Love in Christ -- drop a line, share the good news.

One Solitary Life
(see link below) Very good!!

http://www.onesolitarylifemovie.com/index.htm...

Offering a Cup of Cold Water in the Name of Jesus

There is great power in a small act if it is done to the glory of God.

Jesus taught in Matthew 10:42, "If anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is My disciple, I tell you the truth he will certainly not loose his reward." Notice the simple features of God's instructions. Jesus said sharing an ordinary cup of water in His name can constitute a powerful action that generates a far reaching and eternal result. Jesus did not say you must give gallons of blood or millions of dollars-simply a "cup of cold water" that is humbly offered in His name!

God invites you to do small and simple tasks in His name because those actions can release His love and presence and can have a great impact. Anyone can share a smile or offer a warm embrace. What constitutes your "cup of cold water" that will allow others to encounter Jesus through your attitude and actions?

Leslie Weatherhead was a famous preacher in London who told the story of a young nurse who started working with a terminally ill patient. The kind young lady was apprehensive and asked her pastor, "What will I do when he dies? What will I say to his wife?" The wise and Christ-like mentor replied, "My dear, you do not have to say anything. Just make her a cup of tea." Pastor Weatherhead further explained, "If wine poured out at the communion table is the greatest symbol of God's love for people, then tea poured out in the name of Jesus by a compassionate nurse is also a symbol of God's love."

Remember, there is enormous power in a small kindness that is done to honor Jesus and help His hurting children. Today, find a thirsty person who needs a cup of cold water and share some simple gift of kindness with them and both of you will encounter Jesus.

Something that I found lately and thought it was really good:



Building something of great value to all

“One day a reporter was interviewing three workers on a construction site. Each man was asked the same question:“What are you doing?”

The first worker responded,“I am doing the hot and dirty job of laying bricks.” The second worker told the reporter,“I am earning a paycheck.” But the third laborer responded to the question by proclaiming,“Sir, I am building a church to the glory of God!”

All three men were doing the same task. But they had a different perspective on their purpose. Is your daily work simply a dirty fob or a paycheck? God invites you to transform your work into a divine calling and perform your daily task for His glory! God’s Word tells us in Colossians 3:23-24,“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord and not for men; knowing that the Lord will give you a reward because it is the Lord Christ whom you serve.”

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This above writings made me think of: Simply sharing the Good news with others by way of the monies we make working, AND/OR tithing in church AND/OR otherwise to share the Good News…

Laying Aside Encumbrances and Entanglements
(Source:“In Touch” magazine.)

The Scriptures often depict the Christian life as a race, which is a good analogy. After all, in our spiritual walk, we have a clear path set before us (Jeremiah 29:11), a crowd of spectators (Hebrews 12:1), a definite finish line (2 Timothy 4:7), and a prize (1 Corinthians 9:24), as well as of course, obstacles (John 16:33). To truly understand what our role is in this great race, we take a close look at those things that would hinder our success.

Hebrews 12:1-3 challenges us to lay aside our encumbrances and entanglements. What does this mean?

An encumbrance is simply something that weighs us down. Have you ever seen a marathon runner mobbing along while wearing a large, heavy backpack? Of course not! In fact, the good runner is aware of every ounce on his person—from body weight to T-shirt to running shoes. He knows that even the slightest bit of extra weight will make his run tougher and slower.

And an entanglement, obviously, is anything that tangles us up. Imagine a runner who, in the middle of his race, accidentally steps into a pile of loose rope. All of a sudden, his stride is broken, and his feet are caught in a dangerous web. While he doesn’t want to lose any time by stopping, he knows that running with his feet tied together is impossible! So he stops, untangles his feet, and then resumes the race. Just think of how much productive time he has lost!

As believers, we all face encumbrances and entanglements at some point in our spiritual walk. Guilt, regret, fear, and doubt can weigh us down, just as sin, deceit, temptation, and selfish ambition can trip us up. Unless we stop to lay down encumbrances and step out of entanglements, crossing the finish line victoriously is practically impossible.

