Greetings!!
After a move, whether it be a major one across country or a minor one across town it is hard to get back into the groove. Routines change, schedules change, even sleeping habits often change. I am finding it difficult to get back into the groove. It seems everything has changed in one way or another.
My sleeping habits have definitely changed. I no longer have someone keeping me awake until 2 or 3 am every night. I am sleeping better and find I do not need that afternoon nap as much. I am getting more work done during the day. These are all good and positive things but it still takes an adjustment.
My eating habits have changed again too. When he cooked everything was over salted and or spicy. Neither of which I enjoyed at all. I am enjoying simpler meals again, nothing too fancy and my digestive system is liking me for it. :-)
I used to get on the computer first thing in the morning to stay quiet because he was sleeping till 1 or 2 in the afternoon after sitting up all night and I did not want to wake him. Now I find I have other things I want to do first thing in the morning so getting on here and writing my blog has become a bit of a chore. I might have to change that routine and write later in the day. Let's face it, life changes when there is a move, LOL.
I guess I should say I am not getting back in the groove but perhaps creating new ones, LOL. So please bear with me as I try to figure out what new schedule will work best for me!!
Until next time,,,,,,Blessings!!
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Sliding into home plate is dirty work,,,,,,,,
Greetings!!
I bet with that title you are wondering what this post is about,,,,, me too, LOL. Seriously though, the move is coming to an end and I am sliding into home plate as it were. Yes, it is dirty work!! The last two days I cleaned the house that is now empty. Why? Because I have a good reputation and want to keep it!! I might need a good reference some day and if I leave the house a mess for the land lord to clean up then I will not get one.
I'm not sure when or how it happened but somewhere along the way people have lost their core values. They could care less about their reputations. I have seen many a rental left in a shambles filled with garbage and junk for the land lords to have to clean up. And then they could not understand why they did not get a good recommendation when they went to look for another place to rent.
When I was a child my father would always tell me it does not matter how much money you have or how many things you own, your most important asset is your reputation. Keep that in tact and you have everything. I believed that and still do. Integrity is one of the most important character traits you can have. Part of integrity is of course values. The bible tells us to "let our yes be yes and our no be no". In other words, say what you mean and mean what you say. Be truthful and honest in all that you do.
Of course we are also told to treat others as we would treat ourselves or want to be treated. Do that in every aspect of your life. So, my question is, if you were the land lord would you want someone to leave your property a mess? Of course not!! So don't do it to someone else!!
I had my land lord come over yesterday and look at the house. It was the first time he had ever been in it. He bought it sight un-seen. He was amazed at how clean I had left it. He promised me a good recommendation any time I needed it. He told me how he had other tenants who left things in a horrible condition and was very surprised to see I had gone to such efforts considering my health and the fact that Frank left all the work on my shoulders and did nothing to help. Frank will never get a good reference from the land lord but I will. That goes a long way in showing the difference in characters.
Throughout my life I have tried to do the right thing. Sometimes I failed, after all, I am human and make many mistakes. But my efforts were in the right direction. I pray you also try to do the right thing and think about your reputation, character and integrity.
Until next time,,,,,,Blessings!
I bet with that title you are wondering what this post is about,,,,, me too, LOL. Seriously though, the move is coming to an end and I am sliding into home plate as it were. Yes, it is dirty work!! The last two days I cleaned the house that is now empty. Why? Because I have a good reputation and want to keep it!! I might need a good reference some day and if I leave the house a mess for the land lord to clean up then I will not get one.
I'm not sure when or how it happened but somewhere along the way people have lost their core values. They could care less about their reputations. I have seen many a rental left in a shambles filled with garbage and junk for the land lords to have to clean up. And then they could not understand why they did not get a good recommendation when they went to look for another place to rent.
When I was a child my father would always tell me it does not matter how much money you have or how many things you own, your most important asset is your reputation. Keep that in tact and you have everything. I believed that and still do. Integrity is one of the most important character traits you can have. Part of integrity is of course values. The bible tells us to "let our yes be yes and our no be no". In other words, say what you mean and mean what you say. Be truthful and honest in all that you do.
Of course we are also told to treat others as we would treat ourselves or want to be treated. Do that in every aspect of your life. So, my question is, if you were the land lord would you want someone to leave your property a mess? Of course not!! So don't do it to someone else!!
I had my land lord come over yesterday and look at the house. It was the first time he had ever been in it. He bought it sight un-seen. He was amazed at how clean I had left it. He promised me a good recommendation any time I needed it. He told me how he had other tenants who left things in a horrible condition and was very surprised to see I had gone to such efforts considering my health and the fact that Frank left all the work on my shoulders and did nothing to help. Frank will never get a good reference from the land lord but I will. That goes a long way in showing the difference in characters.
