Snow Trip for the Youth

Playing in the Snow
courtesy photonbucket.com

 

“It seems like something bad usually happens on these Church related snow trips.”  That is what our Pastor said as he suggested that we take out a binder on the church insurance to cover accidents if they might happen.

Our teen age daughter invited one of her friends from school, and this girl was a daring and bold girl.  She volunteered to take the sled for the first run down the hill. 

The snow pack was not heavy and a large rock was in the way of the sled run.  Because the snow lightly covered the rock, it was not visible and the hill looked safe.

Wouldn’t you know it, yes, the girl hit that rock, the sled went flying and down she went on her back.  She was tough and although there were no tears, we knew she must be hurting.

After a hot coca break she was up and ready to go again.

Fortunately there were no broken bones on that trip, but it is not always the case.

On the way home, our bus the church had rented broke down.  Actually we were out of gas, so that was remedied after a couple of hours waiting in the cold bus.

In life we are often hit with a snow ball right in the small of our back.  That takes us for a loop until we are able to regain our balance.

We are never too big to cry, and at times, the tears flow from the sting we have been dealt.

Then we are reminded that perhaps we are just out of gas and we need to go to the filling station where we can regain our energy and strength. 

There it is just where we left it, and God is faithful to ever be close by.

* * * * * * *

Jeremiah 15:16  Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts."

John 6:35 “And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.”

 

A CHRISTMAS CARD to Consider

Christmas Scene
courtesy pixiban

 

A CHRISTMAS CARD to Consider

Twas the month before Christmas when all through our land,

Not a Christian was praying Nor taking a stand.

Why the PC Police had taken away

The reason for Christmas - no one could say.

 

The children were told by their schools not to sing

About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.

It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say

December 25th is just a ' Holiday'.

 

Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit

Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!

CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-Pod

Something was changing, something quite odd!

 

Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa

In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.

At Targets they were hanging their trees upside down

At Lowe's the word Christmas - was no where to be found

 

At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears

You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.

Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty

Are words that were used to intimidate me.

 

Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen

On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton!

At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter

To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.

 

And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith

Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace

The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded

The reason for the season, stopped before it started.

So as you celebrate 'Winter Break' under your 'Dream Tree'

Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.

Choose your words carefully; choose what you say

Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS, not Happy Holiday!

Please, all Christians join together and wish everyone you meet

A MERRY CHRISTMAS

Christ is The Reason' for the Christ-mas Season!

* * * * * *

author unknown  received by e-mail

 

Christ the Image of the Invisible God

Jesus the Christ
courtesy photobucket.com

Today being Christ the King Sunday, our Pastor Jerry read from Colossians 1:15-20

Saint Paul was always stepping on the toes of someone, and he was placed in prison and bound by chains.  While there he was allowed visitors, and wrote letters to the churches.  One such letter was to the church at Colossi, although he did not found that church.

¹⁵ The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. ¹⁶ For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. ¹⁷ He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. ¹⁸ And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. ¹⁹ For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, ²⁰ and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

We are fascinated by the monarchy and by kings and queens with all their news and scandals.  There are different ways that nations are ruled, and for us we have a democracy and not a king, and gender is not noticed.  There are both men and women in various jobs including politics and the church.

We talk about Christ the King and cannot think of God without thinking of Jesus.  God equals Jesus and Jesus equals God.  This is difficult to explain and we use illustrations to help us understand.

Pastor Jerry asked us to notice that God is Honorable, Humble, Loving and Gracious:

Even today we often do not know how to respond, for He left obedience up to the free will of the people.

 

1.  He is Honorable because God came unannounced when no one was looking.  God entered into history in the form of flesh, arriving among strangers, in a time of political controversy.   He began to teach at around age 30 and ministered for three years, and was then subjected to cruel crucifixion.

