I'm guest posting over on Shooting the Breeze today...if you're interest in knowing the 10 things I learned during the closing decade.
Happy New Year everyone and thanks for visiting Tony C Today!
Showing posts with label Guest Blog. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Guest Blog. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Wednesday Guest Blogger- Michelle Franklin from Finding Michelle
My Guest Blogger today is barely a month old to the blogosphere, but she has certainly found a niche. Michelle Franklin writes at Finding Michelle about the transition and challenges of being a new mom. I've known Michelle most of this decade and knew her husband Nate before she did! Her approach is raw and real, and a great read that most any parent can relate.
Today's Best Of was only her second post. I hope you will link over and follow Michelle after you check this out...
I'm a virgin, you see.
It all started a few days ago. At this point, I’m a little blurry about how many days have gone by now. I mentioned to my dear friend, “Hey Tony C, I think I want to start a blog.” We have a bit of discussion... and I now hear his words echoing in my head, “You’re a needle in a haystack,” “it takes time.” Well me being me, (and that’s the whole point of this, right?), jump in head first. And this is me now…
After days of searching blog after blog, I found myself a bit overwhelmed. I mean really, two years ago I laid down the ol’ PC to ensure I was stimulating my baby appropriately; even had the Internet turned off. In the past, I would consider myself pretty technologically sound for the layperson. I was never into the newest gadgets or anything, but could handle my own. About a month ago, I finally got a Blackberry Storm and BAM! Here I am again. And let me tell you, I should have been stimulating myself a little bit. It’s true people, use it or lose it. I’ve done got damn near dumb. Period.
You see, I am a blogging virgin. Only by chance have I ever even looked at a blog. Blogs appeared occasionally when I was using a search engine to win an argument. So, here I am blogging. Granted, I just figured out, barely, how to use my phone and navigate Facebook. Now, I’m trying to keep up with Dashboard and MBC, all the while trying to create an attractive blog and find others to follow. That may not sound much to some of you, but like I said… damn near dumb with a 6 month old and 2 year old. AND I may be expected to Tweet! I think not!
I tell my dear hubby, Nate, I’m thinking of posting about a Blog Addiction and he laughs. He proceeds to tell me he knew this was going to happen. He says, and I quote, “Your OCD about this stuff. It’s either all or nothin’. You can’t do something just for the fun of it.” (And then reminds me of the hours I spent daily on BeliefNet back in the day, but that’s beside the point.) And he’s right. I cannot and will not thrive in chaos or disorder. If there is chaos or confusion, my brain shuts down and my alter ego, Shannon, takes over. Shannon is all about business and will not leave until things are under control. So, Shannon’s been hanging out for the past few days trying to get this blog thing under control.
But that’s fine. The dopamine is pumping!
I also want to say thanks to those who have left comments here or on MBC. I appreciate the support greatly and hope that once Shannon gets things in more order here I can network more productively.
Here's to Blogging!
It all started a few days ago. At this point, I’m a little blurry about how many days have gone by now. I mentioned to my dear friend, “Hey Tony C, I think I want to start a blog.” We have a bit of discussion... and I now hear his words echoing in my head, “You’re a needle in a haystack,” “it takes time.” Well me being me, (and that’s the whole point of this, right?), jump in head first. And this is me now…
After days of searching blog after blog, I found myself a bit overwhelmed. I mean really, two years ago I laid down the ol’ PC to ensure I was stimulating my baby appropriately; even had the Internet turned off. In the past, I would consider myself pretty technologically sound for the layperson. I was never into the newest gadgets or anything, but could handle my own. About a month ago, I finally got a Blackberry Storm and BAM! Here I am again. And let me tell you, I should have been stimulating myself a little bit. It’s true people, use it or lose it. I’ve done got damn near dumb. Period.
You see, I am a blogging virgin. Only by chance have I ever even looked at a blog. Blogs appeared occasionally when I was using a search engine to win an argument. So, here I am blogging. Granted, I just figured out, barely, how to use my phone and navigate Facebook. Now, I’m trying to keep up with Dashboard and MBC, all the while trying to create an attractive blog and find others to follow. That may not sound much to some of you, but like I said… damn near dumb with a 6 month old and 2 year old. AND I may be expected to Tweet! I think not!
I tell my dear hubby, Nate, I’m thinking of posting about a Blog Addiction and he laughs. He proceeds to tell me he knew this was going to happen. He says, and I quote, “Your OCD about this stuff. It’s either all or nothin’. You can’t do something just for the fun of it.” (And then reminds me of the hours I spent daily on BeliefNet back in the day, but that’s beside the point.) And he’s right. I cannot and will not thrive in chaos or disorder. If there is chaos or confusion, my brain shuts down and my alter ego, Shannon, takes over. Shannon is all about business and will not leave until things are under control. So, Shannon’s been hanging out for the past few days trying to get this blog thing under control.
