A Gentle Answer

Parents...Parent Please

2024-12-30T07:59:00.000-06:00

(At the request of someone dealing with the consequences of allowing a child to run the family's schedule, I am rerunning this post.)

Hey parents...So here's a shocker...

If you are finding that you are dreading parenting your toddler...Brace Yourself...it is NOT your child's fault.

That's right! I am not writing a touchy-feely "you poor tired parent" "it's not your fault" "you need a break" " you deserve some 'me time' " article.

Nope! Sit down and again...brace yourself.

You have a kid...perhaps kids!

Now pull up your big girl panties (Dad's pull up those boxers) and PARENT!!

*FOR THE LOVE OF SANITY ...STOP COUNTING TO THREE!

Mom and Dad, say what you mean, mean what you say! Stop giving the littles "3" more chances to do what you ask before you turn into yelling psycho parent!
Yes, I have been her at times, and I didn't find it effective!

No...I did NOT say- say what you mean and say it "meanly"!

1) Tell your child what you expect in a way they can understand your expectation.

2) Give clear instruction, firmly but kindly, then inspect what you expect (as soon as possible)

3) Apply appropriate consequences! (Positive or negative)

Obedience is taught with instruction and consequences.

Positive and negative consequences are a reality for adults. Teach this to your children.

No work...no pay check.
No chores done...no activity.

Talk back to boss...fired.
Talk back to parent...no playing with friends or no activity.

Violence...Stealing...looting...assaulting authorities...jail.
Hitting, biting, complete restriction of activity or interactions.

If your child doesn't respond to an instruction, the activity is stopped, the cookie is not given, the play date is canceled, the toy is taken, the electronic gaget is in timeout for the set amount of time.

Please, write this down,
*YOUR CHILD IS NOT HUNGRY NOR DO THEY NEED A NAP...SO PLEASE STOP TELLING EVERYONE THIS EXCUSE AS THE HIGH PITCHED SCREAM FROM YOUR "PRECIOUS" NOT GETTING THEIR WAY SEVERS SOMEONE'S SPINAL CORD OR BURSTS AN EARDRUM!

OH...was I yelling? Sorry...I may need a cookie or a nap!

Again, I am NOT blaming your kid! This has worked for them. They have trained you.

The truth is, we give in, give up, give out and our kids are onto us!!

Put down your cell phone, the iPad, the tv remote, the magazine and toss the idea of "me time" out the window in favor of "we time"!

Your family will be exhausted for a few years! That IS the reality. Stick with it and do the work. Parenting is work...WHAT? No one told you?

Well, I am telling you to move any narcissistic tendency you may have (probably because my generation told you you were a princess or a hero and you had self centered choices way too early) to the trash can.

You may have to unplug and ask someone to keep you accountable, but you will not regret teaching biblical family principals to your kids. Obedience in your home starts with you.

Obey God and parent His way!!

Train up a child...or two...or three...you get the idea!
Read for yourself:

http://biblehub.com/proverbs/22-6.htm

Chin up, now go parent!

Just thinkin',
Kathy
A Mom Person

****Please note...
This blog post is NOT addressing parents of children with disabilities or a diagnosis...you have counsel and advisors in place, and work with diligence to understand your individual child's needs.****

At The Intersection of Faith and Reason

2024-05-03T06:00:00.001-05:00

Standing at the corner of Faith and Reason...

I have reached a conclusion.

God is not reasonable.

Has He asked something unreasonable of you lately?

Are you finding simple trust...and obedience to HIS request(s), instructions, and commands difficult because YOU have deemed them UNREASONABLE?

Have you been obedient? Or, again, (as I often do) have you argued or reasoned that HIS request is “unreasonable” so you just don’t obey?

I have to think about this -- because either I want to follow Him -- or I don’t.

Let’s see…Let me know if any of this sounds reasonable to you:

A woman talks to and cooperates with a serpent just because God’s request to stay away from just one thing seemed “unreasonable”… “Did God really say…?” Genesis 3:1

“Build an Ark Noah” "Umm...Okay Lord, but what exactly is this 'rain' thing again" Sound reasonable to you? Genesis 6

Abram, Sarai…just follow me. Oh, and by the way…I’m not telling you why, or where we are going and don’t get too used to those names. Reasonable? Genesis 12 Genesis 17

“Just stretch out your staff and watch the Red Sea part”…how about that one Moses, reasonable? Exodus 14:16

“Hey Josh, just follow my marching orders…and the city will fall…literally.”
Reasonable, right? Joshua 6:1-27

"Israel…trust me…obey me and I will bless you. Israel…forsake me…go your own way and I will curse you." Leviticus 26 And thousands of years later, they are still trying to reason with God in the Middle East.

“Yes Mary I said…baby!” “Joseph, yes, I said…Virgin!” Reasonable? Matthew 1:18-21

Place your hope in Jesus Christ and He has, unreasonably, offered to take your place on that cross for every sin in thought, word, or deed that you have or ever will commit. He has, unreasonably, risen again after dying on that cross. Your belief in Him and that faith alone will save you.
Reasonable? Acts 16:31

Well after too much reasoning with God,
I don’t want to try to make God make sense anymore. I want to trust Him. I want to obey Him, as that is what He asks of me.

How about you?

Has He asked you to forgive someone?

Has He asked you to love the unlovely person in your life?

Has He asked you to (like Abe and Sarah) move away from what is comfy and certain; a job, a relationship, or a home?

Has He asked you to stop something?

Has He asked you to start something?

Has He asked you to give something?

Has He asked you to deal with your pride, anger, fear, jealousy, addictions, past rejection, pushing away from someone who cares enough to be honest and even confront your poor behavior?

Has He asked you to wait? To be still? To HUSH (we don't say shut up...well...mostly)? To apologize? To forgive?

Or, what may seem the most unreasonable…Has He been silent?

I know His ways are not my ways and His thoughts are not my thoughts because Isaiah 55:8 promised me that. I also know He is God…and I am not. I believe He is sovereign, and I believe He loves me/you.

I’m going to keep working on this. How about you?

I am facing several opportunities to trust God when the circumstances don’t seem reasonable.
Will you pray for me? I would like the chance to pray for you as well. Drop us a line if you would like specific prayer from our prayer team, or just a nod on our prayer discussion tab on facebook (create a new one if you would like) to let others pray for you too.

That sounds…well…reasonable!

What do you believe?

Blessings,
Kathy

Leave a comment to ask for prayer.

agentleanswer.com

@agentleanswer

How to Eat A June Bug

2024-04-08T21:00:00.004-05:00

Life Application:
When the unexpected attacks come your way...it is best to keep your mouth shut!
You're Welcome.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear June Bug,

Did you even own a calendar?

It's April!
Was there a reason you rebelled against the name you had been given by showing up at a Southeast Texas Track Meet with thousands of your grubby friends and family in early April?
I always thought that you were either blind or at best a bit slow witted, but seriously, a calendar... a calendar.

No one invited you.
No one expected you.

Jason had been doing Algebra homework in between his events. As the last event to run was announced, he closed his book and... squished something crunchy .

We were simply minding our own business, waiting for the long day to advance.
But you, you and your drunken, evil, careless cohorts...you appeared! Jase could solve for X but had no way to figure you out!

Day turned to night and a long track meet drummed on into the evening.

As the stadium lights came on, the almost deafening buzz/hum...no...no, more of a military air attack sound began. The crowd roared, but this time...not for their star athlete rounding the turn. This time...screams, squatting, unnatural movements of flailing hands about the head and shoulders of many innocent bystanders took the spotlight -or should I say took the football stadium high voltage bug magnet lights.
Utter chaos in the Lone Star State ensued!

At first there were simple giggles - uncomfortable questions.

"Isn't this early for June Bugs?"

There was grumbling through the crowd.

One man commenting on the few of you near his feet looking as though you'd come from a June Bug frat party with your little drunken weaving... staggering...crawling.

Then there was the dive bombing.

The blind kamikaze like attacks from mid-air! Oh the horror!

Suddenly, as if to speak for the whole stadium, a little three year old- happy as a lark - minding his own business - walking next to his dad...looked down...and screamed!

Not just a scream. A blood curdling scream stating what everyone in earshot wished they had the courage to say:

"DADDY! BUGS...EVERYWHERE...BUUUUGS! THEY HATE ME! I HATE BUGS! NOOOOOOOOO!
MAKE THEM GO HOME!"

There I was, watching my son run his final race for the event. As he turned the corner for the home stretch he seemed to kick it in to a higher gear. So I naturally began to cheer.

This type of cheering results in the opening of one's mouth.

Now, please Sir/Madame Bug (as who takes time to check these things?) what on earth caused you at that very moment to make your suicidal dive into the bleachers...and...into...my mouth?

I grew up in Oklahoma. There are June bugs.
I am not a sissy.
I deal with it. We've known many of your cousins. They, although not always living up to their name either, would hold off at the very least until late May.

I am not sorry for what may have happened to you.
You deserved what you got.
I do not think the same could be said for most of us in the stands!

On the up-side...I think I accidentally medaled in the girls 300 meter hurdles as I jumped over at least 4 rows of seats running away from you...so...

I am now going to write to the Agricultural Department of Texas A & M to make sure they remove the very incorrect description of your life cycle stating:

Grub Worms/June Bugs:

Pest Status: Larval stages eat roots of grasses, vegetable and ornamental plants; Adults can be a nuisance around lights at night in early summer; medically harmless.

I beg to differ on the "medically harmless" portion as a June Bug in my mouth resulted in clawing, queasiness, heart rate elevations, and an over all feeling of ill will...ya might even say murderous feelings toward your fellow bugs!

Jason finished his race and placed, even while trying to dodge the likes of you and your posse. And I think I managed to ditch you, which took guts (perhaps your's and definitely mine) to do it!

Please, if you are in bug hell, pass this foot note to your homey (who tried a ninja attack in the car on the way home on a dark Texas back road).

If you did survive trackmeggedin then - get a calendar or change your name.

Note to Homey June Bug:
As you attached your ugly 3 sets of legs to my neck while I was driving, and I instinctively grabbed you and pulled you off and threw you to the floor, swerving right next to a Texas Sheriff's car (a story for another day) Jason's track spike was your final landing place. I feel he was quite merciful to you by opening the window and bashing you against the car...as he quietly murmured, "Well, the good news is ...bug's gone...the bad news is...the paint on the car may be as well...cuz, you know...track spikes! Sorry." I just wanted to tell you thanks for the fun ride home.--

In closing may I just say again... you really could have made both our lives simpler by owning...a calendar.

If you would like to warn any larvae in order to stop future Grub fatalities...this is the formula for HOW TO EAT A JUNE BUG. They should pay attention.

Step 1- Open mouth at a Southeast Texas Track meet when stadium lights are on.

