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My First Blog

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The Importance Of Walking	Aug 21, 2008 4:33 am Mood: Healthy, lol, 697 Views
Walking can add minutes to your life. This enables you at 85 years old to spend an additional 5 months in a nursing home at $7000 per month. My grandpa started walking five miles a day when he was 60.. Now he's 97 years old and we don't know where he is. I like long walks, especially when they are taken by people who annoy me. The only reason I would take up walking is so that I could hear heavy breathing again. I have to walk early in the morning, before my brain figures out what I'm doing.. I joined a health club last year, spent about 400 bucks. Haven't lost a pound. Apparently you have to go there. Every time I hear the dirty word 'exercise', I wash my mouth out with chocolate. I do have flabby thighs, but fortunately my stomach covers them. The advantage of exercising every day is so when you die, they'll say, 'Well, she looks good doesn't she.' If you are going to try cross-country skiing, start with a small country. I know I got a lot of exercise the last few years,......just getting over the hill. We all get heavier as we get older, because there's a lot more information in our heads. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. AND Every time I start thinking too much about how I look, I just find a Happy Hour and by the time I leave, I look just fine. You could run this over to your friends but why not just e-mail it to them!
	18 Comments

Hurricane Coming! Please Pray For Florida!	Aug 17, 2008 1:01 pm Mood: Being Cautious, 936 Views
Tropical Storm Kay is south of Cuba and heading for Florida. It is forecasted to become a hurricane, once it's passed over land and out in the open water. Depending how fast it will be moving and how long it has to be out in open water, will determine how strong it can become. They're predicting it to be a category 2. There's already a mandatory evacuation for the Florida Keys, and a hurricane watch for where I am, in south Florida. Even the most seasoned forecasters aren't quite sure what to expect, there's so many variables involved. No one really knows the exact course it will take or how high the winds will have a chance to get. I dread having to empty my patio, still have many chairs, etc from the BigChurch bash, plants, windchimes, and all kinds of other things that have to be picked up and put in the garage as they become projectiles with the high winds. Hope I get time to board the windows, as it is predicted to hit between 10 pm Monday night and 4 am Tuesday morning. The WalMart and other grocery stores, are already out of water, bread, batteries, and other staples. The gas stations are lined up so heavily, they are directing traffic to get in them. Please pray for all of us here within the track of Tropical Storm Fay. Thank you everyone!
	21 Comments

Is ANY Form Of Sex OK For Christian Singles?	Aug 16, 2008 5:43 am Mood: Wondering, 1983 Views
I would say, based on the number of views and comments on my XXX post, that this is an area in the Christian singles' life that requires more dialogue. I'd like to talk about it. If this topic is offensive to you, please stop here and go to another post, because it is not my intention to offend anyone, I would just like to be open and honest about something that greatly affects Christian singles. I am aware of some that believe that certain forms of sex are acceptable, as long as there is no intercourse, including oral sex and masturbation. Even President Clinton said that he "did not have sex with that woman" because the sex he had was oral. I am of the thinking that any form of sex is still sex. What do you think? The Apostle Paul uses the word “fornication” when describing sexual sin. Fornication is defined as ANY sexual activity outside of marriage. The Message translates Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 6:18 “There is a sense in which sexual sins are different from all others. In sexual sin, we violate the sacredness of our own bodies, these bodies that were made for God-given and God-modeled love, for "becoming one" with another." Recreational sex is a widely accepted practice – even among many Christian singles engaged in Christian dating . This view says that God made our sexual appetites and there is no harm in mutual consent sexual activity. Not only does Paul and God clearly state that it is a sin (outside of God’s will), it causes us harm. How so? Just look at the increasing rate of disease and AIDS, the US Center for Disease Control website states that 1 out of 5 adults have genital herpes, 1 out of 5! Then, let's consider the high divorce rate, even among Christians. I believe that this is another illustration in how recreational sex and the general application of selfish desires has a negative impact on our lives. God intended sex for two reasons: (1) procreation; and, (2) the ongoing connection of two become one flesh in marriage. For other Christian singles engaged in Christian dating to practice recreational sex is to play games with our inner spirit by feeding it a diet of voices that say, “this is the one” – no – “this is the one” – no – “this one is now the one.” The fact is that then Christian singles engaged in Christian dating loose touch with reality and become incapable of discerning when we are in the presence of a real, potential relationship that leads to marriage. Recreational sex only serves a selfish purpose. It is not about valuing the other person as a whole person but as an object of desire. It ignores the other ingredients so essential in building a healthy and fulfilling relationship. It is ever present to one element of a relationship that it destroys the other elements. It becomes difficult to focus on the deeper elements of a Christian dating relationship in a healthy manner. Once sex enters the picture it takes over the relationship and everything is dictated by how it might affect the sex life. This sets into motion the actions that destroy relationships for Christian singles. Is is worth the risk of losing the relationship? God has not changed His mind. Truth is not altered by desire or wishes on the part of Christian singles engaged in dating. Truth is still the truth and God is all about the truth that will set us free. Christian dating can only be blessed by God when Christian singles obey God. Do you seek and crave His blessing in your relationship? Of course, this is only my viewpoint, feel free to take it or leave it as you feel led. How do you feel about it? Please don't be shy, it's a subject that needs discussion. Thank you, in advance for your comment and sharing your viewpoint.
	41 Comments

