Here's a math trick just for fun.
(You might need a calculator.)
1. Key in the first three digits of your phone number (NOTthe area code)
2. Multiply by 80
3. Add 1
4. Multiply by 250
5. Add the last 4 digits of your phone number
6. Add the last 4 digits of your phone number again.
7. Subtract 250
8. Divide number by 2
Recognize the number?
(Taken from God Gave Us Laughter at Studylight.org)
Christian fun
Tag -- The adnauseum game
I hate tagging. I dislike it for a number of reasons but the main one is that there are so many MORE interesting things to talk about besides 7 things or 5 things etc about me! I won't tag anyone else and this is positively the absolute LAST time I'm playing this game. If I ever get tagged again, I will post this post and hope that it gets sucked into a time warp. (This is not my cat and those are not my cigarettes; I quit smoking over 5 years ago, Praise God from Whom all blessings flow! AMEN.)
7 things to do before I die:
1. Learn Hebrew and Greek
2. Enjoy a grandchild
3. Pay all my debts
4. Publish a novel.
5. Have another 15 minutes of fame. (I'll have to blog about the first 15 minutes)
6. Learn everything about worship
7. Travel in Scotland
7 things I can’t do:
1. Sleep without snoring at some point during the night.
2. Decorate like Martha Stewart
3. Make the perfect fudge
4. Be patient all the time.
5. Stay away from Studylight.org for more than a week
6. Keep from looking at an email when it first hits my inbox. (I had to exit mailbox when taking tests.)
7. Garden
7 things that attract me to blogging:
1. Writing
2. Writing my opinion
3. Writing about my beloved Jesus
4. Writing and teaching my beloved Bible
5. Commenters who agree with me.
6. The bloggers I have met and become friends with
7. The fact that people from all over the world read my blog and that is just fascinating to me! I don't have to have a book published or be famous for someone else to come here and comment, that is just fascinating to me. My blog is a ministry and that is fascinating to me. It is fun! It reaches 24/7 and God gifted me talent and a deep desire to reach out to others. Fascinating.
7 things I say most often:
1. Hoo-ray
2. Anyhoot
4. I’m sorry
5. Please forgive me
6. Hello, kitty kitty, my Scooter, my little man -- hey it works for the cat.
7. Hello, this is Gina.
8 books I love:
1. The Bible
2. Count of Monte Cristo
3. The Trixie Belden series
4. All Georgette Heyer books (I had everyone but lost them when hubby didn't pay the storage bill. If anyone knows where I can acquire as many as possible, please let me know. I used to read every one of them once a year.)
5. Original Star Trek series
6. The Footsteps of the Messiah by Arnold Fruchtenbaum and Purpose Driven Life
7. The Dictionary
8. Authors: Beth Moore, Francine Rivers, Max Lacado, Ron Meur, Bob Larson,
7 movies I watch over and over:
1. While You Were Sleeping
2. Pride and Prejudice and Mansfield Park
3. Romeo and Juliet
4. Much Ado About Nothing
5. American Dreamer
6. Fiddler on the Root
7. Bringing Up Baby and His Girl Friday and any other Cary Grant movie.
Little baby feet
Little, sweet baby feet. Mary will soon cover them with her hand, warming them against the night chill. She has treasured in her heart all the words spoken about her first born Son.
Things like, "The angel was so glorious, shouting out praises to God on High and the Good News! The Messiah is born! Our long awaited Savior, the Lord, is born!"
And word went out publically, through the bright streets of Bethelehem. The star shining down on the child. The little feet, toes curled against the chill, wiggled in His mother's hand.
Eight day old, tiny feet with pink toes that curl in pain as the centuries-old right of covenant is performed on the Messiah. Simon lifts his old eyes, tears spilling from their corners to the Lord God Almighty. Praising Him for this precious gift. Anna speaks to all who will listen about the Christ child, this most amazing gift from God.
The feet grew large enough for little sandals as they toddled, one in front of the other. Tiny hands holding on to a big Daddy finger. His first steps, those little feet on their own, dust swirling around them, making the little nose sneeze. A delighted chuckle from Daddy, and a bright grin from Mommy. Loving, watchful eyes guarded those little feet from the fire, the holes, the rocks.
One day a mighty procession fills the streets of Bethelehem. Camels dressed in finery, servants dashing from house to house questions in their expressions, the star's bright light setteled over one house. Magi, wise men from the far East nod and smile. They get off their beasts and carefully search the packs until fine gifts are found. Gold, frankencense and Myrrh. Reverently they enter His presence. They bow and worship Him, kissing His little feet.
The days go by and His feet grow larger, tucked underneath Him as He sits in His Father's House. The voices of many echo around. He speaks with great authority and the voices quiet. "Did you not know that I must be in My Father's House about My Father's business?"
The days go by and His feet grow larger. The heat bears down and the slap of leather against hard ground is muted by many voices. Dust billows up and covers those following behind Him. Disciples they are called. A word that loosely means dust gatherers as they follow Him. Men and women thirsting for the living water that falls from His lips; hungering for the Bread of Life.
The days go by and storms cease, roiling billows calm, deaf hear, blind see, sick are healed, lepers are cleansed, demons are routed, stories are told, His feet get tired and His bones grow weary from the press of the opressed. His own received Him not but those that did receive Him were given Life because He is the Way, the Truth and the Life, the Doorway to Heaven. The feet carried Him through desert and over mountain, through streams and over the sea.
One afternoon the feet are resting against cool tile. A woman enters the room. She settles at the feet. Her tears wash the dust from them. Her hair dries them. She kisses His feet in deep worship for she has been forgiven much. She washed His feet as the nobleman did not. Reverent worship by anointing them with ointment.
One day the feet stumble down the street, drenched in His blood. The feet are in agony as they trudge toward Golgotha. The nails are hammered through them into the cross. Splinters pierce the skin. Blood drips from them into the dust. The feet strain to hold Him up for one last breath and then He gives up His spirit.
Tenderly the feet are washed one last time, a hundred pounds of spices and clean cloths are wrapped around the body and He is laid to rest in a freshly hewn tomb. The stone covers the entrance and darkness engulfs the One. Days pass. Suddenly, the earth quakes.
