President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

(wow, I almost herniated myself spelling that) was in NYC today to speak at Columbia University. He and his entourage were able to avoid the usual gridlock of traffic by driving in the lane reserved for Holocaust Deniers. After the speech, he and his people broke into a local hotel room in an attempt to recover some stolen sports memorabilia.

thanks Jon Stewart and Jay Leno

about the poll

I voted yes, he should have been given the opportunity to speak. Otherwise, he'd have just used being denied as a chance to say " look what a bunch of hypocrites those Americans are". So I say let him speak..I hope people are intelligent enough to see through his egomaniacal, anti-Israel, Holocaust-denying BS.

thoughts for today

Psa 122:1 A Song of Ascents, of David. I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the LORD."
Psa 122:2 Our feet are standing Within your gates, O Jerusalem,
Psa 122:3 Jerusalem, that is built As a city that is compact together;
Psa 122:4 To which the tribes go up, even the tribes of the LORD-- An ordinance for Israel-- To give thanks to the name of the LORD.
Psa 122:5 For there thrones were set for judgment, The thrones of the house of David.
Psa 122:6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May they prosper who love you.
Psa 122:7 "May peace be within your walls, And prosperity within your palaces."
Psa 122:8 For the sake of my brothers and my friends, I will now say, "May peace be within you."
Psa 122:9 For the sake of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek your good

Ever have one of those days when it just felt like there was a black cloud hanging over your head? I felt that way when I woke up this morning, and I was tempted to just pull the covers back over my head and skip church today. But instead, I did some praying, and the Lord said go, so I gathered myself together and went. I still didn't feel good. For some time now, I have been dealing with some financial issues that Satan is using to grind me down. Because of greed, and because I wanted to have things that I really couldn't afford, I find myself facing some debts that are hard to make a dent in. But you know what? As bad as I felt when I got to church this morning, after meeting with my prayer group and being in Sunday school, my burdens didn't seem as heavy as they did only an hour or so before. Then during worship service, after singing some hymns and worship songs, and listening to God's word during the message, I realized that I didn't feel as bad as I did at the start of the day. No, my problems haven't disappeared, but God gave me strength that I needed to get through one more day. Sometimes life feels like you're just pushing against this huge rock that just refuses to move. You push and push as hard as you can, but it's still there. I think what I learned today is that maybe God isn't asking us to move the rock, just to keep pushing against it. We get tired of pushing against it when we don't see any movement. But if we will call on God for help, He will always give us the strength that we need to keep pushing for one more day. Thats all we can ask for. Tomorrow is another day. Thank you Lord, for giving me the strength that I need to face each day.

good reading

I got this today, from Heartlight.org




Servin' Safari, by Patrick D. Odum


Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we
will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have
opportunity, let us do good to all people ... (Galatians 6:9-10
NIV).

Dorian Paskowitz saw a need, and the fact that he's Israeli and those
in need are Palestinian doesn't seem to have mattered to him.

Dorian is a retired doctor from Hawaii, 86 years old, who read about
the need and decided to do something about it. He and his son left
sunny Hawaii for the war-torn Gaza Strip for their mission of mercy.
Dorian calls it a "mitzvah," a Hebrew word that means "good deed."
While you might expect Dorian to bring medical supplies, you'd be
wrong. While you wouldn't be surprised if he was bringing food or
clothing, you'd be mistaken.

Dorian Paskowitz went to the Gaza Strip bearing gifts for the
Palestinians that are very near and dear to his heart. Though he
practiced medicine for a half a century or so, he has been a surfer for
twenty-five years longer than he was a doctor. And when he read about
two Palestinian surfers who had to take turns in the gnarly surf off
the Gaza Strip, he could sit still no longer. "I said to my son, 'Come,
we'll go to Israel and get them some boards,'" Dorian explains
matter-of-factly. That's how it came about that Dorian Paskowitz,
tanned and shirtless, happened to be at the Gaza-Israeli border handing
off twelve surfboards to a grateful group of amazed Palestinian
surfers. "When a surfer sees another surfer with a board, he can't help
but say something that brings them together," Dorian says, brushing off
the obvious observations about Israeli-Palestinian tensions. "God will
surf with the devil if the waves are good."

Whether you agree or not, you have to admire the enthusiasm that leads
Dorian to such a conclusion. Arthur Rashkovan, an Israeli surfer who
calls Paskowitz a guru who brought surfing to Israel fifty years ago,
has maybe a more realistic idea: "We want Palestinians to enjoy the
surfing experience. We believe it brings people together. The idea is
for people to forget about the violence and follow the journey to peace
on the waves."

To tell you the truth, I think Dorian Paskowitz is on to something.
Diplomacy, politics, treaties, and laws can't create peace. Wars can
bring about conquest, but battering people into submission is not the
same as bringing about peace. In the end, what creates peace is people
doing good to people, however they have opportunity, until a society
loses its capacity for hate, its impulse for violence, and its
motivation for war. Twelve surfboards won't end centuries of
hostilities, of course. But, find enough people willing to risk
"mitzvahs" of their own, and suddenly anything's possible.

