Detaining Children Is Immoral and Inhumane!

Contact Sec. Azar, Sec. Nielsen, VP and Jeff Sessions and tell them to reunite the children with their own parents. 

https://youtu.be/OvCRbk_fQD8

I'm Tired!

I'm tired of all the lies and all the liars!

I'm tired of Republicans acting like there's nothing wrong with trump.

I'm tired of the white Evangelicals making excuses for the WH menace.

I'm tired of trump supporters' inability to think for themselves.

I'm tired of the media outlets allowing ignorance to manipulate the news cycles.

I'm tired of seeing children separated from their parents being treated like animals.

I'm tired of people who know truth but won't speak up to help end this nightmare.

I'm tired of politicians who are afraid to speak truth to power because they might lose an election.

I'm tired of all the people who complain, but won't vote to change things.

I'm tired of listening to the cult expound the lies they've been told and believe.

I'm tired of those who won't uphold their oaths of office and are allowing this country to sink.

I'm tired of apologizing to our allies for the nut job in the WH.

I'm tired of watching rising prices for gas, good and healthcare.

I'm tired of people thinking that Democrats can't be Christians even though we're more Christian than the Republicans who apparently don't know Jesus.

I'm tired of the evil ones who use the bible to perpetuate their evil.

I'm tired of not knowing where all this will end--in the next year or two.

Okay, so I'm tired and I'm sure there are millions of others just as tired as I am of all the stupid we've had to endure. There is a way out from under the stupid--people simply have to get out and vote and vote for the party who has a heart, not just ideological beliefs.

Regardless of party affiliation or none--it's time for Americans to step up and take control of the situation and vote for Democrats up and down the ballot in every city, township, and state. We must start where we live with local elections and then spread it out to all the general elections so the United States of America will have a chance to preserve our democracy for future generations.

Are you ready? Let's get it done!

Happy Father's Day!

Enjoy the day with family and loved ones!

Disaster In The White House!

A troublemaker and a villain, who goes about with a corrupt mouth, who winks maliciously with his eye, signals with his feet and motions with his fingers, who plots evil with deceit in his heart— he always stirs up conflict. Therefore disaster will overtake him in an instant; he will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy. There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community. Proverbs 6:12-19 NIV

As hard as I try to see a redeeming quality in 45--it just doesn't seem possible. On a daily basis; he becomes more abhorrent than the day before. Forget trying to see any parts of Christ reigning in his life--he is of the devil and everything he does--demonstrates it.

His only goal--to pacify the rich and make everyone else suffer--including those who voted for him.
Between Bannon and Miller's control over him and his own ineptness, it's a wonder the walls at the White House haven't collapsed from the sheer absurdity of who and what is in the office.

Talk about hating people--45 makes me wonder if his parents ever showed him any affection at all. We know his rich daddy bought his way through everything and he's never learned to accept any responsibility for his actions because we see it--daily. He constantly missteps and lies and never apologizes for his wrong doing while others around him get shoved under the bus by association.

Is this going to be the way we see the trash get taken out of the White House--anyone associating with him first?

He should be thrown out in the midst of all those who will suffer from his hateful policies! The elderly and poor, the middle-class worker who sought relief from his presidency and who only get buried with the healthcare coverage and still won't have the "good jobs" he promised. The only people who benefit from a "tRump presidency are the very rich."

Sadly, those who might have had a chance of redemption have positioned themselves to dwell in the burning lake for all eternity with him since they think it's more important to support his lies than to tell the truth.

At any rate--if people don't see or understand that his promises are as empty as his brain, they are deluding themselves if they think their lives are going to get better under the pathological liar-in-chief who doesn't have a clue or the temperament to be in the White House.

I listened to Rep. Chris Collins yesterday on "The Messy Truth" with Van Jones and heard the obvious "talking points" of the GOP--"we've suffered for the last eight years under Obama." This is a talking point that has been debunked over and over, but I guess they (GOP) figure if they keep repeating it; it will be true. Another way of seeing what is happening is to remember--how the "GOP obstructed Obama"--refused to cooperate or work with the democrats in moving the country forward and it was a "deliberate plan by the Republican leadership" who bragged about it. So, if there was any suffering--it was caused by the obstructionists, not President Obama.

