Monday, January 25, 2010

Do You Know What To Do?


When you are in sorrow, call
John 14

When people have failed you, call
Psalm 27

When you want to be fruitful, call
John 15

When you have sinned, call
Psalm 51

When you are worried, call
Matthew 6:19-34

When you are in danger, call
Psalm 91

When God seems far away, call
Psalm 139

When your faith needs stirring, call
Hebrews 11

When you are lonely and afraid, call
Psalm 23

When you grow bitter and cynical, call
I Corinthians 13

When you want to know the secret to happiness, call
Colossians 3:12-17

When you need an understanding of Christianity, call
II Corinthians 5:15-19

When you feel down and out, call
Romans 8:31

When you want peace and rest, call
Matthew 11:25-30

When the world seems bigger than God, call
Psalm 90

When you want Christian assurance, call
Romans 8:1-30

When you leave home for labor and travel, call
Psalm 121

When your prayers grow narrow or selfish, call
Psalm 67

When you are presented with an opportunity, call
Isaiah 55

When you want courage for a task, call
Joshua 1

When you want to get along with other people, call
Romans 12

When you are depressed, call
Psalm 27

When your wallet is empty, call
Psalm 37

When you want to feel secure, call
Psalm 121:3

Sunday, January 24, 2010

TO: My Grandson...


He is 4 years old today!

Love Always, Grammy

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Why, God?


I think that just about everybody has asked themselves this question at one time or another. If you haven't, all I can say is keep living and you will one day. I confess that the information below is not my own and was recently handed to me on the street in the form of a pamphlet, which beared the title you see above on the church sign photo. In light of the recent events in Haiti, the economic recession, the two wars that are raging on, the state of our environment, the incurable diseases that are dropping people like flies, our own personal day-to-day trials and tribulations, and the list just goes on and on... I felt that this information might be timely and worth sharing to bring some comfort to those of us who aren't afraid to admit that, despite our faith and undying love for our Father in heaven, we still struggle with this question in the deepest, darkest corners of our mind... Why, God? Well, relax yourself and know that He can handle the question. We just need to learn how to "accept" the answers that have been given to us through His word...


1. Suffering Comes With The Freedom To Choose

Loving parents long to protect their children from unnecessary pain. But wise parents know the danger of over-protection. They know that the freedom to choose is at the heart of what it means to be human, and that a world without choice would be worse than a world without pain. Worse yet would be a world populated by people who could make wrong choices without feeling any pain. No one is more dangerous than the liar, thief, or killer who doesn't feel the harm he is doing to himself and to others. (Genesis 2:15-17)


2. Pain Can Warn Us Of Danger

We hate pain, especially in those we love. Yet without discomfort, the sick wouldn't go to a doctor. Worn-out bodies would get no rest. Criminals wouldn't fear the law. Children would laugh at correction. Without pangs of conscience, the daily dissatisfaction of boredom, or the empty longing for significance, people who are made to find satisfaction in an eternal Father would settle for less. The example of Solomon, lured by pleasure and taught by his pain, shows us that even the wisest among us tend to drift from good and from God until arrested by the resulting pain of their own shortsighted choices. (Ecclesiastes 1-12; Psalm 78:34-35; Romans 3:10-18)


3. Suffering Reveals What Is In Our Hearts

Suffering often occurs at the hand of others. But it has a way of revealing what is in our "own" hearts. Capacities for love, mercy, anger, envy, and pride can lie dormant until awakened by circumstances. Strength and weakness of heart is found not when everything is going our way but when flames of suffering and temptation test the mettle of our character. As gold and silver are refined by fire, and as coal needs time and pressure to become a diamond, the human heart is revealed and developed by enduring the pressure and heat of time and circumstance. Strength of character is shown not when all is well with our world but in the presence of human pain and suffering. (Job 42:1-17; Romans 5:3-5; James 1:2-5; Peter 1:6-8)


