love notes 2 heaven

Love Notes 2 Heaven



Dear Ting,


On a day like this, I missed you all the more! What else can I say except that I would give anything in the world in exchange for a different situation today. But we both know that wishes and dreams will remain just that. May be, one day in a yonder place, we will meet again. Until then…..


................I Love you
.................I Love you
..................I Love you
..................I Love you
..................I Love you
.................I Love you
................I Love you
...............I Love you
..............I Love you
.............I Love you
............I Love you
...........I Love you
...........I Love you
...........I Love you
............I Love you
.............I Love you
..............I Love you
...............I Love you
................I Love you
.................I Love you
..................I Love you
..................I Love you
..................I Love you
.................I Love you
................I Love you
...............I Love you
..............I Love you
.............I Love you
............I Love you
...........I Love you
...........I Love you
...........I Love you
............I Love you
.............I Love you
..............I Love you
...............I Love you
................I Love you
.................I Love you
.................I Love you
..................I Love you
..................I Love you
.................I Love you
................I Love you
...............I Love you
..............I Love you
.............I Love you
............I Love you
...........I Love you
...........I Love you
...........I Love you
............I Love you
.............I Love you
..............I Love you
...............I Love you
................I Love you
.................I Love you
..................I Love you
..................I Love you
..................I Love you
.................I Love you
................I Love you
...............I Love you
..............I Love you
.............I Love you
............I Love you
...........I Love you
...........I Love you
...........I Love you
............I Love you
.............I Love you
..............I Love you
...............I Love you
................I Love you
.................I Love you
..................I Love you
..................I Love you
..................I Love you
.................I Love you
.


I will love you forever,
and always until the end!
You're my friend,
my love,
my soul-mate,
my everything!


Hugs & kisses ~
Khamneithang Vaiphei


And here's a song for you, my love:

Save A Place For Me

by Matthew West

Don’t be mad if I cry

It just hurts so bad sometimes

‘Cause everyday it’s sinking in

And I have to say goodbye all over again

You know I bet it feels good to have the weight of this world
Off your shoulders now
I’m dreaming of the day
When I’m finally there with you

Save a place for me
Save a place for me
I’ll be there soon
I’ll be there soon
Save a place for me
Save some grace for me
I’ll be there soon
I’ll be there soon

I have asked the question why
But I guess the answer’s for another time
So instead I’ll pray
With every tear
And be thankful for the time I had you here

And I wanna live my life
Just like you did
Make the most of my time
Just like you did
And I wanna make my home up in the sky
Just like you did
Oh, but until I get there
Until I get there


Also > Miranda Lambert's "Last Goodbye" & Larry Gatlin's "Love Of My Life".

Thursday, March 25, 2010

children in church

Children in Church


A little boy was in a relative's wedding.
As he was coming down the aisle, he would take two steps,
stop, and turn to the crowd.
While facing the crowd, he would put his hands up like claws and roar.
So it went, step, step, ROAR, step, step, ROAR, all the way down the aisle.
As you can imagine, the crowd was near tears from laughing so hard
by the time he reached the pulpit.
When asked what he was doing, the child sniffed and said,
"I was being the Ring Bear."

One Sunday in a Midwest City ,
a young child was "acting up" during the morning worship hour.
The parents did their best to maintain some sense of order in the pew
but were losing the battle.
Finally, the father picked the little fellow up
and walked sternly up the aisle on his way out.
Just before reaching the safety of the foyer,
the little one called loudly to the congregation,
"Pray for me! Pray for me!"

One particular four-year old prayed,
"And forgive us our trash baskets
as we forgive those who put trash in our baskets."

A little boy was overheard praying:
"Lord, if you can't make me a better boy, don't worry about it.
I'm having a real good time like I am."

A Sunday School teacher asked her little children, as they were on the way to church service,
"And why is it necessary to be quiet in church?"
One bright little girl replied, "Because people are sleeping."

A little boy opened the big and old family Bible with fascination,
looking at the old pages as he turned them.
Then something fell out of the Bible.
He picked it up and looked at it closely.
It was an old leaf from a tree that has been pressed in between the pages.
"Mama, look what I found," the boy called out.
"What have you got there, dear?" his mother asked.
With astonishment in the young boy's voice he answered,
"It's Adam 's suit".

The preacher was wired for sound with a lapel mike,
and as he preached, he moved briskly about the platform,
jerking the mike cord as he went.
Then he moved to one side,
getting wound up in the cord and nearly tripping before jerking it again.
After several circles and jerks,
a little girl in the third pew leaned toward her mother and whispered,
"If he gets loose, will he hurt us?"

Six-year old Angie , and her four-year old brother, Joel , were sitting together in church.
Joel giggled, sang and talked out loud.
Finally, his big sister had had enough.
"You're not supposed to talk out loud in church."
"Why? Who's going to stop me?" Joel asked.
Angie pointed to the back of the church and said,
"See those two men standing by the door?
They're hushers."

My grandson was visiting one day when he asked ,
"Grandma, do you know how you and God are alike?"
I mentally polished my halo, while I asked,
"No, how are we alike?"
"You're both old," he replied.

A ten-year old, under the tutelage of her grandmother,
was becoming quite knowledgeable about the Bible.
Then, one day, she floored her grandmother by asking,
"Which Virgin was the mother of Jesus ? The virgin Mary or the King James Virgin ?"

