Who are ya?

What classic movie are you?
If I did this right.

http://similarminds.com/movie.html

Angels

Angels


Who are they and where are they?


What do they look like?


Are they like the ones in the churches?


Let’s kick it about.

Luke 2:12-16 (New International Version)

12This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
13Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
15When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."
16So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.

Faith Incredible Faith

She was exhausted all the time. The pain was unbearable yet the worst was the shunning. Was it her illness that zapped her energy or the painful loneliness?She spent her days trapped in her home, a home that she had loved at one time it now was the prison walls that held her.

She longed to be with people. Hugs, smiles, real smiles, not the passer by who fakes it she could see the pity in their eyes as the walked past her door. She longed to be touched by loving hands.

Twelve years, twelve long agenizing years. She had seen all the healers and none of them helped her. She wondered how much longer. . . . how much?

When she heard the talk of a great healer, of this Jesus, she knew that He was the one. He could heal her. She dressed as not to be recognized. Carefully making her way through the crowd her heart raced. Maybe just to see Him. I could possibly ask Him if I could get close enough. He will heal me she thought with all her heart. Her hand trembled as she reached through the crowd for Him. She touched His robe. Just a touch is all I needed she thought as she felt her body grow stronger.

At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my clothes?""You see the people crowding against you," his disciples answered, "and yet you can ask, 'Who touched me?' "But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."




He knew before He turned who had touched Him, He freed her from the painful bondage of her illness. She was no longer unclean.


I can’t read this without falling in love with her. Her faith amazes me.She had lived in seclusion for twelve years. We all need our quiet moments at times but twelve years of life alone is maddening. Her only hope must have been that the next painful cure would work until. . .Jesus.

What they said....

I need something with a bit less intensity. I don’t have the time this week to give anything a lot of attention. I’m about to enter a long week of being up early and going to bed late. I was thinking that it might be nice to learn a bit about each other.


How about quotes from people who know you. It can be something that was written, or something that was said to you, or heck just make it up. How would we know?
I’ll start because it’s my site and my idea.


Vicki from college said "You walk into a room as if everyone is glad to see you."
Weren't they? I was glad to see them.

After saying something about the pretty girl from church my man said "I wake with to the prettiest girl" I blushed


Written:
You are a hoot. The Lord has blessed you with a great sense of humor.
Thank God for the laughter.


You are an awesome person and mother. I hope we can become better friends. I can only say it will never be dull.
She's a good mother and friend and we aren't dull together.


Thank you for your smile and wonderful spirit.
I give that to God, He gave me my spirit


I never knew you were such a party girl.
Church ladies not drink’n buddies. Girl just wants to have fun.


Thank you for the laughter
Got to love life


You are a riot.
I won’t take that responsibility. Someone else caused it . . . .a. . . . not me. . . When I count to three run! I’ll met ya in the West Texas Town Of Larado.


I’m constantly amazed at your array of abilities and your willingness to keep looking for what else is out there. You seem to turn a corner expecting a surprise - and being excited about it. Your life is an adventure and you are the explorer. What fun!
This one got to my heart, how cool for someone to say that about me.

Now Brothers and Sisters let's hear it!
Put as many as you want.

Brothers and Sisters???

Hmm. . . Are we being reluctant to say that those who aren’t Christians aren’t our brothers and sisters?


Can we say that and not feel a tug in our hearts?


Are we not to show examples by keeping our arms and our hearts open to our family members, even the lost ones?

Who are they????

So I get that Baptism is important. I believe that getting wet full in is what it says to do in the Bible. To be honest I hate the rubber suits that prevent us from feeling the water on our bodies. I know some that think it needs to be in a lake, pond, or river not the big tub that’s decorated with plants and rocks to give us that feeling of being outside. I know someone who believes you can be baptized in a bath tub by anyone, this however, isn’t the discussion. (We can still talk about it. This is God led)

On a site I read that some don’t consider some to be brothers and sisters in Christ until they are Baptized. I realize that he means something a bit different. For the purpose of this discussion I’m looking at it differently. I considered linking it from here only I don’t think I want to hurt someone over a question I have.

Now for the ones who know about the site because you’ve read it, this is a question, not a how dumb of her to ask thing. I just want to know what you think. Is everyone considered your brother and sister? Or. . . Only those who believe they way you do?

Who are our brothers and sisters?

