"Life, Love, and the Pursuit of Writing Well"
I don’t know why I love this video so much … maybe because I remember doing something like this when I was a kid. And the fact that it’s 1965. Not a bad video for the stone ages! 😀
Have a great Sunday, everyone!
Stay tuned for the Monday Morning Sneak Peek questions!
AND, the Gift for Mom giveaway will start soon, too.
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:
Although Satan is “the god of this age” (2 Cor. 4:4), he does not have carte blanche to afflict God’s people. The more precisely we as believers obey God, the more difficult it is for the Devil to succeed in ruining our lives. Sections of Scripture like Psalm 91 make it plain that the effectiveness of God’s protection of us is in large part proportional to our “dwelling in the secret place of the Most High” and “abiding in the shadow of the Almighty.”
Satan tries to trick us into sinning (disobeying God) and by doing so leaving the umbrella of God’s “protective custody.” For example, when Satan was tempting Jesus in the wilderness, he twisted God’s Word. By misapplying Psalm 91:12, he tried to get Jesus to do something dangerous and foolhardy that would have cost him his life. He wanted Jesus to mistakenly believe that God’s protection of him was absolute, when it was actually relative to his faith in and obedience to God’s Word. Nowhere does God guarantee blanket protection to Temple-jumpers.
If Jesus needed to remain in the will of God to assure himself of protection, surely we do too. Sin in the life of a Christian is a primary cause of his vulnerability to spiritual defeat. If Satan can get a believer to act contrary to the will of God, it appears that this gives him an opportunity to step in and afflict him.
Satan carefully chooses his moments to strike, in accord with his goal to confuse people as to the difference between good and evil. He does not take advantage of all sin to correspondingly afflict each person who sins, because then he would eventually discourage sin, and his success depends upon encouraging it. He does take special pleasure in hurting God’s people in order to make it seem that commitment to God does not result in blessings.
God does not kill people who love Him, or cause them to suffer. It is the Devil who causes death and suffering. God is righteous and just. If a parent, judge, schoolteacher, etc. were to act as God is portrayed by many as acting — punishing one person while letting another go free for the same sin — imagine the din of angry voices shouting “Unfair! Unfair!” And it would be unfair.
It is interesting that most Christians who write about suffering admit that it is unfair, or at least that it seems unfair. But their erroneous belief that God is the cause of the suffering necessitates a distorted rationale. Not wanting to point an accusing finger at God, a finger they would unhesitatingly and rightly point at people, i.e., Stalin, Hitler, Saddam Hussein, Snidely Whiplash and other perpetrators of heinous crimes, they are forced to say that “unfair” is really “fair” after all.
Philip Yancey’s comment is representative of the confusion that exists concerning God’s fairness:
If, for the sake of a “test” of love, a husband subjected his wife to the trauma that Job had to endure, we would call him pathological and lock him away. If a mother hid herself from her children…we would judge her an unfit mother. How, then, can we understand such behavior…by God Himself? I offer no neat formula…[1]
The Word of God makes it plain that applying such a double standard to Him is unwarranted, since He is the epitome of a loving Father.
By doing things like afflicting some people who sin, and disregarding others, the Devil has confused multitudes.
Don’t Blame God video series – Part Three
Read the rest of the article here.
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.
Truth or Tradition now has a YouTube Channel!
Thanks for reading.
Four times a year, I like to host what I call a Thank You Award to all my lovely readers and visitors. Even though I blog for myself – to journal my life and thoughts and leave a bit of me behind for my family – I truly appreciate your time and interest in my little slice of cyber space.
And I love having the company. 🙂
So, this round of Thank You Awards is a special edition to honor all the moms out there. Being a mom is a tough and sometimes thankless job and it’s time we reminded society that being a mom is one of the most important jobs out there.
For truly, what job is more important than shaping our future?
Beginning Monday, I would like to offer the following giveaways (and for the sake of honest disclosure, I’d like to point out that I’ve purchased all of these giveaways – I do not accept paid sponsorships, ever. This is my small way of giving back to a community that I care about).
