The lepers among us

A week ago Sunday in the fifth grade Sunday School class the lesson was on the group of lepers that approached  Jesus.  They came to Jesus for healing and He healed them.

Luke 17:11-19

New King James Version (NKJV)

Ten Lepers Cleansed

11 Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 12 Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. 13 And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”
14 So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.
15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16 and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan.
17 So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? 18 Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19 And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.

At this time in history, lepers were kept in colonies away from others and skin lesions were one of the signs of leprosy.  Jesus had mercy on them and healed them!

The lesson reminded me of a time when my skin was covered with sores and flaking from the effects of psoriasis'.  I was in a store at a mall in Oklahoma City and I had a feeling that someone was watching me.  Than I saw that someone was following me.  I walked out of the door of that store and I heard a voice asking me to wait.  I stopped and a woman came up to me and ask me if I was contagious.  I told her no but she continued to ask questions.  I told her that I had psoriasis and offered to give her the number of my Doctor and she would not take it but I could tell she did not believe me.  I finally just walked away from her feeling humiliated and ugly.  I felt like a leper!

The memory made me wonder how many are there that feel like lepers and are walking among us.  Do they feel unwanted and outcast?  Do I judge others by how they look?  Do I judge others by what they wear?  Do I judge others by how they smell?  Do I judge others because they look contagious? Have I made others to feel like a leper??

I know that I have? How many lepers have I made feel ugly and humiliated? I need to love like Jesus!!  He does not care what a person wears, how they look, if they have leprosy, how they smell or if they are contagious?

What about you?  How have you treated the lepers among us??

John 13:34-35

New King James Version (NKJV)

34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Where the Rainbow leads

                                             

 This morning I saw the rainbow, in the picture, on the way to take my daughter and her friend to their

     morning workouts at their school. I thought about what was really at the foot of the rainbow and than I          wondered where the rainbow might lead me.  Would it lead me into the trees or a wheat field?  Where          would I be if I followed the rainbow?                                                                                                                                                                   

 Seeing the rainbow didn't lead me to  gold or into the trees or a wheat field.  It did lead me to think of my  God.  The One who gave us the rainbow to remind us that He would never flood the whole earth again.  It also reminded me of His greatness and wonder.  It reminded me that my God loves and cherishes me.   

  I pulled up into the parking lot to let the girls out and saw a big puddle of water from the rains that left the        rainbow behind.  The first thing I noticed was the reflection of the rainbow.  The reflection was just as           beautiful as the rainbow that was gracing the sky.  The reflection lead me to the cross.  The cross where  my Savior died!  It lead me to the fact that He died and rose again for me!  It lead me to the feet of my Savior!

This  lead me to the fact that my life should reflect my Savior just as the puddle was reflecting the Rainbow and God's Glory!  My reflection should be one of God's Grace, Love and Forgiveness!!  

Where does the Rainbow lead you?? 

Genesis 9:13-15

New International Version (NIV)

13 I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 14 Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, 15 I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.

Ezekiel 1:27-28

New International Version (NIV)

27 I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him. 28 Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him.
This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord.

   

                                                                                                                                               

The Journey Continues:Chemo and Job like circumstances

Another Chemo under Richard's belt.  I know he is ready to be done.  He is tired of it!!  He is ready to be normal.  Please pray for him, not only for the cancer to go away but that God will take away his Job like circumstances.

His counts yesterday were still good.  White counts better than last time, red counts down but not enough for a transfusion.  Platelets are normal.  He will continue  IVIG infusions, those counts had dropped since last visit.  Last time the doctor had told him that as long as he is on the chemo those will probably stay down.

Richard has not felt very well, so he had a chest ex-ray yesterday and some extra blood work.  No results yet.  He will have another chemo in three weeks and than three weeks after that he will have a pet scan.

Thanks so much for the prayers!! They so very much help Richard through this journey!!!

“Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you. Jeremiah 32:17 NIV

Another spider story, I was calm!