Life after

I sat on my break this weekend trying to figure out a way to summerize this life after thing. It’s so important that I can only say this "We just don’t know when we’ll die from our human bodies, so why wait to put God in your heart?" "I don’t want to find out what happens if we aren’t saved" is what the gentleman that came through my line last week said.


What about those we love who aren’t Christians? We keep on praying. God is working on them. We pray that when the time for them comes they see Him and drop to their knees in forgiveness. The ink will not smudge. AMEN to that!


I am thankful that I’m not the judge. I’d know that for some I would find it hard to send them from Heaven while others hard to forgive. Only God can do it justly.


Thank you for this wonderful discussion I am looking forward to the next one.
Blessed,
Milly

LIFE AFTER RESPONSE

My husband and I spoke on this. I read your responses on the way to pick up Little's.
Here's one thing that I said. We just don't know what happens to a person's soul is there moment when you see the truth? When you have a chance to see God? I believe that God will see our hearts He will know the true feelings. He will know if we are faking it to get in.

Please take the time to read all of the responses.
It’s a great subject for discussion.

Thank you for the words. Blessed are we!



Japhy,

In light of all the scriptural and non-scriptural writing on the topic, there is no one who can truly say how the judgment of God will be exacted; God's ways are not ours.

Codepoke,


Heb 9:2727 Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment,There is no flexibility in that statement. We each die once, and then we face God to be judged.

I just want to observe that:* God is not surprised by the people who come to Him, nor by those who don't. * God has never "lost" a single soul. * God has drawn every one of us to Himself. * Whatever we have learned of God, we have learned directly from Him, even when a sister has taught it to us. Our teachers plant the seed, but it is God Who grows it within us.

dogalug,

The final word is that Jesus is the One Who bled and suffered and died. He Who suffered so much for us, will handle the end of all things wisely.


When I stand before God. I no longer need faith, I can see God in His full glory the need for faith has been rendered useless.Remember the story in Luke about the sinful woman who annointed Jesus' feet with alabastar? Jesus' closing words were "Go in peace. Your faith has saved you

This one says it clearly that it won’t be the same line that we stand in for judgment.


Psalm 1:4-6 (New International Version)

5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
6 For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

This says we will all have our sins examined.

Ecclesiastes 12:12-15 (New International Version)

13 Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.
14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.


Revelation 14:4-14

The Three Angels
6Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language and people. 7He said in a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water."
8A second angel followed and said, "Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great, which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries."
9A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: "If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, 10he, too, will drink of the wine of God's fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. 11And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name." 12This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God's commandments and remain faithful to Jesus.
13Then I heard a voice from heaven say, "Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on." "Yes," says the Spirit, "they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them."


Revelation 16:1-16 (New International Version)


Revelation 16
The Seven Bowls of God's Wrath
1Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, "Go, pour out the seven bowls of God's wrath on the earth." 2The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land, and ugly and painful sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped his image.
3The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it turned into blood like that of a dead man, and every living thing in the sea died.
4The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. 5Then I heard the angel in charge of the waters say: "You are just in these judgments, you who are and who were, the Holy One, because you have so judged; 6for they have shed the blood of your saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve."
7And I heard the altar respond: "Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are your judgments."
8The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and the sun was given power to scorch people with fire. 9They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him.

This implies a chance to change a moment of repentance.

10The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom was plunged into darkness. Men gnawed their tongues in agony 11and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done.

They still refuse, however, it implies a chance to turn to God.


12The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East. 13Then I saw three evil[a] spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14They are spirits of demons performing miraculous signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty.
15"Behold, I come like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed."
16Then they

Passage 3: 1 Peter, chapter 318 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,19 by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison,20 who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.


Passage 7: Revelation 207

Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison8 and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea.9 They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them.10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them.12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

Now let’s hear more from you give your opinions.

LIFE AFTER?

Life after death.


What happens after we die folks?


Let’s take some time to look at scripture and talk.


I know that some of my views are heart led..
I loved a boy when I was in high school. He was smart and handsome , so much talent, a musician, the drums. He was a friend, someone to talk to. He loved Bob Seger and seemed to love life. I remember being out at Kender’s Holler one night, kids just hanging out, most likely drinking, he looked at me, so young so. . . I don’t know. . . then he said pointing at the sky "See that star?" " Yes" I said "It’s my star, my favorite star."


