Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Thursday, January 22, 2009
May I Present to You...
Not many of you know this, but Strongman interviewed for a new job last Friday. His informal interview went extremely well last Friday, so well that he was called back for a second interview this past Monday to speak with the owner of the company.
Picture of a Rheem Heat Pump Unit
Strongman has worked hard building his own HVAC Company these last twenty years, and in those years he has built a reputation for integrity, as well as, a professional job well done. He did all the work...designing new systems, estimating job costs, building his own duct work, and installing first-rate HVAC systems. He has worked hard to provide for our family! Now comes the pay off. Strongman's experience and reputation has opened the door to another job.
May I present to you, Strongman, HVAC Systems Designer and Technical Support Specialist. 
He accepted the job today and will be starting first thing on Monday morning. He will be the Design Specialist to call for five of the company's branches. Yeah, Jesus!!!
The awesome thing about all of this is we know it is God's will. With the economy the way it has been, the phone hasn't been ringing. We were praying that the Lord would show us the way to go. It turns out that Strongman had a dream two days before he was told about the job opportunity.
In this dream, Strongman was driving a white jeep, and the boys and I were with him. He told me about the dream, and I felt that the jeep represented his ministry. Now this is how cool Jesus is...a long-time friend of ours was the one who informed Strongman of the opportunity two days after the dream. The jeep he drives was provided for him by his employer, the same employer with which Strongman interviewed. The very same type of jeep Strongman was driving in his dream!! Yes, the jeep represents ministry alright; Strongman's ministry of providing for our family and the Great Provider is the One behind it all!!!
All glory to Jesus, Who always provides!!!
Monday, January 19, 2009
The United States of America Prayer and Petition
Dear Friends, I encourage you to read outloud this prayer from the Global Prayer Alert Network. Be blessed!!!!
A prayer of petition is a formal request with which we enter the courts of the Lord. It is written in formal terms that deal with the legal side of an issue, and requires that some judicial action be taken in response. The Lord has given us the legal basis to petition Him: His original plan for our nation includes righteousness in government. This is evident in the spirit in which the first government of this land was established in the Mayflower Compact.
Declaration of God's Faithfulness
Lord, Your Word says that "blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord" (Ps. 33:12). And by rights of creation, this nation belongs to You for surely You have created this United States of America.. This nation did not come from men. It came from You. You put the seed of this nation in men's hearts even before they knew.
Lord, You brought this government time and again through trouble; You brought this great people and this great land through oppression, through depression, through the darkness and deceptions of humanism and of atheism. You have brought this land and this people through strife, through divisions, through horrors of wars abroad and at home.
You brought us through, even when it looked like so many had turned their backs on You and on Your Word that lives in the words of our constitution.
You're so gracious. You are God over those who don't know You and even those who don't want You. We remind You of that, and that men and women laid down their lives. They laid down their all. We look to You again on the basis of the blood of Jesus who died that Your plan would not be thwarted, that Your purpose would not come to an end.
But we also come to You on the basis of the blood of our forefathers who died as well. We ask Lord that this nation would be raised up to the glory of God. We ask not only for our own selves, but for the world to know that we are still a beacon of light for the Gospel, and that Your Words are still true. They are true in this covenant of faith that You have given us, and they are true within our constitution because it was born from Your heart.
Prayer of Petition to God
Raise this nation again, oh Lord. Bring up her government again to its original intent as a body politic to perpetuate the Christian faith. We declare we are one nation under God and we are indivisible; we are indivisible from You. We are indivisible from Your purpose. We are indivisible from Your plan. We are indivisible from all that You have said for this nation and for this body of people to do in the kingdom of God and for the furtherance of the Gospel of Jesus.
Your desire is that all men might know the love of God. Therefore, Lord, we bring our plea before You. We set our case before You. We offer it in the name of Jesus, guaranteed by the blood of Jesus, sealed by the Holy Spirit, and laid out before You by Your own people. You are righteous and You will not let Your Word fall to the ground, and You are faithful to those who have sowed their lives for You. We fully expect the course of this nation to be aligned with Your plan, with Your ideas, with Your thoughts, with Your ways, and that You would sweep this nation up in Your arms, and again draw her to You. Draw her to You. Oh Lord. Draw her to You. Draw Your people to You in a great sweeping across this nation--a great sweeping, oh Lord. We ask it of You. We require it of You.
We ask for righteousness to prevail. We ask that the seed of righteousness, from which this nation was born, will not die, but that it will continue to bear fruit for all men, in the name of Jesus.