2.     God is Humble as he does his work.  As a child he escaped into Egypt on a donkey.  He lived in poverty as most everyone did.  Thirty years later he humbly rode a donkey into Jerusalem where crowds shouted Hosanna to the King.

3.     God is Loving and is not willing that any should perish.  He provided a way to reach His throne, by receiving Jesus as our Lord.  The Gospel is based on Love. God so loved the world that He gave us Jesus.

4.     Graceful God is FULL of Grace.  He approaches us with Love even when we do not deserve it.  That is why we like to sing the old hymn, “Amazing Grace”

Jesus points us to God and to know Jesus is to know God.

Jesus is the image of the invisible God.  Thanks be to God.

* * * * * * *

This post is shared with Charlotte’s Spiritual Sundays

 

This post is also Linked with Michelle’s Hear it on Sunday

Use it on Monday

Only a Small Zucchini

Image courtesy
photobucket.com

My items were few in number, so I decided to go through the self help line where you scan your own items. 

 

Quickly I ran each item through the process, and paid for my purchases.  I then hastily placed my bags into my shopping cart and sped out to the parking lot.

 

As I loaded my goods into my van, I noticed there on the bottom of the shopping cart, one lonely zucchini squash that I had forgot to scan and pay for.

 

Oh yes, I was in a hurry, but I knew the few cents that I owed for this item, must be paid for.  Otherwise I would not be able to sleep good tonight.

 

Hurrying back into the store; again I got in line at the “Do it yourself scanner.”

 

There you go; 34 cents was my purchase.  I decided to find change in my purse and enter the coins one at a time.   Plunk, plink, paid in full.

 

Taking my receipt, I left the store, feeling good about being honest in the smallest of things.

 

Now Lord, help me to be honest about the bigger things!

 

Selfishness is In-Grown !!

Green Sweater
courtesy photobucket.com

Ann Voskamp wrote about a Christmas of Long ago when her elderly grandmother with the creaking knees, gave matching ugly sweaters to both her and her sister.  That story triggered a memory.

It must have been the Christmas of 1947 that I received from my mother, a long sleeved bright green cable knit cardigan sweater.  I was a selfish girl and not happy with what I had been given.

I was in high school, and one cold wintery day during gym I put on my ugly sweater to give me warmth. 

 

Soon I noticed another girl wearing an identical sweater.  I sidled up to her and asked if she received her sweater for Christmas, and she replied, “Yes I did.”  She seemed happy with her sweater, and I decided to be happy with mine.

I don’t remember commenting that it probably was on sale and couldn’t be returned, but that is what I thought at the time.

Another Christmas not that long ago, I decided to order Christmas gifts from an online catalogue company, and have them delivered to one of my family members who lived far away.  Taking care to select each item, something for each member of the family, I placed my order.

To put it mildly I was shocked about two weeks later to receive a notice that all the packages had been returned to the company.  What burr was under her saddle I was not certain, but something major had ticked her off.

Writing a Christmas card which included a check, I mentioned that perhaps she could use the funds to select something each member of the family would like, as I have trouble choosing the right gift.

She wrote back that she was pleased to do the shopping and had found just the right items for her family.

Problem solved and lesson learned. 

Hebews 13:5  Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Sylvia commented: So, they still appear: the bright green cable-knit cardigans under the tree! (heh)

 

 

Pressing Toward the Goal

Reach the Goal Set Before You
Courtesy Free Clip Art

 Pastor Jerry read today from:

 

Philippians 3:13-14  Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Often we suffer a “set-back.” Perhaps you or I did - - even this week. Yet we must not give up, but we are to press on toward the goal that is set before us.

Taking notes, I offer a condensed sermon from Pastor Jerry. 

As we look around us there are many suffering devastation worse than we are.  We reach out to help even in our small way with gifts sent through our church or other trustworthy organizations to ease the hunger suffering and pain.

Pastor gave an example; The floods and wind came and ripped many trees from the earth.  One tree was left standing because its roots were entwined around a large rock. 

