The early part of this election season I had not been too thrilled with the choices we have for president of the United States. I had been totally unenthused. I had decided I would do my civic duty as an American and practice my constitutional right to vote, but I knew I would be voting more AGAINST someone rather than FOR someone. Until Sarah Palin entered the race as McCain's V.P. pick, I had no wind in my "righteousness exalts a nation" sails.
Then a friend of mine lent me a recording from a well-known ministry's radio broadcast where they intereviewed an intercessor and minister of the gospel who had recently spent a month in Kenya and who had talked to governement officials and people in high places in society and the church about the U.S. Democratc nominee Barak Obama. She did some research on Obama while she was there and what she found out is astounding.
Obama is from the Luo tribe in Kenya by his father. She asked many in Kenya, including those from the Luo tribe whether or not Obama has ties to Islam. They answered unanimously that Barak Obama is a Muslim. She explained that the Islam practiced in Africa is different from that of the rest of the world because they mix Islam with voodoo and they are steeped in the occult. They build shrines to genies and even sacrifice children and animals at these shrines to these "genies" in order to gain prosperity and good health. We who are followers of Yeshua and who have the Holy Spirit know the truth and that is these "genies" are actually demonic spirits.
This intercessor has done work all over Kenya and has encouraged leaders to repent of the blood covenants the people have made and the pacts for tribal warfare. The Lord told her to go to Kenya and call these leaders to repentance, lest a bloody civil war break out. She was ultimately successful, and although Christians have been executed and churches burned to the ground, she has seen people repent and turn to the Lord Jesus Christ receiving forgiveness and healing.
This woman said it is common knowledge that Barak Obama's cousin Ryallah (sp?) Odenga (who is a Muslim of the tribe of Luo which is steeped in the occult) ran for president of Kenya and that Barak Obama traveled to Kenya and campaigned for his cousin. What is not reported in the American papers is that Odenga vowed that within 6 months of entering office, he would abolish the Kenyan constitution and establish sharia law (Muslim law) and take away the rights of women. Well, Odenga in fact did NOT win the election and the Kenyan constitution remains in tact. Also, what is not known and this woman has first hand testimony of, is that Obama visited some of these shrines where "enchanted" clothing was placed upon him and words were spoken over him (curses) that he would be the next president of the United States. She even has testimony that Obama's grandmother had buried both black and white chickens symbolizing the insurance by their "gods" for black and white votes. Moreover, Oprah Winfrey had over 200 million people in support of Obama and chanting phrases (curses) over the election. These people also pray against (curse) his opponent McCain. Around the time this was happening, McCain became very confused and some of his public statements seemed to contradict eachother.
The democrats picked the week of a lunar phenomenon in which to have their national convention. For those who are not aware, occultists (especially Muslims) call out to and speak to the stars to line up in certain ways (for example the crescent moon, which is the symbol of Islam) and thus keep curses going against their enemies (Christians and Jews). Also, the Democratic National convention was held in Denver Colorado, a place where many Native Americans were slaughtered and where the Denver airport is in the shape of a swastika. Many people ridiculed how the stage was set with Greek columns to look as though Obama were a god. This was intentional.
For those who are skeptical or for those who want to check this out for themselves, I recommend that you go to the website at the end of this post and listen to the radio program entitled "Obama Revealed".
He is not who he says he is or whom the media has made him out to be. If he is victorious winning the presidency, this has serious spiritual implications for our nation and the protection of the Lord which we have enjoyed these many long years is sure to be lifted. Might I remind you that Obama is Muslim. The Koran, Islam's holy book, teaches destruction to the Jew. Our next president will be governing according to his values. Might I also remind you that Genesis 12:3 says (the Lord speaking of the descendants of Israel), "I will bless those who bless you and him who curses you I will curse". This includes nations.
Also, Proverbs 14:34 says, "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people".
Do we really want an extreme Muslim who has a background and CURRENT practices steeped in the occult with sympathetic ties toward terrorists and who is biased against God's chosen people, Israel, a man who also advocates the senseless killing of babies (abortion) in the highest seat of authority in the land?
Check out: http://www.prophecyclub.com/streaming_audio.htm
*
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Monday, September 22, 2008
The Supernatural
Many people I know right now are looking for the supernatural. I know how they feel, for I have often myself hungered for the supernatural to happen to me. It is just too bad that many of these people are either looking in the wrong place for TRUE, GOOD supernatural things. For example, Jonathan Edwards on tv, ghost hunters, and even Harry Potter do not constitute the best supernatural experiences a person can have. Or people who know the Lord Jesus (the ONLY TRUE source of good supernatural experiences) want to hold onto their past sins or petty complaints about others or they let disobedience, doubt, and unbelief keep them from experiencing all that God has for them. Many people I know who claim to be followers of Yeshua do not grow at all spiritually and wish only to stay in a spiritual baby state, forfeiting all that could be theirs if they give up childish ways and grow in their walk with the Lord.
