THE TRUTH ABOUT CHRISTMAS

Before I knew the below information, I put up a tree and the various decorations for Christmas but after hearing much historical proof and doing some reading; I chose not to have a Christmas Tree and feel convicted about other forms of decor during this season in my home. At this time, although it is not Jesus' birth, I will continue to celebrate this just because it is lifting him up. I will also continue to enjoy time with my family and friends praying that I will be able to let the light of Jesus to shine through me. Please read the below articles I got from another website. It is a real eye opener. Also, I have included some Youtubes re this subject below these articles.

#1) December 25th Was Baal’s Birthday Before It Was Celebrated As Christmas

Most Christians get quite offended when you try to tell them that December 25th is not a Christian holiday. They just don't understand. The truth is that it is a very ancient pagan holiday, and most of the Christmas traditions of today can be directly traced back to pagan practices. For example, have you ever heard of a story where a heroic supernatural figure visits an evergreen tree on December 25th to leave gifts? Does that sound familiar? Does the name Santa Claus ring a bell? Well, the reality is that it goes back a lot farther than that. It actually goes all the way back to ancient Babylon. According to ancient Babylonian tradition, Semiramis (who eventually became known as the goddess Asherah/Ashtoreth/Isis/Ishtar/Easter in other religions) claimed that her son Nimrod had been reincarnated in the form of a full grown evergreen tree that sprang up overnight from a dead tree stump. Semiramis also claimed that Nimrod would visit the evergreen tree and leave gifts each year on the anniversary of his birth, which just happened to be on December 25th. Yes, this story seems a bit weird and contradictory, but that is often the case with ancient pagan religions. Out of this story came the tradition for pagans to go out to the holy "groves" and leave gifts for Nimrod (who was later worshipped as "Baal") at an evergreen tree. Does that sound "Christian" to you? In fact, have you ever wondered where the word Christmas actually comes from? The word "Christmas" is actually not found anywhere in the Bible. In fact, the word "Christmas" was not even invented until the Middle Ages. The Catholic Encyclopedia makes this stunning admission: "The word for Christmas in late Old English is Cristes Maesse, the Mass of Christ, first found in 1038." That means that the word "Christmas" did not even exist until more than a thousand years after the death of Yahshua (Jesus). Yet most American Christians will gather around "the Christmas tree" on December 25th without having any idea why they keep this tradition or where it originally came from. The truth is that the Christmas tree and the decorations that they put on the Christmas tree have ancient roots in pagan fertility traditions. In ancient times, the goddess Asherah/Ashtoreth was known as the "Queen of Heaven". She was worshipped by many ancient civilizations throughout the Middle East. One of the symbols most closely associated with Asherah/Ashtoreth was a tree. The ancient Canaanites and Phoenicians viewed the tree as a symbol of fertility. A symbol of male fertility. This is not a joke. Sadly this is all very real. The purpose of the fertility tree in ancient times was to display the symbols of fertility. The pole, balls, and tinsel (phallus, testes, semen) represented various aspects of male fertility, while wreaths were always made in a circle to represent female fertility. That sure puts a different spin on things, now doesn't it? But isn't all of this supposed to be "Christian"? The truth is that the Bible does not say a thing about a "Christmas tree", but it does warn God's people against putting up trees like the other pagan nations were doing. In Jeremiah 10:1-4 we read this: Hear what the LORD says to you, O house of Israel. This is what the LORD says: "Do not learn the ways of the nations or be terrified by signs in the sky, though the nations are terrified by them. For the customs of the peoples are worthless; they cut a tree out of the forest, and a craftsman shapes it with his chisel. They adorn it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so it will not totter." The truth can be shocking, eh? But most people simply do not know these things. Most people believe that December 25th first became a holiday when Catholics decided to make that day the celebration of the birth of Christ. But that is simply not true. Long before Christmas was ever invented, December 25th was known as "the birthday of the unconquered sun" and it was celebrated as the birthday of pagan gods such as Baal, Mithras, Attis, Sol, Jupiter, Dionysus and others. When the Catholics came along and decided to make it a Christian holiday in the fourth century, they simply adopted a pagan holiday and kept many of the same pagan practices. Another ancient name for the late December holiday is Yule. Yule is the name of a major pagan holiday that is still celebrated today by huge numbers of people around the world. In fact, a major U.K. newspaper ran this headline last winter: Ancient Yule festivals lie behind much of our British Christmas. Yule was celebrated by the pagans of northern Europe from late December through early January for centuries. When you offer "yuletide" greetings you are acknowledging this pagan celebration. Yule logs were traditionally lit to honor the horrible pagan god "Thor". The holiday would continue until the Yule log burned out, which could take as long as twelve days. This is where we get the so-called "12 days of Christmas". Even an early form of Santa Claus can all be traced back to ancient Yule celebrations. In fact, pagan, Wiccans and witches still celebrate Yule to this day. They laugh and laugh at Christians who use the pagan word Yule. The following was taken from a website on witchcraft: ----- Birthday of the Twins: Kemetic (ancient Egyptian) holy day. Birthday of the Twins, Heru Sa Aset and Bast, children of Aset [Isis]. Origin of Yule and Christmas. On Winter Solstice Asar [Osiris] dies. Aset [Isis] with the magick help of Nebt Het [Nephthys] creates a Djed Pillar [artificial penis] for Her husband and impregnates Herself. For three full days (December 22-24) Asar lies dead and the Twins grow in Aset’s belly. On this day (December 25th) the Twins are born, the reincarnation or resurrection of Their Father. The green tree is a symbol of the green-skinned Asar, God of fertility and vegetation. The colored lights are symbols of Aset, Goddess of magick and divine light. Red, green, and white are the traditional candle colors of Bast (this was Her birthday alone for several thousand years of early Kemetic history), later being adapted to red for Aset (the color of the Mother’s menstrual flow), green for Asar (the color of vegetation), and white for the Twins (the color of pure light). ----- Another one of the pre-Christian pagan festivals of late December was called Saturnalia. Saturnalia was a holiday during which the Romans commemorated the dedication of the temple of their god Saturn. This festival began on the 17th of December and it would last for a whole week until the 23rd of December. Green ivy and holly were common symbols of "Saturn", the Roman deity. So why do Christians put them up in their houses? Later on, the Romans also started holding a festival on December 25th called Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, which means "the birthday of the unconquered sun." It was held to honor the birth of the sun god. In the year 350 A.D., Pope Julius I declared that "Christ’s birth" would be celebrated on December 25th from then on. As we discussed earlier, Christians incorporated many of the previously existing pagan practices and traditions into their new holiday. Apparently the Pope's rationale at the time was that he was trying to make it easier for pagan Romans to convert to Christianity. But the historical Jesus was not born on December 25th. It simply would have been far too cold for shepherds to be out with their sheep at night during that time. So when was Jesus actually born.

