Loving Like Jesus

I don't know if you guys noticed or not, but I took down my last post.  I actually deleted and don't even know word for word what I said in it.  But I do remember the general content and and several days after posting it I was convicted to remove it.  Why?  

About six months ago, maybe longer, even, but certainly since, I have had a strong, immeasurably so, desire to learn more about "how" to love like Jesus does.  "Give me your eyes, so I can see...."  These lyrics may ring in your head.  I have heard about Jesus since as far back as I can remember.  I have sang the "Jesus Loves Me" multitudes of time, during my highest highs and my lowest lows.  I know Jesus.  But as our relationship grows and I gain a better understanding of not only "who" He is, but what He did for me, I want to be more like Him every day.

I recently started a book, I am about 1/2 the way through it.  "What's So Amazing About Grace?", by Phillip Yancey.  If you have not had an opportunity, make one and dive in.  

G.R.A.C.E ~ God's Redemption At Christ's Expense.    Certainly an easy way to remember what He has done for me.  He bore it all.  All of me, my filthy self, He took to the cross, died and rose again in order to clean whiter than snow that I may be reconciled to our Father.  

I took the post down because, even though we may never forget, and need to remember in order to move closer to Him, we need to forgive.  That is grace.  I am not quite sure that I have forgiven others who may have not offended me directly and I harbor ill-feelings towards those who hold beliefs counter to my own.  And in harboring those feelings, grace can not be borne towards others.  Do "I" need to apologize for things "I" did not do?  I do if it is a situation where my actions are based upon other's actions taken when/where there was no forgiveness...grace.....allowed. 

Reconciliation will only come when each of us look more closely at and work towards leading grace-filled lives. 

So in this re-post.....Never forget, but always forgive.  

There ya have it,,,,,,have a good day....He made it just for you.

Tax Freedom Day

I didn't have to work today.  But I did have to file my income taxes.  A drudge of a task, if you ask me and I am way late gettin' 'er done this year.  So late even, that as a matter-of-fact, I managed to file them on the National Holiday, better known as Tax Freedom Day.  Today you, all you working dogs, have theoretically earned enough since January 1, 2009 to pay your federal income tax.   Ha!  Doesn't that make you feel special????  Ha!  Don't get to excited, this does not mean you are tax free as of today.  They will continue to take your donation throughout the rest of the year AND they will continue to charge you where you least see it for all the wonderful things Uncle Sam wants to give to you.  Like taxes on hotel rooms,  gasoline, cigarettes (although most of us have quit), and so on.  And even as they collect every penny they can get their hands on, they still are not anywhere close to satisfying the nation debt, let alone current budget.

Let's do a flat tax.  Just for the sake of trying something new.  But until then, lets check out The Tax Day Tea Party on April 15th.  http://taxdayteaparty.com/ .  I am sure there is a "celebration" somewhere close to you.  I think I will be starting a new tradition in my home town.

Here's to you Uncle Sam...your brother Arnold is just as bad.

He is Risen!

He is risen, indeed!  Alleluia!

Celebrate Easter.  

The Brilliance of a Light Bulb

I have often wondered why I am in a particular position at a particular time.  I make every effort to seek His will and to understand my purpose.  But sometimes, it just doesn't connect.  I have already shared my concern for my current position, one that is very detail orientated.  I wonder how will my brain ever switch over to getting it right.  I have been such a big-picture person for so long now, it really is a brain exercise to bring it into focus and find the missing "t".

Today, I happened upon a devotion by Os Hillman.  In it, I found this, "Sometimes God will place you in situations in which you have no natural gifting.  In these cases, God puts you there to experience His power in order to accomplish your tasks."   Now isn't that just mind-boggling but at the same time so true of His ways!  And with it I am compelled to speak, "I can do everything through Him who gives me strength (Phil. 4:12-14)."  Those are words I know and have believed since what seems like forever.  And yet, today, the light bulb did come on, once again, and I realized, I can do this detailed-orientated brain changing task at hand.  He will give me the forbearance, knowledge, and skill ~ His power ~ to get it done.  

I may not always know where I am going or what exactly it is that I am to be doing, but I do know that I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.

And Now for a Nooner

not really.  its too late to be a nooner, actually.  but it makes me think of the times i have gone home at lunch for a hot dog and got teased about it.  oh for our youthdom.

just thought i'd pop in and check ya'll out.  seems like all my blogees have  been goin at it strong today.  thats a good thing.  shows that everyone is doing more than occupying space and using up the air.

i gotta shoot on back to work.  yes its bulletin time, folks.  Maundy Thursday's done.  Good Friday, both of them, is being proofed and Easter's is about to go for proofing.  when you sit down in your sunday services this coming weekend, give thanks and say a prayer for the people that bring you your bulletins.  yeah....there are actually people behind those printed pieces of paper.  it may not be like strummin' a guitar, but without the bulletins, how would you know the words to the music?

love ya's

Drive-by blogging

Somewhere back what seems a couple of years, now, i got roped into this blogging stuff.  This year i thought i would do a little better at it, but it seems i get bigger kicks reading other peoples' blogs and commenting on them.  i have even been so daring as to comment on stranger's blogs.  so far, that has not happened to me.  i don't believe many people do "drive-by" blogging.  

anyway, once again i have been shamed into adding a post.  the only problem is that my life is rather mundane and there isn't much to tell.  i don't even have much of an opinion on anything of late, unless of course it is someone else's blog.

why do you think that is?  i believe i have become inhibited by the CaPItaL letter syndrome.  i just can't make myself use caps, if and when i do, it seems as if I AM YELLING.  my pinkies are tired and they do not want to make the necessary trip over to the shift key that using caps requires.  you must understand, i am typing for a living now-a-days.  to come home and type more,,,,well it just isn't going to be in caps.  nor is it going to be exciting.  i can live with that.

oh wait.  i almost forgot!  LOL.  today is ms. A's 27th birthday.  happy birthday to you happy birthday to you happy birthhhhhhhhhdaaaaaaaaaaaayyyy  to uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu.

we did take her to dinner yesterday and she got some lovely frame-able pictures of Cooper D for her new home.  geez....after all that labor you would think it was impossible to forget a kid's birthday.  guess i better call her.  class should be out just about now.

remember deputy dawg?  indubiously.  what was his little rascal critter friend's name.  i think he was a possum.  

i need to think about that one.