Lord, we ask You for an increase in the anointing upon President Obama. We request that it would grow and increase and increase and increase. We know by that anointing there will be great favor, great wisdom, great skill, great knowledge and great ability. By that anointing, even as You separated King David from among all his brethren, we ask that You would separate President Obama and call him out from among the rest. We ask that the anointing would be evident - the anointing to slay the giant, to bring prosperity and to establish the throne of God among Your people. We ask that it would be evident and increased and would grow exponentially. It is on behalf of the people that we pray for the leaders of this nation…that Your presence and Your hand would be evidenced…that by the Spirit of God the people's hunger in their hearts for You would grow…that their eyes would see and their ears would hear…that their hearts would understand and that they would desire You. For it is by design, oh Lord, that this nation came to be. In the name of Jesus we believe we receive what we have asked of You. We believe that we have the will of God in our nation and the answers to our prayers, in Jesus' name. Amen. So be it.
A prayer of petition is a formal request with which we enter the courts of the Lord. It is written in formal terms that deal with the legal side of an issue, and requires that some judicial action be taken in response. The Lord has given us the legal basis to petition Him: His original plan for our nation includes righteousness in government. This is evident in the spirit in which the first government of this land was established in the Mayflower Compact.
Declaration of God's Faithfulness
Lord, Your Word says that "blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord" (Ps. 33:12). And by rights of creation, this nation belongs to You for surely You have created this United States of America.. This nation did not come from men. It came from You. You put the seed of this nation in men's hearts even before they knew.
Lord, You brought this government time and again through trouble; You brought this great people and this great land through oppression, through depression, through the darkness and deceptions of humanism and of atheism. You have brought this land and this people through strife, through divisions, through horrors of wars abroad and at home.
You brought us through, even when it looked like so many had turned their backs on You and on Your Word that lives in the words of our constitution.
You're so gracious. You are God over those who don't know You and even those who don't want You. We remind You of that, and that men and women laid down their lives. They laid down their all. We look to You again on the basis of the blood of Jesus who died that Your plan would not be thwarted, that Your purpose would not come to an end.
But we also come to You on the basis of the blood of our forefathers who died as well. We ask Lord that this nation would be raised up to the glory of God. We ask not only for our own selves, but for the world to know that we are still a beacon of light for the Gospel, and that Your Words are still true. They are true in this covenant of faith that You have given us, and they are true within our constitution because it was born from Your heart.
Prayer of Petition to God
Raise this nation again, oh Lord. Bring up her government again to its original intent as a body politic to perpetuate the Christian faith. We declare we are one nation under God and we are indivisible; we are indivisible from You. We are indivisible from Your purpose. We are indivisible from Your plan. We are indivisible from all that You have said for this nation and for this body of people to do in the kingdom of God and for the furtherance of the Gospel of Jesus.
Your desire is that all men might know the love of God. Therefore, Lord, we bring our plea before You. We set our case before You. We offer it in the name of Jesus, guaranteed by the blood of Jesus, sealed by the Holy Spirit, and laid out before You by Your own people. You are righteous and You will not let Your Word fall to the ground, and You are faithful to those who have sowed their lives for You. We fully expect the course of this nation to be aligned with Your plan, with Your ideas, with Your thoughts, with Your ways, and that You would sweep this nation up in Your arms, and again draw her to You. Draw her to You. Oh Lord. Draw her to You. Draw Your people to You in a great sweeping across this nation--a great sweeping, oh Lord. We ask it of You. We require it of You.
We ask for righteousness to prevail. We ask that the seed of righteousness, from which this nation was born, will not die, but that it will continue to bear fruit for all men, in the name of Jesus.
Lord, we ask You for an increase in the anointing upon President Obama. We request that it would grow and increase and increase and increase. We know by that anointing there will be great favor, great wisdom, great skill, great knowledge and great ability. By that anointing, even as You separated King David from among all his brethren, we ask that You would separate President Obama and call him out from among the rest. We ask that the anointing would be evident - the anointing to slay the giant, to bring prosperity and to establish the throne of God among Your people. We ask that it would be evident and increased and would grow exponentially. It is on behalf of the people that we pray for the leaders of this nation…that Your presence and Your hand would be evidenced…that by the Spirit of God the people's hunger in their hearts for You would grow…that their eyes would see and their ears would hear…that their hearts would understand and that they would desire You. For it is by design, oh Lord, that this nation came to be. In the name of Jesus we believe we receive what we have asked of You. We believe that we have the will of God in our nation and the answers to our prayers, in Jesus' name. Amen. So be it.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Consecrated Starts Third Term
Consecrated finished the first week of his third term yesterday! He is doing well and has maintained honor list standing. He received a congratulatory letter from the dean of the Art Institute of York yesterday; he also was awarded with a certificate for perfect attendance in the second term.
We're proud of you!!!!
We're proud of you!!!!
