Take It Easy...

Remember the oldie - "Well, I'm running down the road, tryin' to loosen my load. Got a world of trouble on my mind"?

Here's the chorus line"
"Take It easy, take it easy
Don't let the sound of your own wheels
drive you crazy
Lighten up while you still can
don't even try to understand
Just find a place to make your stand
and take it easy"

It just keeps running through my mind today because of what the Lord has done.

Since my husband has confessed his salvation, I keep waiting for the Glory of God to fall and anoint him with His Holy Spirit.

I haven't yet experienced the euphoria of emotion because of his salvation. I thought bells, whistles and jumping for joy would accompany his testimony. Nope.

My husband is a very quiet man, a man of a few words. Why would I think that God would change his personality? He's the way God made him.

Salvation doesn't change the man, it changes the way the man is.

The Franklin Graham Festival is coming here in June. We have been preparing for this for a year and a half. There are so many training and educational opportunities before this event takes place, that I had a dilemna on how to be able to participate within the event without ruining my marriage.

Now, that Mike is saved, he has been so understanding (another prayer answered).

FG had an upcoming Christian Life and Witness Program starting last night. So I just prayed and left it in God's hands, that I would like to go with Mike. When he came home last night, he asked me what the evening would hold and I told him that I wanted to go and asked if he did too.

Of course, he said no. Said he didn't need it to witness to people. So it started a whole conversation on witnessing. I told him that I hadn't had 'formal' training on witnessing and that I wanted to be able to KNOW the truth so that when I see someone witnessing in the wrong way, I could say that I KNOW the right way.

He didn't say much about that but said that he was happy and had no worries so why go at all.

I said then, what will you say to people who ask you, why are you happy? What is the reason for the hope that you have? He couldn't answer. So I left it at that.

I just got in the shower and left it in God's hands. Next thing I know, he comes in and says "I think I'll go with you. I don't like staying home alone anymore and I'll go and see what it's like."

See, we have to 'take it easy' with our loved ones and leave it in God's Hands. He knows the desires of our hearts and He's blessed me so much that I'm complacent to let Him do it.

For all of you 'unsaved' spouses, take hope and encouragement. Don't expect fireworks when your spouse gets saved. Expect God to do it in His timing and perfectness.

Expect God. Expect Him to save AS HE HAS PROMISED IN HIS WORD.

He won't let you down.

P.S. I hate the term 'unequally yoked'. Everyone is, because no one is on the same level. I love the feeling of being married to a believer, though. I feel like I finally fit in, even though, I already did.

P.P.S.S. Always look at your unsaved loved one as ALREADY SAVED. God does. He knows the ending from the beginning. So must you.

Salvation is Here!

For all of those spouses with unsaved spouses, there is hope!

My husband committed himself to the Lord yesterday, April 15th.

We'll be married 36 years this June. I feel like a newlywed again.

God is faithful to keep His promises. Promises of household salvation. Promise that if we are persistant and persevere He will honor that. He stored up all my tears of supplication and standing in the gap for my Mike and granted His salvation in a beautiful simple moment.

It's taking me awhile to soak it in. I didn't hear any fanfare or even cry when I heard.

I expected.

I waited for God's response. I told God that this was the year. I wanted Mike's salvation proven, once and for all.

Please don't give up on your lost loved ones. Seek and seek and seek. Knock and knock and knock. Ask and ask and ask. Expect, expect, expect, expect...

You will see the deliverance of God's hand in your life. The timing will be perfect. The results to the Glory of God.

Hallelujah! Salvation has come to my house. Truly I can say "As for me and my house we will serve the Lord."

Shoes In Church

I showered and shaved...............
I adjusted my tie.

I got there and sat..............
In a pew just in time.

Bowing my head in prayer.........
As I closed my eyes.

I saw the shoe of the man next to me.....
Touching my own. I sighed.

With plenty of room on either side......
I thought, "Why must our soles Touch?"

It bothered me, his shoe touching mine...
But it didn't bother him much.

A prayer began: "Our Father".........
I thought, "This man with the shoes.. Has no pride.

They're dusty, worn, and scratched Even
worse, there are holes on the side!"

"Thank You for blessings,"
the prayer went on.

The shoe man said.........
A quiet "Amen."

I tried to focus on the prayer.......
But my thoughts were on his shoes Again

Aren't we supposed to look our best..
When walking through that door?

"Well, this certainly isn't it,"
I thought, Glancing toward the floor.

Then the prayer was ended............
And the songs of praise began.

The shoe man was certainly loud. ........
Sounding proud as he sang.

His voice lifted the rafters.........
His hands were raised high.

The Lord could surely hear..........
The shoe man's voice from the sky.

It was time for the offering.........
And what I threw in was steep.

I watched as the shoe man reached....
Into his pockets so deep.

