An Amazing Man

No Monday Music today but I am focusing on a music man…..His challenges put all of your problems into perspective. My Monday music selections tend to slow the blog down if I post the video here, so here is the link to watch the amazing Tony Melendez on YouTube.

May God Continue to Bless You With the Little Annoying Things...

Received this through email the other day from this guy…..thought it was interesting and thought provoking, and the best way to share is to publish!

As you might know, the head of a company survived 9/11 because his son started kindergarten.

Another fellow was alive because it was his turn to bring donuts.

One woman was late because her alarm clock didn’t go off in time.

One was late because of being stuck on the New Jersey Turnpike because of an auto accident.

One of them missed the bus.

One spilled food on her clothes and had to take time to change.

One was late because their car wouldn’t start.

One went back to answer the telephone.

One had a child that dawdled and didn’t get ready as soon as he should have.

One couldn’t get a taxi.

The one that struck me was the man who put on a new pair of shoes that morning, took the various means to get to work, but before he got there, he developed a blister on his foot.

He stopped at a drugstore to buy a Band-Aid.

That is why he is alive today.

Now when I am stuck in traffic,

Miss an elevator,

Turn back to answer a ringing telephone….

All the little things that annoy me

I think to myself,

This is exactly where

God wants me to be

At this very moment.

Next time your morning seems to be going wrong….the children are slow getting dressed,

You can’t seem to find the car keys,

You hit every traffic light,

Don’t get mad or frustrated;

It may be just that

God is at work watching over you.

May God continue to bless you with all those annoying little things

And may you remember the possible purpose.

It's a Miracle!

Wouldn’t it be great if all you had to do to receive a miracle is eat some pie. This lovely recipe was given to me by a good friend who brought us dinner a few nights ago soon after my hospital stay. ALL of the ingredients are blended together and just like a miracle the crust, the filling, and the topping forms during the baking process.

I’ll stick with with Scripture at first…look at the end of the post for the actual ingredients.

Miracle Pie Ingredients…

1 cup Jeremiah 6:20…What do I care about incense from Sheba or sweet calamus from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable; your sacrifices do not please me.

¼ cup Genesis 18:8…He then brought some curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and set these before them. While they ate, he stood near them under a tree.

4 Deuteronomy 22:6…If you come across a bird's nest beside the road, either in a tree or on the ground, and the mother is sitting on the young or on the eggs, do not take the mother with the young. 7 You may take the young, but be sure to let the mother go, so that it may go well with you and you may have a long life.

½ cup 2 Kings 7:18…It happened as the man of God had said to the king: "About this time tomorrow, a seah of flour will sell for a shekel and two seahs of barley for a shekel at the gate of Samaria."

2 cups Hebrew 5:13…Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness.

1 cup Genesis 43:11…Then their father Israel said to them, "If it must be, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your bags and take them down to the man as a gift—a little balm and a little honey, some spices and myrrh, some pistachio nuts and almonds.

½ tsp. 2 Kings 23:15…Even the altar at Bethel, the high place made by Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had caused Israel to sin—even that altar and high place he demolished. He burned the high place and ground it to powder, and burned the Asherah pole also.

¼ tsp. Matthew 5:13…You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.

1 tsp. Vanilla

Put all ingredients into a blender. Blend thoroughly. Pour into a 10 inch pie plate that has been greased and floured. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes. A crust will form on the bottom. Pie filling is the center and a coconut topping above.

Make it a family project to look up the ingredients. In case you need the cheats here they are:

1 cup sugar
¼ cup butter
4 eggs
½ cup flour
2 cups milk
1 cup coconut
½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla

Religion vs. Relationship

1. Religion is a series of man-made procedures that satisfies the heart into thinking that growth is taking place. A relationship with Jesus encourages growth as you learn more about Him and strive to emulate Him.

