Les and I went to see Bro. Gallimore yesterday afternoon before church. He is doing GREAT! He's doing so great that he is going home today! He had brain surgery on Friday, was up and walking on Saturday and was ready to go home on Sunday! God is great!
Bro. and Sis. Gallimore are two of the sweetest people of God. They gave all glory to Him and were so thankful for the prayers of the saints during this time. The doctor felt that he got the entire mass - it was "floating" around and had not attached to the brain. We are believing God for a full and complete recovery!
Monday, July 29, 2013
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Preparing for Flossie
The State of Hawaii is under a Tropical Storm Watch. Tropical Storm "Flossie" is on track to hit the Big Island of Hawaii early Monday morning. Oahu is about 200 miles from the Big Island, but heavy rainfall, winds, and flash flooding are all expected for Honolulu on Monday and Tuesday. This is a first for me! I've gotten use to running in a little rain around here, but I'm not sure I want to be out in tropical storm conditions.
Honolulu forecasters repeated today that "abundant tropical moisture associated with Flossie will bring elevated potential for very heavy rainfall and flash flooding" throughout the state Monday and Tuesday.
I just want to know - Who names these storms?
Honolulu forecasters repeated today that "abundant tropical moisture associated with Flossie will bring elevated potential for very heavy rainfall and flash flooding" throughout the state Monday and Tuesday.
I just want to know - Who names these storms?
Friday, July 26, 2013
Update on Bro. Gallimore
I got this text from Sis. McGriffin a little while ago:
Bro. Gallimore got out of surgery around 12:00 today. The surgery was suppose to take six hours, but took about three. They were able to get all of the mass. He is currently in ICU. They will have more info about the biopsy in a couple days. Thanks for all your prayers and continued support for the Gallimores.
Bro. Gallimore got out of surgery around 12:00 today. The surgery was suppose to take six hours, but took about three. They were able to get all of the mass. He is currently in ICU. They will have more info about the biopsy in a couple days. Thanks for all your prayers and continued support for the Gallimores.
Friday Foodie
I tried two new recipes for our potluck last Sunday and they were both really good! I Googled "Potluck side dishes" and "Potluck salads" until I found something that looked interesting. I failed to take a picture of either item, but was able to find them on the original sites. I made both of these, along with Tamale Pie, on Saturday and only had to bake the potatoes and Tamale Pie on Sunday morning.
Broccoli and Cranberry Salad
Original recipe here, I made a few changes to fit my taste. I also doubled the recipe.
Ingredients:
5 cups broccoli florets, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup sliced carrots
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup cooked and crumbled bacon pieces
1 cup sunflower kernels
3/4 cup Ocean Spray® Craisins® Original Dried Cranberries
Honey mustard salad dressing
Directions:
Combine all salad ingredients in a large mixing bowl; mix well. Add dressing to salad and mix well. Refrigerate 1 hour.
Makes 8 to 10 servings.
Southwestern Potato Casserole from Plain Chicken
1 (32oz) bag shredded hash browns
1 can cream of chicken soup
16 oz sour cream
1 Tbsp dried minced onion flakes
1 can Rotel, drained
8 oz cheddar or Mexican blend cheese, grated
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Combine sour cream, cream of chicken soup, Rotel tomatoes, and cheese in a large bowl. Fold in the hash browns and pour into a 3-quart casserole that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 45 minutes.
I was suppose to top this with two cups of crushed tortillas chips, but totally forgot! It still tasted good, but was more like a breakfast casserole I have made in the past than a side dish.
Broccoli and Cranberry Salad
Original recipe here, I made a few changes to fit my taste. I also doubled the recipe.
Ingredients:
5 cups broccoli florets, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup sliced carrots
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup cooked and crumbled bacon pieces
1 cup sunflower kernels
3/4 cup Ocean Spray® Craisins® Original Dried Cranberries
Honey mustard salad dressing
Directions:
Combine all salad ingredients in a large mixing bowl; mix well. Add dressing to salad and mix well. Refrigerate 1 hour.
Makes 8 to 10 servings.
