Learning to Let Go

Today I had the pleasure of going to Bible Study; it is an all-women Bible Study and we have been reading a book entitled "The Search for Significance" by Robert S. McGee. I love our discussions because everyone is so open and candid...and real. One of the ladies mentioned some really awful things her mother used to tell her and how that has just manifested and grown into a "cancer" for her over the years. Those hurtful words which were lies hang constantly over her head and keep her from finding her full potential in the Lord. I mentioned to her that what her mother had said was a LIE. Whenever those bad thoughts come in to her mind, she simply needs to say the name of Jesus and remember that she is a child of God. At the name of Jesus all evil must flee. What power there is in the name of Jesus.

This particular lady in my Bible Study is just one person whose past constantly haunts them. I believe that there are so many more of us that share this same problem. If it isn't something from our past, it is something that just keeps us from realizing our "significance" as a child of the living God. He loved us before we were ever formed. Paul writes to us in Ephesians 1:4 (NLT): Even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.

YES, friends, God knew us before the creation of the world. God knew everything we would ever do, that we would be sinners and let him down...and yet He still chose us. He still loved us. Jesus, the Holy Spirit and God were all present when Man was first created. Genesis 1:26 (NLT): Then God said, "Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us..."

What an amazing thing to comprehend that even at Man's creation, Jesus/God knew that he would one day be our sacrifice. Friends, we MUST learn to let go of the things in life that bog us down and keep us from living victoriously in Christ Jesus our Lord. Life is too short. We are here to be lights in a darkened world, to be encouragers for God. We are here to bring glory to His name.

Isaiah 54:17 (NAS): "No weapon that formed against you will prosper; And every tongue that accuses you in judgement you will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their vindication is from Me," declares the Lord.

Romans 8:38-39 (NIV): For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Friends, as Christians, always know and remember that God loves YOU. We are his and no one can take us from him. I ask that you please stay in the Word of God, which is the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17). That is the only thing that will help you fight against the plotting of the devil and keep his evil intentions from hindering your victory in Jesus.

Blessings,
Kasey

"Great is Thy Faithfulness"

Yes, I remember singing this beautiful old hymn at the small town Methodist church that I grew up in. Many of these seasoned hymns have special meaning for me as my Grandmother was the choir director and I watched her every Sunday as she stood before the choir and sang her best for Jesus.

This particular hymn, written in 1923 by Thomas Chisholm, is especially meaningful to me tonight as I read the lyrics posted on a CaringBridge entry written by my cousin today. We've all been praying for my sweet baby cousin, Elias who was born in Singapore last week with a heart condition. Needless to say, there were many, many...MANY "prayer warriors" praying for this precious baby. Miraculously, he was released from the hospital today, he'd been on oxygen and had been eating through a tube at one point. The doctors have said twice this week that his progress has been "amazing" - what a testimony for this sweet little boy!! God is so good!

At the end of her post this evening, my cousin concluded with this:

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside

Great is Thy faithfulness
Great is Thy faithfulness
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me.

Those words just filled my heart with joy. I couldn't have said it better. Glory be to God!! I thank Him and I praise Him for his loving kindness and tender mercies...and most of all I'm thankful for His forgiveness.

Blessings,
Kasey

BOY or GIRL: That Is The ?

I recently came upon a discussion about parenting, it was very interesting. There were several ladies discussing things, and it turned in a different direction before I could really digest and articulate my thoughts.

After digestion, here is what I came up with and how the conversation came to pass:

I had mentioned that I thought it was a shame that Brad and Angelina's beautiful little girl Shiloh, was being dressed like a boy. I know from reading articles that Shiloh apparently adores her brothers (which is so sweet) and wants to be like them. In a quote from Vanity Fair magazine, Angelina said her 4 year old daughter dresses "like a little dude...she likes to dress like a boy. She wants to be a boy. So we had to cut her hair. She likes to wear boys' everything. She thinks she is one of the brothers."

There is only one small problem with that: She is not a boy.

Now, don't get me wrong...there is absolutely nothing wrong with being a tomboy (heck, I was one, I much preferred to ride my Big Wheel and play with Tonka trucks rather than my sisters Barbies). A couple of examples of the tomboy difference from Shiloh's case are: Tomboys may prefer the outdoors and baseball to dance and tap, and don't like dressing like a girly-girl, BUT they are still shopping in the girl's section of the department store, and maintaining the identity of a girl.

