THE GREATEST GIFT...BECAUSE OF FAITHFUL LOVE... FREEDOM IN CHRIST...

MEDITATION MONDAY

FREEDOM isn't free!

FREEDOM isn't free!

You've got to pay the price...

You've got to sacrifice...

for your liberty!

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It was because of FAITHFUL LOVE that Jesus chose to pay that price for us:


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I don't know where I've heard that song before, but it has rung in my heart and head since our church worship service yesterday morning. Our teen men were in charge of the service. They led our minds to think of FREEDOM! A lot of the same young men that were on my front yard on Friday evening shared scripture, shared their thoughts, or served in some manner. I looked around and saw a lot of blessed souls, including their mommies and daddies. These young men were talking about THE GIFT that they have chosen to embrace in Jesus Christ. They made comparisons to the battles of this world as they led us through the concepts of the spiritual battle between good and evil... light and dark.... God and the devil... Yet, THE BATTLE BELONGS TO THE LORD!
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Here are a few of the scriptures that were read:
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Romans 8:20-21
...in hope that the creation itself will be
liberated from its bondage to decay
and brought into the glorious freedom
of the children of God.
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Galatians 5:1

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.

Stand firm, then,

and do not let yourselves

be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

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Galatians 5:13-15
You, my brothers, were called to be free.

But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature;

rather, serve one another in love.

The entire law is summed up in a single command:

"Love your neighbor as yourself."

The whole lesson fit right with our theme for the week - which the chorus of our theme song articulates:
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Cause the greatest gift a father can give

is a life lived for Jesus

And the greatest gift a mother can give

is the knowledge of the LORD

Pass it on to your children

He’s the gift that keeps on giving

The greatest gift is a life lived for Jesus.

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Before I welcome my husband home and we head out to our church family's Memorial Day picnic, let me share a few other things for your consideration. The statistics are a little different depending on the websites. I got the following from http://www.historyguy.com/

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The framers of our US constitution understood a lot of the basic concepts of FREEDOM. Throughout our nation's history, we have understood the Biblical teaching of sacrifice.

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AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR: 1775-1783

• DEATHS: 4,435
• WOUNDED: 6,188

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INDIAN WARS: 1783-1890

• DEATHS: 1,000 (approx.)
• WOUNDED: unknown

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THE WAR OF 1812: 1812-1815

• DEATHS: 2,260
• WOUNDED: 4,505

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MEXICAN WAR: 1846-1848

• DEATHS: 13,283
• WOUNDED: 4,152

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U.S. CIVIL WAR: 1861-1865

• DEATHS: 558,052
• WOUNDED: 412,175+

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SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR: 1898

• DEATHS: 2,446
• WOUNDED: 1,662

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PHILIPPINE-AMERICAN WAR: 1899-1901

• DEATHS: 3,216
• WOUNDED: 2,779

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WORLD WAR I: 1917-1918

• DEATHS: 116,708
• WOUNDED: 204,002

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WORLD WAR II: 1941-1945

• DEATHS: 407,316
• WOUNDED: 670,846

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KOREAN WAR: 1950-1953

• DEATHS: 54,246
• WOUNDED: 103,284

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VIETNAM WAR: 1964-1975

• DEATHS: 58,168
• WOUNDED: 153,303

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GULF WAR: 1991

• DEATHS: 293
• WOUNDED: 467

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OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM-Afghanistan/Pakistan: October 7, 2001-- Continuing As of May 29, 2010

• DEATHS: 1,000 (this number includes four CIA Officers killed in action against al-Qaeda/Taliban forces)
• WOUNDED: 5,725 (based on DoD website which includes all wounded from Operation EF, including those injured in areas other than Afghanistan/Pakistan)
• NOTE: Related deaths in Philippines during this time: 15

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THIRD PERSIAN GULF WAR "Operation Iraqi Freedom": March 19, 2003-Continuing As of May 1, 2009

• DEATHS: 4,281
• WOUNDED: 30,774

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Today, I remember...

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...FAITHFUL LOVE!

THE GREATEST GIFT

SUNDAY IN THE SON

THE GREATEST GIFT
Song and Lyrics by:

Steve and Annie Chapman

1.
You can give your children houses
You can give them land
The riches of your efforts
And all your best laid plans
But of all that they inherit
Of all that you could will
Please include the unseen treasure
of a life that God has filled.

