Will Barack Obama Support Israel?
By: Dr. Michael D. Evans
Barack Obama’s campaign cries of “change” mimic those of Jimmy Carter’s campaign rhetoric in the 1970s. Carter chose the Shah of Iran, one of America’s closest allies in the Middle East, as his scapegoat for change. I can only stand and wonder which American ally will take the brunt of Obama’s presidential aspirations. Our only real ally in the Middle East is Israel; if elected, would Obama sell Israel down the river just as Carter did the Shah of Iran?
Early in his presidential campaign, Barack Obama added former Carter National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski to his own list of “advisors.” Brzezinski, of course, got himself into trouble early in his role as advisor when “he published an essay in the summer issue of the journal Foreign Policy, defending a controversial new book about the power of the “Israel Lobby” in American politics. One of Brzezinski’s first jobs as advisor was to defend Obama’s plan, if elected, to meet with Iran and Syria: “What’s the hand-up about negotiating with the Syrians or Iranians?” asked Brzezinski. “What it in effect means is that you only talk to people who agree with you.” People who agree with you? I, for one, would like to know just why Obama would want to talk with Iran’s president who denies the Holocaust, has called Israel a “stinking corpse,” and vowed to wipe it off the map.
Another man from whom Obama sought advice was Joseph Cirincione, president of the Ploughshares Fund. Cirincione is said to have decidedly anti-Israel leanings. Ed Lasky, writer for American Thinker, wrote that Cirincione was “another in a disconcertingly long line of Obama advisors, who seemingly have an anti-Israel bias and who would be very willing to apply American pressure on our tiny ally to disarm itself in the face of its mortal enemies.”
I might also add here that Hamas political advisor Ahmed Yousef seemed delighted with Mr. Obama: “We like Mr. Obama, and we hope that he will win the elections.” Obama also drew a pseudo-endorsement from Iranian parliament Speaker Ali Larijani during a stop-over in Bahrain. Larijani purported that “Iran would prefer Democrat Barack Obama in the White House next year.” Larijani also dismissed any idea that the US would attack Iran. “We are leaning more in favor of Barack Obama because he is more flexible and rational, even though we know American policy will not change that much..”
Now, why do you suppose a terrorist organization or a rogue state would support one candidate over another? Could it be the knowledge that one candidate is likely to be more anti-Israel than the other? Or that one candidate would respond to terrorism more forcefully than another?
During a speech to the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) in June 2008, Obama “clarified” some of his earlier statements: Yes, he is “still in favor of meeting with Iran’s leaders…but (clarification) only at the suitable levels and at a place and time” of his choosing. He favors a withdrawal of American troops from Iraq…but (clarification) it must be gradual. He prefers diplomatic and economic pressure…but (clarification) says the military option “should be left on the table.” After all, one must be willing to “clarify” in order to achieve the highest office in the land.
How committed is Obama to Israel’s security? He promised the members of AIPAC a “Palestinian …state that is contiguous and cohesive, and that allows them to prosper...[and] Jerusalem will remain the capital of Israel, and it must remain undivided…[but that the final solution for Jerusalem] must be negotiated between the two parties [Israelis and Palestinians], an agreement that they can both live with.” How can this be, when the Palestinians have demanded again and again that Jerusalem must become the capital of any Palestinian state?
In his formative years and with a myriad of churches from which to choose, Obama aligned himself with Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Jr., a man he calls his spiritual mentor. Wright’s stance regarding Israel and the Jews became well-known during Obama’s campaign. The pastor, a Black Muslim sympathizer is riddled with anti-Semitism. He has “damned” America from the pulpit, and his diatribe following 9/11, an event Wright labeled as “chickens coming home to roost,” was particularly offensive and provoking. He insinuated that the horrific assaults were godly revenge for America’s many failures at race relations.
Wright embraces what is called “black-liberation theology,” a tenet that is often associated with the racial supremacist Black Power movement of the 1960s. Rev. Wright openly supported Louis Farrakhan, Supreme Minister of the Nation of Islam. Farrakhan has labeled the Jews “bloodsuckers” and openly endorsed Obama’s presidential bid (which Obama publicly rejected.) Farrakhan has likened Obama to the forerunner of the Messiah, and points as proof to the candidate’s mixed race background.
Was it from his own experience that Obama articulated one of the bigger gaffes of his campaign? He was overheard saying of the people of Pennsylvania, “And it's not surprising then that they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them…” Obama was referring to the Bible-believing, working-class voters. Does he feel the same way about Israel?
In the first World Policy Forum, held at a French lakeside resort, Rev. Jesse Jackson promised "fundamental changes" in US foreign policy; the most important change would occur in the Middle East, where "decades of putting Israel's interests first" would end.
Jackson told author and journalist Amir Taheri that he believes although "Zionists who have controlled American policy for decades" remain strong they'll lose a great deal of their clout when Barack Obama enters the White House. "Obama is about change," Jackson told Taheri in a wide-ranging conversation. "And the change that Obama promises is not limited to what we do in America itself. It is a change of the way America looks at the world and its place in it." And, in fact, Jesse Jackson told me at the White House Middle East Peace Summit in 1993 that the multitudes of problems in the Middle East were caused by the Jews.
On foreign policy issues, Obama’s call to eradicate nuclear weapons worldwide would leave the West and Israel at the mercy of unscrupulous, hate-filled leaders in countries such as Iran and Syria. Those nations would simply go farther underground and continue the secret production of nuclear arms. A part of Israel’s firewall against the launch of a globally inclusive attack is its nuclear arsenal. Obama’s plan would effectively disarm Israel, while making it impossible to police the Irans of the world. Has he considered the danger of beating our collective swords into plowshares? That would leave the world even more vulnerable to those who don’t follow suit; who, instead, keep their swords at the ready.
Jimmy Carter felt that talking with our enemies, i.e. Ayatollah Khomeini, in the name of human rights while castigating pro-American allies such as the Shah of Iran would make the world a better place. Apparently Mr. Carter still feels that way. He considers Israel an apartheid state and Hamas and Hezbollah human rights movements rather than terrorist organizations that need only economic support and understanding. Does Barack Obama embrace Carter’s liberal world view?
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Monday, October 27, 2008
spiritual attack
a friend told me her ex biker-boyfriend taught her something that always stuck with her. "every member knows that if you want to hurt someone beyond repair, go get the one he loves the most"
if satan can't get to us he will go after the ones we love the most.
lift your loved ones up and surround them with prayer. trust that God is the one in control and that everything works together for good (even if we don't see it at the time) for those who love God and are called according to His purpose. God will give you total supernatural peace.
if satan can't get to us he will go after the ones we love the most.
lift your loved ones up and surround them with prayer. trust that God is the one in control and that everything works together for good (even if we don't see it at the time) for those who love God and are called according to His purpose. God will give you total supernatural peace.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
supernatural healing
i want everyone to read "And Jesus Healed Them All, by Gloria Copeland. yesterday at oasis i was praying for someone for healing. listening to her and another lady it was like no wonder people don't get healed. doubt kept creeping in. and saying that if it's God's will. God's will is not for His kids to be sick.
we are all wondering what God's will is in our lives and pastors keep telling us that God's Word is God's will. well God's Word says over and over and over how Jesus came to heal us. and if God's Word is as relevent today as it was when Jesus was alive then that means God's will is that we all be healed. and if God's Word is the truth and Jesus is the truth....
when afshin talked he told stories of so many people coming to Christ because in Jesus name all these people had been healed.
why is it so hard for believers then to be healed? besides if there is unconfessed sin in our lives, if we don't REALLY believe that God's Word is living and active and His will for us....
that was the clincher for me. so many people, all the pastors, etc. praying for healing and i kept thinking well if God can use it to bring my family into His kingdom. God doesn't need me to bring my family in His kingdom. He can do that without me.
but... when someone asked if i REALLY believed that God wanted to heal me, when he looked me in the eyes, it was like my eyes were opened to the truth.
what glory does God get if i die. but if i live and declare the glory of God....
i just want people to believe.
we are all wondering what God's will is in our lives and pastors keep telling us that God's Word is God's will. well God's Word says over and over and over how Jesus came to heal us. and if God's Word is as relevent today as it was when Jesus was alive then that means God's will is that we all be healed. and if God's Word is the truth and Jesus is the truth....
when afshin talked he told stories of so many people coming to Christ because in Jesus name all these people had been healed.
why is it so hard for believers then to be healed? besides if there is unconfessed sin in our lives, if we don't REALLY believe that God's Word is living and active and His will for us....
that was the clincher for me. so many people, all the pastors, etc. praying for healing and i kept thinking well if God can use it to bring my family into His kingdom. God doesn't need me to bring my family in His kingdom. He can do that without me.
but... when someone asked if i REALLY believed that God wanted to heal me, when he looked me in the eyes, it was like my eyes were opened to the truth.
what glory does God get if i die. but if i live and declare the glory of God....
i just want people to believe.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Skin Deep: Cosmetic Safety Database
Skin Deep: Cosmetic Safety Database
hormone altering cosmetics chemicals found in teens.
search your skin and hair care products. you might find you want to throw some of them in the garbage.
hormone altering cosmetics chemicals found in teens.
search your skin and hair care products. you might find you want to throw some of them in the garbage.
cancer causing skin and hair care products
www.glimpseinvitation.com
wow this is a great video on all the chemicals and toxins in all the skin and hair care products we use on our bodies every day.
my naturopath has been telling me about this stuff for years and i have quit some of the most toxic ones but i had no idea about all of them.
it's scary especially when the doctor's told me i had terminal cancer and that it was caused by chemicals and pesticides (which are covered in the video).
wow this is a great video on all the chemicals and toxins in all the skin and hair care products we use on our bodies every day.
my naturopath has been telling me about this stuff for years and i have quit some of the most toxic ones but i had no idea about all of them.
it's scary especially when the doctor's told me i had terminal cancer and that it was caused by chemicals and pesticides (which are covered in the video).
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Sunday, October 12, 2008
homeless on thanksgiving
at thanksgiving people are asked what they are thankful for. this past week as i have served breakfast and lunch to the street people at sally ann and listened to them talk about sharing tents and burning 3 candles all night in their tent because it is so cold outside (2 degrees) i am so thankful that i have warm shelter, warm, dry clothes, enough food to eat and clean water to drink.
it bothers me that it is only 2 weeks into fall and it is already so cold. they are addicts or alcoholics or mentally ill, they are people that most of us don't care about but Jesus loves them, as much as He loves you and i, and i don't know how i can help them. my heart breaks thinking what we do or don't do for them, we do or don't do for Jesus. my heart breaks thinking of them living outside, in the cold, in the rain, in the snow, hungry and freezing.
i know Jesus said we would always have the poor. i always think of the poor in third world countries like africa and india, drinking dirty polluted water, going days without food, literally starving to death. now with the cold weather upon us i think of the poor in cold climates facing even worse conditions.
yesterday i found myself wondering which would be worse, dying of starvation or freezing to death.
i know i can't feel guilty that i am not one of the desperately poor but i always wonder if there isn't something more i could do.
so i am thankful that i am not desperately poor, living in a third world country, starving or freezing to death. and i am thankful that i am not one of our homeless people. and i am thankful that like them, Jesus loves me too.
what are you thankful for?
it bothers me that it is only 2 weeks into fall and it is already so cold. they are addicts or alcoholics or mentally ill, they are people that most of us don't care about but Jesus loves them, as much as He loves you and i, and i don't know how i can help them. my heart breaks thinking what we do or don't do for them, we do or don't do for Jesus. my heart breaks thinking of them living outside, in the cold, in the rain, in the snow, hungry and freezing.
i know Jesus said we would always have the poor. i always think of the poor in third world countries like africa and india, drinking dirty polluted water, going days without food, literally starving to death. now with the cold weather upon us i think of the poor in cold climates facing even worse conditions.
yesterday i found myself wondering which would be worse, dying of starvation or freezing to death.
i know i can't feel guilty that i am not one of the desperately poor but i always wonder if there isn't something more i could do.
so i am thankful that i am not desperately poor, living in a third world country, starving or freezing to death. and i am thankful that i am not one of our homeless people. and i am thankful that like them, Jesus loves me too.
what are you thankful for?
resentment
it's hard to pray for someone when you're angry at them. when you feel resentment or unforgiving toward them you know you're not being very Christ-like. so you ask God to forgive you and take those feelings and change you because you can't do it on your own. then you think of God saying to bless those that persecute you. you know you should but you're almost choking on the words but then the blessing comes and you know it's God working in you because you know it's not something you could've done on your own. and you feel the burden lift.
