Author: Sandie D

As I was watching the show Left Behind with Nicolas Cage, I began wondering about a scene in the movie. It made me sad as I watched how people were taken, and nothing but their possessions and clothing was left there. In one of the scenes a person was walking their dog. Sitting there on the sidewalk next to what remained of the dogs owner was the mans loyal friend also known as “the dog”.

I know I should be thinking about other things when I watch this movie. Since the movie is about what will be happen if the rapture was to happen right now, I couldn’t help myself. My thoughts went to my dogs Jasper and Parker and my kitty Harold. The guilt kinda got to me that while it is awesome that as a Christian looking forward to the second coming of Christ, I wondered what would happen to them.

Domesticated pets rely on their humans for everything. They can’t open the refrigerator to get food. Even though the dog in this picture can. My dogs aren’t that smart.  They can’t turn on the faucet to get a drink. If there is no dog food at their levels, they would have nothing to eat. Unless there was someone who would go check on them to see how they were doing, they would be left to their own resources, which would be none.

My deepest hope and prayer is that my loved ones and family wouldn’t be here if the rapture happened right now. In reality, my wishful thinking and hopes would be that there will be someone here for them. That’s because they don’t really have a relationship with Christ. You have to be a more than a person who believes in Christ. You have to have a personal relationship and repent for your sins. I know this is not the case for many I know.

So, back to my thoughts on my dogs. The Lord willing, there would be nobody left. That being said, who would take care of my dogs, cat, bird and my bearded dragon? I worry about these things because my pets are family and I love my pets. I want them to be taken care of in the way they are accustomed to. My pug Jasper lives for food and I belong to him. Not the other way around. Who would feed my constantly hungry pug? Who would get bugs and greens for Fred my bearded? Fred is in an enclosure and I can bet he can’t get out to catch his own bugs.

So, I think I need to find a person that is lost and rely only on worldly things to care for my now almost starving dogs and pets. But then I know I need to reach these people to make sure they aren’t left behind. What is a mommy to pets suppose to do. I am in a quandary for sure. Do I let the heathens of the world take care of my pets?

I have an even better thought. I think that God should take the pets that are owned by their loving owners. That way they aren’t let to defend for themselves and they aren’t cared for by heathens. Have you ever seen what happens to dogs in third world countries? They eat them and they torture them. So, I think I need to pray for the pets of this world. I think we need to storm the gates of heaven in prayer for when Christ comes back and things are restored to what they should have been, that Jasper and other pets like him will be safe and not eaten alive. That is a bad image in my brain ya know?

OK, I know now I am rambling and that is OK since my blog is called “Senseless Ramblings of the Mindless”. I am wondering if I am being a bit too over sensitive about this. Since we are told there will be a new heaven and a new earth, I am thinking or hoping that God has a place for them. When I read Isaiah 65:17 is says “See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. So, does that mean I won’t remember my poor pets sitting in the house all alone, with no way out to eat, pee or drink?

I may not have my priorities straight on this. My grandson was bawling over people being left and the believers are taken. I am stressing over the poor black dog that is sitting on the sidewalk next to what was his owner who is now with Christ. I must end this post by saying that I must trust God in all things. God  took care of the birds in the air and such. So, He will take care of my dogs, bird and bearded dragon Fred.

Matthew 6:26 : Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

Last night my daughter, grandson and myself watched the newest release of “Left Behind” with Nicolas Cage. I know already know in advance that I will have a dream when I watch end time movies. The second coming of Christ is something that I feel very strong over it. When it comes to being left behind or the one person left standing in the field, I have nightmares over that.

• Matthew 24:40 NIV – Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left.

This dream was strange since I never had one like this before when it comes to the end times. Usually when I have end time dreams it is about earthquakes and fires.

My niece, a child and myself was at home at the time. I’m guessing my husband Chuck was on the road at the time. It also must have been around Christmas time because gifts were being delivered.

My niece Bridgette opened the front door. I was laying down at the time. She told me there was someone here visiting. I couldn’t help but wonder who was at the door since it was 7:17 pm to be exact. I find it interesting on how the time stuck out in my brain. I got up and went to the front door.

