Babies, babies, and MORE babies!

God has been so good to me! Here are the latest blessings!



First, I would like you to meet Summer Elaine. She was born on December 17th, weighing 7lbs.4oz., at 6:40pm and was 20 inches long.

Next, we have Kherington JuLynne who was born on December 23rd at 7:20pm. She also weighed 7lbs. 4oz. and was 19 1/2 inches long.

For those of you who are counting - that makes 6 Grandchildren in less than 2 1/2 years! Hey kids, what do you say we take some time out and enjoy?! (hey, hey - just kidding! The Lord's will be done!)

Hatred and Intolerance (not your typical Christmas Blog)

What could cause a person to stomp on a magazine image of a political candidate and spew words of hatred toward them apparently just because they have a large family?

I wouldn't have believed that anyone was capable if I hadn't witnessed it with my own eyes and ears. To hear someone call another person a 'worthless baby-making machine', with no other explaination as to why they loathe them so much just boggles my mind!!

The most ironic part is that it is the Christian who is usually being accused of narrow-mindedness, hatred and intolerence. And, 'Freedom of Speech' seems to be an exclusive right to the far left only.

In this day and age - and especially during the Christmas Season when we are usually more sensitive to the people around us and looking for "Peace on Earth", this just shouldn't be so.

In the words of Bishop Harry Jackson, Jr. regarding the high level of anger in the homosexual community over president-elect Barack Obama's selection of Rick Warren to give the invocation at his inauguration next month, it "shows the nature of the culture war we are in." For a look at the reason for his comment, check out the article sent to me just yesterday.
http://www.onenewsnow.com/Politics/Default.aspx?id=363354

And, for a reason WHY we are in such turmoil, check out the article sent to me the day before from Charisma Magazine:
http://charismamag.com/newsletters/propheticinsight/PropheticInsight12-23-08/propheticinsight.html

Summer is here............and we were there!

My Mom and I took a trip down to Tennessee to surprise Mike with a visit since he became a Daddy. Look at our beautiful Summer!

So Mike, were you surprised? LOL!

"Gospel Bill" aka Willie George

I was reminded, for the second time this week, about an old friend named "Gospel Bill".
You see, I got saved when I was 25 yrs. old - right after my 4th child was born and embarked on this new 'way of life' with my kids in tow. I was introduced to this new friend in my early years as a believer, and together we raised my kids the best I knew how in the Lord. Of course my relationship with Gospel Bill was through the miracle of television since he and his ministry were out in Oklahoma. Still, my kids quickly made friends with Bill, Nikodemus, Miss Lana, Barkameus, and the rest of the gang.

Here's a little bit of history:

Shortly after receiving Christ at a James Robison crusade in 1972, 17 year-old Willie George took his first steps into a ministry that has now touched the lives of millions. Beginning in a small west Texas town whose population was 1,100, serving as pastor to children and youth, he helped his uncle build a church of 500. Much of that growth resulted from a bus ministry where Pastor George would send buses as far as 75 miles one way to pick up children no one else was reaching. In 1979, Willie George Ministries was founded and began publishing Faith Roots School of the Bible curriculum. Additionally, the ministry travelled across America, taking his creative techniques for children's ministry to hundreds of churches. Willie George Ministries launched its television ministry in 1983 with The Gospel Bill Show.

This of course was just the small beginings for this ministry, but I will be forever grateful! So, THANK YOU Gospel Bill, for being willing to pave the road for my kids!

I have always held on to the scripture that says, "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it" (Prov. 22:6)

I know that God still has a place in their hearts, and I am starting to see them realize this need, and the needs of their own children for Him.

This one started at the dinner table last night...

I really don't like having political discussions at the dinner table - and not too many other places for that matter, but things come up, and sometimes you just have to go there! I was challenged by a family member about the news programs I listen to and invited to believe "their truth" about what's REALLY going on in politics!
As much as I don't like disagreeing with or upsetting family that I love, I at least came away with a challenge to myself re: Why do I listen to news programs like Fox News, Hannity and Colmes, Glenn Beck, CBN, etc? And this is the discussion I had with myself:

Their reporting is less biased. They can discuss both the conservative and liberal viewpoints without getting off base from the standard beliefs and truths, and line up more closely with the truths of the Bible that I adhere to. They will report the facts that other networks want to sweep under the rug, regardless of how it will affect the ratings. (So eloquently referred to as "Media Malpractic" by the example site http://howobamagotelected.com/).
They are credible news stations/shows with Emcees who still know and understand what the Constitution of the United States says and means.

