What I Believe About the Holiday Americans Call Christmas
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Posted:Jun 2, 2006 9:58 am
Last Updated:May 23, 2007 6:35 am 2433 Views
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I'm writing this basically so it's understood what I think of Christmas.
My blog post, "Laugh About It" naturally offends some Christians because they don't believe in celebrating this holiday. It wasn't meant to do that. I apologize to anyone who was or is offended by MY belief in Christmas.
I want it understood that I do not in any way wish to put anyone down, or offend them for their belief, and I believe choice, to not celebrate Christmas as a Christian holiday. I disagree with them...I do celebrate Christmas.
Following is a part of my comments to some of my RESPECTED friends concerning my beliefs pertaining to Christmas & Christians. I decided to put them here for all to see.
Please do not take offense to my doing so...I just think it opened up an interesting subject that may need to be discussed among Christians, since it IS NOT the first time I've encountered this topic. So, here it is.
MY THOUGHTS & POSTED COMMENTS, IN PART:
I know that some people don't celebrate Christmas; I have grown sons who don't anymore...they have made a choice.
I, for one, do celebrate Christmas with the knowledge of why others both DO & DON'T celebrate. I (personally) give the day to God.
Just as I celebrate birthdays and other special days for people I care about, I celebrate Christmas as a symbol that Jesus WAS born...and it was for me that He chose to be born. I believe He deserves honor for coming to this earth on my behalf, so that I might have the greatest opportunity in this world: To Spend My Eternity With Him In Heaven. What an awesome opportunity He gave to me just by being born!
I respect you for your choice and beliefs. I honestly don't understand everything about WHY some people have such beliefs about Christmas, but I understand why I celebrate Christmas.
I think that for the most part people are TRYING to honor the birth of Jesus Christ with a day that has been marked as His day. I think that most people in America do believe that Christmas IS celebrated as the day of Jesus' birth. I see nothing wrong with that. In fact, I believe it DOES give an opening for ministering the love of God, and the FACT that Jesus came to die for mankind. God can, has, and I believe will continue to use the day to bring souls into His kingdom for HIS name's sake.
The holiday we celebrate as Christmas in America is A FACT that I don't think will ever change while time remains, even though some believe, that it is a day that shouldn't be celebrated (especially among Christians). (I disagree)
I say we leave God to decide what HE expects of HIS PEOPLE, and pray that everyone will come to the knowledge of the truth...HIS TRUTH.
All of us are at different places in our Christian walk...it takes God to change a heart...we can't do it.
I haven't seen where it EVER DRAWS a person to Christ to push our personal beliefs on people, or for that matter, our revelations IN Christ. It usually tends to send them in the opposite direction than what we intended.
I believe in looking for the good stuff in people. There's way too many negative feelings, and judgemental attitudes among Christians as there is.
We don't have to look too deep to find faults in any person on this earth. BUT if God is willing to look at us with a heart of love & the willingness to forgive US, then we should be willing to do the same toward our fellow man...especially our brothers & sister in Christ.
It's not up to us to decide WHO Christ chooses to be called His ; HE made the sacrifice for ALL of mankind...we didn't. It's not up to us to fix all of the problems in people that we can see. Minister the LOVE of Christ...that's what we're here for.
Written in the love of Christ for HIS kingdom.
Karen
God Bless His people.
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Laugh About It
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Posted:Jun 1, 2006 7:49 pm
Last Updated:May 23, 2007 6:40 am 2552 Views
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I didn't write the following, but I thought it was funny...and so true. 
Christmas is when mothers have to separate the men from the toys.
Karen
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Do We Join Too Many Groups?
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Posted:May 30, 2006 5:27 am
Last Updated:Jun 2, 2006 6:18 pm 2394 Views
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Do we join too many groups? Would it be better to be supportive of a few?
When I first joined BC on Valentine's Day of this year, I thought it would be nice to be a part of a group. I said, "A GROUP".
