Fashion Competition Brings People of the Bible to Todays Teenagers

 Fashion Competition Brings People of the Bible to Todays Teenagers

I have to admit, I thought this was a pretty innovative idea.

From another article I found "the Empty Hanger" concept a little more clearly defined. "The five outfits have been designed to show the personalities of five Bible characters who are all members of Jesus’ family tree, but with them there is one Empty Hanger.

This autumn, in a joint project by Bible Society and the college, youngsters in schools across the country will be invited to design a costume that they think symbolises who they are to put on the Empty Hanger."

I liked one of the quotes in the article I linked:

Walton said, "Empty Hanger will help bring the Bible alive for a generation that largely don’t read it. The stories in the Bible are like a soap opera for all eternity. They tell us about ourselves and we can learn about how to live life today through them."

I really like this idea.

Good News Today - I think today's story is a no-brainer

"I think I had extraordinary luck. I was with God and with the devil. And I reached out for God." - Mario Sepulveda; Rescued Chilean Miner   I don't think there's any question about the good news story for today.

And the update

 If you read my post yesterday Yesterday's Post  you will know that I had a mission today. :)   I thought it was going to be canceled or delayed due to a malfunctioning water heater, but it turns out it didn't slow me down as much as I thought it would.  I was riding the train into the city wondering if talking to this homeless paper vendor was something I was really supposed to be doing or if it was just something that popped into my mind yesterday.  I wasn't really feeling the tug I had felt yesterday, so I started second guessing myself.

And then there is that book I'm reading... "Most of us will someday realize that we didn't [notice the beauty in the midst of busyness] either.  From the perspective of heaven, we'll look back on these days - these busy, cluttered days-and realize, That was Jesus playing the violin [on a street corner]. That was Jesus wearing the ragged clothes...The person needing my help was Jesus. ...  when we love those in need, we are loving Jesus."  italics are the authors - Max Lucado, Outlive Your Life.  

There it was, just as I started to doubt, the encouragement I needed.  I said a prayer for guidance - I say that so often I feel like giving it a number so I can just say - "Father, number 32 please!"   Okay, that makes it sound like take out food way too much, but I digress.   As I turned the corner and checked to see if he was at his normal post I felt the doubt and butterflies kick in.  Not doubt that I was following what I was meant to do, but doubt in myself.   I have to get out of my comfort zone is the thought that went through my mind at that point.  Along with another realization.  Who would try to stop me from telling someone about God?  The next thought that entered my head was Satan stop it!  And the butterflies went away.  Just thinking back on that, it surprises me, although I know it shouldn't, that saying that worked.  But it did.  

So I walked up to the man, told him that God had been speaking to me a lot over the past two days about him and I wanted him to have the few dollars that I had in my hand.  Then I introduced myself, his name is Manuel, and told him it was nice to meet him.  And then I left because he looked terrified. LOLOL  Maybe this interaction wasn't as much for Manuel's benefit as it was for mine.  I've been wanting to challenge myself and I've been asking for God to use me, maybe this was His way of warming me up.  Who knows why?  But even though I may have made Manuel a little nervous - seriously, he kept looking behind me like he was hoping the men with the straight jackets were right behind me - I left the encounter with a big smile on my face and feeling wonderful.

And who knows?  Maybe Manuel's story isn't over yet.

Stay tuned....

Today I was walking down the street and the homeless paper vendor that I pass almost daily popped into my head.  I don't give money to people I see begging on a daily basis.  It's a weird thing with me, but in my mind if they see me every day they may expect me to give them money every day, and I just can't do that.  I also hesitate because in a city this big, you just don't know who really needs help and who is just faking it.  Cynical enough for you? 

But today, when this particular vendor popped into my head, I hadn't even seen him yet.  "You have to give him money" popped into my mind.  "Uh, no." was the response.  I could have still crossed the street at this point to avoid the whole situation.  I could have, technically, there was a street to cross.  But I couldn't do it, didn't even enter my mind.  And as I turned the corner and started reaching into my purse for $2 (price of the paper) I realized that I wasn't in control of this.  So I went with it - I didn't really have much of a choice and at this point I realized who the instructions were coming from and wouldn't have said no anyway.

I made eye contact - I think that's possibly the first time - stopped and gave him the money.  As I walked away I wondered if that was the end of the incident.  Something told me there was more to it.   I'm reading Max Lucado's Out Live Your Life.  Today I was reading the chapter Blast A Few Walls.  It talks about "breaking down barricades that separate God's children from each other."   The passage that caught me was "Do any walls bisect your world?  There you stand on one side.  And on the other?  The person you've learned to disregard, perhaps even disdain."

As I was reading all this what popped into my mind is I have to go tomorrow, I have to give him a couple more dollars, but this time I have to tell him that God is leading me to him and find out what his name is.  Why finding out what his name is seemed important I don't know, but it did.   I stopped reading and prayed for guidance.  If he's there tomorrow (there are days he's not) obviously I won't be able to carry this out.  If he is, well I guess stay tuned.   :)

I considered not posting this until I knew what I was going to do, but that seemed like cheating and not giving God the glory He is due.  And then there's that other double edged sword - accountability.  :)

Boy born without ears gets gift of sound

Deaf boy gets help to hear
Praise God for the doctors that helped him and for bringing him to their attention.

It's amazing what kids can do

Teenager with a Mission
I love reading stories of how kids are inspired for greatness and find their niche serving others.  This service started when Jacob was 10 years old.  Just goes to show that you can never be too young to make a difference.

Maybe not Good news but I want to see a zebra walking down the street

Zebra runaway
I love that this Zebra "was known as a vagabond".  I think I've heard stories of a dog that he may get along with...

Chilean Miners almost out

Chilean miners breakthrough in rescue
I can't imagine what the families of these miners have been going through during the long wait for rescue of their loved ones.  And, being somewhat claustrophobic, I don't even try to imagine what the miners themselves have been going through. 

My prayers are with them and I hope that the delivery of Bibles that they received a while ago have helped them to endure this ordeal.

Pastor Stops Gunmen

80 Yr Old Pastor Stops Gunmen

Present day good samaritan

Samaritan rescues girl and gives God glory
I saw this the other day on the news, but I hadn't had a chance to actually watch it.  This is a great current time Good Samaritan story.

Highschool cheerleaders standing up for modesty

High School Cheerleaders Complain About Skimpy Outfits

I have to applaud these girls standing up for themselves.  They should be an inspiration to their peers.

Moms In Touch International

I just want to tell you about Moms In Touch International.  It is a group of women who get together either in person or on the phone to pray for our children, our schools, our teachers... you get the drift right?  Here is their purpose from their website at www.momsintouch.org:

The Purpose of Moms In Touch International
To pray that our children will receive Jesus as Lord and Savior, then stand boldly in their faith.

To pray for teachers and staff.

To pray that teachers, administrative staff, and students would come to faith in Jesus Christ.

To provide support and encouragement to moms who carry heavy burdens for their children.

