He was born . . .

in a manger, lived a sinless life and was crucified for nothing except to fulfill prophecy.

That prophecy was to save mankind and reconcile us to our Creator.

Thank you, JESUS!!!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Bittersweet update

My friend's grandson has not been notified of his mother's passing. You see, no one knows how to reach him. Family has tried everything they know to find him.

This young man has been on my heart all day. His name is Mark Bishop. He is in New Orleans, LA as far as anyone knows.

Please bombard the Throne of Grace on his behalf.

Are you hot or cold?

Fire . . .

Re:3:18: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
Re:3:19: As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

or ice?

Psalms:147:17: He casteth forth his ice like morsels: who can stand before his cold?
Psalms:147:18: He sendeth out his word, and melteth them: he causeth his wind to blow, and the waters flow.

Lukewarm?

Re:3:15: I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
Re:3:16: So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

HE can work with hot or cold. But HE chooses not to with the lukewarm.

It has been a bittersweet day . . .

Our baby turned 9 years old at 8:01PM today and one of my very good friends lost her daughter today.

At the end of our service, we received a call that Lynn Bishop was being rushed to MCRH with suspected cardiac arrest. Before we made it home, we received the call that she had gone home to be with the Lord.

My hubby and I went to see her mom. She is still in shock. Please pray that when reality sinks in it will be peaceful.

We have been restored!

Thanks to BobsPCPro for addressing our issues! If you have computer issues, I highly recommend their services. Besides, I have met them in person and trust them with my electronic life.

Thanks Bob and Heather!

Taking a forced sabbatical

I have not fallen in nor been flushed down. Our computer is infected with a virus.

Will be having that addressed in the near future.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving!

Expanding on Lady Lydia

Lady Lydia posted a wonderful article on contentment. I thoroughly enjoyed it and agree.

There is so much that we allow into our lives that steals what God wants for us.

While I was sleeping the other night the Lord woke me and dropped one word into my thoughts.

Complacency.

I thought about it. I had in my head what I thought was the definition of the word; being satisfied and kind of letting things go on around you. I looked it up.

Complacency is being self-satisfied while being unaware of the actual dangers or deficiencies around you.

That is scary.

Complacency and contentment both deal with satisfaction. They could feel and act very similarly.

Ph'p:4:11: Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

The difference is the danger aspect. We are warned to be watchful and prepared. Here are just a few examples:

M'r:14:38: Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.

Re:3:2: Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
Re:3:3: Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.

If we become complacent in our contentment, we WILL fall into temptation and we WILL miss the coming of the LORD.

We must understand the subtle differences between what the DEVIL is offering and what the LORD requires.

This is really exciting!!!!!!!

Sense & Sensibility has EPATTERNS!!!! No waiting! Sew and go!

Please use the above link or the link above my flowerfall picture to reach them directly.

I have used their regular patterns before. Very well done on heavy paper with explicit and easy to follow instructions for garment construction. Will be trying the electronic versions soon!!!

I can't wait until I get a new digital camera!!! Maybe for Christmas. Then I can share pictures with you!

Happy SEWING!

Body and Soul

This from Paul Burrell at Shepherd's Hill. He challenged me with this message. Apologetics needs to be on my list of priorities.

*************************************************************************************************************************************

The Spiritual and the Physical

Greetings to all and welcome again to the Homechurch message of the week. We are looking at the Bible this week and various aspects of it. I trust that you are ready so let’s go!

As people of God we recognize this Book as being inspired and supernatural. But, have you ever wondered why many people laugh and scoff when you try to share it with them? They seem to have opinions already formed regarding the Holy Bible’s validity. And yet, we who have studied it have found that the more we study, the greater validity it has. It is a remarkable book that has endured for generations. It was written by forty different men living during a 1500 year time span. Most of these never knew one another. And yet, it is in total agreement and is inerrant (no errors in it). We who have met Jesus as Lord and Savior know that He is real and His Word is real. So why do you suppose this great book is overlooked by most?

I was thinking about how we display the Word of God to people. When we are asked what is in the Bible do we give them the whole picture? Let me explain further so you will see what I am talking about today. If we try and tell someone what is in God’s Word we probably share stories about the fall of man, Jesus’ redemption, the moral teachings (such as the Ten Commandments), etc. After thinking about this and why people don’t accept it I concluded that they don’t think it’s valid because of supposed “facts” taught today in our education system today.

Have you ever had someone question where Cain got his wife? Or has someone ever asked you about how Jonah could live for three days in the belly of a whale? There is so much physical evidence in God’s Word that we never focus on. We always talk about the spiritual moral lessons. Did you know that many modern day preachers teach that Jonah did not really live in a whale for three days and that the world wasn’t really created in six days simply because they don’t think there is enough scientific evidence? I have even heard stories made up to try and help defend what God said. These stories were only proven to be lies and it made the Bible look false.

Let’s look at creation itself, just to begin with. Many years ago I sat under the teaching of a man who spent weeks showing that there was a pre-Adamic race of men who lived between verses one and two of Genesis chapter one. I have since learned that this is called the Gap Theory and it is a way to try and make the Bible fit what unbelieving scientists teach about the world being billions of years old. Have you ever noticed that in the first grade of our schools children know about dinosaurs? They always can tell you that they lived “billions of years ago” I don’t have a problem with dinosaurs (Barney the dinosaur is fun) but I don’t believe they lived billions of years ago. This is simply a way that our society is brainwashing our children at a young age. In Montana the scientists have a bone from a T Rex that has red blood cells in it. If this fossil was that old how did the cells survive?

All over the world there are cave drawings and mosaics depicting animals that look just like the dinosaurs we know of. These are not dated to be pre-historic. By the way, where did that word come from? There is nothing pre-historic as God made it all and described it in His Word.

