Quote of the Day

“The greatest disease in the West today is not TB or leprosy; it is being unwanted, unloved, and uncared for. We can cure physical diseases with medicine, but the only cure for loneliness, despair, and hopelessness is love. There are many in the world who are dying for a piece of bread but there are many more dying for a little love. The poverty in the West is a different kind of poverty -- it is not only a poverty of loneliness but also of spirituality. There's a hunger for love, as there is a hunger for God.” 


                                                                                            ― Mother Teresa

Merry Christmas!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

What in the world are you doing checking my blog TODAY???

Stupid Mayans

So. It's December 21st, 2012, and....nothing.

I knew it. I also knew that those Mayans really did know anything. 

I hate to say it, and I am the last person that likes to say it...but,

I told yo

Quote of the Day

Take your time and let this one sink in. 

"So do not expect always to get an emotional charge or a feeling of quiet peace when you read the Bible. By the grace of God you may expect that to be a frequent experience, but often you will get no emotional response at all. Let the Word break over your heart and mind again and again as the years go by, and imperceptibly there will come great changes in your attitude and outlook and conduct. You will probably be the last to recognize these. Often you will feel very, very small, because when your eyes close for the last time in death, and never again read the Word of God in Scripture you will open them to the Word of God in the flesh, that same Jesus of the Bible whom you have known for so long, standing before you to take you for ever to His eternal home.”

                                                                                ― Geoffrey Thomas

The Silent Monks - Christmas

Silent Monks Sing Hallelujah from hulahan on GodTube.

Theological Term of the Day

False Prophets

False Prophets are people who teach false doctrine and lead people away from the true gospel message and teaching of God found in the Bible. Jesus warned about false prophets in Matt. 24:24 stating that in the last days many false prophets would arise and deceive, if possible, even the elect. 

                                                                              - carm.org

Quote of the Day

“As it is the sister of reading, so it is the mother of prayer. Though a man's heart be much indisposed to prayer, yet, if he can but fall into a meditation of God, and the things of God, his heart will soon come off to prayer....Begin with reading or hearing. Go on with meditation; end in prayer....Reading without meditation is unfruitful; meditation without reading is hurtful; to meditate and to read without prayer upon both, is without blessing.” 

                                                                              ― William Bridge

What do the kids miss this December?

SNOW!!!

Do Mom and Dad miss the snow???

...

...

...

Not so much.

Theological Term of the Day

The Fall

The Fall is that event in the Garden of Eden where Adam and Eve disobeyed the command of God and ate of The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (Gen. 2 and 3). Since Adam represented all of mankind, when he sinned, all of mankind fell with him (Rom. 5:12).

                                                                                                               - carm.org

Golf Joke

Off the seventh tee, Joe sliced his shot deep into a wooded ravine. He took his eight iron and clambered down the embankment in search of his lost ball.

After many long minutes of hacking at the underbrush, he spotted something glistening in the leaves. As he drew nearer, he discovered that it was an eight iron in the hands of a skeleton!

Joe immediately called out to his friend, "Jack, I've got trouble down here!"

"What's the matter?" Jack asked from the edge of the ravine.

"Bring me my wedge," Joe shouted. "You can't get out of here with an eight iron!"

Kids at Nokomis Beach

We went to the beach Wednesday evening after school. The Drum Circle was LaVonne's (Vet's Mom) favorite part of her trip to Florida when she visited last month. 

She said it made her feel "primal." We are still giving her a hard time about that one!

Christmas Card

Here is a pic I think we may use for our Christmas Cards this year. 

Sure is nice to take our Christmas card picture...in FLORIDA!!! 

The Cliff

The fiscal cliff sure seems to be important. Apparently, there are some pretty important long term effects with how and this will be handled. 

The Fiscal Cliff our country faces today pales in comparison to the spiritual cliff we face. Revival, Renewal, and Restoration is what our country really needs. Maybe we need a "Spiritual Cliff Countdown?" Make it like the countdowns on the news stations. What date shall we set?

How about December 21st? (Just Kidding) 

Pray for those people that you know about in your life, who are facing a "spiritual" cliff.

Christmas Reality

My most recent article  for the Beneva Christian newsletter is generating a lot of good discussion. To be sure, I see this as a "step" in the right direction not a definitive "action plan."  I thought it would be good to post here and see what you think.

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The Reality of a Biblical Christmas

What is it that makes Christmas real to you? When Christmas season is over, what will be the reality of your Christmas? The more I look to what the Bible says about Jesus and Christmas, the more I see a blurring of the truth and reality of a Biblical, Christ-like Christmas in our world today.

There is the reality of what Christmas is, which is the incarnation of God through Jesus the Christ. AND THEN, there is the Christmas we have created. Christians have mixed together the Biblical story with our cultural traditions and lost sight of what Christmas really means. The secular world has modified Christmas for their own gain, and Christians regularly do so too.

This is what I mean: The Wisemen brought gifts to Jesus, not to the shepherds, not to Joseph, not to Mary. And yet we will sit around waiting for our gifts to arrive, in Jesus’ name. After gifts have been given and received we pat our-selves on the back and think about just how good of Christians we are, because we celebrate Jesus coming to earth.

Why do you celebrate Jesus coming to earth? Is that something you can articulate and explain? Our celebrations are often centered on serving ourselves. Our time is spent on the material and tangible expressions of Christmas which rarely reflect anything of an amazing and incredible birth of the Son of God. We participate in the Christmas frenzy by materialistic spending and extreme busyness, overextending ourselves and then telling ourselves that we know that the reason for the season is “Jesus.”

True happiness cannot be found in gifts, holiday music, or family gatherings. True happiness can only be found in the person of Jesus Christ.

Jesus birth in history is extraordinary. He was born into this world, not from this world. The human race cannot boast that we created him or gave him greatness. We cannot fathom his true mark on history, nor can we see the real impact of His life in an individual’s heart.

Jesus, at His birth, was bigger, greater, and more powerful than anyone knew then, and is often underestimated today. Jesus was born into this world, and born a King.

The reality of Christmas is Jesus birth. The reality of Christmas is that He came to seek and save that which was lost. The reality of Christmas is for God’s people to worship God and celebrate the word becoming flesh. God has come, to be with us.

This Christmas I commit to spending time and energy pointing others to the amazing and incredible birth of Jesus the Christ. Join me in celebrating a Biblical Christmas reality!

Have a Christ-centered and joyful Christmas!
Pastor Ronn

Theological Term of the Day

Existentialism

Existentialism is a philosophical viewpoint based on Soren Kierkegaard's philosophical work and emphasizes human freedom and abilities.  Subjectivity and individual choice are elevated often above conceptual and moral absolutes, because truth is found within personal experience.  Existentialism would deny objective moral truths.

                                                                                            - carm.org

Holiday Decorating

We are decorating our home today!!! 

Molly had better RUN!