Where To Put Your Trust

It was hot! The sun was standing at attention directly over our heads. Although we had on sunglasses our eyes were still squinted and our skin felt like leather as sweat poured and dripped everywhere. The crowd was not really into the game and with the heat it was understandable. The tiny cheerleaders could barely cheer for taking huge gulps of water every few minutes.

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As the game progressed on our little boys played their hearts out. Gabe was 5 or 6 at the time. I can't remember if this was his first or second year playing football but it seemed like this one game was going on forever. And, this was just the second quarter. With every hut of the football boys would just simply lay down on the field. Here we were in the stands dripping with sweat...I can't imagine how those precious babies felt with all that equipment on.

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As the second quarter was drawing to a close the boys could see relief in the very near future. Half time was fast approaching and with one last play the ball was hiked, pads were hit and boys were left laying on the ground. At the sound of the whistle everyone stood up and began to walk off the field except Gabe. He just laid there.

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I raised my hand and cupped it over my eyes and squinted even harder. I noticed Shane squatted down to him and removed his helmet. Still, nothing. No movement, no sign of "oh he's okay," no...nothing. I stood up and began to glance over the crowd to see if anyone else was panicking. Nope. Everyone was fine...it was just me. I continued to look out on the field and when I just couldn't take it anymore I began my way down the bleachers. Before I knew it something had taken over my body and I walked through the gate, onto the sidelines, onto the FIELD and right there where Gabe was laying. Shane looked up at me with complete frustration as I asked what was wrong. "Oh, he just got hot and had the breath knocked out of him...he's fine." I looked down at Gabe and as he was sitting up tears began to stream down his precious face.

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So, I did what any mother would do. I bent down, picked my baby up and CARRIED him off that field!! As we reached the sidelines I could feel the steam from Shane breathing on my neck. I sat Gabe down on the bench and started pouring cold water on his head when Shane simply said "Go back to your seat..." I started to refuse but after seeing the look on his face I decided I better just throw the towel in on this one and I made my way back to the bleachers.

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Right before half time ended Shane came up to where I was sitting and sat down. He sat quiet for a few minutes and then said the words a Momma never wants to hear. "I know he's your son. I know you want to do what is best for him. But, I promise you, don't you EVER walk out onto a field and carry him off again! What are you going to do when he turns 13, 15, 18 and gets hurt?!?!?!" At the time I huffed and stomped my feet and did the whole 'Don't tell me what to do routine' but now that Gabe is actually 13 I cannot believe I did that!

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I recently asked Gabe if he remembered me doing that and he simply replied "Momma, that is one memory I try to block! I have no recollection of it!" Well, how's that for a Mom's ego?!?!? You know so many times in life I have trusted my instincts or the instincts of others and found myself in a trap that I just couldn't get out of. Really, all we need to do, is trust in the Lord. He is our strength, our refuge. He holds the answers, the key to unlock the door. He is the first and the last. He is God. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding." Proverbs 3:5 (NLT).

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Trusting the Lord is difficult sometimes because we think we know everything. I mean after all...I am a Mom! Well, I'm quickly learning that Mom's don't know the half of it and neither do you! Don't lean on your own understanding...trust in the Lord!

The Last

Well tonight will be the last for many kids and parents. Tonight most schools in our area are playing their last football game of the season because they did not make the playoffs. Many parents will watch their boys suit up for the last time, cheerleader uniforms will be hung up for that one last time. As Mommas across the state wipe their eyes they will stand in their last spirit line and watch their boys run through a homemade sign while another Mom wipes her tears as her daughter holds that sign for the very last time.

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I'm sure teachers will not get much accomplished today as I'm sure the kids are out of control. I can just hear the hallways buzzing today as kids are laughing, shouting and getting their players fired up for the big game. Excitement filled my house this morning! Gabe was in his usual routine but Kristina was bouncing off the walls with the radio blaring.

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I stood in my bathroom and listened to her as she giggled while texting her friends and sang to the radio. I thought to myself how this time next year will be my last with her. Next year will be her final year in high school and although I am so ready to be done with high school as far as she is concerned I am still quite emotional at the thought of it. Colleges have started sending letters and applications are now lining my kitchen table. Although I am not at my last tonight I'm thinking of the parents who are.

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Did we teach them right? Are they ready for the world? Will they make the right decisions? What if they get lost? Who will wash their clothes? I've never taught them how a laundry mat works? What about food? They can't cook! Oh, gracious, what about ironing? Kristina uses a flat iron to iron her clothes still! Can I go with them?

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The Bible tells us exactly what to do with our kids in Proverbs 22:6 "Point your kids in the right direction — when they're old they won't be lost." (MSG). The one thing we parents need to make sure our kids have as they pack up and leave our homes for the last time is a navigation system. Not for their cars, for their lives! It doesn't matter if the majority of their teenage life things have been hard or weird or maybe not centered where they are supposed to be. Today, you can make that change! You can stand firm and commit to point your child in the right direction. His direction! Oh I would much more prefer my child be lost on a college campus than be lost and find themselves in Hell. Life is about mistakes. Life is about firsts and lasts. Joys and sorrows. It's about finding yourself and letting go. It's about finding peace, but standing up. But tonight, as many of our children will take the field for the last time make sure they are pointed in the right direction! Make sure they are pointed towards Him!

Kind Words

I don't know about you, but there are mornings where I would like to invent some sort of device that would allow me to ram my children's faces into and it would enable them speechless. Gracious alive! I think mornings and late evenings is when teenagers think they know everything...oh wait...no I'm wrong...that's ALL THE TIME! haha

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I'm just being dramatic but if you have a child (or a husband) then you completely understand the frustration of getting dressed in the morning to a smart mouth. And no matter how hard you try to hold your tongue it is as if they keep pushing until you explode. Maybe that's just my house...but nonetheless my mornings are usually full of button pushing.

