The video below states that there is no hope. It also states that your religion is irrelevant. I don't agree with these statements, but I posted the video because he makes some valid points. I believe we do have hope. God is our hope. "Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you."
People simply are seeking the wrong things and that is why they falter. In this time of great uncertainty, it would be wise to seek the greatest kingdom and cling to the promises of God.
"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Friday, October 7, 2011
Thursday, October 6, 2011
SO CLOSE, SO REAL
My day was filled with so many good things. I just got back from the pregnancy center where I volunteer once a week. Some nights we have no clients scheduled to come in, so we get a chance to chat about life, God, and the amazing ways that God works in our lives and the lives of others. We got to talking about the Bible, and I shared with three other women how I often let my bible fall open to a random page in hope that it will hold a special verse that God chose just for me, a verse that will be perfect for whatever problem or concern I'm facing at that moment. Today I did my little Bible trick and after several tries I came across a verse that brought tears to my eyes. It was as if God was speaking directly to me about the very thing I had on my mind. The verse was basically telling me that God will continue to prosper me and my children.
"Do you really think God honors such a thing?" I asked our client services director. Would he really honor my Bible trick and let my Bible fall open to a verse that brought me so much encouragement. "Yes! she said without hesitation. I believe God honors every attempt we make to seek Him. And He knows your heart, Danelle. Whenever we come to Him like little children and ask for Him to reveal himself, He always honors that." Her answer was so well-worded, I wish I could remember everything she said, but as she spoke, her words were so comforting and I knew what she said was true. It was as if God himself was sitting beside me and confirming, "Yes, Danelle, that was me. I did that for you."
Ever since I've been praying for God to show himself to me every day, I'm having more and more moments like this. Moments where I'll see something, read something, or hear something that seems to be a message just for me that's coming straight from God. My daily prayer is, "Please God, let me see you in this day." Whenever I pray that prayer, I experience a moment in my day that takes my breath away, brings tears to my eyes, or gives me goosebumps. It's a moment that is so clearly of God because only He knows me so well. He knows the things that hold special meaning for me, and he uses those things to reveal himself. Or He uses godly people to reassure me when I'm troubled about something.
The idea of asking God to physically show himself as I go about my day, came to me after reading, "Twelve days out with God," a book that encourages the reader to invite God along when traveling to various places such as a museum, a restaurant, a park and even the mall. The book showed me that wherever I go, God will be there. "God desires to become so close to us that he wants us to feel we could almost reach out and touch Him," the book says. After reading the book, I realized that God is always willing to share himself with me. He wants to be found. All I have to do is ask and then keep my eyes open and wait for the moment when I hear Him, see Him, feel His presence. And if I have doubts that it was Him in that moment, He'll reassure me, saying, "Yes, Danelle, that was me. I did that for you."
"God is actively involved and interested in every part of our lives, no matter how big or small. He cares deeply about how we feel and what we do, and he wants to have an on-going relationship with us," the book claims. But the only way you can know that is true is if you make the effort to discover it for yourself. The Bible tells us that we will find God when we seek Him with all of our hearts.
I'm planning to say that same prayer tomorrow, "Please God, let me see you in this day." I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings.
"Do you really think God honors such a thing?" I asked our client services director. Would he really honor my Bible trick and let my Bible fall open to a verse that brought me so much encouragement. "Yes! she said without hesitation. I believe God honors every attempt we make to seek Him. And He knows your heart, Danelle. Whenever we come to Him like little children and ask for Him to reveal himself, He always honors that." Her answer was so well-worded, I wish I could remember everything she said, but as she spoke, her words were so comforting and I knew what she said was true. It was as if God himself was sitting beside me and confirming, "Yes, Danelle, that was me. I did that for you."
Ever since I've been praying for God to show himself to me every day, I'm having more and more moments like this. Moments where I'll see something, read something, or hear something that seems to be a message just for me that's coming straight from God. My daily prayer is, "Please God, let me see you in this day." Whenever I pray that prayer, I experience a moment in my day that takes my breath away, brings tears to my eyes, or gives me goosebumps. It's a moment that is so clearly of God because only He knows me so well. He knows the things that hold special meaning for me, and he uses those things to reveal himself. Or He uses godly people to reassure me when I'm troubled about something.
The idea of asking God to physically show himself as I go about my day, came to me after reading, "Twelve days out with God," a book that encourages the reader to invite God along when traveling to various places such as a museum, a restaurant, a park and even the mall. The book showed me that wherever I go, God will be there. "God desires to become so close to us that he wants us to feel we could almost reach out and touch Him," the book says. After reading the book, I realized that God is always willing to share himself with me. He wants to be found. All I have to do is ask and then keep my eyes open and wait for the moment when I hear Him, see Him, feel His presence. And if I have doubts that it was Him in that moment, He'll reassure me, saying, "Yes, Danelle, that was me. I did that for you."
"God is actively involved and interested in every part of our lives, no matter how big or small. He cares deeply about how we feel and what we do, and he wants to have an on-going relationship with us," the book claims. But the only way you can know that is true is if you make the effort to discover it for yourself. The Bible tells us that we will find God when we seek Him with all of our hearts.
I'm planning to say that same prayer tomorrow, "Please God, let me see you in this day." I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
IMPARTING GRACE
We all need Grace. As a writer, I need it too. There are times when what I write rubs people the wrong way. So I need Grace from my readers. I need them to believe that my intentions are good and if I point out flaws, I do it to bring improvement not hurt.
We all need Grace. I need grace on those days when I'm too tired to carry on a conversation, so I get in and get out as quick as I can, hoping I won't have to chat with anyone. I need grace on the days when I have things on my mind, so I might walk right past you and not even see you. I need grace on the days when I chastise my daughter publicly instead of waiting until we get to the car. Teenagers can be very disrespectful and that's one thing I won't tolerate, so it's hard for me to keep my cool. I need grace.
I also need to extend grace. In a moment of excitement, people make promises they can't keep. They say impulsive things they later regret. Parents react rudely when they're stressed or shy people can be seen as snobs. "Extend grace," I say to myself. The truth is, we've all had those moments when we wonder if we spoke too harshly, when we regret the way we worded something, when we wish that we could turn back time and say or do it over. We extend grace because we ourselves will need grace before this day is over.
We all need Grace. I need grace on those days when I'm too tired to carry on a conversation, so I get in and get out as quick as I can, hoping I won't have to chat with anyone. I need grace on the days when I have things on my mind, so I might walk right past you and not even see you. I need grace on the days when I chastise my daughter publicly instead of waiting until we get to the car. Teenagers can be very disrespectful and that's one thing I won't tolerate, so it's hard for me to keep my cool. I need grace.
I also need to extend grace. In a moment of excitement, people make promises they can't keep. They say impulsive things they later regret. Parents react rudely when they're stressed or shy people can be seen as snobs. "Extend grace," I say to myself. The truth is, we've all had those moments when we wonder if we spoke too harshly, when we regret the way we worded something, when we wish that we could turn back time and say or do it over. We extend grace because we ourselves will need grace before this day is over.
Monday, October 3, 2011
WOMEN LACKING UNITY
You've heard the phrase, "United We Stand, Divided We Fall." I've been wondering lately how many of our problems can be blamed on a lack of unity among Christians. When asked what he thought was the biggest problem facing the church today, Pat Robertson said, "Lack of unity." His answer intrigued me because I see the same problem in churches today, but I tend to focus on the lack of unity among women in the church. And one of my goals as a writer and speaker is to build a greater sense of unity among Christian women.
Why is it so hard for women, even Christian women, to love each other and work together? I believe the answer lies in where they are looking for their sense of worth and security. If a woman finds her security in Christ, she'll have no reason to distance herself from women in the church. But if a woman finds her security in the things of the world, then she'll have every reason to compete with her sisters in Christ rather than to love them.
I have yet to walk into a church, even my own church, and feel a strong sense of love and respect among the women there. Instead what I see is women who purposely keep their distance from one another. I see unwelcoming body language and women who again and again walk right past me without even making eye contact.
Some days I want to stand up and shout, "What's wrong here! Why do we bother coming into this building every week if we're going to treat each other like strangers, even rivals? Where is the love of Christ? Why do women have such a hard time displaying that love to each other?
The reason is that our culture sends some very strong messages to women and most of us believe those lies. Our culture shouts, "You gotta be on top of your game." The world tells women that image is everything and we must portray a perfect and accomplished image. And because we are so in-tune with this pressure the world puts on women to be beautiful, busy and successful multi-taskers , we tend to see other women as our competition instead of as our sisters in Christ. It's very sad how we've been brainwashed to value worldly opinions more than the word of God.
The love of Christ is not always evident in the way women relate to one another within the church. I've heard other women say this same thing. They're frustrated because they don't feel that they're a part of a circle of friends who encourage and support one another. Women long for that. It's biblical for women to mentor each other and uplift one another, but it's hard to encourage women when you feel so distant from them. I've often wondered what I can do to change this, but have yet to find an answer.
I believe that women are the backbone of the church. If there's a lack of unity there, the whole church suffers. We need to take a good look at how we relate to each other. We need to make more of an effort to reach out to each other and display gestures of friendliness, even if it's just a smile. Don't walk past your sister in Christ without so much as a smile. Make eye contact. Let her know you see her as a friend not a competitor. If women don't stand united, the church they love is going to fall apart.
Why is it so hard for women, even Christian women, to love each other and work together? I believe the answer lies in where they are looking for their sense of worth and security. If a woman finds her security in Christ, she'll have no reason to distance herself from women in the church. But if a woman finds her security in the things of the world, then she'll have every reason to compete with her sisters in Christ rather than to love them.
I have yet to walk into a church, even my own church, and feel a strong sense of love and respect among the women there. Instead what I see is women who purposely keep their distance from one another. I see unwelcoming body language and women who again and again walk right past me without even making eye contact.
Some days I want to stand up and shout, "What's wrong here! Why do we bother coming into this building every week if we're going to treat each other like strangers, even rivals? Where is the love of Christ? Why do women have such a hard time displaying that love to each other?
The reason is that our culture sends some very strong messages to women and most of us believe those lies. Our culture shouts, "You gotta be on top of your game." The world tells women that image is everything and we must portray a perfect and accomplished image. And because we are so in-tune with this pressure the world puts on women to be beautiful, busy and successful multi-taskers , we tend to see other women as our competition instead of as our sisters in Christ. It's very sad how we've been brainwashed to value worldly opinions more than the word of God.
The love of Christ is not always evident in the way women relate to one another within the church. I've heard other women say this same thing. They're frustrated because they don't feel that they're a part of a circle of friends who encourage and support one another. Women long for that. It's biblical for women to mentor each other and uplift one another, but it's hard to encourage women when you feel so distant from them. I've often wondered what I can do to change this, but have yet to find an answer.