Jesus never intended for us to run the race while carrying a heavy load on our backs or with our feet tied together. That’s why He came—to take our burdens from us and to clear the weeds and bines from our path.

What burdens are we carrying on our spiritual walk? Why haven’t we allowed Jesus to take that load off of our backs?

What entanglements are wrapped around our feet right now, preventing us from moving forward with the Lord?

BEAUTIFUL CHRISTIAN SISTER

'A woman's heart should be so hidden in Christ
That a man should have to seek Him first to find her.'

When I say...'I am a Christian' I'm not shouting 'I'm clean living,'
I'm whispering 'I was lost, Now I'm found and forgiven.'

When I say...'I am a Christian' I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble and need Christ to be my guide.

When I say..'I am a Christian' I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak and need His strength to carry on.

When I say..'I am a Christian' I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed and need God to clean my mess.

When I say...'I am a Christian' I'm not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are far too visible, but God believes I am worth it.

When I say...'I am a Christian' I still feel the sting of pain...
I have my share of heartaches, so I call upon His name.

When I say...'I am a Christian' I'm not holier than thou,
I'm just a simple sinner Who received God's good grace, somehow!

Pretty is as Pretty does... But beautiful is just plain beautiful!

TODAY IS BEAUTIFUL CHRISTIAN SISTERS DAY - TAG; YOU'RE IT!
I'm supposed to send this to BEAUTIFUL WOMEN, and you are one of them!!!
If you share this with other women, you will boost another woman's self esteem,
And she will know that you care about her..

Blessed

May lack and struggle only serve to make you stronger.

May every pathway that you choose lead to that which is pure and good and lovely.

May every doubt and fear be replaced by a deep, abiding trust as you observe evidence of a Higher Power all around you. And when there is only darkness and the storms of life are closing in may the light of you inner being illuminate the world. May you always be aware that you are loved beyond measure and may you be willing to love unconditionally in return.

May you always feel protected and cradled in the arms of God like the cherished child you are.

And when you are tempted to judge, may you be reminded that we are ALL ONE and that every thought you think reverberates across the universe.

And when you are tempted to hold back may you remember that love flows best when it flows freely and that it’s in giving that we receive the greatest gift.

May gladness wash away every disappointment, joy dissolve every sorrow and love ease every pain.

May every wound bring wisdom and every trial bring triumph. With each passing day may you live more abundantly than the day before.

May you be blessed and others be blessed by you.

This is my heartfelt wish for us all. May we all be blessed.

The Simple Truths of Service

(w/great Video link included too)
This is more than Awesome!, Awesome!, Awesome!,…Video.

http://www.stservicemovie.com/

This is a true story as told by Barbara Glanz, CPS
A few years ago, I was hired by a large supermarket chain to lead a customer service program to build customer loyalty. During my speech I said,“Every one of you can make a difference and create memories for your customers that will motivate them to come back.” How? Put your personal signature on the job. Think about something you can do for your customer to make them feel special; a memory that will make them come back.

About a month after I had spoken, I received a call from a nineteen-year-old bagger named Johnny. He proudly informed me he was a Dow Syndrome individual and told me his story.“I liked what you talked about,” he said,“but at first I didn’t think I could do anything special for our customers.” After all, I’m just a bagger.“Then I had an idea!” Johnny said. Every night after work, I’d come home and find a thought for the day.“If I can’t find a saying I like,” he added,“I just think one up!” When Johnny had a good Thought for the Day, his dad helped him set it up on the computer and print multiple copies. Johnny cut out each quote and signed his name on the back. Then he’d bring them to work the next day. When I finish bagging someone’s groceries, I put my thought for the day in their bag and say,“Thanks for shopping with us.”

It touched me to think that this young man with a job most people would say is not important had made it important by creating precious memories for all his customer.