#2) Was Jesus Born During The Feast Of Tabernacles And Not On Christmas?

In a previous article we alluded to the fact that Yahshua (Jesus) was almost certainly born during the Feast of Tabernacles. But is there any evidence for this? Is there any evidence that Jesus was not born on December 25th? The truth is that the vast majority of both Christians and non-Christians are shocked when you tell them that Yahshua (Jesus) was not born anywhere near December 25th. In fact, the word "Christmas" is not anywhere in the Bible, and neither are "Christmas trees" or "Christmas presents". So what does the Bible say about when Yahshua (Jesus) was born? Well, our research has uncovered some stunning truths about Christmas, and we have presented those findings in a short YouTube video entitled: "Proof That Jesus Christ Was NOT Born On December 25th". The video is embedded at the end of this post, and we hope that you will watch it and send it to others as well. Our YouTube video examines the following questions: *Wouldn't it have been way too cold for the shepherds to be out with their flocks at night in late December? *Can we prove from the Scriptures that Yahshua (Jesus) was NOT born during the winter? *Do the Scriptures give us any information about when Yahshua (Jesus) actually was born? *Was there a real historical reason why the inns were full when Mary and Joseph were looking for a place to stay? *Was there a festival that was instituted by the Lord God over a thousand years before Yahshua(Jesus) was born that prophetically foreshadowed the circumstances and timing of His birth? The truth is that there is a whole lot about the birth of Yahshua (Jesus) that you were never taught in church. So if Yahshua (Jesus) was not born on December 25th, then why do Christians celebrate that day? The truth might shock you. The reality is that there was a late December pagan holiday that was celebrated for centuries before Yahshua(Jesus) was ever born. This pagan holiday that commemorated the birth of various pagan "gods" was celebrated throughout the Roman Empire in different forms. In fact, many of the "Christmas traditions" of today can be directly traced to pagan religious practices that pre-date Christ. The Roman Catholics decided to "christianize" this pagan holiday starting in 336 A.D. and turn it into a celebration of the birth of Christ. But they also kept many of the same traditions and practices from the pagan festivals.

Santa Clause:

May we have a blessed time with our families as we lift up Jesus during this season and in 2011.

