THE FOOL'S PRAYER

by: Edward Rowland Sill (1841-1887)

The royal feast was done; the King
Sought some new sport to banish care,
And to his jester cried: "Sir Fool,
Kneel now, and make for us a prayer!"

The jester doffed his cap and bells,
And stood the mocking court before;
They could not see the bitter smile
Behind the painted grin he wore.

He bowed his head, and bent his knee
Upon the Monarch's silken stool;
His pleading voice arose: "O Lord,
Be merciful to me, a fool!

"No pity, Lord, could change the heart
From red with wrong to white as wool;
The rod must heal the sin: but Lord,
Be merciful to me, a fool!

"'T is not by guilt the onward sweep
Of truth and right, O Lord, we stay;
'T is by our follies that so long
We hold the earth from heaven away.

"These clumsy feet, still in the mire,
Go crushing blossoms without end;
These hard, well-meaning hands we thrust
Among the heart-strings of a friend.

"The ill-timed truth we might have kept--
Who knows how sharp it pierced and stung?
The word we had not sense to say--
Who knows how grandly it had rung!

"Our faults no tenderness should ask.
The chastening stripes must cleanse them all;
But for our blunders -- oh, in shame
Before the eyes of heaven we fall.

"Earth bears no balsam for mistakes;
Men crown the knave, and scourge the tool
That did his will; but Thou, O Lord,
Be merciful to me, a fool!"

The room was hushed; in silence rose
The King, and sought his gardens cool,
And walked apart, and murmured low,
"Be merciful to me, a fool!"

FORESIGHT AND WISDOM

'All the perplexities, confusion and distress in America arise, not from defects in their Constitution or Confederation, not from want of honor or virtue, so much as from the downright ignorance of the nature of coin, credit and circulation.'

John Adams

It seems as though our founding fathers knew the nature of men. They had the foresight and wisdom to lay a foundation for this country that has endured for over two hundred years. Much of which they rightly credited to our Creator. God has provided wisdom for all men......many avail themselves of it and some don't. It's left up to the individual to attain their own portion of wisdom...which is only limited in portion to the desire of the heart. Personally..... I'm very thankful for our founding fathers and the honor they gave God. We have the same wisdom available to us today that existed centuries ago. We must avail ourselves of it and put it to use....not only in our personal lives but for the purpose of maintaining our liberty and the liberties of future generations. -JGR

A Letter for Believers by David Wilkerson

David Wilkerson is a pastor at Times Square Church in New York City. This letter was included with a monthly message he sends out.

"Dearly Beloved:

IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW DOWNCAST YOU GET-GOD WILL NEVER FORSAKE YOU!

Satan's great work against God's people is discouragement. Within moments of enjoying a spiritual victory, every believer becomes a target for the powers of hell. The devil attacks us with lies about our marriages, our friendships, our callings. He replays in our minds every sin, failure and foolish thing we've ever done. By the time he's finished we're crying, 'Lord, I'll never make it!'

David was brought so low by a demonic spirit that he was dumbfounded in God's presence. 'I, as a deaf man, heard not; and I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth. Thus I was as a man...in whose mouth are not reproofs' (Psalm 38:13-14). This last phrase means 'a man who has no arguments left.' David was saying, 'Lord, I'm too discouraged to even lift my hand. I can't pray because I'm too confused to speak. My spirit is drained and empty. I have nothing to say.'

I tell you, David's trial was not unique. I have read many biographies of devout men and women whom the Lord used mightily, and every one of these people struggled through the same kind of crippling discouragement. David voiced the universal cry of the righteous soul that endures an attack of discouragement: 'I am ready to halt[fall], and my sorrow is continually before me' (38-17). David was saying, 'Lord, I'm not going to make it. I'm at my absolute end, about to fall.'

