sometimes....

When life gives you lemons, switch to tequila!! That's gonna be my new motto. Stolen from the fantabulous play The Drowsy Chaperone.

So for a while now the shower has not been draining properly. David had his friend come look at it and they determined it needed to be snaked. Well...yesterday they attempted to snake it. I say attempted because water started leaking into the living room.  

Now he's thinking this is gonna be a huge ordeal. The plumbing, wall damage & repair didn't scare him as much as the idea of having to remove the 8' mirrors.

   God is good. He got David through it. My uncle told Dave what he needed to do and he did it.








Didn't even have any major issues with the mirrors.

 I asked Dave if he would have still done this if he had moved out and he said of course. I'm grateful for that and I'm proud of him for getting it done.   

 Now the walls need to be fixed but the worst is over.
Some mud and paint and all will be good.

545 PEOPLE -- By Charlie Reese

Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them.

Have you ever wondered, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are against deficits, WHY do we have deficits?

Have you ever wondered, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, WHY do we have inflation and high taxes?

You and I don't propose a federal budget. The president does.
You and I don't have the Constitutional authority to vote on appropriations.. The House of Representatives does.

You and I don't write the tax code, Congress does.

You and I don't set fiscal policy, Congress does.
You and I don't control monetary policy, the Federal Reserve Bank does.

One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one president, and nine Supreme Court justices equates to 545 human beings out of the 300 million are directly, legally, morally, and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country.

I excluded the members of the Federal Reserve Board because that problem was created by the Congress. In 1913, Congress delegated its Constitutional duty to provide a sound currency to a federally chartered, but private, central bank.

I excluded all the special interests and lobbyists for a sound reason. They have no legal authority. They have no ability to coerce a senator, a congressman, or a president to do one cotton-picking thing. I don't care if they offer a politician $1 million dollars in cash. The politician has the power to accept or reject it. No matter what the lobbyist promises, it is the legislator's responsibility to determine how he votes.

Those 545 human beings spend much of their energy convincing you that what they did is not their fault. They cooperate in this common con regardless of party.

What separates a politician from a normal human being is an excessive amount of gall. No normal human being would have the gall of a Speaker, who stood up and criticized the President for creating deficits.... . The president can only propose a budget. He cannot force the Congress to accept it.

The Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, gives sole responsibility to the House of Representatives for originating and approving appropriations and taxes. Who is the speaker of the House? Nancy Pelosi. She is the leader of the majority party. She and fellow House members, not the president, can approve any budget they want. If the president vetoes it, they can pass it over his veto if they agree to.

It seems inconceivable to me that a nation of 300 million can not replace
545 people who stand convicted -- by present facts -- of incompetence and irresponsibility. I can't think of a single domestic problem that is not traceable directly to those 545 people. When you fully grasp the plain truth that 545 people exercise the power of the federal government, then it must follow that what exists is what they want to exist.

If the tax code is unfair, it's because they want it unfair.
If the budget is in the red, it's because they want it in the red.

If the Army & Marines are in IRAQ, it's because they want them in IRAQ. If they do not receive social security but are on an elite retirement plan not available to the people, it's because they want it that way.

There are no insoluble government problems.

Do not let these 545 people shift the blame to bureaucrats, whom they hire and whose jobs they can abolish; to lobbyists, whose gifts and advice they can reject; to regulators, to whom they give the power to regulate and from whom they can take this power. Above all, do not let them con you into the belief that there exists disembodied mystical forces like "the economy," "inflation," or "politics" that prevent them from doing what they take an oath to do.

Those 545 people, and they alone, are responsible.
They, and they alone, have the power.
They, and they alone, should be held accountable by the people who are their bosses.

Provided the voters have the gumption to manage their own employees.
We should vote all of them out of office and clean up their mess!

Charlie Reese is a former columnist of the Orlando Sentinel Newspaper.

What you do with this article now that you have read it......... Is up to you.