A Sunday school class was studying the Ten Commandments.
They were ready to discuss the last one.
The teacher asked if anyone could tell her what it was.
Susie raised her hand, stood tall, and quoted,
"Thou shall not take the covers off the neighbor's wife."

a christmas story

A Christmas Story

In September 1960, I woke up one morning with six hungry babies and just 75 cents in my pocket. Their father was gone. The boys ranged from three months to seven years; their sister was two. Their Dad had never been much more than a presence they feared. Whenever they heard his tires crunch on the gravel driveway they would scramble to hide under their beds.


He did manage to leave $15 a week to buy groceries. Now that he had decided to leave, there would be no more beatings, but no food either. If there was a welfare system in effect in southern Indiana, at that time, I certainly knew nothing about it.

I scrubbed the kids until they looked brand new and then put on my best homemade dress. I loaded them into the rusty old 51 Chevy and drove off to find a job. The seven of us went to every factory, store and restaurant in our small town. No luck.

The kids stayed, crammed into the car and tried to be quiet while I tried to convince whomever would listen that I was willing to learn or do anything. I had to have a job.

Still no luck.

The last place we went to, just a few miles out of town, was an old Root Beer Barrel drive-in that had been converted to a truck stop. It was called the Big Wheel. An old lady named Granny owned the place and she peeked out of the window from time to time at all those kids.

She needed someone on the graveyard shift, 11 at night until seven in the morning. She paid 65 cents an hour and I could start that night. I raced home and called the teenager down the street that baby-sat for people. I bargained with her to come and sleep on my sofa for a dollar a night. She could arrive with her pajamas on and the kids would already be asleep. This seemed like a good arrangement to her, so we made a deal.

That night, when the little ones and I knelt to say our prayers, we all thanked God for finding Mommy a job. And so I started at the Big Wheel.

When I got home in the mornings I woke the baby-sitter up and sent her home with one dollar of my tip money-fully half of what I averaged every night.

As the weeks went by, heating bills added another strain to my meager wage.

The tires on the old Chevy had the consistency of penny balloons and began to leak. I had to fill them with air on the way to work and again every morning before I could go home. One bleak fall morning, I draggedwagged myself to the car to go home and found four tires in the back seat.

New tires!

There was no note, no nothing, just those beautiful brand new tires. Had angels taken up residence in Indiana? I wondered. I made a deal with the owner of the local service station. In exchange for his mounting the new tires, I would clean up his office. I remember it took me a lot longer to scrub his floor than it did for him to do the tires. I was now working six nights instead of five and it still wasn’t enough.

Christmas was coming and I knew there would be no money for toys for the kids. I found a can of red paint and started repairing and painting some old toys. Then I hid them in the basement so there would be something for Santa to deliver on Christmas morning. Clothes were a worry too. I was sewing patches on top of patches on the boys pants and soon they would be too far gone to repair.

On Christmas Eve the usual customers were drinking coffee in the Big Wheel. These were the truckers, Les, Frank, and Jim, and a state trooper named Joe. A few musicians were hanging around after a gig at the Legion and were dropping nickels in the pinball machine. The regulars all just sat around and talked through the wee hours of the morning and then left to get home before the sun came up.

When it was time for me to go home at seven o’clock on Christmas morning I hurried to the car. I was hoping the kids wouldn’t wake up before I managed to get home and get the presents from the basement and place them under the tree. (We had cut down a small cedar tree by the side of the road down by the dump.) It was still dark and I couldn’t see much, but there appeared to be some dark shadows in the car-or was that just a trick of the night?

Something certainly looked different, but it was hard to tell what. When I reached he car I peered warily into one of the side windows. Then my jaw dropped in amazement. My old battered Chevy was filled full to the top with boxes of all shapes and sizes. I quickly opened the driver’s side door, scrambled inside and kneeled in the front facing the back seat.

Reaching back, I pulled off the lid of the top box. Inside was a whole case of little blue jeans, sizes 2-10! I looked inside another box: It was full of shirts to go with the jeans. Then I peeked inside some of the other boxes: There were candy and nuts and bananas and bags of groceries.

There was an enormous ham for baking, and canned vegetables and potatoes. There was pudding and Jell-O and cookies, pie filling and flour. There was a whole bag of laundry supplies and cleaning items. And there were five toy trucks and one beautiful little doll.

As I drove back through empty streets as the sun slowly rose on the most amazing Christmas Day of my life, I was sobbing with gratitude. And I will never forget the joy on the faces of my little ones that precious morning.

Yes, there were angels in Indiana that long-ago December. And they all hung out at the Big Wheel truck stop

christmas at the gas station

Christmas At The Gas Station

The old man sat in his gas station on a cold Christmas Eve. He hadn’t been anywhere in years since his wife had passed away. It was just another day to him. He didn’t hate Christmas, just couldn’t find a reason to celebrate. He was sitting there looking at the snow that had been falling for the last hour and wondering what it was all about when the door opened and a homeless man stepped through.



Instead of throwing the man out, Old George as he was known by his customers, told the man to come and sit by the heater and warm up. “Thank you, but I don’t mean to intrude,” said the stranger. “I see you’re busy, I’ll just go.” “Not without something hot in your belly.” George said.

He turned and opened a wide mouth Thermos and handed it to the stranger. “It ain’t much, but it’s hot and tasty, “Stew … made it myself. When you’re done, there’s coffee and it’s fresh.”

Just at that moment he heard the “ding” of the driveway bell. “Excuse me, be right back,” George said. There in the driveway was an old ‘53 Chevy. Steam was rolling out of the front. The driver was panicked. “Mister can you help me!” said the driver, with a deep Spanish accent. “My wife is with child and my car is broken.”

