Grace Reclaims!

"Grace reclaims what the world disowns."

I just heard this phrase from a song by a group called "Starfield." I thought this was a great and profound statement. I often think of how powerful the word "Grace" is.  The word itself sums up the entire mission of Christ's ministry here on Earth. None of us deserves any part of the definition of grace.  Especially, me!

I find myself to be a very impatient and easily annoyed person recently.  I just have no patience for anybody. I don't know why, I think it's a need for a vacation or it could be that the spring shoppers in the garden center this year where I work are shopping in record numbers. I think it's all that combined.  I need God's grace so much that I can't even express how much I want it.

This sentence in the beginning of this post says something to me that words would not be enough to describe it.   Our world has neglected so many, that a lot of times we don't even realize those who have been overlooked.  A number of people over the years have been pushed aside for so many reasons, never given the chance to be who they really are.  Our world chooses those who are pretty, thin, smart and strong.  We have been told that those who are among these numbers are the one's who can get it done.

We walk upon this Earth with our heads held high trying to be noticed.  But who are we trying to be noticed by?  We all try to be something we aren't. We try to keep up with the strong, thin and smart but we often fail.  Those who are the weakest of the vine are usually left to fall off while the other part of the vine becomes strong and prospers.  We say to those who are weak and ugly that they don't matter, only those who are at the top of the food chain matter.  Basically, it's called  the "survival of the fittest" and it's something I don't believe in.  I often have trouble with this also.   I also at times cheer for the strongest and forget about those who can't fend for themselves. Then I read in the Bible about Jesus saying about the meek and the humble and weak are who heaven is reserved for. After reading those passages I am back on track.

This past week we all witnessed the NCAA finals that was somewhat a David vs. Goliath match between Duke (Goliath) and Butler (David).  I watched Duke start playing rough toward the end of the game and closing in on victory.  I was sort of mad about them winning, I wanted to see the underdog win it, and they almost did.  My thoughts after the game were, "Duke may have a trophy, but Butler won the heart."

I believe that  is what God thinks.  The mighty may have won all the treasures here on Earth but the left out, the weak and the humble won the heart of God.  I believe that is all that matters.  Win less here and earn more up there in heaven.  Grace always wins for all of us.  That why it's grace, a gift from God to reclaims his own back to Him.  Cheer for the underdog, those that have been disowned by us.  Give your heart to somebody or give it to everybody.  If you know anybody has been diowned by this world, do something for them. Reclaim them! God Bless!

Pray Because You Want to, Not Because You Feel You Have Too!

Where would my life be without prayer? It would not be as it is right now. Life is not how exactly how I want it, but it is what I am given for right now.  We all look at our life and say it's not quite what we expected it to be.  Why can't it be better? So we pray and pray and still continue to see no results.  We want to see the results right now, not later.  I've come to realize through the years that is not how God works.  He answers in His own time.  So why pray? 

I always used to see prayer as a place for my requests.  A moment to give God my wants and needs and maybe a little time for others needs.  I see it now as a place to talk to someone who wants to hear it all.  The good the bad and the ugly.  I see prayer as a place between me and a Being much bigger than me. A Being that has the ability to do it all, but a little at a time.  I see my prayers to God as a Father/Son relationship.  I have seen this through raising my own children, they make their requests and I  make a decision on those requests.  Sometimes I have to say no and other times I give all I can to their little pleas.  Most of my decisions are benificial for their character and by making them it shows my love for them.  As a parent though I don't have all the resources to fulfill their needs and wants.  Where our Father in heaven has all the resources to do all things, yet he sees and knows when to give those gifts to us. 

So, prayer for me has become a place to talk to my Maker one on one.  I have seen the reason of prayer as a continuous need in my life and it has given me the encouragement I need.  Prayer can be many things for all of us.  Some pray in dire need.  Many have only prayed on these occasions, their life has drastically changed and sickness may be ready to take them soon, so they resort to prayer. Others pray quick prayers, they make requests and hope for the results they want.  They take no time to give God the thanks he deserves, they just want their needs met and that is it.  Then there are those that pray out of religious practice.  One example is the Muslim religion, they all stop at a certain time of the day and face the same direction and pray out of religious practice, these prayers have no heart in them. They just do it because they fear that if they don't they are going to be harmed in some way.  I used to feel that way sometimes that if I don't pray I felt fearful and had let my God down. Not true!

Prayer is a conversation with you and God. A conversation  to be done in private for nobody to see you doing it.  I don't know exactly why God chose it that way, you would think He would want it done in public to promote his name. He doesn't want it that way, He wants us to be humble and to not be distracted, he wants our complete attention.  God wants us to draw near to Him. He wants us to be complete in Him and wants to hear more than our requests.  He wants to have a conversation to release our true self to Him.  God may not speak clearly to us but He speaks to our hearts.  Prayer always makes me feel relieved, I feel like I have talked to the most important being in the universe and the heavens. And I always do.  I feel listened to, nobody can interupt me when I speak in prayer.  When we talk to others here in life, we're always interupted by someone or something. It makes me feel empty a lot of times.  I want to be heard but life and it's obstacles keep us from being heard.  I always want to let people know who I am and about my life and it's experiences, but there is always an interuption and no one ever gets the whole conversation.  So I go to the one who really wants to hear about me and how I want to be heard and not interupted.  God gives us His whole attention and never allows anything to interupt our conversation. What a great thing it is to pray and talk to the God of all that is. Change your prayers from a list of demands to a conversation with a loving Father. Do it that way and you will do it not because you feel you have too, but because you want to.  He's waiting and all lines are open.  

I Will Be Back To Writing Soon!

I haven't posted anything since February 19th.  You may be asking where have I been?  I don't really know!  But I will get back to it soon. I am currently reading a book titled, "The Simple Faith of Mister Rogers." I am hoping  that reading this will get me back in the groove. I had some ideas about some things I wanted to write about, so  bare with me.  I will be back within the week to write again. Please continue to read my older posts and I will see you next week. In Christian love,Clint

Jesus Is Neither Republican or Democrat! He Has His Own Agenda!

It's hard for me to judge all Democrats as "unchristian."  It's also very hard for me to call many Republicans as "Christians!"  The person I go to get my haircut by, is a major Christian Republican!  I believe he feels that all Democrats are evil and Republicans are going straight to heaven.  I wish I could change him, but I see no possibility in doing that.  It would take a totally neutral person who is very knowledgable about politics to do so, I am not that person. 

The discussion came up because of the guy who slammed the plane into the IRS building in Texas.  There was a guy on Fox news channel who had written a book on politics and hope for the people of the US.  The anchor asked if he believed Jesus was a Republican, and the guy answered "No!"  He said Jesus would be niether!  So my barber said  Jesus would be a republican, because the Bible said so. I never read that in the Bible! 

