Christian Photographers Community

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Morning Devotional...


It is finished.
John 19:30

What a wonderful resounding cry left the Saviour's lips at Calvary!

It is hard to imagine what was contained in those precious words. The Father's work was completed to His eternal satisfaction. His sufferings on the cruel cross were finished. The mighty battle with the enemy of souls was over in glorious victory. All the ritual of religious ceremony came to an end.

The one sacrifice for sins was offered and God provided salvation, cleansing and forgiveness to all who will put their trust in Him.

Have you trusted this wonderful Saviour? If not, why not do so today before it is too late!
—Jim Paul

Hello and may each of us spend time with our LORD today as it is THE day to just praise and thank Him for all He's been to us during the week.

I see where several of you, Pat & Etta Sue, stay on-line all the time. But I just have a modem and out here in the rural area there is no other way to get on-line.  Have to take my turn whenever I can.  I wish I had this feature and whenever it comes here I will sign up.  Another draw back is no cable TV. I have a dish. 

I've been out of touch these past few days and trying now to catch up.  My prayers for Janet, Beth and family as they are truly stressed. 

Must study for Sunday School. TTYL          kathy

Good Day to all!

What a beautiful day the Lord has made.  Carol

Hi everyone.  Had a good nights rest but still seem to be tired so guess this is going to be a two-day down period.  I do plan on attending church this morning and we will probably go out to eat with our friends.  Our minister has been preaching a series of sermons on Ruth and they have been very interesting.

The Southeast is bracing for a terrible hurricane that will strike around Pennsacola, Florida mid-afternoon.  The last storm path I saw indicated we probably won't be impacted by it out here where we live as it is going to the West.  They said a few minutes ago that it may provide some wind for Atlanta and West of Atlanta and we may get some rain.  We live about 30 east of Atlanta.

Janet, I am keeping Beth, Darrell and you in my prayers today as you head out for this next week. 

Etta Sue, hope you are doing OK today as it sounds like you have a full plate of activity planned.  Your new camera sounds very nice.  I look forward to seeing the pictures.

JudyB, it was nice that the big job had been done.  It is also nice to read complimentary comments involved one's boss. 

Liz, the folk fest sounds like it was a lot of fun.  Too bad you weren't able to sample the foods that were available.

Hope everyone has a good day.

I am sharing the devotional from My Utmost for His Highest for today. It really touched my heart today.


                                                         July 10, 2005


THE SPIRITUAL SLUGGARD

     "Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to
     good works; not forsaking the assembling of ourselves"
     together.

     Hebrews 10:24-25
     

We are all capable of being spiritual sluggards; we do not want to
mix with the rough and tumble of life as it is, our one object is to
secure retirement. The note struck in Hebrews 10 is that of provoking
one another and of keeping together - both of which require
initiative, the initiative of Christ-realization, not of
self-realization. To live a remote, retired, secluded life is the
antipodes of spirituality as Jesus Christ taught it.

The test of our spirituality comes when we come up against injustice
and meanness and ingratitude and turmoil, all of which have the
tendency to make us spiritual sluggards. We want to use prayer and
Bible reading for the purpose of retirement. We utilize God for the
sake of getting peace and joy, that is, we do not want to realize
Jesus Christ, but only our enjoyment of Him. This is the first step
in the wrong direction. All these things are effects and we try to
make them causes.

"I think it meet," said Peter, ". . . to stir you up by putting you
in remembrance." It is a most disturbing thing to be smitten in the
ribs by some provoker of God, by someone who is full of spiritual
activity. Active work and spiritual activity are not the same thing.
Active work may be the counterfeit of spiritual activity. The danger
of spiritual sluggishness is that we do not wish to be stirred up,
all we want to hear about is spiritual retirement. Jesus Christ never
encourages the idea of retirement - "Go tell My brethren . ."


Oswald Chambers

There are so many who do not  go to church anymore to "assemble together" prefering to stay home and watch the races or some sport on TV instead of going into the house of the Lord. Church attendance is dwindling I see it more and more each Sunday. Televisions are turning  into these times Idolatry.  If those shows are so important and take the first place in life instead of God being first there are many to whom the Lord will say "I never knew you".

Our Pastor said something on Wednesday night at Bible Study to the effect that  these people should either use the VCR or get a TiVo and get themselves to church and away from worshipping the TV set.

