Christmas Day

Wow--we got to skype with James last night from A-stan, and Andy and Lauren and Abby and baby David in Anchorage after noon our time. (their morning of unwrapping presents) And we got to see Abby unwrap presents we had mailed them. wow This new technology is fantastic. And it helps to have such thoughtful, kind, loving sons who are willing!

I am afraid lunch was a little too rare, and too bloody for Ben. I even called my mom because it has been years and years since I have cooked a prime rib roast. We found one on sale at Tom Thumb. A little bit big for three, but hopefully, we can heat up the leftovers...

Cooking a prime rib roast at 500 degrees for one hour, then turn down the oven for half an hour or more as you finish with the smashed potatoes, dressing, and rolls.

The microwave quietly quit. Just like that. Last night, we noticed the light was not on and Bob and Ben tested it. dead. Lovely. How to heat up the dressing? and how will we heat up leftovers?? oh. well.

I like what Steve H. said on his facebook page to put the day in God's Hands.

My problem is getting everything to the table hot at the same time. We were finished and the kitchen cleaning underway by noon. And good thing, as that is when Andy and Lauren called. Way too much food left over is my other problem. ha

Since I had been without a stove for almost a year, I had not made mashed potatoes in a while, so I hid the beaters from myself. Looked high and low. And here I have to touch them every time I get out the pyrex measuring cups Andy and Lauren gave us. I had placed the beaters in the cups... (the mind is going)

I use those pyrex cups a lot for heating up hot water in the microwave...

And using the shiny electric mixer James and Amber gave us...made me tear up for James. James should be home. Home with Amber.

But, God brought it to my mind---pyrex bowls set in boiling water on the stove heated up the dressing nicely. Not that Bob nor Ben are big dressing eaters. The veggies were hidden in the dressing, so they did not get their daily requirement of celery, apples, cranberries, nor onions. And a little dressing goes a long way. Smelled good anyway.

So, I am thankful for sons that skype.
And good rain. And some sun today.
And a smooth lunch. And Ben wrapped his straight A grades. 4.0 None of us had every seen such numbers on a report card. We even showed Andy and Lauren.

Part of me wants to just drive around today. See whatall is open, and what is closed. Today is Christmas Day. It is a Saturday. Tomorrow lots of places will still be closed because it is Sunday. (and the candles at C. Barrel will be half price!)

The house still smells of prime rib smoke. Best to cook the next one someday on a day when we can open windows. (spring and fall)

I wonder if the puppies next door have found those prime rib bones?

Merry Christmas to all. And may I recommend this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPbV_HTpyx0&feature=player_embedded

A Knitting Poem someone sent me for Christmas

'Twas the night before Christmas and all around me
Was unfinished knitting not under the tree.
The stockings weren't hung by the chimney with care
'Cause the heels and toes had not a stitch there.
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
But I had not finished the caps for their heads.
Dad was asleep; he was no help at all,
And the sweater for him was six inches too small,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter
I put down my needles to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tripped over my yarn and fell down with a crash.
The tangle of yarn that lay deep as the snow
Reminded me how much I still had to go.
Out on my lawn I heard such a noise,
I thought it would wake both Dad and the boys.
And though I was tired, my brain a bit thick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
But what I heard then left me perplex-ed,
For not a name I heard was what I expected,
"Move, Ashford! Move, Lopi! Move, Addi and Clover!
Move, Reynolds! Move Starmore! Move Froelich --move over
Paton, don't circle 'round; stand in the line.
Come now, you sheep will work out just fine!
I know this is hard; it's just your first year,
I'd hate to go back to eight tiny reindeer."
I peered over the sill; what I saw was amazing,
Eight wooly sheep on my lawn all a-grazing.
And then, in a twinkle, I heard at the door
Santa's feet coming across the porch floor.
I rose from my knees and got back on my feet,
And as I turned 'round St Nick I did meet.
He was dressed all in wool from his head to his toe,
And his clothes were hand knit from above to below.
A bright Fairisle sweater he wore on his back,
And his toys were all stuffed in an Aran knit sack.
His cap was a wonder of bobbles and lace
A beautiful frame for his rosy red face.
The scarf 'round his neck could have stretched for a mile,
And the socks peeking over his boots were Argyle.
The back of his mittens bore an intricate cable.
And suddenly on one I espied a small label,
"S.C." was duplicate stitched on the cuff,
And I asked, "Hey, Nick, did you knit all this stuff?"
He proudly replied, "Ho, ho, ho, yes I did.
I learned how to knit when I was a kid."
He was chubby and plump, a quite well-dressed old man,
And I laughed to myself, for I'd thought up a plan.
I flashed him a grin and jumped up in the air,
And the next thing he knew, he was tied to a chair,
He spoke not a word, but looked in his lap
Where I'd laid my needles and yarn for a cap.
He quickly began knitting, first one cap then two,
For the first time I thought I might really get through.
He put heels in the stockings and toes in some socks.
While I sat back drinking scotch on the rocks.
So quickly like magic his needles they flew
That he was all finished by quarter to two.
He sprang for his sleigh when I let him go free,
And over his shoulder he looked back at me,
And I heard him exclaim as he sailed past the moon,
"Next year start your knitting sometime around June!"

