A Walk on the Beach

My wife, my youngest daughter and I have been enjoying a much needed vacation the last few days. We are enjoying a great time of rest and relaxation on Miramar Beach just east of Destin, Florida.

This morning I arose early, made myself some coffee, and started looking at my computer. Just then, good judgement from God's Holy Spirit came over me and told me that this computer is going home with me, the beach isn't, so I slipped on some flip-flops and headed out to the beach.

Jennifer wants to make a little seashell collection for her new apartment in Conway next fall so I've been picking up a few along the way. This morning I found more than I had found all totaled for the week! I spoke to some guys fishing, saw a small stingray swimming around, I watched a heron fish for a time, and saw a crab or two rolling with the tide.

While I walked, I met a few others out for a stroll and some of those crazy people out jogging/running on the beach. Some ran past as I leisurely strolled through the surf. We all left footprints. But as the waves licked up onto the sugary beach the footprints were wiped out, removing any sign that anyone had been there.

That reminded me of the forgiveness of sin that God offers. No matter how big the footprint, how deep the imprint, how close together or how far apart, the wave washes the footprint away. The same is true for God's children. God isn't some pompous policeman sitting on a throne in heaven watching for us to slip up so He can throw down a judgment to 'get us'. Rather He is a merciful father who watches His children to help them back up when they fall, to brush them off and put them back on the right path. God doesn't love us less when we fail, His love is contingent upon Him, not us, and He is perfect...in love, in mercy, in forgiveness and peace.

I know we all let stuff build up in our spirits; wrongs that we've done, things we've done that don't please God, or things that embarrass us after the fact. The fact is God forgives, thoroughly and completely, as far as the east is from the west. Not north and sound as there are points both north and south, but there is no end to east and west, they just dissolve into one another, like footprints disappearing on the shore.

I am convinced we are too hard on ourselves. We need to fill ourselves with the joy and peace that God offers and let Him remove from us the pain, hurt and guilt that sin brings. Enjoy the day my friends. It's a gift from your Father!

Welcome Home!

It was a windy ride over to Central Flying Service this morning, but what a great way to start the day. We, the Patriot Guard Riders, had been asked to help welcome home a group of Nat'l Guard soldiers who had been in Kosovo the last year. The tears of joy, laughter, smiles, hugs, etc. given these returning heroes from family and friends warmed my heart and made me really glad I was there.

As I shook hands, patted backs, and welcomed these heroes home my mind went to Kosovo to another hero who is still there, Missionary David Helmick and his family have made that country their home in hopes of leading people to Jesus. Thank you Lord for people who still answer the call, those from their country and those from their Lord.

10 things to never stop

Borrowed from a friend (thanks Jon Cook).

As people grow older and the chapters of life begin to accumulate, there are certain things that should never stop. These are the important things in life, the ones that would lessen your life if they were forgotten.

1. Never stop making new friends. The world is full of people who have the potential to become your next great friend. It’s ideal, or at least very optimistic, but with the amount of people in the world, it’s definitely not far-fetched.
2. Never stop forgiving. I have heard numerous stories of men on their deathbeds regretting those offenses they never forgave. Life’s too short to not spread grace generously.
3. Never stop learning. The day you stop learning should be the day that you die. Mark Twain said about a colleague, “He died at 30. They buried him at 60.” Don’t let that be your legacy. Live to learn.
   
4. Never stop reading. You may hate reading. You may think it’s the greatest thing in the world. Whatever your taste may be, reading will be relevant in your world for the rest of your life. Reading is a great equalizer among kings and peasants: both can possess and develop this skill with equal opportunity.
   
5. Never stop thinking. Don’t be a blind consumer of information. Chew on it and think through what you’re hearing and reading. Eat the meat, spit out the bones. Like the good, lose the bad.
6. Never stop listening. As my dad says, “God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason.” Listening is an art to be perfected. If you know what you’re going to say before the other person stops talking, you’re not really listening. Guilty as charged.
   
