Dear Katherine (teacher of RS this week)

This week, in RS, we were discussing the nature of God. In short order, we began listing on the white board the traits of our Father in Heaven. Coming to mind, for me was 'ABSOLUTE' and 'HOLY'....I ended up saying, 'inflexible'. I had a good reason behind my suggestion--but many of the women in the room did not like that word, because (they said) it sounded HARSH, and NEGATIVE. Why??? Because we want to argue about the scripture, "No degree of allowance...."???? Why is something inflexible negative? I would think myself, that would evoke thoughts of peace of mind! In a word with no absolutes, isn't something that is un-bendable, strong--unable to be thwarted or changed a good thing?? I do in no way seek to change, influence or 'flex' my FATHER! I do not imagine myself needing of anything different than that which my creator has already created--knowing as I do that ALL things were created in the spirit by HIM, even before the world--before anything was made in the flesh. I trust in these things. I am comforted by His plan, His choices, His word. And, I do not want to delude myself into believing I can or should be able to CHANGE Him (to be what? More like whom??) or that He might change Himself.

In response, I wrote a letter to Katherine. She was merely the teacher, and not one who was arguing against my "definition of God" --but ultimately what I wanted her to know was how in GENERAL I felt about trying to understand the nature of GOD--and how just making a list of HUMAN traits falls so so short of what God is, and should be to us. Why do we keep trying to humanize God? Why does it make us "feel better" to see Him as 'one of us?' when He never will be? It makes me shake my head---it makes me sad and fearful of the arrogance of some men----He is HOLY---he IS.

Like a child who asks "why" of the unanswerable question....why do we ask WHO about God? I am who I am. I am, 'The great I am' says He. What does THAT mean??? To me, it means we shall never TRULY know......in this life anyway....and that is O-K! It is just fine with me.

Here is that letter:
Dear Katherine!

I wanted you to know that a good teacher inspires her students to consider the things spoken of in class beyond the end of the discussion. I have wanted you to know that I have been engaged in understanding further some of the things we spoke of in class last Sunday. Here is what I have come to feel after much reading. Of course, these are only my own opinions, and everyone would have to search it out on their own to know.....

THE NATURE OF GOD:

God is Omnipresent

God is Omnipotent

He can do anything. It is said that the only thing that is beyond His power is the fear of Him; that is, we have free will and He cannot compel us to do His will. God has a reason for allowing all things (good and bad), even if we in our limited perception and understanding cannot see the reason.

God is Omniscient

God is Eternal

God is ALL: Just, Merciful, and personal (representations of the three parts of GOD--the Father, Son, and holy ghost)

God's justice is tempered by mercy, the two qualities perfectly balanced. The holy spirit allows this balance to be communicated to us while we are on earth. Of the most commonly used names of God in scripture, one refers to his quality of justice and the other to his quality of mercy. The two names were used together in the story of Creation, showing that the world was created with both justice and mercy.All we know of this balance is because of the holy ghost.

God is Holy and Perfect

We should be careful to give all praise to Him--and to allow some holiness to remain about Him. It is not necessary for us to know all things about Him, but it is necessary to have faith in His perfected nature. The WORD Perfect is not to God what it is to man--His perfect nature is beyond what we can see or understand as mortal beings, and we must be careful to temper our discussions with an understanding that all we can KNOW of his nature is limited by all we as humans CAN KNOW. God is infinitely more than we have the capacity to "see" or understand.

THE NATURE OF THE HOLY GHOST:

There is only one living God, and we are commanded to praise and worship only Him. As limited humans trying to understand an infinite personage, we have to remember that GOD in his divinity can and does describe His oneness in a very different way than we can fully conceptualize. In fact, we learn from scripture that His ONEness comprises three separate personages---each part demanding praise to the ONE-- the "I am". One way to partially visualize this concept is to examine the nature of water (H2O). Water is a single compound that can exist in three states – liquid, ice and vapor. This is illustrative of the fact that His three “persons” in no way invalidate His oneness.

Just as God had a purpose in creating every thing in his universe--and universes--He had a purpose in creating his oneness to be represented in three distinct personages--each with a value to the great plan He created along with every other thing created by Him spiritually. The Holy Spirit is not a vague, ethereal life force. He is not impersonal or unthinking. The Holy Spirit is a personage equal in every way with God, the Father, and God, the Son. The Bible tells us that all the characteristics of God apparent in the Father and the Son are equally apparent in the Holy Spirit. While we honor the FATHER, we must recognize that Jesus, the HG, and "God" are in some way exactly the same, even in their separate states.

When God made man in his own image....He did so representing this "trinity" in our 'self' as well. After all YOU exist in three distinct persons yet you remain one woman.

1. You have a body/flesh which is the part of you that others can see.
2. You have a mind where you think your thoughts and make your plans.
3. You have a spirit where you feel and where your essence lies.

Your body, mind and spirit are separate and distinct. My hand is a part of me, but it is not my intellect, my mind. My thoughts are a part of me, but they are not my spirit. You are undoubtedly tripartite (body, mind, spirit) yet you remain one entity. If you and I were in the same room and I looked at you, I would only see your flesh. I could not literally see what you were thinking or what you were feeling. I could not see who you really are. In this way, we cannot see who God really is without experiencing or having faith in all three parts equally.

One of the most direct scriptures testifying of the trinity of God is 1 John 5:7:

For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and THESE THREE ARE ONE.

Jesus is no less God because He is subject to the Father. The holy ghost is no less God because He is subject to Jesus. Even as a human being, my body is subject to my mind. A signal must go from my brain to my hand in order for me to move it. Does that mean that my hand is not a part of me because it has to do what my mind tells it to? Certainly not. It is still a part of me even though it is in subjection to my mind. The holy ghost is HOLY--Godly, and deserves reverence, respect, acknowledgment, and praise. In Acts 5:3-4 Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? ...thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.

Further, each Person of the Godhead SPEAKS AUDIBLY in the Bible--

1. God the Father SAID of Jesus in Matthew 3:17 ..."This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
2. Jesus SAID in John 10:30, " I and my Father are one."
3. The Holy Ghost SAID in Acts 13:2, ..."Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work where unto I have called them."

Each portion of God--were operative in the Old Testament--

1. The Father--Isaiah 64:8 But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.
2. Jesus--1 Corinthians 10:1-4, 9 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And did all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: AND THAT ROCK WAS CHRIST. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.
3. The Holy Ghost--Hebrews 3:7-11 Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted me, proved ME, and saw MY WORKS forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)

From the very first chapter in the Bible, God makes it known that He consists of more than one Person--

Genesis 1:26-27, And God said, LET US make man in OUR image, after OUR likeness...So God created man in his own image, in the image of God [remembering here my example of H2O or an egg] created he him;

Genesis 3:22:

And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil...

When Isaiah had a vision of the Lord sitting upon a throne, the Lord asked him a question,

Isaiah 6:8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for US? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

In the Old Testament, we find that God has a Son (Proverbs 30:4, Psalm 2:7-12) and a Spirit (Isaiah 40:13, 2 Samuel 23:2, Judges 3:10, etc.). We also find that the LORD said that the LORD would send Him to the earth (Zechariah 2:10,11).

In closing...

When we seek to understand the nature of God--let us remember that God has THREE portions--and each has a direct connection between He that created ALL, and He that has given us ALL. Just as we have a body, a mind, and a spirit--so has God given Himself to the world as a BODY, a Mind, and a Spirit. We can argue back and forth if Jesus is the literal child of God--our brother, or our Father--as some have and will continue to Do--we can argue if the holy ghost is an individual personage from God that God created, or if He is a seperate part of His oneness, but what I believe is most important for us to KNOW is what he told us in the very beginning of time...namely, that God transcends time and ultimately our human capacity to understand. He has no beginning and no end. He will always be there to fulfill his promises. "I am that I am" says He. The rest, if even a compelling philosophical exercise can really only help us spiritually if we are willing to accept that it matters less if we can "DEFINE" Him than if we "ACCEPT HIM"....accepting that He IS--and to acting like we do. (after all, I can know that eating cake every day will make me fatter over-time, but unless I understand that NOT eating cake and NOT getting fatter is just as worthy to my understanding of that "truth" as eating cake for 10 years, getting fat and THEN stopping eating cake to lose weight and "prove" THAT was the true cause of my weight...I won't ever be acting in the same Faith God asks me to. God asks us to do this every day. God asks for us to have faith based on the examples and evidences He has given us to this point, and not to NEED to "TEST HIM" in all things....least we accept that the "proof" may be more than we bargained for to begin with!)