I saw what was pulled out............
What the shoe man put in.

Then I heard a soft "clink".
As when silver hits tin.

The sermon really bored me..........
To tears, and that' s no lie.

It was the same for the shoe man.....
For tears fell from his eyes.

At the end of the service........
As is the custom here

We must greet new visitors..........
And show them all good cheer.

But I felt moved somehow.............
And wanted to meet the shoe man

So after the closing prayer..........
I reached over and shook his hand.

He was old and his skin was dark....
And his hair was truly a mess

But I thanked him for coming.........
For being our guest.

He said, "My names' Charlie ............
I'm glad to meet you, my friend."

There were tears in his eyes.........
But he had a large, wide grin

"Let me explain," he said...........
Wiping tears from his eyes.

"I've been coming here for months....
And you're the first to say 'Hi.'"

"I know that my appearance.........
Is not like all the rest"

"But I really do try.................
To always look my best."

"I always clean and polish my shoes..
Before my very long walk."

"But by the time I get here...........
They're dirty and dusty,like chalk."

My heart filled with pain............
And I swallowed to hide my tears

As he continued to apologize.........
For daring to sit so near.

He said, "When I get here...........
I know I must look a sight."

"But I thought if I could touch you..
Then maybe our souls might unite."

I was silent for a moment............
Knowing whatever was said

Would pale in comparison...
I spoke from my heart, not my head.

"Oh, you've touched me," I said......
"And taught me, in part;"

"That the best of any man.....
Is what is found in his heart."

The rest, I thought.................
This shoe man will never know.

Like just how thankful I really am...
That his dirty old shoe touched my Soul.

You are Special to me and you have made a
difference in my life.

TODAY'S THE DAY!!!!!

We will finally close on our 'new' church building today. Hooray!

Now, the work begins. Fun stuff of decorating and re-designing.

Tons of work and tons of rewards to come. New neighborhood and new opportunities to disciple those seeking.

Can't wait.

What's Happening?

Well,
1. Water heater at my job broke.
2. Furnace thermocoupler went at work.
3. Computer died at work.
4. My brakes are making noises on my car.

Hmmm. I've been so busy working for the Lord that everything else is breaking down.

Connection?

Busy, Busy, Busy

I haven't been lost...just busy in the Lord!

Last Thursday we had a special prayer meeting for the Franklin Graham Festival that is coming on June 8, 9, & 10. What an awesome, Spirit-filled time we had!

Then on Friday night we watched 'Facing the Giants' at a movie presentation at church. Great movie for those who haven't seen it. Very predictable Christian message but the humor and acting were the best I've seen in this type of movie. Loved it!


Sunday Service was filled with God. Worship and Praise and Preaching certainly hit the mark.

Then.................................Sunday evening, a group of us went to Rochester to the First Annual "Night to Honor Israel" event at Bethel Church. The unity and admission of our sins against the Jews was very cleansing. The Rabbis that spoke were overwhelmed with the love that was shown to them.

Night to Honor Israel

If you've never sung the Hebrew names of God, you're missing a blessing. We didn't return home till after midnight and I still couldn't sleep well. I felt very humble and blessed.



It's wonderful to bask in the Lord. I can't wait to see what this week brings.

Come Lord Jesus, come!!!!!

This Good Day

With God's love, how can we ever think it's a bad day?

He consumes us with His love. It overpowers the greatest threat that could ever come against us.

His joy conquers all doubt and pain. His mercy overwhelms us as we realize how far we've come.

His grace...phenomenal.

When I focus on the enormity of the cross, all else fades into indistinct emptiness.

He, alone, is faithful.

Peace, beyond measure, floods my soul.

I want a fat soul. I want fat on my soul bones. His Word is the food of life.

The Best Medicine

Prescribed by the Great Physician

The next time you feel like GOD can't use you, just remember...
Noah was a drunk
Abraham was too old
Isaac was a daydreamer
Jacob was a liar
Leah was ugly
Joseph was abused
Moses had a stuttering problem
Gideon was afraid
Samson had long hair and was a womanizer
Rahab was a prostitute
Jeremiah and Timothy were too young
David had an affair and was a murderer
Elijah was suicidal
Isaiah preached naked
Jonah ran from God
Naomi was a widow
Job went bankrupt
Peter denied Christ
The Disciples fell asleep while praying
Martha worried about everything
The Samaritan woman was divorced, more than once
Zaccheus was too small
Paul was too religious
Timothy had an ulcer... AND
Lazarus was dead!

Now! No more excuses!
God can use you to your full potential..
Besides you aren't the message, you are just the messenger.
And one more thing...
Share this with a friend or two...
In the Circle of God's love, God's waiting to use your
full potential.