This Post Rated XXX-If Sensitive, Please DON'T Read	Aug 14, 2008 4:21 am Mood: Trying to ignore, 3187 Views
Thank you all for your wise advice on my last two posts. Your input has been invaluable! Now, it's time to talk about sex, yes, you heard me right, let's talk about it. Rarely do you hear teaching from the pulpit on this subject, yet it's one of the strongest challenges we singles face, on a daily basis. Okay, so you meet someone, get to know each other for a few months, fall in love, and begin to consider marriage as a possibility. The next issue to deal with, in the natural progression of things is sex. What do we do with all those feelings? I don't know about you, but I've been celibate for 10 years. That, in itself, is quite an accomplishment since I'm a bit overdeveloped in that area, and it's only been by the grace of God, that I've remained that way. Of course, it helps when there's no one around to be close to, lol. So now, there's someone you're physically attracted to, someone you have deep feelings for, and those fleshly desires are ever present. We all know what the Bible says about pre-marital sex, but how do you deal with all of these desires? This temptation is perhaps my biggest challenge right now. The sexual side of us is very strong for many (most?) - and the "drive" is NOT a sin. In Genesis God found man to need someone. Eve was created and sex entered the picture. I believe that God created it because it combines the physical/chemical, emotional, psychological and spiritual parts of us all at one time. Gosh - if that is so - then everyone must NEED it! Well, not so according to what Paul shares in the New Testament. There are two different forces at play that are often - well, misused. The two are intimacy and sex. One is not necessary without the other. I understand it that all of us need intimacy, but sex is supposed to be reserved for marriage. God created sex in such a depth than when we experience it, we are giving away part of ourselves. It is not just an act (where one party or both parties are involved in self satisfaction). I suggest it is just the opposite - where both parties are focusing on satisfying the other. It is a total act of putting another ahead of yourself. Sex bonds you to the one you're sharing it with. For me, it's the total fulfillment of my love for someone. Sex is good - no - it's great! God designed it for marriage where it compares to His love for us (we are the bride of Christ). But it is a false fulfillment outside of marriage. Paul says that it is better to focus this need and creativity on loving and serving God and others. But, how do you do that? What do you do with those physical desires? I seem unable to just pray them away, although I pray daily for grace and the way out of every temptation. Each day, it is increasingly difficult to ignore these feelings. So, what do you think? I'm looking for real solutions here, not judgement or condemnation. I already know all the sermons about pre-marital sex and just interested in sound advice and your feelings on this topic. What do I do with all these feelings?
	171 Comments