Throughout my life I have tried to do the right thing. Sometimes I failed, after all, I am human and make many mistakes. But my efforts were in the right direction. I pray you also try to do the right thing and think about your reputation, character and integrity.
Until next time,,,,,,Blessings!
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Sliding into home plate,,,,,,,
Greetings!!
I feel like I am finally sliding into home plate as far as this move is concerned. I have a few boxes of small stuff to pack up today to bring to the new place. Tomorrow a couple of fellas are going to come and move the furniture into storage. Saturday I will clean and then the move is done!!!
Of course I have a lot of things to unpack here and put away. But I can do that little by little and take my time.
I am very tired, this move has really taken its toll on me both physically and mentally. But I am so very happy it is almost done. We stayed here in the new place last night. Both Rusty, (dog) and Faxon, (cat) are adjusting nicely. Faxon has discovered the screened in front porch and is loving it. It is cool this morning so the door and windows are open and all the cats here are enjoying the fresh air. Faxon joined me on the porch this morning as I had my morning coffee a couple of hours ago and has not come back inside yet. LOL.
Hopefully by next week I will be back on a normal routine again and will be back to writing regularly. So look for that to start hopefully on Monday.
Until next time,,,,,,,,Blessings!!
I feel like I am finally sliding into home plate as far as this move is concerned. I have a few boxes of small stuff to pack up today to bring to the new place. Tomorrow a couple of fellas are going to come and move the furniture into storage. Saturday I will clean and then the move is done!!!
Of course I have a lot of things to unpack here and put away. But I can do that little by little and take my time.
I am very tired, this move has really taken its toll on me both physically and mentally. But I am so very happy it is almost done. We stayed here in the new place last night. Both Rusty, (dog) and Faxon, (cat) are adjusting nicely. Faxon has discovered the screened in front porch and is loving it. It is cool this morning so the door and windows are open and all the cats here are enjoying the fresh air. Faxon joined me on the porch this morning as I had my morning coffee a couple of hours ago and has not come back inside yet. LOL.
Hopefully by next week I will be back on a normal routine again and will be back to writing regularly. So look for that to start hopefully on Monday.
Until next time,,,,,,,,Blessings!!
Monday, August 15, 2011
Moving update,,,,
Greetings!
The move is coming along well and I am on the home stretch now. Frank will be leaving in just a little over a week and then I can get the big stuff like furniture taken care of. I am so looking forward to getting this move over with. It has been long, hard and very tiring but it is still progressing. The cooler temperatures we are having now is very refreshing and helping a lot to keep me motivated and moving.
Today I have some of the usual chores to take care of. Need to go to the grocery store and do some house keeping and laundry. I will also be doing some more packing and bring another load over sometime later today, I hope, LOL.
I feel like I am pretty much on schedule and should be back online on a regular basis by the end of August or early September. Thanks so much everyone for all your prayers, they are very much appreciated!!
Until next time,,,,,Blessings!!
The move is coming along well and I am on the home stretch now. Frank will be leaving in just a little over a week and then I can get the big stuff like furniture taken care of. I am so looking forward to getting this move over with. It has been long, hard and very tiring but it is still progressing. The cooler temperatures we are having now is very refreshing and helping a lot to keep me motivated and moving.
Today I have some of the usual chores to take care of. Need to go to the grocery store and do some house keeping and laundry. I will also be doing some more packing and bring another load over sometime later today, I hope, LOL.
I feel like I am pretty much on schedule and should be back online on a regular basis by the end of August or early September. Thanks so much everyone for all your prayers, they are very much appreciated!!
Until next time,,,,,Blessings!!
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Last regular post until September,,,,,
Greetings!!
This will be my last regular post until September when I am finally completely moved and settled in. I will miss writing my posts and will probably drop in once in a while to write a quick update on the progress of my move, but I can not predict what days that might be on. It will just be whenever I have the time.
You might recall when I mentioned I had to move the computer early in order to take advantage of a special promotion by the internet provider. Well, now is the time. I will move the computer to the other house today and the internet will be turned on there tomorrow. Also tomorrow the internet, house phone and cable TV will be shut off here in this house.
At some point this week, I need to take a break from moving and get some much needed garden and yard work caught up. I have been picking tomatoes by the bucket fulls every couple of days. The romas are going in the freezer whole for cooking and canning after the move is complete. Looks like I will be making a ton of sauce this year for canning and might just try my hand at making ketchup too. I also have a lot of cucumbers for pickling. And I need to get my potatoes dug up as well.
I'm not sure but I have a sneaky suspicion the groundhog might have gotten into my potatoes. I sure hope not! My corn is finally starting to develop ears. It got planted really late due to all the rain in the spring and I will be happy to get any under the circumstances. I am not sure what happened to my beans. They had a ton of blossoms but no beans have developed, so at this point they might be a lost cause.