As I opened the front door, I couldn’t help but wonder why it was so dark and the stars were so bright. The stars looked like they were really close to the earth. I have never seen it so dark and the stars so bright. You would think they stars would light the world with how bright they were. My niece basically thought I lost it and had no clue what I was talking about. She told me it was night, so it is going to be dark. Since it was winter, it was getting dark sooner.

The people that came to drop off a gift to me didn’t notice what I was seeing. They parked by the side of the house and as they walked up, I asked them what they thought of the stars, they thought I lost it too. As they came into the house and gave me my gifts, I told them I didn’t get a chance to go out and get a gift yet. They didn’t seem to be worried about that. I am thinking the couple that came to visit was a couple from church. But not someone I really know well.

As we are sitting there talking, all I felt was a kind of a boom. I didn’t hear anything. But it was like I was there and then I wasn’t. It was that fast and simple. The one thing I did notice before waking up from my dream is that as it was all happening, I had no memory of Bridgette or the couple at my house. It was as if I had no memory of certain people in my life. Which makes me kind of sad to think that when we are with Christ, will we remember our loved ones who didn’t accept Christ?

For me, the message I got as I woke up is that we don’t have time to waste. We need to spread the gospel while we have time. Eventually there will be no time left and some will be left standing there.

My grandson was a bit emotional during the part where the believers are taken. He was scared at first and was worried about how they all were gone in a blink of an eye. JJ started to cry and we explained to them that it is important to share Jesus with anyone and everyone so they aren’t left behind. We don’t want anyone lost, so we need to do our parts and do what Christ told us to do. We are to share the Good News. He said he was going to do that as he was wiping the tears from his eyes. We must remember that nobody will know the day or the time. But we are given signs about when Christ will return.

• Matthew 24:36 –  “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
  

I was thinking about a post that is in one of the groups that I belong to on Facebook. It is a Christian group and they have some awesome conversations. In the last couple of days there are a couple that stuck out to me. I enjoy conversations that get people talking and thinking. This is the first of two posts I will do.

This topic has been coming up a lot lately in the media. Most recently Candace Cameron Bure made a statement that she is submissive to her husband as God intended. This is what Candace Cameron Bure had to say on this subject and I am in total agreement on her views.

“The definition that I’m using with the word submissive is the biblical definition of that,” she explained. “So, it is meekness; it is not weakness. … It’s strength under control. It is bridled strength.”

She continued, “I love that my man is a leader. I want him to lead and be the head of our family. And those major decisions do fall on him. It doesn’t mean I don’t voice my opinion. It doesn’t mean I don’t have an opinion. I absolutely do. But it is very difficult to have two heads of authority.” Read Complete Article

When it comes to obeying your husband, I guess I have an issue with the “obey” part of the question. Actually I have a issue with obeying all together unless it is obeying God. Even then I have a way of pushing things that always seems to backfire on me big time. This can be one of those topics that can get a bunch of people and myself into trouble.

So, here it is and my understanding of what it means to “obey” your husbands according to the Bible.

Ephesians 5:22-24 (NIV) Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

For some reason and my husband included, they like to throw the “obey” into this passage. The Bible doesn’t say “obey”, it says submit. Basically it is meaning that the wife should respect their husbands. Submitting to your husband does not mean that we are robots and that we can’t think for ourselves. I also feel that if our husbands are not believers in Christ and they sway us away from Christ, that we should not submit if they aren’t according to God’s will.

The obey issue has been misunderstood for the longest time. People thought that it meant that wives were to be treated as little more than a piece of property and that her husband is the puppet master. Husbands are NOT the puppet master and the obey part in some wedding vows have being misinterpreted and misused.

For years, my husband would tell me that when we got married, part of the vows was that I agree to obey him. I’m sure someones husband might have brought this up when we aren’t listening and doing as we are told. We have been married for almost 34 years now.  At least, this is how this conversation goes around my house.

This is part of the conversation;
Chuck: “Sandie, when we got married, you promised you would love, honor and OBEY me”.
Sandie: (giving him a stupid look and waiting till he is done)
Chuck: “Since you are suppose to “obey” me, then you need to fix me what I want and do what I tell you”.
Sandie: OH NO you did not just say that?
Chuck: he’s not saying anything, but knows he just dug his own grave.
Sandie: The vows you are talking about is “love, honor and respect”. There is nothing in there that says anything about OBEYING. (He knows he is in trouble now,lol).

