By my friend, Bary Bennett
Today is just a day
Like any other day before
You wake up to a cigarette
Perhaps you'll have one more
The coffee pot is brewing
So you turn on your TV
You sit and drink your coffee
Wondering what you're going to see
The news brings all the pictures
That the world wants you to view
It's a murder, its a car chase
It's a special deal for you
It's an earthquake it's a famine
It's a little thing called war
So we sit and watch and wait
For that final football score
It's a day like any other
We have lost that sense of care
We've become a hardened people
To what's going on out there
America wake up wake up
To the troubles of our time
We're in deep and still we sleep
We are guilty of the crime
Of forgetting where we came from
And neglecting all we claim
We are children of the most high God
And Jesus is his name
We're to pray for those in bondage
And lay hands upon the sick
We're to warm those being swindled
Where the devil plays a trick
We're a nation blessed with freedoms
That the rest may never know
If we don't take up our crosses
We will reap the wrath we sow
So turn that TV off awhile
Make some time to pray
Dwell upon the things you've seen
And think on what to say
Lift up the need of those you hurt
Lift up the world leaders too
It's just a day like all the rest
So try something that's new
Turn off that TV set and let
That coffee brew some more
It's time we make this day a day
Unlike the one before
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Our Body
Have you ever thrown a rock into a still lake? When it hit's the water it makes waves that ripple across a large area. I've noticed that same effect happening in my body and even in the church.
I've had bad headaches since I was in the 6th grade. But in my thirties the headaches became unbearable. My sister, Carmen, worked in a pain center and suggested that I come in. I made the appointment and I went in. The first thing that the doctor tried was cortisone shots once a week, in my neck and back. Next I started attending a pain management group. And the last thing that I did was to visit Fay, who taught biofeedback.
I had a terrible headache, one of my visits to Fay. She hooked me up to the biofeedback machine. The machine showed me that my stress level was very high. Fay told me that the pain that I was feeling in my head was the shadow of the real injury. Next she massaged small areas of my back nd neck. The pain started to melt away. She told me that the areas that she was massaging were shadow areas.
During that time at the pain center, the doctor found that I had a fused vertebra and that was what was causing my headaches. The pain in my neck, back, face, and arms were all coming from my neck. That injury in my neck rippled to other parts of my body.
The Bible talks about the Church as being one body. 1 Corinthians 12:12 says, "The body is a unit though it is made up of many parts and though all it's parts are many, they form one body." Just as all of the parts on our body form one body, all of the different parts of the Church form one body. And as in the human body, there can be shadow pain rippling through the Church body.
The next time you are depressed and you can't figure out why, pray for someone else. The next time you are tired or angry, or maybe have a loss of faith, without any real reason, pray for those closest to you. Pray for your Church body. Romans 8:26-27 says, "In the same way the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will." You might never know what difficulty in some other person you might have helped by using your own shadow pain as a place to start a healing prayer in your own body and the Church body. And just as a rock can cause a ripple in a calm lake, our intercessory prayer can cause a ripple of faith, happiness, and health through out our Church.
1 Corinthians 12:27, "Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it." 1 Corinthians 12:26, "If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it."
I've had bad headaches since I was in the 6th grade. But in my thirties the headaches became unbearable. My sister, Carmen, worked in a pain center and suggested that I come in. I made the appointment and I went in. The first thing that the doctor tried was cortisone shots once a week, in my neck and back. Next I started attending a pain management group. And the last thing that I did was to visit Fay, who taught biofeedback.
I had a terrible headache, one of my visits to Fay. She hooked me up to the biofeedback machine. The machine showed me that my stress level was very high. Fay told me that the pain that I was feeling in my head was the shadow of the real injury. Next she massaged small areas of my back nd neck. The pain started to melt away. She told me that the areas that she was massaging were shadow areas.
During that time at the pain center, the doctor found that I had a fused vertebra and that was what was causing my headaches. The pain in my neck, back, face, and arms were all coming from my neck. That injury in my neck rippled to other parts of my body.
The Bible talks about the Church as being one body. 1 Corinthians 12:12 says, "The body is a unit though it is made up of many parts and though all it's parts are many, they form one body." Just as all of the parts on our body form one body, all of the different parts of the Church form one body. And as in the human body, there can be shadow pain rippling through the Church body.
The next time you are depressed and you can't figure out why, pray for someone else. The next time you are tired or angry, or maybe have a loss of faith, without any real reason, pray for those closest to you. Pray for your Church body. Romans 8:26-27 says, "In the same way the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will." You might never know what difficulty in some other person you might have helped by using your own shadow pain as a place to start a healing prayer in your own body and the Church body. And just as a rock can cause a ripple in a calm lake, our intercessory prayer can cause a ripple of faith, happiness, and health through out our Church.
1 Corinthians 12:27, "Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it." 1 Corinthians 12:26, "If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it."
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Recession Blues
Turn the car key
Engine light comes on
Take a look in my account
But the money is all gone
Microwave shuts off
In the middle of a meal
I've got holes in my pockets
And broke is how I feel
Counting out my pennies
Milk and bread is what I need
Ten bucks is all I've got
For these kids, I've got to feed
Bill collector's calling
He wants his fair share
I can't send a check
I don't even dare
Boys are out growing
All of their clothes
What are we going to do
Only God knows
Dog's out of food
And it's only the 12th
Pulling out my hair
Someone, Please share the wealth
Got to see a dentist
And that's not good news
All of us are singing
The recession blues
Engine light comes on
Take a look in my account
But the money is all gone
Microwave shuts off
In the middle of a meal
I've got holes in my pockets
And broke is how I feel
Counting out my pennies
Milk and bread is what I need
Ten bucks is all I've got
For these kids, I've got to feed
Bill collector's calling
He wants his fair share
I can't send a check
I don't even dare
Boys are out growing
All of their clothes
What are we going to do
Only God knows
Dog's out of food
And it's only the 12th
Pulling out my hair
Someone, Please share the wealth
Got to see a dentist
And that's not good news
All of us are singing
The recession blues
Monday, February 27, 2012
Busted
This story is written by my son, Joe Harrison
This zip lock freezer bag weighed a good six pounds. It was full of , "chromies." At least that's what we called them. When no one was around I would hold the bag up and shake it around a little bit and feel a sense of pride, like I had accomplished something great, like I was somehow victorious. But I need more.
You can find chromies on any custom car or luxury sedan, and even on select bicycles. They're really just air valve stem caps. If you can pump air into it, it probably has one. Most of them are made of black plastic. Some of them though are chrome (hence chromies) and can have a square or rounded crown. I've seen eight balls, and dice and just about everything else you can imagine.
And I stole every one that I saw.
My friends and I would go on secret missions looking for chromies. They became collectables, like baseball cards or pogs, that we could admire and trade. Every time we would unscrew one of these caps was a thrill. We'd have a look out, and we were quick about it. I felt invincible every time I walked away with one in my pocket, a rush that I have never felt before.
But I got cocky. One day we targeted a black Escalade in the cul-de-sac where my friends and I lived-a little to close to home. Just as I was pulling the last of four chromies off the neighbors car, this angry bear of a man came storming out of his house. We scattered. Eventually though I had to go home.
When I got home it was all I could think about. Did I get caught? Did I get away with it? What am I supposed to do? My questions were answered by a knock at the door. Nowhere to hide. The jig was up. My mom walked up to me minutes later to ask about the recent heist. Natural instinct was to lie, right? Say it wasn't you, or blame it on your friends. Pleading the fifth could buy you some time, say nothing at all. What did I do?