Step 2- No-Nope... step 1 pretty much covered it.

Regards,

Kathy

P.S. Why is this on a Christian Blog? You ask? Well, June bugs are one of the most solid arguments against Natural Selection. Nothing this stupid survives without a creator!!!

The Wisdom of Obedience

2024-03-24T10:00:00.001-05:00

Is it hard for you to stop and ask directions when you are clearly heading the wrong direction?

Do you fight with God when He asks something of you?

Here are three quotes on obedience from three of my favorite and most wise philosophers:

"The golden rule for understanding in spiritual matters in not intellect, but obedience."~Oswald Chambers

"Obey God and leave all the consequences to HIM!"~Charles Stanley

"Don't wait for her to tell ya again...just go ahead and clean your room...it works out a whole lot better for ya if you mind her!"~My Unnamed child number 3 to my unnamed child number 4~

(Wisdom at its finest)

2 John 1:6
And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.

Just Thinkin',

Kathy

HEY YOU...MR. BULLY...STOP IT

2022-05-01T15:50:00.004-05:00

We may disagree on sports, politics, religion, sexual expression...and the correct direction the toilet paper should unroll...but we can all agree...our world is broken.

Why is our world broken?

We also may not agree on the "why"?

We can observe, historically, that The United States, for a few years now, has stood by and allowed a genocide in China with the Uighur Muslim people.

Now we are allowing Russia to perpetrate a genocide on the Ukrainian people, which we see in real time visually- nightly on the news!

We watch as a power hungry, greedy, monster of a despot, Vladimir Putin, kills steals and destroys Ukrainian history, heritage and human beings in order to expand Russian dominance.

"There is nothing new under the sun!"

Since the first family recorded in scripture, simply because somebody greedy wants somebody else's stuff or is jealous or envious of another's life, we kill each other.

This monster, Putin, has displaced 5 million lives and killed thousands while the world leaders watch and does the equivalent of a mom counting to three in Walmart... threatening a timeout as a toddler throws a tantrum and disrupts the entire peace in the building.

How large is the population where you live? Under 5 million for most of us... imagine...all destroyed because a bully decided you weren't worthy to live, own property, and had no right to human rights given by the Creator.

These people had homes, families, jobs, heritage, infrastructure, purpose. They watched TV, had beds to sleep in, had electricity, schools, water, medical supplies, Churches and places of worship. These photos we see of bodies in the streets of Ukraine are not of men in combat fatigues. These are innocent civilians... one day minding their own business living life...the next day under attack bleeding in their own front yards and dead on the roads they tried to use for escape from the war monger.

They begged us to help...long before March 2022. Begged the Administration to keep at bay (what was evidence on their borders) a Russian agressive threat mounting all around them from happening.

We...stood still.

I don't want to see another little girl's body with a pink backpack laying in the street because of this abhorrent sub-human man...while we stand still.

I don't want to hear the radio announcers cracking voice trying to hold back angry sobs as he says "Aerial views of over 9000 bodies discovered in an open mass grave overnight" near a city similar to Dayton Ohio...as we stand still.

We...the U.S. ...are complicit! We were doing nothing and it's now affecting our entire world. This evil doesn't stay in Europe. It doesn't stay overseas, it doesn't happen "someplace else" or somewhere "insignificant"! It is affecting everyone. It's everywhere. I don't even mean "at the gas pump". At this point it's affecting our hearts... our minds. We're being jaded. Watching people in mass graves every day on the news and the United States is standing by...maybe not in the "doing nothing" category anymore...but at best doing minimal, doing way too late, and way too little.

Why? Why has this been our contribution in helping Ukraine!

We used to be on a team as the world's "blindside"! Protecting Freedom. Now we're just blindsided and apparently blind to anybody else's suffering!

To the leaders of UN...NATO...U.S.A...Eyes wide open! Please!

Voters, Please ask your representatives to do something to cause this administration to do more! We must stop the bullies from taking stuff and breaking things just because they're scared little boys that want more toys and more power and are playing King of the Hill on a world sized school yard!

For anyone who has doubted the prophetic (Biblical) words that have been forecast about what will happen in a world where you remove God... you are watching it unfold!

Pray earnestly.

Protect Freedom.

Protest human rights abuses.

Just thinkin',

Karhy

Make Us Glad

2022-02-27T08:00:00.001-06:00

So many people have sent emails expressing a feeling of God being "up to something" in their lives right now.

The Body of Christ has a choice to make, individually and as a whole: Will I (We) serve Him and obey God's instruction to me (Us)...even when it doesn't make sense?

I love that we have the Bible, the living active word of God, to show us how to make the choices at the crossroads in our lives.

I also love how David and other Psalmists were examples of the fact that sometimes--we just need to cry "Uncle"!

"HOW LONG WILL IT BE...MAKE US GLAD...LET THE FAVOR OF THE LORD BE UPON US!"

David walked closely enough to the LORD that he (David) was able to run to God and pray during bad, hurt, lonely, weary, frustrating times as well as in the good times.

Several friends on our ministry site, are facing a crossroads right now and are ready to pray Psalm 90. In particular, verses13-17.

13 Relent, O LORD! How long will it be?
Have compassion on your servants.

14 Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love,
that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.

15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
for as many years as we have seen trouble.

16 May your deeds be shown to your servants,
your splendor to their children.

17 May the favor [b] of the Lord our God rest upon us;
establish the work of our hands for us—
yes, establish the work of our hands.

Simply put...David cried "UNCLE"!

More accurately...he cried "ABBA...FATHER"!

I love how he is asking that God show him now as many good days as he has seen bad.

Do you feel free to ask this of your Father?

"Make Us Glad"!
..........................................................................................

FATHER,

We trust YOU as we make our decisions concerning worship, family, work, ministry, relationships, finances, our churches, our schools, housing, health and any other concern where we need a clear path to take.
Standing at the crossroads;we ask for your will to be done in the Body of Believers reading this, individually and as the Church.
May we find favor with You, Our Lord.

In Jesus Holy name,
Amen
...........................................
How may we pray for you?

Nothing New Under The SUN

2022-02-26T12:17:00.004-06:00

(photo Libya 1969)

There is "Nothing new under the sun".

When my husband Richard was a little boy, his family was stationed in Libya with Mobile Oil/Pipeline.

During this time, Gaddafi (Mu'ammar Al-Qadhdhāfī, Qadaffi, Kadaifi...the press can't make up it's mind) overthrew King Idris in a takeover coup. Richard and his mother were evacuated out of the country on a helicopter to London...but not before watching a man being burned upside down in his overturned Fiat.

Man against neighbor, because neither knew the God of all creation. Bully against the weaker. No respect of boundaries, differences, human rights or freedom.

What is happening around the world is nothing new.

Evil has entered the heart of greedy men. Pride has said to Evil hearts...kill, steal, destroy.

This (war by man I shall not name) is not about oil or religion or territory.

This invasion is about the rebellious nature of a heart without God. The heart who wants to be his own god.

Ecclesiastes 1:9 What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again: there is nothing new under the sun.

Oh Sovereign Lord,

Please...strengthen those being overrun by the evil desires of a man of lawlessness.

Please give courage and protection to those who would defend evil.

Please forgives us for becoming a nation that won't step up to do what is best, wise, safe...out of the same evil spirit that is now prominent in our country.

Thy will be done...in Ukraine, around the world, and in our own hearts.

In Jesus Name,

I ask.

AMEN

LOVE IS NOT A FEELING

2021-11-12T12:30:00.000-06:00

As I was speaking with a brokenhearted young man who is going through a break up, it struck me that so many people are under the false impression that love is a feeling.

Through tears he said, "She doesn't feel that spark anymore".

Love in not a spark.

Love is not a feeling.

Love is an action.

Love is a commitment.

Love is an act of your will.

Love is a choice.

When you vow to love, you are not promising to love and to cherish when you feel like it.

We can't trust our feelings. They are big fat liars.

You won't always "feel" like loving or "feel" IN love.

You CHOOSE to love.

We love because HE first loved us.

1 John 4:19

If you have not made the choice to Love, your feeling will follow your choice.

Spending time with God...is a choice.

Ask Him to help you choose to love...to help you treat others with love whether you feel it or not!

Men, LOVE your wives.

Women, LOVE your husbands.

"Making marriage work is like running a farm. You have to start all over again each morning."

Let's get up, sit beside the LORD, ask HIM how we can best show love to our spouse through our actions today.

Then, get up...go plant, nourish, water and harvest love.

There's a farm to run!

22-24 Wives, understand and support your husbands in ways that show your support for Christ. The husband provides leadership to his wife the way Christ does to his church, not by domineering but by cherishing. So just as the church submits to Christ as he exercises such leadership, wives should likewise submit to their husbands.

25-28 Husbands, go all out in your love for your wives, exactly as Christ did for the church—a love marked by giving, not getting.

Just Thinkin',

Kathy

*If you are having doubts about your relationship, about your vows, please, seek a Godly Biblically Trained Professional Counselor. If abuse is in any way a part of your situation, seek protection and help right away.*

Shoo Fly

2021-10-24T07:30:00.006-05:00

Every Summer! Oklahoma Cold Brew Tea, Softball, Flies and Picnics.

But mostly...Flies.

I accept them as a chance to be perfectly still and a challenge to sneak up on them and unleash any bad thought I've had toward another human on the planet and symbolically squash the thoughts.

I'm good at it...stop judging.

Why do those little Demonic creatures think they can come on in and set up house in your house?

On this day, Ninja Fly was my challenge.

Saturday morning in the kitchen: Fly buzzing around my head.

Me: "Why is the fly swatter not hanging in it's spot?"

Kids: "Don't know!"

Maniacal fly continues annoying BUZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzing...and me... ducking, aimless arms flailing about swatting, mumbling, "I wish you would die already" under my breath.

SHOO FLY!

I brew a nice pitcher of tea (iced tea on a hot muggy Oklahoma summer day makes things better) and go about my daily business.

Saturday noon back in the kitchen: Fly buzzing around my head.

RRRGGGGGG!!! (apparently flies turn me into a pirate) grumble@#$%&*!!!!!

Me: "Has anyone seen the fly swatter?"

Kids: "NOPE!"

Hubby: "I never use 'em. I roll up a towel or a paper and mid-air those suckers!"

SHOO FLY!

Demon fly...now smiling I believe...continues annoying BUZZZZZZZZZZZZzing mostly near my ears just behind my head so I jiggle back and forth like a bobble-head doll on a dashboard.

Me: (still ducking, swatting and mumbling) "I wish you would die already" now out loud!

SHOO FLY!

So, I add ice to the nice pitcher of tea and go about my daily business.

Saturday evening: Had fun at the grocery store with my husband. Came home to unload groceries in the kitchen.

