Monday, January 28, 2013
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Sorry I'm late!
My apologies to those of you who were waiting for the last several months for your moderated comments to be approved. Somehow I'd managed to lock myself out of my own blog and have only just now figured out how to get back in, lol.
Though I don't blog much these days, I do appreciate the time it takes to write to me (this includes the private emails that I don't publish) and I do read them all.
Thanks!
~Free
Though I don't blog much these days, I do appreciate the time it takes to write to me (this includes the private emails that I don't publish) and I do read them all.
Thanks!
~Free
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
At The End Of The Day
I read this in a devotional recently & wanted to share it here:
Bishop T. Wilson (1663-1755) asked himself these questions at the end of the day:
What good am I doing in the world?
Am I bringing up my children to fear God?
Have I been kind and helpful to poor and needy people?
Have I been honest in all my dealings?
Have I lived in the fear of God and worshipped Him both publicly and privately?
Of course, being able to give positive answers to all of these is not what saves us, but it's good to reflect upon our walk from time to time, so I always appreciate hearing or reading about the ways in which others evaluate themselves.
Lately, I've also been wondering why it is that some get so annoyed whenever the idea of doing good works or even keeping the Law is brought up. Since when is wanting to do well by others and wanting to rest on a particular day of the week a bad thing? I can understand the issue if one believes that their salvation is gained by either of these, but for those who count it a joy or even a sacrifice to the Father to do so, why is there so much negativity thrown their way by fellow believers?
I continue to ask this as I continue to encounter people who consistently take offense to any mention of Sabbath keeping and any mention of striving to do good works. I often hear how impossible it is to keep the law as though that's an excuse not to even try.
But anyway...
Hope everyone is enjoying a blessed week and even if you're nowhere near perfect, I hope you set your goals high and at least try to be. Somehow, I don't think Elohim minds this at all! ;)
Goodnight all and enjoy His grace!
~Free
Bishop T. Wilson (1663-1755) asked himself these questions at the end of the day:
What good am I doing in the world?
Am I bringing up my children to fear God?
Have I been kind and helpful to poor and needy people?
Have I been honest in all my dealings?
Have I lived in the fear of God and worshipped Him both publicly and privately?
Of course, being able to give positive answers to all of these is not what saves us, but it's good to reflect upon our walk from time to time, so I always appreciate hearing or reading about the ways in which others evaluate themselves.
Lately, I've also been wondering why it is that some get so annoyed whenever the idea of doing good works or even keeping the Law is brought up. Since when is wanting to do well by others and wanting to rest on a particular day of the week a bad thing? I can understand the issue if one believes that their salvation is gained by either of these, but for those who count it a joy or even a sacrifice to the Father to do so, why is there so much negativity thrown their way by fellow believers?
I continue to ask this as I continue to encounter people who consistently take offense to any mention of Sabbath keeping and any mention of striving to do good works. I often hear how impossible it is to keep the law as though that's an excuse not to even try.
But anyway...
Hope everyone is enjoying a blessed week and even if you're nowhere near perfect, I hope you set your goals high and at least try to be. Somehow, I don't think Elohim minds this at all! ;)
Goodnight all and enjoy His grace!
~Free
Monday, December 31, 2007
HAPPY NEW YEAR
Theories prevail that we are not actually at the turning point of a new year. This thought is that a new year doesn't begin in the dead of Winter, but rather sometime in Spring when nature blooms. However, according to our calendar (right or wrong) this is seen as a new beginning throughout most of the world. So I'd like to take this space to offer blessings to each of you in the year ahead.
I know I haven't blogged much in the past month. There's no particular reason for that, either (lol). But I've been around and have still been enjoying, learning from and even commenting on some of your blogs. I so appreciate all of you. Your blogs challenge me, amuse me, bless me, edify me and give me an opportunity to get to know some downright awesome people all over the world.