"I'm so busted" I cried. I literally cried, I bawled. I broke down. I was so busted. I didn't cry because I thought it would get me out of trouble, I cried because I felt so ashamed. There was nothing left to do but cry and feel sorry.
My mom was calm. She didn't need to do anything. She could see that I was genuinely remorseful. This was stealing and I knew it all along, but the temtation and the thrill was so hard to resist. I never stole another chromie again.
In my heart I felt sorry, my mom knew it. She forgave me.
I feel the same way when it comes to my relationship with Christ. When you are genuinely sorry for what you have done, your father knows it, and he is happy to forgive.
I'm glad I got caught. I learned a very valuable lesson, and now we can all have a good laugh about it. Twenty years later and my family still jokes with me as they sob and blubber, "Immm..sooo..buuusted." {Sniff}.
This zip lock freezer bag weighed a good six pounds. It was full of , "chromies." At least that's what we called them. When no one was around I would hold the bag up and shake it around a little bit and feel a sense of pride, like I had accomplished something great, like I was somehow victorious. But I need more.
You can find chromies on any custom car or luxury sedan, and even on select bicycles. They're really just air valve stem caps. If you can pump air into it, it probably has one. Most of them are made of black plastic. Some of them though are chrome (hence chromies) and can have a square or rounded crown. I've seen eight balls, and dice and just about everything else you can imagine.
And I stole every one that I saw.
My friends and I would go on secret missions looking for chromies. They became collectables, like baseball cards or pogs, that we could admire and trade. Every time we would unscrew one of these caps was a thrill. We'd have a look out, and we were quick about it. I felt invincible every time I walked away with one in my pocket, a rush that I have never felt before.
But I got cocky. One day we targeted a black Escalade in the cul-de-sac where my friends and I lived-a little to close to home. Just as I was pulling the last of four chromies off the neighbors car, this angry bear of a man came storming out of his house. We scattered. Eventually though I had to go home.
When I got home it was all I could think about. Did I get caught? Did I get away with it? What am I supposed to do? My questions were answered by a knock at the door. Nowhere to hide. The jig was up. My mom walked up to me minutes later to ask about the recent heist. Natural instinct was to lie, right? Say it wasn't you, or blame it on your friends. Pleading the fifth could buy you some time, say nothing at all. What did I do?
"I'm so busted" I cried. I literally cried, I bawled. I broke down. I was so busted. I didn't cry because I thought it would get me out of trouble, I cried because I felt so ashamed. There was nothing left to do but cry and feel sorry.
My mom was calm. She didn't need to do anything. She could see that I was genuinely remorseful. This was stealing and I knew it all along, but the temtation and the thrill was so hard to resist. I never stole another chromie again.
In my heart I felt sorry, my mom knew it. She forgave me.
I feel the same way when it comes to my relationship with Christ. When you are genuinely sorry for what you have done, your father knows it, and he is happy to forgive.
I'm glad I got caught. I learned a very valuable lesson, and now we can all have a good laugh about it. Twenty years later and my family still jokes with me as they sob and blubber, "Immm..sooo..buuusted." {Sniff}.
Friday, February 24, 2012
The Trial
Walking circles in a desert land
Out of hope I feel so lost
Without an anchor in a raging storm
With every wind my mind is tossed
On my knees I come to you, oh God
In the middle of this trial
Tears are rolling down my face
Haven't heard from you in a while
I'm frightened and I'm lonely
And I don't know what to do
I need your presence in my life
I need a word from you
The devil is a clever sort
Whispering lies into my ears
I begin to pray, I hear him say
Is Jesus really here?
I want to please just you, my Lord
Though my flesh sometimes controls
Make my spirit strong, show me where I'm wrong
Teach me what I need to know
You are my strength and shield, oh Christ
Victory is your name
My rock, my God, my King, my sword
Your blood takes away my shame
The devil is defeated
Peace comes from up above
Jesus has won, new day begun
I'm filled with holy love
Out of hope I feel so lost
Without an anchor in a raging storm
With every wind my mind is tossed
On my knees I come to you, oh God
In the middle of this trial
Tears are rolling down my face
Haven't heard from you in a while
I'm frightened and I'm lonely
And I don't know what to do
I need your presence in my life
I need a word from you
The devil is a clever sort
Whispering lies into my ears
I begin to pray, I hear him say
Is Jesus really here?
I want to please just you, my Lord
Though my flesh sometimes controls
Make my spirit strong, show me where I'm wrong
Teach me what I need to know
You are my strength and shield, oh Christ
Victory is your name
My rock, my God, my King, my sword
Your blood takes away my shame
The devil is defeated
Peace comes from up above
Jesus has won, new day begun
I'm filled with holy love
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Help
This was a bad day. My husband, Mark, my son, Elijah and I had to have a meeting with the DA. Elijah missed 52 days of school last year. So we went to the meeting; Mark had to rescedule his dialysis, he's an end stage renal patient, so that was a bit of a pain. So we attended this meeting, along with many other unhappy parents and truant kids. I tried to tell the District Attorney that my son has agoraphobia and that we were home schooling him and she very politely shooshed me. I waited until the end of the meeting to talk to her. After almost everyone had left the room she took us aside to talk.
I told the DA that Elijah had agoraphobia and he was throwing up every day before school and that we have documentation saying that he was being home schooled during the time that he was supposed to have had all the absences. She, being very polite again said, "Yeah, I've heard that one." So we left.
In the car I stated to cry, everything that we have been going through was coming to a head in my mind and I felt like I could not handle one more thing. Mark as sick as he is, me, with borderline personality disorder, Elijah and Michael, with their anxiety and that's just the begining of all the problems, I could go on and on.
My eyes were puffy from crying by the time we got home. I went up into my bedroom and looked at my pills that I have for a damaged back. I started imagining taking all those pills and being done with this hard, hard life. We never have enough money to make ends meet, we are all sick and then to top that off, we get looked down on for being poor. I didnt want one more day of it. I started to plan how I was going to do it. I thought about my kids; which has changed my mind in the past, but it didn't this time. I was going to do it.
I took Elijah to school, came home, took Mark to dialysis and then went to my Mom's house. We watched TV for a while, then my Mom got up to get some tea. At 3:00 we usually watch Dr. Oz but today Mom was in the kitchen and Dr Drew came on, and on it was a guy with a burned face who caught my attention so I went in and sat down.
His name was JR and he got burned while serving in Iraq. I couldn't stop looking at him, not because he was burned, but because I saw something so attractive about him. I couldn't stop listening to him talk about how he got blown up on his jeep. Then he went on to say that he thought he was going to die in that jeep but he held on until someone pulled him out and he held on in the hospital. Then he said something that I had been asking myself just that morning, "Why am I here?" I related to that in a deep way. Then he told how he was asked to speak to another burn patient and he went but he didn't quite know why. As he stood looking into the patients room, it came to him, he was here to help others like himself, others going through the same thing. I cried!
That was the moment that I decided that I wasn't goint to hurt myself. That was the moment that I realized what the point to this life on mine is, why I've been here all this time and why after trying so many times to end it, God wouldn't let me.
If you are feeling down and you need someone to talk to please contact me at lyricoc@yahoo.com . I would love to talk to you.
Connie
I told the DA that Elijah had agoraphobia and he was throwing up every day before school and that we have documentation saying that he was being home schooled during the time that he was supposed to have had all the absences. She, being very polite again said, "Yeah, I've heard that one." So we left.
In the car I stated to cry, everything that we have been going through was coming to a head in my mind and I felt like I could not handle one more thing. Mark as sick as he is, me, with borderline personality disorder, Elijah and Michael, with their anxiety and that's just the begining of all the problems, I could go on and on.
