a gift

My mother in law's Christmas gift.

She likes when I make her jewelry:)

designing cards.....

I've been designing my own cards for the past year because its cheaper than having walmart, snapfish or shutterfly design them for you......

Christmas photo cards are running anywhere from 29 cents to $1 each....

....but if I design it myself and order the 4x6 prints, i get them for 9 cents.

Here's the baby annoucement i did.......

Maybe this will inspire you to try some on your own =^D

How do you do it? kind of just piece everything together like a puzzle. cropping, pasting, adding in clipart (how ever your creative juices flow) and then crop it to a 4x6 standard print

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thanksgiving leftovers? - recipe

TURKEY CORN CHOWDER

So I had lots of left overs for thanksgiving and I saved the tukey carcas so I could make a broth later on. Thought I would give you this recipe that was delicious...and what's great is you can add or take away what you want with any left overs you have =^D

I rarely follow a recipe, so bear with me as I try to give instructions. I have very few meals that turn out the same every time. None-the-less....very delizioso!

First I made my broth. Are turkey was pretty large (20 lbs.) so it made a lot of brothe so you may not use all the broth you make in your soup. You can freeze it or make a double batch of soup and freeze that. I put in a large stove top pan and fill it until the carcas is swimming in it half way up. I also add some spices. I have a favorite mix that I get from the Rochester Public Market with all kinds of herbs....rosmary, thyme, sage, basil, lavender and marjaram. Love it! And I add sea salt and pepper as well. I'll bring it to a boil and leave it on a low simmer for a a few hours (mine was 3 hours)....until its smelling the house up good. :)


We had a ton of corn left over from thanksgiving so this is why i decided on corn chowder (that...and I love it!) Once the broth is done you can strain the broth to seperate your parts and your juice. While I make the soup I let the carcas cool so I can take remaining meat on it and shredd it into the soup.

Now to get a good base you are gonna do the same portion of milk that you have in turkey broth. See what I mean when this could make a huge portion....so you may want to freeze some of your broth. You can use any milk you choose....just depends on the creamier taste you want. I used whole milk.

I opted to make my soup and froze half so my portions with everything were large. This is where you are gonna need to go with your senses (taste, smell and overall look) to see if your soup is doing well. I added two cups of whole wheat flour to mine....but I would just start off with one if you are doing this for the first time. The flour thickens it quite a bit after simmering.

Here's what I added to my soup (remember my portions are doubled so you may need to cut yours in half):

chopped carrots (4)
chopped onion (2)
chopped celery (4)
16 oz. of shredded cheddar cheese
granulated garilc - lots! :-) (only cuz I love garlic)
salt and pepper to taste
cumin to taste (cuz I didn't measure - my guess would be 2 tablespoons)
lots of leftover corn
leftover turkey....shredded
and i didn't do this but if you have any left over mashed potatoes that would be yum as well!

and you can add any other leftovers you want.

I left this on low to medium heat for a couple hours, with occasional stirring so it wouldn't burn at the bottom. If you do it in a crock pot (which would def be a smaller portion), then you wouldn't have to stirr as often.

Enjoy! the chowder turn out deluctable and everyone has been enjoying as a great winter dish. Let me know if you do it and how it turns out!

the fight for justice: eugenics

Racism.

Birth Control.

Feminist Movement.

Planned Parenthood.

Abortion.

How did it all start?

How did it all start? And though some of you probably don't think it about it all, most of you would probably even care less to hear the facts. In fact, a part from the rest of the world, a vast majority of Christians are using birth control and, many I've met, unwilling to hear anything beyond what they already know. If you would like to read my blog on birth control please click HERE.

But how did it all get started? As my husband and I continue to serve the LIFE movement, we keep coming back to this very thing.....EUGENICS. Eugenics is "the study of methods of improving genetic qualities by selective breeding (especially as applied to human mating)". Simply put: It's the idea of an ideal race, which ultimately makes it an elite race, because you must fit into a specific inherited characteristics of both physical and mental class. Those who honor the eugenics movement talk of both bad and good eugenics. "Eugenics is good when it is based on a realistic understanding of our limited knowledge of biological inheritance, and when it is guided by a moral sympathy for the weaker members of society. Eugenics is bad when it is motivated by a utopian vision of human perfectibility through the breeding of superior races, and when it is unchecked by humanitarian sympathy." Darwinists would consider them to believe in good eugenics. Although, I'm not sure about that because Darwins belief is that we evolved from apes, and many eugenicists use that as leverage to say that Africans, those who look ape-like, are not evolved completely. This is why eugenics was huge during the slave trade. Africans were considered to be ignorant, illiterate and treated as animals - why? Because of the link between Darwinism and eugenics.

