"Mom, tomorrow is picture day." My son announced over dinner.
"I know." I told him.
"I have to look nice and put gel in my hair." He demonstrated with his hand over his hair as he told me.
"What are you going to wear?" I ask him. He pondered for a minute then said "My blue and green shirt." I agreed with him, it was a nice polo shirt and the colors were great for his eyes.
So, the next day, we got our green and blue polo shirt on, did our hair with gel and as he was walking out the door, I handed him a navy blue blazer to wear over his polo shirt. He put it on, ever so proudly.
"Mom, I look great." He told me.
"Yes you do." I told him. And he walked to the bus stop with his head in the air. So proud of the way he looked.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Saturday, October 17, 2009
The Bible As Told By Me To A Friend Of Mine Who Asked
The Bible is the account of God's action in the world and his purpose with all creation. The writing of the Bible took place over sixteen centuries and is the work of over forty human authors. It is a quite amazing collection of 66 books with very different styles all containing the message God desired us to have.
This compilation of booklets contains an astonishing variety of literary styles. It provides many stories about the lives of good and bad people, about battles and journeys, about the life of Jesus along with letters written to groups of Christians that met in homes. It comes to us in narratives and dialogues, in proverbs and parables, in songs and allegories, in history and prophecy.
The accounts in the Bible were not generally written down as they occurred. Rather they were told over and over again and handed down through the years before someone finally wrote them down. Yet the same themes may be found throughout the book.
So along with the diversity there is also a remarkable unity. So what is the Bible? Well, in addition to all the above, the Bible is this:
It is a guide for living life to the full. It gives us a road map for the perilous journey of life. Or to put it another way, on our voyage through life's ocean, we find our anchor right here.
It is a storehouse of wonderful stories for children and grownups. Remember Noah and the ark? Joseph's coat of many colors? Daniel in the lion's den? Jonah and the fish? The parables of Jesus? In these stories we recognize the triumphs and failures of ordinary people - and we may even see ourselves!
It is a refuge in trouble. People in pain, in suffering, in mourning, tell how they turned to the Bible and found strength there in their desperate hours.
It is a treasury of insight as to who we are. We are not meaningless robots, but we are magnificent creatures of a God who loves us and gives us a purpose and a destiny.
It is a sourcebook for everyday living. . .
Many people contributed to the writing of the Bible. Actually the Bible is a collection of writings from about forty contributors, thirty in the Old Testament and ten in the New Testament. For example, the Psalms are a collection of the works of several authors, of whom David, the "sweet singer of Israel", is the best known. But psalms were also written by Moses, by Asaph, by a man named Ethan, and by the sons of Korah.
The accounts which have been preserved in the Old Testament date from the earliest times and were both written down and transmitted orally. As time passed they were collected together and received by the Hebrews as coming to them by God's mandate. The prophets transmit God's message to humans, while many of the Psalms articulate cries of people to God. Yet these psalms are also preserved in the Bible as part of God's message to mankind.
The New Testament stories and teachings were widely circulated among the early Christian churches. The letters of Paul to the Christians in several cities were likely the earliest writings now found in the New Testament. But many other letters and epistles were circulated as well. Gradually it became clear to the early churches which writings were truly inspired and which were spurious or simply edifying messages from pious authors.
It is truly amazing that all forty of these authors, spread out over 1600 years, have such a unified message in spite of their great diversity in language, culture and time. There is a reason for that! The reason is that these forty or so writers are all secondary authors. There is actually only one primary author, the one who inspired all the human authors, the eternal God.
Christians believe that the Bible came to us from God himself, who used all these human authors to give us his message, through the presence and inspiration of his Spirit. He did not simply give dictation to these authors, because we observe their unique personalities and varying styles of writing shining through. But God's message, God's authorship, is always there, providing in the end through all the years, exactly what he wanted us to have. In this way the Bible is our own ageless treasure.
The above was from www.biblica.com
When I was on my own spiritual quest, I was confused about all this. I didn't understand how a "Book" was supposed to be the Word of God. So, I asked God about it.
As God knows me and loves me, he knew how to answer me:
I only read from the best-seller list because years ago, after spending money on a book that I thought sounded good, and/or get myself in comfortable reading position, eagerly anticipating my new found read, I was often heartbroken because after the first or second paragraph, the book proved to be a dud, and not worth reading. So this is why I only read fiction from the best-seller list because people actually read them so they must be good. That's why their best-sellers and I won't lose money or become overtly disappointed anymore. No one really knows this because it's not something that's brought up in a regular conversation. God knows that I've read from only the best-seller list for years.