If you're enduring an attack from a demonic spirit of discouragement, I suggest you do three things: (1) Do not try to maneuver your way out of your trial. The battle is far beyond your human skill or power to wage. (2) When the attack comes don't think it is unusual. God allows this kind of fiery testing with all his saints. (3) Go to prayer, giving the Holy Spirit time to do his work. When you're under discouragement you won't feel like praying. But you still need to go to your secret place to be in Jesus' presence. It is the Spirit's job to lift you out of your pit.

In such low times the Lord is very patient with us. He knows our condition and He identifies with us. If you don't have the strength to speak, reach out to him in your spirit, and trust the Spirit to do His work in you. Say in your heart, 'Lord, I know your Spirit abides in me. I know you have sent him to comfort me, strengthen me and reveal the mind of Christ to me. Holy Spirit, I turn to You now in simple faith. Speak to my heart your words of comfort. I have no strength left; You have to lift me up and lead me.'

Dare to believe he will speak to you. You're not going to faint. Indeed, you'll come out of your trial more victorious because your faith will have been tested and tried as gold. Watch and see the Lord fulfill every promise He has made to you.

God bless you.
In Christ,

David Wilkerson"

WEDNESDAY

There was a moment today that I found memorable.

I really enjoy our farm animals. Goats....horses.....ducks.....chickens.....you've seen them before.

I found a moment today down at the barn. It was rainy. Cloudy. Sun was going down. I had climbed up into the loft at the barn to get some hay to throw down. I stopped to observe. Barn life is so simple. Animals interact so well with one another. It was like water flowing down a path of least resistance. I found a moment with God. It was so easy to pray. To sing. To worship Him. He was there amongst the simple life. WONDERFUL is the best word I can think of to describe that moment. I'm so glad that the barn is a part of my life.

No East or West by John Oxenham

In Christ there is no East or West,
In Him no South or North,
But one great Fellowship of Love
Throughout the whole wide earth.

In Him shall true hearts everywhere
Their high communion find.
His service is a golden cord
Close-binding all man-kind.

Join hands then, Brothers of the Faith,
Whare'er your race may be!-
Who serves my Father as a son
Is surely kin to me.

In Christ now meet both East and West,
In Him meet South and North.
All Christly souls are one in Him,
Throughout the whole wide earth.

REDEMPTION

Isaiah 49:6 "He (the Lord) says: 'It is too small a thing for you to be My servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept.
I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring My salvation to the ends of the earth.' "

Ezekiel 18:32 "For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!"

Excerpt from The Torch and the Sword by Rick Joyner:

"The earth itself will not be able to bear the evil of man much longer and will rebel against man. Terror will increase as the earth begins to rage and travail.

The time is approaching when no man can survive what they have released upon themselves, and they would all perish if I did not put an end to it. I will redeem the earth. In the greatest darkness, I will release the greatest light. The greater light is My love for the world and My redemption.

...You must learn to carry My love and My redemption at all times. When you learn to love the most worthless and most wretched, even those who are in the grips of the deep darkness, then My Word of redemption will flow through you.

The world's greatest heroes are those who overcome the greatest enemies.
The greatest saints are those who overcome the greatest darkness. You are being sent to call those who will serve Me in the darkest of times. Therefore, you must know the depths of My redemption.

You must know in the depths of your heart My love for those who are in the grip of the greatest evil. You must also know that the power of My redemption is great enough even for them. The sword that is being given to My messengers in these days can break any yoke and cut through any chain. My light is stronger that any darkness.

No power on earth is greater than My redemption."

2 Peter 3: 8-9 "But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."

John 16:33 "I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

Excerpt from The Shack by William Paul Young:

God: "Mackenzie, there are millions of reasons to allow pain and hurt and suffering rather than to eradicate them, but most of those reasons can only be understood within each person's story. You are the ones who embrace fear and pain and power and rights so readily in your relationships. But your choices are also not stronger than My purposes, and I will use every choice you make for the ultimate good and the most loving outcome."

Mackenzie: "...I just can't imagine any final outcome that would justify all this."

