Prayer Each Day - in times of trial

 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Matthew 11:28

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  Psalm 46:1

God’s love remains constant.  We must never forget that God intends for us to use our setbacks as stepping stones on the path to a better life.  When tough times arrive, we have a clear choice:  we can begin the difficult work of tackling our troubles…or not.

When we summon the courage to look Old Man Trouble squarely in the eye, he usually blinks.  But, if we refuse to address our problems, even the smallest annoyances have a way of growing into king-sized catastrophes.

As believers, we know that God loves us and that He will protect us.  In times of hardship, He will comfort us; in times of sorrow, He will dry our tears.  When we are troubled, or weak, or sorrowful, God is always with us. 

God will not permit any troubles to come upon us unless He has a specific plan by which great blessings can come out of the difficulty.  Peter Marshall

As we wait on God, He helps us use the winds of adversity to soar above our problems.  As the Bible says, “Those who wait on the LORD…shall mount up with wings like eagles.”   Billy Graham

Heavenly Father, You are my strength and my refuge.  As I journey through this day, I know that I may encounter disappointments and losses.  When I am troubled, let me turn to You.  Keep me steady, Lord, and renew a right spirit inside of me this day and forever.   Amen

Prayer Each Day - A World of Temptation

A Great Blessed Year Of LIFE TO ALL:  A World of Temptation

The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations.  2 Peter 2:9

Seductive images are everywhere; subtle messages tells you that it’s okay to sin “Just a little”  (Wrong); and to make matters even worse, society doesn’t just seem to endorse godlessness, it actually seems to reward it.  Society spews for a wide range of messages, all of which imply that it’s okay to rebel against God.  These messages, of course, are extremely dangerous and completely untrue.

When it comes to fighting Satan, you are never alone.  God is always with you, and if you do your part He will do His part.  A good starting point is simply learning how to recognize the subtle temptations that surround you.  The images of immorality that are intended to hijack your mind, your heart, your wallet, your life, and your soul.  Don’t let them do it. 

Satan will work 24/7 against you, causing pain, heartache, trauma, and tragedy in more ways than ever before.  You, as a man of God, must remain watchful and strong—starting today, and ending never. 

The first step on the way to victory is to recognize the enemy.  Corrie ten Boom

Lord, life is filled with temptations to  stray from Your chosen path.  But, I face no temptation that You have not already met and conquered through my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the One who empowers me with His strength and His Love.  Amen

What I Want In A Man!

What I Want In A Man!

What I Want in a Man, Original List:
1.  Handsome
2.  Charming
3.  Financially successful
4.  A caring listener
5.  Witty
6.  In good shape
7.  Dresses with style
8.  Appreciates finer thing
9.  Full! of thoughtful surprises
10.  An imaginative, romantic lover


What I Want in a Man, Revised List (age 32):
1. Nice looking
2. Opens car doors, holds chairs
3. Has enough money for a nice dinner
4. Listens more than talks
5. Laughs at my jokes
6. Carries bags of groceries with ease
7. Owns at least one tie
8. Appreciates a good home-cooked meal
9. Remembers birthdays and anniversaries
10. Seeks romance at least once a week


What I Want in a Man, Revised List (age 42):
1. Not too ugly
2. Doesn't drive off until I'm in the car
3. Works steady - splurges on dinner out occasionally
4. Nods head when I'm talking
5. Usually remembers punch lines of jokes
6. Is in good enough shape to rearrange the furniture
7. Wears a shirt that covers his stomach
8. Knows not to buy champagne with screw-top lids
9. Remembers to put the toilet seat down
10. Shaves most weekends


What I Want in a Man, Revised List (age 52):

1. Keeps hair in nose and ears trimmed
2. Doesn't belch or scratch in public
3. Doesn't borrow money too often
4. Doesn't nod off to sleep when I'm venting
5. Doesn't retell the same joke too many times
6. Is in good enough shape to get off couch on weekends
7. Usually wears matching socks and fresh underwear
8. Appreciates a good TV dinner
9. Remembers your name on occasion
10. Shaves some weekends


What I Want in a Man, Revised List (age 62): 1. Doesn't scare small children
2. Remembers where bathroom is
3. Doesn't require much money for upkeep
4. Only snores lightly when asleep
5. Remembers why he's laughing
6. Is in good enough shape to stand up by himself
7. Usually wears some clothes
8. Likes soft foods
9. Remembers where he left his teeth
10. Remembers that it's the weekend



What I Want in a Man, Revised List (age 72):
1. Breathing !
2. Doesn't miss the toilet !

