Preventative Measures

Image by Denis Collette...!!! via Flickr

Good Evening to All!

I read the above verse, and didn't quite catch it, so I decided to illiterate by typing the same verse according to the Amplified Bible. I am going to type the verse which comes before it also so that the context will be shown.

(17) [For I always pray to] the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, that He may grant you a spirit of wisdom and revelation [of insight into mysteries and secrets]in the [deep and intimate] knowledge of Him,

(18)By having the eyes of your heart flooded with light, so that you can know and understand the hope to which He has called you, and how rich is His glorious inheritance in the saints (His set-apart ones).

Inspirations from the NIV

None of us live to ourselves alone...we belong to the Lord. Romans 14:7-8

Live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. 1 Peter 3:8

The wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness. James 3:17-18

PSP ( Public Service Post) Two-Way Mirrors

I was hoping I might find a picture of some sort to go along with this part of the post, but I checked on line, and just by looking you cannot tell one mirror from another. I also noticed that where I was looking for a mirror photo, they had an article similar to this one, and the author of the article (Mr. Kohler) said that the "fingernail test" definitely works. My problem would be I don't have fingernails (I bite mine). Maybe this should be an incentive for me to quit biting them. NOT! I've done it for 55 years, I doubt if I'll ever stop. Anyway, be reassured that the test works. Gals, start using it! Perverts are getting more and more common.

I know many of you have probably seen this, but in my estimation, I would be remiss in not following my feelings and putting this up for public review. As I have said in the other PSP's (public service post) I have typed up, if this saves even one person from being a "victim", then I feel like it (this post) accomplished what I have intended.

A Mirror or a 2-Way Glass?
How can you tell when you are in a room, restroom, motel etc. with a mirror or a 2-way glass? Here's how: I thought it was quite interesting! And I know in about 30 seconds you're going to do what I did and find the nearest mirror. Do you know how to determine if a mirror is 2-way or not? A policewoman who travels all over the US and gives seminars and techniques for businesswomen passed this on.
When we visit toilets, bathrooms, hotel rooms, changing rooms, etc., how many of you know for sure that the seemingly ordinary mirror hanging on the wall is a real mirror, or actually a 2-way mirror (i..e., they can see you, but you can't see them)? There have been many cases of people installing 2-way mirrors in female changing rooms. It is very difficult to positively identify the surface by looking at it.
So, how do we determine with any amount of certainty what type of mirror we are looking at? Just conduct this simple test: Place the tip of your fingernail against the reflective surface and if there is a GAP between your fingernail and the image of the nail, then it is GENUINE mirror. However, if your fingernail DIRECTLY TOUCHES the image of your nail, then BEWARE! IT IS A 2-WAY MIRROR!
"No Space, Leave the Place" So remember, every time you see a mirror, do the "fingernail test." It doesn't cost you anything.
REMEMBER. No Space, Leave the Place:
Ladies: Share this with your girlfriends, sisters, daughters, etc.
Men: Share this with your wives, daughters, daughters-in-law, mothers, girlfriends and/or friends.

Another interesting thing I ran across while looking for a picture , was a complete glass bathroom. I mean Everything was made of glass, even the bathroom door! Not only the shower door, the bathroom door going into the other room. I wonder what they hope to gain from having a glass door. It's not like people couldn't see through it. I wasn't frosted or anything. Strange.

Guess I'll close this out and go check on my laundry so I can get to bed. I hope y'all remembered to set your clocks back so you wouldn't be late for church. By the way, just in case you think it strange, I sometimes start my posts early in the evening or afternoon, and save it hoping to find something else of interest to add to it. If I don't do it this way, I tend to forget by the time I get around to typing my whole post. It's not that it takes me 5 or 6 hours to write the post. Haha! I'm slow, but not quite that slow. See ya tomorrow.

Good Night All and May God Bless.

PJ

Intercession for Children and their Families

Image via Wikipedia

Good Evening Everyone!

I was planning to start out tonight with a reiteration of the above scripture in the Amplified Version, but when I turned to it and started reading, my eyes fell upon the verse above it,
I Peter 5:7. This verse seems more appropriate for what I would like to speak on for a little bit.

It reads: Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.

At the end of this verse the verse it refers back to is Psalm 55:22, which says Cast your burden on the Lord [releasing the weight of it] and He will sustain you; He will never allow the [consistently] righteous to be moved (made to slip, fall, or fail).

It is talking about ALL CARES, but I have a specific thing in mind for tonight.

I have been getting quite a few requests for additions to my Prayer Line recently, and also have been referred to other blogs in which there are precious children's health at stake.

Now I will appeal to you. Please take a look at my Prayer Line on the sidebar and say a little prayer for these precious people in need of our prayers. If you do have time for mentioning each one a "blanket prayer for healing and intervention would be welcomed and just as suredly heard. (I'm not sure that's a word, but what I mean is whether you say a prayer for each person, or a prayer for the "group" of people God will hear them and will act on them the same.

If you will take a look on the left side down a little ways, you will see a button which says Prayers for Stellan. Please click that button and read his story.

Also, The Phillips Family, (that's the name of their blog.) it is listed like that but I don't have the web address for it. The boys' names are Jaycen and Nathan. They are about 4 months old and are having a lot of health issues and are having to stay in the hospital. I wish I could tell you their blog address, but I couldn't find it. I looked up The Phillips Family on the web, but couldn't find a web address for them. It is a blue blog with white polka dots. At this point please just keep Jaycen and Nathan and their family in your prayers. I will try and get a blog address and let you know what it is.

There are just so many baby's with critical health issues that it's overwhelming. I cannot imagine the pain, worry and stress these families are going through, so all I can do is offer myself for continuous intercessory prayer. I could quote scripture and remind you that "worry is not of God", that we are not suppose to worry, but to cast all our cares upon Him, but I also have enough common sense to know that when it is "your" child that is going through this, it's a different story. All I can say is "Keep the Faith" one day at a time, and God will see you through "one day at a time." Also, keep in mind all of the prayers going up for each and every family with children in need. I know God hears all prayers. I also believe there is strength in numbers, so as prayers go up, the glory and blessings rain down upon each and every child and family being prayed for. I thank you for your time spent in prayer for these precious children and their families.

I wish I knew how to turn my comments off for this post. I have seen others do it, but I'm not sure. I would like for you to spend the few minutes that you would spend typing a comment on prayer for these children and their families. As I said, I know of Stellan, Jaycen, and Nathan, Seth, and many others which unfortunately I cannot remember all of their names, but please send up prayers for healing and strength.

Good night all and May God Bless!

