Melissa's Meditations & Memories

Some Things To Ponder About

2011-06-05T21:32:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time since I've written a blog entry. A lot of things have happened since my last one.

We've lived in our new home for almost one year. It's been very challenging and nerve wracking at times, but we got through it. The old house is just a memory now & under new ownership. I pray that they will like their new home and will be nice to our good friends.

Also, thanks to the Obama administration, Osama bin laden is dead and Israel has been asked to reduce her borders to pre-1967 lines. While the current administration does make a few good decisions, their lack of support for Israel is not good. Genesis 12:3 might be a key as to why our nation is suffering all of the weather calamities it is facing this year. The U.S.A. is going down the tubes and there is nothing we can do about it, except pray for and vote for a "change" in leadership in 2012.

Why am I reflecting on this? It is because I'm afraid that we might be living in the last days before Jesus returns. Some false prophets, Harold Camping for one, predict that the world will end and Jesus will return this year. So far, they missed one date, but hoping for another. The Mayans had their own version as well, with the world ending on December 21, 2012. These prophecies have one thing in common: they are not in line with God's Word. According to Revelation, Daniel and other biblical prophecy books, there are MANY things that will happen before the world ends and Jesus returns.

So instead of trying to read God's mind, we need to read and study His Word and pray everyday. Gerald Wolfe, from the Southern Gospel group Greater Vision, issued this statement recently" Why would someone want to spend eternity with The One they're not willing to spend one hour with each day?" Gives you something to think about, doesn't it?

Well, I need to go get offline, so that I can spend some time with God. Have a blessed evening, everyone!

CHRISTmas Praises

2010-12-24T19:18:00.000-08:00

Well, it's finally Christmas! I had been depressed for a long time, even dreading this holiday season. I was especially dreading Christmas Eve, because we almost always had a big family celebration at my elderly relative's house on that night. This year, there is no big family celebration, because my elderly relative died last winter and each family are starting their own new traditions.

I thought that I couldn't get through tonight, but I'm glad to report that I'm doing fine. I kept busy doing housework & shoveling snow, so that I didn't have time to dwell on our loss. Most importantly, there really is no need for a big family celebration anymore, because my elderly relative is having his best Christmas celebration in heaven.

So I'm praising God for allowing my elderly relative to live long enough during his final moments for my aunt to arrive and ask him if he wanted to accept Jesus as his Savior. He said "Yes" that night, then quietly slipped away into the presence of Jesus. As my relative & I celebrate Christmas this year, we look forward to the day that we will meet him and thank our Savior Who made it possible for my elderly relative to be in heaven.

Happy Birthday, Jesus! Praise to You, my Savior & Lord!

MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE!

Leaning on God's Peace

2010-10-09T20:55:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been a long time since I posted in this blog. I've been busy with moving to a new home and taking care of a family member who had some serious medical issues. Now that everything seems to be okay, (knocks on wood here), I'm able to get back to most normal activities, including blogging.

During these past few months, I've felt overwhelmed with all of the stuff that was going on. I was physically & mentally tired. I also was not taking care of myself as I needed to, by not eating healthy & not getting enough sleep. Sometimes I wondered why God was allowing me and my relative to go through this trial. I just about felt like I couldn't take much more stress.

But thank God, He has brought us through this time, with our faith in Him intact. He has answered our prayers and is continuing to do so. Going through this experience has shown me that God can be counted on to provide for our needs, no matter how rough life gets.

It just boils down to this: do I trust in God for everything? That's the question we all need to ask ourselves today. If you're going through a tough time in your life, just ask God to help you lean into His everlasting arms and rest in His peace.

Make A Change

2010-06-21T21:09:00.000-07:00

I've been dealing with some major changes in my life this year. The death of a beloved family member has brought out the meaning of "love of money being the root of all evil". There's been angry, cursing words, inconsiderate behavior, manipulation and harassment of my relative and me as we deal with family members who are eager for us to move out of our home, where we took care of my elderly relative for over 20 years, so that they can get their inheritance as soon as possible. It's been a rough struggle, but with lots of patience and prayer, we finally found a new home, praise God!

Now it's time to change everything: our home, transportation, grocery stores, WallyWorld, county offices and most importantly, churches. Last year, I'd changed churches and denominations, from Missouri Synod Lutheran to American Baptist. Since where I'm moving to will be so far away from the church that I had attended a few times, I either need to make the long trip to my church, or attend one closer to my new home.

But most importantly, once I've decided to attend a church, I need to regularly attend that church and stop making lame excuses not to go, such as "it's too cold", "it's too hot", "I have a headache", etc. I believe that God wants me to fellowship with His children, so I need to obey Him in this area of my life. Maybe if I can make regular church attendance a priority in my life, then my relative whom I'll be living with will decide that this would be a good thing for her life as well.

So yes, it's time to make a change. Today is a good day to start. I'm asking God to help me overcome my lazy attitudes toward church and eagerly get up early to listen to His Word each Sunday morning. There are many other areas of my life that I need to change, but obeying and serving God in a community of believers is the most important, as well as spending personal time in prayer and Bible study.

If God has called you to change something in your life, I encourage you to ask Him how to go about implementing that change. Don't let a traumatic event or loss persuade you to lean on God. Instead, learn to obey Him and read His Word, like I'm still learning to do.

