The door is open so the 78 degree weather can come inside today. It is February after all. OH. February is winter.

My back door opened is a reminder of the many doors that open in our lives. Or the ones that shut.

Doors go either way. How we respond to them is the key. Often doors are signs from God.  

Use to be when a door shut I would respond with an offensive attitude asking, “why? I want to go through that door!”

Age has taught me along with years of spending time alone with God and his word those doors he shut kept me from getting into more trouble than I was already in.  Now I thank him that he is God! His ways are not mine! (be really thankful for that)

When you ponder the idea of open and shut doors from God isn’t that a clever idea?

He made it so simple yet we search around for other doors only to walk into the one that ends up hitting us in the face.” Oh, I wondered where I got this bruise on my head.”

Going out on a limb here I finally wised up (no jokes please) and started praying for God to shut doors he didn’t want me to force open. Now I am small but have managed over the years to pry open doors shut so tight you couldn’t open them without a sledgehammer.

I have to ask myself now, “what was I thinking?” Pushing, pulling, beating, screaming until I squeezed through it. Once in, it wasn’t door #3 giving away a free car.

What happens when you beat your way through the wrong door? It knocks you down and lands on the broken nose you gave yourself trying to open it in the first place.

You know what happens next? (that is if you are smart) You cry out to God Almighty to remove the door.

What if God leaves you under the door for a while? It sure gets heavy. It hurts. It is painful.

I can’t blame God for this heavy, painful door smashing my face. I did force it open. He tried to stop me. BUT NO! I had to be rebellious or what is the saying? “Curiosity killed the cat?”

Finally after so many doors fell on me I decided maybe God was trying to tell me something!  Ok. I heard that!  You have no room to talk here!

He closes doors for my protection or stops me from getting into the wrong relationship. or the wrong project. or the wrong class.  or listening to the wrong words. or hanging out in the wrong places. or running my big mouth when it should be shut.

Mark 4:24, 25 ²⁴ “Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more. ²⁵ Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.”

Closing doors from God’s perspective for us means he may be removing from our lives that which he doesn’t want there like books, movies, entertainment, or even people. Yes, people.

Anything that takes us away from God is removable by him. For our good. And believe me, once you find yourselves under so many of the wrong doors, God looks better than ever!

God isn’t behind door #1. or #2. or #3.  He’s behind the door that is open.

http://freedomborn.wordpress.com/2012/02/20/hillbilly-ten-commandment

http://larrywho.wordpress.com/2012/02/17/planning-preparation-survival-part-2/

http://thewayeverlasting.com/2012/02/17/quote-standard/

Copyright @ 2012 All Rights Reserved

What struck me though was the one and only cashier up front. She looked tired. Unhappy.  She never smiled and her “how are you” was one of “I don’t really care how you are.”

I felt compassion for her as she looked down the aisle at the long line that had grown. Why didn’t they bring another cashier to help her or a bag boy?

Cashiers have a tough job. Theirs is one most of us never want.  It is a thankless position. A part time job for extra money or the full time cashier trying to make a living.

Cashiers:

Stand on their feet for hours at a time.

Are subjected to abuse of all kinds.

Are expected to know everything from what row the coffee is on to “why isn’t it still on sale?”

Are exposed to raw meat, filthy money and dirty  hands.

Are exposed to unruly, screaming children at the hands of parents who do not discipline them.

Are open targets for thieves, drunks and a few nice people.

Endure long lines of aggravated, impatient customers due to cuts in personnel.

The following are a few everyday occurrences in the life of a cashier…..as I have witnessed….

Customer: “Is this ice cream on sale?”
Cashier: “I’m not sure. You can check the weekly specials.”
Customer: “What? You oughta know that?
Cashier: “Ma’am, it will also show on the door of the frozen food section where you found it.”
Customer: “Just ring it up and it better be on sale.”
Cashier rings up ice cream. “No ma’am it is not on sale this week, that was last week. Do you still want it?”
Customer: “Yes, but only at the sale price.”
Cashier: “I’m sorry but it is not for sale.”
Customer: “Fine. I don’t want it then. And you shouldn’t be working here if you can’t do any better than that.”

or this one…..

