Yahweh, Day 215

Day 215

Yahweh

"I will stretch out My hand ..."

"I will stretch out My hand against them, and wherever they live I will make the land a desolate waste, from the wilderness to Diblah. Then they will know that I am Yahweh."
Ezekiel 6:14 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)

Yahweh here claims the right and ability to "stretch out" His hand. This is a statement of Yahweh's personal involvement in the affairs of humanity. In this case ... the stretching out of the hand ... is a picture of personally exerting indignant judgment. Yahweh still maintains this right of personal involvement in earthly interests.

In Isaiah 50:2, Yahweh states that He can stretch out His hand to save and deliver as well ... then in the same chapter and verse 11, He also states that He can stretch out His hand to administer judgment.

Make no mistake about this ... Yahweh can still move in our sphere of existence ... and does ... for His name's sake.

This is in The Name.

xtnyoda, shalomed

We will even be happy again

Losing a child to death brings a myriad of emotions ... all complicated ... all different ... all difficult.



Lorri speaks today about one day feeling happy again ...

"Someone told me that I/we *will* survive and even be happy again. And that doing so is a good thing and does not mean we've forgotten our daughter or even moved on. She wants us to be happy and thrive. It is like she is just in another room sleeping. We miss her now, but we will see her again when it is time for us to go to sleep."
Lorri

Father, Yahweh, I pray today for Lorri, and all who have lost a child. I pray that they will find the courage to allow themselves to feel joy and happiness again ... without guilt.

xtnyoda, shalomed

9/11 Stories, The Arab community

Preparing for the 10th anniversary of 9/11, let's take a few days to hear from those who were there ... and lived to tell and remember that fateful day ... in world history.

Anniversary Profiles

xtnyoda is praying that Muslims around the entire world will openly and resoundingly reject terrorism as a weapon.

xtnyoda, shalomed

Daily Nugget

Wednesday, August 31st, 2011.



Today's cherished Nugget from guest blogger Pastor Bill.

“There are no shortcuts to spiritual maturity. It takes time to be holy.”
(Erwin W. Lutzer)

Every experience, trial, and test is intended to mature our faith in God. With maturity, comes fruit. The apostle Paul in Galatians 5:22-23 says,

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”

"God, bring forth Your fruit in me.
Amen."

Bro Bill

God hears our prayers

9/11 Stories, "Unknown Soldier"

Preparing for the 10th anniversary of 9/11, let's take a few days to hear from those who were there ... and lived to tell and remember that fateful day ... in world history.

Richard Drew put down his camera bag and looked up at the colossal skyscraper that seemed to be racing toward the clouds at an accelerated clip.

"I'm really surprised how fast this building's gone up," he said of the rising edifice at 1 World Trade Center, peering at the monolith from beneath the brim of a tan baseball cap. "I just hope it isn't another target."

It was around 2 p.m. on a bright Wednesday afternoon in mid-July, and Drew, a veteran Associated Press photographer with wire-rimmed glasses and a neatly cropped silver beard that betrays his 64 years, was standing near the northwest intersection of Vesey and West streets in Lower Manhattan, across from the noisy jungle gym of cranes and steel where a global business hub is currently being reconstructed. Nine years and two months earlier in this very spot -- now an austere pedestrian plaza in the shadow of the Goldman Sachs building -- Drew took a picture that became one of the most iconic images of one of the most catastrophic events in American history.

"I don't like coming down here," he admitted.

But he had nevertheless returned to retrace his steps for the first time since Sept. 11, 2001, when he had watched dozens die through the lens of a Nikon DCS620. On that similarly brilliant morning a decade ago, two planes had crashed into the Twin Towers by the time Drew emerged from the Chambers Street subway stop around a quarter after nine. The 110-story buildings looked like a pair of giant smokestacks spewing plumes of black soot into the crystal blue sky. He began shooting, focusing on the topmost floors. It wasn't long before he realized that some of the people trapped inside -- as many as 200 of them, it was later estimated -- had decided that plunging thousands of feet to their deaths was preferable to burning alive.

"There's one. There's another one," he said, recalling the horrific scene with a detached ease. "I just started photographing people as they were falling."

One of those people would come to be known as the Falling Man. Though his identity remains unconfirmed, some believe he was Jonathan Briley, a 43-year-old sound engineer who worked in a restaurant on the top floor of the North Tower. The man fell at 9:41, and Drew caught about a dozen frames of his fatal descent. In one of them, the subject soars earthward in a graceful vertical dive -- arms at his sides; left leg bent at the knee.

"Although he has not chosen his fate, he appears to have, in his last instants of life, embraced it," wrote Tom Junod in a renowned 2003 Esquire piece that coined the title of the photo, which won a 2001 World Press Photo award and is the subject of a 2006 documentary film. "If he were not falling, he might very well be flying."

Newspapers the world over made space for the Falling Man in their Sept. 12, 2001, editions. But the widespread publicity sparked a debate as to whether the image was too gratuitous for public consumption. "To me, it's a real quiet photograph," Drew argued. Unlike fellow AP photographer Nick Ut's Pulitzer-winning 1972 shot of a naked 9-year-old girl fleeing a napalm attack in Vietnam or Drew's famous photos of Bobby Kennedy's bloody dying breaths, "There's no violence in it," he said.

It was now close to 3 p.m., and Drew had decamped to a Shake Shack a few blocks from Ground Zero for a late lunch. Waiting for his food to arrive, Drew said he doesn't attend the memorial ceremonies held each year at the hallowed site nearby, nor does he plan to show up for the 10th anniversary of the tragedy. He was just doing his job that day.

"I don't need to be here to commemorate what happened to me," he said. "I record history every day. Everything I do, whether it's photographing DSK [Dominique Strauss-Kahn] in court, or the World Trade Center, or spring training baseball, it's all part of history, no matter how small or how large."