So, after my prayer in asking God about the Bible, it was maybe two or three days later when I heard on the radio that the Bible is no longer listed on the best-seller because it's been the best-seller for like, ever, and they don't even list it a best-seller. . .it's a given. This is according to wikepedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_books: (The Bible is number 1)
Book
Author(s)
Original language
First published
Approximate sales
Bible [1](Koine Greek τὰ Βίβλια)
Traditional Christian view: Revelation or Inspiration by God[2] to various authors
Hebrew, Koine Greek, Aramaic
70 BC- 105 AD,
Further information: dating of the Bible
2.5 billion[3] to more than 6 billion[4]
In the supernatural world, or the spiritual world, that spoke volumes to me. (No pun intended! ha ha ha)
Then, within a day or two of that, I was doing some flipping on the channels and sure enough. . .I found the history channel. They were explaining the Bible and to date, not one architechtual fact of the Bible has been discounted. That's right. They find the artifacts that match completely to the Bible.
Huh.
God knows I like facts too.
So, this got my interest spiked, and I began to read and believe in the Bible.
There are two sections of the Bible, Old Testament and New Testament. My advice to any new reader of the Bible, stay in the New Testament. That's where Jesus comes into the picture.
Should you ever read the Old Testament? Sure. It has some great stories. . .it's just that prior to Jesus coming there was a "God wrath" and "God punishment" that doesn't apply to us now because of Jesus.
Oh, another point in the Bible that really, really looped me. I was catholic as a child, and in and out of all sorts of spiritual worlds, but it took the Bible and the power of prayer to show me that in the first chapter of the New Testament, there's a actually a lineage line to Jesus. He didn't just appear out of the sky, nor was He chosen by the people of the time. It was actually prophesized years before of the King's birth, and the Bible shows us that lineage.
I thought that was amazing!
As time goes on, I find it more and more amazing, but, we'll discuss that later. :)
I hope you find your own amazement while praying about and reading the Bible. God knows you and loves you too. He'll find you and tell you. :)
Next topic.
:)
This compilation of booklets contains an astonishing variety of literary styles. It provides many stories about the lives of good and bad people, about battles and journeys, about the life of Jesus along with letters written to groups of Christians that met in homes. It comes to us in narratives and dialogues, in proverbs and parables, in songs and allegories, in history and prophecy.
The accounts in the Bible were not generally written down as they occurred. Rather they were told over and over again and handed down through the years before someone finally wrote them down. Yet the same themes may be found throughout the book.
So along with the diversity there is also a remarkable unity. So what is the Bible? Well, in addition to all the above, the Bible is this:
It is a guide for living life to the full. It gives us a road map for the perilous journey of life. Or to put it another way, on our voyage through life's ocean, we find our anchor right here.
It is a storehouse of wonderful stories for children and grownups. Remember Noah and the ark? Joseph's coat of many colors? Daniel in the lion's den? Jonah and the fish? The parables of Jesus? In these stories we recognize the triumphs and failures of ordinary people - and we may even see ourselves!
It is a refuge in trouble. People in pain, in suffering, in mourning, tell how they turned to the Bible and found strength there in their desperate hours.
It is a treasury of insight as to who we are. We are not meaningless robots, but we are magnificent creatures of a God who loves us and gives us a purpose and a destiny.
It is a sourcebook for everyday living. . .
Many people contributed to the writing of the Bible. Actually the Bible is a collection of writings from about forty contributors, thirty in the Old Testament and ten in the New Testament. For example, the Psalms are a collection of the works of several authors, of whom David, the "sweet singer of Israel", is the best known. But psalms were also written by Moses, by Asaph, by a man named Ethan, and by the sons of Korah.
The accounts which have been preserved in the Old Testament date from the earliest times and were both written down and transmitted orally. As time passed they were collected together and received by the Hebrews as coming to them by God's mandate. The prophets transmit God's message to humans, while many of the Psalms articulate cries of people to God. Yet these psalms are also preserved in the Bible as part of God's message to mankind.
The New Testament stories and teachings were widely circulated among the early Christian churches. The letters of Paul to the Christians in several cities were likely the earliest writings now found in the New Testament. But many other letters and epistles were circulated as well. Gradually it became clear to the early churches which writings were truly inspired and which were spurious or simply edifying messages from pious authors.
It is truly amazing that all forty of these authors, spread out over 1600 years, have such a unified message in spite of their great diversity in language, culture and time. There is a reason for that! The reason is that these forty or so writers are all secondary authors. There is actually only one primary author, the one who inspired all the human authors, the eternal God.