To pray that our schools will be directed by biblical values and high moral standards

To be an encouragement and a positive support to our schools


I am the only mother signed up for Sutherland Elementary, and as much as I would like to find someone from that school, I would also like to encourage anyone in the Chicagoland area to join voices with these women.  You can go to their website and look for your school to see if there is already a prayer group there, if there isn't you can sign up as a single mom prayer by herself for that school and they will contact you to pray in the monthly conference calls.  I just sat in on my first conference call today and met two wonderful women.  I have trouble finding words when I'm praying out loud, but you don't have to talk, you can just listen.  But if you're like me, the pull to  join in the prayer may be too great to overcome.

Please consider joining this organization, our kids can use all the prayer they can get.

Family trip changes lives - home and across the world

Family trip to Africa leads to life change

I love when I hear stories of how people see a need and then act on it.  I want to be more like that - something to strive for.

Inspiring story

Being blink helps minister really see

I found a few stories today, but this one I thought inspiring.  

Chocolate can make you look younger?

Eating Chocolate Can Make You Look Younger

This isn't actually a new story, but I saw it for the first time yesterday.  I've been saying for years that chocolate is good for you.  That's why it's a food group!  What?  Really?  I could have sworn....  oh well.  It's still good for you. :)

Good News - the real stuff

Since I am once again not finding that much good news on the internet, I decided to go back to the true Good News today.

Ephesians 2:8-10

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God.  Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.  For we are God's masterpiece.  He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Romans 8:1

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.

Romans 5:8

But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

That, at least, is some good news I can bank on.

Five Year Old Raises Money for Well in Africa

A different type of life giving water
Very inspiring story - and a reminder that kids can contribute in all sorts of ways.

Can't find a positive news article today :(

But I'm open to suggestions. :)

Obama speaks up on his religious beliefs

Obama's religious beliefs - in his words
Being intrinsically suspect of any politician, I would like to believe that he  believes what he is saying.   I  also pray that he would use Jesus' teachings within his job. 

Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity.  1 Timothy 2:1-3

Wind Parts the Red Sea

Wind Parts the Red Sea

I'm slightly amused by this news story.  I'm amused because I read it and think about the people that are going to look to is and say - see! it wasn't God or Moses, it was wind.   What they are going to fail to consider is that God controls the wind.  Of course wind could have parted the Red Sea, but it was God sending the wind - if that is indeed how he did it - to do the job.

The news story doesn't actually say that it wasn't God, but I know that's how it's going to be taken by many individuals reading it.  So while this isn't technically a good news story, I thought I'd spread a little "Good News" using it.

Disabled Youth Create Comic Book Heroes

Unity Through Comic Books?
" 'They were empowered by their own disabilities, and they should not be seen as a source of weakness,' he said."

American and Syrian disabled youth working together.  Pretty cool.  

Good News - Family reunion in the nick of time

God's work
I think this one definitely falls under "It's a God thing."

A truly selfless act

Heartbreaking but still falls under Good News
Here's someone who lived the scripture John 15:13.  I pray that God watches over this mother and child, they were truly blessed to have the man they had in their lives, even though the child will not meet him in this lifetime.

Four Way Kidney Transplant

Four-way Kidney Transplant
I already had a "good news" article picked out but decided that this was pretty awesome itself and right in our backyard... well, right in our backyard if you are from Chicago and reading this.

I see God's hand all over this one. Transplant is one of the ultimate gifts of giving.

Fields of Growth International

Lacrosse Missionaries Take Sport, Philanthropy to Uganda

 This is a pretty cool thing that they're doing.  I hope that their work spotlights the poverty and that brings other groups to help the area in other ways.

Good News - Raising Teen Awareness

Celebrity Taking Some Responsibility

I hope that Christianity comes up, although I don't know her beliefs.  What she is doing is commendable and I hope that it can somehow bring kids closer to God as well.  Maybe her help will make them more open to His message, who knows?   It's a good start though.

2 Timothy sounds alot like current society

2 Timothy 3:  ¹You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. ² For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. ³ They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. ⁴ They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. ⁵ They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!

  2 Timothy4:  ³ For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. ⁴ They will reject the truth and chase after myths.

If you watch the news at all or just pay attention to people when you're in public you can easily see that these passages fit in extremely well with current times.  I don't have solutions, other than the obvious bring the Bible to more people, but I just thought it was interesting to see that the Bible has us pegged.  And I'm sure we're not the first generation that this has applied to, but I'd sure like to be the last...or raise our children to be the last.  Wishful thinking I know, but we have to keep growing and striving to be more like Christ.  The attitudes and actions listed above would melt away if we all turned to God and followed his most important commandments -
 
Matthew 22:³⁶ “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”  ³⁷ Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ ³⁸ This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  ⁴⁰ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

Good news for the day :)

It's a couple days old, but a good story none the less.


http://www.gnn.com/article/zach-bonner-now-a-director-ends-2478/1278831

Good News

I'm tired of the bad news I hear all the time, so I'm going to try to find good news articles and post them.  I'd love to do it everyday, but I'm not sure if I'll have the time, but we'll see.  If I can keep doing it long enough maybe it will become a habit.   If you read something that  you think might fit in with this, let me know.   

Here's the first one.

Good News Story

Prayer for 9/11

Father, continue to be with the loved ones of those lost on 9/11 as they remember that day and how it has affected their lives.  Protect all our soldiers and first responders as they put their lives on the line for us and be with their families as well to comfort them and give them peace from worry as they send them off either on deployment or to their jobs as policemen, firemen and paramedics.  Please bring them home safely.

Father, put the greatest commandment on the hearts of all people.  "Jesus replied, 'You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.  A second is equally important:'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"  Matthew 22:37-38.  Father we need that commandment to become part of our lives, from the children on the streets to the Pastors and heads of government.  Be with us and our country and help us to do better and walk in your ways.

In Jesus' name. Amen

Fall Kick Off 9/12/10

I want to invite everyone I know, and even those I don't,  to the First Church of God's fall kick off on September 12, 2010.  And if you're not sure about it, you can consider it an early birthday present since my birthday is 2 days later.  :) 

The fall kick off consists not only of the start of a 4 week series on "The Strange & Unique Call To Life in God's Kingdom", but it is also the kick off for the children's ministry Promiseland!  There will be superheroes and puppets involved!  Who could ask for more?

In addition to that, there will be a special purity series starting at 11:00.  The lesson will cover topics like gossip, clothing and abstinence.  The girls invited are 6th grade and up.  There is a permission slip involved in the abstinence lesson on the 19th.

And as if that wasn't enough, September 12th will be the first weekend of registration for the MOUNTAIN MOVERS.  The moms and daughters Tuesday night discipleship class that meets from 6:30 until 8:00.  There are crafts, a snack and then a lesson.  Topics being covered this term are How to Make Good Friends, How to Make Good Choices and How to Grow Fruit of the Spirit.  It's a fun group! The age range is 1st through 8th grade.  And if you aren't a mom but you have a niece, neighbor, much younger sister, cousin, random child off the street that likes crafts, your welcome to come.  However, if you've picked a random child off the street I'm going to need a permission slip from the parents.... :)

Seriously, First Church of God at 4600 W. 111th Street, Oak Lawn, IL  is a great church and I hope you consider coming.  You can hear Pastor Dan's messages online at www.visitusonline.org - click on Media.

