Cardinals Win !!!

KURTIS THE STOCK BOY
AND
BRENDA THE CHECKOUT GIRL


In a supermarket, Kurtis the stock boy, was busily working when a new voice
came over the loud speaker asking for a carry out at register 4. Kurtis was
almost finished, and wanted to get some fresh air, and decided to answer the
call. As he approached the check-out stand a distant smile caught his eye, the
new check-out girl was beautiful. She was an older woman (maybe 26, and he was
only 22) and he fell in love.

Later that day, after his shift was over, he waited by the punch clock to find
out her name. She came into the break room, smiled softly at him, took her card
and punched out, then left. He looked at her card, BRENDA. He walked out only
to see her start walking up the road. Next day, he waited outside as she left
the supermarket, and offered her a ride home. He looked harmless enough, and she
accepted. When he dropped her off, he asked if maybe he could see her again,
outside of work. She simply said it wasn't possible.

He pressed and she explained she had two children and she couldn't afford a
baby-sitter, so he offered to pay for the baby-sitter. Reluctantly she accepted
his offer for a date for the following Saturday. That Saturday night he arrived
at her door only to have her tell him that she was unable to go with him. The
baby-sitter had called and canceled. To which Kurtis simply said, "Well,
let's take the kids with us."

She tried to explain that taking the children was not an option, but again not
taking no for an answer, he pressed. Finally Brenda, brought him inside to meet
her children. She had an older daughter who was just as cute as a bug, Kurtis
thought, then Brenda brought out her son, in a wheelchair. He was born a
paraplegic with Down Syndrome.

Kurtis asked Brenda, "I still don't understand why the kids can't
come with us?" Brenda was amazed. Most men would run away from a woman
with two kids, especially if one had disabilities - just like her first husband
and father of her children had done. Kurtis was not ordinary - - - he had a
different mindset.

That evening Kurtis and Brenda loaded up the kids, went to dinner and the
movies. When her son needed anything Kurtis would take care of him. When he
needed to use the restroom, he picked him up out of his wheelchair, took him and
brought him back. The kids loved Kurtis. At the end of the evening, Brenda
knew this was the man she was going to marry and spend the rest of her life
with.

A year later, they were married and Kurtis adopted both of her children.
Since then they have added two more kids.

So what happened to Kurtis the stock boy and Brenda the check-out girl? Well,
Mr. & Mrs. Kurt Warner now live in Arizona , where he is currently employed
as the quarterback of the National Football League Arizona Cardinals and has his
Cardinals in the hunt for a possible appearance in the Super Bowl. Is this a
surprise ending or could you have guessed that he was not an ordinary person.

It should be noted that he also quarterbacked the Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI. He has also been the NLF's Most Valuable Player twice and the Super Bowl's Most Valuable Player.



We're going to the SUPERBOWL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

miracles happen


God bless America!!

Joy and Peace
pd

January 18

“What you are will show in what you do.”

Our culture idolizes entertainment, sports, business success, political power, and prosperity. While these have their place, Jesus did not die for any of these things. He died for the people that we care for, feed, and lead.

Just as a baby has absolute trust in its mother,
Christians must also live in absolute faith and trust in God.

No matter how negative the world around us may be,
we must not lose faith.


Faith itself is hope and has the power to make all things new. - Dr. David Yonggi Cho

I believe that, everything else being equal,
the more prayer happens in our church,
the more God will bless our church.

Much prayer--much blessing,
little prayer--little blessing,
no prayer--no blessing,
Living with Hope

Optimism and hope are radically different attitudes. Optimism is the expectation that things-the weather, human relationships, the economy, the political situation, and so on-will get better. Hope is the trust that God will fulfill God's promises to us in a way that leads us to true freedom. The optimist speaks about concrete changes in the future. The person of hope lives in the moment with the knowledge and trust that all of life is in good hands.
All the great spiritual leaders in history were people of hope. Abraham, Moses, Ruth, Mary, Jesus, Rumi, Gandhi, and Dorothy Day all lived with a promise in their hearts that guided them toward the future without the need to know exactly what it would look like. Let's live with hope.
Living the Christian life is like shaving - no matter how well you do it today, it needs to be done again tomorrow.
A husband is someone who takes out the trash and gives the impression he just cleaned the whole house.

Why is a football stadium cool? Because it's full of fans

When eating fruit, think of the person who planted the tree. -- Vietnamese Proverb

Prayer is the bridge between our conscious and unconscious lives. Often there is a large abyss between our thoughts, words, and actions, and the many images that emerge in our daydreams and night dreams. To pray is to connect these two sides of our lives by going to the place where God dwells. Prayer is "soul work" because our souls are those sacred centers where all is one and where God is with us in the most intimate way.
Thus, we must pray without ceasing so that we can become truly whole and holy.