7. Never stop dreaming. If we lose that idea of how to chase an idea, we’ve lost our creative nature that echoes the image and nature of God. These are the bucket lists and the wish lists, the “what-if’s” we dare to ask, and the dream vacations and the faraway places you wish to see.
8. Never stop asking questions. Being curious and inquisitive is one of our greatest gifts from God. Some of the most successful people in the world are also some of the most curious. Coincidence?
9. Never stop mentoring. The gift of knowledge is meant to be shared. When you’re gone and all that’s left is your legacy, who will be there to remember what you taught them and how you poured into their lives?
   
10. Never stop caring. Apathy is the bane of human existence. If you stop caring, you stop living. To care is to know that some things still hold value, that some things still matter and are worth the next breath we take.

A Labor of Love

I have been a busy guy lately. But it's a good busy! I've been helping my best buddy "Grumpy" and Ms. Vicky redo their kitchen. It's been a big job. We tore out a wall and extended the kitchen out about 4 feet and then added a laundry room. We ripped the old floor system out down to the concrete floor, ripped the walls out down to the studs, tore out the ceiling to the joists, added one and relocated another window. Then we started with the replumbing, rewiring, and reinsulating.

We added 4 new doors (a sliding glass door, a pocket door, and two storm doors. We put up sheet rock, a plywood ceiling, and built up the floor. On the plywood ceiling we added 3" tongue and groove pine material and lacquered it. It really looks nice. Then we installed the new wall cabinets.

After that we put in an electric floor heating system, covered with a self-leveling floor material, then laid ceramic tile. The latest addition was the base cabinets and the plywood top to get ready to install the marble tile countertops.

It's been a lot of work and a lot of hours but I'm having a blast. Why? Because I'm seeing progress and I remember what it looked like when we started. I've got to spend time with my friend and I've learned a lot of new things (some at the risk of slight injury). I look forward to finishing the project just so we can enjoy the fruits of our labors. But the two of us are already planning the next project! Are we nuts? Maybe so. But it's a wonderful thing to have a friend. Someone that you can count on and one that can count on you.

It's also really cool to see how each part of the process improves the whole. While I was thinking about the next time we can get together to work on this project I was impressed with a spiritual correlation...

Jesus is that friend that sticks closer than a brother. He loves being with us, whether He is helping us with or through a particular challenge or project or just hanging out and enjoying one anothers company. Jesus is also that master carpenter that can take the broken down shell of a sinful man, woman, boy or girl and make him into something new, shiny and wonderful. We are His creation!

The next time I'm helping "Grumpy" I hope I remember that I'm still a project in the hands of the Master and to enjoy that work as much as I enjoy working with my friend.

I hope you know Jesus as your friend! He's like no other!

Have a great day my friends,

J

Merry Christmas 2010

I hope this post finds you and yours happy, healthy and whole and looking forward to a beautiful Christmas season with those that mean the most to you. I'm looking forward to a slow, relaxing holiday. We don't know yet if we will travel out to Alabama for a couple of days after Christmas or not. I'm still recovering from some cervical surgery and we don't know yet if I'll be released to travel or not. Regardless, Christmas is a wonderful time of year and the birth of Christ is something that simply must be celebrated!

This year has certainly been an active one for us. It's so hard to believe that our baby, Jennifer (18) is a freshman at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway. She's right in the middle of her first final's week, hope she does well. She is enjoying life as she participates in several activities and clubs both on and off campus. For her graduation present / family vacation we traveled up into the Northeast to see NYC, Boston, Rhode Island and Maine. We made sure the trip included seeing "Wicked" on Broadway. For a special treat, we also got to sit in on a taping of the Late Show with David Letterman.

Jessica (22) is almost finished with her education. One more semester and she will have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and be a Registered Nurse. We are so proud of her, she has done very well in school and we think will be a "cum laude" graduate of some sort. But there is other big news with Jessica. She and her boyfriend Matt are now engaged and are planning a Spring wedding on May 21, two weeks after she graduates. So we are all having lots of fun planning the wedding. Just a few weeks ago I had the gread blessing to baptize Matt after receiving him on profession of faith the week before. Matt bought a home in Austin, AR and he and Jessica have been making it look like a home. Their two dogs keep Matt company whle Jessica is away at school.

