Eat slowly, savor each morsel.

Speaking of salt and light, I ran across a couple of article's a few days ago that I found to be such exceptional reads dish's I just have to link serve them up here for your consumption.

One is from a place I frequent called "American Thinker", the fantastic special of the day was called: It's How You Play The Game.
It may well be that this recipe goes back a couple hundred years.

For a truly just dessert, I truthfully enjoyed the Perspective being served at an as yet unfamiliar, but tidy place called "Walking Together."

All in all, it was very good stuff!

Barack who?

Uhm, I think it's time to take our eyes off our own "problems" and watch this video:




Folks, America is just a tiny blip in the enormous picture that is the Kingdom of, and Gospel of, Christ. And AMEN to that.

God is SO good, and we are so spoiled, and wretched.

Frankly, we deserve it.

"My son, fear the LORD and the king; Do not associate
with those who are given to change,
For their calamity will rise suddenly,
And who knows the ruin that comes from both of them?" - Pro 24:21

Well now, it's "official".
A nation that's become practically unrecognizable from its principled, Godly beginnings gets a president fit to lead it into further God-lessness. Welcome to Liberalhood Ex Officio.

I must say this: if there is one good thing about Barack Obama being elected president of the USA, it is that a racial divide has been well crossed, perhaps even (nearly) destroyed.

Alas, if only that were enough. Nothing; -NOTHING- justifies the murder of babies, nor ungodliness in any form

Are we a nation abandoned by God? One wonders.

It is at the behest of God's very fingertip, His very Word that each one of our wicked selves is allowed another breath. It is by His sovereign grace alone He keeps this whole world and it's inhabitants from imploding into judgement.

Frankly, we DO deserve it.

..but for God's great grace:

"The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."
-2Pe 3:9
~

/edit: Ok, I've calmed down from the election-results enough for more Christ-centered thoughts, so with that in mind..

This is our chance, Christian's, to be salt and light in an ever darkening world.

Firstly, Barack Obama was created in God's image; second; no matter what, we must always honor and respect the office of the presidency, to do otherwise goes against biblical teaching. (Rom 13) Also, as Christians we ought be praying for Barack -our President's- heart, that he be converted to Christ, (now wouldn't THAT be a "change"!) -and we need to pray for his family, and also all those who will be at his side making decisions that will affect this nation for years to come..(1Pet 13-17)..and so much more to pray for, but you get the point.

Ultimately it is God who places man into postions of leadership according to His own plans and purposes, and they have not always been "Godly" men, quite contrarily.

And really, lest we forget: It is Jesus Christ, King of Kings, Lord of Lords who is leading this world and the nations therein. It is by His stripes we were given Life; and it is to Him I pledge my allegiance.

* * *

Praising Palin for raising McCain

Actually I am Praising God for Senator McCain's choice pick of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. It seems this has raised the integrity bar (if there be one) for the liberally left quite a few notches. Finally, people with some real fortitude show up for the candidacy of highest office in our country.



















There is still plenty to learn about Sarah Palin, and her time in her offices as mayor and governor, but so far from what I have gathered and especially after her speech last night (!!) there is nothing about her not to love - she's one of us. I also like the significance of her upward pointing finger -albeit un-specified :)

And I didn't exactly know much about John McCain either, but after listening to Sen. Fred Thompson's eloquent speech, that was all I needed to hear. Evidence of integrity, the likes of which any thinking person ought want in a President, was cemented for me after hearing about Sen. McCain's extraordinary military service and most especially his POW experience. But it didn't end there, he went on to serve our country within its borders, even forsaking his own presidential election campaign to see to it that our troops would continue to be roundly supported whilst our congress was trying its best to do just the opposite, all under the impression of a proclaimed "lost war".

I guess when you're doing your job in congress there's not alot of time for touting/campaining. This is a man who has the best interests of this country and his fellow citizens at heart.