Wasn't the Pharissee's a basic form of the Republican party?  The Republican party use the Christian stand to get elected, they don't really mean to be true Christians.  I'm sure there are many good people in that party that are Christians,  yet it's not what Jesus wants to be.  This type of legalism is what he taught against and tried to escape.  I believe Jesus would agree on many issues that both parties try to represent, but I don't think he would join their party, if he wanted to be politically correct he would have joined the Pharissee's agenda.  But he didn't!  The Pharissee's were the code of conduct police back in the day, that is really all they knew.  When Jesus came he turned the table over when it came to living religious.  He was a new hope in the world and many didn't understand how this teaching was right.

My barber continued to repeat the things that Democrats believe in.  Homosexuality is one he repeated with great emphasis!  I'm not a person that believes in homosexuality and really believe God is against it, so I will be also.  I stated that there are Republicans that are gay and have abortions.  The room got silent,very silent!  He had real no answer for that.  So I left it at that, I'm not one for confrontation, but I could have gone a little farther.  I just decided to let it go. 

I quit going to him for a little while because I get disturbed by his comments on Blacks and other things.  I might be looking for new barber again ,but maybe I will stay and give him the true teaching of Jesus.  Jesus was not political, he was not a judge of anybody.  He seemed to me to be more critical of the Pharissee's than he was of the lost.  So he chose to go the other direction of the world.  He came to save those who were being judged, he came to save the Underdog.  Christ was merciful to those who were judged by a Republican gang that demanded cleaness.  Through Jesus we all became clean, from the world's judgemental mindset.  We're free!  Thank the Lord for his love! I'm  am eternally grateful. Don't live by the political realm of  who's clean and who is not.   I claim no party, except the wedding party Jesus has waiting for us in the end!

Holding Up Signs In LIfe!

I often can look at a picture and sometimes that is where a post comes from.  Many of my blogs I just looked at a picture and out came a new post, but today I can't do that.  I have the day off and have been to a few stores and drove around town for a little while and that got boring.  So I went to mazzio's and got a salad to go and came home and talked to my wife for a few minutes, and she left to go take a test. 

So I thought for a minute about what I could do around the house and I quickly lost interest in that.  So \I decided to shut myself up in the computer room put earphones in my ear and start writing another post.  I decided that this would be the best way to spend my time off today.  I figure the best thing you can do when you really have nothing else to do is try to write something to maybe inspire somebody who needs it.  I don't know what people think about this blog and I don't write it to get any kind of attention or great responses, but I do pray every time it will turn somebodies life around. 

As  my wife and  I went to Little Rock yesterday, we passed a few people holding signs up against abortion.  I really never have seen anybody do that in real life, I have only seen it on TV.  I wondered how their sign holding and protest actually stopped abortion.  To me I thought it was a waste of time.  I'm a person who want to dig in to the real problem, I want to see quick results.  Many would say to me that I'm not seeing the whole picture.  I often think if I don't go to the top cause of the problem I won't see results at all.  It's like when you call about a problem on one of your bills, we don't want to talk to some little  customer represntative, I want to talk to  a manger or the CEO, if I had it my way.  Usually, when you do talk to a manager you get the results you wanted.  So me holding a sign would not be productive, I would want to have a personal appointment with the staff and doctors of the clinic.  I want to go in and choke it by the neck.  Obviously, sign holding in front of an abortion clinic is about the best way to share your religious beliefs on the matter.  I don't know if anybody has ever spoke to amy staff members at a clinc, but so far all I ever see are signs.

My blog sometimes feels like I am holding a sign sometimes.  I don't really know the results of my writing sometimes.  Over the past couple of years I have seen the big picture of my blogging.  Most of my readers are from the United States and I have had a few hits from a lot of different countries.  Which is great!  I know I won't reach everybody in the entire world, it would be nice to reach every person, but the statistics are always going against it.  In my heart when it comes to preaching or writing about Christ, you won't reach everyone, many will take time to read and many will skip over it altogether.  I normally post a link on Facebook which has helped, yet the readers are few.  That's Ok though, if I can reach one person that is great results and mankes the effort all the better.

Life is also like holding up a sign.  Human beings are always trying to hold up a sign to get some kind of attention from others.  Here are some of the signs I see everyday in life.  The way people dress some very dressy in the best clothes others dressing in a very different rebellious way.  Political signs on the back of their vehicles, they really want people to know that they are Republican or Democrat.  This sign can usually get you in the right place or the rebellious side of life.  If your an elephant you have good standing with Christians and if you are a donkey your considered Satans best friend.  (Which is completely stupid!)  Many of us wear our titles as our sign of greatness in life.  Like DR. or CEO, which makes people think you are  smart, which they do have some brains but makes them no different from the person living in the ghetto or the single mother trying to raise children by herself.  The underdog who survives life is my true hero, not somebody with a title. 

So why do we hold the signs up in life?  Why do we care what people think about us?  I used to think that I had to be something to have somebody give me praise, then I realized Christ's teaching and the way he lived his life.  Humble was Christ who wore no title at all.  He was the greatest man who ever lived on Earth, yet he never made himself greater than the master, he was a servant not just for his father but for all of us.  I hate titles they are the signs that separate the world from each other, and that is not what God's want. He wants us to be in unison and to be together for all eternity.  Hold up a sign that states, " I am nothing but a messenger for Christ, let's talk!"  To all who read my blog I hope you continue and hope it helps in some way! Thanks

The Real Meaning Of Jesus!

Those of you that know me, know that I am not a very serious guy.  I am always cracking a joke of some kind, and really never serious about anything.  I just am not that kind of person.  I often say I don't worry, but I do, probably more than I let on.  I usually don't worry about some things that other people do.  I catch myself worrying about finances, time, funny feelings I get in my health.  I usually don't tell anybody about my worries though.  I just don't feel they are worth telling anybody about. 

I do have a serious side to my life, my walk with Jesus is probably the most serious thing I think about.  I constantly read Christian authors to get a better understanding of the story of Christ.  I think about our world and how we really have turned the true story of Christ upside down.  I don't like a lot of things we as Christians are doing to share our message of Christ.  I don't like it when Christians use a political agenda for their Christianity to shine out. To me that just discourages people outside of Christ.  We do need morality to be pushed, but not in a political way.  We as Christians have totally missed the point of Jesus being here.  I don't think He would've pushed the death penalty, even though he died in a death penalty way.  I don't think he would've marched in front of abortion clinics or raged a huge battle agianst homosexuals.  Even though none of those things he is for, but he would've communicated a different way to those who go about doing such things. 
The more I read about the life of Christ, I am amazed at who he really was.  Jesus defined the word "love."  His compassion continues to blow me away.  How loving he was to stop what he was doing and heal a person or hug little children.  He loved the one's the world had set aside.  He had no intensions of leaving anyone behind.  The people he hung around were considered the worst of the community, and to those who thought they were something thought he was crazy.  He was the shepherd among the sheep, the lost sheep. 
Our world today puts no thought into saving the homeless, hungry or drug addicts.  Only those who really understand the true compassion of Christ believe in these causes of need.  I want to have that compassion, I want to be selfless.  I want to deny self and give myself to others, and give them the love they need.  Yet, I fail in an awful way of beng like that.  
Deep down beneath all this earthliness inside of me is a person who really needs to find himself in Christ.  I want to continue throughout my life to be like Christ.  I want every person also to have that same understanding of him.  Life here is not about being the best or the richest.  Life is not about getting all the attention on yourself, it's about compassion and love for others, especially for those who can't help themselves. 
Tonight my prayer is not to gain but to give.  To show the world about the true mission of Christ, and his real story for being here on Earth.  He wanted to save us all, he wants no one to suffer Hell but to be with him forever.  Forever in an eternal paradise that we can't even imagine.   Give until it hurts! Love until you fall over dead. Let's all open our hearts to the real meaning of Christ.  Love never fails!