1. Bath and Body Works lotion basket – this includes: basket, Shower Gel, Body Lotion and Fragrance Mist, 3 oz. each, and a gauze sponge. Winner’s choice of the following fragrances: Enchanted Orchid, Sea Island Cotton, Japanese Cherry Blossom, Sweet Pea, Warm Vanilla Sugar.
2. Marley & Me – paperback book.
3. Twilight – paperback book.
4. Chicken Soup for the Soul. Winners’ choice from one of the following: Mother, Mother / Daughter, Mother / Son, Special Needs Child.
On Monday, here’s all you have to do to win:
1. Leave a comment and tell me what prize you would like to win – this counts as one ticket. (One comment per day, please).
2. Subscribe to my feed, receive another ticket. (Please leave separate comment if subscribed).
3. Follow me on Twitter, receive another ticket. (Please leave separate comment if following).
Mark your calendars and I’ll see you back here on Monday!
Please feel free to post this button on your blogs, if you wish.
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Oh look! Another wonderful excuse to scan old pictures and bore you to tears!! Yay!
And here is further proof that I desperately need some fashion advice.
I remember this skirt. I loved it – when I could wear it. But if I ate even ONE donut, or ONE piece of chocolate *PLOOP*, I would blow up like a balloon and be too bloated to wear it.
So if I planned on wearing this skirt? I didn’t eat, for like a week.
I loved this shirt. I have no idea why other than the fact that I thought it was cool that people could see my midriff when I lifted my arms (this was CLEARLY before children) and it gave me a sexy thrill “exposing” myself like that.
Now I go completely berserk at the idea of someone seeing me in a bathing suit, or shorts, or capris, or camis or …
*ahem*
And my hair. Apparently, I was going for the matronly look. I mean, I have it pulled back, but the way I’m smiling? Indicates I think it looks good. *gag*
And is it just me or does my right arm look like it’s been put on backwards?
A video carnival?!
I’m SO on it!
This video carnival, aptly named Vlogemotions (get it? Video + blog + emotions = Vlogemotions) that focuses on one specific emotion per week is brought to you by Fort Thompson – a blog I recently discovered and have been glued to ever since.
Here is my emotional contribution for the week:
(Hey! I sound like an infomercial! Aaaand, I’m a fast talker. Can you keep up?)
And did I mention that if you participate you’ll be elgible to win a nifty video camera?!
No?
Oh, well never mind. Forget I said anything. Because if I HAD told you about that, it would have reduced my chances of winning and considering this blog is all about me and my self-indulgent nature (*snort*), I want to win this little puppy for myself. 😀
Seriously, play. It’s so much fun to not only make a fool of yourself, but make a fool of yourself ON FILM.
By the way, in case you’re curious, I visited TJ Maxx and Marshalls for the first time – ever – today and I was pleasantly surprised by not just their selection but by their awesome prices. I will be shopping there again.
I also went to Sears (hello cute sporty stuff!) and bought my leather flip-flops, for half price at Shoe Carnival (because mom bought a pair of shoes for herself and they have a buy one, get one for half price thing going).
Man. If I could just hit pay dirt like I did today every time I was forced to go shopping, I COULD become a regular shopper.
Now there’s a scary thought. And I think I just heard the *THUD* of my husband passing out in the next room.
Swine flu. It’s on everyone’s mind right now and though we should absolutely take precautions, we should not be afraid.
And we should not blame God for what is happening right now.
It really upsets and angers me when I read how events like the swine flu is somehow God’s fault – that it’s somehow God’s mysterious will to condone sickness and death.
I’m here to take a stand for God – it is NOT God’s will that bad things happen.
I’ve written an in-depth post about not blaming God before and I’d like to post the second video from the Truth or Tradition ministry that once again drives home the fact that evil things? Are not from God, but are instigated by Satan.
As Christians, we must remain strong and steadfast in our beliefs, trust God and be proactive in protecting ourselves and our families.
(I am not a theologian. I can not, and will not, pretend to understand every aspect of this subject. I can not, and will not, debate this subject with any naysayer or non-believer and for this reason, the comment section is closed. All I can do is share what I believe with you – you have the freedom of will to choose to accept, or deny, the information).
I’m sorry. I don’t mean to sound preachy, but this is a hot topic for me and one I think needs to be brought to attention. Our God is good and He loves us – He is not the author of sadness or death.