1. God wants spiritual fruit, not religious nuts.

2. Dear God, I have a problem, it's Me.

3. Growing old is inevitable .. growing UP is optional.

4. There is no key to happiness. The door is always open.

5. Silence is often misinterpreted but never misquoted.

6. Do the math ... count your blessings.

7. Faith is the ability to not panic.

8. Laugh every day, it's like inner jogging.

9. If you worry, you didn't pray. If you pray, don't worry.

10. As a child of God, prayer is kind of like calling home everyday.

11. Blessed are the flexible for they shall not be bent out of shape.

12. The most important things in your house are the people.

13. When we get tangled up in our problems, be still.
God wants us to be still so He can untangle the knot.

14. A grudge is a heavy thing to carry.

15 He who dies with the most toys is still dead.


Have a great day!!! The SON is shining and he
can certainly use you!


"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves;
it is the gift of God."
Ephesians 2:8

My Favorite Commercials

I found the one that I talked about in my previous post. So if you liked to see it go to this link: Dairy Queen Flame Thrower

It still makes my sides hurt.

My other favorites of all time are the Jimmy Dean Sausage Commercials

Thank God there are companies that promote family values.

And no, they weren't my cats in the previous post but I liked the picture.

Wow!

Last night I saw a commercial on TV. I was laughing so hard that I couldn't even see it all. It was something about not being able to exhale while they were eating these flame-broiled burgers. So they were only talking while breathing in. That's what caught my attention...the raspy voices. All of a sudden one of them exhaled and fire shot out of his mouth and the others were so surprised that they exhaled and fire was shooting out all over.

I laughed so hard that my sides hurt, I couldn't talk to my husband AND I had to go change my clothes after I picked myself up off the floor.

Must have been just an oddity. Couldn't have been that funny, eh?

The Watcher by Mark Andrew Olsen

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:



MARK ANDREW OLSEN whose novel The Assignment was a Christy Award finalist, also collaborated on bestsellers Hadassah (now the major motion picture: One Night With the King), The Hadassah Covenant, and Rescued. The son of missionaries to France, Mark is a graduate of Baylor University. He and his wife, Connie, live in Colorado Springs with their three children.


ABOUT THE BOOK:

Just below the surface among the family of God lives another family tree--one traced in spirit, invisible and ageless, known as the Watchers. For two thousand years they've seen beyond the veil separating this world from the next, passing on their gift through a lineage mostly overlooked. Throughout history they've scouted the borders of the supernatural frontier, but now their survival hangs by a thread. And their fate lies in the hands of a young woman, her would-be killer, and a mystery they must solve....



"Congratulations. You just reached my own little corner of cyberspace.

Who am I?

Abby Sherman, that's who.

Who are you? And why are you checking me out?

Drop me a few pixels, and let's find out!"


With that innocent invitation, Abby Sherman unwittingly steps in the crosshairs of history, and thus begins her harrowing tale--taking her from ocean-front Malibu to the streets of London, the jungles in West Africa, the Temple Mount, Jerusalem, and to the very gates of heaven itself!

A sneak preview of eternity becomes her one-way ticket to danger--and discovery….

Two lives collide in a globe-circling adventure involving both peril and discovery: Abby, a young woman whose visions of heaven turn her into a Web-celebrity; and Dylan, a troubled young man sent by an ancient foe to silence her. From California beachfronts to Nigerian rain forests to Jerusalem and back again, THE WATCHERS is high-octane blends of action, mystery, and spiritual battle spanning centuries.



A woman's awe-inspiring vision launches her on a quest through distant lands and ancient history, face-to-face with eternity and into the arms of a family line on the brink of annihilation...

A man who is hired to exterminate her discovers the folly of blind loyalty, then learns how to wage war in a realm he never believed had existed...

An extraordinary saga of the unseen war against evil, the reality of the supernatural, and the transforming power of forgiveness.
ENDORSEMENT:

"A writer who can take your breath away with a single sentence. A welcome, fresh voice that must be read!"--Ted Dekker

YAHOOO!!!!!!

Most of me is baaaaack, thanks to bonnie.

She LOOOOOOVES MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

Now, I just need to figure out how to get pictures into my post, since google won't upload the images.

She's a master blogger (or is it madame?).

Need help...ask BONNIE!

Uh Oh

As you can see I've updated my blog template.

Now I've lost all my friends. :(

Please respond and let me know where you are.

I can't find anybody....

Oh me, Oh my...blogger said goodbye....

Bless This Chick

This was so cool. I visited Sit with Me Awhile and she had the neatest picture she designed at Bless This Chick.

I think the likeness is quite remarkable for me. What cha think?

Have fun with it yourself.

