Jesus Loves You This Much!

Jesus is alive!  And He suffered this for you so that you can have abundant and eternal life with Him!

THE (SCIENTIFIC) DEATH OF JESUS At the age of 33, Jesus was condemned to the death penalty. At the time crucifixion was the "worst" death. Only the worst criminals condemned to be crucified. Yet it was Even more dreadful for Jesus, for unlike other criminals condemned to death by crucifixion, Jesus was nailed to the cross by His hands and feet, rather than tied... Each nail Was 6 to 8 inches long. The nails Were driven into His wrist. Not Into His palms as is commonly Portrayed. There's a tendon in the wrist that Extends to the shoulder. The Roman guards knew That when the nails were being hammered into the Wrist, that tendon would tear and Break, forcing Jesus to use His back Muscles to support himself, so that He could breathe. Both of His feet Were nailed together. Thus He was forced to Support Himself on the single nail that Impaled His feet to the cross. Jesus could Not support himself with His legs for long because of the pain, so He was forced to alternate between arching His Back and using his legs just to continue to Breath. Imagine the struggle, the pain, the Suffering, the courage. Jesus endured this Reality for over 3 hours. Yes, Over 3 hours! Can you imagine this kind of Suffering? A few minutes before He died, Jesus stopped bleeding. He was simply pouring water From his wounds. From common images we see wounds to His hands and feet and even the spear wound to His side... But do we remember the many wounds Made to his body. A hammer Driving large nails through the wrists, the feet overlapped And a nail hammered through the arches, then a Roman guard piercing His side with a spear. And... Before the nails and the spear, Jesus was whipped and Beaten. The whipping was so severe that it tore the Flesh from His body. The beating so horrific that His Face was torn and his beard ripped from His face. The Crown of thorns (two to three inch thorns) cut deeply into His scalp. Most men Would not have survived this torture. " He had no more blood To bleed out, only water poured from His Wounds. The Human adult body contains about 3.5 liters (just less than a gallon) of blood. Jesus poured all 3.5 liters of his blood; He had three nails hammered into His Members; a crown of thorns on His head and, beyond That, a Roman soldier who stabbed a spear into His Chest..

All these without Mentioning the humiliation He passed after carrying His own Cross for almost 2 kilometers, while the crowd spat in his Face and threw stones (the cross beam was almost 30 kg of weight, to which His hands were nailed). Jesus had to endure this experience, So that you may have free access to God. So that your sins can be "washed" away. All of them, with no exception! Don't ignore this. JESUS CHRIST DIED...FOR YOU!

The Resurrection of Jesus painted by Ron Dicianni

Happy Easter!  Jesus is alive!  

      Click the link below to hear Ron Dicianni explain his beautiful painting of Jesus emerging from the tomb. "The Resurrection" is a 12 x 40 mural, oil on canvas.  It is a depiction of the moment of Jesus emerging from the tomb. This mural was commissioned by the Museum of Biblical Art in Dallas, Texas.

http://downloads.cbn.com/cbnplayer/cbnPlayer.swf?s=/vod/MW131v2_WS

Find the Black & White Cat

I've always liked these puzzles.  Do you?  My brother sent this.  If you can't find the cat let me know and I'll tell you where it is.

David Platt - Why "Accepting Jesus In Your Heart" Is Superstitious & Unbiblical

See this short video by David Platt: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPhEEzjU8xQ

It is a hard lesson, controversial, and upsetting for many who have been taught this, but I believe it is true and that we have a responsibility to help those who have not been taught the whole gospel, to see that the Bible says we are to be disciples--not pray a prayer and live our lives however we want.

27 Tips to Make Your Groceries Last Longer

An excerpt from an article on Mercola.com 

How to Make Your Groceries Last Longer: 27 Tips

When you invest the time and money into a trip to the grocery store, you want to be sure the foods you purchase last as long as possible. The featured article has compiled more than two-dozen tricks to keep up your sleeve to do just that:

Vegetables

1. Store onions in old pantyhose to keep them fresh for up to eight months (tie a knot in between each one to keep them separate).
2. Chop dry green onions and store them in an empty plastic water bottle. Put the bottle in the freezer and sprinkle out what you need when you’re cooking.
3. When storing potatoes, keep them away from onions (this will make them spoil faster). Storing them with apples will help keep the potatoes from sprouting.
4. Asparagus should be stored in your fridge upright in a glass of water (like cut flowers, cut the asparagus bottoms off first), and covered with a plastic bag.
5. Store salad greens in a bowel covered with plastic wrap, and add a paper towel to help absorb moisture. A salad spinner will also help remove excess moisture -- a key culprit in wilting leaves -- from your greens.
6. Mushrooms should be stored in a paper bag in a cool dry place, or in the fridge. Avoid storing mushrooms in plastic, as any trapped moisture will cause them to spoil.