We kissed prom night I told him I loved him he said he loved me too then he stagged away. My friend had dumped him at the prom.


I started college, he met a girl, I was happy for him. I was at the store he worked at we stood outside and talked for a long while. When I came home from college a day or two later my mom was on the phone with a friend who worked with him. I was devastated by the news that my friend had put a gun to his head and pulled the trigger. I was angry at myself and him. How could we not know that he wanted to do that?


My church upbringing tells me that he wasn’t going to be waiting in Heaven with that smile and open arms. My heart tells me different. I still look at that star and smile when I hear Bob Seger.


So folks let’s talk. I can take your opinions I was raised Southern COC. I honestly want to hear them.

JEWELS

Heaven will have the jewels and riches in, on, and around us. We don’t put the materials that our floors and walls are made of on our fingers and wave it proudly in front of our friends faces. We will walk on the very things that we boast about and only see the glory of God. Amen.

Revelation 21:10-25 (New International Version)

10And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. 11It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. 12It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. 13There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west. 14The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

15The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls. 16The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it is long. 17He measured its wall and it was 144 cubits thick, by man's measurement, which the angel was using. 18The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. 19The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, 20the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.21The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of pure gold, like transparent glass.

22I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. 24The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. 25On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there.

Generations

I put my thoughts on this song in red.



Generations
Sara Groves

I can taste the fruit of Eve
I’m aware of sickness, death and disease
The results of our choices are vast
Eve was the first but she wasn’t the last

We continue to taste the forbidden fruit.


And if I were honest with myself
Had I been standing at that tree
My mouth and my hands would be covered with fruit
Things I shouldn’t know and things I shouldn’t see

I know that I have stood at a tree of sin and sinned

Remind me of this with every decision
Generations will reap what I sow
I can pass on a curse or a blessing
To those I will never know

Let me remember how my life touches my children and will continue to touch the children of the future



She taught me to fear the serpent
I’m learning to fear myself
And all of the things
I am capable of In my search for wisdom, acceptance and wealth

I must be careful not to allow the devil to take over in me in order to have more in life. Let me put Jesus on every day.




And to say that the devil made me do it
Is a cop out and a lie
The devil can’t make me do anything
When I’m calling on Jesus Christ


I love this verse.


Remind me of this with every decision
Generations will reap what I sow
I can pass on a curse or a blessing
To those I will never know

To my great, great, great grand daughter
Live in peace
To my great, great, great grand son
Live in peace
To my great, great, great grand daughter
Live in peace To my great, great, great grand son
Live in peace, oh, live in peace

Remind me of this with every decision
Generations will reap what I sow
I can pass on a curse or a blessing
To those I will never know


Oh, remind me Generations will reap what I sow
I can pass on a curse or a blessing
To those I will never know
Oh, I may never know

Saved

If you follow the national news then you may have heard about the little girl here in Oklahoma who was so horrifically murdered. It hurts me to think that people can be so depraved.


When a girl was raped by my house, so close, so very close, it sickened me .I was awake TV off, writing. My neighbors felt the same way several were awake when he hurt her. We didn’t hear a thing, not one thing. This little girl was so brutally murdered right by her family they were looking for her and she was right there. It turns my stomach and makes me boil with anger. How can someone hurt a child? I pray for her family. The anger and pain must be unbearable.


The thing that I wrestle with is this: How can he ever be forgiven?


It says that all he has to do is ask, he just has to accept Jesus into his heart and he will be able to sit at the table with that little girl. This is mind blowing.


Only the son of God could have come for us. We as humans would be making a selection of those who could go and those who couldn’t. We wouldn’t have the same forgiving heart that God has for us.


I’ve asked my son this question as he grows older. Son would you die for that person? (I then point to a stranger) He looked at the man on the side of the road and shrugged. Would you let someone beat you, mock you, and pound nails into you then hang you up to die? Honestly, he says, I don’t think so.


I think that Jesus would have come for one person and gone through the pain just as he did for all of us. I’m thankful that He isn’t part of a club that picks who’s in and who’s not. I’m blessed by the fact that He has a better heart than humans do.


Pray for the people who are hurting by this horrific crime.