PJ

Allowing God to Mold Us Only Makes Us Better

Image via Wikipedia

Inspirations from the NIV

Oh LORD, you are our Father.
We are the clay, you are the potter;
we are all the work of your hand.

Isaiah 64:8

We are God's workmanship, created in
Christ Jesus to do good works, which
God prepared in advance for us to do.

Ephesians 2:10

May you be blessed by the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

Psalm 115:15
The Lord is our Creator. Shouldn't it be fitting that we allow Him to continue to shape our lives the way He sees fit? He is the Alpha and Omega, Beginning and the End. Therefore, He sees us from before we were in our mothers' wombs until the day we die. He knows what our futures hold, and what is best for us. He knows us better than we know ourselves. I would think that He could do a much better job at making our decisions and running our lives than we can alone. I would like to challenge everyone that reads this post to pray about every decision you make, and give Him a chance to answer and tell you what would be the best approach to whatever your question or decision to be made. If you don't already do this, please try it for maybe just 3 days and see what happens. Then let me know how it made a difference. Not the personal things necessarily, just in general. I know your decisions will be for the better if you let God have the reins.

Good Evening to All!

First thing before I do anything else, I should confess I feel so ashamed. I totally forgot to mention a public thank you to Nessa of Ramblings of a Texas Housewife for the book I won from her Give Away. It's called Extraordinary. I haven't got to start on it yet as I have been trying to read some others which she so kindly allowed me to borrow. I do however look forward to reading it. Just from her review and the jacket, it definitely sounds like one I will enjoy. I have to say, this is great! I wish I'd known about blogging a long time ago. I belong to Crossings Book Club, and the books I usually buy from them range from 16.99 to 34.99. I have drastically cut my housekeeping clients because my hubby wants me "free" to go on trips or grocery shopping (we go to the military bases) without having to rearrange my schedule all the time. Anyway, I've gone from 9 to 3 in the last few months. Needless to say, not only were my clients decreased, so were my wages. I haven't bought a book from Crossings in quite a while as a matter of priority, so these books which I have won in the Give Aways, (I also won Sleigh Bells from Cathy at http://www.latte4me.blogspot.com/. I'm excited about receiving that one as well.

Yaya, I want you to know that I am keeping you in my prayers continually about your adoption chances. Those kids are adorable. Oh, to be 30 years old again. When I tried "way back when", we didn't measure up because "the powers that be" said because we were military we couldn't provide a stable home life for children, and well, I think I told you about the other reason. I don't wish for any couple that want children, and that would love children to be barren. As old as I am now, I still regret not being able to have children or adopt.

I got tickled when I was reading your blog about The Buzz. I remember Brandi saying that she would like to put more of herself in her blog instead of filling it up with Give Aways and so on, yet I, myself would like to be able to add some Book Reviews or Give Aways to mine. I'm always afraid the post is "too wordy" and too much to read. As you can tell, I have a tendency to go on, and on, and on...... maybe some "fillers" will help that. My husband always tells me I talk too much. The problem is, I type like I talk. LOL.

I think I will give y'all a break and close for tonight.

Good Night to All and May God Bless!

PJ

Fulfilling Evening

Good Evening to All!

I'm getting a late start on my blog tonight. Other than starting my day at Curves, and smashing cans,
( I collect cans as a personal project and give the money to the Foreign Missions through my church) I have spent the majority of the afternoon on Facebook conversing with friends whom I haven't seen in close to 35 or 40 years , and also I decided to check out the Pentecostals of Facebook Page. I should have known better, cause there's no such thing as me "just reading", I have to get into the discussions. We were in a pretty in-depth one, so I had a lot to say, (sometimes that's not so good, for me).

Then I thought to myself, "check your e-mail", then start on your blog. Well.... I checked the e-mail, and naturally I couldn't resist opening them, I had about 8. Anyway, I finally made it back to my blog.

I just Love verses like the one heading up my blog tonight. It leaves no room for
"interpretation". It says what it means. That's is, I have to say, one of my pet
peeves. When people start talking about "different interpretations of the scriptures." In my eyes, there are not different "interpretations", just different levels of what God shows you. I pray every time before I read my Bible for God to open my heart and my eyes to what He wants me to see and that the Holy Spirit would lead me into all truth. What is neat, is every time I read, my eyes are opened a little wider and I get a deeper meaning of the same scriptures. Not a different meaning, a deeper meaning. If it were left to "interpretations" they wouldn't change. You would get the same out of the scriptures every time. Now, I am no scholar, I am not a preacher. I just feel what I am writing tonight "in the Holy Ghost". Y'all know that I usually start my posts off with a Devotional, or Bible Seeds. Something from a book. Tonight, this has been all me, (and God) no books involved. My thoughts are flowing as fast as I can type. That is why I know that it is not me that is composing this. I believe it is "God inspired." People use the word interpretation because it sounds better than "my idea is", or "I think it means this." Why is it so hard for people to take God at His Word? When He says to present your body as a living sacrifice, He's talking about treating your body well, keeping it healthy, and undefiled, just as the He required of the Old Testament sacrificial animals. Another self explanatory scripture, is Acts 2:38; Repent and be baptised everyone of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. A simple stated plan of Salvation. Of course, there is more to that story, but it's laid out in the scripture just as plain as this one. People try to make God's Word seem so much more complex than it really is. Ok, enough. I know that's probably what y'all are thinking. I just felt an urgency to tell someone out there in blog land this message. Don't make reading God's Word and living for God seem so hard. It's really not. I have never felt so much more at peace with myself and my surroundings as I have since I began living for God. Knowing that I can cast my cares upon Him is a tremendous weight-lifting experience. All I have to do is ask Him to help me with this or that, and He does. Most of the time it isn't even in a "formal" prayer. I just talk to Him like I would talk to a friend or neighbor. He answers me every time. Granted, the answer may be no, or wait on "My time", or you're not ready yet, but He does answer. We just have to listen to that still, small voice.

Let me say that I am so glad that Lynette and Nessa got me involved in doing this. I feel so rejuvenated. I feel useful again. Which I have to say it's been a while since I felt that way up until I started doing this. For one thing I wasn't able to work at a regular job, because of my husband's VA Disability status, so I felt useless in that respect, as I have always had a job. I'm not good as a speaker or witnessing to people in person because I get really nervous and forget my train of thought. Since I've been in Comanche and started attending this church, I have felt so alive in God that I want to go out and tell everyone I see about Him, but then when I try, I get all nervous and tongue-tied and that's not a good thing because it definitely does not show confidence. I have confidence in God and His Word, just not in my ability to bring it forth. Then again, if I would leave it to the Lord, He would bring it out regardless of my shortcomings. Anyway, this blog has been a true blessing. So I want to thank Lynette and Nessa and also the sweet people who have chosen to follow me. I hope you will continue to do so and not get bored. Of course, in my eyes, talking about the Lord is never boring, but that's my opinion. I want to keep your interest peaked also. Thanks again.


