Author: Shannon Lee Moseley.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
I'm Free
Litte Eyes Upon You
There are little eyes upon you
and they're watching night and day.
There are little ears that quickly
take in every word you say.
There are little hands all eager
to do anything you do;
And a little girl who's dreaming
of the day she'll be like you.
You're the little angel's idol,
you're the wisest of the wise.
In her little mind about you
no suspicions ever rise.
She believes in you devoutly,
holds all you say and do;
She will say and do, in your way
when she's grown up just like you.
There's a wide-eyed little girl
who believes you're always right;
and her eyes are always opened,
and she watches day and night.
You are setting an example
every day in all you do;
For the little girl who's waiting
to grow up to be like you.
(c) 1997 Kimberly Sedlacek All Rights Reserved
Saturday, March 07, 2009
Obeying the Gospel
What is our job as Christians?
Jesus said, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Mathew 28:18-20
What will happen on the day of judgment to those who have never heard of Jesus and died?
"For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel." Romans 2: 12-16
Is it better than not to read the word of God and be judged by our conscience?
God says, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children." Hosea 4:6
Therefore we must make sure that we first accept the gift that Jesus gave us (the death for our sins) and than obey God's word. We must also tell others about the gospel.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Thursday, January 01, 2009
EXCITEMENT AND THE ADDICTIVE PROCESS
Let's face it. Most of us are hooked on the pursuit of excitement! It seems that whatever direction you turn to these days people are obsessed with it. Music is getting louder, the beat stronger and action sequences in movies more frequent and faster. Go to church and you will probably also be bombarded with more stimulating excitement than you've had all week!
Just this past week my wife and I spoke at a pastor's conference and were sitting with a couple of youth pastors from different churches. Their sole conversation was about how they had recently taken their young peoples groups to Magic Mountain where the hit is "Goliath", the new and death defying roller coaster ride. I asked them why they thought their young people enjoyed the experience so much and they replied, without batting an eyelid, that it was the greatest "adrenaline rush" they had ever experienced! I can believe them. When any experience fools your mind into believing that it is about to be destroyed, your adrenaline screams out at you – and gives you the greatest pleasure of your life. One pastor said that it made his contact lenses "pop out"!
What bothers me is that thrills like this are not confined to amusement parks. We seem to all be on some phenomenal roller coaster ride through life. We use excitement to give us pleasure. We have come to depend on the perpetual flow of adrenaline to make life interesting. When there is no excitement we feel down and bored.
The experience of pleasure is one of the fundamental gifts God has given us. It is so important that God created a center in the brain, called the "locus acumbans" or pleasure center, that is dedicated to it. A lack of ability to experience pleasure is considered pathological – we call it "anhedonia" and see it, for example, in the depressive disorders. Ultimately, I believe, this pleasure center helps us to "enjoy" God. Today, however, we abuse this pleasure center by becoming too dependent on excitement to stimulate this pleasure center and this inevitably leads us to become addicted to such pleasure. I call this "adrenaline addiction" and have written about it in several of my books because I really am concerned that Christians can just as easily become addicted as anyone.
How far, then, should we go in our quest for excitement as the basis for pleasure? I think we have gone too far already. Slowly we are losing our capacity to experience the pleasure of "little"
things. Sunsets don't do it for us anymore, neither do quiet moments of worship. We need "Goliaths" of all sorts to give us pleasure.
Why should we be concerned about the modern-day pursuit of excitement? For the simple reason that our brain's pleasure center is becoming more and more "flooded". This flooding raises the threshold of excitement that must be exceeded the next time we experience pleasure. So the more we ride our Goliaths, the greater must be the next thrill before we can find any pleasure. This is the phenomenon that underlies all addictions.
The most potent of the illegal addicting drugs operates on the same pleasure center as thrill seeking behavior. That's why cocaine is so addicting – it stimulates the pleasure/excitement centers of the brain par excellence. But drugs are not the only triggers of the pleasure center. Many hidden addictions do the same. The compulsive shopper, the engrossed scientist, the cliff climber, the long distance jogger, the sexual voyeur and the power-wielding boss all have one thing in common: their quest for stimulating excitement can become forms of hidden addiction. Our marvelous brain, given by God so that we can experience the simple pleasures of life, is slowly being conditioned to only accept ever increasing levels of excitement – a classic addiction bind.
