“If you’re not gonna live for God, get out of the church and quit bringing reproach to the called.” Bro. Terry Hester
All posts by Beth R
Oh Those Eyes: A Note from Hope
Do you see this cat with electric eyes? This cat is not friendly. I tried being friends with her; she rubs on me and tries to butt me with her head. I was nice to her and tried to snuggle up to her… and she hissed at me and tried to burn me with her fiery eyes!
I had to protect Mom by laying across the door so she couldn’t get in.
Mom says I have to be nice because she’s going to have babies. I will be nice, but I won’t like it!
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Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:19-21
ATTGAT
Ephesians 6:10-17 Finally, my brothers, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For our fight is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, and against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your waist girded with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, having your feet fitted with the readiness of the gospel of peace, and above all, taking the shield of faith, with which you will be able to extinguish all the fiery arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
The last time we went to “bike church” at God Speed Biker Ministries (they’re on Facebook) Bro Mark talked to us about the full armor of God. While he was reading the scriptures above, I kept thinking about all the parts of the whole armor…. and it reminded me of how much it’s like the gear we bikers wear (or least, some of us wear!).
Bikers wear a helmet to protect our heads – I had someone ask me once how much my head was worth, and to expect to pay accordingly for a helmet. Got a $5 head? get a $5 helmet. We also have leather or heavy denim chaps to protect our legs; boots keep our ankles and feet safe; and a leather or heavy denim jacket can protect our chest and arms. Leather gloves keep our hands from getting wet, wind-chapped and sometimes even safe from bugs and rocks.
This may sound like overkill – all this leather, the heavy, hot helmet, those stiff boots – I mean, is it all really necessary? No, not while you’re riding down the road.
But if you ever go down, you’ll appreciate every centimeter that’s between you and the pavement that’s rushing under you at 60 MPH.
So the expression ATTGAT means a lot when you’re sliding down the highway, with your bike right behind you. ATTGAT – all the gear, all the time.
And doesn’t it make sense that our Creator would also know that we need to have all our gear on all the time? ATTGAT, guys….. ATTGAT.
Revelation 7:4-8
Revelation 7:4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.
5 Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand.
6 Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nepthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand.
7 Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand.
8 Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.
Here in verse 4 thru 8 we see where the 144000 come from . They chosen by God from the 12 tribes of Israel and are Jews. They are some religions teaching today that you can work hard for God and become one of these chosen to be in the 144000. Also as we later in chapter 14 these 144000 were male virgins. Again they are sealed by God to preach the gospel and they cannot be hurt.
Revelation 7:1-3
Revelation 7:1 And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.
2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,
3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.
Chapter 7 begins kind of taking a step backwards but still holding to the things that have taken place, again most of the destruction has taken place because of the antichrist and man himself and not by the hand of God. Now God is letting you know that before He begins to pour out His wrath upon the earth he will seal the 144000 to protect them while they still preach to all to repent. They are sealed by God to keep them from any harm till God calls them home.
I’m So Sorry: A Note from Hope
I love my mom so much! I love her so much I like to eat her stuff. I eat her combs and brushes, I eat her shoes (the insides are great) and her shoe laces…. see that pretty blue tennis shoe? I chewed the rubber lace in two pieces. she had to tie it in a knot to wear it.
and see those cute sunglasses? I chewed one of the arms off it. I chewed her reading glasses too.
and see her riding boot? I chewed the tab that goes over the zipper- she found someone who could sew a new tab on there so she can still use them.
and just last night, I chewed her pink head band – she can still use it too; it’s just a little ragged on one edge.
I just love my mom – so I want to be close to the things that smell or taste like her… I make a bed out of her shirt or jeans; I stick my head in her purse to see what she’s got in there that might be good; I stick my nose down in her boots and shoes to smell them.
Now my mom laughs at those dog shaming pictures on Facebook but she would *never* do that to me- it would embarrass me! I really didn’t want her to take a picture of those things at all – see that other picture? I’m trying to stop her.
Because as much as I like chewing her stuff, I don’t like making her feel bad- when she talks to me about chewing, I try to kiss her and get up in her lap and show her how sorry I am. and I really am sorry, when I finally get caught.
