Hello-Goodbye TV show

Remember the interview at the airport when Russell came to visit in me in January? The one I knew they would never air? Well...I take it back---they actually aired it! They cut out some of the good parts, but it was still nice. My family told me a lot of our neighbors and an older lady from our first church in the country saw it and were shocked and impressed. It is kinda neat being on TV! Some guy even wants to meet my family after seeing it.

You have to watch it for a bit before they get to the part where we are in it, and it is in Dutch.

Here is the link if you would like to watch it. CLICK HERE

What Does LOVE Mean?

Yesterday I came across a cute forward I had printed off several years ago that was sent to me by a friend. It made me laugh and cry at the same time. It's no wonder why kids are so precious to the Lord. "Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger." ~ Psalm 8:2

~ * ~

A group of professional people posed this question to a group of four through eight year olds: "What does love mean?" The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined. See what you think...

"When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love."
Rebecca ~ age 8

"When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth."
Billy ~ age 4

"Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other."
Karl ~ age 5

"Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs."
Chrissy ~ age 6

"Love is what makes you smile when you're tired."
Terri ~ age 4

"Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK."
Danny ~ age 7

"Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss."
Emily ~ age 8

"Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen."
Bobby ~ age 7

"If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate."
Nikka ~ age 6

"Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday."
Noelle ~ age 7

"Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well."
Tommy ~ age 6

"During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore."
Cindy ~ age 8

"My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night."

Clare ~ age 6

"Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken."
Elaine ~ age 5

"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford."
Chris ~ age 7

"Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day."

Mary Ann ~ age 4

"I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones."
Lauren ~ age 4

"When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you."
Karen ~ age 7

"You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget."
Jessica ~ age 8

The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child. The winner was a four-year-old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, "Nothing, I just helped him cry."

And these are a few extras I found without the names and ages of the kids:

"Love is when someone hurts you. And you get so mad but you don't yell at them because you know it would hurt their feelings."

"I let my big sister pick on me because my Mom says she only picks on me because she loves me. So I pick on my baby sister because I love her."

"Love is when you tell someone something bad about yourself and you're scared they won't love you anymore. But then you get surprised, because not only do they still love you, they love you even more."

"There are two kinds of love: Our love and God's love. But God makes both kinds of them."

"God could have said magic words to make the nails fall off the cross, but He didn’t. That's love."

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." ~ John 3:16-18

I would say that many of these little kids came to a conclusion that most adults do not even grasp. Love is sacrificial; love is selfless. This is true love!

Take My Son

A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael. They would often sit together and admire the great works of art.

When the Vietnam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son.

About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands.

He said, "Sir, you don't know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly. He often talked about you and your love for art."

The young man held out this package. "I know this isn't much. I'm not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this."

The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears. He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture.

"Oh, no sir, I could never repay what your son did for me. It's a gift."

The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his home he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected.

The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his paintings. Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection.

On the platform sat the painting of the son. The auctioneer pounded his gavel. "We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?"

There was silence.

Then a voice in the back of the room shouted, "We want to see the famous paintings. Skip this one."

But the auctioneer persisted. "Will somebody bid for this painting. Who will start the bidding? $100, $200?"

Another voice angrily exclaimed, "We didn't come to see this painting. We came to see the Van Gogh's, the Rembrandt's. Get on with the real bids!"

But still the auctioneer continued. "The son! The son! Who will take the son?"

Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the longtime gardener of the man and his son. "I'll give $10 for the painting." Being a poor man, it was all he could afford.

"We have $10, who will bid $20?"

"Give it to him for $10. Let's see the masters."

"$10 is the bid, won't someone bid $20?"

The crowd was becoming angry. They didn't want the picture of the son. They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections.

The auctioneer pounded the gavel. "Going once, twice, SOLD for $10!"

A man sitting on the second row shouted, "Now let's get on with the collection!"

The auctioneer laid down his gavel. "I'm sorry, the auction is over."

"What about the paintings?"

"I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will. I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings. The man who took the son inherits everything!"


God gave His Son, Jesus Christ, 2,000 years ago to die on the cross. Much like the auctioneer, His message today is: "The Son, the Son! Who will take the Son?"