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This morning as we were trying to get out the door I look up and Gabe is throwing his books down on the porch. He has had the flu so today was his first day back to school and he was all in a tizzy. Kristina was being...Kristina and everyone was about to the end of their rope. Well, I think Gabe had arrived. I rolled the window down asking what was wrong and he yelled "My coat is stuck in the door!" I growled back with "Well, that's why you WEAR the coat and not CARRY it!" As I rolled the window back up I dared not look up at him. I could feel the glares blazing from his hazel eyes.

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As he got in the truck I told him that he needs to work on his anger and make sure he doesn't get enraged. Try to breathe and focus on things when he feels his anger starting to build. If there is one thing I am learning about teenage boys it is that they can get angry in the blink of an eye and if the situation isn't diffused you've got the Hulk on your hands before you know it. As we drove to school he calmed down and got out of the truck in fairly decent spirits.

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Kristina's car has sprung a leak so I had to take her to school. Heaven forbid a Junior ride the bus to school! heehee As we pulled out of Gabe's school, Kristina starts putting on her make-up and her technique intrigues me. I start asking her questions which just infuriates her and before long I realize that she and I are arguing over applying make-up. I just shut my mouth and drove on to her school. I muttered and fussed to myself most of the way while I tried to make small talk with her. As we arrived at her school she jumped out of the truck without a word. It's moments like this that I must gather myself because I truly wanted to jump out of the truck, run after her screaming "I LOVE YOU PRECIOUS!!!! GIVE MOMMY A KISS!!!" Oh man, can you imagine?!?!? Sigh, the things that run through my mind...

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So, anyway, I come to work and I'm thinking about my kids, my morning and my day. I open the internet to get my daily Bible verse and I found my daily dose quite humorous. "A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare." Proverbs 15:1 (NLT). Well, how about that for some shut up juice! Here I instructed Gabe to hold his temper, breathe, work through his anger and I turned around and did the exact same thing with Kristina. What does it matter how she puts her make-up on? Who cares?

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My Heavenly Father has this uncanny way of disciplining me without waiting. I do it, He gets me. Oh, Father, forgive me! It is so easy to see what others do and to guide and direct my children but it seems that I often times don't realize that they are learning from me. They react to circumstances just the way I would. I am their image and not a very good one at that sometimes. Thank you for showing me that I have an anger problem, I have an angry tongue...oh Lord change me!

The Source

As I have told you in the past I work with a wonderful lady. Her name is Kelli and she is just the sweetest thing and she writes an email every Friday. I enjoy them so much! I like the one she sent out today and thought I'd share it with you. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did. The Source...huh...never thought about it this way before!

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Consider the source! How many times have we heard that? Consider the source! But I am wondering ... have we? Well, that's exactly what my newest little Sunday School Class of 7 and 8 year olds are doing right now ... considering the source ... exploring the source. Let me say that a different way .... we are exploring THE Source! ... capital "S"! We are beginning to consider God and His Essence ... His many characteristics ... His personaly traits ... His holy attributes! I asked these kids if they could give me a word to describe God, and, with hands waving in the air waiting to be called on, they answered ... GREAT! AMAZING! AWESOME! LOVING! One child even said FAITHFUL (deep for a 7-8 year old, don't you think?!). But one of my favorites was when one little boy said COOL and as he was doing it he gave me the sign for COOL! I gave it right back to him and said, "You are so right, our GOD is very COOL! " Put a grin on that child's face! Put a huge smile on mine! Our God is so very COOL (don't you know it?!) and oh so much more!

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Isaiah 55:6 says this, "Seek the Lord while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near." Can we even begin to scratch the surface of God - THE Source - and who He is? .... the Lord whom we are seeking? Let's try! Take a look .....

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Acrostic:

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S - SOVEREIGN ... is THE Source .....

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God is pure Royalty! Psalm 47:2 - "For the Lord Most High is to be feared, a great King over all the earth."; 1 Timothy 6:14b-16 - "....until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which He (God the Father) will bring about at the proper time - He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen."
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O - OMNI ... OMNI ?, you say ... yes, OMNI is THE Source .....

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God is everywhere and everything to everybody! He is -

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All-Knowing (OMNISCIENT) - 1 Samuel 2:3b - "....for the Lord is a God of knowledge...."; Daniel 2:20 - "Daniel answered and said, ‘Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to Him.'"; Psalm 94:11a - "The Lord knows the thoughts of man....".

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All-Powerful (OMNIPOTENT) - Psalm 147:5a - "Great is our Lord, and abundant in strength...."; Psalm 111:6a - "He has made known to His people the power of His works...."; 1 Corinthians 6:14 - "Now God has not only raised the Lord, but will also raise us up through His power."

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All-Over the Place ... Everywhere! (OMNIPRESENT) - Isaiah 6:3 - "And one called out to another and said, ‘Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory.’ "; Deuteronomy 4:39 - "Know therefore today, and take it to your heart, that the Lord, He is God in heaven above and on the earth below; there is no other."
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U - UNCHANGING ... THE Source is never-changing .....

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God is IMMUTABLE because He NEVER ever changes! Malachi 3:6a - "For I, the Lord, do not change...."; Psalm 18:2 - "The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold."; Hebrews 13:8 - "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, yes and forever."

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He is ever and always Faithful - 2 Timothy 2:13 - "If we are faithless, He remains faithful; for He cannot deny Himself."; Deuteronomy 7:9 - "Know therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments."

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He is the great "I AM" - Exodus 3:14-15 - "And God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM’; and He said, ‘Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ and God, furthermore, said to Moses, ‘Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is My name forever, and this is My memorial-name to all generations." (This is also the same God we serve ... the great "I AM"!)
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R - RIGHTEOUS ... completely is THE Source! .....

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God is total Righteousness! Perfect goodness! Psalm 119:137 - "Righteous art Thou, O Lord, and upright are Thy judgments."; Psalm 85:13 - "Righteousness goes before Him and prepares the way for His steps."
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C - CREATOR ... that's THE Source, and He is .....