Other's say they would rather stay home and have their church on TV for some other reason. there are so many excuses and that is exactly what they EXCUSES. However for the shut-ins and disabled Church on TV is the only church they can got to and I am not saying anything against them. 

For those who are able, I pray that you will rededicate yourself to the Lord and attend church for you do not know what you may miss by not being there.

I pray I have not offended anyone here or who may look in today. I am only expressing my own opinion and my own observations. I will get off my soap box now and get ready for church.

TTYL

We are on our last leg of putting our dance floor in..should be done by today. YES!

It was 103 yesterday here. Very hot day!    Today it is 75 and a bit windy.  We may just go for a bikeride today with the kids. woohoo..what fun. 

Good idea with the new galleries, Pat!  I will be sure to post a few in there.

Hope you all have a great day!

~soni

You are absolutely right, Marilyn!  You can "get" church on TV, but it isn't church at all!  In many cases it's really only a commercialized display of religion.  Church - as our Lord envisioned it - is gathering together, not only to receive, but to give as well.  We are expected to minister to one another, pray with and for one another, and worship together.  That's God's vision.  Is it ours?

Happy Sunday, y'all! 

Our pastor's family has been through the mill this week.  First, the two little girls had the 24 hour flu.....then the Mom and the little boy, and last night it hit Pastor Kurt, full force!  He was not able to be with us this morning, was vomiting, etc.  So Sister JoLynn brought the message, and she did a wonderful job.  She said that tonight we will just have singing, testimonies, etc. and that is just fine, too.  They are going for a short vacation this week to celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary.

I had the privilege of singing with the worship team this morning, and really enjoyed that.  After we got home, Darrel and I fixed lunch; pork steak, fried potatoes and onions, and a big salad.  I made extra and took Beth a plate.  She doesn't eat properly most fo the time, so I try to take  up some of the slack there.  She was really sick again this morning, so didn't go to church.  When I took her lunch over, I had a real scare!   She was lying in her recliner, with her head lolled ovedr to the side.  I called "Beth?"  no response...........BETH!.......no response.  I touched her leg, it was cold and stiff!  So I shook her and yelled BETH!!!  and finally she moved. whew............I really thought she was dead    Not good for my nerves, at all. 

I didn't sleep well at all last night and am feeling a little sleepy, so I think I will see if I can take a little nap.  See you later.

Larry - I'd llove to be hearing your minister's series on "Ruth".  We went to Pennsylvania a few weeks ago, to theMillenium theatre in Lancaster (have you heard of it?), to see the story of Ruth portrayed.  It was wonderful...made me want to read it from the Bible once again.

The Psalms of David were also "re-lived".  Fanny Cosby was portrayed as well., and many of her well loved hymns were sung.  Have you ever heard a choir of 20,000 people sing favourite hymns....what a blessing that was, to be in that midst!

It is very warm here today...probably 90 deg F.

This was my first Sunday, at church, to be on the Welcoming committee.  ...well, officially, that is.  I try to "unofficial" welcomeas many as I can, EVERY Sunday!

Almost time to get ready for the evening service.

Oh, Janet - my heart almost stopped when you told us about your experience! I'm praying earnestly for y'all.

I'm in from worship and lunch - then will rest a bit. I must get online with mywork computer and put in 4 hours before the close of the day.

Y'all have a good afternoon.

Love, Ruth Ann

Janet, I know that had to scare the be-jeebies out of you.  I'm so sorry Beth isn't feeling better.  You need to try and get some rest, whenever possible.  You can't take care of her, if you aren't taking care of yourself first.

Marilyn -- that is just one of hte many reasons nards and I don't have a TV.  We have a dvd player on the 'puter, so travis can watch some of his shows, and nards and I can watch a video every now and then.

My brain is in a bit of a fog right now -- I was up until 4:30 am working on wedding pictures that I shot a few weeks ago.  I had told the bride she woudl have them this week, and in order to get them on time, I really needed them ordered, so, I sat up and did it.  If I had somethng other than molasses.net (like Kathy, dial up is our only option), it wouldn't have taken so long, but . ...

more later, if I'm awake

Versal and I went out to dinner after church, we had Mexican food, whew that sauce was HOT. I had Tamales it was the sauce on them that was so hot, so drank lots of Iced tea. I usually never complain about it being too hot I lot hot foods, but This was Hot.

During music practice this morning the worship tream almost blew me out of the church. They finally got the volumn adjusted and it was great by the time I got back from picking up Versal.

