Who are you like?

I was reading my Scripture this morning, 2 Timothy 3 was part of my reading list. And the question that came to me was, who are you like?

2For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. 6For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, 7always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.

OR

10 You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, 11my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. 12Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

The reason for the difference?
Some know the truth of these verses:

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

I know that God has given me the ability to use scripture, to learn from it, bot be changed by it, to influence others through it and so forth. I know this in the core of my being.
BUT just as I know this, I also despair of ever being able to do it well.
I know the joy of the Lord .... but how often do I fail to even think him for my meals?
I know the hope that I have in the Lord.... but how often do I get bogged down in "my stuff"?
I know the importance of daily devotions ....but how often do I think...but I need to do this or that and I just don't have time!

ARGH! Sometimes I wish I could be better programmed to think God first, others second and me last. But sin pervades every aspect of life. I need to know that. I need to feel that. And then I can change through God's word and the Holy Spirit's prompting.

Let me be the second person....one who follows the teachings of Godly men, one who reads and learns from Scripture, and one who knows that my salvation comes from Christ alone.

Carla's fall Giveaway

Carla is doing a fall giveaway. Check it out.

What am I doing?

These two verses made me stop and ponder today.

For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, 7for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

They come from 2 Timothy 1. Paul is writing a letter of encouragement and instruction to Timothy.

Anyways, I read this verse and my first thought was... Am I doing all I can to fan into flame the gift that God has placed inside me? Am I doing that?

Sometimes it is just so easy to get on with the daily living of life. To not pay attention to what we are doing with what God has given.

So I have gifts for teaching, for compassion, and so forth. What am I doing with them?

If I'm doing anything with them... why?
Am I afraid of something?
I need to remember that God gives me gifts for a reason. And I need to use them with power and love and self-control. This is my duty and should be my longing.

If I am not using or exercising my gifts, or trying to fan them into flame, and I showing that I am ashamed of my Lord and Saviour?

I'm still pondering.....

Sunday Hymn - Grace Greater than our Sin

Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,
Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt!
Yonder on Calvary’s mount outpoured,
There where the blood of the Lamb was spilled.

Refrain

Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sin.

Sin and despair, like the sea waves cold,
Threaten the soul with infinite loss;
Grace that is greater, yes, grace untold,
Points to the refuge, the mighty cross.

Refrain

Dark is the stain that we cannot hide.
What can avail to wash it away?
Look! There is flowing a crimson tide,
Brighter than snow you may be today.

Refrain

Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace,
Freely bestowed on all who believe!
You that are longing to see His face,
Will you this moment His grace receive?

Refrain

---

The Song is written by Julia H Johnston and the music is provided by Daniel B. Towner.

Julia H. Johnston was daughter of a pastor and active in church.

Daniel B. Towner His father was into music as well. :) Became the director of music at a Methodist Church in New York state.

Updated Family Blog

For those interested

I've updated the family blog. Check it out here.

Well, that was pleasant

Well, that was pleasant.

Jen from joythruChrist has been struggling with work and health issues for a while now.

She's been on my mind a lot this week so I thought to myself, why not give her a call.

NOTE: I do not personally know this lady (as in we've never actually met).

I just know her from her blog (solid Christian lady with a good mind and good heart).
AND the fact that she sent my boy a Thomas the train book (just because she could) AND she gave him a DVD that she won (she entered it just for him). (Who wouldn't like someone who did things like that! -- shows a kindness of heart) :)

Anyways, I had her address...even if it took me 1/2 an hour to find it. :)
Used yellowpages.com and gave her a doodle.

Answering machine.... well that was a bummer!
Thought to call her back later in the afternoon.... answering machine again.

To my surprise, within 10 minutes of that.... Jen graciously called me back.
We had a lovely conversation.

I learned more about what's going on. She learned about what's going in my life.
It was like talking with a best friend that I have known for ages.

Rather pleasant I thought. Rather quite very.

More from Psalms 119

these verses made me think:

Waw

41Let your steadfast love come to me, O LORD,
your salvation according to your promise;
42then shall I have an answer for him who taunts me,
for I trust in your word.
43And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth,
for my hope is in your rules.
44I will keep your law continually,
forever and ever,
45and I shall walk in a wide place,
for I have sought your precepts.
46I will also speak of your testimonies before kings
and shall not be put to shame,
47for I find my delight in your commandments,
which I love.
48I will lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love,

and I will meditate on your statutes.

I especially had to pause at verse 45 where it says "and I shall walk in a wide place."

Made me think about how believing in God, especially if I follow his will in my life, makes things so much easier. It's the difference between walking on a narrow path, and walking in wide places. Following God .... like really finding delight in doing what he commands, makes things easier. Perhaps not always right away, but with practice and discernment, it really is easier.

Hmmm.... good to think. :)

Psalm 119:1-16

This says it well enough I think.

Aleph

1Blessed are those whose way is blameless,
who walk in the law of the LORD!
2Blessed are those who keep his testimonies,
who seek him with their whole heart,
3who also do no wrong,
but walk in his ways!
4You have commanded your precepts
to be kept diligently.
5Oh that my ways may be steadfast
in keeping your statutes!
6 Then I shall not be put to shame,
having my eyes fixed on all your commandments.
7I will praise you with an upright heart,
when I learn your righteous rules.
8I will keep your statutes;
do not utterly forsake me!

Beth

9How can a young man keep his way pure?
By guarding it according to your word.
10 With my whole heart I seek you;
let me not wander from your commandments!
11I have stored up your word in my heart,
that I might not sin against you.
12Blessed are you, O LORD;
teach me your statutes!
13With my lips I declare
all the rules of your mouth.
14In the way of your testimonies I delight
as much as in all riches.
15I will meditate on your precepts
and fix my eyes on your ways.
16I will delight in your statutes;
I will not forget your word.

Holland Lop Babies

We have a doe that looks similar to this rabbit. This picture is taken from Snowberry Holland Lops located out in BC. Anyways, she had babies this morning (or more likely, late last night). As far as I can tell, she had two. They are rather small. Not sure if they will survive because they are so tiny and rather well hidden in the bed of straw I gave the bunnies yesterday afternoon. Time will tell. If they survive, in 6 weeks they will hopefully find a new place to live. :)

UPDATE: sadly, these little ones were not meant to survive. I found them deceased on Thursday morning.

This made me laugh!

This post, over here at Mohler's blog, made me laugh. And it's based on this article in the Wall Street Journal.

Women are different than men..... hmmm.... go figure! :)
Sorry, whenever people make discoveries like that it makes me laugh, it seems so ordinary to me.