How Do I Know If I've Found The Perfect Spouse?	Aug 13, 2008 5:21 am Mood: Contemplating........., 957 Views
The Bible doesn’t address how to find the “perfect spouse,” nor does it get as specific as we might like on the matter of finding the right marriage partner. It doesn’t even tell us that God has chosen a specific person for each of us to marry. God's Word does tell us to make sure that we are not unequally yoked with unbelievers (2 Corinthians 6:14-15), and this is especially true in marriage. First Corinthians 7:39 reminds us that when we are free to marry, we should only marry those who are acceptable to God—in other words, Christians. Beyond this, the Bible is silent about how to know we are marrying the "right" person. So why doesn't God spell out for us what we should look for in a mate? Why do we not have more specifics about such an important issue? The truth is that the Bible is so clear on what a Christian is and how we are to act that specifics are not necessary. Christians are supposed to be likeminded about important issues, and if two Christians are committed to marriage and to obeying Christ, they already possess the ingredients for success. However, because our society is now inundated with many different kinds of professing "Christianity," it would be wise to use discernment before a person devotes himself to the lifelong commitment of marriage. Once a prospective mate’s priorities are identified—if he or she is truly committed to Christlikeness—then the specifics are easier to identify and deal with. First, before marrying, a person should make sure that he or she is ready to marry. He must have enough maturity to look beyond the here and now and be able to commit himself to joining together with this one person for the rest of his life. He must also recognize that marriage requires sacrifice and selflessness. Before marrying, the couple should study the roles and duties of a husband and wife that can be found in Ephesians 5:22-31, 1 Corinthians 7:1-16, Colossians 3:18-19, Titus 2:1-5, and 1 Peter 3:1-7. What are their expectations for the roles in marriage? A couple should make sure they know each other for a sufficient amount of time before discussing marriage. My Dear One thinks it takes 2 years for people to really know one another, not quite sure I can wait that long, lol. They should watch how the other person reacts to different situations, how they behave around their family and friends, and what kind of people they hang out with. A person's behavior is greatly influenced by who they keep company with (1 Corinthians 15:33). They should agree on issues such as morality, finances, values, children, church attendance and ministry involvement, and relationships with in-laws. These are areas of potential conflict in marriage and should be carefully considered before marriage. Finally, any couple considering marriage should first go to premarital counseling with their pastor or another trained Christian counselor. Here they will learn invaluable tools for building their marriage on a foundation of faith in Christ, and they will also learn how to deal with inevitable conflicts. After all this criteria has been met, the couple is ready to prayerfully decide if they desire to be joined together in marriage. If they are earnestly seeking the will of God, He will direct their paths (Proverbs 3:5-6). Well, so far, so good. What is your criteria for the perfect spouse?
	21 Comments

Seeking True Love At BigChurch-Will You Find It?

Aug 12, 2008 4:10 am
Mood: Doing love God's way, 903 Views

If so, will you keep it?

How elusive true love is, how difficult to find. Most of us here are in search of it, not many will find it. What is the measuring stick with which you determine what true love is?

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.
I Corinthians 13:4-8 NIV

This verse describes the characteristics of true love. These qualities can certainly be found in the person of Jesus Christ, and they can be found in truly loving relationships. The problem with trying to “find” love in our dating lives, is that too often we don't look for these necessary characteristics. Rather, we look at physical appearance, popularity, or wealth. These are not the qualities that God looks at and neither should we.

But the LORD said to Samuel, “…The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
I Samuel 16:v7 NIV

Love is best seen as devotion and action, not an emotion. Love is not exclusively based on how we feel. Yes, certainly our emotions are involved, but they cannot be our only criteria for love. True devotion will always lead to action—true love. I often say that talk is cheap, but actions speak much louder than words. Anyone can say, "I love you" but how many are willing to put their actions into play, by a demonstration of their love?

Dear children, let us NOT love with words or tongue, but with ACTIONS and in truth.
I John 3:18 NIV

IDENTIFYING TRUE LOVE
We can only identify true love and know when we have found it, based on the Word of God. When we match our relationships up to what the Bible says that love is—and we are honestly prepared to make a life-long commitment to that person—then we can say that we are truly “in love.” The three keys to that statement are:
We have to…

1. Look at the Word of God
2. Be completely honest with ourselves
3. Understand the level of commitment that comes with true love

There's that dreaded "C" word-committment, without it, no relationship will work, because we are all imperfect, we all have issues and differences, and we will all make mistakes. The reason most marriages end in divorce is because people are unwilling to commit to resolve any and all problems, and refuse to give up, no matter what. It's much easier to say, "This just isn't working out, I want a divorce." The hard part is seeing it through.