THE GRANDMA TEST
I was out walking with my 4-year-old granddaughter. She picked up something off the ground and started to put it in her mouth. I took the item away from her and I asked her not to do that.
"Why?" my granddaughter asked.
"Because it's been on the ground. You don't know where it's been, it's dirty, and probably has germs," I replied.
At this point, my granddaughter looked at me with total admiration and asked, "Grandma, how do you know all this stuff? You are so smart."
I was thinking quickly, "All Grandmas know this stuff. It's on the Grandma Test. You have to know it, or they don't let you be a Grandma."
We walked along in silence for 2 or 3 minutes, but she was evidently pondering this new information. "Oh...I get it!" she beamed, "So if you don't pass the test, you have to be the Grandpa."
"Exactly," I replied.

"I have never been a millionaire. But I have enjoyed a crackling fire, a glorious sunset, a walk with a friend and a hug from a child. There are plenty of life's tiny delights for all of us." -- Jack Anthony

'John 3:16' Hottest Google Search
During last week's BCS National Championship game, Tim Tebow, University of Florida quarterback, inscribed John 3:16 on his eye black. Google reported that the biblical reference subsequently became the most popular search item. In previous games, Tebow, born to missionary parents in the Philippines and home-schooled, has sported Philippians 4:13 on his eye black.

Churches More Informal Than a Decade Ago
American churches became more informal and ethnically diverse over the past 10 years, the National Congregations Study shows. Most of the informal service changes occur in Protestant and Catholic churches that are using visual projection equipment and drums. However, black churches had the largest increase in jumping, shouting and dancing during services.
Immigration played a role in congregations' social composition. The study observed that predominantly white and non-Hispanic congregations are more ethnically diverse than a decade ago. Leaders of congregations are older and the median age of the head clergy has increased from 49 in 1998 to 53 in 2006.
Other features — such as sermons, singing, greeting time, silent prayer or meditation, reading Scripture and speaking in tongues during the service — have remained about the same.
Mark Chaves, lead researcher and sociology professor at Duke University School of Divinity, said that these changes are noteworthy because "religious traditions and organizations are widely considered to be remarkably resistant to change."

"What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others." -- Pericles

"We fear the government may be powerful enough to destroy our families; we know that it is not powerful enough to replace them." -- Ronald Reagan

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." -- Oliver Wendell Holmes

"Four short words sum up what has lifted most successful individuals above the crowd: a little bit more. They did all that was expected of them and a little bit more." -- A. Lou Vickery

The Christian life is not a popularity contest, it is an extraordinary mission, a race to the finish, a fight to the death.

There’s a very good reason for people not wanting to know the truth. The truth hurts: it pierces, reproves, and humbles. (And, by the way, it doesn’t cause divisions in the church, it reveals them.)

Recessions and Depressions don’t bother me; I was a failure in the boom years, too.

Joy and sorrow are never separated. When our hearts rejoice at a spectacular view, we may miss our friends who cannot see it, and when we are overwhelmed with grief, we may discover what true friendship is all about. Joy is hidden in sorrow and sorrow in joy. If we try to avoid sorrow at all costs, we may never taste joy, and if we are suspicious of ecstasy, agony can never reach us either. Joy and sorrow are the parents of our spiritual growth.

Work banishes those three great evils: boredom, vice, and poverty. Voltaire (1694 - 1778)

Sometime this month, somewhere in suburban South or West, a couple, probably white Anglo Saxon Protestants or Hispanic, will conceive a baby who, when born next October, will become the 300 millionth American... Developing..

"The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires." -- William Ward

How Much Are You Worth?
At one time in his career, Fred Astaire’s legs were insured for $650,000. But do you think this famous dancer would have given up either one of his legs for 650,000 dollars? Of course not!
Would you be willing to part with your eyesight for a million dollars? A hand for a million dollars? Your foot for a million dollars? We are already up to three million dollars and I’m sure you haven’t considered any of the offers. Money could never replace you, not any part of you. You are worth more than all the money in the world.
Do you realize that since time began there have been over 68 billion persons alive on the face of the earth and there never has been a duplication? There has never been one of them exactly like you. When you are gone from the earth, no one will ever take your place. You are unique.
Maybe that is the reason there are things you like about yourself. Things you can do that no one else can do. You like yourself because you’re unique! Don’t spend your life thinking you want to look like or be like someone else. Instead, concentrate on the things you know and can do, the things you like about yourself and develop them. Make you the best you can be.
You are worthy more than millions! Don’t ever sell yourself short.