George opened the hood. It was bad. The block looked cracked from the cold, the car was dead. “You ain’t going in this thing,” George said as he turned away.

“But Mister, please help …” The door of the office closed behind George as he went inside. He went to the office wall and got the keys to his old truck, and went back outside. He walked around the building, opened the garage, started the truck and drove it around to where the couple was waiting. “Here, take my truck,” he said. “She ain’t the best thing you ever looked at, but she runs real good.”

George helped put the woman in the truck and watched as it sped off into the night. He turned and walked back inside the office. “Glad I gave ‘em the truck, their tires were shot too. That ‘ol truck has brand new ……..” George thought he was talking to the stranger, but the man had gone. The Thermos was on the desk with a used coffee cup beside it. “Well, at least he got something in his belly,” George thought.

George went back outside to see if the old Chevy would start. It cranked slowly, but it started. He pulled it into the garage where the truck had been. He thought he would tinker with it for something to do. Christmas Eve meant no customers. He discovered the the block hadn’t cracked, it was just the bottom hose on the radiator. “Well, shoot, I can fix this,” he said to himself. So he put a new one on.

“Those tires ain’t gonna get ‘em through the winter either.” He took the snow treads off of his wife’s old Lincoln. They were like new and he wasn’t going to drive the car anyway.

As he was working, he heard shots being fired. He ran outside and beside a police car an officer lay on the cold ground. Bleeding from the left shoulder, the officer moaned, “Please help me.”

George helped the officer inside as he remembered the training he had received in the Army as a medic. He knew the wound needed attention. “Pressure to stop the bleeding,” he thought. The uniform company had been there that morning and had left clean shop towels. He used those and duct tape to bind the wound. “Hey, they say duct tape can fix anythin’,” he said, trying to make the policeman feel at ease.

“Something for pain,” George thought. All he had was the pills he used for his back. “These ought to work.” He put some water in a cup and gave the policeman the pills. “You hang in there, I’m going to get you an ambulance.”

The phone was dead. “Maybe I can get one of your buddies on that there talk box out in your car.” He went out only to find that a bullet had gone into the dashboard destroying the two way radio.

He went back in to find the policeman sitting up. “Thanks,” said the officer. “You could have left me there. The guy that shot me is still in the area.”

George sat down beside him, “I would never leave an injured man in the Army and I ain’t gonna leave you.” George pulled back the bandage to check for bleeding. “Looks worse than what it is. Bullet passed right through ‘ya. Good thing it missed the important stuff though. I think with time your gonna be right as rain.”

George got up and poured a cup of coffee. “How do you take it?” he asked. “None for me,” said the officer. “Oh, yer gonna drink this. Best in the city. Too bad I ain’t got no donuts.” The officer laughed and winced at the same time.

The front door of the office flew open. In burst a young man with a gun. “Give me all your cash! Do it now!” the young man yelled. His hand was shaking and George could tell that he had never done anything like this before.

“That’s the guy that shot me!” exclaimed the officer.

“Son, why are you doing this?” asked George, “You need to put the cannon away. Somebody else might get hurt.”

The young man was confused. “Shut up old man, or I’ll shoot you, too. Now give me the cash!”

The cop was reaching for his gun. “Put that thing away,” George said to the cop, “we got one too many in here now.”

He turned his attention to the young man. “Son, it’s Christmas Eve. If you need money, well then, here. It ain’t much but it’s all I got. Now put that pee shooter away.”

George pulled $150 out of his pocket and handed it to the young man, reaching for the barrel of the gun at the same time. The young man released his grip on the gun, fell to his knees and began to cry. “I’m not very good at this am I? All I wanted was to buy something for my wife and son,” he went on. “I’ve lost my job, my rent is due, my car got repossessed last week ..”

George handed the gun to the cop. “Son, we all get in a bit of squeeze now and then. The road gets hard sometimes, but we make it through the best we can.”

He got the young man to his feet, and sat him down on a chair across from the cop. “Sometimes we do stupid things.” George handed the young man a cup of coffee. “Bein’ stupid is one of the things that makes us human. Comin’ in here with a gun ain’t the answer. Now sit there and get warm and we’ll sort this thing out.”

The young man had stopped crying. He looked over to the cop. “Sorry I shot you. It just went off. I’m sorry officer.”

“Shut up and drink your coffee.” the cop said.

George could hear the sounds of sirens outside. A police car and an ambulance skidded to a halt. Two cops came through the door, guns drawn. “Chuck! You ok?” one of the cops asked the wounded officer.

“Not bad for a guy who took a bullet. How did you find me?”

“GPS locator in the car. Best thing since sliced bread. Who did this?” the other cop asked as he approached the young man.

Chuck answered him, “I don’t know. The guy ran off into the dark. Just dropped his gun and ran.”

George and the young man both looked puzzled at each other.

“That guy work here?” the cop asked. “Yep,” George said, “just hired him this morning. Boy lost his job.”

The paramedics came in and loaded Chuck onto the stretcher. The young man leaned over the wounded cop and whispered, “Why?”

Chuck just said, “Merry Christmas boy … and you too, George, and thanks for everything.”

“Well, looks like you got one doozy of a break there. That ought to solve some of your problems.”

George went into the back room and came out with a box. He pulled out a ring box. “Here you go, something for the little woman. I don’t think Martha would mind. She said it would come in handy some day.”

The young man looked inside to see the biggest diamond ring he ever saw. “I can’t take this,” said the young man. “It means something to you.”

