For a long time, I was always looking away for the new thing to appear. I was never really satisfied with what I had. It was madding, because I was never happy with what I had. Even though, I would have something really good. It is a character flaw in mankind. We all share this flaw and must overcome the effects of it. If we want to be happy with ourselves and the people around us, we need to work on this. It creates in us a self-loathing and very destruction life cycle. When I was in college, I tried to fill that void with alcohol. Other people use any and every thing to fill up their lives. I began to search for the answer to this problem. I don’t know if I was not smart about it or just stubborn. But it took me the better part of 10 years to find the answer. And from my side of it, I stumbled into the answer. Although, I was lead carefully to the answer. And even when I was staring into the face of the answer, I couldn’t see it. These 2 men took their time and began to carefully explain it to me. Even though, they weren’t talking directly to me, they were. It took 3 months of listening to them to explain the solution to me. I finally came to the understanding, that I was a sinner and separated from God. When I turned to God and asked Him to forgive me, I finally felt worthwhile. Then began my walk with God and the understanding of what He did for me. That God sacrificed all so I would become one of His sons. I don’t look for the new anymore, because I became the new creation.

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Not everybody has used a pressure cooker. Nor does everybody know what it is. My mom used hers all the time. Her mother, my grandmother, taught her to use one. It is funny that high schools don’t have home economics any more, especially cooking classes. I never took a home economics class, but I could cook better than my wife when we married. I still think I can cook better, but that’s another story. But using a pressure cooker used to be a tricky thing. Because if you didn’t use it right, it could blow up in your face. Today’s models have all kinds of safety equipment on them. The cookers are now electronic and fairly easy to use. I can jams and jellies and want to get a good commercial unit to use. Anyway, getting back to the pressure cooker, I find that a lot of people are placed in pressure cooker. This happens to find out what is inside of them. You will never know what kind of or how much pressure you can take until you are in the situation. Also, you will find out what kind of person you are when the pressure comes. I have seen people who were even tempered blow up at pressured situations. Most people aren’t willing to get into a pressured situation, so God places us in them. God isn’t being mean to us, but wanting us to find out what is in our heart. It doesn’t mean that I’m going to run into the lion’s den. But if I am called upon, I am willing. For God says that our trials of our faith are more precious than gold.

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It is easy to forget just how human we are. When you think, you have it made, everything turns south and goes aria. Then you want to scream and howl. But it not always what you want or expect. And things can build in your life, even when you aren’t looking. It can sneak up on you and pow right in the kisser. When that happens, it is up to you on what you will do. Will it press your buttons and exploded in your face? Or is there another way out of the mess? To err is human; to forgive, divine. My son brought his little dog to the vet. Without telling him, they pulled 8 of her teeth. When he went back to pick her up, he got the stupid surprise. I know that he wanted to yell and scream at these people. He was angry and rightly so. But he talked to vet, who surprisingly enough didn’t know they did this. The vet sent him home with medicine for our little dog. Today, I got another major surprise that sent me over the edge. I was angry beyond belief and refused to talk to God. But I have lived long enough to know to expect such circumstances. But sometimes it is just hard. I am glad that God is patient with me and He loves me despite my stupidity. If I turn my back on God, where will I go? What will I do with my life? There is no other place I would rather be than in the presence of God. And so it is just another day in my life.

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What do people see when they look at you? As they say a picture is worth a 1000 words. I was in the grocery store the other night. When I came to the check-out lane, there was an older lady giving the cashier trouble. The cashier was trying very hard to be nice to the women. But nothing pleased her. When the lady was through checking out, she grabbed some extra bags off the rack. She didn’t ask for them. The cashier was visibly upset with the woman. What the cashier saw was an irritating, old woman with no manners. What I saw was a woman who didn’t trust anyone. She was full of pain and wanted everyone to feel it. I don’t know if she caused or not. But who she was screamed out to everyone. What do people see when they look at you? When I started walking with God, He had me to minister to the socialably unacceptable people. It was the derelicts, drug addicts, drunkards. All the people ordinary people wouldn’t associate with. They didn’t smell good. They weren’t pretty. They wore tattered clothes. But what God wanted to show me was who they are. I had to look beyond the smell and dirt, to see a person. A person who had a heart that was in pain and didn’t or couldn’t get free from it. Then He showed how to reach those people. We like the nice, neat and tidy people who don’t cause too much trouble. So, what about the rest of the world. What do you see when you look at people? Can you see their hearts? Or do you just ignore them and become self-involved? What do people see when they look at you?

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We place value on everything we have. Value is assessed according to our own standards. There are things that we use and throw away. It served its purpose and there is no need to keep it. Then there are things that we wouldn’t get rid of if our life depended on it. My grandfather’s watch is one of them. I waited for that watch to be given to me for most of my life. It was treasured by my grandmother and myself. I just spent a lot of money to have it restored. Just recently, I had to reevaluate my value system. When the flood came last year, we had to throw away many things that I valued. It still bothers me greatly. But if it comes down to just me, I still have my value system. If it cost me nothing, it is of no value. My favorite stories in the bible are about King David. He was a man after God’s own heart. He wasn’t perfect, but he knew where to go if he sinned. God told him not to count the number of people in Israel. And David did it anyway. A plague broke out in Israel. David knew he caused it. God told him to sacrifice at a certain place. David went to the owner to buy the land and supplies. The Owner would have given all to him. But David knew if it didn’t cost him, it wouldn’t be worth anything to himself or God. David gave out of his need, not from his abundance. Then he knew that his sacrifice was worth something to God and himself. If it cost you nothing, where is the value?