THE WILD

My sister took my children and me to the movies to see The Wild we gave it 8 thumbs up, a large popcorn, and two sodas. It has a cool story, the music rocked to the point of embarrassment to my son. I guess being twelve and having your mom and aunt rocking out in the seats isn’t cool. I hope they do a sound track I’ll need it for my ride to work. >^..^<

Littles

Kids say the funniest stuff sometimes.


My Littles never stops moving unless she’s asleep so when she said "I have boo boos and I do nothing" she holds her arms out then moves them to her legs. If you knew her you would laugh. She’s a dare devil. She’s the big dog’s best friend, a bird watcher, (nested in the back yard, praying the dog doesn’t eat it) she jumps and climbs everything, and she is everywhere.
I need a nap just watching her. ~,~


I keep wondering when she will land in the ER. See it’s not if, it’s when.
The boy is cautious he knows what it’s like to feel pain. He burned his hand on the oven coils at mom’s and had three stitches from bending over. Yep, he bent over and caught his eyebrow on the bed. See no crazy flying leap from the sofa to the coffee table. His sister’s favorite game.
A friend use to tell me that my garden angel was putting in OT when I drive. Thank God. Her angel must need a vacation. I wonder if he had to retire early? Do they switch? Think they train new ones on her, you know trial by fire?


God gave me one with so much spirit. I’m so thankful.*~* I was very shy and clingy as a child.
I ran away once. I was about 3 or 4. I walked right up that hill to the home my dad worked at. That’s right all the way next door to the people who knew me, I was rewarded with candy and a soda then I walked back. To my amazement mom hadn’t missed me in fact they didn’t even know that I was running away until I was about thirty when Miss M**** and I laughed about her taking care of me. Feeding me candy etc. . .


My daughter would try to get to her grandfather’s house or her aunt’s lickety split if the mood struck her. Thank God it hasn’t yet.


I am thankful for outgoing children. My husband and I were both shy growing up.
If you knew us you wouldn’t think we were. He was a drummer in a band and I was a theater major in college.


God watch over our children as they grow away from us, help us to see that each step away is a step to their life as adults. Please let them remember that we are always watching them. We pray that you are always remembered in each day of their precious lives.

My Mom

I love to talk about my mom.


She was an amazing woman to me. It’s as if she had this special power that I still can’t seem to obtain.

The beginning:

Mom was born in Oklahoma, her parents weren’t a great example of what marriage should be. My grandmother was a very proper Southern COC woman, she was raised with money and class. My grandfather loved children and women. . . (marriage problems, he loved the women) His parents were both half Native American. My grandfather didn’t discipline the children. That must have been fun for my grandmother.


While my mother was attending college she fell in love with my father. The story goes that she took one look and knew. They were married and started having children. My brother and sister are eleven months apart. I am two years younger than my sister and three years younger than my brother. OOPS! Here I am.


My father was a school teacher then went to work with juvenile delinquents. He loved it, he always felt that kids deserve second chances. (Good news for me when I became a teen)
My mother became a stay at home mom. She helped raise two other children. Baby sitter. She was the cool mom the one who took care of all of our friends. Honestly, kids would roam in and out of our home for food or what ever.


My mother never felt that she was as suffocated as some of the women that were at the parties she attended with my father. She didn’t read the latest on psychology books. She didn’t work outside the home. She just couldn’t see how valued she was when she was at those parties. I lay money that several of the women at those parties wished they could be like her.


My mother had a gift for making you feel like you were the most important person in the room. I would bring friends from high school home and she would feed them listen to them and always try to make them feel special. I once brought a friend from college home. I wanted her to see a normal home and feed her real fish not those frozen boxed ones. My parents welcomed her in. She fell in love with them. Who wouldn’t? Good food, coffee, and they too smoked. Colleen was at home.


It sounds as if they were perfect, no, they made mistakes they didn’t always agree and I know they fought. I just never heard them, they didn’t do it in front of us. (So you know learning to fight in a marriage, hard)


Back to mom.


She didn’t really feel that she had a lot of friends yet, the lady from the department store called her all the time, the people at the grocery store knew her and so on.
My mother was a compassionate person.


(Oh she could smack us when needed, hey five plus kids running around I’d be smacking.)

