Our kids were able to go to VBS at a variety of churches this year. All were really good. I was able to video the one at Life Pointe Church in Atwater. Enjoy.
Share on FacebookYears ago, in a land far away, in my childhood home, stuck to the refrigerator with one or two magnets was this poem. Well, it might not be a poem, but it is good. I don’t know who put it there but I remembered it, or at least the major idea of it. And almost 30 years later I hear that same poem thingy on Moody radio. I googled enough of the words to find the whole thing on a web site and I reprint it here hopefully with permission or at least forgiveness. I wish I had come up with it but I think Dr. Bob Moorehead did.
I am a part of the Fellowship of the Unashamed. I have the Holy Spirit Power. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure. I am finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tame visions, mundane talking, chintzy giving, and dwarfed goals.
I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don’t have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by presence, learn by faith, love by patience, lift by prayer, and labor by power.
My pace is set, my gait is fast, my goal is Heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions few, my Guide is reliable, my mission is clear.
I cannot be bought, compromised, deterred, lured away, turned back, diluted, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.
I won’t give up, back up, let up, or shut up until I’ve preached up, prayed up, paid up, stored up, and stayed up for the cause of Christ. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I must go until He returns, give until I drop, preach until all know, and work until He comes.
And when He comes to get His own, He will have no problem recognizing me. My colors will be clear for “I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes..” (Romans 1:16)
Do I belong to a generation that still believes in hope, family values, personal freedom, personal responsibility? What is important to my generation? Or yours? The future looks as good or as bad as you want it to. Watch this video and see what I mean. It’s all in how you look at it.
Thanks to Dave Ingland for sharing this with me.
Share on FacebookThere are different levels of life that are more valuable and worthy of protection. For example, I value my children above a coyote. If a coyote attacked my kids I would kill it to protect my kids. Only weirdos would have a problem with that. But at what level of importance are things placed? It’s called the circle of life. Lions eat other animals which eat the grass which grows better where an animal has died and fertilized the ground. I consider myself pro-life. But only to a point. We just had a baby born to our family. (Yes, Mom. More pictures will be coming.) At 8 pounds and 12 ounces she is definitely alive. She was also alive before she was born. Any mother-to-be who has felt her baby kick her can tell you that. It is inconceivable to me that anyone could kill an unborn baby because it is not wanted. Babies can feel pain before they are born. Nebraska passed a law protecting pre-born babies based on this fact. We know that dogs and cats feel pain. My otherwise very quiet cat lets me know very loudly when I accidentally step on its tail. For some reason it likes to get in my way going down the steps but then stop right in front of me. It could be considered wrong, unethical, or immoral to intentionally hurt a mammal. But what about a mosquito? Is it wrong to hurt them? What about trees? Can we cut them down for firewood? The tree is alive. But it is not of the same type of life. A fish is alive, as is a cow. I eat them both and I never stop to wonder if they would rather live than be my lunch. The bird in my attic is annoying me. Can I remove it without fear of some government agency throwing me in jail for harming an animal? This country has really got some issues mixed up. The balance of nature should be respected but not worshiped. Some life is worth protecting while other life is not. My baby had fingerprints at 8 weeks of age. She is far more important to me than any animal. So I was wondering, where do things belong on the value chart of life. As you can see below I put humans first. See if you agree with the rest.
Humans
pets
plants grown for human consumption
animals grown for human consumption
mammals
fish and birds
insects
plants
algae
Congressman
In God we trust. At least, that’s what our money says. Who do we really trust? According to GFK Custom Research (2009) we don’t trust people much. And the level of trust is based on occupation.
Here are the percentages of people who trust the following occupations:
92% Fire service
85% Teachers
81% Postal workers, Doctors, Armed forces
66% Clergy
64% Environmental protection organizations
61% Police
60% Charities
57% Judges, Civil servants
55% Market researchers (like the source of this info)
47% Lawyers
43% Trade union representatives
41% Journalists
39% Marketing professionals
37% Bankers
33% Top managers
28% Advertising professionals
18% Politicians (this is 2009 data, you think this has gone up?)
As a life insurance rep I may fit into the marketing professional category but I hope people see me as more trustworthy than 39%. There are several standards and codes of ethics that I have to live up to, as should everyone in any field. But it is unfortunate that some people just don’t care if they take advantage of others for their own gain. As the joke goes:
The bad lawyers make the other 3% look bad.
Only two out of three people trust clergy. That’s sad. Judges? Even worse. Probably because they make up stuff and misinterpret the laws. Trade union reps? They lie about political candidates to get people to vote for them. Bankers try to keep you in debt, yet everyone keeps giving them money. There’s a better alternative. Advertising professionals use words like “heavy duty” and “professional” when clearly they mean something else. And at the bottom of the list is politicians. At 18% trust rating I don’t think either political party is doing well with the trust issue.
