I'm Drinking from a Saucer....

.

I went into a great search the other night looking for the song whose chorus begins with that line.

.

Why?
.

'Cause someone gave me a gift and a word of exhortation related to that song once and I had never heard it. I've told many people the story of the teacup, but I had not heard the song. I'll share the song with you at the end of this post, but for now I want to talk to you about the OVERFLOW of Grace that I learned about from this little gift.

.

"... You anoint my head with oil;

my [brimming] cup runs over."
Psalms 23:5b (AMP)

.

In the Amplified version of Psalm 23:5, it says my [brimming] cup runs over. That word translated "runs over" in the Hebrew is rewāyāh. The Complete Words Study Old Testament Dictionary defines rewāyāh as a feminine noun referring to abundance; a state of overflowing. It refers to an overabundance of something. It is used figuratively of the cup of life and blessing from the Lord (Ps. 23:5). It refers to the richness, safety, and blessing of God's deliverance from enemies (Ps. 66:12).

From Vine's there is a Hebrew word translated "to fill" which also indicates this state of overflow: "Mālēʾ (also mālâ) can also mean "to fill up" in an exhaustive sense: "…And the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle" (Exod. 40:34). In this sense an appetite can be "filled up," "satiated," or "satisfied." Male is sometimes used in the sense "coming to an end" or "to be filled up," to the full extent of what is expected.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary gives us this for Psalm 23:5:

23:5. In this verse the scene changes to a banquet hall where a gracious host provides lavish hospitality. Under this imagery the psalmist rejoiced in the Lord’s provision. What was comforting to David was that this was in the presence of his enemies. Despite impending danger, the Lord spread out a table for him, that is, God provided for him.

The image of anointing the head with oil, which was refreshing and soothing, harmonizes with the concept of a gracious host welcoming someone into his home. In view of the table and the oil David knew that his lot in life (his cup) was abundant blessing from the Lord. (emphasis added)

In the Greek, this word found in Vine's dictionary gives me insight into this idea of superabundance.

Strong's Number: Original Word: περισσεία, perisseia
Usage Notes: is translated "overflowing" in Jas. 1:21, RV. See ABUNDANCE, A, No. 2. (Vine's Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words)

Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. ~ James 1:21 (NKJV)

**In this instance it is indicative of the overflow - exceedingly great nature - of wickedness and man's amoral condition rendering him in need of salvation.

Strong's Number: Original Word: ὑπερπερισσεύω, hyperperisseuō
Usage Notes: "to abound more exceedingly," Rom. 5:20, is used in the Middle Voice in 2 Cor. 7:4, RV, "I overflow (with joy)," AV, "I am exceeding (joyful)." See ABUNDANCE, B, No. 2. (Vine's Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words)

Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, ~ Romans 5:20 (NKJV)

** Now I want you to see this. In this passage of Scripture - the word translated abound or abounded three times is two different Greek words. The highlighted word abounded, "But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more," is the Greek Strong's 5248, hyperperisseuō. But the other two words rendered "abound, abounded" are Greek Strong's 4121, pleonazō: defined in Strong's as "from (pleion); to do, make or be more, i.e. increase (transitive or intransitive); by extension to superabound :- abound, abundant, make to increase, have over."

So we can read this Romans 5:20 to say: "Moreover the law entered that the offense might increase, to be made or done more, to superabound or have over (it's way). But where sin increased, was made to be or done more, superabounded or had it's way, grace [increased, was made to be or done more, superabounded or had its way] exceedingly more." (Bold lettering indicates translation taken from definitions provided, emphasis added is mine).

I just have to sit here a minute and take that in!

And if I got back to the Bible Knowledge Commentary to reconcile what I have just stated:

5:20-21. A remaining question in this discussion is, Where does the Mosaic Law fit into all this and why? Paul explained, The Law was added so that the trespass (paraptōma, cf. vv. 15-19) might increase (“abound”). The word “added” should be rendered “came in beside,” for it translates the verb pareisēlthen. Two similar verbs, eisēlthen and diēlthen, were used in verse 12. Galatians 2:4 is the only other place in the New Testament that uses the Greek verb for “came in beside.”

Is the statement in Romans 5:20a a purpose or a result clause? The coming of the Mosaic Law (clearly meant here in light of vv. 13-14) did result in the abounding of “the trespass” (the consequence of any law), but (also in the light of vv. 13-14 and 4:15) the Mosaic Law came in “so that” (purpose) abounding sin might be recognized as abounding trespass.

The result was that where sin increased (lit., “abounded”; cf. 5:20) grace increased all the more (“overflowed superlatively”; cf. “overflow” in v. 15). What a contrast! No matter how great human sin becomes, God’s grace overflows beyond it and abundantly exceeds it. No wonder Paul wrote that God’s grace “is sufficient” (2 Cor. 12:9). God’s goal (hina, so, introduces a purpose clause) is that His grace might reign through righteousness (the righteousness of Christ provided for people) to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Once again Paul spoke of reigning in connection with life. In verse 17 those who received God’s gift “reign in life” through Christ. Here God’s grace is personified as reigning and bringing eternal life.

By the time the Apostle Paul had reached this point he had not only described how God’s provided righteousness is revealed in justification but he also was anticipating how it is to be revealed through regeneration and sanctification.

DID YOU GET THAT? The Law came not just as a set of rules to live by, but to exemplify the overflow of sinfulness in the HUMAN condition. Thus, making us realize our need for God's OVERFLOWING, SUPERABUNDANT and EXCEEDINGLY MORE Grace! Whereever sin has increased or is increasing in the World, God's Grace always increases more!

OH MY THAT IS A REVELATION to build our lives on.

I'm overwhelmed. I mean... Really. I need to get on my knees and type this from the floor because it is so what I have been living out of for the last two or three years, but unable to fully explain until just now.

You see, God's grace is all we need. We don't have to work and earn it. His Word tells us so much about this - David realized that God was all He needed, not just the provider but the Provision Himself. Just as I wrote in the study of the Hebrew name Jehovah Jireh. Living every day totally dependent on God and the power and guidance of His Holy Spirit we have all we need to do all He requires of us through Christ who paid it all. Not some, not on time, but all was paid by grace and receive it by faith.

Living in superabundance is so beautifully expressed in the song from which the title of this post comes... I've included it at the end of this post.

Where sin abounds in my life, grace has the opportunity to abound even more. That is why Jesus said of the woman who anointed His feet with oil that those who have been forgiven much love much - because we give back out of the overflow of the grace that we have received.

"I'm drinkin' from a saucer, 'cause my cup has overflowed." ~ From "Drinking from a Saucer" written by Jimmy Dean

Much to be grateful for this Thanksgiving, may God's blessings truly abound in your life this Holiday Season as you sip from your saucer and may your cup always run over.