God: "Mackenzie,...we're not justifying it. We are redeeming it."

kdr

Some Moments in American History

For Christmas, my husband purchased a book for us entitled "The American Patriot's Almanac" by William J. Bennett and John T.E. Cribb. I obtained the following stories from this book. Direct quotes are noted.

Ten weeks after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, President FDR signed an executive order to place Japanese-Americans in internment camps. Many were in the camps for two and a half years. This is an example of people responding out of fear. God has not given us a spirit of fear and we shouldn't make decisions, especially ones of this magnitude, while we are fearful.

The good news is that in 1988, President Reagan offered a national apology to Japanese-Americans and 20,ooo dollars to each person who had been interned in the camps. This heightened my respect for this president.

President George Washington was born on February 22, 1732. Bennett states, "In three crucial ways he shaped our nation. First, he led American forces during the fight for independence. Second, he presided over the writing of our Constitution. Third, he served as our first president."

"...During one battle of the Revolution, at Monmouth in New Jersey, the American troops were in confused flight and on the verge of destruction when General Washington appeared on the field. Soldiers stopped in their tracks and stared as the tall, blue-coated figure spurred his horse up and down the line, halting the retreat. The young Marquis de Lafayette remembered the sight for the rest of his life, how Washington rode 'all along the lines amid the shouts of the soldiers, cheering them by his voice and example and restoring to standard the fortunes of the fight...' Washington's very presence had stopped a rout and turned the tide of battle."

"REMEMBER THE ALAMO!"

February 23, 1836 is when the seige of the Alamo began.

Years ago, I was able to visit the Alamo. I heard other people saying that they were disappointed, that there "wasn't much to it." I enjoyed the visit. I love to visit historical places. I would love to visit the sites of Washington's battles, and other places where the early course of our nation was set.

I would like to visit Europe. I would like to go to places where I've tracked my ancestors to, in England; and those of my husband in Spain and Ireland.

I would like to visit birth places of poets and writers; musicians, artists, and statesmen; old pubs and churchyards; places I've read about in books.

But, when you get down to it, every place has a history and it's fun to me to explore the history of a place, whereever I am.

kdr

Abou Ben Adhem by Leigh Hunt

Abou Ben Adhem (may his tribe increase!)
Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace,
And saw, within the moonlight in his room,
Making it rich, and like a lily in bloom,
An Angel writing in a book of gold:

Exceeding peace had made Ben Adhem bold,
And to the Presence in the room he said,
"What writest thou?" The Vision raised its head,
And with a look made of all sweet accord
Answered, "The names of those who love the Lord."

"And is mine one?" said Abou. "Nay, not so,"
Replied the Angel. Abou spoke more low,
But cheerily still; and said,"I pray thee, then,
Write me as one that loves his fellow-men."

The Angel wrote, and vanished. The next night
It came again with a great wakening light,
And showed the names whom love of God had blessed,
And lo! Ben Adhem's name led all the rest!

THE GOODNESS OF GOD

You never know when you're going to receive a touch from God.

I think sometimes I miss it.

But that doesn't negate it.

The goodness of God can be so overwhelming.

The touch pulls me out of my little world into reality.....His reality.

God is closer than we think.

Makes me wonder....'who am I that He would touch me?'.

I'm His child just like you. I have to be reminded.

Psalm 8

1 O LORD, our Lord,How majestic is Your name in all the earth,Who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens!

2 From the mouth of infants and nursing babes You have established strength Because of Your adversaries,To make the enemy and the revengeful cease.

3 When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,The moon and the stars, which You have ordained;

4 What is man that You take thought of him,And the son of man that You care for him?

5 Yet You have made him a little lower than God,And You crown him with glory and majesty!

6 You make him to rule over the works of Your hands;You have put all things under his feet,

7 All sheep and oxen,And also the beasts of the field,

8 The birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea,Whatever passes through the paths of the seas.

9 O LORD, our Lord,How majestic is Your name in all the earth!

I just wanted to remind you folks that God loves you deeply.