Good Night All and May God Bless!


PJ

Good Evening to All!

Hope this finds everyone happy, healthy and wise! Before I forget, I wanted to let you know that Collin, the little 6 month old baby with swine flu on the prayer list is well again. A prayer is answered. Also, Max a young boy who the doctor said had a 90% chance of having H1N1, is feeling much better. Another prayer answered. I am so thankful for a God that heals at the lifting up of a name, and a prayer. He is an awesome God! As the praise reports come in, I will let you know what they are. Praise the Lord He is the Great Physician!

My day started off at "Curves" as usual, then I spent some time with my "best friend" and came home. After doing some mundane chores, I spent the majority of the day on the computer, reading blogs and e-mails. I did get a pleasant surprise, however. I got on Facebook for a little bit and who should I see on their but my sister's sister-in-law and nieces. I haven't seen them since I was a kid in my teens. I'm really beginning to enjoy Facebook. It sure beats writing lette rs, too. I am definitely not a letter writer. I can type all day, but I hate to write. Anyway, after that, I found out my nephew is also on there, so we're just making it a "family affair." This is so great!

Daily Inspirations from the NIV

Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. 2 Cor. 5:2-5

I opened my book, and this verse popped out at me. I felt the need to use it because it is exactly the way I feel. I am so ready for Christ to come back. I know that may sound strange to some and silly to others, but I am. I am really tired of this world the way it is, and it's sure not going to get any better. I can't count the times I looked up to the heavens and said, "ok, Lord, I'm ready when you are." "Anytime....." And before you get it into your head, no, I'm not suicidal. If I go, it will be because it's my time to go with God's blessing and not by my own hand. I have this attitude because I am ready, I really don't feel like I belong here anymore, and I don't have any kids to worry about. I hope that doesn't make me sound odd, or morbid, it just the way I feel. I'm ready for that heavenly dwelling that Paul speaks about where no more arthritis, or back pains or sickness, or anything but happiness, praise and worship exists.

Planting the Seedlings

Bible Seeds

"But Jesus asked him, 'Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?'" Luke 22:48

Probably nothing shocks us more than betrayal. Why? Because in order for the incident to be labeled betrayal, it mus involve someone close to us.

We expect strangers not to care and possibly to treat us badly. But not close friends! That's why we call them "friends." We depend on and confide in our friends, putting them in the very position to be able to betray us if things go awry. When betrayal does happen--an indiscreetly shared secret, a stolen idea, a confidential comment disclosed--our reaction often "betrays" how much unlike Christ we actually are.

Jesus was betrayed boy one of his closest associates, arrested, and taken by an angry crowd to an illegal trial. The strangest part about the whole thing was how calm Jesus was. Even though the situation looked bad, Jesus knew who he was and why he had come. Jesus stayed focused on his mission--to love sinners.

To me, this says a lot. It tells me that no matter what, we need to keep our minds and eyes on our mission which is to strive to be more Christ-like and concentrate on living for God, doing what He tells us to do in His Word. To love our neighbors, to treat people as He treated people when He walked this earth. To show our love for Him by showing love and compassion for others. I can't remember the exact scripture, but I'm thinking of the scripture that says something about "when He hungered we fed Him, when He thirsted, we gave Him drink, when He was naked we clothed Him... and it went on, naming things which was done for Him, then the people He was talking to said they didn't remember doing those things and He said "when you did it (or do it) for the least of these, you did it for me. Now, I know that's not word for word of course, and in the interest of time, I won't stop to look it up, but I'm sure someone can probably quote that verse word for word. I wish I could. Anyway, back to the main thought, that's what God expects us to do. This one little verse or couple, says an awful lot.

Dig Deeper:

The Greek word for "betray" comes from two words--para meaning near, nearby, the relation of immediate vicinity or proximity and didomi, to give. Only someone nearby can give the hurt of betrayal.

In the same way, when we know who we are in Christ, there's no reason to collapse or seek revenge when things go wrong in our relationships. sure, we feel angry. But we can control our behavior and stay clam. We can focus our mind on being like Christ.

God has called us to become new. He wants our reactions to become like his own. Ephesians 4:23-24 says, "be made new in the attitude of your minds; and...put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." Even if friends betray us, we can respond righteously because we know who we are in Christ.


Weed & Water:

Recognizing we live in a sinful world should help us have thicker skin if wefeel betrayed. Like Jesus, we can say, "Father, forgive them." Ok, it's hard, but letting it go, placing our hurt in the hands of Jesus, will bring freedom and peace into our lives. Recognizing how we feel when we are betrayed should also help ;us steer clear of serving up this hurt to others. Finally, if we say we are Christians but our actions are the same as nonbelievers, we too are guilty of betraying Christ with a kiss.

Think About It:

Prayer Pot:

What was Jesus' reaction when He was betrayed?

What was your reaction when you were betrayed?

How can you make things right with the person whom you have betrayed?

Lord, help me to forgive the betrayal of .....

*God's love is never accompanied by betrayal.

Planted seeds take root and bloom.

I know that this is a lot to read, and a lot to take in, but if just a seed or two takes root, then it is all worth it. When I see something with this much print and very few pictures, it makes me nervous, and I skim rather than read, unless it's the Bible. At the same time, even skimming can cause a seed to be planted and take root.

Good Night and May God Bless!

PJ

The Compassion of God

Image by rmcgervey via Flickr

This picture depicts the ultimate act of compassion for His children.

Good Evening One and All!

Daily inspiration from the NIV

As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear [show reverence, worship and awe] (Amplified version); Him, for He knows how we are formed, He remembers that we are dust. Psalm 103:13-14

This verse means a lot to me, because my Father is telling me that just as earthly fathers (under normal circumstances) show compassion for their children, He shows compassion for those of us who show Him reverence, respect, worship and awe. In other words the respect that He alone deserves. (respect is my word I did not get it from any Bible). He remembers that we are just dust, and that we will make mistakes, so He will give us His forgiveness for our transgressions and mistakes as long as we ask for it and repent.

If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. So it is written: The first man Adam became a living being"; the last Adam a life-giving spirit. The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that, the spiritual. The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven. As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the man from heaven,so also are those who are of heaven. And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven. 1 Corinthians 15:44-49

According to the Amplified Version, the first Adam became a living being (individual personality); the last Adam (being Christ) a life-giving Spirit [restoring the dead to life]. Speaking of those who are made of the dust are (earthly minded) and as the man from heaven (heavenly minded). Just as we have borne the image [of the man] of dust, let us also bear the image [of the Man] of heaven. Please take note that the 1st man was not capitalized, the 2nd is .

