Footsteps Of Love

Easter Sunday

2007-04-07T21:43:00.000-05:00

This is the day the doves returned,
The greatest day on earth,
The day the stone was overturned,
The sign of man's rebirth.

This is the day He left the tomb,
The day the angels hailed,
This is the day the lilies bloomed,
The day to lift the veil.

This is the day that Mary's tears,
Upon her cheek were dried,
The day the angels quelled her fears,
By singing He's alive!

This is the day that Christ was seen,
Walking on the road,
In the flesh - no, not a dream,
In a white and holy robe.

This is the day He spoke aloud,
Hear, see, touch - He's real,
The day He rose up in the clouds,
God's truths for man revealed.

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Two Wolves

2007-03-31T17:28:00.000-05:00

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people.
He said, "My son, the battle is between two "wolves" inside us all.
One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.
The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith."
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather:
"Which wolf wins?" The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

Directions To Our Father's House

2007-03-31T14:42:00.000-05:00

Make a Right onto Believeth Blvd. Keep straight and go through the Green Light, which is Jesus Christ. There, you must turn onto the Bridge of Faith , which is over troubled water. When you get off the bridge, make a Right turn and Keep Straight. You are on the King's Highway - Heaven-bound.

Keep going for three miles: One for the Father, One for the Son, and One for the Holy Ghost. Then exit off onto Grace Blvd. From there, make a Right turn on Gospel Lane . Keep Straight and then make another Right on Prayer Road .

As you go on your way, Yield Not to the traffic on Temptation Ave. Also, avoid SIN STREET because it is a DEAD END. Pass up Envy Drive , and Hate Avenue . Also, pass Hypocrisy Street , Gossiping Lane , and Backbiting Blvd. However, you have to go down Long-suffering Lane , Persecution Blvd. And Trials and Tribulations Ave. But that's all right, because VICTORY Street is straight ahead!

Grandma's Hands

2007-03-28T19:24:00.000-05:00

Grandma, some ninety plus years, sat feebly on the
patio bench. She didn't move, just sat with her head
down staring at her hands. When I sat down beside her
she didn't acknowledge my presence and the longer I
sat I wondered if she was OK.

Finally, not really wanting to disturb her but
wanting to check on her at the same time, I asked her
if she was OK. She raised her head and looked at me
and smiled."Yes, I'm fine, thank you for asking", she
said in a clear strong voice.

"I didn't mean to disturb you, grandma, but you were
just sitting here staring at your hands and I wanted
to make sure you were OK," I explained to her.

"Have you ever looked at your hands?" she asked. "I
mean really looked at your hands?"

I slowly opened my hands and stared down at them. I
turned them over, palms up and then palms down. No, I
guess I had never really looked at my hands as I tried
to figure out the point she was making.

Grandma smiled and related this story:
"Stop and think for a moment about the hands you
have, how they have served you well throughout your
years. These hands, though wrinkled, shriveled and
weak have been the tools I have used all my life to
reach out and grab and embrace life.

They braced and caught my fall when as a toddler I
crashed upon the floor. They put food in my mouth and
clothes on my back. As a child my mother taught me to
fold them in prayer. They tied my shoes and pulled on
my boots.

They dried the tears of my children and caressed the
love of my life. They wiped my tears when my husband
went off to war. They have been dirty, scraped and
raw, swollen and bent. They were uneasy and clumsy
when I tried to hold our newborn daughter. Decorated
with my wedding band they showed the world that I was
married and loved someone special. They wrote the
letters home and trembled and shook when I buried my
parents and spouse.

They have held children, consoled neighbors, and
shook in fists of anger when I didn't understand. They
have covered my face, combed my hair, and washed and
cleansed the rest of my body. They have been sticky
and wet, bent and broken, dried and raw. And to this
day when not much of anything else of me works real
well these hands hold me up, lay me down, and again
continue to fold in prayer. These hands are the mark
of where I've been and the ruggedness of my life.

But more importantly it will be these hands that God
will reach out and take when he leads me home. And
with my hands He will lift me to His side and there I
will use these hands to touch the face of Christ."

I will never look at my hands the same again. But I
remember God reached out and took my grandma's hands
and led her home. When my hands are hurt or sore or
when I stroke the face of my children and husband I
think of grandma. I know she has been stroked and
caressed and held by the hands of God. I, too, want to
touch the face of God and feel his hands upon my face.

Moses and Jesus

2007-03-28T17:34:00.000-05:00

A burglar broke into a house one night.
He shined his flashlight around, looking for valuables; and when he
picked up a CD player to place in his sack, a strange, disembodied voice
echoed from the dark saying, "Jesus is watching you."
He nearly jumped out of his skin, clicked his flashlight off, and
froze.
When he heard nothing more after a bit , he shook his head, promised
himself a vacation after the next big score, then clicked the light on
and began searching for more valuables. Just as he pulled the stereo out
so he could disconnect the wires, clear as a bell he heard, "Jesus is
watching you."
Freaked out, he shined his light around frantically, looking for the
source of the voice.
Finally, in the corner of the room, his flashlight beam came to rest
on a parrot.
"Did you say that?" he hissed at the parrot.
"Yep," the parrot confessed, then squawked, "I'm just trying to warn
you."
The burglar relaxed. "Warn me, huh? Who in the world are you?"
"Moses," replied the bird.
"Moses?" the burglar laughed . "What kind of people would name their
bird Moses?"
"The kind of people that would name their Rottweiler Jesus."

Christians

2007-03-25T18:25:00.000-05:00

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not shouting "I'm clean livin'."
I'm whispering "I was lost,
Now I'm found and forgiven."

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble
and need Christ to be my guide.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak
And need His strength to carry on.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed
And need God to clean my mess.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are far too visible
But, God believes I am worth it.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I still feel the sting of pain.
I have my share of heartaches
So I call upon His name.

When I say... "I am a Christian"
I'm not holier than thou,
I'm just a simple sinner
Who received God's good grace, somehow!

We Is Friends!

2007-03-17T20:41:00.000-05:00

Me and you is friends;

You smile....I smile!

You hurt....I hurt!

You cry....I cry!

You jump off bridge....I gonna miss your e-mails!

2007-03-17T09:27:00.000-05:00

Many of you have done bible studies written by Beth Moore. She's also a fiesty Texan, wife and mother of two daughters.

This is one of her experiences. (You may have already heard this one.)

HAIRBRUSH EXPERIENCE OF BETH MOORE AT THE AIRPORT

April 20, 2005, at the Airport in Knoxville , waiting to board the plane, I had the Bible on my lap and was very intent upon what I was doing. I'd had a marvelous morning with the Lord. I say this because I want to tell you it is a scary thing to have the Spirit of God really working in you. You could end up doing some things you never would have done otherwise. Life in the Spirit can be dangerous for a thousand reasons not the least of which is your ego.

I tried to keep from staring, but he was such a strange sight. Humped over in a wheelchair, he was skin and bones, dressed in clothes that obviously fit when he was at least twenty pounds heavier. His knees protruded from his trousers, and his shoulders looked like the coat hanger was still in his shirt. His hands looked like tangled masses of veins and bones.

The strangest part of him was his hair and nails. Stringy, gray hair hung well over his shoulders and down part of his back. His fingernails were long, clean but strangely out of place on an old man.

I looked down at my Bible as fast as I could, discomfort burning my face. As I tried to imagine what his story might have been, I found myself wondering if I'd just had a Howard Hughes sighting. Then, I remembered that he was dead. So this man in the airport...an impersonator maybe? Was a camera on us somewhere? There I sat; trying to concentrate on the Word to keep from being concerned about a thin slice of humanity served on a wheelchair only a few seats from me. All the while, my heart was growing more and more overwhelmed with a feeling for him.

Let's admit it. Curiosity is a heap more comfortable than true concern, and suddenly I was awash with aching emotion for this bizarre-looking old man.

I had walked with God long enough to see the handwriting on the wall. I've learned that when I begin to feel what God feels, something so contrary to my natural feelings, something dramatic is bound to happen. And it may be embarrassing.

I immediately began to resist because I could feel God working on my spirit and I started arguing with God in my mind. "Oh, no, God, please, no." I looked up at the ceiling as if I could stare straight through it into heaven and said, "Don't make me witness to this man. Not right here and now. Please. I'll do anything. Put me on the same plane, but don't make me get up here and witness to this man in front of this gawking audience. Please, Lord!"

There I sat in the blue vinyl chair begging His Highness, "Please don't make me witness to this man. Not now. I'll do it on the plane." Then I heard it... "I don't want you to witness to him. I want you to brush his hair."

The words were so clear, my heart leapt into my throat, and my thoughts spun like a top. Do I witness to the man or brush his hair? No-brainier. I looked straight back up at the ceiling and said, "God, as I live and breathe, I want you to know I am ready to witness to this man. I'm on this Lord. I'm your girl! You've never seen a woman witness to a man faster in your life. What difference does it make if his hair is a mess if he is not redeemed? I am going to witness to this man."

Again as clearly as I've ever heard an audible word, God seemed to write this statement across the wall of my mind. "That is not what I said, Beth. I don't want you to witness to him. I want you to go brush his hair."

I looked up at God and quipped, "I don't have a hairbrush. It's in my suitcase on the plane. How am I supposed to brush his hair without a hairbrush?" God was so insistent that I almost involuntarily began to walk toward him as these thoughts came to me from God's word: "I will thoroughly furnish you unto all good works." (2 Timothy 3:17)

I stumbled over to the wheelchair thinking I could use one myself. Even as I retell this story, my pulse quickens and I feel those same butterflies. I knelt down in front of the man and asked as demurely as possible, "Sir, may I have the pleasure of brushing your hair?"

He looked back at me and said, "What did you say?"

"May I have the pleasure of brushing your hair?"

To which he responded in volume ten, "Little lady, if you expect me to hear you, you're going to have to talk louder than that."

At this point, I took a deep breath and blurted out, "SIR, MAY I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF BRUSHING YOUR HAIR?"

At which point every eye in the place darted right at me. I was the only thing in the room looking more peculiar than old Mr. Longlocks.

Face crimson and forehead breaking out in a sweat, I watched him look up at me with absolute shock on his face, and say, "If you really want to." Are you kidding? Of course I didn't want to. But God didn't seem interested in my personal preference right about then. He pressed on my heart until I could utter the words, "Yes, sir, I would be pleased. But I have one little problem. I don't have a hairbrush." "I have one in my bag, " he responded.

I went around to the back of that wheelchair, and I got on my hands and knees and unzipped the stranger's old carry-on, hardly believing what I was doing. I stood up and started brushing the old man's hair. It was perfectly clean, but it was tangled and matted. I don't do many things well, but must admit I've had notable experience untangling knotted hair mothering two little girls. Like I'd done with either Amanda or Melissa in such a condition, I began brushing at the very bottom of the strands, remembering to take my time not to pull.

A miraculous thing happened to me as I started brushing that old man's hair. Everybody else in the room disappeared. There was no one alive for those moments except that old man and me. I brushed and I brushed and I brushed until every tangle was out of that hair. I know this sounds so strange, but I've never felt that kind of love for another soul in my entire life. I believe with all my heart, I - for that few minutes - felt a portion of the very love of God. That He had overtaken my heart for a little while like someone renting a room and making Himself at home for a short while.

The emotions were so strong and so pure that I knew they had to be God's. His hair was finally as soft and smooth as an infant's.

I slipped the brush back in the bag and went around the chair to face him. I got back down on my knees, put my hands on his knees and said, "Sir, do you know my Jesus?"

He said, "Yes, I do." Well, that figures, I thought.

He explained, "I've known Him since I married my bride. She wouldn't marry me until I got to know the Savior." He said, "You see, the problem is, I haven't seen my bride in months. I've had open-heart surgery, and she's been too ill to come see me. I was sitting here thinking to myself, what a mess I must be for my bride."

Only God knows how often He allows us to be part of a divine moment when we're completely unaware of the significance. This, on the other hand, was one of those rare encounters when I knew God had intervened in details only He could have known. It was a God moment, and I'll never forget it.

Our time came to board, and we were not on the same plane. I was deeply ashamed of how I'd acted earlier and would have been so proud to have accompanied him on that aircraft.

I still had a few minutes, and as I gathered my things to board, the airline hostess returned from the corridor, tears streaming down her cheeks. She said, "That old man's sitting on the plane, sobbing. Why did you do that? What made you do that?"

I said, "Do you know Jesus? He can be the bossiest thing!"

And we got to share.

I learned something about God that day. He knows if you're exhausted, you're hungry, you're serving in the wrong place or it is time to move on but you feel too responsible to budge. He knows if you're hurting or feeling rejected. He knows if you're sick or drowning under a wave of temptation. Or He knows if you just need your hair brushed. He sees you as an individual. Tell Him your need!

I got on my own flight, sobs choking my throat, wondering how many opportunities just like that one had I missed along the way. . all because I didn't want people to think I was strange. God didn't send me to that old man. He sent that old man to me.

John 1:14 "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We Have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."

Be Blessed!

World's Greatest Man

2007-03-15T17:26:00.000-05:00

The Greatest Man in History was and is Jesus Christ, He had no servants, yet they called Him Master. Had no degree, yet they called Him Teacher. Had no medicines, yet they called Him Healer. He had no army, yet kings feared Him. He won no military battles, yet He conquered the world. He committed no crime, yet they crucified Him. He died and was buried in a borrowed tomb, yet He lives today. I feel honored to serve such a Leader who loves us!

This is soooo cool!

2007-03-02T19:44:00.000-06:00

2007-03-02T18:19:00.000-06:00

Life Is A Gift

2007-02-04T14:21:00.000-06:00

There was a blind girl who hated herself just because she's blind. She hated everyone, except her loving boyfriend. He's always there for her. She said that if she could only see the world, she would marry her boyfriend. One day, someone donated a pair of eyes to her and then she could see everything, including her boyfriend. Her boyfriend asked her, "now that you can see the world, will you marry me?" The girl was shocked when she saw that her boyfriend is blind too, and refused to marry him. Her boyfriend walked away in tears, and later wrote a letter to her saying. "Just take care of my eyes, dear.

This is how the human brain changes when the status changes. Only few remember what life was before, and who's always been there even in the most painful situations.

Today before you think of saying an unkind word - Think of someone who can't speak.

Before you complain about the taste of your food - Think of someone who has nothing to eat.

Before you complain about your husband or wife - Think of someone who's crying out to God for a companion.

Today before you complain about life - Think of someone who died too early.

Before you complain about your children - Think of someone who desires children but they're barren.

Before you argue about your dirty house, someone didn't clean or sweep -Think of the people who are living in the streets.