I remember awhile back early in the campaign feeling really down about our choices and about the prospect of having to 'deal' with "President Obama" and the liberal guck that would rain down on America as a result, and knowing that as Christians we would be called to respect him, or somesuch, as our President. What came to mind while thinking of all this stuff was what this country needs is another "David". Little did I expect to see one come along, let alone a type of "Deborah" in the picture as well! ;)

As far as I'm concerned this election was/is first and foremost about the babies, a no brainer for me there, and it seemed un-contestedly apparent that any pro-lifer candidate was also highly likely to have the backs of our troops and the security of this country in top priority.

Truth be told I was never really "worried" about the outcome of this election because I believe in the supreme sovereignty of God over all things, all peoples and all nations. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind about God's perfect will. I knowingly live my life under the protection of His great wing and under the Blood of His Son Jesus, the Great Almighty, Lord of all, King of Kings. So bring it on.
Yet, God is so good to us to give us this "sign" of hope..though our faith can be solid as rock it is easy to get a little 'down'. I think these two Great Americans are a sweet "sign and wonder" ;) No matter who becomes the next leader of our nation, everything is going to work out for the best according to His perfect will for those who love Him. I am so thankful, and grateful to God for this rest in Him.

There is a great read that popped up this am over at Pulpit Magazine called "Christians and Government" - it is the first part in a series that looks to be very good.
~
God bless you, and God bless America.

Grace & Peace~

(photo credit)

loose lips sink ships

"Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person."

Col 4:6

..let our speech be gracious and seasoned (not doused) with salt..
Sometimes we need to check the cap of our salt shakers you know, to be sure they are screwed on tightly. heheh :)

Speaking of which, the 2008 National Desiring God Conference is just around the corner, and I can hardly wait for this time of fellowship and learning! Last year was my first conference, and it felt a little like what heaven might be like, walking amongst and fellowshipping with the breth's and sis's and glorifying our great God!

This years theme is called:

"The Power of Words and the Wonder of God"

Oh my yes.

Speaking of glorifying "our great God" check out this beautiful arrangement:

....that is dying to self.

Luke 9:23 - "And He was saying to them all, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me."

1Cor 15:31 - "I affirm, brethren, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily."
(NASB)

What does Jesus, or Paul even mean with words such as "deny oneself"? -or- "die daily"? I could never fully grasp those concepts, until I read these words:

When your good is evil spoken of, when your wishes are crossed, your advice disregarded, your opinions ridiculed, and you refuse to let anger rise in your heart, or even defend yourself, but take it all in patient, loving silence....that is dying to self.

When you lovingly and patiently bear any disorder, any irregularity, any impunctuality, or any annoyance; when you stand face-to-face with waste, silly extravagance, spiritual insensibility, and endure it as Jesus did....that is dying to self.

When you are content with any food, any offering, any climate, any society, any clothing, any interrogation, any interruption by the will of God....that is dying to self.

When you never care to refer to yourself in conversation, or to defend your own beliefs, your own good works, or itch for commendation, when you can truly love to be unknown....that is dying to self.

When you can see your brother prosper and have his needs met, and can honestly rejoice with him in spirit, and feel no envy, nor question God, while your own needs are far greater and in more desperate circumstances....that is dying to self.

When you receive correction and reproof from one of less stature than yourself, and can humbly submit inwardly, as well as outwardly, finding no rebellion, retaliation, self-sympathy, self-defense, self-vindication, self-justification, resentment, bitterness, unforgiveness in heart....that is dying to self!

(source)

Quite a tall order, yes, and one I fail miserably at on most all points. I think it describes well what it means to: "be holy for I am holy", (1Pe 1:16) to be Christlike, I understand this is something the regenerate will be striving for to the glorious end.

My deepest, most profound joy is realized in overcoming such things to His glory.


~

well, have you??

Do you think you know what it really, truly means to follow Christ?

Have you considered the implications?
Have you counted the cost?

I'll tell ya what folks....this family has:

"But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive."

Gen 50:20

Allow Me to Introduce Christ

I happen to like a good gut punch every so often, and this inspired woman hits hard - hard!

