today's weather

Anger

Anyone can become angry - that is easy. 

But to be angry with the right person, to the right degree, at the right time, for the right purpose, and in the right way - this is is the challenge.”

~ Aristotle’s 

Deck of Cards vs. The Holy Bible

This is the lyrics of an old song... 

Friends, this is Tex Ritter with a strange story about a soldier boy and a deck of cards. 

During the North African campaign, a bunch of soldier boys had been on a long hike and they arrived in a little town called Casino. The next morning being Sunday, several of the boys went to church. A sergeant commanded the boys in church and after the Chaplin had read the prayer the text was taken up next. Those of the boys who had a prayer book took them out. But this one boy only had a deck of card and so he spread them out. The sergeant saw the cards and said, “Soldier, put away those cards.” After the services were over the soldier was taken prisoner and was taken before the provost marshal. The marshal said sergeant, “Why have you brought this man here?” “For playing cards in church, Sir.” “And what do you have to say for yourself son?” “Much, Sir” replied the soldier. The Marshal said, “I hope for if not, I shall punish you more than any man was ever punished.” The soldier said, “Sir, I have been on a march for six days and I had neither bible or prayer book, but I hope to satisfy you, Sir, with the purity of my intentions.” With that the boy started his story. 

You see sir when I see the Ace, it reminds me that there is but one God.

And the deuce reminds me the bible is divided into two parts, the Old and the New Testament. 

And when I see the three, I think of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

When I see the four, I think of the four evangelists who preached the gospel, there was Mathew, Mark, Luke and John.

And when I see the five it reminds me of the five wise virgins who trimmed their lamps. There were ten of them, five were wise and were saved and five were foolish and were shut out.

And when I see the six it reminds me that in six days God made this great heaven and earth. A

nd when I see the seven it reminds me that on the seventh day God rested from his great work.

And when I see the eight, I think of the eight righteous people God saved when he destroyed this earth. There was Noah, his wife, their three sons and their wives.

And when I think of the nine, I think of the leapers our savior cleansed and nine of the ten didn’t even thank him.

When I see the ten, I think of the ten commandments God handed down to Moses on a table of stone.

When I see the king, it reminds me that there is but one king in heaven, God all Mighty.

And when I see the queen, I think of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who is queen of heaven.

And the Jack or knave is the Devil. 

When I count the number of spots of a deck of cards I find three hundred and sixty-five, the number of days in a year. There are fifty-two cards, the number of weeks in a year. There’s four suits, the number of weeks in a month. There’s twelve picture cards, the number of months in a year. There are thirteen tricks, the number of weeks in a quarter. 

So you see, Sir, my deck of cards serves me as a Bible, almanac, and prayer book.

And friends I know that story is true cause I knew that soldier.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydDv7gyotCE

Courageous

turn turn turn

Choose God

a bad attitude

God is the Author

Jesus' Last Words on the Cross

The hill is quiet now. Not still but quiet. For the first time all day there is no noise. 

The clamor began to subside when the darkness—that puzzling midday darkness—fell. Like water douses a fire, the shadows doused the ridicule. No more taunts. No more jokes. No more jesting. And, in time, no more mockers. One by one the onlookers turned and began the descent.

That is, all the onlookers except you and me. We did not leave. We came to learn. And so we lingered in the semidarkness and listened. We listened to the soldiers cursing, the passersby questioning, and the women weeping. But most of all, we listened to the trio of dying men groaning. Hoarse, guttural, thirsty groans. They groaned with each rolling of the head and each pivot of the legs.

But as the minutes became hours, these groans diminished. The three seemed dead. Were it not for the belabored breathing, you would have thought they were.

Then he screamed. As if someone had yanked his hair, the back of his head slammed against the sign that bore his name, and he screamed. Like a dagger cuts the curtain, his scream cut the dark. Standing as straight as the nails would permit, he cried as one calling for a lost friend, “Eloi!”

His voice was raspy, scratchy. Reflections of the torch flame danced in his wide eyes. “My God!”

Ignoring the volcano of erupting pain, he pushed upward until his shoulders were higher than his nailed hands. “Why have you forsaken me?”  

The soldiers stared. The weeping of the women ceased. One of the Pharisees sneered sarcastically, “He’s calling Elijah.”

No one laughed.

He’d shouted a question to the heavens, and you half expected heaven to shout one in return. And apparently it did. For the face of Jesus softened, and an afternoon dawn broke as he spoke a final time. “It is finished. Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”

As he gave his final breath, the earth gave a sudden stir. A rock rolled, and a soldier stumbled. Then, as suddenly as the silence was broken, the silence returned.

And now all is quiet. The mocking has ceased. There is no one to mock.

The soldiers are busy with the business of cleaning up the dead. Two men have come. Dressed well and meaning well, they are given the body of Jesus.

From He Chose the Nails: What God Did To Win Your Heart 

Honor your marriage, your bed and your wife

Marriage should be honored [= respected, treasured, appreciated, cherished, precious]

by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, [= clean, unsoiled, spotless, fresh, sparkling]

for God will judge the adulterer [= sexual intercourse between a man and a women other than his wife/between a woman and a man other than her husband & everyone who looks on a woman to lust for her has committed adultery with her already in his heart~Math 5:27-28.]


and all the sexually immoral... [flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own, you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies ~ 1 Cor 6:19]


God is holy.... live holy lives because if you don't you will not see Lord.
~ Hebr 12:14
~ Hebr 13:3

Honestly

If we be honest with ourselves, we shall be honest with each other.