Mountain After The Valley

What a day yesterday was! To begin with Bus 5 had 58 on the bus with 3 first time visitors.

The highlight of my day was to be able to watch my friend, Michelle, be baptized and her daughter and another child in her home.

We also had three other girls from our bus that were saved yesterday. These three girls were all in 3-4th grade junior church.

Another little girl informed me that she, too, had been saved in 5th-6th grade junior church. She wasn't brought into the auditorium so I need to check that out.

I thought sure that we were going to be down yesterday as I received a call around 7:30 to tell me that the children at one stop where we have been picking up as many as 7 for the last few Sundays, were not riding this morning due to sickness. I have learned to not worry whether we will have a large crowd or small. If the crowd is small, there is more time for one on one work. If the crowd is large, there are more children to have games and good singing, plus there are more to hear the gospel in their classes.

After the call, I settled that we would probably have a smaller crowd today. We picked up the first two, who were freezing in their tank tops when the weather was in the low 40's. Even I had worn a coat! So I took my coat and gave it to the two so they could get warm.

We picked up another little one that was at her mom's house. We had been picking her up at her dad's house. She got saved a few weeks ago and is always very excited to get on the bus. There are so many children involved in this home that I can't separate them all. But, Jessica(5th grader), is very sincere about her salvation experience.

Two streets over, we picked up two more girls that also have a confusing conglomeration of people in their home. There are "her" children (I think three-all with different dads) and "his" kids (don't know the full story about these but there are 3 of them and one has a different last name than the other two). Oh yes, "she" and "he" are not married BUT the girls are very excited because they think that "he" may ask their mom to marry him soon.

I took the opportunity, since the girls had all gone to the back of the bus, to go back and have some special communication with just these three. We talked about Jessica and Kelcee's(2nd grader) salvation and I asked Katie(7th grader) if she had been saved to which she responded that she had done that at another church.

In the course of the conversation, I mentioned to them about how much more there was to our salvation than just keeping us from hell. I began to tell them about who God really was and how He had CHOSEN to limit Himself and come to earth to GIVE His life so that we could have eternal life. I explained about sin and the choice that Adam had made over his love for God who fellowshipped with him daily in the garden.

We talked about how a little baby is sweet and cute but that you wouldn't want a little baby to stay like that and compared it to spiritual growth. I told them that growing up in Jesus meant learning to "die to self" and explained that to mean that we give up what we want to do for what God wants us to do. Jessica's eyes got really big and she said "Mrs. Cozart, I know what you mean! This week my sister was being really mean to me and I knew that the bible tells us to bless the ones that do bad to you so I did that!" I said, "Well, Jessica, that was wonderful and I'll bet it made you feel good inside!" She assured me that it did. I asked her how she blessed her sister. She looked at me with a twinkle in her eye and said, "Bless you, Kim!" I had to stifle a little laugh but my heart was bubbling over. Now, somewhere down the line, we need to get some better understanding of what it means to "bless" someone but for the time being it gives me such joy to know that Jessica has a desire to do what Jesus wants her to do. That is a sure sign that she was sincere. Now I ask, who will be the christian that will lead this little one on to further growth in the Lord? Is there a neighbor, or Sunday School teacher or bus captain that will be her stepping stones through the rough waters of her home life to assure her that YES there is a God that died for her and her faith is not in vain.

Soon my sweet time in the back of the bus came to a halt as the bus began to fill up. Michelle had told me she was coming today and getting baptized but, to be honest, I didn't really get too excited because so many things have come up in her life. She accepted Jesus in January, in her home. I was able to share with her the gospel and listen as she asked for forgiveness of her sins. I explained to her about baptism, got her a new bible and was very disappointed that she just never could make it to church to get baptized. Her children continued to ride. She is the mother of the 5 year old twins and a 3rd grade girl. She has never been married and the man that is living with her now is not the father to the children.

When the children first started riding the bus, they were almost impossible to control. The boys were 3 years old and would quickly say "I'm going to tell my mama on you!", if you dared to try to make them sit down. I was honest and up front with Michelle from the start and told her that it was not easy to take care of her children on the bus but we would be glad to do that knowing that they would hear about Jesus.

One particular Sunday, I was pulled out of the auditorium to take one of the boys from class because he had refused to obey. (You must understand that the 4 year old class had probably 30 children in there and one that refuses to cooperate can keep all the rest from hearing the story.) I didn't know what to do but prayed that God would help me, first of all, relax and not act in anger. I took Anthony to the girls restroom. I picked him up and sat him on the counter and pulled a chair up beside him. He quickly began telling me that those people were being mean to him. I said "No Anthony! YOU are being mean to them!" I asked him if he knew what it meant to obey. I could tell that he had no clue what I was talking about. So I hugged him and made sure that he understood that I loved him and wasn't trying to be mean to him. I began a series of small requests like, "Anthony, pull your ear.", to which he responded with the appropriate reaction. I immediately hugged him and said "Yay!!! You obeyed!!!" After a few minutes of that, I told him that if he would do that to his teachers, they would be happy with him too. I took him back in class and we sat at the back so as not to disturb the rest. They played some games and sang some songs. I stayed right there and every time Anthony had the correct response I praised him and hugged him.

I was quick to tell Michelle what had happened so that she would not get a wrong story. I gave her a little booklet from Sword of the Lord about raising children and told her that it had a lot of good helps to give a better idea about why we do what we do when raising children. From that time forward, I noticed a big change in the boys. They were more cooperative and loving.

