I Am Your Child

For Daddy. I miss you. Happy Father's Day

I am your child

Whatever I am, you taught me to be.

I am your hope,

I am your chance,

I am your child.

Writer(s): Martin Panzer, Barry Manilow

Copyright: Swaneebravo Music, Universal Music - Careers

To Hell And Back

Ever wonder why when people say they had a "near-death experience" they all go to heaven? This intrigues me. Why is it that no one ever has a near-death experience and goes to hell? Well, that is where the woman in this video, Tamara Laroux claims she went . She shot herself in the chest, died, and went to hell, but God rescued her from hell and took her to heaven for a glimpse of it, before returning her spirit to her body.

 I don't know what to make of this woman's story. Surely she did not die. Scripture says in Hebrews 9:27 we only die once. But she definetly experienced something very powerful. She truly believes she experienced the love of Jesus so much so it changed her life. God chooses many ways to call His children to Himself. This just may have been one of them. 

How To Begin Your Week

More books have been written about Jesus than about any other figure in history.  More people have committed their lives to him than to any other religious leader.  More people attend church services in America than go to football games.  We were designed for the kind of intimacy with God that our first parents knew in the Garden, so our hearts will always yearn for him.  Our longings to be loved, accepted, and wanted all stem from this fact.  Our world is broken, not because our longings are wrong, but because we try to satisfy them everywhere but in God.

 Here's a good way to start the week: give yourself the gift of a few minutes with the One who loves you.  Begin with a moment of worship, as you "enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise" (Psalm 100:4).  Now ask the Spirit to show you a longing in your heart that you are trying to satisfy outside of Jesus.  Name it, and ask Jesus to meet it.  Now do whatever you sense his leading to do—be still, read Scripture, take a walk, listen to worship music.  Let the Great Physician heal that pain in your heart.  Ask the One who fed the 5,000 to feed your soul.

And he will.

source: 
Dr. Jim Denison, President

Mar 24, 2014

Denison Forum on Truth and Culture. 

source: http://www.denisonforum.org/cultural-commentary/995-bill-gates-explains-his-faith

Choose Life

For one glorious day a pro-life billboard towered over Planned Parenthood’s pathetic little abortion feeder with the simple but powerful message, “Choose Life = No Regrets.” There was only one problem: The billboard was on Planned Parenthood’s property.

Adams Outdoor Advertising had leased the billboard space but forgotten about Planned Parenthood’s addendum forbidding any pro-life messaging.

source: http://youngcons.com/

Borderless

The Gift of Life

It's wonderful to watch a baby move on a pregnant woman. It's amazing to watch a baby move, and really helps you understand just how magical life is! Actually feeling a baby move inside your own body is the most awe inspiring feeling you can ever imagine.  The gift of life is truly a spectacular thing.

Read more at http://blog.petflow.com/this-is-what-a-36-week-old-baby-does/#DlE4tOuPRXhubQk3.99

Why Do I Love You?

WHY DO I LOVE YOU? 

by Roy Croft

I love you… Not only for what you are,

But for what I am when I am with you.

I love you… Not only for what you have made of yourself,

But for what you are making of me.

I love you… For ignoring the possibilities of the fool in me

And for laying firm hold of the possibilities for good.

Why do I love you?

I love you… For closing your eyes to the discords

And for adding to the music in me by worshipful listening.

I love you…

Because you are helping me to make of the lumber of my life

Not a tavern, but a temple;

And out of the words of my every day, not a reproach, but a song.

I love you…

Because you have done more than any creed to make me happy.

You have done it, without a word, without a touch, without a sign.

You have done it just by being yourself.

After all, perhaps that is what love means.

For Aunt Angie

Jesus, The Great Physician

A physician will ask you how you feel and what your symptoms are;
The Great Physician knows how you feel
           and understands what you are going through.

A physician will have you come to the office;
The Great Physician will stay with you and never leave your side.

A physician will show professional concern for you.
The Great Physician will show you true compassion.