Prayer. Why do we not do it?

How many times do you pray?  That is a question  I need to ask myself everyday.  I do pray and miss many oppurtunities to pray daily.  My prayers are little tid bits here and there.  Usually at night and one in the morning.  But during the day it becomes more difficult to pray.  I am one to not let anybody see me pray.  I don't pray  aloud in restaurants like I see some Christians doing.  For some reason that bothers me, I guess it's because Jesus stated to pray in private and that is exactly what he did.  I don't ever recall Jesus praying in public, he usually prayed off in a quiet place.  So when I pray I try to keep it to myself and God.  We need to pray daily. We aren't forced too, because of the free will God has given us here on Earth.  He has given us the option to pray or not to. The choice to follow him or not, the choice is ours and if we don't follow we may suffer an eternal punishment. 

Prayer is needed for all, and many need our prayers.  My prayer list increased by five people in one week, people around me and in my life have become sick and I feel it is my duty to pray for their well being.  I do love to pray for others though, I don't know the outcome of my prayers, but I do know it is good to hope the best for others lives and they do deeply appreciate it.  My prayers in the past have been about my needs and how I needed an immediate answer from the Creator.  As I have matured I see prayer as giving thanks to God for all He has done for me and a time to pray for those who are hurting or are sick or in great financial need. 

Prayer for me has taken off many stresses I have had in life.  For many it's a religious necessity a ritual, they feel if they don't do it that they are going to be cast to hell or be on God's bad list.  I don't think that is true!  I used to feel that way also, but I now look at prayer as a time to converse with God, an intimate conversation between two friends or a father.   I try to converse in a way that feels comfortable, giving thanks because God has given me peace and has kept me safe in his grace.  I thank him for the good times and also for the bad times I go through.  A lesson can be learned from bad times in life, and I ususally tell him what I have learned from rough experiences and thank him for the lessons I have learned.  I always try to visualize God listening to my prayers.  I see him leaning with His hand on his chin and listening to me with great excitement.  I see him wanting to answer all my requests, wanting to show everything to me but he doesn't.  He is just like us as parents, he gives little by little.  He doesn't give in huge amounts, because that would spoil  us and we would become expecting massive amounts and never learn the lessons of humbleness.  Same with us as parents, we know if we constanly give into our childrens wishes and give them all they need they become spoliled and greedy.  They expect a new toy everyday, and never learn the lessons of earning the toy through good deeds or working for something.

For those who only pray in times of great need and never lift a word toward heaven any other time need to learn God is listening.  God is not not our magic 8 ball.  I believe God wants to hear form us but not just in certain situations though.  He is listening still to all prayers at all times.  He listens to all who pray in dire emergencies and to all who converse to him every day.   Not all prayers are answered though.   That's where people get discouraged, they expect an answer to their request then, not later.  So they give up on God and never return to him again.  God does answer, but usually in his own time and what he wishes.  So that makes him not a magic 8 ball God.  He wants constant communication.  He wants you to see what He has planned for you over a long period of time.  He is a mysterious being that has nothing but good intensions for us all.  So as I learn to communicate with him and you do to, realize God has answered most of our prayers we just need to sit back and see how he has answered them.  If you take time and look at all the great things he has given us, then you will realize how great he is and how wonderful it is to talk to him. Pray at all times, because he is waiting to hear from us!

Funny Email!

       I was so depressed last night thinking about the economy, the wars, jobs, Savings, Social Security, retirement funds, etc......

I called Lifeline.

Got a freakin' call center in Pakistan .

I told them I was suicidal.

They all got excited and asked if I could drive a truck.

Time For God

I knelt to pray but not for long,


I had too much to do..

I had to hurry and get to work

For bills would soon be due.

So I knelt and said a hurried prayer,

And jumped up off my knees.

My Christian duty was now done

My soul could rest at ease.....

All day long I had no time

To spread a word of cheer

No time to speak of Christ to friends,

They'd laugh at me I'd fear.

No time, no time, too much to do,

That was my constant cry,

No time to give to souls in need

But at last the time, the time to die

I went before the Lord,

I came, I stood with downcast eyes.

For in his hands God! held a book;

It was the book of life.

God looked into his book and said

'Your name I cannot find

I once was going! to write it down...

But never found the time'

Seeing God In A Different Way. Praising Him For What We have Been Givin.

My whole being, praise the Lord;
all my being, praise his holy name.
My whole being, praise the Lord
and do not forget all His kindnesses.
He forgives all my sins
and heals all my diseases.
He saves my life from the grave
and loads me with love and mercy.
He satisfies me with good things
and makes me young again, like an eagle.  Psalm 103: 1-5

I believe this verse says it all for a Christian.  I believe we only love as much as we want to. We don't fully know how to love like the Lord.  His love sees nothing, but who the person is.  He doesn't judge or show favortism.  He is complete in all things. He gives us more than we can ever imagine.  Our cups overflow and yet we don't realize it and continue to ask for more.  Over the past couple of years I have learned a lot about true Christianity.  I have learned about how compassionate Christ really was and I know I will never be able to be as compassionate as he was.    He saw the sick and the hungry before anybody else did, he had their problems solved before he ever spoke to them.  He was and is something I strive to be everyday, but yet satan keeps holding me back.  Satan keeps us from being who we really are.  We try to escape his grasp, but he always has a hold.  His grasp is on our leg, but not around our neck.  Even though he has a hold , my eyes are always looking at Christ.  Even when I fall he lifts me up and tells me it alright just keep going. 

I've been a fool for so long, only because Satan made me feel that way.  I was blinded for so many years by legalism that it made me judge others and allowed me to puff myself up. I believe we all make mistakes all the time, and from now on I will not judge you I will look at you with eyes of Christ as I hope you will look at me the same way.  For he didn't judge anybody only those who judged people according to the law. 

Life is good no matter what comes our way. Heaven is ours, believe and it will be yours.  This year I am going to make real changes.  I'm not concerned to much with normal resolutions, they are not the one's Christ is concerned about.  Losing weight and quitting smoking are great, but how does that help your soul? I want to give my heart to God, I want to feed the hungry and clothe the poor.  The other day in Little Rock we passed by a homeless women holding a sign, needless to say we helped her and it made me feel good. Not to puff myself up, but we did it because we wanted to.  I'm not telling this to brag but things need to get done.  I want all to share in the gifts that God has lavished on me.  Everybody needs a chance and they deserve it no matter what.  We are all equal, we need to start seeing that through the eyes of Christ.

