Are We To Be Any Different?

When we hear over-inflated or half-truths about ourselves from relatives or friends, it hurts! and makes us feel degraded.

One time when I was shopping at the mall, I met a friend of a relative. She said, "Hi," and then asked me if I was a school teacher because one of my relatives had said that I was. She was suspicious because it was the middle of a weekday and if I was a teacher, then I should have been teaching.

My first reaction was shock, but it quickly turned into gut-wrenching hurt that one of my relatives would say a half-truth about me: I was a teacher, just not in the way that my relative had implied. Actually, I was at the mall shopping for children's ministry supplies for my church where I taught Sunday School, as well as buying some more music books for my piano students whom I taught most weekday afternoons.

I was hurt because it was as if this particular relative wasn't proud of who I was or what I did. I knew that it always bothered this person that I worked so hard "voluntarily" at my church, and also that I taught children other than my own to play the piano, and that many of these children were special needs because other piano teachers didn't have the heart or patience to teach them. But for a close relative to tell someone I was someone who I wasn't stabbed a knife-wound to my heart.

Not much later, this same person also told a lie to another friend, this time concerning my oldest brother, in particular, that he was one of the pastors on staff at a church in the city where he and his wife lived. However, one day, the friend came to visit the church, and asked the Lead Pastor which position my brother held. Of course, this embarrassingly uncovered my relative's lie, and made my brother look bad. As far as I know, my brother is unaware of this incident, and I've never told him because I don't want him to feel hurt the way I did when I discovered that this relative had lied about me.

Incidentally, my oldest brother is, like me, a Bible College graduate. However, God never called him to pastor a church. Instead, God called him and his wife to be missionaries to Guatemala. They are there today, and several years ago they adopted an orphan girl. But still, my relative refuses to refer to my oldest brother as a missionary, and instead tells everyone that he is a pastor, I guess because it sounds more elite or something.

Titles or how much a person gets paid means nothing to God! Nor should it mean anything to us. God cares about what is in the heart. We are His servants and nothing more!

"I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master.

Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message."

John 13:16 (NLT)

Jesus Christ never walked on earth demanding people to call Him a fancy title. He is just Jesus. Yes, He is the King of the Universe, the One and Only True God, the Creator of All, and the Great I Am, but He welcomes us to just call Him Jesus. Not only that, but when Jesus walked on earth, He never received a high-paying salary, wore expensive garments woven with gold thread, adorned Himself with precious jewels and metals, or rode in a golden chariot pulled by beautifully groomed, strong, white stallions. Jesus never flaunted His kingship. Instead, He became the greatest servant of all!

Now I ask: Are we to be any different? As Christians, our goal is not to strive for titles, the highest wages, or the most prestigious jobs. Our goal is to be one of God's servants and to do His will. When we have this attitude and desire, God will bless us far beyond our greatest dreams!

It is sad that my relative does not fully understand the character of God and the Christian walk.

In The Last Days

A few nights ago, people all over the world assembled to awe, goggle, idolize, and worship a gathering of certain people. These people were dressed seductively in elaborate gowns and suits, adorned in expensive jewelry worth thousands, or even millions, of dollars. But their outward show of attractiveness was a thin veil to their inward ugliness. Many of these movie stars have had multiple failed marriages and numerous sexual affairs. They've wasted their fortunes on parties, drugs, and alcohol. They've neglected the rearing of their children, they've verbally and physically abused those around them, and they've encouraged or participated in the making of films that mock God's holy character with profanity, sexual immorality, and all forms of evilness.

As the world Oo's and Ah's over these movie stars, they are forgetting about the only One who is worthy of our worship and adoration. He once walked upon the earth, showing the deepest compassion and the greatest love for all mankind. He taught the people who God truly is, because He is God. He healed all who came to Him bearing sickness and disease. Even though He was innocent of any sin, He was executed as a criminal. He sacrificed his life for us, dying a slow, tortuous death in a cruel and demeaning way. Yet, He defeated death. He is alive and well today. He is the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, the Creator of the Universe, the Omnipotent, the Omniscient, and the Omnipresent, the Holy One of Israel. His name is Jesus. When He walked upon the earth, He wore only a simple garment. His feet were shod in sandals. He worked hard, trained by His earthly father as a carpenter. He didn't walk on a red carpet. No, He travelled by foot on gravel roads. And when He entered Jerusalem amid the praises of the people, He rode only a simple donkey.

Now I ask the question: Does the world Oo and Ah over Him today? Sadly, no. Most of the people in the world have forgotten all about Him, or they are deceived about who He is. They look to movie stars, when, instead, they ought to look to Jesus the Christ. There has never been nor ever will be another like Him. He is the only One who offers life.

Children are being shot at school, young boys and girls are being molested and raped, spouses and children are being murdered, and more and more children are going missing without a trace. All the while, the world idolizes evil men and women; it looks for answers in the wrong people, in the wrong organizations; it turns a blind eye and a deaf ear to God's Word. If this continues, evilness will prevail. The Bible warns of this:

"You should also know this, Timothy,

that in the last days there will be very difficult times.

For people will love only themselves and their money.

They will be boastful and proud,

scoffing at God,

disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful.

They will consider nothing sacred.

They will be unloving and unforgiving;

they will slander others and have no self-control;

they will be cruel

and have no interest in what is good.

They will betray their friends,

be reckless,

be puffed up with pride,

and love pleasure rather than God."

2 Timothy 3:1-5 (NLT)

The world must stop! turn around, and start diligently seeking God through His Word. People need to give their hearts and souls to God if they want to be victorious over Satan and his deceptions. If people continue to neglect God and His Word, they will crumble into destruction and death.

It Is The Same With My Word

We got our first heavy snowfall: around 24 centimetres.

The farmers are happy because once the snow melts, the ground will have the necessary moisture for planting season. Up until now, the winter has been dry with very little precipitation. Although this is great for drivers and snow shovellers, it isn't so good for farmers, nursery owners, and gardeners. God saw the need and sent snow from the heavens.

"The rain and snow come down from the heavens

and stay on the ground to water the earth.

They cause the grain to grow,

producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry.

It is the same with My Word.

I send it out, and it always produces fruit.

It will accomplish all I want it to,

and it will prosper everywhere I send it."

Isaiah 55:10-11 (NLT)

And just as God sends the rain and the snow from the heavens to water the earth, causing the grain to grow and to feed the people, God sends His Word from Heaven to touch the hearts of the people, causing them to grow spiritually and to produce good fruit in their lives.

Before A Word Is On My Tongue

When my osteoplasty surgery was completed early Friday afternoon, my surgeon insisted I take three Advils before I left the dental office. Then she handed me a written order to take three more every four hours for the first day, two every four hours for the second day, and one every four hours for the third day, with Tylenol-3's in between as necessary. I protested "sweetly," but she got angry "sweetly," so I submitted to the doctor's persuasive arguments and shallowed three Advils in front of her. (No, I didn't throw the pills underneath the dentist chair when her back was turned. Whatever gave you that idea?) I did succeed, however, in convincing her not to give me the prescription for Tylenol-3's by promising that I would just take extra-strength Tylenols if I needed to. Of course, I didn't tell her that I don't actually keep any extra-strength Tylenols at home.