The reality is that there is a supernatural realm. Just as there is this natural realm that we can see, there is also an unseen world that is even more real than the natural realm, for the unseen realm will go on forever. If we could peel back the curtains of this dimension, we would see a great supernatural war taking place- that between God, His holy angels, and the devil and his fallen angels. Therefore, the truth is is that there are only 2 sources of supernatural occurances: God and the devil. Both are fighting for the souls of men. Both have power. Both have the ability to appear attractive to man. Even the devil himself appears as an angel of light, the Bible says. The difference that seaparates these 2 is that the supernatural occurances that have their source in the One True God- Jesus of Nazareth, are true and are designed for the ultimate glory of God and for the ultimate good of those who love Him. They are original. For He is all powerful, all knowing, and almighty. He never does anything that goes against His written word, for God is not a man that should lie. Conversely, every supernatural manifestation that comes from the devil (even though people may THINK come from God but actually do not) is false and designed for the ultimate destruction of man. They are counterfeits of the real thing. They are a lie designed to entice man and then to trap him. Jesus said of those who rejected Him as Lord, "You are of your father the devil". The devil is the father of all lies. He can lie so well because he has been doing it for millenia. He usually mixes some truth with deception so as to appear true. And he is very subtle and extremely cunning. In the Garden of Eden, when enticing Eve to take of the forbidden fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, all the serpent had to do was plant one seed of doubt against God's word: "Surely...you shall not die" and thus causing Eve to question whether or not what God told her was true. She paid the ultimate price for believing a lie. We are all affected by her decision.
There will be many people who will seek after the supernatural, but because they do not go to the true source, nor do they believe He is who He says He is, they will perish for all eternity. In the book of the Revelation, God says that many will not repent of their magic arts. Many people will be decieved into believing a lie. In fact, at the end of the age, the Bible teaches that many people will devote themselves to and follow the devil's ultimate representative on the earth. This person is what the Bible calls the "lawless one", or "the anti-christ". So full of supernatural abilities will this person be that people will actually believe he IS God. And they will worship him as god. These people will be those who have rebelled against the one True God and His Messiah, Jesus, who indeed IS God and God's only way to the Father. (Jesus said, 'I and the Father are one') They will be those who have rejected God's provision of salvation through Jesus of Nazareth and His death on the cross as payment for their sin. They will be those who either passively or actively reject Him. And they will be given over to believing a lie. It will not be God's fault. It will be theirs.
Even today our world is filled with evidence of the supernatural. Witchcraft and the occult have been portrayed by many in society to be harmless, even a fun recreational activity. (After all, we devote a holiday to making elements of the occult seem harmless to little kids- Halloween). Even when I was a pre-teen, girls my age were opening themselves up to the occult by playing such seemingly harmless games as Ouiga boards and "Stiff as a feather, light as a board". Even horror movies and books on spells and witchcraft can be open doors to the enemy of your soul. God told His people the Israelites, to have nothing to do with sorcerers or those who practice divination. By extension, this command applies to all who are followers of Jesus Christ. And yet we give those who do practice these things our money at the box office and sold out book signings. The Harry Potter craze is evidence that our society idolizes those whom God has said to have nothing to do with.
False teaching is also a wide open door that will lead to the wide way to destruction that Jesus talks about. In fact, He said, "See to it that you enter through the narrow gate". Jesus taught that many would follow false teachers to the way that leads to eternal separation from God. The Bible teaches that even those who thought they were Christians will fall away in what is referred to as the Great Apostasy (more on that topic later).
Today our world is filled with false religions and false teachings that emphasize things man has to do in order to reach God. Eastern religions have gained influence in our culture as never before since the 1960's. Today, Hollywood A-listers are considered ultra-chic and cool if they say they are a Buddhist or a Hindu or even a scientologist. Even Oprah, as influential as she is, endorses a way that has nothing to do with the God of the Bible. None of these people follow Jesus. And none of them, lest they turn from the way they are going and put their trust in Jesus alone, will enter into Heaven when they die. But don't take my word for it....read it for yourself. Dust off your family Bible and spend time getting to know the true Source of wonderful supernatural experiences. But I warn you- seeking a supernatural experience is not what pleases Him most. Believeing in Him whom you do NOT see based upon the truth of His word is what pleases God.
Rest assured there will be many more so-called signs and wonders to be exhibited in the times to come by people claiming to be from God or who even claim to BE God. But they are webs of deception spun purposely to entice people into having a supernatural experience. People may even experience supernatural things. But the devil's offering of supernatural experiences will entrap a person and without a miracle from God, they will not be able to escape.
Does this mean God NEVER exhibits supernatural signs and wonders? No. On the contrary. It is the norm for Him. He is a God of glory and all power. He holds the universe together by His Word. He spoke and the world came into existence. In fact, it is becoming the norm for those who love Him and who walk with Him by faith to have supernatural experiences with God that out-trump anything the devil could possibly come up with. The Bible says that these signs will follow those who believe: "...In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well" (Mark 16:17). God said the signs will follow in order to confirm His Word. Especially in these last days. But it is He who does the confirming. I could fill an entire book with all of the supernatural experiences I have had since becoming a follower of Jesus Christ. Not to mention including others I know or reliable stories I have heard. Nevertheless, I do not NEED these experiences in order to know God. He has given me His word. And He is gracious to show His love and power to me in unique ways that I am grateful for nevertheless. My salvation is the most supernatural experience that could ever happen to me anyway. Jesus said blessed are those who have NOT seen and yet who believe. But one day...we ALL will see Him coming on the clouds with great glory, with signs and wonders. The Bible says that EVERY knee will Bow and EVERY tongue will confess Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father. By then, everyone will have had to make up his or her mind whom they will follow: the One True God, or a counterfeit. Don't wait until then to decide whom you will follow. It will be too late.