Of course, I had my reasons for joining the first three within days after joining BC. Friendship, fellowship, writing, prayer, ministry...basically, Christian contact.
I was lonely, and felt a need to be a part of something, but I have to say that I was ignorant to how the groups worked when I joined. I didn't know that many of the groups allow different types of topics to be written, and read. I didn't know what a 'blog' was. I thought I had to have a separate group to fulfill all of my different needs.
Well, since joining BC, I have become a member of 15 groups, most of which I either feel like I'm the only one there, or that I'm just not supporting them enough.
Furthermore, I find that between email, my blog, and my groups, I have little time to enjoy getting to know my friends by THEIR profiles, blog, and other writings...I don't feel good about that. Fact be known, I feel a little guilty for it. I want to KNOW my friends; who they are, HOW they are, and what they believe.
So many of you have read what I write and are so supportive of me. That makes me feel good inside. I wanna feel good about the support I give to my friends. I need ya'll...I want to do for each of you what you do for me. The things that I enjoy, want, and need for myself FROM my friends, I want to share WITH my friends. I want to do unto others as I would have them do unto me.
So, I am prayerfully considering dropping some of my groups, and I'm asking that my friends pray with me that I will make my choices according to what GOD'S CHOICE is for me.
It's not because I don't love being a part of the groups, but because there's just not enough of me to go around. I can't handle everything there is to do here at BC, AND at home. I find that I spend far too much time staring at the computer, and as a result, today I have a migraine headache that I have to ask you all to pray for.
I just want to know what God would have me to do here at BC concerning these things. It's clear to me that my ministry here is both growing and changing, so it's necessary for me to change with it. I'm not super-woman, though sometimes I wish I were, and try to be. I am blessed so much in my energy level that sometimes I forget that God has a use for the energy He gives to me on a daily basis...there's a reason for me to feel like I'm twenty. He has priority missions for me, and He knows what they are. I want to know too.
Help me on this one, ya'll.
God bless.
Karen
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For All My Friends & Then Some Too :)
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Posted:May 29, 2006 12:49 pm
Last Updated:May 23, 2007 6:43 am 2290 Views
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I'm so happy to have friends like you
To talk to, and learn from
And to be there for, too
To know you're there is a comfort to me
I hope I can be, a blessing to you too
When you're happy, or sad, or just plain teed
 
Give me a holler if you want my help
And I'll give you one too if I want you
God bless us, and keep us
And make us a light
A friend by the roadside
A star in the night
I hope we can be friends today and forever
Till in death we part
And then, in Heaven
written by Karen S on Monday, May 29, 2006
For all my friends and anyone whom the Lord my God shall use to light my pathway & my load.
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:)) :)) Laughter Doth Good Like A Medicine :)) :))
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Posted:May 29, 2006 8:42 am
Last Updated:Jun 2, 2006 6:09 pm 2531 Views
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Have you ever noticed how when you laugh, things seem to clear up, and clear out?
I've noticed that laughter clears congestion in the chest, relieves sinus pressure, nerves, indegestion, confusion, divisions, hurts.
It brightens everything and everyone around us.
Burdens are lighter, and problems clear up or at least my view of the problems changes to a healthier way of looking at them.
What a blessing it is to be able to laugh.
I'd be interested in what any of you have noticed about laughter and what it has done for & in you, or someone you know.
Have a good today. It's a medicine that can't be bought in a bottle; AND it's sooooo cheap, YET It's not worthless.
May God bless His people with laughter, and cause them all to be able to laugh today.
If you can't do for yourself, do it for someone else...do it for God. Accept His free medicine, and be healed & blessed.
Karen
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What A Day!
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Posted:May 28, 2006 4:43 pm
Last Updated:May 23, 2007 6:46 am 2228 Views
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Isn't it funny when you kind of plan out your day, and God changes it and makes it better than you had planned?
Well, today has been one neat day, thanks to God...not me. 
I set out to go pick up a prescription, go by the feed store, Walmart , talk to a friend on the telephone, and after that who knew.