A physician will treat you with the best medicine available;
The Great Physician will treat you with the riches of His grace.

A physician will follow your progress with periodic visits;
The Great Physician will keep you in His constant care.

A physician will send you a bill for services rendered;
The Great Physician does His work without charge.

A physician tries his very best to help you;
The Great Physician assures you that your life couldn't be in better hands!

Call Him Crazy or Call Him Lord- Who Do You Say He Is?

     I have been and always will be a Christian. I have always lived with the knowledge that I have absolutely no doubt in my mind I will enter heaven when I die.
I will do so, not by my own worthiness, but only through the merits of Jesus Christ, my Savior, who paid the price for my soul’s redemption through his death on the cross. I have lived with my faith all through childhood always knowing it was there, but not until adulthood have I studied it and embrace it as truth.
      There are many who have different views of Jesus. Muslims believe He was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, ascended to heaven and will return to our planet at the end of history--but they do not believe that he was divine. Many Buddhists and Hindus view him as an enlightened teacher. Many Jews see him as a brilliant rabbi. My view is similar to that of the great CS Lewis. “Either this man was, and is, who he said he is; the Son of God: or else a madman, liar or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God.”
       I choose the latter because I believe the bible is not only a collection of historical facts that have been verified by archeology and paleontology; I also believe it to be the inspired revelation of God. A guidebook ,of sorts, for living life to it’s fullest, a refuge when in pain, suffering, and mourning, standards for our conduct, guidelines for knowing right from wrong, and principles to live by to help us in a confused society where so often "anything goes."  The plan of God for man and creation is truly awe inspiring.  I refuse to believe I am some meaningless creature evolved here out of some sponge. I can’t. There has to be more. I AM more. I am a child of the king! I believe my presence here on earth is proof of that. He is more than you and I can ever imagine.  For me, the answers to life and the universe have the all been laid out for us by the Christian God. Studying and reading His scriptures has brought me to a new level of understanding in His plan for us all. It is truly a fascinating story and I encourage you to read it. Start with the Gospel of John or the Book of Romans. It will blow you away.  In Jesus I have found my answers. I look forward to the day I go to heaven. You may ask, "What does she know about Heaven, anyway? Has she ever been there? I will answer by saying, "No, but I have a very good Friend who has. He’s been there and came to earth to tell us about it and someday He will return” . Will you be ready?

For more on my thoughts of this you can read my blog here:  http://bubalas-view.blogspot.com/p/my-faith-journey.html

On Memorial Day- In Loving Memory of Michael Sessa Jr.

On Memorial Day, we pause with all of America to honor the memory of those who have given their lives in service to country. It's a poignant day, which reminds us of the importance of ensuring the lives of all who give the ultimate sacrifice are remembered for generations to come.

Michael Sessa, Jr Private First Class

PERSONAL DATA
  Home of Record: New York, New York
  Date of birth:  Thursday, 03/25/1948

MILITARY DATA
  Service:        Army  (Regular)
  Grade at loss:  E3
  Rank:           Private First Class
  ID No:          12754266 
  MOS:            11B10 Infantryman
  LenSvc:         Between 1 and 2 years
  Unit:           B CO, 1ST BN, 8TH INF RGT, 4 INF DIV

CASUALTY DATA
  Start Tour:     Thursday, 09/15/1966
  Cas Date:       Thursday, 05/18/1967
  Age at Loss:    19
  Remains:        Body Recovered
  Location:       Pleiku, South Vietnam
  Type:           Hostile, Died
  Reason:         Multiple Fragmentation Wounds - Ground Casualty

ON THE WALL       Panel 20E Line 036

Never Forget:

The Lost Platoon

Battle of Plei Doc

 http://www.virtualwall.org/units/pleidoc.htm

Defend The Cross

The american atheists organization wants the "Miracle Cross" removed from the 9/11 National Museum. Well, isn't that special.  I feel compelled to say this: The museum is operated by a non-profit independent corporation and is not state sponsored. The cross is being displayed as a relic of the 9/11 attacks with no religious attachment whatsoever. Just two steel cross beam artifacts found in the rubble that have great historical significance to the event and our country.

