I voted today.  Now I don't have to think or talk about politics for another four years!!  

what? who? where?

Last night I started a fire in the microwave.  I just wanted to soften the butter a bit.  But I had it on a napkin and it was in one of those foil wrappers.  zap, zap, zap and the napkin went up in flames.

Last night I let the dog out to potty and forgot her.  We usually let her right back in but I got distracted, apparently.  Some time later my daughter started looking for her and couldn't find her.  Then I remembered letting her out.  She was calmly sitting by the door waiting.  

Last night I went to bed and left the garage door open.  I wondered why it was so cold in the house.  I didn't lock the door between the house and the garage because my hubby was working late and not home yet.

If you see a gray, slightly wrinkled, slightly used thing... you know that thing.  I can't think of the name.....  well, anyway, return it please, ASAP.  The wind whistling through my ears is driving the dog nuts.

Lisa Samson on politics

I want to share with you something that Lisa Samson wrote on her facebook page.  

I'll admit that I used to have problems understanding how a person could be a Christian and vote a certain way.  But as I become more aware of the diversity in the Kingdom of God, I have less problems with it.  

My hubby and I were talking today about how Jesus was not political at all.  He did  not try to change things through the political system.  And I'm not really sure that's working for us, either.  Perhaps if we want to change things, it needs to be done through how we live and love instead.  

God's Will Be Done

Today at 9:58am

A lot of my primary colored friends, both red and blue,

 are openly endorsing a presidential candidate. It's their right . . .

 and . . . I can't blame them. I'm the gal that seeks

 to be in a state of reconciliation with my 

brothers and sisters in Christ, so I normally 

try to concentrate on what we agree upon.

I've seen the political divide do more amputation 

in the body of Christ than anything else. 

Now is it true amputation? No. But in the minds 

of believers, they have, for all practical purposes, 

cut off brothers and sisters. I'm not willing to go there. 

Jesus' last wish before his ascension was that 

we be one. Does that mean we have to agree 

on everything? No. But it does say to me, 

at the very least, I can't tell you you're not in Christ

 or even go so far as saying what one fellow 

believer said if you don't vote for his candidate, 

"As a result, many Christians are no different 

than non-Christians in their worldviews 

and their actions." NO different? Really?

This type of rhetoric is something I abhor. 

It is cowardly because it immediately says 

if you disagree, you are not Christlike, and there's 

no reason, other than disobedience to God's word, 

you could possibly feel that way so you're not 

worth talking with. (The "you're a dumb-dumb" 

if you don't agree with me is another popular 

device but a bit off topic. Just had to get that out there.) 

Either way, I find no place for these sorts of line 

in good debate, but especially between Christians.

Because if we declare that those who do not vote 

with us are not good Christians, they have plenty 

on their side to support that you're not either. 

Abortion, gay marriage are the crying card 

of the believers on the right side of the spectrum - 

poverty, war, the death penalty, on the left. 

If you're Catholic like I am, you're really in a twist here, 

because not only do you decry abortion, 

but both Pope Benedict XVI and 

John Paul II (man do I miss him!) declared the 

invasion of Iraq unjust. Both candidates 

favor embryonic stem cell research. 

What's a person to do? 

Recently I started a group on facebook called 

"No Matter Who Wins" a call for prayer for 

whoever is the next President of the United States 

and, health permitting, fasting the day before 

and/or of election day. (Can I get an amen 

that day can't come soon enough?) I know the wide

 variety of my friends on facebook, and to see 

who believes prayer matters, and how diametrically 

opposed they are to one another politically 

makes me chuckle warmly, because these days, 

there's really only one place all Christians can join

 together, one posture--on our knees--

where we are the same. 

So I do not ask you to vote for one person or 

the other, (in good conscience I cannot vote for either), 

because by Nov. 5th, we'll all know, if we believe this 

from Romans 13 that "there is no authority except 

that which God has established," who God put into power. 

Does that mean everything that person does is God's 

will from then on out? I don't think so. But it can and 

does give us comfort that God is still in the kingmaking 

business and we can do what we can, but in the end, 

the choice is his.

So, instead of telling everyone who God wants, 

maybe it would be a better choice to say what you 

can only truthfully say, "This is who I want." 

Because God may have reasons you cannot 

know when putting someone in office. It may be 

judgment, it may be for peace in a way you 

can't now predict. (Hey, nobody expected the 

Messiah to be a wandering prophet from Nazareth!) 

And then rest in the fact that God's will most 

definitely will be done, and while his choice may 

not have been yours, comfort yourself that you just 

tried to do the best you could with the knowledge 

you were given.

In all of this, let's keep praying, and not only praying, 

but seeking each day to follow in the footsteps of 

our Master, to take his teaching and his example 

seriously, to love better, live holier, give lavishly, 

and learn how to be His Body in a way that will be 

the true healing of our nation. 