The Slippery Slope

When we, as a local church, allowed the "music ministry" to take over the Sunday before Christmas service...and next year, ON Christmas day...when we alllow just music instead of Bible teaching, it is a slippery slope to just a play on Sunday morning before Christmas. yikes.

To some, the music and the plays and the dog and pony shows--speak to their hearts. I am happy for them. But, I find it appaulling that on a Sunday which happens to be Christmas Day...our pastors and elders/planners wimp out.

I'd attend a regular service---with just a FEW hymns (even Christmas carols from the hymnal) and a regular sermon where the pastor opens the Bible and reads from it and teaches what the Hebrew and Greek words say. I don't believe in catoring to this being one of two days some people are able to rope their friends and relatives into the pews. (Easter and Christmas). I don't believe in using these days to attract the unchurched. Why lie to them? Why put on a show and then next Sunday revert back to the regular?? That is deceit. And what are we teaching the children? What are we modelling?

How about we as Christians take back Jesus's birthday? How about some Sunday in April closer to when Jesus was probably actually born, we acknowledge the clues from the Christmas story?? Where is the church that talks about Jesus?

Where is the line to see Jesus? I don't want to watch a stupid play about a family having hardships in Kentucky with costumes and parading on a stage. If I want entertained, I go to the movie theatre---the new Narnia movie is wonderfully done.

So, we vote with our feet, and stay home, and listen to good messages online this Christmas season: http://www.sermonaudio.com/search.asp?SpeakerOnly=true&currSection=sermonsspeaker&keyword=Voddie%5EBaucham

Start at the beginning of the six part series. dated 12-10-2010. Learn about Biblical, God-honoring marriage, parenting, and be encouraged.

Saturday

Drinking coffee. Reading blogs.

One blog I found a few days ago refers to a wild child as a feral daughter. And it reminded me of a blog of an Army wife who had a challenging daughter. And I found her in my list on my blog page. Kinda wish these two women could meet and compare notes.

Thank you, Bob for the coffee. And toast with cinnamon sugar.

I went without a stovetop for almost a year. Don't cry for me Argentina. I wanted to see if I could do without one. Most cooking is done in the oven or microwave, and we have a toaster oven, and crock pot. The only challenge came when cooking eggs. Eggs come out super fluffy in the microwave, which is okay with Bob. But, I missed hard boiled eggs.

When Ben came home from his first semester studying to be an electrician, I wondered if he'd like to install the stovetop. Sure enough! He could not wait! I think he tackled it before breakfast. And had it installed by noon!

Yesterday, he decided that the bathroom needed another outlet beside the mirror/medicine cabinet. So he installed one. It is neatly done, and pretty and white. Bob was here to oversee, and being an electrical engineer, I was not worried. My "important" job was to hollar when the correct circuit was flipped so Ben could work without electrocuting himself. Bob flipped the breakers---first the computer blinked, then the light in the kitchen, then the light in the hall...and finally, the frig and light Bob was wanting that was also the bathroom circuit.

What would an electrician's dream house look like?? Outlets placed like art on the walls?? Outlets spaced every few feet for convenience? And an electrician's wife? Would she be understanding? Would she want outlet covers?