Prayer Each Day - Putting God First

A Great Blessed Year Of LIFE TO ALL:   Putting God First

One of the quickest ways to build character—perhaps the only way---is to do it with God as your partner.  Have you made God your top priority by offering Him your heart, your soul, your talents, and your time?  Or do you just give God a few hours on Sunday morning? 

Those who worship God must worship in spirit and truth.   John 4:24

Some folks choose to worship God and, as a result, will reap the joy that He intends for His children to experience.  Other folks, folks who are stubbornly determined to do it “their way” distance themselves from God by worshiping such things as earthly possessions or personal gratification…and when they do, they suffer. 

Does God rule your heart?  Make certain that the honest answer to this question is a resounding yes.  If you wish to build your life on the Creator, then put Him first in your life.  No exceptions.

One with God is a majority.   Billy Graham

We become whatever we are committed to.  Rick Warren

Dear Lord, today I will honor You with my thoughts, my actions, and my prayers.  I will seek to please You, and I will strive to serve You.  Your blessings are as limitless as Your love. And because I have been so richly blessed, I will worship You, Father, with thanksgiving in my heart and praise on my lips, this day and forever.   Amen

Prayer Each Day - Good Morning

He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear to hear as the learned.  The Lord God has opened my  ear.   Isaiah  50:4-5

Do you have a standing appointment with God every morning?  Is God your first priority, or do you talk with Him less frequently than that?  If you’re wise, you’ll talk to God first thing every day, without exception.

Warren Wiersbe writes, “Surrender your mind to the Lord at the beginning of each day.”  And that’s sound advice.  When you begin each day with your head bowed  and your heart lifted, you are reminded of God’s love, His protection, and His commandments.  Then, you can align your priorities for that coming day with the teachings and commandments that God has placed upon your heart.

Each day has 1,440 minutes---can you give God a few of them?  Of course you can---and of course you should.   So if you’ve acquired the unfortunate habit of trying to “squeeze” God into the corners of your life, it’s time to reshuffle the items on your to-do- list by placing God first.  And if you haven’t already done so, form the habit of spending quality time each morning with your Creator.  He deserves it…and so, for that matter, do you.

We  must appropriate the tender mercy of God every day after conversion or problems quickly develop.  We need his grace daily in order to live a righteous life.   Jim Cymbala

A person with no devotional life generally struggles with faith and obedience.  Charles Stanley

Meditating upon His Word will inevitable bring peace of mind, strength of purpose, and power for living.   Bill Bright

Lord, help me to hear Your direction for my life in the quiet moments when I study Your Holy Word.  And as I go about my daily activities, let everything that I say and do be pleasing to You.  Amen

The Right Kind Of Attitude

Great Blessed LIFE TO ALL:  The Right Kind Of Attitude

A cheerful heart has a continual feast.  Proverbs  15:15         

 Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus.  Philippians  2:5

Of course you’ve heard the saying,  “Life is what you make of it.”  And although that statement may seem very trite, it’s also very true.  You can choose a life filled to the brim with frustration and fear, or you can choose a life of abundance and peace.  That choice is up to you---and only you---and it depends, to a surprising extent, upon your attitude.

What’s your attitude today?  Are you fearful, angry, bored, or worried?  Are you moping around with a frown on your face that’s almost as big as the one in your heart?  If so, God wants to have a little talk with you. 

God created you in His own image, and He wants you to experience joy, contentment, peace, and abundance.  But, God will not force you to experience these things; you must claim them for yourself.

The quality of your attitude will help determine the quality of your life, so you must guard your thoughts accordingly.  If you make up your mind to approach life with a healthy mixture of realism and optimism, you’ll be rewarded.  But, if you allow yourself to fall into the unfortunate habit of negative thinking, you will doom yourself to unhappiness, or mediocrity, or worse.

The next time you’re tempted to waste valuable time gossiping or complaining, resist those temptations with all you’re might.  And remember this character-building tip:  You’ll never whine your way to the top….so don’t waste your breath.

Lord, let me be an expectant Christian.  Let me expect the best from You, and let me look for the best in others.  If I become discouraged, Father, turn my thoughts and my prayers to You.  Let me trust You, Lord, to direct my life.  And, let me share my faith and optimism with others, today and every day that I live.  Amen

(From the Daily Prayer a friend emails me each day)

Have Children - Live Longer

     I heard on the radio that a  recent study shows that - Being a parent (whether by birth or adoption) decreases a woman’s risk of premature death.  