2. Religion is an opportunity to stifle the Holy Spirit into nothing more than a dance or a palm raised in the air because it’s what others do around you. A relationship with Jesus helps you to understand the Holy Spirit is power….power Jesus used to cast out demons, heal people, and defeat death. Amazingly that very relationship enables the power to reside in us.

3. How many times have you been told that God is a mystery when you have questions about the weather, about tragedies, about why the birds always seem to know when to fly south? Religion sees God as a mystery. A relationship with Jesus according to 1 Corinthians 2:10….but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.

4. In fact, Religion will often beg you to accept things without question. There’s no reason to search for the truth because we have steps to follow and works to complete. A relationship with Jesus tell us that He is the way the truth and the light. Therefore by growing our relationship with Jesus our questions will be answered.

5. Religion reveres ministers, pastors, elders, and the people mentioned in the Bible. A relationship with Jesus teaches that all men are the same….we are all ministers and responsible for advancing His kingdom.

6. Religion states Jesus, God, and the Holy Spirit are separate. A relationship with Jesus shows us that Jesus, God and the Holy Spirit are three different manifestations of the same God.

7. Religion will leave you asking questions, wishing you could change things, and will leave you very unfulfilled. A relationship with Jesus with help you find ways to change things, solutions to problems, and you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.

8. Religion encourages listening to a sermon over studying the Bible. A relationship with Jesus encourages you to study on your own and with others.

9. Religion prefers hope over expecting God will bless you. A relationship with Jesus begs you to expect great things including blessings and power.

10. Religion states money makes people evil. A relationship with Jesus shows us that He wants us to live more abundantly and it’s how the money is used that makes all the difference.

11. Religion explains that people like Moses, David, and Solomon were very special people and that we would find it hard to emulate them. A relationship with Jesus helps to explain all of the people set aside in the Bible were annointed by the Holy Spirit. Believers have the Holy Spirit within them. There is nothing that can hold us back.

12. Religion shows Satan as powerful foe. A relationship with Jesus provides us with the power of the Holy Spirit. Through that power Satan can be defeated just as Jesus defeated him.

13. Religion teaching provides information about God. A relationship with Jesus enables us to actually know God.

Look for a few more comparisons between religion and relationship later….

Many bloggers have published their own personal list of 13 things. You can see the complete list of bloggers here.

Wordless: Verse 52

Ever wonder what Jezebel looked like. So did the British artist John Byam Liston Shaw. He created this image of Jezebel in 1896

Happy Wednesday! You can locate other Wordless images here

I'm Getting Excited

I’m getting excited. At my church we are in the middle of planning a women’s event. Naomi Carroll will be our speaker.

My Monday music selections tend to slow the blog down if I post the video here, so
here is the link to watch Naomi Carroll on YouTube.

The event is titled A Reason to Celebrate, and it will be held at First Baptist Church, Lithia Springs on Saturday, October 4th. Tickets are $20.00. If you live close by and want a ticket you can contact me through my email over in the right sidebar. The evening includes dinner, door prizes, and Mrs. Carroll. Wow!

Find out more about Naomi Carroll at her website here.

Sweetly Broken

I had a plan this morning. I wanted to post music as I normally do on Mondays, but I’m in one part of the house and my Bible….containing my notations regarding various songs that were used yesterday at chuch….is at the other end of my home.

These days moving from one end of the house to the other isn’t as simple as it was pre-operation, so I was putting the trip off by making a quick stop by YouTube to see what I could see.

The video I’ve placed here today caught my eye on the main screen when YouTube popped up. I would venture to say “this” is the one I was meant to use. It features the song Sweetly Broken by Jeremy Riddle. The lyrics appear below the video screen.

Watch the video closely…..the images are “most execellent”, and as any of my former students can tell you that is the highest accolade this educator gives. :)

You can access the Jeremy Riddle MySpace page here

My Monday music selections tend to slow the blog down if I post the video here, so here is the link to watch the video on YouTube.