I pray that all of you are able to put aside all of the worries and disappointments of 2007...that you are able to grow from your lessons in this past year and that you hold dear all of the good memories you created and participated in in this past year. May 2008 be a year of positive change, intense growth, expanded knowledge, gracious teaching and the year that you seek the Father as never before. May you and yours know His goodness, grace, mercy, love and favor all of 2008 and beyond.
I appreciate each and every one of you!
Have the happiest of new years,
Free
I know I haven't blogged much in the past month. There's no particular reason for that, either (lol). But I've been around and have still been enjoying, learning from and even commenting on some of your blogs. I so appreciate all of you. Your blogs challenge me, amuse me, bless me, edify me and give me an opportunity to get to know some downright awesome people all over the world.
I pray that all of you are able to put aside all of the worries and disappointments of 2007...that you are able to grow from your lessons in this past year and that you hold dear all of the good memories you created and participated in in this past year. May 2008 be a year of positive change, intense growth, expanded knowledge, gracious teaching and the year that you seek the Father as never before. May you and yours know His goodness, grace, mercy, love and favor all of 2008 and beyond.
I appreciate each and every one of you!
Have the happiest of new years,
Free
Friday, November 30, 2007
Self-evaluation
I snagged this off of An Help Meet For Him blog a few months ago and keep it handy to reflect upon when I need a reality check. They are actually the questions that members of John Wesley's Holy Club asked themselves daily:
1. Am I consciously or unconsciously creating the impression that I am a better person than I really am? In other words, am I a hypocrite?
2. Am I honest in all my acts and words, or do I exaggerate?
3. Do I confidentially pass on what was told to me in confidence?
4. Can I be trusted?
5. Am I a slave to dress, friends, work, or habit?
6. Am I self-conscious, self-pitying, or self-justifying?
7. Did the Bible live in me today?
8. Do I give Elohim time to speak to me everyday?
9. Am I enjoying prayer?
10. When did I last speak to someone else about my faith?
11. Do I pray about the money I spend?
12. Do I get to bed on time and get up on time?
13. Do I disobey Elohim in anything?
14. Do I insist in doing something in which my conscience is uneasy?
15. Am I defeated in any part of my life?
16. Am I jealous, impure, irritable, touchy, or distrustful?
17. How do I spend my spare time?
18. Am I proud?
19. Do I thank Elohim I am not as other people, especially as the Pharisees who despised the publican?
20. Is there anyone I fear, dislike, criticize, or resent? If so, what am I doing about it?
21. Do I grumble and complain constantly?
22. Is Messiah real to me today?
Periodically asking myself these questions has been a great exercise in helping me discover personal areas of necessary improvement and I'm passing them on in hopes that you too will reflect on them often that we may all grow better and stronger in Him.
Let's remember to pray for one another, that we will represent Him well at all times!
Indeed,
Free
1. Am I consciously or unconsciously creating the impression that I am a better person than I really am? In other words, am I a hypocrite?
2. Am I honest in all my acts and words, or do I exaggerate?
3. Do I confidentially pass on what was told to me in confidence?
4. Can I be trusted?
5. Am I a slave to dress, friends, work, or habit?
6. Am I self-conscious, self-pitying, or self-justifying?
7. Did the Bible live in me today?
8. Do I give Elohim time to speak to me everyday?
9. Am I enjoying prayer?
10. When did I last speak to someone else about my faith?
11. Do I pray about the money I spend?
12. Do I get to bed on time and get up on time?
13. Do I disobey Elohim in anything?
14. Do I insist in doing something in which my conscience is uneasy?
15. Am I defeated in any part of my life?
16. Am I jealous, impure, irritable, touchy, or distrustful?
17. How do I spend my spare time?
18. Am I proud?
19. Do I thank Elohim I am not as other people, especially as the Pharisees who despised the publican?
20. Is there anyone I fear, dislike, criticize, or resent? If so, what am I doing about it?
21. Do I grumble and complain constantly?
22. Is Messiah real to me today?
Periodically asking myself these questions has been a great exercise in helping me discover personal areas of necessary improvement and I'm passing them on in hopes that you too will reflect on them often that we may all grow better and stronger in Him.
