We Have a New Pastor

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Church on voting day for new pastor…

Our church has been in the middle of a transition. Our previous pastor and his wife retired at the end of March. Pastor Dean and Ruth have been awesome and we will miss them. There isn’t anyone that can fill their shoes. But I wonder if we should be looking for someone to fill their shows. The reason I say that is that we need to look for a pastor that fits in his own shoes and one that Christ has sent our way. We should find someone who is an individual and someone who is will be respected for being who he is and our church has found that person.

Last weekend we had the opportunity to meet our next pastor and his wife. It had to be a whirlwind of a time for them though. Our church hires the pastor. We choose who would best fit our congregation with the help of Transformation Ministries. The new pastor was looking for a church that is Bible based and not one that is conforming to the world. I would have to say our congregation is very much Bible based and it is very loving. You won’t find many where you don’t feel like there are clicks and such.

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That little basket of white papers holds the future of our church and the pastor to be’s life with St. George Community Church

What got me thinking about our new pastor and his wife is the process all applicants have to go through when hiring a pastor. We bring in the pastor that the search committee has found. Then they are called to come and get to know the people of our church, preach and all the things that go with meeting and greeting. I can’t begin to understand the pressure the interviewing pastor must feel at this time. He has to literally interview, have questions ask and put on the spot during this time. They aren’t just interviewing with a few, but the congregation at large.

Thankfully the pastor and his wife both got voted in unanimously and they will be an awesome fit. I’m sure they breathed a sigh of relief when all was said and done and the vote came back in their favor. The search committee had to make sure to pray and follow Gods lead when it came to who we would consider. It’s a tough job being on the search committee.

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Andrew

Thankfully we have been having this awesome young man named Andrew doing our sermons. He would fill in when Pastor Dean and Ruth would be on vacation, so this made it easy for him to step in and help. Hopefully our church will still use Andrew on Thursdays and such. He has become a member and friend of our church. I don’t know if he is literally a member, but he is there and he is part of the family of God.

October 1st is when our new pastor and his wife is due to begin their life here in St. George. I pray that they feel as blessed as we feel we are blessed. It’s a new chapter in the life of St. George Community Church. They have some wonderful ideas and gifts. I’m excited to see how things go for the church.

I promised the new pastor I wouldn’t mention his name or anything until after he has put in his notice at his church. It has to be hard for him since he is leaving his denomination and moving to Utah. They could probably use your prayers and thoughts as they transfer to our church and leave their church family that they have come to love.

One last note and I will add a picture of this soon. When the final vote came in and it was read aloud, you could feel the joy from the new pastor and his wife. What a huge relief this has got to be for them. They were met with hugs, tears and over joyed members of St. George Community Church. It took a while to find the right pastor for our church. But we had to be sure he was a man after Gods own heart and not rush into things. I think we made the right choice and our search committee did an awesome job.

Facebook Drama’s and Grumbles

ImageOn my Facebook, I have right around 420 or so friends. I have all of them categorized so I know if they are family, friends, church, acquaintances and games. I don’t get news feeds from all the friends because I don’t know half of them personally. Sometimes they are friends of friends or games and usually my husband is playing the games under my name. But I have found a couple things interesting or should I say sad when it comes to Facebook and that is the drama that plays out for hundreds to see. Many times these dramas happen in front of people who may not know all the characters in Facebook Land and they get very personal. Big Brother is on Facebook too! 

ImageThe dramas I’m thinking of is when a person post somethings that is going on in their personal life. For the most part these are negative remarks that are hurtful to someone they may know, but not really many other people would know them. So they post a status about how so and so is doing this and that they want to do something to hurt them and the language is way out there. For the most part many don’t know what the situation is nor do we always care. If some privates me and asks for advice, then I will give it to them if possible. But when the status’s and arguments become mean and hateful, I want no part of that. And forbid the poor person who comments on someone’s status that is raging like that. Because they get yelled at and put down. There may be a comment about how they never asked them for their opinion so stay out of it.  

ImageOK! Out of all fairness to those who have to read such rages and comments, I would say that if they don’t want feedback or comments, then don’t put it out there for everyone to read. For the most part when I read some of these conversations of people who I don’t know, I think it is sad and pitiful. It makes me wonder what kind of a person who drag those they profess to love and care about in the mud in front of strangers all over the world. Here pretty soon, there will be a number of people I will be defriending because of this. It’s not fair to anyone to be treated the way that some people treat others. Facebook has made it easy for people to open their lives up as if it is a diary. Facebook isn’t a diary. It is a social network.  Don’t take it personal if I don’t have you on my list anymore… Well! OK take it personal, because there is a good reason you are no longer there and maybe some people should take that into consideration. 

Facebook and Online Etiquette

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These aren’t rages by just one person or group, it happens in a number of groups.  They want people to respect them and not think bad of them, but then they are the ones putting these horrible messages of hate all over Facebook. They are in a sense giving everyone free range to comment and respond to their status’s. I know I have my moments and I do my share of venting. But there are just some things that never should be posted. I wonder about people and how they put so much information out there for everyone to see. Some people needs to understand what privacy settings are. They are not only good for us, but for those in our family and on our friends list. 

One of the sadder things is when someone posts horrible messages or pictures and either their friends, family or whoever else are forced to see these horrible things. When I see some of these messages, I have to honestly say I have no respect for the person who drags another through the mud on Facebook or other social networks. The comments tell me what kind of a person they are and if they are making heartless comments, then I don’t really want them on my Facebook. I don’t need the drama from those I don’t know and I don’t need it from those I do know. 

Usually if I post something personal, there is a reason why… Sometimes people don’t need to know what is going on in our lives 24/7. And when I do post a status, it isn’t going out to all that are on my friends list, only to a select group of people. Those I don’t know personally don’t get all of my status updates and such. We need to be careful, especially if we don’t know them personally. I think my downfall is posting pictures. I like to post pictures of nature and my kids, grandkids and pets. But I do have them also restricted to who they go to. Not all people are interested in what I do and my pictures. I try to respect them. 