Friday, January 9, 2009
Prayer & Action Alert: the Alarming Truth about FOCA (Freedom of Choice Act)
Aimee Herd (January 7, 2009)
"As a general matter, if FOCA were enacted, it would wipe out a very large number of existing state laws on abortion, substantially impede the ability of states to regulate abortion, and override nearly 40 years of jurisprudential experience on the subject of abortion."
There is new legislation approaching the US Congress which could, if passed and signed by the new president, make null and void the hard-fought regulation and legislation designed to curtail abortion, which has been enacted in various states throughout the country. The bill is known as the Freedom of Choice Act or FOCA.
Life-minded American citizens need to be aware of this measure—that is so dangerous to both women and pre-born babies—so they can make their voices heard by their representatives and senators. Believers everywhere are encouraged to pray that this treacherous legislation will not pass.
Below is information on FOCA from the Family Research Council.
What FOCA Would Do:
All sides in the abortion fight agree, if FOCA were to pass both chambers of Congress and be signed by a pro-abortion President, it would, among other effects, provide for taxpayer-funded abortion on demand even late in pregnancy, grant abortionists immunity from legal action, allow abortionists the discretion to perform abortions on minors without notifying a parent, and deny health care workers the right to refuse to make abortion referrals as a matter of conscience.
"The legislation (FOCA) would invalidate existing and future laws that interfere with or discriminate against the exercise of the rights protected. It also would provide an individual aggrieved by a violation of the act a private right of civil action in order to obtain appropriate relief" - Planned Parenthood website.
"As a general matter, if FOCA were enacted, it would wipe out a very large number of existing state laws on abortion, substantially impede the ability of states to regulate abortion, and override nearly 40 years of jurisprudential experience on the subject of abortion." - USCCB Memorandum on FOCA
FOCA would automatically overturn state abortion reporting requirements in all 50 states, 44 states' laws concerning parental involvement, 40 states' laws on restricting later-term abortions, 46 states' conscience protection laws for individual health care providers, 27 states' conscience protection laws for institutions, 38 states' bans on partial-birth abortions, 33 states' laws on requiring counseling before an abortion, and 16 states' laws concerning ultrasounds before an abortion.FOCA seeks to eliminate any civil pro-life opposition in the public square:
"The bill would give women the right to file civil suits against any person or government agency that sought to limit their ability to get an abortion." - MSNBC Briefing Book: Issues '08.
Presumably this would not only include federal and state legislators who merely introduce legislation seeking restrictions on abortion but also against peaceful pro-lifers who pray and offer alternatives in front of abortion facilities.
FOCA-type legislation increases rates of abortion: According to NARAL's web site, seven states (California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Nevada and Washington) have legislation on the books similar to FOCA.
In Maryland, FOCA-type legislation has been on the books since 1991. According to Planned Parenthood's Alan Guttmacher Institute, the abortion rate in the United States DECREASED nine percent since 2000 to 19.4 abortions per 1,000 women of reproductive age in 2005. By contrast, the state of Maryland in 2005 produced a rate of 31.5 abortions per 1,000 women of reproductive age, an INCREASE of eight percent since 1991.
Other states with similar FOCA laws on the books show abortion rates larger than the national average of 19.4 abortions per 1,000 women of reproductive age:
California has a rate of 27.1 abortions per 1,000 women of reproductive age. Abortions in California represent 17.3 of all abortions in the United States.
Connecticut has a rate of 23.6 abortions per 1,000 women of reproductive age. The rate has increased 12% since 2000, when it was 21.1 abortions per 1,000 women.
Hawaii has a rate of 21.8 abortions per 1,000 women of reproductive age.
Nevada's rate is 27.0 abortions per 1,000 women of reproductive age.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
New Year's Eve
Menu
Fruit Tray with Pineapples, Carmel Apples with Peanuts, and White Grapes
Vegetable Tray: black olives, baby carrots, broccoli, red peppers & grape tomatoes
Almond Coated Cheese Ball with Crackers
Hot Chili and Cheese Dip with White Corn Chips
Ham Salad
Cajun Crab Dip with Crackers
Croissant Wrapped Cocktail Wieners
Colby and Monetary Jack Cheese Cubes with Garlic Seasoned Ring Bologna Slices Served with Dijon Mustard
Carmel Coated Rice Chex with Peanuts
Hot Cheese-Stuffed Mushrooms
The Guests
Our New's Eve was going to be celebrated with the four of us, but I think the neighborhood boys smelled the food. Some how I ended up with myself and six guys for part of the evening. We all ate and then played a game of Imagine If... After that, they retreated to another house in the neighborhood for more food and fun!
I watched my favorite New Year's eve movie, It's a Wonderful Life." The four of us watched New York's ball descend over the internet this year, and toasted at midnight with sparkling apple cider. Of course, I had to get some smooching in with my boys.
We had a relaxing time! I am blessed!!!
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