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| A little more info. |
| 03.31.04 (8:28 am) [edit] |
Okay, I was told that my verses against homosexuality (2/27/04) were possibly out of context, so I'm going to pull some more verses that come before and behind those, maybe that'll help, maybe not, but I don't want anyone to be confused about what the Bible says, and what I believe. And if you still believe it's out of context, get a Bible and read it. Yes, actually read it. What a concept....
[LINE]
Well, the first one is pretty straightforward, it's in a long list of things that people should not do. It's right there with not having sex with family, a mother and her daughter both, your brother's wife, or people and their close relations. And not with your own mother, or sister, or half sister, or your granddaughter, or your aunt, or your uncle's wife, or your daughter-in-law. It says don't marry a woman and her daughter, don't have sex when a woman's having her period. Don't have sex with your neighbor's wife. Don't give your kids as sacrifice. Not having sex with an animal (yes, it's in the Bible-it even says it's a "terrible perversion). So if you think any of this is wrong (and don't tell me you don't), then you should also have a problem with homosexuality. It's in Leviticus chapter 18, which is titled in my Bible as "Forbidden Sexual Practices".
~~if you're female, substitute the proper male terms, like don't have sex with your father (honestly, who whould want to do that???)~~
The next one, Romans 1:18-32 also seems pretty straightforward to me. That's in it's own little section, titled "God's Anger at Sin" Before it, though, comes "God's Good News". And that goes like this:
"Let me say first of all that your faith in God is becoming known throughout the world. How I thank God through Jesus Christ for each one of you. [i][b]9[/b][/i]God knows how often I pray for you. Day and night I bring you and your needs in prayer to God, whom I serve with all my heart (or [i]in my spirit[/i]) by telling others the Good News about his Son.
[i][b]10[/b][/i]One of the things I always pray for is the opportunity, God willing, to come at last to see you. [i][b]11[/b][/i]For I long to visit you so I can share a spiritual blessing with you that will help you grow strong in the Lord. [i][b]12[/b][/i]I'm eager to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours. In this way, each of us will be a blessing to the other.
[i][b]13[/b][/i]I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters (Greek [i]brothers[/i]), that I planned many times to visit you, but I was prevented until now. I want to work among you and see good results, just as I have done among other Gentiles. [i][b]14[/b][/i]For in other cultures (Greek [i]to Greeks and to barbarians[/i]), to the educated and uneducated alike. [i][b]15[/b][/i]So I am eager to come to you in Rome, too, to preach God's Good News.
[i][b]16[/b][/i]For I am not ashamed about of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes--Jews first and also Gentiles. [i][b]17[/b][/i]This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, "It is through faith that a righteous person has life (Hab 2:4).""
Then, after those verses, come 2:1-16, "God's Judgement of Sin":
"You may be saying, 'What terrible people you have been talking about!' But you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you do these very same things. [i][b]2[/b][/i]And we know that God, in his justice, will punish anyone who does such things. [i][b]3[/b][/i]Do you think that God will judge and condemn others for doing them and not judge you when you do them, too? [i][b]4[/b][/i]Don't you realize how kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Or don't you care? Can't you see how kind he has been in giving you time to turn from your sin?
[i][b]5[/b][/i]But, no, you won't listen. So you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself because of your stubbornness in refusing to turn from your sin. For there is going to come a day of judgment when God, the just judge of all the world, [i][b]6[/b][/i]will judge all people according to what they have done. [i][b]7[/b][/i]He will give eternal life to those who persist in doing what is good, seeking after the glory and hnor and immortality that God offers. [i][b]8[/b][/i]But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who fefuse to obey the truth and practice evil deeds. [i][b]9[/b][/i]There will be trouble and calamity for everyone who keeps on sinning--for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. [i][b]10[/b][/i]But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who do good--for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. [i][b]11[/b][/i]For God does not show favoritism.
[i][b]12[/b][/i]God will punish the Gentiles when they sin, even though they never had God's written law. And he will punish the Jews when they sin, for they do have the law. [i][b]13[/b][/i]For it is not merely knowing the law that brings God's approval. Those who obey the law will be declared right in God's sight. [i][b]14[/b][/i]Even when Gentiles, who do not have God's written law, instinctively follow what the law says, they show that in their hearts right from wrong. [i][b]15[/b][/i]They demonstrate that God's law is written within them, for their own consciences either accuse them or tell them they are doing what is right. [i][b]16[/b][/i]The day will surely come when God, by Jesus Christ, will judge everyone's secret life. This is my message."