With all that being said, ‘obey’ wasn’t even a part of our vows.:

I, Sandie take you, Chuck to be my husband, and promise that in marriage I will love you, be true to you and honour you and be faithful to you all the days of my life:

Chuck: I should have married a Asian women, she listens.
Sandie: (In Bible Thumping Preaching Mode). This is what the Bible says and you are an idiot (I might have said that a bit too strong,lol”).

This is what the Bible says when it comes to husbands, and I make sure he understands this, lol.

Eph. 5:22-32: And you husbands must love your wives with the same love Christ showed the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by baptism and God’s word. He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man is actually loving himself when he loves his wife. No one hates his own body but lovingly cares for it, just as Christ cares for his body, which is the church. And we are his body.

So in a nutshell the Bible is saying:

• Husbands – love and sacrifice.
• Wives – submit.

When it comes to married and what the Bible says about it, we must ere on the side of caution. Marriage is an equal partnership and a gift from God. As we can see there are different roles each has when it comes to a marriage, but they are just as important.

In closing, the Bible says that wives show Godly character and quiet inner beauty. Husbands should honor their wives and be kind and gentle. And when it comes to marriage husbands and wives are equal partners.

Discussion Question: What should a wife do if the husband doesn’t lead the home spiritually?

The way I would answer this question is that as a wife I should be patient, even though I have problems with that. I should also spend time in prayer. My husband Chuck knows who God is, but I don’t know if I would consider him as Christian since he has no real relationship with Christ. I do have hope for him and I can see progress little by little. I also try to get into conversations with him about God and His plan of Salvation. Chuck is going to church, which is better than he use to do.

I do worry about his salvation. I did and still have to step back because this is one of those topics that I get upset over and I take it personally when he tells me he doesn’t think there is anything after he dies. How can someone believe in Christ and not believe there is a heaven and hell. He says so once in awhile, but I don’t know if he believes it. So, I hope and pray he makes a decision before it is too late. As a wife of a non believer, this is what God has put on my heart.

This post makes me want to sing the song, “Trust and Obey”, for there’s no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey. Click here to listen to Trust and Obey

It always happens when the new year comes around that someone will ask what my new years resolution will be. The main idea or goal associated with New Year’s is the making of resolutions or promises to stop or start something in the new year. My answer is always the same as it was the year before. I don’t make resolutions for the new year. Now, I do make goals and work at them. Those goals aren’t based on if it is 2014 or 2015. As the new year approaches people will reflect or look back on their lives and the past year. Most of the time it is what they have accomplished and what they have failed in.

In my opinion we don’t need a date on a calender to decide to make a change. A good friend of mine always makes a resolution to loose weight and become a size 5. She is gung ho for about a month and gives up on it. She then proceeds to put that resolution off till the next year since she failed at it. She beats herself up because she feels like a failure and ends up gaining even more weight because of the depression she has because she thinks she failed.

I don’t know if the Bible says anything about New Year’s resolutions directly. It does say in Psalm 118:24 that every day is the day the Lord has made, “we will rejoice and be glad in it.”

A resolution is a type of promise. When we promise to do something it isn’t anything we should take lightly. The Bible say’s in Ecclesiastes 5:2,4 and 5 is that if one makes promises or vows to God, it shouldn’t be taken lightly.

Here is my list of promises I have for this year.

Read My Bible: When I think of what I would like to do this year and every year is to read my Bible more. Not the online ones, but my Bible that I can hold in my hands and thumb through it and make notes. For me there is nothing like holding a real book over reading it on a Kindle or a Nook. but these resolutions can fail without correct motivation. The incentive must come from within with purpose and a plan. Even though there might be a setback at times, the best thing to do is to immediately start again.

Study the Bible: This is one of those areas I slack in. I have to really focus on studying because my attention span is pretty small and I get distracted easy. Our church does Bible studies, but they are very much over my head and hard to go to due to my medical situation and being on home health. I would love to do is small group study at my house that isn’t difficult to grasp. The one I would like to do is  MacArthur Bible Studies.I guess for me, it is easier to keep up with and not as distracting.

It is one thing to read the Bible, but another thing to study and to really know what the Bible says. John 6:68 tells us that the words of Jesus are the words of eternal life. There is no other book as important as the Bible. If we want to know God, and please Him, we must study His Word.