This brings me to yesterday. One of the reasons that Michelle kept giving for not getting on the bus and coming to church was because she thought the boys would be bad if she was on there. We had left the apartments where they live and were two or three blocks down the road when Donald, the other twin, came walking down the aisle and threw his little head down on my shoulder sobbing. I quickly hugged him and asked what was wrong. He was very upset because he had forgotten and left his new bible laying on the sidewalk outside their apartment building. I told him how sorry I was but that we didn't have time to go back. I told him that we should just pray about it. We bowed our heads and I prayed that God would take care to protect his bible and that it would be there when we got back. He quit crying and went back to his seat satisfied. If you knew where he lived and how mean many of the children are that live there you would understand why he was upset. When we got back home in the afternoon, I said, "Donald, don't forget to look for your bible!" I saw him as he jumped off the bus and went straight to it, laying there on the sidewalk right where he left it. Will that make an impression on that little one? Indeed it will! Having God answer prayers is a confirmation that He is real and that our faith in not unfounded. Lord, thank you for letting me see all the little things yesterday, so evident of Your love and care!

II Corinthians 10:3-5

3 "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:

4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;"

THE SOLID ROCK

My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness,
I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name!
On Christ the "Solid Rock" I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.

Howard Mote/William B. Bradbury

Catchin' Up

So much time has transpired since I last made an entry. For one thing, I have been extremely depressed. I hate those periods but do deal with that occasionally. I think it was a combination of satanic oppression and physical exhaustion. When I am in one of those times, I do not want to write anything because I am not thinking properly and I NEED to put off those kind of thoughts. I know we have modern psychiatry that tells us we need to get everything out in the open but I disagree.

I will never forget when it finally hit me that Satan was not at all like God in that he was not omnipresent or omnipotent!!! DUH....he can not hear my thoughts!! So why should I give him the benefit of having anything to magnify by speaking them out loud!!!

I sure thank the Lord that I have a family that holds each other up when we have these times! Thanks Sus and Mom for your prayers. I think I'm going to make it.

Today, of course, was bus visitation. I had one of the girls that had asked to go on visitation with me, express a desire to go last week so I called her this morning. We decided that I would do the first half of my route and then pick she and her sister and her friend up. We then went to McDonalds and then did the last half of the route.

I was able to spend some one on one time with the girls. Jessicia is 14 and a pretty girl. She is a cheerleader and has a lot of leadership qualities. I have tried to impress on her how important it is for her to mature as a christian and not just stay a baby. I think she is listening.

I enjoyed having the girls with me and time went really fast. We should have a pretty good crowd in the morning.

Grandma has decided to cook Turkey and Dressing tomorrow for lunch! I couldn't figure out why she was doing it so close to Thanksgiving but then she told me that she had bought a breast a couple of months ago and she didn't want to cook it for Thanksgiving so she wanted to get it out of the refrigerator. That's fine with me. When I came home she told me she had tried to grind sweet potato peelings in the garbage disposal.....you guessed it.....I took about an hour plus to take the pipes all apart and clean it out BUT first I had to clean out the shop vac from the last time it was used. That took a while in itself.

Well, tonight is time change so we get an extra hour. Hopefully that will help us all catch up on sleep.

Can't wait for tomorrow! I know the Lord has something special in store for us!

Romans 8:1
"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.'

So Tired

I was trying to figure out why I am so tired. I guess I will have to say that I am not a "spring chicken" anymore!

Last week I had one of my every five week beauty shop appointments. That is usually in the middle of the day on Wednesday so I couldn't get much accomplished since by the time I got back from the beauty shop I had supper to fix and we went to church after that.

Thursday, Mike talked me into going with him. It was a good day. The first home was beautifully furnished with a very contemporary style. They had a cute little dog that was very friendly. The second customer was a new one. They were going to have a dinner party and were preparing for that. The home was a mansion, with a foyer, study, piano room, large living area, large formal dining room, very large kitchen, two wide "Tara-like" staircases...and that was all we saw. I can't even imagine what the rest of the house was like. There was not a speck of dust on any of the myriad of glass items displayed everywhere. I commented to the lady of the house, who was a very "down-to-earth" person about the lack of dust and questioned her about how she did that. I was thinking she was going to tell me they had something on their central heating and air to clean the air. That wasn't what she said at all, she just referred to her housekeeper and told me what a wonderful person she was. So, that's the way you do it!!!

The third house was a nice home in which I met the lady of the house. She is from Italy and told me how she moved to the states when she was 17. She went to Baylor and I asked if that wasn't a Baptist college and she assured me that it was. She had not known that when she went, as she is Catholic. She met her husband there and both she and he are now doctors, though she has chosen at this time to stay home and raise a family.

The fourth house was very nicely decorated in antiques.The husband works from home and there were two dogs in the garage and a couple of cats. One cat was so pretty! It was long-haired and very playful.

The fifth house belonged to a young couple that go to a baptist church in St. Charles. They had a Great Dane and she didn't like the fact that I sat on HER couch. It was raining pretty hard when we got through there!

On Friday, we decided that we wouldn't schedule anything because Mike wanted to have a day off. He wanted me to go with him to Michaels so he could spend his two gift certificates. He holds onto those things like they are going to bite him if he spends them.

On Saturday, I did my bus visitation as usual and got home about 3:30. Ryan and Maleah came over and we had spaghetti and salad and brownies for supper. I got sick and had to lie down and not eat any supper. After taking a Drammamine pill and resting a bit, the nausea was gone. We sat down in the living room and chatted a bit then sang. It was so much fun to sing three part harmony with my kids. I can hardly do it without crying. It just makes me realize how much God has given us. I just wish Shawn could have been a part of it.