My testimony

It dawned on me the other day that I've never really told my story.  It's not an earth shattering story, nothing that would make you sit back and ponder what appears to have been a miracle... although I think seeing God's hand in any situation is a miracle in itself.  But I was reading recently and came across a passage that said "..you don't need a dramatic account in order for your testimony to influence someone for Christ."  The quote is from The Unexpected Adventure by Lee Strobel and Mark Mittelberg. 

Don't get me wrong, I've told a few people, but not many.  I guess because I grew up believing in God, so why would I think I had a testimony?  And I did grow up believing in God.  I just didn't grow up understanding Him.  I didn't understand how much of an impact He could have on my life if I let Him.  I didn't fully understand Grace - not that I can wrap my head around someone dying for my sins now, but at least I understand well enough to appreciate how big of a deal that is.

I grew up going to church but had stopped as an adult.  And didn't really think much about it although I did have the notion in the back of my mind that once my daughter was old enough to start grasping ideas we needed to think about what we were going to do.  It was around this time that I began to notice something missing.  I felt like I was supposed to be doing something, something that required studying.  I ignored it for a while, but it was very persistent.  I wanted to study...something...I just didn't know what.  So I began applications to get my MBA.  I had everything done for the application, references written but something was stopping me from sending it in.   Then I decided to read the Koran.  Then the Torah.  Then the Bible.  This obviously wasn't a month long process, that's not exactly light reading.  I also read books about Christianity, Islam and Judaism. 

Then came the day when it was time to find a church.  I didn't want to go back to the religion I had grown up in, mostly because I felt like I had just learned more about the Bible in the self-study I had taken upon myself than while I was being instructed in my earlier years.  I didn't, and don't, have any hard feelings about that, but I wanted to find something else.  Being one of those people that looks just about everything up online, I set about trying to find a few churches to visit until we found one that my husband and I both felt comfortable in.  I was never a big fan of small churches because I wasn't comfortable with people at church knowing me. (I'm going to pause now in case someone from my church is reading this and needs to take a moment to laugh.)

I knew I wanted to look at this "non-denominational" thing.  That was perfect for someone who couldn't make up their mind. I just wouldn't pick a denomination.  I came up with a list and happened to be driving by a church one day and realized it was one of the churches on the list.  And I noticed that there was a humorous message on the church's sign.  We went there the next Sunday.  I don't know what I was expecting, but it was not to find myself crying from the moment the worship team opened with "Here I am to Worship" until the Pastor finished his closing prayer.  There was such a tangible feeling that the Holy Spirit was in that church it was amazing.  And I knew, although it took coming one or two more times to get the family on the same page, that I was home.

And I continued to study, although now I was able to direct my studies towards my spiritual growth.  And I haven't stopped, I have no desire to, it's an unquenchable thirst.  One I am thoroughly enjoying.  And I have learned alot about myself.  That dislike of people knowing me?  That was totally me not wanted to be held accountable.  That's changed.  It can be hard at times, but it's worth it.   I was baptized this past October because I felt like I had never made a conscience decision to commit to God, it was something I felt I wanted to do for a God that loves me so much that he sent His Son to die for me.  I wanted to make a statement to Him that I was committed to do my best to live the life he wants for me, to serve Him by serving others and to be a light showing Him to the world.  I know I'm going to have my ups and downs, I know I'm not going to be perfect, but I know He will be there to help me and to pick me back up when I've fallen.

I give a lot of credit to my pastor for helping me, knowingly and unknowingly, in my walk with Christ.  I know that God works through him.  And in case anyone wants to come check out this church and Pastor Dan, the church is linked -  First Church of God.  I encourage you, if you're anywhere near the Oak Lawn, IL area, to check it out.  Or listen to Dan on the website by clicking on the Media tab.

1 Corinthians 1:18

"The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed to destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God." [Paul]  1 Corinthians 1:18 NLT

 For quite a while now this has been heavy on my mind.  Not because I don't believe that Christ actually died for me.  I do.  And while I may have momentary flare-ups on occasion when I think "Really? Can it be?", I always turn back to the fact that I absolutely believe that Jesus died for us.

I know some people who think that Christ didn't really die on the cross and that the resurrection was more of a symbolic act than a real event.  That scares me for them.  And it scares me as I wonder how many people also may think that...and if any of my family members may think that.  

I have a hard time talking about my beliefs.  It's something that I am trying to work on, though truth be told, I could be working harder on it.  I can write, but actually speaking about them, while it feels wonderful once I have, is hard for me. (I have a hard time talking about my feelings too, so this isn't a new thing for me. lol )

But I feel this point, Christ's death and resurrection, is SO important.  It's the key, isn't it?  The Bible even says it is.  In 1 Corinthians 15:17 Paul says "And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins."

It is real.  It happened.  Would you let yourself be tortured and killed for something that did not really happen?  The disciples were tortured and, with the exception of Peter, killed for their belief in Christ's resurrection and his place as Son of God.  

I'm sitting here on my first day of vacation (okay, it took me a few days to get to the cafe with internet access - so it's not actually the first day of my vacation anymore, unfortunately).  My first day outside the craziness that is my beloved town, Chicago.  The first day in the Northwoods that have always recharged me and that I have to come back to annually.  And when I read the words "the message of the cross...is the very power of God", I was led to write.  I have never felt led to write before.  I hope I was led because someone needed to hear.

God bless you!  And if you are a family member reading this, and even if you aren't, believe! believe! believe! (if you don't already).  I love you!

The Greatest Commandment - Love God and Love Others

There is a page in Facebook that I'd like to share.  I know not everyone is on Facebook, but you can find quite a bit of inspiration out there and it may be worth it for only that reason.  We need to start using the technology we have been blessed with for the sake of good.   The link is below.  I just wanted to share.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Love-God-And-Love-OthersThe-Greatest-Commandment/236001620687?v=wall&story_fbid=139066406117440&ref=mf


By the way, I know I haven't posted as much as I had intended, but I am praying for help in time management so that I can post more often. 

Romans

In our daily reading we are in Romans.  I love Romans because there are so many great messages in Romans.  A few of my favorite can be found there.   It helps that I love Paul's story.  I love that he went from persecuting Christians (or followers of the Way) to becoming one of them through the direct intervention of Jesus after his death.  There is no reason that Paul should have done a complete 180 in this thought process, suffered and eventually died to spread the Good News unless he truly, truly believed it with all his heart.  Would you die for something you weren't sure about?

Romans 5:3-5 is where I go when I'm troubled.  "We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.  And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.  And this hope will not lead to disappointment.  For  we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love." 

I think one of the things that draws me to Paul is that he is one of us.  He has trouble doing what is right, he doesn't claim to be above all the temptation in the world, he's right there in it.  Romans 7:21 "I have discovered this principle of life-that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong."  I'm sure no one I know can relate to that right?  (That was sarcasm)  I can totally relate to that.  But then, just as you're wondering how that struggle is going to affect your eternal life, you get to Romans 8:1 "So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus."  Whew.  Praise God!   Romans 8:39 helps as well. "No power in the sky above or in the earth below-indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord."

