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Archive for February 2011

February 28, 2011

Nan's Calendar

by   Nan Forehand, Statesville, NC


Psalm 86:5-7
You are forgiving and good, O LORD, abounding in love to all who call to you. Hear my prayer, O LORD; listen to my cry for mercy. In the day of my trouble I will call to you, for you will answer me.

I know some of you are in the midst of making some decisions that possibly will cause a "new normal" in your life. Sometimes, we have to completely lose something, cross a bridge, reach the end of a chapter in our lives and take that great leap of faith necessary to progress to a higher level of spiritual growth. You see, God has already read your next chapter....He knows how your story goes. Trust Him to guide you where He needs you to be in order to provide more blessings than you can imagine. I speak from personal experience here. One thing I believe with all my heart is that "God puts me where He needs me when He needs me there and for as long as He needs me there." Go with God. I love you and I am praying for you. Love, Nan

Posted to Religious by Que Clingerman @ 3:23 pm EST
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Daily Jewel

by   Pastor J.T. Carnell,  McAlester, OK


“Choose Real Life” 

“Keep my commands and you will live...” – Proverbs 7:2 (NIV)


“This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”

– Deuteronomy 30:19-20

 

Moses was near the end of his life.  He had spent the last 40 years of his life giving himself entirely to God and the nation of Israel.  It makes one wonder, had he not obeyed the voice and command of God would he have lived those additional 40 years and would things have turned out the way they did?  Guess we will never know the answer to that will we?

I love life!  Life is fun and most of the time it is rewarding!  For those who do not know me or my background I have in the last couple of years became a grandfather to a beautiful and vivacious little girl.  The times I am with her make me so appreciative of the fact that I survived her mother’s childhood and teenage years so that I could enjoy this wonderful grandchild! (And I really do love my daughter too!) The same can be said for my new grandson—who is a spitting image of his father.  I look forward to the days that I can spend with him—teaching him to love life—his parents—and most of all to love Jesus.  Something that I did not receive as a child.

I did not grow up in a Christian home.  My mother was a good woman, but not a spiritual one.  I believe she knew of God, perhaps at some point of her life she attempted to follow Him, but she was not what I would call an ardent follower.  The latter years of her life were not good ones...in fact she was downright miserable and made the people around her the same.  She harbored a great deal of anger and bitterness from her past—“demons” that hounded her that in retrospect truly drained the life out of her. 

As a child growing up I was completely unaware of any “problems” beside the fact that she was left to raise a teenage boy on her own after my father died.   It was only after I had left home and returned for visits did I begin to notice a number of “hints” that her life was less than fulfilled and happy.  She was not destitute by any means—nor was she outrageously wealthy but she was “comfortable.”  As I reflect back it was evident that the one thing she did not have was a close and personal relationship with Christ.  I often wonder that if she would have had that then perhaps she would have allowed Him to exorcise the demons that kept her bound to her discontent.

The purpose of this search into my past was (is) to prove a point:  The “commands” of God were never intended to be oppressive or uncaring.  In fact the complete opposite is true; they are intended to give life meaning and complete satisfaction.  Consider the following from the book of Leviticus:


“If you follow my decrees and are careful to obey my commands, I will send you rain in its season, and the ground will yield its crops and the trees their fruit.  Your threshing will continue until grape harvest and the grape harvest will continue until planting, and you will eat all the food you want and live in safety in your land.  I will grant peace in the land, and you will lie down and no one will make you afraid. I will remove wild beasts from the land, and the sword will not pass through your country.” – Leviticus 26:3-6 (NIV)


Notice the part that says, “I will grant peace in the land, and you will lie down and no one will make you afraid.”  Now, call me a bit over-zealous in my approach but that does not sound the least bit oppressive to me…it sounds rather comforting.    

I do not want to merely exist—I want to live!  I do not want to allow problems from my past—be they mistakes or sins to prevent me from enjoying the life I have been given.  I do not have a lot in terms of earthly riches—but what I do have makes life worth the living and I plan to do that to the fullest.  Always under the power, presence and commands of the author of life!   

Posted to Religious by Que Clingerman @ 3:10 pm EST
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Good Things

by  Everett Christian,  McAlester, OK


GOOD THINGS
Sunday, February 27, 2011
 
 
GOD SPEAKS TO US THROUGH HIS HOLY WORD
 
19 A gossip goes around telling secrets,
      so don’t hang around with chatterers.
- Proverbs 20:19(New Living Translation)
 
 
 
GOD'S PROMISE TO US FROM HIS HOLY WORD
 
 (Jesus said) 22 "What blessings await you when people hate you and exclude you and mock you and curse you as evil because you follow the Son of Man (Jesus). 23 When that happens, be happy! Yes, leap for joy! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, their ancestors treated the ancient prophets that same way."  - Luke 6:22-23(New Living Translation)
 
 
 
A QUOTE
 
Love knows how to disagree without becoming disagreeable.
- Father James Keller -
 
 
 
 
THOUGHTS TO REMEMBER
 
Other people reflect what we project.
- From Reminisce Magazine -
 
Aspire to inspire before you expire.
- From Reminisce Magazine -
 
 
 
NOTES
 
Today has been mostly cloudy with a high temperature of 73 degrees. Low temperature last night was 62 degrees.  We are having a thundershower now at 10:15 p.m. I attended Sunday School and Worship Services this morning. Pastor J. T.'s message was a continuation of the series "What is a Christian?" His message this morning was titled "Yours and Yours Alone!" I had lunch at home. I took my nap this afternoon. I attended church tonight which was fellowship night where we had a meal together.
 