My eyes were puffy from crying by the time we got home. I went up into my bedroom and looked at my pills that I have for a damaged back. I started imagining taking all those pills and being done with this hard, hard life. We never have enough money to make ends meet, we are all sick and then to top that off, we get looked down on for being poor. I didnt want one more day of it. I started to plan how I was going to do it. I thought about my kids; which has changed my mind in the past, but it didn't this time. I was going to do it.
I took Elijah to school, came home, took Mark to dialysis and then went to my Mom's house. We watched TV for a while, then my Mom got up to get some tea. At 3:00 we usually watch Dr. Oz but today Mom was in the kitchen and Dr Drew came on, and on it was a guy with a burned face who caught my attention so I went in and sat down.
His name was JR and he got burned while serving in Iraq. I couldn't stop looking at him, not because he was burned, but because I saw something so attractive about him. I couldn't stop listening to him talk about how he got blown up on his jeep. Then he went on to say that he thought he was going to die in that jeep but he held on until someone pulled him out and he held on in the hospital. Then he said something that I had been asking myself just that morning, "Why am I here?" I related to that in a deep way. Then he told how he was asked to speak to another burn patient and he went but he didn't quite know why. As he stood looking into the patients room, it came to him, he was here to help others like himself, others going through the same thing. I cried!
That was the moment that I decided that I wasn't goint to hurt myself. That was the moment that I realized what the point to this life on mine is, why I've been here all this time and why after trying so many times to end it, God wouldn't let me.
If you are feeling down and you need someone to talk to please contact me at lyricoc@yahoo.com . I would love to talk to you.
Connie
Friday, February 17, 2012
A Mothers Prayer
God, please bless my children
Care for them as they grow
Fill them with your Spirit to
Teach them all you know
Lord, count each hair upon their heads
As they lay down at night
Cover them with loving wing
Until the morning light
Help me be a mother who is
Gentle and is kind
Help me give, help me love
Bring peace into my mind
Thank you for my family
I love them with all my heart
Watch over them when they are with me
Take care when we're apart
Lord, don't let them stumble
Catch them if they fall
They are precious to me
They are my one and all
Care for them as they grow
Fill them with your Spirit to
Teach them all you know
Lord, count each hair upon their heads
As they lay down at night
Cover them with loving wing
Until the morning light
Help me be a mother who is
Gentle and is kind
Help me give, help me love
Bring peace into my mind
Thank you for my family
I love them with all my heart
Watch over them when they are with me
Take care when we're apart
Lord, don't let them stumble
Catch them if they fall
They are precious to me
They are my one and all
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Easter
I've always loved spending time coloring eggs during Easter with my family. When I was ten years old, I went on a camping trip with Erin, a friend from Girl Scouts, And her family. We went to Colorado River. We were only going to stay a few days, but Erin's parents decided that they wanted to stay until the day before Easter. I was so Homesick those last couple of days, I told myself that at least I would be home for Easter.
Well, we pulled up to my house just as my parents were leaving for Church on the Saturday night, before Easter Sunday. I can still remember my Mom leaning down and saying, "We waited as long as we could, but we had to color the eggs without you." I was crushed; I cried and cried. To me coloring those eggs was a special time our family spent together, and I missed out.
A few years ago I found some interesting information on Easter eggs. This information said that, only within the last century were chocolate and candy eggs exchanged as Easter gifts. Spring time exchanging of real eggs, is an ancient custom predating Easter by many centuries. Back then, most cultures believed that the egg signified birth, and resurrection (ex. The Greeks would place eggs on top of graves). One Roman proverb read, "All life comes from an egg."
I'm not ten years old anymore, and I have a bunch of kids of my own. My family and I still get together and color eggs, and it's a fun time for all of us. But more than anything is the joy we feel knowing that because Jesus died and was resurrected, we have re-birth, and joy in knowing because He lives, we have hope.
Well, we pulled up to my house just as my parents were leaving for Church on the Saturday night, before Easter Sunday. I can still remember my Mom leaning down and saying, "We waited as long as we could, but we had to color the eggs without you." I was crushed; I cried and cried. To me coloring those eggs was a special time our family spent together, and I missed out.
A few years ago I found some interesting information on Easter eggs. This information said that, only within the last century were chocolate and candy eggs exchanged as Easter gifts. Spring time exchanging of real eggs, is an ancient custom predating Easter by many centuries. Back then, most cultures believed that the egg signified birth, and resurrection (ex. The Greeks would place eggs on top of graves). One Roman proverb read, "All life comes from an egg."
I'm not ten years old anymore, and I have a bunch of kids of my own. My family and I still get together and color eggs, and it's a fun time for all of us. But more than anything is the joy we feel knowing that because Jesus died and was resurrected, we have re-birth, and joy in knowing because He lives, we have hope.
Guards
People are fascinated with angels. If you check the internet you will see many sites having to do with angels. Some are Christian sites but most aren't. There are also many books about encounters with angels. Again some are Christian, some are not. But all of these stories tell about strong beings with extra ordinary powers. Some of these accounts are true, and it's important to know what is true and what is false.
Psalms 91:11 says that angels were sent to take charge and guard Gods people. They announce births and interpret dreams. They are warriors and protectors. Satan even masqueraded as an angel of light.
In 2 peter 2:4, Peter says that God did not spare angels, but sent them to gloomy dungeons. So, angels aren't perfect. they can and do sin.
The Bible tells of an arch angel named Michael. Michael is called a prince in Daniel 10:21. And he battles against the dragon in Revelation 12:7, and the kings of Persia in Daniel 10:13. Michael is an angel of God, who fights evil.
Gabriel is an angel that hears prayers and he brings news from God as in Daniel 10:9 also Luke 1:19. He understands visions and interpets dreams in Daniel 8:16.
These are all the things recorded in the Bible. If you hear things other than these I would take it with a grain of salt. Angels work for God, they are not gods, so they should be treated with respect but not worshiped. And last but not least, Hebrews 13:2 says, "Entertain strangers for by doing so some people have entertained angels without knowing it."
Psalms 91:11 says that angels were sent to take charge and guard Gods people. They announce births and interpret dreams. They are warriors and protectors. Satan even masqueraded as an angel of light.
In 2 peter 2:4, Peter says that God did not spare angels, but sent them to gloomy dungeons. So, angels aren't perfect. they can and do sin.
The Bible tells of an arch angel named Michael. Michael is called a prince in Daniel 10:21. And he battles against the dragon in Revelation 12:7, and the kings of Persia in Daniel 10:13. Michael is an angel of God, who fights evil.
Gabriel is an angel that hears prayers and he brings news from God as in Daniel 10:9 also Luke 1:19. He understands visions and interpets dreams in Daniel 8:16.
These are all the things recorded in the Bible. If you hear things other than these I would take it with a grain of salt. Angels work for God, they are not gods, so they should be treated with respect but not worshiped. And last but not least, Hebrews 13:2 says, "Entertain strangers for by doing so some people have entertained angels without knowing it."
