Oh glorious love of Christ my Lord Divine,
That made Him stoop to save a soul like mine;
Through all my days and then in Heaven above,
My song will silence never, I'll worship him forever,
And praise Him for His glorious love.
("Oh Glorious Love" by the Talley Trio)
I'm in the Hampton Roads area for a few days,enjoying the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival, sewing and having fun. This afternoon, I went down to Suffolk to have a late lunch with two of my blog-brothers, Jim and Scott, which was great fun. I'd met Jim face to face, but this was the first time I've seen Scott in person (both are great guys, and I love 'em to pieces).
Anyway, after a good lunch and conversation, we all went our separate ways. I hopped on 664N to return to Williamsburg, and at the 664-64W merge, and had an... encounter... with an oblivious semi-driver.
I was in the left merge lane, and he was in the right, and I noticed that he came into MY lane just as I moved over to the left myself. I thought, "Gee, I wonder if he saw me, and isn't it lucky I was merging, or I would have been run over!"
Good thing I'd noticed, because it made me keep my eye on him!
Just another mile or two down the road, I'm still to his left, about the middle of his trailer - his mirrors are in view, and I was NOT in his blind spot - and he signals and starts coming over into MY LANE!
Thank God He was watching over me and that I was watching that idiot, because I was able to brake, swerve (thanks again, God, that the next lane was open!), and avoid him, because he would have taken my Precious Munchkin first... Seriously, folks, it was that close!
Thank God, thank GOD for His protection! I'm still doing the adrenalin rush, I think...
Bible Study Magazine and Mars Hill are giving away 20 copies of Mark Driscoll’s new book, Vintage Church. Not only that, but they are also giving away five subscriptions to Bible Study Magazine and a copy of their Bible Study Library software! Enter to win on the Bible Study Magazine Mark Driscoll page, then take a look at all the cool tools they have to take your Bible study to the next level!
I used Logos in the past, but sadly let it get out of date (WAY out of date - like, 8 years[?]). But, it's probably the best Bible study software out there, so I'd be delighted if perchance I won the latest version. The Bible Study Magazine subscription and Mark Driscoll's book would be added bonuses *grinz*
I'm not Catholic and I don't generally observe their liturgical calendar, but Lent is somewhat different.
For those of you who might not know, Lent is the forty days prior to Easter Sunday. Easter, or Resurrection Sunday, is the day when we as Christians celebrate the physical resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ, from the grave. Lent, the time leading up to Easter, has traditionally been a time of fasting and reflection, a time to meditate on all Jesus has done on our behalf because of the great love He has for His people.
Sadly, these days, many Christians reduce the pain and suffering and infinite sacrifice to a trite "Jesus died on the Cross for your sins." Very true, but simple, shallow, and without the context of Who Jesus is, what we are, and the wonder of the indescribable grace of God. We need to refresh our understanding of Jesus' sacrifice and what He went through on our behalf, so that our lives can be renewed with the awe and gratitude we owe our wonderful Savior.
If you are interested in really trying to understand the Cross and the Resurrection, if you really want to put meaning back into this season of reflection, remembrance and repentance, first I earnestly implore you to read your Bible. Go through the Gospels and read of Jesus' life here on earth, His love and tender care, His patience and kindness, His anger with hypocrisy and injustice, and His willing sacrifice. Read carefully with an open heart and a sober mind, considering all that Jesus went through for you. Prayerfully ask the Father to remove your stony heart of sin and rebellion and give you a new heart of flesh that desires to follow and glorify Him.
He will do it. That's why He came; to seek and save His lost sheep who have gone astray.
An intent and honest search of the Scriptures is really quite sufficient, but for further reflection I would also suggest
... or watching this video from the series Doctrine:
Jesus has done so much for us, and He has sent His Spirit into the world to convict it of sin and righteousnes and judgement... But if you hear that voice, if you see your sin and the perfect righteousness of God, do not despair! Do not despair, for He has sent that same Spirit to give you new life and rebirth into a new family. He has sent His Spirit to live within you and testify that you are His:
For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!" The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. (Romans 8:14-17, ESV)
Through the Cross, Jesus pays the debt we cannot pay so that we may escape the wrath we cannot bear and gain the peace we do not deserve.
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (Romans 5:6-11, ESV)
Hallelujah to the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world! Blessing and honor and strength and praise be to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit! Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty, and He has shown us His great love and mercy! All creation shall bow to Him and testify to His righteousness, and His people shall rejoice in Him forever and glorify His great and worthy name!