Tuesday's In Other Words: Thanks Living for Thanksgiving

Deborah at Chocolate & Coffee is hosting today's "In Other Words" writing challenge. Stop by her place and check us out. For more information about IOW visit Loni at Writing Canvas.

Whatever happens, give thanks,

because it is God's will in Christ Jesus that you do this.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 (God's Word)

.

I have chosen to go back to the original passage that this Scripture is found in because I believe we find several keys to "thanks living." (NOTE: This is a long post, my speciality :o). Please hang on with me until the end.)

.

Shall we take a look?

.

KEYS TO THANKS LIVING:

.

Key 1: Be Happy In Your Faith.

"Be happy [in your faith] and rejoice and be glad-hearted continually (always);" 1 Thessalonians 5:16 (AMP)

.

In the Greek the word chairo is translated "rejoice" in verse 16. It is defined in Strong's Hebrew and Greek Dictionary as "a primary verb; to be “cheer”ful, i.e. calmly happy or well-off; impersonal especially as salutation (on meeting or parting), be well :- farewell, be glad, God speed, greeting, hail, joy (-fully), rejoice.—Strong's Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary"

Vine's demonstrates all the occasion for which one is commended to rejoice in it's definition:

"to rejoice," is most frequently so translated. As to this verb, the following are grounds and occasions for "rejoicing," on the part of believers:

1. in the Lord, (Phil. 3:1; Phil. 4:4)

2. His incarnation, (Luke 1:14)

3. His power, (Luke 13:17)

4. His presence with the Father, (John 14:28)

5. His presence with them, (John 16:22; John 20:20)

6. His ultimate triumph, (John 8:56)

7. hearing the gospel, (Acts 13:48)

8. their salvation, (Acts 8:39)

9. receiving the Lord, (Luke 19:6)

10. their enrollment in Heaven, (Luke 10:20)

11. their liberty in Christ, (Acts 15:31)

12. their hope, (Rom. 12:12) (cp. Rom. 5:2; Rev. 19:7)

13. their prospect of reward, (Matt. 5:12)

14. the obedience and godly conduct of fellow believers, (Rom. 16:19, RV, "I rejoice" (AV, "I am glad") 2 Cor. 7:7, 9; 2 Cor. 13:9; Col. 2:5; 1 Thess. 3:9; 2 John 1:4; 3 John 1:3)

15. the proclamation of Christ, (Phil. 1:18)

16. the gospel harvest, (John 4:36)

17. suffering with Christ, (Acts 5:41; 1 Pet. 4:13)

18. suffering in the cause of the gospel, 2 Cor. 13:9 (1st part); Phil. 2:17 (1st part); (Col. 1:24)

19. in persecutions, trials and afflictions, (Matt. 5:12; Luke 6:23; 2 Cor. 6:10)

20. the manifestation of grace, (Acts 11:23)

21. meeting with fellow believers, (1 Cor. 16:17, RV, "I rejoice;" Phil. 2:28)

22. receiving tokens of love and fellowship, (Phil. 4:10; the "rejoicing" of others, Rom. 12:15; 2 Cor. 7:13)

23. learning of the well-being of others, (2 Cor. 7:16.)

(Emphasis and enumeration added)

.

So my question becomes: Do I live happy in my faith in every one of these circumstances. The Bible gives us twenty-three specific instances where we are to be happy in our faith, rejoicing and glad-hearted. I'm good with that list until I get to 17, 18 and 19. I can be thankful for those circumstances, but happy and glad-hearted about them. Not so much. And then the passage gives us the trump card: In the amplified the word is translated "continually" but in the Greek the literal translation is "every when." Which is translated in the KJV: "evermore." Are you Happy and Glad-hearted in your faith always, continually and evermore? As for me, I'm going to have to work on that. Our faith will sustain us - we must realize this to be Thanks Livers.

.

Key 2: PRAY PERSEVERINGLY.

17 Be unceasing in prayer [praying perseveringly];

.

Persevering Prayer. Like the praise and prayer that went up when Paul and Silas were in the prison and the earth shook, the walls broke and the doors clanged open free. Like the prayer that Nehemiah prayed even as he spoke his heart before the king. HMMM!

.

Persevering, prevailing, powerfully unceasing prayer. That is what I think of in this case. Our prayers will give us endurance when we believe by faith we have what we ask for. As I read this and consider how it applies to Thanks Living, I think of Justin's last year of life. I had prayed... prayed... and prayed... even asking God if I was praying for the wrong things. I was given Philippians 1:6 by a friend for Justin and instructed to pray that God would continue and complete the good work that He began in Justin at Salvation - so I did. Night and day, in tears and with the laying on of hands... If you can imagine a way to pray it I did. I prayed it in groups, wrote it into prayer requests, I prayed. But, when fall of 2004 gave way to winter and winter to spring, the roller coaster ride of emotional and behavioral highs and lows went into overdrive.

.

The entire process of watching my oldest child self-destruct up close and personal was not only devestating, it was defeating. But I held on, I prayed harder - if that is possible. I went face down, on my knees and any which way that the Bible indicates to pray. For heaven's sake I would have prayed to the North, South, East and West if I thought it would help God hear my prayers. I was more than desperate - I needed a lifeline for me and my son.

.

Beth Moore's "Living Beyond Yourself" was on my plate that spring as life spun continually out of control. I was hanging on by a thread. In the lesson one night was a representational response to prayer: the instruction was to write our most ardent prayer request, the one we take continually before the Lord, on an index card. I didn't even have to think: "JUSTIN." That was all I wrote.

.

The next part, thank Him for the answer by faith in advance. ... O...kay. I lifted my index card to heaven and thanked God for hearing those prayers I had offered for my son, and acting on them providing the answers in His perfect time. The conclusion: Each time I felt the burden to pray for that request, thank God for the coming answer instead. And I did...

.

After we had him arrested, I thanked God all the more.

.

When he ran away, I thanked God all the more.

.

When the police were at our house, I thanked God all the more.

.

Sitting outside the justice's chamber while my son sat a bench away in handcuffs I thanked God all the more.

.

I thanked God and thanked God and thanked Him for my son, his life, the future He promised Justin.

.

I thanked Him for the answer and believed by faith I had what I asked for - and then the accident happened.

.

And in the midst of the almost hour long drive to the hospital not knowing how my son was doing, whether or not he would live or die... I began to pray and praise God all at the same time. I thanked Him my son was still alive and asked only that he remain alive until I get to the hospital. I thanked God for successful surgery, and for the surgeons who operated on him that first night. I thanked Him for getting my son on the helicopter and taking him to the #2 trauma center in North Texas. I thanked Him.

.