If we are blessed to be able to find true love, how far will we go to commit to it? What conditions will we put on making the relationship last until death do we part? Will we say, "I will love you forever if....."? I am searching my heart for these answers right now, and I pray that God will lead me and guide me into true love that will endure through the rest of my earthly journey.

What do you think?

17 Comments

American Logic, DUH???	Aug 11, 2008 12:20 pm Mood: Wondering......., 788 Views
Only in America do drugstores make the sick walk all the way to the back of the store to get their prescriptions while healthy people can buy cigarettes at the front. Only in America do people order double cheeseburgers, large fries, and a diet coke.. Only in America do banks leave both doors open and then chain the pens to the counters. Only in America do we leave cars worth thousands of dollars in the driveway and put our useless junk in the garage. Only in America do we buy hot dogs in packages of ten and buns in packages of eight. Only in America do we use the word 'politics' to describe the process so well: 'Poli' in Latin meaning 'many' and 'tics' meaning 'bloodsucking creatures'. Only in America do they have drive-up ATM machines with Braille lettering. EVER WONDER .... Why the sun lightens our hair, but darkens our skin ? Why women can't put on mascara with their mouth closed? Why don't you ever see the headline 'Psychic Wins Lottery'? Why is 'abbreviated' such a long word? Why is a delivery by boat called cargo and a delivery by vehicle called a shipment? Why is it that doctors call what they do 'practice'? Why is lemon juice made with artificial flavor, and dishwashing liquid made with real lemons? Why is the man who invests all your money called a broker? Why is the time of day with the slowest traffic called rush hour? Why isn't there mouse-flavored cat food? Why didn't Noah swat those two mosquitoes? Why do they sterilize the needle for lethal injections ? You know that indestructible black box that is used on airplanes? Why don't they make the whole plane out of that stuff?! Why don't sheep shrink when it rains? Why are they called apartments when they are all stuck together? If con is the opposite of pro, is Congress the opposite of progress? If flying is so safe, why do they call the airport the terminal? DUH?? Hey Jeffy, can you help me figure this out? After all, you're the oxymoron champion, lol.
	11 Comments

I'm Giving Away FREE Kudos, Come And Get Some!!!	Aug 11, 2008 5:43 am Mood: Happy to give!!!, 1054 Views
Here ye! Here ye! This is an official BigChurch proclamation! This is the day that the Lord has made and I will rejoice and be glad in it! He is good and His mercy and lovingkindness endure forever! In response to this, I am giving away all my kudos today. Just leave me a comment and I'll give you kudos! Check your profiles, cuz I gave some away to 20 different bloggers late last night. For those new at blogging, check out my post in March to answer all your questions about kudos. Just click on the link. Free Kudos Here-Come And Get Some!!! I noticed that many are declining in their kudos and it's time to give some away! Don't forget, the more you give away, the more bigchurch will give you next month. So, go to your fav bloggers profiles, give them some kudos and let them know you appreciate their blogs, profiles, or chats. I tried to give them to several that have them turned off, why? Go in and turn them on, so that you may receive them too! Come one, come all, this opportunity may never present itself again! I want mine to be gone before the end of the day, but still have enough to give to over 30 people. They were given to us so that we could share them with each other, and they're absolutely free! So, share them with those you admire, those whose blogs bless you, and maybe even those you have a crush on, lol. You can leave a comment to your fav blogger as you give them, tell them how much you enjoy their posts, tell them they're cute, lol, or let them know they're loved, and brighten their day! But for whatever reason you choose to give them, give them away today. Let me know that you were here and read this post and I'll give you some too! Don't forget to check your profile page! Supplies are limited, so first come, first served!
	38 Comments