Sometimes it doesn't seem to make a difference.

It was another Israeli, Paul, who said, "[A]s we have opportunity, let
us do good to all people." I like the realism of that. "[A]s we have
opportunity ...." Good deeds aren't necessarily big deals that take you
halfway around the world -- maybe just across town or across the street
or across the hall. The kind of good Paul is talking about is the
everyday kind that might not garner headlines, but that can make all
the difference in the world. It's a visit to a sick friend who really
needs her spirits lifted. It's a kind word to someone who has the
weight of the world on his shoulders. It's babysitting the kids of a
couple who are struggling with their marriage and need time for each
other. It's raking the yard of that widowed neighbor who can't afford
to have it done and has no one else to do it for her. "[A]s we have
opportunity ...." That's doable, you know. All that takes is being
aware of the needs around us and the people who cross our paths. All it
takes is being willing to say "yes" instead of "no," to sacrifice a
little time or a little money or a few of our resources. Paul's talking
about giving a fellow church member a ride to the doctor, then being
there to listen when she talks about her fears. He's talking about
sitting next to that new student -- or that old one no one ever pays
any attention to -- instead of your usual lunchtime crowd. He means
giving a sandwich and a smile to a street-corner beggar, or helping
that single mom you know get school supplies for her kids. There's
nothing earth-shaking there. Nothing of international significance, but
to the person who is the beneficiary of the good -- the recipient of
your "mitzvah" -- it makes all the difference.

I guess that's why Paul warns us that our tendency will be to become
weary of doing good. It's not that doing good is in itself all that
exhausting, though it can be. I wonder if he means, though, that
sometimes it doesn't seem to make a difference. After all, the beggar
is still a beggar after he eats the sandwich I give him, and pretty
soon he'll be hungry again. That single mom doesn't have to buy her
kids' school supplies, but what about the braces and the winter coats
and the house payment? That sick friend will still be sick after my
visit, and that couple might still split up. And even after Dorian
Paskowitz dropped off those boards, Israelis and Palestinians live in
tension. What good we're able to do might not have any long-term
benefit. It might not solve any "big" problems. And that can be
tiresome.

Paul, however, promises that good deeds are never in vain. "At the
proper time we will reap a harvest," he promises -- if we don't give
up. That's what distinguishes the Big Kahunas of doing good from the
posers -- follow-through. Paul says you "do good" just because you have
an opportunity to do good, not because you see how it contributes to an
overall solution, or as part of a bigger plan. You "do good" as you
have opportunity, and you leave it to God to sort out the things that
are too big for you. And more often than not, you'll eventually see how
he used your good deed, your "mitzvah," to do something bigger than you
ever imagined. In his time -- the proper time -- you'll have your
harvest.

Until then, keep your eyes and ears and heart and mind open to the good
God wants you to do ... the good you have opportunity to do. It might
not be what you imagined and it might take you to people you'd have
never thought you would serve, but if God's calling you to do it then
there's a reason. Get your balance, get in the pipeline, and ride the
wave wherever it takes you.

Cowabunga!

sigh

I wish people would realize that all of us poor unfortunate souls who work 3rd shift, either by choice or by chance, we need a little sleep during the day. It never fails, as soon as I drop off to sleep, the telephone begins to ring. Oh well, guess I should stop complaining and get an answering machine, and a silent ring tone. I tell you the truth, third-shifters, we are the red-headed step-children of the working class. No respect at all;)

Pro 6:9 How long will you stay in bed, you slacker? When will you get up from your sleep?
Pro 6:10 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the arms to rest,


at least until the phone wakes me up again....

can it be?

How can it be possible that this year is almost 75% gone already? I guess it is true what older people have told me all my life, that the older one gets, the faster the years go by. Seems like only a couple of weeks ago I was graduating from high school. Since then its been pretty much a blur, ha! Well anyway, it'll soon be Christmas time again, with all the things that come along with it. Some good, and some not so good. But at the heart of it all, we must remember and never forget to commemorate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave us the gift of all gifts. The gift of Himself.

Fall already??

