Otherwise known as Valentine’s Day. Before I go into some detail as to why we won't celebrate that day, I must first say that I 100 percent agree that there is no reason to pick one day to show the person that you love them. It doesn't matter if it's a birthday, Anniversary, or Valentine's Day.
If you love someone, you show them each day because in truth, each day could be our last day. We can walk outside and get hit by a car. Each day if possible, try and tell those you love, that you love them. Don't waste time...
But some do show it on specific days. As for Valentine's day. Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable says: “Valentine, St. A priest of Rome who was imprisoned for succouring persecuted Christians. He became a convert and, he was clubbed to death.
His day is 14 February. The ancient custom of choosing Valentines has only accidental relation to the saint, being essentially a relic of the old Roman Lupercalia or from association with the mating season of birds.
It was marked by the giving of presents and nowadays by the sending of a card on which cupids, transfixed hearts, etc., are depicted. And what does Cupid have to do with Valentine Day? The same source says: Cupid (Latin cupido, desire, love). The Roman god of love, identified with the Greek Eros.
He is usually represented as a beautiful winged boy, blindfolded, and carrying a bow and arrows. The World Book Encyclopedia gives further information, offering various theories on the origin of Valentine Day practices. “According to one story, the Roman Emperor Claudius II in the A.D. 200’s forbade young men to marry.
The emperor thought single men made better soldiers. A priest named Valentine disobeyed the emperor’s order and secretly married young couples. Many stories say that Valentine was executed on February 14 about A.D. 269.
In A.D. 496, Saint Pope Gelasius I named February 14 as St. Valentine’s Day.”
Regardless of the true origin of the practice, it is evident that it is rooted in ancient pagan beliefs and in Christendom’s listing of so-called “saints.” Valentine Day is also another excuse for commercial exploitation of an often uninformed public. Note: 2 Corinthians 6:14-18
This is just a bit of why we don't celebrate it but as mentioned, love the ones you love daily.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Fight for life
When I think of the thought that I could lose any of my children, it hurts. At the same time I know that I could be reunited with them in the new system. When I think of my wife. It's a different kind of pain. See I wouldn't move on to another. I would try and get another wife. I don't see any reason to. If something would happen to her. I would remain alone.
Alone in a sense that I wouldn't have a wife but not alone because she would always be in my heart till I see her again in the new system. She feels the same way if anything would happen to me. That's love, that's Agape....
Solomon wrote: Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their hard work. And a threefold cord cannot quickly be torn in two.
A marriage can be likened to a cord tying a couple together and, when we let God be in it, it is truly a threefold cord not easily torn in two. To let God be in your marriage means to be concerned with measuring up to his requirements for married couples.
More than that, to let God be in our marriage means for both mates to have a warm personal relationship with Jehovah God, never neglecting prayer together. Share with him your joys, sorrows, disappointments, trials. Be concerned with giving him as a Person pleasure and gladness of heart. At Psalm 147:11 we read: Jehovah is finding pleasure in those fearing him. And God tells us at Proverbs 27:11 that by being wise we can make his heart glad.
I'll write more about marriage in another post but My son who is going to turn 18 thinks about these things. I remind him on how a woman should be treated. Love, Respect, Honor are just a few things that a man can show his wife. I often wonder how his children will be? Maybe I'm thinking to far into the future but it does cross my mind....
Alone in a sense that I wouldn't have a wife but not alone because she would always be in my heart till I see her again in the new system. She feels the same way if anything would happen to me. That's love, that's Agape....
Solomon wrote: Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their hard work. And a threefold cord cannot quickly be torn in two.
A marriage can be likened to a cord tying a couple together and, when we let God be in it, it is truly a threefold cord not easily torn in two. To let God be in your marriage means to be concerned with measuring up to his requirements for married couples.
More than that, to let God be in our marriage means for both mates to have a warm personal relationship with Jehovah God, never neglecting prayer together. Share with him your joys, sorrows, disappointments, trials. Be concerned with giving him as a Person pleasure and gladness of heart. At Psalm 147:11 we read: Jehovah is finding pleasure in those fearing him. And God tells us at Proverbs 27:11 that by being wise we can make his heart glad.