You see, the only reason that scientists have to say that the world is billions of years old is that they cannot make evolution work out in a six-thousand year time-span. The formula only works if you add billions of years of time so that by some chance slime turned into man (Evolution = From goo- to you through the zoo). If we as Christians are trying to mix the two philosophies we will end up with a lie. Back to the gap theory, many well-meaning people try to fit the long expanses of time in to fit what worldly scientists say. In Genesis chapters one and two God explains how He created the world. Moses is credited with writing the first five books of the Bible (known as the Pentateuch). He had direct contact with God for many years in leading the Hebrew people. God gave Moses everything we read.

Why do we try and re-interpret the Bible for the sake of the world? I think it’s because we don’t understand real facts of science. Just like the facts about red blood cells in dinosaur bones I mentioned, there are many other proofs in science that verify the Bible’s facts. In fact, the Bible had many facts before people discovered them. Man once thought that if a person was ill they had bad blood. They would then bleed them to help them recover. Of course we know this to be foolishness but the leading physicians in George Washington’s time thought this and they bled him to death. The Bible clearly says that life is in the blood (Deut 12:23).

Once doctors realized that the life was in the blood and learned how to give blood transfusions to people they still would not give blood from one race to another. The Bible’s genealogy shows that we all came from Noah and his three sons and ultimately back to Adam. Evolutionists teach that some races are lower on the evolutionary scale than others. If you don’t believe this look at the complete title of Charles Darwin’s book. It has been shortened to what you know today to avoid controversy. But the original title is “On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life”. Notice that phrase “favored races”. His book was to show that some races were higher than others. Many prominent men fell for this nonsense. One most notably was Adolph Hitler. He thoroughly believed that it was true and that the Jewish people were less than human. He had no problem in trying to annihilate them.

So again, God’s word is good and true and man’s theory is false and destructive. Look at archeology. There are many places in the Bible mentioned that tell exactly where a river or a city was located. Archeologists have never found one site that wasn’t exactly where God told us it existed. Sometimes archeologists try to prove something is false because they have not seen it or touched it. In my lifetime several men declared that David was not a real person and said he was a myth. They described him as being like King Arthur or Robinhood. They wanted physical evidence before they would believe. And God sent it. In 1994 a stone tablet was uncovered that mentioned the City of David. Then in 2005 King David’s palace was uncovered. Jesus said that if praise was withheld from Him then the stones would cry out! (Luke 19:40)

What about the animal kingdom? God has listed that every animal was created after his kind (Gen 7:14) and saved in Noah’s ark. We do not see any fossil record of a single animal in transition from one type to another. How about stars? The early astronomer Galileo believed that the earth revolved around the sun because the Bible told him so (Job 9:6) The Catholic church held Galileo as wrong and labeled him a heretic. Modern scientists now know what the Bible said thousands of years ago.

How do we know scientifically that the world is not billions of years old? There are many scientific facts that prove it. In my lifetime man has been to the moon and back. I remember as a young man keeping up with the space program and was extremely engaged in it. I read every magazine and book I could find on it. I knew the names of every astronaut and mission and what there goal was. One fact I remember back then was that there was a great controversy as to the depth of the dust on the moon. Some of the scientists who thought the universe was billions of years old calculated that the dust on the moon would be so deep that the lunar Lander would have sunk when it landed. They, of course, only had a couple of inches of dust when they arrived.

Another fact is that since the world’s revolution speed is slowing down each year we can back up the calculations and see something. If we back up a mere six thousand years we have no problem. But if we back it up millions of years it would be spinning too fast for anything to survive (a time when supposed pre-historic man existed).

One of the main topics scientists use to try and disprove the Bible is the fossil record. Because some tree or animal is fossilized they feel that it took millions of years for it to happen. This does not explain the red blood cells mentioned above or some other interesting facts. Have you ever seen an animal die on the highway? When you go by that spot next week, what happened to the carcass? If the scavengers haven’t gotten to it, the carcass will probably be decomposed somewhat. In four weeks it will be completely gone. How do you suppose that all of the animals and trees were fossilized? Fish have been found fossilized while eating another fish. Scientists believe that each rock layer is an age of the earth. And yet, there have been found trees standing straight up through several of the layers, petrified. I have a theory on this, too.

My theory is that God sent a massive flood on the earth. In an extremely short time, mud flowed across plants and animals and buried them. These were fossilized and we find them today. It would explain why sea creature fossils are found inland of many continents. Don’t let someone tell you that it takes millions of years for fossils to form. Search the web after reading this message and see if you can find the picture of a fossilized clock and hat.

Every time you fill your gas tank you should be reminded of the flood, Noah, God’s judgment and God’s mercy. You see, that layer of petroleum came from every living thing that died during the great catastrophe we read about in the Holy Bible.

In my lifetime (about fifty years) we have gone from teaching evolution as theory and the Bible as fact to the opposite. And yet, the Grand Old Book still survives. It has yet to be proven wrong of its facts. Every unknown thing in the Bible is being known. The rocks are crying out! God is true and man is a liar.

In closing, I want to go back to my original point. We always seem to share the spiritual facts with those that we witness to. Why not share the physical facts as well? They are also true. These are the ones that people don’t know and claim makes the Bible in error. Knowing the truth will set them free! You need to find out about Biblical science. Spend some time this week studying the sites I have linked below. They show much more than I ever could. May the Lord Bless you today!

I've been tagged.

Thanks Shelly!

Seven random or weird things about me.

1. I can take raw wool, clean it, spin it, knit or crochet it and wear it.

2. I hate to vacuum. (Thus no carpeting in the main floor of our home!)

3. I like to shovel snow.

4. I don't wear pants.

5. I wish I could sign better than I do.

6. I'm with Annie. I can't listen to people chew either. Can't stand it!

7. I wish I didn't have to work outside my home.

Maybe not so random or weird, but it's what I've got.

DANA'S GOING HOME!

After several days of testing and great progress, Dana is going home.

Complete recovery is possible but not there yet. She is still in need of intense prayer.

Thanks to those of you who have and still are praying.

GOD IS SOOOO GOOOOOD!

Exhausted

Have you ever felt like you are just treading water or waiting for the other shoe to drop?

It just eats at you and makes you tired, mentally. I believe that mental exhaustion is worse than physical exhaustion. Sleep doesn't fix it. Food doesn't fix it. Chocolate doesn't even fix it.