Before whining about the distance you drive - Think of someone who walks the same distance with their feet.

And when you are tired and complain about your job - Think of the unemployed, the disabled and those who wished they had your job.

But before you think of pointing the finger or condemning another -Remember that not one of us are without sin and we all answer to one Maker.

And when depressing thoughts seem to get you down - Put a smile on your face and thank God you're alive and still around.

Life is a gift, Live it, Enjoy it, Celebrate it, And fulfill it.

Give GOD the Praise that he so deserves.

- Author Unknown

2007-01-28T16:18:00.000-06:00

The man whispered, "God, speak to me" and a meadowlark sang.

But, the man did not hear. So the man yelled, "God, speak to me" and the thunder rolled across the sky.

But, the man did not listen. The man looked around and said, "God let me see you."
And a star shined brightly.

But the man did not see. And, the man shouted, "God show me a miracle." And, a life was born.

But, the man did not notice. So, the man cried out in despair, "Touch me God, and let me know you are here." Whereupon, God reached down and touched the man. But, the man brushed the butterfly away.

2007-01-28T16:16:00.000-06:00

Hello God,
I called tonight
To talk a little while
I need a friend who'll listen
To my anxiety and trial.
You see, I can't quite make it
Through a day just on my own...
I need your love to guide me,
So I'll never feel alone.
I want to ask you please to keep
My family safe and sound.
Come and fill their lives with confidence
For whatever fate they're bound.
Give me faith, Dear God, to face
Each hour throughout the day,
And not to worry over things
I can't change in any way.
I thank you God for being home
And listening to my call,
For giving me such good advice
When I stumble and fall.
Your number, God, is the only one
That answers every time.
I never get a busy signal,
Never had to pay a dime.
So thank you, God, for listening
To my troubles and my sorrow.
Good night, God, I love You too,
And I'll call again tomorrow!

2006-12-27T17:24:00.000-06:00

Duct Tape or Nails

A man dies and goes to heaven. Of course, St. Peter meets him at the
Pearly Gates. St. Peter says, "Here's how it works. You need 100
points
to make it into heaven. You tell me all the good things you've done,
and I
give you a certain number of points for each item, depending on how
good it
was. When you reach 100 points, you get in."

"Okay," the man says, "I was married to the same woman for 50 years
and
never cheated on her, even in my heart."

"That's wonderful," says St.Peter, "that's worth three points!"

"Three points?" he says.

"Well, I attended church all my life and supported its ministry with
my
tithe and service."

"Terrific!" says St.Peter. "That's certainly worth a point."

"One point!?!!"

"I started a soup kitchen in my city and worked in a shelter for
homeless
veterans."

"Fantastic, that's good for two more points," he says.

"Two points!!! "Exasperated, the man cries.
"At this rate the only way I'll get into heaven is by the grace of
God."

"Bingo, 100 points! Come on in.

We often try to fix problems with WD-40 and duct tape. God did it
with
nails.

The 12 Days Of Christmas

2006-12-27T15:20:00.000-06:00

What in the world do leaping lords, French hens, swimming swans, and especially the partridge who won't come out of the pear tree have to do with Christmas?

From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly.

Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics.

It has two levels of meaning:

The surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church.

Each element in the carol has a code word for religious reality which the children could remember.

The partridge in the pear tree was Jesus Christ.

Two turtle doves were the Old and the New testaments.

Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.

The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

The five golden rings recalled the Toral or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament.

The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.

Seven swans a-swimming represented the seven fold gifts of the Holy Spirit Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.

The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes.

Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.

The ten lords a-leaping were the ten commandments.

The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven disciples.

The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostle's Creed.

So, there is your history for today.

2006-12-27T14:15:00.000-06:00

The old man sat in his gas station on a cold Christmas Eve. He hadn't been anywhere in years since his wife had passed away. It was just another day to him. He didn't hate Christmas, just couldn't find a reason to celebrate. He was sitting there looking at the snow that had been falling for the last hour and wondering what it was all about when the door opened and a homeless man stepped through.

Instead of throwing the man out, Old George as he was known by his customers, told the man to come and sit by the heater and warm up. "Thank you, but I don't mean to intrude," said the stranger. "I see you're busy, I'll just go." "Not without something hot in your belly." George said.

He turned and opened a wide mouth Thermos and handed it to the stranger. "It ain't much, but it's hot and tasty, "Stew ... made it myself. When you're done, there's coffee and it's fresh."

Just at that moment he heard the "ding" of the driveway bell. "Excuse me, be right back," George said. There in the driveway was an old '53 Chevy. Steam was rolling out of the front. The driver was panicked. "Mister can you help me!" said the driver, with a deep Spanish accent. "My wife is with child and my car is broken."

George opened the hood. It was bad. The block looked cracked from the cold, the car was dead. "You ain't going in this thing," George said as he turned away.

"But Mister, please help ..." The door of the office closed behind George as he went inside. He went to the office wall and got the keys to his old truck, and went back outside. He walked around the building, opened the garage, started the truck and drove it around to where the couple was waiting. "Here, take my truck," he said. "She ain't the best thing you ever looked at, but she runs real good."

George helped put the woman in the truck and watched as it sped off into the night. He turned and walked back inside the office. "Glad I gave 'em the truck, their tires were shot too. That 'ol truck has brand new ." George thought he was talking to the stranger, but the man had gone. The Thermos was on the desk, empty, with a used coffee cup beside it. "Well, at least he got something in his belly," George thought.

George went back outside to see if the old Chevy would start. It cranked slowly, but it started. He pulled it into the garage where the truck had been. He thought he would tinker with it for something to do. Christmas Eve meant no customers. He discovered the block hadn't cracked, it was just the bottom hose on the radiator. "Well, shoot, I can fix this," he said to himself. So he put a new one on.

"Those tires ain't gonna get 'em through the winter either." He took the snow treads off of his wife's old Lincoln. They were like new and he wasn't going to drive the car anyway.

As he was working, he heard shots being fired. He ran outside and beside a police car an officer lay on the cold ground. Bleeding from the left shoulder, the officer moaned, "Please help me."

George helped the officer inside as he remembered the training he had received in the Army as a medic. He knew the wound needed attention. "Pressure to stop the bleeding," he thought. The uniform company had been there that morning and had left clean shop towels. He used those and duct tape to bind the wound. "Hey, they say duct tape can fix anythin'," he said, trying to make the policeman feel at ease.

"Something for pain," George thought. All he had was the pills he used for his back. "These ought to work." He put some water in a cup and gave the policeman the pills. "You hang in there, I'm going to get you an ambulance."

The phone was dead. "Maybe I can get one of your buddies on that there talk box out in your car." He went out only to find that a bullet had gone into the dashboard destroying the two way radio.

He went back in to find the policeman sitting up. "Thanks," said the officer. "You could have left me there. The guy that shot me is still in the area."

George sat down beside him, "I would never leave an injured man in the Army and I ain't gonna leave you." George pulled back the bandage to check for bleeding. "Looks worse than what it is. Bullet passed right through 'ya. Good thing it missed the important stuff though. I think with time your gonna be right as rain."

George got up and poured a cup of coffee. "How do you take it?" he asked. "None for me," said the officer. "Oh, yer gonna drink this. Best in the city. Too bad I ain't got no donuts." The officer laughed and winced at the same time

The front door of the office flew open. In burst a young man with a gun. "Give me all your cash! Do it now!" the young man yelled. His hand was shaking and George could tell that he had never done anything like this before.

"That's the guy that shot me!" exclaimed the officer.

"Son, why are you doing this?" asked George, "You need to put the cannon away. Somebody else might get hurt."

The young man was confused. "Shut up old man, or I'll shoot you, too. Now give me the cash!"

The cop was reaching for his gun. "Put that thing away," George said to the cop, "we got one too many in here now."

He turned his attention to the young man. "Son, it's Christmas Eve. If you need money, well then, here. It ain't much but it's all I got. Now put that pee shooter away."

George pulled $150 out of his pocket and handed it to the young man, reaching for the barrel of the gun at the same time. The young man released his grip on the gun, fell to his knees and began to cry. "I'm not very good at this am I? All I wanted was to buy something for my wife and son," he went on. "I've lost my job, my rent is due, my car got repossessed last week ..."

George handed the gun to the cop. Son, we all get in a bit of squeeze now and then. The road gets hard sometimes, but we make it through the best we can."

He got the young man to his feet, and sat him down on a chair across from the cop. "Sometimes we do stupid things." George handed the young man a cup of coffee. "Bein' stupid is one of the things that makes us human. Comin' in here with a gun ain't the answer. Now sit there and get warm and we'll sort this thing out."

The young man had stopped crying. He looked over to the cop. "Sorry I shot you. It just went off. I'm sorry officer."

"Shut up and drink your coffee." the cop said.

George could hear the sounds of sirens outside. A police car and an ambulance skidded to a halt. Two cops came through the door, guns drawn. "Chuck! You ok?" one of the cops asked the wounded officer

"Not bad for a guy who took a bullet. How did you find me?"

"GPS locator in the car. Best thing since sliced bread. Who did this?" the other cop asked as he approached the young man.

Chuck answered him, "I don't know. The guy ran off into the dark. Just dropped his gun and ran."

George and the young man both looked puzzled at each other.

"That guy work here?," the wounded cop continued. "Yep," George said, "just hired him this morning. Boy lost his job."

The paramedics came in and loaded Chuck onto the stretcher. The young man leaned over the wounded cop and whispered, "Why?"

Chuck just said, "Merry Christmas boy ... and you too, George, and thanks for everything."

"Well, looks like you got one doozy of a break there. That ought to solve some of your problems."

George went into the back room and came out with a box. He pulled out a ring box. "Here you go, something for the little woman I don't think Martha would mind. She said it would come in handy some day."

The young man looked inside to see the biggest diamond ring he ever saw. "I can't take this," said the young man "It means something to you."

"And now it means something to you," replied George. "I got my memories. That's all I need."

George reached into the box again. An airplane, a car and a truck appeared next. They were toys that the oil company had left for him to sell. "Here's something for that little man of yours."

The young man began to cry again as he handed back the $150 that the old man had handed him earlier.

"And what are you supposed to buy Christmas dinner with? You keep that too," George said, "Now git home to your family."

The young man turned with tears streaming down his face. "I'll be here in the morning for work, if that job offer is still good."

"Nope. I'm closed Christmas day," George said. "See ya the day after."

George turned around to find that the stranger had returned. "Where'd you come from? I thought you left?"

"I have been here. I have always been here," said the stranger. "You say you don't celebrate Christmas. Why?"

"Well, after my wife passed away, I just couldn't see what all the bother was. Puttin' up a tree and all seemed a waste of a good pine tree. Bakin' cookies like I used to with Martha just wasn't the same by myself and besides I was gettin' a little chubby."

The stranger put his hand on George's shoulder. "But you do celebrate the holiday, George. You gave me food and drink and warmed me when I was cold and hungry. The woman with child will bear a son and he will become a great doctor. The policeman you helped will go on to save 19 people from being killed by terrorists. The young man who tried to rob you will make you a rich man and not take any for himself. "That is the spirit of the season and you keep it as good as any man."

George was taken aback by all this stranger had said. "And how do you know all this?" asked the old man.

"Trust me, George. I have the inside track on this sort of thing. And when your days are done you will be with Martha again."

The stranger moved toward the door "If you will excuse me, George, I have to go now. I have to go home where there is a big celebration planned."

George watched as the old leather jacket and the torn pants that the stranger was wearing turned into a white robe. A golden light began to fill the room.

"You see, George ... it's My birthday. Merry Christmas."

George fell to his knees and replied, "Happy Birthday, Lord."

~ author unknown

Thank you!

2006-12-03T20:03:00.000-06:00

I rent a space on my blog all the time to other bloggers. I know I never say "thank you" as I should. I'm sorry for that. I want each and every one of you to know that I appreciate you renting from me and I do thank you. I will try to do better in the future. And if I forget to say "thank you" please remember that I appreciate each and every one of you. Keep blogging! God bless you!

Jesus' Christmas Letter

2006-12-03T15:12:00.000-06:00

Dear Children,

It has come to My attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season. Maybe you've forgotten that I wasn't actually born during this time of the year and that it was some of your predecessors who decided to celebrate My birthday on what was actually a time of pagan festival, although I do appreciate being remembered anytime.

How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own.

I don't care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth just, GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER. Now, having said that let Me go on.

If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn't allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santas and snowmen and put in a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn. If all My followers did that there wouldn't be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all around town.

Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees. You can & may remember Me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grape vine if you wish: I actually spoke of that one in a teaching explaining who I am in relation to you and what each of our tasks were. If you have forgot that one, look up John 15: 1-8.

If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth here is My wish list. Choose something from it.

1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell Me all the time.

2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don't have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.

3. Instead of writing George complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don't you write and tell him that you'll be praying for him and his family this year. Then follow up. It will be nice hearing from you again.

4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can't afford and they don't need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth, and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.

5. Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.

6. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don't know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile; it could make the difference. Also, you might consider supporting the local Hot-Line: they talk with people like that every day.

7. Instead of nit-picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren't allowed to wish you a "Merry Christmas" that doesn't keep you from wishing them one. Then stop shopping there on Sunday. If the store didn't make so much money on that day they'd close and let their employees spend the day at home with their families.

8. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary, especially one who takes My love & Good News to those who have never heard My name. You may already know someone like that.

9. Here's a good one. There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no "Christmas" tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don't know them (and I suspect you don't) buy some food & a few gifts and give them to the Marines, the Salvation Army or some other charity which believes in Me & they will make the delivery for you.

10. Finally if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don't do things in secret that you wouldn't do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of Mine.

P.S Don't forget; I am God and can take care of Myself. Just love Me & do what I have told you to do. I'll take care of all the rest. Check out the list above and get to work; time is short. I'll help you, but the ball is now in your court. And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love and remember.

2006-11-10T22:10:00.000-06:00

This was sent to me in an e-mail. I don't know if it is true but it is wonderful nonetheless.
Arlington National Cemetary

Rest easy, sleep well my brothers.

Know the line has held, your job is done.

Rest easy, sleep well.

Others have taken up where you fell, the line has held.

Peace, peace, and farewell...

Readers may be interested to know that these wreaths -- some 5,000 -- are donated by the Worcester Wreath Co. of Harrington, Maine . The owner, Merrill Worcester, not only provides the wreaths, but covers the trucking expense as well. He's done this since 1992. A wonderful guy. Also, most years, groups of Maine school kids combine an educational trip to DC with this event to help out. Making this even more remarkable is the fact that Harrington is in one the poorest parts of the state.

I love you, Mom!

2006-11-10T15:04:00.000-06:00

My mom sent this to me and as I read it, tears come to my eyes.

