tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46348662629144116592024-03-07T08:03:56.778-06:00Mark's RemarksMARKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14397796524461914799noreply@blogger.comBlogger108125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4634866262914411659.post-64463932313637628292009-06-21T12:34:00.003-05:002009-06-21T12:46:59.894-05:00Happy Father's Day, Daddy!Mommy, Anna, and Eli have hijacked Daddy's blog for the day to say:<br /><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:180%;color:#99ff99;">Happy Father's Day!</span></div><br />I asked Anna to tell me a few reasons why she loves her Daddy and this is what she said:<br /><br />He goes to work<br />He loves Jesus<br />He goes to the zoo with me<br />I love jumping with Daddy<br />Daddy's funny.<br /><br />I love that even a 3 year old knows what's important - that her Daddy goes to work to provide for us, that he spends time with them going to the zoo, jumping, playing in the water, and that he spends a lot of time laughing with them. But most importantly, how great is it that one of the things she said is that "He loves Jesus!" What better honor could be given to a dad than to know that his children know He loves his Maker.<br /><br />Happy Father's Day, Mark. We love you.<br /><br /><span style="color:#9999ff;">Mommy</span>, <span style="color:#ff6666;">Anna</span>, and <span style="color:#00cccc;">Eli</span>MARKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14397796524461914799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4634866262914411659.post-49235390627476363082009-04-11T22:11:00.003-05:002009-04-11T22:13:25.238-05:00<div align="center"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;color:#ccffff;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;color:#ccffff;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;color:#ccffff;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;color:#ccffff;"><span style="font-size:180%;">The Angels Were Waiting<br /></span><br /><br />Standing on an edge of a cloud,<br />Thousands of Angels are gathered 'round.<br />Thoughts of fear go through their heads.<br />The scene below has them scared.<br /><br />The Angels are ready with their weapons in hand.<br />They may have to help the One with nails in His hands.<br />They wait for a cry of help from below.<br />He should have called them long ago.<br /><br />He hasn't given in, but He's growing weak.<br />The crown of thorns has sent blood down His cheeks.<br />He hangs there one hour after another.<br />People say He's no better than any other.<br /><br />He raises his chin from off His chest.<br />He looks down upon all the rest.<br />With the power He has left, He speaks.<br />Words we still hear that make our hearts weak.<br /><br />It is finished. It is finished.<br />No more, no less; that's all He said.<br />The Angels look sad, but they know it had to be done.<br />That was the whole purpose of God's only begotten Son.</span></div>MARKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14397796524461914799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4634866262914411659.post-33135142998050183342009-01-11T21:11:00.003-06:002009-01-11T21:41:49.224-06:00His, hers, or ours<span style="font-size:130%;">When God said in Genesis 2:24, “They shall become one flesh,” He was not just talking about the physical sense. God created marriage as the highest, most honored, most intimate of all human relationships. As such, the husband-wife relationship takes precedence over all blood-kin ties.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">Spiritual reflection</span></strong><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">God almost always puts opposite personality types together in a marriage, not to frustrate them, but to allow the strengths of each spouse to balance the weaknesses of the other. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">However, it is not easy to see beyond the differences and begin working toward common goals as a team.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">In the New Testament, Jesus draws an interesting parallel between the way people handle money and the way they handle spiritual matters. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">In fact, the way people handle money very well could be the best outside reflection of their true inner values. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). God uses money in the lives of any couple to draw them closer together. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">In contrast, Satan wants to drive a wedge between a husband and wife. Why? In hopes that the resultant turmoil will drive them away from God.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">Ours not mine</span></strong><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">In a marriage, there is no “my money” and “your money” or “my debts” and “your debts.” There is only our money and our debts. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">A couple cannot be one if they separate their lives by separating their finances.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">God will bring a couple closer if, from the very beginning, they establish God's Word as their financial guide and then follow those principles.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">A marriage is not a 50/50 relationship, as many people think. It is a 95/5 relationship on both sides. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Each must be willing to yield 95 percent of their rights to their spouses. If they are not willing to do that, it will not work. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">No viable marriage can survive a "his or her" relationship for long, because it is totally contrary to God's plan.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Couples should avoid having separate financial anything, including checking accounts, because when they develop a his money/her money philosophy, it usually leads to a him-versus-her mentality. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Unwillingness to join all assets and bank accounts after marriage is perhaps a danger signal that unresolved trust issues could still be lingering or developing in the relationship.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><strong>Budgeting</strong> </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Budgeting can be difficult, if not impossible, when spouses do not agree on basic money management principles. Therefore, they should make all budgeting decisions together. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">They also need to agree to hold each other accountable for meeting their financial goals, and devise a plan for regular evaluation of how well they are succeeding. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">The couple should come to an agreement on the amount of money that can be spent without first checking with each other. The specific amount will depend on the budget category and the couple's particular circumstances. “Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10).</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">Bookkeeping</span></strong><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Practically speaking, only one person should keep the books. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Even though one person primarily handles balancing the checkbook, both should be fully trained and able to do it. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">There is nothing wrong with the wife handling the finances in the family if she is the better administrator, but God still holds the husband accountable for the ultimate decisions. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">When there is an impasse, the wife must yield to her husband and allow the Lord to work it out. As they work together, encouraging one another, God will show them His favor and grace.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Nevertheless, being responsible as the leader does not mean the husband is a dictator; the couple should discuss and agree on financial management.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Both spouses should be involved in paying the monthly bills. Doing so will keep both fully aware of their financial status. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br />January 18, 2005<br /><div>by Crown Financial Ministries</div>MARKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14397796524461914799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4634866262914411659.post-20738565007215710092009-01-01T19:57:00.001-06:002009-01-01T20:11:19.399-06:00A Finance Funny<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhao2maUSKoR4ncRwfYJYgpBVDB-U5EQxgpCHixCySuBw7R3qhHGxKRfYP72-eaHzPzPsjJSmCmx1-YpRIbjzLXy09EcB__6wz1DOQ0srymDXh8IcVixMnkd37UC9e5XTsfY8lfitgI4oqc/s1600-h/cartoon.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286510006829909042" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 145px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhao2maUSKoR4ncRwfYJYgpBVDB-U5EQxgpCHixCySuBw7R3qhHGxKRfYP72-eaHzPzPsjJSmCmx1-YpRIbjzLXy09EcB__6wz1DOQ0srymDXh8IcVixMnkd37UC9e5XTsfY8lfitgI4oqc/s400/cartoon.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div>MARKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14397796524461914799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4634866262914411659.post-44214805685610088232008-12-01T07:26:00.002-06:002008-12-01T07:30:16.962-06:0010 Reasons You're Not RichMany people assume they aren't rich because they don't earn enough money. If I only earned a little more, I could save and invest better, they say.<br /><br />The problem with that theory is they were probably making exactly the same argument before their last several raises. Becoming a millionaire has less to do with how much you make, it's how you treat money in your daily life.<br /><br />Here are 10 possible reasons you aren't rich:<br />You care what your car looks like: A car is a means of transportation to get from one place to another, but many people don't view it that way. Instead, they consider it a reflection of themselves and spend money every two years or so to impress others instead of driving the car for its entire useful life and investing the money saved.<br /><br />You feel entitlement: If you believe you deserve to live a certain lifestyle, have certain things and spend a certain amount before you have earned to live that way, you will have to borrow money. That large chunk of debt will keep you from building wealth.<br /><br />You lack diversification: There is a reason one of the oldest pieces of financial advice is to not keep all your eggs in a single basket. Having a diversified investment portfolio makes it much less likely that wealth will suddenly disappear.<br /><br />You started too late: The magic of compound interest works best over long periods of time. If you find you're always saying there will be time to save and invest in a couple more years, you'll wake up one day to find retirement is just around the corner and there is still nothing in your retirement account.<br /><br />You don't do what you enjoy: While your job doesn't necessarily need to be your dream job, you need to enjoy it. If you choose a job you don't like just for the money, you'll likely spend all that extra cash trying to relieve the stress of doing work you hate.<br /><br />You don't like to learn: You may have assumed that once you graduated from college, there was no need to study or learn. That attitude might be enough to get you your first job or keep you employed, but it will never make you rich. A willingness to learn to improve your career and finances are essential if you want to eventually become wealthy.<br /><br />You buy things you don't use: Take a look around your house, in the closets, basement, attic and garage and see if there are a lot of things you haven't used in the past year. If there are, chances are that all those things you purchased were wasted money that could have been used to increase your net worth.<br /><br />You don't understand value: You buy things for any number of reasons besides the value that the purchase brings to you. This is not limited to those who feel the need to buy the most expensive items, but can also apply to those who always purchase the cheapest goods. Rarely are either the best value, and it's only when you learn to purchase good value that you have money left over to invest for your future<br /><br />Your house is too big: When you buy a house that is bigger than you can afford or need, you end up spending extra money on longer debt payments, increased taxes, higher upkeep and more things to fill it. Some people will try to argue that the increased value of the house makes it a good investment, but the truth is that unless you are willing to downgrade your living standards, which most people are not, it will never be a liquid asset or money that you can ever use and enjoy.<br /><br />You fail to take advantage of opportunities: There has probably been more than one occasion where you heard about someone who has made it big and thought to yourself, "I could have thought of that." There are plenty of opportunities if you have the will and determination to keep your eyes open.