Several of the mothers interjected that they weren't sure whether or not they would or would not let their daughter shop in the boy's section of the department store (or vice versa for a boy), for fear that they would be hindering their child's freedom and need to freely express themselves and be who they are.

As a Christian mother, here are my thoughts (I have tried to keep all opinion out of the matter and write solely based on Biblical fact):

I would not let my child go play in a bush of poison ivy simply because "he/she really wanted to" nor would I let him/her go play in a swarm of wasps nor would I let them just go jump in the deep end of the pool without a life vest (knowing they cannot swim) because they were confident enough to do so. Why? Because it would inflict physical harm upon their body, and could potentially end in their death.

Dear friends, so it is with our children's souls as well. The Lord gives us our children so that we may guide them and direct them according to His ways and not just let them simply do as they would please. How would they ever survive, and how would they ever learn right from wrong?

Yes! Certainly let them be free to learn and be themselves, but as with most things in life, there are limitations to what they should/should not be able to do. And we should look to God's Word for direction. They are God's own creation, He created them either a woman or a man and they should thus learn to be happy and rejoice in what God, their creator saw fit to make them.

In 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (New International Version), Paul writes: "Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men* nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."

*1 Corinthians 6:9 - The words men who have sex with men translate two Greek words that refer to the passive and active participants in homosexual acts. (reference: http://www.biblegateway.com/ & Bible)

I am not going to turn this into a post on homosexuality. I will say that I do have homosexual friends whom I love dearly and they are some of the most positive people that I know. As much as I love them, I have to remember what the Bible tells me in 1 Corinthians 6 about their fate if they do not repent. Whether or not you believe a person is born a homosexual is neither here nor there, that is strictly an opinion. The bottom line is what God's Word says.

Just as I don't want my child to be a drunkard or a slanderer or an idolater. I as their parent have to guide them along life's journey and share God's word with them so that they will not become these types of individuals.

In today's society, the only thing we seem to remember or concentrate upon about God is that He is a loving God. But let us not forget that he is a just God as well. He lays that out in His word; one example being the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 19. In today's world, we only want to think of Heaven, but dear friends, may we not forget that there is a Hell.

God sent his son Jesus, as the ultimate sacrifice to forgive repentant sinners and save those that truly believe in Him. He did not do that in vain. Consequences of living in sin are real. As Christians, we cannot pick and choose what we want to believe in from the Bible. God is the same yesterday, today and forever. It is our society that changes, never His Word.

No rational person who has read the Bible can say that "Jesus was a good man" and not believe that He is the Son of God. Why? Because Jesus claims to be the Son of God in the Bible, therefore, if the reader does not believe that, then he makes Jesus out to be a liar. And liars are not "good people". So what I am saying is, that either you believe the entire Bible to be true, or else it is a complete and utter lie.

Alas...I digress...

In conclusion, this post was written with love from a Biblical perspective. It is certainly not meant to pass judgement on or to "blast" or "jab" at Angelina or Brad's parenting or any other persons parenting for that matter. I recognize that they are parents who surely love their children and are doing their best to raise them as they see fit. Perhaps they are not Christians, along with someone else who may come along and read this; if so, they can totally disregard this post and we can agree to disagree.

If they are Christians, then it may be that they have not considered the things written above. Nevertheless, I believe Shiloh and any other child should be taught to love themselves as God's creation. In Shiloh's case as a female whom God created and let her embrace her beautiful feminine identity...even if as a Tomboy (smile).

Love -

Kasey

Home & Snow Bound

Oh the horror! Stuck in the house for 3 entire days with two lovely, but wild children...makes you want to scream, huh? For an instant, I had a "HERE'S JOHNNY!!" moment. (just kidding) Well, we survived. Albeit, we did have a good time too. Kiddos really took advantage of those Christmas presents, and we did get out to play in the snow for a bit. The first day was of course awesome; gorgeous, white, powdery snow to play in and daddy was there so that was a plus too. The next two days, looking at nothing but ice, ice and more ice with no daddy were a bit less fun, to say the least; we muddled through with coloring, and games to play. (sigh)

SO...as I read tonight that school is back in session tomorrow, I had this little leap of butterflies in my stomach and actually felt all giddy inside. I could just hear the song from the Wizard of Oz playing in the background and I was holding hands with Dorothy, the Tin Man, the Lion and Scarecrow as we ran together joyfully through the poppies. "You're outta the woods, your outta the dark, you're outta the night. Step into the sun, step into the light..." I managed to find the bit of the movie with the song below...very short, but perfect for how I was feeling.

