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I know this is old but it made me giggle. My cats know the sounds of our cars. They ONLY react to hubby's truck if they know I'm not home. If he's the one who's left...they don't care when he gets home. If i'm driving his truck, according to hubby, they can hear the truck and jump in the window to wait for me. They know my car...

Years ago, when we lived somewhere else, we had 2 dogs. They could hear me turn into the neighborhood (about 1/4 mile away). Crazy critters. Gotta love 'em. 

Thank you Brother Alan...

I've often been accused of being "unpatriotic" because I do not support war. I fail to see how not supporting one equates to not supporting the other. I'm a child of immigrants I appreciate everything the US has meant to my family, the opportunities we have all been afforded. However, I cry at the lives that have been so brutally torn apart. I know far too many...and my heart cries out to God begging him to stop this foolishness. I worked in the defense industry for many years (naval shipbuilding) and saw literally hundreds of fresh faced young men...young men that I knew would return older, harder, damaged. 

Maybe I'm just way too cynical....and thank you so much for the full quote from Isaiah...I couldn't remember it all. 

I am the granddaughter, daughter, daughter in law, sister in law, wife and mother of veterans. (WW1, WW2, Japanese Occupation Forces, Korea, Cuban Missile Crisis, VietNam, Desert Storm/Shield, Iraq/Iran)

HOWEVER, I see too much of the need to 'export' American style democracy around the world to places that didn't ask for it, don't want it, and our young people pay the price. My son, who did two tours in Iraq explained it simply...he said "mom, we have no business being over there. Their tribal wars have been going on for hundreds of years and they're just going to keep on going. They don't want nor understand our form of government and wish we'd leave them alone." 

The last "just" war, in my mind was WW2. A war that had to be fought to stop a greater evil. Vietnam, there was no exit strategy and was kept going so the war profiteers would continue to make money off it. Iraq/Iran, same sort of thing. Our fighting forces were not given the equipment they needed and people died because of it. 

My beautiful son is now 100% disabled, has PTSD, and mentally ill. He has a traumatic brain injury that has totally changed him from the bright, loving, funny young man he was into someone who is dark, hateful, reclusive and so far away. He is 29 years old. 

If someone wants to call me unpatriotic, then so be it. I've seen too much carnage from those who fought and died so others could fatten their wallets. 

I long for the day when the swords will be beaten into plowshares and man shall learn war no more. 

On 1/18/2017 at 1:38 PM, Alan said:

Fueled aircraft (as an enlisted man), in the U.S. Air Force when the Lord saved me and called me. If anybody thinks that fueling aircraft (especially a B-52 bomber), or a combat aircraft in an combat environment (ever seen a fuel truck that was a hit by a rocket/mortar round), is not laborious, than think again.

 

God bless you! My father was a flight line crew chief...specificially SAC and MAC. My husband was flight deck crew on an aircraft carrier for awhile too. 

5 hours ago, heartstrings said:

The "sodomy" was a symptom of the degradation which started with "pride",  I'd almost be willing to bet my right arm that this arrogant "preacher" is a controlling manipulator who treats people like dirt.

I've read his wife's blog. It doesn't seem like a happy family. 

I didn't go to bible college but I'm one class shy of finishing a Bachelors in biblical studies from Liberty University. 

It seems the word "Christian" has become a cultural/sociological descriptor instead of a definition of faith/beliefs. In other words "well, I'm not Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, I celebrate Christmas and go to church on Easter, I must be a Christian". To borrow another metaphor...being in a garage doesn't make you a car. 

I know there's a scripture that says something to the effect of "by their fruit you shall know them" and I'm assuming that the fruit is the fruit of the spirit in Galatians. Anyone can SAY they're a Christian...yet we know that the path is hard and the gate is narrow. However, I also believe that for a man to presume to judge another man's heart is going into dangerous territory. Man can attempt to judge based on outward acts, ideas and words...but we do not ever know what's in someone's heart. That's for God to judge. 

I know people who will listen to or read any book by any "preacher". They lack discernment. I've long believed that I could write a book on a biblical topic, fill it with nonsense, take some scripture out of context to prove my point, and have a best seller on my hands. 

As someone who came out of the liberal, "seeker-friendly" purpose-driven baloney...I've seen it over and over again. I understand that people may be hungry for more of God, but if they fill their bellies full of junk food or out and out poison, what benefit will that have? 