*gulp*

I am a huge supporter of our troops and their families, as well as our missions in the Mideast, when I saw this video.....well..*gulp*

"He gives power to the faint,
and to him who has no might he increases strength.
Even youths shall faint and be weary,
and young men shall fall exhausted;
but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint."

Isa 40:29 -31

divine appointment

I was just reading this verse and had a few imediate thoughts I wanted to toss up here:

"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross." (Philippians 2:5-8)

Wow.....

Can you imagine even attempting to live by such a standard in todays world?
Yet that's exactly what we are called to do, though some might say "thats a bit much" or "certainly we can still be humble without having to give up to that other person this perfect parking spot that God most assuredly must have just blessed me with"

Then, did God surely say?

"Let this mind be in you" - what mind? this one: "which was also in Christ Jesus" It's pretty plain, methinks.

Just how humble was Christ?

Even though he was "equal with God" he "made Himself of no reputation" . . and then took "the form of a servant" (hey, I can do that!) and made himself into "the likeness of men". -but he didn't stop there: -->GOSPEL ALERT--> he allowed himself to be abased and humiliated all the way to death on a cross - which in those days was considered lower than the lowest form of scumliness.

So next time we get all indignant about MY rights, and MY this or MY any-of-that, we need to take a look again at Christ and His death on the cross and all that that really means. . And not even a hard serious look, even so much as a glimpse into this Truth ought to send us to our face in humility and utter repentance before HIm, we need this daily, a daily check of ourself, I know I do.

On a similar note, I'm one of those people who totaly lack patience (in many areas) - but especially when things don't go as planned, mainly the little things, for example:

There was a 30 minute break during the Desiring God Conference on Sat and I really wanted a cup of coffee....there was this little coffee/espresso kiosk in the middle of the main foyer just outside of the auditorium doors where a line of fellow coffee-desperates (a word?) was quickly forming, I imagined we all the same hot steaming cup-o-joe thought-bubble in mind as we all poured out of the auditorium. So I stepped into a line behind about 30 people figuring "ah yes, this shouldn't take longer than 25 or 30 minutes so I should be ok, good people watching too", within 5 minutes I heard someone say "they won't allow you in the auditorium with your coffee". . "oookaayy...." I thought, "I'll just stand by the door with my cup and listen to Dr. MacArthur from the doorway then". Fine.

Every last second of thirty minutes later....I finally am standing at the counter and ready to order: "I'll take one of those blueberry muffins and just a regular cup of coffee please" - "Sorry, we're out of coffee" she says...." "well then I'll just have double americano then please" - that being just 2 shots of espresso into which steamed water is poured to fill the cup, easy enough. She gives me the muffin, (which by the way was warm and delicious!) and points me toward an area where I can "pick up my coffee order" . . "oookaayyy....I had not yet noticed my fellow coffee line comrades-in-waiting in this pick-up area...so I go stand over there and eat my muffin, and wait, and wait, and, wait . . . . (que: crickets).

I stand there maybe another 15 minutes and my new-found-in-Christ patience is wearing thinner and thinner by the minute in this flesh-o-mine. Finally the gal says out loud "double americano /double latte" - I reach out over/between a few other heads only to have some guy come up and grab (what I thought was MY americano..wha-huh?? Croiky's! (a word stolen from my aged and wonderful Auntie Marge :)

So I keep waiting, Dr. MacArthur has now been speaking for about 17 minutes, and I notice that the people who I'd been standing in line with not only in front of me but behind me have long since disappeared, I am sure with coffee's, double/triple espresso/mocha/carmel/hazelnut/breve/skimmed whatever-da-hecks in hand.
Lovely, I've been passed over.

Patience?
Well, if you "knew me when" - I most certainly would have complained to someone -*she says with feigned indignancy*, but these days, thank Goodness I have been liberated from such trivial irrations.

Christ has indeed replaced this heart of stone in me with one of flesh - that is the first and foremost focus, that it is Christ who does this work in us, the Spirit being in us as the "hierarchy" if you will - - by which all other reasoning takes place in my life.
On the lower hierarchival plane (if that makes sense): being over 40 does help *smile*.