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">by Jeffrey StrainWednesday, </span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">October 1, 2008 provided by thestreet.com</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Copyrighted, TheStreet.Com. All rights reserved</span>MARKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14397796524461914799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4634866262914411659.post-30778035248679534342008-11-12T06:47:00.003-06:002008-11-12T06:51:51.769-06:00A Remarkable Quote on Marriage<span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">Here is a thought from John MacArthur that I found in a book I'm reading:</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><em>"No person deserves salvation, forgiveness, and a place in God’s kingdom, but Christ made the greatest sacrifice for the most unworthy people. The contrast is incredible: An absolutely holy, righteous God made the greatest, most magnanimous sacrifice for the vilest of all people. Husbands, don’t tell me about your wife’s problems that make it hard to love her – you’re not far removed from your wife as God was from sinners, yet He loved you. Your wife may be a sinner, but so are you. Don’t lose that perspective. "</em><br /></span><br /><p><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;">He goes on to say,</span></p><p><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"></p></span><span style="font-family:georgia;font-size:130%;"><p><em>"Men who explain away their difficult marriages by claiming they no longer love their wives are being disobedient to God’s command."</em><br /><br />Taken from <em>Devine Design</em> by John MacArthur</span> </p>MARKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14397796524461914799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4634866262914411659.post-31327224454410630902008-10-25T03:46:00.002-05:002008-10-25T03:46:00.540-05:00Dave's Thoughts About the Election<a href="http://www.daveramsey.com/tdrs/index.cfm/2008/9/23/Fix-the-bailout-with-mark-to-market" target="_blank"></a><em>Dave, which bozo should I vote for in this election? Who’s going to fix the economy? Who’s going to give me the most money?</em><br /><br />Well, I’m here to remind you that you’re going to fix the economy because your personal economy is up to you. It's not Washington's job to fix what's going on with you. If you are waiting on Washington to change something, you've got a long wait!<br /><br />You’re going to give yourself money as a result of your hard work and persistence. Waiting for money to be taken from others and given to you is a spirit of envy, and it's wrong.<br /><br />I’m not here to tell you who to vote for. But I am here to tell you that the government doesn’t have the capacity to fix your problems. Washington is full of bozos, and I am doing my part to send a lot of them home!<br /><br />This economic mess is a reality, but we can each only control one thing—our reactions. Does this stuff define you? Only if you let it. The weird thing about the economy is that YOU are the economy! I learned this the hard way. I got my real estate license when I was 18 years old. By the time I was 21, interest rates had risen to 17% fixed-rate … and I still sold houses. How? Because I worked hard.<br /><br />As bad as USA Today meant a recent article to be about what we think of the suffering economy and upcoming election, I think it’s rather encouraging that no one thinks that President Bush or Barack Obama or John McCain can fix the economy!<br /><br />This may be the beginning of the biggest level of prosperity this nation has ever known if we don’t look to a candidate to fix our lives. How about we say, "I’m going to vote for the candidate who’s going to fix the nation. I’m going to fix my life, so leave me alone and let me do my own thing."<br /><br />Don't react based on fear or panic. Don’t look to Washington to fix your problems. Why would you do that? At what point did Bill Clinton fix any of your problems? At what point did he cause you to prosper? At what point did George Bush end your career or cause you to prosper? When did Ronald Reagan fix your problems? Guess what? I liked Reagan the most, and while he was in office, I hit rock bottom and filed bankruptcy—but it wasn’t Reagan’s fault. It was mine.<br /><br />So when you go to the polls in a few days to cast your vote, don’t get caught up in following a political party or candidate without knowing the issues they support. Do your research so you can make educated decisions.<br /><br /><br />From: Dave RamseyMARKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14397796524461914799noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4634866262914411659.post-91654063147376006772008-10-24T09:48:00.002-05:002008-10-24T09:48:57.754-05:00Why Vote?<p align="center"><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/NwLY_HRt-AM&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/NwLY_HRt-AM&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></p>MARKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14397796524461914799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4634866262914411659.post-53253247819694265122008-10-23T21:01:00.000-05:002008-10-24T11:48:49.066-05:00Free Taco!!!<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L9b7abbmhf8/SQHVUusoJyI/AAAAAAAAAaE/g7sufePiWDw/s1600-h/tacobell_1028.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260720391854761762" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 272px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_L9b7abbmhf8/SQHVUusoJyI/AAAAAAAAAaE/g7sufePiWDw/s400/tacobell_1028.jpg" border="0" /></a>MARKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14397796524461914799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4634866262914411659.post-83416169692022006842008-10-15T07:00:00.001-05:002008-10-15T07:04:40.404-05:00Splash<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibBc8g_ne8LSBcjjhNIs-cNqNRoOgeVWDh3Ue41Npey4s7aZbJpcBcN5VGU3LRst5AWhpwBO6_5hv9pNrk-Zu3aQ6yfawHqQ86qtpYLfoj77NcJ663G8mtEItPSztbC7QJsBWnsWyg9T7M/s1600-h/100_5033.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibBc8g_ne8LSBcjjhNIs-cNqNRoOgeVWDh3Ue41Npey4s7aZbJpcBcN5VGU3LRst5AWhpwBO6_5hv9pNrk-Zu3aQ6yfawHqQ86qtpYLfoj77NcJ663G8mtEItPSztbC7QJsBWnsWyg9T7M/s400/100_5033.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257349604888904514" /></a>MARKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14397796524461914799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4634866262914411659.post-24372233002436122102008-10-02T09:40:00.002-05:002008-10-02T09:40:00.976-05:00Today I Turn Thirty!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEPFycBCnf1ke9E2UzomEmJPFxAhoAf-7Hz0anFjm8dTzxzCYwytia1d5zzy3wF6NgGpcDs9g5Zy5_nLiIkXWqlZB02wzudC0gZJEVpdI5YZ8MZLYfjFE4l_3MfzpdoiqX7xU4jDtgvAQ4/s1600-h/n568629114_1359345_5318.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252292271965017202" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 12px 12px 0px; CURSOR: hand" height="256" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEPFycBCnf1ke9E2UzomEmJPFxAhoAf-7Hz0anFjm8dTzxzCYwytia1d5zzy3wF6NgGpcDs9g5Zy5_nLiIkXWqlZB02wzudC0gZJEVpdI5YZ8MZLYfjFE4l_3MfzpdoiqX7xU4jDtgvAQ4/s400/n568629114_1359345_5318.jpg" width="210" border="0" /></a> At this very moment, at 9:40 a.m., on October 2nd, I celebrate my 3oth birthday.