another giveaway

click here: http://dianeknottsmusings.blogspot.comcheck this giveaway out!!!...above is an "altered" bottle!....sooo cool! right down my "alley" , if you will!!!

BTW.......i am dutifully going thru each and every comment and entering your entries into my little tin bucket.....by hand! i know no other way!!!......

i am soo excited to see all the comments.....i am overwhelmed!! thank you! and....keep em coming, as i said before!!!

BLOG GIVEAWAY BELOW

woohoo another mixed media painting!

here is another giveaway and it is mixed media too! isn't it adorable??? you must visit her here:http://artofthecraftstudios.blogspot.comMY GIVEAWAY BELOW!!!! CHECK IT OUT!!!!

keep em coming!

thank you to those who have submitted comments and entries........i would like to encourage you to post a link!!! pleeeeeeeeeeeze..........i have finally found out how to get more than 7 comments per blog!!!--do a giveaway!!!...you know, it really IS more blessed to GIVE!!!

GIVEAWAY BELOW

This is it

i am adding a little post here...to CLARIFY my business intentions....yes....i am going to start an ETSY site....my goal is to have it up and running by the end of Jan. with at least 12 or more items for sale....IN THE MEANTIME......i will do another giveaway in December...maybe two....who knows....and another one in January.....just to get things ROLLIN!!!.....

all the while......i will be using my blog to get the attention of YOU, fellow bloggers .......and also will offer certain products for sale on my blog!

wait til you see what i have in mind for my December giveaway! Smashing !

okay...now read below about the GIVEAWAY!!

thank you in advance for your kind comments!...(hopefully...am i being presumptuous? :) )

i am so excited i couldn't sleep......so am taking this early morning hour to get my contest UP and GOING!!!.......this is my FIRST official product from

"Whimsical Renditions by Sandi Lou Lou"

(the watermark will not be on the original painting)

TA-DA!.......here it is!........now, mind you, the picture really doesn't do it justice......not tryin to brag here.......but these pictures diminish this mixed media painting, largely because it is very difficult to see the "layers" of mixed media!......hopefully the side view helps you.......this is an 8x10 mixed media painting on a stretched canvas.....it can be hung as is, or can be framed........i have drawn and painted the objects in this painting and applied them along with varied mixed media........including actual pages from a very old hymnal....if you look closely....(called ephemera, fyi)

i am SO hooked on this "new" endavor for me.....think i have found YET another NICHE i love!!!

the value of this original mixed media painting is $45.00..with a $5.00 shipping fee.

if you are NOT the winner (boo hoo)......and you would like an original for yourself or for a gift......please notify me.......however....know that every painting will have it's own identity, as it is original and not copied.....but will be similar.....

if you are interested in ordering please contact me asap, so i can get started and get them out for Christmas!

my email: ugogrl52@windstream.net

please state ORDER on the subject line

thanx! :)

i am going to give it away and send it free of charge to the name i draw out of the darling little container below!!!!

THE RULES!

1. you get one entry for leaving a comment on my blog

2. you get five entries for leaving a comment and copying the picture and posting it on your blog with a link back to my blog (just let me know on your comment you are doing this)

the contest will officially end at 5pm on Nov. 17

the painting will be shipped to the winner the week of Nov. 17

is this fun, or what???? tee hee

THE ALPHA GRANDCHILD

yes.......that is right.....you read it correctly.......this is a story about the ALPHA grand child........AKA......