4. Suffering Takes Us To The Edge Of Eternity

If death is the end of everything, then a life filled with suffering isn't fair. But if the end of this life brings us to the threshold of eternity, then the most fortunate people in the universe are those who discover, through suffering, that this life is not all we have to live for. Those who find themselves and their eternal God through suffering have not wasted their pain. They have let their poverty, grief, and hunger drive them to the Lord of eternity. They are the ones who will discover to their own unending joy why Jesus said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:1-12; Romans 8:18-19)


5. Pain Loosens Our Grip On This Life

In time, our work and our opinions are sought less and less. Our bodies become increasingly worse with wear. Gradually they succumb to inevitable obsolescence. Joints stiffen and ache. Eyes grow dim. Digestion slows. Sleep becomes difficult. Problems loom larger and larger while options narrow. Yet, if death is not the end but the threshold of a new day, then the curse of old age is also a blessing. Each new pain makes this world less inviting and the next life more appealing. In its own way, pain paves the way for a graceful departure. (Ecclesiastes 12:1-14)


6. Suffering Gives Opportunity To Trust God

The most famous sufferer of all time was a man named Job. According the Bible, Job lost his family to "a mighty wind", his wealth to war and fire, and his health to painful boils. Through it all, God never told Job why it was happening. As Job endured the accusations of his friends, heaven remained silent. When God finally did speak, He did not reveal that His archenemy Satan had challenged Job's motives for serving God. Neither did the Lord apologize for allowing Satan to test Job's devotion to God. Instead, God talked about mountain goats giving birth, young lions on the hunt, and ravens in the nest. He cited the behavior of the ostrich, the strength of the ox, and the stride of the horse. He cited the wonders of the heavens, the marvels of the sea, and the cycle of the seasons. Job was left to conclude that if God had the power and wisdom to create this physical universe, there was reason to trust that same God in times of suffering. (Job 1-42)

7. God Suffers With Us In Our Suffering

No one has suffered more than our Father in heaven. No one has paid more dearly for the allowance of sin into the world. No one has so continuously grieved over the pain of a race gone bad. No one has suffered like the One who paid for our sin in the crucified body of His own Son. No one has suffered more than the One who, when He stretched out His arms and died, showed us how much He loved us. It is this God who, in drawing us to Himself, asks us to trust Him when we are suffering and when our own loved ones cry out in our presence (1 Peter 2:21; 3:18; 4:1)

8. God's Comfort Is Greater Than Our Suffering

The apostle Paul pleaded with the Lord to take away an unidentified source of suffering. But the Lord declined saying, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Paul said, "Therefore, most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, than I am strong." Paul learned that he would rather be with Christ in suffering than without Christ in good health and pleasant circumstances. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

9. In Times Of Crisis, We Find One Another
No one would choose pain and suffering. But when there is no choice, there remains some consolation. Natural disasters and times of crisis have a way of bringing us together. Hurricanes, fires, earthquakes, riots, illness, and accidents all have a way of bringing us to our senses. Suddenly, we remember our own mortality and that people are more important than things. We remember that we do need one another and that, above all, we need God. Each time we discover God's comfort in our own suffering, our capacity to help others is increased. This is what the apostle Paul had in mind when he wrote, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

10. God Can Turn Suffering Around For Our Good
The truth is best seen in the many examples of the Bible. Through Job's suffering we see a man who not only came to a deeper understanding of God but who also became a source of encouragement for people in every generation to follow. Through the rejection, betrayal, enslavement, and wrongful imprisonment of a man named Joseph, we see someone who eventually was able to say to those who had hurt him, "You meant evil against me; but God meant it for good." When everything in us screams at the heavens for allowing suffering, we have reason to look at the eternal outcome and joy of Jesus who in His own suffering on an executioner's cross cried, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Genesis 50:20; Matthew 27:46)

Pamphlet Source: RBC Ministries, P.O. Box 2222, Grand Rapids, MI 49501-2222

Monday, January 18, 2010

Friday, January 15, 2010

Yele Haiti Earthquake Fund

PLEASE HELP HAITI: STATE OF EMERGENCY
Thursday, January 14, 2010 at 09:44pm

A statement from Wyclef Jean on Haiti Earthquake on Wednesday, January 13, 2010 at 02:05pm...