But boy do I have tomatoes!! I planted two types, Romas for cooking and sauce making and then Celebrities for eating on sandwiches and salads. I have had so many of both and given away several of the Celebrities and enjoyed many myself. Considering the uncooperative weather this year I am pleased over all with the garden.
Well I have a few more things to do on the computer before I shut it down and start packing it. If you do not see me before, I will see you in September!!
Until next time,,,,,Blessings!!
This will be my last regular post until September when I am finally completely moved and settled in. I will miss writing my posts and will probably drop in once in a while to write a quick update on the progress of my move, but I can not predict what days that might be on. It will just be whenever I have the time.
You might recall when I mentioned I had to move the computer early in order to take advantage of a special promotion by the internet provider. Well, now is the time. I will move the computer to the other house today and the internet will be turned on there tomorrow. Also tomorrow the internet, house phone and cable TV will be shut off here in this house.
At some point this week, I need to take a break from moving and get some much needed garden and yard work caught up. I have been picking tomatoes by the bucket fulls every couple of days. The romas are going in the freezer whole for cooking and canning after the move is complete. Looks like I will be making a ton of sauce this year for canning and might just try my hand at making ketchup too. I also have a lot of cucumbers for pickling. And I need to get my potatoes dug up as well.
I'm not sure but I have a sneaky suspicion the groundhog might have gotten into my potatoes. I sure hope not! My corn is finally starting to develop ears. It got planted really late due to all the rain in the spring and I will be happy to get any under the circumstances. I am not sure what happened to my beans. They had a ton of blossoms but no beans have developed, so at this point they might be a lost cause.
But boy do I have tomatoes!! I planted two types, Romas for cooking and sauce making and then Celebrities for eating on sandwiches and salads. I have had so many of both and given away several of the Celebrities and enjoyed many myself. Considering the uncooperative weather this year I am pleased over all with the garden.
Well I have a few more things to do on the computer before I shut it down and start packing it. If you do not see me before, I will see you in September!!
Until next time,,,,,Blessings!!
Monday, August 8, 2011
This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine,,,,,,,,
Greetings!!
This morning I woke up singing some of my favorite Christian songs. A mixture of old time hymns, country gospel and some contemporary. The Lord has surely put a song in my heart and a spring in my step this morning. :-)
Yesterday we had a guest pastor in church, Pastor Willis Fischer. He delivered an awesome message about "Letting our light shine" and it has really stuck with me. Sometimes it is not always easy to live our lives as an example for others to follow. After all, we are all facing trials, tribulations and temptations every single day of our lives. But Jesus tells us we must be that example. We should let our light shine like a city on a hill for all to see.
Have you ever been traveling at night, especially in some of the western states where there are miles between each city? I have many times. And this scripture reminds me of that. Let me give you an example. When I was driving to Albuquerque, NM one time, it so happened I was driving the last several miles after dark. It seemed like the darkness went on for miles and miles. Not a light any where as there were several miles of vast open ranges and mesas between the towns. That darkness felt like a very lonely place. You felt like you were in the middle of a black void, a great nothingness so to speak.
As I continued driving west towards Albuquerque on I-40 I began to feel a sense of dread and wanting and wondering when this long drive would ever end. Then as I began to work my way up the east side of the Sandia mountains I started to see little glimmers of light coming from the city. Hallelujah!! I finally see the light of the city!! My long trip is almost over! Thank you Lord!! Seeing the light gave me something to sing about. My spirits were immediately lifted!!
When we as Christians, let our light shine in a dark and dismal world, we can give other people the spiritual lifting they need to keep going, to walk in faith. Sometimes we are the example for someone who has not come to know Jesus as Lord and Savior, and the example we set leads that person to the Lord. Sometimes we are blessed to know we had that effect on someone but often times we are not. We just have to believe and understand that God is using us in a mighty way when we let our light shine.
It is not good for a Christian to show hate or anger, especially in public. But we are fallible and do it from time to time. We sometimes let our emotions get the better of us. I strive every day to be a good example for others to follow, but I too fail from time to time.
I pray every day for the Lord to help me to be the good example and let my light shine. Don't let me fall into the temptation of "getting even" with someone who has hurt me. Don't let me give into any temptations that put me into that darkness rather than walking in the light. That darkness is not a good place, and not a place I want to be. Take me through this troubled world one day at a time sweet Jesus!
May you always walk in the light and let your little light shine!!
Until next time,,,,,,Blessings!!