I love you!

Dani

49 uses for Vinager

1. Kill grass on walks and driveways.
   
   
2. Kill weeds. Spray full strength on growth until plants have starved.
   
   
3. Increase soil acidity. In hard water: one gallon of tap water for watering rhododendrums, gardenias, or azaleas.
   
   
4. Deter ants. Spray vinegar around doors, appliances, and along other areas where ants are known.
   
   
5. Polish car chrome. Apply full strength.
   
   
6. Remove skunk odor from a dog. Rub fur with full strength vinegar; rinse.
   
   
7. Keep cats away. Sprinkle vinegar on areas you don't want the cat walking, sleeping, or scratching on.
   
   
8. Keep dogs from scratching his ears. Use a clean, soft cloth dipped in diluted vinegar.
   
   
9. Keep chickens from pecking each other. Put a little in their drinking water.
   
   
10. Tenderize meat. Soak in vinegar over night.
    
    
11. Freshen vegetables. Soak wilted vegetables in 2 cups of water and a tablespoon of vinegar.
    
    
12. Boil better eggs. Add 2 tablespoons to water before boiling eggs. Keeps them from cracking.
    
    
13. Soothe a bee or jellyfish sting. Dot the irritation with vinegar and relieve itching.
    
    
14. Relieve sunburn. Lightly rub white vinegar; you may have to reapply.
    
    
15. Condition hair. Add a tablespoon of vinegar to dissolve sticky residue left by shampoo.
    
    
16. Relieve dry and itchy skin. Add 2 tablespoons to bath water.
    
    
17. Fight dandruff. After shampooing, rinse with vinegar and 2 cups of warm water.
    
    
18. Soothe a sore throat. Put a teaspoon of vinegar in a glass of water. Gargle and then swallow.
    
    
19. Treat sinus infections and chest colds. Add 1/4 cup or more vinegar to the vaporizer.
    
    
20. Feel good. A teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water, with a bit of honey added for flavor, will take the edge off your appetite and give you an overall healthy feeling.
    
    
21. Deodorize the kitchen drain. Pour a cup down the drain once a week. Let stand 30 minutes and then flush with cold water.
    
    
22. Eliminate onion odor. Rub on your fingers before and after slicing.
    
    
23. Clean and disinfect wood cutting boards. Wipe with full strength vinegar.
    
    
24. Remove fruit stains from hands. Rub with vinegar.
    
    
25. Cut grease and odor on dishes. Add a tablespoon of vinegar to hot soapy water.
    
    
26. Clean a teapot. Boil a mixture of water and vinegar in the teapot. Wipe away the grime.
    
    
27. Freshen a lunchbox. Soak a piece of bread in vinegar and let it sit in the lunchbox over night.
    
    
28. Clean the refrigerator. Wash with a solution of equal parts water and vinegar.
    
    
29. Unclog a drain. Pour a handful of baking soda down the drain and add 1/2 cup of vinegar. Rinse with hot water.
    
    
30. Clean and deodorize the garbage disposal. Make vinegar ice cubes and feed them down the disposal. After grinding, run cold water through 31 Clean and deodorize jars. Rinse mayonnaise, peanut butter, and mustard jars with vinegar when empty.
    
    
31. Clean the dishwasher. Run a cup of vinegar through the whole cycle once a month to reduce soap build up on the inner mechanisms and on glassware.
    
    
32. Clean stainless steel. Wipe with a vinegar dampened cloth.
    
    
33. Clean china and fine glassware. Add a cup of vinegar to a sink of warm water. Gently dip the glass or china in the solution and let dry.
    
    
34. Get stains out of pots. Fill pot with a solution of 3 tablespoons of vinegar to a pint of water. Boil until stain loosens and can be washed away.
    
    
35. Clean the microwave. Boil a solution of 1/4 cup of vinegar and 1 cup of water in the microwave. Will loosen splattered on food and deodorize.
    
    
36. Dissolve rust from bolts and other metals. Soak in full strength vinegar.
    
    
37. Get rid of cooking smells. Let simmer a small pot of vinegar and water solution.
    
    
38. Unclog steam iron. Pour equal amounts of vinegar and water into the iron's water chamber. Turn to steam and leave the iron on for 5 minutes in an upright position. Then unplug and allow to cool. Any loose particles should come out when you empty the water.
    
    
39. Clean a scorched iron plate. Heat equal parts vinegar and salt in a small pan. Rub solution on the cooled iron surface to remove dark or burned stains.
    
    
40. Get rid of lint in clothes. Add 1/2 cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle.
    
    
41. Keep colors from running. Immerse clothes in full strength vinegar before washing.
    
    
42. Freshen up the washing machine. Periodically, pour a cup of vinegar in the machine and let in run through a regular cycle (no clothes added). Will dissolve soap residue.
    
    
43. Brighten fabric colors. Add a 1/2 cup vinegar to the rinse cycle.
    
    
44. Take grease off suede. Dip a toothbrush in vinegar and gently brush over grease spot.
    
    
45. Remove tough stains. Gently rub on fruit, jam, mustard, coffee, tea. Then wash as usual.
    
    
46. Get smoke smell out of clothes. Add a cup of vinegar to a bath tub of hot water. Hang clothes above the steam.
    
    
47. Remove decals. Brush with a couple coats of vinegar. Allow to soak in. Wash off.
    
    
48. Clean eyeglasses. Wipe each lens with a drop of vinegar.
    
    
49. Freshen cut flowers. Add 2 tablespoons vinegar and 1 teaspoon sugar for each quart of water.
    
    

The Prize is in the Pris

Jonah is not a very accomplished speller. You could say, he is really really really bad in fact! At his open house for 4th grade this week, I ended up in rolling laughter after reading a short paragraph he wrote about his recent family trip to 6 flags this summer.

Trying to describe a game he played to win a panda bear--he fell into some trouble. The game involves rolling ping-pong balls down a slight ramp and into slots that will advance a horse along in a race against others. The first to get the highest number with all their balls rolled will win. He wrote:

"I rolled balls to make my hore run. It was fun. I won a pris."

I just had to laugh and laugh that Jonah rolled balls at a whore to make her run....catching it appears, a prissy one!!

Phonics, people! Don't underestimate their power!!

God's Son

I received an email yesterday that my teacher from middle school (with Cancer) has taken a turn for the worse in the last 30 hours. Yesterday, they expected he would not be much longer-- It made me sad, of course, but it also afforded me peace and hope. In her message, his faithful wife said...." We all share a huge bond: an incredible love for John in whatever role he's played in our life, and every one of you has shown this to him. Knowing just how much you care has been almost as precious to him as having you all in his life has been."

His wife was able to fill me completely with this one closing remark--indeed in the last few weeks I have left many messages for him on his blog--and I can gratefully count myself among those that he can know cares for him. For all the times we are given to offer our hearts to others, I am so glad I have been able to impart some love for him to take with him to heaven!!

For His part, God has given us everything we need to know. He did so long before most of the gospels were written. In my view--everything God has been telling us ever since OT time has just been a reiteration, or review of this point. He told us from the beginning that everything that was made, was made by the hand of his first/only begotten son. God could have created his perfect world, and remained infinitely. He chose, however, to create a SON. He chose to make family part of his perfect existence. God gave us family--and family is what we most need to attend to, appreciate, love, honor and care for infinitely. God gave us family, and everything he has told us from that point has been about how to care for it in a godly way.

I am so grateful for the examples of good, and loving, and appreciative and giving families!
I am grateful for my family, and I am grateful for yours. Let us love one-another as family to each other....for literally, that is what we are--and I hope never to forget that!

P.S.