Shelia is still going strong as the registrar at Sylvan Hills High School. It seems that every day has it's drama and adventure but it's good to have a steady job. In addition, she continues to keep up with her running having already completed several half-marathons and more 5K's than I can remember. She had a little trouble with her feet and legs earlier this year, but all of that seems to be fine now.

I keep plugging along as well. I completed my 10th year of ministry as Pastor or Administration at Faith Baptist Church last month. The church was very gracious and helped us celebrate with a new suit and paying off my motorcycle. The church has just gone through a pastoral change but things just calm down a bit after the start of the year.

At the time of this writing I'm recuperating from cervical surgery to correct a ruptured disc. This has been a pain and a nuisance for most of the year cutting into my gym time and hindered most of my other activities. I hope the surgery will get me back into the thick of things. Lately I've been involved as I could helping my buddy, Grumpy remodel his kitchen. I'm hoping I recover soon as there are lots of things around the Hulsizer Hacienda that need to be addressed.

Some highlights form the year include a Medical Mission trip to Moldova. Jessica and I flew with 9 other church members to provide medical car for 3 or 4 communities served by our missionaries there. I've already mentioned the upcoming nuptuals from Matt and Jessica; Jennifer is exciting to be the maid of honor. It should be a wonderful experience. I hope you can make it. After the wedding, jeff and Shelia are excited about what will most assuredly be a welcome vacation down on the Gulf Coast.

This time last year we were worried about dealing with "empty nest syndrome". The truth is, we are staying busy enough that we really haven't had to deal with it!

Much love from me and mine, to you and yours. Merry Christmas!

Make it better

I'm a biker. I ride a bike. This morning I rode my bike, it was in the mid-20's this morning. I almost didn't want to be a biker any more. It was cold. I was bundled up but it was still cold, but I had places to be and things to do. As I was riding across the river bridge, thinking "woe is me", I looked at one of the huge billboards off to my right. There hanging precariously between heaven and earth, in 25 degree windy weather were two sign guys working on a sign. The pity I felt for myself gave way and I began to realize that my plight was not so bad.

Which got me to thinking. Isn't it true that you don't have to look very hard to find someone who is having a day worse that yours? I think we need to make it a daily challenge to make someone's day a little brighter every chance we get. Maybe it's just a kind word, or a smile, changing a flat tire, maybe buying them a cup of coffee, or even a hot meal. Maybe it's a phone call, a text message or an email. For some it might require a bit more; like providing Christmas for their kids, sitting with them at a hospital or a funeral home, getting them in touch with a professional, giving blood or a kidney.

It is true, the best way to get out of the dumps or to break up a pity party is to start counting your blessings, or better yet...being one!

Lessons from a donkey

One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do.

Finally, he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway; it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey.

He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly.

Then, to everyone's amazement he quieted down.

A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well. He was astonished at what he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up.

As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up.

Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily trotted off!

Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well

is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a stepping stone. We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping, never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up.

Remember the five simple rules to be happy:

Free your heart from hatred - Forgive.

Free your mind from worries - Most never happen.

Live simply and appreciate what you have.

Give more.

Expect less.

Funny, or it is?

In my work as a youth pastor a few years back I formulated a couple of definitions regarding pranks. This became necessary each year as we embarked upon the prospect of church camp. You know, that place where corn flakes in your sleeping bag, and the old shaving cream in your hand and tickle your ear trick, among others - are common place. I had grown weary of dealing with sleeping bags that had been rendered unusable and having students completely out of clean clothes by Tuesday because of a well placed water balloon (or worse). So this is what I came up with...

A prank is defined as something that when it is over, both parties can share a laugh.

When, at the end, only one party is laughing borders on terrorism and will not be tolerated.