Customer: “How much is this 6 pack of beer?”
Cashier: “I’m not sure ma’am.”
Customer: “Oh, it don’t matter anyhow. I got food stamps. While you’re at it get me a carton of cigarettes too.”
The cashier watches as the customer gets in their brand new BMW.

Cashiers are people, not sitting ducks for us to throw rocks at. or steal from. or verbally abuse.

Cashiers usually work because they need to.  I can’t imagine anyone subjecting themselves to such scrutiny for the heck of it.

Cashiers paychecks are usually based on minimum wage. They aren’t paid to know everything.

Cashiers have feelings just like we do. Give them a break.

The next time you are in the presence of a cashier, be kind. Be nice.

Smile.  Give them a tip. Ask how they are doing. Treat them like you want to be treated. Show them respect.

Show appreciation for the job they do everyday. Show concern for their well being in the midst of chaotic and hateful people.

Take up for them. Show them understanding of the daily grind they are subjected to as they try to make a living.

Who knows. Maybe they will think Jesus paid them a visit, not just another customer.

Luke 6:31 “Do to others as you would like them to do to you.”

http://cashiersconfessional.wordpress.com

http://mychristiancoffeeshop.wordpress.com

Copyright @ 2012 All Rights Reserved

Blocks of ice. Alphabet blocks. The Judge blocked your testimony.  Writer’s block. Quilt block designs. Heart blocks. House blocks. Senate blocks. H & R Block.

Image via Wikipedia

Code: blocks. Text blocks. Jail blocks.  The block down the street…..what was that last one again?

The block down the street. You know. The one you use a lot. The one that leads to your house. or school. or church.

What do these blocks represent?

Confinement. Education. Learning. Prison. Falling. Stubbornness. Cold hearts. Stopping. Jail. Defiance. Circles. Building. Governing. Taxation. Creativity.

Blocks can be good or bad depending on how we use them.

In the case of the Israelites, they were not happy in Egypt nor when they left. So, they ended up in the wilderness much longer than God planned. Kind of like us.

We are masters at going around and around and around the same block.  The Israelites may have started this winding road journey but we latched on to it without a hitch.

Unfortunately,  I could teach this subject.  Learning the hard way always came easy for me and I didn’t realize at a young age when I started this pattern the Israelites had already perfected it. Well, it would have been nice to have been the first at something.

The wilderness journey they took exhausts me thinking about it. Why do we have to be so stubborn? It’s not like God didn’t lay out a plan. We just think we know it all on our own. Yes. I am talking to you! and me.

The quote, “I’ve been around the block a few times” has a lot of different meanings but in this case it really is what it says.

How about going around the block of greed? selfishness? doubt? fear? unbelief? worry? The Israelites were very good at doubting and unbelief even as the manna fell from Heaven everyday. Even as they were led by a “pillar of cloud” by day and a “pillar of fire” by night. Lets just say they saw the cup half empty. The miracles in front of them didn’t dissuade their complaining and defiance.

Exodus 13: 21,22 “By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.”

You would think they would have gotten the message. What message?

The message we haven’t gotten yet. The one about the Holy Spirit leading us. The Holy Spirit doesn’t  leads us around the same block; that is unless we haven’t learned our lesson.

In other words, when we don’t listen, he allows us to jog around the same block until our shoes are worn out. Do I sound like I have done this before?

I see him waving  as we venture around “forever street” over and over again.  He motions for us to follow him instead of following the “yellow brick road”  or running a virtual marathon around ourselves. The Holy Spirit waits for us to chase after him.

One thing for sure. God is a patient God. Sometimes too patient. He  allows us to ferment our doubt and fears with more vinegar until we find the sugar. And for some of us the sugar is still in the cane.

Image via Wikipedia

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• Oh Sugar! (bakingitreal.wordpress.com)
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• Into the wilderness (thebereanway.wordpress.com)/
• http://iambecomingme.wordpress.com/2012/02/19/my-surrender-poem/

Copyright @2012 All Rights Reserved

Tax (Photo credit: 401K)

It’s that time again. February is the month.  The time frame is set in stone. At least it is winter and going outdoors is not an option. So I may as well do it. Only I don’t want to. I dread it every year. A “thorn” in my side.