Let's remember to pray for one another, that we will represent Him well at all times!
Indeed,
Free
Sunday, November 25, 2007
We Should All Have Such Worries
I was catching up on a few more blogs and ran across one on The Gospel In China that really struck my heart. I hope you'll read it and glean from it too. I have felt the burden described by the author before and long to feel it more often as it's one that I most sincerely welcome.
~Free
~Free
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Just Checking In After An Interesting Weekend
I'm not wild about going to the doctor. Nothing personal against the medical profession, I just prefer to look after my own body through proper diet, exercise, prayer, rest and treating whatever ails me with herbs and other natural remedies. Yesterday, however, I had to give in and make a trip to the Emergency Room.
Sabbath afternoon, I felt really, really tired and laid down for a nap before church. Couldn't lie on my left side, however, because of pain and pressure on that side of my face and head. I thought it was simply a headache coming on because I was tired and that it would clear up with a little nap. Well, 20 minutes or so later, I was up again and the pain was intensified. By this time, I'm thinking it's just a little sinus pressure and it will go away on its own. So Mr. Free and I head to church and I could barely sit still through the service as the pain was literally growing worse and worse by the second. I whispered to him that I needed to go to the hospital, but that I didn't want to go at that exact moment. I just didn't feel right running from church to the hospital. LOL Church was only an hour or so, but I swear it felt like 5 hours. I did my best to concentrate and pray over the pain, but it was difficult. I literally thought I was going to pass out as the entire left side of my face was aching something terrible and I had shooting pains deep in the inside of my ear. I cannot even describe to you how much it hurt!
Ok, so I get to the ER and why did the intake nurse immediately order an EKG?! Of course, I said my ear hurts, but I also said a lot of other stuff hurt and that I'd been having weird symptoms for days prior (I'd been smelling smoke that no one else could smell and have felt like a chemical of some sort was settled into the back of my throat...turns out it was all compliments of the residual effects of wildfires that had been raging around these parts a few weeks ago and was trapped in my sinus cavity...gross!). The nurse took all of this "odd" information to mean that I may be having a heart attack! See, this is part of the reason I don't do the Dr. thing too often. I went in with an ear/sinus issue and they were about to diagnose me with a heart condition. lol
So, after they scared the mess out of me with an EKG (which was fine, btw) and ushering me into the cardiology dept for further examination, I finally saw a real doctor. Although I'd told the 2 prior nurses that I suspected an ear infection, one (the one that ordered the EKG) didn't even bother to look inside of my ear and the second one looked inside, but said it looked perfectly fine. At last, a the very kind doctor assigned to me actually listened to my prognosis, took a real look inside (as opposed to one just to shut me up) and discovered I have a raging inner-ear infection which has been caused by an long-untreated sinus infection. She even asked me why I'd had an EKG to which I just looked at her like, "you're kidding, right?" I mean, it's not like I asked for one, lady. I was too grateful for her help and her bedside manner was impeccable, otherwise I may have been led to give her my mom's speech on how the medical profession is merely "practicing" medicine, and haven't quite gotten it right yet. lol
Though I don't like taking medications, ESPECIALLY antibiotics, I haven't the time or energy to research the best natural treatment for something so painful and so advanced on such short notice, so I've relented and am taking the meds as prescribed. Okay, not exactly as prescribed as I've only taken one of the pain pills and have decided that I don't need anymore. The pain has substantially subsided and those things knock me completely out. I literally slept from 1a Sunday morning until 8:30p Sunday night...only waking to take more meds...and that was off of just one pain pill (plus a decongestant which also makes me sleepy, but that the doctor says will work with the antibiotic to knock it completely out once and for all).
Anyway, it's 1:30a and I've just taken another round of meds. Not sure if I have anymore sleep left in me, lol, so I'm blogging and catching up on all of the blogs I've missed over the weekend.