Sunday, October 05, 2008
safe cosmetics
check out - http://www.safecosmetics.org/companies/signers.cfm
The companies listed above have pledged to not use chemicals that are known or strongly suspected of causing cancer, mutation or birth defects in their products and to implement substitution plans that replace hazardous materials with safer alternatives in every market they serve. Several major cosmetics companies, including OPI, Avon, Estee Lauder, L'Oreal, Revlon, Proctor & Gamble and Unilever have thus far refused to sign the Compact for Safe Cosmetics.
i am learning more about this as i switch from skin care brands i've been using for years to a new one called glimpse.
check it out - http://www.mymangosteen.com/TasteSensation/canad/product/Glimpse.asp
who makes it you say - Xango (approved as a safe cosmetic)
who sells it you wonder - i do (interested? let me know)
if you would like to put nutrition on your skin instead of potentially toxic chemicals you might like to try glimpse.
think it's just for women, think again, men are enjoying it's benefits as well.
The companies listed above have pledged to not use chemicals that are known or strongly suspected of causing cancer, mutation or birth defects in their products and to implement substitution plans that replace hazardous materials with safer alternatives in every market they serve. Several major cosmetics companies, including OPI, Avon, Estee Lauder, L'Oreal, Revlon, Proctor & Gamble and Unilever have thus far refused to sign the Compact for Safe Cosmetics.
i am learning more about this as i switch from skin care brands i've been using for years to a new one called glimpse.
check it out - http://www.mymangosteen.com/TasteSensation/canad/product/Glimpse.asp
who makes it you say - Xango (approved as a safe cosmetic)
who sells it you wonder - i do (interested? let me know)
if you would like to put nutrition on your skin instead of potentially toxic chemicals you might like to try glimpse.
think it's just for women, think again, men are enjoying it's benefits as well.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Defining Unforgiveness
Now that we’ve looked at forgiveness, let’s think about unforgiveness—the deliberate decision to cling to 1) resentment you feel toward someone else and 2) your right to get even any way you can. It’s a mindset that says, “You hurt me. You must pay.”
What an ungodly, unscriptural attitude! And yet it is painfully evident in the hearts of far too many Christians. Therefore, we need to uncover the dark truth behind this destructive landmine. Unforgiveness . . .
• Demonstrates unwillingness to extend to others what the Lord has extended to you (Eph. 4:32). It simply means saying with your attitude that you refuse to show the grace and forgiveness of Christ to anyone else.
• Plants a root of bitterness in your heart.It may start with some simple resentment because of the way someone else acted. Then, that little seed of animosity begins to grow. Before long, a whole crop of anger, malice, and bitterness completely dominates you. If it is not dealt with early, these bitter fruits will spoil every part of your life.
• Prevents your becoming the person God wants you to be. An unforgiving spirit makes it impossible to accomplish what the heavenly Father has in mind for you. How can you expect to grow in Christ while willfully allowing bitterness to erode your heart?
The results of withholding forgiveness are obvious, and yet many believers stumble into this very trap. Don’t fall for it. Ask God to help you release any unforgiveness you have, and be reconciled to your brothers and sisters without delay.
in touch devo sept 13
What an ungodly, unscriptural attitude! And yet it is painfully evident in the hearts of far too many Christians. Therefore, we need to uncover the dark truth behind this destructive landmine. Unforgiveness . . .
• Demonstrates unwillingness to extend to others what the Lord has extended to you (Eph. 4:32). It simply means saying with your attitude that you refuse to show the grace and forgiveness of Christ to anyone else.
• Plants a root of bitterness in your heart.It may start with some simple resentment because of the way someone else acted. Then, that little seed of animosity begins to grow. Before long, a whole crop of anger, malice, and bitterness completely dominates you. If it is not dealt with early, these bitter fruits will spoil every part of your life.
• Prevents your becoming the person God wants you to be. An unforgiving spirit makes it impossible to accomplish what the heavenly Father has in mind for you. How can you expect to grow in Christ while willfully allowing bitterness to erode your heart?
The results of withholding forgiveness are obvious, and yet many believers stumble into this very trap. Don’t fall for it. Ask God to help you release any unforgiveness you have, and be reconciled to your brothers and sisters without delay.
in touch devo sept 13
The Landmine of Unforgiveness
What is your first response when someone hurts you? Maybe you want to retaliate. Or perhaps your outward attitude doesn’t change, but inside you are quietly nursing a dark bitterness and resentment. These reactions strike us as understandable and perfectly natural, don’t they?
In reality, however, unforgiveness is one of the most destructive behaviors possible. Impacting every prayer, every relationship, and practically every thought you have, it is a land mine with the potential to completely destroy your life.
Scripture is clear that we are to openly and willingly forgive anyone who causes us harm. Why? The reason is that we ourselves have been forgiven. The grace that God pours out on each of us should be our motivation and example. If we have received God’s loving pardon, then we simply must do the same for others, even when it seems difficult or unfair.
What is forgiveness? Simply put, it is the act of giving up resentment toward someone, along with the desire to retaliate. In other words, we must surrender three things: the general feeling of resentment, the specific feelings toward a particular individual, and all claims to retribution.
Forgiveness is far more than a simple “I forgive you” statement. It involves a total change of action and an attitude that declares, “Though you wronged me, I love and forgive you. I wish you the best and will help you however I can.” Can you make this statement after being hurt? Pray for those who wrong you, and release your resentment.
from in touch magazine devo sept 12
In reality, however, unforgiveness is one of the most destructive behaviors possible. Impacting every prayer, every relationship, and practically every thought you have, it is a land mine with the potential to completely destroy your life.
Scripture is clear that we are to openly and willingly forgive anyone who causes us harm. Why? The reason is that we ourselves have been forgiven. The grace that God pours out on each of us should be our motivation and example. If we have received God’s loving pardon, then we simply must do the same for others, even when it seems difficult or unfair.
What is forgiveness? Simply put, it is the act of giving up resentment toward someone, along with the desire to retaliate. In other words, we must surrender three things: the general feeling of resentment, the specific feelings toward a particular individual, and all claims to retribution.
Forgiveness is far more than a simple “I forgive you” statement. It involves a total change of action and an attitude that declares, “Though you wronged me, I love and forgive you. I wish you the best and will help you however I can.” Can you make this statement after being hurt? Pray for those who wrong you, and release your resentment.
from in touch magazine devo sept 12
compare Glimpse Intuitive Skincare to...
Glimpse Demographics
It's important to understand your target market for this new skin care system. I'll leave you to read about why this product line is so exclusive and move directly into who is most likely to purchase these products.
Customers who most often purchase their skin care products from the department store will definitely want to know about Glimpse.
To help the men in our group better understand how women use skin care products, understand that in addition to Cleansers, Toners, Serums and Moisturizers, women often buy Eye Cream, Night Cream, Make-up Remover, Wrinkle Reducers, Exfoliators and Masks.
With the Glimpse System there is no need for the additional products!
So, let's take a look at the top-selling department store products. While it its impossible to compare the quality of Glimpse with what is currently on the market, we can compare the pricing of the four products; cleanser, toner, serum and moisturizer.
Aveda---$153 for all 4, plus another $125 for the necessary eye cream and night cream equals $278 per month.
Clinique--$164 for the 4, plus another $119 for the necessary eye cream and night cream equals $283 per month.
Elizabeth Arden--$237 for the 4, plus another $170 for the necesary eye cream and night cream equals $407 per month.
Esteee Lauder--$369 for the 4, plus another $145 for the necessary eye cream and night cream equals $514 for the month.
Guerlain--$372 for the 4, plus another $188 for the necessary eye cream and night cream equals $560 per month.
Kiehl's--$157 for the 4, plus another $36 for the necessary eye cream (they don't offer a night cream) equals $193 per month.
Lancome--$404 for the 4, plus another $282 for the necessary eye cream and night cream equals $686 per month.
ROC--$190 for the 4, plus another $113 for the necessary eye cream and night cream equals $303 per month.
Shiseido--$197 for the 4, plus another $146 for the necessary eye cream and night cream equals $343 per month.
All of these companies combined sell BILLIONS of dollars worth of these products. The market exists and the market is hungry for products that (a) actually, truly work and (b) do so without all the chemicals and additives in the current market products.
The Glimpse product line is so exclusive, spas and beauty salon owners should be at the top of your list of people to introduce to this exceptional line of products.
If you use any of these products and would like to try Glimpse please send me your email and I will send you more information.
It's important to understand your target market for this new skin care system. I'll leave you to read about why this product line is so exclusive and move directly into who is most likely to purchase these products.
Customers who most often purchase their skin care products from the department store will definitely want to know about Glimpse.
To help the men in our group better understand how women use skin care products, understand that in addition to Cleansers, Toners, Serums and Moisturizers, women often buy Eye Cream, Night Cream, Make-up Remover, Wrinkle Reducers, Exfoliators and Masks.
With the Glimpse System there is no need for the additional products!
So, let's take a look at the top-selling department store products. While it its impossible to compare the quality of Glimpse with what is currently on the market, we can compare the pricing of the four products; cleanser, toner, serum and moisturizer.
Aveda---$153 for all 4, plus another $125 for the necessary eye cream and night cream equals $278 per month.
Clinique--$164 for the 4, plus another $119 for the necessary eye cream and night cream equals $283 per month.
Elizabeth Arden--$237 for the 4, plus another $170 for the necesary eye cream and night cream equals $407 per month.
Esteee Lauder--$369 for the 4, plus another $145 for the necessary eye cream and night cream equals $514 for the month.
Guerlain--$372 for the 4, plus another $188 for the necessary eye cream and night cream equals $560 per month.
Kiehl's--$157 for the 4, plus another $36 for the necessary eye cream (they don't offer a night cream) equals $193 per month.
Lancome--$404 for the 4, plus another $282 for the necessary eye cream and night cream equals $686 per month.
ROC--$190 for the 4, plus another $113 for the necessary eye cream and night cream equals $303 per month.
Shiseido--$197 for the 4, plus another $146 for the necessary eye cream and night cream equals $343 per month.
All of these companies combined sell BILLIONS of dollars worth of these products. The market exists and the market is hungry for products that (a) actually, truly work and (b) do so without all the chemicals and additives in the current market products.
The Glimpse product line is so exclusive, spas and beauty salon owners should be at the top of your list of people to introduce to this exceptional line of products.
If you use any of these products and would like to try Glimpse please send me your email and I will send you more information.
Saturday, September 06, 2008
biblical history of iraq
VERY INTERESTING-
1. The Garden of Eden was in Iraq .
2. Mesopotamia, which is now Iraq, was the cradle of civilization!
3. Noah built the ark in Iraq .
4. The Tower of Babel was in Iraq
5. Abraham was from Ur, which is in Southern Iraq!
6. Isaac's wife Rebekah is from Nahor, which is in Iraq!
7. Jacob met Rachel in Iraq .
8. Jonah preached in Nineveh - which is in Iraq .
9. Assyria, which is in Iraq, conquered the ten tribes of Israel
10. Amos cried out in Iraq!
11. Babylon, which is in Iraq, destroyed Jerusalem.
12. Daniel was! in the lion's den in Iraq!
13. The three Hebrew children were in the fire in Iraq (Jesus had been in Iraq also as the fourth person in the Fiery furnace!)