<br /><br />It was a Monday Morning back in 1978 when I entered this world. I don't remember that day or the events that unfolded. I am just glad that my parents allowed me to be here.<br /><br />I don't feel any different today than I did yesterday. But I have grown and changed over those years.<br /><br />I remember getting licks with a yard stick in Mrs. Halls Kindergarten class. I remember picking up my 2nd grade teacher (I was a strong one). I remember the leprechauns destroying our class that year as well.<br /><br />I remember 1988 at the age of ten when our school was destroyed by three tornadoes. We spent the next year having school in a church. I also lost a great-grand mother that year.<br /><br />It was the summer of 1990 that for the first time in 6 years that Lance Gipson and I didn't win the 3 legged race at field day.<br /><br />It was in 1996 when my grandfather passed away.<br /><br />I graduated high school in May 1997 and attended Boys State that summer.<br /><br />I was married at the age of 22 in December 2000 to <a href="http://www.phebbs.blogspot.com/">Phoebe</a>. We moved away from family and started anew.<br /><br />In 2001, I lost two great-grandparents. One was 96 and the other was 85.<br /><br />Several years passed as we experienced marriage. At the age of 27, we had our first child <a href="http://www.markandphoebe.blogspot.com/">Anna</a>. That went well and then at the age of 28 we had another, <a href="http://www.markandphoebe.blogspot.com/">Eli.</a><br /><br />In my thirty years, I've been to Kansas, Virginia, Washington DC; Kansas City (3x), St Louis (5x), Branson (too many x's) and other Missouri cities; Houston (2x), Dallas (2x), San Antonio (2x), Texas; Louisville, KY; New Orleans, LA; Nashville (2x), Memphis (many x's), Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee; Springfield, Chicago, IL; San Diego, CA; Orlando, FL; and all across AR.<br /><br />These are a few of my memories over the past 30 years. My memory has changed the most. I'll probably think of a few more things later. I found a few trivial tidbits on the Internet today about the year I was born. I hope you enjoy them.<br /><strong></strong><br /><br /><strong></strong><br /><br /><strong>Cost of Living 1978</strong><br /><br />Yearly Inflation Rate USA7.62%<br />Year End Close Dow Jones Industrial Average 805<br />Interest Rates Year End Federal Reserve 11.75%<br />Average Cost of new house $54,800.00<br />Average Income per year $17,000.00<br />Average Monthly Rent $260.00<br />Cost of a gallon of Gas 63 cents<br />1LB of Bacon$1.20<br />Dozen Eggs 48 Cents<br /><strong></strong><br /><strong>Technology</strong><br /><br />Illinois Bell Company introduces first ever Cellular Mobile Phone System<br /><br /><strong>Popular Culture 1978</strong><br /><br /><strong>Popular Films</strong><br /><br />Grease<br />Saturday Night Fever<br />Close Encounters of the Third Kind<br />National Lampoon's Animal House<br />Jaws 2<br />Heaven Can Wait<br />Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope<br />Revenge of the Pink Panther<br />The Deer Hunter<br /><br /><strong>Popular Musicians</strong><br /><br />Bee Gees with " Night Fever and Stayin Alive "<br />Paul McCartney and Wings<br />John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John<br />Rolling Stones<br />Commodores with " Three Times a Lady "<br />Boomtown Rats<br /><br /><strong>Popular TV Programmes</strong><br /><br />Happy Days<br />Little House on the Prairie<br />The Rockford Files<br />Good Morning America<br />Jim'll Fix It (UK)<br />Saturday Night Live<br />Wheel of Fortune<br />Charlie's Angels<br />Quincy, M.E.<br />The Muppet Show<br />CHiPs<br />The Love Boat<br />Three's CompanyMARKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14397796524461914799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4634866262914411659.post-91976065940925831252008-09-24T10:39:00.002-05:002008-09-24T10:39:00.296-05:00Summer Is Over<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9029ncgiFZP7nGneqDUj3-93A9-NCnjUuh6NwwFqieiagonZRz3hlcCzI9S41e1hmZez1yhss0w5-f0YhLyUjIw6kO139_t8Kn0s79MsNQ_-XPoiUYdg69mC2WcMcN5WRgOYseqrW9xvb/s1600-h/100_5018.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5244495468899143330" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9029ncgiFZP7nGneqDUj3-93A9-NCnjUuh6NwwFqieiagonZRz3hlcCzI9S41e1hmZez1yhss0w5-f0YhLyUjIw6kO139_t8Kn0s79MsNQ_-XPoiUYdg69mC2WcMcN5WRgOYseqrW9xvb/s400/100_5018.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div>MARKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14397796524461914799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4634866262914411659.post-83662011488644514882008-09-17T05:31:00.002-05:002008-09-17T05:31:00.440-05:00The Patient Butterfly<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEj2MCwTosi1k1qh5whU2lBYEwVz_O_tLY29G1cCC8fxRs_hW9h4EzG1u9CCBwHXd-tHTzc71ru0yL40mSRcX5i0yTNOTkSdFP63sDA-RU2DkqBYAAW4jVxOzovZZoG7GbMAO7NtstgI_B/s1600-h/100_5020.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5244495025824346850" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEj2MCwTosi1k1qh5whU2lBYEwVz_O_tLY29G1cCC8fxRs_hW9h4EzG1u9CCBwHXd-tHTzc71ru0yL40mSRcX5i0yTNOTkSdFP63sDA-RU2DkqBYAAW4jVxOzovZZoG7GbMAO7NtstgI_B/s400/100_5020.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div>MARKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14397796524461914799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4634866262914411659.post-45241282553205002092008-09-11T15:54:00.000-05:002008-09-10T16:37:11.537-05:00Do You Like Free Food!!!<span style="font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;color:#ccccff;">I don't know anyone who doesn't like to eat. But how much more do we enjoy free food.</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;color:#ccccff;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;color:#ccccff;">I have found a few restaurants that give you free food just for your email address. You sign-up to receive their email specials and they thank you with a free meal. You can unsubscribe your email at any time, but if you keep it active you'll get discounts and might get free meals on your birthday too.