Beelzebub buzzing around my head. RRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGG grumble@#$%^&*!!!!!!!!!! Me: "WHY DIDN"T WE BUY A FLY SWATTER AT THE STORE JUST NOW?"

SHOO FLY!

I sat down after dinner with Richard and a nice glass of iced tea in the family room, thinking maybe the sadist fly would leave me alone. But no...and I think I actually heard Jeff Goldblum's voice whisper "You have to leave here and never come back. Have you ever heard of insect politics?"

Returned to the kitchen to make dinner while sadistic fly continued his sociopathic behavior around my head.

Me: "JUST DIE ALREADY!"

SHOO FLY!

Cleaned up dishes, sat down to check emails and ministry blog and heard my daughter from the kitchen:

Daughter: "Mom, I found it!"

Me: "THE FLY SWATTER?"

Daughter: "NOPE!" "THE FLY!"

Turns out it was a clinically depressed, suicidal fly...or at best... a really bad swimmer.

Yep, Death by drowning—IN MY NICELY BREWED NEW PITCHER OF ICED TEA! Sometimes, we get exactly what we ask for, but it is not without sacrifice of something we really wanted. Well I better go now. I need to brew some tea! Luke 14:33 In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.

Three thoughts:

—Sometimes you won't solve the problem...it will solve itself.

—Invest in a fly swatter for every room.

—Spiritually become part of the SWAT team STOP WORRYING ABOUT TOMORROW

Just thinkin',

—Kathy

How Did I Get HERE?

2021-10-23T11:15:00.000-05:00

How can I be lost?

I was in a new town for almost 9 months.

I had driven the same route 21 miles one way...21 miles back... every day since school started for my son's new school

Right turn, left turn, right turn and I am at the school. Then reverse to go home; left turn, right turn, left turn...home.

Could that be any easier?

So...HOW DID I GET HERE?

How did I get distracted? What took my thoughts away? How did I take a different route? I was steady on the path straight ahead...or was I?

A sense of well being comes from the familiar path. A sense of security, a knowing. Pattern (some may say monotony) and routine tend to kick in day to day. Routine becomes habit. Life runs on auto pilot and, often, we like it that way. It becomes reliable. The trouble is, we might become a tad complacent. In our complacency, we miss the turn. Missing a turn in Southeast Texas can mean swamp and gators.

How did I manage to drive this familiar road one morning only to look up to see an unfamiliar street sign?

Just when I felt competent getting around town, I found I was lost!

Well, lost may be harsh or at best premature...I just didn't know where I was.

Okay, yes, lost.

There are no familiar markers, no landmarks.

I had been following behind an 18 wheeler most of the highway home. I had the radio on to a familiar Christian bible teaching. The pastor was speaking about marriage. About leaving and cleaving. My thoughts began to circle; Have I cleaved to Richard? Have I complained about the move? I began to mull.

Mulling is good only when making hot cider, not on an open road. While some reflection and adjustments are needed, looking back and mulling can often lead you to become regretful, resentful, or the worst to "what if" yourself into a dead end.

When I saw the truck change lanes I turned right on what I thought should have been the right road; the way home.

I stopped the car, and had just a moment of insecure panic in the unfamiliar... in the “lostness”.

"Lord, I know the streets are unfamiliar, but the sun rises in the East every morning. I need to get my bearings...I need to focus on the sun."

Right...

I turned the radio off, turned the car around and drove towards the sun.

"Okay...there is the familiar tractor dealer"... so I drive straight ahead.

Note to Self:

There is a swamp filled with gators just beyond the rice field, stay the course. The largest sink hole in the area is just a mile or two from here.

Caution to note the signs, keep your bearings. Pay attention to where you are, where you want to go, and read the signs. Don't depend on the one in front to be going to the same place you are going. All roads don't lead home.

Signs are always posted; just not always taken seriously.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Have I felt this way spiritually?

Absolutely!

Have You?

I must ask for all of us in our confused country currently...

How did WE get HERE?

Buckle up...look up...follow the signs...stay on course! If things get stormy or dark or look unfamiliar...wait...turn around...orient yourself toward the Son. He will lead you home.

Stop looking through the world's view of the telescope which appears to be a bit turned around lately.

Looking through the wrong end of the telescope has GOD very far away.

Turn it around...He is Near.

Press on.

Hebrews 12:2

Just Thinkin',

Kathy

P.S.

Watch out for gators and sink holes...better yet...stay out of the swamp!

(What does your gator, sink hole, distraction or detour look like?)

Got Rocks in Your Beans? Examine, Sort, Rinse, Soak

2021-10-22T01:29:00.000-05:00

Ever bitten down on a rock? It happens. No I don't mean on purpose. Not many of us set out to chew gravel...well, not many relatively sane among us do. But, I once chomped on a rock that snuck (it's a word ya know) into a bite of beans.

I am soaking beans today in order to fix a wonderful pot of ham and beans that will sit nicely next to a pan of homemade cornbread. But before I could just rush in and throw the beans in a pot on the stove, I had to rinse the beans and then soak them for a long period of time.

I remember as a little girl I wondered why my dad (the ultimate ham and beans chef) soaked the beans overnight before starting to cook them.
The answers range from getting the "gassiness" (Yes that is now also a word...I said so) to letting the impurities rise to the surface to be washed away.

Today, I read the following message of actual instruction on the bag (the beans came in):

"Although we clean these beans, stones and debris may be present. For best result, examine, sort and rinse prior to use. Depending on water hardness, soaking time may vary. "

Reminds me of the stones of the heart and debris of sin that may be present in my life.

*Have I hardened my heart toward God or someone in any area of my life?

*Is there debris from my past that needs to be recognized and cleansed away?

*Do I have anxious thoughts that need to be examined and rinsed in faith?

*Do I need to "soak" in God's word to get the best results in my life?

*Is there an annoying "gassiness" or hot air in my Christian talk, walk, attitude?

*How about you? Do you need to stop breaking teeth on the gravel of sin?

*Have you been listening to the wrong narrative because it agrees with your sin or rebellion?

*Have I?

Psalm 51:1-3 Generous in love—God, give grace!
    Huge in mercy—wipe out my bad record.
Scrub away my guilt,
    soak out my sins in your laundry.
I know how bad I’ve been;
    my sins are staring me down.

Sorting and rinsing...Instructions here.

As for "soaking time may vary"...It may take a lifetime...Sanctification. Keep rinsing... it's a good thing!
Time to Examine for rocks...

Just Thinkin',

Kathy

P.S. No animals were harmed in the making of this post...however, grammar was slightly abused.

El Shaddai Psalm 91

2021-09-24T13:33:00.000-05:00

Psalm 91 1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. [a] 2 I will say [b] of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." 3 Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence. 4 He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. 5 You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, 6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. 7 A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. 8 You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. 9 If you make the Most High your dwelling— even the LORD, who is my refuge- 10 then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. 11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; 12 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. 13 You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. 14 "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. 15 He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. and show him my salvation." 16 With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation."

"This Little Piggy Should Have Stayed Home" or "How to Lose a Flip Flop in One Easy Step"

2020-11-01T12:57:00.000-06:00

From The Archives:

Length warning...grab a snack!

Many of you know our story of job loss after 9/11. Unless you've heard me speak, you might not know the back story of the Kathy Jekyl and Mrs. Hyde during the attempt to sell our two, yes two, homes following said tragedy. If it were a script:

THIS LITTLE PIGGY SHOULD HAVE STAYED HOME

EXT. HOME IN BEAUTIFUL SUBURB OF TULSA - MORNING.

KATHY helplessly watches as RICHARD her aircraft engineer husband, firmly plants FOR SALE sign in front yard of home they just recently purchased, both with solemn looks on their faces.

RICHARD

I'm sorry! I wish I could make it go away!(CONT'D)
(apologetically)
We should have stayed in ADA. How could we have known two planes flying through buildings in New York, would land in our living room?

INT. ELEGANT FORMAL DINING ROOM OF LARGE HOME IN AN EXCLUSIVE COMMUNITY IN OKLAHOMA -LATER THAT SAME EVENING.

RICHARD

We've always said we trusted God no matter what. Now, we get a chance to prove it! I should never have bought the new house without this one selling. I never dreamed this could happen to us.

All eyes turn to Kathy to see what her reaction to her husband will be. They see a tear silently fall down the side of her cheek. No other expression or sound.

RICHARD (CONT'D)

We'll be pulling up the realtor sign and putting FOR SALE BY OWNER in it's place in the morning. Only, the owner isn't us anymore. We have to give it back to God. He knew this would happen...it's HIS to sell. There's no way we can pay a realtor's fee.

The sense of peace in the room is interupted by the cry of the couples 2 year old son.

The night rolls by the morning sun rises and you hear a phone ringing. The startled couple, still sleeping, jolts awake to scrounge for the phone. Again baby crying in the background.

Cut to- smiles on faces, moving truck in driveway, clearly the Home for sale by owner has been sold and the family is moving today.

Richard and the children drive off behind the moving truck in a Suburban while you see Kathy return to the porch of the house. She is left to do minor clean up before the new owner will arrive in the next scene/next day. She is reflective as music plays and emotions of saying goodbye in each child's room.

A pacifier is discovered behind a curtain as she dusts. Tears well, smile remains. Next scene.

MRS. G. NEW HOMEOWNER INSERTING KEY INTO FRONT DOOR CLEARLY BEFORE AGREED TIME TO TRANSFER
OWNERSHIP-DAWN!

KATHY (embarrassed) fumbles for a robe and asks the new owner to wait a moment before entering the master bedroom.

I thought you were not coming until 3:00pm. (CONT'D)
Kathy
I'm not quite ready to go yet.

MRS. G.
(impatiently)
I'll wait!
The silence is deafening as the two women stare at each other awkwardly as Kathy bounces from room to room trying to get the last minute things out of the house.

Kathy

I'm sorry for the garage not being ready yet, I thought I had all day to get it done. I'll hurry and get out of your way.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Okay...so you get the idea.

We had 2 mortgages, 2 car payments, 4 kids, 1 dog, NO JOB! God allowed our house in Ada to sell one week to the day after Richard was laid off due to 9/11. We sold the house for exactly what we paid for it 2 years earlier. We got all our equity back in cash at closing with no realtor's fee and lived off that money for several months. God had just done a wonderful act of mercy and provision. However, my reaction...was like watching the feeding of the 5000.

Let the grumbling begin.

Don't you remember, the disciples who just witnessed the miracle, got into a boat and started complaining and doubting Jesus!

God just sold our house! So why, overnight, was I now angry, and having a pity party, and doubting Jesus?
Why was this God-send of a women who provided an answer by purchasing our house one day ago, now on my "&#!+" list (I know, I know...I shouldn't have a list) for not giving me enough time to leave my home peacefully!

