Keep it up Kirk

So, why is it that everyone has a right and privileged to speak out except those who hold Christian views, and old fashioned moral standards? The country is rushing to show that they're tolerant... but really they're showing extreme Intolerance. A fine man with a great testimony has shared his honest opinion, personal opinion, on his views of gay marriage. Kirk Cameron got blasted. Why? Why is it soooo wrong for someone like Kirk to share his opinion like that? He never spoke meanly about any person, he spoke about an act. He does not support gay marriage... and why should he be forced to? Where is REAL free speech? It's in the hands of the liberals who have been pushing the demise of morals for decades.

Kirk Defends Views on Gay Marriage

This week, my boy came home from the Eagle's Nest at the grocery store, a little place where they care for the kids while moms shop, with some fake toy food that he had stuffed in his pockets. Now.... Do I hate my son, now that I know he's stolen? (he is only 4, this is an exaggerated example to show a point) He is a thief! He steals.
No, of course not! I love my son. I know that what he does will never define Who he IS. He is a boy who stole. So, what should I do? If i were to say... "oh honey, that's just how you were born, the store will never miss those few little things, don't worry about it." Be honest with yourself... isn't the urge to steal a totally naturally inborn trait? So, if I were to let it go, and not teach that it is a sin, and it is wrong, he would grow up feeling justified in his action, would he not? I can not do that. I must teach him that stealing is wrong, and is a sin. (and i must point out that sin is sin, whether it hurts or even involves other people or not)

Transfer those ideas to the gay lifestyle, and you notice that for decades now, people in the media, teachers, and parents have been teaching their children that having relations with people of the same sex is totally normal, and acceptable. These children are growing up, not seeing it as a sin, and feeling justified in making that choice. I will stand on this thought... people will be attracted to WHOMEVER or WHATEVER they ALLOW themselves to be attracted to. It is in our human nature to be sexual creatures, and if we allow ourselves, we can dream up all kinds of actions that are outside the moral law of one man one woman, sex AFTER marriage. Sexual desires are base instincts. A man who will open himself up to the possibility is capable of choosing anything. It is in truth inborn, BECAUSE it is a sin, and we are born to sin. We are born choosing against God. It is in our nature.

So, would I say.. if my son chose to be gay when he grows up... he's just gay... that's him, and I will accept and support his lifestyle? Um... no. Sorry, to all the liberals who just had a heart attack. I would not. His ACTION is not who HE is. He is a human, and my son. His choice to be gay would be the sin that he's chosen, and I would not support that. Would I stop loving him? Of course not. Would I kick him to the curb? no. Would I try to help him see that the action he's choosing is wrong, and sinful? absolutely. Would I urge him to turn from it, and ask to be forgiven? YES.

I deal with a besetting sin called PRIDE. It is a sin that for the most part won't affect other people unless I actually do something to them. I still know that my pride is a sin. (not self worth, or self confidence in the gifts God has given, that's different) Pride doesn't define me. I am not PRIDE. I choose to feel pride.

I also can be selfish. That is a sin... but that is not who I am. It is a sin that comes very naturally, and is inborn. I simply need work to keep pride and selfishness out of my life. (I fail miserably) Should I choose to just start teaching that those things are just fine, and natural, so that I can keep acting on them? No. I need to work on myself. Will i spend my days resenting everyone else who think it's a sin, and tell them not to judge me? No. I judge myself every day.

We are confusing the sin with the sinner. The act with the person who is doing the action. We are trying to make them inseparable in this society, and ultimately condemning the person wholly. The liberal groups are guilty of this, but also the conservative groups. If you make the sin and the sinner inseparable, then there is no room to hate the sin, but love the person who acts in that sin.

I haven't really brought Christ into this yet, but anyone who reads my blog, knows that I believe that Christ  CARES a great deal about us. He absolutely never told the woman at the well that her sexual sins were ok... he simply said.. I won't condemn you either "Go and SIN NO MORE."

It's getting late, and I need to wind down now. I hope that we can all work on ourselves. We each have so much to work on. We shouldn't be afraid to strive for the right, to live right.