Blessings

C

FLUORIDE IS BAD STUFF, ESPECIALLY FOR THE THYROID

Because I have thyroid issues, I have been doing research on foods that would help improve my condition. Just recently I have found out that Fluoride is very bad for you. Will be getting a filter system that will clean out this and Chlorine (which is also bad for you). Check out these YouTubes: Here is a couple more sites re floride: http://www.nofluoride.com/Fluoride_and_Thyroid_Cancer.cfm http://www.fluoridefree.net/ Also found out that black tea, green tea and white tea is high in fluoride, therefore, will not be drinking it now even though it is high in antioxidents (will just have to try other things). Site re teas: http://www.ithyroid.com/fluorine.htm (There is extensive information re green tea here) This talks about detoxing it out of your system: http://www.naturalnews.com/026605_fluoride_fluorides_water.html Looking into what I can use to brush my teeth that has NO fluoride.

WINTER ISN'T SO BAD IF. . . Link With Much Interesting Information About Snowflakes

. Winter can be beautiful if you look at all the positives. . .

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These beautiful snowflakes decorating this post

are actual photographs.

Please check out the link by clicking on the title.

It tells how snowflakes are formed. Very Interesting.

***WINTER***

Frosted fir trees. Breath taking,

frosted windows. Diamond dust made by tiny glistening snowflakes,

gently falling in the sun shine. New skates. Sparkling,

white snow. Laughing children,

having snowball fights. Sliding down the hill on a waxed toboggan,

with siblings and friends. Icicles,

decorating a house Making snowmen. Crisp,

fresh air. Rosie cheeks. Skating,

on the lagoon,

pond or skating rink. Horse driven,

sleigh rides. Crunching ice,

under your feet. Snow angels. Beautiful snowflakes.

Frozen,

water falls.

Relaxing, in my cozy sitting room as I watch

the drifting snowflakes outside my window.

Couples waltzing,

on the ice. Reading a good book in front of a crackling fire. Family time. Snow tunnels. Snow capped mountains. Road hockey. Playing whiplash,

with family and friends on the ice. Opening my coat to be a sail on a warm windy day,

to fly across the lagoon on my skates.

Ice fishing.

Making igloos. Romantic dinners,

by the candle light. Playing board games,

with loved ones or friends. Finding the biggest icicle.

Pulling your babies through the snow,

on their toboggans or sleds. Enjoying the beautiful scenery,

while cross country skiing. Knitted things,

made by loved ones. Snow forts. Figure skating. Ice statues. Listening to the sparrows,

as they sing their winter songbird rendition. Being snuggled up in a warm blanket drinking hot chocolate. Ice fishing. Romantic evenings. Feeling the wind whiz by your head,

skiing down the mountain side. Snowmobiling.

Snow shoeing.

Running through the freshly fallen snow,

of the school yard.

Children making tractor tire marks,

in the snow with their boots. Roasting marshmellows.

Ice hockey. Sticking your tongue out to eat fluffy snowflakes softly trickling down.

Seeing the smile on young children's faces,

as you pull their sleds across the ice.

Candle lit nights.

Winter sunsets.

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By Cheryl Grier

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GOD creates the snowflake.

Isn't he awesome?!!!

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Job 37:5 & 6 (New King James Version) 5) God thunders marvelously with His voice; He does great things which we cannot comprehend. 6) For He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth’; Likewise to the gentle rain and the heavy rain of His strength.

ONLY JESUS CAN SATISFY YOUR SOUL

Vani was a Hindu priest's grand daughter and her great grandfather & great great grandfather were priests. Became demon possessed at an early age. Memorized the names of 2000 gods. NO PEACE. Got involved in witchcraft to find GOD. HE wasn't there. Picked up something which gave her pain from head to toe. Over did pain killers to knock herself out & wanted to kill herself. Called out to JESUS in the night when she was most desperate and HE answered her clearly. HE delivered & brought her to a place where she could find TRUE PEACE. JESUS is the ONLY ONE who CAN satisfy your soul.

REVELATION SONG - IBC Indiana Bible College

I really enjoy this worship song when we sing this at my church. It really expresses how I feel about God. . .

WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL WHAT WE SAY TO OTHERS

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Today I was reading a blog called "Mary Frances Writing" . What Mary has to say is sooo true. I knew someone from high school who was made fun of lots because she was not beautiful and didn't fit in. Her self esteem to this day is VERY low because of peoples mouths. Perhaps, you have had this experience first hand or know someone who did causing a poor self image. The point is or as you know; people need to be careful what they say about others as they can wound the spirit of them for the rest of their lives. Some of those people have such low self esteem that they committed suicide and all because of some thoughtless people's mouths. Some of them have deep roots of bitterness. There are people who have turned away from God because of peoples mouths and are alcoholic/drug users today. It is important to be careful what we say or even act towards others. The love of Jesus should be shown for ALL our fellow man. . Amongst many thought provoking articles on Mary's Blog, I found the following one excellent: . .

