Carolyn's Work Place

2009-12-01: Free e-day!: Greatest Uncommon Denominator Magazine

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 14:10:00 +0000

2009-12-01: Free e-day!: Greatest Uncommon Denominator Magazine

Posted using ShareThis

"Rules That Lead To Joy"

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:45:00 +0000

I'd like to share something with you that I read this evening in The Word In Life Study Bible based on I John 2:3-6 I hope you will benefit from reading it.

"Most parents expect obedience from their children as a sign of loyalty and trust. In a similar way, God expects His children to follow His commandments (vv. 4-5). In fact, when we obey God and act like Him, we show ourselves to be His (v. 6)

We can be thankful that God has established rules and standards. Without such boundaries, we would not experience freedom but chaos. After all, we no longer inhabit Eden, but a broken world of sinners. We need moral safeguards that protect people's rights, delay gratification, enforce commitments, define relationships, ensure privacy, and demonstrate a respect for life.

Furthermore, we can be thankful that God is the One who has defined moral absolutes. Sinners could not be trusted to define goodness or justice.

God's original desire was for humans to have authority over all creation (Gen. 1:26-31). But sin and rebellion made us incapable of carrying out that responsibility (Gen. 3:22-24; Rom. 1:18-32). However, Christ has opened the way for us to re-establish our relationship with God and assume once again the responsibilities for which He created us:

*He has provided for the forgiveness for our sins (John 3:16-19).
*He has provided renewal for all of our life (2 Cor. 5:16-21).
*He empowers us to carry out His work (Acts 1:6-8).
*He has established guidelines for proper conduct (1 John 2:7-17).

When we follow God's commandments we experience true liberty. As His obedient children we can be fulfilled, fruitful, and joyful as we look forward to the promise of eternal life (v. 17)."

When we live in a world based on God's laws, God's rule, we are blessed. When God's laws and God's rules are cast aside for laws and rules made by men (especially when they do not know God), we suffer - there is chaos, fear, and pain. We can have joy and happiness in this world, but not what we could have had if we had been obedient to God. For Christians, there will be trouble and sorrow all around us until the Rapture or our death, whichever comes first. And then, for those who are left behind, the real trouble will begin.

Blessings to all!

"Marked"

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:39:00 +0000

Some time ago I wrote a post entitled, Convicted and Marked. I felt deeply about what I wrote then, and I still feel that way.

This morning, while driving in my car, I heard a portion of a Focus on the Family radio program on WMCU 1080AM and was strongly affected by what I heard. Phil Downer brought a message about the change God made in his life; here is a summary of what he said.

"At nineteen, Phil joined the Second Battalion, Fifth Marines, and was shipped to South Vietnam. He saw death all around him, and it was not easy to deal with. At one point, he was an "ammo humper" - the person who carried the ammunition for the machine gunners. He received several promotions; one of these promotions moved him from "ammo humper" to machine gunner. For about two months, he carried the machine gun in heavy combat until he was promoted to Machine Gun Team Leader, which meant that the guy behind him now carried the machine gun. One of Phil's best friends, John Atkinson from up-state New York, was "the guy behind him." He became Phil's gunner and took over the responsibility of carrying the machine gun in battle.

One day, the men in Phil's group had to charge across an open field and make a left turn. Several men did this before Phil; then it was his turn. Phil's team, with his gunner leading the way, now had to make the same maneuver. Just as John made the left turn, two enemy snipers fired on them. Phil dove to the ground and returned fire. As he was falling, a bullet went through the pack on his back from bottom to top. At the same time, he felt a heavy weight fall on him; the weight turned out to be his friend John and Phil's old machine gun. All of the bullets, except the one that went harmlessly through Phil's pack, had hit John, and he was dead.

This was a very painful experience for Phil - to see his good friend dead on the ground. You can probably imagine his thought at this time - at least some of them. One of the first things Phil thought about was that John had just received a letter from his wife telling him that she was carrying their first child; John would never see this child. Then Phil realized that not only was John dead, but that John had died in Phil's place. Until the recent promotion - only three days earlier - Phil had been the machine gun carrier. You see, the snipers had let everyone go by, waiting for the machine gunner. Had the promotion not taken place, Phil would have been dead on the ground; and John might still have seen his child. Phil said that that moment "marked" his life.

When Phil's thirteen month tour was up, he went home and attempted to restart his life. He got back into college (though this was no easy task since he had flunked out of college before going to war), but this time he was successful; he became a lawyer. While in school, he met and married a young woman who also became a lawyer. They both found good jobs and were on their way to the life they dreamed of.

Earlier in his story, Phil had said that John Wayne's portrayal of war as a positive or noble experience was a lie. He mentioned John Wayne (I'm a big John Wayne fan) again at this point. He said that John Wayne's portrayal of true happiness coming from success, position and family was a lie. Phil seemed to have everything, but he was not happy. On the surface, everything was fine; deep inside, he was empty, restless. Nothing brought real fulfillment or joy even though he seemingly had it all. Phil said that he went from "hero to zero."