Anyways, it's been two days since the surgery and, unbelievably, I've not experienced the slightest pain. It feels weird, my face swollen and distorted, my gums are tender, and my husband weakens every time he sees inside my mouth, but that's it! I haven't taken a single Advil or Tylenol since I left the office. Praise God! He took the pain away from my surgery. God knows me so well that He knew even if I was in suffering and in pain I would have been too stubborn to take any more pills.

"You have searched me, Lord,

and you know me.

You know when I sit and when I rise;

You perceive my thoughts from afar.

You discern my going out and my lying down;

You are familiar with all my ways.

Before a word is on my tongue,

You, Lord, know it completely.

You hem me in behind and before,

and You lay Your hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,

too lofty for me to attain."

Psalm 139:1-6 (NIV)

Before I even asked, God answered my prayer!

Every Good and Perfect Gift

Well, praise God! the osteoplasty surgery went very well.

One year ago, I looked on the internet for a good dentist because I knew I needed some cleaning work on my teeth. I chose my current dentist because his website states that he is a Christian and his office is close by in the town where I live in. I didn't choose him because he happens to specialize in cosmetic surgery. To be honest, that part bothered me. The website showed pictures of people who spent thousands of dollars on their teeth to perfect their smiles, and yet I thought their smiles looked fine in the first place. At least they didn't have half gums half teeth!

On my first appointment to the dentist, one of the questions he asked me was: "What do you think of your smile?" No dentist ever asked me that question before, so I hesitated, thought briefly, and responded Christian-like by saying, "Neutral." I didn't want to say anything negative because I thought it would sound vain, and Brian's dental plan at the time had a $3500 limit, so that was the first word that came to mind. However, God knew what was truly in my heart because He orchestrated everything so that I would be able to have the osteoplasty surgery for almost free to correct my gummy smile. God is so good because every good and perfect gift comes from God our Father!

"Every good and perfect gift is from above,

coming down from the Father of the Heavenly lights,

who does not change like shifting shadows."

James 1:17 (NIV)

Ever since I was a young girl, I've always been embarrassed by my smile. My mother was the first one to point out to me how much of a shame it is that my smile shows more gum than teeth. I didn't know what she meant until I ran to the bathroom and looked at myself in the mirror. My mother always had beautiful, perfectly-sized teeth, whereas I had unnaturally small ones — at least, that is what I always believed. However, a year ago, my dentist told me that my teeth aren't the problem; my gums are the culprit because they cover too much of my teeth, and the situation is completely correctable through surgery.

Even though the surgery cost $3000, ninety precent of it is covered under my husband's new unlimited dental plan. (He changed jobs five months ago.) My osteoplasty surgery is truly a gift from God because I would have never had it done otherwise.

God is so good! He even cares about a little girl's insecurity over a gummy smile.

What Can Mere Mortals Do To Me

This morning I am going to my dentist to have osteoplasty surgery. In dentistry terms, osteoplasty surgery is a "surgical resection of bony structures to form or correct the contour of the gums." In English, I'm having my gums cut.

The procedure will take about one and a half hours. My dentist, who specializes in cosmetic dentistry, recommended the surgery, and my husband's awesome, unlimited dental plan covers 90% of the cost, so I thought, "Why not?"

My son Matthew, however, says I shouldn't have the surgery because he is afraid I will come out looking like a particular movie star he remembers from a certain DVD. For the life of me, I can't remember anything about that actress's teeth. And I don't plan on watching the movie to refresh my memory either, or else I will chicken out.

To tell the truth, I am rather nervous because my dentist never explained to me how exactly the procedure is done and what to expect. I am imagining blood and pain, so I've been praying considerably about it, and I constantly quote to myself this Bible verse to ease my worries.

 "I trust in God, so why should I be afraid?

What can mere mortals [dentists] do to me?"

Psalm 56:4b (NLT)

Yesterday, Tim and Matthew had a cleaning appointment with the same dentist. It was their first visit to his office. I had to chuckle to myself because the work the dentist wants to do on Matthew's teeth requires four more appointments. I think our dentist is taking full advantage of Brian's dental plan, because on the other hand, Tim only needs one more appointment. Incidentally, Tim is under a different dental plan from the U of A with a limit of only $500; the rest he has to cover himself.

Friends Sharpen Each Other

"As iron sharpens iron,

so one man sharpens another."

Proverbs 27:17 (NIV)

A person doesn't sharpen a knife with a piece of cloth, rubber, plastic, glass, or wood. A person sharpens a knife with an equal or greater strength material like iron.

The Bible says that a godly friend is like a sharpening block to each of us. In other words, having good friends strengthens our character. Friends sharpen each other and make themselves more productive and effective.

Living life alone is not what God intends for us. We were created to be social and to make friends. Just like a knife can't sharpen itself, a loner can't sharpen him/herself. A loner is not able to reach his/her full potential or fulfil the ultimate plan God has for his/her life without friends.

A knife that is not regularly sharpened will go dull and be useless. But a knife that is regularly sharpened will always be sharp and ready to use.

A wise man/woman seeks out wise friends! Never should we be happy in our solitude or desire to live like hermits in the woods. Friends are a blessing from God! They can come in many forms: neighbours, co-workers, fellow students, church family members, husbands, brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, and adult children. It is important that we establish and foster friendships with others whom we can trust to be honest and caring towards us.

*     *     *

In case anyone is interested, the knife in the picture doesn't belong to me; it belongs to one of my sons. He needed one to take on a weekend camping trip in the wilds. However, I will be honest and say that I was with my son when he bought the knife, and I did encourage him to buy the Smith and Wesson one. That's probably why God gave me sons and not daughters: I enjoy shopping at hunting stores.

Teach Them To Your Children

The Bible instructs parents to teach their children the Word of God at every opportunity: when their children sit at home with them, when their children walk along the road with them, when they tuck their children into bed at night, and when their children get up in the morning.

"Teach them to your children, 

talking about them when you sit at home, 

and when you walk along the road, 

when you lie down,

 and when you get up."

Deuteronomy 11:19 (NIV)

This is probably the most important verse in the Bible for a parent to know!

When my sons were little, I taught them to read Christian books, to listen to Christian tapes, to watch Christian videos, to sing and play Christian songs, and to pray and have daily devotionals. Everything we did as a family was centered around God's Word. We never had television, listened to secular music, rented ungodly videos, or went to the theatre to watch ungodly films. I took the opportunity when my sons were young to teach them to control what they watched, listened to, and read. I made sure to fill their minds with only the things of God. And now that they are adults, they continue to honour and serve God. The things that attract most people in society repulse them because their minds have been saturated with God's Word, and knowing God's Word has trained their minds to instinctively know right from wrong.