And now for the last verse, which is in the section "Avoiding Sexual Sin", [i][b]1 Corinthians 6:9-10[/b][/i]:
[i][b]11[/b][/i]There was a time when some of you were just like that, but now your sins have been washed away (or [i]you have been cleansed[/i]), and you have been set apart for God. You have been made
[LINE]
sry, classtime, I'll finish later
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| Next Day Stretch |
| 03.30.04 (7:57 am) [edit] |
Read [b]Exodus 20:8-11[/b], God's commandment
to remember the Sabbath and to keep it holy.
[b]Say a prayer: [/b] God, bless all our days
with your presence. Amen.
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| So Little Time |
| 03.29.04 (8:51 am) [edit] |
[i]Slow down, take a NAP, and notice God in you life.[/i]
Tenagers are busy people. When we're not at school, other things--jobs, clubs, practices, rehearsals, games, social lives--consume our time. Running to fast-food resaurants, speeding down the road in our cars, and neglecting to get a good night's sleep are ways we secure enough time to complete our tasks. Eventually, our lives become so full and fast-paced that we forget to take time to slow down and relax. Instead of controlling our time, time controls us. Lifestyles controlled by time are not fulfilling or abundant. In fact, teenagers' lifestyles are stressful, aggravating, and sleepless. (Teenagers need more sleep than adults or even elementary school children do, but our schedules keep us from getting enough sleep.)
If we cannot find time to relax and slow down, how can we find time for God? Are we truly with God when we offer only a brief prayer of thanks to God before meals or at bedtime?
For six days, God worked to create the universe. However, on the seventh day God rested. Even the creator of the universe needed to rest--and so do we. As Christians, we recognize Sunday as the day of Sabbath rest, but how many of us actually rest? I usually save up my homework to do on Sunday. However, every Sunday, no matter how much homework we have or how busy we are, we drop everything we're doing and go to youth group. This, for us, is a form of Sabbath rest.
Every day isn't the Sabbath. To avoid being stressed out for the other six days, we try to stop and do nothing for a little while each day--to relax, to be, and to notice God. I call these times NAPs (Non-Active Periods). NAPs are times to pray or to sprawl unconscious on the couch (I normally prefer the latter).
Taking a NAP is not the only way we notice God in our lives. God is present in the everyday activities we too often rush through. Try these ways to slow down and notice God:
: Cook dinner for your family. Thank God for the vegetables as you chop them. Perhaps you will be more thankful for the meal because you spent time preparing the food.
: Instead of hopping into a car to go to a friend's house, hop onto a bike or, even better, walk. Pay attention to the trees, the grass, the flowes, and the sun. You may feel more connected to God and to the earth God created.
Ultimately, we decide how we spend our time. With all of the noise and hustle and bustle, it' hard to hear God's voice. Slow down, take a NAP, and notice God in your life.
[b]John[/b] and [b]Marth Schwehn[/b], 18, are twins who live and take NAPs in Valparaiso, Indiana.
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| Seize The Day |
| 03.26.04 (8:04 am) [edit] |
Remember, O God, that my life is but a breath.
[b]Job 7:7a (NIV)[/b]
[LINE]
Have you ever wished that you could live forever? I have. But we know that in the light of eternity, life is brief--only a breath; we're born and we die. So, how do we make the most of the time we have? How can we make our short little lives count for eternity? The answer lies in setting priorities, in deciding what we want to accomplish. Many Christians say they want to serve God and spead the gospel of Jesus Christ. But we need to follow through--to decide specifically what we want to do with our lives and then discipline ourselves to strive every day to reach those goals. Because God gives u one day at a time and because we only have so many days to live, we should seize the day and make the most of our time.
[b]Javed Sommers, 18[/b]
Alberta, Canada
[LINE]
[b]Consider:[/b]
The time--where does it go?
I ask, but I don't know.
When I want it to last, the time goes fast.
When I want it to pass, it goes slow.
