Here I am, once again!!

I have not written anything on this blog for almost a year.

I'd like to have a good reason, but really the only one is that I just had one too many blogs!!

(My dad just came in to tell me something and gasped, "Almost a year--you're about like me!" :-D )

I suppose this is a final post--to say that I still want to write about important things, but on my other blog. 

I  really don't need to separate them anyway! I want to write about important issues and topics in my everyday life, and not always make them separate. Hope you know what I mean!

I will try to put my old posts from here onto my other blog, so that people can still read them, because I thought some of them were good, and should not be thrown away.

Perhaps I will write again on here someday, but for now at least, adieu!!

(I will be making some small changes on my other blog, and will hopefully write more often!!!)

Sovereign Control

Here is another article by John MacArthur, which I thought was really good. It explains the difference between two theologies and what the outcome is. I added a few verses at the bottom that support this  topic.

"Elect according to the foreknowledge of God."   1 Peter 1:2

"Through the years, Arminian and Calvinistic theologies have been at opposite poles. Traditional Reformed theology, which we call Calvinism, emphasizes God's sovereignty, but Arminian theology emphasizes man's sovereignty. It [Arminian theology] teaches that God is helpful in providing spiritual assistance, but one must find it in himself to come to Christ, persevere in the faith and win spiritual victories.

What results from that kind of theology? A person can profess to trust in Christ, but in reality trusts in himself. This reflects the belief that the power to choose salvation--or lose it through spiritual failure-- belongs to the individual. 

Suppose you believed in that kind of power. Can you imagine what it would be like, to face death and wonder if you had been disqualified from Heaven because you had committed to many sins? That kind of uncertainty will bring anxiety, not security.

Fully trusting God requires a full understanding of His sovereign grace: that an individual is chosen, redeemed, kept and glorified by God, who is the initiator.

" For whom He forknew, He also predestined to become confirmed to the image of His Son, that he might be the firstborn of many bretheren, and whom He predestined, these he also called; and whom He called, these he also justified,, and whom He justified, these he also glorified."          Romans 8:29-30

" He predestined us to adoption, as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the grace which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved."

Ephesians 1:5-6

" Also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will."    Ephesians  1:11

Why God Saves

The following article is by John MacArthur in his book Truth For Today.

"That Grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God."           2 Corinthians 4:15

 "Many people think that the main reason God saves people is so that He can keep them out of hell or so that they can experience His love or live happy lives. 

But all these reasons are secondary. 

 God saves people because it is an affront to His holy name that someone should live in rebellion against Him. That people should experience salvation is not the main issue with God---It is His glory that is at stake.

 The apostle Paul said of Jesus, " God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven and of those on earth and of those under the earth , and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of the Father." [Phillipians 2;9-11]

 Salvation is for God's glory. God is glorified when people believe His gospel, love His Son, and accept His diagnosis of their greatest need which is the forgiveness of sin. You certainly benefit from God's provision of salvation, but you exist for the glory of God."

When I read that, I thought ' Wow!' I mean, I had heard that dozens of times, but it never really hit me the way it did when I read that. We are not saved just because God has compassion on us and wants us to be happy, but we're saved because it gives  glory to God.

You know, I really am just starting to understand all this. I've never really thought about things like that until recently. But it is amazing. We are so self-focused that we just assume that we deserve to be happy. We see it in TV commercials, trying to get our money and saying we NEED this, we AREN'T  happy without this, we just HAVE to have this etc. We see it in stores, hear it on the radio, and pretty much everywhere. Since we are of that mindset, we think that God wants to save us just because He wants us to be happy. Or, even worse, many people believe that God needs them. That is absurd. God does not need us, we need Him!

We exist for the glory of God.

Turkish Delight

 I decided to do a poll about flowers, because we have had BEAUTIFUL  hydrangeas this month.

I will try to put some pictures of them on my other blog.

Here is a recipe I found the other day that I thought was interesting to all of us "Chronicles Of Narnia" fans. Though from reading it, I don't think I'd be as crazy about it as Edmund was!

( if you're confused, read The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe!)

The recipe book I got this from is from about 1942!!! 

                   Turkish Delight

3 tablespoons of gelatin                               1/2 cup hot water 

2 cups of sugar Grated rind & juice of one lemon

1/2 cup of cold water Red or Green coloring

Grated rind & juice of one orange

Soften gelatin in cold water. Combine sugar and hot water and heat to boiling. Add gelatin and simmer 20 minutes. Add citrus juice, rind, and red or red or  green coloring. Strain into loaf pan. The pan should be large enough  so that the mixture is 1/2 to 1 inch deep. Add chopped nuts if desired. Chill until firm. 

When it is cold, turn it onto a board. Cut into cubes or other shapes and roll in confectioner sugar.