Feel free to pass this on. You don't even have to give me 

credit! (I like to share.)

pictures

To put a picture on your header click customize in your toolbar.  Then in the header area there should be a link that says edit.  Just click that and it will take you to a place where you can add a picture.  I'm not sure if all of the templates allow pictures, so if you can't add one, you may need to switch templates.

Then you just find a picture on your computer to upload and there you go.  Sometimes you have to click shrink to fit for it to work right.  

tidbit

I like the Barrymores.  John, Lionel, and Drew.  I never saw Ethel act, I might have liked her, too.

thursday thirteen

Here are a few of my favorite things.  Thirteen, actually.

I remember this suitcase from forever.  I don't have any specific memories of it, but when we found it in storage, it was familiar and full of nostalgia.  It has my sister's name in it.  But it's mine now.

Peace and Forget Me Not were both given to me by ladies I taught Bible Study.  I bought my own Happiness.

This dresser has always been in my life.  It was my mom and dad's and somewhere along the line they gave it to me.  It has a matching mirror and a full size headboard.  I love the color of the wood and the bowed front.  I probably should have dusted it before I took the picture. 

I don't love this picture because it is so expertly executed, but because of the memory of painting it.  My mom, her sister, and I went to a lady's house and took an oil painting class.  We all painted the same thing and they all looked just about the same.  But it was a very fun time.  My aunt is gone now, so it is extra special.

This belonged to my mom's grumpy aunt.  I like it because it is worn and old, yet so ornate.

My mom gave me this buffet.  I have a vague memory of when she got it and antiqued it.

The bottom case is just the case for my husband's coronet.  But the middle one is a cool old typewriter that an old Colonel gave me when I was heading for college.  He didn't even know me, but my mom worked for him.  I never actually used it.  I payed my room-mate to type all my papers.

The Brownie is just cool and the attache belonged to my grandpa.

This is a table my dad gave me.  I used it for my desk until I got a real one.  Now it sits in my little foyer.

This was my aunt's table.  We sat around this table for Thanksgiving for many years.  After she died my cousin had it, but a few years ago she passed it on to me.  Now we gather around it for Thanksgiving again every year.  There are a few people missing, but we've also added a few here and there.  You can see the spots on it from heat and water.  I think they are just a part of the history.  Perhaps the dish that left that mark was placed by my grandmother?

My other grandmother had a mantle clock and I have wanted to find one just like it, since we can't locate the original.  This one isn't just like it, but my daddy got it for me because he knew I wanted one.  It plays the same chimes as my grandma's.  It also has an interesting personality.  It seldom chimes the actual number of times that it should.  

My husband's coronet.  I like it because I like things that show their wear.  Things that are used well and have been through stuff yet still function.

My sister made these guys for me.  So cheery.  Always smiling, no matter what.

My friend Melanie gave this to me.  It was brown and I painted it.  She still has some pieces like it as far as I know.  So when I look at it I think of her.

I'm sorry I didn't dust for you all.  I feel embarrassed as I look at these pictures.  But somehow, I feel like it would have been phony of me to do that.  It all would look better with a bit of shine added.  But this is genuine.  I try to live the same way.  

celebration

Wow!  I haven't posted since Sunday!  Sorry, man.

Sunday night our church celebrated the Feast of the Tabernacles.  It is an annual event for this church. 

The Feast of the Tabernacles is the last in a row of feasts.  The first feast is a time of repentance, the second is atonement and the third is celebration.  It coincides with the harvest and is a celebration of the bountiful blessings from God.  The tabernacles, or booths represent being in the presence of God.  And the celebration is a precursor for the Wedding Supper of the Lamb mentioned in Revelation.

That's why this church celebrates it.  We are practicing for our wedding day!  After having some dinner together, they blew some shofars.  Wow.  Nothing moves my spirit like that sound.  That is the sound we will hear when the groom comes for His bride!  Then the troupe danced a couple of dances before inviting the rest of us to join in.  I have always thought that style of dancing looked like so much fun!  So I joined right in.  Holding hands, skipping in circles, clapping and tripping over one another!  It was great fun!  I had a blast!  

You know, when a woman is engaged, she can't wait for her wedding day.  Yet I know so many Christians who just aren't quite ready for Jesus to come get them yet.  If a bride felt that way about her groom, I would be suspicious of her feelings for him.  When I was younger, I was very much hoping that He wouldn't come soon.  I wanted to have a boyfriend, get married, grow up.  I thought there were too many wonderful things here to experience yet.  I also felt some trepidation over the whole thing.  The fear of the unknown.  But now, I just think about "tabernacling" with God permanently.  Being in His presence -- and I can't wait!  I am eagerly expecting His return and when things around the world get shaky and uncertain, I get excited!  Maybe it will be soon!!  Even so, Lord Jesus, come.  The Spirit and the Bride say "come."