[b]Jackie M. Johnson[/b]
Colorado Springs, Colorado
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| The Lord of the Rings |
| 03.25.04 (6:35 pm) [edit] |
Okay, this isn't the same as what's on my other blog, I'm just looking this stuff up, and wherever I'm signed in, I'm putting it.
[LINE]
[i]Three rings for the Elven - kings under the sky, Seven for the Dwarf - lords in their halls of stone, Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die, One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.
One ring to rule them all, One ring to find them, One ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.[/i]
: J.R.R. Tolkien The Lord of the Rings
When the most awaited film since The Phantom Menace opened yesterday in more than 3,500 theaters across the country, I couldn’t miss it. That film, of course, was The Lord of the Rings: the Fellowship of the Ring.
As you likely know, the film is an adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkein’s book by the same name. John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was a professor of Anglo-Saxon studies and English literature at Oxford from 1925 to 1959. While at Oxford, he made the acquaintance of a young don named Clive Staples Lewis — Jack to his friends. As C.S. Lewis writes in his biography Surprised by Joy, Tolkien was instrumental in Lewis’ conversion from atheism to theism and then to Christianity.
In 1937, Tolkien published a novel called The Hobbit. In it, Tolkien depicted a fantastic (in its literal sense) world known as "Middle Earth." The "middle" describes not so much geography as an imaginary epoch. It’s a world where men, whose time has not yet come, live alongside wizards, elves, dwarves and hobbits. The latter are, in Tolkien’s memorable description of "halflings," no more than 3 feet tall and quite content to live their lives out in their beloved Shire. They love good food, good drink, good stories and a good pipe.
The Hobbit served as a prequel to something much bigger — both in terms of length and impact. For the next decade, Tolkien worked on Lord of the Rings, a three-part story about a ring that gave its bearer the power to enslave all of Middle Earth. After being lost for many generations, the ring eventually came into the possession of Frodo Baggins, a hobbit. Much to his dismay, he learns that he must leave the Shire and embark on a quest to destroy the ring by returning to the fires from which it was forged.
The first part of that story, The Fellowship of the Ring, was published in 1954, with the other parts, The Two Towers and The Return of the King following the next year. While Tolkien’s publisher liked the novel, he feared it would be a flop. It didn’t quite turn out that way. Initially, the novel sold respectably. Then, as its reputation spread to American college campuses, it zoomed past commercial success to become a cultural phenomenon. To date, the novel has sold more than 100 million copies worldwide.
But numbers alone can’t begin to describe the hold Tolkien’s opus has on its readers. In 1965, a high school student left a message, written in the Elf language (Quenya) Tolkien invented for the Lord of The Rings on the subway walls near Columbia University. It announced that the Tolkien Club would meet in front of Columbia’s alma mater statue in a week’s time. Despite typically freezing February New York weather, six folks showed up in response to an announcement that wasn’t even written in a real language. This exemplified the Lord of The Rings mania that seized the imagination of a generation. You couldn’t go anywhere near an American college campus in the 1960s without seeing bumper stickers that proclaimed "Frodo Lives!" or "Visit Middle Earth."
This response to Tolkien’s work, which has progressed from bumper stickers to thousands of websites and discussion groups, attests to our need for certain of kinds of narratives and stories — a need that is rarely met. The word that best describes these stories is "myth." By "myth" I’m referring to stories that help us make sense of our lives and the world around us. They provide an account for good and evil, and they define vice and virtue. As Joseph Pearce, the author of Tolkien: Man & Myth puts it, "a myth or a fairy story can convey love and hate, selfishness and self-sacrifice, loyalty and betrayal, good and evil — all of which are metaphysical realities."
As an avid student of Celtic and Nordic myths, Tolkien understood the role these myths played both in the lives of individuals and of the larger society. The myths not only entertained, they transmitted people’s values and beliefs. In this sense, "myth" means the opposite of what we usually understand it to mean. Instead of being something untrue, it’s what we hold to be most profoundly true. Or as G.K. Chesterton would say "not facts first, truth first."
But what put Lord of The Rings in a class by itself is something Tolkien brought to the process of creating a myth: his Christian faith. The Lord of the Rings that captured our imaginations wouldn’t have been possible without this faith and the worldview it inspired.