Sunday, as has already been reported on was a very big day with 54 on the bus. It is so much fun to work with that many on the bus. We have some really sweet kids and quite a mission field to work with.

Some of our teens went with the teen class on Saturday to "The Great Godfrey Maze" in Godfrey, Illinois. They seem to have had a great time.

Church was great yesterday. The singing was good, the preaching was good. We had a family that had recently moved to Chicago, come back and rejoin the church. They were good workers and we are so glad to have them back.

I got home from the bus around 2:15. I had gotten a roast together and ready to put in the oven and Grandma had taken care of it and cooked some lima beans and corn and bisquits to go with the potatoes and carrots and roast, so lunch was delicious. We had to be back at church at 5:00 for ensemble practice and choir practice and church. We came straight home after church and ate Chicken Noodle soup.

Shawn called and let us know that they were doing ok but expecting the hurricane through there in the night. We got a call around 6:30 this morning. They had lost their electricity around 3:15 and he had been having to keep the waters stirred in his salt-water acquarium. Dad became concerned that they couldn't hear a weather forecast so told me to call them and check on them again. I realized that I could text message them from my computer to the cell-phone. Sure enough, Shawn, texted me back and let me know that though they had no electricity they were able to get radar and weather information on the cell phone. Modern technology is great, isn't it.

I heard from Ryan that he had tried the little church there close to the house that has a preacher that went to Hyles-Anderson. He really liked it and went back on Sunday night. I was very pleased as that has been a problem. He didn't want to go somewhere alone. He is going to try it again on Wednesday if he gets home from work on time. I think he has finally decided that he will be going back to Hyles in a few more months. It was great to see that he was a little more settled in his feelings. I can't wait to see how the Lord uses him in the future.

Well, I sit here in my gown with so much stuff to do so I had better bring this to a halt and get a move on. Hopefully I can catch up with housework, business calls, bookeeping, and my spiritual life. And to think, there are those that have nothing to do! I wouldn't trade places at all!!!

La 3:22 (KJV)" It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.

23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

24 The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.

25 The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.

26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD."

Big Day on Bus 5

I was so tired yesterday on visitation. I really didn't expect to have a very big crowd but I was wrong. We had 54 on the bus today with 3 first time visitors. Today was Pumpkin Day and everyone got their own small pumpkin. We had been trying to have 50 for quite some time so it felt good to finally reach that goal.

We have some real sweet children that ride with us. I really enjoy the excitement when there are so many on the bus.

Need to get some things done here so will finish the details tomorrow.

"That Is Victory"

When you are content with any food,
Any raiment, any climate, any society,
any solitude, any interruption by the will of God---
that is victory!

When your good is evil spoken of,
when your wishes are crossed,
Your taste offended,
Your advice disregarded,
And you take it all in loving silence---
That is victory!

When death and life are both alike to you
through Christ and you can throw all your sufferings
on Jesus---That is victory!


This is an excerpt from a longer writing of Amy Carmichael. Amy was a single
missionary to India many years ago and was the best example of "dying to self" that I know about. I want to be like her. My heart was pricked as I said that. If I immitated Amy I would be less than what is pleasing to God. Only Jesus totally pleased the Father. "He must increase and I must decrease!"

Commentary on Galatians 5:16-26

These definitions are taken from Strong's Greek Dictionary with the help of my SwordSearcher 4. You can get this program for free at www.swordsearcher.com, I believe. It is very helpful!

ADULTERY:moicoV moichos moy-khos'
perhaps a primary word; a (male) paramour; figuratively, apostate:--adulterer.


FORNICATION:porneia porneia por-ni'-ah
from 4203; harlotry (including adultery and incest); figuratively, idolatry:--fornication


UNCLEANESS:akaqarsia akatharsia ak-ath-ar-see'-ah
from 169; impurity (the quality), physically or morally:--uncleanness.


LASCIVIOUSNESS: aselgeia aselgeia as-elg'-i-a
from a compound of 1 (as a negative particle) and a presumed selges (of uncertain
derivation, but apparently meaning continent); licentiousness (sometimes including
other vices):--filthy, lasciviousness, wantonness


IDOLATRY:eidwlolatreia eidololatreia i-do-lol-at-ri'-ah
from 1497 and 2999; image-worship (literally or figuratively):--idolatry

WITCHCRAFT:jarmakeia pharmakeia far-mak-i'-ah
from 5332; medication ("pharmacy"), i.e. (by extension) magic (literally or
figuratively):--sorcery, witchcraft.

HATRED:ecqra echthra ekh'-thrah
feminine of 2190; hostility; by implication, a reason for opposition:--enmity, hatred.

VARIANCE:eriV eris er'-is
of uncertain affinity; a quarrel, i.e. (by implication) wrangling:--contention, debate,
strife, variance.

EMULATIONS:zhloV zelos dzay'-los
from 2204; properly, heat, i.e. (figuratively) "zeal" (in a favorable sense, ardor; in an
unfavorable one, jealousy, as of a husband (figuratively, of God), or an enemy,
malice):--emulation, envy(-ing), fervent mind, indignation, jealousy, zeal.