But that’s fine. The dopamine is pumping!
I also want to say thanks to those who have left comments here or on MBC. I appreciate the support greatly and hope that once Shannon gets things in more order here I can network more productively.
Here's to Blogging!
Check out more from Michelle at Finding Michelle.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Wednesday Guest Blogger- Dave Tvedt from Woe is Me
I like to refer to my guest blogger today as the Emeril of scripture quoting. Dave Tvedt blogs over on Woe is Me and is also a fellow co-blogger on Kingdom Bloggers. His post are always fresh and at the heart of what God has laid upon him with ...BAM...a relevant passage or two from the Good Book.
A man of God, a prayer warrior and a new friend, be sure to show Dave a lot of love...
Team Spirit
Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph! For the LORD Most High is awesome He is a great King over all the earth. Psalm 47:1-2
A man of God, a prayer warrior and a new friend, be sure to show Dave a lot of love...
Team Spirit
I have talked to some buds about the 'hypocrisy' of being passionate for a football team and apathetic at church. So I know I aint the only dude out there that is challenged to be equally expressive for Jesus as I am for the Hawkeyes or the Vikings. Please don't misunderstand me; I am pretty demonstrative and uninhibited when it comes to my Faith. There have been several times that I have been the only person in a church of 200+ with my arms up during worship. And when someone with a microphone up front says "Let's shout unto the Lord." I will holler "I LOVE YOU, JESUS!" Sometimes startling the people in front of me. Now my enthusiasm may seem excessive to some, but in comparison to how some fans dress and act at a football game, I am still pretty mild in comparison. So below are a few suggestions that may make expressing your Love for Jesus as easy and fun as expressing your team Spirit. At the very least it will make Fellowship a little more interesting.
Are you a member of a large church that records its Sunday services so they can be aired on a local tv station? Make a sign that expresses your passion for the church you attend. As the camera operator pans the crowd jump and yell "Hallelujah! Number 1!" as you thrust the sign towards the camera. Be sure to use the station's call letters in your wording.
Face and body painting shouldn't be limited to the football fans either. If a 44 year old accountant, a father of four, can show his passion for a college he never attended or a professional team he follows, then a saved from death, Spirit filled, eternally loved child of God should do the do the same. By painting his face, bald head and hairy chest in specific colors, that accountant during the week lets everyone within a mile know which team he is down for. Go ahead and take the time and show your enthusiasm for Jesus on Sunday service in a similar manner. Don't limit the expression of your Joy to a big smile and a loud 'Good morning!' Let everyone on your way to and from church know your Joy by painting "Saved by Grace" on your chest in one color and "Jesus is Lord" on your back in another color. And if you are that 44 year old accountant, father of four who is also an eternally loved child of God, get the most value out of your time and effort by going straight from church to the game. Show off your Salvation at the game after you have shown off your team colors at church.
While watching a game, it isn't unusual slapping five or pumping a fist when something great happens. So why not do the same when a favorite verse is mentioned. Jump up and point to the sky when the speaker mentions a verse you read earlier in the week. Smugly state, "Oh yeah, that's what I am talking about," when your favorite verse is read from the pulpit.
Finally, show an equal amount of affection for your eternal brothers as you do for the brothers of the pigskin. Don't be one of those dudes that struggles to show affection for a BIC (Brutha In Christ) but can hug, chest bump and depending upon how much booze and how critical the game is, butt slap another fan. Show affection for each other with a chest bump, a bro hug or a slap on the backside. I would think that a quick slap on the rear would be better received than the usual greeting from back in Paul's day. I don’t know, maybe Tony C would be one to ask the question: Which is more awkward at church-a kiss on the cheek or a slap on the bottom?
I know what I wrote above is pretty goofy but honestly Church, is there any reason we can make ourselves look completely foolish for something as temporary as a football game and not be as unlimited in our passion for the Great Jesus? I know for me I can talk to anyone about sports but I can still get hesitant about sharing Jesus. I can jump up shouting as a 19 year old kid scores a touchdown, then why can't I do the same when someone declares Jesus as Lord or they get Baptized in Water or Spirit? Think about how great of Victory He has given you and those you are fellowshipping with on Sunday morning. This is my conviction, but I am willing to bet that I ain't the only dude Holy Spirit has gotten after about showing more of Holy Spirit? Ask Holy Spirit if you have been holding back on Him. Ask Holy Spirit how you can show more of your team Spirit.
Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph! For the LORD Most High is awesome He is a great King over all the earth. Psalm 47:1-2
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Wednesday Guest Blogger- Tracy Chiara from Abundant Living
Today's Guest Blogger is Tracy Chiara, who writes at the blog Abundant Living. Tracy's blog is both spiritually uplifting and visually stunning. I'm always challenged by her muses to look deeper into my own understanding of scripture and Christian theology.