The pressure of his work got to him. As a trial lawyer, there was a lot riding on what he did; businesses and livelihoods depended on the outcome of the trials, and the responsibility of it affected him. He began to bring his problems, fears, frustrations, and anxieties home with him, and he took them out on his wife. He began to break all of the commitments he had made to his her. His temper was out of control; he broke furniture, punched holes in walls, and slammed the phone against the walls in anger. He never struck his wife, but he crushed her; he broke her heart.

At this point, he was invited by a fellow lawyer to go to a Christian retreat, but he said no. About a month later, his wife (who had never asked him to do anything just for her) asked him to go on the retreat. He agreed through he did not want to be there.

Initially, he did not participate in the retreat; he just sat at the back doing nothing. As the meetings progressed, the men began to share about the real issues of life, and this got Phil's attention. These men had gone through the same things Phil was going through. Then they explained to Phil that God love him, that God knew all about him and still loved him enough to send His Son to die for him. Phil had heard this before; but this time it meant something to him; it broke his heart, and he received Christ as Lord and Savior. Phil found a peace, joy and contentment beyond all description - a contentment that he had never known before.

The change in Phil was so complete that his wife immediately saw it, and she became a Christian as well. Despite his change and her conversion, his wife was not interested in being married to him any longer; she had been planning to divorce him for a long time and no longer loved him. As a new Christian though, Phil's wife began to pray that God would give her a new love for Phil; and over about a year and a half, God gave her that new love, and they rebuilt their marriage. Out of this change that they both experienced grew a ministry called DNA - Discipleship Network of America http://www.dnaministries.org/."

Phil had been on a road to nowhere, but God was watching and directing his path. For reasons we cannot understand, God spared Phil's life by allowing John to die in his place; thus leaving a mark on Phil that would eventually drive him so low that he would finally be able to see God and surrender to Him.

If we are marked by God, that is a good thing. Thank God for His love and forgiveness.

Blessings to all.

"Inside My Head"

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 21:33:00 +0000

I DID NOT write this post. I wish I could write something as powerful as this, but I cannot. I came across the post yesterday morning and wanted others to have the opportunity to read it as well, since many of us suffer from wrong thinking - some frequently and some only occasionally. The title of the blog is "Inside My Head," and it is written by Mary Hess.

In this post, Mary talks about a book that was very helpful to her. Another book that some persons may find helpful is How to Win Over Depression by Tim LaHay.

Please read what Mary has to say. You may not need this information for yourself, but it may help you to assist someone else.

Carolyn
*************

Inside My Head (http//networkedblogs.com/p14588702)
Stressed by Mary Hess

Phil. 4:8,9 - Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - I will think on these things.
Ephesians 4:23, 24 - I will be made new in the attitude of my mind. And I will put on my new self created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

You know, so many of us - well, let’s be honest - ALL of us battle something in our minds -insecurities, trust issues, lust, lying, fear, negativity, depression - you name it, I bet we have each battled one, if not more of these things. And I’m sure I’m leaving the list way too short.

A few years ago, God really changed my life. It’s too much to type here but suffice it to say that the enemy had major control of my mind - to the point that I felt like I was going insane. How’s that for being real? ;) A friend of mine introduced me to a wonderful book by Joyce Meyer called The Battlefield of The Mind and I read it. And quite honestly, the book ticked me off. How dare someone tell me that I had control of my thought life? She obviously didn’t know what she was talking about. But the more I read, the more I saw that Joyce had been exactly where I was. And she did know what she was talking about.

It took a lot for me to push through my urges to make excuses as to why I couldn’t possibly get control of my own thought life - and a lot of prayer from close friends and my wonderful husband who had to endure a lot of attacks from the enemy - through me - because of the battle I was going through. But God’s grace prevailed. And so I chose - look at that word - I chose to change. I wrote down scriptures dealing with our minds and memorized them.

Every time a thought would come over me that wasn’t supposed to be there, I would say my scriptures out loud. I would sing songs - even if I had to make them up - that would lift up Jesus. I would choose to respond positively and not negatively. I kept myself accountable to my husband and to a few close friends. They would keep me in check if I started going down the wrong road again.

I hated having to do so much work to become free from this negative thought pattern. While I hated it, I loved it. Being broken and admitting there was so much junk in my life wasn’t fun. But it was necessary. And I’m thankful I did it. Many, many days all I could do was say, “Jesus, please give me strength to do this.”

You see, we live in a time where people expect to get everything quickly. We forget that some things we really have to work for. When you work for something, chances are you appreciate the end results even more than if it was just handed to you, right? God knows that about us of course! He created us! So, there are times in our Christian walk we have to push through on purpose to get the victory in a battle. And it isn’t easy. And there will be battle wounds - wounds that turn into scars. But those scars will definitely remind us where we came from and help us to toughen up for the next battle!