We all Need a Little More Compassion

Compassion.Com- and Candace Cameron Bure

What's holding me back? I've always wanted to be involved in programs like Compassion, and Kids Against Hunger. I get stirred while I read the articles and see the photos, and think "someday". But WHY not now?

I have so many excuses. "I'm bad with money." "There's not enough to live on, AND give away too." "I'm not even consistent with my tithe, or faith promise at church, how can I start something new?"

I need to pray. Maybe you'll pray for me? Pray that I can start being consistent with my giving, that I can see my heart for what it is... selfish.

I prayed last year to be able to make my own money, so I could give to faith promise missions... and the Lord brought in the sales on Etsy... and what did I do with it? Only a handful of the profit actually went where it was supposed to go. I use the excuse that I'm bad with money, what an excuse. It's that excuse that enables me to spend without keeping track. I do it on purpose, because I don't want to own up to it. I don't want to be given a ceiling on the spending, to be told no (even by myself.) The money trickles in from sales, and I just let it trickle right through my fingers, instead of holding onto it, and using it the way I prayed for.

This year, I need to get a hold of this sin in my heart, and give it to God. I need to stop holding on to it.

How about you? How are you doing in this area? We'll pray together.

My favorite time of year.

‎"October gave a party; The leaves by hundreds came-
The Chestnuts, Oaks, and Maples, And leaves of every name.
The Sunshine spread a carpet, And everything was grand,
Miss Weather led the dancing, Professor Wind the band."
- George Cooper

Man, i Love autumn. We were driving on the highway yesterday, and i just wanted to bottle up all that color. just amazing! God is so cool. I can look at all this beauty, and know that He made it all happen. I just have to grin, and silently give him props, LOL. God wants to hear from us. He likes hearing us say... "Man, is that the coolest color for the leaves, God, you are awesome!" He made the earth for His enjoyment. Everyone likes caring for something. We get pets and have children, so we can care for something and watch it grow. Just like we enjoy getting positive feedback from the children and pets that we care for, God wants to hear us praise Him, and love Him. It would be so sad to raise a baby, and feed him, love him, and never have him pay attention to us, or show us love. We would be heartbroken.
We have an amazing, (beyond comprehension)Father, who made the universe, and everything in it. Yet, He can be our personal Father, through faith in Christ. We can see little personal gifts that He leaves for us every day. Each little critter that crosses our path, for our enjoyment, or a chuckle- that's God giving us a gift. Let's all give him "props" give Him the glory, give Him our admiration and love.

Deuteronomy 10:21 (King James Version)

21He is thy praise, and he is thy God, that hath done for thee these great and terrible things, which thine eyes have seen.

HUGE MAJOR AMAZING PRAISE!!!!!

This morning, just a few minutes ago, I gave Gabriel his very last chemo!!!!!

END OF TREATMENT is ON!!! Praise an amazing Lord!

God is Good ALL the time!

Count ME!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090517/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_obama_notre_dame

A Gallup survey released Friday found that 51 percent of those questioned call themselves "pro-life" on the issue of abortion and 42 percent "pro-choice." This is the first time a majority of U.S. adults have identified themselves as "pro-life" since Gallup began asking this question in 1995.

Count ME as one of them. I don't understand how we can have so many rescues for animals (they're sweet, and the people are great to do it) and yet be able to throw away millions of humans! Where's the logic in that? A woman's body HOUSES a baby. The baby isn't wholly part of her body, it is a being all it's own, with it's own DNA, it's own feelings, and fears. A woman should not be able to choose to kill, just because her offspring isn't outside her body yet. If someone killed their son when he was 8 it would be murder. What's the difference, I ask?? Size? Potential to run away? We're so selfish in this world, we're willing to sacrifice HUMANS for our convenience, our reputation, our comfort? Some people sacrifice their children to Idols, we sacrifice our children to the god of Selfishness.

ADOPTION NOT ABORTION. I know friends who have had to go all the way overseas, and paid thousands of dollars to adopt babies, while we toss ours in the garbage. Let's wake up and start caring for our nation's babies!

Our Sweet Esther is in Heaven

(we've been following the news of Esther for a few years now, and yesterday, she passed away. I am so honored to have been a part of this little girl's life through prayer. This is the email that came this morning.)