Tracy is a wife, mother of 3 and lives in California. She leaves the most thoughtful comments on Tony C Today, and her love for God is evident in her writings, her humility and her love for others.
Enjoy this Best of Abundant Living post...
It's always been difficult for me to hit that balance between grace and works. I know that it is a fact that God gave me the faith, the ability, to trust in Jesus' work on the cross on my behalf.
I know that because Jesus died on the cross in my place, and intercedes for me before God the Father, I am acceptable in God's sight. I did nothing to earn this great salvation that is mine. It was totally a gift to me; all I had to do was accept it. Ignatius of Loyola said it so well: "The direct experience of God is grace indeed, and basically there is no one to whom it is refused."
Yet, if my faith in God is real, there will be resulting actions. Real faith, a real choice to follow after Christ, leads to a different way of life.
That's where the whole debate comes in.
Recently I was commenting on the fact that James even says that faith without corresponding works isn't real. John, my husband, cautioned me that I need to be sure to differentiate between works and fruit. His comments have been ruminating around in the back of my mind for a few days now.
Fruit in my life is as a result of my connection to God. I can not produce fruit. Works are something I have produced on my own.
Jesus clarified it in John 15:3-5 (NKJV):
3You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
I know that I need to be changed from the inside out. Ways that I can alter myself on the outside to look good, are not genuine. It's only as I spend time in God's presence and in His Word, only as I choose to open myself up to Him, only as I submit to what He is telling me to do - only then does real change happen.
What have you been learning about grace and works?
Be sure to catch more of Tracy at Abundant Living.
Tracy is a wife, mother of 3 and lives in California. She leaves the most thoughtful comments on Tony C Today, and her love for God is evident in her writings, her humility and her love for others.
Enjoy this Best of Abundant Living post...
Fruit instead of works
It's always been difficult for me to hit that balance between grace and works. I know that it is a fact that God gave me the faith, the ability, to trust in Jesus' work on the cross on my behalf.
I know that because Jesus died on the cross in my place, and intercedes for me before God the Father, I am acceptable in God's sight. I did nothing to earn this great salvation that is mine. It was totally a gift to me; all I had to do was accept it. Ignatius of Loyola said it so well: "The direct experience of God is grace indeed, and basically there is no one to whom it is refused."
Yet, if my faith in God is real, there will be resulting actions. Real faith, a real choice to follow after Christ, leads to a different way of life.
That's where the whole debate comes in.
Recently I was commenting on the fact that James even says that faith without corresponding works isn't real. John, my husband, cautioned me that I need to be sure to differentiate between works and fruit. His comments have been ruminating around in the back of my mind for a few days now.
Fruit in my life is as a result of my connection to God. I can not produce fruit. Works are something I have produced on my own.
Jesus clarified it in John 15:3-5 (NKJV):
3You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
I know that I need to be changed from the inside out. Ways that I can alter myself on the outside to look good, are not genuine. It's only as I spend time in God's presence and in His Word, only as I choose to open myself up to Him, only as I submit to what He is telling me to do - only then does real change happen.
What have you been learning about grace and works?
Be sure to catch more of Tracy at Abundant Living.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Wednesday Guest Blogger- Shauna Callaghan from Blah Blah Blog
Sometimes you come across a blog that you really don't fit the intended demographic...but you love the blog anyway. I follow a couple of those and love reading them. Today's guest blogger fits that category for me because I'm not really a North Texas mom, and I don't play one on TV.
Shauna Callaghan writes a blog (Blah Blah Blog) that I find warm, funny and down to earth. In my mind, she's the epitome of Texas with a personality and heart larger than life (also see Randi's Reality). Enjoy a Best of Blah Blah Blog and mosey on over and check out more from Shauna...
Once Upon a Taco
She ate of the tacos and LOVED the tacos. With all of her heart.
This morning, the husband said to the wife, “I bet that my taco place has some delicious breakfast tacos, let’s go get some”
The wife – reluctantly and regretfully – said, “Ok, let’s do it – I DO love those tacos.”
The happy family drove down the road.
They pulled into a gas station.
The husband said to the wife, “Here we are!”
The wife, in utter confusion, looked at the gas station and did not see a Taco Restaurant.
But the wife saw this:
Shauna Callaghan writes a blog (Blah Blah Blog) that I find warm, funny and down to earth. In my mind, she's the epitome of Texas with a personality and heart larger than life (also see Randi's Reality). Enjoy a Best of Blah Blah Blog and mosey on over and check out more from Shauna...