ADDIE LEE HIXSON

you have heard me say many times of how funny she is, how crazy she is, how totally OFF the hook she is.....how totally she is 4 going on 16........ she continues to keep me in utter stitches and last week when i watched the girls was NO exception!!!
we had had an interesting, but fun night.....Addie was in a "funk" the first part of the night because she wanted to go to "THE CUL-DE-SAC"......she spoke of it as if it were the neighborhood carnival or something........when in reality it was a few children riding tricycles around the street, while standing mother's observed from the sidelines.......but to ADDIE......it was a MUST GO.......however, her mother told her she couldn't! so that led her into an absolute pity party for herself, while she declared beyond all reasonable doubt that everyone HATED her and she had NO friends!!!.........PEOPLE!!! the child is FOUR years old!!!........
Hope had NO interest whatsoever in the infamous cul-de-sac and was content to play PLAY-DOH with me! BUT for ADDIE.....play-doh did not do it for her.........so finally after i got her to eat FIVE bites of pizza......i reluctantly let her take her trike to the....C.D.S............while Hope and i continued smearing brightly colored play-doh over the entire front porch.....(sorry bout that,son).........watching her from the porch. Interestingly enough......in about 20 minutes all parents ended the C.D.S. experience and headed for indoors.........so of course Addie came wheeling back to the house on her little tricycle......happy as a petunia in a potato patch........VOILA........her C.D.S. experience was sealed and now she was ready to be a happy girl........(wow......talk about drama)
shortly thereafter we started making moves toward bed time.......now let me tell you.....i never know what to expect about that neccessary evil.....BEDTIME!...oooohhhh.......usually it is a fight all the way...and sometimes , being the "ol softie" that those kids turn me into....they often never make it to bed at all under my watch!...but this night.......ALL was going smoothly.....and we were happily, progressively getting all our night time, before bed, duties done........jammies on, teeth brushed.....Addie did take a little detour when she decided to turn OCD and clean the entire sink with her baby washcloth and a little water.....oh yes, then there were the few moments that Hope just "accidentally" spilled the blue toothpaste over the entire front of the WHITE cupboard and the beautiful WHITE rugs on the floor.......oops.......i didn't see that one coming, i was enthralled with Addie's total cleaning abilities........but beyond that.....YUP....all went smoothly.
OK....i am finally to the point to tell you what i originally intended to tell you.......so, you must know that when i am in charge of the grands.....i ALWAYS have a story time......this is a story telling game i made up a couple years ago.........i start a story...like...."once upon a time there was.......then i point to one of the kids and they fill in the blank...i take their fill ins and proceed on with the story....got the picture???
so.......the girls had taken turns filling in the blanks and we had come up with a story about a little boy named Cocoa with a little dog (i forgot the dog's name, sorry Hope).........he had gone on a walk and climbed up a mountain and all of a sudden it was dark and raining.......
NOW!!! at this point i thought to myself.....okay.......let's turn this into a little spiritual application.....so i turned to Hope and said..." Cocoa was scared so he got down on his knees and he".....i point to Hope and she said PRAYED.....(which was exactly what i was going for, obviously)........i then turn to Addie and say..."and Cocoa asked God......."........
let me interupt for a moment here......mind you.......we were all three on Hope's bed....rather cozily , not quite snuggled but almost, together, in other words.....sitting very close..........and as i pointed to Addie.......she swept into LIVE motion....swung both arms in a sweeping, (hugely sweeping) motion, narrowly missing my FACE........and she says
"and God said LET THERE BE LIGHT!!!! and there WAS light"!!!!!!
folks.........at this point......i was laughing hysterically INSIDE......but i just stared at her....WHERE do you come from girlfriend????? Are you from the MOON????.........this stuff can't be made up!!!!........
now this is where i made my mistake.......not particularly "liking" her "twist" in the story, thinking it not too likely God was going to shout- let there be light to Cocoa up on the dark, rainy mountain that nite.....i looked at her and said...."well, that is probably not what happened, sweetie....but wouldn't Cocoa ask God to help him get home?"......
to which she replied quite emphatically......
NO SIR, HUH -UH!!!!.....MY TEACHER TOLD ME THAT GOD SAID LET THERE BE LIGHT AND ME AND AVA CRACKED OPEN OUR GLOW STICKS AND THERE WAS LIGHT!!!!......
and folks, that was the end of the story.....enuf said.....all the while i was now almost completely rolled off the bed, laughing til there was no more laughter left.......and Hope and Addie were completely satisfied with the story(not laughing, or thinking a single thing was funny)........they probably had night visions of God and glow sticks, i don't know........all i know is....she CRACKS me up, that is for sure!!!
!!!

ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!

hey peeps!

my GIVEAWAY is done and ready to be put on my blogsite!!! i just need to get it photographed and figure out HOW to do the GIVEAWAY! if i do say so myself, it turned out quite SPLENDID....i almost wish i could keep it.......but i am going to be a GOOD girl and continue as planned.......so keep watching!

Hope's glasses

how cute is this little pumpkin in her new glasses????

i watched the girls one night last week and Hope's glasses were a couple days old.......and while we were swinging in the back yard.......she was showing me how high she could go......she flipped her head back......and in an instant......the glasses were OFF her face!!!.........and would you believe we searched for those things for about 10 minutes!!.......i certainly did not want to report to her parents that her glasses were already LOST!!! but for the life of me we could not find them! thankfully Peter and Hollie had not left yet........so i had to report that the glasses had "vanished".......hopefully NOT into the woods, directly behind the swingset!.........well, Peter found them, right UNDER the swing.......hiding, of course.......incognito, if you will........how on earth did i miss them??? DO I NEED GLASSES TOO???...........

now, i have yet another FUNNY story to report about Addie........but no time right now, maybe tonite........blogging has been a zero for me so far this week........the story seems old now.......but still funny!...so stay tuned.....