 Atheists, when they look at it and since  they do not believe in God are free to see two steel beams. That's it. Christians are free to see a symbol of their Saviors triumph over death and evil and their hope in His promises, mercy and grace. To each his own. 
Atheists wanting to have it removed in the first place is an oxy-moron. If they want it removed, they obviously  believe it represents the death of Jesus, thus acknowledging His existence by wanting it removed. Why should it threaten them so?  If they didn't believe in Him all they would see is two steel beams.  I could go one, but now I pissed myself off by allowing space on my blog mentioning them. 

Why I Am Pro-Life - Written by Cole Jeffrey

Thank you Mr Jeffrey.

When I expressed my pro-life views in the debate, I was accused of imposing my “religious beliefs” on women. Even though I never mentioned religion, the other debaters assumed that since I was pro-life I must also be religious. Though I am a Christian, my pro-life stance is not based on a “the-Bible-tells-me-so” attitude. You don’t have to be religious to be pro-life. In fact, I’m convinced it’s the only rational position for someone who believes in science and human rights.

The central issue in the abortion debate is human rights. If a fetus is not a person, it has no legal rights – it’s simply a part of a woman’s body, and she should be free to remove it just like a cyst or tumor. However, if a fetus is a person, then it has legal rights – including a right to life. No one, not even the mother, can take away that right.

But how do we know whether a fetus is a person or not? What counts as personhood? Is it an innate quality, or is it developed later? In my opinion, there are only two reliable criteria for determining personhood, and those criteria rest on scientific and medical evidence. The first criterion is the presence of life, and the second is the possession of a human genome. If something is a living organism and possesses a human genome, then it is not someTHING but someONE – a person with a right to live.

When we attempt to determine the personhood of a fetus, we need to start with this question:

Is a fetus a living organism?

The answer, quite simply, is yes. No biologist would dispute the claim that a fetus is alive. In biology, there are seven criteria for determining whether something is a living organism, and a fetus meets all of those criteria:

Like all living organisms, a fetus maintains an internal equilibrium by producing various chemicals and bodily effects (homeostasis).

Like all living organisms, a fetus is organized, meaning it is composed of at least one cell.

Like all living organisms, a fetus has a metabolism – it can transform chemicals into cellular components and break down complex substances for energy.

Like all living organisms, a fetus can adapt to changes in its environment.

Like all living organisms, a fetus develops reproductive features.

Like all living organisms, a fetus responds to stimuli.

Like all living organisms, a fetus grows.

Based on this evidence, there is no reason not to view a fetus as a living organism. As Dr. Hymie Gordon, the Chairman of the Mayo Clinic’s Department of Genetics, explains it, “By all the criteria of modern molecular biology, life is present from the moment of conception.” However, just because a fetus is living is not enough reason to view it as a person. It must also be human, which brings us to our second question:

Is a fetus human?

Once again, the answer is yes.

According to the laws of biogenesis, every species reproduces its own kind. Alligators give birth to alligators, bacteria give birth to bacteria, chickens give birth to chickens, and dogs give birth to dogs. No dog will ever give birth to an alligator, and no chicken will ever give birth to a bacteria. It’s biologically impossible. Every organism can only reproduce its own kind.

Based on this scientific fact, it should be evident that when a human male’s sperm fertilizes a human female’s ovum, the resulting embryo cannot be anything other than human. If you doubt that, just look at the genetics. Every adult human possesses a unique genetic code that consists of 23 pairs of chromosomes. A fetus possesses this code as well. Therefore, since the fetus possesses a human genome, it cannot be anything other than human. This is not a subjective opinion; it’s a scientific fact. As Dr. Jerome Lejeune, the “father of modern genetics” puts it, “To accept the fact that after fertilization has taken place a new human has come into being is no longer a matter of taste or opinion … it is just plain experimental evidence.”