I have come to the conclusion that Republicans think it's more important to lie and support party than work for the betterment of the country. This is one of the reasons that the audience laughed when Collins said he'd give 45 "A" for a grade. And every time a republican purports that he's doing just great--he believes the lie and his supporters get screwed with the rest of us.

It doesn't help that with his lack of ability that he thinks "watching movies, fake news and reading parts of right-wing conspiracy theories" provides him with knowledge and understanding. His reading comprehension skills are non-existent and if he had a functioning brain, he'd know he's being played by everyone in the White House around him--especially Bannon and Miller (Spicer, Priebus and Conway--are just too foolish to understand what's going on right in front of them).

So, yes there is a disaster in the White House and it's effects shall soon be felt by all.

We Are His Children!

“Yet the Israelites will be like the sand on the seashore, which cannot be measured or counted. In the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ they will be called ‘children of the living God.’ Hosea 1:10 NIV

No matter what happens, The Word of God is for all of His Children and all who have turned to Him and away from sin are His children.

Like the children of men--we are not perfect, but He is a perfect God and He knows how to deal with His children--even the rebellious ones and He will never turn His back on His own.

So, to reiterate a theme of the week--don't allow fear to lead you to despair and eventual destruction. With Jesus on our side--we can rest with the assurance that He is more than the world against us and no matter what battle we face--in the end, we win.

Let the naysayers and doubters believe what they will--don't argue--for argument with the foolish and unlearned is futile; just stay focused on Him who loves all and will eventually be recognized and praised for who He is--even those who claimed they did not believe. Oh yes, the time is coming and will be upon us quickly when we will all stand before The Lord and be judged--not for what others have done, but for what we have done or not done that would promote the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

With the wisdom of God deeply embedded into our hearts, we have all we need to make decisions about every area of our lives. With the love of God overflowing onto all, we have all we need to make life sweeter for all we meet.

There are some things we'll never be able to change and there are some people who may never respond to the call of God to live as He lives in us and that will be their undoing. We have no control over what others do, but we do have control over what we do. When we stand before God, He will not ask us about other people and what they did, but He will call us to give account for all we have done since we came into the knowledge of who He really is. Those things we did for which we have repented will never be brought up to us by God for He forgives and tosses our sin into the sea of forgetfulness.

Our wonderful Father, who gives good gifts to all of His children--have no need to fear what the enemy is doing, but we need to be aware of the enemy's influence in those who attempt to turn us away from believing in God and His ways. We are His children and we have access to all His many benefits--let's receive and bring others into the fold so they, too, can enjoy His love and belonging to Him.

Not Guilty!

Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin”? Even small children are known by their actions, so is their conduct really pure and upright? Proverbs 20:9,11

No matter what we do or have done in the time we've been on the earth, none of us can say, we've never done anything wrong--unless we were physically incapable of acting on our own.

And that's the key. If we are able to make decisions about anything, chances are--we've made a few wrong ones. Even small children--learning to walk and discover--find out the hard way that not everything should be put in one's mouth or they shouldn't touch everything they see. How much children are harmed by their discovery activities depends upon the parents' detail to attention in keeping them safe and harmful events--limited.

So, if small children are known by their actions, how we can reasonably conclude that adults are not known by theirs?

When we promote hatred of other people simply because of their religious beliefs, skin color, or how they look--what does that say about us?

When we constantly promote the engagement of negative attacks upon others--what does that say about us?

When we think we are superior to others and totally discredit the thought processes of others--what does that say about us?

When we think we can chastise others and are never receptive to chastisement for what we do--what does that say about us?

We are known by what we do and say--and warrant greater judgment by God because we are adults--not children. The children--who do wrong--usually don't know what they're doing, but adults--especially those who claim to know Christ--have no excuse.