I'm IT!

Heidi has tagged me for a blogger game......The rules of the game are easy. Grab the closest book to you, turn to page 56, start with the 5th sentence, and post 2-5 paragraphs.....well the closest book to me is the Bible because I keep my most marked in, favorite Bible on my desk next to the computer!...so here goes!

Genesis 34:26

"then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, " You have brought trouble on me by making me a stench to the Canaanites and Perizzites, the people living in this land. We are few in number, and if they join forces against me and attack me, I and my household will be destroyed." But they replied, "Should he have treated our sister like a prostitute?"

35

then God said to Jacob, "Go up to Bethel and settle there, and build an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you were fleeing from your brother Esau." So Jacob said to his house-hold and to all who were with him "Get rid of the foreign gods you have with you, and purify yourselves and change your clothes. Then come, let us go up to Bethel, where I will build an altar to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and who has been with me wherever I have gone."
I shall tag:
http://waitingfortheshout.blogspot.com/

http://alliekat-alliekat.blogspot.com/

http://dawsonduo.blogspot.com/

http://jkandpp.blogspot.com/

spin doctor

October 17, 2008
Breaking The Spin Cycle

READ: John 8:42-47
[Satan] was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. . . . He is a liar and the father of it. —John 8:44

Politicians are adept at “spinning” the details of a story to advance their own agenda. During a political campaign, spin doctors massage stories to ensure that their candidate is cast in a positive light—often at the expense of the truth. This leaves us with serious questions about what the real truth is.
According to Jesus, Satan is the “spin doctor” of hell—the master deceiver who “speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar” (John 8:44). He casts himself as the one who wants to give us unfettered freedom and pleasure, carefully masking his plan to steal, kill, and destroy us (John 10:10). He even spins the loving laws of God by claiming that God’s boundaries are restrictive, simply intended to take all the fun out of living. When we buy into Satan’s damaging lies, we will eventually find ourselves empty and broken—sidelined in our journey with God.
Thankfully, Jesus warns us. He says that Satan is the father of lies. And we know Satan is lying when what he tells us contradicts God’s Word. Jesus, on the other hand, is the truth (John 14:6). So, when it comes to sorting out the spin, our only defense against the spin doctor of hell is to listen constantly for the voice of Jesus as we pray and study His Word. And that’s the truth! —Joe Stowell

The devil is crafty, deceptive, and sly;He cleverly tricks us to swallow his lie.But his cunning methods we’re sure to discernIf we make God’s warnings our daily concern. —D. De Haan
God’s truth stops the spin of Satan’s

a bad sneak preview

i am up late tonite......i was determined to get my FIRST EVER mixed media painting DONE........it finally is......this is a terrible picture.....but it gives you an idea.......i am actually not at all thrilled with it......but it was fun for a first.......i learned stuff......mostly what NOT to do next time.....i am anxious to do another one......and......oh yeah.......a little hint for my give away.......it will be a mixed media painting.......and it will represent the "next" season and holiday coming!!!.......keep watching!

one more thing.....

ya know Heidi had a give away???

ya know i have been blabbin about starting an Etsy store?

ya know you haven't heard about it for a while?

welllllll

i am going to have a give away........keep watchin

i am still going to start an Etsy store.....

i am just sloooooooooowwwwwwww

good things ahead!

an inexpensive FALL craft for you

you need:
1. 2 sizes popsicle/craft sticks
2. google eyes in various sizes
3. orange, white, and yellow acrylic paint
4. black permanent marker
5. pliable wire of any kind
6. your choice of ribbon
7. hot glue or a very tacky glue

to assemble:
with hot glue, glue the 3 pcs with the large sticks together on the back(this is the pumpkin shape)...then attch them to the small ones, as pictured above...and hot glue all together
after glue is completely dry, turn over and begin painting
when finished , use black marker to outline as you wish

(the pumpkin stem is a popsicle stick cut down)
if you want to give your pumpkins rosy cheeks, do so with red paint in circular motion......just put a little paint on your finger tip and rub in.....
if you want to "antique" it as i have done......dip your brush in brown paint and lightly dab around the edges
attach your curly-cued wire on ends with hot glue
tie a ribbon around the wire

VOILA!....you are done!!!

hey! if any of you really DO make this........would you please send me a picture? i will post it!..............ugogrl52@windstream.net

MERRY FALL to each of you!

