Thought on this Day - Tyler

Sometimes I find it hard to grasp that nothing ever stays the same. Nothing ever stays the same. It would be so nice to wake up with all your problems solved, money in the bank and only sunshine coming through the windows. It just doesn't work that way. As we learn early in life, rain must fall.

Gardening used to be so rewarding. Seeing all the tiny seeds push through the dirt straining to get into the sunshine. There's a fragile balance of water and sun to keep the little seedlings growing and at times a real challenge for sure! Now days my plants struggle just staying alive from neglect and I'm sure there's another whole story on that subject.

Our lives as Christians have a tendency to struggle in the same way. We want to always be on the mountain top but its through the valley that we learn to trust and grow.

My sweet grandson Tyler has been facing some difficult times this summer and this past weekend has been even more difficult. Tonight we learned that he has broken his leg skating. School starts on Monday. OOPS !!! More prayer needed here!

A friend said sometime to me about treasures and it made me think of the old song we used to sing.

Are you longing for the fullness
Of the blessing of the Lord
In your heart and life today?
Claim the promise of your Father;
Come according to His Word,
In the blessèd, old time way.

Refrain

He will fill your heart today to overflowing.
As the Lord commandeth you,
“Bring your vessels, not a few.”
He will fill your heart today to overflowing
With the Holy Ghost and power.

Bring your empty earthen vessels,
Clean through Jesus’ precious blood.
Come, ye needy, one and all;
And in human consecration
Wait before the throne of God
Till the Holy Ghost shall fall.

Refrain

Like the cruse of oil unfailing
Is His grace forevermore,
And His love unchanging still;
And according to His promise,
With the Holy Ghost and power
He will every vessel fill.


I started looking for this song but can't find a good version but I did run across this article. Thought I would share it. We are earthen vessels, easily broken and worn but because we have the Lord He is able to fill them.

2 Corinthians 4:6-11

By Dr. Mark E. Hardgrove



If you had a great treasure, something so valuable that you would sell all that you have to obtain it, once you got this treasure where would you put it? Look at what Paul writes. "God . . . has shone in our hearts to give the light of the know of the glory of God [as seen in] he face of Jesus Christ." Then Paul writes, "but we have this treasure in earthen vessels . . .." The treasure is Christ in our heart, the hope of glory. The treasure is a right relationship with the Father, through the Son, in the Holy Spirit. This is the key that gives us access to the Kingdom of God, and the Kingdom of God is the pearl of great price.

we know what the treasure is, in short, it is the Gospel of Jesus Christ alive and working in our lives. Therefore, the clay pot is us. I know that doesn't give us much to glory in, but the truth is that God reached down and got a hand full of red earth and formed man. Then God breathed a spirit in to man and he became a living soul.

The pressures of life are relentless. The pressures of the world to conform to ideals and styles, appetites and desires that are contrary to God's Word, are constantly bombarding us from the media, at school and at work. The pressures of responsibilities in the family, on the job and in the church are always weighing upon us. Paul said of us clay pot that we are hard pressed.

We are hard pressed, from every side, and every angle, but because of the grace of God, the love of God and the power of the Holy Spirit, we are not crushed.

We are not crushed because the treasure in us sustains us. When a submarine goes thousands of feet below the ocean, the pressure of the water would crush the hull were it not for the air pressure within the ship. And in the waters of life, we would be crushed were it not for the Spirit of God that dwells within us

We are needy tonight, Lord! Please fill our vessels!

Psalm 73:23-27


23 Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand.

24 You guide me with your counsel,and afterward you will take me into glory.

25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.

26 My flesh and my heart may fail,but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Pondering Life

My daughter has renewed her determination to be more faithful with her blog. I have MUCH more time than she has so why don't I do it? Maybe because she has something important to say but why should I let that hamper me, right?