I will admit to listening to talks and sermons online...but that is not my "main meal". It's a nice snack here and there. But, if I want to eat a meal, I get up and go to the physical place with my local brothers and sisters to worship and learn. I wish that there were no preachers on TV...hear me out...so that people would be forced into a local body and become a part of that body instead of being a lone ranger, just eating whatever junk food or poison that is coming over the airwaves. Unfortunately too, the most popular TV preachers are the ones who are not teaching properly, like the word of faith preachers that tickle ears and are leading so many through the wide gate straight to hell. 

11 minutes ago, weary warrior said:

Never let your hatred of the suffering of your loved ones diminish the heroism of their sacrifice in your own eyes. It would not be fair to them.

They are all my heroes. My son is suffering the worst. Two tours in Iraq, and he is now 100% disabled. He's not even 30 yet. He had a traumatic brain injury, shrapnel wounds and due to the well fires and other pollutants, is slowly dying from the damage done to his internal organs. He has trouble eating, vomits blood, and also has a raging PTSD going on. I don't even know who he is anymore. I hate it. 

I truly believe that bad men would stop doing bad things if THEIR sons and daughters were the ones that had to lead the charge, not the sons and daughters, nor husbands or wives of ordinary people like me. I cannot begin to tell you how painful it is to watch that same baby boy you cuddled close struggle with things that you can never understand or fix. 

7 hours ago, weary warrior said:

I have one son in the military, and another is a Law Enforcement Officer.

I am the granddaughter, daughter, daughter-in-law, sister-in-law, wife and mother of military men. All of them, in one way or another, suffered during or after their military service by things that occurred during their service. I hate war with a passion, a bloody blue passion. What I hate more is this pseudo-patriotism that gets trucked out when convenient, when the truth is that those who send and sent our fathers, husbands, sons and daughters to fight and die don't care about them when they come home, battered, bloody and broken. The next time the people in charge want a war, I think they and THEIR sons and daughters should go first. 

18 hours ago, swathdiver said:

If I walked into a church and saw a stage arrayed like that, I'd turn right around and go to breakfast instead.

That's what we should have done years ago!

Please continue to pray for Melissa...she has some sort of post-op infection and the doctors are scratching their heads. 

Thank You

Just now, Brother Stafford said:

Woo Hoo!  Welcome to the fold!  I admit my eyes got a little watery when I read that.

You are too sweet! Thank you! We are starting a discipleship class a week from Wednesday. Pray for us there's going to be lots going on...hubby is studying for his certification test, I start teaching again and this class. So much going on...

I tend to stay out of politics. My problem becomes when people mix Christianity and Patriotism and try to use the same yardstick for both. Jesus said "my kingdom is not of this world". I am a citizen of that kingdom, as an adopted daughter. I just happen to be spending my earthly life here in the USA. I prefer to just stay out of the political realm, mostly because the prince of this world is in charge of earthly kingdoms. I will somewhat impatiently wait for the Lord to take back the title deed to the earth. 

This is something I have been thinking about quite a bit lately (wonder why?!?)

For me, it's like this:

The Independent Baptist Church DID NOT come out of the Reformation - it existed all the way back to biblical times

The church I am a member of (got baptized into membership tonight!) does not follow the world, is not "seeker-friendly", and is not afraid to call sin, sin. 

There is nothing but Jesus preached. 

Yes, we are KJV only.

Yes, I've changed my wardrobe to be primarily skirts/dresses only. 

Yes I find abstaining from alcohol, immorality and do not let trash in my home entertainment wise.

Yes, I am pro-life

However, I also don't follow the "party line" in certain things. That's the part of Independent I like too. 

We were finally baptized tonight! YAY! Thank you God for everything! 

In the liberal church I used to attend, I'd lose interest in the sermon in about 15 minutes. I'd fidget, daydream, doodle, that 35 minutes of preaching felt like an all day work meeting and just as boring. Now, our pastor preaches for 45 minutes or more and I don't lose interest at all! It's not that Pastor is loud, because he's not or harsh because he's not, but he has such a passion for the Word, a passion for Christ, a passion for souls...its totally different!

