Look out for the bugs.

FAITH:

Book of Jude

A redwood tree fell in a California forest. It wasn't destroyed by lightening. Storms had come and gone, but the tree stood. It wasn't felled by winds. Bent by their force, but never uprooted. The tree didn't fall to fire. It had stood when others collapsed.

What destroyed the redwood?

Insects. Termites devoured it from within. It had stood for four centuries against the elememts from without, but collapsed because of an attack within.

Jude warns that the same can happen to the church.

He wanted to write "about the salvation we all share" (v.3). But he felt compelled to address a more somber issue--the danger of false teachers.
Apparently, some had entered the church, (v.8). they were not students of the Word but, rather, promoters of sexual sin. They used God's grace as a license for passion (v.4). The only solution, "Fight hard for the faith that was given the holy people of God once and for all time" (v.3).

Jude is urgent in his warning, What destroyed the redwood can destroy a church. But he is equally urgent in his encouragement. "God is strong," Jude concludes. "and can help you not to fall" (v.24).

Can God really keep you from falling? To answer that, go to another tree on a barren hill. A tree older than time. A tree which covers the mistakes of your past and the problems of your future. Be assured--that tree will never fall.

See also: Grace and Sin--Leviticus 19:2; Romans 6; 2 Corinthians 7:1; Galatians 5:13; 16-17; 6:7-8; Hebrews 12:14; 2 Peter 2:1-2, 17-20; 3:11,14 17.

FRIENDS:

Father, We know you are a compassionate, feeling parent who hurts when his children hurt so please forgive us for the times that we have questioned you; forgive us for the time we have doubted you; forgive us for the times we've shaken our heads and pounded our fists against the ground and cried, "where are you?" For Lord, we know that you have been here, you've carried us through the valley, and you've given strength when we've needed it. In Jesus' name, Amen

10 THINGS I AM THANKFUL FOR
1. Sleep. It is often elusive these days
2. Advice from friends because they care
3. The new exercise class just started where I live
4. A friend who invites you to dinner "just because"
5. A retired preacher friend of mine, for his kind words
6. This blog and the blessing I get from doing it
7. The fabric blessing I received on Thursday
8. Laughter in the morning with my little friend
9. The sun streaming in my window
10. Having a day to look forward to.

FOOD:
Something to put under those great holiday spreads

CHEESE WAFERS

1 Cup All Purpose Flour
1/2 Pound Grated Cheddar Cheese
1/2 Cup Softened Butter
1/4 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
2 to 3 Tablespoons of Water

Mix all ingredients, cutting the butter into the cheese and flour much in
the same manner that you would if you were making pastry. Add only enough Water (one Tablespoon or less at a time) to hold the dough together. It should be like a pastry dough.
On a floured dough board roll the pastry out to about 1/4 inch thick.
Using cookie cutters, cut into wafers and bake on a cookie sheet in a
450° oven for about 6 minutes.
You will need to watch these closely as they cook quickly. Remove
to a wire wrack to cool.

FUN:

There was a preacher who was an avid golfer. Every chance that he could get, he could be found on the golf course swinging away.

On one particular Sunday it turned out to be a picture perfect day for golfing. The sun was shining, the temperature was just right and there was very little wind. The preacher was in a quandary and wasn't sure what to do....play golf or give the Sunday service. The urge to play golf overcame him and he called in his assistant to take care of the Sunday service for him. The preacher packed up his car and drove 3 hours to a course where no one would recognize him.

An angel above was watching the preacher and was quite perturbed. The angel went to God and said, "look at the preacher. He should punished for what he is doing." God nodded in agreement.

All alone but enjoying it immensely, the preacher teed up on the first hole. He swung at the ball and hit a perfect drive. The ball ripped through the still air straight as an arrow and 400 yards later it landed the green where it gently rolled into the cup. A tremendous hole in one!

The preacher was amazed and excited. The angel was in shock. The angel turned to God and said, "Begging your pardon, but I thought that you were going to punish him?"

God smiled and said, "I did....think about it....who can he tell about this?"