I believe that women are the backbone of the church. If there's a lack of unity there, the whole church suffers. We need to take a good look at how we relate to each other. We need to make more of an effort to reach out to each other and display gestures of friendliness, even if it's just a smile. Don't walk past your sister in Christ without so much as a smile. Make eye contact. Let her know you see her as a friend not a competitor. If women don't stand united, the church they love is going to fall apart.
Friday, September 30, 2011
NO CHILL IN THE KITCHEN
Fall is a great time to get inspired to bake something. Apples, pumpkin, ginger, cinnamon, maple, and caramel are just some of the wonderful ingredients that come to mind when summer's ending and there's a chill in the air. Check out the link below for 150 of the best fall recipes.
http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2011/09/05/150-best-fall-recipes/
http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2011/09/05/150-best-fall-recipes/
Thursday, September 29, 2011
THE POWER OF CRYING OUT
By Danelle Carvell
If you sleep well, don't take it for granted. Lately, every night when I lay my head down to sleep, it's like going into battle. I have my earplugs, my eye shades for the early morning hours, my aspirin for when the muscle and joint pain starts. I have my melatonin, my herbal remedies, my calcium tablets, and my estrogen pills. Even with all this ammunition, I lay there for hours but can't fall asleep.
I hesitate to share this again, but I must because I think it might help people who are struggling with just about anything. My insomnia started five years ago after a bad reaction to a prescription drug. I've since learned that the drug Lupron causes permanent neurological damage.
Basically, I haven't slept like a normal person for five years. Sometimes I get a little relief and I'm able to sleep three to four hours a night at most. But it's not unusual for me to go two nights in a row with no sleep whatsoever. That's when things get bad. Anyone who goes that long without sleep will begin to show physical signs of fatigue. One of those signs is a nervous twitch that can quickly turn into uncontrollable shaking of the arms and legs, similar to a seizure.
We're all struggling with something, and this is my struggle. Sleep is very necessary. People just can't function without it. I'm very fortunate in many ways and I'm not writing this to throw a pity party. I'm sharing this because I want to tell you how I deal with it. I also want to share a small but mighty book that has the power to change your life as it did mine.
The book is titled, The Power of Crying Out: When Prayer Becomes Mighty by Bill Gothard. The author's discovery that the Bible makes a distinction between "prayer" and "crying out to God" is at the heart of this book. Gothard also noticed in his own life that God often did nothing to help him until he cried out with deep emotion. The Bible says, "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." But as the author points out, our prayers lack the kind of fervency God requires for effective results.
Another thing Gothard noticed was how the Bible reveals a pattern of God's people crying out and then He finally answers. Yet many believers are unaware of this consistent pattern in God's word. David found that when he uttered aloud with such deep and sincere emotion, God heard him. Crying out is the turning point for so many suffering people in the Bible. When Jonah landed in the belly of a great fish he cried out. When Peter began to sink at the Sea of Galilee, he cried out. When the Israelites were caught in the bondage of slavery in Egypt, they cried out. Each time a point of desperation was reached, and instead of praying, these people cried out to God and He rescued them.
Fortunately for us, this phenomenon still happens. I know because I experience it regularly. I find that when I'm at my wits end, I'm totally exhausted, and I can't take another moment without sleep, I cry out to God in desperation. The tears fall, my voice quivers, and I am crying out, begging for relief. Each time I reach that point, God hears me and He allows me to drift peacefully to sleep soon after.
"God delights in showing himself strong on behalf of anyone who is facing an impossible situation," says Gothard. He offers many examples of this in the book. A Michigan farmer got his sleeve caught in a piece of farm machinery and realized that in seconds he would be crushed to death. He cried out in a loud voice, "Oh God save me!" At that instant the engine stalled and he broke free. After checking the engine, he found no mechanical reason for the stall. God had stopped the engine in response to the farmer's cry.
"It is the heartfelt cry that always reconnects the people back to God and His grace and mercy," says the author. Scripture invites us to call upon God for help: "The righteous cry out and the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles." -Psalm 34:17. This is a promise from God and there are many examples in the book that prove it's true, even today. People with financial problems were led to answers after crying out to God. A man who couldn't find employment for over a year was offered a job after his daughter walked to a quiet place and cried out, "Oh God, deliver my father from unemployment!" When they did more than pray, when they cried out to God with all their hearts, God responded powerfully.
"God's ultimate purpose in all creation is to demonstrate His glory," the author states. What better way to do that than to rescue His children whey they cry out to Him. Each time I fall asleep after crying out to God my faith grows. I am simply amazed at the awesome power that's available to me and it makes me feel foolish that I don't use it more often. Crying out is effective not only for myself, but for others as well. I can cry out on behalf of my loved ones who are struggling or hurting. God's timely response will always come according to what He determines is the best schedule; sometimes God delays His answer the author points out. But we must continue to cry out in faith if we want help.
God honors humility, and there's nothing more humbling than being on your face before Him with tears dripping onto the carpeting, your voice so shaken that your words couldn't be understood by anyone but God. Maybe this is what's been missing from your life. Maybe this is why your prayers haven't been answered. Yes, it does feel strange and uncomfortable at first but so is the pain you've been carrying. What if relief will not come until you swallow your pride, set aside your doubts and humble yourself before God, the only one who can really help you?
I'll close this post with the last few sentences from the book: "Take your anxieties and burdens and worries before your heavenly Father. Humble yourself and cry aloud to Him with all your heart. He will hear you just as He has promised. And your life will begin to change from that hour."
If you sleep well, don't take it for granted. Lately, every night when I lay my head down to sleep, it's like going into battle. I have my earplugs, my eye shades for the early morning hours, my aspirin for when the muscle and joint pain starts. I have my melatonin, my herbal remedies, my calcium tablets, and my estrogen pills. Even with all this ammunition, I lay there for hours but can't fall asleep.
I hesitate to share this again, but I must because I think it might help people who are struggling with just about anything. My insomnia started five years ago after a bad reaction to a prescription drug. I've since learned that the drug Lupron causes permanent neurological damage.
Basically, I haven't slept like a normal person for five years. Sometimes I get a little relief and I'm able to sleep three to four hours a night at most. But it's not unusual for me to go two nights in a row with no sleep whatsoever. That's when things get bad. Anyone who goes that long without sleep will begin to show physical signs of fatigue. One of those signs is a nervous twitch that can quickly turn into uncontrollable shaking of the arms and legs, similar to a seizure.
We're all struggling with something, and this is my struggle. Sleep is very necessary. People just can't function without it. I'm very fortunate in many ways and I'm not writing this to throw a pity party. I'm sharing this because I want to tell you how I deal with it. I also want to share a small but mighty book that has the power to change your life as it did mine.
The book is titled, The Power of Crying Out: When Prayer Becomes Mighty by Bill Gothard. The author's discovery that the Bible makes a distinction between "prayer" and "crying out to God" is at the heart of this book. Gothard also noticed in his own life that God often did nothing to help him until he cried out with deep emotion. The Bible says, "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." But as the author points out, our prayers lack the kind of fervency God requires for effective results.
Another thing Gothard noticed was how the Bible reveals a pattern of God's people crying out and then He finally answers. Yet many believers are unaware of this consistent pattern in God's word. David found that when he uttered aloud with such deep and sincere emotion, God heard him. Crying out is the turning point for so many suffering people in the Bible. When Jonah landed in the belly of a great fish he cried out. When Peter began to sink at the Sea of Galilee, he cried out. When the Israelites were caught in the bondage of slavery in Egypt, they cried out. Each time a point of desperation was reached, and instead of praying, these people cried out to God and He rescued them.
Fortunately for us, this phenomenon still happens. I know because I experience it regularly. I find that when I'm at my wits end, I'm totally exhausted, and I can't take another moment without sleep, I cry out to God in desperation. The tears fall, my voice quivers, and I am crying out, begging for relief. Each time I reach that point, God hears me and He allows me to drift peacefully to sleep soon after.
"God delights in showing himself strong on behalf of anyone who is facing an impossible situation," says Gothard. He offers many examples of this in the book. A Michigan farmer got his sleeve caught in a piece of farm machinery and realized that in seconds he would be crushed to death. He cried out in a loud voice, "Oh God save me!" At that instant the engine stalled and he broke free. After checking the engine, he found no mechanical reason for the stall. God had stopped the engine in response to the farmer's cry.
"It is the heartfelt cry that always reconnects the people back to God and His grace and mercy," says the author. Scripture invites us to call upon God for help: "The righteous cry out and the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles." -Psalm 34:17. This is a promise from God and there are many examples in the book that prove it's true, even today. People with financial problems were led to answers after crying out to God. A man who couldn't find employment for over a year was offered a job after his daughter walked to a quiet place and cried out, "Oh God, deliver my father from unemployment!" When they did more than pray, when they cried out to God with all their hearts, God responded powerfully.
"God's ultimate purpose in all creation is to demonstrate His glory," the author states. What better way to do that than to rescue His children whey they cry out to Him. Each time I fall asleep after crying out to God my faith grows. I am simply amazed at the awesome power that's available to me and it makes me feel foolish that I don't use it more often. Crying out is effective not only for myself, but for others as well. I can cry out on behalf of my loved ones who are struggling or hurting. God's timely response will always come according to what He determines is the best schedule; sometimes God delays His answer the author points out. But we must continue to cry out in faith if we want help.
God honors humility, and there's nothing more humbling than being on your face before Him with tears dripping onto the carpeting, your voice so shaken that your words couldn't be understood by anyone but God. Maybe this is what's been missing from your life. Maybe this is why your prayers haven't been answered. Yes, it does feel strange and uncomfortable at first but so is the pain you've been carrying. What if relief will not come until you swallow your pride, set aside your doubts and humble yourself before God, the only one who can really help you?
I'll close this post with the last few sentences from the book: "Take your anxieties and burdens and worries before your heavenly Father. Humble yourself and cry aloud to Him with all your heart. He will hear you just as He has promised. And your life will begin to change from that hour."
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Hope in a Slowing Economy
The reality of a slowing economy is hitting home with many Americans. Even those who refused to believe that we're heading toward an economic collapse are seeing that things are not getting better. This isn't just a cycle that will come back around. Really, how can we recover from a 14 trillion dollar debt and record-setting unemployment that can't possibly improve because the jobs just aren't there. We are no longer a producer nation. We sent a great deal of our business, industry and jobs overseas. How can we recover from that? Even the Great American chocolate bar is no longer American made.
But there is hope. Click on the link below.
Hope in a Slowing Economy
But there is hope. Click on the link below.