Obviously, this doesn't mean there is no place for pleasure in our lives. Of course there is. But we were not designed for constant, exciting stimulation. Our pleasure center needs time to rest otherwise the small things of life – watching a sunset, holding a baby, a walk in the countryside, or a moment of quiet meditation - can no longer provide satisfying pleasure.
How, then, can we avoid excitement's pitfalls, and how can we break the addiction process that our search for stimulation maintains? Here are some suggestions:
1. Begin by reordering your spiritual values and beliefs about the root of pleasure. Proverbs 21:17 tells us that "he that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man." Jesus also warned us that the "riches and pleasure of this life" are thorns that choke the Word (Luke 8:14). These are not idle warnings. They come to us from the God who created us for His own pleasure and therefore knows us better than we will ever know ourselves. He is to be the greatest source of our pleasure, not activities, even if they are church based!
2. Accept that a "deficit in excitement" is necessary for healthy functioning. Believe it or not, boredom is actually good for us. It helps to provide the time our mind and body needs for
rejuvenation. Work and play, excitement and relaxation, euphoria and tranquility - these are points and counterpoints of a healthy life. They are like valleys and hills - the one is necessary for the other to be seen.
3. Watch where you get your excitement. Don't avoid pleasure. Pleasure and stimulation have their place. But beware persistent thrill seeking, sex, pornography - the list of the harmful sources of stimulation is long. We have to guard against our deeper needs - low self-esteem, a search for love or respect, or a need to be powerful - from driving our quest for pleasure.
4. Come to appreciate "satisfaction" over "excitement." Unlike excitement, there is no limit to the amount of satisfaction you can pursue. You can never become addicted to real peace! Substituting the pursuit of "satisfaction" for the pursuit of excitement can revolutionize your life. Excitement is a feeling of enjoyment, delight that comes from gratifying the senses. Satisfaction is more basic. It has a strong element of contentment. The whole theme of contentment is a fascinating one to me as a Christian psychologist. It surprises me how seldom it figures in most systems of psychotherapy – even Christian counseling. Paul tells us that "godliness with contentment is great gain" (1 Timothy 6:8). So choose it over discontentment. It will protect you from the pursuit of too much excitement – and a hidden addiction.
From "Focus on the Family": http://listen.family.org/images/Excitement-AddictiveProcess.pdf
Written by: Archibald D. Hart, Ph.D. FPPR.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
1. You had to share a room until you were 21.
2. You try and reuse gift wrappers, gift boxes, and of course aluminum foil.
3. You are standing next to the two largest suitcases at the airport.
4. You arrive one or two hours late to a party - and think it s normal.
5. All your children have nicknames, which sound nowhere close to their real names.
6. You know someone with 20 kids
7. You talk for an hour at the front door when leaving someone’s house.
8. You can fit 10 people into a civic
9. Your parents never throw anything away and if you by some chance manage to get something to make it to the garbage can… it mysteriously appears back where it was again.
10. You have lace curtains.
11. You have lace tablecloths.
12. You have or had rugs on your walls.
13. Your mom tells you you’re too skinny even though your 30 pounds overweight.
14. Girls can’t have boyfriends when they are 17 but they have to be married at 18.
15. Your parents tell you not to care what your friends think but they won’t let you do certain things because of what other ‘brat’ya’ and ‘sestri’ will think.
16. You or your relatives have at least five gold teeth in their mouth.
17. Either you or 40 of your relatives drive a civic, eclipse, camry, bmw or accord.
18. Your car windows are tinted twice the legal limit.
19. Going over 100 mph is routine.
20. You’re driving on 2 tickets and don’t remember what your license looks like.
21. You’ve been driving without a license for 2 years.
22. You say “lets meet at 9″, you actually mean “I’ll wake up at 9, take a shower, eat, watch tv and meet you at 12″.
23. You stand around in circles of friends for an hour deciding what to do.
24. After leaving a restaurant, it actually means you’re going outside to the parking lot to talk for another hour.
25. Your uncle/dad fixes cars from the auction.
26. You drive a car bought from an auction (which u will later sell and make a hefty profit off of unsuspecting American buyers).