This morning I woke up singing some of my favorite Christian songs. A mixture of old time hymns, country gospel and some contemporary. The Lord has surely put a song in my heart and a spring in my step this morning. :-)
Yesterday we had a guest pastor in church, Pastor Willis Fischer. He delivered an awesome message about "Letting our light shine" and it has really stuck with me. Sometimes it is not always easy to live our lives as an example for others to follow. After all, we are all facing trials, tribulations and temptations every single day of our lives. But Jesus tells us we must be that example. We should let our light shine like a city on a hill for all to see.
Have you ever been traveling at night, especially in some of the western states where there are miles between each city? I have many times. And this scripture reminds me of that. Let me give you an example. When I was driving to Albuquerque, NM one time, it so happened I was driving the last several miles after dark. It seemed like the darkness went on for miles and miles. Not a light any where as there were several miles of vast open ranges and mesas between the towns. That darkness felt like a very lonely place. You felt like you were in the middle of a black void, a great nothingness so to speak.
As I continued driving west towards Albuquerque on I-40 I began to feel a sense of dread and wanting and wondering when this long drive would ever end. Then as I began to work my way up the east side of the Sandia mountains I started to see little glimmers of light coming from the city. Hallelujah!! I finally see the light of the city!! My long trip is almost over! Thank you Lord!! Seeing the light gave me something to sing about. My spirits were immediately lifted!!
When we as Christians, let our light shine in a dark and dismal world, we can give other people the spiritual lifting they need to keep going, to walk in faith. Sometimes we are the example for someone who has not come to know Jesus as Lord and Savior, and the example we set leads that person to the Lord. Sometimes we are blessed to know we had that effect on someone but often times we are not. We just have to believe and understand that God is using us in a mighty way when we let our light shine.
It is not good for a Christian to show hate or anger, especially in public. But we are fallible and do it from time to time. We sometimes let our emotions get the better of us. I strive every day to be a good example for others to follow, but I too fail from time to time.
I pray every day for the Lord to help me to be the good example and let my light shine. Don't let me fall into the temptation of "getting even" with someone who has hurt me. Don't let me give into any temptations that put me into that darkness rather than walking in the light. That darkness is not a good place, and not a place I want to be. Take me through this troubled world one day at a time sweet Jesus!
May you always walk in the light and let your little light shine!!
Until next time,,,,,,Blessings!!
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Keeping it light, LOL,,,,,,,
Greetings, I got this in an email and thought I would share it with you today. Just to keep things light for the weekend. Hope you enjoy it!!
Cowboy rules for:
Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, Montana, Utah, Nebraska, Idaho, and the rest of the Wild West are as follows:
1. Pull your pants up. You look like an idiot.
2. Turn your cap right, your head ain't crooked.
3. Let's get this straight: it's called a 'gravel road.' I drive a pickup truck because I want to. No matter how slow you drive, you're gonna get dust on your Lexus. Drive it or get out of the way.
4. They are cattle. That's why they smell like cattle. They smell like money to us. Get over it. Don't like it? I-10 & I-40 go east and west, I-17 & I-15 goes north and south. Pick one and go.
5. So you have a $60,000 car. We're impressed. We have $250,000 Combines that are driven only 3 weeks a year.
6. Every person in the Wild West waves. It's called being friendly. Try to understand the concept.
7. If that cell phone rings while a bunch of geese/pheasants/ducks/doves are comin' in during a hunt, we WILL shoot it outta your hand. You better hope you don't have it up to your ear at the time.
8. Yeah. We eat trout, salmon, deer and elk. You really want sushi and caviar? It's available at the corner bait shop.
9. The 'Opener' refers to the first day of deer season. It's a religious holiday held the closest Saturday to the first of November.
10. We open doors for women. That's applied to all women, regardless of age.
11. No, there's no 'vegetarian special' on the menu. Order steak, or you can order the Chef's Salad and pick off the 2 pounds of ham and turkey.
12. When we fill out a table, there are three main dishes: meats, vegetables, and breads. We use three spices: salt, pepper, and ketchup! Oh, yeah ... We don't care what you folks in Cincinnati call that stuff you eat... IT AIN'T REAL CHILI!!
13. You bring 'Coke' into my house, it better be brown, wet and served over ice. You bring 'Mary Jane' into my house, she better be cute, know how to shoot, drive a truck, and have long hair.
14. College and High School Football is as important here as the Giants, the Yankees, the Mets, the Lakers and the Knicks, and a dang site more fun to watch.
15. Yeah, we have golf courses. But don't hit the water hazards - it spooks the fish.
16. Turn down that blasted car stereo! That thumpity-thump ain't music, anyway. We don't want to hear it any more than we want to see your boxers! Refer back to #1!
A true Westerner will send this to at least 10 others and a few new friends that probably won't get it, but we're friendly so we share in hopes you can begin to understand what a real life is all about!!!
And there is more.............
The COWBOY Solution to save Gasoline.