Christians believe that the Bible came to us from God himself, who used all these human authors to give us his message, through the presence and inspiration of his Spirit. He did not simply give dictation to these authors, because we observe their unique personalities and varying styles of writing shining through. But God's message, God's authorship, is always there, providing in the end through all the years, exactly what he wanted us to have. In this way the Bible is our own ageless treasure.
The above was from www.biblica.com
When I was on my own spiritual quest, I was confused about all this. I didn't understand how a "Book" was supposed to be the Word of God. So, I asked God about it.
As God knows me and loves me, he knew how to answer me:
I only read from the best-seller list because years ago, after spending money on a book that I thought sounded good, and/or get myself in comfortable reading position, eagerly anticipating my new found read, I was often heartbroken because after the first or second paragraph, the book proved to be a dud, and not worth reading. So this is why I only read fiction from the best-seller list because people actually read them so they must be good. That's why their best-sellers and I won't lose money or become overtly disappointed anymore. No one really knows this because it's not something that's brought up in a regular conversation. God knows that I've read from only the best-seller list for years.
So, after my prayer in asking God about the Bible, it was maybe two or three days later when I heard on the radio that the Bible is no longer listed on the best-seller because it's been the best-seller for like, ever, and they don't even list it a best-seller. . .it's a given. This is according to wikepedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_books: (The Bible is number 1)
Book
Author(s)
Original language
First published
Approximate sales
Bible [1](Koine Greek τὰ Βίβλια)
Traditional Christian view: Revelation or Inspiration by God[2] to various authors
Hebrew, Koine Greek, Aramaic
70 BC- 105 AD,
Further information: dating of the Bible
2.5 billion[3] to more than 6 billion[4]
In the supernatural world, or the spiritual world, that spoke volumes to me. (No pun intended! ha ha ha)
Then, within a day or two of that, I was doing some flipping on the channels and sure enough. . .I found the history channel. They were explaining the Bible and to date, not one architechtual fact of the Bible has been discounted. That's right. They find the artifacts that match completely to the Bible.
Huh.
God knows I like facts too.
So, this got my interest spiked, and I began to read and believe in the Bible.
There are two sections of the Bible, Old Testament and New Testament. My advice to any new reader of the Bible, stay in the New Testament. That's where Jesus comes into the picture.
Should you ever read the Old Testament? Sure. It has some great stories. . .it's just that prior to Jesus coming there was a "God wrath" and "God punishment" that doesn't apply to us now because of Jesus.
Oh, another point in the Bible that really, really looped me. I was catholic as a child, and in and out of all sorts of spiritual worlds, but it took the Bible and the power of prayer to show me that in the first chapter of the New Testament, there's a actually a lineage line to Jesus. He didn't just appear out of the sky, nor was He chosen by the people of the time. It was actually prophesized years before of the King's birth, and the Bible shows us that lineage.
I thought that was amazing!
As time goes on, I find it more and more amazing, but, we'll discuss that later. :)
I hope you find your own amazement while praying about and reading the Bible. God knows you and loves you too. He'll find you and tell you. :)
Next topic.
:)
My Response To A New Age Girlfriend
I'm not one to preach or lecture, and I know where your belief system is as you've explained it me. . .forgive me, but it's in my heart to talk about this with you. . .
I know New Age. I even know a little bit of pretty much every spiritual world out there. . .Hindu, Muslim, Catholic, Witchcraft. . .because I've studied them or lived them. I always knew there was more to the story and I've been on a spiritual quest for some time. . probably since around the age of 8. ha ha.
I don't believe in legalism in any church i.e. condemnation (gay people suck! Never drink or else!) or that theory that we have to remain perfect in this life to get to the other, (the Kingdom of Heaven) and GOD FORBID you sin. . .that's just not acceptable. My response: Welcome to the world of humans. You're going to sin. . .it's inevitable. Adam started it all off. . .
(This legalistic theory a/k/a SCARY theory of God provokes some serious verbal outbursts from myself. It even got me kicked out of a Bible study or two!) I believe that we live now in the Kingdom of God, as does my church. We seek and acknowledge God to keep us on the right path so to speak. Jesus is the mediator between us and the Father, and we worship and praise Him for being in our lives, and how he teaches us to live on this earth. The Now Kingdom of Heaven.
The Holy Spirit, well, when you tap into that feeling. . .You know how you'll do a powerful meditation, and probably Reiki, and you feel that feeling. . .multiply that by 100 and then hear or see or dream or vision answers or prophecies. I still have the occasional drink to two, I'm getting divorced, some of my best friends and brother are gay. That's life, and that's between me and God, or them and God.
Do I think that Reiki or crystals are evil? Absolutely not! But, I do believe you're close to the Kingdom of God. Once you get the power of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, you have the ultimate power.