On the day my son died I thanked God for having mercy and making it sure. I thanked God for the life of my son and the 17 precious years I had with him. I thanked God. And, somehow on that day when I could not thank God for the financial blessing of an insurance check - I asked, "How is Justin dying a part of you blessing us? God, I don't understand." Philippians 1:6 began to roll around in my head, dusting off the corners of my memory and resurrecting that faith that prayed it all those months before. I heard in my spirit that day, "It is not the money, but that Justin is now Complete. He was made perfect the day he came home to heaven." And I praised Him through tears and through anguish I praised Him for every detail of my grief until today I can count myself blessed for the privilege of suffering in this way, for knowing the heart of God through agony and for seeing His hand in spite of the pain. Thanks living...

.

Key 3: Thank God In EVERYTHING No Matter What The Circumstances May Be.

18 Thank [God] in everything [no matter what the circumstances may be, be thankful and give thanks], for this is the will of God for you [who are] in Christ Jesus [the Revealer and Mediator of that will].

.

Before my son's last few years of life, before that deep relationship with God was built... I don't think I knew what it meant to be thankful. I was grateful for things that benefited me and despised experiences that did not.

.

When Justin's life went beyond my ability to control, manage and define it... I had to depend utterly and solely on God for the well-being of my child. Then I became grateful for the smallest victories and even for the lessons learned in the most agonizing defeats. The war was fought long and hard and in unconventional ways. It hurt, spiritually I felt like our entire family must have bled out (spiritually) a few times, but somehow God sustained us and even now the good outweighs the bad in those volatile and turbulent years.

.

Cultivating Gratitude in the smaller battle made my heart able to rejoice, to be not just grateful but truly THANKFUL (not just going through the motions of thanksgiving but really meaning it from your heart in any and every circumstance), even in spite of the circumstance, and being gracious even as I walked out the death of my child - my worst confessed fear.

.

Key 4: Walk In The Spirit Every Day.

19 Do not quench (suppress or subdue) the [Holy] Spirit;

.

Galatians 5 strikes me always as the Holy Spirit chapter and towards the end of that book you read about life in the flesh versus life in the Spirit. Quenching the Spirit involves any one or all the matters our flesh, (really our soulish behavior demonstrates). This is behavior driven by our pre-salvation will and desires, our unchecked emotions and our intellectual minds.

.

Living by the Spirit is a conscious choice to stay vitally connected to the Lord at all times. It means not letting sin go unchecked, but being intentional in confession. Naming sins rather than blanket confessing them, and then appropriating the forgiveness God has already settled our accounts with. Confession is one of the most freeing things in our Christian walk, because it reopens the door between us and God and allows the Spirit to flow unhindered into our hearts, our souls and our minds. The Spirit of God is the only way God administeres the Freedom that Christ came to deliver to us as His children. We must seek to walk in the Spirit everyday.

.

Key 5: It Doesn't Depend On Me.

20 Do not spurn the gifts and utterances of the prophets [do not depreciate prophetic revelations nor despise inspired instruction or exhortation or warning].

.

Despising things we don't understand is a huge way to quench the Spirit. Knowing that the gifts and call of the Lord do not rest upon my understanding of them frees me from judgments and calloused behavior toward Christians of different denominations. It also gives me understanding of limitations and the guiding of the Holy Spirit and the call of God. I am not advocating here the gifts of prophecy and "utterances" (speaking gifts) - I recognize that we each must come to our own understanding of the administration of the giftings in the New Testament and the call of God upon our individual lives.

.

My personal preferences and opinions matter little when weighed against the infallibility of God's Word. Even if I do not cognitively agree with or prefer the teacher who is speaking on a matter of Scripture, I can be like the Bereans and examine everything against what I know to be true, God's Written Word - the Holy Bible - and ask the Holy Spirit to give me wisdom in discerning whether what I am engaging is of Him or of something else.

.

It is our responsibility not to base our assessment of God's calling, giftings and Scripture circumspectly on the teachings of other men, no matter how credentialled or scholarly - we must test it all which brings me to Key 6.

.

Key 6: We Must Prove ALL Things Against God's Standard - His Word. Holding Fast only to what His Standard says is GOOD.

21 But test and prove all things [until you can recognize] what is good; [to that] hold fast.

.

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. ~ 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NKJV)

.

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. ~ 2 Timothy 2:15 (NIV)

.

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. ~ Romans 12:2 (NKJV)

.

These three Scriptures indicate a personal relationship that involves more than submitting yourself to the teachers of the Word you subscribe to. It indicates a personal relationship born of meting out the Word of God for yourself. Comparing what you are taught with what is true and discarding anything that does not resonate with the Word of God itself, regardless of whether the one teaching has authority and credentials. It doesn't mean tearing down another's ministry, but it does mean not staking your sole response to God and His Word on the teaching and reliability of human interpretation. We must be groomed for godliness and that comes from God's Word, taught, caught and applied.

.

Key 7: Avoid Willful Sin And Flee Temptation.

22 Abstain from evil [shrink from it and keep aloof from it] in whatever form or whatever kind it may be.

.

We are to be innocent of evil and experts in what is good. How can we know that ourselves if we never ever open God's Word and discern from it what His Will is? There are more than ten standards of "Hebrew Law." All of Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy overview and outline the extent and the consequence of God's Law. But, what of the Law of Grace, and atonement. How do we avoid the sin of pride and piety that so plagued the Pharisees in Jesus' day. By exercising mercy toward others who are caught in sin - love the sinner, hate the sin and applying any judgment or measure of justice we deem necessary to absolve sin toward ourselves... then CONFESS IT to God in humility and ask Him to make you contrite and repentent over your sin.

.

""Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. 3 And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye'; and look, a plank is in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." ~ Matthew 7:1-5 (NKJV)

.

Galatians 6:1 says it this way: "Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. 2 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. 5 For each one shall bear his own load. " ~ Galatians 6:1-5 (NKJV)

.

And for good measure, here is the word I love: "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, and to love kindness and mercy, and to humble yourself and walk humbly with your God?" ~ Micah 6:8 (AMP)

.

Key 8: Be Set Apart, Sanctified by God Himself.

23 And may the God of peace Himself sanctify you through and through [separate you from profane things, make you pure and wholly consecrated to God]; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved sound and complete [and found] blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah).

.

Santification has its work in setting us apart when we submit ourselves fully to God through Salvation, Confession, Repentence, Discipleship or Instruction, Ministry and Relationship or Fellowship with both God and His People. He finds us blameless when we surrender ourselves and allow ourselves to be cloaked in the righteousness of Christ for in and of ourselves there is none righteous, no not one. Only Christ who gave Himself to be righteousness for us and in turn made us His righteousness before God. His righteousness preserves us blameless before the Lord. Be sanctified, set apart for the purposes of God through and through.

.

Key 9: Trust God To Finish The Work In You. (See Also Philippians 1:6)

24 Faithful is He Who is calling you [to Himself] and utterly trustworthy, and He will also do it [fulfill His call by hallowing and keeping you].
.

He alone is faithful and trustworthy to finish all that He has called us to, all He has gifted us for and anything and everything in between. It doesn't depend on you - It all depends on Him.