Southwestern Potato Casserole from Plain Chicken
1 (32oz) bag shredded hash browns
1 can cream of chicken soup
16 oz sour cream
1 Tbsp dried minced onion flakes
1 can Rotel, drained
8 oz cheddar or Mexican blend cheese, grated
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Combine sour cream, cream of chicken soup, Rotel tomatoes, and cheese in a large bowl. Fold in the hash browns and pour into a 3-quart casserole that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 45 minutes.
I was suppose to top this with two cups of crushed tortillas chips, but totally forgot! It still tasted good, but was more like a breakfast casserole I have made in the past than a side dish.
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Living By Faith
On Sunday morning, Les taught the Adult Sunday school class. We are currently studying the minor prophets of the Old Testament. They are considered "minor" prophets because of the length of their writings, not because of what they had to say!
This lesson came from the book of Habakkuk. When Les mentioned that to me on Saturday, I said, "I can't think of a single verse from that book!" A little while later he said, "You know at least one..." Chapter two, verse four says, "but the just shall live by his faith."
The first chapter of Habakkuk starts with Habakkuk questioning "O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!" Habakkuk looks around and sees his nation in a terrible state. He sees iniquity and violence and wonders why God doesn't do anything about it.
We read a similar concern in Psalm 73. "But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped. For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked." Anyone who has lived for God for a while has faced this dilemma. God, why are evil people prospering, while I struggle? Is it even worth it?
We can become discouraged in this life if we only look at the here and now. God's timing is not ours. His mercy extends far beyond what we think others deserve. But the end of the story is always blessings on the just who live by faith. Faith that says, "Hold on, God is true, even when you can't see."
I've been thinking about this quite a bit this week. I know I'm not the only one to struggle with this. Jesus knew that as well. In Luke chapter 15 we read the story of the prodigal son. Near the end of the chapter is an exchange between the father and the older son. He is upset because his prodigal brother has come home and there is great rejoicing and feasting. He feels neglected in spite of his faithfulness.
I usually think of the older son as having a really bad attitude, but in light of Habakkuk and Psalm 73, I think he was pretty normal. When you live a life of consistency, you may not get a lot of attention, you may feel overlooked like the older son. But the Father reminded him, "Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine."
It is right to rejoice when a prodigal comes home. There is great rejoicing in heaven. But don't be tempted to throw in the towel or try that path yourself. There was much pain in the life of the prodigal because of his choices. As Bro. McGriffin said a couple weeks ago, "Good decisions don't make headlines but for every bad decision there is a story."
Just this week Les and I have been the recipients of blessings because of faithfulness to companies. We always fly Hawaiian Airlines from Los Angeles to Honolulu. I always check other airlines, but the price is usually about the same so we keep flying Hawaiian. When I checked in for our flight this week, I noticed our status was now "Gold." Since January we have flown over 20,000 miles! With Gold status comes a whole list of benefits - 2 free checked bags each, early boarding, and much more. We were able to change our seats on Tuesday from row 42 to row 12! It was nice to be some of the first on and off the plane just because of our loyalty.
Yesterday we met for lunch at Subway. There are several Subway restaurants close to us, but we always go to the one on Kapiolani and Atkinson. The last couple of times we've gone, they have added cookies to our meals. The sweet lady at the register just smiled at me yesterday as she added them to our bag. Just because we are loyal to their little sandwich shop.
Don't think your faithfulness and loyalty is being overlooked. You may not receive accolades on a daily basis, but God is a great record keeper. If God puts our tears in a bottle, He surely keeps track of our daily faithfulness!
This lesson came from the book of Habakkuk. When Les mentioned that to me on Saturday, I said, "I can't think of a single verse from that book!" A little while later he said, "You know at least one..." Chapter two, verse four says, "but the just shall live by his faith."
The first chapter of Habakkuk starts with Habakkuk questioning "O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!" Habakkuk looks around and sees his nation in a terrible state. He sees iniquity and violence and wonders why God doesn't do anything about it.
We read a similar concern in Psalm 73. "But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped. For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked." Anyone who has lived for God for a while has faced this dilemma. God, why are evil people prospering, while I struggle? Is it even worth it?