Fruits

7. Swirl berries in a mixture of one part vinegar (white or apple cider) to 10 parts water. You won’t taste the vinegar but the solution will help keep your berries from getting moldy and soft.
8. When storing chopped avocado or guacamole, leave the pit in, spritz it with some lemon juice or olive oil, cover with plastic wrap, and put it in the fridge. This will help keep it from turning brown.
9. If you spot a rotten apple, remove it right away, as one rotten apple really can spoil the whole bunch.
10. Put plastic wrap around the crown of a bunch of bananas to keep them fresh for days longer (and be sure to store them away from other fruits, as they emit a lot of ethylene gas which accelerates ripening).
11. Store tomatoes at room temperature away from sunlight, in a single layer with the stem side up (don’t put them in plastic bags, which will cause them to spoil faster).

Herbs

12. Store delicate herbs like parsley, basil, cilantro and chives upright in a glass of water (like you would arrange cut flowers) in your fridge. Put a plastic bag over the top and secure it around the glass with a rubber band for optimal freshness.
13. Bunch oily herbs like thyme loosely together, secure them with a string around the base and hang them in your kitchen for storage.
14. Fill an ice cube tray with olive oil, then add chopped herbs (rosemary, sage, thyme or oregano) to each cube. Pop one out when you’re cooking for instant herb-infused oil.
15. Store fresh ginger root in the freezer. You can grate it frozen (peel and all) when cooking.

Dairy and Nuts

16. Rub the cut side of a block of cheese with butter to keep it from drying out.
17. Cheese should be wrapped in cheese paper or wax paper, not plastic wrap, then put in a plastic baggie.
18. Store cheese in the warmest part of your fridge, such as the vegetable or cheese drawer.
19. Nuts can be stored in the freezer to keep them fresh longer. Ideally put them in Mason jars that have the air vacuumed out with a Food Saver and attachment.

Organization, Gadgets and Other Tips

20. Keep milk and other highly perishable items on the middle shelf in your fridge, NOT in the door where temperatures fluctuate.
21. Avoid mixing produce and meats in the same drawer, as cross contamination can lead to food waste.
22. Avoid over-stocking your fridge, as a crowded fridge will keep air from circulating properly leading to warm spots that can cause spoilage.
23. Avoid chopping up your fruits, veggies and meats before storage, as this will make them spoil faster.
24. Glass mason jars make a great food-storage option, and you can seal them with an automatic vacuum sealer like Food Saver for even more freshness.
25. Remove spoiled food from your fridge promptly to keep mold from transferring to fresh food.
26. Get an ethylene gas absorber for your fridge; they’re available online and can keep your produce fresh up to three times longer than normal. There are many types of bags that can do this. They are typically called “green bags.” One example would be Debbie Meyer Green Bags.
27. A gadget called the Herb Savor, which has a well for water and a plastic cover to keep herbs fresh, claims to make herbs last for up to three weeks.

Vacuum Packing: One of My Favorite Food-Storage Tips

One of my all-time favorite tricks, which works for most produce, is to create a "vacuum pack" to help protect it from oxygen and airborne microbes that will accelerate its decay. Leave the produce in the bag it came in from the grocery store, place it against your chest and use your arm to squeeze the excess air out of the bag.                

Once the air is removed you can seal it with a twist tie and thus minimize exposure       to oxygen. This simple technique can easily double or triple the normal shelf life of your vegetables by keeping air away from them. 

Faith, Hope, & Love

"Meanwhile these three remain, faith, hope & love, but the greatest of these is love."  I Cor. 13:13

      I finished reading a novel yesterday by Kristen Heitzman.   The novel really wasn't as well written with depth of characters, etc. that I like, but the story kept me interested.  I had picked it up at a Goodwill Store because it looked like a quick read and since Country Guy has been working on taxes the past couple of evenings I was looking for an "escape" book, but didn't want something I wouldn't be able to put down.
      Anyway, near the end of the book one of the two main characters was near death, and Steve, the man who loved her, was saying to a friend that he couldn't believe God would heal her even though lots of people were praying.  Steve said he didn't have hope for a miracle.  To this the friend replied something to the effect that "you love her and that is enough.  Love is the greatest of faith, hope, and love."  The friend told him to lavish that love on her as he sat beside her comatose body.  (FYI: she lived.)
     That triggered a memory of some of the ideas expressed by men & women whose books I read when I became active in CFO.  Starr Daily & Glenn Clark particularly inspired me because of their belief that if you could love a person--had compassion for that person--your prayers were exponentially more effective.  They looked for ways to 'put themselves in the person's place' so to speak, so they could feel compassion for them.
      I remember Glenn Clark telling about how he was in a hotel room in Chicago waiting to speak at a church when he picked up the newspaper and read of a man who was sentenced to death for a crime he said he didn't commit.  Glenn seemed to pick up a burden for this person as if the Lord was asking him to pray.  He read that the man had a wife and three children.  So did Glenn, so he began to identify with him, and how he would miss his children growing up and they him.  Glen continued thinking along those lines until he had great compassion for the man, and then he prayed for him.  The next day the paper said the Governor had pardoned him.

      Since yesterday I have been thinking about that--how we can have faith, or hope, but if we have love, how much better!  When we're praying, the greatest thing we can do for that person is to love him/her.  Therefore it seems it would benefit the situation if we began looking for 'a hook'--something that will help us love the person more if we truly want our prayers to be effective.  I believe we will see many more miracles when love becomes our aim.

John Adams' Quote

"It is the duty of all men in society, publicly, and at stated seasons, to worship the SUPREME BEING, the great Creator and Preserver of the universe." --John Adams, 2nd President of the United States

Jim Brunner's Devotional "Cleansing"

       Carolyn Miller, the Prayer Coordinator for Camps Farthest Out, shared this devotional by Jim Brunner today in her email prayer letter.  I thought it was insightful and worth sharing with you.

"Arrows of the Almighty" Daily Devotionals (Daily Devotionals written by long-time CFOer Jim Brunner) To sign up for his devotions: Contact Jim Brunner: jbrunner7@msn.com Thank You, Jim for being obedient to writing "Arrows of the Almighty'. March 25th Issue: "Cleansing" "And Jesus...drove out all who sold and bought in the temple...he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons." (Matthew 21: 12) "It was an unheard-of scandal! This young rabbi, who yesterday had the whole city in a patriotic uproar; today stormed into the very temple precinct itself and created chaos! Doves flapping, men shouting, women scrabbling after the rolling coins...all because of this fellow from Galilee. He was once again stirring up trouble! His parents had purchased a couple turtle doves and made a poor man's sacrifice for Him some thirty years before. Yet now He comes and drives them all out. It seems stirring-up is always what happens when Jesus enters. Monday of Holy Week has its parallel in our individual journey of faith... He comes. Traditions are changed forever and priorities are overturned.. Assumptions swept aside... The first thing He did on entering Jerusalem is the first thing He does on entering a life. Jesus goes straight to the temple...to the place where we worship and starts cleaning out all that which is not part of God's design for His temple. Theologians call this process "Sanctification". It is the process of getting everything in our lives right with God. The recognition that with Jesus in charge, many things we used to do...say...want...are no longer okay. This is a common pattern for Christians. Expect it. You see, Jesus loves you enough not only to go to the Cross, but to gradually change you into His own likeness... It is through the process of loving and being loved! The hallmark of that Monday in Jerusalem was a surprise. Jesus knew what stood between people and God in those days. "Astonished" is how Mark describes people's reactions to that original cleansing. "Astonished" is how we feel when God's housecleaning...not the one we envisage...gets underway within us: Prejudice...old hurts...a sense of inferiority...whatever blocks our relationships with Jesus must go. We cry out to God asking, "What are you doing?! God answers, "I'm making myself a temple!"

Zithromax and Januvia:

     I am posting this article from Dr. Mercola's website because diabetes has become a common disease  which seems to affect every family.  Anyone taking these drugs (or considering taking them) needs to be aware of possible consequences.
       It seems to me that side effects are usually minimized--or not even mentioned--when drugs are prescribed.  That happened to Country Guy in December when his back was out.  A muscle relaxant was prescribed which caused some very undesirable side effects.  Because we trust our doctors we usually take the medicine they prescribe without giving them a second thought.
     This is a sobering article about side effects of some popular medications.  I thought you would want to be aware and check into them.

Zithromax and Januvia: Two Commonly-Prescribed Drugs Now Shown to Be Killing Patients

March 27, 2013 

By Dr. Mercola

Recent news again highlights why you’d be well advised to heed early warnings about potentially dangerous drugs.

The first featured article reports that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is now investigating a potential link between a commonly used class of diabetes drugs and pancreatic inflammation and pre-cancerous changes to the pancreas.¹

The FDA is also adding a heart-risk warning to the antibiotic Zithromax (azithromycin), better known as the Z-Pak.²

I’ve discussed the dangers of Zithromax before, most recently in December last year, and warned of potential dangers of Januvia all the way back in 2006 — the same drug now being investigated by the FDA for a potential link to pancreatic cancer. I also published a strong warning against this class of drugs last year.

In each case, I presented the evidence against the drugs long before any warnings were issued by the FDA, or action was taken to remove the dangerous drugs from the market.

In the case of Vioxx, my warnings preceded the drug’s eventual removal by five years, but it was too late as the drug had already killed over 60,000 people.

I have no doubt that these newer diabetes drugs will kill tens of thousands of people from cancer before action is taken. There is a good chance the death toll will even exceed that from Vioxx. Hopefully, you or someone you love will not be one of the victims, as you will have this potentially life-saving information.

Learning to Think Hebrew

      If we can learn to see things as the Eastern mind sees them, we will understand much more from the Bible which was written by Easterner to Easterners.  We Westerners think in the abstract while they think in pictures--in concrete terms.   Lois Tverberg is an excellent teacher in helping us to do just that.  This excerpt from one of her earlier blog posts on her website ourrabbijesus.com, is a great illustration.   Read the rest of the post here.

       "As an example, recently I shared about the Hebrew word “shema.” It has a primary meaning of “hear,” but actually also means “pay attention,” “respond,” and even “obey.”

       I told the story of a friend of mine who shouted and shouted at her kids to come in from playing outside, but they completely ignored her. Sighing, she said to me, “Oh, Lois, my kids have a hearing problem.” But since she knew a little Hebrew, I responded, “No, they actually have a shema-ing problem.”

        Notice what I just said here, about “having a shema-ing problem.” I’m guessing you didn’t need to translate. You simply got my point, and in a sophisticated way — that the kids have a hearing/responding/obedience problem. Believe it or not, you just used the word “shema” to think in Hebrew. You added a newword-concept to your thinking, rather than forcing yourself to replace “shema” with an English equivalent.

        Language purists might wince, because I’m not conjugating the verb correctly, and I even added “ing” to the end of it. But my point isn’t to teach you grammar, it’s to help you think with Hebrew word-ideas. So that when you read that Jesus said, “He who has ears, let him shema,” you catch his drift, as his first disciples did."

Snow Bunny

My niece, Kaylan, knows how to enjoy a good snow!

What a cold day for the fish delivery!

      The fish for the new pond arrived on schedule yesterday even if the roads were slippery and the weather cold.  I told Country Guy I wanted to see them before he released them, so he put the bags in the pond to acclimate the fish slowly to the pond water temperature, and picked me up at the house.  Of course, I brought my camera.
      I took the first picture so you could see how full the new pond is. For reference click here and here  (Sometime I will add better photos on a warm day from a different perspective.)
      The second picture is of the bags of fish acclimating to the water temperature.  It wasn't easy getting pictures that actually captured the size of the fish.  As soon as they hit the water their activity stirred up the mud and made the water cloudy, but at least they're clear enough to remember how small they began when we start catching them in a couple of years.

Minows for food for the others.

These were the largest.

Another Gorgeous Winter Snow!

     I keep trying to capture the beauty of the snow back here in the woods, but photos just don't do it justice. It is about 100 times more beautiful than it looks in these pictures! These snowy mornings would have to be described as 'eye candy'!  They are breathtakingly beautiful.  I can't seem to get enough of looking at them--one reason I'm sure is because they are so transient!

 
     Even while I'm rejoicing in the beauty, though, I'm empathizing with Country Guy as he goes out to feed his animals.  There's lots more work involved on a snowy day.  And today is the day he is to pick up the fish for the new pond.  Gosh, are they going to get a shock when released into the frigid water!

Anagrams

      A friend sent me this today, so I thought I would pass it on.   I have never been good at this, or had the patience to get better, but I love seeing what others do,  The creative things people come up with  continue to amaze & impress me, don't they you?

PRESBYTERIAN: 
When you rearrange the letters:
BEST IN PRAYER

ASTRONOMER: 
When you rearrange the letters:
MOON STARER

DESPERATION:

When you rearrange the letters:
A ROPE ENDS IT 

THE EYES:
When you rearrange the letters: 
THEY SEE

GEORGE BUSH:
When you rearrange the letters: 
HE BUGS GORE 

THE MORSE CODE:
When you rearrange the letters: 
HERE COME DOTS

DORMITORY:
When you rearrange the letters:
DIRTY ROOM 

SLOT MACHINES:
When you rearrange the letters: 
CASH LOST IN ME

ANIMOSITY:
When you rearrange the letters:
IS NO AMITY

ELECTION RESULTS:
When you rearrange the letters: 
LIES - LET'S RECOUNT

SNOOZE ALARMS: 
When you rearrange the letters: 
ALAS! NO MORE Z 'S

A DECIMAL POINT: 
When you rearrange the letters:
I'M A DOT IN PLACE

THE EARTHQUAKES: 
When you rearrange the letters:
THAT QUEER SHAKE

ELEVEN PLUS TWO: 
When you rearrange the letters:
TWELVE PLUS ONE

MOTHER-IN-LAW:
When you rearrange the letters: 
WOMAN HITLER

A Successful Fundraiser!

    The daffodils bloomed, the food was great and the snow didn't begin falling till about 2:00 after everyone had eaten and we were almost through with clean up .  So the Soup, Sandwich & Dessert Lunch was a great success.  We made $1260.00 to help pay for the Heritage Days festival and all who attended had a good time.  A very nice day.

Can you see the daffodils?

Daffodils

         I volunteered to bring daffodils to decorate the tables tomorrow at the Soup Fundraiser lunch.  When I went out to cut them this morning in the field where they have naturalized I discovered most of them had not opened because it has been so cold.  It seemed that I might as well cut them and see if warm water and a warm room would cause them to bloom.  Here is a picture taken at 9:30 after they were placed in vases of warm water.  About 11:00 I added more warm water to the vases since the water had cooled.

The second picture was taken at 12:30.  The warm water seems to be working.  I wonder if all will open by tomorrow at lunchtime.  I'll let you know.

Here they are at 9:30 this evening.  Looking good!  It's amazing what 12 hours of warmth can do!

Another Snowstorm Predicted

      The Festivals & Events Committee has planned a wonderful Soup, Salad, & Dessert Luncheon Fundraiser to be held Sunday (Mar. 24) from 11:30 to 1:30 at the Community Center in Martinsville.  The proceeds will be used to promote Heritage Days on the Old National Road on June 15-16.
     We have been excited about the fundraiser--not only because of the good food planned, but because it is an opportunity to see friends and family while helping a worthy cause.  But this morning one of the committee members sent me an email with the weather forecast for Saturday night and Sunday. Up to 6 inches of snow is being predicted to begin Saturday night and continue till noon on Sunday.  So much for great planning!  We thought the date would ensure warmer weather and had actually worried that it might interfere with farming.  The weather these past couple of years has certainly been unpredictable, hasn't it?
       Since we had formulated no plan in case of inclement weather, I guess we will have the luncheon unless it is entirely prohibited by the snow.  Hopefully, some will be able to come help us enjoy the great food!
     Later,  when I mentioned this to another committee member she said all that snow will make people think SOUP!  Maybe the Lord is helping us promote our event!

Walk of Repentance

      It sounds as if Dr. Art Matthias of Wellspring Ministries has been reading The Harbinger.  If not, then God has given him some of the same insights that he gave Jonathan Cahn.  Either way I believe this is a worthy endeavor and if I lived near NYC I would participate in person.  Since I don't I will participate in spirit and in prayer.

Walk of Repentance NYC April 13th  Dear Friends,     Three weeks ago I sent an email inviting you to join me in prayer for our nation and to join me in a prayer walk from Federal Hall to St. Paul’s Chapel at Ground Zero in New York. So many people have responded that I felt I need to provide more insight and information. If you did not see this last email newsletter, click here for a copy.     Most of those that teach about the end times do not see a role for America and predict doom and gloom for us. Mostly they believe that we have become so full of sin and deception that God has no place for us. They see Matthew 24 and Revelation, not just as warnings but cut in stone. They see these passages as God’s decree and that there is no hope for America.       I disagree! I am looking forward to the future and to God’s blessing and to the judgment of evil. Without judgment there would be no hope! Without judgment there would be no end of evil in the universe or in men’s hearts. There could be no heaven, because heaven would then be filled with locks and prison, hatred, violence, and fear. Heaven would cease to be heaven and would become hell instead. But there is heaven, and there is a time and place of no more sorrow…no more hate…no more crying…and no more pain. There must be a judgment. Evil must end…beyond which is heaven.     We must remember that God is love and that He cares about His people. I want to be one of His People, and live under His wings!     It is time to look deep within ourselves and our nation. This is the first time in our History that our president has endorsed homosexuality and opposed the sanctity of marriage. He has aggressively promoted abortion, dependency on the government through welfare, food stamps, etc. He has opposed free enterprise and promoted radical socialism. He has continued to misunderstand the ancient hatreds in the Middle East and is throwing Israel under the buss while promoting the Muslim Brotherhood.     It is not a time to be discouraged it is a time to pray. I do not accept our president’s view of our future. I choose to pray and repent and accept God’s view of the future. It is not time sit back, it is time to get involved and be proactive. God is giving us warnings and asking us to pray and repent and change the course of our nation’s future.     So far our political leaders have responded to His warnings with arrogance just as Israel did in Isaiah 9. But as one of our Christian leaders, I choose to respond in confession and repentance. I am not willing to turn our future over to our political leaders! I believe that God has great plans for America and you and me. I choose to respond in a manner that glorifies Him and not the state or self.     The first Congress met at Federal Hall in New York in 1789 and then they walked to St. Paul’s Chapel where they dedicated our new nation to the LORD. I feel led to once again meet at Federal Hall and walk to St. Paul’s Chapel and repent for what has happened and is happening in America. To reject the view that our president has for our future; to pray for our political leaders and for our religious leaders; to command in the Name of Jesus that the blinders from satan (deception) be removed from our hearts and minds; that the Holy Spirit would move and convict all of us of our many sins; that our hearts would turn back to Him.     Israel and America as nations are tied together. So far both nations have responded in pride and arrogance that has led to only more calamities. It is time to do what Scripture requires and recognize the sins of our nations and repent—just as Daniel did in Daniel 9 and as Nehemiah did in Nehemiah 9. It is time to confess the sins that have brought our nations into bondage and captivity. It is time to read the Covenants and Statues of our LORD and Savior and be obedient to them. Yeshua/Jesus says, “If you love me obey me.”     On Saturday, April 13th I will be walking from Federal Hall in New York City to St. Paul’s Chapel at Ground Zero repenting for my sins and confessing the sins of my nation. I feel that God has been asking me to do this as a prophetic act. Will you join me either in person or in prayer? Only God can heal our land, but His healing can come only through our confession and repentance.      There has never been a time in the history of America where as a nation we have endorsed more sin and been more opposed to God and His precepts. It is time to stand up for truth. God’s blessing on America will not continue in our sin, just as it did not for ancient Israel in its sin. Please join me on April 13th at 10 AM, Eastern Time, at Federal Hall. Please write or call and let me know if you plan on being there in person or if you are joining me in prayer from your home. God bless you, Dr. Art Mathias Federal Hall  (pictured above) Walking Directions:  Approx. 6 blocks Federal Hall  26 Wall Sreet. Meet at Front Steps at 10 AM.  Head northwest on Wall Street toward Nassau St.  Turn right onto Broadway.  St. Paul's Chapel will be on the left.     St. Paul's Chapel  Sycamore Tree Root Sculpture A three-ton bronze sculpture, soaring 18 feet in the air and spreading more than 25 feet across the courtyard of St. Paul's Chapel is a reminder of the unseen power of our roots.  This root is from the sycamore tree that protected St. Paul's Chapel from falling debris on Sept. 11, 2001 during the collapse of the World Trade Center Twin Towers. Visitors are able to walk through the sprawling root branches.

Newsworthy

     Where do you get your news?  Are you mainly interested in the Evening News on TV?  Or do you read several newspapers?
      I get mine from the Internet.  There are 3 sites I check regularly.  My favorite is Breitbart.com.  This is a "meaty" site that reports the news as it happens unlike many newspapers and mainstream news media. They report breaking news much of it they have discovered themselves. Then I check The Drudge Report and World Net Daily.
     The Drudge Report seems to report everything it can find so there are some "fluff" articles, but still it is one of the best I've found.
      World Net Daily presents the news with integrity as the goal and from a Christian perspective.  Joseph Farah founded WND with a unique purpose and goal which is stated on the website:  “WND is an independent news company dedicated to uncompromising journalism, seeking truth and justice and revitalizing the role of the free press as a guardian of liberty. We remain faithful to the traditional and central role of a free press in a free society – as a light exposing wrongdoing, corruption and abuse of power.
     “We also seek to stimulate a free-and-open debate about the great moral and political ideas facing the world and to promote freedom and self-government by encouraging personal virtue and good character.”
     So if you are used to getting your news from newspapers or television why not check out one of these sites.  I believe you'll be surprised at some of the news presented in a way you've not heard before.   

Devotional from Harvest Prayer Ministries

      Today's devotional from Harvest Prayer Ministries gives important points to consider in our walk with the Lord.  We must walk with a clean heart and a right spirit if we are to enter His presence in worship & prayer.

Hindrances to Worship Posted: 18 Mar 2013 11:00 PM PDT “Who may worship in your sanctuary, LORD? Who may enter your presence on your holy hill?” (Ps. 15:1, NLT).       If you are experiencing times of intercession and worship that are dry and difficult, it may be time to take inventory as David did in Psalm 15.        Ask the Holy Spirit to show you if any of the following are hindering your worship:        •    Are you leading a blameless life and doing what is right? What about staying away from things that have the appearance of evil? (v. 2)        •    Are you speaking the truth from a sincere heart? Any half-truths or painting yourself in a better light when recounting a story? (v. 2)        •    Do you absolutely refuse to slander others no matter what? Do you refuse to harm your neighbors or speak ill of your friends or spouse? (v. 3)        •    Do you despise persistent sin? Do you honor the bride of Christ in thought, word, and deed—including those from other denominations? (v. 4)        •    Do you keep your promises even when it hurts? (v. 4)        •    Do you want something in return when you do something nice for someone? (v. 5)        •    Do you speak against someone when it is in your own best interest? (v. 5)              Holy Spirit, show me any areas of my life that are hindering my prayer life.  I desire to enter in with a pure heart!          –by Sandra Higley, author of A Year of Prayer Events for Your Church; adapted from an article that originally appeared in Issue 19 (July/August 2000) of Pray! magazine. Prayer Points        Praise the wonderful God who causes mountains and hills to burst into song and all the trees of the fields to clap their hands (Isa. 55:12). Give thanks that the Lord “comforts his people and [has] compassion on his afflicted ones” (Isa. 49:13). Confess any lack of joy which you may have and admit to God your failures to receive his joy. Commit yourself to considering all of life as pure joy, whatever the circumstance, since Jesus Christ is alive and victorious over all. Ask the Lord to restore to you the joy of his salvation (Ps. 51:12), so that you may be a prime exhibit of Christ’s life-changing power.        Pray that your family and friends may have Christian joy. Ask God to help them to discipline themselves in the Christian faith and grow together in genuine love. –Prayer Points taken from Patterns for Prayer by Alvin VanderGriend Connection (Devotions for Everyday Life) is published by Harvest Prayer Ministries. Subscribe free at connection.harvestprayer.com

On Marriage, Heritage Foundation's Ryan T. Anderson

From The Patriot Post Faith & Family         "[I]f marriage has no form and serves no social purpose, how will society protect the needs of children -- the prime victim of our non-marital sexual culture -- without government growing more intrusive and more expensive? Marriage exists to bring a man and a woman together as husband and wife to be father and mother to any children their union produces. Marriage benefits everyone because separating the bearing and rearing of children from marriage burdens innocent bystanders: not just children, but the whole community. ... Government recognizes traditional marriage because it benefits society in a way that no other relationship or institution does. Marriage is society's least restrictive means of ensuring the well-being of children. State recognition of marriage protects children by encouraging men and women to commit to each other and take responsibility for their children. Promoting marriage does not ban any type of relationship: Adults are free to make choices about their relationships, and they do not need government sanction or license to do so. All Americans have the freedom to live as they choose, but no one has a right to redefine marriage for everyone else. The future of this country depends on the future of marriage, and the future of marriage depends on citizens understanding what it is and why it matters and demanding that government policies support, not undermine, true marriage." --Heritage Foundation's Ryan T. Anderson

Indiana Flower Show

    We just returned from the Indiana Flower & Patio Show.  Today was the last day of the show so I wasn't sure I was going to get to see it this year.  I was a little disappointed in the displays.  As far as I'm concerned there were too many elaborate brick & stone patios with firepits and outdoor grills and not nearly enough flowers.  I like to come away with some ideas of things I would like to try in my gardens--or at least things I loved, but I didn't see anything I particularly cared about this year.
     I found the urban homestead display interesting.  It included an Eco_cottage, rain barrels, wood burning boiler, chicken coops with live chickens, raised bed gardens, etc. as an example of adopting and living a sustainable lifestyle on a 10,000 square foot "city lot."
     We also managed to feast our winter eyes on some beautiful spring flowers--but as I said before--not nearly as many as we would have liked.  I'm including a few pictures to get you excited about spring, too.

       One of the photos is of two of the 25-30 foot river birches that had been brought in for a display garden.  The leafed out and blooming trees included by many landscapers in their projects were also amazing!  How do they get them to bloom at the perfect time, and then how do they transport them in cold weather without shocking them into dropping their blooms?  I suppose they cover them with canvas and make certain they aren't in the cold any longer than is needed.  It still must be a lot of work to get them there!
     The expense and effort put into this show is staggering!  Everything you see in the pictures including the brick walls, huge boulders, waterfall and stream (there were several others including some ponds), paved walkways and the pavilion was brought in--or constructed for the 10 day show and will be removed after today.  What a wonderful effort to give us a little taste of spring!

Ben Carson's CPAC speech

How blessed we will be if this man can become our next president!!

Listen to Ben Carson's speech here.

Heritage Days Progress

     What a busy time!!  But I'm loving every minute of it!  Our Festivals & Events Committee is in the process of planning a great new festival on June 15-16.  I think I've mentioned this before.  We're calling it Heritage Days on the Old National Road.
    One of the highlights of the festival will be Clark County's very first Equine Parade.  The brochures/registration forms are printed and are being circulated.
     We also have printed and are circulating the Artist & Artisan brochures.  Anyone who has artistic goods created with their own hands is invited to have a booth at the festival and is also encouraged to demonstrate his/her work at their booths.  In addition, we have specifically invited demonstrations in blacksmithing, horse shoeing, pottery making, yarn spinning, bee keeping, bobbin lace, woodcarving, quilting, goat milking/soap making, and leather working which will be happening throughout each day.
     An Old National Road storyteller is coming on Saturday to entertain us with stories of what it was like traveling the Road, and East Woodsmen Native American re-enactors will be at the festival on Saturday and Sunday to help us to see what life was like in the 17th century.
      We have bands scheduled throughout the day Saturday and Sunday afternoon to provide music, an antique tractor show, a bike rodeo, a barrel train, and games for the kids & adults, possibly a petting zoo, a Clark County Historical Society exhibit, and an Indian teepee with other ideas being explored.  And of course what would a festival be without food vendors!!
     I have been praying for the preparations for this festival and it has been amazing to watch things unfold to enhance the schedule!  It seems that almost every day a new idea, or suggestion, or person shows up at just the right time to make it even more interesting!  So many people have volunteered their time and talent!  It is so fun!
     The past few days I've been working on a poster design for the festival so I'm going to include it in this post even though it won't have final approval till Monday night at our meeting.
   If you know of anyone who would like to participate in the Festival parade, or as a vendor, email me and I will email an electronic copy of the brochure/application to you, or if you would rather have a printed copy of either or both of the brochures, please include your home address so I can mail it to you.  Also if you would like some posters to hang up for us let me know and I'll see that you get them.  We have discovered the very best advertising seems to be "word of mouth" so we would appreciate your spreading the word that this is going to be a festival you won't want to miss!