So I encourage you today to take inventory of your thought life. Are there things you allow to dwell there that aren’t pleasing to God? There’s a saying I’ve heard my entire life: “You can’t stop a bird from flying over your head, but you sure can keep it from building a nest in your hair.”

While that sounds silly, it’s very applicable to what I’m talking about today. I can’t stop a thought from going through my mind, but I sure can keep myself from dwelling on it. The enemy places the thought there and then waits to watch for your reaction to it. If he continually sees you reacting the opposite of that thought he’ll move on to some other tactic.

Even today, I still have times where it will try and trip me up again. I haven’t reached perfection in this area of my life. But I make sure to keep quoting those scriptures (I carry index cards in my purse with them written on it), sing those songs, pray those prayers and hold myself accountable to those I’ve entrusted with my life. Together we make a GREAT army for God! And we need each other!

Here are a few scriptures (taken from NIV) that I have used to help me. I’ve tweaked them a bit to be more personal but the overall theme is there. I hope they help you as much as they have me.

Ephesians 4:23, 24 - I will be made new in the attitude of my mind. And I will put on my new self created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Isaiah 26:3 - You will keep me in perfect peace because my mind is steadfast and I trust in You.

I Corinthians 2:16b - I have the mind of Christ.

Romans 12:2 - I will not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but I will be transformed by the renewing of my mind.

I Peter 1:13 - I will prepare my mind for action. I will be self-controlled. I will set my hope fully on the grace to be given to me when Jesus Christ is revealed.

Phil. 4:8,9 - Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - I will think on these things.

I Peter 5:8, 9 - I will be self-controlled and alert - the enemy prowls around like a roaring lion looking to devour me. I will resist him and stand firm in the faith.

I Corinthians 14:15 - So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind. I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind.

Ephesians 6:12 - My struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers to this dark world and against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

II Corinthians 10:4, 5 - The weapons I fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. I demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God . . . and I take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

About the author of this "posted post"-
Hess,Mary - Mary Hess is a thirty-something mom to 2 beautiful girls (13 & 2) and wife to an amazing man! She has been involved in ministry for most of her life teaching, leading worship and serving wherever needed. She and her husband own Purses and Such and have been enjoying learning how to run a successful business of their own. Her most recent adventure has been to re-enroll in college to finish her degree in Psychology: Christian Counseling. Hopefully by the time her youngest daughter is in school she will have her Masters Degree and be on her way to completing her doctorate. While all of these things are important to her, Mary stresses that her main purpose in life is simply to pursue God. Wherever He takes her and whatever He wants her to do is her ultimate desire.

Blessings to all - Carolyn

Caterpillar Turned........

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 22:15:00 +0000

Finally, I have something new to write about the beautiful caterpillar I wrote about some time ago. He formed the chrysalis about three weeks ago, and all we could do was wait to see if he would become a butterfly or die from trying to complete the metamorphosis in captivity. According to what I could learn via the Internet, the change should have taken about two weeks.

Well, two weeks came and went, and I had just about given up hope when I got word that the new creature was here. Since the caterpillar was so beautiful, I assumed the butterfly would be fabulous as well - a true thing of beauty. Well, he is beautiful; however, not at all what we expected.

The butterfly is not a butterfly; he is a moth - a big, grey one. He is still beautiful though - just not what we expected. Have a look -

This was a good experience; I'm glad I was able to have a part in it.

Just What I Needed

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:32:00 +0000

Today was not really a good day (from the standpoint of my mood); however, I know I am responsible for my attitude - I'll try to do better tomorrow.

Yesterday I searched for the music to a song; and though I thought I knew where I had put it, I could not find it. Since I really wanted the music, I decided to look for it again this evening. I was successful this time and found the music quickly along with what I am going to share with you in this post. What I found is quite silly, but it lifted my mood and made me laugh. I hope you will get at least one laugh from it as well.

The following is an email I received in April of 2001 from "Mikey's Funnies."

Medical Daffynitions
Artery: The study of painting
Bacteria: The back door of the cafeteria
Barium: What doctors do when their patients die
Bowel: A letter like A, E, I, O or U
Caesarean Section: A neighborhood in Rome
CAT Scan: Searching for a kitty
Cauterize: To make eye contact with a girl
Coma: A punctuation mark
Enema: Someone who is not your friend
Fester: Quicker
Fibula: A little lie
Labor Pain: When you get hurt at work
Nitrates: Cheaper than day rates
Node: Was aware of
Outpatient: A patient who fainted
Pelvis: An Elvis impersonator
Recovery Room: A place to do upholstery
Secretion: Something you don't want anyone to know
Seizure: A Roman emperor
Tablet: A small table
Terminal: Where the planes land
Urine: Opposite of "you're out"
Varicose: Nearby
Vein: To be conceited

Hope you found something in this funny enough to make you laugh!