Once Upon a Taco
A husband came home from work with a bag full of tacos. He said to his wife, “These are the best tacos ever created. You will love them. I know you are dieting right now but I love your belly and you will love these tacos – eat one (or two)….(or three).” (ok, he may not have said this, but this is what she heard)
She ate of the tacos and LOVED the tacos. With all of her heart.
This morning, the husband said to the wife, “I bet that my taco place has some delicious breakfast tacos, let’s go get some”
The wife – reluctantly and regretfully – said, “Ok, let’s do it – I DO love those tacos.”
The happy family drove down the road.
They pulled into a gas station.
The husband said to the wife, “Here we are!”
The wife, in utter confusion, looked at the gas station and did not see a Taco Restaurant.
But the wife saw this:
She sat in shock.
The blessed tacos had come from a “hole in the wall” – literally – a hole in the wall of the gas station.
She threw up a little then proceeded to eat some breakfast tacos.
Read more from Shauna at Blah Blah Blog and be sure to check with her if you're looking for a site upgrade or redesign.
Shauna Callaghan
BurbMom.net - Website for North Texas Moms
SeeMyDesignsbyShauna.com - Custom Blog Design
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Wednesday Guest Blogger- Mesha Wright from HE's the potter, I'm the clay...MOLD ME.
Today's guest blogger is a true inspiration. Demesha writes on her blog, HE's the potter, I'm the clay...MOLD ME, about her tremendous journey as a Christian woman on a mission of weight loss. Her blog is uplifting and never fails to give God the glory. She sent me this email on her way back from an out-of-state retreat with a group of ladies who met up initially on Facebook with the common goal of extreme weight loss:
"The last 8 months have been an incredible growing experience for me. The thing that is constantly on my heart is that scripture that says, 'a house divided CANNOT stand!'. We are so use to this referring directly to our homes or churches...but WE are called the temple of the Holy Spirit and as a temple made of body, mind and spirit, if we neglect one area, I feel we are allowing ourselves to become a divided house if we aren't willing to work on it. For years, I have either whole-heartedly pursued the spirit or pursued the mind (always throwing body to the wayside...lol), but now by God's grace I have been able to work on ALL areas. I'm losing A LOT of weight, but with every pound, I am regaining my life."
I hope you enjoy this post from Mesha that she posted right before hitting the 100 pounds lost mark. God bless you Mesha for your inspiration. You are a blessing...and keep up the awesome job!
Getting hotter...
"The last 8 months have been an incredible growing experience for me. The thing that is constantly on my heart is that scripture that says, 'a house divided CANNOT stand!'. We are so use to this referring directly to our homes or churches...but WE are called the temple of the Holy Spirit and as a temple made of body, mind and spirit, if we neglect one area, I feel we are allowing ourselves to become a divided house if we aren't willing to work on it. For years, I have either whole-heartedly pursued the spirit or pursued the mind (always throwing body to the wayside...lol), but now by God's grace I have been able to work on ALL areas. I'm losing A LOT of weight, but with every pound, I am regaining my life."
I hope you enjoy this post from Mesha that she posted right before hitting the 100 pounds lost mark. God bless you Mesha for your inspiration. You are a blessing...and keep up the awesome job!
Getting hotter...TODAY'S WEIGH-IN: -1.2 lbs
TOTAL LOST: -96.2 pounds since February 2009
Have you ever played that game where you are trying to find something and the person who hid it tells you whether you are “hot,” “warm” or “cold?” You are usually wandering around a room while they sit laughing and saying, “you’re getting warmer,” or “cold, ICE cold…so cold you may freeze.”
WELL…the closer I get to reaching this 100 pound milestone, the more I hear this voice saying, “You’re getting hotter, you are so close…keep going, you can almost reach out and grab it.”
BUT…
…at the same time it feels like I’m trudging through mud the closer I get and it becomes THAT much harder to just reach through and claim that milestone VICTORY as mine! I want it SO bad yet at times it feels so intangible. Ay! I remember last month feeling like I had it in the bag…and then I set myself back (notice I acknowledge that I, as in me and me alone, set MYSELF back) and it took a whole month to recover.
Does it sound stupid to you when I say that although I’ve lost over 90 pounds in 7 ½ months that at times it’s still hard to believe I’m really doing this? At times it’s hard to believe that I’ve REALLY come this far? At times I look in the mirror and feel as though I don’t see a change even though my old clothes can’t be held up even with a belt anymore?
This 100 pound mark has been like my “Goliath.” Every day it comes out to taunt me and bring accusation against me and whisper lies that I CANNOT defeat it. As crazy and bizarre as it sounds, at times I’m actually afraid of this 100 pound milestone because I don’t want to just hit it, I want to surpass it far enough that even if I had an “off” week I wouldn’t find myself back in the “90 pounds lost range.” Once I shed my tears of joy and REJOICE over that great loss – I NEVER want to find myself in that place on the scale again. I will be rejoicing over the accomplishment, not over the number on the scale though. 100 pounds lost is a milestone nonetheless, BUT, it’s also just a half-way point for me.
