Where's the sin?

Isn't it interesting how we're all so different? We're all born with our own personalities and go on to be further shaped by our upbringing and life experiences...

If we're Christian and in active fellowship with other Christians, then we're further influenced by them as well. Hopefully, the influence is sound and of a good, kind and godly nature. But...what if it isn't?

I was in this position yesterday. Listening to someone cry out about issues within their church that they knew were not biblical...knew were far from how Christ would want the Body to act on His behalf. It's painful to listen to. I'm absolutely sure it's painful to have to wrestle with. I am praying for this couple. I know that the Lord will put them where they're supposed to be - whether they're already there and will effect change from within or be it someplace else. Can I ask that you pray for them too? Names aren't important...we know that! And besides - I'm sure there are (unfortunately) more people just like them would could use prayer about this very thing. So, maybe we should just lift them all up...

And while we pray for them...I chose this song for today's Music Monday selection. This was one of the issues raised during our conversation. It's no sin to be poor. Or homeless. Or hungry. We are all called to help. We ARE His Body.

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"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.' "Then these righteous ones will reply, 'Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?' "And the King will say, 'I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!'
Matthew 25:34-46 NLT

A smidge early

Okay, I know it's not Spring...yet! I'm just sooo tired of Winter - and I know I'm not the only one! But Spring will be here in just a few more weeks, my friends!

And the bees sure do make me smile! How about you?

For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.
Ecclesiastes 3:1 NLT

I'm still here! No, really...I am!

And I haven't forgotten about my poor neglected blog OR my poor neglected blogging friends!

I've just been taking some time away to - well - just be. I hope you understand. I think you do.

I promise I'll be around to see you all soon. And I'll be back to posting soon as well... :)

In the meantime, how about a little "brotherly love?"

Matthew and Baylor

Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God.
1 John 4:7

Again

I wasn't going to do it. Honestly.

Even though friends and family were encouraging me to, I wasn't going to do it.

Too much loss. Too much pain. Too many tears. Too many goodbyes.

And then I saw this face online.

Those eyes...I had to meet him. Just had to.

So meet him I did. And just like the day I met my Lulu, he sat absolutely silent amidst all the barking and howling dogs watching me approach. His eyes never leaving mine. And I knew. Just as I knew with Lulu.

His name is Baylor and he is 2 years old. He'll be 3 in September. He is a Blue Pit mix...just as Lulu was. But where Lulu was mixed with Schnauzer, Baylor is part Boxer. He is a big, strong boy - weighing in at 60 pounds. A gentle giant, though...a big teddy bear.

Here he is meeting my vet of 22+ years the day after I adopted him...

Yep, he's a people lover alright! And people love him! He was the shelter "favorite" and everyone was sad, yet happy to see him leave. Bittersweet!

He has settled in nicely...seems to be loving his new home and the freedom he has in his very own backyard! And as you can see, he had no trouble adjusting to bedtime!

I've found that he's a good listener...when I talk (and cry) about my Sweet Hubby and Lulu, this big boy climbs in my lap - all 60 pounds of him. Help!!

So, thank you all...dear friends, for your wonderful comments about my girlie, Lulu. They warmed my heart, they truly did. She was, and is, so very loved. And missed. But I know where she is and who she's with and I am very much at peace. Lucky girl.

Please welcome Baylor into your hearts through my blog!

God made all sorts of wild animals, livestock, and small animals, each able to produce offspring of the same kind. And God saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:25 NLT

Goodbye Sweet Friend

You weren't mine from the very beginning...but you came into my life at a time when your presence was most needed. It was almost a fairy tale beginning - our eyes met and that was that. You were 6 years old when you came home to live with me two days after I buried the love of my life, my Sweet Hubby. I remember so well what you looked like...you with your "crazy hair!"

That didn't last long though...I think you liked your "new look!"

Having you here meant never coming home to an empty house. You were my constant companion. My "Velcro girl" from the very beginning. You loved everyone, but you and I were "connected" in a special way. You were my sweet girlie and you knew it!

Six months ago yesterday, you took ill suddenly. Ultimately, you were diagnosed with Lyme disease, Poly arthritis and Lyme Nephritis. We were fortunate to find a wonderful veterinary internal medicine specialist here who took you on as a patient these past six months and enabled you to enjoy the quality of life that I had only hoped for when you first got sick...something that the vets at the emergency hospital didn't hold out much hope for.

With the help of Dr. Kremer, I got to watch you chase grasshoppers all summer long. You got to lay on the deck in the summer sun - one of your favorite things to do! We got to take trips to visit Matthew, your favorite person in the world (beside me, of course!). Yes, you had quality of life.

But last week, things started falling apart. Your labs were grim...the worst they'd ever been. It looked like we were entering the end stages of renal failure. This past weekend was very hard. It broke my heart for you.

We had an appointment with Dr. Kremer scheduled for yesterday at 2 p.m. I called them and let them know it would be our "last appointment." They were ready for us when we got there.

I have known all along that I made the right decision by choosing to take you to Dr. Kremer, but yesterday proved it once again to me. At 2:25, while I told you how much I loved you and to say hello to Daddy for me, you peacefully slipped away.