“And now it means something to you,” replied George. “I got my memories. That’s all I need.”

George reached into the box again. An airplane, a car and a truck appeared next. They were toys that the oil company had left for him to sell. “Here’s something for that little man of yours.”

The young man began to cry again as he handed back the $150 that the old man had handed him earlier.

“And what are you supposed to buy Christmas dinner with? You keep that too,” George said, “Now git home to your family.”

The young man turned with tears streaming down his face. “I’ll be here in the morning for work, if that job offer is still good.”

“Nope. I’m closed Christmas day,” George said. “See ya the day after.”

George turned around to find that the stranger had returned. “Where’d you come from? I thought you left?”

“I have been here. I have always been here,” said the stranger. “You say you don’t celebrate Christmas. Why?”

“Well, after my wife passed away, I just couldn’t see what all the bother was. Puttin’ up a tree and all seemed a waste of a good pine tree. Bakin’ cookies like I used to with Martha just wasn’t the same by myself and besides I was gettin’ a little chubby.”

The stranger put his hand on George’s shoulder. “But you do celebrate the holiday, George. You gave me food and drink and warmed me when I was cold and hungry. The woman with child will bear a son and he will become a great doctor. The policeman you helped will go on to save 19 people from being killed. The young man who tried to rob you will make you a rich man and not take any for himself. That is the spirit of the season and you keep it as good as any man.”

George was taken aback by all this stranger had said. “And how do you know all this?” asked the old man.

“Trust me, George. I have the inside track on this sort of thing. And when your days are done you will be with Martha again.”

The stranger moved toward the door. “If you will excuse me, George, I have to go now. I have to go home where there is a big celebration planned.”

George watched as the old leather jacket and the torn pants that the stranger was wearing turned into a white robe. A golden light began to fill the room.

“You see, George … it’s My birthday. Merry Christmas.”

George fell to his knees and replied, “Happy Birthday, Lord.”

the geese in a storm

The Geese In A Storm

There was once a man who did not believe in either the virgin birth of Christ nor the spiritual meaning behind it, and was skeptical even about God. He and his family lived in a farm community. His wife was a devout believer and diligently raised her children in the faith. He sometimes gave her a hard time about her belief and mocked her religious observances.


“It’s all nonsense — why would God lower himself and become a human like us? It’s such a ridiculous story,” he said.

One snowy day, she and the children left for church while he stayed home. After they had departed, the winds grew stronger and the snow turned into a blinding snowstorm. He sat down to relax before the fire for the evening.

Then he heard a loud thump, something hitting against the window… And, still another thump. He looked outside but could not see anything. So he ventured outside for a better view. In the field near his house he saw, of all the strangest things, a flock of geese. They were apparently flying to look for a warmer area down south, but they had been caught in the snowstorm. The storm had become too blinding and violent for the geese to fly or see their way. They were stranded on his farm, with no food or shelter, unable to do more than flutter their wings and fly in aimless circles. He had compassion for them and wanted to help them. He thought to himself, the barn would be a great place for them to stay. It is warm and safe; surely they could spend the night and wait out the storm. So he opened the barn doors for them.

He waited, watching them, hoping they would notice the open barn and go inside. Nevertheless, they did not notice the barn or realize what it could mean for them. He moved closer toward them to get their attention, but they just moved away from him out of fear.

He went into the house and came back with some bread, broke it up, and made a bread trail to the barn. They still did not catch on.

Starting to get frustrated, he went over and tried to shoo them toward the barn. They panicked and scattered into every direction except toward the barn. Nothing he did could get them to go into the barn where there was warmth, safety, and shelter. Feeling totally frustrated, he exclaimed, “Why don’t they follow me? Can’t they see this is the only place where they can survive the storm? How can I possibly get them into the one place to save them?”

He thought for a moment and realized that they just would not follow a human. He said to himself, “How can I possibly save them? The only way would be for me to become like those geese. If only I could become like one of them. Then I could save them. They would follow me and I would lead them to safety.”

At that moment, he stopped and considered what he had said. The words reverberated in his mind: If only I could become like one of them, then I could save them. Then, at last, he understood God’s heart towards mankind… and he fell on his knees in the snow.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him

one silent sermon

One Silent Sermon

A member of a certain church, who previously had been attending services regularly, stopped going. After a few weeks, the pastor decided to visit him.

It was a chilly evening. The pastor found the man at home alone, sitting before a blazing fire. Guessing the reason for his pastor’s visit, the man welcomed him, led him to a comfortable chair near the fireplace and waited.

The pastor made himself at home but said nothing. In the grave silence, he contemplated the dance of the flames around the burning logs. After some minutes, the pastor took the fire tongs, carefully picked up a brightly burning ember and placed it to one side of the hearth all alone then he sat back in his chair, still silent.

The host watched all this in quiet contemplation. As the one lone ember’s flame flickered and diminished, there was a momentary glow and then its fire was no more. Soon it was cold and dead.

Not a word had been spoken since the initial greeting. The pastor glanced at his watch and realized it was time to leave. He slowly stood up, picked up the cold, dead ember and placed it back in the middle of the fire. Immediately it began to glow, once more with the light and warmth of the burning coals around it.

As the pastor reached the door to leave, his host said with a tear running down his cheek, ‘Thank you so much for your visit and especially for the fiery sermon. I will be back in church next Sunday’.

