Tuesday, July 31, 2018

Names for Saturday in Many Languages Prove Which Day Is the True Sabbath. The 'Feasts of the Lord' in the Book of Acts. Update.

For “Scripture Sunday”:

Names for Saturday in Many Languages Prove Which Day Is the True Sabbath

Which day of the week is the biblical Sabbath? It is clear from the names for the seventh day of the week, Saturday, in many languages.

Infographic: Names for Saturday in Many Languages Prove Which Day Is the True SabbathUCG.org

Such widespread use of forms of the word Sabbath for the seventh day of the week, Saturday, is clear evidence that speakers of these languages understood which day is the Sabbath.

Which day of the week is the biblical Sabbath? Many are confused over the issue, but such confusion is unnecessary. Not only is the answer plain from history and the Bible, it is also clear from the names for the seventh day of the week, Saturday, in many languages.

For example, the Spanish word for the seventh day of the week, Saturday, is sabado the same word for “Sabbath.” In fact, in more than 100 ancient and modern languages the seventh day of the week was named “Sabbath” or its equivalent. Following is a list of names for the seventh day of the week, Saturday, in 24 languages in which the root word Sabbath is still easily recognizable.

Such widespread use of forms of the word Sabbath for the seventh day of the week, Saturday, is clear evidence that speakers of these languages understood which day is the Sabbath.

Likewise, the fact that in no language do we see “Sabbath” similarly linked with Sunday, the first day of the week, is an obvious confirmation that this day never was considered the biblical Sabbath until later religious leaders tried to substitute Sunday for the true Sabbath day.

Arabic: Sabet
Armenian: Shabat
Bosnian: Subota
Bulgarian: Sabota
Corsican: Sàbatu
Croatian: Subota
Czech: Sobota
Georgian: Sabati
Greek: Savvato
Hebrew: Shabbat
Indonesian: Sabtu
Italian: Sabato
Latin: Sabbatum
Maltese: is-Sibt
Polish: Sobota
Portuguese: Sábado
Romanian: Sambata
Russian: Subbota
Serbian: Subota
Slovak: Sobota
Slovene: Sobota
Somali: Sabti
Spanish: Sabado
Sudanese: Saptu
Ukranian: Subota

Download the Saturday & Sabbath - Proof for the Sabbath Comes from Many Different Languages Infographic

infographic-sabbath-saturday-proof-for-the-sabbath-comes-from-many-different-languages-black-white-print (2.03 MB)

infographic-sabbath-saturday-proof-for-the-sabbath-comes-from-many-different-languages-color-print (5.79 MB)

From: https://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/booklets/sunset-to-sunset-gods-sabbath-rest/names-for-saturday-in-many-languages-prove-which-day-is-the-true-sabbath

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The 'Feasts of the Lord' in the Book of Acts

“Regarding the feasts of the Lord, it is very instructive to study the history of the first 30 years of the Christian Church recorded in Scripture. What Holy Days did they keep? It's surprising how many of "the feasts of the Lord" are found in the book of Acts.

A Bible opened to the book of Acts.Tyler Olson/Hemera/Thinkstock

We do not find in the book of Acts—a chronicle of the first 30 years of Church history—that the feast days had been changed or abolished, or other days substituted in their place.

Regarding the feasts of the Lord, it is very instructive to study the history of the first 30 years of the Christian Church recorded in Scripture. What Holy Days did they keep? It’s surprising how many of “the feasts of the Lord” are found in the book of Acts.

The first mention of God’s feasts in the book of Acts is found in Acts 2:1: “When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.” This day of Pentecost is one of God’s feasts found in Scripture.

Then in Acts 12, two of “the feasts of the Lord” are mentioned—the Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread (Acts 12:3-4). Peter was miraculously freed from his chains at that time, and the Church rejoiced over this liberation. Many would have remembered that during this day, the Israelites were also freed from their Egyptian bondage.

Later Luke, in describing his travels with Paul, mentions sailing after the Days of Unleavened Bread were over, showing they had stayed to observe them in Philippi before continuing their trip (Acts 20:6).

Moreover, Luke records Paul “hurrying to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the Day of Pentecost” (Acts 20:16). If these feasts were only for the Jews and abolished for Christians, they certainly would not have been mentioned as important for Paul and his party.

Finally, we see Luke mentioning another feast, the Day of Atonement, in their travels: “Now when much time had been spent, and sailing was now dangerous because the Fast was already over …” (Acts 27:9). “The Fast” is referring to the Day of Atonement, the only day in Scripture commanded by God to be observed with a fast (Leviticus 23:27).

So we find not an inkling in the book of Acts—a chronicle of the first 30 years of Church history—that the feast days had been changed or abolished, or other days substituted in their place. Rather, they assumed a much greater meaning to the Christian community. The Encyclopaedia Britannica confirms this, stating that “the first Christians … continued to observe the Jewish festivals, though in a new spirit, as commemorations of events which those festivals had foreshadowed” (11th edition, vol. 8, p. 828).   From: https://www.ucg.org/the-good-news/the-feasts-of-the-lord-in-the-book-of-acts

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Update.

