Monday, February 25, 2008
The Pure in Heart Shall See God
I BELIEVE IT!
Matthew 5:8
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
I was telling you about my young friend in my earlier Blog “A Blast from the Past”. I have taken quite an interest in him because he is usually so upbeat! I find out new things about him every time I see him at church. I have just discovered that he is a Christian, that he can not read or write, and can not spell or write his name. He was born of 9 children and he was the youngest and when he was born part of his brain did not develop. But these things do not hold him back. He has a part time job and every time the church is open he’s there and a delight to be around! There is so much joy and laughter!
Last night we had a prayer service and got in groups to pray for others. Well, of course I wanted to be in his small group. There were 4 of us. One of our pastors did the main prayer, but afterwards I asked the pastor if I could pray also because I had some very heavy burdens on my mind concerning my family. I prayed, but quickly broke out into distress and concern, and this young man, my friend, patted me on the back and said like you would sooth a baby “ssshhh, ssshhh.” I was so touched by his mercy and kindness. His mother is very sick, and if there are Christians out there praying reading this, please pray for her, that God will comfort her with peace and she will get better. You don’t need her name, God knows it.
I think the best way to describe what I have seen in this unique young man is written in the scriptures.
7`God makes happy those who are kind. He will be kind to them.
8`God makes happy those who have clean hearts. They will see God.
9`God makes happy those who make peace between people. They will be called God's sons.
Matthew 5:7-9
Worldwide English (New Testament)
Let God bless you with a wonderful day. He’s all around you and he loves you
Monday, February 25, 2008
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Drinking ALCOHOL..A Not So Smart Decision and..The Wisdom of a Son
Drinking ALCOHOL
A Not So Smart Decision and
The Wisdom of a Son
Why Temptation Is Like Ice Cream
“Temptation can have an overpowering attraction and appeal. It can look fabulous and at first taste is very inviting—but in the long run its effects are deadly.”
This is a painful story for me to tell because I am sharing my vulnerability and most of us don’t like to do that, but it needs to be said. The reason I feel it needs to be said is because I hope it will help someone to make a better decision about drinking alcohol and if so, I feel I will have succeeded.
My History:
Before I became a Christian I used to drink. I didn’t drink all the time but when I did I would always drink too much, I would get extremely sick and wind up in the hospital because I would usually black out. It was not pretty. Some people have a high tolerence for it, some people don't. The doctor finally told my Mother that if I did not stop that I was going to kill myself because I had such a high blood toxicity level. Well, when I turned my life over to God at age 19 I turned the alcohol over to God also and chose not to drink anymore.
I kept my vow not to drink, and so that you will understand that was almost 30 years ago.
Now the not so wise decisions:
Over the past, I’d say 3 years some light social drinking has been introduced into my family. Not really the hard stuff (but does it matter?), but mostly wine and champagne. My husband, who has stronger convictions than I most of the time, he and I would drink pretty lightly on just very few occasions with some friends and family and I had introduced some champagne and that cheap “tutti fruity” wine (where probably if you drank the whole bottle it would not even phase you, like I said “the cheap stuff”) into our home. This not so smart decision had become more regular over the last few months about once every 2 weeks.
You may care less about this but it says in the Bible “not to open the door and give the devil a foothold”. Well here I had swung the door wide open and was ROLLING OUT THE RED CARPET!
An Ugly Picture
Two days ago, on Valentine’s Day my husband had made reservations at a very nice steakhouse for dinner. I really didn’t ask my husband if this was to be a date, so I asked my teenage son if he’d like to come along since this was his favorite restaurant. He most heartily agreed and my husband was to pick us up at 4:30 p.m. and we were to be there by 5:00 p.m. I knew that was not time enough to get there for the reservation, but I just kept my mouth shut…….temporarily. So here we are on our way at 4:45 p.m. and there was no way we were going to make this reservation. We were also lost because part of the highway was closed and I was pretty mad because I knew it would be a 2 hour wait everywhere else, so I looked back at my son and said “do you mind eating at Denny’s?! Ha!” There’s nothing at all wrong with Denny’s, I eat there all the time, but it was not my love choice for Valentine’s Day!
To make a long story longer, we finally got there late and did get seated right away, but because I was so perturbed I ordered a whole bottle of wine. I still have not allowed my husband or my son to tell me how much it cost. Because here is what followed………
I had not eaten much that day and I pretty much gulped that first glass like a cold Pepsi cola on a hot day. The second glass with our meal I drank a little slower, because I was already starting to feel the effects…and they were bad. I got up to go to the bathroom and literally stumbled and could barely walk. What, I thought, did that waiter give us??? I came back to the table and told my husband I had to immediately go to the car. He and my son were going to eat dessert and then they would leave. So I left the restaurant alone and staggered like a hobo to the car and once inside the car had to open the car door several times because I was so sick. I felt terrible and I was mad at myself also.
My family finally came to the car and my date handed me a bag. No, it wasn’t a gift….it was a bag because I was so sick. We then stopped at a convenience store on the way home to get some gas.
The wisdom of a Son
I felt so bad and as we were sitting in the car my son seeing this whole, not so wonderful and eventful evening, says to me “Mom, you look miserable.” And I told him Yes, I was absolutely miserable. And this dear teenager was very concerned and yet also making a very life-changing observation.
I turned around and said to my son that I was sorry for being such a bad influence, that I had made a stupid mistake and I hoped he’d forgive me.
My son said to me, “Mom, you don’t need to apologize….because of what I’ve seen tonight I will NEVER drink ever."
