Now I Know...

Boredom can lead to madness in parrots. The birds need constant interaction, affection, and mental stimulation; bird authorities have determined that some parrots have the mental abilities of a 5-year-old human child. When caged by themselves and neglected for long periods of time, these intelligent, sociable birds can easily become mentally ill. Many inflict wounds upon themselves, develop strange tics, and rip out their own feathers. Should a neglected parrot go mad, there is little that can be done to restore it to normalcy. In England, there are mental institutions for such unfortunate creatures.

Wait for it...

 

 

 

....Poor Polly is a quacker.

Slow Fade...

I've been listening to 95.5 KFSH lately.  It is the only contemporary Christian radio station I can clearly get in my car.  I finally discovered who sings the song "Slow Fade."  It is a very interesting song and cautionary tale.

 

"Slow Fade"
By Casting Crowns

Be careful little eyes what you see
It's the second glance that ties your hands as darkness pulls the strings
Be careful little feet where you go
For it's the little feet behind you that are sure to follow

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
It's a slow fade, it's a slow fade

Be careful little ears what you hear
When flattery leads to compromise, the end is always near
Be careful little lips what you say
For empty words and promises lead broken hearts astray

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day

The journey from your mind to your hands
Is shorter than you're thinking
Be careful if you think you stand
You just might be sinking

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
Daddies never crumble in a day
Families never crumble in a day

Oh be careful little eyes what see
Oh be careful little eyes what you see
For the Father up above is looking down in love
Oh be careful little eyes what you see


--
Mary E.Hickcox
www.CalvaryBaptistSM.org
http://mary-neotes.blogspot.com/

Our Purpose in Life: Uncomfortable vs. Comfortable

 I hope every one of you plan to come to Youth Group tonight!

 

We are on the 3rd session of the Maui Gospel Journey, and, tonight will be really, REALLY excellent.  Tonight we get to listen in and observe as the team discusses their purpose in life.

 

Today's PW Devotional discusses this very thing too!

What is your purpose in life, this life?  Another way to think about it: what are you doing now that counts for eternity?  How is your life bringing glory to God and not yourself?

 

I recall as a teenager the thought of getting older.  It seemed like it was never gonna happen!  It seemed like I was stuck at 15, 16 or 17.  Often times, it felt like I was trapped in a huge ocean-full of jello, retarding my movements, slowing me down, getting nowhwere fast (rather slowly, actually).  I wished for, dreamt about and longed for "getting older."  I wonder if some of you are there right now?  Are you so focused on the "future" you that you neglect the "now" you?

 

God has a purpose and plan for you, His child, right now.  Read on to see what the PW devo has to say about this.

 

And...if you are thinking about coming tonight, but haven't been in a while, come anyway!  Most of our session will be spent in the dark watching a video...so mostly, people won't be paying attention to you!  Just come!  I promise, you won't be disappointed.

 

Really.

 

Just come.

PlanetWisdom.com Devotionals

---

Not My Power: For You and for God Posted: 02 May 2010 02:02 PM PDT "All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God." (2 Corinthians 4:15) What are you living for? If everyone's life on this side of eternity gets spent, gets used up until they die, what will you spend yours accomplish? What is worth sweating and bleeding and suffering for? You're not an apostle -- and might not even be thinking of going into "full-time ministry" -- but you couldn't do much better than to borrow Paul's purpose statement from today's verse for why he was willing to use up his days doing such hard things. You might be able to hear it better if we reverse engineer the verse: "So that God will get glory from overflowing thanksgiving from all the people His grace is reaching, I am willing to suffer whatever it takes (in God's power and knowing I will be resurrected to perfect and painless life in eternity)." So what are you willing to live, work, suffer, and die for before you get to heaven? Think: Which is bigger in your life today -- the goal to avoid hard things for your comfort or the goal to do hard things for God's glory? Pray: Ask God to help you to feel so motivated by bringing Him glory that you're willing to use your life up serving people who will thank Him for His grace. Do: Look for an opportunity to serve someone this week in way that's not necessarily easy or comfortable for you.

You are subscribed to email updates from PlanetWisdom.com Devotionals To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610

--
Mary E.Hickcox
www.CalvaryBaptistSM.org
http://mary-neotes.blogspot.com/

Happy Tears...Worth the Wait!!!