Please give me the liberty of quoting one more verse which I just noticed as I was typing. I think this is very important. (50) but I tell you this, brethren, flesh and blood cannot [become partakers of eternal salvation and] inherit or share in the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable (that which is decaying) inherit or share in the imperishable (the immortal). This came from the Amplified Bible. I hope this little Devotional spoke to y'all as much as it did to me. It reminded me of the compassion which God has for me, and therefore the compassion which I should show to others. Too many times have I overlooked or made excuses why not to give food, or money to those who need it. Too many times have I said to myself, I don't have time to talk to this person. Too many times have I said to myself, I need this money for gas next week, ( forgetting that God is my provider in the first place.) It makes me feel so small and ashamed of myself when I think on these things.

God, Please bring to my remembrance your compassion, when someone comes to me for help, or when I see someone in need of my help. Lord, nudge me a little harder each time I start making excuses. I want to be the man (woman) of heaven. Help me to dwell on heavenly actions and heavenly thoughts. Let my heart continually be looking upward until the day You come back. Help me to be ready for your return. In Jesus' Name I pray, Amen.

Now for the earthly side of things. Today was a pretty good day excluding the dreary weather. For some reason, it really has a bad effect on me mood-wise. I spent about 31/2 hours looking up blogs, and commenting. About 11:30 am I decided it had quit raining enough to go to Curves and work-out. I don't miss unless I have to because I'm afraid if I start missing then I start making excuses not to go, and that's not gonna happen. Anyway, I got back home about 12:30 and got back on my computer again, and with the exception of about 2 hours, I've been on it ever since. As I told some of you when I was commenting, satellites are not good in overcast or bad weather. It takes forever for anything to load, if it loads at all.

I'm hoping tomorrow will be better and I can read more blogs and comment more, as I don't have any houses to clean this week. I will have more time to devote to my blog and reading. I also need to get busy and finish reading Nessa's http://www.txhousewife.com/ books that she loaned me. It seems every time I start to settle in and read, something else comes up.

My eyes are beginning to do funny things, so I guess I will let y'all give your's a rest and close for the night.

Good Night and May God Bless You All.

PJ

Prayer Changes Everything

"Prayer Changes Everything Ideas and Notations for Inspired Prayer Time"

The above quotation is the title of a little book which was given to me by a precious lady in my church several years ago, I have read it many times. It is full of so many good ways to fit God into your day without even realizing after a while. It becomes a lifestyle just as "eating right" or "exercising." Granted at first it takes planning and thought, because it is not of the ordinary routine things that you might do, but after a while it does become part of your routine and if you forget or don't have time to add Him to your curriculum you will definitely miss Him.

WALK WITH THE SPIRIT

"Since we live by the Spirit let us keep in step with the Spirit." Galatians 5:25

Even in the midst of our busyness, we have opportunities to "keep in step with the Spirit." We can make choices which keep which keep us on that path, in the way we act and react to each situation we encounter. We can choose to handle each situation with those qualities Galatians describes as the fruits of the Spirit:

love, joy,

peace,

patience, gentleness,

goodness,

faith, meekness, and temperance.

Picture yourself walking in the Spirit today. think about how that feels and how it changes your perspective. Feel His arms around you. Admit your struggles to keep walking in the faith. Ask for Help. Ask for reminders of His love. Seek the blessing in all that you have to do. See the good. Believe that the Spirit of God rests within, around and because of you.

Today was a really neat day. We had an excellent Sunday School lesson about Faith Scripture text Luke 18:1-8. He was talking to the Pharisees and He said to them in verse 8, I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? Then our Worship Service was also very good. Brother Hardin spoke on How the devil has been stealing, and destroying everything from the time of Adam and Eve. He stole our innocence. We were originally intended to live in the garden with God forever, but the devil stole that away from us by deceiving Eve. He took away our peaceful existence. He caused jealousy to come upon Cain so that he would murder Able, and he is ultimately the cause of the decline of the human race. Anyway, I didn't mean to give a sermon, I just thoroughly enjoyed the message. One last thing and I will change the subject. Just remember, the devil really enjoys it when he can cause strife, disruption, grumbling, complaining and arguing to name just a few things.

Later on this afternoon, we had a birthday party for one of the precious ladies of our congregation. She turned 95 years old and is just as sharp as a tack. Happy Birthday, Grace! Hope you'll be around for many more. I was going to put a picture of her birthday cake on here, but she and another lady were in the picture and I never put up photos of people without asking them first. I checked on the internet just for a picture of a "sheet" birthday cake, but they only had kid's birthday cakes. Besides that my silly computer is extra slooooow tonight because of bad weather. We have Hughesnet satellite, and it's just like the TV. It keeps losing its signal, so it takes for ever to connect to the internet. That is so strange. I do spell checks on all of my posts. I can't for the life of me figure out why TV is supposed to be capitalized. It is a title of anything or name. Go figure.

I think I'll go ahead and close for tonight as I don't think this storm is going to let up and I don't want to be up at 1:00am typing.

Good Night and May God Bless.

PJ

My Day and Inspirations from God

static.flickr.com

Good Evening to All,

I was looking for a picture to depict this scripture, such as a snow capped mountain with flowers at the base, or something of that nature, but my eyes fell upon this picture which is captioned is "Big Springs of Zion. I couldn't resist. The funny part of this is what I put in to find these pictures was "Spingtime in Alaska".

Daily Inspiration from the NIV

"As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty," declares the Lord, "but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. You will go out in joy and be led forth in Peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands." Isaiah 55:10-12

That to me is so beautiful. To think that whenever I speak God's Word that it won't come back void. That the seed will be planted, and good will come from it. That some of what I say will be heeded. It might not be at that moment, but God's Word will not be wasted. That is what gives me the confidence speak God's Word even though I don't speak well, other than conversations. I keep remembering the story of Moses when God told him He wanted him to lead His people. Moses also said he could not speak well, but look what he accomplished with God's help.