Drew likewise doesn't reminisce much about his experience on Sept. 11. (No lingering nightmares or PTSD, either.) He is reminded of the photo, however, twice a day, every day, through online news alerts that track mentions of the words "falling man" in the press. He picked up his BlackBerry to check the latest, in which "a 22-year-old man died Monday after falling off a rocky cliff and being swept out to sea in Hawaii," he reported. The alerts, which he created on his Yahoo! and Google accounts about eight years ago, rarely have anything to do with the actual Falling Man, but he likes to keep up anyway.

"I'm curious to see if people are writing about it or talking about it," he said. "To see how they might interpret the picture."

Sometimes the Falling Man reveals himself where it's least expected. Drew's longtime neighbor, the author Helen Schulman, lives five floors above the apartment Drew shares with his wife, his two daughters, and the family's 5-year-old golden retriever, Ajax, in a prewar building on the Upper West Side. Schulman wrote an entire novel without knowing that Drew, as she explains in the acknowledgements, had taken the "picture that haunted and inspired me throughout the years of writing" it. Drew and Schulman serendipitously connected the dots after she completed the first draft of the book, "A Day at the Beach" -- about a distraught family that flees Manhattan for the Hamptons on Sept. 11 -- which was published in 2007.

"It's always going to be a part of me," perhaps more than any other photo he's ever taken, Drew said.

But has it changed him?

He put down the last bite of his Chicago dog, took a sip of beer, and dabbed his mouth with a napkin before pausing to contemplate.

"I think of it as a learning experience," he said of the photo and Sept. 11 in general. "I get so caught up in the adrenaline of doing this job. So, looking back on it, I think a lot about being able to go home to my family every night. Whether I decide to think about it daily or not, it's always in the back of my mind. It's this world event that I have become a part of in my own little tangential way. I'm not a hero fireman; I didn't die there; I didn't have a loved one who passed away there. But it's something I'll never forget."

As for the anonymous soul whose legacy Drew has unwittingly preserved, "Even if people don't want to see my photograph, that man did fall out of the building," he said. "To me, he'll always remain the unknown soldier."

Anniversary Profiles

xtnyoda, shalomed

Daily Nugget

Tuesday, August 30th, 2011.



Today's cherished Nugget from guest blogger Pastor Bill.

"Happiness is like a butterfly which, when pursued, is always beyond our grasp, but, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you."
(Nathaniel Hawthorne)

Happiness, love, and peace are each and all fleeting emotions. The harder we press and seek, we find how fragile each is. After all, neither affluence nor influence can buy any of the three. Russell Conwell in his speech, "Acres of Diamonds," encouraged his listeners to find their "acres of diamonds" in their own backyard. The apostle Paul puts it this way in Philippians 4:11:

“Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am,therewith to be content.”

"God, in Your presence, we find true happiness and peace.
Amen."

Bro Bill

God hears our prayers

Friendships in a Digital Age

This from Chuck Colson's "Break Point" site ... via Sue.

A recent Toyota ad features a teenager sitting with her friends. That is, she’s on Facebook alone in front of her computer. Older people, she laments, are “becoming more and more anti-social.” That’s why she pushed her parents into joining Facebook. But despite all her efforts, her parents only have nineteen friends while she has six hundred eighty-seven friends. “This is living,” she adds.

Meanwhile the ad cuts to mom and dad who are mountain biking with other actual, live, humans. That is, they’re spending the day with their friends while their daughter stares at Facebook.

In “Faux Friends,” an essay in the Chronicle of Higher Education, William Deresiewicz writes, “We live at a time when friendship has become both all and nothing at all.” Husbands and wives, parents and children, bosses and employees, pastors and church members, waiters and customers, politicians and voters are all “friends.” And now thanks to Facebook and other social networking websites, people who barely remember each other from junior high school are “friends,” too.

We’ve come a long way from David and Jonathan or Ruth and Naomi, two classic examples of friends in the Bible. Such friendships with their emotional intensity, personal commitment, and sacrificial love are rare today even in marriage. They take time, effort, and a willingness to know and be known as you really are.

Facebook, as Deresiewicz argues, gives us the impression of friendship not the real thing. On Facebook all our friends are assembled in one place. “Except,” as he says, “of course, they’re not in the same place, or, rather, they’re not my friends. They’re simulacra of my friends, little dehydrated packets of images and information, no more my friends than a set of baseball cards is the New York Mets.”

As one woman told him, “It’s like they’re all having a conversation. Except they’re not.”

On-line you can be whatever you want to be, carefully crafting your image. Or — even worse — you can indiscriminately broadcast all your inmost thoughts and feelings, things that are better kept for private conversations with … well, with your real friends.

Of course, the problems with friendship today are bigger than Facebook, MySpace, and other sites. Friendship was in trouble before they came along. They’ve just made the situation worse.

Deresiewicz correctly identifies the idea implicit in social networking, “that identity is reducible to information,” specifically our “consumer preferences.” And social networking is, for the most part, nothing more than sharing information. But data tell us little or nothing about another person’s character — the most important quality of a good friend. We only learn about that as we patiently share and hear one another’s stories.

“Posting information,” Deresiewicz writes, “is like pornography, a slick, impersonal exhibition.” Exchanging stories, he says, is mutual and intimate. It involves “probing, questioning . . . It takes patience, devotion, sensitivity, subtlety, skill,” all of which sharing stories teaches them.

While social-networking sites may have their place, Christian friendships, inspired by God’s love, have to go much deeper than digital chumminess. Indeed, we need to demonstrate the kind of relationship Jesus has with us when he calls each of us “friend.”

Thanks Sue, a real friend!

xtnyoda, shalomed

Daily Nugget

Monday, August 29th, 2011.



Today's cherished Nugget from guest blogger Pastor Bill.

“I wish I were honest enough to admit all my shortcomings:

• brilliant enough to accept flattery without it making me arrogant;

• tall enough to tower above deceit;

• strong enough to treasure love;

• brave enough to welcome criticism;

• compassionate enough to understand human frailties;

• wise enough to recognize my mistakes;

• humble enough to appreciate greatness;

• staunch enough to stand by my friends;

• human enough to be thoughtful of my neighbor;

• and righteous enough to be devoted to the love of God.”