I was reading Romans 10 today and came across a verse that pretty much says it all.  Verse 9 says "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heard that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."  And that means really raised.  I don't understand people who think that Christ's actual bodily resurrection did not take place.  I don't understand why anyone would think that the twelve disciples would die for a cause that was only "representative" of someone being raised from the dead.  And I know I'm getting out of Romans here, but in 1 Corinthians 15:17 Paul says "And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins."  Your faith is useless, that's how strongly Paul felt.  And since "all scripture is God-breathed" (2 Timothy 3:16 NIV), it stands to reason that God feels that way too.

 

I'm getting the message...

I feel like I'm being sent a message today.  And, in part, I think God is using Facebook to do it.  No, I'm not kidding.   I get a daily scripture reading on Facebook.  This is what it said today.


Here is your Verse of the Day:

Proverbs 10:11 (NIV). The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked....... Thoughts on This Verse... Want to know the difference between a righteous person and a wicked one? Simple. Check the fruit of their lives. One ...of the most obvious forms of fruit in a person's life is his or her speech. The righteous person finds a way to impart life with his or her speech. The wicked will nearly always reveal themselves by what their mouths say.
 
Our daily Bible reading with my Church has within it "And I t ell you this, you  must give an account on judgement day for every idle world you speak.  The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you."  Matthew 12:36-37
 
So I'm thinking that I need to pay particular attention to my words.  Apparently Someone is sending me a message.

Happy Easter!!!

He is risen!  He is risen indeed!

You know what's really amazing about the crucifixion and resurrection?  Christ went through everything he went through for EVERYONE.  Whether you believe in Him or not - he believes in you, loves you and wants you to come to Him.  Never think you're alone.  You're not.  You just have to turn to Him and He will be there.

Happy Easter everyone! 

Good Friday

This day is one of my favorites.  A time to focus on what Christ did for us and what he went through to cleanse us of our sins.  It's amazing that someone could love us that much to die on a cross for us.  It fills me with awe just thinking about it.  And love.  How can you not love someone that is not only willing to but actually does give up their life for you?

Then Jesus uttered another loud cry and breathed his last. And the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. When the Roman officer who stood facing him saw how he had died, he exclaimed, "This man truly was the Son of God!" Mark 15:37-39

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed." Isaiah 53:5

Praise God!  Have a blessed day!

Joy

Joy - the second fruit of the spirit in Galatians 5:22.  John 15:11 Jesus says "I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy.  Yes, your joy will overflow."

If you are thankful for something, it will bring you joy even when things aren't going well.  We need to rejoice, even in our trials, which I'm sure is easier said than done at times, but if we try hard enough - even in times of troubles - we can find something to be grateful for which will bring us joy.

One of my favorite readings is Romans 5:3-5.  I go there whenever I'm stressed or there is something going on that I need to give to God.

"We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.  And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.  And this hope will not lead to disappointment.  For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love."

Galatians 5:22-23 The Love Lesson

Galatians 5:22-23  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.  Against such things there is no law.

Having gone through the fruits of the Spirit in my Tuesday night class last term, I thought I'd share some of our lessons.  Our first lesson was on Love.  The verse we learned for that week was John 15:12-13  "My command is this:  Love each other as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."

We discussed loving others, of course, and how other people who don't know God can learn about Him through us when we show fruits of the Spirit.  

One of the verses in our lesson was Matthew 5:44 "But I say, love your enemies!  Pray for those who persecute you!" One of the hardest lessons, I think, but the girls in the class talked about how to apply this to their lives, especially at school - it was pretty much decided that the little brothers had to be excluded from this :)  - and one in particular did a great job of dealing with a boy in school that had been bothering her.  I was proud of all of them.

Galatians

Our 5 minute reading started in Galatians.  A letter written by the apostle Paul.  This letter has been dated back to anywhere between 48 and 53 AD.   If Christ died in 30 or 33 AD, that would be within the lifetime of eyewitnesses to Jesus' death.  Think about that.  Paul was not only an eyewitness after the fact, he saw had contact with Jesus after His death - but he also knew others that were eyewitnesses to Jesus' life and teachings.  He knew Peter, he knew James.. he knew people that had traveled with Jesus.  I think that is extremely cool.

In the first three chapters of Galatians, Paul is trying to convince this fledgling church that the original teachings they had heard were the true teachings and not to be deceived by what they were hearing currently.  The old laws were not the way to the Truth, only Jesus is.  "For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus."  Galatians 3:26

Hebrews..one more time

I thought my last posting on Hebrews would be the only posting I did, but after having a children's ministry mini-conference and re-reading Hebrews 13 this afternoon, I felt the need to add something.

I was reading Hebrews 13:7 "Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you.  Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith."   Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.  Who is considering the outcome of your way of life?  Who is imitating you?  That is a big responsibility and for those leading anyone, be it a single person, a small group or a church, that is an incredibly important responsibility.

This weekend I saw the movie Facing the Giants.  A phrase in that movie stuck with me.  "Your actions will follow your beliefs."  I had to consider that comment and still am.  Do my actions follow my beliefs?  Am I comfortable with someone looking at my way of life and imitating my faith?

I think the answer to both those questions is not all the time.  But I pray that God will lead me and guide me to be a better example of His work so that I can one day answer both those questions with a resounding Yes!

Hebrews

I've learned something new reading Hebrews.  It's like when you have read things a few times and it then all of a sudden something clicks?  From the Old Testament we know that the high priests were from Aaron's line, the line of Levi.  Jesus, the highest of High Priests, came from the line of Judah.  "Jesus became a priest, not by meeting the physical requirement of belonging to the tribe of Levi, but by the power of a life that cannot be destroyed."  Hebrews 7:16

One of my favorite verses in Hebrews is 10:14 "For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy."  We are the "those who are being made holy".  That is awesome.  I know He has his work cut out for him, but to know that we are being made holy is, quite frankly, hard to get your mind around.  At least it is for me.   I know myself and it would defintely take an act of God to make me holy, and that's what we are getting - an act of God.  No one can do that by themselves.

Another verse that I found inspiring was "And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near."  Hebrews 10:25   I, like many, used to think that I could pray to God anywhere and didn't really need to be in Church to do it.  While this is true, God calls us to join together on a regular basis.  I only became aware a few years ago how special that could be if you found the right "church home".  I was never sure I wanted to be in a church where people would actually notice your comings and goings.  But what really bothered me, I've since figured out, was that accountability.   Who wants that?   It's not a matter of want, though, it's a matter of need.  I need that.  And I have to say that I love having a "church family".  I NEVER understood that concept before.  I do now and I am very appreciative of my church family.  I love them all. 

Yes, I am here.

I can't believe that my last post was February 9th.  I have continued with the daily reading that was my plan to write about, but the lesson plans for the new book we're using in our Tuesday night class, the Mountain Movers, is taking up more time than I realized it would.  It's very interesting and I'm learning alot...wait....wasn't I the one teaching it?....  but I think I'm learning more than the girls.  

We're studying the Bible and how it is translated for all different languages.  But we are also learning that it is God-breathed, if it has mistakes, what it's about, why God gave it to us.  It's actually not a bad lesson plan for adults.  :)   I may do a blog post or two about these lessons (since I'm learning more than I can share with my age group).  

But I think I may try to catch up on Acts first...but now I need to finish my lesson plan. :)

Acts 14

In Acts 14, Paul and Barnabas are traveling and spreading the news of Jesus.