Hope in a Slowing Economy
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
ANOTHER REMINDER, DON'T PUT IT OFF
"An article by Mimi Hall in USA TODAY states, 'Most Americans haven't taken steps to prepare for a natural disaster, terrorist attack or other emergency, according to a new study on preparedness, and only about a third have made plans with family members about how they would communicate with each other during a crisis.'
Part of the reason... why people of faith neglect preparedness has to do with an odd defeatism that says, 'If current events are prophesied to happen, then there’s nothing we can do about it anyway.'
The notion that calamity is unavoidable if it is divinely predicted is even sanctioned by some expositors who miss the pattern for preparedness in the Bible. While it is true that famine was prophesied for Egypt, it is also a fact that God led Joseph to prepare for it, and, as a result, he saved his family and the nations around about.
Proverbs 22:3 tells us that a prudent person will foresee such difficulties and prepare for them, while a simpleton will go blindly on and suffer the consequences. This is good advice not only for religious folks, but also people of any persuasion."
The above quote was taken from the link below. The link includes a video about disaster preparedness and an interesting article below it. I normally don't post videos that advertise products, but this video is well put together and worth a look. Watch the entire video. There's good stuff at the end. For more information about preparing for disasters, click on the Be Prepared label on the right side of my page.
Monday, September 26, 2011
FRANKENFOOD ON THE TABLE
I posted articles about genetically modified food in the past. This article is worth a look. Would you eat a tomato if you knew it was genetically cross bred with an arctic flounder? That way the tomato won't freeze while on the vine. Some people call it Frankenfood because scientists are genetically altering so many of the foods we eat. Thirty countries around the world, including Peru and Hungary, have either banned or have plans to ban GMOs. Here in the United States, you’re on your own. GMOs aren’t even regulated. If you haven't read about GMO food, this is a good place to start. Once again, ignoring it won't protect you from being harmed by it. Knowledge is power.
http://foodfreedom.wordpress.com/2011/09/24/how-are-genetically-engineered-crops-affecting-foods/
http://foodfreedom.wordpress.com/2011/09/24/how-are-genetically-engineered-crops-affecting-foods/
THE REASON FOR YOUR HEADACHE?
While we're on the subject of food and food additives that aren't good for you, Jill posted a good article on MSG and why we should avoid it at Jill's Home Remedies. She makes a good point: "Ignoring the facts won't keep you from being harmed by the products that contain MSG."
http://jillshomeremedies.blogspot.com/2011/09/msg.html
http://jillshomeremedies.blogspot.com/2011/09/msg.html
Sunday, September 25, 2011
SOME THINGS ARE WORTH THE EFFORT
My daughter has a stomach ulcer and I've been searching the web for natural cures and what foods she should avoid to quicken healing. I suspect that the food she eats is partly to blame for her stomach's rebellion. If it were up to me, I would throw out every box of processed food in our pantry and never buy it again. I did try that about a year ago, but it wasn't long before I heard complaints about the poor selection of snacks. "Where are the Ritz?" "Where are the chips?" I soon caved in and the pantry was once again stuffed with snack food that's full of preservatives, artificial flavors and colors, soy, and other ingredients that are just plain bad for our bodies. If you still think soy is health food, read Sick Food, Not Health Food, under the Healthy Eating label on the right side of my blog.
I don't think the food she eats at the school cafeteria is any healthier. So I bought her a cool lunch bag to encourage her to pack lunches. Now the problem is finding food to pack in that lunch bag that she will actually eat and that isn't loaded with unhealthy ingredients. It means a lot more work for me because to eat healthy means making food from scratch or taking the time to read labels. But some things are just worth the effort. I have managed to stop buying cookies unless they are organic. I make most of the cookies we eat from scratch. And I found a great alternative to pop tarts. Nature's Path Organic toaster pastries are better than pop tarts in my opinion. You can find them in the organic foods section of certain grocery stores.
Little by little, I'm making changes to the way we eat. I'm more selective about what I put in the grocery cart. And I'm discovering that I can find healthy alternatives to most snack foods. I recently discovered an organic granola bar that everyone in the family loves. And of all places, I found it at Wal-Mart. It was hiding on the bottom shelf. The brand name is CLIF all natural crunch granola bars, and they come in chocolate chip and white chocolate macadamia nut. Look for a blue box.
Grocery shopping takes twice as long since I've become a label reader, but my family's health is worth it. I even found a brand of chips with only three ingredients: potatoes, sunflower oil and sea salt. Martin's Kettle Gold chips have become my favorite. I also make kettle corn in a popcorn popper with peanut oil and it is delicious. You need a popper that's made to be used with oil, and it must have a turning rod that stirs the sugar covered kernels so they don't burn. (I add the sugar) This is the popcorn that's both sweet and salty, so it is hard to resist. And I can feel good about serving it because it's just popcorn, oil, salt and sugar.
Now if I could just find a recipe for those Little Debbie pumpkin delights my daughter loves, I'll have one less box to buy at the grocery store. That's my goal, to bring home fewer boxes and to make more food from scratch. Could I duplicate a Ritz cracker? That might be pushing it. The link below is a wonderful site for making food from scratch. The barbeque sauce is one I'm going to try and that chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream frosting, yum! Check it out. She posts lots of photos and they'll make your mouth water. Go straight to the desserts. You'll be hooked.
http://www.simplyscratch.com/
I don't think the food she eats at the school cafeteria is any healthier. So I bought her a cool lunch bag to encourage her to pack lunches. Now the problem is finding food to pack in that lunch bag that she will actually eat and that isn't loaded with unhealthy ingredients. It means a lot more work for me because to eat healthy means making food from scratch or taking the time to read labels. But some things are just worth the effort. I have managed to stop buying cookies unless they are organic. I make most of the cookies we eat from scratch. And I found a great alternative to pop tarts. Nature's Path Organic toaster pastries are better than pop tarts in my opinion. You can find them in the organic foods section of certain grocery stores.
Little by little, I'm making changes to the way we eat. I'm more selective about what I put in the grocery cart. And I'm discovering that I can find healthy alternatives to most snack foods. I recently discovered an organic granola bar that everyone in the family loves. And of all places, I found it at Wal-Mart. It was hiding on the bottom shelf. The brand name is CLIF all natural crunch granola bars, and they come in chocolate chip and white chocolate macadamia nut. Look for a blue box.
Grocery shopping takes twice as long since I've become a label reader, but my family's health is worth it. I even found a brand of chips with only three ingredients: potatoes, sunflower oil and sea salt. Martin's Kettle Gold chips have become my favorite. I also make kettle corn in a popcorn popper with peanut oil and it is delicious. You need a popper that's made to be used with oil, and it must have a turning rod that stirs the sugar covered kernels so they don't burn. (I add the sugar) This is the popcorn that's both sweet and salty, so it is hard to resist. And I can feel good about serving it because it's just popcorn, oil, salt and sugar.
Now if I could just find a recipe for those Little Debbie pumpkin delights my daughter loves, I'll have one less box to buy at the grocery store. That's my goal, to bring home fewer boxes and to make more food from scratch. Could I duplicate a Ritz cracker? That might be pushing it. The link below is a wonderful site for making food from scratch. The barbeque sauce is one I'm going to try and that chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream frosting, yum! Check it out. She posts lots of photos and they'll make your mouth water. Go straight to the desserts. You'll be hooked.
http://www.simplyscratch.com/
Saturday, September 24, 2011
SWEET THINGS
My grandma was a pie baker. It's how she made her living. I was very young when she spent all day making pies and delivering them to local restaurants and stores, but I have memories of being in my Memmy's baking room. What I remember are the dried apples that sat on baking sheets atop the stove and the big green tins that sat under her workspace. Those tins held lard, flour, sugar, and other ingredients that she used to create her delicious cheese pies, fruit pies, and what we called "fish" pies. Members of our family have tried to recreate the fish pie, but it's never the same as I remember. Her fish pie had a thick green-grey molasses filling with a thick soft crust.
I wish I could have spent time with Memmy and learned her baking secrets. One thing that has always been a challenge for me is pie dough. I most enjoy making cakes and cupcakes and have perfected three kinds: applesauce, banana, and chocolate as well as three frostings: cream cheese, chocolate, and peanut butter. But pies are something I never really took an interest in because making good pie dough seemed such a mystery as well as a hassle.
At this time of year, when apples are in season, I always get the urge to bake an apple pie. I found the link below tonight while searching for apple pie recipes. The website itself is one worth exploring. If nothing else, you'll learn how to make good pie dough and the secrets to a flaky crust. Then you can use your favorite recipe for the filling. Perhaps pumpkin.
Under the link I posted some photos of my cake creations. Far from professional, but perhaps they'll inspire you. It's such fun to create sweet things in the kitchen. Kids love to help too, so get baking.
http://www.simplebites.net/lets-bake-an-apple-pie/
I wish I could have spent time with Memmy and learned her baking secrets. One thing that has always been a challenge for me is pie dough. I most enjoy making cakes and cupcakes and have perfected three kinds: applesauce, banana, and chocolate as well as three frostings: cream cheese, chocolate, and peanut butter. But pies are something I never really took an interest in because making good pie dough seemed such a mystery as well as a hassle.
At this time of year, when apples are in season, I always get the urge to bake an apple pie. I found the link below tonight while searching for apple pie recipes. The website itself is one worth exploring. If nothing else, you'll learn how to make good pie dough and the secrets to a flaky crust. Then you can use your favorite recipe for the filling. Perhaps pumpkin.
Under the link I posted some photos of my cake creations. Far from professional, but perhaps they'll inspire you. It's such fun to create sweet things in the kitchen. Kids love to help too, so get baking.
http://www.simplebites.net/lets-bake-an-apple-pie/
Thursday, September 22, 2011
THE LAST DAY OF SUMMER
I always hate to see it go. Another summer has passed. Tomorrow is the first day of autumn. Although we have a few more warm days to look forward to, the calendar tells me that it's soon time to unpack my sweaters. Weeks ago I felt that first chill of autumn. Last night I heard that chirping sound in the woods that always begins at this time of year. I call them crickets, but they're probably not crickets. I'm not sure what they are, maybe frogs, but they're one of the first signs of fall.
I noticed another sign today, a small patch of leaves in the woods below our house is turning from green to red. The view from my kitchen window is our back yard lined with a dense area of trees. I look out that window every day as I'm washing dishes. That's where our bluebird boxes are too. I put them there so I could watch the bluebirds while I'm doing my least favorite chore. Every now and then a bluebird flies up to our deck and sits on the banister, which is just feet away from my dish washing post. I love when that happens. It's as if that bird flies up to visit me. Maybe he knows that he wouldn't have a home if not for me. The bluebird boxes were a gift from someone I wrote a story for.