Only God can fix it, if you let HIM.

I know that in my head.

I know that in my heart.

But the combination of the two has yet to get it.

Please pray.

Dana Trachsel collapsed at church last Sunday.

She shouldn't be here.

But by the grace of God she is in the 2% of people that survive the kind of attack she had.

Please pray for her and her family; Steve and 2 very young children.

She is recovering at Beaumont but not out of the woods by any means.

What do you think?

Click here to see something that I find amazing.

I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. This is a classic example of free speech. It was also on the Opinion page. This is my absolutely most unfavorite time during the campaign process. The mudslinging, prodding, provoking and all the crap that really doesn't pertain to the candidates' ability to do the job.

I am thankful for our ability to speak our minds but think that more people need to practice these guidelines:

1. Is what I am saying absolutely true?
2. Is it absolutely necessary to say it?
3. Is it fair to all concerned?
4. Is my motive pure?

What do you think? I'm interested whether you agree with me or not.

Someone else's observation . . .

but it works for me.

"I can handle anything that life throws at me - I may not be able to handle it well, or correctly, or gracefully, or with finesse, or expediently-but I will handle it."

I know that I feel that way when I don't let God handle it.

Evil Bunnies Part Tres

And so, they took over the world. Knocked the President out of the White House and painted it pink. That made it the pink house. They really don't know why they colored it pink. But they tried and tried and tried to get the good bunnies to go evil.

You have now been tagged. What is your silly story?

Courtship

A dear friend has asked about the above subject. It has intrigued me for a while. Her situation is very different than mine however; her family is all boys and mine is all girls.

In looking at the online world for information, there are courtship stories out there for marrying age singles but I have found precious little regarding teens. (which my friend and I both have)

I have asked several sources for information but nothing has come through as yet.

I have looked at books in the library with little success.

I have prayed about this subject as well. I know that the dating scene as I knew it was not godly. In fact, God was never mentioned at all.

If we are raising Christian children to live godly lives, we should consult the authority; God. What does His Word say about this subject? Song of Solomon is about the pursuit of and response to lovers. It is not without respect for each other. If you look at the epistles to the churches, there are instructions for the husbands and wives, parents and children, young and old. Nothing specifically regarding choosing a mate other than being not unequally yoked.

From what I can understand, God wants order. God wants us to love Him. God wants us to love each other like He loves us. We will account for our conduct someday. Not so hard, right?

Wrong. Not everyone understands God's order. Not everyone loves us like He does. Some people think "Oh, they will never know."

Our children need to understand God's Word and the fact that the "world" doesn't align with it.

Let's look at what God wants.

Order. The man is in charge. I know, not a popular stance but it's true. It puts him in charge of the pursuit. The woman is to respectfully respond to that pursuit.

Once the woman has agreed to be pursued, the man and the woman need to seek God regarding the other person. Friendship and mutual interests should ensue. If it does not, the pursuit should end.

If the friendship and mutual interests are strong enough, then more God seeking needs to happen regarding lifelong pursuit. God's pursuit of us is lifelong.

During this time, no matter how it ends, have you done anything to cause someone else to stumble? Have you grieved the heart of God?

How does this effect teens today?

It is a very different view of how dating is presented by the world. Talking whenever you want (ie, cell phone, email, text), unsupervised time alone and no accountability. Without being indelicate, you know where this might lead. You also see how advertising plays sexuality in the media. We don't need to go there either.

You can see that these scenarios are vastly different. How do we make sure our children are acting in accordance with the principles of the Bible? We pray and set up guidelines for them that line up with God's Word. We enforce some unpopular things.

I am still formulating my plan for my girls. It is something my husband and I will have to discuss at length.

I think that we will be having lots of group dates, parent chauffeuring, and talking (until we are both sick of it).

Another homeschooling mom has a book for her very young daughter about her first kiss and how precious it is. In the end it purity that wins her first kiss. I hope that this sinks in for my girls.

I know that it would have made my life a lot simpler.

Let me know what you think.

It's all about ATTITUDE.

I've been thinking lately about how hard life has gotten. I know, I know pity-party city. OK. Enough of that!

The Bible instructs us to give thanks in EVERYTHING. (1Thes 5:18) That means ALL things. Even when things are not going the way I think they should there is a reason to give thanks. I need to find the reason to give thanks even if it is just that I am still breathing.

Think about it. I am still breathing. If I weren't breathing, I wouldn't be alive. Most of us still want to be alive even if we are going through something terrible. So there is reason to be thankful.

As I heard preached recently, I need to focus on what is left in my possession NOT what I think I want or need. We won't even get into coveting!

Thank you Jesus for my health, my sanity;), my family, a roof over my head, a car to drive, food on my table, and friends like you.

Have I really . . .

posted 100 entries? Yes, it seems I have! I was doing some clean up maintenance and noticed that there were 100 entries since I started blogging.

Boy! A lot has changed since December 11, 2006. Some good, some bad but God is still in control.

Can't wait to see what the next 100 entries bring!

Thank you for clearing that up.

If anyone is confused about homeschooling, please visit my friend, Shelly's blog here.

Can you tell we homeschool?

Parenting for Purity

In light of my last post, immorality needs to be addressed on both sides.

What is appropriate? What would Jesus do? Courtship vs. dating.

Here are some folks who have addressed these issues.

Single?

