whatdidyousay:
AMEN. BEAUTIFUL...



BUMBLE will always be remembered through his family, friends, and music.

Your humor is irreplaceable and you will be missed tremendously.

We love you "Papa Phil".

http://www.interviewwithgod.com/comfort/index.htm

It's so hard to find the right words to say to someone who's lost a loved one. No words will comfort one enough to make the pain and sorrow go away.

I always remember that God knows what we feel, and he understands our loneliness due to death. Remember Jesus' words as he hung on the cross "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken me?" He was there alone, and God felt that loneliness just as much as Jesus did.

It's comforting knowing that God has experienced something so profound and something that we as humans feel that only we could experience. God's there with us, and he's carrying us through, and he's holding the box of tissues as we pull each one out to wipe away our tears. How good is the God we adore and serve.

I'll remember you all in my daily prayers and hope that each one of you will lean and rely on the Lord each day for strength.

Peace and Comfort and everlasting Love

Amid our tears, oh Lord we praise thee as thou received our dear bumble (Phil) to thyself in the glory of all in eternity. We thank thee that though has brought Phil to the knowledge of Jesus Christ , our Lord and Saviour. Comfort us with the glorious hope of the resurrection and life eternal. Grant us Grace to say with a believing heart "Thy will be done" and to know that thy good and gracious will even in the present hour. Comfort us through thy Gospel, which promises strength and help to the troubled and weary. O Lord, forsake us not in this hour...for Jesus sake we ask it. Amen
I talked to Bumble by message on the 13th. Was so happy to have that little chat before his passing. God Bless the family and friends of Bumble.
BARB

I know you are with your loved ones there and watching over your family down here until the day you are all united once again.

Rest in peace my beloved friend

Nos da Papa,

Cysgu fe gwadd.

whatdidyousay: Thank you for finding the words i couldn't.Bumble was so loved.

whatdidyousay:

God bless Dad-in-law.

Lord:

We ask that you be with the family and friends of our good friend, Bumble. His life touched so many people, and he will be missed.

But, Lord, we are confident through the example that he led that he is with You. Resting confortably in Your grace.

I ask that You now be with Phil's family in these difficult times ahead. Guide them. Protect them. And give them peace.

In Your Son's name, I pray.
Amen

Foxy Lady: I am too foxy.. more like in shock.. My heart goes out to his family. He was a very nice man and gave himself to help others. He will sadly be missed..

Our deepest regrets to his family.I'm really lost for words.

http://www.interviewwithgod.com/psalm23.htm

ScarletRose: Really glad to hear that, sis!! Halleluya :-)

Radiant Aunt: I didn't get to update earlier.. or forgot to.. he made it through Sugery okay last week..

ScarletRose: You have my heart and prayers my sister!! Many blessings for your loved ones!

Tuesday: Praise the Lord!!

ScarletRose:Sorry to hear such sad news! My thoughts and prayers go out to him and the family!!

Would like to pray for my ex father in law. (My daughters grandfather).. He has been diagnosed with Stomache Cancer..

Would like to pray for those that carry so much anger with them...May you feel the love of G-d!

Tuesday: Oh that is wonderful news.. good to hear.. Yay!

Tuesday: Courtney is in my prayers as well. Good to see you back, Friend..God Bless
BARB

Tuesday: Many a prayer will be said for Courtney, I am sure that God will take care of her.

POETCOMPOSER: Happy Chanuka and love chess, think I will;)

Sorry, I didn't get back here for the
update, as I was in the hospital myself.
Kyle is doing very well now since the casts were taken off. I saw him Christmas Day and he walks just like he should. He hated the casts on as when they took them off his legs were dirty and itched from the casts.. He had to be washed off good. He now walks just fine and we are so happy the Dr. tried this. Guess some children do this but not as long as Kyle did. HE still is getting the ear aches but hopefully they will get less, too. Other than that he is a normal little active boy.
Thanks for your prayers..
Poetcomposer: thanks for your message..
I pray that you all have a Happy New Year and better than last..God Bless
BARB

Jules: BEAUTIFUL. THANK YOU. SHALOM....