NOBILITY

Nobility

Alice Cary

True worth is in being, not seeming,—

In doing, each day that goes by,

Some little good—not in dreaming

Of great things to do by and by.

For whatever men say in their blindness,

And spite of the fancies of youth,
There's nothing so kingly as kindness,

And nothing so royal as truth.

We get back our mete as we measure—

We cannot do wrong and feel right,

Nor can we give pain and gain pleasure,

For justice avenges each slight.

The air for the wing of the sparrow,

The bush for the robin and wren,

But always the path that is narrow

And straight, for the children of men.
'Tis not in the pages of story

The heart of its ills to beguile,

Though he who makes courtship to glory

Gives all that he hath for her smile.

For when from her heights he has won her,

Alas! it is only to prove

That nothing's so sacred as honor,

And nothing so loyal as love!
We cannot make bargains for blisses,

Nor catch them like fishes in nets;

And sometimes the thing our life misses

Helps more than the thing which it gets.

For good lieth not in pursuing,

Nor gaining of great nor of small,

But just in the doing, and doing

As we would be done by, is all.
Through envy, through malice, through hating,

Against the world, ,early and late.

No jot of our courage abating

Our part is to work and to wait

And slight is the sting of his trouble

Whose winnings are less than his worth.

For he who is honest is noble

Whatever his fortunes or birth.

SEA FEVER

Sea Fever
John Masefield

I MUST go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,

And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,

And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking,

And a gray mist on the sea's face, and a gray dawn breaking.

I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide

Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;

And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,

And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.

I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,

To the gull's way and the whale's way, where the wind's like a whetted knife;

And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,

And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over.

HOW DID YOU DIE?

How Did You Die?
by Edmund Vance Cooke

Did you tackle that trouble that came your way

With a resolute heart and cheerful?

Or hide your face from the light of day

With a craven soul and fearful?

Oh, a trouble's a ton, or a trouble's an ounce,

Or a trouble is what you make it,

And it isn't the fact that you're hurt that counts,

But only how did you take it?

You are beaten to earth? Well, well, what's that!

Come up with a smiling face.

It's nothing against you to fall down flat,

But to lie there--that's disgrace.

The harder you're thrown, why the higher you bounce

Be proud of your blackened eye!

It isn't the fact that you're licked that counts;

It's how did you fight--and why?

And though you be done to the death, what then?

If you battled the best you could,

If you played your part in the world of men,

Why, the Critic will call it good.

Death comes with a crawl, or comes with a pounce,

And whether he's slow or spry,

It isn't the fact that you're dead that counts,

But only how did you die?

OPPORTUNITY by Edward Roland Sill (1841-1887)

This I beheld, or dreamed it in a dream;--
There spread a cloud of dust along a plain;
And underneath the cloud, or in it, raged
A furious battle, and men yelled, and swords
Shocked upon swords and shields. A prince's banner
Wavered, then staggered backward, hemmed by foes.
A craven hung along the battle's edge,
And thought, "Had I a sword of keener steel--
That blue blade that the king's son bears,--but this
Blunt thing--!" he snapped and flung it from his hand,
And lowering crept away and left the field.
Then came the king's son, wounded, sore bestead,
And weaponless, and saw the broken sword,
Hilt-buried in the dry and trodden sand,
And ran and snatched it, and with battle shout
Lifted afresh he hewed his enemy down,
And saved a great cause that heroic day.

The Shell by Amy Carmichael

Upon the sandy shore an empty shell,
Beyond the shell infinity of sea;
O Saviour, I am like that empty shell;
Thou art the Sea to me.

A sweeping wave rides up the shore, and, lo,
Each dim recess the coiled shell within
Is searched, is filled, is filled to overflow
By water crystalline.

Not to the shell is any glory then:
All glory give we to the glorious sea.
And not to me is any glory when
Thou overflowest me.