WRATH:qumoV thumos thoo-mos'
from 2380; passion (as if breathing hard):--fierceness, indignation, wrath

STRIFE:eriqeia eritheia er-ith-i'-ah
perhaps as the same as 2042; properly, intrigue, i.e. (by implication) faction:--
contention(-ious), strife

SEDITIONS:dicostasia dichostasia dee-khos-tas-ee'-ah
from a derivative of 1364 and 4714; disunion, i.e. (figuratively) dissension:--division,
sedition.

HERESIES:airesiV hairesis hah'-ee-res-is
from 138; properly, a choice, i.e. (specially) a party or (abstractly) disunion:--heresy
(which is the Greek word itself), sect

ENVYINGS:jqonoV phthonos fthon'-os
probably akin to the base of 5351; ill-will (as detraction), i.e. jealousy (spite):--envy.

MURDERS:jonoV phonos fon'-os
from an obsolete primary pheno (to slay); murder:--murder, + be slain with,
slaughter.

DRUNKENNESS:meqh methe meth'-ay
apparently a primary word; an intoxicant, i.e. (by implication) intoxication:--
drunkenness.

REVELLINGSkwmoV komos ko'-mos
from 2749; a carousal (as if letting loose):--revelling, rioting.

LOVE:agaph agape ag-ah'-pay
from 25; love, i.e. affection or benevolence; specially (plural) a love-feast:--(feast of)
charity(-ably), dear, love.

JOY:cara chara khar-ah'
from 5463; cheerfulness, i.e. calm delight:--gladness, X greatly, (X be exceeding)
joy(-ful, -fully, -fulness, -ous

PEACE:eirhnh eirene i-ray'-nay
probably from a primary verb eiro (to join); peace (literally or figuratively); by
implication, prosperity:--one, peace, quietness, rest, + set at one again

LONG-SUFFERING:makroqumia makrothumia mak-roth-oo-mee'-ah
from the same as 3116; longanimity, i.e. (objectively) forbearance or (subjectively)
fortitude:--longsuffering, patience.

GENTLENESS: crhstothV chrestotes khray-stot'-ace
from 5543; usefulness, i.e. morally, excellence (in character or demeanor):--
gentleness, good(-ness), kindnesS

GOODNESS:agaqwsunh agathosune ag-ath-o-soo'-nay
from 18; goodness, i.e. virtue or beneficence:--goodness.

FAITH:pistiV pistis pis'-tis
from 3982; persuasion, i.e. credence; moral conviction (of religious truth, or the
truthfulness of God or a religious teacher), especially reliance upon Christ for
salvation; abstractly, constancy in such profession; by extension, the system of
religious (Gospel) truth itself:--assurance, belief, believe, faith, fidelity.

MEEKNESS:praothV praotes prah-ot'-ace
from 4235; gentleness, by implication, humility:--meekness.

TEMPERANCE:egkrateia egkrateia eng-krat'-i-ah
from 1468; self-control (especially continence):--temperance.

Secular vs Spiritual

I had to memorize this poem by Rudyard Kipling in the seventh grade. It has been a favorite since that time. I have read several stories where this secular poem led people to the Bible and eventually salvation. Check the poem out and then check out scripture that confirms a lot of the content.
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IF.....


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IF you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
' Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch,
if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!




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Ga 5:16 (KJV) "This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another."

What kind of Grandmother will I make?

Will I remember that the world is progressing well past my memories and my abilities and will I allow the grandchildren to express their own views without critcism from me?

Will I be encouraging?

Will I expect the best from my family, looking for the good things and overlooking the bad, just like others have done for me?

Will I express care for each equally and be willing to listen to each in whatever form they choose to communicate, whether it be letter, phone, or blog?

Will I be a godly example in all that I do despite my aches and pains?

Will I be a good listener when needed but never offended when overlooked?

Will I understand that the "busyness" of my children means life and be happy with that?

Will I pass on any knowledge I may have gained in this life in a way that challenges them to learn or will I shame them for not understanding everything?

Will I keep my mind fresh and alert by meditating on God's word and resist the temptation to pay much attention to the humanistic thoughts of the majority of TV programs?

Will I be able to "cast my cares" on the Lord or will I feel like I must burden my family?

If I can claim all this, I will feel my life is fulfilled!

Proverbs 16:31
"The hoary head is a crown of glory, IF it be found in the way of righteousness."

This is my goal!

Family Talk

I came across a verse in my bible reading today.

Proverbs 17:6 "Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers."

I feel so unworthy of the fact that my father and my father-in-law were truly men that were a glory to their children. Even more so, I am glad to be able to say that my husband is a glory to his children.

This past Saturday on my bus visitation, I knocked on a door. The father came to the door. He is usually very friendly and I respond well to that. In the course of the conversation, I mentioned how much I wish that his 8-9 year old son would ride with his sister. The father's response was that the boy wasn't into religion. I replied that it didn't really matter if a person was "into" religion or not, one day they would stand before a righteous God.

"Well," he answered, "I guess he is just following his dad, and that's not all bad, now is it?"

I felt my insides begin to burn...the very idea that a man would be so cocky! I just couldn't keep myself back. I said..."Well, unless the dad is going to let him follow him to hell!"

His reply was typical! "I think when you die you are just put into the ground and that's the end! You have no proof that there is a hell."

I've tried to argue that one before but this time I just went back to the old faithful argument. "If I die and you are right, then no problem. I will have wasted my time but all is well. If you die and I am right, then you have a BIG problem."

Now that is a man that is definitely no glory to his children.

I talk to men like that each week who care for nothing but themselves. They excuse themselves by telling me that they have to work late and the grass has to be cut and Sunday is the only day they have to rest...such a grief to their families! What happened to the men that were filled with character and humility?

