tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5872191805284640282024-03-13T12:14:07.875-04:00GandeemomMary Gandeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02794683684291668472noreply@blogger.comBlogger216125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-587219180528464028.post-24561696062148254652014-06-13T21:18:00.002-04:002014-07-26T08:39:55.866-04:00It's Not the Hokey-PokeyHello, 2014-2015 School year! Oh, I know you're not here yet, but I just want you to know that I'm ready for you! Well...almost. There is that one last curriculum item that I haven't decided on.<br />
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But that's ok! I don't have to be as ready as you think I do.<br />
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Writing? Yep, we'll write.<br />
Math? Got it. And all in our own time.<br />
History? Absolutely! And guess what? History doesn't change! It'll still be there if we fall "behind" schedule.<br />
Literature? Science? Spanish? It's all good.<br />
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But hear this...all my T's and I's don't need to crossed and dotted in order for me to love my kids, listen to them, watch them, enjoy them, read and pray with them, and be there to help them heed the call that God has for them.<br />
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I am a student myself, really, in this thing we call homeschooling. God is the teacher, and I, along with my kids, am learning to love Him, trust Him, walk with Him, and wait on Him...through every season of schooling...every season of life.<br />
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That's what it's all about, isn't it? It's not the Hokey-Pokey, contrary to popular belief.<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/220/08BC72180F2870641343671CA8B8B3F1.png" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0px none ! important;" /></a>Mary Gandeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02794683684291668472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-587219180528464028.post-26503783374807822902014-05-28T15:14:00.001-04:002014-06-13T13:55:47.644-04:00FUN? At the Homeschool Convention?May 2014... Heading into my 10th year of homeschooling and heading to the FPEA Homeschool Convention for umpteenth time.<br />
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<b>A friend said, "Have fun!" </b><b>I said, "If I do it right, I will."</b><br />
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I usually don't have fun. I want to have fun. But something takes over my mind and body that refuses to let it happen.</div>
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This time, I <b>crushed that beast</b>. I felt it creeping in on occasion...<br />
...as I walked through the crazy loud exhibit hall... <b>It growled.</b><br />
....as I glanced around at all the other moms that looked like experts...<b>It clawed.</b><br />
...as I tried to ignore the thousands of different curriculum calling out, "pick me and your kids will be doctors and lawyers and such!"...<b>It screamed.</b><br />
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This year's convention was HUGE and it was awesome. It's always awesome. Each year that I go, I head straight to the workshops and speakers that I feel are going to convince me to keep on going. Those folks who have been at it longer than I have and seemingly have wisdom spewing from their pores.<br />
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And ya know...it's never surprising...but always refreshing. They all tell me the same thing; the very same thing I have heard all along but have chosen to let the beast steal from me at the end of the first quarter of each new school year.<br />
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What I hear is this:<br />
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<b>Pray. Pray. Pray....and pray some more.</b><br />
...that God will draw my children to Himself.<br />
...that He will show them the plans He has for them.<br />
...that He will reveal to them their gifts and talents in His time.<br />
...that He will equip them to do what He has called them to do.<br />
...that I will submit all control of my life and my homeschooling to God.<br />
...that I will not force something on my kids that God has not planned for them.<br />
...that I will allow my kids to share their ideas freely with no judgement.<br />
...that He will provide all that we need to follow where He leads.<br />
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But I argue along with the beast that has camped out next to me..."<b>But it's all on me</b>! What if my kids don't turn out right? How do I know if I am doing enough or doing too much? Am I ruing my kids? What if they end up hating homeschooling and hating me? What if they marry someone that dooest want to homeschool their kids? aaaahhhh!<br />
<b>growling, clawing and screaming</b><br />
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Oh...it felt like the beast had the upper hand at times, but not for long. As I sat and felt the hot, stinky breath over my shoulder, I closed my eyes, inhaled...exhaled...even shed a tear of release <span style="text-align: justify;">as I thanked God...</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: justify;">...that HIS strength is made perfect in weakness.</span><br />
...for being in control of ALL things.<br />
...for giving me the gift of discipling these kids even for a short while.<br />
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One of the greatest homeschool killers is the <b>trap of comparison</b>. I know this full-well. I have been so discouraged at times over the years that I was completely convinced that I couldn't make it another day and that I was a complete failure. Many exhausted days were spent in tears. <i>So-and-so is graduating high school with 2 years of college complete, is going on a mission trip for 6 months, is fluent in 4 languages and has just published his new book.</i><br />
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I feel such a burden for the moms that are just starting out and will possibly go through the same swamp of despair as they allow the beast to whisper evil nothings in their ear. How I wish that I would have let the Holy Spirit do His work, so that I would have realized earlier that...<br />
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...I am me.<br />
...my husband is not her husband.<br />
...my family is not her family.<br />
...my kids are not her kids.<br />
...what works for her may not work for me.<br />
...there are no rules in homeschooling.<br />
...God's idea of success may very well be different than mine.<br />
...we are <b>FREE </b>to be what God has called us to be.<br />
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Free indeed. And ya know what?<br />
<b>I had fun at the convention.</b><br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/220/08BC72180F2870641343671CA8B8B3F1.png" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px none ! important;" /></a><b> </b><br />
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<b>Linkin' Up at:</b><br />
<b><a href="http://www.weirdunsocializedhomeschoolers.com/" target="_blank">Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers </a></b><br />
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<br />Mary Gandeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02794683684291668472noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-587219180528464028.post-70875904911487041242013-04-07T20:39:00.000-04:002013-04-07T20:39:19.468-04:00Chronicles of a Caterpillar: Day 3 I think today is a special day! This is the first time he climbed the stick. I don't know what that means exactly, but it just may be the beginning of the big change!<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zrY333wV6wI/UWINzPmJDDI/AAAAAAAAD3M/CUl33pRzeO8/s1600/photo+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="296" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zrY333wV6wI/UWINzPmJDDI/AAAAAAAAD3M/CUl33pRzeO8/s320/photo+%25282%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Before he climbed the stick, he went strolling around quite a bit. This also was unusual because all he did for 3 days was EAT!<br />
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I need to go do some research again to see how many days this will take! Change takes time!</div>
Mary Gandeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02794683684291668472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-587219180528464028.post-12421854337891026542013-04-05T20:37:00.000-04:002013-04-07T21:02:24.418-04:00Chronicles of a Caterpillar: Day 2Man, this thing can EAT! Initially I brought some of the sames greens in for him. By morning it was completely gone, so I doubled up on the next helping. Again...gone. It was hard to keep up with him!<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iAvPpfx6CGM/UWIQVGqVrbI/AAAAAAAAD3s/16r5Na7oCiI/s1600/photo+(4).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iAvPpfx6CGM/UWIQVGqVrbI/AAAAAAAAD3s/16r5Na7oCiI/s320/photo+(4).JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uphjZrAjXHE/UWIQR28EVKI/AAAAAAAAD3k/4wqx1olhAXE/s1600/photo+(3).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uphjZrAjXHE/UWIQR28EVKI/AAAAAAAAD3k/4wqx1olhAXE/s320/photo+(3).JPG" width="239" /></a><br />
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And with all that eating, comes "You know what"! This is "Frass" aka caterpillar poop! I can't believe it, but people actually use frass to make tea! I don't even want to go there. <a href="http://skepchick.org/2013/02/ai-tea-made-of-insect-poop/" target="_blank">But you can, if you like</a>.<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oRmyV-zUgcE/UWIU6xR30KI/AAAAAAAAD30/qXxYdPlnGLE/s1600/photo+(5).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oRmyV-zUgcE/UWIU6xR30KI/AAAAAAAAD30/qXxYdPlnGLE/s320/photo+(5).JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/220/08BC72180F2870641343671CA8B8B3F1.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Mary Gandeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02794683684291668472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-587219180528464028.post-92193711384909674762013-04-04T23:00:00.000-04:002013-04-07T20:38:29.556-04:00Chronicles of a Caterpillar: Day 1Heading out for a walk with Lucy this morning...<br />
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<a href="https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/185034_4606408520707_371236244_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="spotlight" height="320" src="https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/185034_4606408520707_371236244_n.jpg" width="212" /></a><br />
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I nearly stepped on this lovely creature...<br />
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<a href="https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/549602_10200885168033948_240034449_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="spotlight" height="320" src="https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/549602_10200885168033948_240034449_n.jpg" width="236" /></a></div>
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Perhaps you don't think it's lovely. I can understand that.<br />
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I posted my near mishap on Facebook (why not) and a friend of mine suggested I take her in. I can't believe it, but I've never done that before.<br />
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I accepted the challenge!<br />
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I scooped her up ever so gently along with the very leaves that she was gnawing on (they must be her favorite).<br />
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We set her up in a nice roomy tupperware container with her favorite greens, dirt and sticks and a wet cotton ball (this was the setup that my quick Google search suggested...and Google can't be wrong...right?)<br />
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More research will be done by the Gandee scientists to make sure she makes it to adulthood!Mary Gandeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02794683684291668472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-587219180528464028.post-64595006740196643512013-01-16T23:20:00.000-05:002013-01-16T23:20:58.020-05:00Cheesy Enchilada Stack<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">Everyone in the house agrees! YUMMY!!</span></h3>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iH5uvwKi-3g/UPd64ahzJDI/AAAAAAAAD2c/-S3XDeJYPH4/s1600/Enchilda+Stack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iH5uvwKi-3g/UPd64ahzJDI/AAAAAAAAD2c/-S3XDeJYPH4/s320/Enchilda+Stack.jpg" width="243" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Josefin Slab', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; text-align: left;"><b>Ingredients</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Josefin Slab', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; text-align: left;">1 lb. Lean ground beef</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Josefin Slab', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; text-align: left;">2 (10 oz) can Red Enchilada Sauce</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Josefin Slab', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; text-align: left;">6 (8 inch) flour tortillas</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Josefin Slab', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; text-align: left;">1 (8 oz) bag Shredded Cheddar Cheese</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Josefin Slab', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; text-align: left;">1 (16 oz) can refried beans </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Josefin Slab', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; text-align: left;">2 (4 oz) cans diced green chilies</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Josefin Slab', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; text-align: left;">1 bunch green onion</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Josefin Slab', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; text-align: left;">s</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Josefin Slab', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; text-align: left;"><b>Directions</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Josefin Slab', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; text-align: left;">Cook the beef in a skillet over MED-HIGH heat until well browned. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Josefin Slab', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; text-align: left;">Drain off fat.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Josefin Slab', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; text-align: left;">Stir 1/2 cup enchilada sauce in the skillet with the beef.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Josefin Slab', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; text-align: left;">Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Josefin Slab', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; text-align: left;">Place 1 tortilla onto the baking sheet.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Josefin Slab', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; text-align: left;">Top with 1/3 of the beef mixture and 1/4 cup cheese.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Josefin Slab', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; text-align: left;">Top with 1 tortilla, half the refried beans, 1/2 cup enchilada sauce, 1 can drained green chilies, and 1/4 cup cheese.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Josefin Slab', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; text-align: left;">Repeat the layers one more time.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Josefin Slab', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; text-align: left;">Top with 1 tortilla, remaining beef mixture and 1/4 cup cheese.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Josefin Slab', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; text-align: left;">Top with remaining tortilla.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Josefin Slab', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; text-align: left;">Cover the stack with aluminum foil.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Josefin Slab', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; text-align: left;">Bake at 400 F for 40 minutes or until the filling is hot.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Josefin Slab', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; text-align: left;">Uncover the stack and top with remaining enchilada sauce, cheese and green onion.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Josefin Slab', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; text-align: left;">Bake 5 more minutes or until the cheese is melted.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Josefin Slab', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; text-align: left;">Cut the stack into 6 wedges.Enjoy!</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/220/08BC72180F2870641343671CA8B8B3F1.png" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px !important;" /></a>Mary Gandeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02794683684291668472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-587219180528464028.post-21206056486328554472013-01-04T11:27:00.002-05:002013-01-16T23:05:18.999-05:00Steve Saint interview with Joni<br />