BE CAREFUL LITTLE MOUTH

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By Mary Frances

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♫ “Oh be careful little mouth what you say…” ♪

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Generally speaking, I have a very good self-esteem. Although there are areas in my life that I know I need to work on and change for the better, I am also confident in knowing, that God created me with His own two hands, He breathed into me the breath of life and because of that, I am a wonderful and beautiful person. However, there has been several incidents in my life that my self-esteem was absolutely shot. Times where I couldn’t even look at myself in the mirror without cringing. It was in these moments of my life, that I can remember two particular times that my self-esteem was affected in positive and negative ways, simply by the words of a person’s mouth.

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♫ “Oh be careful little mouth what you say…” ♪

. . The first incident happened quite a few years ago at a Heritage Youth Conference. Before the conference I had found some awesome deals on clothes and had all new outfits. I was so excited. I couldn’t wait to wear all my new stuff and I just knew that I would be looking so good! My self-confidence was very high starting out the beginning of that conference; it was probably higher than the clouds in the sky. However, that quickly changed by the words of a very good-looking guy, making fun of me. . .

♫ “Oh be careful little mouth what you say…” ♪

. . I didn’t know him or anything about him, but he was tall with blond hair, blue eyes and an athletic build. I didn’t actually see what happened, but my sister saw the whole thing and informed me later on. She said that he had been with a group of young people from other churches and that when I had come over to the table, where all the youth from my church were sitting, when I sat down he smirked and turned to the people he was with and pretended my chair was breaking. Then him and all the people he was with all cracked up laughing.

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♫ “Oh be careful little mouth what you say…” ♪

. . When my sister told me all this I acted like I didn’t care, that it didn’t matter what people said or thought of me, BUT it did. I was shocked and hurt, especially since the people he was laughing with, was people I often hung out with. The rest of the conference my self-esteem was shot. It didn’t matter what I wore or what people said. They would be like, “Oh Mary, you look so pretty!” and I would smile my bubbly smile, and exclaim an exuberant, “Thank you!” But inside I was thinking, “YEAH RIGHT!” When I looked in the mirror, I would think who cares? Why even bother? Your nothing but a big, fat blob! What had made others smile had in turn crushed my spirit. Their laughter was the cause of my tears.

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♫ “Oh be careful little mouth what you say…” ♪

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There was another time in my life where the words of another very good looking, very handsome, young man affected my self-esteem as well, but this time it was in a positive way. It happened several years ago at another youth conference. Before attending this conference, I had recently been dumped by a guy and aside from being heart broken; my self-esteem level had gone to about zilch. As if that wasn’t bad enough, this guy had found another girl. He had moved on and I was left behind. Then to top it all off, the girl he was now with had a baby. I’m not trying to sound mean or holier-than-thou, I know we’re all human, we all my make mistakes AND I know that when we repent God forgives and its under the blood of Jesus, BUT I just couldn’t believe that he had chosen her over me. I mean she had a baby and I had never even kissed a guy! My self-image became so low it made me feel like my purity wasn’t important, like it didn’t even matter.

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♫ “Oh be careful little mouth what you say…” ♪

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It may seem brutally honest, but I’m just being real. That is how I felt, worthless. Like trash, like the fuzz between someone’s toes, like the crud on someone’s feet, the dirt under their nails. My self-esteem was by far lower than it had ever been after being slammed by that good-looking guy at Heritage. I had completely given up on my appearance. I never did my hair, hardly even ran a brush through it. I didn’t care about the way I looked. I had this one maroon jumper; with black flowers on it and I pretty much wore that all the time. My friend Janelle says that she remembers that I would wear that jumper to church on Sunday and then sure enough I would have it on again for church Wednesday night. She says that she remembers saying something to me about it, like, “um Mary, didn’t you wear that on Sunday?” She says that I would just shrug my shoulders like, whatever, who cares! . .

♫ “Oh be careful little mouth what you say…” ♪

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And so that was the mentality I went with to this conference. I just didn’t care about the way I looked. I figured if I couldn’t get this one guy to like me, then it wasn’t like I could get anyone else to look at me. I remember on the last night, I had a date to the banquet and everything, but it didn’t matter to me. I remember we were getting ready for church that last night of conference and the girls in my room were getting all dressed up and they asked me if I was going to do my hair for my date, I just looked at them. They were like come on Mary; “You have a date, YOU HAVE TO DO YOUR HAIR!” I remember I just got my hairspray, brush and bobby pins, handed it to the girls and was like, ok then, do my hair. So my best friend did it for me. She put my hair up in pretty little rolls and put on my cute little zebra headband to match my outfit and I guess I looked good, but I honestly don’t remember thinking about it, or even glancing in the mirror. I just didn’t care.