I'll write more about marriage in another post but My son who is going to turn 18 thinks about these things. I remind him on how a woman should be treated. Love, Respect, Honor are just a few things that a man can show his wife. I often wonder how his children will be? Maybe I'm thinking to far into the future but it does cross my mind....
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Wednesday
Last night went very well. I prayed for Holy spirit to help me get through it. I have plenty on my mind to keep me busy but one of the things I didn't take advantage of is the fact that the Elders are there to help. The brothers and sisters are there to help.
One of our sisters told us that if we needed her to stay with any of the kids while we take care of our issues, they can just go over and stay at her house. That was very sweet of her. We haven't really been to meetings since most of us got sick and then the baby so we really missed our brothers and sisters.
One thing that we are looking forward to is our memorial. Anyway...peace
One of our sisters told us that if we needed her to stay with any of the kids while we take care of our issues, they can just go over and stay at her house. That was very sweet of her. We haven't really been to meetings since most of us got sick and then the baby so we really missed our brothers and sisters.
One thing that we are looking forward to is our memorial. Anyway...peace
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Tuesday
I have a talk tonight based on eternal torment. What does it mean. I show scriptures that prove that God would not and did not create such a place. It's really some of the deeper things in Revelation.
I wish my focus was there but sadly it's not. My thoughts are with Joshua. They want to do surgery on his eyes because he can go blind. There is a chance they say that he could die. It's one in a million but still, there is that chance.
I normally would get excited about a talk but I can't help but feel down because of the pain my young one is going to go through. I hate this system and what Adam and Eve caused. Why didn't they just listen to Jehovah.
I wish my focus was there but sadly it's not. My thoughts are with Joshua. They want to do surgery on his eyes because he can go blind. There is a chance they say that he could die. It's one in a million but still, there is that chance.
I normally would get excited about a talk but I can't help but feel down because of the pain my young one is going to go through. I hate this system and what Adam and Eve caused. Why didn't they just listen to Jehovah.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Wed
Well Joshua is home. He's still sick but what is scary is that the Doctor has mentioned that we could have lost him. Very scary indeed. Last night Jesse gave his talk which came out very well. I had to stay home so I didn't get to hear it. My talk is next week.
One of the things that I must mention is that it's very difficult to mix what we believe in with others so its never a good idea to mix faith. We can illustrate this way. A mother tells her son not to play in the dirt. Her son has all white clothes on. The boy goes near the dirt. She tells him again DO NOT GO NEAR THE DIRT. She's telling him. He gets closer and closer till finally he's dirty. It's like that when you mix the truth with false religion. Our faith is pure and when mixed with other religions well, it's like that boy who got dirty.
True Christians keep clear of false worship, rejecting false religious teachings. This means that we avoid exposure to religious programs on radio and television as well as religious literature that promotes lies about God and his Word.
We also wisely refrain from sharing in social functions and recreational activities sponsored by any organization associated with false religion. What does light have in common with the dark? You can also think of it this way. If Jehovah himself was conducting a meeting. Do you think he would allow Satan and his demons to sit in?
Or we can look at it like this. If Satan was holding a meeting do you think Jesus, Jehovah or any of the Angels would sit in and include themselves? They won't. We have to be very careful. I hope that makes sense.
One of the things that I must mention is that it's very difficult to mix what we believe in with others so its never a good idea to mix faith. We can illustrate this way. A mother tells her son not to play in the dirt. Her son has all white clothes on. The boy goes near the dirt. She tells him again DO NOT GO NEAR THE DIRT. She's telling him. He gets closer and closer till finally he's dirty. It's like that when you mix the truth with false religion. Our faith is pure and when mixed with other religions well, it's like that boy who got dirty.
True Christians keep clear of false worship, rejecting false religious teachings. This means that we avoid exposure to religious programs on radio and television as well as religious literature that promotes lies about God and his Word.
We also wisely refrain from sharing in social functions and recreational activities sponsored by any organization associated with false religion. What does light have in common with the dark? You can also think of it this way. If Jehovah himself was conducting a meeting. Do you think he would allow Satan and his demons to sit in?
