BUT GOD...

We have all found ourselves in the midst of hardship, bearing burdens that seem to drain us of the very life within. BUT GOD. We may experience days that seem bleak and be tempted to give up. BUT GOD. We have a blessed assurance that our God sees our every circumstance; our every need. When we are lost and all else has failed to give us hope of ever returning, we can know that our God is our Redeemer and He alone will watch over and keep us from all harm. No situation is ever too despaired for God to step in and prepare a way to escape.

And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; BUT GOD suffered him not to hurt me. Genesis 31:7

But as for you, ye thought evil against me; BUT GOD meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Genesis 50:20

And he was sore athirst, and called on the Lord, and said, Thou hast given this great deliverance into the hand of thy servant: and now shall I die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised? BUT GOD clave an hollow placed that was in the jaw, and there came water thereout; and when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he was revived. Judges 15:20

And Saul sought him every day, BUT GOD delivered him not into his hand. 1 Samuel 23:14

BUT GOD will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah. Psalms 49:15

My flesh and my heart faileth: BUT GOD is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. Psalms 73:26

Who can forgive sins BUT GOD alone? Mark 2:7

And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: BUT GOD was with him. Acts 7:10

BUT GOD raised him from the dead. Acts 13:30

So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; BUT GOD that giveth the increase. 1 Corinthians 3:7

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: BUT GOD is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 1 Corinthians 10:13

For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: BUT GOD had mercy on him. Philippians 2:27

Thanksgiving Celebration

Last Friday night, my Youth Group held our annual Thanksgiving Celebration. We all donated the food items, and then a couple of us girls came in early to cook the dinner. As you can see from the photos below, we all had a great time!

LtoR: Me, Stacie Woodman, Julie Stanton, Candra Sternecker, Abigail Brantner, Sheila Woodman

Back Row: Julie Stanton, Me
Front Row: Kristen, Emily Brantner


LtoR: Rebecca Barneson, Me, Julie Stanton, Morgan Sternecker

As a side note, I thought I'd add here that a lot of people think Julie and I are sisters, and then that Morgan and Rebecca are sisters. What do you think? Do the two pairs look that much alike? Personally, I don't think that Julie and I look that much alike...and we definitely don't act the same!! It's funny though, because sometimes people at church will walk up to one of us and think that they're talking to the other one. We love each other, but are quick to set these people straight on who's who!

As far as the other two, in my opinion they are so much alike with everything...looks, hair, clothes, mannerisms, how they perceive things. The funny thing is, when Kayla (Morgan's oldest sister) and I were younger, people would mistake us for sisters! So I think it's interesting now that our younger sisters are look-alikes!

My First Christmas Musings (of the year!)

27 days, and counting! Okay, I know that it's still November, but aren't YOU so excited that Christmastime is almost here?! Christmas is such a wonderful time of year...those special cookie recipes are pulled out from the back of the box...the smell of sweet evergreen wafts through our home...candles burning...and handwritten letters from loved ones near and far are being sent in the mail. It is such a special time to celebrate the Love of our magnificent God!

***********************************************
There's a song in the air!
There's a star in the sky!
There's a mother's deep prayer,
And a baby's low cry!
And the star rains its fire
With the beautiful song,
For the manger of Bethlehem
cradles a King.
***********************************************

Years ago, a Christmas card was published with the words "If Christ Had Not Come" printed on it's cover. It's story depicted a pastor who fell into a deep sleep on Christmas morning and was placed into a world to which Christ had never come. Having walked out into the street, he became troubled to find not one church within that town, and thus returned to the warmth of his study. Here, too, a surprise awaited him as he discovered the room's shelves to be void of all books speaking of his blessed Saviour.

The doorbell rang, and the man hurried to open the door. Standing outside in the frigid weather, was a young boy. He was desperate for the pastor to come and visit his dying mother. Hurrying to the bedside of this dear lady, he sat down and said, "I have something here that will comfort you." Yet as he opened his Bible, he found that it's books ended at Malachi. There was no gospel; no promise of hope and salvation. He could only bow his head and weep in desperate frustration.