All in all, we had a good time, but, I am very thankful that school is back in session tomorrow...with no delays at that! (smile)

Love,

Kasey

Alas...These Political Times We Live In...

Well...there's one thing for sure, "Everybody HAS an opinion". And you know what, everyone is entitled to their opinion - at least America thinks so. That is one of the things I love about our great Country. The only problem is...all of these "opinions" can sure cause heated arguments and unfortunately, sometimes end in a bad way. However, there is an answer to this dilemma! What is the answer you wonder...well, simply this: we are not put on this earth to convince anyone that our way is...no pun intended "the right" way. (as far as politics go, amongst other things)

Easier said than done for most, but, that is the truth. So much energy is wasted being angry and mad at "the other side".

When you really think about it, why do we get so heated in trying to persuade someone to think like us, when 9 times out of 10 it will NEVER happen. So WHO CARES I say...and I'll also say this...I LOVE to debate and I love to hear other's opinions, it CAN be very enlightening. I love to hear what the other side has to say. When things get too heated, it is very easy for me to agree to disagree. It is the respectful thing to do.

Most importantly, always take your thoughts and requests to the Lord, He is the Author of all things, He knows best and can help us through things like this.

DON'T EVER be afraid to defend and/or discuss how you feel and what you think/believe is important in a respectful way, wise men will listen to you and make their own decisions without taking things too far. The primary goal should be to respect your fellow man (who has also been blessed with a brain) and agree to disagree when things get heated.

Like John Mayer said, "Say what you need to say".

Love,

Kasey

Wolf in Sheeps Clothing?

Man has always struggled upon this earth; there is certainly no denying that. What I find interesting is all of the people who come along to offer advice, so-called inspirational and motivational words of wisdom. When truly, what they offer is nothing but hogwash. The Bible warns us of such people:

2 Timothy 3:5 "They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!"

Matthew 24:11 "And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people."

Mark 13:22 "For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God's chosen ones."

Matthew 7: 15 "Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves."

Thankfully, the Bible tells us how to distinguish these false teachers and their empty words, God gives us an easy step by step process:

1 John 4:1 "Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have come into the world."

1 John 4:2 "This is how you recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,"

1 John 4:3 "but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world."

1 John 4:4 "You dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world."

1 John 4:5 They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them."

1 John 4:6 "We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood."

So I echo to you today...beware of these false prophets who give you "good feelings/vibes" and do not believe/preach in Jesus. Nothing good will come from them. Yes, they will claim to go to the Bible; as Satan also poses as an angel of light. 2 Corinthians 11:14 "But I am not surprised! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light".

Satan has been around on this earth a lot longer than you and I. He is a master of deception and lies. He knows mankind better than we know ourselves; he is the one who sends these cleverly deceiving false prophets. Stay in the Word of God - arm yourselves with the Armor of God (Ephesians 6:11-18)!

The bottom line for these false prophets/ false teachers is to get you further and further away from the Bible, the written Word of God and to get you to rely more and more on your own personal experiences and so-called wonders in "spiritualism" which in turn encourages misapplication of the Bible and it's teachings which ultimately destroys your faith. No where in the Bible does it teach "we are our own god, we are perfect", yet, this is what you'll hear from many modern day talk show hosts and even pastors. Beware, my friends and do not fall prey to this fast, easy, deception.

Love,

Kasey

Be Yourself

You know...so often I see people struggling for attention...affection...love. It is really sad to see that they cannot be themselves because they are afraid of what others may think. How sad is that? Be proud of who you are now. Be proud of what you will one day be. Recognize that you aren't perfect...and realize that NO ONE is. Not on earth anyway. Love yourself. Accept yourself. If there are negative things about yourself that you don't like...pray for change. Pray for guidance in those areas of your life. You are the only YOU that will ever exist! Be the best YOU out there! I try to do the right thing in all aspects of my life...of course I fall short of that. However...does that get me down? Am I embarrassed...well...maybe a little sometimes. hee hee! But, I know WHO I am...and I know WHAT my eternal life will be.