Sweep over me, Thy shell, as low I lie,
I yield me to the purposes of Thy will;
Sweep up, O conquering waves, and purify.
And with Thy fulness fill.

WALL-E: a message of hope

In this movie, people have been living on a spaceship for generations. Earth has been literally 'trashed' to the point that it is unable to sustain even plant-life. Somehow, WALL-E is the only robot left and he is still faithfully on clean-up duty. He appears to be remarkably cheerful, enjoying certain 'treasures' he finds and the friendship of an insect.

The people on the ship don't realize what a poor existence they have. They are propelled about in big comfortable chairs, all wearing the same color and having basically everything done for them automatically. They don't know where they came from or what they were made for; they just mindlessly exist as generations before them have done. The ship's captain doesn't even know.

But when he finds out about our home, the earth, and that it is now possible to restore it, he becomes enthusiastic and joyful about it. The people become determined to inhabit and restore the earth, even though it is basically still a mess.

Instrumental in this awakening is the beautifully streamlined EVE. She discovers a plant previously discovered and nurtured by WALL-E. She has been programmed to scout for and return any plant-life to the captain. It is imperative as the key to allow the people to return to earth.

The peoples' existence on the ship and their subsequent awakening reminded me of my own spiritual journey. And EVE reminded me that, although womankind has long borne a certain reproach in the hearts of many for the downfall of mankind; womankind can and will play an important role, along with mankind, in the restoration to come.

kdr

PRESIDENT FOREVER

It seems as though the door has been opened in Venezuela for current presidente' Chavez to run for a 3rd term.....and a 4th......and a 5th........and you get the point. This weekend the country voted on a referendum to do away with term limits. Apparently 54% of the country voted in favor of it. As one Venezuelan put it:

"People voting 'yes' said Chavez has given poor Venezuelans cheap food, free education and quality health care, and empowered them with a discourse of class struggle after decades of U.S.-backed governments that favored the rich. "

That sounds vaguely familiar..............hmmmmmm.....where have I heard that recently????????

DID YOU KNOW?

Representative Jose Serrano (D) has introduced a bill in the House to abolish the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, which limits presidents to two consecutive terms or ten years in office. It's called H.J.Res.5 if you want to check it out.

Luckily it didn't pass......maybe try again in a few months.....you never know!

JOHN PIPER'S WORD TO OBAMA

This was on BOBBY SPARK'S blog a little while ago. I think it needs to be heard again.

DAVID WILKERSON

I thought this was an interesting word for what's going on now. It's about 10 minutes long.

THE CURRENT ECONOMIC CRISIS

Aurora Australis

I know how science describes these lights......but to me it's kind of like 'Glory'.

RULES FOR LIFE

To me this say a mouthful.....Rules are really just for people to follow.

We try to impose our rules on nature.....most of the time it just doesn't work out that well.

Sometimes it seems that animals have more common sense than people.

Crazy.

FRIDAY THE 13th

Today a true horror became reality. Your children and grandchildren are now in debt. We were all born into sin.......now we're born into debt........to China. If Wal-mart wasn't bad enough. Now our country is on the verge of being a clearance item on isle 4. This is a day we're not to forget.

It got me thinking. 200+ years ago a group of bright men came together. They were men of common sense and vision. They had realization of how important their actions were. They were men of purpose. What they did in the signing of the Declaration of Independence rocked the world and forever shaped the history of man. It was that monumental. These men put their lives on the line. It was life or death......and they meant it.

Look at what happened today. It's a far cry from our founding fathers. Blatant disregard. That's what I call it. What happened today is a testimony against them. A true horror. Today we saw the making of history..........a sad day. -JGR

SUCKERS AND DOG TREATS

I remember as a child going to the bank with my mother or father and hoping that the teller would be so gracious as to give me a lollipop. Times they have a changed!