Whoever takes the Son inherits everything!

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:16

God Forgives

One night in a church service a young woman felt the tug of God at her heart. She responded to God's call and accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior. The young woman had a very rough past, involving alcohol, drugs, and prostitution. But, the change in her was evident.

As time went on, she became a faithful member of the church. She eventually became involved in the ministry, teaching young children. It was not very long until this faithful young woman had caught the eye and heart of the pastor's son. The relationship grew and they began to make wedding plans. This is when the problems began.

You see, about one half of the church did not think that a woman with a past such as hers was suitable for a pastor's son. The church began to argue and fight about the matter. So they decided to have a meeting. As the people made their arguments and tensions increased, the meeting was getting completely out of hand. The young woman became very upset about all the things being brought up about her past. As she began to cry, the pastor's son stood to speak. He could not bear the pain it was causing his wife-to-be. He began to speak and his statement was this: "My fiancee's past is not what is on trial here. What you are questioning is the ability of the blood of Jesus to wash away sin. Today you have put the blood of Jesus on trial. So, does it wash away sin or not?" The whole church began to weep as they realized that they had been slandering the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Too often, even as Christians, we bring up the past and use it as a weapon against our brothers and sisters. Forgiveness is a very foundational part of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. If the blood of Jesus does not cleanse the other person completely, then it cannot cleanse us completely. If that is the case, we are all in a lot of trouble. What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus! End of case!!!

~ author unknown ~

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9

Imagine What May Have Taken Place On That Day

By Max Lucado, In the Eye of the Storm

He placed one scoop of clay upon another until a form lay lifeless on the ground.

All of the Garden's inhabitants paused to witness the event. Hawks hovered. Giraffes stretched. Trees bowed. Butterflies paused on petals and watched.

"You will love me, nature," God said. "I made you that way. You will obey me, universe. For you were designed to do so. You will reflect my glory, skies, for that is how you were created. But this one will be like me. This one will be able to choose."

All were silent as the Creator reached into himself and removed something yet unseen. A seed. "It's called 'choice.' The seed of choice."

Creation stood in silence and gazed upon the lifeless form.

An angel spoke, "But what if he ..."

"What if he chooses not to love?" the Creator finished. "Come, I will show you."

Unbound by today, God and the angel walked into the realm of tomorrow.

"There, see the fruit of the seed of choice, both the sweet and the bitter."

The angel gasped at what he saw. Spontaneous love. Voluntary devotion. Chosen tenderness. Never had he seen anything like these. He felt the love of the Adams. He heard the joy of Eve and her daughters. He saw the food and the burdens shared. He absorbed the kindness and marveled at the warmth.

"Heaven has never seen such beauty, my Lord. Truly, this is your greatest creation."

"Ah, but you've only seen the sweet. Now witness the bitter." A stench enveloped the pair. The angel turned in horror and proclaimed, "What is it?"

The Creator spoke only one word: "Selfishness."

The angel stood speechless as they passed through centuries of repugnance. Never had he seen such filth. Rotten hearts. Ruptured promises. Forgotten loyalties. Children of the creation wandering blindly in lonely labyrinths.

"This is the result of choice? the angel asked.

"Yes."

"They will forget you?"

"Yes."

"They will reject you?"

"Yes."

"They will never come back?"

"Some will. Most won't."

"What will it take to make them listen?"

The Creator walked on in time, further and further into the future, until he stood by a tree. A tree that would be fashioned into a cradle. Even then, he could smell the hay that would surround him.

With another step into the future, he paused before another tree. It stood alone, a stubborn ruler on a bald hill. The trunk was thick, and the wood was strong. Soon it would be cut. Soon it would be trimmed. Soon it would be mounted on the stony brow of another hill. And soon he would be hung on it. He felt the wood rub against a back he did not yet wear.

"Will you go down there?" the angel asked.

"I will."

"Is there no other way?"

"There is not."

"Wouldn't it be easier to not plant the seed? Wouldn't it be easier to not give the choice?"

"It would," the Creator spoke slowly. "But to remove the choice is to remove the love."