A new Update on Steve Saint:<br />
<span style="color: black;">This is an <a href="http://www.joniandfriends.org/radio/5-minute/steve-saint-interview/#.UOWufM-HELs.facebook" target="_blank">interview with <span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.44444465637207px; line-height: 18.5px;">Joni Eareckson Tada</span></span></a> that aired yesterday on her radio program.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">You can find my previous updates on Steve's condition <a href="http://gandeemom-mare.blogspot.com/2012/09/steve-saint-update.html#uds-search-results">HERE</a>:</span><br />
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<img alt="Steve Saint Interview" src="http://www.joniandfriends.org/static/uploads/broadcast_images/steven_saint_png_300x500_q85.jpg" /><br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/220/08BC72180F2870641343671CA8B8B3F1.png" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px !important;" /></a><br />
<br />Mary Gandeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02794683684291668472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-587219180528464028.post-29326271538580180812012-11-21T10:15:00.003-05:002012-11-21T10:19:43.312-05:00Steve Saint UpdateMy heart just stops as I watch this story unfold. The forgiveness, redemption, love and commitment just continue to spread throughout this family.<br />
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Steve appears to be healing well from his accident a few months ago. Mincaye and his wife were here in Florida visiting the Saint family a few weeks ago. Steve tells us that Mincaye really thought that Steve was going to die and he wanted to make sure the Ginny was going to be ok.<br />
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This is a precious video. All the grandchildren adore Mincaye and his wife, Ompodae. They truly are family.<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/itecusavideo?feature=watch" target="_blank">You can see more videos HERE.</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/220/08BC72180F2870641343671CA8B8B3F1.png" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px !important;" /></a>Mary Gandeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02794683684291668472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-587219180528464028.post-16389930859070383612012-09-17T20:07:00.000-04:002012-09-17T20:07:52.756-04:00Steve Saint Update<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/vP3q_b4zKxQ" width="560"></iframe>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This is the latest video of Steve Saint's condition that <a href="http://www.itecusa.org/index.html">I-Tec</a> has put on their website.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Apparently, </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I missed the Moody radio program where <a href="http://www.moodyradio.org/brd_ProgramDetail.aspx?id=94965">Chris Fabry interviewed Steve Saint</a> on September 14th. This is the latest update I can find. He can't feel with his hands yet and it feels like he's walking on pins and needles, but he's so grateful to be able to hold Jenny's hand and to walk!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">You can find the entire recorded interview <a href="http://www.moodyradio.org/brd_ProgramDetail.aspx?id=94965">HERE</a></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">.</span><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/220/08BC72180F2870641343671CA8B8B3F1.png" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px !important;" /></a><br />
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Mary Gandeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02794683684291668472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-587219180528464028.post-47989874291120838042012-08-10T16:53:00.001-04:002012-11-21T10:16:14.732-05:00Steve Saint Update<a href="http://www.itecusa.org/images/shapeimage_3-u4653.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.itecusa.org/images/shapeimage_3-u4653.png" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am so glad to hear about Steve Saint's recovery, however slow and gradual. If you haven't heard about Steve's accident, you can catch up<a href="http://www.itecusa.org/"> here</a> at his website. It was a heart-breaking and tragic accident that left him and his family wondering if he would walk again. He has since walked and after 6 or 7 weeks, he has finally left Shands to return home to continue his recovery and rehabilitation. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I'll never forget our <a href="http://gandeemom-mare.blogspot.com/2008/04/our-fild-trip-to-meet-steve-saint.html">field trip to meet Steve</a> and his staff at <a href="http://www.life-u.org/LIFE_UNIVERSITY/LIFE_U_HOME.html">I-TEC in Dunnellon, FL</a>. We live just a short distance away. He is a wonderful, sweet and caring man with a heart for the lost and for missionaries that serve them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Continued prayers for Steve and his family are MUCH needed! :)</span><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/220/08BC72180F2870641343671CA8B8B3F1.png" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px !important;" /></a>Mary Gandeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02794683684291668472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-587219180528464028.post-69201794799442414962012-08-10T16:14:00.001-04:002012-08-10T16:23:35.203-04:00Amazing Chocolate Chip Cookies<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Beach Condensed"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><u>Amazing Chocolate Chip Cookies</u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The first time I bit into this cookie I was hooked. They were decidedly the best chocolate chip cookie I had ever had. Thanks goes to my bestie, Kate!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Beach Condensed'; font-size: 19px;">Ingredients:</span><br />
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<span class="ingquantity" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold;"><b>2</b> </span><span class="ingquantity" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">cups unbleached all-purpose flour</span><br />
<span class="ingquantity" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold;">1</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"> teaspoon baking soda</span><br />
<ul class="inggroupitems" id="2605919" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">
<li class="item" id="21358929" style="margin: 4px 0px;"><span class="content"><span class="ingquantity" style="font-weight: bold;">1</span> teaspoon salt</span></li>
<li class="item" id="21358930" style="margin: 4px 0px;"><span class="content"><span class="ingquantity" style="font-weight: bold;">1</span> cup (2 sticks) lightly salted butter, at room temperature</span></li>
<li class="item" id="21358931" style="margin: 4px 0px;"><span class="content"><span class="ingquantity" style="font-weight: bold;">3/4</span> cup granulated sugar</span></li>
<li class="item" id="21358932" style="margin: 4px 0px;"><span class="content"><span class="ingquantity" style="font-weight: bold;">3/4</span> cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed</span></li>
<li class="item" id="21358933" style="margin: 4px 0px;"><span class="content"><span class="ingquantity" style="font-weight: bold;">1</span> teaspoon water</span></li>
<li class="item" id="21358934" style="margin: 4px 0px;"><span class="content"><span class="ingquantity" style="font-weight: bold;">1</span> teaspoon pure vanilla extract</span></li>
<li class="item" id="21358935" style="margin: 4px 0px;"><span class="content"><span class="ingquantity" style="font-weight: bold;">2</span> large eggs, beaten</span></li>
<li class="item" id="21358936" style="margin: 4px 0px;"><span class="content"><span class="ingquantity" style="font-weight: bold;">2</span> cups semisweet chocolate chips</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: 'Beach Condensed'; font-size: 19px;">Instructions:</span><br />
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<li id="2245793"><ol class="dirgroupitems" id="2245793" style="font-weight: bold; list-style-position: outside; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 15px;">
<li id="9077760" style="margin: 8px 20px 0px;"><span class="text" style="font-weight: normal;">Preheat the oven to 350º.</span></li>
<li id="9077761" style="margin: 8px 20px 0px;"><span class="text" style="font-weight: normal;">Whisk the flour, soda and salt together in a bowl.</span></li>
<li id="9077762" style="margin: 8px 20px 0px;"><span class="text" style="font-weight: normal;">In another large bowl, mix the butter with a wooden spoon to lighten it a bit and then mix in the sugars.</span></li>
<li id="9077763" style="margin: 8px 20px 0px;"><span class="text" style="font-weight: normal;">Add the water, vanilla and eggs to the butter mixture.</span></li>
<li id="9077764" style="margin: 8px 20px 0px;"><span class="text" style="font-weight: normal;">Stir in the flour mixture until just combined and then fold in the chocolate chips.</span></li>
<li id="9077765" style="margin: 8px 20px 0px;"><span class="text" style="font-weight: normal;">Using two soup spoons, drop the cookies 2" apart onto two nonstick or greased cookie sheets.</span></li>
<li id="9077766" style="margin: 8px 20px 0px;"><span class="text" style="font-weight: normal;">Bake for eight minutes, rotating the sheets after four minutes.</span></li>
<li id="9077767" style="margin: 8px 20px 0px;"><span class="text" style="font-weight: normal;">Remove the cookies to a wire rack to cool, and repeat the process with the rest of the batter.</span></li>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/220/08BC72180F2870641343671CA8B8B3F1.png" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px !important;" /></a>Mary Gandeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02794683684291668472noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-587219180528464028.post-37130941169359326712012-05-20T10:08:00.001-04:002012-05-20T10:10:03.563-04:00Sweet Deal<br />
I've been finding that couponing is not what it once was. Oh, I still think it's wise and worth the time to watch the BOGOs and use the coupon match-up websites (sooo helpful!), but the Freebie days at CVS and Walgreens are pretty much over.<br />
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But I had a <i>very</i> sweet deal cooking at the local Family Dollar the other day! It all worked out as planned and I was plenty satisfied with the results!<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p5GZyQL-0Z8/T7j48eu12PI/AAAAAAAADws/uwV1KksgHGM/s1600/IMG_2692.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p5GZyQL-0Z8/T7j48eu12PI/AAAAAAAADws/uwV1KksgHGM/s320/IMG_2692.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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This bunch of stuff came to a grand total of $28. Which means if I divide 28 bucks by 30 item, I can say I spent an average of 93 cents on each item. As good as that is, I like to still focus on the reality that I got the shampoo almost free and those Hefty plates for 2 cents a plate!<br />
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The coupon scanning system at Family Dollar is not the greatest....had a few folks behind me...appearing to be very patient...<br />
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These sites are fantastic for helping with the coupons!<br />
TrueCouponing.com (my favorite)<br />