Elvis (my chihuahua/yorkie mix) went to run some errands with me today. He likes to ride in my truck. I can open the truck door and he'll hop right on in. Anyways......he enjoys the barn and all of its wonderful smells. I had to make a quick stop at the bank. Drive-thru of course! I hardly ever go in. I give the teller my stuff and she quickly returns my receipt and a Scooby Snack! WHAT?!?!

Now don't get me wrong....I'm not complaining......I was more taken by how times have changed. It took Elvis half a second to devour the snack. I know he was delighted. -JGR

Thoughts on Abraham Lincoln

When I was very young, I wasn't quite sure if I liked Abraham Lincoln. It was probably after watching 'Gone With The Wind'. I live in Alabama, and have been to Atlanta, GA. many times and knew quite a bit about Sherman's march. Yeah, I know...'war's hell'. But then I was a very idealistic little girl. I knew that slavery needed to go; had to go; but I thought the North went a little overkill with the destruction. Then I heard the song 'Johnny Reb' on Johnny Horton's album: 'When Honest Abe heard the news about the fall, the folks thought he'd call a great victory ball; but he asked the band to play the song Dixie, for you, Johnny Reb, and all that you believed...' I was later taught that it was believed that one reason President Lincoln was assasinated was because he wanted to restore the south to the Union in a much kinder way than reconstruction turned out to be.

It's tragic that the war took place because some rich plantation owners were greedy and/or lazy. Some people say it was more about state's rights than slavery, but it's really the same thing, I think, state's rights to have slaves. It is also tragic that some in the north wanted to punish the south instead of restore it...they couldn't see that, really, the south had been punished enough.

I'm grateful for President Lincoln. I'm glad he had the strength and insight to keep our nation united. So, happy birthday, Abraham Lincoln.

kdr

Record Players and Old Albums

My mom gave me her stereo since she no longer listens to her albums. That was nice, but the real treasure is the stacks of albums I brought home, even though I really don't have room for them. Some of these albums are scratchy and some are like new; even a few are ruined.

The two pictured are childhood favorites of mine. I liked the song 'Wolverton Mountain' as a child, but my favorite was 'Pistol-packing Papa'. I had a beautiful horse that I can still picture in my head. It was one of those a few feet off the ground on a metal stand attached by thick metal springs. My mom said, and I vaguely remember, that every time that song came on I would stop whatever I was doing, jump on that horse and ride so hard that it would actually come up off the floor. I still think it's a cool song; hearing it again after so many years.

Johnny Cash's Ring of Fire Album is hard to beat. I've always loved western ballads and this one is full of them; Johnny Yuma, Remember the Alamo and even Bonanza. I remember mowing about an acre lawn on a now archaic riding lawnmower. But I wasn't bored. I was a long-lost Cartwright daughter, riding the range on my trusty horse, keeping an eye out for trouble while singing the song in my head.

It will take awhile to go though these and I'll have to make a place for them. I feel like they're a piece of musical history; even the ones I don't particularly like.

The backs of the albums usually tell a little about the artist and the songs chosen for the album; and I actually like the cracklin' sound of the albums.

kdr

O FORTUNA

Several months ago we went to a Trans Siberian Orchestra concert. They played a song there that I loved. I never knew what the song was called. I found it and here I am. You might recognize it from commercials.......Denise called it the 'Damien song'. I like it the way TSO did it.

A RING OF TRUTH

Here's another political cartoon off of Glenn Beck's page (mentioned in the previous post). I thought it was rather funny.
www.robsmithjr.com

POLITICAL CARTOONS

I found this on Glenn Beck's website.....there are more. Check'm out.

http://www.glennbeck.com/content/articles/article/198/3890/

FRODO

The setting: Last Friday (2/6) I was working down at the barn. A beautiful day.

Recently I've posted several photos and a video about our new group of kids (baby goats). We marvel at their timing. It seems that the nannies wait until the coldest night of the year to deliver. Crazy. Anyways....the weather has been nice for the past week and the kids were all doing well.