*
The reality is that there is a supernatural realm. Just as there is this natural realm that we can see, there is also an unseen world that is even more real than the natural realm, for the unseen realm will go on forever. If we could peel back the curtains of this dimension, we would see a great supernatural war taking place- that between God, His holy angels, and the devil and his fallen angels. Therefore, the truth is is that there are only 2 sources of supernatural occurances: God and the devil. Both are fighting for the souls of men. Both have power. Both have the ability to appear attractive to man. Even the devil himself appears as an angel of light, the Bible says. The difference that seaparates these 2 is that the supernatural occurances that have their source in the One True God- Jesus of Nazareth, are true and are designed for the ultimate glory of God and for the ultimate good of those who love Him. They are original. For He is all powerful, all knowing, and almighty. He never does anything that goes against His written word, for God is not a man that should lie. Conversely, every supernatural manifestation that comes from the devil (even though people may THINK come from God but actually do not) is false and designed for the ultimate destruction of man. They are counterfeits of the real thing. They are a lie designed to entice man and then to trap him. Jesus said of those who rejected Him as Lord, "You are of your father the devil". The devil is the father of all lies. He can lie so well because he has been doing it for millenia. He usually mixes some truth with deception so as to appear true. And he is very subtle and extremely cunning. In the Garden of Eden, when enticing Eve to take of the forbidden fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, all the serpent had to do was plant one seed of doubt against God's word: "Surely...you shall not die" and thus causing Eve to question whether or not what God told her was true. She paid the ultimate price for believing a lie. We are all affected by her decision.
There will be many people who will seek after the supernatural, but because they do not go to the true source, nor do they believe He is who He says He is, they will perish for all eternity. In the book of the Revelation, God says that many will not repent of their magic arts. Many people will be decieved into believing a lie. In fact, at the end of the age, the Bible teaches that many people will devote themselves to and follow the devil's ultimate representative on the earth. This person is what the Bible calls the "lawless one", or "the anti-christ". So full of supernatural abilities will this person be that people will actually believe he IS God. And they will worship him as god. These people will be those who have rebelled against the one True God and His Messiah, Jesus, who indeed IS God and God's only way to the Father. (Jesus said, 'I and the Father are one') They will be those who have rejected God's provision of salvation through Jesus of Nazareth and His death on the cross as payment for their sin. They will be those who either passively or actively reject Him. And they will be given over to believing a lie. It will not be God's fault. It will be theirs.
Even today our world is filled with evidence of the supernatural. Witchcraft and the occult have been portrayed by many in society to be harmless, even a fun recreational activity. (After all, we devote a holiday to making elements of the occult seem harmless to little kids- Halloween). Even when I was a pre-teen, girls my age were opening themselves up to the occult by playing such seemingly harmless games as Ouiga boards and "Stiff as a feather, light as a board". Even horror movies and books on spells and witchcraft can be open doors to the enemy of your soul. God told His people the Israelites, to have nothing to do with sorcerers or those who practice divination. By extension, this command applies to all who are followers of Jesus Christ. And yet we give those who do practice these things our money at the box office and sold out book signings. The Harry Potter craze is evidence that our society idolizes those whom God has said to have nothing to do with.
False teaching is also a wide open door that will lead to the wide way to destruction that Jesus talks about. In fact, He said, "See to it that you enter through the narrow gate". Jesus taught that many would follow false teachers to the way that leads to eternal separation from God. The Bible teaches that even those who thought they were Christians will fall away in what is referred to as the Great Apostasy (more on that topic later).
Today our world is filled with false religions and false teachings that emphasize things man has to do in order to reach God. Eastern religions have gained influence in our culture as never before since the 1960's. Today, Hollywood A-listers are considered ultra-chic and cool if they say they are a Buddhist or a Hindu or even a scientologist. Even Oprah, as influential as she is, endorses a way that has nothing to do with the God of the Bible. None of these people follow Jesus. And none of them, lest they turn from the way they are going and put their trust in Jesus alone, will enter into Heaven when they die. But don't take my word for it....read it for yourself. Dust off your family Bible and spend time getting to know the true Source of wonderful supernatural experiences. But I warn you- seeking a supernatural experience is not what pleases Him most. Believeing in Him whom you do NOT see based upon the truth of His word is what pleases God.
Rest assured there will be many more so-called signs and wonders to be exhibited in the times to come by people claiming to be from God or who even claim to BE God. But they are webs of deception spun purposely to entice people into having a supernatural experience. People may even experience supernatural things. But the devil's offering of supernatural experiences will entrap a person and without a miracle from God, they will not be able to escape.