 

We must be anchored into the Rock Christ Jesus, lest we be swept away when turmoil comes our way.

No matter the difficulty, Christ Jesus is the shelter in the storm where we can find our sanctuary and haven of peace.

The institutional Church offers us roots where we can seek a safe haven.  There we can be reminded of Jesus the Savior through even the traditions and symbols found there.

Paul wrote to the church at Philippi and the times were dangerous.  He reminded them to not dwell on the past, but rather to forget those things that hold us in bondage; such as our grief, grumbling, and complaining.  Paul himself was not boasting about all his former religious training and high standing, but counted it all lost as he embraced Christ.

Paul urged the Christians to rather find something worthwhile to be thankful for.  To bring to mind those things that are true, lovely and of good report and to harness their thoughts and push their mind toward those good things. 

Press on, and never give up, as many are watching you and you are bringing the Light of Christ into their world by your faith.

As the service ended the congregation sang the Hymn,

 

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

On Christ the solid rock I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
On Christ the solid rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand.

 

This post is shared with Charlotte’s Spiritual Sundays

This post is also Linked with Michelle’s Hear it on Sunday

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Cleaning the Tanker Truck

Asphalt Tanker Truck courtesy google search

Back in the mid 1980’s our roofing business was doing well, and our credit was good with our supplier. 

 

They offered to lease/sell us an Asphalt tanker truck that would save on labor and make our jobs friendlier for the environment.  No longer did the tar kettle need to be fed and tended; only a lever would bring hot tar to the top of the roof. 

One draw back was on occasion the large tanker truck needed to be cleaned inside.

Robert was not one to ask his crew to do something that he was not also willing to do. 

While this did not happen often, it was time for the big tanker truck to be cleaned inside.  There was a lid on the top and a ladder leading to the belly of the truck.  Cooled asphalt had caked on the walls and the workers decided that a power driven hammer would work faster than hand tools.

Inside the tank, Robert began to feel strange, and was not aware that the carbon dioxide was affecting him.  Finally he realized he needed to leave and started to climb the ladder.  At the top of the ladder, he lost consciousness and literally fell to the ground.

His workers helped him into the office where he could lay on the couch.  Exhibiting his macho masculinity, he refused to go to the hospital a few blocks away and said he would be okay after a rest.

Sad to say, after that ordeal, Robert was never okay again.  His immune system had been effected due to the lack of oxygen and his black out.  Right away he had no energy, and suffered daily weakness.  His hope was that this would be a temporary condition, but it instead it lasted. 

Finally he realized that we must sell our large and beautiful home, close our business and move to the Oak Woods where we had sometime back purchased a couple of acres and placed on it a mobile home.

Some of the silent diseases such as Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome seem to have no answers as to why or how to cure them.   Most days it is learning to cope and make some adjustments in diet and life style.

We can only point to the tanker accident and conclude that this was the trigger that brought Chronic Fatigue to Robert.  Many days, he could hardly walk across the floor. 

After a time, a very long time, he seemed better.  Mornings he could get around and even do a bit of work around the yard.  Afternoons, his Lazy-boy chair was his companion and TV his entertainment.   

 

He did become our cook, when I went to work to help keep us solvent.

Then he discovered that he could write stories on his computer and I was happy to edit them and post them on a blog for him.  “Musings by Robert, and he will smile at the shortest comment on his posts.

As of today, Robert has several Free E-books available at SmashWords.com/.  Take a look and if you do not have a Kindle, there is a free viewer for your computer available at Amazon.com

 

Dog Heaven for Buck

Black Lab
courtesy Photobucket.com

 

How our two black Labs managed to get out our gate is still a mystery.  However they were gone and although we drove some of our back roads they were not to be seen.

That evening we received a phone call from a man who lives on the corner of Mt Ida and Minors ranch Rd.  A Truck had hit one of our dogs and ran over him.  The man heard the accident and went to investigate.  