"Haiti today faced a natural disaster of unprecedented proportion, an earthquake unlike anything the country has ever experienced.

The magnitude 7.0 earthquake – and several very strong aftershocks – struck only 10 miles from Port-au-Prince.

I cannot stress enough what a human disaster this is, and idle hands will only make this tragedy worse. The over 2 million people in Port-au-Prince tonight face catastrophe alone. We must act now.

President Obama has already said that the U.S. stands ‘ready to assist’ the Haitian people. The U.S. Military is the only group trained and prepared to offer that assistance immediately. They must do so as soon as possible. The international community must also rise to the occasion and help the Haitian people in every way possible.”

Many people have already reached out to see what they can do right now. We are asking those interested to please do one of two things: Either you can use your cell phone to text “Yele” to 501501, which will automatically donate $5 to the Yele Haiti Earthquake Fund (it will be charged to your cell phone bill) or you can click here to DONATE.

Thank you, Wyclef

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Turn Off The Lights & Light A Candle...


While I was sitting at my computer last night trying to decide whether or not I even wanted to do a blog post, I heard the devastating news over the radio that yet another great singing voice has been silenced forever. Theodore DeResse Pendergrass, Sr., better known to the world as Teddy Pendergrass, has passed away. He was 59 years old.

Teddy was born in Philadelphia on March 26, 1950. He first gained popularity as a member and drummer for the group Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes. In 1971, the group signed a record deal with legendary writers-producers Kenny Gamble & Leon Huff of Philadelphia International Records. The group released its first single, "I Miss You", in 1972 and then released "If You Don't Know Me by Now," which was nominated for a Grammy Award.

After a while, rumors started circulating and people began to realize that the gut-wrenching lead vocals they heard on many of the group's recordings was not Harold Melvin, as "implied". It was in fact the drummer, Theodore Pendergrass. His years with the group mirrored those of another now famous solo artist, Jeffrey Osborne. Jeffrey was originally a member and drummer for the group L.T.D. (Love, Togetherness, Devotion). His powerful delivery of lead vocals eventually landed him in the forefront of that group and on to a solo career. In 1975, Teddy left Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes and embarked on his solo career in 1976.

Teddy remained loyal and continued his tenure at Philadelphia International Records during his solo years. Under the continued guidance of Gamble & Huff, it was his solo hits that brought him his greatest fame. He defined a new era of black male singers with his powerful, aggressive vocals that spoke to virility, not vulnerability. His lyrics in songs such as "Love T.K.O.", "Close The Door", and "Turn Off The Lights" were never coarse, as those of later male R&B stars would be, but they had a sensual nature that bordered on erotic without being explicit. And then, something unexpected happened...

In 1982, Teddy was in a horrific car accident while traveling on Lincoln Drive in Philadelphia. The singer survived but suffered serious injury to his spinal cord and was left paralyzed from the waist down. He spent six months in the hospital but returned to recording the next year with the album "Love Language." He returned to the stage at the Live Aid concert in 1985, performing from his wheelchair. He later founded the Teddy Pendergrass Alliance, an organization whose mission is to encourage and help people with spinal cord injuries achieve their maximum potential in education, employment, housing, productivity, and independence, according to its website.

Teddy became R&B's reigning sex symbol during the late 70's and into the early 80's with his forceful, masculine voice and passionate love ballads. He later became an inspirational figure after surviving the devastating car accident that left him paralyzed. The singer's son, Teddy Pendergrass II, said his father died at a hospital in suburban Philadelphia. The singer underwent colon cancer surgery eight months ago and had "a difficult recovery", his son said. "To all of his fans who loved his music, thank you. He will live on through his music."