I want to change as a person. I want to be more giving and be less selfish.  I don't want to live in fear, but live by true faith.  I want to take the risks God wants me to take. I want others join me and feel what I am feeling.  We shall be guided by God through good times and bad. It's all part of life, good and evil.  Let's all be high strung and live in the goodness of God.  Share your wealth and knowledge and save the lost.  make your resolution toward Godly things and he will see you through. God bless and Happy New Year.

Happy 10th Birthday Brayden!

As  I look at this picture it really has become one of my favorite I have taken.  It really shows me how much Brayden has accomplished in his ten years of life.  He finally crossed the bridge of 10 years of life.

I cryed the moment he arrived to this life. For 9 months he relied upon God to develop him in his mothers womb.  To make him perfect and  enable him to go from complete darkness to a direct light he had never seen before.  I often wonder if God had one last word to him as he came to be.  Did he say,  "Go on, come and meet life and don't worry I will be there with you all the way."

 Having children truly amazes me all the time.  We really don't know what we're going to get until their arrival.  I was hoping Brayden had all his parts and that he was going to be healthy.  Birth is God's fantastic show in life, it is a process that truly is awesome.  I have enjoyed the ten years we have had with Brayden.  He's a funny kid who likes to laugh a lot, especially when I do stupid things to make him laugh.  We have had some good laughs so far in life, and hope we will always laugh together no matter what life brings us.   God has truly blessed us, and to Him I will be enernally grateful.  Thank you God for your precious gift of Brayden.

The Magical Feeling Of Christmas.

I remember when I was young and how exciting it was to be Christmas eve.  I remember my Papaw and Aunt Monna coming over and all of us just enjoying one anothers visit.   They would stay the night and they would both get my sister and I excited about Santa coming during the night. 

My mother would go all out and make a good Christmas eve meal and we would indulge ourselves and then eat all the cookies she had made until we were sick.  It would be cold outside (unlike here in Arkansas)  and we would be huddled up by the fireplace and try to get warm.  I have always enjoyed those many Christmas eve's and still enjoy the memories of them all.  Christmas Eve is a magical time of year.  I miss them!

For some reason I have lost that magical feeling and I don't know why.  I guess because Christmas here in Arkansas just doeosn't feel very Christmas like. 

As the evening progresses I can feel a little of the magic left, but it just doesn't feel like it once did.  Maybe it's because I have grown older and the magical feeling I once had is slowly disappearing somewhat.  I hope it comes back one day, but for now I will always have the precious memories of past Christmases in my mind and heart.  I'm thankful to God for memories like these.  Thankful for two hard working parents who went all out to give me the best Christmases ever.  I'm thankful for the memories of a loving Grandfather who made my life and Christmas very special.  With all the presents I have received through the years nothing is more important than these special memories. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.  

We're Not Lucky, But Blessed

All my life I have always said I am lucky.  I recently had a thought run through my mind that found that to be untrue. We all say we have had some kind of luck come into our lives, but it wasn't luck was it?  It was something else.  I believe everything was set in place a long time ago to happen in our lives.  It's a story and that I believe is what were are living.  Reasons behind everything that happens in our lives each day.  So, the thought that ran through my mind is all part of the process that God Almighty is putting into my life as a story.  Nothing is luck it's a blessing from  Him. 

I try to put into perspective why so many are given to greatness and many are put into poverty and loneliness.  Why others are given much and others are given so little.  I remember when Jesus healed a man and his disciples asked him who sinned his parents or him.  And Jesus said to them neither, but it was for the glory of God to shine through.  It was a blessing for him to be blind so that he could see the gift of healing and praise God for his blessing that has been put in his story of life.

Last week we were driving back from Little Rock and as we were headed home we stopped off at some stores.  As we approached the on ramp, it stopped suddenly and I veered off to the side of the highway.  I just happened to be looking in the rearview mirror and saw two cars slam into each other.  I said I was lucky, but then realized I was blessed by God to have not been invovled. 

What we think as luck is not, but is a contiuned chapter of our life that God has planned to happen in our lifes story.  I thought about my past life and thought my life could be read as a book.  It may be boring, but my life reads like a story.  If you think about all the predicaments we have gotten ourselves into there has always been a way or a blessing from God to get us out and over such things.  We think it is luck, but it is a blessing from the author of our storied lives. 

How do we use these blessings?  If you win the lottery how do you use that blessing?  God gave it to you for a reason.  Not to consume it all for yourself, but to use to help those who are in rough shape.  Blessings are a test from God, he wants to see how we use it for his good.  When I lost my job a couple of years ago, I lurked in my own fears on how I was going to be able to get out of this mess.  God wanted me to pray for his help.  I did for a long time, he gave me a new job and taught me the lesson through His blessing to be faithful and not to take  anything for granted that He has blessed me with.  A friend of mine had recently lost his job, and now I am telling him my story of that hard time in my life.  I told him to pray and not take anything for granted that God had blessed him with.  My hardship had happened to bring God his glory.

Were not lucky, but blessed with great blessings from God above.  Our cup overflows more than we know.  We live in His grace everyday, and through his grace we shall tell others about our great story.  So that His glory may be praised.  Merry Christmas!

Recession Christmas Cards 2

Christmas Recession Cards

Do You Live To Impress Others?

I'm sitting here really trying to figure out why we live to impress others.  I remember back in my early years of life that is all I remember life being about.  I'm sure during our school years we remember having to have what everbody else had.  Whether it was clothes or any other type of material possession.  We had to get it because we wanted to fit in.  We didn't want to be the only one on the outside of the ring of popularity. 

When I was little I had this neighbor kid right next door to us.  He had every Star Wars thing you could imagine.  I would get jealous because I didn't have that specific toy, yet I did have every Star Wars toy there was except this one thing.  So I would get over it because he said I could play with it as much as I wanted.  I remember in the sixth grade everybody had to have a pair of "parachute pants" to be cool.  There were all kinds of things in those days that we all had to have so we wouldn't be the misfit. I remember one winter back home I had passed by this Catholic elementary school.  All the kids had the same coat.  Almost every child had a certain type of Notre Dame coat on, they all looked like an advertisement picture for the university.  I thought in my mind how stupid is that?   Then I realized kids in my school were just the same, we all had the same clothing to impress someone.  I have a lot of friends from high school on Facebook. If I asked them about the stupid fashions we all went through to impress each other they would probably think it was all silly.  Where did  all this lead us, nowhere really! Were all still friends to this day and actually the clothes are forgotten and it really didn't matter one bit.

Living in the adult world fashion is not really a factor anymore.  It seemed we grew out of all that nonsense, but have we?  How do we do it now?  If you take a look at yourself, how are you today as an adult living to impress someone?  Obviously, it's with material possessions, but a little higher priced possessions.  Our possessions now are the cars we drive, and the house and neighborhood we live in.  To many, it states a sign of wealth and states a certain stature in life.  Don't get me wrong it's ok to have possessions that you have worked hard for, it's the flauting part of it that is wrong.  Possessions can signal to those who don't have things like this that we are untouchable, that we are better than everybody else.  It's true, it communicates to people that they are unworthy to communicate with us.  It makes others fearful of us.  When I watch the movie stars on TV and I think all the time I would never be able to talk to them or have a real conversation with them.  Because they are really untouchable,  I don't really live where they live, plus they are protected by a dozen security guards.  But then they really are real people.  That's the life they chose, we didn't choose a life of being untouchable we live in the real world.  Trust me there are people who want to talk to  people who have great wealth.  They want to feel they matter to them,  and they want to know that the "real world" is not full of untouchable rich snotty people.