I am reminded of this because this past Sunday morning as I finished up my shower, my wife said, "You're not going to believe this but someone has rolled our yard." What? This isn't homecoming week! What's the deal? But then I remembered our youngest daughter is leaving for her freshman year of college next Sunday but some of her friends who will attend different colleges will leave earlier. It must have been a last hurrah prank.

Since I don't take as long to get ready (hair, makeup, etc.) it was agreed that I would clean up the front yard. As I reached up and bent over to retrieve not only toilet paper, but forks stuck into my lawn, and unwrapped my daughters car from the plastic wrap, and cleaned the 5# of Vaseline from under each door handle I wondered, "Do they think this is funny to me?"

I was upset, I even considered tracking down the miscreants responsible for this heinous crime and giving them a piece of my mind and maybe a piece of my right shoe as well.

Well, after my second shower and rushing around we finally arrived at church, I calmed down some but noticed that I was being smiled at a bit unnaturally by some of the young people. "Do they know something?" "Was it them?" Then I became aware of a situation altering fact.

It seems that my sweet daughter was involved in a yard-rolling incident earlier in the week that set in motion a retribution attack. So I cleaned up a revenge-roll? No longer could I be upset at the ne'er-do-wells that had attacked my lawn, but I could and I can state the fact that any subsequent cleanings will be done by the one who prompted the attack!

I wonder, do college kids roll yards?

Out of Order

I'd been standing in waist deep ice water for over thirty minutes. I had my waders on but the water was still cold enough to send an occasional chill up my spine. I was casting to the end of the dock at Branson Landing. I'd been casting for more than half an hour and I couldn't get more than a tug every now and again.

I knew my bait was correct. I'd done my homework. It just wasn't working. My step-dad was watching me from the railing. "Franklin," I said, "I don't know what else to do?" He leaned over the railing and said, Switch the order. Try putting the powerbait on first and tip the hook with the worm."

What could it hurt? I switched the order. I caught a fish on the next cast and the next, and the next, and the next... I caught fish until I ran out of light. I had things out of order. I got the order correct and the rest was easy.

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Matt. 6.33

Borrowed from my good friend Robert Leonard...thanks Rob!

It's Who You Know!

A good friend of mine's dad went to the Holy Land back in the early 70's. It was right after the "Six Days War". Before he left he was given a package by his friend, Mike. Mike owned a jewelry store in my home town and his father and brothers owned a jewelry store in Jerusalem, on David Street. Dad was to find the shop and deliver the package to Mike's dad.

Long story short, dad found the shop and delivered the package. Mike's dad couldn't speak english but Mike's brothers could. Mike's dad wanted my father to come to a dinner that would be given in his honor. He wanted him to come that very night. He invited him to bring whomever he wished. He would send a car to their hotel at 7pm.

You can imagine that everyone was a little suspicious of traveling around Jerusalem at night so soon after an armed conflict but my dad was determined and two of the other ministers were brave or crazy enough to go along. They were picked up at 7pm and driven just outside the old city to the home of Mike's father. My dad said they were ushered into a large banquet room with one long table in the center or it. There were many guests and my father and his friends were seated on the left of the host. Each man had a large plate set before him with a drink on his right. The table was covered with all sorts of meats, vegetables, fruits, bread, rice, and noodles.

Women hovered around the table and as the men ate the women refilled their plates. The women made sure that no plate was ever empty and no cup was allowed to run dry. My father said that Mike's dad sat at the head of the table. As the meal progressed, the Old Man would smile and nod to his guests. He would speak to some but he spent most of his time looking at my father and his friends. Dad said that the Old Man would smile and tears would roll down his face as he would say the only three words of english that he knew, "You know Mike. You know Mike."

There is a banquet being prepared for us. The table is set. We are all invited. There is only one name that will allow us access to that dining hall. And some day, in eternity, The Father will sit at the head of that table and with tears in his eyes he will call out across the universe, "You know Jesus. You know Jesus." And we'll all weep for joy.

We are well aware that who you know and who knows you is far more important that what you know.

"Then the angel said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!' And he added, 'These are the true words of God.'"

