A Far Better Place

Having suffered greatly, first from cancer, and then from the grueling medical regimen - pastor Dan Cummings was tired. After 2 weeks of treatment in Texas, he was looking forward to going back home to Michigan. In a post on his blog he wrote: "Today is far better ... amazing what some hydration will do. Will fly home on the weekend to continue treatment home."

Dan did return to Michigan, but several days later, his journey on earth ended. He went home to be with his God ~ whom he loved with every bit of his weakened body but might spirit.

When I reviewed his blog a few days later, his words "Today is far better" jumped out at me. I smiled through my tears in the knowledge that Dan was now experiencing a life that is truly "far better" (Phil. 1:23).

Someday we who claim the name of Jesus will also go to that place where there is "no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying." It's a place where there is no more pain and where a loving Father promises to "wipe away every tear from {our} eyes" (Rev. 21:4).

The life we have here isn't all there is. There is a far,far better place that Jesus is preparing for those who love Him (John 14:2-3)

"When our life on earth has ended we will feel God's warm embrace; there will be no pain or sorrow in that far, far better place."

"TalkerCat"

Zoologger: The amphibious Asian mystery cat - life - 20 January 2010 - New Scientist

Zoologger: The amphibious Asian mystery cat - life - 20 January 2010 - New Scientist

A Non E Mouse?

Anonymity is the coward's way of hiding behind hurtful words.

~~ "TalkerCat"

"The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious" ~~ Ecclesiastes 10:20

Rock 'n Roll Heaven

If only I had angels' wings,

I'd ride the rainbow bend,

And there, beyond the universe,

I'd meet the Lord ~ my Friend

(Angie Monneus)

Rest In Peace Dennis!

You made it! You're a rock star!

Rockin' the Father's House!

Can't wait to see you again my brother .....

"TalkerCat"

The Bible on ONE Page

This is the coolest link I've ever been blessed to view - http://www.jrsbible.info/bible.htm

IMAGINE: THE BIBLE ON ONE PAGE! Check it out and save it to your Favs! Great for telephone bible study groups!

TalkerCat

O God, our Father, we thank You for all the bright things of life. Help us to see them and to count them and to remember them, that our lives may flow in ceaseless praise" ~ J.H. Jowett

Ceaseless praise, indeed Lord! Ceaseless indeed! "TalkerCat"

My Heavenly Father

I'm extremely (perhaps unusually) close to my mother and sibling.

My biological father abandoned us when I was four years old -

leaving my mother with three babies.

She was 19.

No one would have blamed her; or even thought anything of it,

if she had given us up for adoption.

But she chose to raise all of us on her own.

Even though she often flew by the seat of her pants, she was a loving, doting mother.

We never wanted for anything' everyone except us knew we were poor.

During the 60's and 70's society was knee deep in 'free love' ....

drugs, sex and rock & roll was the mantra of the flower children.

Mom was young then, in her 20's, and did her share of 'partying'

however, she never lost sight of her first priority - her children.

Never did she neglect us in any way, she was there to tuck us in bed at night

and there when we awoke in the mornings.

Christmas and birthdays were always extravagant affairs.

It wasn't until I was older I realized what she went through to make sure we had it all.

Anything from collecting soda bottles to saving change,

to getting a small loan which she would pay off bit by bit,

until the next year when she would do it all over again.

Like I said, we never knew were were poor.

As the years went by, we all had Mom to rely on -

she's always a soft place to fall.

We're all now in our 40's and Mom is still our greatest gift.

We're all Christians and Honor our Mother

and our Father who died in December, 2003 without any of us really knowing him.

Mom has always been Dad too.

So now I've come to the place in my spiritual growth

where I've learned I was formed for God's family.

I was born into God's family by a second birth.

When I placed my faith in Christ, God became my Father,

other believers became my brothers and sisters,

and the church became my spiritual family. The family of God.

Every human being was created by God but not everyone is a child of God.

I became part of my human family by my first birth;

but now I'm a member of God's family by my second.

God has given me the privilege of being born again

so I'm now a members of His own family.

My spiritual family is even more important than my physical one

because it lasts forever.

My family on Earth is a wonderful gift from God,

but they are temporary and fragile, broken by divorce,

distance, growing old and, inevitably, death.

On the other hand, my spiritual family - my relationship to other believers

- will continue throughout eternity.

It is a much stronger union, a more permanent bond, than blood relationships.

When I think of the wisdom and scope of His plan I fall down on my knees and

thank the Father of all,

some of them already in Heaven

and some down here on Earth.