So the next day after being sick all night, and to add I was sick all the next night too, I called my son to the kitchen. I said to him, “Open the refrigerator and get that bag out in the bottom drawer." He got it.......it was a bottle of wine. I said to him, throw that away and we will never drink or have alcohol in our house ever again. He agreed.
How far down the road do you have to go to decide on the right path?
Alcohol is not glamorous as the world would lead you to believe. It wrecks individuals and it wrecks those around them. Most people say you have to acquire a taste for alcohol.....Because you know it really just doesn’t taste that good when you first try it. When I was a child I hated green peas and after the attempt to eat them, there was going to be no acquiring. I don’t to this day eat green peas. Why bother?
Happy Belated Valentine’s Day.
Remember, we become who we are by our choices. What will be your choices for a better life? I made one of mine on Valentine’s Day. Thank you, God, for opening my eyes to the effect I was having on my life and especially my son, who sometimes can indeed be a wise young man.
A Not So Smart Decision and
The Wisdom of a Son
Why Temptation Is Like Ice Cream
“Temptation can have an overpowering attraction and appeal. It can look fabulous and at first taste is very inviting—but in the long run its effects are deadly.”
This is a painful story for me to tell because I am sharing my vulnerability and most of us don’t like to do that, but it needs to be said. The reason I feel it needs to be said is because I hope it will help someone to make a better decision about drinking alcohol and if so, I feel I will have succeeded.
My History:
Before I became a Christian I used to drink. I didn’t drink all the time but when I did I would always drink too much, I would get extremely sick and wind up in the hospital because I would usually black out. It was not pretty. Some people have a high tolerence for it, some people don't. The doctor finally told my Mother that if I did not stop that I was going to kill myself because I had such a high blood toxicity level. Well, when I turned my life over to God at age 19 I turned the alcohol over to God also and chose not to drink anymore.
I kept my vow not to drink, and so that you will understand that was almost 30 years ago.
Now the not so wise decisions:
Over the past, I’d say 3 years some light social drinking has been introduced into my family. Not really the hard stuff (but does it matter?), but mostly wine and champagne. My husband, who has stronger convictions than I most of the time, he and I would drink pretty lightly on just very few occasions with some friends and family and I had introduced some champagne and that cheap “tutti fruity” wine (where probably if you drank the whole bottle it would not even phase you, like I said “the cheap stuff”) into our home. This not so smart decision had become more regular over the last few months about once every 2 weeks.
You may care less about this but it says in the Bible “not to open the door and give the devil a foothold”. Well here I had swung the door wide open and was ROLLING OUT THE RED CARPET!
An Ugly Picture
Two days ago, on Valentine’s Day my husband had made reservations at a very nice steakhouse for dinner. I really didn’t ask my husband if this was to be a date, so I asked my teenage son if he’d like to come along since this was his favorite restaurant. He most heartily agreed and my husband was to pick us up at 4:30 p.m. and we were to be there by 5:00 p.m. I knew that was not time enough to get there for the reservation, but I just kept my mouth shut…….temporarily. So here we are on our way at 4:45 p.m. and there was no way we were going to make this reservation. We were also lost because part of the highway was closed and I was pretty mad because I knew it would be a 2 hour wait everywhere else, so I looked back at my son and said “do you mind eating at Denny’s?! Ha!” There’s nothing at all wrong with Denny’s, I eat there all the time, but it was not my love choice for Valentine’s Day!
To make a long story longer, we finally got there late and did get seated right away, but because I was so perturbed I ordered a whole bottle of wine. I still have not allowed my husband or my son to tell me how much it cost. Because here is what followed………
I had not eaten much that day and I pretty much gulped that first glass like a cold Pepsi cola on a hot day. The second glass with our meal I drank a little slower, because I was already starting to feel the effects…and they were bad. I got up to go to the bathroom and literally stumbled and could barely walk. What, I thought, did that waiter give us??? I came back to the table and told my husband I had to immediately go to the car. He and my son were going to eat dessert and then they would leave. So I left the restaurant alone and staggered like a hobo to the car and once inside the car had to open the car door several times because I was so sick. I felt terrible and I was mad at myself also.
My family finally came to the car and my date handed me a bag. No, it wasn’t a gift….it was a bag because I was so sick. We then stopped at a convenience store on the way home to get some gas.
The wisdom of a Son
I felt so bad and as we were sitting in the car my son seeing this whole, not so wonderful and eventful evening, says to me “Mom, you look miserable.” And I told him Yes, I was absolutely miserable. And this dear teenager was very concerned and yet also making a very life-changing observation.
I turned around and said to my son that I was sorry for being such a bad influence, that I had made a stupid mistake and I hoped he’d forgive me.
My son said to me, “Mom, you don’t need to apologize….because of what I’ve seen tonight I will NEVER drink ever."
So the next day after being sick all night, and to add I was sick all the next night too, I called my son to the kitchen. I said to him, “Open the refrigerator and get that bag out in the bottom drawer." He got it.......it was a bottle of wine. I said to him, throw that away and we will never drink or have alcohol in our house ever again. He agreed.
How far down the road do you have to go to decide on the right path?
Alcohol is not glamorous as the world would lead you to believe. It wrecks individuals and it wrecks those around them. Most people say you have to acquire a taste for alcohol.....Because you know it really just doesn’t taste that good when you first try it. When I was a child I hated green peas and after the attempt to eat them, there was going to be no acquiring. I don’t to this day eat green peas. Why bother?
Happy Belated Valentine’s Day.
Remember, we become who we are by our choices. What will be your choices for a better life? I made one of mine on Valentine’s Day. Thank you, God, for opening my eyes to the effect I was having on my life and especially my son, who sometimes can indeed be a wise young man.
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