Have I mentioned lately how wonderful, my husband, Frank is?  He may NOT be your cup of tea...but he is the perfect match for me!  At work today, one of the graduates brought in her special music for the graduation slide show.  On the album was an updated version of the song, "I Will Be Here," by Stephen Curtis Chapman.  This song was in our wedding.  I still remember why I picked this song and how choked up the singer got when trying to sing it.  I was so madly in love with Frank, and so happy to be marrying him, I didn't cry through this song.  However, now, EVERY time I hear it, happy tears spring from my eyes.  In case you don't know the song, here are the lyrics:

 

"I Will Be Here" by Stephen Curtis Chapman

 

Tomorrow mornin' if you wake up
And the sun does not appear
I...I will be here

If in the dark we lose sight of love
Hold my hand and have no fear
'Cause I...I will be here

I will be here...
When you feel like bein' quiet
When you need to speak your mind
I will listen
And I will be here
When the laughter turns to cryin'
Through the winnin' and losin' and tryin'
We'll be together
'Cause I will be here

Tomorrow mornin' if you wake up
And the future is unclear
I...I'll be here

Just as sure as seasons are made for change
Our lifetimes are made for years
I...I will be here

I will be here....
You can cry on my shoulder
When the mirror tells us we're older
I will hold you

And I will be here
To watch you grow in beauty
And tell you all the things you are to me
I will be here

I will be true
To the promise I have made
To you and to the
One who gave you to me

I...I will be here

And just as sure as seasons are made for change
Our lifetimes are made for years
'Cause I...
I will be here....
We'll be together

'Cause I will be here

I cannot stress enough how important it is to wait on God's timing when dating, waiting and choosing a mate for life!

 

When you submit to God and wait on Him to bring the right man (not a boy, not a guy...not a bro) into your life, real joy, happiness, peace, a deep sense of belonging, safety, being loved and becoming one is the result.  When it is the man God has planned for you, the two of you will be likeminded; meaning, you will be in agreement over all the things that matter to God.  You will be able to serve God as a couple and reap the pure joy, blessings and satisfaction that comes from pleasing God first and foremost in your life!

 

Ladies, you who are in Christ Jesus, you have absolutely no business dating an unbeliever nor a 'poser.'   What's a 'poser?'  A poser is a guy who claims to be a Christian, yet continues to live like the world, in all ways.  I know the Christian life is a struggle and not one of us will be perfect this side of heaven...however, if you claim to be a follower of Christ, there will be fruit in your life.

 

A guy struggling to work out his beliefs, views and faith in Christ...caring more about pleasing God than himself or you, is the kind of young man I find VERY fascinating!  

 

When you compromise and say "yes" to dating a guy who doesn't believe the same way you do, you are saying "no" to God's will and plan for your life.  You are essentially saying to God, "I know better than You do."  Really? Yes.

 

The kind of Godly guy you want, wants you to be the kind of Godly worman he is looking for.  Not one who is silly, selfish and easily available to guys in general.

 

So many of you don't want to wait on God.  You don't guard your hearts!  You let anyone who speaks nicely to you, flirts with you or pays attention to you into your heart.  God wants to have first place in your heart.  He wants to keep you safe and reserve you for His very best.

 

Guard your heart!  What does this mean?  Proverbs 4:20-27 explains:

 

 ²⁰ My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. 

 ²¹ Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; 

 ²² for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body. 

 ²³ Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. 

 ²⁴ Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. 

 ²⁵ Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. 

 ²⁶ Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. 

 ²⁷ Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.

 

Paul also talks about guarding your heart in Philippians 4:4-8

⁴Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ⁵Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

 ⁸Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ⁹Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Wait on God.  Just wait.  He (the wonderful man God has planned for you, IF God plans for you to marry) will be worth the wait. 

Am I saying you shouldn't date?  Not at all.  What I am saying (asking), suggesting, is for you to make a list of qualities you are looking for in someone you WILL date.  And, if you are a Christian, the first quality on your list should be: he should be a Christian.  Check your list...do you live out the qualities you are looking for in someone you will date?

God has your best interest at heart.  He really wants you to trust Him with your future.  Cry out to Him about your dating life (or lack thereof).  Pray about whom you should date and IF you should date.  And, wait on God.  He won't disappoint you...I promise!

God, the Creator of the universe, made you.  He knows every minute detail about you.  He knows exactly who you are.  God has "custom" created the perfect partner in life for you.  Believe it! Wait. And, wait some more.

Hang in there!

I love you all!

Love in Christ, Mary

American Idols a Devo from Dare2Share!

Howdy!  It's been about a week or so since I emailed all of y'all.  Sorry about that.  Been having computer issues at work...downtime...and getting ready for a monthly committee meeting I HAVE to attend (which was last Friday).  But, hey, I now have an updated, new & better, improved desktop PC at work (or SO they tell me).

 

Last night, Frank and I watched the next two episodes on Gospel Journey Maui!  I gotta tell you...it is awesome!  I LOVE how God's Truth, revealed in His Word: the Bible, always pierces through the heart and makes you do a self-check.  These two episodes did that for me.  First, I had to recheck my love for those dedicated to false religions.  Do I still love the person and show Christ to them, even when they may be offensive to me?  Do I try to "win" my point and not listen fully to theirs'?  Am I living my faith?  Or, has my faith become stagnant, a ritual of things I gotta do....have I made it all about me and not about God...Jesus...and the Holy Spirit dwelling inside of me?  Good stuff!  I hope you are planning to continue the Gospel Maui Journey with us on Wednesday nights!!!  Pray for us as we pray for you.  May we ALL care more about what God thinks and not what man thinks!