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Perfect VERACITY (Truth) - Psalm 86:11 - "Teach me Thy way, O Lord; I will walk in Thy truth; unite my heart to fear Thy name."; Psalm 33:4 - "For the word of the Lord is upright; and all His work is done in faithfulness."; Hebrews 6:18b - "....it is impossible for God to lie...."

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Perfect JUSTICE (Fair) - Genesis 18:25 - (Abraham talks to God) "Far be it from Thee to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from Thee! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?"; Matthew 7:1-2 - "Do not judge lest you be judged yourselves. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it shall be measured to you."; Psalm 9:7b - "He has established His throne for judgment, and He will judge the world in righteousness; He will execute judgment for the peoples with equity."

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Perfect LOVE - 1 John 3:16a - "We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us ...."; 1 John 4:16 & 19 - "And we have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him." ... "We love, because He first loved us."
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E - EVERLASTING ETERNAL LIFE ... THE Source, that's Him .....

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He has always been and always will be! Psalm 9:7a - "But the Lord abides forever...."; John 3:36 - "He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."; Revelation 1:8 - " 'I am the Alpha and the Omega,' says the Lord God, 'who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.' "; Revelation 22:13 - "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end."
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SOURCE! THE Source! OUR Source! May we seek Him while He may be found! Amen and Amen!!

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Blessings!
Kelli
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(For other Bible studies and resources, please visit www.doctrinalstudies.com - and me, there at "Kelli's Korner".)

The Joys To Come

I'm sure you might get tired of my Kristina stories but when you're 17 you tend to do some of the dumbest, funniest, thought provoking things ever. There are days that I think Gabe, who is 13, has more sense than she does. That child will one day fly the coop and I shake my head many days thinking watch out world... haha

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So, anyway, that intro leads me up to my story today. Kristina totaled her car a few months back and we got her another one. It is a 1995 so there are leaks here and there, noises here and there and we are having to fix them one at the time. Piece by piece. We laugh and say before long she will have a brand new car! But, anyway, she sprang an oil leak this week again and we had to put it in the shop. Yesterday afternoon after work I ran home to pick her up so that we could go get her car. We drove home without incident and pulled into the driveway.

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As I got out of my truck and began walking towards the porch I realized that she was parked entirely too close to the banister. She was already getting out of her car when I hollered out as I walked through the kitchen door "Back that car up!" I went on in through the house into my bedroom, began changing my clothes when I heard Gabe yelling "Mom, Kristina can't get her car out of park!" I felt a wave of frustration start to boil over me when I took a deep breath and started back through the house towards the back door.

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As I walked down the steps she sat in her car with this look of total devastation. "I can't get it out of park, Momma!" I looked at her and then said "Well, crank it!" I guess my sarcasm struck her wrong because she immediately began to talk to me like I was stupid. She held the keys up in my face and began to demonstrate how to put the key into the ignition and then she started her play by play. "Okay, I put the key here, I turn the key, the car cranks, I put my hand on this knob, I pull back and it goes into reverse...ummmm...see Momma...it won't come out of paaaaaaark!!!!" I began to grin and simply said "Try putting your foot on the brake...that should fix the problem!" She glared at me and said "I never put my foot on the brake to shift out of park!" At this point I'm rolling. I'm laughing so hard I can barely hear what she is saying and in between trying to catch my breath I said "Kristina, the ONLY way this car has EVER shifted out of park is if you had your foot on the brake!"

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She slammed her foot on the brake and wa-la she was able to put the car in reverse. It was magic! She backed up from the porch, got out of her car and slammed the door. By this point I'm bent over the steps laughing and she is just standing there glaring at me.

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Oh the joy that comes with overcoming our troubles. So many times we just sit there complaining about how we can't get out of park and all we need to simply do is put our foot on the brake. The joy is there, maybe we can't see it, but it's there. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 tells us not to focus on the trouble, but to look for the joy that is unseen. "So we're not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There's far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can't see now will last forever." (MSG).

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Troubles are going to come but the real victory is the joy that comes in the morning. I can't see it but I know it's there. I can't even begin to imagine how it is all going to unfold, but He knows. I refuse to whine and complain about how I can't get out of park because the day will come when He will simply lift my foot, press it down on the brake and wa-la my car will shift out of this frustrating gear I'm stuck in. Trust me, friend, the joy is going to come!

Writer's Block

Writer's block is the worst thing in the world to me. My precious Kristina is a writer as well and she has a saying that I absolutely love, "Music is for when I can't find the words and poetry is for when I can." I guess I'm the same way really. I go through seasons where words just flow out of me then and then I go through another where I can't seem to muster the words to talk much less write something.

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So, with that being said, I'm just sort of at a stumbling place today. Nothing is really on my mind or on my heart and I just keep sitting here looking at this blank page thinking come on already.

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However, I came across a word today that really spoke to my heart and although I don't have any sort of commentary to go along with it I thought I would share the verse with you. Maybe you can write your commentary today. Or, maybe you can write your commentary to me. Get me out of this writer's block that I seem to find myself in today.

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"A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart." Luke 6:45 (NLT).

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I hope you have a great day! =)

Not Listening

Brrr...it went from Summer to Winter in Birmingham over the weekend. For the first time this season we woke up to frosted windshields in our little neck of the woods. As I got myself ready for work the heat was running (just had the a/c on last week...only in Alabama!) and I could almost smell Christmas. You know the smell I'm talking about. The smell of pies cooking; pumpkin, pecan, sweet potato. Oh, it just fills the air!

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As I was standing in the kitchen making my lunch I was giving Kristina instructions on what bank to go to this morning and how to withdraw from the ATM. This was probably the go-zillionth time I've had this conversation with her but, nonetheless, we were going over it again. She kissed me goodbye and out the door she went.

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Within just moments she came stomping in through the kitchen door and announced "I can't leave, my windshield is frozen! I guess I get to stand here while my car warms up." I just went on about my business and simply said "Baby, it's winter, you'll need to make a habit of going outside and cranking your car about 10 to 15 minutes before you're ready." She huffed and she puffed and she texted while she huffed and she puffed some more.

