Update on Youcef Nadarkhani

Location: Iran (Islamic Republic of)
Arrested: October 2009
Days Imprisoned: 803

Nardarkhani to Remain in Prison
Youcef Nadarkhani, an Iranian pastor sentenced to death for apostasy, will remain in prison for at least one more year. The presiding judge ordered authorities to keep Youcef in prison, using whatever means necessary to force him to recant his Christian faith and convert to Islam. VOM contacts believe the order’s intent is to keep Youcef in prison for an extended period so that the international Christian community will forget about him. The Iranian courts may then feel free to carry out the death sentence.

Please don't let him be forgotten. Pray for him and his family. May God be glorified in this situation.

How To Make Home Made Deodorant

Go to Stacy McDonald's blog Commonsensemom.com to find out more.

How to Make Your Own All Natural Deodorant from James McDonald on Vimeo.

Family Shepherd's

 Here is the newest book by Voddie Baucham.  Check it out, every family should get a copy of this.

"God has mandated the transfer of his truth from one generation to the next. Because this transfer takes place primarily in the home, Voddie Baucham Jr. seeks to guide men in faithfully shepherding their families. Derived from Baucham’s monthly meetings with men in his church, Family Shepherds calls men to accountability for their God-given responsibilities as husbands and fathers. This book will inspire them to live better, love better, and lead better so that their families will thrive in every way.Baucham’s clear style and practical approach will help men protect their marriage, raise kingdom-minded children, value the synergy between church and home, and navigate difficult family dynamics. It will inspire them to carefully evaluate and live out their role in all areas of life. Family Shepherds is a book that every father needs and that every church will want as a resource for training the men in their congregations."

Excuse Me, Mr. Moon Muffin; But Do You Know Who Gave That to You?

Here is a great article I received in my email the other day, by Stacy McDonald at "The Common Scents Mom". It is about our health and how God provides what we need if we will only look what He has provided for us.


Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. (James 1:17)

And God said, “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food.” (Genesis 1:29)

Walk into any health food store and you’ll have trouble walking five steps without running into evidence that Christians have relinquished their rights to God’s good gift of natural health and healing. Hippies, New Agers, Eastern religions, and naturalists embrace the gift, but reject the Gift-Giver. Christians, on the other hand, rightly embrace the Gift-Giver; but ironically devalue His gifts by placing them below man’s wisdom in worth and authority. The gift of natural foods and medicine was given to us by God, therefore they are good and useful, and will serve us well when used properly and with thanksgiving.


He causes the grass to grow for the cattle, and vegetation for the service of man… (Psalm 104:14)

Amazingly, the gifts God gave us weren’t stolen by the pagans; we gladly gave them away, as we became more “progressive and enlightened.” Like a young child enamored by a shiny, new penny, we traded our hundred dollar bill, for a virtually worthless coin. Blinded by pride, we turned from our trust in God and His generous gifts, to man and his almighty science. We blindly expected from man’s wisdom, what man, all on his own, can’t provide.


“While science has served us well in improving our standards of living and bringing us many advances, people have grown to expect more from science than science can possibly deliver. It has become a false god, the idol of modern civilization…People have come to regard modern medicine with a faith traditionally reserved for religion.” – Healing Oils of the Bible, Dr. David Stewart Ph.D.

I tease my husband about his secret (or not so secret) love for potato chips, but he really does “get it.” Especially as he’s discovered that food really can and is supposed to taste good without being altered beyond recognition. It doesn’t need chemicals and food dyes anymore than my daughters need Botox or facelifts (I didn’t use myself as an example just in case you disagreed with me!).

Those of us who grew up on Frankenberry and Ding Dongs learned to love the taste of dirt. But, I’ve found that as we begin to eat right, we develop a taste for what is good, wholesome, and nourishing. Our palates “heal” and we learn to recognize and enjoy the “good stuff” from the pink sugared cardboard.

