I missed church, but I still got a sermon!

   Well, so this morning I had been drinking coffee and checking emails while I waited until time to get dressed for church.  Our church probably isn't more than half a mile away, if even that much.  So I always wait until the last minute.

 

Right when it's time for me to go put my clothes on, hubby comes through frantically searching for his drill.  I jumped up and joined him in the search while trying to find out why it was so all fire important.  Come to find out, he had gone out to put Emmy the mare and her colt out of their pen and into some grass to graze, only to find the mare trapped in the fence!  Fortunately it's barbless wire.  And he need the drill to loosen the screws and drop the wire to get her out. 

 

We found the drill and a charged battery pack and I followed him out thinking he might need me to hold her head by the halter.  But she trusted him implicitly and I merely watched.  By the time I got inside, church was already started and I said "oh, well." 

 

The cabinets needed to be restocked and I began to make a grocery list.  Threw on some shorts and headed to the grocery store.  As I wove my way down the isles, I saw a dad or two with children shopping.  I wondered if they were blessed to have a mama at home or not.  If they did, she definitely was blessed! 

 

There was the usual assortment of elderly folks using the motorized buggies and canes or even their shopping cart as a cane so they could make their way down the isles.  All too often an eventuality of getting older. But they were blessed, for at least they're still getting out and taking care of themselves. 

 

I picked the shortest checkout line and watched as the woman ahead of me lay a case of ramen noodles, a bag of sugar and a box of tea on the counter.  She was on spindly, thin legs.  When the clerk gave her the total she fished out a crumpled and worn $5 to hand to her in payment.  As she grabbed the plastic bags to go out I wondered were that all she had to eat?  I felt a little nauseated as I watched my piled up buggy's items fly by me and into the bags.  I wished I hadn't so many; that I could hurry and get out and try to share some apples or hamburger makings with her.

 

The clerk gave me my total and as I watched the boy put the last bag or two in my buggy, I watched as a woman who couldn't been more than 5 years older than me took one slow, deliberate, apparently painful step after another as she walked out the door beside her buggy and with no aide.  I wondered what caused her affliction.

 

And then, it hit me.  I am BLESSED!!  Unbelievably, undeniably, abundantly blessed!!!!   But you know what else settled over me, as I was making my way out into the hot,Texas sunshine?  These two women were blessed as well!!!  The one who DID have enough money to buy her substance for another week.  The one who WAS strong enough to walk despite her pain.  Different measures for different lives at different times, yet all are blessed!  God does not withhold his blessing even from the unsaved!  He maketh the sun to shine on the just and the unjust. 

 

Thank you Lord for your reminders!

 

                             

Tags: church, blessings, groceries, Brookshire Bros.

Want to be a Slacker?

Ever just want to really enjoy some music, maybe just to relax to?  Or you want to hear something that will put a spring in your step and keep you going?  Want to be able to clue someone in on some of your favorite artists of all time?  Is your favorite music lost, on scratched CD's or even on 8-track?  Well, you may be a Slacker.

Slacker.com is one of the hot, new things around.  It's online radio.  But not just any online radio.  You can pick and choose from a never ending supply of stations and artists.  You can customize their stations to your preference or make one of your own!  You can listen online or take the music with you.  It's a definate must check out. 

A while back I posted my rocking girl blogger award and did a little spin off on the music I grew up on and the music I really enjoy.  Check out my custom station I made.

                                                     BARBIE'S BEAT

                                          

Barbie's Beat plays the best music from .38 Special, Aretha Franklin, Ben E. King, Bon Jovi, Bread, Diana Ross, Gladys Knight, Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, Jay & the Americans, Johnny Rivers and many more!

Tags: Slacker.com, desktop radio, Motown, Swamp Gold, Blogplugs

Catching Up!

Hello there folks!  I didn't fall off the face of the earth, just got busy with life I suppose. 

 

Bubba has been working as a mechanic at a local shop for over a month now. He had seen a sign out front that said mechanic needed.  He pulled in and talked to the man and came away with a job!   It's a good job, but hopefully he'll be getting a better one this next week.  Supposed to be talking to the folks at a local refinery. 

 

Bug is all wrapped up in Prissy and trying to get her to let her put the lead rope on her.  Trying to get her to stand still and let her pet her.  I tell her over and over these things take time...but at 8 years old, patience is not much of a virtue. 

 

School starts down our way on the 27th of this month.  I've got all the necessary things for Bug.  She's not bored and wishing for it to hurry like before.  But she's not full of dread either.  So hopefully, it'll start smooth as it can.  Although I know getting up and going to bed on time will be a struggle for a while.  Chores  and homework leave her so little free time in the evenings. 