Those dear feet touch earth once more, transformed. The same, but different, glorified, radiant feet and body. These dear feet walk down a road and the King tells from Genesis to Zechariah those things that foretold His coming, His dying, His arising in victory over sin and death. On the mountain, the last thing the disciples see are the soles of those feet rising to Heaven.
Oh happy day, the day I can sit at those feet that are even now on the pavement of sapphire as clear as the heavens... To kiss them in worship and adoration... To sit at them and learn from He who has all knowledge and has all power and secured victory for me and gave me life eternal with him. Oh happy day, O glorious feat.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PROSKUNEO -- The Greek word for worship, English translations of the Bible render it as "worship." Proskune is a compound word meaning "to kiss toward" and represents a form of worship that shows reverence and submission to someone or something by bowing to the ground and kissing his feet, the hem of his clothing, or the ground.
Technorati: Bible story
Frogs in a Pit
A group of frogs was traveling through the woods, and two of them fell into a deep pit. All the other frogs gathered around the pit. When they saw how deep the pit was, they told the unfortunate frogs they would never get out.
The two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump up out of the pit. The other frogs kept telling them to stop, that they were as good as dead. Finally, one of the frogs took heed to what the other frogs were saying and simply gave up. He fell down and died. The other frog continued to jump as hard as he could.
Once again, the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop the pain and suffering and just die. He jumped even harder and finally made it out. When he got out, the other frogs asked him, "Why did you continue jumping.
Didn't you hear us?" The frog explained to them that he was deaf. He thought they were encouraging him the entire time.
This story holds two lessons:
1. There is power of life and death in the tongue. An encouraging word to someone who is down can lift them up and help them make it through the day.
2. A destructive word to someone who is down can be what it takes to kill them. Be careful of what you say. Speak life to those who cross your path.
The power of words....it is sometimes hard to understand that an encouraging word can go such a long way. Anyone can speak words that tend to rob another of the spirit to continue in difficult times. Special is the individual who will take the time to encourage another.
(copied from an ancient email)
Landon Snow & The Auctor's Riddle
I'm a little late with this review. Randy, I'm sorry! Putting that aside...
Let me tell you that RK Mortenson has published a super book for 8-12 year olds. I read it, and was enthralled. It is thought provoking and educational without being teachy, you know?
I loved it! If you have any kids on your list, this would be a great Christmas present.
I asked Randy a question:
Gina: What did you learn about yourself and about God as you wrote this book. How has that affected you today?
Randy: Interesting questions...
I was struggling with the writing/publishing dream for a decade, meaning I was trying to get something published, but to no avail. At more than one point I prayed that God would take away the incredible desire I had to be published if it wasn't meant to be. If anything, the desire increased. So I learned along the way that I had a lot to learn! I learned patience and perseverance in a rather tangible way. I learned to accept rejection(s) and seek to grow from it. One verse that I held on to is Psalm 37:4: "Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart." For as important as writing is to me, without God it is not satisfying or fulfilling.
The whole process of writing and learning and praying and dreaming and striving and studying and waiting and yearning revealed to me just how ambitious I really was. It's hard to describe this drive that almost feels like a need, to read and write, along with the hunger for getting published. I continue to learn from it and continue to grow as a writer and as a person. Because it's so strong, it drives me to my knees in search of God's guidance, wisdom, strength, peace, and humility. I am thankful for that.
In the end, of course, God's Word sums it up: "Of making many books there is no end..." Ecclesiastes 12:12, "Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." These words put things into perspective. As important as my book may be to me, well, I recognize that in the great scheme of things there are much more important things--God, eternity,family, other people--to consider. Only God's Word is eternal; my feeble words, for as much energy and time I put into them, will simply pass away.
I hope that answers the questions. :-) Thanks for the thought- and heart-provokers.
Blessings,
Randy
Just click on Landon Snow and the Auctor's Riddle and you can purchase this beautiful book.
Christians
A note about email...
A friend who used to forward with all addresses showing and who used to have mine along with everyone else's emails emblazzoned across the top of his emails sent this to me without any email addresses across the top! Finally, he "got" it LOL. The fact is, I trust him and I trust the folks on his email list... but, how about those who they email to? and the ones after that? So, I decided to post this very concise piece of advice concerning email.
FOR EVERYONE WHO SENDS E-MAILS, PLEASE READ VERY CAREFULLY!!!!! I HOPE THIS HELPS
Read the text below...Do you really know how to forward e-mails? 50% of us do; 50% do NOT. Do you wonder why you get viruses or junk mail? Do you hate it? Every time you forward an e-mail there is information left over from the people who got the message before you, namely their e-mail addresses. As the messages get forwarded along, the list of addresses builds, and builds, and builds, and all it takes is for some poor individual to get a virus, and his (her) computer can send that virus to every e-mail address that has come across his computer. Or, someone can take all of those addresses and sell them or send junk mail to them in the hopes that you will go to the site and he will make five cents for each hit. That's right, all of that inconvenience over a nickel! How do you stop it?
Well, there are two easy steps:1) When you forward an e-mail, DELETE all of the other addresses that appear in the body of the message. That's right, DELETE them. Highlight them and delete them, backspace them, cut them, whatever it is you know how to do. It only takes a second. You MUST click the "Forward" button first, then you will have full editing capabilities against the body and headers of the message.If you don't click on "Forward" first, you won't be able to edit the message at all. 2) Whenever you send an e-mail to more than one person, do NOT use the To: or Cc: columns for adding e-mail address. Always use the BCC: (blind carbon copy) column for listing the e-mail addresses.
This is the way that people you send to only see their own e-mail address. If you don't see your BCC: option, click on where it says To: and your address list will appear. Highlight the address and choose BCC: and that's it, it's that easy. When you send to BCC: in this manner, your message will automatically say "Undisclosed Recipients" in the "TO:" field of the people who receive it. So please, in the future, let's stop the junk mail and the viruses! Finally, here's an idea!!! Let's send this to everyone we know. ( but strip my address off first).This is something that SHOULD be forwarded. Hope you find the above info useful and helpful!
whatever you do, please remove my return address before you forward this email!
