Thoughts on Food

I see this saying every day since it is on the wall above our kitchen table.

It has always been a priority in our family to have dinner together. During the school year we also have breakfast together. It's a rarity for a family to eat two meals a day together let alone one.

We have a lot of great memories because of all the meals we have eaten together. We share our day with each other and tell what happens while we are apart from each other. We always ask the kids how their day was in school and what they learned. We talk about our jobs and what might have taken place. The boys may discuss sports and scores, especially if JW has played a soccer game or basketball game. We talk about plans in the future-vacations or just weekend plans. We tell jokes and laugh together. Sometimes we are privileged to have extra people sitting at our table. We have had many teens come over and share a dinner with us. We laugh and talk and enjoy time together. We love to invite other families over for a meal and enjoy the time eating and talking.

It's not only fun but it is comforting to be able to share with someone-over food.

Bonding takes place when people gather together around a table. It is an occasion where time stands still and priority is put on the people you are sharing a meal with-you listen and laugh, catch up and maybe comfort or give advice.

This "event" goes back was into Bible time and is mentioned numerous times including times when Christ was with his disciples and friends and when the "church" began Acts.

Luke 22:13-20 is a passage when Christ had the last supper before his Crucifixion and the ordinance of communion was shared for us to follow.

"And they went, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover.

   And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him.

   And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer:

   For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.

   And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves:

   For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come

   And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.

   Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you."

Acts 2:42, 46 

"And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. 

And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,"

How often do you gather around the table with your family? Make it a priority starting today and take one day at a time. It is time that you will never regret spending. Your meals don't have to be gourmet & four-courses-a meal shared with family and friends will be just as special even if you are eating P.B. & J sandwiches!

D-Day Anniversary~

Today is the 68th Anniversary of  D-Day~

June 6, 1944 was the day that 160,000 Allied Forces landed on the Normandy shores over a stretch of 50 miles in 2 waves-by air and on land, to fight the Germans. President Eisenhower said that this "crusade" would be something where he would accept nothing less than victory. By the end of the day the Allied Forces did move forward toward victory but at a great cost since more than 5,000 lives were lost that day. D-Day stands for the day that  an significant operation will take place. World War II continued until June 1945 when victory was announced.

Our country has been through a number of wars in our past-the Civil War, World War I & II, Vietnam, & Korea. We are even now still in a war as our troops are in Afghanistan and other eastern countries. But these wars pale in comparison to the final war that will take place here on earth. We are told in God's Word that Christ will come back for the Christian and there is a timeline from there. We have a 7 year tribulation, then a 1,000 year millennial reign, and then there will be a final war before Christ destroys Satan for good and then destroys this heaven and earth to give us a new one where we will live with Him for eternity. 

Revelation 18:10-14

"And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.

   And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.

   And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.

   These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.

   These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful."

For now we need to live one day at a time, witnessing to all those the Christ puts in our path. Share with them the love of Christ and what He has done for you in changing your life. He reached down and took me out of a miry pit-saved my soul and gave me everlasting life. What could be a more wonderful story to tell than that? There will be another D-Day-we don't when at this point but we are one day closer. Take every opportunity that God gives you.

Splashing

Do you remember playing out in the rain when you were a child? I can remember during the summer when we get a huge downpour or a long day of raindrops so that the ditches would fill up or the sidewalks and roads would have lots of puddles. My mom wasn't concerned about "acid rain" and we were allowed to out and play in the rain (as long as there wasn't any lightning!) We had a ditch in our front yard and it could get quite high (for someone only 4 feet tall) and we would run and splash and have a great time! It was fun to jump and splash in the puddles one day at a time! Sometimes we would be allowed to get water from the rain barrel and dump it on each other. 

As an adult I now live in a state where we have seasons of rain. I enjoy being at home snuggled up on the couch with a book while it rains outside-instead of being outside splashing in the puddles. It's wonderful how God has made it to rain on our earth in order to water the ground so that vegetation can grow and help keep the lakes and ponds and rivers and oceans filled for the creatures that live within them. When God created the earth and it was perfect there was no need for rain. It wasn't until the time of Noah when God brought about a flood on the earth because it had become so sinful. The entire story can be read in Genesis but there is a verse in Psalms that I love that mentions rain and talks about God.

 Psalm 147:7-8:

   "Sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God:

   Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains."