The sun is different. It seems less intense than it was all summer. I guess it's hitting earth at a different angle, so it's warmth and light are much softer than the summer sun. There's always one day each summer when I notice the sun has a different feel to it. That day came much sooner than usual this year. I wasn't ready for it, but I guess I never am. Who wants to say goodbye to summer and all its pleasures of lush green grass, fresh fruit, flowers, family gatherings, and warm fun.
But I do love this time of year. I love to bite into a juicy McIntosh apple fresh from the Friday Farmers Market. I love bringing home that first bag of caramels and dipping those apples in gooey golden goodness. Caramel apples are heaven on a stick. Another great thing about autumn is the local fall festivals and fairs. The annual craft fair in Hegins, PA has become quite the event. Creative people fascinate me, and there's no shortage of them at this fair, which gets bigger each year. I usually come home with a fall wreath for my front door or some other decorative item for my home, but this year we decided on something more practical, a hand made corn broom. My husband says it will last forever.
I'm not sure that I would choose for summer to last forever. I love three out of the four seasons we see here in Pennsylvania. Even winter has its charms. It just tends to lose its charm after about six weeks. It's the lack of sunshine and warmth that gets to me. Sitting in the sun with a strawberry daquiri and a good book is my favorite place to be. I guess I'll have to dust off that sun lamp we bought. I could set up a cozy chair in my room, buy a bag of white sand and place it in a tub at my feet. I could dig out my CD of ocean sounds and pretend I'm there. Maybe all it takes to get through winter is a little creativity.
Today is the last day of summer and I'm trying to stay positive. Maybe I'll go unpack my sweaters. I kind of miss my sweaters. But I'll really miss that praying mantis that showed up at my bedroom window so many times this summer. I'll miss the hummingbirds and butterflies too. I'll miss my vegetable amd herb garden. And driving to Rita's for Italian ice. I'll miss painting my toe nails, wearing flip flops and open toe shoes. Sitting out on the deck at night with candles burning. I'll miss campfires in the back yard. Roasting marshmallows, making mountain pies and looking up at a summer evening sky. Summer is a wondrous time when everything comes to life, including me. That's why I hate to see it go.
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| MY FAVORITE SUMMER SPOT |
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| CATS LOVE SUMMER TOO. |
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| THE LAST DAISY OF SUMMER |
But I do love this time of year. I love to bite into a juicy McIntosh apple fresh from the Friday Farmers Market. I love bringing home that first bag of caramels and dipping those apples in gooey golden goodness. Caramel apples are heaven on a stick. Another great thing about autumn is the local fall festivals and fairs. The annual craft fair in Hegins, PA has become quite the event. Creative people fascinate me, and there's no shortage of them at this fair, which gets bigger each year. I usually come home with a fall wreath for my front door or some other decorative item for my home, but this year we decided on something more practical, a hand made corn broom. My husband says it will last forever.
I'm not sure that I would choose for summer to last forever. I love three out of the four seasons we see here in Pennsylvania. Even winter has its charms. It just tends to lose its charm after about six weeks. It's the lack of sunshine and warmth that gets to me. Sitting in the sun with a strawberry daquiri and a good book is my favorite place to be. I guess I'll have to dust off that sun lamp we bought. I could set up a cozy chair in my room, buy a bag of white sand and place it in a tub at my feet. I could dig out my CD of ocean sounds and pretend I'm there. Maybe all it takes to get through winter is a little creativity.
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| SHE THINKS THIS IS HER THRONE |
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| ONE OF MANY VISITS FROM MY FAVORITE INSECT |
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
TOXIC CLEANING IS KINDA STUPID
Are you tired of bringing toxic chemicals into your home to keep it clean. Think about how stupid that is. The link below has great recipes for making your own cleaners, bug sprays, mildew remover, even play dough for fun. These easy recipes and videos show you how to make natural organic bug spray, window cleaner, liquid dish soap, laundry detergent, all purpose cleaner, shower cleaner, toilet bowl cleaner and play dough for your kids. Check it out. Just click on the make it yourself (DIY) category. http://elizabethskindcafe.com/
GARBAGE IN, GARBAGE HEALTH
"You really should get educated about what is in the food that you eat. For example, The Street recently compiled a list of 15 major food companies that actually add wood pulp to our food.
Even many "healthy foods" are being tampered with. A lot of our fruits and our vegetables have been genetically modified and the government even puts dangerous substances such as fluoride into our drinking water.
Everywhere we turn we are being poisoned. Like millions of other Americans, I once ate and drank whatever I wanted to without ever thinking about whether it was good for me or not.
As someone once said, many of us have been literally digging our graves with our teeth." The above comment is from the link below, which you'll find interesting , and your health is worth the time it takes to read it.
http://endoftheamericandream.com/archives/billions-spent-on-a-cure-for-cancer-and-yet-cancer-rates-continue-to-explode
Even many "healthy foods" are being tampered with. A lot of our fruits and our vegetables have been genetically modified and the government even puts dangerous substances such as fluoride into our drinking water.
Everywhere we turn we are being poisoned. Like millions of other Americans, I once ate and drank whatever I wanted to without ever thinking about whether it was good for me or not.
As someone once said, many of us have been literally digging our graves with our teeth." The above comment is from the link below, which you'll find interesting , and your health is worth the time it takes to read it.
http://endoftheamericandream.com/archives/billions-spent-on-a-cure-for-cancer-and-yet-cancer-rates-continue-to-explode
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Gardasil – If A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words, Then A Video Report, Or Two, Or Three, Or SEVEN… :
The below link will take you to a series of videos about the Gardasil vaccine and the over 14,000 adverse reactions including deaths that have been reported. No mother who knows the problems associated with Gardasil can possibly justify allowing her daughter to receive this vaccine. In my opinion it is simply a money maker for the vaccine manufacturer. They don't care about preventing disease, they care about making money. And girls are dying. Don't let your daughter be part of this experiment.
Gardasil – If A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words, Then A Video Report, Or Two, Or Three, Or SEVEN… :
Gardasil – If A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words, Then A Video Report, Or Two, Or Three, Or SEVEN… :
Saturday, September 17, 2011
IT'S NOT ABOUT ME
God amazes me. I've been asking Him to help me write this article I'm working on about the lies of our culture. Today he led me to a wonderful blog entry about one of those lies. Lie number 2: It's all about me. This blog entry is the most popular entry on her site. You can click the link below to read it. I was brought to tears when I read about the boy who no one noticed. Not even his teachers made an effort to make him feel noticed. They didn't even respond to him when he spoke.
I totally know what this girl is saying when she talks about school cliques. Looking back, I too wish someone had slapped me on the face and told me how selfish I was. Life was all about me in high school. All about how I looked, all about being popular and hanging out with my group of friends. I made no effort to get to know the less popular kids.. I just walked right by them like everyone else did. I missed so many opportunities to make a lonely kid feel special. I missed so many opportunities to get over myself and do something for someone else.
But you know those opportunities are still there. I'm not in high school anymore, but I can still make someone's day by noticing them. I can say something encouraging to a total stranger. I can look for that person that's having a hard time fitting in and talk to him instead of clinging to my comfort zone of familiar friends. I can send a card to someone who needs their spirits lifted. Opportunities are everywhere and I'm going to start praying that God will make me more aware of people who feel like no one notices them. Bringing a smile to others is so much more satisfying than being wrapped up in myself and what's going on in my life. I want to take an interest in someone else's life. I wasn't put on this earth to be selfish. I was put here to help others. It's time to start living that truth. Life is not all about me.
http://generationstandup.blogspot.com/2011/05/cliques.html
I totally know what this girl is saying when she talks about school cliques. Looking back, I too wish someone had slapped me on the face and told me how selfish I was. Life was all about me in high school. All about how I looked, all about being popular and hanging out with my group of friends. I made no effort to get to know the less popular kids.. I just walked right by them like everyone else did. I missed so many opportunities to make a lonely kid feel special. I missed so many opportunities to get over myself and do something for someone else.
But you know those opportunities are still there. I'm not in high school anymore, but I can still make someone's day by noticing them. I can say something encouraging to a total stranger. I can look for that person that's having a hard time fitting in and talk to him instead of clinging to my comfort zone of familiar friends. I can send a card to someone who needs their spirits lifted. Opportunities are everywhere and I'm going to start praying that God will make me more aware of people who feel like no one notices them. Bringing a smile to others is so much more satisfying than being wrapped up in myself and what's going on in my life. I want to take an interest in someone else's life. I wasn't put on this earth to be selfish. I was put here to help others. It's time to start living that truth. Life is not all about me.
http://generationstandup.blogspot.com/2011/05/cliques.html
Friday, September 16, 2011
THE FAKE BEAUTY WE ENVY
I'm writing an article about the lies of our culture that women believe. I came across this video while researching the topic. After hours spent on hair and make-up this woman is transformed. But the transformation doesn't stop there. Her image is then digitally altered to the point where she looks nothing like herself. This is the beauty we envy, a fake beauty.
Lie number one: I need a perfect face and figure to be worth something. Watch the video and see what it takes to be perfect.
http://youtu.be/iYhCn0jf46U
Lie number one: I need a perfect face and figure to be worth something. Watch the video and see what it takes to be perfect.
http://youtu.be/iYhCn0jf46U
I'D RATHER BE PARANOID
It's amazing how we blindly go through life trusting that the products we use are safe, the food we eat is healthy, and the medicine we take is actually helping us. I learned the hard way that we can't trust any of these things. We need to be our own advocates of what's good for us and educate ourselves about the food we eat, the products we use, and the medicines we take. Some people might call it being paranoid, but I look at it this way: Something is causing the sickness and disease that has become so common. What family hasn't been touched by cancer? Why are so many children complaining of stomach problems? Did you know that the apple juice you give your children probably contains arsenic. And the FDA does not enforce any limits to the amount of arsenic that's allowed in apple juice. Nor are many of the poisonous chemicals in our shampoos, hairsprays, and lotions regulated or banned by the FDA. Dr. Oz revealed the levels of arsenic in apple juice on his show yesterday. You can find out more by going to his website. You can also read, Maybe It's The Toxins under the Healthy Body label on my blog to see what's in your bath and body products that could make you sick. Another thing to consider is microwave cooking. Read the article below and the sub link article by Dr. Mercola and decide for yourself. Maybe these days it's good to be paranoid. No one else seems to be watching out for our health. We really can't blindly trust much of anything anymore. I'd rather be paranoid than foolish and apathetic.
http://newlifeonahomestead.com/2011/09/getting-rid-of-the-microwave/
http://newlifeonahomestead.com/2011/09/getting-rid-of-the-microwave/
FOREVER IS SERIOUS BUSINESS
"God will not honor any other religion, and He makes it very clear that it is only through His Son and His sacrificial death on the cross that will give people eternal salvation and thus eternal life with Him in heaven....
http://crisisboom.com/salvation-through-jesus/
If you choose not to believe in Jesus and His message of eternal salvation through His death on the cross, then you will die in your sins and go straight to hell when you die – no if, ands or buts about it! The life that we are living down here on this earth is serious business! The choices that we make in this life will determine our ultimate fate in the afterlife.To find out how you can be sure of your eternal salvation, click on the link below and say the prayer at the bottom of this article. It's that simple. Why take a chance? Eternity is forever.
