and from then on I'm probably going to need a lot more help.
In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Where Have You Been?

Sometimes women are overly suspicious of their husbands. When Adam stayed out very late for a few nights, Eve became upset. "You're running around with other women," she charged. "You're being unreasonable," Adam responded. "You're the only woman on earth." The quarrel continued until Adam fell asleep, only to be awakened by someone poking him in the chest. It was Eve. "What do you think you're doing?" Adam demanded. "Counting your ribs," said Eve.

Funny Dance

My little ones being cute. It's only 2:41 long.

Not the best quality, it was taken on my phone.

One For You, One For Me

On the outskirts of town, there was a big old pecan tree by the cemetery fence. One day two boys filled up a bucketful of nuts and sat down by the tree, out of sight, and began dividing the nuts. "One for you, one for me. One for you, one for me," said one boy. Several were dropped and rolled down toward the fence.

Another boy came riding along the road on his bicycle. As he passed, he thought he heard voices from inside the cemetery. He slowed down to investigate. Sure enough, he heard, "One for you, one for me. One for you, one for me." He just knew what it was. "Oh my," he shuddered, "it's Satan and St. Peter dividing the souls at the cemetery. He jumped back on his bike and rode off. Just around the bend he met an old man with a cane, hobbling along. "Come here quick," said the boy, "you won't believe what I heard. Satan and St. Peter are down at the cemetery dividing up the souls." The man said, "Beat it, kid, can't you see it's hard for me to walk." When the boy insisted, though, the man hobbled to the cemetery.

Standing by the fence they heard, "One for you, one for me. One for you, one for me..." The old man whispered, "Boy, you've been tellin' the truth. Let's see if we can see the devil himself." Shaking with fear, they peered through the fence, yet were still unable to see anything. The old man and the boy gripped the wrought iron bars of the fence tighter and tighter as they tried to get a glimpse of Satan. At last they heard, "One for you, one for me. And one last one for you. That's all. Now let's go get those nuts by the fence, and we'll be done."