A month later the store manager called me.“You won’t believe what happened. When I was making my rounds today, I found Johnny’s checkout line was three times longer than anyone else’s! It went all the way down the frozen food aisle. So I quickly announced,‘We need more cashiers; get more lanes open!’ as I tried to get people to change lanes. But no one would move. They said,‘No, it’s okay, we want to be in Johnny’s lane. We want his Thought for the Day.” The store manager continued,“It was a joy to watch Johnny delight the customers. I got a lump in my throat when one woman said,‘I use to shop at your store once a week, but now I come in every time I go by, because I want to get Johnny’s Thought for the Day.”

A few months later, the manager called me again.“Johnny has transformed our store. Now when the floral department has a broken flower or unused corsage, they find an elderly woman or a little girl and pin it on them. Everyone’s having a lot of fun creating memories. Our customers are talking about us, they’re coming back, and bringing their friend.” A wonderful spirit of service spread throughout the entire store… and all because Johnny chose to make a difference!

Johnny’s idea wasn’t nearly as innovative as it was loving. It came from his heart, it was real. That’s what touched his customers, his peers… and those who read this story.
Great service comes from the heart… Will you be a Johnny today?

She IS gifted! Amazing!

Someone needs to figure out how this works! Amazing. Amazingly insane!!!

To my gifted friends. This stumped me. If you can figure out how she does it please let me know. See link below

http://www.regiftable.com/regiftingrobinpopup...

Paper Airplane

www.paperairplanemovie.com

Paper Airplane

This story has little to do with the art or science of making paper airplanes, it’s more about vision, courage and a 6th grade boy’s ability to change the way his classmates, teacher…and maybe even you… think about the world.

A Lesson for Flying Outside the Box

“Open your books so we can review the section on aerodynamics,” said Mrs. Hackett.

“Once we’re finished, we’ll choose partners for an experiment that involves a paper airplane flying contest.”

Mrs. Hackett had spent the entire week discussing aviation and teaching her class about forces of flight.

“Hey Jeff, wanna be partners?”

“Yeah, great!”

Jeff was smart, but didn’t do too well in school. To some, he was considered the class clown or a dreamer. But Tom didn’t see him that way. Not only was Jeff a good friend, he also liked winning… and that’s the other reason Tom wanted him as his partner.

“Okay, come up front and get a piece of construction paper. For the next 15 minutes, we’re going to make paper airplanes… then we’ll go outside and fly them. The team with the longest combined distance will be the winner,” Mrs. Hackett explained.

“Jeff, what kind of plane are you going to make?”

“Don’t know yet,” he replied.

“Well, I’m gonna make the sharpest point possible to cut through the air,” Tom said.

“We’re gonna win, Jeff…I can just feel it!” Tom added, trying to be a positive partner.

Ten minutes passed…

Tom finished his plane and had his popsicle stick marker ready to go.

But Jeff was still thinking

One kid’s plane looked like a nosedive waiting to happen. Another looked like it could fly for a mile if the wind was right. But considering Jeff still hadn’t make a single crease in his paper, Tom was certain they were destined for last place.

Everyone line up with your partner. We’re going to put your planes to the test.” Mrs. Hackett announced.

To buy some time, Tom asked Mrs. Hackett if they could go last… and she agreed.

“Come on, Jeff ANYTHING is better than nothing!”

The contest was interesting. Some planes barely flew five feet. Others did surprisingly well. But one thing was certain: The line was thinning down and Jeff was still holding a flat piece of construction paper.

EXIT -- Angry and disappointed with his partner, Tom felt like leaving. But before he could, Mrs. Hackett said… NEXT --“Tom and Jeff, you’re next.”

Tom walked to the line and launched his plane. Not too bad, better than average. If only Jeff could duplicate his distance, they would be serious contenders.

Jeff approached the line with his craft well hidden behind his back. Then he exposed his masterpiece—a flat, unviolated sheet of paper.

As the class began to snicker…

Jeff wadded his paper into a ball

…and threw it further than the leading planes. The crown went nuts… WILD!

Jeff’s plane flew outside the box…
and changed reality for his classmates, teacher…
and maybe even you…

Imagine the possibilities.

*******

Don't Miss God's Main Event!