Thank you , Dad for being a man that brings me glory! Thank you, Mike for bringing glory to your children. In both cases there are things about those men that I know to be true. They are honest and hard-working and knowledgeable about scripture and understanding about their place in this world. I don't know why God put me in this position but I acknowledge His goodness and lovingkindness!

Check This Out

http://www.ariel.org/tesagf.htm

Emotions

Sometimes I deal with such varied emotions! Today was one of those days.

First of all, Bus 5 had 38 with 3 first time visitors. Two of them were little girls that I had visited for several weeks and the third was a friend of one of the teens. It is always encouraging to see the visitors coming back regularly.

We had a rowdy crowd but we had fun. I could sense the Holy Spirit working in lives and that was worth it all.

We are blessed to have a small orchestra at church due to the fact that we do have the christian school connected to the church. Usually we can hardly hear them but they do play every Sunday AM and PM. This morning our first song was "The Old Account Was Settled". I love that song and this morning it was so good because the girl playing the trumpet played it really loud and it was so exciting. I just could not control my emotions. I was thinking about the words to the song and how lucky we were to be able to sing them.

I also observed that the young couple that got saved several weeks ago is still coming AND this past week, his brother was also saved and he was baptized this morning.

We had Bro. Tom Wallace in the services today. He has been serving the Lord faithfully for 60 years as pastor and evangelist.

Bro. Wallace's wife passed away after 52 years of marriage. Two years later, he was introduced to a godly lady who's husband had passed away after 44 years of marriage. It was so interesting to hear about how they married a little over a year ago and took a honeymoon. Her daughter had made them a little decorative pillow to hang on their door that said "Our Marriage" "Do Not Disturb"

As they started to leave the hotel room for breakfast, a maid was looking at the pillow and was embarrassed that they had caught her. Bro. Wallace told her they had just gotten married and that they were going to a couple of different places and then they were going to heaven. He asked her if she was going with them. She stuttered and explained that she doubted it. The short story is that with this same technique, he and his new bride were able to lead 19 people to the Lord on their honeymoon. Now that is a real honeymoon!!!

Matthew 6:21 "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

Assurance

Every Saturday the bus workers meet at the church for breakfast and an encouraging meeting. We have some really dedicated people who give up their time to feed us a delicious breakfast.

Then the bus director gives us a few encouraging words and we discuss our goals and what is happening the next day and any other things that need to be discussed.

It was exciting to see the young man from Zambia this Saturday. I suppose he went with someone on visitation. It is always exciting to see a new person become involved in the bus ministry.

The bus director discussed something this Saturday that I had never seen before. Here are the verses involved:
2 Peter 1:1
"Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:

2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,

3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, AND HATH FORGOTTEN THAT HE WAS PURGED FROM HIS OLD SINS."

The words in capitals were what I had never heard explained quite like this before.

The passage is discussing what must be done in a new christian's life to ensure growth. I have these steps circled in my bible already: faith+virtue+knowledge+temperance+patience+godliness+brotherly kindness+charity=a thriving, productive christian. Bro. G mentioned that if we do not mature the result is lack of assurance. See it in those capitalized words. ..."he that lacketh these things is blind(spiritually), and cannot see afar off(I would think this limits his ability to see past the actual circumstance) and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins." There is a point when, after a lack of spiritual growth, you can forget that your sins have been forgiven. I UNDERSTAND THAT!!!!

I was saved at the age of 5 and dealt with lack of assurance all during my teen years because I was dealing with the fact that I was not as mature as I should be. This is certainly a very good description of what happened in my heart.

Thank you, Lord for your Word, and it's convicting and confirming power!

I Wonder

My husband had the TV news on this morning and I heard them announcing the percentage of approval or disapproval of President Bush's performance. Why would they do that? It isn't going to get him out of office. Is he not OUR president, whether Republican or Democrat; black or white, rich or poor? Whatever happened to loyalty?

I have to surmise that someone is just trying to make his job harder. When you think that through, you must ask yourself just who would benefit if the president has a hard time? I know who will suffer! The United States of America will suffer! What about our morale as a people? What about our ability to back the actions of our president as our country tries hard to eliminate the threat of terrorism. Someone has an agenda!

Ro 13:1 (KJV) "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.

3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:

4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.

5 Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.

6 For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.

7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour."

Morning Musings

So much is in my head this morning! I don't remember it being like this when I was younger but now it seems the thinking never stops. I guess I am making up for lost time....I am a natural blonde, you know!

So where do I start? I guess I could start with that Purple Hyacinth Bean Vine around the mailbox. I LOVE gathering those dried seed pods off that vine. I don't know why. I guess there is a feeling of awe at the magnitude of the harvest. Yes, and then there is the sheer child-like joy of hunting for them. It's almost like an easter egg hunt. It's such a small thing but it has given me much pleasure this summer. It is almost time to pull it up, along with the Morning Glory that took over one whole side of the mailbox and completely covered the door. We have another week for it probably.

In the "Deep Thought" area, I have been mulling over several things about introspection and appearance. I was reading a blog last night by a conservative guy named Bill Whittle. MAN! He said some good things even though they were interspersed with profanity that could have been left out. He got the point across.

He was writing about New Orleans, 9/11, Iraq, Abu Garib and other such current catastrophes. In reading them, I realize that I am with him on most everything. I don't agree with a couple of things but he has some very good thoughts.