You can also have a blank email list that sends you a copy. Put a name in your email list (I use All Y'all) then give it your own email address. This will send you a copy if you put it in the To: box at the top. It is a little more personal than "To Undisclosed Recipients"
FOR EVERYONE WHO SENDS E-MAILS, PLEASE READ VERY CAREFULLY!!!!! I HOPE THIS HELPS
Read the text below...Do you really know how to forward e-mails? 50% of us do; 50% do NOT. Do you wonder why you get viruses or junk mail? Do you hate it? Every time you forward an e-mail there is information left over from the people who got the message before you, namely their e-mail addresses. As the messages get forwarded along, the list of addresses builds, and builds, and builds, and all it takes is for some poor individual to get a virus, and his (her) computer can send that virus to every e-mail address that has come across his computer. Or, someone can take all of those addresses and sell them or send junk mail to them in the hopes that you will go to the site and he will make five cents for each hit. That's right, all of that inconvenience over a nickel! How do you stop it?
Well, there are two easy steps:1) When you forward an e-mail, DELETE all of the other addresses that appear in the body of the message. That's right, DELETE them. Highlight them and delete them, backspace them, cut them, whatever it is you know how to do. It only takes a second. You MUST click the "Forward" button first, then you will have full editing capabilities against the body and headers of the message.If you don't click on "Forward" first, you won't be able to edit the message at all. 2) Whenever you send an e-mail to more than one person, do NOT use the To: or Cc: columns for adding e-mail address. Always use the BCC: (blind carbon copy) column for listing the e-mail addresses.
This is the way that people you send to only see their own e-mail address. If you don't see your BCC: option, click on where it says To: and your address list will appear. Highlight the address and choose BCC: and that's it, it's that easy. When you send to BCC: in this manner, your message will automatically say "Undisclosed Recipients" in the "TO:" field of the people who receive it. So please, in the future, let's stop the junk mail and the viruses! Finally, here's an idea!!! Let's send this to everyone we know. ( but strip my address off first).This is something that SHOULD be forwarded. Hope you find the above info useful and helpful!
whatever you do, please remove my return address before you forward this email!
You can also have a blank email list that sends you a copy. Put a name in your email list (I use All Y'all) then give it your own email address. This will send you a copy if you put it in the To: box at the top. It is a little more personal than "To Undisclosed Recipients"
Is that One for the Chipper?
I'm feeling just better enough to be a bit crabby. The fact that Christmas was good enough as Christmas for our founding fathers and that without Jesus there wouldn't have even been a reason to come to the Americas makes what is happening now worse than a shame.
Our laws are based on Biblical principles. Our ethics are based on Christian ethical standards. Our country was based on a Christian foundation. Yet, we still have a small percentage of people that want to rule our world by insisting on a "Holiday Tree" instead of a Christmas Tree.
Give me a break.
We have a malestorm brewing and it seems to be the Christians are not in the center of the arena helpless before the lions. Falwell on one side is "going to suebanyone who spreads what they see as misinformation about Christmas celebrations in public spaces." What kinds of Christian attitude is that? On the other side we have the pagans who are offended by any mention of Christ or Christmas. They reject Jesus but can't find anything to worship that comes even close to our Lord. Then we have Gov. Arnold who last year "blessed" holiday trees, but this "year lit what he called a Christmas Tree", so stated the news article. The newspaper couldn't call it a Christmas Tree outright. Are we standing firm or are we being blown away in the wind?
Over 50 million websites use the term Christmas Tree and only about 1.6 million use the term Holiday Tree. Is it a trend that just isn't taking hold? I sure hope so. Anyone over the age of 20 has heard, and called it a Christmas Tree for over 20 years so that's a habit that will be hard to break. If it takes 30 days to break a habit then that means it just might take 30 years to break the Christmas habit. We can only hope and pray.
It is Christmas Season; it is Christmas break, Christmas holidays, Christmas vacation, Christmas present, Christmas decorations, Christmas wreath, Christmas cards. Christmas is about Christ! Without Christ there is no Hope, or Faith and certainly, no Love. It is plain as a pikestaff, the Federal Government lets Federal employees off for the Christmas holiday so if the Federal Gov't recognizes Christmas, how can we do anything else? Christmas Holiday. Now that is a term I really like, especially since holiday is a shortened term for Holy Day so Christmas Holy Day is perfectly GREAT for me! How about you?
Our laws are based on Biblical principles. Our ethics are based on Christian ethical standards. Our country was based on a Christian foundation. Yet, we still have a small percentage of people that want to rule our world by insisting on a "Holiday Tree" instead of a Christmas Tree.
Give me a break.
We have a malestorm brewing and it seems to be the Christians are not in the center of the arena helpless before the lions. Falwell on one side is "going to suebanyone who spreads what they see as misinformation about Christmas celebrations in public spaces." What kinds of Christian attitude is that? On the other side we have the pagans who are offended by any mention of Christ or Christmas. They reject Jesus but can't find anything to worship that comes even close to our Lord. Then we have Gov. Arnold who last year "blessed" holiday trees, but this "year lit what he called a Christmas Tree", so stated the news article. The newspaper couldn't call it a Christmas Tree outright. Are we standing firm or are we being blown away in the wind?
Over 50 million websites use the term Christmas Tree and only about 1.6 million use the term Holiday Tree. Is it a trend that just isn't taking hold? I sure hope so. Anyone over the age of 20 has heard, and called it a Christmas Tree for over 20 years so that's a habit that will be hard to break. If it takes 30 days to break a habit then that means it just might take 30 years to break the Christmas habit. We can only hope and pray.It is Christmas Season; it is Christmas break, Christmas holidays, Christmas vacation, Christmas present, Christmas decorations, Christmas wreath, Christmas cards. Christmas is about Christ! Without Christ there is no Hope, or Faith and certainly, no Love. It is plain as a pikestaff, the Federal Government lets Federal employees off for the Christmas holiday so if the Federal Gov't recognizes Christmas, how can we do anything else? Christmas Holiday. Now that is a term I really like, especially since holiday is a shortened term for Holy Day so Christmas Holy Day is perfectly GREAT for me! How about you?
Catch the nose
... it's running! I sit here perfectly miserable. Oh, I'm estatically happy that I'll graduate with honors and that I have a great job which I have been wanting for so long. But...