So this particular morning I'm down at the barn working and discover a baby goat laying rigid on the ground. I figured the worst. Come to find out that he was on the verge of death. Eyes were already rolled up in his head....limbs all stiff....but there was a faint heartbeat and shallow breath. It is typical for one or two to die when a new group comes along. I tend to get attached to animals really easy. Especially babies. I hated to see this little guy in the state he was in.

So I carried him out of the barn and laid him next to my truck. He started into convulsions. I knew this little guys was a fighter. So I began to pray for him and ask God to help him live if he is to live. While I was praying I had a thought that he hadn't eaten in a long time. That's why he was in the shape he was in. *Sometimes nannies will cull out weaker/sickly kids and allow them to die....I don't know how they know...but they do*. I was fine with him dying if there was something wrong with him. So I kept praying for him. He began to struggle more. Then I had the thought to force feed him some goat milk. Over the next 3 hours I milked goats and dripped the milk into his mouth periodically. He would struggle and cry out. Go into convulsions. I just kept praying and working.

So 3 hours later I walk out to the truck and he's sitting up. I was on fire! I knew then that he had been indeed culled out and intentionally unfed by his mother. His mother is a smaller nannie who has never had babies before....so therefore she's not as developed as the older nannies and unable to produce as much milk. She chose between her two babies. She chose the smaller of the two.

I went back to milking goats and he took a little more and a little more. In an hour he was standing on his own. Within 3 more hours he was up...walking around....and wagging his little tail. Now 3 times a day I bottle feed little Frodo. I so named him because of his circumstance.

I learned an important lesson here. When I prayed for little Frodo I prayed that God would do what He thought best. I did what I could do...but at the end of the day Frodos care was in God's hands. I know Frodo is just a little goat.....seemingly unimportant......but he's important to me. And I give God the glory for his life.

Feelings as self-revelations

After the Sugar Bowl, Tim Tebow made a statement giving glory to God during an interview. My aunt told me that her friend, who is an atheist, got all mad about it and started ranting about 'separation of church and state'...She said that she got really mad at him about it.

I wondered why Tebow's public display of faith would make him so mad. I didn't think it had anything really to do with the 'separation' comment.
Then I wondered why it made my aunt so mad that he didn't like Tebow's statement.

Well, God began to pose the same question to me. The first time was when I was angry over something someone said which I thought was totally out of line. But it shouldn't have made me angry. The real reason I was angry was because self-righteousness had creeped in.

I've also discovered that I get angry when someone tries to manipulate me, even when I don't yet realize it on a conscious level. I am right to be angry over manipulation and I don't need to tolerate it, but I still need to love and pray for the one attempting to manipulate. Paul says something about our fight being with principalities and not flesh and blood.

So now when I feel angry or uncomfortable or some other emotion, I ask myself and God, why I feel this way, and how I should respond. This has been a great help in keeping me spiritually healthy.

kdr

GUITAR FAVORITES

I have been wanting to do this for a long time. I couldn't quite figure out how to do it.

What I wanted to do is share 10 of my favorite guitars leads/riffs. These guitarist inspired me to want to learn how to play. It was hard to narrow it down to 10. I could have easily had 100+. I never narrowed it down to 10.....so I ended up with 11. Some of these are leads and some are the main riffs. This video is about 9 minutes longs. I tried to incorporate a photo to let you know the artist and song name. Watch it when you have a chance and listen to the guitarist who influenced me to want to play.

1. Stevie Ray Vaughn - 'Texas Flood'

2. Living Color - 'Cult of Personality'

3. Santana - 'Black Magic Woman'

4. Metallica - 'Nothing Else Matters'

5. Allman Brothers - 'Statesboro Blues'

6. Eric Clapton (unplugged) - 'Old Love'

7. Guns N Roses - 'Sweet Child O' Mine'

8. Jimi Hendrix - 'Red House'

9. Metallica - 'Creeping Death'

10. Eric Clapton - 'Crossroads'

11. Ozzy Osbourne - 'No More Tears'

IN DEO SPERAMUS

'In God We Trust'.