CHORUS:

Cause the greatest gift a father can give
is a life lived for Jesus
And the greatest gift a mother can give
is the knowledge of the LORD
Pass it on to your children
He’s the gift that keeps on giving
The greatest gift is a life lived for Jesus

2.
One day the house will crumble
Time will turn the land to dust
And when all accounts are empty
Where will you invest their trust
But if the riches that you give them
is the wisdom of His ways
Then the wealth you’ll leave your children
will last through all their days

CHORUS – sing twice:
Cause the greatest gift a father can give
is a life lived for Jesus
And the greatest gift a mother can give
is the knowledge of the LORD
Pass it on to your children
He’s the gift that keeps on giving
The greatest gift is a life lived for Jesus

EVERYTHING TO ME... GOD... BIRTHDAY... PIZZA...

KETCHUP AND MUSTARD SATURDAY

Catch Up and Must Do

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Choosing God... loving Him... obeying His commands... praying for God's wisdom to do the right thing even when it is hard... being with God's family... WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH STEVE SIKES?????? Everything! I love that man of mine! He is a man of great INTRApersonal strength. He likes his alone time... alone time with God.... alone time with his family... Today is his birthday! I am so blessed to have now been part of over 36 of his birthdays. But, this weekend he is speaking at Family Camp Weekend at Camp Manatawny in Pennsylvania to 50+ families with young children. He is there. I am at home with Jessica. Happy Birthday, Stephen Charles!
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Choosing God... loving Him... obeying His commands... praying for God's wisdom to do the right thing even when it is hard... being with God's family... WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH PIZZA??????

No, I did not put Ketchup or Mustard on my pizza, but I did eat this piece! Two 15-20 passenger vans pulled up to our house last night full of teens delivering a pizza to Jessica and me. They could have been any place else, but instead they chose to spend their Friday night with God's family. They knocked on our door before dusk, delivering a pizza (made to order with onions, olives, and peppers - love the jalepenos!!)
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They waited for directions from me, because they knew that I had been given a paper that would tell them what to do while at my house. Tim, our deacon of youth (in the light blue shirt), had orchestrated this fun filled evening. Steve, Chuck, and Garth were dads who had joined the fun as drivers and chaperones.

Here's the CLUE CHALLENGE that I read to the kids:
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• You have three minutes to complete this task: EVERYONE MUST PARTICIPATE. You need one person to complete, saying in order, the books of the Old Testament. You will need another person to say the books of the New Testament in order. The rest of the group will divide into two groups and will have to act our one Bible story each before the time is up.

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• Time will begin once your selected person begins saying the Old Testament. Once the Old is completed your person will begin the New Testament. Once the New is completed, your first group can begin acting out your story. Once we guess correctly, the next group can act out their Bible story. The groups must not do the same Bible story and you must complete this task in three minutes or less. You have a couple minutes to strategize. Good Luck!
  

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Tim and Cassidy stood by me with the timer and said, "GO!"
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The groups worked on their skits in the background .
...while Logan said the books of the Old Testament....










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Corey sang and said the books of the New Testament...



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After getting everyone organized, the first group acted out Jesus' birth...

The second group had a very tall Goliath for their David and Goliath story...

Then, it was time for me to give them their clue as to where they were to head for their next stop. Here it is... can you figure it out?
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Harry

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Stephen King's clown

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If you thought of Harry and IT, you are correct. The teen group quickly figured out that their next stop was Harriet's!
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That's it for today! Praying that each new day God is becoming EVERYTHING TO YOU!
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EVERYTHING TO ME...TACKED, TAPED, MAGNETED, NAILED, AND HUNG....REMIND ME LORD...

The last part of our scripture memory for this month tells us to hang reminders around us of how to obey our loving and faithful God. In our home we have scripture or scripture connections

• on magnets on the refrigerator
• framed and hung on walls
• taped on mirrors and desks
• stuck in appropriate places

Here are just a few that are done by one of my favorite calligraphers, Cindy Grubb:

And then, there are those things hung that have no words, but they are hung for spiritual reminders. Here's the framed photos of trees that Stephanie and her kids shot, developed, and framed for me after I taught a lesson on the spiritual encouragement of trees.