</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;color:#ccccff;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;color:#ccccff;">Here are a few links to the free food:</span><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;color:#ccccff;"></span><br /><a href="http://www.fishbowl.com/clt/buffets/lp/join/join_ryans.asp"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;color:#ccccff;">Ryan's Buffet</span></a><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;color:#ccccff;"></span><br /><a href="http://www.fishbowl.com/clt/zxbys/lp/join/join.asp"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;color:#ccccff;">Zaxby's Chicken</span></a><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;color:#ccccff;"></span><br /><a href="http://www.fishbowl.com/clt/cptnd/lp/join/join.asp"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;color:#ccccff;">Captain D's</span></a><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;color:#ccccff;"></span><br /><a href="http://www.fishbowl.com/clt/famdvs/lp/join/chooseLocation.asp"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;color:#ccccff;">Famous Dave's BBQ</span></a><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;color:#ccccff;"></span><br /><a href="http://www.baskinrobbins.com/bdayclub/registerinfo1.aspx"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;color:#ccccff;">Baskin Robbins</span></a><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;color:#ccccff;"></span><br /><a href="https://secure.fishbowllocal.com/apps/arbys/join.asp"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;color:#ccccff;">Arby's</span></a><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;color:#ccccff;"></span><br /><a href="http://www.fishbowl.com/clt/tnyrms/lp/join/join.asp"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;color:#ccccff;">Tony Roma's</span></a><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;color:#ccccff;"></span><br /><a href="http://www.firehousesubs.com/birthday/"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;font-size:130%;color:#ccccff;">Firehouse Subs</span></a>MARKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14397796524461914799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4634866262914411659.post-84830161692675476432008-09-10T15:20:00.003-05:002008-09-10T15:29:10.418-05:00He Must Have Done Something Bad...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBgy5Ee1Grrpa9AkgKvWFHoC4SOYU1Ctz0SJr8T4a-NaclddCvwAA538upgT_MwVK0oKgXqNPyKGx3EJEPi3SS13EbD7lNhOdXNiQ8Kr8ijVLlMU8XtXi3IFfz7jNCptm0B3zI01dqntgv/s1600-h/100_5011.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5244490325603099458" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBgy5Ee1Grrpa9AkgKvWFHoC4SOYU1Ctz0SJr8T4a-NaclddCvwAA538upgT_MwVK0oKgXqNPyKGx3EJEPi3SS13EbD7lNhOdXNiQ8Kr8ijVLlMU8XtXi3IFfz7jNCptm0B3zI01dqntgv/s400/100_5011.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div>MARKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14397796524461914799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4634866262914411659.post-75284565952713056852008-09-03T10:05:00.000-05:002008-09-10T15:23:45.718-05:00My Great Great Great Grand Father ~James Madison Wood~<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOO0_EKFWnmQgfV0g-ETjpvDWUEnz8v1tdR0s93jLaLqkj1bYO1UjocoNVK0xtw7IfolfucXnUxjD7mTz-SCGeLpxwUVu_PZKbPMWDo6dFNgN4Zcso92TGrA_1sUINIqGDnljlOHBNTdxT/s1600-h/James+Madison+Wood.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241255087394968866" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOO0_EKFWnmQgfV0g-ETjpvDWUEnz8v1tdR0s93jLaLqkj1bYO1UjocoNVK0xtw7IfolfucXnUxjD7mTz-SCGeLpxwUVu_PZKbPMWDo6dFNgN4Zcso92TGrA_1sUINIqGDnljlOHBNTdxT/s400/James+Madison+Wood.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div>MARKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14397796524461914799noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4634866262914411659.post-72196778473098179442008-09-02T08:49:00.001-05:002008-09-02T09:18:41.839-05:00Saving While Shopping<span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc9933;">Here are four easy ways to save money on your groceries:<br /><br />1. Don't Go Often<br />The more you go the more you spend. Try to limit your trips to once a week or longer if possible. Plan ahead!<br /><br />2. Use Coupons<br />Use coupons as much as you can. But be careful, companies use coupons to get you to buy things that you normally don’t. There are still places that will double the coupon values.<br /><br />3. Price Match<br />This is where we save the most. We get the local sales ads from all the grocers in town and make a list of the best prices. Once we complete our list, we are off to Wal-Mart. They will match all competitors’ ads.<br /><br />4. Go Without the Children<br />This idea just gives you more time and patience to find the best deals. When you children are with you, they encourage you to grab and go. Without them you have the time to get what you need and think through your purchases.</span>MARKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14397796524461914799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4634866262914411659.post-85936512325183958442008-09-01T09:46:00.000-05:002008-09-01T21:48:48.396-05:00Free Chicken Strips<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8YNxKNmbQvPcWVeQoD3lPQd26qXlnDQS40_J-X-QE6kncX1_v1eJM_lH7-bcWrXOF4S7B5ElfHoyVIm4q2JZJQ2MtrcCeaAVRi88nwUFG6__gbUlm5DJ5SNrVGSce6Dmjj-7f9guqA__8/s1600-h/bg_rules_header.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5241250012779964786" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8YNxKNmbQvPcWVeQoD3lPQd26qXlnDQS40_J-X-QE6kncX1_v1eJM_lH7-bcWrXOF4S7B5ElfHoyVIm4q2JZJQ2MtrcCeaAVRi88nwUFG6__gbUlm5DJ5SNrVGSce6Dmjj-7f9guqA__8/s400/bg_rules_header.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:180%;color:#ff0000;">Free Chicken Strips</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:180%;color:#ff0000;"></span> </div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:180%;color:#ff0000;">Today Only!!!!</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:180%;color:#ff0000;"></span> </div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:180%;color:#ff0000;">Wear your favorite football team or school logo and get Three Free Strips!</span></div>MARKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14397796524461914799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4634866262914411659.post-13835391191891193892008-08-20T12:00:00.000-05:002008-09-10T15:23:45.718-05:00Larry, The Cucumber, Looks Overwhelmed<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOloNXNgU47YZ-EwhMWZeQ_V2va0n_zjowph47_HoEDLofIOL3w3Q8OWxexdiYHX20Wnihb59nL-xlDrFCsQvFdl13KHUMcRTfiJSqZzV4vV7ECXiNsPD952clN9WBTg9CXaVmi7d8Yd9A/s1600-h/036.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5236255828522218306" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOloNXNgU47YZ-EwhMWZeQ_V2va0n_zjowph47_HoEDLofIOL3w3Q8OWxexdiYHX20Wnihb59nL-xlDrFCsQvFdl13KHUMcRTfiJSqZzV4vV7ECXiNsPD952clN9WBTg9CXaVmi7d8Yd9A/s400/036.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div>MARKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14397796524461914799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4634866262914411659.post-34028665929658788102008-08-19T10:27:00.002-05:002008-08-19T10:32:08.328-05:00Warning Your Children<span style="font-size:130%;">Let me take you to a passage in the Old Testament that will further define this heart-centered instruction. In Deuteronomy, chapter 6, you have a very important formula given here for the raising of children. Deuteronomy 6, is really a chapter instructing parents. Down in verse 7, it talks about teaching them diligently to your sons. This is all about family instruction, a very, very important chapter. It refers to instructing sons again several times later in the chapter. Now, as you bring them up and as you teach them and as you instruct them, what do you teach them?