Never in my life time have I sensed such an uncertainty about the future of America. I'm sure our parents and grandparents could tell us stories of things they dealt with in their life-time; but this is happening to us now and I'm wondering how our story-line will end. I don't know for sure.

I listened to Focus on the Family earlier today and half their program was devoted to prayer for our country and the coming election. Men of God were asking God to forgive us and to channel the thoughts of voters so that His glory might be seen once again in this country. James Dobson wept as he prayed because over 1 million babies have been killed through abortion. How dare we ask a holy God to accept us and bless us without first asking Him to forgive us the many grievous sins we've allowed to take place? Many of the mega-churches boast of the great numbers in their congregations and yet, many of those seated in church last Sunday will vote for a man and a party that condones abortion, homosexuality and perversion that begs description. How and why can do they that? I can understand the unsaved voting for such things ... but professing Christians? That I will never understand! Never!

We are at a cross-roads in history. We are closer to the end of time than ever before. A friend recently asked me if I felt the Lord was soon coming, and I quickly answered 'Yes! We're closer now than ever before.' But do I act like I believe that? Not usually. I'm too busy with 'my' day and doing what I think is necessary. Oh Father in heaven help me to realize the hour is almost here ... You are knocking at the door and many aren't ready to open it and find Who waits on the other side.

James Dobson & his wife were asking for Christians to take time this coming Sunday to fast and pray for our country and the election. Even if it's just one meal, take that time and use it to seek the Lord. I plan on doing just that. As a matter of fact, God is prompting me to make fasting a regular part of my week. Missing a meal here & there sure won't hurt me.

Another man who prayed today asked God to show us a miracle in this election. I know He can but I don't know if He will unless there is heart-felt repentance on the part of His people. May He give us mercy and not justice because none would be standing if we got what we deserved. I know He is a loving God, but He is also God who hates sin. Oh that we, His people, would hate it as much as we love other things.

I may sound like I'm ranting and perhaps I am, but folks, we are in desperate times and few seem to notice that the ship called America has begun to take on water because there are gaping holes in her foundation. How long before she sinks? This country was founded on Judeo-Christian values and yet we've allowed other countries and their beliefs to overtake our own. In the city of Dearborn, Muslims have the right to broadcast their 'prayers' over loud speakers and they're heard through-out the city. If Christians attempted to do that we would be blasted as being too extreme with our religion.

May God have mercy on us. May His will be done in America and the world as it is in heaven. May He forgive us our sins for they are great. May He lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one. May His Name once again be hallowed and kept holy. May His glory be seen over all the earth and may we be ready to welcome His coming.

I received this in an email this evening and think it's worth posting:

"I know everyone has a different opinion on the war and our current President. But, this article makes a lot of sense; take 2 minutes, read it and give it some thought.

When electing the next President, 'the only decision you have to make is who you want sitting in that seat in the White House when - not if - WHEN we get hit again and millions of American lives are put at risk!' This is from: 'You ain't gonna like losing.' Author unknown.

President Bush did make a bad mistake in the war on terrorism. But the mistake was not his decision to go to war in Iraq ... Bush's mistake came in his belief that this country is the same one his father fought for in WWII. It is not. Back then, they had just come out of a vicious depression. The country was steeled by the hardship of that depression, but they still believed fervently in this country. They knew that the people had elected their leaders, so it was the people's duty to back those leaders.

Therefore, when the war broke out the people came together, rallied behind, and stuck with their leaders, whether they had voted for them or not or whether the war was going badly or not.

War was just as distasteful and the anguish just as great then as it is today. Often there were more casualties in one day in WWII than we have had in the entire Iraq war. But that did not matter. The people stuck with the President because it was their patriotic duty. Americans put aside their differences in WWII and worked together to win that war.

Everyone from every strata of society, from young to old pitched in. Small children pulled little wagons around to gather scrap metal for the war effort. Grade school students saved their pennies to buy stamps for war bonds to help the effort. Men who were too old or medically 4F lied about their age or condition trying their best to join the military. Women doubled their work to keep things going at home. Harsh rationing of everything from gasoline to soap, to butter was imposed, yet there was very little complaining.