Two things about this chapter one to point out, the other was something I learned while reading my archaeological study Bible.  

You'll notice during Paul's missionary trips that he usually goes to the local synagogue first when he comes to a new city.  When he's met with opposition, he turns to the Gentiles.  He always gives his people, the Jews, a chance to listen to him and believe.

In Acts 14:11 Paul had just cured a man who had been lame from birth.  "When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, 'The gods have come down to us in human form!'  Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker.  The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them."  Acts 14:11-13    

Now obviously, Paul and Barnabas stopped this, but there was a reason the people had this reaction.  There is a legend that "Zeus and Hermes once visited the Phrygian hill country disguised as ordinary men. They were turned away from a thousand homes but finally were welcomed into the humble abode of an elderly couple.  The gods turned that house into a temple and destroyed the houses of all who had rejected them."  

I love when pieces of information come together, whether it be from different parts of the Bible or other sources, that make things start to click so I can see the times and activities of the Bible in the big picture.  It's amazing.  But maybe it's just me.

Acts 9

Saul's conversion!  This passage truly makes me happy.  I love reading Paul's letters and the way he came into Christianity - well, was drafted (and wouldn't it be great to be drafted like that!) - just makes it so much more exciting.  I sound like a Paul groupie.  I'm not sure if that's allowed.

This is  a very exciting time in the church though - the Good News is being spread as Christians are moving outward from Jerusalem and it's also spreading from Jews to Gentiles.  How exciting is that!!!  Well, VERY for us!  The persecution that Saul (soon to be Paul) was instrumental in, caused followers of the Way (Christians) to flee Jerusalem, thus spreading the Word as they went.  To have the very man that was persecuting them be directly confronted by Jesus and turned to a life of living for Jesus, how remarkable and awesome! Paul's story really speaks to me, although I think you may have figured that out by now. 

Acts 7

Acts 7 bring us the stoning of Stephen.  I believe Stephen was the first follower martyred for Christ. - I could be wrong, but I don't think I am.  Stephen's story elicits several different emotions in me.  His total commitment and whole hearted obedience inspire me.  His obvious love of God is so clear (did you get that by the use of obvious?).  It is truly amazing to me.  He's also the epitome of "love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" (Matthew 5:44) as he prays "Lord, do not hold this sin against them"  (Acts 7:60) while he is being stoned to death.

As I read this story of Stephen, and read that "the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul." Acts 7:38, I know that one of my favorite parts of the Bible is coming.  The story of Saul (Paul) makes me want to jump for joy.  Paul is my favorite new testament writer and I love his story.  But that will have to wait.  I don't want to get ahead of myself.

I did notice something in Stephen's speech in Acts that I hadn't thought about before, but it wasn't about Stephen, it was about Moses.  We hear the story of Moses and how he was so hesitant when called by God to go to Egypt and lead the Israelites, but I forget that the Israelites, at least some of them, had already rejected him while he was still living there saying "Who made you ruler and judge" Acts 7:35.  Now he's being asked to go talk them into following him when they have already scoffed at him.  Made me think about his lack of confidence in a different light.

Acts 5

In Acts 5:33-42, we read about the high council wanting to kill Peter and the other apostles.  One of the Pharisees, Gamaliel, spoke up and said that they should be careful of what they were planning to do.  One of two things could happen.  First, this could be a fad that would wear itself out over time (SOOO not the words of the Bible, I'm paraphrasing) or second, they could find themselves on the side fighting God himself.

Obviously a good point.  It makes me wonder about a couple things.  Did Gamaliel every become a believer?  Even though he was a famous Jewish teacher (and was actually (Saul) Paul's teacher according to the notes in my Bible), he seemed to have an open enough mind to accept that there was a possibility that what the apostles were teaching was true.  And, although I know Jesus needed to be crucified for us to be saved, was anyone at the time thinking - but what if?  What if this is the Son of God?  Should we really be doing this?  Nothing that we will ever know, but it just makes me think.

Acts

I love Acts because I love hearing about the beginning of the Church.  I also love it because Luke, the author of Acts, tells of Paul's conversion.   That is probably one of my favorite parts of the Bible...but I don't want to get ahead of myself since we're only in Acts 2 at the moment.

The Holy Spirit has descended upon them and they are speaking different languages.  Although some realize they are speaking foreign tongues, others think they are drunk.  Peter refutes this and reminds the people what was told to them by the prophet Joel.  "In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.  Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, you old men will dream dreams,  Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy." Acts 2:17-18.

Peter then goes on to tell them that Jesus of Nazareth was their savior and reminds them that they put him to death.  "Therefore let all Israel be assured of this:  God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ"  When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"  Peter replied, "Repent and by baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.  And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."  Acts 2:36-38

Three thousand were converted that day.  And it begins.  What an exciting time!

Mark 14 & 15

I'm trying very hard to not type Mary instead of Mark these days.  As you can imagine, I'm very used to typing Mary and K happens to be my middle initial so I end up with Maryk instead of Mark alot.  I catch them most of the time.  Now that the reading of Mark is almost over I probably could have gotten away without mentioning this, but I'm tired and I'm afraid it's going to happen again and I'm not going to see it.

A few passages from Mark 14 & 15 that "speak" to me:

Mark 14:72 "...'Before the rooster crows twice you will deny three times that you even know me.'  And he [Peter] broke down and wept."  

I wonder how much anguish Peter is in at this point.  Jesus has been arrested and on top of that, Peter finds himself denying the Son of Man.  Scared, lonely, not yet understanding what was to happen.  I feel for Peter, no wonder he broke down and wept.

Mark 15:34 "Then at three o'clock Jesus called out with a loud voice, 'Eloi, Eloi, lema sabach-thani?' which means "My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?'"

I found a writing on this passage in Commonly Misunderstood Bible Verses by Ron Rhodes.  It was very enlightening and I'm going to quote it.  "Jesus' statement reflects that fact that His greatest suffering on the cross was not physical, but spiritual.  He bore the guilt of the entire world on Himself.  Christ became sin for us ( 2 Corinthians 5:21).  And that moment brought an agony of the soul that was unparalleled.  Christ had become the object of His Father's displeasure, for he became the sinner's substitute."   And He did that for us.  That's a very humbling thought.

 Mark 15:37-39  "Then Jesus uttered another loud cry and breathed his last.  And the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.  When the Roman officer who stood facing him saw how he had died, he exclaimed, 'This man truly was the Son of God!'"

I have to imagine that a very intense sense of dread may have fallen over those who witnessed this and realized what had just happened.  This passage always sends chills through me.

Mark 12

See if this reminds you of anyone (minus the dress style):

Jesus also taught: "Beware of these teachers of religious law!  For they like to parade around in flowing robes and receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces.  And how they love the seats of honor in the synagogues and the head table at banquets.  Yet they shamelessly cheat widows out of their property and then pretend to be pious by making long prayers in public.  Because of this, they will be more severely punished."  Mark 12:38-40

I don't know about you, but I think I see some current time politicians in this scripture.  If you change a few words - just take out synagogues, change prayers to speeches - I think there's a fair chance that some of us have even voted for them in the past.  And if you live in Illinois (especially the Chicago area) we have a long history of this sort of person.  