Suddenly he awoke with a start, rejoicing, as he heard the voices of a nearby choir ringing out into the night air:

O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem;
Come and behold Him, born the King of Angels,
O come let us adore Him,
O come let us adore Him,
O come let us adore Him, Christ, the Lord.

As we begin our joyous celebration this Christmas, let us embrace the miracle that indeed "He has come." The angel proclaimed "Behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people, for unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:10-11)

It is my prayer that our hearts would be filled to overflowing with the realization that Christ is our Saviour. And as we find ourselves blessed with this reassurance, let us go forth and proclaim the Good News to others. Jesus has come to bring life, and that more abundantly.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY!

"...go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet,
and send portions unto them for whom
nothing is prepared..." (Neh. 8:10)

A Little Fun For Your Day

Here you will find a paragraph...a very LONG one at that...containing the names of 52 Books of the Bible, including several 1 &2's. (ex. 1Peter, 2Peter, ect.) I remember a Sunday School teacher giving our class this activity to do many years ago, and having just stumbled upon it again the other day, I thought it would be fun to post up here for you all to do. It was written by the Rev. Duane Slocum, who creatively hid the names within the words and sentences you will read. The content of the paragraph is totally ridiculous, but I found it challenging to read through it anyway and find the Books. You may want to copy the paragraph into a WordDocument and print it off, therefore being able to circle the words as you find them. Have Fun!!


I once made a remark about the hidden books of the Bible. It was a lulu; kept people looking so hard for facts...and for others it was a revelation. Some were in a jam, especially since the names of the books were not capitalized. But the truth finally struck home to numbers of our readers. To others it was a real job. Asking some people to find fifty-two names turned out to be harder than finding a copy of the writing of the Greek Diogenes is supposed to be. It is something that an officer would never do. It would be like the captain of a ship, or the XO dusting bunks in the wardroom. I once read a book by Chaim Potok, "Asher Lev." It, I custodially observed, was about tradition versus aspirations. I also read "The Haj." Oh, no, that's about Arab pilgrimage. What has this to do with anything? It is painful to admit, but perhaps nothing. It is like looking for a sheet with one hem, I, a helpful fellow, might mend. It reminded me of when Bobby Jo elbowed his way into a hearing concerning the selling of Chavez Ravine to the Dodgers. Some of the people he jostled were so upset that he said, "a wild animal, a chitinous one at least, would have been easier to handle. He was troubled by chronic lesions on his right foot from stomping around on stage. Bobby Jo is a (I, a ham myself, agree) totally committed over-actor. He is also well known for the counters, of Formica, he installed in the college kitchen. They host a costume party there, every halloween, in which "the hag" gains in popularity. Many people attend because the Delta Phi lemonade is famous. They are also known for wise cracks and math skills. You'll hear them say, (with the Delta Phi lip) "pi answers all the problems." Richard had a stroke after one of their parties, but from the first step, he's (I answer protesters strongly) doing better all the time. Once, meeting Michael Jordan, I elevated my eyes to see the top of him. He was with Edna Humboldt at the time. Where is that gal at? I answer that she is where she has always been, and that is not under the floor mat, the wide one we took out of the car. Where is she? Geothe's Salon, I answer, is the place to look. She went there with Jim Eccles. I, as testified, saw them. Jim works on the radio, although I don't think he talks like a pro. Verbs aside, he sounds like an amateur. Trying to make sense of this is so bad I, a hazardous act, took P.J. on a hill of lava to work on it. One man could make a two inch fire hose appear easy to handle by comparison. One fellow lost his hero, man's best friend, from spending so much time the dog left him. It was a loco loss, I answer for it that the effort is worthwhile. It isn't as crazy as the product "anti moth," yet another useless product to get our money. First, Johnson Brothers tried selling it, and second, Johnson and Johnson gave it a try. They continue to compete, regardless of the consequences. We want this to be a most fascinating few moments for you. Yes, there will be some really easy ones to spot. Others may require judges to help them. I will quickly admit it usually takes a minister to find one of them, and there will be lamentations when it is found. A little lady says that she brews a cup of tea so she can concentrate better. Remember, when cooking, if you doze, char (I, a healthy eater, abhor char) may be all that you'll get. Four of us went to lunch, Ron, I, Clessie, and Jim, to discuss this. Even some Native Americans tried finding them all: Apache-Jude, Ute-Ron, o, my friend the Umpqua tried also. See how well you can compete. Relax now, for there really are fifty-two names of books of the Bible in this crazy paragraph.