But--back to frying. I was hungry for some dressing. I could only find one box of cornbread dressing at Walmart, so I mixed it with a box of regular. Too lazy to make a pan of cornbread...I fried up, "stir-fried" celery and onion and used canned chicken broth---low sodium, and orange juice for the liquid. I made a ton, but it freezes well. Canned oysters would have been a good addition. or chicken. or turkey. But, without meat, I don't have to worry about spoilage and put some in the freezer for another day. And I will cut up what we don't use today and freeze in freezer baggies, too. I did not use much butter except to butter the pans. It was still not cornbready enough, but I am getting there. Cracker Barrel only serves cornbread dressing on one day a week special. And not on Friday, when we usually go for Ben's catfish.

Time to badmouth our post office again. Yesterday, I was all ready to send one more package to the grandbabies in Anchorage, and was excited to just dash in, use the machine, and be in an out in minutes. Wouldn't you know, the machine was out of order. The line was out the door. And only two clerks, and then, half-way to the counter, the one clerk took her break. Fifteen minutes. We could see her sitting back there. Unbelievable. Why wouldn't the post office hire more folks for the crush? Packages were stacked everywhere. Sadly, I recognized no one in line, and no one wanted to visit. Most were busy on their phones. Bob left to get the car washed, and I finally made it to the counter after the lady came back from her break. union? The other clerk is too chatty. If he did not have to visit with everyone, we could have been in and out of there quicker.

Update on Ben

Our youngest son, now 23 years old, had surgery on Monday and is doing super. He tried taking the heavy-duty pain meds, but they made him throw up. So, Wednesday morning, he gave them up, and sweated throughout the day, but says it is just a little numb back there at the surgical site. He has to be careful getting up and down, and stands rather than sit. But, since he is glued back together, there is no open wound. no drainage. no packing or changing the dressing, like we did with James when he had this done at age 18.

Ben is determined to get up and be independent again. He is pretty bored with us. And while he appreciates our help, he is driven to do stuff for himself. My mothering is smothering to him. Someday, when he has a child of his own, he will understand. And that is as it should be. Even then, being a Dad is different. Dads are more into pushing the child to be independent, whereas the Mom is for nurturing, meeting needs, and preventative stuff.

It was so warm here yesterday, over 76 degrees, that we turned on the AC as Ben was sweating. The wind turned around after midnight, and we closed up the windows and have the furnace ready to come on if it drops below 68 degrees in here. But, it was so nice to sit outside and enjoy a non-winter day. We sure need rain, however.

Cute Ben story---when Ben came home from the pre-assessment appointment, he said that the nurse asked him if he was bulemic. Ben thought that was the most ridiculous thing because he thinks he has gained a little weight since Thanksgiving and his jeans are fitting tighter in the waist band. Why on earth would the nurse aks him that? I suggested maybe she asked if he was anemic, as she was taking a blood sample. And Ben said, "bulemic/anemic, same thing, right?" And I laughed. No, anemic means low iron, dear one.

I did not get the memo...

So, when did hospitals start allowing cell phones??

And when did hospitals do away with hand washing?

And who is the cute interior bulemic anorexic decorator that decided dining chairs with arms will fit any fat momma in the waiting room and recovery room?

Our son had a "procedure" on Monday at the same hospital in which he was born. Twenty-three years ago. He has been a pretty healthy kid. Sure, we have had our share of broken arms, stitches, and the downing of a triaminic liquid bottle when he got mad at the age of 3 when I gave some pretty orange medicine to his brother, but not to him. But, when they asked when was the last time Ben was there, I had to stop and think. Was it the time he was jumping off the table at church in the youth room to try and impress a girl and needed a few staples in his head? Or the time he flew out of the swing at church camp? No, that would have been at a different hospital.

I was so tempted to leave Dr. Bergstrom a note when I saw she was still doing surgery. The very doctor that delivered Ben...and the doctor (Mycoskie) that set a broken arm when he fell off the jungle gym on the playground...listed up on the white board in recovery.

Ben's procedure required deep cleansing of an area. And oh, the phone gals will lie to you. One told me a fleet enema was something you drink the night before. The pharmacist laughed at that one. And one tole me all Ben needed to do was sign forms at the "pre-assessment" appointment. Nah. They wanted money. upfront. I am thankful our insurance covers this, but proving that to the hospital and plugging in all the correct numbers on the pre-registration form took an hour. And Ben called from the pre-assessment appointment with the glad news that they wanted money!