www.hip2save.com<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/220/08BC72180F2870641343671CA8B8B3F1.png" style="border: 0px !important;" /></a>Mary Gandeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02794683684291668472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-587219180528464028.post-85272692946564495512012-04-08T07:54:00.001-04:002012-04-08T07:58:10.293-04:00Happy Easter Everyone<span style="color: rgb(0, 19, 32); line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; background-color: rgb(249, 253, 255); "><span >Isaiah 53:5</span></span><div><span ><span style="color: rgb(0, 19, 32); line-height: 21px; text-align: justify; background-color: rgb(249, 253, 255); ">But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; "><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ubGCISQQ7Zo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></span><br /><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><br /></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/220/08BC72180F2870641343671CA8B8B3F1.png" style="border: 0 !important; background: transparent;" /></a></div>Mary Gandeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02794683684291668472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-587219180528464028.post-25377515574323684502012-03-29T11:29:00.016-04:002012-03-31T14:39:27.743-04:00<div style="font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center; "><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14pt; ">My first </span><st1:place st="on" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14pt; "><st1:placetype st="on">Home</st1:placetype> <st1:placetype st="on">School</st1:placetype></st1:place><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14pt; "> graduate!</span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; "><div style="font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><span><span> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; "><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Georgia; "><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14pt; ">I can't believe it! My firstborn son is 18 and will be graduating with the</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14pt; "> </span><a href="http://www.fpea.com/" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14pt; ">FPEA Grads in Orlando</a> <span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14pt; ">at the end of May!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; "><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14pt; ">I love you, babe!</span></p></span></span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center; "><b><span style="font-size:24.0pt;font-family:Shell">Daniel Joseph Gandee</span></b></div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JNM1VNZnmck/T3c_eXBiEjI/AAAAAAAADWQ/9Ow2CRScbz4/s1600/Untitled.jpg" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 197px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JNM1VNZnmck/T3c_eXBiEjI/AAAAAAAADWQ/9Ow2CRScbz4/s400/Untitled.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5726115242033943090" /></a><span style="text-align: center; font-family: Varsity; "><div style="text-align: center; "><span><span><span>4-Year Letterman</span> <span>* </span></span></span><span><span>Track and Cross Country</span></span></div></span><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: left; "><p style="font-family: Georgia, serif; "></p></div></div><div><span >Mom's Bragging Section:</span></div><span ><span>Daniel's Personal Records: 400m - 51:00</span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre; "> </span> 800m - 2:03<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre; "> </span> 3200m - 17:46</span>Mary Gandeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02794683684291668472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-587219180528464028.post-1200552137629256952012-03-08T22:01:00.005-05:002012-03-08T22:48:02.428-05:00Defeated to Victorious<div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">Whitney over at<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.goodmorninggirls.org/2012/03/week-8-wiww-link-up-party-out-with-the-old/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+GoodMorningGirls+%28Good+Morning+Girls%29">Good Morning Girls</a> described my week incredibly well. How did she know?</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; "> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><i><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">(From Whitney):</span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">Ineffective.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">Frustrated.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; "> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">Distracted.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">Damaged.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; "> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">Defeated. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">But she gently reminded me that I am not who I once was.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; "> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><i><span style="font-family: Calibri; "><b>Ephesians 4:22-24</b><o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: center; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><i><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">“You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;<o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center; "><i><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">Tobe made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new slef, created to be like God in true righteousness and hominess.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">No matter what kind of garbage I may be dealing with…sickness, brokenness, pain, jobs left incomplete, plans cancelled, cranky kids…I know that I do not need to respond as my “old self” would respond. (like that big ugly list above)</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; "> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">My “new self” desires to be more like Christ,<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; "><i> To see Him<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; "><i> To hear Him<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; "><i> To obey Him<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; "><i> To Love Him</i><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">But Oh, how I run…back to my</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; "><i> Self-absorption<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; "><i> Hearing only myself<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; "><i> Doing things my own way<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span><span style="font-family: Calibri; "><i> Ungratefulness</i></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-family: Calibri; "> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">God has promised to make me more like His Son.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; "><i><b>2 Cor. 3: 18</b></i><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center; "><i><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">“And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">So, I repent and believe…again.</span></p> <p style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.2in; margin-left: 0in; vertical-align: baseline; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">My <a href="http://www.ligonier.org/learn/series/justification_by_faith_alone/synthetic-justification/">justification</a> before God is forever right…this does not change. But I need to be constantly aware that my old nature desires to NOT believe the Gospel and to follow my old ways. MY ways.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p align="center" style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.2in; margin-left: 0in; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">He never tires of my repentance….and this is <a href="http://www.ligonier.org/learn/sermons/sanctification/">sanctification</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.2in; margin-left: 0in; vertical-align: baseline; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">He promises me that the ugly list above will be turned to the beauty below:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.2in; margin-left: 0in; vertical-align: baseline; "><i><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">(also from Whitney):</span></i></p><p style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.2in; margin-left: 0in; vertical-align: baseline; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">Effective.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.2in; margin-left: 0in; vertical-align: baseline; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">Joyful.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.2in; margin-left: 0in; vertical-align: baseline; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">Focused.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.2in; margin-left: 0in; vertical-align: baseline; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-image: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">Whole.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0.2in; margin-left: 0in; vertical-align: baseline; "><span style="font-family: Calibri; ">Victorious.</span></p></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank" style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/220/08BC72180F2870641343671CA8B8B3F1.png" style="border: 0 !important; background: transparent;" /></a>Mary Gandeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02794683684291668472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-587219180528464028.post-82907823391160661532012-03-08T13:00:00.005-05:002012-03-08T13:17:10.419-05:00Update<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span><b>UPDATE</b> from the last post: </span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span><br /></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span><b>He lied.</b></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span><i>It was worse.</i></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span><br /></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span>Maybe he just didn't have all the info...about my extremely curved roots and such. He had to reschedule some other cranky patients in order to finish the work. I felt bad for them.</span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span><br /></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span><b>It hurt.</b></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span><i>Nerve endings zapping. </i></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span><br /></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span>He explained why I was feeling some pain, but I have no recollection of what he said.</span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span><br /></span></div><div><span>Truth be told, I walked out of the office, called my <b><span>adoring</span><span> </span></b>husband, and sobbed into the phone.</span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span><br /></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span><b><span>I love him</span>.</b></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span>He's going to take me out for steak tomorrow.</span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_RqEZE1kSFwM/SOT6-xaApxI/AAAAAAAABPE/A-BGjgnehu4/s320/Danny+Gandee+Now.jpg" /></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; "><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/220/08BC72180F2870641343671CA8B8B3F1.png" style="border-top-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial !important; border-color: initial !important; border-image: initial !important; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; " /></a></div>Mary Gandeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02794683684291668472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-587219180528464028.post-41651014089905663892012-03-08T08:15:00.007-05:002012-03-08T09:01:33.737-05:00A few Crummy Days<div style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span></span><img src="http://www.cartoonstock.com/newscartoons/cartoonists/jko/lowres/jkon20l.jpg" style="font-size: 100%; " /></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><br /></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-indent: 0.5in; "><span style="font-family: Verdana; "><span>T</span><span style="font-size: 100%;">his morning greets me with a scheduled visit to the dentist to finish up a root canal that they began last week. At the moment I have a blue molar; I'm not sure why. Last week's episode was just as</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-size: 100%; "> </span><span style="font-size: 100%;">terrifying</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-size: 100%; "> </span><span style="font-size: 100%;">as I had expected, but Doc tells me that today won't be as bad.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; "><i style="font-size: 100%; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span style="font-family: Verdana; "><o:p> </o:p></span></i><i><span style="font-size: 100%; font-family: Verdana; "> </span><span> He seems like an honest man. Time will tell.</span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span style="font-family: Verdana; "><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 100%; "> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 100%; ">On one hand, the complainer in me wants to well up. Waaa! I don't like people burrowing to center of the earth through my skull....I really don't. But on the other hand, I am so thankful that I live in a time and place where I have the option to keep my mess of a tooth instead of just treating it like cousin Eddy and kicking him out!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><img src="https://encrypted-tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS1pIW6mzeVIkG0Lc2sNgqNoTaUaug8-Gvh99t1Q-cyAy7uoUxo" style="font-size: 100%; " /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span style="font-family: Verdana; "><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 100%; "> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 100%; ">Also, very wonderful is the fact I don't have to pay 100% of the torture bill. However, I actually had to wait one year before I could get the tooth fixed</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 100%; "> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 100%; ">because</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 100%; "> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 100%; ">the insurance company's loot didn't kick in yet. Hence, the root canal. Had I been able to take care of the silly thing when my big ol’ filling came out, it probably wouldn’t have needed a root canal!</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; font-family: Verdana; "><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 100%; "> </span><i><span>Makes me say, hmm.</span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span style="font-family: Verdana; "><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 100%; "> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 100%; ">The past week has been less than pleasant...the whole gang had the "stuff" (in the belly) and it was ugly. When it was my turn, the world seemed to shut down for some 24 hours. Shades drawn, not sure what time zone you’re in, head pounding, stomach churning kinda deal.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span style="font-family: Verdana; "><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 100%; "> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 100%; ">We’re all better now. It’s as if it never happened. All evidence to the contrary, however. One day of not doing my” daily duties” and it’s as if the dirty clutter monster came in and threw a party!</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-indent: 0.5in; "><span><i><o:p> </o:p></i><i style="text-indent: 0.5in; ">I don’t like him.</i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-indent: 0.5in; "><span style="font-family: Verdana; "><o:p> </o:p></span><b style="text-indent: 0.5in; font-size: 100%; "><span style="font-family: Verdana; ">But, Oh! How I love this:</span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-indent: 0.5in; "><b style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family: Verdana; "><o:p> "</o:p></span></b><span style="font-weight: normal; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; background-color: white; ">Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed,</span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="font-weight: normal; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; background-color: white; white-space: pre; "> </span><span style="font-weight: normal; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; background-color: white; ">for his compassions never fail.