 

It was old Buck.  Our Luke was so frightened and was hiding in the bushes.  The man took Bucks collar and Luke followed the man to his house where the man called us.

We had been out driving and searching earlier but in the wrong direction. 

Anyway, it was not a pretty sight,  We took Luke home and Robert returned with our Son-in-law Dennis, an old dog blanket, plastic gloves, two black large plastic bags, and although Buck was heavy they managed to wrap him and together they put him in the back of Robert's pick up truck.  Then Dennis took our truck to his home so Smoke and Luke would not know where Buck's body was. 

This morning I called the SPCA and they said for a small fee they will take care of Bucky.

Old Smokey continues to look everywhere for Buck.  Luke wants attention and the both of them are very upset.

Time will heal the hurt although we will all miss our old "Moon’s Sir Buckingham."
 

Trick Question

Jesus and the Sadducces
courtesy photobucket.com

 

Luke 20:37-38  As for the dead being raised, even Moses spoke of that when he told of the burning bush. There he calls the Lord, the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.  For He is not the God of the dead.  He is the God of the living. All live unto Him.”

Pastor Jerry was reading from Luke 20:27-38 about the Sadducees, which came to Jesus with a trick question.

If you could sit down with Jesus, What questions would you ask?

They asked about the woman whose husband died and each of his brothers in turn had her for a wife each dying.  They asked, “Whose wife will she be in the resurrection?”  They were attempting to test Jesus. 

Rather than accept the comfort Jesus was giving in his message to the crowd, these Religious leaders rattled on with useless questions on an unimportant issue.

Jesus could have said, “Don’t sweat the small stuff to their silly question

He briefly explained that life beyond the grave is different than life on earth.  Jesus wasn’t trying to avoid controversy even though he disagreed with Religious authority of his day.  

He was trying to convince people that the Gospel demands radical lifestyle changes. 

Those asking the question about whose wife will she be in the resurrection, did not even believe in the Resurrection. 

The Sadducees were very “Sad U See.”

In this world terrible tragedies occur, such as the powerful storm in the Philippines, and the staggering loss of lives. 

Almost daily we are perplexed with personal tragedy yet we survive and continue placing our trust and hope in God.  We hold unto his promises to never leave or forsake us.

Jesus turned the tables on their question that was not relevant.  He was not saying that we will not be reunited with our loved ones, but things in heaven will not be the same as on earth.

Even His disciples were slow to understand.  Not even death can separate us from the Love of God.  We have that expectation that we will see Jesus, and also our family again.

Before Jesus left this earth, he promised to prepare a place for us, a place for the living to live eternally with the living God.  The assurance is there in God’s Word and in our hearts.

Pastor told a story of a Toronto League opening a new office.  Flowers were sent and the banner was in error that said, “Our deepest Sympathy.”  The other flowers were sent to the funeral and the banner read, “Congratulations on your New Location.”  

 

This post is shared with Charlotte’s Spiritual Sundays

 

This post is also Linked with Michelle’s Hear it on Sunday Use it on Monday

 

 

Don’t Marry Her !!

Wedding Plans
courtesy photobucket.com

 

How do you tell a young happy couple that they should NOT marry?

We said nothing and were too embarrassed to say what we knew in our hearts. 

“Mind your own business,” some would say, and that is what we did.

Our friends from the prayer room and Robert and I were asked to come to Patsy’s apartment and bless her daughter and the young graduating student from the Bible College that we all attended.

Immediately as we entered the apartment, I knew something was wrong.  Seriously in the wrong! 

I had met Patsy’s lovely daughter when she graduated with the previous class.  Moving in with her mother who attended the year we were enrolled gave the daughter the attention of many young eligible bachelors. 

 

The mother selected a quiet young man and invited him to dinner and he and the daughter began a friendship

Robert and I were not aware of who the groom was to be.  Our friends seemed surprised.