I love you!

Perfect Failure.

It is Thursday. Not as close to Friday as it felt three weeks ago, but yet it is somehow that same day of the week.

So many things....... I want to start with my blahs and end with God...so here I go.....

Today felt closer to failure than success.... the school called about Jonah around 11:15 today--my work day with my 5! I hoped he would not need to come home, but as it turns out, he was complaining of a headache (stands to reason after falling on it playing outside) and they felt he should go home. RIIIIIIIIIIIGHT! Go home, when I have 5 toddlers/preschoolers and FOUR carseats. Go home. RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT! So I started making calls. Thanks be to God (who says that?) Kristin was able to come be with the kiddos before her next client. I was able to get him around 12:10. At 12:30 I got the long-awaited call about my (part-time) job with families first. Second income??!!! NO, no, no. No, they had another candidate apply who, "Just happened to have everything they were looking for in a candidate." Oh. Oh, oh, o. Okay, maybe next time? No, just a 'good luck' for me. "Good thing I have ONE job", I thought!

We are certainly strung like a top these days....and I knew it was coming. I was hoping that being overbooked would keep me from emotionally eating, or feeling like I was not leaving a stamp on the world--but instead, I feel like one more mother who is trying to steer a steamship with a kite-flyers license.

Thankfully, every time I try to muster a "wooh-is-me" I remember the blessing that is my life. I remember these golden children....this job, this house, this ticking heart...my family, my love, my ability to think and put one foot mostly in-front of the other (if even forgiving the swish, swish of my pants as I do it) and to kneel to pray at night. I am reminded of an exercise I did with my daycare 4 or 5 years ago where we made a thankfulness tree and I started the lesson by asking my 3s and 4s to shout out everything they were thankful for.

MY DADDY!
MY TOYS!
MY ARMS!
MY TOES!

My arms? My toes? It stopped me dead in my "but I have a purpose to this lesson as a teacher" tracks and was struck dumb in understanding (can you be struck dumb if you are understanding something?). We have the great things that are so obviously gifts....but then we have our thumbs, and our pinky toes and our hair that curls both under and over and WOW! Suddenly we have the world! We are the masters of so much bounty we can hardly stand under the awesomeness of us......suddenly, despite our desires to be caught in how we are NOT KEEPING UP WITH THE JONES', we just have to realize that we have so so so much.

This week, I have been bouncing between the blogs of the Alders and reading my email about the trust of my "late" uncle (Late? Why do we say that when someone has passed??) It has really given me so very much to think about! My lovely, perfected uncle in Heaven (whom I continue to miss more than I ever thought I would on all those days I could have called him and just got too busy too....sorry Marv!) was in my box of photos in an unusually large way the last time I pulled it out. How did I get to be the owner of so many pictures of Marvin? Seeing his Marvin-grin--what a cheese--made me sad and so glad at the same time. Sure I was crying like only a "I should have been better to you when you were alive" person would do....but I was also so thankful for my belief in heaven--my complete faith in forgiveness, and my knowledge that THERE/ IN HEAVEN he has so much, and understands so perfectly how I feel about him, and can receive from my prayers on his behalf and feel the effects of all those who try to honor him or live honorably in his name! I still feel the complete gift that is KNOWING that Marv understands how I love him much better now than while we were both living. That is such a gift!

Then too, with Kens' friend Kate Alder who lost her husband last week in a car accident--only a year and a half together as a couple--I was again given a firming of faith in the pure sanctity and blessedness of LOVE. In our chances to have it, to learn from it, to share it, and to be altered by it in HIS name.

Since reading about Mr. Neal's cancer (and last weeks) I have been so much more fully aware of my life! I feel saddened and needlessly stalled by the outside world temping me away with worldly and unimportant goals for myself. I have delighted in taking as many moments as I can every day to remind those I know (and a few who are pure strangers) how I love and appreciate their mark on this world. I take note more brightly of the praises I hear from person to person--pause over the smiles, and try to give more enthusiasm and purity to my closings with people.

This morning, I had to make a call to the building code office at the city building. "Shirley" answered the phone--it must have been 9:10. I began by asking her how she was, and she said, "fine" in quite the ordinary way. Then I told her I was calling "because I have just a few questions for you." She perked up, laughed, and said, "Questions! Why does everyone call with questions?" She was kidding, of course! That is her job, after all! But I took her cue, and laughed along with her and said, "But my questions can wait. I really want to know right now how things are going for you? Is there anything new in your life?" She laughed again, but then told me how she was feeling that she would "feel better, if she was feeling better." We chatted for a few minutes about how she was feeling--all very friendly and lighthearted. When we got to my questions, we had already had a few laughs and really connected. She was delightful--and hearing her perk up really put a great spin to MY already hectic day...

There are tragedies around us. There are people who don't have the right perspective or have forgotten where to put their hearts for a time. There are those with blinders, or those fallen under temptation to the world that are putting on US trials and heartaches, pains and frustrations. There are those in total loss. And, they are draining us even when we cannot see it fully.....

But, there is LIFE, and there is an ultimate example for us! I pray to be thankful for the experiences I have had, and to continue to shape the measure of my GRATITUDE.

I have thought several times in the weeks past....if I were to die today....what would my legacy be? Where would someone stop and point to something I have done and take something good from it for their own lives? I pray that the view I have--the hopeful faith my eye can see and translate in the lives of so so many around me every single day will be able to stay with those I have loved too. That everyone I call my friend, or who might someday call me a friend will be able to see, just as I see....just how alive, present and ACTIVE God is in our world, our lives, our hearts and our trials---and just how very good that is!

Today may have felt more like failure than success, but I end with God, and it feels perfect. Even failure can feel perfect.

I love you all so very much!!

In everything, you will receive.

For those who have not been caught up in my doings, I now have a new "placement." M came to us August 21st: a freckled and frazzled, all-be-her disappointed eleven year old. Mom is away for 60-90 and M is with us until she can be home again. I don't really know which way it may go--and it is not my place to offer my heart to invest in that one way or the other. I have done that before, and I have learned it's better just to be sure this day and the next day and the next day--(the singular days, one after the other after the other) are full, and real, and educational, and caring, and christ-like for the one being served--the child.

Two weeks before I met M, I found myself in earnest prayer. Some time had gone on, with near-placements and overpasses for me as a foster-parent. Not one child had a kept for more than an afternoon of baby-sitting in a year. I prayed to Heavenly Father to use this desire. I prayed to allow me to act in His service in this way--the way I feel called to do--able to do. In ways I do not always do, I opened my heart even more widely and offered my yearnings to Him. One day later I was called to do an overnight respite for 2 brothers! Just one day!

The brothers were AWESOME! I loved them instantly. They were from another office, and had foster homes some distance away but I cannot fully grasp the IMMEDIATE connection to the holy spirit I felt once they were settled in my home. I am absolutely convinced that each foster child has his or her own angel--a direct line to the holiest of God's spirit--and it is so so palpable. (Mostly so as they sleep!) I felt the urging, and the love of God in my home. It was wonderful!

The following Friday, I got another call to take M. She was not just respite, and the need was immediate--in just a few hours! A quick check with Joe, a prayer and a DEEP BREATH lead me to my ultimate "Yes"....and thus I am where we are...

I share this story because I think we all have a calling. Something more than a whispering of how we can serve God. It's clear to Him, and through the holy ghost He makes it clear to us. He doesn't save this for only the most righteous, or the near-perfect. He doesn't tally sins and failings before He gives us these gifts--He gives them because he loves us, and knows us, and knows how loving Him will help us grow (and certainly using these gifts is loving Him!) and have more JOY. He would not reserve charity for only the righteous, as He knows that charity encourages righteousness! So.....my urging is to seek out your gifts and then pray for the opportunity to use them. Use them to the benefit of God--in HIS name, and therefore "be thou and example of the believers..." that all men may see your good works and honor HIS name. I can testify that if you honestly and openly seek to do His will AND His work, HE will give you the way. Why would He let hang an out-stretched hand of charity? Of course He would not!