When Goliath (from the Bible) would DAILY approach the battle line and spew his taunts, insults and accusations against the troops of Israel, the people backed away in fear. NONE of them were bold enough and recognized the victory they had in the LORD…until…David saw the enemy and recognized that “HE,” yes “HE” who is in me is GREATER, yes GREATER than this giant that stands before me…and what did David do? He didn’t lollygag around waiting for some miracle to occur…the Bible says he RAN to the battle line and he defeated this giant who had become an embarrassment to the Lord’s army. The thing that was impressed on my heart most about this story a few years back was that anytime we sit and dwell on our circumstance, we dwell on the obstacle standing in front of us – the longer we look at it, the bigger and harder it seems to overcome. The more we entertain the thought of how “weak” I am and how “great” the issue is – the less likely we are to face it head on rather the accepting defeat. David didn’t allow time for that fear to sink in causing him to cowar and come running back with his tail between his legs, NOPE, he proudly proclaimed that TODAY he was going to defeat this giant and then he ran to MAKE.IT.HAPPEN.
TODAY…I’m proclaiming that the giant that has been standing before me daily and shouting lies of doubt and defeat…THAT GIANT WILL BE DEFEATED!!!
I will claim that 100 POUNDS LOST milestone as my own and I will keep pressing through, keep running, keep lifting, keep eating right AND keep trusting that by GOD'S STRENGTH, I will make it. I just need to keep doing the things I KNOW I need to be doing in order to run to that battle line and MAKE.IT.HAPPEN!
THEN…I will be dancing like David danced…but with more clothes on...lol (2 Sam 6:14)!!!
All of YOU…my faithful encouragers and supporters…keep checking back on my side-bar (weight tracker) – I WILL reach that 100 pounds and go far beyond that!!! Thank you for all of the love, support and encouragement you’ve given and shown me. I LOVE YOU ALL!!!
Verse(s) of the Day:
1 Samuel 17:48-50
As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground.
So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.
TOTAL LOST: -96.2 pounds since February 2009
Have you ever played that game where you are trying to find something and the person who hid it tells you whether you are “hot,” “warm” or “cold?” You are usually wandering around a room while they sit laughing and saying, “you’re getting warmer,” or “cold, ICE cold…so cold you may freeze.”
WELL…the closer I get to reaching this 100 pound milestone, the more I hear this voice saying, “You’re getting hotter, you are so close…keep going, you can almost reach out and grab it.”
BUT…
…at the same time it feels like I’m trudging through mud the closer I get and it becomes THAT much harder to just reach through and claim that milestone VICTORY as mine! I want it SO bad yet at times it feels so intangible. Ay! I remember last month feeling like I had it in the bag…and then I set myself back (notice I acknowledge that I, as in me and me alone, set MYSELF back) and it took a whole month to recover.
Does it sound stupid to you when I say that although I’ve lost over 90 pounds in 7 ½ months that at times it’s still hard to believe I’m really doing this? At times it’s hard to believe that I’ve REALLY come this far? At times I look in the mirror and feel as though I don’t see a change even though my old clothes can’t be held up even with a belt anymore?
This 100 pound mark has been like my “Goliath.” Every day it comes out to taunt me and bring accusation against me and whisper lies that I CANNOT defeat it. As crazy and bizarre as it sounds, at times I’m actually afraid of this 100 pound milestone because I don’t want to just hit it, I want to surpass it far enough that even if I had an “off” week I wouldn’t find myself back in the “90 pounds lost range.” Once I shed my tears of joy and REJOICE over that great loss – I NEVER want to find myself in that place on the scale again. I will be rejoicing over the accomplishment, not over the number on the scale though. 100 pounds lost is a milestone nonetheless, BUT, it’s also just a half-way point for me.
When Goliath (from the Bible) would DAILY approach the battle line and spew his taunts, insults and accusations against the troops of Israel, the people backed away in fear. NONE of them were bold enough and recognized the victory they had in the LORD…until…David saw the enemy and recognized that “HE,” yes “HE” who is in me is GREATER, yes GREATER than this giant that stands before me…and what did David do? He didn’t lollygag around waiting for some miracle to occur…the Bible says he RAN to the battle line and he defeated this giant who had become an embarrassment to the Lord’s army. The thing that was impressed on my heart most about this story a few years back was that anytime we sit and dwell on our circumstance, we dwell on the obstacle standing in front of us – the longer we look at it, the bigger and harder it seems to overcome. The more we entertain the thought of how “weak” I am and how “great” the issue is – the less likely we are to face it head on rather the accepting defeat. David didn’t allow time for that fear to sink in causing him to cowar and come running back with his tail between his legs, NOPE, he proudly proclaimed that TODAY he was going to defeat this giant and then he ran to MAKE.IT.HAPPEN.