You never heard prominent people on the radio belittling the President. Interestingly enough in those days there were no fat cat actors and entertainers who ran off to visit and fawn over dictators of hostile countries and complain to them about our President. Instead, they made upbeat films and entertained our troops to help the troops' morale. A bunch even enlisted.
Imagine this: Teachers in schools actually started the day off with a Pledge of Allegiance and with prayers for our country and our troops!

Back then, no newspaper would have dared point out certain weak spots in our cities where bombs could be set off to cause the maximum damage. No newspaper would have dared complain about what we were doing to catch spies. A newspaper would have been laughed out of existence if it had complained that German or Japanese soldiers were being 'tortured' by being forced to wear women's underwear or subjected to interrogation by a woman or being scared by a dog or did not have air conditioning.

There were a lot of things different back then. We were not subjected to a constant bombardment of pornography, perversion and promiscuity in movies or on radio. We did not have legions of crack heads, dope pushers and armed gangs roaming our streets.

No, President Bush did not make a mistake in his handling of terrorism. He made the mistake of believing that we still had the courage and fortitude of our fathers. He believed that this was still the country that our fathers fought so dearly to preserve.

It is not the same country. It is now a cross between Sodom and Gomorra and the land of Oz. We did unite for a short while after 9/11, but our attitude changed when we found out that defending our country would require some sacrifices.

We are in great danger. The terrorists are fanatic Muslims. They believe that it is okay, even their duty, to kill anyone who will not convert to Islam. It has been estimated that about one third or over three hundred million Muslims are sympathetic to the terrorists cause... Hitler and Tojo combined did not have nearly that many potential recruits. So... we either win it - or lose it - and you ain't gonna like losing.

America is not at war. The military is at war. America is at the mall, or watching the movie stars.

(Remember Obama said in his book 'Audacity of Hope', 'I will stand with the Muslims should the political winds shift in an ugly direction'.....what better place for the Muslins to control our country, than in the office of the President of USA).

This is a picture of me and my younger brother. I was almost 4 yrs old and he was almost 2 yrs. old. Young & innocent. Not much to be overly concerned about. I trusted most everyone I knew at that age.

When did I lose that ability? You know, the one that allows you to trust most everyone you know? Along life's highway is where it apparently slipped off and fell away. And trust is hard to regain once it's gone. I mean, if you've been on life's highway 61 years, how do you go back and find what you lost ... and can't remember where or when that happened?

I realized this evening that I've been too trusting with people. My husband has told me that for years and I saw it as a virtue. This evening changed that. Oh, trust is indeed a virtue, but it's one that is earned, and not automatically given to just anyone and everyone. It's hard when it's family that has hurt you and twisted the truth and turned it to mean something other than what it is. You take a person's conversation at face value and trust they're telling you facts, when in actuality they're giving you their spin on it instead.

Am I angry? No. Not with them. They're simply who they are and they need to grow and Lord willing, they will. I am saddened however that I can't fully trust what they tell me to be truth. That from here on out I'll be on guard with my speech and will have to take what they say with a grain of salt. I suppose that's something I should be doing anyway with some folks. What's the Bible say ... be wise as serpents but as harmless as doves? I need to learn from that.

Things and people will never fully be what I'd like them to be this side of heaven. Only then will complete honesty rule the day. And until then I'll go on loving these people, praying for them, giving as sound a counsel as I can when asked for it, and trusting the Lord to work in their lives. HE is trustworthy! His word is truth. He cannot lie, and on Him I shall lean all the days of my life.

Prayer Request

Prayer request From Lady in the woods:

Please pray for Chris D.

He is in ICU with fluid-filled lungs. He is not saved. Pray for his salvation and health. He may be, very literally, on his death-bed. This is my ex-brother-in-law and the man who faced our rock fireplace. He and my husband were close when Hubby was young, going fishing and frog-gigging. His son is in his last year of medical school and he has a daughter who is 14.

