PENNY POINTS

DREAM OF: 4/23/2020 UPDATED WITH ADDITIONAL INSIGHT

2020-11-08T15:10:00.000-05:00

I woke up suddenly around 7:20am; thinking I just had a dream about Donald Trump. Typically, I wake up groggy and slow. This morning I shot straight up.

I was sitting in a lawn chair outside. There seemed to be many people around. I was near an open garage door. I was on New Holland street in Hudsonville, MI. During this dream I felt comfortable and calm, not panicked at all.

Sitting on my lawn chair I was watching President Donald Trump putting a new chain on my bicycle (my bike was purchased new 4/4/19, it is a Verve (means: great energy and enthusiasm, special ability talent) 3 (3 means: Father, Son and Holy Spirit) Trek (Trek means: an arduous journey, may involve great difficulties), this is a new bike and should not have needed to be repaired). There appeared to be many people around. Donald Trump was very calm in no hurry. I walked up to him realizing he was ready to put the seat back on. He started to have a very calm pleasant conversation with me. As I was holding the bike so he could reach down and pick up the seat to put back on; he noticed the light blackish/gray/pinkish pearl on my right hand. He commented on how beautiful it was. I began to explain about the pearl. I had gotten the pearl on the celebration of our 10^th wedding anniversary April 29th. (I went into to great detail to explain this. Is “10” possibly the 10^th month, October when Amy Coney Barrett was appointed to the Supreme Court? She became to pearl to replace the diamond that was lost). We went to Hawaii (middle of April) to celebrate because we never had a honeymoon and this was to be our honeymoon (I had the single pearl, which I had won in some kind of drawing on the island of Maui, latter mounted in my original wedding band because the diamond fell out of my first wedding ring and was lost).

While we were talking a woman, who appeared very nice and calm walked up and said something to Donald Trump. I could not hear what she was saying. When she finished talking to Donald Trump he calmly turned to walk back into the garage (symbolic of at work to fix something broken). The woman then turns to me and hugs me really tightly with strength and compassion and says; “we are going to war”. (Could this woman possible be Margaret Thatcher, the Iron Lady and what she stood for?)

I decide to take my bike for a ride down New Holland street on the left hand side of the road which would have been against traffic, although there was no traffic and it is dusk (darkness descending/evil possibly) out (I remember Dan was thinking she really likes that bike, also Donald Trump was thinking also that’s a nice bike). I was thinking this bike is riding very smoothly. I think; well going down the hill on New Holland should be easy enough, but going back up may be a challenge. I think; the bike is really riding well so it should not be a problem going back uphill. I then think; I forgot to put my light (the light of the Lord Jesus shine, to dispel darkness) on and I was riding on the left side (light needs to bring truth/revelation to the left) of the road. I better cross over and see a car approaching from behind. When I get to the end of the cul-de-sac and start to make the curve, I see a dog with a very long chain coming out. The dog looked like a Boston terrier. I was not worried because I could see he was chained, even though the chain went way out into the road, I just swerved out of the dog’s way. I rounded the curve and stopped. Some people were planting beautiful flowers lots of them and many were yellow. Then I see ……. and ……. ………. standing off to the side. I did not stop close to them just long enough to say hi. I wanted to put my light (light will invade the darkness/dark night) on the bike and get back home so Dan would not worry about me.

…… ……… was standing up and not in her wheelchair (she had a stroke in her early 40’s and over the years has declined significantly. She can stand with help and take only a few steps). I was thinking how good she looked, she was standing on her own and had lost a lot of weight. She had mentioned something about the year 1920 (I did not really get what she was talking about).

Then I woke up. Please note: the …….are names I deleted.

Meanings of:

President Donald Trump: authority/leader

Putting new chain on bike: fixing mobility-transportation/single/personal-see additional notes at the end. On bike-deliver a message? Carrier for something? A chain reaction, with Trump’s hand?

Putting seat back on: sitting down, not on alert, or hold onto your seats?

10-year anniversary: Completion and fulfillment, perfection divine order. (could it possibly be 10, as in the 10^th month of this year. Amy Coney Barrett appointed to Supreme Court in October. Is she the “pearl” replacing the lost diamond which was a of great value?)

Right hand: the right-hand means; blessing, possible financial blessing that is being released

Light blackish gray pinkish pearl: The pearl is also said to symbolize the purity, generosity, integrity, and loyalty of its wearer. Maybe?

Strong long hug: reassurance that it will all be fine?

Going to war: spiritual or literal?

New Holland street:

Put light back on: we are to be the light of the world. Matt. 5;14-16

End of road/curve/cul-de-sac: flattening the curve or coming out of it?

Boston terrier on the chain: restricted from impeding danger? Possibly Gov. Whitmer from Michigan? Other governors over reaching and putting unconstitutional demands on the people, crossing the line.

Flowers: glory? Possibly Michigan blooming in abundance for buying and selling again?

Yellow: gift either from God or marriage partner, honor and family

Riegel: Definition of Riegel

: a low transverse rock ridge on the floor of a glaciated valley commonly situated at the down-valley end of a flat

……. standing: healing?

1920: roaring 20’s?

The dream took place at our Hudsonville house. This was a place of great foundational growth in the Lord of me. This place is where I received the “Baptism of the Holy Spirit”. This place is where we raised our children in the Lord, foundational.

Input from trusted friends:

A few things that jumped out about your dream as I read it are the following:

Your bike represents the economy. The chain is the driver of the economy. Trump is not worried but has just put the economy back in motion. We will have to peddle to get it going before we can accelerate by other (motorized) means.
It appears dark and some might worry, but we have the light to guide our path.
Your friend represents the fact that the economy is healing and trimmed off excess weight that was bogging it down. (Let’s hope this is getting rid of red tape and unnecessary regulations)
We are headed for war, both abroad, a cold war with China, and a form of civil war in our nation.
The hug is comfort and peace that it will be okay, even in wartime.

1920: plague ended

Bible verses I felt lead to this morning:

Isaiah 43:3-13

For I am the Lord your God,
    the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I give Egypt for your ransom,
    Cush^[^a^] and Seba in your stead.
⁴Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
    and because I love you,
I will give people in exchange for you,
    nations in exchange for your life.
⁵Do not be afraid, for I am with you;
    I will bring your children from the east
    and gather you from the west.
⁶I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’
    and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’
Bring my sons from afar
    and my daughters from the ends of the earth—
⁷everyone who is called by my name,
    whom I created for my glory,
    whom I formed and made.”

⁸Lead out those who have eyes but are blind,
    who have ears but are deaf.
⁹All the nations gather together
    and the peoples assemble.
Which of their gods foretold this
    and proclaimed to us the former things?
Let them bring in their witnesses to prove they were right,
    so that others may hear and say, “It is true.”
¹⁰“You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord,
    “and my servant whom I have chosen,
so that you may know and believe me
    and understand that I am he.
Before me no god was formed,
    nor will there be one after me.
¹¹I, even I, am the Lord,
    and apart from me there is no savior.
¹²I have revealed and saved and proclaimed—
    I, and not some foreign god among you.
You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “that I am God.
¹³    Yes, and from ancient days I am he.
No one can deliver out of my hand.
    When I act, who can reverse it?”

Isaiah 40:21-31

Do you not know?
    Have you not heard?
Has it not been told you from the beginning?
    Have you not understood since the earth was founded?
²²He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth,
    and its people are like grasshoppers.
He stretches out the heavens like a canopy,
    and spreads them out like a tent to live in.
²³He brings princes to naught
    and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.
²⁴No sooner are they planted,
    no sooner are they sown,
    no sooner do they take root in the ground,
than he blows on them and they wither,
    and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.

²⁵“To whom will you compare me?
    Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One.
²⁶Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens:
    Who created all these?
He who brings out the starry host one by one
    and calls forth each of them by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,
    not one of them is missing.

²⁷Why do you complain, Jacob?
    Why do you say, Israel,
“My way is hidden from the Lord;
    my cause is disregarded by my God”?
²⁸Do you not know?
    Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
    and his understanding no one can fathom.
²⁹He gives strength to the weary
    and increases the power of the weak.
³⁰Even youths grow tired and weary,
    and young men stumble and fall;
³¹but those who hope in the Lord
    will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint.

Isaiah 41:15

See, I will make you into a threshing sledge,
new and sharp, with many teeth.
You will thresh the mountains and crush them,
and reduce the hills to chaff.

Micah 41:13

Rise and thresh, Daughter Zion,
    for I will give you horns of iron;
I will give you hooves of bronze,
    and you will break to pieces many nations.”
You will devote their ill-gotten gains to the Lord,
    their wealth to the Lord of all the earth.

UPDATED REVELATIONS ON DREAM OF 4/23/2020

2020-11-05T11:21:00.002-05:00

I woke up suddenly around 7:20am; thinking I just had a dream about Donald Trump. Typically, I wake up groggy and slow. This morning I shot straight up.

Then I woke up. Please note: the …….are names I deleted.

Meanings of:

President Donald Trump: authority/leader

Putting new chain on bike: fixing mobility-transportation/single/personal-see additional motes at the end. On bike-deliver a message? Carrier for something?

Putting seat back on: sitting down, not on alert, or hold onto your seats.

10-year anniversary: Completion and fulfillment, perfection divine order. (could possible be 10, as in the 10^th month of this year. Amy Coney Barrett appointed to Supreme Court in October. Is she the “pearl” replacing the lost diamond which was a of great value?)

Right hand: the right-hand means; blessing, possible financial blessing that is being released

Light blackish gray pinkish pearl: The pearl is also said to symbolize the purity, generosity, integrity, and loyalty of its wearer. Maybe?

Strong long hug: reassurance that it will all be fine?

Going to war: spiritual or literal?

New Holland street:

Put light back on: we are to be the light of the world. Matt. 5;14-16

End of road/curve/cul-de-sac: flattening the curve or coming out of it?

Boston terrier on the chain: restricted from impeding danger? Possibly Gov. Whitmer from Michigan? Other governors over reaching and putting unconstitutional demands on the people, crossing the line.

Flowers: glory? Possibly Michigan blooming in abundance for buying and selling again?

Yellow: gift either from God or marriage partner, honor and family

Riegel: Definition of Riegel

: a low transverse rock ridge on the floor of a glaciated valley commonly situated at the down-valley end of a flat

……. standing: healing?

1920: roaring 20’s?

Input from trusted friends:

A few things that jumped out about your dream as I read it are the following:

Your bike represents the economy. The chain is the driver of the economy. Trump is not worried but has just put the economy back in motion. We will have to peddle to get it going before we can accelerate by other (motorized) means.
It appears dark and some might worry, but we have the light to guide our path.
Your friend represents the fact that the economy is healing and trimmed off excess weight that was bogging it down. (Let’s hope this is getting rid of red tape and unnecessary regulations)
We are headed for war, both abroad, a cold war with China, and a form of civil war in our nation.
The hug is comfort and peace that it will be okay, even in wartime.

1920: plague ended

Bible verses I felt lead to this morning:

Isaiah 43:3-13

Isaiah 40:21-31

Isaiah 41:15

See, I will make you into a threshing sledge,
new and sharp, with many teeth.
You will thresh the mountains and crush them,
and reduce the hills to chaff.

Micah 41:13

And the Violent take it by Force

2020-09-24T10:34:00.004-04:00

The Cornerstone, The Tent peg, The Battlebow

And the Violent take it by force.

Please note: the following are notes I assembled for a teaching many years ago. I do not have footnotes for any resource I used, due to the fact that I was never attending for the notes to be viewed. However, I do want to share these notes now for the focus on prayer for - THE RETURN on Sept. 25-26th, 2020.

Shall we pray

Lord I pray:

Eph1:18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,

19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power

20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,

21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.

22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church,

23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

Eph. 6: 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

People should be prisoners of hope, not of sickness & disease!

Please turn to Zech. 9:11

(Zec 9:11 NKJV) "As for you also, Because of the blood of your covenant, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.

(Zec 9:12 NKJV) Return to the stronghold, You prisoners of hope. Even today I declare that I will restore double to you

(Zec 9:13 NKJV) For I have bent Judah, My bow,……… And made you like the sword of a mighty man."

(Zec 9:14 NKJV) Then the LORD will be seen over them, And His arrow will go forth like lightning. The Lord GOD will blow the trumpet, And go with whirlwinds from the south.