God bless each and everyone of you today!

Overcoming Stress In My Life

2010-04-27T10:07:00.000-07:00

Hello, how is everyone doing today?

I'm doing fine, despite all of the turmoil that's going on in my life right now. We're still looking for a new place to live and packing our belongings. Family issues with other relatives are high and it's getting more difficult to be Christlike in thoughts and words. Some days, I do okay, while other days, I feel like I'm a chicken running with no head.

But even with all of this going on, I'm reminded that I need to take care of my body and mind by eating healthy, exercising, feeding on God's Word and spending time communing with Him in prayer. I've been neglecting all of the above for the past few months, resulting in a deep spiritual hunger and feeling of unwellness. I know what I need to do, I just have to do it.

Fortunately, God is forgiving, so I just repent and turn all of my sins and worries over to Him, so that I can have peace in my life. I started out today by spending time with God and eating right, I just need to continue this healthy lifestyle.

Do any of you have these same issues? I encourage you to ask God to help you learn how to trust in Him and find out how to overcome the obstacles in your life. Feel free to comment with your thoughts and/or suggestions on this topic.

I need to get back to work here, so have a blessed day! [:)]

Early Morning Thoughts

2010-02-23T09:10:00.000-08:00

Hello, everyone!

It's a sunny, yet cold day here in my area. The wind is blowing, dropping the wind chills to below zero, I think. I'll have to check the Weather Channel to be sure.

Smokey, my cat, woke me up at 5:30 this morning for the second day in a row. This is irritating, yet it's a blessing as well, for it gives me more time to spend with God. After feeding the cats, I was able to focus on God's Word and talk with Him in prayer without distractions.

Today, I opened my Bible to Proverbs 4: verses 20-27 NKJV, which reads, "20 My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. 21 Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; 22 For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh. 23 Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life. 24 Put away from you a deceitful mouth, And put perverse lips far from you. 25 Let your eyes look straight ahead, And your eyelids look right before you. 26 Ponder the path of your feet, And let all your ways be established. 27 Do not turn to the right or the left; Remove your foot from evil.

I believe that God wanted me to focus on these verses because I have several bad habits that I need to work on. The first one is reading God's Word, but not fully applying it to my life. I need to read, study, memorize and meditate on His Word more often, in order to "show myself approved by God" and to "bind His Words on my heart."

The other one is cursing and swearing at times, especially when I'm angry or anxious. According to verse 24, I need to keep perverse lips from me, which to me means that I need to stop this habit.

I've asked God to enable me to overcome these shortcomings and encourage all of you to do likewise if you struggle in these areas. Jesus said that "as a man thinks in his heart, so he is", so overcoming these bad habits will help me focus my thoughts on God and obey Him more readily and completely. By doing these things, I can live a more fulfilling and victorious, God pleasing life.

Well, I have to do lots of cleaning and moving stuff, so I'll end this here. Have a blessed, SONshine day, everyone! [:)]

I'm Taking The Pledge

2009-11-22T18:52:00.000-08:00

Tonight, I watched the Huckabee show on the Fox News Network. One of his guests was Chuck Colson, who spoke about the Manhattan Declaration. My understanding of this is that a group of 125 evangelical leaders got together and signed a document declaring to our government leaders, "Hey, we want our country to go back to it's Christian roots. These are: life, from conception to natural death; sanctity of the marriage & family, and our religious liberties." They pledged to disobey any government laws that violate these principles.

I'll tell you, that takes guts! That is so inspiring, to be able to risk getting arrested, fined, having your good name smeared through the mud, in order to obey Jesus command to "Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's and unto God the things which are God's." Standing up for Christian principles is tough in this so-called tolerant world, but we need to do it, in order to honor and obey God. As I always say, it's better to be considered politically incorrect in this world, then to face God and explain to Him why I believed the devil's lies, so I could stay "politically correct" and love the world.

So I signed the Declaration and took the pledge of allegiance...to THE LAMB OF GOD, WHO TAKES AWAY THE SIN OF THE WORLD! No matter what happens to me, whether financially, physically or whatever, I WILL NOT compromise my spiritual values of life, family and religious liberties, so I can chummy up to the world and lose eternal rewards in heaven. I encourage all of you to take a stand for LIFE, LIBERTY AND FOR JESUS CHRIST TODAY!

For more information about the Manhattan Declaration, please visit manhattandeclaration.org/index.php

Lo, I Am With You Always...

2009-11-07T22:15:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a historic day in the United States of America. By a vote of 220 for, 215 against, the House of Representatives passed a landmark health care reform bill. When it is merged with the Senate version and a final bill is ready for President Obama's signature, it will change our health care system as we know it. While I applaud our government officials' good intentions to make health care affordable and available to a large number of Americans, I'm still bothered by some of the provisions of this bill.

First of all, I'm concerned about the length of this bill itself. At over 2000+ pages, there's no possible way that anyone could read this entire bill while falling asleep. I'm not sure how many of the representatives have read the ENTIRE BILL. I believe that in order to vote on a bill as important as this one is, they should read it all first, which I'm sure a few of them did, as evidenced by the debates tonight.