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♫ “Oh be careful little mouth what you say…” ♪

. . That night after service I remember walking around, mingling with my friends and socializing. While talking to some people, I noticed from the corner of my eye a very handsome young man. Now when I say handsome, I mean very, very handsome! He was by far; way better looking than the guy that had made fun of me previously at the Heritage Conference. I mean he was the kind of guy that when I saw him my heart literally skipped a beat and I didn’t think I could breath right. Every girl has that one guy that is just above and beyond any other guy they have ever met. That one guy, that they consider, the best looking guy in the world, and even though most everyone I knew didn’t agree with me, to ME, he was that one guy. . .

♫ “Oh be careful little mouth what you say…” ♪

. . As I stood there chatting with my friends, I see from the corner of my eye that he is looking at me. I think it’s just my imagination, but then I see him look again, this time he leans over and whispers something to his friend. I think, “Oh great, just another cute guy making fun of me.” But then he starts to come over to me, then he stops, glances at me again, whispers to his friend again, his friend whispers back and then he comes over. I’m trying to be casual about it, but inside I’m freaking out. I mean I’ve kind of known this guy most of my life, but just as an acquaintance and I’ve never really talked to him. He shakes everyone in our groups hands, says hi to us all, then he turns to me… . .

♫ “Oh be careful little mouth what you say…” ♪

. . I can’t remember what all he said to me, since I was quite flustered at the moment, but I remember him complimenting me on my appearance. He said something about me losing weight and he congratulated me on it. He said that I looked good. I was shocked. It happened so quickly all I could do was stand there speechless. He was what I considered, the handsomest guy I had ever seen, and he was complimenting… ME! . .

♫ “Oh be careful little mouth what you say…” ♪ . .

All the girls were like, oh is that why you went and stood over there, because of him? I was like, “NO!” Honestly, I had noticed that he was at church that night, but I didn’t think twice about it. I mean, if this other girl had gotten the heart of the guy that had dumped me, there was absolutely no way in the world that I was going to be able to get the best looking guy in Pentecost to even look at me, let alone come over, shake my hand, say hi, AND GIVE ME A COMPLIMENT!

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♫ “Oh be careful little mouth what you say…” ♪ . .

This young man’s words affected me in a very positive way. I know it probably wasn’t easy stepping out the way he did and paying me that compliment. It took some guts to do it, but because he did, I went home from that conference a different person. Aside from developing an even bigger crush on him, my spirit was lifted and my self- esteem began to be restored.

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♫ “Oh be careful little mouth what you say…” ♪ . .

After that night I became determined to care about the way I looked. We had Saturday night prayer meeting the next day after conference and I was like, you know what it may just be prayer meeting but I’m going to do my hair for it. It’s been quite a few years since that happened, but I can’t remember a Sunday since that conference that I have gone to church without my hair all fixed up. (Aside from the time I overslept and had to go to church with curlers in my hair! ;) I decided I liked looking good and started doing my hair all the time even for work. My brothers would look at me and be like where are you going all fancy? I’m like; “work”, and they would just look at me, like I was crazy. I remember everyone at church would look at me like all shocked and just be like, why are you all dressed up? Is there going to be a cute guy here or something? I would be like nope, I just feel like looking good. Eventually, everyone just got used to me getting all dressed up for no particular reason and I think they would be more shocked now if I didn’t.

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♫ “Oh be careful little mouth what you say…” ♪ . .

However, I continued working on myself, my appearance, taking care of myself and losing weight. Of course my crush continued to blossom and I remember a lot of people telling me not to get my hopes up and that they didn’t want to see me get hurt. I was just like you know what, “I’ve already been hurt and when I look back on it all, I think, it really wasn’t worth it, and I know that it may happen again, but it’s ok, because this guy is so worth taking that risk.” As time went on that guy never did return my interest, but he did become my friend. And even though I know, he knew that I liked him, he was never rude to me and he always treated me with respect.

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♫ “Oh be careful little mouth what you say…” ♪ .

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Eventually, I got the hint, I realized that he wasn’t interested in me and even though I was disappointed and I cried a few tears, I was ok. Because of the way he treated me, my spirit wasn’t crushed and my self-esteem was still intact. Looking back, I can say, “he was worth it” and if I ever have the chance to talk to a girl he is interested in, I would give him the highest recommendation to her and sincerely mean it. Yes, I truly believe that God used the kindhearted words, of a good-looking young man that day to restore my self-esteem.

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♫ “Oh be careful little mouth what you say…” ♪ .

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The Bible has a lot to say about the words that come from our mouth. James says, “ Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity; so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.” (James 3:5-6) It’s so easy for us to let unkind words slip out of our mouths without even thinking about it, to call someone ugly or some kind of rude name and if their feelings get hurt we act like they are the one with the problem, because, “they don’t know how to take a joke.” Sarcasm is considered cool and yeah, to some degree sarcasm can be funny, but it’s not a trait I would personally want to be known for. .