We tend to think differently.
We tend to view things in a different light.
We tend to move, act and socialize differently.

Why is it a surprise that even when we do similar moves that they might not mean the same thing? Why do things like these have to be taught? Don't people grow up knowing some of these basics?

Don't be frustrated if female clients reevaluate or modify their initial requests; because they discover as they shop, women may be very receptive to suggestions about other services.

Women clients want to know and trust their consultants personally as well as professionally; sharing personal details can help build trust.

Women often prefer business lunches to dinners, because they tend to have more responsibilities at home. And they may be more receptive to evening social invitations if asked with sufficient time to make arrangements at home.

Body language differs by gender. Men tend to stare as they listen and nod to signify they understand. Women may nod when they don't yet understand to encourage the speaker to keep talking. And while consultants often seat themselves beside a male client as their "right hand man," women are more comfortable seated face to face.

I suppose if I stop and think about it, I grew up aware the men and women think differently, and do different things (I have three brothers). I have to admit, I didn't always stop and think about it. One of the things I have learned to do in my relationship with Jim is to ask him WHY.

Why did you do that? What's your reasoning for the decision? Do you know that when you talk in that tone I think ...he's mad at me, even though logically I know that you're not mad, you're just doing your It's Monday and I'm tired thing?! Makes us communicate more, and I suppose that's not a bad thing! :)

This gets me away from from assuming a reason. Why I started asking him why (even thought it sometimes drives him nuts) I was surprised at his reasoning sometimes. He had reasons that didn't even occur to me, and sometimes were even for the benefit of me or our family. Made me stop and reconsider where I was coming from a time or two.

Anyways, all I want to say is it shouldn't surprise us to learn that men and women are different. After all, God designed us that way. (see Genesis 1-3).

Men - bumbling idiots? I think not!

Good post over at Challies this morning.

Fits in well I think with a subject that's been weighing on my mind lately.

Why do so many shows and tv commercials show men in such a bad light?
Watching TV with Jim last night (heroes was on don't'cha know!) and there's this commercial which shows the dad as this total bumbling idiot. And more and more cmmercials seem to do that. The children have it all together, the wife is usually pretty competent, but usually the men are seen as stupid, hardly worth mentioning, rather demeaning manner.

Is this truly how the world sees men?

Does the world at large see men as objects of ridicule?

If so, they aught not.
And we as Christians aught to do the best we can to show our men in a good light. After all, they, as believers, represent God to the world. They really do! (not saying the women don't as well, but men do it in a special way).

The Work of God is Amazing

Reading through 2 Kings 4 today. For some reason, I always find the miracles performed in the Old Testament to be more amazing to me than the ones performed in the New Testament by Christ. You see, Christ is God so performing miracles is to be expected. But the Old Testament it is God through men that miracles are done (generally speaking).

In this chapters we find several miracles, performed by God through Elisha.
1. A widow with two sons, on the verge of losing her two boys to slavery due to unpaid debt. Elisha merely asks, what do you have in the house.

And she said, "Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil." 3Then he said, "Go outside, borrow vessels from all your neighbors, empty vessels and not too few. 4Then go in and shut the door behind yourself and your sons and pour into all these vessels. And when one is full, set it aside." 5So she went from him and shut the door behind herself and her sons. And as she poured they brought the vessels to her. 6When the vessels were full, she said to her son, "Bring me another vessel." And he said to her, "There is not another." Then the oil stopped flowing. 7She came and told the man of God, and he said, "Go, sell the oil and pay your debts, and you and your sons can live on the rest."

2. A Shummanite woman who was kind to Elisha, always inviting him to stop in for a meal, also made him a room of his own. First she is granted a son, then when that son dies, he is made alive again.

32When Elisha came into the house, he saw the child lying dead on his bed. 33So he went in and shut the door behind the two of them and prayed to the LORD. 34Then he went up and lay on the child, putting his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands. And as he stretched himself upon him, the flesh of the child became warm. 35Then he got up again and walked once back and forth in the house, and went up and stretched himself upon him. The child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.

And there was a famine in the land. His servant made a meal, using various foods he found growing about the place, not knowing that the food was poisonous. It was made not so.

But while they were eating of the stew, they cried out, "O man of God, there is death in the pot!" And they could not eat it. 41He said, "Then bring flour." And he threw it into the pot and said, "Pour some out for the men, that they may eat." And there was no harm in the pot.

And then another miracle also involving food.

42A man came from Baal-shalishah, bringing the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley and fresh ears of grain in his sack. And Elisha said, "Give to the men, that they may eat." 43But his servant said, "How can I set this before a hundred men?" So he repeated, "Give them to the men, that they may eat, for thus says the LORD, 'They shall eat and have some left.'" 44So he set it before them. And they ate and had some left, according to the word of the LORD.

All these things God did through a man faithful to him.
I just find it almost overwhelming inspiring of the greatness of God.
Little things it may seem (well, except the raising of the dead!), but God worked, peoples lives were saved.

The wife was :wife of one of the sons of the prophets
the Shummanite woman : kind to a prophet
the men fed the poisonous food: sons of the prophets
and the men fed the food at the end of this chapter: bringing firstfruits offering to the prophet

All were somehow involved in the work of the 'church'. God helped them all. way cool isn't it?

Christian Carnival likes

First off a contest to enter: Book Contest at the Journey.
Then another contest over at Frog in my soup. Here's the link to Danger Rangers.

Anyways, the carnival is found here at brain cramps for God.

Wasn't too sure what I thought about this post on Teenagers and the Church. Seems to me that something is missing from the activity centered focus. If teenagers really want to worship God, shouldn't we be focusing on ways to help them do that? Amd to help them learn what true worship of God is? In light of that post, this one at Jody along the Path made sense, that another way to worship God is simply by being obedient. And to that end, do what this blog post urges...read your bible!

If you're been wanting to read through Future Grace by John Piper, this blog will help you go through it.

This post on dealing with sexuality made sense to me. posted at angelawd.

Free Money Finance asks a good question about pastors and salaries.

and that I think is it. There are other posts there that I thought weren't too bad, go read them! :) Encourage the bloggers by leaving a comment here and there. Cheers! I'm off to get my boyo out of the tub.

Daniel 7 - a prophecy

Daniel has a dream and visions in his head.