The next time you see your talent just wasting away at your fingers....and you despair at its un-use, truly pray and ponder if you desire to use it for YOUR good or HIS--and then you may see why you are that way. This I promise: Desire to do for Him, and in everything you will receive.

In everything, you will receive.

Again, again. I do this all again.

Again, again. I do this all again.

Hello Tuesday, though we have been here before.
Good morning, morning routine--my how familiar you are, even after so many months away.
Hello chaos, have you met hectic? Why of course, you and we are old friends.
Good day, "remember this"-- good day, least I forget you later. And
Welcome, "my life"--we are good partners, and I thank you for keeping it real.

And old teacher teaches new lessons

Waaaaaay back in my middle school years, I was taught by a man named John Near. He was a great teacher--taught me my first lesson on stocks, showed me how cool the covers of magazines could be as artwork (something I mimicked on the walls of my dorm room many years later), and generally asked me to reach, reach, reach! Though my journal of those years mentions him often, it has been decades since I have really thought about him.

Through the miracle of facebook, I reconnected with some of the alumni of Harker--that school he taught at for so many years....and through them, I found out that Mr. Near had been diagnosed with cancer. He has blogged his entire experience--from diagnosis through to "the end".....I have decided to cut and paste an entry he made just a few short days ago--because it is an important message.....

So many times we have heard the counsel to not wait until tomorrow to love your family....to DO that act of charity we are just meaning to do.....to not put things off. We know this! And, we have heard from the mouths of those who don't have that time their urgings to do this " on behalf of them"....

.............yet, so many of us still are not hearing.

I sincerely appreciate the words of John Near in the passages to follow--not only for these heart-filled urgings to us once again---but for his words of gratitude to all who have shared with them validation for the life he HAS lived. Truly touched by these remarks, it reminded me that we have an obligation toward each other to sincerely appreciate and validate the good life choices of those around us as much as we need to make the most of our own lives. Just as we do not know when our own lives will come to an end--we do not know when our loved-ones will leave this earth.

In Mr. Near's honor, I want to single out 5 people this week that I really do appreciate and find remarkable, and TELL THEM.

How about you, too?? What would the world look like if we really did show gratitude toward the GOOD, rather than idolism toward the fameous? Maybe, just maybe--a bit more like heaven.

Thank you Mr. Near!

Thursday, August 13, 2009 11:59 AM, CDT

Hi everyone,

Well, this is the most difficult post I'll ever have to make. I know my recent posts have shown me making positive steps. And, while I'd like to tell many of you personally, it just isn't feasible so we'll have to use this forum.

Things changed dramatically yesterday. Those who know me well know that I like to get to the point. So, simply put, I'm dying. All metastatic cancer patients know that for the vast majority of us death is not a question of if but when. At some point chemo starts to do more harm than good and I've reached that point. We started chemo again last week and that is why I'm in the hospital now. This news led to the question of how much time do I have left and, unfortunately, the answer was a few weeks, maybe a month or two.

Pam, Casey and I have known this day was coming but it came much sooner than we thought. We are doing as well as can be expected under the circumstances.

When I'm released from the hospital, I plan to do as much as I can while I can. I'm going to try to go the faculty dinner next Thursday and we are going to be hosting an informal open house at our home Sat., Aug. 22 from 12:00 to 5:00 for any of you who like to come by to see me - and each other - to share stories, love and hugs. Our address is 1860 Market St. in Santa Clara.

Finally I want to again thank you all for your support. It has sustained me, but more importantly it has helped validate my life. We all want to make a difference, and while I've always known I have, the many postings here have just confirmed my life choice. I've done what I absolutely love for 31 years and have had an impact on many people. I also love the fact that our family didn't wait until later to have wonderful life experiences. Because, as we've learned, you may not make to retirement years and you can't just say, "well, I'll do it later." One of our favorite places is Italy. On one of our trips we met and got to know a family in Pisa. One of the first things we talked about was the difference between Americans and Italians. They said, Americans live to work while we work to live. More of us need to adopt that approach.

Hope to see many of you in the next few weeks.

Love to you all,
John

Tuesday

For awhile, as you know, I have been wondering why I keep trying to split my time between the different churches I attend. It is very hard, both schedule-wise and gospel-wise. Some things are completely contradictorily, some are just different. I can leave both churches frustrated on any Sunday because of these differences. It's so hard! In one I can say, "That's not true" or in the other say, "That is just your opinion, not GOSPEL." I believe the propensity to get that confused is so great. And, at the end of the day I am trying to please God, not any organization. I used to thirst after the deeper stuff--but now I just want to live the simple things--really live them. And, that is harder than I would like to believe. I have been counseling some teenagers about honesty. We can chat on and on about that one thing for weeks! God says, "Thou shall not lie..." how deep was that command! So many "Lie" in so less than obvious ways--denial, refusing to find truth, excusing things that have no excuse, and ignoring the obvious saying they just can't see it. To me, those are lies. Maybe not to others--but to me they are. People can only be as honest to others as they can be honest with themselves, and certainly many people keep themselves in ignorance to avoid it all-together. But as it says in the scriptures, "they did not sin ignorantly, for they knew the will." When we desire something, it is easy to lie. It is easy to coax a result that is not in-line with what is truly inspired, or right, or righteous and this is what I spend so much time thinking about. Not so much deep incongruities like "how do we know"---but, "what do we know"--and what are we going to do about it.

More than you want to hear from me this morning--but where I am.

Monday

I feel heckled by life.

This day began, and is almost past. Not sure why my thoughts bounced to the things it did--God, history, exhaustion, cohesion.

A crumbled cloud,

am I.

Without sun, the moon grows

I woke damp for the third night this week--the air sweating the rain back onto my sheets and making them cold against me as the clock buzzed by my head. I rolled over and scratched his back gratefully. A few stray kisses, and then padded past the bouncing, tin-drumming downpour to the kitchen.

He asked me sometime later if I noticed a change in my mood when I am pre-menstrual. "Am I pre-menstrual?" I countered. I told him I couldn't smile as well when it was rainy. I told him that another summer like this one would drive me to move away from here--it was too hard to be me when the sun is away. And, I am gaining weight by the day! The truth is, I know I use food to replace warmth. Warmth, in all degrees. I imagine my body opening up like the hungry mouth of a baby bird looking for sun but getting blueberries and melted cheese and noodles instead. Fed all day, nothing gives satisfaction, or peace, or energy. How I miss the sun!

And still my life is so burdenless compared to the lot to many pulled! I will myself to stay aware oif where I live--what I eat--how mundane and inaffectual my tribulations are. My friends are mostly well, my family is so cared for--my work continues, the days pass unmarred and I am lucky. There is no sun, but I am lucky.

At least I can say that.

Pictures of June 23, 2009

D and D

Ren Got a Job! Or, rather, she is REALLY close. She is super excited to be working at the Dunkin' Doughnuts across the street from our house this summer. I have no idea what the pay is...but it is work, and work is good. I will be a little sad if she ends up making more than me.....what with the degree and over 15 years in my field, but then again.....

Ren knows what a double-double large is.

Or something like that.

Congrats Ren! Love ya!

A June Day

After days of campaigning, "I will got outside when it's warm again..."
I find myself hiding from the sun today. I'm still in my pajama bottoms--
the ones I wear on my 'seasonal affective' days--watching that beautiful
embered light
tangle with the dust on the hardwood
remembering how I just yesterday told the girls I am only blue when it's cloudy.
I am not sure if I am blue,
or just lazy--
imagining all the things I could be doing--
prioritizing my tasks like a 3-legged dog leading a blind-man on a marathon.
There is a baby on the floor at my feet playing with marbles.
There is always a baby on the floor at my feet--
a baby, or a baby's things which is the same, some-days,
in a plastic canvas sort of way.
I watched tv today--but not on the tube. I took video today,
down-loaded pictures of parties today. I squeezed my belly into a shapely oval
and I took the clothes from the washer today. I noticed a new crease
to the left of my right eye. I confirmed that the whitening strips are worth $34.95.
I got sauce on my sleeve today--I tripped on my book today.
I forgot that it was warm today--even though I could see it in every window.
I let myself hear myself, and remembered what was there--
Not a cloud, nor a lost hum or grasses of Rye--so I tell myself
so I remember.
It is my turn to lean today--to find thanks today.
It has been good, this day...
It's felt right today....just about
as right as a plastic marathon running canvas dog in embered dust on hardwood.
and God is good.
and God is good.