ImageI guess I will close out on this topic… In a nutshell, i wanted to just say keep the drama to yourself and stop posting crap. If you don’t want people to reply or give you advice, then you should never post it on Facebook, twitter or Myspace! Just saying! Stop and think about what you are posting and if what you are posting will destroy your personal or professional life. You never know who is reading your posts or wall. 

Overall I love facebook because I can connect to my friends and family. That’s why I joined it to begin with. I have found family members I have lost tract of over 40 yrs ago. I have been reunited with school pals, and get to see up to date pictures of my sweet wonderful grand kids. There are many wonderful things about facebook. But to those who are the bad eggs, I have no use for rotten eggs and people filled with hate. 

Sounding Off- Paula Deen

ImageFood Network needs to offer an apology to Paula Deen… We are under the delusion that when we are charged with doing something wrong that we are innocent until proven guilty. That isn’t always the case by the looks of things. A while back news broke that Paula Deen said the “N” word about 30 years ago. She admitted that she did that and that she was wrong. As soon as she did that, the lynch mobs were out in full force. They already had her tried, convicted and about to be put in front of the firing squad before she even got to step foot in the courtroom. Food Network cancelled her show and endorsements were dropping left and right. Was it right that she was tried in the court of public opinion and bureaucrats before everything was heard? I say NO!

Today this is what the news is saying; “A federal judge in Georgia has thrown out race discrimination claims by a former Savannah restaurant manager whose lawsuit against Paula Deen ended up causing the celebrity cook to lose a big slice of her culinary empire. “

What happened to her is horrible and never should have happened. They should have waited to fire her and cancel the endorsements until the trial was over. People sure are fast to judge and convict. I wonder how many of these sponsors and the Food Network bosses are exempt from every doing or saying anything wrong. I have a very nasty taste in my mouth now when it comes to the Food Network. I didn’t watch all of her shows, but we sure did watch many shows on the Food Network. I gave a number of gift subscriptions to friends that love the Food Network. I have chosen not to renew any of those subscriptions and look for other magazines. Food Network was our only hold out when it came to keeping cable, and that isn’t a stumbling block anymore. If Food Network treats their employees like Paula Deen the way they did, they obviously have no regard for anyone else. They are all about money, not loyalty to their watchers and employees.

When I read that the charges were dismissed, it ticked me off. Not because I thought she was guilty, it was because they dragged her through the mud for nothing. I wonder also why if this lady that said she was discriminated against stayed so long. If she was having that much of a problem, why stay for 5 years? I’m pretty sure it had to be about the money. She was paid around $90,000 a year, wonder what she will make now?I wish I could get $90,000 a year. I don’t think that anyone should be called names and discriminated against. But I think there is more to this than what meets the eye and I think the judge seen it too.

One of the things that gets my goat is those who sold her products pulled them. I didn’t think I was bothered by this public display of hate until I was at Target and Walmart and seen her stuff on clearance. It bothers me that her new cookbook was cancelled and they won’t be selling it.

When I got to thinking about why this whole ordeal with Paula has upset me and got me posting this topic on my blog, I think about injustice and how it can happen to anyone. I think about kids I sat with on the bus at school that got shunned because they didn’t have money. And for those who had money, the poor ones called them all kinds of names. I have family members that are white, black, Hispanic, German, Irish and so on. Nobody has any room to be prejudice. I don’t like it and it bothers me when I hear black people calling other black people the “N” word. I hate it when people call other races anything that is demeaning. It’s uncalled for and there is no place that it is acceptable or should be at least.

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Brazil Nuts

Growing up in the mid-west, there were some terms that was common and we never thought twice about them. Once someone said that it was bad and what it mean, I did everything to not say it. For example, Brazil Nuts were called ‘N” Toes. I didn’t know why, but that’s what everyone called them. I was only a young kid and knew no better. Once someone is told what it means and that they are hurtful words then we are responsible for what flies out of our mouths. For me it has been over 30 yrs plus since using words that I didn’t know I couldn’t use. And I can almost guarantee that unless you are living in a convent that everyone has said or done something stupid in the name of stupidity and not knowing better.

ImageSorry I’m on a rant here, but it bugs me that she lost so much and it isn’t even the money, it is her name and character that others were judging. Shoot, I could imagine if I was judged by public opinion I would be in front of a thousand firing squads and having a life sentence in prison. Thankfully I have been forgiven and I know that Christ has forgiven me. Paula Deen has publicly asked for forgiveness and understanding and many have offered her that. But there are those who must be pure as snow and perfect like Christ who finds that it is beyond them to admit they have ever said something stupid.

ImageOK! I’m getting off this topic before I get myself in a ton of trouble and have my name raked through the mud of public opinion.

Why Don’t/Do People go to Church?

drowningAs many know, I am a pretty opinionated person and I will almost always have a thought on something. My thoughts today came about because of my daughter Jessica. She and I were talking about why don’t people go to church. Or why do they stop going to church? I’m pretty sure if you ask a group of people, you will get a butt load of answers.

Now, if you ask my husband he says it is boring and he doesn’t like how some of the music sounds like he is going to a funeral. And on the flip side he doesn’t like it when the music is for hours long and then he has to sit there and listen to the sermon. lol. I told him he just wants to be a heathen. That is a whole other subject, lol.

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When I asked people why they don’t go to church I get a number of answers. The very first answer was somewhat of a slap in the face because as a Christian, this is something we all should be doing. Most of those I talked to said that they don’t go to church because they were never invited. After thinking on this, I can see how this could be. Jessica said that she thought it was the number one answer too.  Let’s think about this for a few here.

We have our own little world of family and friends. Every now and then someone new enters into our lives and they become a part of our little world. If anyone is like me, they know that I am a Christian and I have no problem sharing that with anyone who is around. But there are times when I hesitate to share with someone out of fear of them thinking I’m a street corner Bible thumper. There was once a time when I didn’t want to be known as a Jesus Freak or something similar to that. It wasn’t the cool thing to be. Anymore I could care less if people know that I am a believer in Christ and that He alone is who I need to answer too.

