FOCUS

"All right come," Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when He looked around at the high waves, he was terrified and began to sink. "Save me, Lord!" he shouted.--Matthew 14:29-30

Sometimes, I'm such a "Peter". I so miss the point of the miracles in my life and I focus on the daily storms. I focus so much on Jesus performing those miracles that I forget that He Is The Son Of God!!!! I need to step out of my boat and trust Him. Surrender, if you will. Again.
I argue with Him sometimes..."but God, I'm still feeling battered from the last storm!!".....and He tells me, gently but firmly, "I hear you, child. Keep your eyes focused on me and I will empower you to walk above these waves!"

The Simpsons

http://www.simpsonizeme.com/index.php

Apparently, this is a website where you can download your picture and they will make you into one of the Simpsons. The site is so busy that it is very difficult to get on. I'm not sure if I'm amused by this...or disturbed by this. Does anyone REALLY WANT to look like a Simpson??

I guess it could be a good conversation piece.."By the way, do you think I look more like Homer or Marge?"

Cool Music Video Site

http://www.relevantmagazine.com/TV/index.php?od=275#

St.Joe, Michigan

One of my favorite summer spots is St. Joseph, Michigan. My husband and I love to take our bikes up and ride around the town. We swing on the wooden swings while watching the boats . Sometimes we go down to the beach. But we always stop for ice cream before heading home. We were looking forward to this years Venetian Festival but we were so disappointed!!! The normally friendly people of St. Joe treated us so rudely as we looked to find a parking place or tried to accommodate all the new "rules" in place for this event. One way stairwells were heavily guarded and the bathrooms were padlocked with guards in place. We couldn't even enjoy some tempting "fair food" as our money wasn't accepted here. Only a ticket which had to be purchased at the other end of the boulevard. Few vendors set up their booths this year as compared to previous ones---have they experienced too many rules also?? We left with the decision to not attend next year's festival but to enjoy St. Joe as we have in the past....on a quiet Sunday afternoon without all the hullabaloo!!

Malachi

God--
I've been convicted since hearing the message this past weekend at GCC. As we read in Malachi , the point was "the way you treat somebody really reflects the way you feel about them." If you claim to have respect for someone, but treat them with contempt, your true feelings about them are revealed. Wow...my toes were stepped on, Lord. Is the way I feel about my loved ones consistent with how I treat them? Do they know I love and appreciate them? Do I encourage my co-workers? Do I really care about what is happening in the lives of the people who live next door to me? And how about you, God? Are you insulted when I don't give you my best? When I don't give you my best time, my best actions, my best attitudes.....
give me a nudge to remind me that you don't like "leftovers". You are worthy of my best!!!

Display of Faith

"I've faced a great tragedy, but have seen the works of what you bring.

A display of faith that you give, I don't know if I will ever understand

the depth of what it is you've done inside, but I know that I will never

find any worth apart from you". BEYOND MEASURE-JEREMY CAMP

Perspective

"Everybody follows somebody. All of us make decisions every day about what is important, how to treat people, and what to do with our lives. These decisions come from what we believe about every aspect of our existence. And we got our beliefs from somewhere. We have been formed, every one of us, by this complicated mix of people and places and things. Parents and teachers and artists and scientists and mentors- we are each taking all of these influences and living our lives according to which teachings we have made our own. Some insist they aren't influenced by any person or any religion, that they think for themselves. And that's an honorable perspective. The problem is they got that perspective from...somebody. They're following somebody even if they insist it is themselves they are following.

Everybody is following somebody. Everybody has faith in something and somebody.

We are all believers." Velvet Elvis--Rob Bell

LOVE & RESPECT

My husband and I have been reading this book together. At first, I was having some difficulty reconciling the "unconditional love" and "unconditional respect" concept. I mean, everyone knows that there must be unconditional love in a relationship, right? But respect must be earned. Not so, says Dr. Eggerichs. If I obey God's word...God will put forgiveness in my heart and the respect will follow. Hhmmmm.....I know that to be true. My job is to obey the Lord and not worry about the "logs in my husband's eye"...I have my own to contend with. "Forgiving is the direct opposite of judging. Nothing is easier than judging, nothing is harder than forgiving, and nothing can reap more blessings."