(Gordon H. Taggart)

What a prayer, and how much better would the world we live in if each of us prayed this prayer daily? What difference would it make if the world’s leaders uttered this prayer today? What difference would it make if just the leaders of the United States prayed this prayer? What difference would it make if just the leaders of our states prayed this prayer? What difference would it make if just "I" prayed this prayer?

The writer of 2 Chronicles 7:14 gives us this advice:

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

Let it begin with me.

"God, I come seeking Your face for forgiveness and seeking healing in my life and in our land.
Amen."

Bro Bill

God hears our prayers

The Chaplains Corner

The Chaplains Corner

Guest blogger, Chaplain Paul, is one of the most effective chaplains in America today. He is an emergency responder to every situation.

Hey, this is the Chaplain again.

The east Coast of the United States is suffering from the aftermath of Hurricane Irene. Most people listened to the authorities and evacuated before the brunt of the storm hit. But there are always some who decide to ignore the warnings and ride it out, often with tragic results. It seems really foolish to stay in a place that is guaranteed to be in harm's way when you don't have to.

The Bible says,

'A sensible person sees danger coming and takes refuge, but the stupid does not and suffers for it.' (Proverbs 22:3)

Trying to ride out a hurricane can cause you serious injury or death. Trying to ride out your life without the Lord Jesus Christ as your refuge will cause you to lose your eternal soul.

Some of you reading this have heard the warnings many times. 'Repent or perish.' 'Give your life to Christ.' 'Confess and forsake your sins.' 'Invite Jesus to be your Savior and Lord.' You've heard the warnings, but have you ever heeded them? May I warn you one more time?

Please listen; one day it will be too late. The Bible says, "Today is the day of salvation." And "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved from the punishment of sin."

Climate deniers are racists

From the Borg Conspiracy

So says Al Gore. Amazing isn't it. He talks about 'winning the argument' in this interview, but he has been losing his argument steadily and he knows it. So he has moved on to the most common last stand tactic of all liberals once they have exhausted their shouting points.

They attack the personal character of their opposition with ad hominen. Suddenly, 'climate deniers' are racist according to Gore. So, how long before they also become Nazi's. Gore labors through his analogies of attack, by attempting to demonize his opposition with the same old tactics.

"This is different, this is an organized effort to attack the scientific community. and to slander them with the lies, that they are slanting the statistics in order to make money." (the exact same accusations that he and the climate change hustlers use against their opposition.) This man has no shame. No more so than any liberal hell bent on forcing their reality on others, regardless of history or facts or truth.

Daily Nugget

Sunday, August 28th, 2011.



Today's cherished Nugget from guest blogger Pastor Bill.

“Being moved by music is secondary to worshiping God. The Spirit is always to be free to direct our worship, whether the music moves us or not.”
(Chip Stam)

Whether the music moves you or not, (as some of us are musically challenged), we must allow the Holy Spirit to have the freedom to move us or draw us into worship. Worship can take place anywhere and anytime with or without music when we allow God to rule in our life.

The writer of Psalms 86:7-10 records this prayer of praise by David,

“In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me. Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works. All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name. For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone.”

"God, Let worship of You fill my thoughts, words and my very being.
Amen."

Bro. Bill

God is Good...all the time

The truth has slapped me in the face

Losing a child to death brings a myriad of emotions ... all complicated ... all different ... all difficult.



Jean speaks today about the cruelty of losing one to death ...

"No one gave me advice. People are most cruel. I lost all my birth family but one sister before I was 22, but I never experienced such grief until I lost my 30 year old son whom I had cared for most of his life. Besides all I was taught i...n church and Bible College, I have come to realize the truth to 'the circle of life'. I don't like it. I wish my son and I could live together forever, same for my daughter and I. But the truth has slapped me in the face....we will all die sooner or later. It is just more unexpected, less accepted, and more painful when it is your child that dies before you do. It is against the 'natural order of life' and therefore makes us very, very angry. I live for my daughter and the fact that she may yet someday need me once in awhile. I love and miss you, David L., 1979-2009 .... my baby boy forever."
Jean

Father, Yahweh, I pray today for Jean, and all who have lost a child. I pray that they will find the strength to stand ... in spite of the sorrow.

xtnyoda, shalomed

Daily Nugget

Saturday, August 27th, 2011.



Today's cherished Nugget from guest blogger Pastor Bill.

“Be it ever so humble, there’s no place like home.”
(J. H. Payne)

Many things can be said about home: security, love, the freedom to be you.... No wonder heaven is described as "going home." Jesus told us in John 14:2-3:

“In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.”

Can you just feel the comfort, security, and love that is inviting us into the relationship with the heavenly Father? Oh, imagine the glory of just taking off your shoes and being at home with The Father.

"God, thank You for calling us into a relationship with You.
Amen."

Bro. Bill

God is Good...all the time

"Go with your gut instinct..."

Losing a child to death brings a myriad of emotions ... all complicated ... all different ... all difficult.



Barbi speaks today about doing whatever it takes ...

"To grieve as much as I needed to grieve; to cry if I wanted to; to scream if that's what it took to survive. Mourning and grieving is very personal...everyone reacts differently. Go with your gut instinct and ignore everything else."
Barbi

Father, Yahweh, I pray today for Barbi, and all who have lost a child. I pray that they will discover the freedom to be themselves ... and grieve as only they can ... for their own sakes.

xtnyoda, shalomed

Yahweh, Day 214

Day 214

Yahweh

"I will make the land a desolate waste..."

"I will stretch out My hand against them, and wherever they live I will make the land a desolate waste, from the wilderness to Diblah. Then they will know that I am Yahweh."
Ezekiel 6:14 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)

Yahweh here claims the right to control the creation that He has created. This includes the forces of nature and the environment.

There is a distinction between being a good steward of earth's resources ... and controlling earth and her environment itself. Man desires to control his environment, as when the builders of the Tower of Babel boasted that man would not be divided because of their constructed edifice. Yahweh then demonstrated that man could not control by man's efforts and dreams by confusing man's language and splitting the earth apart.

Yahweh still demonstrates that He alone controls His creation ... for His own purposes.