So...Plan B!

Okay, I thought to myself, I have Richard's truck. This town has a landfill. That...is plan B. After all, we lived without this stuff for 10 months who will miss it now? Right? Am I Right?

I popped a mint in my mouth, put my hair in a ponytail, stepped into my flip flops and slapped on some deodorant. I gathered the last few things from inside the house which included a full set of pots and pans, random toys, slightly forgotten last seasons clothes and the pacifier I found the night before. I headed to the garage as I watched strangers take over the interior of my home...I mean former home.

I gathered everything left in the garage (which was quite a bit) and stuffed it all into hefty garbage bags. Tossing one by one the once important memories and treasures of our "life on the hill with matching country club rights", into garbage bags!

My plan was...get the stuff to the dump...get the check to the bank...get out of town..get on with life.

SOUNDS GOOD...RIGHT?

So I drive to the Dump...which I found by following the gulls...that is...until I no longer needed their guidance as my nose was now clearly able to sniff out the rotting garbage heap I was approaching.

I drove up a steep, red, muddy hill to find a round little man in overalls...with only a few teeth (him, not the overalls) and a wheat shock sticking out of his mouth. Harvest time I guess.

"I THINK I CAN I THINK I CAN" kept racing through my head as I followed his hand signals to direct me to back up into the space closest to his big bulldozer.

I was thinkin' of a few hand signals for "Goober" as he kept grinnin' at me like "HOLD MY BEER GOMER, THIS SHOULD BE GOOD".

He signaled me to stop...he smiled really big and goofy..and went back to leaning on his bull dozer.

"UH...HELLO? A little help here?

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?"

Nope!

He just watched...and grinned!

Okay.

I CAN DO THIS. I'VE HAD FOUR KIDS ALL C-SECTION...BEEN ON MISSIONS IN EGYPT AND MEXICO...CLEANED FLOODED TOILETS...WIPED UP MANY OCCASIONS OF PROJECTILE VOMIT...I CAN DO ...THE LANDFILL!

I held my breath, opened the door...took my usual step down from the tall truck...IN FLIP FLOPS (Which I do not recommend)...and...SQUISSSHHHHHHHH! LOST MY FLIP FLOP ON THE FIRST STEP!

As I looked down to try and retrieve my shoe -- I realized the squishy feeling between my toes was not just landfill mud.

I could see my flip flop buried about three inches down - inside -A PIG CARCASS!

Remember the Old Testament?

Pork!

WELL..."UNCLEAN...UNCLEAN"!

Let the yelling, screeeeeaaaaammmmmmiiiingg and -yes- CURSING begin! (Give a sister a break....I was standing in a DEAD PIG!)

This little piggy - should have stayed home!!!

My little piggies...in a little piggy!!!!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

I looked over at "Goober" hoping he would come running to help.
He was too busy -laughing at me!

So- being the tough Chick that I am, I GRABBED THE SIDE OF THE TRUCK AND PULLED MYSELF INTO THE BED OF THE TRUCK...SHOELESS by now.
NOT HAPPY...NO...DOWN RIGHT FUMING!

I was Hot!

The word Angry did not begin to cover the temper tantrum going on in my head!

"HOW DARE SOMEONE LEAVE THIS MESS AHEAD OF ME? HOW DARE THAT ROUND LITTLE TOOTHLESS MAN PUT ME HERE...AND LAUGH AT MY LOSS OF SHOE?"

I started pitching everything in my truck out on to what appeared to be a 20 foot circle of more dead animal parts. Okay, so it was November 1st, Did some weird Halloween ritual take place here the night before? Maybe "GOOBER" and the boys had a Bar-b-q last night?

No matter what the explanation of the dead little piggy, it was disgusting!

Again, who would dare do this... "TO ME"? I mean, my slightly used toys, my dishes and old clothes...were okay to toss here, but dead animal parts! SERIOUSLY...? Other people's garbage was horrible!

But MINE....?????

Oh, Man! Do we do that? Do we catagorize our sin? Their's look like dead pig parts...an abomination to God...but mine? Just a little trash, clean trash at that. No fowl (pun intended) no harm, right?

I mean...other people have murdered, not me- right? Other people have committed adultery...not me -right? Other people are racist...not me-right? Other people vote to end the life of innocence...not me-right? Unclean...not me- right?

So ...my hate, maybe a little gossip listened to in the form of a "prayer request" maybe a little envy here or there, maybe lack of trust, maybe a bit of pride, maybe that "STINK-EYE" I had given MRS. G. for coming in too early that morning...maybe the downright anger in my heart...which was hate stirring anger aimed at "Goober"...not big sins right?

Well, what did God see looking down on the landfill that day?

TRASH!

DEAD TRASH.

CLEAN TRASH.

ROTTEN TRASH.

THEIR TRASH.

MY TRASH!

SIN IS SIN....the bible says:

Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
My ability that day to go from praise to pity party...brought to light my sin condition. I seemed unable to grasp Paul's call to live in contentment NO MATTER WHAT OUR CIRCUMSTANCES.

OUCH!!!

Forgiveness was part of my trip to Owasso that night. Begging God for it, and asking Him to allow me to extend it.

I struggled with forgiveness along the way for the next few years as God allowed us to grow through what might have seemed to others as a very unfair situation.

I'll tell you...wouldn't trade that time of loss, growth and refining for our entire 401k we spent paying the mortgage, grocery and other bills the next 2 1/2 years. Not even for the 401k plus a million m & m's.

God is GOOD! He knew how hot the furnace had to be to get rid of some dross in our lives during that time.

I don't want to do it again...but I am ever grateful for God's mercy, forgiveness and faithfulness to us during our rough times. He has forgiven me of so much anger, pride, sin...I am learning to trust Him NO MATTER WHAT! Someday there will be (as promised) no more tears, no more job loss, no more death, no more planes flying through buildings....no more stinkin' pig parts! We (Christ Followers) will see Him face to face!

Will YOU?

I hope you trust Him. I hope you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and His offer to take your stinkin' trash away and cleanse you.

Turn from known sin in your life.

Repent...take out the trash and leave it.

Ask Him and He will save you, forgive you of your sins. Only then can you too see Him one day face to face!

Just Thinkin',

Kathy

.

How Can I Forgive When THEY Don't Deserve It?

2020-10-27T13:43:00.000-05:00

Forgive? You want me to forgive?

But she/he cheated on me?
But they lied to me?
But they stole from me?
But they gossiped about me?
But they hurt my feelings?
But they broke their promise?
But they have forgotten me?

Which one of these ~~excuses~~ really good reasons is keeping you from the freedom you will find in forgiveness?

Not the offender's freedom...your own!

So many people hurt. Hurt people -Hurt people. You've heard that...nothing new here. But have you applied this to your situation?

Let's look at the 'reasons' from above:

*She broke your heart and cheated on you. Yet...God still forgives you of adultery/idolatry. Yes, I said adultery/idolatry in the form of having other things/people/gods before Him.

*He lied to you and now you can never trust him. Yet...God still forgives your own form of deception/lies. (Don't think I don't know some of you have an 'Innocent secret' or two. Now go get that hidden stash of chocolate out of the drawer and put the shirt you bought out in the open not in the back of the closet since you both agreed on a budget!)

*They stole from you. Yet...You have taken...stolen... an idea, time away from God, tithes belonging to God, actually theft of material property or for some of you plagiarism...stepping on toes...yep!

*They gossiped about you. Yet...you listened to them intently last time they talked about someone else, and yes, God has forgiven you...because you asked Him.

*They hurt your feelings. Yet...God has forgiven you many times of this very thing. A misplaced look, an ill timed or harsh word, and any number of other ways we have hurt each other- have been covered by Grace.

*They broke a promise to you. Yet...God has forgiven your many broken promises, and yes you have broken a promise whether you meant to or not. How do I know? Ummm....HUMAN!

*They forgot about you. Yet...God, in His overwhelming mercy has waited for you on occasion to come sit quietly with Him. Have you ever forgotten to thank Him? To spend time with Him?

I know all these devastating hurts are difficult to move past. "It takes time" we hear.
"No one understands" we think. "I am not ready to forgive, I am hurt" you say.

"None of this applies to me...I'm fine" you say.

"But those other things are petty compared to adultery" you're thinkin' right now.

It is a common lie to say adultery is only a sexual sin.
It is actually also theft.

It steals, murders, and destroys.
It steals some one's heart and body not intended for you, murders marriages, and destroys the spirit of one you cheated on.
I am not asking you to give a blessing or condone or overlook. We are to confess our sins one to another and ask God to forgive and then ask those we have hurt to forgive us. Oh, and by the way...STOP IT!

Some of you reading this think "these things don't happen to good people or favored people".
We see some folks lives and think they have it easy and they have such an accomplished life and yet can't help think, "Why am I stuck in this place of broken.
Broken dreams
Broken promises
Broken marriage
Broken spirit
Broken hearted
...while their life seems so easy."

Please don't be fooled. Even in Christian or "churchy" circles it is very easy to mistake accomplishment for goodness. Even accomplished Hurt Christians...hurt Christians.

Without confession of our sins and the forgiveness that was extended to us on a cross over 2000 years ago, we have no goodness. Even when we know this, we can still make choices that hurt one another. Jesus addressed this so often by telling us how we are to treat ONE ANOTHER and one of the things we are to do is to FORGIVE ONE ANOTHER.

Everyone has had someone hurt them or disappoint them. The choice to stay hurt is up to the one unwilling to forgive. The choice...is up to YOU!
We have to stop classifying sins into categories such as sexual sins, emotional sins, petty sins. PETTY sins don't exist. Sin...IS SIN.

I have had to ask forgiveness and extend it and at times it feels like chewing gravel. Do it anyway!
I am not in anyway saying to forgive and forget, no harm no fowl, and let's all just have a party and a round of Kumbaya. I am suggesting that the key that opens prison cells...your prison cell of bitterness, anger, disappointment, loneliness, shame, embarrassment, brokenness or any prison trapping you in an emotional cell, is the key of FORGIVENESS.

Trust God with the consequences to the other person. Trust God with the new path ahead when you are willing to let go.

Trust God that while we were yet sinners...Christ died for us you...me.

Hurts...hurt. When friends hurt us, the hurt is too heavy to carry alone. Take it to Christ whose strength is sufficient.

Let us pray for each other...let us pray for ONE ANOTHER!

Who needs your forgiveness? Who do you need to ask for forgiveness?

Just Thinkin',

Kathy

Hide In The Cleft

2020-09-21T00:30:00.004-05:00

Have you ever been jolted awake with the awful feeling that you over slept and missed a meeting, didn't get the kids to school, forgot that project, or will be late to work? That Netanyahu Final Stage "you blew it" kind of panic?

