Rebecca2

Buy the bike. Buy the bike as if he were buying a bike for the Lord. Buy a really good bike lock. Ride that bike to work. Praise God for his blessings! Pay tithe. There are many verses that provide guidance on tithing. Deuteronomy 12:18 may give your friend some guidance in his situation. Deuteronomy 12 17Thou mayest not eat within thy gates the tithe of thy corn, or of thy wine, or of thy oil, or the firstlings of thy herds or of thy flock, nor any of thy vows which thou vowest, nor thy freewill offerings, or heave offering of thine hand: 18But thou must eat them before the LORD thy God in the place which the LORD thy God shall choose, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite that is within thy gates: and thou shalt rejoice before the LORD thy God in all that thou puttest thine hands unto.

Canines and felines depend on their senses of smell and taste a lot more than human beings do. They can smell pheromones from great distances. They can sense bio-chemical changes in their surroundings and to verying degrees in other animals. Domesticated, companion animals 'adopt' their owners as litter-mates or pack members. Some of these animals become very attuned to their adoptee, especially when they sense that the adoptee needs protection or special care. Some animals are more naturally caring than others and this can be developed for use with people who have seizures, diabetes, and other conditions. I have seizures as a result of being struck by lightning several years ago. My eldest male cat, Beowulf, is very protective of me. He likes to grooms my hair. He watches me quite a bit. He senses when I am about to have a seizure. I know that if he starts making distressed sounds and circling me that I need to sit down and get comfortable. He usually jumps up in my lap when I sit down and does the dead weight thing that makes him impossible to move. He sits there until I'm okay, then he jumps down. When I fell earlier this year, Beowulf came and laid down beside me until I got someone to come help me get up. He snuggled up to me and purred and kept nudging me. Poor baby, he was trying to comfort me cause he knew I was in pain. I don't know how anyone could think that my Beowulf was anything but a gift from GOD.

In Vino Veritas

The law written by Mordecai allowed the Jews to kill their enemies and take plunder; however, there are a few reasons that this was not an option. 1) This was not in the best interests of the Jewish people living in the midst of a foreign people. The Jewish men destroyed anyone who threatened their lives and the lives of their women and children. The people who witnessed these events could understand these actions. Many of them would have done the same thing if their families had been threatened. If the Jews had taken the plunder, their neighbors might have become envious or distrustful of them. Eventually these neighbors might have begun to see the Jews as a threat. 2) When a powerful king does a favor for a minority group in his kingdom, it might be in the best interests of that group to make it worth the ruler's efforts. Haman had promised to pay the king to have the Jews destroyed. This king was in the midst of raising funds for a major military campaign. He may have wanted to right the wrong planned for Esther's people, but seriously people, the man needed money - lots of money. 3) HISTORY - Haman was of the family of King Agag of the Amalekites. In 1 Samuel 15, GOD told King Saul to utterly destroy the Amalekites and all they had to punish Amalek for ambushing the children of Israel after they left Egypt. King Saul disobeyed GOD. King Saul captured King Agag alive. Saul's army took plunder. When Samuel confronted Saul about King Agag and the plunder, Saul made excuses for his disobedience. Because Saul disobeyed the commands of the Lord in this matter, he was rejected as the king of Israel. In addition, his disobedience led to the escape of at least one member of King Agag's family who I would venture to say harbored a deep abiding hatred of the Jews. This hatred was passed down until a member of the family thought he was finally in a position to destroy the people who destroyed the dynasty of King Agag. In destroying the house / family of Haman, the children of Israel were completing the original mission given to King Saul. As part of that original mission, the children of Israel were bound to obey the commands of the Lord to not take plunder.