Today was another wait in the doctors office which always makes me ponder. There's just nothing else to do. Why do people talk very soft in a crowded office? Doesn't it just make you want to listen harder to see what they are saying? Then there's the couple that doesn't care who hears them and even the occupants of the next doctors office can hear. Why does the whispered conversation seem more interesting? Today the loud couple were discussing pizza. It was all I could do to not join in. The only thing that was not discussed was which pizza place had the bargain pizza for $3.50 and "today is MONDAY, you get TWO". Wow, talk about cardboard. That must really be cardboard. Parts of the conversation were on whether pepperoni or sausage was better.... then, too, just plain cheese was good. "Mother likes pepperoni but only if its included in the sale... no wait, I better go call her to make sure..." Minutes later this conversation continues with him asking her to write down what mother likes. He was right that she likes pepperoni. She, on the other hand would prefer hamburger. I'm sitting there thinking this can't go on much longer but it does. Price is discussed... He paid for their lunch so it was decided that She would buy the bargain pizza. No, mother will pay for hers. She says she's having a hard time thinking about the pizza cause she's so full from their big lunch, that HE bought. You're thinking this conversation is about over but nope.... he thinks "Sue might like a pizza, too. " Maybe he should go call her and see. They must not have arrived in the new tech age where everyone uses a cell phone so he leaves again. Yes, Sue wants one. She says she can eat it later in the evening or maybe even for breakfast. They warm up pretty good if you cook them slow in the microwave. Why don't more of the pizza places have such bargains? I'm thinking how can you say all this and not mention WHERE the place is... o.k. back to the subject...you can't buy a frozen pizza for that price. Diogorno makes a good pizza but its over $5.00 for the smaller one. "Have you ever tried the stuffed crust variety"? OMG, it is so good. Would you believe I can't remember the other brand that was mentioned???? AND discussed?

While this conversation is going on ... and ON... other people are quietly sitting reading magazines and minding their own business. What are the other people thinking? Some can't hear well enough to be a part of it. This I know because the nurse has to yell their names. Its such a quiet atmosphere for the most part with only short sudden bursts.. MR JOHNSON!!
I guess they figure since its a heart doctors office they will give you a little jolt for the heart to keep you moving. EVeryone always turns and watches the lucky person move inside the magic door. Once inside that door the activity level changes and there is a glimmer of hope that you won't be spending your next hour within those walls. There are always little surprises inside those walls that keep you on your toes. Sudden hospital visits tend to make you a little more cautious about blindly heading down that hall. Inside the rooms is total silence. Where's the couple with the pizza when you really want to waist a little more time????

Tomorrow's thought: Shopping at Walmart!!!!!

Politics or Would I be happier if I put my head in the sand!

Good grief, what is this world coming to. We have been told all our lives how evil communism, socialisim, marxism.. etc are so how can we even be faced with this degree of radicalism in our America? It blows me away. This morning I read the goals of the One Nation rally scheduled for this coming Sat. They talked about not letting the RADICAL TEA PARTY take over this wonderful country..... HUH? Their slogan, One Nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all...... HOW could that be so opposite of what the tea party wants? Yes, I listen to Glenn Beck, faithfully I might add, and he always says not to take his word but to do the research for yourself. Well..... I have been. I am just dumbfounded. Not only is the communist party out of the closet, so is everyone else. How can our dreams and desires be so far different and yet have some of the same content? Where is reason? What is wrong with MORALITY? What is wrong with HONOR? For example, unions were/are part of our history. Unions were needed to help the worker stand on even footing but now? Unions as a whole contribute to the downfall of many thriving businesses. Employers can move to other countries cheaper than paying the bill for the demands of unions.

I had to look up the term astro turf but here's what I found:
"In response to the success of the Tea Party rallies in April 2009, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) accused the nascent movement of being “astroturf”–a political term of art for a faux movement funded by traditional powers to give a cause the appearance of independent grassroots support.
Pelosi repeated the “astroturf” slur in August 2009 as Tea Party activists showed up in large numbers at healthcare townhall meetings.
Five national tea party-related rallies have been held in our nation’s capitol in the past year and half. If there was evidence that thousands of tea party activists were getting free bus rides to these rallies, surely the media would have made certain the whole world knew about it."

There were no free buses for the Tea Party and yet the rally for One Nation has advertised where to find the buses, lunch will be included along with a T-Shirt for the event!!!!!!! Sponsors for the event are unbelievable. Exactly what I thought no longer existed in our nice, free America. All the big unions are included, AFL-CIO, SEIC, NAACP and the one that knocked the air out of me... Communist Party of the US/Youth Leadership WOW.....lots of socialist groups on and on and even a mention of the National Baptist Convention. Well, slap me silly and call me pudding!!!!!!!! The world seems to move further and further out of my set ideals on a daily basis. I am the tea party, I am a retired middle income person that believes I shouldn't live above the income that I receive. There's no one around to bail me out if I do. I believe our founding fathers set up a system of govering that made this country the greatest country in the world where everyone was free. Free enough to say whatever gawdawful thing they want. I believe there are rules to living in this awesome country. I resent people NOT obeying the rules, ALL the rules, even our government leaders that somehow manage to "overlook" paying their taxes. Just let me try that and see what would happen!!!