My body has these electric aches that whenever a piece of lint scrapes against my skin it feels like a little person is going happy with a sledge hammer. My head feels like Tweety Bird just spit out a huge piece of bubble gum in it and Snoopy is doing the Happy Dance on top of it. Even though the room is 75 degrees, I'm freezing, but it's too hot to back up to the fireplace. Would someone get the 500 pound fat lady off my chest and make her go sing someplace else like a galaxy far, far away. Tissue hurts my nose and my throat is so scratchy we could use it to sand down the house.
And our choir's cantata is Sunday night! Oh me!
This, ladies and gents, is what you get when you brag that you are healthy as a horse. It is what you get when you go Christmas shopping in cold nasty weather right before you are supposed to sing to bring glory to God. Oh my.
Let me tell you about the Christmas shopping. This is really the first year since my divorce that I've really had the Christmas spirit and wanted to go shopping. Mom and I prayed as we drove to town (94 miles away) that God would bring us to the exact thing we should give to each person and that we would have fun. Usually I'm waiting for Mom to finish or she (rarely) has to wait for me. We met up in front of the milk--quite by accident-- and decided to get some coffee. We rested and chatted then parted ways to finish up our shopping. Then we met again at the check outs...she walked right into an empty stall and I traveled a tad farther and walked right into an empty stall [shock]. Then we headed home. All our shopping was done in one day. I'm in awe how God works to smooth paths and how He helps in the little things if we only ask. It is so astounding, I've almost forgotten my head, throat, stomach ache. One day we won't have to worry about germs, amen?
Since He does such astounding work in the little things, I'm quite positive I'll be just fine come Sunday night so that I can glorify Him. That's what it's all about, anyway.
My body has these electric aches that whenever a piece of lint scrapes against my skin it feels like a little person is going happy with a sledge hammer. My head feels like Tweety Bird just spit out a huge piece of bubble gum in it and Snoopy is doing the Happy Dance on top of it. Even though the room is 75 degrees, I'm freezing, but it's too hot to back up to the fireplace. Would someone get the 500 pound fat lady off my chest and make her go sing someplace else like a galaxy far, far away. Tissue hurts my nose and my throat is so scratchy we could use it to sand down the house.
And our choir's cantata is Sunday night! Oh me!
This, ladies and gents, is what you get when you brag that you are healthy as a horse. It is what you get when you go Christmas shopping in cold nasty weather right before you are supposed to sing to bring glory to God. Oh my.
Let me tell you about the Christmas shopping. This is really the first year since my divorce that I've really had the Christmas spirit and wanted to go shopping. Mom and I prayed as we drove to town (94 miles away) that God would bring us to the exact thing we should give to each person and that we would have fun. Usually I'm waiting for Mom to finish or she (rarely) has to wait for me. We met up in front of the milk--quite by accident-- and decided to get some coffee. We rested and chatted then parted ways to finish up our shopping. Then we met again at the check outs...she walked right into an empty stall and I traveled a tad farther and walked right into an empty stall [shock]. Then we headed home. All our shopping was done in one day. I'm in awe how God works to smooth paths and how He helps in the little things if we only ask. It is so astounding, I've almost forgotten my head, throat, stomach ache. One day we won't have to worry about germs, amen?
Since He does such astounding work in the little things, I'm quite positive I'll be just fine come Sunday night so that I can glorify Him. That's what it's all about, anyway.
Comes a Horseman
Bob Liparulo emailed me back to let me know that there is a group guide that goes with his book. It is located on the publisher's website, WestBow. You can click the title or the publisher's name to find it. I thought that was really cool!
Claire said her group was reading this book. I think it is a great book to discuss.
Claire said her group was reading this book. I think it is a great book to discuss.
Comes a Horseman
- "Not for the faint of heart, this is quality writing that deserves a lofty niche within the action/suspense genre. It is well-researched and meticulously detailed, and the characters are fascinating and 'real,' the dialogue clever and altogether human, the plot compelling. What I'm trying to say is, I love it!" —Frank Peretti, author of Monster and This Present Darkness
I agree with Frank. Comes a Horseman is adult, thriller fiction and, frankly, it is about time we had some in the Christian realm.
Robert Liparulo is an award-winning author of over a thousand published articles and short stories. He is currently a contributing editor for New Man magazine. His work has appeared in Reader's Digest, Travel & Leisure, Modern Bride, Consumers Digest, Chief Executive, and The Arizona Daily Star, among other publications. In addition, he previously worked as a celebrity journalist, interviewing Stephen King, Tom Clancy, Charlton Heston, and others for magazines such as Rocky Road, Preview, and L.A. Weekly. He has sold or optioned three screenplays.
So, "success" is a great word to describe him. The link above will take you to Robert's website and this one will take you to Chapter 1.
I was riveted. The first word pulled me into a dark world that gave me delicious shivers. You can buy the book here. Don't miss this most excellent Christian dip into Thriller territory! Happy reading...
Mixed emotions
I have a purple line. I am verified. It is official and I have a certificate :) That is more exciting than an A.
I truly have mixed emotions about this contest. I put over 50,000 words together and finished a draft of a book about women in church leadership. I am passionate about it and it is very controversial. But...
I have so much work to do to get it to a point where I can write a proposal that I'm not sure it is a good thing or a bad thing to write a book so fast.
I have 2 papers to write to finish my undergrad work for my degree. I don't know that I will be back here as often as I'd like (which had been almost every day). I will try.
My baby girl
My baby girl, all of four years old, looked up at me with a tear-streaked face and whispered, “I’m sorry, Mommy.”
How can you look at a sweet face and get mad? When I took time to look at my girls’ faces, I never could get mad at them.
We had a sunken den which was one of the most dangerous because most people tripped going from the kitchen into the den, no matter how many times we’d warn people the step was there. And there Amanda was, sprawled out on the step with her little knee skinned and a cut on her hand from the ceramic bowl my Mom had made me for my birthday. It was one in a set of four and the last ceramics she’d made. (There is still a rooster in the store room ready to be painted for the past 24 years.) Manda knew how important that bowl was to me because we’d had a discussion about her using it for her chili that night. She so much wanted to put away her plastic baby dishes and be a big girl, eating from bowls just like the rest of us.