OBAMA wants us to cut the amount of gasoline we use..... The best way to stop using so much gasoline is to deport 15 million illegal immigrants!
That would be 15 million less people using our gas.
The price of gas would come down.....
Bring our troops home from Afghanistan to guard the borders....
When they catch an illegal immigrant crossing the Border, hand him a canteen, rifle and some ammo and ship him to Afghanistan ....
Tell him if he wants to come to AMERICA then he must serve a tour in OUR military....
Give him a soldier's pay while he's there and tax him on it......
After his tour, he will be allowed to become a citizen since he defended this country.....
He will also be registered to be taxed and be a legal resident.....
This option will probably deter illegal immigration and provide a solution for the troops in Afghanistan and the aliens trying to make a better life for themselves. .......
If they refuse to serve, ship them to Afghanistan anyway, without the canteen, rifle or ammo.
Problem solved.....
Until next time,,,,,,Blessings!
Friday, August 5, 2011
Moving on,,,,,,,
Greetings,
I was going to write about "A thorn in the flesh". Scripture from 2 Corinthians 12, but God has shown me I need to do more research and praying about it before I write anything on here. It would appear there are several opinions on exactly what it means. I have read several versions of the bible and they all seem to have a slightly different meaning. So when I feel I have a good understanding of the scripture then I will write about it.
In the meantime,,, I did take the day off from moving things yesterday. The rest was much needed and I feel better today. I will be taking another good sized load over in about an hour or so. Hopefully, I will have some help today, LOL. I have found working at a steady pace rather than pushing and going at it hard is working best for me. With the fibromyalgia I need to take regular rest periods in order to get the job done.
I continue to work on the craft room. The room I deem hardest in the house next to the kitchen. The kitchen will also be a hard room to pack and move, but that has to wait until the final week as we still need most of those items. After all, I still need to cook and eat, LOL.
I do have a pretty good dent in the craft room. Most of the bisque is unpacked and on shelves over at the other house. It is nice to see that getting done!! I hope to take a good load today and another good one tomorrow. Sunday I will not move anything, it is the Lord's day and should be a day of worship and rest. Monday I will take another load and Tuesday I will move the computer equipment as the Internet will be set up there on Wednesday and shut off here on Wednesday as well.
Tuesday will be my last post for a couple of weeks, until the end of August when I am completely moved in over there. I might pop on and give a short update when I happen to be over there moving things in but that will be hit and miss. I will be back on my regular schedule by the beginning of September. I hate having to do that but I have no choice. Such is the trials of moving.
Until next time,,,,,,Blessings!!
I was going to write about "A thorn in the flesh". Scripture from 2 Corinthians 12, but God has shown me I need to do more research and praying about it before I write anything on here. It would appear there are several opinions on exactly what it means. I have read several versions of the bible and they all seem to have a slightly different meaning. So when I feel I have a good understanding of the scripture then I will write about it.
In the meantime,,, I did take the day off from moving things yesterday. The rest was much needed and I feel better today. I will be taking another good sized load over in about an hour or so. Hopefully, I will have some help today, LOL. I have found working at a steady pace rather than pushing and going at it hard is working best for me. With the fibromyalgia I need to take regular rest periods in order to get the job done.
I continue to work on the craft room. The room I deem hardest in the house next to the kitchen. The kitchen will also be a hard room to pack and move, but that has to wait until the final week as we still need most of those items. After all, I still need to cook and eat, LOL.
I do have a pretty good dent in the craft room. Most of the bisque is unpacked and on shelves over at the other house. It is nice to see that getting done!! I hope to take a good load today and another good one tomorrow. Sunday I will not move anything, it is the Lord's day and should be a day of worship and rest. Monday I will take another load and Tuesday I will move the computer equipment as the Internet will be set up there on Wednesday and shut off here on Wednesday as well.
Tuesday will be my last post for a couple of weeks, until the end of August when I am completely moved in over there. I might pop on and give a short update when I happen to be over there moving things in but that will be hit and miss. I will be back on my regular schedule by the beginning of September. I hate having to do that but I have no choice. Such is the trials of moving.
Until next time,,,,,,Blessings!!
Thursday, August 4, 2011
The New Testament Church and today,,,,,
Greetings,
Thinking about the trying times ahead with the economy brought my mind back to the New Testament Church and ours today. The bible tells us that the people in the first churches were very giving and loving. If a brother or sister in Christ had a need church members would sell their belongings to help them. They would sacrifice their own comfort to help someone else. Isn't that amazing? Would you do that today to help someone in need? Would you sell land or personal belongings?
I dare say most today would not go "to that extreme" to help another. But according to the bible that is what we should be doing. Looking at the economy, we might have to do that in the near future to help each other survive.
