Thursday, November 27, 2008

Thanksgiving Joys

As I sit here in the den of my sister's home, I hear my children playing with their cousins, my mom and sister talking in the front room along with my uncle, Tom. My brother is sitting there nearby as well while my father sits next to me, on the sofa, gently (and this is rare, the gentle part that is...LOL) snoring with his head buried in his chest. Just now I heard the shower start upstairs and know that my husband is getting ready for bed. He is going to get up around 5 am tomorrow and help his parents move from Fresno to San Jose.
We have had a wonderful day full of family, food, and fun. My in-laws had lunch at 2 at my sister-in-laws home here in San Jose. After eating too much food, everyone dispersed to different parts of the house. My brother-in-law went to his office to watch the Cowboys win their game, my mother-in-law and Mark took a nap in the den, some of the kids went into different bedrooms to play dress-up or video games, while others joined Sharon and I at the table to play Disney Uno. We played for over an hour and a half and I think I won!!!
Later, we left Sharon's and with Mom and Dad in law, we drove over to cousin Cindy's home. At this house, we saw her brothers, Lonnie, David, Gary, her sister Karen and her husband Steve along with their 3 boys. We saw her husband David and two of their boys; Nathan and Matthew (whose son, Ryan was running around somewhere) We also saw Cindy's mom Aunt Mary, and David's (the brother, not the husband)daughter Cristina and her new hubby and baby. There were other cousins there that left just as we arrived. What a houseful!!! We haven't seen most of them in over a year and it was nice to reconnect for a few moments.

I pray your day was just as full of family joys as was mine.

God has been so good to us and I look forward to another year of blessings from above.

Friday, November 21, 2008

Family Picture Joys



Aren't they gorgeous??

We had our Christmas/Family pictures taken last Saturday. I can't wait to see the proofs! This is one of my favorites (which I borrowed from the photographer's blog, LOL) and yes, my son is character and cute to boot!

Thanks to Laura B from B. Artistic Photography for a fun photoshoot. She was a VERY patient and sweet lady when Justin got tired of cooperating and had a moment or 10, LOL, where he couldn't sit still. And Anabelle, our Dachshund, was a trial, especially in the first photo attempt where she decided she needed to go potty while we attempted to set up the shot. HAHAHAHAHA

I will post more pictures when I see the proofs and make my selections for printing! If you want to see a few more of our pictures, visit bartisticphotography.blogspot.com. If you live in the Inland Empire or Southern California, Laura is the lady to book for your family photos, weddings, etc. You won't regret your choice!!!

This is one time I simply can not wait to spend some money!!! It will be well worth it, I believe.


Wednesday, November 5, 2008

A Deep Question - Please Share Your Thoughts

Today, just before our study session began, one of the students who attends my Interpersonal Communication study session asked me if he could ask a question. He seemed hesitant to ask. I told him, "Sure, go ahead." I expected the question to be about what we are studying or what will be on the upcoming exam.

His first question shocked me a little. He asked, "How long have you been going to church?" I told him I was raised attending church. He asked for clarification about that (he is originally from Peru and language is sometimes a barrier.) and so I told him that I had been brought up attending church, my parents had attended church from an early age and that my grandfather had been a minister. This seemed to give him the courage to continue.

His next question was "Why do you think so many people only turn to God when they are in trouble?" I gave him my answer but have been pondering the question ever since.

I pose this question to those who read my blog, "Why does it seem that people only turn to God when they are in trouble and need help?"

Please answer and share your insight to this quandary. I would like to be able to help this student understand better and continue to have dialogue about Christ!

Outcome of Voting Across America

May God have mercy on America...she is headed for change...most likely NOT for the good or betterment of her people. Barack Obama is now to be President of the US and I will do my duty and pray for him but I am disappointed in the youth of America who voted without really doing any research about their candidate. They took what they were told at face value and disregarded any negativity as bashing (as it was portrayed quite frequently by the media.) I know of which I speak because I work and attend a college in the Inland Empire. Several conversations with fellow students left me shaking my head at their ignorance. I am not saying that they are not smart but they only spouted what the media was telling them and could not back up anything they believed. They just knew that Barack was black, younger than McCain, supports abortion, was against war and wanted to give them more money. But did they hear the clips where Obama promised to raise taxes by 16% for people in my income bracket (which included most of these student's parents amounts of income)??? Did they hear that he wants to beef up our security forces with civilian patrols that would equal our current military might??? Reminds me of the Black Panthers or even scarier, Adolf Hitler and his youth corp.

Now, I just was perusing a run down of Propositions that have passed in California and found a listing of other states' propositions. I must confess I was mostly ignorant of what was transpiring in other states.

I found:

Arizona Prop. 102 was passing and would protect marriage as a union between a man and woman.

Arizona Prop. 202 was failing. It appears to have been an attempt to protect employers who hire illegal immigrants.

