Tear down the symbols of hate...

In 1987, then President Ronald Regan announced publicly in his speech before Brandenburg Gate:
General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!

As I thought about that, I was thinking, "World, tear down this CROSS !"  I know it was necessary for my Savior to die upon that cross...it was God's plan and His plans are perfect.  But, for me, for those who live for Christ alone, I no longer want to think of that cruel instrument.  It did its work for me already...I flinch to see it or think of it now.  Thankful for it, yes, but in my mind, I'd like to see someone tear down this cross! But, that's a foolish thought...there are millions who still need to realize the One Sacrifice they must have in this life, the One required by a just God, hangs upon that cross.
So, it still stands for them...and I thank God today that I once faced it, embraced it, but now meet Him in pleasant places each day.

Today is Thanksgiving Day...I could recite every minute of the day, all the things I'm am so thankful for....all of them gifts from God.  Even the very words and breath it takes to recite them, is a gift from Him.
I wanted to share this with you...please respond .....and enjoy the day we honor Him and give Thanks.

Peter Robinson wrote RR's speech:
Peter Robinson, an author and former White House speechwriter, is a Fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. In 1983 Robinson joined President Ronald Reagan's staff, serving almost five years as speechwriter and special assistant to the President, an experience he recounts in his 2003 book, How Ronald Reagan Changed My Life. Robinson provided the chief executive with more than 300 speeches, including the 1987 Berlin Wall address.
http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2007/summer/berlin.html

Wow, this month is flying by!  I've been spending too much time creating Christmas gifts...I get started and am obsessed..can't stop til' I'm done. 
But, I want to take time out to share this with you (whomever might read this):
I just listened to a singer perform praise music on utube...I seldom listen to praise music, but one of the lines in her song said, "The Darling of Heaven..."  I love that.  You know when you see an infant...so soft and sweet, so innocent and easy to love...don't you just want to stand and admire?  Or run to share this moment to bless someone else?
That's what that line in the song did for me...my imagination caught a scene of all the angels and saints in heaven peering over, viewing that spot on earth where the sweet baby Jesus lay...all of them ohhhing and ahhhing...elbowing each other in admiration....whispering wishes and blessings.  My whole day has been enriched by that gem of a scene and I just had to share it with you.
Below is a photo we took last summer of two of my grandsons admiring my youngest gr-grandson.

"And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people."  Luke 2:10

Today I received OLD revelation, made new again.  I knew Jesus is the Word....but listen to this:
In John 1, God calls Jesus the Word (logos), it means Message.
 Once a messenger (in this case the Holy Spirit is the messenger)
delivered the message to me, he is no longer relevant...now the message is what's important.
Jesus is the Message! He's the message God sent to us.
Now, I want to open up the message and read the words...
the Word. When I receive a letter in my mailbox, I open the envelope and discard it...now I'm interested in the content of the letter.  Don't care much about the mailman who delivered it or the envelope that contained it.
For 46 years I've been slowly reading more and more of  the message (Word)...
I'm pondering over the difficult parts, savoring the precious parts,  applying the helpful parts.
But, the message is a life-long process...I'll never be finished...don't want to be, actually.


(here's a mystery: the Holy Spirit is not only the messenger for
me, but the interpreter, the school-master helping me grasp
the meaning of the Message.)

Pumpkin Eater...

The three grandchildren I live with, were carving pumpkins the other day. It brought back memories...remember when we used to buy a nice big pumpkin for .25 or .50 cents?  Not anymore.
But, it still is an afternoon or evening or entertainment.
I have a nice stash of canned pumpkin today.  I haven't been able to find even ONE can of pumpkin in ANY store for almost a year...I found a 1/2 shelf-full at Kroger last week and brought home 6 cans.  That's 18 loaves of Pumpkin Bread!  Yum!  Haven't decided whether to look for more to add to my stash....maybe.
(She) Prepares her food in the summer and gathers her provision in the harvest.   Prov. 6:8
Jesus is the Lord of the harvest.  Matt. 9:38

What Is Yom Kippur?

Ever wonder what Yom Kippur...The Day of Atonement...is all about? Jews have celebrated (and mourned?) this day for thousands of years. This 4 min. film explains it all.
As a believer in Jeshua, I celebrate this day often, although I should be doing it EVERYDAY!
I imagine scenes of ATONEMENT with God (at-one-ment-with-Him) as me walking alongside Him, arms linked, heads together sharing personal conversation, laughing together at times, crying at others. As one in mind, body and soul...agreeing on all things. And when He points to my sins, I immediately agree! When He commends me for actions on His behalf, I humbly listen. We are kindred spirits that will be joined, perhaps sooner rather than later.
http://vimeo.com/14999314 (sweet 4 min. film)

Who will strike the match?

The whole world has probably heard about the small church in Gainesville with the determined leader.  Is he a pastor?  Not like any I've known, but I haven't seen his degree.
That's too bad...that we've been 'force-fed' too much about him.  I'd choose to hear from dedicated, true to the Word pastors, doing a super job for the Lord...or dedicated missionaries...or Christian teachers...or
Hey, what about hearing more about what the Lord Jesus has done and plans to do?  This messy business has taken our eyes off Him and besmirched the witness of believers around the entire world.  We will be known by our love, not our predjudices.  The following is part of a quote from a blog I found:
Though I should not be, I am astonished that a 50-person church has gained more attention than any 5,000-person church could by living out the gospel everyday. Christ’s blood shed on the Cross in Jerusalem is eternally scandalous news that is overshadowed today by the scandalous news of Qurans burned by 50 people in Gainesville. [...] from:
http://samshaw.wordpress.com/2010/09/08/burning-the-quran/

"See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy ad empty deceit, according to human tradition,...and not according to Christ."  Col. 2:8

witches, 'n goblins, oh my!

The closest I've come to a witch in my adult life (that I know of) was about 14 years ago when I worked in a stationery shop.  A co-worker, male, early twenties, learned I was a seasoned baker (seasoned: aging quickly, leaning slowly).  He asked if I would bake a lovely pumpkin pie for him to tote to a Halloween 'function' he would be attending.  The holiday was approaching and he planned to bring the pie to the gathering of his like-minded friends (like-minded: witches and warlocks gathering in Ashville, NC suburbs, (suburbs: wooded area). 
I had too much 'on my plate' as it was, and declined politely.  I had NO idea what the function was OR that he was one of the afore-mentioned persons.  If I had known from the onset, I still would have declined politely, but SUPER QUICKLY!
I was reminded of this 'dark' character when I read an article this morning about the WITCHES of Romania, and their economic struggles.
"(2)Lawmakers ...of the ruling Democratic Liberal Party drafted a law where witches and fortune tellers would have to produce receipts, and would also be held liable for wrong predictions, a measure which was part of the government's drive to increase revenue.

Romania's Senate voted down the proposal Tuesday. ....the lawmakers were frightened of being cursed."
It seems our nation's lawmakers deal with citizens some would call 'witches and fortune tellers', and I'm SO thankful the Lord didn't give ME that role (lawmaker).  So, as Halloween approaches, I caution you:  think twice if asked to bake a pumpkin pie for unfamiliar gatherings.