Chin Up

FAITH:
"Because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions." Ephesians 2:4-5

One of my all-time favorite kid's stories is Charlotte's Web, starring Charlotte the barnyard spider and Wilbur the pig. The farmer's daughter, Fern, loved Wilbur and adopted him as her pet—until he was too big for the house and had to move to the barn. Wilbur missed Fern and felt sad about being away from her. Just when he thought things couldn't get worse, the mother hen came on the scene.

She told Wilbur that her purpose in life was to lay eggs for people to eat, and the cow's purpose was to give milk for the people to drink. Then came the real stinger: "Hey, Wilbur, do you know what your purpose is? Bacon!"

Needless to say, the hen was not a very encouraging friend!

Thankfully, Wilbur had a true friend. When Charlotte the spider found him wallowing in the muck of despair, she encouraged him with a resounding "Chin up, Wilbur!" She wove beautiful webs over his pen with words that made him feel loved and important. The webs attracted media publicity, and people from all over the area came to marvel at this "special pig." When it was time for the county fair, Wilbur feared again for his life and asked Charlotte to weave one more web. She knew that she had only one more web to weave and that then she would die. But out of her love for Wilbur, she wove the most spectacular web yet to prove how special he was. The townspeople were so taken with the web that Wilbur's impending death was no longer an issue.

I love the biblical parallels in this story. The most significant one being that Charlotte gave her life to save Wilbur's. Not only that—but she made him a special pig!

Most of us can probably identify with Wilbur at some point. All of us face problems in life when we desperately need someone to come along and encourage us—a "chin up" friend. But, at the end of it all, before God we are all losers at heart and deserve to die as the penalty for our sin. Yet God in His grace died to save us from eternal death and condemnation. And, as though that weren't enough, He makes us children of the King and fills us with hope and confidence regardless of life's threats. Jesus is a friend for the doomed! We can either mope around our little barnyard of life, or we can get our chin up and believe that our friend Jesus is making something special of our lives.

Next time you're feeling down in the dumps, rejoice in the fact that you have been rescued from the grave, promised eternal life, and are a child of the King.

Now that's a "chin up" thought that can keep you going with hope and strength! by Joe Stowell

YOUR JOURNEY…

* What is your attitude toward the "Wilburs" you encounter?
* What is your reaction to the reality of God's purpose and promise of eternal life?
* Will others find you wallowing in self-pity or rejoicing in the hope you have in Christ?
* In what ways can you be a "Charlotte"—bringing the good news of salvation and purpose to someone today?

FRIENDS:
I received some very sad news Wednesday about some people who are very dear to my heart. I would appreciate it if you would pray with me for them. It will not be made right for a long time.
Father, we're not perfect but we are yours. We're not what we should be, but we do claim your salvation and your grace. We ask you to make us every day more and more into the image of Jesus Christ. We stand amazed that you would have such mercy upon us to forgive us time and time again, Thank you for the immeasurable depth of your grace. Help us to turn our hurts over to you, Father. Remind us that your touch can make us stronger at our broken places. In Jesus' name, Amen.

TEN THINGS I AM THANKFUL FOR:
1. When a project just goes the way one had hoped
2. If there is more money than month at the end
3. People who aren't afraid to ask for cabbage
4. I have had three old friends speak well of me in the last few days so that is also #'s 5 and 6
7. Having a God that we can go to when we are burdened and just give it over to him.
8. My decision to give up television
9. You can now play Netflix instant movies on Mac
10. The price of gas going down

FOOD:
This is a really good vegetarian dish......
Mushroom Casserole

Use any cooked grain you like. Feel free to use low-fat cottage cheese or sour cream if you prefer.

1/2 pound (8 ounces) brown mushrooms, cleaned and chopped
1 large onion, well chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 cups cooked brown rice, room temperature
2 large eggs
1 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
a bit of fresh tarragon, chopped

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Rub a medium-large baking dish with a bit of olive oil or butter and set aside. The pan I use is slightly smaller than a classic 9x13 baking dish - just grab for something in this ballpark.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat saute the mushrooms in a glug of olive oil sprinkled with a couple pinches of salt. Stir every minute or so until the mushrooms have released their liquid and have browned a bit. Add the onions and cook for another 4 or 5 minutes or until they are translucent. Stir in the garlic, cook for another minute and remove from heat. Add the rice to the skillet and stir until combined.

In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs, cottage cheese, sour cream, and salt.