Another thing that bothers me is how my existing health care coverage will be affected. I don't want to lose my doctor or be unable to get any necessary medical tests or treatments that he believes that I need. Under the health care bill, a health care czar, along with an advisory board, would make the decisions about who would get what type of medical care. If you're elderly or on disability, you're going to be in real trouble, because your Medicare benefits will also be affected.

Finally, I'm outraged at the thought that Americans can lose their liberty and be labeled as criminals just because they don't buy health insurance. Under this plan, if you don't have insurance, you'll be required to buy it. If you don't, you'll be fined $250,000 or sentenced to up to five years in federal prison. Imagine making license plates for having no insurance. That's outrageous!

Basically, this bill is a bad deal all around. For that reason, a lot of Christians and I were praying for it to fail. Obviously, our prayers were not answered in the way that we wanted. When I was asking God to intervene and not let this bill pass, I was reminded of Jesus' words in the second half of Matthew 28:20, "Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the age." I think that God wanted to let me know that no matter what happens, with this health care bill or other events, He will always be with me, guiding and protecting me from harm. I don't need to worry about what the future may hold, for tomorrow will worry about itself, according to Matthew 6: 34. I just need to trust in God no matter what happens, now or in the future. He is in control, even when it doesn't seem like it.

Have a blessed day!

Leaning On God Despite Life's Circumstances

2009-10-27T14:29:00.000-07:00

Today is not a very good day for me. I found out that I won't qualify for the swine flu shot when it becomes available to more groups of high risk people, because even though I'm under 65 years old, my medical condition is too well controlled to be considered a chronic condition. For a while after hearing that, I felt like maybe my life wasn't worth anything, since the government didn't think it was.

But then I got to thinking, I'm not a child of the government, I'm a child of God. While I may consider my life to be important because I know God thinks it is, there are many other people out there who's lives are just as important. So instead of feeling sorry for myself for being unable to get protected against the swine flu, I need to just trust in God to keep me healthy and to heal me if I do come down with it.

I'm not saying that this is an easy task, but it's necessary to maintain a positive attitude and not fall into deep depression. God always takes care of me and will continue to do so. I just need to lean on Him. No matter what happens to me, whether now or in the future, God is in control!

Worrying About The Future

2009-10-15T09:15:00.000-07:00

I'm thinking about the future today. Frequently, I worry about negative things that might happen to me in the future. Where will I live? How can I afford to live on my own? What family issues will cause me stress? What if I develop medical problems because I've been obese most of my life? What if Jesus comes back and I'm not ready for him yet? What if this or that happens?

As you've probably guessed, these constant worries and fears cause me lots of stress right now. As a result, I feel depressed and anxious a lot and bury my emotions in late night binge eating episodes. I know that this is not a healthy way to live, so I know that I need to change, but how?

Well, one way that I can change is to follow the advice of my friends and supporters at my Overcomers in Christ support group, who advised me to remember that IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT ME! It's about serving God in the ways that He leads me to. When I focus so much on myself, I put me on the throne of my life instead of God. What I need to do is to surrender every part of my life, including my worries and fears, over to Him. After all, He controls my future.

Second, there are ways that I can prepare for that future. I can recommit myself to eating right and exercising to lose the excess weight, so that I don't develop the health issues that plague my family tree. I also can prepare a budget and save money, so that when the time comes to move out or buy a more reliable car, I'll be able to do so. I can organize my personal belongings, so that I can have less clutter and work around the house. I can do a lot of things to prepare for the future.

Ultimately though, I can accept the reality that my future is not in my hands. It's in God's hands. Therefore, I need to stop worrying about the future and focus on today. God's Word says "Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about it's own things. Sufficient for the day is it's own trouble." (Matthew 6:34, NKJV)

What about you? Do you worry about the future? I advise us all to ask God to help us commit our future to Him and lay our worries at the foot of the cross. Only He can provide rest and peace for our minds and souls.

Heavenly Father, I thank and praise You for showing us the need to trust our future to You. Enable us to obey Your Word in Jesus Name, Amen!

Note: For more information about the Overcomers in Christ ministry, visit their website at www.overcomersinchrist.org

Thoughts About Volcanoes & Hell

2009-09-27T19:56:00.000-07:00

Tonight I was sitting on my sofa watching a Discovery Channel program about volcanoes. As the red hot lava flowed and white smoke billowed from the side of a mountain, I thought about the Biblical description of hell. Some Bible verses speak of hell as being full of fire and brimstone. This would be a rather hot place, which is one reason why I don't tell people to go there.

Another reason why I don't do this is because I know what hell really represents, eternal separation from God. Anyone who hasn't received Jesus Christ as his or her personal Savior will one day end up in this awful place. I don't envy the person who dies without Christ and find themselves entering eternal death with no hope of escape from the torment. I've heard people joke about meeting loved ones and playing card games in hell. Not only is this not funny to me, but I can't imagine people trying to play cards while sitting in the lake of fire, as described in the book of Revelation.

There is good news about all of what I've written here. If you ask Jesus into your heart & accept Him as your personal Savior, then you won't have to worry about hell, because you won't ever go there. Jesus died on the cross for your sins. His salvation is God's free gift to you, which cannot be earned by good works. In order to accept His gift, you need to do four things:

1. Admit that you're a sinner. Everyone sins, there's no one who doesn't sin.
2. Confess your sins to God and repent (turn away) from them.
3. Humbly acknowledge your need for a personal Savior and that Jesus died FOR YOU.
4. Pray to accept Jesus as your personal Savior and ask Him to help you turn your life around to live according to God's will.