This isn’t to say that Lord of the Rings is a kind of Christian allegory. On the contrary, Tolkien disliked allegory, considering it to be a rather crude literary form. Instead, the values and beliefs we see in Lord of the Rings, the ones that set it apart from other works of fantasy, and from the ancient myths Tolkien admired, are those of the Christian faith. An example is the depiction of evil in Lord of The Rings. Tolkien demonstrates the way evil insinuates itself into the lives of the characters in a clearly Christian way.
Evil in the novel doesn’t overpower, it seduces. How? By using our idea about what’s good against us. Tolkien biographer Tom Shippey, who, like Tolkien, taught at Oxford and Leeds, recently noted that the evil characters in Lord of The Rings started off with the best of intentions, but over time, their willing collaboration with what they knew, or should have known, was evil, overcame those intentions and eventually robbed them of their humanity. Likewise, it’s only because Gandalf the wizard understands this seductive power that he is able to refuse Frodo’s offer to give him the ring. As he tells Frodo "do not tempt me ... The way [of evil] to my heart is by pity, pity for weakness and the desire of strength to do good."
Evil in Lord of the Rings isn’t the opposite of good, it’s a perversion of the good. That’s why it can use our good intentions against us. This idea is straight out of Christianity and is best expressed in the writings of the theologians St. Ambrose of Milan and his more famous protégé, St. Augustine of Hippo.
Even more than his depiction of evil, it’s Tolkien’s choice of heroes that demonstrate how the author’s faith shaped the world of Middle Earth. Instead of choosing the wisest, the strongest or the most powerful of Middle Earth’s denizens to be the one to save Middle Earth, Tolkien made his hero a member of the smallest, weakest and least significant race: hobbits. This confounding of our expectations is a common biblical theme, one that Tolkien was no doubt aware of. When God chose David, the reader is told that whereas man looks on the outside, God sees the heart. The apostles stood out only in their ordinariness. And of course the Son of God himself was born in a stable. What the hobbits bring to the fellowship of the ring are distinctly Christian virtues, in particular, love and the capacity for sacrifice. And no one embodies these qualities more than Frodo’s servant, Sam Gamgee, arguably the true hero of Lord of The Rings. There is no reason for Sam to be there. He’s certainly not the warrior that the humans, elves and dwarves are. Nor was he "meant," as Gandalf puts it, to bear the ring, as his master Frodo was. He isn’t even adventurous like Merry and Pippin are. Sam’s only reason for being there is the most Christian reason of all: he loves Frodo and won’t hear of Frodo’s going on this perilous journey without him. In the end, this least of hobbits becomes their undisputed leader, elected mayor of the Shire seven times, as a reminder to all of us that the meek do inherit the Earth.
The richness of the world Tolkien created, along with its capacity to express transcendent truths, caused me to doubt whether Lord of The Rings could ever be turned into a film. But Peter Jackson (The Frighteners, Heavenly Creatures) did it. And while much of the focus has been on his tenacity in getting the film made and his use of digital effects, the real reason Fellowship of the Ring works is because Jackson honored Tolkien’s story. He didn’t substitute his judgment for Tolkien’s. The Middle Earth readers like me love is there on the screen.
Of course, no film can match what we "see" as we read a book. There are omissions, most notably Tom Bombadil. And, there are deviations from Tolkien’s story. The Elven princess Arwen is more, shall we say, assertive than I recall her being in the book for reasons I suspect have to do with the perceived need to "balance" the film’s demographic appeal. Other deviations are probably related to the necessary shortening of the story. And still others are simply head-scratchers. Still, I’m amazed that the greatest work of imagination of the past century has survived the trip to the big screen fairly intact. There’s a flip side to this: those going to see the film who haven’t read the books may find it a little confusing. In that case, there’s the best part of "Lord of The Rings" being brought to the screen: the hype surrounding the film has sent sales of Tolkien’s masterpiece soaring. So, here’s hoping that many viewers won’t be willing to wait until next Christmas and, like Newsweek’s film critic David Ansen, will tell themselves that a trip to the bookstore is in order.
by: [b]Roberto Rivera[/b]
[LINE]
I got this from this website: http://www.boundless.org/2001...
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| To Do: |
| 03.25.04 (8:23 am) [edit] |
"This is my commandment,
that you love one another as
I have loved you."