God created all things. His imagination is beyond anything we could ever dream. He is amazing and has created not only man-each unique person in His image, but also such a wonderful world for us to live on that has so many different and unique areas. I feel that I can do nothing less but continually praise Him, like the Psalmist did:

Psalm 139:14  

"I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well."

Or praise Him as Isaiah did:

Isaiah 25:1 

"O Lord, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth." 

So, the next time it rains-stop and take the time to thank Him and praise Him for who He is and what He has done for us and where He has put us, because He deserves no less and we are nothing without Him. Then maybe use the rain as an excuse to go out and buy a pair of really cute rain boots so that the next time it rains you can go out and splash in the puddle just like you did as a kid!

Brightly Shining

Did you see the sun today?  It was another beautiful day in paradise and the sun was brightly shining. But there was a little bit of a difference around lunch time today if you were able to look up toward the sun with your sun glasses on. There was a halo around the sun that looked like a rainbow. People started posting pictures and talking about it and asking what it was or telling what they thought it was. If you have been following me very long you know what I did-I "googled" it and pulled up a news web site that talked about it. It explained that there are thin clouds that form high in the atmosphere out of ice crystals. When they bend they refract the light and form the halo that we were able to see today-beautiful!

Mine is the not the best picture since I didn't have my good camera on me at work but it does show it off a little.

You know what? When I looked at this picture or thought about how brightly it was shining today it reminded me how it will pale in comparison to Christ. We are told in the Bible about when Moses went up the mount to get the 10 commandments he saw God and the glory was so bright that he had to wear a veil when he came back down because his face shone from even being in God's presence. 

Exodus 34:32-35

"And afterward all the children of Israel came nigh: and he gave them in commandment all that the LORD had spoken with him in mount Sinai.

   And till Moses had done speaking with them, he put a vail on his face.

   But when Moses went in before the LORD to speak with him, he took the vail off, until he came out. And he came out, and spake unto the children of Israel that which he was commanded.

   And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses' face shone: and Moses put the vail upon his face again, until he went in to speak with him."

We are also told about the new heaven and new earth in Revelation and we are told that we won't have need of any other lights. We will be able to live one day at a time with Christ.

Revelation 21:23 

And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon to shine in it; for the glory of God gave it light, and the Lamb is the light thereof. 

What a day, glorious day that will be-when my Savior's face I shall see!

Round & Round

I love carousels! I have ridden them in amusement parks and malls in a lot of different cities. It's fun to pick which beautifully painted horse you want to ride on. Sometimes there are different animals in addition to horses. I have even been to a museum where they restore the horses from the carousel rides. I think that would be such a gratifying job to take something that had been beautiful and restore it to it's original state for people to enjoy.

I love to share facts that I learn about some of the pictures that I take. I did some research on carousels and they compared the ones in the United States to the ones in England. In England they are called Roundabouts or Galopers. We sometimes call ours Merry-go-Rounds. The side that faces the outside is usually more ornate and is called the "romance" side. They turn clockwise in England while they go counter clockwise in the U.S. They became extremely popular at the end of the 1800's and "the golden age" lasted about 25 years. More than 6000 were built but after fires, neglect and floods only about 200 of them have survived.

Ever wonder about the different type of horses on there-the ones with at least 3 feet on the floor are called standing figures, 2 back feet on the ground with the front feet in the air are called prancers and the ones with all 4 feet in the air are the jumpers and they move up and down.

When I thought about what to write about today I actually had two different themes. One-ever feel like your life just keeps going round and round and round and you aren't getting anywhere and you just want to get off the ride? Well, if you are living life for your self and God is not the center control then that's all life will be- a ride that goes nowhere and everything will be in vain. Ecclesiastes talks a lot in its book about vanity and how things done for self did not fulfill-self indulgence and knowledge does nothing for you if you are living only for self.

 Ecclesiastes 6:12:

 For who knows what is good for man while he lives the few days of his vain life, which he passes like a shadow? For who can tell man what will be after him under the sun?  Ecclesiastes 1:1-Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.

The other thought that came to mind was how blocks of wood were taken and made into something beautiful. Christ does the same for us. We are nothing before Him. We may have things in our past that have left scars but it's wonderful to know that the blood of Christ washes us clean and covers all of our trespasses. There is a Gaither Vocal Band song titled- "Something Beautiful":

Something beautiful, something good

All my confusion He understood

All I had to offer Him was brokeness and stife

But he made something beautiful of my life.