Does this mean God NEVER exhibits supernatural signs and wonders? No. On the contrary. It is the norm for Him. He is a God of glory and all power. He holds the universe together by His Word. He spoke and the world came into existence. In fact, it is becoming the norm for those who love Him and who walk with Him by faith to have supernatural experiences with God that out-trump anything the devil could possibly come up with. The Bible says that these signs will follow those who believe: "...In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well" (Mark 16:17). God said the signs will follow in order to confirm His Word. Especially in these last days. But it is He who does the confirming. I could fill an entire book with all of the supernatural experiences I have had since becoming a follower of Jesus Christ. Not to mention including others I know or reliable stories I have heard. Nevertheless, I do not NEED these experiences in order to know God. He has given me His word. And He is gracious to show His love and power to me in unique ways that I am grateful for nevertheless. My salvation is the most supernatural experience that could ever happen to me anyway. Jesus said blessed are those who have NOT seen and yet who believe. But one day...we ALL will see Him coming on the clouds with great glory, with signs and wonders. The Bible says that EVERY knee will Bow and EVERY tongue will confess Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father. By then, everyone will have had to make up his or her mind whom they will follow: the One True God, or a counterfeit. Don't wait until then to decide whom you will follow. It will be too late.
*
Monday, September 15, 2008
I Just Don't Fit in in Tv Land
I used to always "veg out" in front of the tv, like say during the day as my son took a short (emphasis on the word short) nap. Now I can hardy bear to turn it on. I cannot believe how far removed from the real world tv has gotten. And I'm not just talking about sitcoms and made-up stories. Even those are so boring if not ridiculously far-fetched. I'm also talking about the interviews and so-called reality-based tv. Yeah...reality.
I was watching a hollywood story-type of program in which they were interviewing a former teen star. Once she started developing as a woman, her breasts quickly became oversized. They interviewed her mother who said they had talked to numerous doctors about breast reduction surgery. The mother bragged how "thorough" they were in thinking through all the implications of such a surgery. Of course they mentioned all the self-esteem aspects ad nauseum. Her looks, her self image, people's reactions to her. HER HER HER!!!
I suppose this stage mother was just too busy raking in the dough and the (teenage) Hollywood celebrity guest lists (gag!) to waste her time explaining the true purpose for a woman's breasts and thus how to be a woman. This mother missed out big time on impacting her daughter's life for the better and thus also impacting her future generations.
Now I am not saying this would have been the perfect time to explain to her daughter the value of a woman's breasts for the miracle of sustaining her children's lives and thus be an advocate for breast-feeding to her daughter (but wouldn't it be?) But also it would have been the perfect time for this mother to pass on to her daughter true values...values that won't get you Herpes, Gonnorrhea, HIV, an unwanted pregnancy or an unwanted drug addiction and ensuing mental psychosis.
The values I speak of have to do with affirming her daughter's approaching womanhood with all of the wonders and responsibilities that go along with being a female adult in society. She could have related to her daughter how wonderful it is to be a wife and a mother, the joys and challenges that go along with such a paramount responsibility in this day and age and how her daughter also needs to clothe herself with wisdom, for this world does not look favorably upon women who value such things. But this world looks favorably upon superficial and useless things such as the size of your thighs, how many plastic surgeries a 20-something year old woman should get, whether or not to go away for the weekend with your boyfriend and commit adultery. Such things will pass away and will surely leave a woman with a broken heart, a condemned soul, and an empty pocket book.
So I keep flipping. All the channels look the same. I see a beacon of hope on the news channel touted to be the ultimate source of up to the minute news. Obama, Obama, Obama! Palin Palin Palin! You would think McCain got replaced on his ticket by a woman if you listened to these stories. Of course there are the helpful hourly updates on the devastating effects of the umpteenth hurricane that has hit our land (but nary a mention of what actually could be CAUSING these storms! Save that for another blog...and no, I am not talking about global warming). However, you will not hear a mention of how Iran is about to receive strikes from either the U.S., Israel, or both in the coming 90 days. You will not hear mention of the Christians persecuted in China during the glorious Olympic games (or of a Christian man's 4 year old son who was abducted and then sacrificed to the Hinu gods in India). You will not see them covering the embattled Israeli governement's recent turnovers, nor will you hear reports on the victories being won in Iraq or of how our enemies are planning a deluge of deployed terrorists any day now killing thousands of American troops and thus thwarting the Americn election by putting John McCain on the spot for his strong stance on the war and ensuring an Obama victory. No, you will not even see any investigative features of how the American public school system has failed miserably to produce college-bound students, much less literate high school graduates, meanwhile colleges are clamoring for home-schooled and charter-schooled prospects to enter their ranks.
Wasn't it Karl Marx who said "Religion is a barbituate of the people"? I would care to take him to task on that one, although, he may have been looking ahead to the fruit of the wimpy American evangelical/denominational church. I would dare say that it is tv that is the barbituate of the people. Dare I say I agree with my liberal counterparts who have been warning for years of the evils of tv. My next door neighbor in Berkeley, a self professed liberal feminist, had a bumper sticker on the back of her station wagon that read "television kills you". I tend to agree more with that now. Of course, suffice it to say that tv, like money, or music, or just about anything else, can be used for good as well as evil. But American's dependency on television to pacify their brains certainly is evil. It makes one greedy, lazy, manipulative, easier- to-be-manipulated, insolent, and dare I say, can contribute to the mentally ill masses.