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
The Artist
Vibrant yellow, red
As the morning breaks
The sun slowly rises
And I awake
Green trees, green grass
Up and over the land
Covered as a velvet coat
Created by God
Flowers opening
Orange, yellow, white dots
Ever with His canvas
His brush covers every spot
Blue of sky above
White puffs floating by
As far as the eye can see
And also as high
Hills and valleys of
Brown and grey
Color after amazing color
Burst through out this day
People, multi colored
Images of light
Places to go, things to do
While it's still bright
Circle comes fully around
Again red and yellow in sight
then black fills the space
The artist says, "Goodnight"
As the morning breaks
The sun slowly rises
And I awake
Green trees, green grass
Up and over the land
Covered as a velvet coat
Created by God
Flowers opening
Orange, yellow, white dots
Ever with His canvas
His brush covers every spot
Blue of sky above
White puffs floating by
As far as the eye can see
And also as high
Hills and valleys of
Brown and grey
Color after amazing color
Burst through out this day
People, multi colored
Images of light
Places to go, things to do
While it's still bright
Circle comes fully around
Again red and yellow in sight
then black fills the space
The artist says, "Goodnight"
Monday, February 13, 2012
True Easter
By my talented son, Joe Harrison
If people pondered the true meaning
Of their Easter celebration
All the happy smiling faces
Will have vanished from every Nation
Colored eggs and Easter bunnies
And symbolic pagan folklore
Have stolen the hearts of every mom
Making the resurrection all a bore
Jesus died and rose again
After three days in the grave
He was sent from God with a will
As a hope for each soul to save
Each person knows it in their heart
And has a choice to let it surface
Easter bunnies can make hearts blind
But Gods gift you can not miss
I smile more when I have this in mind
Then when dousing eggs in colored dye
And I'm happiest when with family
Not when with some bunny suit wearing guy
The fun of Easter is never withheld
When knowing what parts are true
The Easter should be apart in remembrance of God
And with wonderful parents like you
If people pondered the true meaning
Of their Easter celebration
All the happy smiling faces
Will have vanished from every Nation
Colored eggs and Easter bunnies
And symbolic pagan folklore
Have stolen the hearts of every mom
Making the resurrection all a bore
Jesus died and rose again
After three days in the grave
He was sent from God with a will
As a hope for each soul to save
Each person knows it in their heart
And has a choice to let it surface
Easter bunnies can make hearts blind
But Gods gift you can not miss
I smile more when I have this in mind
Then when dousing eggs in colored dye
And I'm happiest when with family
Not when with some bunny suit wearing guy
The fun of Easter is never withheld
When knowing what parts are true
The Easter should be apart in remembrance of God
And with wonderful parents like you
By Faith
Hebrews 11:1, "Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." "Faith comes from hearing the message and the message is heard through the word of Christ," Romans 10:17.
I grew up attending the Catholic Church, my parents were both Catholic and I can remember going to Church every Sunday and a Catholic Bible calss on Saturday morning. I was baptized in the Church and had first communion in the Church. I learned all the stories, Noah and the ark, Daniel and the lions den and of course, Jesus. But when I was young, I couldn't get that truth into my heart, all of the stories that I learned, were just that to me, nice stories.
Hebrews 11:6, "Without faith it is impossible to please God. Because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek him."
I was confirmed in the Catholic Church, that is another ceremony that you have when you are a teen. And when I got married for the first time, It was in a Catholic Church. I always felt like it was all just something to do to be a good person, and I thought that if I was good enough, I could work my way into heaven. If you were to ask me, at the time, If I was saved, I would say, "I hope so."
2 Corinthians 13:5, "Examine yourself to see whether you are in the Faith; test yourself . Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you- unless of course you fail the test." "I have been crucified with Christ and no longer live, but Christ lives in me." Galatians 2:20. At that time, I would have failed the test.
I met my husband, Mark, when I was 28 and I married him about a year after that. His mom, Mary, always talked to me about Jesus and it sparked something in me. The first time I met Mary, she put her hands on us and said, "The blood of Jesus." I asked Mark, "Did she just put blood on us?" She was never ashamed to speak her mind, and tell me about the Gospel.
"Before this faith came we were held prisoners by the law. Locked up until faith should be revealed," Galatians 3:23.
Romans 1:12, "This is, that you and I may be encouraged by each others faith." "God has opened the door of faith to the gentiles," Acts 14:27.
Because of all of the things that Mary and my husband, Mark, told me, I gave my life to God, I said the sinners prayer with Mark and I invited Jesus into my heart.
If someone was to ask me if I was saved, after I asked Jesus into my heart, I would say, "Yes, I am, thank God!" And then we started going to Church every Sunday and during the week for a prayer meeting. I loved it!
Romans 3:3, "What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God's faithfulness? Not at all!"
I was healed of many things, migraines, a toothache, kidney infections. I was filled with faith. I had great love for Jesus and I trusted God for everything.
"The Spirit clearly says that in the later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons." 1 Timothy 4:1. Also Romans 14:23 says, "everything that does not come from faith is sin."
Our life is hard. Mark is sick, my boys have anxiety peoblems, I have problems with depression. We are financially in a bad place. I feel like the weight of the world is on my sholders, and I have to constantly remind myself to give it to God.
"I can have faith that can move mountains but have not love, I am nothing." 1 Corinthians 13:2. 1 Corinthians 134:13, "And now these three remain; faith hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."
I have my ups and downs, just as I did before I became a Christian, but now I am saved, if I die, I believe I will be in heaven with our Lord. We have a very hard life, at the time, but I wouldn't change a thing. I know God is in control and these trials are for the good of my life, for the good of my family and for the good of the kingdom. These trials will end one day and I know peace and love will follow.
I grew up attending the Catholic Church, my parents were both Catholic and I can remember going to Church every Sunday and a Catholic Bible calss on Saturday morning. I was baptized in the Church and had first communion in the Church. I learned all the stories, Noah and the ark, Daniel and the lions den and of course, Jesus. But when I was young, I couldn't get that truth into my heart, all of the stories that I learned, were just that to me, nice stories.
Hebrews 11:6, "Without faith it is impossible to please God. Because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek him."
I was confirmed in the Catholic Church, that is another ceremony that you have when you are a teen. And when I got married for the first time, It was in a Catholic Church. I always felt like it was all just something to do to be a good person, and I thought that if I was good enough, I could work my way into heaven. If you were to ask me, at the time, If I was saved, I would say, "I hope so."
2 Corinthians 13:5, "Examine yourself to see whether you are in the Faith; test yourself . Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you- unless of course you fail the test." "I have been crucified with Christ and no longer live, but Christ lives in me." Galatians 2:20. At that time, I would have failed the test.
I met my husband, Mark, when I was 28 and I married him about a year after that. His mom, Mary, always talked to me about Jesus and it sparked something in me. The first time I met Mary, she put her hands on us and said, "The blood of Jesus." I asked Mark, "Did she just put blood on us?" She was never ashamed to speak her mind, and tell me about the Gospel.
"Before this faith came we were held prisoners by the law. Locked up until faith should be revealed," Galatians 3:23.
Romans 1:12, "This is, that you and I may be encouraged by each others faith." "God has opened the door of faith to the gentiles," Acts 14:27.
Because of all of the things that Mary and my husband, Mark, told me, I gave my life to God, I said the sinners prayer with Mark and I invited Jesus into my heart.
If someone was to ask me if I was saved, after I asked Jesus into my heart, I would say, "Yes, I am, thank God!" And then we started going to Church every Sunday and during the week for a prayer meeting. I loved it!
Romans 3:3, "What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God's faithfulness? Not at all!"
I was healed of many things, migraines, a toothache, kidney infections. I was filled with faith. I had great love for Jesus and I trusted God for everything.
"The Spirit clearly says that in the later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons." 1 Timothy 4:1. Also Romans 14:23 says, "everything that does not come from faith is sin."
Our life is hard. Mark is sick, my boys have anxiety peoblems, I have problems with depression. We are financially in a bad place. I feel like the weight of the world is on my sholders, and I have to constantly remind myself to give it to God.
"I can have faith that can move mountains but have not love, I am nothing." 1 Corinthians 13:2. 1 Corinthians 134:13, "And now these three remain; faith hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."