O.k. enough of my rant. I am the Tea Party if only my tail feathers are sticking out of the ground!!

God Moment

God Moment

There are times when we FEEL God speaking to us and there are times you KNOW God's Hand has guided your hands to what He wants to share with you. There are times of finding a scripture that really speaks to you, finding some kind of little nugget in the word but this one tonight is just a gift right in my hands. I'm sitting here crying about the wonderfulness of it!!!O.k. I love the Gaithers and so often when I have the computer on, I have Gaither songs playing. Last week I set up a playlist of Gaither Vocal Band songs. They are about worn out I've played them so many times.
One song has been stuck in my brain for days!!! I'd go back to PC and play that song... pondering.The song is "These are They who came out of great tribulation" Tonight I have played that song over and over. Finally, I googled the lyrics so I could see all the words written

These Are They
"the oceans give up all the dead that are in them
the graves open wide to set captives free
and those who are roaming
the earth rise to meet them
abrahams seed as the sands of the sea
chorus:
these are they who have come out of great tribulation
they have washed their robes
in the blood of the lamb they have gone through much sorrow
into great jubilation
they're redeemed by the blood of the lamb
like a strong mighty army their voices are ringing
the great crowds of witnessessing freedom song as
they enter the country built by their own father
the promissed homeland
they yearned for so long
(change key)
all the strangers and pilgrims are no longer strangers
all the tired, weary wanderer's
they will wander no more
the table is ready for the great celebration
and the welcome home banner flies over the door
back to chorus "

My mom was a licensed Assembly of God minister. Her messages were always on helping people understand the Rapture and Second Coming as well as the Tribulation. The first words in this song talk about the people who have cleaned their robes. From my mom's teachings I remember these saints as the ones that did not go in the Rapture . They had to go through the great tribulation and practically give their lives for God. They were only a small number that will make Heaven. Rev 7:9-17. For days the words wandered around my brain. Its a beautiful song and makes me think my mom is actully much closer to me all the time.

Anyway, tonight when I came to the computer, I played that song again and while I was listening I did a google search for the lyrics so I could read them. Then I opened my E-Sword online bible to look up that scripture. For some reason the search did not find "These are they..." I played the song a few more times wishing I had paid more attention to mom's teaching when I had her. Finally I got out MY old Dakes Bible. My mom's bible was right next to mine but I picked up mine. Found the verse in Rev 7:9-17 Then I started looking in Dake's notes. A few old photos dropped out of the Bible and as I was putting them back I noticed a faded, worn, note in my mother's handwriting. She had notes everywhere. Her own Bible can hardly close because of her notes. The thought went through my mind, 'wouldn't it be neat if this note was on this verse:???

Well........ thank you Lord and my momma. Its on this verse exactly. She must have been studying and starting jotting down her thoughts......

If you choose to look at this in the eyes of the world, its just a crazy coincidence but as I looked at it, tears filled my eyes. How awesome is it when you can almost reach out and touch a person just with the spirit? I can hold this piece of paper that my mother jotted notes on and feel her sincere desire to learn more about God and to share that knowledge with others. Tonight it has been VERY special to know our minds were so attuned that God was able to touch me through my mom's writings. Mom's been dead since Jan 1999. I miss her more as I get older. She was a special lady.