When we know The Lord and are cognizant of The Word and live it on a daily basis, we cannot say, "we're not guilty" when we do wrong. And if we claim we're not guilty of ever doing anything wrong--we lie and proclaim the devil is our father.

The one thing I will not be guilty of doing in this lifetime is saying, I've never done anything wrong. I hear Holy Spirit when He speaks and though I'm sometimes slow to obey, I do obey. I obey even I don't understand why He wants me to do certain things, but I know--if He says it--it can't be wrong.

Therefore, I will continue to live like the King's Kid that I am and hope to be known for being His--always willing to admit when I'm wrong and correct my behavior.

Unlike some--I cannot say, "Not Guilty" of ever being wrong, but I know that love--will make it right!

About The Children's Children!

A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children, but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous. Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them. Proverbs 13:22,24 NIV

God--in His infinite Wisdom--addressed every situation we would encounter in life--being a parent and a grandparent. This is why we should--not just read The Word, but study it so living life won't frustrate us.

I'm veering a little today to discuss parenting, children and grandchildren--seeking to reflect upon what I've done and what I should do. I'm in one of those unique situations in which I'm a grandparent, raising my grandson--doing the "grand parenting" thing so many of us do.

First of all, the one thing that most parents discover--if they have more than one child--is that parenting is a special task--that eludes instructions--from all, but God. And when a parent doesn't have a relationship with God, they miss the mark and parent by trial and error. What most realize is that no two children (not even twins, triplets, or more) are exactly alike. They develop their own personalities and defy any logic to make them "fit" any mold. So, parenting with its many obstacles becomes a great training ground for many of us--learning things we never thought we'd have to do.

And if we thought parenting was fun--grand parenting--is a riot! Not only do we discover what we missed while parenting, we get to complete the cycle all over again--without the benefit of spoiling the kid and then sending them home. Now--if the grandchild is living with us--we have to discipline as well as spoil. It's truly a balancing act--especially going through the teenage cycle, again.

The bottom line--in this short reflection--is that raising a grandchild can be a blessing or a nightmare. It is a blessing when the child in question understands the magnitude of the role the grand parent is in and a nightmare when they don't. At this point in time--I'm trying to find a middle ground so I can continue to enjoy being a grandmother and yet raise a responsible, respectful young man--who can stay focused on goals to make sure his life is worthwhile.

Here's what I've discovered--we must--at all costs--raise children as God has said--no matter how much we love them, we must stand firm in our resolve when we mete out discipline and love 'em at the same time. The benefit for us--a chance to mold a child's future--again. The benefit for them--an opportunity to receive the inheritance many of us have planned for our children's children.

Of course--if the grandchild chooses not to be the responsible, respectful young person God desires for us to have in our presence, then the child gets the reward they deserve--the consequences of their behavior.

Loving living this life to the fullest--and still learning what I almost learned fifty years ago--praying my way through to its end.

The Wisdom of The Wise!

The lips of the wise broadcast knowledge,

but not so the heart of fools. Proverbs 15: 7

A mocker doesn’t love one who corrects him;

he will not consult the wise. Proverbs 15:12

He who is wise listens,

He who is foolish, scorns and mocks.

He who receives correction earns respect,

He who mocks correction earns disdain.

He who seeks The Lord first is encouraged,

He who ignores The Lord is dismayed.

Those who praise God in the beauty of Holiness,

Are filled with hope and never despair.

Those who know--God--not just about Him,

Are blessed to be His children.

Is it wisdom or fate to speak what God says,

To obey when God speaks, and receive what God has?

The wisdom of the wise keeps flowing freely

While the ignorance of fools keeps them enslaved.

Are you wise or foolish, blessed or cursed?

Listen!

Now therefore, listen to me, my children;
Pay attention to the words of my mouth: Proverbs 7:24 NKJV

How many ways must it be said? Watch over our children before they are dead! Is no one listening, do we not hear, how the predators are seeking all we hold dear?

Children are a precious commodity in our society and everyone should treat them as such, for if they cease to exist, so does our society as we know it.