Because He is everything to me, I want our home to be used for His glory and as an avenue to remind my family of our LORD...

EVERYTHING TO ME... REDEEMER... SAVIOR...FRIEND...

TRANSFORMING THURSDAY

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• I am a child of God.
• I am the daughter of a mother who currently has special needs.
• I grew up with an aunt who had special needs.
• I am the mother of children with special needs.
• I am a special educator.

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The following two videos tell the transforming story of a parent who rose to meet the need and give everything. The first video gives the background story, if you have never heard it before. The second video gives some wonderful spiritual transforming connections.

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To Rick Hoyt, his father, Dick Hoyt is everything. To Patti Sikes, her Father, God Almighty is everything. A truly transforming story of FAITHFUL LOVE....

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EVERYTHING TO ME... PREACH THE WORD....

WOMEN IN THE WORD WEDNESDAY

There are multiple ways to keep ourselves focused on what is most important. Of course, reading God's word, the Bible, is paramount. Yet, our scripture memory talks about keeping Him before us and teaching about Him any and every way we can. Sounds an awful lot to me about making sure we've covered all the learning styles when it comes to the LORD.

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• Read about Him!
• Talk about Him!
• Think deeply about Him!
• Walk about Him!
• Sit about Him!
• Lie down about Him!
• Rise up about Him!
• Wear Him!
• Decorate with Him!
• Visualize Him!
• Hear Him!
• Feel Him!
• Know Him!
  
  It seems obvious that our verses want each one of us to say, "HE IS EVERYTHING TO ME!"

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 .

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4 "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.

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5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

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6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.

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7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you

• sit at home and
• when you walk along the road,
• when you lie down
• and when you get up.

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8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.

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9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates." .

Our verses for this week (8-9) say to use reminders of God in your dress/fashion. Also, hang the reminders of what God wants around the house and carve them into your door frames, like someone did in the picture above.

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Use your home as a reminder of why we are here on this earth!

• magnets
• posters
• wall hangings
• framed prints
• memo pads
• night lights

Your children will grow up and remember.

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Mama, I think our memory verses say that you are to be a loving teacher / preacher. Consider the following verses...

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2 Timothy 4:1-2 says,

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"In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of His appearing and His kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage-with great patience and careful instruction."

EVERYTHING TO ME...YOU ARE THE ONE WHO GIVES ME PEACE...LOVE...JOY...

If you have not been part of my Gratituesdays for awhile, you have been missing a real treat. Our women, on Sunday mornings, are sharing parts of their spiritual journeys. Then, I turn around each Tuesday and tell about my thanksgiving of their stories. You can access past Gratituesday posts over on the right sidebar. This last Sunday, my technology did not work well (my cell phone camera seems to have bit the dust) and my stomach was making a negative statement .... but, the Holy Spirit was well at work in the life and stories of my sister-in-Christ, Karelle. Here are pictures of Karelle sitting at the end of her sharing and Katherine introducing Carla who led us in Karelle's "new favorite song" while she also signed it.

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I dearly love this sister-in-Christ, Karelle, who grew up in Haiti. Karelle's faith has been stretched and tried by fire the last several months as she has watched with horror and waited anxiously for word about her people.... her country.... Karelle's story began by taking us back to her earliest years...

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When Karelle was 1 and 1/2, her father left Haiti for a paying job in the USA to support his family back in Haiti. He was faithful in sending support back to his wife and two daughters in Haiti. Karelle's mother was very good about keeping the girls connected with their daddy by mail and stories. It would not be until Karelle was nine years old that she would see her father again. Finally, at the age of 14, she came to the states to live with him and go to school. It was a difficult transition for her. She felt the burden of needing to cook, clean, and help her father while going to school. They butted heads a lot during the next four years. He died when she was 18.

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Fast forward more than a decade to today. Karelle is married to Steve, a fellow Haitian. They have two beautiful children. Her mom has come to the states and now lives with them. Both Karelle and Steve have good jobs. Karelle is a media specialist and Steve works for Rutgers University. The couple own a beautiful home and are part of a vibrant and active church family.