In fact, guess who helped fund Margaret Sanger's, founder of Planned Parenthood, move toward women's rights to birth control? Yep, you got it. Eugenics. Sanger needed funding for her belief for contraceptives so she turned to eugenics for the help. If she could convince Eugenicists that they could use birth control as a way of controlling birth rate of those who were not ideally fitting the class they preferred, it would help them serve their greater purpose. And this is the beginning of what we now see as modern racism. 98% of all Planned Parenthood's are placed in minority neighborhoods. Since 1973, legal abortion has killed more African Americans than AIDS, cancer, diabetes, heart disease and violent crime combined. Every week, more blacks die in American abortion clinics than were killed in the entire Vietnam war. Don't believe anything I'm saying? I encourage you to watch this documentary and know the facts:

Maafa 21

When will the fight for justice end? When will people seek to know the truth? When will we be willing to change what we want to do and ask God what he thinks about all of this?

Eugenics - you call it revolutionary....I call it evil.

Super-power granola! - recipe

So, after some friends encouraged me to do so.....I decided to pass out some of my favorite "Crystal" recipes. My first is my husband's all-time FAVORITE - home-made granola.

It's funny because I like granola but I don't love it so its usually gone by the time I really want some.

But this taste great with milk, or yogurt or as is. you can eat like popcorn, but its packed full with more nutrients:-)

Here's a list of your ingredients:

6-7 cups quick oats (I get mine in bulk from the Amish)

1 cup brown or raw sugar

raw honey or maple syrup

1 cup raisins or raisins

1 cup almonds or walnuts (or whatever nut you prefer....i've done sunflower seeds too, which are good brain food)

1 cup toasted wheat germ

1 cup flax seed

1/4 cup of butter (1/2 stick)

2 cups water

So mix all your dry ingredients together in a large bowl.

(Make sure you grind your flax seed and not throw them in whole - your body absorbs the nutrients better if you do that. I use a coffee grinder for it, but you can also use a food processor or blender).

Everything should be done with your hands so mixing is more thorough.

Melt your butter and then add wet ingredients together & mix with fork, everything besides the honey.

Now add wet ingredients to dry and mix thoroughly with your hands. (Squish, quish, squish). Hands will get very messy but keep mixing until all water is absorbed into oats. If it still seems a little dry add a little water at a time, mixing in between.

Oil two baking sheets and lay out granola. It's sticky but try your best. Spread it out evenly, but leave a few clumps here and there for texture. Drizzle honey (or maple syrup) over the top of it (lightly).

Put on 325 degrees. Cook for 10 minutes. take out and flip granola with a spatula and cook for another 5-10 minutes

(you can drizzle alittle more honey on it as well, if you want).

This makes a pretty large batch, but if you're like our home, it'll be gone in a week! Store in a sealable container.

Here's why I chose what I did:

Why flaxseed?

Why wheatgerm?

Why some kind of nut?

Why raw honey?

Why not white refined sugar?

Why are oats a good breakfast meal?

Let me know if you do this recipe and if you enjoyed it!!!

please stop saying that!

Do you ever feel like when people say God will never give you more than you can handle, it's really based on the conditions that Jesus can handle anything? I mean if that were that case, then he probably does give us more than we can handle just so we can trust them. None-the-less, it drives me crazy when you're sharing with someone what you're going through and their response is, "well...uh-um....God will not give you more than you can handle...." It's like every one's way of sugar-coating the fact that sometimes we live in impossible situations and it really is beyond ourselves. In fact, the word of God never even says that God will not give us more than we can handle.

Let's just take a quick look:
"No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it." (1 Corinthians 10:13)

What is the verse really talking about? - well, temptation. So maybe it's not that God won't give us more than we handle, its that he won't allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear. he'll always provide a way out. So in a impossible situation, the temptation may be to stop trusting God and to go psycho on myself. The promise is not in the situation itself, its in the response of our heart. So stop saying God will not give you more than you can handle! - Because He will!

Why?