BIBLICAL Priests who entered into the tabernacle of the congregation were not allowed to drink wine or vinegar of strong drink. (Leviticus) Nazarites were not allowed to drink wine or vinegar of strong spirits or eat grapes. (Numbers) The Children of Israel did not drink wine or vinegar of strong drink during the forty years of wondering. (Deuteronomy) We should not cause brother to fall because of what we eat or drink. (Romans 14) We should not be given to MUCH wine. (Ephesians, 1 Timothy, Titus, 1 Peter) We can drink a LITTLE wine for the stomach's sake. (1 Timothy) MEDICAL Wine taken in moderation is a useful form of alternative medicine for prevention of coronary disease and some types of cancer. The flavanoids in red wines act as anti-oxidants to block cellular damage caused by free-radicals. Other compounds in red wine boost the immune system, help balance cholesterol levels, and lower the risks of stroke. Red wine is also used in alternative medicine as a vehicle for adminstering other herbal medicants. Women experiencing peri-menopause who have a family history of breast cancer should avoid consuming wine. The liver of most people is equiped with the enzymes required to metabolize alcohol in small quantities. One glass of wine is well within the limits of what the liver can metabolize in about one hour. A large percentage of East Asians and Native Americans have a genetic deficiency of the enzyme required to metabolize alcohol. MY VIEWS One glass of red wine has an average alcohol content of 11.5 percent. One dose of my mouthwash is 26.9 percent alcohol. (No, I don't swallow it, but I can't use it on days I work because it would cause me to fail the alcohol test at work). One dose of the antihistamine I use for bee / wasp stings is 14 percent alcohol. One dose of a medication I take for a chronic health condition is 5.25 percent alcohol. If you're going to eliminate alcohol, then you would have to eliminate more than wine and strong spirits. At one point in my life, my doctor had me drink a small glass of red wine every evening before bed. It was supposed to help my blood pressure. I was only 15 at the time. It did not hurt me. I did not become an alcoholic. I have a large Sicilian-Cajun family. We drink a glass of wine with holiday meals. I do not drink more than a few glasses of wine a year. I do cook with wine and whiskey on a routine basis. I have a few other spirits for special recipes. The alcohol content cooks off so no one is going to get drunk eating my cooking. I don't cook like Justin Wilson did and take a sip of whatever I'm adding to the pot. People are quick to quote Romans 14 about not doing anything to cause a brother to fall, but seldom do they quote the first part of the chapter where it says not to judge another. I would not sit down to eat with an alcoholic and have a drink because this would not be courteous or charitable of me, but neither should my alcoholic brother judge me because I drink. I do not like being around someone who drinks more than a drink with their meal, but I will not judge them. If I feel that they have stepped over the line into alcoholism, then I will attempt to show them agape love - tough love, but agape love. SPEAKING OF AGAPE LOVE - Could we take a deep cleansing breathe and remember who we are here?

It's called being filled with the Spirit!!!!!! Isn't it wonderful!!!!! I used to look around before I raised my hands. I was so self-conscious. Then I felt a little empty afterwards. I realized that I was stifling the Spirit. Now I just raise my hands and even stand up if I feel moved by the Spirit. My Dad always said that sometimes it only takes one person to start things going in the right direction. Hallelujeh! Raise those hands!!!

Our church has a service missions fair every fall (we just had it). During the fair we can sign up to try-out different service missions in the church. We can try the service mission up to three times before making a commitment to continue serving in that area. If we decide the service mission is not right for us, we just tell the coordinator we don't want to serve in that area. You might ask whoever coordinates service missions in your church what service areas need volunteers and if you could serve in that area for a trial period before making a commitment. If your involvement in service missions causes you to neglect your family or your job, then it is too much. Our service missions coordinator monitors all the volunteers. When someone volunteers for what she thinks are too many missions, she will take them aside and talk to them. She told me I needed to back off at one point. NO, it is better to serve in one area and give it your all. We pay more attention to what other people think than what GOD thinks. If you have prayed and then listened to GOD and are doing what you have been led by GOD to do, then don't worry about what other people think.

I've had insomnia since my husband was murdered in January 1986. At first it was just that I couldn't bear to go to bed. Then I couldn't deal with the nightmares. I sleep okay sitting in my recliner during the daytime, but I hate going to bed at night. I rarely get more than a few hours sleep a night.

It may be true that once you involve the Department of Health/Human Service in a case involving a suspected abused, neglected, or endangered child that the child remains in the radar zone of the courts. However, which is worse - having the child being monitored by the courts or being abused / neglected / endangered. Typically, if someone reports suspected abuse / neglect / endangerment, the local Child Protection Agency will remove the child from the situation. The child could be placed in a CPS run 'safe house' for up to 90 days. During this time, an initial hearing is held placing the child in temporary state custody, the situation is investigated, and a second hearing is held to present the findings of the investigation and allow involved parties testify. These hearings are usually held in juvenile or family court. At the end of the 90 days, the judge could order the child placed in foster care or give custody of the child to a family member. In some states, you also have Community Child Protection Teams who investigate suspected cases of endangered children. They usually do not remove the child from a home, although they can contact DHHS to have the child removed if needed. They also offer advice and counseling to family and community members who are concerned about a child. To find out what services are available in your area, go to your state's government page and look up the DHHS or CPS. Their websites should provide contact information. I pray that whatever the situation is that it is resolved without harm to a precious child.