We can become discouraged in this life if we only look at the here and now. God's timing is not ours. His mercy extends far beyond what we think others deserve. But the end of the story is always blessings on the just who live by faith. Faith that says, "Hold on, God is true, even when you can't see."
I've been thinking about this quite a bit this week. I know I'm not the only one to struggle with this. Jesus knew that as well. In Luke chapter 15 we read the story of the prodigal son. Near the end of the chapter is an exchange between the father and the older son. He is upset because his prodigal brother has come home and there is great rejoicing and feasting. He feels neglected in spite of his faithfulness.
I usually think of the older son as having a really bad attitude, but in light of Habakkuk and Psalm 73, I think he was pretty normal. When you live a life of consistency, you may not get a lot of attention, you may feel overlooked like the older son. But the Father reminded him, "Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine."
It is right to rejoice when a prodigal comes home. There is great rejoicing in heaven. But don't be tempted to throw in the towel or try that path yourself. There was much pain in the life of the prodigal because of his choices. As Bro. McGriffin said a couple weeks ago, "Good decisions don't make headlines but for every bad decision there is a story."
Just this week Les and I have been the recipients of blessings because of faithfulness to companies. We always fly Hawaiian Airlines from Los Angeles to Honolulu. I always check other airlines, but the price is usually about the same so we keep flying Hawaiian. When I checked in for our flight this week, I noticed our status was now "Gold." Since January we have flown over 20,000 miles! With Gold status comes a whole list of benefits - 2 free checked bags each, early boarding, and much more. We were able to change our seats on Tuesday from row 42 to row 12! It was nice to be some of the first on and off the plane just because of our loyalty.
Yesterday we met for lunch at Subway. There are several Subway restaurants close to us, but we always go to the one on Kapiolani and Atkinson. The last couple of times we've gone, they have added cookies to our meals. The sweet lady at the register just smiled at me yesterday as she added them to our bag. Just because we are loyal to their little sandwich shop.
Don't think your faithfulness and loyalty is being overlooked. You may not receive accolades on a daily basis, but God is a great record keeper. If God puts our tears in a bottle, He surely keeps track of our daily faithfulness!
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
The Long Spiritual Migration
Pastor White preached a very thought provoking message Sunday night. His text was from Acts 28:1-11. The setting is when Paul is shipwrecked on the island of Melita. The barbarous people first thought Paul was a murderer when a viper came out of the fire, then they assumed he was a god because he wasn't killed. He was on the island for three months, there were miracles of healing, but as far as we know there were no converts. In the life of the great Apostle Paul, that seems quite unusual, but spiritual migration must take place in the heart and soul of individuals.
We can't take anyone farther then they are willing to travel. We must not practice "railroading" people into the kingdom - let God do the work. A competition to see how many we can baptize is not encouraging when all those who were baptized never show up again.
On the Day of Pentecostal, in Acts chapter 2, there was a mighty outpouring of the Holy Ghost. Three thousand souls! But those people were already on their spiritual journey. They were Jews who believed in one God. They were ready for the next step. We see this often in the first half of the book of Acts.
The second half of the book of Acts is where we are living. We are reaching out to people who don't know God, just as Paul was called to the Gentiles. The time frame that Paul spent in one place, working with people, teaching them daily, having lengthy conversations, was from three months to two years! We can't expect to win someone to God when we only visit them once every six months. We need to be patient and consistent as they make the long spiritual migration.
In Acts chapter 18, Paul is in Corinth. The Lord told him, "I have much people in this city." But a Holy Ghost revival didn't break out the next day. Paul spent one year and six months teaching the word of God among them.
In Acts chapter 19, Paul is in Ephesus. The first seven verses tell of 12 instant converts. These 12 were disciples of John the Baptist who were ready for the next step. In verses 8 and 9, Paul spends three months with zero results. But he continued for two years and the estimate is 40-60,000 believers!
Pastor White told the true story of the American Whooping Crane. This bird is found primarily in the southeastern United States. Remains have been found as far north as Wisconsin, but the birds stopped migrating about a thousand years ago. The Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership has been working to teach the birds how to migrate. It has been a long process:
Our job is more important than teaching birds to migrate! We've got to take them back 2,000 years. But don't be weary. Don't get discouraged when your contact doesn't become a convert overnight. Keep leading them, step by step. Let them get to know you, trust you, and follow you on the path to righteousness.