He made me look a little deeper at myself and realize that I am a liberal at heart. By that I mean that, if left to myself with no spiritual grounding, I would be just that. I would be hugging trees and idolizing penguins and whales. I would decry the demise of the ozone layer and would lauch a patriotic march against the abusers of those poor prisoners of war at Abu Garib. I could be easily impressed with the liberal media and be mad at President Bush and every other person that had the audacity to have any confidence.

I realize that I want to analyze everything. I analyze my family, my church, the bus kids, the culture and even the mice that have built a nest in the blower of Grandma's car. I can rationalize anything as long as it SOUNDS reasonable.

I want the world to be a wonderful place where Christians are good and kind and never have ulterior motives and where the bad people are easy to spot by the tattoos and piercings and unkempt look they sport. We have a culture now that says that is impossible but I wonder!

This musing could get very deep but my time is limited this morning so I will end this by saying, I want my children to present to the world an honest front. I hope they learned that in their home. I hope they understand that doing less is a lie. I hope they also understand that trying to blend into the world by appearance is truly hypocrisy if in your heart you know that you really are NOT like them. What is it about the world that is so appealing? Is it the fear of not "fitting in"?

We need to understand Who God is. We will someday stand before Him and give an account for the deeds done in our flesh.(Lest anyone misunderstand, I do realize that as a christian, my sins are already judged on the cross. I am speaking here of the supposed works done in the flesh that make people know I am a Christian.) What difference will the judgements of the world make at that time? Will I stand before Him embarrassed and truly crushed in my heart because I wasted the time He so freely gave me for a few measly crumbs from the table of popularity or entertainment? Things will seem different then. I will see Him as He is and I believe that my heart will be filled with that perfect love that I have tried so hard to achieve here on this earth. I will understand the depth of His love for me and the shallowness of my love for Him. And I am sure I will be ashamed!

I need to spend more time with Him!!

Ps 139:23 (KJV) "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."

Good Weekend Update

What a weekend! There was so much good to be observed that the fact that I am exhausted makes it well worth the trouble.

As I said yesterday, we did have 41 on the bus with 5 first time visitors. The visitors were three little girls I had visited a couple of weeks. One of the younger couples in our church moved next door to them and when I stopped by to see them they told me where the children were. I almost gave up because the parents were not there both times I visited. But, praise the Lord, I tried again and all parents were home and gave permission for them to ride. One of the little girls in the second grade got saved! I just pray that she can continue to come and be encouraged to make this relationship with Jesus very personal in her life.

Another visitor was a teen that rode with another of our teen girls. I was sorry to hear that she lives so close to our bus route but enough off the beaten track that we couldn't really afford to go get her. I told her there was another bus that might pick her up but she said she would just visit with her friend again so she could ride with her. I know that probably won't work but I will pray that the Lord works in her life.

The other visitor was a little guy that I am sure got on as a "crook"! I have seen him before. He is so cute but he is NOT 5 years old as his sister told me. When I questioned her she changed it to 4! My guess is that he is 3 but since our cut-off is 4, I suppose the little girl thought she needed to lie. We treated him like a 4 year old and he seemed to enjoy it.

I love talking to little kids. All you have to do is get some excitement in your voice and get down on their level and they are right there with you. Such was the case with Chandler. We had a deep talk about Monster Trucks!!LOL Thank goodness you don't have to know too much except they have BIG tires and they are LOUD!! He was a cutie and hopefully he will continue to come.

The 6th grade girl that threw her bible out the window last week was back. I was able to sit with her and talk calmly about it and assure her that I was praying for her. She was one of the three girls that got saved during church!!! Did it make her into an angel and change all her hyper ways????? I DON"T THINK SO!!!!! But,praise the Lord, I was able to tell her she wasn't alone anymore and though she would have to fight it, the Holy Spirit now lived in her and was there to help in her life. I explained that everywhere she went and everything she did, she would be taking Him with her. I explained that she could pray without ever opening her mouth and that He heard her. We discussed how that it would be hard but that God would help her overcome some of her hyperactivity if she wanted Him to help her. Now that is HOPE! She was very responsive and listened intently. I just pray that her salvation will mean everything to her.

The other little girl that got saved is a 5th grader. I noticed a house with a deck across the front one Sunday. The deck had a large group of children on there as they watched us backing down the street to let out a couple of our regulars. We waved and then I made a mental note to check on them the next Saturday. Sure enough I was able to sign up eight people from that one house, although only two of them came.

It is a situation where they are only there every other weekend. The next weekend I caught them was this past weekend. The little one that got saved assured me on Saturday that she couldn't wait to get on the bus. How humbling! I, too, remember when I couldn't wait to get to church.

The Veteran's Ministry is going well in our church. Bro. Hurtgen has a burden for those men and we have quite a few in church with us most every Sunday. Most of them are black and I love their expressive ways. Several of them have gotten saved and baptized and are so excited about it. It adds to the service greatly.

The young couple that got saved about a month ago are still coming most every service. Yesterday, the father had his brother in the service with him. It is very encouraging to see new christians as they begin to grow.

Mt 7:7 (KJV) Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?

10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?

11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

Lord, We are asking!! We want to see more. We want to see your blessings on our church. We want to see it growing and thriving in our community, a light for those hurting and seeking you. Thank You for letting us be a part of Your work in this place. Amen

Praise The Lord!

No time for blogging right this minute but just had to record that Bus 5 had 41 on board today. Five of those were first-time visitors and most of those will be back. The most exciting news is that three little girls got saved today from our bus. God is STILL working!! Will add more later!