As much as I avoid reading prophecy/revelation this seemed the passage that I was to look at more closely this morning. Prophecy tends to be, i find rather hard to figure out. But this one has been figured out for me. :) well....sorta :)

The dream/vision

"I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea. 3And four great beasts came up out of the sea, different from one another. 4The first was like a lion and had eagles’ wings. Then as I looked its wings were plucked off, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man, and the mind of a man was given to it. 5And behold, another beast, a second one, like a bear. It was raised up on one side. It had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth; and it was told, 'Arise, devour much flesh.' 6After this I looked, and behold, another, like a leopard, with four wings of a bird on its back. And the beast had four heads, and dominion was given to it. 7After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, terrifying and dreadful and exceedingly strong. It had great iron teeth; it devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. 8I considered the horns, and behold, there came up among them another horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots. And behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things.

Rather weird eh...seeing four different beasts that are basically there to rend and destroy, that have dominion given to them. Just strikes me as odd pictures to put in someone's head. From what I know though of prophecy, these pictures usually tell of different kingdoms that will arise. And they are, which kings? We are not told. But if you want read about which kingdom's they are thought to be, go here: Christian Ethereal Classic Library.

Anyways, The vision continued:

"As I looked,

thrones were placed,
and the Ancient of Days took his seat;
his clothing was white as snow,
and the hair of his head like pure wool;
his throne was fiery flames;
its wheels were burning fire.
10 A stream of fire issued
and came out from before him;
a thousand thousands served him,
and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him;
the court sat in judgment,
and the books were opened.

11"I looked then because of the sound of the great words that the horn was speaking. And as I looked, the beast was killed, and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire. 12As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time

13"I saw in the night visions,

and behold, with the clouds of heaven
there came one like a son of man,
and he came to the Ancient of Days
and was presented before him.
14 And to him was given dominion
and glory and a kingdom,
that all peoples, nations, and languages
should serve him;
his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
which shall not pass away,
and his kingdom one
that shall not be destroyed.

See...even I can figure this one out. Those kingdoms, as hard as they will be on believers, will not last. :) God reigns! His son will be given dominion! YEAH!!!!

And so this was also was Daniel was told:

These four great beasts are four kings who shall arise out of the earth. 18But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, forever and ever.'

The rest of the chapter goes on to explain that the fourth beast will be very hard on believers

25 He shall speak words against the Most High,
and shall wear out the saints of the Most High,
and shall think to change the times and the law;
and they shall be given into his hand
for a time, times, and half a time.

BUT the end result is the same.

26 But the court shall sit in judgment,
and his dominion shall be taken away,
to be consumed and destroyed to the end.
27 And the kingdom and the dominion
and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven
shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High;
their kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom,
and all dominions shall serve and obey them.'

^{So as scary as these vision are, the thing I can carry away with me is the certain knowledge that regardless of how hard things might get, GOD is still in control. He will retain ultimate dominion over all the earth. I have to admit.... I like that!}

People and their cats

Go here: fuzzy logic.
Watch the video.

For those of you with cats.... tell me you can identify. :)

Well...except perhaps for the last part. :) Just loved the total innocence there......

These might make you smile

have to admit, I didn't quite know what to think when I first saw these two blogs.

Then I thought... these are a bit silly, perhaps someone might smile at seeing them.

therefore worthy of a post from me. :)

The blog of unnecessary quotation marks.

and Mustaches of the 19th Century.

If you know of any more, might make a person smile blogs, let me know. I'll be happy to add them. :)

Cheers!

God's creativity

HT to Challies for pointing me to another show of God's Creativity.

It's the mangrove Killifish.
A fish that can live for months in rotten trees!

Isn't that amazing?

God gave this fish the ability to reproduce itself (can be both male and female) and in times of trouble it can alter it's body so it can live outside of it's normal habitat. And it goes from being highly aggressive to more sedate. It will survive!

I just think that's rather neat. Shows another aspect of our awe-inspiring God. :)

for more information on this neat little fish check out these sites.
killer plants. Swamp fish.

He Just Wants to Say Hi!

I was reminded of this article the other day, and thought hmmm... I can't reproduce it, but I can refer folks over to it.

Article is called "he just wants to say Hi!" It is written by Suzanne Clothier.

This article talks about do interaction. How to determine if one's dog is "dog aggressive" or just has a well developed sense of it's own personal space.

Having a dog who does have a "well developed sense of her own personal space" this article makes a whole lot of sense to me.

The number of people I have met that I have had to warn them to keep their dog back .... always say, but my dog just wants to say hi! As this article says:

My experience has been that it is owners of breeds considered non-aggressive that cause the most problems in dog-to-dog interactions simply by being unaware that their dog is rude. To the owners of non-aggressive breeds, there doesn't appear to be any thought that rudeness can take many forms. Anyone can recognize that a dog lunging and snarling is being rude. Far too few folks recognize that simply getting into another's dog space - however sweetly and quietly - is just as rude in the world of dogs. Owners of rude dogs do not perceive their dogs' actions as rude; they see only "friendliness," as if the behavior for greeting people is the same as greeting another dog - it's not! Thus the classic line, "He's only trying to say ‘hi!'"

Your dog getting into my dog's space after she has done the normal stand off/away from your dog, turn her head away, etc is just asking for my dog to say BACK OFF BUDDY! in a very loud, non-damaging doggie language.

So when I ask you to keep your dog back from mine...despite the fact that "your dog is just wanting to say hi" means that I am protecting my dog. Doesn't mean that my dog doesn't like your dog, just means that she needs more time to decide if your dog is okay to her or not, and that she needs more time than yours does to "make new friends".

After reading this article I have learned the value of the following:

I encourage handlers to be quite active in protecting their dog - whether that means quietly walking away to a safer area, or, when that's not possible, literally stepping in physically to present the first line of defense. Stepping in between two dogs is a classic act of leadership. Dogs do it with other dogs all the time, so this same gesture coming from a human leader is understood and appreciated.

So just what else can one do to help with these behaviours?

There is no easy answer to that question. Certainly, no matter how aware or dedicated a handler, it is not possible to stop other dogs from being rude - or, more to the point, it is not possible to educate all other handlers so that they won't allow their dogs to be rude. I believe fools and rudeness are widespread, and to the best of my knowledge, there's no concerted government program to eradicate either rudeness or foolishness.

Here is Suzanne's advice: (read the article for more in-depth explanation)

1. Socialize your dog thoroughly with other dogs; for puppies, choose playmates of a similar age and adults who have been well socialized themselves. This means off-lead socialization, not sniffing noses at the end of the lead. The more experience a dog has with other dogs, the more refined his judgment will become about what constitutes rude or foolish behavior and how best to deal with it. He'll also learn how to be a polite dog himself.