The motto first appeared on a United States coin in 1864, but In God We Trust did not become the official U.S. national motto until after the passage of an Act of Congress in 1956.

I was just sitting here pondering our national motto. To tell you the truth, I'm just starting to get a grasp of what this means in my own life. I was wondering what it would be like if our motto were true. Don't get me wrong I'm not trying to pass some kind of judgement on this country or anything of the like. I really do love our country. I believe it's the best one to live in. I'm just wondering what it would be like. Because you know that there are people out there who are actually offended by this motto. People who want it stricken from our currency and capitol buildings. I've never been to Washington D.C......but I hear that it's written everywhere. I was watching Fox News the other night and they showed the Senate debating the current 'Spendulous' bill.....and there it was.....just above the speaker.

How I wish it were really true. Imaging if our Congress lived by this motto. What about the Supreme Court.....? Our President? All the way down to our Governors....Mayors....Sheriffs. It blows my mind. Our country would be a different country. Maybe even our world. Just a thought.

QUOTE

"You are seeking for secret ways of belonging to God, but there is only one: making use of whatever He offers you." Jean-Pierre de Caussade

This quote speaks to me. You can turn on the TV/RADIO/NET and find a countless number of ways to get closer to God. Most of them involve a few steps. There's something simple about what de Caussade says here........

DOG

I know....I know....I know what you're thinking.........................

I think Dog's cool.

We try to catch his show each week. He's an interesting guy. My first exposure to Dog was a while back when he got into some trouble and was issuing apology after apology over the incident. We even made fun of the guy. Then.....we watched one of his shows. You know the guy is alright.

He's a family guy. He runs a family business. Even though his job is rough and somewhat dangerous.....he keeps a positive attitude and looks for redemption in the people he hunts down. He begins each hunt with a prayer......the guy is a brother......and I think that's cool. It takes all kinds and God works in whoever is willing. God is cool. The older I get....the more I learn about God. I'm not talking theology here......I'm talking about people and life.

Another cool thing about Dog is his theme song. I mean....who gets Ozzy to do a theme song for them!?!? I'd love to have a cell phone message or answering machine message by Ozzy. I hope Ozzy comes into the fold one day.......I like that guy too! JGR

THE DOLLAR

Here's a quick thought.....what's my dollar worth? I've been wondering that a lot lately. I heard it mentioned on the news the other night that the dollar is not really worth a dollar anymore. Actually it's worth around $0.75 (give or take a few pennies). My first thought......'HUH!?!?'.

I couldn't believe it....and then quickly I thought 'I'm not shocked'. It seems that the Treasury Department can't cut trees down quick enough to print the dough. Ever since our country left the Gold Standard in the 70's.....it's been down hill. If you watched Glenn Beck the other night you know what I mean. I'm starting to wonder what's going to happen when a Stimulus Package passes. CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So here's what I'm getting at.....am I going to have to lose the wallet and start pushing a wheel barrel? Is a loaf of bread going to cost $200? I HOPE NOT!

DIZZY

This song will most likely cause jr, mb and df to cringe and stop it or not listen at all. I don't blame them. Unlike the last song posted it is no longer a favorite of mine. I posted it for The Memory: A group of little kids at a church skating rink party, already worn out from hours of skating and playing; dragging, but unwilling to admit it. Then, this song comes on...instant energy flows through each child as they either skate or spin round and round in a frenzied effort to experience the main word of the song...dizzy. kdr

Book Review and other thoughts...

I started a post back in January about a book entitled "The Shack" By the time I finished it, it was, well, today. It is in the January archives if anyone wants to read it. kdr

INDIAN RESERVATION

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I'm not sure why I like this song so much. I was very young when it came out, so maybe that's why. I like it just as much now. kdr