</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; background-color: white; "> <b>T</b></span><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; background-color: white; "><b>hey are new every morning</b>;</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-weight: normal; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12pt; background-color: white; "> </span><span style="font-weight: normal; background-color: white; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Verdana; ">great is your faithfulness." </span><span style="font-weight: normal; background-color: white; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(92, 17, 1); ">Lamentations 3:22-23</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span style="font-family: Verdana; "> The sun just keeps coming up. He gives me the grace and strength to face the day. My soul can indeed say, "It is well."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; "><span>Pressing on,</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; white-space: pre; font-size: 100%; "> </span></p></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/220/08BC72180F2870641343671CA8B8B3F1.png" style="border: 0 !important; background: transparent;" /></a>Mary Gandeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02794683684291668472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-587219180528464028.post-23931070833150354372012-03-05T17:53:00.015-05:002012-03-07T14:56:26.947-05:003 Gifts Found<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; text-align: left; "><span><span>I'm jumping in a little bit late to the</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.aholyexperience.com/">Joy Dare for March</a><span>...but I'm jumping nontheless:)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></div><div style="text-align: left; "><span style="font-size: 100%; font-family: Georgia, serif; ">I love<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>watching</i><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>for the gifts (because they keep on coming),<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>accepting</i><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>the gifts and then <i>naming</i><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>the gifts. Sometimes, though, it doesn't actually make it</span><span style="font-size: 100%; font-family: Georgia, serif; "> to the paper or the blog list. That's ok, course.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: left; "> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; "><span><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; "><span>Thankful hearts have been around much longer than Blogs and pens-<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-size: 100%; text-align: center; "><span><b><span style="color: red; ">He is our All Knowing God.</span></b><span style="color: red; "><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; "><span><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; "><span><span>But my heart at the moment is feeling a bit “queasy”. As I wr</span><span>ite this, my son is in the "other room" tossin' his cookies. I have a feeling our cookies are next. One down...four to go.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; "><span><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-size: 100%; text-align: center; "><span><span>I won't hold this against my </span><span>precious granddaughter </span><span>whose been tossin' all week, poor t</span><span>hing!</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-size: 100%; text-align: center; "><span style="font-size: 14pt; "><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fS0ee1avwfA/T1VSQx6MsAI/AAAAAAAADMk/KdgpPFmxTO0/s200/65754_10150633998564298_841079297_8864033_204637559_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5716565750245535746" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px; " /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-size: 100%; text-align: center; "></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-size: 100%; "><span>What do I add to my list today?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-size: 100%; "><b style="text-align: left; "><span style="color: red; ">Today we are to list <u>3 Gifts Found</u>:</span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; "><span><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; "><span>Sometimes it’s not so clear to see, but I think I’ve found it.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; "><span><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; "><span>1. Thank you, Lord, that <i>You</i> have <b>found</b> the monster making war with my son’s insides and YOU are getting it out!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-size: 100%; "><span><b><span>There's always something <u>warring</u> with our insides, isn't there?</span></b><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; "><span><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; "><span>2. How amazing you are that <i>You</i> have <b>found</b> a way to still allow us to love and care for each other when we get sick because we "seem" to get sick one at a time!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-size: 100%; "><span>There’s always someone there to rub the back and say,<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-size: 100%; "><b><span style="color: red; ">“It will go away soon.”<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-size: 100%; "><b><span><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; "><span><span>3. So eternally thankful that <i>You</i> have <b>found</b><u> </u>me. I was lost, but </span><span style="color: red; ">You came to seek and save that which was lost.</span><span> (Luke 19:10)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; "><span><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; "><span>In the very real spiritual world, Satan is that monster. He has indeed <u>declared war</u> against God and His children and he doesn’t back down easily. Oh sure, sometimes he “upsets” the balance, but he cannot win.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-size: 100%; "><span><b><span style="color: red; ">The victory has already been won and it is Christ’s. </span></b><b style="text-align: left; "><span>(1 Cor. 15:57)</span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; "><b><span><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; "><span>May we trust in God’s absolute and unfailing love. He is control of all things and may we hear Him and trust Him when He rubs our backs and says,<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center"></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;color:red">“It will go away soon.”</span><span style="font-size:14.0pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-size: 100%; text-align: left; "><span style="font-size: 100%; ">Linking Up at: <a href="http://www.aholyexperience.com/">A Holy Experience</a> </span><a href="http://www.thebettermom.com/" style="font-size: 100%; ">The Better Mom</a> <a href="http://writeitgirl.com/">Write It, Girl</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-size: 100%; text-align: left; "><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank" style="font-size: 100%; "><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/220/08BC72180F2870641343671CA8B8B3F1.png" style="border-top-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial !important; border-color: initial !important; border-image: initial !important; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; " /></a></p></div>Mary Gandeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02794683684291668472noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-587219180528464028.post-58761177373896015032012-02-29T14:45:00.005-05:002012-03-05T17:43:05.551-05:00Pursuit of Proverbs 31 Book Give-Away<div style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span>I've just entered this book give-away at <a href="http://www.theencouraginghome.com/2012/02/27/persuit-of-proverbs-31-review-and-giveaway/">The Encouraging Home </a>.</span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><img src="http://pursuitofproverbs31.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/p31-3d-cover-medium-278x350.png" /> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; "><span><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><br /></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/220/08BC72180F2870641343671CA8B8B3F1.png" style="border: 0 !important; background: transparent;" /></a>Mary Gandeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02794683684291668472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-587219180528464028.post-65522162627402350732012-02-28T12:30:00.017-05:002012-02-29T14:19:44.304-05:00Paul's Urge to Be Eager<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-align: center; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span><span class="chapternum"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><o:p> </o:p></span></b></span><span style="text-align: center; font-family: 'Kristen ITC'; color: red; ">A</span><span style="text-align: center; font-family: 'Kristen ITC'; color: red; ">s</span><span style="text-align: center; font-family: Arial; "> I read this passage this week, two words jumped out at me:</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center; "><span><b><i><span style="font-family: 'Kristen ITC'; color: red; ">Urge</span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: Arial; "> (verb) </span></i><span style="font-family: Arial; ">and </span><b><i><span style="font-family: 'Kristen ITC'; color: red; ">Eager</span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: Arial; "> (adj).</span></i><i><span style="font-family: Arial; "><o:p> </o:p></span></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center; "><i><span style="font-family: Arial; ">I know I’m a dork for pointing out the parts of speech, but I’m a Home School mom; that’s what I do.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center; "><span><span style="font-family: Arial; ">But there’s a reason I’m pointing it out</span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; ">J</span><span style="font-family: Arial; "><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center; "><span><span style="font-family: Arial; "><o:p> </o:p></span><span class="texteph-4-1" style="text-align: left; "><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "> “I therefore,</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="text-align: left; "><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "> </span></span><span class="texteph-4-1" style="text-align: left; "><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; ">a prisoner for the Lord, <b><u>urge</u></b> you to</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="text-align: left; "><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "> </span></span><span class="texteph-4-1" style="text-align: left; "><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; ">walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="text-align: left; "><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "> </span></span><span class="texteph-4-2" style="text-align: left; "><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; ">with all</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="text-align: left; "><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "> </span></span><span class="texteph-4-2" style="text-align: left; "><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; ">humility and</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="text-align: left; "><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "> </span></span><span class="texteph-4-2" style="text-align: left; "><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; ">gentleness, with</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="text-align: left; "><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "> </span></span><span class="texteph-4-2" style="text-align: left; "><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; ">patience,</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="text-align: left; "><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "> </span></span><span class="texteph-4-2" style="text-align: left; "><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; ">bearing with one another in love,</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="text-align: left; "><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "> </span></span><span class="texteph-4-3" style="text-align: left; "><b><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><u>eager</u></span></b></span><span class="texteph-4-3" style="text-align: left; "><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "> to maintain the unity of the Spirit in</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="text-align: left; "><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "> </span></span><span class="texteph-4-3" style="text-align: left; "><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; ">the bond of peace.” Eph. 4: 1-3</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center; "><span style="font-family: Arial; "><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span style="font-family: Arial; ">To me, these words stir up some <b>emotion</b>, some passion. It tells me that what is being said is important and there needs to be some <b>action</b> taken toward some goal. There’s <b>action</b> here…he’s urging and we’re walking. But what’s the big deal? What is Paul <b><i>urging</i> </b>us to do?<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span><span style="font-family: Arial; "><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: Arial; text-align: center; ">“To </span><b style="font-family: Arial; text-align: center; ">walk</b><span style="font-family: Arial; text-align: center; "> in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called.”</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span style="font-family: Arial; ">Wow.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span><span style="font-family: Arial; ">At first glance this sounds like an impossible task. Am I to <b>behave</b> in a certain way to gain God’s favor? How can I walk in a manner worthy, when I know I’m </span><b><i><span style="font-family: 'Kristen ITC'; color: red; ">not</span></i></b><span style="font-family: Arial; "> worthy?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center; "><b><span style="font-family: Arial; "><a href="http://viewthestory.com/">That’s precisely why I need a Savior!</a><o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span style="font-family: Arial; ">I love the way <a href="http://desiringgod.org/">John Piper</a> puts it:</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span style="font-family: Arial; ">“This does not mean that we should try to <b>deserve</b> our place in God's favor. It means that we should recognize how much our place in God's favor deserves <b>from us</b>.<span class="apple-converted-space">”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; "><span style="font-family: Arial; ">This helps me.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; "><span style="font-family: Arial; ">I’m a wife, a mom, a friend, and all the other “hats” that I wear might label me as something else. Each of these different areas of my life “call” for my very best because these are high callings indeed.