2. When socializing your dog under someone else's instruction or guidance, be careful. Some instructors and trainers are appalling ignorant about basic behavior, and unable to set up a positive socialization situation. If you feel uncomfortable with a situation, remove your dog. It only takes a few seconds for a bad experience to leave a lasting impression, particularly on a young dog.

3. Watch your dog. Your dog will tell you all you need to know about his perception of the world. When you're with him, really be with him. Pay attention to his behavior. Position yourself and/or the dog so that the dog is always in your peripheral vision. Practice checking on your dog often. If he appears to be concerned, find out why. And then help him. Protect him.

If you can't watch your dog in a situation where there are potential problems, put him somewhere safe.

4. Be pro-active in protecting your dog. If you see a fool and his rude dog headed your way, do your best to protect your dog.

She goes on to list a whole bunch of do's and don'ts for your dog. Go read them. It would be well worth your time.

Basically what it comes down to for me is: we allow people to be shy, stand-offish, exuberant etc. and we as people find ways to deal with and allow this in each other, why don't we allow it in our dogs? Just as I get over-whelmed by pushy people getting into my space, I can expect my dog doesn't much appreciate it either. I choose to move away, stop talking etc. My Sassy will initially do the same -- move away, growl, turn her head away etc... but when all else fails she will "attack". Never with damage physically done, just lots of noise and shaking. Dog ways I think I more direct aren't they? :) I try to prevent the latter as much as possible, but some people just don't listen and loose dogs well...they are just a huge hazard.

Be alert! Watch your dog, watch other dogs, and protect your dog as best you can.

Cold Remedies are Unproven for Children

The FDA panel has decided in a vote 13-9 that cold remedies are not proven to be safe for children under age 6. This does not mean that the FDA has to pull them off the shelves, but it does mean that they might be. Granted this is USA based and may mean nothing for Canada. You can check out the article here.

The votes reflected a division within the committee. While there was clear consensus that the effectiveness of the products had not been demonstrated and there was serious concern about their safety for the youngest children, particularly those younger than 2, several members said many parents and pediatricians nevertheless depend on the remedies.

The article went on to say...

The votes against use by children younger than 6 and, earlier, that the products should be banned for those younger than 2 are likely to have a significant impact on dozens of products that have been mainstays for millions of parents. Americans spend more than $300 million a year on such products, marketed under well-known brands such as Robitussin, Dimetapp and Tylenol.

The committee's recommendations also apply to antihistamines used to treat allergies, although the focus of the review was on their use in cough and cold medications.

and then I read this:

Many of the disputed products were approved decades ago when testing requirements were less stringent, and for decades parents have turned to them when struggling to help children suffering from one of the most common health problems -- colds, coughs and other respiratory illnesses. Although many leading medical groups have long recommended against their use, the products remain popular.

Many doctors say they advise parents against using the products and suggest they try other approaches, such as giving acetaminophen (Tylenol and other brands) to relieve pain, using humidifiers and saltwater solutions to alleviate congestion, and pushing fluids to keep the child hydrated.

Have to admit, I am not a parent who quickly reaches for medication as I prefer to let nature take its' course, but I do use cold meds with Justin at night. I find they help him to not cough through the night and therefore to sleep better. Not having these products available makes me wonder how I would alleviate his symptoms during the night. And if they are pulled off the market, I have to wait until he is six to find a product that I could use with him. I won't use adult stuff on on him, but I wonder how many parents would choose to do so?

I have mentioned this use to my Doctor and she doesn't have a problem with it, just advises me to not overdo it, and to push fluids. Since that's what I do, it's all good. Granted, I do know parents who do push the meds thinking that's the best thing to do --- and perhaps that is why this is such an issue for the FDA panels...the parents who overdo it. Isn't that the way it usually goes in today's society...some people go overboard so the rest of us have to suffer?

Ah well, we will have to wait and see what comes of all this.

Building the Kingdom

I was all set to study more from Daniel when these verses from 1 Thessalonians 5 caught my attention.

12We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. 14And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. 15See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20Do not despise prophecies, 21but test everything; hold fast what is good. 22Abstain from every form of evil.

I read this and I think, this too is part of the work of the church. This is a big part of what helps us reach out to the world about us.
1. respecting those who work among us ... the elders, the deacons, the ladies who serve our coffee, the pastor, the one who visits the sick, our Sunday School teachers and so forth. Don't take them for granted. Respect them.
2. Those who are lazy..... admonish them. Shame them, encourage them, do what it takes to get them off their lazy bums and get to work for the kingdom!
3. Encourage those who need it. Face it, some of us want to do the work of God, but are half-scared to death to do it. Find a way that works for them that they find an encouragement....does that mean going and praying with them? Or actually lending a helping hand? How can you (I) encourage the faint-hearted among us?
4. Help those who need the help. Quiet frankly some of us can't do it on our own. Consider those who can do part of a job but not all... i.e. someone who can't drive, but is capable of doing dishes at a shelter....can YOU drive them there? Or someone who can read stories to a lonely child.... can you go to the library for them to get some books? What can you do to help the weak?
5. Be patient. Have to admit, patience isn't always my strong suit...really situation dependent. But I am learning to just whole my tongue and wait. :) Let God do the work, let me provide the help that I can. That's all I can do.
6. Be good to each other. Don't repay the bad stuff that happens in life with other bad stuff, that's not the Christian way to do it. But seek to do good to each other. Not always easy. Not always easy to think of the good thing to do. But do it anyways. Just because something is hard to do doesn't make it wrong.
7. Rejoice always! Wow...can you imagine doing that? To rejoice always means that there is always something to praise God for. Seems impossible at times, but do it anyways. :)
8. Pray without ceasing ... ah to have that constant connection to God..that constant KNOWN connection with God. Wouldn't that just make all this stuff easier? It would make it easier to rejoice always, to give thanks always, to help each other and so forth. Just makes it easier.
9. Test everything. Is it from God? If it is, despise it not. Indeed, hold fast to it.
10. God's word says it clearly "abstain from every form of evil". Not sure what that all means to you .... but it does mean this at least...if you know it's wrong... DON'T DO IT! I know that there are some things that are open to interpretation, but if the Holy Spirit convicts you that something is wrong, then just don't go there. Don't even hint at it. Just abstain. :) Clear as a bell isn't it? :)

Good list. Good way to build up the church of God. Good way to show the world what Christians are really made up of. Let's go out and do it shall we?

tears can stop :)_

I have learned the value of You tube videos.