14. Belshazzar, the King of Babylon saw the "writing on the wall" in Iraq .
15. Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, carried the Jews captive into Iraq ...
16. Ezekiel preached in Iraq.
17. The wise men were from Iraq
18. Peter preached in Iraq
19. The "Empire of Man" described in Revelation is called Babylon, which was a city in Iraq !
And you have probably seen this one. Israel is the nation most often mentioned in the Bible. But do you know which nation is second? It is Iraq ! However, that is not the name that is used in the Bible. The names used in the Bible are Babylon, Land of Shinar and Mesopotamia. The word Mesopotamia means between the two rivers, more exactly between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. The name Iraq, means country with deep roots.
Indeed Iraq is a country with deep roots and is a very significant country in the Bible.
No other nation, except Israel, has more history and prophecy associated it than Iraq.
And also, this is something to think about! Since America is typically represented by an eagle. Saddam should have read up on his Muslim passages...
The following verse is from the Koran, (the Islamic Bible)
Koran (9:11 ) - For it is written that a son of Arabia would awaken a fearsome Eagle. The wrath of the Eagle would be felt throughout the lands of Allah and lo, while some of the people trembled in despair still more rejoiced; for the wrath of the Eagle cleansed the lands of Allah; and there was peace.
(Note the verse number!) Hmmmmmmm?!
1. The Garden of Eden was in Iraq .
2. Mesopotamia, which is now Iraq, was the cradle of civilization!
3. Noah built the ark in Iraq .
4. The Tower of Babel was in Iraq
5. Abraham was from Ur, which is in Southern Iraq!
6. Isaac's wife Rebekah is from Nahor, which is in Iraq!
7. Jacob met Rachel in Iraq .
8. Jonah preached in Nineveh - which is in Iraq .
9. Assyria, which is in Iraq, conquered the ten tribes of Israel
10. Amos cried out in Iraq!
11. Babylon, which is in Iraq, destroyed Jerusalem.
12. Daniel was! in the lion's den in Iraq!
13. The three Hebrew children were in the fire in Iraq (Jesus had been in Iraq also as the fourth person in the Fiery furnace!)
14. Belshazzar, the King of Babylon saw the "writing on the wall" in Iraq .
15. Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, carried the Jews captive into Iraq ...
16. Ezekiel preached in Iraq.
17. The wise men were from Iraq
18. Peter preached in Iraq
19. The "Empire of Man" described in Revelation is called Babylon, which was a city in Iraq !
And you have probably seen this one. Israel is the nation most often mentioned in the Bible. But do you know which nation is second? It is Iraq ! However, that is not the name that is used in the Bible. The names used in the Bible are Babylon, Land of Shinar and Mesopotamia. The word Mesopotamia means between the two rivers, more exactly between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. The name Iraq, means country with deep roots.
Indeed Iraq is a country with deep roots and is a very significant country in the Bible.
No other nation, except Israel, has more history and prophecy associated it than Iraq.
And also, this is something to think about! Since America is typically represented by an eagle. Saddam should have read up on his Muslim passages...
The following verse is from the Koran, (the Islamic Bible)
Koran (9:11 ) - For it is written that a son of Arabia would awaken a fearsome Eagle. The wrath of the Eagle would be felt throughout the lands of Allah and lo, while some of the people trembled in despair still more rejoiced; for the wrath of the Eagle cleansed the lands of Allah; and there was peace.
(Note the verse number!) Hmmmmmmm?!
Saturday, August 30, 2008
eye of the hurricane
if you have the weather layer turned on in google earth you can see the eye of the hurricane and watch it as it changes course, increases in intensity.
child soldiers and the LRA
this is from an email from a friend who is in africa (uganda and rwanda) with world vision. she is visiting some of the kids she and her friends sponsor. i saw her huge heart for kids when i met her in el salvador in february.
"today our group had the privilege and unique opportunity to hear from several children were abducted by the LRA and forced to be child soldiers - it was a powerful experience! - the young man who spoke to us painted a vivid picture of what he had gone through and it was easily apparent that both the physical and emotional scars were still visible - it was easy to see scars from old wounds on his body and when he spoke to us he looked away and his eyes were almost closed - a girl also spoke about her experiences and luckily (that word seems inappropriate) she was only 9 at the time so she had not been sexually abused - it was my feeling that the other girls were not so lucky - eventually these kids were a few of the lucky ones and made their way back to their families - they spoke of how WV provided counselling and safety for them - they would be fine during the day but to lessen their fears at night they would gather in a safe haven provided by WV - they continue to receive counselling and school support by WV - when asked what message they wanted us to bring back to canada it was simple .....
THE WORLD NEEDS TO LOVE EACH OTHER AND UNITE IN PEACE
when asked if there was one thing that they could say to Koney (leader of the LRA) what would it be? .....
THAT THEY FORGIVE HIM AND THAT HE NEEDS TO COME BACK HOME TO LIVE IN PEACE
this is a powerful message and if a bunch of young adults can feel this in their hearts then maybe the rest of us could learn a lesson from them"
"today our group had the privilege and unique opportunity to hear from several children were abducted by the LRA and forced to be child soldiers - it was a powerful experience! - the young man who spoke to us painted a vivid picture of what he had gone through and it was easily apparent that both the physical and emotional scars were still visible - it was easy to see scars from old wounds on his body and when he spoke to us he looked away and his eyes were almost closed - a girl also spoke about her experiences and luckily (that word seems inappropriate) she was only 9 at the time so she had not been sexually abused - it was my feeling that the other girls were not so lucky - eventually these kids were a few of the lucky ones and made their way back to their families - they spoke of how WV provided counselling and safety for them - they would be fine during the day but to lessen their fears at night they would gather in a safe haven provided by WV - they continue to receive counselling and school support by WV - when asked what message they wanted us to bring back to canada it was simple .....
THE WORLD NEEDS TO LOVE EACH OTHER AND UNITE IN PEACE
when asked if there was one thing that they could say to Koney (leader of the LRA) what would it be? .....
THAT THEY FORGIVE HIM AND THAT HE NEEDS TO COME BACK HOME TO LIVE IN PEACE
this is a powerful message and if a bunch of young adults can feel this in their hearts then maybe the rest of us could learn a lesson from them"
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
please make your voice heard - stop pornography
Write the CRTC, the Prime Minister, your Member of Parliament, the Minister of Canadian Heritage Josee Verner, your cable or satellite tv provider. Don't let Northern Peaks create a pornography industry in Canada. If enough people write letters voicing their concerns hopefully they won't get a contract and the license will expire.
Teri, thank you for copying me on your email to the Minister. I must tell you that I am also disturbed by this decision. As you probably know, the CRTC acts at arms length from our government, and the Minister typically would be loathe to interfere in the decisions of an independent regulatory body except in the most extraordinary circumstances. I am quite certain that our Minister had no involvement in the decision to grant a license for a porn channel in Canada, but I certainly understand those who state that ultimate responsibility still rests with the government. I will certainly pass your concerns (and my own) to my colleagues in Ottawa.
Teri, thank you for copying me on your email to the Minister. I must tell you that I am also disturbed by this decision. As you probably know, the CRTC acts at arms length from our government, and the Minister typically would be loathe to interfere in the decisions of an independent regulatory body except in the most extraordinary circumstances. I am quite certain that our Minister had no involvement in the decision to grant a license for a porn channel in Canada, but I certainly understand those who state that ultimate responsibility still rests with the government. I will certainly pass your concerns (and my own) to my colleagues in Ottawa.
child porn
pornography - where does it all lead? do you want your children viewing porn magazines or on-line websites? what would have happened to this little 12 year old girl if her mother hadn't been concerned about the time she was spending on-line? would she have been lured into child pornography as a participant?
Former B.C. prosecutor on trial for child porn
Louise Dickson, Victoria Times Colonist
Published: Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Former Victoria prosecutor Roger Denley apologized when his children found pornography on the family computer in 2003, Denley's former wife Dr. Ellen Skinnerland testified in B.C. Supreme Court yesterday.
"I confronted Roger, and he said he was sorry," Skinnerland told Justice Jon Sigurdson. "I asked him to account for what he was doing with pornographic pictures of young girls. He said he wouldn't do it anymore. We left it there."
Denley, who worked as a youth prosecutor, is charged with possession of child pornography and accessing child pornography. He sat calmly in the courthouse, taking notes as the evidence was presented. He appeared to have no contact with his family.
After the couple separated in August 2004, Skinnerland became concerned her youngest daughter, Julia, was spending too much time on the computer. When Skinnerland's sister checked the computer's history, she found the young girl, then 12, had set up a personal website with sexually explicit conversations.
On the advice of her daughter's counsellor, Skinnerland took copies of the website to Victoria police forensic computer expert Const. Paul Brookes, for advice. The meeting was also attended by Francis Graf, president and chief executive officer of Forensic Date Recovery Inc.
In September 2004, Skinnerland brought the family computer to Graf and paid him $2,500 to copy and analyze the hard drive.
Graf told Skinnerland much material had been deleted.
"There were 160,000 images, and he told me he saw some pre-pubescent girls. He said he could show me a few pictures," she said.
Graf, as he is required to, brought the matter to the attention of Victoria police.
Skinnerland also testified that earlier, before the separation, she had found pornographic magazines with names like Barely Legal and College Girls. Although Denley told her he destroyed the magazines, she found others, she told the court.
Defence lawyer Stephen Kelliher asked Skinnerland if she recalled Denley trying to show her "that once you get into the website, it's unpredictable what pops up?"
Skinnerland said she couldn't remember.
ldickson@tc.canwest.com
Former B.C. prosecutor on trial for child porn
Louise Dickson, Victoria Times Colonist
Published: Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Former Victoria prosecutor Roger Denley apologized when his children found pornography on the family computer in 2003, Denley's former wife Dr. Ellen Skinnerland testified in B.C. Supreme Court yesterday.
"I confronted Roger, and he said he was sorry," Skinnerland told Justice Jon Sigurdson. "I asked him to account for what he was doing with pornographic pictures of young girls. He said he wouldn't do it anymore. We left it there."
Denley, who worked as a youth prosecutor, is charged with possession of child pornography and accessing child pornography. He sat calmly in the courthouse, taking notes as the evidence was presented. He appeared to have no contact with his family.
After the couple separated in August 2004, Skinnerland became concerned her youngest daughter, Julia, was spending too much time on the computer. When Skinnerland's sister checked the computer's history, she found the young girl, then 12, had set up a personal website with sexually explicit conversations.
On the advice of her daughter's counsellor, Skinnerland took copies of the website to Victoria police forensic computer expert Const. Paul Brookes, for advice. The meeting was also attended by Francis Graf, president and chief executive officer of Forensic Date Recovery Inc.
In September 2004, Skinnerland brought the family computer to Graf and paid him $2,500 to copy and analyze the hard drive.
Graf told Skinnerland much material had been deleted.
"There were 160,000 images, and he told me he saw some pre-pubescent girls. He said he could show me a few pictures," she said.
Graf, as he is required to, brought the matter to the attention of Victoria police.
Skinnerland also testified that earlier, before the separation, she had found pornographic magazines with names like Barely Legal and College Girls. Although Denley told her he destroyed the magazines, she found others, she told the court.
Defence lawyer Stephen Kelliher asked Skinnerland if she recalled Denley trying to show her "that once you get into the website, it's unpredictable what pops up?"