What if we shopped for other services this way?? Let's say our plumber required two grand up front just to come out and look at your plumbing needs. And you had to give reams of information about your employment and insurance and social security numbers to that plumber's secretary before any work was done? You'd have to plan those stopages in advance! And forget emergencies unless you were an illegal alien, and then you'd have to call the plumber at that establishment (JPS) who specialize in trama...I mean, illegals.

The waiting room was pretty empty at 5:55am. I wondered where everyone was. Ben was prepped, and bored by 6:15am, and got to wait a whole hour before being taken to surgery. Thankfully, his doctor prayed over him before the surgery. Ben was glad, and comforted, but alarmed because his doctor looked tired and sick. After the hour long surgery, the doctor found us in the waiting room and gave us all the instructions. We should have taken notes, as the nurse later informed us that our going home instructions were given orally by the doctor. Good thing both Bob and I were listening. Oh joy...now to convince Ben, that yes, the doctor said no sex until you are married...

The pilonidal sinus/cyst was deep and old and even had a hair mass ball. (we joked about the tumor twin from the movie, My Big Fat Greek Wedding. the recovery nurse was not amused as she had not seen the movie being neither Greek nor fat) A pilonidal sinus/cyst is a guy thing. When a guy hits puberty, some hairs on the base of the spine area turn inward, get infected, and plague the victim until removed by surgery. Our son James had one excised at the Children's Hospital when when he was 18 years old. Being the oldest "child" on the surgery list, he got to wait all day without food or water for his turn. Ben says his did not act up until he left home almost four years ago. And having left home and being independent, he was not longer on our insurance. Ben is a hard worker, and enjoyed figuring out how to install solar panels on roofs. We enjoyed hearing his stories, and shuddered at the perils, and need for insurance. He had to resort to going to JPS a few times for antibiotics and he usually waited until a rainy day, as it ate a whole day of work, and rainy days they could not get on roofs.

When Ben returned to college to get his electrical license, and became a full time student, we saw this one-year window left to put him back on insurance, and get his pilonidal sinus cleaned out. We found a doctor on our insurance policy through no help at all of our primary "caregiver" and set this date between semesters to give Ben a chance to recover. Ben is grateful. And said some whacky things coming out of anesthesia...and one of his concerns was, "how much was this going to cost?" We are trying to plant the idea that he needs to be ready, willing and able to do this for his son someday, if necessary. And sadly, in our day, your insurance coverage is almost if not more important than your job. Having that insurance card, and pink check in sheet from the pre-assessment appointment was Ben's ticket past the security guard in the hospital lobby. It told them we had paid. It said we had money. It revealed we had jumped through the hoops. It meant we did not have to share a waiting room with anyone else for a few hours.

But, cell phones are okay now? And the waiting room has wifi. I guess the employed with good insurance need access to their laptops so they can continue to be employed and insured.

The hand washing bothered me. I was the only one I saw wash hands all day, and the sink in the public bathroom was so shallow that it was hard to wash and not recontaminate myself. The bathroom was as big as any you'd see at Subway or McDonalds. I hate the touchless towel dispensers...took me a while to figure that one out. I don't get out much. And they don't have them at Walmart.

There are these pumps at the door, and a nurse or aide supposidly took a squirt or foam germ killing hand spit when she came into your room. The nurse spends 90 percent of her time plugging things into her rolling computer. Don't you know that keyboard is sanitary??! ha. And any time she touches you or your IV or helps haul you to the bathroom, she puts on a glove. Yes, the very unsterile hand that grabs a glove is suddenly ready, able and touching everything---from the hand crank on your bed to the doorway as you totter, to the light switch. Fear not. No need to wash your hands in this modern age. Who knew?

Our son was drugged up and sent home by noon. No appetite, and one bout of the throw ups from the pills on an empty stomach, so we are encouraging crackers and "with food" with the pills. But, he is able to get himself up and down, and to the bathroom. And I felt bad waking him up to take a pill at 1am, but I did not want him to wake up having gone too long the first night. He is suppose to be able to shower tomorrow, and in six weeks, but one hundred percent.

If someone had told me, when I gave birth to Ben there at Arlington Memorial, hey, you'll be back in 23 years for a small, hour long surigical "procedure"...how the years have flown. And the window of our helping is quickly closing.. As it should be, but what kind of world will our grandchildren see? Right now, our grandchildren are all treated at military hospitals. Our prayer for Ben is that God bring along a good Christian girl in His perfect timing.