We can't take anyone farther then they are willing to travel. We must not practice "railroading" people into the kingdom - let God do the work. A competition to see how many we can baptize is not encouraging when all those who were baptized never show up again.
On the Day of Pentecostal, in Acts chapter 2, there was a mighty outpouring of the Holy Ghost. Three thousand souls! But those people were already on their spiritual journey. They were Jews who believed in one God. They were ready for the next step. We see this often in the first half of the book of Acts.
The second half of the book of Acts is where we are living. We are reaching out to people who don't know God, just as Paul was called to the Gentiles. The time frame that Paul spent in one place, working with people, teaching them daily, having lengthy conversations, was from three months to two years! We can't expect to win someone to God when we only visit them once every six months. We need to be patient and consistent as they make the long spiritual migration.
In Acts chapter 18, Paul is in Corinth. The Lord told him, "I have much people in this city." But a Holy Ghost revival didn't break out the next day. Paul spent one year and six months teaching the word of God among them.
In Acts chapter 19, Paul is in Ephesus. The first seven verses tell of 12 instant converts. These 12 were disciples of John the Baptist who were ready for the next step. In verses 8 and 9, Paul spends three months with zero results. But he continued for two years and the estimate is 40-60,000 believers!
Pastor White told the true story of the American Whooping Crane. This bird is found primarily in the southeastern United States. Remains have been found as far north as Wisconsin, but the birds stopped migrating about a thousand years ago. The Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership has been working to teach the birds how to migrate. It has been a long process:
- First, the members had to bond with the cranes. They spent time with them in the fields, in casual settings.
- Second, they slowly earned their trust. Birds are wary of hunters. The members shared with the birds from their picnic baskets.
- Third, they had to get the birds to follow their scent.
- When the cranes would follow the scent, the members then started bringing ultra lite airplanes connected with their scent, teaching the birds to follow the airplanes. Over the course of about six weeks, the birds follow the airplanes, migrating from Florida to Wisconsin. They don't try to lead the birds non-stop. They take their time, making plenty of stops.
Our job is more important than teaching birds to migrate! We've got to take them back 2,000 years. But don't be weary. Don't get discouraged when your contact doesn't become a convert overnight. Keep leading them, step by step. Let them get to know you, trust you, and follow you on the path to righteousness.
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Celebration
We had a wonderful week in our California home and are on our way back to our Hawaiian home this morning!
One of the highlights of our time here happened on Sunday morning. Victory Tabernacle helped celebrate the 70th birthday of Sis. Kaye Singleton and 45th wedding anniversary of Bro. and Sis. Singleton. Sis. Singleton is Pastor White's sister. Bro. Singleton pastors the First United Pentecostal Church of Florence, SC. These are wonderful, faithful people of God.
Sis. Singleton testified. It has been 18 years since she was diagnosed with breast cancer. God has been faithful. She is always so sweet and upbeat, but I was sad that we didn't get to hear her sing!
Bro. Singleton preached from Hebrews chapter 13 "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever." I'm so glad I serve an unchanging God! He also told a funny story about Elder White (Pastor White and Sis. Singleton's father.) Many years ago someone approached him trying to bum money. When Elder White said no, the man said, "You know you're suppose to entertain angels unaware." Elder White responded, "I am not unaware and you are not an angel!"
And in true Pentecostal fashion - we had a potluck after service to help celebrate the great event. I tried a couple of new recipes that will hopefully make it on Friday Foodie this week.
One of the highlights of our time here happened on Sunday morning. Victory Tabernacle helped celebrate the 70th birthday of Sis. Kaye Singleton and 45th wedding anniversary of Bro. and Sis. Singleton. Sis. Singleton is Pastor White's sister. Bro. Singleton pastors the First United Pentecostal Church of Florence, SC. These are wonderful, faithful people of God.
Sis. Singleton testified. It has been 18 years since she was diagnosed with breast cancer. God has been faithful. She is always so sweet and upbeat, but I was sad that we didn't get to hear her sing!
