WHICH BELONGS TO AN ENVIRONMENTALIST

LOOK OVER THE DESCRIPTIONS OF THE FOLLOWING TWO HOUSES AND SEE IF YOUCAN TELL WHICH BELONGS TO AN ENVIRONMENTALIST.

HOUSE # 1: A 20-room mansion (not including 8 bathrooms) heated by natural gas.Add on a pool (and a pool house) and a separate guest house all heated by gas. In ONE MONTH ALONE this mansion consumes more energy than the average American household in an ENTIRE YEAR. The average bill for electricity and natural gas runs over $2,400.00 per month. In natural gas alone (which last time we checked was a fossil fuel), this property consumes more than 20 times the national average for an American home. This house is not in anorthern or Midwestern "snow belt" either. It is in the South.

HOUSE # 2: Designed by an architecture professor at a leading national university, this house incorporates every "green" feature current home construction can provide. The house contains only 4,000 square feet, (4 bedrooms) and is nestled on arid high prairie in the American southwest. A central closet in the house holds geothermal heat pumps drawing ground water through pipes sunk 300 feet into the ground. The water (usually 67 degrees F.) heats the house in winter and cools it in summer. The system uses no fossil fuels such as oil or natural gas, and it consumes 25% of the electricity requiredfor a conventional heating/cooling system. Rainwater from the roof is collected and funneled into a 25,000 gallon underground cistern. Waste water from showers, sinks and toilets goes into underground purifying tanks and then the collected water then irrigates the land surrounding the house.Flowers and shrubs native to the area blend the property into the surroundingrural landscape.

HOUSE # 1 (20 room energy guzzling mansion) is outside of Nashville, Tennessee . It is the abode of that renowned environmentalist (and filmmaker) Al Gore.

HOUSE # 2 (model eco-friendly house) is on a ranch near Crawford, Texas.Also known as "the Texas White House," it is the private residence of the President of the United States, George W. Bush.

So whose house is gentler on the environment?

Yet another story youWON'T hear on CNN, CBS, ABC, NBC, MSNBC or read about in the New York Times or the Washington Post. Indeed, for Mr. Gore, it's truly "an inconvenient truth."

Acts Revelation

My Sunday School Bibles Study has been going through the book of Acts. We were in chapter eleven this week, and in reading through the thirty verses of chapter eleven you might miss a verse. No there's not an actual verse missing in your Bible, but you might have read over this one word without considering it. It's a part of verse 26: The disciples were called Christians.

This may not seem like an important verse in the light of all the other verses in the Bible, but I find it VERY important. Surprisingly the term Christian is only used THREE times in the New Testament.

NOW when money is mentioned over 110 times, faith 280 times, and love almost 700 times, how could these three instances be so important. Well let me tell you: this word summarizes every verse in the New Testament. HOW SO, well in Latin Christianity MEANS:

WE BELONG TO CHRIST

Not only that, but this is how the WORLD refers to us. This is the label they give us, and even if they don't believe as we do they know what that label SHOULD mean.

IN THE TIME OF ACTS, Christianity meant: one who has turned from sin, trusted Jesus Christ and received salvation through grace. SIMPLE ENOUGH RIGHT?

BUT TODAY, Christianity is almost synonymous with Hypocrisy. People join the fad because their not bad people without realizing CHRIST requires repentance and faith. It requires a change in lifestyle, a change of heart, and a change in worldview.

Try this question on for size: If you were arrested right now for being a Christian would there be enough evidence to convict you?
E
verything in our life SHOULD reflect Christ, granted none of us are perfect, but even when we falter our reaction SHOULD reflect the branding of our hearts.

True this is a bit of a tangent from ACTS 11, but it is something we need to remind ourselves of no matter where we are in our walk with Christ.

Frugality is the Mother of Virtue?

Engraved in the façade of a building I see on my commute is the above statement. It struck me as an interesting saying to be on a bank building, but then I got to thinking about it and that’s a pretty sad little motto.

If virtue and purity come from money then why are the rich in the trashy headlines the most? Someone’s in rehab, someone’s caught drunk driving, so on and so forth. The very fact that the rich (in some cases) are not virtuous is how the papers make their money. SO how can we rephrase this statement?