My mom, my best friend.....I love you very much!

I pray that everybody has or has had a mom like mine. Please enjoy this link:

My Dearest Daughter

Goodbye Mr. Bradley

2006-11-09T18:21:00.000-06:00

June 22, 1941 - November 9, 2006

Mary Had A Little Lamb

2006-10-02T15:36:00.000-05:00

Mary had a little lamb,
His fleece was white as snow.
And everywhere that Mary went,
The Lamb was sure to go.

He followed her to school each day,
T'wasn't even in the rule.
It made the children laugh and play,
To have a Lamb at school.

And then the rules all changed one day,
Illegal it became;
To bring the Lamb of God to school,
Or even speak His Name!

Every day got worse and worse,
And days turned into years.
Instead of hearing children laugh,
We heard gun shots and tears.

What must we do to stop the crime,
That's in our schools to day?
Let's let the Lamb come back to school,
And teach our kids to pray!

*I have posted this before but there it is again. My heart and prayers go out to all of the victims' families and the families of the killers'.

2006-10-02T09:33:00.000-05:00

I want to thank Bozette to renting a space on my blog this week.
I love her pics on her site. And I love that she's a clown!
A clown's main purpose to make people smile and laugh. It takes a
truly special person to do that. Please visit her site; you'll love it!
http://bozettetc.blogspot.com/

I heard a little prayer the other day and I just gotta share it with you;
it's so good:

"Lord keep your arm around my shoulder and your hand over my mouth."

Five Finger Prayers

2006-09-27T15:34:00.000-05:00

1. Your thumb is nearest you. So begin your prayers by praying for those closest to you. They are the easiest to remember. To pray for our loved ones is, as C. S. Lewis once said, a "sweet duty."

2. The next finger is the pointing finger. Pray for those who teach, instruct and heal. This includes teachers, doctors, and ministers. They need support and wisdom in pointing others in the right direction. Keep them in your prayers.

3. The next finger is the tallest finger. It reminds us of our leaders. Pray for the president, leaders in business and industry, and administrators. These people shape our nation and guide public opinion. They need God's guidance.

4. The fourth finger is our ring finger. Surprising to many is the fact that this is our weakest finger, as any piano teacher will testify. It should remind us to pray for those who are weak, in trouble or in pain. They need your prayers day and night. You cannot pray too much for them.

5. And lastly comes our little finger - the smallest finger of all which is where we should place ourselves in relation to God and others. As the Bible says, "The least shall be the greatest among you." Your pinkie should remind you to pray for yourself. By the time you have prayed for the other four groups, your own needs will be put into proper perspective and you will be able to pray for yourself more effectively.

Ben Stein

2006-09-27T15:04:00.000-05:00

This was sent to me and I hope you enjoy it. I know I did.

Last Column...

For many years Ben Stein has written a biweekly column called "Monday Night At Morton's." (Morton's is a famous chain of Steakhouses known to be frequented by movie stars and famous people from around the globe.) Now, Ben is terminating the column to move on to other things in his life. Reading his final column is worth a few minutes of your time.

Ben Stein's Last Column...
============================================
How Can Someone Who Lives in Insane Luxury Be a Star in Today's World?

As I begin to write this, I "slug" it, as we writers say, which means I put a heading on top of the document to identify it. This heading is "eonlineFINAL," and it gives me a shiver to write it. I have been doing this column for so long that I cannot even recall when I started. I loved writing this column so much for so long I came to believe it would never end.

It worked well for a long time, but gradually, my changing as a person and the world's change have overtaken it. On a small scale, Morton's, while better than ever, no longer attracts as many stars as it used to. It still brings in the rich people in droves and definitely some stars. I saw Samuel L. Jackson there a few days ago, and we had a nice visit, and right before that, I saw and had a splendid talk with Warren Beatty in an elevator, in which we agreed that Splendor in the Grass was a super movie. But Morton's is not the star galaxy it once was, though it probably will be again.

Beyond that, a bigger change has happened. I no longer think Hollywood stars are terribly important. They are uniformly pleasant, friendly people, and they treat me better than I deserve to be treated. But a man or woman who makes a huge wage for memorizing lines and reciting them in front of a camera is no longer my idea of a shining star we should all look up to.

How can a man or woman who makes an eight-figure wage and lives in insane luxury really be a star in today's world, if by a "star" we mean someone bright and powerful and attractive as a role model? Real stars are not riding around in the backs of limousines or in Porsches or getting trained in yoga or Pilates and eating only raw fruit while they have Vietnamese girls do their nails.

They can be interesting, nice people, but they are not heroes to me any longer. A real star is the soldier of the 4th Infantry Division who poked his head into a hole on a farm near Tikrit , Iraq . He could have been met by a bomb or a hail of AK-47 bullets. Instead, he faced an abject Saddam Hussein and the gratitude of all of the decent people of the world.

A real star is the U.S. soldier who was sent to disarm a bomb next to a road north of Baghdad . He approached it, and the bomb went off and killed him.

A real star, the kind who haunts my memory night and day, is the U.S. soldier in Baghdad who saw a little girl playing with a piece of unexploded ordnance on a street near where he was guarding a station. He pushed her aside and threw himself on it just as it exploded. He left a family desolate in California and a little girl alive in Baghdad .

The stars who deserve media attention are not the ones who have lavish weddings on TV but the ones who patrol the streets of Mosul even after two of their buddies were murdered and their bodies battered and stripped for the sin of trying to protect Iraqis from terrorists.

We put couples with incomes of $100 million a year on the covers of our magazines. The noncoms and officers who barely scrape by on military pay but stand on guard in Afghanistan and Iraq and on ships and in submarines and near the Arctic Circle are anonymous as they live and die.

I am no longer comfortable being a part of the system that has such poor values, and I do not want to perpetuate those values by pretending that who is eating at Morton's is a big subject.

There are plenty of other stars in the American firmament...the policemen and women who go off on patrol in South Central and have no idea if they will return alive; the orderlies and paramedics who bring in people who have been in terrible accidents and prepare them for surgery; the teachers and nurses who throw their whole spirits into caring for autistic children; the kind men and women who work in hospices and in cancer wards.

Think of each and every fireman who was running up the stairs at the World Trade Center as the towers began to collapse. Now you have my idea of a real hero.

I came to realize that life lived to help others is the only one that matters. This is my highest and best use as a human. I can put it another way. Years ago, I realized I could never be as great an actor as Olivier or as good a comic as Steve Martin...or Martin Mull or Fred Willard--or as good an economist as Samuelson or Friedman or as good a writer as Fitzgerald. Or even remotely close to any of them.

But I could be a devoted father to my son, husband to my wife and, above all, a good son to the parents who had done so much for me. This came to be my main task in life. I did it moderately well with my son, pretty well with my wife and well indeed with my parents (with my sister's help). I cared for and paid attention to them in their declining years. I stayed with my father as he got sick, went into extremis and then into a coma and then entered immortality with my sister and me reading him the Psalms.

This was the only point at which my life touched the lives of the soldiers in Iraq or the firefighters in New York . I came to realize that life lived to help others is the only one that matters and that it is my duty, in return for the lavish life God has devolved upon me, to help others He has placed in my path. This is my highest and best use as a human.

Faith is not believing that God can. It is knowing that God will.
By Ben Stein

We truly take a lot for granted.
Forget the Hollywood "stars" and the sports "heroes"...
and pass this on!

God wanted me to tell you..................

2006-09-27T14:32:00.000-05:00

Everything that is going wrong in your life today shall be well with you this year.

No matter how much your enemies try this year, "they will
not" succeed.

You have been destined to make it and you shall surely achieve all your goals this year.

For the remaining months of this year (2006), all your agonies will be diverted and victory and prosperity will be incoming in abundance.

Today God has confirmed the end of your sufferings, sorrows, and pains because HE that sits on the throne has remembered you.

He has taken away the hardships and given you JOY. He will never let you down.

I knocked at heaven's door this morning, God asked me... My child!
What can I do for you? And I said, "Father, please protect and bless the person reading this message"... God smiled and answered... Request granted.

Oh my!

2006-09-21T19:35:00.000-05:00

This is one of the most terrifying, unbelieveable, saddest, bizarre things I have ever heard of in my life. I don't know if this is real or a person's sick idea of a joke but here is the link:

GenPets

Simple Home Remedies

2006-09-21T17:11:00.000-05:00

AMAZINGLY SIMPLE HOME REMEDIES

1. If you are choking on an ice cube, don't panic. Simply pour a cup of boiling water down your throat and presto. The blockage will be almost instantly removed.
2. Clumsy? Avoid cutting yourself while slicing vegetables by getting someone else to hold them while you chop away.
3. Avoid arguments with the Mrs. about lifting the toilet seat by simply using the sink.
4. For high blood pressure sufferers: simply cut yourself and bleed for a few minutes, thus reducing the pressure in your veins. Remember to use a timer.
5. A mouse trap, placed on top of your alarm clock, will prevent you from rolling over and going back to sleep after you hit the snooze button.
6. If you have a bad cough, take a large dose of laxatives. Then you will be afraid to cough.
7. Have a bad toothache? Smash your thumb with a hammer and you will forget about the toothache.
Sometimes, we just need to remember what the rules of life really are:
You only need two tools: WD-40 and Duct Tape.
If it doesn't move and should, use the WD-40.
If it shouldn't move and does, use the duct tape.
Remember:
Everyone seems normal until you get to know them.
Never pass up an opportunity to go to the bathroom.
If you woke up breathing, congratulations! You get another chance.
And finally, be really nice to your family and friends; you never know when you might need them to empty your bedpan.

Are You Ready?

2006-09-21T08:43:00.000-05:00

This video is awsome!

Click on the link:

Are You Ready?

If you are not ready and want to be and you want to receive the greatest of all gifts, the openess of your heart is what God is looking for. You can use your own words or use these: God of heaven, I know that I'm not the person You made me to be. I believe that Christ is Your Son and my Savior. I believe He died for my sin and rose from the dead to show that His claims wre true. And now the best I know how, I want to trust Him to give me the forgiveness, spiritual life, and promise of heaven that I long for. In Jesus' name, I thank You. Amen

God bless you and welcome to the family.

Oklahoma

2006-09-15T04:40:00.000-05:00

If you are going to live or visit Oklahoma, you need to know these rules.

1. That farm boy you see at the gas station did more work before breakfast than you do all week at the gym.

2. It's called a "gravel road". No matter how slow you drive, you're going to get dust on your Navigator. Drive it or get out of the way.

3. The red dirt -- it's called clay. Red clay. If you like the color don't wash your car for a couple weeks -- it'll be permanent.

4. We all started hunting and fishing when we were seven years old. Yeah, we saw Bambi. We got over it.

5. Go ahead and bring your $600 Orvis Fly Rod. Don't cry to us if a flathead breaks it off at the handle. We have a name for those little 13-inch trout you fish for -- bait.

6. Pull your pants up. You look like an idiot.

7. If that cell phone rings while a bunch of mallards are making their final approach, we will shoot it. You might want to ensure it's not up to your ear at the time.

8. No, there's no "Vegetarian Special" on the menu. Order steak. Order it rare. Or, you can order the Chef's Salad and pick off the two pounds of ham and turkey.

9. Tea - yeah, we have tea. It comes in a glass over ice and is sweet. You want it hot -- sit it in the sun. You want it unsweetened -- add a lot of water.

10. You bring Coke into my house, it better be brown, wet, and served over ice.

11. So you have a sixty thousand-dollar car. We're real impressed. We have a quarter of a million-dollar combine that we only use two weeks a year.

12. Let's get this straight. We have one stoplight in town. We stop when it's red. We may even stop when it's yellow.

13. We eat dinner together with our families. We pray before we eat (yeah, even breakfast). We go to church on Wednesdays and Sundays and we go to high school football games on Friday nights. We still address our seniors with "yes, sir" and "yes, ma'am", and we sometimes still take Sunday drives around town to see friends and neighbors.

14. We don't do "hurry up" well.

15. Greens - yeah, we have greens, but you don't putt on them. You boil them with salty fatback, bacon or a ham hock.

16. Yeah, we eat catfish, bass, bream (pronounced brim) and carp. You really want sushi and caviar? It's available at the bait shop.

17. They are pigs. That's what they smell like. Get over it. Don't like it? Interstate 40 & 44 goes two ways - Interstate 35 & 55 goes the other two.
Pick one.

18. Grits are corn. You put butter, salt, and maybe even some pepper on them. If you want to put milk and sugar on them, then you want Cream of Wheat -- go to Kansas. That would be I-40 west.

19. The "Opener" refers to the first day of deer season or duck season. Both are holidays. You can get pancakes, cane syrup, and sausage before daylight at the church on either day.

20. So every person in every pickup waves? Yeah, it's called being friendly. Understand the concept?

21. Yeah, we have golf courses. Don't hit in the water hazards. It spooks the fish and if you hit it in the rough, we have these things called diamondbacks, and they're not baseball players.

22. That Highway Patrol Officer that just pulled you over for driving like an idiot -- his name is "Sir", no matter how young he is.

23. We have lots of pine trees. They have sap. It drips from them. You park your Navigator under them, and they'll leave a logo on your hood.

24. You burn an American flag in our state, you get beat up. No questions. The liberal contingent of our state legislature -- all four of them -- enacted a measure to stop this. There is now a $2.50 fine for beating up the flag burner.

25. No, we don't care how you do things up North. If it is so great up there, why not visit a Northern state or stay there? And no, down here, we don't have an accent, you do.

God is like..........

2006-09-14T11:36:00.000-05:00

God is like..
BAYER ASPIRIN
He works miracles.

God is like...
a FORD
He's got a better idea.

God is like...
COKE
He's the real thing.

God is like...
HALLMARK CARDS
He cares enough to send His very best.

God is like...
TIDE
He gets the stains out that others leave behind.

God is like...
GENERAL ELECTRIC
He brings good things to life.

God is like...
SEARS
He has everything.

God is like...
ALKA-SELTZER
Try him, you'll like Him

God is like...
SCOTCH TAPE
You can't see him, but you know He's there.

God is like...
DELTA
He's ready when you are.

God is like...
ALLSTATE
You're in good hands with Him.

God is like...
VO-5 Hair Spray
He holds through all kinds of weather.

God is like...
DIAL SOAP
Aren't you glad you have Him? Don't you wish everybody did?

God is like...
the U.S. POST OFFICE
Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet nor ice will keep Him from His appointed destination.

2006-09-03T21:11:00.000-05:00

Your alarm goes off; you hit the snooze and sleep for another 10 minutes. He stays up for days on end.

You take a warm shower to help you wake up.
He goes days or weeks without running water.