R.I.P. Teddy.

Teddy Pendergrass Funeral Arrangements, Etc.

Note: These details were revised on 01/16/10 based on information obtained from Teddy's official website. Location: Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church, 2800 Cheltenham Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19150. Public Viewing: Friday, January 22nd, 12:00-8:00pm. Private Family & Friends Viewing: Saturday, January 23rd, 9:00-10:00am. Memorial Service: Saturday, January 23rd, 10:00am-12:00pm. Interment Immediately Following: West Laurel Hill Cemetary, 225 Belmont Avenue, Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004. Condolences: In lieu of flowers, his family is asking that you support Teddy's Memorial Fund and the charities that he represented. Please make your donation payable to Theodore D. and Joan Pendergrass, P.O. Box 382, Gladwyne, PA 19035.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

A Prayer For Haiti



Heavenly Father,

It is with a heavy heart that we come to you, not necessarily knowing what we should ask for because many of us are wondering, "Why did this happen? Why has tragedy struck Haiti again and why do so many lives have to be lost again? Why has this beautiful island been struck by a catastrophic earthquake and ruined?" But as many questions as we have regarding the situation, we still humble ourselves before you to ask for your mercy to be upon Haiti and its people. Extend your hand upon the land and restore all that has been lost, destroyed, and damaged to be better than it was before. As rescue teams search for casualties, give them foresight. May they be led by your wisdom, encouraged by your strength, and advised by your discernment. There are yet people who are surviving and I pray that the rescue workers would find them in time and revive them. For the lives that will be lost, we pray for immediate comfort to come to the family and friends of the deceased. For those of us who are watching this unfold from the outside, I pray that you would give us hearts of compassion so that we can give out of our surplus to fill the deficit that is widening in Haiti. May we all extend ourselves in any way possible to secure our brothers and sisters in Haiti. And may every prayer regarding this tragedy be heard and responded to in your good time.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Southern Baptist Bra



The following is an email forward...

A man walks into the lingerie department of Macy's in New York City. He tells the sales lady, "I would like a Southern Baptist bra for my wife, size 34B, please." With a quizzical look, the sales lady asks, "What kind of bra?" He repeats, "A Southern Baptist bra. My wife said to tell you that she wanted a Southern Baptist bra and that you would know what she wanted."

The sales lady said, "Oh, yes... now I understand. We don't get as many requests for them as we used to in the past. Lately, most of our customers want the Catholic bra, the Salvation Army bra, or the Presbyterian bra." Confused and a little flustered, the man asks, "So, what are the differences between them?"

The sales lady said, "It's really quite simple. The Catholic bra supports the masses, the Salvation Army bra lifts up the fallen, and the Presbyterian bra keeps them staunch and upright." He muses on that information for a minute and says, "Hmm... I know I'll regret asking but, what does the Southern Baptist bra do excactly?"

The sales lady said, "Ah... the Southern Baptist bra makes mountains out of molehills!"

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

The Ballad Of "Big Mike"


The movie "The Blind Side" is the true story of Michael Oher, a homeless African-American youngster from a broken home. He was living on the streets when he was welcomed into the home of a suburban family. Michael's presence in their lives leads them to some insightful self-discoveries of their own. Living in his new environment, the teen faces a completely different set of challenges to overcome. As a football player and student, Michael works hard and, with the help of his coaches and adopted family, he matures into a talented athlete. As the NFL draft approaches, fans and sports radio personalities alike speculate that Michael will be the hottest pick of the year and he ultimately becomes an All-American offensive left tackle. Critic's Choice Award nominee for Best Young Actor, Jae Head, portrays Michael in the movie.