Parents need to take every opportunity to teach their children God's Word, and to not allow secular beliefs and immoral views to infiltrate their children's minds and hearts. It is the parents' responsibility to daily teach their children the truths of God, so that when their children are older, they will be able to recognize the lies and traps of Satan and turn away.

Family Day!

Yesterday, three out of the ten provinces in Canada celebrated Family Day: Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Ontario. Family Day is a holiday that is celebrated each year on the third Monday of February to honour families and to stress the importance of families in people's lives.

I think it is a wonderful holiday! On the weekend of Family Day, many people travel to visit family members who live far away. Others attend art galleries, museums, carnivals, or special public events, all of which are usually free on this important day.

I took this picture of my cat, Osha, yesterday, and thought about how much she enjoys being part of (or shall I say spoiled by) our family.

Here are some Bible verses that apply to families.

Husbands:

"Each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself."

Ephesians 5:33a (NIV)

Wives:

"And the wife must respect her husband."

Ephesians 5:33b (NIV)

Husbands and wives:

"Give honour to marriage,

and remain faithful to one another in marriage."

Hebrews 13:4a (NLT)

Parents:

"Train a child in the way he should go,

and when he is old he will not turn from it."

Proverbs 22:6 (NIV)

Children:

"Children, obey your parents in the Lord,

for this is the right thing to do."

Ephesians 6:1 (ISV)

Even this quick study of the Bible shows the importance that God places on family harmony, respect, honour, and enjoyment.

Family Day! A God-inspired holiday!

As Long As You Have Breath, Do Not Give Up

On Saturday evening, my four sons and I went to the theatre to watch a Japanese Hayao Miyazaki film called, "The Secret World of Arrietty." I have seen almost all of Hayao Miyazaki's films. I love his creative and eccentric writing, plus the artistry of his films. He is brilliant!

"The Secret World of Arrietty" was about a sickly, twelve-year-old boy named Shawn, who is waiting to have heart surgery. Unfortunately, the young boy has already given up and lost hope in surviving. The fight in him is long gone.

But when Shawn is sent to a country-garden home to rest for a few weeks before his operation, he discovers a fourteen-year-old girl named Arrietty, who lives with her parents inside the recesses of the large house. She befriends the boy and gives him back his fighting spirit and desire to live.

However, Arrietty and her family have a struggle of their own. They are little people, small enough to live in a doll house. Upon being discovered by a human who selfishly wants to capture them, they too must fight to survive as they are forced to leave their home and move elsewhere.

Several verses in the Bible came to mind as I recalled this film:

"So be strong and courageous,

all you who put your hope in the Lord!"

Psalm 31:24 (NLT)

"But as for you,

be strong and do not give up,

for your work will be rewarded."

2 Chronicles 15:7 (NIV)

The Bible tells us that as long as we have breath, we are never to give up, but fight to live, no matter whether we are crippled, diseased, handicapped, or old. It is God who decides when it is time for us to leave earth, not us.

Even The Demons Believe This

So many people in this world believe that they will go to Heaven simply because they believe there is a God. And yet they disrespect Him and dishonour His Name in the way they live! They do not revere God or abide in Him — they simply believe He exists — and they continue to live in sexual immorality, selfishness, greed, drug and alcohol addictions, and/or anger. They believe they will still go to Heaven because hell, of course, is reserved only for murderers and rapists.

The Bible mocks those who think that just believing in God is sufficient enough for them to be welcomed into God's Kingdom. God says that even Satan's demons believe there is a God!

"You say you have faith,

 for you believe that there is one God.

Good for you!

Even the demons believe this,

 and they tremble in terror."

James 2:19 (NLT)

The Bible makes it very clear how to be saved from the eternal damnation of hell. It isn't complex; it's a free gift of God through His precious Son, Jesus Christ.

However, before accepting this free gift, we must first repent of our sins, believe that God sent His only Son Jesus Christ to die on a Cross for the forgiveness of those sins, and then give our hearts and lives to Him. If we fall along the way, we must go to God in repentance, seek His forgiveness and strength, and then continue on our journey in life with God at our side.

On the other hand, if we say we accept this free gift, but continue to live like the world in sin, with no evidence of Christ in our lives, then our commitment to God is shallow and insincere. We become not a poor testimony to the world, but a fake one.

The Bible says that we need to love the Lord our God with all our hearts, souls, strength, and minds. When we do, our love for Him will be visibly evident in the way we live our lives.

"You must love the Lord your God

with all your heart,

all your soul,

all your strength,

and all your mind."

Luke 10:27 (NLT)

Sadly, many will try to enter Heaven, but will not be able.

"Enter by the narrow gate.

For the gate is wide and the way is easy

 that leads to destruction,

and those who enter by it are many."

Matthew 7:13 (ESV)

"Strive to enter through the narrow door.

For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able."

Luke 13:24 (ESV)

Those who have a form of godliness by professing religion and a connection with a church, but deny God's power by not allowing God to influence and change their lives, will not enter Heaven.

"But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.

 People will be lovers of themselves,

lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive,

disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,

without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control,

brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited,

lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God

— having a form of godliness but denying its power."

2 Timothy 3:1-5 (NIV)

Heaven's door may be narrow, and the road difficult, but a way has been made through God's Son, Jesus Christ. Choose today to be a sincere and honest lover of God, not a lover of yourself or the world. Then one glorious day you will be welcomed through Heaven's door with open arms.

Jesus Took His Last Breath Thinking Of Us

Last year I bought the movie "Hachi: A Dog's Tale" starring Richard Gere. It is a true story about a college professor in Japan who adopts an abandoned Akita puppy, creating a deep bond between the two of them. The dog, named Hachi, accompanies his master to the train station every morning as he leaves for work, and then, every afternoon, comes back again to greet his master as he gets off the train. The two are inseparable. However, the professor finds it frustrating that he can never teach Hachi to fetch.

Then one morning, Hachi tries to stop his master from going to work by barking at him. When Hachi doesn't succeed, he goes to get his ball, then runs back to his master with the ball in his mouth. However, the professor ignores his dog's strange behaviour and continues to walk to work, getting on the train. That is the last time Hachi ever sees his master. As the professor is teaching music to his students, he tragically dies of a heart attack, leaving Hachi waiting all night for him in the deep snow at the train station.

It is unbelievable and heart-wrenching, but for nine years Hachi continues to wait for his beloved master at the train station. He goes there at the same time each day, waiting, hoping, and dreaming of the fun times he once shared with his master. When Hachi becomes old and grey, he manages one last time to crawl to the train station and wait. There, Hachi takes his last breath and dies.

To honour the dog, the people of Hachi's town built a monument of him that stands to this day at the train station.

I tell this story because Hachi represents Jesus, waiting, hoping, and dreaming of the day when those that were once His own will one day come back to their Heavenly Father and into the loving arms of their Master. Just like Hachi pleaded with his master not to go to work that day, with a ball in his mouth, Jesus pleads for those who start to turn their backs and begin to head out into the deadly traps of the world.

