Nan's Calendar

by   Nan Forehand,  Statesville, NC

Life at a crossroads is life at a point where choices are to be made - choices that involve love or hatred, justice or injustice, gossip or truth, mercy or malice, wealth or poverty, happiness or sadness, even life or death.  Author Unknown

Love, justice, truth, mercy, wealth, happiness, life; these sound much better than hatred, injustice, gossip, malice, poverty, sadness, death.  If these choices sound so much better than the alternative, why do we struggle with deciding what are the right choices to make?

We sometimes get stuck in a rut of thinking "I don't have a choice".  Friend, we always have a choice!

John Maxwell said "when it comes to change, there are three seasons of timing: people change when they hurt enough that they have to, when they learn enough that they want to, and when they receive enough that they are able to."

I've also heard that not every change is growth, just as not all movement is forward movement.  Choice and change walk hand in hand.  We always have a choice and we can always change; change our thoughts; change our habits; change our perspectives; change our feelings.

In our life-long journey, we will reach many crossroads.  I want to live my life on purpose, for a purpose and with a purpose.  My destination is Heaven.  I want to go to Heaven when I die.   I want to live deliberately focused on my destination.  I want to please God and live accordingly so that one day, I will enter Heaven and He will say to me "well done, my good and faithful servant."  I want that!  I want to live for a purpose that is greater than myself.  I want to live for you and to give you the same comfort I have been given.  My purpose in life is to be an encourager.  I want to be successful.  I want to make a difference in the world.  I want my life to matter.

I can't know until I die if I will enter Heaven.  I can't be good enough.  I can be forgiven enough.  I am deliberately focused on my destination.  I believe I am pleasing God.   Though I'm not perfect, I ask God for forgiveness when I fall short.  I am living for a purpose that is greater than myself.  I am living for you and offer comfort, faith, hope, and love.  I am an encourager.  It may be carved on my tombstone "here lies an encourager"  I truly believe I am successful, not in a self-boastful way, but in boasting for the Lord, because without Him, I am nothing and without Him, I have nothing.  With Him, I have everything in abundance.  I have all I need and more.  That is why I share with you.  I give gladly and with  a happy heart.
I am making a difference in the world.  Yes, one person can make a difference if he or she believes.  My life does matter.  Your life matters.

I'm not a preacher, teacher, Bible scholar, counselor.  I am a humble servant of the Lord and I am glad to be alive.  I've also heard it said, though I don't know who said it "as a Christian, we have two choices - we can either evangelize or fossilize."  The choice is ours.

Carefully choose your choices today so as to have no regrets later.  May the grace and love of Jesus Christ be with you this day and always.  Love, Nan

Daily Jewel

by   Pastor J.T.  Carnell,  McAlester, OK

“Listening to the Right Voices” 

“Now then, my sons, listen to me; pay attention to what I say...” – Proverbs 7:24 (NIV)

            Once in a while, eternal truths can be gained from the simplest places...cartoons.  There is one cartoon whose characters do not carry guns or fight evil villains and is widely loved by the youngest and oldest...Winnie the Pooh. 

            In one episode, Eeor, the melancholy donkey, developed a real problem.  His friends, seeing he was spending so much time sitting alone on the hilltop decided he was sad and needed cheering up.  Ignoring his protests to the contrary, Winnie the Pooh, Piglet, Rabbit and Christopher Robin went to elaborate lengths to liven up Eeor's life.  One crammed him full of  honey and apples.  Another tried to teach him to fly.  One by one, each of his friends only made his life more miserable as they tried to fill it with 'fun.' 

            After all their attempts had failed, the poor donkey is seen once again sitting alone on the hilltop, contemplating the clouds.  Only then do his friends discover his secret.  He's not sitting alone because he's sad--on the contrary, he's discovered the secret of real happiness.  As his friends look at the clouds with new eyes, they see what Eeor had been seeing all along--a wonderland of beauty and delight almost too fantastic to be believed. 

            It seems that at times we all have Eeor's problem to one extent or another.  We're surrounded by a culture that tells us repeatedly that we must pack all the excitement, adventure, comfort, fame, fortune-in short, FUN into our lives that we can.  The world really believes that this life is all there is.  Rewards or punishments in the next life don't exist, or don't matter.  If this life is all you've got, then you'd better pack as much into it as you can.  This is what the preacher of Ecclesiastes called, "...striving after the wind."  Emptiness, futility. 

            To see what others can't seem to see--the glory of God in this created world is worth everything.  The glory of God working in redeemed changed lives.

            God’s creation has a beauty, majesty, and essence that no painter can duplicate!  No video game can imitate nor can any device of man recreate!  No matter how we try, any attempt to create a rock is futile!  To create dirt out of nothing is far beyond our capability.  Cloning may be a reality, to create new life in that matter from life that already exists is possible, but all it is, is an attempt to be what mankind was not intended to be—God!  

            To listen to the voices and verbalizations of the creation may not be the death of us, but to attribute eternal truths, wisdom, and purpose for life to them would be like to ignore the oncoming train while walking on the tracks!  Only the Creator of Life has the wisdom and knowledge to tell us how to live because He knows the what as well!  He knows what will happen if we ignore the warning signs and give in to the “wayward woman.”  He knows what we will experience when we break the hearts of loved ones if we fall prey to sin.  He knows the guilt, shame and anger we will experience.  He also knows what will happen when we do follow His laws and ways—He gives us strength, hope and peace!