Combine the rice mixture and cottage cheese mixture in a large bowl, stir until well combined and then turn out into your prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with 2/3 of the Parmesan cheese, cover with foil and place in oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 20 or 30 minutes more or hot throughout and golden along the edges. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and enjoy.

Serves about 8

FUN:

Three buddies die in a car crash, and they find themselves at the pearly gates.

They are all asked, "When you are in your casket and friends and
family are mourning upon you, what would you like to hear them say
about you?

The first guy says, "I would like to hear them say that I was the
greates doctor of my time, and a great family man."

The second guy says, "I would like to hear that I was a wonderful
husband and school teacher who made a huge difference in our
children of tomorrow."

The last guy replies,
"I would like to hear them say... LOOK!!! HE'S MOVING!!!!!"

Traffic, long lines, congested malls.....aaahhhh, the Christmas Season is here.

FAITH:
Jeremiah 27:1--29:32

Jeremiah responded to the false prophets. One false prophet, Hananiah, said that the "yoke" of Babylon would be broken in two years.

After seventy years the people would seek for God and would find him (29:10-14). Daniel wrote of the fulfillment of this premise seventy years later (Daniel 9).

As I write this I'm at 35,000 feet. It's 5:45 p.m., Saturday. It should be 4:15. The airliner was an hour and a half late.......

It all started with the delay. "Mechanical trouble," they said. "Inexcusable," responded a couple of passengers. Frankly, I'd rather they fix it before we leave than decide to do something about it en route. But we don't like to wait. Delays are irritation. Aggravating. Nerve-jangling. With impatient predictability we are consistently, and I might add obnoxiously, demanding. We want what we want when we want it. Not a one of us finds a delay easy to accept.....

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace.....

And what else? The first three are the necessary style along with the buttons and zipper of the garment. The rest give it color and beauty.

...patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control....(Galatians 5:22-23)

The ability to accept delay. Or disappointment. To smile back at setbacks and respond with a pleasant, understanding spirit. To cool it while others around you curse it. For a change I refused to be hassled by today's delay. I asked God to keep me calm and cheerful, relaxed and refreshed. Know what? He did. He really did! No pills. No ooze. No hocus-pocus. Just relaxing in the power of Jesus. by Chuck Swindoll

Applying it: Are you impatient with your present situation in life? Are you wanting to move on to graduate, get married, get promoted, or get a new house? Remember, God calls you to be content and compliant. Ask him to help you accept his perfect timing for the changes you desire.
Exploring it: Patience in Circumstances--Psalm 37:7; Isaiah 33:2; Acts 1:4; Romans 12:12; 2 Thessalonians 1:4; Hebrews 10:36; James 1:2-4; 5:5-11.

FRIENDS:
Father, sometimes it seems like we go one step forward and three steps back when it comes to just accepting things and letting go of all the angst of things not going fast and smoothly. You never promised that this world would be gridlock free and easy. But you promised to give us peace if we just ask for it. And all of us can look ahead to the peaceful city that's set on a hill, to the lights that call us to eternity. And we take hope. In Jesus' name. Amen

10 THINGS I AM THANKFUL FOR:
1. Still wearing flip flops in December
2. Friends that call and say "do you want to....."
3. Leftovers
4. Farmer's Market here at the building
5. Having something to look forward to the next day
6. A neighbor that knocks and says, "I haven't seen you,
have you been all right?"
7. The sun beating through the car window while waiting at a light.
8. Plans for the holidays
9. Kids who call and ask me to join them in their festivities.
10. Elastic waist pants.


FOOD:
Planning a brunch over the holidays? Nice way to entertain friends with much less fuss that dinner. Here is a great Breakfast Casserole to make that even a little easier.
1 pound ground pork sausage
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 eggs, beaten
2 cups milk
6 slices white bread, toasted and cut into cubes
8 ounces mild Cheddar cheese, shredded


DIRECTIONS

1. Crumble sausage into a medium skillet. Cook over medium heat
until evenly brown; drain.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together mustard powder, salt, eggs and
milk. Add the sausage, bread cubes, and cheese, and stir to coat
evenly. Pour into a greased 9x13 inch baking dish.
Cover, and chill in the refrigerator for 8 hours, or overnight.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
4. Cover, and bake 45 to 60 minutes. Uncover, and reduce
temperature to 325 degrees . Bake for an additional
30 minutes, or until set.