Parents! Teach your children the dangers that exist in the minds of the depraved. Don't sugarcoat the truth and leave them open to the enticing ways of those who seek to destroy them. Pay attention to what they do and to those with whom they spend time. Get to know the parents of the children they play with and what kind of homes they visit. Pay attention to what your child is doing!

A 13 year-old male is missing, abducted from a neighborhood store parking lot at 11:00 p.m. Why was he out of the house at that time of night?

An 11 year-old female is missing, seemingly having been enticed by some man through a chatroom with her access on her tablet.

People will devise any method they can to entice children out of their homes or forcefully take them away. No child should be out at night without an adult accompanying them. Parents should be aware of who their children are communicating with over the Internet.

The warnings are out there and yet, we still hear about missing children! The depraved do not care about the feelings of a parent--they only care about what they want. Whether it is for personal gratification, revenge or greed, they take, use and abuse those who are precious to those who love them.

When are we going to get it? When all of our children are gone or have been so traumatized by horrendous experiences they will never be productive citizens? We must do better in protecting our children from those who are sick--the predators--must be stopped and the best way to stop them is to teach our children the truth about the predators, guard them and love them.

T N T was written as a warning to all parents about the dangers of Internet predators and how they manipulate the innocent into doing what they want. They entice them to leave home--without cell phones--so they cannot be tracked. It would appear that this is the method used by whoever is responsible for the missing 11 year-old girl.

Please, please, please parents and guardians--watch over the children and teach them truth--God's truth and the truth about those who will trick them into doing things they really don't want to do.

Lord, speak to the hearts of those who know where these children are and lead them to safety.

And A Mother Is...

But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. I Thessalonians 2:7 NKJV

There are so many references in The Word regarding a mother or mothers that I had difficulty choosing one, but I think this one is a stand-out, for more than one reason.
A nursing mother holds her child close and dear,
Desiring only for the child to be healthy and know love,
She cares for herself because everything she eats or drinks,
Flows into the child in her arms--lovingly and the child grows.

As the child gets older, a mother's love never stops,
But regroups her methods to make sure the child knows,
Right from wrong and wrong from right, disciplining, teaching,
Loving no matter what happens, knowing when the time is right,
To allow the child to take steps on his/her own, praying, seeing them grown.

And when they are grown, her love never stops, but spreads deep within
Without, making room for the grands and great-grands, the fruit of the child,
Once nestled in the curve of her arms, now strong enough to hold his/her mother
As they begin their own journey into parenthood.

At every stage and age a mother is whatever we need for that moment,
So we must cherish the time we have with them so memories will never fade,
And we share with our children's children all the sacrifices she made,
For us to live life--loved and challenged to be all we can be--making a difference.

We Can Say, "No" To Ungodliness!

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you. Titus 2:11-15 NIV

When people make excuses for living in opposition to God's Word, it is because they have either not been taught how to live The Word of God or they simply choose not to do so.

If  parents live an ungodly life before their children and all the children ever see is ungodliness around them, there is a great likelihood that the child will think that ungodliness is normal. We tend to think what we've have seen is all there is and unfortunately, for some children, ungodliness is all they will ever see. And for these we pray--that some day soon--they will see others live Godly lives and want to change their ways.





What do children see that is not of God? They see parents engrossed in all types of negative behaviors--watching porn on television, leaving bedroom doors open so the kids see all they should not see. They see parents getting high on drugs and selling drugs, and dealing in illegal activities--openly. They see parents start fights and brawls over trivial matters and they see parents set fires to home simply because they were evicted. They see parents cuss at anyone who dares to cross them or disagree with them. They hear parents when they lie and know when they are lying. And all of the ungodliness they see--becomes a part of their lives when they become adults and the cycle begins again.