We live in a world today, which tries to say too much with too little. Consequently, few listen. Sometimes the best sermons are the ones left unspoken.

walking in a winter wonder land

Walking In A Winter Wonder Land


by Pastor Janet Piper




For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
And do not return there without watering the earth
And making it bear and sprout,
And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater;
So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth;
It will not return to Me empty,
Without accomplishing what I desire.
And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.
For you will go out with joy and be led forth with peace;
The mountains and the hills will break forth
into shouts of joy before you,
And all the trees of the field will clap their hands.

-Isaiah 55:10-12-

As we are now into the winter season, I can’t help but notice the beauty of the flocked trees and the awesome flakes that fall from the sky. Did you know that each snow flake is different just like you and I? Although, I am one who appreciates all four seasons, I personally prefer spring, summer and autumn over winter. Winter however is a season the Lord has used to show me some revelation.

As autumn fades and winter comes, we see a dying off of the beautiful leaves. (Did you know that the leaves, at their brightest colors got there because of dying process?) I often look at the trees when all leaves have faded and think everything looks so dry and dead. All the beauty has gone.

We’ve all walked through seasons of winter in our lives, when things that once looked and felt so wonderful all of a sudden appear dry and dead. To the natural eye, it seems all beauty has faded until the snow comes and blankets everything. This is the winter in ones life. However Jesus Christ even in our personal seasons of winter, comes and blankets us with his precious Holy Spirit, covering us with his beauty and providing us rest, making us white as snow!

Oftentimes, we forget that in the winter when things look dead, it is actually a time of preparation for spring. The trees appear dead but life is still flowing in it. Flowers seem to fade but are actually preparing to bud again.

It is in these moments, that I sit and wonder what God will do next in the winter seasons of my life. One should not sit and complain about the winter seasons of life, but rather choose to walk through that winter season with wonder of what the Lord will do through you.

In the book of Psalms, we read of many winter experiences that David went through. In one verse he said “Yeah though I WALK through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.” So even in his winter season of life he chose to walk, his heart filled with wonder of what God would do. What others may have viewed as death, David saw as a shadow. We must not despise the winter seasons that come, but rather allow God to use them to beautify us in his sight. So, today if you are walking in a winter wonder land, choose to walk in faith knowing God makes all things beautiful in his time! Even in seasons that are uncomfortable, there is still beauty to be found.

Prayer:

Lord I thank you for your presence in my life. I pray that each one reading this would feel Your presence surround them. I ask that as they walk through their season of winter, that they would not give up or give in, but rather walk in wonder of who You are! You are more than able to accomplish what concerns us today. May our hearts not be motivated to praise You by our present situations but may our hearts be motivated to praise You by the love we have for You. We ask this in Your precious holy Name, the name of JESUS! Amen!

Reprinted from The Well Volume 11 Issue 1

recall notice

Recall Notice

The Maker of all human beings (GOD) is recalling all units manufactured, regardless of make or year, due to a serious defect in the primary and central component of the heart.


This is due to a malfunction in the original prototype units code named Adam and Eve, resulting in the reproduction of the same defect in all subsequent units. This defect has been technically termed “Sub-sequential Internal Non-Morality,” or more commonly known as S.I.N., as it is primarily expressed.

Some of the symptoms include:

1. Loss of direction
2. Foul vocal emissions in the mental component
3. Amnesia of origin
4. Lack of peace and joy
5. Selfish or violent behavior
6. Depression or confusion
7. Fearfulness
8. Idolatry
9. Rebellion

The Manufacturer, who is neither liable nor at fault for this defect, is providing factory-authorized repair and service free of charge to correct this defect.

The Repair Technician, JESUS, has most generously offered to bear the entire burden of the staggering cost of these repairs. There is no additional fee required.

The number to call for repair in all areas is: P-R-A-Y-E-R. Once connected, please upload your burden of SIN through the REPENTANCE procedure. Next, download ATONEMENT from the Repair Technician, Jesus, into the heart component.

No matter how big or small the SIN defect is, Jesus will replace it with:

1. Love
2. Joy
3. Peace
4. Patience
5. Kindness
6. Goodness
7. Faithfulness
8. Gentleness
9. Self control

Please see the operating manual, the B.I.B.L.E. (Believers’ Instructions Before Leaving Earth) for further details on the use of these fixes.

WARNING: Continuing to operate the human being unit without correction voids any manufacturer warranties, exposing the unit to dangers and problems too numerous to list and will result in the human unit being permanently impounded. For free emergency service, call on Jesus.

DANGER: The human being units not responding to this recall action will have to be scrapped in the furnace. The SIN defect will not be permitted to enter Heaven so as to prevent contamination of that facility.

Thank you for your attention!

P.S. Please assist where possible by notifying others of this important recall notice, and you may contact the Father any time by ‘Knee mail.’


Author Unknown

i wanna know what love is

I Wanna Know What Love Is


by Angela Sutton

I rely on ol’ Webster a great deal when I want to get down to the exact definition of a word but I must say . . . the word love, in my opinion, defies definition. I open up the dictionary and find a thorough description of love that covers a broad spectrum. Synonyms for the word love range from a liking, to a worship of, to a weakness for another. That sounds about right, doesn’t it? I personally cannot remember a person I’ve loved that I haven’t liked, unfortunately sometimes idolized and most often had extreme weakness for. . . I love my parents, I love my siblings, I love my spouse, I love my children, I adore my grandchildren, I love my friends and many others in my life. But, honestly, there are days I don’t even like myself so I have to ask . . . do I really get love at all?