Pray More: I do pray and have many conversations with God. I find praying for others a lot easier than praying for myself. There are times though that I need to pray when I’m not at my wits ends. If I didn’t try things my way, I would have found out going to God to begin with would have been the smart thing to do and a whole lot less painful. I try to fix the problem myself instead of going to God.

Share the Gospel With Others: I love sharing the Gospel with others. I love sharing my testimony too. What I do need to do though is to not want to hit someone over the head with a hammer to knock some sense into them. I need to remember that I’m not there to win and argument, but to introduce others to Christ. I pray that when I witness to others and present the Gospel to them that God will guide my words and thoughts. In 1 Peter 3:15 we are told “…but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect”. This is an area I need to work on since I am not a patient person when it comes to witnessing. I want results right now, not down the line. Sometimes I am just the one planting the seed.

Well, we are in the year 2015 now. I am wondering where the fly cars and how there were pay phones all over the place. Maybe it is that way in Hilldale, but not in the world. They were pretty far off I would say.

When I think of what may be in store for this year and years to come, I don’t really see much change in technology. Yeah, sure things will change, but probably not to the good. Most of the new technology has made life easier, but in many ways man has become lazier.

The other day when I was wanting to turn my TV off and somehow I threw the remote at the closet door, I got to wondering how in the world am I going to turn off the TV if I couldn’t find the remote? The TV is mounted on the wall and I didn’t know where the on and off button was. I’m sure I couldn’t have reached it if I needed to. I was destined to fall back to sleep and leave the TV on till I could hunt down the remote.

As a society, we have gotten lazy when it comes to things. Everything is easy or easier than it was 100 yrs ago. Computers have taken the place of relationships. When we get mail, it is usually junk mail or bills. Unless it is Christmas time, that’s all I get. Maybe that is why I send out so many Christmas cards. They are something nice to get when all you get is junk.

Cell phones are in almost everyone’s hands. They are ringing at church, restaurants and while driving in cars. Lord forbid the thought of leaving it at home so normal conversations can happen. If I leave my phone at home, I have at least five people ask my what good is a cell phone if I don’t answer it? Really??? I don’t take my phone with me everywhere and I have no problem turning it off when I am in public or visiting with a friend.

There is this one couple at my church that flies off the handle if I don’t answer my phone. Just a couple of weeks ago, they wanted to desperately talk to me about a situation. They thought they had the right to tell me to get a land line so in case they wanted to talk or reach me then they can. Hmmm, a big NO was the answer to that.

When I told them I had no plans on doing that, they were upset and I was OK with that. They had the audacity to think that I need to answer my phone any time day or night because they would worry if I didn’t. HELLO! I do sleep and I have no intention of being constrained to a phone at all time. Besides, it isn’t my problem that people want to call me and talk for hours when I am sleeping. With this couple, I have had to take the hard line with them. I know they love to talk, but I don’t have hours and I don’t need to be at anyone’s beck and call. Well, unless it is God, then I am OK with that.

Back to my 2015 thoughts, since I got sidetracked. Many people will make resolutions each New Year. I don’t do that. I do try to make goals and stick with them. If I don’t reach them, they are still goals and not dependent on what year it is. This year my goal is to get closer to God and not let technology get in the way.

I have a number of Bibles and many of them I have laying around. I do most of my studying online. While, I don’t have a problem with doing that, I feel I need to actually open a real Bible and feel the pages. There is something special about reading from a book instead of hitting a button. So, this is my goal this year. I want to use my Bible in hand and study from it. It would be great to depend less on technology and figure out where the on and off button is to the TV also.

One other story on TV’s and remotes before I close this post down.

My grandson JJ is over at my house quite a bit. We have a huge TV in the living room that has a remote for the TV, VCR and the ROKU. So it takes three remotes to do something. One day he was done with his show and walked up to the TV and shut it off. EGADS, you would have thought the world was coming to the end according to my husband.

Chuck got in a tizzy over the power button being hit instead of the TV being shut off with the remote. His reasoning was kind of bizarre to me, lol. He said if it was shut off by the power button, it would take longer for the TV to come back on the next time. So hitting the power button on the remote was better to do, lol. I am listening to what he is saying and thinking he lost it. Since when does hitting a power button on the TV not work or make it hard to start back up. I didn’t get it then and I don’t now. Either way, the TV is off and unlike me, JJ knew where the power button is at.