For the past month or so, ever since it was announced that Google Video was going to stop accepting new uploads, I've been searching for a site that would host the video I take of my pastor's sermons. GodTube (now tangle.com for reasons which still mystify me - what a moronic choice!) and YouTube would not accept them; although they were under the storage limit, they were well over the time limit. I really did NOT want to split the videos into three or four parts, but...
*frustrated HUFF!*
LiveLeak and a few others all seemed much too focused on politics for Christian sermons to meld happily into the mix, and I was seriously considering asking my computer-guru Husband to free up some space on the server for the outside world to access. It wasn't the best solution, because we're on rural DSL (hey, I'm grateful for the broadband access out here, don't get me wrong!) and the bandwidth, from what I understand, would make the video capture very slow. Plus, you know, not too excited about opening up OUR network to all the barbaric yahoos out there... ;-)
What I like about Vimeo is that their free accounts have a 500meg weekly upload limit - storage space only; they don't care about the length. Plus, one HiDef file per week (within the 500meg limit). If I want to upgrade to a paid account at $60/year, the weekly limit soars to FIVE GIG, plus UNLIMITED HD videos (and no ads...). Not bad; I might consider it in the future.
So, THANK YOU, Vimeo! I'm looking forward to a long and happy association.
OK, I admit, I'm only a first year tax preparer, so you should triple check the facts with YOUR tax professional, BUT!!!! there are some hinky things you ought to be aware of regarding this year's taxes with respect to this idiotic bailout:
the "Making Work Pay" credit
This looks like it might be an adjustment (temporary) to the percentage on what is withheld on your federal taxes. This would adjust take-home pay a little bit to total up to $400 for single filers and $800 for married filing jointly (MFJ) based on income. Don't forget - as with most tax credits - there are phaseouts on income amounts, in this case beginning at $75k (single) and $150k (MFJ).
However, in my training yesterday, this raised concerns for how it would affect your refund or amount owed on next year's taxes. It is possible that for lower income taxpayers, they MAY see a slightly lower return next year due to this credit, and it's possible that higher income taxpayers MAY see a slightly higher amount owed next year if their withholding is affected.
I am not saying this will certainly happen, but for my readers' benefit, I would strongly suggest that you keep a careful eye on this, and perhaps see if the pay department at your job can give you better information. If they can't tell you, you might consider trying to advise them to keep your withholding at the current standard federal rate and worry about taking the credit when you file your 2009 tax return.
This is also important, because the Making Work Pay credit also affects
the Economic Recovery Payment
The ERP is a one time payment of $250 to individuals who receive
Veterans' Administration pension or disability benefits
At this time, what it looks like is that, IF you are working AND you receive some of the benefits above, your total "payback" from the government, your total credit between the ERP and the "Making Work Pay" MAY only be the $400 (single).
For instance, if you are an unmarried mechanic with a regular job and also receive VA disability benefits, your MAXIMUM credit would be $400, even though the MWP and ERP credits/payments would add up to $650.
LEGAL DISCLAIMER: Again, this is what appears to be happening with the tax information I have NOW. I am NOT speaking on behalf of any tax preparation entity, neither am I offering guaranteed "official" advice. As I have already said, you should consult with your own tax professional to see how this affects your personal tax situation.
No dog in the fight - haven't been interested in the Oscars for years. After all, Hollyweird loves to hate America, slander our military, and spread lies about conservatives. The majority of Hollyweird also likes to imagine they're quite courageous for "speaking truth to power," when it's the very institutions and people they malign which protects their right to throw their little temper tantrums. Hollyweird also likes to present itself as "tolerant" and "inclusive," but that only holds true if you're a flaming liberal, and not a conservative who is pointing out the inconsistancies and hypocrisy running rampant through Tinseltown.
Most of the movies on the Oscar list slavishly conforms to that ideology, so why should I watch and see these spoiled, vapid pretty-people spit all over my ideals and principles while insisting that *I'M* the intolerant one?
Frankly, I hope their ratings slide into obscurity continues with a vengeance until they have more than two neurons rubbing together and holding their ears apart.
I've really been disgusted by the continual creep of the Federal Government into areas where it has no Constitutional right. It offends me as a citizen and as a conservative who loves our Founding Documents and the founding principles of this country.
Affirming that the State of Texas claims sovereignty under the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States over all powers not otherwise enumerated and granted to the federal government by the U.S. Constitution, serving notice to the federal government to cease and desist certain mandates, and providing that certain federal legislation be prohibited or repealed.
Virginia, you are the "Mother of Presidents"! Many of our distinguished Founders and Presidents have come from the Commonwealth, and served with honor and integrity. Why are we not on the forefront of this movement??