Losing in rummy over and over is better than having to itemize my taxes to send to the accountant. I spent hours Saturday working on this inevitable mess of paperwork spread out all over the kitchen table and I am still not finished.

Doctor receipts. Drug receipts. Charitable statements. Property taxes paid. W-2 forms. Investment statements. Interest statements. Tuition paid. Dental receipts. Statements for who knows what and a 30 page Organizer from the Accountant to fill out full of questions unheard of.

Itemizing our deductions have paid off to some extent except when viewing  the W-2 form to see how much Caesar has already taken out. I realize it is Biblical to pay taxes; I have issues as to whether he is using our hard-earned tax dollars for the latest “gladiator contests” or “beast hunts.”

Mark 12:17 Then Jesus said to them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God‘s.” And they were amazed at him.

I have to wonder what really belongs to Caesar. My religious liberty. My kitchen floor. Our goldfish. My soul.

Image via Wikipedia

My feeble brain tries to wrap itself around the questions asked. Now I do realize Caesar has many occupiers who fund the public welfare that many of these questions would apply.

For instance: Did you use gasoline or special fuels for business or farm purposes? We do not own a tractor.

Did you engage in any put or call transactions? I thought they put you in jail for that.

Did you receive  unreported tip income of $20 or more for any month in 2011? No, I am not a waitress. I am the maid and no one tips me.

Did you purchase a new technology vehicle, including a qualified plug-in-electric drive motor vehicle in 2011? Why would I do that? I have the best car in the world. It is called, “paid off.”

This one really caught my eye. Under Itemized deductions in the Miscellaneous categories ; evidently you can deduct your gambling losses. What?

Page 20 of the Organizer asks these questions?

Do you plan for your marital status to change in 2012? ugh…if I thought it was going to change I certainly wouldn’t tell you!

Do you plan to change the number of dependents? ugh…only if God chooses us to follow Abraham and Sara’s footsteps. (please God no!)

Do you plan to have a substantial change in your income? Now how would I know that? Oh, I get it. The IRS wants their piece of my pie before it is cooked!

Who comes up with this stuff? Is this for real?

And who started this Estimated Tax assessment? The other name for this is, “Prepay.” Caesar wants  his before you get it. What? How is that fair?
I wonder if Caesar would refund my refund before they take out any of our taxes? duh…

The Bible says in Romans 13:6 “This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full-time to governing.”

In other words we are to pay our taxes. Caesar is supposed to get what is rightfully his? What is rightfully his? OH! I know what the problem is!

Caesar needs a new Bible. After all his is centuries old. Wine and coffee stains. Pages torn out. Wrinkled and smudged.

Maybe his dog ate the pages out about taxation. He has to know the tax laws and codes need some tweaking.

Well, we can get him a Bible. I’ll  text Gideon. I am sure he can get one to Caesar.

Anyone have his number?

David Barton – The Bible and Taxes

http://thefaithbook.wordpress.com/2012/02/09/mr-president-i-still-believe/

http://thewayeverlasting.com/2012/02/17/quote-standard/

Copyright @ 2012 All Rights Reserved

Even my nurse expressed her opinion of this everyday occurrence, “There ain’t nothing fun about getting older.”

My gracious heart thanks God I made it this far. However it would have been nice if someone who use to be as old as I am now before I got here would have shared the toils of aging with me like:

1. AARP won’t leave you alone. They clutter your mailbox with  letter after letter about life insurance, doctor visits and burial plots.

2. You have so many pill bottles you use them as a decoration.

3. Aches and pains show up in areas I didn’t know I had.

4. I use to think people as old as I am were ancient. 95 looks better every day.

5. Senior Moments begin happening as soon as you end your mid life crisis.

6. I walk into a room and forget why I walked in there.

7. Age 55 in some stores consider you to be a  Senior citizen. You may get a small discount but you feel like a dinosaur.