Change it up and make it for more people and even easier to put together by using:
3 bags Marie Callendar's Cheese & Garlic Croutons
20 eggs
1/2 cup sliced scallions
1/2 cup chopped onion
6 cups of milk
2 teaspoons mustard powder, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 2 teaspoons
of salt
1 pound each of Monterrey Jack and Mild Cheddar Cheese
Put shredded cheese on the top of it in the last 15 minutes of baking.


FUN:
Thanks Tender Mercies for this cute joke to share.

A new pastor was visiting in the homes of his parishioners. At one house it
seemed obvious that someone was at home, but no answer came to his repeated knocks at the door.
Therefore, he took out a business card and wrote "Revelation 3:20" on the
back of it and stuck it in the door.

When the offering was processed the following Sunday, he found that his card had been returned. Added to it was this cryptic message,
"Genesis 3:10."
Reaching for his Bible to check out the citation, he broke up in gales of
laughter. Revelation 3:20 begins "Behold, I stand at the door and knock."
Genesis 3:10 reads, "I heard your voice in the garden and I was afraid for I was naked."

Does God mend toys?

FAITH:

Psalms 27:1-28:9

David sought to be close to God. He asked God for instruction and waited patiently for God to act. God sustained, protected, helped and taught him.

Recognize that only God can assist when we stand helpless.

Waiting certainly plays an enormous role in the unfolding story of God's relationship to man. It is God's oft-repeated way of teaching us that His power is real and that He can answer our prayers without interference and manipulation from us.

But we have such trouble getting our will, our time schedules out of the way. Much of the time we act like a child who brings a broken toy to his father to be mended. The father gladlly takes the toy and begins work. Then after a while, childlike impatience takes over. Why is it taking so long?

The child stands by, getting his hands in the father's way, offering a lot of meaningless advice and some rather silly criticism. Finally in desperation, he snatches the toy from the father's hands and walks off with it, saying rather bitterly, that he hadn't really thought his father could fix it anyway. Perhaps it isn't even "his will" to mend toys.

On the other hand, when ever we are trustful enough to leave our "broken toy" with the Father, not only do we eventually get it back gloriously restored, but are also handed a surprising plus. We find for ourselves what the saints and mystics affirm, that during the dark waiting period when self-effort had ceased, a spurt of astonishing spiritual growth took place in us. Afterwards, we have qualities like more patience, more love for the Lord and those around us, more ability to hear His voice, greater willingness to obey. by Catherine Marshall

Applying it: Do you catch yourself being impatient with God? Do you think you know the best way to handle a problem? While waiting, don't stew over your problem. Praise God for his solution to the problem. Instead of focusing on yourself and your problem, focus on God's care for you.
Exploring it: Waiting--Psalm 40:1; Hosea 12:6; Micaah 7:7; 2 Peter 3:8-9. Seeking the Lord--Psalm 145:18; Isaiah 55:6; Hosea 10:12; Matthew 6:33

FRIENDS:

Father, we want only to please you. We cherish your promise to take care of your children. And yet we often come to you with muddled ideas, unsure of what is best, uncertain of your will. Thank you, Father, for the assurance that our imperfect prayers cannot hinder your incredible power. In Jesus' name, Amen.

10 THINGS I AM THANKFUL FOR TODAY;
1. My new computer only glasses. Why did I wait so long to get them?
2. Having a friend that calls and asks for help with a project because they have confidence in your ability.
3. Someone that cares about God's church and want to plan events for God's people.
4. My car that keeps running even though it's old and not in the best shape.
5. Friends with leftovers.
7. To still be able to be excited over an idea. Not jaded to life as some older people get.
8. People who ask, "so how did your day go?"
9. God's blessing me with the ability to still be creative.
10. Godly store personnel who are willing to share their faith.

FOOD:

TUNA SQUARES
This was in the Everett, Washington newspaper in 1966, and it is really good.