Cause its all about trust. if He didn't give us more than we can handle than there would be no need of dependency. There would be no need for a Savior. Yeah, we like to think we can be our own hero in our story....but its just not the case. This life has some dirty messes and many of them require supernatural cleaning.

We'd like to fix things our self, take the credit and get the title, but the more and more I recognize my need for Jesus, the less and less i can take the credit. Truth is, Jesus is ALWAYS giving me more than I can handle, but I'm not fighting those things the same way I use to. I'm leaning less on myself and trusting more in Him.

religion stinks

You know, there's this one word out in the church and out in the world, but depending on what stream you're a part of, has different meanings. Good or bad, we hear the word and all pre-conceived notions or past experiences come flooding into our mind like a tsunami. Doesn't matter what its true definition is, or what it even means to the individual you're talking to, whatever definition you've given it in your mind....it's probably there to stay without much hope of changing. Why? Have you figured out what I'm even talking about?

Religion. Yeah, that's what I'm talking about. And truth is, the world and the church equally hate religion with a passion.

Ever had someone call you religious? I cringed inside one day as my boss asked me, "Crystal, you're a religious person. You should meet so and so, cause they're religious too. I bet you'd have alot to talk about." Oh great. You know what I'm thinking? Yippee, now I get to talk to someone who is as opinionated as I am! For some reason the rest of the world sees religious folk as a people group more than a person who lives out their values. It's less about living out what you preach, and more about always having the right answers, usually involving some sort of condescending way of talking to "non-religious" folk.

And there's the Church. I don't think I've ever heard anyone in the church call themselves religious. It's kind of interesting that, though the rest of the world would call us religious, we would never call ourselves that. because, we too, have a stigma with religion. Was it not the Pharisees, the religious folk, that we're rebuked by Jesus because of there religious vows and lack of love? Well, who wants to be that? Not I. I'm not religious. In fact, some of us we're hurt by religion. Know any Christian out there that refuses to even go to church because of one incident that happened that turned them off? or maybe someone said something offensive? or maybe they felt judged.....either way, why go to church with a bunch of religious folk when I ain't? Right?

Not quite. You see, both are wrong.

If the definition of religion is a "noun", meaning "organized religious belief" than shouldn't we correctly put religion back in its place? Should the believer, not only live out what they say, but also move in a spirit of love so that our relationship with Jesus (which is a verb, not a noun) not be seen as good or bad religion? I know it is inevitable that some will always see you as religious, no matter what you do. But should we not be Jesus here on earth today? You know that song, "give me that old time religion....give me that old time religion...." Is that what we really want as the church? Truth is, though some of us would not like to call ourselves religious....some of us ARE....and we're stuck. We're stuck in the old. We're stuck in a box. And though we'd never tell anyone we really fear man more than God, we adapt to how things worked in the past, using the same ways of worship, same ways of reaching people, same ways of praying, same ways of doing ministry. but I know some are dying inside. There's a BIG "IF" in their mind, wondering if there really is more to God than what they're experiencing.

So why do we like to institutionalize God? - Both the unchurched and the churched. Because we can then remain comfortable. For the unchurched, they can do what they want with no consequences. If I put God in a religious box than I can sub-compartmentalize Him. If He is not real in my head than He's not real at all. Thats why preaching religion to someone, who couldn't care less about it, just won't work. It means absolutely nothing to them. On the other hand, being in the church, we probably know how to institutionalize God better than anyone. Isn't this why most of our American churches have become so ingrown? It's about me, me, ME! What

can I get from church? But Jesus said come with your gift so that you can give give give. So, if we don't get what we want on Sunday morning, we stop going. Who wants to be a part of a fellowship that doesn't meet my needs? because isn't THAT what God is suppose to do?.....meet all my needs? Yep, we're a bunch a chicks sitting there pecking at the leaders, saying "feed me, feed me, FEED ME!"

You know what religion does to us all? Makes us stagnant babies in spirit, unwilling, and too stubborn to change our hearts about anything. You may think I'm just venting, and maybe I am. But with "increased understanding comes increased sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief" (Eccl 1:18) and I'm fed-up, just like Jesus when He over-turned the temple tables in His sorrow. Religion does nothing for no one.

......But Jesus, who IS love, does everything for everyone.

Abigail

"But You are He who took me out of the womb;

You made me trust while on my mother's breast.

I was cast upon You from birth.

