SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS

SOME QUOTES I LIKE . . .

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. - Jeremiah 29:13

Jesus made it clear by word and deed that to know him was to know God, to see him was to see God, to believe in him was to believe in God, to receive him was to receive God, to reject him was to reject God, and to honor him was to honor God. - John Stott

Like a father saying about his sick child, "I'd do anything to make you well," God finally calls his own bluff and does it. Jesus Christ is what God does and the cross is where he did it. - Frederick Buechner

Without having a reliable testimony for the emptiness of Jesus' tomb, the early Christian community could not have survived in Jerusalem proclaiming the resurrection of Christ. - Wolfhart Pannenberg

True Christianity is not a matter of rules and regulations. God does not deal with people like an accountant, but accepts them freely when they respond to his love. - F.F. Bruce

Christianity is a statement which, if false, is of no importance, and, if true, of infinite importance. The one thing it cannot be is moderately important. - C.S. Lewis

I'm afraid this last quote defines the majority of people in our country today. Too many people think that Christianity is moderately important. It was mostly for another time and another people. In other words, it's OK, but doesn't really have anything to do with my life. How can this attitude be changed is the question I would ask. 

Ginger and I are so pleased that so many are relating to us how much the Spiritual Sundays blog means to them. I'm always thrilled when I see a new name on the Linky list that I haven't seen there before. Everyone is welcome to join us each week to uplift others and to be uplifted by what others have posted. Click here for more information if you would like to join us.

I'VE BEEN TAGGED - AGAIN

Hootin' Anni tagged me on Saturday and since I was pretty busy over the weekend, I am just now following through on the tag. I hope everybody had a pleasant Memorial Day weekend.

So what is this tag? I'm supposed to name six things that are unimportant but make me happy. Hmmm, that takes a little thought. 

Okay, here goes. 

1. Blogging
2. Getting comments on my blogs
   
3. Eating dark chocolate
4. Watching TV
5. "Window shopping"
6. Watching DVDs I've made

Now, I'm supposed to tag six people to do the meme. This really isn't a hard meme to do and I think a lot of people would enjoy doing it, so this time I'm just going to say that if you are reading this, TAG - YOU'RE IT. I know - this is the easy way out. lol

BOOK GIVEAWAY

Here are the winners of the triad of books including The G Free Diet by Elisabeth Hasselbeck:

Dina, Marie, Joyce, Tammy and Angela. They have all been notified that they won. I appreciate everyone who signed up and wish I could send books to all of you. There will be other opportunities in the future for free books so maybe next time you will be one of the winners. 

BTW to see the photos I took this morning of a mother cat and her kittens who showed up in our back yard, go to Charlotte's Weblog. You can enter by the gate on my right sidebar.

BOOK GIVEAWAY

Today is the last day to sign up to be eligible for the three book giveaway. Click HERE to go to the original giveaway post for instructions and to sign up. One reminder - Be sure to include your email in your comment so I will have a way to notify you. Winners will be notified tomorrow.

Judge Roy Moore

Some may be wondering what Judge Roy Moore is doing these days. He's the Alabama judge who was removed from the bench for refusing to remove the Ten Commandments from his courtroom.

I received an email about this from an old friend just now and thought it worthy to post on my blog.

I found this website for Judge Moore and thought it was interesting. You can click HERE if you would like to check it out.

Following is a poem written by the judge.

America the beautiful,

or so you used to be.

Land of the Pilgrims' pride;

I'm glad they'll never see.

Babies piled in dumpsters,

Abortion on demand,

Oh, sweet land of liberty;

your house is on the sand.

Our children wander aimlessly

poisoned by cocaine

choosing to indulge their lusts,

when God has said abstain

From sea to shining sea,

our Nation turns away

From the teaching of God's love

and a need to always pray

We've kept God in our

temples,how callous we have grown.

When earth is but His footstool,

and Heaven is His throne.

We've voted in a government

that's rotting at the core,

Appointing Godless Judges;

who throw reason out the door,

Too soft to place a killer

in a well deserved tomb,

But brave enough to kill a baby

before he leaves the womb.

You think that God's not

angry,that our land's a moral slum?

How much longer will He wait

before His judgment comes?

How are we to face our God,

from Whom we cannot hide?