Our world is a crazy one.  Satan is a demon working us hard, but in many different ways.  He makes us all feel like we are important in this world that we have a right to impress sombody and the right to pull others under our dirty rug of popularity.  It doesn't really matter to me if I impress somebody, I chose years ago to not live my life to impress others.  With me you get what you see.  I would rather get to know somebody and help those who think they are unworthy to talk to anybody feel special. I'm not saying that to impress anybody either, it's just the way I am programmed. 

I would like to see one President go and walk the streets in the roughest neighborhoods of America and shake hands with those who think they don't count.  I know Jimmy Carter has built houses for the poor through Habitat for Humanity and that is impressive.  Today I ask you to do something that is out of your comfort zone.  Go to somebody who you think might think may feel inferior to you.  A person who you think you would never speak to, maybe it's an employee that is afraid of you because you holder a higher postition.  We as the human race need to remember we are all human and God wants us all to be friends with each other. 

I write this because when I sit in Walmart and sell Medicare insurance I don't usually talk to the wealthiest people in the area.  My plans I sell are a $0 premium, so if people have money they usually don't discuss these plans with me because they can afford to not have them.  I usually get some pretty rough people talking with me and it really doesn't matter who I talk to, as long as I can meet their finacial need for affordable healthcare. This topic just kind of came to my mind today and I felt it needed to be written.  Impress somebody with your kindness and not with our wealth or power.

Thinking of others on Thanksgiving!

"If you think about it, the human race is pretty self-absobred. What I mean is, as a human, I am flawed in that it is difficult for me to consider others before myself. It feels like I have to fight against this force, this current within me that, more often than not, wants to avoid serious issues and please myself, buy things for myself, feed myself, entertain myself and all of that. All  I'm saying is that  if we, as a species, could fix our self- absorption, we could end a lot of pain in the world." - Donald Miller - Blue Like Jazz

I think about my own self - absorption all the time.  I am coming to a point in my life where  my wants don't really matter.  I still fight the selfish ways of life everyday, but it seems like it just doesn't matter anymore.  I have had a good life and now I want others to have what I have been given.

I thought about thanksgiving tomorrow and how many will not have what we will have in front of us. A large feast!  Many will be living their normal life tomorrow, a life with nothing to cherish.  They made it another day.  Another day of begging, another day of not feeling like they matter to society, another day with nobody caring or giving them the time of day.  I'm sure a lot of homeless people in New York City have been kicked out of their normal spots because of the parade tomorrow.  It's amazing how we live in a country that says all men are created equal, yet we are all  unequal in somebody else's sight.  Our government will send millions of dollars across seas to help other countries and their poverty stricken people.  But our countries poverty level continues to increase by the day.

We are a self- absorbed society.  Considering ourselves before others, our desires first, then whatever is leftover we give to others.  Jesus walked among the worst people of society,  and others will condemn us if we are seen with a bad person. Same way with Jesus in his day, the people he hung out with raised the eyebrows of the church leaders in his day.  They scolded him for being where he was, and we do the same thing today. 

What would happen if we took a bunch of homeless people into our house for an amazing feast on thanksgiving.  The neighbors would be talking, not all but a few would be.  They would be judging us for some reason. Would you care? Probably not, you did it for unselfish reasons.  Our hearts our amazingly hardened in this world, mostly because that is what Satan does to us.  He puts judgement into our hearts and places also self- absorption in there.  We really aren't bad people we are kept by Satan from being who we really should be.  He keeps us from being complete in Christ.  If Satan didn't scheme us all the time could you imagine what we could do in the name of Christ.  Exactly what Donald Miller said in the last sentence of his quote. We could end a lot of pain in the world.  I remind myself everyday to have the compassion and eyes of Christ.  I fail at this all the time, but I strive to see others as Christ saw them.  Not a problem or an embarrassment to society, but an important part in life.  Look and see tomorrow what you see with the eyes of Christ. You'll be amazed when you put yourself behind you and others in front of you. Happy Thanksgiving

Who is Right When It Comes To Gay Rights Or Anything Else?

Today there was a video posted on Facebook about a kid who won't say the pledge of allegiance in school until our country gives gays and lesbians equal rights.  So I offended some people with my comment about the video.  I said, "when did gays become a race.  No equal rights!"

 I offended a friend of mine whom I didn't know was gay.  So I have spent my Friday night defending God and His holy word. I referred to the scripture in Romans 1:26-28 and then got bashed for using the Bible as a weapon and then was told by the person that is a Christian that the Bible was a book of errors written by men and their own historical point of views. Another person commented and said I was a disgrace to all men. 

Here is my stance!  There is no victory in a country that has gone away from God and his Holy word, a country that is relying on its own beliefs and then say they believe in God. You can't serve two masters. If you are Muslim, atheists or whatever believe in what you believe that's your choice.  Respect my beliefs also.  I don't push them on you and don't push yours on me.  If you have a question and need some help then I will gladly share my beliefs in my God.  Nobody will ever win in this world, when it comes to all people accepting one true belief. Only through Christ is there complete victory!

Nobody knows what will happen in the end.  That's why I live by faith and know and hope it all is true.  That is what faith is.  Everybody has a faith in something, if not you are just a walking zomby.  I don't judge what people decide in their lives.  Chrisitians hope that we can turn others away from their sin and make them a child of Jesus.  Yet, many Christians have used bigotry and hatred toward others and have condemned Gays for what they believe.  I don't I just want them to realize what they are doing to their souls by being gay.  We as Christians should not be hateful but loving.  I do apologize to the gay community for the hatred used by many of the right wing.  That's is not who I am and I will never use my Christianity for bashing.  The scripture I used is what I believe, yet my sin is just as disgraceful.also.  To God a sin is a sin.  He does not show favortism, but love. 

I do not believe in equal rights for gays though, because it is against what God stated in his holy word.  But, if you believe the Bible is not the inspired word of God then you might believe differently.  I have seen hatred on both sides of this agenda.  

I will not go in the direction though to say anything blaspheming against the word of God.  I believe God is right, and loving and nothing can separate us from Him. 

The Pattern Of God's Creation. Be leaders of His Way.

To me there is no reason to believe there is no creator.  There are too many amazing things in this world to not believe.  Creation mezmorizes me,  there are to many signs here that seems complicated to just blow it off as a bang theory.  I saw two things lastnight at work that really caught my attention.  As I was moving a box in the aisle I saw a little beetle.  I watched it scamper to a safe hiding place.  It was funny to watch it move.  I looked at its design,  it looked like it could barely make it to its hiding place from me.  But it did, slowly.  I really wondered what its purpose in the circle of life was.  It didn't seem to me it was an important role to me, but that little bug serves some type of purpose.  As do all animals, for some odd reason God made that beetle for a reason to uphold our pattern in life.

