The First

My daughter made a snowman today.  She came bounding in the door, exclaiming, "He looks great!". Which got me thinking about the idea of the first snowman.  Who stumbled upon the idea of stacking up two or three very large balls of snow and dressing them?  Our very urge to create comes as a gift from the very creator himself. I think of the days of creation in Genesis.  God exclaimed after each part of creation, "It is good!".  However, He found himself very pleased with the creation of humankind. He had created a companion. A creation in His very likeness. He desired family. Thus, He created Adam and Eve to be His first family.  When I usually think of the "First family, I have my attention brought to the Presidential family. This is not because they are first in number to be on earth. No, it is because they are the "Head" as in not in number to be counted, but rather they are the first to be held responsible. They are the "go to" people. The first in line. Jesus talked about first in His word.  He said let the first be last and the last first. (Matthew 19:30) The ironic principal here is that if the last become first then they also are last. Thus no one in God's Kingdom is to be the "go to" except for Christ. Who is ultimately the first and the last.(Revelation 22:13) In other words,  He is the "Go To". The buck begins and stops with Him.  If there is a problem...He has the responsibility of fixing it!  I am very happy about this fact.  When the enemy attempts to harass me, I can proclaim, "Take it to Jesus, He is the ONE in Charge!"  

My Daily Weather Report: Today's weather: Full of Love!!!!

My Daily Weather Report: Today's weather: Full of Love!!!!:   "Get on with living and loving. You don't  have forever."  Leo Buscaglia   What more could be said.   We have f...

Today's weather: Full of Love!!!!

 "Get on with living and loving. You don't

 have forever." Leo Buscaglia 


What more could be said.  

We have forever, only possible in 


the next life. Therefore, let us use this 

one as wisely as we 

can.

Think About:

Valentine's day is not about lovers. 


 Its about commitment to

 relationships that you would dare die 


for!

Stormy Weather! Ha! I will laugh in the face of adversity!

What is the most common weather in Mexico? Chili Today. Hot Tamale! I remember my mission trip to Juarez, Mexico.  I was sick with an infected tooth.  Fortunately, a fellow in the Church, who happened to be a dentist gave me free dental care.  I was so relieved. The other blessing was I got pain pills to help me through the pain. However, before I was treated, the pain was practically unbearable. The one thing that gave me the relief I needed, was the pastor of the Church we were serving in, was so funny. He could do just about any imitation and his jokes were hilarious!  That is when he told me the weather joke. He also said it with a thick Spanish accent! He also looked like Red Skelton!  For those who do not remember or know the famous Red Skelton, he was the funniest man on earth.  I use to watch him on TV with my family and laugh so hard.  He created great skits and characters.

Life can be hard.  It helps just to laugh. Jesus said it like this: 

 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33

Now, I know that joy is different than laughter and being happy I get that. However, the two go hand in hand often enough. Laughter is often an ingredient that can help redirect our focus. The same way with praising or singing.
There is this story in: Acts 16:25-34 New International Version (NIV)

25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. 27 The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”

29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. 34 The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.

Please do not misunderstand me here I am not talking about "Grin and bear it" theology. Many are fooled into thinking, "If only I will put on a happy face..." I am talking about my heart.  That is where the true joy of the Lord is created. Cultivating healthy intimate relationships with Him, others and ourselves are the primary ingredients in producing joy.  Paul and many others in the Bible spoke of this joy.  Scriptures like in Philippians 2:2
...then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 
I Believe Paul had a special insight into our relationship with the Body of Christ in this verse.  As I look around at the Church in the US, we are so divided by so many issues.  Often more loyal to our political agenda's than our love for each other.  Jesus warns us that in the last days that the love of many will grow cold.  There is a true weather alert!  I pray I will take heed to what the weather report is saying. I see in so many places, the temperature is below freezing in our hearts towards our fellows, the earth, and the creation that the Almighty God put us in charge over. 

So to wrap up this rant, I will end with a winter joke I thought was particularly funny.

Q: Why did Frosty the snowman want a divorce?                              A: Because he thought his wife was a flake 

source: http://www.jokes4us.com/miscellaneousjokes/weatherjokes/winterjokes.html

LOL!!!!

Aint Nobody Got Time For Dat!!!

Well it has happened once again, for a normal run of the mill type person to hit it big by just being themselves.  Meet Sweet Brown.  Her apartment complex catches on fire. She is interviewed by a reporter from a local station at the scene of the fire. And her interview turns into a cool hit song sensation featured on youtube.

Yeah, I would have felt the same way that Sweet Brown felt on that day. In fact I feel that way on many days lately.  I am going through what some would call, "the change".Therefore, right now every little blessed circumstance gets me flustered. Believe you me, ain't got time for dat pinpoints my feelings most of the time! Yet, I am disabled, stay at home mostly with not  a whole lot of outside interaction. So, really I have plenty of time, just not for frustrating types of things. Wait, hold the phone! I think I know a scripture that will reveal my temperature on this issue.

 It is from 2 Corinthians. 4:17:

For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison,

 So, its all about weight is it!  Well I have enough of momentary light afflictions to fill a semi-truck. Well then I expect, Sweet Brown and I are headed for a whole lot glory for sure!

Here is the original video!

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it...WHAT?!!

Many of us in our region, did not experience "a bad winter" last year.  There were not the school days off, or the snowmen, snow angels made or snow ball fights to win. However, we are experiencing a slightly different story this year.  The kids are praying for snow days and parents are are scurrying around trying to figure out what to do if classes are cancelled.  For the fear of slipping and falling, older citizens dread the thought of being out in any type of freezing weather. There is a saying around here, "If you do not like the weather today, just wait, you may like it tomorrow".
And so, it is with our spiritual condition.  Have you ever been,"Under the weather"? What determines our spiritual weather? When do we know when to take a "Snow day"? What is the climate of our souls?  I do not pretend to be a Meteorologist of any stature. Yet, I do believe there is a spiritual climate around us and within us. I also believe it would help us to notice the changes and  be prepared for the storms!
Along with the weather, we are often concerned with the highs or lows of the temperature. Will it be below freezing?  What is the heat index?  Even with our own personal health, we will use a thermometer to make sure we have a "normal" temp. My daughter is big on taking her temperature. If she feels the least bit sick, you will find her taking her temperature often around the clock!  Jesus is concerned about our temperature.
 The verse Revelation 3:15 states it like this,
"I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!"  

One temperature or the other is what it seems the Lord wants. When it comes to the spiritual nature of His flock, He does not like the lukewarm  or "the Normal" temperature, (just for my point here). However, that is not to say one temp is better than the other.  I think it depends on the climate and the needs of the moment.  We could say it is great to be "on fire for Christ" However, many may find themselves on fire in the end who thought they were and woops have the wrong kind of "fire"; and thus be in the Lake of Fire. How can we determine our spiritual temp? If the majority of those around me say it is so, does that make it so? What about the Bible? Can I rely on it to effectively to help me stay spiritually healthy? Do I contribute to the over all spiritual climate?  It seems that this blog proposes more questions then actual answers. I have decided to engage myself in finding out my spiritual temperature by exploring the variables within and around me. So, if you dare, put your boots on, it may get deep!