Demanding

     Are we a demanding society or what?  We want things now, right now as a matter of fact.  Demanding is defined as requiring much work or attention.  Do you think you are a demanding type of individual?
     If we break down the word 'demanding,' what is in the center of it?  'MAN.'  Yes, when we are demanding with others we are focused on our selfish desires.  We don't consider the other factors involved like time, feelings, or tact in getting what we want.  Patience goes a long way in dealing with this weakness.
     You could probably say toddlers are the stereotype of a demanding person.  They are still learning the ropes on how to wait their turn.  Their reasoning abilities don't involve anything else but what is in their short-sighted little minds.
    When we get a demanding attitude, the de---ding bell should sound off in our heads to remind us that we are just thinking about 'man' or ourselves.  What you demand of others, demand it of yourself also.  What is good for the goose, is good for the gander.

Tangents

     I've had people ask me how I come up with topics to post a blog about.  I look and listen for things that somehow strike a chord with me.  Sometimes the subject comes easily and I write it in my head the night before.  Other times I struggle to come up with just something basic.  I do love it tho when my idea goes off on a positive tangent that had never entered my mind in the beginning.
     Tangents are often associated with negativity.  To define a tangent is a sudden digression or change of course.  Our sinful nature can twist an idea into more of what we desire than what is right.  Then we ask, 'how did I end up in this mess?'  Life is full of tangents that want to steer us in the wrong direction.  We must stick to the faith-paved path and not be led astray.

     Matthew 7; 13-14  ''Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.''

Changing

     Don't we often think we know best for others and yet our own problems need no advice?  Since I've never had weight issues, I have to remind myself that my lack of desire to exercise is just as bad as overeating.  We think we could change the world, if people would just think like we do, huh?  That is a pretty arrogant attitude, if you think about it.  Sometimes we concentrate on others faults without seeing our own right before us.  Psalm 19:12  ''But who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults.''  I've heard that what bothers us most in others is often a weakness in our own lives.

     We cannot change others but only lead by example.  Working on the improvement of yourself is the only construction zone that needs a changing by you.  We can plant seeds in others but the Holy Spirit controls the growth of it.

     I think this is a subject that should cause a humbling effect in all of us and remind us that we don't know it all.  People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.  We are all vulnerable and weak with faults.  

Tired... in a Good Way

    It is now 8pm and I'm just now finding time in my day to write a blog post.  I can't tell you how good that is in just a few words.  To say 'this is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice in it' is a blessed feeling.  My days are often limited by health issues or lack of accessibility.  Things have changed around here with my new helper and I am able to go and do more when I feel up to it.  Today I went shopping, visited with a friend and had dinner out with friends.  So when I say I'm tired right now, it is a wonderful feeling that I am thankful for.
    May you also make the most of your days because they are fleeting and should be treasured.  When you're tired--- rest, but when you feel refreshed-- do your best with that time.

Way Back Wednesday---Temptation

     This picture is from my trip with Charlene to Las Vegas, 2008 or 2009?  We had a great time out there with so much to do, there wasn't even time to gamble it away.  I do want to go back to see the other half of the Strip we missed.
      Las Vegas is known as Sin City.  Is it any more sinful than the daily world we live in?  I can't say I was tempted by anything out there but that's because my heart and mind were in a good place.  I think we are surrounded by temptation every day, every where.  We can choose to put blinders on to things not to our benefit and avoid being tempted.  In our bible study this week, we discussed the Lord's prayer and what 'lead me not into temptation' means.  James 1;13-15  ''When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.''  To me, this verse means we are tempted by our own will, above His.  We are led to temptation when we think we know better and want to do things our way.  I think the first step to sin is rationalization.  We know right from wrong, but.....[you can fill in the blank]......!  When your mind starts twisting the facts, you should stop yourself in your tracks. 
      1 Corinthians 10:13  ''No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.''

     

Beautiful Spelling

THE U IN JESUS 

Before U were thought of or time had begun,
God stuck U in the name of His Son..
And each time U pray, you'll see it's true,
You can't spell out JesUs and not include U.
You're a pretty big part of His wonderful name,
For U, He was born; that's why He came. 

And His great love for U is the reason He died.
It even takes U to spell crUcified..
Isn't it thrilling and splendidly grand
He rose from the dead, with U in His plan?
The stones split away, the gold trUmpet blew,
And this word resUrrection is spelled with a U.
When JesUs left earth at His Upward ascension,
He felt there was one thing He just had to mention.

"Go into the world and tell them it's true
That I love them all - Just like I love U."
So many great people are spelled with a U,
Don't they have a right to know JesUs too?
It all depends now on what U will do,
He'd like them to know,
But it all starts with U. 