COMPASSION is the mother of virtue
TRUTH is the mother of virtue
KINDNESS, SELF CONTROLL, insert any fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5:22) and virtue, joy, grace, and righteousness result.

May you be rich in truth, hope, and make the source known, Jesus Christ!

Chubby Cheeks

I think I have my mouth full!!!

If I told you how much is going on, and how much has been lopped on my plate in the last month, I don’t think you would believe it.

Church Stuff, Work Stuff, Family Stuff, Friend Stuff, Writing Stuff….whatever happened to the simple life?

In the past, when I bite off more than I can chew, I proceed to get rid of stuff left and right. Yes I know that is not a good pairing of illustrations, but that how it used to be. I would have rather hidden in the shadows than take hold of the leadership opportunities set before me.

So why the change now? Well part of it is my husband is a service driven man of God, and I his other half get sucked in. For better or worse, better most times. J And I’m starting to think God is cultivating a heart of leadership and service for me too. He’s trying to get rid of the laziness and often time selfishness that I cling to.

But it’s not easy. Actually it is VERY tiring! But in God’s own grace He is helping me see part of the process, and take comfort in the plan he has for me.

WOW! I don’t think I’ve ever set my heart in this fashion. I am encouraged and a little weary of what’s ahead. If you find your walk with Christ in a place you feel overwhelmed. Search the heart of Christ in your decisions, and let his power guide you.

Blessings

EASTER!!!!!!!

REMEMBER…..


On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.' “Then they remembered his words. –Lk 24:1-8


He told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48You are witnesses of these things. 49I am going to send you what my Father has promised- Lk 24:46-49a


Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. –Mt 28:18-20

History of EASTER

Easter, the principal festival of the Christian church year, celebrates the Resurrection of Jesus Christ on the third day after his Crucifixion. The origins of Easter date to the beginnings of Christianity, and it is probably the oldest Christian observance after the Sabbath (originally observed on Saturday, later on Sunday).

Later, the Sabbath subsequently came to be regarded as the weekly celebration of the Resurrection.Meanwhile, many of the cultural historians find, in the celebration of Easter, a convergence of the three traditions - Pagan, Hebrew and Christian.According to St. Bede, an English historian of the early 8th century, Easter owes its origin to the old Teutonic mythology. It was derived from the name Eostre, the Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring, to whom the month of April was dedicated.

The festival of Eostre was celebrated at the vernal equinox, when the day and night gets an equal share of the day.The English name "Easter" is much newer. When the early English Christians wanted others to accept Christianity, they decided to use the name Easter for this holiday so that it would match the name of the old spring celebration. This made it more comfortable for other people to accept Christianity.

But it is pointed out by some that the Easter festival, as celebrated today, is related with the Hebrew tradition, the Jewish Passover. This is being celebrated during Nisan, the first month of the Hebrew lunar year. The Jewish Passover under Moses commemorates Israel's deliverance from about 300 years of bondage in Egypt.

It was in during this Passover in 30 AD Christ was crucified under the order of the Roman governor Pontius Pilate as the then Jewish high priests accused Jesus of "blasphemy". The resurrection came three days later, on the Easter Sunday. The early Christians, many of them being brought up in Jewish tradition regarded Easter as a new feature of the Pascha (Passover). It was observed in memory of the advent of the Messiah, as foretold by the prophets. And it is equanimous with the proclamation of the resurrection. Thus the early Christian Passover turned out to be a unitive celebration in memory of the passion-death-resurrection of Jesus.

However, by the 4th century, Good Friday came to be observed as a separate occasion. And the Pascha Sunday had been devoted exclusively to the honor of the glorious resurrection.

Throughout the Christendom the Sunday of Pascha had become a holiday to honor Christ. At the same time many of the pagan spring rites came to be a part of its celebration. May be it was the increasing number of new converts who could not totally break free of the influence of pagan culture of their forefathers.But despite all the influence there was an important shift in the spirit. No more glorification of the physical return of the Sun God. Instead the emphasis was shifted to the Sun of Righteousness who had won banishing the horrors of death for ever.