One morning, I woke up very early (around 5) and had a cup of coffee and went back to sleep. At 9:00 exactly I jolted out of the bed, adrenaline rushing through my toes and back, in a panic that I had forgotten to get my son to school. I was up and brushing teeth in the bathroom, zipping through the kitchen trying to figure out what to do first...when I realized it was Saturday, no school.

It took a moment, or twenty, before my heart settled down and I could just think straight to order my day. Wide awake and thinking...why do I not have a constant peace?

There is a peace promised to me when I spend time with the Father, in His word, and through my faith in Jesus Christ.

I have been trying to wake up with thoughts of God and asking HIM to order my day.
Noticing that the "jolting" at one point in time had become a normal response, I purposely have tried to wake up thanking God for another 24 hours of mercy and asking HIM to go with me into my day.

You see, after many years of wandering in what seemed like a desert wilderness, our family was ready to cross into that "promised land". Yet, we all realized, if God was not with us...we didn't want to go.

Again...this morning...Worry over a current need allowed me to panic. It made me forget that God will go with me into each situation. I must ask Him to go with me. I must give Him time in order to see where we shall go.

Like Moses in the desert in Exodus 33, If God was not going into the new place with him, Moses did not want to move one more step.

I so much want God to reveal HIS glory in my life. I want the 'next' step, move, decision, action, to be what pleases Him and points to HIS glory. Yet...I still fight the enemy from time to time with the "jolting awake" moments.
The lack of peace, the fear, the adrenaline moments of self doubt and old habits. The not- trusting- that- God- will- lead- me- if- only- I -will- follow- in- faith----moments.

What makes simple believers in Christ waiver?
We believe, Lord help our unbelief.

Sometimes, we forget to take a Sabbath...yes I said TAKE, not observe. We HAVE to take that precious gift of rest and peace that the Lord instructed us to take.

I will never be able to face God and take in HIS complete GLORY, but I can sit still and wait on Him to pass by and show me just a glimpse of His goodness and mercy, HIS majesty and HIS ability to work out any situation I am currently facing. In order to do so, I must hide myself in Him. I must carve.

If only we were able to hide in the cleft of the rock as Moses did long ago.

But, I think we can...

The difference between Moses and us? WE have to carve out the cleft...carve out TIME, carve out margin into our day to hide ourselves away from the noise and to do lists. We must hide in the cleft and wait for the Lord to PASS BY!

Where is YOUR Cleft? Carve out a place, a space, time...maybe it's the Lazy Boy in the corner...maybe it's the back porch when the sun comes up. Maybe you, as I have had to do, need to literally sit in your closet with the door shut and invite the God of the Universe to invade your spirit...to pass by in such a way that the glory of His presence shines on your face.

Catch a glimpse of God today...carve out some time...Hide in the Cleft of the Rock of your salvation; Jesus is the Rock. He is written into every page of scripture.

(Photo by Kathy Lonsinger Petra Jordan 2007)

What about:
-That job?
-That relationship?
-That marriage proposal?
-That move?
-That activity in your kid's school?
-That health issue/decision/fear?
-That time spent watching football, HGTV, endless HULU and Netflix shows?
-That money you are about to spend?
-Those words you are about to speak?

Challenge:
Would you evaluate how you are spending your time, treasure, and talent and ask: "God, Are you in this? God, is this an activity/decision that brings glory to you in my life?".

If the answer is NO...carve it out too...

When you emerge from the place you carve out today...maybe you could go read the account of Moses in Exodus and see how even he knew it was not worth it to leave the desert to go into a promise land without God leading him.

May this be a time of reflection. Life changing.
May God bless you and show you favor as you hide yourself in the cleft of the Rock!

Just Thinkin',
Kathy

EXODUS 33: 15 For Moses had said, “If you aren’t going with us, don’t let us move a step from this place. 16 If you don’t go with us, who will ever know that I and my people have found favor with you, and that we are different from any other people upon the face of the earth?”

17 And the Lord had replied to Moses, “Yes, I will do what you have asked, for you have certainly found favor with me, and you are my friend.”[c]

DEAR JASON:The Quarter Horse and The White Horse

2020-09-11T09:30:00.004-05:00

Dear Jason,

- Shortly after 9:00 am 9/11/2001 My sweet little child... We dropped your brother off at school and made our way to your favorite place; the grocery store. Near the exit there is a “Quarter Horse”.

You love to be on your sweet behavior in order to ride that pale pony before we leave the store.

Today, for some reason, I put you up on the horse before we shopped. The delight on your face as the music started and the pony raised up on his hind legs was priceless.

I wanted to capture that memory forever. But not like this. As you rode, I kept my hand on your back. You are only 3 years old, after all, and need to be helped as you explore your world. We love this horse because it lasts longer than the one at the drug store. As you rode, I looked up and wondered what movie was showing on the television mounted up high in the customer service box. I stared. I was taken by the realistic way the movie was being shot. The smoke looked so real. The commentary seemed authentic. And as you smiled and galloped on that grocery store quarter horse…I watched a plane fly into a building next to the one on fire on the television. I saw the local Tulsa television news affiliates logo flash on the screen.

My heart sank.

I was watching someone who has never seen you smile, crash a plane into our lives; into the lives of mommies and daddies of children far away from our little happy section of the country.

How will I ever explain this to you? How will it ever make sense that there is this kind of hate in our world…the world in which your father and I are raising you?

If the men flying those planes had met us…had heard your giggle as the horse started to gallop, would they still hate you?

I have learned, probably, yes they would still hate.

I will have to explain to you a world that teaches hate to its children, teaches grown men to fly planes into buildings. And yet, Dear Jason, how will I teach you to love and to forgive this kind of cruelty?

My God calls us to forgive.

My God calls us to love.

My God calls us…but for now we have to leave the store...overhead in the parking lot there are many, many planes circling the skies over our city near the Tulsa airport.

We must get home.

Broken hearted,

Mommy

........................

Dear Jason, 9/11/2001

We have been home from the store for nearly 3 hours and I could not put you down. You fell asleep in my arms and I have been standing…rocking you back and forth watching the horrific things that are happening so far away from us here in Oklahoma, yet so near to our lives.

People have asked the question “Why is God allowing this to happen” all morning and now into the afternoon.

I will tell you exactly why…you will ask someday…I will say with certainty…

I have no idea.

May God, the creator of the universe, maker of all that has been made, incline His ear to us as we ask Him for answers, AMEN.

Numb,

Your mother

...................................

Dear Jason,

It's my Birthday, Sept. 18, 2001.

A week ago those planes killed thousands of people. No...correction...hate bred in men killed those people.

Today, when we got home from dropping your brothers and sister off at school, your Dad’s truck was home.

He is never home at 9:15 in the morning.

It is my birthday so I thought he might be home to surprise me.

There are roses on the dinning room table for me!

Your father is a good and thoughtful man.

But,

Your daddy is home because…this morning…he lost his job.

He builds airplanes.

No one wants to fly right now.

The country is afraid. I continue to want to ask why, but have decided to praise God and ask what is next instead.

I am scared. I know in your life you will face fear. I know you don’t have to face it alone. We will continue to tell you of one who will always be with you.

The master of the universe is still on the throne.

He will keep us.

Someday, I pray you know the love of His Son, Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

One day, HE will return…it will NOT be on a Grocery Store Quarter Horse.

He will ride into battle on a White Horse and He will conquer evil once and for all. He promises us no more tears, no more death, no more sin….no more hate-filled men in planes… Oh, Dear Jason, He Loves us so.

I think we shall go ride the Quarter Pony today.

Hopefully,

Mom

....................................

Dear Jason,

Sept. 10, 2011

Tomorrow is the tenth anniversary of 9/11. You are 13.

You have grown into a smart, funny, serious, quick young man who knows the love and promise of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We have ...since Sept. 2001... "suffered" but only in the worlds eyes.

We are actually stronger as a family. Closer.

We have lost all of our savings because of 3 years of a layoff after 9/11.

Your college money we had before you were even 3 is now gone.

Our world is spinning on a new economic axis since you were three.

We are moving from the home you love, the friends you cherish, the church family that has supported us in prayer, very soon.

I have been sick for many of the years that you can remember. Yet, our family is stronger than we were before 9/11. I still don’t understand most of the reasons for this happening. However, I simply trust God, and believe his promises to those who love Him; promises that you now have read and accepted for yourself.

Praise the Lord this day, Dear Jason, for the evidence of God’s love to those who saw miracles on that day 10 years ago.

Those who did not make it into work because of a flat tire, a spilled cup of coffee, a missed appointment, an alarm that did not go off. Praise God, my precious child, that you love and serve a God who knows every hair on every head of every child right now…even those sitting on a quarter -horse at the grocery store.

Bad things will continue to happen in a fallen world. God, however, is good ALL THE TIME, according to scripture. He does not do things the way I would choose…but I do choose to trust Him and hope you continue to do so too.

I pray you continue to grow in strength, truth, and in the light of the Living God who is all powerful, all knowing, and ever present.

In the meantime, keep giggling, keep praising, keep your eyes on HIM and the truth found in scripture, and soon…we will see HIM face to face.

I love you son...you still make me smile as I watch you find your way in this world.

Your Mother,

Kathy Lonsinger…Joint Heir (as are you now) with Christ who is "Faithful and True" ….AMEN.

English Standard Version Revelation 22:6 And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.” English Standard Version Revelation 19:11 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.

When Life Is The Pits -- Have Hope -- Get A Rope

2019-11-13T05:30:00.000-06:00

Pit dwellers are different from pit visitors.

Christians, sometimes... we fall in a pit.

I have been a pit dweller on several occasions and know the only hope and rope has been our Lord Jesus Christ.

We seem to get so busy 'doing' church, pointing fingers at the the pit, defending the pit, explaining the pit that we forget to point to Christ to help others out of life's pit.

Come on now...let's not just go to or do church-let's be the church and help others find the way out of life's pit!

I hope you will be encouraged to call out to JESUS when you find yourself in one of the pits. Despite what a Pharisee might say (see poem below)-- you ARE going to fall in a pit from time to time.

If you should visit...be certain not to dwell. The choice to stay in it or climb out is up to you. Call to the Lord for help...then reach out like you mean it!!!

English Standard Version Psalm 28:1
To you, O LORD, I call; my rock, be not deaf to me, lest, if you be silent to me, I become like those who go down to the pit

Psalm 40: 1-2
Living
I waited patiently for the LORD to help me, and he
turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit
of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on
solid ground and steadied me as I walked along.
Lord, I thank you for pulling me up when I fall. Thank you for forgiveness, provision, and the hope and rope...Jesus Christ, in whose name I pray.
Amen.