More stuff has been sorted for sale and for donating this week.  The consignment shop doesn’t take some of the items that I have for sale, so I am on my own again.   DSCF2157

The company that sold me the wrong new top for my canvas carport/storage tent, and I, came to an agreement.  Even if they sent someone here to take it down, pack it and ship it back, then I would still have to pay someone to help me put up a new one.  So they are supposed to send me a refund.  Zack, my neighbor who helps me, and I did some modifications on the canopy top and added some clear vinyl shower curtains so that it wouldn’t leak. 

One day I took Lauri to the grocery store to buy her organic apples and organic cigarettes.  I bought quite a few veggies in the marked-down section, and cooked the spaghetti squash, butternut squash, yellow squash, rutabagas, turnips, spinach and zuccini when I got home.  Then I stored them in big mason jars. as I like to keep a lot of cooked veggies on hand so that I can nosh on them when I need to.  It is so easy to prepare dinner when a lot of it is already done.

I was given a great big 6 lb square slab of frozen ground beef, so I had to get a big square electric frying pan out of my yard sale items and cook it in that.  When it was all defrosted, I put it in a big pot on the stove with some seasonings and water to simmer for a while, then strained it.  The liquid was very greasy, but by putting it in the fridge, the fat solidified on the top so I could throw that out and keep the seasoned broth.  Now I had something to work with, as I don’t eat any fat like that, as “the fat you eat, is the fat you wear”.    I froze half of the cooked meat, and made the rest into beef and noodles to take to church in a crockpot.  In another crockpot I took some mashed rutabagas.  They said it was very tasty.

Due to varied reasons there was hardly anyone at church, but we had a good service anyway.  There was so much food left over that we froze it for this next Sabbath.  That will help me a lot, as the pastor and his wife won’t be there, so I will be ramrodding the kitchen again.  Then my granddaughter, Michelle’s wedding is on that day, too.

The Bible readings were Num. 25:10–30:1, 1 King 18:46-19:21 and Rom. 11:2-32.  The Teaching was “The Inseparable Messiah”. 

Not very many folks there, but it was still a good day.

Sunday, July 22, 2018

How to Forgive. Nag, Nag, Nag!. Update.

For Scripture Sunday”:

How to Forgive

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““To err is human; to forgive, divine” (Alexander Pope). This sounds good in theory, but what about serious trespasses? Can we learn how to forgive those?

Forgiving someone who has hurt or offended us is not the natural human reaction. The natural reaction is to harbor resentment and, sometimes, to try to get even. But learning how to forgive is not only the right thing to do, it is the healthy thing to do. It is also difficult in many cases.

Forgiving someone else boils down to a choice for each of us. Actually choosing to forgive others can be a very challenging thing to do, and it requires thought about some basic concepts. The following ideas can help you learn how to forgive.

Forgiving helps to heal our own human emotions

Forgiving others does not just help to heal their emotional wounds. It helps you in healing yours. According to an article on the Mayo Clinic website, the following benefits can be reaped through forgiveness:

“Letting go of grudges and bitterness can make way for compassion, kindness and peace. Forgiveness can lead to:

  • Healthier relationships
  • Greater spiritual and psychological well-being
  • Less anxiety, stress and hostility
  • Lower blood pressure
  • Fewer symptoms of depression
  • Lower risk of alcohol and substance abuse.”

Letting go of old resentments and ill will frees you mentally to go on with your life, embracing positive emotions and experiences.

Realize that forgiving does not mean that injustice will go unpunished

Forgiving is not synonymous with excusing wrong or hurtful actions on the part of others, and it does not mean that injustice will go unpunished forever. God is the One who ultimately decides what is fair and when justice will be done.

Consider this statement from 2 Corinthians 5:10: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”

In the short term, things often seem unfair. The old saying “cheaters never prosper” often does not ring true when we observe the actions of others around us. And when people do us wrong, God does not want us to take vengeance or retribution on them.

Notice the instruction Paul gave us in Romans 12:18-19: “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord.”

The fact is that God is patient and does not mete out punishment the instant a wrong is done. Note this statement from Matthew 5:45: “That you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”

In His own time and manner, God will righteously judge all for their actions. When we choose to forgive another person, it does not condone wrong or hurtful actions, it just means that we have chosen to let go, move on with our lives and leave things in God’s hands.

Learning how to forgive is the right thing to do

Jesus Christ’s teachings constantly point us toward forgiving others for their offenses against us. When Peter asked how many times he should forgive someone, he asked if he should forgive seven times. Presumably Peter may have thought that number was more than adequate.

Christ responded by telling Peter to forgive “seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:21-22). The clear principle is that we should be willing to go on forgiving, and that there are no limits on how many times we should forgive.

In another passage, Christ gave the parable of the unforgiving servant. The account is found in Matthew 18:23-35. In the parable, there is a servant who is unable to repay a very large debt, so his master commands that he be sold into slavery, along with his family, in order to repay it. The servant begs for mercy and receives it (verses 23-27). Upon being forgiven, however, the servant goes out to ruthlessly collect much smaller debts owed to him, showing no mercy at all (verses 28-31).

