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You want to KEEP ME? |
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Women can now drive in Saudi Arabia |
Saturday, November 30, 2013
Thursday, November 28, 2013
Thanksgiving USA
This morning I am thinking about recent and past experiences and things said. It makes me so very thankful that I and those that I love and care about have been blessed with being born in the United States of America. Just recently, daughter Amy has been helping me with a computer problem of installing some programing in our church laptop, so we can provide Power Point to our Worship Services. This required Microsoft technical assistance. those folks seem to be living and working in India. Amazing they don't celebrate our Thanksgiving! That got me thinking of how fortunate WE are! I think our country has a lot to be thankful for, with our FREEDOMS of living among the top of the list. It is our FREEDOM from interference from government that was a basic tenant from the beginning. It is unfortunately being eroded away, a little piece at a time. Our FREEDOM to choose our education, our FREEDOM to choose where we live and how we live. We choose what occupation we want to have, and what we want to do with that information. As Americans we used to have those decisions available to us. We used to be responsible for our own actions and the repercussions of those actions, should they affect someone else adversely. What went wrong?
It has been creeping up on us for years, a little bit taken away at a time, the doers being forced to provide for those that CHOOSE not to participate in our FREEDOM of choice on how we can provide for ourselves and our family. The more the Government provides for the things in our daily lives the less FREEDOM we as individual American Citizens have. Take care of those who are mentally or physically incapable of taking care of themselves is one of the basic byproducts of this great country of ours. Those that CAN'T are taken care of. Those that CAN need to take their own responsibility to provide for themselves. The Bible even addresses this point.
I believe that we need to take our own responsibilities unto ourselves and provide for our families the fruits of our own labors. The FIRST 10% of our earnings goes to GOD. That means the total before taxes and expenses. That is a Positive, tried and true tenant that we have found in our lives. It was scary at first, but with faith that GOD had provided us the ability to earn a living, and gave us those directions of what to do with our fruits, it indeed WORKS! The more you give the more God provides. What a FREEDOM that has brought to us. We have been rewarded with a loving family, a loving church family, a joy of helping and giving of the talents (both definitions) HE has given us to share with others.
One of my points are that today, we in the United States of America, have been blessed because our country was founded on Biblical principles. It was founded on our government was there to protect us from outside interference. We as a people have, on the most part, lived up to our end of the process. We DO provide for those that CAN'T provide for themselves. We HAVE established learning centers to equip ourselves for a productive and healthy life, to raise our families, provide assistance for those who are struggling, and to train others to attain their personal dreams.
In the process, Satan has reared his ugliness and is morphing the system to encourage those that CAN provided for themselves if they choose, but REFUSE to participate in the blessings and gifts that GOD has provided for themselves, making the American Dream much more difficult for those that want to be responsible for themselves to lift themselves up, because the system is being overloaded with the LAZY and the unwilling to suck the funding from the system. Does that make sense to you? I have no problem at all contributing to programs to assist the "THOSE THAT ARE UNABLE" but NOT to those that are leaching from the system because the WON'T take their personal responsibilities seriously. We see those that are doing that, strutting around in $200 Tennis Shoes, playing Xbox games, and driving expensive cars, fancy hairdos that expensive necklaces, etc. ALL on welfare money . . . that makes no sense to me. Funding is being misused that could be going to educate and equip those that WANT to uphold their end of the picture by being a productive person, responsible for themselves and their family. The bloat in the government is caused by GREED. Pure and simple. We need to change that.
Can we get back to the basics? Or is it too late? We have millions of folks just wanting a chance to succeed and do what is right, but are unable to get that education, job training, etc. because of lack of funding because of those who are abusing the system.
In spite of all our problems, challenges and abuses, the United States of America is still the BEST country in the world. The fact that we are attempting to provide for those that can't says volumes for our basic nature as Americans. It is THAT, that we can be thankful at this time of celebration and contemplation. We are thankful that AMERICA is the land of opportunity. We are thankful that GOD is still a part of our nation. We are thankful that HE hasn't given up on us yet. Today, we take a few moments and think of all the many blessings we have, because GOD is the basis of all that we have. We have not done this on our own. We are here, celebrating our THANKFULNESS that GOD has given us the ability to help ourselves and for our country as a whole to help so many others in the world that HE has provided. Whenever there is a need in this world, it is usually the United States of America that has provided relief, help and rebuilding to that country, etc. No, we haven't done it on our own. That would be impossible. But with GOD we as individuals and as a Nation can do many good things. For THAT, we can be Thankful.
Remember,
Keep singing, keep laughing and keep smiling
Blessings,
Gary
It has been creeping up on us for years, a little bit taken away at a time, the doers being forced to provide for those that CHOOSE not to participate in our FREEDOM of choice on how we can provide for ourselves and our family. The more the Government provides for the things in our daily lives the less FREEDOM we as individual American Citizens have. Take care of those who are mentally or physically incapable of taking care of themselves is one of the basic byproducts of this great country of ours. Those that CAN'T are taken care of. Those that CAN need to take their own responsibility to provide for themselves. The Bible even addresses this point.
I believe that we need to take our own responsibilities unto ourselves and provide for our families the fruits of our own labors. The FIRST 10% of our earnings goes to GOD. That means the total before taxes and expenses. That is a Positive, tried and true tenant that we have found in our lives. It was scary at first, but with faith that GOD had provided us the ability to earn a living, and gave us those directions of what to do with our fruits, it indeed WORKS! The more you give the more God provides. What a FREEDOM that has brought to us. We have been rewarded with a loving family, a loving church family, a joy of helping and giving of the talents (both definitions) HE has given us to share with others.
One of my points are that today, we in the United States of America, have been blessed because our country was founded on Biblical principles. It was founded on our government was there to protect us from outside interference. We as a people have, on the most part, lived up to our end of the process. We DO provide for those that CAN'T provide for themselves. We HAVE established learning centers to equip ourselves for a productive and healthy life, to raise our families, provide assistance for those who are struggling, and to train others to attain their personal dreams.
In the process, Satan has reared his ugliness and is morphing the system to encourage those that CAN provided for themselves if they choose, but REFUSE to participate in the blessings and gifts that GOD has provided for themselves, making the American Dream much more difficult for those that want to be responsible for themselves to lift themselves up, because the system is being overloaded with the LAZY and the unwilling to suck the funding from the system. Does that make sense to you? I have no problem at all contributing to programs to assist the "THOSE THAT ARE UNABLE" but NOT to those that are leaching from the system because the WON'T take their personal responsibilities seriously. We see those that are doing that, strutting around in $200 Tennis Shoes, playing Xbox games, and driving expensive cars, fancy hairdos that expensive necklaces, etc. ALL on welfare money . . . that makes no sense to me. Funding is being misused that could be going to educate and equip those that WANT to uphold their end of the picture by being a productive person, responsible for themselves and their family. The bloat in the government is caused by GREED. Pure and simple. We need to change that.
Can we get back to the basics? Or is it too late? We have millions of folks just wanting a chance to succeed and do what is right, but are unable to get that education, job training, etc. because of lack of funding because of those who are abusing the system.
In spite of all our problems, challenges and abuses, the United States of America is still the BEST country in the world. The fact that we are attempting to provide for those that can't says volumes for our basic nature as Americans. It is THAT, that we can be thankful at this time of celebration and contemplation. We are thankful that AMERICA is the land of opportunity. We are thankful that GOD is still a part of our nation. We are thankful that HE hasn't given up on us yet. Today, we take a few moments and think of all the many blessings we have, because GOD is the basis of all that we have. We have not done this on our own. We are here, celebrating our THANKFULNESS that GOD has given us the ability to help ourselves and for our country as a whole to help so many others in the world that HE has provided. Whenever there is a need in this world, it is usually the United States of America that has provided relief, help and rebuilding to that country, etc. No, we haven't done it on our own. That would be impossible. But with GOD we as individuals and as a Nation can do many good things. For THAT, we can be Thankful.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone.
Remember,
Keep singing, keep laughing and keep smiling
Blessings,
Gary
Saturday, November 23, 2013
Saturday, November 16, 2013
It's time for: Saturday FUNNIES
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| One of my Favorites |
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| This is sad, AWESOMELY Touching! |
Happy SATURDAY!
Saturday, November 9, 2013
Another section of Life's Journey
There are times when you just have to sit back, take a deep breath and enjoy what is happening around you. There are times when your world comes crashing down around you from an unexpected direction and is totally NOT understood. Then as your wounds are being licked and you try to understand the WHAT and the WHY, you come to the conclusion that it wasn't all that bad after all. You also determine that it is all part of God's unblemished plan for you and that there was grace and opportunity within, that actually makes sense. THAT's where the enjoyment and amazement comes in.
I have been dreaming and wishing for years for the opportunity to some day be qualified and able to be a Pastor of a church. That day came when we moved to West Tennessee over four years ago. We are members of the United Methodist Church. It was founded by John Wesley when the United States was an infant. It comprised of many individuals called "Circuit Riders", that traveled between different congregations (churches) in the developing wilderness of this great country of ours. Some routes brought the traveling ministers to a church once a month or even longer, depending on the area being served. In the mean time, the congregations continued in Bible Study and accountability of each others actions, etc. Like we as the Body of Christ still do today, but usually with our Pastor with us all the time. So, as United Methodists, our Pastors are itinerant to some degree as they are assigned to locations on an average of every four or five years, depending on the Conference they are in or even the district. With that said, I am a United Methodist Lay Servant (previously called Lay Speaker) and have been for over 25 years now. Through this period, I have had the privilege to fill in for Pastors of other churches as they requested, or as the Director of Lay Speaking Ministries or Resource Directors have asked. I was doing that more and more since my move to this beautiful part of the world called Tennessee. One day our District Superintendent called me into his office and asked how I liked the people of a little country church that I had been serving for a couple weeks for their Pastor who had undergone some medical challenges. I told him I was really enjoying the time with them a lot. He then asked the question that I have been wanting to hear for many, many years. "Would you be willing to be their Pastor?" What a beautiful sentence that was. It was a learning experience that I shall never forget. I had been given the opportunity of a life time. I felt the joy that only God can give. What love and affection. Although it was quite a drive to and from the church, and the fact that I was assigned as a part-time Pastor, I did what I felt called to do. I was honored to visit members that were in several of the local hospitals (also quite a distance to drive), nursing homes, convalescent homes, rehab centers, paid visits with my Lay Leader to several members (men and Ladies) homes, and was a very frequent attendee at the Wednesday evening Youth Gathering. After 10 months of wonderful and cherished times with the congregation, I found myself in the hospital and diagnosed with an incurable lung challenge that would require learning to live with oxygen assistance. I had been blessed with modern technology in the form of a small unit that looks like a purse but hums as it generates my breathing needs. I never missed a Sunday during all this. I was in and out of the hospital in four days and back in the pulpit the following Sunday. It was then that I found out that it would be better for someone else to continue their Pastoral needs after a very intense meeting. What a devastation for me to accept.
That is when the healing time progressed and I had time, with the stabilizing assistance from my loving wife to start going to a church that we had served for a two month period some time ago, while their Pastor was on maternity leave. This church has an active Youth program and has a Spirit that surrounds anyone coming into their presence. It reminded us of the church in Nevada that we left when we moved East. Things started to fall into place almost immediately. I found the opportunity to continue my love of music by helping out the pianist at Worship. The Youth are such a blessing, and I was asked to share my music at one of their Sunday evening meetings. I was given a suggestion of a musical journey towards Christ. I thought that was a FANTASTIC idea, and went to work picking songs to do just that. The evening came, and it was a wonderful, cool in the shade, evening on the wooden deck between the Church and the Fellowship Hall. That evening a young lady decided to accept Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior! It was quite a blessing for all of us that evening. She was later Baptized when the church spent a weekend at our Methodist Camp on the Tennessee river...along with three others that had made that decision the night before during a time of song and testimony in one of our lodges. What a glorious time for our church, and for those youth! Pictures are on my Facebook Page for you to see how wonderful it was.
After much thought and inner searching, I have come to the conclusion: My relationship with God is strong. I feel strongly that He has allowed me to experience what I had been wanting and working toward for years . . . to Pastor a church. Now His soft voice is telling me this: "I have let you have what YOU wanted, now I want you to do what I want . . . to use your musical gifts to build the Church." With the help of Pastor Paul, the wonderful pianist Sandra, and the many awesome people God has put together at Gibson Wells United Methodist Church, I feel that the time has come to expand the music (which is God's inspiration) ministry to help bring others to be Disciples of Christ for the betterment of the community and the world.
I do wish to have the opportunity to preach the Word of God whenever I am asked, and maybe some day before this life is over, a Pastoral opportunity is again offered. In the mean time, Music is what I will be focused on and will work toward our ultimate goal of reaching out to others through music, to seek out a relationship with Father God, Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Your prayers for our success is appreciated and you will be blessed.
Remember,
keep singing, keep praying and above all . . . keep laughing
Blessings,
Gary
I have been dreaming and wishing for years for the opportunity to some day be qualified and able to be a Pastor of a church. That day came when we moved to West Tennessee over four years ago. We are members of the United Methodist Church. It was founded by John Wesley when the United States was an infant. It comprised of many individuals called "Circuit Riders", that traveled between different congregations (churches) in the developing wilderness of this great country of ours. Some routes brought the traveling ministers to a church once a month or even longer, depending on the area being served. In the mean time, the congregations continued in Bible Study and accountability of each others actions, etc. Like we as the Body of Christ still do today, but usually with our Pastor with us all the time. So, as United Methodists, our Pastors are itinerant to some degree as they are assigned to locations on an average of every four or five years, depending on the Conference they are in or even the district. With that said, I am a United Methodist Lay Servant (previously called Lay Speaker) and have been for over 25 years now. Through this period, I have had the privilege to fill in for Pastors of other churches as they requested, or as the Director of Lay Speaking Ministries or Resource Directors have asked. I was doing that more and more since my move to this beautiful part of the world called Tennessee. One day our District Superintendent called me into his office and asked how I liked the people of a little country church that I had been serving for a couple weeks for their Pastor who had undergone some medical challenges. I told him I was really enjoying the time with them a lot. He then asked the question that I have been wanting to hear for many, many years. "Would you be willing to be their Pastor?" What a beautiful sentence that was. It was a learning experience that I shall never forget. I had been given the opportunity of a life time. I felt the joy that only God can give. What love and affection. Although it was quite a drive to and from the church, and the fact that I was assigned as a part-time Pastor, I did what I felt called to do. I was honored to visit members that were in several of the local hospitals (also quite a distance to drive), nursing homes, convalescent homes, rehab centers, paid visits with my Lay Leader to several members (men and Ladies) homes, and was a very frequent attendee at the Wednesday evening Youth Gathering. After 10 months of wonderful and cherished times with the congregation, I found myself in the hospital and diagnosed with an incurable lung challenge that would require learning to live with oxygen assistance. I had been blessed with modern technology in the form of a small unit that looks like a purse but hums as it generates my breathing needs. I never missed a Sunday during all this. I was in and out of the hospital in four days and back in the pulpit the following Sunday. It was then that I found out that it would be better for someone else to continue their Pastoral needs after a very intense meeting. What a devastation for me to accept.
That is when the healing time progressed and I had time, with the stabilizing assistance from my loving wife to start going to a church that we had served for a two month period some time ago, while their Pastor was on maternity leave. This church has an active Youth program and has a Spirit that surrounds anyone coming into their presence. It reminded us of the church in Nevada that we left when we moved East. Things started to fall into place almost immediately. I found the opportunity to continue my love of music by helping out the pianist at Worship. The Youth are such a blessing, and I was asked to share my music at one of their Sunday evening meetings. I was given a suggestion of a musical journey towards Christ. I thought that was a FANTASTIC idea, and went to work picking songs to do just that. The evening came, and it was a wonderful, cool in the shade, evening on the wooden deck between the Church and the Fellowship Hall. That evening a young lady decided to accept Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior! It was quite a blessing for all of us that evening. She was later Baptized when the church spent a weekend at our Methodist Camp on the Tennessee river...along with three others that had made that decision the night before during a time of song and testimony in one of our lodges. What a glorious time for our church, and for those youth! Pictures are on my Facebook Page for you to see how wonderful it was.
After much thought and inner searching, I have come to the conclusion: My relationship with God is strong. I feel strongly that He has allowed me to experience what I had been wanting and working toward for years . . . to Pastor a church. Now His soft voice is telling me this: "I have let you have what YOU wanted, now I want you to do what I want . . . to use your musical gifts to build the Church." With the help of Pastor Paul, the wonderful pianist Sandra, and the many awesome people God has put together at Gibson Wells United Methodist Church, I feel that the time has come to expand the music (which is God's inspiration) ministry to help bring others to be Disciples of Christ for the betterment of the community and the world.
I do wish to have the opportunity to preach the Word of God whenever I am asked, and maybe some day before this life is over, a Pastoral opportunity is again offered. In the mean time, Music is what I will be focused on and will work toward our ultimate goal of reaching out to others through music, to seek out a relationship with Father God, Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Your prayers for our success is appreciated and you will be blessed.
Remember,
keep singing, keep praying and above all . . . keep laughing
Blessings,
Gary
Friday, November 1, 2013
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