Choose Jesus and the blood that He has personally shed for you on the cross – and you will become saved and born again – and you will then enter into the most incredible place imaginable when you die – heaven itself!
Choose anyone or anything else, and you will cross over into the most horrible place imaginable when you die – hell itself, and then eventually into the Lake of Fire and Brimstone after the Millennium has taken place, where the Bible says that the smoke of your torment will ascend forever and ever!"
http://crisisboom.com/salvation-through-jesus/
WHY DOES AMERICA SEEM CURSED?
"The question is: Why are we losing God's special blessing on our nation? I’m sure most of you folks are aware of the "blessing and curse" prophecy regarding how nations treat Israel. God warned in His Holy Bible:
“I will bless those who bless you and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:3).
I think our dealing with Israel is a major factor in why we have so many problems, but I don’t think it is the main reason. If it was, we could just elect a pro-Israel president and all these storm clouds would vanish.
Years of slowly turning our back on God has caused us to lose our hedge of divine protection." http://www.raptureready.com/rap16.html
“I will bless those who bless you and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:3).
I think our dealing with Israel is a major factor in why we have so many problems, but I don’t think it is the main reason. If it was, we could just elect a pro-Israel president and all these storm clouds would vanish.
Years of slowly turning our back on God has caused us to lose our hedge of divine protection." http://www.raptureready.com/rap16.html
DUMPSTER DIVING
It's called dumpster diving - going through garbage looking for food. In the United States it's becoming a movement. You may be surprised by who is going through the bins and what they're finding.
Monday, September 12, 2011
SICK FOOD NOT HEALTH FOOD
Soy is promoted as a "good for you" food. But it simply isn't good for us. Even mothers are feeding their babies soy infant formula thinking they are doing a good thing. Do they know that the governments of Israel, Switzerland, the UK, and New Zealand have all issued statements against the use of soy formula for babies. I did touch on this subject in another blog, but there's more to be said on this subject. If you think soy doesn't affect you, then you don't realize that you already have foods in your kitchen that contain soy and you've been eating it for years. Unless you make a real effort to avoid it, you consume much more soy than you realize. Start reading labels and you'll see what I mean. Below is a great article that explains why soy is so bad for us. If you care about your health, you need to know the truth about soy.
http://www.keeperofthehome.org/2010/06/the-soy-decoy-dont-be-deceived.html
http://www.keeperofthehome.org/2010/06/the-soy-decoy-dont-be-deceived.html
Sunday, September 11, 2011
HOW HARD MUST GOD SHAKE US TO WAKE US UP?
"...and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; And I will shake all nations and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts." Haggai 2:6-7
"In September 2001 and the weeks that followed, Americans turned to God. Church services across the nation hit record numbers in attendance as people searched for answers, comfort and peace. But instead of experiencing a spiritual awakening and the fruits of righteousness that could have occurred, it seems that we are experiencing a deterioration of life as we knew it 10 years ago. We are seeing God moved more and more out of the public sector of our nation." -Doug Stringer
http://www.charismanews.com/opinion/31947-did-america-really-change-after-911
http://www.raptureready.com/soap/taylor39.html
"In September 2001 and the weeks that followed, Americans turned to God. Church services across the nation hit record numbers in attendance as people searched for answers, comfort and peace. But instead of experiencing a spiritual awakening and the fruits of righteousness that could have occurred, it seems that we are experiencing a deterioration of life as we knew it 10 years ago. We are seeing God moved more and more out of the public sector of our nation." -Doug Stringer
http://www.charismanews.com/opinion/31947-did-america-really-change-after-911
http://www.raptureready.com/soap/taylor39.html
Thursday, September 8, 2011
TASTY HERBS, HEALING HERBS
This summer I discovered how easy herbs are to grow from seed. I planted lemon basil, oregano, lemon balm, parsley, stevia, and lavender. My favorite was the lemon basil. I couldn't stop sniffing it. I love the scent of lemon, and lemon basil is my new favorite herb.
It's so neat to pull off fresh herbs from your garden while cooking. They added great flavor to my pasta salad and brought a whole new freshness to spaghetti sauce. Never again will I go through summer without an herb garden. I don't consider myself good at gardening. I can preserve what comes out of it, but I have a lot to learn about the planting process, so I was very excited when my herbs began to sprout.
The article below is one you might find interesting if you're into using herbs for natural healing. They really are wonderful to have around the house. And it's interesting to learn the different medicinal uses for each herb
http://readynutrition.com/resources/30-most-popular-herbs-for-natural-medicine_06092011/
It's so neat to pull off fresh herbs from your garden while cooking. They added great flavor to my pasta salad and brought a whole new freshness to spaghetti sauce. Never again will I go through summer without an herb garden. I don't consider myself good at gardening. I can preserve what comes out of it, but I have a lot to learn about the planting process, so I was very excited when my herbs began to sprout.
The article below is one you might find interesting if you're into using herbs for natural healing. They really are wonderful to have around the house. And it's interesting to learn the different medicinal uses for each herb
http://readynutrition.com/resources/30-most-popular-herbs-for-natural-medicine_06092011/
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
GETTING OFF THE HIGH HORSE
We all mess up in life, and there are many ways to say that: nobody's perfect, we all make mistakes, or we all have skeletons in our closets. The Bible puts it this way: We all fall short of the glory of God.
Even people who stand at a pulpit and preach messages, write books, or in other ways tell people how to improve their lives are flawed human beings who've made many mistakes. No one but God deserves to be put on a pedestal and seen as perfect.
But don't we try to portray a perfect image? We tell ourselves that our sins aren't nearly as bad as the sins of others. Don't we gasp when we hear about how others have messed up, as if we've never been down that road, as if we are above making a mistake like that.
As much as we try to kid ourselves about how good we are and how much better we behave than others, deep down we all know how imperfect we really are. We know that we're only pretending to be better. Every mistake we've ever made is carried with us each day: every idle word of gossip we've spoken, every lie we've told, everything we've ever done that we're not proud of is right there in our memories, ready to be recalled.
When we love to point out mistakes that others have made and when we can't seem to let them forget their failures, then we are the ones in need of adjustment. When we get satisfaction out of seeing others fall, then we are the ones in need of repentance. We can't say, "Your sin is worse than my sin." In God's eyes sin is sin, and we're all guilty of it.
Even people who stand at a pulpit and preach messages, write books, or in other ways tell people how to improve their lives are flawed human beings who've made many mistakes. No one but God deserves to be put on a pedestal and seen as perfect.
But don't we try to portray a perfect image? We tell ourselves that our sins aren't nearly as bad as the sins of others. Don't we gasp when we hear about how others have messed up, as if we've never been down that road, as if we are above making a mistake like that.
As much as we try to kid ourselves about how good we are and how much better we behave than others, deep down we all know how imperfect we really are. We know that we're only pretending to be better. Every mistake we've ever made is carried with us each day: every idle word of gossip we've spoken, every lie we've told, everything we've ever done that we're not proud of is right there in our memories, ready to be recalled.
When we love to point out mistakes that others have made and when we can't seem to let them forget their failures, then we are the ones in need of adjustment. When we get satisfaction out of seeing others fall, then we are the ones in need of repentance. We can't say, "Your sin is worse than my sin." In God's eyes sin is sin, and we're all guilty of it.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
THE STUPIDNESS OF GROUCHINESS
Have you ever met a grouch? Maybe you work for one. Maybe you live with one. Today's world has its share of grouches. Although I'm sure we've always had grouches, they seem more prevalent today than years ago. For example, did we ever hear the term road rage in the 80's? Drivers had more patience back then. They were more restrained and less inclined to shout obscenities out the window toward other drivers.
Our world becomes more stressful with each passing decade, and it's more likely than ever that you will come across a grouch in your every day encounters. Grouches often reveal themselves while standing in long lines. They show their true colors when they attempt to do something frustrating. If things don't go their way, they lose patience and spew their venom out on whoever is around. And they have no idea how stupid they make themselves look.
At first I thought that I shouldn't use the word stupid. I thought that perhaps stupid is too strong a word. But I decided that it's the perfect word for behavior that allows emotions to control our actions. We all lose it once in a while. Life is stressful today. But the kind of grouchiness I'm talking about is the nasty kind that loves to make demands, to demean and belittle people. Never does anyone look more senseless than when they are ranting and raving about something they're not pleased with and doing it in such a way that they appear downright mean.
Possibly the best example of this can be found on reality television. Although it might be entertaining to watch adults bicker and scream, I can't help but form an instant opinion about those people. For example, I wouldn't want to come within 100 yards of Jake Pavelka from The Bachelor. The last time I saw him on TV, he was saying something about wishing a certain girl would fall to her death. That is a terrible thing to say.! Don't people have a conscience anymore? Why would anyone say something like that publicly? What sane woman would want to date a man like that? I guess the stupid ones.
The question I'm pondering is "How can we respond to a grouch in a way that will make him or her less grouchy?" We could ask Abraham Lincoln if he were alive. His wife Mary was an incredibly contentious woman. It's said that he walked around the white house with dollar bills in his pocket, bribing the staff to stay on. She would often interrupt her husband's meetings to rant and rave about her concerns.
Yet Lincoln seemed so calm in his mannerisms from what I've read about him. Lincoln's marriage to Mary was the perfect training ground for all the stress he would endure as commander-in-chief of the civil war. He had battled a war in his own home every day for years. Yet he stayed devoted to Mary. She sharpened his patience, his endurance, and his determination to see a thing through.
We could learn a lot from Honest Abe. Perhaps grouchy people were put on this earth to shape our character. While they might look stupid being their grouchy selves, we can appear even more stupid if we allow ourselves to be pulled into their fussing so much that we participate in their rants. The best way to handle a grouch is to remain calm. We can't overcome bad behavior when we allow grouchy people to bring out the grouch in us.
Our world becomes more stressful with each passing decade, and it's more likely than ever that you will come across a grouch in your every day encounters. Grouches often reveal themselves while standing in long lines. They show their true colors when they attempt to do something frustrating. If things don't go their way, they lose patience and spew their venom out on whoever is around. And they have no idea how stupid they make themselves look.
At first I thought that I shouldn't use the word stupid. I thought that perhaps stupid is too strong a word. But I decided that it's the perfect word for behavior that allows emotions to control our actions. We all lose it once in a while. Life is stressful today. But the kind of grouchiness I'm talking about is the nasty kind that loves to make demands, to demean and belittle people. Never does anyone look more senseless than when they are ranting and raving about something they're not pleased with and doing it in such a way that they appear downright mean.