Sandra Bullock has accomplished a box office feat with "The Blind Side" that her fellow A-list counterparts such as Julia Roberts, Meryl Streep, Angelina Jolie, and Reese Witherspoon have never succeeded in doing. They have come close, but never pulled in moviegoers in such big numbers. Sandra has cracked the $200 million mark at the domestic box office. According to Variety Magazine, "The Blind Side" is the first movie ever driven solely by a top female star to break $200 million. Over the weekend, box office receipts for the movie totaled $208.5 million. Sandra has received 3 award nominations for this movie: Golden Globe-Best Actress, Drama; Screen Actor's Guild Award-Oustanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role; and Critic's Choice Award-Best Actress.

Saturday, January 2, 2010

New Year's Resolution: No Resolution?


In recent years, it seems that most people, including myself, have decided to make their New Year's Resolution "No Resolution". Well, since we technically have until January 31st to make up our minds, here are some suggestions from a variety of internet sources that might be worth some consideration (no pressure, of course). Although, I feel that all of these are attainable goals, my personal favorites are #1, #4, #7, and # 9. How 'bout you?

1. Spend more time with family & friends: Appreciate loved ones and spend more time with family and friends this year. Make plans to meet up with friends for an evening of socializing and/or take the family out for some fun.

2. Health and fitness: Regular exercise has been associated with more health benefits than anything else known to man. Studies show that it reduces the risk of some cancers, increases longevity, helps achieve and maintain weight loss, enhances mood, lowers blood pressure, and even improves arthritis. In short, exercise keeps you healthy and makes you look and feel better.

3. Battle the bulge: According to recent studies, over 66% of adult Americans are considered overweight. Setting reasonable goals and staying focused are the two most important factors in sticking with a weight loss program and shedding those extra pounds.

4. Enjoy life more: Given the hectic, stressful lifestyles of millions of Americans, it is no wonder that "enjoying life more" has become a popular resolution in recent years. It's an important step to a happier and healthier you. Do things that are designed to bring balance to your body, mind and soul or just get out and try something new. You could also take up a hobby, go to movies, or head to spa.

5. Get out of debt: If money was a big source of stress in your life last year, join the millions of Americans who have resolved to spend this year getting a handle on their finances. It's a promise that will repay itself many times over during the course of the year.

6. Learn something new: Try to learn something new this year. Consider taking a course to enhance your career or for a career change. Learn a new language or how to fix your computer. Whether you take a course or read a book, you will find that education is one of the easiest and most motivating resolutions to keep.

7. Help others: Volunteerism can take many forms. Whether you choose to spend time helping out at your local library, mentoring a child, or building a house, there are many non-profit volunteer organizations that could really use your help. If your time is really limited, maybe you can at least donate furniture, clothing, and other household items that you no longer need.

8. Get organized: Organization can be a very reasonable goal. Whether you want your home organized enough that you can invite someone over on a whim or your office organized enough that you can find the stapler when you need it, work on reducing the clutter in your life.

9. Learn to say "No": If you find yourself on system overload at work or in your personal life, learning the simple art of saying "no" can be a great stress buster. You are not responsible for the way the recipient processes the word "no", nor can you control their reaction to it. However, proceed with caution in situations that may get you fired or divorced.

10. Fall in love: Love is an emotion, not a resolution. And, we usually can't force ourselves to fall in love on command. Love happens when it happens. However, there are few things you can do to increase your chances. Staying at home and Facebooking or Tweeting 20 times a day about how boring your life is will not get you anywhere. Despite this "techno" age that we live in, get out and meet people, in person and not online.

Friday, January 1, 2010



Watch your step!


This household is protected by Ladybug Home Security.







As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord...


Christian Internet Code of Ethics

As a Christian who is active on the internet,
I hold myself to certain standards of conduct:

  • I guard my online relationships.
  • I am careful to visit websites that do not compromise my life in Christ.
  • I take care that my written communications reflect Christ in my life.
  • I guard my time to assure that my time online is kept in proper balance with the rest of my life.
Visit the home page to view a more detailed version:

The Nazarene Network @ NazNet.com





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