Bro. Singleton preached from Hebrews chapter 13 "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever." I'm so glad I serve an unchanging God! He also told a funny story about Elder White (Pastor White and Sis. Singleton's father.) Many years ago someone approached him trying to bum money. When Elder White said no, the man said, "You know you're suppose to entertain angels unaware." Elder White responded, "I am not unaware and you are not an angel!"
And in true Pentecostal fashion - we had a potluck after service to help celebrate the great event. I tried a couple of new recipes that will hopefully make it on Friday Foodie this week.
Monday, July 22, 2013
Prayer Request Update
This is the latest on Bro. Lloyd Gallimore in Hawaii:
He has a mass near his brain that will require surgery. Currently he is home. Surgery is scheduled for this Friday, 7/26 in the morning. He is on Anti Seizure medication which makes him sleepy. They say it is a surface mass (as opposed to one that is deeply implanted/attached to the brain) and they believe it is benign. The prognosis is good but of course, they never really know with the brain.
Also, the Philippine Missions Group is scheduled to leave on Thursday afternoon (the day before the surgery.) Pastor McGriffin is trying to get his out going flight changed to Saturday. Please pray for that too, they want to charge him double the cost of his original ticket to just change one leg of the trip.
Please pray for both of these needs!
He has a mass near his brain that will require surgery. Currently he is home. Surgery is scheduled for this Friday, 7/26 in the morning. He is on Anti Seizure medication which makes him sleepy. They say it is a surface mass (as opposed to one that is deeply implanted/attached to the brain) and they believe it is benign. The prognosis is good but of course, they never really know with the brain.
Also, the Philippine Missions Group is scheduled to leave on Thursday afternoon (the day before the surgery.) Pastor McGriffin is trying to get his out going flight changed to Saturday. Please pray for that too, they want to charge him double the cost of his original ticket to just change one leg of the trip.
Please pray for both of these needs!
Friday, July 19, 2013
Friday Foodie
While reading blogs yesterday I stumbled upon "Orange Creamsicle Muddy Buddies" by The Girl Who Ate Everything. Orange Creamsicle Anything + Summer = Perfection to me, so I had to give these a try. Luckily I was having company for dinner who could help me eat some of this.
One of the things that Christy (the Girl who Ate Everything) mentioned was having trouble with her white chocolate. It's finicky stuff when you try to melt it. I followed the package instructions and it was looking great until I added the orange zest. It became a thick mess in a hurry! I did my best to stir it into the cereal, but it didn't spread evenly and I ended up with a lot of clumps. I think next time I'll add the orange zest to the powdered sugar AFTER the cereal is coated. It still tastes great - it's amazing what a small amount of orange zest can do!
- 9 cups Rice Chex cereal
- 16 ounces vanilla coating (like CandiQuik which can be found at Walmart and Target)
- 2 Tablespoons orange zest (about 2 oranges)
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Place cereal in a large bowl.
- Melt vanilla coating according to package directions. Once mixture has melted, stir in the orange zest and immediately pour over the cereal stirring and mixing until full coated.
- Transfer mixture to a large sealed container (Tupperware) with a lid or a large resealable plastic bag.
- Add the powdered sugar and seal the container.
- Shake until thoroughly coated. Enjoy!
One of the things that Christy (the Girl who Ate Everything) mentioned was having trouble with her white chocolate. It's finicky stuff when you try to melt it. I followed the package instructions and it was looking great until I added the orange zest. It became a thick mess in a hurry! I did my best to stir it into the cereal, but it didn't spread evenly and I ended up with a lot of clumps. I think next time I'll add the orange zest to the powdered sugar AFTER the cereal is coated. It still tastes great - it's amazing what a small amount of orange zest can do!
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Giraffes and Creation
The Acorn, our local Simi Valley paper, had an ad from the Santa Barbara Zoo. "The Santa Barbara Zoo Welcomes Dane and Sunshine."