Hope to see you around the table.

Thanks for the story Rob!

I had seen this before but thought it was worth sharing...oorah!

This is little-known story from the Pentagon on 09/11/2001:

During a visit with a fellow chaplain, who happened to be assigned to the Pentagon, I had a chance to hear a first-hand account of an incident that happened right after Flight 77 hit the Pentagon. The chaplain told me what happened at a daycare center near where the impact occurred. This daycare had many children, including infants who were in heavy cribs. The daycare supervisor, looking at all the children they needed to evacuate, was in a panic over what they could do. There were many children, mostly toddlers, as well as the infants that would need to be taken out with the cribs.

There was no time to try to bundle them into carriers and strollers. Just then a young Marine came running into the center and asked what they needed. After hearing what the center director was trying to do, he ran back out into the hallway and disappeared. The director thought, 'well, there we are—on our own.'

About 2 minutes later, that Marine returned with 40 other Marines in tow. Each of them grabbed a crib with a child, and the rest started gathering up toddlers. The director and her staff then helped them take all the children out of the center and down toward the park near the Potomac and the Pentagon. Once they got about 3/4 of a mile outside the building, the Marines stopped in the park, and then did a fabulous thing - they formed a circle with the cribs, which were quite sturdy and heavy, like the covered wagons in the Old West. Inside this circle of cribs, they put the toddlers, to keep them from wandering off. Outside this circle were the 40 Marines, forming a perimeter around the children and waiting for instructions. There they remained until the parents could be notified and come get their children..

The chaplain then said, "I don't think any of us saw nor heard of this on any of the news stories of the day. It was an incredible story of our men there. There wasn't a dry eye in the room. The thought of those Marines and what they did and how fast they reacted; could we expect any less from them? It was one of the most touching stories from the Pentagon.

May God Bless the USA , our troops, and you.

2 Chronicles 7:14 says "if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

Always remember it's the Military, not the reporter who has given us the freedom of the press. It's the Military, not the poet, who has given us the freedom of speech. It's the Military, not the politicians that ensures our right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It's the Military who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag.

This video is such a blessing to me. It really speaks to the love God has for us and of the joy

He desires for us. I hope you find it encouraging. May God bless you!

A Better Idea

I've been chewing on a rant the last few days about people who have perverted the word "baptist" (Westboro Baptist Church) and the word "Christian" (so called "Christian" militias targeting law enforcement officers). But I've decided, thanks to my buddy Joe Hamilton, to keep my blood-pressure at a healthy level and share these home remedies!

Amazingly simple home remedies...

1. Avoid cutting yourself when slicing vegetables by getting someone else to hold the vegetables while you chop.

2. Avoid arguments with females about lifting the toilet seat by using the sink.

3. For high blood pressure sufferers ~ simply cut yourself and bleed for a few minutes, thus reducing the pressure on your veins. Remember to use a timer.

4. A mouse trap placed on top of your alarm clock will prevent you from rolling over and going back to sleep after you hit the snooze button.

5. If you have a bad cough, take a large dose of laxatives. Then you'll be afraid to cough.

6. You only need two tools in life - WD-40 and duct tape. If it doesn't move and should, use the WD-40. If it shouldn't move and does, use the duct tape.

7. If you can't fix it with a hammer, you've got an electrical problem.

Daily thought:
Some people are like slinkies - not really good for anything but they bring a smile to your face when you push them down the stairs.

Thanks Joe, I feel much better now!

I am a Biker...