(Zec 10:2 NKJV) For the idols speak delusion; The diviners envision lies, And tell false dreams; They comfort in vain. Therefore the people wend their way like sheep; They are in trouble because there is no shepherd.

(Zec 10:3 NKJV) "My anger is kindled against the shepherds, And I will punish the goatherds. For the LORD of hosts will visit His flock, The house of Judah, And will make them as His royal horse in the battle.

(Zec 10:4 NKJV) From him comes the cornerstone, From him the tent peg, From him the battle bow, From him every ruler together.

(Zec 10:5 NKJV) They shall be like mighty men, Who tread down their enemies In the mire of the streets in the battle. They shall fight because the LORD is with them, And the riders on horses shall be put to shame.

MT. 11:12 "And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.

(NIV) MT. 11:12 From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it.

Now let’s go back to Zech. And put this all together.

(Zec 9:11 NKJV) "As for you also, Because of the blood of your covenant, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.

(Zec 9:12 NKJV) Return to the stronghold, You prisoners of hope. Even today I declare that I will restore double to you

As for you: believers,HR team members

What is are Blood covenant:

(Isa 53:4 NKJV) Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted.

(Isa 53:5 NKJV) But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.

(Heb 12:24 NKJV) to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.

Because Jesus fulfilled what the law was not able to do, becoming the once and for all sacrifice.

Heb.10:14 because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

(Heb 13:12 NKJV) Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate.

(Gal 3:13 NKJV) Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"),

(Gal 3:14 NKJV) that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Set your prisoners free, from what: sickness, disease, bondages, poverty.

Stronghold think of as cornerstone, the sure foundation.

Hope: to want or wish for something with a feeling of Confident expectation.

How do we become; Prisoners of hope: Let us start with the foundation, the cornerstone.

Ask yourself this question:

(Job 38:6 NKJV) To what were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone,

I believe if the church’s foundation was build in the solid truth of scripture, healing would be thought of as the same; that of salvation.

The very word salvation comes from the word sozo; which means nothing lacking, nothing missing, complete wholeness.

How do foundations become weak or built on sand?

………………..

NIV says:

(NIV) The idols speak deceit, diviners see visions that lie; they tell dreams that are false, they give comfort in vain. Therefore the people wander like sheep oppressed for lack of a shepherd.

Who have we been following and what “theologies” have we taken hold of? What does the Bible the Word of God say?

………………………………………………………………………………………………

HEB. 6:1 Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,

2 of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

“Foundations are not to be laid again but to be built upon”.

Unfortunately we the church have not even grassed hold of the elementary truths!

(Mat 21:42 NKJV) Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures: 'The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord's doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes'?

This verse is repeated in:

Ps. 118:22

MK. 12:10

LK. 20:17

Acts 4:11

1PT. 2:7

Rejected: to refuse or discard as useless

Who were the builders: God’s people, you and I.

Will we accept & all the truth all the fullness or will we pick and choose which parts “fit” for us, will we reject?

(Eph 2:11 NKJV) Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh; who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands;

(Eph 2:12 NKJV) that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

(Eph 2:13 NKJV) But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

(Eph 2:14 NKJV) For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, (the curtain in front of the Holy of holies was torn into at the crucifixion)

(Eph 2:15 NKJV) having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace,

(Eph 2:16 NKJV) and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.

(Eph 2:17 NKJV) And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near.

(Eph 2:18 NKJV) For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.

(Eph 2:19 NKJV) Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,

(Eph 2:20 NKJV) having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone,

(Eph 2:21 NKJV) in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord,

CORNERSTONE The stone laid at the corner to bind two walls together and to strengthen them. Used symbolically as a symbol of strength and prominence in the Bible. The figure is often applied to rulers or leaders (Ps. 118:22; 144:12; Isa. 19:13 NIV, REB, NASB; Zech. 10:4). God promised through Isaiah that Zion would be restored, resting on the cornerstone of the renewed faith of Israel (Isa. 28:16). Jeremiah declared that Babylon would be so utterly devastated that nothing useful would remain, not even a stone for use in a foundation (Jer. 51:26).

In the New Testament Psalm 118:22 and Isaiah 28:16 are quoted (or alluded to) and applied to Christ. The symbolism is clear: Jesus Christ is the only sure foundation of faith. The Synoptic gospels quote Psalm 118:22 after the parable of the wicked tenants to show the rejection and ultimate triumph of Christ (Matt. 21:42; Mark 12:10; Luke 20:17; compare Acts 4:11; Eph. 2:20-22).

In 1 Peter 2:4-8, the two cornerstone passages are quoted in addition to Isaiah 8:14. Here the appeal to the reader is to come to the** living stone (Jesus) the people rejected but precious in God's sight. This is substantiated by a quote from Isaiah 28:16. There then comes a warning: those who believe consider the stone to be something precious; but those who do not believe are warned that the stone which they have rejected has become the head of the corner (Ps. 118:22) and, further, this stone will make them stumble and fall (Isa. 8:14; compare Rom. 9:33). Believers are encouraged to become themselves living stones like the Living Stone and be built into a spiritual house (1 Pet. 2:5). See Rocks and Stones.

ROCK The use of rocky sites as places of refuge (Num. 24:21; Judg. 15:8; 20:47) led to the frequent image of God as a rock, that is, a source of protection. Titles of God include: the "Stone of Israel" (Gen. 49:24 NASB); the Rock (Deut. 32:4); the Rock of salvation (32:15); the Rock which begat Israel (32:18); "the e rock that is higher than I" (Ps. 61:2). Isaiah 8:13-14 pictures the Lord of hosts as a "stone of stumbling" to the unholy people of Israel and Judah. Paul identified Christ as the which nourished Israel in the wilderness (1 Cor. 10:4). Other texts apply to Christ the Isaiah image of a rock which causes persons to fall (Rom. 9:33; 1 Pet. 2:8). Jesus' teaching is the rock-solid foundation for life (Matt. 7:24-25). The identity of the rock upon which Christ promised to build the church (Matt. 16:18) is disputed. Possible identifications include: Peter, whose name means "rock", the larger group of disciples, Christ Himself, and Peter's confession of faith. The different Greek terms employed (Petros and petra) argue against a quick identification of Peter as the foundation. Both Christ (1 Cor. 3:11) and the larger circle of apostles (Eph. 2:20; Rev. 21:14) are pictured as the foundation of the church elsewhere. It seems unlikely that Matthew presents Christ as both Builder and foundation of the church. Application of the foundation image to evangelistic work (Rom. 15:20; 1 Cor. 3:10) suggests that Peter's God-revealed confession of faith in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God (Matt. 16:16), is the foundation of the church which lays seige to the gates of Hades. See Keys of the Kingdom; Peter.

Symbolically, a stone denotes hardness or insensibility (1 Sam. 25:37; Ezek. 36:26). It could also mean firmness and strength. The followers of Christ were called living stones who were built up into the spiritual temple of Christ. Christ himself became the chief cornerstone (Eph. 2:20-22; 1 Pet. 2:4-8).

Foundation: a base or supporting structure upon which a building , wall is erected.

(Isa 28:16 NKJV) Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, A tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; Whoever believes will not act hastily.

(1 Pet 2:6 NKJV) Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, "Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame."

(Eph 1:19 NKJV) and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power

(Eph 1:20 NKJV) which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,

(Eph 1:21 NKJV) far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.

(Eph 1:22 NKJV) And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church,

(Eph 1:23 NKJV) which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

(Eph 2:5 NKJV) even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

(Eph 2:6 NKJV) and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

(Eph 2:7 NKJV) that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

(Eph 2:8 NKJV) For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,

(Eph 2:9 NKJV) not of works, lest anyone should boast.

The same power that raised Christ from the dead and sit Him in Heaven is in us and available to us.

Let’s take a look again at Zech. 10:4-5

Remember these three words:

The cornerstone

The tent peg

The battle bow

(Zec 10:4 NKJV) From him comes the cornerstone, From him the tent peg, From him the battle bow, From him every ruler together.

Now we have covered the importance of the cornerstone. What Jesus did for us at calvery.

Let us father look at tent peg & battle bow

Tent peg – driven into the ground to hold secure a tent (we can be considered a tent, our body); to work or strive hard and preservingly

So I am going to drive the tent peg of truth, crucifying myself into the solid foundation, the cornerstone, Jesus Christ. Recognizing the fullness of my salvation.

(Gal 2:20 NKJV) "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

I will crucify my theology, my doubts, my disbelief, I will take on the fullness of my salvation, nothing lacking, nothing missing. Jesus reversed the curse by becoming the curse for us. So I am going to drive the tent peg of truth, crucifying myself into the solid foundation, the cornerstone, Jesus Christ. Recognizing the fullness of my salvation.

Battle bow – a weapon for shooting arrows. We are LIKE that a WEAPON (a battle bow) TO SHOOT THE ARROWS.

(Zec 9:13 NKJV) For I have bent Judah, My bow…

So how are we bent into that bow? Shall we take a look at a few ways.

Praise & worship (Judah means praise)

Interceding (threshing)

Power of Word, on the tongue

Praise & Worship:

(2 Chr 5:13 NKJV) indeed it came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the LORD, saying: "For He is good, For His mercy endures forever," that the house, the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud,

(2 Chr 5:14 NKJV) so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God.

(2 Chr 20:14 NKJV) Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly.

(2 Chr 20:15 NKJV) And he said, "Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the LORD to you: 'Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God's.

(2 Chr 20:16 NKJV) 'Tomorrow go down against them. They will surely come up by the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the brook before the Wilderness of Jeruel.

(2 Chr 20:17 NKJV) 'You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the LORD, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!' Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the LORD is with you."

(2 Chr 20:18 NKJV) And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem bowed before the LORD, worshiping the LORD.

(2 Chr 20:19 NKJV) Then the Levites of the children of the Kohathites and of the children of the Korahites stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel with voices loud and high.

(2 Chr 20:20 NKJV) So they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the LORD your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper."

(2 Chr 20:21 NKJV) And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the LORD, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: "Praise the LORD, For His mercy endures forever."

(2 Chr 20:22 NKJV) Now when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated.

Interceding:

MT. 11:12 "And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.

(NIV) MT. 11:12 From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it.

971. biazo, bee-ad'-zo; from G970; to force, i.e. (reflex.) to crowd oneself (into), or (pass.) to be seized:--press, suffer violence.

Violent: physical force or activity used to cause harm, damage, or abuse, exhibiting intense emotional or mental excitement: passionate intensity “heat”

Force: to compel to do something or to act, to obtain by coercion; to bring forth, as with effort; to move or drive against resistance; to break down by force; to press or impose; as one’s will. Strong-effective-powerful-vigorous

*******The kingdom of heaven which Jesus set up as a powerful movement or reign among men (suffers violence) requires of them an equally strong & radical reaction. The violent then who take it by force are people of keen enthusing & commitment who are willing to respond to & propagate with radical abandonment the message & dynamic of God’s reign.

The passion of Jesus.

JN. 11:33 Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled.

34 And He said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to Him, "Lord, come and see."

35 Jesus wept.

36 Then the Jews said, "See how He loved him!"

wept: burst into sudden tears, then silently wept, wailing, heaving of the bosom-and the cry of a soul in agony.

Groaned: to utter a deep prolonged sound of disapproval or pain.

(Heb 5:7 NKJV) who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear,

(Heb 5:8 NKJV) though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.

(Heb 5:9 NKJV) And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him,

(NIV) 7 During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.

2478. ischuros, is-khoo-ros'; from G2479; forcible (lit. or fig.):--boisterous, mighty (-ier), powerful, strong (-er, man), valiant.

In His plan of salvation for humankind God has ordained that believers be co-workers with Him. In some respects God has limited himself to the holy, believing, preserving prayers of his people.

Think of Prayer: violence that can explode the impossible

Where has are passion gone?

You can also think of pray as: Threshing (tread down):

(Isa 41:15 NKJV) "Behold, I will make you into a new threshing sledge with sharp teeth; You shall thresh the mountains and beat them small, And make the hills like chaff.

(Micah 4:12 NKJV) But they do not know the thoughts of the LORD, Nor do they understand His counsel; For He will gather them like sheaves to the threshing floor.

(Micah 4:13 NKJV) "Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion; For I will make your horn iron, And I will make your hooves bronze; You shall beat in pieces many peoples; I will consecrate their gain to the LORD, And their substance to the Lord of the whole earth."