Well, I didn't do any of that. God had better plans for me. I've been smiling all day to the point that my jaws ache, and my face feels like it's been stretched out of shape. Cool. 
I had set out to help 2 of my friends do a job they wanted to do, and I got blessed in the process. I've made a bunch of new friends today.
It's neat how God blesses us when we are willing to do something for someone else though we know it's a big job...after procrastinating for awhile. 
That's what happened to me today, and I feel so good inside for doing it. It's been like a party to me. I wonder why we don't have a party smiley to go here? I like those.
Oh well, where was I? Oh yeah.
Ok, just knowing I did what I told both of my friends I would do, more than once, takes a load off of my mind.
It wasn't that I didn't want to do it, I just had put it off because I got busy, but also because I was so involved in my own life...my own problems, that I COULDN'T SOLVE by the way...worries.
I think God's pleased when we set aside our own needs sometimes to help & bless someone else.
I also think it kind of gets us out of God's way when He's trying to answer a prayer for us, and we keep worrying over it. Worry doesn't get the job done, God does!
Every day's a party with Jesus, ya'll! We just gotta let HIM host it. Praise God, for all of His kindnesses toward us...we are so undeserving, yet He's kind to us anyway.
Karen
God Bless Our Troops
And bless America too
That we as a country
May keep our freedoms
And be free to serve You
In Jesus name. Amen
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UPDATE: Counting My Blessings
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Posted:May 25, 2006 8:33 pm
Last Updated:May 23, 2007 6:49 am 2183 Views
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Misty (one of our Pygmy goats) is finally starting to have her babies...two so far. She's looked like she was gonna pop 'any day now' for a couple of months, but this morning we were sure it was nearing time (though she didn't act like it) because her milk bag was full. Ladies, wouldn't it be nice if we could have babies as easily as goats usually do? They just drop 'em and go...it's so cool. It's always invigorating when babies are born here...it's like God is smiling on the place.
Dutchess has made a full recovery and is back outside now. It's a miracle that we didn't lose her. It's as if nothing happened to her at all.
All my sons live back in Texas now. I knew it wouldn't take Michael long to follow his twin brother Matthew...they can't live too far apart for very long, even though they have had some nasty fights, so I'm told...they didn't have them here in my sight; it was after they moved out and basically got really interested in girls.
Hormones: sometimes they don't feel like a blessing, but ya gotta love 'em.
My oldest (Tim) came out to see me with my 4th (Nathan). He even bought a drill case from me...that's 1/2 the cost of a pair of the younger boys' shoes...answered prayers.
I was blessed with a very nice surprise on Mother's Day; one I didn't expect at all. I figured I'd be doing well if my older sons & their dad just didn't cause me any grief for my birthday and Mother's Day, like they did last year, but as I've said before God always gives me a bonus...sometimes I think He just likes to see me smile.
Anyway, around 3 PM on Mother's Day, I was online and trying to feel content with my six younger sons who have stood beside me through this storm in my life...theirs too.
My cell phone rang; it was Michael (my 3rd ).
"Momma, how's your Mother's Day been?"
"It's...okay...just another day, I guess...yeah, it's okay."
"Matthew and I wanna come and take you out to dinner...we'll be there around 5 PM"
Ok, so at this point I'm feeling overjoyed, a little scared, thrilled, filled with wonderment, and so much excitement...plus I was starving
Before these 2 left home and went to Missouri, they had wanted to do this for/with me...it was important to them...I was important to them.
THEN THE 'STORM' CAME AND BLEW IT ALL AWAY. They seemed to have almost as pure a hatred toward me as their dad did...and there wasn't a 'reason' why; it was just satan trying to knock the legs out from under my life.
I felt like I would die in those storms, for the grief was to heavy for me. Actually, I almost did die (Oct. 2004) from the agony of life's storms...and what appeared to be the end of my life...everything was crumbling and I felt powerless to fix any of the problems. God seemed so far away...but if He had not carried me through that, I'm certain I wouldn't be here today to write about this.