What About Corporate Prayer? Is It Important?	Aug 10, 2008 4:30 am Mood: Assembling myself together, 620 Views
After many weeks of working every weekend, I'm finally going to go to church this morning. I love my church, the music is contemporary, it really rocks, and the worship makes me cry. When it's time to pray, the annointing is ever present. But, what about corporate prayer? Is it more powerful than individual prayer? Corporate prayer is an important part of the life of the church, along with worship, sound doctrine, communion, and fellowship. The early church met regularly to learn the doctrine of the apostles, break bread and pray together, beginning immediately after Jesus’ resurrection and continuing to this day. When we pray together with other believers, the effects can be very positive. Corporate prayer edifies and unifies us as we share our common faith. The same Holy Spirit that dwells within each believer causes our hearts to rejoice as we hear praises to our Lord and Savior, knitting us together in a unique bond of fellowship found nowhere else in life. Many times I've attended when my heart was heavy or I was struggling with the burdens of life. There were times when all I could do is just stand in the presence of God and bask in the Holy Spirit's annointing, and hearing the praise, worship, and prayer of others lifted me up and filled me with joy. But is it more powerful than praying alone? There is nothing in Scripture to suggest that corporate prayers are “more powerful” than individual prayers in the sense of moving the hand of God. Many Christians equate prayer with “getting things from God,” and group prayer sometimes becomes an occasion to recite a list of our wants. Biblical prayers, however, are multi-faceted, encompassing the whole of the desire to enter into conscious and intimate communion with our holy, perfect, and righteous God. That such a God would bend an ear to His creatures causes praise and adoration to pour forth in abundance, produces heartfelt repentance and confession, generates an outpouring of gratitude and thanksgiving, and creates sincere intercessory pleas on behalf of others. This is the kind of prayer we have in my church and it always fills me with a fulfillment and satisfaction that makes me feel better for participating in. Of course, the sermons are almost always something I need to hear also. There's just something about assembling ourselves together, in the spirit of God, that makes me feel better when I walk out, than I did when I walked in. How do you feel about corporate prayer?
	5 Comments

What Does It Mean To" Pray Without Ceasing"?

Aug 9, 2008 5:54 am
Mood: Praying without ceasing, 655 Views

Paul’s command in 1 Thessalonians 5:17, “pray without ceasing,” can be very confusing. Obviously, it can't mean we are to be in a head-bowed, eyes-closed posture all day long. Paul is not referring to non-stop talking, but an attitude of God-consciousness and God-surrender that we carry with us all the time. Every waking moment is to be lived in an awareness that God is with us and that He is actively involved and engaged in our thoughts and actions.

Although I try to spend the first moments of my day in prayer, as it seems to be the determing factor in how the day progresses, I find myself spent in small increments of prayer all throughout the day, as the need arises. As we go through the day, prayer should be our first response to every fearful situation, to every anxious thought, to every undesired task that God commands.

When our thoughts turn to worry, fear, discouragement and anger, we are to consciously and quickly turn every thought into prayer and every prayer into thanksgiving. In his letter to the Philippians, Paul commands us to stop being anxious and instead, "in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God" (4:6). He taught the believers at Colosse to "devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving" (Colossians 4:2). Paul also exhorted the Ephesian believers to see prayer as a weapon to use in fighting spiritual battles. Ephesians 6:18

For Christians, prayer should be like breathing, a natural response to life's difficulties. I have often heard people say, "Well, I've tried all I know to do, but I guess all I can do is pray". Prayer should not be our last resort, but our first line of defense. Continual, persistent, incessant prayer is an essential part of Christian living and flows out of our dependence on God. We are called to intercede on behalf of our family, friends, and associates. God has impressed upon me many times, that I may be the only one praying for a certain individual.

Finally, it shouldn't always be from a personal perspective, not only for those we are acquainted with. If I pass by an auto accident, I pray for all those involved, if I hear of something bad on the news, I say a short prayer for God to intercede on behalf of the people involved. When I hear of a disaster in the world, natural or otherwise, I feel led to pray for God's safety and protection. If I read of a need expressed by others on the blogs, I pray for the need to be met. And many times, the Holy Spirit will lead me to pray for an upcoming event. Each time the thought of another comes into my thoughts, that's the Holy Spirit prompting me to pray for them. Prayers don't have to be long and eloquent, they just need to be a sincere desire for God to intervene. Many need our prayers whom we will never met in this life, such as our soldiers, our government, our civil servants, and those whose jobs put them in harms way. Often I am prompted to pray for inhabitants of other countries. The main point to consider is that when a person, circumstance, or event enters into our thoughts, that is the Holy Spirit prompting us to pray. We should always be sensitive and obedient to that conviction to pray. Perhaps it will be your short prayer that will have an impact on changing that situation.

I agree with Paul, we should all "pray without ceasing." What do you think?

10 Comments

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