Arise means: abide, remain, perform, stir-up, strengthen, succeed, accomplish, avail, endure, establish, carry-out

Thresh means: break, tear

For I will make means: appoint, bring, charge, commit, ordain, order, purpose,

But does this season of being bent into a battle bow last forever? Certainly not; there comes a time to release the bow and shoot the arrow, release is the easy part.

(Lev 26:5 NKJV) Your threshing shall last till the time of vintage, and the vintage shall last till the time of sowing; you shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely.

(Lev 26:6 NKJV) I will give peace in the land, and you shall lie down, and none will make you afraid; I will rid the land of evil beasts, and the sword will not go through your land.

(Lev 26:7 NKJV) You will chase your enemies, and they shall fall by the sword before you.

(Lev 26:8 NKJV) Five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight; your enemies shall fall by the sword before you.

(Lev 26:9 NKJV) 'For I will look on you favorably and make you fruitful, multiply you and confirm My covenant with you.

(Lev 26:10 NKJV) You shall eat the old harvest, and clear out the old because of the new.

(Lev 26:11 NKJV) I will set My tabernacle among you, and My soul shall not abhor you.

(Lev 26:12 NKJV) I will walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people.

(Lev 26:13 NKJV) I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that you should not be their slaves; I have broken the bands of your yoke and made you walk upright.

Is. 28:23 Does the plowman keep plowing all day to sow? Does he keep turning his soil and breaking the clods?

25 When he has leveled its surface, Does he not sow the black cummin And scatter the cummin, Plant the wheat in rows, The barley in the appointed place, And the spelt in its place?

26 For He instructs him in right judgment, His God teaches him.

27 For the black cummin is not threshed with a threshing sledge, Nor is a cartwheel rolled over the cummin; But the black cummin is beaten out with a stick, And the cummin with a rod.

28 Bread flour must be ground; Therefore he does not thresh it forever, Break it with his cartwheel, Or crush it with his horsemen.

29 This also comes from the LORD of hosts, Who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in guidance.

The Release:

(Zec 9:14 NKJV) Then the LORD will be seen over them, And His arrow will go forth like lightning. The Lord GOD will blow the trumpet, And go with whirlwinds from the south.

So let’s recap:

After I have built my cornerstone foundation, on Jesus the rock.

I will drive the tent peg of my faith into the solid rock, the cornerstone.

I will then become the battlebow; through praise & worship, interceding (threshing)

Now I am ready for the easy part, the release. My feet are planted, the battlebow bent, I let the arrow go, which is the Word of God off my tongue.

God’s Word does the work!!

(Prov 18:21 NKJV) Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.

Deu. 30:11 "For this commandment which I command you today is not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off.

12 "It is not in heaven, that you should say, 'Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?'

13 "Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, 'Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?'

14 "But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.

15 "See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil,

16 "in that I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the LORD your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess.

17 "But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear, and are drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them,

18 "I announce to you today that you shall surely perish; you shall not prolong your days in the land which you cross over the Jordan to go in and possess.

19 "I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;

20 "that you may love the LORD your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the LORD swore to your

MT. 12:34"Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

35 "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.

36 "But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.

37 "For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."

(2 Tim 2:9 NKJV) for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained.

(Isa 43:13 NKJV) Indeed before the day was, I am He; And there is no one who can deliver out of My hand; I work, and who will reverse it?" (or When I act, who can reverse it)

(Psa 89:34 NKJV) My covenant I will not break, Nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips.

(Num 23:19 NKJV) "God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?

(Isa 55:8 NKJV) "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," says the LORD.

(Isa 55:9 NKJV) "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.

(Isa 55:10 NKJV) "For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater,

(Isa 55:11 NKJV) So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

(Isa 55:12 NKJV) "For you shall go out with joy, And be led out with peace; The mountains and the hills Shall break forth into singing before you, And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

God’s word is above His very name.

I encourage you and challenge you to :

Let’s set the prisoners free!! And release them to be prisoners of hope!!

(Zec 9:11 NKJV) "As for you also, Because of the blood of your covenant, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.

(Zec 9:12 NKJV) Return to the stronghold, You prisoners of hope. Even today I declare that I will restore double to you

(Zec 10:4 NKJV) From him comes the cornerstone, From him the tent peg, From him the battle bow, From him every ruler together.

Who are the riders on the horses?

And the riders on horses (sickness, disease, bondage, demon possessed, poverty stricken) shall be put to shame.

The cornerstone

The tent peg

The battlebow

Salvation (sozo) nothing lacking, nothing missing, complete as though the curse had not happened.

It is possible some quotes may have come from one of Jack Hayford's books

Dream 4/23/20 at 7:20am

2020-05-08T10:02:00.000-04:00

I woke up suddenly around 7:20am; thinking I just had a dream about Donald Trump. Typically, I wake up groggy and slow. This morning I shot straight up.

Sitting on my lawn chair I was watching President Donald Trump putting a new chain on my bicycle (my bike was purchased new 4/4/19, it is a Verve 3 Trek, this is a new bike and should not have needed to be repaired). There appeared to be many people around. Donald Trump was very calm in no hurry. I walked up to him realizing he was ready to put the seat back on. He started to have a very calm pleasant conversation with me. As I was holding the bike so he could reach down and pick up the seat to put back on; he noticed the light blackish/gray/pinkish pearl on my right hand. He commented on how beautiful it was. I began to explain about the pearl. I had gotten the pearl on the celebration of our 10^th wedding anniversary April 29th. We went to Hawaii (middle of April) to celebrate because we never had a honeymoon and this was to be our honeymoon (I had the single pearl, which I had won in some kind of drawing on the island of Maui, latter mounted in my original wedding band because the diamond fell out of my first wedding ring and was lost).

While we were talking a woman, who appeared very nice and calm walked up and said something to Donald Trump. I could not hear what she was saying. When she finished talking to Donald Trump he calmly turned to walk back into the garage. The woman then turns to me and hugs me really tightly with strength and compassion and says; “we are going to war”.

I decide to take my bike for a ride down New Holland street on the left hand side of the road which would have been against traffic, although there was no traffic and it is dusk out (I remember Dan was thinking she really likes that bike, also Donald Trump was thinking also that’s a nice bike). I was thinking this bike is riding very smoothly. I think; well going down the hill on New Holland should be easy enough, but going back up may be a challenge. I think; the bike is really riding well so it should not be a problem going back uphill. I then think; I forgot to put my light on and I was riding on the left side of the road. I better cross over and see a car approaching from behind. When I get to the end of the cul-de-sac and start to make the curve, I see a dog with a very long chain coming out. The dog looked like a Boston terrier. I was not worried because I could see he was chained, even though the chain went way out into the road, I just swerved out of the dog’s way. I rounded the curve and stopped. Some people were planting beautiful flowers lots of them and many were yellow. Then I see ……. and ……. ………. standing off to the side. I did not stop close to them just long enough to say hi. I wanted to put my light on the bike and get back home so Dan would not worry about me.

Then I woke up. Please note: the …….are names I deleted.

Meanings of:

President Donald Trump: authority/leader

Putting new chain on bike: fixing mobility-transportation/single/personal-see additional motes at the end.

Putting seat back on: sitting down, not on alert

10-year anniversary: Completion and fulfillment, perfection divine order

Right hand: the right-hand means; blessing, possible financial blessing that is being released

Light blackish gray pinkish pearl: The pearl is also said to symbolize the purity, generosity, integrity, and loyalty of its wearer. Maybe?

Strong long hug: reassurance that it will all be fine

Going to war: spiritual or literal?

New Holland street:

Put light back on: we are to be the light of the world. Matt. 5;14-16

End of road/curve/cul-de-sac: flattening the curve or coming out of it?

Boston terrier on the chain: restricted from impeding danger? Possibly Gov. Whitmer from Michigan? Other governors over reaching and putting unconstitutional demands on the people, crossing the line.

Flowers: glory? Possibly Michigan blooming in abundance for buying and selling again?

Yellow: gift either from God or marriage partner, honor and family

Riegel: Definition of Riegel

: a low transverse rock ridge on the floor of a glaciated valley commonly situated at the down-valley end of a flat

……. standing: healing?

1920: roaring 20’s?

Input from trusted friends:

A few things that jumped out about your dream as I read it are the following:

Your bike represents the economy. The chain is the driver of the economy. Trump is not worried but has just put the economy back in motion. We will have to peddle to get it going before we can accelerate by other (motorized) means.
It appears dark and some might worry, but we have the light to guide our path.
Your friend represents the fact that the economy is healing and trimmed off excess weight that was bogging it down. (Let’s hope this is getting rid of red tape and unnecessary regulations)
We are headed for war, both abroad, a cold war with China, and a form of civil war in our nation.
The hug is comfort and peace that it will be okay, even in wartime.

1920: plague ended

Bible verses I felt lead to this morning:

Isaiah 43:3-13

Isaiah 40:21-31

Isaiah 41:15

See, I will make you into a threshing sledge,
new and sharp, with many teeth.
You will thresh the mountains and crush them,
and reduce the hills to chaff.

Micah 41:13

FRANKLIN LOCKS SW FLORIDA & U TURNS

2016-11-05T13:51:00.000-04:00

Boating weather report for the day: bays mild to moderate chop – gulf 1-3 foot waves with winds gust up to 20mph. No problem, just head up the Caloosahatchee River through the Franklin Locks and I can almost guarantee you smooth waters are ahead. In fact once you pass the power plant before you even get close to the Franklin Locks you can pretty much plan, your cruise will be smooth. Chances are you may not see dolphins, although a manatee sighting is very possible. You will find a very quiet peaceful setting of farms and upscale river houses.

Another plus is the water depths range 22-30 foot deep and there is no speed limit once you get past the power plant for the most part. Feeling that need for speed now is the time to push that throttle all the way down and see what she’s got! Plenty of open uncrowded waterway so feel free to do a few donuts because unless some huge cabin cruiser comes through… that is about as wavy as it gets. In fact; if you’re a skier now is the time to break out that ski for miles of untainted waters.

I wish I could say I have been skiing on the Caloosa but my hubby thinks I will become gator bait (truth be told, I have seen people skiing and tubing up river). From Fort Myers Yacht Basin it is about a 30” ride (during manatee season add 15-20”) to the Franklin Locks.

Navigating the Franklin Locks is easy even for “rookies” like us (to the SW Florida waterways). When approaching the locks things to prepare for before you call them on channel 13:

Hang your buoys out on whatever side you want grab the ropes on (normally they do not care).
We like the port side because the driver is out of the way (on our boat the steering wheel is on the right).
Learning curve…put out 4 buoys. The first time we went through the locks we used 2 buoys. There is a current inside of the locks and our boat swung over at an angle that the back buoy hit the wall and it threw the buoy on the back swim deck. If Dan had not caught the boat we would have encountered some real nasty scratches on a brand new Splendor! I am so glad he was paying attention. The walls of the locks are solid cement.
Now that you have secured the buoys call the Franklin Locks and ask permission to enter. When the light turns green enter no wake speed. Carefully make your way to whatever side you hung the buoys, slow is the key. Go fast enough to have some control due to the current but slow enough that you do not smash your boat into the wall while you attempt to grab the ropes. If it is just Dan and I in the boat; I drive and Dan catches a rope to secure our boat along the wall.
Typically it takes us about 15” to get through the locks.
Now that your boat is secure take some pictures and chit chat about the beautiful sunny weather.
Warning, be sure you are back to the locks by 4:15pm or you will be stuck on the other side calling a friend to pick you up.

U TURNS:

U TURNS ARE LEGAL IN Florida unless it is posted…at stoplights of busy intersections they are legal unless posted otherwise!!

DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU WANT TO HEAD TO TODAY? HOW ABOUT:

I absolutely love cruising our river! There is so much undiscovered adventure out there. However as much as I love the Caloosa, there is another river that truly holds my heart captive. Imagine this:

Ezekiel 47New International Version (NIV)

The River From the Temple

47 The man brought me back to the entrance to the temple, and I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, south of the altar. ²He then brought me out through the north gate and led me around the outside to the outer gate facing east, and the water was trickling from the south side.