<br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Let’s start at the beginning, verse 4:</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">1. The first thing you teach them in this section, "Hear, O Israel: the Lord is our God, the Lord is one!" The first thing you teach them is to recognize the true God and that He is sovereign. To recognize God, the one God, the Lord who is one. That’s the first thing: teach them about God.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">2. Secondly, verse 5, teach them to love God. "And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might." That’s the second essential in bringing them up.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">3. Thirdly, verse 6, teach them to obey God. "And these words which I am commanding you today shall be on your heart and you shall teach them diligently to your sons." Teach them about God. Teach them to love God with all their heart and soul and might and teach them to obey God, all his commands.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">4. Then fourthly, teach them to follow your example. Verse 7, "You shall teach them diligently to your sons and talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up…" In other words, show your children that at all times in your life, all experiences in your life, on the tip of your tongue always, is the Word of the Living God. Let them see that your life is dominated by divine truth.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Let them see all of life as a classroom—every occasion in life, an opportunity to teach…every experience in life, an opportunity to point them to heaven. Everything that happens to them is a path back to Scripture. Jesus was the absolute Master at drawing spiritual reality from the world around him—from water, from fig trees, from mustard seeds, from birds, and bread, and grapes, and pearls, and wheat, and tares, and cups, and platters, and nets, and dinners, and vineyards, and foxes, and men, and women, and light, and dark…everything that happened in life opened up a window on divine reality. I must sensitize my children to see the hand of God and hear the voice of God and the "print" of God in every flower, every rock, every mountain, the sea, the sky, the babbling brook, the whispering trees, the cricket’s chirp, the roaring waterfall, the gentle slap of the surf, the fragrance of a flower, salt air, little babies, fresh hot berries, hot buttered baked bread, a puppy, a squirrel, grandma, and on it goes. Everything in life is a classroom to draw them back to God.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Also, it is essential in bringing them up, verses 8 and 9, that they be reminded repeatedly about these truths. Reminded about the true God, about loving God, and about obeying God, and about following your example. How do you do it? "Bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontlets on your forehead. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." All of that—simply ways to say keep the reminder going all the time, constantly, constantly, at all times. Have it, as it were, at the front of your mind. Have it right on your hands. Put it on the doorposts of your house and on your gates so that you are incessantly taking them back to the truth of God.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Then, one other lesson: teach them to be wary of the world around them. Verse ten, "Then it shall come about when the Lord your God brings you into the land which He swore to your fathers—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—to give you great and splendid cities which you didn’t build and houses full of all good things which you didn’t fill and hewn cisterns which you didn’t dig…" In other words, they’re going to take over a very advanced civilization already in place, "…vineyards and olive trees which you didn’t plant and you shall eat and be satisfied. Then, watch yourself lest you forget the Lord who brought you from the land of Egypt out of the house of slavery." Warn your children that when they get out in the world and they begin to see all that’s there and they begin to touch, and taste, and explore, and sense, and experience, that they not forget God. Teach them about the true God. Teach them to love Him with all their heart, with all their soul, with all their might. Teach them to obey Him. Teach them to follow your example. Show them that life is a classroom no matter what the scene. Constantly remind them of those things which are precious to them and to you and teach them to be wary of the world.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">It was said of Eli’s sons in I Samuel, this tragic statement, "His sons brought a curse on themselves and Eli did not rebuke them." If you read the sad, sad story of Eli’s family, you have the key right there. It wasn’t because of something he did to them, it was because of what he didn’t do. He did not warn them.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">The Minnesota Crime Commission says this, "Every baby starts life as a little savage. He is completely selfish and self-centered. He wants what he wants when he wants it—his bottle, his mother’s attention, his playmates’ toys, his uncle’s watch. Deny him these wants and he seizes with rage and aggressiveness, which would be murderous, were he not so helpless. He’s dirty. He has no morals, no knowledge, and no developed skill. This means that all children are born delinquent. If permitted to continue in their self-centered world of infancy, given free rein to their impulsive actions to satisfy each one, every child will grow up a criminal, a thief, a killer, and a rapist." Not bad from the Minnesota Crime Commission. What they’re describing is what? Depravity. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Taken from:</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">A Crash Course in Christian Parenting</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">by John MacArthur</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Copyright 1997</span>MARKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14397796524461914799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4634866262914411659.post-31400743612566737192008-08-14T18:03:00.002-05:002008-08-14T18:07:15.939-05:00Should "In God We Trust" Stay?<span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc9933;">NBC is taking a poll on "In God We Trust" to stay on our American currency. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc9933;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc9933;">Please vote right away, before NBC takes this off the web page.<br /><br />MSNBC poll is still open so you can vote. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc9933;"></span><br /><a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10103521/"><span style="font-size:130%;color:#ffcc66;">CLICK HERE TO VOTE</span></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc9933;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc9933;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc9933;">Let your friends know!</span>MARKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14397796524461914799noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4634866262914411659.post-3649533005052639822008-07-28T06:00:00.001-05:002008-07-28T06:00:02.092-05:00How to Provoke a Child to Wrath<span style="font-size:130%;">Number one, by over-protection. Fence them in; never trust them; don’t give them the opportunity to develop independence, and deprivation will instill an angry mood. Parents must give children room to express themselves, to discover their world, to try a new adventure, gradually releasing them to live independently. Let the rope out. Over-protection frustrates and angers a child. We live in a world where that’s a tendency among Christians—to keep them under your control all the time. You have to be very careful about that or they become exasperated.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Secondly, you can do it by favoritism. Isaac favored Esau over Jacob—Rebecca favored Jacob over Esau, and the sad results are well-known. Don’t compare them against each other. They’re each unique. Love them the same without special regard for each…no respective persons. If a child feels that you love another in that family more, that is a very, very frustrating experience.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Thirdly, you can cause a child to become angry by setting unrealistic achievement goals. Some parents, literally, crush their children with pressure. Pressure to excel in school, pressure to excel in sports, in music, in any activity they do. And it really has little to do with the child and everything to do with the reputation that the parent wants. This becomes very frustrating when the child has no sense of having reached the goal, no sense of having fulfilled an expectation…it leads to being angry and bitter. I have dealt with such children who have killed themselves. I think of one girl in particular who killed herself to get her parents off her back. She never could accomplish enough to satisfy them, and she was so angry, she wanted to hurt them in the most profound way she could, so she took her life so they would have to live with the pain of causing that…devastating.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">[Fourthly], you can frustrate your child to anger by over-indulgence. By giving them everything they want; by picking up after them always; by allowing them to throw all responsibility and accountability on others. You can exasperate them by letting them sin and get away with it so they learn to do that successfully. Ultimately, when they face the world and people don’t serve them and don’t take all the responsibility for them and for their misdeeds, they will get angry and bitter and violent. It’s just exactly the kind of generation we’re seeing raised today.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Fifthly, you can exasperate your child by discouragement and I think that comes in two ways: lack of understanding and lack of reward because both of those destroy motivation and they destroy incentive. You must understand your children. Understand what they’re thinking. Understand what they’re trying to accomplish. Understand why a certain thing happened, why a certain behavior occurred, why a certain incident went a certain way. Grant them a listening ear and an understanding heart and reward them graciously and generously with love. Give them approval and honor and be patient with them or they get very defeated and discouraged and that turns to anger.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">You can provoke your children to anger, number six, by failing to sacrifice for them. In other words, by making the child feel like he’s constantly an intrusion into your life, constantly an interruption, always a bother…you want to do what you want to do. You and your husband want to go where you want to go—you just farm these kids out somewhere. Leave them. Let somebody else take care of them. You’re not about to change your lifestyle—you’re going to do what you want to do. You’re going to have your fun and your pleasure and the kids are just going to have to fend for themselves. Leave them; make them prepare their own meals. Don’t take them places because you can’t be bothered with them, and they will resent your being uncaring, unavailable, and self-centered. One of the things that I’m so very thankful for in my own family is Patricia’s devotion to our children: all the years when they were growing up in the home. Many years when I had to be going and traveling and she refused to do that because she wanted to be with those children all the time.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Number seven, you can provoke your children to anger by failing to allow for some growing up. What does that mean? Let them goof up a little. Let them make mistakes. So they knocked something over at the table—laugh it off! They get don’t quite have the manual dexterity yet, or the coordination. Give them a little job and they do it in an unacceptable way, but it’s a little bit of progress, commend them. Let them share some of their ridiculous ideas. Let them plan some silly things to do and do them. Don’t condemn them. Just expect progress, not perfection. The best of men are not perfect.<br />The New York Tech, many years ago, defeated Rensselaer Poly (Polytechnic), 21-8. In that game, the only Rensselaer touchdown was set up by a sixty-three yard pass-play, says the newspaper. On the play, there appeared to be a breakdown in the Tech defense. The next week, when reviewing the films, Tech coach, Marty Senall (sp.), noticed that the defensive back on the play, freshman John Smith, stood frozen on one spot while the Receiver flew by his for the winning touchdown. "Hey Smitty! Why didn’t you move?" the coach yelled. "I couldn’t. My contact lens had just popped out and I covered it with my foot, waiting for a time to put it back. If I had left the spot, I never would have found it again in that grass. And, my parents would have killed me for losing it!" Now, I’m telling you, when you’re in the "big game" and you live with that much fear of your parents, you’ve got a problem. Let your kids fail. They’re going to lose things. Hey, I remember when Matt flushed my watch down the toilet. I said, "Why did you do that?" He said, "I just wanted to see what it would look like, going down." Did I spank him? No. In fact, I wished I’d have been there. I’d like to see what it looked like when it was going down. Allowed for a little growing…for a few experiments.