We're living in a time unlike any I've seen in my life in TV-Land. There's always a "Breaking News Report" every time the local news comes on. They used to save those for real emergencies. There's more information on so-called movie stars & musicians than necessary. What do I care if Madonna is divorcing whatever his name is? And how does it effect me that Brittany what's her name is doing something new?

And some of the TV shows are pathetic! We have more "Judge"_________ (fill in the name) shows than I care to count. I don't watch those by the way. And then 'talk' shows ... Dr. Phil; Oprah; Bonnie Hunt; Ellen (definitely do not watch her); Rachel Rae cooks & talks; and Montel of course. I don't watch any of these except ole Phil every now & again while I'm waiting for Jeopardy to come on. And that leads us to game shows: Are you Smarter than a 5th Grader;

Wheel of Fortune; Family Feud; The Price is Right; Do You Want To Be A Millionaire? (who doesn't?); Deal or No Deal. There are more but I don't know all their names.

Next we go into the cooking show area ... have mercy. There are too many to keep up with. And we mustn't forget survivor shows and American Idol and America's Got Talent and Nashville Star and Dancing with the Stars and for the love of Pete, tell me you haven't watched Red-Neck Wedding! I was going through channels the other evening and came across the most ridiculous & obscene show ... only to find out it's on most every day and people actually let themselves be made a fool of on television. My Fred told me what it was as I gasped and turned the channel.

And there are entire channels devoted to shopping ... for most anything at any time of day or night. And other channels are devoted to Home Decorating, Selling, Remodeling, etc., etc., etc. (I do watch some of these)

Then there are news shows .... 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, news. Latest, breaking, up to the minute news. I remember when it came on at 6:00 pm for 30 minutes and you were done for the day.

Oh and we mustn't forget Soap Operas. They start in the mornings now and go on until about 3 in the afternoon. And they've become almost pornographic and it amazes me that old women watch them. I know because I know the women who watch and they are old.

And then too there are the religious programs. Most of them irk me so I don't watch them either. Many are nothing more than shysters in new suits. Suits paid for by the gifts and offerings of viewers by the way.

I've ranted enough. It just amazes me that with the supposed intelligence out there, is what we see on much of TV the best they can do? If it is, have mercy!

Please pray for Joann S :

Salvation
Deliverance from fear & smoking
Healing of the grief of losing her sister a year ago

Questions for my friends:

1. What book(s) are you reading?

2. Who are your favorite authors?

3. What book of the Bible speaks to you right now?

4. If you had all the money you wanted and only had one day

to spend it, what would that day be like?

Answers I've received:

Ladyfromthewoods said...
Hi, Louise!

(1) I'm reading "Born Amish" and the books of Leviticus and Luke.

(2) My favorite authors are C. S. Lewis and Janice Holt Giles.

(3) I'm not sure as all the books seem to hold such treasures for me.

(4) Hmmm...I suppose I would actually spend the whole day at home to coordinate my spending. First I would pay off our mortgage so my sweet Hubby would not have that burden and could concentrate on other things. The rest of the day would be spent on the computer, giving to every charity I could think of, giving to those who have a great need, and supporting the ministries of those who help the helpless and lost. I might also splurge for all our future homeschooling books, books I'd like to have in our library, plants and chickens. lol.

Trish said...
1. I am reading the bible...haven't had time for anyhting else.

2. My favoite authoes are...Eugenia Price, Conrad Richter, Janette Oke and phillip Gulley.

3. Right now Matthew chapters 5 and 6...their words written in RED!

4. That day would be like every other day, caring for the Grandbabies and making sure that my family is taken care of...that they have all that they need. (not want)

Sara said...
1. Just finished "Loving Frank" and "The Shack"

2. Laura Ingalls Wilder, James Herriot, C.S. Lewis, Phillip Gulley

3. Joshua.

4. Homes for my family, college for my kids and then???? there's so much need I'm sure the day would be too fast to think of it all.