³As the man went eastward with a measuring line in his hand, he measured off a thousand cubits^[^a^] and then led me through water that was ankle-deep. ⁴He measured off another thousand cubits and led me through water that was knee-deep. He measured off another thousand and led me through water that was up to the waist. ⁵He measured off another thousand, but now it was a river that I could not cross, because the water had risen and was deep enough to swim in—a river that no one could cross. ⁶He asked me, “Son of man, do you see this?”

Then he led me back to the bank of the river. ⁷When I arrived there, I saw a great number of trees on each side of the river. ⁸He said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah,^[^b^] where it enters the Dead Sea. When it empties into the sea, the salty water there becomes fresh. ⁹Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live.¹⁰Fishermen will stand along the shore; from En Gedi to En Eglaim there will be places for spreading nets. The fish will be of many kinds—like the fish of the Mediterranean Sea.¹¹But the swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt. ¹²Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.”

TAX COLLECTOR - SOCIAL SECURITY and ICE CREAM

2016-10-15T09:07:00.000-04:00

Raspberry Cheesecake Dipped in Chocolate

If you are a “northerner” the Tax Collector is known as the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicle). There is a real good reason Florida calls it the “tax collector” because they collect every tax you can think of at this place, all under one roof. Think of it as one stop shopping.

· Driver license

· Vehicle and vessel registration

· Property taxes

· Hunting and fishing license

· Business taxes

· CWL

You are going to need more than just your piggy bank

if you are planning on becoming a Florida resident. Check out the county website and you will find all the required documents that you need to have with you when you register your vehicles and apply for your driver’s license. One thing they fail to tell you…you must have with you every vehicle you own and plan to register with you at the tax collector. They will physically walk out the door and look at the VIN of your car. So if you have more than one vehicle, be prepared to get all of them there or you will be making more than one trip (we had to leave and come back with both vehicles). To make a long story short our final bill was just shy of $1000.00! The good news is they give you a driver’s license that does not expire for nine years (a scary thought in some cases). You can also pay for two years on your plates. Florida does not have state income tax (yeah) so I guess they must collect your money somehow. Romans 13: 6-7 does say; This is why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. Give everything what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue then revenue: if respect, then respect; if honor then honor. Jesus also said; “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s. (Matthew 22: 15-22).

ICE CREAM

Now that you made it past the tax collector what better way to swallow that bitter pill then with ICE CREAM!!

Right on Bayshore between the “2”- 41’s is the best ice cream, at the best price; Twistee Treat! Two double dipped cones covered in chocolate for $7.06. We all scream for ice cream. They have countless flavors to choose from including soft and hard ice cream. I had a raspberry cheesecake dipped in chocolate, YUM!

IN REGARDS TO SOCIAL SECURITY

We were given some good advice and I am so thankful we listened. Make an appointment before you go. Because if you think the lines are long at the DMV…pulling into the parking lot at Social Security we were fortunate to find one spot way out yonder in the back. When we walked through the door there were a minimum of one hundred people maybe more. Head straight to the registration station and sign in. Turn up your hearing aid because you may just miss your name and number being called. We made a 9:30am appointment and to our surprise they were on time and it took less than thirty minutes for Dan to sign up for social security. The gentleman who helped us was very knowledgeable and polite. He answered all of our questions.

Now for the rest of the story, get out and enjoy some of that Florida sunshine and follow it up by an evening out in beautiful downtown Fort Myers for a most romantic sunset. Life is good…livin the salt life…

GOOD BYE MICHIGAN - HELLO SUMMER 24x7

2016-10-04T21:39:00.001-04:00

August of 2015 we sold our beautiful lake front home in Plainwell, MI.

Living on adrenaline is what I would say transpired over the next eight weeks. We accepted an offer on our house and the buyers wanted to close within seven days and that is exactly what happened. Fortunately we were smart enough to ask for thirty days to move out. So how does one rid themselves of thirty seven years of stuff in order to move across the country? Well some stuff was sold, however the bulk of it was given away. Not knowing what size our next home would be we decided; if it did not fit in an 8X8X16 foot pod we were not taking it. So we handed the keys over to the new owners on September 2^nd went to our daughters for the night and headed out via plane on September 3^rd to find our new home and start…living the salt life.

I thought I had done my homework over the last few years knowing this was the adventure we were aiming for; but as Gomer Pile would say; surprise, surprise, surprise!!

Dan wanted a house and I wanted a condo and with that in mind we looked at both options.

~LEARNING CURVE~

· If you are thinking condo and you have a furry friend you have just cut out about 85% of the available condos in your price range. We decided we could not possible part with Teak so I did not succumb to temptation and even peek at condos where pets were the forbidden “fruit”.
· If you are looking for a condo all HOA’s are not alike and be sure you check out how much money they have in their reserves or you be surprised when special assessments hit your door or they raise your HOA fees.
· If SW Florida is your chosen destination…living in Cape Coral is going to cost you $2.00 to cross the bridge every time you go home (leaving home you have a get out of jail free card). By the way no one we encounter during our real estate search bother to tell us that.
· If you are a boater and you buy on one of those wonderful channels…to get out to the Calossahatchee and the gulf you may have locks to go through. By the way no one we encounter during our real estate search bother to tell us that.
· Living on Sanibel Island and crossing over the bridge will cost you $6.00 every time you want to go home (leaving home you have a get out of jail free card). By the way no one we encounter during our real estate search bother to tell us that either.

Thankfully the Lord had our back and we did not buy in either of those locations even though we looked at several properties for sell in Cape Coral.

· If you are a northern and you heard cost of living is cheaper in Florida, anywhere near the coast it is much higher. So, be prepared grocery shopping will send shock waves though you as well as dining out. Fear not I have found some good dining out secrets I will share soon.

Twin Full Lobster with fries & coleslaw $19.00

FleeMasters Flee Market Fort Myers

Coupon BO/O 50% off

Parrot Key Fort Myers Beach

I really am not a Debbie Downer and we love our new Floridian lifestyle; hang tight cause awesome adventures are soon to be shared.

Proverbs 24:3 By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.

LIVING THE SALT LIFE

2016-10-04T10:10:00.001-04:00

I have had some encouragement from others to share our adventures of "living the salt life". We moved to SW Florida to call it home one year ago. It truly has been a great adventure.

I have not blogged in a long time but I am beginning to believe now is the time to pick up where I left off , with a twist...the salt life.

More to come in a few days!!

HUNTING RABBIT

2013-07-11T21:55:00.000-04:00

Last night around 12:30am Teak (our dog) rudely woke me up and wanted outside. I stumbled out of bed threw on my robe and encouraged him to go potty. Pebbles and BamBam (the cats) were on the prowl and quickly spotted Teak; creating a distraction. Teak was no longer interested in doing his job and took off with the cats.

I happened to notice a blob in the road thinking it was horse poop (my neighbors had returned with their horse trailer that evening) and not wanting the animals to rub themselves in it I went to investigate. To my surprise it was cat prey; they were “hunting wabbit” (as Elmer Fudd would say).

I immediately swooped up Teak rushed into the bedroom and woke Dan (my husband) up out of a dead sleep demanding he go outside and get rid of the rabbit the cats had killed. Our cats love to take their prey into the garage and dismantle it (something I loathe).

Armed with a shovel Dan proceeded to the crime scene. He scooped up the rabbit and noticed there was no weight of any sort. He then shined his flashlight onto the rabbit to discover it was a stuffed animal (Olive the neighbor’s dog had dropped it on the ground that evening).

I must admit I laughed hysterically when Dan informed me of this deception.

Darkness has a way of blinding us from the truth. If we allow it, the darkness will sidetrack or disable us from making sound decisions or judgments. However, if we will shine the “light”- truth will be revealed and we will realize what we are up against. Many times what we have feared was a lie and as powerless as a “stuffed rabbit”.

2 Kings 6:16-18(NKJV)
So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, and said, “Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. So when the Syrians came down to him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, and said, “Strike this people, I pray, with blindness.” And He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.

2 Chronicles 32:7-8(NKJV)
“Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid nor dismayed before the king of Assyria, nor before all the multitude that is with him; for there are more with us than with him.
With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God, to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people were strengthened by the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

Psalms 37:12-13(NKJV) The wicked plots against the just, And gnashes at him with his teeth. The Lord laughs at him, For He sees that his day is coming.

BEWARE OF THE PENGUINS

2013-01-07T12:33:00.000-05:00

The clique of the penguin is often used to portray something that appears harmless but behind the outer appeal lurks a vice of destruction. The countershading of the penguin actually causes a camouflage effect for the penguin. Many times the analogy of a penguin is used as “one of stealing”.

The Vice of Pornography

Pornography is any material or visual entertainment that uses images that are alluring to stimulate sexual feeling. These images typically are immodest or indecent.

The addiction to pornography has escalated at an alarming rate leaving marriages devastated. This addiction is not limited to any income bracket or education level and what used to be mainly a male issue has now infiltrated into capturing females in a vice of destruction. Porn is taking captive younger victims each hour. This demoralizing vice lures in people at first in a seemingly innocent way (magazine covers, commercials, pop-up ads on internet) but takes you further than one could possibly imagine.

Porn Statistics

by TRANSPARENT MINISTRIES on Feb 16, 2011

Shocking Statistics (Why We Do What We Do):
• Sex is the #1 thing people search for on the Internet
• There are over 420 million Pornographic Internet pages
• 12 to 17 year olds are the largest consumers of Internet pornography
• 42.7% of Internet users view pornography
• The pornography industry is larger than the revenues of the top technology companies combined: Microsoft, Google, Amazon, eBay, Yahoo!, Apple, Netflix and EarthLink
• 70% of women keep their cyber activities secret
• Women, more than men, are likely to act out their behaviors in real life, such as having multiple partners, casual sex, or affairs.
• 68 million porn search engine requests daily
• 2006 Worldwide Porn Revenues = $97.06 billion

Source: http://internet-filter-review.toptenreviews.com/internet-pornography-statistics.html

• 7 of 10 lay leaders in the church admitted to visiting adult Web sites at least once a week
• 5 out of 10 pastors said they did the same.

Source: http://www.thealabamabaptist.org/print-edition-article-detail.php?id_art=3316

• 60% of all Christian men and 30% of all Christian women are addicted to pornography.
• 60% of the women who answered the survey admitted to having significant struggles with lust;
• 40% admitted to being involved in sexual sin in the past year; and 20% of the church-going female participants struggle with looking at pornography on an ongoing basis.

Source: http://christiannews.christianet.com/1154951956.htm
It’s more than statistics
It’s people.
It’s husbands, fathers, mothers, wives.
It’s children, sons, daughters.
It’s families, friends, co-workers.
It’s churches, ministries, the body of Christ.

Statistics only tell part of the story.
Statistics represent people you know.
People struggling with sexual addiction.

• Chuck Swindoll calls it “The #1 secret problem in your church.”

• Of the 10,000 calls, emails and letters Focus on the Family receives daily, this represent their number one incoming request for help overall.

• New Man Magazine’s most frequent request from readers is to refer them to a service or ministry that can help them with their sexual temptation. “New Man readers NEED this product.” – from a New Man representative

• Oprah calls it “America’s #1 addiction.”[i]

The stats for porn are truly alarming but what can be done to protect our marriages, martial relationship and children? We should not wait until after marriage and the ravaging effects of pornography have transpired.

If 12-17 year olds are the largest consumers of “internet porn” by the time they marry this addiction rules their life! They will take the devastating effects of porn into their marriage which is a set-up for failure! You must be willing to take a stand with your pre-teen and teenagers when it comes to their access on the internet. Safeguards are a must and this will be a “fight” with your child that is worth it. Your child will not want to have parameters placed on them but as a parent it is your job to parent them and not be their friend. If these unseen predators can seize your child at a young vulnerable age they have a consumer/victim for life.

When a spouse is involved in pornography it has a devastating effect on the marriage. The effect of this demon can be just as tragic as or more tragic than that of having an affair. This affects every aspect of marriage.

Broken trust
Lies
Finance
Sexual dysfunction
Job performance
Self-gratification with little regard to the spouse or children
Takes the person deeper into areas they never thought they would go
Endorphins of brain are affected so what satisfied yesterday no longer brings the excitement today, so the person dives deeper into the dark pit of porn. They become a slave to this corruption.
Their desire is never satisfied and they may begin to lure others into this darkness of sexual perversion. They may even try to lure their spouse into their addiction in hope to find satisfaction but it will not satisfy. The Bible says:
2 Peter 2:14(NLT)
They commit adultery with their eyes, and their desire for sin is never satisfied. They lure unstable people into sin, and they are well trained in greed. They live under God’s curse.
It is very common for men who are addicted to pornography to become impotent and not be able to function sexually with their wife.