The Bible says that there is no greater love than one who is willing to lay down his life for his friends. Hachi gave up a dog's life, to lay down his life for his best friend. Jesus has done the same for each one of us. When Jesus died, He took His last breath thinking of each one us.

"Greater love has no one than this,

 that he lay down his life for his friends."

John 13:15 (NIV)

Praise God that Jesus is alive today!

The Wellspring Of Life

The purpose of the heart is, of course, to pump blood throughout the body, thus conveying oxygen and nutrients to the various muscles and organs of the body, as well as removing wastes. If the heart stops functioning, then the other organs of the body will begin to fail almost immediately, leading to death.

The Bible says that we must guard our hearts, for the heart is the wellspring of life.

"Above all else, guard your heart,

for it is the wellspring of life."

Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)

Filling our hearts with hatred, anger, resentment, jealousy, unforgiveness, negative thoughts, lust, or any other kind of evil, will slowly destroy us emotionally, mentally, and physically.

The Bible also says that a person who has good things stored in his/her heart will do good things in his/her life. Conversely, a person who has evil things stored in his/her heart will do evil things in his/her life. How are the contents of the heart revealed: by the words a person speaks.

"The good man brings good things

 out of the good stored up in his heart,

and the evil man brings evil things

 out of the evil stored up in his heart.

For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks."

Luke 6:45 (NIV)

If you want to do good and live the life of our Lord Jesus Christ, you must first cleanse your heart from all evil. If you want to love more, you must get rid of hate for any person, even yourselves. If you want to control your temper, you must get rid of stored-up anger. If you want to be free of cynicism and sarcasm, you must get rid of resentment. If you want to have friends and be a friend to others, you must to get rid of jealousy. If you want to have healthy and long-lasting relationships, you must get rid of unforgiveness. If you want to end depression, you must get rid of all negative thoughts, and dwell solely on the truths of God's Word. If you want to find a godly wife or husband, or have a fulfilling marriage, you must get rid of lust, and love and desire only your partner.

To sum it all up, if we want to live lives that are full of happiness and health, that are pleasing to God, and that God can use, we need to store only good things in our hearts and get rid of all the evil things. We need to do this on a continual basis, praying regularly to God and asking Him to create in us a clean heart and to renew a right spirit within us.

"Create in me a clean heart, O God,

and renew a right spirit within me."

Psalm 51:10 (ESV)

The Golden Rule

The Golden Rule: "Do to others as you would have them do to you."

Did you know that this famous "Golden Rule" that we were taught when we were children by our mothers, fathers, elementary school teachers, and principals, (that is, if we were sent to his office for bad behaviour,) is straight from the Scriptures?

Here is a list of Scripture verses that asseverate the Golden Rule:

"Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against a fellow Israelite,

 but love your neighbour as yourself."

Leviticus 19:18 (NLT)

"Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you.

 This is the essence of all that is taught in the Law and the prophets."

Matthew 7:12 (NLT)

"Jesus replied, 'You must love the Lord your God

 with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.' 

This is the first and greatest commandment. 

A second is equally important: 

'Love your neighbour as yourself.' 

The entire Law and all the demands of the prophets 

are base on these two commandments."

Matthew 22:37-40 (NLT)

"Do to others as you would like them do to you."

Luke 6:31 (NLT)

"For the whole Law can be summed up in this one command:
 'Love your neighbour as yourself.'"
Galatians 5:14 (NLT)

It is interesting that many Eastern religions and ancient cultures adopted the Golden Rule that Jesus taught in Scriptures, even though they did not embrace Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour of mankind. If more people obeyed the Golden Rule in our society today, there would definitely be more peace and harmony in our chaotic, riotous, and warring world.

Years ago, it was common to see Christian young people wear bracelets with the initials WWJD, meaning "What would Jesus do?" They wore these bracelets as a reminder for them to act, respond, dress, and speak the way Jesus would want them to. I thought it was a great idea! I also think it would be great idea for the Golden Rule to be posted throughout schools, universities, churches, government offices, fridges doors of homes, and dashboards of our cars as a reminder of this important rule to follow.

Most people have no problem doing unto others what they would have others do to them, if the "others" are those who have not offended or hurt them in any way. The difficult part is doing unto others what we would have others do to us when the "others" are those who are dastardly, selfish, and hateful. To resist the temptation to retaliate against those who do evil to us, we need to rely on God's character and strength. The Golden Rule applies to all mankind, both good and evil!

Today and in the days that follow, let's all try to make the world a more peaceful and harmonious place by doing our part in following the Golden Rule, which encompasses the whole essence of God's nature.

Like A Gold Ring In A Pig's Snout

Farmers install rings into the snouts of their pigs to stop them from rooting. Rooting is when a pig uses its snout to burrow into the ground, which can cause considerable damage to the farmer's crops.

In the Bible, God likens a beautiful woman who lacks discretion to a gold ring in a pig's snout. A woman who lacks discretion is void of virtue and honour. In other words, she does not exhibit the beautiful characters of God inside her, even though she may be beautiful on the outside. Her apparel, conduct, and speech are immoral. She is proud, selfish, bad-tempered, untrustworthy, sexually immoral, and manipulative. She may be attractive on the outside, like a shiny, shimmering gold ring, but she is repulsive on the inside, like an ugly, mean-spirited, and filthy pig whose behaviour causes destruction.

"A beautiful woman who lacks discretion

is like a gold ring in a pig's snout."

Proverbs 11:22 (NLT)

Like the old saying goes, "It's not what's on the outside that counts, but what's on the inside." The true beauty of a woman shines forth from the goodness in her heart, and radiates kindness on her face and gentleness in her eyes.

As one continues to read further in the book of Proverbs it also states that a wife of noble character is worth far more than rubies.

"A wife of noble character who can find?

She is worth far more than rubies."

Proverbs 31:10 (NIV)

How true that is! It is sad that the world puts great emphasis on outer beauty and very little emphasis on inner beauty. Many of the movie stars are beautiful on the outside, but miserable on the inside. They once thought that their beauty, sexual appeal, fame, and money would bring them the happiness they desired, but they found out it only brought them disappointments, hurts, and insecurities. And as their beauty and fame fades, they turn to drugs and alcohol to numb their pain and misery. It breaks my heart every time when I hear on the news of famous actors, actresses, singers, and musicians who die prematurely because of drug and alcohol addictions, prescription drugs abuse, or suicide. If only they sought and took heed to the infinite wisdom of God in His Word.

Tips For Godly Courtship

"A bowl of vegetables with someone you love

 is better than steak with someone you hate."

Proverbs 15:17 (NLT)

Since today is Valentine's Day, I have come up with a list of tips for godly courtship.

