The Inspired and Infallible

Over the past year I have been challenged by several people to read through the Bible from start to finish. I used to do this all the time when I was in high school. However, since then I have grow lax in that area. Instead I choose to read Psalms, Proverbs, random books at a time, passages I was working on for lessons at Good News club, church, or ALERT Cadets. Which was not wrong or "unbiblical" at all.

After being challenged to read through the Bible in a year recently, I began to think more about it. I was thinking, what if me reading the Bible was like a workout. A workout where I was only working my biceps. Oooohhhh you say. But everyone can see the results of that. They might think you are pretty cool having monster biceps. But in reality I am missing everything else I need. I have no ability but to lift something heavy with my arms. I lack endurance, speed with which to run the race, no strength in my back to carry those along the way, lacking a strong grip to reach out and grasp those falling away from God, and most noticeably not being ready with an answer in season and out of season. So why would I rather have the glory of the earth and be able to share psalm or proverb only that meant a lot to me. Why not exercise my WHOLE heart with ALL of God's Word? As I came to that realization I purposed that I would read through the entire Word of God in one year.

So off I went on a search for a tool with which to pace myself to stay on track. And I found this neat website Bibleyear.com which allowed me to set the start date nearly wherever I wanted. So, Starting tomorrow, April 1st 2010 I will read through the ENTIRE Inspired Word of God in a year.

I encourage you to join me in this journey toward a heart filled with HIM. I also ask that you all help to keep me accountable along the way.

Blessings!

Seriously????

In Oklahoma in MARCH? Seriously? :) Who cares. I am loving it!

The Tale of TWO Psalms

This morning as I was reading in Psalms God brought chapter 92 into a new light that I had not noticed before.

This Psalm speaks of a lifestyle to me. A lifestyle that I long to embrace but am far from. However, through HIS grace and mercy I step closer to that end goal day by day. It is GOOD to give thanks and praise to God. It is Good, Healthy, Right, Honoring, and the Right thing to do. Every moment of my day should be filled with DECLARING His love to EVERYONE and EVERYTHING around me. Not just in public, but all the time, even around my family which I find hard sometimes because of my familiarity with them. This should be my response because of what HE has done for me. I John 4:19 "We love because HE first loved us." Then the power of God is reaffirmed in verses 6-11. He controls ALL things. Does He control you ENTIRE life. ALL thoughts, words, attitudes, actions, and motives? The promises of God are so true. I am so thankful that "His Eye is on the sparrow". What a peace and comfort that is to know.

¹It is good to give thanks to the LORD and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High;
²To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning and Your faithfulness by night,
³With the ten-stringed lute and with the harp, with resounding music upon the lyre.
⁴For You, O LORD, have made me glad by what You have done, I will sing for joy at the works of Your hands.
⁵How great are Your works, O LORD! Your thoughts are very deep.
⁶A senseless man has no knowledge, nor does a stupid man understand this:
⁷That when the wicked sprouted up like grass and all who did iniquity flourished, it was only that they might be destroyed forevermore.
⁸But You, O LORD, are on high forever.
⁹For, behold, Your enemies, O LORD, for, behold, Your enemies will perish; all who do iniquity will bescattered.
¹⁰But You have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox; I have been anointed with fresh oil.
¹¹And my eye has looked exultantly upon my foes ,my ears hear of the evildoers who rise up against me.
¹²The righteous man will flourish like the palm tree, he will grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
¹³Planted in the house of the LORD, they will flourish in the courts of our God.
¹⁴They will still yield fruit in old age; they shall be full of sap and very green,
¹⁵To declare that the LORD is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.

This last week while preparing for the seminar and Children's program Abigail introduced us to a new song. Sure I have read it many times, for it comes straight from God's Word. Psalms 42. I think we must have sung this song nearly 50 times last week. As the seminar was drawing to a close Saturday evening. We all gathered around the piano, staff, teachers, and students to worship and closed with this song. What a fitting end to the week of learning, growing, stretching, testing, and seeking Him. HE IS MY HELP, HE IS MY GOD.

If you would like the sheet music click the picture above to download it as a PDF.

Sunshine and Smiles, The Continuing Story

The day can't get much better. Thanks for thinking of me while you all were out and about Elizabeth and Abigail!

Sunshine and Smiles

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race... ??? !!!

YES! That is my prayer for this week. You know how much easier it is to do that when you are surrounded by other faithful "runners"? Oh how I love God's amazing plan! I have been daily praising Him for all He has provided this week.

Here are a few of the Smiles God has provided for us since the last update:
- A wonderful response from you young men after talking with them.
- Some great laughs during skits. [including the unplanned total SOAKING of one teacher]
- 60 Pounds, er PIECES of {CHOCOLATE}. :)
- A tray of amazing brownies
- Some neat stories from parents.
- SEVERAL encouraging notes and verses from others who have 'been there, done this' before. :)
- More great laughs :D =)
- 4th in the last 5 (if my feeble memory serves me right) CI's we have picked up a nail in the tire on the van sometime during the week of CI.
- SUNSHINE
- A sore throat, wait that is not happy. I must say it has made telling the large group stories and SINGING very hard at times. BUT last night Abby found me some "HOTSHOT" Melaleuca spray that has been working wonders. PRAISE THE LORD!

Thank you all so much for your prayers and encouraging notes.

Thank You LORD!

God knows exactly what we need ALL the time, EVERY time, and precisely WHEN.

Yesterday was filled with His hand all along. Here are just a few of the many smiles God brought me (us).