So, welcome to the year 2015. I hope that everyone has a good year and one that is filled with real relationships beyond technology and happiness. May Jesus be the center of your lives. If you don’t know Jesus, now may be a great time to check out what it means to be a believer in Christ and to have a true relationship with Him.

My husband and I were talking about Mickey Dolanz from the Monkeys and how he is now 72 yrs old and how old he is getting. Then the conversation went on to how Let’s Make a Deal came out 51 yrs ago in 1963. I can see where this is headed. He is treading on dangerous territory for sure.

I was born in 1963 and when people ask me how old I am, I always say 22. He then went on to say how some people are delusional when it comes to age, with the daggers in his eyes looking in my direction.

I then proceeded to tell him about a dear lady I knew named Mattie Bennett. She would tell everyone, me included that she was 16. Obviously she was in her 60’s or 70’s. Mattie explained to me that she tells everyone she is 16 because in her mind she is young, even though the outside and her body is old. Once we convince ourselves that we are old and can’t do anything, then like might as well be sitting in a rocking chair on the porch and watch life pass you by. If he wants to sit in a rocking chair and act like a old crotchety and nasty old man, then so be it. As you may see, this is one of my hot topics.

While we all age, keep in mind that I did not say I am getting old. I am simply aging. When someone tells me that I need to act my age or admit my age, I wonder why would I want to do that.

My husband is someone who I would say acts his age. He is like his dad and has the mindset of a cranky old man in many ways. He grumbles over the same things his dad did and has the same mannerism. My mother in law lived with us after my father in law passed away. She would make comments on how much Chuck is like his dad and worse in many ways. Don’t get me wrong, there are good things about Chuck, but acting like his dad is NOT something I like and something he shouldn’t be comfortable with.

I would never want to return to life at 22. I am OK where I am now. But I refuse to grow old mentally. Physically, it doesn’t matter. We all age and all will die. This isn’t about aging. Once we give into the I’m too old for that mentality, then life passes you by. There are many people I know that do that and they are unhappy people and do nothing but complain about ANYTHING and EVERYTHING.

There are many I know that are aged, but don’t let that stop them. Just because a person is getting older it doesn’t mean they have to be old. It is all in the mindset.

There are some things though that people that are aged shouldn’t do. Really it could be people of any age. One of the things that bugs me is when I see someone that is 70 dressed like a teenager. There is such a thing as being tasteful and using good judgement.

If people think I am delusional when I say I am 22, then that is fine. They can think what they want and they can live their lives the way they want to. As for me, I will be 22 until I turn 23. If people have a problem, that is their problem, not mine.When people say they don’t understand why I feel the way I do, well, that is OK too. They don’t need to understand!!!

Now I’m done ranting. At least for now 🙂

I have been working on redoing my personal website this last week or two. I came to realize that the hosting company I use for it is no longer a good fit. My original site is called Visions of Hope. I called it that because Jesus is my only hope.  I have dreams and such and that is how God speaks to me. I guess He must realize that my life is filled with so much garbage and it is hard to get my attention. So, God speaks to me in my dreams. If I don’t pay attention and do something about whatever it is that God needs me to take care of, I keep having the dreams.

While I was redoing my site, I needed to decide what message I am wanting to put out there to the world. The message was easy enough since I am a Christian and I feel the need to share the Gospel with others who may not know who Jesus is or what it means to have a personal relationship with Christ.

I’m pretty much going to let the domain name I have had for years go because it doesn’t really describe what it is I am trying to share. My new domain is myjesusis.net.

I plan on it being an interactive website that will focus on Christ. There will be a page where others can share their personal testimonies or ask questions.

For me, everyday is a lesson. Everyday I have to keep myself in check when it comes to my faith. I have stumbled many times and it is a daily occurrence. There is a movie that has come out that is the life story of Rich Mullins. It is called Ragamuffin. When I was done watching the movie, it fit my relationship with the world and Christ in so many ways. I am an imperfect Christian who has to depend on Christ for everything in my life.

There are many similarities when it comes to the way I was brought up and it took a long long time to realize that God loved me unconditionally. I would beat myself up over all the stupid choices and paths I took in my life. Thankfully God was always there to pull me out of the pit and helped me dust myself off and continue on the path.