   
     Do you realize how important you are to God's plan?  The plan for your existence was made before you were even thought of as an idea in human minds.  I think this poem illustrates better than any words that I can say about how much God cares for us.  'He is the Way, the Truth and the Light.'
    Jesus' name not only includes 'U' but 'US' as a church body.  We are to share the Good News to include others in the hope we have been given.  As the story goes, that one lost sheep is very important to Him.  So don't think that you as one person can't do enough to matter, in the end it is all in Who 'U' know.

Insured

       Insurance is a costly, yet needed form of security in our lives.  My medical insurance coverage has ranged in cost from being reasonable to taking every extra dollar I had.  I have drawn from it as a resource to cover many bills on many occasions.  I will never default on letting this coverage go, I can't afford to.  I know that the Great Physician is in charge but I don't dismiss what He provides thru earthly means for me.  I have seen in the news, where parents have denied treatment for their kid's illness.  Then people are angry because they say God didn't intervene?  Isn't God's provisions for our care provided in all different kinds of ways?   He sent medicine, doctors, etc. and they still claim nothing was done.
       Are you insured?  Does your coverage include full compensation for your eternal future?  As the caption above indicates, there is no monetary price that can be paid by you.  It was pre-paid in advance by Jesus.  It does require a surrendering of your will to His and a belief in the Son of Man sent to save us from our sins.
       Are you in Good Hands?  Are you planning for tomorrow...today?  Bottom line, a better value.  Give your child an advantage for life.  These are just a few insurance slogans that are used by companies today.  They all apply to the life insurance that is provided only by Jesus.  Sign up today, and make sure your name is written in the Book of Life.

Lucky Duck

     How often do we sit down and have ourselves a little pity party?  How often do we focus all of our attention on the negativity in life?  I say, it is all too often.  There are always going to be people who are worse off than you and are praying for those blessings you've been given.  We take for granted all we are given, until it is taken away.  We always want more and never feel truly satisfied, like a kid in a toy store.
     I think American's blessings can be compared with women's clothing sizes. I went to Target yesterday and the XS size was for who, an extra small whale?  Well, that's what I thought.  As an American, do you count your blessings as extra small and yet it is more than enough for you?  Do you share that extra with others or stuff it in your own pants?
     A lot of people don't like the word 'luck' because they want to give credit to the Giver of all things good and bad knowing there is His purpose in everything.
    Uplifting others and being an encouragement can be the party crashers to your own pity party... invite that kind of thinking and action in.  It'll do you good.

A God Thing

     The other day, my dad was working on the sprinkler head in the front yard.  As he was busy with it, he saw the golf cart start moving on its own and headed down the hill.  He jumped up and chased after only to go splat in the driveway.  All he could do now is watch as it made its way toward the street.  Thankfully, it hit a rock and turned around and stopped.  The rock was definitely a Rock thing.
      I think we see this often with others, if not within ourselves.  Seeing others on the road to danger or disaster and feeling as if we have nothing we can do to stop it.  We can chase after them only to be ignored or yell warnings to watch out and be turned a deaf ear.  Prayer is the best intervention.  Sometimes hitting that rock bottom is what turns people around.  'Lead me to that Rock that is higher than I.'
      In all things, pray continuously.  God doesn't give up on us so don't give up on His ability to intervene.

Don't Bite

     Hmm, this caption states a simple fact and yet it's so hard to follow.  Do you often see the dangling opportunity to say more than you should?  It is hard not to let it just pass by without just a little nibble.  Sometimes those nibbles lead us to running with the whole kit n kaboodle.
    Thinking about what we are going to say should come first, not second to saying it.  We do not have to share everything we think we know on a subject.  Choose what is pertinent, beneficial and to the point.
    I've often wondered how many times my soft voice or lack of breath has kept me from trouble.  It is probably too high to count, ha.  It does give me more pause before I speak because I consider whether it's worth it.
    Are you going to fall for the hook, line and sinker of destructive outbursts?  Is the bait of juicy gossip going to lure you in?  Instead, let life's current lead you to a feeding place of fellowship with others on the Daily Bread.

Way Back Wednesday......Stairs

      I've often thought that if I ever wrote an autobiography, I would title it ''It's Not Just Stairs.''  This stems from the fact that up until I had back surgery, I pretty much thought I could do anything any other kid could do.  Maybe not as fast or as well but nothing in my mind hindered my effort to try.  Then after surgery, negotiating stairs was a challenge that stopped me in my tracks.  I learned I had to have something to hold onto and if there wasn't a rail, I'd find another route.  Pride halted the mere thought of a cane or any other aide.  My thoughts back then were that I could manage with just stairs being my only hurdle to jump in life.  Pretty naive, you might say?
      I was raised with expectations not excuses.  A philosophy that all parents should embrace in their kids.  My parents knew life itself would set the limits for me and they didn't need to lower the bar of what was required of me.
     So now it's not just stairs as my only challenge in life but they are loaded down with other things.  I'm still climbing them despite all the junk in the way because of the solid foundation from which I was raised.  Thanks Mom and Dad.