2 C Bisquick
2/3 C milk
1/3 c water
3 eggs
1/2 t salt and 1/8 t pepper
2 cans tuna, drained
(in those days probably oil packed)
1/2 c shredded cheese
1Tb. chopped onion
1/4 c pimento
1/3 c celery
Grease 9 x 9 x 2 pan. Blend 1st 5 ingredients. Beat well 30 seconds.
Mix in 1 1/2 cans tuna,
1/4 C cheese, onion, pimento and celery.
Spread in pan. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Bake at 400 for 30 to
35 minutes
Serve with sauce
SAUCE
Gradually add 1 C milk and 2/3 c water to 2 Tb Bisquick, 1/2 t salt and pepper.
Add remaining tuna. Heat to boiling. Boil 1 minute.

FUN:
.
One Sunday morning, the priest noticed Little Johnny was staring up at the large plaque that hung in the foyer of the church. It was covered with names, and small American flags were mounted on either side of it. The seven-year old had been staring at the plaque for some time, so the priest walked up, stood beside the boy, and said quietly, "Good morning, Little Johnny."

"Good morning, Father," replied the young man, still focused on the plaque. "Father Scott, what is this?" Little Johnny asked. "Well, son, it's a memorial to all the young men and women who died in the service." Soberly, they stood together, staring at the large plaque. Little Johnny's voice was barely audible when he asked, "Which service, the 9:45 or the 11:15?"

At least 10 things to be thankful for

FAITH:

Psalm 136:1-26
People cannot put a limit on God's patient care. He painstakingly created every detail of the universe and patiently provides for his people.

Thank God because he has more resources than we can ever exhaust.

We should never take any blessing for granted, but accept everything as a gift from the Father of Lights. Whole days may be spent occasionally in the holy practice of being thankful. We should write on a tablet one by one the things for which we are grateful to God and to our fellow men. And a constant return to this thought during the day as our minds get free will serve to fix the habit in our hearts.

In trying to count our many blessings, the difficulty is not to find things to count, but to find time to enumerate them all. Personally, I have gotten great help from the practice of talking over with God the many kindnesses I have received from my fellow men. To my parents I owe my life and my upbringing. to my teachers I owe that patient line-upon-line instruction that took me when I was a young, ignorant pagan and enabled me to read and write. To the patriots and statesmen of the past I owe the liberties I now enjoy. To numerous and unknown soldiers who shed their blood to keep our country free I owe a debt I can never pay. And I please God and enlarge my own heart when I remind the Lord that I am grateful for them. For every man and woman of every race and nationality who may have contributed anything to my peace and welfare I am grateful and I shall not let God forget that I am. by A.W. Tozer
Applying it: How has God blessed you? How have others contributed to your life? Take time to thank God for ten blessings today.
Exploring it: Thanksgiving--2 Chronicles 20:21-22; Psalm 103: 1-5; Revelation 4:9-11

MY TEN BLESSINGS TODAY:
1. Listening to Ruben pray at Bible study last night. He has come so far.
2. My home that God found and provided for my old age.
3. The simple fact of having someplace to go for Thanksgiving.
4. Still having time left to try to make a difference in someone's life.
5. Watching my DIL Dianna's face light up when she talked about she and Mark's new financial endeavor.
6. The Farmers Market that has been started here in our building. Helps me to eat more fruits and veggies and maybe lose some weight.
7. The church that meets at Sonoma Ave.
8. The lovely tile Jerry gave me just because I admired it.
9. Having just enough.
10. Wonderful friends who love me and great kids who tolerate me.
11. and blogging....I love it!




FRIENDS:
Father, today as we are busying about preparing things for the day that has been set aside for Thanks, please let us remember you Lord. Remember who is in control. Remember your goodness for things that are now past. Remember your closeness here in the present. Remember your power for our future . In Jesus' name, Amen.

FOOD:

Too many leftovers? Here is a helpful website for recipes.
http://busycooks.about.com/od/leftoverrecipes/a/Thanksgleftover.htm


FUN:

'Twas the night of Thanksgiving,
but I just couldn't sleep...
I tried counting backwards,
I tried counting sheep.
The leftovers beckoned...the dark meat and white,
but I fought the temptation with all of my might.
Tossing and turning with anticipation,
the thought of a snack became infatuation.
So, I raced to the kitchen, flung open the door
and gazed at the fridge, full of goodies galore.
I gobbled up turkey and buttered potatoes,
stuffing with gravy, green beans and tomatoes.
I felt myself swelling so plump and so round,
till all of a sudden, I rose off the ground.
I crashed through the ceiling, floating into the sky
with a mouthful of pudding and a handful of pie
But, I managed to yell as I soared past the trees...
Happy eating to all -- pass the cranberries, please.

