WHAT IS PRAYER TO YOU? AND HOW TO PRESERVE A HUSBAND!!

Good evening! It has been a long day - some of it painful - more than just my sciatic nerve - but it has certainly demanded its attention!

Last night Travis and I finished the most awesome 3 part series video series on prayer. Did you know that prayer was not created by God just so we could say to God: "give me, give me, give me, or don't let me, or let me, let me, let me?" When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, He didn't say, "Teach you to pray, just go talk to God, that's all it is to it!" He said: "Okay, I will teach you how to pray." Go to Matthew 6:6-13 and see what Jesus tells them. Place and time is important, get alone, praise God, then surrender your will, and ask him to give you your daily bread and to forgive us and to not lead us into temptation. It is an amazing revelation and can change our lives. Even though God doesn't tell us how long to pray - I found out if you start praising God and thanking Him for his all He has created and all He has done for you, and how awesomely great He is -- you can spend quite a long time doing this. Now surrendering your will takes a whole lot longer --oh sure there is a lot you can easily give over to God but it is hard to totally surrender everything to God -- there are some things we want to do that we know God will say: "Whoa - do you think that pleases me?" No, we don't want to bring those things up -- but until we do - God cannot completely give us all He wants to and our relationship won't be complete! Then recognize He gives us everything we own - so why do we try so hard to hold onto every earthly good? And definitely ask God to forgive us - wait a minute "as we forgive those who sin against us' -- I have to do that too? Well - that is what God says -- so guess I had better get busy! What about you? And to lead us not into temptation - I think God can keep us from following temptation if God has our total attention and will. This is just a very short synopsis of the video - but it is so much more rich and compeling. Ask me and I will give you the name of the video.

Here is a precious story I just loved -- human, compassionate - and God's power, maybe??

THE PASTOR'S CAT


This particular story just made me laugh. Every time I think about it, the vision of that poor cat just amuses me to no end. Hope the story leaves a bright spot in your day. Whoever said the Creator doesn't have a sense of humor?

Dwight Nelson recently told a true story about the pastor of his church. He had a kitten that climbed up a tree in his backyard and then was afraid to come down. The pastor coaxed, offered warm milk, etc.

The kitty would not come down. The tree was not sturdy enough to climb, so the pastor decided that if he tied a rope to his car and pulled it until the tree bent down, he could then reach up and get the kitten.

That's what he did, all the while checking his progress in the car. He then figured if he went just a little bit further, the tree would be bent sufficiently for him to reach the kitten. But as he moved the car a little further forward, the rope broke.

The tree went 'boing!' and the kitten instantly sailed through the air - out of sight.

The pastor felt terrible. He walked all over the neighborhood asking people if they'd seen a little kitten. No. Nobody had seen a stray kitten. So he prayed, 'Lord, I just commit this kitten to your keeping,' and went on about his business.

A few days later he was at the grocery store, and met one of his church members. He happened to look into her shopping cart and was amazed to see cat food. This woman was a cat hater and everyone knew it, so he asked her, 'Why are you buying cat food when you hate cats so much?'
She replied, 'You won't believe this,' and then told him how her little girl had been begging her for a cat, but she kept refusing. Then a few days before, the child had begged again, so the Mom finally told her little girl, 'Well, if God gives you a cat, I'll let you keep it.' She told the pastor, 'I watched my child go out in the yard, get on her knees, and ask God for a cat. And really, Pastor, you won't believe this, but I saw it with my own eyes. A kitten suddenly came flying out of the blue sky, with its paws outspread, and landed right in front of her.'

Never underestimate the Power of God and His unique sense of humor.
Anyone can count the seeds in an apple; but only God can count the apples in a seed.

Are you good at making cookies. Cookies are not my favorite thing to make -- they never turn out how I want them to, but here is a recipe from my childhood - that I loved for Mom to make.

CHERRY WINKS

2-1/4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup shortening
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup dates
1 cup candied cherries

Mix wells, Roll in balls, then in crushed corn flakes. Bake at 325 degees until lightly browned. Ummmm - take me back to the day when I would enjoy a cookie or two - and not have to worry about gaining weight!!!

One final thing tonight -- here is something pretty cute and pretty accurate:

PRESERVED HUSBANDS

Be careful with your selection. Do not choose the young, and take only such varieties as have been reared in good moral atmosphere. When once decided on and selected, let that part remain forever settled and give your entire thought to preparation for domestic use. Some insist on keeping them in a pickle, while others are constantly getting them into hot water. EVEN poor varieties may be made sweet, tender, and good by garnishing with patience, well sweetened with smiles and flavored with kisses. Wrap well in a mantle of charity. Keep warm with a steady fire of domestic devotion and serve with fruits of constrant devotion and milk of human kindness. When thus prepared, they will keep for years.

Amazing - what does this ring of? Maybe teaching of the Bible??

Have a blessed evening and pray God will bless you with someone else to bless with kindness.