This reminded me of the bonus question on my advanced physics final in college. We were asked to give the dimensions of the Milky Way. I drew a picture of a Milky Way bar and provided approximate dimensions for it. I got 50% credit for creativity.

In Modern Hebrew, re

After I read a few news reports today on the spread of this latest episode of staph I decided to do a bit of research. I remember when I worked at a hospital many years ago that staph was spoken of as almost a death sentence. I just couldn't remember what the signs / symptoms of staph are. Common symptoms of staph infection include: pain or swelling around a cut, or an area of skin that has been scraped boils or other skin abscesses blistering, peeling, or scaling of the skin; this is most common in infants and young children enlarged lymph nodes in the neck, armpits, or groin Seek medical treatment whenever: Lymph nodes in the neck, armpits, or groin become swollen or tender. An area of skin that has been cut or scraped becomes painful or swollen, feels hot, or produces pus. These symptoms may mean the infection has spread to the bloodstream. A boil or carbuncle appears on any part of the face or spine. Staph infections affecting these areas can spread to the brain or spinal cord. A boil becomes very sore. Usually a sign that infection has spread, this condition may be accompanied by fever, chills, and red streaks radiating from the site of the original infection. Boils that develop repeatedly. (Common with diabetics infected with staph.) I also looked up the most common herbal treatments for staph. (I prefer herbal remedies to drugs.) Herbs that may help the body overcome, or withstand, staph infection include: Garlic (Allium sativum) - anitbacterial properties. Herbalists recommend consuming three garlic cloves or three garlic oil capsules a day, starting when symptoms of infection first appear. Cleavers (Galium aparine) - anti-inflammatory that supports the lymphatic system. It may be taken internally to help heal staph abscesses and reduce swelling of the lymph nodes. A cleavers compress can also be applied directly to a skin infection. Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis) - fight infection and reduce imflammation. Take internally when symptoms of infection first appear. Skin infections can be treated by making a paste of water and powdered goldenseal root and applying it directly to the affected area. The preparation should be covered with a clean bandage and left in place overnight. Echinacea (Echinacea spp.) - antibiotic properties and strengthens the immune system. Thyme (Thymus vulgaris), lavender (Lavandula officinalis), or bergamot (Citrus bergamot) oils - antibacterial properties and help prevent scarring from skin infections. A few drops of these oils are added to water and then a compress soaked in the water is applied to the affected area. Tea tree oil (Melaleuca spp.) - infection-fighting. Apply directly to a boil or other skin infection. Don't forget nutrition! A diet rich in green, yellow, and orange vegetables can bolster natural immunity. Drinking eight to 10 glasses of water a day can help flush disease-causing organisms from the body.

Last Christmas I spent quarantined for two weeks because I had mumps. I was told that I was most likely exposed while I was shopping. I do believe every gland in my entire body was infected and hated me with a passion. Can we say PAIN! I sat in my recliner covered in blankets and propped up with pillows so that I could breathe while I slept. My church family brought food and supplies to me, sat the bags by the door, rang my doorbell, waited to see my face in the window, and then jumped in their cars & drove away as fast as possible. I was not amused! Oh, never drink orange juice when you have the mumps - YEEEOOOWWW! One good thing came from the experience, I should have plenty of antibodies to mumps. I now use sanitizing wipes on the handle of the grocery cart and sanitizing hand cleaner on my hands. I also do not go shopping if I have something contagious. Every time I see a kig chewing on the handle of the grocery cart I get the urge to thump their parents in the head. What happened to parents who told their kids not to put anything in their mouths that they didn't know where it had been? What happened to parents who used noonies for their kids to suck on instead of grocery cart handles? What happened to parents who used to tell their kids not to run with sticks cause they were going to poke their eye out with them? Oh, sorry, I started getting carried away.

Please consider my earlier post (Post #111) when thinking about Scriptural guidance in dealing with an abusive spouse. I will say one other thing - been there, done that, got the divorce papers, wish I had left sooner.

Law enforcement officers STILL think it is okay for a husband to slap around his wife to keep her in line as long as he doesn't leave any bruises above the waist where some 'misguided do-gooder' might see them. Preachers and other 'misguided do-gooders' still believe that adultery is the only acceptable reason to get a divorce and a woman should just stay in a marriage and keep getting beaten senseless until she is dead. The only thing that has changed is that less women are tolerating the abuse. They are choosing to either kill their dear loving husband or leave him. I chose to get a divorce.