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Tomorrow the promise of the future for us. What will happen tomorrow? Who will I become? Will I even recognize that person? Do you know that we are not even guarantied tomorrow? The only thing that God guaranties for us is now. Today is the day and now is the time for salvation. So our tomorrows are based upon the good graces of God. All the best laid plans of mice and men aren’t worth a pile of beans without God in our lives. So what are supposed to do? How are we going to live or survive this world? Man wants what he wants. The heart of man will strive to create something for himself. Even though it will not last past our lifetime. Man will continually strive to build or make for his glory. When you look at the grand scheme of it all, what man can do is no more than a joke. God didn’t design us to be alone. God’s plan is for us to be part of His plan. He designed us to accomplish His plan on this earth. The bible says that there is nothing new under the sun. What was shall be again. Why isn’t there something new? Why can’t we have original thought? God didn’t design us to be frustrated. God wanted us to live our lives in peace and harmony on this earth. He wanted us to enjoy the life His gave us. It is man because of sin, who thinks that he is god and can do anything. When Adam and Eve sinned against God, their eyes were opened and they saw that they could walk away from God. And man has been doing just that ever since. Tomorrow is guaranteed when we join with God and His plan for us. All you have to do is ask God for help. And He will answer you.

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We all look at the past as something cherished. Even if it was the most horrible time in our lives. We all compare our lives now with what we had. It isn’t fair because the past is gone and can’t be changed. No matter how good or bad it was, it will remain the past. The only thing that is real in our lives is change. It can be good for some and bad for others. But it will happen. God designed us that way for our benefit. He wanted us to have the opportunity to be able to improve our lives. Sometimes it looks like what we are doing is just useless. But there is a plan for our lives and it does unfold in our lives. Whether you can see it or not. It is funny to watch people who think that they can stop God or His plan. Yet people think that they are greater than God. They tried even to the point of death to do their thing. You have heard me talk about a death spiral. It is the last effort of someone or something to stop what they put into motion. There is only one person who can stop a death spiral. That is God Himself. God designed this world to the very detail of life. There is no one that knows what to do except God. We are the image and likeness of God. He wanted to share His life with us. Our spirit, who we are, will never die. We are eternal beings. That is where we get the idea and sometimes misguided that this flesh will live forever. This flesh that we wear will return to the earth where it came from. Our spirit will go on to be with God or not. That is the question that every person must answer in this life time. As we say, it is time to pick your choose.

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Today actually turn out like the weathermen promised. Surprise, Surprise, it was a beautiful day with no clouds and plenty of sunshine. But it didn’t get above 37 degrees. Right now, it is at freezing. We are talking about the deep south. I have said over the past few days, that I feel sorry for the people up north, with white outs, blinding snow, and blizzard conditions. If the temperature got over 0 degrees, they were doing good. The weatherman said that by Tuesday, it will be 70 degrees and rain. There is an old saying in Louisiana, if you don’t like the weather, wait a couple of hours and it will change. This crazy weather is only a symptom of a greater problem. There has been tsunamis’, droughts, floods, hurricane, typhoons, tornados, and every kind of destructive weather every year now for 16 years. It isn’t going to stop any time soon. Until the root cause is weeded out, we will have no peace. There is every explanation in the world out there. But there is only one reason. And I am not being simplistic about this. If you look at every nation in the world that has risen and fallen. There is only one reason why they fell. Most people didn’t want to hear that reason until it was too late. The answer is found in the bible in 2 Chronicles 7:14 “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (KJV).

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I live in the deep south and it rarely snows. An artic front came through today. It pushed the warm front out of the area. This only means one thing, rain. This morning when I got up, it was 35 degrees F, outside and raining. This is a perfectly miserable day. You can’t escape the wind, the rain and the cold. Unless you stay inside and don’t go out. But if you work that isn’t an option. People should be slowing down as they drive, but no. I fully expect a lot of accidents on the road. The front is supposed to blow the rain through by tomorrow. The weathermen predict sunshine and 30 degrees tomorrow. It would be a blessing. I like cold weather, but not the rain. The cold and the rain are depressing. I am not sure why that is. But a good book or video and hot chocolate would be nice, in a warm place. It is funny how weather affects people so drastically. People who live in areas with less sunlight, need light therapy. This is where they sit by a bright light for hours. I have always known that the full moon affects people. And I am not talking about vampires or werewolves. There is a major increase in violent crimes during a full moon. People do the strangest things during a full moon. So, we are physically affected by the changes on the earth. It is too bad that we aren’t affected spiritually by the changes in our lives. God place the earth and stars in motion to help us. it was not only to tell time or seasons, but to be able to see the hand of God changing lives. For all creation groans for the revelation of the Son of God.

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Trust and Respect are 2 things that have to be earned. I greatly value both trusting and respecting someone. I have never given those 2 attributes freely to anyone. I have always been friendly and congenial to most everyone. I will start with a smile even if the person growls at me. It is funny, I find people who show their emotions are easier to talk to. Even if they are angry and yelling at me. Now I may back away if they are really angry. But it doesn’t stop me. If a person will talk to me, within minutes of our conversation I’ll know who they are. Everyone will tell you who they are if you will just listen. When I began with God, I was shy and didn’t say much. People would walk up to me and ask questions. God would always open the door. Then I would see who they are and talk to them. God knows in advance what we need in our lives. He always goes before us to make the way for us. God’s word says that it is better to have a good name than riches. I have always tried to be trustworthy to anyone. I don’t say that it is easier, but it is what is necessary for people to hear the truth. Trust and Respect is what you need to earn and give to those who earn it.

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