January 11

"What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others." -- Pericles

Every day pray this prayer from Dr. Luther:
I ask God to help me appreciate my baptism and rejoice in it.
I am so blessed while so many others do not have this treasure.
I pray for strength to work and speak and give that others may find the joy and treasure I have, Amen.

What People Believe
Newly released results from The Harris Poll® show that a very large majority of the American public believe in God, miracles, the survival of the soul after death, the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the virgin birth. But what may be surprising is that substantial minorities believe in ghosts, UFOs, witches, astrology, and the belief that they themselves were once other people. Overall, more people believe in the devil, hell and angels than believe in Darwin's theory of evolution.
Some of the findings in this new Harris Poll include:
* Eighty percent of adult Americans believe in God — unchanged since the last time the question was asked in 2005. Large majorities of the public believe in miracles (75%), heaven (73%), angels (71%), that Jesus is God or the Son of God (71%), the resurrection of Jesus (70%), the survival of the soul after death (68%), hell (62%) the virgin birth of Jesus born to Mary (61%) and the devil (59%).
* Slightly more people — although both are minorities — believe in Darwin's theory of evolution (47%) than in creationism (40%).
* Sizeable minorities believe in ghosts (44%), UFOs (36%), witches (31%), astrology (31%), and reincarnation (24%).
Interestingly, slender majorities of all adults believe that all or most of the Old Testament (55%) and the New Testament (54%) are the "Word of God." However, only about a third of all adults (37% and 36%) believe that all of these texts are the word of God. Only 26 percent of all adults believe that the Torah is the word of God, even though it is the same as the first five books of the Old Testament.
Regarding religiosity and religious practice, less than a quarter of Americans describe themselves as "very religious." However, a large majority (68%) describe themselves as either very (23%) or somewhat (45%) religious. A quarter (27%) of adults say that they attend church once a week or more, compared with 36 percent who say they attend less than once a year or never (18% each). November 10 and 17, 2008, by Harris Interactive.


Making Your Resolutions Stick
While many people make New Year's resolutions in late December or early January, this time of year, very few of them actually follow through with their commitment for more than a few days or weeks. An article appearing on the Web site, htrnews.com, suggests that you should think of your resolutions in terms of goals that are simple, realistic and measurable. Several suggestions are provided for making your resolutions stick.

* Change for yourself, not for anyone else.
* Take small steps. To make your goals more achievable, come up with small goals you know you can meet each day to keep yourself on track and feeling positive.
* Be realistic. Be sure your goals and plan of action are realistic. Try to make meeting your goals as easy as possible for yourself. Then set your goals at a reasonable height so that you can reach them one by one without feeling overwhelmed.
* Be flexible. If weather or illness prevents you from sticking to your plan, make a plan B for a situation you cannot avoid.
* Build a support system. Enlist the support of your family, friends or co-workers.


Perhaps this is a difficult year for you. The future stretching out before you may seem gloomy or threatening. … In your rare moments of quiet, you may wonder, Where is God? He’s right there at your side, my friend. He has never left. He has never removed His eye from you, nor has His attention wandered to other matters. Not even for a heartbeat. He has never ceased caring for you, thinking about you, considering your situation, and loving you with a passion and intensity beyond comprehension.
Sam Houston was the first president of the Republic of Texas. It's said he was a rather nasty fellow with a checkered past. Later in life Houston made a commitment to Christ and was baptized in a river. The preacher said to him, "Sam, your sins are washed away." Houston replied, "God help the fish." Although most of us were not baptized as adults in a river, we can probably relate to this reply.
Twice in Mark's gospel the word "torn," with a dramatic and active sense is used. The first is as Jesus rises from the waters of baptism and the second is at the end of Mark's "good news" as the temple curtain is rent. The first event presents the in-breaking of the kingdom of heaven and the second the tearing away of the religious barrier between God and humanity.

"Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws." -- Plato

"God doesn't promise us a tomorrow. He does promise everlasting life!" -- Anonymous

"Worry is interest paid on trouble before it comes due." -- William Ralph Inge

"Values are like fingerprints. Nobody's are the same, but you leave 'em all over everything you do." -- Elvis Presley

In 1999, Saint Laurent [famous fashion designer who recently died] sold the rights of his label to Gucci Group NV, ceding control of his Rive Gauche collection, fragrances, cosmetics and accessories for $70 million cash and royalties.
When he bowed out of fashion in 2002, Saint Laurent spoke of his battles with depression, drugs and loneliness. "I've known fear and terrible solitude," he said. "Tranquilizers and drugs, those phony friends. The prison of depression and hospitals. I've emerged from all this, dazzled but sober."
Seventy million dollars and world-wide fame could not buy this successful man peace or happiness. Yet I know people who have no fame and little money, who have peace of mind and are very happy. What they have is a free gift and costs nothing. Saint Laurent was obviously no saint; how interesting. His seventy million is still here on Earth. Nothing wrong with having money [it can do a lot of good] and there is nothing wrong with having fame, if we can deal with the "pride issue". However, for what purpose if we haven't connected with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ? There is no amount of money as powerful as a connection to Christ for a truly successful life.
If Saint Laurent had found Christ, the drugs, pills, depression, fear and loneliness could have been replaced with joy and peace.