Horseman: HAPPY CHANUKAH.
PLAY CHESS....

STEVEN [POETCOMPOSER]

http://www.torah.org/yomtov/chanukah/5755/vol1no61.htm

Radiant Aunt:
Relax...Happy Holidays can mean anything from a combined Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to a whatever you are celebrating greeting (hanucka does begin on the 25th this year)...one wayor another it is a well wishing to others. Even Christmas trees owe their origin to Queen Victorias husband who brought the tradition over from Germany...from past pagan rituals. Christ was born in summer, yet we celebrate his birth on the Day that Mithras' birthday had been traditionally celebrated on...Rome's way of squashing Mithras. Christmas is going nowhere. WHat is important is that we use this time to remember Christ and his birth. (okay the book of Matthew makes him about 3 when the Magi show up with gifts, but the exchange of gifts remember there part in his life as well). What is important is that we share the time with our loved ones and remember Christ. Happy holidays or Merry Christmas doesn't change what you celebrate. Many athiests even celebrate Christmas and call it Christmas. TV ads are to Sell things, not push religion. That said and done....

Merry Christmas to you all and Happy Holidays as well. Especially to you Josietta

----Horse

Holiday Wars
by John Fischer


This Christmas, Christians have been caught in the throes of a war on semantics. We are seeing and hearing more “Happy Holidays” and less “Merry Christmases.” The beloved “Christmas tree” has turned into being a “Holiday tree." One television ad plays regularly with carolers singing: “We Wish You A Happy Holiday” to the tune of “We Wish You A Merry Christmas.”

One can surely see why a general mood of fighting back could prevail. I have seen numerous emails floating around with pictures of Christmas trees lamenting the secularization of Christmas. The underlying tone of these messages so far has been one of anger and partisanship, as if to say: “They can't take our Christmas away from us!”

It's an interesting question and one we need to consider seriously. If this a battle, on what level do we fight it? If someone wishes us “Happy Holidays,” do we respond with a hearty “Merry Christmas,” thus striking a blow for the kingdom of God?

I'm not so sure it's as important as all this. After all, it's Christ that is the issue, not Christmas. I don't even think Jesus cares very much about what we or anyone else call an evergreen with lights on it in December. Jesus never cared much about labels anyway; He always cared more about what was in the heart.

Here's how you put Christ back into Christmas: you celebrate Him as Lord of your life and ruler of your heart, and you love even those who want to take Christmas out of the Holiday equation. Jesus didn't come to condemn the world, but to save it (John 3:17). He came to forgive sins -- mine… yours… everybody's. Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost. Let's not let religious pride get in the way of the core message of the gospel. It's never been us against them; it's us for them. We mustn't forget that Jesus came to die for the very people who are trying to secularize our country.

In our zeal to keep Christ in Christmas, lets be careful not to alienate the very people who need Him the most -- those who don't know Him. People are more likely to be set on the road to salvation by loving, caring believers who are secure in the hope of the real Christ living in their lives, and whose faith is brighter than any Christmas tree.

It's what's in your heart that really counts this Christmas. Let's not get so taken up with fighting to save a name that we forget to live out the reality of the hope of Christ to the world. If people end up encountering the real Christ of Christmas, it will matter little what we end up calling the holiday itself.


John Fischer is the Senior Writer for Purpose Driven Life Daily Devotionals. He resides in Southern California with his wife, Marti and son, Chandler. They also have two adult children, Christopher and Anne. John is a published author and popular speaker.

whatdidyousay: Thank you Jeff, for reminding us, that each day each one of us needs the Blood of the Lamb! amen

1Peter 2:24 ...By His Stripes we are healed..
Isaiah 53:5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chatisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His Stripes we are healed.

Keys to Gods Relationships
A major emphasis of Jesus' teaching is how to build and maintain right relationships with God and others. He views these relationships as neither unimportant nor extraneous, but as vital components of our Christian lives. Knowing God is our highest priority, but this pursuit should not replace or diminish our interpersonal relationships with others. Rather, our personal interaction with God should produce within us the qualities of character that build and sustain all our relationships.