Christ gave His own sinless life to forgive our sins! And while He was dying at the hands of His persecutors, He cried out to the Father asking Him to “forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” In verses 32-33, the master pronounces his judgment on this servant who didn’t learn how to forgive: “Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?”’ The master then had him delivered to “the torturers” until all his debts could be paid.

Jesus Christ’s example of forgiving

Christ gave His own sinless life to forgive our sins! And while He was dying at the hands of His persecutors, He cried out to the Father asking Him to “forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” This was a profound statement and example for all of us!

Many times, people cause harm without really thinking or knowing it was wrong. If a person really knew it was wrong to cause offense, he or she would have most likely not committed the act.

Notice what Paul wrote to the Corinthians after Christ’s resurrection: “But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (1 Corinthians 2:7-8).

The truth of God is hidden from most people today, and the values and morals of God are not understood by most. So, a very important step in the forgiveness process is to follow Christ’s example: “Forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”

Ephesians 4:31-32 summarizes this very well: “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”

Realize that harboring anger and resentment can destroy you

Here is another quote from the Mayo Clinic website about the destructiveness of harboring anger and refusing to forgive:

“If you’re unforgiving, you might pay the price repeatedly by bringing anger and bitterness into every relationship and new experience. Your life might become so wrapped up in the wrong that you can’t enjoy the present.”

Paul tells us in the book of Ephesians that anger can give Satan a chance to work on our minds if we do not forgive and let go:

“‘Be angry, and do not sin’: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil” (Ephesians 4:25-26). Paul is quoting from Psalm 4:4 in this passage: “Be angry, and do not sin. Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still.”  Do not let anger control you!

The healthy mind chooses to let go of negative emotions and anger.

Choose to forgive!

Forgiving comes down to a matter of personal choice. Many people choose not to forgive because they have the feeling that the wrongdoing will go unpunished or because an injustice will never be righted if something is not done about it.

In fact, if you refuse to forgive and move on, you may actually punish yourself more than what the offending party has done to you. Consider the benefits and positive outcomes described above, and do yourself a favor. Choose to forgive!”

From: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/change/forgiveness/how-to-forgive/

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Nag, Nag, Nag

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“Jesus didn't nag, and neither should we.

The Bible tells us that words can be like continual dripping on a very rainy day.

One definition of the word “nag” is to “worry or annoy continually.” Almost all people love peace and quiet and try to escape from a continual barrage of reminders or criticisms. Too often, the word is applied to women, but men can also be nags.

The Bible tells us that words can be like continual dripping on a very rainy day (Proverbs 27:15-16). It seems true that a person who constantly finds fault, worries or urges us to do something will grate on our nerves in time, whether they are a man or woman. The problem lies in the nature and character of the one doing the nagging. Sometimes they do not realize that they are getting on everyone’s nerves. Sometimes they simply will not believe that they are nags.

The gift of God is eternal life to all who believe. Believing carries with it the responsibility to change. Every flaw within us needs to be recognized and worked with. Finding something wrong with everything and everybody is an attitude that not only needs to, but can be, changed. God would not require us to be a new person every day if it were not possible. We can start by paying attention to our words.

Stop and think before the words spill out of our mouths. When we pause and think, we can learn how to make our speech show love and concern to all we meet. We can even learn to speak with words that will make people want to listen (Colossians 4:6). When Jesus spoke, crowds gathered because His words were words of encouragement. Never once did Jesus nag. Be like Him.”

From: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/blogs/this-is-the-way/nag-nag-nag

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1 Corinthians 10:10 and Philippians 2:14-15  both say “Quit Your Bitchin’!

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Update.

Well, Monday brought more ferrying Lauri around, in three different cities this time.  She wanted to take her written driving test 25 miles north at the Huntsville (TX,) office because she didn’t think it would be so busy.  She says she can’t be around cellphones because they give her a migraine.  We waited about an hour outside with everybody else, and then the officer came out and said the AC wasn’t working, so the officers and applicants were all sent to the Conroe office.  So back on the freeway for about 35 miles south to Conroe. 

At the Conroe DPS Lauri had to sit in a special area while I sat in her place in line with all the people who were texting and messing with their phones.  It took ages for them to see her as she had a PO Box for two years, but had just got her address changed to her real street address because there are so many things that you can’t do with a PO Box.  So her new address was only two weeks old, which they didn’t like, and she doesn’t get utility bills as it is included in her rent. They take getting a TX ID very seriously.

Finally, they took her picture so we could leave, so we stopped at the grocery store in Willis and then on to my house.  There Lauri had to watch a DPS video, for an hour, all part of the certification before they will give you a road test appointment.  Then the next appointment was on AUG 30th.!!  So I took her home, and will be ferrying her around some more.  Wow, I didn’t even have to go through all that to get a Commercial Driver’s License. 

Zack, my neighbor who helps me, had to mow again, the rain surely is making the grass grow.  One morning we cut down a big prickly bush that had a habit of reaching out and spiking passersby.   And somehow, spots had got on my beige living room carpet, so he shampooed it again with my carpet steamer. 