I love motorcycles, I loved them as a kid when I was riding my little Honda CL70 all over the powerlines and gravel pits around my hometown even though it was a street bike. I really loved bikes when I moved up to a Honda SL125 that was actually made for that kind of riding. As I got older (and bigger) I loved my dad's Yamaha Enduro 250, then I got a car, a job, went to college, got a job, got married, had kids, yada-yada-yada, then I began to long for a motorcycle again. A little over three years ago I bought a Kawasaki Vulcan 1600 and she is my transportation. Oh, I could carpool with the wife or kidnap a daughter's car, but I love to ride my bike. I've ridden basically every day the last two weeks in morning temperatures between 27 and 40. This week I leave the house about 6:30 and haven't gotten home any earlier than 9:15 pm. It's a little chilly but I dress for it. People just look at me, people think I nuts, or hard core or something but I just love to ride. I didn't buy my bike to sit in the garage except for a weekend whiz up to Drasco every now and then. I bought it to ride it. So when I saw this email today I just had to share it with those of you who understand what it is to be a biker, those that want to understand, and those who may never understand. Enjoy...

12 Things Riding My Motorcycle Taught Me-- 1. The only good view of a thunderstorm is in your rear view mirror. 2. Four wheels move the body; two wheels move the soul. 3. I'd rather be riding my motorcycle and thinking about God, than sitting in church thinking about my motorcycle. 4. Life may begin at 40, but it doesn't get real interesting until about 80 (mph). 5. Midnight bugs taste just as bad as Noon time bugs. 6. Sometimes it takes 3 or 4 tanks full of gas before I can think straight. 7. A bike on the road is freedom. 8. Young riders pick a destination; old riders pick a direction. 9. When you're riding with a full face helmet, don't spit. (or sneeze) 10. Catching a yellow jacket in your shirt will double your vocabulary. 11. If you can't get it going with duct tape or zip ties, it's serious. 12. Only a biker knows why a dog sticks his head out of a car window.

Hey, let's go ride!

Predictions for 2010

As we begin 2010 with all the problems the world is facing,
it can be somewhat unsettling. While I am certainly no sayer of sooth, please let me share with you ten predications that are sure to come true next year!

1. The Bible will still have all the answers.
2. Prayer will still be the most powerful thing on Earth..
3. The Holy Spirit will still move.
4. God will still honor the praises of His people.
5. There will still be God-anointed preaching.
6. There will still be singing of praise to God.
7. God will still pour out blessings upon His people.
8. There will still be room at the Cross.
9. Jesus will still love you.
10...Jesus will still save the lost when they come to Him.

Isn't it great to remember who is really in control, and that; "the Word of the Lord endures forever." 1 Peter 1:25

Christmas for all?

I heard a quote attributed to our president, in which he said that "Christmas is a holiday for all religions." That may be a lovely sentiment but it's simply not true. A better statement would have been "Christmas is a holiday for all people." As Jesus Christ, the originator of Christmas, came to earth to provide a means of salvation for all people.
It has long been my contention that religion has done more damage to Christianity than most anything else. At any rate, I have had a bad taste in my mouth for years about those individuals who snarl their nose up at the celebration of Christmas, yet want the same benefits and privileges of those of us who believe in the truth and spirit of the holiday.
Years ago I worked for a wonderful Christian man who provided his employees with a very nice Christmas party and a Christmas bonus check. We had one employee who, for religious purposes, did not celebrate Christmas. I loved it when the boss told him that in that case he would not be receiving his "Christmas" bonus nor would he be invited to the "Christmas" party, and that he could clean up the shop on the day we closed the shop down for "Christmas". After all, America was built on religious freedom and he didn't want to cause this brother to stumble in his convictions. CLASSIC!
I have the same rumble in my gut from those who feel it is unfair to impose greeting "Merry Christmas" on the masses. They complain about the Nativity scene at the State Capital, they complain about Christmas carols being sung in public schools, and try to remove all signs of "Christ" from the "Christmas" holiday. You just can't do that! They throw their little tantrums but do they take the day off from work, do they exchange gifts, do they put up a tree, whether they do or not is immaterial. They have the right NOT to celebrate, but we have the right TO celebrate. CHRISTmas is a CHRISTian holiday, but America was founded to be a CHRISTian nation, not to the point that we impose a state religion on anyone, but in the same manner as English is our national language, HELLO!, we are a CHRISTIAN nation.
May I say with all Christian sympathy and love, "this is America, we speak English, we celebrate Christmas, we're a Christian nation. Don't like it? You are FREE to leave!"
To those of you who are wise enough to recognize that without Christ there is no Christmas, I wish you a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!