Sales Tax
School Tax
Liquor Tax
Luxury Tax
Excise Taxes
Property Tax
Cigarette Tax
Medicare Tax
Inventory Tax
Real Estate Tax
Well Permit Tax
Fuel Permit Tax
Inheritance Tax
Road Usage Tax
CDL license Tax
Dog License Tax
State Income Tax
Food License Tax
Vehicle Sales Tax
Gross Receipts Tax
Social Security Tax
Service Charge Tax
Fishing License Tax
Federal Income Tax
Building Permit Tax
IRS Interest Charges
Hunting License Tax
Marriage License Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Personal Property Tax
Accounts Receivable Tax
Recreational Vehicle Tax
Workers Compensation Tax
Watercraft Registration Tax
Telephone Usage Charge Tax
Telephone Federal Excise Tax
Telephone State and Local Tax
IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax
Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax
Gasoline Tax (currently 44.75 cents per gallon)
Utility Taxes Vehicle License Registration Tax
Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Taxes
Telephone Recurring and Nonrecurring Charges Tax

Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, & our nation was the most prosperous in the world. We had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class in the world, and Mom stayed home to raise the kids.

What in the hell happened? Can you spell 'politicians? ' I hope this goes around THE USA at least 100 times!!! YOU can help it get there!!!
GO AHEAD - - - BE AN AMERICAN!!!

PS.
If you do pass this on - which is entirely up to you -
please do the right thing and delete any addresses you receive with it.

Thank You






So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. Genesis 3:6

Some things that look good to eat aren't. Eve and Adam found that out when they took a chunk out of the forbidden fruit. It looked good, but it wasn't. That also could have been the case for two children who went trick or treating in Ramsey, Minnesota.

They came back with some assorted Halloween treats, $85 in cash, and something that looked like rock candy. It wasn't candy. The police said it was crystal meth -- enough of the drug to kill the children had they eaten it. As I said, there are some things that look good to eat, but aren't.

You know, the satan likes to put some pretty nice wrappings around his temptations, doesn't he? He polishes his enticements, spiffs up his persuasions, drapes them in fancy paper, pretty bows, and says, "Here, I made this just for you." That's right -- custom temptations -- exclusively for you.

Now, I don't know what particular temptation satan has picked out for you, but I do know you have a Savior who lived, died, and rose to free you from your sins. Because of Jesus, those temptations -- once taken - can't hold you forever. You can be forgiven.

I also know that our Lord sends His Holy Spirit to help each of His children see those temptations for the garbage they really are. And then, once we've seen them, He helps us avoid them. The Bible calls it walking in the Spirit.



Pastor Hersch

wedding cake

Here's a pic of the wedding cake I did for my cousin David and his lovely bride Amy.

Shelly

Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:17

Many believers have all their spiritual armor in place, but they never use their sword. They talk about it. They study it. They compare swords with others. But they never use their sword in spiritual battle.

In fact, satan would be pleased if believers would just keep their sword in its sheath. He knows all too well the power and the authority of the sword of the Spirit, which is God’s Word.

Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Please read this verse again slowly. Ponder it.

God says of His own Word in Isaiah 55:11, “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” Heavy stuff.

There is power and authority in the Word of God. That is why satan doesn’t want you to use this incredible weapon God has given you.

Remember how effectively Jesus used the sword of God’s Word to defend Himself when He faced spiritual attack in the wilderness? Jesus was God. He didn’t have to stand around and deal with the devil. He could have gotten out of the situation very easily. But instead, He stood and modeled for us the right way to fight temptation: with the Word of God.

So when satan tries to attack you with temptation, fear, or doubt, or brings up past sins you’ve already confessed and of which you’ve been forgiven, remember the sword of the Spirit. Pull it out of its sheath and use it aggressively to defend yourself. Amen!

Pastor Hersch

a funny email I wanted to share

LADY'S YEARLY EXAM

I went to the doctor for my yearly physical.

The nurse started with certain basics.

"How much do you weigh?" she asked. "135," I said.
The nurse put me on the scale.

It turns out my weight is 180.

The nurse asked, "Your height?" "5 foot 4," I said.
The nurse checked and saw that I only measure 5' 2"

She then took my blood pressure and told me that it is very high.

"Of course it's high!" I screamed, 'When I came in here I
was tall and slender! Now I'm short and fat!"

She put me on Prozac.

What a bitch.

Shelly

See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Ephesians 5:15-16

Are you making the most of every day? Or do you feel rushed with never enough time to get everything done?

God has given to each one of His children a measure of time to live on this earth. Every day is a gift from God… and every breath you take is from Him. He has prepared a specific plan and purpose for your life that He wants you to accomplish during the time that you have. But in order to do so, you need to be a good steward of your time and not waste it away!