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; font-style: normal; "><span><span style="font-family: Arial; ">A wife, mother and friend are important jobs and are </span><b style="font-family: Arial; ">worthy</b><span style="font-family: Arial; "> of my full attention, commitment and heart. (though sometimes I may not give it my best, I am called to do so…</span><st1:state st="on" style="font-family: Arial; "><st1:place st="on">Col</st1:place></st1:state><span style="font-family: Arial; "> 3:23)</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="text-align: center; "><span style="font-family: Arial; ">I must strive to do my best with what He gives me to do, <b>not to be loved by Him</b>, but because <b>I am </b></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="text-align: center; "><b><span style="font-family: 'Kristen ITC'; color: red; ">already</span></b></span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="text-align: center; "><b><span style="font-family: Arial; "> loved by Him</span></b></span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="text-align: center; "><span style="font-family: Arial; "> and I desire what He desires.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-size: 100%; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-align: center; "><b style="font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span style="font-family: Arial; ">How much greater is this call of God that Paul speaks of?</span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Arial; "><o:p> </o:p></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; ">But what is this </span><b style="font-family: Arial; ">“calling”</b><span style="font-family: Arial; "> anyway? Back in Ephesians 1, Paul tells us:</span><span style="font-family: Arial; "> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span><span style="font-family: Arial; ">1:4 - God <b>chose</b> us for himself before the world was created.</span><span style="font-family: Arial; "> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span style="font-family: Arial; ">1:5 He <b>predestined</b> us to be his children -- and that means heirs of all our Father owns!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span><span style="font-family: Arial; ">1:12 says, we are destined and appointed </span><span style="font-weight: normal; font-family: Arial; ">to live for the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; "><b>praise of his glory</b></span><span style="font-weight: normal; font-family: Arial; ">."</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span><span style="font-weight: normal; font-family: Arial; ">And 3:10 speaks of the </span><b style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family: 'Kristen ITC'; color: red; ">unity</span></b><b style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family: Arial; "> </span></b><span style="font-weight: normal; font-family: Arial; ">of the body as we walk this walk to which He has called us: </span><span style="font-weight: normal; font-family: Arial; ">He has given us the </span><u style="font-weight: normal; "><b style="font-family: Arial; ">mission</b><span style="font-family: Arial; "> </span><b style="font-family: Arial; ">as a church</b></u><span style="font-family: Arial; "> to <b>display his wisdom</b> even to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span><span style="font-family: Arial; "><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: Arial; text-align: center; ">In this particular scripture, what does this </span><b style="font-family: Arial; text-align: center; ">worthy</b><span style="font-family: Arial; text-align: center; "> walk look like?</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span style="font-family: Arial; ">“with all humility and gentleness, with patience, <b>bearing</b> with one another in love, <b>eager</b> to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span><span style="font-family: Arial; "><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: Arial; text-align: center; ">Another word for </span><b style="font-family: Arial; text-align: center; ">“bearing” is “enduring”?</b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span style="font-family: Arial; ">It seems all we can do sometimes is just endure each other! This is a wonderful truth, though, because what it causes me to do is realize that as much as I think I’m enduring others, they, in turn have to endure <b>ME</b>…and that’s no easy task.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center; "><span><span style="font-family: Arial; ">The more I see clearly </span><b><span style="font-family: 'Kristen ITC'; color: red; ">my own sin</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; ">, the more I am able to bear with others… with all humility, gentleness, and patience.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span><span style="font-family: Arial; "><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: Arial; text-align: center; ">But why do we need to bear with each other? Can’t we just live and let live?</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center; "><span style="font-family: Arial; ">Here comes the other word:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center; "><span><b><span style="font-family: Arial; ">Eager</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; "><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span><span style="font-family: Arial; "><o:p> </o:p></span><span class="texteph-4-3"><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; ">“<b>eager</b> to maintain the <b>unity</b> of the Spirit in</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "> </span></span><span class="texteph-4-3"><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; ">the bond of peace” <b>Eager?</b></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-weight: normal; "><span class="texteph-4-3"><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; ">We are <b>eager </b>for what we desire aren’t we? </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 100%; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; ">How </span><b style="font-weight: normal; background-color: white; font-family: Arial; ">eager</b><span style="font-weight: normal; background-color: white; font-family: Arial; "> I am for the things of this world! Material possessions to gain, places to go and people to see! I know that I place way too much value on things that are temporal and have no eternal value whatsoever. I wish it were not so.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; text-align: center; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span><span class="texteph-4-3"><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><o:p></o:p></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; text-align: center; ">Am I </span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; text-align: center; ">eager</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; text-align: center; "> to maintain the </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; text-align: center; ">unity of the body of Christ</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; text-align: center; ">?</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center; "><span class="texteph-4-3"><b><u><span style="font-family: 'Kristen ITC'; color: red; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">This is the calling!<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center; "><span><span class="texteph-4-3"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><o:p> </o:p></span></b></span><span class="texteph-4-3" style="text-indent: -0.25in; text-align: left; "><span style="font-family: Symbol; ">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "> </span></span></span><span class="texteph-4-3" style="text-indent: -0.25in; text-align: left; "><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; ">Do I edify and not tear down? Eph 4:29, Js 3</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center; "><span><span class="texteph-4-3" style="text-indent: -0.25in; text-align: left; "><span style="font-family: Symbol; ">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "> </span></span></span><span class="texteph-4-3" style="text-indent: -0.25in; text-align: left; "><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; ">Do I think of others before myself? Phil 2:3</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center; "><span><span class="texteph-4-3" style="text-indent: -0.25in; text-align: left; "><span style="font-family: Symbol; ">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "> </span></span></span><span class="texteph-4-3" style="text-indent: -0.25in; text-align: left; "><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; ">Do I gossip and slander? Js 4:11, Lev 19:6</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center; "><span><span class="texteph-4-3" style="text-indent: -0.25in; text-align: left; "><span style="font-family: Symbol; ">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; "> </span></span></span><span class="texteph-4-3" style="text-indent: -0.25in; text-align: left; "><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; ">Do I sow seeds of Peace? Js 3:18, Mt 5:9</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-weight: normal; "><span><b><span style="font-family: Arial; ">We are the Body of Christ. </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; ">“There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” Ephesians 4:4-6</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span><span style="font-family: Arial; ">We are called to love one another to </span><b><u><span style="font-family: 'Kristen ITC'; color: red; ">advance the kingdom</span></u></b><span style="font-family: 'Kristen ITC'; color: red; ">!</span><span style="font-family: Arial; "><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; "><span><span><span>Jesus said</span><span>,</span></span><span style="font-size: 100%; "> “By this all men <u>will know</u> that you are my disciples, if you have </span><b style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 100%; ">love for one another</b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 100%; ">.” Jn 13:35<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span style="font-family: Arial; "><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center; "><span style="font-family: Arial; ">There’s the motivation!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center; "><span><span style="font-family: Arial; ">There’s the </span><span style="font-family: 'Kristen ITC'; color: red; ">Urgency</span><span style="font-family: Arial; "><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center; "><span style="font-family: Arial; ">…the Eagerness<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center; "><span style="font-family: Arial; "><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span><b><span style="font-family: 'Kristen ITC'; color: red; ">I am Eager </span></b><b><span style="font-family: Arial; ">for the day…<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span style="font-family: Arial; ">“that <b>every</b> knee shall bow and every tongue confess to God.” Phil 2:10<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 100%; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span>Here are some great resources for deeper study through Ephesians:</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 100%; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/sermons/by-scripture/ephesians"><span>John Piper<br /></span></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 100%; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><a href="http://www.ligonier.org/learn/scripture/ephesians/?type=devotional&sort=az"><span>RC Sproul</span></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span style="font-family: Arial; "><a href="http://www.goodmorninggirls.org/"></a><a href="http://pastormark.tv/search/results?q=ephesians" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; ">Mark Driscoll</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; "><span>I'm "Linking Up" with:</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; "><span><a href="http://www.goodmorninggirls.org/">Good Morning Girls</a> <a href="http://www.deeprootsathome.com/">Deep Roots at Home</a> and <a href="http://www.aholyexperience.com/">A Holy Experience</a> </span></span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; "><span>J</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 100%; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; "><span><span>Still walking,</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; "><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank" style="font-size: 100%; "><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/220/08BC72180F2870641343671CA8B8B3F1.png" style="border-top-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial !important; border-color: initial !important; border-image: initial !important; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; " /></a></p>Mary Gandeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02794683684291668472noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-587219180528464028.post-63854477027373681362012-02-21T10:16:00.026-05:002012-02-26T21:51:12.210-05:00Christ may dwell<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; ">As I am reading through Ephesians with the <a href="http://www.goodmorninggirls.org/">Good Morning Girls</a>, I am finding that in just a few verses, so many profound truths are revealed. I was drawn to this verse this week, </div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; "><b><span>"so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith." <span style="font-size: 100%; ">Ephesians 3:17</span></span></b></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; "><b><span style="font-size: 100%; "><br /></span></b></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; "><img src="http://www.signupgenius.com/ckfinder/userfiles/images/church-kid.jpg" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; text-align: left; " /></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><span style="font-family: Arial; text-indent: 0.5in; "><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 100%; white-space: pre; "> </span><span><b>Ask</b> </span><span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 100%; ">any small child this question.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 100%; font-family: Arial; text-indent: 0.5in; "> </span><b style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 100%; font-family: Arial; text-indent: 0.5in; ">"What is the church?"</b><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 100%; font-family: Arial; text-indent: 0.5in; "> </span><span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 100%; font-family: Arial; text-indent: 0.5in; ">The</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 100%; font-family: Arial; text-indent: 0.5in; "> </span><span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 100%; font-family: Arial; text-indent: 0.5in; ">answer</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 100%; font-family: Arial; text-indent: 0.5in; "> </span><span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 100%; font-family: Arial; text-indent: 0.5in; ">you will most likely receive is, "It's a building." In fact, I would suppose many people would agree with that response.