Normally for a turn around to occur a crisis will take place; this crisis may be the wife discovering what she already suspected via the computer or cell phone history. It may be a financial crisis of debt due to paying for sites on the internet. For healing to take place a third party normally needs to help this couple via counseling. The first step would be for the man to admit his wrong doing and yes this is like adultery. Trust must be reestablished and this may take months or even years. Safeguards need to be put in place. Just as an alcoholic must put permanent safeguards around themselves so also a person who is endeavoring to be set free from pornography. The wife will need to come to a place where she can forgive her husband if this marriage is to survive. Forgiveness and trust are two different concepts and trust must be earned while forgiveness is given freely. Enlisting an accountability partner will be of great value for the husband and the wife will also benefit greatly from counseling as well as another woman who has been through a similar circumstance. This may be something that the couple wants to keep very private and not bring family or friends into so a support system of professionals is a must. Unfortunately most pastors do not have the appropriate training to handle issues of this magnitude. Finding a professional counselor who has experience in this or can refer the couple to a solid program will be paramount. Chances are the couple will not be able to get through this by themselves.

The following is a great resource for help in seeking help for the issue of pornography: http://www.covenanteyes.com

[i] http://www.transparentministries.org/porn-stats/

NEW YEAR GOALS

2013-01-06T12:16:00.000-05:00

A new year is dawning and now is the time to evaluate a year gone by; the triumphs and the failures. Setting the pace for a new year can be challenging and rewarding as you implement resolutions that will bring forth your best year yet as a married couple.

One of the best ways to prepare for a new year is by examining how you as a couple navigated 2012. We suggest you take a look at several areas of marriage such as:

Resolved and Unresolved conflict: What issues were you as a couple able to resolve even if some compromise had to take place on both of your parts? You will know you have gained victory in this area if it no longer taunts you or comes up when other conflict arises. You will realize it as a positive experience and the results were implemented into your daily routines and traditions. It is extremely important to reflect on your triumphs because that will help fuel you as you apply these victories to other areas where you may have failed. Discovering the difference between a need and a want will give clarity to the issues that went by the wayside. What were you unable to resolve as husband and wife? Make this a top priority for your new year. Putting it off will only cause it to grow into a deeper issue making it more difficult to resolve as years go by. Unresolved issues normally cause tension, fear or anger when visited or remembered. The dominating spouse can impose unwanted expectations or wills upon the less dominating or passive spouse. Because no resolution has occurred with this conflict open wounds still exist and instead of a union being formed a wedge has been driven into the relationship. Chances are unrealistic expectations have clouded both of your minds and you will need to come together as a team, lower the bar to achievable goals that can be met in an acceptable timeframe. Share the goal do not allow self-centeredness to divide you as a couple, because a house divided against itself cannot stand. Each of you should make a list of what you think it will take to resolve conflict and achieve the goal you have set. Come together making adjustments to both of your lists that will be conducive for success. Learning new behaviors in resolving conflicts and implementing them will take some time and practice so be willing to own up to your failures, ask for forgiveness and also be quick to forgive when you have been offended. There is a difference between forgiving and trusting. Forgiveness is given freely and trust must be earned.
Your role as the husband: How have you as the husband measured up to what God has called you to according to the Bible? How have you led your wife and family? How have you loved your wife? Does your wife’s appearance reflect radiance, splendor or glory? Have you prayed for her on a regular basis? Have you treated her kindly and as the weaker vessel? How have you served your wife? How have you provided for your wife and family? Was there a willingness to sacrifice for her, setting aside your own desires? As you answer these questions be willing to take ownership of weak areas, repent then ask for forgiveness. Make efforts to set in place behaviors that reflect what the Lord has called you to as the husband.
Your role as the wife: How have you as the wife measured up to what God has called you to according to the Bible? How have you honored and respected your husband? Have you fulfilled his sexual needs? How have you aided or helped your husband as he has led you and your family? Have you guarded your appearance remaining modest and reflecting purity? Have you created in your home an atmosphere of peace and rest for your family? How do you keep your home? As you answer these questions be willing to take ownership of weak areas, repent then ask for forgiveness. Make efforts to set in place behaviors that reflect what the Lord has called you to as the wife.
Honoring and safeguarding your relationship: What boundaries have you put around your marriage that brought honor and safety to your relationship? Were there any areas that allowed compromise or mistrust to occur? What can you do as individuals and as a couple to reestablish trust in areas that have become vulnerable?
Sex and Intimacy: There are many opinions out there on what a healthy sex life is. We believe according to Scripture we are only to abstain from sex for a time of fasting and prayer. Most people do not fast longer than three days. We are told to come together again so that Satan does not tempt us. Many people assume that it is the woman who does not hold up her end of the deal when it comes to the sexual aspect of marriage. Yes, we counsel many women who purely do not care to have sex; however, we see many women who are sexually frustrated because of their husband’s lack of sexual interest. 1 Corinthians 7:2-5 (NKJV) says; Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. How is your sex life? Are there issues that you need to resolve? What can ensure greater sexual fulfillment and intimacy in your marriage?

· Were your financial goals achieved? Some yes, some no. There is a covenant that God has mandated; when we as couples fulfill our part, we are guaranteed God will honor His Word to us. The principle of the tithe cannot be understated. If you want the financial aspect of your marriage to go well, you must adhere to the tithe. As a believer, the best financial plan set in place without the tithe will not allow God’s best to be fulfilled in your marriage and family. Together determine to honor the Lord with your tithe. We guarantee the Lord will not fail you because He always honors His Word. Malachi 3:6-12 (ESV) says; For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. But you say, “How shall we return?” Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, “How have we robbed you?” In your tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. Bring the full tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the Lord of hosts. Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts.

How have you served the Lord together? We always encourage couples to find a way to serve the Lord together in their local church or another ministry. This does not have to entail hours each week. It could be one hour a week or two to three hours a month. Serving together brings couples closer and creates a more intimate relationship with one another as well as with the Lord. When considering how or what you will do, we encourage you to take into consideration each other’s temperaments. If one person is outgoing but the other is not, you must find something that suits you both well. For instance, say one person is outgoing and the other is not. You could serve at your church’s coffee shop. The outgoing person could take the order; the introverted person could make the coffee. The point is you’re together doing something for the Lord. If that is not spiritual enough for you, try hosting a small group. The outgoing person could lead the study; the introverted person could make food or prepare the music. I think you get the general idea. Discovering how you would like to serve as a couple could be a fun date night, granting much conversation. You may have to try a few things and see what fits well for you. Examine what you are passionate about individually and as a couple when it comes to serving. Remember, we all go through seasons of life, and serving in ministry will change with your seasons as a family.
Taking time to have fun. All work and no play will make for a very mundane marriage and family. Are you still dating? Do you flirt with one another? Do you make it a point to involve yourself in the interests of your spouse? Think back to what your most memorable moments were as a couple and as a family. What brings a smile to your face? What causes you to laugh again as if it happened yesterday? What did you really want to do but were not able to or just did not make time for? This is the year to jump in and delight in one another. Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm. For love is as strong as death, its jealousy as enduring as the grave. Love flashes like fire, the brightest kind of flame. Many waters cannot quench love, nor can rivers drown it. If a man tried to buy love with all his wealth, his offer would be utterly scorned. Song of Solomon 8:6-7 (NLT) - His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that” Ephesians 5:2 (MSG)

THE CANDY CANE

2012-12-19T09:01:00.000-05:00

Tis the season and the only time of the year when Candy Canes are a staple item in every home. In fact they now come in every flavor imaginable. Recently three of our GK’s (grandkids) spent the night. It did not take them long to discover Papa had filled the Candy Cane house with several flavors of candy canes. They had helped themselves to several of these delicious treats throughout their stay. When it came time to deliver the GK’s to their rightful owners we told them they could take a candy cane home but they could not eat it until they were home. About halfway into the trip home our granddaughter says; “Nana can you take the wrapper off my candy cane”? My reply was; “no, we said you could not eat it until you get home”. “But Nana, Tyler is eating his candy cane”! Tyler says; “no I’m not, I am licking it”. Now how could I possibly get mad when admiring the wit of my grandson?

I was reflecting on this scene when an analogy began to transpire in my mind. Are we just like little kids trying to find a way to justify what we want to do even if we know it is wrong (sin)? So easily we are deceived into thinking wrong choices or decisions are okay. Just a little won’t hurt (licking the candy cane is not eating it). What is so wrong about taking a little taste?

We learn in Genesis 4:6-7(NKJV); So the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”

Eventually sin will have its ugly way with us;

Ephesians 4:17-31(NLT)
With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity. But that isn’t what you learned about Christ. Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil. If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need. Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior.

The Bible warns us about sin and what will transpire if we choose to walk down that road instead of staying on the straight narrow pathway; Matthew 7:13-14(NLT) “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.

The Word of God will show us the way, if we will only read it and put into practice what we have read. Psalms 119:105(NKJV) Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.

Another year is coming to a close and the dawning of a new year will soon begin. I challenge all of us to reflect back on 2012. Where have we fallen short in our Christian walk? What did we overcome? Did we fall into to compromise and “lick the candy”? Where did we shine and release; 2 Corinthians 2:15(NLT) Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing.

Candy Cane History and Legends:

Legend has it that in 1670, the choirmaster at the Cologne Cathedral in Germany handed out sugar sticks among his young singers to keep them quiet during the long Living Creche ceremony. In honor of the occasion, he had the candies bent into shepherds' crooks.

In 1847, a German-Swedish immigrant named August Imgard of Wooster, Ohio, decorated a small blue spruce with paper ornaments and candy canes. It wasn't until the turn of the century that the red and white stripes and peppermint flavors became the norm.

In Indiana, a candy maker wanted to make a candy that could be a reminder of Jesus Christ, so he made the Christmas candy cane. He started off with a stick of pure white hard candy. The white color symbolized the virgin birth and the sinless nature of Jesus, and the hard candy symbolized the solid rock which was the foundation of the church, and firmness of the promises of God. The candy maker made the candy in the form of a J, which represented the name of Jesus and the staff of the Good Shepherds. He then stained it with three stripes which showed the scourging Jesus received, and symbolized the blood shed by Christ on the cross. When you break the cane, it reminds us that Jesus' body was broken for us.[i]

I have not been able to blog this last quarter of the year. It has been a whirlwind...hopefully the New Year will bring new energy and I will be able to share our story of: BLIND FAITH

[i] http://www.spanglercandy.com/our-brands/candy-canes/legends

PEAK COLORS

2012-10-14T15:23:00.001-04:00

PEAK COLORS
The northern states are experiencing what we call “peak colors”. One of the privileges of living north is the fall brings with it crisp air and a landscape of breathtaking color. I began to ponder this changing of season and how symbolic it can be when relating it to life. The following paragraphs briefly describe what takes place as leaves change colors:

The way plants turn water and carbon dioxide into oxygen and sugar is called photosynthesis. That means "putting together with light." A chemical called chlorophyll helps make photosynthesis happen. Chlorophyll is what gives plants their green color.

As summer ends and autumn comes, the days get shorter and shorter. This is how the trees "know" to begin getting ready for winter.

During winter, there is not enough light or water for photosynthesis. The trees will rest, and live off the food they stored during the summer. They begin to shut down their food-making factories. The green chlorophyll disappears from the leaves. As the bright green fades away, we begin to see yellow and orange colors. Small amounts of these colors have been in the leaves all along. We just can't see them in the summer, because they are covered up by the green chlorophyll.

The bright reds and purples we see in leaves are made mostly in the fall. In some trees, like maples, glucose is trapped in the leaves after photosynthesis stops. Sunlight and the cool nights of autumn cause the leaves turn this glucose into a red color. The brown color of trees like oaks is made from wastes left in the leaves.[i]

The color green is commonly considered the “color” symbolic of life. The “putting together with light” produces the life giving color of green. The Christian believer is full of life when the light of Christ Jesus permeates their life. If we take a look at Ezekiel 47:1-12 we will find there is a time coming…verse 12; Along the bank of the river, on this side and that, will grow all kinds of trees used for food; their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. They will bear fruit every month, because their water flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for medicine.”