Skinnerland said she couldn't remember.
ldickson@tc.canwest.com
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
CRTC
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) is an independent agency responsible for regulating Canada's broadcasting and telecommunications systems. They report to Parliament through the Minister of Canadian Heritage
The Minister of Canadian Heritage is also the Minister for the Status of Women. Unbelievably this minister that is head of the CRTC that approved the license to Northern Peaks, the new pornographic channel, is a woman. I am outraged and dumbfounded.
What does she think the Status of Women is that she would allow this application to be approved?
What kind of message does she think this sends to the women and girls of Canada. Does she think that it's ok to show this violence, degradation and indignities perpetrated against women on tv? We should be fighting against it not condoning it.
An animal is treated with more dignity than a woman or girl in a pornographic movie.
Please write to the following and voice your opposition to this obscenity.
CRTC
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada, K1A 0N2
By fax:
819-994-0218
_____
Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women
The Honourable Josée Verner (what is honourable about approving pornography?)
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6
_____
Office of the Prime Minister
80 Wellington Street
Ottawa
K1A 0A2
Fax: 613-941-6900
_____
Your local Member of Parliament.
Your local cable or satellite provider.
Would you want your daughters to watch pornography or worse yet to be drugged or seduced into it as a participant?
What kind of message is this sending to your sons, that it's ok to abuse and debase women?
The Minister of Canadian Heritage is also the Minister for the Status of Women. Unbelievably this minister that is head of the CRTC that approved the license to Northern Peaks, the new pornographic channel, is a woman. I am outraged and dumbfounded.
What does she think the Status of Women is that she would allow this application to be approved?
What kind of message does she think this sends to the women and girls of Canada. Does she think that it's ok to show this violence, degradation and indignities perpetrated against women on tv? We should be fighting against it not condoning it.
An animal is treated with more dignity than a woman or girl in a pornographic movie.
Please write to the following and voice your opposition to this obscenity.
CRTC
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada, K1A 0N2
By fax:
819-994-0218
_____
Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women
The Honourable Josée Verner (what is honourable about approving pornography?)
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6
_____
Office of the Prime Minister
80 Wellington Street
Ottawa
K1A 0A2
Fax: 613-941-6900
_____
Your local Member of Parliament.
Your local cable or satellite provider.
Would you want your daughters to watch pornography or worse yet to be drugged or seduced into it as a participant?
What kind of message is this sending to your sons, that it's ok to abuse and debase women?
porn channel an abomination
i read this on-line today and sent it to everyone in my email address book. i hope each one of them will send it to everyone in their address book and so on and that everyone will write to the crtc voicing their objections. i hope that everyone will also write to their cable or satellite provider so that with enough objections the cable and satellite providers will not add the channel to its service list so they will not get a contract and the licence will expire.
Porn Channel an Abomination
Fred Henry, For The Calgary Herald
Published: Tuesday, August 26, 2008
The CRTC approved a Canadian pay-television pornography channel called Northern Peaks last week on the basis that 50 per cent of its pornographic content would be produced in Canada, which in turn, will also lead to the creation of a pornography industry in Canada.
In justifying its decision, the CRTC argues that it never takes a moral perspective on the contents of the applications it reviews. This explanation is not only ludicrous in itself but simply not credible because the CRTC has been noticeably reluctant over the years to license religious broadcasting.
Without question, pornography has a devastating impact upon all of society, especially women and young children. Pornography teaches that women enjoy "forced" or perverse sexual activity; advocates prostitution, exhibitionism and voyeurism as normal behaviour; and regards women as sex objects to be used for one's self-gratification.
For some men, the regular use of pornography normalizes aggression toward women in sexual and other interpersonal encounters, and increases the tolerance for such aggression against women in the larger culture.
Sadly, the greatest impact may be on the young, especially males 12 through 17 years of age, because pornography portrays sexual activity outside of marriage as acceptable without the dire consequences of AIDS or other venereal diseases, and without the responsibility toward conceiving a human life.
These assertions are supported by criminal evidence. A proven direct correlation exists between crimes of rape, child abuse, and the physical abuse of a spouse, and the proliferation of pornographic materials and the presence of live porn and sexually oriented businesses in a community.
Pornography is not simply linked to a "one time, one action" phenomenon, but may become like a spiritual cancer that corrupts the person.
Dr. Victor Cline has posited four progressive effects of pornography:
(1) addiction, where the need to view pornographic materials leads to a loss of free control over behaviour;
(2) escalation, where the person delves into progressively harder pornography, usually to attain the same level of sensation and arousal;
(3) desensitization, whereby the user is no longer morally sensitive to the shocking, illegal, repulsive, perverted or immoral quality of the material, but instead views it as acceptable and begins to look upon others as objects; and
(4) acting out, where the fantasizing becomes overt behaviour.
Additionally from a moral point of view, there are three reasons why pornography is wrong and sinful behaviour for individuals.
First, pornography offends the dignity of the participants (actors, vendors, the public). Each one is exploited himself or exploits others in some way for personal pleasure or gain. In all cases, the dignity of the human being -- whether the person posing, the person producing, the person distributing, or the person enjoying -- is debased.
Second, those who engage in pornography immerse themselves in a fantasy world, withdrawing from reality. While genuine love always involves a self-giving of oneself for the good of others, pornography entices a person to withdraw into a selfish world of perverted fantasy which may later be acted out to the detriment of oneself and others. This problem has increased dramatically, since the Internet offers "virtual reality" sexual interaction.
Third, pornography offends against the virtue of chastity and constitutes an assault on marriage. Each of us must respect the sanctity of our own human sexuality, which involves the integration of his physical and spiritual being. Furthermore, conjugal love which reflects the union of husband and wife, and the enactment of their vows is sacred. The conjugal act ought to express that faithful, permanent, exclusive, self-giving and life-giving love between husband and wife.
Economic values that are important today must include the enhancement of people, not their exploitation and debasement.
In making its decision on Northern Peaks, the CRTC specified that the channel would only be given its formal licence if at least one cable or satellite provider agrees to add the channel to its service list. The channel has three years to obtain such a contract or else the licence will expire.
Consider writing to your own cable provider (name and address available on your monthly bill) and advise it that if it includes this pornographic channel on its service list, you will immediately switch providers. If the cable provider believes that doing so will harm business -- the company will refuse the pornography channel.
In addition, write to the CRTC, Ottawa, Ont. K1A 0N2, Fax: 819-994-0218, raising your objections to its approval of this channel -- Canadian content or not.
Fred Henry is the Catholic bishop of Calgary.
Keep the porn channel out of Canada
The Ottawa Citizen
Published: Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Re: Stop porn channel, family group says, Aug. 22.
I think Charles McVety of the Canada Family Action Coalition is right: Canadian content is no compensation for an increase in pornography.
When I read your news article on the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission's (CRTC) decision to licence a pornography channel, my first thought was "What good are they?" (The CRTC, that is).
I object to having my tax dollars run an organization that is either unable or unwilling to protect Canadian women from continued sexual degradation, objectification, and exploitation.
Maybe it's time to get rid of both of them, the CRTC and the pornographers.
Peggy Lynn Kelly, Nepean
© The Ottawa Citizen 2008
Porn Channel an Abomination
Fred Henry, For The Calgary Herald
Published: Tuesday, August 26, 2008
The CRTC approved a Canadian pay-television pornography channel called Northern Peaks last week on the basis that 50 per cent of its pornographic content would be produced in Canada, which in turn, will also lead to the creation of a pornography industry in Canada.
In justifying its decision, the CRTC argues that it never takes a moral perspective on the contents of the applications it reviews. This explanation is not only ludicrous in itself but simply not credible because the CRTC has been noticeably reluctant over the years to license religious broadcasting.
Without question, pornography has a devastating impact upon all of society, especially women and young children. Pornography teaches that women enjoy "forced" or perverse sexual activity; advocates prostitution, exhibitionism and voyeurism as normal behaviour; and regards women as sex objects to be used for one's self-gratification.
For some men, the regular use of pornography normalizes aggression toward women in sexual and other interpersonal encounters, and increases the tolerance for such aggression against women in the larger culture.
Sadly, the greatest impact may be on the young, especially males 12 through 17 years of age, because pornography portrays sexual activity outside of marriage as acceptable without the dire consequences of AIDS or other venereal diseases, and without the responsibility toward conceiving a human life.
These assertions are supported by criminal evidence. A proven direct correlation exists between crimes of rape, child abuse, and the physical abuse of a spouse, and the proliferation of pornographic materials and the presence of live porn and sexually oriented businesses in a community.
Pornography is not simply linked to a "one time, one action" phenomenon, but may become like a spiritual cancer that corrupts the person.
Dr. Victor Cline has posited four progressive effects of pornography:
(1) addiction, where the need to view pornographic materials leads to a loss of free control over behaviour;
(2) escalation, where the person delves into progressively harder pornography, usually to attain the same level of sensation and arousal;
(3) desensitization, whereby the user is no longer morally sensitive to the shocking, illegal, repulsive, perverted or immoral quality of the material, but instead views it as acceptable and begins to look upon others as objects; and
(4) acting out, where the fantasizing becomes overt behaviour.
Additionally from a moral point of view, there are three reasons why pornography is wrong and sinful behaviour for individuals.
First, pornography offends the dignity of the participants (actors, vendors, the public). Each one is exploited himself or exploits others in some way for personal pleasure or gain. In all cases, the dignity of the human being -- whether the person posing, the person producing, the person distributing, or the person enjoying -- is debased.
Second, those who engage in pornography immerse themselves in a fantasy world, withdrawing from reality. While genuine love always involves a self-giving of oneself for the good of others, pornography entices a person to withdraw into a selfish world of perverted fantasy which may later be acted out to the detriment of oneself and others. This problem has increased dramatically, since the Internet offers "virtual reality" sexual interaction.
Third, pornography offends against the virtue of chastity and constitutes an assault on marriage. Each of us must respect the sanctity of our own human sexuality, which involves the integration of his physical and spiritual being. Furthermore, conjugal love which reflects the union of husband and wife, and the enactment of their vows is sacred. The conjugal act ought to express that faithful, permanent, exclusive, self-giving and life-giving love between husband and wife.
Economic values that are important today must include the enhancement of people, not their exploitation and debasement.
In making its decision on Northern Peaks, the CRTC specified that the channel would only be given its formal licence if at least one cable or satellite provider agrees to add the channel to its service list. The channel has three years to obtain such a contract or else the licence will expire.
Consider writing to your own cable provider (name and address available on your monthly bill) and advise it that if it includes this pornographic channel on its service list, you will immediately switch providers. If the cable provider believes that doing so will harm business -- the company will refuse the pornography channel.
In addition, write to the CRTC, Ottawa, Ont. K1A 0N2, Fax: 819-994-0218, raising your objections to its approval of this channel -- Canadian content or not.
Fred Henry is the Catholic bishop of Calgary.
Keep the porn channel out of Canada
The Ottawa Citizen
Published: Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Re: Stop porn channel, family group says, Aug. 22.
I think Charles McVety of the Canada Family Action Coalition is right: Canadian content is no compensation for an increase in pornography.
When I read your news article on the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission's (CRTC) decision to licence a pornography channel, my first thought was "What good are they?" (The CRTC, that is).
I object to having my tax dollars run an organization that is either unable or unwilling to protect Canadian women from continued sexual degradation, objectification, and exploitation.
Maybe it's time to get rid of both of them, the CRTC and the pornographers.
Peggy Lynn Kelly, Nepean
© The Ottawa Citizen 2008
Saturday, August 09, 2008
outrageous wage increases in bc
the following is taken from the vancouver sun august 9th. i couldn't believe it when i read it.
"On Friday the government gave retroactive raises to deputy and assistant deputy ministers ranging from 22 per cent to 43 per cent, depending upon position. For Campbell's deputy minister, Jessica McDonald, her salary will rise to $348,600 from $243,936.
