Well I'm Back in the Game-Lifeology

The last few weeks have been so eventful. So many things I have wanted to blog about but just couldn't get to a computer. Now it's gone... But just something that I got to talk to Cole about yesterday I wanted to mention. (I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to have such a wonderful conversation with him.)

But the important thing I wanted to say is that we are called to build on what our parents have built. Our parents did their best to teach us. Their goal was (and is) for us to do a little better than they did in life. Where they made mistakes they want us to succeed. What they knew about life, they tried to pass on to us. Now we are called to build on that. We should be growing and learning and striving to be better, standing on the shoulders of our parents and reaching higher.

Now with our kids we want them to be more than we are, to do better than we have done. Really for the first time Cole and I got to really talk about that. I want him to know that I am a flawed person. I am not a perfect parent and I sin against him and I sometimes parent from anger or I make mistakes. My goal is to work through that with him and encourage him to develop better self control than I have, to be more disciplined than I am. These are important skills I never really ever even thought about.

Think about it. Lack of self-control is probably THE biggest weakness a person can have. Once your emotions have been stirred up you are at your weakest. Instead of weeks or months of temptation, satan only needs to give you a bump, just a little nudge to send you over the edge.

What are areas you need to have self-control? Anger? Greed? Men, (and women) is sexual temptation something you struggle with? It only takes a situation for your emotions to be stirred and satan can give you a little bump and you jump into terrible sin.

Let's take anger for example. When your anger is stirred up, you HAVE to stop for a second and gather your thoughts. You have to settle your heart before you even speak a single word. In my job I see adults come to me like children throwing temper tantrums. They are so blinded by their emotions, they are not even capable of working through the problem. All logic is blinded by the anger. I have to do it for them. Remove the emotions and look at the basics of the problem. I have to assure them it will be OK and we will work through the problem. I then have to ask them the questions they should be able to ask themselves. What happened? How did it happen? What needs to happen now to make it right? How can we prevent it from happening again? But, because the emotions are not under control, what should be a simple problem to solve becomes world war three.

What's the source of the wild emotions? Sin. Our selfishness, our love of self, pride, insecurity.... Be upright and confident before the Lord always doing right and speaking truth, deal lovingly with others. Yes, even the hateful ones.... They are just sinful hearts with no self control. Be patient with them. Think of them as they are... Adults are just children who grew up right? Maybe no one ever taught them self-control or how to act. You can be that influence that helps them work through problems.

Mom was always saying "Go with the flow". Really good advice that has been very helpful. Especially in the sense that it implies a calm demeanor. You have heard the saying "level heads prevail". Self-control, know it, love it, live it....

Remember to build on where your parents have lifted you up. Let's go forward not backwards. No matter your age there is always time to turn. It all begins with a heart surrendered to Christ. Then read your Bible and grow and learn.... "Lifeology" is a class we should all be enrolled in. Almost no one is teaching how we should be living before God. You must seek out this wisdom. It's all right there in the Bible. Principles, commands, freedoms....you will find what you need for every one of life's situations. Good news you have the best teacher of all... The Holy Spirit will teach you as you study and seek wisdom.

Just a side note-Did you know the pastor of the nations largest congregation doesn't even study theology? Wow! These people who are leading us in churches are not even studying theological issues. As we know from scripture, that is how satan works.... feel-good, looks-right religion that is close but is not the faith that will get us to heaven. Counterfeit faith will lead you to hell. Have you examined the differences and the issues of Christianity? Can you spot a counterfeit faith... Just like a fake $20 bill will have Jackson's picture on it, a false Christianity will have Christ in it. Be VERY careful.

Can you help?

Even very small amounts are appreciated!

Crisis In Buduburam

Well what started out as a good friendship with two Liberian refugees in Buduburam has become a love for an entire group of people in a very difficult situation. Now the concern is very high since they Ghanian government is wanting the refugee camp closed and wanting the people to either go back to Liberia or become citizens of Ghana. The United Nations (UNCR) has not stepped in yet to help in this situation. Some food aid sent by them was reportedly kept by the Ghanian government and the Ghanian government substituted corn for the camp. Water is scarce, medicine is pretty much non-existent. Now "police" or armed guards have entered the camp in trucks. Anyone who is protesting the $100 offer (settlement) to leave is being arrested and carried away to an unknown location by the guards. Yesterday morning over 700 women and children were taken away. I believe through local radio reports that they are being taken to the Youth Leadership camp in Accra.

So Edward and the children of Abandon Child Ministries are trying to get back home to Liberia. Stanley is also trying to quickly get out of the camp. Problem is a bus ticket is $300 and many dangerous miles for several days. Even then there is no food for them to make the journey home. What will happen to them and how will the get home? My heart breaks for these (mostly) kind people.

There is so much corruption in African governments. No wonder groups of people can not trust each other. Only Christ can save Africa. Only if hearts are changed and all operate with motives that are submissive to Christ and work to honor and glorify His name. Instead selfishness and all kinds of unrestrained wickedness and evil have torn this continent apart causing some men to act worse than wild animals.

Please pray for them and provide a small amount to help them if you can.

Expanding Earth Theory

**I don't believe in an earth that is millions of years old, so I don't buy into this theory as it is, but I post it because it's an interesting view**

I believe that the Genesis flood had a lot to do with the dramatic changes that helped shape the Earth we live in today. Remember we trust the Bible over the theory's of man, but....

I like to view all sides of a question.... I don't believe it, but again it's a new theory I have never heard before.... Tectonic plates aren't moving, but the Earth is actually expanding....

Update 2/25/08

I have been reluctant to post just because I don't want Samuel's pictures to slide further down the page. Thanks to all who have prayed for and helped them!