</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:Arial"><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: Arial; "></span><span style="font-family: Arial; "><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Some would say that they</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-family: Arial; "> </span><i style="font-family: Arial; ">go to church</i><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-family: Arial; "> </span><span style="font-family: Arial; ">to be "closer to God" or to "feel God's presence" in their lives. Perhaps they feel that God is actually there at that building or that the structure itself has some supernatural power or holiness due to its historical significance in the world.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; text-align: center; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"><b><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>And they hope that this supernatural power and holiness would rub off on them.</b></span><b><span style="font-family:Arial"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:Arial"><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: Arial; "></span><span style="font-family: Arial; "><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>But what if the question were, </span><b style="font-family: Arial; ">"Where does God<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>dwell</i>?"</b><span style="font-family: Arial; "> or </span><b style="font-family: Arial; ">"Where is His<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>home</i>?"</b><span style="font-family: Arial; "> I would guess that this would invoke an endless array of responses ranging from "Who cares?" to "God is everywhere."</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-family:Arial"><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: Arial; "></span><span style="font-family: Arial; "><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>This is such a fascinating topic and Paul addresses it in Ephesians chapter 3 as he prays for the church in </span><st1:city st="on" style="font-family: Arial; "><st1:place st="on">Ephesus</st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: Arial; "> to understand these truths:</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; "><span style="font-family:Arial"><o:p> </o:p></span><b style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in; "><span style="font-family:Arial;background: white">“that Christ may <i>dwell</i> in your hearts through faith</span></b><span style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in; font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">” v17</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; "><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; text-indent: 0.5in; ">and</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in; "><span style="font-family:Arial;background:white">“<b>that you may be <i>filled </i>with all the fullness of God</b>.”</span><span style="font-family:Arial"> v19<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; "><span style="font-family:Arial"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: Arial; background-color: white; text-indent: 0.5in; text-align: left; ">This is such </span><b style="font-family: Arial; background-color: white; text-indent: 0.5in; text-align: left; ">deep, rich history</b><span style="font-family: Arial; background-color: white; text-indent: 0.5in; text-align: left; "> and it would be impossible to delve completely into the subject in this little blog post, but let’s jump back in time for a moment to somewhere around 900 BC.</span></p> <p style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><span class="texteph-3-14"><span style="font-family: Arial; "> King Solomon had completed the building of the <st1:city st="on">Temple</st1:city> in <st1:city st="on">Jerusalem</st1:city> and then</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "> <b><i>“he knelt on his knees in the presence of all the assembly of <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region>, and spread out his hands toward heaven”</i></b> and prayed:</span><span class="texteph-3-14"><span style="font-family: Arial; "><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:maroon;text-transform:uppercase; mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">“LORD</span><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto; "><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:maroon;mso-ansi-language:EN-US; mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA"> </span></span><span style="font-size:14.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";color:maroon;mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language: EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">God of <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Israel, there is no God in heaven or on earth like you...</st1:place></st1:country-region></span><a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20chron%206:%2014-42&version=ESV">Read Solomon's complete prayer that he offered to the Lord.</a></span></span></p> <p align="center" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><span class="text2chr-7-1"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">Now see the awesome response from the Almighty God!<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 5pt; margin-right: 0.5in; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: 0.5in; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><span class="text2chr-7-1"><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">As soon as Solomon finished his prayer,</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "> </span></span><span class="text2chr-7-1"><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices,</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "> </span></span><span class="text2chr-7-1"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">and the glory of the</span></b></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "> </span></b></span><span class="small-caps"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant: small-caps; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">Lord</span></b></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "> </span></b></span><span class="text2chr-7-1"><b><i><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">filled</span></i></b></span><span class="text2chr-7-1"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "> the temple.</span></b></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "> </span></span><span class="text2chr-7-2"><b><sup><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">2 </span></sup></b></span><span class="text2chr-7-2"><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">And the priests could not enter the house of the</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "> </span></span><span class="small-caps"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant: small-caps; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">Lord</span></span><span class="text2chr-7-2"><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">, because <b>the glory of the</b></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "> </span></b></span><span class="small-caps"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant: small-caps; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">Lord</span></b></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "> </span></b></span><span class="text2chr-7-2"><b><i><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">filled</span></i></b></span><span class="text2chr-7-2"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "> the</span></b></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "> </span></b></span><span class="small-caps"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant: small-caps; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">Lord</span></b></span><span class="text2chr-7-2"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">'s house</span></b></span><span class="text2chr-7-2"><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">.</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "> </span></span><span class="text2chr-7-3"><b><sup><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">3 </span></sup></b></span><span class="text2chr-7-3"><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">When all the people of <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region> saw the fire come down and the glory of the</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "> </span></span><span class="small-caps"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant: small-caps; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">Lord</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "> </span></span><span class="text2chr-7-3"><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">on the temple, they bowed down with their faces to the ground on the pavement and worshiped and gave thanks to the</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "> </span></span><span class="small-caps"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant: small-caps; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">Lord</span></span><span class="text2chr-7-3"><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">, saying, “For he is good,</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "> </span></span><span class="text2chr-7-3"><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">for his steadfast love endures forever.”</span></span><span class="text2chr-7-1"><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "> (2 Chron. 7:1-3)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; text-indent: 0.5in; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><span class="texteph-3-14"><span style="font-family: Arial; ">In verse 18 Solomon acknowledges, <b>“that even heaven and the</b></span></span><b><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "> highest heaven cannot contain you”. </span></b><span class="texteph-3-14"><span style="font-family: Arial; ">But God promised <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region>, as He promises us, that they would experience<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p align="center" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><span class="texteph-3-14"><u><span style="font-family: Arial; ">His presence, His fullness, His glory</span></u></span><span class="texteph-3-14"><span style="font-family: Arial; "><span>.</span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p align="center" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><span class="texteph-3-14"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; ">Do you see it?<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; text-indent: 0.5in; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><span class="texteph-3-14"><span style="font-family: Arial; ">Under the Old Covenant, as a means to be close to His people, God dwelt in the <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Temple</st1:place></st1:city>. The glory of God <i>literally</i> resided in this structure that Solomon built. He appeared as a pillar of smoke by day and a pillar of fire by night.</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "> God promised that He would <b>come close</b> and be with his people, that they would have <b>access to Him</b> and that He would <b>hear</b> their prayers. </span><span class="texteph-3-14"><span style="font-family: Arial; "><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 100%; text-indent: 0.5in; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><span class="texteph-3-14"><span style="font-family: Arial; ">I<b>s God still there</b> in the <st1:city st="on" style="font-weight: normal; ">Temple</st1:city> in <st1:city st="on" style="font-weight: normal; "><st1:place st="on">Jerusalem</st1:place></st1:city>? Well, no. In fact, the temple is no longer there at all. It was destroyed in 70AD as prophesied by Jesus in Matthew 24. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dome_of_the_Rock" style="font-weight: normal; ">See what is in its place today.</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p align="center" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><span class="texteph-3-14"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; ">So, <i>what is the church</i>? Where does <i>God dwell</i>? The answers are one and the same.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p> <p style="font-weight: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; text-indent: 0.5in; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><span class="texteph-3-14"><span style="font-family: Arial; "> Traveling back to Ephesians 3…Paul tells us that Christ (God Himself) <b>dwells within His people</b>, the church. To those whom God has given the <b style="font-weight: normal; ">faith</b> to believe, He has supernaturally indwelled with <b style="font-weight: normal; ">His Spirit</b>.<u style="font-weight: normal; "><o:p></o:p></u></span></span></p> <p align="center" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><span class="texteph-3-14"><u><span style="font-family: Arial; "><span>The human heart is now the dwelling place of God.</span><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in; "><b><span style="font-family:Arial;background: white">that Christ may <i>dwell</i> in your hearts through faith</span></b><span style="font-family:Arial;background:white">” v17<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in; "><span style="font-family:Arial;background:white">and<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in; "><span style="font-family:Arial;background:white">“<b>that you may be <i>filled </i>with all the fullness of God</b>.”</span><span style="font-family:Arial"> v19<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; text-indent: 0.5in; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><span class="texteph-3-14"><span style="font-family: Arial; ">We, the church, are compared to a building, a dwelling place, a structure made of <b>“living stones”</b> of which Christ is the cornerstone.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; text-indent: 0.5in; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><b><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">“you yourselves like living stones are being built up as<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>a <i>spiritual house</i>” </span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">(1 Peter 2:5)</span><span class="texteph-3-14"><u><span style="font-family: Arial; "><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></p> <p align="center" style="font-weight: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; text-align: center; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><span class="texteph-3-14"><u><span style="font-family: Arial; "><b>I can’t help but jump back to Eph. 2: 19-22 to see the building metaphors!