Happy birthday Drew!

UPS does not deliver the HOLY GHOST

Many of you, my friends, know that most recently I am trying to track down the power and authority to confer the holy ghost. I am trying, in essence, to find out how the priesthood can be given to man--how the ability and authority to act as a conduit for our God can be given from our Father in Heaven to any man on earth.

Christ promised us the holy spirit to be with all who will repent, are baptized, and live in righteousness and obedience. This companion shall forever be available to us while our savior is not. We are baptized, and receive the holy ghost in almost every Christian church....GET BAPTIZED, GET THE HOLY GHOST. While the debate for who can baptize rages on, I further wonder, how to we receive the holy ghost? How go we get the GIFT of having its CONSTANT companionship?

In reading the Bible, it is instantly clear.....many who heard the word of God were touched by the spirit and were compelled to be baptized. Men all around the region were baptizing--it was not long from being just John the Baptist to many being able to perform this act! Though it is not directly stated anywhere that I have yet found, how this came to be....this authority must have been given to those men SOMEHOW!? First John (who was ordained by God himself as the baptist of the Lord!) and then others.....but curiously, not so much said about those being baptized receiving the holy ghost until we heard from John himself saying,"I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire" (Matthew 3:11). We are first shown that Christ himself shall deliver us with the holy ghost.

While some argue that it was not immediately necessary to have the holy ghost (Christ was living on earth, after all), eventually His companionship and direction WAS required. We needed a way to receive personal revelation, and I am gathering that this was the way that was determined it would happen (could angels come to ALL of us, the way they had come to others before the coming of Christ?). I also assume that all others who were baptized during the ministry but before the death of Christ received the holy ghost spiritually (not requiring to again meet with the apostles to receive this gift)

In Acts 2:1-4, the prophecy was fulfilled when the Holy Spirit fell on the Apostles, just as Jesus also prophesied it would in Acts 1:4-8.

What troubles me is the language and legacy of these gifts. In 1 Corinthians 12, we learn that at baptism--when we join the body of Christ, the Church--we receive spiritual gifts. Each of us is blessed at that time with some manner of power from God. Each is unique, and each necessary. As it states, " Now the body is not made up of one part but of many... If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be....As it is, there are many parts, but one body." It could be argued, that the mere act of being baptized gives us this spiritual gift. Is this the gift of the holy spirit, however?

In Acts, as well as other places, we learn there is indeed a different gift that will come to us. We read that not just anyone can offer us this GIFT, that of the holy spirit. In Acts 6 and 8 we see the apostles step forward and confer the gift of the holy ghost when others could not with the laying on of their hands. Being able to baptize (such as Philip in Acts 8) did not mean being able to offer the gift of the holy ghost. Of course, we know that prior to the assent of Christ, no apostle had been baptized with the holy spirit nor giving away that gift.

Indeed, at the Pentecost, the apostles were baptized with the holy spirit as Jesus had said. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them and in their new ability, could act as Prophets and Seers and could deliver all manner of new miracles including speaking in tongues. Because of this power, many were persuaded that Jesus was the Christ and wondered what they could do. That day, Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit...." Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number.

Did the apostles lay their hands upon all 3000? Or, was some manner of "lower" holy spirit given from heaven to those believers without the laying on of hands? And, what of those in the months to come--those like in Acts 8 who waited on the apostles to receive the holy ghost after they were baptized? They required the hands of the apostles upon their heads to be given this gift--what gift was it? A new one? A higher one?

The gift of authority to baptize? Or, just the gift of the companionship and communication from their heavenly father? The gift to perform miracles, or speak in tongues, or open a Church, or teach? Surely as it says in 1 Corinthians, there is a difference, and different gifts to receive! Different gifts requiring different methods of reception! Perhaps indeed, some gifts of the holy ghost required a higher priest--an apostle only--to give. Perhaps others required someone more lowly--or still others, just faith in Christ itself.

These are the things I am considering. Where does the line begin and end? What can we do in the name and authority of GOD without HIM directly giving it to us.

If there are apostles on earth today--than surely they can act in HIS name and with HIS authority. They can literally put their hands on the heads of believers once they are part of the body of Christ and give them (higher) special gifts, too. But, without them....how will we have the authority to perform miracles, to lead--minister and heal? How will we receive not only the power, but the authority to do it? How can it be validated? How can it be GIVEN?

If God's gifts are GIVEN....someone has to give them. I do believe that heavenly gifts are spiritually endowed. I believe that faith alone can offer us the inspiration of the spirit, the encouragement of the holy ghost. I believe that acting in obedience/ in a Christ-like way can also give us even higher spiritual gifts--but that the holy ghost itself--the direct line to Christ and His thoughts and desires and WILL--that THAT must come just as it did in the times of the bible--from one baptized with fire--. Who has been baptized with fire? How will we recognize them? How will we find them in the masses? How will we know?

these are my questions.

House Rules

So, Joe and I are working on blending this tremendously talented and spirited group. We have decided we need to develop a family Motto, Constitution and House Rules. It is going to be a long process....but I have started brain-storming my ideas.

Right now, my personal favorite Motto is:

Live to sow on earth what can be reaped in heaven.

And, here is my first go-around at house rules and a family constitution:

Family Constitution:

If it is yours, take care of it.

If you make a mess, clean it up.

If you are responsible for something, admit it.

If you borrow something, return it.

If someone does something for you, acknowledge their effort.

Hurting is never okay.

Act like you want to be treated.

Forgive. Your emotions are your choice.

Remember that EVERYONE is God’s child, including you, so make your Father proud.

House Rules:

Use seat-belts and helmets for safety at all appointed times.

If you take something out, put it away.

We have to know where you are, and who you are with.
(Or in other words, when plans change, no matter how small, LET US KNOW (note, call, email).)

Always tell someone where you are going when you leave the house/yard.

No shoes or food upstairs.

If you wouldn’t say it to a baby, don’t say it to anyone. (No swearing)

Hurting is never okay.

Do not make a toy out of a tool.

Do not take anything that is not yours without asking—we borrow, not STEAL.

If you are going to eat it/ate it, you have to help take care of it (put it away, clean-it up, etc)

If you didn’t pay for it, treat it twice as nice as if you did (or in other words, take care of your things)

We are not just a family, we are a team. Everyone is needed, nobody is benched, and time-outs are sometimes required.

Ask, do not demand.

If it is not your space, don’t make it yours (or, in other words, don’t leave your personal things in common areas).

Never, ever use a gun, bow, sharp knife or any other weapon without one of your PARENTS with you.

There is absolutely no alcohol, tobacco, or cigarettes to be used by anyone under 21.

Drugs are illegal here and everywhere. There will be ZERO tolerance if you use or are with anyone using drugs.

No people of the opposite sex are allowed in your bedroom with the door closed.

Your body is yours, only. Nobody has any rights to touch, hurt, or otherwise use it but you.

Make all your choices like they really matter, THINK before you act.

HF Pictionary

Last night, at our Family Home Evening, we began a very short discussion about drawing a picture of God. I asked, "Are we allowed to draw God?" There was some confusion and not a whole table of agreement, so I thought I would turn it out to my bloggers to see what they thought:

As far as drawing God, the religious conservatives would quote Deuteronomy 5:8/ Exodus 20:

Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters under the earth

graven defined:
graven: –verb 1. a pp. of grave3. –adjective 2. deeply impressed; firmly fixed. 3. carved; sculptured: a graven idol.

likeness defined:
likeness –noun 1. a representation, picture, or image, esp. a portrait: to draw a good likeness of Churchill. 2. the state or fact of being like: I can't get over your likeness to my friend. 3. the semblance or appearance of something; guise: to assume the likeness of a swan.