I have been sporadic with emailing the Daily Prayers. I am just considering the future of it. It was started for Emma and then continued with Thad. Now that they are both well I wonder if I should continue. There are always needs to pray for and I know obviously the need for us to pray together is there, but I put way too much pressure on myself to do well with them.

When I take a day off it is soooo nice to just get to bed on time. I think as I get older and busier rest becomes more precious to me. I often feel bad because I think that means I love my rest more than I love the Lord or care about our friends and family on the prayer list. That's not the case of course.

I also need to spend more time teaching my own family. What kind of fool would I be who spends so much time trying to teach everyone else, but wouldn't even teach his own family. Then again who the heck am I to be teaching anyone! I am just a person who needs to be taught more from the Bible. I have passed along what I have learned and I will continue to pass along what I am learning here.

I am just really tired right now and feel like I should just keep to myself for a while. You know what I mean....not pressure myself to have to come up with something "spritual" every day.....It can become a trap. That's how people start to think they are more important than they are. They start "coming up" with spiritual insights. Soon it's not even Biblical. I NEVER want to let that happen.

Then again that may just be an excuse. A person walking according to the Spirit in truth shouldn't run into that kind of trouble. Then again maybe that's my problem. I need to dedicate myself more to the Lord. My reading has fallen behind and I have let other things become more important. So I guess I am just realizing I need to get back to the basics and back to my Bible.

The Christian life is a life that demands self-discipline. I have trouble with that. But I have always resolved to get better at it. I just need the Lords help.

Our faith is a journey and the road has twists and turns. I am always so happy to be around good Bible teaching. Nothing on this earth makes me happier than when I am with God's people worshiping and learning and growing in Christ. How does a person get tired and lazy with that?

That's the power of the sickness of sin! It's worse than cancer. It desires to kill you. It makes you lose your appetite for what you need the most.

When I look at "Christianity" in the USA it just makes me sick. There is SO much that is just so offensive to me. It is so far from the pure doctrines of the Bible. On the other hand I have such a strong desire to be one church. But many differences are so big, they just can't be compromised. That really makes me sad. So I get left with a sad feeling that just want to withdraw from the world and mind my own business and let them do their own thing and answer to Christ for it at the judgment. It's a funny tug of war in the mind. That's why we trust in the sovereignty of God and be faithful when opportunities to share Truth come to us.

Ever get feeling a little down? That's ok. Feel like your faith is not where it should be? That's ok too. It happens to all of us. What matters is what you do when you hit that point. Grab your Bible and start to read. Spend some quiet time with God reflecting on His blessings in your life. Pray for your needs and He will guide you according to His Word.

It's Monday, I'm tired and the flu virus has hit our house. I hope I'm not getting it!

Happy Birthday Tatum!


Love you all! Feel free to give me any feedback.

Pictures from Samuel

Daily Prayer 2/7/08

1 Tim 6:17-18 Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. {Instruct them} to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share,

As Americans we are rich. I don't care how tight the money is, by the world's standard, we are all VERY rich.

If you could reduce the worlds population to 100 people, our village would look like this:

60 would be Asian, 12 Europeans, 5 American or Canadians, 8 Latin Americans, 14 Africans

51 of us would be male, 49 would be female
82 would be non-white, 18 would be white
89 would be heterosexual, 11 would be homosexual
33 would call themselves Christian, 67 would be non-Christian

5 of the American's would control over a third of our small villages money.
80 would have sub-standard housing
24 would not have electricity
67 would not be able to read!!!!

1 would have a college education
1 would have HIV

50 of us would be malnourished and one of us will soon die of starvation

33 will not have access to a safe water supply (and the Americans let the faucet run)

1 would be near death
2 would be near birth

My point is this.... This verse above is all of us. Even the poorest of us is really RICH by the worlds standards.

We must define what really matters in life....It's all perspective and as Americans we must admit we live in a land of SO much wealth our perspective has been warped. So even though some of us are rich, we think we are poor.

Be wise with your money and store up riches in heaven, not on this earth.

Why do we work so hard to hold on to what we can not keep? Instead work for the riches which are eternal and can never be taken away.

Take the words of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior to heart:

Matt 6:19 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
Matt 6:20 "But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal;
Matt 6:21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.


Father, teach us! We need You to show us that godliness leads to contentment. It's not easy but we learn it. Once content things of this world lose their value quickly. Judge us not by what we give, but what we keep back from You. Help us to understand that every dollar, every possession, every talent we have is Yours, given to us. It is temporary. We must be good stewards of what You have provided us with. Teach us....we definitely need Your help!

At the same time any money we offer back to You or for Your work, let it be in faith and in joy as an act of worship for what You have done for us on the cross. Teach us that it does not buy us favor with You or the gifts of heaven are never ever for sale, blessings can not be purchased and most importantly it can never, ever open the gates of heaven for us or any family member.

Help us to use our money wisely to further Your Gospel so others can have the blessings of a church to come together in, or have Bibles in their hands or even a very little act of kindness to show another the love of Christ.

This is a very hard thing for us, so we need Your help Lord!

I think of very very dear friends Lord in this world who have SO much less than we do here. I may never ever know their pains and struggles, but I pray they never know our entrapments of materialism!

Meet our basic needs Father and hear the world when they cry "Give us this day our daily bread!"

Thank You Lord Jesus for being the spiritual bread of eternal life! What a feast of grace is available to those who will place faith in Your work on the cross to purchase us from the penalty of sin. Those are the unmeasurable, unfathomable riches we must seek!

Lord hear our plea for Your help and wisdom! Amen.