[b]John 15:12 (NRSV)[/b]
[LINE]
I have a list for everything: chores,
homework, things to buy, errands to
run. I determine the time it will take
me to complete each task and the
order in which I'll do them. I love
feeling organized! Of course, I don't
always get everything done!
At the top of every list, I write the
word [i]love[/i]. It reminds me, even in
the chaos of life, that God loves
me--and my pesky brother and the
rude store clerk--and that I need to
love others. Jesus said to love one
another as he loves us. Try writing
[i]love[/i] at the top of your to-do list; and
try to love as Jesus loves.
[b]Deana Hadley, 18[/b]
LaPorte, Indiana
[LINE]
[b]THINK ABOUT IT:[/b]
As teens, we have a lot going on
in our lives. Where does Christ fit
in? We should set aside a time
each day for Christ, a time to be
alone with him and to tell him all
of our joys and problems. If we
make time for everything else in
our busy lives, why not make
time for Christ?
[b]Miriam Davis, 16[/b]
Youngsville, Louisiana
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| So Little Time |
| 03.23.04 (7:58 am) [edit] |
"Be still, and know that I am God."
[b]Psalm 46:10a (NIV)[/b]
[LINE]
[b]Be still[/b]
Slow Down.
Don't rush.
Don't worry.
Don't focus on tomorrow
or yesterday
or even today.
Instead,
breathe.
Be here.
Be now.
This moment,
this place,
this experience
is waiting for your noticing.
[b]and know[/b]
Learn.
Understand.
Believe.
Own.
Immerse yourself in the power.
[b]that I[/b]
I,
myself,
me,
[b]Am[/b]
created to be,
can be the image of
[b]God[/b].
[LINE]
[b]Reflect:[/b] In your life, what could
it mean to "be still and know that I
am God"?
[b]Melinda Williams[/b]
Box Elder, South Dakota
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| Proverbs 6:16-19 (NLT) |
| 03.22.04 (9:10 am) [edit] |
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There are six things the Lord hates--no, seven things he detests: haughty eyes, a lying tounge, hands that kill the innocent, a heart that plots evil, feet that race to do wrong, a false witness who pours out lies, a person who sows discord among brothers.
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| The Sanctity of Marriage |
| 03.13.04 (12:05 pm) [edit] |
It was a moment of creative brilliance surpassing all others--the Divine Artist completing His masterwork.
[b]Male.[/b]
[b]Female.[/b]
[b]Two.[/b]
[b]One.[/b]
A union that would pass the gift of life to others in their likeness. And in His.
The fruit of their love: Intimacy, life, unspeakable beauty.
A perfect portrait revealing the very heart of God.
[b]Marraige . . . God's Masterpiece[/b]
Marriage was God's idea. He defined it as a covenent between one man and one woman for a lifetime. A sacred pledge weaving two lives into one. Marriage is a portrait of the passionate intimacy God seeks with us.
Marriage is a mystery that's about something far more significant than the happiness of one man or one woman. Each union is a portrait of something bigger--an icon that tells a larger story.
But what exactly is marriage? Many consider it little more than a piece of paper; a contract between two individuals who may or may not decide to break trust. Others see it as a symbol of discrimination because, they say, it elevates traditional couples over alternative relationships--homosexual , lesbian or polygamous. Such debates have created confusion.
Put simply, marriage is a religious institution that has been defined and ordained by God himself. It's a holy covenant between one man and one woman, legally recognized by the state in order to acknowledge and support the sacred nature of something ordained during the very act of creation. When two become one, a family is formed: a divinely ordained union.
And while not every child has the benefit of a mommy and daddy due to divorce and other difficult circumstances, it's clearly the model to celebrate rather than one to resent or attack.
[b]"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh" (Genesis 2:24).[/b]
[LINE]
Focus on the Family's brio magazine, March 2004
Page 21
www.briomag.com for more information about the topic
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| Time Out |
| 03.12.04 (8:04 am) [edit] |
There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven.
[b]Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NIV)[/b]
[LINE]
If there were a contest to discover who could cram the most activities into one week, I'd probably win. In addition to school, I work two jobs, serve as a student instructor for a karate class, and teach Sunday School. I participate in many school clubs, such as National Honor Society, the International Thespian Society, and Stagecrafters. I'm an officer in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and serve on the student council. I'm also involved in church activities and run an online Bible study group.