Fall is Here!

This morning I awoke at 5:45. This was fifteen minutes AFTER I was supposed to get up. I planned on going with my husband so that I could do a cleaning job on a grand that he was tuning. In order for me to be ready on time, I had to move pretty fast. I am usually hot anyway, but the extra movement made me extremely hot. We left a little late and I jumped into the car with my short sleeved, cotton dress on. By the time we made it to the first appointment, I stepped out of the car to walk across a parking lot. It was about 45 degrees and windy out there. Brrrrrrrrrrr! For the first time in months, I began thinking about a coat.

I really do like fall. I love the leaves as they change colors and the smell of fireplaces, and the look of the smoke as it comes out of chimneys. There are things that just taste good in the fall, like chili, fried apples, and pumpkin pie.

Tomorrow will be a different day on visitation because I guess I will need a coat.

After visitation, the kids will all be over for supper....Mexican Chicken and Brownies!

Nothing very spiritual going on over here. I am so tired!

Psalms 103:1 Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;

4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;

5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.

6 The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.

7 He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.

8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

9 He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.

10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.

12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

13 Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.

14 For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

15 As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.

16 For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.

17 But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children;

18 To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.

19 The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.

20 Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.

21 Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.

22 Bless the LORD, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the LORD, O my soul.

On a lighter note, check out this website. It made me start thinking about being a grandmother! http://www3.telus.net/camilleallen/camilleallen/index.htm

Good Article by a Canadian!

SUNDAY SPECTATOR

September 11, 2005

Blame throwing


There's plenty wrong with America, since you asked. (Everybody's asking.) I'm tempted to say, the only difference from Canada, is that they have a few things right. That would be unfair, of course -- I am often pleased to discover things we still get right.

But one of them would not be disaster preparation. If something happened up here, on the scale of Katrina, we wouldn't even have the resources to arrive late. We would be waiting for the Americans to come save us, the same way the government in Louisiana just waved and pointed at Washington, D.C. The theory being, that when you're in real trouble, that's where the adults live.

And that isn't an exaggeration. Almost everything that has worked in the recovery operation along the U.S. Gulf Coast has been military and National Guard. Within a few days, under several commands, finally consolidated under the remarkable Lt. Gen. Russel Honore, it was once again the U.S. military, efficiently cobbling together a recovery operation on a scale beyond the capacity of any other earthly institution.

We hardly have a military up here. We have elected one feckless government after another, who have cut corners until there is nothing substantial left. We don't have the ability even to transport and equip our few soldiers. Should disaster strike at home, on a big scale, we become a Third World country. At which point, our national smugness is of no avail.

From Democrats and the American Left -- the U.S. equivalent to the people who run Canada -- we are still hearing that the disaster in New Orleans showed a heartless, white Republican America had abandoned its underclass.

This is garbage. The great majority of those not evacuated lived in assisted housing, receive food stamps and prescription medicine and government support through many other programmes. Many have, all their lives, expected someone to lift them to safety, sans input from themselves. And the demagogic mayor they elected left, quite literally, hundreds of transit and school buses parked in rows to be lost in the flood, that could have driven them out of town.

Yes, that was insensitive. But it is also the truth; and sooner or later we must acknowledge that welfare dependency creates exactly the sort of haplessness and social degeneration we saw on display, as the floodwaters rose. Many suffered terribly, and many died, and one's heart goes out. But already the survivors are being put up in new accommodations, and their various entitlements have been directed to new locations.

The scale of private charity has also been unprecedented. There are yet no statistics, but I'll wager the most generous state in the union will prove to have been arch-Republican Texas, and that nationally, contributions in cash and kind are coming disproportionately from people who vote Republican. For the world divides into "the mouths" and "the wallets".

The Bush-bashing, both down there and up here, has so far lost touch with reality, as to raise questions about the bashers' state of mind.

Consult any authoritative source on how government works in the United States, and you will learn that the U.S. federal government's legal, constitutional, and institutional responsibility for first response to Katrina, as to any natural disaster, was zero.

Notwithstanding, President Bush took the prescient step of declaring a disaster, in order to begin deploying FEMA and other federal assets, two full days in advance of the stormfall. In the little time since, he has managed to coordinate an immense recovery operation -- the largest in human history -- without invoking martial powers. He has been sufficiently Presidential to respond, not even once, to the extraordinarily mendacious and childish blame-throwing.

One thinks of Kipling's "If --" poem, which I learned to recite as a lad, and mention now in the full knowledge that it drives postmodern leftoids and gliberals to apoplexy -- as anything that is good, beautiful, or true:

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise...

Unlike his critics, Bush is a man, in the full sense presented by these verses. A fallible man, like all the rest, but a man.


David Warren

© Ottawa Citizen

Snails & Slugs

This morning when I let Millie out for her morning run, I noticed a slimy slug going up the frame of the door---another one of God's creatures. They are very interesting if you stop and observe. Thanks to the remarkable internet, I was able to get some information about them.

Did you know that the difference between a snail and a slug is the fact that the snail carries it's house on it's back and that house grows with it. A snail may plug up his shell hole with mucous, which hardens and protects it from the weather and predators. A slug has the extreme amount of mucous that so easily leads us to them. They may wrap themselves in a thick coat of mucous for protection.

It was amusing to read that if a frog tries to eat a slug it will find that it's mouth is clogged with the sticky slime after a few chews.

Did you know that snails and slugs have both male and female parts. They may mate with another or themselves and produce offspring.