A New Heart

I borrowed this from an email from a dear friend, Bro. Robert Leonard, the MBSF Director at UAM. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. GOD IS GOOD!

Cameron Fowler is 4 months and 3 days old today. He has a new heart. The story is rather miraculous.

The jet landed at LR airport last night just before 10pm. The donor team transferred the heart to the helicopter from Children's hospital. The copter flew the organ the last few miles over to Children's.

Shortly after 10pm, the doctors and nurses of Children's hospital began working on Cameron. It's amazing that such a small organ could be placed in such a little body so quickly and skillfully. The physicians placed the heart in Cameron's chest and prepared to administer a small electrical shock to get in started. That's when the miracle happened.

It may not be a miracle that an organ can be harvested from one body and placed in another. It's standard medical procedure that you can drop the temperature of an organ and preserve it for a period of time. Skill and training provide doctors with the knowledge to be able to perform such delicate procedures. But what happened to Cameron had nothing to do with any of that.

When they placed the heart inside his chest and sutured the arteries together and started the blood flow to his new heart something wonderful happened. The heart began to beat on its own.

"Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." Psalm 51.10

"O God, We've studied and we've trained. We've gone to countless conferences and worship times. We've been faithful, Lord, but all these things mean nothing unless you speak life into our hearts. Restore our hearts and renew our spirits that they might beat, on their own, for You. We love you, LORD. Amen"

Happy Holidays or Merry Christmas?

I've got to be honest with you. I can sometimes jump a little hastily into impatience and exasperation, especially when it has to do with my beliefs and my Savior. A major contributor to such emotion is the current "PC" practice of moving from "Merry Christmas" to "Happy Holidays". I just read an interesting article that I will repost below that gave me a different perspective on the "controversy". I still bristle at the idea of removing Christ from Christmas, but there are some things here that make an awful lot of sense to me. Check it out...


Letter From Jesus About Christmas:

It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season.

How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own. I don't care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth, just GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

Now, having said that let Me go on. If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn't allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santas and snowmen and put in a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn. If all My followers did that there wouldn't be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all around town.

Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees. You can remember Me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grape vine if you wish: I actually spoke of that one in a teaching, explaining who I am in relation to you and what each of our tasks were. If you have forgotten that one, look up John 15: 1 - 8.

If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth here is my wish list. Choose something from it:

1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell Me all the time.

2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don't have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.

3. Instead of writing the President complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don't you write and tell him that you'll be praying for him and his family this year. Then follow up... It will be nice hearing from you again.

4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can't afford and they don't need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth, and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.

5 Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.

6. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don't know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile; it could make the difference.

7. Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren't allowed to wish you a "Merry Christmas" that doesn't keep you from wishing them one. Then stop shopping there on Sunday. If the store didn't make so much money on that day they'd close and let their employees spend the day at home with their families

8. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary-- especially one who takes My love and Good News to those who have never heard My name.

9. Here's a good one. There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no "Christmas" tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don't know them, buy some food and a few gifts and give them to the Salvation Army or some other charity which believes in Me and they will make the delivery for you.

10. Finally, if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don't do things in secret that you wouldn't do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine.

Don't forget; I am God and can take care of Myself. Just love Me and do what I have told you to do. I'll take care of all the rest. Check out the list above and get to work; time is short. I'll help you, but the ball is now in your court. And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love and remember :


I LOVE YOU,
JESUS


There you go! Kinda makes you think doesn't it?

Thankful for What?

"Into every life a little rain must fall"...no really? In the world in which we find ourselves, it is easy to think that we are "under the circumstances", after all we are in a recession, financial woes affect us all, the pressures of this old world are nipping at our heels, and none of us are getting any younger.

Depressed yet? That's not my intent. To elevate our attitude to one of gratitude one needs only spend a few moments reflecting on the counting of blessings received. That's not to say that will make the bad times disappear, but it does make the balance a little more truthful.