Good Excuses For Skipping Church

Everybody has a good excuse for not attending church. If you take those excuses and apply them to other things we do (or don't do)...like eating...they might look like this list:

1.) I was forced to eat as a child.

2.) People who eat all the time are hypocrites; they aren't really hungry.

3.) There are so many different kinds of food, I can't decide what to eat.

4.) I used to eat, but I got bored and stopped.

5.) I only eat on special occasions, like Christmas and Easter.

6.) None of my friends will eat with me.

7.) I'll start eating when I get older.

8.) I don't really have time to eat.

9.) I don't believe that eating does anybody any good. It's just a crutch.

10.) Restaurants and grocery stores are only after your money.

Okay, so that sounds pretty silly, doesn't it?! Surely no one would be caught saying these statements about their physical body, yet so many show this attitude towards feeding their spirit. We must remember that it is just as important to feed that spirit man, as it is the carnal man.

Are You Thankful?

“Have a Happy Thanksgiving!” I cheerfully wished upon the checkout lady at WalMart, yesterday.

“Umm...yeah…you too.” she answered, seemingly surprised that I would declare such a statement.

I gave her a big smile, hoping to bring a little sunshine into her dreary life, and began pushing my cart towards the exit sign. “Who put a burr under her saddle?” I silently wondered. Has she not one solitary thing to express thankfulness for this weekend? Quite honestly, I felt like stopping right there in the middle of the aisle and making a list of all the things I, as an outsider, could observe that she should be thankful for, but I figured it might appear as being slightly rude if I actually presented her with the list to study. So, I continued on out into the chilly November air instead.

Living in this blessed nation of America, there is one question that never ceases to boggle my mind. “How does a blessed person suddenly become ungrateful?” Consider the following:

--If you woke up this morning with more health than illness…you are more blessed than the six million who will not survive this week.

--If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation…you are ahead of 500 million people in the world.

--If you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death…you are more blessed than three billion people in the world.

--If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead, and a place to sleep…you are richer than 75% of this world.

--If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace…you are among the top 8% of the world’s wealthy.

So how is it that some of us are caught with an unthankful heart? Do we have too many blessings, and are taking them for granted? Oh Lord, help us! We should never become too busy or so insensitive to what we have been blessed with that we overlook them altogether!

The story is told of Corrie ten Boom and her sister Betsie as they stood in line at a concentration camp. Tired, worn, and striped of their clothes, Corrie leaned over and whispered into her sister’s ear, “They took His clothes, too.” Betsie gasped and replied, “And to think that I’ve never thanked Him for it.”

The first time I heard that account, I immediately took a few moments to send up a prayer of thanksgiving to our Father. He knows our situations; He knows our every thought. There is no place we can go where He has not already been. He is our Father, and wishes to bestow the greatest of love and care upon us. When all else has failed us, we can still offer up thanksgiving for who He is and what He has done.

So, what is thanksgiving, really? Growing up, I had always considered myself to be a thankful person. I was glad for what I had, and it all made me happy. Yet as I matured, I began to sense that true thanksgiving does not merely come from the feeling of being happy to have something. Rather, it comes with the understanding of how precious that something is.

Friends, we must grasp the concept of a thankful heart. Take hold of it like it is going out of style, for sadly, it is.