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I finished up my lunch and Gabe and I went out the door. As I opened the door I noticed that Kristina's windshield was still frozen over. I laid my stuff in the truck and opened up her door and she didn't have her defrost on, she had it on Max A/C! I clicked it over to defrost, mashed the button for rear-defrost and just shook my head. As I was heading into the house she came barrelling out with two cups of water. She threw one cup on her windshield and the other on the back window. As she was throwing water I was explaining to her how that can bust your window and that all she had to do was turn the defrost on. That's it's job! Naturally, she turned into teenage mode and quit listening and began babbling about how she didn't realize that was what the defrost did and she had no clue her car had a rear defroster and blah blah blah. I finally just got in my truck and drove off.

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As I drove into work I chuckled to myself over Kristina's expressions, her words, her frustrations this morning. She didn't know that was what defrost was for! hahahahahaha Only a 17 year old would come up with something like that! You know though, I'm the same way. I get into situations and instead of seeking guidance I go stupid and when my error is pointed out to me I get defensive.

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I do this with God too! I go through life thinking I know what I'm doing and when life throws me a curveball I try to handle it and when I fall on my face and God just tries to say "Honey, what you should have done was....." I get up screaming and yelling, dusting the dirt off of me telling God I knew exactly what I was doing it was Him that never told me what to do. Funny thing is, I never asked him what to do.

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"Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 (NLT).

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He just wants to teach us. He just wants us to learn. He just wants us to SHUT UP! He promises to give us rest. I just think sometimes we are so busy complaining and whining about how tired we are that we don't see the bed he has prepared for us!

At A Girl

We have an American Bulldog named Chyna. On November 6th she will be 9 years old. She's been a good dog but the years are wearing on her. She walks real slow, lays around most days and sleeps. She occasionally rears her head to bark and growl at passer-bys just to remind everyone that she is still there. But, in her younger days that dog was something else!

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She has always been very protective over our family and I believe, in my little mind, that she looks at us as her pack. There's an order in our "pack" and she knows just right where her position is. In her younger days she was a force to be reckoned with. I would take her everywhere I went and she would sit in the front seat of the car on alert. I remember one time stopping to get gas on a day when it was freezing outside. The kids and Chyna were with me and the pay at the pump thing wasn't working. The kids were in elementary school and normally I would drag them into the store with me but I figured Chyna could protect them. So, after pumping gas I opened the door and looked at Chyna and said "Watch 'em girl..." and walked off. As I walked into the store and stood in line I watched as cars pulled up to the pump on the OTHER side of where I was parked to only quickly get back in their car and pull to another pump. When I got back to the car Chyna was perfectly perched in her seat looking out the windshield. Kristina and Gabe were laughing so hard and began to tell me that every time a car pulled anywhere near our car Chyna let her presence be known and would scare the pee-turkey out the person who would quickly move on.

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How many times do we protect our God like that? When we hear someone use his name in vain; do we growl and let them know that is wrong? What about when people question if our God even exists; do we bark in defiance to let them know they need to move on to another "pump"? It is so easy to go through life living a quiet Christian life but that isn't what we are supposed to do. We are to go out into the world and tell others about Him! We are to shout from the mountain tops! We are to preach to the multitudes!. We are to let the world know that we are His child!

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We are going to suffer. We are going to have bad days. We are going to go through rough patches but that doesn't mean we are to be silent. When life gets tough that's when we need to growl a little more. "And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering." Romans 8:17 (NLT). The thing about Chyna is no matter what the circumstance, no matter what her mood, she is always ready to do her job. She is always ready to let the world know that we are her pack and she is our protector and if you don't like it she just might bite your butt! (Maybe I should bring her to work with me...heehee). Growl a little bit today...bark if you have to...just make sure that you don't snarl, snear or attack... At-A-Girl....

He Is With You

There is this song by Mandisa called "He Is With You." I have listened to the song who knows how many times but as I drove into work today they played it on the radio and the DJ urged you to listen to the words of this song. There are parts of this song that really hit me...

He is with you when your faith is dead

And you can’t even get out of bed

Or your husband doesn’t kiss you anymore

He is with you when your baby’s gone

And your house is still,

And your heart’s a stone

Cryin’ God, what’d You do that for

He is with you

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He is with you in the conference room

When the world is coming down on you

And your wife and kids don’t know you anymore

He is with you in the ICU

When the doctors don’t know what to do

And it scares you to the core

He is with you

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We may weep for a time

But joy will come in the morning

The morning light

He is with you when your kids are grown

When there’s too much space

And you feel alone

And you’re worried if you got it right or wrong

Yes He is with you when you’ve given up

on ever finding your true love

Someone who feels like home

He is with you

When nothing else is left

And you take your final breath

He is with you

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How many times throughout our day (notice I didn't say our life...I said our day) do we feel alone? Maybe you retreat to the restroom and lock the stall door because although you are in a crowded office with tons of people you feel alone. Maybe you sit by yourself at lunch in a crowded deli because even though there is noise echoing off the blank walls you feel alone? Maybe as you drive you turn the radio on to fill the empty silence in your car.

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Lonliness is everywhere you turn but as I listened to this song this morning I began to run through my mind all the events when I feel alone. Times I'm scared, worried, upset, angry, frustrated...lonely. We are never alone for He is with us! From our first breath to our last He is with us! When we fight with our spouses, when the doctor's don't know what to do, when our teenagers act up, when your boss yells at you, when the bank forecloses, when the car breaks down, when our family pet dies, when our parents turn old, when our children die before us...He is with us!

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"Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand." Isaiah 41:10

Facing Our Frenemy

Well it has just been one of those mornings here at my wonderful work place. I am in a situation where I cannot type a blog today but it just hurts my heart to not share something. You just never know who out there needs a good word or something funny or just needs a moment to "catch their breath." So, I went to www.proverbs31devotions.blogspot.com and pasted their daily blog for you to enjoy today. I hope each and every one of you have a blessed day and remember...when it rains He is just making sure you're hydrated for the next drought! =)

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"Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy." Proverbs 27:6 (ESV)

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I am a sap for words and reading. I adore books—their look, the feel of their pages and even their smell. Not content to sit still in a waiting room, I'll pick up anything within reach and read it. Why, I still even read cereal boxes at breakfast!