After completing these steps, then it's a good idea to go to a Bible believing church, pray and read the Bible everyday. Start with the Gospel of John, followed by Romans, then 1 John. Try to memorize, meditate and study God's Word as much as you can, so that you can hide it in your heart and defeat the devil's attacks. Above all, tell people about what Christ has done for you.

Whatever else you do, DON'T WAIT TO MAKE THIS IMPORTANT DECISION! God's Word says that "NOW is the day of salvation". Your eternal life is at stake.

If you have any questions about all of what I've written here, they can be answered at www.gotquestions.org.

Have a blessed day!

Misplaced Priorities

2009-09-17T21:07:00.000-07:00

I was watching the Hannity show tonight and saw something there that was really sad. There is a large group of farmers in California who cannot irrigate their crops, so their farmland has turned into a drought area. The reason for this? It seems that some fanatical environmentalists found a two inch smelt fish there that was getting caught in some of the farm irrigating equipment, so they brought a lawsuit to have this endangered species of fish protected by stopping the irrigating. Now there's no more irrigating, no more crops, less food grown locally, which means the U.S. has to import fruit from overseas. All because of one little FISH!

There's something wrong when overzealous environmentalists put farmers and other people out of work because they place an animal's life above a human's one. Why can't they remove the animal and place it in a protected environment and allow landowners to keep their land? I thought it was the PEOPLE who owned the land, not animals.

While the Bible does say that we have dominion over animals and to take care of them, I don't think that God meant for us to elevate them above mankind. God didn't create animals in His own image. The Lamb of God wasn't born to a mother sheep in the stable. The Holy Spirit didn't come down in flames of fire on the heads of animals at Pentecost.

No, God didn't put animals above us. He made us human, so that He could send His son Jesus Christ to die for us and our sins and inherit eternal life. He wants all of us to accept His free gift of salvation and make a decision for Christ today. I've made my decision to follow Christ and give Him priority in my life.

Have you made your decision yet? If not, I encourage you to go to http://www.gotquestions.org/way-of-salvation.html

to find out more about how special you are to God and how to accept Jesus as your personal Savior. Decide today whether you want Jesus to have higher priority in your life. Whatever you do, don't wait to make this decision, because "now is the accepted time, behold now is the day of salvation."

Have a blessed day!

Citizen of America, Citizen of Heaven

2009-09-12T18:34:00.000-07:00

What's going on in America today? It sure seems like we're heading down a dismal road of economic ruin, suppression of civil liberties and restrictions of Constitutional freedoms of speech, press, assembly & religion. Patriotic Americans are being called names for standing up for their rights. Politicians are being called on the carpet for speaking (or in one case, yelling) the truth.

This sounds like a plot from some horror movie, yet it's very real. On his program tonight, Glenn Beck even quoted Ephesians 6:12 NIV to describe it: For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

I agree that it's difficult to live in America while we're dealing with greedy government leaders who seek to have total control over us. What's really important though is that those of us who are born again Christians are not really citizens of the United States of America or any other country on earth. Because Jesus died for us and we've accepted Him as our personal Savior, we are citizens of heaven and have eternal life. One day, when the time is right, Jesus will come again to take His people home to heaven and then judge the kingdoms of this world.

Until then, we need to pray for everyone to come to know Jesus as their personal Savior, including our government leaders. We also need to tell people about Him, no matter what negative consequences we will suffer.
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Father God, I thank You for sending Your Son Jesus Christ to die for me and for everyone else. Encourage and help us to reach out to those who are hurting by living our lives for You and telling people about Your Son, Jesus Christ. Also help us to pray for our government leaders, that they may make wise decisions and listen to their citizens's concerns. In Jesus name, I pray, Amen.

Agree to Disagree

2009-08-24T21:05:00.000-07:00

As I sit here at my computer typing this post, I'm thinking about the many changes in American politics. I will admit that I've didn't approve all of the decisions that previous presidents have made during the years. I don't remember anyone calling me names or suggesting that I was unpatriotic because of it.

Now however, everything's changed. Because we have an African American President in office, it's like there is a sudden surge of constant name calling and disrespect to those who disagree with his policies and decisions. Instead of agreeing to disagree on such matters as the stimulus bill, cash-for-clunkers program, or the health care reform bill, some members of Congress, the liberal news media and Obama's supporters are implying that Americans are "racist", "unAmerican", "evil mongers", "angry mobsters", "Nazi's", "political terrorists", and some other names which I will not post.

I don't understand why this is happening, but what I do know is that it's disrespectful to call people names just because they disagree with you. It doesn't matter what your race, ethnic origin or sexual orientation is, name calling is childish behavior. If politicians and the liberal news media want the American people to take them seriously, then they need to stop the childish name calling and start respecting our rights to express our different views. So in other words, lets agree to disagree!

"Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled"

2009-08-14T18:30:00.000-07:00

As I'm sitting here posting this blog entry, I'm watching Sean Hannity's program on the Fox News Network. I like the way that Mr. Hannity reports on the current issues that's in the news, including the President's health care reform plan. I fully support his program and others on the Fox News Network.