Now, as I looked at that precious face, my heart just melted. She was trying not to cry about the cut on her hand because, to her, the more important thing was she’d broken Mommy’s bowl.
I scooped her up and hugged her tightly, wiping her tears and kissing her little hand. Tears stream down my cheeks right now just thinking about it. How trusting God is to put a tiny life under my authority. I could have yelled and screamed putting the bowl above my daughter in importance. Praise God, I did not. Of course, there were times when I did yell and scream. This time, though, I am so thankful that I let her know she was much more important than any old bowl.
If I can be this way with my daughter, how much more God is to His children. How much He desires to scoop us up and let us know how very important we are to Him. How precious we are to Him. So much so, that He paid a huge price for us. With my daughter in my arms, I cannot possibly contemplate giving her up to die for anyone else. Yet, God did…Love so amazing and so divine that it is not understood by humans without His help.
This is what I am thankful for.
I could name hundreds of things that God has given me, but there is nothing so precious as the gift of His Son.
Father, I lift up my thanksgiving to You, with lifted hands and open heart, I pour myself out as a living sacrifice. I pray that You will give a beautiful holy day to all Your children. In Jesus name, Amen.
Isn't He?
Isn’t He wonderful? Wonderful, isn’t He? Counselor, Almighty God, isn’t He?
Isn't He? Isn't He? Isn't He?
I do not know who wrote these words or I would give credit. Also, I would give credi to the artists, but alas, I do not know them either.
Let's dance
Here's the question...
Do you believe God is bigger than any problem?
I know beyond any doubt that God can be trusted. He has been true and faithful my whole life even when I decided to turn my back on Him. What God says He will do, He will do. Fully 1/4 of the Bible is prophecy and every one of the prophecies have come true so far even to the exact timing. I am quite sure the rest of them will come true in God's good timing.
Paul explains to us that those that wandered in the desert for 40 years all ate of the Spiritual food (manna) and all drank of the Spiritual drink (sweet water from bitter). 1 Cor 10. But these people kept on complaining, kept on trying Him, kept on murmurming, they fornicated and the crown of their sins was that they disbelieved God. Yet... God was with them through it all. He could have so easily breathed Holy fire on them and burned them up. But, He didn't.
Nothing is greater or bigger than God. All things fall in line with Scripture and God most certainly is Who He says He is and will do exactly what He says He will do. When He says He will never leave or forsake us, He means it. I am living proof.
Our God is an awesome God.
The key to realize is that our battles begin and end in the Mind. Our thinking is a powerful tool that can, if we allow him to, be used by Satan. We must ask God to take
complete authority over our hearts and our minds. We must redecorate our minds with Jesus and that will take the shackles of bondage off of us so, as that song goes, we can dance!
God is the only safe, consuming passion we have. Our Enemy is seizing technology and is trying to make evil from what God intended for good. The only way to be released from evil is to take down that tacky decor in our mind and replace it with Jesus. The drugs of constant TV and games and internet JUNK must be replaced with things that are holy and things that are pure and things that are godly. Meditate on these things and watch how the addictions of the world have no more power. It is astounding!
So put on that Helmet of Salvation and remove Satan's influence by trusting God...Believe God. Wear the Sword of the Spirit so that the evil thoughts won't find a foot hold. Wear the shoes of the Gospel of Peace and dance with Him. And the Belt of Truth will keep us from tripping over our skirts when we dance. He wants to dance with us. Can you see His hand outstreched? Can you hear His sweet voice asking you to dance? We'll never be a wallflowers, because our Beloved always has His protective arm around us. Turn up the music and let's dance!
Do you believe God is bigger than any problem?
I know beyond any doubt that God can be trusted. He has been true and faithful my whole life even when I decided to turn my back on Him. What God says He will do, He will do. Fully 1/4 of the Bible is prophecy and every one of the prophecies have come true so far even to the exact timing. I am quite sure the rest of them will come true in God's good timing.
Paul explains to us that those that wandered in the desert for 40 years all ate of the Spiritual food (manna) and all drank of the Spiritual drink (sweet water from bitter). 1 Cor 10. But these people kept on complaining, kept on trying Him, kept on murmurming, they fornicated and the crown of their sins was that they disbelieved God. Yet... God was with them through it all. He could have so easily breathed Holy fire on them and burned them up. But, He didn't.
Nothing is greater or bigger than God. All things fall in line with Scripture and God most certainly is Who He says He is and will do exactly what He says He will do. When He says He will never leave or forsake us, He means it. I am living proof.
Our God is an awesome God.
The key to realize is that our battles begin and end in the Mind. Our thinking is a powerful tool that can, if we allow him to, be used by Satan. We must ask God to take
complete authority over our hearts and our minds. We must redecorate our minds with Jesus and that will take the shackles of bondage off of us so, as that song goes, we can dance!God is the only safe, consuming passion we have. Our Enemy is seizing technology and is trying to make evil from what God intended for good. The only way to be released from evil is to take down that tacky decor in our mind and replace it with Jesus. The drugs of constant TV and games and internet JUNK must be replaced with things that are holy and things that are pure and things that are godly. Meditate on these things and watch how the addictions of the world have no more power. It is astounding!
So put on that Helmet of Salvation and remove Satan's influence by trusting God...Believe God. Wear the Sword of the Spirit so that the evil thoughts won't find a foot hold. Wear the shoes of the Gospel of Peace and dance with Him. And the Belt of Truth will keep us from tripping over our skirts when we dance. He wants to dance with us. Can you see His hand outstreched? Can you hear His sweet voice asking you to dance? We'll never be a wallflowers, because our Beloved always has His protective arm around us. Turn up the music and let's dance!
Another thing about women...update
Please understand, I started this project at 10 AM this morning. Taking time out for prayer about it around 11:30 AM and then writing the post below which took a few minutes... The bathroom faucets are now in place and there is no dripping water.
Do you hear the Hallelujah Chorus in the background?
Neighbor did not come over to finish it, but My Daughter saved the day. She contorted and scrunched and twisted and used me to hand her things. And it is done. And we are proud.
And now a moment of prayful thanksgiving to God for providing such a wonderful daughter -- who did not lose her cool, amen. Thank You, Lord.
Do you hear the Hallelujah Chorus in the background?