     A small surprise considering how tired and worn we moms often feel.    (Does it just seem longer sometimes?)

     How much do you think this is because of behavior changes? 

     For instance, I gave up rafting down the American River when I became a mom.  I was now too valuable to a very important person to take unnecessary risks, although slight. 

     

Daily Prayer - Accepting Life

Great Blessed LIFE TO ALL:   Accepting Life

God will make a way, where there seems to be no way----a song of the past—I learned—which touches my heart deeply---Don Neely

If you’re like most men, you like being in control.  Period.  You want things to happen according to your wishes and according to your timetable.  But sometimes, God has other plans…and He always has the final word.

Oswald Chambers correctly observed  “Our Lord never asks us to decide for Him;  He asks us to yield to Him…a very different matter.”  These words remind us that even when we cannot understand the workings of God, we must trust Him and accept His will.

A man’s heart plans his ways, but the Lord determines his steps.  Proverbs 16:9

All of us experience adversity and pain.  As human beings with limited comprehension, we can never fully understand the will of our Father in Heaven.  But as believers in a benevolent God, we must always trust His providence.

I am truly grateful that faith enables me to move past the question of “Why?”   Zig Ziglar

Dear Lord, let me live in the present, not the past.  Let me focus on my blessings, not my sorrows.  Give me the wisdom to be thankful for the gifts that I do have, and not bitter about the things that I don’t have.  Let me accept what was, let me give thanks for what is, and let me have faith in what most surely will be; the promise of eternal life with You.   Amen


(a co-worker sends me Daily Prayer emails - Thanks, Don N)

Elk Grove Nativity Dec 7-9

Sacramento Storm Warning

*****   "If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear."  D&C 38:30   *****

The Sacramento Bee had a front page article Wednesday, November 28th, which warned of a series of warm storms coming to the Northern California area.  This is supposed to be a big series of storms, nicknamed "the Pineapple Express," that is expected to bring flooding and high wind damage.  "It's shaping up as California's equivalent of a hurricane: A series of warm, wet storms arriving today [yesterday] that will be unlike anything the state has seen in years."

We had the first storm Wednesday, and that was the mildest.  The next storm, which is expected to hit by Thursday night (tonight!) is predicted to be the real soaker, with drenching rains and strong winds.  Sacramento could receive sustained winds up to 35 mph with gusts to 45mph.  The Sierra Nevada foothills could see gusts up to 55 mph. A third storm is expected to hit on Sunday which may be even wetter than the second.

With all the leaves that have fallen, storm drains are expected to get clogged up and cause possible flooding of streets.  Local creeks and streams may also exceed their banks, and residents near creeks and streams are advised to have sandbags on hand just in case of flooding. 

I don't think I've ever seen this kind of warning in the Bee before --

"High winds and soaked ground raise the potential for downed trees and power outages.  Residents should be ready with flashlights, extra batteries, food and water, a battery-powered radio and an alternate means of charging cellphones."

"They should also secure outdoor furniture and other objects to prevent them from becoming dangerous projectiles."

If you'd like to read the entire article, here are links to the Bee stories.

Wednesday's article, "Series of Warm Storms Due to Sock North State"

http://www.sacbee.com/2012/11/28/5014591/river-of-storms-headed-for-northern.html#storylink=misearch

Thursday's article about the second storm, "Second Storm in Series Expected to Bring Deluge Tonight"

http://www.sacbee.com/2012/11/29/5017530/second-storm-in-series-expected.html#storylink=misearch

Please, be prepared for power outages.  Make sure you've got:

• Food that can be prepared and eaten if the power is out.  (A gas oven usually won't work without power to control the temperature; a gas stovetop may need to have burners lit with matches.)
  
• Ways to light your home if the power is out.  (Batteries for flashlights, matches, candles, etc.)
• Fresh battery in your smoke alarms, especially if you're using the fireplace and candles. Never leave a fire or lit candle unattended!
  
• Ways to stay warm if the power is out.  (Dry wood for the fireplace, lots of blankets and warm clothes.)
• A way to get news and information, and to stay in communication if the power is out.  (Battery- or crank-powered radio. Make sure your cell phone is fully charged, and remember that texting uses less power and has a better chance of getting through than a voice call.)
• Your car has sufficient fuel for the next few days. (Remember how many gas stations were shut down because of Hurricane Sandy, because there was no power to pump the gas?)

Stay home if you can.  If you must be out on the roads, please be careful.  