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So back to my thoughts here. Many times people are afraid to step out of their comfort zone and talk to those who we are closer to. We don’t want them to think we are shoving our faith down their throats. I have actually tried to visualize this happening, lol and it is not a pretty picture. Many times I fail to ask someone to church because I know they go to another church or that they don’t believe in God and want no part of it. This is my thinking at least. It’s more than likely not reality. So as a friend who wants to respect my friend or family member, we talk about the weather or who is going to beat the Lakers in the NBA playoffs. I don’t want to be that person that is known for taking a hammer and knocking some sense into someone when it comes to getting to know Christ. It is a no brainer to me… OK, maybe I would like a hammer.

When Jess and I were talking about this, it brought some thoughts to my head about why people don’t go to church, These are also excuses people use;

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  • Was never invited to not go to church;
  • No time; schedule conflicts; working 2
  • Not interested in church
  • Don’t know
  • All they want is my money
  • My beliefs are different than the church’s
  • Don’t believe in organized religion
  • Don’t need to worship at a church
  • People will judge me because I don’t have nice cloths

One thing that did catch my attention was that some people find

that when they go to church it is like they are going to a show. Whoever can be the loudest and get the most attention is the one that is center of attention. Three of the people I talked to was talking about how some churches don’t feel like they are worshiping God. Sure there is preaching going on. But it isn’t to glorify God. God isn’t the center of their church and hearts. When churches is all about show and things like that then God isn’t going to bless the church. God has to be the center of the church. Without God you just have a lot of people making noise and saying “look at me”.

I have been to some churches myself where I didn’t feel the presence of God. I have also known a number of church leaders who are more into themselves then Christ. They say they are there to save souls. But all I see is a bunch of words coming out of their mouths and not a whole lot of anything else.

televangelists-televangelists-wrestlers-demotivational-poster-1282133111Social Media and Streaming of church services have also taken the place of going to church. Anymore you can plug into a church service on ROKU, Facebook, Twitter and the hoards of other channels. These types of services are great once in awhile. But they shouldn’t take the place of truly worshiping Christ with other believers. We were created to be with other people and I think that counts when it comes to going to church. I’m not saying to not watch church on TV. I’m saying that it is good to get off your butt and go to church and worship with other fellow believers.

There is one other important statement that some have made and that is that they have been hurt. Unfortunately, there are those who don’t attend church because they have experienced great pain in a local church. We are sometimes brutal when it comes to our own people. Christians aren’t exempt from hurting others. I know I have made more than my share of stupid mistakes and unwise choices.

Here are some awesome reasons to go to church. Not a virtual church, but a church where you are greeted with a handshake, hug or whatever as you walk into the door and find your seat. After checking with some people and asking the question about why they go to church, here are the answers…

  • for spiritual growth and guidance
  • Relationship Other than Family Member
  • Friendliness of Members
  • keeps me grounded/guided
  • Pastor/Preaching
  • church was a vital part of their relationship with God
  • felt that church was helping them become a better person
  • it’s my faith
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I really liked what this church sign said… SOOOOOOOO True- It’s not from my church, but says it all…

In closing, I want to say that I personally don’t think that church can save you. It is a building. For me church is the people I worship with each week. The body of Christ is the church. A building won’t save you. The only one who can save you is Christ alone. We can all come up with excuses to not go to church and I can come up with some pretty good ones if I don’t want to do something. But for me going to church is an honor and blessing. If I don’t agree with the message, I have no problem asking the pastor where he got his information. I don’t want to get preachy and I have a way of doing that. So I will close up on this thought for today.

A Friends E-Mail

This blog posting is what happens when I can’t sleep due to pain and discomfort. Hoping instead of reading that my writing will help me get so tired that I need to sleep. 

ImageI sent a friend an email some time ago. We were basically talking about what kind of help someone may need.  Her take on friendship and standing up for yourself was very important. I do think that people have different needs and that all depends on the problems or issues we are going through. 

For example toxic relationships. I have had more than my share of these kinds of friendships. And because of some things this friend and others have told me is that in a round a bout way, they need to be gone. That is much easier said than done. But for those people who have the courage of a lion, they have an easier time. I also believe that we make things to easy for others by enabling them and not following what God wants us to do in our lives. There are a whole boatload of people that I threw out of my boat of friends. Mostly the ones who were only there to get what they wanted or who played head games. 

I had this friend that I met in Angelhaven and she passed away I would say around  8 years. It was very difficult being her friend. I felt the most important thing in life was a personal walk with Christ. Donna I would say is a new ager that isn’t new at all. She believes in Christ, but in a way that she feels he was a great teacher like Buddha. She felt that if you were good, then all people could go to heaven.  It became difficult to talk to her for too long, because on my mind, I wanted to save her. I wanted her to understand what God had in store for her. I don’t know if she ever truly accepted Christ. But I did plant the seed and sometimes that is all we were meant to do. Others jump in and water and eventually they become mature and can stand up on their own little roots. 

ImageIn this email from my friend, at-least I hope we are still friends. Anyhow, she brought up how she is a doer, which is true. She isn’t the best listener, but she tried.  Many times what I need isn’t always someone that will do something for me. But I need someone to listen to me, even if they don’t get it. I’m the kind of person that does well talking and praying about what I need to do. I don’t need someone that needs to save the day for me. For the most part it is hard for a doer to do unless they have had the same experiences and life lessons. She has had difficulties in her life and her own life lessons. I admire her that she can say what is on her mind and just do it. I have to reason things out. 

I think all my life I have had one thing or another going on and since 17 I have had my share of medical things. I would say I have a type A/B personality. I can be strong on many things, but when it comes to me, I would say I am a type B. I’m grateful for all the people that God has put in my life. Even when I didn’t like what they had to say. 