Our verse for today encourages us to walk carefully—with precision, purpose, and determination. This is important because you only have one life to live, and you don’t know how long it will be. So it’s crucial to seize the day and live every moment to the fullest.

The Scripture tells us to “redeeming the time”… to use it up… not for yourself, but for the glory of God. That’s what Jesus did. He was never hurried, but lived a life of purpose and He accomplished so much. He said, “I have come to do Your will” and He prioritized His time according to what He had been called to do.

You and I must do the same thing. It’s easy to rush through life and think we don’t have enough time for everything. But the truth is the Lord has given us the time and ability to do all that He asks us to do. It’s up to us to give ourselves to the most important things in life.

You can‘t live in yesterday and you can’t live in tomorrow… you can only live today. So make it count and maximize every moment!

Pastor Hersch

OHH NOOO!!

OHH NOOO!!

There are witches in my mailbox. What am I to do?
I found them there this morning, doing things they shouldn't do!!


How the witches got there, I haven't got a clue.
But they won't be there much longer because I'm sending them to

YOU!!!!!!
You've been Witch Kissed!

Before the warts begin to spread, pass the kisses on instead!

FRIDAY!!

I love Fridays...no clue why. Most people like the day because it's the end of the work week. I actually work weekends so thats not why I like it. Although soon I hope to work weekday mornings. Maybe it's cuz I don't get up as early. Maybe it's cuz so many crazy movies come on the scifi channel. Maybe it's cuz I enjoy church on Sundays. ::shrug:: don't know, don't care, I love weekends!!

There was a slight nip in the air this morning. I do hope winter is like last year. Bring on the freezing temps!! I can't get enough of the cold! Well the boys have PE this morning then I'm off to pick up a dining room set. It's gorgeous and FREE! Ya know what I say, if it's free, it's for me!! haha

Shelly

Those who are wise shall shine Like the brightness of the firmament, And those who turn many to righteousness Like the stars forever and ever. Daniel 12:3

I read the other day that the average American will spend 15 years in front of the television during his or her lifetime. Can you imagine 15 years of sitting in front of that box, clicking away? What a waste of life.

On the other hand, the Bible speaks of many rewards in heaven for the person who faithfully serves the Lord during his or her lifetime, and even speaks of crowns that will be given. In fact, I think we might be shocked when the awards are presented in heaven.

We may expect them to go to all the big names that we know. But just imagine if most of the awards were given to someone named Maude Firkenbinder. You hadn’t heard about her. She never pastored a church. She never recorded Christian music. She never wrote a book or stood in front of a television camera. But she used the gifts that God gave her. Maybe God called her to be a person of prayer. Maybe she labored in obscurity somewhere. But God saw her faithfulness and rewarded her openly.

Here is a thought to ponder. It is a tough one for me.

When you get to heaven, what will you have to show for your life on this earth? How much of our time was spent in a worthless way.

Did you have more passion or excitement for your career or for a sport or for your possessions than you had for the things of God?

Will it all come to nothing. Wasted hours. Wasted days. Wasted years.

Pastor Hersch

monday....

Watch your thoughts; they become words.

Watch your words; they become actions.

Watch your actions; they become habits.

Watch your habits; they become character;

Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.

Shelly

So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who had married his daughters, and said, “Get up, get out of this place; for the Lord will destroy this city!” But to his sons-in-law he seemed to be joking. Genesis 19:14

When you attempt to live both for God and the world, you resemble that poor, confused soldier in the Civil War who couldn’t decide what side he wanted to fight for. So he wore the coat from the Union and the pants from the Confederates. Then he marched onto the battlefield and got shot at from both sides.

If you attempt to live in both worlds, you will end up living a miserable life.

Living for both worlds—the life of compromise—is a dangerous thing. Just take a look at the life of Lot, the classic compromiser. Granted, he was a believer, but he made numerous mistakes.

Lot lived in the wicked city of Sodom and eventually became a leader in the city. But he was so bound up in sin that when he went to tell his sons-in-law that the judgment of God was coming, they laughed and thought he was joking.

There was no power in his witness, because he lived a compromised life.

Is that happening to you?

Are you getting weaker and weaker spiritually?