But the highlight of the week was that Diana and her husband went to the Willis church together for the first time in about a year. This is why I started this with “Forgiveness”, as I prayed some had rubbed off between them.  First, I went to the Conroe church as I had hoped to see someone there, but found out they are a “Potluck Christian”, and only go on potluck days. 

I made a chicken, new potatoes and veggies dish for the Willis church, who have potlucks every Sabbath, so I put it in the fridge at Conroe while I went to the Bible Study and service.  The pastor was away so an old friend of mine was giving the message, “To Be A Slave of Christ”.  Their services are kinda short and you don’t really feel like you have gained much unless you go to the Bible Study, too.   Then I went to the Willis church, and arrived in time for their Teaching “Hallowed”.  It was so good to see Diana and her husband both there, hopefully their troubles are over.

More of my yard sale items were sorted to take to the consignment place, and another box is ready to donate to the Women’s Center. It is going to take a long time, but as I come across things in the house that I don’t need anymore I sort it into a box, and more is getting packed each day.

Sunday, July 15, 2018

“I Can Only Imagine” What a World It Will Be With God in Charge. God's Bountiful Country. Update.

For “Scripture Sunday”:

“I Can Only Imagine” What a World It Will Be With God in Charge

“The inspiring story behind the famous song brings hope for a future when God will right every wrong!

A person resting their arms on rail while looking out over a body of water.     Ümit Bulut/Unsplash

Our world is broken. There is so much pain and suffering. Our world is in need of intervention that only God can give.

I recently watched the movie “I Can Only Imagine.” It’s a wonderful movie about a wonderful song by the same name. I did not want to watch it at first because I felt it would be too emotional for me (I worried the plot would hit too close to home for me on account of my own painful childhood experiences). However, it only inspired me, because it reminded me of how awesome our Father in heaven is!

The movie is based on the true story of a young man, Bart Millard, who grew up in Greenville, Texas. Bart’s mother walked out on him and his dad after they divorced when he was 3 years old. Bart suffered emotional and physical abuse at the hands of his father.

Many times the young boy thought his dad was going to kill him. In an interview, Bart said of his upbringing: “I ended up living in fear for most of my childhood… If he got embarrassed or cut off in traffic or whatever, he would take a swing at me… I was like his punching bag.” Bart grew up like that with no family support.

Then when he was a freshman in high school, things took a drastic turn for Bart. His dad became terminally ill with cancer, which caused him to repent of his ways and find God. Bart and his dad mended their relationship.

Millard took care of his dad and literally became his nurse. It was his dad’s new faith in God that transformed his life. “That’s when things really changed, because it went from us really not having much contact to talking for two or three hours every night until we fell asleep,” he says.

“I got a front row seat to see this guy go from being a monster to falling desperately in love with Jesus,” Millard says. “By the time he passed away when I was a freshman in college, not only was he my best friend, he was like the godliest man I’d ever known. And it’s literally changed the trajectory of my life.”

Years later Bart Marshall Millard became a songwriter who is best known as the leader of the band MercyMe. He wrote the song, “I Can Only Imagine,” which is the best-selling contemporary Christian single of all time. You can read more of his inspiring story here.  The movie is worth watching as it explores the themes of forgiveness and healing.

How many of us have gone through tough times and we hope for things to change? Alternatively, we may even think the phrase, “I can only imagine…”.

The truth is, God is your hope!

God is and was my hope. God was Bart’s hope. God was his dad’s hope that transformed him before he died so he could be the father he never could have been on his own. And God transformed a severely abused young Bart into someone who totally trusts Him, going on to write songs that worship Him and encourage others. God is our healer!

He is our Father who loves us so much! The movie inspired me because I know my Father in heaven brought me through so much just like Bart. And He is still there with me every day. But He is not just my Father, He is a Father to all of us! He will love you when you feel no one else does. He has the power to deliver you from whatever you are going through.

Our world is broken. There is so much pain and suffering. Our world is in need of intervention that only God can give.  Psalm 147 says: He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit. The LORD sustains the humble but casts the wicked to the ground … His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of the warrior;  the LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love” (Psalms 147:3-6, Psalms 147:10-11). I encourage you to read the whole chapter of Psalm 147.

“I can only imagine” what a world will be with God in charge. The great news is it will happen! I earnestly pray for His Kingdom to come when ”He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death, or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:4).”  From: https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/blogs/i-can-only-imagine-what-a-world-it-will-be-with-god-in-charge

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God's Bountiful Country

An Amazing Fact: “The most densely concentrated area of life on the planet is the tropical rainforest. In fact, researchers found that just a 4-mile-square patch of rainforest contains as many as 1,500 species of flowering plants, 750 species of trees, 125 mammal species, 400 species of birds, 100 species of reptiles, 60 species of amphibians, and 150 different species of butterflies. A single pond in Brazil is home to more fish species than can be found in all of Europe’s rivers, while the fish species in the Amazon River outnumber those in the Atlantic Ocean! But of the estimated 5 million species in the rainforest, only a small percentage has been named, much less studied.