The Feast of Easter was well established by the second century. But there had been dispute over the exact date of the Easter observance between the Eastern and Western Churches. The East wanted to have it on a weekday because early Christians observed Passover every year on the 14th of Nisan, the month based on the lunar calendar. But, the West wanted that Easter should always be a Sunday regardless of the date.

To solve this problem the emperor Constantine called the Council of Nicaea in 325. The question of the date of Easter was one of its main concerns. The council decided that Easter should fall on Sunday following the first full moon after the vernal equinox. But fixing up the date of the Equinox was still a problem. The Alexandrians, noted for their rich knowledge in astronomical calculations were given the task. And March 21 was made out to be the perfect date for spring equinox.

The dating of Easter today follows the same. Accordingly, churches in the West observe it on the first day of the full moon that occurs on or following the Spring equinox on March 21., it became a movable feast between March 21 and April 25.Still some churches in the East observe Easter according to the date of the Passover festival.The preparation takes off as early as on the Ash Wednesday from which the period of penitence in the Lent begins. The Lent and the Holy week end on the Easter Sunday, the day of resurrection.

What’s so good about Good Friday???

English is, together with Dutch, one of the few languages that call Good Friday 'good'. While one could say that Good Friday is the saddest day of the year for Christians, the Church uses the word 'Good' to show that Christ has died to liberate everyone from sin and that suffering and death are not pointless.

Other languages use other names for this day.

In Israel, Good Friday is known as "Big Friday." In Germany it is "Karfreitag", an Old German word meaning "Friday of lamentation", although this meaning is not obvious to speakers of modern German. In Malta, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Greece, Bulgaria, Republic of Macedonia (and Eastern Orthodox Church in general) the day is called Great Friday. In Armenia it is called "High Friday (Ավագ Ուրբաթ)". In Russia they call it "Passion Friday (Strastnaja Pjatnitsa)". In Latin America, Spain, France, Italy, the Philippines and Portugal the day is called "Holy Friday"; in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Faroe Islands and Iceland it is "Long Friday". In Portuguese language it is called "Sexta-Feira Santa" meaning "Holy Friday".

No matter how you say it, Good Friday is good because it is the day of our forgiveness. Granted Easter Sunday is the day of Salvation, but Good Friday marks the day the veil was torn and the final sacrifice made.

When God gave Moses the plans for the tabernacle, and David the plans for the temple there was to be a massive curtain that separated the rest of the temple from the Holies of Holies, the resting place for the Arc of the Covenant, and the holy seat of God. This curtain was thick, big, not just some bed sheet on a curtain rod. This was a serious piece of fabric. And just before Jesus’ last breath the curtain of Harrod’s temple ripped from floor to ceiling giving believers DIRECT access to God. No flaming hoops, no animal sacrifices, just a heart for God.

That is what makes Good Friday GOOD! God is not a distant God. We can each approach the throne of Christ with petition and praise. Christ made that possible. We as believers in Christ have the spirit of GOD in our Hearts. We are the temple of God, not a building in some distant place, but right there in your own four chambered heart.

All it takes is this prayer:

"Lord Jesus, I need You. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of the throne of my life. Make me the kind of person You want me to be."Does this prayer express the desire of your heart? If it does, pray this prayer right now and Christ will come into your life, as He promised.

Now that you have received Christ... check out this website: http://www.greatcom.org/english/nowthat.htm

Gethsemane

When I read or hear the Easter story one portion sticks to my heart and brings tears to my eyes; Jesus’ prayer in the garden of Gethsemane.

Have you ever been to Gethsemane? Not the actual garden in Israel, but the place Christ’s heart was on that night? The name Gethsemane means ‘oil press’ a place of squeezing oil from the olives. A place where ones soul is pushed, crushed, and pressed to its breaking point.
On the night Christ went to the garden he knew Judas had betrayed him, he knew Caiaphas would send him to Pilot, he knew the Roman guards would mock and torture him, he knew his own people would choose to free a murder over him, he knew how heavy the cross was, he knew every rock and stumbling point on the path to Golgotha, he knew how his body would ache for breath on the cross, he knew the bitterness of vinegar, and yet in those moments he prayed for YOU!

