Sharpen Your Axe

                                             

Well, I got the footstomping/message I needed in church this a.m.  Yet I have to say it was hard to walk over to the Sanctuary with kids milling around wanting to have Children's Church.  I need a new fresh work force behind me....so I can have my occasional adult Sunday and they always have their special service.  Oh, well.  I trust God is working on it.

My discomfort caused by pastors sermon and the special music was due to my slipping and letting slide the "three r's" of discipleship......pray, read and study.  Listen and obey.  Ouch!

I don't have a copy of pastor's sermon.....we aren't that high-tech here in the sticks.  But I do have this precious little gem from Dwayne Savaya at Gods Work Ministry.  So read, enjoy and then rub those sore feet.

 

SHARPEN YOUR AXE   A young man approached the foreman of a logging crew and asked for a job. "That depends," replied the foreman. "Let's see you chop down this tree." The young man stepped forward and skillfully chopped down a great tree.  Impressed, the foreman exclaimed, "You can start Monday."   Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday rolled by -- and Thursday afternoon the foreman approached the young man and said, "You can pick up your paycheck on the way out today."   Startled, the young man replied, "I thought you paid on Friday."   "Normally we do," said the foreman. "But we're letting you go today because you've fallen behind.Our daily felling charts show that you've dropped from first place on Monday to last place today."   "But I'm a hard worker," the young man objected. "I arrive first, leave last and even have worked through my coffee breaks!"   The foreman, sensing the young man's integrity, thought for a minute and then asked, "Have you been sharpening your axe?"   The young man replied, "No sir, I've been working too hard to take time for that!"   Author Unknown     Our lives are like that. We sometimes get so busy that we don't take time to "sharpen the ax." In today's world, it seems that everyone is busier than ever but less happy than ever. Why is that? Could it be that we have forgotten how to stay sharp?   There's nothing wrong with activity and hard work. But God doesn't want us to get so busy that we neglect the truly important things in life, like taking time to pray, to read and study scriptures or to listen to "The still small voice of God." We all need time to relax, to think and meditate, to learn and grow. If we don't take time to sharpen the axe, we will become dull and lose our effectiveness to be better ministers and witnesses for Christ.   I encourage you to spend time with the Lord.  Pour out your heart to Him, confess your sins, ask Him to guide and lead you to the best place where He wants you to be and you will see God faithfully answer your prayers and refresh you from the inside out.                                                                 

This time there is a word on the Word

 OKay!  So here I am, again, finally.  This week has been a topsy-turvy one.  We go Monday to get the results of Pete's tests he managed to take.  I take Bubba to get his Jr. year schedule on Thursday.  I find myself going into the job market again after 6 years at home.  Wish me luck!  I haven't had time to compose myself and come up with anything witty or inspiring.  I am glad tomorrow is my Sunday to sit out Children's Church.  Though it is a blessing, I think I need the fellowship and exhortation of adult worship this week.   I want to at least leave you with a word on the Word.  So here goes.  "If you are angry, don't sin by nursing your grudge.  Don't let the sun go down with you still angry - get over it quickly;  for when you are angry you give a mighty foothold to the devil."  and "Stop being mean, bad-tempered and angry.  Quarreling, harsh words, and dislike of others should have no place in your lives."  Ephesians 4:26 & 31, TLB.  Oh, my!  If I am not in control of myself, and I am not allowing the Holy Spirit to control me, guess who must be running the show?!  Yep, Satan himself.  God knows our nature and so does Satan.  God knows we will get angry and feel anger.  His way of dealing with it is for us to lay the problem at His feet and let go of the emotion.  To let go of resentment.  Satan also knows our nature and he desires that we hold on to our anger.  That we mull what caused the anger over and over again in our minds.  That we work ourselves into an ever increasing self-justified rage.  That we not rest until vengeance has had its fill and all around is destroyed.  The next time you are mistreated, and feeling like you need to get back at someone, just remember that no one can mistreat us more than we have mistreated God.  Yet, he has chosen to look the other way and forgive and forget all we have done.  If you are His disciple you  can chose to strive for no less a response.   God bless all my wonderful J~land friends!