Now my friend that emailed me is a small women, but she is a force to be reckoned with. I never really thought much about her personality until a couple of months ago. But I do admire that she puts her mind to doing something and she does. She doesn’t take anything from anyone. I think with her though and I couldn’t put my finger on why I pulled back on sharing things with her on certain problems or thoughts. I felt intimidated and like I wasn’t in the same class as she is. It isn’t really anything she did or said. But I felt outclassed. She is very smart, knows what she wants and does what she has to do to get it. I feel kinda stupid if that makes any sense when I talk to her. If you can imagine the peasant girl going into a queens home, then this is how I felt. When I would visit, she tried to make me feel at home and so did her husband. But I was afraid I would break something or do say something stupid. I use everyday words and when someone uses a word that is above my head, I find I don’t know where to go with the conversation because we are on two different wave lengths. One last thing and I know this is my own thoughts and my friend may not think this is a problem. But one day we are out and we go to a place that has a heavier lady working there. My friend made a comment about her weight. And with me gaining so much weight because of my friends, I haven’t called her up to see if she wants to come over. The reason is that I would be wondering if she would look down on me because I’m heavier. 

I remember one conversation we had while I was in the hospital. I doubt that she would remember this, but I did. And that is because it left a huge scar in my heart. But we were talking about getting my records for the past couple of years. We wanted to see what was in them. I hesitated for a while and she got mad at me. I was trying to talk and she told me that I needed to shut up and let her finish.  This was also done in the Dr’s office. So I did, but the tone upset me. When she told me to shut up, I felt like a little kid all over again. I was trying to talk but I got the feeling that nobody wanted to listen to me because I wouldn’t say it correctly. Back to the records.  I told her I would think about the records. I know she wouldn’t understand this, but I really didn’t want her or anyone reading how much I weighed. I get very upset and depressed over it. She is very thin and I don’t think she understood how much that bothered me. And it bothered me because I know what she felt about heavier people. We were going to send them over to her house so they wouldn’t get lost. About 30 minutes after she left and I said I would send them to her, I knew at that point that she didn’t feel I trusted her. When that is far from the truth. It’s just my own personal feelings about my weight. I have struggled with it most of my life and I didn’t want anyone to know what I weighed. After that time in the hospital, I think I only seen this friend twice and that has been over a year now. I know she was trying to help me, but I found it more depressing when I think about how much I gained because of medications. For those who never struggled with weight, they wouldn’t get it. I do miss our friendship.

Last year I sent her an email and wanted to know if I did anything wrong. She wrote back and told me no and that she needed to step back. I understood this. But she told me that if I needed her to call. I don’t know about anyone else. But I don’t want to call someone up just because I need them. I want to call them up to say hi and ask how they are doing. Someone who wants me to call when I need something is more like an acquaintance instead of a friend. I want a friend that I can call to see if they want to go for a short road trip or go to Starbucks and talk. 

One of the things about this friendship is that she was able to help me open my eyes up to things around me. My old pastor and his wife was doing the same thing. When we are in the middle of toxic friendships and such it is hard to see where we are going and if danger lurks ahead. My friend would do whatever needed to be done and they are wonderful, kind hearted people that belong to God. She has this protective shield on and she doesn’t let people mess with her friends. 

Both of my friends taught me to be aware of things around me and don’t trust others that don’t deserve to be trusted. Because of a lot of things going on, I don’t see her much. But not a day goes by that I don’t wonder how she and her husband are. She is the kind of friend everyone needs. 

When I think of friends and the kind that I have I would say I have the best ones in the world. For me in the last couple of years, I find that I really needed and received the kind of friends that listen. With all my medical things and not knowing what is going on from one minute to the next, a listening friend does me a world of good. They don’t have to save me, but listening helps me think and decide what needs to be done. I do try to be someone that listens to others. The reason I do is because I know that everyone needs to know that someone is listening to them and that they care. Doing is one thing and it’s about taking action. We or should I say I don’t always need action, I love it when I can jump into my car, listen to music or just chat about nothing. 

I use to have some horrible dreams and I would have the same one every night. Now, this is about the kind of friend that nobody needs. But this friend knew certain things that bothered me and she would want me to talk about things that happened when I was younger. And each time she did that I would think of nothing else but those things. It was literally eating at me all day and night. I know that it is important to talk about your past or mistakes. But there are things that are better left alone and live in the present. Because of this so called friend, my dreams were overflowing into my day time thoughts. She was feeding negative things into my brain and of course they are hard to get out of the head once they arrive. There is too much to mention on this topic. But she is 100 percent a toxic friend. Friend isn’t even a good word to use for her, Ever since she has been out of my life, the dreams stopped and other things are much better. I don’t allow someone like her to get close enough to know everything about me. God knows everything about me, even when I don’t. 

Back to this email. My friend was saying that she had to step back because she couldn’t offer the kind of things like listening. She was getting frustrated because I wouldn’t do certain things to help myself. I know she is right about most things. But in my world, I have found that I’m not the type of person that will go out and make someone accountable and take action on certain things. I have always been the kind of person who when pushed will pull away from those around me. I guess I just needed to put it in Gods hands and will let Him handle it. There are some things I need to handle, but when the bigger things become to big I have to give it to God. I really had to pray over things and work on the giving to God thing. It isn’t easy to do. I know I need to, but it’s not easy. I also needed to make sure that my walk was coinciding with my talk. My friend told me that I needed to pray about that because she didn’t think so and that I was all talk and no action. For a very long time this bothered me. But then I had to look deep inside and ask myself why it bothered me. The only reason was because I wasn’t doing what God wanted me to do. I was keeping the last pieced of candy tucked away so I could have it. I needed to give God everything, not just the pieces I didn’t want anymore.  She was right, I needed to examine myself and give everything. If I didn’t it is fruitless and the outcome is going to be horrible. 

For a long time, I was trying to control all things in my life. I knew I loved God. But I was holding back from letting Him have complete control. If I did that I would feel weak and inadequate. I would feel like I was a bull in a china shop. If I made a wrong move I would shatter something that is precious. And to me the most precious things are my family and friends. OK, my dogs too. 

OK! Now I’m done with my 5 am rant… Hoping I can sleep now… If she reads this I want her to know that I didn’t write this because I was mad at her. She wears her heart on her sleeve and has a heart of gold. I have been blessed in so many ways. I wrote it because it has been bothering me for so long and I think it is important that people understand and know that not all of us to things the same way and that not always do we need someone to do something. Just being their for one another is important and that everyone is an individual. I wouldn’t trade anything for those people and friends put in my life. OK! There are a few I would be OK if I never met. But I have learned from each and every person and situation. 