*Thanks, Liz, for sharing this information

Prayer Each Day - Working To Reach Your Potential

Working To Reach Your Potential

Do not lack diligence; be fervent in spirit; serve the Lord.  Romans  12:11

The old adage is both familiar and true:  We must pray as if everything depended upon God, but work as if everything depended upon us.  Yet sometimes, when we are weary and discouraged, we may allow our worries to sap our energy and our hope.  God has other intentions.  God intends that we pray for things, and He intends that we be willing to work for the things that we pray for.  Most importantly, God intends that our work should become His work.

Be strong and courageous, and do the work.  Don’t be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you.  He won’t leave you or forsake you.   1 Chronicles 28:20

In his second letter to the Thessalonians, Paul warns,   “if any would not work, neither should he eat”  (3:10).  And the Book of Proverbs proclaims, “One who is slack in his work is brother to one who destroys” (18:9)  Clearly, God’s Word commends the value and importance of diligence.  Yet we live in a world that, all too often, glorifies leisure while downplaying the importance of shoulder-to the-wheel hard work.

God did not create you to be ordinary;  He created you for far greater things.  Reaching for greater things usually requires work and lots of it, which is perfectly find with God.  After all, He knows that you’re up to the task, and He has big plans for you.  Very big plans.

If you want to reach you potential, you need to add a strong work ethic to your talent.   John Maxwell

Lord, let me be an industrious worker in Your fields.  Those fields are ripe, Lord, and Your workers are few.  Let me be counted as Your faithful, diligent servant today, and every day.   Amen

Prayer Each Day - Addictions Destroys

 Be sober!  Be on the alert!  Your adversary the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour.  1 peter 5:8

If you’d like a perfect formula for character destruction, here it is:  become addicted to something that destroys your health or your sanity.  If (God forbid) you allow yourself to become addicted, your steering straight for a tidal wave of negative consequences, and fast.  Our society that glamorizes the use of drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, and other addictive substances.  Why?  The answer can be summed up in one word:  money.  Simply put, addictive substances are big money makers, so suppliers (of both legal and illegal substances) work overtime to make certain that people like you sample their products.  The suppliers need a steady stream of new customers because the old ones are dying off (fast), so they engage in a no-holds-barred struggle to find new users---or more accurately, new abusers.

The dictionary defines addiction as “the compulsive need for a habit-forming substance; the condition of being habitually and compulsively occupied with something”.  The definition is accurate, but incomplete.  For Christians, addiction has an additional meaning:  it means compulsively worshipping something other than God.

Since behaviors become habits, make them work with you and not against you.   E. Stanley Jones

A man may not be responsible for his last drink, but he certainly was for the first.   Billy Graham

Dear Lord, You have instructed me to care for my body, and I will obey You.  I will be mindful of the destructive power of addiction, and I will avoid the people, the places, and the substances that can entrap my spirit and destroy my life.   Amen

Daily Prayer - He is Here

a friend at work sends me a daily prayer thought -

Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.   James 4:8

In the quiet early morning, as the sun’s first rays peak over the horizon, we may sense the presence of God. 

The next time you hear a baby laugh or see an ocean wave, take note.  Pause and listen as his Majesty whispers ever so gently, “I’m here.”   Max Lucado

Since God is everywhere, we are free to sense His presence whenever we take the time to quiet our souls and turn our prayers to Him.  But sometimes, amid the incessant demands of everyday life, we turn our thoughts far from God; when we do we suffer. 

Are you tired, discouraged or fearful?  Be comforted because God is with you.  Are you confused? Listen to the quiet voice of your Heavenly Father.  Are you bitter?  Talk with God and seek His guidance.  Are you celebrating a great victory?  Thank God and praise Him.  He is the Giver of all things good.

In whatever condition you find yourself—whether  you are happy or sad, victorious or vanquished, troubled or triumphant—celebrate God’s presence.  And be comforted in the knowledge that God is not just near.  He is here.

Get yourself into the presence of the loving Father.  Just place yourself before Him, and look up into His face; think of His love, His wonderful, tender, pitying love.   Andrew Murray

Dear Lord, You are with me always.  Help me feel Your presence inn every situation and every circumstance.  Today, Dear God, let  me feel You and acknowledge Your presence, Your love, and Your Son.  Amen

Why Mitt Romney is Unlikable?

passing on an email I got from friend - b 

Why Mitt Romney is Unlikable?