Today was a run of the mill day for me. Nothing but laundry and playing catch up with my house as I clean other houses during the week. Other than that, I've been on this computer the rest of the time, trying to figure out different things for my blog. I did get a widget put on Facebook for it, but I'm not sure that's the way I'm supposed to connect between the two. I need to check with someone who definitely knows what they're doing in that respect. I am constantly bugging Lynette http://www.theysayimnuts.blogspot.com/ or Nessa http://www.ramblingsofatexashousewife.com/ with one question or another. I have noticed that Cathy http://www.lattejust4me.blogspot.com/ has quite a few Facebook followers, hey Cathy, do you have a widget on Facebook, or is there some other way? My "Dummies" book just talks about networking, but doesn't tell me how. Not good for someone like me that has to go step by step. I'm bound and determined that I'm gonna get this all set up with the "main" stuff I need fairly soon. I keep getting side tracked and it takes me forever to type my blog. I would really like to just get on here spend maybe 30 minutes to an hour typing my post, then spend more time reading other blogs. I have seen some beautiful blog designs, some cute ones, and some clever cute ones. It's just amazing the ideas people have. I can't help but wonder how they come up with them. For example http://www.freespirithaven.com/ is beautiful. There are so many who I would just love to say "how'd you do this and how'd you do that? I know it must have take ages and lots of brain racking and effort to do these blogs which I have seen. They are amazing. Nessa's is another one. I can't name all of the blogs which I admire. I started to say in awe, but I reserve that word for God. I do know that it is He that has to have given the "inspiration for these blogs".

I pray that each and everyone that reads this blog tonight will have a Blessed day tomorrow.

Good Night All, and May God Bless!

PJ

A Physical and Spiritual "Workout"

Image by . SantiMB . via Flickr

Image via Flickr

Good Evening to One and All!

I was under the impression that I was starting my day off right by going to Curves and doing my workout. Little did I know that when I got there, my hopes would be dashed by the "dastardly scales". I weighed in 2 weeks ago, and then kept forgot to do it last week. For our "weight loss class we are supposed to weigh in once a week). Anyway, I should have known better because this week, I have been hungrier than usual. So, I go "bust a gut" and work out then I'd go to Sonic and get a breakfast burrito. That's what you call unadulterated will power (Ha!) I had the will power to believe that I would work (them) off. NOT! I've had 2 or 3 this week. Anyway, long story short, I weighed today and I've gained 2.5 pounds. I would like to fast, but I'm not strong enough to cook supper for hubby and then leave it alone. I know, I know, I always say "with God's help....., my problem is God wants to help me, but I won't let Him. I say "I'm gonna fast, then open up the fridge to get a bottle of water and see all kinds of good stuff and here I go. I think the only way I could fast more than one meal is if I chain the fridge shut and through away the key. Giving it to hubby wouldn't work cause I'd just make him miserable til he gave in and opened it. I know cause I did the same with cigarettes, until God decided enough talk and delivered me from them. Four years now. Anyway, I've said all of this so that now that it's out in the open, I will feel accountable and start losing. I am going to make it a point to tell y'all every week whether I gain or lose and how much. I was at 17o, and gained up to 174 and as of today 176.5. My long term goal is 135, but at this point, I would be happy to see 165 again (my low after I started Curves.) Ok, enough about the depressing stuff.

Now for what I love to talk about.

"Daily Inspiration from the NIV"

Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, for ech one should carry his own load.

Galatians 6:2-5

This passage kind of had me befuzzled for a little bit. I mean I understood the words, but even though I know that God does not contradict Himself, that's what it seemed to be doing at first look. I mean the first sentence says to carry each other's burdens, and the last sentence says to carry his own load. I did some checking and this is what I found. According to the Revised Standard Version of the Bible , (let me start at the beginning so you know I'm not taking it out of context.) Verse 1 says, "Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, (sin), you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Look to yourself, lest you too be tempted. [Now, vs. 2-5] Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. (3) For if any one thinks he is something, when he in nothing, he deceives himself. (4)But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. (5)For each man will have to bear his own load.

I had not thought of it in those terms. I thought of "burdens" as being "natural" troubles, such as finances, or family problems. Spiritual had not entered into my mind. I had always felt bad when I could not help out people in need financially. I would try to give food, clothing, and that sort of thing, but I didn't think about their spiritual needs. I think one reason for that is because I felt inadequate. I never felt like I was educated enough or "Bible savvy", or spiritual enough myself to be talking to anyone about spiritual matters. I have since gained "some" confidence and started to open up to people. I still feel inadequate, although, I have learned that if I pray first and ask God to prepare the hearts of those with whom I come in contact, and ask that He give me the words He wants them to hear, I have no problem. Luckily for me, God always finds a way to interject His Words into the conversation I'm having.

God Is So Good! He has come to my rescue so many times when I have wanted to talk to someone, but didn't know how. I'm glad I finally learned to listen. Yeah, I still argue with Him sometimes saying that I don't know what to say, or "they probably don't want to hear what I have to say, ( first of all, it's not important what I have to say, it's important what He has to say, and I'm just the "mouthpiece".) I sometimes forget that. I have to remember that when I don't do what God is "nudging" me to do, that is the same as disobeying Him. There is a saying which I learned, I just need to put it into practice. To delay is to disobey. When God is nudging us to do something (that still small voice is saying"talk to Him, pray with her) and we tell ourselves they won't want us to, or I'd be embarrassed to go up to that person and ask them if I can pray) then we are delaying and disobeying God's command. (He doesn't request, He commands). Even though I never hear God scream do this or that, nowhere in the Bible have I seen "God asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, or asked Moses to deliver His people. He told them to do so .

God gave His (human) life for our salvation, and He expects us to show Him the love, respect and consideration by abiding by His wishes. This is the "least" we can do.

Sometimes I worry that I come across as some zealous fanatic. Well, I don't mean to . I just get so excited when I start talking about Him and how wonderful He is. He has brought me out of some pretty dark places in my life, and I know that I cannot repay Him, so the next best thing is to spread His wonderful news, and how I feel about Him. I also consider the word fanatic somewhat a compliment, because I am definitely a "fan" of God. He is my refuge in time of trouble, and my rock. Best of all, He is my "friend" which sticks closer than a brother, whom I can always depend on and will Never let me down.

I hope that you have a close relationship like that with Him because it feels so wonderful. A lot of times, when I start talking to someone about Him, I get just like a skiddish school girl, goosebumps and all. Of course, I know that the feeling I am having is the Holy Ghost within me guiding me in what to say to the person with whom I'm talking.

Good Night All, and May God Bless!

PJ

Getting God's Advice

Image by Jeanette's Ozpix via Flickr

"Daily Inspiration from the NIV "

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord.
Jeremiah 29:11-14

God made Christ who had no sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.
2 Corinthians 5:21

Good Evening to All!

This "Daily Inspiration" brought to mind a saying I once heard. If you want to hear God laugh, tell Him your plans. This is one reason it is always good to pray before making any important decisions, or even daily ones. It took me quite a while to learn that, and I still sometimes forget, that is until it is too late and I have already botched things up.

