Warner Brothers Change Opening Date

Just in case anyone hasn't heard yet...Warner Bros has decided to postpone the premier of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince until NEXT SUMMER!  In JULY no less!!  That is a YEAR away!  If you are interested, you can read an article here.  I am too mad to discuss it.  If you were wondering...YES...all it has to do with is MONEY!!!

Question

Does anyone know how to attach a file to a post like you would attach a file to an e-mail?  I have something I would like to share, but its an attachment in an e-mail.

Encouragement

Psalm 19

The heavens declare the 

glory of God;

The skies proclaim the work

of his hands.

Day after day they pour forth

speech;

night after night they display

knowledge.

There is no speech or 

language

where their voice is not

heard.

Their voice goes out into all

the earth,

their words to the ends of 

the world.

In the heavens he has

pitched a tent for the sun,

which is like a bridegroom

coming forth from his

pavilion,

like a champion rejoicing to

run his course.

It rises at one end of the 

heavens 

and makes its circuit to the

other;

nothing is hidden from its

heat.

The law of the LORD is perfect,

reviving the soul.

The statues of the LORD are

trustworthy,

making wise the simple.

The precepts of the LORD are

right,

giving joy to the heart.

The commands of the LORD

are radiant,

giving light to the eyes.

The fear of the LORD is pure,

enduring forever.

The ordinances of the LORD

are sure

and altogether righteous.

They are more precious than gold,

than much pure gold;

they are sweeter than honey,

than honey from the comb.

By them is your servant warned;

in keeping them there is 

great reward.

Who can discern his errors?

Forgive my hidden faults.

Keep your servant also from

willfull sins;

may they not rule over me.

Then will I be blameless,

innocent of great

transgressions.

May the words of my mouth

and the meditation of my

heart

be pleasing in your sight, 

O LORD, my Rock and my

Redeemer.

Favoritism

Scripture:  Acts 10:34-35 Then Peter began to speak, "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear Him and do what is right."

Observation:  Let me give you a little background on what has just happened in this chapter.  Cornelius, a Gentile, has had a vision where an angel tells him to send for Peter.  So he does this.  In the meantime, Peter fall into a trance and sees heaven.  He also sees a sheet being lowered with all kinds of unclean animals in it.  The Lord tells Peter to kill and eat.  Peter responds by saying that he has never eaten anything unclean.  The Lord tells Peter not to call anything impure that God has made clean.  End of trance.  Cornelius' people arrive, and the Spirit has told Peter that it is okay to go with them.  He does and then we get these verses as he begins to speak to Cornelius.  God used the dream to prepare Peter for the fact that God's salvation was not just for the Jews but also for the Gentiles.  He doesn't show favoritism.  Later in the chapter, the Holy Spirit fills Cornelius and others who heard Peter's message, and they were baptized.

Application:  God offers salvation to ANYONE from any background or nation.  Who am I to decide that only a certain type of person can receive God's forgiveness and grace?  It is natural for us to gravitate toward people who are like us.  People who come from the same types of families, economic status, schools, etc.  God doesn't want us to be like that when it comes to sharing the Gospel.  For God so loved the world, that He gave his Only Begotten Son that WHOSOEVER believeth in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.  How would you feel if someone had skipped over sharing the Gospel with you just because you were different from them?  Think about it.  We are called to share the Gospel to anyone and everyone.  We can also commit to pray for people living in different nations.  Pray that their hearts would be softened and open to the Word being shared with them.  Pray also for the missionaries who have dedicated their lives to bringing the Word to these people.  We have our own mission field here at home.  There are plenty of people who don't know the Truth.  Will you tell them?  Will I tell them?  This is a huge challenge for me.  It is easier for me to go off to Thailand or a Christian summer camp and share the Gospel, but right here where I am is a huge challenge for me.

Prayer:  Lord, Pour out a special blessing on those who have dedicated their lives to your work overseas.  Help me to see all people through your eyes of love.  Give me the words to say and the strength to say them and the love to say them with.   I can't do it without You.

CVS Trip # 4

No pictures.  Surprisingly, this trip was Michael's idea, so as soon as we got home he had opened the packages before I could remind him that we needed a picture.  So you will just have to use your imagination!

This was not the most moneysaving trip ever.  But everything we got, we will definitely use, so who cares.

Transaction #1:

2 Irish Spring Bar soap 6 pk:  5.69 each

Coupon: $2/$10 CVS Coupon

OOP: roughly $10.00 (Michael has the receipts sorry!)

ECBs earned:  4

Transaction #2:

1 bag of Jolly Ranchers:  $2

1 bag or Air Heads:  $2

4 theater boxes of Raisinets: $4

1 bag of M & M's: $2

Coupon: $2/$10 CVS coupon

OOP: again roughly $8.70

ECBs earned: 5

Want your very own $2/$10 CVS coupon?  Click HERE.  Go to page 30 and print!