If we understand the behavioral cycles that have led to the demise of respect and peace in our communications, we will see the need to teach better behaviors. There is but one simple rule to govern what we do--LOVE--and if we love--self and others--we can say, "No" to all ungodliness. If we teach children to respect others by showing them how we respect others, we can eliminate a lot of the violence in our society. Much of it is caused by a lack of respect--for self and others--especially when people think they have a right to infringe upon the rights of others--without consequences.
We are told in The Word that whatever we sow (plant), that is all we can expect to see. If we plant the seeds of ungodly behavior in our children, then all we can expect is ungodly behavior. If we plant Godliness (nurturing it our own behavior as a living testimony), then we'll see Godliness in our children.

We have to remember that children are not stupid nor blind. They see much more than we think they see and they imitate what they see. So before we get upset with our children and others around, we need to reflect upon our own behavior. Are we saying, "No" to ungodliness or have we deceived ourselves into thinking there is nothing wrong with us?
 
Getting into The Word on a daily basis and seeking God's Wisdom, puts us on the right path to living Godly lives before Him and others--alleviating any need to be ashamed of what we do--in the eye of the public or in our private lives. Please God--not man--and say no, to all ungodliness!

Why Patience Is Needed!

You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine. Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance. Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.  Titus 1:1-5 NIV

Patience is mentioned 34 times in the New Testament and patient mentioned 9 times in the Bible (once in Old Testament in Ecclesiastes). I've concluded--speculatively--that patience was not a strong character trait in many before Christ made an appearance. I base this speculation on the fact that the Children of Israel were so impatient with God, that they moved away from His guidance in an effort to more like other nations (needing a king,etc).

Here--in Paul's instructions to Titus--we see a reason for patience and that reason is to teach others how to walk in the light of God's love. If we really want to others to learn something well, we must be willing to patiently teach them--expecting them to make mistakes, but will be quick to hear correction.

This then may explain why some people are not good teachers--spiritually or naturally. If we get angry or frustrated with those we attempt to teach--we actually inhibit their desire to learn. One of the reasons we tend to get impatient with people is because we forget the road we traveled to get where we are. Someone had to have patience with us in order for us to know what we know. Even if much of what we know was through an inquisitive nature where we sought information on our own, we still had to exercise patience with ourselves.

Not to long ago, a person who observed my teaching a class told me that I had the patience of job with my students. I was amazed at her assessment because I do not always think I'm very patient with students when I've repeated myself--ad nauseum. At any rate, I realized that she was referring to my ability to give them time to think about a question before providing them with an answer. In fact, I seldom provide answers to questions when reviewing information--I simply wait until someone comes up with the right answer and I confirm. Teaching is not about trying to pour information into someone's head, but about giving them the tools they can use to draw conclusions on their own.

Think about it! How long did it take us to realize that the answers we needed were found in Jesus Christ.  Questions about life and direction--found in Jesus. The voids we felt in our lives--filled with Jesus. And with me--He was very patient until I honed in what life really meant.

So, with patience--with self and others--will we move forward in teaching others about how to live the life God wants for us.

Keeping His Covenant and Obeying Results In Generational Love From God!

"But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children—with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts." (Psalm 103: 17,18 NIV)

Though there are many who think that God's love is simply available to all, this psalmist reminds us that although He is Love, He is selective about who receives His Love--at least proportionately so that others will know--they are loved by God.

Now, I can imagine how many readers will immediately think of John 3:16 and attempt to counter what I just said, but John is not saying anything differently than the psalmist here is saying. God loves the world so much that He came to save any who choose to believe. The psalmist declares that for all who reverence The Lord enough to obey Him, have a guarantee that His love will cover their children's children when they remember to keep His commandments.

Receiving God's love is as simple as understanding receiving a gift and being grateful for it. Since He is love, we open our hearts to Him and receive it, showing our gratitude in our obedience to His Word. So simple, but many people miss it.

When we choose to live our lives in confusion, promote or perpetuate confusion, and refute God's Word as an authority in our lives, we have chosen to reject His gift of Love. God does not force Himself on anyone and we have the opportunity to choose Him and His love or to reject. As we look at current events and shake our heads, we can see the evidence of those who have rejected His gift of love. Satan's influence is running rampant in the minds of those easily influenced by the need to make a statement about themselves--in opposition to God's Word.