</b><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></p> <p style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 5pt; margin-right: 45pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 0.5in; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><span class="texteph-3-14"><span style="font-family: Arial; ">“</span></span><span class="texteph-2-19"><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">So then you are no longer</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "> </span></span><span class="texteph-2-19"><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">strangers and aliens, but you are</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "> </span></span><span class="texteph-2-19"><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">fellow citizens with the saints and</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "> </span></span><span class="texteph-2-19"><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">members of the household of God,</span></span><span class="texteph-2-20"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "> built on the foundation</span></b></span><span class="texteph-2-20"><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "> of the</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "> </span></span><span class="texteph-2-20"><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">apostles and prophets,</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "> </span></span><span class="texteph-2-20"><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">Christ Jesus himself being</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "> </span></span><span class="texteph-2-20"><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">the <b>cornerstone</b>,</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "> </span></span><span class="texteph-2-21"><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">in whom the whole <b>structure</b>, being joined together, grows into</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "> </span></span><span class="texteph-2-21"><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">a <b>holy temple</b> in the Lord. </span></span><span class="texteph-2-22"><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">In him</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "> </span></span><span class="texteph-2-22"><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">you also are being<b> built</b> together</span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "> </span></span><span class="texteph-2-22"><span style="font-family: Arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">into a <b>dwelling place</b> for God by the Spirit.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; margin-top: 5pt; margin-right: 45pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 0.5in; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><span><br /></span></p><p style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; margin-top: 5pt; margin-right: 45pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 0.5in; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><span>So, whether you "go" to a church looks like this</span></p><p style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 5pt; margin-right: 45pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 0.5in; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><span><u><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JTjaan1TS78/T0Pf1zeCegI/AAAAAAAADIo/G3-iA15skXY/s1600/Africa%2Bhut2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 151px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JTjaan1TS78/T0Pf1zeCegI/AAAAAAAADIo/G3-iA15skXY/s200/Africa%2Bhut2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5711654867878181378" /></a></u></span></p><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; "><span style="background-color: white; ">or this</span></div><p style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "></p><p style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 5pt; margin-right: 45pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 0.5in; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><span><u><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TDxbsPtKTlc/T0Pek3IcR8I/AAAAAAAADIg/VJyZAXtf2Yc/s1600/Country%2BChurch%2Bbefore%2Bmoving.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TDxbsPtKTlc/T0Pek3IcR8I/AAAAAAAADIg/VJyZAXtf2Yc/s200/Country%2BChurch%2Bbefore%2Bmoving.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5711653477291935682" /></a></u></span></p><p style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; margin-top: 5pt; margin-right: 45pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 0.5in; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><span>or this</span></p><p style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 5pt; margin-right: 45pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 0.5in; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><span><u><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2_7Cxja3DgE/T0PekQtuNvI/AAAAAAAADIE/fYoyQ3-BqAA/s1600/st_basil2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2_7Cxja3DgE/T0PekQtuNvI/AAAAAAAADIE/fYoyQ3-BqAA/s200/st_basil2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5711653466979317490" /></a></u></span></p><p style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "></p><p style="font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; margin-top: 5pt; margin-right: 45pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 0.5in; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><span style="background-color: white; "><span><b><span><i>We</i></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; "> are the Body of Christ,</span></b></span></span></p><p style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 100%; text-align: center; margin-top: 5pt; margin-right: 45pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 0.5in; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><span style="background-color: white; "><span><b>the Church,</b></span></span></p><p style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 100%; text-align: center; margin-top: 5pt; margin-right: 45pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 0.5in; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><span style="background-color: white; "><span><b>His Holy Temple!</b></span></span></p><p style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; text-align: center; margin-top: 5pt; margin-right: 45pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 0.5in; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><b><span style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-auto; "> For it is by grace you have been saved, through <i>faith</i>—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—</span><span style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2: 8-9</span></b></p><p style="text-align: justify; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-top: 5pt; margin-right: 45pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 0.5in; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; "><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left; "><span>Take "virtual tour" of the Old Testament Temple.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%;"><iframe width="459" height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/_iesIdI7__k?fs=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></span></span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/220/08BC72180F2870641343671CA8B8B3F1.png" style="border: 0 !important; background: transparent;" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Baby Boston""> </span></p></div>Mary Gandeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02794683684291668472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-587219180528464028.post-81294173342291167482012-02-17T19:48:00.003-05:002012-02-26T21:51:12.214-05:00Get along??<div style="text-align: left; "><span><i>As I'm reading through the book of Ephesians at the moment, the opening paragraph in this post by RC Sproul, Jr. struck me as quite hilarious, yet sad and true. Paul speaks of all believers as being one in Christ, but we sinners keep getting in our own way!</i></span></div><div style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><b style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; text-align: left; "><br /></b></div><div style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><b style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; text-align: left; "><i><a href="http://rcsprouljunior.blogspot.com/2012/02/why-cant-we-all-just-get-along.html">Why can't we all just get along? by RC Sproul, Jr.</a></i></b></div><div style="font-weight: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; line-height: normal; ">The story is told of the man who was rescued from a desert island twenty years after being shipwrecked. As he proudly showed his rescuers around the island they came to three grass huts. Our Robinson Crusoe pointed out that one of the huts was his home, and the other his church. When asked what the third hut was he replied, with a note of disdain, "That's where I <i>used</i> to go church." <a href="http://rcsprouljunior.blogspot.com/2012/02/why-cant-we-all-just-get-along.html">Read on...</a></div><div style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; line-height: normal; "><br /></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank" style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; line-height: normal; "><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/220/08BC72180F2870641343671CA8B8B3F1.png" style="border: 0 !important; background: transparent;" /></a>Mary Gandeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02794683684291668472noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-587219180528464028.post-17521884200830050552012-02-14T11:43:00.029-05:002012-02-26T21:51:12.218-05:00A Great Mystery<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; "><b style="text-align: left; "><span><u>One gospel-One body</u></span></b></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; "><b style="text-align: left; "><span><i>Ephesians 3:1 -13</i></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left; font-style: normal; "><i style="font-size: 100%; ">"It is because of the gospel that Paul had been imprisoned. He was willing to suffer much hardship for the sake of those who were once his enemy but now, through Jesus, they have become family. Likewise, we should expect to suffer some if we are going to be willing to share the gospel with others." <a href="http://marshill.com/media/ephesians/bent-knee-ministry">Mark Driscoll</a></i></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; "><b style="text-align: left; "><span><br /></span></b></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; "><b style="text-align: left; "><span><br /></span></b></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; "><b style="text-align: left; "><span>Let's just admit it.</span></b></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span>No matter how much we think we understand about God, the Bible, and Christianity, it is all a <i><b>big mystery.</b></i></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span><br /></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><u><i><span>I can try to</span></i></u></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><b><span>explain the Trinity.</span></b></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><b><span>share my knowledge about how God can be everywhere at once.</span></b></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><b><span>enlighten you on what God was thinking when He put that tree in the garden.</span></b></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><i><u><span>But I will not.</span></u></i></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; "><b><span><br /></span></b></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; "><b><span>Paul knows about mysteries.</span></b></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; "><span><br /></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; "><span>Perhaps one of the <b>greatest mysteries</b> of all time was revealed to him by the Holy Spirit after his conversion on the road to Damascus. It was there that God called Paul to be the apostle to the Gentiles. (Acts 9:15) It was htere that Paul would begin a long journey of <b>suffering and imprisonment</b> for the Gospel of Christ.</span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; "><span><span>I, Paul,</span><span> "the </span><b>prisoner of Christ</b><span> <b>Jesus</b> in behalf of you Gentiles."</span></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; "><span><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Paul writes to the Ephesians from a house in Rome where he was under house arrest.</span></span></div><span style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; "><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a23q3PbL_SE/TzqPlKdKA3I/AAAAAAAADHk/yk9QdNqFhnc/s320/romanApartment.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709033346270102386" /></span><span style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><div style="text-align: center;">This is an apartment in Rome which serves as an accurate</div></span><div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; "><span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-align: -webkit-auto; ">example of the type of house in which Paul would have been staying during his house arrest.</span></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; "><span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-align: -webkit-auto; ">(</span><a href="http://www.welcometohosanna.com/PAULS_MISSIONARY_JOURNEYS/4voyage_7.html" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-align: -webkit-auto; ">Interesting website</a><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-align: -webkit-auto; ">)</span></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; "><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; "><span><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">He writes, "...assuming that you have heard of </span><sup class="xref" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29237C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "></sup><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">the stewardship of </span><sup class="xref" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29237D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "></sup><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">God's grace that was given to me for you, </span><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">how the <b>mystery</b> was made known to me </span><sup class="xref" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29238F" title="See cross-reference F">F</a>)" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "></sup><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">by <b>revelation</b>, </span><sup class="xref" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29238G" title="See cross-reference G">G</a>)" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "></sup><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">as I have written briefly. </span><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">When you read this, you can perceive my insight into </span><sup class="xref" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29239I" title="See cross-reference I">I</a>)" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: text-top; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "></sup><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">the <b>mystery of Christ</b>," (3:2-4)</span></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><span><br /></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; "><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span>The mystery that Paul was speaking of was the <b>unity </b>of the Jewish Christians and the Gentile Christians. Having full revelation of God's word in our hands today, we have the benefit of seeing clearly that the Old Testament prophets were pointing to the day when the <b>Gentile nations would serve Yahweh</b>, the One True God. (Is. 60:1-3)</span></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; "><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; "><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span>But the Jews did not completely grasp the mystery that the prophets foretold. They could not comprehend that ,from God's perspective, Jews and Gentiles would one day be on <b>equal footing</b> before Him.