So they came and took me out to Jalapeno Tree. We had a nice dinner, good talk, and laughter. I got to ride between my older set of twin sons...age 24. WOW! I am so blessed...and BOY! was I stuffed! I'd eat again though, just to feel the love I felt from these 2 dear sons that God blessed me with.
Wednesday, May 17, 2006 (SEE NOTE)
Nathan (4th > age 21) was on my mind. I wished that he would care for us like he used to, and at least let us hear from him.
Evening came as I drove back to my house after a trip to the feed store with Jeffrey. "That's Nathan's truck." Jeff (5th > age 18 )said as we pulled up. You could feel the tension rise as we pulled in the driveway; we haven't known what to expect from my 4 oldest sons since their dad and their lives started getting them confused.
We had a nice visit, and laughter filled the air...no hostility or hard feelings were felt...Nathan had come back to family again, like we'd been praying for. Like I told you, God always gives me a bonus.
Friday, May 19, 2006:
Nathan came again, and this time he brought with him my oldest (Tim - 25)...this has his dad living in his house, so I never know what I'm gonna get out of him. Again there was laughter, love, peace...family times. He's finally got a good job which has enabled him to buy the tools he has needed to put his skills to work. He also has the support of his brother (Nathan lives at his house for now), and visa versa...both of them had been through life's hard knocks because of their choices, and now they're once again leaning on each other for support. It's neat the way they pick at each other, and compete in the form of tools...who's got the best tools, who bought 'what' first, & who got the best deal. Strange; the things that keep us going sometimes.
I know that none of these things may seem so fantastic to read, and it's very hard to express the joy that fills our hearts because of the answered prayers. But if you only knew where and what we've all been through...and I do pray that you never have to go through any of it...you would understand and be overjoyed to hear and share the joyous praise we feel in our hearts & home. Peace has prevailed!
Never give up on a person you love when they have gone astray. Keep them before God, and step out of His way and let Him do His work...He knows them better than you do. Find people you can express and share your pain to/with. Never stop believing God...He can get the job done if we only just believe. Be still and know that HE IS GOD.
TIP: It seems to work faster if you don't interfere with YOUR own love, not to mention less stressful too. God's love is stronger and deeper than ours is, and He can see better than we can...and He doesn't get stressed. He looks on the heart, and makes all things new.
More later, if God wills.
Love ya'll,
Karen
NOTE: May 17, 1978> the day I met my husband. Interesting to be blessed by sons on the anniversary date (when I met their dad).
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Answer To Prayer & New Prayer Request
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Posted:May 25, 2006 4:09 am
Last Updated:May 23, 2007 6:58 am 2184 Views
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The Sheltie Collie that was being rebellious is now safe at home.
My boys had chased her, tried to outsmart her, tried luring her, and anything else they could think of, and still they couldn't catch that dog! They put up a sign, and talked to neighbors but no one could catch or tempt her to them.
We had pretty much decided that if we couldn't contact the previous owner to see if he would come and catch her for us, that we were just gonna have to forget about her.
However, we still kept praying that God would bring her back to her senses and cause her to stop playing games with the boys. It bothered them almost worse than it did me that my birthday present was being so silly. We didn't understand the at all.
Well, my 18 year old had a plan for a trap which he said he thought might work. I said, "Go for it!" So yesterday, he did. I knew that he was working on it, but I didn't know that he had finished it and set it up.
During the night the lights went out and there were strange sounds around the house. Finally around 4 AM, there was barking in the front yard.
I thought that one of the other Sheltie's had gotten out, so I went to look. My cow dog, Gent went with me, and headed straight for the trap and started pawing the ground. I walked out to see what that big thing was in the front yard, and there she was, trapped inside.
It's so cool! Jeff took me out to show me how it works and I have to say I am quite impressed. What that boy can't do with wood and wire. God has given him so much ingenuity, and skill.