Or we can look at it like this. If Satan was holding a meeting do you think Jesus, Jehovah or any of the Angels would sit in and include themselves? They won't. We have to be very careful. I hope that makes sense.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Very Sad as well
There are several things that are going on at the moment. I will start with the first. We were told that there was a chance that our new baby Joshua can go blind. There is surgery but we don't know if that will be an option just yet. We are getting second opinion.
This was last month. When we told Jesse, he grabbed his brother and cried and has held him since. He wants his brother to remember his face. I feel the same. So we had that to worry about. Now two days ago my wife took Joshua to the Doctor because he had a bad cough. The Ambulance came and rushed him to the Emergency Room. I was at home while this was going on and since we only had one car I caught the bus and walked the rest of the way in the rain.
Before that, when I walked out the house. I saw a bus about a block and a half a way. I ran as fast as I could and couldn't catch up. I got about half way before I started to think of Joshua and I ran again even though I knew I didn't have anymore energy to run. I was hoping that the bus would have stopped at a red light. When I got semi close I saw that it wasn't the right bus.
2 1/2 blocks and hard running and it was the wrong bus. The bus I needed to take also stopped at that stop so I thought that was it. I ran back to the bus stop and the bus was sitting right there. I got on and it dropped me off about 15 blocks of where I needed to be. I walked in the rain but it was all worth it to see his face smile when he saw mine.
As mentioned they gave him treatment and we went home. During the night at about 3am he started to cough which it seemed as if it was for a minute or two. I got up and just held him in my arms. A few hours later I went to work. During Lunch my wife took the car to take him back for a follow up. The ambulance was called again. This time he couldn't breathe and was loosing oxygen fast. In the ambulance he stopped breathing. They started to give him oxygen which helped. Once at the hospital they gave him a breathing treatment which helped.
They admitted him. I again caught the bus and when I got there, he gave me a big smile but he had tubes in his nose and something over his mouth to help him breathe. He has been there since trying to get better.
I most I have slept was 2 hours in two days. Why do I bring this up. Well because even though this could be the most stressful and depressing situation I could be in, I have comfort. When you put trust in Jehovah everything works itself out. No need to stress no need to be depressed. We have the greatest gift called life and although life can deal blows,it can feel as if the world is against us, just remember what system we are in and KEEP reminding yourself that all of this will change.
I thought of the possibility of Joshua passing away. It would hurt very much but I also know that what ever this system takes away, Jehovah can restore life. We also recently lost a close friend to cancer. Death although it hurts, we can cope because it will change. That was a Promise from God. So whatever life deals you. It's not worth stressing over. Take each day one at time.
This was last month. When we told Jesse, he grabbed his brother and cried and has held him since. He wants his brother to remember his face. I feel the same. So we had that to worry about. Now two days ago my wife took Joshua to the Doctor because he had a bad cough. The Ambulance came and rushed him to the Emergency Room. I was at home while this was going on and since we only had one car I caught the bus and walked the rest of the way in the rain.
Before that, when I walked out the house. I saw a bus about a block and a half a way. I ran as fast as I could and couldn't catch up. I got about half way before I started to think of Joshua and I ran again even though I knew I didn't have anymore energy to run. I was hoping that the bus would have stopped at a red light. When I got semi close I saw that it wasn't the right bus.
2 1/2 blocks and hard running and it was the wrong bus. The bus I needed to take also stopped at that stop so I thought that was it. I ran back to the bus stop and the bus was sitting right there. I got on and it dropped me off about 15 blocks of where I needed to be. I walked in the rain but it was all worth it to see his face smile when he saw mine.
As mentioned they gave him treatment and we went home. During the night at about 3am he started to cough which it seemed as if it was for a minute or two. I got up and just held him in my arms. A few hours later I went to work. During Lunch my wife took the car to take him back for a follow up. The ambulance was called again. This time he couldn't breathe and was loosing oxygen fast. In the ambulance he stopped breathing. They started to give him oxygen which helped. Once at the hospital they gave him a breathing treatment which helped.
They admitted him. I again caught the bus and when I got there, he gave me a big smile but he had tubes in his nose and something over his mouth to help him breathe. He has been there since trying to get better.
