Month: February 2011

Sunday Stuff

SOC Sunday: Setting a Good Example

Karen

I’m being watched.

Dude, my oldest son, constantly watches me. He tries to act like he’s not, but I can tell he is.

How do I know this?

I’m pretty notorious for never taking a shower right after I get up. I get up, monkey around for a bit (usually on the computer, though Saturdays I spend doing chores) and THEN I’ll take a shower – about mid-morning. (Sometimes later, if we’re being honest).

I complained to Kevin the other day how Dude never takes a shower until 1:00 in the afternoon.

Do you know what Kevin said? “Well, you’re not exactly setting a very good example.”

I was stunned. I was annoyed, at first, but then I realized that he was right. The boy is watching me. I don’t take a shower first thing, why should he?

So today, I got up at 7:30, and was showered and dolled up by 8:30 – before I woke Dude up at 9:00 (the boys need to be woken up so they can get up and wake up in time for Bible study).

Guess what? Dude took a shower and made his bed without me telling him – at 11:00 a.m.! (That’s early for him on a weekend).

And this job thing? Will probably make an impact on Dude, too. I want to get one because I have the time and I’m ready to financially contribute to my family again. But I think it will also be a good thing for Dude, too. He will see I’m working and it will likely motivate him to get a job after he graduates in May.

I always knew that Dude was a momma’s boy, I just didn’t realize HOW MUCH of an impact I have on him until recently.

I appreciate my husband’s honesty, (not always, mind you), and I’m glad he said what he said and brought to my attention that I’m not always setting a very good example for my boys sometimes.

I’m lazy. I will not dispute that. But I’m learning that that laziness has larger consequences and doesn’t just affect me but my children as well.

*ding* Time’s up.

#SOCsunday

This was my 5 minute Stream of Consciousness Sunday post. It’s five minutes of your time and a brain dump. Want to try it? Here are the rules…

* Set a timer and write for 5 minutes only.
* Write an intro to the post if you want but don’t edit the post. No proofreading or spell checking. This is writing in the raw.
* Publish it somewhere. Anywhere. The back door to your blog if you want. But make it accessible.
* Add the Stream of Consciousness Sunday badge to your post.
* Link up your post below.
* Visit your fellow bloggers and show some love.

Abundant Life

Teaching: The Permanence of Salvation

Karen

Every Sunday I provide videos and valuable links to the Truth or Tradition teachings. We’ve been following the Truth or Tradition teachings for many years now and they have truly blessed our family. We have found peace and happiness through our beliefs and we walk confidently for God. My hope, by passing on this information to you, is that what you find here, or on the Truth or Tradition website, will guide you to a better, more blessed and abundant life.

If you would like to read my views on religion and how we got started with the ministry, you can read this.

Let’s get started:

The other day as I was reflecting on the permanence of salvation, I was thinking about things in life that are permanent, and things that aren’t. It occurred to me that if our salvation really is permanent, which I believe the Bible says it is, then thinking about other things in life that are permanent should help me comprehend God’s promise in a bigger way.

We believe that at the very moment a person confesses Jesus as Lord and believes God raised him from the dead, he is “born again” and receives the gift of the holy spirit, which is the guarantee of everlasting life. [1] Our New Birth via the spirit of God is just as irreversible as our first birth was. It cannot be undone. This is why Scripture says that each Christian has Christ’s seal of ownership, which is a deposit, or a guarantee, of what is to come. [2] In other words, our salvation is permanent.

So what in life is permanent? I own some shirts and pants that are said to be “permanent press” but, unfortunately, they seem to wrinkle when I wear them, and sometimes when I don’t take them out of the dryer fast enough! If salvation is like that, it certainly isn’t very permanent. So how about one of those felt tip pens, the ones they call “permanent markers.” They do seem pretty permanent, but I recall times when I’ve used them on outdoor things, and they eventually faded with exposure to the elements. Not so with our salvation, according to God’s Word. [3]

So what in my life is permanent? How about a scar? Surely that is permanent. When I was a little boy, I had my appendix removed, and I was really proud of that four-inch scar. When I first got it, I loved to show off that long purple mark to my siblings and schoolyard friends. I thought of it as some kind of battle trophy that demonstrated my toughness to the other kids. Oops, I just looked, and it appears that after forty-some years it has faded so much that I have trouble even finding it.

There must be something I can think of that really is permanent. I know—my tattoos! How much more permanent than that can you get? I’ve gotten quite a few tattoos in my lifetime, and they are permanent. Wait a minute; no they aren’t, because nowadays people can get tattoos removed with lasers. If marks, scars, and tattoos fade or can be removed, then they are not permanent.

It seems there really isn’t much in life that is permanent. My wife tells me that “permanent” hair dye has to be redone once a month. My sister once got divorced, but then remarried the same man five years later. People get all kinds of sickness, even so-called “terminal” diseases, but many are healed. Many years ago I committed some crimes, was arrested, pled guilty to the felony charges, and served five years of probation. At the time I thought it would mean that I would have a “permanent” criminal record. But even that, because of God’s great mercy and grace, was reversed and dismissed. [4]

There are only two things in life that are permanent: birth and death. A person “taking his last breath” sounds about as permanent as it gets. However, for Christians, that is not the case, for we know that the Lord Jesus will raise us up. Some Christians won’t even die, but will be transformed from mortal to immortal at Christ’s appearing. [5] And then too the Bible says that every person who has ever died will be raised from the grave and be judged, so it again seems that not even our physical death is permanent. God tells us that it is the “second death,” for wicked people, in the Lake of Fire, that is permanent.