I have my ups and downs, just as I did before I became a Christian, but now I am saved, if I die, I believe I will be in heaven with our Lord. We have a very hard life, at the time, but I wouldn't change a thing. I know God is in control and these trials are for the good of my life, for the good of my family and for the good of the kingdom. These trials will end one day and I know peace and love will follow.
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Pruning
In John 15:1 -2, Jesus said, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.
And in John 15:5 Jesus said, "I am the vine and you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."
My Mom and Dad grew big beautiful purple grapes in our back yard when I was young. The grapes needed sun, water, good soil, and of course, my Dad was the gardener. When the season was right, we had grapes, and out of season, the branches needed to be pruned.
Jesus is the vine, we are the branches, God is our gardener and he prunes us when we need it so that we can produce good fruit in season. And our good fruit is talked about in Galatians 5:22, "But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness and self control."
If we don't have good fruit, we will be cut off and thrown into the fire. Galatians 5:19-21 talk about the acts of a sinful nature. Those acts are, "Sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies and the like.
When you prune a tree, you have to know what you are doing because you can damage, even destroy that tree if you do it wrong, and you can yeild much more fruit by pruning it the right way. We need to allow God to prune his precious trees the right way. Submit to Him in all things. Stay in Jesus and look for an abundant harvest of wonderful fruit.
And in John 15:5 Jesus said, "I am the vine and you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."
My Mom and Dad grew big beautiful purple grapes in our back yard when I was young. The grapes needed sun, water, good soil, and of course, my Dad was the gardener. When the season was right, we had grapes, and out of season, the branches needed to be pruned.
Jesus is the vine, we are the branches, God is our gardener and he prunes us when we need it so that we can produce good fruit in season. And our good fruit is talked about in Galatians 5:22, "But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness and self control."
If we don't have good fruit, we will be cut off and thrown into the fire. Galatians 5:19-21 talk about the acts of a sinful nature. Those acts are, "Sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies and the like.
When you prune a tree, you have to know what you are doing because you can damage, even destroy that tree if you do it wrong, and you can yeild much more fruit by pruning it the right way. We need to allow God to prune his precious trees the right way. Submit to Him in all things. Stay in Jesus and look for an abundant harvest of wonderful fruit.
Friday, February 10, 2012
Servant
By Mark Cameron
"Whoever serves me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me." John 12:26.
Too many people come to Church three times primarily. They're Baptism, they get married, and they have their funeral service at the Church. The first time they throw water on you, the second time rice, and the third time dirt!
Sometimes Church can be a boring uninspiring routine... but don't blame it on God. Today we will see that when being comes before doing, the Church can be a fulfillng and affirming place to attend and belong.
Jesus clearly states that servants follow the Lord. It's never the servants prerogative to tell the master what he will do. To follow Christ is to be led by the Spirit, to make choices with His wisdom, to live for Him to do what He would have you do. If we were really honest with ourselves, what we want is for Jesus to follow us around and bless what it is that we have chosen to do with our time and our resources. But that is not Jesus command to us today. Today Jesus gives the challange, "Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be."
Look at what God has placed into your life today and ask yourself, "If Jesus were given this life of mine, what would he do with it? Where would he go?" Would Jesus be trying to get popular with that group of people at school? Would Jesus be spending so much time at work? Would Jesus skip an opportunity to pray with His disciples because of a TV show? would Jesus have a hard time squeezing in the needs of the poor and homeless?
Servant in our English New Testament represents the Greek doulos, (Bondslave). Sometimes it means diakonos, (deacon or minister); this is strictly accurate. Both words denote a man who is not at his own disposal, but is his masters purchased property. Bought to serve his masters needs, to be at his beck and call every moment, the slaves sole business is to do as he is told. Christian service therefore means, first and formost, living out as slave relationship to one's Savior.
What work does Christ set his servants to do? The way that they serve him, he tells, is by becoming the slaves of their fellow- servants and being willing to do literally anything, however costly, irksome or undignified, in order to help them. This is what love means, as Jesus himself showed at the last supper, when He played the servants part and washed the disciples feet.
When the New Testament speaks of ministering to the saints, it means not primarily preaching to them but devoting time, trouble and substance to giving them all the practical help possible. Only the Holy Spirit is training us in love, we are not fit persons to go to college or a training class to learn the know- how or particular branches of Christian work. Gifted leaders who are self-centered and loveless are a blight in the Church rather than a blessing.
What are you doing in service to your Lord that will out live you? Ephesians 2:10 states, "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
You say, Mark, I am saved by Grace not by works and I would say Amen to that. Remember however that while we are saved by grace alone, the Grace that saves is not alone!
The great violinist, Niccolo Paganini willed his marvelous violin to city of Genoa on condition that it must never be played. The wood of such an instrument, while used and handled, wears only slightly, but set aside, it begins to decay. Paganini's lovely violin has today, become worm-eaten and useless except as a relic. A Christian's unwillingness to serve may soon destroy his capacity for usefulness.
Servants follow the Lord
Servants are found where Jesus is working
Servants will be honored by God
"Whoever serves me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me." John 12:26.
Too many people come to Church three times primarily. They're Baptism, they get married, and they have their funeral service at the Church. The first time they throw water on you, the second time rice, and the third time dirt!
Sometimes Church can be a boring uninspiring routine... but don't blame it on God. Today we will see that when being comes before doing, the Church can be a fulfillng and affirming place to attend and belong.
Jesus clearly states that servants follow the Lord. It's never the servants prerogative to tell the master what he will do. To follow Christ is to be led by the Spirit, to make choices with His wisdom, to live for Him to do what He would have you do. If we were really honest with ourselves, what we want is for Jesus to follow us around and bless what it is that we have chosen to do with our time and our resources. But that is not Jesus command to us today. Today Jesus gives the challange, "Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be."
Look at what God has placed into your life today and ask yourself, "If Jesus were given this life of mine, what would he do with it? Where would he go?" Would Jesus be trying to get popular with that group of people at school? Would Jesus be spending so much time at work? Would Jesus skip an opportunity to pray with His disciples because of a TV show? would Jesus have a hard time squeezing in the needs of the poor and homeless?
Servant in our English New Testament represents the Greek doulos, (Bondslave). Sometimes it means diakonos, (deacon or minister); this is strictly accurate. Both words denote a man who is not at his own disposal, but is his masters purchased property. Bought to serve his masters needs, to be at his beck and call every moment, the slaves sole business is to do as he is told. Christian service therefore means, first and formost, living out as slave relationship to one's Savior.
What work does Christ set his servants to do? The way that they serve him, he tells, is by becoming the slaves of their fellow- servants and being willing to do literally anything, however costly, irksome or undignified, in order to help them. This is what love means, as Jesus himself showed at the last supper, when He played the servants part and washed the disciples feet.
When the New Testament speaks of ministering to the saints, it means not primarily preaching to them but devoting time, trouble and substance to giving them all the practical help possible. Only the Holy Spirit is training us in love, we are not fit persons to go to college or a training class to learn the know- how or particular branches of Christian work. Gifted leaders who are self-centered and loveless are a blight in the Church rather than a blessing.
What are you doing in service to your Lord that will out live you? Ephesians 2:10 states, "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
You say, Mark, I am saved by Grace not by works and I would say Amen to that. Remember however that while we are saved by grace alone, the Grace that saves is not alone!
The great violinist, Niccolo Paganini willed his marvelous violin to city of Genoa on condition that it must never be played. The wood of such an instrument, while used and handled, wears only slightly, but set aside, it begins to decay. Paganini's lovely violin has today, become worm-eaten and useless except as a relic. A Christian's unwillingness to serve may soon destroy his capacity for usefulness.