Even when debating evolutionists...there was the "big bang"...however, a great question is..."what caused the big bang"? Something or someone started everything into motion. Was it random chance or was there an outside force? Everything is so finely tuned that blind chance just doesn't make sense. That usually gets 'em thinking!

I listen to our Pastor's past sermons when I am working on school-related things (I am a technical instructor). Check out www.experienceliberty.com under the media tab. Pastor Teis is wonderful. 

Our baptism is a GO for tonight after the 6pm service. Please pray for us. 

1 hour ago, swathdiver said:

I'm from and live in southern Florida, heat is no stranger to me.  My recommendation about cooling off your car with a remote start would not put your good running car in any jeopardy, mine shuts off after ten minutes if I'm delayed for example.  

As an old race car builder and driver, there are things that can be done to let you idle away on the hottest days for hours on end if need be without a problem.   

I'll look into it. I have to get it back on the road first. It has a dead power steering pump and it's $$ I don't have right now. My first paycheck from when I start teaching again will go to fixing my car. Come on February 17th and please Lord do a loaves and fishes miracle in my pantry and freezer. 

3 hours ago, swathdiver said:

Is something wrong with your car then?  An engine driven fan turns when the motor is running.  Electric fans are thermostat controlled.  Usually one is to cool the engine and the other provides additional cooling when the air conditioning is turned on.

I don't know if you've ever lived in the desert...however, cars overheating when they are not moving is pretty common here. A traffic jam in 110+ degree heat where everyone is sitting usually leads to a few cars overheating. Living in extreme heat is different than living in the heat almost anywhere else. 

Regarding the fan...if the fan is sucking in 110+ degree air, it isn't going to cool off much across the radiator if the car is sitting still...it will also start sucking in the air from the engine itself. Even the news warns against letting a car sit while its running. 

Not trying to be argumentative here but the truth is living in the desert is not like living other places in the summer. I'm from the southern coast of Virginia. Summer here is nothing like summer there. 

Melissa is going into surgery today at 10am CST. Please pray for her, her mom, the whole surgical and medical teams, for peace for her mom, for skill for the medical and surgical teams, for minimal pain for Melissa and a quick recovery. 

Thank You All. 

3 hours ago, Brother Stafford said:

You can have an aftermarket remote starter installed in your car, so that, if you leave your a/c turned on when you leave your car, you can start it with a remote control 5 minutes or so early, and it will be cool by the time you get in.

My mother has the same issue with the lack of ability to perspire.  She uses those cool neck wraps when she knows she is going to be in the heat.

no remote starter in my neighborhood...my car would be gone in a second! Living here in the desert is an adventure in the summer. Starting a car in the heat and letting it sit is also not a great idea...too much of a chance for the engine to overheat (car's not moving and the fan isn't spinning). I plan to go shopping soon and start building my wardrobe for the summer. I can probably find tops that would cover my shoulders. 

The cool wraps don't work on me...I passed out hot even with one of those on a 110 degree day. Woke up a couple of hours later in the hospital wrapped in a cooling blanket with a concussion and goose egg on my noggin. 

I can't deal with heat very well. Due to a medical condition, I do not sweat. I overheat. I turn bright red, get dizzy, vomit and pass out if I'm out in the heat/sun for very long. Anything that would raise my body temperature, even temporarily, has potentially devastating effects on me. I know, I live in the desert and if I have that sort of problem how dumb can you be...well....this is where we are. So, I'll have to figure out ways to avoid getting sick in 100+ degree days. I'll be teaching this summer, so I'll avoid the worst part of the day by being in my classroom...but getting in the car is going to be rough. The inside of cars here can reach as high as 150 degrees in the summer here. 

PS: my teaching job is part-time, 4 hours a day, 4 days a week...UNLESS the school adds more classes to my schedule. I LOVE LOVE LOVE not working full time anymore. 

I'm on day 4 of nothing but skirts...I need to go shopping! I also need to get rid of my addiction to tank tops, but here in the desert, sometimes it's just too hot to wear anything else! That's the other problem I'm having...how to dress modestly, wearing skirts/dresses and dealing with 100+ degree heat. I already won't go swimming in a public pool, I dream of having a house with our own pool. Going to have to think about that if I end up joining a gym and taking up swimming again for exercise. 

Oh well, following Christ never will be easy but I'm liking this losing the horrid conviction over my clothing.