Neighbor did not come over to finish it, but My Daughter saved the day. She contorted and scrunched and twisted and used me to hand her things. And it is done. And we are proud.
And now a moment of prayful thanksgiving to God for providing such a wonderful daughter -- who did not lose her cool, amen. Thank You, Lord.
Another thing about women...
You know how sometimes we bite off more than we can chew? We see a project and we just know -- I can DO that. Then we get into it and find out we can't. Women are resourceful and when in an independent mode will tackle just about any job that needs doing, regardless of the size or type...especially, if it has directions.
Men think, "Who needs directions? I can mess this up pefectly all by myself." (The same thought applies to driving; just insert "get lost" in place of "mess". I can say this because both times I was married, it was to men just like this.
Resourceful women will read the map, get out and ask directions, read instructions and do the job. Dependent women will ask, nag and wait for someone else to do the job. I can say this because I was a dependent woman for the first 30 years of my life. My sister was the one to be out with Dad learning all those handiman things. Me... I learned all the cooking and sewing inside things.
Mom's bathroom faucet went kaput.
My sister is not here.
Picture, if you will, a box full of the New Things (faucet, handles, washers, screws, etc.) and the old things stacked up on the side of the sink. That is how I left it just a few moments ago.
I've just been sitting on Mom's bathroom floor taking all the hardware out of the sink because it went kaput. As I was unscrewing all the thingys from the things, I had to ask for God's strength because the thingys were too tight on the things. Well. He not only gave me extra strength, but He helped me to know which way to unscrew. (I have tugged and pulled on a thang the wrong way only making it tighter. Sigh... mechanic, I am not.) Then I get to the point where I can now start assembling the New Things into the holes. Except, this new assemblage came without some parts.
Now, I am one that can follow directions, especially with God's help. But, when it comes to knowing how big something is and without knowing what it is, in order to go buy it at the hardware store, I am at a loss. I do not have a clue what to ask for. The Directions say, "attach to water tubes (not supplied)."
:-o :-x :-? :-(
What kind of water tubes? The New Things we bought do not look at all like the old things that came out of the sink. The old tubes are not flexible. The old tubes are too long and are so tightly in place, carroded (sp?) that they look (and feel) fused in place. I am going to have to ask the neighbor who drives across my yard to come and help, I think. Super Neighbor to the rescue. I love neighbors... even if they do drive across my lawn.
My neighbor will not laugh and jeer at me for having gotten so far and gotten stuck. He loved my Dad and told us the last time we had any problems to please call him. It was a plumbing problem then, too.
Let me give you an idea what a beautiful neighbor he is. This man hates cats. He warned me about a Siamese cat that had just taken to wandering the neighborhood right after we moved in. He wanted to be sure I knew about it and to beware because it wasn't a friendly cat. The cat he was talking about was our cat, Scooter. When Dad was so sick in the hospital, he came over and told us that he'd watch the house for us while we were at the hospital. He said, "I'll do anything you need done!" That was great!
We got to the hospital but forgot to put out food for Scooter. He probably had enough food for a couple of days, but we just forgot about him. Then Cooney called to ask about Dad and again said, "Is there anything I can do to help?"
It must have been the Devil whispering to me, I said, "Would you go feed Scooter?"
"Scooter? Who's that?"
"Our cat."
He not only fed our cat but when Scooter got outside, he chased after him to put him back in the house. I can't help it. That picture is so funny. The little kitty cat feet running just out of reach, then stopping to see what Cooney would do, then running just out of reach. It's a hoot.
Men think, "Who needs directions? I can mess this up pefectly all by myself." (The same thought applies to driving; just insert "get lost" in place of "mess". I can say this because both times I was married, it was to men just like this.
Resourceful women will read the map, get out and ask directions, read instructions and do the job. Dependent women will ask, nag and wait for someone else to do the job. I can say this because I was a dependent woman for the first 30 years of my life. My sister was the one to be out with Dad learning all those handiman things. Me... I learned all the cooking and sewing inside things.
Mom's bathroom faucet went kaput.
My sister is not here.
Picture, if you will, a box full of the New Things (faucet, handles, washers, screws, etc.) and the old things stacked up on the side of the sink. That is how I left it just a few moments ago.
I've just been sitting on Mom's bathroom floor taking all the hardware out of the sink because it went kaput. As I was unscrewing all the thingys from the things, I had to ask for God's strength because the thingys were too tight on the things. Well. He not only gave me extra strength, but He helped me to know which way to unscrew. (I have tugged and pulled on a thang the wrong way only making it tighter. Sigh... mechanic, I am not.) Then I get to the point where I can now start assembling the New Things into the holes. Except, this new assemblage came without some parts.
Now, I am one that can follow directions, especially with God's help. But, when it comes to knowing how big something is and without knowing what it is, in order to go buy it at the hardware store, I am at a loss. I do not have a clue what to ask for. The Directions say, "attach to water tubes (not supplied)."
:-o :-x :-? :-(
What kind of water tubes? The New Things we bought do not look at all like the old things that came out of the sink. The old tubes are not flexible. The old tubes are too long and are so tightly in place, carroded (sp?) that they look (and feel) fused in place. I am going to have to ask the neighbor who drives across my yard to come and help, I think. Super Neighbor to the rescue. I love neighbors... even if they do drive across my lawn.
My neighbor will not laugh and jeer at me for having gotten so far and gotten stuck. He loved my Dad and told us the last time we had any problems to please call him. It was a plumbing problem then, too.
Let me give you an idea what a beautiful neighbor he is. This man hates cats. He warned me about a Siamese cat that had just taken to wandering the neighborhood right after we moved in. He wanted to be sure I knew about it and to beware because it wasn't a friendly cat. The cat he was talking about was our cat, Scooter. When Dad was so sick in the hospital, he came over and told us that he'd watch the house for us while we were at the hospital. He said, "I'll do anything you need done!" That was great!We got to the hospital but forgot to put out food for Scooter. He probably had enough food for a couple of days, but we just forgot about him. Then Cooney called to ask about Dad and again said, "Is there anything I can do to help?"
It must have been the Devil whispering to me, I said, "Would you go feed Scooter?"
"Scooter? Who's that?"
"Our cat."