I can't count the times when I just barreled ahead with certain plans or projects I wanted to do without consulting Him. Unfortunately the majority of the times I did, they backfired big time. Something would always go wrong. God knows everything from the past to through the future. He always knows what's best because He can see our future. A lot of times what we do "now" may not have an effect for months or even years to come, but it will have an effect. Therefore, it would be to our advantage to have "someone" in our court that knows what kind of effect our actions will bring in the future. God's plans are ALWAYS for the good of things, so if we consult Him by praying before making decisions, then whatever we do will turn out for the best, even though we may not like what God chose for us, it is always for our good.

Image via Flickr

I have a question. If God can create things such as beautiful as this rainbow, or mountains, what makes us think that He can't be the "author of the best-laid plans? Personally, I would rather He make all my decisions for me. Unfortunately, I have a husband that likes to do that too! Ha. No, really I have a very sweet hubby, and he doesn't like to make decisions either, but he also doesn't like anything or anyone else in control. I know, that doesn't make sense, but that's what happens when you have 2 very indecisive adults in a family. If we had children, no telling how they would turn out with the mixed signals we give off. Anyway, back to my point. God knows all, sees all, and can do anything. We would be very wise to let Him have the reins.

I try to ask His advice on everything I do, and also I do everything in His name, such as when am on my way to clean a house, I thank Him for the job, and ask Him to help me to clean it to the best of my ability in the Name of Jesus. When I do this, everything seems to run much smoother and my back doesn't hurt near as bad.

Changing gears for a moment, I would like to ask your help. I have been noticing that when I type a post with quite a lot of substance i.e. Bible Seeds, the post on Personalities, my articles and such I don't seem to get as many comments. I have been doing the posts this way because I don't have Book Reviews, Give Aways, or Advertisements to use in my posts yet. Therefore, if I don't do these things I mentioned, my posts Might be one or 2 paragraphs at the most, unless we go on a trip.

I do have other interests such as latch-hooking, crosswords, and fishing, but these days, my interests are so split I don't have time to do them all, and besides, they wouldn't make for a good post. My most prominent interests are church, Curves, and cleaning houses, and church. ( People wonder why I like writing "Bible Seeds " and the like). Did I mention I like church? I have been trying to read a couple of books that Nessa loaned me but every time I start reading, I get interrupted so it's taking me forever to get through with her books.

I was going to start Act111 which is an online Evangelism course, but our doctrines are so different, I didn't know if I would get in trouble for not "teaching" their doctrine. I e-mailed them and explained my churches doctrine, and asked them, but I haven't heard back yet. I think that will be very enjoyable and fulfilling if I am able to take this course. I don't feel called to Evangelize, but I think it would help to increase my "witnessing" skills as well. That I would like to do.

Just remember, to have your plans to be successful, ask God to be part of them. Ask Him what His plans are for you and then make your plans to fit His. They Will be successful. I

I also wanted to let you know that Danny Wayne King is doing a lot better. He does have some brain damage, but is starting to recognize people. He is having to learn to feed himself all over again, but I have NO DOUBT that God will heal him. Thank you for adding him to your prayers. I would like to ask you to take notice of my Prayer Line. There has been some new additions to the list. I appreciate your help in adding these names to your personal prayer lists, as I know that God answers all prayers, I also believe that there are strength in numbers, so all prayers appreciated. As Prayers Go UP, Blessings Rain Down. Thank you again.

Good Night All, and May God Bless!

PJ

Welcome To My World

Good Evening All!

Tonight I want to dedicate this post to all the "wannabe" moms out there, be they natural birth, or adoptive parents. This may also pertain to those young women who are with child, but entertaining the idea of a "subject that I don't like to broach, but is a must and that is "abortion". Let me be perfectly clear, this post is not meant as a political statement of any kind. I just thought those women who are with child might enjoy seeing how their baby is progressing, and for those women who are "on the fence" whether to abort or give up for adoption, there are plenty of, as Yaya affectionately calls them,"wannabe moms" out there. After seeing this there should be no question in your mind whether the little one inside you is a baby or not. This is just for informational purposes only.

I don't know why the authors or researchers of this information called this precious human being preborn, instead of unborn or fetus, but you know, I like it better. It sound so much more personal. I think this information should be plastered in as many places as possible. Not to sway political beliefs, but to make people aware of what is truly going on inside of a mother's womb.

As soon as I saw this, I was in awe. Child birth has always been a miracle to me, but now that I have seen this, I am even more in awe of God's creation of children then ever. Coming to you as a 12 Week Preborn Baby... This is "my" story. The picture you see over to your right, is me at 12 weeks (preborn). Now, if I might digress a little bit, let me tell you the story of my "evolution".
Image via
Wikipedia

Precious One - 12 Week old Preborn Baby

Week 1: Conception; the baby is smaller than a grain of sugar, but the instructions are present for all that this person will ever become.

Week 2:The baby attaches and burrows securely into the wall of its mothers’ womb .

Week 3: The baby’s blood vessels and sex cells form. Foundations of the brain, spinal cord and nervous system are laid.

Week 4: The baby’s heart has begun to beat. Eyes, ears and lungs begin to form.

Week 5: Tiny arms and legs appear, as well as the baby's face. The baby’s blood is now separate from the mother's.

Week 6: Tiny fingers and toes develop. The baby’s brain is divided into 3 parts for emotions and language, hearing and seeing.

Week 7: Buds of the baby milk teeth appear. 99% of the muscles are present, and brain activity is detectable.

Week 8: The baby begins spontaneous movement and is now well proportioned about the size of a thumb. Every organ is present but immature. The skull, elbows, and knees are forming.

Week 9: If prodded, hands and eyelids close. Genitalia becomes visible, indicating whether the baby is a boy or a girl. Muscular movement begins.

Week 10: The baby’s fingerprints begin to form. Nerve and muscle connections have tripled. eyelids fuse together temporarily to protect the baby’s delicate developing eyes.

Week 11: The baby “practices" breathing and facial expressions, even smiling. The baby can also urinate and stomach muscles can contract.

Week 12: The baby is now 3 inches in length and weighs 2 oz. with fine hair on the face. The baby is able to swallow and feels and responds to skin stimulation.

Thank you for allowing me to tell my story. I hope that you have enjoyed my growing experience and will take good care of me as I mature. Dear Father in Heaven, I ask that you keep all of the precious "preborn" babies nestled safely in the palm of your hand. Touch the hearts of those who were blessed with "unexpected pregnancies" and give them the courage to follow through and give this precious baby up for adoption instead of the alternative. God, these are your most beautiful creations. Let everyone see these babies through "Your eyes. In Jesus' Name I pray, Amen.