On my new site, I hope to have it become a place where others can learn about Christ and realize that God loves them no matter what baggage we are carrying. God is willing to take that all away from us if we only ask. Christ died because there would be no way we could pay the price for the sins we have committed. I can tell you on a personal level, I have a ton of garbage. I thank God all the time for sending Christ to die for my sins. I don’t deserve the kind of love that He has offered.

If you all would like to check out my new revamped website, you can go to http://www.myjesusis.net/ . It would be awesome to see others share their testimonies. When we share our testimonies and trials, it is a way of helping others that may be feeling like they can’t go on any longer.

If anyone has any ideas on the kind of pages you would like me to include on the new site, please let me know.

Today was an interesting day. My grandson Tyson and I went out to help my daughter with a Christmas party for her students.

I use to be home room mom for both of my daughters and I loved it. It really gave me an appreciation for what teachers really do.

Jessica is a 4th grade teacher. She has I believe 21 students in her class. As I was watching her teach her students and interact with them, it took me back to when I was helping her teachers. I knew they worked long hours, but I never realized how much they do. I was exhausted after just an afternoon.

My grandson and myself helped decorate cookies, organize crafts and just take part in the festivities. But, let me tell you, there is a whole lot of stuff that goes into the hours the children are in school. She is at school at 8am and has to leave her house around 7:00 am to make it there. She is in the classroom till 3:30 pm at the earliest. After that her day is still not done. She still has to work on the following days lessons, grade papers and do all the other things that needs to be done. Maybe around 10 or 11 pm, she might be able to go to bed.

She takes into consideration each and every student. She made sure that she is challenging them while building them up to become stronger and educated students. The smiles on the face of the children demonstrates how much they love learning. Even those who are acting out are getting so much out of being in her class.

I was doing the cookie station of the Christmas party. I didn’t tell Jessica too much about what the children said. The ones that I could tell that were distracted were telling me how nice Mrs. Ross are. They were saying with a smile on their faces that she cared about them and she is the best teacher ever. Even the few that were unruly were talking about Jessica with a smile on their face. They were genuine and they seemed to have the same look when you talk to your child and you tell them how proud you are of them, then you get that smile and gleam in your eyes. This is how they were today.

My grandson Tyson and myself also went to my grandson JJ’s classroom. They have a new bearded dragon and I brought mine into the classroom to show them what theirs will look like when it is older. It was interesting and fun to see the look on their little faces when they seen Fred. I could tell that Tyson enjoyed being in the classroom and around the other kids.

We also went to the practice session for the kids Christmas Program and they did an awesome job. Considering how small the school is, they did a great job. I never even knew there was a school in this tiny little community in AZ. But there are and the teachers and staff are doing an awesome job. You can tell by the looks on the kids face.

All in all it was a good day. I’m exhausted and I am very proud of Jessica for reaching for the stars and following the dreams and goals she set out for herself in 2nd grade. I am very good at the things I do and I can honestly say that I do NOT have the gift of teaching children. I have no patience and Jessica has an abundance of that. Teaching is one of those jobs and careers that is more than just a job. You have to love children. I am sure that no teacher is getting paid what they should be getting paid.

Most parents and myself included grumble about how much they have to spend to buy supplies for their children. Let me tell you straight up. I had NO CLUE how much teachers spend of their own money. Just like the party today. She doesn’t get reimbursed at all. She spent at least 100.00 on supplies, not including gifts that she got for each of the children. And this is just for one day. She bought supplies for all of the students in her classroom. She knew that many of the children came from homes where they couldn’t afford to buy food let alone school supplies. But she has a heart and love for children and all the teachers I met today have a love for the children they teach.

I would like to just say that if you have a child in school, you might want to thank his/her teacher. I didn’t realize how much they really do and I’m sure there are many parents out there who are the same as I am. So, thanks to all the teachers I have and the ones I still have in my life. I may not be in school, but life has lessons everyday and we are always being taught.

Today I had a pretty awesome sharing of Gods message at K-Mart. I have never been shy when it comes to sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ.  Today was one of those days where God had me at the right place at the right time.