Ecclesiastes 3:11  

"He hath made every thing beautiful in his time:"

There is also a song that is written about this verse-In His time, in His time, He makes all things beautiful in His time. Lord please show me everyday as you're teaching me your way, and I'll do just what you say-In His time!

So if you feel that you are going round and round, take a moment and turn your life over to God-let Him stop the ride for you! Also remember that we are all beautiful in God's sight-we have been created in His image and He wants have the relationship restored with you-accept Him as your Savior and live for Him one day at a time remembering that:

 1 Samuel 16:7:

   But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.

Sweet Smell

We spent some family time today and traveled to a neighboring city where we had a great lunch and then went to a large mall for some shopping.

Entering one of the major department stores I had a memory surface as I walked by the perfume counters. I remember going shopping with my mom and my paternal grandma. We go and pick her up at her house for a day out. She would be dressed up in one of her pretty polyester pantsuits and all of her jewelry. We would shop at the major department stores back then, like Higbees, Sears, and Penney's. We would eat lunch out-sometimes at Woolworth's. It was always a fun time. Some things have not changed-there were people that would stand at the perfume and makeup counters ready to offer assistance. Today as you walk through a store there are still girls that stand at all the different brands and offer you a "sample spray".

Most of us probably have one or more bottles of perfume or cologne on our counters or dressers.  Some of the bottles are very pretty but they don't do you any good unless you use them. I have my favorites and love to spritz it on each day before I go out the door. Perfume is supposed to give us a pleasant scent. It should enhance, not cover up or make us stink!

Perfumery can be traced back all the way to Bible time and before. It is said that the first chemist was a woman who was a perfume maker in Mesopotamia, using flowers and oils to create perfume.

 We are told about perfume in the Bible a couple of different times where it was used on Christ:

Luke 7:37-38

"And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, 

And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment." 

Mark 14:3 

"And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head." 

It was something that was costly and yet she felt it was important enough to use on Jesus-what a testimony.

Perfume is mentioned in the old testament in Proverbs in relation to good advice from a friend

Proverbs 27:9 

"Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel."

We are compared to what could be called perfume in a passage in the New Testament:

2 Corinthians 2:15 

"For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ." 

How can we do that? As we live our lives one day at a time with Christ as our focus we will strive to serve Him and do what would honor Him. We would not want to tarnish our testimony or "stink" to those around us.

America's Favorite Pastime

Tonight we went to watch a Tampa Bay Rays Baseball game at the Trop!

 They played the Baltimore Oriels and they WON!

Baseball is known as the national sport of the U.S. It was brought here by immigrants and is as popular as Mom's Apple Pie!

When you think of baseball what comes to your mind? I think of the song-"Take Me out the Ballgame". I think of hotdogs and popcorn and cracker jacks!

I can't imagine how may hot dogs are sold in a game or how many bags of peanuts and popcorn and cracker jacks are bought and consumed! Gallons of soda are purchased! The amounts have to be astounding as the orders come into the ball field before a game in preparation for selling.

When you go to a baseball game you also always see a mascot-something that is to bring luck for the team-a character that can be used for merchandising. The Rays are no different-their mascot is Slider.

He is a big, furry, blue creature that runs around during the game helping to cheer on his team.

It's amazing to look around a stadium and see how many people pay to come and watch their team play a game with a ball and a stick and run around some bases to score runs! (Come on, you've never thought of it that way??!!) 

It caused me to stop and think for a moment...how many of those people that were there tonight will be in their church on Sunday or Wednesday night? I don't see people flocking through the doors of the churches around America. Can you imagine what could be done to further the gospel for Christ if we had those many people sitting in the pews at church? And it doesn't cost you anything to go-just take one day at a time and be there when the doors are open!

Psalm 122:1 

I was glad when they said unto me, "Let us go into the house of the LORD." 

We, as Christians especially, should want to go to church-we should look forward to the time we can spend there worshiping God and hearing His Word preached and being able to fellowship with other believers.

God has given us a promise:

Matthew 18:20  

For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them."  We need to step it up-we can't let the next person be responsible for it. Our country was based on biblical principles and we need to continue them. If you are a true sports fan you don't abandon your team because of their record or what others say about it. It should be the same way with God-there will always be someone who speaks against God but we know the truth if we have read the Bible and we need to follow Him even when it may not seem popular-why? Because it is the right thing to do-you can't go wrong by following God.

So, are you already faithful? Do you follow God like sports fanatics follow their teams? Are you willing to talk about Him and to Him constantly and be in church so that you can commune with Him or is your seat empty?