Do the things that once made you blush no longer shock you?

Do you find yourself becoming more and more tolerant of that which is evil and less interested in that which is spiritual?

Do you find that your words seem to have no effect on the nonbelievers you share them with?

Such is the peril of the compromiser. They don’t pull others up. Others pull them down.

Pastor Hersch

sooo

The other day I wanted to make the boys some cookies. I had been saying I would do it for like ever. Something kept coming up!! Anywho, so I get out the cookie mix package and my bowl and the butter and go to get the eggs. Guess what, no freakin eggs! Mind you I also didn't have the van that day so I couldn't run to the store and get them. Sure I could have called David but I was determined to resolve this issue on my own...somehow..

Now I had heard somewhere that ground flax seeds can be a substitute for oil n eggs and etc. I had a big bag from Costco and pulled it out. After reading the side panel I was thrilled cuz sure enough, subbing directions include eggs. I of course did not tell the boys what I was doing. Well 2 dozen chocolate chip and 1 dozen M&M cookies later, the boys are happy. You really couldnt tell that there were no eggs. I do believe in the future I will keep the eggs and substitute the butter. I already use apple sauce in place of oil/butter in cakes and brownies n such. Oh and the taste of the cookies? I swear I think they were better!! TaTa!!

Shelly

Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Galatians 6:1

After observing the behavior of some people, you would think they have a verse in their Bible that says, “Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, go and tell as many people as possible. And then ultimately go and try to drive that person away.” But this is not what Scripture tells us to do.

In Matthew 18, Jesus gave us the steps we should take when it appears someone has fallen into sin (and I emphasize the word appears).

First, we must know all the facts. When you hear something about someone, instead of talking about it, determine to go to that person and say, “I heard this about you. Is it true?” Hopefully, you can get the issue resolved immediately.

But to fail to go to someone when you know a sin is being committed is to actually cause that individual, and the church as a whole, the greatest harm. In Galatians 5:9 the Bible says, “A little leaven leavens the whole lump”

In many cases, you will find that even Christians rarely approach a sinning believer or allegedly sinning believer. Instead of seeking to help a person who possibly may have never sinned at all, they end up slandering that individual. This is wrong. If you have ever had this happen to you, then you know how painful it can be.

Remember, the devil wants to turn believers against each other. His job is to neutralize Christian’s witness. He will attack us from the outside, but many times, when that does not work, he seeks to infiltrate our ranks and divide us.

Let’s read the verse again. Notice my highlighted words. Ponder this.

Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.

Pastor Hersch

La ♪ La ♫ La ♪ La

So, I was cleaning out some boxes last week and came across some of my CDs of Broadway Plays that I've been to. I brought them into work this morning. So far I have listened to Aida....not a good idea when going through a divorce...anywho. Now Avenue Q is playing. It's so frickin funny! Next I'll listen to Evita or Chicago. Undecided at this moment. I need to go see another play. It's been too long....

Shelly

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. Philippians 4:8

A Native American boy was talking with his grandfather. "What do you think about the world situation?" he asked. The grandfather replied, "I feel like two wolves are fighting in my heart. One is full of anger and hatred. The other is full of love, forgiveness and peace."

"Which one will win?" asked the boy.

To which the grandfather replied, "The one I feed."

Franklin Delano Roosevelt said, "Men are not prisoners of fate, but only prisoners of their own minds," and James Allen stated, "You are today where your thoughts have brought you; you will be tomorrow where your thoughts take you."

Another has said, "What the mind dwells on the body acts on." If you don't believe this, think how temptation works—first a thought that seems to come from nowhere ... we feed it and the thought begins to expand ... then one's feelings get involved ... and the more we think about it ... the more we hunger for it ... then we begin to rationalize and justify what we want to do ... and the battle is lost. It all starts in the mind.

As they say about computers: GIGO = garbage in garbage out. So it is with the mind. If we keep looking at and thinking about garbage, we will act out accordingly. But, if as the Bible says, we concentrate on thoughts that are noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable, we too, will act accordingly. It's all in the mind, for what the mind dwells on the body acts on.

When tempting thoughts knock on the door of my mind, I try to remember to pray a very simple prayer, "Jesus, help. Jesus help," until the "door knocker" goes away.

Pastor Hersch