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I especially love to learn new words, thereby increasing my vocabulary. And I am intrigued by the new words that are added to our language as the years go by. Ask any of my forty-something friends. In high school we'd never heard the words Internet, blog or download.

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Every so often, dictionaries must be updated with new words or with new meanings to old words. In fact, Merriam-Webster has added more than 100 entries to the latest edition of its Collegiate Dictionary. One of the new words listed in this latest round literally leapt off the page at me. It is the word "Frenemy " Yes, frenemy. It is defined as: One who pretends to be a friend but is actually an enemy.

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Sadly, I have had my share of frenemies in my life. Even more discouraging is that sometimes, I have been one.

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In middle school there were the girls who I thought liked me and wanted to include me in the popular group. However, they were just pumping me for info on a few of the latest boy-girl crushes. Once they'd garnered their data, they dumped me.

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Then there were the athletic boys in high school who seemed to really like me, and wanted to hang around me. As sports editor of the newspaper, I should have known they were just hoping to get a mention in the latest issue of the school publication.

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And there were the people I sometimes befriended, but not because I liked them. I didn't. It was because they could get me somewhere or something that I wanted.

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Fast forward to today. This era of social networking sites has only given rise to the number of frenemies who come out of the woodwork. I've heard school-aged girls talk about "accepting" someone as a friend on Facebook, not because they like her and really want to be her friend, but to "spy' on her and keep up on what is happening in her life. You know, who she likes, where she goes, who she hangs with.

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Even grown women befriend someone on these sites just to nose around, when in all actuality they can't stand the person they are "friends" with. So the backbiting and tongue-wagging continues, all while our posted profile faces smile at each other. False, fake … frenemies.

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The worst frenemy, however, is the greatest deceiver of all. He, in his worldly way, promises happiness, but delivers sorrow. He tricks and traps and leaves us regretful of our choices. His ways sparkle and glitter and entice. But in the end, they are dark. Like a lion in sheep's clothing, He comes to steal, kill and destroy. Beware! "Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour" I Peter 5:8 (ESV). Flirting with the devil in a friendly way NEVER has a happy ending!

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Let's take our new vocabulary word today, and vow to be on our toes about frenemies. Let's avoid them and certainly not be a frenemy ourselves. And let's watch out for the biggest one of all—Satan. Our friendships should be pure and honest and true. We should seek to be authentic and real and to bring out the best in our friends. As for our enemies, Jesus told us exactly what to do about them, "But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you" Luke 6:27-28 (ESV).

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May God give us that kind of others-centered love, as only He can give.

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Dear Lord, keep me watchful for those who do not have my family's best interest or mine at heart. Send me true friends, Make me an authentic friend. Keep me from the snares of the greatest frenemy of all. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Logic

As I pulled up to the pharmacy drive-thru window and opened my wallet I immediately knew I was missing my debit card. I glanced over at Kristina who was in her own world. She was texting away and didn't have a care in the world when I interrupted her thoughts with "Ummm...YOU have my debit card!"

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She peeked at me through the edge of her big Lucille Ball eyes and said "Ummm...I'm so sorry! I forgot to give it back!"

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As I drove off I immediately began to fuss. "You are nearly 17 years old...You shouldn't have to be reminded to give me my stuff back..." Blah, blah, blah... You know the drill. The drill where you want to take your teenage child, grab them by their ears, look deep into their eyes and yell T-H-I-N-K!!!!

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As I rounded through the parking lot, I slammed my blinker down to turn left when Kristina sheepishly said "Well, when we get back to the house, we can just get in my car and come back so that way you aren't wasting money driving back and forth."

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Although no cars were coming I just sat there at the edge of the parking lot starring at her. I was thinking that eventually she would catch on but, she just starred back grinning from ear to ear. Her suggestion made perfect sense in her mind and she just knew it would most definitely ease my mood. I scratched my head and explained "Kristina....(I paused for effect) I pay for the gas in your car, so even if we drive your car back here I'm still wasting my money!"

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She grinned a little harder and said "Well, Mommy, it sounded better in my head!" We both burst out laughing and her intention to lighten the mood had worked. Just not in the way she had anticipated.

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So many times in life we try to come up with a way to sugar coat our sin. "Well, you see God, I was just so angry and I completely forgot..." or "I only intended it to be one drink but before I knew it...the bottle was empty..." I could sit here and go on and on about different ways to sugar coat sin but, the truth is, at the end of the day...it is what it is. We still did whatever it was that God told us not to do. Every time I get on to my children my heart is pulled just a little bit by God saying "I get just as frustrated with YOU!"

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"'Come now, let’s settle this,' says the Lord. 'Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool.'" Isaiah 1:18 (NLT). It doesn't matter how we sugar coat our sins they are still red as scarlet and it doesn't matter how we try to fluff up the stuff...he still washes them white as snow!

Not Just Your Ordinary King

Let's see there was King David, King Saul and Solomon. What about King Henry VIII? Throughout history there have been kings. I know here in the U.S. we don't have Kings but we might as well with the way we treat our President and all. So, we'll add them to the list. King Clinton and King Bush. What about King Lincoln or King Washngton?

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All of these people are remembered throughout history for one reason or another. They were leaders. They picked up the slack and made a difference. It may not have been a positive difference but they certainly made one.

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However, my question is how many of them died for their people? Which one of them stood up and said "Crucify me! I'll take the place of my people! I will save them?" Well, I don't know alot about history and/or kings but I do know that not a single one of these men did that.

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I only know of one King who laid his life down for his people. That was King Jesus! What sort of honor do we show our King? Our tribe has the greatest leader of all time! We have a leader that no other tribe can compare to. There is no argument, no discussion. He died for us! End of story! Our King took his last breath hanging on a cross to save his people! That, my friend, is honor!