Be blessed my friends. Live. Laugh. Love.

xoxo,

Kasey

Snow

Snow is a beautiful blanket that covers all the earth and gives everything a sense of renewal. I do love watching the snow and seeing how it covers everything and adds a bit of wonder to the world outside. It is like the sparkle in my "sparkle powder"...in the same way that powder illuminates the face and body, the snow magically transforms my world outside to this beautiful, clean, fresh...winter wonderland. I love how the ice sticks to the branches of trees and they seem to glow in the moonlight.

I was speaking with my grandma today, telling her that I was NOT excited about the snow that was falling...and she said to me, "Kasey, enjoy this beautiful gift that God has given you". So you know what? I am going to. Thank you Grandma, for always being an inspiration to me and always being "my silver lining".

What a beautiful gift indeed that God has given us. Enjoy my friends!

Love,

Kasey

Actions

We've all heard the saying, "Actions speak louder than words". Lately I find myself really reflecting on that very quote...and wondering if it is true. I've always thought it to be true. I've even made decisions in my life based on my belief in that quote. Have you?

When you love someone...in any type of relationship; marriage, friendship, family...don't you want the best for that person? Do you put that person before yourself when it comes to decision making? Perhaps not always...after all...we are only human. However...I think we should try to put that person's wants/needs before ourselves, that's what I try to do anyhow.

It's so hard when someone you really care about lets you down...again...and again. Finally, you begin to wonder...does this person really love me? They say they love me...but...their actions are really saying something else. You begin to evaluate the relationship itself...at least I do. I want to be surrounded by those I truly love and care about and vice versa.

Time always tells...that's what I say alot...and another friend of mine says quite often. Thoughts, friends?

Love,

Kasey

Motivation

Ugh...have you ever had days where you just have to fight for motivation. Me too. We all have them...that's what I tell myself anyways. (sigh) My friend just recently posted a blog on music and it really spoke to me. I believe music is one of the "earthly" things that helps pick me up. I will leave you with the video of one of my most recent favorite songs (I especially like this particular video of this song...watch the crowd) - it really picks me up...I just watched it like...5 times...and I'm feeling much better now. (smile)

I will also leave you with the Bible verse that really picks me up as well.

Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me".

Yes...well...I'm glad I got those things off...well...actually "on" my chest...I'm feeling MUCH better!!

Love,

Kasey

Childress Vinyards

Ok...so I have to say that I stumbled across an AWESOME wine blog...The Traveling Grape. My friend Stacia...whose blog can be accessed here, shared it with me. I ended up posting a little something about my fabulous Sunday brunch on The Traveling Grape's website yesterday. I'd like to share it with you all also:

This past Sunday, I had the pleasure of traveling with my husband and some of our dear friends; we went from our home in Charlotte to Childress Vineyards in Lexington, NC. What a delightful place! They had a delicious Sunday brunch (which included a glass of wine in it's price) and we also toured the winery. My favorite wine was their 2005 Cabernet Franc - it was divine. A medium bodied red whose top notes of black cherry and clove tease the palate before giving way to a chocolate and coffee bouquet. Superb! This wine actually won the Double Gold Medal at the 2007 State Fair and also was the Gold Medal winner at the 2008 mid-atlantic wine competition. At $ 16.95 a bottle - it was a steal...I even bought one for my sister's upcoming birthday.

I highly recommend a Sunday afternoon trip to Childress Vineyard's for the brunch and wine tasting.

Cheers -

Kasey

Are You a "Resolution-er"? Yes or No

Happy 2010, Folks! As to the question above...my answer is No. Not that I think resolutions are bad things...I just never seem to make mine happen...so therefore...I don't make them. (smile) Whenever a "this would make me a better person" thought comes to my mind...usually throughout the year...I try to tackle it then. Some I have conquered, and still others...not yet. Life is such a journey, isn't it?

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit." ~ Aristotle

What an interesting concept! What an enlightening idea the above quote gives.