The increase comes less than two years after the government gave its other political staff, including those appointed by Cabinet, raises of 25 per cent." not mentioned was the 53% increase gordon campbell gave himself.
the same government's website says "The First Job/entry level minimum wage rate is $6 per hour. This only applies to employees with no paid work experience before Nov. 15, 2001. After they have worked for a total of 500 hours with one or more employers, these employees are entitled to the regular minimum wage rate."
the minimum wage rate being $8.00/hour which has not been increased in 7 years.
i am outraged. i'm sure none of these fat cat bureaucrats have ever felt the humiliation of standing in line at the food bank because you live at or below the poverty line and can't afford to feed yourself or your family on the minimum wage income.
make poverty history - well that's sure not happening in this province. the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer.
when i worked people voted to go on strike to get a 2 or 3% wage increase.
don't wait til next year - call the election now and get rid of them.
"On Friday the government gave retroactive raises to deputy and assistant deputy ministers ranging from 22 per cent to 43 per cent, depending upon position. For Campbell's deputy minister, Jessica McDonald, her salary will rise to $348,600 from $243,936.
The increase comes less than two years after the government gave its other political staff, including those appointed by Cabinet, raises of 25 per cent." not mentioned was the 53% increase gordon campbell gave himself.
the same government's website says "The First Job/entry level minimum wage rate is $6 per hour. This only applies to employees with no paid work experience before Nov. 15, 2001. After they have worked for a total of 500 hours with one or more employers, these employees are entitled to the regular minimum wage rate."
the minimum wage rate being $8.00/hour which has not been increased in 7 years.
i am outraged. i'm sure none of these fat cat bureaucrats have ever felt the humiliation of standing in line at the food bank because you live at or below the poverty line and can't afford to feed yourself or your family on the minimum wage income.
make poverty history - well that's sure not happening in this province. the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer.
when i worked people voted to go on strike to get a 2 or 3% wage increase.
don't wait til next year - call the election now and get rid of them.
Sunday, August 03, 2008
Monday, July 28, 2008
offensive advertising on vancity's website
i found their advertising the queer festival on their banking website offensive so i wrote them and told them so. when i was logging off the gay pride advertising came up. if i wanted to watch any of this garbage i'd google it so i wrote them again. i don't understand why a bank website would display such morally bankrupt advertising.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Happy People Dancing on Planet Earth
this is a very cool video some guy made dancing in 39 countries. it is so fun to see people dancing and having fun in so many different countries. the silliness of it all would make anyone smile. i don't know how he managed to get it posted on nasa's astronomy picture of the day site but i'm glad he did. it's nice to see people from all over the world laughing and having fun instead of hearing about wars and violence.
check it out - http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html
check it out - http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html
Monday, July 21, 2008
the world is starving for the knowledge of the God who can satisfy the needs of the human heart.
this is the signature line that goes out with every email i send.
i have been phoning and emailing someone for several months with no reply. today i got an email from someone else saying " he has asked me to tell you that his computer will not accept any e-mails from you if the word God is included. So maybe you should delete your quote about the world starving for knowledge of God etc."
i have not mentioned God in any of our conversations so there's no reason why he could not have returned one of my several phone calls over the past 6 months. it's sad but he won't be the first person that stopped talking to me since i became a christian.
i have been phoning and emailing someone for several months with no reply. today i got an email from someone else saying " he has asked me to tell you that his computer will not accept any e-mails from you if the word God is included. So maybe you should delete your quote about the world starving for knowledge of God etc."
i have not mentioned God in any of our conversations so there's no reason why he could not have returned one of my several phone calls over the past 6 months. it's sad but he won't be the first person that stopped talking to me since i became a christian.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
bible couriers
check out http://www.millionbibles.com/ read about an on-fire christian spending his 2 week vacation smuggling bibles into a closed country. it's an amazing story of God's victory over the enemy.
1. While all mission trips are good, do you know of any other mission trip with the sort of impact that Bible smugglers have? If you spent just one week as a Bible smuggler and smuggled even just 1,000 Bibles, at the 1:5 ratio of delivered Bibles to new converts, that’s 5,000 souls won for Christ which will be linked to your heavenly account. Can you think of anything else you can do for a week that will result in 5,000 souls won for Jesus? How about 500 or even 50?
2. Being a Bible smuggler for even just a week will take your faith in Christ to another level. Every passage as a Bible smuggler is a miracle of God, so you end up praying and relying on God like never before, and then watching Him grant humbling miracles. Not only do you get to watch God win, you also have the immense privilege of being used by Him in His victories! I think every Christian should spend a week or two basking in the privilege of serving as a Bible smuggler.
3. You’ll have the added privilege of meeting and fellowshipping with some incredible Christians from around the world. Every Bible smuggler I met on this trip was a sold-out, on-fire-for-the-Lord Christian. After a hard, sweaty and exhausting day, you get together with the other Bible smugglers to share combat stories of the day, personal testimonies and prayers that give you a second wind. The only downside is that you sometimes end up staying up all night and lose sleep, but who cares when you’re being so blessed?
1. While all mission trips are good, do you know of any other mission trip with the sort of impact that Bible smugglers have? If you spent just one week as a Bible smuggler and smuggled even just 1,000 Bibles, at the 1:5 ratio of delivered Bibles to new converts, that’s 5,000 souls won for Christ which will be linked to your heavenly account. Can you think of anything else you can do for a week that will result in 5,000 souls won for Jesus? How about 500 or even 50?
2. Being a Bible smuggler for even just a week will take your faith in Christ to another level. Every passage as a Bible smuggler is a miracle of God, so you end up praying and relying on God like never before, and then watching Him grant humbling miracles. Not only do you get to watch God win, you also have the immense privilege of being used by Him in His victories! I think every Christian should spend a week or two basking in the privilege of serving as a Bible smuggler.
3. You’ll have the added privilege of meeting and fellowshipping with some incredible Christians from around the world. Every Bible smuggler I met on this trip was a sold-out, on-fire-for-the-Lord Christian. After a hard, sweaty and exhausting day, you get together with the other Bible smugglers to share combat stories of the day, personal testimonies and prayers that give you a second wind. The only downside is that you sometimes end up staying up all night and lose sleep, but who cares when you’re being so blessed?
israeljerusalem.com
The Bible says that the Messiah already came 2000 years ago and that when we die, those who believe in him will go to heaven as discussed, while those who deny him will go to hell, a place of unspeakable, eternal torment (Luke 16:19-31).
One day a grave will have your name on it. On that day, which could be decades or even hours away, where will your soul end up?
If you feel tempted to insist that the Bible is wrong and that there is no heaven or hell, consider this. You wouldn't critique a movie without having watched it, right? Have you ever read the Bible for yourself? I'm not talking about hearing things about the Bible or watching people give their opinions about the Bible. Have you ever watched the movie for yourself?
If not, isn't the destiny of your soul too important to be outsourced to anyone? Why not watch the movie for yourself before passing an opinion that could affect the rest of your eternity? If the whole Bible seems daunting, just read or study in-depth the Gospel of John, which is only 18 letter-sized pages long.
But before doing anything, pray to a God you don't believe in. That's right. Tell him you neither believe nor particularly want to believe in him. But you do want to know the truth - whatever that may be - and if he really does exist and needs to help you on this one, that he will.
the above taken from http://www.israeljerusalem.com/jewish-graves.htm
One day a grave will have your name on it. On that day, which could be decades or even hours away, where will your soul end up?
If you feel tempted to insist that the Bible is wrong and that there is no heaven or hell, consider this. You wouldn't critique a movie without having watched it, right? Have you ever read the Bible for yourself? I'm not talking about hearing things about the Bible or watching people give their opinions about the Bible. Have you ever watched the movie for yourself?
If not, isn't the destiny of your soul too important to be outsourced to anyone? Why not watch the movie for yourself before passing an opinion that could affect the rest of your eternity? If the whole Bible seems daunting, just read or study in-depth the Gospel of John, which is only 18 letter-sized pages long.
But before doing anything, pray to a God you don't believe in. That's right. Tell him you neither believe nor particularly want to believe in him. But you do want to know the truth - whatever that may be - and if he really does exist and needs to help you on this one, that he will.
the above taken from http://www.israeljerusalem.com/jewish-graves.htm
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
feel like i've lost my best friend
since my best friend passed away a year ago i have been asking God for a new best friend. in february He brought someone into my life and i wondered if they were in answer to my prayers. He put it on my heart to pray for this person and He gave me agape love for him. somewhere along the line my feelings deepened and grew. today he went away. we hugged and said goodbye. if he is faithful to God he will be gone a year. whether or not i'll ever see him again i don't know. i know he had to go and i wanted him to go but now i'm sad. God brings people into our lives for a reason or a season and i wonder if this was a season that is now past. or is it for a reason and there is more to it. i certainly hope so. i praise God that He worked out all the details for my friend to go. i will miss him so much.
Friday, June 06, 2008
if you want to know God's will - ask Him
I am wondering if God is wanting me to go to Peru next month. I prayed about it a month ago when the pastor I went to the Philippines (Bill) with first asked me about it. I said yes and then wondered if 'I' said yes or God did. At that time it was only going to be with another pastor (married man) and me (single woman) and I thought no because just the two of us wouldn't be appropriate. Since then Bill has told me that there are a couple of other women that are going and maybe another man. I prayed about it again and thought yes then wondered if again it was me. My heart is in missions and I love to travel and except for the evangelistic crusade with Bill in the Philippines in April I have always done work trips. For this trip they wanted 2 workers capable of working with children. When Bill said that I thought well that let's me out. I'm more comfortable serving the homeless at Sally Ann than working with children. I prayed about it again and thought yes and I was sure it couldn't be God because I suck at working with kids. Bill had told me it cooled off at night and after praying about it again because I want to do God's will I thought I was thinking yes again. I asked a friend about it and she asked if I had peace about it. I didn't have peace saying I wasn't going. Then I checked CNN weather and I 'knew' God couldn't be asking me to go. I am cold here when the temperature goes below 70. The high temperature where the team is going is 65 and the low is 33. I would die - I did NOT want to go. Then I would read a devo and it seemed that God was trying to tell me I was supposed to go.
this morning i got a devo from a lady pastor "How do we know when it’s God asking and not the world or ourselves or Satan? - it will require more than you have or want to give."
reading her devo i wondered again if God was trying to tell me something. like that He would require more than we want to give, this after saying i'm His servant and will do whatever He asks of me.
she said she would love to hear what God is asking of us. so i was writing this to her and i was going to ask her what she thought and if she would pray about it.
then i remembered if we want to know God's will for us ask Him not someone else. who else would know His mind. i prayed about it again and now i have peace that i am not going.
this morning i got a devo from a lady pastor "How do we know when it’s God asking and not the world or ourselves or Satan? - it will require more than you have or want to give."
reading her devo i wondered again if God was trying to tell me something. like that He would require more than we want to give, this after saying i'm His servant and will do whatever He asks of me.
she said she would love to hear what God is asking of us. so i was writing this to her and i was going to ask her what she thought and if she would pray about it.
then i remembered if we want to know God's will for us ask Him not someone else. who else would know His mind. i prayed about it again and now i have peace that i am not going.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
baptism of fire
But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire." (Matthew 3:11)(Luke 3:16)
I emailed this to four pastors wanting to know what they thought this meant. One pastor responded. I emailed a fifth pastor, 8 days later I got a second response.
Does it mean God will burn off our sin (the chaff)? or... as Hillsong United's Consuming Fire lyrics say
There must be more than this
O breath of God, come breathe within
There must be more than this
Spirit of God we wait for you
Fill us anew we pray
Fill us anew we pray
CHORUS:
Consuming fire, fan into flame
A passion for your name
Spirit of God fall in this place
Lord have your way
Lord have your way with us
Come like a rushing wind
Clothe us with power from on high
Now set the captives free
Leaves us abandoned to your praise
Lord let your glory fall
Lord let your glory fall
CHORUS
BRIDGE:
Stir it up in our hearts, Lord
A passion for your name
I emailed this to four pastors wanting to know what they thought this meant. One pastor responded. I emailed a fifth pastor, 8 days later I got a second response.