The more that I read the Bible, the more I can see that the times of the New Testament are not that much removed from our times.  Teachings still apply, people are the same.  The Bible speaks to everyone no matter when you live.  It is definitely a timeless work.  Thank God.

Mark 9 & 10

Mark 9:23-24  

"What do you mean, 'If I can'?" Jesus asked.  "Anything is possible if a person believes."  The father instantly cried out, "I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!"

How many times have I felt this way?  Yes, I believe, but I don't believe that my faith is strong enough.  Help me. Strengthen me.  This is a constant prayer.

Mark 9:35b; Mark 10:43-45

"Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else."

"But among you it will be different.  Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else.  For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many>"

Think about these passages as it relates to government.  Wouldn't it be wonderful if our leaders kept these scriptures in mind?  In a smaller setting, we need to remember as parents, managers, teachers that to lead we need to serve.  

Mark 10:25-27

"In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!"  The disciples were astounded. "Then who in the world can be saved?" they asked.  Jesus looked at them intently and said, "Humanly speaking, it is impossible.  But not with God.  Everything is possible with God."

I feel blessed to know that anything is possible with God.  I know that if it wasn't for His grace there would be no point to anything I do.  With His grace I have HOPE and a reason to keep trying to be a better person.

Mark 8

Once again I have learned something new.  Another admission, I did not understand "Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and of Herod" in Mark 8:15 before.  I didn't understand that "yeast was often a symbol of evil or corruption"..or that it "represented an invisible, pervasive influence". (Commonly Misunderstood Bible Verses by Ron Rhodes)  It makes sense though, yeast in bread acts as an invisible, pervasive influence to make the bread rise... okay, it's not actually invisible when you add it in (I'm guessing, I never make bread), but it is pervasive.  As was the hypocrisy and non-belief of the Pharisees, which is what Jesus was warning against.   I knew He wasn't talking about actual bread, but I wasn't sure what He was referring to.  

My favorite part of Mark 8 is something Jesus says "If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it.  Bit if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it.  And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?  Is anything worth more than your soul?"  Mark 8:35-37

Isn't it interesting that even when you believe and you try to live the life that God intended you to live, you  (and me!) still hang on to things of this world?  Even when we know that we have to let go of this world to gain the next?  Is anything worth more than your soul?  Anything?  It seems like a no-brainer, but it is sure hard to live by...even when you believe it with all your heart.

Mark 6 & 7

We read Mark 6 and 7 today and I thought I would write my notes with Katie's perspective.  Katie doesn't always comment when we read the Bible.  I always ask her if she understands and sometimes she questions it and sometimes she seems to "get it".  Tonight was one of those nights that she seemed to be "on".  Maybe it had something to do with having just finished our homework for our Mountain Mover's class on Tuesday, maybe she was still in "the zone".

The first time that her voice piped up while I was reading was when during Mark 6:14-29.  This is one of the Bible stories that touches me because the death of John the Baptist seems so wrong.  Not just that he was killed but that he was killed over something as trivial as a reward for a well performed dance.  Apparently my daughter agrees with me.  She was upset with Herodias...I believe indignant would be a better word for the look on her face and the attitude with which she stated, "That girl is NOT nice."   I do find it interesting that "Herod respected John and knowing that he was a good and holy man, he protected him.  Herod was greatly disturbed whenever he talked with John, but even so, he liked to listen to him."  Mark 6:20    How many times are we disturbed when we talk to God - feeling convicted by our own actions/thoughts - and yet we like to listen to Him.   I believe that what Herod was feeling may have been the conviction that we feel at times.

The other thing that Katie picked up on was the same topic that I've been considering.  She commented at the end of Chapter 7  that the people were not listening to Jesus when they spread the word of what he was doing after He told them not to.  I thought it was interesting that she noticed this...although not listening is a regular topic of conversation in our house, so maybe she recognized it purely as something she'd been hearing about herself. :)   It is human nature, I think, that when you are told not to say anything, one of the first things you want to do is go out and say something.  But I'm not sure that I can blame these people, they were hearing amazing things, seeing miracles...it would have been extremely hard not to tell people.

"They were completely amazed and said again and again, 'Everything he does is wonderful.  He even makes the deaf to hear and gives speech to those who cannot speak.'" Mark 7:37    Yes, I think that would have been hard to keep to myself.

Mark - the first week

I learned quite a bit this week, and while it was of course based on the Bible readings, I have a couple books on understanding Bible verses that helped as well.  (And I believe I owe a thank you to my Pastor for pointing the books out to me.)

There are three things in the first five books of Mark that always confused me.  Two are pretty big, the other not so much.  I always wondered why Jesus didn't want people (or demons) to talk about what he was doing or who he was.   What I've read is that demons were known liars and a demon testifying would not do Him any good.  That made sense to me.  The problem with people testifying for Him is that His ministry would not have progressed the way He wanted it to.  People had a preconceived notion of what a Messiah was (which I do remember from one of the Sunday messages, but I didn't put two and two together) and He was not that Messiah.  So people needed to get to know Him and His teachings before they thought of Him as the Messiah. 

I read something about dealing with this issue in Hard Sayings of the Bible by ...several authors that I loved and want to share it.  "Those who take the risk of faith and commit themselves become disciples and learn more, but others receive teaching only in obscure parables."   People have wanted to commit me alot during my lifetime, but this time I'm going to agree with them.  I definitely want to commit.

And speaking of parables, I have to admit something.  I never understood the new/old wineskin and/or new/old clothing parable.  I do now though.  Again, thanks to my new books, I learned that the new wineskin/clothing represented Christianity and the old wineskin/clothing represented Judaism.  Jesus was not reforming Judaism, he was offering something completely new - Christianity.  And Thank God for that and all the comes with it.

The last thing I never understood is somewhat petty, but having found it in the Hard Sayings of the Bible, I felt better knowing that I wasn't the only one that had wondered about it.   When Jesus sends the demons into the herd of pigs in Mark 5:13, I wondered why?  If not because it didn't seem fair to the pigs, what about the livelihood of the pig herders?  Well, apparently the answer to this is pretty simple.  It's a matter of perspective.  Pigs were unclean to begin with, so from a Bible perspective, not a huge leap to put unclean demons into unclean pigs - well actually huge leap in reality, just something that is not incomprehensible.  But the more important point may be that "so precious is human life that, when necessary, a whole herd of animals may be sacrificed for one or two people".  (From Hard Sayings)

I am really enjoying this Bible reading plan so far!

Day 5

I haven't forgotten about the blog, but I am going to post tomorrow or Thursday, one of the "reflection days" when I have more time on my hands.

In case I didn't make it clear for those who don't go to my church but may be reading, we read for 5 days and have 2 days for reflection before we read for another 5 days.  If anyone would like the reading schedule, I would be happy to share.

Talk to you soon!

Day 4 - Mark 4

There are a few things that I take away from chapter 4 in Mark. 

One is from the parable of the seeds.  I want to be the seed that fell on good soil representing those who hear and accept God's word.  I think I am, but sometimes I feel inadequate (okay, all the time) and while I'm trying to hear and trying to accept, sometimes it's hard.  But I know that "I can do anything through Christ who gives me strength"  Philippians 4:13, so I know that I will be fine.