Play something like this and tears can stop. :)

Fiery Furnace, then Promoted

Did you know that Daniel's friends did not need him to be with them in order to remain true to God?

I have to admit, I KNOW the story of the fiery furnace.
King Neb sets up a statue, tells folks to worship him, folks who don't like the Jews tell the king that important Jews don't follow his commands in this manner, and king Neb takes those Jews and throws them into a really hot fire. God saves them. The end.

ARGH!!!.... Realized today, that just because one knows a story doesn't mean that one can't continue to refine ones knowledge of said story. This story comes from Daniel 3.

1King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its breadth six cubits. He set it up on the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.

Then he had that statue dedicated.
He then made the decision that everyone was to worship this statue and set forth the punishment for not doing so - death by fiery furnace.

4And the herald proclaimed aloud, "You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, 5that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6And whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace." 7Therefore, as soon as all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, all the peoples, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

So, people being who they are (having a good sense of self preservation) they decided the bowing before this statue was better than dying. BUT not everyone did so.

8Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and maliciously accused the Jews. 9They declared to King Nebuchadnezzar, "O king, live forever! 10You, O king, have made a decree, that every man who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image. 11And whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into a burning fiery furnace. 12There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, pay no attention to you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up."

King Neb was NOT impressed. He actually got VERY angry about it and called Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego before him.

14Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, "Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up?

He told them to be ready to worship or prepare to die. He also asked "And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?"

I have to admit, I like their response

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. 18But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up."

We won't serve your gods. We won't worship your golden image. Our God will deliver us.

King Neb got so angry at this response that he had the fire stoked seven times hotter than normal. It was indeed so hot that the men chosen to throw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into the fire died from the heat.

Think about that for a moment. This fire was so hot that just throwing people into it could kill you. And yet...... Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did not die. Not only that, they were seen walking around in it. Clothes on. Ropes burnt off! Go figure that one eh? Makes the following more real doesn't it?

24Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, "Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?" They answered and said to the king, "True, O king." 25He answered and said, "But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods."

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were called from out of the fire.

26Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!" Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire.

Everyone gathered could see that they had come to no harm, in fact, they didn't even SMELL of smoke. Can you imagine it? I'm reading this and I am just amazed at the power of God. A fire hot enough to kill people just doing their job, and they come of it as clean as a whistle. No fire, no smoke, no damage, no smell, no nothing...just good health! God's presence was right there with them.

28Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God. 29Therefore I make a decree: Any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins, for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way."

King Neb recognized the power of God at work and respected it. These three men, in their faith, enabled their people to worship God as they aught to.

At the end of it all, "the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon."

Isn't that just amazing? Just amazing the power of God at work in the lives of his people.

Unblogged cats...beware!

Okay...now this was funny. Make sure you actually click on the picture to make it bigger.

makes me think that poor Sparks might be the saving grace to thousands of other cats...
Anyways, check it out...if you dare ... for the sake of your cat at least!

HT to Jollyblogger

Blog Action Day for the Environment

So apparently yesterday was a blog action day for the environment. You can find out about it here. As they say,

The best way to participate is to post on your blog something that relates to the environment. Your post can be about anything to do with the environment.

So, as a Christian, if I were to post about the environment, what should I post about?

Have to admit, I have no clue! :)

Well okay, here's what I think about the environment.
1. God made it. he had the whole world...just read about in Genesis 1 and 2, and elsewhere in Scripture where it talks about God as creator.
2. God gave us dominion over it. That means that we take care of it. Means we don't do things that will damage it over all. Means we act like we are supposed to.. we are to take care of it, not destroy it, realize that we don't have the end say in it all. Caretakers take care of things FOR someone else. Implies a higher level of responsibility I think.
3. God tells us something about himself in the world around us. Yes, it is open to interpretation because it is very much general revelation as opposed to specific, but we can still learn something of God from observing it.
4. It's not as bad as lots of people think it is. I think the world goes through vast weather cycles. I think the world can get cleaned up if we give it a fighting chance, BUT since sin pervades EVERY aspect of the world, it's not going to get the fighting chance, not in the long run of people being part of the equation.
5. That said, I still think we aught to do what we can to reduce our impact as sin-filled people, on the creation that God made. Join groups like freecyle or full circle to get rid of your stuff to someone else who might find it just what they are looking for. Use less paper. Reuse think. Make do with what yah got already.

All kinds of things to think about with the environment, that I think, is enough for me for today (even if I am one day late). :)

Psalm 105

have you read this Psalm lately?

I don't recall reading this Psalm before even though I know I have.
It's a history of Israel.

It starts off singing God's praises

1 Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name;
make known his deeds among the peoples!
2Sing to him, sing praises to him;
tell of all his wondrous works!
3Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice!
4Seek the LORD and his strength;
seek his presence continually!
5Remember the wondrous works that he has done,
his miracles, and the judgments he uttered,

And then moves into saying all that God has done for his people.
From

9 the covenant that he made with Abraham,
his sworn promise to Isaac,
10which he confirmed to Jacob as a statute,
to Israel as an everlasting covenant,
11saying, "To you I will give the land of Canaan
as your portion for an inheritance."

To when they were so few in number, God protected them as they wandered through the kingdoms and nations of other bigger peoples.

Even through times of famine he protected them:

16When he summoned a famine on the land
and broke all supply of bread,
17he had sent a man ahead of them,
Joseph, who was sold as a slave.

He brought them from a small peoples into a mighty nation.

23Then Israel came to Egypt;
Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham.
24And the LORD made his people very fruitful
and made them stronger than their foes.

And then when their enemies hated them, he brought them out in safety.

26He sent Moses, his servant,
and Aaron, whom he had chosen.
...... 37Then he brought out Israel with silver and gold,
and there was none among his tribes who stumbled.
38 Egypt was glad when they departed,
for dread of them had fallen upon it.

The Psalm ends with praise to God as well.

43So he brought his people out with joy,
his chosen ones with singing.
44And he gave them the lands of the nations,
and they took possession of the fruit of the peoples’ toil,
45that they might keep his statutes
and observe his laws.
Praise the LORD!

What a neat Psalm! What a neat way to summarize all that God has done for a people and to sig this praises for him. I like it! :)

Daniel is Started today.

Today I start reading from Daniel. I'm actually looking forward to this. Have to admit, reading through Ezekiel the past bit did not enthuse me, I had to work hard just to want to read the passages given me. Yes, I know, bad attitude which is why I worked hard to get beyond it. Anyways, today we start Daniel.