What then is left for us to do,

but stem this evil tide?

If we who are His children,

will humbly turn and pray;

Seek His holy face

and mend our evil way:

Then God will hear from Heaven;

and forgive us of our sins,

He'll heal our sickly land

and those who live within.

But, America the Beautiful,

If you don't - then you will see,

A sad but Holy God

withdraw His hand from Thee. 

~~Judge Roy Moore~~

This says it all. May we all forward this message and offer our prayers for Judge Moore to be blessed and for America to wake up and realize what we need to do to keep OUR  America the Beautiful.

Pass this on and let's lift Judge Moore up in Prayer. He has stood firm and needs our support.

IN GOD WE TRUST

MEDITERRANEAN SEA

I am doing an Outdoors Wednesday on my Charlotte's Weblog blog and decided to do a Watery Wednesday here on this blog. Last week I didn't do a post on Wednesday so this week I'm making up for it by doing two. lol

Be sure to visit the Watery Wednesday blog for links to more "Watery" posts.

Here I am on deck of a Greek cruise ship in 1978. They had us practice putting on these life jackets.

Here I just got off the ship. I think it was in Alexandria, Egypt where this one was taken. That was such a marvelous trip. I can't believe it was over 30 years ago. I looked a little younger than I do now. LOL

AN EVENING WITH SCOTT MACINTYRE

It's Saturday night. We just got back from a wonderful performance by Scott MacIntyre of American Idol fame. He wanted to thank his church family for the support he has been given. We got to the church building about 20 minutes early, but when we got there the parking lot was full and we thought, Huh oh, we should have come earlier. When we entered the church there was standing room only in an auditorium that seats about 2,000. The overflow crowd (which included us) went to two other buildings on campus. Each one seats 400 to 500 people and was set up with closed circuit TV monitors so it was all shown on giant screens. 

Since Scott will be on the summer tour, he is forbidden to give concerts before the tour -- but, he is not forbidden from leading worship so there he was, up front giving his testimony and singing and playing the piano. His brother, who is as good or maybe a better singer than Scott, sang a couple of songs with him. His story is truly amazing. He started playing the piano at about age 3. He went to college at ASU at age 14 and graduated at 19. After that he studied in London. Classical piano is his specialty and he played a Chopin piece for us.  I don't know what all God has in store for this talented young man, but I'm eager to find out. 

A GOLDEN HEART AWARD

Mary at Piles of Smiles has nominated me for this lovely award. If you don't know Mary, you should go visit her blog. Piles of Smiles is a good name for her. As soon as you open up her blog, she is smiling at you with a big friendly smile. Thank you so much, Mary, for this honor. I have so enjoyed being your blogging friend. 

In order for me to receive this award, I have to nominate five other blogs. Here are the five nominees: 

The first one is Patsy from He Watches Over Me. Patsy is a new blogger and she has jumped into it with both feet, so to speak. She has a beautiful blog and is serious about blogging. Welcome Patsy to the world of blogging.

Next I would like to nominate Ruthie at Just Ruthie. She has been a blogging friend for a long time. From the time I first visited her blog I have been so blessed by her stories of her life growing up in China as a child of missionaries. If you don't know Ruthie, be sure to visit her blog and get acquainted. You will love her too.

Next is Cheryl at Cherdecor. She has inspired me by her faith and good humor through very trying health problems. If you don't know Cheryl you're missing a lot. You will want to go visit her and get acquainted. Her husband Alan should receive an award for the way he faithfully cared for Cheryl and even kept her blogging friends up-to-date by posting for her while she was unable to do it.

I also want to nominate Susan of The Penless Writer. Susan is serious about her faith and is very patriotic as well. She has been a blogging friend for a long time and I have great respect for her. I hope you will go visit Susan and get acquainted with her if you are not already acquainted.

The next person I want to nominate is Nannykim. She was the first person ever to comment on my blog when I first started over a year ago. She is an encourager. The first sentence on her profile is "My goal is to love the Lord with all my heart, mind, and strength and to love my neighbor as myself." Nannykim is a woman after my own heart. I could have written that on my profile. I hope you will also visit Nannykim if you have not as yet done so.