When Satan confuses a person's mind, the end result is murder, violence, insensitivity to others, hatred, sexual promiscuity, and self-loathing.

When Holy Spirit governs our thinking we move in peace and harmony, seeking to do good, not harm, able to love all, and not hate any. We are compassionate, but obedient and promote God's righteousness over self-righteousness and our desire is to please Him, not self. We receive His love and our actions are the evidence of gratitude. And because we receive His love and obey, His love will be poured upon our children's children, when they receive it and obey.

Those Who Understand, Have No Need of Control!

"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you." (Psalm 32:8,9 NIV)

God's response to David's entreaty was that He, Almighty God would instruct him, teach, and counsel him and at all times, would keep His eyes upon him. Our great and awesome God is the same God that spoke to David and He is yet speaking to us--He will instruct, teach, and counsel us--we have no need for those who have no understanding of His ways to teach us anything, provide us with instruction of anything and they certainly cannot counsel us about anything that pertains to God and His ways.

Those who are looking to men's legislation or judgments are really wasting their time. The only thing that will be proven by the interception of men in the wake of God's way of living, is that men and women will constantly be jerked around by the whims of men. God's instructions have been written--not only in the book most know as a bible, but in the hearts of all who have a relationship with Him. Holy Spirit dwells within the consummate Believer who knows God cannot lie and He said what He meant and meant what He said. It is Holy Spirit who provides us with understanding as He hears from God to direct us and counsel us at all times. Without God, we become like those who have gone before us--lost and wander around like mindless creatures, not having a clue as to which direction to take.

But we see in current events that whenever the flesh is tickled or set ablaze with lust within those who have no fear or reverence of God, all must be embroiled in the mindlessness and only those who are standing firm in their faith, will survive to see the glory of The Lord prevail in all things. We are warned in The Word that flesh and spirit are enemies--we either allow flesh to dictate what we do or we allow Holy Spirit to dictate what we do. Holy Spirit will not force His will upon anyone and neither should man.

Judgment, for all who sin and especially those who lie, has already been determined and unless the guilty parties change their ways and see the need to have God in their lives, their end is established--in the lake of fire.

Those who stand firm have no need for godless men with no understanding to instruct us in the ways of a living God, who is yet keeping watch over us. It is the godless who need to be careful and watchful of the mighty hand of God. The same Hand--who comforts and protects His children, also delivers a blow to those who mislead God's children.

Be encouraged! We are not like the horses or mules with no understanding that need others to lead us around when they have no direction. We know the way--and Jesus is the way, the Truth and the Light!

Heartache!

While I watch the world collide--
Ideas, ideologies, opinions, beliefs,
My heart aches over the time wasted
Trying to convince others which one is right,
When babies are aborted, abused and misused,
Children lost, identity lost, and confused
In the midst of adult angst, not teens,
Who have their lost their way, understanding
Their role to model Godly behavior at all times,
Whether it makes sense or has reason or rhyme.
But my heart aches because in our busyness,
We have forgotten the great love by which
He has shown us and what we should be showing to others.

We can be different and no one right.
We can even the odds with words or a fight,
But until love abides in our hearts, our days will be as night,
With the darkness of evil reigning as selfishness,
And self-centeredness, closes the door and deepens the plight
Of injustice, when we say wrong is right and refuse to ignite
Our lives with the love of God, bringing others into the light,
Developing relationships with Him and others and not
New religions or religious traditions that do nothing more,
Than attempt to control man over man and we leave God
Out of everything we do and wonder how we came to be
In such a mess. My heart aches!