Troubled Stars Like Lindsey

Image Every now and then I will make a comment on a story that is posted on Yahoo. I don’t post too much but there are times I feel I need to let the world know what my thoughts are. As if those really made a big dent into the way people think or feel.

Just the other day Lindsey Lohan was released from Rehab. I know she has been there many many times. She has had one problem after another. This also goes for The Olson Twins, Amanda Bynes, Briteny Spears, Miley Cyrus and so on.

Some of the comments that people make are really horrible. They make me wonder if they live in this perfect little world in their own lives and they have never made a mistake as they were trying to find out that they are or need to be. I actually feel very sorry for Lindsey and the others that live under a microscope all the time. Every little thing they do is scrutinized and publicized. Now granted, they made a decision to be in the public eye in some cases, but most cases parents put them there. Here are just some of the horrible comments others have made about Lindsey Lohan and in their own words;

  • She needs the money for drugs
  • “HEY!!! LOOK AT ME, I AM TOTALLY CURED IN JUST 90 DAYS…..BUT THEN I NEVER ACTUALLY HAD A PROBLEM IN THE FIRST PLACE, IT WAS ALL JUST THE BIG BAD MEDIA……..” She said as she slams back another shot to take the edge off of the snort she just finished……”IT’S ALL GOOD, I AM READY TO GO BACK..
  • This girl can fall into a barrel of doo-doo and can come out smelling like a rose.
  • Lindsay, u-0r smelly
  • This stupid skank will never learn. Just do the taxpayers a favor and just OD already.
  • Die already
  • And, when there’s booze…the coke isn’t far away.
  • ALCOHOL POISONING WITHIN THE NEXT 30 DAYS. DAMN DRUNKEN WHORE!
  • Why is she always seated in VIP? I’m more important than this 7 time loser.
  • You can’t save someone from themselves. Let her drink herself to death and be done with it already. Is there anybody who isn’t tired of this sh*t ?
  • UGH SHE IS SUCH A DISGUSING LOWLIFE. LOCK HER UP FOR SOMETHING ALREADY.
  • KIDS stay off the streets of L.A. and New York. This drug addict loon is back driving.

Here are my own personal thoughts and feelings on this. And I’m pretty sure there will be a lot wondering why I would feel bad for her and others like her.

I have known many family members who have been hooked on drugs and alcohol. I have lost friends that were addicted to Meth, Cocaine and Heroin. It isn’t fun to watch them go down this path. There comes a point where they can’t do it alone and needs help. They can’t see that they need the help, but others can. The last thing they need is people telling them that they are worthless and can’t make it. They will never amount to anything and should be dead. I find those comments heartless and mean. They make me wonder when people make those comments why they are saying what they are saying. Are they trying to be bullies or are they just cold hearted people that don’t care about a person’s life.

For some reason child stars and adult stars get mixed up into the whole drug world. It seems like there is more media that is drawing the attention to them. There is no way to really understand what Lindsey and other child stars had to go through each day. When I see the paths they have taken it breaks my heart. I would hate to be someone that thousands of people who don’t personally know me want me dead because I made mistakes. They have made mistakes that probably millions of us have made in the past and now.

Why is it that people are enjoying watching others fail? I hope that Lindsey and all those other stars and addicts out there can find peace and get back on the right track. Could you imagine if people would be there to help them up, hold their hand and just be there what a difference that could make.

Stars get paid a lot of money and almost everyone knows who they are. But does that make it OK to treat them like they are the scum of the earth and are worthless? I would have to say NO. It shouldn’t matter what they do for a living, how much they make or who they are. They deserve just like any of us to have a chance to make it right and to be forgiven. If Lindsey, Amanda, Britney and others like them were our children, would we kick them to the curb and want them to overdose and die? I would hope not. The people who are fighting these horrible diseases of addiction are loved and cared by others. There are people who want them around and they can make a difference in this world and in the life of others.

I hope that Lindsey does well since her release from rehab and that she is able to find her way back to acting.  Out of a lot of the troubled stars, I do think she has a lot of talent. I can’t really say that for some of the starts out there like Paris, Kim K and so on. Lindsey deserves a chance to be happy and find peace in her life. All this hatred and wanting her dead is ridiculous in so many ways.

Now I do think she should stay away from driving until she has been clean for some time and that she needs counseling and such. She obviously has had a heck of a problem with her family dynamics. For those who had wonderful childhoods, there is no way you could understand how destructive parents like hers can be to her and other kids like her.

But, I’m going to get off my soapbox and wish Lindsey and all those who are fighting addictions the very best and I will be keeping them in my prayers. Instead of breaking down and kicking those who need help, why not offer a hand and be there for them? Her new documentary that she is doing with Oprah is one that I may find myself watching. The reason I say that is because I think it would do her some good to be able to opening talk about her life so that others who have similar problems can get help. Even though I’m sure there is going to be a lot of haters out there and those who don’t think she deserves a second, third or how ever many chances. I know in my own life, I am very grateful for all those who have given me many chances. I may not have addictions, but I do have my own set of issues.

I think of this verse when I think about not judging others: John 8:7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”

Dreams in a Different Language

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I have very vivid dreams and usually dreams that will either warn me about something that is going to happen, different languages and unknown people.

The dreams that get me wondering about if there is such a thing as a previous life is when my entire dream will be in a different language. For me it is German. I don’t know German and have never even attempted to learn it. My grandmother was German, but she didn’t really speak it around us. Well, she would say one phrase as she was getting mad and throwing a show at us when we did something wrong. I never did figure out what it was she was saying.

In my dream there are people all around me that I obviously know and I know it is me, but I don’t look like me and nobody else looks like themselves. I know they are friends and family. I can have conversations with them in German and understand everything they say. I can’t help but wonder why it is when I dream that I dream in German. When I wake up, I remember everything about my dream, but I can’t remember what the conversations was about. I’m guessing because I don’t speak German.

And almost always in my dreams I look a certain way and I have two daughters and married. My daughters don’t look anything like they do in real life and neither does my husband. But I know they are my daughters and husband. And of course they speak German too. But why is it that some people can dream in other languages as if it is real life?

