The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.
Acts 17: 24,25
Consider for yourself.
Who created the world and all of it's laws and systems?
Who created man and all of his functions and abilities?
Who created you and placed you in this specific day?
Who is ultimately in charge?
So many believe the world, the universe, and man to have happened by chance over the course of billions of years. Chance created complex systems, functions, and distinctions?
I just can't believe that. Why would someone believe a historical account that no one was around to witness or document, and happened theoretically over a billion years ago? How is that more plausible than the detailed, documented, preserved account of creation in the Bible?
The Bible tells us how things came to be, when, and even why. It tells of the divine creator. It tells of someone else (not us) in charge of events and Lord over everything!
Whether you believe this story or not doesn't discount the fact that he created you and gifted you with all you have around you.
The nature you enjoy, the knowledge you have gained, the possessions that surround you, the people that are in your life - all gifts from the creator!
When someone gives you something as a gift usually you respond with gratitude and appreciation.
Maybe today is the day you give consideration to the fact that God is the giver of life and thank him for making you and giving you this day in time in his creation story.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Remove abortion from health care legislation
Current proposed Health Care Reform legislation will result in the biggest expansion of abortion since the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court Decision in 1973. There is no explicit exclusion for abortion; instead it opens the door to allow, or even force, abortion to be included as health care coverage.
Abortion is not a health care benefit but an elective, and it should never be included in health care legislation. If abortion is not specifically excluded, it will automatically become a mandate or required benefit, leaving the American taxpayer with no choice.
I am not in favor of subsidizing abortion, and I do not believe the government should be forcing its citizens to pay for abortion.
I am urging you to contact your representatives and senators and ask them to see that abortion is excluded from health care legislation. Also ask them to vote “no” on any health care bill that does not include language that specifically excludes abortion. The next step is to look into all of the other flaws in the Health Care Reform legislation.
July 29, 2009
BY BARBARA J. FERRARO, Concerned Women for America, Hilo
I have emailed both my Senators and State Representative today asking them to do just what this lady has said. (Copy of my letter is below). Please do the Same!
I am a Wisconsin resident, a mom of five, and a Christian.
I am pro-life and against legalized abortion because I believe it to be against the ethical standard set by God. An ethical standard we are not at liberty to change or alter and one that holds spiritual consequences.
I would like to make my voice heard by relaying to you that I would NOT support a health plan that would cause taxpayer money to pay for abortions or include 'end of life' discussions with taxpayers as a way to cut costs.
I agree the current health care system needs to be re hauled but NOT at the expense of my convictions as a Christian. I urge you to vote NO to President Obama's current health care plan.
A health care system that encourages and supports murder and suicide is not good for any American, Christian or otherwise.
I am praying for wisdom and courage for you as you undertake this very important decision for Americans and for the moral and ethical landscape of our future.
Please vote NO!
Abortion is not a health care benefit but an elective, and it should never be included in health care legislation. If abortion is not specifically excluded, it will automatically become a mandate or required benefit, leaving the American taxpayer with no choice.
I am not in favor of subsidizing abortion, and I do not believe the government should be forcing its citizens to pay for abortion.
I am urging you to contact your representatives and senators and ask them to see that abortion is excluded from health care legislation. Also ask them to vote “no” on any health care bill that does not include language that specifically excludes abortion. The next step is to look into all of the other flaws in the Health Care Reform legislation.
July 29, 2009
BY BARBARA J. FERRARO, Concerned Women for America, Hilo
I have emailed both my Senators and State Representative today asking them to do just what this lady has said. (Copy of my letter is below). Please do the Same!
I am a Wisconsin resident, a mom of five, and a Christian.
I am pro-life and against legalized abortion because I believe it to be against the ethical standard set by God. An ethical standard we are not at liberty to change or alter and one that holds spiritual consequences.
I would like to make my voice heard by relaying to you that I would NOT support a health plan that would cause taxpayer money to pay for abortions or include 'end of life' discussions with taxpayers as a way to cut costs.
I agree the current health care system needs to be re hauled but NOT at the expense of my convictions as a Christian. I urge you to vote NO to President Obama's current health care plan.