This is from Family.org and their webzine Boundless. Makes you think doesn't it? Should we be reviewing Song of Solomon? ************************************************* Pursue Her

by Drew Dyck

Have you ever heard the fairytale about the princess in shining armor? You know the story. She crosses an ocean, slays a dragon and rescues the man she loves? Wait. You've never heard that one? OK, neither have I. Why? Because fairytales are always the other way around — the man fights for the woman. He takes the risks. He battles the beast. He pursues her. Now I realize that fairytales are stereotypical, admittedly even a little sexist. But they do contain a measure of truth. These whimsical tales we learn as children mirror a deep-seated longing in the soul of every man and woman. This article isn't about fairytales. I bring them up only to highlight what I see as a growing problem in the church: young Christian men unable (or unwilling) to actively pursue a potential spouse. Rather than saddling up the proverbial steed, many guys seem to be languishing in the tower, waiting for their princesses to stumble upon them. If that's you, then I have some no-nonsense advice — it's time to man-up and take the lead in the romance department. And don't hide behind the whole too-holy-for-love façade. When you meet "the one," pursuing her with all your heart is the most spiritual thing you can possibly do. Let me explain. Recently I was talking to a godly, attractive and single woman. She was exasperated. "What's wrong with Christian guys?" she asked me. "They never go after you!" She was getting plenty of attention from men outside the church, yet the guys at her congregation seemed reluctant to be much more than friends. A few weeks earlier I had received an e-mail from a young man looking for advice. His questions echoed the problem I'd heard lamented from the other side of the gender divide. My interlocutor was plagued with, what seemed to him, insoluble questions: Should he date a woman from church? If so, how could he be sure he was going for God and not girls? And what if things didn't work out? Would he be able to go back? Talk about over thinking it! Those are just two anecdotes, but they reflect a larger trend. In her new book Where Have All The Good Men Gone? A.J. Kiesling reports her findings from an in-depth survey of 120 single Christian women. What was their most common complaint about men? Kiesling reports: "Over and over I heard the words, 'I wish men would step up to the plate and take a risk in asking me out.'" Here is feedback that Kiesling she received directly from real-world single Christian women about Christian men. "God didn't create you to be passive. Pursuit seems to be obsolete, but we still want to be pursued." "It seems like men aren't willing to take the risk of asking a woman out, since they don't have to anymore. There are plenty of women who will chase them, yet, I won't. I want them to pursue me." "Quit saying, 'I'm waiting on God to bring me my future mate.' What a cop-out! You're scared, and you're afraid of being hurt or rejected and — gasp! — you might be tempted to have sex!" So why are Christian men not stepping up to the plate? What's behind this trend? I think there are at least a couple of factors. First, our increasingly politically correct culture tells guys that women have equal responsibility when it comes to initiating the relationship. These days women are encouraged to be more aggressive while men risk appearing domineering if they get the ball rolling. But here's the rub. While such political correctness is peddled in higher education and the media, it usually doesn't apply in the real world, where women still appreciate a man with the gumption and guts to make the first move. Kiesling writes, "The world may have moved on, become hip and high-tech and politically correct, but old-fashioned values persist in our very make-up." Part of that make-up is a desire to be pursued. There are ways that women can encourage men to initiate a relationship, but that's a topic that the highly skilled Boundless regulars have covered well. The second factor is even more pervasive and hazardous to single Christian guys. An exaggerated sense of spiritual propriety can also prevent relationships from forming. I've met a lot of guys who seem to equate romantic passivity with spiritual superiority. In these cases the thinking goes something like this: If I wait and pray patiently, God will drop a woman right into my lap. Such guys could use some advice from my 88-year-old grandfather. He might seem like an unlikely source of dating wisdom, but he gave me a talk during my single days that I think every Christian guy needs to hear. My grandfather is a retired pastor. Most of his time he spends deep in prayer with a huge King James Bible splayed open on his lap. When he broached the topic of women with me, I wasn't sure where he'd go. Would he urge caution? Exhort purity? Instead he pointed to a verse that I knew well, Proverbs 18:22: "He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord." I knew finding a wife was a good thing. Was he trying to rub it in that I was still single? No, he was pointing out that the verse implied that I had a responsibility in making it happen. His mouth turned up at one edge. "Find," he pointed out, "is a verb." Lesson learned. When I met my future wife, I knew it was my responsibility to initiate the relationship even though I was scared to death to make the first move. I still remember showing up at her doorstep with flowers in my trembling hands. I believe it's the man's responsibility to initiate the relationship. But that statement comes with some serious qualifiers. Though it is the guy's job to pursue, that does not negate God's role. God is still the best matchmaker. We should never rush into relationships by running roughshod over the leading of His Spirit. Only after prayer and careful consideration should we proceed. It's equally important that we be sensitive in reading women's signals. Women want us to be proactive, but when the romantic feelings are not mutual, being aggressive is not cool — it's creepy. If your advances receive chilly receptions, do not soldier on. Doing so will likely only fortify — not wear down — her defenses. Back off and behave like a brother. Once you've made your intentions clear, the ball is in her court. She'll let you know if her feelings change. But if you're one of the myriad men sitting on the fence too scared or too "spiritual" to pursue a woman, it may be time to man-up and make a move. I know taking risks can be daunting. But often the most rewarding journeys begin with uneasy and faltering steps. God created you to be a pursuer. So next time God brings a godly woman into your life, don't sit around twiddling your thumbs. The love of your life could be passing you by!

Copyright 2008 Drew Dyck. All rights reserved. International copyright secured. This article was published on Boundless.org on May 16, 2008.

Unpopular but Biblical

This is from Paul Burrell at Shepherd's Hill. A touchy subject but again a very important one. We are to love the sinner but NOT his sinful actions. We need wisdom to call sin as it is and not attack the person. It can be done in love.

Unconditional Love?

I appreciate the new readers who have written to us. When I write the message each week and see the counter go up, I know that it’s being read but don’t know if it makes any impact on lives. When I get an actual person stating that it affected them I feel encouraged. After all, no one would keep planting seeds if they didn’t see any plants coming up. They would change what they were doing after establishing that the effort was unfruitful and plant different seed or in another place. Each week we get emails from all over the world and I am amazed at how God’s Word is moving.

I have been carefully listening to a lot of news and trying to understand what is happening to our world. It seems that there is no good news at times and I know that it is just human nature to spread the bad and hide the good. Shocking news stories always get ratings so there is more of that told than the plain stories of neighbors helping neighbors.