I had to go pay on a layaway and there was an older gentleman there trying to sign up people to get the Spectrum Newspaper. I don’t like the Spectrum at all and I prefer to get my news from St. George News. Anyhow, I just felt the urge to go over and sign up and talk to this gentleman. Normally when I see people trying to sale me something I don’t need I just pass by and say no thank you and go on about my business.

There was something about him that spoke to me and that he needed someone to talk to. His name is Len (? spelling). I didn’t end up signing up, but found out that he wasn’t feeling good. I asked him if it was OK to pray for him. In return he asked me if he could pray for me also. He noticed my IV lines and such, so I’m guessing that is why he asked. Of course that was more than OK.

As we were praying and talking. I found out that he has been looking for a church home and at the time he is going to the Southern Baptist Church here. He told me that it has been difficult to find a church home that is based solely on the Bible. He called around to a number of churches and he was bothered that they didn’t stick to the teachings of the Bible. They conformed to the patterns of the world.

I made it a point to go by his little station where he was signing up people for the newspaper and brought him a box of chocolates. I don’t think he knew what to say. I just told him to have a very Merry Christmas. After a few more minutes of talking, I went out to my car to get ready to leave. I noticed he took the chocolates to his car and he stopped where I was.

Len was sharing the parable of the sheep and the goats. I tell ya, it was like a revival at K-Mart today, lol. The reason I say a  it was like church at K-Mart. A lady named Jane from New Covenant Christian Center was there and a few other ladies and gentleman was there It was like we were having church as people walked in. Some stopped and listened.

Parable of the Sheep’s and the Goats ; 

Jesus says, “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory.

• All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats,” (Matthew 25:31-32)

The sheep will be put at the right hand (of the Son of Man / king) and the goats will be put on the left.

After our discussion I invited Len and his wife to church. He said he wanted to go where the church is around 100 people, traditional hymns and where the Bible is preached from and not changed to make people happy. I my have to write more on this parable.

I haven’t been feeling good at all today, but God knew I needed to go there and it was awesome to be able to have a revival at K-Mart… I don’t know if he sold any subscriptions or not. But I know the presence of God was there. I hope to see him at church.

For all of those who believe in prayer and I don’t understand why someone wouldn’t, can you keep Len in your prayers. Jane from New Covenant also said that my dear friend Shirley Morganti isn’t feeling good. So we prayed for Shirley and thanked God for our blessings. After praying a couple times with him today and with those that came to his station, which was awesome, I know I was there for a greater purpose than paying on a layaway.

The other day I was talking to a friend about back sliding. The kind of back sliding I am talking about is the kind where you revert to the way you were and have taken a step or vacation away from God. This last couple of weeks, I have had a discussion a few times with friends that are on the brink of walking away from God.

One of the conversations I had with a young single mom who has two daughters. Her life is overly filled between work and taking care of her daughters. While we were talking, we started talking about how something is missing in her life. She couldn’t point out why she felt there was an empty spot, but there was. My friend lives in Phoenix now and I know she has many friends and family members there. As we were talking, she told me that ever since she stopped going to church, her life has become lonely and the joy has left. I can understand this, because for a long time, I felt that too. I let other things get in the way of God.

I could justify not going for many reasons. I had a running list going some 20 plus yrs ago. Here are some of my excuses for not going to church.

1. I’m too tired from working and I want to sleep in late.
2. I don’t need to go to church to be saved. I can get everything I need from the TV preachers.
3. I didn’t like the music and it was boring.
4. Today is my only day to spend with my family and daughters. What I did find is that the more Sundays

If I didn’t go the worst I felt. After awhile, it was easy to just say honestly that I don’t want to go. What started out as a few weeks turned into years. I would go once in awhile if my daughters performed, but that is it. I wasn’t being the kind of role model I needed to be for my daughters and I was getting further and further from God.

When we moved to Southern Utah I made a conscience decision to go to church each Sunday. Even if the sermon and music wasn’t the best, I knew I needed to go. Satan loves it when God’s children backslide or drift away. It is easy to do, because it is so gradual and you don’t see it is a problem until it effects your life and your families life.

My friend that I was talking to still hasn’t found a new church home. She has this idea that there is no other church like the one she went to before she moved. So, instead she doesn’t go anywhere and has the attitude that church isn’t important. If her daughters pick up the phone, they will tell me how much they miss going to church and that they have seen a change in their mom.