Servants follow the Lord
Servants are found where Jesus is working
Servants will be honored by God
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Where Are You?
By my husband, Mark Cameron
Genesis 3:6-10, "When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, "Where are you?" He answered, 'I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid."
When God created man, His intention was to have a relationship of love. For there to be love, however, there must be freedom. Love is not love when there is no choice, God created man with the ability and freedom to choose.
In the third chapter of Genessis, in the cool of the day, God walked in the garden seeking man. This is the God of the Bible...seeking man!
The question that God poses in scripture is found here: "Where are you?" Now understand this question is an informal one. Being the omniscient God, He had no need to inquire as to where Adam and Eve were. It was asked for the sake of Adam and Eve. It was to probe their hearts and to prick their consciences. "Where are you?" is a probing question. It is the first question that God asks individuals when He wants to get their attention. This question reveals much about God and much about man.
God did not ask, "Why have you done this?" The why question is so fascinating to humans. Talk show hosts and therapists alike seek to discover the answer to the why questioon. Yet even if we understand the motives, for our choices, that knowledge alone does not set us free. Freedom begins with acknowedgement or confession and repentance... not deeper insight!
God did not walk into the garden and explode and say, "How dare you!" He did not storm away from Adam and eve and separate Himself from them. Yes, His Holiness was offended by their sin... Yes His heart was broken by their choice. But His love constrained Him to pursue man. man moved away, but God pursued him.
What does God's question tell us about Him? It tells us that God is our friend. It tells us, He is for us, and not against us. It tells us that despite our sins, He has not withdrawn form us. He still loves us and wants to have a relationship with us. He has revealed the basis of this friendship, Trust. God is simply looking for our trust.
Here's a little secret, God knows the worst about you! He knows every detail and while He is grieved, He is not shocked.
But in every question, we also see that God has a forgiving nature. No matter what we do, God wants our relationship with Him to be restored and to continue on. He is not reluctant to forgive.
Now let's look at how we respond to God's question. This first question, "Where are you?" is a hard one for all for us. Through it God is calling us to come out of hiding, to trust Him. Adams response to God is interesting to look at. He came out of the bushes and told God that he was ashamed of what he had done. Then he immediately tried to hide, again. This time in self defense and blame shifting, he pointed to Eve as the real culprit. This is so much like us. We run from self disclosure and ownership of our sin.
Usually, honestly finally comes as our defense mechanisms are stripped away by the Holy Spirit, one layer at a time. It is an important turning point for us when by the Holy Spirit, we come to realize that we are selfish people, and without God's grace, we would act entirely out of our own self interest.
Even as the light of God's word and the Holy Spirit expose these things in our lives, some of us still want to delay our response to God's call. We say, "Sometime in the future, I'll come out and meet you, God, but first I want to keep doing what I'm doing." Why are we so afraid that God wants to take all the enjoyment out of life? Why do we picture God as some sort of cosmic killjoy? So many feel that jesus came to make us good... and boring! Nothing could be further from the truth.
Then finally, some simply ignore God's question. We continue our hiding perhaps we do not think we need God, that we are just fine without Him. But we fool ourselves if we think that life will not sooner or later confront us with issues that are bigger than we are.
There are places we like to hide from God. Our hiding places take different shapes and forms. Some of us hide in our business. Our lives are so filled with things and activities that we can ignore God's call. Some hide in pleasure, trying to counteract the pain with good times. And many try to numb their pain with drugs and alcohol. And I dare say, that a favorite place for so many, so called, good people is in Church. The bushes we hide behind are pews, the committees, the classrooms, and even the pulpit. We are well camouflaged... or so we think. Yet in our quiet moments we hear the Father call out... "Where are you?"
The right response to the Fathers call is to step out of the bushes. Admit you have been hiding. Come face to face with your Father. He is in front of your bush. He knows you are in there. Come on out today. Be made whole... And walk with the father!
Genesis 3:6-10, "When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, "Where are you?" He answered, 'I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid."
When God created man, His intention was to have a relationship of love. For there to be love, however, there must be freedom. Love is not love when there is no choice, God created man with the ability and freedom to choose.
In the third chapter of Genessis, in the cool of the day, God walked in the garden seeking man. This is the God of the Bible...seeking man!
The question that God poses in scripture is found here: "Where are you?" Now understand this question is an informal one. Being the omniscient God, He had no need to inquire as to where Adam and Eve were. It was asked for the sake of Adam and Eve. It was to probe their hearts and to prick their consciences. "Where are you?" is a probing question. It is the first question that God asks individuals when He wants to get their attention. This question reveals much about God and much about man.
God did not ask, "Why have you done this?" The why question is so fascinating to humans. Talk show hosts and therapists alike seek to discover the answer to the why questioon. Yet even if we understand the motives, for our choices, that knowledge alone does not set us free. Freedom begins with acknowedgement or confession and repentance... not deeper insight!
God did not walk into the garden and explode and say, "How dare you!" He did not storm away from Adam and eve and separate Himself from them. Yes, His Holiness was offended by their sin... Yes His heart was broken by their choice. But His love constrained Him to pursue man. man moved away, but God pursued him.
What does God's question tell us about Him? It tells us that God is our friend. It tells us, He is for us, and not against us. It tells us that despite our sins, He has not withdrawn form us. He still loves us and wants to have a relationship with us. He has revealed the basis of this friendship, Trust. God is simply looking for our trust.
Here's a little secret, God knows the worst about you! He knows every detail and while He is grieved, He is not shocked.
But in every question, we also see that God has a forgiving nature. No matter what we do, God wants our relationship with Him to be restored and to continue on. He is not reluctant to forgive.
Now let's look at how we respond to God's question. This first question, "Where are you?" is a hard one for all for us. Through it God is calling us to come out of hiding, to trust Him. Adams response to God is interesting to look at. He came out of the bushes and told God that he was ashamed of what he had done. Then he immediately tried to hide, again. This time in self defense and blame shifting, he pointed to Eve as the real culprit. This is so much like us. We run from self disclosure and ownership of our sin.
Usually, honestly finally comes as our defense mechanisms are stripped away by the Holy Spirit, one layer at a time. It is an important turning point for us when by the Holy Spirit, we come to realize that we are selfish people, and without God's grace, we would act entirely out of our own self interest.
Even as the light of God's word and the Holy Spirit expose these things in our lives, some of us still want to delay our response to God's call. We say, "Sometime in the future, I'll come out and meet you, God, but first I want to keep doing what I'm doing." Why are we so afraid that God wants to take all the enjoyment out of life? Why do we picture God as some sort of cosmic killjoy? So many feel that jesus came to make us good... and boring! Nothing could be further from the truth.
Then finally, some simply ignore God's question. We continue our hiding perhaps we do not think we need God, that we are just fine without Him. But we fool ourselves if we think that life will not sooner or later confront us with issues that are bigger than we are.
There are places we like to hide from God. Our hiding places take different shapes and forms. Some of us hide in our business. Our lives are so filled with things and activities that we can ignore God's call. Some hide in pleasure, trying to counteract the pain with good times. And many try to numb their pain with drugs and alcohol. And I dare say, that a favorite place for so many, so called, good people is in Church. The bushes we hide behind are pews, the committees, the classrooms, and even the pulpit. We are well camouflaged... or so we think. Yet in our quiet moments we hear the Father call out... "Where are you?"
The right response to the Fathers call is to step out of the bushes. Admit you have been hiding. Come face to face with your Father. He is in front of your bush. He knows you are in there. Come on out today. Be made whole... And walk with the father!