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“Oh be careful little mouth what you say…” ♪ .

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What does sarcasm mean? Sarcasm means, expressing or expressive words of ridicule that wounds (wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn). Sarcasm is the rhetorical device of using a characterization of something or someone in order to express contempt. It is closely connected with irony, in that the two are often combined in the same statement (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarcastic). Sarcasm - is one kind of irony; it is praise, which is really an insult; sarcasm generally involves malice, the desire to put someone down, eg, "This is my brilliant son, who failed out of college."

(academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/english/melani/lit_term.html) Sarcasm- a form of verbal irony in which apparent praise is actually harshly or bitterly critical (www.wwnorton.com/litweb/glossary/glossary_s.htm). According to Wickipedia Encyclopedia, the origin of the word sarcasm comes from the ancient Greek word sarkazo meaning 'to tear flesh'.

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♫ “Oh be careful little mouth what you say…” ♪

. . ‘To tear flesh’. Something tells me that Jesus wouldn’t be very fond of sarcasm. I don’t think he would laugh it off and come up with witty little sayings about it. Jesus says in Matthew, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11: 29-30) Sarcasm just doesn’t seem to fit into those scriptures anywhere. Jesus describes himself as meek, humble and a place of rest. Furthermore, he tells us to take that same spirit upon ourselves. We should be a place of solace and rest to one another, not some kind of butcher block that tears each other down with our words.

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♫ “Oh be careful little mouth what you say…” ♪

. . Even the best looking, most affluent people, have their bad days. There are times in our lives where we just don’t feel like we’re all that. No one ever would have been able to guess how those words had affected me from that Heritage conference all those years ago. I acted like, I didn’t care and I seem like the kind of person that wouldn’t care. I know to some degree how to hold back the tears in public, but the truth is that it did matter and I did care. You may think, oh that person is strong, they won’t take it the wrong way, but you can’s see their inside and you just don’t really know. We’re all human and although some of us are more sensitive, none of us are immune to getting hurt. As the song Hezekiah Walker sings, “I need you, you need me, we're all a part of God's body I pray for you, You pray for me, you are important to me, I won't harm you with words from my mouth, I love you, I need you to survive.” . .

♫ “Oh be careful little mouth what you say…” ♪

. . My self-esteem was strongly affected in two different ways, simply by the words of two individuals’ mouths. I don’t think that guy from Heritage is some kind of horrible person. He was just trying to look cool in the eyes of his friends, but he wasn’t thinking about me as a person or how his words might affect me. The truth is that most of us have all made fun of someone at one time or another. I’m sure the other good-looking guy has, and I for sure know that I have done my fair share of saying unkind things and making fun. There is an old saying that says, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” That saying is NOT true! Words can hurt and sometimes even more than sticks or stones ever could. Words are a powerful tool that can be used in a positive or negative way. Words can slice and dice a person right up. The Bible says "Death and life are in the power of the tongue," (Proverbs 18:21).

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♫ “Oh be careful little mouth what you say…” ♪

. . However, your words can also be a blessing and bring nurture to a hurting person. "Pleasant words are a honey comb, Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones" (Proverbs 16:24). How are your words affecting people? How are my words affecting people? Are we lifting people up, causing someone to smile? Putting on the light in someone’s eye? Or are we slaughtering people? Slaying them with sharp words and stomping out their flame? “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD…” (Psalm 19:14).

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♫ “Oh be careful little mouth what you say!”♪

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Lord, let me always look at others as you see them. . .

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As special people in whom you loved enough to die for.

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Thank you Mary for this thought provoking article.

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Cherylg

FAMILY TOGETHERNESS

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I found this on another blog: . by Ramon E Mendoza .