For more information visit www.hh76.com or Call 1-800-858-3040

Medical facts sources: Carlson, B., Embryology and Development Biology, Toronto; Mosby Publication:3rd Edition 2004.Moore K., and Pursaud T., The Developing Human, Clinically Oriented Embryology, 6th Edition Philadelphia: w.B. Sanders, 1998O’Rahilly,R and Muller F. Human Embryology and Tteratology, 3rd Edition, New York John Wiley and Sons, Inc. 2001. No image on the back of copy.

Good Night All and May God Bless!

PJ

Personalities, Emotions and Help from the Holy Spirit

Image by George Eastman House via Flickr

Good Evening to All!

Before I get started, I would like to comment on this picture to my right. I tried to find a picture that would depict different emotions, you know like happy, sad, frantic, well, you get the picture. All I could come up with is a Music band called Emotion, Hillary Clinton, or this train wreck. Guess which one I chose. I chose this because at a time in my life before I realized I could call on God to help me calm down, ( you ladies of the 40-50 range) know what I mean, this is what my emotions were like. My Poor Hubby! He used to throw his cap in the door before he walked in. I still have my days, but all in all I can usually catch myself and say, ok God, help me calm down, and by the time I get that out, my temper has cooled somewhat. Enough that my hubby's not worried about what's gonna come out of my mouth.

Even if we do not consider ourselves to be "emotional people" we each have emotions and are in danger by being led by them. One morning we can wake up feeling depressed and end up being miserably depressed all day. the next day, we may wake up angry--feeling like we really need to tell someone off and that's what we end up doing. Other times we start feeling sorry for ourselves and sit in a corner and cry all day long.

If we allow them to do so, feelings will stir up problems that will cause us to move out of the will of God and into the will of the deceiver, Satan. I'm sure this is what stirred up all of the school shootings in the past, the Washington sniper, and so on. Emotions are a dangerous thing if not kept in check.

The Bible teaches in Isaiah 61:3 that we can put on the "garment of praise". By singing or playing good Christian music we can fight against the negative feeling that desires to control us all day. We have to learn to be aware of our emotions and know how to manage them correctly. One way to do that is by recognizing different personality types and knowing how they react differently to similar situations.

There are four basic personality types. The first type is called choleric, which are born leaders. their strong personalities want to be in control. One of the strengths of those who fall into this category is that they usually get a lot accomplished. One of their weaknesses is that they have a tendency to be bossy. Cholerics are normally strongly goal-oriented and motivated by new ideas and challenges.

The next personality type is called phlegmatic. These people usually show little or no emotion at all. What is interesting is that a choleric often marries a phlegmatic. I guess this is when the "old saying opposites attract, comes into play. One person gets excited about something and the other says, "we'll see. It's as though one person is being emotional and the other logical. One thing that is good for the people with phlegmatic personalities to remember is that they need to exercise their faith and make an effort to show some emotion. It can be very dull living with an individual who is bland about everything. If you are a low-key person, you need to stretch yourself on purpose for the sake of others with whom you are in relationship. We are operating in love when we sacrifice ourselves and do what others need us to do.

On the other hand, if you are more emotional and tend to get aggressively excited about new things you are involved in, you may need to learn to tone down your emotions and become more of a balanced person. Remember, it is difficult for a more serious and sober person to relate to you because he/she does not feel what you feel. The answer, of course, is balance.

The third personality type is called sanguine. This is the most emotional type of all. the sanguine personality is bubbly and seems to bounce through life. It is easy to tell when a sanguine comes into the room. their voice can be heard above everyone else's: "Oh, I'm so excited to be here!" The sanguine has a tendency to get on the nerves of a choleric, because they are so full of fun and energy they are usually oblivious to anything other than having a good time, which to a choleric who is serious, and goal-oriented wants to stick to the "plan" and head toward it.

Sanguines often marry the fourth type, called melancholy. As you can guess, melancholies are those who have the most trouble with depression. they are the "deep" people--the thinkers--the organizers. They are the ones who are so organized they alphabetise their spice racks. They tie their shoelaces and put them inside their shoes before carefully placing them in the closet. They believe there is a place for everything, and everything should be in its place.

Sanguines are frequently not very disciplined, and this is of course very difficult for the melancholy types to handle. Melancholies are really neat people. They always have a plan, but they usually end up married to sanguines who couldn't care less whether there is a plan or not. Even if they did have a plan, sanguines wouldn't remember it for more than five minutes...(hey wait...that sounds like me!) they are the ones who park their car in a parking lot or garage, and then can't remember where they left it! As you can see, how you and I react to emotions depends to an extent upon which of these four types best describes our individual personality: choleric, phlegmatic, sanguine, or melancholy. Most of us are a blend of two or more of the personality types. It really helps to know yourself. There are some good Christian books available on the subject: Spirit-Controlled Temperament by Tim LaHaye and The Personality Tree by Florence Littauer. Always remember that we can learn to control our weaknesses through the power of the Holy spirit and in doing so become well-balanced individuals who cannot be controlled by Satan.

Fighting Emotions

[Therefore, I do not treat God's gracious gift as something of minor importance and defeat its very purpose]; I do not set aside and invalidate and frustrate and nullify the grace (unmerited favor ) of God....Galatians 2:21

At first it won't be easy to overcome emotions. It never is. When you and I initially begin to break ourselves of any habit, we have a struggle on our hands. We have to fight within ourselves, crying out to God, "Lord, help me!" It is so wonderful to know that the Holy Spirit is always with us to help us all the time.

If you know you have given yourself over to some bad habit like emotional eating, when you sit down to the table you have to say within yourself, "Holy Spirit, help me not to overeat." In a restaurant where everybody at your table is ordering dessert, and you can feel yourself starting to waiver, you can cry out inside, "Holy Spirit, help me !" I have found that if I depend upon my flesh through sheer willpower or determination alone, I will fail every time. But if I am determined to resist temptation by calling on the power of the Holy Spirit, I find the strength I need for success. I have discovered that the Lord is not going to do everything for us in this life. We can't just find someone to lay hands on us and pray for us to be set free from all our bondages. There is a part we must play with our minds and wills. It takes a combination of faith and action.The Apostle Paul said that he did not6 take the grace of God in vain. (Gal. 2:21.) He meant that he did not expect God to do everything for him without doing his part too. God give us the ability to do what we need to do, but we must choose right action.

The writer of the book of Proverbs tells us: The beginning of Wisdom is: get Wisdom (skillful and godly Wisdom)! [For skillful and godly Wisdom is the principal thing.] and with all you have gotten, get understanding (discernment, comprehension, and interpretation) (Prov. 4:7.) In other words, we need to be able to see through the lies Satan speaks t our mind and past the feelings he stirs up within us. we must keep our eyes on the Word of God and do what it says--not what the enemy causes us to feel like doing.