Scriptural references:

Matthew 5:24,25; Luke 12:57,58: Practice instance reconciliation. Understand that conflicts cause much greater damage to relationships when left unresolved.
Matthew 5:43-48; Luke 6:27, 28, 32-36: Love by choice, not by circumstance. Remember to overcome evil through love.
Matthew 6:14; Mark 11:25: Understand that God forgives us our sins as we forgive others who have sinned against us. Adopt the forgiveness of others into your prayerlife as a daily discipline.
Matthew 7:1-5; Luke 6:37, 38, 41, 42: Refrain from judging others. Be diligent to ask the Lord to examine your own heart, and be faithful to respond to His conviction.
Luke 14:7-11: Avoid striving for public recognition. Seek to walk in humility in every situation.

God, show us how to love the unlovely today. Help us to love others as you love them ---- just as they are. Amen.

Matthew 5:43-48
Love for Enemies
43"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."

And
Proverbs 15:1
A gentle answer turns away wrath.

Happy Advent!

does anyone out there know if something happened to Big H?? He's from Ohio...

by Rabbi Shimon Leiberman

The last sefirah is the most important because God uses it to act through His creation.
The tenth and final sefirah is called "malchut" ("kingdom"), and in many ways this is the most important of the sefirot.

In order to understand what malchut is, we must refer back to the original verse that contains the ten sefirot: "To You, God, is greatness, strength, modesty, victory, awe, for all that is in heavens and earth; to You, God, is the kingdom." (1 Chronicles 29:11) We note that the description of malchut is an almost separate sentence and it restarts with the phrase, "to You, God, is..." Why this distinction?

Let us explain this by defining what malchut is.

When we think of a king or a kingdom, we imagine a dictator imposing his will on a helpless populace, draining them of their resources to be used for his own personal aggrandizement. Even if we picture him as a benevolent despot, he is at best an efficient bureaucrat.

But when we speak of God and the concept of kingdom, we refer to a completely different model.

The model we have in mind is of a king who has a picture of good and bad, an ideology of right and wrong, and teaches the society around him those ideas and values. That society is then awakened to what is really right and structures itself and its institutions accordingly. When society has finished this process, it thereby amplifies and proclaims those values that the king had in his heart and mind.

That society is thereby not only expressing the king's norms and values, but showing that these norms and values are really the inner norms and values of the people in the country.

While we do not live with kings and it might be difficult for us to picture this, we can definitely use the illustration of a good teacher. A teacher who allows the students to "do as they wish" is not a teacher at all. The students have not received anything from him.

On the other hand, a teacher who forces his students to do as he says has merely imposed external shackles on them. He has not really affected them in any way, and he is not a teacher. The real teacher is the one who inspires his students, so that they realize that their own real feelings and values are those espoused by their teacher.

This is malchut in the true sense. It is God's actions and attributes - not as expressed by God, but rather as human beings express them. It is as if God's actions have struck a resonant chord in us, and we thereby act in a similar manner.

This requires that we do God's will, and not sin, and that we do so with free will. For if we do not do God's will, then we are not a reflection of the Divine process in the world. But if we do God's will out of fear then we are responding like the students who are forced by their teacher to do the teacher's bidding, and not from an inner sense of connection with God.

KING VS. DICTATOR

The way we respond to God is often expressed by commentators as the contrast of two synonyms:

Malchut meaning monarchial reign, and
Mamlacha meaning dictatorial rule.
Thus we say in our prayers, "...and they accepted (God's) malchut [monarchial reign] willingly." Whereas the verse speaking about the relationship between God and the nations who have not yet accepted Him states, "For onto God is mamlacha [dictatorial rule] and He is ruler over the gentile nations." This means that God really wishes to evoke malchut in the world, but as far as those nations are concerned, He rules over them in a dictatorial way but does not bring about malchut in them.

But, if we are to define the sefirah of malchut correctly, we need to be clear that (unlike the other nine) it is an attribute of God which does not emanate from God directly. Rather it emanates from God's creation -- when that creation reflects and evinces God's glory from within itself.