8. Wearing glasses becomes a full time job.

9. Parts of the body seem to have moved. or fallen. or slid somewhere.

10. Getting up off the floor requires help.

11. The bathroom becomes your best friend.

12. You fill out surveys and it takes forever to find your age group.

13. You and your pet nap together in the afternoon.

14. Local retirement communities send you flyers inviting you to live there.

15. Your friends post pictures of their grandchildren on facebook.

16. You wake up cranky and wonder why it never goes away.

17. Your joints make creaking noises when you move.

18. You forget when you have a memory lapse.

19. Bending over you get stuck.

20. Your favorite words are, “what’d you say? huh? I can’t hear you?”

Proverbs 16:31 “Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained by living a godly life.

I wonder if you still get that crown of glory if you color your gray?

Copyright @ 2012 All Rights Reserved

http://freedomborn.wordpress.com/2012/02/18/oh-so-tired/

My husband and I were having a rather important discussion. More like an argument. No, lack of communication. That’s it. I communicate, he listens. Just kidding!

His father told me my husband leaves important points of conversations out with people. According to his father, we who are endeared to his few words are left without. Spending much of my time trying to decipher his level of intelligence (which is quite high) I find myself sliding down the slide backwards without a paddle. He on the other hand has finished the conversation in two words and left to go watch “Survivor” leaving me questioning, “were we finished?”

Now I don’t take this personally because he is completely innocent here in that he is not a talker. Really. Not a talker. He is so glad he married one though! lol! Our differences, like so many couples span years of disillusionment of what the other is thinking or trying to figure the other one out.

It is easy for men to venture to the apple in the midst of a “discussion” with the female gender.   The men in my life including my husband, dad, brother, many uncles and cousins have labeled this moment in time as a “badge of honor” and a focal point for many shameless jokes.

A sign may as well be plastered on our foreheads, “Eve ate the apple first.” 

The guilt of this crime set forth the rules which lie on the bedposts of matrimony. The Tarzan‘s of the Jungle have no competition with this one.

The brand has stuck for centuries and the fight goes on. But! today I found the answer!

Surfing the net I found an article called, “What really makes men tick?”  The article is from a new book called “The Male Brain” by Louann Brizendine, M.D. You can find her website at http://drlouann.ning.com/

A quick summary posted that men and women’s brains work off of 2 systems.  Women are by far more emotional and tend to react that way. Men have very little attachment to emotions leading them directly to a “cognitive” sense and kind of like “get over it” adaptation. Women can become immediately empathetic, while men run off to play football.

The point is that now we women don’t have to feel responsible for our emotional upheavals or downward spirals; our spontaneous moods or irrational behavior because we are not “COGNITIVE!”  Men’s hormones are different from ours so we are off the hook here ladies!

I can tell that went over well for you men out there who are shaking your heads.  You are probably thinking, “oh no. don’t let my wife read this.”

So now that I have spilled the beans how does that attach to Eve’s apple? The apple that subjected us to submission? Herein lies the all engulfing war between the two genders. Yes, blame Eve still.

The famous Bible verse of all verses: Ephesians 5:22 “Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands as to the Lord.“

The answer to that verse has been battled over, divorced over, fought over, torn apart. It has been left out of wedding vows, changed in wedding vows, misused, abused and transfused.

Hated by some and loved by others it is the epiphany of marriage. The stronghold. The word of God made of dirt by two in the garden who inhabited character traits handed down for generations. Traits influenced by the evil snake of all snakes.

Again back to the great Joyce Meyer who placed it all in perspective where it needs to be:

“Women were born out of Adam’s side, not under his foot.”

Copyright @ 2012 All Rights Reserved

But! now I can compare my human quirkiness to those of our pet cat.

I was sitting on the couch; my husband was in the swivel chair with our cat on his lap (which is a major accomplishment). He was gently running his hands down her furry back which she loves. She was facing our big screen TV when a cat litter commercial appeared.