I most I have slept was 2 hours in two days. Why do I bring this up. Well because even though this could be the most stressful and depressing situation I could be in, I have comfort. When you put trust in Jehovah everything works itself out. No need to stress no need to be depressed. We have the greatest gift called life and although life can deal blows,it can feel as if the world is against us, just remember what system we are in and KEEP reminding yourself that all of this will change.
I thought of the possibility of Joshua passing away. It would hurt very much but I also know that what ever this system takes away, Jehovah can restore life. We also recently lost a close friend to cancer. Death although it hurts, we can cope because it will change. That was a Promise from God. So whatever life deals you. It's not worth stressing over. Take each day one at time.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Jan 20th
Well I couldn't keep my mouth shut and had to post a reply. Fact is this, we don't know when this system will end. What would you do if you knew that a thief was burglarizing homes in your neighborhood? To protect your loved ones and your valuables, you would keep alert, watchful.
A thief does not send a letter announcing when he is coming. On the contrary, he comes stealthily and unexpectedly. On more than one occasion, Jesus used the ways of a thief as an illustration. Regarding events that would occur during the time of the end and that would lead up to his coming to execute judgment, Jesus gave this warning: “Keep on the watch, therefore, because you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know one thing, that if the householder had known in what watch the thief was coming, he would have kept awake and not allowed his house to be broken into.” So Jesus likened his coming to the arrival of a thief—unexpected.
This tells us that we have to always keep on the watch while moving forward in this system. It's good to step back and look at what our future can become. Our choices today may make a difference on our tomorrow. The one thing that will never change is the promise that this system will change. Put the Kingdom First and all will be added.
What I do know of the future of every person is this and I have mentioned it many times. There are two roads and the choices we make today puts us on the road to life or the road to death. There is Jehovah and there is Satan. There is this system, there is the new system. It's clear what a person should do but our influences cause us to do what is wrong. Our own sinful desires cause us to do wrong.
So what ever choices are made in life, we need to think spiritual goals first. Because we live in this system that requires money. We also need to think of a Job. What kind of Job and will that Job take away from spiritual goals? These are the things that both Jesse and I are going over.
I want him to have a Job of course but I don't want his Job to take his time away from Spiritual Goals. Easy to say but hard to do because our lives are always changing. It's funny because my wife said the same thing about living a care free kinda life but I reminded her that nothing in this life is care free because you can have a big house and all the money in the world but you can't buy your way into the new system. Be content with what you have and live a simple life instead of a care free life.
It is a challenge to sort out priorities, juggle responsibilities, and devote time and energy to the important aspects of life in a reasonable way. It is also a challenge to avoid extremes and maintain mental and emotional steadiness.
This challenge might be compared to that faced by a performer who attempts to walk on a thin high wire. Loss of balance would be a disaster for him or her. Similarly, the loss of spiritual balance would be disastrous for us. A person walking a high wire does not burden him/her self with many things. He or she carries only the essentials. In order to maintain our spiritual balance, therefore, we need to live a simple, unburdened life.
If we are to live a simple life, we must involve ourselves only with the things needed to maintain a reasonable livelihood. Jesus spoke of the things the nations are eagerly pursuing. So Jesus admonished us to avoid accumulating a lot of these things. Why? Because they can complicate our life and lead us astray. This is good counsel, regardless of whether we are wealthy or poor, well-educated or not.
Living a balanced, simple life is especially important now because Satan and his demons have been confined to the earth and are intent on weighing us down and diverting our attention from God’s service. Therefore, never before has the Bible command been more applicable as it mentions in the scriptures to Keep strict watch that how you walk is not as unwise but as wise persons, buying out the opportune time for yourselves, because the days are wicked.
So we always need to remember that this world belonging to Satan is dangerous territory in which to live. A misstep can mean disaster. Our situation might be compared to that of a person walking through a field mined with explosives. One wrong step in this system is dangerous.
As for Jesse leaving us. That is his choice to make. The scriptures speak of a man and woman becoming one flesh. Genesis 2:24 says : That is why a man will leave his father and his mother and he must stick to his wife and they must become one flesh.The purpose in the marriage arrangement was to have the man and the woman become so harmonious that their thinking and conduct would be as one. Is this possible yes it is. Will there be problems? Of course we are not perfect nor the same but one in a sense that the spiritual goals are the same.