Monkey time

so, Saturday night.......Larry and i had the 4 monkeys all to ourselves.......my friend Keelie was having a birthday party for her darling daughter, Rylie.....and the MONKEYS were invited.......ALSO.....i was asked to do "the craft project" for the event!......actually Larry really wasn't invited.....but i begged his assistance......if you knew what these four act like together, at ONE time, you would know WHY! fortunately he agreed!...Heidi took our car and we used her van, so all FOUR could be accomodated!!!

oh my! what a RUCOUS!!! (sp?)...........let me just say that when together, they are quite the PACK..........and guess who is the PRIMARY leader of the pack??? ADDIE........in all her glory!........oh, oh, oh........dear son, Peter and dear dear sweet Hollie........you better have your seat belts on!!! (LOL).......she is the loudest, the busiest, the funniest, most animated, craziest....well, get the pic?........the others try to compete........but she is the leader by a "fir piece"!

the birthday party was a smash.....they had a ball.....it was in the Lake Arrowhead neighborhood......so the kids thought it was an adventure "in the woods"......and adventure it was!....they ran thru those trees....pretending...who knows what!!!...notice Addie's hair.......it was pristeen when her mother delivered her to me.........yup, a few minutes running thru the woods......and well,.....not so much pristeen any more!

also please note the various and asundry STAINS on their FACES and CLOTHING!.........they would be a result of painting in the craft time plus an ENORMOUS amount of eating every kind of candy known to man, PLUS birthday cake with purple and every other color of frosting!!!!!........

the ride home.............well, suffice it to say.......after ALL the SUGAR......they were WOUND tight!.........ADDIE started the CHANTING GAME........one example would be.......NANA HAS A WEDGIE!!!.........the others chimed in with their own special chant........and so it went until we turned into our driveway........well, actually it didn't end there.......they were chanting........LOUDLY as they got out of the car........if i had LOOKED.......i am sure neighbors were staring and glaring and wondering what kind of a racket we were running!........FOUR CHANTING, dirty filthy children following us into our house!!!

all i can say......is I LOVE GRANDCHILDREN>>>>>>>>>MORE and MORE every time i see them!!!!

JOKE OF THE DAY..(could be me).

This has to be one of the funniest things in a long time. I think this guy should have been promoted, not fired.

This is a true story from the WordPerfect Helpline, which was transcribed from a recording monitoring the
customer care department. Needless to say the Help Desk employee was fired; however, he/she is currently
suing the WordPerfect organization for 'Termination without Cause.'
Actual dialogue of a former WordPerfect Customer Support employee.
(Now I know why they record these conversations!):

Operator: 'Ridge Hall, computer assistance; may I help you?'
Caller: 'Yes, well, I'm having trouble with WordPerfect.'
Operator: 'What sort of trouble??'
Caller: 'Well, I was just typing along, and all of a sudden the words
went away.'
Operator: 'Went away?'
Caller: 'They disappeared'
Operator: 'Hmm. So what does your screen look like now?'
Caller: 'Nothing.'
Operator: 'Nothing??'
Caller: 'It's blank; it won't accept anything when I type.'
Operator: 'Are you still in WordPerfect, or did you get out?'
Caller: 'How do I tell?'
Operator: 'Can you see the 'C: prompt' on the screen?'
Caller: 'What's a sea-prompt?'
Operator: 'Never mind, can you move your cursor around the screen?'
Caller: 'There isn't any cursor; I told you, it won't accept anything I
type.'
Operator: 'Does your monitor have a power indicator??'
Caller: 'What's a monitor?'
Operator: 'It's the thing with the screen on it that looks like a TV.
Does it have a little light that tells you when it's on?'
Caller: 'I don't know.'
Operator: 'Well, then look on the back of the monitor and find where
the power cord goes into it. Can you see that??'
Caller: 'Yes, I think so.'
Operator: 'Great. Follow the cord to the plug, and tell me if it's
plugged into the wall.
Caller: 'Yes, it is.'
Operator: 'When you were behind the monitor, did you notice that
there were two cables plugged into the back of it, not just
one? '
Caller: 'No.'
Operator: 'Well, there are. I need you to look back there again and
find the other cable.'
Caller: 'Okay, here it is.'
Operator: 'Follow it for me, and tell me if it's plugged securely into
the back of your computer.'
Caller: 'I can't reach.'
Operator: 'OK. Well, can you see if it is?'
Caller: 'No.'
Operator: 'Even if you maybe put your knee on something and lean
way over?'
Caller: 'Well, it's not because I don't have the right angle -- it's
because it's dark.'
Operator: 'Dark?'
Caller: 'Yes - the office light is off, and the only light I have is
coming in from the window.'
Operator: 'Well, turn on the office light then.'
Caller: 'I can't.'
Operator: 'No? Why not?'
Caller: 'Because there's a power failure.'
Operator: 'A power .... A power failure? Aha. Okay, we've got it
licked now. Do you still have the boxes and manuals and
packing stuff that your computer came in?'
Caller: 'Well, yes, I keep them in the closet.'
Operator: 'Good. Go get them, and unplug your system and pack it
up just like it was when you got it. Then take it back to
the store you bought it from.'
Caller: 'Really? Is it that bad?'
Operator: 'Yes, I'm afraid it is.'
Caller: 'Well, all right then, I suppose. What do I tell them?'
Operator: 'Tell them you're too stupid to own a computer!'