The rainforest is also a cornucopia of produce, with over 3,000 varieties of fruit. Fruits like avocados, coconuts, figs, oranges, lemons, grapefruit, bananas, guavas, pineapples, mangoes, and tomatoes all originated in tropical rainforests. Even so, the rainforest’s bounty is largely undiscovered by the Western world: of the 3,000 varieties, Westerners only use around 200.

In addition, the rainforest contains a pharmaceutical gold mine. Nearly half of our medicinal compounds come from the plant life in the tropical rainforest, including drugs for childhood leukemia and heart disease. Yet these riches are largely unmined, as less than 1 percent of tropical plants and trees have been tested by scientists.

Rainforests are a living dynamo of animals, plants, and medicines, but instead of discovering and enjoying its bounty, man is destroying it at the rate of 1 acre every minute.

While rainforests used to cover fifteen percent of the Earth’s land area, today they cover less than seven percent.

In the book of Jeremiah, God expresses His displeasure over how Israel treated the Promised Land: “I brought you into a bountiful country, to eat its fruit and its goodness. But when you entered, you defiled My land And made My heritage an abomination” (Jeremiah 2:7). The book of Revelation makes it plain that God will eventually “destroy those who destroy the earth” (Revelation 11:18). As the Earth’s caretakers, shouldn’t we do our best to preserve His bountiful country?

BIBLE TEXTS
And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth. Revelation 11:18”

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Last year, visitor clicks funded the protection and preservation of 10,321 acres of of habitat, home to tens of thousands of plant and animal species.

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Update.

In between the rainy days, Zack managed to mow the grass and clip the hedge. The every day maintenance of this place is partly what gets me down, I hadn’t expected it to take up so much of my retirement, or I would never have added to it over the years.   Less is more!

Like so many people, my junk is owning me, so I am trying really hard to get it all sold and donated, but it seems neverending.  My daughter is having to cope with too much of other people’s stuff right now, so I had better get this place whittled down to the bone and sold.  They don’t accept U-Hauls at the pearly gates, or the other place!

The new roof on the canvas 10 x 20’ garage doesn’t fit because they sent the wrong one, even though it is marked right on the box.  Maybe a packer put the wrong one in the box. The company said that they will send someone here to take it down and give me a refund.  We will see if that happens.

As I am still ferrying Lauri around, I haven’t been able to list much stuff for sale. Monday, I took her way down south, nearly to The Woodlands, to Costco. She bought more of those organic green hockey pucks, organic hummus and organic already-peeled hard-boiled eggs there.  I would rather buy locally and cook the food myself, then you know exactly what is in it.  But to each his own.

Zack and I contact-cemented the Formica on the other two countertops, but we haven’t done the backsplashes yet. The next day Zack didn’t show up, so as Lauri needed to go south near the Conroe Outlet Mall to pay a bill that she had forgotten, I picked her up.  I went to the “L’Eggs, Hanes, Playtex” store in the Outlet Mall and was measured and fitted for some new bras.  Just hadn’t taken the time to do that for quite a while.  Wow, how clothes have gone up in price!  Lauri wandered around the really upscale second hand store “Jazzy Junque” next door.  They have some lovely things, mostly furniture, and the proceeds are for handicapped kids.

I knew that I wanted to go to the Conroe church again to see Diane, and hopefully, her husband Les, as it was “Father’s Potluck”, but he still wasn’t feeling well.  They have been having troubles, and I hoped that going to church might help them.  He is the super-duper hero who fixes the computers free for the folks at the Willis church.  For the potluck, as I am fighting for room in my fridge’s freezer, I took out several containers of already-cooked food, mostly veggies and some rice, thawed it all out in a big pot on the stove. That concoction, with a few added spices, became Dirty Rice and was put in two crock pots, one for each church again.  I don’t spend much on groceries, but I just seem to have an abundance of food all the time, so I might as well share it.  Lauri needed a ride to my usual Willis church before I went in the other direction to the Conroe church, so I dropped her, and a crockpot, off.

At the Conroe church, Diane’s grandchildren stayed in the nursery while we studied out of the Beth Moore book again.  That didn’t quite make sense to me as Beth Moore is a Sunday preacher, and this is a Sabbath keeping church, just like Jesus went to.  Then the service with the singing, announcements, prayers, more singing and the Message which was about Romans 5. “The Benefits of the Gospel of Christ”, and closing prayers. 

At the Father’s Potluck there were pictures of some of the men when they were young strung on a line and numbered.  We had to guess who was who!  All the food was great and it was so nice to reconnect with old friends.  Then I drove back to Willis church to pick up Lauri and take her home.  Hopefully she will get her TX Driver’s License on Monday.

It was a good thing that I had made some room in my fridge’s freezer, my little deep freeze suddenly stopped freezing.  I caught it before any of the meat defrosted, but some of the frozen veggies got soft, so I cooked them in my big pot.  I had to crank up my little 2-door counter-height fridge, turn it up all the way, packed it full, and just hoped that it can cope.   Now there are towels and bins catching the water from the defrosting deep freeze.  When that is done, I will turn it on again and take it’s temperature.  I have had it many years, so I hope it isn’t ready to retire.