The second thing that strikes me in this chapter is Mark 4:25 "To those who listen to my teaching more understanding will be given."  I like to think that the more I listen and try to understand, the more understanding He will give me. 

Thirdly, the story of Jesus calming the storm reminds me of a saying that I've heard, although I'm not sure of the origin.  It says "Sometimes God calms the storm. Sometimes he lets the storm rage and calms his child."  I love that saying.  Even if the world is whipping around us and tossing us around, we can go to God for peace and calm.  That's a very comforting thought.

First Church of God

I wanted to share that our Sunday messages can be found on the church's website, the Link is on the right hand side of the blog, as will be the Pastor's blog once I add it.   You can listen to the messages  or download them.

Day 3 - Mark 3

"Anyone who does God's will is my brother and sister and mother." Mark 3:35


It is going to be a short one today since I was originally intending on doing only a couple per week. I took out my new favorite book "Commonly Misunderstood Bible Verses" by Ron Rhodes and I have to admit, a couple of passages that were throwing me are much clearer now. I'll be getting back to that later though.


For now, I hope everyone that was going to do the daily reading is enjoying it, and those that are just reading the blog - if any :) - may get something out of my rambling.

Day 2 - Mark 2

My favorite part of Mark 2 is when Jesus speaks about the sabbath. "The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of the people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath." Mark 2:27 (My bold)


We need to use the Sabbath to remember, to be in the Word and to reflect. The life of this world gets in the way too much. We need to focus on what is important. Imagine what the world would be like if everyone focused on what was TRULY truly important. Imagine that.

Day 1 - Mark 1

He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, 'Prepare the way for the Lord's coming! Clear the road for him!' ''Mark 1:3 One of my favorite verses.

More to come ....

Wow it's been a long time!

Beginning January 1st our church is doing a 5-minute a day bible reading that will get us through the New Testament by the time the year ends. I am going to attempt to post as we go. I've been wanting to turn this blog into a place I can discuss the Bible and I believe this may give me a way to get started... and hopefully the time will come as well. I probably won't post every day, but I'll try to post frequently.


There are 5 days of reading and two days of reflection. Each reading should be approximately 5 minutes. The first week of January - from the 1st through the 5th - are Mark Chapter 1 through 5. See how that worked out? :)


See you soon!

Interesting

I find it interesting that sometimes the people that care are the ones you least expect it from.

Puppies in Politics

Poll shows Obama should buy puppy

"Among pet-owners, McCain has clawed his way to a marginal advantage; 42 percent supporting the Republican, 37 percent the Democrat, according to the results of an AP-Yahoo News poll.."

I was thinking when I said that I wanted to discuss politics that it might be the economy, the environment... you know, something ... totally boring but important? LOL But turns out, it's more important for Obama to have a puppy. What makes me think his girls might have started this poll??? Sounds like something a certain 6 year old would do.....

Not political

Ducks causing major havoc.

Three-vehicle crash blamed on ducks

Associated Press

5:43 AM CDT, July 5, 2008

PALATINE, Ill. - Illinois State Police are blaming a small flock of ducks for a three-car accident that blocked a major highway near the Chicago suburb of Palatine.

Master Sergeant Rene Benavidez says the ducks walked onto Illinois Route 53 Friday afternoon, and a driver had to slam on the brakes to avoid hitting them.

After the sudden stop, the first vehicle was rear-ended by two others.

Benavidez says three people suffered minor injuries from the crash and one of them had to be extricated from a van by the Palatine Fire Department.

The whole highway was shut down for about 15 minutes and traffic was diverted onto Northwest Highway.

The ducks were not injured.

I just had to laugh at "The ducks were not injured." It reminded me of the "________ were not hurt in the making of this film."

I have to say...

The hits on this blog come from some very unusual parts. All different countries. It's very odd, since I really don't say much. I'm sure Google is responsible for it, but it's just amazing to see where the hits come from.

Anyway, thought I'd post a little on here since it's been a while. And, you know, we have this election thing going on. I have to say, I didn't post during the democratic primary...wait...oh, there was a republican primary too?... sorry, must have missed that. The reasons for not posting during the democratic primary was because I literally cannot discuss HC without losing my mind and didn't want to turn the blog into a shouting match - although I know Libby would have backed me up!

So, I thought since I would like to have an intelligent conversation on Barack vs. McCain, here would be a good place - WHERE I CAN DELETE THE PEOPLE THAT DON'T AGREE WITH ME! MUUUHAHAHAHAHA! Oh, sorry, I didn't mean that. Unless stuff gets belligerent that of course I'll delete! But I don't see that happening. Unless it's me. And then I'll have to add Libby as an administrator so she can delete me.

There are already a couple issues that I need to look into further regarding Barack/McCain. One, oil - and I am happy to hear that McCain has decided it's okay to do drilling offshore. I have to see what his other plans are for other forms of energy. I heard that 67% of Americans are FOR off shore drilling. And 18% are opposed. Proving once more that America's school system needs some work since we can't even add up to 100. LOL Then, of course, there's the war. But I really need to read more on that.

Please feel free to add issues in the comments, I can turn them into posts later!

Super delegates

Could someone explain to me why we need these people? I don't get it, and it's making me a bit crazy. Can't we just get rid of these people and have the popular vote rule? I do try to make things simple sometimes, but I just don't understand the need for them.


And is it just me or has someone decided that Florida will just not be able to vote in any presidential elections. LOL I hope they get their act together by November.

Stupid Studies

I heard on a commercial for the news tonight that a study was done that showed anxiety affects pregnancy. Which led me to a rant, which my husband had to sit through in person, regarding just how stupid some studies really are. Have you ever wondered why on earth a particular study was done? Some just sound so obvious to me that I can't believe money was wasted on them.


We need more studies on the benefits of chocolate! Not ridiculous studies on things that are obvious to everyone to begin with.


Anyone got a good one for me?

I don't think I'd want this cat snuggling with me....

I don't ususally quote a whole story, but this one was just crazy. But I'd be afraid to see him sitting next to me!

Amazing Cat


PROVIDENCE, R.I. - "Oscar the cat seems to have an uncanny knack for predicting when nursing-home patients are going to die, curling up next to them during their final hours.


His accuracy, observed in 25 cases, has led the staff to call family members once he has chosen someone. It usually means they have less than four hours to live.


He doesn't make too many mistakes. He seems to understand when patients are about to die," Dr. David Dosa said in an interview. He describes the phenomenon in a poignant essay in Thursday's issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.


Many family members take some solace from it. They appreciate the companionship that the cat provides for their dying loved one," said Dosa, a geriatrician and assistant professor of medicine at Brown University.


The 2-year-old feline was adopted as a kitten and grew up in a third-floor dementia unit at the Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. The facility treats people with Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease and other illnesses.


After about six months, the staff noticed Oscar would make his own rounds, just like the doctors and nurses. He'd sniff and observe patients, then sit beside people who would wind up dying in a few hours.


Dosa said Oscar seems to take his work seriously and is generally aloof. "This is not a cat that's friendly to people," he said.