I know so many who have lost their jobs, their homes and their personal belongings due to the economy. It is a trickle down effect. The company they work for has a major "downsizing" to keep the business afloat.
They lose their job, eventually unemployment runs out and they have not found work. They start selling things to try to keep the household running while they continue to look for work, but there is none to be found. Eventually, there is nothing left they can sell that will pay the bills. They have exhausted their savings account if they had one. There is nothing left but a huge pile of bills and bill collectors calling them day and night.
The car gets repossessed. The utilities get shut off. The phone is shut off. They seek assistance from local organizations but they find no help because those organizations are out of funds having to help so many people. Finally, the house is repossessed and there is nothing left. Think this can't happen? Think again, it is happening hundreds, possibly thousands of times a day across this nation!!
How far would you go to help a neighbor, a relative or a friend? Would you give up buying the latest tech gadget to buy someone food? Or would you think, like so many do, that its their problem, not yours? If you are a Christian I would hope you would be willing to buy the food and help the person in need. After all, the bible tells us, that is exactly what we are to do.
A church building should not be a country club who is more concerned about the appearance of the building than the ministry work God wants them to do. What good is new carpet or paint when there are people within your community suffering? What good is a potluck if you do not invite the hungry to eat? Gospel sings can be wonderful, they can feed the spirit of so many, but have you invited the lost to your sings so their spirit can be fed as well?
Jesus tells us in Matthew 25: 34 -46 that we are to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick and imprisoned, (see scripture below), does your congregation do this? If not, you are not serving the Lord!
34Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
41Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
42For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
43I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
44Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
45Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
46And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
When I read this scripture I see that Jesus is saying, "look, you have to accept me as Lord but you must also do these things or on the final judgement day I will not recognize you as my brethren, you will not be joint heirs with me." The last two lines of this scripture are very important. They are showing us, taking care of brothers and sisters in Christ is the most important thing. So therefore the church has a purpose. It is a purpose far beyond looking pretty.
Don't get me wrong there is nothing wrong with wanting your church to look nice but if you are neglecting Jesus' commands for the sake of having a nice looking church then you are wrong in that regard and need to get your priorities straight. God's work must always come first!! If we put God first in both our church lives and our personal lives everything else will fall into place. Are you putting God first in your life today? Is your church family putting God first?
Until next time,,,,,,,Blessings!!
Thinking about the trying times ahead with the economy brought my mind back to the New Testament Church and ours today. The bible tells us that the people in the first churches were very giving and loving. If a brother or sister in Christ had a need church members would sell their belongings to help them. They would sacrifice their own comfort to help someone else. Isn't that amazing? Would you do that today to help someone in need? Would you sell land or personal belongings?
I dare say most today would not go "to that extreme" to help another. But according to the bible that is what we should be doing. Looking at the economy, we might have to do that in the near future to help each other survive.
I know so many who have lost their jobs, their homes and their personal belongings due to the economy. It is a trickle down effect. The company they work for has a major "downsizing" to keep the business afloat.
They lose their job, eventually unemployment runs out and they have not found work. They start selling things to try to keep the household running while they continue to look for work, but there is none to be found. Eventually, there is nothing left they can sell that will pay the bills. They have exhausted their savings account if they had one. There is nothing left but a huge pile of bills and bill collectors calling them day and night.
The car gets repossessed. The utilities get shut off. The phone is shut off. They seek assistance from local organizations but they find no help because those organizations are out of funds having to help so many people. Finally, the house is repossessed and there is nothing left. Think this can't happen? Think again, it is happening hundreds, possibly thousands of times a day across this nation!!
How far would you go to help a neighbor, a relative or a friend? Would you give up buying the latest tech gadget to buy someone food? Or would you think, like so many do, that its their problem, not yours? If you are a Christian I would hope you would be willing to buy the food and help the person in need. After all, the bible tells us, that is exactly what we are to do.
A church building should not be a country club who is more concerned about the appearance of the building than the ministry work God wants them to do. What good is new carpet or paint when there are people within your community suffering? What good is a potluck if you do not invite the hungry to eat? Gospel sings can be wonderful, they can feed the spirit of so many, but have you invited the lost to your sings so their spirit can be fed as well?
Jesus tells us in Matthew 25: 34 -46 that we are to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick and imprisoned, (see scripture below), does your congregation do this? If not, you are not serving the Lord!
34Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
41Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
42For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
43I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
44Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
45Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
46And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
When I read this scripture I see that Jesus is saying, "look, you have to accept me as Lord but you must also do these things or on the final judgement day I will not recognize you as my brethren, you will not be joint heirs with me." The last two lines of this scripture are very important. They are showing us, taking care of brothers and sisters in Christ is the most important thing. So therefore the church has a purpose. It is a purpose far beyond looking pretty.