Here is my list of tips for a male wanting to woo a female's heart:

1. If you ask a lady out for a date and she agrees, pay for her expenses with great pleasure.
2. Help the lady to put on her coat by standing behind her and holding her coat open.
3. Always open the car door for the lady.
4. If you take the lady out to a restaurant, pull out her chair and then push it back again as she sits down.
5. When you take the lady to church, always let her go in the row first.
6. If the lady is cold, offer her your coat. If she bashfully refuses, take your coat off, and place it over her shoulders. You may suffer hypothermia in the process, but it will be worth it because you will have won her heart.
7. Be aware of the lady's emotions and feelings. In other words, try to "put yourself into her shoes."
8. If you have hurt the lady's feelings, whether unintentionally or intentionally, apologize as soon as possible.
9. Sincerely compliment the lady regularly.
10. Never allow your eyes to wander and gaze at other females. If you don't think she will notice, you're wrong. She will notice.
11. If it is the lady's birthday, or a special holiday, and you don't know what to buy for her, buy her a bouquet of flowers. And if you are strap for cash, buy her one red rose and write her a poem or a short letter.
12. Smile at the lady often, especially when you first see her.
13. Tie the lady's shoelaces. (This act won my heart.)
14. Ask your mother for advice when needed. No one better understands the female mind than another female.
15. Respect the lady by remembering that her body is not yours, until you have married her.

A man should remember to keep this up throughout his marriage to the lady who generously gave him her heart.

Technology!

On Saturday, my keyless entry remote for my RAV4 stopped transmitting, leaving Matthew and me stranded in a parking lot. I actually had to use a physical key to manually unlock the driver's door just to get inside. Aren't we so hard done by?

And that isn't the worst part of it. Once I got into my vehicle, I realized I couldn't start the engine — there's no place to insert a key!

Matthew immediately pulled out the owner's manual from the glove compartment and started reading, while I kept pushing the ignition button, hoping that the green light would turn on.

Finally, out of desperation, because we were already late to meet my other son, Daniel, at the music store — believe it or not I still don't have a cell phone — I bowed my head, closed my eyes, and prayed, "God, please start the engine." When I looked up the green light appeared on the ignition button. I was both relieved and thankful as I started the car and drove off.

Matthew was still reading the owner's manual, but he temporarily gave up trying to figure out how to start the engine manually to find the answer to a better question: what type of battery did we need for the remote?

When we arrived at the music store, I did what any intellectual person would do in my situation. I automatically turned off the engine. As Matthew looked at me in disbelief, I sat there dumbfounded at my stupidity. He looked down and started reading the owner's manual again.

Meanwhile, Daniel spotted us in the parking lot and came over to inspect why we hadn't gotten out of our vehicle yet. Once he found out what the problem was, he kicked me out of the driver's seat, and I stood outside shivering in the cold (chivalry is dead) while Daniel and Matthew worked together to start the engine. I, however, came up with a quicker solution. I opened the door and informed Daniel that I started the vehicle the last time by praying. Daniel looked up at me and said, "Then pray!" So I did, out loud, and lo and behold, the green light appeared again. I noticed a crooked smile on Daniel's face. The engine started and off we went to the Toyota dealership to get a battery for my remote.

In the meantime, Matthew was able to discover the answer to our perplexing problem, and he showed me how to start the engine if the battery in the remote were ever to die again. Here are the steps:

1. Put your foot on the brake.
2. Touch the Toyota symbol on the remote key to the metal rim of the ignition button on the dash.
3. When the sound of the buzzer is heard, remove your foot off the brake.
4. Wait five seconds and push the ignition button. The green light should appear.
5. Proceed as normal.

Technology!

I thank God that He cares even about the problematic little things in our lives. In fact, the very first miracle that Jesus performed showed His caring concern for such trivial things.

Jesus, His disciples, and His mother, Mary, were all invited to a wedding. But the supply of wine ran out, leaving the guests with nothing to drink. Out of embarrassment, Mary turned to Jesus for help. He told the servants to fill six large stone water jars with water and then pour some for the master of the banquet. When the master tasted the water miraculously turned into wine, he was delighted by its delicious taste.

"Everyone brings out the choice wine first

and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink;

but you have saved the best til now."

John 2:10 (NIV)

I can't help but imagine the nervousness of the servants when they were about to pour water into the master's goblet, and then their relief when the master tasted it and gave it his praise. The servants all probably had crooked smiles on their faces too.

The Wicked Are Always Cruel To Animals

Yesterday, Matthew and I, for the first time, went shopping at an absolutely huge and famous hunting store. It was totally awesome! We spent over an hour in the store, and Matthew and I left with a leather hat that I bought for him.

The most amazing part of the store, though, was the fifty or so exhibits of full-size, taxidermal animals. These were set up all throughout the store in displays that mimicked the animals' natural habitat: every creature that one might encounter out in the Canadian wilderness: polar bears, grizzly bears, black bears, deer, caribou, moose, wolves, antelope, mountain sheep, lynx, geese, and on and on. I couldn't help but stand close-up and stare.

I love animals. Being in the hunting store made me feel like I was out in nature admiring God's handiwork. I am so amazed at the beautiful creatures that roam our country. How can someone not believe in an intellectual Designer when they see the amazing creativity in the animals of this world?

The Bible says that godly people care for animals, but wicked people are always cruel to them.

"The godly care for their animals,

but the wicked are always cruel."

Proverbs 12:10

Don't get me wrong: I don't think hunting is evil. After all, I was in a hunting store. I just think there are some hunters who are evil and have little respect for wildlife, just like there are people in this world who are cruel to domestic animals.

When I was a teenager, my mother used to always tell me, "Never date a man who hates animals; it's a sign that his true character is bad." I didn't realize it at the time, but my mom was quoting Scripture!

I Have Summoned You By Name

When I graduated from Bible College, I was asked to read a passage of Scripture for the graduation ceremony. This is the passage I chose:

"Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;

I have summoned you by name; you are mine.

When you pass through the waters,

I will be with you;

and when you pass through the rivers,

they will not sweep over you.

When you walk through the fire,

you will not be burned;

the flames will not set you ablaze.

For I am the Lord your God,

the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour."

Isaiah 43:1b-3

As a child of God, you need not ever fear, because God has purchased you with the precious blood of His beloved Son, Jesus Christ. God, who is the mighty and everlasting King, has summoned you by name. He knows you! He knows your name. In fact God knew you before you were ever born. You are of utmost importance to Him and a valuable part of His Kingdom. God had His eyes on you from the very beginning, and He has a perfect plan for you that lasts until the moment you take your last breath.

You belong to God. You are the King's son or daughter. God loves you despite all your flaws because He sees His Son Jesus in you!

If you pass through high waters, God promises to be with you. You will not drown. If you pass through the rivers, the torrential currents will not force you under, nor disable you from taking another breath.

If you walk through the fire, you will not burn. The flames will not touch a single hair of your body. You will not feel the scorching heat of the inferno.

Why is all this true? Because God is Lord, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour! Yes, your Saviour! He is with you always to give you strength and courage to go on in the face of life's difficulties. God lives inside you and you therefore have everything you need to stand with courage in any kind of battle.

You have been summoned!

Joy In Finding Lost Things

Yesterday, my son, Tim, found a white, feminine, crocheted tuque inside our couch downstairs. He came upstairs wearing it and said, "Finders keepers!"