The cats are fine. Emmy came in a little damp from the rain and is now on top of the television set here in the den. Leo was just here a little while ago. Little Girl is on the couch. Rascal is lying on a footstool here in the den. The other cats are inside somewhere.
 
At 10:25 p.m. the rain is continuing with a temperature of 70 degrees. God Be With You until next time.
 
In Christian Love, Everett.

Posted to Religious by Que Clingerman @ 7:38 am EST
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February 27, 2011

Good Things

by  Everett Chritisan,  McAlester, OK


 
GOD SPEAKS TO US THROUGH HIS HOLY WORD
 
80 May I be blameless in keeping your (the Lord's) decrees;
      then I will never be ashamed.
- Psalm 119:80(New Living Translation).
 
 
 
GOD'S PROMISE TO US FROM HIS HOLY WORD
 
(Jesus said) 14 “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. 15 No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father."  - Matthew 5:14-16(New Living Translation).
 
 
 
A QUOTE
 
Bible reading, both private and public, is one of the core values of those who experience revival, for it brings us to a new commitment to God, one another, and our faith.  - Jim Spruce -
 
 
 
THOUGHTS TO REMEMBER
 
What can winter do if spring is in your heart?
- From Reminisce Magazine -
 
Love is the heart of the home.
- From Reminisce Magazine -
 
 
 
NOTES
 
The morning was cloudy but this afternoon was sunny. High temperature today was 62 degrees. Low temperature last night was 30 degrees. My cleaning lady came a little after 11:00 a.m. to do the weekly house cleaning. I went to lunch at that time and got out of her way. She is always finished and gone by the time I get back home. She did an excellent job as usual. I had lunch with Charley. I came by the post office to check my mail. I took a nap in early afternoon. Later in the afternoon I went to Walgreens to have prescriptions filled and then on to Country Mart for coffee. Why didn't I buy the coffee at Walmart on Thursday? Well, because I had a $1.00 coupon on coffee and Country Mart doubles coupons up to and including $1.00. Walmart does not double coupons so I got $2.00 off the price of the coffee at Country Mart. I have been thinking about how to make my notes more interesting. As everyone knows I am an old man, 85 years of age. When I was a child very few people lived to be 85. I grew up in the country until I was 18 years of age during the Great Depression. After I came home from the war I married a wonderful girl, had 3 wonderful children. I did manage to get about two years of college at Oklahoma City University. I will have to admit that my grades were not all that good but I can say that I have about two years of college. In 1999 I did some writing during March and April that I am thinking that I might share with you. I will keep thinking about it. Tonight I am going to share a prayer with you that I wrote after I ran over one of our cats named Lucky. This prayer was written several years ago and I sent it to www.wordchimes.com and Quentin Clingerman posted it on Wordchimes. Some of you that are poets on Wordchimes have already read this prayer. This prayer was written before Flonnie died so I did go back and add her name to it. As with all writings I know some will like it and others might have different feelings about it, which is fine.
 
The cats are fine. Little Girl on her blanket and Rascal in the recliner. The rest are accounted for.
 
At 9:45 p.m. skies are fair with a temperature of 55 degrees. Have a Wonderful Sunday! God be with you until next time.
 
In Christian Love, Everett.
 
 
 
 
A Prayer to God about Lucky

By Everett Christian

The wolf and the lamb will feed together - Isaiah 65:25a(NIV).

This is a prayer poem about a wonderful cat named Lucky that I accidently ran over and killed on March 6, 2005

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

My Heavenly Father, I come to You in the name of Jesus, My Savior,
and in the fellowship of Your Blessed Holy Spirit.

Father, You know what happened on March 6, 2005.
I ran over our beautiful cat, Lucky.

We rescued Lucky from the middle of a busy street on August 19, 2001 when he was just a little kitten.
We brought him home and within a day he had accepted our family and we had accepted him

Father, You know that once an animal is accepted into our home,
with love and devotion only death can tear us apart

Father, You know how Lucky became a part of our household.
Even though, sometimes, he was a little rough with his playing he always showed his love for us.

Even as he grew to be a big cat he would stretch out in my wife's lap,
just like he did when he was a little kitten.