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"...the Lord is the only true God. He is the living God and the everlasting King!" Jeremiah 10:10 (NLT).

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Amazing love,

How can it be

That You, my King, should die for me?

Amazing love,

I know it’s true.

It’s my joy to honor You,

In all I do,

I honor You.

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Amazing Love by Chris Tomlin

Sick

I work with a lady by the name of Kelli Ryan. She is absolutely one of the sweetest people I have ever met in my life. She sends a weekly email out to everyone in our office and I enjoy reading them so much. Since it does seem that everyone is sick I thought I would share her insight with ya'll today.

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Over the last few years, we have had some very, very sick people in our family. Sick, sick, sick, sick, sick! Little people and big people. They were seeing doctor after doctor and nurse after nurse. Went to offices and stayed in hospitals. They were pricked and prodded, intubated and ventilated, MRI'd and MRA'd, x-rayed and examined. Oh, they were so very, very sick!

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It is not fun to be sick! (Amen? Amen!) But it is a part of life, and we at one time or other - or many times maybe even - have been (or will be) sick! I have been sick several, several times in my life, but one time in particular I was so extremely sick I thought I was dying. ...literally! We had been to Hawaii on vacation where I became very ... very, very, very ... sick. Once I finally got back home, I went to the doctor and was diagnosed with a simple stomach virus - which didn't turn out to be so simple because within a week after getting back home and to the doctor, I had lost some 10-15 lbs.- within a week! - even though I continued to eat and eat and eat. Excruciating pain soared through my stomach, and the bathroom became my home within my home (Thank You, Lord, for indoor plumbing!!). So, I went back to the doctor ... "Just a stomach bug!", I was again told - and come to find out, that was what it was literally ... a stomach BUG! Because you see, unbeknownst to me, I had picked up a parasite somewhere along the way and just couldn't shake it like we normally are able to do. It was nasty, and it was vicious, but easily diagnosed once I was finally sent to a specialist - a gastro doctor (God bless him!) who confirmed it with a LOWER GI (not fun! ...was I being punished?!) and antibiotics (blessed medicine!). Whew! That was some ordeal! And, I have to tell you, I was so sick that I had reached a point of calling various and sundry hot lines just to compare symptoms and to see what I was dying from. ...but just what was I thinking anyway?!! ...because I had direct access to THE hot line - God's hot line - so I prayed and prayed ... for healing, of course, because He is our GREAT PHYSICIAN ......

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Acrostic:

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Ph.D. - Physical Designer ... that's our God! By His creation we were made, and He knows us through and through, inside out and upside down ... from the tops of our heads to the tips of our toes.

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Psalm 139:13-15 - "For Thou didst form my inward parts; Thou didst weave me in my mother's womb. I will give thanks to Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Thy works, and my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from Thee, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth."

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Isaiah 43:1, 4, 7 - "But now, thus says the Lord, your creator .... 'Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine! .... Since you are precious in My sight, since you are honored and I love you. .... Every one who is called by My name, and whom I have created for My glory, whom I have formed, even whom I have made.' "

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DR. - Doctor ... He is! ... of the mind and body, heart and soul - He heals them all!

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Psalm 34:17-19 - "The righteous cry and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous; but the Lord delivers them out of them all."

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Psalm 41:1-4 - "How blessed is he who considers the helpless; the Lord will deliver him in a day of trouble. The Lord will protect him, and keep him alive, and he shall be called blessed upon the earth; and do not give him over to the desire of his enemies. The Lord will sustain him upon his sickbed; in his illness, Thou dost restore him to health. As for me, I said, 'O Lord, be gracious to me; heal my soul, for I have sinned against Thee.' "

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Psalm 103:1-14 - "Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits; Who pardons all your iniquities; Who heals all your diseases; Who redeems your life from the pit; Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion; Who satisfies your years with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle. The Lord performs righteous deeds, and judgments for all who are oppressed. He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the sons of Israel. The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness. He will not always strive with us; nor will He keep His anger forever. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. Just as a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him. For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust."

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Psalm 147:3 - "He heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds."

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M.D. - Master Deliverer ... He is for us! ... in life! ... and over death!

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John 3:16-17 - "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world; but that the world should be saved through Him."

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John 5:24 - "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of (spiritual) death into (ETERNAL) life."

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Romans 5:17-21 - "For if by the transgression of the one (Adam), death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous and the Law came in that the transgression might increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

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Romans 8:1 - "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."

Mark 2:17 - "And hearing this, Jesus said to them, 'It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
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Ph.D. ... DR. ... M.D. = Our GREAT HEALING PHYSICIAN! ...and He did just that ... healed me from my illness! But I am also reminded that He just might have chosen not to, too! ... heal me that is. Remember the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego? Oh, I know ... what does that story have to do with being sick? Well just take a look. The king had issued a command that at the sound of the musical instruments everyone was to bow down and worship a golden image set up by the king, and if that command wasn't kept and obeyed, the trespasser(s) would be thrown into a blazing, fiery furnace! Talk about sick! That'd make anyone sick just thinking about it!! ... anyone but Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego who would not - WOULD NOT - bow down but chose instead to continue to worship the one true GOD, and because of that they were - yep! - thrown into that blazing, fiery furnace. ...which, by the way, was intensified seven times hotter because the king himself was so ... hot with these guys! But guess what?!! By the grace of God - their God - they survived. Great! ... but this is the best part! Listen to what they said when they learned they were for sure about to be thrown into that blazing, fiery furnace .... "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But even if He does not (did you hear that .... 'EVEN IF HE DOES NOT'), let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up." (Daniel 3:16-18). ... WOW!

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That is the God we serve too! He may heal us and He may not ... at least with life. He may just decide to heal us through death, because .... "Thine eyes have seen my unformed substance (before birth); and in Thy book they were all written, the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them." - Psalm 139:16. (See also Psalm 39:4-7 & Psalm 71:5-6.) You see, He knows exactly how long and for what purpose we are here. I once read a story about a little boy who had a very, very sick heart - but there was purpose and a purpose for this young little life. His story went like this ....