ANOTHER BOOK GIVEAWAY

HACHETTE BOOK GROUP has authorized me to give away five copies of a Triad of books. I would love to give these books to those who are interested in improving their health and the health of their family. 

The first book is called THE NDD BOOK by William Sears MD

This book explores how nutrition affects the brains and behavior of youngsters. N.D.D., or Nutrition Deficit Disorder, as coined by Dr.. Sears, is based on the idea that if you put junk food into a child’s brain, you get back junk behavior and learning.”

The second book is THE G-FREE DIET by Elisabeth Hasselbeck

Elisabeth, one of the ladies from The View TV show shares her hard-earned wisdom on living life without gluten and loving it. She discovered that what had been making her sick for years was gluten. Doctors and nutritionists couldn’t seem to come up with any answers. When she finally realized that gluten was the problem, she started eating a gluten free diet and she wrote this book which covers everything you need to know to start living a gluten free life.

The third book in the triad is called IF YOUR KID EATS THIS BOOK EVERYTHING WILL STILL BE OKAY by Lara Zibners, MD

As an Emergency Room pediatrician, Dr. Lara Zibners explains that more than 50% of these visits may be unnecessary. In this book she explains when parents may need to take action and when they may just need to go back to bed and call their doctor in the morning. 

I know there are a lot of you ladies out there who would love to have these three books. To enter all you need to do is leave a comment on this post. The contest will close May 20, and the five winners will be picked after that time. Here are the guidelines:

• Winners are restricted to the US and Canada. No PO Box mailing addresses, please.

• I must have a way of contacting you, so be sure to leave your email address in your comment. 

• You do not have to be a blogger to win.

• I’ll close the comments at 6 PM May 20 and pick the five winners. I will contact the winners via email to get their mailing information. The winners will have three days to respond. If I do not hear from them within three days, I will select another winner(s).

• If you’re interested, just say so in a comment with that all-important email address in code. Example of email in code: you [at] your email [dot] com. 

SPIRITUAL SUNDAYS

Christians are criticized, often unmercifully, for believing that Jesus is the "only way."  Either the critics don't know, or they don't care that Jesus himself said that He is the way, the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father but by Him. It just doesn't fit their politically correct mindset. I was thinking about this when I was reading the following quotes in a book I'm reading. All three of these quotes are from Jewish people. 

First, in an interview, Sholem Asch, author of The Nazarene, said:

Ah, I couldn't help writing on Jesus. Since I first met Him, He has held my mind and heart . . . I was seeking that something for which so many of us search -- that surety, that faith, that spiritual content in my living which would bring me peace and through which I might bring some peace to others. I found it in the Nazarene. For Jesus Christ, to me is the outstanding personality of all time, of all history, both as Son of God and as Son of Man. . . . He became the light of the world. Why shouldn't I, a Jew, be proud of that? . . . . When you understand Jesus, you understand he came to save you, to come into your personality. It isn't just a case of a misty, uncertain relationship between a worshiper and an unseen God that is abstract: Jesus is personal!

The great mathematician and physicist Albert Einstein said in an interview:

As a child I received instruction both in the Bible and in the Talmud. I am a Jew, but I am enthralled by the luminous figure of the Nazarene. . . No one can read the Gospels without feeling the actual presence of Jesus, his personality pulsates in every word. No myth is filled with such life.

In his book Stormers of Heaven, Rabbi Solomon B. Freehof writes:

"Jesus of Nazareth" is the most famous name in the world. The Galilean teacher looms as large today as he did centuries ago. His words are still on the tongues of men, and his parables are as fresh as when he first uttered them. . . . Scores of men have believed themselves to be the Messiah and have convinced many of their contemporaries, but those who believed in Jesus to be the Messiah have built a great church upon the rock of their belief. There were plenty of miracle workers in ancient times, but the miracles of Jesus have been retold to countless nations and are still remembered. . . . The significant fact is that time has not faded the vividness of his image. Poetry still sings his praise. He is still the living comrade of countless lives. No Moslem ever sings, "Mohammed, lover of my soul," nor does any Jew say of Moses, the Teacher "I need thee every hour."

I hope you will go to the Spiritual Sundays blog, click on the names linked there. You may even want to post an inspirational/spiritual post on your own blog, and place your link there so others will come to your blog to read your post. There are instructions there if you are unsure of how to do it.