He looked around the hill and foresaw a scene. Three figures hung on three crosses. Arms spread. Heads fallen forward. They moaned with the wind.

Men clad in soldier's garb sat on the ground near the trio. They played games in the dirt and laughed.

Men clad in religion stood off to one side. They smiled. Arrogant, cocky. They had protected God, they thought by killing this false one.

Women clad in sorrow huddled at the foot of the hill. Speechless. Faces tear streaked. Eyes downward. One put her arm around another and tried to lead her away. She wouldn't leave. "I will stay," she said softly, "I will stay."

All heaven stood to fight. All nature rose to rescue. All eternity poised to protect. But the Creator gave no command.

"It must be done...," he said, and withdrew.

But as he stepped in time, he heard the cry that he would someday scream: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" He wrenched at tomorrow's agony.

The angel spoke again. "It would be less painful..."

The Creator interrupted softly. "But it wouldn't be love."

They stepped into the Garden again. The Maker looked earnestly at the clay creation. A monsoon of love swelled up within him. He had died for the creation before he had made him. God's form bent over the sculptured face and breathed. Dust stirred on the lips of the new one. The chest rose, cracking the red mud. The cheeks fleshened. A finger moved. And an eye opened.

But more incredible than the moving of the flesh was the stirring of the spirit. Those who could see the unseen gasped.

Perhaps it was the wind who said it first. Perhaps what the star saw that moment is what has made it blink ever since. Maybe it was left to an angel to whisper it:

"It looks like ... it appears to be so much like ... it is him!"

The angel wasn't speaking of the face, the features, or the body. He was looking inside - at the soul.

"It's eternal!" gasped another.

Within the man, God has placed a divine seed. A seed of his self. The God of might had created earth's mightiest. The Creator had created, not a creature, but another creator. And the One who had chosen to love had created one who could love in return.

Now it's our choice.

The Rules of Chocolate

If you've got melted chocolate all over your hands, you're eating it too slowly.

Chocolate covered raisins, cherries, orange slices & strawberries all count as fruit, so eat as many as you want.

Chocolate is a health food. Chocolate is derived from cacao beans. Bean = vegetable. Sugar is derived either from sugar beets or cane, both vegetables. And, of course, the milk/cream is dairy. So eat more chocolate to meet the dietary requirements for daily vegetable and dairy intake.

The problem: How to get 2 lbs. of chocolate home from the store in a hot car.
The solution: Eat it in the parking lot.

Diet tip: Eat a chocolate bar before each meal. It'll take the edge off your appetite and you'll eat less.

A nice box of chocolates can provide your total daily intake of calories in one place. Isn't that handy?

If calories are an issue, store your chocolate on top of the fridge. Calories are afraid of heights, and they will jump out of the chocolate to protect themselves.

If I eat equal amounts of dark chocolate and white chocolate, is that a balanced diet? Don't they actually counteract each other?

Money talks. Chocolate sings. Beautifully.

Chocolate has many preservatives. Preservatives make you look younger.

Q. Why is there no such organization for Chocoholics Anonymous?
A. Because no one wants to quit.

Put "eat chocolate" at the top of your list of things to do today. That way, at least you'll get one thing done.

~ author unknown ~

Why Women Cry

A little boy asked his mother, "Why are you crying?" "Because I'm a woman," she told him. "I don't understand," he said. His mom just hugged him and said, "And you never will." Later the little boy asked his father, "Why does mother seem to cry for no reason?" "All women cry for no reason," was all his dad could say.

The little boy grew up and became a man, still wondering why women cry. Finally he prayed one day, "God, why do women cry so easily?"
This was God's reply:

"When I made the woman she had to be special. I made her shoulders strong enough to carry the weight of the world, yet gentle enough to give comfort.

I gave her an inner strength to endure childbirth and the rejection that many times comes from her children.

I gave her a hardness that allows her to keep going when everyone else gives up, and take care of her family through sickness and fatigue without complaining.

I gave her the sensitivity to love her children under any and all circumstances, even when her child has hurt her very badly.

I gave her strength to carry her husband through his faults and fashioned her from his rib to protect his heart.