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Number eight, you can provoke your children to anger by neglect. If there’s any biblical illustration of this, it’s probably David and Absalom. David spent no time with him, no time shaping him, and Absalom ultimately hated his father with a passion. He tried to pull a coup to dethrone his father and take his place. Neglect—and the worse kind of neglect: lack of consistent discipline. That’s the worst kind of neglect. I’m not talking about the neglect of time and things; I’m talking about the neglect of discipline. Teach them, discipline them…consistently using the rod in love.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Number nine, you can provoke your children to anger by abusive words. You understand that a little child has a very limited vocabulary and you have a very comprehensive one. Verbal abuse is a terrible thing. A barrage of well-chosen words from your adult vocabulary can cut that little heart to shreds. What is as devastating as anything are words of anger, words of sarcasm, or words of ridicule. Frankly, we say things to our children, we would never say to anybody else.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:130%;">And, lastly, by physical abuse. An angry child is often a beaten, abused, overzealously punished child usually from an angry, vengeful parent who only cares that he has been inconvenienced or irritated—not that the child needs correction for his own good.<br />Well, those are some very simple, practical things. If you want to provoke your child to anger, you can do it by overprotection, favoritism, setting unrealistic achievement goals, over-indulgence, discouragement, failing to sacrifice for them so that they can see your love, failing to allow for them to grow up by neglecting firm, consistent, loving discipline, by abusive words, and physical abuse as well. Don’t do that.</span> </span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Taken from:</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">A Crash Course in Christian Parenting<br />by John MacArthur</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Copyright 1997</span>MARKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14397796524461914799noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4634866262914411659.post-80895193353181154002008-07-25T06:23:00.000-05:002008-07-25T06:23:01.322-05:00A ReMarkable Poem<span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>Too Young to Die</strong><br /></span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I loved to run through those fields<br />on those warm summer days.<br />Then to jump in that lake<br />that was so cool and clear.<br /><br />I still remember everyday that I walked<br />through the woods behind my house.<br />I can still see the creek that I followed.<br />I can hear those birds that always sang for me.<br /><br />That time I fell asleep outside.<br />I was lying down and watching the stars.<br />They always seemed to put on a show for me.<br />It seemed like it was all yesterday. I wished it were.<br /><br />It’s hard for me to forget those cold days<br />When I stayed inside next to the fire.<br />Looking out occasionally at the blanket of snow,<br />But quickly returning to my chair to dream about summer.<br /><br />I always loved watching spring arrive.<br />Watching the flowers, seeing the bees<br />Always hard at work and never ending.<br />Seeing that hive dripping with honey.<br /><br />The golden syrup, oh, so sweet,<br />Many times that taste was on my tongue.<br />Oh, how I loved those mornings.<br />The sun was always waiting when I awoke.<br /><br />So many things I did.<br />So many things I’ll never forget.<br />So many more things I could’ve done.<br />I thought I was too young to die.</span>MARKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14397796524461914799noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4634866262914411659.post-7323833922488856702008-07-23T09:12:00.002-05:002008-07-25T00:29:45.991-05:00That Didn't Sound Right???<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">I thought I would share a little funny story:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">Phoebe and I take turns praying each night. The other night it was her turn. She asked if I had any prayer request. I told her that I didn't have anything new, but mentioned that I hoped I could sleep better that night.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">She went ahead and said her prayer. It the middle of the prayer she decided to pray for me. She was praying that I would get better rest. But technically she said,</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">"I pray that Mark sleeps well tonight and that <strong>he doesn't wake up</strong>..."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">I was wondering what she meant by that.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;">After a short pause she said, "...until morning."</span></span>MARKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14397796524461914799noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4634866262914411659.post-11537586880759205702008-07-20T20:50:00.004-05:002008-07-21T16:22:13.784-05:00God and Gas!I normally don't turn the TV on on Sunday mornings. But today, I did. I was flipping through the channels and I came across Smiley. No not Miley, but the smiley preacher. You may know him by Joel Olsteen. While I haven't read his books nor have I listened to an entire <strike>sermon</strike> speech of his. I have seen a couple interviews and quotes. And that's been enough to know that he's not that scriptural.<br /><br /><br /><br />This morning I just happened to flip the channel when he took a breath and then he said,<br /><br /><br /><br /><div align="center">"God will give you better gas mileage."</div><br /><br /><br />I don't know the context of his paragraph around this. He did say, before I got him turned off,<br /><br /><br /><br /><div align="center">"He [God] will keep you out of rush hour."</div><br /><div align="center"></div><br /><div align="left">Now, I know that God is capable. But I haven't seen these in the Bible nor do I feel that these are things that he is just wanting us to pray for.</div><br /><div align="center"></div><br /><div align="left">I would rather ask that He keep supplying peace, giving abundant life and keeping us out of temptation. </div>MARKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14397796524461914799noreply@blogger.com0