Relationships

A few months back I went to see a movie called Do You Believe? I sat alone in the movie theater, and enjoyed a really good movie. I decided when I left I wanted one of the crosses that Pastor Matthew passed out. Looking online of course I found them, but I also found a 40 Day Devotional, based on that movie by Robert Noland.

I'll be completely honest, it has taken me a lot more than 24 days to get to Day 24, but I want to share with you a passage from that day about relationships, that I think we could all use!

"People will hurt us, but people will help us.
When we get hurt, we can begin to shut out all relationships. This is never a valid solution.

People will leave us, but people will come into our lives.
We all have an exit door and an entry door in our hearts. While we will never be able to stop anyone who decides to leave us, we must always look for those who are trying to come in and get to know us as well"

I would like to challenge each and every one of my friends AND anyone else that might see this, to look around them and see if anyone is trying to get in, and maybe take the chance on someone. Everyone needs a friend, including YOU!

ReWriting the Bible

Unbelievable!!!!

Rewrite the Bible to eliminate references to homosexuality.  

Read the article here:  Gay Man Sues Zondervan

Alright here is my stand! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!! Seriously do you really think that you can sue a publisher and change the way your parents think?

Even if you are successful, by suing the right people in court (the translators), do you think that you can change the way your parents treat you.

On a larger scale, we all have the 1st amendment right, not just the minorities. YES, I agree, you've been denied those rights, but now that you have them (I agree with this part) do NOT think that you can reverse things and take everyone else's rights away. THAT is not how it's supposed to work.

I have the right to religious freedom and the right to free speech just like you and everyone else do. Do not try to limit me, I won't sit still for it.

AND.... AND....

As a Christian, we are supposed to love. Love our neighbor the same way we love the Lord. I am sorry not every so called Christian understands this. Loving our neighbor does not mean that we have to love the sin they are committing. AND since we are ALL sinners and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Then it really doesn't matter what the sin is that we are committing, cause we all have sin, and we are to love the sinner, not the sin.

If you manage to legislate the Bible into something that it's not, that's on you, and between you and God. Anyone that truly has a relationship with God, will have God's Word on his heart, and will know the truth, cause the Holy Spirit will tell him, if we only ask.

Your sin is between you and God. It won't stop me from loving you, as I hope that my sin won't stop you from loving me. BAck to my point, IF you succeed in changing through legislation the wording of the Bible, this will not make your sin okay with God. What God says is a sin, is a sin, and sin keeps you from having a real relationship with God. And even though legislation may say that "it's" okay, doesn't mean it's okay with God.

Please give this some thought... God loves you! regardless of our sins. But he also will not excuse our sin. (Hosea, Jennifer Rothschild)

Heavenly Father

Dear Heavenly Father,

I am so scared about the things that are happening in the world today.  Scared, frustrated, concerned, and at my wits end, at the things that have become acceptable by mainstream society.  There is already so much cursing and killing on the television, and that's not even from the news.  The same sex kissing has just begun.  Now with the Supreme Court of the U.S. saying it's okay for guys to marry guys, and girls to marry girls, its going to explode on the tv worse than it is now.  Drugs are legal in a few states on the West Coast, means that drug use will become a state of normalcy for television shows.

All of these things just a few decades ago were taboo.  Now it's plastered all over the media as okay.  How does a parent instill in their children that these things are NOT okay, when they see it every where?  How does a parent shelter their children from this blatant acceptance of sin, without sheltering them from society as a whole?  How can they learn to stand on their own moral foundation, when most of the world around them has no moral foundation?

Lord, I know that you can do these things.  I know that you can help me.  I know that you will instill in their hearts a desire to know you.  And to know what is right.  And to do those things that are right, and for them to grow on their own, and not be swayed from You by peer pressure, and societal perversions.

I love you, Lord, please show me, day by day, the steps to take with You, with them, and with me.

Amen

Vacations

I have returned from an almost month long vacation.  Gary took me and the kids to the east coast, to visit: Richmond, Baltimore, DC, and Philadelphia, and few other cities in there too.  Exposing the kids to our nation's capital, it's founding, and the history contained within.  We also visited Busch Gardens and Hershey Park.

I got to visit three of the homes of Edgar Allan Poe, one of my favorite authors.  There are 5 Poe houses all together.  We visited the ones in Richmond, Baltimore and Philadelphia.  At the Poe House in Philadelphia I got to read The Raven to my kids while sitting IN Poe's own reading room.  This was totally awesome!!!

I did not do much on my Bible studies while I was gone, and am eager to get back to them.  I did stay in the Bible while I was gone though.  With two reading plans from YouVersion.

I do recommend this app for your smart phones.  It's easy to use, and the latest update has made it fun to find new reading plans.

YouVersion (Read about it here)