First, go watch this video (wish I could embed it)
CNBC's Rick Santelli and the traders on the floor of the CBOE express outrage over the notion they may have to pay their neighbor's mortgage, particularly if they bought far more house than they could actually afford
I am totally onboard with this; my sentiments are accurately expressed by the first commenter I read at the poll's page:
The plan is a discrace! I pay my mortgage and bills on time. I live on a fixed income. I find it tough each month to make ends meet, but do. I did not go out and buy a home I could not afford. No one is helping ME! The Bleeding heart Democrats might as well give the country away. God Bless Rick Santelli!!
Robin Hood taxation: rob the hard working, productive people, and redistribute the wealth (AFTER the government takes its cut, of course) to those who lived beyond their means and were fiscally irresponsible... Whoa, just like the government!
President Obama, calling the housing meltdown a "crisis unlike we've ever known," rolled out a $75 billion plan Wednesday that his administration hopes will keep as many as 9 million families in their homes.
The announcement in Phoenix comes a day after he signed a $787 billion economic rescue package that combines spending and tax cuts aimed at saving and creating millions of jobs.
The foreclosure prevention plan is more ambitious than initially expected -- and more expensive. It aims to aid borrowers who owe more on their mortgages than their homes are currently worth, and borrowers who are on the verge of foreclosure.
Obama said the plan is a critical component in his administration's efforts to pull the nation out of recession.
No, this is a critical component in the DemonRATS' and RINOs' plan to weaken America and turn us all into mewling babies, intent on sucking on the Nanny State's teat all our lives. I never though I'd really see the day that American citizens would put up with this sort of idiocy, but I guess all those years of public school education and media propaganda is finally doing its work.
Welcome to Socialism, America. Lenin, Stalin, and Mao are all rolling in their graves, laughing at how far America has fallen.
UPDATE: This post from Gateway Pundit is particularly ironic:
You know things are out of control when Communist China is lecturing democrats on protectionism and now the former head of the KGB is lecturing US democrats against socialism.
"Out of control"? Well, I think that's putting it... mildly!
I had a hankering for some bruscetta yesterday, and was lucky that my local grocery store had some acceptable tomatoes in.
When you make this dish, it is CRITICAL that you have good tomatoes! If they're store-bought "good," then use the seasoning amounts I give here, but if you're fortunate to get really, truly good tomatoes (like some you've grown yourself, for instance), back off on the seasonings and let the tomatoes really shine through. I got about 3 pounds of the vine on "cluster" tomatoes from the store for this dish, and they did pretty well.
Secondly, remember that I post recipes with MY seasoning preferences; others may find them too vibrant. So, if you know your way around the kitchen, you know how to make adjustments to suit your taste buds. For any novice cooks, this is a very easy recipe to prepare, but - unless you really love garlic - I'd suggest that you start with half the garlic and slowly add more until you find the right level of garlicy goodness to suit you.
3 pounds GOOD tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 cup onion, finely diced
2 tablespoons freshly minced garlic (do NOT use the pre-chopped garlic for this dish) (and, yes, I LOVE garlic!)
1 16 ounce package kalamata olives, pitted and chopped (do NOT use canned - go to the deli section, and pick up one of those plastic bins)
I mixed the onion, garlic, pepper, oregano and tomatoes together first, and let them sit for about 20 minutes before I added everything else so that these flavors could get a good start at blending together. Then add everything else and mix to combine. Be careful with the vinegar and oil; add about 80% the vinegar first and check for flavor, since you may not need it all. The oil is mainly (for me) to help give a good, round mouthfeel and to make the "tang" of the vinegar and garlic smooth out a little and carry throughout the dish.
Now comes the hard part. WAIT.
Leave your bowl out on the counter and DO NOT TOUCH THIS for about an hour; believe me, your patience will be well rewarded. If you have home-grown tomatoes and have eased up on the herbs and seasonings a little, you could probably get away with only 3 minutes. However, the flavors really need to come together, get to know each other, and then get married to make this dish the taste sensation it is.
Serving? Well, get a loaf of good french bread and make a sandwich. Slice the loaf,toast the slices and rub with garlic, and then dip them in the bruscetta. For the milder version with really fresh tomatoes, serve it over a freshly grilled swordfish or chicken breast... Mmmm!
I dunno, what do you think? They both voted against an amendment to the soi-disant "stimulus" bill proposed by Sen. DeMint (R - SC). According to Sen. DeMint's website:
Pages 164-165 of the stimulus contain the following prohibitions on the use of $3.5 billion available for renovation of public or private college and university facilities.
(2) PROHIBITED USES OF FUNDS.—No funds awarded under this section may be used for—
(C) modernization, renovation, or repair of facilities—
(i) used for sectarian instruction, religious worship, or a school or department of divinity; or
(ii) in which a substantial portion of the functions of the
facilities are subsumed in a religious mission; or construction of new
facilities.