One thing I remember to do is to make time for God. I get up early every morning to read the Bible, pray, memorize Scripture, and sing God's praises. Sometimes at night, I take a prayer walk. Outside in God's creation, I take a break from my busy schedule and experience God's peace.
If I don't spend time with God, my whole day is set on edge. I let the stress of the day get to me. I make more mistakes. I forget what God has shown me. So I make sure to have quiet time every day, regardless of how busy I am.
[b]Nicole Jonas, 19[/b]
Indianapolis, Indiana
[LINE]
[b]Prayer: [/b]Lord, you tell me that there is a time for everything. You say
that you have plans for me. But so often out times don't match. I want to
do this now, and I wanted to do that then. But your idea is the other way
around. I don't like your plans, and I resist; but somehow you always win.
Ease my doubts, and help me to trust that what you want for me is best.
You see everything more clearly that I. Thank you for caring for me. Amen.
[b]Sarah Cannon, 18[/b]
Gilbert, South Carolina
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| Walnuts and Sand |
| 03.11.04 (8:56 am) [edit] |
If you trust the Lord,
you will never miss out on anything good.
[b]Psalm 34:10b (CEV)[/b]
[LINE]
Spanish test, science lab, honors band, basketball game, homework--[i][b]Aaaaarg![ /b][/i] As I look back on my day, I'm surprised that I remembered to breathe. I check the clock. [i]Is it midnight already?[/i] Then I remember the devotion I was supposed to read for youth group tomorrow. I groan. It's the third time I hav forgotten to read devotions this month.
As I like in bed, I remember that once, during the children's time at my church, a woman taught us how to always have time for God. She pulled out of her tote bag a jar, a bag of walnuts, and a bag of sand. "This jar is your daily life," she explained. "The walnuts are the times you spend with God, an the sand is all your other activities." Then she poured the sand into the jar and tried to add the walnuts. We could all see they wouldn't fit.
"If you try to do all of your other activities first and the squeeze in time for God, you run out of room. But," she said, dumping the sand back into the bag and pouring the walnuts into the jar, "if you spend time with God first, all your other activities will slid into place." As she poured the sand in, it slid into the spaces between the walnuts; and she was able to close the jar.
If we put God first in every day, all the rest will fall into place.
[b]Carol Caudill, 18[/b]
Charleston, West Virginia
[LINE]
[b]Try it:[/b]
For the next
week, begin and
end each day with
prayer. Be intentional
about putting God first
in everything you say
and do. See if you
find time for all
that is impor-
tant to you.
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| Leo |
| 03.09.04 (8:57 am) [edit] |
I will both lie down and sleep in peace;
for you alone, O Lord, make me lie down in safety.
[b]Psalm 4:8 (NRSV)[/b]
[LINE]
On a hot, humid summer night, I was awakened by a loud hiss under my bedroom window. Then I realized that Leo, my seveenteen-year old dog, was barking incessantly. Groggily, I grabbed a light and opened the door to the porch. My heart froze. An eight-foot cobra fanned its hood in anger, and Leo had it cornered. The cobra aimed its deadly fangs at Leo's head, and Leo skillfully dodged them every time. I was terrified.
The old airgun my uncle had given me seemed a weak weapon against this enemy. Worse, I knew that I had to be six feet from the cobra to shoot into it's hood. I also knew what the venom would do if we were bitten; cobra venom affects the central nervous system, producing respiratory and cardiac failure. It is capable of killing a person in two hours, and I lived in a small town where there was no antivenom. Each time I reloaded and fired, the cobra hissed louder and grew angrier. Leo did not allow it to escape; and finally after twenty shots, it dropped its hood. In an instant, Leo pounced on the back of its neck, killed it, and stood over the snake until it stopped moving.
The Lord sent help through my brave, protective, and faithful dog. Leo risked his life for me. He was a street dog when I brought him home, and I wouldn't exchange him for the finest breed dog in the world.
[b]Sudha Khristmuki[/b]
Gujarat, India
[LINE]
[b]Reflect:[/b] When has a pet helped you or kept you safe?