Amrita said...
i. Several books, mainly a devotional by Dr Martyn Llyod Jones and My family and other Animals by Gerald Durrel

2 Fav. authors, difficult to compile a list.

Corrie Ten Boom; Martyn Llyod Jones; Francis Scheaffer; CS Lewis; Elizabeth Elliot; Max Lucado; Phillip Yancey

3. Collosians

4.For my family and church and for sick people who cannot afford treatment.

Deb said...
1. 23 Minutes in Hell by Bill Wiese

2. Karen Kingbury, C.S. Lewis, John Grisham

3. Hosea

4. In the morning I'd pay off my mortgage and bills and those of all my family and friends. Then I'd give money to everyone that I knew - as much as they needed. In the afternoon I would lie in a hammock and drink a glass of sweet tea while listening to praise music and reading a favorite book!

Louise said....

1. Bold Purpose by Dan Allender & Tremper Longman III

2. Randy Alcorn; John Piper; Elisabeth Eliot; Martyn Lloyd Jones; Steve Estes; Karen Kingsbury; Phillip Keller and others!

3. I & II Peter

4. One day & all the money I wanted: Give to our church; Pay off our children's mortgages; Put away money for grand-girls college funds; Give to missionaries; Give to the persecuted church through VOM; Pay off our car; Give money to homeless shelters & food banks; Provide medical care for anyone in need; Go to a local restaurant and pay for everyone's lunch/dinner for that day with the condition they accept and read a gospel tract telling of the love of Christ; Go to a local grocery store and seek those who seem to need help the most, then pay for their groceries for a month; Give money to family members who are in need. Give, give, give!

Margie said...
1) Believing God by Beth Moore

2) Linda Howard

3) Today it's Matthew

4) Since I've really been thinking about storing for the winter... I would pay off our trip to Austria, then pay off the house, store up food for the winter, buy a car for Phyllis, purchase a new furnace and roof for the garage.

Please say a prayer for two friends:

Melissa: Wearing a heart monitor and has been told she'll need a pace maker.
Her heart is beating 4 beats, then 'sticking' and missing a beat. She's very fatigued, must work a full time job and help her siblings care for their Mom.

Louie: Had a rib removed due to lung cancer 7 yrs ago. During the procedure nerves were cut and he's not experiencing severe pain. Morphine isn't helping and he sees another pain specialist next week. He's been told a procedure can be done that will freeze that area's nerves, but the risk involved is that it could also freeze all the nerves on that side of his body.

We don't have to be afraid ... of anything. The Creator of heaven and earth has chosen us to be His children. He cares for us. He knew us before we were born. If we are in Christ, He is our God and we are His people ... we don't have to be afraid. He gives comfort and hope and faith and love and joy and peace. He holds us as securely this day as He will every day to come. He alone is Awesome. That word fits nothing and no one else. I don't use that word lightly any longer for it describes my Lord and my Savior.

He is mighty to save. He holds us in the palm of His hand and nothing can really harm us. We can look forward to tomorrow because He is already there.

He is good! He is gracious! He is merciful and long-suffering! He desires that none perish but that all come to faith! His will is perfect because He is perfection. He IS and He always will be. He doesn't need us to do anything for Him ... but He receives glory when we desire to serve Him and love Him and when we take delight in who He is. He receives glory when we are obedient to His Word and when we delight to do His will. He has pulled us from the deepest pit to make us His own and I think it's His love that woos us into submission. And who can resist a love like His?

He IS LORD! To the glory of the Father, HE IS LORD and there is none other worthy to be called Lamb of God. Prince of Peace. Mighty God. Lion of Judah. Redeemer. Counselor. Shepherd. Everlasting God. Faithful and True. I AM THAT I AM. Jealous. Father. Abba Father!

May His perfect will be done on earth as it is in heaven. May His Name be kept hallowed and holy. May He give us (and He will) this day our daily bread and forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. And Father, deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the power and the glory and the kingdom forever and ever and ever.