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"Tomorrow morning," the surgeon began, "I'll open up your heart ..."

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"You'll find Jesus there," the boy interrupted.

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The surgeon looked up, annoyed, and said, "I'll cut your heart open," he continued, to see how much damage has been done ..."

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"But when you open up my heart, you'll find Jesus in there," said the boy.

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The surgeon looked to the parents, who sat quietly. "When I see how much damage has been done, I'll sew your heart and chest back up, and I'll plan what to do next."

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"But you'll find Jesus in my heart. The Bible says He lives there. The hymns all say He lives there. You'll find Him in my heart.", the boy went on.

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The surgeon had had enough. "I'll tell you what I'll find in your heart. I'll find damaged muscle, low blood supply, and weakened vessels. And I'll find out if I can make you well."

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"You'll find Jesus there too. He lives there.", said the young boy.

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The surgeon left.

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Later as the surgeon sat in his office recording his notes from the surgery - "...damaged aorta, damaged pulmonary vein, widespread muscle degeneration. No hope for transplant, no hope for cure. Therapy: painkillers and bed rest. Prognosis: ... " here he paused, "... death within one year."

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He stopped the recorder, but there was more to be said. "Why?" he asked aloud. "Why did You do this? You've put him here; You've put him in this pain; and You've cursed him to an early death. Why?"

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The Lord answered and said, "The boy, My lamb, was not meant for your flock for long, for he is a part of My flock, and will forever be. Here, in My flock, he will feel no pain, and will be comforted as you cannot imagine. His parents will one day join him here, and they will know peace, and My flock will continue to grow."

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The surgeon's tears were hot, but his anger was hotter. "You created that boy, and You created that heart. He'll be dead in months. Why?"

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The Lord answered, "The boy, My lamb, shall return to My flock, for He has done his duty. I did not put My lamb with your flock to lose him, but to retrieve another lost lamb."

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The surgeon wept as he sat beside the boy's bed, the boy's parents sat across from him. The boy awoke and whispered, "Did you cut open my heart?"

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"Yes," said the surgeon.

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"What did you find?" asked the boy.

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"I found Jesus there," said the surgeon.
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As long as we are alive - in sickness and in health - may Jesus be found in us! Amen and Amen!!
Blessings!

Kelli
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(For other Bible studies and resources, please visit www.doctrinalstudies.com - and me, there at "Kelli's Korner".)

When The Messengers Show Up

It started off as a beautiful day. The weather was warm, the sun was bright, the ocean was crystal blue and when you looked off at the horizon you just weren't sure where the sky ended and the ocean began.

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Shane and I had gone to the beach with some friends and the peace that was that day was fabulous. Us girls were enjoying the sun while the fellas played in the water trying to catch fish with their bare hands. Why? I have not a clue! Must be a guy thing because Gabe does it as well! lol

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As the day quickly passed by lunch time brought in the clouds. As I watched, the wind began to pick up and within just a few minutes I made the statement that we needed to start gathering our stuff. Since the guys didn't think it was that big of a deal we all began to argue over what we needed to do. Leave the stuff and go in the room until the storm passed...take everything now and set it back up after the storm passed. It was back and forth...back and forth and then all of a sudden it happened! The wind started blowing sand this way and that way and it felt like needles were poking our skin. My friend and I started screaming and I guess we screamed so loud it knocked the umbrella over (heehee) and that thing took off flying down the beach. Our towels were whipping around like they were dancing, our cooler knocked over, our books and other beach items were being tossed around like we were in the midst of a tornado and you could barely open your eyes for the sand. We eventually all grabbed what our hands could hold and ran for it. By the time we got to the condo and rounded the corner we all looked like we had rolled around in the sand for hours.

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Once safe in our room we laughed about how crazy the four of us must have looked running to the condo and how we didn't even really have time to react. You know that happens in life sometimes. We see the storm coming but we are too busy arguing over what to do to actually be prepared to handle it. Before long one thing is flying through the air and before we can focus on it and catch it something else takes off.

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That very same thing happened to Job. It says in Job chapter 1 that a messenger came and began to tell him how the Sabeans had stolen his oxen and donkeys and killed his farmhands and before that messenger could finish another one showed up and began telling Job that a fire had destroyed all his sheep and shepherds and while that messenger was not yet finished a third one showed up to tell him that a mighty wind had collapsed his oldest son's home killing all of his children. Wow! Can you imagine the look on Job's face and he heard all of this? I can just see him looking from one messenger to the next, scratching his head trying to completely understand what was said. He never had time to react. The storms just kept hitting him over and over and over. He never saw it coming and he never had a chance to catch his breath before the next storm hit.

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I'm thinking about Job today. I'm thinking about myself and the way I have been acting. I don't know about you but sometimes I catch myself walking around all Miss Mary Christian and then I realize that I'm nothing more than a moron. Oh, maybe that's not a good word but you get my point. I need a little humility. I need my feet knocked out from under me so that I can find myself on my knees.

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After Job was able to shut his gaping mouth from hearing all this news he simply said "I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!” Job 1:21 (NLT). What are you gonna do when the messengers keep showing up at your house? What are you gonna do in the midst of a sand storm?

Benches

One of my all time favorite movies is Steel Magnolias. I could sit here and dissect every single part of that movie. But, I have to say there is one scene that ranks right up there with the best of the best for me.

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Shelby has just died and M'Lynn is having a breakdown in the cemetery. Clairee grabs Ouiser, throws her in front of M'Lynn and says "Hit this! Go ahead M'Lynn, slap her!" All the other girls start looking around thinking that Clairee has lost her mind and Ouiser begins to pull away when Clairee continues with "We'll sell t-shirts that say 'I SLAPPED OUISER BOUDREAUX!' Hit her!" After the exchange of a few other words Clairee finishes up the scene by saying "M'Lynn, you just missed the chance of a lifetime! Half o' Chiquapin Parish'd give their eye teeth to take a whack at Ouiser!" At this point all the girls burst out laughing and Ouiser stomps off. Clairee finds Ouiser sitting on a bench and she makes her way to her old friend. As they exchange words Clairee hits Ouiser in the arm and Ouiser pushes back at Clairee and within just a few seconds they are attempting to push each other off this bench with Ousier shouting "Get off my bench Clairee!"