In conclusion I would like to reaffirm Romans 12:1-3:

.

Brothers and sisters, in view of all we have just shared about God's compassion, I encourage you to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, dedicated to God and pleasing to him. This kind of worship is appropriate for you. 2 Don't become like the people of this world. Instead, change the way you think. Then you will always be able to determine what God really wants—what is good, pleasing, and perfect. 3 Because of the kindness that God has shown me, I ask you not to think of yourselves more highly than you should. Instead, your thoughts should lead you to use good judgment based on what God has given each of you as believers. (God's Word)

Businesses Closing, Gift Card Alerts... Just FYI

Use the following information at your own discretion and pass it along if you feel it is warranted:

.

I got out of the habit of forwarding lots of emails I get in the old inbox because I would often get a reply back from my brother with an "urban legend" note debunking the email I had forwarded.

.

Well, SNOPES is a great place to check out emails. They are pretty reliable and up to date with their information. I found the following links regarding emails about store closings and gift card alerts that I thought would be useful to those of you who might be interested:

.

Stores Closing by the End of 2008

.

Gift Card Alert Emails

.

I am publishing this post for this reason: A number of the stores on this list may be in the process of closing underproducing stores, but are by no means near bankruptcy or going out of business. The disservice of this email is dissuading people from making purchases at some of these stores who are still in operation and honoring their gift cards.

.

I also want to say that a lot of disinformation unintentionally gets circulated by well meaning people who don't know that the information is somehow inaccurate. That is why I use snopes. I also got tired of the replies from my much wiser, techno-savvy brother.

.

In both instances where I received emails about the store closings and gift card issue the following email arrived in my inbox:

.

I wanted to give everyone a heads up that if you tend to give gift cards around the holidays, you need to be careful that the cards will be honored after the holidays. Stores that are planning to close after Christmas are still selling the cards through the holidays even though the cards will be worthless January 1. There is no law preventing them from doing this. On the contrary, it is referred to as 'Bankruptcy Planning').

.

Below is a partial list of stores that you need to be cautious about.

.

Circuit City (filed Chapter 11)

Ann Taylor- 117 stores nationwide closing

Lane Bryant, Fashion Bug ,and Catherine's to close 150 stores nationwide

Eddie Bauer to close stores 27 stores and more after January

Cache will close all stores

Talbots closing down specialty stores

J. Jill closing all stores (owned by Talbots)

Pacific Sunwear (also own ed by Talbots)

GAP closing 85 stores

Footlocker closing 140 stores more to close after January

Wickes Furniture closing down

Levitz closing down remaining stores

Bombay closing remaining stores

Zales closing down 82 stores and 105 after January

Whitehall closing all stores

Piercing Pagoda closing all stores

Disney closing 98 stores and will close more after January

Home Depot closing 15 stores 1 in NJ ( New Brunswick )

Macys to close 9 stores after January

Linens and Things closing all stores

Movie Galley Closing all stores

Pep Boys Closing 33 stores

Sprint/Nextel closing 133 stores

JC Penney closing a number of stores after January

Ethan Allen closing down 12 stores

Wilson Leather closing down all stores

Sharper Image closing down all stores

K B Toys closing 356 stores

Loews to close down some stores

Dillard's to close some stores

.

Most of the information I have read is that store closing do not indicate financial distress and could be related to the opening of other stores. Chapter 11 bankruptcy is reorganization and closing of the business is not inevitable. When buying gift cards it would be wise to ask the customer service rep about the conditions that apply to the cards and expiration dates, but other than that you should be able to check store websites and determine whether or not stores are staying in business or honoring their gift cards. Snopes was last updated on store closings on November 22nd and usually tries to confirm information with the companies listed before making posts.

.

This is just FYI, we are all called to be good stewards, but not buying gift cards at businesses for fear they are closing when it might not be true would be a great disservice to the economy, the businesses and the consumer. I checked it out because Lane Bryant is one of my favorite stores - though I only shop the clearance rack... Well, except for their lingerie - there are certain products in their line that are the only ones I can buy and if that is TMI... I'm so, so sorry. (Cache, by the way, is a part of Lane Bryant stores). CORRECTION: Cacique is part of Lane Bryant... Cache is not! YIKES! I always get them mixed up when reading. Sorry - see what I mean about well intended people unintentionally giving out misinformation? I'm guilty of my own remark, many apologies. ;o)

.

On the flip side, my parents bought furniture from Levitz before they began liquidation in 2007. They had some issues with product quality and were looking for Levitz to guarantee their purchase per their agreement. They were not accomodated and stuck with defective merchandise. Caution is warranted, but when you are getting a deal in a store closing situation it might be beneficial to note you are getting what you pay for... and sometimes that includes a NO MONEY BACK GUARANTEE! Let the buyer beware.

.

(P.S. Washington Mutual was in distress, but it was not until a misguided political official announced publicly that it was in financial trouble and they were closing their doors that a run on the bank put them out of business. This kind of information is a disservice and can have huge, tragic consequences. Have you seen the stock market lately?)

TAG! You're IT!

My friend SUSAN at "Forever His" tagged me today with a game of "Six Random Things About Me!" So... Here are the rules as I choose to play along:
.
1) Link to the person who tagged you.
2) Post the rules on your blog (copy and paste 1-6).
3) Write 6 random things about yourself.
4) Tag 6 people at the end of your post and link to them.
5) Let each person know they have been tagged and leave a comment on their blog.
6) Let the tagger know when your entry is up.
.
MY SIX RANDOM THINGS:

1. Apparently my husband and I have gotten funnier with age. I have never thought of myself as particularly funny, but then the other night my daughter and her best friend were here and I had them in stitches - so I receive that ... The older I get the funnier I get.

2. I love to sing. When I was growing up I wanted to be LORETTA LYNN. No kidding. My first opportunity to sing in front of anyone was Karoke in a bar! GO Figure. I sang "Walking After Midnight," really loud and really off key. Picture Cameron Diaz in "My Best Friend's Wedding" and you would have a pretty good idea of what I sounded like! A few months later a friend and I tackled "CRAZY" and that went over really big... Not a note off key. These days I sing worship to God... and I love demonstrative worship, the more charismatic the better. Singing and dancing before the Lord, making a joyful noise - I am all about that!

3. I want to buy an old farm house and restore the whole thing. I also wouldn't mind buying and rebuilding/restoring a 1968 Ford Mustang. I want to learn to do these things myself. I just do!

4. My hair has not officially been its natural color since 2001!

5. I just might officially be a Word Study Geek and Commentary Nerd. I love me some good commentary and the deeper the Word study in that Bible of mine I can go the happier I am.

6. Yesterday I told my daughter that I was really a skinny woman in a larger woman's body... Cause I just don't feel XX LARGE most of the time. (Must be that love I have for sweets working on me.)