I pray as the tears flow and wonder if God hears,
My pleas to help us get things right with Him so
We can have peace on earth as it is in Heaven, or
Has He reached the place like once before, when
He told Jeremiah, "Don't pray for these people for
I will not hear you!" O Lord, my God, do not forsake
The remnant You said You'd save, that remnant who
Still believes and tries to achieve all that You ask,
And endures the scorn and persecution of completing each task,
Hear us O Lord, see our tears of regret and remorse,
Allow us back into Your presence where we'll be forevermore,
And cut away all this stuff in us that makes us rebel and oppose,
Goodness, inherent in us because of You creating us in Your likeness
That we might do what is needed to keep this relationship right,
Separating daylight from the darkness of night, desiring to know
You better, O my heart aches for the comfort of Your loving arms
Embracing us each day, The safety from which we turned away
To do our own thing, living life as we please, ignoring what You said,
And using our knees for everything but communication with You,
My H E A R T   A C H E S!

And The Beat Goes On 11/6/14

Another zany episode with my husband! Real-Talk about marriage and how not to panic when things start going awry! http://www.blogtalkradio.com/maryandtyrone/2014/11/06/and-the-beat-goes-on

Love With Us!

"But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children—with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts." (Psalm 103:17,18 NIV)

With those who keep His covenant--the relationship firmly established out of obedience and reciprocal love and respect, we can count on His love always being with us and our children for generations to come. This is a promise we can expect to hold true, when we do what we must do.

When we won't do what we must do, then we can count on the opposite occurring--for generations to come--His love won't be with those who break the relationship with Him out of disobedience.

For all of those who can only say, "Jesus is all about love--not judgment," you might want to read and seek understanding of all The Word, not just one segment. Yes, Jesus did remind us to love one another and He also said, if we love God, we would obey Him. If we are truly His children, then we can expect Him to be the model of parenting for which we all should aspire.

When children are obedient, they reap rewards from loving parents.

When children are disobedient, they reap punishment from loving parents.

The only type of parents who do not discipline their children are those parents who do not care about what happens to their children and they let their children run wild, doing everything they think they want to do.

This is not so with God, our loving Father. He wants the very best for us, so He has established rules for our safety, and to make sure we can benefit from all of His promises. When we obey Him, we have no need to fear negative consequences, but to expect all the rewards He has in store for us. That's love.

We do not teach children respect, love, or discipline when we allow them to do whatever they want. They grow up thinking they can do whatever they want and then we are left with a society full of self-serving, rotten kids who never mature--in their adolescent behavior. We must teach them respect for authority by disciplining them in such a way that we provide deterrents for negative behavior so they can navigate the transition from adolescent to adulthood, successfully.

Children who throw tantrums have not been disciplined and go through life thinking that's all they have to do to have their way about everything. When parents give into the tantrums, they are not showing their children they love them, rather they show them how to manipulate others. Perhaps the real problem is that some parents manipulated their parents and so they know no other way to parent.

When parents know their child has committed atrocities with animals, playing with fire, breaking windows of property, and bullying other people and don't do anything about it--we end up with serial killers who think they have a right to kill. There's no love from parents in this situation--just apathy and nonchalance.

When misbehavior is stopped--from the beginning--and the deterrent memorable enough--the behavior is curved and love wins for all.

Let's be obedient to our Father and reap the rewards, knowing He will never withdraw His love from us, when we obey!

Run and Tell That!

“For if you return to the LORD, your relatives and your children will be treated mercifully by their captors, and they will be able to return to this land. For the LORD your God is gracious and merciful. If you return to him, he will not continue to turn his face from you.” (2 Chronicles 30:9 NLT)

When King Hezekiah sent runners throughout the nation, urging the people to return to God and His ways, many ignored the runners and the admonition the letters contained. They laughed and made fun of them, but there were some who listened and obeyed. And God, turned the hearts of the tribe of Judah to one heart, in obedience, and blessed them for their obedience.

We may not have "literal runners" who are running through the land with a cry of "return to The Lord," but we do have many people who are using whatever access they have to people to encourage all to "return" to The Lord. Our fingers are running through keyboards typing messages of encouragement and repentance. Our satellites are transmitting messages of hope and encouragement via televisions, Internet, and still--radios. So, in a sense, we have runners who are still urging people to turn to God. And the message--is pretty much the same--if you return to The Lord and His Ways, your children will be treated mercifully..."