What do I know of Daniel? Smart fellow. Loved God. Went through fire and a lion's den. Was respected enough to have enemies that plotted against him. Israelite. Other than that, don't know so much. Will be interesting to see what else I learn, expect though that I will learn more the God that he served than I will about the man himself.

So Daniel 1 can be found here. For those who don't know, I tend to read from the ESV translation of the bible. Why? I just like it and my hubbie recommends it. :)
Danie, originally from the tribe of Judah, taken from Israel by Ashpenaz on the orders of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. He was either part of the royal family or part of the "uppity-ups" of Israel. A good looking boy, smart, wise and who liked to learn.

3Then the king commanded Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to bring some of the people of Israel, both of the royal family and of the nobility, 4youths without blemish, of good appearance and skillful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding learning, and competent to stand in the king’s palace, and to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans.

His named was changed to Belteshazzar.
Old King Neb had a plan. These youngsters would be given the same food he ate, would be trained in the ways of people, and at the end of three years they would come before him. You know, if you stop and think about it, what a good way to change a community into what you want it to be. Take the best and brightest of its young folk, put them right into your own culture, change their living arrangements, change their name, change their food and change what they are being taught. They will be influenced by it. They will change whether they want to or not, and thusly the society they are from will be change as well. UNLESS they have either a really strong will, or they have someone on their side.

Daniel said...No thanks.

8But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself.

This could have ended badly for Daniel. But here's the advantage of having God on your side.

9 And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs, 10and the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, "I fear my lord the king, who assigned your food and your drink; for why should he see that you were in worse condition than the youths who are of your own age? So you would endanger my head with the king."

To ease the man's mind a test was proposed to him.

11Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had assigned over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12"Test your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13Then let our appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat the king’s food be observed by you, and deal with your servants according to what you see."

At the end of the test period, Daniel and his buddies were in better shape then the rest of the youths. So they all had to eat in a manner that didn't spoil them. Hmm.... one less way for them to be influenced by the culture around them.

God helped the four youths : Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. he gave them "learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams." At the end of their training (so 3 years later), they were found to be the best of the best. And so they remained in that country.

And tomorrow we get to learn more! :)

So what did we learn of God today? He helps his people. Despite that outside plans of others, God will help his people remain true to him. He will help us succeed despite outside circumstances. Rather neat that. :)

Just for Fun

If you can figure out what these words have in common, you are a lot smarter than most people:

Banana
Dresser
Grammar
Potato
Revive
Uneven
Assess

Are You Peeking Or Have You Already Given Up? Give It Another Try....

You will kick yourself when you discover the answer.
Go back and look at them again; think hard.
OK... Here You Go.. Hope You Didn't Cheat.
This Is Cool.

Scroll down for the answer if you can't figure it out

Answer:

In all of the words listed, if you take the first letter, place it at the end of the word, and then spell the word backwards, it will be the same word. Did you figure it out? Even if you didn't don't worry just send it to more people and stump them then you'll feel better

The God of George W Bush

I got this from a reliable person. Have not been able to verify that it is true or not. Seems to be, but I've been fooled before.

THE GOD OF GEORGE BUSH?

Worldnet daily has a report purportedly quoting what George Bush stated concerning the God He believes in. The report states:

President George Bush has repeated his belief all religions, “whether they be Muslim, Christian, or any other religion, prays to the same God” – an assertion that caused outrage among evangelical leaders when he said it in November 2003.

Bush made the statement Friday in an interview with Al Arabiya reporter Elie Nakouzi.
Al Arabiya is Al Jazeerah’s top competitor in the Mideast.

As the president and Nakouzi walked from the Oval Office to the Map Room in the White House residence, Nazouki asked, “But I want to tell you – and I hope this doesn’t bother you at all – that in the Islamic world they think that President Bush is an enemy of Islam – that he wants to destroy their religion, what they believe in. Is that in any way true, Mr. President?”
“No, it’s not,” said Bush. “I’ve heard that, and it just shows [sic] to show a couple of things: One, that the radicals have done a good job of propagandizing. In other words, they’ve spread the word that this really isn’t peaceful people versus radical people or terrorists, this is really about the America not liking Islam.

“Well, first of all, I believe in an Almighty God, and I believe that all the world, whether they be Muslim, Christian, or any other religion, prays to the same God. That’s what I believe. I believe that Islam is a great religion that preaches peace.”

You can read the entire report at worldnetdaily.com

On-Line Safety

MYSPACE: A Must Read for all

After tossing her books on the sofa, she decided to grab a snack and get on-line. She logged on under her screen name ByAngel213. She checked her Buddy List and saw GoTo123 was on. She sent him an instant message:

ByAngel213:
Hi. I'm glad you are on! I thought someone was following me home today. It was really weird!

GoTo12 3:
LOL You watch too much TV. Why would someone be following you?
Don't you live in a safe neighborhood?

ByAngel213:
Of course I do. LOL I guess it was my imagination cuz' I didn't see anybody when I looked out.

GoTo123:
Unless you gave your name out on-line. You haven't done that have you?

ByAngel213: Of course not. I'm not stupid you know.

GoTo123:
Did you have a softball game after school today?

ByAngel213:
Yes and we won!!

GoTo123:
That's great! Who did you play?

ByAngel213:
We played the Hornets. LOL. Their uniforms are so gross! They look like bees. LOL

GoTo123:
What is your team called?

ByAngel213:
We are the Canton Cats. We have tiger paws on our uniforms. They are really cool.

GoTo1 23:
Did you pitch?

ByAngel213:
No I play second base. I got to go. My homework has to be done before my parents get home. I don't want them mad at me. Bye!

GoTo123:
Catch you later. Bye

Meanwhile.......GoTo123 went to the member menu and began to search for her profile. When it came up, he highlighted it and printed it out. He took out a pen and began to write down what he knew about Angel so far.

Her name: Shannon
Birthday: Jan. 3, 1985
Age: 13
State where she lived: North Carolina

Hobbies: softball, chorus, skating and going to the mall. Besides this info rmation, he knew she lived in Canton because she had just told him. He knew she stayed by herself until 6:30 p.m. every afternoon until her parents came home from work. He knew she played softball on Thursday afternoons on the school team, and the team was named the Canton Cats. Her favorite number 7 was printed on her jersey. He knew she was in the eighth grade at the Canton Junior High School . She had told him all this in the conversations they had on- line. He had enough info rmation to find her now.

Shannon didn't tell her parents about the incident on the way home from the ballpark that day. She didn't want them to make a scene and stop her from walking home from the softball games. Parents were always overreacting and hers were the worst. It made her wish she was not an only child. Maybe if she had brothers and sisters, her parents wouldn't be so overprotective.