I gave her wisdom to know that a good husband never intentionally hurts his wife, but sometimes tests her strengths and her resolve to stand beside him unfalteringly.

And finally, I gave her a tear to shed. This is hers exclusively to use whenever it is needed."

"You see my son," said God, "the beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman must be seen in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart--the place where love resides."

Author unknown

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I read this today and thought it was cute. Women will never understand men, and men will never understand women. Goodness, sometimes I don’t even understand myself! Lately I’ve felt like crying at the drop of a hat, which makes me frustrated with myself, because I didn’t used to be so emotional/moody. Anyway, sometimes it just helps to cry, even when we don’t know why we are crying. I guess God just made women like that. I like this: “I gave her a tear to shed. This is hers exclusively to use whenever it is needed.” Tears really are a sweet relief! So, even though this sounds like an odd thing to be thankful for, thank God for tears! =)

From a Strictly Mathematical Viewpoint

What equals 100%? What does it mean to give MORE than 100%? Ever wonder about those people who say they are giving more than 100%? We have all been in situations where someone wants you to give over 100%. How about achieving 101%? What equals 100% in life?

Here's a little mathematical formula that might help you answer these questions.

If: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Is represented as: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26.

Then:
H-A-R-D-W-O-R- K
8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98%

And:
K-N-O-W-L-E-D-G-E
11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+5 = 96%

But:
A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E
1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5 = 100%

And look how far the love of God will take you:
L-O-V-E-O-F-G-O-D
12+15+22+5+15+6+7+15+4 = 101%

Therefore, one can conclude with mathematical certainty that:
While Hard Work and Knowledge will get you close, and Attitude will get you there, it's the Love of God that will put you over the top!

Think how far you will get if you add Hard Work, Knowledge, Attitude, and Love of God together! Wow! That's 395%!!!

Bow of Promise

On Saturday afternoon Mom spotted this beautiful rainbow in the sky. Here in Holland we get full rainbows that cover a huge distance. (This one was so large I couldn’t get it all in one picture.) They’re wonderful to look at! As I stood admiring the perfect blend of colors, a stroke of God’s paintbrush, I was reminded of His exceeding great and precious promises. Not one of them shall fail!

And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.

Genesis 9:12-16

ROAD RAGE

A man was being tailgated by a stressed-out woman on a busy boulevard. Suddenly, the light turned yellow, just in front of him. He did the right thing, stopping at the crosswalk, even though he could have beaten the red light by accelerating through the intersection.

The tailgating woman was furious and honked her horn, screaming in frustration as she missed her chance to get through the intersection, dropping her cell phone and makeup.

As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and looked up into the face of a very serious police officer. The officer ordered her to exit her car with her hands up. He took her to the police station where she was searched, finger printed, photographed, and placed in a holding cell.

After a couple of hours, a policeman approached the cell and opened the door. She was escorted back to the booking desk where the arresting officer was waiting with her personal effects.

He said, "I'm very sorry for this mistake. You see, I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, flipping off the guy in front of you, and cussing a blue streak at him. I noticed the 'What Would Jesus do?' bumper sticker, the 'Choose Life' license plate holder, the 'Follow Me to Sunday-School' bumper sticker, and the chrome-plated Christian fish emblem on the trunk, naturally..... I assumed you had stolen the car."


Uhum! Now that's something to ponder, isn't it, Christian?

If I Could Be…

I got this quiz from my friend Naomi. I was only supposed to choose 5 occupations and tell what I would do if I were in that position and why, but I was having so much fun that I filled in more than was required. It was good to think about what I would do if God called me to be any one of these people. How would I use the power of my position to influence others and bring glory to God? Really set me to thinking. I hope you enjoy reading If I Could Be! =)

List of positions: If I could be a scientist... If I could be a farmer... If I could be a musician... If I could be a doctor... If I could be a painter... If I could be a gardener... If I could be a missionary... If I could be a chef... If I could be an architect... If I could be a linguist... If I could be a psychologist... If I could be a librarian... If I could be an athlete... If I could be a lawyer... If I could be an inn-keeper... If I could be a professor... If I could be a writer... If I could be a llama-rider... If I could be a mail carrier... If I could be a bonnie pirate... If I could be an astronaut... If I could be a world-famous blogger... If I could be a justice on any one court in the world... If I could be a circus ringmaster… If I could be a meteorologist...

