Power of Thanks

Yesterday I took a baby to her mother, who was in rehab.  It was a 150 mile trip.  I usually go help out at Kindergarten on Monday afternoons and I love it. I had to give that up.  I was looking forward to seeing the mother's face as she saw held her baby in her arms for the first time in a month. I visited this same mother while she was in jail, listening to her complaints.  We arrived at the New Beginnings home and the mother came out.  She was angry.  I attempted to talk to her, all I got was an angry glare.  Pushing back the tears and trying to settle my beating heart down, I said goodbye and went back to the van.  A "no thank you", angry ungrateful attitude wouldn't of hurt from a stranger, but this mother was no stranger to me.  It took me fifty miles to believe the verse, "Give Thanks in Everything."  When my heart turned towards God, I felt His tears of an ungrateful generation.  Thank you Jesus I experienced that, because I was able to see Your heart, my Lord. 

Story

And the stars of stickiness are those who can spot an idea and tell a Simple, Unexpected, Concrete, Credible, Emotional Story that stresses a single point. Sarah King


We had a speaker last night - Dean Nifarodos. He tells great stories that has happened to him. He shows a picture of a leper girl, her fingerless hands raised. She is smiling. Dean said that if the picture was taken 30 minutes prior, she was not smiling and her eyes were not open. She had just been healed of blindness from birth.

Self-Effacing or Self-aggrandizement

Eisenhower


President General Eisenhower didn't like to bring any attention to himself. He often substituted the word "I" for "we". General MacAuthur his equal was the opposite.

Quote from the book: But the self-effacing Eisenhower was appalled by MacArthur’s self-aggrandizement and his habit of talking about himself in the third person.

Personality wise only I'm like Eisenhower. I'm self-effacing and I have a difficult time with self-aggrandizement personalities. I did read a quote this past week that said something like this: "You can get a lot done if you're not concerned with who gets the credit." That sits bad with me but I know it's true.


Do you see yourself as Self-effacing or self-aggrandizement?

Dead Reckoning

I'm reading a book right now called Dead Reckoning by Ronie Kendig. (It's a great book.) The lead character is a Christian. He struggles when he allows himself to get involved emotionally with a girl he is protecting. He doesn't get his past taken care of and his decision making process comes into question.


Here is a quote from the book. (The main character is an agent.)
"As he rounded the corner, several pieces of data pelted his mind. The tail end of a car sticking out past the corner. The shadow of a man stretching into the darkened alley. The quiet."

Fear

Gary Smalley said that fear basically comes down to two areas.  With women he says it's fear of disconnect and with men it's fear of insignificance.  Each person may have their own words for it such as men it could be disrespect but that still falls under insignificance. For women it may be abandonment and that falls under disconnect.  Some people may not even know that they have a core fear. So how can we know?  Look at the areas where your relationships fails.  Take a hard look at why. You may come to the conclusion it's because of a core fear. 

Rapture

In case I'm missing along with millions of others:

We did not get hit with an attack from outspace as the news media is reporting. Aliens did not abduct me along with millions of others that are missing. We were raptured off this earth by the Lord Jesus Christ. You may be saying, "I go to church and I'm still here, so it couldn't be the rapture." Well you need to have Jesus in your heart and be in good standing with Father God. Good standing means you've asked for forgiveness for all your sins. I'm sorry to tell you that you will be in a rough way for the next few years. I recommend that you completely give your heart to Jesus, but you know it will cost you your life. If you follow my recommendation I'll be seeing you after this is all over, or sooner if you're executed for your belief. We'll be returning with the Mighty Christ and all will be ok then. So until then......

"Watch therefore (give strict attention, be cautious and active), for you do not know in what kind of day (whether a near or remote one) your Lord is coming."

- Matthew 24:42, Amplified Bible

CW Ep. 1: What is a Controversial Warrior?

Dark Character Portrait

Two seeds lay dormant in the dark recesses of her mind.


One unto life; one unto death.

The dark seed growing with tentacles into the network of living.

Masquerading as "truth". Producing deceptive fruit.

The life seed wisely remains still, quiet.

Love will awaken this seed at the right time.

She struggles with her emotions. She battles wanting connection but getting war. Her desires are left unmet. Moments of victory are swept away in the next step, temporarily or forever gone, depending upon the light she allows in her heart. The light attempts to shine, to show love, to grow the seed, to produce life. Yet she throws the switch off, doing it her way. "Her way", the dark seed whispers with an evil grin. Tentacles reaching the switch. "I'm a victim", the dark seed's name. The tentacles transform into a jail cell. The dark seed name's whisper beomes a shout. Tears flow in belief of the shout. "No one cares for me" is a friend to the dark seed. Love knocks at the door. Will she open & allow the light to shine into her death chamber?