I long for a form of teaching (rather than entertainment) that will be truthful, straightforward, and teach me how to be a better follower of Messiah, wife, mother, daughter, sister, and American. Oh wait! I HAVE one! It's called the Bible.
Oh well.....I guess I am not long for this world. The television world at least. I figure if I don't allow my mind to be controlled by television, perhaps I will have a mind (and character) that will not be able to be controlled by Big Brother. The older I get, I may not be getting wiser, but the more I am tempted to do what the hippy culture advocated in the 60's (at least in my case in regard to tv)....to turn off and tune out (or is that tune off and turn out?)!
*
I was watching a hollywood story-type of program in which they were interviewing a former teen star. Once she started developing as a woman, her breasts quickly became oversized. They interviewed her mother who said they had talked to numerous doctors about breast reduction surgery. The mother bragged how "thorough" they were in thinking through all the implications of such a surgery. Of course they mentioned all the self-esteem aspects ad nauseum. Her looks, her self image, people's reactions to her. HER HER HER!!!
I suppose this stage mother was just too busy raking in the dough and the (teenage) Hollywood celebrity guest lists (gag!) to waste her time explaining the true purpose for a woman's breasts and thus how to be a woman. This mother missed out big time on impacting her daughter's life for the better and thus also impacting her future generations.
Now I am not saying this would have been the perfect time to explain to her daughter the value of a woman's breasts for the miracle of sustaining her children's lives and thus be an advocate for breast-feeding to her daughter (but wouldn't it be?) But also it would have been the perfect time for this mother to pass on to her daughter true values...values that won't get you Herpes, Gonnorrhea, HIV, an unwanted pregnancy or an unwanted drug addiction and ensuing mental psychosis.
The values I speak of have to do with affirming her daughter's approaching womanhood with all of the wonders and responsibilities that go along with being a female adult in society. She could have related to her daughter how wonderful it is to be a wife and a mother, the joys and challenges that go along with such a paramount responsibility in this day and age and how her daughter also needs to clothe herself with wisdom, for this world does not look favorably upon women who value such things. But this world looks favorably upon superficial and useless things such as the size of your thighs, how many plastic surgeries a 20-something year old woman should get, whether or not to go away for the weekend with your boyfriend and commit adultery. Such things will pass away and will surely leave a woman with a broken heart, a condemned soul, and an empty pocket book.
So I keep flipping. All the channels look the same. I see a beacon of hope on the news channel touted to be the ultimate source of up to the minute news. Obama, Obama, Obama! Palin Palin Palin! You would think McCain got replaced on his ticket by a woman if you listened to these stories. Of course there are the helpful hourly updates on the devastating effects of the umpteenth hurricane that has hit our land (but nary a mention of what actually could be CAUSING these storms! Save that for another blog...and no, I am not talking about global warming). However, you will not hear a mention of how Iran is about to receive strikes from either the U.S., Israel, or both in the coming 90 days. You will not hear mention of the Christians persecuted in China during the glorious Olympic games (or of a Christian man's 4 year old son who was abducted and then sacrificed to the Hinu gods in India). You will not see them covering the embattled Israeli governement's recent turnovers, nor will you hear reports on the victories being won in Iraq or of how our enemies are planning a deluge of deployed terrorists any day now killing thousands of American troops and thus thwarting the Americn election by putting John McCain on the spot for his strong stance on the war and ensuring an Obama victory. No, you will not even see any investigative features of how the American public school system has failed miserably to produce college-bound students, much less literate high school graduates, meanwhile colleges are clamoring for home-schooled and charter-schooled prospects to enter their ranks.
Wasn't it Karl Marx who said "Religion is a barbituate of the people"? I would care to take him to task on that one, although, he may have been looking ahead to the fruit of the wimpy American evangelical/denominational church. I would dare say that it is tv that is the barbituate of the people. Dare I say I agree with my liberal counterparts who have been warning for years of the evils of tv. My next door neighbor in Berkeley, a self professed liberal feminist, had a bumper sticker on the back of her station wagon that read "television kills you". I tend to agree more with that now. Of course, suffice it to say that tv, like money, or music, or just about anything else, can be used for good as well as evil. But American's dependency on television to pacify their brains certainly is evil. It makes one greedy, lazy, manipulative, easier- to-be-manipulated, insolent, and dare I say, can contribute to the mentally ill masses.
I long for a form of teaching (rather than entertainment) that will be truthful, straightforward, and teach me how to be a better follower of Messiah, wife, mother, daughter, sister, and American. Oh wait! I HAVE one! It's called the Bible.