He not only fed our cat but when Scooter got outside, he chased after him to put him back in the house. I can't help it. That picture is so funny. The little kitty cat feet running just out of reach, then stopping to see what Cooney would do, then running just out of reach. It's a hoot.
The Scream
Do you ever feel like there is something welling up and the only way to get any relief is to Scream?
Today... no, this week... has been like that for me. I bit off that huge bite called NaNoWriMo this month. Add to that, midterms, other tests, papers and not to mention Sunday School lessons, Studylight.org studies, The Partriarchs, Faith in Fiction comments, other people's blogs that are truly intriguing and I don't want to miss a single post and I feel like this person who cannot hold back a scream.
I spent the first part of this week getting all my work done so I could spend today and tomorrow writing. I got caught up on all the posts (I think) and found out some prayer needs which are very serious. My daughter just broke up with her boyfriend and she is very needy just now. Not to mention the emails (which I dearly love). Plus I'm just about caught up on studies but I haven't done two days of studies on The Patriarchs, and I only spent about three hours writing. NOT at all what I had planned.
However....
Now, this is the whole point of this, I came face to face with a calamity in my writing. My short story was based on a true story. My daughter asked about it so I told her the story. "Mom that is heart wrenching. There's a guy at Lifetime that loves doing true stories with heart wrenching twists. This is right up his alley. Write a treatment and I'll see if I can get it to him."
[shocked look]
So here I am writing furiously... doing some copy/paste and getting all the facts together for my NaNoWriMo book on Women in Leadership--A look at what the Bible has to say. (Those of you who followed my little mini-series on Women In Leadership got a little taste of it.) So, I'm fully concentrating on that project and here is this other project which I have had rolling around in the back of my mind for a couple of months and had originally planned to write for NaNo being tantalizingly waved under my nose like a carrot on a stick.
Quandary.
How do I know that my current work in progress (WIP) is actually what God is wanting me to do? Me neither. So I prayed. "God, I just need you to knock me on the head, point me in the direction You'd have me go and do not let me miss it. Please. I only want to please You, God."
This is serious because I've got just over 28,000 words on paper for a 50,000 word draft project. That is a long way down a wrong path which I was positive was the right one.
Then I get an email from a friend about the subject. I get another email from another friend about the same subject. I get another email from another friend. All this within the space of a few minutes of my prayer. I loved what Jules said, 'Dance with the one that brought cha.' How could I possibly ignore such profound wisdom? I agree, I could not. It is great to know that I have another project waiting for me to shape into a Tom-terrific story. It seems that God is lining them up for me.
The greatest thing is that He will keep me on the right path. His Word is a lamp unto my feet and light unto my path. Just as a deer pants for water, my soul pants for Him and the beautiful part is, He knows that I only want to please Him so it is much easier for me to hear that still small voice when it comes to direction finding decisions. Even if this did not make a lot of sense to you... I have a wonderful sense of peace now, and that makes a lot of sense to me.
P.S. (keening wail) Why didn't someone tell me that one of my all time favorite paintings was stolen in 2004 and has not been recovered yet. It was recovered on May 7th... just 3 months after being stolen in 1994 but this time, no Scream.
Do you have your Rock?
Ages ago, actually last century, I ran across a story about a man and a huge rock. I have no idea who wrote it but God called it to my mind this week. I searched for it but have no idea where it might be, so I'll try to remember it as best I can.
A man had his home in the woods far from civilization. He liked it that way and relished the clear air and exercise he got walking as well as the marvelous peace he had from the bustling city just down the mountain.
One morning he walked outside and saw a huge rock sitting right in the middle of the path he took to work. He put his hands on his hips wondering how it got there and how he was going to get rid of it. The Angel of the Lord appeared beside him and said, "O, Man, God has sent me to tell you that it is His great desire that you push against this rock."
The man was astonished, but he loved the LORD and wanted to please Him, so every morning he pushed and pushed against the rock. He would break for lunch and refresh himself with water, but his main concern was pushing the rock. Day after day, he pushed and pushed, to no avail.
Satan came to visit him one bright afternoon. He settled on top of the rock and watched the man push and push. He heaved a huge sigh, then spoke, "O, Man, I have watched you push and push against this rock, and it goes no where. You have been at this for days and days and nothing has happened. Why don't you quit? Why don't you just give up and walk around the rock? Go back to your routine and forget about this blasted rock. You are getting no where fast."
The Man stepped back from the rock, wiped his brow, then looked up at Satan. "Sir, you have a point. Why am I pushing with no results? I'm wasting my time here pushing against this thing every day when I could be doing something productive. You are right!" With that, he stomped back into his home and slammed the door. While waiting for the water to boil so he could brew a cup of tea, he stared out his window at the rock. There it sat, right in the middle of the path, blocking his view of the mountain side. A useless hunk of stone that God had dropped in his path.
He drank his tea, brooding about the rock.
The Angel of the LORD settled into the chair across from him. "O, Man, why do you sit in here brooding and not pushing the rock? Did God tell you to quit pushing? He gave me no such message, so I know that isn't true."
The man put down his cup and glared at The Angel of the LORD. "I have pushed and pushed against that rock with nothing to show for it. I have not been able to budge it an inch, much less to move it from the pathway. It blocks my view and it is useless."
"Did God tell you to move the rock or to push the rock?"
"To push! But, what was the use of that? It went no where."
"You obeyed, the LORD God Almighty, Man. You pushed for days on end and that was precisely what the LORD told you to do. There is righteousness in that. Look at your legs. The muscles are taut and huge. Your back is strong and straight. Your arms are twice the size they were months ago. You have a finely muscled body that is in shape for your next task. God did not tell you to move the stone. He did not tell you to go around the stone, but to push it. If you had not obeyed, you would not be ready for your next work. Sometimes, God will tell you to do things that make no sense in the short distance between your nose and the rock. But, in the big picture you will see that it makes perfect sense and all things have a purpose according to God's good purposes for all those who love Him."
This week I have understood a lot about God and His lessons...
Beth Moore pointed out in a Friday night session:
Sometimes it is much easier to just soak in the worship experience than to dig into God's word.
Sometimes it is much easier to let God fight our battles than to work with Him to build a warrior.
Sometimes it is much easier to allow fear to hold sway than to boldly go where God would have us.