 

Pete and I went to the doctor yesterday.  I'm happy to report she sent him for a full spine x-ray.  This may show some issues he's been dealing with.  And even if it doesn't, this will pave the way for her to send him to UTMB in Galveston for an MRI.  That's great for two reasons:  one, you can pay on a sliding scale there.  Two, she said they'd knock him out if they had to, to get it done.  He never could tolerate the machine they tried to use in Beaumont.  Tried twice.  Just couldn't do it. 

 

As for me...every time I go to the Doctor she finds something else wrong with me.  This time she didn't like my cholesterol.  Said it was double what it was three years ago.  Yet it is still relatively low, I think.  She said what are you doing different?  I said working part-time, and doing it more and more.  I think all the junk we eat from out at the nearby fast food joints and sitting at a desk more each day may be two culprits to my problem.  So, I'm going to endeavor to bring me good home cooked leftovers more for lunch. 

 

A little good news on the Korean hostage situation.  Two ladies were released and allowed to return home on Monday.  I pray there will be more good news coming.

 

A historian I had never heard of, made a statement about our need to remain in Iraq.  He said it better than I ever could.  His name is Charles Patricoff.

 

I have a friend who is doing daily pages with a mixture of devotions, great e-cards, clean jokes, etc.  I've been subscribing to her for some time now.  Many of you may have had something passed on to you by me from one of her pages.  Her name is Debbie, and she calls her page simply:  Debbie's Place.  Go check it out!  Near the bottom you'll find the link to her archives and also a place where you can subscribe if you wish.

 

And everyone is talking about Dean.  And everyone is asking me about Dean and us.  Well, the state of Texas is making ready has the Guard standing by.  The refineries are doing all the preliminary preparation they can.  I monitor Guido for most of my info.  He's a real blessing!  Here's what our own local meteorologists have to say:

 

Dean will likely pass near or over Jamaica Sunday and will likely be near Cancun Monday evening. Final landfall will likely be between Tampico, Mexico and Brownsville around Thursday as upper level high pressure builds in from the east. This ridge should keep Dean well to our southwest with little if any impact locally.

 

Of course we have some folks really wigging out about it all.  For any who feel afraid I want to share again this beautiful prayer that my dear friend Trish sent me just shortly before Rita came through here in '05.

 

O God, Master of this passing world, hear the humble voices of your children. The Sea of Galilee obeyed your order and returned to its former quietude; you are still the Master of land and sea. We live in the shadow of a danger over which we have no control. The Gulf, like a provoked and angry giant, can awake from its seeming lethargy, over step its conventional boundaries, invade our land and spread chaos and disaster. During this hurricane season, we turn to You, O loving Father. Spare us from past tragedies whose memories are still so vivid and whose wounds seem to refuse to heal with the passing of time. Father, all the elements of nature obey your command. Calm the storms and hurricanes that threaten us and turn our fear of your power into praise of your goodness. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Father God I am so very grateful that You are all knowing and all things have to submit to You. I pray Lord God for mercy for these in the hurricane areas. Father I pray that we as a nation of people will once again turn to You and say You are God!  Father I pray for good to come out of all this devastation. I pray for souls to be saved, I pray for spiritual health of this nation and the world. I pray we will lift Your name on high and put Jesus back on the throne instead of all our other gods we have tried to put on His throne.  May our people and our nation be healed and back under Your protection Father God. In Jesus name. I pray we completely surrender to You and spare ourselves from more destruction. Amen!

Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. Jeremiah 29:12

Until next time, God bless and keep you all! 

Barbara

Tags: Korean Hostages, Dean, Hurricane Prayer

These are my brethren

At the close of WWII, Korea was left divided.  The North was communist and the South was not.  Then came the Korean war.  The North was trying to assimilate the South into it's communist state.  The United Nations (pardon my french) still had balls then.  They responded quickly, swiftly.  In three years the aggressors were beaten back and peace returned. 

 

South Korea has a thriving Christian community.  A community they could not have under North Korea's rule.  South Korea has citizens, Christians who bravely and boldly went to minister in war torn Afghanistan.  There the Taliban has captured 23 of these dear brothers and sisters in Christ.  Two have been murdered because the demands to release Taliban bad guys held by the Afghan government have not been met.  More are likely to follow, without intervention.

 

Some are calling to give into the demands.  These terror minded ones making the demands are as opposed to freedom as any communist ever was.  I pray no concessions are made with them.  But at the same time I pray even more fervently for the comfort and Peace of Christ to be with all those held captive.  I pray for their freedom to be accomplished without compromising with terror.  Whether Divine intervention or the might, skill and intervention of the military.  I pray for their home churches, their families, their country men.

 

Persecution goes on elsewhere.  In China.  In the Philippines.  In various African nations.  It won't get the media coverage drunken stars and deranged pop idols get.  But it's going on.  Persecution is alive and well.   If you are a Christian, these are your brethren.  Please join me in praying for them.

Tags: Korean War, Persecution of Christians