Creator

     I was reading my daily bible passages and came across the verse about there being nothing new under the sun.  That is a pretty broad statement but true.  Humans have only discovered or invented things by what has always been here.  We are provided the supplies by the Creator from which we build upon to make things.
     I wonder if people long ago went as nuts over the abacus as we do now over the iPad?  I'm sure it transformed lives and made things faster for them, as computers do for us now.  History is just repeating itself in an alternate form.
     Society seems to put inventors, like Steve Jobs, on a pedestal beyond reach.  Sure he deserves recognition for the great achievements he made but how much more praise does his Creator deserve?
     I think the passages from Job. where God confronts him on who he is to question Him, should be read by all who think they know more than Him.  God tells of all the things He has under control from the least to the greatest of things.
     We were created by Him and for Him.  May we be consumed with that thought in every way of our lives.

41 and Counting

 










    I couldn't let my 41st birthday pass without a blog post about it.  As I count the 41 years of this life, I also pause to count my blessings.
    Nine of my good friends, Charity is missing from the picture, met me at Santo Coyote to celebrate the night before my birthday.  These women have truly blessed my life with each of their friendships.  I have gotten to know them better with time and I look forward to spending more life moments together with them.  We had a great time devouring guacamole and mexican sopas.
     Sunday was my actual birthday and my friend, Kellie, sang a song about grace for my requested birthday gift.  After church, we met fellow friend and birthday celebrator, Dave, at Casa Mexicana. We shared a joint birthday cake and a time of fellowship.
    My parents gave me a 6' wooden bookshelf for my room.  I doubt I have enough fall decorations to fill it up.. ha.  I did get a new owl from a friend to set on it.
    A friend, Bobby, said that because my birthday was on the Lord's day, that I was at least doubly blessed.  I am blessed beyond measure by the love of family and friends provided only by God's love and provisions for me.  A BIG THANK YOU to all.

FBF PRAYER REQUESTS...SEPT 2012

FBF PRAYER REQUESTS ........SEPT 2012

TED AND PRISCILLA CLARK

Thank you for praying for our youth camps this summer.  Please continue to pray for the Lord’s work in the lives of these youth.  Pray that He would use the teachings they heard and that they would not forget the decisions they made during that time.

Pray for the work of the Lord in the men of the church who will be leading and teaching in our absence.  Pray that He would raise up strong, humble, prepared leaders for this church.

 

MONICA SERNATINGER

1. Please, continue to pray for Jorge and Yazmin's salvation. We praise the Lord that their baby girl is now home with them here in Puruandiro, and has been diagnosed with thrombocytopenic purpura (a reduction in circulating blood platelets which can result from a variety of causes), and is currently under control. She is very precious. May they all come to be saved.
   
2. September 8, our church is planning to have an evangelistic event with a "Noche Mexicana" (to celebrate Mexico's Independence Day). May the Lord's Word reach the hearts of our invitees, and may many turn to Jesus for salvation.
3. Thank you so very much for praying and praising Him with us.

MARTIN AND HANSY TOUHY

1. Town square evangelism. Boldness and wisdom in preaching a clear gospel to the post modern folks here.

2. Sensitivity to Gods leading as we plan trip to US and MX at the end of this year.

BOBBY AND NAMATHA AVILEZ

1.       Praying brothers and sisters at Faith, we just want to thank you for your prayers. They have made really made a difference during these times.

2.       We are still on the hunt for land to rebuild. Pray that the Lord would keep us away from the wrong one and lead us to the right one!

PHILIP AND SANDRA PRIME

Please pray for an evangelistic event that we will be having in our church on September 15 (in conjunction with the Mexican holiday which celebrates Mexico's independence from Spain).

Also pray for the Valdenegro family (Jesús was the one who was kidnapped last December). They are learning to obey and remain faithful to God in spite of the open rebellion of one of their sons, Ishmael.


 

Others First

     When I consider this verse, I think 'I do that' but it is also when it's my idea.  I take people food or do something to make somebody feel special.  Then there are those opposite moments when someone wants let in during traffic?  Whoa buddy, you can forget it!  So, maybe I don't live up to this verse as well as I thought.

     Are we always available to lend a helping hand or is it just when it fits our schedule?  Do we consider another's weakness for alcohol before we order a bottle of wine for the dinner table? Thinking of others first means putting thought into our actions without a 'me' attitude involved. We are each fighting a battle of some sort so we need to be sensitive to the lives of others. We are not all in the same boat and the leak in it is not all in the same place for everyone.