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Steve and Karelle have experienced many ups and downs over the years. The death of Steve's brother to heart failure, as a young adult, was very traumatic for them a year and a half ago. Marcel lived nearby and had been worshipping with our church family.

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January 13 would have been Marcel's birthday. Steve came home early from work, the memories fresh on his mind. Then, once the television was turned on Steve and Karelle's world was rocked again. They saw horrific pictures, on every network, of the aftermath of the 7.0 earthquake in their homeland of Haiti.

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Karelle prayed through the night, first on her knees and then prostrate. She cried out to God for mercy, grace, and forgiveness. They kept the television on and waited. As the hours turned into days and weeks and.... January became filled with calls from relatives and staying close to news sources. Finally the word came that all of their extended families were safe, including Steve's father. Other friends called to tell of lost loved ones and tragedy upon tragedy. Karelle felt guilty sleeping in her bed, taking a shower, or even getting hugs from her kids because her people were not able to experience these things.

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Karelle said that in spite of everything, she had no trouble praying and pouring out her requests to our Father. She started going through her Bible and past notes from our transformed moms "Masterful Moms" class two summers ago. She came across Philippians 4 and the words "His grace is sufficient..." that sustained her to some degree. Yet, she still became more tense and anxious. She be began to have great difficulty with acid reflux and excruciating pain. Karelle said, "I could not understand how to let go and let God..."

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One day at her doctor's office, her doctor asked, "Do you believe in God?" Karelle said that she felt like it was Jesus standing there and looking in her eyes saying, "Karelle, do you believe in Me?"

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It was then that she knew she had to make some serious decisions. So, her first step was to begin to count her blessings on a regular basis...

1. God's grace
2. Family
3. Living in USA
4. Family's safety
5. Steve's patience
6. Her mom's mental stability through this all
7. Her father and Marcelle had not lived to see this day
10. 
    
    The list continued and continues...

The next step was to choose to sing! She remembered an old saying, "to sing is to pray twice." She would sing! Her new favorite was the theme song at our women's retreat and one that we've now begun singing a lot at our church services, called HERE IN THIS PLACE. It begins with the words, "Lay your burdens down..." (It is still not available for my playlist). Her young son now joins her in "singing Hallelujah's"!

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Marcelle's birthday has forever changed to the day that 270,000 to 300,000 Haitians lost their lives in one day. Karelle's church family has given an outpouring of love, support, and monetary gifts to help. We were able to help her aunt secure housing in Haiti. We also sent one of our young R.N.'s down on a medical mission. There's a lot that needs to be done over the years to come. Let's not forget our Haitian neighbors.

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Karelle ended her sharing time with the following words: "I hold onto these truths... when things are tough, I say:

• His grace is enough.
• He is in control.
• For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."

She continued with, "I wish that I could say I'm strong all the time and don't ask "Why?", but I am not strong all the time and I still ask 'Why?'... ... I'm happy to report that each day I read the online Haitian paper and see that more and more people are turning to Christ..." Karelle now knows that it is in Christ that she can only have peace, for He is THE ONE WHO GIVES ME PEACE...
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Many came up to hug Karelle afterwards and give her encouragement.

One in the audience, Debbie, and daughter shared the joy of the moment. Debbie's due date for her fourth child was Sunday. She still waits....

There are other posts on this blog directly related to this post. You can link to them here:

• Beginning of Masterful Moms class: http://momstransformed.blogspot.com/2008/06/master-full-moms.html
• The death of Marcel: http://momstransformed.blogspot.com/2008/11/people-need-lord-otherwise-life-is.html
• Steve baptizing their oldest daughter: http://momstransformed.blogspot.com/2008/12/its-about-cross-its-not-i-who-live-but.html
• Karelle and two children - Christimas 2008: http://momstransformed.blogspot.com/2008/12/its-about-cross-baby-was-born-to-die.html

EVERYTHING TO ME... SO I WILL TRUST AND OBEY...