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Oh gracious, I'm sitting here laughing just thinking of this scene! I do believe this movie will go down in history as my all time favorite. There are so many one liners that I catch myself saying from time to time but this one scene just does it for me. Just at the moment where my eyes are burning from crying I always bust out laughing at this bench scene..."Get off my bench Clairee!" Oh I can hear Shirley MacLaine saying those words right now.

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Many times in life I think we are just like Ouiser. We are pushing back against something or someone yelling "Get off my bench!" We want the whole bench all to ourselves. We think we know everything, we think we have the key/solution to whatever life throws our way. Sometimes God puts our friends on that bench with us to guide us, hold our hands, tell us when we're wrong but then sometimes I think he just lets us sit on that bench all by ourselves trying to teach us a little humility. But, nonetheless we seem to always push and push yelling "Get off my bench!" the entire time.

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As I sit alone on my bench today I'm thinking...how do you pray when you just don't understand it all? and my thoughts roll around to what if I'm wrong? and then I have the occasional if one more thing sits down on this bench with me I'm not going to push it...I'm going to squish it. Ya'll ever have those thoughts while you're sitting on your bench? Sometimes instead of watching every angle of our bench we should just sit there and patiently wait...we should be still and we should be quiet. "Be still, and know that I am God!" Psalm 46:10 (NLT).

Farming

So I have a Facebook and have come across this game called Farmville. Oh it is the greatest game I think I have ever seen. You have a farm, you plant crops, harvest crops, you get animals and have to milk the cows, shear the sheep, collect the eggs. You can buy houses, barns, tractors. Just a little bit of everything. It is so much fun to me! It is relaxing and fun to talk about. I enjoy racing against my fellow farm neighbors to increase in level and then you get to visit someone's farm and weed their crops, shew the raccoons. I know by now you are probably scratching your head thinking, "What is this woman talking about?!?!".

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But, that leads me to my point. So many times in life we find ourselves planting seeds of God's word and then other times we find ourselves harvesting the crop from someone else's seed. Life is like living on Farmville. You have ups and downs, crops grow and then some die. You learn more and more with each day.

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But, as I sit here today I find that my words are empty but His seem to always be right on key. Check this out...

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"'Study this story of the farmer planting seed. When anyone hears news of the kingdom and doesn't take it in, it just remains on the surface, and so the Evil One comes along and plucks it right out of that person's heart. This is the seed the farmer scatters on the road. The seed cast in the gravel—this is the person who hears and instantly responds with enthusiasm. But there is no soil of character, and so when the emotions wear off and some difficulty arrives, there is nothing to show for it. The seed cast in the weeds is the person who hears the kingdom news, but weeds of worry and illusions about getting more and wanting everything under the sun strangle what was heard, and nothing comes of it. The seed cast on good earth is the person who hears and takes in the News, and then produces a harvest beyond his wildest dreams.'

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He told another story. 'God's kingdom is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. That night, while his hired men were asleep, his enemy sowed thistles all through the wheat and slipped away before dawn. When the first green shoots appeared and the grain began to form, the thistles showed up, too. The farmhands came to the farmer and said, 'Master, that was clean seed you planted, wasn't it? Where did these thistles come from?' He answered, 'Some enemy did this.' The farmhands asked, 'Should we weed out the thistles?' He said, 'No, if you weed the thistles, you'll pull up the wheat, too. Let them grow together until harvest time. Then I'll instruct the harvesters to pull up the thistles and tie them in bundles for the fire, then gather the wheat and put it in the barn.'

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Another story. 'God's kingdom is like a pine nut that a farmer plants. It is quite small as seeds go, but in the course of years it grows into a huge pine tree, and eagles build nests in it.'" Matthew 13:18-32 (MSG)

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So, what's your agenda for the day? Feel like planting some seeds or harvesting some crops?

Time

Rush, rush, rush...that's usually the jest of my days here lately. Today is the first day of the new month so my day is already laid out for me. I work for attorneys so I have to bill all of their work for the month of September. They each meticulously hand write their day each and every day and I sit and enter each entry into a program and wa-la they client is billed.

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As I sit here staring at all the time entries that will make up my day I'm wondering what my time sheets would look like if I had to write down each and every moment of my day. Hmmm... Wake up .5 (usually takes me a good 30 minutes to actually get out of the bed)...Take a shower .5 (another 30 minutes ensures that my eyes are fully awake)...Get dressed .5 (I'm a quick dresser-upper I must admit)...Yell at the kids .2 (you would see this entry alot throughout the day)...Drive to work .75 (a 25 mile commute takes me 45 minutes!! Birmingham traffic is the best I tell you!!)...Walk into the building .25 (you know we do it in Birmingham...park a mile away from our actual offices)...Clock-in .1...Chit-chat with neighbors .5...Go get something to drink .2...Chit-chat with neighbors walking back to my desk .2...Read e-mails .3...Perform daily tasks 5.0 (although I work an 7 1/2 hour day I'm being honest...I don't work that entire time)...Drive home .75...Yell at the kids .2...Cook supper 1.0...Yell at the kids .2...Watch t.v. 2.0...Yell at the kids .2...Get ready for bed .5...Yell at the kids .2... Go to bed .1...Yell at kids telling them to go to bed .2...

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Hmmm...there is my time entries for the day. I've done it all haven't I? Life has really been throwing me curve balls left and right here these past few weeks/months and I have noticed a trend with me. My time with the Lord is getting smaller and smaller to being non-existent. Oh I pray, I grab a word here and there but I don't hang out with Him.

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There is many scripture about us waiting on the Lord, being patient, wait, wait, wait, but He remains the same, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." Hebrews 13:8. (NLT).