What I like most about Mr. Hannity's program is the phrase that he often uses every time he's on the air, "Let not your heart be troubled." These words are from John 14:1 NKJV which says: "Let not your heart be troubled, you believe in God, believe also in me.". This is a very comforting verse, along with Psalm 46:1-2 NKJV, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble, therefore we will not fear..." These verses remind me that no matter how tough life gets, God will always be with me, so I can trust in Him to take care of me. All I have to do is to read His Word, pray and go to church, so that I can be closer to Him. Let us all keep trusting in God and praise Him for His wonderful love today!

I praise You Father God for being with Your children and comforting them through these difficult times. Help us to continue trusting in You no matter what happens. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

Who do YOU trust?

2009-08-08T20:09:00.000-07:00

Who do YOU trust? This is a question that I often ask myself, especially in light of the current debate over President Obama's health care reform plan. On the one hand, I want to believe that his plan will help many people get the medical coverage they need, so that they can live a long and healthy life.

However, from what I've read and heard about this legislation, it seems that it will not be a good idea after all. For one thing, it sounds like vulnerable people, such as senior citizens and the disabled, will suffer the most under this plan, due to the provisions in it that are designed to limit their access to medical care. Unborn babies will also suffer, as their murders will be more easily facilitated with increased funding. Not only that, but those of us who oppose this plan are considered "angry Republican mob members", who don't know what's good for them. There are other aspects of the health care plan which I don't want to go into, but it isn't a good plan for these and other reasons.

Why do I go into all of this detail? I'm wondering about how many people are going to fall for this farce of a plan and allow the government to take away their rights to choose their own medical providers and choose what medical facilities to go to when they need care. In other words, socialized medicine, like other countries. Our government wants citizens to trust them to take care of their needs, but in return, they provide a life of bondage to the world system. This all points to a future time when an evil being called the Antichrist will someday take over the world and control every aspect of everyone's life, just like our government is trying to do now.

So my question is, who do YOU trust? Are you going to trust the government to take care of your needs or are you going to trust God to take care of you when times are tough. Only God can provide protection and assurance in the storms of life.

As for me, I struggle with this trust issue myself, because I have trouble letting go of things and allowing Him to work in my life. I'm still learning to trust in Him no matter what happens, so I will stand firm in my faith in God, no matter if the government entities try to control my life. I can always trust in my Heavenly Father, Who will never let me down. I challenge you to do the same and pray for His protection today!

Thinking About Things

2009-07-21T19:32:00.000-07:00

I'm trying to think of a title for this blog post, but nothing comes to mind. My mind just seems to go somewhere into cyberspace, defragmenting byte by byte into nothingness. I don't know what's causing this feeling. Could it be all the stress I'm under with caring for a relative with Alzheimer's? Difficulties overcoming compulsive overeating late at night, especially while sitting here at this computer? Fearing the day that I may have to move from my comfortable home and live elsewhere? Who knows?

All I know for sure is that no matter what happens now or in the future, God will give me the strength to live through the tough times. He gives me a purpose for overcoming these obstacles and challenges, His Word and His Love! All I need to do is to cast my cares and anxieties on Him and He will give me rest. I don't have to be afraid anymore, because Jesus is walking right beside me across the turbulent seas, holding my hand and keeping me safe from harm. Trusting in God is tough, but I can do it, because "I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me!" Phillipians 4:13, NKJV

TRUE FREEDOM!

2009-07-03T20:02:00.000-07:00

Freedom. What a word. What does it mean to you? For some people, it means to live the life that they want to live without following rules or the laws of our country. Prisons are full of people who've lost their freedom for living this way.

For many people, freedom means that we have guaranteed rights under the U.S. Constitution, including the 1st Amendment rights of freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, etc. A lot of people cherish their right to bear arms under the 2nd Amendment and get annoyed when government leaders enact gun control laws, which take away the rights of LEGAL gun owners and making them easy prey for criminals who don't legally own guns.

For myself and other born-again Christians, who have accepted Jesus as our personal Savior, freedom means that we are now children of God, no longer enslaved to sin. We are free in Christ, because He has taken our sins and nail them to the cross, triumphing over the devil in the process. All we need to do is to trust in God to lead us in His truth moment by moment, hour by hour, day by day. God's Word says that when we submit to Him, then we can resist the devil, so that he must flee from us. The best part about all this is that we will be spending eternity in heaven when Jesus comes to take us home. That's when we'll really experience TRUE FREEDOM!

I pray for all of you to think about how much God loves us so much, that He gave His only Son, Jesus Christ, to die for you. I also pray that you'll accept Jesus as your personal Savior, while there's still time. We don't know when He's coming again. God's Word says that "Now is the accepted time, behold now is the day of salvation."

How do I become saved, you ask? It's simple really. First, you need to admit that you are a sinner. Next, you need to acknowledge that you need a Savior. Third, repent of all of your sins. Fourth, ask Jesus into your heart. Fifth, tell everyone about your decision to follow Christ. Then you will be saved and will have eternal life, ready to meet Jesus when He returns. Finally, continue serving Him through regular Bible study and reading, prayer and attending a Bible-teaching church. When you do all of these things, then you will experience TRUE FREEDOM!