a rain story

A little girl had been shopping with her Mom in Target. She must have been 6 years old, this beautiful red haired, freckle faced image of innocence. It was pouring outside. The kind of rain that gushes over the top of rain gutters, so much in a hurry to hit the earth it has no time to flow down the spout. We all stood there under the awning and just inside the door of the Target.We waited, some patiently, others irritated because nat ure messed up their hurried day. I am always mesmerized by rainfall. I got lost in the sound and sight of the heavens washing away the dirt and dust of the world. Memories of running, splashing so carefree as a child came pouring in as a welcome reprieve from the worries of my day.
The little voice was so sweet as it broke the hypnotic trance we were all caught in "Mom let's run through the rain," she said. "What?" Mom asked. "Let's run through the rain!" She repeated. "No, honey. We'll wait until it slows down a bit," Mom replied. This young child waited about another minute and repeated: " Mom , let's run through the rain.""We'll get soaked if we do," Mom said. "No, we won't, Mom. That's not what you said this morning," the young girl said as she tugged at her Mom's arm. "This morning? When did I say we could run through the rain and not get wet?""Don't you remember? When you were talking to Daddy about his cancer, you said, 'If God can get us through this, he can get us through anything!" The entire crowd stopped dead silent. I swear you couldn't hear anything but the rain. We all stood silently. No one came or left in the next few minutes. Mom paused and thought for a moment about what she would say. Now some would laugh it off and scold her for being silly. Some might even ignore what was said. But this was a moment of affirmation in a young child's life. A time when innocent trust can be nurtured so that it will bloom into faith. "Honey, you are absolutely right. Let's run through the rain. If GOD let's us get wet, well maybe we just needed washing," Mom said. Then off they ran. We all stood watching, smiling and laughing as they darted past the cars and yes, through the puddles. They held their shopping bags over their heads just in case. They got soaked. But they were followed by a few who screamed and laughed like children all the way to their cars. And yes, I did. I ran. I got wet. I needed washing. Circumstances or people can take away your material po ssessions, they can take away your money, and they can take away your health. But no one can ever take away your precious memories ... So, don't forget to make time and take the opportunities to make memories everyday. To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven.

I HOPE YOU STILL TAKE THE TIME TO RUN THROUGH THE RAIN.

I'M ON A ROLL

okay, so here is a little water color of miss

pumpkin girl
here is the very last of my happy zinnia patch.....i had to prepare the garden for FALL attire, and new winter pansies....pictures later when it is completely done.....

here is my first hand felted pin.......of course my inspiration comes from my fave Mary Englebreit posy.....i have it pinned on a new FALL sweater.....

me and larry

random hinting

just in case..(.hint hint) to two little cake makers, i happen to know and love..... that i happened to give birth to...hmmmmm........here are two cakes (either one) that i would love to have you make for my birthday!!!.......i know.......i am thinking ahead.......so??????!

are they not sooo cute?????.........oh come on! i know you can do it!

God's handiwork!

today as i did a small grocery shopping........in good ol Walmart......the store i love to hate and hate to love.........i spied their fresh flower section as i was breezing in.......and my eyes fell on these little beauties.........temptation seized me......and yes i caved in.......i absolutely could NOT resist them......this picture does not begin to do them justice.....they are deep pink on the inside and butter yellow on the outside.........absolutely stunning..........i was smitten.......and still am........wow......God really knows how to paint, doesn't HE?

i just HAD to post this

hey guys.......the following is a post by Joe Stowell.....it is so good...i just had to post it today......and as i was reading it i felt a "pang" of guilt.....on my Halloweeen post.......please do not think i am judging anyone in particular, in fact i definitely am not and have absolutely NO one in mind, except the businesses that sell the products mentioned......and i guess the people in general who love, adore and purchase these products......i feel it is definitely not God-honoring......HOWEVER.......when i come into contact with these people , individually........it is NOT my duty to inform them of my opinions, but rather to love them thru God's eyes and NOT judge them.........and quite honestly, MANY christians DO allow this stuff......and that is for them to settle with God.....certainly NOT for me to judge.....having a lot of "legalism" in my background as well as my husband's background......this devotion resonates strongly with me........

be sure to read the last few statements.........when our hearts are WITH and FOR God.......the rules take care of themselves.......