And that is the six randoms things about me.

Here are my six tagged friends:

LORA

PATRICIA

YOLANDA

ESTHERMAY

GAYLE

CINDY

Do you ever grow weary...

Today I opened a wonderful email from a woman in Sierra Leone. She wanted to give me $17 million dollars but I have to jump through a few hoops and fork over my own cash to get this money.

I am so weary of every other day finding one of these "SCAM-O-RAMAs" in my inbox. I am so tired of terrorists using my Lord's name to solicite such fraud and I am so tired of feeling like all I can do is delete the email.

I looked up 419 Fraud Scams and found that some of them are now being written in the names of United States Military soldiers.

We are not fools, if you are a scam artist involved in a 419 Scam reading this: Please know that I am praying that God would bring your heart to repentence, your endeavors to an end and that You will discover the true Gospel and the charity of a God who gave so much for us that all we should do is honor Him with all of our gifts.

To those who have not yet received a dubious fraud email... Please do not respond. They don't read your replies anyway.

Blessings.

Christmas Giveaways... Sign Up Ends on November 28th

The Five Minutes for Mom Blog is hosting a Christmas giveaway:

Check it by using the link below or clicking on the link in my sidebar!

Its easy to register and the giveaway has some awesome stuff for the Holiday season...

Giving Thanks at Thanksgiving

.Heather has invited us to join her this week in sharing our testimonies of thanksgiving in honor of God's Work in our lives and giving Him the glory as a result. Visit Heather HERE if you would like to know more about this opportunity or read the testimony of others who have made the journey with God and give Him the glory.

------------------------------------------------------------------

My story begins 38 years ago. I was born the eldest of three children born to a civil servant and a stay at home mom. Both had been raised during the World War II era when Judeo-Christian values reigned, mothers often stayed home rather than worked in the marketplace and fathers were left to provide for their families. Both of my parents came from nominally Christian homes and both came to a saving relationship with Christ while children. However, wounds from their experiences with the church and life itself had left them broken and confused. My mother, though, had a strong desire to go to church and she and my father found a church home in Houston, Texas. Under the exegetical teachings of R. B. Theime, Jr. both of my parents found a personal relationship with Christ.

.

These days Mr. Theime is in his 90s and suffering from Alhzeimer's but in the 50s and 60s he was a man considered to be ahead of his time in teaching from the Greek and Hebrew in his pulpit each week. With a strong military history and deep desire to see others know the Word - he taught from his heart in a militaristic and no-nonsense style. His teachings have left something to be desired for some in the Christian community, but for my parents it was a lifeline to God.

.

My first visits to a church nursery were right there in Berachah Church. (You can read more about this pastor HERE.) After moving from Houston in 1972, my parents began to attend Wautaga Baptist Church where I had my first "God Encounter." One night at the end of a week long revival my parents attended the service. With no child care that night, I accompanied my parents to the gymnasium where aluminum chairs had been set up for the service. My father deposited me in all my frills and lace into the aluminum chair between he and my mother as they stood on either side and visited with the assembling congregants.

.

A few minutes later the pastor of the church, Gaylan Riddle, began to work his way up the center aisle to the front of the church.

.

My three year old mind had been involved in Sunday school just long enough to give me a good idea of who God might be, and, my father adds, what he might have looked like. Pastor Riddle began to ascend the stairs to the stage where the pulpit was located when I caught sight of him.

.

He stood towering at more than six feet over the crowd with a strong appearance from his Native American heritage. His receding dark hair was just turning gray at the temples an his veins had the tendency to bulge slightly when he delivered the Gospel message. As he rose to his place on the stage, the gathering crowd grew quiet and began to take their seats.

.

About this time, the epiphany landed fully on me as I stuck out my chubby little finger and declared for all to hear, "Look Daddy! There's God." Of course, this sent the entire room into a fit of raucous laughter, and mortified my father who had been raised to believe children were much more blessed to be seen and not heard.

.

He sat me down abruptly and through clenched teeth said, "Now, you sit right here, and don't you say another word."

.

Crocodile tears formed in my dark brown eyes as my little heart broke in two. I had been so proud of my assumption and wanted my daddy to be proud of me, too. So as the crowd settled down again and my father regained his composure I turned my tear stained face up to him and my voice resounded as I said, "But Daddy, I want to see God, too."

.

My father recalls feeling about an inch high at that moment. And my life seems to be driven by that one recognition from a three year old mind: Surely there is a God and if there is a God then I want to know who He is.

.

I don't recall a time in my life when I was not absolutely certain God existed, however, I had mixed up ideas about Him. My penchant for fear of authority made me believe that God was huge, largely unconcerned with the petty and problematic nature of my life and well... He was far, far from me.

.

We had bounced from church to church after moving to the Dallas/Fort Worth area when I was toddler. My father never quite finding a place that satisfied his need for the deep expository teachings he had received in Houston, and my mother not wanting to branch out on her own. My younger brother and I soon landed in the Church of Christ in Granbury, Texas after our family moved there in the mid-70s to build a home. We road the Joy Bus, sang songs about God and got the prize! Candy and Sodas were promised and delivered each week as we made the fifteen mile ride into church on the big yellow bus. We attended Sunday School, church services and occasionally Vacation Bible School. And seeds were planted in those early days.

.

My parents visited a few churches in the area, but nothing fit the bill so they returned us home to listen to the exegetical teachings of their pastor in Houston and we continued to grow up. By the early 80s traveling evangelist often made the circuit to middle and high schools where they offered the students pizza and fun if they would attend the week's youth service that night. I attended with my friends and found the environment appealing. I even knew a few kids who regularly attended the churches we visited, but I didn't know much about God. However, in 1982, my parents began to take us to Grace Bible Church near our home. The small five room stone church was led by a young seminary graduate whose expository teaching was not quite the exegetical style of Pastor Thieme, but was also not the lacking milk-toast sermons my father had refuted in other churches. We settled down to stay a while. I became involved in the youth ministry there and attended Christian concerts, swim parties and youth fellowship activities at Six Flags and Wet-N-Wild. It was during our first year at Grace that I had a revelation one day during the worship message. I needed Christ as my Lord and Savior.

.

I shared this with my parents on our way home that day and they called the pastor who brought the elders and youth minister over that week to speak with me about my decision. They left me with some Scriptures and questions to answer promising to return in a week. At age twelve, I was a mediocre student at best. I remember thinking that I might not pass the test - and then what?

.

But thankfully when the week had passed and I presented my answers the elders had the assurance and right there in our family living room with the elders of my church and my parents present I prayed to receive Christ as my Savior. I was baptized a few weeks later on a cold, rainy October morning after an all night sleepover with friends. It was a glorious time. We continued to attend there until a church split over the pastor's marital problems left my parents disgruntled and disillusioned with the church at large. We never darkened the doors of a church as a family again.

.