Hypocrisy and the Church

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 13:57:00 +0000

I read an interesting article this morning by R. C. Sproul about the church and hypocrisy. Over the years, I've frequently heard persons complain that they do not want to attend church because it is filled with hypocrites. My basic response (non-verbal) to this is that this complaint is a convenient excuse. None of us is perfect; therefore, the church is filled with imperfect persons. I've also heard it said that if one finds a perfect church, he should not join it since it would then cease to be perfect.

A hypocrite is (in my opinion) one who is commits a particular sin and says he does not, one who lives a particular (sinful) lifestyle while pretending he isn't, or lives a particular (sinful) lifestyle while criticizing others for living that same lifestyle, or one who professes to be perfect while knowing that he is living a very imperfect life. The explanation could go on and on; however, I am sure you get the point.

Hypocrisy is a sin; there is no question about that, and because none of us is perfect, we sin. We do not all commit the sin of hypocrisy (at least not all the time or all at the same time); therefore, the church (while filled with sinners) is not necessarily filled with hypocrites. Christians are sinners who came face to face with Jesus Christ, repented of their sins and accepted His gift of salvation. This does not make us perfect; however, God now sees us as perfect, since He sees us covered by the blood of Jesus Christ.

The church is filled with imperfect persons who, if they are genuine Christians (saved by the grace of God and with Jesus Christ as Lord of their lives), join together to worship God, serve others, support and encourage (edify) one another as we grow in our faith and move toward sanctification (something I believe none of us will reach until God takes us home). The church can be a very good place to be, though one has to be diligent to find a church that follows Scripture. The church can be of great assistance to the individual, and the individual has a responsibility to be of assistance to the Church - the body of Christ. Fellowship with true believers, while not without risk since we are not perfect, can be a blessing to us as God (at least in part) intended it to be.

Blessings to all!

Timely Words

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 18:30:00 +0000

The following is an excerpt from -Andrew Murray, Humility. I found this on Beth Beutler's blog, which you can read at http://networkedblogs.com/p14547069

Something about...when trouble comes
By Beth Beutler

In time of trouble say:
First, He brought me here.
It is by His will I am in this place
In that, I will rest.
Next, He will keep me in His love
And give me grace to behave
As His child.
Then, He will make the trial a blessing
Teaching me the lessons he means me to learn
And working in me the grace he intends for me.
Last, in His good time
He can bring me out again
How and when only He knows.
Say: I am here
By God’s appointment
In God’s keeping
Under His training
For his time.
-Andrew Murray, Humility

Blessings to all!

He's Still Beautiful

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 00:11:00 +0000

Our caterpillar is still beautiful, but things are changing. We knew this would happen, but perhaps did not realize just how quickly the process would begin. Yesterday Bob was very active, crawling up, down, and around his living space. He even enjoyed crawling up and down one person's arm with no hint of fear. He seemed so alert, so alive!

Today, from the very beginning, things were different. When touched, he recoiled almost as if in horror; throughout the day he was almost completely inactive. We checked on him frequently, like good nurses checking on a patient in ICU. I gently moved the container once or twice (ever so gently) to make sure he was still alive since we couldn't hook him up to anything to check his vital signs, and he moved ever so slightly, letting me know he was still with us. One of our fears was that by keeping him in captivity, he might die rather than live out the appointed life God gave him in his natural environment.

Throughout the day he almost seemed to be "nesting." Despite his seeming inactivity, he managed to get his leaves situated as they needed to be, and by five o'clock I could see tiny, delicate strands that he apparently produced as part of God's plan for the change that has already begun to take place. I wanted to take a picture of him; however, my camera is really not designed for the type of close up I would need to take. Also, I was afraid of how the flash might affect him.

I don't know what tomorrow will bring; I don't get to babysit him at night. I think we'll see much more of a cocoon - maybe it will be complete or perhaps just partially complete by tomorrow morning. I'm looking forward to what tomorrow will bring, though I feel sad at what I perceive as the end of Bob's life. I know that he is really not dying, just moving on to a new stage in his existence.

Bob's story is really a miniature of our own lives as God has ordained them to be. God has created us; and throughout our lives, we will change. If we heed God's call, we will become new creatures while still in our earthly bodies. We will be changed, and some of those changes should be visible to others. As we near the end of our earthly lives (assuming we do not meet an untimely end), we will probably begin to slow down (though it will probably not be an overnight event as it was for the caterpillar), and people may even comment later that they saw signs of our lives drawing to an end, changes in our behavior. And just as the caterpillar will not die but will instead be renewed into a new life, we too will not truly die. We will move from our earthly life in our earthly bodies to a new body that will never die and life eternal with Jesus Christ in Heaven.

Isn't it amazing how God gives us this glimpse of his eternal plan for us in the life of a little caterpillar?

Blessings to all.

Something Beautiful - God's Amazing Creation

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:35:00 +0000

I know there is beauty all around us, but we (I) often do not take the time to notice it. The beautiful things of life are sometimes overlooked - sometimes until it is too late.

