Happy??? Halloween???

How can the word 'happy' be associated with Halloween? What is 'happy' about a day created to celebrate death? I never really thought about the whole Halloween thing as much as I have this year. It really bothers me that people are so quick to celebrate something that they don't truly understand.

To put it simply... Halloween is the worship of the dead.

The only death that produced any result for anyone was the death of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Society is very quick to ignore that death and sacrifice. My church sign desk calendar today said it very well... "Heaven is not a trick, and hell is not a treat." If people realized what Halloween is all about, they would be shocked. There are places even today, that human sacrifices are performed and prayers are offered to the devil.

For some reason, Halloween has been turned into a kid's day... or so everyone would like to think. I heard on the radio on my way to work the other day that Halloween is not for kids any more. It's adults that celebrate this day. I admit... I used to like seeing the tiny little kids dressed in their costumes. They were SO cute! Most of them are so young, they don't even know why they are going from house to house... and they're never going to eat the treats put in their baskets. This is all for the adults! Some were so tiny that they are unable to climb the front steps of the houses... do we really need to take them out?

I skimmed the surface of the meaning of Halloween the other day through the internet. In a nutshell, this is a celebration of the dead. People would go up to a mountain top to offer a sacrifice to this "god". On their way up the mountain, they would stop at each of their neighbors houses and collect food as an offering to be presented at their destination. Once the sacrifice ceremony was complete, they would make their way back down the mountain to go home. On the way back down, they would carry gourds with candles in them to light their path. Because they were afraid of the evil spirits they may meet on their journey down the mountain, they would wear a disguise so that the spirits may not recognize them and they would cut scary faces in the sides of their gourd "lanterns" to try to scare off any evil forces.

Why would anyone want to follow in this tradition? I work in an office building downtown and you wouldn't believe how many "crazy" people I met today. The trains were busier, the traffic was atrocious and everyone was generally 'weird'. I couldn't wait to get home, build a fire in my fireplace and curl up with a book.

The Bakers will probably come over later so that we can pray for the city. We will pray that the evil forces that have such a hold on our society will be destroyed. We will pray that the city is loosed and people will turn to THE GOD... not 'a' god, but THE GOD! We do not 'celebrate' His death... we celebrate that He is alive and living today and every day. We are thankful for His mercy and grace. Without Him, we can do nothing... but with Him, WE CAN DO ANYTHING!!!

Happy?? Halloween... I don't think so!

Appreciate your Pastor

October is Pastor Appreciation Month around the world and I want to honor our leadership, but especially our Pastor King and his sweet wife. We are truly blessed to have the leaders that we do.

Pastor King preached yesterday morning about trusting God... with everything. The message preached from Matthew 10:26-31 and Hebrews 13:5-6 was so clear and easily understood. I have learned (most times, the hard way) to put my trust in Him and to cast my cares upon Him... for He cares for me. What more can a person ask for? Our sweet Lord and Master has time to care for each and every one of us as individuals. He cares enough to know the number of hairs on our head... what makes us think He doesn't care about what we go through?

So... having said that, yesterday's message hit home with me. We have been struggling with some family issues for the past few months but when I left the altar yesterday, I knew that God had it under control and I could safely walk away and leave it in His hands! Thank you Jesus!!!


Getting back to our Pastor and Sister King. They are the sweetest, most soft spoken, understanding people I've ever had contact with. They are anchored in the Lord and their life reflects it. I have a little "church signs" desk calendar on my desk in my office and every day I tear off a page to reveal a new sign. Last Wednesday's sign was "A good example has twice the value of good advice." Pastor and Sister King are the epitomy of good example. We can learn from them because their teaching comes straight from the Bible. I never have any doubt about how I should dress, how I should treat people or how I should act. If I ever start to doubt, I just have to watch them. They mean the world to me and I just wanted to let anyone who cares to listen (or read... :)), just how much I love them both.