ImageI find it interesting when my dreams are about a typical dinner with my family and then going for a walk through the little town or village. They are pretty much just everyday normal things. Maybe this is because I would like to go for a walk in a village after dinner or maybe it is just a dream. My dreams will take off where they left off at previously, unless there is a big gap in time.

Maybe these are just dreams and nothing more. But it is intriguing to me. I can always remember all the details and what each person looked like. For instance, I have dark hair that is cut into a pixie cut. One of my daughters is a ginger and the other is long dark wavy hair. My husband looks more like a business man and works in an office.  Even when going to the local market for fresh vegetables and fruits are something that is memorable. The smell of freshly baked breads draws me close to the kitchen in my dreams.

So, now I’m on a search to see why I dream sometimes in German and can carry on conversations even though I never spoke German in my life and have never been there. No matter why I do this, it is cool to get to travel to Germany in my dreams and get to know the locals, lol. It’s even nice to try out food dishes that I never had the chance to taste. I know it sounds off the wall, but it is what it is.

Dreams like these always makes me wonder if we do have a previous life or we lived in another time and place. De Ja Vue makes me wonder about this too. I know that God knew us before we were even born. But this is a different kind of thought. 

I do like how in these dreams, there is nothing horrible happening. It is just life in general and going about everyday things. 

Why Do People Leave a Church

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I may have covered this topic a few years ago when I had my blog at another location. Every now and then I get to thinking about what stops a person from going to church or changing churches.

ImageMy family moved to St. George about 19 yrs ago. We have never regretted moving here and for the most part we have always gone to the same church. Or should I say I have gone to the same church. There was one time though that I stopped going to my church and that was because of the new pastor that came. His calling I must say should not have been to become a pastor. How he ever got voted on to be our pastor is beyond me. During the short time he was at our church, I did what some would call church hopping. This went on for 2 yrs until others at my church seen that something was wrong.

During those two years away from my church I did find a wonderful little church that met in an elementary school. It was a Christian Missionary Alliance Church. I really liked their church doctrine and the people there. It was like a second home to me. I enjoyed mostly everyone I met there and I still talk to them. I like Pastor Marc and his family. I actually learned quite a bit from him and how to be a better disciple for Christ and to witness to others.  I never had the need to move my membership from St. George Community Church to Oasis though. In my heart I knew St. George Community Church was the place for me.

ImageEventually they did get a new pastor and he was wonderful. I adored his wife and we got to know his family. He is the kind of pastor I would consider a healing pastor. Pastor Lary and Donna had a hard road ahead of them. There was a separation in our church and lot of hurt that needed healing. God knew we needed them at this time. They were with us for a number of years and then we were blessed with Pastor Dean and Ruth. It was a very easy transition when Lary and Donna left. God blessed our church in many ways.

My daughters are both adults and married. They have their own families and needs. Beckiah and Jason along with their children have chosen another church that best fits the needs of their family. I would love them to come to my church, but they are where God wants them to be. My other daughter Jessica still does things with our church  every now and then and everyone at church misses her and still asks about Jessica, Jason and JJ. JJ went with me to church the other day and everyone loved seeing him and made him feel like he was home. He started to cry because he was happy they were nice to him. But I know that no matter what I say or anyone else says, that people have to choose a church where they can grow and where God wants them to be. I’m very proud of my daughters and their families for still going to church, even if it isn’t mine. But they are listening to God and doing what God wants them to do in their lives. I couldn’t be prouder of them. I’m honored to be their momma.

ImageI asked my husband why he doesn’t like to go to church. And he was very honest with me. First he said that sometimes the music is so long or the pastor goes on for so long that he gets lost in the message. I then asked a friend of mine about the church she goes to. She said she feels like God isn’t part of the church. They do things and sing songs, but it is like going to church that is all about putting on a show or of hearing themselves talk. I had to asked about what they meant. They said when the pastor does everything and controls everything. It’s like they go on and on and their faith seems fake. They say the right thing, but it isn’t sincere. It’s all talk and no action. I didn’t want to ask who she was talking about since I know people from many churches.  I will have to do a blog on why people stop going to church all together.

One of my friends was going on about why she is having a hard time going to church. And she was saying that she feels like she is obligated to go. She doesn’t enjoy going because of issues that go on at the church. I didn’t go into the whys because I figured she would tell me why if she wanted me to know. But she doesn’t feel that she is where she needs to be. When she prays over her feelings and how she dreads going to church, she feels guilty by the answers she is receiving.

I can understand that because when I left our church for two years, I felt guilty and was made to feel guilty during that whole time. Not really by the pastor, but by some of the people. When I would go to church I had to breath before going into the church. I felt like I had this bitterness in my soul and that was really getting in the way of me enjoying the message for the day. During the sermon or the music, I would sigh to myself and I didn’t know how unhappy I was until one Sunday when I came home from church and decided I couldn’t do this anymore. This wasn’t where I needed to be at this point in my walk with Christ. When I started listening to God and checking out other churches, I felt like a boulder has been lifted off my shoulder. My bitterness was getting in the way of worshiping Christ. Many at my church didn’t understand where I was coming from, but I knew I needed something else.

If someone was to ask me what they should do if they were unhappy where they are going to church at or about checking out other churches. I would say to them to pray about it first. I would say that maybe God is the one putting it on your heart to go somewhere else. God may have other things in store for you that you’re not aware of. If someone gets upset because you are looking at other churches, then let them be upset. You have to go where God is leading you. If someone guilts you into staying at church and you are still unhappy, then you aren’t doing yourself, the church or God any good.

For myself, I love where I go. I have been there for 19 yrs and even though I went somewhere else for 2 yrs, I have always been a member. I may not always like someone who goes there and I may not like the message. But I know that God is the center of all things. And like all families, not all agree and sometimes we fight, storm out, but we come back. St. George Community to me is my family of God. I love the fact that they know me anywhere I go. I don’t feel like I have to be showy or someone I’m not. I don’t have to be politically correct. We are a melting pot of Christians that love the Lord and others. I can’t wait to see what is in store for our church when we get our new pastor.