The one and only thing that is permanent in our lives is our birth. No baby has ever come from the womb and been able to go back in there again (mothers all over the world rejoice at this scientific fact). It is no wonder God has chosen the language of birth to communicate the truth of what He does for us when we receive salvation. Our salvation, via New Birth, is as irreversible, irrevocable, enduring, lasting, unchangeable, immutable, inalterable, invariable, fixed, and established as our first birth. Our salvation cannot fade, deteriorate, wane, decline, decay, crumble, or be lost. When God says we are born of His spirit, He means it. When it comes to salvation, permanent is permanent.

If you have any questions, or would like to learn more about God’s wonderful message, please visit the Truth or Tradition website. You can also keep track of the ministry through their Facebook page, their YouTube Channel, or follow them on Twitter.

Thanks for reading.

(Comments have been turned off. The information is here to inform and bless you. God granted you the gift of free will – take it or leave it).

More from Write From Karen

Saturday Stuff

The Situation is Worse Than You Think

Karen

The paramedics leaned over the woman, effectively blocking most of her body from the spectators. Their expressions were calm, but their eyes were concerned.

They worked on stabilizing the patient for nearly 90 seconds before they noticed it: a blood stain on her abdomen. It was growing bigger by the minute.

“Mommy! Wake up! Mommy please!” A little girl, not more than six-years old, screamed. Her voice sent shivers up the spectaculars’ spines. A man held her back so she wouldn’t fling herself on the injured woman.

“She’ll be fine,” one paramedic said out loud.

Their eyes met over the body.

It was a lie.

.

.

.

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Write up to 100 words, fact or fiction….

This is a themed writing meme hosted by Jenny Matlock. The goal is to write something that does not exceed 100 words (not including said prompt). The prompt is in italics above.

Funny

Favorite “Zits” of the Week

Karen

My “comical” life with teenage boys …

I especially laughed at this last one. I mentioned I maintain school websites, right? Well, when a dance rolls around, I am asked to post dance guidelines on the high school websites and the guidelines in this comic? Are exactly what’s on those guidelines. It sort of makes you sick that school officials have to specifically prohibit this crass behavior at a social gathering, doesn’t it. I totally blame reality TV.

You can buy a Zits Day-by-Day calendar here.

Life

Summer Plans

Karen

Got a nice surprise in the mail today …

disney-tickets

Oh yes. Yes we are.

In July.

For two days.

(We’re thinking Epcot and Hollywood Studios)

Or are we?

We may, or may not, be doing something else the rest of that week in July.

Friday Fun

Friday Craft: New Valentine Ideas from Family Fun

Karen

I noticed that quite a few people have been visiting my Homemade Valentine Gifts’ page. You can also find many more interesting and fun Valentine gift ideas at Family Fun, too.

I noticed the Family Fun site added some new items … here are my favorites:

Brush up on Love

Start the day with an early morning valentine — and reward good hygiene with the kind of sweetness even a dentist could love.

Materials

* Card stock
* Paper hearts or stickers
* Tape

Instructions

1. Jot your message on a strip of card stock, embellish it with glued-on paper hearts or stickers.
2. Wrap the strip just below the toothbrush’s head.
3. We attached the strip by cutting a pair of corresponding slits, but tape works, too.

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Frosty Greeting

Celebrate a warm friendship this Valentine’s Day with these clever ice-pop minis made from drinking straws and uncooked pasta.

Materials

* drinking straws
* uncooked pasta
* card stock
* glue
* heart cutouts
* stickers
* decorative scissors

Instructions

1. Cut short lengths from the straws and attach them in pairs to a piece of card stock (we used Crafter’s Pick The Ultimate glue).
2. Adhere small segments of spaghetti for the sticks, then add the message and some heart cutouts or stickers.
3. Use decorative scissors to give the card a pretty edge, and glue it to a folded sheet of card stock.

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LOVE this one!

Love Boat

Put romance into writing with this Valentine’s mailbox made from a half-gallon carton.

Materials

* Half-gallon carton
* Tape
* Cereal box
* Glue stick
* Paper

Instructions

1. Start with a clean carton. Cut off the plastic spout or tape the cardboard spout shut.
2. For the bow, cut a 3¾- by 10-inch strip from a cereal box, fold it in half, and tape it in place as shown.
3. Use tape and a glue stick to cover the carton with paper. (For a smooth look, we taped paper over the top and bottom of the ship before covering the sides.) Cut a mail slot in the ship’s top.
4. Use a glue stick to add circles, hearts, and stripes to the sides.
5. For smokestacks, roll three 2½- by 5-inch pieces of black paper into cylinders and apply glue to the overlap. Add thin paper stripes. Glue the stacks to the deck.

Tips:
We created the ship’s paper waves by using a large, round paper punch to cut half circles from strips of card stock.
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Whoopie Pies

No one is certain who invented the whoopie pie; folks in both Pennsylvania Amish country and Maine have claimed it. As for the name, one theory is that it comes from children saying “whoopie!” upon finding the moist, chocolaty sweets in their lunch pails. Your kids can experience the same glee after baking their own — and with pink-tinted filling, the pies will elicit cries of joy on Valentine’s Day.

Ingredients

* CAKES
* 2 cups flour
* ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* ½ teaspoon salt
* 1 cup buttermilk
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* ½ cup softened butter
* 1 cup sugar
* 1 egg

* FILLING
* ½ cup softened butter
* 1½ cups confectioners’ sugar
* 1 cup marshmallow crème
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* Red food coloring (optional)

You can find the instructions, along with step-by-step pictures, here.