Dane was born to mother, Audrey, on April 18th, weighing 156 pounds and standing 6 feet 3 inches .
 |
| Dane |
Sunshine, was born to mother, Betty Lou, on April 28th, weighing 133 pounds and standing 6 feet . Both mothers stand 12 feet tall and father, Michael, is a towering 16 feet!
 |
| Sunshine |
I love watching giraffes at the zoo. They are so tall, so graceful. I think they are one of God's most amazing creations. I have to laugh when I think that they could have evolved! The theory of evolution claims animals changed to adapt to their environments. Giraffes grew a longer neck and longer legs to reach leaves that were higher up. Why is that easier for some to believe than to believe that an all powerful, creative God designed them just as they are?
 |
| The "Little" Ones |
Call me simple-minded, but I choose to believe in the Creator!
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Urgent Prayer Request
I received this email from Sis. McGriffin this morning:
Bro. Lloyd Gallimore has been rushed to the hospital after having a seizure at work. The doctors found a mass in his skull cavity, but have not determined what it is. Please pray for Bro. Gallimore's healing and peace for Sis. Gallimore, Candace and Stacy.We are believing God for healing for our brother!
Friday, July 12, 2013
Before and After
Les and I rode our mountain bikes this morning. I pulled out a clean pair of socks. I think they are in the wrong state...
The trail was dustier than I have ever seen it. A couple of times while descending I had to let Les get quite a bit ahead of me because I was literally eating his dust!
Dusty or not, it's good to be home!
The trail was dustier than I have ever seen it. A couple of times while descending I had to let Les get quite a bit ahead of me because I was literally eating his dust!
Dusty or not, it's good to be home!
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Making Wise Decisions
Last Tuesday night Pastor McGriffin started teaching a series about "Making Wise Decisions." Last night was part 2. Unfortunately I did not have a pen with me last night, but here are some notes from last week along with things I remember from last night.
What Does It Take to Make Wise Decisions?
God needs to be the focal point of every major decision. Bring it to your pastor for counsel, not AFTER you've made the decision. Most decisions don't carry long term consequences, but major decisions need godly wisdom.
Good decisions don't make headlines, but for every bad decision there is a story. You make the decisions, but you can't choose your consequences. Galatians 6:7 gives us the law of sewing and reaping, "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."
Biblical principles must underlie every major decision. Ephesians 2:19-21 says, "Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:" We have a reference point that never changes! God is not concerned about our feelings. We must follow His principles. Wishy washy people have wishy washy principles.
People whose lives end in disaster are those who make bad decisions over and over. We have learned to be self sufficient, but Biblical principles must always be the final authority in our lives. Nothing overrules God's word.
Build your life on Biblical principles and your life will never get off track. Prayer plus Biblical principles equals a set up for victory.
How does my purpose in life relate to wise decisions? My number one purpose is to the serve the Lord and bring Him pleasure through how I conduct my life.
Everyone has a purpose and ministry. Ministry is more than pulpit ministry. Prayer warriors, Sunday school teachers, musicians, everyone in God's kingdom is called. Every child of God has a mission - find your mission and you will find peace and fulfillment. God didn't call you just to make it to heaven.
There are five key areas that S.H.A.P.E. the ministry that is uniquely yours.
S - Spiritual Gifts
H - Heart for God
A - Abilities
P - Personality
E - Experiences
These five areas shape your ministry. When you are making decisions, ask yourself, "Does this add to my ministry or will it take away?" Don't spend your life in detours, making decisions that take you away from your calling.
A "no" from God is not a bad thing. He has a better yes down the road! In Genesis chapter 26 there was a famine in the land. God told Isaac NOT to go down into Egypt. Verse 6 says, "And Isaac dwelt in Gerar." Verse 12 says, "Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the Lord blessed him." This happened because Isaac did not try to make his own decision and go his own way. He listened to and obeyed the voice of God. (I want an hundredfold in my life, don't you?!)
Repeatedly during these lessons, Pastor McGriffin has talked about seeking godly counsel. When you do that you will not get off track, your life will be blessed. Sitting in these lessons, I couldn't help but be thankful that Les does not try to make decisions on his own. We've had some biggies in the past 22 years, and prayer, with godly counsel, has led us down the right paths.
What Does It Take to Make Wise Decisions?
God needs to be the focal point of every major decision. Bring it to your pastor for counsel, not AFTER you've made the decision. Most decisions don't carry long term consequences, but major decisions need godly wisdom.