Of course, someone might object by claiming that DNA doesn’t make something human since biological samples like toenail clippings and pieces of hair also contain human DNA. Though it’s certainly true that a toenail clipping does contain human DNA, there are two obvious differences between a toenail and a fetus.

First, the DNA in a toenail matches the person it came from. If a geneticist removes a cyst from a pregnant woman, she will find that the DNA contained in the cyst matches woman’s DNA. However, if she examines the fetus’s DNA, the geneticist will find that it is not identical to the mother’s. Every fetus possesses its own unique DNA that shows it is not part of the mother the same way her bodily organs are.

Second, a toenail is not a living organism. Unlike the fetus, it does not meet the biological criteria for determining life.

A fetus is alive and human? So what?

Scientific evidence makes it clear that a fetus is both living and human. This is beyond dispute, and has nothing to do with religious beliefs. “That the most partially formed human embryo is both human and alive has now been confirmed … We are the first generation to have to confront this as a certain knowledge,” writes the atheist and activist Christopher Hitchens.

Nevertheless, most abortion activists refuse to accept this evidence because it would lead to the conclusion that a living human organism is a person with rights. Consider this statement by abortion activist Joyce Arthur:

“Ultimately, the status of the fetus [as human] is a matter of subjective opinion, and the only opinion that counts is that of the pregnant woman. For example, a happily pregnant woman may feel love for her fetus as a special and unique human being … But an unhappily pregnant woman may view her fetus with utter dismay, bordering on revulsion.”

Similarly, MSNBC host Melissa Harris-Perry created a controversy recently when she claimed the answer to the question “When does life begin?” is not provided by science, but by a mother’s “powerful feeling.” According to Harris-Perry, a woman’s emotional state trumps scientific and medical opinion.

Let’s suppose, for a moment, that these ladies are right – the personhood of a fetus is not determined by objective scientific evidence; it’s a subjective concept. If this is the case, though, then why isn’t the personhood of children (or even adults) a subjective concept as well? Why can’t a mother kill her newborn child if she suddenly develops a “powerful feeling” that the child is actually a nonliving, nonhuman burden for her?

According to some pro-choice activists, a fetus is not a person because it is dependent on its mother while a child is not. For them, independence counts as a mark of personhood. But let’s consider that logic. From a biological perspective, there is little difference between the dependency of a fetus and the dependency of a newborn. Though the newborn is no longer living inside the mother’s body, it is still completely dependent on her (or a surrogate) to meet all its biological needs. In fact, the complete and utter dependency of newborns is so obvious that Peter Singer, a Princeton bioethicist, argues mothers should be allowed to kill their newborn children. “Many people find this [idea] shocking,” Singer says, “yet they support a woman’s right to have an abortion  … From the point of view of ethics rather than law, there is no sharp distinction between the fetus and the newborn baby.”

Hopefully, most people will be appalled by Singer’s claim. Yet, his logic is consistent with the premise that dependency robs a living human being of his or her right to live.

If we accept Arthur and Harris-Perry’s claim that the personhood of a fetus is a subjective concept, then there is little to prevent us from eventually accepting Singer’s claim that the personhood of children is also a subjective concept. Once we reach that point, though, where will we stop? What traits do adults possess that make them worth respecting as people? Ultimately, there does not seem to be much difference between the logic of abortion activists and the logic of the Supreme Court when it ruled in the infamous Dred Scott case (1857) that African Americans, though human, belonged to an “inferior order” and therefore had no legal rights.

If we reject the notion that personhood is determined by a very simple formula (life + humanity = personhood), then we must find an alternative definition of what makes someone a person. The question is, however, whether we can find any definition that provides a reliable, objective basis for human rights. I don’t believe such a definition exists.

That’s why I’m pro-life.
Source: http://colejeffrey.tumblr.com/post/57008428606/why-i-am-pro-life

new lesson learned today

I learned the following today and have added it to my Life Lessons tab. I dont know why it took me so long to realize this.

It's nearly impossible to move beyond something when you're obsessing over it. 