You complain of a "headache", and call in sick.
He gets shot at as others are hit, and keeps moving forward.

You put on your anti war/don't support the troops shirt, and go meet up with your friends.
He still fights for your right to wear that shirt.

You make sure you're cell phone is in your pocket.
He clutches the cross hanging on his chain next to his dog tags.

You talk trash about your "buddies" that aren't with you.
He knows he may not see some of his buddies again.

You walk down the beach, staring at all the pretty girls.
He walks the streets, searching for insurgents and terrorists.

You complain about how hot it is.
He wears his heavy gear, not daring to take off his helmet to wipe his brow.

You go out to lunch, and complain because the restaurant got your order wrong.
He doesn't get to eat today.

Your maid makes your bed and washes your clothes.
He wears the same things for weeks, but makes sure his weapons are clean.

You go to the mall and get your hair redone.
He doesn't have time to brush his teeth today.

You're angry because your class ran 5 minutes over.
He's told he will be held over an extra 2 months.

You call your girlfriend and set a date for tonight.
He waits for the mail to see if there is a letter from home.

You hug and kiss your girlfriend, like you do everyday.
He holds his letter close and smells his love's perfume.

You roll your eyes as a baby cries.
He gets a letter with pictures of his new child, and wonders if they'll ever meet.

You criticize your government, and say that war never solves anything.
He sees the innocent tortured and killed by their own people and remembers why he is fighting.

You hear the jokes about the war, and make fun of men like him.
He hears the gunfire, bombs and screams of the wounded.

You see only what the media wants you to see.
He sees the broken bodies lying around him.

You are asked to go to the store by your parents. You don't.
He does exactly what he is told.

You stay at home and watch TV.
He takes whatever time he is given to call, write home, sleep, and eat.

You crawl into your soft bed, with down pillows, and get comfortable.
He crawls under a tank for shade and a 5 minute nap, only to be woken by gunfire.

You sit there and judge him, saying the world is probably a worse place because of men like him. If only there were more men like him!

Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you, Jesus Christ and the American G. I.
One died for your soul, the other for your freedom!

Find the 30 Books of the Bible Puzzle

2006-08-24T09:04:00.000-05:00

Don't look at the answers untill you have at least tried!

There are 30 books of the Bible in this paragraph. Can you find them? This is a most remarkable puzzle. It was found by a gentleman in an airplane seat pocket on a flight from Los Angeles to Honolulu. Keeping him occupied for hours. He enjoyed it so much he passed it on to some friends. One friend from Illinois worked on this while fishing from his john boat. Another friend studied it while playing his banjo. Elaine Taylor, a columnist friend was so intrigued by it she mentioned it in her weekly newspaper column. Another friend judges the job of solving this puzzle so involving, she brews a cup of tea to help her nerves. There will be some names that are really easy to spot. That's a fact. Some people, however, will soon find themselves in a jam, especially since the book names are not necessarily capitalized. Truthfully, from answers we get, we are forced to admit it usually takes a minister or scholar to see some of them at the worst. Research has shown that something in our genes is responsible for the difficulty we have in seeing the book in this paragraph. During a recent fund raising event, which featured this puzzle, the Alpha Delta Phi lemonade booth set a new sales record. The local paper, The Chronicle, surveyed over 200 patrons who reported that this puzzle was one of the most difficult they had ever seen. As Daniel Humana humbly puts it, the books are all right there in plain view hidden from sight. Those able to find all of them will hear lamentations from those who have to be shown. One revelation that may help is that books like Timothy and Samuel may occur without their numbers. Also, keep in mind that punctuation and spacers in the middle are normal. A chipper attitude will help you compete really well against those who claim to know the answers. Remember there is no need for a mad exodus, there really are 30 books of the Bible lurking somewhere in the paragraph waiting to be found.

Here are the answers in the order in which they first appear:

Amos
Mark
Luke
John
Joel
Judges
Job
Hebrews
Esther
Acts
James
Ruth
Romans
Titus
Matthew
Genesis
Philemon
Chronicles
Daniel
Nahum
Hosea
Lamentations
Revelation
Timothy
Samuel
Numbers
Malachi
Peter
Exodus
Kings

2006-08-20T08:05:00.000-05:00

GOD'S HALL OF FAME

YOUR NAME MAY NOT APPEAR DOWN HERE
IN THIS WORLD'S HALL OF FAME,
IN FACT YOU MAY BE SO UNKNOWN
THAT NO ONE KNOWS YOUR NAME,

THIS HALL OF FAME IS ONLY GOOD,
AS LONG AS TIME SHALL BE,
BUT KEEP IN MIND "GOD'S HALL OF FAME"
IS FOR ETERNITY.
TO HAVE YOUR NAME INSCRIBED UP THERE,
IS GREATER ------ YES------ BY FAR,
THEN ALL THE HALLS
OF FAME DOWN HERE
AND EVERY MAN MADE STAR.

THE CROWDS ON EARTH, THEY SOON FORGET,
THE HEROES OF THE PAST,
THEY CHEER LIKE MAD UNTIL YOU FALL.
AND THAT'S HOW LONG YOU LAST.
BUT GOD ----- HE NEVER DOES FORGET,
AND IN HIS "HALL OF FAME"
BY JUST BELIEVING IN HIS "SON"
INSCRIBED YOU'LL FIND YOUR NAME.

I TELL YOU FRIEND, I WOULDN'T TRADE
MY NAME HOWEVER SMALL
THAT'S WRITTEN THERE, BEYOND THE STARS,
IN THAT CELESTIAL HALL,
FOR EVERY FAMOUS NAME ON EARTH.
OR GLORY THAT THEY SHARE,
I'D RATHER BE AN UNKNOWN HERE,
AND HAVE MY NAME UP THERE.

Cows, The Constitution, and The Ten Commandments

2006-08-16T08:24:00.000-05:00

THREE THINGS TO THINK ABOUT:

1. COWS

2 THE CONSTITUTION, and

3. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

COWS

Is it just me, or does anyone else find it amazing that our government can
track a cow born in Canada almost three years ago, right to the stall where
she sleeps in the state of Washington? And, they tracked her calves to their
stalls. But they are unable to locate 11 million illegal aliens wandering
around our country. Maybe we should give them all a cow.

THE CONSTITUTION

They keep talking about drafting a Constitution for Iraq.
Why don't we just give them ours?
It was written by a lot of really smart guys, it's worked for over
200 years and we're not using it anymore.

TEN COMMANDMENTS

The real reason that we can't have the Ten Commandments in a
courthouse........
You cannot post "Thou Shalt Not Steal," "Thou Shalt Not Commit
Adultery" and "Thou Shall Not Lie"
in a building full of lawyers, judges and politicians --
it creates a hostile work environment

2006-08-07T04:19:00.000-05:00

I got this pic in an e-mail and just loved it! Hope you do too......

I love this Credit Card

2006-08-01T04:51:00.000-05:00

There are some things money can't buy,
for everything else there's Master card.

I'm sure you've all received their applications in the mail.
However, I'm here to advertise a different card.
You see, my life is a product for others to see.
I'm a card carrying representative for
The Master's Card.

That's right, The MASTER'S CARD.
Let me tell you about it.
There are no finance charges, no payments due.
My bill has already been covered...it's a prepaid deal..
I couldn't afford the price,
so Jesus stepped in and paid it for me.

My Name is written on the card for all to see.

It is accessible twenty-hour hours a day from anywhere in the world.

The MASTER'S CARD
has so many benefits it's hard to list them all.
Let me share some of them with you...
you might want to apply for a personal card yourself.

Just for starters there is UNLIMITED GRACE.
That's right, there is no preset limit to the amount of grace you receive from
The MASTER'S CARD.

Have you been looking for love in all the wrong places?
Then, look no farther than The MASTER'S CARD.

It offers the greatest rate on love that has ever been offered.

The MASTER'S CARD

gives you access to many "members only" benefits.
Want real joy despite the difficulties of life?
Apply for The MASTER'S CARD.

Want a lasting peace? Apply for
The MASTER'S CARD.

Looking for something you can always rely on in a jam?
The MASTER'S CARD is perfect for you.

Another great thing about
The MASTER'S CARD
is that it never expires and will never be canceled.
Once you're a member, you're a member for life... eternal life, that is.
Membership has its privileges, you know.

So why not apply today?

It's only a prayer away.....

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but having everlasting life....

Letters To God

2006-08-01T04:28:00.000-05:00

1. Dear God,
Please put another holiday between Christmas and Easter. There is nothing good in there now.
Amanda

2. Dear God,
Thank you for the baby brother but what I asked for was a puppy. I never asked for anything before. You can look it up.
Joyce

3. Dear Mr.God,
I wish you would not make it so easy for people to come apart. I had to have 3 stitches and a shot.
Janet

4. God,
I read the bible. What does beget mean? Nobody will tell me.
Love Alison

5. Dear God,
How did you know you were God? Who told you?
Charlene

6. Dear God,
Is it true my father won't get in Heaven if he uses his golf words in the house?
Anita

7. Dear God,
I bet it's very hard for you to love all of everybody in the whole world. There are only 4 people in our family and I can never do it.
Nancy

8. Dear God,
I like the story about Noah the best of all of them. You really made up some good ones. I like walking on water, too.
Glenn

9. Dear God,
My Grandpa says you were around when he was a little boy. How far back do you go?
Love, Dennis

10. Dear God,
Do you draw the lines around the countries? If you don't, who does?
Nathan

11. Dear God,
Did you mean for giraffes to look like that or was it an accident?
Norma

12. Dear God,
In bible times, did they really talk that fancy?
Jennifer

13. Dear God,
How come you did all those miracles in the old days and don't do any now?
Billy

14. Dear God,
Please send Dennis Clark to a different summer camp this year.
Peter

15. Dear God,
Maybe Cain and Abel would not kill each other so much if they each had their own rooms. It works out OK with me and my brother.
Larry

16. Dear God,
I keep waiting for spring, but it never did come yet. What's up? Don't forget.
Mark

17. Dear God,
My brother told me about how you are born but it just doesn't sound right. What do you say?
Marsha

18. Dear God,
If you watch in Church on Sunday I will show you my new shoes.
Barbara

19. Dear God,
Is Reverend Coe a friend of yours, or do you just know him through the business?
Donny

20. Dear God,
I do not think anybody could be a better God than you. Well, I just want you to know that. I am not just saying that because you are already God.
Charles

21. Dear God,
It is great the way you always get the stars in the right place. Why can't you do that with the moon?
Jeff

22. Dear God,
I am doing the best I can. Really !!!!
Frank

And, saving the best for last .

23. Dear God,
I didn't think orange went with purple until I saw the sunset you made on Tuesday night. That was really cool.
Thomas

To all the men and women in the armed services past and present and future......THANK YOU!

2006-07-31T05:55:00.000-05:00

Please click on the link and enjoy!

The Wrong Army

New Perspective

2006-07-31T05:06:00.000-05:00

The Unseen Jesus

2006-07-29T09:51:00.000-05:00

I saw Jesus last week.
He was wearing blue jeans and an old shirt.
He was up at the church building.
He was alone and working hard.
For just a minute
He looked like one of our members,
but it was Jesus,
I could tell by his smile.

I saw Jesus last Sunday.
He was teaching a Bible class.
He didn't talk real loud or use long words,
But you could tell he believed what he said.
For just a minute
He looked like my Sunday School teacher,
But it was Jesus, I could tell by his loving voice.

I saw Jesus yesterday.
He was at the hospital visiting
A friend who was sick.
They prayed together quietly.
For just a minute
He looked like my preacher,
But it was Jesus,
I could tell by the tears in his eyes.

I saw Jesus the other day,
He was bringing a covered dish over to me
Because I had been sick.
Just for a minute
I thought it was in my sweet neighbor's
Gentle hands stroking my shoulder,
But it was Jesus,
I could feel him in my soul.

I saw Jesus this morning.
He was in the kitchen making my breakfast
And fixing me a special lunch.
For just a minute
He looked like my Mom,
But it was Jesus,
I could feel the love from his heart.

I see Jesus everywhere,
Taking food to the sick,
Being friendly to a newcomer,
And for just a minute
I think he's someone I know,
But it's always Jesus,
I can tell by the way He serves.
May someone see Jesus in me today.

The Closer I get to God
The More He Rubs Off On Me!!!!!

2006-07-17T08:46:00.000-05:00

2006-07-17T05:00:00.000-05:00

As we grow up, we learn that even the one person that wasn't supposed to
ever let you down probably will. You will have your heart broken probably
more than once and it's harder every time. You'll break hearts too, so
remember how it felt when yours was broken. You'll fight with your best
friend. You'll blame a new love for things an old one did. You'll cry
because time is passing too fast, and you'll eventually lose someone you
love. So take too many pictures, laugh too much, and love like you've
never been hurt because every sixty seconds you spend upset is a minute
of happiness you'll never get back.

Don't be afraid that your life will end,
be afraid that it will never begin.
~anonymous~

The Battle Inside

2006-07-17T04:23:00.000-05:00

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, "My son, the battle is between 2 wolves."

"One is Evil. It is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority and ego.

The other is God. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf wins?"

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

Things God Can't Do

2006-07-16T19:22:00.000-05:00

I know you are thinking I've finally lost it.
And maybe your right, (smile)! Anyway, we are
all taught that God can do anything and everything,
but there are a few hundred things He can't do.
Want to see some of them? OK...

God can't be blamed if you don't make it into Heaven.
Hebrews 2:1-3

God can't be figured out.
Ecclesiastics 11:5

God can't accept less than my whole heart.
Deuteronomy 6:5

God Can't be stopped.
Daniel 4:35

God's word can't change.
Psalm 119:89

God can't be fooled.
Hebrews 4:12

God's plan for my life can't be bad.
Jeremiah 29:11

God can't be selfish.
Romans 8:32

God can't be the author of confusion
1 Corinthians 14:33

God can't be silenced.
Psalm 50:3

God can't be prejudice.
Acts 10:34-35

God can't lie.
Hebrews 6:18

God can't lose anything.
John 6:39

God can't give us a spirit of fear.
2 Timothy 1:7

God can't stand sin.
Isaiah 59:2

God can't be given less than all.
Romans 12:1

God can't be worshiped enough.
Revelation 4:8

God can't be impressed by us.
Isaiah 64:6

God can't make junk.
Genesis 1:31

God can't lose.
Psalm 98:1

God can't stop thinking about me.
Psalm 139:17-18

God's church can't be defeated.
Matthew 16:18

God can't be given a problem He can't solve.
Matthew 19:26

God can't stop loving you.
Jeremiah 31:3

2006-07-02T13:42:00.000-05:00

THE POEM

I knelt to pray but not for long,
I had too much to do.
I had to hurry and get to work
For bills would soon be due.
So I knelt and said a hurried prayer,
And jumped up off my knees.
My Christian duty was now done
My soul could rest at ease.....
All day long I had no time
To spread a word of cheer
No time to speak of Christ to friends,
They'd laugh at me I'd fear.
No time, no time, too much to do,
That was my constant cry,
No time to give to souls in need
But at last the time, the time to die.
I went before the Lord,
I came, I stood with downcast eyes.
For in his hands God! held a book;
It was the book of life.
God looked into his book and said
"Your name I cannot find
I once was going to write it down...
But never found the time".