Don't get me wrong there is nothing wrong with wanting your church to look nice but if you are neglecting Jesus' commands for the sake of having a nice looking church then you are wrong in that regard and need to get your priorities straight. God's work must always come first!! If we put God first in both our church lives and our personal lives everything else will fall into place. Are you putting God first in your life today? Is your church family putting God first?
Until next time,,,,,,,Blessings!!
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Gonna keep this one short,,,,,,
Greetings!
I made plans to move a car load of stuff early today as it was to get hot again this afternoon. Well, the stuff is packed and ready to go. But the heat is already here! If it were dry 81F would not sound that bad but the humidity is up and the heat index is already in the 90s. I still plan on moving this stuff over this morning. Just a couple of things yet to do on the computer then I will start loading the car. I want to get done before the heat really gets bad.
This load is all ceramic bisque from my craft room. There is still a lot in there that I have to weed through and pack, but that will be for another day. Tomorrow is suppose to be a little cooler so I hope to get another load over in the morning. I will take this load over and unpack it and put it on the shelves I already have set up for it. That way I can bring the boxes back and reuse them. Good sturdy boxes are hard to come by these days so I am finding I need to reuse some of these.
The craft room is the room I have been dreading the most. It is packed full and not much of it is light-weight. I am glad to be digging into it now and getting that done. It will make the rest of the move seem easy. Well, except for the Christmas decorations, that artificial tree is heavy and awkward to carry, LOL. Hopefully, I will have some help for that one.
I pray it is cool where ever you are today but if not, stay in the air conditioning as much as possible and drink lots of fluids!!
Until next time,,,,,,,,Blessings!
I made plans to move a car load of stuff early today as it was to get hot again this afternoon. Well, the stuff is packed and ready to go. But the heat is already here! If it were dry 81F would not sound that bad but the humidity is up and the heat index is already in the 90s. I still plan on moving this stuff over this morning. Just a couple of things yet to do on the computer then I will start loading the car. I want to get done before the heat really gets bad.
This load is all ceramic bisque from my craft room. There is still a lot in there that I have to weed through and pack, but that will be for another day. Tomorrow is suppose to be a little cooler so I hope to get another load over in the morning. I will take this load over and unpack it and put it on the shelves I already have set up for it. That way I can bring the boxes back and reuse them. Good sturdy boxes are hard to come by these days so I am finding I need to reuse some of these.
The craft room is the room I have been dreading the most. It is packed full and not much of it is light-weight. I am glad to be digging into it now and getting that done. It will make the rest of the move seem easy. Well, except for the Christmas decorations, that artificial tree is heavy and awkward to carry, LOL. Hopefully, I will have some help for that one.
I pray it is cool where ever you are today but if not, stay in the air conditioning as much as possible and drink lots of fluids!!
Until next time,,,,,,,,Blessings!
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
What happened????
Greetings,
I was just reading a post on AmishStories.com from an Old Order Mennonite couple in NY state near the finger lakes region regarding that horrible accident that took the lives of 6 Amish folks. David wrote the first part as he is a trained medic and firefighter and was called to the seen of the accident. Then Jean wrote the second part regarding what the community has been doing prior to, during and after the funerals.
I can not help but wonder what has happened to the sense of community in this country? I am referring of course to non Amish and non Mennonite as they both have that community spirit. I can remember when I was a small child, everyone knew who their neighbors were. Parents watched out for each other's children and kept an eye on the neighborhood. If someone was sick, hospitalized or even passed away, the neighbors were right there offering their help. They brought food, took care of the kids, helped with housework, whatever needed to be done, they pitched in and helped.
You did not have to be afraid that the guy across the street might be a sexual predator, or someone was going to grab your kid while they were playing outdoors. And at the same time you knew in times of trouble, your neighbors would be there to help.
Today, most people do not know who their neighbors are. They don't know their names. Many do not even wave hello if they see you on the street. Each is in their own little zone, worrying about their own problems, not caring what has happened across the street or even next door to them for that matter. Gone are the worn out paths between the back doors of neighbors who used to get together for a cup of coffee or a glass of ice tea.
The sense of community is no longer in many churches today in the secular world. We go to church on Sunday, perhaps even a bible study mid-week but when that duty is over, with few exceptions we might not speak to the other people in church the rest of the week. We only know of trouble in their lives if they make a special prayer request. But how often do we follow through with a phone call to see if there is anything they need, or anything we can do to help them?
How sad our world has become! It is my prayer this morning that we all strive to bring back that community spirit. Reach out to each other and be willing to lend a helping hand whenever possible and whenever it is needed.
Until next time,,,,,,Blessings!!
I was just reading a post on AmishStories.com from an Old Order Mennonite couple in NY state near the finger lakes region regarding that horrible accident that took the lives of 6 Amish folks. David wrote the first part as he is a trained medic and firefighter and was called to the seen of the accident. Then Jean wrote the second part regarding what the community has been doing prior to, during and after the funerals.