About an hour later I looked up to see and hear a flock of Canadien geese fly above me.  In their normal V shaped pattern.  The flock had a leader guiding the pack some where.  But they had a purpose and a mission that God was leading them too.  About ten minutes later another flock were flying in the same direction.  It amazes me to see some thing like that have a natural instinct to know where they are headed.  A Godly instinct.
Many in this world want a belief in something. They just feel if there was a God in this world, they feel he would not allow bad things to happen. Not true!  Things will happen both good and bad.  Jesus told his disciples that they will face great trials and tribulations in life.  They will be hated because they bore his name.  They did face many horrible things in life.  They weren't wealthy with money, they were beaten and imprisoned for what they preached.  They faced death all day long. 

Many feel they can't believe in something that is unseen, or have faith in a being that never talks or gives them any reason to believe. So they turn to other religions or possessions that give them a temporary hiding place.  We as Christians should tell them of our sufferings in this life.  We should tell them of how we are protected from death in the next world.  We are considered to be slaughtered every day.  Yet, we have a hope in Jesus everyday we live. 

If you feel someone is headed in the wrong direction, don't press them with a bunch of scriptures, but first let them see your life and how you believe and how you don't let things get you down in this life.  Be an example with doing great things for them, then they will know who you belong to.  Show them the compassion that only Christ could show, be an example of him and then they will want to be like you.  Living peacefully in a risen and loving Savior.  We have all turned many unbelievers away by shoving our judgemental views down their throat.  We condemn them to Hell for what they do.  Yet, we deserve the same punishment.  Be loving and not condemning.  Christ was not a person who judged a person, he gave them what they asked for and then told them to go and sin no more.  We are all odd balls in this world.  Baptized or not we are all the same, we just have different stories and situations that have taken us in different directions.  The geese would not know where they were going if they didn't have a leader to take them to their intended direction.  Same with us who are in Christ, we are to be leaders of the flock and give direction to those that are lost.  Be leaders in Christ with love , and not be a bunch of judgemental rats.  Understand others stories and tell them about how we have been in the pits of life and how Christ brought us out and saved from this world.

Please Pray, Thanks

If you wouldn't mind. Would you please pray for my oldest child, Brayden.  He is having some issues possibly with passing a kidney stone. We're not sure really waht it is yet, but the doctor said it's possible.   Earlier in the year he had these same issues and they seemed to go away for about 4 months but now it is happening again.  Thank you and God Bless!

And God Said "No!"

I asked God to take away my pride, and God said, "No".


He said it was not for Him to take away, but for me to give up.



I asked God to make my handicapped child whole, and God said, "No".

He said her spirit is whole, her body is only temporary.



I asked God to grand me patience, and God said, "No".

He said that patience is a by-product of tribulation, it isn't granted, it's earned.



I asked God to give me happiness, and God said, "No".

He said He gives blessings, happiness is up to me.



I asked God to spare me pain, and God said, "No".

He said, "Suffering draws you apart from worldly cares and brings you closer to me."



I asked God to make my spirit grow, and God said, "No".

He said I must grow on my own, but he would prune me to make me fruitful.



I asked God if He loved me, and God said, "Yes".

He gave me His only Son who died for me, and I will be in Heaven someday because I believe.



I asked God to help me love others, as much as He loves me.

And God said, "Ah, finally, you have the idea"- Author unknown

Halloween 2009

My kids went as the "Dynamic Trio" this year.  How cute!

Halloween Home Alone!

Since I have had the flu and have missed work the past couple of days.  I have to stay home while everybody else has their trick or treating fun.  My fever went away through the night so I'm not contagious anymore. I still don't want to be around anybody though. 

I do have candy ready just in case somebody might come to the door.  The thing that stinks is there might be nobody come to the door.  Our town here is a Christian based community, so they all do trunk or treat.  Which I don't like because I am a traditionalist. I like the kids coming to our house and getting their treats.  But, as a parent of 3 kids I can understand the safety part of doing this.  Plus, it is an outreach for the churches which is good.  The churches need to show they can come outside of the building and show others we are friendly and loving and not a bunch of judgemental rats. 

I have a lot of good memories of halloween.  I remember most of my costumes that my mother made for me and my sister.  The best but worst costume she made for me was Yoda from Star Wars.  It was made well, but she used burlap for the material. I scratched all night long. You had to be tough in our neighborhood to go treating.  It was nothing but hillsides.  I believe it was the only time my Dad got exercise.  We would do our neighborhood and then go over to my  Papaw's and go through their neighborhood.  We were very tired by the time it was all over but it was good times I will always cherish forever. 

Fighters in the ring of life.

Today I was diagnosed with Influenza A.  I have really felt bad the past couple of days, and really hope it goes away soon.  I really can't afford to miss work.   I was thinking the other day about how healthy I have been over my life.  I have never spent a day in the hospital, never had a broken arm, even though I deserved one.  I often think about those who have spent the majority of their life in the hospital.  Especially the little children in hospitals like St. Judes.  Many fighting for their life before they even have a chance to live their life.  I have been praying for this lady here in Searcy.  She has been fighting cancer for the longest time. 

Her sister is a teacher at Harding Academy and has really helped her during her battle.  She often keeps us updated through Facebook on her condition.  Some of the people in this world we call heroes aren't really hroes.  It's people like this that are my heroes.  Fighters in the ring of life.  The little infants and children who fight daily to stay alive and want to enjoy life like every other child.  I often wonder why little children have to suffer or good people like the lady I mentioned above have to go through such struggles to live.

Many would rather the murders and child molesters suffer more then those good people.  But that is not how life works here.  It's unfair, but those of us who call upon the Lord know there is a better place.  A place that is beyond our imagination, no sickness and no pain. I pray for those who are fighting sickness and disabilities to keep fighting.  You are my heroes!

Quilt Of Holes

This is beautiful!




Quilt of Holes

As I faced my Maker at the last judgment, I knelt before the Lord along with all the other souls.
Before each of us laid our lives like the squares of a quilt in many piles; an angel sat before each of us sewing our quilt squares together into a tapestry that is our life.
But as my angel took each piece of cloth off the pile, I noticed how ragged and empty each of my squares was. They were filled with giant holes. Each square was labeled with a part of my life that had been difficult, the challenges and temptations I was faced with in every day life. I saw hardships that I endured, which were the largest holes of all.
I glanced around me. Nobody else had such squares. Other than a tiny hole here and there, the other tapestries were filled with rich color and the bright hues of worldly fortune. I gazed upon my own life and was disheartened.
My angel was sewing the ragged pieces of cloth together, threadbare and empty, like binding air.
Finally the time came when each life was to be displayed, held up to the light, the scrutiny of truth. The others rose; each in turn, holding up their tapestries. So filled their lives had been. My angel looked upon me,and nodded for me to rise.
My gaze dropped to the ground in shame. I hadn't had all the earthly fortunes. I had love in my life, and laughter. But there had also been trials of illness, and wealth, and false accusations that took from me my world, as I knew it. I had to start over many times. I often struggled with the temptation to quit, only to somehow muster the strength to pick up and begin again. I spent many nights on my knees in prayer, asking for help and guidance in my life. I had often been held up to ridicule, which I endured painfully, each time offering it up to the Father in hopes that I would not melt within my skin beneath the judgmental gaze of those who unfairly judged me.
And now, I had to face the truth. My life was what it was, and I had to accept it for what it was.
I rose and slowly lifted the combined squares of my life to the light. An awe-filled gasp filled the air. I gazed around at the others who stared at me with wide eyes.