Sen. DeMint proposed striking this language because it was a Congressional infringement of our First Amendment rights and that
“This is a direct attack on students of faith, and I’m outraged Democrats are using an economic stimulus bill to promote discrimination,” said Senator DeMint. “Democrats should be ashamed of themselves for siding with the ACLU over millions of students of faith. These students simply want equal access to public facilities, which is
their constitutional right. This hostility toward religion must end. Those who voted to for this discrimination are standing in the schoolhouse door to deny people of faith from entering any campus building renovated by this bill."
Of course Virginia's senators voted against it - they're not interested in the Constitution; they're just like the rest of their DemocRAT(ick) cohorts: freedom of speech and religion are too good for the masses.
Sounds to me like Virginia's bitter, religious gun owners ought to band together and vote these reprobates out of office at the next opportunity. Then again, anything these idiots do to piss of their constituents just makes their tenure in Congress that much shorter... many more stupid moves like these, and Virginians wouldn't spit on Webb and Warner even if they were on fire.
Bearing Drift reports that legislation banning smoking in Virginia restaurants has, effectively, passed. Speaking personally (and as a former smoker), I'm glad because I really really REALLY hate cigarette smoke, especially in restaurants.
However.
Speaking as a freedom-loving citizen of this Republic, I deplore this additional intrusion of the Nanny State into private business. I think that if such a ban is indeed so important and worthy, it ought to have been brought to vote by the residents of this Commonwealth.
Frankly, even though I'm in the heart of tobacco country, I'm seeing less and less smoking inside of restaurants, anyway; it's my opinion that these business owners were already reacting to the natural pressure from their clientele, and that the ban would have been unnecessary in a few years.
But then the government - pernicious and meddling as ever - just has to stick its nosy, interfering self into the mix...
ONLY God would have thought to mix these crazy clashes of color, dusted them with snow, and then served them up to delight my senses and bless my heart! This picture is a very pale shadow of the beauty God poured out before me for just five minutes this evening - just long enough for me to get to a safe place, pull over, and bounce out of the car to snap some pictures in the crisp air.
I had been listening to a sermon about humility while driving home from work and thinking about how prideful I am and how I want to learn godly humility, and God just decided to remind anyone with eyes to see that He is still very much here, and that He loves us and calls us to repentance and trust in Him.
There is NO ONE I'd rather trust than the true God who creates such beauty and showers His abundant love and blessing upon us!
The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
Day to day pours out speech,
and night to night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech, nor are there words,
whose voice is not heard.
Their voice goes out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world.
In them he has set a tent for the sun,
which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber,
and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy.
Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
and its circuit to the end of them,
and there is nothing hidden from its heat.
The law of the LORD is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the testimony of the LORD is sure,
making wise the simple; The precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure,
enlightening the eyes;
The fear of the LORD is clean,
enduring forever;
The rules of the LORD are true,
and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
and drippings of the honeycomb.
Moreover, by them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.
Who can discern his errors?
Declare me innocent from hidden faults.
Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins;
let them not have dominion over me!
Then I shall be blameless,
and innocent of great transgression.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in your sight,
O LORD, my rock and my redeemer. (Psalm 19, ESV)
Well, from what I hear, they weren't much to write home about - except for the Budweiser ads. Now, I don't drink Bud, but they have had a consistent style of sweetness, humor, and respect in their ads which I really appreciate.
NOBODY can top this one:
... or this one:
And this year's is just sweet:
Thank you to Anheuser-Busch for giving us fun, respectful, and CLEAN ads which make us smile, and which are wonderful examples of what advertising CAN be, but so rarely is.
I'm very glad my dear blog-brother Scott got me into this. It's been fun and has encouraged me to go out and take pictures. I highly recommend this to any photographer out there; the community has been very supportive and gracious, and it really motivates you to go out and take pictures. The feedback and the challenge also helps you compose your shot and consider new techniques.
Thanks again! I hope to become a regular participant!
Excuse me while I go pout a bit, and then figure out what I want to do instead...
DRAT!!!!
UPDATE: OK, fine. That'll teach me to go to the general store when I need a specialty product. So, I've decided to go on over to ChristianBook.com and order the ultimate binding - real calfskin leather.
As I'd said in my earlier post, I want a new Bible that will be my best buddy for a VERY LOOOOOOONG time. The calfskin is expensive enough that I'll remember to be careful handling the Book, but durable enough that I should be using this when I'm eighty years old. That's 35 years, and when you price it out, I'll get a very high quality, doctrinally sound study bible in a high quality binding for a little over $4 a year.
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