With my new found Salvation, I longed to know more but understood very little of what I was being taught by tape each night at home. My father bought commentaries and hosted discussions, but nothing really stuck to me - so to speak.

.

Things at home had always been turbulent and my mother had high expectations and low tolerance for my strong-willed attitudes. I grew up hearing stories of how my birth had nearly cost my mother her life, given her high blood pressure - well, and by the time I was an adolescent, I was often in full blown rebellion. I was deemed "the Problem Child."

.

My mother had vowed in her heart that her children would never suffer lack or need the way she had as a child - and she was the most over-protective, intuitive mother when it came to these issues. My lack of compliance with her ideas left her at a loss of what to do with me, and so I was often disciplined, believed I was hated and uncertain of what to do to improve the standard. By my teen years, my father was working and driving around 60-70 hours a week and concluding his half a decade building project, our family home. The environment at home was tenuous at best with Momma's reluctant participation in the building project and the usual responsibilities of little league, room mom and raising three children. It was hardly ideal.

.

My father was a strict authoritarian and my mother had a wounded heart from childhood rejection and poverty. The relationship was ripe with contention and strife. Their arguments and volatile relationship spilled over into our lives and left deep wounds that it took years to heal in my life. I grew up with high drama and histrionics that left me with a short temper and a lot of words. I now know my parents did what they knew to do at the time, and meant no harm to each other or their children. Yet, life was what it was and I had a deep father love hunger and a root of fear buried so deep in my soul I lived out of it until just a couple of years ago.

.

I had an illegitimate child, my son, at age seventeen which left my mother further disillusioned with me and went on to marry the first guy who came along and paid attention. Our relationship was full of high drama and violence. My passion and his anger often did not mix and the end result was broken walls and at times a blow landing my way. I was classic battered woman, he was classic abused child from a broken home. We had two more children, my beautiful, gracious and glorious girls, in our three and a half years of marriage before I left after a final bout of blows. We tried to reconcile but a few months later we were on our way to divorce court and I was on my way to the desert. My prodigal journey began.

.

During our last year of marriage we met a seminary couple who began an apartment ministry where we lived. I began to attend Bible study and teach the children at the weekly service. It was a joy to me, and the first opportunity I ever had to publicly share my testimony. Leaving there, left me at a continued loss for God and the desire I had to know Him more. I read the Bible I had received from the seminary couple, but understood little - still seeds were planted.

.

I spent the next five years in and out of relationships with men, promiscuity and alcohol were my two escapes. I was literally looking for love in all the wrong places, on the wrong side of the law and broke most of the time. I nearly ended up dead as a result of one of those relationshps and after sending my children to live with their father for a year and finally returning home to my folks, I began to task of discovering who I really was. But, without God in the mix - very little came to me during those months of writing and searching and reading. My second husband, Scott, came along in this season.

.

We met in a situation that could have been the tag line for a "Jerry Springer meets Jenny Jones" kind of show, but somehow he stuck and I pretended to be perfect so he wouldn't leave. That didn't last too long, because a person with skeleton's in the closet usually finds that they rattle on out - and so they did. A few months after I was seriously injured in a car accident after leaving a bar, my then fiance learned all the difficult and horrible secrets of my past.

.

I released him that day as he left my house saying, "If you never come back, I would really understand."

.

He said he had to think about things and would let me know. I thought I would never see him again, but I did.

.

He called around midnight that evening to say, "I love you and don't want to live my life without you."

.

We married a few months later and blended two broken families into one. Our children embraced the throws of step-siblings with all the gusto of a backyard brawl. The boys came to blows and the two youngest even slapped and choked at one another. So, with two eldest boys and two youngest girls we had to find a place in the hierarchy of our home for each child. I had visions of Brady Bunch dancing in my head while our five children drew quarters and my middle girl took on the role of "Switzerland." Couple that with battling the exes, custody and support fights and we had a regular old battle royal going on most of the time. But, we stuck together. Crazy and in love are the only two explanations of our marriage's survival in those early days.

.

It was about this time I realized something that threatened to send me packing. My husband not only was not saved, but he had very little idea of who God was or why He was important. I scrambled my brains trying to figure out how I had ended up married to yet another ungodly man and found myself at a loss to explain why it was important that he be a godly man. After all he was a good man.

.

We began visiting churches and landed at a little Baptist church in Rhome by way of an after school program my children attended twice a week. This little church caught my attention and my husband would go to every service with me each week. I told the pastor, "I'm not here for me. I'm here because my husband isn't saved and my children need to know Jesus." God had other plans.

.

Within three months we were actively involved in ministries, with the kids in youth and children's ministry and Taylor a member of the Kids Music and Theater program. We were at rehearsals and getting ready for the big Christmas musical when my husband leaned over one morning to ask, "If I go down there what should I say?"

.

My heart leapt for joy as I advised him to tell the truth, he didn't know what it meant to be saved. He accepted Christ that morning, my praise and worship of God broke free and real change came to our family. Scott was baptized that night before the Christmas musical as my mother and our children and I watched on. All three of my children accepted Christ that winter and were baptized in the Spring.

.

We returned to the desert, bankrupt and in need of a place to live. We moved back in with my parents and lived there for a year. My son's emotional and behavioral problems spun out of control and I took to home-schooling him. Life was hardly ideal but we pressed on. My husband began to turn away from God as we missed church more and more. We tried visiting other churches, but nothing resonated as home so we just waited. I did a Bible study called "Experiencing God" and was encouraged to confess the adultery related to divorce that Scott and I had in our marriage. I did on my part and shared my heart with Scott about it. Within months our relationships with our exes were improving and then we had an unexpected surprise.

.

Scott and I went by the Post Office in Rhome one day - I don't know why we did, but we did. The pastor of our church was there and he told us that he and his wife had been praying for us regularly that God would bring us back to Rhome. I told the pastor I was just praying for God to move us and so we exchanged more pleasantries and went our separate ways.

.

Late that next week, my husband came home and said, "We're going to church on Sunday."

.

I said, "Which church?"
.

He said, "Our church."

.

My heart did a summersault as I felt God was answering our prayers. Within three months of our return to church we moved into an old rent house in Rhome proper. It was owned by the son of a former church member. My heart was overjoyed. Our family had a home again. We settled right back into church and community and family. My son still homeschooled and my daugthers returned to their middle school. Life felt good again. I began to grow and learn and Scott did, too. The kids were thriving at church and even Justin's problems began to settle down. The future was bright.

.

Within a few months of our return we signed up to help with the youth ministry. We had two kids there and both Scott and I felt God leading us in that direction. But, for me, the three service committment meant little time for me to grow and I soon was feeling dry and in need of refreshment. I sought the Pastor's wife for a summer Bible study and we did Beth Moore's "Beloved Disciple" in my little home office each week that summer. By the end she invited me to facilitate a Beth Moore study at the church and so began our women's ministry.