...and here are the lyrics:

To the cross I look, to the cross I cling
Of its suffering I do drink
Of its work I do sing

For on it my Savior both bruised and crushed
Showed that God is love
And God is just

Chorus:
At the cross You beckon me
You draw me gently to my knees, and I am
Lost for words so lost in love
I’m sweetly broken wholly surrendered

What a priceless gift, undeserved life
Have I been given
Through Christ crucified

You’ve called me out of death
You’ve called me into life
And I was under Your wrath
Now through the cross I’m reconciled
Chorus:

In awe of the cross I must confess
How wondrous Your redeeming love and
How great is your faithfulness

2x’s
Chorus:

It's Carnival Time in the Georgia Blogosphere

The Georgia Carnival has posted over at Georgia on My Mind.

The best thing about a carnival of this sort is all of the various types of postings you can discover.

There’s a little something for everyone.

The Christian Carnival and a Short Video

Diane over at Crossroads: Where Faith and Inquiry Meet is hosting the latest edition of the Christian Carnival. You can access it here. I’m off to read all of the interesting things over there, so while I’m gone you can watch this interesting video:

Where Was God on September 11th?

'MEET ME IN THE STAIRWELL'

You say you will never forget where you were when you heard the news On September 11, 2001. Neither will I. I was on the 110th floor in a smoke filled room with a man who ca ll ed his wife to say 'Good-Bye.' I held his fingers st eady as he dialed. I gave him the peace to say, 'Honey, I am not going to make it, but it is OK…I am ready to go.'

I was with his wife when he called as she fed breakfast to their children. I held her up as she tried to understand his words and as she realized he wasn't coming home that night.

I was in the stairwell of the 23rd floor when a woman cried out to Me for help. 'I have been knocking on the door of your heart for 50 years!' I said. 'Of course I will show you the way home - only believe in Me now.'

I was at the base of the building with the Priest ministering to the injured and devastated souls. I took him home to tend to his Flock in Heaven. He heard my voice and answered.

I was on all four of those planes, in every seat, with every prayer. I was with the crew as they were overtaken. I was in the very hearts of the believers there, comforting and assuring them that their fait h has saved them.

I was in Texas , Virginia , California , Michigan , Afghanistan . I was standing next to you when you heard the terrible news. Did you sense Me? I want you to know that I saw every face. I knew every name - though not all know Me.

Some met Me for the first time on the 86th floor. Some sought Me with their last breath. Some couldn't hear Me calling to them through the smoke and flames; 'Come to Me... this way... take my hand.' Some chose, for the final time, to ignore Me. But, I was there.

I did not place you in the Tower that day. You may not know why, but I do. However, if you were there in that explosive moment in time, would you have reached for Me? Sept 11, 2001, was not the end of the journey for you . But someday your journey will end. And I will be there for you as well. Seek Me now while I may be found. Then, at any moment, you know you are 'ready to go.'

I will be in the stairwell of your final moments.


This poem came to me through an email along with several images of that horrible day. My September 11th memory can be found here. Other posts regarding terrorisim and other visions of 9/11 are here.

I'll Fly Away

Choosing YOUR Life

The image here is my paternal great-grandparents and some of their children. My grandfather is the young man in the middle. Granny Land lived to be 102 and was fairly healthy until the last couple of years of her life. Both of her daughters seen in this image also lived to be 100 or right up to it. My grandfather and his brother seen in the picture also lived to be in their late 90s. The joke in our family is that the Lands just old and ugly away, and finally have to be put down because we live forever.

I would hope that I could follow in my great-grandmother’s tradition of living a long and varied life, but I don’t think I’ll make it to 100. First, I don’t tend to follow along the genetic lines of my dad’s family. Another reason why I feel many from my generation won’t live to be 100 has to be our 21st century society.