When I got home that night as my wife served dinner, I held her hand and said, I've got something to tell you. She sat down and ate quietly. Again I observed the hurt in her eyes. . Suddenly I didn't know how to open my mouth. But I had to let her know what I was thinking. I want a divorce. I raised the topic calmly. . She didn't seem to be annoyed by my words, instead she asked me softly, why? . I avoided her question. This made her angry. She threw away the chopsticks and shouted at me, you are not a man! That night, we didn't talk to each other. She was weeping. I knew she wanted to find out what had happened to our marriage. But I could hardly give her a satisfactory answer; she had lost my heart to Jane. I didn't love her anymore. I just pitied her! . With a deep sense of guilt, I drafted a divorce agreement which stated that she could own our house, our car, and 30% stake of my company. . She glanced at it and then tore it into pieces. The woman who had spent ten years of her life with me had become a stranger. I felt sorry for her wasted time, resources and energy but I could not take back what I had said for I loved Jane so dearly. Finally she cried loudly in front of me, which was what I had expected to see. To me her cry was actually a kind of release. The idea of divorce which had obsessed me for several weeks seemed to be firmer and clearer now. . The next day, I came back home very late and found her writing something at the table. I didn't have supper but went straight to sleep and fell asleep very fast because I was tired after an eventful day with Jane. . When I woke up, she was still there at the table writing. I just did not care so I turned over and was asleep again. . In the morning she presented her divorce conditions: she didn't want anything from me, but needed a month's notice before the divorce. She requested that in that one month we both struggle to live as normal a life as possible. Her reasons were simple: our son had his exams in a month's time and she didn't want to disrupt him with our broken marriage. . This was agreeable to me. But she had something more, she asked me to recall how I had carried her into out bridal room on our wedding day. . She requested that every day for the month's duration I carry her out of our bedroom to the front door ever morning. I thought she was going crazy. Just to make our last days together bearable I accepted her odd request. . I told Jane about my wife's divorce conditions. . She laughed loudly and thought it was absurd. No matter what tricks she applies, she has to face the divorce, she said scornfully. . My wife and I hadn't had any body contact since my divorce intention was explicitly expressed. So when I carried her out on the first day, we both appeared clumsy. Our son clapped behind us, daddy is holding mommy in his arms. His words brought me a sense of pain. From the bedroom to the sitting room, then to the door, I walked over ten meters with her in my arms. She closed her eyes and said softly; don't tell our son about the divorce. I nodded, feeling somewhat upset. I put her down outside the door. She went to wait for the bus to work. I drove alone to the office. . On the second day, both of us acted much more easily. She leaned on my chest. I could smell the fragrance of her blouse. I realized that I hadn't looked at this woman carefully for a long time. I realized she was not young any more. There were fine wrinkles on her face, her hair was graying! Our marriage had taken its toll on her. For a minute I wondered what I had done to her. . On the fourth day, when I lifted her up, I felt a sense of intimacy returning. This was the woman who had given ten years of her life to me. . On the fifth and sixth day, I realized that our sense of intimacy was growing again. I didn't tell Jane about this. It became easier to carry her as the month slipped by. Perhaps the everyday workout made me stronger. . She was choosing what to wear one morning. She tried on quite a few dresses but could not find a suitable one. Then she sighed, all my dresses have grown bigger. I suddenly realized that she had grown so thin, that was the reason why I could carry her more easily. . Suddenly it hit me... she had buried so much pain and bitterness in her heart. Subconsciously I reached out and touched her head. . . Our son came in at the moment and said, Dad, it's time to carry mom out. To him, seeing his father carrying his mother out had become an essential part of his life. My wife gestured to our son to come closer and hugged him tightly. I turned my face away because I was afraid I might change my mind at this last minute. I then held her in my arms, walking from the bedroom, through the sitting room, to the hallway. Her hand surrounded my neck softly and naturally. I held her body tightly; it was just like our wedding day. . But her much lighter weight made me sad. On the last day, when I held her in my arms I could hardly move a step. Our son had gone to school. I held her tightly and said, I hadn't noticed that our life lacked intimacy. . I drove to office.... jumped out of the car swiftly without locking the door. I was afraid any delay would make me change my mind...I walked upstairs. Jane opened the door and I said to her, Sorry, Jane, I do not want the divorce anymore. . She looked at me, astonished, and then touched my forehead. Do you have a fever? She said. I moved her hand off my head. Sorry, Jane, I said, I won't divorce. My marriage life was boring probably because she and I didn't value the details of our lives, not because we didn't love each other anymore. Now I realize that since I carried her into my home on our wedding day I am supposed to hold her until death do us apart. . Jane seemed to suddenly wake up. She gave me a loud slap and then slammed the door and burst into tears. I walked downstairs and drove away. . At the floral shop on the way, I ordered a bouquet of flowers for my wife. The salesgirl asked me what to write on the card. I smiled and wrote, I'll carry you out every morning until death do us apart. . That evening I arrived home, flowers in my hands, a smile on my face, I run up stairs, only to find my wife in the bed - dead.

. My wife had been fighting CANCER for months and I was so busy with Jane to even notice. She knew that she would die soon and she wanted to save me from the whatever negative reaction from our son, in case we push thru with the divorce.-- At least, in the eyes of our son--- I'm a loving husband.... . The small details of your lives are what really matter in a relationship. It is not the mansion, the car, property, the money in the bank. These create an environment conducive for happiness but cannot give happiness in themselves. So find time to be your spouse's friend and do those little things for each other that build intimacy.

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Do have a real happy marriage! .

