Update 2012

Funny how technology becomes our treat, and our curse. Back in 2010 I started this blog, and then well, I guess I got bored, or busy or both.

But today (2013) I rediscovered it, and it was such a blessing reading those things I'd posted about my son, about my faith, etc...3 years ago.

28 hours from now, my son turns 14 years of age. No longer a child! I am so grateful to God for these last few years that I have the blessing of having him living at home with me. Soon he'll go off to college, get married, and have a family of his own. So thank you God, for a few more years.

A letter from Chala

I got a letter from Chala today. Chala is my little boy that I sponsor through Compassion. I've been sponsoring him for about four years. He lives in Ethiopia and lives with his Mother and siblings.

I'll never forget how we were blessed with Chala in our lives. I'd heard about Compassion on the radio. I went to their website to see about sponsoring a child and the tears just ran down my face as I looked at all the little faces. How could I ever select JUST ONE I thought? Well, I couldn't. So I wrote to Compassion and asked them to select a child for me, and that is how we were blessed with Chala.

From the beginning Devon and I have included Chala and his family in our prayers at night. In addition, I pray for him at other times....for him to do well at school, for us to be able to send his family extra money, etc.

The letters that we receive are short because they have to be translated, so normally there isn't much that shocks me in them. Today's letter, however was different. There were only 9 sentences in the entire letter. 2 of them grabbed my attention.

One sentence told that he bought a mattress with the money we sent at Christmas time. Devon and I discussed what he may have been sleeping on before? A mat? A blanket? The dirt floor? Well the letter did not divulge that information, but it made Devon and I stop and thank God once again for all of our blessings. We reminded ourselves that even if we feel like we don't have much here, we have so much more than so many people in the world....including our little Chala.

The other thing that really got my attention was the last sentence. Chala asked for his prayer requests. He was asking for prayers that his Mom would received Jesus. I thought to myself what an amazing God that we have, that He goes to this extent to reconcile everyone to Himself. Now I'll start praying for Chala's Mother's salvation and we'll see how God moves in this little boy's life AND the life of his Mother.

April 15th - Oceanside Tea Party

Today's Tea Party in Oceanside was another success. Police estimate between 4,000-5,000 people showed up. The nationwide estimate of attendees is around a quarter of a million. Each day we get closer to the November, the more faith I have that people are getting sick of what is going on in this state and this nation and are getting off the couch to do something about it! Thank God!

A personal relationship with Jesus

Pastor Larry gave a great message today. He talked about having a ‘personal relationship with Jesus’ and what the phrase really means to a Christian. So often we take these phrases that roll around the church and say them, without really knowing what they mean…especially what they mean to us personally. This phrase means different things to different Christians, and I thought Pastor Larry did a great job of reminding us that “although the ‘house rules’ (the commands in the Bible) remain the same for all of us, our personal relationship with God is as different as we are."

I liked that thought. I also thought to myself, ‘I wonder why I’ve never heard this before?’ I am about to celebrate my fifth birthday in Christ and I’ve never heard that. I’ve always felt I had to conform to someone else’s rules (or tools). And I loved the way Larry said, those “TOOLS” might be great for you but don’t try to force them on someone else.

My first mentor, an amazing Christian woman, did have the ‘rule’ you should spend XYZ…amount of time with God each morning, first thing. It’s a guilt thing, that eventually, if that doesn’t work for you, you not only end up dreading…you end up feeling very guilty and inadequate over.

So thank you Larry, for giving us more Godly advice and helping us to focus on our walk with Jesus.

Stand Down Coming to San Diego!

Veteran's Village of San Diego will be hosting the annual Stand Down

http://www.vvsd.net/standdown.htm

Friday, July 16 through Sunday, July 18, 2010
 
What is a Stand Down?
In times of war, exhausted combat units requiring time to rest and recover were removed from the battlefields to a place of relative security and safety. Today, Stand Down refers to a community-based intervention program designed to help the nation's estimated 200,000 homeless veterans "combat" life on the streets.

A hand up, not a handout philosophy of Stand Down is carried out through the work of thousands of volunteers and numerous organizations throughout the nation.

Trusting God

Why is it so difficult for us humans to trust God?

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9 declares.

We humans are inherently selfish. We want what we want, and of course lacking patience, we want it now! We are especially impatient when it comes to trials and wanting God to “fix” the situation. Somehow our thoughts get twisted during a trial and we may begin to think “why are you doing this to me God?” Proverbs 3:5-6, states “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” Hmmm, maybe that means we are not to try and figure God out; just TRUST Him.

Job suffers intense physical and emotional pain at the hand of Satan. The scripture clearly shows that God “allowed” this trial to happen to Job, and yet Job continues to trust God. Job 2:9-10 “Then his wife said to him, "Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!" But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?" In all this Job did not sin with his lips.”

Trials will come and go in our lives. Some trials will be small, some will be large and some may feel like they are going to crush us. But what’s the worse thing that will happen, in all honesty, if a trial “crushes” us? We die right? And if we die, then we just get to start eternity with Jesus a bit sooner. That doesn’t sound like a bad alternative. In fact, with that eternal perspective, this trial doesn’t seem so crushing.

Psalm 62:5-8
“Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; He is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge. Selah”

Stop Taxing Us!

The Whopper.  April 15th in Oceanside, California

It's more than a rally.  It's an experience. 

 

http://www.stoptaxingus.com/

UPCOMING EVENT:

Tax Day Tea Party
 April 15, 2010
Oceanside Pier Amphitheater
5pm to 7pm
Rick Roberts from AM760 KFMB
Confirmed Guests:
Gubernatorial Candidate Steve Poizner
Senate Candidate Chuck Devore
Attorney General Candidate John Eastman
Sheriff Candidate Jay LaSuer
Candidates to take your questions in town hall format.
Other candidates in information booths.  Activity area for children.
Stay tuned for more details!