I see that New Agers will believe in Reiki and Crystals for power. I know that Catholics will pray to and worship Saints. Why bother if you have the ultimate source, God?
Jesus is the Ascending Master? Doesn't that tell you anything? My usual response to that one is . . . DUH! (Not to you though!)The Bible has more New Age verses than any book you can drum up. If you ever want one, or a few, let me know.
Love ya.
I know New Age. I even know a little bit of pretty much every spiritual world out there. . .Hindu, Muslim, Catholic, Witchcraft. . .because I've studied them or lived them. I always knew there was more to the story and I've been on a spiritual quest for some time. . probably since around the age of 8. ha ha.
I don't believe in legalism in any church i.e. condemnation (gay people suck! Never drink or else!) or that theory that we have to remain perfect in this life to get to the other, (the Kingdom of Heaven) and GOD FORBID you sin. . .that's just not acceptable. My response: Welcome to the world of humans. You're going to sin. . .it's inevitable. Adam started it all off. . .
(This legalistic theory a/k/a SCARY theory of God provokes some serious verbal outbursts from myself. It even got me kicked out of a Bible study or two!) I believe that we live now in the Kingdom of God, as does my church. We seek and acknowledge God to keep us on the right path so to speak. Jesus is the mediator between us and the Father, and we worship and praise Him for being in our lives, and how he teaches us to live on this earth. The Now Kingdom of Heaven.
The Holy Spirit, well, when you tap into that feeling. . .You know how you'll do a powerful meditation, and probably Reiki, and you feel that feeling. . .multiply that by 100 and then hear or see or dream or vision answers or prophecies. I still have the occasional drink to two, I'm getting divorced, some of my best friends and brother are gay. That's life, and that's between me and God, or them and God.
Do I think that Reiki or crystals are evil? Absolutely not! But, I do believe you're close to the Kingdom of God. Once you get the power of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, you have the ultimate power.
I see that New Agers will believe in Reiki and Crystals for power. I know that Catholics will pray to and worship Saints. Why bother if you have the ultimate source, God?
Jesus is the Ascending Master? Doesn't that tell you anything? My usual response to that one is . . . DUH! (Not to you though!)The Bible has more New Age verses than any book you can drum up. If you ever want one, or a few, let me know.
Love ya.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Kidisms
"Margie makes really good corn bread Mom." He told me, over dinner, while we were enjoying my friend's home made goodness that she generously shared with us.
"Yes she does." I agreed.
"Does she know that she makes it better than you?" He asked, ever so politely.
"Yes she does." I agreed.
"Does she know that she makes it better than you?" He asked, ever so politely.
For All Of Those Out There. . .
There appears to be a growing number of friends and acquaintances that are enduring some serious financial hardships.
My heart goes out to all of you. Those with businesses that are suffering, or even going under. Those of you who are losing your house, your cars, your jobs. . .
These times are extremely difficult. Inasmuch as we like to believe that it's not, and things are going to get better, well, when times are this tough, it's hard to believe.
How do I know? Well, I've been there. I know what it's like to endure the disappointment of financial difficulty. I understand the hopelessness, the despair and confusion of financial hardship.
What I've learned from it: Tap into those dreams. Tap into that motivation and belief system that got you to where you are and believe that this too shall pass.
Believe.
Because with God, all things are possible.
Don't let your circumstances get the best of you! Rise above them. Conquer them!
Keep the faith-and remember! All things happen for a reason. Do what you can, and find joy in what's around you. Remember gratitute! Thank the Lord above for all that you do have.
One by one.
Everyday.
My heart goes out to all of you. Those with businesses that are suffering, or even going under. Those of you who are losing your house, your cars, your jobs. . .
These times are extremely difficult. Inasmuch as we like to believe that it's not, and things are going to get better, well, when times are this tough, it's hard to believe.
How do I know? Well, I've been there. I know what it's like to endure the disappointment of financial difficulty. I understand the hopelessness, the despair and confusion of financial hardship.
What I've learned from it: Tap into those dreams. Tap into that motivation and belief system that got you to where you are and believe that this too shall pass.
Believe.
Because with God, all things are possible.
Don't let your circumstances get the best of you! Rise above them. Conquer them!
Keep the faith-and remember! All things happen for a reason. Do what you can, and find joy in what's around you. Remember gratitute! Thank the Lord above for all that you do have.
One by one.
Everyday.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Kidisms
"Do you like your new teacher?" I ask my son, his third week of school. I haven't heard any report, good or bad, about this new teacher.
"Yeah Mom, she's really nice." He explains.