A lot has been said in the media about Mitt Romney not being "likable"
or that he doesn't "relate well" to people.  Frankly, we struggled to 
understand why.
So after much research, we have come up with a Top Ten List to explain 
this "un-likability."

Top Ten Reasons To Dislike Mitt Romney:

1. Drop-dead, collar-ad handsome with gracious, statesmanlike aura.
Looks like every central casting's #1 choice for Commander-in-Chief.

2. Been married to ONE woman his entire life, and has been faithful to 
her, including through her bouts with breast cancer and MS.

3. No scandals or skeletons in his closet. (How boring is that?)

4. Can't speak in a fake, southern, "black preacher voice" when 
necessary.

5. Highly intelligent. Graduated cum laude from both Harvard Law School 
and Harvard Business School...and by the way, his academic records are 
NOT sealed.

6. Doesn't smoke or drink alcohol, and has never done drugs, not even in 
the counter -culture age when he went to college. Too square for today's 
America?

7. Represents an America of "yesterday," where people believed in God, 
went to Church, didn't screw around, worked hard, and became a SUCCESS!

8. Has a family of five great sons....and none of them have police 
records or are in drug rehab.  But of course, they were raised by a 
stay-at-home mom, and that "choice" deserves America's scorn.

9. Oh yes.....he's a MORMON. We need to be very afraid of that very 
strange religion that teaches its members to be clean-living, patriotic, 
fiscally conservative, charitable, self-reliant, and honest.

10. And one more point.....pundits say because of his wealth, he can't 
relate to ordinary Americans.  I guess that's because he made that money 
HIMSELF.....as opposed to marrying it or inheriting it from Dad.

Apparently, he didn't understand that actually working at a job and 
earning your own money made you un-relatable to Americans. My goodness, 
it's a strange world, isn't it?

 *****************************************************
Personal Information:

His full Name is: Willard Mitt Romney
He was Born: March 12, 1947 and is 65 years old.
His Father: George W. Romney, former Governor of the State of Michigan 
He was raised in Bloomfield Hills , Michigan He is Married to Ann Romney 
since 1969; they have five children.

Education:
B. A. from Brigham Young University, J. D. and M.B.A. from Harvard 
University

Religion:
Mormon - The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints

Working Background:
After high school, he spent 30 months in France as a Mormon missionary.
After going to both Harvard Business School and Harvard Law School 
simultaneously, he passed the Michigan bar exam, but never worked as an 
attorney.
In 1984, he co-founded Bain Capital a private equity investment firm, 
one of the largest such firms in the United States.

In 1994, he ran for Senator of Massachusetts and lost to Ted Kennedy.

He was President and CEO of the 2002 Winter Olympic Games.

In 2002, he was elected Governor of the State of Massachusetts where he 
eliminated a 1.5 billion deficit.

Some Interesting Facts about Romney:

Bain Capital, starting with one small office supply store in 
Massachusetts, turned it into Staples; now over 2,000 stores employing
90,000 people.
Bain Capital also worked to perform the same kinds of business miracles 
again and again, with companies like Domino's, Sealy, Brookstone, 
Weather Channel, Burger King, Warner Music Group, Dollarama, Home Depot 
Supply and many others.

He was an unpaid volunteer campaign worker for his dad's gubernatorial 
campaign 1 year.

He was an unpaid intern in his dad's governor's office for eight years.

He was an unpaid bishop and state president of his church for ten years.

He was an unpaid President of the Salt Lake Olympic Committee for three 
years.

He took no salary and was the unpaid Governor of Massachusetts for four 
years.
He gave his entire inheritance from his father to charity.

Mitt Romney is one of the wealthiest self-made men in our country but 
has given more back to its citizens in terms of money, service and time 
than most men.

And in 2011 Mitt Romney gave over $4 million to charity, almost 19% of 
his income....

Just for comparison purposes, Obama gave 1% and Joe Biden gave $300 or 
.0013%.

Mitt Romney is Trustworthy:

He will show us his high school and college transcripts.

He will show us his social security card.

He will show us his law degree.

He will show us his draft notice.

He will show us his medical records.

Mitt Romney's background, experience and trustworthiness show him to be 
a great leader and an excellent citizen for President of the United 
States.
You may think that Romney may not be the best representative the 
Republicans could have selected. At least I know what religion he is, 
and that he won't desecrate the flag, bow down to foreign powers, or 
practice fiscal irresponsibility.

I know he has the ability to turn around this financial debacle that the 
current regime has gotten us into. We won't like all the things 
necessary to recover from this debt, but someone with Romney's 
background can do it.