From my mother's womb You have been my God." Psalm 22:10

Happy Birthday my dearest Abigail!!!

i can't believe it was just two years ago I was holding you in my arms

for the first time.

And how precious you are sweet Abigail.

How valuable you are to Jesus.

Abigail "Father's joy"- and you truly are.

He delights in you.

You are His inheritance, royalty.

God has given you to us for a time.

But you are really His.

You are God's gift to us.

And you have taught us so much about Him.

May today you feel His peace

know His love

hear His voice

sense His comfort

be secure in His embrace

and experience His presence coming out of you.

Happy Birthday my dearest daughter.

You are loved.

50% OFF Low-lights!!!

Work at Sue's Finishing Touch every Wednesday, all day. 2086 E. Henrietta Rd. Rochester, NY. Call or text 585.743.7722. Better to call a head for an appointment so you have a slot. You may call ahead that day as well.

Also, as always, I do 1/2 OFF services for first time clients. So if you've never had your hair done by me, now's your chance to check it out:-)

city of Truth

I'm believing God for the city!

this is the inner city of Rochester (do you see Kodak?)

What am I believing God for?

abortion-free city

healthy families

reformation

revival in hearts

pentecost in homes

churches awakened

love in the streets

It's not too great for God.

"Ask the LORD for rain in the springtime;

it is the LORD who makes the storm clouds.

He gives showers of rain to men,

and plants of the field to everyone...." Zechariah 10:1

We ask for rain, Lord.

Even though winter is close, we don't have to have a dormant heart.

Your New Jerusalem is you and whatever city you live in.

This is what the LORD says: "I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem [Rochester]. Then Jerusalem[Rochester] will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the LORD Almighty will be called the Holy Mountain." Zechariah 8:3

The Outworking of Love

Teach me Jesus how to love. How to lay down my life, for You and for others. help me Yahweh, to do what you've asked of me, to give of myself in the way You desire - and to do it with joy, knowing you are pleased with those actions. 1 John says not only to love in word, but also in deed and truth. Help me to do that Jesus.

Those who live in Life, love life and love their brothers. But those who hate only know how to hate because they do not know Life, only death. But I choose Life. I choose to love even those who hate me because in that, there is life.

Help me Jesus to abide in You. Abide in me so we may be One, and in that oneness I cannot condemn myself because there is no condemnation in You. In fact, you said that if my heart condemns me, You are greater than my heart! And greater is He who is in me, than he who is in the world. Would You live Your life through me Jesus? May all my concerns, cares of this world and the fear of what people think, crumble at the tree, in which all those things were crucified with You. because, really, You said i am a stranger in this world and they would not know me because they do not know You.

How good and perfect You are Lord. you are the vast fullness of Love and there is not one thing more lovely and pure. May i be the lovely and pure vessel You desire to live out in me. Your way Jesus. the flesh is weak, but the spirit is willing - you are much greater than my heart. My heart may fail, but Love does not. And you have already over-come every obstacle, so I choose to trust. My life is really Your life and Your life is really mine. Master me Jesus...

Amen.

My vitamin of choice

This is my vitamin of choice. Click here it will take you to their website as they have VERY affordable prices and sell good whole food product.

Why do I like this vitamin?

It's liquid

so its easy to absorb

I can control the dosage

No added glue

or gm product (including gluten free)

All vitamins and minerals come directly from plants

It's organic

It doesn't taste bad

I can take it as a shot

or put it in a smoothie for my daughter.

and it covers all the essentials I need.

Being His Garden: Identity Crisis Part 2

Awake O North Wind

And come, O South!

Blow upon my garden,

That its spices may flow out.

Let my Beloved come to His garden

and eat its pleasant fruit.

Song of Solomon 4:16

Do you know that you are a garden? And that Jesus desires you to be a "locked garden" a private garden, a "spring enclosed" just for Him? (Song of Solomon 4:12)

Why did God start everything in a garden? Could there possibly be some symbolism of how he views us? Is the Garden of Eden possibly a symbol of God-created fertility?

Genesis 3:10 says, "and Lot lifted his eyes and saw all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere (before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah) like the Garden of the Lord (the Garden of Eden)..."

If we are gardens, then it is His desire that we would be "well watered". But what keeps us a well watered garden?

Is. 58:11 "the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones, you shall be like a watered garden, whose waters do not fail."

The promise is that if we are a watered garden, we will not fail. What will not fail? ....our waters will not fail. Who is the water?

