Revisiting the Past and Bringing It Forward

Facebook or LinkedIn or MySpace inspired me to start looking up some friends from high school. I had been quite envious of my husband's ongoing relationships with friends he had known since grade school. They all had music in common... and politics... and religion... I had one particular friend, Kay, who had taken piano lessons from the same teacher, sung in the same church choirs, acted in the same plays and stood in the back of the band with me along with the tubas and percussion. She played the timpani and I played stand-up bass. The last time I really remembering seeing her was at her wedding!

I started searching. The old way would have been to ask my parents to give me her mom's address, and then send a letter requesting my friend's phone number or address. This is still a reliable network, but it seemed that I could never remember to ask my parents at the right time. And then, they would have to remember to give me the information... Too many "ifs" in that equation.

I set about an Internet search using Google and found her name on a website of a place where she did some work. I knew it had to be her - it was the right profession and the right town. I finally got up the gumption to call the place and left a message. Low and behold! She called back!

We had a great conversation on the phone, and now, after 30 years, we are getting together.

What a gracious God we serve, who restores relationships and brings good things to our lives!

Abuse of Contempt of Court Imprisonment - It's Happening in Your Own Backyard!

Following is a link to an article that succinctly points out the grave potential for abuse by family court judges in contempt of court incarcerations. Interestingly, the United States has the highest imprisonment rate and the largest number of people incarcerated on the planet - this includes China and the USSR. Some experts state that one of out of eleven males will be incarcerated at one point in their life and that rate increases to one of out four for black males.

For those interested in preserving the ideals of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness, this article should be compelling: http://www.independent.org/newsroom/article.asp?id=2229

To Love or To Hate....

^9-10People conceived and brought into life by God don't make a practice of sin. How could they? God's seed is deep within them, making them who they are. It's not in the nature of the God-begotten to practice and parade sin. Here's how you tell the difference between God's children and the Devil's children: The one who won't practice righteous ways isn't from God, nor is the one who won't love brother or sister. A simple test.

¹¹For this is the original message we heard: We should love each other.

^12-13We must not be like Cain, who joined the Evil One and then killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because he was deep in the practice of evil, while the acts of his brother were righteous. So don't be surprised, friends, when the world hates you. This has been going on a long time.

^14-15The way we know we've been transferred from death to life is that we love our brothers and sisters. Anyone who doesn't love is as good as dead. Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know very well that eternal life and murder don't go together.

^16-17This is how we've come to understand and experience love: Christ sacrificed his life for us. This is why we ought to live sacrificially for our fellow believers, and not just be out for ourselves. If you see some brother or sister in need and have the means to do something about it but turn a cold shoulder and do nothing, what happens to God's love? It disappears. And you made it disappear. (1 John 3 - MESSAGE)

Thought for the Day

A Psalm of David; when he was in the Wilderness of Judah. O GOD, You are my God, earnestly will I seek You; my inner self thirsts for You, my flesh longs and is faint for You, in a dry and weary land where no water is. (2) So I have looked upon You in the sanctuary to see Your power and Your glory. (3) Because Your loving-kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You. (4) So will I bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. (5) My whole being shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips (6) When I remember You upon my bed and meditate on You in the night watches. (7) For You have been my help, and in the shadow of Your wings will I rejoice. (8) My whole being follows hard after You and clings closely to You; Your right hand upholds me. (9) But those who seek and demand my life to ruin and destroy it shall [themselves be destroyed and] go into the lower parts of the earth [into the underworld of the dead]. (10) They shall be given over to the power of the sword; they shall be a prey for foxes and jackals. (11) But the king shall rejoice in God; everyone who swears by Him [that is, who binds himself by God's authority, acknowledging His supremacy, and devoting himself to His glory and service alone; every such one] shall glory, for the mouths of those who speak lies shall be stopped. (Ps. 63:1-11 AMP)

Facebook Summer Vacation

Last night, I felt as if I was at a big lovely party. It was a Saturday night, and I was sitting at the kitchen table while Dave was practicing music for Sunday. I opened up Facebook and my brother popped up! First time ever that we had chatted on Facebook.

Friends and family of all ages started showing up with funny or serious or informative comments or links. Multiple conversations went on. It was hugely entertaining!

Then, an old friend from my hometown turned up with some very funny bits and hometown talk. Even more fun ensued when the links were music and my husband began playing along with his guitar!

When it started to get late, I hated to "go home". I had been having a delightful time!

So Facebook is where all the fun people go to hang out on a Saturday night. I'll have to do this more often.

With God Nothing Is Impossible!

This has been a very creative brain stimulating week - starting with an amazing worship service last Sunday evening, a reading group meeting on Monday night, and then my writing group on Tuesday night. My husband and I listened to a really interesting man named William Lane Craig speak via podcast last night and tonight I just needed to rest - a little.

Now, I need to share back in blog world. It's not that I don't have something to say. I just don't have enough time to write it. However, I have to make time, because someone needs to be encouraged and someone needs to turn from the path they are on, and someone needs to laugh or make a different choice - and I have to do my part by writing my life and sharing it, so that maybe I can help somebody avoid my mistakes or recover from mistakes that I can uniquely understand or empathize with.

I need to ration my time a little more carefully. And, I need to be in the moment as much as possible when I am with people I love - especially my husband. I want every moment in my life to count towards good. I know that this is virtually impossible, but I can still want it. "For with God nothing is ever impossible and no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment."
(Luke 1:37 AMP)

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Image Clear Ultrasound Elgin, IL and nearby areas Mobile Pregnancy Services