I can not help but wonder what has happened to the sense of community in this country? I am referring of course to non Amish and non Mennonite as they both have that community spirit. I can remember when I was a small child, everyone knew who their neighbors were. Parents watched out for each other's children and kept an eye on the neighborhood. If someone was sick, hospitalized or even passed away, the neighbors were right there offering their help. They brought food, took care of the kids, helped with housework, whatever needed to be done, they pitched in and helped.
You did not have to be afraid that the guy across the street might be a sexual predator, or someone was going to grab your kid while they were playing outdoors. And at the same time you knew in times of trouble, your neighbors would be there to help.
Today, most people do not know who their neighbors are. They don't know their names. Many do not even wave hello if they see you on the street. Each is in their own little zone, worrying about their own problems, not caring what has happened across the street or even next door to them for that matter. Gone are the worn out paths between the back doors of neighbors who used to get together for a cup of coffee or a glass of ice tea.
The sense of community is no longer in many churches today in the secular world. We go to church on Sunday, perhaps even a bible study mid-week but when that duty is over, with few exceptions we might not speak to the other people in church the rest of the week. We only know of trouble in their lives if they make a special prayer request. But how often do we follow through with a phone call to see if there is anything they need, or anything we can do to help them?
How sad our world has become! It is my prayer this morning that we all strive to bring back that community spirit. Reach out to each other and be willing to lend a helping hand whenever possible and whenever it is needed.
Until next time,,,,,,Blessings!!
Monday, August 1, 2011
Deal or no deal,,,,,,
Greetings,
I read the headline this morning that said a deal has been reached in Washington, DC. I have not taken the time yet to read the article to see what exactly is in the deal and how it will affect the nation so I can not really comment on it yet. I do suppose for the most part the American people will accept it and live with it as the alternative would be much worse. People can not live without their retirement, SSD or VA pensions.
I still wonder about the prices at the grocery store though. It seems they took a major jump up in the last few weeks. I am having to find new creative ways to feed us and try to keep the meals as healthy as possible. In most households I have observed the food budget is usually the first thing to get cut. Especially when one has to make a choice between food and medicine. In my particular case both will have to be cut drastically in order to survive. I will no longer be able to afford medicine. All will be cut except the blood pressure meds. The other medicines help me to deal with the fibromyalgia pain and frankly they are not doing a very good job any way.
I will be using my car a lot less too and might even opt to sell it once the move is completed. The high cost of gas, coupled with food and medicines is just more than I can handle. Its easy to get around town here without a car. Its not that big of a town. I'll hang on to it as long as I can but if it becomes too much of a financial burden then off to the auto auction it goes.
For most people it is not easy to make those types of decisions but for me it is. I have been through it before. I have been homeless before. I have learned that these are all just things and not worth fretting over. I have learned to trust completely in God and He will get me through any rough situation and this one will be no different.
How will the new budget affect you? What about the ever rising prices at the grocery store and gas pump? Will you be able to make drastic cuts in your life to get by? And most importantly will you trust in the Lord to see you through it?
Until next time,,,,,,Blessings!
I read the headline this morning that said a deal has been reached in Washington, DC. I have not taken the time yet to read the article to see what exactly is in the deal and how it will affect the nation so I can not really comment on it yet. I do suppose for the most part the American people will accept it and live with it as the alternative would be much worse. People can not live without their retirement, SSD or VA pensions.
I still wonder about the prices at the grocery store though. It seems they took a major jump up in the last few weeks. I am having to find new creative ways to feed us and try to keep the meals as healthy as possible. In most households I have observed the food budget is usually the first thing to get cut. Especially when one has to make a choice between food and medicine. In my particular case both will have to be cut drastically in order to survive. I will no longer be able to afford medicine. All will be cut except the blood pressure meds. The other medicines help me to deal with the fibromyalgia pain and frankly they are not doing a very good job any way.
I will be using my car a lot less too and might even opt to sell it once the move is completed. The high cost of gas, coupled with food and medicines is just more than I can handle. Its easy to get around town here without a car. Its not that big of a town. I'll hang on to it as long as I can but if it becomes too much of a financial burden then off to the auto auction it goes.
For most people it is not easy to make those types of decisions but for me it is. I have been through it before. I have been homeless before. I have learned that these are all just things and not worth fretting over. I have learned to trust completely in God and He will get me through any rough situation and this one will be no different.
How will the new budget affect you? What about the ever rising prices at the grocery store and gas pump? Will you be able to make drastic cuts in your life to get by? And most importantly will you trust in the Lord to see you through it?
Until next time,,,,,,Blessings!
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