The leaves on the trees will stay green; full of life. In the physical as the “light” is removed the leaves begin to turn colors for a very short time until they have withered and fallen to the ground and death has occurred. If you apply this to the spiritual aspect of our life when the light of Christ Jesus is dimmed our life begins to experience “death”. We may think, be distracted or deceived because we see “an array of color” (sin never appears as it is), but in spiritual reality what is occurring is death. Believers, we are to stay “green”, full of the light of Christ Jesus.

Matthew 6:22-23(NKJV)
“The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

John 8:12(NKJV)
Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

[i] http://www.sciencemadesimple.com/leaves.html

Money and Relationships

2012-10-07T15:24:00.000-04:00

Unfortunately, many couples enter into marriage with a piggy bank mentality; it will all work out, and they do not form a structure for their finances. The piggy bank is their only form of saving. Even marriages with twenty years under their belt squeak by through life with the piggy bank mentality, living paycheck to paycheck, and have little hope for change.

It would be best to approach the subject of finance when both spouses have a fresh mind. For example early in the day after they have showered had breakfast and have prepared for the day. Try to pick a time when other stress issues are not occurring if possible. Although financial issues generally add stress to just about every aspect of marriage. The couples must conduct themselves in a calm manner and if this is not possible they should seek a mediator. Normally couples will exhibit a bit more of self control if another party is there but not always. There are times when couples are looking for allies, someone to side with them.

Knowledge of each other’s temperaments can also be of great value. A simple profile can be taken such as the Arno Profile System that will bring clarity to the temperament of each spouse. This can bring revelation as to why an individual has the spending habits they do. One may be a spender and the other a saver or they may both be spenders and this gives way for a more difficult resolution when it comes to finance but at least you are aware of it.

Endeavoring to resolve issues can be like the clashing of two cymbals together that are out of sync with the music. When cymbals are brought together at the appropriate time during a concert, they add a beautiful climax to the symphony being played; however, clash them at the wrong moment, and it can destroy the symphony. We have heard it said “it’s all in the timing,” and this is true when it comes to resolving conflict.

Many facets come into play when resolving conflict. Mastering two of the greatest principles of our faith will enable us not only to resolve conflict but also allow us to live in harmony. Repentance and forgiveness are paramount in our life if we want to be able to resolve conflict and establish good communication skills. Without repentance and forgiveness, there will be no lasting resolution to issues couples may face.

Before coming together we suggest each individual spend time seeking the Lord allowing the Holy Spirit to reveal and examine the intents of their heart in regards to money. I assure you if you sincerely ask the Lord to give you revelation in this area He will.

“Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death” (2 Corinthians 7:10, NIV). As an individual or couple, coming clean or repenting of any un-confessed sin will help set the stage for lasting resolution to conflicts and create harmony in living.

Forgiveness is the next attribute we must examine thoroughly in our individual lives as well as our couple lives to be able to establish healthy conflict resolution, which has lasting effects. “To forgive is to set the prisoner free, then discover the prisoner was you” (Author unknown). A careful study of Matthew 18 will bring a greater awareness of the importance our Lord places on forgiveness. Please bear in mind this parable is about unforgiveness. The scriptures written prior to and after the parable deal directly with unforgiveness and its implications.

Once each individual has sought the Lord and come clean before Him they will be better equipped to work together as one for a permanent resolution to finance. Hidden or unconfessed sin and unforgiveness can block us from the blessings of the Lord even if we are committed tithers.

Each person must be willing to take responsibility for their own failure in regards to finance and come to an agreeable plan that will set in motion success.

· List all debt

· List all monthly expense

· List all monthly income

Take a step of faith and commit to the tithe (the whole 10%). Tithing is covenant; a covenant is a permanent arrangement of a promise by God and an obligation of terms to be fulfilled by His people. His people fulfill their part willingly and benefit greatly by God’s promise, which is always for their good. Throughout Scripture, these covenants have been declared by God. The word covenant occurs two hundred and eighty times in the Bible. The blessing for obedience and the curse for disobedience has been established by God if we obey or disobey. In Scripture, God has declared He is bound by His Word: “My covenant I will not break, nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips” (Psalm 89:34, NKJV). The CEV says, “I won’t break my agreement or go back on my word.” In Isaiah 40:8 (NKJV) we are reminded, “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.” When it comes to finance and marriage, you have heard it before, but we must state it again. There is a covenant that God has mandated; when we as couples fulfill our part, we are guaranteed God will honor His Word to us. The principle of the tithe cannot be understated. If you want the financial aspect of your marriage to go well, you must adhere to the tithe. As a believer, the best financial plan set in place without the tithe will not allow God’s best to be fulfilled in your marriage and family.

Study the following scripture in reference to the tithe:

For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. But you say, “How shall we return?” Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, “How have we robbed you?” In your tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. Bring the full tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the Lord of hosts. Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts.

Malachi 3:6-12 (ESV)

Both spouses must be willing to compromise and give up something in order to bring balance to this area of finance. There can be no hidden secrets; you both must be an open book. Choose a spending limit that both of you agree to that you will abide by. For example if you are going to spend more than $35.00 on something that is not already in the budget you will call your spouse and seek agreement on the expenditure. Normally sleeping on something for 48 hours will curve any unnecessary spending because the urge will have dissipated by then.

Drastic measures may need to be taken such as not carrying credit cards or debit cards in your purse or billfold and only carrying cash. Once your cash is depleted you will soon realize the need for self control. It amazes Dan and I where couples place their priorities.

A good rule of thumb: Tithe 10%, save 10% and live on 80%

THE VALUE OF A MARRIAGE MENTOR

2012-10-05T18:44:00.000-04:00

Marriage mentoring can be a tremendous benefit to any young couple or a couple who is struggling. A potential life-long friendship can develop between the couples or their relationship may last for a season of the mentorees’ marriage that enables them to set in place foundational principles and skills for a radiant marriage. A trust or bond is formed between these couples creating an atmosphere where the mentorees feel comfortable to ask questions and advice and the mentors are free to share their life experiences in marriage where there is no fear of judging one another or fearing confidentiality will be broken. Even if the mentoring relationship lasts for just a season of the married couple’s life, an impact or impression will take place that will have lifelong effects.

Traditional counseling is short-term and in a professional setting a client based relationship only is formed and there may not be enough time for the counselees to feel comfortable enough to open up and share what is truly in their hearts. Typically speaking in traditional counseling you may not have a married couple as the counselors and the counselees may have trouble relating to just a male or female counselor. When both male and female (team counselors and team mentors) are part of this relationship each person feels comfortable and understood. Another issue that can arise in traditional counseling is the couple is just going through the motions of pre-marriage counseling because it is required before they can get married. The pre-marriage counseling becomes one of the “to-do’s” as they are planning their wedding. We are truly advocates of pre-marriage counseling; if the engaged couple takes this counseling seriously the counseling will lay a solid foundation in their life to build a marriage upon. Pre-marriage counseling is a fabulous tool, but it is the beginning process in a life-long commitment of learning together as you love and support one another in your marital union (think of it as one piece in your life puzzle). The ideal scenario is to pair pre-marriage counseling with marriage mentoring but this is not always possible or available for all engaged couples. Throughout the Bible mentoring or discipleship is displayed. A few examples would be Moses and Joshua (Deuteronomy 1:38, 34:9), Elijah and Elisha (1 Kings 19:16) and Elizabeth and Mary (Luke 1:39-40).

Many times in marriage no matter how many years a couple has been married they may be at somewhat of an impasse, they may just want to fine-tune their marriage, or they may be seeking to prepare for marriage. If this couple is hesitant to seek professional counseling or finance is a huge issue for seeking marriage counseling finding an older couple who has a solid Christian marriage will give the couple the necessary tools to overcome their issues, bring freshness to a stale marriage and or prepare them for marriage. The older couple has weathered a many storms thereby becoming a source of encouragement and comfort to the couple in need of help and a marital role model. It is wonderful to know someone who has been through rough waters and emerged in a good place where their marriage is one that flourishes. The older mentor couple will also be able to see your marital picture clearer without being one-sided as a parent or friend might be (they will remain neutral). Marriage mentors are a fantastic resource with a wealth of experience and knowledge for couples to tap into. Most couples are unwilling to ask parents or close relatives for advice. If they were to ask and this was an area of conflict, sides will be taken. Many young couples today do not even live in the same state that they grew up in making it very difficult to draw support from family members or friends.

When seeking a marriage mentor be sure to take into consideration:

· A Christian couple of similar faith who is strong in their faith and an advocate of marriage according to Biblical principles.

· Do they have a solid marriage (no major martial conflicts), remember no marriage is perfect; all of us no matter how old we are will be working on improving our life and marriage.

· It is a good idea if this couple is at least 15 years older because they will have passed through life experiences that you are now embarking upon.

· Do they possess similar likes and interests as you? You may find it hard to relate to another couple if they do not share common interests.

· Do they have the time to share their life with you? However you must be considerate of their time and respect they have a life also and cannot be on call 24 hours a day.

· How far away do they live? If they are more than 45 minutes away it may become a hindrance to meet together.

· Will they be able to speak the truth in love with you and advise you if professional counseling is needed? What resources or connections do they have?

· Can you trust them to remain confidential in what you share with them about your life and marriage?

The marriage mentor is not a professional counselor and should not be expected to give professional counsel; they are simple sharing life experience as an older wiser couple who has successfully navigated their martial journey this far. The marriage mentor will need to recognize any serious issues the mentoree couple may have and encourage them to seek professional counsel.

If the mentoree couple exhibits any of the following the mentor couple should encourage this couple to seek professional help:

· They are at an impasse and cannot resolve any conflict that arises.

· The couple will argue anywhere, insulting each other regardless of who they are in front of.

· Is he or she unusually withdrawn or silent for long periods and withdrawn from other family members or friends?

· Did he or she make an impulsive decision to suddenly quit a job, school, or hobby?

· Did he or she show a sudden interest in a sport or hobby that takes them away from home several times a week or for long periods of time?

· Has she or he become anorexic or bulimic?

· Is he or she practicing any form of self-mutilation in the form of cuts or burns?

· Has he or she developed any unusual fears?

· Has he or she become depressed for a long period of time?

· Have you noticed anger issues?

· Do you suspect domestic violence is transpiring?

· Have you become aware of any mental instability?

· Has he or she shown any suicidal tendencies?

· Is there any type of addictions such as alcohol, drugs, gambling or pornography? Some evidence states that pornography is now the 5^th leading cause of divorce.

As marriage counselors we highly recommend young couples find an older seasoned couple who is rooted in God and be mentored by them. We are advocates of marriage mentoring and developed and implemented a marriage mentor program in our church. The young couples who participated in this program absolutely love it and have benefited greatly from their marriage mentors. The mentors also have really enjoyed sharing their lives with these young couples and it has given them tremendous pleasure knowing that they have helped equip a younger couple to have a marriage that will last a lifetime. After all the Bible does say; …it is more blessed to give than to receive. Acts 20:35

Lack of Sexual Interest in Marriage

2012-10-04T22:25:00.001-04:00

Please note this article is rated PG18

In our counseling ministry it is a rare thing to find a couple whose sexual relationship is fulfilling and thriving. In fact it does not seem to matter how old these couples are or how long they have been married. Newlyweds to senior citizens may have trouble in this area. You may think this is solely an issue involving the wife in the marital relationship, however; that is not true. In fact just as many women express their concern over their husband’s lack of interest in sex as do the men in their wives.

Various factors contribute to this escalating issue in regards to a fulfilling sexual union in marriage. In some individuals these issues could have taken root as early as childhood depending upon the environment they grew up in. They may take these unresolved hurts, issues, or misinformation into their marriage and add them to the other insufficiencies leading to a recipe for bedroom boredom or disaster.

Prior to marriage when couples are dating they are pursuing the other in efforts to win their affection, approval and ultimately a love that will take them to the altar of matrimony. They step out of their comfort zone into whatever personality that is needed to win the prize, “marriage”. Many times after the wedding they quickly slip back into their God given temperament and all that effort soon dissipates into the day in day out normalcy of life. They stop pursuing one another and this is very common problem. Time passes by and issues begin to surface that will cause the sexual relationship to deteriorate.