Awsome Picture

2006-06-09T07:56:00.000-05:00

Why Did My Son Have To Die?

2006-06-07T08:29:00.000-05:00

Cindy Sheehan asked President Bush,
"Why did my son have to die in Iraq?"

A mother asked President Kennedy,
"Why did my son have to die in Viet Nam?"

Another mother asked President Truman,
"Why did my son have to die in Korea?"

Another mother asked President Roosevelt,
"Why did my son have to die at Iwo Jima?"

Another mother asked President Wilson,
"Why did my son have to die in France?"

Yet another mother asked President Lincoln,
"Why did my son have to die at Gettysburg?"

And yet another mother asked President Washington,
"Why did my son have to die near Valley Forge?"

Then long, long ago, a mother asked, "Heavenly Father, why did my Son have to die on a cross outside of Jerusalem?"

The answers to all these are similar -- "that others may have life and dwell in peace, happiness and freedom."

IF YOU DON'T STAND BEHIND OUR TROOPS,
PLEASE, FEEL FREE TO STAND IN FRONT OF THEM

Signs of Christ' return

2006-06-06T05:00:00.000-05:00

I do believe we are in the end times, I think it will get a lot worse. Christ's return is at the door.

Signs of Christ Return

I truly believe this...

Hurricanes are just one of the many signs Christ gave to his Church to be watchful of. Jesus said: The sea and the waves will be roaring. Luke 21: 25

The rebirth of the nation of Israel after 2500 years. This happened in 1948.

The rebirth of the Roman Empire. This also happened in 1948. Today it's called the European Union. It now has 25 nations in it's membership. Daniel's ten toes of iron and clay. Daniel 2:42-44.

Jewish control of Jerusalem. Jesus said in Luke 21:24 that Jerusalem will be trodden down of the gentiles, until the time of the gentiles be fulfilled. For over 2500 years other countries have had dominion and occupied Jerusalem. For the first time in 2500 years the Jews took control of Jerusalem. It happened in 1967 with the 6 day war June 5-10, 1967.

There will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes Matthew 24:7. Tens of millions have starved to death in Africa. Tens of millions go hungry daily. Tens of millions are infected with the aids virus. Millions more have cancer.

The earthquake on December 26,2004 was a magnitude 9.0. It caused a tsunami wave that killed an estimated 1/4 million people. This earthquake was so powerful it caused the earth to wobble. Jesus said: As the days of Noah were so also will it be
when I am about to return. Luke 17: 26.

What were world conditions like in Noah's day? Genesis 6:11 says the whole world was corrupt before God, and the whole world was filled with violence. Detroit Michigan recorded over 800 murders in 2004. How many people were murdered in your city last year?

Jesus also said: as the days of Sodom were, so also will it be when I am about to return. Luke 17:28-30

Who in their wildest dreams would have ever thought we would be debating gay marriages?

The Apostle Paul said just before Christ's return a great falling away from the Christian faith would occur. 2 Thessalonians 2:3.

Many Churches world wide have closed their doors due to lack of attendance.

The recent Catholic Church sex scandal has driven many away. 180 million dollars has been paid out in lawsuits to sexually abused alter boys.

The recent ordination of a gay Bishop in the Anglican Church has split many Churches wide open.

The Apostle Paul also describes how humanity would act in the END TIMES. 2 Timothy 3: 1-5 says, This know also that in the last days terrible times will come. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self control, brutal, not lovers of good,treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God- having a form of Godliness but denying it's power.

Many will scoff at what is written. Many will be offended.

Christ Jesus said no man will know the hour or the date of my return, but Jesus also said, you will know when it is near even at the door. When a tree starts to blossom you know that summer is near.Jesus said: When you see these SIGNS coming to pass you will know that my return is near, even at the door. Matthew 24:33

Be a wise servant and prepare. It is not God's will that any perish. It is God's will that ALL come to the Cross of Jesus Christ and be Saved.

Blessings.

Never fear to love with all your heart and soul

Happy Memorial Day

2006-05-28T07:42:00.000-05:00

I want to thank each and every one of our service men and women who are serving, have served, or has died serving our country to which we live. Let us not take for granted our freedom because freedom........is not free!

Handy Chart

2006-04-30T04:50:00.000-05:00

You say: "It's impossible"
God says: All things are possible (Luke 18:27)

You say: "I'm too tired"
God says: I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28-30)

You say: "Nobody really loves me"
God says: I love you (John 3:16 & John 3:34 )

You say: "I can't go on"
God says: My grace is sufficient (II Corinthians 12:9 & Psalm 91:15)

You say: "I can't figure things out"
God says: I will direct your steps (Proverbs 3:5-6)

You say: "I can't do it"
God says: You can do all things (Philippians 4:13)

You say: "I'm not able"
God says: I am able (II Corinthians 9:8)

You say: "It's not worth it"
God says: It will be worth it (Roman 8:28 )

You say: "I can't forgive myself"
God says: I Forgive you (I John 1:9 & Romans 8:1)

You say: "I can't manage"
God says: I will supply all your needs (Philippians 4:19)

You say: "I'm afraid"
God says: I have not given you a spirit of fear (II Timothy 1:7)

You say: "I'm always worried and frustrated"
God says: Cast all your cares on ME (I Peter 5:7)

You say: "I'm not smart enough"
God says: I give you wisdom (I Corinthians 1:30)

You say: "I feel all alone"
God says: I will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5)

The Wonders Of God

2006-04-17T06:44:00.000-05:00

A boy was sitting on a park bench with one hand resting on an open Bible. He was loudly exclaiming his praise to God. "Hallelujah! Hallelujah! God is great!" he yelled without worrying whether anyone heard him or not.

Along came a man who had recently completed some studies at a local university. Feeling himself very enlightened in the ways of truth and very eager to show this enlightenment, he asked the boy about the source of his joy.

The boy replied with a bright laugh, "Don't you have any idea what God is able to do? I just read that God opened up the waves of the Red Sea and led the whole nation of Israel right through the middle."The enlightened man laughed lightly, sat down next to the boy, and began to try to open his eyes to the "realities" behind the miracles of the Bible. "That can all be very easily explained. Modern scholarship has shown that the Red Sea in that area was only 10-inches deep at that time. It was no problem for the Israelites to wade across."

The boy was stumped. His eyes wandered from the man back to the Bible lying open in his lap. The man, content that he had enlightened a poor, naive young person to the finer points of scientific insight, turned to go. Scarcely had he taken two steps when the boy began to rejoice and praise louder than before. The man turned to ask the reason for this resumed jubilation.

"Wow!" Exclaimed the boy happily, "God is greater than I thought! Not only did He lead the whole nation of Israel through the Red Sea, He topped it off by drowning the whole Egyptian army in 10 inches of water!"

Easter Story Cookies

2006-04-11T05:17:00.000-05:00

To be made the evening before Easter.
You need:
1-cup whole pecans
1 tsp. Vinegar
3 egg whites
Pinch salt
1-cup sugar
Zipper baggie
Wooden spoon
Tape
Bible
Preheat oven to 300 degrees (this is important-don't wait until you're
Half done with the recipe)!
Place pecans in zipper baggie and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was
Arrested He was beaten by the Roman soldiers.

Read John 19:1-3

Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp. Vinegar into mixing bowl.
Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross, He was given
Vinegar to drink.

Read John 19:28-30

Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus
Gave His life to give us life.

Read John 10:10-11

Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and
Brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty
Tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin.

Read Luke 23:27

So far, the ingredients are not very appetizing.. Add 1cup sugar.
Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because
He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him.

Read Ps. 34:8 and John 3:16

Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks
Are formed. Explain that the color white Represents --in God's eyes -- the purity of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus.

Read Isa. 1:18 and John 3:1-3

Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper-covered cookie
Sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid.

Read Matt. 27:57-60

Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF.
Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that
Jesus' tomb was sealed.

Read Matt. 27:65-66

GO TO BED! Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in
The oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb
Was sealed.

Read John 16:20 and 22

On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice
The cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow!

On the first Easter, Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb
Open and empty.

Read Matt. 28:1-9

The Story of the Jelly Bean

2006-04-10T05:19:00.000-05:00

Little jelly beans
Tell a story true.
A tale of our Father's love
That's just for me and you.

GREEN is for the new spring grass.
YELLOW is for the sun above.
BROWN is for the soft earth where
People sat hearing of HIS love.

PURPLE'S for the robe he wore
RED is for that precious wine.
BLACK is for the sins He washed
From your soul and mine.

BLUE'S for the sadness of
HIS friends and family,
and WHITE is for the glory of the Day
HE rose for you and me.

Now that you've heard the story
You know what each color means.
The story of our Father's love
As told by jelly beans.
So when you see jelly beans on this Easter season,
stop and remember,
Jesus is the reason!

Lego Church

2006-04-04T05:06:00.000-05:00

This was sent to me in an e-mail and I've just got to share it with you. Someone sure spent a lot of time on this one. Awsome!

A few quick facts:

How long to build it? It was about a year and a half of planning, building and photographing.

How many pieces of LEGO to build it? more than 75,000

How big is it? About 7 feet by 5 1/2 feet by 30 inches (2.2 m x 1.7 m x .76 m)

How many lego people does it seat? 1372

How many windows? 3976

It features a balcony, a Narthex, stairs to the balcony, restrooms, coat rooms, several mosaics, a nave, a baptistry, an altar, a crucifix, a pulpit and an elaborate pipe organ.

The Resume of Jesus Christ

2006-04-01T10:11:00.000-06:00

Address: Ephesians 1:20
Phone: Romans 10:13
Website: The Bible. Keywords: Christ, Lord, Savior and Jesus

Hello. My name is Jesus -The Christ. Many call me Lord! I've sent you my resume because I'm seeking the top management position in your heart. Please consider my accomplishments as set forth in my resume.

Qualifications
· I founded the earth and established the heavens, (See Proverbs 3:19)
· I formed man from the dust of the ground, (See Genesis 2:7)
· I breathed into man the breath of life, (See Genesis 2:7)
· I redeemed man from the curse of the law, (See Galatians 3:13)
· The blessings of the Abrahamic Covenant comes upon your life through me, (See Galatians 3:14)

Occupational Background
· I've only had one employer, (See Luke 2:49).
· I've never been tardy, absent, disobedient, slothful or disrespectful.
· My employer has nothing but rave reviews for me, (See Matthew 3:15-17)

Skills Work Experiences
· Some of my skills and work experiences include: empowering the poor to be poor no more, healing the brokenhearted, setting the captives free, healing the sick, restoring sight to the blind and setting at liberty them that are bruised, (See Luke 4:18).

· I am a Wonderful Counselor, (See Isaiah 9:6). People who listen to me shall dwell safely and shall not fear evil, (See Proverbs 1:33).

· Most importantly, I have the authority, ability and power to cleanse you of your sins, (See I John 1:7-9)

Educational Background
· I encompass the entire breadth and length of knowledge, wisdom and
understanding, (See Proverbs 2:6).
· In me are hid all of the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, (See Colossians 2:3).
· My Word is so powerful; it has been described as being a lamp unto your feet and a lamp unto your path, (See Psalms 119:105).

· I can even tell you all of the secrets of your heart, (See Psalms 44:21).

Major Accomplishments
· I was an active participant in the greatest Summit Meeting of all times, (See Genesis 1:26).
· I laid down my life so that you may live, (See II Corinthians 5:15).
· I defeated the archenemy of God and mankind and made a show of them openly, (See Colossians 2:15).
· I've miraculously fed the poor, healed the sick and raised the dead!
· There are many more major accomplishments, too many to mention here. You can read them on my website, which is located at: www dot - the BIBLE. You don't need an Internet connection or computer to access my website.

References
· Believers and followers worldwide will testify to my divine healings, salvation, deliverance, miracles, restoration and supernatural guidance.

In Summation
Now that you've read my resume, I'm confident that I'm the only candidate uniquely qualified to fill this vital position in your heart. In summation, I will properly direct your paths, (See Proverbs 3:5-6), and lead you into everlasting life, (See John 6:47). When can I start? Time is of the essence, (See Hebrews 3:15).

The Darwinian vs. God Contest

2006-03-26T13:32:00.000-06:00

One day a group of Darwinian scientists got together and decided that man had come a long way and no longer needed God. So they picked one Darwinian to go and tell Him that they were done with Him.

The Darwinian walked up to God and said, "God, we've decided that we no longer need you. We're to the point that we can clone people and do many miraculous things, so why don't you just go on and get lost."

God listened very patiently and kindly to the man. After the Darwinian was done talking, God said, "Very well, how about this? Let's say we have a man-making contest." To which the Darwinian happily agreed.

God added, "Now, we're going to do this just like I did back in the old days with Adam."

The Darwinian said, "Sure, no problem," and bent down and grabbed himself a handful of dirt.

God looked at him and said, "No, no, no. You go get your own dirt!"

A Parable

2006-03-22T07:30:00.000-06:00

A Mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife opening a package.

"What food might this contain?"

He was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap.

Retreating to the farmyard, the mouse proclaimed the warning.

"There is a mousetrap in the house!; there Is a mousetrap in the house!"

The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, "Mr. Mouse, I can tell this is a grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me. I cannot be bothered by it."

The mouse turned to the pig and told him, "There is a mousetrap in the house".

The pig sympathized but said, "I am so very sorry Mr.. Mouse, But there is nothing I can do about it but pray. Be assured that you are in my prayers."

The mouse turned to the cow. She said, "Wow, Mr.. Mouse. I'm sorry for you. But it's no skin off my nose."

So the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the farmer's mousetrap alone.

That very night a sound was heard throughout the house like the sound of a mousetrap catching its prey.

The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught.

In the darkness she did not see that it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught.

The snake bit the farmer's wife.

The farmer rushed her to the hospital and she returned home with a fever.

Now everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup's main ingredient.

But his wife's sickness continued, so friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them, the farmer butchered the pig.

The farmer's wife did not get well. She died; And so many people came for her funeral the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide enough meat for all of them.