Be married to Jesus:

I can guantee the moment you put your earthly marriage above your marriage with Jesus, you will have marital issues. In fact, marital issues are a direct outflow of marital issues with Jesus.

Are you a locked garden to the Lord? Or are there other things that are taking away your love.

Do you root for Jesus like you root for your football team? or do you think about Him like you think about dinner? Do you care more about what your mother and father think about you than what Jesus thinks? Is your heart (attention) divided? Or do you know who you are and where you are going? Do you have one love you live for, or do you have many lovers?

Jesus will not relent until He has you all! God wants us to be well watered gardens like that of His own! - (like the garden of Eden). He wants us to be the "wife of the Lamb" (Rev. 21:9).

Do you ever wonder why God made man and women the way He did? God always does things a certain way for a purpose. Our earthly marriage between a man and a woman was meant to resemble the image of God. Not just who God is, but also what it looks like when God and man marry and become One. It is His desire, His purpose for us, that we would be made one with Him.

In fact, "Paul of Tarsus used similar imagery elsewhere in his epistles. In his epistle to the Church at Ephesus Paul exhorts the men to love their wives as Christ loved the Church. After further exhortation on marriage, Paul quotes Genesis 2:24, for a man to leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife to become one flesh with her. Paul calls this a mystery because marriage between a man and a woman is a prophetic act of the depth of our relationship with Jesus. This love surpasses our knowledge.[Eph 3:19]" (Wikipedia)

I started this study with Song of Solomon 4:16 because I believe Jesus wants that to be our invitation to Him. And even men can pray this. Just as I see myself as a son of God, so men will have to view themselves as the wife of Christ to inherit the marital blessing with Jesus.

Prayer: Jesus, blow upon my garden just as you blew into Adam and gave Him life. So that its fragrance may go out and people would know of your intimate love. You are my Beloved. Come into my garden and eat. Make me a watered garden, enclosed and locked only to You, my Beloved...my husband.

[To see part 1 of Identity crisis, click here. These are meant to be studies to do on your own time, searching God and the scriptures with your own questions. They're not meant to be quick reads, but more in depth mystery Bible studies....]

Being Made One with Jesus: Identity Crisis Part 1

This is more than “knowing who you are in Christ”. This is coming into the understanding of being married to Jesus.

(Ephesians 6:12) We do not fight against principalities or powers, but certainly satan needs flesh in order to operate. He needs a face. And “principals” are our ideas, our reasonings, things in our own understanding. So this verse is talking directly about how satan can use us, cheat us, lie to us, and cause us to even be used by him!

When are principals are not lined up (or married) with Jesus, than we are “sick” spiritually. It will be hard to grow and we will feel like we are always going around the same mountain.

Things that cause SICKNESS in the church:

Religious Spirit

Competitive Spirit

Pride

Fear (especially fear of man)

Lack of revelation “people perish for lack of vision (knowledge or revelation)...” Proverbs 29:18 - this is an understanding of the mysteries of God. ]

Symptoms of a Religious Spirit:

You worship 3 gods. You see Jesus external. (The God-head, the Trinity, seeing God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit as separate beings and not as One.)

Deut. 6:4 “Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God is one LORD”.

What is your take on creationism? If God knew us while the foundations of the earth were being laid, what does that say about who we are?

The word “knew us” is the same way a husband and wife know each other. Its more than just knowing are names, its a oneness that was happening with us and God before the earth was even created.

What does that mean about the day creation happen? Could it have been that we were with God, in God, creating with Him?

Yet, after the fall, the plan of God still does not change. And though there is great adversity for this not to happen, he still desires that we would be One.

READ: John 17 - Jesus prayer is that we may be made One, just like Him and the Father are one. What does that mean?

Is God only the Big guy in the sky? Is he external to us? or does He live in us? What did that chapter mean for Jesus?

All of God, everything He is, all power, all wisdom, all authority, was in Jesus -ONENESS. And now He is praying that we would be the same. So the moment we acknowledge Jesus in us, we are saying all of God, everything He is, all power, all wisdom, all authority IS IN US!

Does Jesus really inhabit us? And do we believe it?

READ: 1 Cor. 5:17 - Being a “new creation” is way more than just giving up the old life you used to live. It literally means YOU ARE NO LONGER YOU! Now you are Jesus, living, breathing, walking Jesus.

This is why Paul say, “imitate me as I imitate Christ” He understood who Jesus was inside of Him.