.

I began to thrive in that environment and through the study of His Word, some untimely circumstances, and even a few misguided steps I realized I needed to step out of the role of youth helper and fully embraced my position as the women's ministry leader. And... that is when it happened. My life began to change. God did amazing things in my life and turned my heart, my head and my world upside down.

.

I didn't just want to know Him more, I had to know Him more. I was hungry and had found what satisfied: the deep and tasty meat of His Word. I wrote a few lessons, hosted a conference and served where I could as I could. But in 2005, our lives threatened to unravel again as Justin and his diagnosed ADHD/Bi-Polar Disorder resurfaced with a vengance. It tore at the fabric of our home, left us in fear for him and our other children. We had him arrested, knew most of the police officers in town by name and had to vow not to let the painful realities in our life destroy our marriage or our family.

.

Those two years in Bible study before this season had prepared me for what would come next. The automobile accident that put my son in a coma for eight days and finally called him home. Life has been different, but my faith has been stronger than ever before.

.

Today we are at a new church with new opportunities. Our children are on the cusp of adulthood and living life as teenagers do... with their parents as guard rails and occasional guides. I have written and teach a curriculum on Grief Recovery for grieving moms and love the life we have.

Satan intended from the very beginning of my life to steal, to kill and to destroy any good that God had planned for me. He met me at every turn, and at times I went his way --- but, one thing I know today is this. He did not win.

.

When Justin died, Satan tried to convince me he had killed my son, stolen my faith and destroyed my family, but the truth is this: He didn't kill my son - Justin is safe and alive in heaven. He didn't steal my faith - it is stronger and more real than ever before. He didn't destroy my family - we are thriving and better than we have ever been. Though the road has been long, difficult and riddled with shameful moments, pitfalls and potholes... I wouldn't trade a moment of it to this very day because I know my God is real, His Word is true and that whatever He has promised - no matter how I try to screw it up - He will deliver in the end. His grace, His mercy and His peace abound in my life. And I do love Him so. I am so thankful He never gave up on a wretched and wayward sinner like me for though I have often been lost, now I am found - though I was once spiritually blind, now I can see... His grace washes over me anew every single day.

.

"And the days of your mourning

shall come to an end!"

~ Isaiah 60:20

(my memory)

August 23, 2008

(the third anniversary of Justin's homegoing.)

.

If he did it for me - he will do it for you. Hold on, friends, Hold onto Jesus - He will see you through.

----------------------------------------

I have been asked to include this paragraph from Heather with my post:

.

This week, many of us bloggers have devoted a special post in which we are sharing our personal testimonies of the Lord's work in our lives and/or that of our families. Our collective prayer is that this sharing of our testimonies will not only encourage each other and give Glory to our Lord, but also show the love of Christ to those who happen upon our blogs. To enjoy many more testimonies like the one you've just read please visit us at "Giving Thanks on Thanksgiving."

Tuesday's In Other Words: No Regrets, Just Gratitude

For more information about this writing challenge please visit Loni at Writing Canvas by clicking the link above.

“And I don’t regret the rain,
And the nights I felt the pain,
And the tears I had to cry some
of those times along the way.
Every road I had to take,
Every time my heart would break -
It was just something that I had to get through
To get me to you…”

As sung by Lila McCann,
“To Get Me To You” [Hope Floats Soundtrack]

As Thanksgiving approaches this year, the words to this song resound in my head in so many ways. I had this song played at our wedding ten years ago because I had lived such a rough existence prior to meeting the "love of my life," Scott. He swept in like a knight on a white horse and brought such good things to my life and the lives of my children. But, most of all, he stood by me through thick and thin, loved me unconditionally and overlooked a sordid and ugly past in favor of a future with me. He has willingly taken on the responsibility of my three children and brought to my life the beauty of his own. I was so thankful to be marrying a man like him, and I knew God had brought us together for a reason. I thank God for him everyday.

.

Scott's love made my past worth the journey.

.

WHY?

.

Because I valued it more, and I appreciate him more. He made me want to be a better person and our marriage and his lack of faith drove this family straight into the arms of God. So, I don't regret the rain or the pain or the tears or any of the umpteen million things that happened that made me feel I was "a used up woman with three kids." A broken down mess, damaged goods. Because my story mirrors the redemption of Christ and the adulterous woman. I can love much, because the love I have received has forgiven much and I can tell people who are living where I had lived that there is hope, and future and promise in God's plan for them --- I am living proof.

.

Would I do it differently - maybe, maybe not. I would have done what I knew to do at the time. Now that I know better I can walk forward and leave the past where it belongs, under the blood of Christ, forgiven on the cross where I have confessed my sins to Him, and as far as the east is from the west - remembered no more.

.

Since Justin's death I have learned a new lesson, that life is way too short to live in regret... So I move forward by choice. Living everyday fully, with God and my family and loving every minute of this life He has given me. And, today I can forgive others and remember their sins against me no more... a life lived with NO REGRETS.

.

Thank You Lord Jesus, for dying on the cross for my sins, for redeeming a wretched sinner such as I. Thank You even more for redeeming my past, my tears, my pain and my shame and mending them into a beautiful tapestry that tells the story of Your beautiful grace. I cannot fathom it, and I cannot often see what you see in me, but I am grateful for the journey, the love and the promise you have bestowed upon all who call upon Your name. You are a good God and I for one am thankful you are my God and Your love sees me through. It is in Your sweet name I pray, Amen.

My Absence

I feel like I've neglected this blog forever now. Only finding time to post a few extemporaneous posts about the elections, letters to Presidents and patriotic type stuff. But, God has been working on my heart. And I will be back very soon. I promise.

I've been on my face in prayer a lot, fasting some, and being available for my family as my husband returned from Houston the last week of October! Yea! He is finally home. ;)

Blessings all around. If you stop in leave me a note and let me know what is going on in your world!

Blessings.

The Gift of Understanding

I have had a bit of it. During my tense moments watching the results of last week's elections I sensed in my spirit that God said to me, "Get it all out of your system. You will have to respect him as President." OUCH!

Then I remembered a Scripture God had given me last week before the election. It is a snippet out of 1 Chronicles 28:19 "...the Lord made me understand in writing by His hand upon me..." Oh Glory! Eyes fixed on Jesus, Hearts stayed on His Word, and a Nation stayed by the saving grace of God.

I am reading a book called Releasing the Prophetic Destiny of a Nation a book written by Chuck Pierce and Dutch Sheets. A few years ago they received a call to travel to all 50 states of the nation and pray with intercessors to reveal the destiny of each state. They went to each state twice and this book is the result of that journey. By way of introduction, each man writes a chapter telling how they came to the place where they joined the Lord on this call to travel, prophesy, pray and intercede. In Mr. Pierce's chapter (the second) he includes a quote from Mr. Sheets' book Intercessory Prayer which I felt was just too good not to share it with you today!