Just Thinkin',
Kathy

There is a poem that has been circulating from an adaptation of Kenneth Filkins The Wittenburg Door. I thought I would share it with you.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A man fell into a pit and called for help:

A SUBJECTIVE person came along and said:
"I FEEL for you down there!"

An OBJECTIVE person came along and said:
"It's logical that someone would fall down there."

A CHRISTIAN SCIENTIST came by and said:
"You only think you are in the pit."

A PHARISEE said:
"Only bad people would fall in a pit."

A FUNDAMENTALIST said:
"You deserve your pit."

CONFUCIOUS said:
"If you would have listened to me, you would not have fallen into that pit."

BUDDHA said:
"Your pit is only a state of mind."

A REALIST said:
"That's a pit."

A SCIENTIST
calculated the force necessary (lbs./sq.in.) to get him out of the pit.

A GEOLOGIST
told him how to appreciate the rock strata in the pit.

AN EVOLUTIONIST said:
"He is going to die in the pit, so he can't produce any pit-falling offspring."

A CHARISMATIC said:
"Just confess that you are not in the pit!"

An OPTIMIST said:
"Things could be worse."

A PESSIMIST said:
"Things are going to get worse."

JESUS, seeing the man
took him by the hand and lifted him out of the pit.

Potholes On The Road To Paradise

2019-10-16T08:00:00.000-05:00

This is NOT what I signed up for!

The road is narrowing as we drive along.

We can’t turn around even if we tried.

The mud from the morning rain is making the car slip and slide and the sugar cane fields on either side are so overgrown I feel like we are in a remake of Children of the Corn!

I've watched reruns of Hawaii Five-0...Danno and McGarrett aren't gonna solve this is in 43 minutes plus commercials!

No one knows where we are.

Why did I agree to this?

The man I love and trust with my life is driving the car -- shouldn't I just trust him?

Did I mention this is a rental car?

They make you sign an agreement ya know.

Why did it not strike us as odd that people had to sign a paper promising not to go "off road" with the rental car. Off road?

This is a road. Or at least when we started driving it was!

•Did the man who gave us directions hate us because we were 'Haoles' ?

•Why did we trust him? We’d never met.

•Was he sending us into a trap? I'd told him we were broke...right?

•Was he really disturbed by the stupid questions from this tourist couple from Oklahoma?

What if we get stranded thousands of miles from home?

We have a 32 ounce quick stop iced tea and a can of Pringles.

We aren’t armed. We have no money. No cell phone.
No resources to get out of here except this rental car -- clearly violating the rental agreement and about to be sunk in the mud.

God, do you know I feel fear? I don't want to go any further!

Nearly in tears now, heart racing, I want to scream at this man behind the wheel, “Take me back…I don’t want to go any further….I’m afraid!” Someone please call Chin Ho Kelly or Kono! Tell 'em I'm thinkin' we need their Op Gear!

As my good lookin', bench pressin'- weight liftin' - protective and quite determined husband continued to drive...he reached over and touched my knee and said, “Kathy...Trust me!”

Suddenly in front of us -- a sand dune signaling the end of the line. We could not drive any further and the pot holes and mud slide would not allow us to turn around so, we had to go to the side of the dune.

In the middle of muddy-gonna get stuck-no help-no phone-scary-nowhere…Richard asks me to get out of the car.

Umm...Had he recently taken out an insurance policy I was clearly unaware of?

He took my hand and helped me climb over the first of two fairly steep sand dunes. I could hear loud roaring then crashing that sounded familiar but unclear. I was looking down at my feet to secure my footing… when I heard Richard gasp. “Babe….You gotta see this!”

I looked up to see the end of the terrain jetting out into a sea. The landscape was spectacular. I was staring at the same type of view which left one Captain asking 'Why is all the Rum Gone?" in a recent box office hit pirate movie.

The sun beams reflected off of the white sand of a secluded beach which stretched further in both directions than my eyes could see.

Just as our reliable local described…we were alone -- in paradise -- well sort of.

There were two surfers on the waves riding in with style. One in his 60’s and possibly his grandson about 20 years old.

As Richard and I were dealing with the difficulty of managing 2 years of unemployment following 9/11, we did what every financially ~~responsible~~ broke couple would do for their 20th anniversary.

We flew to Hawaii.

Yep! It was a trip that Richard secretly planned for me as a Christmas/Anniversary surprise. Well, SURPRISE...we have no money!
The trip had been planned and paid for before he lost his job as an aerospace engineer. After 9/11 no one wanted to fly and many workers were laid off including my husband!

My parent's (who helped Richard plan the surprise) Christmas gift was a week of helping with our kids so we could go on this trip.

We spent our first night on Oahu then on to the beautiful Island of Kauai. When we arrived at the fantastic hotel, I made a b-line to the concierge. I looked him right in the eye and said, “We are broke, we have no idea why we are here, but we are here for 7 days with barely enough money to eat at McDonald's! Our anniversary is New Year's Eve...

Please...tell me where you would go if you where in our situation…and please…forgive me that I probably can’t even tip you fairly for the information.”

The young man’s shoulders dropped and he was silent. I thought to myself, “Boy did I just mess up! I warned him that I probably couldn't tip much before I ever got the info!”

He smiled and asked, “Do you mind a little adventure?”

He began to describe the things he and his friends would do to avoid the tourists when they were hanging out.

Our list of instructions included some very cool local eating places-which mostly consisted of little houses with a grandmother cooking for a few people sitting around her table as she worked -- how to get in to the cool part of where Jurassic Park was filmed, and directions to "the real paradise" for our Anniversary!

We ate our first meal of Somen noodles and chicken cooked over a flame and then served on a stick....grand total... 5 bucks -for both of us- While 9 very tanned locals with sun kissed hair watched us curiously. They ate Somen with chop sticks...me...not so much! Spoon for this Haole girl! Face Palm!

We had a great week! We spent time alone and made memories that a tour bus and shopping outlets would never have given us!

Our anniversary day came and we followed the detailed directions to "the real paradise"…and by detailed I mean:

“Okay, Auntie, Find the sugar cane field just south of town and drive into the middle of it... turn left when you see Toothless Old Pete. He usually sits next to the road and laughs at tour buses dat get stuck. His dog has teeth, but he won't bite you - Pete Might try to bite you...so don't get out of the car. Just follow the potholes to the dead end and you walk right to a 'choke' of white sand!" (Choke?...now -- there's choking involved? I pondered...) "You won't need much of anything, but wear a swimsuit and take towels or sand mats and something to snack on...oh and...water and dat’s all you need, well except maybe a spare tire and a hatchet or machete! Bodda you?” I figured out that meant 'does that bother you?" My need for a machete...should "dat" bother me...RIGHT? This girl has fought in martial arts competitions back in "the day"...so...you know...I can (in theory) fend off unarmed woman from ages 17 to 35 and maybe still give toothless Ol' Pete a roundhouse kick to the neck if needed...but...a hatchet? Seriously!

Well okay then...'Lesgo'!

And...well... it was exciting...until...It wasn't!

After quite a drive through a nice part of the island, we stumbled on to the abandoned sugar cane factory. We turned left where the guy told us to turn. Red mud! lots of wet pot holes and red mud!

I began to focus on the potholes, the mud, the overgrown sugar cane, the lack of money, the evidence of possible isolation and danger because of the fact that we were now near an abandoned missile base and still contemplating all the possible reasons we may need a hatchet…and don't forget toothless Old Pete and his dog.

I lost sight of the destination at the end of the journey!

I was having what our Hawaiian friend might say was a 'Haad Rub'!

NOTE: HAAD RUB (HAHD ruhb) - slang for: hard time, bad time, uncomfortable circumstances. HAD-IT (HAHD iht) - slang for: to be wasted, destroyed, wrecked. hairy - dangerous, rough, out of control, huge, bad, ugly, intense. -- Thank you Mr. Webster

He had given clear directions. It was described so perfectly. We knew -- he told us it would be difficult but that the end result would be amazing! So why was I afraid?

*Do I do that in my journey with GOD?

*Do I lose sight of the end game? Do I forget He said it would be difficult but worth the journey?

*Do I fail to believe that His promises are true?

*Do I focus on spiritual potholes?

*Do I focus on the mud slung at me because of my faith, my race, my differences, my past, my present?

*Do I assume the worst by doubting and mistrusting others?

*Do I forget to love and be kind and forgiving?

*Do I worry over bills that crowd in like overgrown sugar cane fields?

*Do I allow isolation -- fear -- uncertainty -- new situations to paralyze me instead of challenge me on life's adventures?

*Do you?

What is happening in your life...right now...that is keeping your focus off of the exciting adventure?

-Money?
-Relationships?
-Health?
-A Job?
-No Job?

Are you letting uncertainty paralyze you?
Just like Ol' Pete...Those fears are toothless in the presence of Our Mighty God!

I trust Richard. I know him and love him and he has proven to be a good leader and protector.Why did I begin to fear on our journey down that road?

I trust God. I know Him and love Him and HE has proven to be a faithful leader and protector.Why do I begin to fear on this journey when things seem difficult, unfamiliar or uncertain?

It is during these times, God reaches over to me...puts his hand on my knee and says, "Kathy...Trust ME!"
When my focus is on Him, my journey will truly be a wonderful adventure!

Richard and I celebrated our 20^th anniversary that day with the white sand, the majesty of the ocean, the beauty of the Island, two surfers to entertain us, ice tea and Pringles. What more could a girl ask?

It was one of the most precious days we’d ever spent together...and I almost called it off... out of fear...because of a few potholes... on the way to paradise.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Creator GOD, help me to rely on your direction and your promise to love and care for me. You have promised that you will finish the work you have begun in our lives. You've promised an amazing adventure at the end of this journey. May I focus on the promise of one day seeing you face to face? Until then, let me enjoy this adventure. There were those who "fell away" and "walked with you no more" even after watching you perform miracles. Please give me strength to continue to trust you and walk with you...even when the journey is difficult.

I Thank You.

Deuteronomy 5:32-33

So be careful to do what the LORD your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left. ³³ Walk in obedience to all that the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.

Barking Sands Beach
Kauai, Hawaii

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Clutz: It's Not Just For Breakfast Anymore

2018-12-25T06:30:00.000-06:00

Now that we are back in Oklahoma, we send a Christmas "Just Thinkin' " your way from our Beaumont Christmas past.

We hope timeless stories will help you find perspective. We hope more than anything, that you learn to read scripture and apply the truths found there to your daily lives...for the messages, commandments and stories you will find in the Bible have proven timeless
Enjoy. Focus on Christ today...He's got this covered...whatever your THIS might be.
Love,
Kathy
and the gang at A Gentle Answer Ministries.
12-25-2018
--------------------------------------------------

Christmas Morning 2012

WARNING: No animals were harmed in the writing of this post. One did get his feelings hurt and the use of ellipsis was highly abused.