A a child of God I get to share in the family fortune.

Here on Earth I am given the riches of His Grace ... Kindness ...

Patience ... Glory ... Wisdom ... Power ... and Mercy.

But in eternity I will inherit even more.

What a rich and glorious inheritance He has given to me, his daughter!

First, I'll get to be with God forever.

Second, I'll be completely changed to be like Christ.

Third, I'll be freed from all pain, death and suffering.

Fourth, I'll be rewarded and reassigned my position of service.

Fifth, I'll get to share in Christ's glory.

What an inheritance!

I am far richer than I ever thought I was. God has reserved a priceless inheritance for me. It is kept in Heaven, pure and undefiled, beyond reach and change of decay.

No one can take it from me.

Jesus and the people He makes holy all belong to the same family.

That is why He isn't ashamed to call them His brothers and sisters ....

that's hard to wrap my mind around!

I'm part of God's family and because Jesus made me holy,

GOD IS PROUD OF ME!

Being included in God's family has no higher honor or privilege.

Nothing even comes close;

so if ever you feel unimportant, unloved or insecure,

remember to Whom you belong.

" ... God is the One who made all things, and all things are for His glory. He wanted to have many children to share His glory ... " Heb 2:10

" ... See how very much our Heavenly Father loves us, for He allows us to be called His children ... " 1 John 3:1

Your Friend and

Sister in Christ ~ Terri

"TalkerCat"

"Never Can Say Goodbye"

It takes a little darkness to see the stars, and a whole lifetime to reach them;
Michael's star now shines bright from Heaven .. . . A man when he was a boy; a boy when he was a man. Loved by the world; kings, queens, princesses and jesters alike .... breaking all barriers - "it don't matter if you're black or white" I was shocked to hear of his passing; it was as if a part of me went with him, and while it's hard to understand why those we love are taken from us, I find comfort in knowing he's in the arms of Jesus.

Goodbye for now beloved Michael Jackson. Memories are the legacy of God's love.

"TalkerCat"

"We make a living by what we get; We make a life by what we give" Winston Churchill

Role Models

From "Our Daily Bread" July, 2009

During a summer of international sports scandals involving gambling and substance abuse, two athletes were applauded for their character as much as their professional accomplishments. A record crowd of 75,000 cheered Cal Ripkin Jr. and Tony Gwynn during their 2007 induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. "Whether we like it or not," Ripkin said, "as big leaguers, we are role models. The only questions is, will it be positive or will it be negative?" Gwynn echoed the sentiment: "There's more than just playing the game of baseball ... You're responsible, you've got to make good decisions and show others how things are supposed to be done"

Every day people are watching us. As followers of Christ, we are guided by Paul's challenge to "become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world" (Phil. 2:15) Compromise causes others to become disillusioned, while character fosters hope. As the life of our Savior flows out from us, we can encourage others and point them to Him.

What kind of role model will we be for someone watching today? "TalkerCat"

"Adopt the pace of nature, her secret is patience"

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Getting Involved

"Isn't anyone going to help that poor guy?!" My mother exclaimed as she realized what had been holding up traffic. A old man lay sprawled against a curb, his wheelchair toppled over as vehicles simply drove around him. Mama turned on the emergency flashers as my sister jumped from the car and to the man's side. My mother and sister got involved as the Samaritan man did in Jesus' story in Luke 10. Like him, they overcame any reluctance they might have had to reach out to a man in distress.

The Samaritan also had to overcome racial and cultural prejudice. The people we would have expected to help showed indifference to the injured man's plight. It's easy to find a reason not to get involved. Busyness, indifference, and fear often top the list. Yet as we seek to follow our Lord more faithfully we become more aware of opportunities to show the kind of compassion He showed.

In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus commended the man who had acted out of compassion even though it was inconvenient, difficult and costly to do so. Then to us He says "Go and do likewise" (Luke 10:37)

The Lord is Gracious and full of compassion (Psalm 111:4)

True Compassion Puts Love Into Action ~~ TalkerCat

Choices

Watch as a young mother tries to get her 2-year-old to make a choice. "You can have fish or chicken" she tells him. She limits his choice to just two because he's too young to understand beyond that. Choice often allows a wider variety of options, but it also allows a person to reject them.

Adam and Eve were in the best possible environment. God had given them freedom to eat of all the trees in Eden. He drew boundary lines around just one tree! They had a choice, and it should have been a no-brainer to choose wisely. But their choice was tragic.

Some hate God for what they see as His restrictions. They may even accuse Him of trying to 'control' their lives. But God gives us a choice, just as He did Adam and Eve.

Yes, God draws boundary lines, but they're for our protection. David understood this. He wrote, "You, through your commandments, make me stronger than my enemies ... I understand more than the ancients, because I keep Your precepts. I have restrained my feet from every evil way, that I may keep Your Word" (Ps. 119:98-101)

".... Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat ...." (Genesis 2:16-17)

God cares so much about us that He gives us boundary lines so that we'll choose what's right. His commandments were given to fulfill us, not frustrate us.

"TalkerCat"

Walk The Walk

From "Our Daily Bread" July 2009:



The preacher was speaking tongue-in-cheek when he complained, "My wife is absolutely unreasonable. She actually expects me to live every thing I preach!"

It's so much easier to tell someone what is right than to practice it personally.

I suppose this is what is meant when we refer to athletes who 'talk the talk, but don't walk the walk'. Anyone can talk a good game, but actually performing well is far more difficult.
This is particularly true in the challenge of following Jesus Christ. It's not enough for us to talk about faith-we must live out our faith... Perhaps that is why Paul, after giving instructions to his young protege Timothy about how to preach, included this reminder: "Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in work, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity ... Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them" (1 Timothy 4:12,15) As Christs' followers, we do not have the luxury of just talking a good game - we must live lives of exemplary faith in Jesus Christ. We must walk the walk.

- - - Bill Crowder

"We please God when our walk matches our talk" TalkerCat

Live, Love, Chocolate

An entry I read on a favorite blog caught my eye:

It was the morning of his ninth wedding anniversary. Not having a lot of money, the writer ran out to get his wife their favorite French pastry

-- pain au chocolat.

After sprinting several miles he arrived home, exhausted, to find her in the kitchen just pulling a chocolate-filled croissant out of the oven.

It was pain au chocolat.

That husband compared their lives with the people in O. Henry's short story; "Gift of the Magi". It tells of a man who sold his lone possession of value - a pocket watch - to buy hair combs for his wife, who had sold her long, beautiful hair to buy a gold chain for his watch.

Having no money concerns would be great - but realizing the immeasurable value of the people we care about is more important. We sometimes need a reminder that acquiring "things" is not near as important as appreciating the people God has placed in our lives. When we practice putting others' interests before our own (Phil 2:3-4), we learn what it means to love, serve, and sacrifice. In fact, that's how we patttern Christ in our relationships (Eph. 5:1-2).

Life, love, and chocolate taste better when shared with others.

"Love is never afraid of giving too much" ~ TalkerCat

Friendly Reminder .....

Although my stories are in the 'first person' it doesn't always mean it's happened directly to me, they're true stories - with names and/or places changed for creative purpose or to protect someones identity. I may find a story in publications such as "Our Daily Bread" and, whenever edifying to me , I "blog" it.

I'll always identify an author's name ~ my sole purpose is to spread the Word of God, not to steal someone's identity or plagiarize . . . . . "TalkerCat"

Love is for losers?

You can learn a lot about a person by what their t-shirt says. Recently, one of these messages caught my attention as I strolled through a local super market. A young woman wore a bright red t-shirt that read: "Love Is For Losers". Maybe she thought it was clever, or funny. Or perhaps she'd been hurt by a relationship and had pulled away from another rather than be hurt again. Either way, that t-shirt made me think.

Is love for losers? The fact is, when we love we take risks. People could very well hurt us, disappoint us, or even leave us. Love can lead to loss.

The Bible challenges us to a higher ground in loving others. In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul describes what it means to live out God's kind of love. The person who exercises godly love doesn't do it for personal benefit or gain but bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things (13:7). Why? Because godly love endures beyond life's hurts by pulling us relentlessly toward the never-diminishing care of the Father.

So, perhaps love is for losers - for it is in times of loss and disappointment that we need God the most. Even in our struggles we know that "Love Never Fails" God's love never fails.

"TalkerCat"

.... Now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love ... 1 Cor 13:13

Loyalties

"Heaven's the place where all the dogs you've ever loved come to greet you"

Ethel ** Petey ** Lucy

TalkerCat > > >





< Ethel < Petey & Lucy

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Ethel >>>>>>>>>>>>>>

"To Wonder at an Animal is to begin to understand God"

It's More Than Miss Clairol ....

"Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained by a righteous life." Proverbs 16:31