Actually, the tuque belongs to the young girl who visited us at Christmas. The young girl told me that a neighbour lady made it specially for her, so I reprimanded my son for wearing it. Although, Tim is defiant and determined to keep it, I will mail it to the girl next week.

"I found it! It's mine!"

I enjoying finding lost things. It brings me great joy. I think Tim had some joy too, as well as some fun, when he found the young girl's tuque.

The Bible says that God and the angels all rejoice when one lost sinner comes to God and repents, because each person on earth is valuable in the eyes of God.

To explain Heaven's joy when a lost soul is saved, Jesus told the parable of a woman who had ten silver coins but loses one. She searches carefully all over her house for the lost coin, and when she finds it, she calls all her friends and neighbours together to celebrate. There is that much joy in the woman's heart, and also in the heart of God, when what was once lost is found.

"Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one.

Doesn't she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?

 And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbours together and says,

 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.'

In the same way, I tell you,

there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God

 over one sinner who repents."

Luke 15:8-10

When a sheep goes astray, the rest of the flock should follow this woman's example and do everything they can to find the lost and bring him/her back to the Shepherd. In other words, a church should never turn its back on a rebellious teen, a wayward adult, or a disheartened or disgraced pastor who leaves the ministry. Instead, a church should turn on all the lights in the building, go out into the streets and highways, and search carefully for the one who is lost, doing everything they can to bring that person back to God and His family. If the church did this, I believe there would be a lot less people in the world who once knew God and are no longer serving Him.

His Clothes Will Burn and His Feet Will Scorch

"Can a man carry fire next to his chest

and his clothes not be burned?

Or can one walk on hot coals

and his feet not be scorched?

So is he who goes in to his neighbour's wife;

none who touches her will go unpunished."

Proverbs 6:27-29

How many rising leaders do you know of today who were forced to leave their campaign trail because of exposed adultery? Or how many leaders do you know in our era who were once respected and esteemed, only to end their power disgraced and humiliated because of sexual immorality? Or how many past historical leaders do you know who were having multiple extramarital affairs and were later assassinated and/or had one or more of their children die at birth or later? Do you ever wonder if the tragedies could have been God's punishment for their sexual adultery? Remember King David?

When a leader dishonours God in such sexual sins, negative consequences will follow — evidence that God is still on the throne, sees all, and will fulfill His Word in the Holy Scriptures.

The Bible says in Proverbs that an adulterous man will not go unpunished. He is like a man carrying fire next to his chest: his clothes will surely ignite, burning his delicate flesh. God also goes further and says an adulterous man is like one walking on hot coals: his feet will scorch, causing agonizing pain throughout his body.

God is still ruler of this world! If leaders think that they can get away with sexual sins because of their power and popularity, they are deceiving themselves. Nothing is hidden from God and He is still in control, not man.

The economy may be in dire need, the world falling apart, the future bleak, and the leaders incompetent and hypocritical, with little or no integrity, but we do not need to fear: God is in control and He is working hard to bring the nations back to Him. God's upmost desire is for people to turn their hearts towards Him and put their complete trust in His character, knowledge, and ability. If God allowed sin to go unpunished, then the world would continue to do evil in the sight of God, and people would never turn from their wicked ways.

As we are entering the last days, more and more sins that were once hidden, ignored, or covered are being exposed to reveal the vileness of the idolized and ungodly leaders of this world. The second coming of Christ is near and God is revealing the ugly truth to all, so that the people of this world will finally be so sickened by the depravity of man that they will start to seek the holiness of God.

When a man commits idolatry, he will be left licking his wounds. God indeed forgives, but man must first humble himself with a true penitent heart, like King David did in the Bible. However, David still had to suffer and accept the consequences of his sins.

Do Not Run From The Sword

Here is another picture that Tim drew when he was a teenager. This one he drew for me for my birthday.

I love watching horses out in the meadows as they graze on the long grass. Whenever we lived near a farm field and I was feeling depressed or overwhelmed by stress, I would go for a walk and look at the horses out in the fields. Immediately, I would be uplifted and energized by these majestic animals. My melancholy state would vanish and the fighting spirit within me would arise because of the strength and character that the horse typifies.

"Have you given the horse its strength

or clothed its neck with a flowing mane?

Did you give it the ability to leap like a locust?

Its majestic snorting is terrifying!

It paws the earth and rejoices in its strength

when it charges out to battle.

It laughs at fear and is unafraid.

It does not run from the sword.

The arrows rattle against it

and the spear and javelin flash.

It paws the ground fiercely

and rushes forward into battle when the ram's horn blows.

It snorts at the sound of the horn.

It senses the battle in the distance.

It quivers at the captain's commands and the noise of battle."

Job 39:19-25 (NLT)

I believe God wants His children to be like a horse, ready and willing to do battle on our Captain's command. We are to be strong and courageous for God as He rides with us, directing all our moves. We are to never be afraid, because the Lord Almighty is with us.

His Mysterious Ways

Here is a picture that my son, Tim, drew and coloured with pencil crayons. It's copied from a picture on the cover of a Christian book.

"Oh, what a wonderful God we have!

 How great are His riches and wisdom and knowledge!

 How impossible it is for us to understand His decisions and His methods!

For who can know what the Lord is thinking?

Who knows enough to be His counselor?"

Romans 11:33-34 (NLT)

Tim was a young teenager when he drew this picture and gave it to me. I was so mesmerized by the picture on the book's cover that I would gaze and ponder at the unopened book for several minutes before opening the book to read it. I saw myself in the one sheep staring in wonderment at the barn's illumination.

The picture spoke volumes to me because not one of us will ever be able to completely understand or predict the ways and methods of God here on earth and in our own individual lives. It is impossible for anyone to know what the Lord is thinking because God's wisdom and knowledge is so much more superior than ours.

For instance, who would have ever guessed that Jesus, God's only Son, would have been born in a place where animals were kept, and then placed in a manger? God glorious presence filled the most unlikely place.

Today, God still works in mysterious ways. He is beyond our rational thinking. The Bible says God's thoughts are nothing like our thoughts, and His ways are far beyond anything we can imagine.

"'My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts', says the Lord,

'And My ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.'"

Isaiah 55:8 (NLT)

God is indeed wonderful and very mysterious! He is not boring or dull, and knowing Him as Lord and Saviour is exciting!

Do You Have Eyes And Fail To See?

When my oldest son, Daniel, was five, we made a trip to the dentist so that he could have his teeth cleaned and checked. When the appointment was finished, the dental hygienist showed him a tray of little toys out of which he could pick one for being such a good patient. When Daniel proudly came out of the dental office with a shiny ring in his hand, it broke my heart, the thought of trying to explain to him afterwards that little boys don't wear rings like that. I didn't want to hurt his feelings, but I also didn't want the children at kindergarten making fun of him. In my distress, I looked questioningly up at the dental hygienist: Why had she shown him a toy ring? She just smiled brightly and said, "He asked if he could pick out a ring to give to you."