Zack and I tried to get some more stuff sorted out for donating, selling or just chucking out today.

Sunday, July 8, 2018

A Thanksgiving Blog in July? “If I Were The Devil”. Update.

For Scripture Sunday”:

A Thanksgiving Blog in June?  Yes, I am a few days late.

“Should you be thankful only at Thanksgiving?

Thanksgiving Day for the U.S. is still months away, which means almost no one is thinking about turkeys or pilgrims. But is thankfulness still on our radar?

A Thanksgiving Blog in June?Maybe, Here’s how to write a Thanksgiving blog:

  1. Wait until a few days before Thanksgiving.
  2. Write about how being thankful is important all year long.
  3. Never write about thankfulness again until the same time next year.

At least, that’s how I usually handle it. It’s something of a tradition here in America to spend the time leading up to Thanksgiving talking about how important it is to be thankful every day of the year—and then almost immediately forget about it after the fourth Thursday in November.

So here we are. It’s June. Thanksgiving for the U.S. is a little under half a year away. Let’s throw tradition out the window and do what we don’t normally do this time of the year.

Let’s talk about thankfulness.

Intentionally thankful

The thing about thankfulness is that it’s much like a muscle. Sure, you might use it reflexively or instinctively from time to time, but if you really want to strengthen it, it’s going to take exercise.

A long-distance runner doesn’t increase his stamina just by deciding to have more stamina. He trains. He has a plan. He pushes his body through a difficult training regimen with the goal of building his endurance.

Thankfulness isn’t all that different. We don’t get better at thankfulness by just deciding to be better at it. We have to train too. We have to have a plan. We have to push ourselves to be thankful in situations where it doesn’t come naturally.

An exercise routine

Here’s a simple exercise to get you started:

Grab a piece of paper and list five things you’re thankful for.

No, seriously—try it. Complaining is easy, and it’s what a lot of us default to. Listing—physically writing down—the things we’re grateful for forces us to shift our focus to the positives instead of the negatives.

It’s more important than ever that Christians practice being thankful year-round—even during the difficult times when it doesn’t feel like we have much to be thankful for.Got your five? Great. Now list five things you take for granted.

That’s a little more difficult, isn’t it? It means taking a minute to figure out what blessings in our lives we might be overlooking or underappreciating. Some of those underappreciated blessings might even be sitting there on your first list—or maybe you’ll have to dig a little deeper to uncover them.”  Continued at:

https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/blog/a-thanksgiving-blog-in-june/?

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Update.

Zack and I rolled the new canvas roof on the 10 x 20’ garage/storage tent, but it didn’t fit quite right. I had made sure that I had bought the one that is for a MAX Shelterlogic which has the 2” posts and is very sturdy.  I’ll have to talk to the company.

One day it was raining and miserable all day so we spent the morning measuring, cutting and cementing the Formica banding on the other two countertops in the mini-house.  The main counters, the ones with the sink and stove are already done.  The other two are the counter at the back of the kitchen where all the outlets are, for coffee-maker, juicer, crock pots, etc, and the counter that is under the pass-thru.  We didn’t get it finished though, so the Formica tops and back splashes will be done another day. 

As she hasn’t got her license yet, I took Lauri shopping in Conroe to the health food store where she buys those green hockey pucks that she lives on, if you can call that living!  It would be alright if she would eat some live food too, but she won’t.  I have offered her fresh organic food, but she won’t eat it.  It is a shame when a young woman is so weak that she has to ride an electric cart at the grocery store and thinks that she is OK.  I look forward to the extra exercise of walking all around the store in the air conditioning!

On Friday, getting ready to go to a different, larger church this week, as I still had a lot of the Yukon Gold potatoes, I made another big batch of the smashed ones for the monthly potluck at the Church of God in Conroe.  This time I doused them with Parmesan, and also cooked some cabbage with tomato and onion.  When I arrived on Saturday morning I found out that they weren’t going to have the potluck this week, it was postponed until next Sabbath due to a wedding. So my crockpots were put in one of their lovely big stainless fridges in the beautiful enormous fancy kitchen. I haven’t been to that church for ages, and it was so good to see familiar faces who remembered me, too.

Diane often goes there, and sometimes comes to my regular church on FM 1097 was there so we went to Bible Study together.  It was out of a study book by Beth Moore.  Diane’s grandchildren went to the children’s Bible study.   The message was “Father Abraham Has Many Sons..” given by the pastor.  This church has a lot of seniors, people more my age, and I felt at home there.  The husband of a lady with whom I used to chat has passed on, so she is now living with her son, and the lady who I used to sit next to, has passed, so I left her space empty in respect.  Her daughter has a beautiful voice that can be heard all over the church.  They have different praise (music) teams taking turns each week, and this time a man was playing a zither.

But what to do with all the food?  If I took the crock pots to my regular church on FM 1097 they wouldn’t get hot enough in time as it is a morning service.  So I went straight to the Church of God, Willis on FM 830, as they have their service and weekly potluck in the afternoon.  When I got there I plugged in my pots in another lovely kitchen and was in time for part of their Bible study.  Then the service and the Message which was “Standing Firm” and it was about Paul Harvey’s video “If I were The Devil….”  The sermon was quite interesting.