I think I will work on some PSP stuff. I also now have Adobe Photoshop and Photoshop Image Ready, don't know how to use them yet. I have a couple of Tutorials that  Suzanne sent me. I hope to find more ont he Web.

I like the effects that Steven put on his photo in the Gallery. Who else uses Photoshop?TTYL

  Hello everyone!

We got back from our vacation early Sat morning (12:30am)  We left Destin, Florida during the early rush and it took forever to get home!  I'm just glad we left when we did.  It has taken me this long to catch up on the posts from all week.

Marilyn, I so agree with your post about tv on church.  I know of several people who "claim" to be too sickly to make it to church on Sunday, so they watch it on the tv, but stroll everywhere else the rest of the week.  I just don't get it.

We are supposed to get some bad weather out of the hurricane this evening, but we are planning on going to church anyway. 

We joined the church we have been attending this morning!  And it was more of my husbands wanting to than me.  I wanted to a few weeks back, but he was wanting to wait, but now I know that he feels that this is what God wants us to do, so we are both happy about that.

Anyway, God bless all of you today, and may He watch over everyone in the path of this storm.

Later,
Samantha

Karmat, when our tv broke down while the boys were young children, we just never got it fixed. With church and gardening and housework and sewing and typing and working, and church treasurers duties and sunday school teaching duties, and passing out bibles with the Gideons , and...

Well - it just didn't happen, and our children are well read and know how to converse with folk on a wide variety of topics.

Of course, I have a tv now, and during all these months of being nearly disabled, the tv has been lots of company to me, but my primary entertainment is the food channel, the home & garden tv, and a community interest station that airs many positive happenings in our community.

I can't remember the last movie or regular programming I've watched.

Samantha, it's a good thing to fellowship with believers, isn't it.

Larry, hope you feel better soon.

Well, y'all keep the faith. My leg is starting to swell, so it's back to bed for the evening.

Much love to all who come here.

Ruth Ann

It has been another HOT day here.  And we are ready for tomorrow.  The thing about this inventory is that the bolts of fabric are weighed!  That souonds strange to me.  I am so used to an inventory being abouot counting! 

Had a visit with Mother.  She is taking the weather in stride.

On the subject of Church attendance.  For some people there are real reasons why they cannot attend.  These reasons are real and not a cop out.  For those people the TV is a God send,  I do realize that many use TV as an excuse but, not everyone. 

We have the hose on the garden and the timer is calling. Well problems only 20 minutes are allowed!

I had a really good nap  this afternoon, then we had another great church service.

Soni, did you get a video with your exercise ball?  There is one with mine, but I haven't watched it yet.  The only things I know how to do with it so far are stretches and a variety of sit-ups.  Glutes and Abs sound good to me!  But I know you will beat me. 

Thanks for remembering us in prayer as we travel to the doctors tomorrow.  I know God is in control and am leaving all results in His loving and capable hands.  They prayed earnestly for us tonight at church.

If I do not have time to check in in the morning, I wish you all a blessed week.  I should be home on Wed. evening if all goes well.

Ohhhh, Janet!  What a scare you had.  I'm so very sorry.

We'll be praying for you all as you travel to Amarillo tomorrow and travel home again on Tues.



I didn't go to church today.  I was planning on it but just couldn't as about 2:15 am the spasms hit and I haven't been to sleep since.  Judy McKenna was going to pick me up for the eveing service but we had to cancel.

Nice devotional, Pat.

Finally had some sun today and Misty & I went into the garden to read and enjoy the natural beauty.  Find that nature always makes me feel close to God.  I believe that what is in one's heart is what makes a Christian....that and living the values taught in the Bible. 

Agree with you Judy B.  Not all of us can get to church now, even tho' the better part of life was spent doing just that.  Some programs on TV are well worth watching....many are simply promoting themselves.  Tho' have found that is true of many churches today.  Weak gospel, loud music, shallow teaching!  Possibly a return to basics would bring more into the churches.  Neighbors go every Sunday but never offer a ride ... tho' always there if wanting something.  I have learned to sort the good from the bad in all things and not to form opinions quickly on face value.

Consider the computer and internet.  I personally do not spend much time unless looking for specific information or to visit a few chosen sites.  Certainly not to spend endless hours or use chat rooms, etc.   When Christians stop judging one another and faiths can agree.....perhaps we will see a return to genuine Christian values in our society. 

Pleasant evening all and God Bless.

Liz

Time to lock the door.

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