You find you spectate in a gathering or during worship, struggling to enter in.

You sub-compartmentalize your relationship with God.

You see things in different categories:

i.e. devotions, worship time, prayer, work, play

The idea of ‘separation of church and state’ is a religious mindset. why?

The Greek word for church is Ekklesia, which means “the called out ones”. You see a church really is not a church at all, they are only assemblies or congregations, if they are not being living, breathing, Jesus.

READ - Matt. 23 - Jesus called the Pharisees a “brood of vipers” for speaking against the spirit. A religious spirit can be considered an anti-christ spirit. Its the one Jesus despised in the Pharisees. THIS IS VERY SERIOUS. A religious spirit will fight against the Holy Spirit, they can not work together. Which is why it is so crucial to deal with this spirit in all of us!

You find it awkward to pray out loud because you don’t think you have the right words or feel they are inadequate.

A religious spirit would have you compare your prayers to one another rather than depending on Jesus to help you learn to pray. The disciples said, “Jesus, teach us how to pray...”

Your standard is always Jesus, but a religious spirit would make your standard each other.

You feel guilty (condemnation) when you don’t spend time with God or when you fail.

Fear of failure.

Fear of man.

For if we are IN JESUS there is no condemnation (Romans 8). What does this say about CONDEMNATION?

When we condemn ourselves, we are actually outside of Jesus. For He can not bleed everyday for your sin. He did once, and it was sufficient. It brings cleansing for the rest of eternity.

Are we are own Savior that we should deny the power of Jesus’ blood by condemning ourselves?

Jesus was the 13th generation, we are the 14th generation. And our children and our children’s children are all the 14th generation. Why? Because Jesus doesn’t have grand-children or great grand-children. He only has sons of God. When he said “It is finished”, He knew His blood would be enough for all generations that would follow.

Unable to bring/share Truth in a spirit of Love.

It needs to become, for all of us, less about being right, and more about being Jesus.

READ: 1 Cor. 13

“...now abide faith, hope and love, but the greatest of these is LOVE.”

Why is Love the greatest thing ever to exist? Or the greatest attribute we could have?

When ALL things comes into the knowledge of Him (and they will one day!) and the earth is destroyed and everything unknown becomes known, we will no longer need FAITH and HOPE, all we will have left is LOVE.......for God is LOVE.

Everything we have done up to this point is pointless if there is a lack of love. Love can sum of the purpose of heaven and the very thing God created us for.

You settle for comfortable living.

A religious spirit can keep us stuck for years if we are unwilling to become uncomfortable. You may be blessed, highly favored, incredibly comfortable with your family, home and material goods. But Jesus can really challenge us in this area. Being too comfortable can actually stop us from pressing in. It stops us from “counting the cost” and is easily provoked by uncomfortable circumstances. And rather than trusting God, it internalizes things and makes them about us, rather than about Jesus.

For example, maybe before buying something we ask, “Jesus, do you want me to have this?” Just because the money is available doesn’t mean Jesus wants us to use it. And sometimes He does:)

I’m not saying it is more spiritual to be in poverty, but I am saying God is faithful to perform His word in our life if we ask. For example, there are times when you will decide to do something, without asking God, but will ask God to bless it. Does God’s blessing mean he approves, or better yet, had planned that particular decision in your future?

READ: Eccles. 1:18

Paul said with increased understanding, there is increased sorrow.

Why?

Unforgiveness

READ: John 20:20-23

It is here that there is a correlation of the infilling of the Holy Spirit and forgiveness. What’s this say about unforgiveness?

It can rob us of hearing and being Jesus....

Awakening

We need an Awakening!

We need global revival!

We need national reformation!

We need God to move!

And Rochester, NY will be the forerunner for it all!

If your able to come both this Friday and Saturday evening (Bethel Christian Fellowship) the sessions are free! This is awesome to have so many people here that are serious prophetic forerunners in the times and seasons we live in!

Here is a short video on AWAKENING by Dutch Sheets - very powerful: http://www.theequippingcenter.org/user/dutchsheets001.wmv

Organic deals anyone?

