Salute to our troops

A friend of mine lost her son in Iraq in 2004 - just days after he arrived. He was with his unit when they were ambushed. His shooting enabled everyone in that vehicle to survive - except him. He had such a wonderful testimony. He knew God wanted him where he was, and was ready to die if need be. They filmed the funeral (the one in Iraq - the family had one here in US, too). It was really something.

His dad wrote a book about his son, about his salvation and his death - which was truly heroic. It has gotten into the hands of so many of the military! BJU did a dramatization about his life and traveled the country for a year performing it. We were thrilled when a church in the area had them come in - it was a chance to see his mom again (they moved from the area years ago) and the presentation was so powerful!I babysat him and his siblings some when they were younger.


To Jonathan and all the rest of our fallen heroes; to those who serve today: Thank you for your service. You have been unfairly vilified by many, you have faced horrendous enemies, you willingly put your life in danger - from the beginnings of our country to now. And I thank you. I honor your service and sacrifice for our country. God bless you.

Check out "My Thanks is Not Enough" http://www.brooksmonk.com/videos

Fresh Air...

Aaah! Spring has finally truly arrived! My favorite part of spring's arrival is opening my windows and doors. All winter long, the only fresh air that gets in the house is during the hurried opening and closing of the door as we go in or out. But when spring comes, that changes! Windows are raised and doors are thrown open...and sweet, fresh air flows through the house.

As I eagerly awaited the weather turning to the point when the furnace goes off and the windows go up, I began to think of a spring rite that women have participated in for ages: spring cleaning. And then a correlation began to run through my mind ~ spring cleaning our houses and spring cleaning our lives.

Just as the first step in spring cleaning is to allow refreshing air access to our homes, so need we to allow the Holy Spirit's refreshing access to our hearts and lives.

Something interesting about the wind ~ we can't see it...but we can see the results of its work. The same is true of the Holy Spirit. We can't see Him ~ but we can see the results of His work.

David said, "Create in me a clean heart, o God...(Ps. 51:10a)." God wants to that today for all of us.

If you've never turned to Christ for forgiveness of your sins, open the windows of your heart and soul and allow the Holy Spirit to breathe new life into you.

If you have accepted Christ as your Saviour, but winter has set deeply into your heart ~ throw open those windows and allow the freshness of the Holy Spirit to sweep away the staleness.

Spirit of the living God, fall fresh on me.

Spirit of the living God, fall fresh on me.

Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me.

Spirit of the living God, fall fresh on me.

Let the spring cleaning begin!

Beulah Land

I'm kind of homesick for a country
To which I've never been before.
No sad goodbyes will there be spoken
for time won't matter anymore.

Beulah Land, I'm longing for you,
and some day on thee I'll stand.
There my home shall be eternal.
Beulah Land -- sweet Beulah Land

I'm looking now across the river
where my faith will end in sight.
There's just a few more days to labor.
Then I will take my heavenly flight.

Beulah Land, I'm longing for you,
and some day on thee I'll stand.
There my home shall be eternal.
Beulah Land--sweet Buelah Land.

Squire Parsons singing it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyYToQfFJbE

We had a funeral at our church yesterday. A godly lady went to be with the Lord after a battle with cancer. What a comfort to her family and friends to know that she is in Beulah Land now - free from pain and disease!

Abortion

For the life of me, I cannot understand how anyone can justify the murdering of a babe in the womb. But many people do. And they want to push the Freedom of Choice Act on us - even if they have to sneak it through. Many people have protested against FOCA. And pro-abortionists know that they cannot just push it...so...

Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood, is quoted in the Wall Street Journal:
"We're going to be smart and strategic about our policy agenda to bring people together to make progress for women's health. The Freedom of Choice Act is very important . . . but we have a long list of things to get done that I think can address problems immediately that women are facing, that are really immediate concerns."

Smart and strategic...does that equal sneaky? I think so. What is that long list? And just how many tax dollars does that entail? Too many, if even $1.00 goes towards abortion "rights."

Fight this today by sending a letter to your representative, before Friday, February 13.
https://secure3.convio.net/aulact/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=133

Winter continues...

Six more weeks of winter? Brrrrrrrr!

A Must See Movie

We recently watched a movie called As With Roses. The movie is set in 1651, and tells the story of Obadiah Holmes, a man who knew what he believed and stood by it no matter what. See the trailer here: http://www.shilohfilms.org/as_with_roses.html

I was fascinated by this movie for several reasons. Holmes was beaten because he didn't subscribe to some of the unbiblical beliefs of the Congregational church. And it was churchmen that beat him!

My 11 generations back grandfather, John Crandall, is featured in the movie for just a little bit. He accompanied Holmes and their pastor on the trip that is mentioned in the movie, and he was jailed as well. He was allowed to leave with the agreement that he would come back and stand trial. Different versions of history say he did, others say he did not return for trial.

He did, however, help found the city of Westerly, Rhode Island. He was born in Westerleigh, England, so it is assumed that is where the RI town's name came from. He became the first pastor of the Baptist church in Westerly.

Wow! I have always loved the study of history. It surely comes alive when your faith is shown to have an intricate part in that history, and then when your family line is intertwined with it!!