"Good" I tell him reassuringly.
"She never gets mad Mom. That's kinda creepy." He went on to elaborate.
I didn't think I heard him right, so I asked, "What?"
"Really Mom, she never ever gets mad. That's creepy." He explained.
I had nothing to respond with.
But my insides laughed for days.
"Yeah Mom, she's really nice." He explains.
"Good" I tell him reassuringly.
"She never gets mad Mom. That's kinda creepy." He went on to elaborate.
I didn't think I heard him right, so I asked, "What?"
"Really Mom, she never ever gets mad. That's creepy." He explained.
I had nothing to respond with.
But my insides laughed for days.
Friday, October 2, 2009
By: Ken Bennet
BEGINNINGS
In silent searching sorties to the psyche´s
secret store
of myth and magic memories
imagination bore
me onward over obstacles obscured by
legend´s lore.
In Principle or person was my parentage?
I prayed
to abrogate affects of ancient argument
as fact instead of fiction, forcing fantasies
to fade.
A baby born in Bethlehem, believed by us
to be
God´s gift of grace and glory, galvanized
Gethsemane --exposed the ego´s essence of eternal
enmity.
Thinking thus on theories theologicalin theme,
rejected I religion´s ruthless reasons
to redeem
this sinner from his sacrilegious search for
self esteem.
Where human happenings are hieroglyphs
of heresy,
obsolete obeisance over
objectivity,
trumpets tendencies to temper
triviality.
In silent searching sorties to the psyche´s
secret store
of myth and magic memories
imagination bore
me onward over obstacles obscured by
legend´s lore.
In Principle or person was my parentage?
I prayed
to abrogate affects of ancient argument
as fact instead of fiction, forcing fantasies
to fade.
A baby born in Bethlehem, believed by us
to be
God´s gift of grace and glory, galvanized
Gethsemane --exposed the ego´s essence of eternal
enmity.
Thinking thus on theories theologicalin theme,
rejected I religion´s ruthless reasons
to redeem
this sinner from his sacrilegious search for
self esteem.
Where human happenings are hieroglyphs
of heresy,
obsolete obeisance over
objectivity,
trumpets tendencies to temper
triviality.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Why Bad Things Happen To Good People
Yes, it happens.
In this crazy world of ours, bad things happen.
I'm not talking about death and dying here, as the loss of a loved one is a devastating experience and dealing with that specific "bad thing that happens to good people," well, we'll save that for a later blog.
I'm talking about financial distress, gossip and vicious attacks on good people.
It pains my heart.
You see, my Pastors are enduring a personal crisis of their own and as a member of my church, I'm in awe how some "Christians" claim to be Christians, only to be mean and judgmental.
(Hint: That's not how us Christians are supposed to be - don't get me started!)
Anyway, in a personal conversation with the Mrs. Pastor of my church yesterday, I voiced my heartache to her, and how I felt so bad for her and her family.
She quickly assurred me that "God is allowing this for a reason."
I know and understand that God often uses high drama a/k/a crisis situations to strategically place people in their rightful situations.
I've experienced this and inasmuch as when you're enduring a personal crisis, you don't understand why God is doing things. . .as hindsight is 20/20 and you look back on your crisis, you can see how the hand of God used you as a pawn player in a game of chess to align you to where you're supposed to be.
But to be enduring such a crisis and knowing that God is allowing this for a reason?
That's faith.
That's beauty and praise in the Lord.
Amen.
In this crazy world of ours, bad things happen.
I'm not talking about death and dying here, as the loss of a loved one is a devastating experience and dealing with that specific "bad thing that happens to good people," well, we'll save that for a later blog.
I'm talking about financial distress, gossip and vicious attacks on good people.
It pains my heart.
You see, my Pastors are enduring a personal crisis of their own and as a member of my church, I'm in awe how some "Christians" claim to be Christians, only to be mean and judgmental.
(Hint: That's not how us Christians are supposed to be - don't get me started!)
Anyway, in a personal conversation with the Mrs. Pastor of my church yesterday, I voiced my heartache to her, and how I felt so bad for her and her family.
She quickly assurred me that "God is allowing this for a reason."
I know and understand that God often uses high drama a/k/a crisis situations to strategically place people in their rightful situations.
I've experienced this and inasmuch as when you're enduring a personal crisis, you don't understand why God is doing things. . .as hindsight is 20/20 and you look back on your crisis, you can see how the hand of God used you as a pawn player in a game of chess to align you to where you're supposed to be.
But to be enduring such a crisis and knowing that God is allowing this for a reason?
That's faith.
That's beauty and praise in the Lord.
Amen.
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