A health care system that encourages and supports murder and suicide is not good for any American, Christian or otherwise.
I am praying for wisdom and courage for you as you undertake this very important decision for Americans and for the moral and ethical landscape of our future.
Please vote NO!
Friday, July 24, 2009
Brad Pitt - Denies There is a God!
Brad Pitt tells a German website during a recent interview that he does not believe in God.
"I'm probably 20 per cent atheist and 80 per cent agnostic," says Pitt. "I don't think anyone really knows. You'll either find out or not when you get there, and then there's no point thinking about it." - Brad Pitt
Well, I'm afraid Mr. Pitt will be very surprised at the end of the day to find out he was wrong in his thinking and will spend eternity in HELL contemplating his 'whatever happens' attitude.
The unpardonable sin - the one that leads to death - eternal death - is to deny the testimony of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit testifies to every one of us that God is real, Jesus is the Son of God, we all need Jesus to save us because our sinful condition keeps us from a Perfect God, and Satan is the enemy who wants to destroy us and keep us in bondage to our sin.
Every one of us has a choice.
We either acknowledge the Holy Spirit's testimony as true or we reject it as truth.
One choice leads to eternal life.
The other to eternal death.
It says in the bible that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to get into heaven.
I guess this is because the rich often feel secure in themselves, in their own abilities, in their own situations. They consider themselves self-made, having accumulated all their own wealth and possessions, and having achieved their idea of happiness and security here on earth. Pride and arrogance keep one from seeing the big picture. They deny a creator. They deny a higher power. They deny rules that come from someone other than them. They deny that they need someone else to help them get into heaven - if there really is one.
Mr. Pitt, it doesn't matter all the good you do in the world for others, how many kids you adopt, or how much money you donate for others. None of these acts will save you in the end. Your heart must be contrite and humble before a Lord and Savior that you NEED! Your works currently come from your own ambition not from a heart dependent on doing the will of God and pleasing him.
"I'm probably 20 per cent atheist and 80 per cent agnostic," says Pitt. "I don't think anyone really knows. You'll either find out or not when you get there, and then there's no point thinking about it." - Brad Pitt
Well, I'm afraid Mr. Pitt will be very surprised at the end of the day to find out he was wrong in his thinking and will spend eternity in HELL contemplating his 'whatever happens' attitude.
The unpardonable sin - the one that leads to death - eternal death - is to deny the testimony of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit testifies to every one of us that God is real, Jesus is the Son of God, we all need Jesus to save us because our sinful condition keeps us from a Perfect God, and Satan is the enemy who wants to destroy us and keep us in bondage to our sin.
Every one of us has a choice.
We either acknowledge the Holy Spirit's testimony as true or we reject it as truth.
One choice leads to eternal life.
The other to eternal death.
It says in the bible that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to get into heaven.
I guess this is because the rich often feel secure in themselves, in their own abilities, in their own situations. They consider themselves self-made, having accumulated all their own wealth and possessions, and having achieved their idea of happiness and security here on earth. Pride and arrogance keep one from seeing the big picture. They deny a creator. They deny a higher power. They deny rules that come from someone other than them. They deny that they need someone else to help them get into heaven - if there really is one.
Mr. Pitt, it doesn't matter all the good you do in the world for others, how many kids you adopt, or how much money you donate for others. None of these acts will save you in the end. Your heart must be contrite and humble before a Lord and Savior that you NEED! Your works currently come from your own ambition not from a heart dependent on doing the will of God and pleasing him.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Thought for the Day
I use to believe that God never gave you more than you can handle.
I have used this phrase often in life to encourage someone going through a rough time and others have used it on me when situations arose in my own life.
However, a friend of mine shared with me last week that she does not believe this to be true. She believes that God intentionally allows us more than we can handle for the sole purpose that then we must lean on Him.
I have been pondering this the past week and I'm beginning to agree with her.
If our life situations are always ones in which we can handle them ourselves, then we have no need for someone bigger than us.