Here's what she wrote, just the way she wrote it...."Some who teach prophesy emphasize the antichrist and the horrible events of the Tribulation more than the Glories of Christ and the great and mighty things God is going to do to glorify His name and many Christians not only ignorant of God's plan and His purposes but are careless and indifferent to divine things. The Natural man receiveth not the things of God they are spiritually discerned.
In a great efford to attract peoples attention to Him and His Power to save and help from the awful tribulations. The Laodocean Church - had no white garments. Their garments were spotted Eph 4 - The Bride is to be without spot or blemish, white garments, not stained, lost their virtue - on the fence flirting with the world, indifferent to admonition of the word to walk in Righteousness. Lukewarm. Joel says "in valley of Decision can't make up mind- want to be religious - and do not want to be lost, want world. In Chaper 7 of Rev. they make up their minds , wash robes, make them white in the Blood. "These are they that have come out of great tribulation!!!"
We believe that we Christians will be taken out before the tribulation actually starts but that's not the END. There will be a "remnant" that will stand up for Jesus, cleanse their robes... profess to the world their faith. These Christians will have to suffer and endure horrible times.

It was such a good time to share a little nugget of mom's teaching, in her own handwriting. How awesome is that? Thank you, Lord!

Another thought on aging

I have heard of elderly people having this problem, then Kathy had them but that was just a fluke. SO... what's up with ME getting the SHINGLES??? I'm not ELDERLY !!!, am I ????? O.k. getting shingles is bad bad bad so what have I done in my life to deserve getting them on my FACE????? WHO ever gets them on the FACE??? PAIN..... oh my gawd@@@!!@$ I have never hurt so much in my life and for days and days, doctors and nurses, strange people of all descriptions were in my face looking, poking... hmmm'ing, Just give me some more pain meds and you can look all you want. The highlight of the whole hospital thing was the doctor taking photos as I "progressed". I'll probably end up in some medical journal only no one will know its me, not that I really want anyone to know its me but geez... shouldnt' there be some pay back for all this pain?????
Just remember if you are ever given the choice of having your lower lip pulled up and over your head OR....a case of shingles... choose the lipt thing!!!!!!!

Chestnuts roasting on the scrapyard fire...

 


Acorn Steel had its annual Scrap Barbeque today. The turnout was great and so was the barbeque. The weather didn't cooperate, tho. Cold and rainy

'dem bones, 'dem bones, 'dem DRY bones....

My focus as of late has been on hurricane ike and the so called recovery process. Thank the Lord, I'm able to be in my home, sleep in my bed ( :) ) and type on my own computer. For that I am blessed. Never would I have understood the extent of pain others are going through except I see it happening to my brother and sister in law. The pain of losing everything is unbelievable but that's only the beginning of the horror.

Its been 2 months now and no possibility of an end in sight. They have moved from hotel to hotel, some very nice, some adequate. The story is long and discouraging. Help comes with a "forked-tongue". True one day, false the next. What I want to tell you today is one of the realities of this type of natural disaster.

One day last week I went with Ted and Brenda to "view the remains" At this day, almost two months later the roads are almost passable. Rollover Pass bridge has been made into a one way bridge with a signal light. Washed out areas of the road have been temporarily patched. Debris is everywhere. Plastic bags hang from the
light poles. Those little suckers really hang in there!!!

Ted and Brenda's place is swept clean... kinda, with a heavy cover of sand. There's a huge pond where the house used to be with their car and lawn mower in the pond. There's also one window frame, no glass, left hanging where the storage shed used to be. We took pictures, Ted walked out to the edge of the property toward the beach.
Brenda and I started wandering toward the road. Rains since Ike have started bringing little 'treasures' to the surface. We found a few dishes but they weren't Brenda's. Toward the edge of the road, Brenda told me to look. It was a bone, partly buried in the sand. She moved it around with her foot and we discussed what KIND of bone it might be. We called Ted over and he said it looked like a "femar". I kept thinking, no its got to be a cow or horse or very large dog... you know, I'm really smart that way :) We took photos and put it in the van.

That bone/person rode around with us in the van for a couple of days !!!! Long story about how it got turned in but we have had a part of a human hanging out with us, being in the car while we DRANK COKES OVER IT, talked, chatted and "fairly recently" dead !!!!!! Its now in the care of the Galveston County Medical Examiner's office and hopefully will someday be reunited with family. Remember the old song we used to sing... Dem bones, dem bones, dem...dry bones. Ezekiel's bones.

Next chapter
After learning about the bone we started thinking about something else we found that was strange. There was a piece of broken siding laying face down in the sand with
things under it. I could see there was writing, like spray painting. Ted turned it over for it and it said "H e l p" sprayed on that strip. NOW, since finding that bone, that's real. Who wrote that sign? What happened that night? What's the rest of that story???