So we basically spent about $20 and received $9 in ECB's back.  As I said, not the best money saving trip ever, but we needed the soap and Michael loves candy.  Plus I needed some candy for tutoring incentives!  It will all get used, and we would have bought it anyways.

My Story

In light of my previous post and to encourage others to do the same, I am posting my story.

I was raised in a Christian home and taught Christian principles from early childhood.  At a very young age, I went through the motions of joining the church and baptism without completely understanding the decision and commitment I was supposedly making.  Looking back, I feel that I was simply trying to please those around me rather than make a decision to follow Christ.  During a choir presentation at my church when I was a fifth grader, the Lord pressed upon my heart the realization that I was a sinner in desperate need of a Savior.  It was at that point in my life that I spoke with my Children's Minister and made the true decision to follow Jesus as Lord and Savior.  I knew that I was a sinner who deserved death.  I believe that Christ came as the Son of God and lived a perfect life in order to pay our penalty of death and offer us salvation.  I chose then to accept that in my heart and follow Jesus as Lord and Savior.  At that point, I had a full understanding of what Christ being my Savior meant, but over time, God showed me what Christ being my Lord meant.  I learned to follow Him in decisions in life as well as the way I lead my life.  It meant I was going to yield the control of my life to Christ and serving Him.

I felt a call into the ministry as an 8th grader.  At the time, I felt a clear call to serve God vocationally but didn't understand to what specific field.  It took three summers of service in different areas for God to reveal His plan.  As the time for college drew nearer, I was still unclear of where exactly God was leading me.  He made clear in my heart that I was to attend MSU and major in elementary education.  This made sense to me because I have a passionate drive and gift for working with children.  At the end of my senior year of high school, God finally placed a specific call on my life--service as a missionary in Thailand.  I didn't know when or how, but committed to follow God wherever he led.  At my college BSU, I was introduced to a summer missions program, applied, and was granted an opportunity which most Freshmen do not get--a placement at a children's dorm in Thailand.  God used that summer to grow and teach me so many things.  One specific thing I knew coming out of that experience was that although God used that time to teach me, international missions was not my vocational call.  The next summer I was given the opportunity to serve as a children's ministry intern at my home church.  Over that summer through working mostly with preschool and some children, God began to confirm in my heart that this was part of the vocational plan He had for me.  At the end of the summer, I shared with my church my commitment to follow God into vocational ministry.  The following year, literally at the last minute, I applied to serve as a counselor at a summer camp called Lake Forest Ranch in Macon, MS.  This had been a childhood dream of mine.  Amazingly, I was given a position to serve as a girl's counselor for the summer.  It was over that summer of service that God awakened my passion for counseling.    People have always naturally felt comfortable talking with me and sharing their struggles with me.  After the brief training we got, I realized how powerful counseling can be when you have the tools.  Coming out of that summer, I knew God's call for me--Children's Ministry with emphasis in Counseling.  My vision for what I would love to do one day is work within a church as a marriage and family counselor.  So many families are falling apart in our society due to divorce; I want to serve people by showing them how God is enough to hold their families together.  I also want to work with children who are dealing with grief, abuse, or other personal struggles.  Where I am from, most churches could not support a counselor on staff, so I am also interested in serving as a Children’s Minister while offering counseling to those who need it.

Now you know a little more about me and my story.  I would love to hear about yours!

What is your story?  Share it in a post on your blog and link it in a comment here or e-mail (meb88meb @ hotmail . com) me a link and I will link it here. Put MY STORY as the heading of your e-mail.

Confused?  Don't know what I am talking about?  E-mail me.  

This Became Known...& Many Believed

Scripture:  Acts 9:31-43

Focal Passage:  Acts 9:42 "This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord."

Observation:  In this passage, Peter performs two miracles.  As a result of both, many people were saved.  People were saved because someone told the story of what had happened, or they were witnesses of it themselves.

Application:  What miracle has God done in my life that I need to tell about?  The obvious one that comes to mind is my salvation.  That is the biggest miracle of all.  I was dead in my sins, and Christ died on the cross to give me the opportunity to live free from those sins.  If I simply tell my story of what God has done for me, both on the day of my salvation and since, how many might come to know Him?  

I find it interesting that in the second miracle in this passage, Peter raises a woman from the dead.  That is exactly what Christ does for us through salvation.  We are dead in our sins, and He raises us into life with Him.  

Prayer:  Lord, Please make me sensitive to times when you want me to share my story.  Guide me to do it only for your glory and your honor! Amen.

What is your story?  Share it in a post on your blog and link it in a comment here or e-mail (meb88meb @ hotmail . com) me a link and I will link it here. Put MY STORY as the heading of your e-mail.

Confused?  Don't know what I am talking about?  E-mail me.