Good Things

by E. Christian, McAlester,OK
Thursday, May 17, 2012

GOD SPEAKS TO US THROUGH HIS HOLY WORD
4 All the earth shall worship You (God) And sing praises to You; They shall sing praises to Your name.” - Psalm 66:4(New King James Version).

GOD'S PROMISE TO US FROM HIS HOLY WORD
(Jesus said) 16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." - John 3:16-17(New King James Version).

A QUOTE
The sun in its full glory, either at rising or setting - this, and many other like blessings we enjoy daily; and for the most of them, because they are so common, most people forget to pay their praises. But let not us. - Izaak Walton -

THOUGHTS TO REMEMBER
A good wife and health, are a man's best wealth. - From Proverbs For Daily Living -

You should not pray for rain if it causes you to complain about the mud. - From Reminisce Magazine -

NOTES
Today has been a sunny day in McAlester, Oklahoma, with a high temperature of 86 degrees and a low temperature of 55 drgrees. I had lunch with Charley and Bill. I went to the post office. I took a nap in early afternoon and when I awakened, Smokey was napping with me. Around 3:30 p.m. I made a trip to Walmart for my weekly supply of cat food and other items. I sat outside with the cats from 5:00 p.m. until after 6:00 p.m. I appreciate your e-mails and I appreciate everyone who reads the Good Things.
The cats are fine. They all seem to be outside at present. I have seen all of them this evening including Lucy and Tony.
I will see you next time,
In Christian Love, Everett.

Daily Jewel

by Pastor Carnell, McAlester, OK
May 17, 2012

“Under Protective Custody”
“Your spring water is for you and you only, not to be passed around among strangers. Bless your fresh-flowing fountain! Enjoy the wife you married as a young man! Lovely as an angel, beautiful as a rose—don’t ever quit taking delight in her body." – Proverbs 5:17-19 (MSG)

I hope that the messages for the past few days have been a blessing and that they have not been too uncomfortable for you because quite frankly we have been walking through some very delicate territory here! And verse 19 takes this whole discussion into an entirely different level, one that many might consider passing over. But we can’t and here is why.
First, the passage above is taken from The Message and it probably approaches it much more carefully than a number of other versions and interpretations. Here is how a few of some other versions treat this verse: A loving doe, a graceful deer— may her breasts satisfy you always…” (NIV); “As a loving hind (doe) and a graceful doe, let her breasts satisfy you at all times…” (Amplified Bible); “She is a loving deer, a graceful doe. Let her breasts satisfy you always...” (NLT); “Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love…” (KJV); She is beautiful and graceful, just like a deer; you should be attracted to her and stay deeply in love…” (Contemporary English Version). Do you think the point is pretty clear here? There is something sacred, beautiful and intimate about the marriage relationship and it should not be taken lightly, carelessly or your partner for granted.
It is too bad that Solomon did not take his own advice at this juncture. When you look at how tragically he allowed his emotions and passions to overtake him you have to wonder, are any of us safe?
Before we bury Solomon and his advice too deeply away into oblivion there is actually a couple of other avenues to explore here that go beyond the sexual realm! (There…I said the word that many have been thinking!) Let’s face it folks—we are sexual beings! We cannot deny that any more than we can deny our humanity. If there is one area that can be exploited by the enemy (the adulteress from verse 3) then it is here and it has caused far too many to fall! Men and women alike have been victimized by the most sacred and intimate of element of our humanity…our desires.
But there is actually more here than meets the eye or even other parts of the anatomy. Biblical scholars point out that not all of Solomon’s relationships with his wives/concubines were sexual in nature. They point to the fact that the number of children Solomon was reported to have was relatively few given the number of relationships that have been attributed to him. It could point to the fact that many of these relationships were marriages created not for sexual purposes but more for business reasons, peace offerings (between nations), political ploys and (what was the most destructive for Solomon) for religious reasons. Solomon’s heart became divided and distracted from serving God not because of his desires but more by not paying attention to what mattered most. He did not protect his heart and his spiritual passions strongly enough and in the end he wandered away from his first love—the truth and beauty and love of God!
There is actually more to deal with here than time or space allows so I will end this discussion with a quote that I heard some years ago. A pastor friend was counseling a man that had strayed from his relationship and was trying to reconcile with his wife. The man asked the pastor if he had ever been tempted to have an affair. The pastor said, “Temptations are common to us all and I do not know of any husband, a pastor who has not been tempted. But why should I accept thorns when I have a rose?” That was the end of the discussion! It is said in other places and in other ways but the bottom line here and in all ways is to guard your heart! Keep it in the sacred places where God and real love abounds. That is where it belongs…always!
Pastor J. T. Carnell.

Good Things

by E. Christian, McAlester, OK
Wednesday, May 16, 2012

GOD SPEAKS TO US THROUGH HIS HOLY WORD
5 For you have been my hope, Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth. - Psalm 71:5(New International Version).

