.
True or False?
.
Please poll a few friends and post results under comments.
,
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
The Branch Re-visited
.
I was reading over some of my old posts, and got teary eyed when I ran across "The Branch" writings. Of course if you know me at all, you know it doesn't take much to make me cry. God does it almost every time.
Anyway, here is "The Branch" re-visited.
.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
My neighbors have a tree limb in their yard. It might be more accurate to say a branch leaning toward a twig. My mom could easily pick it up.
The reason it is interesting is . . . that it has been there for about six weeks. The neighbors yard is neatly mowed and landscaped. The branch is easily seen from our kitchen sink window, so we see it and think of it often. When the person they hire, mows their yard, he always just moves the branch over a little and mows around it. I am interested to see whether it ever gets picked up and carried off, or just shrivels up and disintegrates. I think I'll put a nice red ribbon on it.
.
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
My neighbors hired a whole crew to manicure their lawn today. There were at least three men yielding mowers, weedeaters, bushtrimmers and blowers. Somewhere in the mix, "the branch" got carried off to twig heaven. I was really sad to see it go. I can't describe the way I strangely miss it . . . life is hard.
.
Saturday, October 21, 2006
Don't ever give up on a twig. If you think there is no hope - that the branch is gone - that surely chopping, tossing and burning has taken place - that the "fat branchey" is singing . . . think again!
It turns out that "the branch" in the neighbors yard was not annialated as I thought, but only moved to another spot in the yard, namely the "in progress flower garden" right in front of the house, where it is easily seen every time I drive up the driveway. Somehow, seeing this small branch again, has caused my hope to be renewed.
So the saga continues. What will happen to this seemingly insignificant piece of fallen tree?
I'll keep you posted. In the mean time, never give up . . . things are not always as they seem.
.
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
The branch has so far survived the winter. It is still in the flower bed and even still holding on to a few leaves. If you would like to drive by and see it, feel free. Just leave $2 in the mail box. If you take a picture, make it $5.
I was reading over some of my old posts, and got teary eyed when I ran across "The Branch" writings. Of course if you know me at all, you know it doesn't take much to make me cry. God does it almost every time.
Anyway, here is "The Branch" re-visited.
.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
My neighbors have a tree limb in their yard. It might be more accurate to say a branch leaning toward a twig. My mom could easily pick it up.
The reason it is interesting is . . . that it has been there for about six weeks. The neighbors yard is neatly mowed and landscaped. The branch is easily seen from our kitchen sink window, so we see it and think of it often. When the person they hire, mows their yard, he always just moves the branch over a little and mows around it. I am interested to see whether it ever gets picked up and carried off, or just shrivels up and disintegrates. I think I'll put a nice red ribbon on it.
.
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
My neighbors hired a whole crew to manicure their lawn today. There were at least three men yielding mowers, weedeaters, bushtrimmers and blowers. Somewhere in the mix, "the branch" got carried off to twig heaven. I was really sad to see it go. I can't describe the way I strangely miss it . . . life is hard.
.
Saturday, October 21, 2006
Don't ever give up on a twig. If you think there is no hope - that the branch is gone - that surely chopping, tossing and burning has taken place - that the "fat branchey" is singing . . . think again!
It turns out that "the branch" in the neighbors yard was not annialated as I thought, but only moved to another spot in the yard, namely the "in progress flower garden" right in front of the house, where it is easily seen every time I drive up the driveway. Somehow, seeing this small branch again, has caused my hope to be renewed.
So the saga continues. What will happen to this seemingly insignificant piece of fallen tree?
I'll keep you posted. In the mean time, never give up . . . things are not always as they seem.
.
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
The branch has so far survived the winter. It is still in the flower bed and even still holding on to a few leaves. If you would like to drive by and see it, feel free. Just leave $2 in the mail box. If you take a picture, make it $5.
Friday, February 23, 2007
This . . .
If you were a pinball machine, would you be:
1. Rackin' up the points and going for the record . . .
2. Trying your best just to keep the ball in play . . .
3. Watching the ball going right past the flippers and into the depths . . .
4. Or on Tilt?
.
That . . .
There was a time when I pretty much depended on me and/or my family for everything. I felt like I was rackin' up the points and going for the record. Everything seemed manageable; I was fairly comfortable, full of pride, and life seemed good.
It seems, that the more I deny myself and depend on God, the more it feels like I am just trying to keep the ball in play, watching it go past the flippers, and staying in the tilt position.