God may allow circumstances in our lives so that we will draw closer to Him, rest in His strength for the moment, and to exercise and grow our faith and trust in Him.
So, I have a new outlook on those unexpected things that come up in our lives that are painful, confusing, and burdensome.
I will now look at these situations as opportunities to lean on and trust in my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
Instead of feeling cursed in these times, I hope I can feel blessed because of the opportunity to draw closer to my Creator!
When you are at the edge, trust God to have the safety net ready!
I'd like to thank my friend who shared this thought with me! Your friendship has been invaluable to me in growing my own faith!
I have used this phrase often in life to encourage someone going through a rough time and others have used it on me when situations arose in my own life.
However, a friend of mine shared with me last week that she does not believe this to be true. She believes that God intentionally allows us more than we can handle for the sole purpose that then we must lean on Him.
I have been pondering this the past week and I'm beginning to agree with her.
If our life situations are always ones in which we can handle them ourselves, then we have no need for someone bigger than us.
God may allow circumstances in our lives so that we will draw closer to Him, rest in His strength for the moment, and to exercise and grow our faith and trust in Him.
So, I have a new outlook on those unexpected things that come up in our lives that are painful, confusing, and burdensome.
I will now look at these situations as opportunities to lean on and trust in my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
Instead of feeling cursed in these times, I hope I can feel blessed because of the opportunity to draw closer to my Creator!
When you are at the edge, trust God to have the safety net ready!
I'd like to thank my friend who shared this thought with me! Your friendship has been invaluable to me in growing my own faith!
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Oh, No! Oh, No!
Our 21 month old daughter has learned to successfully use the words 'Oh, No!' as a form of communication in every circumstance she encounters. She uses different tones and emphasis in different situations to effectively convey her thoughts and to make you think twice about the fact that she just used the same two words to communicate something else just a few minutes ago.
Today we went for a short walk around the block and she spots a small dog on a leash in a neighbor's yard. The dog is way smaller than our golden retriever, Katie, who is walking with us. Ali looks at the dog, assesses the situation, and says very worriedly, "Oh, no! Oh, no!". I wonder if Katie's ego is shattered in that moment knowing that Ali was concerned the small dog would somehow harm her.
A little further up the road, two children are riding their bikes across the street. She again takes note of the situation and in a stern sort of way says, "Oh, no! Oh, no!". It is almost as if she knows the kids are too young to be riding their bikes without an adult present and is tattling.
A few houses down she sees some flowers planted around a mailbox and says, "Oh, no! Oh, no!" I have come to understand that she likes things in order and all the other mailboxes didn't have flowers around them so this mailbox was out of order in her eyes. She was pointing out the difference to me as if it were an offense.
However, when a big black dog running loose across the street runs over to us, and is sniffing nose to nose with our dog before getting into a heated growling match with each other, Ali watches in silence. There are no 'Oh, No's' in this situation. I wonder why. This is definitely a Oh, no moment. In fact, I'm screaming it silently inside my own head but yet she remains silent.
Things calm down, the aggressive dog is reigned in by his aggressive owners, and we progress on our way, all of which cause Ali to clap her hands in the air and say, "Oh, no! Oh, no!" in a proud, celebratory, relieved sort of way. Go figure!
I'm grateful I'm home everyday to learn these idiosyncrasies about my daughter and to really understand who she is as her own person. Who else would see past her two word use as annoying and instead see a bright and insightful person desperately trying to communicate with the world around her? What a gift for both of us!
Today we went for a short walk around the block and she spots a small dog on a leash in a neighbor's yard. The dog is way smaller than our golden retriever, Katie, who is walking with us. Ali looks at the dog, assesses the situation, and says very worriedly, "Oh, no! Oh, no!". I wonder if Katie's ego is shattered in that moment knowing that Ali was concerned the small dog would somehow harm her.
A little further up the road, two children are riding their bikes across the street. She again takes note of the situation and in a stern sort of way says, "Oh, no! Oh, no!". It is almost as if she knows the kids are too young to be riding their bikes without an adult present and is tattling.