Those who know me well know the kitchen is my spot.
I love to cook and bake and I am quite happy serving wonderful food . I am actually a good cook. Yep, I do okay in the kitchen.

However, once every 10 years or so I have one of "those" days.

For those who knew of the unfortunate "multi-tasking-Mom- frying mini corn dogs- while wrangling a 5 year old and a baby- whilst also answering a phone to be asked by person on the phone to go find the lawn mowing neighbor (we each lived on three acre spreads so it was a long walk) -to come to the phone because her best friend was in the hospital- and then forgetting mini corn dogs frying in grease-resulting in a house fire back in '93 - episode..."...well... this was not like that.

Well, sort of...I may not have lost the house this time, just a bit of dignity.
Oh...focus...That's a story for another day.

One morning, I thought I would make a nice brunch since my son was home from college.

The first order of the day was to spill pineapple juice. I did it brilliantly, thanks.

I calmly turned to get the paper towels to wipe up the sticky morning mess and tripped over Shadow the wonder dog.

After he ran from the room with a look of betrayal in his eyes, I bent down to clean up the juice. Boy did I underestimate how many paper towels this might take!

I raised up to get more towels, I bumped...no...no smashed...no...ummm...let's see...slammed is a better word...yes, slammed my head on the cupboard door corner.

Flinching in pain, I, slipping in the spilled juice, did my graceful dance across the kitchen floor. Looked like a server on skates at Sonic with the hiccups hit an oil slick!

But don't worry, when I (by instinct from the pain) raised my hand to the throbbing goose egg on my head, the platter I was carrying of wonderfully prepared sausage, biscuits and gravy, scrambled eggs and a side of fresh pineapple was somehow left unshaken as I hugged the floor.

Momentarily, I was quite pleased with this maneuver. I would have beaten Mary Lou Retton's perfect "10" if the kitchen judges had been watching...GRACEFUL MUCH?

Too bad the platter was made of plastic though, because the smell of melted plastic doesn't go well with pineapple.
Melted you ask? Oh, right...

You see, as I pulled my slightly disheveled self up, I accidentally set the food down on the hot burner so I could steady myself to stand.
The platter and only one of the biscuits melted right to the stove!

So overall...it was a good morning, considering most of the food was saved and there were no vehicles with flashing lights involved...which if I remember back to the fire of '93, brought several off duty fire fighters to my house and I had not even brushed my teeth or put on a bra yet, so I don't recommend that.

Back to the sticky morning...
I sort of felt like I was stuck in a really bad Laurel and Hardy bit.

When I finally gained composure to serve brunch, I sat down with my husband and the boys to eat...the phone rang, it was my daughter and we always answer our children when they call if we can.

I raised the phone to my ear...hit my plate and dropped my breakfast on my leg and on the chair and even a little bit on the dog which prompted him to do the "I'm chasing my tail...I'm chasing my tail" dance since it mostly hit his back side (which is even funnier when you realize this dog has no tail). I ruined my dress...but okay... I'm in Texas and I'm told wearing a little white gravy is okay because it's still before Labor Day (insert sound of pagent winner rude girl at church saying "Bless Your Heart" in a Southern Accent here)

Dangit!

I'm not really, usually, all that clumsy...the floor just hates me, my dog is apparently schizophrenic, the table and chairs are bullies, my kids are so clingy they want to be home on school breaks, the cabinets are co-conspiritors with Satan, and in general the walls are just in the way. I'm Clutzy today but It's NOT MY FAULT!

Do you ever have these kind of days? Days when it just feels like nothing will go right? I know this seems small compared to what some of you are going through...but any delay, distraction, disruption, detour, disappointment in our lives can cause us to lose our focus on Christ, ultimately making us lose our joy.

I felt frustrated after the initial spill, but after the slamming and slipping and then the burning, I started to actually get angry. Somehow, it was now the dog's...my son's (for coming home from college prompting me to feel domestic) my daughter's (for calling), and even the builder's fault for placing the cabinets and stove in the particular floor plan that caused my fiasco.

I lost focus on serving a wonderful meal for my family and actually became resentful over fixing such a spread for a table of people who probably would not even notice how hard I worked to prepare such a meal... yes...quite pitiful.

Do you do that? Let the picky little failures or disappointments steal your joy? Even ultimately becoming resentful or pitiful or lashing out at others?

Apparently, I am Ferrari Mom!
I went from Ego to low self esteem in 5.3 seconds.

One of the messages people have requested when I am asked to speak "What's In Your Purse?: Understanding Our Worth" compares the way we see ourselves to the way God actually sees us.

I use the Greek words "Doxa" and "Hustereo" to give examples of "praiseworthy" or Glory (having value) vs. "hysteria" (lacking in value) to show when we are competent (sometimes even full of ourselves) verses when we feel like a clutz.

Either of these two feelings can be a hazard.

Pride is pride.

Whether on the ego end of the spectrum or the low self-esteem end...it is dangerous.

One says I am good because of my own effort or talent and one says God did not make me very well.

Guess which one the enemy of my soul would like for me to focus on today? CLUTZ MUCH?

Well, just because I have a frustrating or "off" day doesn't change who I am in Christ. Some days are successful, some...not so much.

Some days a brunch is in order... but today, maybe a "fast" is in order. Or maybe in my case, a "slow". A "SLOW DOWN KATHY"... A "BE STILL, KATHY"!

I will choose to focus on HIM and the things that are praiseworthy.
The Bible tells me that I am fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139). So even if my dog focused more on the fearfully part today, I will focus on the truth found in the bible instead of the mess found on my kitchen floor.

Common Doxology:

Praise God from whom all blessings flow, praise HIM all creatures here below; Praise Him above ye heavenly host, Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost! AMEN.

Clutz...It's Not Just for Breakfast Anymore...so at work, at school, in ministry, with your spouse, our clumsy days do not take God by surprise.

I hope when (not if) you have "one of those days" in the future (even if not in the kitchen) you will remember to feel God's love. He's crazy about you! He knows how and when your "off" day will show up, and He is still worthy to be praised. Be still.

Well as soon as I looked up "how to remove melted plastic from a cook top stove", I was done for the day and seriously, wisely, chose NOT to be moving around or driving or making decisions or possibly even thinking for the rest of the evening.

I reposted this story because...
I just put the milk in the pantry...I may be slow...but I CAN learn from my past mistakes...can YOU?

I better go, I am on an electronic device ya know...I don't recommend I operate any machinery today.

May God bless you even in your "Sticky Mornings" and may you remember to praise the Christ of Christmas everyday of your life...not just today.

Just Thinkin',

Kathy

Kids In The Fridge

2018-11-14T08:58:00.000-06:00

If you are a parent...or a kid...you will know what I am talking about... (so pretty much...everyone):

I have noticed how all of my children...now grown...come to our home and head for the kitchen.

All of them...look into our cupboards, pantry and fridge!

One manchild, JL tothefirstpower, heads straight for the fridge, as he is farthest away and usually thirsty, but then he moves to the coffee stash.
His wife, the beautiful D-I-L, makes sure there is proper chai tea, bread and Herbs DeProvence as she loves to bake/cook and all things bread, cheese related.

Child Dos, KL ('og' and prettiest sibling of the original group), straight to the spices and the gluten free stores in the pantry as she loves to cook as well but has gluten allergy.

Manchild- 3rd in birth order, JL squared, Goes to coffee stash first, bullet proof of course, (scratching my head) then the meat selection in fridge and vegies as he is more the paleo type.

Baby of the family, although an adult, JL tothe3rdpower...comes in from college and after hugs...heads right to the cookie, candy, "kids are home where are the brownies" hidden in the pantry stash.

Now that we have grandlittles, W1 asks for cuties, (mandarin oranges) cheese sticks, lollipops, and W2 asks for french fries and macaroni and cheese... " but not Aunt Kaylee's GWOOTEN FWEE kind" and sausage.

They know we will happily provide what they need.

They know sometimes what they WANT is not always what they need or what WE have prepared for THEM! (No, Wendy, lollipops are not the main course for breakfast this time).

I find myself looking into my own parent's pantry, fridge, and cupboards when I visit them and I am _ _ years oldll! (I can get the senior discount at Denny's)

God welcomes his kids home.
Look into the pantry.
Ask what HE has prepared for YOU!

I will.

Let's ask...

In Jesus Name,
Run to your Dad's storehouse of knowledge...THE BIBLE!
https://biblehub.com/philippians/4-19.htm

Peace to You,

Love,
K

Dear God, From Children

2018-07-21T19:07:00.000-05:00

DEAR GOD,

Dear God,
Did you mean for the giraffe to look like that or was it an accident?
Becky

Dear God,
Instead of letting people die and having to make new ones,
why don't You just keep the ones you have now?
Jill

Dear God,
I went to this wedding and they kissed right in church. Is that okay?
Neil

Dear God,
Thank you for my baby brother, but what I prayed for was a puppy.
Joy

Dear God,
Please send me a pony. I never asked for anything before.
You can look it up.
Bruce

Dear God,
If we come back as something, please don't let me be
Jennifer Horton, because I hate her.
Denise

Dear God,
I think the stapler is one of your greatest inventions.
Rudy

Dear God,
I bet it is very hard for you to love all the people in the
world. There are only four people in our family and I can never do it.
Nan

Dear God,
Of all the people who worked for you, I like Noah and David the best.
Rob

Dear God,
My brother told me about being born, but it doesn't sound
right. They are just kidding, aren't they?
Marsha

Dear God,
We read Thomas Edison made light. But in Sunday School, we
learned that you did it. So I bet he stole your idea.
Sincerely, Donna

Dear God,
Maybe Cain and Abel would not kill each other so much if
they had their own rooms. It works with my brother.
Larry

Dear GOD,
Instead of letting people die and having to make new ones, why don't You just keep the ones You have? -Jane

Dear GOD,
If You watch me in church on Sunday, I'll show You my new shoes. -Mickey

Dear GOD,
I bet it is very hard for You to love all of everybody in the whole world. There are only 4 people in our family and I can never do it. -Nan

Dear GOD,
In school they told us what You do. Who does it when You are on vacation? -Jane

Dear GOD,
I read the Bible. What does "begat" mean? Nobody will tell me. -Love, Alison

Dear GOD,
Are You really invisible or is it just a trick? -Lucy

Dear GOD,
Is it true my father won't get in Heaven if he uses his bowling words in the house? -Anita

Dear GOD,
Who draws the lines around the countries? -Nan

Dear GOD,
I went to this wedding and they kissed right in church. Is that okay? -Neil

Dear GOD,
What does it mean You are a Jealous God? I thought You had everything. -Jane

Dear GOD,
Did You really mean "do unto others as they do unto you"? Because if You did, then I'm going to fix my brother. -Darla

Dear GOD,
Thank you for the baby brother, but what I prayed for was a puppy. -Joyce

Dear GOD,
It rained for our whole vacation and is my father mad! He said some things about You that people are not supposed to say, but I hope You will not hurt him anyway. Your friend, (But I am not going to tell You who I am)

Dear GOD,
Why is Sunday school on Sunday? I thought it was supposed to be our day of rest. -Tom

Dear GOD,
Please send me a pony. I never asked for anything before. You can look it up. -Bruce

Dear GOD,
If we come back as something - Please don't let me be Michelle Horton because I hate her. -Denise

Dear GOD,
If you give me a genie like Aladdin, I will give You anything You want, except my money or my chess set. -Raphael

Dear GOD,
I want to be just like my Daddy when I get big but not with so much hair all over. -Sam

Dear GOD,
You don't have to worry about me. I always look both ways. -Dean

Dear GOD,
I think the stapler is one of your greatest inventions. -Ruth M.