We need more Christians to stop pretending like it’s cool or funny to love and eat junk food. It’s not good stewardship of our bodies (or the bodies of our children) to be careless about what we eat or expose our bodies to; or to live like popping pills for every ailment is perfectly okay.

I’ve seen some Christians behave as though it is “godlier” to ignore healthy eating (because “God is sovereign” and we’re “all going to die anyway”). Could that be testing God? It is true that we should not be fearful or obsessed, but giving thanks to God for His good gifts, and utilizing them to His glory, is wise stewardship and shows an appreciation for His care of us.


Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!…Fools, because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, were afflicted. Their soul abhorred all manner of food, and they drew near to the gates of death.

Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses. He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare His works with rejoicing. (Psalm 107:15–22)

In addition, synthetic drugs (which can be patented) attempt to duplicate the intricate healing nature of the natural medicines that God gave us in herbs, flowers, and resins (which cannot be patented). While there is a place for pharmaceutical drugs in certain instances (especially emergencies), they are rarely helpful for chronic illness, since they do not have the ability to actually heal. They may help control symptoms, but true healing requires restoration. For instance, amputating a gangrene leg is not “healing” the body; though it certainly may be necessary to save the life of the victim.

Rather than suppress the immune system, disrupt other bodily functions, or simply offer relief by concealing symptoms, properly administered natural methods of healing support and stimulate the immune system to help the body to actually heal itself.


Antibiotics kill off everything indiscriminately, unable to tell one bacteria from another. They are microscopic killing machines, programmed to seek out bacteria without discrimination. In other words, they are brainless robots. They are made by fallible men.

Aromatic oils know the difference between the bacteria we need and the hostile invaders. They kill off only the invaders, leaving the friendly flora intact. They are made by our infallible God and imbued with his benevolent intelligence (Ezek. 47:12). – Dr. David Stewart, Ph.D. (Healing Oils of the Bible)

It grieves me to hear Christians refer to health food or natural methods of healing the body as “New Age.” Why should God’s gifts to us be viewed as the property of pagans? God’s gifts are good! It’s time we take the “woo woo” out of healthy living, reclaim our rightful property, and use it to glorify God and expand His Kingdom!


Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for medicine. (Ezekiel 47:12)

If you are interested in using essential oils to take care of your family more naturally, let me know. I’m here to help! And CLICK HERE for a special offer to help get you started!

See Simple Steps to Healthier Living

DISCLAIMER: The information provided on The Common Scents Mom is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to prescribe, diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. It is your responsibility to educate yourself and address any health or medical needs you may have with your physician. Please seek professional help when needed.

Biblical Headship-What is it?

 Please go to sermon audio and listen to this extremely important message by Dr. Voddie Baucham on Biblical headship.  The church (for the most part) has left headship behind and taken on the "ways" of the world-egalitarianism. I encourage EVERYONE to listen with an open mind and an open heart to this message and see how God leads you and your family. If you listen to it, please come back and leave a message with your reaction to this very thought provoking message. One that is so needed in our churches today.

Mother

Mother!  If you think you're just a housewife
And your life is dull and drear
Because you don't bring home the pay
And you don't have a career.
'cause you don't get out amongst the crowd,
To find out all that's new,
Just listen for a moment
For I have news for you.
There's not a more important work
Throughout all the land,
Because you have the power
To change the world; within your hand.
So bring up your children
In the best way that you know.
For the way they are brought up
Is the way the world will go.
They'll be leaders or followers
In twenty years or so
And their leadership will hinge
On everything they know.
So bring them up in the ways of God
So they may understand
If He's the ruler of their life
Then He will rule the land.
This is the only hope we have
For peace and joy, we know.
So mother, you must do your best.
It's the only way to go.
So mother, don't you feel left out
You're indispensable, my dear,
For the way the world will go
Depends on your career.

Harry Kruse

Being a Mother is a Blessing

 (Here is a bit of encouragement from Nancy Campbell of Above Rubies.  Mother's keep passing along the word about the blessings of being a mother.)