There is only One who is always worthy of your trust all the time. Never a promise broken. Never a lie told. Never will He leave you.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, do not depend on your own understanding.”
Share on FacebookAs I was cleaning up stuff in the basement I came across a roll of postal wrapping paper. You know, the plain brown paper used to cover boxes that are sent through the United States Postal Service. That got me thinking; which can be dangerous. What if there were a musical group by that name.
I’m thinking something in the rap genre (not that rap qualifies as music) with some tough, angry looking, tattoo covered, beer drinking bald guys with earings in strange places. Postal Rapping Paper. I’m not sure how the paper figures into it but “postal” could fit. Rapping spelled without a “w” fits. Maybe paper is the greenbacks, the cash that they earn selling their “music” to a generation that has gone postal. Understand that this is just one of the many strange things that fly around in my head. It is not an endorsement of such a group nor is it a challenge to you musically talented people to go form such a group. It’s just something odd that I had to write down before I forgot about it. Not sure why. Well, I need to get back to cleaning the basement.
Beware of Terrorist Groups in church!
Latest news reports are that five terrorist cell groups have been operating in many of our churches. They have been identified as: Bin Sleepin, Bin Arguin, Bin Fightin, Bin Complainin, and Bin Missin.
Their leader, Lucifer Bin Workin, trained these groups to destroy the Body of Christ. The plan is to come into the church disguised as Christians and to work within the church to discourage, disrupt, and destroy.
However, there have been reports of a sixth group. A tiny cell known by the name Bin Prayin is actually the only effective counter terrorism force in the church. Unlike other terrorist cells, the Bin Prayin team does not blend in with whoever and whatever comes along.
Bin Prayin does whatever is needed to uplift and encourage the Body of Christ. We have noticed that the Bin Prayin group has different characteristics than the others. They have Bin Watchin, Bin Waitin, Bin Fastin, and Bin Longin for their Master, Jesus Christ to return.
NO CHURCH IS EXEMPT!
(However, you can spot them if you bin lookin and bin goin.)
Author unknown
Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Share on FacebookThere is a daily webinar called Prosper Today hosted by a man named Lynn Spencer. He is an inspiration to many people in my company. In addition to his leadership vocationally he is offering spiritually leadership to any who desire to join in. The meetings are online at 10 AM Eastern, Monday through Friday. They are recorded and posted every day at prospertoday.com The recordings are not always available so I recommend the live meeting if you can attend.
Sign up here: prospertoday.com
The focus of each meeting is putting God first in our work and our lives. Today’s meeting was about wisdom. There is much wisdom to be gained in putting God first in our lives. And wisdom is more valuable than almost anything. This is just a part of today’s meeting on wisdom. Click the play button and listen as Lynn Spencer reads Proverbs chapter eight.
Proverbs 8Lynn Spencer is also the author of:
Getting Out of Debt God’s Way
A Modern Day Witness to Jesus Christ
Share on Facebook[as copied from an email; author unknown]
This video shows the winner of “Ukraine’s Got Talent,” Kseniya Simonova, 24, drawing a series of pictures on an illuminated sand table showing how ordinary people were affected by the German invasion during World War II. Her talent, which admittedly is a strange one, is mesmeric to watch.
The images, projected onto a large screen, moved many in the audience to tears, and she won the top prize of about $125,000 USD.
She begins by creating a scene showing a couple, sitting holding hands on a bench under a starry sky, but then warplanes appear, and the happy scene is obliterated.
It is replaced by a woman’s face crying, but then a baby arrives, and the woman smiles again. Once again, war returns, and Miss Simonova throws the sand into chaos from which a young woman’s face appears.
She quickly becomes an old widow, her face wrinkled and sad, before the image turns into a monument to an Unknown Soldier.
This outdoor scene becomes framed by a window as if the viewer is looking out on the monument from within a house.
In the final scene, a mother and child appear inside, and a man standing outside, with his hands pressed against the glass, saying goodbye.
The Great Patriotic War, as it is called in Ukraine, resulted in one in four of the population’s being killed, with eight to 11 million deaths out of a population of 42 million.
Kseniya Simonova says: “I find it difficult enough to create art using paper and pencils or paintbrushes, but using sand and fingers is beyond me. The art, especially when the war is used as the subject matter, even brings some audience members to tears. And, there’s surely no bigger compliment.”
Share on FacebookGod’s blessings are too many to count.
The best by far is His gift of Jesus.