If I could be a linguist... I would be a world-wide traveling evangelist. I would use my talent to spread the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ to those who have never heard.

If I could be a missionary... I would live and die on the forgotten mission field of Holland. I would sacrifice my desire to be anywhere else and give everything that is in me for the depraved people of this country. I would decry the wickedness--drugs and pornography--that rules and is applauded. I would work tirelessly and pray endlessly until a revival sweeps this spiritually destitute land. I would stand on the principles of my holy Bible no matter what and not be ashamed. I would be a strength and example to the Christians in Holland who are struggling to do right. By God's grace I would see generations of Christians standing firmly on the Word of God; Baptist churches would cover the land; husbands would be ever devoted to their wives; children would be in obedience to their parents; Christian families would thrive; churches would be bursting; sinners would be under the conviction of the Holy Spirit; Holland would be set free from Satan's oppression and righteousness would prevail. If I could be a missionary I would die happy on the mission field, knowing that I gave my all. Jesus gave His live for me; can I give Him any less?

If I could be a writer... I would let the Spirit of God use my hand to write literature that would draw people to live lives that glorify God. I would write books that cause Christians to think. I would write missionary biographies that would break the hardened hearts of Christians and send them to mission fields all around the world.

If I could be a justice on any one court in the world... I would be a righteous judge. I would not accept bribes to change my decision. I would rule by the Constitution and by the Word of God, which is the Book of ultimate wisdom. Wickedness would be punished; the falsely-accused righteous would be set free. If I were judge, murderers would be executed. Tax payers would not be paying well-earned money to keep human scum alive. This backwards world declares the innocent guilty and the guilty innocent; the righteous are called wicked and the wicked are called righteous. One day the judges of the world will stand before the Supreme Judge, God Almighty, and then their unlawful decrees will be set right. The wicked will receive their dues in the fires of Hell, and the righteous will be rewarded in Heavenly bliss. I take comfort in knowing that everyone will one day be judged by the Judge who cannot be bribed. It will be an accurate ruling by an all-knowing Judge.

If I could be a lawyer... I would defend the innocent. Christians who are brought to court under false charges would have a lawyer they can count on to plead their case. I would not be like some of these rip-off artists who are only in it for the money.

If I could be a musician... I would write and play music that would be so filled with the Spirit of God that Christians would be start living like the redeemed children of God that they are; sinners would immediately fall under the conviction of the Holy Ghost upon hearing it. My music would not sound like the world in any way, shape, or form. There would be a distinct difference. I would not compromise God’s Words with the devil’s music as most well-known contemporary “Christian” musicians have done. I would give God all the glory and honor for the talent He gave me.

If I could be a painter... I would paint God’s glorious creation with a Bible verse on every painting. I would paint scenes that would cause people to think about eternity and about righteous living.

If I could be a professor... I would prove “Evil-ution” wrong (I love how the English pronounce Evolution!). I would teach all my students the truth: GOD created the world. We did not evolve from monkeys, though people would prefer to believe that since it gives them an excuse to behave worse than animals.

If I could be an architect... I would build Baptist churches and pray that they would be full and overflowing so that the building could not contain the multitudes. I would build homes and pray they would be filled with Christian families who would serve God all their days. “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15

If I could be a doctor… I would help sick people. I would not be in it just for the money; I would not rip people off. Not only would I help them get well physically, but I would help them get well spiritually. I would tell them about the Great Physician who can heal every sin-sickened soul that comes to Him, acknowledging that they have a real need--a need for salvation.