MEDITATION MONDAY
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Dan used one of my favorite Bible stories as the basis of his lesson yesterday. I was not feeling well, so I had to leave in the middle of it. This is one of those stories that is so rich... so teachable... so re-teachable... In fact, I'll post a comment before each section of it and then leave it for you to read. It is truly a story for much meditation:

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2 Kings 5:1-17

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Naaman was a powerful, probably well educated, and a well known leader. He did not ask to get a disease! His status and awards could not heal him!

• "Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the LORD had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy."

Naaman was well off enough to have a servant (maybe slave) girl, from Israel, to serve his wife:

• 2 "Now bands from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman's wife. 3 She said to her mistress, "If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy." 4 Naaman went to his master and told him what the girl from Israel had said. 5 "By all means, go," the king of Aram replied. "I will send a letter to the king of Israel."

Naaman listened to his wife's servant girl. He left for Israel to find a cure with enough money and merchandise that scholars say could have been the value of 600 working mens' salaries for a year:

• "So Naaman left, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold and ten sets of clothing. 6 The letter that he took to the king of Israel read: "With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman to you so that you may cure him of his leprosy."

Naaman went to Israel based on the faith of his servant girl. The king of Israel did not seem to share her faith:

• 7 "As soon as the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his robes and said, "Am I God? Can I kill and bring back to life? Why does this fellow send someone to me to be cured of his leprosy? See how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me!"

Naaman went to the house of God's man, Elisha. Even though Naaman was a man of much status and wealth, Elisha did not come to the door. He sent a messenger to tell Naaman what to do.

• 8 "When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his robes, he sent him this message: "Why have you torn your robes? Have the man come to me and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel." 9 So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha's house. 10 Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, "Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed."

Naaman felt insulted and was left feeling vulnerable by how he felt he was treated by Elisha. Naaman's anger turned to a rage as he thought of the submission that it would take to do what was required of him.

• 1 "But Naaman went away angry and said, "I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy. 12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than any of the waters of Israel? Couldn't I wash in them and be cleansed?" So he turned and went off in a rage."

Once again, Naaman had servants who spoke to him. They reasoned with him and he listened.

• 13 "Naaman's servants went to him and said, "My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, 'Wash and be cleansed'!" 14 So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy."

Naaman's servants knew that trusting and obeying God's man, no matter how ridiculous it sounded was what needed to be done. It didn't take a lot of wealth or status to trust and obey! Naaman knew what to do next... say "THANK YOU!".

• 15 "Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God. He stood before him and said, "Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. Please accept now a gift from your servant." 16 The prophet answered, "As surely as the LORD lives, whom I serve, I will not accept a thing." And even though Naaman urged him, he refused."

Naaman was convinced that the God of Israel was the true God and must become everything to him... the God to be trusted and obeyed...

• 17 "If you will not," said Naaman, "please let me, your servant, be given as much earth as a pair of mules can carry, for your servant will never again make burnt offerings and sacrifices to any other god but the LORD."

EVERYTHING TO ME

SUNDAY IN THE SON

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Our theme song on the playlist is one we've had before. It's appropriate as we finish up this month's memory verses and think about teaching our children to love Him with everything they have. Let's first sing along together:
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HE'S EVERYTHING TO ME
by Avalon
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1.
I grew up in Sunday School
I memorized the Golden Rule
And how Jesus came to set the sinner free
I know The Story inside out
I can tell you all about
The path that led Him up to Calvary
But ask me why He loves me
And I don't know what to say
But I'll never be the same
Because He changed my life when He became...
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CHORUS
Everything to me
He's more than a story
More than words on a page of history
He's the air that I breathe
The water I thirst for
And the ground beneath my feet
He's everything, everything to me
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2.
We're living in uncertain times
And more and more I find that I'm aware
Of just how fragile life can be
I want to tell the world I've found
A love that turned my life around
They need to know that they can taste and see
Now everyday I'm prayin'
Just to give my heart away
I want live for Jesus
So that someone else might see that He is...
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CHORUS
Everything to me
He's more than a story
More than words on a page of history
He's the air that I breath
The water I thirst for
And the ground beneath my feet
He's everything
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BRIDGE
And looking back over my life at the end
I'll go to meet you saying you've been...
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CHORUS
You're everything to me
You're more than a story
More than words on a page of history
You're everything to me
You're more than a story
More than words on a page of history
You're the air that I breath
The water I thirst for
And the ground beneath my feet
You're everything to me
Lord, you're everything to me........
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Last Sunday, I sat between two dear sisters in Christ (Robin and Linda) as Steve preached the sermon THERE IS A GOD! Last Monday I shared some of Sunday's MARVELOUS MOMENTS. Another moment was when I realized that I couldn't take notes in my notebook, because I'd left it downstairs in class. Linda handed me her notepad...