Esther Joy Travis

entered into
the Joy of her Lord,

from death unto life eternal
at 4:25pm Saturday, May 9, 2009.



Touche s of grace : (things Esther said over this last week)

1. 4-30-09 Thursday morning she woke up and wanted to eat Adam remembers that prayer, She was so grateful to eat! Daddy asked her if she had seen Jesus. Esther said YES and Adam askedwhen. Esther said,"While I was praying for my food I saw Him in my heart". Adam went on to ask if He said anything and she said, "He said I will be with you." Anxious that she was going to go Adam asked "Is he with you now?" She replied,"He is always in my heart Daddy! He said I WILL be with you." Adam is still laughing about how silly his question was. =)

2. 4-30-09 We were watching a movie but she wasn't really watching so I asked her what she was thinking about she replied" I was thinking about how special Jesus is". I said, Yes, He is special, what special thing where you thinking about? She said" How strong He is".

3. 5-3-09 Sunday Adam walked the kids over to Sunday school and came back to help me with Esther. When she realized he was back she said, "Daddy you can go". He explained he was staying to help me with her and I ask, do you want Daddy to go? Esther nodded and said "Yes, I want you to go teach the Indians about Jesus".

4. 5-3-09 That night we had taken her into the hospital for platlet s and two red cell transfusion s. She sat up with a smile and wanted to hug me I will always remember those little boney arms with her pick line brace squeasing my neck as she spoke the words I love you mommy for the last time.
I was headed to get her meds a little later and she muttered "Don't worry about me mommy, Jesus will be with me."

5. 5-8-09 F or fun when Daddy wiped an eyelash off her cheek he asked what she wished for. Esther said (what we would later know was her real last conversatio n) "I wish to go to heaven".

6. 5-9-09 After a hard night and morning we were able at 2:30 to get her pain finally to subside. We fell asleep stretched out by her. The Lord sent a total stranger to wake us up (a man from Southwood Baptist Church, who said they had taken up a collection for us and had been praying for us) as Adam started to visit with him I realized Esther was taking her last few breathes. I called Adam he excused himself and we along with her two older siblings Jonathan and Deborah were able to be with her as she took her last. The Lord answered our prayer to both be with her as she passed on.

May God Bless You All,

Adam and Jennifer Travis

Scenic Sunday

Yesterday, we were driving home from my mom's after church, and I thought it would be cool to try to get the cemetary there on the hill. We were driving pretty fast, so this is the only pic I got. LOL. But, I thought it appropriate, since my mind was on empty tombs, PTL!



I'm sure this week's Scenic Sunday has amazing submissions! To check them out, click on the linkie at the left sidebar.

God's Embroidery

God's Embroidery (author unknown)

When I was a little girl, my Mother used to embroider a great deal. I would sit at her knee and look up from the floor and ask what she was doing. She informed me that she was embroidering. I told her that it looked like a mess from where I was. As from the underside, I watched her work with it in the boundaries of the little round hoop that she held in her hand. I complained to her that is sure looked messy from where I sat.She would smile at me, look down and gently say, "My daughter, you go about playing for awhile, and when I am finished with my embroidering, I will put you on me knee and let you see it from my side." I would wonder why she was using some dark threads along with the bright ones, and why they seemed so jumbled from my view. A few minutes would pass, and then I would hear Mother's voice say "Come and sit on my knee."This I did, only to be surprised and thrilled to see a beautiful flower or a sunset. I could not believe it, because from underneath, it looked so messy. Then Mother would say to me, "From underneath, it did look messy and jumbled, but you did not realize that there was a pre-drawn plan on the top. It was a design. I was following it. Now look at it from my side and you will see what I was doing."Many times through the years, I have looked up to my Heavenly Father and said, "Father, what are you doing?" He has answered, "I am embroidering your life." I say, "But it looks like a mess to me. It seems so jumbled. The threads seems so dark. Why can't they all be bright?" The Father seems to tell me, "My child, you go about your business of doing, and one day I will bring you to Heaven and put you on my knee, and you will see the plan from My side."**Author Unknown

The Dangers of a Critical Spirit

2 Samuel 6:15-16 "So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet. And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal Saul's daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart."