            What voices are you listening to?  What are you paying the most attention to?  The creation…or the Creator?

Good Things

by  Everett Christian,  McAlester, OK 

GOOD THINGS
Thursday, April 7, 2011
 
 
GOD SPEAKS TO US THROUGH HIS HOLY WORD
 
 114 You (Lord) are my refuge and my shield;
      your word is my source of hope.
- Psalm 119:114(New Living Translation).
 
 
 
GOD'S PROMISE TO US FROM HIS HOLY WORD
 
6 So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.  - Romans 8:6(New Living Translation).
 
 
 
A QUOTE
 
Three essentials for achieving anything worthwhile: (1) Hard work (2) Stick-to-itiveness (3) Common sense.  - Thomas Edison -
 
 
 
THOUGHTS TO REMEMBER
 
It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.
- From Reminisce Magazine -
 
I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you miss them terribly after they die.  - Age 53, Wisdom Through The Ages -
 
One true measure of success is to be able to carry money withour spending it.
- Author Unknown -
 
Conduct yourself as if someone is watching.
- From Reflecting God -
 
Real friendship is a slow grower.
- From Reminisce Magazine -
 
 
 
NOTES
 
Today the morning was cloudy but skies cleared about mid day. High temperature today was 78 degrees. Low temperature this morning was 63 degrees. I had lunch with Charley and then went by the post office. I had my afternoon nap. At about 4:15 p.m. I went out to mail some bills and a check to the Internal Revenue Service to pay my income tax. It makes a difference in your taxes when you file single rather than married filing jointly. I sat outside with the cats and read for a while this evening. Then I cut up some limbs to be disposed of.
 
The cats are fine. Little Girl on the couch. Emmy just came up on the desk by me and talked a minute and now is on top of the television. Rascal has been around quite often as well as the rest of the cats.
 
At 10:15 p.m. skies are fair with a temperature of 69 degrees. I will see you next time.
 
In Christian Love, Everett.

Nan's Calendar

by   Nan Forehand,  Statesville, NC

"IT DOES NOT MATTER HOW SLOW YOU GO AS LONG AS YOU DO NOT STOP."
Wisdom of Confucius

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it."
Isaiah 30:21

IT DOES NOT MATTER HOW SLOW YOU GO AS LONG AS YOU DO NOT STOP.

IT DOES NOT MATTER HOW SLOW YOU GO AS LONG AS YOU DO NOT STOP.

IT DOES NOT MATTER HOW SLOW YOU GO AS LONG AS YOU DO NOT STOP.

IT DOES NOT MATTER HOW SLOW YOU GO AS LONG AS YOU DO NOT STOP.

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it."
Isaiah 30:21

Today's message is very brief compared to some of late and in quite a different format.  When he didn't even realize it, my precious husband guided me this morning to the quote I share today.  It is printed in large, bold print simply to get your attention.  I am not yelling at you here (said with a tender smile). As the Spirit overcomes me, I listen and obey.  We learn best from repetition.  Reading something once usually will not have a lasting effect upon us.  This is the message from God for you today.
Keep it going! 
Love and prayers are going out to you today!  Nan

God's Tug - Two Men

Two Men

April 6, 2011

¹How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hid your face from me? ² Ho long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? ³ Look on me and answer, O Lord my God. Give me light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death: ⁴ my enemy will say, “I have overcome him.” and my foes will rejoice when I fall. ⁵ But I trust in your unfailing love: my heart rejoices in your salvation. ⁶ I will sing to the Lord, for he has been good to me.    Psalm 13

¹⁹  And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. ²⁰ To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Philippians 4:19-20

When doing my meditations this morning I realized there were two men in the Bible to whom I look at as examples of Godly men. David wrote many of the Psalms and sang to God about everything. David complained. David told God of his fear. David praised God. David told God how angry he was at Him. David kind of smirked a little (I can’t think of any other word) when God destroyed his enemies. David told God he loved him. David asked for God’s help, but most of all, David told God he trusted Him. I’ve often heard many people say that someone is not supposed to pray for specific things. Using David’s example, it looks like it’s ok to ask God for almost anything in prayer.

As a Pharisee, Paul persecuted Jesus. We all know what happened to Paul on the road to Damascus. Paul’s writings are strong, passionate, and frank in their belief that Jesus as the Son of God. After his conversion, Paul didn’t have the rich life that David did as a king, or even a somewhat comfortable life as a shepherd and after everyone stopped trying to kill him (although David spent quite a bit of his life hiding in caves). Paul spent most of his life after his conversion in prison, in chains, shipwrecks, starving, in rags, and other struggles that make most of our lives appear easy. Yet, Paul stood up for God’s truth and he wasn’t going to let anyone persuade him otherwise. And did Paul ask Jesus for anything in prayer? I’m sure he did, but he spent much of his ministry teaching, admonishing, and helping people. His epistles show that Paul praised Jesus, in addition to being a teacher.

Two very different men. Two different approaches to God. Two men convinced in their faith. I’m not anything like these two men in their passionate approaches to our Lord. But in looking at them as examples, I do my best to follow what they did when praying to God and I thank my Father for the example of their lives that helps me move closer to Jesus.

God’s Blessings upon you, your families, and your furkids (if any).

Michelle Rose