This week I had the privilege of seeing something that I found to be truly beautiful - breathtaking! I may have walked past it many times without noticing it, or past something very similar to it; however, fortunately, a little boy took the time to make sure that the busy adults took notice of this beautiful creature.

This is what I am talking about -

The coloring is so striking, so fantastic, that the caterpillar doesn't look real.

As you can see, the caterpillar has broad black bands with more narrow pale yellow stripes. Its head, tail (back end) and under parts (feet) are orange. It eats leaves and spends a lot of time crawling around among the leaves and up and down the strong stems/branches that are in the bottle He moves very quickly and has no fear of people.

Here's a close-up with good lighting -

I've always said that the miracle of a baby should be all the proof anyone needs to know that God exists. I think this little caterpillar is further proof that there is a magnificent God who created all living things. No big bang or theory of evolution could have set in motion the beauty and the wonder of life that we have on earth. Yes, we have messed it up; but God's creation was perfect and as we look around us we find glimpses of that beauty, that perfection, to remind of of Him.

Blessings to all!
I hope yo enjoy the pictures; by the way, his name is Bob.

Beautiful Christian Sisters

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 14:20:00 +0000

I received this today from a friend and decided to share it will you. I hope you enjoy it.

BEAUTIFUL CHRISTIAN SISTER
By Maya Angelou

'A woman's heart should be so hidden in Christ
That a man should have to seek Him first to find her.'

When I say.... 'I am a Christian' I'm not shouting 'I'm clean living,'
I'm whispering 'I was lost, Now I'm found and forgiven.'

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble and need Christ to be my guide.

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak and need His strength to carry on.

When I say.. 'I am a Christian' I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed and need God to clean my mess.

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I'm not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are far too visible, but God believes I am worth it.

When I say.... 'I am a Christian' I still feel the sting of pain...
I have my share of heartaches, so I call upon His name.

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I'm not holier than thou,
I'm just a simple sinner Who received God's good grace, somehow!

Pretty is as Pretty does... But beautiful is just plain beautiful!

TODAY IS BEAUTIFUL CHRISTIAN SISTERS' DAY- TAG; YOU'RE IT!

I have posted this for the BEAUTIFUL WOMEN who will read it; if you share this with other women, you will boost their self esteem, and they will know that you care about them.

Blessings to all!

How Do You Live Your Dash?

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 00:02:00 +0000

I came across this poem a number of years ago and thought it made an excellent point. I think we lean toward those things that speak to us in a special way even if we will not admit what they are saying to us.

I used this poem with students at one point hoping they would give some thought to how they were living their lives before there was too much room for regret. I doubt though that they gave too much thought to it at the time, but perhaps they will remember it at some point through the years.

The poem is written here for your enjoyment and whatever you chose to take from it.

How Do You Live Your Dash?

I read of a man who stood to speak
At the funeral of a friend.
Her referred to the dates on her tombstone
From the beginning...to the end.
He noted that first came her date of birth
And spoke the following date with tears.
But he said what mattered most of all
Was the dash between those years. (1930-1999)

For that dash represents all the time
That she spent alive on earth.
And now only those who love her
Know what that little line is worth.
For it matters not how much we own;
The cars...the houses...the cash,
What matters is how we live and love
And how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard...
Are there things you'd like to change?
For you never know how much time is left,
That can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough
To consider what's true and real,
And always try to understand
The way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger,
And show appreciation more
And love the people in our lives
Like we've never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect,
And more often wear a smile...
Remembering that this special dash
Might only last awhile.

So, when your eulogy's being read
Your life's actions to rehash...
Would you be proud of the things they say
About how you spent your dash?

Author Unknown

I still enjoy reading this poem; I hope you enjoyed it too.

Blessings to all!

Old Barnes

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 21:09:00 +0000

The following is from an email sent to me by a friend (he thought I was old enough to appreciate it). It had beautiful pictures with it; unfortunately, I could not copy them. I did, however, discover how to put my own pictures in this post. I hope you enjoy the message and the old barns.

Old Barns, Old People and Old Friends

A stranger came by the other day with an offer that set me to thinking. He wanted to buy the old barn that sits out by the highway.
I told him right off he was crazy.

He was a city type, you could tell by his clothes, his car, his hands, and the way he talked. He said he was driving by and saw that beautiful barn sitting out in the tall grass and wanted to know if it was for sale. I told him he had a funny idea of beauty.

Sure, it was a handsome building in its day. But then, there's been a lot of winters pass with their snow and ice and howling wind. The summer sun's beat down on that old barn till all the paint's gone, and the wood has turned silver gray. Now the old building leans a good deal, looking kind of tired.

Yet, that fellow called it beautiful.

That set me to thinking. I walked out to the field and just stood there,
gazing at that old barn. The stranger said he planned to use the lumber to line the walls of his den (what a shame - the barn was beautiful) in a new country home he's building down the road. He said you couldn't get paint that beautiful. Only years of standing in the weather, bearing the storms and scorching sun - only that can produce beautiful barn wood.