Here is something else that well factors in all of this for me, something I've thought more and more of the past few years:
The men and women who right now, today, even this moment are over in Iraq and Afghanistan (as well as other parts of the world) doing what they are doing for me - for us, for this country, for our children and grandchildren... and all the many dis-comforts (thats putting it MILDLY) that that means for them, well,, my goodness....I have no more words to say about it.

So, I've been standing in line all this time and yes, of course I'm perturbed, but instead of getting madder and madder like I would have in the past, I kept thinking to myself: "ok Lord, so what da got for me here? - just more lessons in patience? - ok, I'll take that!", but then it also occurred to me that some sort of encounter that I wouldn't otherwise have had was imminent, and that's always an intriguing thought.

So I take my dbl americano and whisk off to stand in the doorway (I'm sure I was the umpteenth person to ask that sweet doorman permission to enter, coffee-in-hand and stand at the door to listen and sip) - so I'm standing there, trying to "get into" what John MacArthur was saying while sipping on this impossibly HOT coffee (and I DO like it hot, but mann!) - when all of a sudden guess who walks by me? Someone I admire, alot..and would have never thought I would meet, that would be none other than Mr. Phil Johnson, as well, a bonus to this was meeting the Woman behind him - his wife Darlene!

(a quick note): I realize there is alot more to Phil than just the Pyromaniacs blog, that just happens to be first place I'd heard
of him. Also, I realize that he and Darlene were manning the Grace To You booth all weekend, but God knew that that fact would have gone right over my head and I never would have noticed, because: a) - I had no clue they would be there and b) - I spent all available extra time perusing the "2 acres" of books - (actually it was about 10-15,000 sf, thats still alot! so we'll let that one go ;p )

So that's my Desiring God Conference story, I know I know, there was SO much more to that whole weekend this little story, indeed it was RICH beyond all my expectations. I suggest anyone who wants to know more (much better than I could ever convey) go to the Desiring God website and see/hear for yourselves the incredible messages of the weekend! And by the way, how absolutely awesome of them to make all of this material available to anyone, online, for free!

God is so awesome!!

"...for the LORD your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him."

(2Ch 30:9)

goin all in

"Baptism is an outward sign of an inward and spiritual grace"

Those were just a string of words that have floated in and out of my head since my childhood days at church..I'd never bothered to process them outside the context of an infant baptism, to me it looked more like the parents of the infant being baptised were the ones exhibiting the outward sign of their inward and spiritual grace .. but the question should always be, are souls saved?

baptism is not a requirement of salvation, in fact there is not a thing we can do ourselves to be saved because Jesus already did it for us:

"When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost." - Jhn 19:30

"For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:" - 1Pe 3:18

all we need do is believe these things.....
"That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life." John 3:15

baptism is symbolic, it symbolizes death/burial of the old "self" in that you are "buried" in the water, and then rise up out of it as a new person "in Christ".

"Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." - Rom 6:4

baptism serves to make public a proclaimation of ones' true conversion by renouncing the "things of the world" and claiming the things of Christ. For the Christ follower, the world is not "home" anymore. It is said that we become like aliens, or strangers in a strange land, a land where the inhabitants can't and usually don't want to understand the things of God, because the light of Gods word is painful to eyes used to the dark, to the lies they've been infused with all their lives. Christ can change that.

"How shall we sing the LORD'S song in a strange land? - Psa 137:4

that's where faith enters.. I am not saying anything here that can not be accounted for right there in scripture, the bible is the only place from which we must always snap the first plumbline.

anyway, when I finally decided to give up my self to God through Jesus Christ, taking part in this "outward sign" was simply the natural thing to do.





















7/29/07..I did it, I finally crossed the line and I'm never looking back.

..and so did my son, daughter-in-law, and my husband :))

~

everywhere a sign

and furthermore:
"They are corrupt,
They have done abominable works,
There is none who does good."