This is in The Name.

xtnyoda, shalomed

Daily Nugget

Friday, August 26th, 2011.



Today's cherished Nugget from guest blogger Pastor Bill.

“Literature is news that stays news.”
(Ezra Pound)

It has been said, “The Bible is as fresh as the Daily Newspaper.” Excellent advice for our daily life comes from the writer of Psalms 119:11:

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”

The Bible gives us answers for what comes our way each day, and by the way, there will be a test.

"God, thank You for daily guidance.
Amen."

Bro. Bill

God is Good...all the time

Daily Nugget

Thursday, August 25th, 2011.



Today's cherished Nugget from guest blogger Pastor Bill.

“Forgiveness is a funny thing, it warms the hearts and cools the sting.”
(Peter Allen)

When others offend us, until we release the offense and offender to God, a wrong holds us hostage as we remember and replay each detail. We must release the offender through the grace that God gives us. When we make that release, the healing in our lives begins, and we can forgive those who have offended us. The apostle Paul shares these words of wisdom with us in Romans 5:20:

“Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.”

"God, as You forgive me, let me forgive others.
Amen."

Bro. Bill

God is Good...all the time

"There is no right way to do it."

Losing a child to death brings a myriad of emotions ... all complicated ... all different ... all difficult.



Joanne speaks today about the individual aspect of grieving ...

"Didn't get any good advice......I didn't know anyone who had lost a child. So, in the 23 years that I have had time to think about it, the best advice I could have been given was there is no right way to do it. We all grieve in our own way. Don't feel bad if you smile or laugh, do what you have to do to just make it through the day(sometimes it's minutes). Don't expect to feel/be like another grieving parent. Hugs to all of you."
Joanne

Father, Yahweh, I pray today for Joanne, and all who have lost a child. I pray that they will all find their own grief ... to be their own ... and that they will 'own' their sorrow ... as only they can.

xtnyoda, shalomed

Daily Nugget

Wednesday, August 24th, 2011.



Today's cherished Nugget from guest blogger Pastor Bill.

"Every day is conquerable by its hours, and every hour by its minutes.”
(Robert Brault)

When we break down the challenges and/or opportunities of each day, we can handle it by taking care of the seconds and minutes, and then the hours, days, and weeks will take care of themselves. To be in the center of God’s will next year starts by beginning with this minute and keeping faithful throughout the time. The writer of Psalms 27:4 says,

“One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple.”

"God, You alone are worthy of the gift of time You give to us.
Amen."

Bro. Bill

God is Good...all the time

Madness at the Houston National Cemetery

Absolute evil and madness from the director of the Houston National Cemetery.



Take the time to register a complaint.

xtnyoda, shalomed

Daily Nugget

Tuesday, August 23rd, 2011.



Today's cherished Nugget from guest blogger Pastor Bill.

“We have to live today by what truth we can get today and be ready tomorrow to call it a falsehood.”
(William James)

Every day, new information proves what we thought was truth yesterday to be wrong. Just as turning on a light reveals a closer look, we must be willing to accept the wisdom we find today. Jesus reminds us in John 14:6-7:

"I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

The closer we walk with God, the more truth we find, and the more we learn about the Heavenly Father.

"God, thank You for revealing Yourself to us through Your Son Jesus.
Amen."

Bro. Bill

God is Good...all the time

"A defining point of my life."

Losing a child to death brings a myriad of emotions ... all complicated ... all different ... all difficult.



Barry speaks today about ... defining points ...

"I called a former professor and I told him 'I don't understand why this happened'....to this he replied, neither do I....let's just sit, talk, and pray....his compassion helped when I was at my darkest point after my son Stephen had died.....he also told me that this event would now be a defining point of my life, that my story would revolve around this tragic event and that it could be used to comfort others in their loss too. His words have been true for my life."
Barry

Father, Yahweh, I pray today for Barry, and all who have lost a child. I pray that they will accept their defining moment ... use it for the help of others ... and together find Your solace in the midst of it all.

xtnyoda, shalomed

The Chaplains Corner

The Chaplains Corner

Guest blogger, Chaplain Paul, is one of the most effective chaplains in America today. He is an emergency responder to every situation.

Hey, this is the Chaplain again.

As you know there is a big emphasis today on recycling. We are encouraged, even coerced, to reduce, reuse and recycle.

Personally, I do not like being required to do these things - even if someone else thinks it's a good idea. But that's another Message. However, I do have to admit that God is the great recycler; we see it in all of nature. And most of all we see it in His invitation to each of us to be "re-born" (John 3:3).

This re-birth is offered as a free gift, but it is our choice. Unlike the man-made decrees, His invitation to be renewed is voluntary. We have to come of our own freewill and take His offer of salvation through the Lord, Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us,

"Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!"

At our new birth God re-makes us and gives us all that we need to live a new life that honors Him. New eyes so we can see by faith. A new mind so we can have the mind of Christ. New strength so we won't grow tired. A new voice to praise Him, and new hands for service. And most of all - a new heart. A heart that has been cleansed by Christ.

Are you into recycling? Have you experienced the best recycling there is? Have you allowed God to refurbish your life?

Daily Nugget

Monday, August 22nd, 2011.



Today's cherished Nugget from guest blogger Pastor Bill.

A little girl listened attentively as her father read the family devotions. She seemed awed by her parents’ talk of God’s limitless power and mercy. “Daddy,” she asked, placing her little hands on his knees, “how big is God.” Her father thought for a moment and answered, “Honey, he is always just a little bigger than you need.”

The writer of Psalms 28:7 tells us this,

“The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.”

Therefore trust God and let Him supply your needs. He is big enough to do all that is entrusted to Him.

"God, Thank You for Your provision and strength as we need it.
Amen."

Bro. Bill

God is Good...all the time

That Green Thing

Joanne Nove has a humorous e-mail up about we "old folks" and the contemporary "Green Thing."

In the line at the supermarket, the cashier told an older woman that she should bring her own grocery bags because plastic bags weren’t good for the environment.