The religious liberals would not think it's inappropriate, to DRAW GOD, but the obvious issue is that no one has seen God, therefore any drawing would be an abstract or subjective interpretation of how you see God. You could draw a flower, and say that it represents God, or a person you love, or the stars above, or simply splash some different colored paints on a canvas and say it represents God. We all have different images in our head as to God's features or being. He is greater than our ability to comprehend--and even though I do believe he has a body the same as you and me if you or anyone believes he has no body--how COULD you draw him? His essence is what we cannot fully grasp, therefore you could not draw Him. in the most middle-of-the-road explanation, it would be impossible as we do not know what "HE" is in our limited human capacity and cannot understand as our human intelligence is so limited and God is so unworldly.

Maybe that is the true issue. Our images are worldly, and God is not?

The problem that some people could have with you drawing the image would be if anyone worshipped it....if any people or groups accepted one image of GOD to represent his TRUTH and used it in their publications, or to hang in their churches. That would then be a graven image and against God's Law by the writings of Exodus. We are commanded in the 10 not to worship any graven images or idols. So, I guess we just don't do it to avoid the mistake that could be made from it.

Still, people have drawn God. Famous people. Jan Van Eyck painted a piece entitled God Almighty, in 1426. Andrew del Castagno painted another God the Father in 1442. Artus Quellin painted a status of God the Father in 1682. And more famously Michelangelo painted at the Sistine Chapek a painting of God and Man (picture at the heading of this post). To me, these pictures look like Popes or Kings or what a GOD is represented to be based on the Greek multi-theism. They don't look like what GOD might look like to me, but who am I to say? Were the artists truly trying to paint THE GOD, or just A GOD? There is a difference, I think.

What is not discussed as much is drawing Jesus. That is accepted, because he was a man on earth--but his godliness is just as clear. Jesus is a God in heaven. He was a God before he was made man, so some suggest--and some others suggest he became one when he was resurrected. Either way, he is a God, and maybe should not also be drawn, but still is. He is drawn a LOT, and just a unlikely is our accurate representation of what HE looked like, too! Did nobody think to sketch the man when he was delivering his sermons? How strange that thought never came to anyone. Maybe God was making it so. Maybe God intended us to not draw HIM either. Makes me wonder!

I don't know. It is perplexing at best! What do you think?

Bonus Guy

So I have this affection for Pac-Man. And, oddly, it really seems to fit me on some even higher level. Not necessarily that I am the oblong, or circular orb that eats his way through life.....(no, despite the co-incidental similarities, this is not what I mean) but the phenomenon of the bonus guy. It seems, that every time I play Pac-Man, just moments after earning my bonus guy, I die. Or rather, my character dies. I can be so greatly plugging along, get that 10,000 point bonus little dude--and then wham! I promptlt run right into one of those tricky randomly moving little m&m ghosts and poof! Am no more. My gain, is instantly null. My achievement, moot. My advance, demoted to staying just where I am, or was, or in anyway, will now be.

I can get tripped into feeling my own sense of pride of status...advancement, comfort, security--I CAN get fooled into thinking I have already arrived at my happiness...and then all of that (or less dramatically, some of that) can....WHAM! Slip away. Yes, sure! I AM overly-sensitive! I know that! I take every gesture, or comment, or scarcastic moment and elevate its weight a thousand times beyond its intended effect--but still....BUT STILL....it CAN be that I can feel my security--my bonus guy--poof away just at the places I am feeling most content and statisfied and I can be justified in feeling hurt and afraid and I have to wonder WHY? Is it me? Or is it that my destiny is different than I think it is? I remember once telling Clay that I thought I was here on earth to help elevate everyone else--but took no stock in deserving my own elevation. I am who I am who I am and that is just who I am and who I will be. No advances, no bonusus, and dash it all, apparently so little saftey in being still. Little Pac-Man me....keep turning those corners, and watch out for your numbers as they climb. Gettiing near to 10,000 might not mean the step ahead you were thinking it would be....getting there doesn't necessarily mean you've earned any extra life or any higher a place on the record-board. It might seem radom, but really--they come at you in only one way....every where they have been before--and will be again and again and again. You've seen this all before.....

Play it again, Sam

I'm JUST thinking about it..................but, I could could could do this foster thing again. It's been since September since I tried it--and that was a dismal failure. Another teenage daughter? How about one with a baby? Yeah, I may just be insane.

Maybe it's the draw to being a foster grandmother? Can you just see it? Me a granny?!

GRANNY DANI!

"This is my foster daughter.....and my foster grandson."

But....Wherever will we all sleep when when we are a family of....GULP......9????????????

hummmm, better think this one over awhile and talk to that probation officer. I might just need a head-check and a pill to put me to sleep.

grinning

Last night, I was smiled at. It wasn't an ordinary,"hey there you" smile. No, No, it was an "I am so happy to be with you, looking at you, benefiting from you, growing and giving to you" smile. It was amazing.

I felt loved. A "this is what I choose, not what I am stuck with" love.

Yeah, it was that good.


I don't know why He does it, but I know that God answers my prayers. It is not because of my religious affiliation, or because of my expressions of faith (they are certainly not much, after all.) It is not because I am especially worthy, or needy, or even lost. I can't say WHY....but He does. He listens to me with the kind of ear I wish I had for the ones I love. He listens to what I ask for, and what I leave out. He gives me exactly what I need, when I ask for something of good for the ones I love most--and he gives me exactly what I need, when I forget to ask for something of good for me. He answers my prayers by letting me rise and fall....letting me be well, and sick; thin and fatter. He answers my prayers by giving me silence and by sending me loudspeaker answers over the noise of the world around me. He finds me in foreign churches, in large crowds, and in the narrow silences of my private moments and speaks to me--speaks to my needs. I know that He is. I have no doubts.

I have thought about my uncle in Heaven. He's been there since last Friday. I can smile at his perfected body--or at least, his body without cancer or age or stress. I smile at him seeing his parents again after so many many years. I smile knowing he probably said, "Well what do you know! This is slick as S#*@!" And I miss him for not being there to see that! How great it would be to be able to see the ones we love have THAT moment! Maybe that will be our rewards when it is our turn to be in heaven, and our turn to see our own family come to join US! Will we laugh at their wonder? Will we smile at their disbelief? Will we delight and telling them, "Yes, it is THIS good!"? I can only guess--but it's wonderful to leave my heart THERE--letting Marvin have that moment in my own imagination--that "slick as S#*! moment. I am so sure he worried about his sweetheart. I am sure he said a prayer for her--maybe still is. I want to believe love transcends those two worlds--and can be kept alive even after the souls depart.

Its the only thing that makes loving here make any sense. OR, the dying in love part.

Seeing Joe's smile, I was overwhelmed with my own desire to die in love. I whispered to him, "Let me be there for you until the last." I was Thinking of Mary holding Marvin's hand for 3 weeks straight (with only a 3 hour reprieve)--and I was overwhelmed with my own desire to take their truth and put it in my own life. How much more the experience of heaven must have meant with her hand in his as he slackened away! And if Joe were to die before me....how much more wonderful would my own life be once Joe is gone if I can offer him that, too?! Maybe it is me trying to honor one of the few truly good, Godly and valliant examples in my family....or maybe it is the power of that smile......but....

Gosh, it was a good one--and it has planted in me a new seed of eternity.

The Time Line of the New Testament

I have been trying to create an accurate list of dates for the New Testament, and have been working on this for some time. If anyone has any new dates/better dates/ more information about the apostles, their authorship of the GOSPELS, and/or anything else that would make my research more fruitful, PLEASE post a response. I really want to get this RIGHT~
thank you!

5-8 BCE Jesus Born
30 CE Jesus Crucified

(It was recorded in Matthew that Jesus named Peter the new head of the Church prior to the last supper. This is ironic only if Matthew is based on the book of Mark, which has been agreed was written by a follower of PETER as he established the Christian Church of ROME in 65 CE, so, who really reported that 'fact'?)