Her beautiful green eyes became huge. She froze as the TV cats Meowwwwwdddddd…… Gazing,  at these star cats, Mark and I looked at each other as if we were sidelines to this new adventure for her. Stuck in a feline, resting position on his legs, her head wobbled up and down as the cats moved on the big screen. It was all I could do to keep myself quiet in this moment of seriousness for her. A once in a lifetime video right in front of us.

All of a sudden, her wobbly head stopped moving; her face stuck in fit of rage.  She bristled her body ready to attack those cats who out of nowhere landed in her house. Before she took a leap at our TV, the cats disappeared.  Relaxing slowly, there was a look of contentment in her green eyes as if she had just slain a dragon.

Her turf was protected. Her family was safe from the onslaught of Kitty Litter star cats. Her food and water bowls were exactly where she left them. No harm done. Life was back to normal for this cat who was ready to pounce on the enemy to show her vast love for those who feed her.

Cats know what they were put here to do. Their lives consist of eating, sleeping, playing and sleeping some more, all on their terms and conditions.

Her simple life, is what she knows. That’s it. She knows what to do everyday. There is no question it is the way it is.

Oh, that ours, or mine would be so planned out. It would be so easy to have a chalkboard on the wall for God to write me notes leading me through the jungle of days. He did that before, why can’t he do it for me! There is plenty of wall space.

As  I wade through muddy waters I find myself sinking.  Two steps forward, and 10 backwards. I want out of this muddy pit.

Making every effort to get it right, I still don’t. Oh, what to do?

The bombshells I make for myself and those poor suffering souls around me, not to leave God out of this tightly fit group are wearing me out. Yes,  I have no one to blame but me.

It is a wonder God loves us, me. What a marvel. He has to think us silly. Or funny. Or the frightful creatures only a “mother could love.”

So here I am this little person (again no short jokes; that is a pun) one of many who have lived centuries before and who knows what later, but how can I make a difference when I am just plain stuck?

That was quick. If you want an answer from God go check your mailbox.

Joyce Meyer just won’t leave me alone! In the mail is a letter from her and on the front it says,

“If you are carrying the weight of the world, I want to remind you, God never asked you to.”

Who needs a chalkboard if you have a mailbox? God delivers through the Post Office now!

http://doctortisms.wordpress.com/2012/02/15/time-out/

http://doctortisms.wordpress.com/2012/02/15/the-journey-part-1/

http://thewayeverlasting.com/2012/02/15/honestly-half-the-time-i-have-no-idea-what-im-doing/

http://stevenwwatkins.wordpress.com/2012/02/15/dark-vs-light-part-2/

Copyright 2 2012 All Rights Reserved

Beyond our pool and the fence surrounding it is a cluster of trees off in the distance. Winter of course has shed the leaves of most of them leaving them nakedly bare.

We have lived in this house 4.5 years and there is one dead, ugly piece of a tree that stands out amongst all the rest. As you can see by this picture you will know what I am referring to.

I have often thought “what an ugly view.” I am assuming it’s dead because it never has leaves but sticks out like a sickly, sore thumb. My thoughts have drifted to cutting it down or at least part of it. It ruins the rest of the skyline; has no purpose except to maintain it’s uselessness.

Then I feel guilty for wanting to cut it for my own selfish view and feel sorry for it. It stands alone. No covering. Simply an unsightly piece of dead wood.

Until recently.

A few weeks ago I opened the back door just in time to see a blue heron fly right over the pool. His wingspan was as wide as I am tall (no short jokes here please.) His grayish, blue color signified his species along with his skinny legs. I was stuck in the moment of this huge bird’s graceful flight across my back yard.

Where was he headed? What did he have to do that day? Where was he going to land?

You got it. He landed on the very top of that ugly, piece of dead, useless wood.

As you can see from this next  picture, he decided to take a nap. I kept observing  this “fowl” of a picture until he finally spread his wings again and flew to the marsh area down below.

Later, I noticed another large bird land on that ugly piece of dead wood. And then another. And another.

As the days passed, I looked forward to see who would take flight to this stickly perch.

All of a sudden, the ugly piece of dead, useless, wood wasn’t so ugly anymore. I began to look at it differently. In fact it wasn’t useless. It is serving a purpose I had never seen before.