My mother was a compassionate person. I remember once we were in a department store and as women do we went to the ladies room together. There was a woman standing in front of the sinks crying. Mom and I did what we need to then went to wash our hands a check our faces and so on. The woman turned to my mother and apologized for crying, my mother smiled at her. She then began to tell her story. She had just come back to work from taking time off, her mother had just past away and she was trying to cope and work. My mom looked at this sobbing woman and cried with her she put her hand on her face and told her it alright to cry. She understood the loss of a mother she too had lost hers. They hugged she the told her if they don’t like that she is crying to bad. You are allowed to cry.


My mom was a short soft woman who never could see how wonderful she was. I think that had she really seen herself she’d be someone else.


I could go on about how my friends always wanted to meet her and once they did how they loved her.


My mom was my best friend we spoke almost every day about almost everything. She was such an influence in our lives. I hated leaving my son with her when I went back to work, her idea, a woman should have a job. It was a blessing to have her with him.


She was a Christian woman yet for a COC she was open to other ideas. She didn’t throw me out when we discussed abortion she listened to the point I had to make and agreed. She was against it, I pointed out that had I been fourteen, raped, and pregnant she might say something different. When the folks with the alternate life style moved in next to her. I pointed out that they might be great neighbors and we talked about how one might choose that life.


My mom and I could talk about everything. Yes everything. We were both adults and married.


One Sunday my sister and I asked if she wanted to meet us a the mall for lunch and shopping. She turned us down because she hadn’t felt well, then called and said she would. We enjoyed shopping (spoiling of her grandson) and lunch. My sister had to leave. Mom and I continued to walk not really doing anything just talking. Out of the blue she told me if anything went wrong with her heart please take her to Tulsa she didn’t trust the other hospital. I thought nothing really of it at the time she had been on medications and was to undergo tests. We laughed about how we hated to leave each other and forced ourselves to walk to our cars. We kissed goodbye she as always put her hand on my face we said our I love you’s. I watched as she put the cigarette in her mouth started her car waved and drove away.


On Tuesday I called to updated her on my son’s health he had a vires earlier that week and was fine. She complained that the shots for the flu and pneumonia were hurting her arm and that she wasn’t feeling well. By that evening she was in the ER. A miss diagnoses sent her home. I was unable to sleep that night, I kept pacing around the house.


I called my father to check on her the next morning she answered first and sounded week. When my dad picked up he told me that she was still very week and he was concerned. He decided later to take her to her doctor.


When the phone rang that afternoon and my father began to speak I was able to remain calm. I then called my aunt to send her to him. I wasn’t sure that I had heard what he said, was it true? When my aunt answered I fell to my knees and started to scream, we were both screaming. I hung up threw the phone dressed my son and called my husband. I remember frantically driving to her when I suddenly felt a calmness I felt her hand on my face. I stopped the car and asked her not to leave. My cousin responded to the call, he’s a fireman. They held him back as he yelled at her to come back. He grabbed me and told me it was too late.


God is so loving in these situations. He gave us an EMT, I watched as he worked on her in the ambulance he stayed close as they worked on her in the hospital. My husband remained calm and protected us from the hospital social worker. Not easy for him he loved her so. He was the Yankee she was the little old woman. My brother’s new wife, they had decided not to wait and had a surprise wedding mom was there, took over with food, phone calls ,and visitors. She kept it organized for us. Her funeral planning went well. When one of us couldn’t go on the other stepped up.


The funeral home was over whelmed with flowers and visitors. The charity received so many donations.


My mother’s funeral was held in the small church that she attended. The choir was from my church, she love hearing them sing. With only a few days till Christmas they were a blessing. Her funeral was standing in the back packed tight only.


So many told us how they loved her and how she was such a good friend.


The surprising thing for my sister and I was that she had competed her Christmas shopping. That was a first.


She just wouldn’t have been who she was had known how great she was.

Matthew 15:1-11

Matthew 15:1-11 (New International Version)
New International Version (NIV)


Matthew 15
Clean and Unclean 1Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, 2"Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don't wash their hands before they eat!"

3Jesus replied, "And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? 4For God said, 'Honor your father and mother and 'Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.' 5But you say that if a man says to his father or mother, 'Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is a gift devoted to God,' 6he is not to 'honor his father with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. 7You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: 8" 'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 9They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men."

10Jesus called the crowd to him and said, "Listen and understand. 11What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean,' but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean.'

Check this out.

http://www.invisiblechildren.com/

Close my eyes, open the Bible

Long weekend. . .

. . .So I am closing my eyes and opening the Bible.