In moments of despair and doubt and desolation, Martin Luther would say to himself as a reminder, "I was baptized."

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst, for they are sticking to their diet.

"The difference between Christianity and religion is how they are spelled. Religion is spelled 'do' - do this, do that, do, do, do. Christianity is spelled 'done'. Christianity has already done everything needed. We just need to receive the gift of 'done.'"


Archeologists from Hebrew University unearthed this ancient inscription:
Messiah wanted. Full-time position for temple in Jerusalem. The successful applicant will be dynamic, vibrant, and contagiously enthusiastic; able to perform healings and exorcisms and to feed large crowds; a real "people person" who is able to relate to persons of all ages, especially youth and families; an outgoing "self-starter" who will energize us in our devotion to the Torah. Proven skills in administration and organization are a must; ability to walk on water a plus. Seeking someone with at least eight years of experience, either as a solo-messiah, or part of a messianic staff. Competitive salary package. Jerusalem offers excellent schools and recreational opportunities; a good place to raise a family. Send resume and references to Skip Hebel, Messiah Search Committee, Jerusalem.

The Lion King
Baptism tells us who we are. Nowhere do we see this truth better illustrated than in Disney’s The Lion King. Remember that Simba the lion cub is separated from all that reminds him of his identity. He is away from home, away from his family, and away from his responsibilities in the world. In fact, he forsakes his true identity as a lion, much less the king of the lions. In his absence, the kingdom is over run by forces of evil, and it becomes a very dark and wounded place.
The baboon “priest” Rafiki finds Simba in the jungle and calls him back to his identity. In John the Baptist fashion Rafiki leads Simba to a great lake. As Simba stares into the pool of water, it is not only his face that is reflected. It is also the face of his father. The father and son are inextricably linked. As he recognizes his father within himself, the heavens open and the father speaks to him from heaven. In that moment, Simba is transformed. He understands his true identity as the Lion King and sees the responsibility his identity carries. He is empowered for the mission that lies before him and is able to combat the evil forces of the world that have taken over. In the end, Simba is victorious and brings light and healing back to his kingdom.

January 4, 2009

Blessed New Year!

God specializes in things fresh and firsthand. His plans for you this year may outshine those of the past . . . . He's prepared to fill your days with reasons to give Him praise.

Two thousand years ago, gold, frankincense and myrrh were worth (in today's equivalents), six hundred, five hundred and four thousand dollars per pound, respectively. A similar gift today (frankincense and myrrh have declined in value, gold has increased) would set a 21st century king back six thousand dollars for the gold, but only fifteen dollars apiece for frankincense and myrrh.

He is not like one of us. He is utterly incomparable -- beyond the furthest horizon of our imaginations. He is off the scale of our comprehension. We have merely known the shallows of the mighty deep. --Matt Redman

Christmas was not celebrated as an official holiday from work in many parts of America until the 19th century. Courts were in session, stores were open, and few churches held religious services.

Lawrence Livermore Laboratories has discovered the heaviest element yet known to science.
The new element, Governmentium (Gv), has one neutron, 25 assistant neutrons, 88 deputy neutrons, and 198 assistant deputy neutrons, giving it an atomic mass of 312.
These 312 particles are held together by forces called morons, which are surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles called peons. Since Governmentium has no electrons, it is inert; however, it can be detected, because it impedes every reaction with which it comes into contact. A tiny amount of Governmentium can cause a reaction that would normally take less than a second, to take from four days to four years to complete.
Governmentium has a normal half-life of 2- 6 years; It does not decay, but instead undergoes a reorganization in which a portion of the assistant neutrons and deputy neutrons exchange places.
In fact, Governmentium's mass will actually increase over time, since each reorganization will cause more morons to become neutrons, forming isodopes. This characteristic of moron promotion leads some scientists to believe that Governmentium is formed whenever morons reach a critical concentration. This hypothetical quantity is referred to as critical morass. When catalyzed with money, Governmentium becomes
Administratium, an element that radiates just as much energy as Governmentium since it has half as many peons but twice as many morons.