This week in my quest to understand what our country is doing politically I was listening to National Public Radio. I have to say that looking at its title, one out of three is really bad as they are radio, but they are neither national nor public. They are an international news oriented radio station. They are not run in the best interest of the public but rather to change how the public thinks and to make them be more like the rest of the world. We are constantly compared to other nations in a negative light and our society is always looked at as being behind the times of what more liberal countries are doing. I don’t understand having a radio station that is publicly funded and yet pushing the agenda of liberals who are in the minority.

Anyway, I digress. A “human interest” story came on this morning as I traveled to a meeting I had in Birmingham. I listened as a man told about coming out of the closet and how his father had just brushed it off in saying that he was proud that his son was honest and didn’t hide things. This man’s mother did have a problem with this “lifestyle” (that makes it sound less like an abomination doesn’t it?) but on her deathbed she told him that she loved him un-conditionally. The man ended in tears and said that it was the greatest gift that she could have given him.

It seems to be a trend in churches to begin to preach something that isn’t complete truth and then the devil lays hold of our approach and catches us in a trap. Let me explain. It wasn’t long ago that sin was called sin from the pulpit. A new doctrine began to be preached that said that God had unconditional love for all and He just wanted to be regarded as your “religion” and then you would go to heaven. We have over eighty percent of the people in this country who claim to be Christian. That number doesn’t match the immorality and decadence of sinful agendas which are being elected in the name of financial help. In other words, people are voting for politicians who stand for un-godly morals but try and say that they have a better financial plan than their opponents. They are choosing immorality over morality because they think it will make them better off in the long run.

This story that I shared above gave way to some scripture that gets ignored and others which are misinterpreted. Let’s look at something today that the liberal denominations present as scriptural basis for their actions.

First, there is Luke 6:37. Jesus says that we shouldn’t judge or condemn so that we wouldn’t be likewise. I can see where one could misread this if it were the only scripture in the Bible that was read. Never, I repeat, never make a doctrine out of one verse without seeing if it agrees with all of scripture. If no one was to ever say anyone was in sin why did all the Apostles do it for the rest of the Bible? John the Baptist lost his head for standing up for righteousness and Jesus said that there was none greater born of women (Matt 11:11). Paul was thrown in prison for casting a demon out of a woman (Acts 16:16). In our times he would have had a hefty lawsuit for ruining the business of a fortune teller or even implying that the woman had a demon. So we cannot look to that verse as meaning we should never say anything was sin.

In John 7:24 Jesus said that we are not to judge according to appearance but rather to judge righteous judgment. If Luke 6:37 meant that we should never judge and then Jesus tells us to judge righteously it would mean that there is a contradiction here. Of course, we know that there is no contradiction in the Word of God as it is perfect. What happens is, we as imperfect people don’t understand it sometimes and make mistakes.

Look again at another passage. In 1^st John 4:16 we see that God is love. It is a line that could pass through most of the world as being wonderful and true. It leaves one feeling that God is love and only love. We might try and throw away the rest of the Bible and hold to this one verse. God is love! Shout it from the mountaintops because God is love!

Well, He is love but He is also Holy. He is also righteous. He is also never changing. He is the same God that judged the sin of Achan in Joshua chapter 7. He opened up the ground and swallowed up the rebellious in Numbers 16:31-32. And, yes, He destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah for the sin of homosexuality (Genesis chapter 19). If we read that God is love and only think about this facet of the diamond then we fail to see God for who He is.

The man who cried on the radio this morning told about unconditional love. It is a term that has been used with the kind of love that Christians are supposed to have. But is it? Are we supposed to have unconditional love for people and just accept them? There are many passages to pick from but I will show one for church discipline.

In Matthew 18 Jesus tells how sin should be handled. In verse fifteen He says that if one sins (trespasses) against you that you should go and speak to him privately. Then if he will not listen you are to take one or two others. If that doesn’t work you are to bring it before the church. If he will not hear the church then he is to be regarded as a non-believer (heathen).

This certainly does not go along with the way some interpret “judge not” does it? And unconditional love? By the world’s definition of it we should just overlook a trespass. Well, we are to love our enemy (Matt 5:44). Loving them also includes caring about whether they go to Hell or not. If we ignore sin and tell someone that God loves them even if they continue in it we love them right into Hell.

When I was young I had a tendency to think that I knew more than many. I dealt with electricity and lethal voltages and figured that I had never had a problem so I must be handling it safely. I found out that screwdrivers could disintegrate right in your hand! After that if someone told me that a circuit was hot and that I needed to either wear my gloves or kill the circuit I listened. If we’d just realize that the warning of sin is to keep you us from suffering we would gladly hear the message!

This unconditional love that is preached comes from several passages that people latch onto. Another is in Romans 5:8. While we were still in sin Christ died for us. He loved us even though we were in sin. Before there was anything good in us He died for us. In a sense, that is unconditional love. But read also John 14:21. Those who love Jesus keep His commands and are loved by God because of it. Look at Matthew 10:32-33. If we confess that Jesus is Lord then He will confess us before God. But if we deny Jesus before men then He denies us before the Father. We believe that Jesus confessing us before the Father means that He will stand and defend us no matter what accusation satan brings against us. If that is the definition of “confess” then we must stand up for Jesus and defend our belief before men no matter what accusation men bring before us. We wouldn’t dare to think that Jesus would half-heartedly defend. Neither should we stand for Jesus only on convenience nor when there is no real challenge to our faith. It also means that if we don’t stand for Jesus and what He is then He will not stand for us.

The unconditional love that was preached years ago now bring stories like the man I mentioned above who came out of the closet. Satan now brings it back on us since we brought it up first. It’s a path we should have never started down since we didn’t look to where it would lead us. If we fight an enemy and leave an opening he will fire a shot in it. This new “anything goes” doctrine of open doors and open minds is beginning to backfire on the church. While it may sound nice to say that a loving God would never send someone to hell we fail to see that He has made a way so that no one has to go. The Gospel is for everyone! God does have unconditional love for everyone. But He showed that love toward man when He sent His son to die in his place. We are misinterpreting unconditional love to mean that God doesn’t care if we sin because it won’t separate us from Him. If it doesn’t matter then why did Christ die a cruel death on a cross?