Does it mean God will burn off our sin (the chaff)? or... as Hillsong United's Consuming Fire lyrics say
There must be more than this
O breath of God, come breathe within
There must be more than this
Spirit of God we wait for you
Fill us anew we pray
Fill us anew we pray
CHORUS:
Consuming fire, fan into flame
A passion for your name
Spirit of God fall in this place
Lord have your way
Lord have your way with us
Come like a rushing wind
Clothe us with power from on high
Now set the captives free
Leaves us abandoned to your praise
Lord let your glory fall
Lord let your glory fall
CHORUS
BRIDGE:
Stir it up in our hearts, Lord
A passion for your name
Sunday, May 25, 2008
is God trying to tell me something?
this morning in church the pastor said something that was so profound, to me anyway, that it was like God was speaking to me. i had to write it down so i wouldn't forget it and i didn't have any paper but because i had to write it down i wrote it in a book i had in my bag.
'i want you to prove your commitment before you prove your attraction.'
God uses various ways to speak to us so if this is from God i wonder what it means and how i would do that.
'i want you to prove your commitment before you prove your attraction.'
God uses various ways to speak to us so if this is from God i wonder what it means and how i would do that.
Friday, May 23, 2008
unmet longings
the Lord is my Shepherd; i shall not want. psalm 23:1
reading the above scripture i think but i do want Lord. unmet longings. i longed for a husband for a long time. i thought i needed a husband. what i needed was God. then i thought God was enough. He filled my heart with such love and joy. in february God stirred my longings and desires. He awakened in me something that i thought was at rest. He brought someone into my life and i started wondering what life would be like with him. i was content in my singleness and i thank God for that but now i'm wanting more. the book i'm reading right now, walking with God, says it's not good to bury the deep longings of our hearts. having been awakened to my unmet longing i have wanted it more and more. God awakened this desire in my heart and i can't help but wonder what He's going to do about it. cs lewis says in 'the weight of glory' that what God uses to awaken desire is not necessarily what we long for. if it is not that relationship that i desire but what it points to then what is it. i have wondered for months why God brought us together. now i wonder how He is going to meet that longing that He has awakened in me.
reading the above scripture i think but i do want Lord. unmet longings. i longed for a husband for a long time. i thought i needed a husband. what i needed was God. then i thought God was enough. He filled my heart with such love and joy. in february God stirred my longings and desires. He awakened in me something that i thought was at rest. He brought someone into my life and i started wondering what life would be like with him. i was content in my singleness and i thank God for that but now i'm wanting more. the book i'm reading right now, walking with God, says it's not good to bury the deep longings of our hearts. having been awakened to my unmet longing i have wanted it more and more. God awakened this desire in my heart and i can't help but wonder what He's going to do about it. cs lewis says in 'the weight of glory' that what God uses to awaken desire is not necessarily what we long for. if it is not that relationship that i desire but what it points to then what is it. i have wondered for months why God brought us together. now i wonder how He is going to meet that longing that He has awakened in me.
walking with God
is a great book and i highly recommend it. by john eldredge. it's about having a conversation relationship with God. it's certainly got me thinking. i've hardly been able to put it down. i had borrowed it from the church library but now think i want to buy it so i can read it again and share it with others.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
a futbol game - a gift from God
sometimes God just gives us gifts cuz He loves us.
i haven't watched much futbol this year because i don't get the channel that the best games are televised on. i planned to finish reading a book while eating my breakfast and decided instead to check my email. upon opening my email there was one advertising THE best two teams in england playing in the champions league final.
i put the tv on to see what time it might be coming on and if i got the channel it might be on. it had just started here although it was midnight in moscow where they were playing. it was the first time that the champions league final was an all english futbol game.
it was a tie game so they went into extra time, it was still tie so they went to penalty kicks, it was still tie after the normal five kicks that they allow and they kept going. i absolutely loved it. the best footballer in the world, cristiano ronaldo, scored a goal but missed the penalty. he was a shoe-in, no pun intended, but he missed. then the captain of the other team who you would've thought would also be a shoe-in missed.
it was exciting. thank You Lord.
i haven't watched much futbol this year because i don't get the channel that the best games are televised on. i planned to finish reading a book while eating my breakfast and decided instead to check my email. upon opening my email there was one advertising THE best two teams in england playing in the champions league final.
i put the tv on to see what time it might be coming on and if i got the channel it might be on. it had just started here although it was midnight in moscow where they were playing. it was the first time that the champions league final was an all english futbol game.
it was a tie game so they went into extra time, it was still tie so they went to penalty kicks, it was still tie after the normal five kicks that they allow and they kept going. i absolutely loved it. the best footballer in the world, cristiano ronaldo, scored a goal but missed the penalty. he was a shoe-in, no pun intended, but he missed. then the captain of the other team who you would've thought would also be a shoe-in missed.
it was exciting. thank You Lord.
Monday, May 12, 2008
my addiction
i have had a friend staying with me for about 7 weeks. i've enjoyed their company. i know i used to eat / snack all the time out of sheer boredom but when my friend was here i never did. now that they're gone i find that i'm eating just for the sake of eating again. i miss my friend, in more ways than one.
wills
i have been the executrix for and working on my best friend's estate for over a year now. i'm sure she had no idea everything that is involved, i know i certainly didn't. it's made me realize i want to update mine and simplify it if i can.
i had always planned to donate my organs for transplant but i guess having a blood cancer that would be impossible now considering that blood is in every organ.
if you don't have a will don't wait. my friends will was very clear about the distribution of her assets but it still cost over $10k just in legal fees, probate fees were on top of that. if there is no will the public trustee gets everything and then you have to deal with them to try and get anything.
if you refer to something in your will that you no longer have make sure you delete it so the executor or family isn't searching for something that isn't there.
i had always planned to donate my organs for transplant but i guess having a blood cancer that would be impossible now considering that blood is in every organ.
if you don't have a will don't wait. my friends will was very clear about the distribution of her assets but it still cost over $10k just in legal fees, probate fees were on top of that. if there is no will the public trustee gets everything and then you have to deal with them to try and get anything.
if you refer to something in your will that you no longer have make sure you delete it so the executor or family isn't searching for something that isn't there.
Monday, May 05, 2008
lost
my heart breaks for a friend with addictions. God gave me a burden to pray for this friend and i have been praying and crying for 6 weeks now but nothing seems to help or work. how do you help someone with no hope who doesn't think they are worthy. grace? mercy? love? nothing seems to be enough. they have lost fellowship with God and it seems too hard to find something when it's lost but i no sooner thought this than i thought of the lost coin, the lost sheep. every time i think nothing will change i think of what God says.
i keep asking God why He put us together. i have prayed for healing and the word believe comes to mind.
i keep asking God why He put us together. i have prayed for healing and the word believe comes to mind.
palawan
i absolutely loved it. everyone asked if i was coming back again and i said i didn't know. they said they would not say goodbye but only see you next time. it was very similar to where i lived in costa rica, very hot and humid, except it was at the ocean. the people are so amazingly warm and friendly. if God called me to go there long term i'd be on the next plane. i can hardly wait til next year to go back.
we would go to the market in quezon a few minutes ride away from the manna home and while walking around we would find one of the pastors or boys from the home right beside or behind us, watching over us to make sure we were ok. i felt so at home there i felt bad that the boys had to wait and watch while we shopped.
the food was incredible, fresh mangoes, pineapple, coconut, calamari, shrimps, prawns, fish almost every day.
we lived right on the edge of the jungle and within walking distance to the sea so the scenery was absolutely beautiful in any direction.
the kids learn english in school at the manna home so we could converse a little bit but candy, nail polish, skipping ropes and volleyballs broke any language barrier.
the national sport in costa rica is soccer. in the philippines it's cock fighting and they had an arena in one village we went to. i asked the pastors about it thinking they wouldn't condone it and was surprised to learn that they all do. not that i have any love for roosters, especially after they keep you awake all night but...
after checking out the 'facilities' in the villages we went to we would not drink all day and pray that we wouldn't have to use them.
the sea was every shade of blue and green you can imagine, incredibly beautiful, and so warm. it was jellyfish season when we were there and little ones came in and lined the shore every afternoon and were washed out with the tide during the night. the ones we saw out in the ocean were over a foot across.
the caving was so cool. our very first day there our pastor had a business meeting so a couple of pastors that had come for the bible conference took us out to some caves. going through the blackness of the caves and coming out into the bright sunshine was like seeing an undiscovered land for the first time, it was beautiful. a bunch of teenage boys that live there came with us because even though they live so close they had never had the opportunity to go to the caves and it was so fun watching them having so much fun. the local beach was all mud so they got to go swimming in crystal clear waters in soft white sand.
we would go to the market in quezon a few minutes ride away from the manna home and while walking around we would find one of the pastors or boys from the home right beside or behind us, watching over us to make sure we were ok. i felt so at home there i felt bad that the boys had to wait and watch while we shopped.
the food was incredible, fresh mangoes, pineapple, coconut, calamari, shrimps, prawns, fish almost every day.
we lived right on the edge of the jungle and within walking distance to the sea so the scenery was absolutely beautiful in any direction.
the kids learn english in school at the manna home so we could converse a little bit but candy, nail polish, skipping ropes and volleyballs broke any language barrier.
the national sport in costa rica is soccer. in the philippines it's cock fighting and they had an arena in one village we went to. i asked the pastors about it thinking they wouldn't condone it and was surprised to learn that they all do. not that i have any love for roosters, especially after they keep you awake all night but...
after checking out the 'facilities' in the villages we went to we would not drink all day and pray that we wouldn't have to use them.
the sea was every shade of blue and green you can imagine, incredibly beautiful, and so warm. it was jellyfish season when we were there and little ones came in and lined the shore every afternoon and were washed out with the tide during the night. the ones we saw out in the ocean were over a foot across.
the caving was so cool. our very first day there our pastor had a business meeting so a couple of pastors that had come for the bible conference took us out to some caves. going through the blackness of the caves and coming out into the bright sunshine was like seeing an undiscovered land for the first time, it was beautiful. a bunch of teenage boys that live there came with us because even though they live so close they had never had the opportunity to go to the caves and it was so fun watching them having so much fun. the local beach was all mud so they got to go swimming in crystal clear waters in soft white sand.
pictures from palawan, philippines
kids having a bath in a dirty, polluted river.
the market in quezon, palawan.
some of the girls after having a manicure.
houses are made of bamboo.
caving on our first day there. where the light shone in the darkness there was new life.
the boys in palawan reminded me of the boys in costa rica. it was so much fun watching them having so much fun. they are hams everywhere.
this is our boat and some of the boys swimming after eating fresh fish and rice cooked on the beach.
stopped at a sand bar to walk in the middle of the south china sea. it was so cool.
some of the kids on our patio filling balloons with candy.
baptism in the south china sea.
some of the pastors cooking lunch. the people were so amazing, i could so live there.
curious onlookers watching being set up for the crusade
walking by flashlight down the beach at low tide after the crusade
this tiny little island was just a white spot in the middle of the sea. another fresh fish & rice lunch cooked on the beach and 3 hours and we were fried.