The swine flu will pass and God will still be here with open arms.
I love these question-type books because so often we’re so focused on the future that we place the past on a shelf to gather dust and/or be forgotten. I think it’s important to document our lives, not only the special times, but all times because life is too important, and too short, to forget. Answering questions from the The Book of Myself, are my way of remembering my past and passing those special times on to my sons, husband and you, dear blog reader. Remembering the past helps us understand the people we’ve become.
______________________________
One of mom’s traits I admired was …
Her patience. No wait, her kindness. No wait, her positive attitude. There are a lot of traits about my mom that I both admire, and wish I possessed. Though I could say I have a positive attitude (most days), I certainly do not have patience and I’m kind … welll, okay, I’m kind most of the time, too.
I can’t think of a single person who dislikes my mother. She’s one of those people who people gravitate to because she listens and she truly cares about people. She’s always the first to help out when needed and she always manages to find the good in people, even when it’s not readily apparent. She bakes and makes things for her co-workers and really does go above and beyond the call of duty.
If I had trouble with mom growing up, it was in in this area:
She was wishy-washy and a bit of a push over. Go on, ask her. She’ll agree with me. As mentioned, my mother has a kind heart, so it was really hard for her to say no to me, my sister or brother sometimes. I’m embarrassed to say this, but I often took advantage of this “weakness” and manipulated her on more than one occasion.
One my dad’s traits I admired was …
His determination. His intelligence. His steadfastness. His ability to dissect situations and choose the most logical path.
I really credit the fact that I have common sense to my dad. I’m grateful that I have the ability to look at a situation from all angles, am able to see the big picture, and plan accordingly. Sadly, a lot of people do not seem to possess any, if very little, common sense. And, in my opinion, that’s one of the most important ingredients to a successful life.
If I had trouble with dad growing up, it was in in this area:
Probably his aloofness. We were a traditional family in that my dad went to work everyday and mom stayed home. So, I didn’t really see my dad a lot growing up. And on the weekends, he holed up in his shop in the basement, either catching up work (he was a TV repairman), or experimenting with electronics (which would explain his current position – he writes, and teaches, electronics for an online school).
My dad was an authority figure growing up. He was the one who put his foot down when we started to get out of control. Mom would want to give in, dad would not allow her to give in. He was pretty firm with us, but for me (and I can’t speak for my siblings), it was the best thing. I was rather a wild child in high school and had to learn some pretty hard lessons when it came to living by my parents’ rules. Dad is the one who made sure the rules remained rules; mom wanted to bend them.
For example: Curfew. When I was a senior in high school, I thought I was too old for a curfew. So, I simply did what I wanted to and shrugged off the curfew rule. My parents, being thoroughly sick of my arrogant attitude, took my house keys away from me. So, if I didn’t make it home by curfew, I had to find someplace else to sleep.
Being the stubborn person that I am, I of course tested them on this. And sure enough, the first time I didn’t make it home in time, I was locked out of the house. I tried to rent a hotel room, but for some reason (I’m thinking it was because I wasn’t 18 yet), I wasn’t able to. So, I ended up sleeping in my car. This happened a few times. But the last time this happened was when it was frigid outside and I didn’t have any sort of blanket or heavy coat or anything. I slept in my car and very nearly froze to death.
I went up to the door of my house and first demanded to be let in. As the night wore on, I then pleaded to be let in. My mom was crying and wanted to let me in, my dad refused to give in. So, I spent the night in my car, shivering and hoping my blood wouldn’t turn to ice before morning.
Though this sounds cruel, it was necessary. I needed to learn a lesson and trust me folks, I learned it. I was never late getting home after that. And I firmly believe that experience taught me to be more responsible and respectful today.
Could I do that with my own kids? Yes, I think I could. If I thought the experience would teach them a valuable life lesson, then yes, I would most likely do the same thing with my kids. When you’re a parent, you have to know when to draw that line, and then you have to stick to your side of the line. Think of the negative connotations if you don’t.
I can only pray I don’t have to teach my kids a hard lesson like that. I can only pray that my sons are not as hard headed as I was.
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