For Mom- You're My Best Friend

For Mom, Happy Mother's Day.

Ooh you're the best friend that I ever had
I've been with you such a long time
You're my sunshine and I want you to know
That my feelings are true, really love you....
you're my best friend.

Get your own valid XHTML YouTube embed code

My Son

Happy Birthday to my son Matt. I love you.       

Atheism is Irrational

Christian Comedian Brad Stine Thinks Atheism Is Irrational. And He’s Got A Pretty Funny Point

Read more at http://jesus-loves-you.org/brad-stine-atheists-irrational/#dh5o5qUJE79Qrdcg.99

I Believe

• A simple song of simple faith that I have loved since I was a little girl.
  
  I believe for every drop of rain that falls, a flower grows.
  I believe that somewhere in the darkest night, a candle glows.
  I believe for everyone who goes astray, someone will come to show the way.
  I believe, I believe.
  I believe above the storm the smallest pray'r will still be heard.
  I believe that someone in the great somewhere hears every word.
  Every time I hear a newborn baby cry, or touch a leaf or see the sky,
  Then I know why I believe!
  
  
  Writer(s): Yvan Eric Cassar, Shirl Jimmy, Al Stillman, Jule Styne, Ervin Drake, Sammy Cahn, Eric Levisalles, Irvin Graham
  Copyright: Sands Music Corp., Larry Spier Music LLC, Universal Music Publishing
  
  

You can't steal my happiness

r

“I love you. I am who I am because of you. You are every reason, every hope, and every dream I've ever had, and no matter what happens to us in the future, everyday we are together is the greatest day of my life. I will always be yours. ”

― Nicholas Sparks, The Notebook

Father’s Love Letter

My Child ~

You may not know me, but I know everything about you ~ Psalm 139:1

I know when you sit down and when you rise up ~ Psalm 139:2

I am familiar with all your ways ~ Psalm 139:3

Even the very hairs on your head are numbered ~ Matthew 10:29-31

For you were made in my image ~ Genesis 1:27

In me you live and move and have your being ~ Acts 17:28

For you are my offspring ~ Acts 17:28

I knew you even before you were conceived ~ Jeremiah 1:4-5

I chose you when I planned creation ~ Ephesians 1:11-12

You were not a mistake, for all your days are written in my book ~ Psalm 139:15-16

I determined the exact time of your birth and where you would live ~ Acts 17:26

You are fearfully and wonderfully made ~ Psalm 139:14

I knit you together in your mother’s womb ~ Psalm 139:13

And brought you forth on the day you were born ~ Psalm 71:6

I have been misrepresented by those who don’t know me ~ John 8:41-44

I am not distant and angry, but am the complete expression of love ~ 1 John 4:16

And it is my desire to lavish my love on you ~ 1 John 3:1

Simply because you are my child and I am your father ~ 1 John 3:1

I offer you more than your earthly father ever could ~ Matthew 7:11

For I am the perfect father ~ Matthew 5:48

Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand ~ James 1:17

For I am your provider and I meet all your needs ~ Matthew 6:31-33

My plan for your future has always been filled with hope ~ Jeremiah 29:11

Because I love you with an everlasting love ~ Jeremiah 31:3

My thoughts toward you are countless as the sand on the seashore ~ Psalm 139:17-18

And I rejoice over you with singing ~ Zephaniah 3:17

I will never stop doing good to you ~ Jeremiah 32:40

For you are my treasured possession ~ Exodus 19:5

I desire to establish you with all my heart and all my soul ~ Jeremiah 32:41

And I want to show you great and marvelous things ~ Jeremiah 33:3

If you seek me with all your heart, you will find me ~ Deuteronomy 4:29

Delight in me and I will give you the desires of your heart ~ Psalm 37:4

For it is I who gave you those desires ~ Philippians 2:13

I am able to do more for you than you could possibly imagine ~ Ephesians 3:20

For I am your greatest encourager ~ 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

I am also the Father who comforts you in all your troubles ~ 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