27. You know your a new Russian immigrant if you wear church shoes with jeans, shorts, or slacks… while playing volleyball.
28. You know you are a new Russian immigrant if you tuck your shirt in your shorts.
29. At least 5 of your relatives are named Volodia, Yura, Olya, Oksana, Nataliya or Tanya
30. All of your CDs are burned, or u bought them at a Bazar for 2 bucks a piece.
31. You can make Perogis in 18 different flavors.
32. You get kicked out of every go kart, theme park, and anything potentially dangerous.
33. You work at construction site.
34. You have five leather jackets and matching gloves.
35. You keep your stash of cash under your mattress instead of a savings account.
36. Twelve of your friends get into a movie with only one ticket.
37. Your house is full of foreign medicine that is probably illegal here.
38. You sing at every party you go to.
39. Your mom recycles plastic cups and plastic plates, and sandwich bags by washing them.
40. You don’t know how to use a dishwasher.
41. You use grocery bags to hold garbage.
42. Your dad has butchered a pig or lamb.
43. You keep leftover food in your fridge in as many numbers of bowls as possible.
44. Your kitchen shelf is full of jam jars, varieties of bowls and plastic utensils.
45. You eat bread with everything.
46. You drink tea after each meal.
47. You are familiar with Yerolash and Nu Pogodi
48. If your a woman, you know how to put a scarf over your head and wear a skirt to church.
49. You don’t consider insects, dogs, cats, monkeys, or guinea pigs to be food; however you might eat some suspicious looking mushrooms that you’ve picked up in the woods.
50. If you want to be understood by a foreigner you just talk more loudly and slowly. TI SHTO NE PO-NI-MA-ESH?
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Peace
If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them; Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. ...I will give peace in the land, and ye shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid...
- We cannot give ourselves peace.
- Cannot have peace without God.
- Cannot gain peace on our own.
- We cannot follow the dictates of our heart, we must follow the commandments of God.
- Only God can give us peace.
and His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end,...
Sunday, October 05, 2008
Monday, September 15, 2008
sighing and crying over what you see these days?
Now the glory of the God of Israel had gone up from the cherub, where it had been, to the threshold of the temple.
And He called to the man clothed with linen, who had the writer’s inkhorn at his side; and the LORD said to him, “Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it.”
To the others He said in my hearing, “Go after him through the city and kill; do not let your eye spare, nor have any pity. Utterly slay old and young men, maidens and little children and women; but do not come near anyone on whom is the mark; and begin at My sanctuary.” So they began with the elders who were before the temple. Then He said to them, “Defile the temple, and fill the courts with the slain. Go out!” And they went out and killed in the city.
Ezekiel 9:2-7
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
Verse of the Week 8-31-08
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Friday, August 22, 2008
Last Days
"See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil." Ephesians 5:15-16
The days are really, evil. It makes me pray more often that Jesus would come faster. I'm so tired of seeing so much sin going on in the world; homosexuality, for example. Not only in the world but people who call themselves Christians don't have a real relationship with God. So many people say "I'm a good person, I don't need to be saved from anything."
"And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them." Romans 1:28-29
Sound familiar?
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’" Mathew 7:21-23
We must have a relationship with God! That means doing what He wants (not only going to church every Sunday), and having a personal relationship with God. Have Jesus be your best friend.
Also,
“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments (garments of righteousness), that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne." Revelation 3:15-21
Therefore, it is not enough to be a simple Christian (warm), we must do something, we have to have a passion for God and be a light to others, we have to keep the garments of righteousness clean; God gives us the cloths of righteousness when we repent.
Jesus Said, "I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” Luke 5:32
So much sin in the world, so many people carry the name of a Christian but don't actually act like one, so many think they are not going to be judged in front of Jesus Christ because they think their "good enough."
God, help me be a light in this world.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Thursday, April 24, 2008
$ave money on GA$
TIPS ON PUMPING GAS
I don't know what you people are paying for gasoline.... but here in California we are also paying higher, up to $3.50 per gallon. But my line of work is in petroleum for about 31 years now, so here are some tricks to get more of your money's worth for every gallon..