The woman apologized to him and explained, “We didn’t have the green thing back in my day.” The cashier responded, “That’s our problem today. Your generation did not care enough to save our environment.” He was right — our generation didn’t have The Green Thing in its day.

Back then, we returned milk bottles, soft drink bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, so it could use the same bottles over and over. So they really were recycled. But we didn’t have the green thing back in our day.

We walked up stairs, because we didn’t have an escalator in every store and office building. We walked to the grocery store and didn’t climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time we had to go two blocks. But she was right. We didn’t have the green thing in our day.

Back then, we washed the baby’s nappies because we didn’t have the throw-away kind. We dried clothes on a line, not in an energy gobbling machine burning up 240 volts — wind and solar power really did dry the clothes. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing. But that old lady is right; we didn’t have the green thing back in our day.

Back then, we had one TV, or radio, in the house — not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a handkerchief (remember them?), not a screen the size of the state of Western Australia. In the kitchen, we blended and stirred by hand because we didn’t have electric machines to do everything for us. When we packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, we used a wadded up old newspaper to cushion it, not Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap.

Back then, we didn’t fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut the lawn. We used a push mower that ran on human power. We exercised by working so we didn’t need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity. But she’s right; we didn’t have the green thing back then.

We drank from a fountain when we were thirsty instead of using a cup or a plastic bottle every time we had a drink of water. We refilled fountain pens with ink instead of buying a new pen, and we replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull. But we didn’t have the green thing back then.

Back then, people took the tram or a bus and kids rode their bikes to school or walked instead of turning their mothers into a 24-hour taxi service. We had one power point in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances. And we didn’t need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 2,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest pizza joint. But isn’t it sad the current generation laments how wasteful we old folks were just because we didn’t have the green thing back then?

Please forward this on to another selfish old person who needs a lesson in conservation from a ******* young person. Remember: Don’t make old people mad.

We don’t like being old in the first place, so it doesn’t take much to **** us off.
Joanne Nova

Lot of truth in there!

xtnyoda, shalomed

Daily Nugget

Sunday, August 21st, 2011.



Today's cherished Nugget from guest blogger Pastor Bill.

A grandmother took her three-year-old granddaughter into her lap and began reading to her from Genesis. After a while, noticing the little girl was unusually quiet, the grandmother asked, “Well, what do you think of it, dear?” “Oh, I love it!” answered the child. “You never know what God is going to do next!”
(Barbara Johnson)

Isn’t that the truth? As we look around counting our blessings, we, too, should have the awe and wonder of thinking, “What is God going to do next?” The psalmist who wrote Psalms 8:1 said,

“O LORD our Lord, how excellent isthy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.”

Let us praise Him for all He has done and anticipate what He will do next.

"God, thank You for all You do and are doing.
Amen."

Bro. Bill

God is Good...all the time

I follow these two

Losing a child to death brings a myriad of emotions ... all complicated ... all different ... all difficult.



Ana speaks today about ... two things to not forget ...

"Not forget to breathe and be gentle with myself. To this day, I follow these two."
Ana

Father, Yahweh, I pray today for Ana, and all who have lost a child. I pray that they will find the "breath of life" and gentle Savior ... that brings hope to life.

xtnyoda, shalomed

Daily Nugget

Saturday, August 20th, 2011.



Today's cherished Nugget from guest blogger Pastor Bill.

“Christians are like beggars trying to tell other beggars where they can find food.”
(D.T. Niles)

Walking in this world, we find ourselves spiritually bankrupt until we find a relationship with Jesus Christ. That affinity changes us from beggars to joint heirs of The King. Jesus is quoted in John 14:6 as saying,

“I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

When we find that truth, it not only becomes our privilege but also becomes our responsibility to share the good news we have found.

"God, thank You for including us in Your plan.
Amen."

Bro. Bill

Through my tears

Losing a child to death brings a myriad of emotions ... all complicated ... all different ... all difficult.



Joanne speaks today about ... the help of tears ...

To seek God through my tears
Joanne

Father, Yahweh, I pray today for Joanne, and all who have lost a child. I pray that they will find the help and relief ... in tears.

xtnyoda, shalomed

Daily Nugget

Friday, August 19th, 2011.



Today's cherished Nugget from guest blogger Pastor Bill.

My wife, Reta works with preschoolers and when she comes home in the afternoon there is no telling what kinds of stains she will have on her shirt (some she didn’t even make herself) or what she will pull out of her pocket. This week it has been ‘diamonds’ her new students have been finding on the playground to give to her. She uses the gifts God has given to her to find the diamond in each of these little gems their parents and God has placed in her trust.

Each of us is fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalms 139:14) and each of us has a special purpose. What she does, many would not do, and things you and I do she can’t or would not do. Let us embrace our differences for through them we complement each other and fulfill the purposes God intended for us to achieve.

The apostle Paul tells us in Romans 12:6-9,

“Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be without dissimulation.”

Wherever God places you, bloom as you are planted.

"God, Let me be what You want me to be.
Amen."

Bro. Bill

God is Good...all the time

"All were honorable men..."

I received this in an e-mail from a dear chaplain friend. He has a nephew that is serving in Afghanistan. My friend has given me permission to share the letter with you all ... names erased for obvious reasons.

My beloved friends and family....

I've thought for a long time about writing an update... trying to conjure up words to somehow describe to you how things are over here. My past deployments have always afforded me the opportunity to give you all positive updates and "upbeat" themes to embrace. This deployment... is different.... very much so.

The truth of the matter is that, this has proven to be the single most "challenging" deployment I have ever known. From the time this whole mission started (over 18 months ago) throughout the past 45 days... this has been the most strenuous experience of my life... on a great many levels, both personal and professional.

To date, we have lost 7 of our finest. All were honorable men... aimed with a common goal... to execute the orders set before them... to accomplish the mission and to protect their fellow soldiers. They gave their lives in the course of this action. While all that sounds very gallant and noble (and it is) I can tell you with all assurance that it doesn't make the loss any easier.