So it isn't ripping but it's his choice to make if he wanted to stay in California or move. Will we miss him? Of course what Parent wouldn't miss their Child but as a bird leaves the nest we expect it but if the bird wants to stay then we accept it.
I hope this all makes sense. Anyway, I know it would be my last post but maybe one a week for posting. Still not sure about it.
A thief does not send a letter announcing when he is coming. On the contrary, he comes stealthily and unexpectedly. On more than one occasion, Jesus used the ways of a thief as an illustration. Regarding events that would occur during the time of the end and that would lead up to his coming to execute judgment, Jesus gave this warning: “Keep on the watch, therefore, because you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know one thing, that if the householder had known in what watch the thief was coming, he would have kept awake and not allowed his house to be broken into.” So Jesus likened his coming to the arrival of a thief—unexpected.
This tells us that we have to always keep on the watch while moving forward in this system. It's good to step back and look at what our future can become. Our choices today may make a difference on our tomorrow. The one thing that will never change is the promise that this system will change. Put the Kingdom First and all will be added.
What I do know of the future of every person is this and I have mentioned it many times. There are two roads and the choices we make today puts us on the road to life or the road to death. There is Jehovah and there is Satan. There is this system, there is the new system. It's clear what a person should do but our influences cause us to do what is wrong. Our own sinful desires cause us to do wrong.
So what ever choices are made in life, we need to think spiritual goals first. Because we live in this system that requires money. We also need to think of a Job. What kind of Job and will that Job take away from spiritual goals? These are the things that both Jesse and I are going over.
I want him to have a Job of course but I don't want his Job to take his time away from Spiritual Goals. Easy to say but hard to do because our lives are always changing. It's funny because my wife said the same thing about living a care free kinda life but I reminded her that nothing in this life is care free because you can have a big house and all the money in the world but you can't buy your way into the new system. Be content with what you have and live a simple life instead of a care free life.
It is a challenge to sort out priorities, juggle responsibilities, and devote time and energy to the important aspects of life in a reasonable way. It is also a challenge to avoid extremes and maintain mental and emotional steadiness.
This challenge might be compared to that faced by a performer who attempts to walk on a thin high wire. Loss of balance would be a disaster for him or her. Similarly, the loss of spiritual balance would be disastrous for us. A person walking a high wire does not burden him/her self with many things. He or she carries only the essentials. In order to maintain our spiritual balance, therefore, we need to live a simple, unburdened life.
If we are to live a simple life, we must involve ourselves only with the things needed to maintain a reasonable livelihood. Jesus spoke of the things the nations are eagerly pursuing. So Jesus admonished us to avoid accumulating a lot of these things. Why? Because they can complicate our life and lead us astray. This is good counsel, regardless of whether we are wealthy or poor, well-educated or not.
Living a balanced, simple life is especially important now because Satan and his demons have been confined to the earth and are intent on weighing us down and diverting our attention from God’s service. Therefore, never before has the Bible command been more applicable as it mentions in the scriptures to Keep strict watch that how you walk is not as unwise but as wise persons, buying out the opportune time for yourselves, because the days are wicked.
So we always need to remember that this world belonging to Satan is dangerous territory in which to live. A misstep can mean disaster. Our situation might be compared to that of a person walking through a field mined with explosives. One wrong step in this system is dangerous.
As for Jesse leaving us. That is his choice to make. The scriptures speak of a man and woman becoming one flesh. Genesis 2:24 says : That is why a man will leave his father and his mother and he must stick to his wife and they must become one flesh.The purpose in the marriage arrangement was to have the man and the woman become so harmonious that their thinking and conduct would be as one. Is this possible yes it is. Will there be problems? Of course we are not perfect nor the same but one in a sense that the spiritual goals are the same.
So it isn't ripping but it's his choice to make if he wanted to stay in California or move. Will we miss him? Of course what Parent wouldn't miss their Child but as a bird leaves the nest we expect it but if the bird wants to stay then we accept it.
I hope this all makes sense. Anyway, I know it would be my last post but maybe one a week for posting. Still not sure about it.
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