It came to me then. We're a lot like that, you and I. Only it's on the inside that the beauty grows with us. Sure we turn silver gray too... and lean a bit more than we did when we were young and full of sap.
But the Good Lord knows what He's doing. And as the years pass, He's busy using the hard weather of our lives, the dry spells and the stormy seasons to do a job of beautifying our souls that nothing else can produce.

They took the old barn down today and hauled it away to beautify a rich man's house. And I reckon someday you and I'll be hauled off to Heaven to take on whatever chores the good Lord has for us on the Great Sky Ranch.

And I suspect we'll be more beautiful then for the seasons we've been through here... And just maybe even add a bit of beauty to our Father's house.

May there be peace within you today. May you trust God that you are
exactly where you are meant to be.

And..................I do sincerely Thank God for my wonderful friends and
family who care about me even though I show signs of weathering.

I hope you enjoyed reading this. It is so easy to find beauty in old things; however, we often have trouble seeing beauty in ourselves as we grow old.

Blessings to all!

And the Children Shall Lead them

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 20:06:00 +0000

"Out of the mouth of babes..."

This morning was Youth Sunday, and a number of young people from age four to nineteen participated in the service. They did a lot of the usual things - read Scripture, gave various readings, led praise and worship, prayed, collected the offering, etc. There was a group of the youngest children who did the usual thing. They had a song to sing; and while in practice they sang out lustily, in front of family and friends they barely opened their mouths. Everyone thought this was cute, of course, which it was (except for the teachers who prepared them for their part) - even the singing that could barely be heard was appreciated.

Despite the fact that the youth were participating in and leading the service, the pastor was to bring the message. Shortly before time for the message, a young men named Micah Carey came to the microphone to read a poem entitled God's Laws (I assumed it was a poem he had found somewhere). This is what he read:

God's laws are perfect;
If I obey them, I will be strong.

God's laws are always right;
If I obey them, I will be wise;
I will always know the right thing to do.

God's laws are fair;
If I obey them, I will be happy.

God's laws are better than gold;
They are sweeter than honey.

As I listened, I was touched by the words Micah spoke.

A couple of other items in the program occurred before the pastor took his place for the sermon. When the he stood up to speak, the pastor's first words were a comment on Micah's poem; he said how much the words of the poem had touched him. He went on to say that in seminary he had taken a course which dealt with simple things, simple words spoken that teach us life lessons - words that immediately touch our hearts without need for a lot of explanation or "sermonizing." The pastor then said that he was going to put his intended sermon aside and ask Micah to come back to the microphone to read his poem again in the hope that everyone would give his complete attention to the words of the poem.

The words of this poem are simple but powerful. God's laws are perfect, and they give us strength because if we follow them, we will not be debilitated by guilt and shame. God's laws are always right; a wise person knows this and follows them. Also, since God's laws are right, we don't have to wonder what to do in a situation. We know what is right, and we do it since we are wise. God's laws are fair. We all hunger for fairness in a world that is anything but fair. Since God's laws are fair, we will be happy when we follow them. God's laws are better than gold and sweeter than honey. There are many things that we seek after; but since God's laws are better than gold and sweeter than honey, what could we possibly value more than His laws?

After church I asked Micah about the words he had shared with us, and he told me that his mother Melita had helped him with it based on an article she had read on the Laws of God. I then told them both how much I appreciated their efforts and how important I thought those truths are.

I want my grandchildren to read the poem and to understand the rightness of and importance of following God's laws. If they will live according to the truths of Micah's words, they will be strong - wise - happy - and have the very best.

This was a great morning; I hope your morning was great as well.

Blessings to all.

Setting Your Priorities

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 12:56:00 +0000

The information below was posted by Seth Godin; I received it via email since I subscribe to his blog. I though you might find the information helpful; since regardless of what one is involved in, having a "list" or "prioritizing" what needs to be done would undoubtedly be helpful. If you find this post helpful, you can go to http://sethgodin.typepad.com/ to view the complete blog.

What should you do next?

Is it better to email an existing customer, send a brochure to a prospect or improve your product a bit? Should you tweet or post a new blog post? Should you have a meeting to coordinate your team or spend ten minutes returning phone calls instead?

This is a unheralded skill, something successful people do really well and others struggle with.

How do you decide what to do next?

One of the challenges we have in reducing carbon emissions is that (as far as I know) there's no priority list. Which is worse: leaving your computer on all night or not having the windows weatherstripped? Which is worse: driving a car to Boston or going by plane with 200 other people? Is it worth driving across town to buy a pint of organic strawberries or should I get the ones from the nearby store that came from California? If you have a thousand dollars to invest in making a reduction in greenhouse gasses, should you buy new tires, switch to local foods or perhaps send $900 to help a factory in China switch away from coal and then use the other one (I made a change here in the dollar amount - I think there was a typo) hundred to have a massage?