It seems for the last 50 years at least, the people of the United States have forgotten, or maybe allowed themselves to be swayed on what the Bill of Rights, and the First Amendment of the Constitution REALLY says. All we ever hear is “Separation of Church and State”, and frankly, I get tired of it! These words have been adopted by many countries like Russia, but have never been part of our Constitution.

In a nutshell, The First Amendment expressly prohibits the United States Congress from making laws "respecting an establishment of religion" or that “prohibit the free exercise of religion”.
Separation of church and state is a political and legal doctrine that government and religious institutions are to be kept separate and independent from each other. The term most often refers to the combination of two principles: secularity of government and freedom of religious exercise.

Please people – look it up!

(And, just a thought, hasn’t our government in a round-about way already “established” the religion of Secular Humanism by prohibiting God in our schools, and rejected the free excercise of religion - most specifically Christianity?)

What it boils down to is what we have been hearing in the Truth Project - ‘Do you really believe that what you believe is really real?’

What is the standard we use to measure? Do we have a base? Is it a moral base?

As Christians, we are to use the Word of God as our standard. The world wants to change the standard, but we are to hold fast to it.

What is shaping our beliefs? The news reports or the Truth?!

Obamavangelicals

With the elections behind us, I have been trying to focus on the role God would have us fill as Christians in this time of crisis, with a Democratic majority led government. But it does force me to first examine what it means to be a Christian in a country where God is becoming more and more 'unpopular'. I have to ponder things like:

How did Barack Obama get the vote of so many "evangelicals"?

Could it be because the definition of 'evangelical' has changed? Have our beliefs been watered down or compormised, and we don't hold to the "Biblical Worldview" we once did?




What is the "Biblical Worldview"?

For several years, The Barna Group has been tracking how many people possess a "biblical worldview." The organization defines such a life perspective on the basis of several questions about religious beliefs. The definition requires someone to:

1. believe that absolute moral truth exists;
2. that the source of moral truth is the Bible;
3. that the Bible is accurate in all of the principles it teaches;
4. that eternal spiritual salvation cannot be earned;
5. that Jesus lived a sinless life on earth;
6. that every person has a responsibility to share their religious beliefs with others;
7. that Satan is a living force, not just a symbol of evil;
8. and that God is the all-knowing, all-powerful maker of the universe who still rules that creation today.

(I won't bore you with the statistics here, but I will tell you the numbers are frightfully low!)

So, do you hold a Biblical Worldview? What do you believe? Maybe it's time to ask ourselves some of these questions! Just a thought....

Whole Lotta Shakin - “If you’re not worried, you’re not paying attention”

If you missed the 9 O'Clock Bible class with Bob W. you'll want to get the notes! He emailed them to me and gave me permission to share whatever I wanted from them in my blog.
He talked about how God is going to shake the earth taking his reference from (Hag 2:6-7), and why He is doing the shaking:
1.To bring the wealth of all nations into His house and that it would be filled with Glory (Hag 2:7)- [the wealth being God's people (Deu 32:9)], 2.To shake the wicked from the earth (Job 38:12-13), and 3.He is angry (Psa 18:7)


Then, what he shared at the end of the class was an excerpt from Dave Wilkerson's vision in 1973. Below is a brief synopsis from his book. Amazingly, it describes our present day situation to a tee!!

David Wilkerson – The Vision of 1973 – Five Calamities coming to the world:
a) Economic Confusion
(1) …an international crises of fear will develop (p 14)
(2) … we are going to witness the bankruptcies of some of this nations major and most popular corporations (p 15)
(3) I see tremendous difficulty arising for credit corporations (p 15)
(4) I see a flurry of near panic decisions being made by various government agencies – but these hasty efforts to shore up the economy will backfire.
(5) The president of the United States will make one, and possibly two national radio and TV appearances to assure the nation that all is well and that the best of economic times is just ahead. It will not work. People will distrust these statements, and their fears will lead to a revolution at the polls.
(6) The Auto industry is going to be hurt badly
b) Drastic Weather Changes & Earthquakes
c) A Flood of Filth
(1) Gross immorality on television and in movies
(2) Worldwide acceptance of homosexuality including acceptance by the worldly church.
d) Youth Rebellion
e) Persecution Madness
(1) Starting slowly at first but spreading throughout the United States, Canada and the rest of the world until it becomes a type of madness.
(2) The result of the persecution madness will be a politically invisible supernatural Church without spot or wrinkle.

What a message for Persecuted church Sunday! To date it is illegal to preach the gospel or read a Bible in 52 Countries, and according to statistics, there have been more people persecuted in the Twentieth Century than all the centuries combined since the beginning of man. You tell me, are we next to be jailed?....just a tought!