Luke 1:57The Birth of John the Baptist57 When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.59 On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, 60 but his mother spoke up and said, "No! He is to be called John."61 They said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who has that name."62 Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. 63 He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone's astonishment he wrote, "His name is John." 64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue was loosed, and he began to speak, praising God. 65 The neighbors were all filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. 66 Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, "What then is this child going to be?" For the Lord's hand was with him.

That's better.

The bad attitude folks melted away. So many nice folks came in tonight. :-}

I Thank God for His people.

Bible Study

Someone picks a verse and writes a note or two. Someone else puts a note in the comments of the post saying "I've got it." Then he or she copies and pastes the whole thing into their blog, adds and tinkers at will and posts it. Then they go back, and add another comment linking the original post to the new one. Everyone repeats randomly until bored.Worth trying?"
Well, now that I am up and running again, I will certainly join in. So far this is what has been written:


Codepoke said:I am leaning toward:Phil 212 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. Dee Said:I will be happy to comment on the verse you mentioned

Milly said...


I posted Philippians 2-18 because, It’s just that good!

I love how it tells us to look at each other’s needs and interests.

I get from reading 6 that we aren’t to be God like we are to be humbled and obedient.

In 12 it goes on to say that even when he wasn’t present we should still obey. I’ve discussed during a different discussion that in the Old Testament God was as someone said “an in your face presence” we have examples of Him speaking to the person directly. When Jesus came He spoke directly to them. We are now left like teens in the house alone without the parents to yell “knock it off or I’ll come down there!” How we behave will depend on how we are rewarded.

I volunteer in things that interest me, No I’m not saying that you should pick stuff you don’t like. I’m saying that I have had to do things I don’t like and Wednesday was an example. We called the mail room purgatory. The machine has a mind of its own and sometimes it just doesn’t like me. I was blessed with talking to someone I love so I ended up having fun.

Philippians tells me that I should have bounced in and worked happily. I was doing His work. Mailing CDs and Tapes for the Workshop is important and I should have realized even the icky work should be done with glee.

Love this,that at the time of Jesus every knee should bow :-}



Dee said:God gives us salvation not for only our benefit but for the benefit of others. They can see how our salvation has changed our lives and thru living for God we gain happiness and can lead them to God. If we work things out and live as we should, our lives will be enriched and we can reach those who need to be led to God. We will not feel we have to make sacrifices but we will want to make the sacrifices we must make to live a Godly life.God works through us when we are doing the work he wants us to do.


Andreia said:The thing that has always struck me about this verse is the idea that our salvation is a work in progress. Not to underplay that our salvation was bought by the blood of Christ, but to emphasize that whereever we might be in the journey, it is part of a process. We are ever-evolving. The doubts, questions and fears are part of it and the manner in which we handle the doubts and fears is what is important. I used to think that if I was a Christian I should not feel these things. This verse suggests the opposite. Despite those things, we still should stand in awe of a God that gives us salvation.


Danny Kaye said: I am convinced that this is one of the most difficult things to emotionally understand about our Christianity.
Scripture teaches that we need to have "peace that passes understanding" (Phil. 4:7) and that we are to "approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need" (Hebrews 4:16). It is therefore extremely hard to appreciate the concept of "working out our salvation with fear and trembling".
Our emotions tell our souls that we simply cannot live with fear and trembling and still be at peace and have confidence. My take is this; we are always free to go before God's great throne in prayer. If we have not pulled our faith from Jesus, we may be at peace. But if temptation is staring us in the face, and we are considering trading our salvation for sin's pleasure, then it is time to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. God's mercies are most beautiful. But His mercies are equaled by His wrath.Hebrews 10:26-30 says:"If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, [27] but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. [28] Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. [29] How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? [30] For we know him who said, "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," and again, "The Lord will judge his people."
The above passage tells us that if we who had the knowledge of the grace and forgiveness of God that came through Jesus turn around and blatantly and intentionally sin against Him, it is the same as stomping on the blood of Jesus at the base of the cross.
If that is the case, there is a good reason to tremble before God and let the Fear of Isaac turn us back to Him.

Philippians 2

Philippians 2

Imitating Christ's Humility 1If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! 9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Shining as Stars 12Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

14Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe 16as you hold out the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. 17But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.