Yes, I'm Still Here!

                                       

Okay, some of you probably think I dropped off the face of the earth.....but I didn't.  And I have been keeping up with all of you....read all the alerts for journals and groups.  But I have had very little PC time and have not invested in going to pages and leaving comments.......sorry! :(     

Well, Pete had the Carotid Ultrasound....but he didn't have any MRI!  They tried him in the regular machine.....no way.  Then they moved him to the "open" one....yet still when that camera that Pete called the "cage" came in front of his face....uhuh, no way!  He felt awful, was nervous and shaky.  We went outside and walked and he had a snack and he thought he had himself together, so we go back in, but nope.  They suggested we call his Doctor and reschedule with a pain pill or nerve pill to take before hand.  We called, but the doctor said "Nope!".......So we went again on Friday.  Pete was well rested, full, less sick.  He took a full dose of Benedryl beforehand.  Thought he would be relaxed and groggy and it would be okay this time.....but, NOPE.  So we are backing up and scheduling CT scans of his brain instead.  Not nearly as good information wise, yet much better than no look inside.

Who would have figured it!?!?  He has never shown any indication of being claustraphobic.  He has worked up high in the air too...but he'll flat out tell you he doesn't really like heights.  He has stood rock still and faced a charging watercosin down.  He has calmly inserted his saliva wettened thumb into the end of a burning gas can to extinguish the fire.  Things normal folks can't do without freaking out. 

Well, no foul here.  He gave it his very best shot, more than once.  They said that 2 out of 5 people can't do it.....at least not awake.  That's over a third of the folks who try!  That's a lot. 

Maybe I'll get back to a semi-normal schedule this next week.  Just know that I adore you all and will make my way around to comment, IM, or send a private e-mail as soon as I can.

Enjoy this beautiful Sunday in our Lord!  

 

 

A Bag of Nails

Hello to all!  Today I am passing on to you another story from Gods Work Ministry E-mail.  This so fits the study on words and anger we have been doing together!  (For more stories, poems and testimonies visit the website - just click the link in my sidebar.  Or just go by and sign the guest book, let Bro. Savaya know how much the things he prepares & I share mean to you.)

A LITTLE BOYS TEMPER     There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the fence.   The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily, gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence. Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper.   The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said "you have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one."   You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound is still there.   Make sure you control your temper the next time you are tempted to say something you will regret later.   Author Unknown  

Today's journal is practically brand-spanking new!   Loris lives in South Florida with a hubby, two boys and a new baby girl.  Her entries to date have been a potpouri of news, reflection, celebration and chit-chat.  You can check her out at  Leave a Brilliant Light Behind.  Welcome to J~land, Loris!

 

 Now for our own look in the Word, we go to Galatians 5:20.  But I encourage you to check out the whole passage of 5:13-26 and study the Fruits of the Spirit vs the Works of the Flesh.  "...hatred and fighting, jealousy and anger, constant effort to get the best for yourself, complaints and criticisms, the feeling that everyone else is wrong except those in your own little group - and there will be wrong doctrine,..."  Habitual anger springs from a fleshly world-view.  If we have been crucified with Christ, then our "flesh" has no more rights than a corpse!  Habitual anger breeds sin, and sin has no right to "flurish" in the lives of God's children.  How many pounds of nails are you planning on buying today?

 

Blue Monday...After a Good Weekend

                                         

Well, is it just me, or does it really seem like forever since I have posted and browsed J~land?  Guess I'll make this a newsy, catch-you-up sort of entry.  First, thanks to the many who stopped by and wished Pete a Happy Birthday!  You are all too sweet.  I think he has as good a birthday as anyone who had to work that day could have.  I fed him Rib-eyes and baked potaotoes for supper, with some wonderful fresh baked yeast biscuits my sister brought him.  Bubba did a bunch of yard work for a present, and Bug designed him her own card.  I gave him his favorite cologne, which he was out of.