I've said a lot of things in my post today, so I'll end it here, with this reminder: Jesus is coming SOON, so please don't delay to come to Him for salvation and forgiveness!

Have a happy Independence Day, everybody!

Speaking the Truth, No Matter What

2009-06-12T15:22:00.000-07:00

It's a wonderful day, despite the cold, rainy weather, yet I'm bothered by a news article that I saw on the Fox news channel and website yesterday. According to Carrie Perjean, she didn't lose her Miss California crown because of a contract issue, but because of her answer to a question asked by a homosexual Miss USA judge. When this judge asked her how she felt about gay marriage, Carrie bravely said: "I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and woman. No offense to anybody out there, but that's how I was raised."

Unfortunately for her, this offended the homosexual community enough to not only refuse Carrie the Miss USA crown, but she lost the Miss California one as well. It's a sad day in our country when a group of people want us to accept their lifestyle choice as "normal", yet attack us for expressing our disapproval of their lifestyle. What's wrong with speaking the truth about a matter?

The truth is that the homosexual community doesn't have a leg to stand on, because either they know that they are wrong, or they just don't care. Basically, they're not only content to live in their sinful lifestyle, but they want to change our laws and even reinterpret the U.S. Constitution, in order to force us into accepting their lifestyle as normal.

Well, I'm not going to sit here and quote what God's Word says about the subject of homosexuality, but I can tell you that it's not favorable toward them. In fact, it's downright scary. God is a God of love. He is merciful, forgiving and comforting. However He is also just. One day, when ALL of us stand before His throne, He will judge all of us on whether we've accepted and turned over our lives to Christ as our Savior. Those individuals who continue to make lifestyle choices that goes against God's Word, will not face a future of heavenly bliss. Instead, God will send them to a REAL, fiery place, called HELL!

What do we Christians need to do? We need to put aside our anger and love everyone, even homosexuals, as God loves us, but that doesn't mean that we have to approve of their lifestyle choices. We need to tell them about Christ. We need to let the Holy Spirit work in their hearts to convict them of their sins and encourage them to find out how they can become God's children. Above all however, we need to pray them into God's kingdom, because this other stuff probably won't work if we don't pray first.

Finally, as Carrie Perjean basically said last night, we need to speak the truth, no matter what happens to us. She is a blessed woman of faith and I pray that she will always have the courage to choose what's right for her, no matter what people say. To Ms. Perjean I say, You Go Girl!

Heavenly Father, I thank You for allowing us to minister to those individuals who insist on living in sinful lifestyles. Help us to minister to them and let the Holy Spirit convict people of their need for Christ, so they can repent of their sins and accept Him as their personal Savior. Also, enable us to speak the truth about moral values in boldness and faith, no matter what the cost. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen.

DIgesting God's Truth For Life

2009-06-07T19:04:00.000-07:00

Well, it's another lovely late June evening here in my little corner of the world. I'm enjoying my bowl of sugar free chocolate ice cream and strawberries, after a filling dinner of pork chops, salad and creamed spinach. Yum! Good food and good for the soul.

Earlier today, I was feasting on God's Word, the Bread of Life, slowly digesting His truth right into my brain and heart. His Word is a "lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path", so I'm learning to focus my thoughts and actions on what God says is the right way to go. Only by diligent reading, studying, memorizing and meditating of God's Word can I have the peace, knowledge and strength to overcome temptation, because I can load my spiritual weapon and "shoot" the devil with God's Word.

Well, I'm about to go do dishes, finish laundry and go to bed, but I wanted to end this entry with a promise from God's Word: "Finally bretheren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report. If there is any virtue, or if there is anything praiseworthy, meditate on these things." (Phillipians 4:8, NKJV) When we feed ourselves with a daily dose of God's Word, we feed our minds, our souls and our hearts, so I encourage you all to feast on God's Word today!

Heavenly Father, I just praise and thank You Lord, for your wonderful Word, the Bible. Help us to read, study, memorize and meditate on it daily, so tht we may digest Your truth into our hearts and minds. I pray this in the name of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen!

Have a nice day!

Two Wrongs Don't Make It Right

2009-06-02T17:06:00.000-07:00

I've been praying and thinking about how to write this blog entry. It's important that I write what I believe about this subject, yet not go so overboard with it, that people think of me as a Christian lunatic who's gone off the deep end. While some of you might not like what I've written, it's what I feel needs to be said.

A few days ago, Dr. George Tiller was gunned down at his church, allegedly by Scott Roeder, a prominent pro-life activist. This horrifying event has been condemned by the government, pro-life and pro-abortion groups alike. Dr. Tiller was portrayed as a "good man", a Christian, who offered legal reproductive services to his patients, including the practice of partial-birth abortion. Many pro-life Christians fear that this terrible event will cause them problems when legally expressing their views on abortion.

Here are my views about the whole matter:

1. I believe that abortion is wrong, because it's the murder of a innocent, unborn human being, who God created. Abortion robs that child the chance to be born, grow up and become a active and productive member of our society. There are over 500,000 + unborn babies aborted every year. Imagine what would have happened if every one of them were allowed to live, grow up and become voting citizens of our country! I'll bet that "Roe vs. "Wade" never would have happened!