The key word there is "seems".
.
This is That . . .
There is no plan B.
Plan A is to go hard after all that God desires; to say yes again and again; to not grow weary of doing good; to believe that God is in control and that He has plans for me that I cannot even dream of; to be obedient; to love God; to keep asking, seeking and knocking; to hunger and thirst after righteousness; to endure until the end.
The alternatives to any part of plan A are "really not good".
.
Randy Bohlender had this thought in his post today . . .
There is a "bridge of obedience over a chasm of impossibility".
Sometimes life is hard. Things seem impossible, but there is a bridge of obedience called plan A that will lead us over the chasm of impossibility and on to a place where the big grapes grow; where milk and honey flow from the morning til the night, and everyone is singing . . . of Jesus!
.
Things may seem to be "On Tilt", but . . .
The Game Is Not Over.
If you were a pinball machine, would you be:
1. Rackin' up the points and going for the record . . .
2. Trying your best just to keep the ball in play . . .
3. Watching the ball going right past the flippers and into the depths . . .
4. Or on Tilt?
.
That . . .
There was a time when I pretty much depended on me and/or my family for everything. I felt like I was rackin' up the points and going for the record. Everything seemed manageable; I was fairly comfortable, full of pride, and life seemed good.
It seems, that the more I deny myself and depend on God, the more it feels like I am just trying to keep the ball in play, watching it go past the flippers, and staying in the tilt position.
The key word there is "seems".
.
This is That . . .
There is no plan B.
Plan A is to go hard after all that God desires; to say yes again and again; to not grow weary of doing good; to believe that God is in control and that He has plans for me that I cannot even dream of; to be obedient; to love God; to keep asking, seeking and knocking; to hunger and thirst after righteousness; to endure until the end.
The alternatives to any part of plan A are "really not good".
.
Randy Bohlender had this thought in his post today . . .
There is a "bridge of obedience over a chasm of impossibility".
Sometimes life is hard. Things seem impossible, but there is a bridge of obedience called plan A that will lead us over the chasm of impossibility and on to a place where the big grapes grow; where milk and honey flow from the morning til the night, and everyone is singing . . . of Jesus!
.
Things may seem to be "On Tilt", but . . .
The Game Is Not Over.
Monday, February 19, 2007
This . . .
Why is it so easy to be fat and lazy? It takes very little effort to sit and do nothing. Eating is hardly a chore, particularly the really good stuff.
It is easy to eat and hard to fast . . . easy to sleep and hard to pray.
.
That . . .
February 21 is Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent which is 46 days before Easter - Sunday April 8.
We think of Lent as being 40 days because for whatever reason Sundays don't count. I have always thought of Lent as a forty day period of preparation for the coming of Jesus.
.
I found this statement on the net . . .
Lent comes from a word for springtime and could be viewed as a spiritual spring cleaning: a time for taking spiritual inventory and then cleaning out those things which hinder our corporate and personal relationships with Jesus Christ and our service to him. .
This is That . . .
It is not a scriptural idea to give up sin for a season. So, if we do a "spiritual spring cleaning" and sin is found, repentance is required. Like the quote says, we don't clean up, we clean out. Lent is not about being good or not doing the bad stuff for forty days.
.
On the other hand, giving up something for Lent is a form of fasting and that would be a good thing.
.
So what do you have to say about Lent?
Why is it so easy to be fat and lazy? It takes very little effort to sit and do nothing. Eating is hardly a chore, particularly the really good stuff.
It is easy to eat and hard to fast . . . easy to sleep and hard to pray.
.
That . . .
February 21 is Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent which is 46 days before Easter - Sunday April 8.
We think of Lent as being 40 days because for whatever reason Sundays don't count. I have always thought of Lent as a forty day period of preparation for the coming of Jesus.
.
I found this statement on the net . . .
Lent comes from a word for springtime and could be viewed as a spiritual spring cleaning: a time for taking spiritual inventory and then cleaning out those things which hinder our corporate and personal relationships with Jesus Christ and our service to him. .
This is That . . .
It is not a scriptural idea to give up sin for a season. So, if we do a "spiritual spring cleaning" and sin is found, repentance is required. Like the quote says, we don't clean up, we clean out. Lent is not about being good or not doing the bad stuff for forty days.
.
On the other hand, giving up something for Lent is a form of fasting and that would be a good thing.