Bobby was a young farm boy who went to town to see the circus. His dad gave him a dollar with instructions to spend it wisely. As Bobby entered town, he encountered the Circus parade which was coming down the city's main street. The parade contained all the characters of the circus. To Bobby's delight, he saw a man riding an elephant. The lion tamer strolled by with one of the great cats on a leash. Clowns, acrobats and jugglers marched along and performed with the colorful procession. Bobby watched in wonder as the parade ended. The young boy did not realize that parade's purpose was to advertise the upcoming performances of the Circus. Consequently, Bobby rushed forward and handed his dollar to the last clown in the convoy and raced home to tell everyone about the circus. Bobby did not comprehend that he actually missed the circus because he had only seen the parade! He mistook the advertisement for the main event.

Here is the spiritual parallel. Sometimes people attend church and feel good about everything they encounter and mistakenly think that when they leave the service the show is over and their duty is done. In reality, church is like the parade that advertises the main event. The main event happens when you go home and live out your faith everyday and become God's living illustration of His power, love, forgiveness, purity, service and grace. In Isaiah 6, God asked the prophet, "Who will I send?" Isaiah leaves the worship service and chooses to embrace the main event of serving by responding, "Here am I, Lord. Send me!"

fbc mont

A Christian

Several years ago, a preacher from out-of-state accepted a call to a church in Houston, Texas. Some weeks after he arrived, he had an occasion to ride the bus from his home to the downtown area. When he sat down, he discovered that the driver had accidentally given him a quarter too much change. As he considered what to do, he thought to himself,‘You’d better give the quarter back. It would be wrong to keep it.’ Then he thought,‘Oh forget it, it’s only a quarter. Who would worry about this little amount? Anyway, the bus company gets too much fare; they will never miss it. Accept it as a ‘gift from God’ and keep it quiet.’

When his stop came, he paused momentarily at the door, and then he handed the quarter to the driver and said,‘Here, you gave me too much change.’

The driver, with a smile, replied,‘Aren’t you the new preacher in town?’

‘Yes’, he replied.

‘Well, I have been thinking a lot lately about going somewhere to worship. I just wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change. I’ll see you at church on Sunday.’

When the preacher stepped off of the bus, he literally grabbed the nearest light pole, held on, and said,‘Oh God, I almost sold your Son for a quarter.’

Our lives are the only Bible some people will ever read. This is a really scary example of how much people watch us as Christians, and will put us to the test! Always be on guard—and remember—We carry the name of Christ on our shoulders when we call ourselves ‘Christian.’

Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character.
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny…

I’m glad a friend forwarded this to me as a reminder. So, I choose to forward it to you—my friend.
God bless you; I hope you are having a wonderful day!
The Will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not PROTECT you…
Stay FAITHFUL and Be GRATEFUL!
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Pass this on to someone, if we do we will have ministered to someone.
Pass it on. Keep it going.

GOD and the VETERAN

It is GOD and the VETERAN, not the preacher,
Who has given us freedom of religion.

It is the GOD and the VETERAN, not the reporter,
who has given us freedom of the press.

It is GOD and the VETERAN, not the poet,
who has given us freedom of speech.

It is GOD and the VETERAN, not the campus organizer,
Who has given us freedom to assemble.

It is GOD and the VETERAN, not the lawyer,
Who has given us the right to a fair trial.

It is GOD and the VETERAN, not the politician,
Who has given us the right to vote.

Prayer…

“…Prayer. Personal/Private prayer. Organized prayer. Corporate prayer. International prayer. Jesus had a great deal to say about prayer. His disciples watched Him and said,“Lord, teach us how to pray.” Luke 11:1.” They never asked Jesus to teach them how to perform miracles, teach with authority, or love people like he did. I would appear from the Gospel accounts that the one thing they most wanted to imitate and emulate about Jesus was his prayer life. Why? I am convinced that it was not so they could get what they wanted when they prayed. I think they saw in Jesus what they inwardly wanted for themselves. They saw a man who had a passionate relationship with the Father that just radiated through him. I think what they wanted out of their prayer life was to know the Father on the level that Jesus knew the Father.