Some of the deeper issues may be:

How sex was viewed in the home they grew up in? Was it viewed in a healthy way, as the Bible has portrayed it?
Guilt from prior relationships they were involved in.
Having sex before marriage.
Living together prior to marriage.
Pornography
Having been sexually or physically abused.

If any of those issues in your life have not been resolved or healed we suggested you seek professional counseling.

Some general issues may be:The couple stopped flirting with each other and dating has become non-existent. Flirt with each other on a daily basis and make sure “date night” money is in the budget. Fostering a daily atmosphere of romance sets the standard for a great sex life. We like to implement “Magical Marriage Moments”. The definition of a Magical Marriage Moment is: taking an everyday circumstance and turning it into a magical memory of that moment! Here is an example: You are watching TV with your spouse. A commercial comes on with a barely dressed man or woman. Turn the TV off and look intently at your spouse. With complete sincerity say; “I only have eyes for you. You are the most incredibly beautiful/handsome woman/man I have ever laid eyes on; you still take my breath away.”
When couples do not set up healthy boundary lines around their marital relationship and around relationships outside of marriage this enables “mistrust” issues to occur. Safeguarding your relationship and keeping it pure in thought, word and deed should be a priority in your marriage. Each of you should come up with ways to protect yourself and your spouse that is agreeable. Be accountable to one another.
Stress in the work setting, over committing oneself volunteering and the effects society has on marriage in regards to sexual purity all take a toll on couples and how they view and participate in the marital sexual relationship. Addressing these issues, then defining and aligning themselves with the Biblical prospective of the marital union will help restore and edify this area in marriage.
The couple has not cultivated intimacy in their marriage. Sex without intimacy will die and become a meaningless act. Developing sexual intimacy not only leads to a great sex life, it also adds great stability in remaining pure for the married couple. I cannot think of a greater way of developing intimacy than that of studying your spouse. Know what makes them tick; their likes, dislikes, hopes, fears, as well as dreams. Becoming an A+ student of your spouse will yield incredible dividends for years to come. This is one subject that does not end after a semester; it is a lifelong learning technique. Each of us as individuals is very unique and ever changing. We hear couples say all the time, “My spouse changed. They’re not like they were when we first married.” Yes, we are in a constant state of transformation and hopefully for the better. If we are seeking the Lord and striving for maturity as a believer, the Bible assures us, “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18, NKJV).

Not taking the time to learn your spouse; when it comes to love making. Both of you must feel free to express yourself; without the fear of rejection or offending the other person. Learn to speak the truth in love and put your spouse’s desires above your own. They say knowledge is freedom and this is true when it comes to the sexual relationship. Knowledge of the physical act of sexual intercourse is essential for a satisfying sexual relationship. Couples will assume this comes naturally; that is a fallacy. Making love is an art to be learned, and learning this art is a lifetime commitment. As we grow older our bodies change, and we must be willing to continue to learn and change as our bodies do.

Establishing trust and good communication skills in marriage will set a foundational stone in place where learning the art of love making will flourish more with each passing year. However couples may feel insecure discussing their sex life with each other and do not know where to begin or how to approach this. Remember obtaining knowledge about the act of sex and how our bodies are designed by God will help equip us in this area. Purchasing a Christian book written on the subject or speaking with an older couple who has a great sex life will be beneficial. A good time to discuss your sexual relationship may be while you are on a long walk and not when you are in the bedroom. This will take the pressure off both of you and will not hinder you from expressing yourself. Build each other up and determine together this is an adventure worth investing your time and energy into; make it a priority. Support each other in your weaknesses as well in in your strengths.

SMALL BUT MIGHTY

2012-09-01T11:11:00.000-04:00

What’s in a name? Yesterday we brought home the newest additional to our family. A 2# Yorkie. We have been planning this for the last 12 weeks and during this time we have named and renamed this dog trying to figure out what exactly we wanted to call him once we brought him home. We live on a lake so we wanted something nautical. Among the names which we recycled over the last 12 weeks were; Sailor, Surfer, Woody, Popeye, Gilligan, Skipper and finally the winner was TEAK. We knew he would be extremely small but we wanted a strong name to make up for his size. Teak is: a costly tropical hardwood used to build ships, yachts and outdoor furniture. Teak is very durable and weather resistant. It is also bug resistant. In fact the deck on our boat is made out of teak wood.

I absolutely love the story of Gideon (Judges 6 - 8). In chapter 6 verse 12 the Angel of the Lord calls a “mighty man of valor”. Gideon’s response was; “my clan is the weakest and I am the least in my father’s house”. Gideon's name means: "great warrior".The story goes on and the Lord reassures Gideon that He will surely enable him to accomplish the task of saving Israel. The Lord let’s Gideon know that the army is too big and continues to reduced the size.

When God is in the circumstance no matter how we see ourselves, little becomes much in the hands of the Lord! We become Mighty Men/Women of Valor!

Micah 5:2(NKJV)
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.”

Luke 16:10(NKJV)
He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.

1 Corinthians 1:27(NKJV)
But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;

According to animal-world.com the Yorkie is:

Originally bred to kill rats, the Yorkshire Terrier has a fearless disposition! The Yorkshire Terrier is a tenacious, spunky toy dog breed. They are brave, energetic, and affectionate. They are renowned for acting like a very big dog but in a very small body. Such a dynamic little dog, this is one small dog breed that commands both affection and respect. They often are wary of strangers and can be aggressive with unfamiliar animals. They are often protective of their masters and their family. All of these traits make them good companions within the family, and also great watchdogs.

David - a man after My own heart

2012-08-09T17:19:00.000-04:00

David - a man after My own heart

IMPRINTS #4

If you wanted a kitten and had to choose between Pebbles (the calico) or Bamm Bamm (the yellow tiger); which one would you choose? Which kitten looks to be the most loveable, friendly and over all nice kitty?

So often we choose by “looks” what the outside package has to offer. We base a first impression by what we see and many times bypass a diamond in the ruff.

When the prophet Samuel was sent by God to choose a King from among the sons of Jesse the Lord told Samuel; God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart. The Lord did not want Samuel to just look at the outside appearance. The next King would truly need to be a man after God’s own heart. Saul had been the people’s choice a man of physical stature and he failed miserably (1 Samuel chapter 8, 1 Samuel 9:2).

David even as a young man had the imprints of God in his life and because of his heart the Lord would anoint him as king (1 Samuel 16:13, 1 Samuel 17: 34-36). In fact the Bible says in Acts 13:22(NKJV) And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’

What was it about David that set him apart? … a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’ Not only did he have a heart that sought the Lord, the Lord could trust him to do the will of the Lord! David just seemed to be multitalented; he was an incredible musician who led the people musically (1 Chronicles 13:8), a fierce warrior and as King a great leader. I truly believe it all goes back to what is said about him in Acts 13:22. If we as a people would apply; Matthew 6:33(NKJV) But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

Oh, by the way FYI - Bamm Bamm is the nice kitty.

IMPRINTS #3

2012-07-30T21:05:00.000-04:00

Since the creation of this world, there has been an undeniable imprint upon the people of God. Regardless of circumstances or the evil which tries to rear its ugly head …

“Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid nor dismayed before the king of Assyria, nor before all the multitude that is with him; for there are more with us than with him.
With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God, to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people were strengthened by the words of Hezekiah king of Judah. 2 Chronicles 32:7-8(NKJV) (also Read 2 Kings 18:16-2 Kings 19:1-19)

Battles are waged every day. They are physical, mental or spiritual and mostly all three woven within each other. Regardless of the intensity of these battles the Lord God is with us and the enemy only has an arm of flesh. In 2 Chronicles chapter 32 and 2 Kings chapters 18-19; Hezekiah makes a decision and that is to trust in the one true God who is mighty to save. The King of Assyria endeavored to pose a great threat against King Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem.

Hezekiah prepared physically for battle but he knew the real strength would come only through the Lord God and he knew the enemy could not stand against the one true God. Hezekiah literally takes a letter that the King of Assyria wrote against the Lord God and spreads it out before God; a powerful imprint or encounter transpires as he states his case before the Lord (Isaiah 43:25-26). Unstoppable faith arises and the prophet of the Lord (Isaiah) pays him a visit and confirms; because he prayed and sought God Almighty, He (God) heard and according to 2 Kings 19:35-37 … on a certain night an angel of the Lord went into the camp and killed the Assyria army. Then the kings own sons killed Sennacherib (the Assyrian King) while he worshipped a foreign god (idol).

I am sure this was one imprint that King Hezekiah never forgot!

The same one true God Almighty is willing and able to go to battle for us…PTL!

IMPRINTS part #2

2012-07-26T10:31:00.001-04:00

And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.” Genesis 2:18(NKJV)

Wow, the Lord knew Adam would be lonely and He created all these animals for Adam to care for, nurture and keep him company but none would be found comparable to Adam. So the Lord pays Adam a holy visitation and an imprint is brought into his life which I am sure he never forgot! You see a true imprint can never be washed away or forgotten.

And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place.
Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man.
And Adam said: “This is now bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man.” Genesis 2:21-23(NKJV)

Then God Himself performs the first wedding ceremony!!

V 24-25 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

From the very beginning of time the Lord instituted a covenant that affects us all in one way or another. Whether we are the off-spring of this covenant or we are married. Nothing will ever remove the marriage union, not man, Politian or times. The Lord set forth this covenant and no amount of man’s doings will ever abolish it. Oh, yes they will try but I am telling you it will endure. You see even in Biblical times those people tried to pervert it but Jesus said;

Mark 10:3-9(NKJV)
And He answered and said to them, “What did Moses command you?”
They said, “Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce, and to dismiss her.”
And Jesus answered and said to them, “Because of the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept.
But from the beginning of the creation, God ‘made them male and female.’
‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife,
and the two shall become one flesh’; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh.
Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”

Things appear dark out there in regards to marriages; it is time to turn our hearts back and reestablish solid foundations for marriages to be built upon and take part in a Holy union that is a reflection of Jesus Christ and the Bride…that is without spot or wrinkle!

To be cont’d…imprints

IMPRINTS

2012-07-23T08:31:00.000-04:00

I would define an imprint as; a deep undeniable encounter, THAT IS FOREVER ECTHED IN YOUR MIND. Those Kodak moments par say good or bad that take up permanent residence. Webster partly defines “imprint” as to fix firmly in the mind, a lasting influence or effect[i].

Of course I would absolutely prefer to only have those good moments be highlighted in the store house of my mind. For now let’s just focus on the good. What are the imprints in your mind that you can recall every so clearly even from childhood? What is your favorite imprint?

I remember the first time Dan ever kissed me and the “imprint” that it left. I remember the place, the time and what I was wearing. Like yesterday I recall him gently placing his hand on the back of my neck and thinking he is messing up my hair. As we said our vows on our wedding day I know the exact moment he said “I do” and the thoughts that raced through my mind.

Not only do we have “physical imprints”; we also have “spiritual imprints”. The first time I realized the Lord was speaking to me I had just dropped my youngest daughter off at pre-school. I returned home, sat down in the rocker recliner and proceeded to do my devotions. At this time in my life I was diligently seeking the Lord so desiring to grow spiritually but frustrated that I just did know what to do next. I began to pray and said; “Lord I am not leaving this chair until I hear from you”. Wow - the Lord paid me a visit that day and a journey began as He taught me the Holy Word (Bible). You see I did not have a mentor to show me or teach me how to live for God so the Lord told me what to look up in Bible and gave me understanding of that scripture. That “imprint” or encounter forever changed my life as a young wife and mother…but it did not stop there.

Since summer has hit I have neglected my blog (sorry) I will try to do better even if sunshine and waterfront is calling my name!

We will be taking a look at some Biblical examples of “imprints”…so check back, until then try to recall the most impacting “imprint” of your life and how it shaped your life.

A true imprint can never be washed away!

[i] Webster Dictionary and Thesaurus. Nichols Publishing Group, 1999.,421

LEFT BEHIND

2012-07-11T09:21:00.003-04:00

After the celebration was over, they started home to Nazareth, but Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents didn’t miss him at first, because they assumed he was among the other travelers. But when he didn’t show up that evening, they started looking for him among their relatives and friends. When they couldn’t find him, they went back to Jerusalem to search for him there. Three days later they finally discovered him in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, listening to them and asking questions. Luke 2:43-46(NLT)

Have you ever wondered as a parent how is it possible that Joseph and Mary left Jesus behind? After all they were entrusted to raise and look after the Son of God. They of all the couples living on the earth at that time were chosen by God for a reason. The Bible calls Joseph a righteous man (Matthew 1:19) and Mary was called highly favored one and blessed among women (Luke 1:28).