The love of the Father.

FAITH:


Psalms 137:1-138:8
During the Babylon captivity, the Israelites mourned for their last land.

In times of trouble it is easy to wonder if God hears us.
But God does hear our prayers, and he carries us through the difficulties.

Since God is more moved my our hurt than our eloquence, he responds. That's what fathers do.

That's exactly what Jim Redmond did.

His son Derek, a twenty-six-year-old Briton, was favored to win the four-hundred meter race in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Halfway into his semifinal heat. a fiery pain seared through his right leg. He crumpled to the track with a torn hamstring.

As the medical attendants were approaching, Redmond fought to his feet. "It was animal instinct," he would later say. He set out hopping, pushing away the coaches in a crazed attempt to finish the race.

When he reached the stretch, a big man pushed through the crowd. He was wearing a t-shirt that read "Have you hugged your child today?" and a hat that challenged, "Just Do It". The man was Jim Redmond, Derek's father.

"You don't have to do this," he told his weeping son.

"Yes, I do," Derek declared.

"Well then, " said Jim, "we're going to finish this together."

And they did. Jim wrapped Derek's arm around his shoulder and helped him hobble to the finish line. Fighting off security men, the son's head sometimes buried in the father's shoulder, they stayed in Derek's lane to the end.

The crowd clapped, then stood, then cheered, and then wept as the father and the son finished the race.

What make the father do it? What made the father leave the stands to meet his son on the track? Was it the strength of his child? His son was hurt and fighting to complete the race. So the father came to help him finish.

God does the same. Our prayers may be awkward. Our attempts may be feeble. But since the power of prayer is in the one who hears it and not the one who says it, our prayers do make a difference. by Max Lucado

Applying it: God wants us to pray to him without getting bogged down in
proper words and phrases. Forget the fancy words and eloquent phrases. Don't get caught up using the right prayer words. Pour out your joys, fears, concerns, and requests. He hears you and will aid and comfort you.

Exploring it: God hears his people: Exodus 2:23-25; 22:27; Psalm 18:6; 145:18; Isiah 65:24; Jeremiah 33:3; Romans 10:12-13.

FRIENDS:
Heavenly Father, we know we are here on earth to be your people and we need to show others the same God who came to be a friend to the earth by our love and hospitality. Lord, please make us aware of others who have no family or no where to go for Thanksgiving. Please open up our eyes and our hearts to the needs of others. In Jesus' name, Amen.

FOOD:

THE BEST CHOCOLATE ICING IN THE UNIVERSE

1 cube butter
1 box powdered sugar
6 Tb. buttermilk
4 Tb. Hershey's Baking Cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla
1 C nuts

Boil the butter, buttermilk, and cocoa for 1 minute.
Remove from stove, add vanilla and nuts and beat well then
pour onto a 9 x 13 cake. Let cool and cut.
I am warning you this is a killer. Back in the early 80's my
wasbund paid $25 for a cake with this icing on it at a youth
group food auction for camp scholarship money.
And back then this was a lot of money.
Denise was so excited that her cake fetched that amount of money.

FUN:
A couple lived near the ocean and used to walk the beach a lot. One summer they noticed a girl who was at the beach almost every day. She wasn't unusual, nor was the travel bag she carried, except for one thing; she would approach people who were sitting on the beach, glance around and then speak to them.

Generally, the people would respond negatively and she would wander off. But occasionally someone would nod and there would be a quick exchange of money and something that she carried in her bag.

The couple assumed that she was selling drugs and debated calling the cops, but since they didn't know
For sure, they decided to just continue watching her.

After a couple of weeks the wife said, 'Honey, have you ever noticed that she only goes up to people with boom boxes and other electronic devices?' He hadn't and said so.

Then she said, 'Tomorrow I want you to get a towel and our big radio and go lie out on the beach. Then we can find out what she's really doing.'