     This verse also reminds me of Marco Rubio's statement last night about how his parents and other parents did what they could in life so that their kids would have more opportunities than they did.  'Others' is not limited to our kids in the verse but we must humble ourselves and be generous to all.

     'You go first' should be said more often than just in risk taking moments.

Getting Older

     This caption just cracks me up and I relate to it more and more with time.  Last night, my church sang 'happy birthday' to me.  It's not the traditional version but goes like this...''A happy birthday to you, a happy birthday to you, every day of the year may you find Jesus near, a happy birthday to you, a happy birthday to you, and may it be the best year you've ever had.''
     As I approach 41 in the next few days, I think about whether I could or would want to do 40 more years to reach the average age of 80.  I can tell you definitely no.  So when is enough?  I don't know and I'm glad it's not up to me to decide.  My life and days are prewritten and my job is just to fulfill them the best I can.
    Shouldn't we celebrate our aging?  I think when you turn 65, you should write 'SENIOR 2012' on your car just like the high school kids.  There are perks like Medicare, discounts and retiring.  The plus side is always there, if you look for it.
    So cheers to the days of our lives, may they be beyond great as we live them out.

Way Back Wednesday.. Wild Side

     I think this is from Halloween 1983, my last year to go trick-or-treating.  This was my punk rock look with a trash bag as my dress [yes I had shorts on underneath it].  The spray painted hair and heavy makeup completed the look.
     Haven't we all wanted to take a walk on the wild side?  I think stepping out of character from our normal reserved self is fun once in a while.  It takes a little while for me to get up the nerve but I've always loved 'dress up.'  As the daughter of two CPA's, I don't drift that far to the wild side of life... but I try.
     I would definitely put more clothes on now than I did back then.  I'm much more modest now than then and that's a good thing.
     It can be fun to come out of your shell and have a little innocent fun.

Wandering

     Who doesn't?  I sometimes don't realize I'm thinking about something else until after a few minutes then I'm like 'focus!'  Distractions often take us on a tangent that can take us out into left field.  We've all fallen into the trap of an endless, dull talk and escaped to what's really on our heart.
     Yes, our hearts are prone to wander and we feel it.  The world has so many distractions to pull us away from what is important.  Where our minds go is where our hearts are.
     We often say 'God, draw near to me' but it is only our souls that have gone astray.  Our hearts do get hardened and our sensitivity to wrong does get compromised.  'Just a closer walk with Thee' is the path to wander on.  Think on things of benefit and encouragement to yourself when your mind does wander off.
      Don't let your mind be a wandering nomad without direction and focus.  Guide it with a godly purpose.

Isaiah 63:17  ''Why, LORD, do you make us wander from your ways and harden our hearts so we do not revere you? Return for the sake of your servants, the tribes that are your inheritance.''
Proverbs 5:6  ''She gives no thought to the way of life; her paths wander aimlessly, but she does not know it.''
Proverbs 17:24  ''A discerning person keeps wisdom in view, but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth.''

Grace

     Grace is unmerited divine assistance given to us for our sanctification.  It is when we are given what we don't deserve just because of God's love for us.
      2 Corinthians 12:9  ''But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.''
     Grace helps us to handle things that are not under our control in life.  We could kick and scream, be angry all the time and be a person not fit for company.  What kind of example would that be?  My friend told me, 'even tho your cough is part of your life, thank you for handling it with grace.'  That's a compliment that I hope to continue to display.
      Grace gives us an accepting peace that helps us to endure the rough moments.  Grace gives a calming effect on you and others, instead of panic and chaos.  God's saving grace is all we need to accept to get us through this race of life.  We must remember it is free, not earned or deserved.  'Grace is more than a prayer we say before dinner.'  It is a gift that makes us more like Him each day.
   
   

Credit

Job 21; 7-9, 13-16  ''“Why do the wicked prosper, growing old and powerful? They live to see their children grow up and settle down, and they enjoy their grandchildren. Their homes are safe from every fear, and God does not punish them.''

''They spend their days in prosperity, then go down to the grave in peace. And yet they say to God, ‘Go away. We want no part of you and your ways. Who is the Almighty, and why should we obey him? What good will it do us to pray?’ (They think their prosperity is of their own doing,
but I will have nothing to do with that kind of thinking.)''

    Do you ever question the fairness of this life, like Job?  He recognized this foolish way of ungratefulness and rejected it.  We too can get caught up in the entitlement line of thinking and consider ourselves as deserving. We think we can pick and choose the rules that apply to us. We are not promised earthly riches but should see every blessing as a gift from God.  

     When people think 'I've done it', its a misconception because we can do nothing without His help.  People often associate their value with their jobs or possessions.  What a weak scale to measure by? 

     Jesus says 'come just as you are.'  If you want for something, let it be character building qualities....grace, patience, gentleness, generosity, and humility.  If your giving out credit for things in life, step aside and give it to Him.