When you are brokenhearted, I am close to you ~ Psalm 34:18

As a shepherd carries a lamb, I have carried you close to my heart ~ Isaiah 40:11

One day I will wipe away every tear from your eyes ~ Revelation 21:3-4

And I’ll take away all the pain you have suffered on this earth ~ Revelation 21:3-4

I am your Father, and I love you even as I love my son, Jesus ~ John 17:23

For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed ~ John 17:26

He is the exact representation of my being ~ Hebrews 1:3

He came to demonstrate that I am for you, not against you ~ Romans 8:31

And to tell you that I am not counting your sins ~ 2 Corinthians 5:18-19

Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled ~ 2 Corinthians 5:18-19

His death was the ultimate expression of my love for you ~ 1 John 4:10

I gave up everything I loved that I might gain your love ~ Romans 8:31-32

If you receive the gift of my son Jesus, you receive me ~ 1 John 2:23

And nothing will ever separate you from my love again ~ Romans 8:38-39

Come home and I’ll throw the biggest party heaven has ever seen ~ Luke 15:7

I have always been Father, and will always be Father ~ Ephesians 3:14-15

My question is ~ Will you be my child? ~ John 1:12-13

I am waiting for you ~ Luke 15:11-32

"You Can Save Your Soul: In 140 Characters or Less"

"You can save your soul: In 140 characters or less." So headlines USA Today. The subtitle explains: "Indulgences will be offered via Twitter." The story announces that Pope Francis "plans to grant plenary indulgences by Twitter during the World Youth Day 2013" which starts next week in Brazil. So, what are "indulgences"? Why would the pope offer them via Twitter? Why does any of this matter to the rest of us?

The Catholic Encyclopedia defines "indulgence" as "a remission of the temporal punishment due to sin." The article explains that an indulgence is not permission to commit sin, pardon of future sin, or exemption of any law or duty.

Here's how the theology works: First, the sinner confesses his sin through the "sacrament of penance." The guilt of his sin and its eternal punishment are then removed, but the temporal punishment required by divine justice remains. However, Jesus' death and the merits of the saints have created the "treasury of the Church," a depository from which indulgences can be granted to remove temporal punishment. In response to good works on the part of the sinner, the Church can dispense such indulgences.

The upcoming World Youth Day is an opportunity for participants to receive indulgences, but those who cannot travel to Brazil would miss their chance. However, if they participate in World Youth Day broadcasts or perform other spiritual acts, they can now receive indulgences. These will be made available to the pope's nearly 7.5 million Twitter followers in all languages.

Indulgences have been a significant bone of contention between Catholics and Protestants for centuries. The Catholic Encyclopedia clearly states, "Least of all is an indulgence the purchase of a pardon which secures the buyer's salvation or releases the soul of another from Purgatory." Nonetheless, under the rule of Pope Leo X(1475-1521), such sales to finance the building of St. Peter's Cathedral became common. Johann Tetzel was especially infamous for his promise, "As soon as a coin in the coffer rings, a soul from Purgatory springs." Martin Luther's objection to this corruption sparked the Reformation.

Here ends your theology lesson. Why is this issue important whether you're Catholic or not? As a Protestant, obviously I do not affirm the doctrine of indulgences. But as a Christian, I'm glad that so many people are seeking to know Christ and make him known. More than 300,000 have already registered for this year's World Youth Day; their theme is "Go and Make Disciples of All Nations," from Matthew 28:19.

Christians can disagree on matters of faith and practice while agreeing that the world needs Jesus. Someone told Dwight Moody, the famous evangelist, "I don't like your soul-winning methods." Moody said, "I don't like them much, either. What are yours?" The man admitted he didn't have any. Moody replied, "I like mine better than yours."

Would he like yours?

Source: http://www.denisonforum.org/cultural-commentary/775-you-can-save-your-soul-in-140-characters-or-less

Can You Give Me Directions To Heaven Please?

If I Stand-Rich Mullins

If I stand let me stand on the promise that you will pull me through 

And if I can't, let me fall on the grace that first brought me to You