If you prefer other flavors, such as peppermint, wintergreen and clove, omit the fruit juice and rind, 

add one - half cup of water, and flavor with a few drops of oil of peppermint, wintergreen, cloves etc.

I thought that was funny that I found that recipe in a cookbook of that time period.

I have not tried it, but I thought other people might want to.

If you do, e-mail me or comment and tell me what you thought of it!

I have changed the books on Recommended Reading for the Month ,  because frankly, I was tired of seeing the old ones there, and figured everyone has probably read them already if they were planning on reading them. If not, I have them, and  if you want to , you can borrow them from me.

(that is, if you live close by!)

I am going to try to make links to them that go to Amazon, or another website that sells them.

Or if that does not work, you can find almost any book, especially out of print ones, and read then here:

Gutenberg.org  (my favorite site and among my bookmarks)

The other day, my mom and I went to an art museum.

When we went upstairs, what we saw was depressing.

The art that was in their special exhibit could not be rightly called art. The paintings and sculptures were about people dying, and people tattooed  all over and smoking, and  overweight poor people, not to mention lots of people that could have used some  clothes! 

So, as you can imagine, it was not pleasant! there were not only paintings etc. , but also pictures!

When we left the building thoroughly disgusted, I realized that the artists and photographers  must be depressed, for no one can find beauty in those things.

Isn't that what art is all about, finding beauty in small things and expressing it?

I also realized that they must not have known God.

It is amazing how much of a difference it makes when you know God!

I have not always known this. I mean, I've always heard it, it's impossible not to if you are from a christian family, (and even more so if your dad is a pastor!) but I never really knew what a difference it is  when you do know God, and you are a christian, until about two months ago.

I think I was a christian, but not really strong at all. Then something happened where I had to trust completely in God, even more so than before. It was then that I really knew that I needed God , or I could not go on. I wonder if that's what I needed to make me realize the reality of the fact that I needed God or I was NOT going to be able to go on living, `cause someday all the bitterness inside me was going to explode!

After that it was really strange, because I actually wanted to pray, and not just for meals etc. Even more weird , is that I actually wanted to read the bible and didn't think beforehand, " it's really too bad I have to do this, I'd much  rather read that book I got from the library!"  Of course, I still am constantly struggling with everything, and really trying to live like God wants me to, since I can't change very much in just two months! Yet, ever  since, life is a lot easier, instead of trying to just make myself feel better when I feel angry or sad, I try to ask God to help me get over it.

I am so thankful that God made me know I needed Him!

Someone else's story?

Have you ever told someone a really exciting thing that happened to you, only to find out they already knew that, even though you had not told them before?

You probably were sad, disappointed, maybe even mad at whoever told them your story. ''They had no right, no right at all! '' you thought. 

Well, you may have been closer to the truth than you thought.

Yesterday I was talking with my mom, and we were discussing a saying in 

'The Horse And His Boy' from The Chronicles Of Narnia. You've probably read it. In it  Aslan  says to Shasta, 'I tell no one any story but their own'.

While we were still talking about this, I realized this:

                

                                 Probably every day we tell someone else's story.

 By that I mean we tell another person something we really have no right to tell. 

It may be as simple as saying to one of your friends "Hey, did you know So-and-so's mom is  going to have a  new baby?" Even though it may not be very  important to you, that person may have wanted to tell your friend themselves. 

Telling someone else's story is not quite as bad as gossiping, but it is never considerate.

 Like my mom said, if telling other people's stories is all we have to talk about, we need to get a more exciting life!

I'm not saying this because I  think I have it all together, I'm saying this because I don't. I do this too, not thinking about it.

I realize that everyone does this, without even thinking one thing about it. 

I think we should try to make a conscious effort not to tell other people's stories, because after all, we should tell no one's stories but our own. Even if  other's stories are more  interesting.

How do you know when you should not tell other people things?

Try asking yourself these questions.

1) Is this something that is about some one else? If so, is this something they might want to tell themselves? If yes, don't tell it!

2) Is this something that might embarrass the person you are talking about? If yes, that is gossip to tell it, and gossip is a sin.

3) Is there something else that you could talk about? 

4) Would you want people to tell the same thing about you if it was true? If not, don't tell it!

5) If you are not sure if you should tell it, don't!

 Amazingly, our first instinct is often  right.

I hope that this will be helpful to you, maybe even save a friend from being upset at you.

 

There is yet another side of the issue though.

What do you do if you are the person being told someone else's story, and you know your friend is wrong  telling you about it?

There is really only one thing to do: politely change the subject. Later if the person who you heard about tells you  all about it,  don't  tell them you already knew that! That could be very hurtful to them.

I know it can be really hard to not tell someone else's stories, especially if it's really  interesting, but we should try not to, it's not ours to tell.