Well, the plan went off without a hitch and the wife was almost hopping up and down with anticipation w h en she saw the girl talk to her husband and then leave .. The man then walked up the beach and met his wife at the road.

'Well, is she selling drugs?' she asked excitedly. 'No, she's not,' he said, enjoying this probably more
Than he should have.

'Well, what is it then? What does she do ?' his wife fairly shrieked.

The man grinned and said, 'She's a battery salesperson.'

'Batteries?' cried the wife..

'Yes!' he replied.

PLEASE SCROLL DOWN

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OOOOH! You're gonna dislike me for this -
But it will make your day!

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'She Sells C Cells by the Seashore!'

Do you really mean well?

No matter what I do Maxine will not let put her at the end of this devotional so here she is.

FAITH :
Job 18:1-19:29
Because Job rejected his advice,Bildad grew frustrated. In an effort of convince Job, he told of the horrible fate of sinners. Job firmly believed that in the end god would vindicate him because of his innocence.

Job listened to Bildad, even though he knew Bildad was incorrect. Only when Bildad was finished speaking did Job answer.

Let me introduce you to several kinds of people how express various forms of destructive criticism. First are the blamers. They avoid accepting responsibility for their actions by criticizing other people or blaming past experiences which cannot be changed or undone...

Another negative critic is the hurtful joker. Humor is a positive method of relating to others....But hurtful jokers make others the butt of their humor. They specialize in laughing at people instead of laughing with them....

A third kind of critic is the fault-finder. This person seems to have an insatiable need to point our others' defects....And do you know what is so maddening about this person? He usually does what he does with a smile, saying, "I'm just trying to be helpful."...

Another kind of critic at large in the world today is the cannibal. These people don't criticize in a joking manner or settle for mere nitpicking. they go for the jugular....They attack through the most severe forms of personal criticism and put downs with complete disregard for the feelings of others....

Destructive critics may say they are only interested in remodeling you into a better person by sharing a little constructive criticism. But in reality, [these] critics....are intent on putting you down, tearing you down, punishing you, and manipulating you. Their brand or criticism does not nourish; it poisons....

When you are the target of another person's destructive criticism, the natural response is to become defensive. But in reality, the least effective way to respond to criticism is to defend yourself, make excuses, or counterattack....

Remind yourself that you are resonsible to answer to God and to yourself, not to the critical person. Being responsible to God, you look to Him for direction and approval. Being responsible to yourself, you take ownership of your feelings, attitudes, and behavior. If you are aligned with God and with what He wants you to be, you don't need to fear criticism or try to justify your position. You have the power to make your own choices and grow through the experience of criticism.

As a nondefensive person, you respect and feel good about yourself. You believe in your worth and your capabilities. You possess your own identity and sense of security. Being nondefensive, you can listen to others more objectively and evaluate better what they are saying, even when they express themselves in a negative manner. You can accept the critical person for who he is, even if you don't agree with him. You can accept his right to see the world as he sees it, whether or not it coincides with your view. You're able to relate to him without making disparaging comments or negative judgments about him. by H. Norman Wright

Applying it: What is your first response to criticism? Are you thin-skinned, touchy, or sensitive? Ask God to help you listen with interest. Take the criticism, evaluate it, and apply what will be helpful.
Exploring it: Criticism--Job 6:24; 19:3-5; Proverbs 10:17; 27:6.

FRIENDS: Heavenly Father, may your name be praised. Lord, may we see the joy that is before us. would you pull back the eternal curtain and give us a glimpse into the everlasting? Would you hear the secret yearnings of our hearts? Will you keep us close to you this day? In Jesus' name, Amen.

FOOD:
Microwave Orange Marmalade
Makes a nice gift and was one of my families favorites.
2 well scrubbed unpeeled large navel oranges,* cut in 1-inch chunks
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
In food processor or with sharp knife, chop oranges into 1/4 inch pieces. You should have 2 1/2 cups.
Place in 2 quart microwave safe bowl; stir in the sugar. Microwave on high 4 to 5 minutes until mixture comes to a boil, stirring once. Microwave on high 4 to 5 more minutes until syrupy.
Let cool and beware as this is very hot. Put in clean hot clean jars or containers. Cover and cool completely before refrigerating.
Store tightly covered in refrigerator up to 1 month.
*May also use lemons or grapefruits.