We prayed a makeshift prayer for them to have wisdom and excused ourselves to leave.

Out in front, our prayer room friends asked me what the Lord had told me.  I said, “This marriage will end in disaster and I wish I was brave enough to tell them so.”

Two years went by and we decided to attend “Camp Meeting” in Tulsa.  There we saw the young lady in question with a short pudgy older man who was carrying a large Bible. 

She waved to us, and later we heard only the insignificant details.  She had gone to work for this gentleman, decided her marriage to the young boy was a mistake and now these two were married.

I could only lamely say congratulations, but my heart ached for the hurt young man whose life was so brutally messed up

Could the first marriage have been prevented? 

 

Probably not, because what young couple want to listen to anyone telling them what they do NOT want to hear.

After that, God has not been so liberal with giving me revelation knowledge, and lately he only gives me “Need to know” information. 

 

Perhaps it is better that way.

 

 

Save the Memories

Put The Memories In a Book
courtesy photobucket.com

My earliest recollections are measured by where I lived during different spans of time.

 
Ages three and four were when we lived in Exeter, California, prior to our move to Oakland. 

I remember Mother washing clothes in an old wash tub in the yard and hanging them out to dry on a line.  She used one of those old fashioned wash rub boards to get out the spots and make sure everything was clean. 

The outhouse was vivid in my memory, but I was very tiny, so a small potty chair graced the back porch just for me. 

I had just turned three, and I remember banging on the bedroom door, and demanding to see my mother when my sister was born.  My Aunt Edna told me that I could not see her because my mother was sick. 

Refusing to be denied, I screamed and yelled, “I want my Mama,” until my aunt finally allowed me a short visit.  Mother smiled at me, and reached out to give me a gentle hug, and then she asked me to please obey my aunt, so I said, “Okay,” and did as she asked.

Even though my mother had two other babies, she found time to rock me, and sing to me for my nap.  Although I was three years old, and closed my eyes, I remember thinking, “I will pretend that I am asleep and trick mama.”  

Even at that young age, I was manipulative and it has served me well.  Mother thought I was asleep so she quietly carried me to my bed, except by the time she laid me down I was out like a light.

Having just celebrated my fifth birthday, I watched as Mother Packed up an ironing board and two boxes of kettles and dishes.  Then I went along with her to the train station to ship them off to Oakland where I would eventually grow up and attend school. 

There was a few weeks and perhaps only days, when I, my brother Allen, and my sister Zelma slept on the floor on a mattress at Uncle Cliff and Aunt Beulah’s home while our parents searched out a rental house. 

That year living in the rent house cemented age five in my memory.  The move after that was to a home purchased by my parents and it held all my childhood memories until I married, and left home at age 18.

At the urging of our daughter Nancy, for the past four years, I have been documenting memories from my childhood, remembrances from my children growing up, and other memories as the stories are posted to my blog.

Nancy and a couple of other friends insisted that it is now time to get those stories into a book.  Rescue the Stories book One, Book Two and Book Three have been printed.

Moving my earliest stories to a folder separated them from my other posts, and gave me many childhood stories.  There was enough for my first book, and stories of my children begin in book Two.  Rescue the Stories Book Three is of the golden later years.

Time marches, on and today is the day to rescue the old memories, and not allow them to fade into the distance. 

Begin now to write your memoirs.  Go ahead and post them.

 

Divorce Yes or NO?

The Past is Gone !!
courtesy photobucket.com

 

A friend of mine and her five children were not being properly cared for by her husband. 

Instead he was enjoying camping trips alone, and for family outings he drove his pickup truck where the five children had to ride in the back. 

My friend was working at a job out of her home and earning enough to pay the rent, but often she would come to my house to glean from my pantry for food.

When her husband did not come home for days, my friend realized he was being unfaithful to her and was having an affair. 