Good decisions don't make headlines, but for every bad decision there is a story. You make the decisions, but you can't choose your consequences. Galatians 6:7 gives us the law of sewing and reaping, "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."
Sow a thought and you reap an action;
sow an act and you reap a habit;
sow a habit and you reap a character;
sow a character and you reap a destiny.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
Biblical principles must underlie every major decision. Ephesians 2:19-21 says, "Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:" We have a reference point that never changes! God is not concerned about our feelings. We must follow His principles. Wishy washy people have wishy washy principles.
People whose lives end in disaster are those who make bad decisions over and over. We have learned to be self sufficient, but Biblical principles must always be the final authority in our lives. Nothing overrules God's word.
Build your life on Biblical principles and your life will never get off track. Prayer plus Biblical principles equals a set up for victory.
How does my purpose in life relate to wise decisions? My number one purpose is to the serve the Lord and bring Him pleasure through how I conduct my life.
Everyone has a purpose and ministry. Ministry is more than pulpit ministry. Prayer warriors, Sunday school teachers, musicians, everyone in God's kingdom is called. Every child of God has a mission - find your mission and you will find peace and fulfillment. God didn't call you just to make it to heaven.
There are five key areas that S.H.A.P.E. the ministry that is uniquely yours.
S - Spiritual Gifts
H - Heart for God
A - Abilities
P - Personality
E - Experiences
These five areas shape your ministry. When you are making decisions, ask yourself, "Does this add to my ministry or will it take away?" Don't spend your life in detours, making decisions that take you away from your calling.
A "no" from God is not a bad thing. He has a better yes down the road! In Genesis chapter 26 there was a famine in the land. God told Isaac NOT to go down into Egypt. Verse 6 says, "And Isaac dwelt in Gerar." Verse 12 says, "Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the Lord blessed him." This happened because Isaac did not try to make his own decision and go his own way. He listened to and obeyed the voice of God. (I want an hundredfold in my life, don't you?!)
Repeatedly during these lessons, Pastor McGriffin has talked about seeking godly counsel. When you do that you will not get off track, your life will be blessed. Sitting in these lessons, I couldn't help but be thankful that Les does not try to make decisions on his own. We've had some biggies in the past 22 years, and prayer, with godly counsel, has led us down the right paths.
Monday, July 8, 2013
Making Memories
I've been taking a lot of pictures lately and decided to try my hand at making collages to take up less space.
The past few weeks have been so busy! We fly back home on Thursday after being gone for about a month. Here's a little bit of what we've been doing lately...
The Hicks family is being transferred to Washington state. They were so good to us when we first came to Hawaii. Many times they gave us rides to and from church. They loaned us their car for a week until we bought ours. We could never repay their kindness, but we wanted to treat them to dinner before they moved on...
We went to a church picnic on the Fourth of July...
As is tradition, Les rode his bike to the picnic. There was lots of good food, fun and fellowship...
Les and I spent some time on the North Shore...
We had lunch at Cholo's in Hale'iwa, followed by shave ice...
You need to see the size of that shave ice. We split the small - $2.75 with ice cream on the bottom. We'd never tried ice cream in our shave ice. It was SO good!
Sunday was full, I played the piano and led the music for the entire service. I was SO nervous, but God moved and blessed our efforts! Pastor McGriffin and several others are going to the Philippines in a few weeks, so I'll be filling in then. This was a chance for me to get a little extra practice time with the praise team. They did a great job when I sang a song we hadn't even practiced!!!
Sis. Hicks had an appointment today, so Robyn and Tyser spent a few hours with me. This included lunch at McDonald's, exploring our condo, and some hair brushing...
And now I'm caught up!
The past few weeks have been so busy! We fly back home on Thursday after being gone for about a month. Here's a little bit of what we've been doing lately...
The Hicks family is being transferred to Washington state. They were so good to us when we first came to Hawaii. Many times they gave us rides to and from church. They loaned us their car for a week until we bought ours. We could never repay their kindness, but we wanted to treat them to dinner before they moved on...
We went to a church picnic on the Fourth of July...
As is tradition, Les rode his bike to the picnic. There was lots of good food, fun and fellowship...