We are blessed beyond measure when we consider that "every good and perfect gift comes from above". Life, health, joy, happiness, everything we find enjoyable and precious is a gift from a loving Heavenly Father who wants to shower His children with joy. The trouble is we are living on a sin-infested world that filters the love and joy at times, and tries to distract us from the knowledge or the appreciation of the wonderful things we have been given.

This Thanksgiving, I hope you will take some time to stop and count your blessings. This year I am thankful I still have the opportunity to spend time with my parents, my brother and sister and their families, and have all my family alongside me.

I am thankful I have a wonderful group of friends that treat me better than I treat them so often. I am thankful that God has chosen me to be a minister of His precious Gospel, heaven only knows what He was thinking when He chose me, but I'm glad He did.

But most of all I am thankful that it's not all about the here and now. "I have a future in heaven for sure, there in those mansions sublime". I thank God for the glorious gift of His only begotten Son Jesus, who came to earth in the form of a baby, lived a sinless live, suffered a death He did not deserve, was laid in a borrowed tomb, then was resurrected three days later triumphant over death, hell and the grave, and who now sits at the right hand of the Father waiting the instructions to come gather to Himself all those who have trusted Him as Savior and Lord.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I love you!

I love you and want you to live a happy healthy life!

Ok, you might think this is a commercial and I guess in the strictest of terms it is BUT...

I have found something that makes so much sense it's almost a no-brainer and I want to share it with you.

Back in February I was having a particularly low day so I had to make a decision, go drown my sorrows in a sack full of chocolate-filled donuts or go check out the new gym in town that my wife and I had been talking about. I'm happy to say I chose the latter.
I drove into the parking lot and found the door locked so I called the number on the door...no answer. I drove off thinking I should have gone to the donut shop. Then my phone rang. That was the first time I spoke to Ryan. Ryan Parker owns and manages the local Anytime Fitness franchise in Jacksonville and is one of the coolest guys I've ever met. He invited me back in to look around and hung a U-ey and went back. That's one of the best decisions I've made.

I looked around at the clean, complete facility and joined up immediately. This is not the first gym I've ever joined but I've been faithful to workout 3 to 5 times a week every week since that day.

Ryan is a very well versed health professional with degrees in Kinesiology and Nutrition and lots of impressive experience as a bodybuilder and MMA fighter. Plus, he's a heck of a motivator. He's interested...no passionate...about the health and wellness of others and works very hard to help them attain both. Toward that end he introduced me to Kangen Water. The word "Kangen" means back to origin. It's a Japanese word developed by a Japanese company that uses electrolysis to literally reconstruct water molecules separating water into acidic and alkaline (ph), filtering out the bad chemicals, additives, and pollutants while preserving the necessary minerals and vitamins present in tap water.

Wouldn't it be easier to just drink bottled water? Easier maybe, but think about it. How expensive is bottled water? Who is monitoring bottled water with regards to quality control, truth in advertising, and basic consumer safety...answer, basically no one! Most bottled water is just tap water in a new container. Reverse osmosis water is actually unhealthy and some brands have actually been banned in Europe. This "dead water" actually leeches minerals, calcium and other nutrients out of your body! Then there's the problem of the plastic containers leaching (if I use both spellings one has to be right!) chemicals out to the plastic into the water. Did you know that the plastic that water bottles is made of begins to seep Dioxin and other chemicals at 88 degrees, what are the chances that bottle has been kept under 88 degrees from bottling plant to retailer? Yeah none! Plus, the pollution from all these water bottles is staggering. Google the "great garbage reef" and watch with amazements the size of these things!

Long story short. The water is awesome, it tastes good, it's easy to drink, and it's great for you! Please come to my Water meeting, my "Hydration Education Celebration". It's this Saturday, Nov. 7th, in the dining hall of Faith Baptist Church. 109 Tanglewood Dr. North Little Rock (56th & Camp Robinson) at 9:00. You'll be amazed at how important the right water can be for your life, your health and your wellness!

Change your water, change your life!