Consumption Cathedrals

Consumption Cathedrals



Malls we go to them for apparel, jewelry, shoes, and that over priced cookie. We seek out companionship in these "Cathedrals". On average we spend more time in these places of Vanity Worshiping Structures then we do in churches. It is no wonder that a lot of churches are looking more like malls. We even call our foyer "The Mall."


I sometimes wonder how as a society we have changed the way that we worship.
How will my COC upbringing affect how I feel about the future ?
I have to say that I have had two emotions, one being
"Well that just isn’t COC" (This one made me realize that I am what my Aunts and Mom taught me)
The other was, "Cool changes, let’s keep the society of today interested" I feel at times a bit schitzophrantic

My 60's upbringing calls for peace, love, and tolerance. My COC raised brain says "That is not what you’ve been told all these years, missy."


I have two very different perspectives partly because my parents had different perspectives on life. My father loved working with children he worked with the juvenile courts most of my life. He had a way of dealing with us, different than most. I don’t remember my father ever spanking me. (My brother and sister remember being spanked.) I’ve talked with him about this and he wasn’t sure he ever had to.


My mother spanked me, she spent more time with us, she also raised two other kids (Baby sat) Plus, she was the Kool Aid mom. You know the one who always had a band aid and food for the kids in the neighborhood. She was always ready to welcome my friends as I grew up.

My mother was raised in a church, a sit nice, look proper, do what they say, and believe what you are told COC. My father wasn’t, as far as I know, raised in church. He went once in a while and continues to go to the church that my mother lead him to.


So I was raise in a love um peace home with an interest in sociology, I was able to investigate every thing and had no curfew as a teen. However, I heard " COC beliefs"


I’ll most likely post about my parents another time.

Moving on.


Preacher of the past, love ,Hell Fire and Brim stone. I have actually heard a CC preacher say the reason the young people didn’t come to Sunday school is because they were out partying all night. Some of us came without our parents because God was what we wanted. Some of us didn’t make it to Sunday school because we worked all night and a few moments of sleep was a good thing, some because it wasn’t a learning experience. Honestly, yes, some of us were out partying the night before but there we were in church, not to be slammed, to be loved.
So who should bend and if we bent how so?


The Word is, was, and will always will be.
Here’s the tricky part: interpretation.

What you believe it says and what I believe it says.

Is it scriptural to have a coffee bar, a kitchen, a piano, or a cross in a church?


Folks have left churches for things like this.


Here’s my take, times have changed NOT THE WORD. Who made the determination that a cross in the church was wrong? (BTW COC ‘s are empty crosses) The people who draw lines in the sand are doing just that. Some out of fear and some out of control. I’m learning not to think that we should move quickly to be like the cool kids of the churches, we were at one time. I also learning to bend a bit. Everything I need to know is in the Book. I do have more Bibles than hammers and I use the Word far more.

I’ve asked a few men lately when they have several hammers why they are considered dumb when they are placed in a bag, they don’t know. If the bag broke due to placing too many in one bag that might be dumb. HMM. . . . . things I ponder at work.


It’s the more modern COC the excepting of sinners that I want. I also want my children to have structure and knowledge of the Word. I want them to know that sin is sin it’s going to be looked at as an ugly thing and that God will deal with it. I don’t think it all good and that every one is going to Heaven.


I also hated the way the tween and teen area looked and sounded when I first encountered it. I was trash urban with loud music. Several of the new kids didn’t care for it.
I said to a concerned parent when she told me how much her and her child disliked it, "Where will you be? It won’t change if you don’t get involved." The place is very different now that more parents have stepped in. My son has a great group of parents who have followed their children through the years, being involved is very important.


Where does a coffee house for teens come in?


Where are those kids? They are sitting around talking, being taught, and loving God. This I agree with.


Call some place in my church a Mall? I hate it. I spend far less time in the actual mall down the street from me then I do at church. I know because I keep some track of the volunteer hour that I put in. Work likes to know. Why do we need to imply it's a place to purchase makeup and tea with odd flavors?


I’ve been to the Mall of America. Honestly, do we need three floors of Old Navy?


We have sold a few items at church in the Mall like books, tapes, CDs etc. . . .


Nope, can’t tell you where to buy shoes or candy cigarettes.

I can tell you how to find a cup of coffee on Sunday morning and where the restrooms are.

I’d be happy to get a hug from you on my way through God’s Mall.

Flipped This Day

Sunday’s bring magnificence.