A HUGE bag of M&M's
An amazing team of leaders
An encouraging note on the marker board in the materials room
A new Song
Two books from a friend
His strength for the night
9 little blessings from the Lord
Eyes that danced while singing happy birthday to one of the kids
All but one of us healthy and strong
A hug from one of the children
Some great quotes
An encouraging verse
An eyeopening skit
A LOVING FAMILY!

We covet each and everyone of your prayers. Thanks so much for lifting us before the Lord.

"The task ahead of us is never as great as the power behind us."

Health Care junk.....

This is what it is really all about.....



And HOW do you justify this?

A recent "Investor's Business Daily" article provided very
interesting statistics from a survey by the United Nations
International Health Organization.

Percentage of men and women who survived a cancer five years after diagnosis:
U.S. 65%
England 46%
Canada 42%

Percentage of patients diagnosed with diabetes who received
treatment within six months:
U.S. 93%
England 15%
Canada 43%

Percentage of seniors needing hip replacement who received it within six months:

U.S. 90%
England 15%
Canada 43%

Percentage referred to a medical specialist who see one within one month:

U.S. 77%
England 40%
Canada 43%

Number of MRI scanners (a prime diagnostic tool) per million people:
U.S. 71%
England 14%
Canada 18%

Percentage of seniors (65+), with low income, who say they are in "excellent health":
U.S. 12%
England 2%
Canada 6%

I don't know about you, but I don't want "Universal Healthcare"
comparable to England or Canada .

Moreover, it was Sen. Harry Reid who said, "Elderly Americans must learn to accept the inconveniences of old age."

SHIP HIM OFF TO CANADAENGLAND !

He is "elderly" himself but be sure to remember his health insurance is different from yours as Congress has their own high-end coverage! He will never have to learn to accept "inconveniences"!!!


AND THE WINNER IS VERY INTERESTING!

The percentage of each past president's cabinet who had worked in the private business sector prior to their appointment to
the cabinet. You know what the private business sector is...a real life business, not a government job. Here are the percentages.


T. Roosevelt........38%
Taft................... 40%
Wilson .............. 52%
Harding.............. 49%
Coolidge.............48%
Hoover............... 42%
F. Roosevelt....... 50%
Truman.............. 50%
Eisenhower..........57%
Kennedy............ 30%
Johnson.............. 47%
Nixon................ 53%
Ford.................. 42%
Carter............... 32%
Reagan.............. 56%
G H Bush............51%
Clinton ............. 39%
G W Bush........... 55%

And the winner of the Chicken Dinner is:
Obama................. 8% !!!

Yep! That's right! Only Eight Percent!!!..the least by far of the last 19 presidents!! And these people are trying to tell our big corporations how to run their business? They know what's best for GM...Chrysler... Wall Street... and you and me?

How can the president of a major nation and society...the one with the most successful economic system in world history.. stand and talk about business when he's never worked for one?.. or about jobs when he has never really had one??! And neither has 92% of his senior staff and closest advisers.

They've spent most of their time in academia, government and/or non-profit jobs....or as "community organizers" when they should have been in an employment line.

So GO make a DIFFERENCE! Contact your Representative.

Isaiah 61

"I will GREATLY rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my GOD; for HE hath covered me with the robe of righteousness..." Verse 10 I will rejoice when? All the time, Feel like it or not! Why Because HE has instructed me to. But not just that. My obedience to God should not just come because HE said so. But, Because HE FIRST loved me. Because of my love and dependence on HIS mercy on me, ("We love because HE FIRST loved us". I John 4:19). So because of His love being in me can I truly say, "The Spirit of the LORD GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; HE hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captive, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound." Verse 1. As a born again son of God I HAVE the Spirit of GOD upon me. "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit shall come upon you..." Acts 1:8a At the MOMENT of SALVATION. "And YOU shall be my witnesses to Judea, and Samaria, and to the UTERMOST ends of the earth." Acts 1:8b. So what keeps me from BOLDY proclaiming the "good tidings"? For HE has sent me!

I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory." "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? "The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. I Corinthians 15:50-58

So NOW I LIVE in ANTICIPATION of HIS coming. I WILL Preach the good tidings! I WILL live my life in honor to HIM.

[insert your own title]

Thanks to Alaina.

He is LORD!

Just a few random jumblings of my thoughts this morning from my devotions, and a view from our house a few weeks ago...

Psalms 67

¹God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; Selah.

²That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations.

³Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee.

⁴O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Selah.

⁵Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee.

⁶Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us.

⁷God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him.

Yesterday was Good News Club. At club in the past few weeks it has been so neat to see the kids singing their hearts out to the Lord. Most of the kids truly praise him and love coming to "church". At least that is what they call it. For most Good News Club is the closest they have ever come to a church, especially with any regularity. Yesterday the kids were much more behaved and listened a lot better. We instituted a few new rules to minimize distractions and it has payed off wonderfully. My mom is great with coming up to solutions to those kinds of things. Maybe that comes from teaching prior to her meeting dad? :)

Proverbs 4:18

But the path of the just is as a shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

How is your light? I know my needs some brightening up. I am learning to not allow it to be controlled by my attitude or circumstances, but by the love of God in my heart.

Isaiah 52:12

For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight:for the LORD will do before you; and the God of Israel will be your reward.

I like to make decisions quick and then get busy. But wait.... What? Self Control? You mean I need to be calm and collected? Hmm I guess this comes in line with the verse, "wisdom and wise counselors make war"! Well, I am making war on complacency in my life. I am making war on the lens of my light and cleaning it. I am looking in the mirror and cleaning it so I can see the imperfections in my reflection and remove them. I WILL stand my guard and stay the mission! I will OVERCOME!