Since I'm taking a little time off, I thought you might enjoy checking out a few entries that will surely bless you:
Better Than Love by Kerry at An Help Meet For Him blog
An Interesting Article on Christmas by EliYah
Also, a good discussion on Christmas on EliYah's forums
Lastly, an interesting take on new illegal immigration laws and how they may affect ministry efforts on Jim Wallis' blog, God's Politics, at BeliefNet.
Hope everyone has a blessed week and I'll be back soon.
~Free
Sabbath afternoon, I felt really, really tired and laid down for a nap before church. Couldn't lie on my left side, however, because of pain and pressure on that side of my face and head. I thought it was simply a headache coming on because I was tired and that it would clear up with a little nap. Well, 20 minutes or so later, I was up again and the pain was intensified. By this time, I'm thinking it's just a little sinus pressure and it will go away on its own. So Mr. Free and I head to church and I could barely sit still through the service as the pain was literally growing worse and worse by the second. I whispered to him that I needed to go to the hospital, but that I didn't want to go at that exact moment. I just didn't feel right running from church to the hospital. LOL Church was only an hour or so, but I swear it felt like 5 hours. I did my best to concentrate and pray over the pain, but it was difficult. I literally thought I was going to pass out as the entire left side of my face was aching something terrible and I had shooting pains deep in the inside of my ear. I cannot even describe to you how much it hurt!
Ok, so I get to the ER and why did the intake nurse immediately order an EKG?! Of course, I said my ear hurts, but I also said a lot of other stuff hurt and that I'd been having weird symptoms for days prior (I'd been smelling smoke that no one else could smell and have felt like a chemical of some sort was settled into the back of my throat...turns out it was all compliments of the residual effects of wildfires that had been raging around these parts a few weeks ago and was trapped in my sinus cavity...gross!). The nurse took all of this "odd" information to mean that I may be having a heart attack! See, this is part of the reason I don't do the Dr. thing too often. I went in with an ear/sinus issue and they were about to diagnose me with a heart condition. lol
So, after they scared the mess out of me with an EKG (which was fine, btw) and ushering me into the cardiology dept for further examination, I finally saw a real doctor. Although I'd told the 2 prior nurses that I suspected an ear infection, one (the one that ordered the EKG) didn't even bother to look inside of my ear and the second one looked inside, but said it looked perfectly fine. At last, a the very kind doctor assigned to me actually listened to my prognosis, took a real look inside (as opposed to one just to shut me up) and discovered I have a raging inner-ear infection which has been caused by an long-untreated sinus infection. She even asked me why I'd had an EKG to which I just looked at her like, "you're kidding, right?" I mean, it's not like I asked for one, lady. I was too grateful for her help and her bedside manner was impeccable, otherwise I may have been led to give her my mom's speech on how the medical profession is merely "practicing" medicine, and haven't quite gotten it right yet. lol
Though I don't like taking medications, ESPECIALLY antibiotics, I haven't the time or energy to research the best natural treatment for something so painful and so advanced on such short notice, so I've relented and am taking the meds as prescribed. Okay, not exactly as prescribed as I've only taken one of the pain pills and have decided that I don't need anymore. The pain has substantially subsided and those things knock me completely out. I literally slept from 1a Sunday morning until 8:30p Sunday night...only waking to take more meds...and that was off of just one pain pill (plus a decongestant which also makes me sleepy, but that the doctor says will work with the antibiotic to knock it completely out once and for all).
Anyway, it's 1:30a and I've just taken another round of meds. Not sure if I have anymore sleep left in me, lol, so I'm blogging and catching up on all of the blogs I've missed over the weekend.
Since I'm taking a little time off, I thought you might enjoy checking out a few entries that will surely bless you:
Better Than Love by Kerry at An Help Meet For Him blog
An Interesting Article on Christmas by EliYah
Also, a good discussion on Christmas on EliYah's forums
Lastly, an interesting take on new illegal immigration laws and how they may affect ministry efforts on Jim Wallis' blog, God's Politics, at BeliefNet.
Hope everyone has a blessed week and I'll be back soon.
~Free
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