2 Samuel 6:20-23 "Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Israel to day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself!
And David said unto Michal, It was before the LORD, which chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel: therefore will I play before the LORD.
And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour.
Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death."

This passage has come up twice for me in 2 days. I think that's shows that it wants to be noticed.
Our evangelist preached on this passage last night... about the dangers of a critical spirit.

Michal had a critical spirit, and it limited her view of the blessings... he pointed out that she wasn't down with everyone praising the Lord, but up looking out a tiny window... a lot of times people with a critical spirit "know" that their view is the best one... it robs you from seeing blessings. David was doing all this for the Lord, and the Bible doesn't say at all the the Lord was displeased by any of what happened.

Secondly, it makes you become "bound by bitterness" Poor Michael was so bitter. She had such a rough life. But bitterness will eat away at you, and ruin you.

The third point was how having a critical spirit causes you to be "branded by barreness" people will notice something's not right, and distance themselves... your Christian life, your friendships... everything will suffer.

It was such a good message, I really needed it.
Then, today, I stopped by my friend, Kristi's blog, and she had the same passage for the same theme. EErie, lol. Here is the link to her blog about it.... http://kristi71.blogspot.com/2009/02/inappropriateness-or-personal.html

Elizabeth

Christmas Poem with a little bite to it.

*Twas the month before Christmas*

*When all through our land,*

*Not a Christian was praying*

*Nor taking a stand.*

*See the PC Police had taken away,*

*The reason for Christmas - no one could say.*

*The children were told by their schools not to sing,*

*About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.*

*It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say*

* December 25th is just a ' Holiday '.*

*Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit*

*Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!*

*CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod*

*Something was changing, something quite odd! *

*Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa*

*In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.*

*As Targets were hanging their trees upside down*

* At Lowe's the word Christmas - was no where to be found.*

*At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears*

*You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.*

*Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty*

*Are words that were used to intimidate me.*

*Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen*

*On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton !*

*At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter*

*To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.*

*And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith*

* Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace*

*The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded*

*The reason for the season, stopped before it started.*

*So as you celebrate 'Winter Break' under your 'Dream Tree'*

*Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.*

*Choose your words carefully, choose what you say*

*Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS ,

not Happy Holiday !*

You can see the toll sin has taken... in their eyes.

I just browsed this article about 10 stars who've "lost their dreamboat status".
http://movies.msn.com/movies/galleryfeature/sunken-dreamboats/?photoidx=1

The main ones were Tom Cruise and Mel Gibson .... and even before I read the articles, I could see it in their eyes that they were GONE.
Tom's eyes are crazy now, I was shocked when I saw the picture... and wasn't surprised that his eyes were the exact topic of his article.

But it's not just his... you can see a lot of the eyes have changed... you can see the toll sin has taken on them. alchoholism... tax evasion... pride on a patheticly elevated level etc.

We make these actors our gods, and worship them, and throw offerings at them... and they're just human, and THEY FAIL. No one can have that much freedom and stay on course for long. I read Michael J Fox's book a few years ago, and I've never forgotten how he talked about actors being sooo spoiled... no traffic tickets, any kind of products they'd like for free, being able to "use", and being protected and coddled through all of their bad behavior. He was confessing it as his own struggle, but it applies to most of the actors in hollywood. And we allow it, and praise them, because they're good at pretending in front of a camera. We need to get actors off the pedestals they're on, and give them the same rules we have to live by, the same consequences for all the little things... not just wait til they're insane to say.."hey, you're not living right".


It's just sad. Our kids look up to these people. The most obnoxious actors are now doing voices for our kid's movie cartoons! Why?? Why on earth do SNL comedians have to become children's movie stars? Oh, that's a whole 'nother vent. I won't go into it all now. Our poor kids.

We all have problems, I'm not just pinpointing actors or picking on them. We all need to examine our own lives, and make our peace with Jesus our Savior. Only He can truly straighten us out, and help us through every struggle we have in this sin-sick world.

One Fall Afternoon

we went for a walk around the block the other day, and it was just amazing how each tree had a different pattern. so beautiful!
Thank you Lord, for your amazing creation.

Chicken at V's Gourmet

This is a quick slideshow of a fantastic takeout place, called V's Gourmet Chicken and Ribs. A good friend owns the restaurant, and their whole family help run it.
Their chicken is the best ever! It seems to always be pretty crowded with people waiting for something tastey. They do catering, and things like that too.