So next time you hear that someone is facing a problem and think that it doesn't concern you, remember that when one of us is threatened, we are all at risk.

In the book of Genesis, Cain said about Abel his brother to our God: "Am I my brother's keeper?".

We are all involved in this journey called life.

We must keep an eye out for one another and be willing to make that extra effort to encourage one another.

Nobody makes the journey alone!

Let It Go For 2006

2006-03-18T07:52:00.000-06:00

There are people who can walk away from you.
And hear me when I tell you this! When people can walk away from you:

Let them walk.

I don't want you to try to talk another person into staying with you, loving you, calling you, caring about you, coming to see you, staying attached to you. I mean hang up the phone.

When people can walk away from you let them walk. Your destiny is never tied to anybody that left.

The Bible said that, they came out from us that it might be made manifest that they were not for us. For had they been of us, no doubt they would have continued with us. [1 John 2:19]

People leave you because they are not joined to you. And if they are not joined to you, you can't make them stay.

Let them go.

And it doesn't mean that they are a bad person it just means that their part in the story is over. And you've got to know when people's part in your story is over so that you don't keep trying to raise the dead.

You've got to know when it's dead.

You've got to know when it's over. Let me tell you something. I've got the gift of good-bye. It's the tenth spiritual gift, I believe in good-bye. It's not that I'm hateful, it's that I'm faithful, and I know whatever God means for me to have He'll give it to me. And if it takes too much sweat I don't need it. Stop begging people
to stay.

Let them go!!

If you are holding on to something that doesn't belong to you and was never intended for your life, then you need to.....

LET IT GO!!!

If you are holding on to past hurts and pains .....

LET IT GO!!!

If someone can't treat you right, love you back, and see your worth.....

LET IT GO!!!

If someone has angered you ........

LET IT GO!!!

If you are holding on to some thoughts of evil and revenge......

LET IT GO!!!

If you are involved in a wrong relationship or addiction......

LET IT GO!!!

If you are holding on to a job that no longer meets your needs or talents ....

LET IT GO!!!

If you have a bad attitude.......

LET IT GO!!!

If you keep judging others to make yourself feel better......

LET IT GO!!!

If you're stuck in the past and God is trying to take you to a new level in Him......

LET IT GO!!!

If you are struggling with the healing of a broken relationship.......

LET IT GO!!!

If you keep trying to help someone who won't even try to help themselves......

LET IT GO!!!

If you're feeling depressed and stressed .......

LET IT GO!!!

If there is a particular situation that you are so used to handling yourself and God is saying "take your hands off of it," then you need to......

LET IT GO!!!

Let the past be the past. Forget the former things.

GOD is doing a new thing for 2006!!!

LET IT GO!!!

Get Right or Get Left.. think about it, and then ....

LET IT GO!!!

"The Battle is the Lord's!"

During the next 60 seconds, Stop whatever you are doing, and take this opportunity. (Literally it is only ONE minute!)

All you have to do is the following:

You simply say "The Lords Prayer" :

The Lords Prayer

Our Father, who are in Heaven,
Hallowed be Thy Name, Thy Kingdom Come,
Thy Will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day, our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory, forever.

Amen.

By T. D. Jakes

How To Plant Your Garden

2006-03-16T11:07:00.000-06:00

First, you Come to the garden alone,
while the dew is still on the roses....

FOR THE GARDEN OF YOUR DAILY LIVING,
PLANT THREE ROWS OF PEAS:

1. Peace of mind
2. Peace of heart
3. Peace of soul

PLANT FOUR ROWS OF SQUASH:

1. Squash gossip
2. Squash indifference
3. Squash grumbling
4. Squash selfishness

PLANT FOUR ROWS OF LETTUCE:

1. Lettuce be faithful
2. Lettuce be kind
3. Lettuce be patient
4. Lettuce really love one another

NO GARDEN IS WITHOUT TURNIPS:

1. Turnip for meetings
2. Turnip for service
3. Turnip to help one another

TO CONCLUDE OUR GARDEN WE MUST HAVE...THYME:

1. Thyme for each other
2. Thyme for family
3. Thyme for friends

WATER FREELY WITH PATIENCE AND CULTIVATE WITH LOVE.
THERE IS MUCH FRUIT IN YOUR GARDEN BECAUSE YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW.

Church Going

2006-03-06T09:43:00.001-06:00

Here is a little joke that is kinda funny but it brings a powerful message:

Preacher: "How come I never see you in church anymore, Morris?"

Morris: "There are too many hypocrites there, Reverend."

Preacher: "Don't worry, Morris; there's always room for one more."

You'd be surprised how many people who don't go to church think like that. I know because I used to be one of those people. But church is a "hospital" for sick people. And I definitely was "sick". But I'm on "medication" and getting better every day. Praise God!

Judge Not

2006-02-22T18:44:00.000-06:00

I was shocked, confused, bewildered
as I entered Heaven's door,
Not by the beauty of it all,
Nor the lights or its decor.
But it was the folks in Heaven
who made me sputter and gasp--
the thieves, the liars, the sinners,
the alcoholics, the trash.....

There stood the kid from seventh grade
Who swiped my lunch money twice
Next to him was my old neighbor
Who never said anything nice.
Herb, who I always thought
was rotting away in hell,
was sitting pretty on cloud nine,
Looking incredibly well.

I nudged Jesus, "What's the deal?
I would love to hear Your take.
How'd all these sinners get up here?
God must've made a mistake.
"And why's everyone so quiet,
so somber? Give me a clue."
"Hush, child," said He, "they're all in shock.
No one thought they'd be seeing you."

Judge NOT.

All Cats Go To Heaven

2006-02-21T11:35:00.000-06:00

I can relate to this joke so well; having 4 cats myself. I love it!

A cat dies and goes to Heaven. God meets him at the gate and says, "You have been a good cat all of these years. Anything you desire is yours, all you have to do is ask."

The cats says, "Well, I lived all my life with a poor family on a farm and had to sleep on hardwood floors."

God says, "Say no more." And instantly, a fluffy pillow appears.

A few days later, 6 mice are killed in a tragic accident and they go to Heaven. God meets them at the gate with the same offer that He made the cat. The mice said, "All our lives we've had to run. Cats, dogs and even women with brooms have chased us. If we could only have a pair of roller skates, we wouldn't have to run anymore."

God says, "Say no more." And instantly, each mouse is fitted with a beautiful pair of tiny roller skates.

About a week later, God decides to check and see how the cat is doing. The cat is sound asleep on his new pillow. God gently wakes him and asks, "How are you doing? Are you happy here?"

The cat yawns and stretches and says, "Oh, I've never been happier in my life. And those Meals on Wheels you've been sending over are the best!"

Build A Bridge

2006-02-21T10:55:00.000-06:00

I love this joke because it is so true. Men will never know the full mentality and genius level of a woman! So don't even try!

A man walking along a California beach was deep in prayer. Suddenly the sky clouded above his head and, in a booming voice, the Lord said, "Because you have TRIED to be faithful to me in all ways, I will grant you one wish."

The man said, "Build a bridge to Hawaii so I can drive over anytime I want."The Lord said, "Your request is very materialistic. Think of the enormous challenges for that kind of undertaking. The supports required to reach the bottom of the Pacific! The concrete and steel it would take! It will nearly exhaust several natural resources. I can do it, but it is hard for me to justify your desire for worldly things. Take a little more time and think of something that would honor and glorify me."

The man thought about it for a long time. Finally he said, "Lord, I wish that I could understand my wife. I want to know how she feels inside, what she's thinking when she gives me the silent treatment, why she cries, what she means when she says ‘nothing's wrong,’ and how I can make a woman truly happy."

The Lord replied, "You want two lanes or four on that bridge?"

In The Valley

2006-02-16T19:30:00.000-06:00

Sometimes life seems hard to bear
Full of sorrow, trouble and woe,
It's then I have to remember
That it's in the valleys I grow.

If I always stayed on the mountain top
And never experienced pain,
I would never appreciate God's love
And would be living in vain.

I have so much to learn
And my growth is very slow,
Sometimes I need the mountain tops,
But it's in the valley I grow.

I do not always understand
Why things happen as they do,
But I am very sure of one thing,
My Lord will see me through.

My little valleys are nothing
When I picture Christ on the cross,
He went through the valley of death;
His victory was Satan's loss.

Forgive me Lord, for complaining
When I'm feeling so very low,
Just give me a gentle reminder
That it's in the valleys I grow.

Continue to strengthen me, Lord
And use my life each day,
To share your love with others
And help them find their way.

Thank you for the valleys, Lord
For this one thing I know,
The mountain tops are glorious
But it's in the valleys I grow......

~~AUTHOR UNKNOWN

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

I want to welcome my new renter.In His Steps This is a very pretty site that I just love. She has some very good posts; really good reading. I thoroughly enjoy going to this site. Please go by and see for yourself. Tell her forgivenforever sent ya!

I want to say goodbye and thank you to my previous renter.Sniderz If you like movie reviews (and I do) you will love this site. Check it out! Tell him forgivenforever sent ya!

Afraid Of The Dark

2006-02-15T09:37:00.000-06:00

A little boy was afraid of the dark. One night his mother told him to go out to the back porch and bring her the broom.

The little boy turned to his mother and said, "Mama, I don't want to go out there. It's dark."

The mother smiled reassuringly at her son. "You don't have to be afraid of the dark," she explained. "Jesus is out there. He'll look after you and protect you."The little boy looked at his mother real hard and asked, "Are you sure he's out there?"

"Yes, I'm sure. He is everywhere, and he is always ready to help you when you need him," she said.

The little boy thought about that for a minute and then went to the back door and cracked it a little. Peering out into the darkness, he called, "Jesus? If you're out there, would you please hand me the broom?"

The Five Finger Prayer

2006-02-15T07:01:00.000-06:00

1. Your thumb is nearest you. So begin your prayers by praying for those closest to you. They are the easiest to remember. To pray for our loved ones is, as C. S. Lewis once said, a "sweet duty."

2. The next finger is the pointing finger. Pray for those who teach, instruct and heal. This includes teachers, doctors, and ministers. They need support and wisdom in pointing others in the right direction. Keep them in your prayers.

3. The next finger is the tallest finger. It reminds us of our leaders. Pray for the president, leaders in business and industry, and administrators. These people shape our nation and guide public opinion. They need God's guidance.

4. The fourth finger is our ring finger. Surprising to many is the fact that this is our weakest finger, as any piano teacher will testify. It should remind us to pray for those who are weak, in trouble or in pain. They need your prayers day and night. You cannot pray too much for them.

5. And lastly comes our little finger the smallest finger of all which is where we should place ourselves in relation to God and others. As the Bible says, "The least shall be the greatest among you." Your pinkie should remind you to pray for yourself. By the time you have prayed for the other four groups, your own needs will be put into proper perspective and you will be able to pray for yourself more effectively.

2006-02-08T08:12:00.000-06:00

I want to say goodbye to my previous renter: KeepinItReal. Please go by and visit him for me!

I want to welcome my new renter: Sniderz. He's got some great movie reviews. I love movies and like to hear what other people think about them. Go by and visit him and tell him forgivenforever sent ya!

Awsome Blue Angels

2006-02-08T07:34:00.000-06:00

Blessed Jesus

2006-02-08T07:19:00.000-06:00

I received this picture in an e-mail from a friend.

I love this picture! Hope you do too!

Video

2006-02-06T13:07:00.000-06:00

I have a new music video again. And this one is very special. It is one of my very favorite songs by one of my very favorite singers.

It says what I feel inside along with millions of other Americans.

I personally want to thank every one of the men and women in the armed services and the men and women behind the scenes who give their all for the citizens and future citizens of America. I know that you have paid or are paying the ultimate price for freedom for us.

God Bless you all!

Welcome

2006-01-31T11:33:00.000-06:00

I want to welcome my new renter: KeepinItReal. Please go by and visit his site. A college kid with a view of different topics....very refreshing. You will like his site. Tell him forgivenforever sent ya!

I want to say good-bye to my previous renter: Blogging Days and Blogging Nights. Please go visit her site. And as usual....tell her forgivenforever sent ya!

The World Is Mine

2006-01-30T20:55:00.000-06:00

Today, upon a bus, I saw a very beautiful woman
And wished I were as beautiful
When suddenly she rose to leave,
I saw her hobble down the aisle.
She had one leg and wore a crutch.
But as she passed, she passed a smile.
Oh, God, forgive me when I whine.
I have two legs; the world is mine.

~~~~~~~

I stopped to buy some candy.
The lad who sold it had such charm.
I talked with him, he seemed so glad.
If I were late, it'd do no harm.
And as I left, he said to me, "I thank you,
you've been so kind.
It's nice to talk with folks like you.
You see," he said, "I'm blind."
Oh, God, forgive me when I whine.
I have two eyes; the world is mine.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Later while walking down the street,
I saw a child I knew.
He stood and watched the others play,
but he did not know what to do.
I stopped a moment and then I said,
"Why don't you join them dear?"
He looked ahead without a word.
I forgot, he couldn't hear.
Oh, God, forgive me when I whine.
I have two ears; the world is mine.