If I were the devil . . .

“I would gain control of the most powerful nation in the world;

“I would delude their minds into thinking that they had come from man’s effort, instead of God’s blessings;

“I would promote an attitude of loving things and using people, instead of the other way around;

“I would dupe entire states into relying on gambling for their state revenue;

“I would convince people that character is not an issue when it comes to leadership;

“I would make it legal to take the life of unborn babies;

“I would make it socially acceptable to take one’s own life, and invent machines to make it convenient;

“I would cheapen human life as much as possible so that the life of animals are valued more than human beings;

“I would take God out of the schools, where even the mention of His name was grounds for a lawsuit;

“I would come up with drugs that sedate the mind and target the young, and I would get sports heroes to advertise them;

“I would get control of the media, so that every night I could pollute the mind of every family member for my agenda;

“I would attack the family, the backbone of any nation.

“I would make divorce acceptable and easy, even fashionable. If the family crumbles, so does the nation;

“I would compel people to express their most depraved fantasies on canvas and movie screens, and I would call it art;

“I would convince the world that people are born homosexuals, and that their lifestyles should be accepted and marveled;

“I would convince the people that right and wrong are determined by a few who call themselves authorities and refer to their agenda as politically correct;

“I would persuade people that the church is irrelevant and out of date, and the Bible is for the naive;

“I would dull the minds of Christians, and make them believe that prayer is not important, and that faithfulness and obedience are optional;

“I guess I would leave things pretty much the way they are.” 

This has been re-vamped over the years from Paul Harvey’s original one, but it still means the same.   My Cheesy Smashed Yukon Potatoes were a big hit, but no one ate much cabbage.  There were so many tasty dishes to choose from, mostly with a Mexican theme, that it kinda got put in the background.  This congregation in Willis has a lot of children and more on the way, so it isn’t quite so peaceful for talking at the dinner table.  All the children are really quiet during the service, so they ‘let go’ once they are in the dining hall.  Kids will be kids!

I managed to stay dry even with all the driving, on that cooler and rainy Sabbath day.

Sunday, July 1, 2018

A Lesson From Kate Spade. 3 Things You Should Expect From Your Church. Update.

For “Scripture Sunday”:

A Lesson From Kate Spade

“Recent news of Kate Spade’s death showed that the perception and reality of her life were quite different. How might her death help us evaluate our own lives?

“I own a Kate Spade watch. It is a simple, elegant gold watch—an iconic representation of the brand.

I received the watch as a gift several months ago. But this watch is no longer just a fashionable, functional accessory. It now symbolizes a vivid, constant reminder of a critical understanding.

A tragic death

Designer Kate Spade was found dead in her Manhattan apartment on June 5, 2018, at the age of 55. She left behind her husband and a teenage daughter, as well as numerous friends and family. Soon after she was discovered, her death was confirmed to be a suicide. Her death at her own hand left her loved ones and her fans reeling, while social activist groups responded with campaigns addressing suicide risk awareness.

Kate Spade’s death matters. It especially matters because of the impact that remains forever on her husband, daughter, family, friends and fans. However, consider another reason why her death matters.

Perception and reality

In the letters to the seven churches, Christ, through John, said to Laodicea: “For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked” (Revelation 3:17, English Standard Version).

Kate Spade seemed to have it all—a fashion empire, a successful spouse, a beautiful daughter. But she was also ill. Friends and family have told the media that she suffered with depression and mental illness. Kate Spade, as perceived by everyone around her, was rich. But, deep inside, she was actually wrestling with depression.

The story of Kate Spade’s life and death shows just how vastly different perception and reality can be, similar to how Laodicea’s perception and reality were so vastly different.

Let’s use the wake of her death as a reminder of the need to ask ourselves, and to ask God in prayer, whether our perception individually and as a body is indeed reality and whether we are overdue for a serious shift in our physical and spiritual lives.”    For insight into the issue of suicide, read "When Depression Turns Deadly: Understanding Suicide." 

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Insights

     

3 Things You Should Expect From Your Church

“The Feast of Pentecost marks the founding of the one New Testament Church. With so many different churches today, what should you expect from your church? 

3 Things You Should Expect From Your ChurchIn A.D. 31, the Church of God started with the coming of the Holy Spirit on the Feast of Pentecost (Acts 2). The people behind Life, Hope & Truth commemorate that day.

But today, some estimate there are around 30,000 different Christian denominations. It is quite a different situation from the one church started almost 2000 years ago.

With 30,000 different churches come 30,000 different choices. If you’re a person looking for a church home, how can you choose from so many options? How does the Bible suggest you choose? The criteria for determining which church to attend should not be based on internal feelings or comfort zones. Though you should feel comfortable and welcome at church, there are other important criteria to consider when trying to find a spiritual home.

It is important to go back to the early New Testament Church and use its example as your criteria for finding a church. Here are three basic expectations to consider based on the example of the early Church—and these items should be big red flags if they are absent from the church you attend.