The day she discovered proof of his new girl friend - - she called me in tears, and asked what she should do.  I told her that he had broken their covenant and to apply for divorce and to request child support.  She did and when he was served with Child Support papers, that rascal quit his job and applied for disability. 

Time went on and she had more responsibilities with her "in home job" and was blessed with a better income. 

 

Eventually a younger fellow she met at the company group meetings was concerned about her, and wanted to make sure she was OK.  She told me, this kid keeps just keeps hanging around, but he does seem to care about me and my kids.  Finally he professed his love for her and later they were married. 

For her there was a happy ending, life with a new companion, one who is a loving husband, a great step dad and is accepted and loved by all her children.  The other dad? - Sad case.  His selfishness and immorality had cost him dearly.

Years passed and recently my husband and I saw him awhile back.  He seemed to realize the errors of his ways and expressed love and pride for his now grown children.

Oh to relive the past – but it is gone and the best any of us can do is live as we know we should, and walk with our Lord one day at a time.  
 

 

Pound Hound

Blue Tick Puppy
photo Ashley Ryan

 

Rescuing a puppy from the pound was not my cup of tea, but I was at work and my husband enjoyed scanning the want ads.

Sometime back, two different families at our church had a litter of black Labrador puppies. 

 

We were without a dog at the time, so we told our Pastor that we would take one of the females and chose one.  Before we went to get my puppy, Robert wanted to stop by the other home and check out the other families, puppies. 

Pick One (or Two)
courtesy Photobucket.com

They were all so cute and he selected a male definitely a mix and asked me if we should get two.  I told him NO because I had already promised to take one from our Pastor’s bountiful supply.

We wrapped up the male and placed him in a cardboard box in the back of our van and off we went to Pastor’s house. 

They were waiting for us and had given our puppy a bath and she was dressed with a red ribbon around her neck.  All the way home I held her close and told Robert that her name was Sister and we would call her Sissie.

Our two black puppies loved each other and they chewed up everything they could get their little sharp teeth into.  Hoses, wood, toys and what have you were their target.

Time went by and several months passed; and now back to my Pound Hound story. 

The time was when I was still working, and one day I arrived home to find the cutest little Blue Tick Hound Puppy waiting for me.  Robert said, he had made a trip to Gridley to rescue this puppy from going to the pound.

The story was that two female Blue Tick hounds had both given birth to 13 puppies each for a total of 26 growing and hungry pups.  The owners had commissioned the soft hearted neighbor lady to find homes for the puppies, anyway she could because they were not in a position at this time to deal with so many puppies. 

 

The neighbor was waiting for Robert and she told him she had just made a BIG pot of rice and fed all the puppies. 

Yes that critter’s little tummy was full indeed.

Robert looked at me sheepishly and told me, “The lady said, If your wife doesn’t want the puppy, then just bring him back and put him over the fence.”

There was no rock to hide under, and I could only say, “Yes, we will keep him because he is so cute.” 

 

That is the story how Blue Tick Hound Toby came to live with us and he adopted Sister as him mother.  He would crawl into her box at night until he got too big and she made him get into his own box.

The moral of this story, is when you husband brings home a puppy, and you can see love in his eyes, it is best to agree that you also love this pup, just because.
 

Is He Like Joe?

Zacchaeus Up a Tree
courtesy photobucket.com

As Pastor Jerry read from Luke 19:1-10 I gleaned from his Sunday Sermon.

Luke 19:5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.

Pastor suggested that as children we may have sang the little song Zacchaeus was a wee little man, a wee man was he - -.  Many of us remembered the song.

It was interesting to note that Jesus called out his name that meant “Pure or Righteous” while the crowd perceived Zach as a sinner.

The response from Zacchaeus was immediate repentance and an act of restitution.

Jesus told many stories of lost things, and Zach was one of these who was lost.  Many times we too are lost when we find ourselves in the wrong place. 