Thursday and Friday there just wasn't much too me........did practically nothing.  But Friday evening Pete came home with a birthday surprise for Bug........a brand new 20" bike!  All metal....in a teal blue with lavender accents.  She was so very excited!  On Saturday, her birthday, Pete and Bubba had to go get passes to hunt in the park near the house this year, and he stopped of at the grocery and bought her a birthday party:  cake, meat for the grill, paper plates, sodas, ....everything.  Mama didn't have to do a thing!  That was one little girl who sure felt special!  As if she weren't already excited enough about turning 6.  Throughout the afternoon and evening family dropped by and brought her presents....mostly money, she's now independantly wealthy.  And in the evening we all enjoyed some great food cooked over an all pecan wood fire.  Pete was on call, but thankfully never had to go.  Unfortunately for him, the evening ended with another of those really bad headaches.  Me and the kids picked up the mess. 

Sunday was just another relaxing rather lazy day.  We had rain again.  More is expected today.  Wonder if we are officially out of our drought now?

I want to make a confession.  A while back, I was helping Bug look for something purely fun and mindless to do on the PC.  Non-educational.  Just for kicks.  I found her a game and we played.  She enjoyed it and did fairly well at it.  So I put it on the favorites.  We went back to play several times.  Well, now I am hooked on Zuma.  I play a game or two of it almost every single day!  Why, I don't know.....it's not like I am actually good at it.  Is it because it is mindnumbing?  Or is this just an expression of my inner child?  Or a throw back to my Asteroid zapping days in the late 70's?  Well, there you go....now you know.  I feel better.

 Today I'd like to ask all of you to welcome a Sister in Christ to J~land.  One who knows her REO Speedwagon.  ;)  (See Comments)  Gwynn is also a wife and mother, trying to be committed to Him in the Small Things.  Stop by and draw some courage and inspiration from her, or leave her a little of your own.

 

  The Word today is "Dear friends, never avenge yourselves.  Leave that to God, for he has said that he will repay those who deserve it. {Don't take the law into your own hands.}  Instead, feed your enemy if he is hungry.  If he is thirsty give him something to drink and you will be "heaping coals of fire on his head."  In other words, he will feel ashamed of himself for what he has done to you.  Don't let evil get the upper hand but conquer evil by doing good."  Romans 12:19-21, TLB      At first I thought this needs no illiteration.  But then I could hear some of you saying, "oh, sure.....I know old so and so will just take my kindness and never feel guilty."  So, I say to you remember that God's timetable is not ours.  I am sure some will never feel guilt or remorse in our lifetime.....but there is a Day coming.  A day when every knee will bow and every tongue confess.  If they have no remorse towards us or God now, they surely will then!  But it will be a little too late.  So please heed God's Word.  For your sake not to be caught up in strife.  And for their sake, that they might have even the opportunity to see and too repent the things they have done, before it is ever too late.

Someone's a Little Older!

It's my Sweetie Pete's Birthday!

                           

Yes, he is gettin older.....but in many ways he is getting better!  In case you stop by:  I love you!

 

Sharing a little ArcaMax humor with you again related to marriage in honor of my hubby's birthday.

What's That Restaurant?

An elderly couple had dinner at another couple's house, and after eating, the wives left the table and went into the kitchen. The two gentlemen were talking, and one said, "Last night we went out to a new restaurant and it was really great. I would recommend it very highly."

The other man said, "What is the name of the restaurant?"

The first man thought and thought and finally said, "What is the name of that flower you give to someone you love? You know... the one that's red and has thorns."

"Do you mean a rose?"

"Yes, that's the one," replied the man. He then turned towards the kitchen and yelled, "Rose, what's the name of that restaurant we went to last night?"

A Noise

My wife has not spoken to me in three days. I think it has something to do with what happened on Sunday night when she thought she heard a noise downstairs.

She nudged me and whispered, "Wake up, wake up!"

"What's the matter?" I asked.

"There are burglars in the kitchen. I think they're eating the tuna casserole I made tonight."

"That'll teach them!" I replied.

 

Hunting, sort of....

Shelia walked into the kitchen to find her husband, Fred, stalking around with a fly swatter.