Arkansas Initiative 1 was passing and bans unmarried couples (same or opposite sex) from adopting children.

California Prop. 8 was passing. Perhaps they should listen to the people...instead of circumventing our vote and trying to allow gays and lesbians to marry. This is the SECOND time Californians have voted AGAINST same-sex marriage.

California Prop. 4 was failing. Parents have to be notified AND give consent for a student to receive an aspirin at school but that same child can have an abortion without the parent being notified or giving consent!

Colorado Ammendment 48 is failing. This would have declared that human life begins at conception and would have ultimately defeated abortion.

Florida Amendment 2 is passing. It too declares that marriage is between a man and woman. Bans same sex marriages. Do you hear us, America? Do you hear us, homosexuals who keep demanding this right?

Michigan Prop. 2 is passing. This allows embryonic stem cell research on embryos up to 14 days of cell division.

South Dakota Initiative 11 was failing. This was an attempt to prohibit ALL abortions except in cases of immenent death of the mother or rape/incest for pregnancies less than 20 weeks.

Washington Initiative 1000 is passing. This allows terminally ill patients to request a doctor's assistant to commit suicide!!!

God help us...the babies can be killed as a form of birth control and now we are opening up another door of murder...killing off those older and invalid. This is a Pandora's box!!!

Additionally: Two states had initiatives/propositions attempting to end Affirmative Action. One state is defeating the proposition while the other looks to be passing it.


Other Initiatives/Propositions were in the balance but they dealt with gambling, medical marijauna use and repealing state taxes. California already has a medical marijuana ability. This other state is just falling in line.

I hope you have found this to be informative...I am sorry it is so long. But with change comes responsibility to be aware of what may happen! Again....GOD BLESS AMERICA!!! God HELP America!!!

Tuesday, November 4, 2008



God help the United States of America today as we vote for our next president.  All indications show that we will definitely need His help and grace.  I voted according to His Word and my conscience...Yes on Proposition 8 protecting marriage, Yes on Proposition 4 requiring parental notification (btw, we need to take it further and require parental consent if we can't get abortion outlawed altogether), and for John McCain and Sarah Palin.


Make sure you vote too!


Monday, November 3, 2008

All In Him - Lyrics Included

To all my fellow Oneness, Apostolic, Pentecostal, Jesus Name people,
For shame, for shame, for shame!

I went looking online for lyrics to the song "All In Him" and it is posted nowhere!!!! What I did find was site after site that talked about His name(s) but then said He is part of the Trinity. One site even said in it's listing, "OUR Prince of Peace? OUR Everlasting Father? OUR Mighty God? .... So Jesus cannot be THE TRUE GOD but he is designated with the title "God" ..."
WHAT?

I recently was on Youtube...which I try to limit my use of...and was listening to a song by Kirk Franklin. The lyrics were the "video" and at the end, there was an ad for a United Pentecostal Church back East. In this video, the lyrics say that Jesus is the true son. second in the Godhead. Again, WHAT?

So, I posted this comment to the video: "Hello, I have one question! If you are an UPC church, why do you have a song that talks about Jesus being the second in the trinity as an ad for your services?? Jesus IS God in the flesh and there is NO trinity in the Bible! He IS the First, the Last, the ONLY way!!"

The person who had posted the ad replied: "yeah! i agree with everything you said (your beliefs) but i liked the overall message of the song and to be honest i didn't realize it said that!
thanks for your concern!"
WHAT?

How can we allow the One God message not to be our clarion call??? If we are posting an ad for services, shouldn't we have songs, lyrics, etc. that proclaim WHO Jesus is? We definitely should not have a song that features the trinity!!! How confusing!!!

So, I am posting the words to the song, "All In Him" and hoping that now when someone does an online search, they will find this song that declares that Jesus is God!!

All In Him
by: George Farrow

Verse 1

The mighty God is Jesus
The Prince of Peace is He
The Everlasting Father
The King Eternally
The Wonderful in wisdom
By whom all things were made
The fullness of the Godhead
in Jesus is displayed

Verse 2
Emmanuel God with us
Jehovah Lord of hosts
The omnipresent Spirit
Who fills the universe
The Advocate The High Priest
The Lamb for sinners slain
The Author of redemption
Oh glory to His name

Verse 3
The Alpha and Omega
Beginning and the End
The Living Word incarnate
The helpless sinner's friend
Our wisdom and perfection
Our righteousness and power
Yea all we need in Jesus
We find this very hour

Verse 4
Our God for whom we've waited
Will be the glad refrain
Of Israel recreated
When Jesus comes again
Lo He will come and save us
Our King and Priest to be
For in Him dwells all fullness
And Lord of All is He

Chorus
It's all in Him
It's all in Him
The fullness of the Godhead is all in Him
It's all in Him
It's all in Him
The Mighty God is Jesus and
It's all in Him