But, on the minus side, he never was a "Community Organizer", never took 
drugs or smoked pot, never got drunk, did not associate with communists 
or terrorists, nor did he attend a church whose pastor called for God to 
damn the US.

HEAL OUR LAND

HEAL OUR LAND
(Orrin Hatch / Janice Perry)

Heal our land
Please grant us peace today 
And strengthen all who lack the faith to call on Thee each day 

Heal our land
Please keep us safe and free 
Watch over all who understand the need for Liberty 

Heal our land 
Heal our land
And guide us with thy hand
Keep us ever on the path of Liberty 

Heal our land
Heal our land
And help us understand that we must put our trust in Thee 
If we would be free 

Protect us by the power of thy rod
And keep us as one nation under God 

Heal our land
Heal our land
And guide us thy hand
Keep us ever on the path of Liberty 

Heal our land
Heal our land
And help us understand
That we must put our trust in Thee 

If we would be free 

One Minute Each Night

This prayer request was passed to me by a friend.   - b

This is possibly the scariest election we as Christians have ever faced, and from the looks of the polls, Christians aren't voting Christian values. We all need to be on our knees.

Do you believe we can take God at His word? Call upon His name, then stand back and watch His wonders unfold. This scripture gives us, as Christians, ownership of this land and the ability to call upon God to heal it. We are challenged to do just that. We have never been more desperate than now for God to heal our land.

Many believe this election is the scariest that can be remembered in their lifetime. We need to remember what II Chronicles 7:14 says:

“If my people, which are called by my name shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

During the dark days of World War II, when England stood alone against the forces of darkness and London was in flames every night, there was a British advisor to Winston Churchill who organized a group of prayerful people. He asked them to stop whatever they were doing each night at a prescribed hour - for one minute - to collectively pray for the safety of Britain, its people, its freedom and its ultimate victory and peace. Amazingly, the German blitz of London began to diminish rapidly in a short time and eventually the bombing stopped totally.

Prayer is a real force. Prayer works.

There is now a group of people organizing the same here in America . The United States of America and its people – our families, friends and neighbors, cities and churches - need prayer now more than ever. If you would like to participate, each evening at 9:00 P.M. Eastern Time (8 PM Central, 7 PM Mountain, 6 PM Pacific), stop whatever you're doing, and spend one minute praying for the safety of the United States, our troops, our citizens, for peace in the world, the upcoming election, that the Bible will remain the basis for the laws governing our land and our morals and our freedom, that we will once again rejoice that we are a nation “Under God,” and that Christianity will grow in this country for which so many millions have lived and believed and fought for and died.

It has been said that if people really understood the full extent of the power we have available through prayer, we would be speechless. Our prayers in this hour are the most powerful asset we have on earth.

"Be still and know that I AM GOD,” He tells us – “for I AM with you always….”

I urge you to take this call to heart and join with the millions who need to be praying for God’s sovereignty to once again reign in America. Remember, as St. Paul wrote, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).  God meant for everyone of us to say the same thing.

HAPPY PEOPLE DANCING ON PLANET EARTH!

 In a world of trouble  we sometimes forget  joy and the essential brotherhood of man.  This helped me remember.

HAPPY PEOPLE DANCING ON PLANETEARTH!

Thanks, Tina, for sharing it with me.

The Story of the LIghtbulb

From Dieter F Uchtdorf's talk "We Are Doing a Great Work and Cannot Come Down"  General Conference April 2009 -

On a dark December night 36 years ago, a Lockheed 1011 jumbo jet crashed into the Florida Everglades, killing over 100 people. This terrible accident was one of the deadliest crashes in the history of the United States.

A curious thing about this accident is that all vital parts and systems of the airplane were functioning perfectly—the plane could have easily landed safely at its destination in Miami, only 20 miles (32km) away.

During the final approach, however, the crew noticed that one green light had failed to illuminate—a light that indicates whether or not the nose landing gear has extended successfully. The pilots discontinued the approach, set the aircraft into a circling holding pattern over the pitch-black Everglades, and turned their attention toward investigating the problem.

They became so preoccupied with their search that they failed to realize the plane was gradually descending closer and closer toward the dark swamp below. By the time someone noticed what was happening, it was too late to avoid the disaster.

After the accident, investigators tried to determine the cause. The landing gear had indeed lowered properly. The plane was in perfect mechanical condition. Everything was working properly—all except one thing: a single burned-out lightbulb. That tiny bulb—worth about 20 cents—started the chain of events that ultimately led to the tragic death of over 100 people.