Ben knows way more about drugs than we do. He dated a pharmacy tech for over a year, and also watches these shows on tv that we have never seen. He called them up online on hulu dot com. Oh, my. Bob and I are getting an education. Please pray that Ben see through the agendas and propaganda. Sodom and Gomorrah were worse than what Hollywood puts out?

Stove top, Cook top. Burners. Electric

Back in January...January 5th to be exact (thanks to Bob showing me how to do a search---sorry, I never noticed that box there)...back in January, the burner blew, and Bob removed the old stove top. I was in no hurry to replace it. So, I set some boards over the hole, and enjoyed more counter space.

Today, Ben installed the new one. YAY.

Now I can cook hardboiled eggs. and pancakes...

Now I can fry in my iron skillet.

A black shiny whirlpool with four burners. $300.00

And Ben fixed my coat rack, and my towel door knob rack, and touched up paint...

Ben is very HANDY !!! Please, Lord, bring him a good Christian girl to marry in Your Perfect Time. In Jesus name. Amen.

Pondering Lessons from Sunday

Yesterday, Bob gave a good lesson in his series on fear.

He took his material from the story of David and King Saul in First Samuel 27 and 28.

King Saul was the first anointed king of Israel. But, he disobeyed God's specific instructions (see First Samuel chapter 15) and God directed Samuel to anoint David.

This story is intriguing to me because here is a man who is anointed king, but goes astray. And multiplies his sin by killing innocent priests who help David. King Saul goes berserk, and tries to kill David on numerous occasions.

I have wondered why God allows this. Why did God allow King Saul to live? Why not zap him at that first disobedience? God may be extending grace to King Saul, allowing him time to repent. And maybe God is allowing us to see the consequences of a self-centered life that maybe started well, but went astray. Maybe it is a warning to us to beware. Be alert.

At some point in King Saul's life, he probably passed a point of no return. A hardened heart, like Pharoah, some might say. And I wonder if there were times in David's life when he shook his head in prayer and wondered what God was doing. Those contemplations are found in the Psalms. And David was very clear about not executing the Lord's anointed, even given opportunity after opportunity. That, also, should be a lesson for us. As Christians, we believe in capital punishment done in full compliance with the rule of law.

Even though David got so close to King Saul that he was able to prove his ability and opportunity, and even though King Saul would have killed David given the chance, David did not lower himself to assassination. And David moved himself and his 600 men and their camp followers into enemy territory to protect them, and because he wisely did not trust King Saul's empty promises.

In First Samuel chapter 28, Saul is so desperate and terrified that he goes to great lengths to find and use a medium. a witch. a soothsayer. He disguises himself, and visited the Witch at Endor who thinks it is a trap because she knows that mediums and spiritists were a big no-no and had been banished. (see the Mosaic Law, Deuteronomy 18:10-11) She knew practicing divination and sorcery was outlawed and carried the death penalty. Saul demonstrates his attitude of no reverence at all for the Law by lying to the witch, and asks her to conjure up the recently deceased prophet, Samuel.

Even the witch is surprised at her "success" and realizes she has been tricked. Bob pointed out that she had never had a dead person materialize at one of her seances before. But, God uses Samuel to give King Saul a message: I Samuel 28:16-19

We learn: The Lord has departed from King Saul and has become King Saul's adversary. And the Lord has torn the kingdom out of King Saul's hand and given it to David. (calls him King Saul's "neighbor") And Samuel repeats King Saul's sin where he went astray. And promises that tomorrow, you and your sons will be with me.

King Saul does not take the news very well. Would you? Would I?

I don't see this as a loss of salvation. I think we will me King Saul in heaven, and hear him talk about what a stubborn idiot he was not to obey the Lord precisely. I think we will see a clean King Saul. Forgiven and Cleansed.

Maybe King Saul did not learn or listen in this life. But, I want to remember what God told him way back in I Samuel 15--

Obey the Voice of the Lord

To not obey precisely is evil the the sight of the Lord.