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Friendship Tested
Written by my daughter, Christina Beebe
I was living in a little apartment with three Church friends. We lived right down the street from the minister and his wife. So needless to say, we were watched a bit more closely than other households. It happened that a close friend of mine in the Church, decided to leave that particular Church. She was going through a rough time psychologically. (I didn't know at the time, she was coming down with schizoaffective disorder.) It was told to me by my household and the ministers wife that if I continued to spend time with my friend who had left the Church that I would be kicked out of my household.
My friend was going through a really hard time and I was her closest friend. How could I just abandon her at this difficult time in her life? I refused to give up on my firend, and I was kicked out of that household. My friend soon sought professional help and was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder. She has expressed her gratitude for my consistent friendship, even though the hardest time in her life, that I did not abandon her when everyone else wrote her off.
I feel God does that with me. Even when it feels like no one could possibly understand, God sticks it through with me through every time. And sometimes my relationship with God is tested to see if I'm true blue committed to my relationship with him. I hope to always pass the test.
I was living in a little apartment with three Church friends. We lived right down the street from the minister and his wife. So needless to say, we were watched a bit more closely than other households. It happened that a close friend of mine in the Church, decided to leave that particular Church. She was going through a rough time psychologically. (I didn't know at the time, she was coming down with schizoaffective disorder.) It was told to me by my household and the ministers wife that if I continued to spend time with my friend who had left the Church that I would be kicked out of my household.
My friend was going through a really hard time and I was her closest friend. How could I just abandon her at this difficult time in her life? I refused to give up on my firend, and I was kicked out of that household. My friend soon sought professional help and was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder. She has expressed her gratitude for my consistent friendship, even though the hardest time in her life, that I did not abandon her when everyone else wrote her off.
I feel God does that with me. Even when it feels like no one could possibly understand, God sticks it through with me through every time. And sometimes my relationship with God is tested to see if I'm true blue committed to my relationship with him. I hope to always pass the test.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Mom
In her eyes a hero
The man in a uniform
A tear as she drinks her tea
Three years and she still morns
A beauty, a soldier
Lives lived in pictures, now
Grown children left for time
A sixty year marriage vow
Over and over
She tells the story
About the two lovers
In their days of glory
A locket worn daily
Many pieces of life lived
Memories held so dear
So special the gift God gives
He was too young to go then
She sits day by day
waiting to reunite
Her shows passing time that way
A rose to remember
His face she will see then
Tenderness and laughter
Together they will be again
The man in a uniform
A tear as she drinks her tea
Three years and she still morns
A beauty, a soldier
Lives lived in pictures, now
Grown children left for time
A sixty year marriage vow
Over and over
She tells the story
About the two lovers
In their days of glory
A locket worn daily
Many pieces of life lived
Memories held so dear
So special the gift God gives
He was too young to go then
She sits day by day
waiting to reunite
Her shows passing time that way
A rose to remember
His face she will see then
Tenderness and laughter
Together they will be again
Sunday, February 5, 2012
The Blood #2
Deuteronomy 12:23, "But be sure you do not eat the blood, because the blood is the life and you must not eat the life of the meat."
Leviticus 17:11, "For the life of a creature is in the blood and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourself on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one's life."
In May of 1995, my husband, mark, found out that he had hepatitis C. It was in his body and the doctors found this out with a little sample of Mark's blood. They could also see that he had very high cholesterol, through a blood test. Mark lost the use of his kidneys after open heart surgery in 2006. He has been on dialysis since that time. When Mark goes in for dialysis, the nurses can tell him all about how his body is functioning through a simple blood test. These tests give them all the chemical levels and information, so adjustments can be made if necessary. The blood is so important, and it's something most people rarely think about.
In our family we think about the blood much more often because of Marks hepatitis C. We are very careful not to get Marks blood into our body, because if we did, we might take on his disease, and it could damage our body just as it has done to his.
Jesus gave us his perfect blood so that we can take on his life, his characteristics, his perfect mind and health. Just one drop of blood can do a whole world of damage or a whole world of good. Jesus said in John 6:54, "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."
Romans 5:9, "Since we have now been justified by the blood, how much more will we be saved from Gods wrath through Him!"
John 6:56, "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and me in Him."
DNA is the principal carrier of genetic information in almost every organism. The DNA carries the inherited information, the activites of cells and thus the growth and function of the entire body. Chromosomes determine physical and mental abilities and even personality.
Antibodies are in the blood, they can prevent and sometimes treat infectious disease.
We don't know everything there is to know about our bodies and the blood, but we do know that the Bible tells us to drink the blood of Jesus. For some, it's merely a symbolic gesture but if you have the faith and the knoweledge that the Bible gives us through the Holy Spirit, the blood is a powerful thing, Romans 3:25, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and are justifed freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement through Faith in His blood."
1 Corinthians 11:29 and 30, "For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgement on himself. That is why many among you are weak and sick and a number of you have fallen asleep.
it's important that we look within ourselves and judge our walk with God. When we partake of the Lords Supper we're not to do it lightly, like some kind of ceremony that has no value, but we are to revere, respect, and remember the body that was broken, and the blood that was shed. For if Jesus had not shed His precious blood we would be a people with no hope for a future.
Leviticus 17:11, "For the life of a creature is in the blood and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourself on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one's life."
In May of 1995, my husband, mark, found out that he had hepatitis C. It was in his body and the doctors found this out with a little sample of Mark's blood. They could also see that he had very high cholesterol, through a blood test. Mark lost the use of his kidneys after open heart surgery in 2006. He has been on dialysis since that time. When Mark goes in for dialysis, the nurses can tell him all about how his body is functioning through a simple blood test. These tests give them all the chemical levels and information, so adjustments can be made if necessary. The blood is so important, and it's something most people rarely think about.
In our family we think about the blood much more often because of Marks hepatitis C. We are very careful not to get Marks blood into our body, because if we did, we might take on his disease, and it could damage our body just as it has done to his.
Jesus gave us his perfect blood so that we can take on his life, his characteristics, his perfect mind and health. Just one drop of blood can do a whole world of damage or a whole world of good. Jesus said in John 6:54, "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."
Romans 5:9, "Since we have now been justified by the blood, how much more will we be saved from Gods wrath through Him!"
John 6:56, "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and me in Him."
DNA is the principal carrier of genetic information in almost every organism. The DNA carries the inherited information, the activites of cells and thus the growth and function of the entire body. Chromosomes determine physical and mental abilities and even personality.
Antibodies are in the blood, they can prevent and sometimes treat infectious disease.
We don't know everything there is to know about our bodies and the blood, but we do know that the Bible tells us to drink the blood of Jesus. For some, it's merely a symbolic gesture but if you have the faith and the knoweledge that the Bible gives us through the Holy Spirit, the blood is a powerful thing, Romans 3:25, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and are justifed freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement through Faith in His blood."
1 Corinthians 11:29 and 30, "For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgement on himself. That is why many among you are weak and sick and a number of you have fallen asleep.
it's important that we look within ourselves and judge our walk with God. When we partake of the Lords Supper we're not to do it lightly, like some kind of ceremony that has no value, but we are to revere, respect, and remember the body that was broken, and the blood that was shed. For if Jesus had not shed His precious blood we would be a people with no hope for a future.
Saturday, February 4, 2012
The Bus Ride Home
I was five years old. I had been in kindergarten for all of about two weeks. The whole idea of me having to be with so many kids every day just made me really physically ill. You see, I suffer from depression and anxiety, that started before kindergarten because I can remember the feeling of terror that I had very well that day.