Of course, the malfunctioning lightbulb didn’t cause the accident; it happened because the crew placed its focus on something that seemed to matter at the moment while losing sight of what mattered most.

Only A Thimbleful

 "A young man who was stationed in Teheran, the capital of Iran, ... was a member of our Church. While he was there he decided to make the best use of his time and learn the Farsi language. He thought the best way of doing this would be to work with little children and have them teach him Farsi as he taught them English. ... So he found a very intelligent young pair of children, a young boy and a young girl, and through an interpreter ... he said he would teach them English on the condition that they would teach him Farsi. They were overjoyed at this opportunity and so it started. ... It was only a very short time until they were able to communicate with one another. He didn't have any teaching materials, but he did have his Service-man's Principles of the Gospel with him and his Book of Mormon, so he began to read with them out of these English books. In the course of his teaching, he taught them about the Word of Wisdom and about a whole host of things that we do and believe in our Church. One day they invited him to come and meet their uncle. ... He took the little girl on his shoulders and boy by the hand and went over to the uncle's home laughing and chatting all the way. When they got there, the uncle received him with outstretched arms. He was very, very hospitable to him and they had a wonderful time. Then finally the man got up and went over to his bookcase, opened the door, and reached in, and there was a beautiful silver tray, a silver decanter, and some very tiny cups made of silver. He brought the tray and set it down before them on that beautiful bronze table, and then he very carefully removed the cork from the decanter, and poured beautiful cherry-red wine into those little silver cups. ... [The young man] thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I don't believe in this thing, but after all, he has been so hospitable to me, and he has explained that this is a custom in his country. I don't want to offend him in any way, so I will do it.' And that is exactly what he did. As the tray reached him, he took this tiny silver cup no bigger than a thimble and toasted the man's health and drank it down. The conversation dragged immediately. A silence spread throughout the room. He became uncertain and he quickly broke off the conversation, took the little girl on his shoulders and the little boy by the hand and went outside on their way home. On their way, the little girl started to cry. He said, 'Honey, why are you crying?' She could not answer a word through her sobs, but the little boy said, 'Joe, why did you do it? Why did you do it?' And he said, 'Why did I do what?' And he said, 'Why did you take that drink?' 'Well,' he said, 'It was just a little thimble-ful.' 'Well,' the boy said, 'That doesn't make any difference. Uncle said you would do it. We told him all about the Word of Wisdom, and he said, "Those Americans talk about a lot of things, but they don't believe them." We told him that you really did, but you didn't.' Well, the [young man] said as soon as that happened, he would have given his right arm if he could only recall the action that he had done, because he knew what damage he had done to the lives of those little children. They never came back. He had lost his valuable contact and perhaps an opportunity to spread the gospel among influential people in that land" (Theodore M. Burton, Tickling the Tiger, Brigham Young University Speeches of the Year [Provo, 17 Jan. 1961], pp. 7-9).

creative job /money making/saving ideas

Some creative job /money making/saving ideas a friend shared (thanks Sue):

1) Advertise on your car. drivenmediaonline.com or freecarmedia.com

2)Test websites at usertesting.com

3)Participate in focus groups. findfocusgroups.com and call each one
to have your name added to the list so they will call you as they come
up.

4)Perform tasks for businesses. mturk.com Search through the human
intelligence tasks to find out which ones you are up for. It could be
translation, data gathering, writing product reviews or testing
websites.

5)Pet paid to tweet. Sign up at sponsoredtweets.com where advertisers
look for tweeters to tout their brands.

6) Be an online expert. Field questions related to your expertise.
Prove your knowledge with credentials and quick subject matter test at
justanswer.com where visitors submit inquiries for a suggested price.
The more you answer, the better your chances for more questions. On a
side note, when I was doing my taxes with Turbo Tax this year, I asked
a question to their expert online. A H was the responder! She is my
visiting teacher!

7) Hawk your handiwork. etsy.com (we know about etsy) what you may not
know is that it only costs about 20 cents for four months. If you have
handmade items, this is great way to market them.

8)Ask for $5. Fiverr.com. The website where you can list anything you
are willing to do for $5. It can be silly stuff like singing in a
banana suit! One participant made $1000 by writing messages on a sandy
beach and photographing them. Whether you make great power points or
killer maid- of-honor speaches or offer organizing advise.