"And what are we doing?" she asked.

"Hunting flies" he responded.

"Oh? Killing any?" she asked, with a smirk.

"Yep! Got 4 males, 3 Females," he replied.

Intrigued, she asked. "How the heck can you tell?"

"Simple." He replied, "4 were on a beer can, 3 were on the phone."

 

Like horses?    Dream of wide open mountainous spaces?  Take a stroll by windshadow walks.  MaggieMae and her hubby have a 1940's farmhouse in Oregon.  When they are not working, they are often out on the trails for a ride.  Maggie often shares pictures of these excursions or of flowers and grandchildren.  Happy trails!

 

  I fancied this little picture because it reminds me that we need the whole armour of God to stand against the onslaught of the dragon.  (And we all know who he is!)  I'll be absolutely honest with you, I seem to be three steps forward and two steps back many days.  But we are not commanded to win only to strive......the victory belongs to Jesus! 

Today's Word takes us over to the good doctor Luke's gospel, Chapter 22:63-65, on the night of Christ's arrest by the temple guards:  "Now the guards in charge of Jesus began mocking him.  They blindfolded him and hit him with their fists and asked, 'Who hit you that time, prophet?'  And they threw all sorts of insults at him."  I ask whom do we want to be like?  The guards or Jesus?  The guards mocked and ridiculed.  They were mean in spirit and in action.  Jesus uttered no reply or rebuke.  He took his mistreatment with quiet determination towards the cross of calvary.  A line from a hymn seems to apply, "But the question comes to me, when I think of Calvary, is Jesus be satisfied with me?"  Remember, Christian literally means little Christs.  Does the term fit?  Only by His all sufficient Grace!

 

Told to Pray

I want to start with a great big   to everyone who prayed for Pete and I yesterday.  Your prayers were certainly heard!  We have no answers yet, but I was greatly encouraged by this doctors attitude, seeming open to any and all possibilities.  He is scheduling Pete for several more CAT scans of his head.  Pete is managing to work and function, but has had a severe headache for days.....so please keep him tucked in your prayers.

Another way I know your prayers were effective is our journey too and from the doctors.  If there was an obstacle to slow us down, we got it!  Construction on our road.  Large trucks carrying oversized loads.  Rain.  Trains crossing.  Extremely slow people in no passing zones.  You get the picture?!  But Pete remained calm through it all and we reached our destinations safely!  Henceforth, proof of your prayers working.

Now to the highlight of our trip!  This is where today's title comes into play.  As we were leaving the doctors (5th floor) and entered the elevator, another couple on board were talking to each other.  As I heard their conversation I also heard a voice clearly in my head say "Pray for them."  And the image came into my mind of me walking over to them, laying a hand on each of their arms and then praying out loud for them there in the elevator full of people.  I don't know if that was a command or simply to make the prayer experience more real for me in my own mind.  But I regret to say, I stood in place where I was.....YET I did proceed to pray for them in my head and heart.  For healing, health, strength....you name it.  After we were outside the building I shared my experience with Pete.  He didn't comment, but he didn't "humph!" me either.  So you see, God is at work in many a different way!  Who knows how many people who cross your path today may say a prayer for you?  Will you say one for them?  I desire to be ever more obedient, that the next time I will walk over and lay hands on, if so impressed.

 

 Today's new journal link is to another Brit.  Sue is a legal secretary to a major corporate law firm.  Now in all honesty, I don't share her views on the paranomal that she embraces, but then again is there anyone with whom I share all views?  At Stories from Sue you will also find humerous entries, thought provoking entries and a few heartwarming entries.  If this sounds like your cup of tea, stop by and give her the once-over for me!

 

 Today we settle in at Matthew 15:18 & 19:  "But evil words come from an evil heart, and defile the man who says them.  For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, lying and slander." TLB  Once again these are words directly from our Saviour.  Getting to the heart of the matter, so to speak.  If we are hearing evil words come from our mouth, then we had best check our heart condition.  Do we know Christ as Lord and Savior?  Are we allowing the Spirit to guide us?  Are we in the Word and vigilant in prayer?  Is there unrepented and unconfessed sin hiding there......pride, unforgiveness, disobedience?  Go to the Doctor today and get a comprehensive heart scan. 