Get a Haircut
“These people honor me with their lips but their hearts are far from me.” Matthew 15:8
There we were, sitting in the middle of a statewide meeting for ministry leaders when the pastor of a large church leaned over and said to me, “You know, Joe, your hair is too long for you to be able to sing in my choir!” Actually there were probably better reasons that I couldn’t sing in his church choir, but I just smiled and said, “Oh really?”
The guy, who in so many words had told me to “get a haircut,” was a household name in our denomination, was nationally sought after as a preacher, and was what every aspiring minister hoped he could become. So, given how strict he was, you can imagine how shocked I was to later hear that he abandoned his church and family to move in with a woman he had been counseling.
I want to be careful not to sound holier-than-thou, but there is an important lesson here. If we are not careful, we can conform to a bunch of rules that keep us looking good on the outside while ignoring the condition of our hearts. It’s like buying good-looking peaches only to find out that when you cut them open they are bad on the inside.
Jesus confronted this “we’re-OK-because-we-keep-our-rules” attitude when the Pharisees pointed out that the disciples were not washing their hands before they ate. It’s not like the Pharisees were worried about any kind of sanitary issue. No, they had their tunics in a twist because the disciples were breaking a tradition, that is, not following their rules. I’m sure you could have heard a pin drop when Jesus stopped them cold by saying to these keepers of man-made rules, “You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me’” (Matthew 15:7-8). What a gut-wrenching indictment!
So in light of Jesus’ strong words on this point, how do we know when our hearts are far from God? One of the ways we know is when we see our Christianity in terms of the externals. Authentic Christianity is not about the right haircut, being at church every time the doors are opened, serving as an elder or using all of the “Christianese” lingo known to man. You can be all cleaned up on the outside while pride, jealousy, greed, and a dozen other internal demons happily feast on your heart. Let’s remember that “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).
Jesus longs to have a real heart-to-heart connection with us that expresses our love to Him in heartfelt acts of devotion instead of just living a life of dutifully keeping all the rules. As Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 13:3, “If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.”
My pastor friend found that he ended up with nothing when his heart was far from God—no ministry, no family, no devoted relationship with God. Fortunately, he repented and ended up reconciling with his wife. He would be the first to tell you that a true love for Christ cannot be replaced by a squeaky clean record of conduct according to “the rules.” When we let the rules rule, our faith is reduced to something like grocery shopping—it’s just another thing on our list of things to do.
So the choice is yours. Your life can be all about the burdensome duties of your Christianity or about the blessings of a heart that is devoted to Jesus. And, by the way, if your heart belongs to Jesus, the rules will take care of themselves!

HALLOWEEN

okay.....

here it goes .....

my:

WHY I

HATE

HALLO-

WEEN

post........

firstly.......i will tell you what i DO tolerate during this season......not to confuse FALL with the H word.....i LOVE love love Fall......all things remotely FALL, anything that even slightly gives a Fall "feeling".......which does overlap a little bit with the H word.......

i DO love pumpkins and have NO problem with carving a Jack O Lantern or two.......

i DO love trick or treating........IF it is totally a "fun" thing, with parental supervision NO matter the age, and IF the costume does not in any way portray EVIL.....however, because it is impossible to go out trick or treating without running into and seeing EVIL, BLOOD, GORE, DEATH, etc. etc........i believe a child should be taught WHY it is wrong

we have always in some form had a fun family gathering around the trick or treat activity on H night......i also enjoy GIVING out treats.....and it actually is a great way to share the gospel via a tract or gift certificate.....

wellllllllll.......that is about it for the POSITIVE side......

i must admit........there are MANY very very cute images that i am VERY drawn to, that i am so tempted to "allow" into my Fall decor......like :

CUTE ghosts!

CUTE witches!

CUTE goblins!

CUTE wizards!

etc. etc......and honestly.........sometimes i have given in to the "cuteness".......and then have to throw the item out, for my concious sake..

all i know is that we MUST obey God's Word.....and what HE has to say about these things.......

