Thursday, February 18, 2016

No need to rent Lichtenstein...

Did you know that one can rent the whole of Lichtenstein?  Only $70,000 a night, and it sleeps 900.  Now, that's what's on the Internet, but I don't know for sure if it's true.

Thankfully, when our family is all together (as in November 2015, when we took this picture), we fit just right into Dan and KC's house in San  Antonio.  No need to rent a country!

For those who aren't familiar with us, here's who's-who:  Germán and I are sitting in the middle of the group.  Behind me are Debbie and Steve, and behind Germán are Dan and KC.  The grandkids, in front, are (left-to-right): Noe (10), Eli (5), Liliana (7), Miriam (5, almost 6) and Micah (8).
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Imagine what it will be like to gather together with family and friends...in Heaven!!  Jesus said, "In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you.  I am going there to prepare a place for you."  (John 14:2)

But we don't have to wait to die to live with Him.  "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty...if you make the Most High your dwelling, even the Lord, who is my refuge..."  (Psalm 91:1,9)
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Do you ever wonder if God has "room service"?  Well, He offers something much, much better while we're waiting to go to His House:

"Because he loves Me," says the Lord, "I will rescue him, I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.  He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver and honor him."   (Psalm 91:14,15)
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We all have relatives who have gone to occupy their rooms in Heaven. No rent to pay, because all expenses were covered by Jesus on the Cross!

                                 My room is reserved.  How about yours?   
                                        Will I see YOU up there?

 

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

Earworm...nomophobia...lachanophobia...squishop...batology...know what they mean? You don't? (After reading this, you will!)


Can you define any of these without looking them up?  Don't worry if you don't know what these words mean.  I didn't!  Some give you no clue, some look like one thing but really mean another.  I'll save you a trip to the dictionary:


 ---earworm: a song or ditty that stays stuck in your mind  (also called a brainworm)
---nomophobia:  the fear of being out of cell phone contact
---lachanophobia:  the fear of vegetables!
---squishop:  a squire who is also a bishop
---batology:  the study of "brambles" - (which is the family to which  blackberries  belong)        (not bats!)
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I really enjoy finding out the meaning of weird words!  Some of them are unbelievable, and make me wonder why in the world we even needed such words!  We've gotten by without them just fine for centuries!
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Those words are optional...but there are Words that are essential to Life.  And it's of utmost importance that we know how to use Them. It doesn't come naturally, so we have to make a point of learning about Them.

"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth."  (II Timothy 2:15)

Although our human minds can't grasp everything about Almighty God, His Words are readily available to us and He wants Them to be part of the very fiber of our spiritual being.  

"'The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart', that is the word of faith that we are proclaiming."  (Romans 10:8) 

"The entrance of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple."  (Psalm 119: 130)

"Your statutes...are my counselors."  (Psalm 119:24)

"...I find comfort in them."  (Psalm 119: 53)

"Give me understanding...for I trust your word."  (Psalm 119:34, 42)
 
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Human languages constantly evolve with time, some words becoming obsolete, or changing their original definition.  Words are added and words disappear.  God's words never vary, never become unnecessary, never lose vitality and power, never need anything added.  They are complete.

"Your word, O Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens."  (Psalm 119: 89)

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                                           Thank You, Father!




Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Re-defining students' babies as...CATS???

Talk about loopholes!  In the 1950's, babies of students could not enter Trinity Hall, Cambridge.  In order to make it possible for them to be allowed in, babies were re-defined as...cats!!

It sounds absurd, doesn't it?  Rather demeaning, too, it seems to me.  But how very human! We re-interpret, re-define, re-adjust rules, looking for a way to make it OK to do something, knowing it may not be quite in line with the "spirit of the law"...as long as we can make the "letter of the law" justify us.  Or the other way around: "it may be against the letter of the law, but it's in keeping with the spirit of the law." Sneaky. We're really good at that "loophole" stuff!!
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I like Jesus' answer to an expert in the law who asked him a question.  Jesus said, "What is written in the Law?  How do you read it?"  (Luke 10:26)  I can just  imagine Him emphasizing "you".

James warns us:  "When you judge the law, you are not keeping it."  (James 4:11)  Oh...oops!  There go the rationalizations like "nobody else obeys it" or "it's unfair" or "it's out-dated" or "does it really apply to me?"

It's true that we're not under the Law of the Old Testament, but we still must live within God's rules and requirements for His children.  "Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil;  live as servants of God."  (I Peter 2:16)

"...he who respects a command is rewarded."  (Proverbs 13:13)

We all know of "Christian" leaders who twist things around, sometimes terribly,  gaining a wider following and a wider wallet!  Some may just be mistaken and foolish, as it says in II Peter 3:16:  "...which ignorant people distort, as they do other Scriptures, to their own destruction."  Others do it on purpose.  They're masters of loopholes and re-definitions.  Speaking of false teachers:  "They secretly introduce destructive heresies...bringing swift destruction to themselves."  (II Peter 2:1)  I could name some names, but most of you know the kind of person I'm talking about.
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Let's just try to remember that God's way of doing things is so much better than our own, that it's rather foolish to try doing them any other way.   Psalm 19 tells us that God's law revives the soul, makes us wise, gives us joy, gives light to our eyes..."By them is your servant warned, in keeping them there is great reward."  (Psalm 19:11)

Father, give us the strength to resist accommodating your precepts to suit our own purposes!  After all, your purposes are aimed at our well-being, springing from your unlimited wisdom and love.  Nothing we might try to twist around for our benefit is really worth it in the long run.

"You are good, and what You do is good; teach me your decrees."  (Psalm 119: 68)

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