9)Put your photos up for sale. (I thought this was GREAT!) Submit your
jpeg images for free to stock photography sites such as
shutterstock.com. They will pay up to $28 whenever some downloads your
image. Istockphoto pays 15% of each download. FYI. I have used some of
these sites when I was in marketing. I paid for the pictures! This one
is a no brainer if you have some pictures.

10) Pick up insurance bonuses. Make sure your health and life
insurance KNOWS you are non-smokers, you workout at the gym, etc. Many
reduce their premiums.

11) Sell your gift cards. Sometimes we collect gift cards we will
never use. Sell them on any of those sites. Google, gift card
exchange. Tranversely, you can buy cards you DO use at a savings on
these sites. I use them all the time! Sometimes up to 30% off. I have
never had a problem.

12) Jewelry. cash4gold.com and exboyfriendjewelry.com are a couple of
the many websites you can turn to if you want to sell necklaces, rings
and other gold jewelry. You may get a better rate at a local jewelry
store. My daughter had her old class ring that she shrunk out of. She
got $200!

13)Gadgets. DON'T THROW OUT THAT OLD GAME SYSTEM! Instead trade in
your small electronic at gazelle.comand earn cash-$100 on average
according to the site. They will tell you where you can sell your
product and ship your gadget free of charge and you will recieve a
check in the mail.

14) Books. At bookscouter.com, enter the ISBN number for any book you
hoping to sell and it will compare more than 40-bookbuying sites. You
decide which one you want to sell to or sell on and go that site and
do what is necessary to sell them.

15) Clothes. Gently used clothes and childrens things can be
liquidated at local 'used' clothing shops.

16) Everything else. ebayclassifieds.com and craigslist.com are free
to list on. Last week we pulled the toilet out of our master bath and
replaced it. I put it on CL for $50. A guy came and bought it for $40.
Also, use the CL for free stuff to give. When I pulled out my old
stove and the counter with the sink still attached, both were dump
worthy. The stove still works and the counter and sink worked, but
more for a farm or garage. Same with our old wheat! They were gone in
minutes! When dad pulled out all the wood in the garage for the
intended bathroom we never put in, I took a picture of the pile and
said free. A lady and her hubby came and took nearly all of it. Again,
saving us the dump trip.

F Jesse -- a short piece worth reading...

Thanks for sharing, Moroni

---

Interesting bit about failure to success.

Who would have ever guessed? 

But once you know, you understand.

Jesse, the rest of the story A DREAMER AND HIS DREAM Let me tell you, Jesse hated his job. And you would too, I imagine, if you had to do it. Jesse was a chicken plucker. That's right. He stood on a line in a chicken factory and spent his days Pulling the feathers off dead chickens so the rest of us Wouldn't have to. It wasn't much of a job. But at the time, Jesse didn't think he was much of a person. His father was a brute of a man. His dad was actually thought to be mentally ill And treated Jesse rough all of his life. Jesse's older brother wasn't much better. He was always picking on Jesse and beating him up. Yes, Jesse grew up in a very rough home in West Virginia. Life was anything but easy. And he thought life didn't hold much hope for him. That's why he was standing in this chicken line, Doing a job that darn few people wanted. In addition to all the rough treatment at home, it seems That Jesse was always sick. Sometimes it was real Physical illness, but way too often it was all in his head. He was a small child, skinny and meek. That sure didn't help the situation any. When he started to school, he was the target for every Bully on the playground. He was also a hypochondriac of the first order. For Jesse, tomorrow was not always something to be Looked forward to. But, he had dreams. He wanted to be a ventriloquist. He found books on ventriloquism. He practiced with Sock puppets and saved his hard earned dollars until He could get a real ventriloquist dummy. When he got old enough, he joined the military. And even though many of his hypochondriac symptoms Persisted, the military did recognize his talents and Put him in the entertainment corp. That was when his world changed. He gained confidence. He found that he had a talent for making people laugh, And laugh so hard they often had tears in their eyes. Yes, little Jesse had found himself. You know, folks, the history books are full of people Who overcame a handicap to go on and make a success Of themselves, But Jesse is one of the few I know of Who didn't just overcome it. Instead he used his paranoia To make a million dollars, and become one of The best-loved characters of all time in doing it! Yes, that little paranoid hypochondriac, who transferred His nervousness into a successful career, still holds the Record for the most Emmys ever given in a single category. The wonderful, gifted, talented, and nervous comedian Who brought us Barney Fife Was Jesse Don Knotts. NOW YOU KNOW, "THE REST OF THE STORY" There is a street named for him and has a statue in Morgantown , West Virginia, his place of birth.