Possibly the best example of this can be found on reality television. Although it might be entertaining to watch adults bicker and scream, I can't help but form an instant opinion about those people. For example, I wouldn't want to come within 100 yards of Jake Pavelka from The Bachelor. The last time I saw him on TV, he was saying something about wishing a certain girl would fall to her death. That is a terrible thing to say.! Don't people have a conscience anymore? Why would anyone say something like that publicly? What sane woman would want to date a man like that? I guess the stupid ones.
The question I'm pondering is "How can we respond to a grouch in a way that will make him or her less grouchy?" We could ask Abraham Lincoln if he were alive. His wife Mary was an incredibly contentious woman. It's said that he walked around the white house with dollar bills in his pocket, bribing the staff to stay on. She would often interrupt her husband's meetings to rant and rave about her concerns.
Yet Lincoln seemed so calm in his mannerisms from what I've read about him. Lincoln's marriage to Mary was the perfect training ground for all the stress he would endure as commander-in-chief of the civil war. He had battled a war in his own home every day for years. Yet he stayed devoted to Mary. She sharpened his patience, his endurance, and his determination to see a thing through.
We could learn a lot from Honest Abe. Perhaps grouchy people were put on this earth to shape our character. While they might look stupid being their grouchy selves, we can appear even more stupid if we allow ourselves to be pulled into their fussing so much that we participate in their rants. The best way to handle a grouch is to remain calm. We can't overcome bad behavior when we allow grouchy people to bring out the grouch in us.
Friday, September 2, 2011
GOD WILL PROVIDE? JOSEPH DIDN'T THINK SO
There is such a thing as having too much faith as the article below explains.
http://preppingtosurvive.com/2011/04/18/but-god-will-provide/
http://preppingtosurvive.com/2011/04/18/but-god-will-provide/
EVACUATION NOTICE
"For the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words" 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18
http://www.raptureready.com/soap/rose6.html
http://www.raptureready.com/soap/rose6.html
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Related galleries | MNN - Mother Nature Network
Useful plants you can find in the wild, the world's most amazing waterfalls, and food staples that will never spoil. The link below is an interesting site to explore. Click on the Food and drink label across the top. And then the Healthy Eating label. Then click on carnival foods we dare you to try. Scroll down after viewing the last one and click on foods that are eaten alive. I got as far as the live octopus. Be sure to read the descriptions. Yuck! But entertaining reading.
Related galleries | MNN - Mother Nature Network
Related galleries | MNN - Mother Nature Network
NOT TO DEPRESS YOU, TO PREPARE YOU
Below is another article about how natural disasters are increasing with the statistics to prove it. I predicted a year ago when I wrote But There Is Hope that we would see more natural disasters in the coming months and years. Earthquakes are increasing in both frequency and intensity. Natural disasters of all types are increasing in frequency. An entire river disappeared in Costa Rica. Gigantic cracks and sinkholes are appearing all over the globe.
Smart people will take this as a warning and prepare. I don't post these things to depress you. I post them to prepare you. Store a supply of food and water; be prepared for the possibility of losing electricity for long periods. Have a stash of emergency cash set aside. Read up on ways you can prepare for any disaster. If I'm wrong, you've lost nothing, but if I'm right you'll be glad you were prepared. With another Hurricane brewing that could hit our shores in less than two weeks, my warning isn't so far fetched.
http://endoftheamericandream.com/archives/is-the-number-of-earthquakes-increasing-why-the-5-8-virginia-earthquake-might-just-be-a-preview-of-things-to-come
Smart people will take this as a warning and prepare. I don't post these things to depress you. I post them to prepare you. Store a supply of food and water; be prepared for the possibility of losing electricity for long periods. Have a stash of emergency cash set aside. Read up on ways you can prepare for any disaster. If I'm wrong, you've lost nothing, but if I'm right you'll be glad you were prepared. With another Hurricane brewing that could hit our shores in less than two weeks, my warning isn't so far fetched.
http://endoftheamericandream.com/archives/is-the-number-of-earthquakes-increasing-why-the-5-8-virginia-earthquake-might-just-be-a-preview-of-things-to-come
Monday, August 29, 2011
LIKE A THIEF IN THE NIGHT
The link below contains an article that questions "why is all this stuff happening to America?" It's a great article because it mentions every natural disaster we've had this year, and it makes you realize how big the list really is. At the end of the article, the writer encourages people to send in their theories about what's going on. Here's my theory: God is angry at a sinful nation and he's shaking things up to get our attention. It's more than a theory because all these disasters were predicted to happen in the Bible. (Matthew 24:7). That same Bible says these catastrophic events will increase in frequency and intensity as we draw closer to the end of the age.
But who reads the Bible these days. Who has the time? And who really believes in God? Who bothers to worship or pray? The answers to those questions is precisely why all this stuff is happening. This is what God must do to wake up stubborn people. One day his patience will run out and our fate will be sealed. The one's who are laughing now will be crying. And the ones who accepted the warning and turned to Christ will leave this crumbling, perishing earth for an everlasting life with our creator. Which side will you be on when the chance to switch sides is gone forever? That day will come like a thief in the night..quickly and unexpected (Matthew 24:37). Perhaps before you hit the snooze button tomorrow morning.
http://www.infowars.com/hurricane-irene-unusual-earthquakes-unprecedented-tornadoes-historic-flooding-and-horrific-drought-why-is-all-of-this-stuff-happening-to-america/
But who reads the Bible these days. Who has the time? And who really believes in God? Who bothers to worship or pray? The answers to those questions is precisely why all this stuff is happening. This is what God must do to wake up stubborn people. One day his patience will run out and our fate will be sealed. The one's who are laughing now will be crying. And the ones who accepted the warning and turned to Christ will leave this crumbling, perishing earth for an everlasting life with our creator. Which side will you be on when the chance to switch sides is gone forever? That day will come like a thief in the night..quickly and unexpected (Matthew 24:37). Perhaps before you hit the snooze button tomorrow morning.
http://www.infowars.com/hurricane-irene-unusual-earthquakes-unprecedented-tornadoes-historic-flooding-and-horrific-drought-why-is-all-of-this-stuff-happening-to-america/
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
BIRTH PANGS PROPHECY EXPLAINED
"I think all these weather events would make perfect sense if people understood the birth-pangs prophecy that Jesus laid out. In Matthew 24:8, we are told that the last days will be the tail end of an exponential curve of activity. Jesus mentioned a great variety of signs—spiritual, natural, societal, and geopolitical—and then He said that these signs will be like "birth pangs."
As the birth of a baby approaches, the birth pangs increase two ways: frequency and intensity. Thus, Jesus was saying that the closer we get to the time of His return, the more frequent and intense the signs will become. There will be more earthquakes and more intense ones. Likewise, things like famine, pestilence, and war will increase in frequency and intensity.
In the past, I've warned people that greater weather disasters were headed our way. In 2006, I made the following comment right after Hurricane Katrina:
“The unending avalanche of catastrophes has convinced me that they are part of the end-time warning signs called the birth pangs. The Bible predicts they will increase in frequency as we get closer to the tribulation hour. I expect the world media will soon be covering new calamities in the coming months.”
The months turned into years, and the birth pangs kept rolling in with greater frequency. It seems that we’ve reached a point where the kindness of God must be at a limit. If we can have nine calamities in less than eight months and still not get man’s attention, any more warning would be pointless. Only God knows for sure, but I think the judgment stage is very very near."
-- Todd Strandberg
http://raptureready.com/rap16.html
As the birth of a baby approaches, the birth pangs increase two ways: frequency and intensity. Thus, Jesus was saying that the closer we get to the time of His return, the more frequent and intense the signs will become. There will be more earthquakes and more intense ones. Likewise, things like famine, pestilence, and war will increase in frequency and intensity.
In the past, I've warned people that greater weather disasters were headed our way. In 2006, I made the following comment right after Hurricane Katrina:
“The unending avalanche of catastrophes has convinced me that they are part of the end-time warning signs called the birth pangs. The Bible predicts they will increase in frequency as we get closer to the tribulation hour. I expect the world media will soon be covering new calamities in the coming months.”
The months turned into years, and the birth pangs kept rolling in with greater frequency. It seems that we’ve reached a point where the kindness of God must be at a limit. If we can have nine calamities in less than eight months and still not get man’s attention, any more warning would be pointless. Only God knows for sure, but I think the judgment stage is very very near."
-- Todd Strandberg
http://raptureready.com/rap16.html
WILL YOU SPEND ETERNITY IN REGRET?
My daughter was putting a puzzle together today when the table began to shake. I was busy in the kitchen and didn't notice. The dog barked. Then the phone rang. "Did you feel that too?" she said to her dad on the other line. "I thought I was going crazy." She had just experienced her first earthquake and her dad called from work to share what had happened. He felt it too.
I've been on this earth for 49 years and I never had a day like today. My son sent an email asking if the earth shook here. Then my sister called and told me about her experience when the quake hit and how it sounded like things were falling down inside the walls of her house. People in California would probably call us "sissy," but we don't get quakes that we can feel on this side of the continent. Today we got one. And it proves what I've been saying all along. Earthquakes are intensifying.
But stubborn people will continue to brush these things off as no big deal. They'll say things like, "People are paranoid." They'll refuse to believe that the unusual events of our time have anything to do with God or the last days that Jesus spoke of in the Bible. These people are called scoffers and Jesus even warned us about them. He said that in the last days, there will be scoffers asking where is the promise of His return, for everything is the same as it's always been.
A scoffer will say, "We've always had earthquakes." And now I can say, "Yes, but we haven't always had them in Halifax, Pennsylvania. Wake up America. This is not business as usual and you had better prepare. Get your house in order and get your heart in order. God is shaking things up to warn you because He is a merciful God. He's giving you time to decide where you want to spend eternity... time to get your heart right with God. Eternity is forever, it's a long time to regret your own stubborness. -Danelle
"Americans, too, are being shaken. We face arguably the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. Nearly half of all Americans believe we are heading towards another Great Depression. Unemployment is over 9%. Housing foreclosures are skyhigh. People have lost enormous sums of money due to depressed housing prices and stock market volatility.
The federal government is trying to spend our way to prosperity but is making things worse. Our annual federal budget deficit topped $1.3 trillion last year. This year, it looks like the feds will spend more than $1.5 trillion beyond what they are taking in in revenue. Our debt is skyrocketing. The U.S. is now on the verge of financial default, and hampered further by political ineptitude in Washington that threatens to compound an already precarious situation.
What if these events are not all random? What if the God of the Bible is allowing these to happen to shake us, to wake us, to get our attention, that we might turn to Him and ask Him to have mercy on us and help us?....