Barack Obama - The Change we..........DESERVE?

Well, the votes are counted and the people of America have spoken.

The scripture that comes to mind first is:

"Blessed is the nation who's God is the Lord." (Ps. 33:12)

If we were to just let that sink in, it would be a good day.


Excerpt from yesterday's Our Daily Bread 11/4/08 'Choosing Our Leader':

Obviously, not everyone's choice can win, but every voter has a choice.
Unlike a political election in which the majority rules, each of us is given the opportunity to select our personal leader each day. In the spiritual election deep within our hearts, our choice will stand no matter what others may decide.
Joshua called the people together and told them, "If it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." (Joshua 24:15)

Everyone serves some kind of god. Whom will we choose to have rule in our hearts today? (by David McCasland)

It's that time of year again.....

Tis the season to receive catalogs in the mail. Every trip to the mailbox ends with an armload of slick holiday catalogs. Each one claims to offer me something I need—immediately. “Don’t wait!” “Limited offer!” “Order now!”

The lure works. I open the pages to discover what I didn’t know I needed. Sure enough, I see things that suddenly seem essential, even though a few minutes earlier I didn’t know they existed. Manufacturers use catalog illustrations to create desire for their products.

In a way, Christians are God’s catalogs. We are His illustration to the world of what He has to offer. His work in our lives makes us a picture of qualities that people may not know they need or want until they see them at work in us.

(Well said, Julie Ackerman Link!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

What does the world see in us that they can’t live without?

Let's not get caught up but remember the real meaning of the season and reach out to others.

This was from my devos yesterday morning. If you would like to read it in it's entirity, you can go to http://rbc.org/devotionals/our-daily-bread/2008/11/03/devotion.aspx

Adult vs. Embryonic Stem Cells

Do you know the difference?

If you want to engage in intelligent conversation regarding Stem Cell Research, some very sound information can be optained at the site below. Just copy and paste the link to your browser.

http://www.stemcellresearchfacts.com/index.html

Woo Hoo!

It's been a LONG time since $25 would fill my gas tank!

Did you ever think we would be excited about paying $2.45 a gallon?

Why pray when you can worry?

For more on the Christian's Response to the Financial Crisis, there is a good article written by the Publisher of Charisma Magazine, Steve Strang. Copy and paste the link below to your Web Browser to read it:

http://www.strangreport.com/2008/10/christian-response-to-financial-crisis.html

Gramma's Dilemna

What do you do when you go from zero to six grandchildren in 2 1/2 yrs? After all, Christmas is coming!

The answer: MOM TO MOM SALES!

It is so hard not to go crazy here, but when you can buy 7 new or almost new outfits including a new Falls Creek winter coat all for only $24, how can you pass it up?

MOM 2 MOM has my vote!

Don't you just love the Internet?!

I mean you can find ANYTHING!

I remember one time being with a group of girlfriends in Shipshewanna where we had an authentic Amish meal in the home of one of the locals. The host was a story teller and proceeded to tell us some story about a farmer and a chicken. While he was telling the story, he was playing with a napkin (or maybe it was a towel); anyway, by the time he was done telling the story, he had folded the napkin in such a way that it looked like a chicken! Pretty funny (or maybe you had to have been there!)

Sooooooo, a few years later, when I was having a dinner for the friends who helped me move into my Condo, I remembered the story and wanted to dazzle my guests, and well, that's right - I went to the Internet, and guess what I found?!!
(Oh, you're so smart) I not only found the instructions on folding the napkin, but also the farmers story!






The Internet - a highway of knowledge indeed!

Is it back?............

I have spent the last week mourning the passing of summer sandals and capris; frowning over having to turn my furnace pilot light on; and pouting over having to wear the fall jacket.


Now, low and behold - the Sun!



Warm temps ahead! Happy, happy, joy, joy! :) I see a weekend of skating and bikeriding coming on!



Yes, I love fall and even snow (sometimes), but don't you just sometimes want to see summer last forever?

...isn't LIFE the most important thing?

Do you recall when I first stepped up on my soapbox over moral issues? (sure you do!)

Well, this was just sent to me today, and it's powerful! (Don't forget to turn on your speakers):

http://www.catholicvote.com/

We may all be from different denominations, but we all have the same moral responsibility, and I haven't seen anyone say it better yet. (Notice they don't tell them HOW to vote, but they sure do get their message across regarding their RESPONSIBILITY to vote.)

Wolf in sheep's clothing?