I was looking for information on this topic so then it isn’t just my personal thoughts, but what the Bible says about leaving a church and looking for a new one…  So for any one out there looking for a new church or moving to a new area, here are some Biblical Scriptures to read and to see what God has to say about this topic.

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Reasons to Leave A Church

  1. Truth is not being taught
  • Acts 20:29-31
  • Rev. 2:12-16

2. Leadership is overly controlling and unloving

  • 3 John 9-11

3. Leadership is biblically unqualified

  • 1 Tim. 3:1-7;
  • Titus 1:7-9

4. Pastor and/or leaders are living in sin

  • 1 Tim. 5:19-21

5. Leadership does not deal with sin

  • Matthew 18:15-18;
  • 1 Cor. 5:1-13

What To Look For In A Church. On the positive side, here are some guidelines for choosing or staying in a church

Leadership

– are qualified

  • 1 Tim. 3:1-7;
  • Titus 1:7-9

– are godly examples

  • Hebrews 13:7;
  • 1 Peter 5:3

– are self-sacrificing

  • John 21:15-19;
  • Acts 20:31

Pastor

– teaches the Bible in depth

  • Nehemiah 8:8;
  • 1 Tim. 4:13;

– has passion to teach truth

  • 2 Timothy 2:2;
  • James 3:1

– has a passionate love for Jesus

  • John 21:15-17
  • Phil. 3:8

Congregation

– people are loving

  • Hebrews 10:24-25

– ministers together

  • Acts 2:42;
  • Hebrews 6:10

– supports the leadership

  • Hebrews 13:7, 13;
  • Hebrews 6:10
The church needs to be on fire for the Lord Jesus. Some churches are looking back over their shoulders at the years when their church was dynamic and growing. Now their church may not be growing and may even be decreasing in size. They may have a wonderful church building, successful leaders from the world, and a radio or a television ministry. But these are not the marks of God’s ideal church.
Ultimately, God is looking for biblically qualified leaders who are eagerly seeking an intimate relationship with Jesus, and as a result are shepherding the men and women in the church. One of the most significant functions of the leadership team is that they are good Bible teachers and they are teaching. The leadership team is training men and women to be the future leaders in the church. They are seeking to train others who will eventually take over their ministries. That is true disciples. Otherwise, the training is merely book study and empty activity without any fulfillment.
OK, so now I’m done with this topic. Not too sure why I posted this now. Maybe because our church is in the middle of a transition to a new pastor and I’m excited to see where our church is going and love the fact that the new pastor we are looking at believes in the Bible and is a Man of God.

Thinking on Christmas

nativity3-620x494I know this is a weird topic for this time of year. Christmas seems to come faster and faster each year it seems. I don’t think it is because there are less days, but that our lives are so busy and I hate to say it, but Christmas is expensive. It should be about Christ and while I think about Christ first, others may not.

I have been pondering this idea since last year. My idea is that instead of having Christmas on December 25th, we would have it on Easter Sunday.

There are many historians that believe that the birth of Christ took place in October or around there. And others say in the spring time. The Bible tells us that shepherds were staying out in the fields overnight when Jesus was born (Luke 2:8), but in that part of the world it would have been far too cold at night to do so in December. What is more likely is that He was born in the Spring, perhaps between March and May. Whatever the time of year, it is virtually impossible to identify the actual date. Some have also said that the birth of Christ took place during September or October. So let’s look at those times and why they say that.

birth-of-jesusThe typical story we hear repeated is:

“It’s about 2000 years ago, the evening of December 25. Mary rides into Bethlehem on a donkey, urgently needing to deliver her baby. Although it’s an emergency, all the innkeepers turn them away. So they deliver baby Jesus in a stable. Then angels sing to the shepherds. Afterwards, they all join three kings with camels in worshiping the quiet, newborn.”

The problem is, this story may be almost entirely wrong. The events surrounding the birth have been retold so many times and in so many ways—in plays, poetry, books and movies—that most people have a distorted view of the true events. The only accurate record is found in the Holy Bible, God’s Word.

Was Jesus born on December 25, or in December at all? Although it’s not impossible, it seems unlikely. The Bible does not specify a date or month. One problem with December is that it would be unusual for shepherds to be “abiding in the field” at this cold time of year when fields were unproductive. The normal practice was to keep the flocks in the fields from Spring to Autumn. Also, winter would likely be an especially difficult time for pregnant Mary to travel the long distance from Nazareth to Bethlehem (70 miles).

One of the more common — but still often overlooked — debates around Christmas time is ​when ​the wise men visited Jesus. While most nativity sets come complete with the “kings” to set next to a newborn Jesus, there is actually evidence to suggest they visited Jesus much later when he was a young “child” and not a “baby.”

camels3wisemenMatthew 2: 1-12 – The Visit of the Magi

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.” Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.  And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

Additionally verse 16 notes that after the wise men told King Harod of their plan to visit the little “king” and they never returned, Herod ordered all children under two years old killed. That seems to suggest that Jesus was not a baby at the time, and that even Herod thought he could be older.

Many popular interpretations of Jesus’ birth show the baby sitting near farm animals in a stable. However, we’re not quite sure that this is how the events actually unfolded. Let’s start with the word “inn.” According to Witherington, in Greek (the word is “kataluma”) it can also mean “guest room.” The Biblical expert continues:

So what we must envision is that the holy family had to stay in the back portion of the ancestral home in Bethlehem, where they would have kept the beast of burden (hence the feeding trough referred to).

While the “where” question is certainly important when discussing Jesus’ birth, so is the “when.” Christians have been celebrating their savior’s birth for quite some time, but no one is really sure when it actually happened. Dec. 25 is merely the anniversary that has been chosen to commemorate Christ’s birth — not the actual date.