Now I know it is Valentines Day. Lately I haven’t felt so loving with so much going on. Most of you may think I am making this up but I am not.

Swiveling in my chair with God  this morning I saw  more birds land on that ugly, useless piece of deadwood than all the time I have lived here.

One after another they took flight to that particular tree. Not the other ones, that one.

It was almost as if they were playing a game. Like who gets to sit there next as if it was the best tree in the area jungle.  At one point it appeared as if a few of them were fighting over it.

Needless to say my opinion of that tree has done a 180.

I don’t want it to be cut down now. I would really miss it. It isn’t even ugly to me anymore.  It is not a sickly, sore thumb or an ugly piece of useless dead wood but a place of rest. A stopover. A tree with a view the others don’t offer. The bird world’s limb of peace.

It has purpose. It may be dead but if offers life to those flying by and moments of joy and pleasure for those like me who are watching.

This is just like God. He changed my focus.  What I thought was ugly and useless has turned out to be a very worthwhile view. A picture of his greatness among the dead hearts of nature. A light in the darkness even with it’s faults.

Isn’t that what Jesus did for us on the cross? He took what was dead, useless and ugly and made it pure, holy and clean?

So much for an ugly Valentine.
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Copyright @ 2012 All Rights Reserved

Happy Valentine's Day!

Let me clarify I am not Catholic and do not necessarily agree with everything they teach. However they are our fellow Christians and I value them in the body of Christ . I do believe as they, our religious freedoms are being attacked by our own government.

Anyone smart enough would never take on the Catholics.

After listening to President Obama, I wanted to hear what the  President of the Catholic League,  Bill Donohue had to say in his interview on FOX. He is more than fired up over this supposed change in policy. He is not only angry, he is insulted that the Obama administration would try to cover up their lies, and now change the plan which Mr. Donohue says is to get the tax payers to pay for this contraception which can lead to other medical treatments Catholics don’t agree on.

The League he says, has been inundated with support from Jews, Mormons and many others who are outraged by this latest ploy to attack our religious liberty. In an almost threatening tone, Mr. Donahue said at the end of the interview, “President Obama will pay.”

Interestingly enough is the President himself said, “most churches could probably do much better than the government any day in offering services.’ What? Did that really come out of his mouth?

If so, then why doesn’t he stop imposing government rules and mandates and let God take care of it?

This is the 2nd speech in 2 weeks the President declared himself a Christian. I am not one to judge, bargain or decide that for anyone. That is between him and God but if that is his stance, let’s see how it fits in with the Bible.

John 8: 31-32 ” Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Image via Wikipedia

Meaning we are to obey God and his word.

I wonder if the President knows God’s word on government mandated healthcare.

Romans 13 explains the role of government in our lives. What I find interesting is verse 8 which says, “Let no debt remain outstanding.”

If that is true how can we pay for healthcare? or welfare? or any other government program when we have an outstanding debt of

If you read Romans 13 you will not find anywhere in that chapter that government is suppose to force healthcare on it’s citizens. We are to help each other as members of the body of Christ. IT IS THE CHURCH’S RESPONSIBILITY NOT THE GOVERNMENT.

The issues arise of health care imposed by the Obama administration that go against Biblical order.  In other words we are not to use our tax dollars to pay for health services that go against the word of God. That right there rules out Obamacare because it is trying to do just that.

There is no where in the Bible that states government is suppose to mandate healthcare and especially if it is broke! Our debt rules that out. God would not advise the government to add more to the debt but to pay it off. Get a balanced budget. Stop spending. And don’t raise taxes; they are already
unreasonable due to overspending and especially wasteful spending!

In masses, we can win this fight against religious freedom, wasteful government and those who wish to diminish the Biblical authority God set in place.

According to Bill Donahue of the Catholic League, legal action is not out of the question.
Folks, I believe this fight is far from over. If we don’t support the church on this issue, what else will be attacked?

http://www.catholicleague.org/obama-pushed-us-too-far/

COPYRIGHT @ 2012 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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