Tricia's Newest Book

Tricia Goyer

Amazon Books


ABOUT THE BOOK:

We are pleased to be able to review her exciting Chronicles of the Spanish Civil War, A Valley Of Betrayal

For reasons beyond her control, Sophie finds herself alone in the war-torn Spanish countryside, searching for her beloved Michael. His work as a news photographer has taken him deep into the country wracked by civil war. What was once a thriving paradise has become a battleground for Nazi-backed Franco fascist soldiers and Spanish patriots. She is caught up in the escalating events when the route to safety is blocked and fighting surrounds her.

Secrets abound in the ruined Spain. Michael is loving but elusive, especially about beautiful maria. The American who helped Sophie sneak into Spain turns up in odd places. Michael's friend Jose knows more than he tells. When reports of Michael's dissappearance reach her, Sophie is devastaed. What are her feelings for Philip, an American soldier who comes to her rescue?

Sophie must sift truth from lies as she becomes more embroiled in the war that threatens her life and breaks her heart. On her darkest night, Sophie takes refuge with a brigade of international compatriots. Among these volunteers, she pledges to make the plight of the Spanish people known around the world through the power of art.

Acclaimed author Tricia Goyer creates a riviting cast of characters against the backdrop of pre-WWII spain. Love, loss, pain, and beauty abound in A Valley Of Betrayal, the first book in her new series, Chronicles of the Spanish Civil War.

Hey You All!

Sorry I haven't been on but I forgot my new password. I couldn't respond to posts or others postings on their blogs. So here it is - I'M SORRY!

Here's something that I wanted to post but IT DOES NOT PERTAIN TO MY NEW JOB! Maybe my old jobs....

Things You'd Love to Say at Work, but Can't

• How about never? Is never good for you?
• I see you've set aside this special time to humiliate yourself in public.
• I'll try being nicer if you'll try being smarter.
• Ahhh... I see the screw-up fairy has visited us again...
• I like you. You remind me of when I was young and stupid.
• I have plenty of talent and vision. I just don't care.
• I'm already visualizing the duct tape over your mouth.
• Thank you. We're all refreshed and challenged by your unique point of view.
• The fact that no one understands you doesn't mean you're an artist.
• I'm not being rude. You're just insignificant.
• And your crybaby whiny-butt opinion would be...?
• Do I look like a people person?
• Sarcasm is just one more service we offer.
• If I throw a stick, will you leave?
• I'm trying to imagine you with a personality.
• Can I trade this job for what's behind door #1?
• Nice perfume. Must you marinate in it?
• Chaos, panic and disorder - my work here is done.
• How do I set a laser printer to stun?
• I thought I wanted a career, turns out I just wanted paycheck

New Book

John Aubrey Anderson

OOh OOh!

It got this from Dan Miller - 48 Days to a new Job Dan Miller . He has wonderful insight on how to find your soul in your work. I highly recommend his email newsletter, too. He has inspirational ideas and loves HIS JOB! What a concept!

Sarah was the church gossip and self-appointed supervisor of the church's morals. She kept sticking her nose into other people's business. Several residents were unappreciative of her activities, but feared her enough to maintain their silence.

She made a mistake, however, when she accused George, a new member, of being an alcoholic after she saw his pickup truck parked in front of the town's only bar one afternoon. She commented to George and others that everyone seeing it there would know that he was an alcoholic.

George, a man of few words, stared at her for a moment and just walked away. He said nothing.

Later that evening, George, quietly parked his pickup in front of Sarah's house............... AND he left it there all night.

Spring is just around the corner....

Here's our view after the Valentine's Day snowstorm.

There was such a peace and serenity from the blanketing snow.

It subdued all humans and forced us to stay inside for awhile.

Soon, though we will see the new birth rising out of the earth.

Thank you God for the change of seasons.

There is an appointed time for everything.

And there is a time for every event under heaven--

A time to give birth and a time to die;
A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.
A time to kill and a time to heal;
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
a time to weep and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn and a time to dance.
A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing.
a time to search and a time to give up as lost;
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
A time to tear apart and time to sew together;
A time to be silent and a time to speak.
A time to love and a time to hate;
A time for war and a time for peace.

Ecclesiastes 3:3-8 NASB

Hmmm...

A 45 year old woman had a heart attack and was taken to the hospital.

While on the operating table she had a near death experience. Seeing God she asked "Is my time up?"

God said, "No, you have another 43 years, 2 months and 8 days to live."

Upon recovery, the woman decided to stay in the hospital and have a face-lift, liposuction, breast implants and a tummy tuck. She even had someone come in and change her hair color and brighten her teeth! Since she had so much more time to live, she figured she might as well make the most of it.

After her last operation, she was released from the hospital. While crossing the street on her way home, she was killed by an ambulance.

Arriving in front of God, she demanded, "I thought you said I had another 43 years? Why didn't you pull me from out of the path of the ambulance?"

God replied: "I didn't recognize you."