Whether you are a "resolution maker" or not...I wish you well on all of your self-improvement strategies. (smile again) And Hey - kudos to us for admitting them! =)

Love,

Kasey

New Year Wishes

Ahh...a New Year...2010 to be exact. Upon the dawning of each New Year...I find myself musing, thinking, pondering, reflecting upon the past year and things that stand out to me from the past 365 days. The good, the bad and yes...the ugly. I try to take the lessons from the past year and hope to apply what I learned in the new one.

As you reflect upon the upcoming year, find forgiveness where it is needed; plant seeds of love and water daily to see them grow and blossom; keep hope and faith in your heart because where ever there is light...darkness will not prevail.

I wish you blessings, love, joy, peace and all good things this coming year. If you find that something is not so good, my prayer for you is that you will think of this precious verse from our Father in Heaven, from Philippians 4:8 - "Finally, 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".

God bless you and send you a Happy New Year! Happy 2010, friends!

Love,

Kasey

The First Christmas

There has been only one Christmas - the rest are anniversaries. ~W. J. Cameron

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace". Isaiah 9:6

Amen and Amen! Praise God for that very first Christmas and what it means to mankind! I hope the spirit of Christmas will dwell in your hearts throughout this Season and the years to come of your life. Praise our heavenly Father for sending His beloved son Jesus, to forgive our sins and wash us clean, making us as pure white as snow. In the precious words of my friend Anne, "Thank you God for the best gift...Salvation, Forgiveness, Eternal Love, and Everlasting Peace".

Merry Christmas!!

God bless you and keep you, friends.

xoxo -

Kasey

Poem (StreetLight)

As we drive down the street at night

I see the streetlights Shine

Then Fade

Then Shine

Then Fade

Then I think...is this really my life?

Is this me?

Is this the person I was meant to be?

Numbness...

Then reality hits...

Yes...this is it...this is your reality.

Check

We'll see...

Time always tells.

Time is my friend...

Peace...

I can change my reality.

Unbeknownst to those unlike me.

Watch and see.

Happy Christmas...The Unprecedented Charles Dickens...

"Happy, happy Christmas that can win us back to the delusions of our childhood days, recall to the old man the pleasures of his youth, and transport the traveler back to his own fireside and quiet home"! ~ Charles Dickens

What a beautiful quote by Charles Dickens; another extraordinary man of his time. There are so many lovely thoughts in this quote...and when I really think about it...Christmastime, is always such a beautiful time of year. I believe even the hardest of hearts soften even just a little during this special time. Children delight in the Christmas season and their parent's and grandparent's delight right along with them. There is no other time throughout the year quite like Christmastime.

Dear friends, I wish for you the quote above and more! I wish for you; quiet moments to reflect upon the beauty of Christmas...warm fires to sit by and enjoy, good books to curl up to, nice cups of coffee to share with a friend or enjoy by yourself, tall glasses of red wine to enjoy with family and friends, Christmas cards with beautiful photos of family and friends along with their beautiful inscriptions, most of all I wish you Love.

Let's remember to pray for and remember those let fortunate than us, those that cannot enjoy the things above and also for those that haven't heard the good news about what Christmas truly means; God's love for mankind and that He sent His son Jesus, for us.

Much love my friends,

Kasey

Love and Loss: Redemption

Here is my 2nd "click" story that I submitted for my good friend Leslee's blog "Waiting for the Click"...please read and enjoy!

Love,

Kasey

http://lesleehorner.wordpress.com/2009/12/15/midnitemonologues-click-2/

Christmas Caroling

When I was just a girl, I remember watching my sweet Grandma direct the choir at our church. She had such a love for music and still does...it seems to permeate through her. If you know anything about my Grandma...you would know she loves music. She can play the piano by ear...play the auto harp by ear...and sing beautifully...she is so gifted in that "department"...and she has certainly used her gifts to the best of her abilities. (She ended up directing the choir for 50 years...she did this as a volunteer).

This post is about one of the gifts that she impressed upon me...Christmas Caroling...when I think of Christmas...I always think of caroling with my Grandma years ago. I remember seeing injured people that we would sing for and their loved ones crying at the sweetness of the songs we sang...it truly touched their hearts that we were there and were singing these songs for them. I also remember singing for the elderly and the smiles that would light up their sweet faces as we sang to them...sometimes they would even sing along with us. I think the strongest emotion that was in the air during these times was love. Those songs, the fact that we were there, singing for them...letting them know that someone cared...that someone loved them...that was the most beautiful thing to me.