What wonderful words! It then reminded me of a scripture I think about a lot. It's the same scripture that Dan talked about in his sermon a few weeks ago. As you read through it, notice the words I have chosen to enlarge and put in bold:
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1 Peter 1:6-12
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"In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that your faith-of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire-may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
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10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, 11 trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. 12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things. "
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YOU ARE GOD ALONE...THREE IN ONE...

KETCHUP AND MUSTARD SATURDAY

Catch Up and Must Do

Did you know that the triangle is considered the strongest shape? I hadn't thought about that in a long time until I heard it at our department's end of the school year retreat last Monday. Each group was commissioned to make something out of straws to illustrate a point. One group talked about the strength of 3. They made a shape similar to this out of straws.

My mind has connected back to the triangle several times this week as I've thought of our theme: YOU ARE GOD ALONE all the while knowing that means OUR GOD IS THREE IN ONE: God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.
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Then, yesterday, Jen graduated summa cum laude with her nursing degree. Yay! Congratulations... what a journey!

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She is now a registered nurse! In fact, she is a christian who is a wife, mommy, and registered nurse. Many from our church family went to celebrate with Jen and her family. When I saw this picture below of Jen, her husband, four daughters, and her in-laws, my mind went straight back to triangles. Strange? Not really!

You see, years ago, Jen's mother-in-love - Yvonne, believed that God the Father was God Alone. Then, through a wonderful conversion story, she studied and began to understand that there is no God of the Bible without including JESUS and the living, breathing, and active HOLY SPIRIT. Once she wrapped her heart, mind, soul, and strength around that, she was able to come to faith in GOD ALONE...THREE IN ONE!!! Yvonne brought her family along with her on her spiritual journey. The picture above is only part of the heritage / legacy that she has and is leaving.

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On Wednesday nights, I have two of Jen's daughters (Yvonne's grandaughters) in my 3rd-4th grade Bible class. They've just memorized the 23rd Psalm. Now, they're working on the ABC's of Jesus and the Beattitudes. Our conversations, each Wednesday night, are full "What if..." and "Why..." and "Did you know..." and "I was excited to learn..." comments and questions about the LORD... GOD ALONE...

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Jen and Yvonne, I'm so thankful for your Faithful Love for our LORD. I'm so thankful for the way you are passing it on! Hopefully, these words have honored you today.

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YOU ARE GOD ALONE...TEACH US TO REMEMBER...

There's a special lady who has taught our family a lot of creative ways to remember scripture. She is my "mother-in-love", Robbie Sikes. Many have attended her classes, workshops, and seminars over the years entitled KNOW YOUR BIBLE. Her way of teaching is for the learner who learns by the concept of "a picture is worth a thousand words". To be in her classes is to understand about "droodling" and "memory hooks".

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Since our memory verse this month encourages us to teach God's commands to our children, let me give you a way to teach your children how to memorize the TEN COMMANDMENTS. First, it starts with a silly story you must learn - as told by Mama Sikes.

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There are ten items that you will see as you go about your day:

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1. ALARM CLOCK-- It’s morning; I hear my ONE alarm clock buzz; I turn it off


2. TWO LEGGED PANTS - I slip into my TWO legged pants


3. THREE LEGGED STOOL - I sit on my THREE legged stool to put on my shoes and socks.


4. FOUR LEGGED TABLE - I eat breakfast at my FOUR legged table.


5. NEWSPAPER - I have FIVE minutes to read my morning newspaper.


6. SIX CYLINDER CAR - I go out to start up my SIX cylinder car.


7. POLICEMAN - As I’m traveling to town, there’s a policeman in the middle of the road holding up his hand for me to stop—his body forms a SEVEN.


