August 24, 2003


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    Very challenging puzzle..within the next paragraph, there are 16 names of books of the bible.  It had taken me a while to find them all.  Happy hunting! (hint: names may be separated by spaces and punctuation) ~Kim


     


    I once made a remark about the hidden books of the Bible. It was a lulu, kept people looking so hard for facts, and for others it was a revelation. Some were in a jam, especially since the names of the books were not capitalized. But the truth finally struck home to numbers of our readers. To others it was a real job. We want it to be a most fascinating few moments for you. Yes, there will be some really easy ones to spot. Others may require judges to help find them. I will quickly admit it usually takes a minister to find one of them, and there will be loud lamentations when it is found. A little lady says she brews a cup of tea so she can concentrate better. See how well you can compete. Relax now, for there really are sixteen names of books of the Bible in this paragraph.


August 22, 2003


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    "Don't you want to be someone who obeys the Lord? I am desperate for it ... that I keep my heartbeat in tune with His heartbeat. You want to be 'in sync' with Him so that you can obey, so that you can fulfil all that you were born for. When you don't obey, you disobey. There is no middle ground. God detests the middle ground. He doesn't like grey. And so if fear rules and binds you, you just end up staying still because of that fear. Do you know that because everything else still moves forward, that you are actually going backwards."

    --Darlene Zschech
    "Extravagant Worship"


    Wow..what an enticing except..it made me go out and order the book online.  It talks about getting into that special level of worship..and it's a great read so far!  When I go to concerts..to church..to Christian gatherings..I worship.  What other people see from me can't even touch the surface of what really goes on inside my heart.  The essence of worship draws human and God together and what happens there is extremely addicting.  Do you know what I mean?  Don't you want more of that intimacy 24x7?  Yes, so do I!  It's what makes life worth living.  This is what makes me getup in the morning feeling refreshed and optimistic!  We are forgiven, we are saved, we are in agape!


    Blessings!

August 7, 2003









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    If You Could See Me Now


     


    Our Prayers have all been answered, I've finally arrived.


    The healing that had been delayed has now been realized.


    No one's in a hurry, there's no schedule to keep.


    We're all enjoying Jesus just sitting at his feet.


     


    (Chorus)


    If you could see me now, I'm walking streets of gold.


    If you could see me now, I'm standing tall and whole.


    If you could see me now, you'd know I'd seen his face.


    If you could see me now, you'd know the pain's erased.


    You wouldn't want me to ever leave this place, if you could only see me now.


     


    My light and temporary trials have worked out for my good.


    To know it brought Him glory, when I misunderstood.


    Though we've had our sorrows, they can never compare.


    What Jesus has in store for us, no language can share.


     


    (Chorus)


     


    This is one of my favorite songs by the now defunct band called Truth.  It's a very beautiful song and says what I believe in my heart.  This is the song that we've played at our mother's service.  What a beautiful song!



     






     

    Right this very moment, I find myself reminded of how good God really is!  He is here!!! He is ALIVE!!!  Jesus is listening to us and wants each one of us to carry on a normal conversation with Him.  He listens!  (sorry about having too many explanation points..umm..actually, that's how I feel so I'm not so sorry..hehe) 


    Where am I getting at with this?  I've not posted on my Xanga for quite some time..since my mom became sick and eventually left us to be with Jesus.  So many thoughts were going through my mind during that time period; one of them being that I was going to do the eulogy and what was I going to say?  Public speaking is NOT my strong point and the thought of being on a podium made me worry..worry a lot, until I just stopped focusing on myself and instead focused on Christ Jesus. 


    Do you want to know something?  Prayer works!  Both from the personal and group perspectives.  As I continued to pray more and became confident of the prayer support of my friends and family members, my focus shifted off of myself (it shouldn't have been on me in the first place..it was my mom's life celebration, not mine), and onto Him.  I figured that as long as I feel confident in my walk, which I am, I shouldn't worry.  Carpe Diem! .. before the opportunity passes like a mist never to be reclaimed again.  As we walk, we should take the time that we are given and be bold and confident, knowing how life really is (with Christ) and why we have joy.  Life is for LIVING! 


    Anyway, our mom's service was extraordinarily fantastic and peaceful.  I thank God for giving me strength on that podium and the eulogy went so smoothly..it was great!  No nerves, no fidgety limbs, no fear.  The whole day was special and full of warmth and love from others..both family and friends.  It was a great reunion!  My mom would have been so happy!   Somehow, I have a feeling that she was there smiling over us. 


    Mom believed in Christ and was baptized in 1995.  What a special moment and a reason to celebrate!  Though she was in pain during her bout with liver disease and complications stemming from that, mom passed away in peace while sleeping.  Where is the sting of the law of sin?  There was very little if any for mom.  What really will be glorious to see is witnessing the time of Christ's second coming and giving us new bodies! 


    There is this favorite scipture of mine that talks about us having new bodies..it's in