"How we need to continue getting out the truth and encouragement to the mothers of this nation.  I talked to a young mother yesterday with two children.  They are now off at school and I said to her, "Are you hoping to have another baby?"  "Oh no," she replied.  "I am enjoying my freedom too much now they are at school!" 

Why do mothers want freedom from their children?  Isn't this our destiny?  We have been given the incredible privilege to house within our womb an eternal soul that will live forever and then nurture and train that child to do powerful and mighty works in this life.  And we are molding them for eternity!  What could be more powerful?  Why do mothers want to do inconsequential things when they could be doing eternal things?  Why do they want to spend their time on frivolous and "lesser" things when they could be doing "greater" things?  I think it is because they are brainwashed by the liberal media and humanistic values of this society.  This was not the psyche of the women of old; it was their highest honor to bear children. 

Another mother mentioned to my daughter, "Don't you think it is time we stopped having children?  This is all my husband and I have been doing since we married."  Well, what does she want to do now?  Become barren and boring?  Go to parties?  Do her own thing?  Give up the highest calling God has given to her?! 

May God give mothers His vision instead of their being filled with a a worldly vision.  I think we should memorize and confess these powerful Scriptures each day, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world, If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.  And the world passeth away and the lust therof; but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever: ! John 2 :15 - 17."

How Fathers Transition Into Age-Integration

(Here is a great article in making the switch from age segregated worship to age integrated worship. It starts at home.--Lanita)

Posted by Jason Dohm on October 13, 2011 at NCFIC

Yessir, this is a topic I know a little about.

It was more than a decade ago that I was teetering on this precipice myself. Janet and I had decided to take our two young daughters and go participate in a family-integrated church plant. Mostly oblivious to what was ahead of us, I was extremely gung-ho, but I could tell that Janet had some unspoken reservations. I couldn't imagine what they were.

They were me. I was the unspoken reservation. When I drew it out of her, she sheepishly admitted that she was concerned that we might be moving on from a beloved church (albeit one with a flawed discipleship structure) only to have less discipleship anyway. What we had (with whatever flaws) was something, and she needed to be confident that it wasn't going to be replaced with nothing. Ouch. Double ouch. It pierced because it was legitimate. I knew me. She knew me. And we both knew that there was a lot of the love of the world still left in this young father, who had a track record to prove it.

Needless to say, it was "game on" (or maybe literally "game off", but more on that in a minute), not because I was resisting what she was saying, but because I was embracing it. It was now so clear in my mind, that with this move to a new church, I was now the difference between more discipleship for our family or less. And it wasn't going to be less.

It didn't happen all at once, but I did learn to be more and more faithful in my duty before God as a husband and father. I'm not claiming to be the ideal, but there has been real, significant progress. It has meant the world to the life of the Dohm family. I thank God that He has seen fit to bring us to this point, by making me feel the weight of my biblical calling.

Looking back, I have a few exhortations to fathers who are teetering on their own precipice:

Institute Family Worship Today

When God gives us light to walk by, we need to act - not tomorrow, today. In the category of family worship, skip the lengthy planning cycle, forget about the external helps from the Christian book store, and simply gather your wife and children to pray, read the Bible, discuss the text, and sing - today. I'm not against planning, I'm for it. I'm not against helps, I'm for them. What I'm against is putting off the most important thing in the life of your family until tomorrow, and then the next day, and then the next. This happens not because more time is needed to gather yourself for the mission, but because we all have the natural aversion to push beyond our comfort zone. It is better to be uncomfortable and a little incompetent today and to serve notice to your beloved comfort zone, than to chicken out with a transparent excuse. Don't worry. Every day, that you meet the challenge, you'll become a little more comfortable and a little more competent.

One note: If you haven't been leading family worship for your whole married life, understand that you may need to be patient with your wife. She is going to want to see that this is really a permanent change. Until she does, she might be lukewarm. Blame yourself and be patient.