Now, I want to pray that God will bless the skills he has in a financial way. I think he has great potential to do something fantastic.
I just wanted to share this story, because though it may seem too simple a thing to ask God, He did answer the prayer.
So many times we forget to ask, or refuse to ask God for the little things that are important to us in THIS life. We think we shouldn't 'bother' God with things on this earth that are 'easy'...maybe we figure we can handle those things on our own. But God is not limited, and He cares about us...everything about us.
My philosophy is: If it's important enough to me to think about it, it's important enough to talk to God about. I leave it up to Him to decide if it's "important enough" to answer, but amazing He usually does.
Give God ALL the praise. He wants to hear from us...and nothing is TOO SMALL for God to handle.
Love God.
Karen
PS More later when there's not so much going on here.
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Overwhelmed by the Love of My Father
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Posted:May 22, 2006 10:27 pm
Last Updated:May 23, 2007 6:59 am 2185 Views
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I sit here in tears as I read what God has given to me...love beyond what I could hope for.
I just pulled up my profile to look for the post that Cris asked me to look for. Lo and behold, I find testimonials that I didn't know were there. WOW! God makes me look so good.
I just want to say that I am overjoyed with what you all wrote about, to, and for me.
I had only hoped that I might find acceptance and love here.
But God has given me so much more...the bonus He never fails to bless me with. Just WHY He chooses to love me so much is beyond me sometimes...I'm so imperfect without Him...HE makes me what I am, if that be anything at all. I'm blessed, and I know it.
Thank you all so much for loving me, and accepting me with all my imperfections, as both a friend, and a of the Almighty God...whose I am, and whom I serve...in whom I live, breath, and have my being. Without Him, I am nothing, and can do nothing right, or good.
To God be the glory. Amen & amen.
Love,
Karen
Thank you God
For what You've just shown me
And for giving me Your family
To love, enjoy, and call my own
And it's all because You sent Your
I thank You Lord
That You've let me see
Just what Your
Have done for me
For trusting me
With their hearts
And letting them see
What You've done in me
It's You Lord; it's not me
Who deserves all the glory
That they have placed upon my face
The joy that shows and gives me grace
I'm undeserving, I can see
Yet You chose to make me family
Giving me memories I can cherish
And never letting me be embarrassed
Thank you God, for Your grace > God's Riches At Christ's Expense.
Your , Karen
TO GOD BE THE GLORY! AMEN!
Feeling: 'high' on my Father's love.
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Nurturing My Soul - I'm not perfect
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Posted:May 22, 2006 8:34 pm
Last Updated:May 23, 2007 7:02 am 2158 Views
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I may not be what you want me to be
I may not be your star
I may not be your hero
Or anything, by far
I may not be your symbol of light
I may not be your mother
I may not be your anything
I may not be your other
So if you look upon me
And you think I'm not that much
Just ask my Father about me
If me, He did not touch
I cannot try to please you
When you look at me as wrong
Though my heart may try to appease you
The road there's much too long
So don't ask me to be different
Then what God has asked me to be
'Cause I can't be anything more
Then what He has become in me
I will not have an answer
For each and every thing
So if you want the truth 'bout me
Ask the One with the ring
God's not finished with me yet
He's still working with what you see
So please don't interrupt Him
Until He's done with me
The job He's done already
Is a Master's work indeed
If you only knew what it's been
For God to work with me
It wasn't the easiest work
For God to tame my tongue
Or give me what it takes to love
Or teach me how to run
I've been a little stubborn
It must have been a test
For God to even want me
To think I'm worth His best
So when you look upon me
And you think that something's wrong
You may want to talk to my Father
Before you hush my song
I cannot say I'm perfect
So if you're looking for God's best
You'll have to go to Jesus
To see who passed His test
God bless all of you and keep you in His will.
May you never be looked down upon as being less then what God sees you as...a work of art in HIS making.
From the heart of 1ladybabygirl (Karen)
satisfied: content, pleased, happy, fulfilled, contented
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