Zach was up a tree both literally and figuratively, but Jesus knew he was there.  The Sycomore tree is a tree with low branches, and in order to see Jesus this little man needed a higher plane.

Zach was a tax collector and they were a hated lot, for they skimmed off the taxes for their own gain.  Zach was very rich, but he was willing to return four times to those he had defrauded, plus give large sums of money to the poor.

The crowd watching all this began to grumble and complain and tell Jesus that this man is a scoundrel and a sinner; so why would Jesus desire to go to his house?

We are often guilty of type casting or profiling individuals.  Not all poor are alike and not all rich are alike.  Not all ethic groups are alike, and not all Christians are alike.

Jesus knows our name and he sees us as individuals in need of a Savior and calls us Righteous when we come to him.  Jesus saw Zach as a Son of Abraham and called him by name, “Pure.”

Pastor told a story about a homeless drunk named Joe.  Joe visited the local rescue mission and was gloriously converted.  From that day on, Joe helped all those who found themselves at the mission. 

 

Joe would help those who were too drunk to walk and put them to bed.  He cleaned and did the tasks that no one else wanted to do.  Joe was a living testimony of the Grace of God.  One day one of the regulars went to the altar bench to repent and all he could say was, “Oh Lord make me like Joe.”  The director of the mission tried to correct the man, and said, “No Say it this way, Make me like Jesus.”  The man looked up and said, “Is he like Joe?”

May others be able to see enough of Jesus in us, to call out, “Oh Lord make me like Joe (or Sally) !!

 

* * * * * * * *

This post is shared with Charlotte’s Spiritual Sundays

This post is also Linked with Michelle’s Hear it on Sunday

Use it on Monday

 

Old Blue

Courtesy photobucket.com

 

This is the story of how we secured our first Blue Tick Hound Dog.  It was several years ago, but one sunny day, my husband decided to take my daughter and me to a field trial for Blue Tick Hound Dog lovers.

There were events for the dogs to perform certain tasks.  One dog treed his varmint but forgot to bark (or howl) as the case might be.

A large pond of water was situated on the acreage, and one event was for the hound to swim across and catch the lure being pulled across the pond.

 

How they did this was to place a live Raccoon in a cage and secure the cage onto a wooden float.  With a rope attached, some one from across the pond, would pull the float and raccoon across, and then the dog was released.  Naturally the raccoon was rescued and the dog was given a treat instead.

As we met people and listened to them brag on their dogs, we discovered a family with a mother dog and her new Blue Tick babies.

My husband could not take his eyes off the puppies and naturally had to ask how much for one of the male dogs.  They settled on a price and said we could pick him up in a few weeks when he was old enough to leave his mother.

Then the lady said, “By the way, one of our members is very sick and we are doing a raffle as a fund raiser for him.”  Could you spare $10 for the raffle?” 

So it was that a few days later we received a telephone call that we had won the raffle and the prize was a second puppy, this time a female. 

The day arrived to pick up our purchase and winnings, so my husband and our daughter drove to the place to acquire our new puppies.  Both puppies came with papers and all we needed to do was register them in a few weeks.

Selecting names was now our task.  Robert named his male dog, Blue Moon and told me I could name the female.  I selected the name Moon’s Sugar Babe, and so it was we became the owners of not one but two hound dogs.

As years went by, our Sugar went to dog heaven, but Old Blue was a hearty old cuss.

My husband decided that Blue needed a Wife, so we made a trip to purchase for him, our Mindy.  Poor Mindy soon became the mother of 10 puppies, and they were so much fun.  Fortunately we were able to sell most of them. 

Three males were left and Robert could not part with them.  We were in a mess, and for the love of our dogs, we suffered for the next several years.

Through it all, we still love each other and of course the new dogs we now have.

Our animals are on loan from God for usually only a short time, but while they are with us we enjoy their antics and their company. 

You must view this:  So cute - don't miss this video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKXLZ5T1VDU