"Dutch also says in Intercessory Prayer when discussion Ezekiel 22:
...........God's holiness, integrity, and uncompromising truth prevent Him from simply excusing sin. It must be judged. On the other hand, not only is He holy, but He is also love and His love desires to redeem, to restore, and to show mercy... The passage is clearly saying "While my justice demanded judgment, My love wants forgiveness. Had I been able to find a human to ask Me to spare his people, I could have. It would have allowed Me to show mercy."

In other words, if we do not take our stand, then He ahs to release destruction to bring restoration of His purpose in the earth."

Throughout the Old Testament there is the picture of one or two taking a stand for the multitude. Think of it - Moses interceded on behalf of the nation of Israel when God intended to destroy them for their disobedience.

Daniel stood in prayer with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego for the nation in captivity and for the pagan government that had rule over them. Mordecai and Esther stood for their nation in captivity, Nehemiah stood as well. Over and over again is the picture of one or two standing in the gap for the redemption of many. Will we take that stand?

Stay Focused. Stand on His Word. Pray the Heart of God. Declare the Name of Jesus. And Love them like He does. It is our time and place in history to rise above what we see and speak, live and intercede by faith in every way. Will you stand with me?

Patriotism, Hymns and Faith

Just a reminder that the Spirit of the Founding Father's Vision for this country does live on in our nation today. This video is incredible. Please share it with anyone who will appreciate it, and even a few who won't! Our God is marching on!

The Battle Hymn of the Republic

A Call to Fast and Pray

My Sisters, My friends.

As I have been consumed with interceding on behalf of our nation through this past election season, I have had one thing float up to the surface of my heart - the heart to see change, real and lasting change come to this great nation again!

You know it is easy to get sidelined by an election that did not work out the way we anticipated, expected or planned, but the truth is - God had it planned all along and He is doing this to bring about our good and His glory! Let's stand on that, shall we?

Did anyone hear about California? Yes, the same state that is just blue, blue, blue for the Democrats and has the Gay Marriage Capital of the world in San Francisco spoke out on Tuesday and voted to define marriage in California as between a Man and a Woman.

Did you hear about South Dakota? They sought to outlaw all abortions with a ballot amendment to their state constitution. That amendment failed by some 39,000 or so votes, but THINK of it. It made it to the polls. The amendment would have made all abortions except those in the case of rape, incest and when the woman's life is at risk illegal.

Did you hear about Colorado? They sought to define a person as being alive from the time of "fertilization" which would effectively outlaw abortion in the state. The measure was defeated handly as approval came out in the tens of thousands, and disapproval of the amendment came out in the hundreds of thousands.

Did you hear that the U. S. Senate did not get a filibuster proof majority? While they did gain more seats and will most likely easily pass their sponsored legislation and block any legislation from the right. The idea of a fully governed United States from the Democratic side of the aisle may be a welcome reality check. Should we be praying for the decisions to come? ABSOLUTELY.

After all, what will the 44th President's legacy be if he cannot bring the likes of Pelosi and Reed in off the left fringe wall. I am not being critical here. But in the summer I was watching C-Span as a session of the House of Representatives was under way. (I know, I know. I am a bit of a political junkie.) And these members who get paid 100s of thousands of our hard earned tax dollars per year were - and I'm not even kidding - refusing to have open debate on off shore drilling.

As a matter of fact, the vote was to renew some bill having to do with the Chesapeake Bay Waterway and somehow that tied into off shore drilling and renewable energy resources. A distinguished congresswoman from Michigan got up in the middle of her colleagues on the left refusing to talk about off shore drilling and her colleagues on the right demanding a vote be brought to the floor on the issue to bring relief to the voters and taxpayers in this country... and all she had to say was, "Congratulations, Detroit Red Wings on wining the Stanley Cup...." This congratulatory remark went on for at least five and maybe up to ten minutes. The entire remark about THE DETROIT REDWINGS. I mean, nothing wrong with giving a shout out to you home team, but come on... She did nothing to add to the issues brought to the floor.

Nancy Pelosi, the distinguished speaker from California, stood to say that this country was doing something about the energy crisis. The Democratic Legislators in Congress had gotten a measure approved that allowed them to "file suit" against the members of OPEC. In what court would this suit be enforcable? And, these people already don't like us much, they just tolerate us because we tend to fight their wars without charging them for it. Think of it. What is going on up there on Capital Hill anyway?

The most interesting thing said during the entire two hours or so of debate was from a Republican Congressman (whose name escapes me) he went a detailed explanation of why we should teach "Mother Nature" a lesson and go drill up the millions of gallons of oil that seeps up through the ocean floor each year and put an end to the pollution she is causing with her natural phenomenon. I had to laugh out loud. But to be honest - the Republicans were begging the Democrats to do something for the people of this country and the Democrats would only say, not now. If there is truly to be a healing in the body politic it must start with getting rid of the ridiculous and breaching the great divide of "Us vs. Them." Bi-Partisan? We can only pray.

I am praying that the number of new Washington faces is a trend and this nation learns to vote based on job approval and not based on the side of the aisle their candidate sits on. If they are not working for us, they are not working. If you or I showed up at work and did nothing but argue with our co-workers and produce little... We'd be fired. But, these people are living quite well and doing just that. Let's pray that God would give us wisdom to know who is working to make this country a more perfect union and who seeks His will... and Let's pray for the church to rise up and take her place as her voice is heard among the nations.

Can somebody please explain how they decide who gets what electoral votes? People are moving to Texas in droves, but our votes stay the same? How does that work? Okay... I did some research - the votes are assigned to the states based on the census numbers from the most recent census results. IOW: The 2004 and 2008 elections were assigned based on the 2000 census. There is a great website about the electoral college if you are interested that explains the role of the electoral college and the states who require their electors to vote based on the popular vote and those who have no such requirement. May I just say, Texas, New York and Pennsylvania have no law requiring their electors to vote based on the popular vote, but California, Washington and Oregon do. There is no federal mandate requiring electoral voters to vote based on the popular vote it is left to the states to decide how they want their votes counted.

Now that we have had our civics lesson - are you more enlightened as to how someone could win the popular vote and not the electoral vote? I did not understand it until today, but I knew it would be true. For instance, President Elect Obama beat John McCain by more than double the electoral college votes but he did not have double the number of popular votes. I didn't get that until today. President Elect Obama decidely won both the popular and the electoral vote - but that has not always been the case. Anyway... I'm rambling about the political machine.

Just remember, you must vote - it is a responsibility no matter how the electoral votes sort out. We must be heard - and I believe in respectively two and four years, we will have that very opportunity to approve or disapprove of the job that the new administration and congress will do.

Let's agree to pray, and fast as God directs for this nation and stand for what God's Word says as we turn our hearts and our eyes toward Him in the days ahead. God's speed and blessing to you all.