Prayer is often times a request for us or for someone else. But the greater reward and purpose behind prayer is not only to join in God’s ministry on behalf of others, but the time we spend with God as a result. Note the parable of the persistent widow in Luke 18:1-8. This widow kept coming back to the judge day after day, night after night, asking for justice. Looking between the lines, Jesus gave us an instance where persistent prayer places us in God’s presence, day after day after day. I sense that a main point of this parable is that there is something more important to God than merely answering our prayer: He cherishes the time we spend with Him. Yes, God wants and does provide our needs, but the greater outcome is to crawl up into our Father’s lap and enjoy loving on Him and enjoy Him loving on us. The point of prayer is not to get answers from God. The point of prayer is to have complete oneness with Him. The more time we spend with God, the more we know Him. That’s why Jesus said…”

What happened here today?

The man came home from work and found his three children outside, still in their pajamas, playing in the mud, with empty food boxes and wrappers strewn all around the front yard.

The door of his wife’s car was open, as was the front door to the house and there was no sign of the dog. Proceeding into the entry, he found an even bigger mess. The table had been knocked over, and the throw rug was wadded against one wall.

In the front room the TV was loudly blaring a cartoon channel, and the family room was strewn with toys and various items of clothing.

In the kitchen, dishes filled the sink, breakfast food was spilled on the counter, the fridge door was open wide, dog food was spoiled on the floor , a broken glass lay under the table, and a small pile of sand was spread by the back door.

He quickly headed up the stairs, stepping over toys and more piles of clothes, looking for his wife. He was worried she might be ill, or that something serious had happened.

He was met with a small trickle of water as it make its way out the bathroom door. As he peered inside he found wet towels, scummy soap and more toys strewn over the floor. Miles of toilet paper lay in a heap and toothpaste had been smeared over the mirror and walls.

As he rushed to the bedroom, he found his wife still curled up in the bed in her pajamas, reading a novel. She looked up at him, smiled, and asked how his day went.

He looked at her bewildered and asked,“What happened here today?”
She again smiled and answered,“You know every day when you come home from work and you ask me what in the world I do all day?”
“Yes,” was his incredulous reply.
She answered,“Well, today I didn’t do it.”

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NOTE: I am so thankful for God/Jesus, the Christians, Churches, Pastors, & etc…that through all of our lives have helped us back up when we become weary. There is nothing that is going to happen today that with God and you can’t handle together. Prayer is not a substitute for action, it is an action for which there is no substitute.

Gifts from the Heart
(Below is a posting of someone on a forum that I thought was wonderful and should be shared w/others. Wonderful!)

Great story! It's amazing what can happen when ONE person's heart is filled with love and respect and that one person acts on it.

Once I was in a restaurant and saw a little girl sitting with her father. They were talking about her mother and from the conversation I gathered that it was her father's "weekend" to have her--obviously a joint custody situation.

She wasn't wearing the best of clothes and didn't have on the latest/greatest shoes. When the waitress came to their table, they ordered only a drink each. The little girl looked up at the waitress and with shining eyes and a beautiful smile told the waitress that today was her birthday. I couldn't help myself. I reached in my pocket and pulled out $5.00. I walked over to their table and said "Happy Birthday Sweetie!", and handed her the $5.00. She was shocked, but so very appreciative.

About 5 minutes passed and someone else stopped by their table handing her a few $1.00 bills. Then another, and yet another. By the time they left the restaurant this little girl had over $50 for her birthday, and tears streaming down her face. Before she left, she came to me and hugged me. To me, that was priceless! I know that is a day she will never forget. I know I won't.

Sometimes what we think are the smallest of acts on our part, God takes it and makes it something HUGE for someone else. Think about that this week!
Pass it on…

Six Men

Six men trapped by happenstance in the dark and bitter cold,
Each one possessed a stick of wood, or so the story's told.

Their dying fire in need of logs, the first man held his back,
For on the faces around the fire, he noticed one was black.

The second of this foolish group saw one not of his church,
And couldn't bring himself to give the fire his stick of birch.