A Blessed Palm Sunday to all,
and God Bless our troops, our leaders, and our country.

strive

I often cringe when I see what I wrote in my blog, oh well.

here's a little something from a very wise soul:

"The Lord is slow to anger," because He is GREAT IN POWER. He is truly great in power who hath power over himself. When God's power doth restrain Himself, then it is power indeed: the power that binds omnipotence is omnipotence surpassed. A man who has a strong mind can bear to be insulted long, and only resents the wrong when a sense of right demands his action. The weak mind is irritated at a little: the strong mind bears it like a rock which moveth not, though a thousand breakers dash upon it, and cast their pitiful malice in spray upon its summit."
Charles Spurgeon
~
another wise man, Pastor John C. Blackford..about 20 years ago, I remember our beloved Pastor standing in the pulpit one Sunday, proclaiming with a shaking finger pointed outward toward his flock and said: [sic]
"if the Methodist church allows a homosexual in the pulpit then I will lead this church out of the Methodist denomination"
-and the people (almost) all said: Amen.

Pastor Blackford also wrote something in the bible of every kid upon their confirmation, words that took me 30 years to get:

"This book will keep you from sin,
sin will keep you from this book"
how true
~
"...then take care lest you forget the LORD, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. It is the LORD your God you shall fear.
Deu 6: 12&13

rock on ~

"esprit de l'escalier"

"witty remark or snappy retort that comes to mind after the opportunity has passed to use it "

hah!- that's my word!

I'm either driving, showering or performing some domestic chore when the lightbulbs start flaring up in my face about things I shoulda said in a comment..(er not said)
I wonder if there is an english version of this word.

in an english version, I would have to tack this on to the meaning: "rapidly formed astute observations of substantial pertinance through informed thought" along side "witty remark" and "snappy retort".
I did ask santa for pithiness this year but apparently that's been on back-order for quite sometime.

I so wish I had rapid command while trying to formulate my thoughts, you know, just get them typed out and be happy with the result, be done! - and on to other things. I would save an embarrasing amount of time I take to jot down even the simplist cogitations. I have tons of passion but seem to short-circuit when it comes to getting my thoughts from my head to the screen without deleting and re-typing umpteen million times, never mind all the fine-tuning when I'm about to hit "post". Type A you say? uhhhhh....huh.
I read other peoples's words/thoughts and then I really feel my inadequacies, there are some people out there who are really adept at writing.
~
Over at one my favorite blog-reads, I went on and on in a comment about a video by a Pastor Francis Chan. I was in a hurry, supposed to be getting ready to leave for several days, yet I spent hours trying to convey my thoughts on this video, why?? . . pff, who knows, I'm an empassioned soul looking for outlets, yet lacking a smooth ride. And to top it off I left my rough-ride of a comment under a less-than-suitable post, yeek.
I don't know what prompted me to put the effort into posting my thoughts on this video. My goodness, there have been so many other posts over there that have been truly a real blessing to me and I would have done much better to say so. Much easier than to try and (basically) preach to the real preachers. (!)

I'm certain I created less than a tiny blip amongst all the hub-bub that formed surrounding the video. Yet as I see it, I might have stepped where I shouldn't have so I felt the need to clean-up the bottom of my shoes a bit more, better to do it in my blog, (that I barely use as it is).
(the permalinks for there don't go directly to the comments?)
~
These days, I've been especially interested in what God says about . . well, about everything, so I've prayed, and even wondered aloud to Him what He'd like me to do with all this passion to learn, to write, and to reveal my thoughts -- on the www?

I've come to conclude what I've suspected all along: that some of this passion first stem from a humanistic source and not from the Christ-centered one.
Certainly, if it is "no longer I who lives but Christ who lives in me"

well then, I dasn't waste all this time fretting on things to serve myself when I should be out serving Him who serves us so well, so graciously, so sufficiently.

So, I think He wants me to just stay quiet for awhile longer and keep reading His word.



edit Jan 19th/
*sigh*

Just tidying up the place - gone for the weekend -
back on Monday.