TODAY…I’m proclaiming that the giant that has been standing before me daily and shouting lies of doubt and defeat…THAT GIANT WILL BE DEFEATED!!!
I will claim that 100 POUNDS LOST milestone as my own and I will keep pressing through, keep running, keep lifting, keep eating right AND keep trusting that by GOD'S STRENGTH, I will make it. I just need to keep doing the things I KNOW I need to be doing in order to run to that battle line and MAKE.IT.HAPPEN!
THEN…I will be dancing like David danced…but with more clothes on...lol (2 Sam 6:14)!!!
All of YOU…my faithful encouragers and supporters…keep checking back on my side-bar (weight tracker) – I WILL reach that 100 pounds and go far beyond that!!! Thank you for all of the love, support and encouragement you’ve given and shown me. I LOVE YOU ALL!!!
Verse(s) of the Day:
1 Samuel 17:48-50
As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground.
So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.
Be sure to visit Demesha's blog at HE's the potter, I'm the clay...MOLD ME.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Wednesday Guest Blogger- David Johndrow from Fire and Grace
It's time again for another guest blogger. Today it's David Johndrow from the blog Fire and Grace.
David and I have become great virtual friends through our blogging connection. I often use David as an example when talking about how Christians connecting through social media sites can be a very powerful tool for God's work.
Be sure to check out David's profile on his blog to learn a little more about him. He's sharp, funny and committed to the Word of God. You'll be glad you did...
The Names Have Been Changed to Protect the Innocent
Read more from David at his blog Fire and Grace.
David and I have become great virtual friends through our blogging connection. I often use David as an example when talking about how Christians connecting through social media sites can be a very powerful tool for God's work.
Be sure to check out David's profile on his blog to learn a little more about him. He's sharp, funny and committed to the Word of God. You'll be glad you did...
The Names Have Been Changed to Protect the Innocent
I had a dream a few weeks ago in which I died and went to heaven. Only moments before, I remember taking a shower. As I got passed the Pearly Gates I spoke to St. Peter. I thought to myself, he really is here. "Where is everyone?" I asked.
"You'll see them soon enough." he said. "We've got to get you some clothes."
I looked down slightly embarrassed. And then I put on a gown that was whiter then snow.
"It's been a busy morning," said St. Peter. "Let's take a walk through here." leading me towards a hallway filled with clocks. "I know how much you hated waiting in traffic." he said as he turned looking over his shoulder with a smile.
Suddenly I saw one of the clocks jump ahead a couple of minutes. "St.Peter, I just saw that clock with Tony C's name on jump ahead 3 minutes, what happened?"
"Oh, he sinned, and well, honestly-- the truth is you lose a couple of minutes each time you sin -- sometimes more," said St. Peter. "The wages of sin is death you know." he said gesturing with his hands as if everyone should know it.
I couldn't get over it -- nearly every clock skipping ahead a few minutes-- some by hours. There were the names of all the people I knew next all sorts of clocks, and famous people too.
Mesmerized, I saw a clock with Tom Brady's name on it-- it too, jumped ahead a few hours. "Wow, Tom just sinned!" I couldn't keep from blurting it out."
St. Peter said shaking his head, "Tom just lost to the Jets. The truth is every one sins" he continued. "Well except for Jesus, He never sinned." St. Peter kept walking as we made our way past thousands of clocks in a long hallway.
Hesitatingly, I said. "St. Peter, if you don't mind, I'd like to see Barrack Obama's clock."
"Ooooh..." he said rolling his eyes, "We have a lot of requests for that one -- him being the president and all. But you'll have to come to the kitchen to see it, we're using it as a fan!"
Today I take aim at both politics and religion. How about you, do you have thoughts about politics and religion? Are you tired of stupid folks in both camps? Today the greatest country in the world is at a crossroads - it is trying to recover from a political bender where some were drunk with power, all while church attendance is dropping like mercury in the coming of the next Ice Age. The later should be a sobering message.
I have a friend on Facebook that says "politics are silly and self destructive." He says that same about religion. If you read the hundreds of definitions of religion on http://www.urbandictionary.com, known for coining terms such as a "tramp stamp," the tattoo a woman has on her lower back just above her waist, or the "whale's tale," -- an exposed thong, you'll see that most think little of religion. According to UD, religion is a practice whereby the best Christianity has had to offer was the KKK, Hitler and the crusades. It's not good. Others think that it is a breading ground for stupidity. And here is one definition that did make me chuckle.
"Religion is the opium of the masses.-Karl Marx"
Check out the definitions for politics and it is pretty much the same.