Sure, I lead a very charmed life in comparison to my grandmother. I have instant information at my fingertips. The only information source Granny had was a book….and not many of those. I have three college degrees. Granny barely finished grade school. I have every timesaving device you can think of from a washing machine and a dryer, a phone, a vacuume, and a cell phone. Granny saved time by hitching a plow to a plowhorse, washed her dishes by hand three times a day, and she raised her children instead of having the luxury of allowing others to care for her brood.

I have a book I carry with me to schedule my appointments and to make my life easier. Granny didn’t need one. Her only appointment consisted of a meeting with God and other believers on Sunday morning. I can vote. My great-grandmother could not do for many years. Heck, I have a car that can sense water on the windshield and immediately the wipers begin on their own and end on their own. I mean why do I want to expend my energy to push a button? I don’t think my great-grandmother knew how to drive other than driving a plowhorse or a wagon.

Other than having a loving God, a loving man, and loving children my great-grandmother and I have little in common, yet we like to think we have it so much better than our ancestors. Things are so much better now.

But are we just fooling ourselves?

It just seems to me that for all our efforts to save time and make our lives easier all we have really accomplished is we have produced a very frenzied and wild ride for ourselves. Many of my friends express being tired, being over scheduled, and giving in to a cyle of frustrations, compulsions, and depression all in the name of having a charmed life with timesaving devices and freedom to do what we want, yet, most of us aren’t having the life we want.

This is not the life my great-grandmother would want for me, and it certainly isn’t the life God wants for us either.

The NIV translation for Ephesians 5:15-16 tells us….Be very careful, then, how you live---not as unwise but as wise making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.

Recently I was fortunate enough to hear a sermon regarding making the best use of our time, and three points to remember were provided. First, we need to get our priorities straight. We have to know what is important, and we have to have a plan.

Proverbs 17:24 teaches….A discerning man keeps wisdom in view, but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth. Being a discerning man also means we need to know when to be quiet and allow God’s plan to come into view. Often we race around on our own at a hurly-burly pace, but our plans are contrary to God’s, and this is the very reason we end up in cycles of being busy... yet there is no growth... only stagnation. Scripture gives us an answer for this problem. In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps… Proverbs 16:9.

Anxiety is the catalyst and the byproduct of our busy lives. A catalyst because we latch on to certain ideals and mores society promotes such as the superwoman ideal. Recently I was given an opportunity to discuss the need for taking time for ourselves with a group of women at my church. I told them that I believe some of the distress my peers—the girls of the 60s and 70s—feel as grown members in our society today—is we were constantly told we could do anything. We could have it all and be everything—the perfect wife, the perfect mother, the perfect career, the perfect volunteer, the perfect friend, the perfect aunt, the perfect daughter and daughter-in-law. However, no one told us what a toll it would have on our psyches—the constant drive to have it all.

We need to lighten up. By this I mean we need to turn off our own life and turn to God’s light. The Bible clearly explains….Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down…Proverbs 12:25, and if I truly want to be like Granny Land and live to 100 or beyond…a relaxed attitude lengthens a man’s life….Proverbs 14:30.

We are meant to enjoy our lives…not endure them.

Look to the example Jesus set for us. He was never in a hurry. He always took time with his Father and held to the promise of Proverbs 14:26 which reminds us… He who fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for his children it will be a refuge...From God’s perspective our concerns our very small because our ultimate focus should be being about our Father’s business.

I truly believe that we all need to stop and take stock of our lives from time to time to see how we are spending our lives.

Are our actions focused on God and His business?

Are we spending the right kind of time with our Father?

Does our life game plan need to be tweaked a bit?

Do you really trust God? In this life you exchange your soul for something…..What are you willing to exchange?

Here's a hint...He doesn’t want our religion. He wants our relationship.

Wordless: Verse 51

Thyatira…..today a modern Turkish city referred to as Akhisar….is mostly forgotten, however, readers of the Bible will find Thyatira mentioned in Acts 16:14…One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message

Revelation 1:11 mentions Thyatira as one of the seven churches….which said: “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.”