Anyone can be happy to have a closet full of clothes, money in their wallet, and a car in their garage. But happiness is conditional; it comes and goes. Happiness depends on the circumstance. So if I am to simply remain happy about what I have on this Thanksgiving Day, I’m setting myself up for possible doom tomorrow. I’m giving myself the chance to not be happy tomorrow! True thanksgiving, much like true joy, must stem directly from the understanding of how blessed we really are. Otherwise, it’s just too easy to focus on the not-so-great parts of life. And the Lord knows we all have those hard things to deal with. But let us always remember how he wants to bless us amidst the trial. He seeks to place roses amongst the thorns…to be the Lighthouse in the midst of a storm.

And hey – even if everything looks really gloomy, and you have to resort to sarcastic humor to unveil your thankful spirit, DO IT! We all need to laugh, and lighthearted moments help to break troubled waters.

For example: Last night (thanksgiving eve.) I left church immediately after service due to a nauseous stomach. I had felt sick all day long, and knew it was going to get much worse really soon. Once home, and my body relieved of the “yuckies”, I was just laying down to rest when the phone rang. It was a friend calling to invite me over to his house and watch a movie with a group of people. “Come do something fun!” he begged.

“The only “fun” thing I’ll be doing tonight will be puking in the toilet.” I retorted, feeling miserable for not being able to hang out with them. But then I started thinking that I should really find something to be thankful for, instead of just complaining about my illness, so I came up with this:

“Well, I guess I should be thankful that I won’t be puking in an outhouse tonight, huh? At least I have a nice clean, white, porcelain, toilet boil to take care of business with.” As soon as those words were out of my mouth, I cracked up laughing! Okay, so you had to be there to actually think it was funny…but seriously. Can anyone of us rightfully complain about any situation? Sure, things don’t always go as we would like them to, but there’s always oodles more of things that we can be thankful for and find joy in.

So this Thanksgiving, will your “Happy Thanksgiving-er spirit” be conditional, due only to the people and things you have at the moment? Or will you purpose to find that rose among the thorns and truly be thankful, expressing utter joy, for the blessings you have been given?

As the old song goes, “Count your blessings name them one by one…”

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

CrazyCellPhoneStory

Ever have one of those moments where you KNOW you should be doing something productive, but you just can't make yourself do it until you have a little bit of fun first? Well, I am in that predicament RIGHT NOW. My two little princesses have floated away to DreamLand for a bit, and that should be my cue to shift into 'high gear' and get something...anything...accomplished. But I had a weird incident happen this morning that I really wanted to share with you, and I fear I shall not be able to concentrate on anything else until I get it posted.

Oh...and guess what I've decided my new pastime is? Taking self-portraits! HeeHee Just the thought of it is quite crazy, I know...but it's kinda fun! So I just HAD to take a couple of photos this afternoon to go along with my story! LoL

Anyone who knows me will vouch for the fact that I am on my cell phone A LOT. So far today, the number of calls equal 6 and total number of text messages are only 7 (so far), but nobody is surprised when either of those numbers excel that of 20 or more.

Anyway, this morning I woke up to Julie knocking on my door (no, I had not overslept!) and she was asking me why I had called her. Now, you have to understand that I'm not the greatest morning person and I'll usually have really weird dreams during the night, so when Julie asked me why I had called her, I had to try and figure out if it was a dream or something real, and above all: WHY had I called her?

At first, I tried to deny it.

"Lizz, you did too call me!" Julie protested. "The caller ID proves it!"

Caller ID?!?! Was she trying to tell me that I had CALLED HER ON MY CELL PHONE?? I thought she was telling me that I had hollered for her, or something. As my fuzzy brain tried to figure out what was going on, I suddenly realized that I was lying on something very hard and quite uncomfortable. Do you want to take a guess at what it was?

That's right. My cell phone.

Apparently, I had brought the phone into bed with me (when and why, I have no clue!) and either dialed her number, or laid on the right buttons...I don't know!

We laughed pretty hard about this, and I'm just glad that it was her number I dialed and not someone else's!