I got another one of those emails today claiming evidence that Obama is hiding the fact that he is Muslim. I am not one to forward emails without at least checking them out, and there was a reference to an article written in the Washington Post that does appear to back it up.
Here's my quandary, and I will pose a question to the reader: If you were Jewish, could you "accidently" slip and call your self Christian? Or, let's say you are Christian - would it be likely that you would "accidently" refer to yourself as Muslim? Let's see what Obama had to say - Heres the article:

http://washingtontimes.com/news/2008/sep/07/obama-verbal-slip-fuels-his-critics/

Well, if you noticed at the end of the article, there was a link to go to the live interview where it looks like the statement was taken out of context - but you be the judge. The man's history and connections still scare me!

And, just for grins, as a Christian, would it take you nearly 20 yrs., or finally some pressure from the media for you to recognize that your 'Pastor' has had a long history of "inflammatory rhetoric," before you would finally seperate yourself from him and his church? Could it be that he was only 'using' the Christian church as a smokescreen? Just a thought......................or is it?

Back to Larry, Barry & Gary

O.k., I've been asked when I will reveal the answer to this one, so here it is (even though I think you all made the 'obvious guess' seeing as how you didn't tell me how you arrived at your answers - but that's O.K., it's all in fun!)

What he essentially said to the waiter was: "If Larry ordered the same thing as Gary, I'll have steak." Since Larry ordered steak and Gary ordered fish, Harry does not get steak.

On the lighter side.....Photo challenge

So I gave the three mothers of my grandchildren a challenge to take some photos of the babies at bathtime because Gramma needs pictures to put on the shelf in her newly decorated bathroom.
Here is the first................and, for now I have to say 'the only' entry so far.



Isn't little Gracie adorable?

Just one more thing.........

Why is it that the current Administration always gets blamed for the present problems we are having in this country? Aren't any of us smarter than a 5th Grader?

Here is something that came in through the AFA (American Family Association):
In an Article published in the New York Times on Sept. 3, 1999 regarding Fannie Mae (the nation's biggest underwriter of home mortgages), it states that they were "under increasing pressure from the Clinton Administration to expand mortgage loans among low and moderate income people". And, goes on the warn that in "this new area of lending, Fannie Mae is taking on significantly more risk, which may not pose any difficulties during flush economic times. But the government-subsidized corporation may run into trouble in an economic downturn, prompting a government rescue similar to that of the savings and loan industry in the 1980's."

Doesn't this sound like the current Administration is more correctly slated as the mess-fixer for lack of a better term?

And, why then are things like this not getting mentioned by the media who is supposedly all about reporting the facts?

And, hey, don't you love 'freedom of speech' when it's you that gets to express your opinion? Hee! Hee! Just a thought......

If you are interested in reading the article in it's entirity, here is the web address: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0DE7DB153EF933A0575AC0A96F958260&sec=&spon=&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

Can I just say something....?

I was with a family member the other night and there was a brief discussion on the political race (go figure!). This family member mentioned how they hated all the dirty politics going on (who doesn't), but right in that mix was a comment that they would not vote for someone based on their pro life/choice stance. Of course that started me thinking why I DO! After all, in God's eyes, isn't life the most important thing? The selfish "my body, my rights" thinking is stinking! And besides that, isn't Pro Life synonymous with Pro Conscience?
I know there is a lot going on in the world right now - especially in the financial realm, but this has only caused me to think more about God's Economy, and what He wants from us as His church. Most people, including many Christians, are unfamiliar with the application of the word economy in relation to God. If you are interested, there is a very good description of God's Economy on the following website:
http://www.godseconomy.org/index.html

Bottom Line:

We may not know what the future holds, but we can trust the One who holds the future!

Larry, Barry & Gary

O.K., I hate riddles, but someone got me intrigued enough to find one and post it, so here it goes:


Harry went out to dinner with his friends Larry, Barry, and Gary. Harry sat across from Gary. At Gary's right, opposite Barry, sat Larry. When the waiter came for their orders, Larry and Barry ordered steak. Gary chose fish, and Harry (who likes to be difficult) ordered like this: "Unless the man at the left of the man opposite the man who ordered fish is not having what the man across from the man at the right of the man at my left is having, then I'll have what the man across from the man at the right of the man opposite me ordered. Otherwise, bring me the fettucine alfredo." Assuming "right" and "left" is from the viewpoint of the diners, what did Harry order?

Who is brave enough to take the challenge?

Obedience

Is it just me, or does it seem like every message preached and every topic you study out in the Bible eventually leads back around to obedience?