By Thursday, Shannon had forgotten about the footsteps following her.

Her game was in full swing when suddenly she felt someone staring at her. It was then that the memory came back. She glanced up from her second base position to see a man watching her closely.

He was leaning against the fence behind first base and he smiled when she looked at him. He didn't look scary and she quickly dismissed the sudden fear she had felt.

After the game, he sat on a bleacher while she talked to the coach. She noticed his smile once again as she walked past him. He nodded and she smiled back. He noticed her name on the back of her shirt. He knew he had found her.

Quietly, he walked a safe distance behind her. It was only a few blocks to Shannon 's home, and once he saw where she lived he quickly returned to the park to get his car.

Now he had to wait. He decided to get a bite to eat until the time came to go to Shannon's house. He drove to a fast food restaurant and sat there until time to make his move.

Shannon was in her room later that evening when she heard voices in the living room.

"Shannon, come here," her father called. He sounded upset and she couldn't imagine why. She went into the room to see the man from the ballpark sitting on the sofa.

"Sit down," her father began, "this man has just told us a most interesting story about you."

Shannon sat back. How could he tell her parents anything? She had never seen him before today!

"Do you know who I am, Shannon ?" the man asked.

"No," Shannon answered.

"I am a police officer and your online friend, GoTo123."

Shannon was stunned. "That's impossible! GoTo is a kid my age! He's 14. And he lives in Michigan !"

The man smiled. "I know I told you all that, but it wasn't true. You see, Shannon , there are people on-line who pretend to be kids; I was one of them. But while others do it to inju re kids and hurt them, I belong to a group of parents who do it to protect kids from predators. I came here to find you to teach you how dangerous it is to talk to people on-line. You told me enough about yourself to make it easy for me to find you. You named the school you went to, the name of your ball team and the position you played. The number and name on your jersey just made finding you a breeze."

Shannon was stunned. "You mean you don't live in Michigan ?"

He laughed. "No, I live in Raleigh It made you feel safe to think I was so far away, didn't it?"

She nodded.

"I had a fr iend whose daughter was like you. Only she wasn't as lucky. The guy found her and murdered her while she was home alone. Kids are taught not to tell anyone when they are alone, yet they do it all the time on-line. The wrong people trick you into giving out information a little here and there on-line. Before you know it, you have told them enough for the m to find you without even realizing you have done it. I hope you've learned a lesson from this and won't do it again. Tell others about this so they will be safe too?"

"It's a promise!"

That night Shannon and her Dad and Mom all knelt down together and thanked God for protecting Shannon from what could have been a tragic situation.

Funny Sayings

From another email

A penny saved is a government oversight.

The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing at the right time, but also to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.

The older you get, the tougher it is to lose weight, because by then your body and your fat have gotten to be really good friends.

The easiest way to find something lost around the house is to buy a replacement .

He who hesitates is probably right.

Did you ever notice: The Roman Numerals for forty (40) are "XL."

If you think there is good in everybody, you haven't met everybody.

There's always a lot to be thankful for if you take time to look for it. For example I am sitting here thinking how nice it is that wrinkles don't hurt .

Did you ever notice: When you put the 2 words "The" and "IRS" together it spells "Theirs."

Proud Canadian

I got this in an email the other day. I have to admit, I don't know if this is a true email, and I was unable to find it on either of the True/false places that I use for this type of thing. But I did think the sentiments weren't all bad. so here I post it.

One of my sons serves in the military, he is stationed in Ontario, Canada. He called me yesterday To let me now how warm and welcoming people were to Him and his troops everywhere they go.

Telling me how people shake their hands and thank them For being willing to serve and fight, not only our own Freedoms but so that others may have them too.

Then he told me about an incident in the grocery store He stopped at yesterday, on his way home from the Base. He said that several people were in the line Ahead of him, including a woman dressed in a Burkha.

He said when she got to the cashier, she made a loud Remark about the Canadian Flag, lapel pin, the cashier Wore on her smock. The cashier reached up and touched The pin and said, "Yes, I always wear it proudly, Because I'm a Canadian."

The woman in the burkha then asked the cashier when She was going to stop bombing her countrymen, Explaining that she was Iraqi.

Then, a Gentleman standing behind my son stepped Forward, putting his arm around my son's shoulders and Nodding towards my son, said in a calm and gentle Voice to the Iraqi woman: Lady, hundreds of thousands Of men and women like this young man have fought and
Died so that YOU could stand here, in MY country and Accuse a check-out cashier of bombing YOUR countrymen. It is my belief that had you been this outspoken in YOUR own country, we wouldn't need to be there today.
But, hey, if you have now learned how to speak out so Loudly and clearly, I'll gladly buy you
A ticket and pay your way back to Iraq , so you can Straighten out the Mess in YOUR country, that you are Obviously here in MY country to avoid."

Everyone within hearing distance cheered!

Individual or group concern?

This passage, taken from Colossians 2, this morning made me stop and thing for a bit this morning.

1For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, 2that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. 5For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.

I get the impression from this passage that Paul has never met these people. Despite that, his heart is big for them. He struggles with them in their faith. He wants so much, for these people that he has never met, that they know God. That they really know him.

He doesn't want them to be led astray by philosophy, human traditions and such like. He longs for them to remain true to the gospel of Christ.

I read that and think two things
1. I sorta understand what he is talking about. I have people in my life that I have never met in person. Some of them I would dearly love to meet, others I am just content with hearing from. Many of these people are believers, some go to church, some -- because of various life circumstances do not. I feel as Paul does for the Colossian people. I want these folks to know Christ, to know the fullness of the gospel and to not be led astray by the "whatevers" in life.

2. at the same time I have difficulty connecting with what Paul is saying. He is talking to a group of people, and he cares for them all. His desire, His earning is for them to grow together as a people of God. That is something I find harder to do. I don't think I'm alone in that --- look at organizations like World Vision and Compassion...they get people to help by putting faces to individuals suffering. This draws support, which in turn helps larger numbers of peoples.

I do wonder why that is. Why that individual touch makes it easier for us to care about a distant people.

Paul cared, without even knowing them well. He rejoiced with them. He exhorted them to stand for the gospel and to not be led astray. This too I (we) should do as well.

Hallowe'en Thoughts

So.... this group that I'm a part of sent me this link, it's to an article about Hallowe'en.

Have to admit, his thoughts made sense to me.