May we be found obedient today!

Barbara

 

 

...and they are off!

                                         

Okay, I confess!  I feel like I just went round the track.  This week has started off with me feeling like I am running and trying to catch up.  So, you get a semi-normal entry.  May or may not be able to make one tomorrow.  Pete goes to see the ear & nose doctor.  Perhaps we will finally get some answers there.  Please pray that he does!  This poor man has suffered so, for so long.  We need to know why.  Thank you all.  And I will see ya'll for Wednesday for sure.

Love,

Barbara

A Lil' Humor ;)

                                                                                                              

Mildred was a 93 year old woman who was very upset over the recent death of her husband, Earl.  She decided that she would just kill herself and join him in death.  

Thinking that it would be best to get it over with quickly, she took out Earl's old Army pistol and made the decision to shoot herself in the heart, since it was so badly broken in the first place.

Not wanting to miss the vital organ and become a vegetable and burden someone, she called her doctor's office to inquire as to just exactly where the heart would be on a woman.

The doctor said, "Your heart would be just below your left breast."    Later that night, Mildred was admitted to the hospital with a gunshot wound to her knee. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (Thanks to Sheila!)

A Hunting Story

Waking to continuous news coverage of the bombings in England was so deja-view the morning of 9/11.  If you haven't yet, please say a prayer for  the many who have been affected by this.

As for life in Caneyhead......it is rolling along.  A calm, pleasant week.  We have had many much needed showers.  The little foal is doing well.  Pete decided to call him Thomas Stanley, after a relative.  He seems to name most of his animals after relatives.  It is meant to be an honor, though a sometimes humorous one.  We have been sighting many deer lately.  They are really out and about.  My sister, Edna, and I are planning to take my two kids to Galveston sometime this month.  It is about a two hour trip, including ferry time.  Bubba has been to the sea shore, but never across to the island.  Bug has never seen the ocean and it is one of her greatest hearts desires.  In general Pete is doing well.  But he does have an appointment next week with the sinus doctor (ear and nose man).  Please pray with me that we find something there that can be helpful to him.  And that's about it on the homefront.  Today I am going to share with you another gem that Monica shared with me.  I like it for two reasons.  One it has a redneck flavor to it.  Second it has a lot of spiritual truth in it.  Hope you enjoy.

 There once was a man who had nothing for his family to eat. He had an old rifle and three bullets. So, he decided that he would go out hunting and kill some wild game for dinner. As he went down the road, he saw a rabbit.  He shot at the rabbit and missed it. The rabbit ran away.  Then he saw a squirrel and fired a shot at the squirrel and missed it. The squirrel disappeared into a hole in a cottonwood tree. As he went further, he saw a large wild "Tom" turkey in the tree, but he had only one bullet remaining. A voice spoke to him and said, "Pray first, aim high and stay focused." However, at the same time, he saw a deer which was a better kill. He brought the gun down and aimed at the deer. But, then he saw a rattlesnake between his legs about to bite him, so he naturally brought the gun down further to shoot the rattlesnake. Still, the voice said again to him, "I said 'Pray, Aim high and Stay focused."  So the man decided to listen to God's voice. He prayed, then aimed the gun high up in the tree and shot the wild turkey. The bullet bounced off the turkey and killed the deer.
The handle fell off the gun and hit the snake in the head and killed it. And when the gun had gone off, it knocked the man into a pond. When he stood up to look around, he had fish in all his pockets, a dead deer and a turkey to feed his family. The snake (Satan) was dead simply because the man listened to God.

Moral of the story:

Pray first before you do anything, Aim and shoot high in your goals, and stay focused on God.

Never let others discourage you concerning your past. The past is exactly that "the past."

Live every day one day at a time and remember that only God knows our future and that he will not put you through any more than you can bear.

Do not look to man for your blessings, but look to God only.

He has prepared in advance for you, in your favor.