.
So what do you have to say about Lent?
Thursday, February 15, 2007
This . . .
When I came in tonight, mom was sitting in her chair and I said,
"I smell rice".
She said, "Yes you do".
I said, "What are you cooking?"
She said, "Rice".
.
That . . .
John Kilpatrick is going to be at the Church of the Redeemer south of Hamburg tomorrow night. He was the pastor at the Brownsville Assembly of God Church in Florida when "The Brownsville Revival" began. I am not very knowledgeable about exactly what happened there, but I do believe that a very real outpouring of God's manifest power was poured out on that place for quite an extended amount of time.
John Kilpatrick is no longer pastor of the Brownsville Church, but I am sure that he will have much to say about all that happened. I am looking forward to hearing what he has to say.
.
This is That . . .
Every time I come to a place of knowing a little more about "The Kingdom of God", I realize that I know hardly anything at all. But each small bit of knowing awakens a mountain of desire for more and more and more. It is like when I eat one, my desire is to eat the whole bag and just like the loaf of bread and the two fish, the knowledge in the bag multiplies and the more I eat the fuller it gets and . . . aghhhhgg
.
Ephesians 1
17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding[c] being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.
When I came in tonight, mom was sitting in her chair and I said,
"I smell rice".
She said, "Yes you do".
I said, "What are you cooking?"
She said, "Rice".
.
That . . .
John Kilpatrick is going to be at the Church of the Redeemer south of Hamburg tomorrow night. He was the pastor at the Brownsville Assembly of God Church in Florida when "The Brownsville Revival" began. I am not very knowledgeable about exactly what happened there, but I do believe that a very real outpouring of God's manifest power was poured out on that place for quite an extended amount of time.
John Kilpatrick is no longer pastor of the Brownsville Church, but I am sure that he will have much to say about all that happened. I am looking forward to hearing what he has to say.
.
This is That . . .
Every time I come to a place of knowing a little more about "The Kingdom of God", I realize that I know hardly anything at all. But each small bit of knowing awakens a mountain of desire for more and more and more. It is like when I eat one, my desire is to eat the whole bag and just like the loaf of bread and the two fish, the knowledge in the bag multiplies and the more I eat the fuller it gets and . . . aghhhhgg
.
Ephesians 1
17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding[c] being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Don't Hold Back
.
This . . .
I worry about people who hold their sneezes back. It's just not a good idea, you could hurt yourself. However, sometimes sneeze management is necessary. I have four different modes of sneeze.
1. The funeral non-sneeze is the least desirable. This is when you are somewhere that you really don't want to sneeze, but feel a whopper coming on. The remedy is to rub your nose, squeeze your nostrils . . . whatever it takes to avoid cutting one loose. Pure misery.
2. The church pew sneeze. This would be sneezing as small as possible to avoid drawing attention, but still sneezing . . . very unenjoyable, but way better than a non-sneeze.
3. The around family and friends sneeze. This would be a pretty enjoyable sneeze, holding very little back, with a fairly large hoooo on the end. Two in a row am particularly nice.
4. The hold nothing back stop your heart sneeze. Wow, very enjoyable . . . mostly used during alone time in the car or when no one is around. Beginning with about ten seconds of short inward breaths along with nose wrinkling and face contortions leading up to a let-her-rip head clearing sneeze followed by a high falsetto HOOOO and a big smile.
.
That . . .
The problem now is how to segue into a "This is That" that has some social redeeming value.
I'm not sure that will be possible.
.
This is That . . .
I could possibly compare the levels of sneezing to faith or varying expressions of passion for Jesus. You know, like how do we express our faith differently when we are at work, in church, with family and friends, or home alone, but I feel a sneeze coming on and there is no one around- so . . . well you know - I'm going for it with all I've got.
This . . .
I worry about people who hold their sneezes back. It's just not a good idea, you could hurt yourself. However, sometimes sneeze management is necessary. I have four different modes of sneeze.
1. The funeral non-sneeze is the least desirable. This is when you are somewhere that you really don't want to sneeze, but feel a whopper coming on. The remedy is to rub your nose, squeeze your nostrils . . . whatever it takes to avoid cutting one loose. Pure misery.
2. The church pew sneeze. This would be sneezing as small as possible to avoid drawing attention, but still sneezing . . . very unenjoyable, but way better than a non-sneeze.