mission trip to the philippines
this was not like any mission trip i have ever been on but it was the most incredible. after signing up i asked what we would be doing. the pastor said it was an evangelistic crusade and i would be giving my testimony. i might not have signed up if i'd known that in advance. i've always done work trips and hate being up front so i asked some friends to pray for me. it was so amazing to feel the Holy Spirit at work in me. i was filled with the power of God and the words and the boldness with which i spoke blew me away and if you know me you would've been blown away too. we gave our testimonies at a 3 day bible conference then did crusades in 3 different villages. 12 people received Christ as their Saviour at the first one, 5 at the second one and 197 at the third (since then 2 more have been saved). it was mind boggling. of the 5 people at the second crusade 2 of the people were the witch doctor and his wife. that's going to have an incredible impact on that village. we took a boat to the 3rd village where there was no power except the Holy Spirit and it was amazing.
i would never have gone on a trip like this before but now after seeing the power of God at work i want to do it again.
i talked with and prayed for a young homosexual man who repented and was reconciled to God and he has since emailed me to thank me for taking the bad stuff out of him. i can't tell you how blessed or privileged i feel to have been part of that. i wouldn't have known what to say, or had the boldness to say what i did, except that it was the Holy Spirit doing it all.
i don't know what impact my testimony had (it wasn't about what my life was like before God but what it's been like since) at the crusades but it was amazing to see God at work in so many people's lives.
i know God is with me and i have felt God's special presence in my life many times but have never felt His power like this. submitting everything to God and letting Him work through me was one of the most amazing experiences in my life and recommend it to everyone.
i would never have gone on a trip like this before but now after seeing the power of God at work i want to do it again.
i talked with and prayed for a young homosexual man who repented and was reconciled to God and he has since emailed me to thank me for taking the bad stuff out of him. i can't tell you how blessed or privileged i feel to have been part of that. i wouldn't have known what to say, or had the boldness to say what i did, except that it was the Holy Spirit doing it all.
i don't know what impact my testimony had (it wasn't about what my life was like before God but what it's been like since) at the crusades but it was amazing to see God at work in so many people's lives.
i know God is with me and i have felt God's special presence in my life many times but have never felt His power like this. submitting everything to God and letting Him work through me was one of the most amazing experiences in my life and recommend it to everyone.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
He also made the stars
Genesis 1:16. He also made the stars. like it's an afterthought after creating the sun and the moon.
these are some pretty amazing afterthoughts. if you've never checked it out before take a look at http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
Monday, March 10, 2008
hungry sinners or pharisees
i love helping at alpha. there are a couple of hungry people in my group and i just love them and i just want to love them to Christ. they find it hard to believe that Jesus could love them as much as He does. they find it hard to believe that they could be forgiven for their many sins. i love talking to them. i love telling them how much Jesus loves them. i love telling them they are precious, beloved children of God. i love telling them that there is absolutely nothing that they have ever done that Jesus won't forgive them for. i just love telling them about Jesus. i can see Him at work in their lives and i get so excited and am so happy for them.
they are going to be more blessed than others in the group because they know they are sinners and Jesus came to save sinners just like them.
it's the others i can't reach that remind me of the pharisees. they are not hungry, they are not searching, they are closed-minded to what Jesus is trying to teach them and what He is offering them.
they are going to be more blessed than others in the group because they know they are sinners and Jesus came to save sinners just like them.
it's the others i can't reach that remind me of the pharisees. they are not hungry, they are not searching, they are closed-minded to what Jesus is trying to teach them and what He is offering them.
prayer
Heavenly Father rescue me from the misery of blaming others for my sin. Help me to admit my own guilt and to bring it to you for forgiveness through Jesus Christ. Amen.
husbands
years ago i had asked God for a husband but for the past few years i have vacillated between wanting one and not wanting one. and God isn't going to give us something we're not even sure we want. i know i don't need a husband because God fills that place in my heart.
years ago i thought i was in love with a man that talked about God and the bible. i could listen to him for hours. it used to stir my senses listening to him. i have a friend that knows the bible very well and i realized yesterday that that turns me on. it opened my eyes to a new truth, one that i knew but had never really applied it to myself.
i have always looked at man's outward appearance but God looks at the heart. we each have a favourite 'thing' we look at in a person. i notice eyes and hands, some people notice smiles, others notice ears or noses.
when i lived in costa rica and invited the youth on saturday nights to come to church they would say they weren't dressed for it. i told them God didn't care what they looked like He just saw their hearts.
thinking about how this friend talks about God and the bible made me realize i don't really care about eyes or hands i just care about a person's heart for God and their relationship with Him. age difference never meant anything to me but a person usually has their stereotypical opposite in mind, ie tall, dark and handsome. but i have to admit listening to this friend talk about God and the bible really stirs my senses.
years ago i thought i was in love with a man that talked about God and the bible. i could listen to him for hours. it used to stir my senses listening to him. i have a friend that knows the bible very well and i realized yesterday that that turns me on. it opened my eyes to a new truth, one that i knew but had never really applied it to myself.
i have always looked at man's outward appearance but God looks at the heart. we each have a favourite 'thing' we look at in a person. i notice eyes and hands, some people notice smiles, others notice ears or noses.
when i lived in costa rica and invited the youth on saturday nights to come to church they would say they weren't dressed for it. i told them God didn't care what they looked like He just saw their hearts.
thinking about how this friend talks about God and the bible made me realize i don't really care about eyes or hands i just care about a person's heart for God and their relationship with Him. age difference never meant anything to me but a person usually has their stereotypical opposite in mind, ie tall, dark and handsome. but i have to admit listening to this friend talk about God and the bible really stirs my senses.
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
the beauty of math
Is this a God thing or what?
Maybe math/physics really is related to seeing the patterns of music.
After all, great musician's have always claimed that it is!
Beauty of Math!
1 x 8 + 1 = 9
12 x 8 + 2 = 98
123 x 8 + 3 = 987
1234 x 8 + 4 = 9876
12345 x 8 + 5 = 98765
123456 x 8 + 6 = 987654
1234567 x 8 + 7 = 9876543
12345678 x 8 + 8 = 98765432
123456789 x 8 + 9 = 987654321
- - - - - - - - - - - -
1 x 9 + 2 = 11
12 x 9 + 3 = 111
123 x 9 + 4 = 1111
1234 x 9 + 5 = 11111
12345 x 9 + 6 = 111111
123456 x 9 + 7 = 1111111
1234567 x 9 + 8 = 11111111
12345678 x 9 + 9 = 111111111
123456789 x 9 +10= 111111111
- - - - - - -
9 x 9 + 7 = 88
98 x 9 + 6 = 888
987 x 9 + 5 = 8888
9876 x 9 + 4 = 88888
98765 x 9 + 3 = 888888
987654 x 9 + 2 = 8888888
9876543 x 9 + 1 = 88888888
98765432 x 9 + 0 = 888888888
Brilliant, isn't it?
And look at this symmetry:
1 x 1 = 1
11 x 11 = 121
111 x 111 = 12321
1111 x 1111 = 1234321
11111 x 11111 = 123454321
111111 x 111111 = 12345654321
1111111 x 1111111 = 1234567654321
11111111 x 11111111 = 123456787654321
111111111 x 111111111=12345678987654321
Now, take a look at this...
101%
From a strictly mathematical viewpoint:
What Equals 100%? What does it mean to give MORE than 100%?
Ever wonder about those people who say they are giving more than 100%?
We have all be en in situations where someone wants you to GIVE OVER 100%.
How about ACHIEVING 101%?
What equals 100% in life?
Here's a little mathematical formula that might help answer these questions:
If:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Is represented as:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26.
If:
H-A-R-D-W-O-R- K
8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98%
And:
K-N-O-W-L-E-D-G-E
11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+5 = 96%
But:
A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E
1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5 = 100%
THEN, look how far the love of God will take you:
L-O-V-E-O-F-G-O-D
12+15+22+5+15+6+7+15+4 = 101%
Therefore, one can conclude with mathematical certainty that:
While Hard Work and Knowledge will get you close, and Attitude will
get you there, and it's the Love of God that will put you over the top!
Maybe math/physics really is related to seeing the patterns of music.
After all, great musician's have always claimed that it is!
Beauty of Math!
1 x 8 + 1 = 9
12 x 8 + 2 = 98
123 x 8 + 3 = 987
1234 x 8 + 4 = 9876
12345 x 8 + 5 = 98765
123456 x 8 + 6 = 987654
1234567 x 8 + 7 = 9876543
12345678 x 8 + 8 = 98765432
123456789 x 8 + 9 = 987654321
- - - - - - - - - - - -
1 x 9 + 2 = 11
12 x 9 + 3 = 111
123 x 9 + 4 = 1111
1234 x 9 + 5 = 11111
12345 x 9 + 6 = 111111
123456 x 9 + 7 = 1111111
1234567 x 9 + 8 = 11111111
12345678 x 9 + 9 = 111111111
123456789 x 9 +10= 111111111
- - - - - - -
9 x 9 + 7 = 88
98 x 9 + 6 = 888
987 x 9 + 5 = 8888
9876 x 9 + 4 = 88888
98765 x 9 + 3 = 888888
987654 x 9 + 2 = 8888888
9876543 x 9 + 1 = 88888888
98765432 x 9 + 0 = 888888888
Brilliant, isn't it?
And look at this symmetry:
1 x 1 = 1
11 x 11 = 121
111 x 111 = 12321
1111 x 1111 = 1234321
11111 x 11111 = 123454321
111111 x 111111 = 12345654321
1111111 x 1111111 = 1234567654321
11111111 x 11111111 = 123456787654321
111111111 x 111111111=12345678987654321
Now, take a look at this...
101%
From a strictly mathematical viewpoint:
What Equals 100%? What does it mean to give MORE than 100%?
Ever wonder about those people who say they are giving more than 100%?
We have all be en in situations where someone wants you to GIVE OVER 100%.
How about ACHIEVING 101%?
What equals 100% in life?
Here's a little mathematical formula that might help answer these questions:
If:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Is represented as:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26.
If:
H-A-R-D-W-O-R- K
8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98%
And:
K-N-O-W-L-E-D-G-E
11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+5 = 96%
But:
A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E
1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5 = 100%
THEN, look how far the love of God will take you:
L-O-V-E-O-F-G-O-D
12+15+22+5+15+6+7+15+4 = 101%
Therefore, one can conclude with mathematical certainty that:
While Hard Work and Knowledge will get you close, and Attitude will
get you there, and it's the Love of God that will put you over the top!
Friday, February 29, 2008
philippines
march 28 i am going to the philippines for 2 weeks with manna ministries, people i have met at northview. they have planted churches there and just go to show God's love to people that don't know Him. they said that the filipinos are amazed that white people would travel so far just to tell them about God.
it all just came together yesterday. i had been talking to their son at alpha 2 weeks ago saying that i had been checking out their website and that i'd like to go to the philippines and he said they were going in a month.
they asked what talents i had and i couldn't think of any, nursing, singing, drama, sports - nada i just love God.
so i'm typing out tagalog phrases so i can hopefully communicate a little although we will have interpreters.
i'm building points on my visa until my tax return comes in.
it all just came together yesterday. i had been talking to their son at alpha 2 weeks ago saying that i had been checking out their website and that i'd like to go to the philippines and he said they were going in a month.
they asked what talents i had and i couldn't think of any, nursing, singing, drama, sports - nada i just love God.
so i'm typing out tagalog phrases so i can hopefully communicate a little although we will have interpreters.
i'm building points on my visa until my tax return comes in.
girls night out
Girls Night Out is a two-hour evening of faith, fellowship, and fun for women. The program begins with a short music program led by one of our artist and worship leaders. A social time follows, giving participants an opportunity to mingle, share their experiences, and indulge in delicious snacks.
For more details, please go to www.gnolive.ca
Tuesday April 15th at 700pm
Chilliwack Alliance
8700 Young Road
Chilliwack BC
I went to this before and the speaker had an amazing testimony and was absolutely hilarious. If I remember correctly it was free and they just took a love offering.
Plus they had a free gift for every woman there. It's definitely an evening you'll enjoy.
