lola21st

But I am starting to see that my goals for being healthy have to be just that, not to appear sexy or in fashion or acceptable to those who deem beauty as a size ratio but to look after my body as the temple that is fearfully and wonderfully made by God of the Holy spirit...amen! Amen! Everytime I focus on being healthy (which is a long-term, life changing goal), I'm successful in losing weight. But the moment I start to get disappointed because I can't fit into (fill in the blank) or otherwise turn the goal into a fashion or beauty focus, I go off track because I'm impatient in this area, I want to see results in 5 minutes...

I agree with everything that's been already stated and just want to encourage you to continue giving as prompted by the Holy Spirit. What that pastor is teaching is incorrect and inappropriate (which is why it's important to study the Word on our own so that we can identify bad teaching when it surfaces) and he will be held accountable to the Lord so pray for him that he sees the error in his teaching and changes his ways accordingly. Don't let this situation prevent you and your husband from continuing to be good stewards of God's money. Not necessarily saying that you should or shouldn't continue giving to that church, I'm just saying don't allow your anger/displeasure over the situation to cause you to make decisions that would grieve the Holy Spirit. Keep seeking the Lord on this matter and do what He says, not what the pastor says. So if there are offerings that are announced and you two don't feel that the Holy Spirit is leading you to contribute, then don't. But don't hold back if you get that prompting from the Holy Spirit, EVEN if it benefits the pastor. I've heard of this happening more as well these days and even my pastor has incorporated this into his messages but I continue to give as I believe the Lord is directing me. Going on a tangent here, I'm also noticing it more on television with televangelists who are suggesting that with a seed offering of $1,000 USD (just one example), people who donate at least that level of money will see amazing things manifest in their lives and the miracles will begin within a couple of weeks. They even tell the viewing audience to go ahead and put the amount on their credit card... This is the group that also works my tithes and offerings nerves - I have a problem with them telling people to get into debt to send them an offering when the Lord is so against debt.

i didnt take outta christmas,, i jus hate typeing so i shrunk him, When I read this, I thought of a new release of a popular movie series from the 80's (I think it was the 80's)..."Honey, I Shrunk the Lord"..... (That should read "Lord Help ME" so please just pretend it does in this case... ) Lord, please forgive me! Sorry, just trying to provide some comic relief...

Awesome, praise God!

Praise you, Jesus! CONGRATULATIONS DESIREE!!!!!

Hot Cross Buns are a Catholic tradition (though not exclusive to Catholics these days) - people often have them on Good Friday as part of their fast (no meat, light meals).... The part about leaving Jesus outta Easter isn't really a parallel because Christ isn't in the holy day name Easter as opposed to the holy day name Christmas....but you're right, that's where the X comes from in XMas...

Congratulations, that's great news!

Let me know if there aren't any takers, I have a few more topics...

if it wer me id be happy wiv D-mas,,,,,

(apologies to the man of the thread!) Hi Deborah! Thanks, yes I am aware of the origin of "Holiday" and I can appreciate what you’re saying. The thing is that those that extend the greeting typically don't know that this is the case; more often than not they extend the greeting as a symbol of tolerance for the three celebrations taking place during this time (Christmas, Hanukah, and Kwanzaa - actually four if Ramadan falls during this period)...it's intended as a way of greeting without potentially offending someone who doesn't celebrate the holiday that would've been extended. Companies and schools will often use this greeting to avoid conflict (though as stated in my earlier post, schools have taken this one step further to refer to this period with even more generic names ). And then you have people who use the term because they are not religious and don't want to recognize a holy day at all...I don't want to be associated with this latter group and I do know which Holy Day I'm celebrating so when extending greetings I say Merry Christmas, even if the person I'm talking to isn't Christian. I don't do it to be self-righteous nor do I do it to be mean spirited, I do it because it's what I do - I’m a Christian, I celebrate Christmas – it’s that simple. When around my Jewish friends for example, I say Merry Christmas, they say Happy Hanukah and it's done, the holiday greetings are exchanged. (This wasn’t always in the case in my experience, especially back in the Northeast where I’m originally from.) My feeling about this is strong because whether people like it or not, the reason we have vacation time, special concerts and performances, tv specials, decorations in the mall and at home, Santa for the kids, mistletoe, candy cane, (special and exceptionally good) chocolate ( ), etc. during this period is because of Jesus’ birth. These things are all offshoots of our celebration of it so to reach a point where we shut out the reason for the season in both large and small ways is inappropriate. Even using ‘Merry Xmas’ as benign as it is, is another way of watering the whole season down which is why Cholette and I harassed Dreamster for his shorthand…(D, I know this wasn’t your intent, please don’t take offense at this statement)…not to mention, it provided an opportunity to Dreamster that couldn’t be passed up… I hope I don't come across like a vigilante, it's just that there is a growing intolerance for anything religious (unless it's Buddhist, New Age, or Wicca) and a growing intolerance for everything Christian in the SF Bay Area which is where I live. Cholette also lives in California and I imagine she experiences the same thing in her region. I've heard more than once recently that in Silicon Valley only 6-10% of the population considers themselves religious and/or attends church So that means that 90% + of the population here are not yet saved. (What a great opportunity for missions, don’t you think?) For me, it's a small but important gesture to say Merry Christmas. People know where I stand and it potentially offers an opportunity to talk about Jesus. Ok, I’m stepping down from my now and am unhijacking the thread….carry on with the

Linda, my solution in a similar situation was to get two cats... I couldn't decide and the trap house didn't work nor did the sticky sheets... ...but since I brought the cats home, no problem and it's been three years....

Ok, D, ok...but see what happens when you take the Christ out of Christmas? It's not pretty... Anyway, let the celebrations continue!!

um the x in xmas is the cross true, we here know that but in the world it's a growing way to take Jesus out of the season and reduce it to a time to ONLY put up decorations, drink eggnog, go to parties, give/receive presents, and eat sweets - um, LOTS of sweets...but I digress....anyway, I also use this as an opportunity to keep the Christ in Christmas... I also refuse to say "Happy Holidays", I say Merry Christmas. It's gotten so bad that in some public schools, they don't even say Christmas vacation or Holiday break, it's Winter break and I can't remember the term I've heard some schools use for this period, I want to say "Winter Celebrations" or something silly like that...

lol, I thought it was you when I first saw it...

Awesome poem! God has anointed you in this area, I like the fact that you've transformed your feelings around this situation with D.M. into a constructive release of them through writing away your anger/frustration yet remaining Godly by forgiving her and releasing her into God's hands so that He can deal with her. Unfortunately, a lot of people in similar situations use less helpful methods to deal with their feelings (e.g., alcohol, drugs, etc.) or they retreat because they received the person's (or peoples') comments and accepted them as truth when they are not. Or they grow bitter and resentful which are toxic and hindering emotions. By forgiving them, you are freed from all of those emotions and the damage that they can cause, and you stay on the course that God has laid out for you to become the person that He's destined you to be. Always remember that God defines you, man does not. Man will attempt to discourage, God will not. In reading your poem and this thread, Romans 8:31-39 comes to mind: 31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”[j] 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[k] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation (Not even D.M.), will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

I really enjoy hearing about how God operates in your life, your testimonies always come at the right time to inspire and encourage! Praise the Lord for His goodness!

Praise the Lord, that's great news!

In the US - How to file a copyright US Copyright Office FAQ

That's a great idea!