Galatians 5:19-21

"The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and WITCHCRAFT; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies and the like. I warn you, as I did before,that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God."

Micah 5:10-15

"In that day," declares the Lord, "i will destroy your horses from among you and demolish your chariots. I will destroy the cities of your land and tear down all your strongholds. I will destroy your WITCHCRAFT and you will no longer CAST SPELLS. I will destroy your carved images and your sacred stones from among you; you will no longer bow down to the work of your hands. I will uproot from among you your Asherah poles and demolish your cities. I will take vengeance in anger and wrath upon the nations that have not obeyed me."

i think these verses clearly reveal God's heart about some of these unspeakable evils.......what is really provoking, however, is how God lists alongside these OBVIOUS evils.....things that each of us are guilty of, usually EVERY day, like anger and rage, selfishness,divisions.....on and on.....these we quite regularly commit......something to think about, that is for sure

so back to the H day........i guess it really bothers me that really GOOD people,.....ie.....people who teach their children that murder is WRONG......dissecting bodies is WRONG.......the humiliation of the GRAVE and exposing the SKELETOL remains is WRONG.....and ON and On and ON.........these "good" people........let all their "goodness" go during the month of October and highly visualize on their front lawns UNSPEAKABLE acts of EVIL.......with NO shame, in fact the bigger, the bloodiest, the gory-est.......the BETTER......yeah, you get the picture!

the stuff that is sold in stores throughout our country for H is unbelievable! i work at Michaels...we have a section in the store.....actually 2 sections with absolutely HIDEOUS things for sale.......many children are so scared....and i am so ashamed to even have to apologize for the presence of such stuff........THEN.....and i have to say........MOST people of ALL ages LOVE IT......the worse the BETTER......they are.......well.........like .....BLOOD THIRSTY.....i am not kidding.......

in one of our displays there is a bride and groom.......and of course they are DEAD......and what they say is horrible........with "sexual" undertones.........and this is on display for children of ALL ages.....

SHAME SHAME SHAME

can you tell i am mad? well i am.......and i don't understand it.......honestly......if anyone has ever endured a murder in the family, or a body dismemberment via any kind of accident......or any medical atrocity that deforms the body........HOW can we, as civilized human beings GLORIFY the awfulness of it to "celebrate" H day?

i think it goes to show that when you take GOD out of anything.......EVIL presides and takes over......and atrocity and sin and unspeakable acts is what follows.......

SO FOLKS......sure wish i was a lot smarter and could eloquently give you a dissertation on why i hate H........but now you have it.......in ALL my UN-ELOQUENTNESS!

obviously, this is a subject that could go on and on with soooo much more to look into......but.......well......i'm not smart enuf......and have no time......but i will tell you one thing.....

i am so thankful for the God who lives IN me and THRU me....

1John 4: 4:

"You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the ONE who is in you is GREATER than the one who is in the world."

and so, i end with this last verse (above)....one of my favorite verses and one i quote OFTEN when troubled by that ol original trouble maker and lover of EVIL.....Satan.........

pics from yesterday

are these not tooooo precious???...oh my goodness.......more than a grandmother can take.......i could EAT them!

Mr. Toothless

here he is in all his toothless glory!!!!......hmmmm, wonder how much the tooth fairy pays these days? in my day it was a nickel.....possibly a dime, IF times were good!

you did it again Sarah

i took it very seriously to pray for Sarah as she debated Senator Biden tonite.........i totally sensed God's hand on her every move and word.......i am

listening to the liberal media right now as they axe her into peices, as they have constantly done......i am LIVID........

one thing that drives me crazy is saying Biden had some "mis-statements"...........they are down RIGHT LIES........come on people, let's call the KETTLE BLACK!...............he lied.......because those on "his" side will believe whatever is said, with no investigation into the FACTS ..like the wolfhounds on THE VIEW.........

i will have to admit........i laughed quite heartily when she called Biden .........O'Biden!!!.............Biden smiled on that one..........i am waiting to hear someone comment on that.........good material for SNL!...Tina Fey should get a good run on that one......and she will probably throw in a "doggone it" or two!

wow...........what a political fiasco..........sometimes i have to SHUT it all off........i overdose quickly!

the poor dough boy

Please join me in remembering a great icon of the entertainment community.