God Bless you Pastor & Sis. King! We love you!!!

What does 'busy' mean to you?

SATAN'S MEETING: (Read even if you're busy)

Satan called a worldwide convention of demons.

In his opening address he said, "We can't keep Christians from going to church. We can't keep them from reading their Bibles and knowing the truth. We can't even keep them from forming an intimate relationship with their saviour. Once they gain that connection with Jesus, our power over them is broken.

"So let them go to their churches, let them have their covered dish dinners... BUT, steal their time so they don't have time to develop a relationship with Jesus Christ.

"This is what I want you to do," said the devil, "Distract them from gaining hold of their Saviour and maintaining that vital connection throughout their day!"

"How shall we do this?" his demons shouted.

"Keep them busy in the non-essentials of life and invent innumerable schemes to occupy their minds," he answered. "Tempt them to spend, spend, spend and borrow, borrow, borrow.

"Persuade the wives to go to work for long hours and the husbands to
work 6-7 days each week, 10-12 hours a day, so they can afford their empty lifestyles. Keep them from spending time with their children. As their families
fragment, soon their homes will offer no escape from the pressures of work!

"Over-stimulate their minds so that they cannot hear that still, small voice. Entice them to play the radio or cassette player whenever they drive.... to keep the TV, VCR, CDs and their PCs going constantly in their home and see to it that every store and restaurant in the world plays worldly music constantly. This will jam their minds and break that union with Christ.

"Fill the coffee tables with magazines and newspapers. Pound their minds with the news 24 hours a day. Invade their driving moments with billboards. Flood their mailboxes with junk mail, mail order catalogs, sweepstakes, and every kind of newsletter and promotional offering free products, services and false hopes.

"Keep skinny, beautiful models on the magazines and TV so they will believe that outward beauty is what's important, and their husbands will become dissatisfied with their wives. Keep the wives too tired to love their husbands at night. Give them headaches too! If they don't give their husbands the love they need, they will begin to look elsewhere. That will fragment their families quickly!

"Give them Santa Claus to distract them from teaching their children about the birth of Jesus. Give them an Easter bunny so they won't talk about His resurrection and power over sin and death.

"Even in their recreation, let them be excessive. Have them return from their recreation exhausted. Keep them too busy to go out in nature and reflect on God's creation. Send them to amusement parks, sporting events, plays, concerts, and movies instead. Keep them busy, busy, busy!

"And when they meet for spiritual fellowship, involve them in gossip and small talk so that they leave with troubled consciences.

"Crowd their lives with so many good causes they have no time to seek power from Jesus. Soon they will be working in their own strength, sacrificing their health and family for the good of the cause."

"It will work!"

"It will work!"

It was quite a plan!

The demons went eagerly to their assignments causing Christians everywhere to get busier and more rushed, going here and there. Having little time for God or their families. Having no time to tell others about the power of Jesus to change lives.


I guess the question is, has the devil been successful in his schemes?
You be the judge!!!!!

Does "BUSY" mean: B-eing U-nder S-atan's Y-oke?

Lord, let us never be too BUSY!!!

Psalm 23... very cute!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_YVKsajjPA

The Lord is my Shepherd

My Dad has taught this to me during one of our many phone calls. It is so much fun and every time we talk, he shares another revelation with me. I truly appreciate my Dad and Mom and their faith in God. Please keep them in prayers as Dad is still in the hospital. The latest word is that they will do the gall bladder surgery on Tuesday or Wednesday of next week... in Jesus' name, he'll come through it ok!

The Lord is my Shepherd
That's Relationship!
I shall not want
That's Supply!
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures
That's Rest!
He leadeth me beside the still waters
That's Refreshment!
He restoreth my soul
That's Healing!
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness
That's Guidance!
For His name sake
That's Purpose!
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
That's Testing!
I will fear no evil
That's Protection!
For Thou art with me
That's Faithfulness!
Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me
That's Discipline!
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies
That's Hope!
Thou annointest my head with oil
That's Consecration!
My cup runneth over
That's Abundance!
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life
That's Blessing!
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
That's Security!
Forever
That's Eternity!