</span></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; "><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; "><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span><b>"that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body,</b></span></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; "><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span><b>and partakers of His promise in Christ by the Gospel." (v6)</b></span></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><span><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><span>In total humility, Paul describes himself as being the least of all believers, yet God used him to share this <b>eternal truth</b> that was:</span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; "><span><b>"hidden for ages in God who created all things."(v9)</b></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; "><span><i>and</i></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; "><span><b>"was according to the eternal purpose that he realized in Christ Jesus our Lord."(v11)</b></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; "><span><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; "><span>What an <b>incredible, miraculous, joyous fulfillment </b>of God's plan! Paul, a humble servant, declaring to the world that Jews, Gentiles, male, female, black, white, young and old can:</span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; "><span><br /></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; "><span><b>"have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in Him."(v12)</b></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span>Let us also be reminded by Peter:</span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span><br /></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; "><b><span>"Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind."</span></b></div><div style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-align: center; "><b><br /></b></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; "><b><span>For further study in Ephesians:</span></b></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: center; "><b><span>RC Sproul -<a href="http://www.ligonier.org/learn/scripture/ephesians_3/">Ephesians</a></span></b></div><div style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-align: left; "><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: left; "><b style="font-size: 100%; ">Only through His grace,</b></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/220/08BC72180F2870641343671CA8B8B3F1.png" style="border: 0 !important; background: transparent;" /></a></div>Mary Gandeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02794683684291668472noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-587219180528464028.post-70106397378155238912012-02-08T09:05:00.016-05:002012-02-26T21:51:12.223-05:00The Wall and VeilCan you imagine being a part of the early church in Ephesus? Receiving letters from the Apostle Paul himself? Realizing that the Savior of the world lived among us only decades earlier? <div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span>Reality so clear; History so alive; Truth so near.</span></b></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span>The Gospel of Jesus Christ was preached to all men far and near; Jews and Gentiles alike. Many Jews believed...many did not. Jesus told the disciples to</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span>"go and make disciples of all nations"</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span>...and they did.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span>Jesus prayed to His Father "that they would <b>be one as we are one</b>."</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><br /></span></div><div><span>But the believers needed reminding of what God had intended. They were very aware of the division between the Jews and Gentiles. The temple in Jerusalem had a dividing wall to keep the Gentiles from entering into the inner courts where the sacrifices were performed.</span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><b>There was even a sign in place, so there was no mistake.</b></span></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 311px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3H7o7ecBHMU/TzKLf48c2ZI/AAAAAAAADHY/HcHDbJmNx7Y/s400/wall%2Bsign.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706777057809979794" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-family: arial; font-size: medium; ">In 1871, a temple wall was discovered with the inscription:</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-family: arial; font-size: medium; "><b>“Let no foreigner enter within the partition and enclosure surrounding the temple.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-family: arial; font-size: medium; "><b>Whoever is arrested will himself be responsible for his death which will follow."</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-family: arial; font-size: medium; "><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><span style="line-height: 20px;">Paul urged the Ephesians to remember that "</span></span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">you were at that time separated from Christ, </span><a name="3" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to </span><a name="4" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">the covenants of promise, </span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: center; ">having <b>no hope</b> and <b>without God</b> in the world." Eph. 2:12</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: center; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: center; ">But the final sacrifice of Jesus, the Lamb of God, has made all <i><b>one in Him</b></i>.</span></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Jesus has "</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">broken down </span><a name="10" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "></a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility." 2: 14</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><b>"to reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility." 2:15</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-family: arial; font-size: medium; "><b><span style="font-size: 14px; ">"</span><span style="font-size: 14px; ">through him we both have </span><a name="18" style="font-size: 14px; "></a><span style="font-size: 14px; ">access in </span><a name="19" style="font-size: 14px; "></a><span style="font-size: 14px; ">one Spirit to the Father." 2:18</span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-family: arial; font-size: medium; "><b><span style="font-size: 14px; "><br /></span></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="versetext" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); display: inline; "><span class="versenum" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 3px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">Having been reconciled to the Father through His son, </span></span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">all Christians are now part of One Body. 1 Cor. 12:12 </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: arial; line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-size: 14px; "></span><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: arial; line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto; font-size: 14px; "><b>We</b> are His holy Temple.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto; ">"Christ Jesus himself being <a name="26"></a>the cornerstone" 2:20</b></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto; "><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span>It is still true today...</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span>Reality so clear; History so alive; Truth so near.</span></b> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div>Let us be reminded. We are <i>One Body</i>. We have access to the Father <i>only</i> through Jesus, His son. The wall of hostility has been destroyed...</div><div><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><a href="http://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/new-and-living-way/"><span>and the veil was torn</span></a></b></div><div><br /></div><div>It is finished.</div><div>May we trust Him, </div><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/220/08BC72180F2870641343671CA8B8B3F1.png" style="border: 0 !important; background: transparent;" /></a>Mary Gandeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02794683684291668472noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-587219180528464028.post-58785682606490460162012-02-04T16:27:00.013-05:002012-04-09T20:18:26.473-04:00Knights, Robin Hood, Jousting!<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left; ">Having had such a great time at Medieval Times once, I couldn't wait to go to the Hoggetowne Medieval Faire in Gainesville last Friday! It's not as large a venue as the Times, of course,but still a good time. School Day was PACKED with kids, but it was a lot cheaper than the other days. (I was secretly wishing we had paid full price and went the day before!)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">Enter hither.</div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kmluoVXleno/TzHVDaPCxZI/AAAAAAAADGA/AAT4hZGH1ak/s1600/IMG_0983.JPG"><img style="text-align: center;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kmluoVXleno/TzHVDaPCxZI/AAAAAAAADGA/AAT4hZGH1ak/s320/IMG_0983.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706576457413870994" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span>Robin Hood and Maid Marian</span></div></a><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kmluoVXleno/TzHVDaPCxZI/AAAAAAAADGA/AAT4hZGH1ak/s1600/IMG_0983.JPG"></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kmluoVXleno/TzHVDaPCxZI/AAAAAAAADGA/AAT4hZGH1ak/s1600/IMG_0983.JPG" style="text-align: left; "><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7pycMAs-hoM/TzHc8ysC8hI/AAAAAAAADGo/rpVbzTx1uXU/s320/IMG_0991.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706585139811906066" /></a></div><div><div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Such beautiful horses seen throughout the day.</div><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bYK0ldnnx7Q/TzHbYkp6H7I/AAAAAAAADGQ/OaECz8bknuQ/s320/IMG_1012.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706583418057924530" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /><div style="text-align: center;">The jousting competition was stupendous!</div></div><div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-W8mF-4OwUiw/TzHbZMRMr8I/AAAAAAAADGc/jlOe4k9vfw4/s320/IMG_1011.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706583428691701698" /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VDidgH8chqA/TzHVC3x6SGI/AAAAAAAADF0/4hPbmDsZPUY/s1600/IMG_0990.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VDidgH8chqA/TzHVC3x6SGI/AAAAAAAADF0/4hPbmDsZPUY/s320/IMG_0990.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706576448164874338" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">These two guys were smacking the brains out of each other.</div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h9wnlDcysok/TzHVCFLigZI/AAAAAAAADFo/htGD7gY4gXI/s1600/IMG_0993.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h9wnlDcysok/TzHVCFLigZI/AAAAAAAADFo/htGD7gY4gXI/s320/IMG_0993.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706576434582159762" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">The King and Queen make their entrance.</div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y8-JVW6XHd4/TzHVBVzAwGI/AAAAAAAADFc/X9-vh-74We4/s1600/IMG_0996.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y8-JVW6XHd4/TzHVBVzAwGI/AAAAAAAADFc/X9-vh-74We4/s320/IMG_0996.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706576421862817890" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Lorelei absolutely loved the knife throwing show.</div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tNNozPd14_I/TzHVA4gMuTI/AAAAAAAADFQ/ZNizWDs-t7k/s1600/IMG_1003%2Bcrop.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tNNozPd14_I/TzHVA4gMuTI/AAAAAAAADFQ/ZNizWDs-t7k/s320/IMG_1003%2Bcrop.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5706576413999282482" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Jaret played along nicely:)</div><div style="text-align: center;">The vest alone is over 60 pounds!</div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2O7e4CuHcHU/Ty2j3jndZMI/AAAAAAAADFE/6kBLOaL00UY/s1600/IMG_1020.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2O7e4CuHcHU/Ty2j3jndZMI/AAAAAAAADFE/6kBLOaL00UY/s320/IMG_1020.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5705396477797164226" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">My sweet, beautiful, charming daughter.</div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U-j9QyJaJNM/Ty2j21orneI/AAAAAAAADE0/gyxSU665kRU/s1600/IMG_1039.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U-j9QyJaJNM/Ty2j21orneI/AAAAAAAADE0/gyxSU665kRU/s320/IMG_1039.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5705396465454259682" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">This was Lorelei's first pony ride!</div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_H3D45q1Xdc/Ty2j2pKzHQI/AAAAAAAADEo/xJr7C7O3Er4/s1600/IMG_1049.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_H3D45q1Xdc/Ty2j2pKzHQI/AAAAAAAADEo/xJr7C7O3Er4/s320/IMG_1049.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5705396462107696386" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Ooh...so soft...</div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nRU0dpDPajM/Ty2j1RcLmDI/AAAAAAAADEc/QGq2kFGcFJU/s1600/IMG_1064.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nRU0dpDPajM/Ty2j1RcLmDI/AAAAAAAADEc/QGq2kFGcFJU/s320/IMG_1064.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5705396438558283826" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Ride like the wind...Bullseye!</div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0VyX74jZIyY/Ty2j1CwkYHI/AAAAAAAADEQ/9ftHX6gABII/s1600/IMG_1067%2Bcrop.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 248px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0VyX74jZIyY/Ty2j1CwkYHI/AAAAAAAADEQ/9ftHX6gABII/s320/IMG_1067%2Bcrop.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5705396434617262194" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/220/08BC72180F2870641343671CA8B8B3F1.png" style="border-top-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial !important; border-color: initial !important; border-image: initial !important; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; " /></a></div></div></div></div>Mary Gandeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02794683684291668472noreply@blogger.com0