Without a list, you can see how making intelligent decisions is impossible, so we resort to confusing activity with productivity.

Back to your office: do you have a list? Have you figured out which metric you're trying to improve? Can you measure the impact of the choices you make all day?

I see this mistake in business development all the time. Assume for a moment that the goal of someone in this department is to maximize profit. Why then would this group spend most of its time tweaking existing deals (looking for a 3% improvement in yield) instead of spending the same time and effort doing new, game-changing deals?

From Carolyn: -While the thrust of this post is business related, the overall concept works for anything (or virtually) anything; I know this information can help me and can probably help others also. Seth's tip does not contain new information, but sometimes we have to hear something at the "right" time for us to finally make use of it.

Blessings to all

New Blog to Check Out

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 20:36:00 +0000

The article below is found on a blog titled "gifted for LEADERSHIP A COMMUNITY OF CHRISTIAN WOMEN"
http://blog.christianitytoday.com/giftedforleadership/2009/09/kyria_chosen_women_called_to_i.html#more

I decided to share this post with you, since I found it interesting and saw myself in it - the never fitting in part, at least. I've also searched for things through the years that I felt were truly interesting though I was often disappointed. A few years ago, however, I found a Christian magazine that really "lit" my fire - at least for a while (several years [I told everybody about it] - I even got a bulk shipment for the women in my church). I couldn't wait to get my hands on the by-monthly issue and literally devoured it (with my eyes and mind). Then they changed it - improved it(?). It went from simple (in appearance) yet deep in content to glitzy (in appearance) and no longer captivating for me. The problem may well be with me - not the magazine, but I felt that it had changed; and I felt guilty for giving it only a cursory read through.

I'll stop "talking" now and let you get to the meat of what I want to share with you. I hope you will enjoy the article and take a stroll over to kyria.com - I'm going there to see what it has to offer. Carolyn

September 3, 2009 |
Kyria: Chosen Women, Called to Influence by Caryn Rivadeneira

When a friend asked me recently what I knew about a certain ministry for children (that shall remain nameless), I sent back a scathing email about how much I hated it as a child. How ostracized I’d felt and how un-Jesus-y I found the whole thing to be, in hindsight. About five minutes later, however, I sent her back another email, apologizing. Because I realized after sending it that in my very cynical and strange walk of faith as a child, I never found a ministry that fit me—that ministered to who I was and what I liked to do. So, I told her, she probably she should ask someone else.

Fast forward to my life as a grown up: my view of many church ministries hasn’t changed much, frankly. I still find myself not fitting in to most places, I still feel like the misfit, and I still feel like I’m the only woman in the world who does not like crafts (though I know I’m not, since we’ve talked about this on this blog plenty before!). But it’s not only been in church ministries that I’ve felt this. So often, I’ve looked at the publications for Christian women and wondered who on earth they were for. What kind of woman reads (or watches) this? I’d ask.

Though every so often, something amazing happens: I come a resource that makes me say (to quote my 2-year-old), “Now we’re talkin’!” Which is what I thought when I first heard about GFL’s new sister site, KYRIA.

As Ginger Kolbaba, KYRIA’s founding editor, told me the things the site would include—a monthly digizine centered around topics that required some grappling and were intended to start conversations; a blog that addressed hot topics and reviewed products and did all things a blog should do; and articles throughout the site written by some of the best and brightest minds on topics ranging from practical tips to reflective essays—my heart started beating a bit faster.

Because KYRIA is for women who care about the world around them, for women who feel called by God to change the world they care about, for women like me and you. KYRIA gets its name from a word in the original language of the Bible. In Greek it means “honored woman.” The epistle of 2 John, for instance, is addressed to one such “kyria,” translated there as “chosen lady.” They chose this name because, just like the biblical KYRIA, it conveys something about the place of women in the life and ministry of the body of Christ, his church. We are chosen, called, and gifted for ministry.

So head on over and welcome our new sister site Kyria.com. Let us know what you think!

Caryn Rivadeneira, managing editor of Gifted for Leadership, is author of Mama's Got a Fake I.D.: How to Reveal the Real You Behind All That Mom. She and her family live in the western suburbs of Chicago. Visit her at her blog or The Mommy Revolution blog. Posted by Caryn Rivadeneira on September 3, 2009

Reposted by me with full credit given to Caryn Rivadeneira
Blessings to all.

The One Flaw in Women

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 01:03:00 +0000

A nice poem for women to read. Hope you enjoy it.

The One Flaw in Women

Shared via AddThis

Thanks, Lucy

http://www.lucyannmoll.com/

Widget

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 15:28:00 +0000

Efusjon Opportunity

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 23:44:00 +0000

Take a few minutes to watch the Efusjon Opportunity Video.

Efusjon corporate is led by persons of integrity who have come up with a great product and an excellent plan where anyone willing to work can achieve excellent financial reward.