To this day, I still have the ring that Daniel gave to me. It is safely treasured in my jewelry box. Here is a picture:

Have you ever noticed that the most treasured gifts are the least expensive? For example:

• A poem written to you from the heart — an English teacher might have given it a C+, but you an A.
• A picture thoughtfully and lovingly drawn with you in mind.
• A home-made card with handwritten words that simply say, "I love you!" — a store-bought card with fancy words will never compare.
• A treasured item that broke but was then thoughtfully fixed with the cracks still seen and the glue exposed.
• A precious item that was lost, but later found by someone who spent hours looking for it without you even knowing it.
• Coming home to unexpectedly find housework done or supper ready.
• Having a friend unexpectedly greet you with a plate of homemade cookies or baked goods.
• Coming home after being gone several days to find someone eagerly waiting to greet you before you even get out of your car and enter the house.

But what about the precious gifts you receive from God? Do you treasure those too? For example:

• Finding a parking spot close to the entrance of a store when you're in a hurry or not feeling well.
• Entering the first store on your list and being surprised to see that what you need is on sale.
• Hearing a bird sing sweetly outside your bedroom window when you first wake up in the morning.
• Having a considerate driver stop and let you merge in front of them during rush-hour traffic.
• Seeing one of God's amazing and beautiful wildlife creatures cross your path.
• Having a stranger offer you their help when you are in need.
• Having a person unexpectedly give you a smile, a loving touch, or an encouraging word when you are secretly down-hearted.

The most precious gifts are the little ones that God and others freely give to us. Sadly, however, we often overlook these little gifts.

"Do you have eyes but fail to see,

 and ears but fail to hear?

And don't you remember?"

Mark 8:18 (NIV)

Let's open our eyes and see the wonder in the little gifts that are freely given to us each day.

The Right Leader For A Nation Is The Lord Jesus Christ

My most favourite movies to watch are the old black-and-white war movies. (OK, I'll admit, perhaps I'm not your typical female.) However, only one of my sons takes after me in this respect, and that's my oldest. My other three sons would rather go do something else while we watch.

Normally, I hardly watch any movies because I lose interest extremely quickly. However, put on a war movie, and you've got me hooked — as long as their is no swearing or sexual content. (This's why the older movies are typically my favourite.) Daniel and I watched two of them yesterday afternoon. They were great! I love the psychology and strategic planning behind war because I'm extremely analytical.

Watching war movies got me thinking about Biblical history. In the Bible, every time God's people steered away from Him and started living in sinful abomination, God allowed another nation to conquer and enslave His people. Eventually, when God's people turned their hearts back to Him and lived according to His ways, then God would rescue them, giving them victory over their enemies.

Unfortunately, it seems that the people in struggling nations today could stand to learn more of Biblical history. If they did, they would find that if they humble themselves and seek the face of God in prayer, God would hear their pleas and restore their nation.

Still, there are many people who foolishly look for a human being in whom they can put their trust. They think that a mere human being will be the one who can solve their nation's problems and restore it to prosperity. And so they futilely search for the right man or woman to deliver them from their economic recession. But the right man is and will always be the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Bible says God is the only One who can restore a nation, and He will, if the people turn from their wicked ways and turn their hearts to Him.

"Then if my people who are called by my name

will humble themselves and pray

and seek my face

and turn from their wicked ways,

 I will hear from Heaven

and will forgive their sins

and restore their land."

2 Chronicles 7:14 (NLT)

An aspiring leader will sometimes call him/herself a "Christian" to get more votes from the people, but a true Christian is always shown by the fruits of his/her personal life and by his/her integrity. A leader who is a true Christian will show humility and will continually seek the face of God, using God's wisdom and God's Word to guide him/her in his/her decision-making.

"Vote for God. Don't vote for me."

I have yet to see humility in an rising national leader who promotes God and not himself/herself.

Jesus Came To Seek And Save The Lost

What causes a person to become an abuser?

I believe there are many answers to this question. Here are a few of them:

• Mental illness: Many times an abuser will have some kind of mental illness. He/she typically does not seek professional treatment, and if he/she does, he/she ignores the treatments prescribed by the doctor.
• Drugs or/and alcohol addiction: Taking drugs and consuming alcohol both alter the mind and cause people to do things they wouldn't normally do. Withdrawing from drugs and alcohol often cause the same level of uncontrollableness.
• Stress: Continued high levels of stress in a person's life build up and is released through outbursts of uncontrolled anger toward another individual.
• Unresolved negative feelings: A few examples are anger, jealousy, resentment, and unforgiveness. A person who has kept his/her feelings inside for so long, either because he/she has never had someone with spiritual maturity to talk to, or because he/she chose not to seek godly counsel, can consquently become abusive towards others.
• Extreme insecurities: Broken dreams, deep-rooted hurts, failures, excessively high expectations for oneself, self-loathing, and severe loneliness can all seriously affect one's self-imagine. A person can't love someone unless he/she loves and accept him/herself first.
• Previously or presently abused by someone else: Often someone who is or who has been abused will come to accept that such behaviour is normal, and will therefore abuse others. On the other hand, I have found that the most effective counsellors — people who have been used mightily of God — are those who have previously suffered abuse or tragedy in their life, leading them to a treasured and close relationship with God, and giving them a deep compassion for others in need.
• Unrepented sin: A person who bears the guilt of unrepented sin will usually act in a hostile manner toward others.
• Desire for control: People will sometimes prey on the vulnerable to fulfill their evil desire for control and their sense of power.
• Selfishness: For an abuser, it is all about him/her and not others. He/she tries to force other people to become what he/she wants them to be, instead of accepting and loving them as who God created them to be — a special and unique individual. An abuser sees others only as a means of fulfilling his/her selfish needs and desires.
• Aspergers syndrome: Aspergers is an autism spectrum disorder. A person with Aspergers has a difficult time processing his/her own feelings, let alone understanding the feelings of others. This can cause the person to abuse others, either unintentionally, or willingly due to the frustration of dealing with this syndrome, especially if the person has not been diagnosed.

We must keep in mind though that God not only loves the abused, but He loves the abuser as well.

An abuser may reject help, or deny or not even understand that they have a problem. However, we should never automatically write off an abuser, or underestimate the power of prayer. Jesus came to seek and save those who are lost, and an abuser is someone who is very lost.

"For the Son of Man came to seek

 and save those who are lost."

Luke 19:10 (NLT)

We Must Give Account To God, Not Man

Many times people, especially Christians, will, out of fear, allow themselves over many years to be emotionally and/or physically abused by their mate or family members. The fear is this: the person is afraid that if he/she stands up against the abuse and says "no more — unless you seek help and change," or if he/she sets up boundaries to prevent further abuse and his/her own self-destruction, then he/she will be looked upon with disfavour by God, the church, and other Christians, and will be considered selfish and dishonouring. This leads the person to reason that it is God's will for him/her to continue in his/her emotional suffering under the words and hands of his/her abuser. But this is a deceptive lie of the devil! Not dealing with the abuse prevents both parties from going forward in their spiritual growth and journey, and causes them to be trapped in evilness.