3. The around family and friends sneeze. This would be a pretty enjoyable sneeze, holding very little back, with a fairly large hoooo on the end. Two in a row am particularly nice.
4. The hold nothing back stop your heart sneeze. Wow, very enjoyable . . . mostly used during alone time in the car or when no one is around. Beginning with about ten seconds of short inward breaths along with nose wrinkling and face contortions leading up to a let-her-rip head clearing sneeze followed by a high falsetto HOOOO and a big smile.
.
That . . .
The problem now is how to segue into a "This is That" that has some social redeeming value.
I'm not sure that will be possible.
.
This is That . . .
I could possibly compare the levels of sneezing to faith or varying expressions of passion for Jesus. You know, like how do we express our faith differently when we are at work, in church, with family and friends, or home alone, but I feel a sneeze coming on and there is no one around- so . . . well you know - I'm going for it with all I've got.
Monday, February 12, 2007
I Want To KNOW Him.
.
This . . .
I was thinking of some pretty enjoyable things my son Nathan did or said when he was little.
He told this joke.
Knock Knock. Who's there? Old Lady . . . Old Lady Who?
Nathan: "I didn't know you could Who-dle!" And then he would laugh real loud.
Of course the punchline is "Yodel" not Who-dle.
.
He called the gate on the dog pen a "gatel" because it had a latch on it.
.
He was in the car with me when it was raining and commented concerning the windshield wipers, "They're not fighting . . . they're working together".
.
When he was about six, he got in trouble for throwing mud at the neighbors camper, and so we told him he was "grounded". Gari and I went somewhere that evening and had a babysitter stay with the kids. When we got home, she told us she really thought something was wrong with Nathan. So we went into his room and asked him what was the matter. Half crying, he asked, "When you ground me, would you just cover me with leaves? I don't want you to ground me with dirt."
Of course, we gave him a big hug and said, "No way. We're using dirt!"
.
That . . .
I wonder if Jesus ever blogs about any of the things his children have said or done? If he did, what might his blog be called? Hmmmm. Maybe, "Fighting to Wake You Up" or "Stuff I Know".
It would be great to check in everyday to see what he is thinking about. I think that is called prayer.
.
This is That . . .
Even better than reading His blog would be seeing him face to face. When we do, I wonder if he might say, "Do you remember when you said such and such? or when you did that really crazy thing? Didn't you see me waving my arms and yelling, No, no, over here!"
Or even better to hear him say, "Do you remember that time you came running after me so hard, and then jumped up in my lap and we just hugged and cried together? That was very cool . . .
I love you so much!"
.
Oh, how I want to KNOW Him . . .To know the thoughts he thinks of me . . . to truely see and know how good and beautiful and all powerful He is. Just to sit in His lap and have Him hold me and tell me that I am His great reward, that He is my father and that I am His son and that together we are going to walk and do great things together . . . forever!
Come Lord Jesus!
This . . .
I was thinking of some pretty enjoyable things my son Nathan did or said when he was little.
He told this joke.
Knock Knock. Who's there? Old Lady . . . Old Lady Who?
Nathan: "I didn't know you could Who-dle!" And then he would laugh real loud.
Of course the punchline is "Yodel" not Who-dle.
.
He called the gate on the dog pen a "gatel" because it had a latch on it.
.
He was in the car with me when it was raining and commented concerning the windshield wipers, "They're not fighting . . . they're working together".
.
When he was about six, he got in trouble for throwing mud at the neighbors camper, and so we told him he was "grounded". Gari and I went somewhere that evening and had a babysitter stay with the kids. When we got home, she told us she really thought something was wrong with Nathan. So we went into his room and asked him what was the matter. Half crying, he asked, "When you ground me, would you just cover me with leaves? I don't want you to ground me with dirt."
Of course, we gave him a big hug and said, "No way. We're using dirt!"
.
That . . .
I wonder if Jesus ever blogs about any of the things his children have said or done? If he did, what might his blog be called? Hmmmm. Maybe, "Fighting to Wake You Up" or "Stuff I Know".
It would be great to check in everyday to see what he is thinking about. I think that is called prayer.
.
This is That . . .
Even better than reading His blog would be seeing him face to face. When we do, I wonder if he might say, "Do you remember when you said such and such? or when you did that really crazy thing? Didn't you see me waving my arms and yelling, No, no, over here!"
Or even better to hear him say, "Do you remember that time you came running after me so hard, and then jumped up in my lap and we just hugged and cried together? That was very cool . . .