‘…I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. "Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.’ –John 17:23-24

He prayed for your hearts, for your life and for your soul. In the midst of the pain that would come his unending love made his heart long for you to know him. To know his love, and his desires for you.

It is heartbreaking and encouraging to know in Christ’s last breaths and final moments he was thinking of YOU!

“Father forgive them, they know not what they do.” –Luke 23:34

No matter how long you have been a Christian the time comes that we turn from God, if only for a moment, or one choice decision, but to go to Gesthemane and be broken and pressed with Christ is to know his heart was for you, and for all God’s children. Do not be afraid to be pressed on all sides, for Christ is the restorer, the forgiver, and the lover of our souls.

Wordless Wednesday

I”M HOME!!!!!!!!!

(Wow that’s kind of weird to say during the week of Easter- think about that…)

Today I just got back from Mount Hermon California, and the excitement of a Christian Writer's Confernece. Part of me didn't want to come home! I learned SO much and got to chat with successful authors, editors, and agents. I learned SO much about myself, my writing, AND MY GOD.

It was amazing to see him work in my heart and in the conference every day! I almost got sick while I was there, but through the power of prayer God did not let that hinder all he did this week. I have so many resources to go through and so much to remember/ put in practice that I don't want to go to work tomorrow. (besides the fact that I will probably crash with exhaustion)

Check out some pictures below and come back on wednesdays to see some of the nature shots I did while I was there. Thank you for all your prayers!

May your hearts be supple and your ears open to hear the heart of Christ this Easter Season!

Passover

The Passover Feast
Passover (Hebrew: פֶּסַח, Tiberian: pɛsaħ, Israeli: Pesakh, Pesach, Pesah), also called the Festival of Unleavened Bread (חַג הַמַּצּוֹת, ħaɣ ham:asʕ:oθ, Khag Ha'Matsot, Chag Ha'Matzot, etc.) is a Jewish holiday which is celebrated in the northern spring. It begins on the 15th day of Nisan (on the Hebrew calendar), which in 2007 arrives at nightfall on April 2. Passover commemorates the Exodus and freedom of the Israelites from ancient Egypt. As described in the Book of Exodus, Passover marks the "birth" of the Children of Israel who become the Jewish nation, as the Jews' ancestors were freed from being slaves of Pharaoh and allowed to become followers of God instead.
Take a moment to think about how the Passover feast mirrors the life, death and resurrection of Christ.
Each element used in the Festival of Unleavened Bread relates to Jesus’ Christ.

The Unleavened Bread- originally used to symbolize the hurriedly-baked bread that the Israelites ate after their hasty departure from Egypt. In the LIGHT OF CHRIST, represents food without yeast, which often symbolizes sin (Mt. 16:6, 1Cor 5:6-8, Lk12:1) CHIRST, being without sin is the bread of life. “…This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me” (Lk 22:19)

The Bitter Herb-symbolizing the bitter years in Egypt, in the LIGHT OF CHRIST, represents the bitterness of our own sin that we cannot escape without the GRACE and LOVE of Christ.

The Cup(s) of Wine- Each cup is connected to a different part of the Seder: The First Cup is for Kiddush( meaning literally, "sanctification" is a blessing recited over a cup of kosher wine or kosher grape juice to sanctify Shabbat (the Jewish Sabbath) or a Jewish holiday), the Second Cup is connected with the recounting of the Exodus, the drinking of the Third Cup concludes Birkat Hamazon (known in English as the Grace After Meals or the "Blessing on Nourishment) and the Fourth Cup is associated with Hallel(a verbatim recitation from Psalms 113-118, which is used for praise and thanksgiving). In the LIGHT OF CHRIST, represents the blood Christ shed to spare us from the pits of hell and free us from the deadly spiral of our own sin. “This cop is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.” (Lk 22:20)

The Empty Chair- represents the seat for the return of Elijah, who was said to prepare the way for the Messiah. A.k.a John the Baptist.

CHRIST HAS COME, CHRIST HAS RISEN, AND CHRIST WILL COME AGAIN!