Bible prophecy is clear: the Lord shakes individuals and nations that we might let go of all of the flawed political, philosophical, intellectual and religions notions that we cling to that won’t give us true peace, that don’t give us real hope, that can’t bring us any security, that can’t provide forgiveness from our sins much less eternal life for our souls. The God of the Bible wants to shake us loose of such things that we might turn to Him, and to the life He offers through faith in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord isn’t letting us be shaken because He hates us. He’s letting us be shaken precisely because He loves us and wants us to repent and turn to Him and call out to Him, as individuals, as families, and as nations. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26)
-Joel Rosenberg
http://flashtrafficblog.wordpress.com/2011/07/27/the-lord-is-shaking-the-world-physically-spiritually-financially-why-and-how-should-we-respond/
I've been on this earth for 49 years and I never had a day like today. My son sent an email asking if the earth shook here. Then my sister called and told me about her experience when the quake hit and how it sounded like things were falling down inside the walls of her house. People in California would probably call us "sissy," but we don't get quakes that we can feel on this side of the continent. Today we got one. And it proves what I've been saying all along. Earthquakes are intensifying.
But stubborn people will continue to brush these things off as no big deal. They'll say things like, "People are paranoid." They'll refuse to believe that the unusual events of our time have anything to do with God or the last days that Jesus spoke of in the Bible. These people are called scoffers and Jesus even warned us about them. He said that in the last days, there will be scoffers asking where is the promise of His return, for everything is the same as it's always been.
A scoffer will say, "We've always had earthquakes." And now I can say, "Yes, but we haven't always had them in Halifax, Pennsylvania. Wake up America. This is not business as usual and you had better prepare. Get your house in order and get your heart in order. God is shaking things up to warn you because He is a merciful God. He's giving you time to decide where you want to spend eternity... time to get your heart right with God. Eternity is forever, it's a long time to regret your own stubborness. -Danelle
"Americans, too, are being shaken. We face arguably the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. Nearly half of all Americans believe we are heading towards another Great Depression. Unemployment is over 9%. Housing foreclosures are skyhigh. People have lost enormous sums of money due to depressed housing prices and stock market volatility.
The federal government is trying to spend our way to prosperity but is making things worse. Our annual federal budget deficit topped $1.3 trillion last year. This year, it looks like the feds will spend more than $1.5 trillion beyond what they are taking in in revenue. Our debt is skyrocketing. The U.S. is now on the verge of financial default, and hampered further by political ineptitude in Washington that threatens to compound an already precarious situation.
What if these events are not all random? What if the God of the Bible is allowing these to happen to shake us, to wake us, to get our attention, that we might turn to Him and ask Him to have mercy on us and help us?....
Bible prophecy is clear: the Lord shakes individuals and nations that we might let go of all of the flawed political, philosophical, intellectual and religions notions that we cling to that won’t give us true peace, that don’t give us real hope, that can’t bring us any security, that can’t provide forgiveness from our sins much less eternal life for our souls. The God of the Bible wants to shake us loose of such things that we might turn to Him, and to the life He offers through faith in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord isn’t letting us be shaken because He hates us. He’s letting us be shaken precisely because He loves us and wants us to repent and turn to Him and call out to Him, as individuals, as families, and as nations. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26)
-Joel Rosenberg
http://flashtrafficblog.wordpress.com/2011/07/27/the-lord-is-shaking-the-world-physically-spiritually-financially-why-and-how-should-we-respond/
MY INSIGHTFUL WEEKEND
By Danelle Carvell
I spent the weekend at a friend's house. We lounged by her pool and chatted about our families, the world's problems, and the mystery of making marriage work. We agreed that men don't talk enough, and when they do say something it's not what we want to hear. We also came to the conclusion that fear and insecurity is what drives negative behavior. For example, a chronic complainer feels the need to criticize others because of his own deep fears and insecurities. By criticizing others he makes himself feel better. If everyone else is inadequate, then he doesn't feel so bad about himself.
For two people who were raised differently with different values and ideas about life to be put together and expected to live in harmony is a huge undertaking. Few couples are up for the challenge and many throw in the towel when things get messy. Each person comes into the marriage with certain expectations and when those expectations aren't met, a certain dissatisfaction develops on one or both sides and a couple becomes more and more distant. We begin to regret even marrying in the first place.
The thing that I question is why we put such impossibly high standards on each other. Why is it okay for us to expect so much from our spouse and yet we are not willing to give that person what they need to feel fulfilled. We focus on every little thing that person isn't doing and we don't realize how little we are doing to make that person feel loved. Do we even know what our spouse wants or needs? Do we make an effort to give the one we promised to love honor and cherish anything to indicate that we do love honor and cherish them? And do we express appreciation for the things they do for us?
Women don't feel loved and men don't feel respected. Those are the number one complaints of couples. And the number one complaint of children in the marriage is that they don't receive gentle loving kindness and their parent's attention. They are spoken to harshly and treated like inconveniences. They don't feel appreciated. When they do something to help around the house, they are belittled for not doing it right. They begin to feel like they can't do anything right and they wonder why they were even born. They openly say things like, "I wish I never would have been born. Why did my parents have me if they didn't want me?"
It really is sad the way we treat each other. The one place where we are supposed to feel safe and loved becomes the one place where we feel the least appreciated. We think that we're doing a good job taking care of everyone and then someone says something that feels like a knife to the heart. Harsh words spoken carelessly chisel a wound so deep we feel like giving up. Nothing is ever good enough for those who place impossibly high standards on the ones they love. The house is never clean enough. There's never enough money. Dinner could have been better. Our minds are always on the negative. We just can't be grateful for what we have. We can't express appreciation. We can only complain.
Before Ann Voskamp wrote One Thousand Gifts, she was challenged by a friend to write out one thousand things that she is grateful for. This challenge took on a life of its own as Ann began to see the beauty in everything. She stood at the sink washing dishes and would marvel at the colors radiating from her soap bubbles. She dropped everything she was doing one night before dinner to go outside and soak in the warm light and amazement of a rising full moon. She even got excited about cheese.
Why is it so hard for us to appreciate? Why do we always want more? Why can't we look at the ones we love and realize that they're doing the best they can? Why can't we be thankful for the things and people God brought into our lives? Why must we always focus on what's wrong with everything and everyone around us? If we changed our attitudes and instead focused on what we have to be grateful for, would we become more content? I guess the only way to find out is to try. Ann Voskamp accepted the challenge. She discovered the joy of being grateful and wrote a book about it.
The invitation to thankfulness is waiting. How many of us will open our eyes and see the blessings we've been given? What will it take for us to truly appreciate each other? Will our loved ones have to die before we realize their good qualities? And are we truly living if we can't appreciate them?
I spent the weekend at a friend's house. We lounged by her pool and chatted about our families, the world's problems, and the mystery of making marriage work. We agreed that men don't talk enough, and when they do say something it's not what we want to hear. We also came to the conclusion that fear and insecurity is what drives negative behavior. For example, a chronic complainer feels the need to criticize others because of his own deep fears and insecurities. By criticizing others he makes himself feel better. If everyone else is inadequate, then he doesn't feel so bad about himself.
For two people who were raised differently with different values and ideas about life to be put together and expected to live in harmony is a huge undertaking. Few couples are up for the challenge and many throw in the towel when things get messy. Each person comes into the marriage with certain expectations and when those expectations aren't met, a certain dissatisfaction develops on one or both sides and a couple becomes more and more distant. We begin to regret even marrying in the first place.
The thing that I question is why we put such impossibly high standards on each other. Why is it okay for us to expect so much from our spouse and yet we are not willing to give that person what they need to feel fulfilled. We focus on every little thing that person isn't doing and we don't realize how little we are doing to make that person feel loved. Do we even know what our spouse wants or needs? Do we make an effort to give the one we promised to love honor and cherish anything to indicate that we do love honor and cherish them? And do we express appreciation for the things they do for us?
Women don't feel loved and men don't feel respected. Those are the number one complaints of couples. And the number one complaint of children in the marriage is that they don't receive gentle loving kindness and their parent's attention. They are spoken to harshly and treated like inconveniences. They don't feel appreciated. When they do something to help around the house, they are belittled for not doing it right. They begin to feel like they can't do anything right and they wonder why they were even born. They openly say things like, "I wish I never would have been born. Why did my parents have me if they didn't want me?"
It really is sad the way we treat each other. The one place where we are supposed to feel safe and loved becomes the one place where we feel the least appreciated. We think that we're doing a good job taking care of everyone and then someone says something that feels like a knife to the heart. Harsh words spoken carelessly chisel a wound so deep we feel like giving up. Nothing is ever good enough for those who place impossibly high standards on the ones they love. The house is never clean enough. There's never enough money. Dinner could have been better. Our minds are always on the negative. We just can't be grateful for what we have. We can't express appreciation. We can only complain.
Before Ann Voskamp wrote One Thousand Gifts, she was challenged by a friend to write out one thousand things that she is grateful for. This challenge took on a life of its own as Ann began to see the beauty in everything. She stood at the sink washing dishes and would marvel at the colors radiating from her soap bubbles. She dropped everything she was doing one night before dinner to go outside and soak in the warm light and amazement of a rising full moon. She even got excited about cheese.
Why is it so hard for us to appreciate? Why do we always want more? Why can't we look at the ones we love and realize that they're doing the best they can? Why can't we be thankful for the things and people God brought into our lives? Why must we always focus on what's wrong with everything and everyone around us? If we changed our attitudes and instead focused on what we have to be grateful for, would we become more content? I guess the only way to find out is to try. Ann Voskamp accepted the challenge. She discovered the joy of being grateful and wrote a book about it.
The invitation to thankfulness is waiting. How many of us will open our eyes and see the blessings we've been given? What will it take for us to truly appreciate each other? Will our loved ones have to die before we realize their good qualities? And are we truly living if we can't appreciate them?
Monday, August 22, 2011
THE CHURCH IS SLEEPING
"America is in trouble, morally, spiritually and financially. Yet no one seems to have any answers. The politicians seem clueless. The media certainly doesn’t have any answers. Academia seems more out of touch than ever. Sadly, far too many Church leaders are asleep, as well — or too timid, or drifting off course spiritually and theologically — just at the time they could and should be powerfully proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ as the only real hope of mankind. God hasn’t failed us. We have failed God. Christ is ready to come help us, care for us, get us back on the right track, if we would only turn to Him en masse. The Church’s job is to be a light to the nations, ours and the world. But too much of the Church is sleeping. We need a wake up call." - Joel Rosenberg
http://flashtrafficblog.wordpress.com/2011/08/07/we-need-another-dunkirk-30000-turn-out-to-pray-fast-for-america-and-israel/
http://flashtrafficblog.wordpress.com/2011/08/07/we-need-another-dunkirk-30000-turn-out-to-pray-fast-for-america-and-israel/
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
A NATION IN NEED OF HEALING
It might be the most challenging piece of artwork she's ever created, and it's definitely the most controversial she claims. But it's exactly the kind of work she's been praying for. Deanna Wiseman recently completed a limited-edition print titled, “If My People.” Based on scripture, the print's intended message is a moral and spiritual healing for our nation.