Stand by Your Friends

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 21:57:00 +0000

I've posted items by Lucy before. If you haven't visited her site yet, do yourself a favor and read what she has to say.

Stand by Your Friends

Shared via AddThis
http://www.lucyannmoll.com/beautifulwarrior/

Whom Do You Follow?

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 23:01:00 +0000

Some people seem to be natural follows, but others may say that they do not follow anyone. On the surface, that may sound good - not being a follower, but is it?

First and foremost, we are to be followers of Christ; I want that to be perfectly clear. But God has provided guides for us to help us as we follow Christ. He has given us His Word, which tells us about the lives of persons who have found favor with Him.

Our ladies' group at church has been studying the book of Philippians for quite some time (summer break caused a two month extension) using Experiencing God's Peace by Elizabeth George. It is a simple book - very easy to follow, the the truths found in it are anything but simple.

As we study Philippians, we are learning more about the life the the Apostle Paul. I have always liked Paul, but now have a much greater appreciation for him, for his commitment to Christ, and for his willingness to give all - including him very life - in his walk with the Lord. Chapter 3:17 of Philippians says, "Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern."

Paul is definitely telling us to follow him; not because he considered himself anyone special, but because he realized that while in an earthy sense he had stood far above other men - Philippians 3:4-6 says "...circumcised on the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews, concerning the law a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless" - despite all this, in any sense that really mattered, he was totally unworthy. I Timothy 1:15 says, "...Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief." Paul called himself the "chief sinner," yet he had met Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus and was now willing to "follow" Him to death if necessary.

Therefore, following Paul's example and his teachings is a good thing since he was following Jesus. Paul then goes on to tell us to "note" or take note of those persons who "so walk" - those persons who are walking as Paul walked and to follow their example as well. We need to take note of those persons we know who are following Jesus, those persons who are walking as Paul walked and to be encouraged by them.

There is "nothing new under the sun." On our own, we are not going to come up with a better plan for how to live than what God has given to us in His Word. Since we have God's Word telling us how to walk, giving us examples like Paul to follow, we really have no excuse - those who profess to be Christians - to be walking as the world walks. We make life complicated, but it's just that simple; follow God's Word and the examples of those persons who found favor with Jo,, and we will bring honor and glory to Him. After all, that is why we are here in the first place - to glorify and honor God.

Whom do you follow, and who is following you? Something to think about.

Blessings to all. Scripture taken from the New King James Version

"Biggest Little Stressors" for Men

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 14:33:00 +0000

For an interesting article on things that create stress for men, by Mike Zimmerman of Men's Health, go to http://tiny.cc/ezNqs.

Blessings to all.

Writing Devotionals

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 12:50:00 +0000

If you are interested in writing devotionals and would like to have them considered for publication in Internet Cafe, read the section below taken from their blog/site.

Guidelines For Writers

The purpose of The Internet Café is to unite women of faith, regardless of our stage in life, our roles as women, our hair color, our political party, or the church we attend. We believe that one of the best ways to do this is to encourage each other in faith, by our spoken and written words accompanied by a short study each day to challenge and motivate you.

Most of our devotions are written by regular monthly contributors but we do accept submissions for use in guest spots. Also, from time to time a writer will step down to pursue other interests that God has placed on her heart and will need to be replaced. That is why submissions are important.

We are seeking devotions that will capture the interest of Christian women and inspire them to pursue the heart of our Father. Devotions should:

* be uplifting and void of condemnation.
* reflect a Biblical perspective.
* contain Bible verses (along with its reference and the translation it was taken from.)
* contain a short prayer.
* have questions to ponder at the end of the post that would welcome dialogue with our readers.

We are interested in inspiring devotions that share the God moments in day-to-day life; the honest transparency that brings you closer to the heart of Jesus; and words that guide readers into Biblical truth. We are not interested in publishing work that is written in an academic tone with the purpose to solely teach as though in a Sunday school setting. We must reach our readers and make the word relevant by using personal stories, experiences, and analogies. We also do not accept poetry. While we enjoy a theological type of writing, this blog is based around devotional material.

Devotions should be approximately 400-700 words in length, and should be well proofed for errors before submission.

Authors must own the rights to any works that are submitted.

Devotions must be submitted in a Google doc, Microsoft Word for Windows format or .pdf files with the author’s name, telephone number, URL, and email address marked at the top. Authors should also include a short bio and photograph.

We will try our best to consider all submissions, but unfortunately, we will not be able to include all devotions that are sent to us.

Please note that all writing is done on a volunteer basis.

Please email your submissions to:
lori@internetcafedevotions.com
http://www.internetcafedevotions.com/2005/01/guidelines-for-writers.html

Hope this is of benefit to someone.

Blessings to all!

True Beauty in a Melt-Down?

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 01:58:00 +0000

True Beauty in a Melt-Down?

Shared via AddThis

Mood-Enhanging Food: Yum!

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 00:28:00 +0000

Mood-Enhanging Food: Yum!

Shared via AddThis