Our family simply wishes you a very
Merry Christmas
Steve & Lisa
Michaella, Caleb, Hannah, Sarah-Joy
Share on FacebookDear Children,
It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season. Maybe you’ve forgotten that I wasn’t actually born during this time of the year and that it was some of your predecessors who decided to celebrate My birthday on what was actually a time of pagan festival; although, I do appreciate being remembered anytime.
How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own. I don’t care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth just GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER. Now, having said that let Me go on.
If it 
bothers you that the town in which you live doesn’t allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santas and snowmen and put in a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn. If all My followers did that there wouldn’t be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all around town.
Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees. You can and may remember Me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grape vine if you wish: I actually spoke of that one in a teaching that explains who I am in relation to you and what each of our tasks are. If you have forgot that one, look at John 15:1-8.
If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth here is my wish list. Choose something from it.
1. Instead 
of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell Me all the time.
2. Visit 
someone in a nursing home. You don’t have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.
3. Instead 
of writing Barack complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don’t you write and tell him that you’ll be praying for him and his family this year. Then follow up. It will be nice hearing from you again.
4. Instead 
of giving your children a lot of gifts you can’t afford and they don’t need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.
5. Pick 
someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.
6. Did 
you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don’t know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile it could make the difference. Also, you might consider supporting the local Hot-Line: they talk with people like that every day.
7. Instead 
of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren’t allowed to wish you a “Merry Christmas” that doesn’t keep you from wishing them one. Then stop shopping there on Sunday. If the store didn’t make so much money on that day they’d close and let their employees spend the day at home with their families.
8. If you 
really want to make a difference, support a missionary, especially one who takes My love and Good News to those who have never heard My name. You may already know someone like that.
9. Here’s a
good one. There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no “Christmas” tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don’t know them (and I suspect you don’t) buy some food and a few gifts and give them to the Marines, the Salvation Army or some other charity and they will make the delivery for you.
10. Finally 
if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don’t do things in secret that you wouldn’t do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine.
P.S. Don’t forget; I am God and can take care of Myself. Just love Me and do what I have told you to do. I’ll take care of all the rest. Check out the list above and get to work; time is short. I’ll help you, but the ball is now in your court. And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those you love and, remember, I LOVE YOU.
Share on Facebook
My daughter Sarah-Joy is almost two years old. She had an accident at a playground last week that gave her a small fracture in her leg. Yesterday she got a cast on her right leg that she is not happy about, but at least it’s pink. As I observed some of the other people in the hospital and how much worse their situation is than ours I thought of this song by Petra. Even though I could list some things in life that are not perfect, the list of things I am thankful for would be much longer.
Our kids are (usually) healthy and well behaved. My wife and I have been married twelve years and still love each other. And we have a peace that is undescribable because we know the Prince of Peace.
If you have a thankful heart, even that too is a gift from God. If you don’t have a thankful heart yet, it’s not too late. Listen to this song and think about all the good that God has brought into your life.
Share on FacebookI’m keeping commentary to a minimum on this one. This video speaks for itself.
Warning: this one is even more disturbing.
Share on FacebookDo you seek first the Kingdom of God? I don’t just mean on Sundays. Every day we need to focus on God and include Him in every aspect of our lives. To help us do this in our business, a leader in my company has started offering a 15 – 30 minute event every weekday to help us focus on God. This has been an inspiring time to reflect on how much we need Him and to be encouraged by Bible teaching or an amazing story of God helping those who rely on Him. Whether you are in business for yourself or not I invite you to join me as I put God first in my business and seek first the Kingdom of God.
The meetings are online, Monday through Friday at 10 AM Est. Click here to register.
A screen shot of one meeting.
As they say in Chicago, “Don’t forget to vote; and vote often.” They have cracked down on that since the 1920′s or when ever that saying got started. But I thought of it today. Lisa and I voted today and we brought our four kids with us, armed with coloring books and a small Thomas Train to pass the time. They had a table set up in the large voting room which was perfect for the kids to color at. At the end I handed in my ballot card and as usual they had stickers. I was offered one for each of the kids which I thought was nice. But then it occurred to me that if the kids got stickers that say they voted it would be a lie unless they really did get to vote. So I asked for ballots for each of the kids. Fortunately they knew I was joking and didn’t throw me in jail for attempted election fraud. Someday the kids will vote. They are already learning about it. Hopefully you voted today too. Let your voice be heard. Every vote counts. Once. I know someone who thought her vote should count more than once because she was so important. Not so. We are all equal. Unless we don’t vote. If you don’t vote, you don’t have a voice in our government. And if you don’t vote you have no right to complain when “they” do something you don’t like. Vote. Your future depends on it.