“I want my artwork to have a spiritual purpose,” said Wiseman. “One that will draw people closer to God.” She believes that the talent she was given as an artist should be used to lead people to Christ. That's why it was an answer to her prayers when someone commissioned the print.
The person who commissioned the print chose not to comment, but according to Wiseman, the painting was requested by someone who has a great concern for the future of our nation. “God has been removed from our classrooms and courtrooms. Churches have become so liberal that the gospel has lost its meaning. And parents are losing their children to the things of this world,” she said.
The print's title was inspired by 2 Chronicles 7:14, which reads “If my people which are called by name shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” It conveys the message that our nation today can only be saved if we bring America back to God.
The painting was inspired by a letter which was written and published in the Wall Street Journal during the Great Depression of the 1930's. In that letter, the editor of the Journal said, “What this country needs to bring us out of the depression is not to build more factories, but... for men to go home early on Wednesday afternoon, hitch up the horse and buggy, get the whole family ready and go to the little white church in the grove of oak trees and attend Wednesday evening prayer meeting.”
With that letter in mind, Wiseman prayed for a week before beginning the painting, asking God to show her how to proceed. She envisioned a church nestled in a grove of oak trees with the sun breaking through the trees and a scroll of scripture unfurled in the clouds. Also included in the painting is a horse and buggy passing by a church sign which invites people to Wednesday evening prayer meeting.
Some people will view the print as being old fashioned or not relative to today, Wiseman says. But the painting was created for Christians. “This is a way to get Biblical scripture displayed in Christian homes where it can remind us to pray for our nation and stay accountable to God,” she said.
Another reason the print is relative to today is because people are so busy. “Most people would say that Wednesday night prayer meeting was fine for the early 1900's but today they have a hard enough time getting to church on Sunday,” said Wiseman. As a self-employed artist, she understands that attitude. Her evenings are often consumed by work-related activities, so attending a weekly evening prayer meeting is a struggle. Yet she feels pressure to set a good example since creating the print.
Wiseman said she's created many paintings that represent the Autumn season, but this is the first work of art that depicts a scene that's set toward evening during a harvest moon. “The family in the wagon has left their crops in the field during a time when they could have worked late into the night by the light of a full moon. They chose to attend church at a time when they could be gathering wheat or corn. This symbolizes their commitment,” said Wiseman
A book given to her by her mother-in-law has been a valuable tool in helping Wiseman to complete the painting. The Rebirth of America declares our country's freedoms and Christian heritage. It also tells the dramatic story and impact of America's great spiritual awakenings. “I used the book to inspire thoughts and give vision to what might be included in the painting,” said Wiseman The book was published in 1986. “They thought our country was in the gutter then, from the way the book reads,” she added.
If My People was commissioned by someone with a great concern for what life will be like for that person's grandchildren. Wiseman shares that concern if God chooses to bless her with grandchildren. She considers it a privilege to paint something with such spiritual significance, but she says she doesn't know how much longer she'll be able to paint. “I'm slowly losing the feeling in my hands due to a severely degenerated disc in my neck,” she said. “It's very difficult for me to paint, and surgery may be in my future.”
Wiseman grew up in a Christian home and she believes that her physical ailments are part of God's plan to keep her humble and useable. The pain she endures is a constant reminder of Christ's sacrifice for her. “I'm a vessel God uses to get the message out,” she said. “I don't want any credit. This is for God's glory.”
Wiseman believes that people are more open to God and spiritual things with everything that is happening in the world,--wars earthquakes, droughts, floods, and economic turmoil, “I hope that this print will take the viewer back to a simpler time, when we had more time to focus on what's really important. I hope that Christians will want this print framed and displayed in their homes as a reminder to take their faith seriously because the future of our nation depends on it,” said Wiseman.
During her career as an artist, Wiseman has painted hundreds of landscapes and portraits with historical purpose. She claims that all of those paintings had a special meaning to those who commissioned them.“This painting has a message for God's people,” she said. “If we as Christians don't stand up for our beliefs, then there's no hope. Our nation as we know it is gone.”
“If My People” will be published as an Open Edition. The first printing will be limited to 100 prints plus 25 Artist Proofs. Prints will be available for purchase by late summer, but can be reserved now by calling Wiseman Graphics Framing Gallery at 570-758-2770. http://www.drawingfromthepast.blogspot.com/
Thursday, August 11, 2011
THANK GOD FOR WOMEN LIKE THAT!
I wanted to post this video along with my recent blog about modesty titled, A Fine Gold Ring In A Pig's Snout. Scroll down a few entries if you haven't read it. The link below is a guy's take on modesty. It's a surprising message and one that every girl, every woman should hear. Please pass it on.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVMZoZoKT-o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVMZoZoKT-o
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
REALISTIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY
An excellent site for learning how to become self-sufficient. I could spend the next four weeks learning from this valuable source of info. This is survival the way our great grandparents did it. Nothing fancy, but very effective survival skills and tips.
http://www.grandpappy.info/hself.htm
http://www.grandpappy.info/hself.htm
BE READY FOR ANYTHING
"Is a worldwide famine in your future? I don't know. But I do pay attention to the news and I do know that the United States of America is having serious planting problems with millions and millions of acres of their agricultural land in the Spring of the year 2011. And many of the other major food exporting countries around the world are also experiencing severe planting and/or harvesting problems this year. And many, many news commentators are now predicting a significant increase in food prices later this year. If food prices significantly increase at the same time that tax revenues are down and the true unemployment rate is exceptionally high, then this combination of events could easily lead to massive worldwide unrest due to a simple ordinary worldwide famine. If this happens then living conditions will be leveled worldwide and everyone everywhere will be living in a nightmare third-world economy. The reason is because politicians and governments can't simply create food by passing new laws or making long speeches. All they can do is try to deceive people into believing that they have everything under control and that the horrible growling noise that everyone is hearing from their stomachs is just their imagination playing tricks on them. This is the one speech that nobody is going to believe and when thathappens then the people of the world will revolt in a most unpleasant fashion." -Robert Wayne Atkins
I discovered a great article and a great blog. The Survival Mom has a lot of useful tips that will help you to be ready for anything, whether it's food shortages, an economic collapse, no electricity, or whatever else might come your way. In case you haven't noticed, the world has gone a little crazy. The TILT light is flashing and it's time to prepare for the possibilities. Be ready for anything, because with all this economic uncertainty, unpredictable weather, and civil unrest, anything can happen.
http://thesurvivalmom.com/2011/07/28/the-quick-start-guide-for-getting-prepared/
I discovered a great article and a great blog. The Survival Mom has a lot of useful tips that will help you to be ready for anything, whether it's food shortages, an economic collapse, no electricity, or whatever else might come your way. In case you haven't noticed, the world has gone a little crazy. The TILT light is flashing and it's time to prepare for the possibilities. Be ready for anything, because with all this economic uncertainty, unpredictable weather, and civil unrest, anything can happen.
http://thesurvivalmom.com/2011/07/28/the-quick-start-guide-for-getting-prepared/
A FINE GOLD RING IN A PIG'S SNOUT
The way women dress, the way they speak and the way they think is the subject of my latest speech. So when I came across the below article, I was inspired to blog about modesty. My daughter and I disagree about what's modest and what isn't. I would guess that many mothers are having conversations with their daughters about the way they dress. Celebrities are paving the way to making it okay to dress scantily. Everywhere I look I see exposed cleavage and lots of leg. And the attitudes of the women who dress that way is, "If you don't like it, don't look."
I don't agree with the way my own daughter dresses at times and that makes it hard for me to speak about the subject. I can't tie her down and dress her myself. Modesty has to come from the heart. So I pray that she will have a desire for modesty. The thing that women don't realize is how they cheapen themselves when they put their bodies on display. They become objects instead of people. Objects to be lusted after.
When I was in my twenties I dressed a little on the scanty side. I wore short skirts and heels quite often. I dressed that way because I wanted attention and I wanted to feel pretty. Looking back, I see that all it got me was attention from men of lesser character. The good guys aren't attracted to women who show a lot of skin. The good guys want women of purity and virtue..women who look like they have self-respect and high standards. If she dresses scantily, men assume she gets around. Of course, some men like women who get around, but they only like them for a night. What I didn't realize in my twenties is that if I want a guy who'll love me forever, I need to dress like a girl who deserves that kind of love.
"A beautiful woman lacking discretion and modesty is like a fine gold ring in a pig's snout." According to Proverbs, that's how God feels about women who dress scantily. I wish someone would have told me in my twenties that I hurt myself when I dress like a show girl. I downgrade myself from a person to an object. That's why I always feel sorry for girls who show so much skin. I've been there and I know what they're trying to do and I feel saddened that they don't have more respect for themselves. They're hurting themselves and they're making every man's struggle for purity more difficult. For another interesting reason to dress modestly, click on the link below.
http://www.ncregister.com/blog/modesty-helps-women-be-friends
I don't agree with the way my own daughter dresses at times and that makes it hard for me to speak about the subject. I can't tie her down and dress her myself. Modesty has to come from the heart. So I pray that she will have a desire for modesty. The thing that women don't realize is how they cheapen themselves when they put their bodies on display. They become objects instead of people. Objects to be lusted after.
When I was in my twenties I dressed a little on the scanty side. I wore short skirts and heels quite often. I dressed that way because I wanted attention and I wanted to feel pretty. Looking back, I see that all it got me was attention from men of lesser character. The good guys aren't attracted to women who show a lot of skin. The good guys want women of purity and virtue..women who look like they have self-respect and high standards. If she dresses scantily, men assume she gets around. Of course, some men like women who get around, but they only like them for a night. What I didn't realize in my twenties is that if I want a guy who'll love me forever, I need to dress like a girl who deserves that kind of love.
"A beautiful woman lacking discretion and modesty is like a fine gold ring in a pig's snout." According to Proverbs, that's how God feels about women who dress scantily. I wish someone would have told me in my twenties that I hurt myself when I dress like a show girl. I downgrade myself from a person to an object. That's why I always feel sorry for girls who show so much skin. I've been there and I know what they're trying to do and I feel saddened that they don't have more respect for themselves. They're hurting themselves and they're making every man's struggle for purity more difficult. For another interesting reason to dress modestly, click on the link below.
http://www.ncregister.com/blog/modesty-helps-women-be-friends
Sunday, August 7, 2011
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