I am an emotional man and not in the least bit ashamed of it. I wear my heart on my sleeve and those who know me, know I cannot feign happiness when I'm swallowed with sadness. For the past several weeks... this has been my proverbial "cross to bear".

I don't pretend to have all the answers about this deployment or the decisions made through each and every mission set before this. We have a saying... "It is what it is." and that is (in fact) the way things are. We cannot change it. We cannot leave it. we must simply embrace harsh reality that this is our situation and me must continue through it, despite the pain it inflicts. We don't have the luxury of sitting back in a comfy sofa and playing "arm-chair quarterback" with the direction or course of this war. We're stuck right smack-dab in the middle of this stench and we have two choices... Breathe the stinky air; or suffocate.

I realize I have painted a rather bleak picture thus far but I must say It's not all bad. We have each other here and believe me... we rely heavily upon each other to both preserve our lives and our sanity. This place can (and will) drive you hopelessly into despair if you let it. We find comfort in each others company. I personally am blessed to have an amazing crew. My guys are, in my opinion, (and the opinion of many others) some of the best in this Brigade. Through their professional and technical expertise, not only do they make my job immensely less difficult from the mission's stand-point, they each bring a unique character quality and sense of humor that keep things entertaining. Yea.... I've got a good crew. The best.

We pass the time (whatever "free time" there is after an average 16-18 hour day) playing video games, watching TV, working out, hanging out or collectively working on some weird project that only geeks think of. Saying that my guys 'tell jokes in Binary' would only be a slight exaggeration.

They're Infantry Signaleers... Communications experts in an Infantry Battalion. They provide digital and tactical communications on the battlefield by any means possible. Which means, not only do they ensure that our soldiers can call in to report their status... they ensure they can call for help when needed. They often are going out to where the combat troops are... fixing things that aren't supposed to be fixed. They go into harm's way, mounting up with the other soldiers, driving through hostile fire and dodging IEDs just so they can get to a remote location and install a printer on a commander's tactical network. They work on Satellite terminals, trying to lock in a transmit frequency, only to run for cover as rockets and mortars come raining down... they "man the wire" to defend against attacks.. then turn around and go back to fixing and maintaining the network. They are presented with all manner of technical challenges, sometimes under fire... usually with little sleep... some of them without the "luxury" of running water or flushing toilets. Despite these odds, these guys can create digital magic out of a cardboard box, a paper clip and a pop tart. Don't ask me how they do it... even I am amazed at times. I swear, if I ever hear someone from the Best Buy "Geek Squad" complain about the hassles of making a house call I'm gonna smack them square in the mouth.

I have to say (and I would be utterly remiss if I didn't), the men and women we serve with are amazing. Even in the face of such recent tragedy, these professionals "soldier up" and go back out... day after day. Facing the challenges and deadly environment, these individuals refuse to be beaten. Their resilience is unquestionably the most amazing thing to behold. How can they... after all they've been through, simply put their armor on, grab their weapons and go back out into the fray? Well, it's simple... they have no choice. Not because they've been ordered to... but because their professional commitment to duty and their personal commitment to each other won't allow it any other way.

I'm sure when this whole thing is said and done you will hear a plethora of stories... some good and some bad. Some will question, or even challenge, the reasons and motives behind this mission. Others will support and defend it. But regardless of their individual positions on the matter.. you'll find one common thread. Not one of them really even considered their own personal beliefs on this war when they mounted up in the trucks to head out the gate. They did it without question because their Brothers and Sisters were getting in the truck with them. And not one of them would let the other go into harm's way without protection - a "Battle Buddy". It's inspiring... every time.

On a personal level, I must say, that one of my greatest mainstays throughout this whole thing has been my beloved wife, *****. She has, without a doubt, been the single most faithful supporter and partner I have. Despite her own fears and apprehensions, she looks out for me. She prays for me. She continuously worries for me and yet, despite that constant anguish, stays focused to sustain me in any way she can. Her devotion and love is unquestionable. When one of my most beloved friends, **** ****, was killed in combat, ***** comforted me and, despite her own private horror and fear, went to the funeral to show support and deliver a personal message to ****'s wife on my behalf. She could have chosen to stay home, but her devotion to me and her unwavering support compelled her to represent our home and to support her fellow sister of the military family.

***** will be the first to admit that she's not perfect. Who among us are? What amazes me is that, despite MY flaws, she still remains forever and devoted. After all the pain my chosen career has caused her... she supports and loves me. She is MY hero. I love you *****.

I'll tell you... the anguish and strain that military wives are forced to endure is beyond comprehension. ESPECIALLY for the wives of this deployment. People are dying over here... OUR people. Our wives don't have the luxury of watching TV, hearing about casualties, and then politely dismissing the news as "unfortunate" or "sad". For them, it is a horror they live with every day and every night. To spend their waking hours in dread and sleepless nights in fear of that horrifying news that their loved one... their life partner is gone. Or to hear the news... and for a brevity of a millisecond, be grateful that it isn't THEIR loved one... only to be immediately plagued with guilt and remorse; for they know that another spouse, one of OUR military family, is forever shattered. It is an unspeakable and horrible situation that they must face, and embrace, each day. As we here on the front face the war, our spouses and partners are every bit engaged in battle back home. Yet... they still keep our homes in order... still look out for us... impatiently waiting, hoping, praying and longing for that day when we return.

Yet... there are those among us who cannot stop themselves from attacking... those who have the misguided and twisted mentality that exploiting in an imperfect situation somehow elevates their own sense of self-worth. I would submit this to you... Until you have walked the proverbial "mile" in a military spouse's shoes, kindly walk away and go on with your pathetic lives. You obviously have no real interest in ours. We pity you... but we don't need you, we have what matters most to us locked tightly in our hearts.

I have seen a great number of treacherous things... tragedy, heart break, betrayal, death and destruction. Things that constantly pull at my soul and fight for my sanity. Emotional devastation and psychological horror. Yet... through all of this I can still hold my head up. I can still look at the horizon and see hope and continue on.