Sometimes it is much easier to just let God carry us than to let Him teach us to walk with Him.
I must remember that God has many works for me to do and He will never let me go unprepared. It would actually be a lot simpler for me if I would let go and let God, instead of having this white-knuckle grip on the things of the past. I thought I had learned that lesson. Sigh... Paul said that he pressed forward, not looking back because those things can't be changed. We can't change the past, but we can change the future by learning our lessons well, by taking the tests once, rather than taking them over and over. We will continue to take those tests until we've truly learned the lessons God has for us to learn. We may as well get our books and go to school with the mindset of learning; putting bandages on the scraped knees with God's kisses making them better. I just know that God really doesn't care how many times we fail, as long as we keep getting up and coming to school. He knows we'll eventually learn... one day.
Amazing what you find when you clean up
This is from my pastor friend, Alan Smith. I found it in my archives while transfering files to my new laptop computer.
The following are ads from a real-life newspaper (so I've been told) which appeared four days in a row - the last three hopelessly trying to correct the first day's mistake.
MONDAY: For sale: R.D. Jones has one sewing machine for sale. Phone 948-0707 after 7 P.M.. and ask for Mrs. Kelly who lives with him cheap.
TUESDAY: Notice: We regret having erred in R.D. Jones' ad yesterday. It should have read "One sewing machine for sale cheap. Phone 948-0707 and ask for Mrs. Kelly, who lives with him after 7 P.M."
WEDNESDAY: Notice: R.D. Jones has informed us that he has received several annoying telephone calls because of the error we made in the classified ad yesterday. The ad stands correct as follows: "For sale -- R.D. Jones has one sewing machine for sale. Cheap. Phone
948-0707 after 7 P.M. and ask for Mrs. Kelly who loves with him."
THURSDAY: Notice: I, R.D. Jones, have no sewing machine for sale. I smashed it. Don't call 948-0707 as I have had the phone disconnected. I have not been carrying on with Mrs. Kelly. Until yesterday she was my housekeeper but she quit!
It's so frustrating when we're misunderstood. It's even more frustrating when people purposefully twist what we're trying to say. The early Christians struggled with this very problem. When they talked about the connection of the Lord's Supper with the body and
blood of Christ, they were called cannibals. When they talked about their "love feasts", others accused them of having orgies. That doesn't seem fair, but Jesus said to expect it.
"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in
heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."
(Matthew 5:10-12).
The following are ads from a real-life newspaper (so I've been told) which appeared four days in a row - the last three hopelessly trying to correct the first day's mistake.
MONDAY: For sale: R.D. Jones has one sewing machine for sale. Phone 948-0707 after 7 P.M.. and ask for Mrs. Kelly who lives with him cheap.
TUESDAY: Notice: We regret having erred in R.D. Jones' ad yesterday. It should have read "One sewing machine for sale cheap. Phone 948-0707 and ask for Mrs. Kelly, who lives with him after 7 P.M."
WEDNESDAY: Notice: R.D. Jones has informed us that he has received several annoying telephone calls because of the error we made in the classified ad yesterday. The ad stands correct as follows: "For sale -- R.D. Jones has one sewing machine for sale. Cheap. Phone
948-0707 after 7 P.M. and ask for Mrs. Kelly who loves with him."
THURSDAY: Notice: I, R.D. Jones, have no sewing machine for sale. I smashed it. Don't call 948-0707 as I have had the phone disconnected. I have not been carrying on with Mrs. Kelly. Until yesterday she was my housekeeper but she quit!
It's so frustrating when we're misunderstood. It's even more frustrating when people purposefully twist what we're trying to say. The early Christians struggled with this very problem. When they talked about the connection of the Lord's Supper with the body and
blood of Christ, they were called cannibals. When they talked about their "love feasts", others accused them of having orgies. That doesn't seem fair, but Jesus said to expect it.
"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in
heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."
(Matthew 5:10-12).
7 habits of highly effective godly women
I know I was going to talk about Martha and Mary yesterday, but I've been so swamped with school and writing and taking Mom to the doctor (her eyes). But I ran across this wonderful tidbit from Cindy Townsend who is Louisiana's Women's Missions Director at Louisiana Baptist Connvention. I took these notes back on February 8, 2003.
1. Trims away selfishness...Col 3:5,9,10 put to death earthly desires. Take 40 days and trim away the fat of selfishness and put in its place God's Word.
(Lord help Yourself to the Kitchen of my Life... toss the rubbish and let's dine on gourmet meals.)
2. Marinate me in You and Your Word so that I amm not recognized but only You are recognized.
3. Sprinkle every relationnship with Your love. Help me to be devoted to others as You are.
4. Sift through my desires to hold to the things of this world loosely. Lord, just help Yourself to my stuff.
5. Stir my heart to follow You in obedience and also to have faith and trust in You in abundance.
(What comes is joy in the journey. He will make straight my path.)
6. Season my words with wisdom. Ephesians 4:29-30. May only that which is pleasing to You come out of my mouth.
(This is about the 15th time I've heard this lately, ya think God is trying to tell me something?)
7. Serve You, Lord, with glory, for You alone are worthy. My story for Your glory.
Ministry takes place where divine resources meet human needs through loving channels to the glory of God.
1. Trims away selfishness...Col 3:5,9,10 put to death earthly desires. Take 40 days and trim away the fat of selfishness and put in its place God's Word.
(Lord help Yourself to the Kitchen of my Life... toss the rubbish and let's dine on gourmet meals.)
2. Marinate me in You and Your Word so that I amm not recognized but only You are recognized.
3. Sprinkle every relationnship with Your love. Help me to be devoted to others as You are.
4. Sift through my desires to hold to the things of this world loosely. Lord, just help Yourself to my stuff.
5. Stir my heart to follow You in obedience and also to have faith and trust in You in abundance.
(What comes is joy in the journey. He will make straight my path.)
6. Season my words with wisdom. Ephesians 4:29-30. May only that which is pleasing to You come out of my mouth.
(This is about the 15th time I've heard this lately, ya think God is trying to tell me something?)
7. Serve You, Lord, with glory, for You alone are worthy. My story for Your glory.
Ministry takes place where divine resources meet human needs through loving channels to the glory of God.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)