You are worthy Great Jehovah

You are worthy Mighty God

You are worthy Abba Father

You are worthy Lamb of God

This is my prayer for you this Sunday morning:

1Pe 1:3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!
According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
1Pe 1:4
to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,
1Pe 1:5
who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

1Pe 1:6
In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials,
1Pe 1:7
so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
1Pe 1:8
Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory,
1Pe 1:9
obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
1Pe 1:10
Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully,
1Pe 1:11
inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories.
1Pe 1:12
It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.
1Pe 1:13
Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
1Pe 1:14
As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance,
1Pe 1:15
but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,
1Pe 1:16
since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
1Pe 1:17
And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile,
1Pe 1:18
knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold,
1Pe 1:19
but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.
1Pe 1:20
He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for your sake,
1Pe 1:21
who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
1Pe 1:22
Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart,
1Pe 1:23
since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God;
1Pe 1:24
for
“All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass.The grass withers,and the flower falls,
1Pe 1:25
“but the word of the Lord remains forever.”
And this word is the good news that was preached to you.

I found myself thinking along these lines this morning ... how much time do I spend in complaining about something or someone? Too much is the answer. And what good end is served by my complaining? None.

So, rather than complain about something or someone, what if I took that same breath and that same amount of time and began to give thanks in all things? What if, rather than talk about someone, I lifted that person to the Lord and asked Him to minister to them and meet their needs? Even if I don't especially care for them?

What changes might I see in people if I prayed for them rather than criticized them or talked about them? What changes might there be in me if I were to make these changes?

I'm not sure how it will all work out, but the precious Lord willing, I am out to change this aspect of who I am. I want to be all God desires me to be and that means growing up and letting go of my negative thoughts and speech patterns. It means taking the time to think about what's running rampant through my brain and then consciously 'take every thought captive to the obedience of Jesus Christ'. (II Cor. 10:5)

It means thinking Biblically before I speak, because our Father takes our speech seriously. He says in Matt. 12:36-37 that we will give an account of every idle word. That truth gives me serious cause to be quiet far more than I am.

I've heard that it takes 21 days to break a habit. Day one is almost over, and with the help of my Lord, I will change, for His glory, I will change.

Friends, please, please join me in interceding for this family:

"Please pray for Tim and Missy Hatchet and their daughters.Their oldest daughter, Mekenna, recently died (suddenly) from a staph infection. She was 14. (I actually saw the report on the news.)

They have two other daughters, one just started middle school (her name's Ramsey) and the other is around 8 and her name is Caden.

A friend of Missy's says that Missy takes the girls to school in the morning and comes home and sits in her chair and stares at the wall all day and the only other time she gets up is to go to church. The friend goes over to do the laundry. Everyone is worried that Missy will not recover from the grief. I'm sure that Tim and the girls need prayer also, as not only have they lost their daughter/sister but are missing their wife/mother too."

Thank you.
t.

Father in heaven, we come to you now on behalf of Tim & Missy and their daughters Ramsey and Caden. In the precious name of Your Son, we ask You to ease the grief and the burden they carry in the loss of their daughter Mekenna. Comfort them and give them rest and allow them to sleep. Minister to them through Your precious Holy Spirit and through the people who love them. Allow their pain to slowly evaporate into the knowledge You are with them and will see them through this seemingly unbearable time in their lives. Open their souls to receive from You all You seek to give them. Give Missy a desire to not only take her daughters to school, but to become involved in everyday household chores. Bring a smile to her face as she looks upon Ramsey and Caden and allow her to find You and your plan for their future in the midst of tragedy. Be all she needs. Be all this family needs. For your glory and in the name of Your Son we ask these things and we expectantly look for Your great and good answer to this prayer for this family. Amen.

Not sure why, but words just aren't coming for the blog the last few days. I find myself reading and praying more than writing. Thinking about things and about people more. However, I am reading your blogs and keeping up with each of you.

Sometimes it's better to be quiet, especially when you have nothing to say. Sometimes especially when you think you have something to say, it's best to remain quiet also.

Silence is golden ... isn't it?