When God was showing me about grace, and how much more it is than my finite mind could fathom, it came down to "the power to obey", or more specifically, "God’s empowering presence within to do what truth demands of us" (See the blog dated 9-17)

When Matt was speaking this morning on worship, it came down to obedience; and he was sharing about how much better obedience is than sacrifice. How interesting, as Matt made the observation, that when someone makes a sacrifice of some kind, they are highly revered in the church, but if a person is going along, just quietly doing what is right, it is rarely mentioned. – Just a thought!

Then, when Aaron Crider was speaking in the main service about Offenses, (what an awesome message! Get the CD!), he mentioned the story of Cain and Abel and how, if Cain had just been obedient to give God an acceptable sacrifice, it might have kept him from killing his brother.

So, obedience, why is it so hard for us to just obey? It started way back in the garden I guess, just like everything else. Adam and Eve were allowed to eat of anything they wanted in the garden – except for the fruit of one tree. And, you know the story; they disobeyed and forever changed their future and ours. Now, since we inherited the ‘sin nature’, we constantly have to fight against the flesh to do what is right.

But, back to grace – sweet grace! We can draw on that grace (that power), which we received through salvation, to lay down our lives and worship Him; to NOT take offenses; and to simply – OBEY!

Proverbs 31 Woman

Is it possible to be the Proverbs 31 kind of woman in 2008?

For thousands of years, God-fearing women have looked to the noble, or virtuous(KJV),woman of Proverbs 31 as their ideal. Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, probably had this role model of the virtuous woman in the forefront of her mind from
earliest childhood. Most Jewish women did, for this poem was traditionally recited in the Jewish home every week on the eve of the Sabbath.

But what about today’s woman? Of what value can this ancient poem be to the diverse, complex life-styles of women today? To the married, to the single, to the young, to the old, to those working outside the home or inside the home, to those women with children or without children? It is more relevant than you might at first expect.

When we examine this ancient biblical ideal of womanhood, we do not find the stereotyped housewife occupied with dirty dishes and laundry, her daily life dictated by the demands of her husband and her children. Nor do we find a hardened, overly ambitious career woman who leaves her family to fend for itself.

What we find is a strong, dignified, multitalented, caring woman who is an individual in her own right. This woman has money to invest, servants to look after and real estate to manage. She is her husband’s partner, and she is completely trusted with the responsibility for their lands, property and goods.

She has the business skills to buy and sell in the market, along with the heartfelt
sensitivity and compassion to care for and fulfill the needs of people who are less
fortunate. Cheerfully and energetically she tackles the challenges each day brings. Her husband and children love and respect her for her kind, generous and caring nature.

But with all her responsibilities, first and foremost, she looks to God. Her primary
concern is God’s will in her life. She is a woman after God’s own heart.

(You go Sarah Palin! - Just a thought!)

Amazing Grace!

Do you ever think about grace? Do you really understand it? I thought I did! I’ve heard many teachings through the years, and read a lot of scripture. I’ve seen the word placed in an acronym – you know:
God’s
Riches
At
Christ’s
Expense
I’ve heard it simply referred to as ‘God’s unmerited favor’, and have even thought of it as something God extends to us after we have blown it!

The grace of God. Webster defines it as ‘the influence or Spirit of God operating in humans to regenerate or strengthen them’. Now we are getting close, but here is where it really hit me - I was reading John Bevere’s book Driven by Eternity when I came upon this heading “The TRUE Grace of God” (emphasis mine). What was revealed in the next few paragraphs is what I want to share.

The author starts off by telling us how we distort the message of grace (see the book of Jude) and tells us what grace is not. Have you ever heard this common statement? “I know I’m not living the way I should, but thank God for His grace.” Grace is NOT a big band-aid, nor is it God’s protection for our disobedient lifestyles, but rather God’s empowering presence within to do what truth demands of us. It empowers us to OBEY, and the evidence that we’ve truly received it is our godly lifestyle!
We leave such a huge gap if we just stop at “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved”. Remember, even the demons believed in Him!
The evidence of truly being saved by the grace of Jesus Christ is that we will have the lifestyle to prove it! (Read 1 John 2:3-6)
Friends, the goal is NOT TO SIN! We’ve got the power of God’s grace so we can set our sights on a life like Christ, for we are free from the control of the nature of disobedience.
Yes, IF we sin, we have an Advocate (1 John 2:1-2).

“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably (Heb. 12:28 – emphasis – John Bevere’s)

Just a thought…………

Hey,...where am I?

OMG, it's Blogsville!!!! I've heard of this place. They say once you go there, you may never return!!! YIKES! What am I going to do now?
I guess I'll have to start a blog.....................soon.