When I wrote my blog yesterday about "Cursed Children" I was remembering all those things that I was taught as a child: how to clean house, make a bed, respect elders, say grace over food, say prayers at night, work to do good in school, knowing right from wrong, never lie or steal, and most of all to remember there is God--who sees everything and knows everything we do and will reveal it to others. This is what I was taught and the lessons were deeply embedded, thoroughly entrenched in my mind and soul to the point that these are the same things I taught my children. I pray they will teach them to their children.

If the time comes--that I can no longer be a runner for The Lord--I want my grandchildren to pick up the baton and run on--urging all they meet to return to The Lord and be blessed.

Simply put--if we don't return to The Lord and His Ways (not our own), we will remain captive to the dictates of our flesh and soon see the results of that captivity that may even result in captivity by enemies of God. Nothing is out of the realm of possibility. If we refuse to acknowledge God, why should He acknowledge us when we are assailed from every side by those who hate Him and then--some of us--laugh and make fun of those who were runners--trying to tell us the truth?

I'm sure there are a number of people who are laughing and making fun of my blog-posts daily. I'm sure they share the laughter with those who are like-minded. But I am equally sure that there are some who will read and heed what is being said and encourage others to return to The Lord before it's too late.

If you must laugh at what I do--laugh--full belly-laughs with tears running down your face and your body shaking so hard you can barely stand. The more you laugh at what I say, the more The Lord will bless what I do--because it is all about Him, not me! He knows those who are His and He also knows those who are counterfeit believers--pretending to know Him, but really do not have a clue. If they did know Him, they would not promote hatred of others--for any reason.They will receive the reward for their actions and it will not be a place reserved for them in heaven, unless they "return to The Lord" completely and allow Him to govern their lives and especially their tongues and fingers.

Now, Run and Tell That!

Let's Get Real!

There are problems with our educational system across the nation and sitting back wishing they are going to disappear is not going to solve the problems. Everyone who cares needs to get involved to save our children and provide them the opportunity in getting a quality education. It's time to wake up and get busy doing what needs to be done--getting involved with the process of education by caring enough. http://www.amazon.com/Mary-M-Hall-Rayford/e/B00BAW31CQ/   "If Parents Cared Enough, Johnny and Juaneshia Could Read" 


The only way things will change for the better is when all who really care--get involved!

Just Because I Didn't Have!

I know there are a number of people out there in the world who didn't have their fathers in their lives. But just because I didn't have my father in my life, doesn't mean I cannot appreciate those who did have theirs and understand the importance of recognizing them.

I cannot remember my father or my step-father carrying me to bed at night because I fell asleep some place other than my bed. However, I can appreciate and envy somewhat, those who did.

I didn't have my father around to encourage me or tell me everything was going to be all right when things went wrong.

I didn't have my father around to encourage good grades in school (my step-father did until he and mother parted), but I got good grades anyway.

I didn't have my father around to screen (or scare away) the boys I liked or the men I chose to marry, and I really wish I had for some of them.

I didn't have my father around to give me away when I married, but someone stepped in and saved the day.

I didn't have my father around when I walked across the stage or received my degrees, but that didn't stop me from doing so.

I didn't have my father around for so many special events in my life that if I really wanted to resent him, I could, but I don't.

I didn't understand when I was little why my father and mother couldn't get along, but it doesn't matter now--I'm grown and have a better idea of why adults have conflicts and some just cannot be resolved.

With all the things I didn't have with my father, I did have a few special moments when I decided to get to know him on my own. No, my father was not a perfect man, but he was good man and he did provide for his children. Even though he was not there for me for many things, I was there to do his eulogy when he died--my first and hopefully--my last.

Just because I did not have him in my life the way many people do, doesn't mean I didn't love him or that he didn't love me. I simply had to recognize that life is not fair or just when it comes to human frailties; it is what it is and it's up to us to make the most of life--with or without a father standing behind us or living with us.

I choose to look to the One Father I can always count on and because He is who He is in my life--I don't have to have regrets or resentments because of what I didn't have with my biological father.
Happy Father's Day--to the One who is always our Father and never abandons us!