Did you know that snails and slugs are some of the only land animals in a group of animals called gastropods. These animals include not only clams, but oysters and squid also.

Did you know that in ancient days the color purple was derived from marine snails and used to make the clothing of Greece's warriors and the senators of Rome.

As I understand, the slug is an unsightly creature but feeds on mold and decayed vegetable matter. They are some of God's smallest garbage trucks!!!


Psalms 8:1 <> O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.

2 Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.

3 When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;

4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?

5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.

6 Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:

7 All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;

8 The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.

9 O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!

Passing Thoughts

I made a phone call just now and was put on hold by their automated system. I couldn't help but let my mind wander while I listened to the music for a LONG time!! Actually, I finally hung up.

I wondered who was playing the music. Then I realized that it might be just one person on a digital piano that was making what sounded like an orchestra. Who would ever believe that someone would make a living out of making music for elevators and automated phone systems. Have you ever met anyone that does that? Wonder what they look like. Do they make a good living? How do you break into that career?

Back in the days of covered wagons there was no music of this sort. Just think what it was like as you traveled across the prarie.....no music unless someone sang a song or played their guitar. Music must have been more special then. It probably really had depth of meaning. They probably realized that a good song could lift the spirits, or express your inmost hurts, or encourage you to give in to emotions.

The scary thing is to think that should the Lord tarry His coming, someone will be thinking similar thoughts about the archaic way we do things someday!

Ecclesiastes 7:14
"In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him."

Ecclesiates 3:14

"I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before Him."

Yep, that made me think about the fact that the grass and the trees and the flowers and the clouds and the dirt and the rocks and the horses and the dogs.......they are all just the same as the pioneers saw in the covered wagons! AMAZING!

Blessings From A Steamy Bus

Bus 5 was the #1 bus today with 48 in attendance. That included 3 very first time visitors. I thought sure that one of my children would win the $100 gift certificate to Toys R'Us but, lo and behold, an adult from Bus #1 won. Bless her heart. That will probably make a big difference in her Christmas shopping this year.

The kids on our bus were disappointed but such is life. We win some and we lose some. (Life lessons!)

The bus was getting crowded and the windows were all steamed up on the way in but we enjoyed our trip. I can't say so much for the trip home although once the bus load was lightened a bit I was able to move some of the older kids up and visit with them about some important spiritual things.

We discussed deceit. Teens are so good at sexual inuendo.They will then deny that there intention was impure. I felt I should make an issue of it yesterday. I was careful not to sound mad or condescending in any way. I confronted the boy that had made the remark and all listened. Then I made the talk to everyone. I asked them how many people had ever done such a thing. One honest girl raised her hand.

When I asked the boy if he realized that what he had done was sin, he gave me a very confused look. You see, he isn't a church goer. I'm sure sin is something like murder or stealing to him. So we discussed how such a small thing to us was just one more sin on our pile of things we had done against God and yet when we accepted the perfect gift for our salvation, He accepted us, KNOWING about ALL of those sins, past, present and future. My hope is to encourage these kids that are saved to understand the gravity of our sinfulness and to encourage the unsaved to see their sin for what it really is. Unless they understand that, how will they ever appreciate or accept this free gift of salvation.

I believe this is one of the problems in our society. The United States is such a forgiving culture, and well it should be. After all,who are we to judge another. Other christians are servant to God and He is the judge. But in accepting the sinner, sometimes I believe we make light of the gravity of sin.

Scott was the one I was speaking to who had said the off-color remark. As I was talking to him, he interrupted me at least twice with something to get off the subject. Of course, he said it in a way that would get a laugh. Each time he did it, I said, "Now Scott, don't you see that Satan is trying to get you not to listen to me! He is not your friend. Your conscience says,'She is right. Listen to her!' Satan does not want you to acknowledge your sin." He finally got quiet and listened. I don't think anyone had ever confronted him with the fact of his sin. Scott needs Jesus but he really doesn't know it yet.

We have a young girl on the bus that is hyperactive. She doesn't take medicine but she has been conditioned to believe that it is out of her control. I have observed that she is very much lacking in self confidence so she covers by trying to make people laugh. The other kids will call her "psycho". She needs attention so badly that she will try most anything to get it. Yesterday, she threw her bible out the window. I could tell it was one of those things that she did on the spur of the moment and really wished she had not done it. I finally made her move up on the front seat with me. She was just fidgeting and moving around and finally she asked me if she could have some bubble gum. She said that chewing it would help her keep her mind off the hyper stuff! Oh myyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy.....I just don't think we have time for me to go there. I think that is so degrading to make a child think that they have NO control over their own actions. I will not let them play that card with me. I tell them that if they KNOW they are doing wrong then they have the ability to make a conscious decision not to do it. I'm tired of our society making social cripples of our children. By the way, after she saw that I was not going to give her the gum, she controlled herself very well.

If I could do what I wanted, I would bring this little one home with me for a day and give her special attention. Maybe I would fix her hair and get her a new outfit for church and take her out to eat and just love on her a little. I think it would make a world of difference BUT in this day and time, I can not feel free to do such a thing. There are so many ramifications concerning child abuse that it is almost impossible to pay too much attention to one child. So I must continue to pray that God will use me in special ways to minister to her. You know, He loves her more than anyone else. He surely knows her inmost needs.

Church was great yesterday with several salvations and a new couple joining. The husband of the couple is from Zambia and he gave his testimony. They hope to go to Zambia as missionaries someday. Hopefully, God has sent more workers our way. We need them.

Mt 9:38 (KJV) Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.