The poor man in his tattered clothes just gave his coat a hitch.
Why should his log be put to use to warm the idle rich?

The rich man just sat back and thought of all he had in store,
And how to keep what he had earned from the lazy, shiftless, poor.

The black man's face spoke revenge as the fire passed from their sight.
All he saw in his stick of wood was a chance to spite the white.

The last man of this foolish group did nothing but for gain,
Helping those who helped him first was how he played the game.

The logs - still gripped in dead, cold hands - were proof of human sin.
But they didn't die from the cold without, they died from the cold within.

(Author unknown)

This is absolutely beautiful, very relaxing. I Love it!
Enjoy.

Nature inspiration
www.naturesinspirationmovie.com

Ok, I’m an Alabama fan. I don’t feel like I am a traitor in posting this because the message behind it is so much greater that the game and even the sport IMO. I am just prioritizing! This is an awesome write up on Tim Tebow that I received today. I did not know this. I think this is absolutely wonderful.
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A Good Steward and a True Victor!

Tim Tebow has become America's most famous college football player. He has already won the Heisman Trophy and led the Florida Gators to two national championships. On game day, He has Bible verses like Philippians 4:13 inscribed below his eyes so that when the camera offers a close up of handsome young Tebow, the world is flashed God's message. In the last year's national championship game Tebow placed John 3:16 under his eyes and during the game that scripture was "googled" an astonishing 93,000,000 times!

Last summer, Sports Illustrated did an article on Tebow's strong Christian faith. They followed him into a local Florida prison where he goes regularly to share his testimony and preach the gospel. Tebow has spent his spring and summer breaks ministering to orphans in the Philippines. The magazine article asserted that the star athlete's illustration of service has changed the culture of the University of Florida. According to the article, "Since Tebow's arrival on campus, and in large part because of him, the university has launched a series of community service initiatives. Even Coach Urban Meyer has taken his family on a 'Tebow Inspired' mission trip to the Dominican Republic." During one press conference, a reporter was trying to embarrass Tebow by asking if he was a virgin. Tim immediately shot back a bold 'YES' and began to explain how his faith in Christ impacts every area of his life.

Tim Tebow has used his football celebrity status to share the Good News message of Jesus Christ and that's what his parents prayed for before he was born. Tim's father, Bob, is a missionary in the Philippines. He prayed, "God, if you will give me a son, I will give him back to you and raise him to be a preacher." Soon after, Pam Tebow learned that she was expecting but the parents' faith was put to the test. After a series of medical complications, the doctors urged them to abort the child. They refused. Tim was born small and weak and struggled from the beginning. But his father held to God's promise and would consistently coach his young son, "Timmy, God has a purpose for you and he will call you to preach." Tim Tebow's sermons do not take place in a church, but in massive stadiums and the message of Jesus is beamed to millions. Tim provides a great example of the opportunity every believer possesses to put your faith to work on your field of play and use your God-given gifts to make an eternal difference. As a faithful steward, you will be God's Victor on earth and for eternity!
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Go Tebow!-- but ROLL TIDE !!!!!!!!!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

As we begin to approach this Thanksgiving season, I ask you to take just a few minutes to look at the presentation in the below link.

http://www.cpmsglife2.org/MSG/Pres/td/td1.htm...

and a nice card too:
http://www.jacquielawson.com/viewcard.asp...

just a little something funny.


PARKING VIOLATION

_________-
Province-----Automobile
Or State-----License Number

This is not a ticket, but if it were within my
Power, you would receive tow. Because of your Bull Headed, inconsiderate, feeble attempt at parking, you have taken enough room for a 20 mule team, 2 elephants, 1 goat and a safari or pygmies from the African interior. The reason for giving you this is so that in the future you may think of someone else, other than yourself. Besides I don’t like domineering, egotistical or simple minded drivers and you probably fit into one of these categories.

I sign off wishing you an early transmission failure (on the expressway at about 4:30 p.m.). Also may the Fleas of a thousand camels infest your armpits.

WITH MY COMPLIMENTS