A few houses down she sees some flowers planted around a mailbox and says, "Oh, no! Oh, no!" I have come to understand that she likes things in order and all the other mailboxes didn't have flowers around them so this mailbox was out of order in her eyes. She was pointing out the difference to me as if it were an offense.
However, when a big black dog running loose across the street runs over to us, and is sniffing nose to nose with our dog before getting into a heated growling match with each other, Ali watches in silence. There are no 'Oh, No's' in this situation. I wonder why. This is definitely a Oh, no moment. In fact, I'm screaming it silently inside my own head but yet she remains silent.
Things calm down, the aggressive dog is reigned in by his aggressive owners, and we progress on our way, all of which cause Ali to clap her hands in the air and say, "Oh, no! Oh, no!" in a proud, celebratory, relieved sort of way. Go figure!
I'm grateful I'm home everyday to learn these idiosyncrasies about my daughter and to really understand who she is as her own person. Who else would see past her two word use as annoying and instead see a bright and insightful person desperately trying to communicate with the world around her? What a gift for both of us!
Monday, July 13, 2009
Book Recommendation - Total Abandon
I just finished reading a book that I knew from the onset I would be posting a recommendation for on this site.
Total Abandon by Gary Witherall is a true story of life lived in radical devotion to God.
It is a love story between a man and God, between a woman and God, and then between each other because God brought them together to love each other and to serve him together.
God leads them to Lebanon as missionaries where they serve eagerly and share the gospel with the Muslim world until Bonnie's untimely death at the hands of terrorists. Gary chronicles their individual stories that eventually bring them together, their marriage and the decisions they make for God together, and then the reality of Bonnie's death. He shares his loss and grief with us and his struggle to remain faithful to God despite all his loss. He demonstrates forgiveness and a willingness to live again.
I cried throughout the book not just because of the deep sadness that comes as a result of Bonnie's death but also because of the love and appreciation that they had for each other. A love that was rooted in their belief that they were each a gift to the other for this journey in life. God had provided a partner for them to hold, support, and encourage as they lived out the mission God had set before them. I was awed by the love they had for God and how that translated into love for each other.
I really recommend this book. It is an easy read but more importantly it is inspiring! It's published by Tyndale House Publishing, Inc. in Wheaton, IL.
Total Abandon by Gary Witherall is a true story of life lived in radical devotion to God.
It is a love story between a man and God, between a woman and God, and then between each other because God brought them together to love each other and to serve him together.
God leads them to Lebanon as missionaries where they serve eagerly and share the gospel with the Muslim world until Bonnie's untimely death at the hands of terrorists. Gary chronicles their individual stories that eventually bring them together, their marriage and the decisions they make for God together, and then the reality of Bonnie's death. He shares his loss and grief with us and his struggle to remain faithful to God despite all his loss. He demonstrates forgiveness and a willingness to live again.
I cried throughout the book not just because of the deep sadness that comes as a result of Bonnie's death but also because of the love and appreciation that they had for each other. A love that was rooted in their belief that they were each a gift to the other for this journey in life. God had provided a partner for them to hold, support, and encourage as they lived out the mission God had set before them. I was awed by the love they had for God and how that translated into love for each other.
I really recommend this book. It is an easy read but more importantly it is inspiring! It's published by Tyndale House Publishing, Inc. in Wheaton, IL.
Friday, July 3, 2009
God Blesses Our First Campfire!
This past Wednesday we had our first campfire in our new fire pit. Before we lit our first fire, we prayed over the area asking God to bless the use of the area and all the people who would sit around the campfire with us in the years to come. We asked that His Spirit would always be present and that His presence would be known by those who share this space with us.
On our first night, God indeed made His presence known by displaying the most beautiful sunset in the sky for all of us to enjoy. We never would have seen this particular expression of God's creativity if we would have been sitting in the house which was our old norm. We also would not have had the opportunity to share the beauty of God's work that night with others if we had not had the draw of the new fire pit area to invite others over.
Thank you God for showing us that you are with us always and that you want us to know and experience you! Thank you for sharing your work and love with us.
My advice for this week is to get out and enjoy the things that God has made and continues to create everyday for us!
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