Make That Practice the Immovable Rock in Your Daily Schedule

Deuteronomy 6:4-7 says, "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up."

What part of "You shall teach them diligently to your children" do we not understand? Until we are willing to fight hard to establish the pattern, we find that any little thing can bump family worship. Family worship must become that non-negotiable, immovable rock in the schedule, around which everything else rotates. Everything. Every single thing.

"My work schedule won't accommodate it." Shift your family schedule to make it work. Eat dinner at 8:00, put the kids to bed at 10:30, and let them sleep in to a later time. That could complete the schedule shift.

"That still doesn't work." Then find another job. Radically change your family budget, move into a trailer, and worship God there. “Seriously?" Seriously. Do it because you fear God. Do it for the joy that this established pattern - done rightly - inevitably brings. At the end of your days, you won't regret it.

Having this pattern firmly established will also make Sunday morning a lot better. Your kids will already know the drill, having been expected to sit quietly and attentively during family worship through the course of the week.

Decide to Grow Up

May I say a few things that everyone knows, but no one wants to say? Too many men are just large, hairy boys. When the Dohm family took the plunge and committed to our first family-integrated church, I was still a boy in so many ways - a thirty year old boy, but still a boy. I was a boy with a steady job and some church responsibilities, but still a boy - a Christian boy, but still a boy.

I was wasting volumes of time doing boyhood things. My wife needed a man for a husband, and my girls needed a man for a daddy. I knew I had to grow up. To my shame, it was long overdue. In a day when Christian leaders want to help us not waste our sports, they should back up, take a deep breath, and tell us not to waste our lives. We all have a window of time to teach our children diligently about our great, merciful, just, and holy God. That window is shorter than we ever imagined and is closing a little every day. Sideline that lawful, unprofitable stuff, and get going on things that matter.

Final Thought

There are many other things to say, but none of them are as important as these things - at least in my estimation and experience. If you get these things in order, the other things are accomplished readily enough. Without these things, the others don't matter anyway.

I know these things look daunting from the outside, but I want to tell you that they are so exhilarating from the inside. Give it a serious go, and I'll be proven right. You get a sense very early on that you were made for this: to rally your family around God and His word, so that they might come to know a mighty Redeemer and love Him in a deeper way.

Go for it, brothers. There is nothing like it.

Jason Dohm has been married to Janet for twenty years, with a wonderful result being six children ages five to sixteen. Following a lengthy career in electronics manufacturing, Jason now serves full-time as an elder of Sovereign Redeemer Community Church in Youngsville, NC. He graduated from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1992 with a B.A. in education.

May God walk in your home today.

 (What a beautiful picture for us to imagine...God walking in our homes. Give it a try and be amazed at what He will do.--Lanita)


Genesis 3:8 says, "They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day." This is the first thing we read that God did after He created the world, created man and created the first Garden home. He walked in the garden! The Garden of Eden (which means "delight") was the first home and was an example for all future homes. God wants us to make our home a delight. That is what homes are meant to be--a delightful place to live. They should be a delightful place for our children, a delightful place for our husband to return home each evening, a delightful place for everyone who comes in through our doors, and a delightful place for ourselves.

The greatest way we make our homes a delight is to experience the presence of God in our homes. And this is what God longs to do--to walk in our homes and fellowship with us. He wants to be part of everything we are doing.

You may be thinking, "Help! I can't imagine God walking in my home. There's stuff going on around here that God wouldn't be very happy about!" The amazing thing is that God does not only come to us when everything is perfect. He comes down to our lives when everything is out of order. He wants to come into your home to make everything right. That's what He was doing in the Scripture we read. Adam and Eve had disobeyed God's command and sin had entered the world. It was a tragic moment! But God did not abandon them. He still came walking in the garden to meet them--to meet them right where they were. He came to put things right. He came to bring them salvation and restoration.

At first Adam and Eve "hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God" as we often hide ourselves from God when things aren't right, when we are in rebellion, or when things seem out of control. But when they allowed God to find them, they came to great repentance and God brought salvation to them. Of course, it was not without great cost. Animals had to be killed and blood was shed for the first time (Genesis 3:21).

But now Jesus has shed His perfect and precious blood to make atonement for our sins (Ephesians 1:7; 2:13; 1 John 1:7, 9). There is nothing too hard for God to forgive and cleanse. And He comes walking in your home to meet you right where you are, even in the midst of your sin and hopelessness. As you come to the foot of the cross with a repentant spirit, He will forgive you and cover you with His righteousness. He will bring healing to your relationships. He will bring restoration to the things that are out of order in your home. That's why He comes--to bring us salvation, healing and restoration and to fill our homes with His delightful presence.

Will you let God walk in the midst of your home? Will you let Him find you right where you are and minister into your deepest need? He is walking and He wants to find you and bring you His blessing.

Leviticus 26:12 says, "I will also walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people."

Jeremiah 31:1 says, "I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be My people."

Ezekiel 37:27 says, "My dwelling place also will be with them; and I will be their God, and they will be My people."

We go over to the New Testament and read in 2 Corinthians 6:16, "I will dwell in them and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people."

May you enjoy God walking in your home today.

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL
www.aboverubies.org   

Sad, sad puppy dog

The past few days our son has been visiting us from Tennessee. Well, when he left today, he left behind a very sad puppy.  Lita loved having Christopher here and was not happy to see him leave.

Within a few minutes after he left Lita drug her blanket over by the door that Christopher left out of and brought her baby and ball and laid down to mourn his leaving. We could not console her for a while.

Iranian Minister Sentenced to Death

"The lawyer of an Iranian pastor sentenced to death for refusing to renounce his Christian faith is hopeful an appeals court will acquit his client."

Please pray for 32-year-old Yusuf Naderkhani, a Christian minister, husband and father of two, in Iran.

To read the entire article go to FoxNews.

Comparing the Holocaust and Abortion

A Single Mom Writes Letter About Youth Ministry

"I am a single mother, home educating three children. We cannot base what we do as a church, or as an individual believer upon our own subjective experiences or circumstances. If the Lord has commanded a way to live, He will provide the means."

Read the entire letter at NCFIC.  You will get a great perspective of how the church SHOULD be working, but isn't most of the time.

Before Their Going to Work

by Charles Wesley

LET us go forth, ’tis God commands;
Let us make haste away;
Offer to Christ our hearts and hands:
We work for Christ to-day.

When He vouchsafes our hands to use,
It makes the labour sweet;
If any now to work refuse,
Let not the sluggard eat.

Who would not do what God ordains,
And promises to bless?
Who would not ’scape the toil and pains
Of sinful idleness?

In vain to Christ the slothful pray:
We have not learn’d Him so:
No; for He calls Himself the Way
And work’d Himself below.

Then let us in His footsteps tread,
And gladly act our part;
On earth employ our hands and head.
But give Him all our heart.

Forgiven AND Born Again

"Justification, says Wesley, is a doctrine “relating to that great work which God does for us, in forgiving our sins,” while regeneration relates to “the great work which God does in us, in renewing our fallen nature.” Justification is for us, regeneration in us."

This was an excerpt from an article by Fred Sanders at The Scriptorium Daily.  Go to The Scriptorium Daily to read the article in its entirety. It is well written and easy to understand the difference of forgiven and born again. (I never knew there was a difference.)

Education Choices are Not Neutral: The Implications of Islamic Madrasahs and Government Schools for Our Christian Children

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. Psalm 1: 1-2

"Sending our children to be discipled for 24,000 hours of their lives in academic temples of false gods is inconsistent with what the Bible says about the training of children. In the Bible, parents are positively commanded to teach their children to love and fear God (Deuteronomy 4:9; 6:4-7; Ephesians 6:4), and to grow in the knowledge of His Word and its applications to all of life (Joshua 1:8; 2 Peter 3:18) through a daily, walk-beside, morning-to-evening method of discipleship (Deuteronomy 6:4-9) which is drenched in the love of Jesus Christ (Colossians 2:1-3). They are also warned of the dangers of deceptive teachers (Psalm 144:11-13; Colossians 2:8; I Timothy 6:3-5, 20-21), dangerous influences (I Corinthians 15:33; Proverbs 13:20, 2 Peter 3:17), and false religions (2 Peter 2:1-2; Jude 3-4). They are reminded that you can not have true education without the fear of the Lord, because knowledge begins with the fear of God (Proverbs 9:10; Psalm 111:10). They are even reminded that those who reject Christ as the foundation of knowledge are fools (Psalm 14:1). It is therefore proper to ask—why would I want to hand my children over for their daily discipleship to peers and foolish teachers? Why would I want to require my children to daily sit in the classroom desks of the scorners when God tells me that such people will not be blessed (Psalm 1:1-3)?"

To read this entire article by Doug Phillips, go to the Vision Forum blog.

The Mutual Duties Of Husbands And Wives Towards Each Other

"Selfish ungodly persons everywhere enter into all kinds of relationships with a desire of serving their ownselves, and gratifying their own flesh without knowing or caring what is required of them. Their desire is for the honour, profit, or pleasure their relationship will provide them but not for what God and man requires or expects from them. [Gen 2:18, Prov 18:22] Their mind is concerned only with what they shall have and not for what they shall be and do. [1]

They know what they want others to do for them, but do not care what their duty is to do for others. This is the way it is with too many husbands and wives.

We should be very concerned to know what the duties of our relationships are. And how we can please God in our relationships. Study and do your part, and God will certainly do his."

Read this excellent article in its entirety over at Your Sacred Calling.
There is so much that isn't discussed before two people get married and once they are married there is little discussion on how to REALLY stay married.  What does God say in His Word to married couples?

God and Lawn Care

(here is something I found on Patrice Lewis' blog, good for a laugh today!)

God said: "Frank, you know all about gardens and nature. What in the world is going on down there on the planet? What happened to the dandelions, violets, milkweeds and stuff I started eons ago? I had a perfect no-maintenance garden plan. Those plants grow in any type of soil, withstand drought and multiply with abandon. The nectar from the long-lasting blossoms attracts butterflies, honeybees, and flocks of songbirds. I expected to see a vast garden of colors by now. But, all I see are these green rectangles."

St. Francis: It's the tribes that settled there, Lord. The Suburbanites. They started calling your flowers 'weeds' and went to great lengths to kill them and replace them with grass.

God: Grass? But, it's so boring. It's not colorful. It doesn't attract butterflies, birds and bees; only grubs and sod worms. It's sensitive to temperatures. Do these Suburbanites really want all that grass growing there?

St. Francis: Apparently so, Lord. They go to great pains to grow it and keep it green. They begin each spring by fertilizing grass and poisoning any other plant that crops up in the lawn.

God: The spring rains and warm weather probably make grass grow really fast. That must make the Suburbanites happy.

St. Francis: Apparently not, Lord. As soon as it grows a little, they cut it - sometimes twice a week.

God: They cut it? Do they then bale it like hay?

St. Francis: Not exactly, Lord. Most of them rake it up and put it in bags.

God: They bag it? Why? Is it a cash crop? Do they sell it?

St. Francis: No, Sir, just the opposite. They pay to throw it away.

God: Now, let me get this straight. They fertilize grass so it will grow. And, when it does grow, they cut it off and pay to throw it away?

St. Francis: Yes, Sir.

God: These Suburbanites must be relieved in the summer when we cut back on the rain and turn up the heat. That surely slows the growth and saves them a lot of work.

St. Francis: You aren't going to believe this, Lord. When the grass stops growing so fast, they drag out hoses and pay more money to water it, so they can continue to mow it and pay to get rid of it.

God: What nonsense. At least they kept some of the trees. That was a sheer stroke of genius, if I do say so myself. The trees grow leaves in the spring to provide beauty and shade in the summer. In the autumn, they fall to the ground and form a natural blanket to keep moisture in the soil and protect the trees and bushes. It's a natural cycle of life.

St. Francis: You better sit down, Lord. The Suburbanites have drawn a new circle. As soon as the leaves fall, they rake them into great piles and pay to have them hauled away.

God: No!? What do they do to protect the shrub and tree roots in the winter to keep the soil moist and loose?

St. Francis: After throwing away the leaves, they go out and buy something which they call mulch. They haul it home and spread it around in place of the leaves.

God: And where do they get this mulch?

St. Francis: They cut down trees and grind them up to make the mulch.

God: Enough! I don't want to think about this anymore. St. Catherine, you're in charge of the arts. What movie have you scheduled for us tonight?

St. Catherine: It's called 'Dumb and Dumber,' Lord. It's a story about...

God: Never mind, I think I just heard the whole story from St. Francis.

Five Things a Youth Ministry Can Be Transformed Into

(found at NCFIC)

If you have not read Scott Brown's article, The Greatest Untapped Evangelistic Opportunity Before the Modern Church, I would highly recommend visiting it after reading these points:

1. Begin a mentorship program for men. If there will be a spark of reformation in the church and family, it will start with the reformation of the lives of it’s men. A godly man will be influential in the lives of his wife and children, and will lead them before the altar of God on a daily basis.

2. Teach young married couples how to raise a family. Let’s face it, the 60’s and 70’s has produced a generation that trusts Dr. Spock more than the inerrant Word of God when it comes to child rearing. A church would do well to help couples set their homes in order right from the start. Unlearning all of the cultural bad habits will take some time, but it will reap a harvest for generations.

3. Divert the money that was to be spend on youth ministry. All the funds raised for trips and parties, could be used to support orphans and widows in their time of distress. This includes Christian, repentant single mothers, who want to stay under the covering of the church and raise their children, but have no way of financially doing so. If the church would place this as a priority, it could produce vast changes in the landscape of modern youth.

4. Hit the streets with full family outreach. Take whole families to distribute food at a homeless shelter, visit nursing homes, pass out gospel tracts in the city. Don’t let the children just hear the stories from the pulpits; let them see their fathers doing it in front of them.

5. Take in interns. There are going to be plenty of young men who want to see how a family integrated church is properly run and how family worship is conducted. Take them into your homes and walk closely beside them. Make quality discipleship, according to the Scriptures, a priority.

Fred Wolfe trained for Ministry at Johnson University and preached as an Emergent Church pastor for ten years before submitting to reformed theology and a true gospel. Fred is also a former youth minister, published poet, writer, and blogger. He is the father of five children and has been married for 15 years.

Where Are Our Freedoms Going? or Is This STILL the United States of America?

(thank you to Enola Gay at Paratus Familia for making us aware of this)

No people will tamely surrender their Liberties, nor can any be easily subdued, when knowledge is diffused and Virtue is preserved. On the Contrary, when People are universally ignorant, and debauched in their Manners, they will sink under their own weight without the Aid of foreign Invaders.

Samual Adams

Liberty Alert
Reader Terry from FL, alerted me to a handout produced by the FBI for Surplus stores.  Apparently, our illustrious Federal Bureau of Investigations has determined that patrons of Army/Navy surplus stores are a potential terrorist threat.  They have directed surplus store owners and employees to report suspicious activity such as:

• Buying items in bulk
• Purchasing waterproof ammunition and match cases
• Buying Meals Ready to Eat (MRE's)
• Purchasing gas masks, night flashlights etc.

The FBI has also encouraged surplus stores to:

• Require valid ID for all new customers
• Keep track of purchases
• Make note of suspicious people/vehicles

They close their "Communities against Terrorism" flyer with:

Preventing terrorism is a community effort. By learning what to look for, you can make a positive contribution in the fight against terrorism. The partnership between the community and law enforcement is essential to the success of anti -terrorism efforts.

Some of the activities, taken individually, could be innocent and must be examined by law enforcement professionals in a larger context to  determine whether there is a basis to investigate. The activities outlined on this handout are by no means all-inclusive but have been compiled from a review of terrorist events over several years.

So in other words, you might not be smart enough to determine evil intent, but "they" are! This is a Liberty Alert if I have ever seen one.  It smacks of theFusion Centers springing up in communities all over America.  If you would like to read the FBI flyer in it's entirety go to OathKeepers - they are watching out for the Constitution and the people.  Thank you for the link Terry!

A Web Site With Links to Home Remedy Sites

Here is a great web site if you are interested in home made remedies for illnesses and ailments.  There are 40 different sites linked here.

The Proverbs 31 Woman

My Dear Friends, do you wonder what it truly means to be a wife and mother? Well, don't look to the world you will NEVER find the true meaning. God's Word is very clear about what we should be doing. Now, when you read Proverbs 31, don't see all the things she does as a burden, see them as possibilities for you. She didn't become an excellent woman over night, it took her a life time. This Tuesday, my husband and I will celebrate our 31st wedding anniversary, and believe me I still have a LONG way to go before I become the excellent wife of Proverbs. Allow God to show you day-by-day how to become this beautiful woman that brings glory to Him and blesses her home.

An excellent wife, who can find? 
For her worth is far above jewels. 
 The heart of her husband trusts in her, 
And he will have no lack of gain. 
 She does him good and not evil 
All the days of her life. 
 She looks for wool and flax 
And works with her hands in delight. 
 She is like merchant ships; 
She brings her food from afar. 
 She rises also while it is still night 
And gives food to her household 
And portions to her maidens. 
 She considers a field and buys it; 
From her earnings she plants a vineyard. 
 She girds herself with strength 
And makes her arms strong. 
 She senses that her gain is good; 
Her lamp does not go out at night. 
 She stretches out her hands to the distaff, 
And her hands grasp the spindle. 
 She extends her hand to the poor, 
And she stretches out her hands to the needy. 
 She is not afraid of the snow for her household, 
For all her household are clothed with scarlet. 
 She makes coverings for herself; 
Her clothing is fine linen and purple. 
 Her husband is known in the gates, 
When he sits among the elders of the land. 
 She makes linen garments and sells them, 
And supplies belts to the tradesmen. 
 Strength and dignity are her clothing, 
And she smiles at the future. 
 She opens her mouth in wisdom, 
And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. 
 She looks well to the ways of her household, 
And does not eat the bread of idleness. 
 Her children rise up and bless her; 
Her husband also, and he praises her, saying: 
 “Many daughters have done nobly, 
But you excel them all.” 
 Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, 
But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised. 
 Give her the product of her hands, 
And let her works praise her in the gates.

How to Make a No-bake Cheesecake

1/2 cup butter (1 cube); 2 cups graham cracker crumbs; 1/4 cup sugar

"Mash" crackers; add sugar (I usually use a 9 x 13 dish)

Melt butter; add to cracker/sugar mixture

Flatten to cover bottom of dish

16 ounces cream cheese; 1/2 cup milk; 1/2 cup sugar; 2 tablespoons lemon juice ; blend until smooth

Pour cheese mixture over crumbs

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (or 1 can pie filling of any flavor); 3/4 cup sugar or to desired taste (I added arrowroot to thicken a little)

Cook blueberries and sugar until it starts to thicken (add arrowroot or desired thickener if desired); cool 

Pour over cheese layer

2 cups heavy cream; 1/2 cup sugar; 1 tablespoon vanilla (or use your favorite brand of whipping cream); top the fruit layer with the whipping cream