GOD'S PROMISE TO US FROM HIS HOLY WORD
9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. - Galatians 6:9(New International Version).

A QUOTE
I'm learning that you can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for life. - Phil Callaway -

THOUGHTS TO REMEMBER
Keep conscience clear, then never fear. - From Proverbs For Daily Living -
The joy that you give to others is the joy that comes back to you. - From Reminisce Magazine -

NOTES
Today has been a sunny day in McAlester, Oklahoma, with a high temperature of 85 degrees and a low temperature of 50 degrees. I had lunch with Charley and Bill. I went to the Family Dollar Store, then to the post office, then to Walgreens and then home. I sat outside for a few minutes before I took my afternoon nap. I took a nap with Emmy this afternoon. I sat outside with my babies from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. I watched a Billy Graham Classic Crusade from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. The program tonight was from Dallas, Texas in 1971 when Dr. Graham was 52 years of age. I went back outside later and sat with the cats for about 20 minutes. I appreciate your e-mails and I appreciate each one who reads the Good Things.
The cats are fine. They are all outside at present. I have seen all of them this evening. Last night I was in the recliner and Emmy was on a desk about 10 feet away. She looked at me and meowed a couple of times so I thought maybe she wanted to go outside so I got up and opened the door and sure enough that is what she wanted. Little Girl just came in from outside and is on the desk near me. Do I have my cats spoiled or do they have me spoiled?
I will see you next time,
In Christian Love, Everett.

Good Things

by E. Christian, McAlester, OK
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

GOD SPEAKS TO US THROUGH HIS HOLY WORD
11 For wisdom is better than rubies, And all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her. - Proverbs 8:11(New King James Version).

GOD'S PROMISE TO US FROM HIS HOLY WORD
6 Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it. - Proverbs 22:6(New King James Version).

A QUOTE
Each little flower that opens, Each little bird that sings, God made their glowing colors, He made their tiny wings. - Cecil Frances Alexander -

THOUGHTS TO REMEMBER
A harvest of peace is produced from a seed of contentment. - From Proverbs For Daily Living -
Enjoy the little things. One day you may look back and realize they were the big things. - From It's a Beautiful Life -

NOTES
Today has been a sunny day in McAlester, Oklahoma, with a high temperature of 82 degrees and a low temperature of 51 degrees. I had lunch with Charley, his pastor, Steve, and our second cousin, Doug. I went to the post office. I stopped by Braum's Ice Cream and Dairy Store for a few items. I sat outside a little while before I took my afternoon nap. I took a nap this afternoon with Emmy and Rascal. I still hear from my two daughters every day, one in the morning and one at night. They will both visit me on Memorial Day week-end. My son will also be with us. I like to get e-mails from you.
The cats are fine. Little Girl and Rascal are both in the den with me. Tony was here a little while ago for a bite of food. I have seen all of the cats this evening.
I will see you next time,
In Christian Love, Everett.

Only in America

Forward from: Dale Heath, WC Poet
May 14, 2012

1) Only in America could politicians talk about the greed of the rich at a $35,000 a plate campaign fund raising event.
2) Only in America could people claim that the government still discriminates against black Americans when we have a black President, a black Attorney General, and roughly 18% of the federal workforce is black. 12% of the population is black.
3) Only in America could we have had the two people most responsible for our tax code, Timothy Geithner, the head of the Treasury Department and Charles Rangel who once ran the Ways and Means Committee, BOTH turn out to be tax cheats who are in favor of higher taxes.
4) Only in America can we have terrorists kill people in the name of Allah and have the media primarily react by fretting that Muslims might be harmed by the backlash.
5) Only in America would we make people who want to legally become American citizens wait for years in their home countries and pay tens of thousands of dollars for the privilege while we discuss letting anyone who sneaks into the country illegally just become American citizens.
6) Only in America could the people who believe in balancing the budget and sticking by the country's Constitution be thought of as "extremists."
7) Only in America could you need to present a driver's license to cash a check or buy alcohol, but not to vote.
8) Only in America could people demand the government investigate whether oil companies are gouging the public because the price of gas went up when the return on equity invested in a major U.S. oil company (Marathon Oil) is less than half of a company making tennis shoes (Nike).
9) Only in America could the government collect more tax dollars from the people than any nation in recorded history, still spend a trillion dollars more than it has per year for total spending of $7 million PER MINUTE,and complain that it doesn't have nearly enough money.
10) Only in America could the rich people who pay 86% of all income taxes be accused of not paying their "fair share" by people who don't pay any income taxes at all.

“You and I have a rendezvous with destiny. We will preserve for our children this, the last best hope of man on earth, or we will sentence them to take the first step into a thousand years of darkness. If we fail, at least let our children and our children’s children say we justified our brief moment here. We did all that could be done.”—Ronald Reagan (1911-2004) “A Time for Choosing” 1964