Happy_Birthday_Jesus_by_RSRKingdomStarsMy Plan: 

So this year after calling my daughters and family we are going to actually do a Birthday Party for Christ on December 25th. We will hold that day to celebrate the fact that Jesus was born to a virgin. We will be doing our Christmas on at the same time as Easter. We don’t know when Christ was born, but we know He was. And that’s what our December 25th will be. There will be no gifts for each other. My Christmas tree, cards and gifts will be done on Easter Sunday. We will have cake, ice cream and all things that would be used to celebrate a birthday. We will bring a letter or share with each other what we will do for Christ. I hope that everyone in my family will enjoy this because on Easter we will be celebrating the fact that Jesus came to us as a baby and he died and rose again so we can live forever. If people get Christmas cards at Easter time, please know this is the reason why we are doing this. I may still do them in December since everyone else won’t be on the same page as I am.

Living in the Past

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What is the best way to get past the hurt of a bad childhood or life hurts? I have touched on this topic about 5 years ago when some friends and I were talking about our childhoods and what it was like growing up.

The best way to get beyond a bad past is to create a better future. No easy feat, for sure. Your childhood is what it was…no changing that. Your future is what you make it, no matter your age. This is fully what I believe. When it comes to some things, it may be easier said then done.

My friend made the statement that her family ruined her life and she will never be happy because of the abuse.  What struck me about this comment was that she was blaming them for everything that went on. She left home when she was young and had a number of failed marriages. Those failed marriages were her parents fault and the bully’s fault on the school playground. Was it really her parents fault and the bullies fault that her marriage failed and her life is falling apart? Maybe in part, but not entirely.

ImageWhen I was growing up I didn’t have the best childhood like millions of other children in this world. My parents had their problems and there was many things that went on. But do I blame them for what I do with my life now? I would say no. The reason I say no is because I have learned from those experiences, I believe I am a better person for the suffering… more tolerant of others, less judgmental. My parents made mistakes and did the wrong things just like any other parent does or has. Maybe not in the same way, but still mistakes.

I have learned to accept my differences and leave the past behind. We are not wearing big signs that say “abused” or “dysfunctional parents” so it is up to us to be what we want to be.

ImageEveryone is guilty of bad parenting at one time or another. I know I have my share of loosing my temper when my daughters didn’t do what they should be doing or snuck out the window. There was a time I grounded Jessica for eating my very last donut that I was very much looking forward too and in the heat of the moment she was grounded for a month, lol.  There may be others like me that grounded your child for something his sibling did, and never listened to their side of the story. I would like to challenge anyone that is angry at parents, family members and such to write a list of the things you have learned from those experiences. Not just the bad, but the good. If my parenting skills and past mistakes were held against me in the court of law, I think I would get life lol.I do have to say that my daughters turned out to be great parents and they will make their own set of mistakes I’m sure…

There are all forms of abuse, neglect and such that can make ones life miserable and make a person feel like they are worthless. But that doesn’t have to be. There is so much help out there  and living in the past brings nothing but tears and heartache.

For instance, someone I know ended up in a lot of trouble legally. Now this person has been out of the home for a very long time. She left the nest around 18 or so. Now she is right around 45 or so. But because of the drug use and in and out of jail they claim before the judge that they were abused and it was their upbringing that brought them to the point they are now. My reaction to her statement was a bit insensitive I guess.

When I asked my friend if her parents put that pot into her hands and made her smoke it, she said indirectly yes! Was it her parents fault that she was caught driving while intoxicated, she said yes! Was it her parents fault that she decided that she no longer wanted to be a parent and that it was more important to be with her friends, she said yes! I then proceeded to ask her why she thought it was her parents fault when she is the one who made those decisions to hang out with the wrong people and put her friends and such before her own family. She then went on to say that she was abused and her parents didn’t say they loved her all the time like some people do. They didn’t spend time with her because they were always at work or doing other things. They didn’t get alot of birthday parties because they never wanted to spend the money or couldn’t.

Well! As a parent who had to struggle paying bills and not always wanting to go out to work so we can provide a roof over my daughters head and make sure they had cloths and all other needs, I had no sympathy for her. My daughters didn’t always get a grand birthday party because it was hard enough to keep the power on. They were told I loved them and there were many days I would wake up in a very fowl mood. I told her that it is now time to start taking responsibility for your own life and stop blaming everyone else because your life is screwed up. I let her know that she was the one who made all those bad choices and why she lived on the street. She decided to smoke pot and drive drunk. Her parents may have been crappy but there is a time to get on with your life and stop living in the past and move forward.

Forgiveness I think is a big part of getting past the past and living in the future. I know from my own experiences that if I hold onto the anger and resentments of the past, I dwell on them alone and it is almost impossible to live my life the way I should be and as God intended me to. Many believe that in order to forgive someone that we must forget and that is far from the truth. We should remember and not let it happen again. But when I truly forgive someone I don’t bring it up again and if I find I do, I pray that God will help me deal with this. Forgiveness isn’t for the other person always, it’s for us. If we can’t forgive we are like a pot stewing. Eventually everything is going to blow up when it gets to a certain point. And that point could have all sorts of disastrous results.

I have had to ask for forgiveness many times with my daughters when I would fly off the handle and that is OK. They were usually very gracious about it. Not always, but usually. We would have family meetings if others in the family needed to talk about things.

For Parents: I found topic while searching for information for this post and really liked it.

“There are no perfect parents, and we all make bad parenting decisions from time to time. But if you feel that you’ve lost touch, don’t know how to handle your child, or you can’t control your own anger or problems and it’s interfering with your family life, it might be time to seek professional help.”

One last thing, I know some may be ready for my one last thing, lol. But there is a lot of power in the word forgive. I’m very thankful for those who have forgiven me of my wrong doings and transgressions. Also, if anyone is free from sin and making mistakes I want to meet that person. There is NOT one perfect person and parents included in this world. We can only do the best we can do and go forward. I have chosen to not live in the past because it really makes for a bad day. And not always do people know they have hurt or offended someone.

No one will ever have the perfect childhood. We all suffer embarrassment, humiliation, bullying and some form of abuse. But in order to have a peaceful and happy adulthood you need to move past the painful childhood memories, forgive whatever wrongs have been committed and ditch the blame. The current state of your adult life is not your parents fault…..it is up to your to take the bad and turn it into something good.  But we can all move on and make our lives better.

Here is a clip from the show Facts of Life… So now I’m done 🙂