My Faith in Jesus Christ, my steadfast and loyal teammates of the Unit and the unwavering support of my Friends and Family give me the strength and focus to see, that this "hell" we are living in is merely temporary and, while prominently thrust into the forefront of my life, it is ultimately NOT the force that defines me.

I'll end on this thought. I honestly don't know how you will receive this message. I started out with every intention of giving you an "update", and yet somehow this message has transcended into a personal reflection and testimonial of sorts. I don't want to leave you with the impression that we (over here) are in helpless despair. We're not. However... there are times when it hurts... times when it simply sucks... and no words can adequately convey the moment.

That's all for now my friends. Just needed to get that out. Know that we over here love you over there more than words can say.

I love you all,

God ... Bless and protect our troops.

God ... Bless America.

xtnyoda, shalomed

"You may have a point there"

Well, well, well ... what have we here? A major Presidential contender that is telling the truth about the money grubbing global warming alarmists?

Following is the text of what Gov. Perry says in the video starting at about the 53 second mark, after a gentleman asks him about global warming. The questioner is difficult to hear, but Perry comes across loud and clear.

Perry - "You may have a point there because, I do believe that the issue of global warming has been politicized. I think there are a substantial number of scientists who have manipulated data, so that they will have dollars rolling into their, to their projects. I think we're seeing almost weekly or even daily scientists who are coming forward and questioning, the original idea that man-made global warming is what is causing the climate to change. Yes, our climate's changed, it's been changing for ever-ever since the earth was formed, but I do not buy into that uh, a group of scientists, who have in some cases found to be manipulating this information and the cost to the country and to the world of implementing these uh, uh anti-carbon programs is in the billions if not trillions of dollars at the end of the, of the day, and I don't think from my perspective I want America to be engaged in spending that much money on still a scientific theory that has not been proven, and from my perspective is more and more being put into question."

Now I'm not endorsing a candidate here, my purpose is to simply point out that the global warming house of cards is falling faster than an Alaska snow storm.

It's a good day.

xtnyoda, shalomed

Daily Nugget

Thursday, August 18th, 2011.



Today's cherished Nugget from guest blogger Pastor Bill.

When complimented on her homemade biscuits, the cook at a popular Christian conference center told Dr. Harry Ironside, “Just consider what goes into the making of these biscuits. The flour itself doesn’t taste good, neither does the baking powder, nor the shortening, nor the other ingredients. However, when I mix them all together and put them in the oven, they come out just right.” Much of life seems tasteless, even bad, but God is able to combine these ingredients of our life in such a way that a banquet results.

God combines each task, trial, and adventure in our lives to mold us into what He wants us to be. He also reminding us with the words of the apostle Paul in Romans 8:28:

“All things work together for good to them who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose.”

"God, keep me in Your mixer until You are finished.
Amen."

Bro. Bill

God is Good...all the time

A friend of a friend pulled me out of my house...

Losing a child to death brings a myriad of emotions ... all complicated ... all different ... all difficult.



Nicolle speaks today about ... the fortune of having someone taking the initiative of reaching out to her ...

"To be honest, there were so so many people in shock after the death of my son that I don't think anyone had any advice to give and if someone did, I certainly can't remember any of it. I was fortunate to have a friend of a friend pull me out of my house two months after my son was killed to a TCF meeting and there I received the best pieces of advice that I actually heard & listened to."
Nicolle

Father, Yahweh, I pray today for Nicolle, and all who have lost a child. Thank You for the brave souls that can and will reach out to those who have lost a child ... to lend a helping hand.

xtnyoda, shalomed

Daily Nugget

Wednesday, August 17th, 2011.



Today's cherished Nugget from guest blogger Pastor Bill.

“Don’t let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.”
(John Wooden)

Each of us can think of a million things we can not do. In addition to that, our imaginations can limit us to a million more things we can’t or won’t do. In order not to so disable ourselves, we must use all our resources. Our most valuable asset is our relationship to God. The apostle Paul reminds us with these words in Philippians 4:13:

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

"God, thank You for the even the focus You give us daily.
Amen."

Bro. Bill

God is Good...all the time

"I have as much as 1 can"

Losing a child to death brings a myriad of emotions ... all complicated ... all different ... all difficult.



Shelley speaks today about ... healing in the grief of loss ...

"Nothing consoled me @1st.VT was only state w/o TCF. So we started a chapter here. A dear man who had lost his very young daughter said "You will heal" & I have as much as 1 can. Miss you son: Jamie '74-'95."
Shelley

Father, Yahweh, I pray today for Shelley, and all who have lost a child. Grant healing to these grieving hearts ... as much as they can actually heal.

xtnyoda, shalomed

Daily Nugget

Tuesday, August 16th, 2011.



Today's cherished Nugget from guest blogger Pastor Bill.

“The wonderful thing about God’s schoolroom … is that we get to grade our own papers. You see, He doesn’t test us so He can learn how well we’re doing. He tests us so we can discover how well we’re doing.”
(Charles Swindoll)

Every day is a learning process. Each truth we learn as we read the Bible, as we sit in our Sunday School class, as we sing hymns and praise songs, and as we listen to the preacher puts us in a position to be tested. As our teacher in school reminded us, “There will be a test.” The writer of Genesis 22:1 says the same thing in this manner:

“And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.”

When the test comes, how do we answer?

"God, bring to my remembrance those things You have taught me.
Amen."

Bro. Bill

God is Good...all the time

Yahweh, Day 213

Day 213

Yahweh

There is an end.

"I will stretch out My hand against them, and wherever they live I will make the land a desolate waste, from the wilderness to Diblah. Then they will know that I am Yahweh."
Ezekiel 6:14 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)

Yahweh is a very patient God ... yet ... there is an end to His patience ... and when that end comes ... His movement against sin is thorough. And ... He is capable to carry out His judgment to the full.

This is in The Name.

xtnyoda, shalomed

It's OK

Losing a child to death brings a myriad of emotions ... all complicated ... all different ... all difficult.



Bridget speaks today about what's OK ...