The most wonderful thing about this restaurant though is their testimony! Paris and his family come to Cleveland Baptist with us, and are sold out soul winners. The family decorated their whole customer area with salvation material, and have a video running non-stop about Jesus. It's so awesome to go in there, and look around, and watch the video about Christ, and then to be able to eat the best fried chicken ever. Jeffie and I went on a mini date on Saturday, and got their meals, and ate them at a spot by the lake. It was really cold, so we only stayed for a few minutes and then went to Borders to spend the rest of the evening.

My brother sent me this poem

"Worth While"

It is easy enough to be pleasant,
When life flows by like a song,
But the man worth while is one who will smile,
When everything goes dead wrong.
For the test of the heart is trouble,
And it always comes with years,
And the smile that is worth the praises of earth
Is the smile that shines through tears.


It is easy enough to be prudent,
When nothing tempts you to stray,
When without or within no voice of sin
Is tempting your soul away;
But it's only a negative virtue
Until it is tried by fire,
And the life that is worth the honor on earth
Is the one who resists desire.

By the cynic, the sad, the fallen,
Who had no strength for the strife,
The worlds highway is cumbered today;
They make up the sum of life.
But the virtue that conquers passion,
And the sorrow that hides in a smile,
It is these that are worth the homage on earth
For we find them but once in a while.
Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Sunday School Christmas

I really like these slideshows, they sure save space, lol.

Sunday Christmas Service

I was cheeky and took my camera to the Sunday night service. I was up in the balcony. I got one good picture of the auditorium. I was going to get a picture of the choir when they came up, and I couldn't get any good shots, so I switched the setting, TOTALLY oblivious of the fact that the flash would be on. A Big oops, the flash went off. I was so embarrassed. Luckilly, my one friend who had been in the choir said she didn't notice. LOL.

Here is a pic of our auditorium.


Here is a video of one of the choir songs, Silent Night. I missed the first part.



This is a video of an AWESOME song sung by some of my favorite people.
Mary Did You Know

Little Esther in Need of Prayer

One of our missionary families has been on deputation to head out to the field of India.

They just learned that their oldest daughter, 5 years old, has cancer. It's stage 4! It's all throughout her body, and in her bone marrow. She has a large tumor by her backbone, and then it's just spreading. They're here now for the start of a very intense treatment, which will go on for a year, trying to control and beat this cancer. She will need a lot of chemo, and she will definitely have to get a bone marrow transplant.

My heart just is in sorrow over this. God has been so good to our family. He has worked a miracle in my son's body. I know that even though her situation seems hopeless, they say she has a 20% chance of survival, God is ALL POWERFUL. Whatever happens will be for His glory.

Recent picture of beautiful Esther. Doesn't she look like a sweet, southern belle?

Andrew

My nephew, Andrew, went forward in the Thursday night revival service....

AND GOT SAVED!!! Praise the Lord!

Great Sermon Tonight

(copied from my message board)
i just got done listening to the revival sermon tonight, all through august they're having special thursday services.

the sermon tonight was based on joshua, and had such a fantastic truth.

he compared the Christian life with the soldiers at Jericho, and how...
the first 6 days they couldn't talk or do anything..... they never knew the reason, they just had to obey. they were soldiers, but they weren't allowed to do anthing but just walk and walk and walk day after day.

our walk as Christians is not going to be filled with miracles every day, or excitement every day...
it consists of "walking around the walls" day after day.... we wake up, and do our routine, and stay faithful to the Lord.

our walk also has to be disciplined, it doesn't matter why we're supposed to be separated, and follow certain Christian values.... God said it, we need to do it.... even just to be disciplined, and strong for him.
soldiers aren't trained to question, and they're ordered to do many weird things, and the same goes for us. we'll never understand all the commandments of the Lord, and why we have to do things certain ways, it's just our job to obey.

we don't know the outcome, we just have to have faith. this sermon helped me alot, i mean, we're right in the thick of a hard time, with gabey being sick, and we don't know how it's going to turn out, but our job as Christians is just to obey God through all of this, and have faith in HIM for the outcome.