Only God can fill the deepest longings of the heart.

THE NEW YEAR
Soon in your hand will be placed a priceless gift. Look at it closely. There is no price marker stamped on it. It cannot be weighed, because no scale can balance its value. A king's ransom in comparison is as nothing yet it is given to beggar and prince alike. The giver asks only that it be used wisely and well. This jewel, rare and unique, is not displayed in any shop window. It cannot be purchased, cannot be sold. No other treasure holds the possibilities this gift offers -- none can surpass its golden splendor.
Of all gifts, this is one of the most precious. It has been offered many times before; today, from the depths of a limitless love it will be given again. It will be left to you to find the golden thread running through it. Only with great care will the jewel retain its luster. Carelessness, ingratitude and selfishness will tarnish the brilliance, break the unspoiled thread, mar the perfection.
Guard it closely, lest through weak fingers it slip from the hand. Look often at its faultless beauty. Accept it as it is offered from the heart of the giver. Consider it is the most treasured of possessions, for of all gifts it is by far the greatest. It is the gift of the New Year.

A light in the midst of a dark world
A refuge and shelter from the storms of life
A wellspring of love for all who enter our doors
A hospital for the spiritually ill
An unashamed proclaimer of the Good News of Jesus

God will never give His prizes to an indifferent heart. He wants them to be prized above all cost and sought above all treasures. --A. B. Simpson

A French proverb says, "You not only have to want what you want, but you have to want what your want leads to." This is a thought-provoking idea. It says that to really get the most out of life, we need to take a long-term perspective. As I struggle with chronic overweight, this proverb haunts me at every food table in a social gathering. I want the hors d'oeuvres; they taste great - but do I want what my want leads to? Perhaps you have struggled with a chronic disease. I was recently diagnosed diabetic. I have become acutely aware of the fact that satisfying my immediate wants could bring an early and miserable end to my life here on earth. Most of our self-destructive and ungodly behavior is a result of myopia - the inability to see beyond what is right in front of us." --Randy Rowland, Get a Life! ... And a Faith That Works

The challenge the church now faces is not a swelling emptiness in people's lives, but being heard and seen through the crush and crowd of experiences that promise to provide the spiritual presence so many are longing for. There is no problem finding something to believe in these days - the temptation for most seekers is choosing too much to believe in and all the wrong things to believe in. It's called "easy believism."

Three executives were defining what status means, and how to know when you have really arrived. One said: "I'll tell you what real status is. It's being invited to the White House for a personal conversation with the President." Another replied: "No, that's not it. You know you have arrived when you've been invited to the White House for a personal conversation with the President, the hot line rings, and he just looks at it and decides not to answer it." The third executive said: "You both have it all wrong. Real status is when you are invited to the White House for a personal conversation with the President, the hot line rings, the President answers it and says, 'Here, it's for you.' "


The most terrible thing about materialism, even more terrible than its proneness to violence, is its boredom, from which sex, alcohol, drugs, all devices for putting out the accusing light of reason and suppressing the unrealizable aspirations of love, offer a prospect of deliverance. - Malcolm Muggeridge

Three Wise Women
Do you know what would have happened if it had been three wise women instead of three wise men?
They would have asked directions, arrived on time, helped deliver the baby, cleaned the stable, made a casserole, and brought practical gifts!
That's what they would like you to believe. However, this is what would have really happened.
They would have been late getting started (It's tough to get your make-up so that it doesn't clash with the camel). Then one would have to go back to change clothes because her outfit was too similar to one of the other's. After a quick (6 hours) stop at the mall for the gift, they would have a huge fight about whether or not a Barney Sleeper fell into the category of swaddling clothes. Half way to the oasis the camel would have broken down (no one checked his water level). After finally arriving at Bethlehem (They had to stop and ask directions 12 times), they stopped at a beauty parlor to get their hair done (They couldn't see the baby looking like that). When they saw the stable they turned around and went back to a Howard Johnson's and got a room for everyone (There was no way they were going to stay in a dump like that). The feminine trio finally arrived back at the stable only to find that the new parents had left for Egypt.

"The knowledge of God is very far from the love of God." Blaise Pascal, (1670)

Did you ever wonder why old houses have so few closets? It's mostly because people then didn't have so many things.
"Remember how many closets you have. They are for storing things you aren't using. In my house, we have six closets, and we'd like to add a coat closet. In addition to our six closets, we also have a basement. And a shed. And a pantry. All pretty full.
"What is your attitude toward possessions if your closets are bursting with things you don't use while kids starve by the thousands?" --John Alexander,