Like I said, I had been in school for a few weeks , and I was just getting used to the process; take the bus to school, graham crackers and milk, lay down for a nap, play a bit, then go home on the bus.
That day was different though, things felt off, I didn't know why, but they did. As I sat with all the other kids on the bus ride home, I counted stops until we got to number five, my stop. I looked out the window, it didn't look right , but, i saw my Dads blue bug. I started toward the front of the bus along with two other girls, I walked toward my dad's car. Almost there when I realize, that's NOT MY DAD! I ran back to the bus and back to my seat in the back of the bus.
A flash of heat rose from the pit of my belly and across my face. I wanted to cry, but I bit my lip. The bus started: stop six, stop seven, and stop eight, that was it, all the kids were off the bus, now. It was only me and the bus driver. Now I really wanted to cry and when the bus driver said, "You missed your stop," I burst into tears.
I was lost, I thought. The bus driver asked, "Didn't you hear me when I told the other kids that I was going to go through the stops backward?" "No," I said, still in tears. What was I going to do now? I was all alone and I couldn't even tell you where I lived.
The bus driver looked through his rear view mirror as he said, "Well, let's gt you home."
I can still remember my Mom and Dad's faces as the big yellow bus pulled up to my house, my Dad just leaving for work. As I stepped down the stairs of the bus, so many thoughts were going through my head and the thought that kept coming back was, "Does he know me?"
"See you tomorrow." As I stepped off the bus, "Connie." I looked back as the door closed.
Sometimes I feel all alone, lost and afraid of my own shadow, but like that bus driver, God is there, always looking after me.
Matthew 19:30 says that God even knows how many hair are on my head. And God himself said in Hebrews 12:5, "Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you, so we say with confidence that Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid what can man do to me?"
Like I said, I had been in school for a few weeks , and I was just getting used to the process; take the bus to school, graham crackers and milk, lay down for a nap, play a bit, then go home on the bus.
That day was different though, things felt off, I didn't know why, but they did. As I sat with all the other kids on the bus ride home, I counted stops until we got to number five, my stop. I looked out the window, it didn't look right , but, i saw my Dads blue bug. I started toward the front of the bus along with two other girls, I walked toward my dad's car. Almost there when I realize, that's NOT MY DAD! I ran back to the bus and back to my seat in the back of the bus.
A flash of heat rose from the pit of my belly and across my face. I wanted to cry, but I bit my lip. The bus started: stop six, stop seven, and stop eight, that was it, all the kids were off the bus, now. It was only me and the bus driver. Now I really wanted to cry and when the bus driver said, "You missed your stop," I burst into tears.
I was lost, I thought. The bus driver asked, "Didn't you hear me when I told the other kids that I was going to go through the stops backward?" "No," I said, still in tears. What was I going to do now? I was all alone and I couldn't even tell you where I lived.
The bus driver looked through his rear view mirror as he said, "Well, let's gt you home."
I can still remember my Mom and Dad's faces as the big yellow bus pulled up to my house, my Dad just leaving for work. As I stepped down the stairs of the bus, so many thoughts were going through my head and the thought that kept coming back was, "Does he know me?"
"See you tomorrow." As I stepped off the bus, "Connie." I looked back as the door closed.
Sometimes I feel all alone, lost and afraid of my own shadow, but like that bus driver, God is there, always looking after me.
Matthew 19:30 says that God even knows how many hair are on my head. And God himself said in Hebrews 12:5, "Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you, so we say with confidence that Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid what can man do to me?"
Thursday, February 2, 2012
The Blood
In May of 1995, my husband, Mark, went to see a doctor because he had swollen legs and headaches. The doctor told him that his blood pressure was very high, and after testing his blood, we were told that he has hepatitis C. I was pregnant at the time, so my doctor told me to come in and have a blood test also. All these blood tests got me thinking about how important the blood is, and about how there are so many scriptures that talk about the blood. There are approximately 363 verses that talk about the blood in the Bible: Blood of the lamb, take this blood, your brothers blood cries out to me, do not eat the fat or the blood. Dt 12:23 and Lev 17:11 tells us that the life of a creature is in the blood. Acts 3:25 tells us to have faith in His blood, and Acts 5:9 says that we are justified by the blood.
Blood is mans transport system of the body. A blood test can be used to check on the health of the major organs as well as on the respiratory function, hormonal balance, the immune system and the metabolism. Analysis of a sample of blood gives us information on its cells and proteins and if there are any chemicals or antibodies in your body.
DNA are the genetic instructions used in the development and function of all known living organism. DNA is like a set of blue prints, a recipe or a code. DNA is the principal carrier of genetic information in almost all organisms.
Chromosomes are an organized structure of DNA. It's a simple piece of DNA. Chromosomes carry the inherited genetic information that directs the activies of cells and thus the growth of functioning of the entire body. Chromosomes determine physical characteristics such as sex, hair color and texture. Skin and eye color, nose shape height and mental abilities. Also the personality.
Immune serum globulin is a sterile solution of globulins derived from pooled human blood that contains antibodies that are normally present in the blood of adults. Immune serum globbulin is used to prevent and sometimes treat infections diseases, it works by passing on antibodies to them.
Blood plasma is mainly water, 95%, with salt content very similar to sea water. Also sugars, fat, vitamins and minerals.
Blood holds the key to many mysteries in the body and in the Bible. We are learning new thigs every day.
So could communion just be symbolic? The blood is important and real, and when you take the blood of Jesus into your body, remember this, Jesus was the only perfect man, that means his blood was and is perfect. We are to take his blood in rememberance, but it is more than that. Spiritually this is his blood and spiritually it is filled with everything that is Jesus. All of His antibodies and every perfect thing.
So next time you take communion, take it to remember Jesus, and what He has done. But also take it as you would a vaccination, to keep you from getting sick or a shot to heal sickness that you may have. Than thank Jesus for his perfect body and that He has shed its perfect healing blood for us.
Blood is mans transport system of the body. A blood test can be used to check on the health of the major organs as well as on the respiratory function, hormonal balance, the immune system and the metabolism. Analysis of a sample of blood gives us information on its cells and proteins and if there are any chemicals or antibodies in your body.
DNA are the genetic instructions used in the development and function of all known living organism. DNA is like a set of blue prints, a recipe or a code. DNA is the principal carrier of genetic information in almost all organisms.
Chromosomes are an organized structure of DNA. It's a simple piece of DNA. Chromosomes carry the inherited genetic information that directs the activies of cells and thus the growth of functioning of the entire body. Chromosomes determine physical characteristics such as sex, hair color and texture. Skin and eye color, nose shape height and mental abilities. Also the personality.
Immune serum globulin is a sterile solution of globulins derived from pooled human blood that contains antibodies that are normally present in the blood of adults. Immune serum globbulin is used to prevent and sometimes treat infections diseases, it works by passing on antibodies to them.
Blood plasma is mainly water, 95%, with salt content very similar to sea water. Also sugars, fat, vitamins and minerals.
Blood holds the key to many mysteries in the body and in the Bible. We are learning new thigs every day.
So could communion just be symbolic? The blood is important and real, and when you take the blood of Jesus into your body, remember this, Jesus was the only perfect man, that means his blood was and is perfect. We are to take his blood in rememberance, but it is more than that. Spiritually this is his blood and spiritually it is filled with everything that is Jesus. All of His antibodies and every perfect thing.
So next time you take communion, take it to remember Jesus, and what He has done. But also take it as you would a vaccination, to keep you from getting sick or a shot to heal sickness that you may have. Than thank Jesus for his perfect body and that He has shed its perfect healing blood for us.
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