"A Republican thinks he is doing the will of God."
"A Democrat thinks he IS God."
How do Politics and Christianity get these stereotypes anyway? I think I have a clue.
Q: How many TV evangelists does it take to change a light bulb?
A: One. But for the message of hope to continue to go forth, send in your donation today.And we can have a similar laugh at the expense of our favorite political parties.
Q: How many Democrats does it take to change a light bulb?
A: One to unscrew the old one, one to find the recycling bin, one to buy a new one, one to borrow the money to pay for it, and 56 to keep the Republicans from pushing them off the step ladder.
Q: How many Republicans does it take to change a light bulb?
A: None, they don't feel that the old bulb ever should have been changed. However; they have promised to have a referendum to see if we really want to change the bulb that is in their now. Is is noted that the referendum is non-binding.
You see, what makes all this a even a little funny, is that fact that most of is TRUE! Christians honestly should have a different message then their stereotype implies. Wouldn't it be cool if people said, "Those Christians are so helpful, loving and true to their word." It's more likely we'd have more volunteers for Sunday School teachers than we would ever need if that were true.
Some folks think that Christians should stay out of politics-- and they should if they they are CINOs -- "Christian In Name Only." Don't you think it's time we had some real godly men and woman in office? Lest I offend someone, let me say at least in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maine and New York!
One more thought before I get off my soap box. Did you ever wonder why people feel the same way about politics as they do about religion. Picture this: A room full of clocks spinning with the thrust of a jet engine.
James 1:22-25 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
Read more from David at his blog Fire and Grace.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Wednesday Guest Blogger- Katdish from Hey look, a chicken!
My first Guest Blogger! I'm excited to start a Wednesday Guest Blogger series and share some musings from my favorite bloggers. I couldn't think of a better way to start than with the one and only Katdish, who writes the blog Hey look, a chicken! and is a team member at Fellowship of the Travelling Smarty Pants.
Kathy is a blogging machine and a wonderfully funny Christian lady. I'm convinced she's behind many of Twitter's crashes because she's always on Twitter! I know you will enjoy her guest post and hope you will add her blog to your regular rotation.
And now ladies and gentleman...a post from Kathy Richards a.k.a. Katdish:
The Top Ten Things your Friend/Significant Other with ADD wants you to know, but keeps forgetting to tell you:
Everybody and their brother thinks that they have ADD these days. You can't swing a stick without hitting 10 people who think that they would benefit from a prescription for Adderall, or at the very least, a significant helping of Ginko Biloba. But trust me, unless you have a green, "do not duplicate under penalty of law" prescription from your doctor, drink your Red Bull cafe latte and relax -- you've probably just got too much going on.
I, on the other hand, am the Tanya Tucker of Attention Deficit Disorder: I was ADD when ADD wasn't cool. I fancy myself a bit of an expert on the subject. Or at least, how it affects my relationships with the people in my life. I don't introduce myself as, "Hi, my name is Kathy and I have ADD". But if I enter into any type of meaningful relationship with another human being, I need to put that on the table. Otherwise, they end up getting pissed off or offended, or both. Please don't think I'm trying to make excuses for bad behavior. If I realize that I have been rude (intentionally or not), I deeply regret it and am the first to offer an apology and try to make amends. The problem is "realizing it" part.
I also recognize that there are people who think that ADD and ADHD are just made up conditions to excuse people with poor impulse control, bad manners and lack of discipline. I would invite these people to spend a day inside my head and then get back to me with their in-depth analysis. Good luck with all of THAT!
For those of you who have friends, family and spouses who suffer from this condition and choose to love us anyway, first let me say thank you. It means the world to us. You are the rocks of stability that anchor our crazy, mixed up lives, and I think God has a special place in heaven set aside for heroes such as you.
Now, on to the list:
1. We don't mean to keep interrupting you. But if we don't tell you what we want to say, it's gonna fly out of our heads and be lost forever. And, by the way, it's really important!
2. That comment we just made makes perfect sense. You just weren't in on the conversation we started in our heads a couple of minutes ago.
3. When we tell you that something is going to take about an hour to complete, go ahead and add on the rest of the day. We suck at time management.
4. Please don't ever send us to Wal-mart for just one thing. There's just way too many things to see before we get to the liquid detergent aisle.
5. We're really not sure how a loaf of bread, a half gallon of milk and a few other things added up to 87 dollars, but we're pretty sure we needed that stuff. Okay, we already have 6 bottles of ketchup, but you never know when you're going to need lots of ketchup.
6. We think it's really cool that you're good at complex mathematical equations, but please don't try to explain it to us. It's very overwhelming.
7. If you need us to run more than one or two errands within an allotted time period, please make a detailed, step by step list of instructions, then staple it to our foreheads. And be sure to call us and encourage us while were attempting to accomplish aforementioned errands.