I love you so much!"
.
Oh, how I want to KNOW Him . . .To know the thoughts he thinks of me . . . to truely see and know how good and beautiful and all powerful He is. Just to sit in His lap and have Him hold me and tell me that I am His great reward, that He is my father and that I am His son and that together we are going to walk and do great things together . . . forever!
Come Lord Jesus!
Monday, February 05, 2007
This . . .
The super bowl seemed extremely boring to me this year. I just couldn't get into it. Am I the only one?
There must be more than this . . .
.
That . . .
I did enjoy the fouth Omega Course session yesterday covering Armageddon, the Rapture, and the Second Coming Procession. Star Wars take a hike . . . God has some incredible, epic adventures planned for the planet and time keeps ticking by, bringing us ever closer to these "take a deep breath" realities.
.
This is That . . .
Jesus is not coming back to take us away, He is coming to be with us here on earth and to establish His Kingdom. His coming is in context to a military conflict around the city of Jerusalem.
Here is how I believe it will be . . . without taking a breath.
.
The seven seals and the trumpets all happen before the rapture. At the seventh (last) trumpet, the dead in Christ, and the living are taken up and changed with resurrection bodies to meet Jesus and all the angels in the air. Possibly two to three billion saints?; three or four billion angels?; and Jesus. This will not at all be a secret coming . . . this will be a spectacle - every eye will see Him. Jesus and this army will touch down at Mt. Sinai and then march thru Bozrah (Jordan) slaying His enemies and setting free literal captives , who will be mostly Jews in prison camps (Isaiah 63:1-4). It is 165 miles from Mt. Sinai to Jerusalem. All the nations will be gathered around the city of Jerusalem and it will seem to the Jews that there is no way of victory or escape (like the Red Sea). When Jesus arrives at the Mt of Olives, He will speak to the mountain and it will move (split) and this will provide the inhabitants of Jerusalem a way of escape. There will be a fight for the city . . . God's side wins. All of the reprobate (beast people) will be gathered, judged and exectuted and then Jesus will begin His millennial reign as King of kings and Lord of lords over all the earth, from the city of Jerusalem.
.
Breathe.
.
Psalm
7 Lift up your heads, O you gates!
And be lifted up, you everlasting doors!
And the King of glory shall come in.
8 Who is this King of glory?
The LORD strong and mighty,
The LORD mighty in battle.
The super bowl seemed extremely boring to me this year. I just couldn't get into it. Am I the only one?
There must be more than this . . .
.
That . . .
I did enjoy the fouth Omega Course session yesterday covering Armageddon, the Rapture, and the Second Coming Procession. Star Wars take a hike . . . God has some incredible, epic adventures planned for the planet and time keeps ticking by, bringing us ever closer to these "take a deep breath" realities.
.
This is That . . .
Jesus is not coming back to take us away, He is coming to be with us here on earth and to establish His Kingdom. His coming is in context to a military conflict around the city of Jerusalem.
Here is how I believe it will be . . . without taking a breath.
.
The seven seals and the trumpets all happen before the rapture. At the seventh (last) trumpet, the dead in Christ, and the living are taken up and changed with resurrection bodies to meet Jesus and all the angels in the air. Possibly two to three billion saints?; three or four billion angels?; and Jesus. This will not at all be a secret coming . . . this will be a spectacle - every eye will see Him. Jesus and this army will touch down at Mt. Sinai and then march thru Bozrah (Jordan) slaying His enemies and setting free literal captives , who will be mostly Jews in prison camps (Isaiah 63:1-4). It is 165 miles from Mt. Sinai to Jerusalem. All the nations will be gathered around the city of Jerusalem and it will seem to the Jews that there is no way of victory or escape (like the Red Sea). When Jesus arrives at the Mt of Olives, He will speak to the mountain and it will move (split) and this will provide the inhabitants of Jerusalem a way of escape. There will be a fight for the city . . . God's side wins. All of the reprobate (beast people) will be gathered, judged and exectuted and then Jesus will begin His millennial reign as King of kings and Lord of lords over all the earth, from the city of Jerusalem.
.
Breathe.
.
Psalm
7 Lift up your heads, O you gates!
And be lifted up, you everlasting doors!
And the King of glory shall come in.
8 Who is this King of glory?
The LORD strong and mighty,
The LORD mighty in battle.
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