~~~~~~~~~

With feet to take me where I'd go.
With eyes to see the sunset's glow.
With ears to hear what I'd know.
Oh, God, forgive me when I whine.
I've been blessed indeed, the world is mine.

~~~~~~~~~

Goodbye and Welcome!

2006-01-22T07:44:00.000-06:00

I want to say goodbye to my previous renter: Joyful Mother It was a real pleasure and I hope you go by and see her site. You will really like it. Tell her forgivenforever sent ya!

I want to welcome my new renter: Blogging Days and Blogging Nights I really like her site. I really enjoyed reading it. I know you will too. Tell her forgivenforever sent you!

Also I want to mention something. As you may have noticed if you've ever been here before, I have changed my look. I hope you like it. Well, I lost a few things; a few links and stuff. So if you want me to add you to my links section on the right, please send me your site/blog address and I will visit it first of course, and if I like it, I will surely add it. All I ask is that you add mine as well to your site/blog. If you have been my renter in the past and you would like me to add you to my links, please let me know. I'm just too lazy to research my past posts to get addresses. It doesn't mean I don't like you.

Priceless

2006-01-20T18:44:00.000-06:00

A man was being tailgated by a stressed out woman on a busy boulevard. Suddenly, the light turned yellow, just in front of him.

He did the right thing, stopping at the crosswalk, even though he could have beaten the red light by accelerating through the intersection.

The tailgating woman was furious and honked her horn, screaming in frustration as she missed her chance to get through the intersection, dropping her cell phone and makeup.

As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and looked up into the face of a very serious police officer.

The officer ordered her to exit her car with her hands up.

He took her to the police station where she was searched, finger printed, photographed, and placed in a holding cell.

After a couple of hours, a policeman approached the cell and opened the door.

She was escorted back to the booking desk where the arresting officer was waiting with her personal effects.

He said, "I'm very sorry for this mistake. You see, I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, flipping off the guy in front of you, and cussing a blue streak at him.

"I noticed the ' Choose Life' license plate holder, the ' What Would Jesus Do' bumper sticker, the ' Follow Me to Sunday-School' bumper sticker, and the chrome-plated Christian fish emblem on the trunk.

Naturally, I assumed you had stolen the car."

Priceless...

Why go to Church?

2006-01-20T18:25:00.000-06:00

If you're spiritually alive, you're going to love this! If you're spiritually dead, you won't want to read it. If you're spiritually curious, there is still hope!

A Church goer wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday.

"I've gone for 30 years now," he wrote, "and in that time I have heard, something like 3,000 sermons. But for the life of me, I can't remember a single one of them. So, I think I'm wasting my time and the pastors are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all.

This started a real controversy in the "Letters to the Editor" column, much to the delight of the editor. It went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher: "I've been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals. But, for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals.

But I do know this...They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!"

When you are DOWN to nothing.... God is UP to something. Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible and receives the impossible! Thank God for our physical AND our spiritual nourishment!

"When Satan is knocking at your door, simply say," Jesus, could you get that for me?!!"

Laus Deo

2006-01-17T09:44:00.000-06:00

A friend sent me this in an e-mail. I think it's pretty interesting.

One detail that is not mentioned, in DC, is that there can never be a building of greater height than the Washington Monument.

With all the uproar about removing the ten commandments, etc... This is worth a moment or two of your time. I was not aware of this historical information.

On the aluminum cap, atop the Washington Monument in Washington, DC, are displayed two words: Laus Deo. No one can see these words. In fact, most visitors to the monument are totally unaware they are even there and for that matter, probably couldn't care less.

Once you know Laus Deo's history, you will want to share this with everyone you know. But these words have been there for many years; they are 555 feet, 5.125 inches high, perched top the monument, facing skyward to the Father of our nation, overlooking the 69 square miles which comprise the District of Columbia, capital of the United States of America.

Laus Deo! Two seemingly insignificant, unnoticed words. Out of sight and, one might think, out of mind, but very meaningfully placed at the highest point over what is the most powerful city in the most successful nation in the world.

So, what do those two words, in Latin, composed of just four syllables and only seven letters, possibly mean? Very simply, they say "Praise be to God!"

Though construction of this giant obelisk began in 1848, when James Polk was President of the United States, it was not until 1888 that the monument was inaugurated and opened to the public. It took twenty five years to finally cap the memorial with a tribute to the Father of our nation, Laus Deo. Praise be to God!"

From atop this magnificent granite and marble structure, visitors may take in the beautiful panoramic view of the city with its division into four major segments. From that vantage point, one can also easily see the original plan of the designer, Pierre Charles l'Enfant...a perfect cross imposed upon the landscape, with the White House to the north. The Jefferson Memorial is to the south, the Capitol to the east and the Lincoln Memorial to the west.

A cross you ask? Why a cross? What about separation of church and state? Yes, a cross; separation of church and state was not, is not, in the Constitution. So, read on. How interesting and, no doubt, intended to carry a profound meaning for those who bother to notice.

Praise be to God! Within the monument itself are 898 steps and 50 landings. As one climbs the steps and pauses at the landings the memorial stones share a message. On the 12th Landing is a prayer offered by the City of Baltimore; on the 20th is a memorial presented by some Chinese Christians; on the 24th a presentation made by Sunday School children from New York and Philadelphia quoting Proverbs 10:7, Luke 18:16 and Proverbs 22:6. Praise be to God!

When the cornerstone of the Washington Monument was laid on July 4th, 1848 deposited within it were many items including the Holy Bible presented by the Bible Society. Praise be to God! Such was the discipline, the moral direction, and the spiritual mood given by the founder and first President of our unique democracy."One Nation, Under God."

I am awed by Washington's prayer for America. Have you never read it? Well, now is your unique opportunity, so read on!

"Almighty God; We make our earnest prayer that Thou wilt keep the United States in Thy holy protection; that Thou wilt incline the hearts of the citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to government; and entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another and for their fellow citizens of the United States at large. And finally that Thou wilt most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to do justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that charity, humility, and pacific temper of mind which were the characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed religion, and without a humble imitation of whose example in these things we can never hope to be a happy nation. Grant our supplication, we beseech Thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

Laus Deo!

When one stops to observe the inscriptions found in public places all over our nation's capitol, he or she will easily find the signature of God, as it is unmistakably inscribed everywhere you look. You may forget the width and height of "Laus Deo", its location, or the architects but no one who reads this will be able to forget its meaning, or these words: "Unless the Lord builds the house its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain." (Psalm 127: 1)

Welcome!

2006-01-14T12:44:00.000-06:00

I want to welcome my new renter. Joyful Mother
She has a lot of good reading. I really enjoyed it. And you will too.
Go by and visit and tell her forgivenforever sent ya!

Goodbye!

2006-01-14T08:37:00.000-06:00

I want to say goodbye and thank you to my previous renter. What a great site! Please go and visit her. You'll be glad you did. Sting My Heart

I love this poem.....

2006-01-11T07:20:00.000-06:00

Teach me, my God and King,
In all things thee to see,
And what I do in anything,
To do it as for thee.

-George Herbert

10 Things God Won't Ask

2006-01-09T13:04:00.000-06:00

1...God won't ask what kind of car you drove; He'll ask how many people you drove who didn't have transportation.

2...God won't ask the square footage of your house, He'll ask how many people you welcomed into your home.

3...God won't ask about the clothes you had in your closet, He'll ask how many you helped to clothe.

4...God won't ask what your highest salary was, He'll ask if you compromised your character to obtain it.

5...God won't ask what your job title was, He'll ask if you performed your job to the best of your ability.

6...God won't ask how many friends you had, He'll ask how many people to whom you were a friend.

7...God won't ask in what neighborhood you lived, He'll ask how you treated your neighbors.

8...God won't ask about the color of your skin, He'll ask about the content of your character.

9...God won't ask why it took you so long to seek Salvation, He'll lovingly take you to your mansion in heaven, and not to the gates of Hell.

10...God won't ask how many people you forwarded this to, He'll ask if you were ashamed to pass it on to your friends

Beautiful One Liners

2006-01-09T12:41:00.000-06:00

1. Give God what's right -- not what's left.

2. Man's way leads to a hopeless end -- God's way leads to an endless hope.

3. A lot of kneeling will keep you in good standing.

4. He who kneels before God can stand before anyone.

5. In the sentence of life, the devil may be a comma--but never let him be the period.

6. Don't put a question mark where God puts a period.

7. Are you wrinkled with burden? Come to the church for a face-lift.

8. When praying, don't give God instructions - just report for duty.

9. Don't wait for six strong men to take you to church.

10. We don't change God's message -- His message changes us.

11. The church is prayer-conditioned.

12 When God ordains, He sustains.

13. WARNING: Exposure to the Son may prevent burning.

14. Plan ahead -- It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark.

15. Most people want to serve God, but only in an advisory position.

16. Suffering from truth decay? Brush up on your Bible.

17. Exercise daily -- walk with the Lord.

18. Never give the devil a ride -- he will always want to drive.

19. Nothing else ruins the truth like stretching it.

20. Compassion is difficult to give away because it keeps coming back.

21. He who angers you controls you.

22. Worry is the darkroom in which negatives can develop.

23. Give Satan an inch & he'll be a ruler.

24. Be ye fishers of men -- you catch them & He'll clean them.

25. God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called.

26. Read the Bible -- It will scare the hell out of you.

Dart Test

2006-01-06T08:27:00.000-06:00

A young lady named Sally , relates an experience she had in a seminary class, given by her teacher, Dr. Smith.
She says that Dr. Smith was known for his elaborate object lessons.
One particular day, Sally walked into the seminary and knew they were in for a fun day.
On the wall was a big target and on a nearby table were many darts. Dr. Smith told the students to draw a picture of someone that they disliked or someone who had made them angry, and he would allow them to throw darts at the person's picture.
Sally's friend drew a picture of who had stolen her boyfriend. Another friend drew a picture of his little brother.
Sally drew a picture of a former friend, putting a great deal of detail into her drawing, even drawing pimples on the face. Sally was pleased with the overall effect she had achieved.
The class lined up and began throwing darts. Some of the students threw their darts with such force that their targets were ripping apart . Sally looked forward to her turn, and was filled with disappointment when Dr. Smith , because of time limits, asked the students to return to their seats.. As Sally sat thinking about how angry she was because she didn't have a chance to throw any darts at her target. Dr. Smith began removing the target from the wall.
Underneath the target was a picture of Jesus. A hush fell over the room as each student viewed the mangled picture of Jesus; holes and jagged marks covered His face and His eyes were pierced.
Dr. Smith said only these words... " In as much as you have done it unto the least of these my brothers, you have done it unto Me." Matthew 25:40.
No other words were necessary; the tears filled eyes of the students focused only on the picture o f Christ.

Isn't it funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell?
Isn't it funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says?
Isn't it funny how everyone wants to go to heaven provided they do not have to believe, think, say, or do anything the Bible says.. Or is it scary?
Isn't it funny how someone can say "I believe in God" but still follow Satan (who, by the way, also "believes" in God)?
Isn't it funny how you can send a thousand jokes through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing?
Isn't it funny how the lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene pass freely through cyber space, but the public discussion of Jesus is suppressed in the school and workplace?
Isn't it funny how someone can be so fired up for Christ on Sunday, but be an invisible Christian the rest of the week?
Are you laughing?

New renter

2006-01-04T18:32:00.000-06:00

I want to welcome my new renter. I really like her blog. It is full of good reading and funny too. So go visit Sting My Heart. Tell her forgivenforever sent you!

She also has another site where you can get glittery tags. They are very pretty. Check them out at My Lighter Side.

Goodbye!

2006-01-03T14:50:00.000-06:00

I want to say goodbye to my previous renter. I'm glad you picked me for your spot for a week. Hope your stay was a pleasant one.

Everybody, please go by and say "Hey" to Kitchen Fun with Donna & Friends. It is a very good website and I know you'll enjoy it.

Happy New Year!

2005-12-31T16:49:00.000-06:00

May God be with you through this new year and always. God Bless You all!

North vs. South

2005-12-31T08:29:00.000-06:00

The North has coffee houses, The South has Waffle Houses.

The North has dating services, The South has family reunions.

The North has switchblade knives, The South has Lee Press-on Nails.

The North has double last names, The South has double first names.

The North has Indy car races, The South has stock car races.

The North has Cream of Wheat, The South has grits.

The North has green salads, The South has collard greens.

The North has lobsters, The South has crawfish.

The North has the rust belt, The South has the Bible Belt.

FOR NORTHERNERS MOVING SOUTH . . . In the South: --If you run your car into a ditch, don't panic. Four men in a four-wheel drive pickup truck with a tow chain will be along shortly. Don't try to help them, just stay out of their way. This is what they live for.

Don't be surprised to find movie rentals and bait in the same store....do not buy food at this store.

Remember, "y'all" is singular, "all y'all" is plural, and "all y'all's" is plural possessive.

Get used to hearing "You ain't from round here, are ya?"

Save all manner of bacon grease. You will be instructed later on how to use it.

Don't be worried at not understanding what people are saying. They can't understand you either. The first Southern statement to creep into a transplanted Northerner's vocabulary is the adjective "big'ol," truck or big'ol" boy. Most Northerners begin their Southern-influenced dialect this way. All of them are in denial about it.

The proper pronunciation you learned in school is no longer proper.

Be advised that "He needed killin." is a valid defense here

If you hear a Southerner exclaim, "Hey, y'all, watch this," you should stay out of the way. These are likely to be the last words he'll ever say.

If there is the prediction of the slightest chance of even the smallest accumulation of snow, your presence is required at the local grocery store. It doesn't matter whether you need anything or not. You just have to go there.

Do not be surprised to find that 10-year olds own their own shotguns, they are proficient marksmen, and their mammas taught them how to aim.

In the South, we have found that the best way to grow a lush green lawn is to pour gravel on it and call it a driveway.

AND REMEMBER: If you do settle in the South and bear children, don't think we will accept them as Southerners. After all, if the cat had kittens in the oven, we wouldn't call 'em biscuits.

Who God Uses and more!

2005-12-28T18:37:00.000-06:00

My mom sent me this e-mail that I want to share with you. I love it. Hope you do too!

God, grant me the Serenity to accept the people I cannot change, the Courage to change the one I can, and the Wisdom to know it's me.

The next time you feel like GOD can't use you, just remember...
Noah was a drunk
Abraham was too old
Isaac was a daydreamer
Jacob was a liar
Leah was ugly
Joseph was abused
Moses had a stuttering problem
Gideon was afraid
Samson had long hair and was a womanizer
Rahab was a prostitute
Jeremiah and Timothy were too young
David had an affair and was a murderer
Elijah was suicidal
Isaiah preached naked
Jonah ran from God
Naomi was a widow
Job went bankrupt
John the Baptist ate bugs
Peter denied Christ
The Disciples fell asleep while praying
Martha worried about everything
The Samaritan woman was divorced, more than once
Zaccheus was too small
Paul was too religious
Timothy had an ulcer...AND
Lazarus was dead!

No more excuses now. God can use you to your full potential. Besides you aren't the message, you are just the messenger.

1. God wants spiritual fruit, not religious nuts.
2. Dear God, I have a problem, it's me.
3. Growing old is inevitable, growing UP is optional.
4. There is no key to happiness. The door is always open.
5. Silence is often misinterpreted but never misquoted.
6. Do the math, count your blessings.
7. Faith is the ability to not panic.
8. Laugh every day, it's like inner jogging.
9. If you worry, you didn't pray. If you pray, don't worry.
10. As a child of God, prayer is kind of like calling home everyday.
11. Blessed are the flexible for they shall not be bent out of shape.
12. The most important things in your house are the people.
13. When we get tangled up in our problems, be still. God wants us to be still so He can untangle the knot.
14. A grudge is a heavy thing to carry.
15. He who dies with the most toys is still dead.

Share this with a friend or two. You can copy this if you want to. In the Circle of God's love, God's waiting to use your full potential.

May God Always Bless You and Yours!

2005-12-27T04:17:00.000-06:00

I want to welcome my new renter. Kitchen Fun with Donna & Friends She has got some very good recipes. Her website is very well put together and organized into categories for easy viewing. I just loved it. And I'm trying some of those delicious sounding recipes too. Check it out!