31 CE- Paul begins ministry in Damascus
42-44 CE/AD- James (brother of Jesus) runs the CHRISTIAN CHURCH OF JERUSALEM
43 CE- (August 15th) Mary, mother of Jesus Died

44-67 CE- CHRISTIAN CHURCH OF JERUSALEM, CORINTH, ROME ALL CREATED (by Peter, Paul, John)

49-50 CE- Paul wrote (epistles) to Thessalonians ..........19 years after Death of Jesus
51 CE- Paul wrote epistle to Galatians...................................................21 years
55 CE- Paul wrote Corinthians................................................................25 years after
57-75 CE- Gospel of Mark (first gospel written)........................................40 years after (authorship attributed to "MARK", who was a follower of Peter when Peter and Paul were establishing the church in Rome who wrote down what Peter preached in Rome, not an apostle of Jesus during his earthly ministry)
60 CE- Paul wrote Romans.....................................................................30 years after
60 CE- Luke wrote Acts and Luke 30 years after
(Luke was not a follower of Christ in Jesus' time, based on Mark, one of Paul's followers which is why Paul is said to author ACTS)

60 CE-1 Peter written..............................................................................30 years after
62 CE- Paul wrote 1Timothy.............................................................. 32 years after
62 CE- Epistle of James written (brother of Jesus) and James dies
64 CE- Paul said to have written Galatians, Philippians, Hebrews I, Hebrews II......34 years after
67 CE- Paul wrote 2Timothy....................................................................37 years after
67 CE- PAUL and PETER died
75-85 CE- Matthew (unknown author, first titled, "The gospel according to Matthew").......40-65 years after Jesus death
70 CE- Destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans
70 CE- John became pastor to the Church in Ephesus.
While in Ephesus, by order of the Roman emperor Domitian, John was exiled to an island called Patmos. In what is known as the cave of the Apocalypse (located on this island), the sacred text of the book of Revelation was given to the apostle John by Jesus (it is here that John recorded what is written in the New Testament book of Revelation.) In other words, Jesus appeared to John and showed him the text of Revelation??

85-95 CE-Gospel of Luke and book of Acts written (Luke and Acts by same author, suggested to be Paul).............65 years after

95 CE - Revelations written
(authored by either John the apostle or John of Patmos)...........65 years after

95 CE- Gospel of John (written by the apostle John)..........................65 years after
98-100 CE- last living apostle, John died
(Mormons believe John was translated, or made immortal so that he could live on earth until Jesus' 2nd coming)

When John was evidently an old man in Ephesus, he had to be carried to the church in the arms of his disciples. At these meetings, he was accustomed to say no more than, "Little children, love one another!" After a time, the disciples wearied at always hearing the same words, asked, "Master, why do you always say this?" "It is the Lord's command," was his reply. "And if this alone be done, it is enough!"

190 CE- Christian council established the official date and observance of Easter......160 years after the death of Jesus
1380 CE- first English translation of the bible (from Hebrew)- 1,350 after the death of Jesus
1886 CE- gospel of Peter (AD 64) discovered and included in the scriptures.
1945 CE- Gospel of Thomas discovered (not a narrative account of Jesus--forged author?--Not written until after 92-100 CE. Many don't accept)

What you can find on Craig's List

I was looking on Craig's List under the Resume section, and saw this very REAL post from someone.....some man I am assuming--a boy? A really un-intelligent man-child? Well anyway, after shaking my head over and over I decided to post it for your reading enjoyment. Seriously people, this is an active post on Craig's List!

Attention Rich People Who Need Stuff Done (and any others) (NH Seacoast Area)

---

Reply to: res-qrqet-1058501017@craigslist.org ^{[Errors when replying to ads?]}
Date: 2009-03-03, 12:37PM EST

Rich people have lots of money and lots of stuff they need done.

I don’t have much money and really not much to do these days. So maybe you can pay me to do the stuff that you don’t have to do because you have the money to pay others to do.

I am available for just about any type of thing you need done. I was recently laid off from my job at an event marketing firm where I was an Operations Manager. This job is the type of job you get after years of career apathy and failed dreams. I have had many other jobs like this including:

ü Manager of Abercrombie & Fitch store at the mall
ü Account Executive at Event Marketing Agency
ü Guy who walks around the Mall With a broom and that dustpan thing
ü Rock Star (kind of)
ü Tutor for children with autism
ü Office Assistant at a University where showing up 2 hours late really makes no difference…paid for 40 hours of work while only really doing 5
ü Windsurf Instructor
ü Camp Counselor
ü Radio DJ
ü Voice Over Guy
ü Guy who processed death benefits for insurance company

So I am highly trained at completely random crap and will do anything you need done.

Seriously. I am so F***ing board I’ll drive your rich person type dog to Graceland so it can bark at Elvis’ grave if you pay me. I can find out how to get a bunch of ostriches at your little girl’s sweet 16 party and make the neighbors girl so jealous she’ll run away crying. Seriously. I have done stuff like that before…Guitar lessons (cheaper than the competition)…mediocre joke writer? Vocie overs at a bargain basement price? I’m your man! Dog walker – yup! I can DO THAT! Seriously…what do you need? I’ll do it!*

*Things I won’t do:

^ Surgery on living things
^ Murder
^ Eat raw chicken

Other than that, the sky is pretty much the limit. Email me.

Oh, and I also have COLPLAY tickets for sale (Manfirld, MA 8/3) and a black (pl)leather coach. Let me know if you are interested in those.

I could also make a run to get you cases of 2 BUCK CHUCK...hmmm?

Thanks.

• Location: NH Seacoast Area
• it's ok to contact this poster if you are a potential employer or other principal
• Principals only. Recruiters, please don't contact this job seeker.
• it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

PostingID: 1058501017

---

• Copyright © 2009 craigslist, inc.
• terms of use
• privacy policy
• feedback forum

You can't make this stuff up!

So, everyone of you knows that I am a day-care provider. And, most know that kids will say the darnest things! Put them together, and you have my entry for today--compliments of two of my students:

"C" (almost 3)
"L" (almost 4)

C: "Damage, damage, damage" (chanting, while hitting a plastic hammer on the art-table)
L: "Dani, my mom and dad tell me that that is a bad word, what he is saying."
Dani: What is a bad word?
L: "Damage. That's a bad word my mom and dad telled me."
C: "That's not a bad word. Damn. Damn is a bad word."
L: "oh."
C: "Damn, damn, damn" (chanting, while stomping his foot on the floor.)

Another List thing that Kens Did:

How Well Do You Know Your Guy?


1. He's sitting in front of the TV, what is on the screen?
Heroes (it used to be desperate housewives!), or some other Netflix TV series DVD collection

2. You're out to eat; what kind of dressing does he get on his salad?
Balsamic Vinaigrette or the like. He also likes Raspberry Vinaigrette.

3. What's one food he doesn't like?
I don't think he is crazy about Mexican, but IDK anything else.


4. You go out to eat and have a drink?
Dirty Martini and shrimp scampi

5. Where did he go to high school?
Kearsarge Regional High School

6. What size shoe does he wear?
Um, I think it's an 8.5 or a 9.0


7. If he was to collect anything, what would it be?
My love letters. HA! No, Maybe tools? Gadgets? Broken things. Just in-case.

8. What is his favorite type of sandwich?
Hummm. I am not sure we've eaten sandwiches together? I've seen him eat Tuna, and pb & j. Hey Joe? What's your favorite sandwich?


9. What would this person eat every day if he could?
ohhhh, ohhhh! Easy ONE! "Oddles of Noodles" or in other words, Rahman Noodles.

10. What is his favorite cereal?
Do they make scrambled eggs in a box? Then, I would say Raisin Bran or Cheerios

11. What would he never wear?
I guess I should say, a dress. Or women's anything.

12. What is his favorite sports team?
Any that the kids are playing on.

13. Who did he vote for?
He votes for my cooking, every-time. What a guy!

14. Who is his best friend?
I'm going with Dani. It was a toss-up with Pete or George, but I'm saying me. I'm the one he talks to every-day. I'm the last voice he hears most nights. Ahhhhh!

15. What is something you do that he wishes you wouldn't do?
Keep the fridge door open when I put groceries away. Or maybe, say thank you for loving me to him so much.