2. I also believe that murdering people, for any reason, is wrong, even if we don't like what the person does for a living. The Bible says that God will hold each person accountable for their own sins, in His own time. Other verses in the Bible say to submit to and obey the authorities which God has placed over us. While I don't know what his motives were, I doubt very much if Roeder was doing God's work when he committed his terrible crime.

3. I think that even though this event may be a setback for the pro-life movement, it shouldn't stop Christians and others who believe that abortion is wrong to LEGALLY express their views. Driving vehicles with ugly pictures of aborted babies, picketing abortion clinics and doctor's homes are NOT going to stop abortions from taking place. What will help is to educate people about abortion through websites, the media, writing to government representatives to encourage legislation limiting abortion practices and finally, lots of time on our knees in PRAYER! Breaking the law to express our views only puts us at the same level as those who perform abortions.

Well, I think that I've said enough for today. I'm praying that you will remember that we are to be salt and light to this world in which we are just pilgrims, waiting for Jesus's return. Until that day, let's pray for the wisdom to express our views about controversial subjects in ways that honor God!

Birthday Meditations

2009-05-24T18:25:00.000-07:00

Hi, everyone!

Well, today is my birthday! I'm celebrating the SIXTH ANNIVERSARY of my 39th birthday. Today has been a great day so far. First of all, I went to church, which I hadn't done in a long time. It felt good to be back at church and I plan to go more often.

Next, we went to the cemetery and remembered our deceased loved ones. One of them was my baby sister, who entered the Lord's presence at 3 weeks of age. She was carried away by the angels and resting in Jesus's arms, waiting for Him to come and get me, so that I can meet her. I don't remember her as my sister, as I was only a preschooler myself when she died.

Finally, we had a great dinner: butter garlic chicken wing pieces, salad, cream cheese pound cake topped with strawberries and cool whip. I've not opened my presents yet, but I'm sure that they were picked out with love and care and that I will enjoy using or wearing them.

As I think about another new year of life, I think of my spiritual new birth, which occurred when I was a child, at seven years of age, at an Assemblies of God church. I didn't understand all of it then, but I understood enough of the Gospel message to make a decision for Christ.

I've rededicated my life since them, the last time being five years ago, after several suicide attempts. I'm praising God that He didn't let me go, even when I was in rebellion against Him. I'm praying that He will never let me go, no matter what I do in the future. I know He won't, because He says so in His Word. The Bible says to "Train up a child in the way that he should go. When he is old, he will not depart from it." I don't remember the address of this verse, but I do know it's true. I wish that many more people would come to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior at an early age, like I did. I encourage all of us, including me, to reach out to the hurting world and tell them why we have hope in Jesus Christ, so that they can celebrate their spiritual birthdays as children of God!

I'm going to open my birthday presents now, so have a good evening! :D

Is This Normal?

2009-05-17T21:26:00.000-07:00

I read a heart-breaking story on the Internet today. It was about an 8-year-old boy boy who will be allowed to live as a girl. The story goes into the definition of transgender and related issues. Because of his parent's decision to give in to his desires, he is no longer welcomed in the Catholic school and must attend public school, where his new identity is welcomed and even encouraged.

This saddens me because this is just another step in the wrong direction as far as morality is concerned. When we teach our children that they don't have to be satisfied with their gender, that they can change it if they want to, it creates more problems than it solves. Sure it's difficult to say "No" to your child when they want something, but if it's not good for them to have it, then the parents need to step up to the plate and take responsibility for their child's well being. They are responsible for the moral education of that child.

I'm not a parent, but I was a child once, so I know a little bit about how to raise a child with certain values. I was taught that God created me the way He wanted me to be, which was to be female. Even though I played with dolls and liked to dress up, I also liked to play with toy trucks and cars. I was happy being female and I still am, because it's the way that God created me to be.

I was also brought up to respect my elders, which seems to be an ancient practice in today's society. I didn't get everything I wanted and I was told that I couldn't do some things because they were not good for me. My self-esteem didn't suffer because of it. One of the 10 Commandments says, "Honor Your mother and your father." I think that parents and educators need to stop being paranoid about damaging their child's self esteem if they deprive them of something that they want or punish them for misbehavior. That is just nonsense!

As for the child with the sexual identity issues, I think that we need to pray for him, his family and other people in similar situations, for God to help them make the right spiritually moral decisions in dealing with those issues. If I were in those parent's shoes, I'd take my child to a Christian counselor, who specializes in these types of disorders. They can talk to him about his feelings and encourage him to be satisfied with his gender.

God bless you all through the day tomorrow!

How I Respond To Anger

2009-05-15T08:03:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I read an upsetting story about a young child who was killed in a car crash by an illegal immigrant, who had a revoked driver's license and three prior drunk driving convictions. I'm angry about this incident because first of all, this guy is an illegal immigrant, who shouldn't be in this country in the first place. Second, he somehow obtained a driver's license, which was later revoked for 15 years due to his drunk driving convictions. Third, he was not immediately deported back to his home country after the drunk driving convictions, resulting in this horrible tragedy.