If I could be a farmer... I would have a place way out…far away from civilization. A long, winding dirt road would lead up to the house. I would have a large, white, house and country blue trimming. It would have a wide porch and rocking chairs with cushions on them. There would be large windows with checkered curtains blowing in the breeze. I would have lovely, colorful flowers growing around the house. In the distance you could see a purple mountain range and a lake nearby. In the quiet of the evening you could hear the reeds whispering in the wind. Back behind the house, off to one side, I would have a big, red barn with white trimming. I would have lots of chickens, a Jersey cow, a horse for Lydia, and haystacks to jump in. I’d have a golden retriever and maybe an orange barn cat for the mice. I would have an enormous garden where I would grow tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, strawberries, corn, and peppers. I would grow fruit trees all around the property. I would have a hammock where I could rest in the shade with a book and some lemonade. I would give my extra vegetables to needy people in my community. If I had a good year of crops I would give my additional money to missions and house missionaries coming back on furlough.

If I could be an inn-keeper... I would keep my inn or Bed & Breakfast tidy and clean. I would make it a shelter for weary travelers. I would let missionaries stay at a discount. It would truly be a ministry.

If I could be a chef... If I could be a chef I would make delicious food for my family and sick people I know. I would cook for special church functions, like conferences and banquets. I would use my talent to feed God’s people so they stay healthy and have strength to serve the Lord more effectively.

If I could be a psychologist... I would tell people that their supposed mental problem is not that at all--it is a heart problem. The root of every trouble they have is because of sin. When people see themselves as sinners before a righteous God everything starts falling into place. I would help people get saved.

The wonderful blessing is that I have a small part of every one of these occupations, though I do not major in any one of them!

Linguist: I know more than one language--Dutch.
Missionary: I’m serving the Lord with my parents on the mission field.
Writer: I am the writer of this blog; it’s not much, but in my limited capacity I am writing, and people are reading it.
Judge: When kids in the nursery are fighting, I decide who is right and who is wrong. Then they get punished according to what they have done. (I’m sure I’ll be doing more “judging” when I have kids of my own!)
Musician: I am our church pianist. I’ll never be world famous, but I can play for the song service, and that suites me just fine!
Doctor: I don’t have any fancy degree, but I can clean a cut, take out a splinter, and help to make people well in small ways. I can hand out vitamins and herbs that heal.
Farmer: I grow a small garden of strawberries and tomatoes, and I try to grow flowers too. =)
Inn keeper: I’m no licensed Bed & Breakfast manager, but I help to make my family comfortable and any guests at home.
Chef: I do a good deal of the cooking and baking in our home. I try to keep my family healthy by feeding them nutritious food. I cook for church functions as well.
Psychologist: I comfort and cheer saddened hearts, and I go soul winning. I try to help others with loving words…the words of Jesus Christ.

I have every one of these jobs in a small way! That makes me so happy! =)

The Official Language of Europe

My dad sent me this forward, and I thought it was SO funny! =D I love German; someday I hope to learn how to speak it. It's very close to Dutch. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this as much as I did...

The European Commission has just announced that English will be the official language of the European Union. German, which was the other possibility, narrowly missed out.

During negotiations, the British Government conceded that English spelling had some room for improvement and accepted a 5-year phase-in plan that would become known as 'Euro-English'.

In the first year, 's' will replace the soft 'c'. Sertainly this will make sivil servants jump with joy. The hard 'c' will be dropped in favor of 'k'. This should klear up konfusion, and keyboards kan have one less letter.

There will be growing publik enthusiasm in the sekond year when the troublesome 'ph' will be replaced with 'f'. This will make words like fotograf 20% shorter.

In the 3rd year, publik akseptanse of the new spelling kan be expekted to reach the stage where more komplikated changes are possible. Governments will enkourage the removal of double letters which have always ben a deterent to akurate speling. Also, al wil agre that the horibl mes of the silent 'e' in the languag is disgrasful and it should go away.

By the 4th yer pepl wil be reseptiv to steps such as replasing 'th' with 'z' and 'w' with 'v'.

During ze fifz yer, ze unesesary 'o' kan be dropd from vords kontaining 'ou' and after zis fifz yer, ve vil hav a reil sensibl riten styl. Zer vil be no mor trubl or difikultis and evrivun vil find it ezi tu understand ech oza. Ze drem of a united urop vil finali kum tru.

Und after zis fifz yer, ve vil al be speking German; lik zey vunted in ze forst plas.

If zis mad you smil, pleas pas on to oza pepl.