Oh well.....I guess I am not long for this world. The television world at least. I figure if I don't allow my mind to be controlled by television, perhaps I will have a mind (and character) that will not be able to be controlled by Big Brother. The older I get, I may not be getting wiser, but the more I am tempted to do what the hippy culture advocated in the 60's (at least in my case in regard to tv)....to turn off and tune out (or is that tune off and turn out?)!
*
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Food for Thought...er...on second thought....
Who would've known that after either a really bad lingering stomach flu or mild case of food poisoning (we're still not sure which it was- at one point in the ER, they were testing me for appendicitis) all I needed was a good belly laugh to feel better?
I'm back and my stomach hurts from laughing so hard at the aol food feature "Recipes from Out of Print Cookbooks". These recipes are from the early 1900's and a person today wouldn't be caught DEAD entertaining with these dishes..unless she (or he) didn't want any friends or was trying to get their friends dead! I laughed out loud trying not to wake the baby as I read recipe names such as:
Jellied Bouillon with Frankfurters
Corned Tongue in aspic
Squirrel Casserole (Squirrel flambe..no joke...you set it on fire!!)
Brain Loaf
Marinated Chicken Entrails with Cucumbers
Jellied Veal Salad
Ham Mousse
Can you imagine..your husband's boss comes over for dinner and you bring in the main dish to thick anticipation- and it's squirrel. But you REALLY wanna wow him and get your husband that promotion- so you set the squirrel on fire! Uh, I'd be looking for a pink slip soon.
This is one of the best food feature stories aol has ever done. And you would think that such names and recipes would turn my already-weakened stomach. They would...if they weren't so stinkin funny!
Ahhhhh....laughter is good medicine.
*
I'm back and my stomach hurts from laughing so hard at the aol food feature "Recipes from Out of Print Cookbooks". These recipes are from the early 1900's and a person today wouldn't be caught DEAD entertaining with these dishes..unless she (or he) didn't want any friends or was trying to get their friends dead! I laughed out loud trying not to wake the baby as I read recipe names such as:
Jellied Bouillon with Frankfurters
Corned Tongue in aspic
Squirrel Casserole (Squirrel flambe..no joke...you set it on fire!!)
Brain Loaf
Marinated Chicken Entrails with Cucumbers
Jellied Veal Salad
Ham Mousse
Can you imagine..your husband's boss comes over for dinner and you bring in the main dish to thick anticipation- and it's squirrel. But you REALLY wanna wow him and get your husband that promotion- so you set the squirrel on fire! Uh, I'd be looking for a pink slip soon.
This is one of the best food feature stories aol has ever done. And you would think that such names and recipes would turn my already-weakened stomach. They would...if they weren't so stinkin funny!
Ahhhhh....laughter is good medicine.
*
Friday, September 5, 2008
Walking
I haven't been writing posts this past week because there have been quite a few changes in the Blackman household to adjust to lately.
Benjamin is walking! He is still a little wobbly and falls down frequently, but he is sooo excited. He smiles and laughs when he can make it several steps to Mommy or Daddy or to the reclining chair. We are excited for him too and encourage him whenever he wants to "practice" (which isn't practicing at all, but actually just doing it).
The down side of this is that now that he's reached this milestone, he has a lot of night waking. I read that it is very normal for them to wake up at night with all the excitement, mixed with some fear. I know he is just "checking in" with mommy, because he does so more often during the day too and wants more cuddle time, etc. For the affirmation, I think. The result is Mommy is not getting very much sleep and therefore not getting much done during the day. : )
Oh well, these days will pass by all too quickly and I better enjoy them before they vanish away into a scrapbook somewhere. So all my writing projects are put on hold for the mean time.
Gotta go. There is a little person tugging at my leg!
*
Benjamin is walking! He is still a little wobbly and falls down frequently, but he is sooo excited. He smiles and laughs when he can make it several steps to Mommy or Daddy or to the reclining chair. We are excited for him too and encourage him whenever he wants to "practice" (which isn't practicing at all, but actually just doing it).
The down side of this is that now that he's reached this milestone, he has a lot of night waking. I read that it is very normal for them to wake up at night with all the excitement, mixed with some fear. I know he is just "checking in" with mommy, because he does so more often during the day too and wants more cuddle time, etc. For the affirmation, I think. The result is Mommy is not getting very much sleep and therefore not getting much done during the day. : )
Oh well, these days will pass by all too quickly and I better enjoy them before they vanish away into a scrapbook somewhere. So all my writing projects are put on hold for the mean time.
Gotta go. There is a little person tugging at my leg!
*
Friday, August 29, 2008
Weaning
You may think given the title that my entry today is about my son. It is not. It is about me.
Admittedly, I, like many other Americans, am addicted to my coffee. But my vice is very specific. Starbucks. Oh, good 'ol Howie would be so proud. For those of you who are going "Who?" Well, I am such a regular, you would think I was buddy-buddy with the CEO of Starbucks, Howard Shultz. I am not, but nevertheless, I pay more of his salary than I should, so I feel I have the right to call him "Howie".
My drink of choice is a 1 shot no whip iced mocha. Whereas I used to sweeten it with vanilla, now I add the natural sugar and chemical-free sweetener stevia extract. Years ago, my drink of choice was an iced chai, which I occasionally revisit.