I received this story in my e-mail. I don't know if it's true but it is a very nice story and maybe we can learn from it. Hope you like it and .....get some tissue.

At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves learning disabled children, the father of one of the students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended.
After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he offered a question:
"When not interfered with by outside influences, everything nature does is done with perfection. Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot understand things as other children do. Where is the natural order of things in my son?"
The audience was stilled by the query. The father continued. "I believe that when a child like Shay, physically and mentally handicapped comes into the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself, and it comes, in the way other people treat that child."
Then he told the following story:
Shay and his father had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, "Do you think they'll let me play?"
Shay's father knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but the father also understood that if his son were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence to be accepted by others in spite of his handicaps.
Shay's father approached one of the boys on the field and asked if Shay could play, not expecting much. The boy looked around for guidance and a few boys nodded approval, why not? So he took matters into his own hands and said, "We're losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning."
Shay struggled over to the team's bench put on a team shirt with a broad smile and his Father had a small tear in his eye and warmth in his heart. The boys saw the father's joy at his son being accepted.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three. In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the right field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as his father waved to him from the stands.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again. Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat. At this juncture, do they let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game?
Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible 'cause Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball.
However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher, recognizing the other team putting winning aside for this moment in Shay's life, moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least be able to make contact. The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed.
The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards Shay. As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher.
The game would now be over, but the pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game. Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the head of the first baseman, out of reach of all team mates.
Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling, "Shay, run to first! Run to first!" Never in his life had Shay ever ran that far but made it to first base. He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled. Everyone yelled, "Run to second, run to second!" Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second, gleaming and struggling to make it to second base.
By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the right fielder had the ball, the smallest guy on their team, who had a chance to be the hero for his team for the first time. He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions and he too intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third-baseman's head.
Shay ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead of him circled the bases toward home. All were screaming, "Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way Shay".
Shay reached third base, the opposing shortstop ran to help him and turned him in the direction of third base, and shouted, "Run to third! Shay, run to third".
As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams and those watching were on their feet were screaming, "Shay, run home!"
Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate, and was cheered as the hero who hit the "grand slam" and won the game for his team.
That day," said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true love and humanity into this world." Shay didn't make it to another summer and died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making his Father so happy and coming home and seeing his Mother tearfully embrace her little hero of the day!

Happy Birthday Jesus!

2005-12-25T21:52:00.000-06:00

I want to say goodbye to my past renter. It was a real pleasure hosting your site. Thank you very much for choosing mine for that. Please visit this site. You will enjoy it! Christianity, and things that may soothe the soul.

I hope everybody had a very Merry Christmas. All the hustle and bustle and running around is finally over. May the next year be a very blessed one.

Let's all take a minute and say a prayer this Christmas season for the people that are in prison for Christ for sharing His word to others so that they may know Him. Please visit The Voice Of The Martyrs. It's a wonderful site full of informative reading and unbelievable heroes that will do anything to share the love of Christ to lost souls; even give up their life.
You can even write and give encouragement to them; you can get the information for that here: Prisoner Alert.

If you're looking for a gazoo click here: Gazoo

2005-12-22T08:52:00.000-06:00

I don't believe in Santa Claus, but I'm not going to sue somebody for singing a Ho-Ho-Ho song in December.
I don't agree with Darwin, but I didn't go out and hire a lawyer when my high school teacher taught his theory of evolution.
Life, liberty or your pursuit of happiness will not be endangered because someone says a 30-second prayer before a football game. So what's the big deal? It's not like somebody is up there reading the entire book of Acts. They're just talking to a God they believe in and asking him to grant safety to the players on the field and the fans going home from the game.
"But it's a Christian prayer," some will argue. Yes, and this is the United States of America, a country founded on Christian principles. According to our very own phone book, Christian churches out number all others better than 200-to-1. So what would you expect...somebody chanting Hare Krishna?
If I went to a football game in Jerusalem, I would expect to hear a Jewish prayer.
If I went to a soccer game in Baghdad, I would expect to hear a Muslim prayer.
If I went to a ping pong match in China, I would expect to hear someone pray to Buddha.
And I wouldn't be offended. It wouldn't bother me one bit. When in Rome..
"But what about the atheists?" is another argument. What about them? Nobody is asking them to be baptized. We're not going to pass the collection plate. Just humor us for 30 seconds. If that's asking too much, bring a Walkman or a pair of ear plugs. Go to the bathroom. Visit the concession stand.Call your lawyer! Unfortunately, one or two will make that call. One or two will tell thousands what they can and cannot do. I don't think a short prayer at a football game is going to shake the world's foundations.
Christians are just sick and tired of turning the other cheek while our courts strip us of all our rights. Our parents and grandparents taught us to pray before eating; to pray before we go to sleep. Our Bible tells us to pray without ceasing.
Now a handful of people and their lawyers are telling us to cease praying. God, help us. And if that last sentence offends you, well .. just sue me. The silent majority has been silent too long. It's time we let that one or two who scream loud enough to be heard .. that the vast majority don't care what they want. It is time the majority rules!
It's time we tell them, you don't have to pray; you don't have to say the Pledge of Allegiance; you don't have to believe in God or attend services that honor Him. That is your right, and we will honor your right. But by golly, you are no longer going to take our rights away.
We are fighting back .. and we WILL WIN!
God bless us one and all . especially those who denounce Him, and may their eyes be opened. God bless America, despite all her faults. She is still the greatest nation of all.
God bless our service men who are fighting to protect our right to pray and worship God.
December 2006 be the year the silent majority is heard and we put God back as the foundation of our families and institutions.
Keep looking up.
God Bless You!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

2005-12-21T08:38:00.000-06:00

Merry Christmas and New Years Greetings in 2005

For Our Democratic Friends: "Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, our best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low-stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasion and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all. We also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2006, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great. Not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country nor the only America in the Western Hemisphere. And without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wishee. By accepting these greetings you are accepting these terms. This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for herself or himself or others, and is void where prohibited by law and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher. This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher."

For Our Republican Friends: Here's wishing You: Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Teach The Children

2005-12-19T05:42:00.000-06:00

This is how it happened...I just finished the household chores for the night and was preparing to go to bed, when I heard a noise in the front of the house. I opened the door to the front room and to my surprise, Santa himself stepped out from behind the Christmas tree. He placed his finger over his mouth so I would not cry out. "What are you doing?" I started to ask. The words choked up in my throat, and I saw he had tears in his eyes. His usual jolly manner was gone. Gone was the eager, boisterous soul we all know.He then answered me with a simple statement."TEACH THE CHILDREN!"
I was puzzled; what did he mean? He anticipated my question, and with one quick movement brought forth a miniature toy bag from behind the tree. As I stood bewildered, Santa said, "Teach the children! Teach them the old meaning of Christmas. The meaning that now-a-days Christmas has forgotten."
Santa then reached in his bag and pulled out a FIR TREE and placed it before the mantle. "Teach the children that the pure green color of the stately fir tree remains green all year round, depicting the everlasting hope of mankind, all the needles point heavenward, making it a symbol of man's thoughts turning toward heaven."
He again reached into his bag and pulled out a brilliant STAR. "Teach the children that the star was the heavenly sign of promises long ago. God promised a Savior for the world, and the star was the sign of fulfillment of His promise."
He then reached into his bag and pulled out a CANDLE. "Teach the children that the candle symbolizes that Christ is the light of the world, and when we see this great light we are reminded of He who displaces the darkness."
Once again he reached into his bag and removed a WREATH and placed it on the tree. "Teach the children that the wreath symbolizes the real nature of love. Real love never ceases. Love is one continuous round of affection."
He then pulled from his bag an ornament of himself. "Teach the children that I, St. Nick ( Santa Claus ) symbolize the generosity and good will we feel during the month of December."
He then brought out a HOLLY LEAF. "Teach the children that the holly plant represents immortality. It represents the crown of thorns worn by our Savior. The red holly represents the blood shed by Him."
Next he pulled from his bag a GIFT and said, "Teach the children that God so loved the world that HE gave HIS only begotten SON..." "Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift."Teach the children that the wise men bowed before the Holy BABE and presented HIM with gold, frankincense and myrrh. We should always give gifts in the same spirit of the wise men."
Santa then reached in his bag and pulled out a CANDY CANE and hung it on the tree. "Teach the children that the candy cane represents the shepherds' crook. The crook on the staff helps to bring back strayed sheep to the flock. The candy cane is the symbol that we are our brother's keeper."
He reached in again and pulled out an ANGEL. "Teach the children that it was the angels that heralded in the glorious news of the Savior's birth. The angels sang 'Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace and good will toward men."
Suddenly I heard a soft twinkling sound, and from his bag he pulled out a BELL. "Teach the children that as the lost sheep are found by the sound of the bell, it should ring mankind to the fold. The bell symbolizes guidance and return."
Santa looked back and was pleased. He looked back at me and I saw that the twinkle was back in his eyes. He said, "Remember, teach the children the true meaning of Christmas and do not put me in the center, for I am but a humble servant of the One that is, and I bow down to worship HIM, our LORD, our GOD."

Rules From God

2005-12-18T07:45:00.000-06:00

1. Wake Up !!
Decide to have a good day.
"Today is the day the Lord hath made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalms 118:24

2. Dress Up !!
The best way to dress up is to put on a smile. A smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks. "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at outward appearance; but the Lord looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7

3. Shut Up!!
Say nice things and learn to listen. God gave us two ears and one mouth, so He must have meant for us to do twice as much listening as talking. "He who guards his lips guards his soul." Proverbs 13:3

4. Stand Up!!...
For what you believe in. Stand for something or you will fall for anything.. "Let us not be weary in doing good; for at the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good..."
Galatians 6:9-10

5. Look Up !!... To the Lord. "I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13

6. Reach Up !!... For something higher. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path." Proverbs 3:5-6

7. Lift Up !!... Your Prayers. "Do not worry about anything; instead PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING." Philippians 4:6

New Renter

2005-12-17T20:18:00.000-06:00

I have a new renter! This is a great site. I just loved it. Especially the story of Jesus is the Reason for the Season.
Please go and visit Christianity, and things that may soothe the soul.
And tell him that forgivenforever sent you!

Previous Renter

2005-12-17T08:37:00.000-06:00

I want to say goodbye to my previous renter. It was a pleasure and I hope to see you again sometime. Thank you for renting a piece of my blog. I hope it was worthwhile.

Please go by and see Wise Words sometime. It is a very good blog. You will enjoy it.

A Baby's Hug

2005-12-15T09:16:00.000-06:00

We were the only family with children in the restaurant. I sat Erik in a high chair and noticed everyone was quietly sitting and talking.

Suddenly, Erik squealed with glee and said, "Hi." He pounded his fat baby hands on the high chair tray. His eyes were crinkled in laughter and his mouth was bared in a toothless grin, as he wriggled and giggled with merriment. I looked around and saw the source of his merriment.

It was a man whose pants were baggy with a zipper at half-mast and his toes poked out of would-be shoes. His shirt was dirty and his hair was uncombed and unwashed. His whiskers were too short to be called a beard and his nose was so varicose it looked like a road map. We were too far from him to smell, but I was sure he smelled. His hands waved and flapped on loose wrists.

"Hi there, baby; Hi there, big boy. I see ya, buster," the man said to Erik.

My husband and I exchanged looks, "What do we do?"

Erik continued to laugh and answer, "Hi." Everyone in the restaurant noticed and looked at us and then at the man. The old geezer was creating a nuisance with my beautiful baby.

Our meal came and the man began shouting from across the room, "Do ya patty cake? Do you know peek-a-boo? Hey, look, he knows peek-a-boo."

Nobody thought the old man was cute. He was obviously drunk. My husband and I were embarrassed.

We ate in silence; all except for Erik, who was running through his repertoire for the admiring skid row bum, who in turn, reciprocated with his cute comments. We finally got through the meal and headed for the door.

My husband went to pay the check and told me to meet him in the parking lot. The old man sat poised between me and the door.

"Lord, just let me out of here before he speaks to me or Erik," I prayed.

As I drew closer to the man, I turned my back trying to sidestep him and avoid any air he might be breathing. As I did, Erik leaned over my arm, reaching with both arms in a baby's "pick-me-up" position. Before I could stop him, Erik had propelled himself from my arms to the man's.

Suddenly a very old smelly man and a very young baby consummated their love and kinship. Erik in an act of total trust, love, and submission laid his tiny head upon the man's ragged shoulder. The man's eyes closed, and I saw tears hover beneath his lashes. His aged hands full of grime, pain, and hard labor, cradled my baby's bottom and stroked his back.

No two beings have ever loved so deeply for so short a time. I stood awestruck. The old man rocked and cradled Erik in his arms and his eyes opened and set squarely on mine. He said in a firm commanding voice, "You take care of this baby." Somehow I managed, "I will," from a throat that contained a stone.

He pried Erik from his chest, lovingly and longingly, as though he were in pain. I received my baby, and the man said, "God bless you, ma'am, you've given me my Christmas gift." I said nothing more than a muttered thanks.

With Erik in my arms, I ran for the car. My husband was wondering why I was crying and holding Erik so tightly, and why I was saying, "My God, my God, forgive me." I had just witnessed Christ's love shown through the innocence of a tiny child who saw no sin, who made no judgment; a child who saw a soul, and a mother who saw a suit of clothes. I was a Christian who was blind, holding a child who was not.

I felt it was God asking, "Are you willing to share your son for a moment?" when He shared His for all eternity.

The ragged old man, unwittingly, had reminded me, "To enter the Kingdom of God, we must become as little children."

Baseball Fans In Heaven

2005-12-12T22:27:00.000-06:00

Two buddies, Bob and Earl, were among the biggest baseball fans in America. Their entire adult lives, Bob and Earl discussed baseball history in the winter, and they poured over every box score during the season. They went to sixty games a year. They even agreed that whoever died first would try to come back and tell the other if there was baseball in heaven.
One summer night, Bob passed away in his sleep after watching the Yankee victory earlier in the evening. He died happy.
A few nights later, his buddy Earl awoke to the sound of Bob's voice from beyond.
"Bob is that you?" Earl asked.
"Of course it's me," Bob replied.
"This is unbelievable!" Earl exclaimed. "So tell me, is there baseball in heaven?"
"Well I have some good news and some bad news for you. Which do you want to hear first?"
"Tell me the good news first."
"Well, the good news is that yes, there is baseball in heaven, Earl."
"Oh, that is wonderful! So what could possibly be the bad news?" "You're pitching tomorrow night."

The Power Of Prayer

2005-12-12T20:05:00.000-06:00

I believe that God only gives three answers to prayer:

1. "Yes!"
2. "Not yet."
3. "I have something better in mind."