8. If at all possible, do not allow us to handle the family finances. We will either drain the bank account by paying every bill as soon as it comes in, or will forget to pay any of them until we get the "red" ones.
9. We are actually very forgiving of what we consider to be your OCD tendencies, and hope that you will return the favor when dealing with our shortcomings. (We're actually pretty amazed at what you are able to accomplish without any gnashing of teeth, and more than a little jealous.)
10. We crack ourselves up. Seriously, we think we're hilarious. Please play along.
I'm sure you could add many more items to the list, but then it wouldn't be a "Top Ten". "Top 47" is not nearly as catchy! Since I like to add something about Jesus to my posts whenever I can, I'll share with you my favorite quote from Him. It plays inside my head whenever I mess up (which is pretty regularly):
Read more from Katdish at Hey look, a chicken!...it's always a great read.
Kathy is a blogging machine and a wonderfully funny Christian lady. I'm convinced she's behind many of Twitter's crashes because she's always on Twitter! I know you will enjoy her guest post and hope you will add her blog to your regular rotation.
And now ladies and gentleman...a post from Kathy Richards a.k.a. Katdish:
The Top Ten Things your Friend/Significant Other with ADD wants you to know, but keeps forgetting to tell you:
Everybody and their brother thinks that they have ADD these days. You can't swing a stick without hitting 10 people who think that they would benefit from a prescription for Adderall, or at the very least, a significant helping of Ginko Biloba. But trust me, unless you have a green, "do not duplicate under penalty of law" prescription from your doctor, drink your Red Bull cafe latte and relax -- you've probably just got too much going on.
I, on the other hand, am the Tanya Tucker of Attention Deficit Disorder: I was ADD when ADD wasn't cool. I fancy myself a bit of an expert on the subject. Or at least, how it affects my relationships with the people in my life. I don't introduce myself as, "Hi, my name is Kathy and I have ADD". But if I enter into any type of meaningful relationship with another human being, I need to put that on the table. Otherwise, they end up getting pissed off or offended, or both. Please don't think I'm trying to make excuses for bad behavior. If I realize that I have been rude (intentionally or not), I deeply regret it and am the first to offer an apology and try to make amends. The problem is "realizing it" part.
I also recognize that there are people who think that ADD and ADHD are just made up conditions to excuse people with poor impulse control, bad manners and lack of discipline. I would invite these people to spend a day inside my head and then get back to me with their in-depth analysis. Good luck with all of THAT!
For those of you who have friends, family and spouses who suffer from this condition and choose to love us anyway, first let me say thank you. It means the world to us. You are the rocks of stability that anchor our crazy, mixed up lives, and I think God has a special place in heaven set aside for heroes such as you.
Now, on to the list:
1. We don't mean to keep interrupting you. But if we don't tell you what we want to say, it's gonna fly out of our heads and be lost forever. And, by the way, it's really important!
2. That comment we just made makes perfect sense. You just weren't in on the conversation we started in our heads a couple of minutes ago.
3. When we tell you that something is going to take about an hour to complete, go ahead and add on the rest of the day. We suck at time management.
4. Please don't ever send us to Wal-mart for just one thing. There's just way too many things to see before we get to the liquid detergent aisle.
5. We're really not sure how a loaf of bread, a half gallon of milk and a few other things added up to 87 dollars, but we're pretty sure we needed that stuff. Okay, we already have 6 bottles of ketchup, but you never know when you're going to need lots of ketchup.
6. We think it's really cool that you're good at complex mathematical equations, but please don't try to explain it to us. It's very overwhelming.
7. If you need us to run more than one or two errands within an allotted time period, please make a detailed, step by step list of instructions, then staple it to our foreheads. And be sure to call us and encourage us while were attempting to accomplish aforementioned errands.
8. If at all possible, do not allow us to handle the family finances. We will either drain the bank account by paying every bill as soon as it comes in, or will forget to pay any of them until we get the "red" ones.
9. We are actually very forgiving of what we consider to be your OCD tendencies, and hope that you will return the favor when dealing with our shortcomings. (We're actually pretty amazed at what you are able to accomplish without any gnashing of teeth, and more than a little jealous.)
10. We crack ourselves up. Seriously, we think we're hilarious. Please play along.
I'm sure you could add many more items to the list, but then it wouldn't be a "Top Ten". "Top 47" is not nearly as catchy! Since I like to add something about Jesus to my posts whenever I can, I'll share with you my favorite quote from Him. It plays inside my head whenever I mess up (which is pretty regularly):
"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."
(2 Corinthians 12:9)
(2 Corinthians 12:9)
Read more from Katdish at Hey look, a chicken!...it's always a great read.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)