Oscar is better at predicting death than the people who work there, said Dr. Joan Teno of Brown University, who treats patients at the nursing home and is an expert on care for the terminally ill.


She was convinced of Oscar's talent when he made his 13th correct call. While observing one patient, Teno said she noticed the woman wasn't eating, was breathing with difficulty and that her legs had a bluish tinge, signs that often mean death is near.


Oscar wouldn't stay inside the room though, so Teno thought his streak was broken. Instead, it turned out the doctor's prediction was roughly 10 hours too early. Sure enough, during the patient's final two hours, nurses told Teno that Oscar joined the woman at her bedside.


Doctors say most of the people who get a visit from the sweet-faced, gray-and-white cat are so ill they probably don't know he's there, so patients aren't aware he's a harbinger of death. Most families are grateful for the advanced warning, although one wanted Oscar out of the room while a family member died. When Oscar is put outside, he paces and meows his displeasure.


No one's certain if Oscar's behavior is scientifically significant. Nursing-home staffers aren't concerned with explaining Oscar, so long as he gives families a better chance at saying goodbye to the dying.


Oscar recently received a wall plaque commending his "compassionate hospice care."

Update on Chicago cop

There has been a website set up to keep track of what is going on in Mike Mette's case for anyone who is interested. http://mikemettedefensefund.com/ I'm still very annoyed by this and even more annoyed by the Chicago Police Department who is putting paperwork through to fire him even though his appeal has not been heard yet. He's been lumped into all the other bad cops out there that have been in the news lately for violence...forget what the actual story is.

I've sent in a couple emails that I've found on various sites. If anyone is interested in email addresses, let me know.

What is going on with the Catholic Church?

Roman Catholic Church views

"Pope Benedict XVI reasserted the primacy of the Roman Catholic Church, approving a document released Tuesday that says other Christian communities are either defective or not true churches and Catholicism provides the only true path to salvation."

"It was the second time in a week that the pontiff has corrected what he says are erroneous interpretations of the Second Vatican Council, the 1962-1965 meetings that modernized the church. On Saturday, the pontiff revived the old Latin mass -- a move cheered by Catholic traditionalists but criticized by more liberal ones as a step backward from Vatican II."

I just officially left the Catholic Church last October to attend a non-denominational Church which I love, First Church of God, and this article shows why I think that there may be a mass exodus under this Pope. The arrogance of the Catholic Church really upsets me at times. The Bible does not have a Catholic denomination in it, so WHY would they think that they are the only denomination that will be saved? I really see this Pope taking the Catholic Church back years and years under his term and it really bothers me.

I don't want to offend my Catholic readers, ahem, Dad, but I just don't understand this philosophy.

I'm so annoyed, I might have to give the order....

Iowa Court needs a lesson in justice

I am beside myself with the injustice displayed in this Iowa court. I will be writing to anyone that I can think of about this one. Complete stupidity. Apparently in Iowa, if you are defending yourself on your own property (or in this case your brother's) and the assailant is well connected, you become the assailant and are sentenced to 5 YEARS in prison.

This isn't the whole article, and it is worth the rest of the read to click on the link. I hope that his appeal works, this just sounds so impossibly wrong it makes me seeth.

"In an Iowa criminal case that smells of a thousand hogs, a young Chicago police officer was sentenced last week to 5 years in prison for defending himself against an attack by two large, drunken men, even though he testified that he repeatedly tried avoiding a fight.

There is a U.S. Department of Justice office in Iowa. What is happening to Chicago police officer Michael Mette bears some serious federal inquiry.

Dubuque District Court Judge Monica Ackley agrees Mette was attacked, he tried to avoid conflict, two large men hounded him down the street, and one of them got into Mette's face and began pushing him, repeatedly, before Mette threw one punch and knocked the guy out.

Still, she's sentencing this young Chicago cop to prison, she wrote, because that's the law in Iowa.

Mette has no clout in Dubuque. But Dubuque is a small town, and the intoxicated man's daddy is a boss in a giant Iowa trucking company."

Runaway Wrecking Ball

Runaway Wrecking Ball Goes On Pa. Rampage
1,500-Pound Ball Injures 3 After Breaking From Crane Demolishing College Library


Run Away Wrecking Ball


I know I haven't posted alot in here, and I thought I might actually shut this blog down, but I just had to post this picture. How would you like to look in your rear view mirror and see that coming at you? Yikes!

Looks like I better pick a topic

I can't believe how much time goes by between posts in here! What is wrong with this person? Oh, that's me, that's right. So. Anyone have a topic they want to discuss?

New Congress

First Muslim Congressman takes oath

"Keith Ellison became the first Muslim congressman in US history on Thursday, taking the oath of office on a Koran that belonged to one of America's most revered founding fathers. "

"Ellison's decision to use the Koran was criticized by a handful of conservatives, who believe the Bible should be used for the oath."

"Using the edition owned by Thomas Jefferson was aimed at symbolizing the freedom of religion that was strongly advocated by the nation's third president (1801-09) and author of the 1776 Declaration of Independence, Ellison has said. "

First I have to say that I'm actually pretty happy about this and being totally optimistic. I hope that he can show people that not all Muslims are terrorists in disguise. Not that everyone thinks that but you know that there are some that do.

I completely disagree with the idiots that thought he should use the Bible for his oath. The Bible doesn't MEAN anything to him, so what good would that have done? Better that he used the Koran, something that means something to him.

And I have to say I think it's pretty cool that Thomas Jefferson owned an edition of the Koran and that he was able to use it for his oath. Hows that for reminding everyone that this country was founded on religious freedom?

And in other parts of the globe....

Somalia and Mogadishu

"Somali government troops backed by Ethiopian forces rolled into Mogadishu without firing a shot Thursday, a striking gain in its bid to recapture the country from an Islamic movement that had once seemed nearly invincible."

"Witnesses reported seeing a large number of foreign fighters in the convoys heading south. Islamic movement leaders had called on foreign Muslims to join their "holy war" against Ethiopia, which has a majority Christian population. Hundreds were believed to have answered the call. "

"Islamic fighters have gone door to door in Kismayo recruiting children as young as 12 to make a last stand on behalf of the Islamic movement, according to a U.N. report citing the families of boys taken to Jilib."

We need to remember that we're not the only ones fighting the fanatic Islamists - maybe once Ethiopia boots them out we can get them to join us in Iraq? I just wish that the Muslims that don't agree with the terrorists - and I know that they are out there - would show more resistance. Of course, even if they were, our media would probably not even show it.

Well lookie here....

I may be a little late in this, but I've been sick. Look at who is standing up for themselves....

Ahmadinejad "thwarted" in Iranian elections

"Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad looks to have been thwarted from keeping his ultra-conservative allies in control of key offices despite efforts to "cook the books" in weekend elections, the State Department said."

"The voting for Iran's municipal councils and the Assembly of Experts -- the body which chooses the country's supreme leader -- was seen as the first popularity test for Ahmadinejad since he swept to power in 2005.

In one key race, centrist ex-president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani overwhelmingly won a seat on the Assembly of Experts, thrashing a cleric seen as Ahmadinejad's spiritual mentor."

Maybe there are people there that realize he's crazy. I'm beginning to feel better about this.