Never Under Estimate The Power Of Prayer

A couple of months ago I was thinking a lot about life as it is and had been over the past year or so. It seemed like things were crumbling all around me, Including things that were happening to me, my family, friends, and anyone else around me that I talked to. So, One day I handed my Pastor's wife a list of things that I wanted them and the church to pray for.

You see, my family's finances hag gone to pot over the past year because of several unexpected roads that we had to go down, and so did everyone else's around me. My brother and his wife and kids are losing their house and everything else. My youngest sister is going through a divorce that has gotten ugly, financially, custody issues, and involvement of the law. I hated my job and hated even going there. I had gotten sick and had an allergic reaction to a prescription the doctor gave me but took it for a week before I found out what had happened. So then I was in the hospital for a week. I lost two weeks of pay, so here we go again.

God is good and the power of prayer is great. One month ago I left my job of 13 1/2 years. That took a great leap of faith, But you would not believe the rewards. We have our tax return that we are living on, plus I am also going to get back A large sum of money from my 401k. We could probably go 3 or 4 months without me working, but I don't plan on that happening. My brother and sister in law have gotten them a newer vehicle and are currently looking for a new place to live. My sisters divorce has turned for the better, though she may not agree. My parents health problem have turned to the good side. Everything just turned around for the better because God shown His light on us because of a small piece of paper that had some prayer requests written down on them, and because of some faithful servants who believed in the power of prayer and were willing to pray!

God is good, All the time!!!

Different Christmas!

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,Transforming the yard to a winter delight.The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.
The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know, Then thesure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,And I crept to the door just to see who was near.Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.
A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child."What are you doing?" I asked without fear,"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"
For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts..To the window that danced with a warm fire's lightThen he sighed and he said "Its really all right,I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night." "It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,That separates you from the darkest of times.No one had to ask or beg or implore me,I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.My Gramps died at 'Pearl on a day in December,"Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers."My dad stood his watch in the jungles of 'Nam',And now it is my turn and so, here I am.I've not seen my own son in more than a while,But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.
Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,The red, white, and blue... an American flag.I can live through the cold and the being alone,Away from my family, my house and my home.I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.I can carry the weight of killing another,Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..Who stand at the front against any and all,To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall."
"So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright,Your family is waiting and I'll be all right.""But isn't there something I can do, at the least,"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?It seems all too little for all that you've done,For being away from your wife and your son."Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,"Just tell us you love us, and never forget.To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,To stand your own watch, no matter how long.For when we come home, either standing or dead,To know you remember we fought and we bled.Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."

Got Faith???

"Oh what I would do to have the kind of faith it takes to climb out of this boat I'm in, onto the crashing waves. To step out of my comfort zone, into the realm of the unknown where Jesus is, and He's holding out His hand!" Faith the size of a mustard seed can move a mountain.

I feel so incompitent so many times when it comes to faith. I know God. I know His promises. I know what He says about faith and trust and all of that. But, I lose sight of what God can do through my faith!

What could God accomplish through me, or you, with faith that is as small as a grain of mustard seed. In our churches, in our work places, in our homes, in our families? Take a faith check! A mustard seed is not very big!

Heroes

Who is your hero and why???

Thanks

Coming upon Independence Day, I thing that we should all take a little time to reflect. I am sitting on my front porch. 8:35 p.m. 80 degrees. 72 degrees in the house. Watching the sprinkler water the new sod that I put down a week ago. Quite and still, no air moving. Dark blue, storm colored sky to the north. Someone is getting rain! American flag just hanging, not blowing in the wind because there is none. Sipping on a glass of orange Kool-Aid. Laptop on lap. Looking at a Christian website! Talking to neighbors as they walk by! That's good stuff!!!

I have the freedom to do those things. You have the freedom to do those things, at my house or anyone elses that will let you. Why??? Because we live in the United States of America. Preaching??? Hope not! But I just realized that this is a big celebration coming up on the 4th. Many people may not view the holiday the same as I, but it really is a celebration. Those who don't believe that we have something to celebrate should go to China for a while and then return home. I think that they would then agree. I am proud to be an American, and I am so thankful and proud of those who have paid that price. Thank you to all of our veterans and current service men and women. (Breeze is blowing a little now!)

That brings me to another hero to be thankful to and proud of. Jesus Christ! I was in a church service this morning and was in awe for a while. Diamond Rio sang a song called In God We Still Trust. I saw a video to that song and heard it played in church this morning. Wow, how powerful it was! Many people have never heard anything about this song, or heard the song itself. That is because many radio stations refuse to play it. Many people find it offensive and will not listen to it. I'll bet those people aren't offended to walk down the street. To drive down the road as they please. To worship or not worship as they please. Yet so many have forgotten where our freedom comes from.

We can be free, not only from our own government, but the evil one who fights for our souls day after day. We can be free, not only physically, but spiritually and mentally. Please, lets make this holiday a real celebration, not just a paid holiday off of work. Lets remember where our freedom comes from and those who have fought and died to provide us with the freedom we so enjoy! Thank You service men and women, and thank you GOD!!!

Punishment or Mercy

So many times in our lives we don't get our way. Think about this for a minute. When we don't get our way do we ever stop to thing about what might happen if we did. I believe God has mercy on us sometimes when we don't get our way. Maybe we can't handle some of the things that God keeps from blessing us with. My heart goes out to a good friend of mine. He and his wife lost their baby that she was nine and a half weeks pregnant with. Punishment? I don't believe so. I believe, for what ever reason, God did not want them to have that child. Maybe there was a defect in the way the baby was developing. Maybe now is just not the time for them to be having a baby. What ever the reason, I don't believe that God is punishing them. I do believe that God may be saving them from facing something that they can not handle. Again, for whatever reason, God has had mercy on my friends, and I know that that child is now in good hands. God promised that He would never give us more than what we can handle with His help.

Praise and Worship

Anyway, i hope i'm doing this right. i started it once and it went somewhere so i may have a half a post show up somewhere. i'm really posting this to keep myself accountable. i struggle daily with Paul's way of "joy in all things" when things don't go my way. ...and believe me, things haven't gone my way since december 29th. it seems like everyday there's one more thing (at least one more thing) to add to my list of 'things to tick me off'. God's really convicting me of this, so i 've recently started a morning study/devotional on praise and worship. We were created to worship God. I'll bring my notes tomorrow and back up this statement! :)
Anyway, to help me keep my daily study on my mind all day...i'll involve ya'll. todays focus is to praise God because He is the Creator. He created me, you, everyone...and He doesn't make mistakes. When someone gets on your nerves today, remember that God created that person. When you're driving home notice everything that He created and praise Him for it.
When you get home, kiss your family that He created....you get the picture.....God bless you all...xxoo