The reason for my gradual weaning off of my Starbucks iced mochas is manifold. But it is what it represents in my life that is of real importance. I'll get to more of that in a minute. Firstly, it is an expensive habit. Now I am not saying I am never going to have it on occasion, but I am after all, weaning, which connotes a graduating process. The daily trip through the drive thru adds up and I want to be a better steward of our finances. So I have found out the ingredients to my favorite coffee and I am making it more at home using the espresso maker. It takes a lot longer, which means convenience and time saving factors go out the window. But it is much cheaper and I can tailor it to my liking. This past week I have made my own mochas for 2 days. Next week it will be three, and so on.
Secondly, I believe it will work to my advantage for weaning my son when it is time. Knowing that he will be receiving less and less of something which he loves so much, I will know what that feels like. I will have traveled that path already and know how hard it is to give up something you love. Even if it is gradual. And I think it will make me more sensitive to his needs at any given time during the process.
Thirdly, I am giving up something I love to gain something that is eternal. In my walk with God, I feel Him challenging me to start letting go of the things which I love and have grown attached to in this world. Jesus put it this way, "He who loses his life for my sake, shall find it". The challenge I feel is to live life this way everyday. This is hard. But I have been finding myself lately thinking such proposterous things like, "Lord, I want to live for you and be content no matter if I am living in the palace or the pit. Whether I have nice things or priveleges, or not". And I feel Him tugging at my heart strings like, "Would you be willing to live without.....(this) or (that), should I take it away from you?". If I do it with love as the ultimate goal (for without love we can do nothing, we will be as a clanging symbol the bible says), especially if I do it out of love for the Messiah, I believe it will be worth it. There is a higher way of living. And I intend to find it. The higher way is actually to go LOWER. To gain one's life, you have to give it up. I will give you an illustration of an extreme example of what I mean.
Once at my old church, I heard a missionary give a talk about what life was like on the mission field. What life can be like when you give it up for the high calling of the Messiah. He said he heard of a story of a young girl that took place in a nation where Christians were hated and persecuted every day. He said the leaders of this area put the young girl in jail with the intent to execute her. She had never been married. Never known what it was like to give birth to a child. She had her whole life ahead of her. She was placed in a 6" by 6" cell with not so much as a toilet or bucket to "go" in. The guards would open the door once a day to throw in some scraps to eat. She knew there were other prisoners in there who were not Christians, people who were placed there for breaking the law to be punished for an indeterminate amount of time. Many of them, like her, were on "death row". Now, I was sitting in my seat thinking....how would I cope with that? (At the time I also was younger and had not yet married nor had any children). I would probably be feeling pretty sorry for myself, or in the least, I would be thinking of how or praying about how I could get out of that place. Not this girl. She decided to give up her life, even her dignity, in a surprising way. The missionary said this young girl, knowing of the need for the guards to clean out the human excrement from all of the cells, and seeing that as a way of telling others of the love of Jesus and sharing with them the Way of salvation before they died, volunteered to go cell to cell. They let her. And as she was scooping out the waste with her bare hands, she whispered to each prisoner...."I know of a better way. You don't have to die alone. There is hope." And she thus told them the good news that they could be saved and inherit eternal life, no matter the outcome of their sentence...
I sometimes think of that brave girl when I am facing a challenge in my life, something that threatens my current way of living or something that I need to give up voluntarily. When considering the sacrifice, I ask myself...is this TRULY living anyway?......
"And they overcame him (the evil one) by the Blood of the Lamb, by the word of their testimony, and THEY LOVED NOT THEIR LIVES UNTO THE DEATH" Revelation 12:11 (emphasis mine).
*
Admittedly, I, like many other Americans, am addicted to my coffee. But my vice is very specific. Starbucks. Oh, good 'ol Howie would be so proud. For those of you who are going "Who?" Well, I am such a regular, you would think I was buddy-buddy with the CEO of Starbucks, Howard Shultz. I am not, but nevertheless, I pay more of his salary than I should, so I feel I have the right to call him "Howie".
My drink of choice is a 1 shot no whip iced mocha. Whereas I used to sweeten it with vanilla, now I add the natural sugar and chemical-free sweetener stevia extract. Years ago, my drink of choice was an iced chai, which I occasionally revisit.
The reason for my gradual weaning off of my Starbucks iced mochas is manifold. But it is what it represents in my life that is of real importance. I'll get to more of that in a minute. Firstly, it is an expensive habit. Now I am not saying I am never going to have it on occasion, but I am after all, weaning, which connotes a graduating process. The daily trip through the drive thru adds up and I want to be a better steward of our finances. So I have found out the ingredients to my favorite coffee and I am making it more at home using the espresso maker. It takes a lot longer, which means convenience and time saving factors go out the window. But it is much cheaper and I can tailor it to my liking. This past week I have made my own mochas for 2 days. Next week it will be three, and so on.
Secondly, I believe it will work to my advantage for weaning my son when it is time. Knowing that he will be receiving less and less of something which he loves so much, I will know what that feels like. I will have traveled that path already and know how hard it is to give up something you love. Even if it is gradual. And I think it will make me more sensitive to his needs at any given time during the process.