Earthbound Farm

I thought I'd let all you beautiful people know that if you go to Earthbound's website and set up your contact info. with them they will send you a fair amount of great coupons. I received two free products, six $1 $ 75cents off, and their newsletter. It's a real blessing when you are eating organically. The only place that i have seen Earthbound products is at Walmart...if you know of any other places we can get their stuff let me know. I would prefer to shop other places if i can . And also their containers are also made from recycled bottles, which is another plus to treating God's creation better :-)

Organic coupons everyday -

And if you're really interested saving on, not just produce, but other organic products (including produce and soap, lotion, cleaning supplies, etc.) then here is a wonderful BLOG for you to check out....

And lastly my favorite coupon site I have seen thus far is Whole Food Market website. Please check it out...a lot of the coupons are on food found at Walmart or Wegmans!

FLAWED...

Did you know...

...that i have flaws?

Yes.

I sometimes don't do what I'm told.

I can become anxious.

I can be unloving toward my husband.

I can be frustrated with children.

I don't always eat the way I should.

i sometimes have food on my floor,

and bugs in my house.

I don't make my bed,

and I stay up way too late.

I don't like to call people back

and i'm not always a perfect friend.

I sometimes have idle time

and don't use it wisely.

I don't always have "happy" thoughts

and i can be obnoxious.

I don't always trust God

and i fight with the fear of man.

i think my way is the best way

and i forget others' ideas

i'm usually not on time

and can't seem to keep to a schedule

i feel confined in ridgidiment,

and i sometimes can't spell big words like that.

I sometimes lose my patience

and lean on my own understanding.

But you know what? God STILL loves me! And He still loves you, so let's stop beating ourselves up for all the imperfections and allow God BE God.....it is what makes Him.... well, HIM. It only His Love that perfects us!

Power of Distraction

While it is not wrong to seek a certain level of security in life, it is necessary to remember that, ultimately, security in this world is an illusion.

Television. The Internet. Movies. The mall. Text messaging. Ipods. Cell phones. When have we ever been so bombarded with distracting beeps, buzzers, flashes, sounds, messages, pop-ups, and just plain noise? Advertising companies have designed entire campaigns around the premise that if they can distract you and hold your attention long enough, you most likely end up buying something from them. Our entire society is actually built upon distraction, which is essentially competition for your attention, e.g., your money. And as we know, 'time is money', so to get your money, they actually get your time - your life - your soul.

The Cry of Mordecai By Robert Stearns

The more and more I dive deeper into the heart of God, the more I find the enemy working over-time to steal away my eye. Over and over again the Lord has been bringing me to 1 John where He speaks to us pertaining to the Last Hour. "Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. He who does what is right is righteous. He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning" (3:7-8 NIV). How many distrations has the enemy put in your way to keep you from hearing and seeing God? And there are many that the enemy has set up, that it would be even the small, forgotten, petty distrations that are the ones he gracefully tries to keep from our knowing. How many distractions have have led you astray and kept you from taking risks, being radically obedient or even dared to dream impossible dreams? God is ready to wake us up and to rise up an end-time army is this 11th hour. What are some things that may be keeping us from hearing God? In the middle of a world with many voices screaming for our attention, are our hearts prepared to hear the task at hand? In Isaiah 44:12-30 the prophet talks about the worshipping of idols, but not just any idols....they were ridiculous man-made pieces of wood that people would worship and call their God. It was like the people were so blind and confused that they couldn't even see that what they were worshipping was just a piece of wood. And as ridiculous as it sounds, we also can become blind to the obvious. Satan loves to create a delusion for us so that it would be hard for us to recongnize the truth.

As I travel to minister to the Body of Christ today (in the US and internationally), I am shocked and even alarmed by how often we who call ourselves believers really don't think according to the mindset of the redeemed. We say that we believe the Bible, but when it comes right down to it, inside our minds we are vastly distracted from what is true and right - from the basic level things that the Kingdom of God is really all about. To be honest, we are often more concerned about what people think of us than what the Word of God says. We are too focused on maintaining good appearances rather than being inwardly transformed. We are so fearful of natural ourcomes that we neglect to operate in the faith that God desires us to walk in. We are often inwardly jealous of others, discontent, and bitter; rather than peaceful, at rest, joyful.

The enemy knows the power of inner distraction! What is it in your life that could be stealing away your attention? What distractions keep you from spending time with the Lord? What changes could we make TODAY so we can hear God more clearly?

I encoourage you in your time with the Lord today to ask Him what may be some things in your walk that could distract from the truth? Ask God what are some things that keep you from Him....

oh how loving, patient and remarkable our God is, isn't He?