This is the reason why it is stated separately in the verse -- "To You, God, is greatness, strength, modesty, victory, awe, for all that is in heavens and earth; to You, God, is the kingdom" -- for there is a great gap between the first nine sefirot and the last one. The first nine are a continuous stream of God's actions which strike humanity and affect us. When we then absorb these influences of God, find them in ourselves, change and thereby reflect God's glory - then we evince malchut.

It is in this sense that this is the most important sefirah. In malchut, God does not act merely by Himself, but rather God acts through us.

Malchut is the goal that God had in mind when He created the world. All of the other sefirot are only the means to see malchut emerge.

In relating to the first nine sefirot, we are outside observers - admiring God's handiwork objectively. We may be impressed but somehow it never quite becomes an overwhelming experience. It is only when we hear the voice of God echoing from within us - which is malchut - that we are truly transformed.

Published Sunday, June 03, 2001

Bluesday: Thank you. I found it inspiring and wanted to share it with all.

THE INTERVIEW WITH GOD

I dreamed I had an interview with God.

"So you would like to interview me?" God asked.

"If you have the time" I said.

God smiled. "My time is eternity."

"What questions do you have in mind for me?"

"What surprises you most about humankind?"

God answered...

"That they get bored with childhood,
they rush to grow up, and then
long to be children again."

"That they lose their health to make money...
and then lose their money to restore their health."

"That by thinking anxiously about the future,
they forget the present,
such that they live in neither
the present nor the future."

"That they live as if they will never die,
and die as though they had never lived."

God's hand took mine
and we were silent for a while.

And then I asked...

"As a parent, what are some of life's lessons
you want your children to learn?"

"To learn they cannot make anyone
love them. All they can do
is let themselves be loved."

"To learn that it is not good
to compare themselves to others."

"To learn to forgive
by practicing forgiveness."

"To learn that it only takes a few seconds
to open profound wounds in those they love,
and it can take many years to heal them."

"To learn that a rich person
is not one who has the most,
but is one who needs the least."

"To learn that there are people
who love them dearly,
but simply have not yet learned
how to express or show their feelings."

"To learn that two people can
look at the same thing
and see it differently."

"To learn that it is not enough that they
forgive one another, but they must also forgive themselves."

"Thank you for your time," I said humbly.

"Is there anything else
you would like your children to know?"

God smiled and said,

"Just know that I am here... always."

-author unknown

Thanksgiving Psalm
by John Fischer


Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth!
Worship the Lord with gladness.
Come before Him, singing with joy.
Acknowledge that the Lord is God!
He made us, and we are His.
We are His people, the sheep of His pasture.
Enter His gates with Thanksgiving;
Go into His courts with praise.
Give thanks to Him and praise His name.
For the Lord is good.
His unfailing love continues forever,
And His faithfulness continues to each generation.

- Psalm 100

It’s really pretty simple.

He is God; we are not. He made us and so we belong to Him. We don’t really experience our own fulfillment until we are in a position to praise Him and offer Him thanks. Any other posture is arrogance and sheer folly, not because He is unkind or lording it over us, but because He is who He is, and we are who we are. We don’t get the point of our existence until we get this.

Whether you are in prison or in a mansion, alone or with family and friends – whether you are poor or rich, at war or at peace – this is true about you and it is true about me. This is not constraint. It is not praise on demand. It is sensible and true, the holy and right thing to do.

We were made for this – for the giving of thanks and the whole-hearted acknowledging of our Creator. We will do this forever. We are never really happy until we are doing this. This is not just one day out of the year to give thanks. It is our way of life every day – our lifeline with sanity, our tie to the real reason we are alive.

So while a country stops and gives thanks over an abundance of food, give thanks, not only because it is Thanksgiving Day, but because it is the right thing to do – the only thing to do.

Bluesday: Congratulations for Mother and son! Praise God for this wondrous miracle!

Bluesday: they have both been in my thoughts and prayers. Lamby is very special indeed.