Webster could not possibly include all the filters we sift our feelings through that encompass how each of us defines love. Our definition of love can be so easily distorted due to everything from smothering affection to horrific abuse. For some love is about hanging in there at all costs and for others it winds up being about letting go no matter how much it hurts. For some love is completely nurturing, while for others it becomes about taking a difficult tough love stance.


Some hang on to one basic hope to get through and that is that God loves them, while others go through things that cause them to doubt God ever loved them at all. Different experiences, different definitions, different demonstrations shape and form, sometimes twisting and distorting what true love really is.


Ever had your love tested? I have. Some days I find myself on top of the world in love and others I find myself wondering whether I’ve ever loved or been loved at all. I’d ask if you’ve ever felt like that but assuming if you’re reading this you are human, I know you have. If you are in relationship with any human being there are issues that arise to test the depth of your feelings. It is easy to love someone when they fit the hidden checklist of our expectations. Don’t think you have that checklist? Time for a little self-examination and honesty, don’t you think? It’s also easy to love someone when they don’t act outside our invisible boundaries. When someone walks, talks and acts like we want them to, love comes easily. When they treat us the way we want to be treated, we eat them up. When they give us much and require little, love comes easily. But what happens the minute they step outside the boundary of our definition of love? What happens when we step outside the boundaries we’ve set for ourselves? We do that too and that’s where self-loathing or self-hatred sets in. It’s a crazy thing, this love and I truly believe the topic cannot be exhausted nor do I believe there are any two opinions exactly the same on the subject.


But, I will say this. As elementary a principle as it seems, I have one true belief. That pure love comes from Agape love, the love of God toward us. If we gain a true understanding and allow the truth of God’s love for us to become rooted in our hearts, the other branches of love will grow healthy and full. The heartaches we’ve experienced and the devastating pain that human love or lack of causes us will all be healed when we truly understand love from God’s perspective and from the perspective of Jesus who gave all in love toward us.


I John 3:16 says, “By THIS we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” It is simple – by this we know it and by this we should show it. The Word goes on to explain that if we have the goods of this world, see someone in need and shut up our hearts from them, we don’t get it. That means our material goods AND our ability to love another. If we do that, love, the God kind of love or Agape is not in us. I John 3:18-19 says, “My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him.”


I know you’re hurting. I know that while on one hand you are loving and being loved, on yet another you are finding it hard to love and feeling extremely unloved and forgotten. That’s just how it is when you are human. God knew that. That is why he so carefully gave us His Word. He knew we’d need it along the way and we should refer to it often. It’s a little like refreshing yourself on game plays or taking a refresher course to boost your skills. Sometimes we just need to be reminded and set straight again.


Today, with all the many definitions of love and with all the loving and not loving that is going on in the world, I just want to remind you . . . By this we know love . . . He laid down His life for us and He says we should do the same for others. If you are doing that today, you cannot go wrong. If in the process you get hurt, remember it hurt him but look at the joy it brings Him every time we share His love with another! And if you’re feeling unloved today or wondering if God loves you, remember this . . . He laid down His life for you . . . laid it down, voluntarily, gave it up . . . for you.



Reprinted from The Well which in turn obtained permission from Angi's blog: faithamidchaos.blogspot.com

the penny

The Penny
                                                   Author Unknown

You always hear the usual stories of pennies on the sidewalk being good luck, gifts from angels, etc. This is the first time I've ever heard this twist on the story. Gives you something to think about.


Several years ago, a friend of mine and her husband were invited to spend the weekend at the husband's employer's home. My friend, Arlene, was nervous about the weekend. The boss was very wealthy, with a fine home on the waterway, and cars costing more than her house.

The first day and evening went well, and Arlene was delighted to have this rare glimpse into how the very wealthy live. The husband's employer was quite generous as a host, and took them to the finest restaurants.

Arlene knew she would never have the opportunity to indulge in this kind of extravagance again, so she was enjoying herself immensely.

As the three of them were about to enter an exclusive restaurant that evening, the boss was walking slightly ahead of Arlene and her husband. He stopped suddenly, looking down on the pavement for a long, silent moment.

Arlene wondered if she was supposed to pass him. There was nothing on the ground except a single darkened penny that someone had dropped, and a few cigarette butts. Still silent, the man reached down and picked up the penny.

He held it up and smiled, then put it in his pocket as if he had found a great treasure. How absurd! What need did this man have for a single penny? Why would he even take the time to stop and pick it up?

Throughout dinner, the entire scene nagged at her. Finally, she could stand it no longer. She causally mentioned that her daughter once had a coin collection, and asked if the penny he had found had been of some value.

A smile crept across the man's face as he reached into his pocket for the penny and held it out for her to see. She had seen many pennies before! What was the point of this?

"Look at it." He said. "Read what it says." She read the words "United States of America."

"No, not that; read further."

"One cent?" "No, keep reading."

"In God we Trust?" "Yes!" "And?"

"And if I trust in God, the name of God is holy, even on a coin. Whenever I find a coin I see that inscription. It is written on every single United States coin, but we never seem to notice it! God drops a message right in front of me telling me to trust Him? Who am I to pass it by? When I see a coin, I pray, I stop to see if my trust IS in God at that moment. I pick the coin up as a response to God; that I do trust in Him. For a short time, at least, I cherish it as if it were gold. I think it is God's way of starting a conversation with me. Lucky for me, God is patient and pennies are plentiful!"

When I was out shopping today, I found a penny on the sidewalk. I stopped and picked it up, and realized that I had been worrying and fretting in my mind about things I cannot change. I read the words, "In God We Trust," and had to laugh. Yes, God, I get the message.

It seems that I have been finding an inordinate number of pennies in the last few months, but then, pennies are plentiful!

And, God is patient...

Reprinted from The Well

the taxi

The Taxi

I arrived at the address where someone had requested a taxi. I honked but no one came out. So I honked again, nothing. Then I walked to the door and knocked.


“Just a minute,” answered a frail, elderly voice. I could hear something being dragged across the floor.


After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her 90’s stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it, like somebody out of a 1940’s movie. By her side was a small nylon suitcase.


The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years. All the furniture was covered with sheets. There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils on the counters. In the corner was a cardboard box filled with photos and glassware.


“Would you carry my bag out to the car?” she said.


I took the suitcase to the cab, and then returned to assist the woman. She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb. She kept thanking me for my kindness. “It’s nothing,” I told her. “I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother treated.”


“Oh, you’re such a good boy,” she said. When we got in the cab, she gave me an address, and then asked, “Could you drive through downtown?”


“It’s not the shortest way,” I answered quickly.


“Oh, I don’t mind,” she said. “I’m in no hurry. I’m on my way to a hospice.”


I looked in the rear-view mirror. Her eyes were glistening. “I don’t have any family left,” she continued. “The doctor says I don’t have very long.”


I quietly reached over and shut off the meter. “What route would you like me to take?” I asked.


For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator. We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived when they were newlyweds. She had me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl.


Sometimes she’d ask me to slow in front of a particular building or corner and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.


As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, “I’m tired. Let’s go now.”


We drove in silence to the address she had given me. It was a low building, like a small convalescent home, with a driveway that passed under a portico.


Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up. They were solicitous and intent, watching her every move. They must have been expecting her.


I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door. The woman was already seated in a wheelchair. “How much do I owe you?” she asked, reaching into her purse.


“Nothing,” I said.


“You have to make a living,”she answered.


“There are other passengers,” I responded. Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug. She held onto me tightly.


“You gave an old woman a little moment of joy,” she said. “Thank you.” I squeezed her hand, and then walked into the dim morning light. Behind me, a door shut. It was the sound of the closing of a life.


I didn’t pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove aimlessly lost in thought. For the rest of that day, I could hardly talk. What if that woman had gotten an angry driver, or one who was impatient to end his shift? What if I had refused to take the run, or had honked once, then driven away?


On a quick review, I don’t think that I have done anything more important in my life. We’re conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments. But great moments often catch us unaware-beautifully wrapped in what others may consider a small one.


People may not remember exactly what you did, or what you said, but they will always remember how you made them feel.

_____________

DO YOU KNOW THESE FACTS?

>>>> Rubber bands last longer when refrigerated


>>>> There are more than 15,000 differnet kinds of rice

>>>> No president of the United States was an only child

Rollin McCraty Science of the Heart

Rollin McCraty Science of the Heart

the top 40 of acts

Acts TOP 40
by John D Barry
With a startling 164 individuals, groups of people, "gods" and nations mentioned in Acts, it's not surprising that it's a difficult read. The problem now has a remedy—the Acts Top 40.

The Good   All of His Own

Jesus (Son of God)

Poor man from Nazareth born of a virgin.

Incarnate Son of God and Savior of the world.

Primarily called Himself the Son of Man.

Pretty much everywhere in the New Testament.

Major Church Leaders/Speakers

Paul

Previously known as Saul of Tarsus,

the hit man for the Pharisees, who

beat and stoned Christians for their

beliefs. Converted to Christianity after

an encounter with the risen Christ that

left him temporarily blind. Became the

first church planter and the most widely

influential Christian. Acts 13–26; authored

Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians,

Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians,

1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy,

2 Timothy, Titus and Philemon.

Peter

Fisherman who became a disciple of

Christ and denied Him three times before

His death. Was given tough love by Jesus

after His resurrection. Became an apostle

and leader of the central hub of the early

church, Jerusalem. Didn’t always get

along with Paul. Acts 1–5; 8–12; 15; 1 Cor 1:12;

3:22; 9:5; 15:5; Gal 1–2; 2:9–14; Matt 4; 8;

10; 14–19; 26; Mark 3; 5; 8–11; 13–14; 16;

Luke 5–6; 8–9; 12; 18; 22; 24; John 13; 18;

20–21; authored 1 Peter and 2 Peter.

John (Son of Zebedee)

Fisherman turned disciple of Christ. Rather

quiet through the gospels, but always there

for the big moments. Acts 3; 8; 12; Gal 2:9;

Matt 4; 10; 17; Luke 5–6; 8–9; 22; Mark 1; 3;

5; 9–10; 13–14; author of the Gospel of John, 1

John, 2 John, 3 John and Revelation.

Timothy

A strong, no-limit Christ-follower from a

young age. Paul’s traveling companion.

Acts 16–20; Rom 16:21; 1 Cor 4:17; 16:10;

2 Cor 1:1, 19; Phil 1:1; 2:19; Col 1:1; 1 Thess 1:1;

3:2, 6; 2 Thess 1:1; Philemon 1:1; Heb 13:23;

1 Timothy and 2 Timothy were addressed

to him.

James (Brother of Jesus)

Jesus’ own flesh and blood (well, at least on

Mary's side) who became a disciple. Acts 12;

15; 21; 1 Cor 15:7, Gal 1:19; 2:9–12; Jude 1:1, Mark

6; Matt 13; author of James

Barnabas (Joseph)

A devout Jew from the Levite clan who

became a missionary to non-Jews

(Gentiles). Sought Paul’s help. Acts 4; 9;

11–15; 1 Cor 9:6; Gal 2; Col 4:10

Matthias

A disciple of Jesus chosen to take the place

of Judas Iscariot. Acts 1

Philip (Evangelist)

An unsung hero who helped change the

world. The evangelist who was one of seven

chosen to assist the apostles. Acts 6–8; 21

Apollos

Told Christ’s story to many people—

especially Greeks. Worked with Paul and on

his own. Acts 18–19; 1 Cor 1:12; 3; 4:6; 16:12;

Titus 3:13

Stephen

The first martyr of the church who preached

the gospel by citing examples from the

Old Testament. Acts 6:5, 8–9; 7:59; 8:2;

11:19; 22:20

Agabus

A prophet in the early church who

announced a coming famine. Acts 11; 21

Aristarchus

A fellow worker and sometimes fellow

prisoner of Paul. Acts 19–20; 27; Col 4:10;

Philemon 1:24

Aquila and Priscilla (Married)

Financial and spiritual supporters of Paul’s mission to

spread the gospel and plant churches. Acts 18; Rom 16:3;

1 Cor 16:19; 2 Tim 4:19

Publius

An important official from Malta who hosted Paul after a

shipwreck. Acts 28:7–8

Ananias (Disciple)

A disciple of Christ who was sent to open the eyes of

Saul (prior to becoming Paul), when he was blinded on

the road to Damascus. Acts 9:10, 12-13, 17; 22:12

People Who Helped Church Leaders/Speakers

Influential Believers

Aeneas

A paralytic in Lydda who was healed at Peter’s

command. Acts 9

Lydia

A Gentile woman converted under the

preaching of Paul in Philippi. Acts 16

Sergius

A Roman Proconsul (Governor) who became

a Christian through the preaching of Paul and

Barnabas. Acts 13

Dorcas (Tabitha)

A woman at Joppa. Peter prayed and she returned

to life. Acts 9

Lysias

A commander of a Roman army who transferred Paul

to Caesarea with an escort for protection. (May or

may not have been a believer.) Acts 23–24

Cornelius

A Roman centurion (official) at Caesarea,

whose family was among the first Gentiles to

receive the gospel and be baptized. Acts 10

Theophilus

The person to whom Luke addressed his Gospel and

Acts. Likely wealthy since he commissioned Luke’s

works. Acts 1; Luke 1

The book of Acts is almost as much of a maze

as Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace. It’s hard

to keep the cast of characters in your head.

As you navigate Acts, you inevitably run into

someone you don’t recognize and wonder,

“Should I know who this person is? Will I

need to remember them for later?” And the

problem just compounds when the next

character is introduced.

With a startling 164 individuals, groups of

people, “gods” and nations mentioned in

Acts, it's not surprising that it's a difficult

read. Fortunately, the problem now has

a remedy—the Acts Top 40. If someone is

crucial to the plot of Acts, they made our cut.

Consider this a character-based Cliff Notes

to Acts.

Rulers  The Bad

Caesar

The Roman Emperor’s title.

Acts 25–28; Phil 4:22;

Matt 22; Mark 12; Luke 2–3;

20; 23; John 19

Claudius

Paul’s case was sent to this fourth emperor of Rome,

who reigned from 41–54 ad. Acts 11; 18; 23

Gallio

Proconsul (Governor) of Achaia when Paul was in

Corinth. Acts 18

Pontius Pilate

Roman prefect who issued the decree for Jesus to

be beaten and crucified. Acts 4:27; Luke 23; John

18:28–19:42

Herod Agrippa I

The Judean king who executed James the son of

Zebedee. Acts 12

Herod Agrippa II

The governor over Judah when Paul was imprisoned

in Jerusalem. Acts 25–26

Ananias (High Priest)

High priest during Paul’s hearing in Jerusalem.

Acts 23–24

Felix

A governor in Caesarea who heard Paul’s case.

Acts 23–25

Festus

Succeeded Felix as governor. Sent Paul’s case

to Rome. Acts 24–26

Phonies and the Ridiculous

Tertullus

The hired spokesman of the Jews who accused Paul

before Felix at Caesarea. Acts 24

Elymas

A Jewish false prophet, who opposed Paul and

Barnabus on Cyprus. Acts 13

Demetrius

A silversmith of shrines of Artemis in Ephesus, whose

livelihood was threatened by the gospel brought by

Paul. Acts 19

Disobedient Believers

Simon (Magician)

More influential magician than Houdini or Criss

Angel. Became a Christ follower under Phillip the

Evangelist and Peter’s ministry. Acts 8

Ananias and Sapphira

Struck dead by God for lying about a donation

they made to the early church. Acts 5

           

The Ugly Spiritual Advesaries

Satan

Ultimate adversary of God and the Church.

Unsuccessfully tempted Jesus. Acts 5; 26;

Rom 16:20; 1 Cor 4 5:5; 7:5; 2 Cor 2:11; 11:14; 12:7;

1 Thess 2:18; 1 Tim 1:20; 5:15; 2 Thess 2:9; Matt 4:10;

12:26; Mark 1:13; 3–4; Luke 10:18; 11:18; 13:16; 22;

John 13:27; Rev 2–3; 12; 20

Zeus

The chief god of the Greek Pantheon, and the focus

of worship for many Greeks. Acts 14

Artemis

The Greek goddess of wild animals and hunting, as

well as the patron deity of Ephesus. Acts 19