Wait, be still and patient: keep God first and everything else will follow.
   Today's journal:  Follow single mom, Rachel, as she struggles from day to day in triumph and tragedy asking the question  What can you do?  Rachel has a big heart and a lot of baggage (don't we all!), and writes from that with honesty.  Lend your encouragement and cheers to Rachel and her daughter Olivia.

 

 The first time I ever read todays scripture it sent chills thru me.  It is part of the Sermon on the Mount, yet you seldom hear it mentioned.  "But I have added to that rule, and tell you that if you are only angry, even in your own home, you are in danger of judgement!  If you call your friend an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court.  And if you curse him, you are in danger of the fires of hell."  Matthew 5:22  TLB  Did you get chills also?  This was our precious Lord elaborating on the commandment not to commit murder.  Very sobering indeed.  I have nothing to add to this, except please meditate upon it and pray accordingly. 

(Roses from Microsoft Outlook Express stationery collection.)

Okay AOL.......Don't mess up my entry!

Okay, this is a little different.  I didn't do hardly any journal reading over the holiday weekend.  So I spent this a.m. catching up.  Along the way I found several journals with things in them I found so interesting I am going to link you to them.  And if God smiles on the ISP today, prehaps it will all show up!  Yesterday's boo-boo also ruined my Redneck/Oilfield Dictionary I was trying to update.  So one day soon I'll go back and repair that  -  Good Lord willing and the creek don't rise.  Now without further ado, here's the links:

Donna had two awesome links up.  One all the picture buffs should enjoy, and the other a great new blog about blogs! 

http://journals.aol.com/deveil/PictureoftheDay/entries/1205

http://journals.aol.com/livewebblog/liveweb/

Plus she had a hilarious entry about a set of keys gone missing!

http://journals.aol.com/lacaza3/sweepingthecobwebsofmymind/entries/1139

If you are into quizes, Cynthia had a good one about religious beliefs linked to her journal at:

http://journals.aol.com/sistercdr/Sortingthepieces/entries/1590

And if you have not had enough Independance Day yet, go read this fascinating entry Terra made about what all our forefathers went thru after they so boldly signed the Declaration:

http://journals.aol.com/terra19728/8ISENOUGH/entries/1172

 

Today's Official Journal Mention is life at our house.  Kelley is an warm, friendly, Christian wife and mother of three girls.  They are recent transplants from sunny California to Indiana.  She often includes some clean little funnies in her entries. She has only been journaling about as long as I have, so I know she would welcome some traffic.   

And shall I try again on yesterday's Word? (Get behind me now Satan!)  I know it won't be exactly what I said yesterday, as I compose as I type.  "Son of Dust, tell them that the Lord God says:  Your fathers continued to blasheme and betray me when I brought them into the land I promised them, for they offered sacrifices and incense on every high hill and under every tree!"  Ezekiel 20:27    Does our lifestyle blaspheme and betray God?  Do we offer ourselves to every notion that comes along?  Do we compromise Truth?  Do we sacrifice righteousness for the sake of tolerance?  The New Testament equates how we live our lives with our "conversation".  What we do, how we think, how we live, treat others, when we stand, when we bend, .......it all comes together to make our conversation.  So what's your conversation saying? 

 

Things that make you go .......hhhuuummm!

I appologize that all of the Word is not in the previous entry.......I don't know what AOL did with it.....it was there when I pushed "SAVE"    And I cannot edit that entry .....as nothing shows up when I try.  Neither can I edit the Redneck/Oilfield Dictionery to include "shotgun."  SO???!!   I will try to correct both later.   

 

 

Hope you had a good Celebration

Hello!  I hope no matter how you chose to spend the holiday, that it was all you desired it to be.  We used the long weekend for a lot of rest and relaxation around the house.  Every night we watched a movie.   Ordered pizza on Friday.  Kept the rest of the meals simple and easy, too.  Yesterday afternoon the guys went into the deer camp to bring home the Bronco hoopie*.  Right before dusk we all loaded up in it and took a ride down the hill into the Baygall, just to look around.  At one point a tree was down across the road, but we easily navigated around it.  Bubba chauffered me and Pete.  Bug rode shotgun*.  On the way back up, Bubba set her on his lap and let her steer.  So she had a blast.