 

Following is a great reminder and absolute Truth from Dare2Share.

 

American Idols
If someone would have told you that Harry Connick Jr. and...(ahem) Lady Gaga would one day share back-to-back performances, would you have believed it? Actually it sounds more like a set up for a joke to me, but that is just another 'only on American Idol ' thing.
I suppose they are contrasting two true idols on a show that has made a billion dollar industry creating idols. Each year, literally millions of idol-wanna-be folks sign up for the dream of becoming the next Carrie Underwood or Taylor Hicks...wait a sec, who is Taylor Hicks?
Anyway, I'll admit I'm a fan. In fact, I think I've developed the spiritual gift of prophecy, because after every contestant I foresee non-existent phrases like 'pitchy' coming from Randy, nonsensical metaphors from Kara, and non-compassionate (but usually true) criticism from Simon.
Oh yeah, and Ellen talks too.
But something I am clearly not a fan of is something the show reminds me of every week, and that is idolatry.
How would you define idolatry? Most people associate this word with carved images and freaky looking statues, and to be sure, that is accurate. But I believe there are American idols in our midst that are just as deceptive and ultimately just as destructive.
Interesting, isn't it? We make fun of cultures that pray to gold statues, when at the same time we are locked up in the prison of materialism and the false security of money - you know, the green stuff that is our substitute for gold.
I guess you make anything an idol. Boyfriend, girlfriend, star athlete, academic success, Facebook, Farmville, sex, drugs, or even the person you look at in the mirror every day.
So what is wrong with idols and idolatry? Is God jealous?
Well, yes...but not in the petty, immature sense that we experience. Listen to His view:
You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the L ord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods (Exodus 20:5).
You must worship no other gods, for the L ord , whose very name is Jealous, is a God who is jealous about his relationship with you (Exodus 34:14).
The word for jealous in both of these verses should more appropriately be translated 'zealous' - as in zeal. This is God's intense passion to protect His children from anything and everything that would take His rightful rule and reign in life and ultimately destroy you.
In other words, when we make something or someone more important than God, we start a chain reaction that will transform us into petty, self-absorbed people who miss out on the incredible joy-filled life that can only come from worshipping the one true God of the universe.
You've probably heard of a man named Jonah - you know, the whale guy right? What you probably don't know is that he was sent on a mission to help millions of people turn away from idolatry so they could find God and live life the way He designed it. Ironically, Jonah's idol was his Jewish pride, which God had to break in the belly of the whale. When he was taking his ocean journey, he turned back to God, and his statement is very interesting:
Those who cling to worthless idols
forfeit the grace that could be theirs.
But I, with a song of thanksgiving,
will sacrifice to you.
What I have vowed I will make good.
Salvation comes from the LORD" (Jonah 2:7-10).
I think at the heart of idolatry is salvation. People desperately searching for what will save them from what appears to be a meaningless and purposeless existence. So when they find something or someone that gives them a temporary feeling of meaning and value, it becomes an object of worship that will ultimately disappoint and fail in that position.
Take a lesson from Jonah. Don't cling to worthless things that will never come close to the infinite joy, meaning, purpose, and value that comes from loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Jesus Christ made a way possible to worship God in spirit and truth, so find the grace that can be yours by trusting in Him as your only hope of salvation.
And finally - like Jonah, we are called to bring God's message of salvation through Jesus Christ to the idolatrous culture we live in and to make disciples who make disciples.
Remember these words from the Apostle John:
We know that Jesus Christ the Son of God has come and has shown us the true God. And because of Jesus, we now belong to the true God who gives eternal life. Children, you must stay away from idols (1 John 5:20-21).
Especially those American 'idols'!
 

Talk to your friends about what they think is worshipped in this culture and how they would define "idol." Remember, you are on a mission like Jonah to take the message of freedom from idolatry to the people God has placed in your life.
 

Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant. You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus be cursed," and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:1-3). 
 What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people" (2 Corinthians 6:16).
The Lord's message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia - your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead - Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath (1 Thessalonians 1:8-10).
 

Visit www.dare2share.org/conferences to learn more.

© 2010 Dare 2 Share Ministries

If you've enjoyed this Soul Fuel, you can use this link to forward it to a friend.
If this email was forwarded to you by a friend, sign up for your own FREE subscription.

--
Mary E.Hickcox
www.CalvaryBaptistSM.org
http://mary-neotes.blogspot.com/