    1 Corithians 15:35-58 :


    35 But someone may ask, "How will the dead be raised? What kind of bodies will they have?" 36 What a foolish question! When you put a seed into the ground, it doesn't grow into a plant unless it dies first. 37 And what you put in the ground is not the plant that will grow, but only a dry little seed of wheat or whatever it is you are planting. 38 Then God gives it a new body – just the kind he wants it to have. A different kind of plant grows from each kind of seed. 39 And just as there are different kinds of seeds and plants, so also there are different kinds of flesh – whether of humans, animals, birds, or fish. 40 There are bodies in the heavens, and there are bodies on earth. The glory of the heavenly bodies is different from the beauty of the earthly bodies. 41 The sun has one kind of glory, while the moon and stars each have another kind. And even the stars differ from each other in their beauty and brightness. 42 It is the same way for the resurrection of the dead. Our earthly bodies, which die and decay, will be different when they are resurrected, for they will never die. 43 Our bodies now disappoint us, but when they are raised, they will be full of glory. They are weak now, but when they are raised, they will be full of power. 44 They are natural human bodies now, but when they are raised, they will be spiritual bodies. For just as there are natural bodies, so also there are spiritual bodies. 45 The Scriptures tell us, "The first man, Adam, became a living person." F83 But the last Adam – that is, Christ – is a life-giving Spirit. 46 What came first was the natural body, then the spiritual body comes later. 47 Adam, the first man, was made from the dust of the earth, while Christ, the second man, came from heaven. 48 Every human being has an earthly body just like Adam's, but our heavenly bodies will be just like Christ's. 49 Just as we are now like Adam, the man of the earth, so we will someday be like Christ, the man from heaven. 50 What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These perishable bodies of ours are not able to live forever.

    51 But let me tell you a wonderful secret God has revealed to us. Not all of us will die, but we will all be transformed. 52 It will happen in a moment, in the blinking of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, the Christians who have died F84 will be raised with transformed bodies. And then we who are living will be transformed so that we will never die. 53 For our perishable earthly bodies must be transformed into heavenly bodies that will never die. 54 When this happens – when our perishable earthly bodies have been transformed into heavenly bodies that will never die – then at last the Scriptures will come true: "Death is swallowed up in victory. F85 55 O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" F86 56 For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. 57 How we thank God, who gives us victory over sin and death through Jesus Christ our Lord!

    58 So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and steady, always enthusiastic about the Lord's work, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.


    What a blessing this past month is!  Sure, we will miss our mom, but we know that we'll meet again, and when we do, we will be in love and complete in Christ.  There have been family members that have not seen each other in about thirty years and have now established contact face to face.  It's a blessing to see a real reunion within the family..forgive and forget past differences..that's what it will take from each one of us in order to be pleasing in God's eyes..to be like Him.  This is what heaven will be like my friends!  Heaven will be filled with brothers and sisters having no animosity or harbored regrets...these people will be in love..no sorrow..no pain..wow!


    I just wanted to give a little testimony of how Christ can be a real part of one's life if he/she would only let Him in..knock-knock..Who's that at your heart's door?





    Matthew 11:28-30


    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, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light."

May 23, 2003


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    Hello!


    Another one of my favorite stories:


    <> Clay Balls <>


    I remember reading a story once about a man who was exploring some caves by the seashore. In one of the caves he found a canvas bag with a bunch of hardened clay balls. It was like someone had rolled up some clay and left them out in the sun to bake. They didn't look like much, but they intrigued the man so he took the bag out of the cave with him.

    As he strolled along the beach, to pass the time, he would throw the clay balls one at a time out into the ocean as far as he could throw. He thought little about it until he dropped one of the balls and it cracked open on a rock. Inside was a beautiful, precious stone.
    Excited, the man started breaking open the remaining clay balls. Each contained a similar treasure.

    He found hundreds of dollars worth of jewels in the 20 or so clay balls he had left, then it struck him. He had been on the beach a long time. He had thrown maybe 50 or 60 of the clay balls with their hidden treasure into the ocean waves. Instead of hundreds of dollars in treasure, he could have taken home thousands, but he just threw it away.

    You know sometimes, it's like that with people. We look at someone, maybe even ourselves, and we see the external clay vessel. It doesn't look like much from the outside. It isn't always beautiful or sparkling, so we discount it; we see that person as less important than someone more beautiful or stylish or well known or wealthy. But we have not taken the time to find the treasure hidden inside that person by God.

    There is a treasure in each and every one of us. The Bible says we are fearfully and wonderfully made. I don't think he means just our physical bodies. I think he means our spiritual selves, which are sometimes hidden from others by the *earthen vessel*. But if you take the time to get to know that person, and if you ask the Father to show you that person the way He sees them, then the clay begins to peel away and the brilliant gem begins to shine forth.

    The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand, nor the kindly smile, nor the joy of companionship; it is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when he discovers that someone else believes in him and is willing to trust him with his friendship.


    Being clay "earthen" vessels on the outside, but wonderfully and fearfully made on the inside..isn't that the truth! 


    In Jesus,

May 9, 2003

  • Hello!


    Here's one of my favorite stories that I can relate to a lot.  Enjoy!


    The Lord's Refining Fire


    Some time ago a few ladies met to study the scriptures.  While
    reading the 3rd chapter of Malachi, they came upon a remarkable
    statement in the 3rd verse: "He shall sit as a refiner and purifier
    of silver." (Malachi 3:3)

    One lady decided to visit a silversmith and report to the others on
    what he said about the subject.  She went accordingly and without
    telling the silversmith the reason for her visit, begged him to tell
    her about the process of refining silver.

    After he had fully described it to her, she asked, "Sir, do you watch
    while the work of refining is going on?"

    "Oh, yes ma'am," replied the silversmith.  "I must sit and watch the
    furnace constantly, for if the time necessary for refining is
    exceeded in the slightest degree, the silver will be injured."

    The lady at once saw the beauty and comfort of the statement, "He
    shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver."

    God sees it as necessary to put His children into the furnace--but
    His eye is steadily intent on the work of purifying, and His wisdom
    and love are both engaged in the best manner for us.   Our trials do
    not come at random, and He will not let us be tested beyond what we
    can endure.

    Before she left, the lady asked one final question, "How do you know
    when the process is finished?"

    "Oh, that's quite simple," replied the silversmith..."When I can see
    my own image in the silver the refining process is complete."



    Now wasn't that a great story?! 


    Blessings,