Blessings to all ~

One Life sacrificed for eternity, many lives sacrificed for our freedoms.

normaly, I aint the volunteerin type..

however, I volunteered this year with an organization called Tribute to the Troops. This years ride/benefit concert begins tomorrow through the 10th, Sep.
Our main mission is to bring a deeper awareness to all Americans in acknowledging and honoring our fallen soldiers from the operations in Iraq and elsewhere, and also the families behind them. One of the things we do is have a motorcycle ride where we visit these families from Minnesota (and in neighboring states where we can) to thank them personally and acknowledge the loss of their loved one. Each family is contacted first, and told what we're about then asked if they would like us to visit. I volunteered after going on the ride last year, it was an incredibly moving experience for everyone..... Some of the volunteers this year are people who have been visited in the previous 2 years.

Bringing people together who wouldn't have crossed paths under any other circumstances, has been a very good thing.

There's a photo slideshow on the website from last years ride,
a song written by Rockie Lynne (one of the founders of Trib to the Troops) plays along, just thinking of that song made my eyes well up.. check it out.
~

I wish I had time to expound more on this, but for now I'll just ask for a prayer as we ride off beginning Friday am, just for God's glorification over the weekend, and my own discernment
and obedience to that end, - as we know His will is done always.
























Monday, Sep 11th 2006, marks the 5th anniversary of one of the most horrible acts ever commited on American soil.
..lest we forget..

Peace, Grace and understanding to all of us ~

light rail

a bit of light swept through my little corner of the blogospere.

What a nice surprise to see little 'ole me mentioned over at PyroManiacs BlogSpotting post, Thank you Phil.
What I thought was especially neat though, was Phil's excellent summation of Todd Friel, so in response, and with hopes that somebody out there may get as much out of listening to these guys as I have I'd like to share a few links from the WOTM site to start off with. Beginning with a link to Todd Friel's salvation story, great read.


Incidently, it was one of my sons who pointed me to Todd and the WOTM radio program, he first heard them via KKMS radio out of Eagan, Minnesota.
God has used Jake (our son) in many ways in my life, more on that in a future post.

On the Witnessing-and-Teaching page they have a neat little list of links to some choice street preaching experiences, along with a few other goodies. Like a box of chocolates, here's a few I've broken open for you, enjoy.

One of the first, and particularily gripping podcasts I heard was where Todd goes toe to toe with evangelist-turned-atheist Dan Barker in front of an audience of college students on the UofM campus, another excellent podcast is Ray Comfort's "Hell's Best Kept Secret" - Ray's passionate message here is truly eye OPENing....
Here's a sample of their street preaching, a strengthening of the witness maximus lets say: consumate Todd witnessing to a body builder And lastly, something from the show I heard the other day, it was just so sweet...
Of course there's a million hours of listening to be had there,
check out the archives , just reading the descriptions is a hoot.

*
one may ask, "who is God?":
"Thus says God the LORD, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread out the earth and its offspring, Who gives breath to the people on it And spirit to those who walk in it" ~Isa 42:5
..Indeed..

Thanks for stopping by ~
Suz (sounds like blues)

rocka my world they did

I've never had a blog before and I'm not sure what, if much, I'll do with this one. I'll just have to see what time, circumstance, and the Lords perfect will have in store. (plus I have some things to learn about saying more with less, and properly directed-missives)

This is my nephew rocking his world as only a 4 year old can.

"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." Prov 22: 6


I created this account just so I could comment on the Pyromaniacs page. I can't recall just how I came across Pyromaniacs, I think it was someplace through somewhere through something through the Way of the Master website, (excellent podcasts to be heard there..
I started reading the Pyromaniacs pages several weeks ago, many times with eyes agape, jaw open as the spirit of Truth literally showered over me, most everything they'd been illuminating there I sort of already knew, inately. Seeing biblically sound truths so well conveyed, and with such extraordinary finesse and common sense has been a uniquely edifiying experience. To put that thought into fewer words: I totaly jived with what was being said there.

Yes, at times they are brusque, and at first I thought maybe a few pennies short in the humble purse, but I get it.

Thank You Dan, Phil, Frank, Pecadillo for keeping up such a wonderful blog,
Sincerely.

with much to be thankful for, and lots to learn..
Suzanne