I often use marriage as an example of our covenant with God. If I said that my wife would love me no matter what I do I would be correct to some degree. But if I never came home or did an unthinkable crime then the love might be there but the relationship wouldn’t be. If I left her for another woman I doubt that she would feel the same way.

What am I trying to say? Do we suppose that we can live a sinful life and at the Day of Judgment we stand before Him and remind Him that He loves unconditionally? Do you think He will just wink at us and realize that He didn’t have to send His Son to die for us after all and invite us into Heaven? There is no way that will happen.

You see, God does love us unconditionally. He loved us first and showed us by giving up His son. The question is, do we love Jesus? The unconditional love that we need to focus on is ours. We must love God unconditionally or we will never see Heaven. Jesus is the way to Heaven. He is the only way. That is the condition that God requires. God didn’t create Hell for us but for the devil and his angels (Matt 25:41). It’s our choice if we go there. His love cannot override your will. It’s just like the warnings I received about the high voltage. I could choose to heed the warning and realize that the messenger cared about me or I could be arrogant and decide that they were trying to keep me from having fun and that there was another way to do the job. You are loved today! God said it with His action of sacrificing His Son, Jesus. He doesn’t want you to go to hell.

2^nd Peter 3:9 says “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” Receive Him Today!

Pioneeringly Peculiar

Yesterday was a day of firsts.

I made meringue for the first time. It was actually a Pavlova; sweetened egg white baked to crispy marshmallowy goodness.

I canned green beans from our garden.

I made homemade dill/garlic pickles.

I successfully pressure canned and didn't blow up my kitchen.

I hosted our ladies prayer (not a first) too.

They were all shocked that I had done all that in one day. I began to think about why they reacted the way the did.

One reason might be they are all older than I am by at least 15 years.

One reason might be that most people don't can anymore.

One reason might be that most people in the city don't garden anymore.

One reason might be that most women my age are working outside the home.

One reason might be that it was hot and humid here yesterday. And our air is out!

I began to look at myself. I am a very driven individual. I am only competitive with myself, however. I enjoy the old ways, the roads less traveled.

I am a peculiar person. Not for any of the above reasons though. But because God said that His chosen people would be that way.

I'm off to sew a dress for someone else.

Make that 19.

Randy and I have been married for 19 years today. The only reason I know that it is today for sure is that I talked with my brother-in-law yesterday and he had talked to his boys for their birthday.

Most people find the fact that I don't track the date we got married appalling. I don't hound my husband about it either. One year we got to mid-August and looked at each other and said, "We forgot our anniversary!" Life goes on.

Let me tell you why I don't get hung up on dates and "Hallmark" holidays. I know that my husband loves me. I don't need a Sweetest Day Card or him remembering particular dates just to make me happy. I don't count on him or his remembering to make me happy. The fact that he tells me and shows me he loves me almost every day is enough.

Would it be nice to get a card or flowers once in a while? Sure. Sometimes I do but it is because he loves me and thinks of me not because of an outside source.

To me that is love and it can continue til Jesus comes.

Have you ever felt . . .

like doors were not being opened? We have been struggling lately with broken bones, income loss and looking for new employment.

We must remember that the steps of a good man are ordered of the Lord. Sometimes those steps do not make sense in the natural. They are painful, humbling and frustrating. God has been saying wait.

Waiting is a process. Processes take time. Processes can be painful, humbling and frustrating. Especially when things seem to get worse.

One of our pastors spoke yesterday equating the waiting process with the molting process of a bald eagle. He tied it to the biblical references to eagles.

I never knew the extensive process that eagles go through. It is a 90 day period where they shed all feathers and their beaks until they are completely exposed and vulnerable. They eat very little and are in solitude on a sunny rock in a valley of their choice. Other eagles drop food and "speak" to them but cannot go through the process for them.

Is this sounding remotely like a fasting, wilderness experience like Job or Ezekiel?

People and eagles have to make the same choice in this instance.

Do I change or do I die?

I feel that way today.

Younkmans 2008

Our family reunion was on the tails of camp. We drove to my late grandparents home to stay with my mom and my aunt. We attended the reunion and memorial services for the 4 members of our family who passed since last year.

During the business meeting, we decided to go hi tech. One branch of our family has a website for chatting and keeping up with each other. They opened that site up for all the family to enjoy. Can't wait to see how it works. Another collective decision was not to have the reunion in 2009. We will probably have another reunion in several years but not in Bluffton, OH.

It felt funny to be meeting as a family without my grandparents but that's just how life is sometimes. It will be different with time.

Church Camp 2008

The kids had a blast during safari week at camp. They rode an elephant. (YES, a live 2.5 ton beast!) They were busy from morning to night and absolutely exhausted. They went to the zoo and had an educational zoomobile come to the camp with a box turtle, an owl, a snake, a toad and a kinkachu.

We also had some pretty rockin' services with the Hoppers and their puppet ministry. One service the kids came to the alter at the beginning and spent most of the service in prayer for the Holy Ghost.

The office was busy too. They have rearranged some of the job duties for the secretary but we were still pushing paper most of the week. Several kids had medical issues and had to be taken offsite for treatment. But all were ok and able to go home safely.

No I haven't fallen in!

We have been at church camp for a week and had a family reunion.

I will begin addressing the things we have seen and done soon.

Just wanted to let you know that I didn't drown!

We screamed, we jumped, we ate . . .

and ate and ate some more!

The ice cream social was a huge success! Check it out here and here.

These friends have digital cameras that are not on the fritz!

Got to reconnect with people I hadn't seen for a while and meet some new faces.

THANKS SHELLY and the planning crew from Macomb County Christian Homeschoolers!

God doesn't remember what we were . . .

His word declares that our transgressions are removed as far as the east is from the west. Psalms 103:12.

But what a powerful presentation of transformation when we remember what we were and tell others what HE has changed us into.

You've got to see this!

Camp season is upon us again.

Crusaders camp is next week. I will be secretary again this year.

It should prove to be very exciting. WE WILL BE HAVING AN ELEPHANT TO RIDE!!!