Revelation 2:18-19 where it states…To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze. I know your deeds, your love an faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first…

….and at verse 24…Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets (I will not impose any other burden on you)…

I found some great pictures (and used one here) of the ruins of Thyatira here taken by David Phillips with informational captions. He states Thyatira was a city big enough to boast of triple arches, multiple businesses, pottery factories, purple dye, wines, dried foods, many kinds of bronze and metal works, sculptures and textiles…..

Thyatira is a great example of a New Testament city where early Christians had to coexist alongside more non-believers than believers. Little is known about the growth of Christianity at Thyatira, however, the letter to the church mentioned in Revelation places the church there in the latter half of the first century A.D.

Find other bloggers participating in Wordless Wednesday here.

So, Where Ya Been EHT?

I’m home.

Finally.

It has been a harrowing ten days in the hospital…an unexepected stay.

Thirteen days ago from seemingly nowhere I began to have severe pain in my abdomen. Pain that came in waves reminiscent to labor pains. Being the strong, stubborn woman I am I attempted to heal myself and summed it all up to the fact that many forty-something year old women tend to do…..”Oh, it must be The Change.”

Wrong.

I finally had had enough on the third day and decided to visit my doctor. My insurance provider then sent me on on wonderful travel tour of Atlanta as I had to visit first one office and then another in order to have this test and then another to determine the source of my discomfort. I tell you it isn’t easy to navigate Atlanta traffic lying prone in the passenger seat of you vehicle……it makes it very hard to help Dear Hubby drive.

Finally, with a set of ultrasound results in hand I visited my internist only to hear her say some parts of my innards were still invisible and I would have to trek to north Atlanta to have yet another test…..a CT Scan…at yet another wonderful facility my insurance company owns.

I couldn’t believe it. Another pain-filled ride through another rush hour….my second such ride that day…..I didn’t think I could endure it. It was crazy.

“Dear Doctor,” I said as I made a direction point with my finger, “there’s a fine hospital right on the next corner, and you’re telling me I have to drive an hour for a test….and then I might have to drive again to the hospital my insurance company wants me to be at?”

She confirmed. I’d had enough. I should have gone to the emergency room to begin with with, but…..I was trying----trying----trying to play the insurance game, so when payment time came there would be no problems.

Dear Hubby and I high-tailed it to the ER on the corner….Dear Doctor had called ahead, gave me my assortment of test results, and we didn’t wait long at all. Within minutes I had an ER doctor, an IV feeding me some sort of wonderful drug called Newbaine, and the CT scan was completed.

Then enter my medical savior…..a fine young man with a face any mother would love (man, these doctors resemble teenagers these days) who wanted to enter my body and complete a Laparoscopy to see what exactly was going on in my innards. Dear Hubby and I consented and suddenly there was a flurry of events. While the surgery nurses were trying to get together items to prep me for an unexepected Friday evening operation and asking me hundreds of questions I was racking my brain regarding the many things that Dear Hubby needed to do.

Then I was removing my rings for Dear Hubby to keep. Reciting a quick “to-do” list…calls to our children….our parents, our pastor, friends and other family.

A rushed good-bye kiss, and then I remember nothing until I woke up in recovery.

A one hour look-see turned into a four hour major surgery.

I can only imagine what Dear Hubby went through as he sat in the waiting room. It had been too late in the evening for our parents to travel, but two couples from church along with a pastor showed up to wait with him.

For the last ten days I’ve been in a Morphine induced trance recovering from the removal of a tumor in my Colin, removal of approximately one foot of my intestines, removal of my Appendix, and the removal of an ovary…..a complete Hysterectomy now waits in the wings.

….and I get You just thought Elementaryhistoryteacher was just being a bit lazy with the blogs. :)

….and BTW…..those of you that put those doctor visits off and don’t go for your screenings as you should….please, please, please make those appointments this week. :)