You should expect your church to …

1. Encourage you to live by every word of God.

Well, they all do that, don’t they?

Not exactly.

While many denominations speak positively about the Bible and claim their worship and doctrines are based on it, close inspection reveals something quite different. Whether using the “Christ did away with that stuff” catchall or simply putting a different slant on clear biblical instruction, most Christian churches ignore or reject much of the Bible.

  • How many Christian churches encourage their members to keep the annual feasts of God (like Pentecost) and the seventh-day Sabbath created by God (Genesis 2:3; Leviticus 23; Matthew 12:8)? Instead, thousands of churches go to church on Sunday and keep holidays foreign to the Bible.

  • How many Christian churches encourage their members to eat clean meats (Leviticus 11; Deuteronomy 14), instead of meats that are described as “unclean,” “detestable” and “abominations” in the Bible?

  • How many Christian churches encourage their members to pray to the Father in Christ’s name (Matthew 6:6; John 16:23), instead of praying directly to Jesus or even encouraging their members to pray through Mary or saints?

There are many more examples, but hopefully the point is made. Just because a church says it follows biblical instruction doesn’t mean it truly does. It is essential that people search for a church that teaches “every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).

2. Encourage you to continually change your life for the better—even if it makes you uncomfortable.

Of course they all do that, right?

Not exactly.

When we understand that there is a standard called “the truth,” we discover that 30,000 different churches and denominations can’t all be right.Many denominations focus more on a “feel good” message than a message of real change. The ideas of “well, Jesus already paid for my sins” or “you can’t earn salvation” lead to churches in which members are not growing and changing the things they need to change. It’s true that Jesus’ sacrifice paid for our sins and that we can’t earn salvation, but the Bible does show us that God holds us accountable for our thoughts, words and actions, and He expects us to change and grow (Romans 12:2; 14:10-12).

  • Is your church teaching you how to overcome sin in your life (Galatians 5:19-21)?

  • Does your church discourage members from engaging in destructive sin in their lives or does it enable poor behavior (1 Corinthians 5:1-2)?

  • Does your church spend more time on music, testimonials and other activities than giving deep, meaty messages expounding the depth of the Word of God (Hebrews 5:12-14)?

You have the right to expect more of your church. It shouldn’t just be a social club, but rather a place where you really learn to change and grow.”

Continued at: https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/blog/3-things-you-should-expect-from-your-church/

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Update:

A little bit has been accomplished this week.   Zack and I got all the old torn roof down from the 10 x 20’ canvas garage/storage shed.  We cut it up and packed parts of it up in different trash bags, which are feed bags from my friends ranch, and then we will put trash on top.   Just in case the trashman is a stickler about it only being household trash, but I don’t think he is.

At my doctor’s appointment she said that I am doing good, but my cholesterol still isn’t quite down where it should be.  But it is down, so at least that’s good.  I don’t eat fat, and I am very careful what I eat, except when I cheat and eat a couple of chocolate grahams last thing at night. 

The old bungees were all stretched out, so I bought new bungees at Northern Tool, (half the price, same brand) so we installed the new canvas roof, and it was easier than we had anticipated.

My friend Chris, who has the ranch, and I went down to Spring, TX and we ate a really good meal at Katz with the gift certificate that I won for naming a special cage “Kitty Kondo” for the SPCA.

Lauri had said that she wasn’t going to church, then Friday she said that she would.  She still doesn’t have all the papers she needs to get her TX license, so I picked her up. The new TX Driver’s Handbook has to be printed off their site and it took ages for my printer to spit out all 92 pages for her! 

As I didn’t know that Lauri was going to be at the church potluck, I didn’t prepare any special organic food for her.  She says she gets migraines if she doesn’t eat organic, so she ate some freeze dried green hockey pucks that she says are healthy. 

I sliced the pastor’s wife’s turkey breast that I had stored in my deep freeze, then I added a few cooked cranberries and layered it in a oval crockpot. The turkey was served with some of the pastor’s wife’s turkey gravy over it and heated in the crockpot. I made Yukon Gold Smashed potatoes, with olive oil, garlic, rosemary, etc, two big baking sheets of them, and they disappeared as if by magic. 

I hadn’t understood that the pastor’s wife wanted me to cook cornbread stuffing, too.  I thought she was going to do that, because she knows that I don’t do cornbread, and only eat corn if it is non-GMO.  There was quite a bit of turkey left, so she is going to serve it in a Turkey Cornbread Casserole next Sabbath. 

I won’t be there to eat any, as I had made up my mind that I want to drive a little further to a bigger church in Conroe that I used to go to many years ago and see some old friends.  People have a habit of disappearing if you don’t keep track of them, unfortunately some to ‘under the grass’!  I had been pretty shocked to find out how many old faces were missing when I went to that other church on FM 830 in Willis a couple of weeks ago.

The Bible readings were Num. 13:1-15:41, Josh. 2:1-2:24 and Heb.3:7-4:1 and the teaching was about ‘Recognize and Listen to His Voice’.  It’s too cold for me in the church, some people must like it because they keep the AC so cold you could hang meat in there on these really hot days.