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| Alex and Tiger |
| 03.05.04 (8:31 am) [edit] |
"Your God, the Lord
himself, will be with
you. He will not fail
you or abandon you."
Deuteronomy 31:6c (GNT)
[LINE]
When I was younger, my cat, Alex ran away. It was a cold winter; and after a week, we thought he hadn't survived. So we decided to get another cat.
We went to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA). All the cats were mean and hissed at us--except one. A card on his cage said, "Not Good with Other Animals." When I held him, he curled up in my arms and purred and purred. We took the cat home and named him Tiger.
Several days later, we noticed the cat staring out the back door. My dad went to see what Tiger was looking at; and to our suprise, it was Alex. Now we have two great cats. I believe that God was with Alex when we thought he was lost and that God wanted us to adopt another cat in need of a home. I think God promises to be with people and their pets, too.
[b]Nicole Button, 13[/b]
Dryden, New York
[LINE]
[b]5-Second Prayer:[/b]
God, help
animals who
are lost or
abandoned.
Amen.
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| Lost: One Frog |
| 03.03.04 (8:29 am) [edit] |
And this is my prayer:
that your love may
abound more and more.
Philippians 1:9a (NIV)
[LINE]
[i]Plop![/i]
[i]Plop![/i]
The mud made a reassuring smack each time I threw it on the sidewalk behind me. Drying mud encased both of my small hands. When I needed fresh dirt and water for my search, I followed my trail back to the house.
I was six years old, and I was searching for my lost frog. Dad had helped me catch the new pet early that morning. We made a home for the frog out of a cardboard box, grass, and mud--the things I figured frogs must like. I tried to catch some flies for his supper, but that didn't work out as well as planned. Flies are a bit harder to pin down than a big, green frog.
The frog went without supper. After I finished mine, I went outside to check on him; but the frog was gone.
[i]He must be lost[/i], I decided. So my search ensued. I wandered through most of the neighborhood, calling my frog and dropping piles of mud along the way, thinking my frog would follow the mud trail back to his box.
I was devastated when my green frog did not return that night; but by the next morning, I had a new plan. I made a goldfish out of a wadded up Band-Aid. I floated her in an old jelly jar and fed her with baby powder. Although slightly less animated than a real-live frog, she seemed to do the trick.
[b]Rachel Crumpler, 24[/b]
Harriman, Tennessee
[LINE]
[b]Journal: [/b]Even as children, we have
more love to give than we can possibly contain.
When has having a pet--or a pretend pet--
allowed you to express the gift of love?
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| Sharing the Pain |
| 03.02.04 (8:23 am) [edit] |
Okay, I'm not going to do anything about heterosexuality (u can read my previous one and it's comments). I've got this thing I get every month called Devo 'Zine. It's just a devotional, but I like it. So that's what I'm doing. If anyone's interested in getting one, they come out every two months, give me your address and I'll send you one, unless you go to my school.
So, here I go, no more explaining, here's the entry for January 1 (I've got the newer one at home).
[LINE]
[b]In all their distress he too was distressed.
Isaiah 63:9a (NIV)[/b]
I woke up dreading the day. My twin sons, Chad and Brad, were to have their wisdom teeth removed. Taking them for this dental treatment was worse than going myself.
When the surgeries were over, the dentist packed their mouths with white gauze and sent them home. For the rest of the day, the boys sat in recliners, side by side, with strips of cotton sticking out of their mouths. Pain seemed to fill every corner of the room.
Daisey, our five-pound toy poodle, knew that something was wrong with the boys. She stared at them with her tail tucked. Sadness filled her eyes. After a while, I noticed that Daisey had dissappeared. A few minutes later she returned, holding a white sock in her mouth, and lay down on the floor facing the boys. Daisey was sharing their pain.
After the bleeding stopped, the boys removed the gauze. Daisey retired her wet sock as well.
When the boys felt better, Daisey jumped from one chair to the other and gently licked their faces. I'm not sure who was happier when that dreadful day ended--Daisey or me.
[b]Nancy B. Gibbs[/b]
Cordele, Georgia
[LINE]
[b]Think about it:[/b]
Sharing another
person's pain,
listening, or offering
a hug can ease
burdens. Just as
Daisey's compassion
made the boys smile,
our presence can
also bring smiles
to those who are
experiencing pain.
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