Les and I spent some time on the North Shore...
We had lunch at Cholo's in Hale'iwa, followed by shave ice...
You need to see the size of that shave ice. We split the small - $2.75 with ice cream on the bottom. We'd never tried ice cream in our shave ice. It was SO good!
Sunday was full, I played the piano and led the music for the entire service. I was SO nervous, but God moved and blessed our efforts! Pastor McGriffin and several others are going to the Philippines in a few weeks, so I'll be filling in then. This was a chance for me to get a little extra practice time with the praise team. They did a great job when I sang a song we hadn't even practiced!!!
Sis. Hicks had an appointment today, so Robyn and Tyser spent a few hours with me. This included lunch at McDonald's, exploring our condo, and some hair brushing...
And now I'm caught up!
Friday, July 5, 2013
Fireworks and the Aftermath
We got to watch a great fireworks show last night, while sitting on our couch! The fireworks were done at Ala Moana Park, where officials were expecting 50,000 in attendance. We were smart enough to stay away from there! These pictures were taken with my iPhone, while sitting on the couch with my feet propped up!
I went running at the park this morning. The aftermath isn't nearly as pretty!
I went running at the park this morning. The aftermath isn't nearly as pretty!
Thursday, July 4, 2013
Happy Independence Day from the 50th State!
Scenes from this morning's run...
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| Sunrise over Koko Head |
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| Surf at the base of Diamond Head |
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| Sweaty Runner on Diamond Head |
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| The American Flag |
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| Proudly on display! |
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Fifth Sunday Fellowship
Our busy weekend continued on Sunday with Fifth Sunday Fellowship. We had a potluck, followed by a basket auction to benefit Ladies Ministries. After the food and fellowship, we had church! And we really did have church! The singing was anointed, the preaching was powerful, and souls were touched in the altar!
I almost never take pictures during church, but I did snap some during the fellowship. The food spread was great...
There were various costumes for the children to try out...
The baskets included "Chocolate Lover's", "Date Night", "Rice Cooker", "Picnic Basket", "Ice Cream Lover's", "Car Wash", and a few others I've forgotten!
Bro. Tony did a great job as auctioneer...
The bids were a little lower than I knew Sis. Mac was hoping for. I finally shook things up when I got in a bidding war with Bro. Frank for the "Chocolate Lover's!" I had the winning bid, until Les topped me! We'll see who eats more of the chocolate in our home...
It'll be a while before we drink any of the hot chocolate!
I'm so glad to be part of the family of God. For nearly six months we have been embraced by the NLP family. We have been blessed to be so welcomed by these wonderful people.
I almost never take pictures during church, but I did snap some during the fellowship. The food spread was great...
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| Rena and... |
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| Remy, fanning to keep bugs off the food |
There were various costumes for the children to try out...
The baskets included "Chocolate Lover's", "Date Night", "Rice Cooker", "Picnic Basket", "Ice Cream Lover's", "Car Wash", and a few others I've forgotten!
Bro. Tony did a great job as auctioneer...
The bids were a little lower than I knew Sis. Mac was hoping for. I finally shook things up when I got in a bidding war with Bro. Frank for the "Chocolate Lover's!" I had the winning bid, until Les topped me! We'll see who eats more of the chocolate in our home...
It'll be a while before we drink any of the hot chocolate!
I'm so glad to be part of the family of God. For nearly six months we have been embraced by the NLP family. We have been blessed to be so welcomed by these wonderful people.
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
NLP Sunday School Trip
We had a really busy weekend! Saturday the Sunday School department took a trip to the Honolulu Zoo. A good time was had by all. Almost all of the parents were there, in fact there were more adults than kids! I guess I'm not the only big kid who loves going to the zoo.
A.J. got up close to the orangutans...
Seth wasn't sure he wanted his little sister getting any closer to the rhinos...
Mahala and I became good friends on Saturday... it was either hold somebody's hand or ride in the stroller!
Lunch and the playground held their attention more than any animal!
This is the most active I have ever seen the hippos!
We finished the day in the Keiki (children's) Zoo...
Fun in the koi pool...
Sheep and goats...
Aloha from the Honolulu Zoo!
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