One of the biggest excuses that people have is that they don’t want to go to church anymore because church people are full of hypocrites!” I know this may not be a good response to that, but I would say there is more than enough room for another hypocrite. All churches are filled with hypocrites, sinners and imperfect people. If anyone is expecting otherwise, you will be disappointed.

The Bible tells us to go to church and here is just one of many Bible verses that discuss going to church. Hebrews 10:24–25 says, “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the day approaching.”

Being a Christian isn’t always going to be easy. At times it may be miserable. Thankfully I have never been miserable when it comes to my faith in Christ. What I have found is that there are times in our lives that we get off track or fall off the trusting God wagon.

As Christians we are to encourage our brothers and sisters in Christ daily so that no one turns away from God. If you have found yourself backsliding, or drifting away from the Lord, these practical steps will help get you back on course today.

A study came out not too long ago. It was based on those who go to church and don’t. The results are pretty sad when you think about it and I am so blessed that my children are believers in Christ, even when I stopped going for such a long time. God must have had big plans for them because I know if they relied on my faith in the past they would be lost. Our children watch us and when we don’t demonstrate our Love for God and want to be with other Christians, why would they want to do that?

Results from Study on Parents who go to church;

•If both Mom and Dad attend church regularly, 72% of their children remain faithful in attendance.

•If only Dad attends regularly, 55% remain faithful.

•If only Mom attends regularly, 15% remain faithful.

•If neither attend regularly, only 6% remain faithful.

After finding out the results of this study it makes me wonder what kind of a message we are sending to our children. I had to ask myself if I was committed to teaching my children and grandchildren why Christlike behavior and going to church is important.

1. Going to church is more than just listening to a sermon. It is about surrounding yourself with other Christians and believers in Christ and being around like minded people who have the same love for Christ that I have.
2. When we listen to the sermon or attend study groups the Word of God has a way of building our faith and spiritually feeds us. For myself this is one of the most important things for me to do. Each week I feel like I am putting on the Armor of God. When I have obstacles, I have the tools needed to go into battle against Satan.
3. One of the most important reasons why we should be going to church is that if we have a right relationship with God and have fellowship with others believers. In 1 John 1:7 it says, “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin”.
4. What I have found is that when I go to church and hang out with other believers, it has a way of helping me with my struggles. Many times others have or are going through the same thing. When believers share their journey or testimony, it gives us a way of looking at things from a different perspective and shows us that we can get through anything if we have faith in God.

What I had to do when deciding that I needed to get back to church on a regular basis I had to do a few things. First of all I had to pray and ask for forgiveness. I needed to come up with ways to get my life back to where it should be and back to knowing God. Actually God is the One who provided the answers, once I prayed and was open to hearing what He had to say. I can be a bit stubborn on some things.Here are some things that will help with your journey. It did with mine and it is something I still have to continuously work on and pray about.

• First of all I had to really examine my life and my faith. I make sure what I am doing is pleasing to God. I fail at this a good amount of time and that’s when I have to pray for direction and help. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness
• Secondly, if you find yourself drifting away from God, it may be a good idea to turn back towards him immediately. Don’t take too long because the longer you take, the easier it is to not notice. It is what is called a slow fade. Besides, we want to please God, not Satan. At-least that’s what my plan is.
• Lastly, seek God in all things. In I Chronicles 28:9 it says, “If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.” As Christians we need to study the Word of God daily. This is an area I need to work on more. I’m not talking about reading a verse or two. I mean really study and learn about God. There are so many resources out there and I know our church offers many opportunities to dive into the Word of God.

When I was done talking to my friend, I left her with this to think about and I emailed her my final thought. Well, not final, because I am always talking about sharing God with others. But, what I told her that we never should neglect our meeting together, like some people do. We need to encourage one another. Christ is coming soon and we need to make sure to not turn our eyes and hearts away from Him. Don’t give Satan a reason or opportunity to take a stronghold in your life!

In closing, I just want to say that we need to stay in fellowship with other believers. We can’t make it alone as a Christian. We need the strength and prayers of other believers. Develop a daily habit of spending time with God. Bad habits are hard to break. Also, when you go back to Church, make sure it is a church that is a Bible Based church. Not all churches are and there are many out there that is all about stroking egos and accepting of anything and everything. Always pray if you need help and direction.  God will point you in the right direction.