I can see that the big oaks are beginning to shed their leaves again. Looks like its time to visit Home Depot or Lowe's and invest in a heavy duty yard rake. A leaf blower might be good too, but the neighbors live too far away for me to blow leaves into their yard. Plus, I'd have to herd 'em through a patch of woods. The leaves, that is..not the neighbors...

this just in

Well, what do you know.. OJ is in the middle of another police investigation..13 years later. I wonder what the catch phrase for this one will be

6 years later

old things

Have you ever felt like your best days are behind you? I have. Yesterday at church, we had a guest speaker who came to challenge us to renew our commitment to missions giving, specifically the Cooperative Program. He explained to us that, for a church, giving to missions should be viewed more as a wise investment, than an expense to be cut from the budget. One thing he said that really stuck in my mind is he noticed the sign on the front of the building commemorating when our church was established. 1829.
178 years ago. Imagine that. Mississippi had only been a state for 12 years, and our nation was only 53 years old. Way back then, some people got together and were led by the Holy Spirit that a church needed to be established in this area. Imagine how many lives have been touched in those 178 years, because a group of people had a mind for missions, and the vision to make it happen. Now, here we are in 2007, and we are struggling to meet expenses, mainly because not all of the membership supports the church financially. But does this make it necessary to make big cuts in our missions budget? I am torn between wanting to see our church have a balanced budget, and yet maintain our commitment to missions. I wonder if anyone who might read this has experienced a similar situation in their church.Even though we(as a church) have been around for almost 200 years, we have to believe that God isn't finished with us yet. Perhaps we just need to be reminded of what our mission is. And I ask that you pray for us as we seek guidance and leadership of the Holy Spirit regarding this.
2Ch 7:14 and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

good news from Honduras

Since Hurricane Felix had made landfall in Honduras and Nicaragua, I had been concerned and in prayers to the Lord about the safety of my sponsored child in Honduras. I made inquiries via email as to the situation, Well thanks to the Lord who hears and answers prayer, today I learned that it appears there was no severe damage. All of the Compassion operations in the country are reporting that, although there was lots of rain, thankfully all of the children and families are going to be OK. Thank you Lord, for hearing prayers and keeping them safe from harm.
Here is a picture of her, her name is Sarai. I have a more recent picture, but haven't gotten it scanned as of yet. I will post it later.

hmmm

It also appears that she believes all Puerto Ricans are in favor of cockfighting..and all Chinese people eat dogs and cats....uh oh, now she's gonna have to face the wrath of Geraldo Rivera and Connie Chung

some people just don't get it

From a transcript of The View, new cast member Whoopi Goldberg's comments on Michael Vick and the dogfighting charges which he pled guilty to..
WHOOPI GOLDBERG: THE MICHAEL VICK THING, SINCE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT DOGS THERE'S ALL OF THESE VERY VERY STRONG OPINIONS ABOUT IT. AND ONE OF THE THINGS I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYBODY SAY IS, YOU KNOW, FROM HIS BACKGROUND, THIS IS NOT AN UNUSUAL THING FOR WHERE HE COMES FROM. IT'S LIKE COCKFIGHTING
WG: IT’S COCKFIGHTING IN PUERTO RICO. THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT ARE INDICATIVE TO CERTAIN PARTS OF OUR COUNTRY.

WG: HE'S FROM THE SOUTH FROM THE DEEP SOUTH
WG: UNFORTUNALY IT'S PART OF THE THING.
WG: THIS IS PART OF HIS CULTURAL UPBRINGING.
WG: I'M JUST SAYING THAT INSTEAD OF JUST SAYING HE'S A BEAST AND HE'S A MONSTER THIS IS A KID WHO COMES FROM A CULTURE WHERE THIS IS NOT QUESTIONED. THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.

WG: THAT'S TRUE. BUT SOMETIMES -- NO, I DON'T THINK HE DID. I DON'T THINK HE DID. BECAUSE THIS IN THE WORLD THAT HE COMES FROM IT'S NOT IMPORTANT. WE HAVE A DIFFERENT RELATIONSHIP TO DOGS AND CATS AND THINGS. LIKE THE CHINESE. THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT RELATIONSHIP TO CATS. AND YOU AND I WILL BE REALLY PISSED IF SOMEBODY ATE KITY.

OK here's the deal..I have lived in the "Deep South" for 46 years. I doubt you could get any deeper into the South than I am. And its true, you could rightfully charge me with occasionally exhibiting redneck tendencies. I mean, I sometimes wear overalls( we pronounce it as "over-hauls"), I love tomato sandwiches, I drive a pickup truck, I frequently use words such as "hey ya'll" and "yeehaw". Having said all that, I have NEVER known anyone here in the Deepest part of the Deep South who gets their kicks from dogfighting. Now, from what I read in this transcript, ole Whoopee believes that this idiot can't help what he did, because unfortunately he grew up in the Deep South. Hey ya'll, give me a freakin break. Thats not a racist statement, but its just as offensive. Its a slur directed at a region of the country. I guess you'd call that "regionism". Hmmm, but ya know, we can't be too hard on ole Whoop, after all she's from New York City, where they gots culture nstuff. So she can't help it if she's ignorant..Bless her heart;)

those of us in the Deep South understand the significance of "Bless your heart"

now I know why they call it Labor Day

Today , spent about 10 hours working on the new barn and dismantling the old one. I must say, I've done really good on this project, expense wise. Total expense for the project----about $25 for nails. Everything else, I scavenged from the old building. How's that for recycling? Here are the latest pictures.

mi familia

From Christmas 2006...we're bigger than the Soprano family