Then, I looked upon the tapestry before me. Light flooded the many holes,creating an image, the face of Christ.. Then our Lord stood before me, with warmth and love in His eyes. He said, 'Every time you gave over your life to Me, it became My life, My hardships, and My struggles.
Each point of light in your life is when you stepped aside and let Me shine through, until there was more of Me than there was of you.'
May all our quilts be threadbare and worn, allowing Christ to shine through!
God determines who walks into your life ...it's up to you to decide who you let walk away, who you let stay, and who you refuse to let go.'
I need this back. If you'll do this for me, I'll do it for you....When there is nothing left but God that is when you find out that God is all you need. - Author Unknown

Missing My Grandmothers

Yesterday we had Grandparents day and it was a wonderful time at Harding Academy.  I looked at every grandparent and saw their great joy and pride they had in their grandchildren.  The relationships between the kids and their grandma and grandpa is a special one.  It's amazing to see the glory of the Lord through this relationship of human beings.  I know my parents are proud of my children and who they are and how wonderful it is for them to be here and be around them.  This is love at it's best.

I always get kind of emotional on grandparents day.  I some times feel a little jealousy, because my kids know both sets of their grandparents and I never did.  I never knew my grandmothers.  My dad's mother I vaguely remember and my mom's mother died when my mom was young.  So i often wonder what they were like, what their voices sounded like.  How loving they would have been?  Or what kind of cookies they made? Would they be proud of me?  I really don't know a whole lot about them, But I know they were very kind and loving women.   Just to hear them say my name would be a blessing.  I do long for the day when we will all be together and we will all share eternity together.  At least believing in a loving and kind God there is hope to see those from the past again.  There will be no pain, no fears and no sadness.  What a great day that will be.  Take time to remember the people in your family you never met and be glad we'll see them in heaven.

A Peace of Mind.

This morning we talked about peace. How do you find it or describe it?  My answer to this two part question is simple.  I think we all need to find a peace of mind.  Our minds need to slow down and think of  things other than the worries of today and the future.  We have no control over what is in the future or today.  It comes as it happens, our ability to handle the terrible situations means we must take it on with God by our side.  We must start today in being deep rooted in our beliefs and the word of God.  As we are rooted well in our faith and our knowledge of God's word the battle will not seem so overwhelming. I have done this well.  I truly believe I can handle some tough situations just because I have a tough faith and good understanding I am not alone.  God is with me and you.

Now worrying is not my thing.  I have my fathers genes, he is chilled out about everything, but I am nowhere near his calmness.  I have some of my mother's genes also.  I won't get into that. :)  But a peace of mind I am working hard on, I really believe that all things work out for those who believe.  I try not to focus to far ahead in the future, I just see what the day will bring.  I have always believed that worrying is someone else's problem not mine.  Nothing really gets me frazzled and I focus on what I might be able to do to make the problem less of a hassle.  That usually works.  But our mind needs to slow down a lot.  I know we all  have pressures in our families, our workplace and other areas of life, but we need to offer our problems to God.   I got a little worked up this weekend because my heart started its funny heart beat and I couldn't understand why it was doing it. I'm on medicine, but I prayed and it has since quit doing it.  A relief!

With all the things going on in our world it adds to the stress, but I decided to turn off the 24 hour news stations and just ignore all the lies they state to get their ratings up.  The news stations bring a lot of garbage to us.  It's to the point where you can't believe anybody on there.  So it's gone from my TV, and life has been less of a worry.  I read a lot of Christian living books, these books have brought peace to my mind.  I have a list of them in the right hand column on this blog.  They are defintely worth reading.

As I look at this picture of pumpkins I get a good sense of relief looking at them.  I believe God gave us holidays and the decorations that come with them to give us relief, a peace of mind.  Fall is a sign of change in our world and our lives.  Just like in our own lives we can have a season of change every day, if we allow it.  God wants us to change for the good in all things.  To become better at life and better in him.  To find that peace of mind that only he can give.  Give yourself a break and do something great.   Take time to help others and give them some peace in their mind.  Make room for God and he will clean out those worries on your mind.  Be blessed with peace in him and you will find things will be better.

To My Darling Shannon. Happy Tenth Anniversary!

Hard to believe this is us 11 years ago.  Young and in love.  Today marks our 10 th wedding anniversary, and I am thankful.  Our story started one night when her friends and her boyfriend at the time came over to our apartment.  I didn't know who she was then, but I had my sights set on her.  About 6 months later she was single and we finally got together and have been together ever since.  God started writing our story, and what a great story it has become.  Three kids full of great energy and a cat.  God has blessed us in so many ways we sometimes have missed  the blessings he has given us. 

We are a simple couple, we often hide behind the scenes and hang out with our children.  I enjoy having lunch with her while the kids are at school and we just enjoy being with each other.  We've had our arguments and days of just needing to be away from each other, but we always have a great love that bonds us together.  I am thankful for God and His ability to put certain people together for a reason, his reasons.  I believe he has blessed me with a perfect girl, someone who loves life and wants the best for all of us.  She is my dream that finally came true, my princess whose love will ever consume me.  Today I am thankful for her love, and her willingness to love me as a complicated man sometimes.  May God bless our marriage! I love you , Shannon

The Amazing Love I See in God's Animals

I really love to watch the nature of animals and insects here among us.  They just amaze me, to see them do what they do.  Like this little bug in this picture, what are his or her goals for the day? How simple can their little lives be?  What makes them have the ability to do whatever they do?  Their brain must be so tiny that you could not even find it without mushing it.  Yet, God sees them just as important to life as any other creature on the Earth.  I look at our cat Shelby and just marvel at her.  The way she acts sometimes is something to behold.  I always thought cats were just stupid.  They're not like dogs, they don't sniff at the dinner table or lick in you in the face when you pet them.  They just kind of do their own thing.  Shelby has always liked to roam around in the outdoors all summer long.  Sometimes she never shows up till morning or she will pull the meowing at the front door right after I decide to set the alarm for the night. 

Since it has become a little cooler during the night she seems to be liking to sleep in the house at night.  When she is in the house in the morning she roams around the house looking for the kids while they are at school.  She misses them, and when they arrive she is in the middle of them.  She has become our spoiled little cat it seems, and I have taken a liking to her though. She is a good cat well behaved, doesn't get on the counter tops or the tables.  She just seems to like our being around her.  It's almost sad to think that nobody wanted her and just left her near our house.  She is just a cat that is sweet and has feelings. 