For more details, please go to www.gnolive.ca
Tuesday April 15th at 700pm
Chilliwack Alliance
8700 Young Road
Chilliwack BC
I went to this before and the speaker had an amazing testimony and was absolutely hilarious. If I remember correctly it was free and they just took a love offering.
Plus they had a free gift for every woman there. It's definitely an evening you'll enjoy.
Monday, February 25, 2008
speaking in tongues
paul tells us to eagerly desire spiritual gifts.
in the past 6 or 7 months two people had told me i had the gift of speaking in tongues. they had tried to encourage me in speaking in tongues but it just wasn't there and i felt silly trying to make up words. i know what my other spiritual gifts are and speaking in tongues had not been one of them. last week i was reading 'drawing near' and it was talking about speaking in tongues and it said to just open your mouth and let it happen. so i did and it did. it was total gibberish. i have heard many people speak in tongues but i'd never heard anything like what was coming out of my mouth.
this weekend at the alpha weekend away i wanted to ask someone about it. there were a few pastors i knew and many others i knew but i went to someone else. i asked an elder from northview about it. i wasn't sure how to talk about it because it sounded like gibberish to me i thought he would think i was a kook or something.
he said we should pray about it. he started praying and all of a sudden he's speaking the same gibberish that i was. tears were just pouring down my face and when we both stopped speaking at the same time he told me to keep going. when i opened my eyes i saw his eyes filled with tears.
he said he had started speaking in tongues about 6 months ago but he thought he must be making it up himself because it was such gibberish. he had never heard anyone else speak it before. he was happy to hear me speak it because it was confirmation to him that it was a heavenly language and not something he had made up. neither of us have the gift of interpretation so we have no idea what we said.
that the Holy Spirit led me to talk to this particular man whom i had never spoken to before was also confirmation for me.
1 Cor 22: Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers... Someone who came up for prayer was surprised to hear someone else speaking in tongues and said it helped them to believe.
in the past 6 or 7 months two people had told me i had the gift of speaking in tongues. they had tried to encourage me in speaking in tongues but it just wasn't there and i felt silly trying to make up words. i know what my other spiritual gifts are and speaking in tongues had not been one of them. last week i was reading 'drawing near' and it was talking about speaking in tongues and it said to just open your mouth and let it happen. so i did and it did. it was total gibberish. i have heard many people speak in tongues but i'd never heard anything like what was coming out of my mouth.
this weekend at the alpha weekend away i wanted to ask someone about it. there were a few pastors i knew and many others i knew but i went to someone else. i asked an elder from northview about it. i wasn't sure how to talk about it because it sounded like gibberish to me i thought he would think i was a kook or something.
he said we should pray about it. he started praying and all of a sudden he's speaking the same gibberish that i was. tears were just pouring down my face and when we both stopped speaking at the same time he told me to keep going. when i opened my eyes i saw his eyes filled with tears.
he said he had started speaking in tongues about 6 months ago but he thought he must be making it up himself because it was such gibberish. he had never heard anyone else speak it before. he was happy to hear me speak it because it was confirmation to him that it was a heavenly language and not something he had made up. neither of us have the gift of interpretation so we have no idea what we said.
that the Holy Spirit led me to talk to this particular man whom i had never spoken to before was also confirmation for me.
1 Cor 22: Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers... Someone who came up for prayer was surprised to hear someone else speaking in tongues and said it helped them to believe.
Monday, February 11, 2008
raising peliquey in el salvador
peliquey's are a sheep raised in hotter climates for it's rich meat. they eat anything and are easy to raise, they have babies every 6 months and mature in 6 months.
world vision supplied 3 farmers with a male and 2 female peliquey's and when each has raised 11 animals they will start marketing them. they eat anything and what appears to be hay is the leaves left over after harvesting beans. they will be able to feed their families and supply their communities with fresh meat. wv gave the farmers the option of raising ducks, chickens or peligueys and 3 chose the sheep. they provide everything, the pens, the training in raising the animals and business and marketing.
fish farming in el salvador
world vision contributed the money to buy the materials to build the first tank and with help from other organizations supplied the money to build additional tanks (1.8 metres deep) and for fish fry and food to get this community set up with a fish farm. it's a 15 man coop and everyone pitches in and they get fresh fish. wv provided the business and marketing practices and training so everyone involved in the coop can earn income as well. wv provides materials and training and the people in the community supply the labour.
it had started as an irrigation project for a vegetable garden but it was too hard to get the water from the tank to the garden so they gave up the garden and started raising tilapia.
world vision sewing project in el salvador
world vision gave these 3 women a sewing machine, the materials needed to get started and training in how to sew, business and marketing and training in how to invest their income. they had made a couple pairs of sheets, tablecloths, aprons and pillow cases. they sell their merchandise in the local village but we bought everything they had and gave it to the family we were building the house for.
unbelievably though these women do not have electricty and the corner where their sewing machine is is so very dark even in bright daylight. i can imagine they won't have good eyesight for long.
but having this sewing machine gives these women an income in which to feed their children and a sense of pride in their accomplishments.
world vision projects in el salvador - computers
wow! it was wonderful to see all the projects world vision is involved in in el salvador.
world vision places a high priority on education and this is a computer classroom wv donated to the school. wv provided the money for the computers and pays for servicing them. the lady is the school principal and the man is danilo our translator.
the computer centre started in 2003 and 420 kids from grade 5 to 12 have taken courses. last year the school children won a national award in creating a website. the 3 best students get certified by microsoft. grade 12 students come to the centre to use the computers. the teachers and community leaders also learn how to use the computers.
most of the kids in the grade 3 class we visited are sponsored children. there was a boy in grade 3 that looked a little embarrassed when the teacher said he was 14 years old. i was just glad that he's getting the opportunity to go to school, better late than never.
faith in el salvador
at the end of our trip i went to the beach with another girl from the team. we registered at a small, new hotel, walked down the beach, then watched a soccer game across the street from the hotel. when i tried to lock our door on the inside the lock wouldn't work so i asked the staff if they could fix it. they used a little wd40 and the lock worked.
during the night we heard people talking in the walkway (hallway) that went from the street through the hotel to the beach. we didn't understand what they were saying so we didn't pay any attention to them. about 10:30 someone tried to break into our room. i just figured it was maybe another guest who had too much to drink and had the wrong room.
i had absolute peace and calm, my roommate however was terrified. i couldn't help but talk about how God knew exactly where we were and that nothing could touch us that He didn't allow and that i knew He had His angels watching over us keeping us safe.
the next morning when i was talking to God i asked Him about the gift of faith. we are given spiritual gifts to help people. i can see how i can use my other spiritual gifts to help people but i was asking Him what good it was having faith if i didn't know how to use it and i couldn't use it to help people.
a while later 3 police and the hotel staff came to our door asking if we had been disturbed during the night. i told / showed them what someone had been doing as they tried to get into our room but as they didn't speak any english i didn't understand everything they said. i closed the door and again the lock didn't work. hm a new hotel, the lock didn't work, then it did when we needed it to, then it didn't.
as my roommate was still afraid we decided to leave. we called the transportation company we had been using and they came and got us. the driver spoke english and told us that the 3 hotel staff had been tied up during the night while the robbers posing as guests broke into every room and stole or smashed everything in sight. considering that our driver told us that gangs just kill people for the sake of killing i thank God that our 3 young staff were only tied up and not hurt.
my roommate told me that due to circumstances in her life she had lost her faith. she has it back now. thank You Jesus.
during the night we heard people talking in the walkway (hallway) that went from the street through the hotel to the beach. we didn't understand what they were saying so we didn't pay any attention to them. about 10:30 someone tried to break into our room. i just figured it was maybe another guest who had too much to drink and had the wrong room.
i had absolute peace and calm, my roommate however was terrified. i couldn't help but talk about how God knew exactly where we were and that nothing could touch us that He didn't allow and that i knew He had His angels watching over us keeping us safe.
the next morning when i was talking to God i asked Him about the gift of faith. we are given spiritual gifts to help people. i can see how i can use my other spiritual gifts to help people but i was asking Him what good it was having faith if i didn't know how to use it and i couldn't use it to help people.
a while later 3 police and the hotel staff came to our door asking if we had been disturbed during the night. i told / showed them what someone had been doing as they tried to get into our room but as they didn't speak any english i didn't understand everything they said. i closed the door and again the lock didn't work. hm a new hotel, the lock didn't work, then it did when we needed it to, then it didn't.
as my roommate was still afraid we decided to leave. we called the transportation company we had been using and they came and got us. the driver spoke english and told us that the 3 hotel staff had been tied up during the night while the robbers posing as guests broke into every room and stole or smashed everything in sight. considering that our driver told us that gangs just kill people for the sake of killing i thank God that our 3 young staff were only tied up and not hurt.
my roommate told me that due to circumstances in her life she had lost her faith. she has it back now. thank You Jesus.
our armed guards in el salvador
i had read that el salvador has the 3rd highest homicide rate in the world and believed it when we were met by 2 armed tourist police who stayed with us for the duration of our stay. even in the rural areas we couldn't cross the road and one of them would follow or watch us. they were absolute gems and i felt like royalty as they stood out in the street to stop traffic for us. there were armed guards in front of world vision national, in front of the gated compound where we stayed and in every kind of business everywhere we went.
world vision el salvador
the staff are amazing. their love and passion for the people they serve is evident in everything they say and do.
there are 5 adp's (area development projects) supported by canadians but there are lots more that are supported by other countries.
the wv national office visits the adp offices every week to deliver mail for the sponsored children in the adp as well as go over programs.
in 2001 there were 2 major earthquakes in el salvador leaving 2 million people homeless. considering that most houses were mud packed structures most of them collapsed in the earthquake. at a cost of $6400 for each house world vision has built 2000 houses since the earthquake, that's almost $13 million. the world vision houses are 46 square metres and made of concrete blocks.
people must own their own property in a safe area to get a world vision built home. if they don't own the property wv could build a house and then have the owner tell the people they have to leave as was the case with Damaris and her family.
sometimes the government helps but the houses they build are 7 square metres smaller than what world vision builds.
after the earthquake one family slept tied together at night because they lived close to where there was a landslide. world vision bought property for them and built them a house.
3% of the adp's budget goes to rebuilding houses. since the quake 5% of sponsorship money has gone to housing.
world vision national has 4 doctors, 1 dentist and 2 psychologists to provide preventive health and help to the communities. there are doctors and health care providers in each adp office. each newly sponsored child gets a medical checkup. the ministry of health has programs designed for each age group, moms & babies, teens, seniors, adults, etc.
they provide health training for teens and kids, have special projects for HIV cases and will have a rehab project for disabled kids to work with physiotherapists. physiotherapists from other countries are going to train people in their own communities how to care for disabled kids.
world vision aids program promotes abstinence, condoms and fidelity.
the culture is such that the men sleep with lots of women and women don't tell the men to use condoms because men would think that the women were not pure. the government provides anti-viral drugs.
health, education and christian impact are the first needs met by child sponsorship.
wv has a rapid response team and training in adp's for emergency response and security measures.
40% of the people live on $2 a day, 3 out of 10 kids are severely malnourished and 1 in 5 can't read, 90% of the rivers are polluted and 45% of the people lack good water.
wv is training mothers in nutrition and teaching agriculture and improving existing methods.
it is very hard to come back to this culture. my sister was showing me her latest acquisition, an expensive ipod that plays music, games, takes pictures, etc. all i could think of were the malnourished children of el salvador.
el salvador
this 4 year old cutie, Damaris, lives with her mother Wilma and father and 9 year old sister Cindy in a house made of empty rice sacks and black plastic. her crossed eye is the result of malnutrition. she lives in a mobile home and when the property owner, an american, tells them they have to leave they pack up their bags, literally, and move. they have no bathroom, they just go in the field somewhere. the father earns $80 a month and they pay $3 a month for water.
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