Is there... or isn't there

It has always amazed me and upset me to hear so many people say that they don't believe in God. I worked with a girl in the past that believed in Satan and satanic powers but refused to believe in God. One day I asked her, "Where did you find Satan if he wasn't found in the Bible? And, if you found Satan there, you must also have found God there. You cannot believe in one without believing in the other." She really had no response so every once in awhile I would send her the "forward" e-mails that ended with "I'm praying for you" etc. She replied to one telling me that if those type of e-mails were coming from anyone else, she would be terribly upset at that person but coming from me, she would accept them. Shortly thereafter, she wrote that she was going through some things at the time and that if I really had a "higher power", that she could use a little help. I prayed for her as soon as I received the e-mail and I let her know that that's what I was doing. Within 2 days, the problem she was encountering turned around completely and God truly showed her a miracle. I pray for her to this day that she will choose to see... because it is our own choice.

God is so awesome that he leaves no room for doubt. You can choose to look the other way and pretend He doesn't exist, but if you are true to yourself, you will see Him.

People that claim there is no God have never read the Bible. They have not looked into a babies eyes or felt the grip of their hand on their finger. They have never sat with a loved one at a hospital when doctors have given up hope only to have the healing touch of God turn things around and baffle the medical profession. They have never watched leaves turn to red, orange and yellow in the fall. They have never looked closely at a snowflake on their sleeve. They have never seen the Rocky Mountains, the Grande Canyon or Niagra Falls. They have never watched a mama bird feed her young. They have never seen a baby take their first steps or say their first word. They have never loved or been loved. They have never felt warm rain or jumped in puddles. They have never looked at a rainbow, cloud or star. They have never looked closely at the veins in a leaf or the petals of a rose. They have never tasted chocolate. They have never been called "Mom" or "Dad" or "Auntie" or "Uncle", "Sister", "Brother"... or "friend". They have never listened to the birds sing or seen an eagle fly. They have never sang "Amazing Grace... how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me". They have never watched the tide go out nor explored the wet sand left behind. They have never seen a dolphin, giraffe or caterpillar. They have never sat quietly and listed to their own heart beat. They have never witnessed anyone receiving the awesome powerful gift of the Holy Ghost. They have never seen a lightning storm or heard thunder roll. They have never seen a hummingbird or a bumblebee. They have never gone ice skating or ridden a horse. They have never been healed or received a blessing. They have never heard a 3 year old sing "Jesus Loves Me".... They have not looked, or listened... or tasted, or felt... or smelled. Mmmm... smelled my Mom's house when she's making dinner for our family.

I am not ashamed... I believe in God and I am truly thankful for His ever-present power in my life. Without Him, I can do nothing... but with Him, I can do ANYTHING!!!

Oh No!!! She's Awake

I received this in an e-mail from a co-worker a few weeks ago and I've seen it on Sis. Tina's blog site as well, but it is soooo true and gives me strength when I see it on my cubicle wall...

Live your life in such a way that when your feet hit the floor in the morning, Satan shudders and says...

"OH NO!!! SHE'S AWAKE!!!"

Did I do this right?

Well, here goes nothing... my first attempt at blogging.

I was just telling Sis. Sherri last night how I doubted I would set up a blog site as I really didn't have much to say that would be interesting to anyone else. Then I read Sis. Janell's blog and her comments regarding Sis. King's latest ladies prayer. It struck me that there are things that God has revealed to me that I would definitely love to share. Some are simple things and some more complicated... but all revealed from God just the same.

So, as this is just a test, I will save this post for now and write more later. If anyone knows me, you know I'm sure to ramble on and on... but hopefully, something I write may be a blessing to someone out there!