The Pillsbury Doughboy died yesterday of a yeast infection and trauma complications from repeated pokes in the belly. He was 71.Doughboy was buried in a lightly greased coffin. Dozens of celebrities turned out to pay their respects, including Mrs.Buttersworth, Hungry Jack, the California Raisins, Betty Crocker, the Hostess Twinkies, and Captain Crunch. The grave site was piled high withflours.Aunt Jemima delivered the eulogy and lovingly described Doughboy as a man who never knew how much he was kneaded. Doughboy rose quickly in show business, but his later life was filled with turnovers. He was notconsidered a very smart cookie, wasting much of his dough on half-baked schemes. Despite being a little flaky at times, he still was a crusty old man and was considered a positive roll model for millions. Doughboy is survived by his wife Play Dough, three children: John Dough, Jane Dough and Dorsey Dough, plus they had one in the oven. He is also survived by his elderly father, Pop Tart.The funeral was held at 3:50 for about 20 minutes.If this made you smile for even a brief second, please rise to the occasion and take time to pass it on and share that smile with someone else who may be having a crumby day and kneads a lift.

can i get a laugh people?

(btw, this is not original with me....but most of it i agree with!)

1. A friend of mine confused her Valium with her birth control pills... she has 14 kids but doesn't really care.

2. One of life's mysteries is how a 2-pound box of chocolates can make a woman gain 5 lbs.

3. My mind not only wanders, it sometimes leaves completely.

4. The best way to forget your troubles is to wear tight shoes.

5. The nice part about living in a small town is that when you don't know what you are doing, someone else does.

6. The older you get, the tougher it is to lose weight because by then, your body and your fat are really good friends.

7. Just when I was getting used to yesterday, along came today.

8. Sometimes I think I understand everything, and then I regain consciousness.

9. I gave up jogging for my health when my thighs kept rubbing together and setting fire to my knicker's.

10. Amazing! You hang something in your closet for a while and it shrinks 2 sizes!

11. Skinny people irritate me! Especially when they say things like...'You know sometimes I forget to eat!' .....Now I've forgotten my address, my mother's maiden name and my keys, but I have never forgotten to eat. You have to be a special kind of stupid to forget to eat!

12. I read this article that said the typical symptoms of stress are eating too much, impulse buying, and driving too fast.. Are they kidding? That's my idea of a perfect day!

is anyone discouraged today?

let God be your strength.....don't "go" it alone! the following is a wonderful devotion written by Steve Troxel.....i love his "realness".....please read and be encouraged today!

Plant and Water

In the message "God's Thermal of Encouragement" we saw how God promises to lift up those who hope and trust in Him. We must understand that this promise does not depend on the difficulty or darkness of our situation. No matter how hopeless our circumstances may appear, hope in Christ is sufficient and we must trust Him with all our heart - He WILL lift us high and send us soaring! We also considered how we are called to provide lifts of encouragement when others are drifting in the valley of despair.The Corinthians believed in Jesus and were strengthened in their faith through the efforts of multiple people. Paul reminded them that although many may have provided influence and guidance, it was God who did the real work.1 Corinthians 3:6"I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow."My grandparents loved the Lord and each other very much. They were married for sixty-five years, lived most of their life in a small farm house, and died a few miles from where they were born. In my youth, their lives were the foundation upon which I could stand when all else was crumbling. God used their love, and years of patient watering, to soften my rebellious heart and call me to His side.When I entered full time ministry I had little knowledge of the Bible, but God gave me an understanding that He is in control. His call on my life was relatively simple: I was to freely cast out the seeds of His Word and trust Him with ALL my heart. This call has never changed. God said His Word "will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it" (Isaiah 55:11). I am to plant and water, and trust God to grow exactly all He desires.I received the following note in response to the message God's Thermal of Encouragement:"Your message came at a time when I am in the valley. I live in Zimbabwe and currently we are facing a lot of challenges. I've been really drawn down, my Christian walk was affected, my prayer life was affected. I really felt as if I was alone in everything I was facing. Basically I've been trying to do everything with my own strength. But after reading your message I realized that my strength comes from the Lord and He will lift me up from this valley that I'm in, all I have to do is keep calling upon Him."Indeed, God's Word does not return empty! No matter what our current circumstances, we must obediently plant His message and continue to water with encouragement at every opportunity. Many people are walking in a spiritually dry land and we may be the only bit of Jesus they see or hear...or read. Some seeds take a long time to germinate, and some plants can take years to fully mature and bear fruit. Let's minister with our focus always on the glory of God. He will produce the growth in His timing, and according to His perfect plan. Let's join His work by simply, and faithfully, continuing to plant and water.Have a Christ Centered Day!Steve TroxelGod's Daily Word Ministries