There was a time in my life as we raised our daughters where I did wonder about this scripture; thinking how is it possible that they lost track of Jesus and He was left behind.

There was a season when Dan and I drove to church in separate cars because of the different responsibilities of serving at church and the time frames involved. Our daughters would sometimes ride to church with one of us then ride home with the other parent. After one of our daughters was left behind twice at church we had to make a rule that was unbreakable. Whoever you rode to church with – you will ride home with and no exception to the rule. It was a 15 minute drive home from church and a 15 minute drive back and this was before cell phones so thank God for a very patient and understanding Sunday school teacher.

Before this issue of Jesus being left behind the Bible tells us in Luke 2:39-40(NLT), When Jesus’ parents had fulfilled all the requirements of the law of the Lord, they returned home to Nazareth in Galilee. There the child grew up healthy and strong. He was filled with wisdom, and God’s favor was on him.

Notice, Joseph and Mary fulfilled the requirement of the law of the Lord, they had lived their lives holy before the Lord and raised Jesus according to the Word.

We are given a promise in Psalms 112; if we live “rightly” it will carry promise for our children.

I encourage you to read this passage slowly and mediate on the message of what our responsibility is and if we live accordingly, what the outcome will be.

Psalms 112:1-10(NLT)
Praise the LORD! How joyful are those who fear the LORD and delight in obeying his commands. Their children will be successful everywhere; an entire generation of godly people will be blessed. They themselves will be wealth, and their good deeds will last forever. Light shines in the darkness for the godly. They are generous, compassionate, and righteous. Good comes to those who lend money generously and conduct their business fairly. Such people will not be overcome by evil. Those who are righteous will be long remembered. They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the LORD to care for them. They are confident and fearless and can face their foes triumphantly. They share freely and give generously to those in need. Their good deeds will be remembered forever. They will have influence and honor. The wicked will see this and be infuriated. They will grind their teeth in anger; they will slink away, their hopes thwarted.

And here is another promise we can count on:

Psalms 92:13-15(NLT)
For they are transplanted to the LORD’s own house. They flourish in the courts of our God. Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green.
They will declare, “The LORD is just! He is my rock! There is no evil in him!”

Joseph and Mary are great example of Godly parents for the Bible says:

Luke 2:46-52(NLT)
Three days later they finally discovered him in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, listening to them and asking questions.
All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.
His parents didn’t know what to think. “Son,” his mother said to him, “why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere.”
“But why did you need to search?” he asked. “Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?”
But they didn’t understand what he meant.
Then he returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. And his mother stored all these things in her heart.
Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people.

If by accident one of your children were “left behind”, what would they be found doing?

PLAN A

2012-06-26T07:57:00.001-04:00

How many times have we said; “if Plan A does not work we will go to Plan B”? If we had a dollar for every time that was said we would all be rich!

There were times in life where I have had only Plan A and there was no back-up plan (Plan B) to be had and that is where trust must come in. Dan and I raised three daughters two years apart. We came to this time in life where for seven years – three girls were in college and three weddings took place. One of our daughters wanted an outdoor wedding on Labor Day weekend. We rented the park and began to make all the arrangements for the grandeur event to take place. During this time one on my friends said; but what if it rains? My budget was extremely skinny due to the fact of three in college and we had paid for a wedding two years earlier. I looked at my friend and replied there is no Plan B, we will trust the Lord. My mind began to mull realizing the budget would not afford us a wedding tent or an alternate location but I pushed that aside and trusted the Lord. By the way not only was the wedding beautiful on the skinny budget the weather was absolutely perfect!

There have been times where I sought the Lord for an answer asking Him should I do this or should I do that. No answer came…I struggled with this and more than once I have sensed the Lord say; Penny, I am going to bless you no matter what you decide to do in this…but Lord only you know the future and I do not want to miss your “plan” for us. Penny, I am going to bless you no matter what you decide to do in this. Yes, there will be many times when we do not get a direct answer to a prayer, but understand this as long as you are not sinning (because that is against God’s will and His Word), He always has you covered.

If we obey the Lord through the guidelines that are laid out in the Word (Bible); Psalms 31:15(NKJV) My times are in Your hand; Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, And from those who persecute me.

Having thus taken to the best resource by trusting in Jehovah, and having made the grandest claim possible by saying, “Thou art my God”, the Psalmist now stays himself upon a grand old doctrine, one of the most wonderful that was ever revealed to men. He sings, “My times are in thy hand.” This to him was a most cheering fact: he had no fear as to his circumstances, since all things were in the divine hand. He was not shut up unto the hand of the enemy; but his feet stood in a large room, for he was in a space large enough for the ocean, seeing the Lord had placed him in the hollow of his hand. To be entirely at the disposal of God is life and liberty for us.

The great truth is this — all that concerns the believer is in the hands of the Almighty God. “My times”, these change and shift; but they change only in accordance with unchanging love, and they shift only according to the purpose of One with whom is no variableness nor shadow of a turning. “My times”, that is to say, my ups and my downs, my health and my sickness, my poverty and my wealth — all those are in the hand of the Lord, who arranges and appoints according to his holy will the length of my days, and the darkness of my nights. Storms and calms vary the seasons at the divine appointment. Whether times are reviving or depressing remains with him who is Lord both of time and of eternity; and we are glad it is so. “My Times Are In Thy Hand”

A SERMON
(No. 2205)

Delivered on Lord’s-Day Morning, May 17th, 1891, by
C. H. SPURGEON,

At the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington

You can count on the fact; Psalms 16:6(NKJV) The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Yes, I have a good inheritance.

TRUST

FATHER'S DAY TRIBUTE

2012-06-15T09:05:00.000-04:00

This Sunday we celebrate Father’s Day. I encourage all of us to study our Fathers. Find out something about them that you never knew. When you study for a test, a job skill or hobby; time and effort is put in to make sure your best can be done. I can assure you the time and the effort you put into learning about your Father will reap rewards for a lifetime.

Recently I asked my grandchildren what was their favorite thing about their Dad.

Family #1:

8 yr. old girl: He tickles us.

5 yr. old boy: He takes me to the movies and plays with me.

3 yr. old boy: He plays basketball with me.

The Mom: He is a hands on Dad.

Family #2:

8yr. old girl: He is always there for me.

3 yr. old girl: He takes me fishing.

The Mom: He plays with the girls on their level. Now this daughter also responded and wanted to tell her favorite thing about her Dad (Dan): He taught me never to give up, to go down fighting and swinging. (Oh, by the way that was not a literally statement…Dan did not teach the girls how to box!!)

A common thread runs through those responses and it is time. Dad's your kids love you to spend time with them!

January of 2006 my Father passed away. I was amazed at the things I learned about my Dad at his funeral. I was also shocked to see there was not even standing room left at the funeral. Unfortunately I did not realize how many lives my Dad had impacted while here on this earth. I wished I had taken the time while my Father was alive to learn those things about him, the priceless stories people told me at his funeral. You see Kenneth (my Father) was a carpenter by trade and he had invested in countless young men teaching them the trade and giving those young men their livelihood. Kenneth also attended every military funeral within Branch County and beyond. A bus was used to bring former military to attend Dad’s funeral. However, active military attended also. The funeral director made mention that Ken’s funeral was the largest military funeral they had ever had. Yes, my Dad was extremely patriotic. My husband Dan delivered the message that day and I had the opportunity to also speak. Below is what I presented at Dad’s funeral.

Kenneth Stamp my father was a carpenter.

One of the things I admired most about my father was, his God given talent to take wood and turn it into something beautiful and useful. In his younger years constructing commercial buildings, houses, house additions and remodeling projects-to his retirement years of making toy boxes for our children. If you were to go to my parents house right now into the basement or garage you will find unfinished projects. Many times I wish I would have inherited his talent in carpentry; especially when I endeavor to fix something myself.

This last week as we watched my father slowly pass away; I watched the many times my mother would pick up my Dad’s hands and say “these hands have done a lot of work and made many things” Thursday when we were with my mother as she picked out Dad’s casket, she was drawn to this casket. She said it reminded her of my Dad and something he would have built. I agree.

My father was a carpenter and I love him.

There is another carpenter who I love more than life itself. His name is Jesus Christ. Yes, Jesus was a carpenter on this physical earth that is how he made his living. But that is not why he came to this earth. My old pastors of 17yrs. use to say for every thing in the physical; there is a spiritual application. Just as a carpenter takes a piece of wood and uses it to fashion, shape and build, Jesus came to build fashion and shape lives.

When a carpenter builds a house he must make sure the foundation is solid. The foundation is the strongest part of the house and must be to with stand storms, wind and rain. In Matthew 7:24-27 is the story of the house built on sand and the house build on the rock. Just as the foundation of a physical house must be strong; so must the foundation of our lives. If we have a solid foundation built on the Rock of Christ Jesus we will be able to with stand the storms of this life.

I would like to give you an opportunity to ask Jesus to be your savior. If you have never made a commitment to Jesus or would like to renew your commitment to the Lord Jesus, we will take a moment now. My husband has already quoted many scriptures in reference to eternal life. The one we are most familiar with is John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

There is only one way to the Father in heaven and that is through Jesus.

If you will repeat this simple prayer today your name will be written in the Lamb’s Book of life and you will be heaven bound.

Dear Heavenly Father,

I come to you in Jesus name. Your word says all have fallen short of the glory of God. I ask you to forgive me of my sins and wash me white as snow. I recognize Jesus Christ is the Son of the one true living God. I invite him into my heart to be my savior. I desire a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you Father for today my name has been written in the Lamb’s Book of Life and I am Heaven bound. Amen

If you prayed that prayer for the first time or are renewing your commitment to Jesus I encourage you to do three things to start your life anew in Jesus

Pray everyday
Read your Bible everyday
If you do not have a Bible believing church to attend I encourage to find one

FATHER'S - the leader of the pack!!

DAD IS GREAT!

2012-06-09T08:56:00.000-04:00

To really understand the impact a father has on a child you need to look at the role the Lord has called a man to fulfill. The role of the husband/ father was meant to be filled by the man. This role was part of creation and was not based on circumstances or changing culture. Although man sinned and the fall took place Jesus Christ restored all through His death and resurrection making a way for man to fulfill his God given role. The wife cannot fulfill what God has called man to fulfill. Fathers play a pivotal role in the life of a child and there is absolutely no substitute for the impact a father can have in his child.

Without the constant interaction of a father in a child’s life they will not have a base to draw from as they grow, mature and one day marry. They truly will lack the influence and demonstration of what a man of God is or how a man is to treat his future wife, sons and daughters.

The man was called to headship or leadership. He is to be the main provisional for his family making sure the needs of his wife and children are met. He is commanded to love his wife setting an example for his children on how the son is to treat his wife one day and revealing to his daughter how a man is to treat her. The man was called to servant hood just as Christ showed us an example of serving others. The husband/father was created to withstand pressures and physically take on work the wife/the mother is not capable of.

Children who are raised without a father may experience a warped view of Father God. They may have insecurity issues in their life and look for acceptance and love in the wrong places. They may lack skills for problem solving and the drive to press through not only daily issues but crisis events also. A lack of confidence and low self esteem may be present in children raised in fatherless homes causing them to compromise and to reach out for unhealthy relationships in others. Due to the fact that the mother has been attempting to fulfill both roles one as a father and mother a great lack of masculinity will be absent causing the child to form their own thoughts of what a man is or is not. Because the mother has to exert so much time and energy endeavoring to meet all the needs of the child, little time is left to spend one on one. Mothers typically do not discipline appropriately and there is no one to help reinforce what she may be trying to instill. In the absence of a father/male influence, undue stress is placed on the mother and the child will reap the dynamics of this lack.

There is not a replacement for Father and thank God in His infinite wisdom He knew just exactly what was needed for a family to flourish. We also thank God that He makes provisions for the fatherless.

Psalms 68:5(NLT) Father to the fatherless, defender of widows— this is God, whose dwelling is holy.

Psalms 92:13-15 (NKJV) Those who are planted in the house of the Lord - Shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bear fruit in old age; They shall be fresh and flourishing, To declare that the Lord is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY