Common Bonds, Uncommon Friends - 90 Days With A Heart Like His

 

If I continue to live treat me with the LORD’s faithful love, but if I die don’t ever withdraw your faithful love from my household—not even when the LORD cuts off every one of David’s enemies from the face of the earth.” (1 Samuel 20:14-15)

In thinking about your best friendships, what besides circumstances or preferences would you say has knit your hearts together?

Looking back at my friendships I would say that most of them involved shared values and similar circumstances.  This does not mean that we walked in lock step nor does it mean that we didn’t disagree on deeply held beliefs, for example religion and politics.  I felt that my best friends were there for me, willing to listen to me when I needed someone to lean on.  They were also able to overlook my multitude of faults and I overlooked theirs. 

Why is the Lord such an integral part of best friendships?  And what’s missing between them when He’s not?

If God is not an active part of friendships, the people are missing one of life's most important treasures.

The Power of Love - 90 Days With A Heart Like His

Saul sent agents to David’s house to watch for him and kill him in the morning.  But his wife Michal warned David:  “If you don’t escape tonight, you will be dead tomorrow!” (1 Samuel 19:11)

What would happen, you think, if you deliberately chose to love and serve a person whom you found yourself jealous or at odds with?

Jealousy is a raw human emotion created when a person feels insecure or anxious about his importance or value to other people.  Jealousy is such a primal emotion. It is also destructive and unattractive.

When you find yourself to be jealous of someone you chose to serve or love you may find yourself undermining that person and hindering their progress. That person’s happiness or achievements bother you. 

Jealousy will NEVER help you.  You will find yourself wasting lots of your precious time and energy when you find yourself immersed in jealousy, while this person who is the object of your jealousy wouldn’t even give you a thought.  Instead you should try to divert all the negative energy into something positive that can ultimately help you lead a better life.

What have you seen love accomplish—whether in God’s love for you, or your love for another, or their love for you? 

I have read many accounts of people who’s love for GOD allowed them to witness miracles.  Mother Teresa comes to mind.  She had an unwavering love for the lives of those that no one cared about.  She understood that earthly rewards were important only if they helped her help the world's needy.

I have seen GOD’s love for me in my own life when I see how he never gave up on me.  He took care of me and lead me to my destiny.  He is with me ALWAYS!

It is GOD that helped me to to college when I didn't think it was possible.  It was GOD that helped me raise to grounded children by myself.  HE is able to do everything if I only open my heart to him. 

Phyllis Diller Dead At 95

Phyllis Diller (July 17, 1917 – August 20, 2012) was an American actress and comedian.  She created a stage persona of a wild-haired, eccentrically dressed housewife who makes self-deprecating jokes about her age and appearance, her terrible cooking, and a husband named "Fang", while pretending to smoke from a long cigarette holder. Diller's signature was her unusual laugh.

“She was a true pioneer,” Diller’s longtime agent Fred Wostbrock told EW. “She was the first lady of stand up comedy. She paved the way for everybody. And she conquered television, movies, Broadway, record albums, nightclubs, books, and radio. She did it all. A true pioneer.”

During her long career, Diller was in more than two dozen movies, including three with Bob Hope, with whom she also appeared on numerous TV specials and traveled with to Vietnam to entertain U.S. troops.

In 2005, she published Like a Lampshade in a Whorehouse, an autobiography that revealed the unlikely and traumatic road that led her to superstardom.

In a time when word "legend" is thrown around like toilet paper at a pep rally, the term is not wasted on her. She was a true pioneer and the first lady of stand-up comedy.  
Diller died suddenly, on August 20, 2012, of unknown causes at the age of 95, in her home, surrounded by family and friends. The exact cause of her death came under investigation, and an autopsy and toxicology tests were scheduled. However, the results were not expected to be available for at least 4 weeks.

A Jealous Eye - A Heart Like His

1 Samuel 18:28-29 When Saul realized that the LORD was with David and that his daughter Michal loved David, Saul became still more afraid of him, and he remained his enemy the rest of his days.

Is jealousy ever a proper response toward others?  How could it ever sow good rather than evil? (Read 2 Corinthians 11:2).

2 Corinthians 11:2 says, “For I am jealous of you with the jealousy of God, since I betrothed you to one husband to present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.  

The concept of GOD beig jealous can almost seem foreign to us because it refers to the negative thoughts and feelings of insecurity, fear, and anxiety over an anticipated loss of something.  Certainly a powerful and Almighty GOD would not be insecure, anxious, or fearful.  Why then does this scripture and others tell us that GOD is indeed a jealous GOD?

After some research I have learned that both the Old and New Testament words for jealousy are also translated “zeal.” This casts a different light on this scripture because by replacing jealousy with zeal because when someone is zealous about someone or something that person is filled with eager desire.   

GOD has a passionate, consuming zeal for our best interests. He wants us to share that zeal by being jealous for one another’s best interests.  If we shared God’s zeal for other believers our prayer life would not be occupied with our own problems, but we would eagerly solicit God on behalf of the specific needs of others in Christ's name.

When the Bible speaks of GOD being jealous “for” us—(Joel 2:18, Zech. 1:14, 8:2) – how is that different from being jealous “of” someone?

In the above mention scripture all deal with GOD's jealousy. Keep in mind that jealousy the root word in Hebrew is as often translated as "zealous" as it is "jealous".  With this in mind we should feel secure, protected, and deeply loved.  GOD's jealousy is rooted in his great and abiding love for us.

Joel 2:18 says “Then the LORD became jealous for his land and had pity on his people.” 

In Joel 2:18 we clearly see that GOD intervenes with zeal and compassion for his followers.  He intervenes with a zealous compassion and loyalty for what is His. It is because of His love for us that he will restore us if we put our faith in Him.

Zechariah 1:14 reads So the angel who talked with me said to me, ‘Cry out, Thus says the Lord of hosts: I am exceedingly jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion.

The book of Zechariah tells us about GOD's great love for his people.  It begins with a call for his people to return home to him and proclaims that He willl return to them when they do. 

Finally in Zechariah 8:2 This is what the LORD Almighty says: "I am very jealous for Zion; I am burning with jealousy for her."

GOD is jalous for us.  He wants to reform, restore and replenish things in your life just as in Zechariah when God speaks of restoring Jerusalem. Run to him! Do not wait, do not hesitate. There is much he wants to lavish on you sons and daughters!  Be jealous" (zealous) for God’s eternal truth and share it with others. 

Ron Palillo - Arnold Horshack on 'Kotter' Dies

A sure sign that you're getting older is learning that the people who were on the shows you loved as a kid are dying off.  I think I kind of fashioned myself as a not so hip "Mr." Kotter when I was teaching.  My students knew that I was in their corner and they seemed to like the fact that I was open to some laughs in the classroom.

Today I noticed that Ron Palillo was trending on Yahoo and I asked myself, "Why do I know that name?"  I did the search and realized that it was Arnold Dingfelder Horschack from Welcome Back Kotter. 

Palillo was born in Cheshire, Connecticut , and graduated from the University of Connecticut (where he returned to teach during the late 1990s).

After Welcome Back, Kotter, Palillo appeared in supporting roles in various television series and performed the voice in various animated series such as Laverne & Shirley in the Army, Darkwing Duck and Rubik, the Amazing Cube where he played the lead character. In 1996, Palillo played himself in several episodes of Ellen, where he became the love interest of Ellen's friend Audrey. He also played a small part on Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives. 

Palillo, a heavy smoker, suffered a heart attack on August 14, 2012, at his home in Palm Beach, Florida. His longtime partner, Joseph Gramm, rushed Palillo to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead at the age of 63. The cause of death has not been determined. 

Flashes of Anger - A Heart Like His

Saul was furious and resented this song.  “They credited tens of thousands to David,” he complained, “but they only credited me with thousands.  What more can he have but the kingdom?” (1 Samuel  18:8)

What have you seen injured or destroyed in your life by angry reactions, by those initial outbursts that flare up and do their worst damage in a moment’s time?

I think for most of us it's a lot easier to react than it is to think.  I will admit that there were times when my first reaction to anger may be to attack, hurt, destroy and defend!  In fact it is never OK to use anger to hurt people in any way!

Anger is a strong emotion. Strong emotions can get in the way of clear thinking and commonsense.  On the other hand, when people ignore their anger, it has nowhere else to go, and can often turn upon its owner.

How do you prevent these kinds of events from occurring?  What disciplines could keep us protected from either inflicting or internalizing the hurt they cause?

I’ve finally learned that sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry, but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.  Anger is a normal emotion and there is nothing wrong with being angry.  What matters is how I handle it and what I do when I’m angry. 

Rather than having anger control me, I need to think about what I have been doing when I get mad. Sometimes I yell and scream and sometimes I withdraw and sulk? I know I have you hurt people with the words I have used. 

If I give myself some time and space I can articulate why I am angry so that I can act rather than react – ("I feel angry because…")  I need to acknowledge that It is about being able to agree that you are not going to agree, but that it's okay for others to have their own opinions.

One Amazing Covenant - A Heart Like His

Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as much as himself.  (1 Samuel 18:3)

Do you have the privilege of knowing someone like Jonathan?  Have you known anyone who has given up power or position for God’s will?  Who and how?

Jonathan and David are good examples of how friends treat each other. They should love each other and care about their needs. They should encourage them and help them in tough times. It’s a good example to us of how friends should be.

Jonathan could have been upset that David would be king instead of him. After all, he was the next in line. However, God had anointed David to be king and Jonathan knew that he must follow God.  Jonathan loved David and was happy for him to be the next king.

Friends are happy when others succeed.  They are not jealous or envious. They care and love at all times.  Unfortunately all too often jealousy rears its ugly head in my relationships partly because I fear that I do not have value. I seem to look for evidence to prove the point - that others will be preferred and rewarded more than me.

Unfortunately it seems as though I’ve always been a part of a competitive relationship in which one person’s success is seen as a threat to the other person’s well-being.  It’s very unhealthy and yet time and time again I seem to seek out such relationships, willing to down-play my achievements and/or not even try to move forward because to do so may risk the relationship. 

I fear the same in my relationship with God that I just don’t measure up and that I will never please him.  I’m working on learning how to give up the power I THINK I have in my life and put my dreams, my goals, and my talent, into God’s hands.  I MUST stop telling GOD what I don’t have or can’t do because equipped me with everything I need to fulfill my destiny. 

How have you sensed God calling you beyond the norm and the expected to give up something that might rightfully be yours but needs to be given over to His greater plan?

GOD makes the resource of His strength available to us.  I believe that I have been very guilty of waiting GOD to give it to me without much work on my side of the equation. He brings His strength to us as we seek Him and rely on Him instead of our own strength.  The fact is that is that you really do reap what you sow if you are putting forth little effort in your Christian walk, you should expect little result. 

This is where I am in my walk with GOD.  I’m trying desperately to learn what is required of me.  What is GOD’s plan for me? 

National Same-Sex Kiss Day

Gay rights activists staged a "kiss day" at Chick-fil-A Friday. Nnearly 14,000 Facebook users had subscribed to the "National Same Sex Kiss Day at Chick-fil-A event which is far less than the 630,000 who subscribed to The Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day.

Chick-fil-A employees in Torrence were greeted Friday morning with the words "Tastes like hate" scrawled in large black lettering mimicking the chain's advertising across the back wall of the restaurant.  This sort of thing NEVER moves others to change their position, rather people tend to point out that this juvenile behavior proves that they are dealing with someone who hasn't reached any sort of maturity level.

You do remember a certain protester that was fired from his job as a chief financial officer after a videohe shot of himself bullying a Chick-fil-A drive-thru employee don't you?  He certainly didn't promote much goodwill to the cause of same sex marriage.

Speaking of people who hurt the same sex marriage movement, have you met Spencer "Thunderball" Thayer?  Well you're about to do just that.  That's because this Occupy Wall Street activist decided to harrass a homeless street preacher who was reading his Bible outside of the Chick-fil-A.

I suppose when Mr. Thayer was leading the Occupy Chicago movement crowd in October 2011 in a chant of “We are the 99%" what he really meant is that he's for the poor ONLY if they agree with him.  This is NOT the guy I would send out into the world to teach about tolerance. 

So how did those "homophobic, gay haters" at Chick-fil-A treat the protestors?  Much like one would expect Christians to treat others.  In Wichita, Kansas, the owner of the Chick-fil-A handed out free chicken sandwiches and water to gay rights activists gathered for the kiss-in.  In Decatur, Georgia, Chick-fil-A employees served lemonade to the protesters.

Adam Smith's Sorry, So Sorry

As you may already know Adam Smith, now infamous for his rant against a young woman working at a Chick-fil-a, has lost his job as the Chief Financial Officer at Vante.  

While this may appear harsh for an act done during on his own time, I will try to explain why I can understand why Vante felt they needed to let him go.

As you know, I am a teacher.  This means I am a teacher not just during my work day but 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  What I mean to say is that my behavior off the clock could endanger my ability to keep my job.

Let's say for example, I decided to attend a "Smoke In" to protest the fact that pot is illegal.  I don't smoke anything at the event but let's say that I decide to give an interview to a television reporter explaining my viewpoint. 

Perhaps I come across as being articulate, certainly not stoned, I don't smoke pot but I'm supporting people who do.  After all I have a right to freedom of speech don't I?

The next day students see me in the hall and give me high fives and fist bumps for supporting their views.  As a matter of fact the principal calls me into his office, but you can bet it's not to tell me about how well he thought I comported myself during the interview.  Our school supports zero tolerance and therefore my advocacy would place my job in jeopardy. 

So you say, "But Adam Smith was not a teacher so he can say what he wants."  True enough, Mr. Smith does not risk his job if he were to become pregant outside of marriage like a teacher would but he WAS a corporate executive. 

People look differently upon the janitor and the Vice President of a company.  When questions arise about a company and its product the media speaks to those in management not the janitor.  If the janitor has a few too many drinks over the weekend and gets a DUI that story may make the local police blotter and/or the "Busted" rag sheet. If the head of Apple or Pepsico does the same thing it's all over the news.  The company's stock may be affected if the perception is that the company is being run by someone who doesn't know you shouldn't drink and drive.

Adam Smith was a Chief Financial Office of a company.  One would expect him to have good judgement.  He did not display good judgement in going on a rant against a young girl at Chick-fil-a.  He should have addressed his concerns about Chick-fil-a to those at the top not some girl working her way through college at a fast food restaurant.

Mr. Smith claims that he originally intended to order a cup of water as a form of protest and if he was denied the water he was supposed to share Proverbs 25:21 to emphasize that Chick-fil-a was NOT opperating under Biblical values. 

By the way  Proverbs 25:21says:

If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat;
if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.

On its face this was ludicrous inasmuch as there are NO charges leveled against Chick-fil-a refusing to serve people because of their sexual orientation.  NO ONE has been denied water because of their political beliefs. So his intent on schooling the people at Chick-fil-a falls flat. 

Rachael is NOT collateral damage ….she is a person! No matter what your position in the corporate world, CIVIL behavior would dictate that you treat others with common courtesy.

Not only has Mr. Adam Smith lost his job as Chief Financial Officer at Vante. (Smith claims that he was not given a chance to really explain himself before being terminated) but he is also the target of death threats.

Adam Smith says that because his home address was made public, he cannot live in his house due to the threats of violence and death against his family.  Certainly such incidents are NOT acceptable and do NOT demonstrative of What Would Jesus Do.

We have all made dumb mistakes. He is appologizing, and forgiveness is exactly what Christ asks of us. It doesn’t matter what you think he DESERVES, Christ forgives him.

Mr. Adam Smith's Epic Fail At Chick-Fil-A

We have an update on our FAVORITE angry liberal who berated Chick-FIl-A employee on video.  It appears that Mr. Adam Smith has been slapped down by the Invisible Hand.

His "FREE Water" at Chick-fil-a yesterday may well have been the most expensive cup of water Adam Smith will ever have as he has lost his job.  You would think that the Chief Financial Officer of a multi billion dollar corporation would know better than video his disrespectful exchange with a young woman making minimum wage.  She is OBVIOUSLY NOT a person in a position to make company policy. 

Now let's take a look at how Adam Smith has damaged his career in a spectacular fashion.

Vante of Tucson, AZ Regrets Actions of Former CFO

Employee Has Left the Company TUCSON, AZ--(Marketwire - Aug 2, 2012) - The following is a statement from Vante:

Vante regrets the unfortunate events that transpired yesterday in Tucson between our former CFO/Treasurer Adam Smith and an employee at Chick-fil-A. Effective immediately, Mr. Smith is no longer an employee of our company.

The actions of Mr. Smith do not reflect our corporate values in any manner. Vante is an equal opportunity company with a diverse workforce, which holds diverse opinions. We respect the right of our employees and all Americans to hold and express their personal opinions, however, we also expect our company officers to behave in a manner commensurate with their position and in a respectful fashion that conveys these values of civility with others.

We hope that the general population does not hold Mr. Smith's actions against Vante and its employees.

Roger Vogel, Chairman, President and CEO of Vante, said the decision for Smith to step down was mutual. Vogel said he was “shocked” by the video, which he first discovered when people emailed him a link.

“We obviously found it very disturbing,” Vogel said. “We respect everybody’s ability to share their opinions in the public square and we have a very diverse workforce with a diverse set of opinions. We expect employees to behave in a professional manner that’s commensurate with their positions, and discuss their opinions in a civil fashion. ... We thought what he did was inappropriate.”
Vogel said the company has no stance on the gay marriage issue but has always hade a “good relationship” with Chick-fil-A. He said the company will consider contacting the employee Smith ambushed in an attempt to mend fences.

The University of Arizona also released a statement regarding Mr. Smith.

Adam Smith held an appointment as an Adjunct Lecturer, Finance (non-tenure eligible) in the Eller College of Management at the University of Arizona from January 2, 2012, to May 20, 2012. He presently holds no appointment with the University.

The University of Arizona strives to provide an environment where a free and respectful exchange of ideas is valued and encouraged. We strive to have a workforce that is diverse and respectful of different viewpoints and where opinions are respected.

The fact that Mr. Smith no longer has a job is most unfortunate especially in this economy.  It certainly won't help his chances of getting a new job when employers google his name only to see how his behavior may well reflect their corporate bottom line. 

He may not have cared about his professional persona but he DID care about whether or not this young lady thought HE might be GAY.  ”I’m a nice guy, by the way … totally heterosexual," he continues. "Not a gay in me, I just can’t stand the hate.”

Really?  Why did you mention that Adam? Do you HATE homosexuals Adam?  Were you concerned other might see the video and think you were gay?  Something wrong with being gay? 

One more thing, our friend Adam also deleted his Linked-in account but failed to realize that it is cached.  Turns out he's an Investment Banker so I'm wondering how that will go over with liberals looking to help him in his career search. 

Saul's Armor

Instead, he took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones from the wadi and put them in the pouch, in his shepherd’s bag.  Then, with his sling in his hand, he approached the Philistine (1 Samuel 17:40)

What pieces of “Saul’s armor” do you still find yourself reaching for, not quite sure that God’s Word and His promises are enough to depend on?

Saul offered his own armor to David. This was quite an honor, but there was a major problem: David was only a teenage boy and not only did Saul’s armor not fit David but it was unfamiliar to him. 

In the end David took up the humble weapons of a shepherd and with God’s help was able to defeat Goliath. 

Saul's armor can take many forms and can be forced upon us by people who mean well. They have always relied on their armor: their experience, training, education, natural talents, degrees, cultural study, money, contacts, organizations, etc! God does not receive the glory as they attributed victory to their armor. 

Personally I feel more comfortable when I don my armor of education.  Sometimes I feel as though that prepares me for the challenges I face and at other times I feel that I lack enough education for the challenges I face.  Instead I should put on the spiritual armor of God so that I may stand in the spiritual battle I face and prevail

We must NEVER trade faith for Saul's armor.  God hasn't changed. Faith still fells giants and moves mountains.

What do you think makes these extras and add-ons so heavy after awhile? 

We have a tendency to compare our talents with the talents of others. Sometimes we obsess over the things we can’t do instead of improving on the things we can do. It’s as though we are saying, “God you made a mistake when you created me. You gave me the wrong talents.” This kind of attitude does not glorify God!

With God on our side we can overcome any adversity that we face.  We must offer our gifts and talents to God, and expect him to use them as only He can.

We should never allow someone else's lack of faith dictate our decisions. We serve a God who is able to accomplish what concerns us in every aspect.

Chick-fil-A Day Sets A World Record - And The Media Ignores The Story

Chick-fil-A says it set a sales record yesterday when supporters rallied around the fast-food chain amid a debate over its president's opposition to same-sex marriage. The chain hasn't released the sales numbers, but "we can confirm reports that it was a record-setting day," said Steve Robinson, Chick-fil-A's executive vice president of marketing.

Normally, with this crowd volume you would expect short tempers and bedlam. That’s not the case today at Chick-fil-A's across the country.

There were some exceptions.  The day was marred for some who planned vist the Chick-fil-A on Foxcroft Avenue in Martinsburg.  That's because police and fire crews had to close down the Chick-fil-A for nearly three hours following a bomb threat that was called in just before 1 PM.

The caller mentioned that a “device” had been placed within the restaurant. The building was evacuated, but was deemed safe at about 3:45 p.m. after no bomb or any other type of device was discovered.

Martinsburg City Police and the Martinsburg Fire Department personnel investigated the scene, along with Berkeley County Sheriff Kenny Lemaster. A National Park Ranger with a canine unit arrived at the scene at approximately 2:45 p.m. to assist, and a second from the West Virginia State Police arrived later as well.

According to a release from police, the location of the call was traced and the investigation is following up on leads about the male caller.

In another incident, one protestor was arrested in Greenville, South Carolina after police said he tried stop traffic with his car.

Officers said Jeffrey Martell, 30, blocked cars in the drive-thru lane at the Chick-fil-A on Laurens Road. Police said Martell told them his actions were in protest to Chick-fil-A's stance on marriage.

Martell was arrested and charged with trespassing and nuisance conduct.

We also have an example of how some on the left decided to deal with the unabashed success of the event.

First let's take a look at this brave individual who has since closed his account on YouTube.  Adam M. Smith decided to harrass a young woman working the drive thru that yesterday. Please note that the young lady was classy and professional. Also of interest to note was that Adam wanted to be sure you knew HE was not gay. Why is that Adam? Something WRONG with being gay?

Mr. Smith is an adjunct lecturer at Eller College in Arizona and he also is the CFO of Vante, a catheter manufacturing company

Some did not even acknowledge that it was National Chick-fil-A Day and instead called it National Eat Fried Food for Freedom Day or as Fox New Reporter Shep Smith called it, National Day of Intolerance.

Don't forget, November 6 2012 is National Republican Appreciation Day.   You must be registered to participate so get on that right now..

I am a Christian

I care about my country

I will VOTE
and encourage others to VOTE! 

I'd like to end with this post with aquote from Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, a writer, who, through his often-suppressed writings, helped to raise global awareness of the gulag.

To stand up for truth is nothing. For truth, you must sit in jail.

You can resolve to live your life with integrity. Let your credo be this: Let the lie come into the world, let it even triumph. But not through me.

The simple step of a courageous individual is not to take part in the lie. One word of truth outweighs the world.

In keeping silent about evil, in burying it so deep within us that no sign of it appears on the surface, we are implanting it, and it will rise up a thousand fold in the future. When we neither punish nor reproach evildoers, we are not simply protecting their trivial old age, we are thereby ripping the foundations of justice from beneath new generations.

If I were asked today to formulate as concisely as possible what was the main cause of the ruinous revolution that swallowed up some 60 million of our people, I could not put it more accurately than to repeat: ‘Men had forgotten God; that is why all this has happened.’

A decline in courage may be the most striking feature that an outside observer notices in the West today. The Western world has lost its civic courage . . . . Such a decline in courage is particularly noticeable among the ruling and intellectual elite, causing an impression of a loss of courage by the entire society.

And how we burned in the camps later, thinking: What would things have been like if every Security operative, when he went out at night to make an arrest, had been uncertain whether he would return alive and had to say good-bye to his family? Or if, during periods of mass arrests, as for example in Leningrad, when they arrested a quarter of the entire city, people had not simply sat there in their lairs, paling with terror at every bang of the downstairs door and at every step on the staircase, but had understood they had nothing left to lose and had boldly set up in the downstairs hall an ambush of half a dozen people with axes, hammers, pokers, or whatever else was at hand?… The Organs would very quickly have suffered a shortage of officers and transport and, notwithstanding all of Stalin’s thirst, the cursed machine would have ground to a halt! If…if…We didn’t love freedom enough. And even more – we had no awareness of the real situation…. We purely and simply deserved everything that happened afterward.

Disapproval At Short Distance - A Heart Like His

A slice of Oreo Cheesecake from the Cheesecake factory has 869 calories or Weight Watchers points.  In order for me to lose weight I have to keep my points at 19 points or other.  Why then would I consume the other half of my slice of Oreo Cheesecake this morning?  The honest answer is that I was celebrating skipping school.

That’s right; this is the first year in about 15 years that I missed the first day of school.  As a lady of leisure, I lounged around in my pj’s and my robe while consuming cheesecake.  Unfortunately there is no truth to the belief that eating sweets on your birthday makes calories mute. 
Later today, hubby and I plan support Chick-fil-a to support them in light of the calls to boycott the restaurant from same-sex marriage activists. 

Dan Cathy, the president and COO of the family-owned company, told an interviewer from the Biblical Recorder that, “We are very much supportive of the family — the biblical definition of the family unit. We are a family-owned business, a family-led business, and we are married to our first wives. We give God thanks for that.”

Cathy’s stance is shared by billions of people the world over. By the way, this view held by approximately half of Americans.  

I suppose I should have the Chargrilled Chicken Garden Salad because it only has three Weight Watchers Points.  The sad truth is that I will probably wake up yet again to see 128.8 staring up at me from the scale again tomorrow.

As I said earlier, I called RHS and talked to Terri J. and Linda F.  Terri told me that she was looking for my smiling face yesterday and that she definitely missed me.  She teased that she told Mrs. F. she didn’t get her plate of goodies because she was waiting for me to bring them around.

I told Linda about the job opportunity that I received by email and kind of felt she would say that I couldn’t handle it.  Instead she told me that she felt that I would be great for the job as an administrator at a local Christian Academy.  Wow it was great to have her support.  I think I’ll send them my resume and see how that goes.  The salary there is from $45,000 - $55,000. 

Today’s Beth Moore Bible Study for David – 90 Days With A Heart Like His is called Disapproval at short Distance. 

David was the youngest.  The three oldest had followed Saul, but David kept going back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s flock in Bethlehem. (1 Samuel 17:14-15)

Have you ever felt undervalued and unappreciated for what you do and who you are?  How have you felt this sting the sharpest?

The old nursery rhyme tells us that Man may work from sun to sun, But woman's work is never done. I think this is true whether you are a homemaker or a career woman. 

There were many times over my life and career when I felt undervalued and unappreciated.  I realize now that to an extent I accepted this because I had such poor self-esteem.  If my ex-husband felt I wasn’t good enough I castigated myself for failing to meet the standards he set for me.  In reality no matter what I would have done I would never make him happy and it was much more about him than it was about me.

When my ex-husband would abuse me I would often ask "What did I do wrong?" "How could someone do that to me?" "What makes me so gullible?”

The fact was that my ex-husband was blaming you for things outside of my control.  I see now that he was a self serving individual who had little care for the feelings and consequences of his actions on others

It is difficult to comprehend that some people abuse our trust or deliberately take advantage of our vulnerability or dependency take advantage of us.  What are the best ways you’ve found to counteract this tendency of others who inflate their own importance at your expense?

I used to work with a teacher who began many statements to me with the following words, “I have TWO MASTERS degrees…”  It never really mattered what the conversation was about it was simply her way of putting me in my place and setting herself up as the expert on a particular situation.

I felt the sting of her words to mean that she saw herself as smarter than me.  In fact this was really more about her self-esteem than it was about her feelings of self-importance. My mistake is making her statements about me when it really isn’t.

I struggle with the habit of seeking validation from others.  Worse yet, I often assume that others are correct.  By doing this I mistakenly make experts out of those around me even if they are not qualified to do so. 

I need to learn to accept myself and allowed myself to LIVE my life as God wants with or without the validation and approval of others.

Eat More Chicken - TODAY!

Mike Huckabee and the National Organization for Marriage are calling on people to eat at Chick-fil-A on Wednesday to support Dan Cathy, the company's president, who is being attacked by gay activists for saying in recent interviews that he supports traditional marriage.

The National Eat at Chick-fil-A Day on July 25 is in response to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) activists urging people to boycott Chick-fil-A after Dan Cathy responded to the Biblical Recorder's question about the company's support for the traditional family saying, "Well, guilty as charged."

We are very much supportive of the family – the biblical definition of the family unit. We are a family-owned business, a family-led business, and we are married to our first wives. We give God thanks for that."

"We intend to stay the course," Cathy said. "We know that it might not be popular with everyone, but thank the Lord, we live in a country where we can share our values and operate on biblical principles."

I find it interesting that the pro-gay marriage activists are quick to crucify Cathy for his beliefs and so quick to forget that Obama ALSO believes that marriage is between a man and a woman.

"I’ve stated my opposition to this. I think it’s unnecessary," Obama told MTV. "I believe marriage is between a man and a woman. I am not in favor of gay marriage.

Dan Cathy's support for traditional marriage, Chick-Fil-A has thrown it into the national spot light by the media and progressive groups hoping to go after Chick-Fil-A. in an attempt to demonize it. 

The mayor of Boston insisted that no Chick-Fil-A restaurant would be built in his city despite the act that it would be a violation of Cathy's First Amendment rights. 

It is interesting to note here that Cathy’s views on marriage remain the law in Illinois. The state sent Obama to the U.S. Senate as an opponent of same-sex marriage.  As a matter of fact it might be a good idea for Rahm Emmanuel should wait to crack down on chicken restaurants until he hasa lower murder rate than Kabul.

Supporters of gay marriage have every right not to patronize a business that gives money to their political opponents, as well as to voice their disagreement with Chick-fil-A’s president.  Certainly the Mupettes have the right to pull their brand from Chick-fil-A because they support same-sex marriage. 

Ask yourself this question, are we truly to the point where Christians will be denied a business license based on their beliefs? 

Dan Cathy has never once denied a meal, or made a hateful comment, or encourraged his employees to do so.  Chick-fil-a d does not refuse to hire GLT employees.  I can ppoint to numerous examples of the commpany's great philanthropic outreach.  There is nothing evil about Mr. Cathy or his business.

This controversy too shall pass. Chick-fil-a will survive based not on the Cathy family’s personal views but on its ability to produce a quality product at a reasonable price in a manner that is pleasing to its customers 

Tonight with a renewed sense of appreciation, my husband and I will use Roads and Bridges to get to Chick-fil-a. We plan to arrive shovel ready.