Saturday I ate cheese, new Mexican place in the area, and worked in the yard. Today I woke with a head banger, plus I’m itchy. Yes, I know better, my son told me several times to stop eating the cheese. I tried stop working outside when I got hot.


Anyway. . . I had a head ache. I took something and went back to bed. My husband went to church to unlock while I attended to our children. I said to them as they wondered down "Please go eat ,fix your own, I have to finish getting ready." Did they? NO. My son looks at me and says "Mom shirts" I look at him with a very big warning look on my face and say "Don’t even start this" He has at least twenty or so shirts in his room. Those aren’t his favorites, he has always been picky about his shirts so I shouldn’t be surprised. He wore a garage sale Eskimo Joe’s shirt (Note these were the number two collected shirts in the world) until it was nothing but strings. He didn’t wear the replacement one, same color and same model. www.eskimojoes.com


I drove them to church then walked my daughter to class. It was great, I don’t usually get to do that, she pulled me to her class room. I actually had time to speak to her teacher, I try to make sure that they are ready for me to leave. I ask if they need anything. I don’t mind fetching coffee for the folks that are teaching such an important subject.


When I walked through of foyer I wasn’t just hugged. . . I was kissed on the cheek a very loving hug and kiss. Wow! I so love that man. He’s an elder and a man who lets God shine through.


I sat relaxing for a while in the booth then wandered down for some hugs from friends.


After services we had a mission trip meeting, my son sat next to me with his arm around me. :-}


Then we were off to LTC drama rehearsals. I was brought lunch. I’m praying that it will all fall into place. Some of the kids are so young and wiggly.
www.gpltc.com

I then drove to the swim meet. She swam her heart out.


My sister took the kids to a movie. While my husband and I went shopping. He still holds my hand and opens the car door for me. I purchased a wedding ring for me to wear to work. I don’t want to lose a diamond from one. (I have two sets and an anniversary ring. Just the one husband)


The man and I enjoyed a quiet dinner together and relaxed on the sofa.


It was a good Sunday.

What he said

The worship assembly is not the only place to demonstrate unity, said Wade Hodges.


"We can be unified building houses together, drilling water wells in Africa together, doing something with an AIDS clinic in Africa," Hodges said. "I think that's more powerful unity than saying, 'We got you to sing with an instrument or lay down your instruments.' It's not an either-or. It's got to be a both-and."

Swim Win

I am not one who thinks winning is important . . . except when it comes to my children.


I was the standing on the side of the pool yelling mom Sunday. Where did that voice come from? I thought afterwards. My six year old Minnie wanted to enter the swim meet. I entered her thinking she would have a great time and most likely not win.


When she dove into the water she swam her little heart out, beating the others by yards. When she climbed out she looked at me huffing and puffing for air, they had to swim an actual lap across the pool like the big kids do, she smiled at me and said "I didn’t think I was gonna make it." She never gave up in spite of the fact that she was doubtful.


The second event was a duck race they hold on to large foam ducks (Paddle board type things)She took the lead from the get go and never lost it.


She also came with her own cheering section. Her grandfather, a family friend, an aunt, father, brother, and mom. I wasn’t the only one yelling for her to swim.


I have seen my son compete before and when it’s a team sport I’m much better at being nice. The first time I watched a little people soccer game the parents made me cry. They were so mean to the kids. No one should hear "pull your head out" especially a six year old. I guess I need to be a bit tougher. I can watch grown ups play and listen to the rude things that people say, not the little ones.


I’m hoping that my children will stick with swimming. It’s so good for them.


My son is like I am with sports let me watch them I just don’t have it in me to play them to win. I’ve tried tennis, racket ball, football, and bowling. Racket ball was the worst I played with two guys who suddenly became Macho Men, sweaty, stinky, I will take you out for that little blue ball men, one of them was the guy I was dating at the time. I walked, no. . . stomped out bruised and grossed out.


What is it that makes us want to win?


My brother and sister have it they want to win every competition.


I am only like that with cards I like them, I play them, and I don’t mess around. I may be singing and laughing but rest assured I am plotting my strategy. I can hold more than twenty cards in one hand with them fanned out. I love it when I get out done I makes me better. Too bad I don’t get to play often. I think my husband is in fear that I will run our friends off.


I think it’s healthy to want to win, it make you try harder.

Good thing we don’t have to compete for God’s love, I probably get an elbow in the face again.