I want to be a good dog and not eat her things but sometimes it’s just too tempting. I’m so glad my mom loves me!
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I Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has taken you except what is common to man. God is faithful, and He will not permit you to be tempted above what you can endure, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that you may be able to bear it.
Mr. ‘Possum, Pt 1: A Note from Hope
Mom and Dad went on vacation (whatever that is) and I got to stay home with Dr G and Ms Regina. When they got back Mom’s purse smelled funny, so I stuck my nose in and found this thing that’s fuzzy like my stuffies; I carried it around the house until Mom saw me and took it away from me. She said it was her ‘possum and I couldn’t have it because I like to pull all the insides out. (she never lets me have any fun.)
She said they got it up on the top of a mountain at Clingman’s Dome, and she wants to keep it to remember the trip by.
So, now the ‘possum is stuck way up on a shelf where I can hardly see it much less play with it.
Where is that cat when I need him?
BFFs: A Note from Hope
This is my buddy Jordan- she might even be my best friend (besides Mom and Dad). Don’t get me wrong, I love Ms Kim and Ms Leah (they bring me treats and love on me). But there’s just something about Jordan.
When she comes over, I don’t run down the steps- I launch off them and jump straight up in her arms. She plays with me and talks to me- and just loves on me til I can’t stand it. I get down and run around her and then I jump right back up to her.
I’m so glad I have friends like Jordan, and Ms Kim and Ms Leah. And I’m glad they’re such good friends to my mom and dad too.
God really blessed us when He gave us such good friends.
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“I cannot even imagine where I would be today were it not for that handful of friends who have given me a heart full of joy. Let’s face it, friends make life a lot more fun.” Charles R. Swindoll
“You can usually tell that a man is good if he has a dog who loves him.” —W. Bruce Cameron
Oh the Horror! A Note from Hope
Oh the horror of it all!
Mom and I were outside checking the yard again. She has started putting this embarrassing pink harness on me that looks like I’m wearing last year’s bikini; she says it’s because I want to run too far away, but I think she just likes to make me look silly. And now, she’s started putting a retractable leash on that- at least I think that’s what she said; I wasn’t really paying attention.
At first I didn’t think it was too bad, because I could sort of walk where I wanted – check the cats, sniff the ground, pick up a leaf- and everything was good.
But this morning- oh it was AWFUL. I can’t even bear to think about it…. we walked up to the peanut shed and back, and checked all the cats. Then she said she had to take the garbage can to the road. So she pulled the leash out all the way, locked the handle and laid it on the ground and was moving the garbage can.
I saw she wasn’t holding the handle so I did exactly what I wanted to- I trotted away a few feet- and that’s when it happened. The handle started running after me! I tried getting away from it, but the faster I ran, the faster it ran! It was clattering all over the pavement, trying to eat me but I just kept running around the house. I ran by Mom 3 times! She kept chasing me and trying to get me to stop, but I couldn’t – it was just awful.
I tried running under Dad’s trailer to get away and then things got even worse- I couldn’t move! I was pulling and pulling, but I just couldn’t go any further.
Mom finally caught up to me and got me loose. Boy was I scared!
I guess she got mad at the leash because it had gotten wet in the grass, so she fastened it to the trailer so it couldn’t chase me any more.
That was the most horrible thing I’ve ever been through!
Mom brought me inside and gave me a treat to chew on- I feel much better now.
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Psalm 118:6 The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?
We All Need Help Sometimes: A Note from Hope
I can hear it now:
Hope: “Fonda, I’m telling you- get up on that counter and knock that bowl off and we can both have some of what’s in it.”
Fonda: “I don’t know- won’t we get in trouble?”
Hope: “Naaaah. You know she loves both of us- why would she care if we have some food?”
As you can see from the evidence, Fonda did knock the bowl off. Thankfully if was an empty bowl – only a few “licks” of pimento cheese were in there. Of course, the spatula didn’t fare too well – chewed on both ends.
But Hope knows the secret of life – we all need help sometimes.
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Two [are] better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. Ecclesiastes 4:12