Trying to justify your disobedience by using it to sacrifice to the Lord is wrong.(like stealing money and putting it in the offering plate is wrong) or (like trying to justify the sin of gluttony and wondering why I am so fat)

Obey the Voice of the Lord: Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. FOR REBELLION IS AS THE SIN OF DIVINATION, AND INSUBORDINATION IS AS INIQUITY AND IDOLATRY. (emphasis mine) Because you (Saul) have rejected the Word of the Lord, He has also rejected you from being king.

Bob went on to point out that: "Faith in the Lord is not mere passively accepting what the Lord says is true; it is actively trusting that what the Lord says is important. To take God's Word lightly is to mock God. And to mock God is the first step on the road to our self-destruction."

What if---what if Saul had truly repented? He should have stepped down as king. He should have given the throne to David with the warning to always obey precisely.

These words married up very nicely with what we then heard from Dr. David Noebel during the church service. Dr. Noebel took his message from Hebrews 11:32. The most amazing list---a mixture of success, and martyrdom. I want to review and ponder this passage.

Hebrews 11

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the men of old gained approval. By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the Word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks.

(Let us pause here. Abel. The first murdered human. Murdered at his own brother's hand. forgotten? no. We will meet him in heaven. He never had a wife or kids, but he is not forgotten. By faith Abel acted. He did not just sit around believing. He obeyed God. It cost him his life. I love how God brings Abel into the New Testament.)

v.5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death; and he was not found because God took him up; for he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to god. And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who come to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

(from Abel to Enoch. I just love the Enoch story. He walked with God! And he did not die. He was transported. Transferred. Beam me up, Scotty. Too cool. And after he'd done his job of being a dad. Most lived a thousand years in his time, but he pleased God. Oh, to please God! He did not just sit around believing. He walked with God. And God invited Enoch to walk on home one day with Him. Seek God.)

v.7 By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became a heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.

(Noah. Build an ark. It is going to rain. The only converts where his family. God started over with eight humans and pairs of animals. It should serve as a warning to us that God cannot tolerate sin. God has promised not to destroy the earth by flood, but fire will consume it and a new heaven and earth when God in His perfect timing is done here. I want to remember the "heir of the righteousness which is according to faith." Being an heir means sometimes you build something others make fun of, sometimes you prepare for something others mock you for, and sometimes God saves through a disater of Biblical proportions.)

v. 8-19 Abraham

v. 20 Isaac

v. 21 Jacob

v. 22 Joseph

v. 23-29 Moses

v. 30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they had been encircled for seven days.

v. 31 By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies in peace.

(Rahab hid spies. Rahab risked her life. Rahab believed the stories of the Exodus and that God was at work. But, I just noticed the line---"did not perish along with those who were disobedient"---the people of Jericho. Who exactly did they disobey? GOD ! Amazing---here it is: even Gentile nations were responsible to God. were and are. What an amazing phrase. We all know the story of Jericho. Thanks to Veggie Tales, we can all see the story played out. But, we forget that the people of Jericho were responsible to God. And God took them out. After seven days of grace. Best not to mock the ones God sends to warn you and encircle you.)

Dr. David Noebel picked up at verse 32-40 and 12:1-3

And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets.

Who by faith
conquered kingdoms,
performed acts of righteousness,
obtained promises,
shut the mouths of lions,
quenched the power of fire,
escaped the edge of the sword,
from weakness were made strong,
became mighty in war,
put foreign armies to flight.
Women received back their dead by resurrection;
and others were tortured, not accepting their release,
in order that they might obtain a better resurrection
and others experienced mockings,
and scourgings,
yes also chains and imprisonment.
They were stoned,
they were sawn in two,
they were tempted,
they were put to death with the sword,
they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute,
afflicted,
illtreated
MEN OF WHOM THE WORLD WAS NOT WORTHY
wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground.

And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they should not be made perfect. Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart.

Dr. Noebel said: ah, to be men of whom the world was not worthy. indeed.

Awesome Song: Where is the Line to see Jesus?

http://wheresthelinetoseejesus.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=93&Itemid=160

I don't know how to download it on I Tunes. I don't know how to promote it. But, what an awesome song.

I want to apply it all year----when those long lines form for the tickets to some concert or game...

And there is the wonderful line in the song about how we will all stand in line someday at the Judgment Seat of Christ ! Whoop!

Saw it on Viral Footage, then googled it. Becky Kelley. What else has she sung?