I think our assistant director is more excited than the kids! We will be going to the zoo and having a zoo come to us. Should be wild in more ways than one.

I'm sure that I will fall into bed as soon as this is over.

Converse isn't just for Basketball anymore.

WHAT?!

Yep! They make workboots too!

SAY WHAT?!

It's true. Check out the work boots here.

My husband has to wear safety shoes. I know that he doesn't really like to but safety requirements mandate it. I don't think he knows that Converse make workboots. I'm sending this link to him now.

If you Dad or husband needs comfortable workboots, let him know!

Sponsored by WorkBootsUSA

I scream, You scream . . .

We all scream for Ice Cream!

I can't wait! Our homeschooling group is having our annual Ice Cream Social this Saturday!

Our families will be building a 40 foot sundae in an aluminum gutter! I wonder if anyone has looked up what the largest ice cream dessert record is? Reminds me of the huge sundae the L&J Dairy in Jackson, MI served when I was a kid. Don't remember the name of the sundae or the prize you won for eating all of it. Anybody out there remember?

I love ice cream and have passed that trait on to my kids. They are pretty excited about this too!

Will let you know how it goes!

Want to Attract More Attention . . .

to your blog or your business site? Check out Zookoda.

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Well, it's official . . .

our oldest is 15 years old today!

She is having cheesecake and waiting for the pool to open tomorrow. She got lots of generous presents.

I can't believe how fast time goes. This whole thing just makes me tired!

Do you love your family?

My good friend tagged my for this very important awareness campaign.

June is BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH.

If you have girls and women in your family, tell them you love them by clicking on the pink button as a charitable donation to sponsor free mammograms for women who are underinsured or not insured at all.

• The first sign of breast cancer usually shows up on a woman's mammogram before it can be felt or any other symptoms are present.

• Risks for breast cancer include a family history, atypical hyperplasia, delaying pregnancy until after age 30 or never becoming pregnant, early menstruation (before age 12), late menopause (after age 55), current use or use in the last ten years of oral contraceptives, and daily consumption of alcohol.

• Early detection of breast cancer, through monthly breast self-exam and particularly yearly mammography after age 40, offers the best chance for survival.

• Ninety-six percent of women who find and treat breast cancer early will be cancer-free after five years.

• Over eighty percent of breast lumps are not cancerous, but benign such as fibrocystic breast disease.

• You are never too young to develop breast cancer! Breast Self-Exam should begin by the age of twenty.

Remember that breast cancer can strike men too! Tell you family that you love them and click TODAY!

Gotta Love Those Pants!

Dockers San Francisco is sponsoring a Dockers contest for people like you and me to create independent commercials. Some have submitted their video clips to the Dockers contest. Check it out! There are several really innovative clips with peoples thoughts and ideas. Take a look at the videos chosen for the finalists. Watch these and vote for your favorite. The Grand Prize Winner will be chose next week!



Unfortunately, the deadline for submitting clips has passed. Support those who did make the deadline and made it to the finalist stage by voting for your favorite.

Dockers are meant to be worn by all. They are the epitome of comfort and classic looks. Check out their styles for work, weekend, dress and golf. For men, they have bermudas and polos for the golf course, slacks and sweaters for the weekend and slacks and jackets for the office or theater. For the ladies they have lovely dresses for evening and stylish capris for chasing the kids or running to the store.

If you don't have access to Dockers in your area, check out their online store. I'm sure you will find something to suit your fancy (or unfancy!).

Don't forget to vote for your favorite! Gotta Love Those Pants!

The reunion will be very different this year.

We have had another loss in our family.

My mom's cousin Norman Younkman passed this afternoon.

We will be gathering again at the end of June but it will be significantly different. We are now without any of Erdie and Guy's children. Of those nine children, some of their children are also gone.

I'm not sure if I posted it here or wrote about it personally but I feel that God is raising another generation to take the reins. That generation is mine.

Arrangements are still being made. Please pray for Adele, Kirsten and family.

Details, details, details. . .

Pastor spoke from his heart today.

I know what a pastor is but I looked it up anyway. The Merriam Webster website defined the word as “a spiritual overseer; especially : a clergyman serving a local church or parish.” If you have a Pastor that cares for his local congregation, he should speak from his heart; especially if the Lord has given him a word to share. Remember that the overseer is responsible for what he “sees over”.

In the Bible this is demonstrated in the role of a shepherd. I looked up the word “shepherd”. The Merriam Webster website defined the word as “1 : a person who tends sheep 2 : pastor. Did you catch the second definition?

Look at the following verses.

John:10:14: I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
John:10:15: As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

This should be the relational role between the pastor and his congregation and the pastor and the Lord.

Back to what Pastor said.

Salvation is in the details. We are not to live in the general realm of Christianity. We are not to live within reach of the World.

The Bible calls us to be separate, distinct and peculiar. We are to be in this world but not of this world.

How do people know that you are different? Do they see Christ in you? Do they see a reflection of the world? It is in the details where Christ and the World are different.

As I was thinking about today’s sermon, the idiom “the devil is in the details” came to mind. I looked up what the general thought of the line is. Here is what goEnglish.com said.

"the devil is in the details"

When the hard part of what you are trying to do is in the many small details, you can say "the devil is in the details." Example: "I thought I would be able to write that article in two hours, but it ended up taking me five. The devil was in the details." The devil is known for always make life difficult for man in many small ways. Example: "I can sketch a basic outline of the plan for you and it may look very simple, but the devil is in the details."

My goodness, if the devil and salvation are in the details, how are we to be saved?

Ph'p:2:12: Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

How are we to work out our salvation?

Ph'p:2:14: Do all things without murmurings and disputings:
Ph'p:2:15: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
Ph'p:2:16: Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

Why with fear and trembling?

Ph'p:2:13: For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

You are working to please the Almighty God. This should not be done lightly, flippantly or without respect. Imagine you are physically in HIS presence. How would you act? That is how you should act here as well.

As I continued to process this information, I began to think about a practical application of this message; where the rubber really meets the road.

What is it about me that makes me different from other 40 something married women with children?