Last night I kicked what I thought was a piece of fuzz that was on the carpet.  As I looked at the curled up piece of fuzz that I had just kicked I realized that was not just an ordinary piece of fuzz but it was a spider.  I calmly, with no screaming, picked up a shoe and smashed that spider into mush!!  I didn't do a spider dance, I didn't jump up and down but I did shiver when I realized that I had kicked a spider with my bare foot!

I realized that the more that I kill spiders the better I have become at it.  I will never, never in this life time like spiders and I will probably always shudder even when I just think of spiders but I think the spider dances will be reserved for the giant spiders or the ones about to drop down on my head!

There is sin in my life that I have learned to kick away from me.  There is sin that I can kick away calmly without any kind of shuddering or dancing.  That is the sin that I can kick down to mush but the bigger ones I might need help.  One of my big sins is pride.  For some reason this sin has followed me and lingered with me since I was very young.  I have to have help with it.

When I realize that pride is forming or already there I call on the name of Jesus and ask for help! I will  never in this life time like the fact that I let some sin kick me but I know where to go for help!  He is there every time!  He will take that pride or any other of my big or about to drop down on me sins and kick it to where the east meets the west.

Do you know my Jesus?  He is always there!

Psalm 32:1-2

New International Version (NIV)

1 Blessed is the one
    whose transgressions are forgiven,
    whose sins are covered.
2 Blessed is the one
    whose sin the Lord does not count against them
    and in whose spirit is no deceit.

Psalm 103:11-13

New International Version (NIV)

11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
    so great is his love for those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
    so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

13 As a father has compassion on his children,
    so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;

Thank-you!!

                                     

This a thank-you post!!  Many years ago this country, the United States of America, declared it's independence!  I am very grateful for those that have fought and still fight for our rights and freedom!  Over the years since that day we have gained much, through many battles.  Woman, minorities and more have gained the right to vote, to work and to live in this country.

Our country still has a military that is in place to protect and to make sure we still enjoy our freedoms.  I have to say a thank-you to my ancestors, my father(deceased), my little brother, and my three sons, along with the many scores now and through the years that have joined the military and when doing so they are a part of ensuring that our country still can declare independence.  THANK-YOU!!!!

We have many freedoms in this country, one of which I am using right now which is the freedom of free speech!  We also have the right to bear arms and to protect ourselves! We have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We also have the freedom of religion.

I truly believe that my God was in this nation when it was formed!  He was there as the constitution was formed.  He has been there as this country has been blessed for many years!  He is still here as many have  tried to push Him out of our schools and our country.

Our country needs to stand strong and keep God in our lives, schools and homes!!

First though He wants you!  He sent His Son so that you might have independence where ever you might live!  His Son willingly died on a cruel cross and rose again so that you might find new life in heaven!  THANK-YOU!!!!!


Whether you live free, have many rights or live with none, true freedom can be found in the cross!



                                                     

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance. Psalm 33:12 NIV

John 14:5-7

New International Version (NIV)

Jesus the Way to the Father

5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truthand the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know[a] my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

Check out my links.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0Snj1Cxp8o

http://leothelionandthebigbugdilemma.webs.com/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jungle-Friends-Leo-the-Lion-and-the-Big-Bug-Dilemma-by-Brenda-Salladay/196542228928?fref=ts

http://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=9781613464601

Hello everybody, Here are some of my links.  I would love for you to look at them.  The facebook link is my book page and I would love to have you follow my page.  There will be a winner of a book and finger puppet at 500 likes!!

The top link is a youtube of my first book.  It is very short.  The second link is my book webpage.  I would also love it if you would become a follower of my blog!! I am trying to get sales going on my books.  They are available online at amazon, barnesandnoble and other online places.  They are available in book form and on kindle or e book.  Maybe you guys could help me move up the list.  You know the list that determines where the book ranks!!

More than anything though, I would love for you to become a follower of my Lord.  He was born to die and rise again.  He did this for you and for me!!  He loves you!!  You can find out about Him in the Bible.  That is His link!!

John 3:16-17

New International Version (NIV)

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

John 14:6

New International Version (NIV)

6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.