If you are going to be a person who is committed to the Word of God, you will have to learn to be led by the spirit and not by your emotions.

whenever an emotion rises up on the inside of me, I test it to see if it is in line with the Word of God. It is not, the Holy Spirit reveals it to me, and I resist it.

That's how we fight against our emotions--by using our will to make a decision to follow God's Word rather than our feelings.

I can see in my mind's eye some of y'all nodding your head and saying "yeah, right". Well, I guarantee it works. If you ask God, He will help you. Of course then the other is true. Depend on yourself, and fly off the handle, then 10 minutes later have to swallow your pride and slink over to your hubby and say I'm sorry. I'm not sure which one of the personalities stubbornness fits into, but I've got a lot of that one in me and I desperately hate to admit I've been wrong, but in the last few years I've been getting better. Not only because that what God wants me to do, but to keep peace in my family. I think our problem is that we both are a lot alike and both want the last word, and so forth. As I said, God is really working hard on me because even though I have a long way to go, He has also brought me a long way. You notice I said He brought me a long way, and I wasn't talking about my hubby. If it can happen to me, it can happen for anyone.

There is a lot more which I am unable to cover about managing emotions, but I have always been intrigued by the personality types ever since our former pastor did a Study on them for a Wednesday night service.

Father in Heaven, I ask that you open the hearts and minds of those who read this post so that they might be able to receive it as it was meant. Help each and everyone to be able to learn to control their emotions and bridle their tongues if need be. I know that bridling my tongue is a full-time job, but I'm sure that there are others who feel the same way I do, so I ask that you help them also. I come to you and ask in Jesus' Name, Amen

My reference for this post was Joyce Meyer's --Managing Your Emotions Instead of your Emotions Managing You.

Good Night All, and May God Bless!

PJ

Growing Roots to Cruise Control

Good Evening to All!Image by Jeanette's Ozpix via Flickr

Today's Seed: "He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers." Psalm 1:3

Children draw the cutest pictures of trees. The trunks are usually wide and strong and covered by a circle of healthy, plentiful leaves. This is the kind of tree pictured by the psalmist, a tree planted by the water--robust, strong, and green.

If you stand under a massive tree, you cannot see the roots, but they are the secret of the trees beauty and strength. Our beauty and strength comes from the hidden part of our life too. Time alone with God forms our roots.

Roots bring life-giving water to a tree. Water is essential, or the tree will die, Jesus said, "But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life" (John 4:14). OUr relationship with Jesus keeps us supplied with living water.

A tree grows little by little, daily inching upward. It isn't a sudden wonder like a mushroom that springs up overnight yet withers away at the first sin of the sun. A tree can withstand the heat of the sun because of its strong root system. When we have well-watered roots that are sunk deep into the reservoir of God's faithfulness, we will be like a tree that stands strong by the river.

Dig Deeper: The verb "plant" actually means to transplant. To plant is to cause to take root. To transplant also means to take from one environment to another. God has transplanted us out of our self-centered way of living so that we can grow and be fruitful for him.

Weed & Water: The psalmist promises that a person who is planted firmly by the water will succeed. This promise is ot a blank check tgo be filled in as we want, b ut it is a promise for spiritual prosperity, discernment, and godly character. Neither does it mean that we will ne3ver face adversity of failure. In fact, God often engineers failure and brings success--his kind of success.

Sprout & Scatter: In the last part of this seed, the psalmist moves from the root to the fruit. When we are planted firmly in a relationship with God, he will produce fruit in our lives. Galatians 5:22-23 lists the fruit of the spirit, which we will have it four roots are strong: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self--control. Against such things there is no law." Having such qualities will cause us to be a blessing to our friends and family.

Think about it: What is God's definition of success?
How can you make your roots stronger today?

Prayer Pot: Lord, I ask you to make my roots strong by. . .

Take-Away Idea: A fountain, a tree, and your tongue all have sources that cannot be seen.

I love my God and I know that He loves me. He has to to be able to forgive me for some of my attitude problems and antics. He is such a good and merciful God. I hope that y'all enjoy my new format for my blog. I know that I am thoroughly enjoying typing it. I learn something new every time I open one of my books. I should say, not necessarily "new" because I have read these books already. Just reminded and each scripture seems to speak louder to me than before.

My References for this post were:

Bible Seeds-- A Simple Study-Devotional For Growing in God's Word

A Personal E-mail sent from a Friend

Driving in the rain

As you know I like to share things that I haven't heard before, and unfortunately, some or a lot of the time it may be something that I haven't been made aware of but most people have. Anyway, I received this e-mail from a friend and thought I would share just in case someone (like me) is usually the last to hear things. Please forgive the redundancy if you've heard it. It may just save someone's life. Thank you.

I wonder how many people know about this ~
A 36 year old female had an accident several weeks ago and totaled her car. A resident of Kilgore , Texas she was traveling between Gladewater & Kilgore. It was raining, though not excessively, when her car suddenly began to hydro-plane and literally flew through the air. She was not seriously injured but very stunned at the sudden occurrence!

When she explained to the highway patrolman what had happened he told her something that every driver should know - NEVER DRIVE IN THE RAIN WITH YOUR CRUISE CONTROL ON . She thought she was being cautious by setting the cruise control and maintaining a safe consistent speed in the rain.

But the highway patrolman told her that if the cruise control is on when your car begins to hydro-plane and your tires lose contact with the pavement, your car will accelerate to a higher rate of speed making you take off like an airplane. She told the patrolman that was exactly what had occurred.

The patrolman said this warning should be listed, on the driver's seat sun-visor - NEVER USE THE CRUISE CONTROL WHEN THE PAVEMENT IS WET OR ICY, along with the airbag warning. We tell our teenagers to set the cruise control and drive a safe speed - but we don't tell them to use the cruise control only when the pavement is dry. The only person the accident victim found, who knew this (besides the patrolman), was a man who had had a similar accident, totaled his car and sustained severe injuries.

NOTE: Some vehicles (like the Toyota Sienna Limited XLE) will not allow you to set the cruise control when the windshield wipers are on.

The above picture is not of this specific accident. I looked but could not find one. This is however, a picture of a car that has hydroplaned out of control.

"No matter the storm, when you are with God, there's always a rainbow waiting."
"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass...It's about learning to dance in the rain! Donna Lee

"My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness; I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name. On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand; all other ground is sinking sand.

Good Night All and May God Bless!

PJ