Thirdly, I am giving up something I love to gain something that is eternal. In my walk with God, I feel Him challenging me to start letting go of the things which I love and have grown attached to in this world. Jesus put it this way, "He who loses his life for my sake, shall find it". The challenge I feel is to live life this way everyday. This is hard. But I have been finding myself lately thinking such proposterous things like, "Lord, I want to live for you and be content no matter if I am living in the palace or the pit. Whether I have nice things or priveleges, or not". And I feel Him tugging at my heart strings like, "Would you be willing to live without.....(this) or (that), should I take it away from you?". If I do it with love as the ultimate goal (for without love we can do nothing, we will be as a clanging symbol the bible says), especially if I do it out of love for the Messiah, I believe it will be worth it. There is a higher way of living. And I intend to find it. The higher way is actually to go LOWER. To gain one's life, you have to give it up. I will give you an illustration of an extreme example of what I mean.
Once at my old church, I heard a missionary give a talk about what life was like on the mission field. What life can be like when you give it up for the high calling of the Messiah. He said he heard of a story of a young girl that took place in a nation where Christians were hated and persecuted every day. He said the leaders of this area put the young girl in jail with the intent to execute her. She had never been married. Never known what it was like to give birth to a child. She had her whole life ahead of her. She was placed in a 6" by 6" cell with not so much as a toilet or bucket to "go" in. The guards would open the door once a day to throw in some scraps to eat. She knew there were other prisoners in there who were not Christians, people who were placed there for breaking the law to be punished for an indeterminate amount of time. Many of them, like her, were on "death row". Now, I was sitting in my seat thinking....how would I cope with that? (At the time I also was younger and had not yet married nor had any children). I would probably be feeling pretty sorry for myself, or in the least, I would be thinking of how or praying about how I could get out of that place. Not this girl. She decided to give up her life, even her dignity, in a surprising way. The missionary said this young girl, knowing of the need for the guards to clean out the human excrement from all of the cells, and seeing that as a way of telling others of the love of Jesus and sharing with them the Way of salvation before they died, volunteered to go cell to cell. They let her. And as she was scooping out the waste with her bare hands, she whispered to each prisoner...."I know of a better way. You don't have to die alone. There is hope." And she thus told them the good news that they could be saved and inherit eternal life, no matter the outcome of their sentence...
I sometimes think of that brave girl when I am facing a challenge in my life, something that threatens my current way of living or something that I need to give up voluntarily. When considering the sacrifice, I ask myself...is this TRULY living anyway?......
"And they overcame him (the evil one) by the Blood of the Lamb, by the word of their testimony, and THEY LOVED NOT THEIR LIVES UNTO THE DEATH" Revelation 12:11 (emphasis mine).
*
Thursday, August 28, 2008
From Fussy to "Happy"...Things Are Looking Up
As I have written here within the past few months, I have a high needs child who is slighlty over 1 year old. We have had our joys and our trials, but oftentimes, I found myself asking myself if the decisions we were making to meet his needs were right. Were we making any difference in his character, personality and his overall well being? And I would ask myself if we would know....if there would be little indications along the way. Our Benjamin has gone from a full-time fussy/colicky baby to an overall, happy, well adjusted toddler. He still fusses to express himself occassionally, but I am no longer pulling my hair out wondering if he was ever going to stop crying. He has. In fact, today at the grocery store, while he sat looking around in his favorite spot-the seat of the grocery cart, an elderly lady was admiring him and she commented how happy he is. "That is good", she said. I felt very encouraged, because although he is still very attached to his daddy and me, at least now I can go to the bathroom with the door shut and he won't scream his head off thinking I have abandoned him. Don't laugh, but I actually used to have to HOLD him on my lap while I used the potty! (Because he would scream if I set him down, even next to me in the powder room) Talk about a balancing act! He has grown out of that need now, thank God! And that is also an answer to all the critics who said that by holding the baby when he cried I would spoil him and he would wind up being overly dependant.
One day a couple of weeks ago at a playgroup, he, along with all of the kids were playing in the play room while the adults were taking care of some Moms Club business in the next room. Benjamin just took off crawling into the crowd of toys and tots and did not even look back at me for reassurance. One minute, two minutes, five, then almost 10 minutes went by before he looked around for me. He was having such a good time with the other kids. I was thrilled and I wanted to cry all at the same time.
My baby is growing up. Can you imagine the emotional wreck I'll be in at his high school graduation?! Perhaps this is just the preparation...
Pass the tissue.
:)
One day a couple of weeks ago at a playgroup, he, along with all of the kids were playing in the play room while the adults were taking care of some Moms Club business in the next room. Benjamin just took off crawling into the crowd of toys and tots and did not even look back at me for reassurance. One minute, two minutes, five, then almost 10 minutes went by before he looked around for me. He was having such a good time with the other kids. I was thrilled and I wanted to cry all at the same time.
My baby is growing up. Can you imagine the emotional wreck I'll be in at his high school graduation?! Perhaps this is just the preparation...
Pass the tissue.
:)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)