Hallowe'en to me is a day of candy and fun. And that's all. No looking into the past, no calling it something else. It's Hallowe'en, a fun time to meet and greet neighbours and to get some free candy. I am actually looking forward to that..... with any amount of fortune, after Hallowe'en I should not, if I am smart in how I handle it (the candy) we won't have to purchase any until at least Christmas (or maybe longer)! :)

I don't "do" scary well, so the one caveat that I've placed for this household is no scary outfits. :) Works well right now since Justin is only 2, but it's one I plan to hold firm to as he matures. We will have to see how that all goes. :)

Anyways, that's all I have to say on the subject. Go read the article, feel free to tell me what you think.

Who are YOU obeying?

Had to admit, when I first read this passage I thought.... what am I supposed to do with this? It's just odd.

Jeroboam is just a wicked king. God sends a prophet out to him. This prophet gives a weird (okay I think it's weird) prophecy.

And behold, a man of God came out of Judah by the word of the LORD to Bethel. Jeroboam was standing by the altar to make offerings. 2 And the man cried against the altar by the word of the LORD and said, "O altar, altar, thus says the LORD: 'Behold, a son shall be born to the house of David, Josiah by name, and he shall sacrifice on you the priests of the high places who make offerings on you, and human bones shall be burned on you.'"3And he gave a sign the same day, saying, "This is the sign that the LORD has spoken: 'Behold, the altar shall be torn down, and the ashes that are on it shall be poured out.'"

Jeroboam wasn't impressed by this.

4And when the king heard the saying of the man of God, which he cried against the altar at Bethel, Jeroboam stretched out his hand from the altar, saying, "Seize him." And his hand, which he stretched out against him, dried up, so that he could not draw it back to himself. 5The altar also was torn down, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign that the man of God had given by the word of the LORD.

The king wanted his hand healed (go figure that eh?) :) so the prophet when asked nicely by the king, entreated the Lord God to heal his hand. God did! Now that would have been awe-inspiring to see wouldn't it?

Now here's the part where you start seeing what obedience is or isn't....
Obedience:

7And the king said to the man of God, "Come home with me, and refresh yourself, and I will give you a reward." 8And the man of God said to the king, "If you give me half your house, I will not go in with you. And I will not eat bread or drink water in this place, 9for so was it commanded me by the word of the LORD, saying, 'You shall neither eat bread nor drink water nor return by the way that you came.'" 10So he went another way and did not return by the way that he came to Bethel.

And then disobedience:

11Now an old prophet lived in Bethel. And his sons came and told him all that the man of God had done that day in Bethel. They also told to their father the words that he had spoken to the king. 12And their father said to them, "Which way did he go?" And his sons showed him the way that the man of God who came from Judah had gone. 13And he said to his sons, "Saddle the donkey for me." So they saddled the donkey for him and he mounted it. 14And he went after the man of God and found him sitting under an oak. And he said to him, "Are you the man of God who came from Judah?" And he said, "I am." 15Then he said to him, "Come home with me and eat bread." 16And he said, "I may not return with you, or go in with you, neither will I eat bread nor drink water with you in this place, 17for it was said to me by the word of the LORD, 'You shall neither eat bread nor drink water there, nor return by the way that you came.'" 18And he said to him, "I also am a prophet as you are, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD, saying, 'Bring him back with you into your house that he may eat bread and drink water.'" But he lied to him. 19So he went back with him and ate bread in his house and drank water.

Did you catch that? The old prophet lied to him. BUT since the man told the younger prophet that God told him to come, he went. He disobeyed God.

Have to admit...once I caught that it was like "oh". Just because someone says they are of God doesn't mean that they are. When God tells us to do something, and we know clearly that HE is the one telling us to do something, then we must needs follow it, REGARDLESS of what others says about it. They might be lying too!

I'd rather obey God...wouldn't you?

Physio Exercises for my back

Rather than me writing this all down out of my memory I"m going to do a search through the internet for wording similar to what I was told. :) Where different I'll write in red.

How to do your exercises

It is very important to do the exercises well if you are to get the benefit and improve your condition.

1. Do them regularly if you are going to do them at all. The tissues of the body respond to regular, repeated stresses to change how they behave. To achieve this you will need to repeat the exercises a certain amount of times every single day.
2. Do each exercise individually. If you try and do two movements at once, neither movement will be done well or to the maximum degree. This cuts down the effectiveness and may stress your joints more than you intend.
3. Go to the end of each movement. There’s no point waving a joint around in the air as joints usually have problems at the end of their available movement at the time. Make sure you move each joint to the end of the movement if you can.
4. Do the movement slowly and steadily. Jerking or moving quickly can be painful and strain something, as well as not permitting the part to relax as the movement progresses.
5. Pay attention to pain. This is a difficult one. Pain can mean that the painful area is damaged and you should not move it until it has healed more, but it can also be much less important. If your joint is stiff, you will need to stretch it and cause some pain if it is to loosen up. Good pain is not too severe and settles down quickly. Bad pain is severe and takes a long time to settle down after. If you cause pain on exercise, and you may have to to succeed, make sure it is good pain.
6. Make specific times to exercise through the day as this makes it more likely you will actually do them. I was told to do them as often as I could throughout the day, eventually I will get down to just some maintenance exercises. These I will do first thing in the morning and last thing at night. For now I will do them frequently as possible.

So what exercises was I given?
Pelvic Tilt

• lay down with back on floor.
• Knees bent, feet flat on floor.
• Tilt pelvic up so that back is flat on floor. Do this by tightening abdominal and buttocks muscles to do this. Focus more on the abdominal muscles.

Crunches (or Partial sit up)

• lay down with back on floor.
• Knees bent, feet flat on floor. .
• place hands on tummy, and crunch upwards just a bit.
• use abdominal muscles to do this.

Knee to chest

• lie on back with feet flat on floor
• alternate knees, if not too much pain do both knees together.
• Do slowly.
• Feel a stretch and hold it for 15 seconds or so.

Hamstring stretch

• lie on back with feet flat on floor
• pull leg towards your chest until you feel a stretch
• straighten your leg as much as possible
  
• hold it there for 15-20 seconds
  

Wall Slide

• Stand with your back against a wall
• place your feet about a foot in front of you
• tuck in your buttocks until comfortable
• slide down the wall into a half sit.
  
• be sure to keep your back flat against the wall.
  
• Your knees should not go beyond your toes.

I like doing this this when I want to sit, but the chairs around me seem too soft to use. OR if I'm tired of sitting on something. :) easy to do. nice on a back.

The whole point of this?

• To strengthen muscles and
  
• to stretch out my ever so tight muscles. Fun fun! NOT! :)