16. What is his heritage?
Korean/American. or maybe American/Korean. He's more American, even though its 50/50. How is that?! ;)

17. You bake him a cake for his birthday; what kind of cake?
Cheesecake. Except I don't bake. If I had to bake it, I'm going with a pie. An all-berry slightly tart pie with whipped cream on top. He can make the cheesecake! His is yummy!

18. Did he play sports in high school?
He ran (from the police) for the track team.

19. What could he spend hours doing?
Riding his toys: motorcycle, boat, jeep. Cleaning with a toothbrush, Fishing, reading, watching DVDs, talking with me on the phone (that one he is kinda forced into!), TINKERING.


20. What is one unique talent he has?
He can touch his tongue to his nose, do back-flips off walls, drive in all kinds of weather, be an absolute CHILD when he is playing (in a good way, sweetie!), be an excellent listener, have endless energy and time for the kids, encourages the best parts of me to become better, help me feel loved, make awesome Kimchee and get me to love it too, be a fantastic romantic, pick-up poo with his hands, make an incredibly authentic chicken sound, drive us all around everywhere we go without ever complaining once that I never want to drive, say he loves everything I cook, every-time, with the perfect blend of "mm-mmms" and "ohh wow! Delish!" even if I know he is just trying to make me feel good; oh and......loving me. He does that very well.
Oops! Did it say ONE unique talent? Oh, then, he is great at being a Dad. Truly great.



How did I do?

seriously, we can be this dumb! :)

This was the conversation this morning:

Dani: Uncle Brian Won a contest!
Ren: Cool! What one?
Dani: Still Photographer
Drew: So he won for being very still?
Dani: Yeah, that was it. He's wicked still.
Drew: (looking at winning Photo) Is that him there?
Dani: Yeah, he is so still someone was able to paint a picture of Obama right over him!
Drew: Wow. Wait? You are kidding right?
Ren: Yeah and No. You figure it out.

The Savior and the Library

While wrestling with my place in the kingdom of my Heavenly Father several years ago, I was often paralyzed by my fear that my spiritual ignorance--my scriptural ignorance--made me so much lesser in the eyes of God than of those who were “practiced Christians”--lifers as I had come to think of them. I was in some ways concerned that what I had to offer was too pale in its comparison, and that when the moment of my need came, He would surely turn me away for my thus far, lack-luster effort to know Him. How could I ask to keep company with the Savior, when I knew not his scriptures, nor had attended Church, or even worse yet, had not been baptized?

Through my prayers, I earnestly turned to the Lord to find comfort in my ignorance. I knew I had a father in Heaven. I knew I had a Savior--these things were long compelling me. What worried me most was what would come of me in their sights, were I to face them THIS DAY--in this place in my seeking, yearning soul. Through these ponderings, I had a dream. And, this is what it was:

With an invitation clutched in my hand and slightly panting, I hurried down a steep set of cobble-stone steps. The doorway to the building I was headed to was somewhat under-ground, or otherwise tucked into the basement level of this campus building. I was on University grounds to be sure, and was straight away aware I was already running late to meet the allotted time the invitation suggested.

It was a somewhat unremarkable piece of paper--that invitation. Cardstock, not unlike a wedding announcement bent in my tight fist. It told me the place and time for this interview, but of course not with whom I would be meeting. It had my name in plain but attractive letters, and a cordial encouragement to be on time, please, as there were many appointments to be had that day--all the more biting since indeed I was cutting it close. Still, I had the distinct feeling I was not tardy because I had been slothful. No, it felt as if I had just been given this invitation--and I was doing my best to be where I was supposed to be given the late hour.

When I burst through the double-doors of the somewhat dark brick building, I recognized right away I was in the library. Milling around the doors were dozens of people--most young--who had similar invitations in their hands or pockets. Most were dressed as I was, quite casually, and seemed unremarkable from one to the other. I would have taken little notice of them, in fact, were it not that they were ALL most unmistakably dissimilar to me in one very important way. In each of the arms of all of the other invited guests--where great stacks of books! Some were bent over their open pages, running fingers over line after line as they mouthed words they were reading. Others peeked then slammed books shut as if quizzing themselves on answers--and ALL were too consumed with their books to have any attention left for me. I looked around, my hands painfully empty. What were in those books? Why were they so fervently studying them? Just what WAS this invitation for? I looked past their hunched shoulders and bent heads to the receptionist in the front of the lobby. I walked more and more timidly toward her--extending my invitation to her with apologetic wariness.

She took it from me just as distractedly, and told me that I would be NEXT to be seen, and to have a seat and wait. NEXT? Next to meet with whom? I so desperately wanted to ask why we were all here--me and these others with their impressive stacks and more impressive resolve to cram as much information in as they could. But, there was nobody who had any up-turned eyes, and I soon found I would not have long to wait. In my utter dread of all that I was sure I would not be able to compete with--all the knowledge I was not trying to fill myself up with in these last moments-I became quite suddenly aware why we were all here. Everyone else knew it already, of course, but my understanding crept over me quite belatedly--so much so that I had not time to get any more nervous.

It was the Savior we were waiting to interview with. Christ would be interviewing us, and, the door was just opening for me!

With one look over my shoulder at the down-turned heads of my fellow attendees with their arms full of books, I stepped through the doorway. My hands were miserably open. My arms, weightless and empty.

Thank God for that doorway! For as my feet passed from the cold limestone of the lobby to the warm in descript flooring beyond it, I was suddenly filled with the most remarkable peace. Yes, my arms were empty. I had not one book to turn to, to thumb through nor quote from to impress the Christ--but in an instant I knew that was more than okay. I knew with full certainty then that the Savior cares not what of the world I had learned to quote. He cared not if I had memorized the Bible, or how many prophets I could name. I knew my empty hands would be blessed by Him-- as empty, I could reach out to Him. I knew that everything He needed to know about me would not be reflected in anything else of the world--except how I had used the world to improve my spirit, my faith, and my works in his name. None of these could or would be found in anything more impressive to Him than my own heart, and He cared not how I might TRY to be impressive at THIS HOUR, but how I had tried to LIVE impressive in all the hours before it.

With the Savior, my empty hands felt full. I might have been late to the invitation--even arriving in the last possible moments before my interview--but I had not lost anything in my inability to prepare once I knew it was coming. Everything I needed to feel READY for the Savior I already carried with me. Everything I was, was all He concerned himself with--and no book could define that. No OTHER person could diminish it in what they brought to Him when it was their turn. There was nobody else’s impressiveness the Lord was concerned with when we were alone.

With the Savior, it was my hands, my heart, and Him. Even empty, all were enough and with the knowing He gave me, all were filled by Him to over-flowing. A Godly goodness.

What a grand dream.


To me, it stands to reason that this dream would be held in a library. At the time I was so consumed with all I did not know--could not compete with in my lack of understanding. Every one else’s faith seemed so impressive compared to my pocket-full of questions. I wanted knowledge to feel I was “inside”--to feel accepted and rightful in the Church. It was the wrong reason, of course, because I had confused what the Savior needed from me with what I was afraid CHRISTIANS needed to be. We don’t, after all, read scriptures to be able to spout them to someone when they have a question or a quandary. We don’t memorize, or “master” their pages to be impressive or to ear-mark our progress as good Christians or clear believers. No--nowhere does it tell us to use the scriptures to impress. While we are told that all answers can be found in the scriptures--it is not meant that we are SMARTER, or BETTER because we can quote them or teach them, even. No, I believe we are meant to understand that all answers are found therein because GOD Himself is found therein. All answers are found in God, but we are not impressive because we can turn to the correct page, or even relate and spout-forth our study of them. We are impressive to God, or NOT impressive as the case may be, because of who we are open and empty. Who we are in the heart. Books may improve the mind, sure--but only the spirit improves the heart--and nothing of the spirit can be “made impressive” in the last hour. God knows your heart--and cares not if your arms or hands are empty when you meet. It’s better, in fact, as the more ready you are to receive him, the more He can fill your soul with Godly Love--a love only hands poised to reach with can hold.

This is the truth as far as I can see it. It changed my life to have this dream, and I am glad to share it with you.