Pete and I pretended we were courtin'.  He actually did remember the first words he ever said to me......which were "Give me a little kiss right here."  And he leaned over and tapped his cheek-bone with his forefinger.  It was original!  And I was busy in conversation at the time, so I reached up and gave him a light peck on the cheek.......in part to clear him out of the way so I could go on with my conversation! 

There is a charming little family that lives in Arizona.  There is the wife and mother, Kara (who loves all sorts of crafts), and the loving hubby, Seth and the ever adorable Wyatt......thier precious little son.   Kara recounts many things from their life in her journal A Day With Kara.  Usually her pages have the most adorable graphics, but recently she has had broadband woes that have made her postings difficult.  Check her out, leave a word of encouragement, and be sure to stop back by when she has it all straightened out!

Lord, help us to manage our words by your Word.  "Son of Dust, tell them that the Lord God says:  Your fathers continued to blaspheme and betray me when I brought the

The 4th is Fast Approaching!

Here we are with the 4th of July fast approaching. I may not post again until next week. For sure I won't continue with all the regular features until then. I want to just share a few thoughts with you as this holiday approaches.

For all of it's ills......for the controversies I still believe I am priviledged to live in the greatest nation on earth! I know I have it better on any given day of the week than most of humanity, and for that I am grateful......to God and this nation. Some rile and rant continually agianst most everyone and every thing here. And I do tend to agree with Meryl Haggard reguarding those folks. But I am fearful that in the name of protectionism we may be setting aside some of our most precious priviledges. For instance this legislation regarding the burning of the flag. I love our flag. My heart swells with pride when I see it. It embodies all I hope and all I believe about this country of ours. I would never be irreverant to it. But it is a symbol. A symbol not only of what we should be, but of the government of our nation at any given point in time. I just can't see making it illegal to burn the flag in protest. Free speech about our government and what it is doing and where it is headed is fundimental to our citizenship. (Not free speech to shove profanity down my throat.....but that's a whole 'nother topic.) Somehow, I perceive that when we make this grafic display of disagreement illegal, we will all be losing a big chunk of that free speech. Personaly, I had rather see the flag burnt in protest by someone who is trying to get his government's attention to a problem or a plight than to see it left on a flagpole in someone's front yard in the rain. The former is reminiscent of the spirit of patriotism, while the later screams disrespect. Of course, should the cause be just enough and the situation dire enough to warrant it, any patriot would risk charges and jail to stand against tyrany. Just my thoughts andreflections, to get you thinking.

Now let me leave you with some humor to lighten the mood! I just loved this from ArcaMax......they did an excellant job of "reading between the lines."

Job Market

If you're in the job market right now you might want to familiarize yourself with the Human Resources Lingo...

"COMPETITIVE SALARY"

We remain competitive by paying less than our competitors.

"JOIN OUR FAST-PACED COMPANY"

We have no time to train you.

"CASUAL WORK ATMOSPHERE"

We don't pay enough to expect that you'll dress up.

"MUST BE DEADLINE-ORIENTED"

You'll be six months behind schedule on your first day.

"SOME OVERTIME REQUIRED"

Some time each night and some time each weekend.

"DUTIES WILL VARY"

Anyone in the office can boss you around.

"MUST HAVE AN EYE FOR DETAIL"

We have no quality control.

"APPLY IN PERSON"

If you're old, fat or ugly you'll be told the position has been filled.

"NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE"

We've filled the job; our call for resumes is just a legal formality.

"SEEKING CANDIDATES WITH A WIDE VARIETY OF EXPERIENCE"

You'll need it to replace three people who just left.

"PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS A MUST"

You're walking into a company in perpetual chaos.

"REQUIRES TEAM LEADERSHIP SKILLS"

You'll have the responsibilities of a manager, without the pay or respect.

"GOOD COMMUNICATION SKILLS"

Management communicates, you listen, figure out what they want and do it.

Have a Safe and Happy 4th!