Unfortunately, when a person does take action to protect themselves from further abuse, it is often the case that the abusive person will take revenge by spreading manipulative lies about the person he/she is abusing to make him/herself look the victim and the victim the victimizer. This is very sad because it shows that the abuser will most likely never change, and that, if he/she ever confessed to being a Christian, then his/her Christian faith was never genuine or deep-rooted.

When a situation like this occurs, we must saturate ourselves in the truths of God's Word. God knows the truth, and nothing is hidden from Him. It is God to whom we must give account, not man.

"Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight.

 Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him

 to whom we must give account."

Hebrew 4:13 (NIV)

Don't allow an abuser to continue to abuse you. Ignore the negative remarks of others who have been poisoned by the abuser's manipulative lies. Go forward, knowing that God stands protectively beside you. God is pleased when we allow Him complete control over our lives, thus stopping the control that the abusive person once had over our lives.

If an abusive person will not change his/her ways and repent, give him/her over to God in prayer, and don't allow Satan to riddle you with guilt or unforgiveness, or you will fall into another of Satan's traps.

"Be strong in the Lord

and in His mighty power.

Put on all of God's armour

so that you will be able to stand firm

against all strategies of the devil."

Ephesians 6:10-11 (NLT)

You Can't Imagine!

There is so much marvelous beauty in the elements of our natural world: mountains, trees, wild flowers, animals, rivers, lakes, and oceans. I love being outdoors and viewing the splendour of God's work in creation.

The Bible says that Heaven will be beyond anything we have seen or heard here on earth. We can speculate and try to envision what Heaven would look like by thinking of the most beautiful places we have visited here on earth. We can wonder and try to dream what Heaven would sound like by remembering the tranquil sounds of nature we so love to hear. But God says our minds cannot even imagine what Heaven will be like for those who love Him. It is way beyond our most extravagant imaginings!

"No eye has seen,

no ear has heard,

and no mind has imagined

what God has prepared for those who love Him."

1 Corinthians 2:9

Not even the eyes of an eagle that soars the skies above have seen a glimpse of heaven:

In the meantime, I delight myself in the artistry of the earth that God so lovingly created for us to enjoy here. In particular, I am excited to announce: Brian and I have planned our next holiday coming this September. Already I have booked flights to Anchorage, Alaska, and made reservations for 8 days, 7 nights at a beautiful Bed and Breakfast there. The best part is that Brian's parents are coming along too! Brian and his dad have always wanted to explore Alaska, so they will finally have their chance. It's going to be so much fun, especially with the new camera I got for Christmas. I can't wait! Certainly not for eight months! That's crazy!

I am going to have to put the trip out of my mind just to keep my sanity. I think I will go for a walk and enjoy the beauty of nature where I live for now. We have been blessed this winter with mild temperatures and and sunny skies. It has been the best winter ever!

Hope In His Unfailing Love

When I was a girl growing up and I couldn't get to sleep, or if I'd wake up in the middle of the night because of a nightmare, or if I was upset about something, my mother would hand me a tranquilizer, a Gravol, or a Tylenol pill. However, I would only pretend to swallow the pill in front of my mother. As soon as she left the room, I would take the pill out of my mouth and throw it underneath my bed, where I kept all of my other junk.

Pills frightened me. I didn't want to become dependent on them. But, unfortunately, I could never say "no" to my mother or disagree with her because she viewed such things as disrespectful. So, I became a silent strong-willed girl — with occasional outbursts. When an outburst did occur, my mother would punish me by giving me the silent treatment and pretending I didn't exist. This would last from several days to several weeks, depending on how infuriated she was with me. I never called her names or was disrespectful to her in my view, but there were times, on certain matters, I voiced thoughts and opinions that differed than hers.

Years of this went by and the stash of pills underneath my bed grew and grew. Since I was old enough to do the cleaning of my own room, I had developed a bad habit of throwing unused, but-maybe-necessary-later items, as well as garbage, underneath my bed. As a result, the pills were never seen amongst the junk, and so forgotten.

Then one day my dad decided to vacuum the whole house thoroughly. I wasn't worried because I knew that once my dad saw all the stuff underneath my bed, he would naturally bypass it.

However, my dad must have been in more of a cleaning mood than I thought, because he ended up throwing everything that was under my bed into a large garbage bag so that he could vacuum the carpet upon which my bed sat. This was when my dad discovered dozens of tiny pills lying amongst the fibers of the carpet, and the first thing he did was call mom. I knew from the sound and tone of my dad's voice that he was in my bedroom and upset. I also knew right away what it meant. My mother called me into my room a few seconds later. I knew from her sound and tone of voice that I was in trouble now!

My mother was furious, to say the least. I was sixteen at the time. She told me again for the umpteenth time that I was the most difficult child in the family to raise — even though I was never rebellious. I just wasn't as easily controlled, or maybe not as beguiling as my older brothers. Or maybe they just took the pills. I don't know. Or maybe mom never gave the pills to them in the first place. Again, I don't know. I just knew that pills weren't the answer. What I really wanted was to be able to talk freely to my mother about my feelings and thoughts, and for her to listen to me, not give me a pill. Many times out of fear of rejection, I kept my emotions, differences of thought, and frustrations inside.

It wasn't until I was in my late twenties that I was able to overcome my irrational fear of taking pills. It was when I sat in my doctor's office with tears running down my cheeks because the physical pain I was experiencing was unbearable. I had a sinus infection and the doctor wanted to know why I didn't take any pain medication for it. When I told her that I was afraid of taking any kind of pills for fear of addiction, she lost her cool. My doctor actually yelled at me. Yes, she yelled! It was a good thing too because it shook some sense into me, so that I was able to go home and take the prescribed antibiotics and pain medication. I finished the bottle of antibiotics as instructed, but took only one Tylenol-3 tablet out of the whole bottle that I painstakingly paid for. The rest I threw away. It was a major breakthrough though. Today I can actually swallow a pill, except, like my husband says, I have to be dying first. OK, so I still don't like to take pills, but I can take one if I really have to.

One of the reasons I treasure my relationship with God is because I can go to Him any time and any place, and tell Him everything I think and feel, knowing He listens to me and understands. God doesn't hand me a pill and then walk away.

The Bible says that when we open up ourselves to talk to God, His eyes are immediately drawn to us with unfailing love and compassion.

But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear Him,

on those whose hope is in His unfailing love."

Psalm 33:18

After the discovery of my stash of pills, I also learned another valuable lesson: to not throw garbage underneath my bed. My mother always worried that when I got married, I would end up being the worst housekeeper. I was kind of afraid I would too. However, I've always kept my house clean, tidy, and attractive-looking right from the start. Nevertheless, I think my mom thought I only superficially cleaned house when she visited me, and quickly threw all the junk and unsightly things underneath my furniture before she came. I never did though. Well, maybe sometimes.

Here is a picture of one of my son's beds underneath. I won't embarrass him though and name which one he is. His whole room looks as if a tornado travelled through. However, he keeps the door closed when he is gone, so I don't have to see the mess.