When I read about these types of things, I get very emotional and tend to say a few words that are not Christlike. In fact, if I were to post these words in a Christian forum, I'd be banned forever. I know that I shouldn't be doing this, for the Bible says that blessing and cursing should not come from the same mouth. It's a hard habit to break when you've been around family members who've done it all of your life. I'm asking God to help me overcome this troubling habit, so that my speech shows who I am, a child of God.

Great Mother's Day

2009-05-10T20:34:00.000-07:00

Today was a great Mother's Day. I cooked some steaks on the grill for my Mom, with her help, since I'd forgotten how to use a grill over the winter months. I also did some laundry and read my Bible. It was a good day.

I'm currently in the midst of a 90 day reading challenge that is sponsored by my church. I'm on day 11 and need to read 12 pages a day, so that I can read the entire Bible in 90 days. I'm learning a lot from my daily Bible readings.

Today's Bible reading was in the book of Numbers, where I learned that craving foods can get you into trouble. The Israelites were craving meat and God gave them meat, the same meat, for a whole month! Some of them got sick and died from it, probably because they didn't cook it thoroughly, I don't know for sure. I just know that whenever I get intense cravings for sugary, high carb foods like I did last night, I sure don't feel good when I give into those temptations.

God says in His Word, but I don't remember where it is, that "No temptation has overtaken you, except what is common to man. God is faithful, He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But with the temptation, He will make a way out under it." This is how I think it goes anyway. In other words, God promises that when I'm tempted to eat a large bowl of sugar free ice cream, like I am right now, He will give me the strength to snack on a SMALL serving of sugar free pudding or nuts instead. Small victories reap BIG rewards, if I just trust in God!

Well, I'm going to have my bedtime snack, then go to sleep. Goodnight, everyone!

I Need To Focus...

2009-04-29T21:43:00.000-07:00

I need to focus on what I'm doing here. I deleted my previous post because I realized that it wasn't in line with my purposes for this blog. I was angry at something I'd heard on the news and wrote about it, without thinking about how it would sound. I apologize to anyone who read my deleted post and pray that God will enable me to write things that honor Him, not my own emotions.

What I had mentioned in my deleted post was my outrage in the way that our society places "politically correct" labels on everything to avoid offending people. While some labels are good ones, I believe that some of them are created to promote intolerance against Christians, who are not always popular with the world system because of their Biblical beliefs.

I'm too tired right now to go into further detail but I did want to make one point clear: It doesn't matter what "politically correct" labels the world uses to dress up and minimize sinful behavior and attitudes. What matters is that we as Christians consider ourselves to be God's children, walk in His ways and embrace His values. If that makes us "politically incorrect" in this world, then so be it.

May God bless you as you go through your day today!

Swine Flu and Jesus Return

2009-04-27T20:58:00.000-07:00

Tonight, my thoughts center around my concerns with the swine flu problem that seems to be getting more serious everyday. It seems like every time I turn on the news, there's more people in more states and countries getting sick or dying from it. It could potentially reach pandemic proportions if something isn't done about it. To top it off, we're advised by our government leaders to be concerned, but not to be alarmed by it. Yeah, right.

I think that we need to take proper precautions to avoid getting it, while praying for God's protection for us and for people around the world. I also think we need to keep in mind that according to a verse in Matthew 24, there will be pestilences (diseases) in the end times, just before Jesus' return, so we need to be prepared for Him to come marching down from heaven anytime to snatch us up into the air! Like a poster on a message board said, Gabriel is warming up his trumpet, so it's almost time to go home! (I think I quoted that right, anyway.)

Well, I'm about ready to fall asleep here, so I'll end this post now. Have a good day!

A Good Week

2009-04-25T18:03:00.000-07:00

This was a good week for me, although it didn't start out that way. I started the week with the stomach flu, which helped curb my appetite a little. As a result, several good things happened. I lost my desire for sweets, even sugar free ones. I also lost 6.2 lbs. this week! I've been gaining weight since October, so this illness was a good thing in my opinion.

Another good thing is that a relative came home from the nursing home, where he recovered from injuries sustained in a fall. I'm happy that he is home, but it presents new challenges. Since this relative has a medical condition that prevents him from understanding the need to take better care of himself, the time may come when our family may have no choice, but to put him into a home for long term care, possibly even the rest of his life.

This saddens me, but it will also relieve the stress I've been under that has led me to overeat and not take care of MYSELF. I'm realizing that I need to take care of myself before I can take care of him or anyone else. I'm back on my low carb eating plan and trying to get more exercise. I'm also getting more involved in my Christian activities of having quiet time, reading my Bible and attending my local Overcomers in Christ group, a Christ-centered recovery group that helps people find victory in Christ over life controlling problems like food addiction, substance abuse, codependency, gambling, sexual problems and other issues. If you'd like more information about this wonderful ministry, check out their website at http://www.overcomersinchrist.org

Well, that covers it for today. Have a wonderful day and God bless you all!

Introduction

2009-04-15T23:58:00.000-07:00

Hello, everyone!
This is my first post in my new blog! I've had some experience with blogs before, so I know a little bit about how to write inspiring things. I'm starting this blog because I wanted to express my thoughts about my Christian faith, American values, family, animals, my position on various issues and a variety of other topics.

I welcome comments about my posts, but I do ask that you don't use my Lord's Name in vain or use curse words in your comments. Thank you. I hope you enjoy reading my blog!