Here at the Kinder Morgan Pipeline where I work in San Jose , CA we deliver about 4 million gallons in a 24-hour period thru the pipeline. One day is diesel the next day is jet fuel, and gasoline, regular and premium grades. We have 34-storage tanks here with a total capacity of 16,800,000 gallons.
Only buy or fill up your car or truck in the early morning when the ground temperature is still cold. Remember that all service stations have their storage tanks buried below ground. The colder the ground the more dense the gasoline, when it gets warmer gasoline expands, so buying in the afternoon or in the evening....your gallon is not exactly a gallon. In the petroleum business, the specific gravity and the temperature of the gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, ethanol and other petroleum products plays an important role.
A 1-degree rise in temperature is a big deal for this business. But the service stations do not have temperature compensation at the pumps.
When you're filling up do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to a fast mode. If you look you will see that the trigger has three (3)stages: low, middle, and high. In slow mode you should be pumping on low speed, thereby minimizing the vapors that are created while you are pumping. All hoses at the pump have a vapor return. If you are pumping on the fast rate, some other liquid that goes to your tank becomes vapor. Those vapors are being sucked up and back into the underground storage tank so you're getting less worth for your money.
One of the most important tips is to fill up when your gas tank is HALF FULL or HALF EMPTY. The reason for this is, the more gas you have in your tank the less air occupying its empty space. Gasoline evaporates faster than you can imagine. Gasoline storage tanks have an internal floating roof. This roof serves as zero clearance between the gas and the atmosphere, so it minimizes the evaporation. Unlike service stations, here where I work, every truck that we load is temperature compensated so that every gallon is actually the exact amount.
Another reminder, if there is a gasoline truck pumping into the storage tanks when you stop to buy gas, DO NOT fill up--most likely the gasoline is being stirred up as the gas is being delivered, and you might pick up some of the dirt that normally settles on the bottom. Hope this will help you get the most value for your money.
DO SHARE THESE TIPS WITH OTHERS!
WHERE TO BUY USA GAS, THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW. READ ON
Gas rationing in the 80's worked even though we grumbled about it. It might even be good for us! The Saudis are boycotting American goods. We should return the favor.
An interesting thought is to boycott their GAS.
Every time you fill up the car, you can avoid putting more money into the coffers of Saudi Arabia. Just buy from gas companies that don't import their oil from the Saudis.
Nothing is more frustrating than the feeling that every time I fill-up the tank, I am sending my money to people who are trying to kill me, my family, and my friends.
I thought it might be interesting for you to know which oil companies are the best to buy gas from and which major companies import Middle Eastern oil.
These companies import Middle Eastern oil:
Shell........................... 205,742,000 barrels
Chevron/Texaco......... 144,332,000 barrels
Exxon /Mobil............... 130,082,000 barrels
Marathon/Speedway... 117,740,000 barrels
Amoco............................62,231,000 barrels
Citgo gas is from South America, from a Dictator who hates Americans. If you do the math at $30/barrel, these imports amount to over $18 BILLION! (oil is now $90 - $100 a barrel
Here are some large companies that do not import Middle Eastern oil:
Sunoco..................0 barrels
Conoco..................0 barrels
Sinclair.................0 barrels
B P/Phillips............0 barrels
Hess.......................0 barrels
ARC0....................0 barrels
If you go to Sunoco.com, you will get a list of the station locations near you.
All of this information is available from the Department of Energy and each is required to state where they get their oil and how much they are importing.
But to have an impact, we need to reach literally millions of gas buyers. It's really simple to do.
Now, don't wimp out at this point.... keep reading and I'll explain how simple it is to reach millions of people!!
I'm sending this note to about thirty people. If each of you send it to at least ten more (30 x 10 = 300)...and those 300 send it to at least ten more (300 x 10 = 3,000) .. and so on, by the time the message reaches the sixth generation of people, we will have reached over THREE MILLION consumers !!!!!!! If those three million get excited and pass this on to ten friends each, then 30 million people will have been contacted!
If it goes one level further, you guessed it ..... THREE HUNDRED MILLION PEOPLE!!!
Again, all you have to do is send this to 10 people. How long would all that take
Thank You,