My Grandma knows this, thankfully she is still here...blessing me with her wisdom, love and kindness daily and I have discussed these wonderful memories with her and what they mean to me...and now...I try to follow in her footsteps. This was the second year that I was able to put together an evening for my fellow church members to go out and sing to the sick and elderly in our community. We travelled to two different assisted living places this year...and what a wonderful experience it was! To see the children in our group hugging and loving on these precious individuals was absolutely amazing! To see the faces of the folks we visited and sang for light up like Christmas lights was nothing short of awing...it fills my heart with joy to let these folks know that even though they may feel so alone at times...they are not. One of the ladies we had the privilege to sing for had just celebrated her 100th birthday.

I hope that my children will remember these special times and that it will forever be imprinted on their hearts...a love for the elderly...the injured...the less fortunate...and that when they are older, they will have the desire and the drive to go out and perhaps sing...but definitely "do" for and help others.

Love,

Kasey

"Peacock today...Feather duster tomorrow"...

Ahh yes...those were the insightful words of one of my past co-workers. We worked in retail together...cosmetic retail to be exact...and those pompous men and women (mostly women) who would trudge through our counters was truly something to behold. Oh yes, they came in all different shapes and sizes...from many different backgrounds. They weren't the majority thank goodness...perhaps 25% who walked around with their noses in the air as if they didn't put their pants on the same way in the mornings as the rest of the "common world". At first I didn't know what to think of them...then after a while I felt myself feeling slightly "beneath" them myself...until those hysterical...but true words came rolling off of my friend's witty tongue, "Peacock today, feather duster tomorrow". How sad, but true that is for these persons...unfortunately for them. Now I see them for the lost individuals they are...constantly trying to keep up with - or outdo rather "The Jones'". The never ending shallow, empty relationships they pursued. What a terrible state!

I am thankful to be out of that "chapter" in my life...it was harder for me then, but, I did learn some valuable life lessons and came out...maybe not as a peacock...but perhaps...hopefully...a wise old owl (smile).

xoxo -

Kasey

Christianity: The Simple Truth: Take 1

In the world we live in today...Christianity and the need for God's Word (The Bible) has most definitely become "watered down"...and I'll even go as far as saying that it has become "a chore" , "a burden", even "routine" for the most devout Christians. How utterly and ridiculously sad is that? The Christians of today are not the same as the Christians of 2000 years ago...the martyrs...the crucified...the beheaded...the stoned. What a stand they took...what a love they had for their religion...no...their love was for their Father...God...and for their brother, savior, and teacher, Jesus Christ.

Over the next few weeks, years, decades...heck...I don't know...how ever long it takes...I want to discuss certain points of Christianity...I won't be doing it every day...only when the inspiration comes over me. I am going to take it very slowly...one point at a time...there is so much...it will be difficult...some posts will be longer than others...please just bear with me.

Let's start...well...at the beginning: God is. God always has been and always will be. Is it really that simple? Yes.

Before the earth was created, before the universe was created, God existed. God, his Holy Spirit, and his son, Jesus were in existence always. The Godhead, the three in One. That is a huge concept to take in...but...it is the simple and absolute truth. There are so very many things that we as humans cannot wrap our brains around...but you know what? We aren't supposed to be able to...that isn't how we were designed. Many people, because they cannot understand the Bible and God's creation, nor can they act on faith (which is key in the life of a Christian) and just trust in Him and the sufficient Word that He has given us, simply create another "thing"...or religion, etc. with their own personal beliefs and ideas in order to make sense of it all for themselves and perhaps others.

I think I will end here today with this point...moving on to the next point...whatever that is...next time.

I will leave you with this awesome verse from John:

"In the beginning there was the Word.* The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. All things were made by him, and nothing was made without him. In him there was life, and that life was the light of all people. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overpowered it". These are the words of John, chapter 1, verses 1-5

*Word - The Greek word is "logos", meaning any kind of communication; it could be translated "message". Here, it means Christ, because Christ was the way God told people about himself.

Thank you for reading.

Love,

Kasey