Dear GOD,
I think about You sometimes even when I'm not praying. -Elliott

Dear GOD,
Of all the people who work for You I like Noah and David the best. -Rob

Dear GOD,
I would like to live 900 years like the guy in the Bible. Love, Chris

Dear GOD,
The bad people laughed at Noah - "You made an ark on dry land you fool." But he was smart, he stuck with You. That's what I would do. -Eddie

Dear GOD,
I do not think anybody could be a better GOD. Well, I just want You to know but I am not just saying that because You are GOD already. -Charles

Dear GOD,
I didn't think orange went with purple until I saw the sunset You made on Tuesday. That was cool. -Eugene

Well,
I hope you enjoyed these thoughts from the little ones. I wonder myself what I might ask God if I had an audience with Him.
But wait...I do!
So do you.
He would love to hear from us too!

Just Thinkin',

Kathy

Chickens Really Can Fly

2018-03-20T08:00:00.000-05:00

I woke up feeling a little under the weather.
What's better than homemade broth to naturally begin to feel better.

I happened to have a rotisserie chicken from the local market in the fridge - so I put it on to boil (the chicken, silly, not the fridge).

A few minutes after the broth began to boil, I noticed the store had trussed the chicken and the string needed to be removed.

Not wanting to retrieve the hot chicken from the water, I pinched the string that was sticking up out of the water and cut it. Now, holding one end of the string, I should simply be able to remove the string with a slight tug. Right?

Hmmm. Seems they didn't just tie the legs, seems they wrapped about 5 miles of string around the chicken and maybe even took a few detours through the middle of the bird just to make this fun!

Still determined not to remove the whole hot bird from the pot...I tugged. I pulled. I yanked. I heaved - I...well...

Does the word TREBUCHET mean anything to you?

Suddenly and without warning - the string DID come out of the pot. But so did the bird - and trust me - there was nothing simple about it!

As I stood there shocked at the sight of a flying bird in my kitchen - I may have slightly regretted not taking the time to research what I was getting into.

Chickens really CAN fly! Flying poultry - might look cool - but the landing- it ain't pretty!

Next time - I really need to make sure there are "No strings attached" before I commit to something potentially messy!

(see what I did there?)

Proverbs 19:2

“Also it is not good for a person to be without knowledge, and he who makes haste with his feet errs.” (Or even hands? Perhaps?)

2 Thessalonians 3:10

For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.

(Just for grins...I posted those scriptures in the much neglected - hardly ever used 'Trebuchet' font )

Can't say I feel better yet, but yes - it was funny. Extremely messy - but funny.

Yep. It happened about this suddenly!

And for those who might remember...Run away...run away!!!

They say you can tell when pasta is done by flinging a piece on the wall. I don't recommend this for chicken...much less...a whole chicken.

Just Thinkin',

Kathy

Marriage...The Real Story

2017-12-31T15:06:00.000-06:00

(Original Publication Date 12/31/15 Reposting for a dose of real! Happy 34th Richard!)

This is where I am supposed to post somethin' clever about 32 years of blissful marriage, to my soul mate, and list a bunch of syrupy sweet qualities Richard possesses...Thanking my 4 brilliant and perfect children, parents, daughter-in-law and grandbabies... especially... for helping me become the person I am today!!!

Now...The Real Story:
The reality is... we probably had 9 really great years, 2 years of Awesome, and 21 years of what the heck were we thinkin'!!!

Yep ...32!

28 years of which we've been parents...which means we've been sleep deprived for almost 3 decades! (To my daughter in law...look away...oh...wait...you are binge watching something on Netflix while the kids are napping...so you aren't on facebook today so we should be ok...I did not want to discourage her)

So...I am not posting the cute photo again showing us in White Tuxedos at my Senior prom..or our wedding picture which makes us look so thin...not gonna spend 10 minutes trying to suck in stuff and turn at just the right angle to get a selfie that shows how cute we are today...

We pretty much got up at 3 a.m. 'cause one of us had to pee...can't remember, cause it ends up being both eventually anyway! So as Richard (who NEVER takes naps...as far as you know)...brought me coffee and laid (lie...um.. lay...who cares) back down...I am caffeine buzzed up and thinkin' "What clever tribute can I write on Facebook for our anniversary?"

Well...I got nuthin'. Except...marriage... (some of you just had a "Maaaawij....Maaaawij is what bwings us ta-gevaaaa" moment didn't you?)

Marriage is a blessing-Weddings are simple...Marriage is tough. Marriage is a challenge. Marriage sucks! Marriage is priceless! Yep...Marriage may make you feel bi polar! Marriage is a test of commitment and a battle of wills. "I do" and "I will" should be examined carefully as our "will" and our actions need to default to grace a whole lot more than anyone told us in premarital counseling. Marriage is a beautiful mess ...some days beautiful somedays...a mess.

God ordained marriage. He.Must.therefore.be invited. to. stay!

Don't send Him home after the wedding.

You can't do it without Him in the center.

Marriage is work.

Marriage can be lonely...spoiler, I know!

Marriage is supposed to be 2 become 1...right?

Well...some days our "one" looks a bit like two drunk people in a three legged sack race.

We pull different directions, clumsy words get in the way and we fall down.

But we try to get back up! When we slow down and keep in step with God and His instruction...our stride is easier...the goal line seems possible...less dirt and skinned egos.

Marriage is a challenge...I know I said that already!

Now...about that whole "soul mate" thingy! It does NOT exist! Stop lookin'! If you're married...that IS the one!

We do sometimes feel like inmates, behave like roomates, act like primates...but there are those awesome moments we treasure when we are well pleased to be mates in this journey together.

Praise God for forgiveness and new mercies every morning...even morning breath mornings!

Someone tell Richard Happy Anniversary here since he doesn't do "facecrack"...um..I mean facebook.
Well, I have to go get ready for my anniversary date with Rich where we will be staring into each other eyes again later...yes...we are picking out glasses with progressive bifocals again.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!
Love,
Kathy Lonsinger

Betrayed By The Refrigerator

2017-06-23T06:30:00.000-05:00

Ode to My Refrigerator

Kathy Lonsinger (cue Refrigerator Heaven Music)

Why are you are suddenly cold?

Why must you kill the things that trust you to shelter them?

Why did you hate my cilantro so?

Your harsh and biting frost,

Has "squished" any hope my cucumber had to become something big someday (well actually...today).

Was it too much to ask that you remain faithful...constant?

I've sanitized you, bleached you, hung proudly my children's artwork on your door... introduced you to dairy.

I've never even opened another's door since we've been together (well except at Best Buy and the sale was really good...but alas...you are the one I came home to).

Do you understand the joy you have brought to my family the past ten years?

How then could you turn (your temperature) on me?

Are you angry that I have kept some of your old friends away lately? The Carbs, The Fats, and that family I love too...The Sweets?

I've introduced you to many new friends...the Fruit Family, the Veggies, the Proteins.

And while we knew none could stay long...at least you have always had someone to keep you company.

We've tired to repair this brokenness...

You would not cooperate.

This has proven too costly.

We invested so much -- so -- we kept on trying.

Alas, Refrigerator, I think it may be time for you to go...

I must depart...to rescue the ones you did not destroy with your chilled heart... but merely bruised. I must find now a fridge who has better self control.

Don't be sad...your light will still shine in our memory (even though you kept turning it off every time I shut the door)!

I do not hold a bitter grudge and I won't be blue...but I kind of think the new refrigerator should be.

To New Beginnings.

.........................................................................................................................................................

Note:

Do you keep trying to nurse along a failing habit, a job, a relationship, an activity that is NOT preserving who you are in Christ?

Either a major repair or starting over may be in order. ( No...I do NOT mean marriage or divorce...seek Godly counsel)

Call the repair man...

He is always on call.

God promises, “Call unto Me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not” — things exceedingly abundantly above all that we can ask or think. Jeremiah 33:3

Why Would God Want Me?

2017-05-17T05:52:00.000-05:00

Thanks to AUTHOR UNKNOWN...this was on our blog years ago.

Classic story...worth remembering!

Thanks,
A G A Ministries Team

"Sometimes we can't see how God could use us. Maybe you've thought...

I'm not perfect. I have all kinds of problems. I have no ability. I have no gifts. I'm just not worthy. Why would God want me?

Well, did you know that

Moses stuttered.
David's armor didn't fit.
John Mark deserted Paul.
Timothy had ulcers.
Hosea's wife was a prostitute.
Amos' only training was in the school of fig-tree pruning.
Jacob was a liar.
David had an affair.
Solomon was too rich.
Jesus was too poor.
Abraham was too old.
David was too young.
Peter was afraid of death.
Lazarus was dead.
John was self-righteous.
Naomi was a widow.
Paul was a persecutor of the church.
Moses was a murderer.
Jonah ran from God's will.
Miriam was a gossip.
Gideon and Thomas both doubted.
Jeremiah was depressed and suicidal.
Elijah was burned out.
John the Baptist was a loudmouth.
Martha was a worry-wart.
Noah got drunk.
Did I mention that Moses had a short fuse?
So did Peter, Paul - well, lots of folks did.

But God doesn't require a job interview for salvation. He's our Heavenly Father. He doesn't look at financial gain or loss. He's not prejudiced or partial, not judging, grudging, sassy, or brassy, not deaf to our cry, not blind to our need. He know who we are and what we are and loves us in spite of ourselves

SATAN SAYS, "YOU'RE NOT WORTHY."
JESUS SAYS, "SO WHAT? I AM."
SATAN LOOKS BACK AND SEES OUR MISTAKES.
GOD LOOKS BACK AND SEES THE CROSS.

He doesn't calculate how you failed again and again. It's not even on the record.

Sure, there are lots of reasons why God shouldn't call us. But if we are in love with Him, if we hunger for Him, He'll use us in spite of who we are, where we've been, what we have done, or the fact that we are not perfect!"