I wander in amazement  that God gave us such a variety of animals to choose from to become our pets and be able to enjoy them as much as all of us has.  Our God is a lover of his children and his animals he created.  He put a lot into making all  these wonderful creatures, that they have the ability to make the lonely feel wanted.  That they are able to be trained to help the blind walk, to help the elderly smile and make the sickest of children happy and cheerful.   For those who feel God is against them or feel that our God is a God that brings evil upon this Earth, think again!  He is God of great love.  If he can bring love to the simplest animals here, take a look at the love he brings to every man, woman and child.  Our God is a living Creator that continues to bring about pure happiness and great love to His people.  Make the choice to be loved by the Lord above. Take a look at your pet tonight and see the what the creator put into them to be able to do what they can do.  I stand in awe of our Creator!

God's Amazing Gift of Grace

You know it's funny about all the things man has taken credit for.  If someone invents something, the phrase is so and so has invented  this or that.  Then they make a lot of money and become great among their peers and accept the praise from everyone.  Their head inflates about 6 times it normal size.  They are known for years for inventing a device or finding the cure for cancer.  Even after they are dead they are still held in high esteem for their ability or talent to figure out this mystery of life.

So when I look at this picture of fire what is the phrase that comes to mind about the invention of fire.  "Man discovered fire!"  In never came out as Man invented fire does it?  Why doesn't it state "invent" instead of "discover?"  Somebody way back then realized that fire was supposed to be.  Discovered not invented.  It was God who invented it.  Fire was to be a natural part of his creation.  It's his, not ours!   So why is it nowaday's that it is invented for everything that is really discovered? 

As I read more about the fall of man in the garden of Eden, it seems it was all going to be told.  God was willing to show man all that is supposed to be in existence.  Who knows what God had planned to show man.  He was willing to show him all there is supposed to be in creation.  There was not to be any question about anything, everything was there every answer to every question.  Because God walked with man in the garden.  But then the fruit was plucked and then the bite was taken and sin was brought forth.  Our answers were turned into questions, and confusion set in and man had to discover what was supposed to be.  But instead of discovery it became invention, our creation, and we took the credit and didn't give God any praise for it.  I've come to realize over the years that all we have is the Lord's and not ours.  Everything we have, see smell, touch and taste is God's.  It is all loaned out from Him to us- It's called Grace.  Grace is a gift given to the undeserved, which is us.  Many live life in God's grace and don't even realize it.  The man who claims to have invented something, it's not his idea but the fact through God's grace God set forth to the man or women the knowledge to do something great.  But do any of us realize this?  Not all!  But some do and they realize that God has given us a clue through his gift of grace.  The answer or design was already in God's closet of inventions he just allowed us to figure it out so he would get a little thanks for something so great.  When we think we have invented something or found an answer to a life long question, don't take the credit give it all to God.  Grace is amazing isn't it?

October is Coming~ :)

I thought this was a pretty cool and spooky picture to put on here, because October is just around the corner.  October is probably my favorite month of the year. Two reasons, it is my birthday and anniversary month.  I will be 36 on the 3rd and will be married for ten years on the 2nd.  I always enjoy the fallish weather and the thought of pumkins and the beautiful leaves coming forth.  I just love football even more this month.  It's just a great time of the year.  I'm trying to think of things to write for this month.  I have no ideas though, I usually just write off the top of my head.  So if you have any great ideas or any inspirational stories to share I would be glad to share them with those who read this blog.  I need comments to let me know what you think of this blog, if it's bad or doing some good for most who read it.  Feedback is always helpful.  So please continue to read and give me your ideas in furthering God's word.  Thanks, Clint

He's Got The Whole World In His Hands!

This is a picture of New York city taken from atop of the Empire State building by a friend of mine.  When I look at it I have one thought.  There is a lot of things going on in that picture. Even though it's just a picture of buildings.  There is a lot of action in this picture.  New York has a lot of people roaming that area. So that means a lot of thoughts are going on, decisions are being made, crime is on the loose, people are working, birds and insects and other animals are going about their business also.  Homeless people are searching for food to survive.  They are holding out cups to get a few handouts. Drug dealers are pushing their products to people and kids to make a dishonest dollar and hooking a new client.  Good decisions are also being made in this picture, somebody is probably accepting Christ at that very moment.  Many hopefully, have decided that they have had enough and said it was time to give it all to God.  There are people in this picture that have decided they can't take anymore and left their spouse or decided to leave this world by their own actions.
There is fear in some people from the day of 9/11 that wonder if a plane is going to strike their building.  There are people who are working and thinking about someone else other than their spouse and decide to take the action with the other person that they have been desiring for a long time.  I'm sure there are some bad and illegal business decisions going on in one of those buildings.  It being morning the prostitutes are resting from there long night of making money for sex.  The mafia also are still lurking in the picture somewhere getting ready to make some very illegal decisions to harm somebody in some way.  Cussing, there are a lot of people doing that in that picture especially on Wall Street. Yet, I'm sure somewhere in this picture somebody is praying, pleading to the Creator to help all these caught up in the world to take the step and repent. 
In one small picture of the largest city in the United States there is so much going on. An anthill in action in constant movement.  Probably doing more than what I have mentioned above.  Yet, one Being is in control of it all taking care of every thought, every person and every animal and plant and molecule on the Earth.  Seeing it all. Keeping it all in control and held together.  To me that is amazing! I stand in awe of our God!

So The Glory Of God May Be Revealed

I think this is a super idea for handicap kids to do. I found this picture on a friends Facebook page tonight. Her stepson is handicap and it was his first tops soccer game.  It's awesome to see something like this going on for these precious children.  The last time I passed a handicapped child it broke my heart.  It just kills me to see a child like that.  But it is humbling at the same time.  My complaints seem worthless and I feel puny.  I have no reason to complain when I see and think of children who are handicapped.  They have had a much tougher road than you and I will ever know.  I often think about the courage of these parents to live everyday to see their child in this condition.  I really think all those parents would trade positions with their child every day if they could.  We think the parents have a tough time with raising a handicap child, and we feel sorry for them.  But I believe that child is given to parents who are humbled by the experience.  I have never known a parent who was ticked off at God because they were dealt a bad card.  No! That child is well cared for and loved. 

I remember the verse in the Bible when the disciples asked about the handicapped person.  They asked, "Who sinned him or his parents?"  Jesus said it happened to reveal the glory of God.  It does, it allows us to see our selfishness and allows us to see how God works through everything and everyone.  It awakens us to think less of our complaints and allows us to want to love more.  Almost every person whom I have known handicapped are strong individuals that have excepted their inability to do most things and carry on with daily life.  We as individuals are constant complainers and really feel we deserve better.  But we have no excuse to complain about anything. Use your God given abilty and talent to give hope to all.  Include all, in every one of your activities.  Don't exclude anybody for any reason.  Show God's love to all and let the world know of God's love through our daily example.  Make footprints in time.