"Its ok to be mad."
Bridget

Father, Yahweh, I pray today for Bridget, and all who have lost a child. Help them to know that their anger at such a momentous loss ... is normal ... is OK.

xtnyoda, shalomed

Daily Nugget

Monday, August 15th, 2011.



Today's cherished Nugget from guest blogger Pastor Bill.

Alexander Whyte, the Scottish preacher, always began his prayers with an expression of gratitude. One cold, miserable day his people wondered what he would say. He prayed, “We thank Thee, O Lord, that it is not always like this.”

With the record heat and the storms and floods we have encountered over the past several months, many may have trouble finding the proper words to praise God. The writer of I Thessalonians 5:18 encourages us to praise God with these words:

“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

"God, let me count my blessings from You daily and not forget all You do for us.
Amen."

Bro. Bill

God is Good...all the time

Celebrating a life

Losing a child to death brings a myriad of emotions ... all complicated ... all different ... all difficult.



Merle speaks today about celebrating ...

"Try to celebrate Geary's life not his death."
Merle

Father, Yahweh, I pray today for Merle, and all who have lost a child. I thank You for his courage to celebrate the life that was shared with Geary. Bless them all.

xtnyoda, shalomed

Daily Nugget

Sunday, August 14th, 2011.



Today's cherished Nugget from guest blogger Pastor Bill.

When he was an attorney, Abraham Lincoln was once approached by a man who passionately insisted on bringing a suit for $2.50 against an impoverished debtor. Lincoln tried to discourage him, but the man was bent on revenge. When he saw that the man would not be put off, Lincoln agreed to take the case and asked for a legal fee of $10, which the plaintiff paid. Lincoln then gave half of the money to the defendant, who willingly confessed to the debt and paid the $2.50! But even more amazing than Lincoln’s ingenuous settlement was the fact that the irate plaintiff was satisfied with it.”
(Clifton Fadiman, Little, Brown Book of Anecdotes)

Today, we live in a time when even friends may find themselves at opposite sides of a courtroom; as a result, We may need to learn to seek God’s wisdom for settlement. The writer of Proverbs 16:7 reminds us:

“When a man’s ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.”

"God, let me please You so that I might prove Your faithfulness toward us.
Amen."

Bro. Bill

God is Good...all the time

The Chaplains Corner

The Chaplains Corner

Guest blogger, Chaplain Paul, is one of the most effective chaplains in America today. He is an emergency responder to every situation.

Hey, this is the Chaplain again.

Do these words sound familiar to you?

Chaos. Clutter. Confusion.

Do these words describe your life sometimes? They do mine. We live in a world that is more and more chaotic - and unless we are very careful, very prayerful, we will find ourselves caught up in that frenzy. Romans 12:2 says,

"Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, that which is good and pleasing and perfect."

Ephesians 4:23 says it this way,

"Let God change the way you think."

And how about Psalm 46:10; where the Lord says,

"Calm down (be still), and learn that I am God!"

We all need to be reminded of that. I have always been blessed and inspired by what David prayed in Psalm 51:10. And I really like the way it's translated in the 'Message';

"God, make a fresh start in me, shape a 'Genesis week' from the chaos of my life."

Do you feel like you need a fresh start - maybe a 'do over'? That's what God is all about - fresh starts, new beginnings, and forgiveness.

Daily Nugget

Saturday, August 13th, 2011.



Today's cherished Nugget from guest blogger Pastor Bill.

“Children have a much better chance of growing up if their parents have done so first.”
(Susan Peters)

The example we set as dads has a greater impact than we could ever comprehend. What will our legacy be as seen by our children. The writer of 2 Chronicles 26:4 says this concerning the actions of a Biblical father,

“He did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah did.”

Let our example be that we did what was right in the sight of the Lord and our family.

"God, Let me be the man you want and need me to be.
Amen."

Bro. Bill

God is Good...all the time

She was 14

Losing a child to death brings a myriad of emotions ... all complicated ... all different ... all difficult.



Marlene speaks today about keeping and reading a journal ...

"Wendy was murdered 26 yrs ago and remains unsolved, she was 14. I still read my journal from the beginning and although I don't keep it daily anymore I do write and re-read what I have written, it helps a lot."
Marlene

Father, Yahweh, I pray today for Marlene, and all who have lost a child. May their experiences during and after the death of their child, and may their memories, one day serve as a help to them.

xtnyoda, shalomed

Daily Nugget

Friday, August 12th, 2011.



Today's cherished Nugget from guest blogger Pastor Bill.

In a radio address to the nation on Feb. 23, 1936, President Franklin Roosevelt said, “No greater thing could come to our land today than a revival of the spirit of religion, a revival that would sweep through the homes of the nation and stir the hearts of men and women of all faiths to a reassertion of their belief in God and their dedication to his will for themselves and for their world. I doubt if there is any problem, either, social, political, or economic, that would not melt away before the fire of such a spiritual awakening.”

Some things are as appropriate today as they were then. If just we Christians were to seek God with our whole hearts, a revival would break out the like of which would cure most, if not all, our country’s ills and, in turn, the ills of our world. The writer of II Chronicles 7:14 tells us,

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

"God, let the healing begin in and through us. Raise up Godly men and women to lead our country.
Amen."

Bro. Bill

God is Good...all the time

He died and my heart is broken

Losing a child to death brings a myriad of emotions ... all complicated ... all different ... all difficult.



Alicia speaks today about the crushed heart ...

"How my son Chris died isn't as important as the fact that he died and my heart is broken."
Alicia

Father, Yahweh, I pray today for Alicia, and all who have lost a child to death. In ways that only You can know or do ... do the work of helping to mend these precious broken hearts.

xtnyoda, shalomed

Daily Nugget

Thursday, August 11th, 2011.



Today's cherished Nugget from guest blogger Pastor Bill.

"A wise man gets more use from his enemies than a fool from his friends.”
(Baltasar Gracián y Morales 1601–1658)

Jesus in Matthews 5:44 gives us this advice:

“I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.”

I guarantee if we follow His advice, what a blessing we can become to our friends.

"God, teach me to love unconditionally with the love You place in me.
Amen."

Bro. Bill

God is Good...all the time