If you don't share this, nothing will happen to you. . If you do, you just might save a marriage. .

Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up. . A CHRIST-CENTERED MARRIAGE IS A

MARRIAGE THAT IS SURE TO LAST A LIFETIME. . .

So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.

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Matthew 19:6

I do believe a marriage with Christ as the head will make strong families.

AN OLD WOMAN AND A TAXI DRIVER

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This story was emailed to me the other day. . . .

What did Jesus say about how we should love others/your neighbor and even our enemies? He said, love them as you would yourself. . Here is the story. .

I arrived at the address where someone had requested a taxi. I honked but no one came out. I honked again; nothing. So I walked to the door and knocked. 'Just a minute', answered a frail, elderly voice. I could hear something being dragged across the floor. After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her 90's stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it, like somebody out of a 1940s movie. . By her side was a small nylon suitcase. The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years. All the furniture was covered with sheets. There were no clocks on the walls, no knick-knacks or utensils on the counters. In the corner was a cardboard box filled with photos and glassware. 'Would you carry my bag out to the car?' she said. I took the suitcase to the cab, and then returned to assist the woman. . She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb. She kept thanking me for my kindness. 'It's nothing', I told her. 'I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother treated'. 'Oh, you're such a good boy', she said. When we got in the cab, she gave me an address, and then asked, 'Could you drive through downtown?' 'It's not the shortest way,' I answered quickly. 'Oh, I don't mind,' she said. 'I'm in no hurry. I'm on my way to a hospice'. . I looked in the rear-view mirror. Her eyes were glistening. 'I don't have any family left,' she continued. 'The doctor says I don't have very long.' I quietly reached over and shut off the meter. 'What route would you like me to take?' I asked. For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator. We drove through the neighbourhood where she and her husband had lived when they were newlyweds. She had me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl. . Sometimes she'd ask me to slow in front of a particular building or corner and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing. As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, 'I'm tired. Let's go now.' We drove in silence to the address she had given me. It was a low building, like a small convalescent home, with a driveway that passed under a portico. Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up. They were solicitous and intent, watching her every move. They must have been expecting her. . I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door. The woman was already seated in a wheelchair. 'How much do I owe you?' she asked, reaching into her purse. 'Nothing,' I said 'You have to make a living,' she answered. 'There are other passengers,' I responded. Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug. She held onto me tightly. 'You gave an old woman a little moment of joy,' she said. 'Thank you.' I squeezed her hand, and then walked into the dim morning light. Behind me, a door shut. It was the sound of the closing of a life. . I didn't pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove aimlessly lost in thought. For the rest of that day, I could hardly talk. What if that woman had gotten an angry driver, or one who was impatient to end his shift? What if I had refused to take the run, or had honked once, then driven away? On a quick review, I don't think that I have done anything more important in my life.

. . James 2:1-10 said in the Today's New International Version: . 1) My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. 2) Suppose someone comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor person in filthy old clothes also comes in. 3) If you show special attention to the one wearing fine clothes and say, "Here's a good seat for you," but say to the one who is poor, "You stand there" or "Sit on the floor by my feet," 4) have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? 5) Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? 6) But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? 7) Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong? 8) If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing right. 9) But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. 10) For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. . Whether it is true or not makes you think twice about how you treat others. . .Someday you might be in that persons same position. You reap what you sow. . In the email it also said: . We're conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments. . But great moments often catch us unaware-beautifully wrapped in what others may consider a small one. . PEOPLE MAY NOT REMEMBER EXACTLY WHAT YOU DID, OR WHAT YOU SAID, BUT THEY WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER HOW YOU MADE THEM FEEL.

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Cherylg

AN INSPIRATIONAL BLOG. . .

A blog that is read daily is Mary's, because she has many words of inspiration. Today she was explaining how God totally wipes away our sins. She then proceeded her words with the following very touching song about what happens when we have our sins washed away:

. . Mary and I am sooooo thankful for the day that our sins were washed away in the waters of baptism. Those waters represented the blood of our savior Jesus. Now when we fall, those sins are confessed to him and he puts them under his blood. Because Jesus shed his blood on the cross we have assurance that we are going to heaven. Getting up again, through the guidance of Jesus' spirit and his word, we can continue on the path to his kingdom. . . .

This youtube I preferred and is not quite the same as Mary's being it has pictures and such, but it is the same excellent song. . THANKYOU, MARY FOR YOUR AWESOME POST AND FOR THIS BEAUTIFUL SONG!!! . Check out Marys post by clicking HERE . If you want to learn more about salvation, check the right side of this blog under the title: HOW DO YOU KNOW YOU ARE GOING TO HEAVEN OR HOW DO YOU KNOW YOU ARE SAVED?.

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Cherylg