• I wear skirts and dresses.
  
• I don’t cut my hair.
• I teach my children at home.
• I don’t listen to mainstream music.
• I attend church on Sunday AND Wednesday.
• I meet with other ladies from my church every week to bombard the Throne of Grace for others requests.
• I make my own soap and laundry detergent.
• I make some of my own clothes.
• I knit socks for my husband.
• I sometimes make dinner from scratch.
• I garden.
• I don’t work outside my home.
  

I am not saying these things like I have arrived but to illustrate some things that I have consciously chosen to do. I do them out of love, some for me, some for my family and some for God. Some of these details may be the same as yours and some may not.

That is where, I think, Pastor was going.

We all can be categorized in a general sense. Each individual story is different. They are different in the details.

You can get lost in generalizations. But in the details, is where you see differences.

What details are required by the Lord? What details has your Pastor given you? Have you listened to the Lord and the man he appointed? What are the details people see in you?

This is amazing!

Check it out here!

Thanks Camille!

Memorial Day

We have much to be thankful for in the United States. We often take for granted the freedoms we have here. Check out Conni's blog here on Tuesday May, 13, 2008.

Take some time this weekend to thank the appropriate people and remember those who have gone on before.

Enjoy it and acknowledge that freedom costs something!

KeyIngredient.com

Are you looking for Simple Recipes? I just found this site of other foodies posting their tried and true recipes. Click on the link above to check it out.

This appears to be relatively new site. If you really enjoy food, it will be a really cool place to store your favorite recipes and meet other friends who enjoy the foods you do. Get in on the ground floor of this new way to meet others and share what you like.

You can even order a cookbook with recipes from the site. Pretty cool feature. You can also sort by key ingredient and print shopping lists.

The more of us who participate, the better this site will be. Join me!

Take care of what God gave you . . .

Most of us were born with perfect baby skin. Smooth, supple and soft.

Along the way I know I have polluted mine with makeup and all the fad treatments of the day. Not to mention the sun exposure and burns. We won't even go there.

I found a spark about Emerge Skin Care products and began to think. We are to care for our bodies as the temple we were entrusted with. Most people judge you by what they see. Are you putting your best face forward? Can people see you or something else?

Emerge has products for all skin types, yes, even for guys. Products and tips to maintain healthy and glowing skin. Check out their site here.

If you are in New York, check out Metamorphosis Salon and Emerge products.

Now it's your turn,

to write a chapter in the Evil Bunnies story. Please post your story on your blog and comment with the address so we can read it.

THANKS! ^-^

He daily loadeth us with benefits. . .

God adores His people. He talks to us all the time. When was the last time you heard from Him?

If you have read this blog for any length of time, you know that my family has had some pretty significant losses in the last 6 months. I learned over the weekend that another family member is in the hosptial in ICU.

He told me something yesterday. As He is taking away a generation, He is raising up another one. We may feel ill-equipped but if we follow our Godly example, Jesus, we will find favor with God and man.

I will try to do right by my earthly family.

How much does it weigh?

Check out these cheap digital pocket scales. Scalesetc.com stocks scales for almost any need. These pocket scales weigh in grams, ounces, troy ounces and pennyweight. Should you choose to be a gemologist or buy precious stones they even stock one that weighs in carats.

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This post is sponsored by Scalesetc.com via PayPerPost .com.

Memed anew . . .

Check out ElleBee at Musings of a Working Diva. She recently visited here and tagged to get to know me better so here goes.

Favorite person (outside family)? Sis. Tackett because she loves me.

Favorite food? Anything that fits in the budget is a good thing!

Quirks about you? I am very quiet until I get to know you a little better. Just ask Mom With Brownies.

How would the person who loves you most describe you in ten words or less? Doing just what He knew I would but trying to do what He requires.

Any regrets in life? Not serving the Lord a lot sooner.

Favorite Charity/Cause? Mother's Memorial for the UPCI. They support home and foreign missions, Tupelo Children's Mansion, New Beginnings, Lighthouse Ranch for Boys, Haven of Hope and several others. Check it out here.

Favorite Blog recently? I have the same problem ElleBee did. Reading so many good ones lately. Pick anything on my blogroll.

Something you can’t get enough of? God's love.

Worst job you’ve ever had? The one day I worked for a Taco restaurant in college and the owner hit on me. I quit.

What job would you pay NOT to have? Anything political.

If you could be a fly on the wall, where would you be? Heaven.

Favorite Bible verse right now? Psalms:68:19: Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah. He cares enough about me to think of me DAILY!

Guilty Pleasure? CHOCOLATE

Got any confessions? Try to do that daily, just between me and Jesus.

If you HAD to spend $1,000 on YOURSELF, how would you spend it? Fabric!

Favorite thing about your house? It is a brick exterior and doesn't need to be painted.

Least favorite thing about your house? Messy stuff. Dirty can be cleaned but messes seem neverending.

One thing you are bad at? Motivation

One thing you’re good at? Organization

If you could change something about your circumstances, what? A job that would make my husband happy.

Who would you like to meet someday? My Grandma Elvera. She died before I was born.

Who is your real life hero? My Grandpa Chuck. He made a decent living farming and endured a terrible second marriage. He was always even keeled.

What is the hardest part of your job? Followthrough

When are you most relaxed? Just before going to sleep.

What stresses you out? Control or lack thereof.

What can you not live without? God.

Do you agree or disagree with the recent article that reported that blogs are authored by narcissists? Didn't read it. Won't comment til I do.

Why do you blog? Intrigued by it.

Who are you tagging?
New/Newer bloggers - don't know any.
Bloggy friends - Heather W.
Bloggers you’d like to get to know better - Kristie.
Bloggers who you don't think will respond, but you hope will - Heather P.

Okay - rules:
1. Answer ALL the questions
2. Link back to whoever tagged you
3. Tag eight bloggers to do the same, 2 from each category.
New/ newer bloggers (since we want to share the love and send them traffic)
Bloggy friendsBloggers you’d like to get to know better
Bloggers you don’t think will respond, but you hope will