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: