tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48220653948063911862024-02-19T10:56:22.503-06:00HighDLifeLiving Life in HIGH DefinitionHighDLifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16696258453531243289noreply@blogger.comBlogger87125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4822065394806391186.post-86880036018248791142015-01-10T13:22:00.001-06:002015-01-10T13:22:35.296-06:00A list of New Year’s resolutions,<div class="Body">
<span class="Dropcap"><b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Psalms
27:4-5 NLT </span></b><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The one thing I ask of the LORD—the thing I seek
most—is to live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, delighting in
the LORD's perfections and meditating in His Temple. 5 For He will conceal me
there when troubles come; He will hide me in His sanctuary. He will place me
out of reach on a high rock.</span></i></span></div>
<h2>
<span class="Dropcap"><span style="font-family: AnnabelleJF; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: AnnabelleJF;">It
</span></span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> is
traditional for many people to make a list of New Year’s resolutions, goals for
the upcoming year to make a difference in their lives. Here are four things I
highly recommend to place on your to-do list for 2015. <o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<div class="Body" style="margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 13.5pt; margin-right: 13.5pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; text-transform: uppercase;">1. Don’t worry about anything.</span></b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> The Message Bible says it best. In Matthew 6:34 </span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; letter-spacing: .25pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">MSG</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> “Give your
entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about
what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard
things come up when the time comes.”
Worry is the opposite of faith and will steal your joy. Worry is
counter-productive to accomplishing God’s goals for your life. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Body" style="margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 13.5pt; margin-right: 13.5pt; margin-top: 4.5pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; text-transform: uppercase;">2. Pray about everything.</span></b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; text-transform: uppercase;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Philippians
4:6 </span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; letter-spacing: .25pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">NASB</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication
with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” If you are looking
for something to do, PRAY instead of worrying. Prayer is nothing more than
talking to God, having a conversation with the Almighty, who is the only one
who can do something about your situation. Prayer is a monologue, not a dialog.
When you talk with God, listen for His response. The voice of God will calm the
most anxious soul and mind. <i>And the peace of God, which surpasses all
comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. </i>Philippians
4:7 </span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; letter-spacing: .25pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">NASB</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Body" style="margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 13.5pt; margin-right: 13.5pt; margin-top: 4.5pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; text-transform: uppercase;">3. Thank God in all things.</span></b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> Philippians 4:6 </span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; letter-spacing: .25pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">NASB</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication
with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” Thanksgiving is an act of faith. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Body" style="margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 13.5pt; margin-right: 13.5pt; margin-top: 4.5pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; text-transform: uppercase;">4. Think about the right things.</span></b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> Philippians 4:8 </span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; letter-spacing: .25pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">MSG</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> says it best, “Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by
filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic,
compelling, gracious--the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly;
things to praise, not things to curse.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Body" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 13.5pt; margin-right: 13.5pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">If you ask anyone, he or she would probably say there were things they
didn’t like about last year. They would probably also say some good things
happened, too. In between the mountains there are valleys. Ups and downs are
what life is all about. But - you have a choice as to what you will dwell on.
Choose the good <i>because God is good </i>and He is good to you. Refuse to
give the devil any of your time. Don’t rent any space in your mind to him! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="Body" style="margin-bottom: 4.5pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Body" style="margin-bottom: 4.5pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">I pray that you and your
families will have a prosperous, healthy, and joyous 2015.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; text-transform: uppercase;">Happy New Year!</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
HighDLifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16696258453531243289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4822065394806391186.post-52523466785339090122014-11-16T07:51:00.000-06:002014-11-16T07:51:01.717-06:00Thanksgiving Time <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">T</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">hanksgiving is a time of
remembrance of the past year. To the pilgrims of old it was a celebration of a
great harvest. Their meal itself reflected the abundant crops they had
harvested. After surviving a horrible winter and working hard through spring
and summer they were now able to enjoy the fruits of their labor. It truly was
a time of THANKSGIVING.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
<br />
Being thankful is not just an act of gratitude but is also <b>a move of faith</b>. <i>When I begin
to thank God for those things I ask in prayer I demonstrate that I already
believe that He will provide.<br />
</i><br />
<span style="color: #990000;">(Mark 11:24 NASB) </span><i>"Therefore I say
to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received
them, and they will be granted you.</i><br />
<br />
Many of us have had a difficult year. The world, time and the devil have come
at us from all directions. Some things we
didn't even see coming. But our lives
are not defined by what we are going through.
Our lives are defined by what God says.
Life is, after all, 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to
situations and circumstances. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: green; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Philippians 4:6-7 NLT</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> <i>Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God
what you need, and <u>thank Him for all He has done</u>. <span style="color: green;">(7)</span> Then you will experience God's peace, which
exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds
as you live in Christ Jesus.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Paul
says to pray about everything, tell God what you need and then be THANKFUL. It
is through a thankful heart that we experience God's peace in our lives. </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Make a list of all the good things that God has done for you over the
past year. We do that by thinking on the
good that has happened not just thinking about all our troubles. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
</span><span style="color: green; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Philippians 4:8-9 NLT</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> <i>And now, dear brothers and sisters, one
final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and
pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and
worthy of praise. <span style="color: green;">(9)</span> Keep
putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard
from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This
Thanksgiving, let us be grateful for what God has done for us and excited about
the future. He has great plans for all
of us. Happy Thanksgiving!<br />
<br />
<i><span style="color: #663333;">A Psalm for Thanksgiving. Shout joyfully to the
LORD, all the earth. Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before Him with joyful
singing. Know that the LORD Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not
we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates
with thanksgiving And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His
name. For the LORD is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting And His
faithfulness to all generations</span></i>. Psalms 100:1-5</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
HighDLifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16696258453531243289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4822065394806391186.post-1744871590333881242014-11-14T08:00:00.000-06:002014-11-14T08:25:17.612-06:00Never give up , Never Surrender.<h3>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></h3>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">I know that many of us have been through a lot this
year. We have endured things that we never thought would happen to us. Death,
sickness, unemployment, and the list goes on. Things come at us and seem at
times to not stop.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">
I am, like many of you, a person of faith. Faith in God, faith in Jesus Christ
as my savior, faith in God's Word. So when I go to God's word I read verses
that promise deliverance from life's challenges. Challenge: that's a Christian
word for troubles, problems and the miserable things that happen in life.
Somehow we think if we use a word that seems milder than the event that we are
attempting to survive it will be less difficult. I don't know, maybe it does
work like that. But I find that is not always the case.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br /></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="color: red;"><i>Faith is how you get through the rough moments in life.</i></span></strong> </span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Have faith
in God because it is this faith that is based on the unmovable, unchangeable,
all powerful standard. Faith in man will fail, faith in money will fail, faith
in the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">USA</st1:place></st1:country-region>
will fail. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br /></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Only
faith in God can bring victory in the face of defeat.</i></span><span style="color: red;"> </span></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">The face of defeat looks different at times.
Sometimes it looks like sickness or unemployment or a car wreck or unpaid bills
or just fear in the middle of the night.. Yes, defeat can look very different
but the face of victory is always the same: GOD, the Almighty. He never
changes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: #660000;">Heb 13:8 </span>NASB Jesus Christ is the same yesterday
and today and forever.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">
Someone once said, "Within you lies the power to seize the hour and live
your dreams. Faith is the oil that takes the friction out of living. Faith will
enable you to turn stumbling blocks into stepping stones. When you begin to
have faith, your load will get heavy but your knees won't buckle, you'll get
knocked down but you won't get knocked out."<br /> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">
Great advice. God says this. <span style="color: #660000;">Jer 29:11 NKJV</span>
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of
peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: #660000;">Isa 55:8-12 NKJV</span> "For My thoughts are
not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," says the LORD. (9)
"For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than
your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. (10) "For as the rain comes
down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth,
And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread
to the eater, (11) So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall
not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall
prosper in the thing for which I sent it. (12) <strong>"For you shall go
out with joy, And be led out with peace; The mountains and the hills shall
break forth into singing before you, And all the trees of the field shall clap
their hands.</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--></span>HighDLifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16696258453531243289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4822065394806391186.post-38103749946744386412010-10-26T07:14:00.001-05:002010-10-26T07:17:37.510-05:00<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><b><span style="font-family:"Adobe Caslon Pro","serif";mso-bidi- background:#E6E6E6font-family:Arial;">Under the Microscope</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Adobe Caslon Pro","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:"Adobe Caslon Pro","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;font-size:12.0pt;">Bars or Stars?</span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Adobe Caslon Pro","serif";mso-bidi- mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:Arial;">Once upon a time ,there were two men who were both sentenced to one year in prison for crimes they had committed. The prison cells that became their home were ten feet square with ten-foot walls. They were made of cement, damp most of the time, dark even in the middle of the day, and cold. Located high up on the wall of each cell was one small window with bars.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Adobe Caslon Pro","serif";mso-bidi- mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:Arial;">At night these two men would sit in their cells and look up at the window, longing for the day of their release. One prisoner, angry and bitter, saw nothing but the bars. His thoughts were always about how rotten life was and how God had given him a raw deal.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Adobe Caslon Pro","serif";mso-bidi- mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:Arial;">The other prisoner, however, knowing that he had been rightly judged and convicted, looked past the bars and saw the stars in the night sky. Each night he would dream of the life he was going to have after his release. He would talk with God about the company he was going to start, the wife he would marry, and the children he would raise. He dreamed of the life that one day would be his.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Adobe Caslon Pro","serif";mso-bidi- mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:Arial;">One prisoner saw the bars, and the other prisoner saw the stars. One wasn’t able to look past his present circumstances, but the other had a vision of what would be and the future that awaited him.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Adobe Caslon Pro","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Optimum;">Just as those prisoners had a choice, we as believers have a very important decision to make. We can look to God, embracing His vision for our lives, and move forward into our divine purpose. Or we can blindly focus on our present circumstances and miss out on experiencing the fulfillment of His promises to us. You see, vision is all about the future. It is looking past our present circumstances and envisioning what can be. It is going before God, listening attentively to His voice, and then passionately pursuing the words He speaks to our hearts. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Adobe Caslon Pro","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Optimum;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Adobe Caslon Pro","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Optimum;">Habakkuk 2:2,3 (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Message</i>) states:</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:.5in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace: none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family:"Adobe Caslon Pro","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Optimum;font-size:12.0pt;">And then God answered: “Write this. Write what you see. Write it out in big block letters so that it can be read on the run. This vision-message is a witness pointing to what’s coming. It aches for the coming -- it can hardly wait! And it doesn't lie. If it seems slow in coming, wait. It’s on its way. It will come right on time.”<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Adobe Caslon Pro","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Optimum;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:66.0pt;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Adobe Caslon Pro","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Optimum;">God’s words are vision; therefore, all true vision comes from God. But after God gives us vision, what is our part? What are we supposed to do? </span><span style="font-family:"Adobe Caslon Pro","serif"; mso-bidi-mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:Arial;">To see our God-given vision come to pass, there are four basic principles we must have active in our lives.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.25in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="font-family:"Adobe Caslon Pro","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Georgia;">1. Faith To Believe - </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="font-family:"Adobe Caslon Pro","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Georgia;">What Others Can’t Believe</span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:.5in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace: none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family:"Adobe Caslon Pro","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Georgia;font-size:12.0pt;">Then the Lord took Abram outside and said, “Look at the sky and see if you can count the stars. That’s how many descendants you will have.” Abram <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">believed the Lord</span>, and the Lord was pleased with him.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:.5in; margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:right; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family: "Adobe Caslon Pro","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Georgia;font-size:12.0pt;">Genesis 15:5,6 <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">CEV</i></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Adobe Caslon Pro","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Georgia;">Every year I lead groups of believers on short-term mission trips overseas. Many times there are people who sense God’s leading to go but don’t because they can’t believe — or are unwilling to believe — that He will provide the finances for them. As a result, they miss out on the life-changing experience He intended for them. You see, to see a God-given dream fulfilled, one needs the faith to believe what others can’t believe.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Adobe Caslon Pro","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Georgia;">For five years, God provided the opportunity for me to go on a mission trip with my church. Each year the cost of the trip was approximately 2,000 dollars. At the time, this amount seemed like a lot of money, but I had a vision for world evangelism and a deep desire to go the uttermost parts of the earth and share the saving message of Jesus.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Adobe Caslon Pro","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Georgia;">One year God told me that my wife and I would both be going overseas, which more than doubled the cost. As we prepared for this trip, people would tell me that we would never raise this much support, but we continued to stand in faith. Of course, the finances did come in, because finances always follow a God-given vision when it is pursued by faith.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Adobe Caslon Pro","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Georgia;">Today I am the mission director who organizes mission trips for our church, and I have watched as our ministry overseas has grown by leaps and bounds. The amount we have to believe God for has gone from 2,000 dollars to 150,000 dollars each year. Yet God has always provided for us because we have the faith to believe what no one else will believe. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Adobe Caslon Pro","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Georgia;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.25in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="font-family:"Adobe Caslon Pro","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Georgia;">2. The Ability To See - </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="font-family:"Adobe Caslon Pro","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Georgia;">What Others Can’t See</span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:.5in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace: none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family:"Adobe Caslon Pro","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Optimum;font-size:12.0pt;">Then I said to them, “You see the bad situation we are in, that <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Jerusalem</st1:place></st1:city> is desolate and its gates burned by fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of <st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Jerusalem</st1:city></st1:place> so that we will no longer be a reproach.”<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:.5in; margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:right; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family: "Adobe Caslon Pro","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Optimum;font-size:12.0pt;">Nehemiah 2:17 <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">NASB</i></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Adobe Caslon Pro","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Georgia;">In Nehemiah 2:11-16, Nehemiah traveled around the city looking at what remained of the walls of <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Jerusalem</st1:place></st1:city>, destroyed years earlier by the Babylonians. As he rode around the rubble, Nehemiah envisioned a new wall built in place of the ruins that were before his eyes. He could see what no one else could see.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Adobe Caslon Pro","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Georgia;">Vision is, after all, seeing things the way they can be and not being stopped by the way they look today. It is looking past barriers, public opinion, and one’s own shortcomings. God has no barriers or shortcomings, and He isn’t concerned about public opinion. He has purposes He wants to see fulfilled, and He wants to use us to fulfill them. Whether or not we hold fast to the vision of fulfilling those divine purposes in our lives is a choice we make. However, this is a quality that all true leaders possess — the ability to see what others cannot see.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.25in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="font-family:"Adobe Caslon Pro","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Georgia;">3. Having the Courage To Do - </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="font-family:"Adobe Caslon Pro","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Georgia;">What Others Won’t Do</span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:.5in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace: none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family:"Adobe Caslon Pro","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Georgia;font-size:12.0pt;">And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">for we are well able to overcome it</span>.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:.5in; margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:right; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family:"Adobe Caslon Pro","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Georgia;font-size:12.0pt;">Numbers 13:30</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:.5in; margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:right; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family:"Adobe Caslon Pro","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Georgia;font-size:12.0pt;"><br /></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:.5in;margin-bottom:0in; margin-left:.5in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace: none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt; mso-bidi-Adobe Caslon Pro","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">Now look at me: God has kept me alive, as he promised. It is now forty-five years since God spoke this word to Moses, years in which <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region> wandered in the wilderness. And here I am today, eighty-five years old! I’m as strong as I was the day Moses sent me out. I'm as strong as ever in battle, whether coming or going. So give me this hill country that God promised me. You yourself heard the report, that the Anakim were there with their great fortress cities. If God goes with me, I will drive them out, just as God said.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="margin-right:.5in;text-align:right; text-indent:.5in;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-Adobe Caslon Pro","serif"font-family:";font-size:12.0pt;">Joshua 14:10-12 <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Message</i></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="Adobe Caslon Pro","serif"font-family:";">You have to love Caleb — that man had courage! One of my favorite Bible teachers, Dr. Ken Stewart, defines courage as the bridge between faith and hope. The courage to step out to do what needs to be done produces the action that brings faith into reality.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="Adobe Caslon Pro","serif"font-family:";">To reach your God-given goals and see your vision move from future tense to present tense takes courage. Gathering the personal strength to move forward in the face of obstacles, opposing opinions, and your own weaknesses also takes courage. If you’re going to live as a person of vision, you must develop the courage to do what others will not do.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.25in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-layout-grid-align: none;text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="font-family:"Adobe Caslon Pro","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Georgia;">4. The Hope To Endure - </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="font-family:"Adobe Caslon Pro","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Georgia;">What Others Won’t Endure</span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops:114.0pt;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Adobe Caslon Pro","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Georgia;">Let’s break down this principle. The first part of the principle is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">hope</i>. Romans 8:24 tells us that hope is an <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">expectation of the future</i>, which simply means that if you already have something, you no longer need to hope for it. Verse 25 then goes on to add that hope includes <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">the patience to wait </i>for your dream to come to pass. In addition, hope is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">full of enthusiasm</i>; it is excited to the point of being almost overwhelmed by the idea that you will one day see your vision manifested.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Adobe Caslon Pro","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Georgia;">The second part of this principle is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">endurance</i>. You have to be ready and willing to endure the passage of time, criticism, failure, and disappointment. When God gives vision, it always comes with a timeline. As </span><span style="font-family:"Adobe Caslon Pro","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:Optimum;">Habakkuk 2:3 stated, your “…vision-message is a witness pointing to what’s coming. It aches for the coming — it can hardly wait! And it doesn’t lie. If it seems slow in coming, wait. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">It’s on its way. It will come right on time.</i>”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Adobe Caslon Pro","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Optimum;">In my life, God’s timeline seldom matches my own preferred schedule. Although I know His timeline is always correct, it isn’t always easy for me to accept. I have had to learn to endure the time it takes to see a vision come to pass. And I must also be willing to endure the criticism that often accompanies that time of waiting. (People always have their own opinion, and they’re usually eager to give it to you!)</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Adobe Caslon Pro","serif";mso-bidi-font-family:Optimum;">If you think the road to success will be easy just because you have a God-given vision, think again. The most difficult part of this fourth principle is working through feelings of failure or disappointment between the moment the vision is imparted and its time of fulfillment. As </span><span style="Adobe Caslon Pro","serif";mso-bidi-font-weight:boldfont-family:";">Galatians 6:9 (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Message</i>)</span><span style="Adobe Caslon Pro","serif"font-family:";"> states, “…Let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit.”</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="Adobe Caslon Pro","serif"font-family:";">With every vision comes testing. You must be willing to endure the trials that will come to try to block your vision from coming into fruition. You must have the hope to endure what others will not endure. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="Adobe Caslon Pro","serif"font-family:";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="Adobe Caslon Pro","serif"font-family:";">Make the Decision To See Stars</span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="Adobe Caslon Pro","serif"font-family:";">In closing, let’s return to the illustration of the two prisoners, which is, in fact, a true story. After the angry, bitter man was released from prison, he didn’t stay a free man for long. He soon ended up back in prison, cursing God and man for his situation — seeing only the bars of his imprisonment. On the other hand, when the other prisoner was released, he went on to start a successful business that he called Brown Bag Tomato Company (another story for another time). In time, he married and had three wonderful children. Why was this man’s outcome so different from the first prisoner’s? Because in a time of testing, he chose to look at the stars — not the bars.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:6.0pt;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="Adobe Caslon Pro","serif"font-family:";">So what are you looking at in your situation? Do you see “bars” or “stars”? The choice is yours to make. Remember — the vision God has given you is a witness to what is coming. Hold fast to that word He has spoken to your heart, and you <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">will </i>see it come to pass. <o:p></o:p></span></p>HighDLifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16696258453531243289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4822065394806391186.post-62006568435013017362009-03-06T13:43:00.008-06:002009-03-06T16:29:42.654-06:00I Promise!If my wife were to ask me to do something, say clean out the garage, I could respond in a couple of ways. 'No" would not be one of them. Here is what I was thinking.<br /><br /><ul><li>Sure, I will get to as soon as I can. </li><li>I will see what I can do.</li><li>Maybe next week I can get to it.</li><li>I hope I have time to do just that. </li><li>Not sure I can do that right now but I will keep it on my list of things to do.</li></ul><p>These are not the most reassuring responses. But if I say, "I promise I will clean out the garage by Monday." Or if I say, "I promise I will do it today." My wife would believe that I would do it. First of all my word should be good enough but when you add the 'PROMISE' it adds an additional guarantee the work will be done. </p><p>God's word is true and what God says will come to past. </p><p><span style="color:#000099;">1 Kings 8:56</span> "Praise the LORD who has given rest to His people Israel, just as He promised. <span style="color:#990000;">Not one word has failed of all the wonderful promises He gave</span> through His servant Moses.</p><p><span style="color:#000099;">Psalms 12:6</span> <span style="color:#990000;">The LORD's promises are pure</span>, like silver refined in a furnace, purified seven times over.<br /><br /><span style="color:#000099;">Psalms 18:30</span> God's way is perfect. <span style="color:#990000;">All the LORD's promises prove true.</span> He is a shield for all who look to Him for protection. </p><p><span style="color:#000099;">Psalms 91:4</span> He will cover you with His feathers. He will shelter you with His wings. <span style="color:#990000;">His faithful promises are your armor and protection.</span> </p><span style="color:#000099;">Psalms 145:13</span> For Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. You rule throughout all generations.<span style="color:#990000;"> The LORD always keeps His promises;</span> He is gracious in all He does.<br /><br /><span style="color:#000099;">Romans 4:21</span> . . <span style="color:#990000;">God is able to do whatever He promises</span>.<br /><br /><span style="color:#000099;">Romans 15:4</span> . . . <span style="color:#990000;">And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God's promises to be fulfilled. </span><br /><br />So what has God promised you? Get ready because it's coming to past. It has too.HighDLifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16696258453531243289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4822065394806391186.post-3484019009298407002009-02-25T04:04:00.006-06:002009-02-25T04:25:25.406-06:00Getting Caught Up<span style="font-family:arial;">Over the past number of weeks life has been running in fast forward. From an almost unreasonable amount of busyness at church to my son getting married, my house has been running and running fast. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Running fast isn't bad. However, you can't run fast ALL THE TIME. A time of slow down and a time of stop must follow this time of <em>FAST.</em> If it does not a time of break down will occur. Only God, the bible says, never sleeps nor slumbers. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#ff0000;"><span style="font-size:130%;">Psalms 121:1-8 NASB</span><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">(1) A Song of Ascents. I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; From where shall my help come?<br />(2) My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.<br />(3) He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber.<br />(4) Behold, </span><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color:#663366;"><strong><em><span style="font-size:130%;">He who keeps Israel Will neither slumber nor sleep.</span><br /></em></strong></span>(5) The LORD is your keeper; The LORD is your shade on your right hand.<br />(6) The sun will not smite you by day, Nor the moon by night. </span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SaUcKDeHqRI/AAAAAAAAA-0/lEmw3MGb88I/s1600-h/sleep.jpg"><span style="font-size:85%;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306678694981904658" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 107px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 127px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SaUcKDeHqRI/AAAAAAAAA-0/lEmw3MGb88I/s200/sleep.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />(7) The LORD will protect you from all evil; He will keep your soul.<br />(8) The LORD will guard your going out and your coming in From this time forth and forever.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"><a href="http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.draiochtwebdesign.com/sxc/tut3/yawn_filtered.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.mahalo.com/How_to_Get_a_Good_Night%27s_Sleep&usg=__vIIxfJStx8JX9jH8rQZ-I6EbJN0=&h=450&w=378&sz=100&hl=en&start=22&tbnid=Pe28ne0-2pe32M:&tbnh=127&tbnw=107&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dsleep%26start%3D21%26gbv%3D2%26ndsp%3D21%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN"></a>Excuse me, while I go catch a few extra ZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzz......</span>HighDLifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16696258453531243289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4822065394806391186.post-38893791653372611872009-01-14T04:37:00.010-06:002009-01-16T07:53:04.363-06:00PEOPLE ARE [Unaware]<span xmlns="">I mentioned a few weeks ago a book I had purchased, "People are idiots and I can prove it" by <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SW3apCzrBtI/AAAAAAAAA8M/Nk6ozsMRF2U/s1600-h/exercising_freak.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291125535893292754" style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; float: right; width: 182px; height: 200px;" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SW3apCzrBtI/AAAAAAAAA8M/Nk6ozsMRF2U/s200/exercising_freak.jpg" border="0" /></a>Larry Winget. The guy is an interesting writer and I think a life coach. As I said before you may want to buy the book because it is full of common sense things that would indeed help you in addition to the ten items I will discuss. Gene Gentz, Christian author, once said that biblical principles are still biblical principles that will work even when someone who is not Christian applies them. I believe that is the case with this author. Although I do not know this guys religious beliefs. So I will over the next weeks give you the biblical principles behind the ten ways people sabotage their success mentioned in "People are idiots and I can prove it." Here we go.<br /><div><div><div><div><br /><br /><p><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">PEOPLE ARE IGNORANT [Unaware]</span></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:Optimum;"><span style="color:teal;">Proverbs 1:1-5 NASB</span> <span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel: </span><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">(2)</span><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"> To know wisdom and instruction, To discern the sayings of understanding, </span><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">(3)</span><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"> To receive instruction in wise behavior, Righteousness, justice and equity; </span><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">(4)</span><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"> To give prudence to the naive, To the youth knowledge and discretion, </span><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">(5)</span><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"> A wise man will hear and increase in learning, And a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel,</span><br /></span></p><br /><p>In the title I replaced ignorant with unaware. Ignorant is a hard word but the basic meaning is you lack knowledge about a thing that <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SW3bOJlDyDI/AAAAAAAAA8c/JgeFt4po3bk/s1600-h/close_shave.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291126173366208562" style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; float: right; width: 184px; height: 200px;" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SW3bOJlDyDI/AAAAAAAAA8c/JgeFt4po3bk/s200/close_shave.jpg" border="0" /></a>you are capable of knowing. You are unaware. In fact many of us are unaware that we are unaware of things me need to know. Now this is not a sin it is human. You and I lack knowledge about a lot of stuff. I like to download from iTunes a series of programs from a TV show called "The Works." This show tells me things about stuff that I lack knowledge about. Motorcycles, tattoo's, guns, and parachuting are the most recent topics that I have gained some knowledge about. </p><p><span style="font-family:Optimum;"><span style="color:teal;">Proverbs 4:5 NASB</span> <span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">Acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding! Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth.</span><br /></span></p><br /><p>Years ago I wasn't being the best I could be as a husband. Funny thing was I didn't know I wasn't. I thought I was doing a good job. I got involved in Promise Keepers and learned I really didn't know much about being a husband. Through my involvement with PK I acquired the knowledge necessary to be a much better husband and man. The more I learned the more I realized I didn't know. Sound familiar. I was ignorant about things that I was capable of knowing that would help me.<br /></p><br /><p><span style="font-family:Optimum;"><span style="color:teal;">James 1:5 NASB</span> <span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.</span> </span></p><p><span style="font-family:Optimum;"></span><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SW3bCB6ZAXI/AAAAAAAAA8U/4wTdMWse0gE/s1600-h/rescue_me.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291125965149766002" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left; width: 200px; height: 125px;" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SW3bCB6ZAXI/AAAAAAAAA8U/4wTdMWse0gE/s200/rescue_me.jpg" border="0" /></a> The Bible is full of principles that you and I need to know to be successful in life. Relationships, finances, fulfillment of life, answers to life's major questions. Questions like, 'Who is God?.' 'Where are you going to spend eternity.' How do I handle a job loss?' 'What do I do when my children do wrong things?' 'What to do when I get sick?' 'What to do when life comes at me to destroy me?' 'Why do people not like me?' What is God's plan for me?' and many more questions we don't know too ask. So often we are ignorant of those things that we are capable of knowing. </p><p><span style="font-family:Optimum;"><span style="color:teal;">Matthew 7:7-8 NASB</span><span style="color:red;"> "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.</span><span style="color:teal;">(8)</span><span style="color:red;"> "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.</span> </span><br /><br /></p><p><span style="font-family:Optimum;">The Bible, a good church, a pastor who will teach you God's Word, a Sunday school class, a mentor are places and people we need in our life if we are to become all that God desires for us to become. Through these things we gain the knowledge that will improve our lives, strengthen our relationships and guide us through the good and bad times of life. Knowledge we don't know we don't know but really need. </span><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291126498353470738" style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; float: right; width: 200px; height: 158px;" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SW3bhEQD3RI/AAAAAAAAA8k/MTyvv_irUf4/s200/special_offer_for_car_owners.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /></p><p><span style="font-family:Optimum;">If you know something but don't use it to your advantage and success, well then that leads us to the next reason people sabotage their success. See you next week.<br /></span></p></div></div></div></div></span>HighDLifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16696258453531243289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4822065394806391186.post-18597494486516880982009-01-12T07:24:00.007-06:002009-01-12T09:50:10.204-06:00Re-Gift Party was a BLAST!For those of you, and there not many, who could not make it to the re-gifting party on Sunday from the Wisdom Seekers Sunday school class here are a few pictures to let you in on the great fun we had. Forty two people come over to Lee and Tonya's house for food (Outstanding) and to bless others with gifts they received that they wanted to pass on to others. Some were very nice and some, well, were not so nice. But in the end EVERYONE had a great time. Thanks to Lee and Tonya for opening your house to us. It was a blessing for all.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SWtmFqzphsI/AAAAAAAAA8E/qFB3Qto0HeY/s1600-h/026.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SWtmFqzphsI/AAAAAAAAA8E/qFB3Qto0HeY/s200/026.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290434434853078722" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SWtLnzGjxkI/AAAAAAAAA7k/hylLVJZZsfY/s1600-h/045.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SWtLnzGjxkI/AAAAAAAAA7k/hylLVJZZsfY/s200/045.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290405334381479490" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SWtINDnSIlI/AAAAAAAAA7U/2lxNpR-AIA0/s1600-h/032.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SWtINDnSIlI/AAAAAAAAA7U/2lxNpR-AIA0/s200/032.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290401576422351442" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SWtLo2XeU_I/AAAAAAAAA70/RcyDYn1kzlE/s1600-h/051.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SWtLo2XeU_I/AAAAAAAAA70/RcyDYn1kzlE/s200/051.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290405352437601266" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SWtLnff9taI/AAAAAAAAA7c/V8k_oqNgbIw/s1600-h/024.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SWtLnff9taI/AAAAAAAAA7c/V8k_oqNgbIw/s200/024.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290405329119327650" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SWtLpK1bq0I/AAAAAAAAA78/Evk0QpzrvJc/s1600-h/063.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SWtLpK1bq0I/AAAAAAAAA78/Evk0QpzrvJc/s200/063.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290405357931965250" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVDff8SqwwkIlhGhPOMTQnq_vyo_V6MyP-kMLAo4m7sxLny73qjXK67ujsQsuSD1tZAbua29XPgIJIIOpiYhaxYqtwDZBQNtu_vXEM_9KrorjbiG2prVHuEThmpnEYOxnWtiLo14hzpIU/s1600-h/027.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVDff8SqwwkIlhGhPOMTQnq_vyo_V6MyP-kMLAo4m7sxLny73qjXK67ujsQsuSD1tZAbua29XPgIJIIOpiYhaxYqtwDZBQNtu_vXEM_9KrorjbiG2prVHuEThmpnEYOxnWtiLo14hzpIU/s200/027.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290401568707475714" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SWtLohnU6RI/AAAAAAAAA7s/vz2xMya9ZD4/s1600-h/049.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SWtLohnU6RI/AAAAAAAAA7s/vz2xMya9ZD4/s200/049.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290405346866948370" border="0" /></a>HighDLifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16696258453531243289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4822065394806391186.post-83294642299062001972009-01-08T10:54:00.003-06:002009-01-08T12:47:33.050-06:00People are Idiots and I can Prove it!On a recent Tuesday evening coffee and walk through Barnes and Noble, I ran across a book titled, "People are Idiots and I Can Prove it" by Larry Wingot. It was an interesting title since that every day I could say to this statement - YES and AMEN. Sorry if that offends anyone. Not a very Christian view but I think Jesus had this kind of moment. Let me explain.<br /><br />Jesus was in the upper room with His disciples, it is the moment in time that we all know as the Last Supper. Jesus began to tell these men of God what was about to happen. They were troubled to say the least.<br /><br />John 14:1-4 <span style="color:#990000;">"Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. (2) "In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. (3) "If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. (4) "And you know the way where I am going."</span><br /><br />Thomas questioned Jesus as to where He was going and them asked for directions, believe it or not. <span style="color:#000099;">"Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?"</span> Jesus still maintaining His cool said, <span style="color:#990000;">"I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one come to the father but through me."</span><br /><br />GET READY because here comes the IDIOT moment. Philip, in a brilliant statement says, <span style="color:#000099;">"Lord show us the Father, and it is enough for us."<br /></span><br />ARE YOU READY, HERE IT IS.<br /><br />Jesus said to Philip, <span style="color:#990000;">"Have I been so long with you, and YET you have not come to know ME, Philip."</span> Let me translate this for you, <span style="color:#663366;">'Philip you <em><strong>IDIOT</strong> </em>- Knucklehead - Stupidor.'</span> Yea, we have all had the idiot moment and Jesus had His.<br /><br />So when I picked up this book to glance through it I found a chapter that listed ten ways people sabotage their success. They were right on. But since this is a secular book and not a Christian book the author writes in a very secular way with some secular language. So I decided to take these ten points of view and write them from the Christian perspective. They were after all Biblical principles. If you would like to buy this book and read it, please do. I beleive you will get soemthing out of it.<br /><br />However, over the next couple of weeks look for my Biblical explanation along with biblical solutions of these ten ways people sabotage their success - I think you will find them enlightening and in the end agree that people are at times - IDIOTS.<br /><br />God bless.HighDLifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16696258453531243289noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4822065394806391186.post-36802847347566966432009-01-02T18:21:00.012-06:002009-01-03T05:33:01.682-06:00Things to Improve Your New Year<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SV6vnq-hPvI/AAAAAAAAA6U/ja9taLeooq0/s1600-h/080508-190940-132007.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 144px; height: 144px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SV6vnq-hPvI/AAAAAAAAA6U/ja9taLeooq0/s200/080508-190940-132007.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286856108665814770" border="0" /></a>Boy, it's January 2, 2009 all ready. It seems just yesterday that I was getting ready for volunteer banquet (March event.) But then again I have, like many of you, had a busy year.
<br />
<br />As is our tradition the day after New Years Day Connie and I take down all the Christmas ornaments, tree and outside lights and store them for next year. I really don't mind since it gives the house a fresh look and feel of newness. We are now ready for what this new year will bring. I wonder what that will be. I never expected many things that occurred this last year. It is good to know that God was not caught off guard.
<br />
<br />I read many devotionals each day and today I received one from purpose driven life. It gave scriptural advice on how to get through the tough times. After I read it I decided it was the only way to get through the great times as well. Here they are with my added input.
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SV64E1jEzmI/AAAAAAAAA6c/h-lW0M0ARmE/s1600-h/worry.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 163px; height: 159px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SV64E1jEzmI/AAAAAAAAA6c/h-lW0M0ARmE/s200/worry.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286865405812723298" border="0" /></a>
<br /><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 12"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 12"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CALBERT%7E1%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><link rel="themeData" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CALBERT%7E1%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx"><link rel="colorSchemeMapping" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CALBERT%7E1%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:splitpgbreakandparamark/> <w:dontvertaligncellwithsp/> <w:dontbreakconstrainedforcedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> <w:word11kerningpairs/> <w:cachedcolbalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathpr> <m:mathfont val="Cambria Math"> <m:brkbin val="before"> <m:brkbinsub val="--"> <m:smallfrac val="off"> <m:dispdef/> <m:lmargin val="0"> <m:rmargin val="0"> <m:defjc val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent val="1440"> <m:intlim val="subSup"> <m:narylim val="undOvr"> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" defunhidewhenused="true" defsemihidden="true" defqformat="false" defpriority="99" latentstylecount="267"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="0" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Normal"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="heading 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 7"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 8"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 9"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 7"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 8"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 9"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="35" qformat="true" name="caption"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="10" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="1" name="Default Paragraph Font"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="11" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtitle"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="22" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Strong"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="20" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="59" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Table Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Placeholder Text"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="1" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="No Spacing"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Revision"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="34" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="List Paragraph"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="29" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Quote"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="30" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Quote"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="19" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="21" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="31" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="32" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="33" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Book Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="37" name="Bibliography"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" qformat="true" name="TOC Heading"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:1; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-format:other; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:0 0 0 0 0 0;} @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-1610611985 1073750139 0 0 159 0;} @font-face {font-family:Verdana; panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-1593833729 1073750107 16 0 415 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;} p {mso-style-priority:99; mso-margin-top-alt:auto; margin-right:0in; mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; margin-left:0in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-size:10.0pt; mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span style=";font-family:";" >1. Don’t worry about anything. </span></b></span><span style=";font-family:";font-size:85%;" >The message bible says it best. In “Matthew 6:34 MSG</span><span style=";font-family:";font-size:85%;" > </span><span style=";font-family:";font-size:85%;" ><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">"Give your ent</span></span><span style=";font-family:";font-size:85%;" ><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">ire attention</span></span><span style=";font-family:";font-size:85%;" ><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"> to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God w</span></span><span style=";font-family:";font-size:85%;" ><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">ill help you deal with whatever hard things<span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> (and Good Things - Albert notes)</span> come up when the time comes." <span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153);"> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Worry is the opposite of faith and will steal your joy. Worry is counter-productive to accomplishing </span></span></span></span><span style=";font-family:";font-size:85%;" ><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153);font-size:100%;" ><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:85%;">God's goals for your life.</span> </span></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span></span>
<br /><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SV65nIUJHbI/AAAAAAAAA6k/Bc4cfOUKM7A/s1600-h/prayer.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SV65nIUJHbI/AAAAAAAAA6k/Bc4cfOUKM7A/s200/prayer.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286867094477544882" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span style=";font-family:";" >2. P</span></b></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span style=";font-family:";" >ray about everything. </span></b></span><span style=";font-family:";font-size:85%;" >Philippians 4:6 NASB <span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">Be anxious for nothing, but in</span></span><span style=";font-family:";font-size:85%;" ><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"> everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God."</span> If you are looking for something to do DON</span><span style=";font-family:";font-size:85%;" >'T worry, PRAY. Prayer is nothing more than talking to God. Having a conversation with the All Mighty - who is the only one that can do something about whatever is going on in your life. Prayer is a monologue not a dialog. When you talk with God listen for His response. The voice of God will calm the most anxious soul and mind. Philippians 4:7 NASB <span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.</span>
<br /><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span style=";font-family:";" >3. Thank God in all things. </span></b></span><span style=";font-family:";font-size:85%;" >Philippians 4:6 NASB <span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication<span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"> with thanksgiving </span>let your requests be made known to God."</span> </span><span style=";font-family:";font-size:85%;" >Thanksgiving is an act of faith. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span style=";font-family:";" >4. Think about the right things. </span></b></span><span style=";font-family:";font-size:85%;" >Philippians 4:8 MSG says it best, <span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">"Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do</span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SV66GLW_nfI/AAAAAAAAA6s/c60ex7i4DS0/s1600-h/thinking.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 154px; height: 163px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SV66GLW_nfI/AAAAAAAAA6s/c60ex7i4DS0/s200/thinking.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286867627870756338" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:";font-size:85%;" ><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"> </span></span><span style=";font-family:";font-size:85%;" ><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious--the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse.</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><span style=";font-family:";" ><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">" </span></span></b></span><span style=";font-family:";font-size:85%;" ><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"> </span>We all had things happen we didn't like about this last year. We also had things we really liked about this last year. </span><span style=";font-family:";font-size:85%;" >You have mountains because there are valleys. Ups and downs are what life is all about. You have a choice as to what you will dwell on. I choose the good because God is good and He is good to me. I refuse to give the devil any of my time. I am not going to waste any space in my mind on the devil.
<br /></span></p><p><span style=";font-family:";font-size:10;" ><span style="font-size:85%;">These are just a few things for you to do. Add these to your New Years resolution list and I will guarantee you next year at this time you will feel as good about the upcoming year as I do. God is GOOD and He is GOOD to me. Happy New Year.</span>
<br /></span></p>HighDLifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16696258453531243289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4822065394806391186.post-58133037782465378272008-12-24T07:28:00.003-06:002008-12-24T11:58:09.713-06:00Peace<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SVJ3eNzYtrI/AAAAAAAAA5c/IpEE43JQCrQ/s1600-h/christmas+1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 147px; height: 197px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SVJ3eNzYtrI/AAAAAAAAA5c/IpEE43JQCrQ/s200/christmas+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5283416673843984050" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;">As I sit here on Christmas Eve I starting to think about three words you see on many Christmas Cards. PEACE ON EARTH. One thing is for sure, we haven't seen much peace on Earth. In the last century our country has been involved in two world wars, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, not to mention numerous conflicts. At the beginning of this century we witnessed an attack on our country - the Twin Towers - and now we rage a war on terrorism. At this very moment we have troops stationed in Iraq keeping peace. Not much peace on earth here.<br /></span><span xmlns=""><p style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">If we look at our own lives we probably can see conflict all around us. Many of us face conflicts with family members, neighbors, church members, co-workers and bosses to name a few. When you put two people together you will eventually have conflict. I think one of the main reasons is a self-centered thinking that exists in all of us. The sin nature if you prefer. <br /></span></p><p style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;color:teal;">1 Corinthians 3:3 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">NLT</span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"> for you are still controlled by your sinful nature. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn't that prove you are controlled by your sinful nature? Aren't you living like people of the world?<br /></span></p><p style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">So when Christmas arrives we, with good hearts and good intentions, look to find peace. In the process of enjoying the Christmas season we forget about what is going on around us and we find a little peace in our lives, a peace that we so often miss through out the rest of the year.</span></p><p style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Jesus knew that peace was important. In John 14 as everything the disciples knew was about to get turned upside down Jesus said, <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">"Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.</span>" (John 14:27) Good words for us today.<br /></span></p><p style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">After He rose from the dead the first words that Jesus spoke to the group of disciple that were hiding and waiting was, <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">"So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and *said to them, <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">"Peace be with you." </span> </span>(John 20:19)</span></p><p style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">If you look at these two verses you will see a common denominator, FEAR. In the upper room before the cross Jesus said "Do not let your heart be troubled, <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">nor let it be fearful</span>." After the cross as He found the disciples hiding because <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">they were in fear</span>. Fear will steal your peace. </span></p><p style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">In the season for giving one thing is true. You can never out give God. "By His divine power, God has <span style="font-style: italic;">given us everything we need for living a godly life</span> . . ." (2 Peter 1:3) God is a giver. </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span xmlns="">God has given us many things. However, this Christmas why don't you receive the PEACE that He gives. </span>Peace in the middle of all that is going on around you. Peace that passes all understanding. (Philippines 4:7) A peace that melts fear, gives rest and encourages the soul. It is a gift for all to receive. It is the message the angels sang on a night 2000 years ago. "And on earth peace, good will toward men."<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family:Optimum;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:arial;">Merry Christmas </span></span><br /> </span> </p></span>HighDLifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16696258453531243289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4822065394806391186.post-32785994973461313652008-12-21T14:57:00.008-06:002008-12-22T14:50:44.920-06:00Glory is Fleeting<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SU6uVdQfb1I/AAAAAAAAA5E/zmFzFZeE53Y/s1600-h/250px-Pattonphoto.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 114px; height: 151px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SU6uVdQfb1I/AAAAAAAAA5E/zmFzFZeE53Y/s200/250px-Pattonphoto.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282351096606453586" border="0" /></a><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CALBERT%7E1%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><link rel="themeData" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CALBERT%7E1%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx"><link rel="colorSchemeMapping" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CALBERT%7E1%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:splitpgbreakandparamark/> <w:dontvertaligncellwithsp/> <w:dontbreakconstrainedforcedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> <w:word11kerningpairs/> <w:cachedcolbalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathpr> <m:mathfont val="Cambria Math"> <m:brkbin val="before"> <m:brkbinsub val="--"> <m:smallfrac val="off"> <m:dispdef/> <m:lmargin val="0"> <m:rmargin val="0"> <m:defjc val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent val="1440"> <m:intlim val="subSup"> <m:narylim val="undOvr"> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" defunhidewhenused="true" defsemihidden="true" defqformat="false" defpriority="99" latentstylecount="267"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="0" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Normal"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="heading 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 7"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 8"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 9"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 7"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 8"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 9"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="35" qformat="true" name="caption"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="10" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="1" name="Default Paragraph Font"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="11" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtitle"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="22" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Strong"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="20" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="59" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Table Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Placeholder Text"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="1" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="No Spacing"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Revision"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="34" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="List Paragraph"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="29" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Quote"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="30" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Quote"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="19" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="21" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="31" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="32" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="33" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Book Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="37" name="Bibliography"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" qformat="true" name="TOC Heading"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-1610611985 1073750139 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin-top:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:10.0pt; margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} .MsoPapDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; margin-bottom:10.0pt; line-height:115%;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong><i><span style=";font-family:";color:navy;" >"For over a thousand years Roman conquerors returning from the wars enjoyed the honor of triumph, a tumultuous parade. In the procession came trumpeteers, musicians and strange animals from conquered territories, together with carts laden with treasure and captured armaments. The conquerors rode in a triumphal chariot, the dazed prisoners walking in chains before him. Sometimes his children robed in white stood with him in the chariot or rode the trace horses. A slave stood behind the conqueror holding a </span></i></strong><strong><i><span style=";font-family:";color:navy;" >golden crown and whispering in his ear a warning: that all glory is fleeting."</span></i></strong><b><i><span style="color:navy;"> <strong><span style=";font-family:";" >- Gen. George C. Patton</span></strong></span></i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 12"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 12"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CALBERT%7E1%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><link rel="themeData" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CALBERT%7E1%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx"><link rel="colorSchemeMapping" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CALBERT%7E1%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:splitpgbreakandparamark/> <w:dontvertaligncellwithsp/> <w:dontbreakconstrainedforcedtables/> <w:dontvertalignintxbx/> <w:word11kerningpairs/> <w:cachedcolbalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathpr> <m:mathfont val="Cambria Math"> <m:brkbin val="before"> <m:brkbinsub val="--"> <m:smallfrac val="off"> <m:dispdef/> <m:lmargin val="0"> <m:rmargin val="0"> <m:defjc val="centerGroup"> <m:wrapindent val="1440"> <m:intlim val="subSup"> <m:narylim val="undOvr"> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" defunhidewhenused="true" defsemihidden="true" defqformat="false" defpriority="99" latentstylecount="267"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="0" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Normal"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="heading 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 7"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 8"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="9" qformat="true" name="heading 9"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 7"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 8"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" name="toc 9"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="35" qformat="true" name="caption"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="10" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="1" name="Default Paragraph Font"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="11" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtitle"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="22" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Strong"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="20" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="59" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Table Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Placeholder Text"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="1" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="No Spacing"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Revision"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="34" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="List Paragraph"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="29" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Quote"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="30" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Quote"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="60" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Shading Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="61" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="62" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Light Grid Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="63" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="64" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="65" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="66" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="67" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="68" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="69" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="70" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Dark List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="71" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="72" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful List Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="73" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="19" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="21" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="31" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="32" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="33" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Book Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="37" name="Bibliography"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" qformat="true" name="TOC Heading"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-1610611985 1073750139 0 0 159 0;} @font-face {font-family:Optimum; panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin-top:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:10.0pt; margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} .MsoPapDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; margin-bottom:10.0pt; line-height:115%;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> </p><p class="MsoNormal">Today at the end of our 11:15 church service, I experienced a moment I will never forget.<span style=""> </span>A moment where I was really embarrassed. A moment that really blessed me. It<span style=""> </span>came from those whom I serve, the congregation of Grace church.<span style=""> </span>Pastor Bob invited me to come out to do the announcements as usual but as I approached the pulpit Pastor began to speak about the Christmas outreach that we had done the day before.<span style=""> </span>It was a great day where we saw 1,708 people come to received 520 boxes of food and 1,250 toys for their children. <span style=""> </span>800 kids enjoyed<span style=""> </span>a Kid zone full of games and best of all, 103 responded to the altar call with over 300 people from our church coming out to help. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Pastor stood next to me and said how much he appreciated all that I do for Grace church.<span style=""> </span>That was itself a huge honor for me.<span style=""> </span>But then the congregation not only began to applaud but they stood to their feet.<span style=""> </span>Imagine that.<span style=""> </span>They stood and applauded me.<span style=""> </span>It was embarrassing to say the least.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal;">I believe a man does what he can to the best of his ability.<span style=""> </span>You do it when <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SU6vX25-glI/AAAAAAAAA5U/CzmVue7cuOc/s1600-h/stick_figure.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 199px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SU6vX25-glI/AAAAAAAAA5U/CzmVue7cuOc/s200/stick_figure.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282352237362709074" border="0" /></a>everyone notices and when no one notices.<span style=""> </span>You do it first to the God you serve and then because you should.<span style=""> </span>My dad taught me, "A job worth doing is worth doing well." Not for recognition or glory but because you are a man.<span style=""> </span>I put the General Patton quote above as a reminder that victories do not last.<span style=""> </span><span style="">The Patton quote reminds me that no matter how good you are there is always going to be someone better.<span style=""> </span>I believe you're only as good as the results of your last endeavor.<span style=""> </span>A number of successes will carry you through a few failures, but eventually<span style=""> </span>you've got to hit the single along with a few home runs to stay in front of the game.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal;"><span style=""><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">You enjoy the moment but you cannot live in it.<span style=""> </span>You must move on. I see this as a form of humility. Humility is one of the top five <span style=""> </span>best character traits a man should have.<span style=""> </span>With humility the Bible says God will give you grace. <span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="color:teal;">James 4:6 NLT</span><span style=""><span style=""> </span>". . . As the Scriptures say, "God opposes the proud but favors the humble."<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal;"><span style=""><o:p> </o:p></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SU6ueGHfbDI/AAAAAAAAA5M/aI5AtZ3aSa4/s1600-h/bowing_man.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 112px; height: 143px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SU6ueGHfbDI/AAAAAAAAA5M/aI5AtZ3aSa4/s200/bowing_man.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5282351245013511218" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="">
<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal;"><span style="">F</span><span style="">or what I do I give God the glory.<span style=""> </span>I know myself and if it wasn't for God I would be nothing.<span style=""> </span>To those who appreciate w</span><span style="">hat I do I say, "THANK YOU." <span style=""> </span>These are small words which do not show how grateful I really am for the show of approval.<span style=""> </span>In the end let God get the glory.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /><b><i><span style="color:navy;"><strong><span style=";font-family:";" ><o:p></o:p></span></strong></span></i></b></p>HighDLifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16696258453531243289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4822065394806391186.post-45414439479644683542008-12-19T07:37:00.008-06:002008-12-19T07:47:03.323-06:00if Women Ruled the world<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SUukcTug41I/AAAAAAAAA48/Z3CRlHOcHkc/s1600-h/women_ruled_d_world_8.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 352px; height: 218px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SUukcTug41I/AAAAAAAAA48/Z3CRlHOcHkc/s200/women_ruled_d_world_8.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281495794260697938" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:130%;">A Bit of HUMOR for your Friday. </span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SUukYLzKQGI/AAAAAAAAA40/dmBLn0v7szU/s1600-h/women_ruled_d_world_7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 260px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SUukYLzKQGI/AAAAAAAAA40/dmBLn0v7szU/s200/women_ruled_d_world_7.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281495723413225570" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SUukT_pd3zI/AAAAAAAAA4s/3-t_5TY3CZ4/s1600-h/women_ruled_d_world_5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 257px; height: 377px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SUukT_pd3zI/AAAAAAAAA4s/3-t_5TY3CZ4/s200/women_ruled_d_world_5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281495651431866162" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SUukB5k8QQI/AAAAAAAAA4g/kYotPCeuCq8/s1600-h/women_ruled_d_world_4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 374px; height: 232px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SUukB5k8QQI/AAAAAAAAA4g/kYotPCeuCq8/s200/women_ruled_d_world_4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281495340564627714" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SUukBwDidCI/AAAAAAAAA4Y/sPUNAFBaLNo/s1600-h/women_ruled_d_world_1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 311px; height: 193px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SUukBwDidCI/AAAAAAAAA4Y/sPUNAFBaLNo/s200/women_ruled_d_world_1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281495338008605730" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SUukBqcg_tI/AAAAAAAAA4Q/5zzp-OHaRVw/s1600-h/if_women_ruled_the_world_5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 421px; height: 370px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SUukBqcg_tI/AAAAAAAAA4Q/5zzp-OHaRVw/s200/if_women_ruled_the_world_5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281495336502755026" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SUukBkszy0I/AAAAAAAAA4I/0X6gsHv3ZrU/s1600-h/if_women_ruled_the_world_4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 243px; height: 342px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SUukBkszy0I/AAAAAAAAA4I/0X6gsHv3ZrU/s200/if_women_ruled_the_world_4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281495334960483138" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SUukBtVG66I/AAAAAAAAA4A/9HoEBlJ0LJQ/s1600-h/if_women_ruled_the_world_3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 436px; height: 313px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SUukBtVG66I/AAAAAAAAA4A/9HoEBlJ0LJQ/s200/if_women_ruled_the_world_3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281495337276992418" border="0" /></a>HighDLifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16696258453531243289noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4822065394806391186.post-27987808934946641382008-12-16T04:37:00.020-06:002008-12-17T04:44:01.613-06:00Positive vs. Negative<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SUjWxBZGQbI/AAAAAAAAA00/gXILS534W8Y/s1600-h/080508-190940-132007.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280706700767543730" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 100px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 100px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SUjWxBZGQbI/AAAAAAAAA00/gXILS534W8Y/s200/080508-190940-132007.jpg" border="0" /></a><span xmlns=""><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal">We seem to live in a world that enjoys the negative more than the positive. You turn on the news and it is full of the negative. From wall street to you home town street they fill your ears with negative. News m<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SUepIuGCeDI/AAAAAAAAA0c/xvPEV1GuxSQ/s1600-h/mad+face.jpg"></a>edia says they are just reporting the events as they see them. However, NEGATIVE <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SUjW-IRs_5I/AAAAAAAAA1E/w9ibeaTgjpA/s1600-h/mad+face.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280706925953875858" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 143px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 116px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SUjW-IRs_5I/AAAAAAAAA1E/w9ibeaTgjpA/s200/mad+face.jpg" border="0" /></a>news sells better than POSITIVE news. Even our last presidential election proved this. In fact every election I have been able to participate in the election campaigns were all about changing things for the better. In the early 80's President Reagan during his run for the presidency continually asked, "Are you better off now than you were four years ago." It really didn't sound too bad but the implication was, "No, I am not better off now than four years ago. I am worse off because things are worse. Things just aren't as good as they use to be."</span><br /><div><div><br /><h2><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal">This morning after I finished reading CNN.com and Foxnews.com I wondered. If God h</span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal">ad a website I wonder what His headline news would be. I wonder what the </span>RSS <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal">(</span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal">Really Si</span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal">mple Syndication - a lightweight format for sharing headlines and other Web co</span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal">ntent) </span><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal">feed's on God web page would be. Here is what I believe they would be.</span></span></span></h2><span style="font-family:arial;">_________________________________________________</span><span style="font-size:0;"><span xmlns=""><span style="font-size:0;"><span xmlns=""><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;"> </span><br /><br /><h2><span style="font-size:0;"><span xmlns=""><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280336141544760722" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; WIDTH: 85px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 85px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SUeFvotupZI/AAAAAAAAA0M/kpoQgZulMpU/s200/100px-Feed-icon.svg.png" border="0" /></span></span></h2></span></span></span></span><p></span></p></div></div>God has Forgiven You - I John 1:9 <p class="MsoNormal">You are God's Beloved - Romans 8:35-39, I john 4:19</p><p class="MsoNormal">God is Still in Control - Psalm 23</p><p class="MsoNormal">God has enabled you to do what you need to do when you need to do it - Philippines 4:13</p><p class="MsoNormal">You are FREE - Colossians 1:13-14</p><p class="MsoNormal">God has made a way where there is no way - I Corinthians 10:13</p><p class="MsoNormal">God has an answer - II Peter 1:3,4</p><p class="MsoNormal">You have the Holy Spirit of God inside of you - Romans 8:11</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">You are a Citizen of Heaven which means one day:</span></p><ul><li><span style="font-size:0;"></span><span style="font-family:verdana;">You will eat of the tree of life - Rev 2:7</span></li><br /><li face="verdana">You will wear the Crown of life - Rev 2:10</li><br /><li face="verdana">You have a new wardrobe made of White - Rev 3:5</li><br /><li face="verdana">You will receive a NEW NAME - Rev 3:12<br /></li><li face="verdana">You have a seat with Jesus - Rev 3:21 </li></ul><p class="MsoNormal">Facts change but the truth never changes. The things going on in the world are facts that will change. The cold weather will be replaced with warm summer weather. Snow is replaced with rain. Economic down turn will be replaced with economic up turn.<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">God's Word is truth and it never changes no matter what is going on in our fact based world. How about that for a headline. But then again that is GOOD NEWS. And although that may not sell a newspaper, it is the type of news this world needs. God bless.<br /></p>HighDLifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16696258453531243289noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4822065394806391186.post-17358970346803450352008-12-15T04:18:00.005-06:002008-12-15T04:28:33.149-06:00Slow Down You Move to Fast, You Got to make the Moment Last<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SUYxSJq7AmI/AAAAAAAAAzs/NcaCvynq-AU/s1600-h/FastLane.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SUYxSJq7AmI/AAAAAAAAAzs/NcaCvynq-AU/s200/FastLane.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5279961801041838690" border="0" /></a>This week it has been BUSY. Preparations for upcoming events have raised the level of busyness in the church to a high. From my office this is December. A month with a high level of busyness. I guess to most that is true. Christmas shopping, Christmas parties, Christmas decorations, Christmas visiting with family and friends which often includes travel plans. Throw in some snow that really slows things down and we have a month of BUSY.<span xmlns=""><p>In Luke 10:38-42 is the story of Martha and Mary. Martha was BUSY. Busy preparing to entertain<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SUYw22hEg2I/AAAAAAAAAzc/LktyokRFKFk/s1600-h/christ_in_the_house_of_martha_and_mary.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 178px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SUYw22hEg2I/AAAAAAAAAzc/LktyokRFKFk/s200/christ_in_the_house_of_martha_and_mary.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5279961332043776866" border="0" /></a> her guests. I love those people who are good at hospitality. They have a sixth sense about what needs to be done and how to do it. From table set up to food preparation to food presentation, they have it all covered. However, Martha, like many of us, ran into a situation that many of us run into during the Christmas season. It is a situation that causes us to get off course in our walk with God. It's called - Over Committed. Verse 40 says, "But Martha was distracted with all her preparations. . ." The word here actually means over-committed. Martha was trying to do more than her could and probably more than she should. Sound familiar. Over committed, Martha got angry and went to Jesus and yelled at Him, basically took her anger, feelings of over commitment, feelings of frustration and fear of failure out on Him. In fact, Martha got real angry at her sister Mary for not helping her.<br /></p><p>You will notice in the story Jesus didn't jump up and run to help Martha. Jesus didn't stop everything and tell people they needed to go help Martha. No Jesus focused Martha on what was important. Jesus, said, "Martha, Martha, you are worried (which means you are drawn away in many directions causing you to get anxious) and bothered about so <span><span xmlns=""><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SUYxDejKh7I/AAAAAAAAAzk/UxxnawkdgSw/s1600-h/Luke7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 160px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SUYxDejKh7I/AAAAAAAAAzk/UxxnawkdgSw/s200/Luke7.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5279961548948408242" border="0" /></a></span></span>many things (which means to be in an uproar over situations and things)." He went on to say, " . . only a few things are important, really only one." Martha lost sight of priorities, that list of things placed in proper order of importance that keeps us on track. Mary was sitting at the feet of Jesus. Mary placed Jesus on the top of her priority list.<br /></p><p>All the holiday shopping is fine. All the holiday food and decorations are fine as long as we don't forget the reason for all the celebration. JESUS.<br /></p></span>HighDLifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16696258453531243289noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4822065394806391186.post-35219866954107604222008-12-12T04:27:00.008-06:002008-12-12T05:03:50.802-06:00JesusOne of my favorite bible teacher is John MacArthur. Although I don't agree with everything he teaches he does have great insite into the Word of God. In his commentary on the Book of Hebrews, specifically Hebrews 1:1-4:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Hebrews 1:1-4 NASB</span> <span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, (2) in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. (3) And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the </span><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at t</span><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">he right hand of the Majesty on high, (4) having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they.</span><br /><br />John MacArthur writes:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SUJESnGWrtI/AAAAAAAAAyk/0B9rbs-vCBc/s1600-h/NativityScene.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SUJESnGWrtI/AAAAAAAAAyk/0B9rbs-vCBc/s200/NativityScene.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278856799755611858" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">"Someone has said that Jesus Christ came from the bosom of the Father to the bosom of a woman. He put on humanity that we might put divinity. He became Son of Man that we might become </span><span style="font-style: italic;">sons of God. He was born contrary to the laws of nature, lived in poverty, was reared in obscurity, and only once crossed the</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SUJEdHKAtOI/AAAAAAAAAys/2ZHIgFfkpWM/s1600-h/j5e.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 151px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SUJEdHKAtOI/AAAAAAAAAys/2ZHIgFfkpWM/s200/j5e.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278856980159575266" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"> boundary of the land in which He was born and that in His childhood. He had no wealth or influence and had neither training nor education in the world's schools. His relatives were inconspicuous and uninfluencial. In infancy He startled a king. In </span><span style="font-style: italic;">boyhood He puzzled the learned doctors. In manhood He ruled the course of nature. He walked upon the billows and hushed the sea to sleep. He healed the multitudes without medicine and made no charge for His services. He never wrote a book and yet all the libraries of the world </span> <span style="font-style: italic;">could not hold the books about Him. He never wrote a song, yet He has furnished the theme for more songs than all songwriters together. He never founded a college, yet all the schools together cannot boast of as many students as He has. He never practiced medicine and yet He has healed more broken hearts than all the doctors have healed broken bodies. </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SUJEjGlnbsI/AAAAAAAAAy0/M9-ByntdAzk/s1600-h/Jesus.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 98px; height: 127px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SUJEjGlnbsI/AAAAAAAAAy0/M9-ByntdAzk/s200/Jesus.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278857083086139074" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">This Jesus Christ is the star of astronomy, the rock of geology, the lion and the lamb of zoology, the harmonizer of all discords, and the healer of all diseases. Throughout history great men have come and gone, yet He lives on. Herod could not kill Him. Satan could not seduce Him. Death could not destroy Him and the grave could not hold Him."</span><br /><br />Well, I just don't know if you can say it better than that. AMEN.HighDLifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16696258453531243289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4822065394806391186.post-87451391879090796452008-12-02T16:32:00.006-06:002008-12-03T06:05:00.313-06:00Sitting in My OFFICEAs I was sitting here in my office at the end of my day I began reflecting on what just happened in the last 8 hours. It all started out normal enough, staff devotions followed by my morning <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/STZPqP0QR2I/AAAAAAAAAwA/uLO_AnhejpM/s1600-h/DSC03867.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/STZPqP0QR2I/AAAAAAAAAwA/uLO_AnhejpM/s200/DSC03867.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5275491600729917282" border="0" /></a>meeting with Pastor. I then went from ordering hams for the Christmas Outreach we have coming up – not something I do everyday - to spending an hour with a good friend and member of our church who needed to talk and have someone to pray with. This person had just received some not so good news. (I'll bet that happened to a number of you today.) Life does happen and with it some good and some bad. My day ended with a staff person deciding it was time to step down from the position that they have held for 8 years. It was nothing bad they just felt it was time. Their life and family situation had changed enough to demand that they step down.<br /><span xmlns=""><p>So as I sit here looking at a huge pile of toys in my office church members have donated for this same Christmas Outreach I mentioned above I realized when you are where God wants you to be you can do anything required of you. </p><p><em>I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.</em> <span style="color:teal;">Philippians 4:13 </span></p><p>The Message bible says it this way, <em>"Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am."</em> <span style="color:teal;">Philippians 4:13 MSG</span> </p><p>Whether you are a minister, car sales person, butcher, baker or candle stick maker if you are<span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span>where God wants you to be you can do it. It's not your call that is important it is your response to the call that is. God will not reward you on what job you have but on how you do the job you have. What may seem small in your eyes is not small to God.<br /></p><p><span style="color:red;">"His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.'</span> <span style="color:teal;">Matthew 25:23</span></p><p>So as I prepare to leave my office for the day to go home my prayer is. <span style="color: rgb(51, 0, 51);"><em>"God, I pray that you can say of me today, "Well done good and faithful servant."" </em></span>I know if God can say this of me today that one day He will also say, "You were faithful in a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the JOY OF your MASTER." Isn't it great to know God gets joy from seeing us do even what some people would consider small.<br /></p></span>HighDLifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16696258453531243289noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4822065394806391186.post-34008576919692509762008-11-27T05:26:00.019-06:002008-11-27T09:30:58.872-06:00Thanksgiving Time<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SS6MvZCXC0I/AAAAAAAAAuI/rpUBySyH4pU/s1600-h/TURKEYEATHAM.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5273306959499955010" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; WIDTH: 155px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SS6MvZCXC0I/AAAAAAAAAuI/rpUBySyH4pU/s200/TURKEYEATHAM.jpg" border="0" /></a>As a child I always like Thanksgiving better than Christmas. I think to me it is a much less demanding holiday. Eating doesn't ask a lot from you except to show up, load up your plate, open your mouth, insert food, chew and swallow. A natural talent most of us have to unlearn as we get older since food entering the body has an ugly habit of turning into big hips, or big belly or <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SS6MTaN04bI/AAAAAAAAAt4/2a2z8LxQ_o8/s1600-h/TUkey+dinner.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5273306478780146098" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 197px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SS6MTaN04bI/AAAAAAAAAt4/2a2z8LxQ_o8/s200/TUkey+dinner.jpg" border="0" /></a>oversize love handles. We love big cars, big houses, big salaries but small hips, flat stomachs and please can we leave the handles out of love handles.<br /><br />I guess from were I sat it was the easier of the two holidays. Of course from my mom's perspective it was a day of work. Get up early and cook most of the day. Some folks even start the night before cooking pies and bread and then continuing on Thanksgiving morning and into the afternoon. The funny thing is it's all over in about 30 minutes. Maybe less, depending on how fast an eater you are. I was known as a fast eater - kind of like my driving - so Thanksgiving dinner to me was over in about 5 minutes. Doesn't seem right, does it.<br /><br />All this preparation and eating was followed by a time of cleaning the dishes, the kitchen and the dinning area<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SS6PSmXtAiI/AAAAAAAAAuQ/54sUzIJ9Rig/s1600-h/old+tv.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5273309763397812770" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; WIDTH: 188px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 132px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SS6PSmXtAiI/AAAAAAAAAuQ/54sUzIJ9Rig/s200/old+tv.jpg" border="0" /></a>. I always saw this as an opportunity to work off the food we had just eaten. My work time involved moving to the living room after dinner to turn on the TV and find the right football game or movie for my dad to watch. My dad was demanding and I had to stand by the TV and turn - we had no remote control - the TV knob until I found a channel my dad wanted to watch. It was work to a young child. EXHAUSTING.<br /><br /><br />Thanksgiving is after all a time of remembrance of the the past year. To the pilgrims of old it was a celebration of a great harvest. Their meal itself reflected the abundant crops they had harvested. After surviving a horrible winter and working hard through spring and summer they were now able to enjoy the fruits of their labor. It truly was a time of THANKSGIVING.<br /><br />Being thankful is not just an act of gratitude but is also a move of faith. When I begin to thank God for those things I ask in prayer I demonstrate that I already believe that He will provide.<br /><br /><span style="COLOR: rgb(153,0,0)">(Mark 11:24 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">NASB</span>) </span><span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">"Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.</span><br /><br />At my Thanksgiving table there will be a number of very grateful people to God for all that he has done this past year. However, I have prayed for this up coming year and I have asked God for some very specific things. I know that He is a God who not only hears but answers prayer. These things are not just quick off the top of my head things. These are things that I have thought about and discussed with family and with God. And when I truly knew what it was that I desired from God for this next year - I made my request know to Him. I spoke and I know He listened. Since I <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">know</span> He heard and He is God who <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">answers</span> prayer I can now begin to thank Him for the things that I have asked before I even see them come to fruition.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Grateful</span> for the past and excited about the future. This is the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Thanksgiving</span> spirit which will surround my Thanksgiving table. I pray the same will surround yours. Happy Thanksgiving!<br /><br /><em><span style="color:#663333;">A Psalm for Thanksgiving. Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth. Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing. Know that the LORD Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name. For the LORD is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting And His faithfulness to all generations</span></em>.<br />Psalms 100:1-5<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwGoNXO3YaDnoyhHEhRMXimtPLxlD9jA4qr4Ayjc8gsotMYnAGPZcoq6XWPZbVi_dvRvNXarRy1nybyXYuErA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>HighDLifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16696258453531243289noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4822065394806391186.post-24776228919508499232008-11-23T18:59:00.008-06:002008-12-01T06:43:17.612-06:00SUPRISE. . . .<div><span style="font-size:100%;">I am sitting here preparing a lesson to present at the Thanksgiving Outreach of a local ministry known as Loaves and Fishes. They help low income families with grocery assistance. Tomorrow at their Thanksgiving outreach plan on helping around 360 families by providing a box of food and a turkey or ham for their Thanksgiving meal.<br /><br />So here I am reading scripture and praying about what I was going to say. I started to read the story of the angel that visited Mary to tell her that she was chosen by God to be the part of the greatest miracle to date - the birth of Jesus Christ. You know the story . . .<br /><br />. . . <span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0); font-style: italic;">.In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to the Galilean village of Nazareth to a virgin engaged to be married to a man descended from David. His name was Joseph, and the virgin's name, Mary. Upon entering, Gabriel greeted her: Good morning! You're beautiful with God's beauty, Beautiful inside and out! God be with you. She was thoroughly shaken, wondering what was behind a greeting like that. But the angel assured her, "Mary, you have nothing to fear. God has a surprise for you:</span> (Luke 1:26-30 MSG)<br /><br />You know a lot of people are in fear going into this holiday season. Fear of the economy, fear of terrorism, fear of losing their job, fear of sickness - we really don't lack things to be afraid of. But the angel told Mary she had nothing to fear. WHY? I love the way it says in in the message translation - God has a surprise for you.<br /><br />God has a surprise for you. You may know it but have forgotten it but God is in control - SURPRISE. God knows what is going on in the world -SURPRISE. God knows what is going on in your life - SURPRISE. God has everything under control - SURPRISE.<br /><br />As we read we come upon the answer that Mary - a young teenager - found in conquering fear.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0); font-style: italic;">The angel answered, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, the power of the Highest hover over you; Therefore, the child you bring to birth will be called Holy, Son of God. "And did you know that your cousin Elizabeth conceived a son, old as she is? Everyone called her barren, and here she is six months' pregnant! Nothing, you see, is impossible with God." And Mary said, Yes, I see it all now: <span style="font-weight: bold;">I'm the Lord's maid, ready to serve. Let it be with me just as you say. Then the angel left her. </span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span>(Luke 1:35-38 MSG)<br /><br />Mary surrendered to the will of God. You know life is not a battle but a surrender. We surrender our life to God. He wants us to surrender to His word because He knows that through surrendering to Him we have VICTORY. Jesus surrendered to the will of God the Father and came to this earth - died so that we can have eternal life. God is not in a fight with us. He just wants us to surrender to His will for our life and in doing so, fear will leave and faith will replace it.<br /><br /><br /><br /></span></div>HighDLifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16696258453531243289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4822065394806391186.post-40465741423734940832008-11-20T03:29:00.004-06:002008-11-20T05:55:19.258-06:00This Side of Paradise<span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">Romans 14:17 NASB</span> for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and<span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0); font-weight: bold;"> joy in the Holy Spirit</span>.<br /><br />As I read this verse this week the word JOY jumped at me. Coming into the Christmas season we will probably sing "Joy to the World." Joy comes from the spirit not from the flesh. Joy is one of the fruits of the Spirit.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">Galatians 5:22-23 </span>NASB But the fruit of the Spirit is love,<span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);font-size:180%;" > Joy</span>, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, (23) gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.<br /><br />Happiness comes from the flesh. We are happy because things are going our way. We are happy because we got the gift we wanted for Christmas. We are happy because the weather is good or we have money in our pocket or no one in our family is sick or we have food on our table. Mind you these are all good things that God wants us to have. However, happiness is based on external things. Joy is based on internal things and by this I am speaking of spirit. I have joy because I am in right standing with God. I have joy because I know where I am going when I leave this earth. I have joy because eternal things are settled in my life. I have Joy because I know God and I have fellowship with Him. <br /><br />Joy is ours no matter what our outside world looks like. Now this is really difficult to understand because the outside world has a huge influence on us. I do not like winter - why - because it is cold and uncomfortable. I really don't like being hungry or alone or sick or without things that I like in this world. Joy is not based on worldly things it is based on spiritual things. God's Word tells us we have<span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"> ". . . everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence."</span> II Peter 1:3. <br /><br />Therefore, as I come into greater knowledge of God through His word, JOY should become more prevalent in my life and override happiness. Although I still work and obtain things necessary for my family, my joy, which is based on spiritual things, becomes the overriding factor in my life. Even when worldly circumstances aren't going my way, they do not steal my JOY. Spiritual things are not based on worldly situations. To be truly contend you have to have an understanding of Joy.<br /><br />So this Christmas season if things don't go your way or you hear a little to much stuff on the news about the things of this world, don't let this steal your joy. You joy is based on God' word and His kingdom. And in God's kingdom your are a priest and King. His economy is off the charts. Gold to God is asphalt and everyday He makes everything NEW. <br /><br /><img src="file:///C:/Users/ALBERT%7E1/AppData/Local/Temp/moz-screenshot.jpg" alt="" /><img src="file:///C:/Users/ALBERT%7E1/AppData/Local/Temp/moz-screenshot-1.jpg" alt="" />HighDLifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16696258453531243289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4822065394806391186.post-44804970172937390002008-11-10T12:20:00.000-06:002008-11-10T14:21:54.466-06:00TOO much information for me<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEith_RO2AlIEHaJDb3doxBrEnWqFz5ZhwTv3UwfUrY6c53CXPgVhqMz6gaLCSQFbbUL-C3d4kI4wMnZ8AVYccCceiMwV2tzBlW8_TqLbCn4jh-wYXcKW3k2SOHyzGkkuOslEuPS9UiLXmc/s1600-h/DSC03834.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267104481350430898" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEith_RO2AlIEHaJDb3doxBrEnWqFz5ZhwTv3UwfUrY6c53CXPgVhqMz6gaLCSQFbbUL-C3d4kI4wMnZ8AVYccCceiMwV2tzBlW8_TqLbCn4jh-wYXcKW3k2SOHyzGkkuOslEuPS9UiLXmc/s320/DSC03834.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>A short time ago I opened a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Facebook</span> page at the request of a close friend. I saw it as a good suggestion and went ahead and took the dive into the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Facebook</span> world. </div><br /><div>After a few weeks here are my conclusions. You can say I am out of it or you can say I am getting too old or you can say I am just nuts, but here is what I think. </div><div><br />1. People put too much information up on the web for everyone to read. I think we need to be more discerning about what we share with the rest of the world. </div><br /><div>2. I have better things to do than read what everyone is doing every minute of their life. I am happy for them and even glad that they are enjoying life but knowing when someone is going to bed or getting up or eating or <strong>whatever</strong> is TOO much information for me.</div><br /><div>3. This thing started small but then it really started to grow. People were asking to be my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Facebook</span> friend. I wanted to keep it small. But if I said no, I felt like I would offend them. I give people plenty of reasons to get offended at me; I don't need another reason. </div><br /><div>4. I really didn't want to put anything up on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Facebook</span> about what I was doing. My day to day life is just that, my day to day life. I am some what of a private person. Besides, I am just not that interesting.</div><br /><div>5. I would like to say <em>all</em>, but to be conservative I will say <em>most, </em>of what I read was really shallow. No one put up things they had read that improved them. Nothing of any spiritual value. Oh there were some political views - especially with the election, but I really have had enough of these lately. I don't need more. If surface stuff is what <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Facebook</span> is all about then I don't have time to waste on it. </div><br /><div>They say you are only different today than you were yesterday by the books you have read and by the people that you meet. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Facebook</span> (its name says book so I will give it to them) is a pretty useless book and the people on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Facebook</span> were not able to really change or improve me because you can write anything you want about yourself and never be true to who you really are. Someone once said you impress people from a distance but you can only IMPACT people up close. I feel <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Facebook</span> is a lot about impressing and little about impacting. People come and go in your life. Some stay longer than others. Some you just have to let go so you can invest more in the ones you can see FACE to FACE. </div><br /><div></div><div>Give me a solid handshake or hug. You can tell a lot about a person through a handshake or hug. I like to look the person in the eyes. That is where you see the soul of a person. That's were you can feel what they feel. That is how you get to know someone. </div><br /><div>So you can have <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Facebook</span>. Give me the old fashion kind of friendships. The kind that is FACE to FACE not laptop to laptop. </div>HighDLifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16696258453531243289noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4822065394806391186.post-9871945341695667212008-11-08T04:51:00.000-06:002008-11-08T10:29:24.973-06:00Celebrate Day<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SRW6Mi0YesI/AAAAAAAAAq4/tokE2JoTx30/s1600-h/DSCN2325.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266320063947373250" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 290px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 187px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SRW6Mi0YesI/AAAAAAAAAq4/tokE2JoTx30/s320/DSCN2325.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Yesterday while I was working out in the morning, I dreamed up an idea to celebrate a special person in my life. It wasn't a birthday or anniversary. It was just Friday. So I set out to do that. Purchased little things that would make the day fun and special. Flowers, a card and small stuff snowman to put with the flowers. Getting up at 3:00 AM every morning to go work out by 5:00 causes one to think up things like this. Lack of sleep will do this to you.<br /><br />I had fun with this all day. When I ran into someone at work I told them that today we are celebrating this special person. Some thought it was fun and others looked at me like,"Boy, aren't you nuts." Others just didn't get it and would ask me, "What is the real reason you are celebrating this person today?" They just knew there was a reason for this. I guess to them why celebrate someone for no reason.<br /><br />I believe everyday God celebrates us. We are that special person to God. God is in love with us even when we don't feel like He is or don't feel much in love with Him.<br /><br /><span style="color:#990000;">I Peter 1:2 (MSG)</span> <em>"God the Father has his eye on you. . ."</em><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SRW9WzCRQlI/AAAAAAAAArA/GOANMH6BMV8/s1600-h/DSCN1944.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266323538634162770" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 284px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 192px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SRW9WzCRQlI/AAAAAAAAArA/GOANMH6BMV8/s320/DSCN1944.JPG" border="0" /></a> Everyday God gives a word to encourage us if we would only take time to read it. Everyday God gives us a sunrise or sunset to enjoy. The sound of the wind or rain or maybe the absolute quiet of the moment to calm us. Maybe it's a touch of another person when we feel alone. Everyday God celebrates you.<br /><br /><span style="color:#990000;">1Peter 2:</span><span style="color:#990000;">9 (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">NLT</span>)</span> <em>". . for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God's very own possession. . ."</em><br /><br />It's you He loves when your not lovable. It's you that He thinks about when you are not thinking about Him. You see, this God that we sometimes ignore and many times don't understand is in love with you and continually has you in mind.<br /><br /><span style="color:#990000;">Psalms 40:5 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">NASB</span></span> <em>Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders which You have done, And Your thoughts toward us; There is none to compare with You. If I would declare and speak of them, They would be too numerous to count.</em>HighDLifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16696258453531243289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4822065394806391186.post-37631652037340596242008-11-05T12:20:00.000-06:002008-11-05T13:59:00.262-06:00Every Path We Take<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv4fU_l3tL2mrLpGL1mbHk3kXLVucAhosr3pOT6ln8hiWBR5S5jarIVsV7j_G1tKwCFkXa_3fbLIsNhSTVaj2tt5vx-Lk0oOSoAjIa69SLHR_f4ykVi7wLd4gzc9zWN4hVnaxm8HznuHc/s1600-h/DSC03806.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265240498259441714" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv4fU_l3tL2mrLpGL1mbHk3kXLVucAhosr3pOT6ln8hiWBR5S5jarIVsV7j_G1tKwCFkXa_3fbLIsNhSTVaj2tt5vx-Lk0oOSoAjIa69SLHR_f4ykVi7wLd4gzc9zWN4hVnaxm8HznuHc/s320/DSC03806.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color:#990000;">Proverbs 5:21</span> For the LORD sees clearly what a man does, examining every path he takes.<br /><br />Everyday I read a chapter out of the Books of Proverbs that corresponds to the actual date. On the 5th of the month I read the 5th chapter in Proverbs. I have done this for 15 years missing a few days here. Today I read Chapter 5 of Proverbs.<br /><p>Today when I got to verse 21 it was like it was the first time I had ever read it. It exploded off the page. <span style="color:#cc0000;"><em>God sees clearly what a man does - examining very path he takes.</em></span> When you think you think on one is watching\ and you can get away with it or that one noticed what you did, your wrong, God sees it. Usually, the first thought we have is that God sees all the wrong things I do. </p><ul><li>Yelling at the driver in front who just cut you off in traffic. </li><li>Looking too long at a provocative picture.</li><li>Saying a nasty word because your guy didn't win the election.</li><li>Drinking a little to much.</li><li>Wishing something evil would happen to someone you - OH my - can I say it - HATE.</li><li>Surfing the internet instead of working.</li></ul><p>The list could go on. There is a good side to this verse. God also sees every good thing you do.</p><ul><li>Praying for someone that doesn't even know you are praying for them.</li><li>Giving money to someone anonymously.</li><li>Cleaning up after yourself so your spouse doesn't have too.</li><li>Going to work when you really don't feel like it.</li><li>Over looking the faults of another when they continually point out your faults.</li></ul><p>Yeah, this list can go on too. God sees clearly everything we do. Today you need to know that God sees the good that you do even when on one else does. God makes a record of it. Isn't it interesting that God only records the good we do and with confession He erases forever the bad so as to never bring it up again. </p><p>Today don't get weary going the good. Remember God is watching. It's His eyes that counts for eternity.<br /><span style="color:#990000;">Galatians 6:9</span> So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up.<br /></p>HighDLifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16696258453531243289noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4822065394806391186.post-2453551588219610682008-10-31T15:02:00.000-05:002008-11-02T19:48:05.735-06:00Vacation in the Smokey Mountains<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdtLJatJpEUJIdlOhhntY849ZdAW-Z2x0mUwM6vbYQ1M7rHtGmxf-WDQNQFEUzfvu44ecSpim-XRQ7rYzQnzFIXaDUE9Pr6KtVw4i3xKmVNw_p6XQBkltgnLkaTORUTPF1k43P9IcJC1c/s1600-h/DSCN2042.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263413006293444578" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdtLJatJpEUJIdlOhhntY849ZdAW-Z2x0mUwM6vbYQ1M7rHtGmxf-WDQNQFEUzfvu44ecSpim-XRQ7rYzQnzFIXaDUE9Pr6KtVw4i3xKmVNw_p6XQBkltgnLkaTORUTPF1k43P9IcJC1c/s320/DSCN2042.JPG" border="0" /></a> I went on vacation with my wife to the Smoky Mountains. We decided on October because we wanted to see the color change. We heard it was something to see. It was! Here a just a few pictures to share with you the experience we had. I hope you will enjoy these.<br /><br /><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SQtmgKWkcdI/AAAAAAAAApg/Jde2EGpfRFI/s1600-h/DSC03580.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263413292233421266" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SQtmgKWkcdI/AAAAAAAAApg/Jde2EGpfRFI/s320/DSC03580.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SQtm0Dy8DSI/AAAAAAAAApo/uUZrvpD6L78/s1600-h/DSCN1785.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263413634070744354" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SQtm0Dy8DSI/AAAAAAAAApo/uUZrvpD6L78/s320/DSCN1785.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div><br /><br /><br /></div><div><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SQtncX4aCuI/AAAAAAAAAp4/CuyHVnFuz8Q/s1600-h/DSCN1846.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263414326657157858" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SQtncX4aCuI/AAAAAAAAAp4/CuyHVnFuz8Q/s320/DSCN1846.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SQtnF3EkYoI/AAAAAAAAApw/94JrQQmWN4E/s1600-h/DSCN1813.JPG"></a></div></div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263413939892675202" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SQtnF3EkYoI/AAAAAAAAApw/94JrQQmWN4E/s320/DSCN1813.JPG" border="0" /> <div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SQtnF3EkYoI/AAAAAAAAApw/94JrQQmWN4E/s1600-h/DSCN1813.JPG"></a></div><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SQtnF3EkYoI/AAAAAAAAApw/94JrQQmWN4E/s1600-h/DSCN1813.JPG"></a></div><div><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SQtnF3EkYoI/AAAAAAAAApw/94JrQQmWN4E/s1600-h/DSCN1813.JPG"></a></div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SQtnF3EkYoI/AAAAAAAAApw/94JrQQmWN4E/s1600-h/DSCN1813.JPG"></a></div><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SQtnF3EkYoI/AAAAAAAAApw/94JrQQmWN4E/s1600-h/DSCN1813.JPG"></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SQtoUj9VnhI/AAAAAAAAAqI/7jSrX92npxs/s1600-h/DSCN1947.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263415291971739154" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SQtoUj9VnhI/AAAAAAAAAqI/7jSrX92npxs/s320/DSCN1947.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SQtoBNqbdxI/AAAAAAAAAqA/Ri_DG9HZhi0/s1600-h/DSCN1914.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263414959569336082" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SQtoBNqbdxI/AAAAAAAAAqA/Ri_DG9HZhi0/s320/DSCN1914.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SQtoBNqbdxI/AAAAAAAAAqA/Ri_DG9HZhi0/s1600-h/DSCN1914.JPG"></a></div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid96hncwp8NWJ3cluNpLlNhOD13OKQ5hJ8VAhPboEmrpptrPLrKCagT0dfEAWS9b-VUGfVpJzi8MvRFSgt40oOYM1EFLa_OJFpXanka9ktKqWR2YbHsIAXAo3x9B_0HoRzaiMtuVRGWtE/s1600-h/DSCN2048.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263415883509921826" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid96hncwp8NWJ3cluNpLlNhOD13OKQ5hJ8VAhPboEmrpptrPLrKCagT0dfEAWS9b-VUGfVpJzi8MvRFSgt40oOYM1EFLa_OJFpXanka9ktKqWR2YbHsIAXAo3x9B_0HoRzaiMtuVRGWtE/s320/DSCN2048.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SQtpMDxzMTI/AAAAAAAAAqY/nz4_2Bt4BlI/s1600-h/DSCN2107.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263416245406085426" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SQtpMDxzMTI/AAAAAAAAAqY/nz4_2Bt4BlI/s320/DSCN2107.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM_pV9TjpjQ6FcLw9w4mpH_9lpu6CPTj-TSYzGNgIEkTJBKgW4IpRdA-mPxggCD-DuuREDRwQARtoDHfMmF6hMdFrsRLmwKuwu4aFGv2emMiTB93yqGCugFyPzlVPAr4oB4niPba4_TwU/s1600-h/DSCN2062.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263416660684936354" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM_pV9TjpjQ6FcLw9w4mpH_9lpu6CPTj-TSYzGNgIEkTJBKgW4IpRdA-mPxggCD-DuuREDRwQARtoDHfMmF6hMdFrsRLmwKuwu4aFGv2emMiTB93yqGCugFyPzlVPAr4oB4niPba4_TwU/s320/DSCN2062.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SQtp0EUSbJI/AAAAAAAAAqo/6FzLvja9X38/s1600-h/DSCN2124.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263416932745505938" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_QcHVrgVQwCM/SQtp0EUSbJI/AAAAAAAAAqo/6FzLvja9X38/s320/DSCN2124.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="color:#990000;"></span></div><div><span style="color:#990000;"></span></div><div><span style="color:#990000;"></span></div><div><span style="color:#990000;">Psalms 139:7-10</span> </div><div><span style="color:#000099;">v7 </span>Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? </div><div><span style="color:#000099;">v8</span> If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.</div><div><span style="color:#000099;">v9</span> If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, </div><div><span style="color:#000099;">v10</span> Even there Your hand will lead me, And Your right hand will lay hold of me. </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>HighDLifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16696258453531243289noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4822065394806391186.post-1547135748935942442008-10-31T06:48:00.001-05:002008-10-31T07:19:41.218-05:00Been a LONG Time<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0jD_omnphjb7wi-uEDln_8Tn76LJ8JyPvtUFyw4ik2fIuG_ukHkUZWFk9kMtgiMF6lVFRevIynsOTUhQITZbKKio-dPKMxXICWEx_X7cktD4MnylWKRevSGJQymOrA1FPvEIrIaDSI4g/s1600-h/DSC03834COPY.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263291599010813138" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0jD_omnphjb7wi-uEDln_8Tn76LJ8JyPvtUFyw4ik2fIuG_ukHkUZWFk9kMtgiMF6lVFRevIynsOTUhQITZbKKio-dPKMxXICWEx_X7cktD4MnylWKRevSGJQymOrA1FPvEIrIaDSI4g/s320/DSC03834COPY.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>It has been a long time since I have written anything for my blog. Not that I haven't had anything to write. It's just that I haven't seem to have the time to write it down. Which brings me to my point. Are we so busy that we don't have time in our schedules to do what we should do. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div><strong>There are thing we need to do.</strong> You know what these are - sleep - eat - work - daily health care like brushing our teeth, bathing and so on. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div><strong>Things we like to do</strong>. This list can get really long and include such important things as watch TV, listen to music, surf the Internet, movies and even just sit and stare at your feet. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div><strong>Then there are things we should do.</strong> This list will tell you a lot about a person. These items may include vacation. We all need to take a break and get away from the normal routine of life. Spending time with your family. Only talking in the car to school or work or the next sports event is not going to cut it. Going to church. Here is one that I feel most have placed on the bottom of this or any list. I can listen to radio, pod casts or TV and get my spiritual needs taken care of. This list and the items we place on it speaks of our values. Those internal things that tells others what is important to us and what kind of person we really are. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Of course, if you write out these list you then need to do something about them. And here is where the get really creative. Even the person that says they are not a creative person will demonstrate incredible creativity when it come to excuses for not doing the things on these lists.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>So today I challenge you to first think about the items that should be on these three list. Be honest with yourself. Are you doing you lists or are you just making excuses about why you are not doing your list? Some of you may say, "Al, creating a list just adds to much pressure to my life. Plus if I can't get done the things on my list that makes me feel bad and like a failure." Well, the problem is not the list but maybe what you have put on them. You priorities are wrong and you need Godly guidance.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>How you get Godly guidance? Matthew 6:33 says seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. In placing God first in your life I have found that the rest of life's list items seem to fall into the correct order. It is AMAZING how this works.</div><br /><div><br /><span style="color:#990000;"><strong>Psalms 90:12</strong></span> NASB So teach us to number our days, That we may present to You a heart of wisdom.</div><br /><div></div>HighDLifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16696258453531243289noreply@blogger.com0