Father, since You know everything that happens on this earth,
You saw our Precious Lucky on that sad day in March.

Lucky was sitting on the window ledge outside our home.
I had been to Wal-Mart on that Sunday aftenoon.
Even though I have always felt a little guilt when I purchase things on the Lord's Day.
Your Word says for us to "Remember the Sabbath Day and keep it Holy."

Since Sunday is my Sabbath, maybe I should not have been buying on a Sunday.

Father, You know that as Lucky saw my van coming down the street,
he, as usual ran to meet me with his tail high in the air indicating love and acceptance.
I slowly pulled in the driveway as I had done many times before.
I thought that Lucky would walk in front of the van as he had always done before.

Suddenly it felt as if my van had hit something.
I immediately stopped the van and jumped out to see what had happened.

Father, You know that what I saw will live with me as long as I am in my right mind.
There was our Precious Lucky lying still under the van.
His beautiful body was limp as I lifted him to my arms.
I can't remember ever having this much agony before.

Father, You know that I started to carry him through our home,
but blood was dripping from his Precious body.
I carried him to the back yard and laid him on a chaise.
My wife heard me and came to the back.
In a few minutes, Lucky, breathed his last breath.

We placed his beautiful body in a cardboard box.
I buried him in the back yard beside Callie, Fluffy, Gracie and Yoda.


Father, I think Lucky is in Heaven with You,
as well as all our other pets that have died.
I know You can commicate with animals,
so will You please tell Lucky some things for me?

Tell him that I loved him as much as a human can love.
Tell him that I am very sorry that I ran over him.
Tell him that I don't know why he stopped in front of the wheels of the van.
Tell him that no amount of money could have taken him from us.

Father, also tell him that I will be along as soon as you are through with me on this earth.
Then I will see him along with my Dear Wife, Dad, Mother, Brothers, Sisters, Relatives and Friends.

I will also join the other cats that we have lost.
Some of their names are Yoda, Fluffy, Callie, Prissy, Gracie, Rabbit, Snobby, Napoleon, Nikki, Gold Boy, Freckles, Harriet, Happy, Mocking, Baby Cat, Safki and all the others that I have forgotten or they didn't have names.

Also tell our dogs named Dooby, Candy, Laddie, Bruno, Uno, Collie and the others that I will see them also.
Then we can romp and play in that Beautiful Land where no one ever dies or grows old.

I Praise You Father, I Praise You Jesus and I Praise You, Blessed Holy Spirit.

AMEN

Posted to Religious by Que Clingerman @ 8:21 am EST
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February 26, 2011

Nan's Calendar

by   Nan Forehand,  Feb. 26, 2011


Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.
3 John 2 NKJV

     As your mind absorbs these words before you at this moment, know without a doubt, you are the reason I write these love notes.  I want you to prosper in all things.  I want you to be in health.  That is to say, I want all your needs to be met beyond your expectations, i.e, your spiritual health, your relational health, your physical health, but most importantly, your spiritual health.  Perhaps right now you are in poor physical health and strong in spirit.  You may be in excellent physical health and be poor in spirit.  I want your soul to prosper. 
     It is simply my calling from God to be a sower of seeds.  Lord willing, I will be in Heaven one day and I will see the harvest of the seeds I have sown.  God calls me to specific passages in the Bible and I excitedly bring them to you in this format of Nan's Calendar.  In God's time these seeds germinate and flourish in your mind as positive, encouraging thoughts that lift your spirit and cause you to feel good, to do good, to be good.  Remember, it's not about me getting credit for any benefit you receive from reading these notes of faith, hope and love.  God so richly deserves all the credit and the glory! 
     As I recently heard in a "Conversation With The Children" in church, "This is true; God loves me and God loves you."  It's as simple as that!  Spend time in your Bible, reading and believing that you will find answers to your problems.  Walk in God-confidence rather than self-confidence.  Believe in all of God's promises.  Today is a gift from God.  Accept it as such.  Be honest with yourself and others.  As the old saying goes "you can fool all of the people some of the time and some of the people all of the time....", but we can never fool God, ever.  There is limitless power in faith, hope and love.  God gives all of us this power.  We simply must use it to benefit from it!  And above all, simply trust God!  His love endures forever!

A Sower of Seeds

written by Nan Forehand
Tuesday, January 31, 2006

in times past, I was a sower of seeds
yes, I used a hoe and I pulled weeds

up before daylight
and toiled until night

in the rain or blazing sun
still the work had to be done

crops of tobacco, beans and corn
at times, my spirit was torn

more than just the crops grew
though I was weak, my spirit grew, too

today, I'm still a sower of seeds
seeds of encouragement for a soul's needs

seeds of kindness for an aching heart
seeds of hope for a soul torn apart

as long as there's life and breath in me
I'll continue to be
a sower of seeds for Thee

2 Corinthians 9:6
remember this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.

Posted to Religious by Que Clingerman @ 8:43 pm EST
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