8. REVOLVING DOORS - I stop at a downtown building and go in through the revolving doors which make a figure EIGHT.


9. MAIL BOX - I go to the mailbox, which is in the shape of a NINE - like those along the road.


10. POST OFFICE WINDOW - I go to the post office window with TEN bars to speak to the person on the other side.

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So, what were the 10 items in order?

1. ALARM CLOCK


2. TWO LEGGED PANTS


3. THREE LEGGED STOOL


4. FOUR LEGGED TABLE


5. FIVE MINUTES TO READ THE NEWSPAPER


6. SIX CYLINDER CAR


7. SEVEN SHAPED POLICEMAN


8. EIGHT SHAPED REVOLVING DOORS


9. NINE SHAPED POST OFFICE BOX


10. TEN BARS AT WINDOW

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So, now join me in using the story line above to remember the TEN COMMANDMENTS Mama Sikes' style:

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1. It’s morning; I hear my ONE alarm clock go off (it’s a cute little circular shaped alarm clock); As, I turn it off, the circular shape reminds me of a Zero—which reminds me that as I begin this new day “I shall have (Zero) NO OTHER GODS before ME (I will have only the one true God – the great I AM).”


2. I slip into my TWO legged pants—and find little idols in my pockets—whoa—“I shall not make, bow down to, or worship any idol—only God—NO IDOLS”


3. I sit on my THREE legged stool to put on my shoes and socks. OUCH! #@!# “I shall not misuse the name of the Lord my God.” DON’T CURSE!


4. I eat breakfast at my FOUR legged table and see the communion set on the table…”Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.” That reminds me to REMEMBER THE LORD’S DAY!


5. I read the morning newspaper for FIVE minutes. The headlines say that today is a new national holiday—Father and Mother’s Day. It reminds me: “HONOR YOUR FATHER AND YOUR MOTHER, so that you may live long…


6. I go out to start up my SIX cylinder car but it keeps dying, it will not stay started—I keep killing the car. “I SHALL NOT MURDER.”


7. As I’m traveling to town, there’s a policeman in the middle of the road holding up his hand for someone to stop—his body forms a SEVEN. Oh, he’s trying to stop that couple from leaving their own husband and wife and running off with each other: “DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY.”


8. I stop at a downtown Post Office building and go in through the revolving doors--which make a figure EIGHT. A robber has just robbed the Post Office building and he doesn’t seem to know how to get out of the revolving doors. He has on one of those eye masks that look like a figure eight. “DO NOT STEAL.”


9. I go to the mailbox, which is in the shape of a NINE - like those along the road. I have one letter today. I open it and read it—it’s full of a lot of lies about a neighbor of mine—I know this is not true! “DO NOT LIE.”


10. I go to the Post Office window with TEN bars—I see the person in front of me deposit thousands of dollars. It’s hard not to be jealous. “DO NOT COVET.”

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"Love the LORD your God with all your heart

and with all your soul and with all your strength.

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These commandments that I give you today

are to be upon your hearts.

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Impress them on your children.

Talk about them when you sit at home

and when you walk along the road,

when you lie down

and when you get up."

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YOU ARE GOD ALONE... WHO IMPRESSES ME THE MOST?... MY CHILDREN THE MOST?...

TRANSFORMING THURSDAY

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Faithfully loving our children means to faithfully love our God! Consider this:

YOU ARE GOD ALONE... I'LL IMPRESS THAT ON MY CHILDREN...

WOMEN IN THE WORD WEDNESDAY

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Everyday! Whatever the way! We need to be IMPRESSIVE! Oh, not by our dress or looks or smarts or money. No! We need to be IMPRESSIVE by how we love... are patient... are kind... yet firm...

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As a teacher, I do best when I model what I teach. The same works for a mother. A mother is the ultimate teacher. Spend some time today contemplating how you are IMPRESSING your children as you put our memory verses (to this point for the month) deep within your heart. If you don't remember what goes in the blanks, then look at the verses posted above.

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Deuteronomy 6:4-7

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4 "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.

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5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

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6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.

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7 Impress them on your __________. Talk about them when you sit at ______ and when you walk along the ________, when you ____ _______ and when you get up.

NOTE: Sometime before the end of May, I'll teach you a quick way to memorize the TEN COMMANDMENTS!

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