How do you say goodbye to someone you love? How do you say "thank you" for all that they did for you? I hope you know. I like to think you do. And last night, when I managed to get a bit of sleep, I dreamt that my Sweet Hubby sent me flowers. In my dream, I knew they were because I had lost you. I woke up feeling that you had "arrived" safely and I am at peace.

But I will miss you forever, my sweet girlie...my Lulu.

My Lulu
11/14/08-1/24/11


He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever."
Revelation 21:4 NLT

My Christmas wish

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Praise the Lord! Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever!
Psalm 106:1 NKJV

Celebrating Him

Jesus came into the world so we could know, once and for all, that God is concerned about the way we live, and the way we believe, and the way we die.
Billy Graham

For the Son of Man has come to save the lost.
Matthew 18:11

If we could condense all the truths of Christmas into only three words, these would be the words: "God with us."
John MacArthur

Today a Savior, who is Messiah the Lord, was born for you in the city of David. Luke 2:11

Begin to know him now, and finish never.
Oswald Chambers

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Hebrews 13:8

So Jesus came, stripping himself of everything as he came--omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence--everything except love. "He emptied himself" (Philippians 2:7), emptied himself of everything except love. Love--his only protection, his only weapon, his only method.
E. Stanley Jones

And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all. 1 Thessalonians 3:12

Christmas is about a baby, born in a stable, who changed the world forever.
John Maxwell

Choose for yourselves today who you will worship... As for me and my family, we will worship the Lord.
Joshua 24:15

The star of Bethlehem was a star of joy. "When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy." All true joy comes from Him.
D. James Kennedy

"And they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "God with us." Matthew 1:23

All quotes from the book Celebrate His Birth, Freeman-Smith, LLC, 2010

Did you enjoy these quotes? This is a sweet little book - perfect to flip through this time of year. I have a few extras that I'd love to share. Leave me a comment now through Thursday and I'll draw names in the usual fashion and get them out to you in time for Christmas.

Have a blessed week...
Let us not forget to take time to reflect on the why and the Who of the season.

I love pretzels...

Or is it dogs just shaped like pretzels that I love? I get confused sometimes...

May you find something to laugh about today...even if it's my dog!

He will once again fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.
Job 8:21 NLT

What's in a Name?

I read a number of blogs on a daily basis. Some can be found on my side bar...others I come across in the course of conversation or find mentioned in an article I may be reading. The majority are Christian-themed, others are just about life in general and some are topic specific.

The one thing that always fascinates me is the name of the blog. Some are quite ingenious and clever...maybe even a little word play going on! Some are tongue-in-cheek or a bit whimsical. And others are downright funny! I love it! There are times when I see a blog name and say, "Man, I wish I'd thought of that!" And just as quickly I think, "No..."

Because the truth of the matter is I'm quite happy with the name of my blog. Now, understand - I had NO big dream of writing a blog, no intention of starting one. But here I am...going on two and a half years later. And that day that I sat down and this blog came into being? I knew in an instant what it was going to be called. Here's how it happened...

You see, my Sweet Hubby and I had just recently begun The Truth Project at our church. It was to be our church-wide Wednesday nights Refuel summer project and would span 10 weeks. We had been seeing promos for weeks during every Sunday service and we were so excited to get started! Finally! Week one arrived and we entered our church's Sanctuary and the air was alive with voices filled with just as much excitement as we were feeling! The lights dimmed...

And then - it seemed the first lesson was over just as quickly as it had begun...oh my friends - it was fabulous! If you have the opportunity to participate in this wonderful series, I strongly encourage you to do so. Your life will be richly blessed for it!

But there was something at the very end that Dr. Tackett said that first Wednesday night that stuck with me...has stuck with me to this very day. And you'll find it in the video below. I'm going to apologize for the quality right now! I had to play the CD on my laptop and video record with my cell phone and then upload it to YouTube (I won't tell you about the blood, sweat and tears that took!). So it's not the best, but here it is:

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Did you catch it? That image he spoke of was so powerful for me that I couldn't get it out of my head...still can't. In fact, when I pray now that is exactly the picture I have in my mind. Oh how much more personal my prayer life became that very moment! What a great gift I received that night!

And now you know the origin of my blog's name!

If you have a blog, how did you come up with the name? If you don't have a blog, but were to start one today - what would you name it? Leave me a comment...I'd love to know!

Oh - speaking of names! The winning numbers/names for the Counting My Blessings Giveaway were:

13 - About Nancy

10 - Janice

Thanks so much to everyone for the comments...I wish I had enough books for everyone who entered! I loved reading how God has blessed you - I felt blessed through you, so thank you!

About Nancy and Janice, if you'll contact me through my profile email and let me know where to mail your book, I'll get it out to you this week...I pray that you will be blessed by them!

Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the middle of a people of unclean lips: for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. Then flew one of the seraphim to me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: And he laid it on my mouth, and said, See, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged. Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
Isaiah 6:5-8 AKJV

Holiday Blues

I got 'em. No matter how hard I try to fight them off. Then I hear this song...

And I feel better.


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Word of God speak...

What I tell you now in the darkness, shout abroad when daybreak comes. What I whisper in your ear, shout from the housetops for all to hear!
Matthew 10:27 NLT


**Still a few days left to enter ItTR's Counting My Blessings Giveaway!