Disorderly Conduct

Word of the Post
Today's word is: visceral
/vis"cer*al/ adjective
1. Literal and Medical: Of or pertaining to the viscera, which are organs in the great cavity (abdomen) of the body of an animal.
2. Figurative: Proceeding from emotion, intuition or instinct rather than from intellect, reasoning or observation; as in "visceral reaction".
Having "guts" comes from repeated tests of visceral and intestinal fortitude.
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Some days you are the windshield, some days you are the bug. This week, I have felt like the bug.

The tentative car is the reliable one all of a sudden. The starter on the good car has decided to stop (well, it hesitates) working. I hope it starts enough to make it to the shop tomorrow morning. {Update: It started, and even acted up for the tech when he tried it. Should be fixed later today - Oct. 2.} I did, however, get a real idea of what is wrong with the tentative car, so I may have two fixed cars by the end of the week.

God answers prayer. Isn't He amazing? God answered many prayers for Niki and her friend Kim, and He's using Ty Pennington to do it! Kim's family had the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Bus pull up to their house on Sunday, and they are getting a home makeover to save her daughter's life. This amazes me. God is so powerful, and He loves us so much that He wants us to have the best.

I have been class jumping at church lately. I got caught, too. We were going to a young adult discussion class, and the elder teaching it was doing all the talking. I would not usually worry about that, but the talking outed me. We are part of a group that goes around quietly doing the things that need doing. We are trying to be the left hand doing, without telling the right hand. We have told the elders, but apparently had not made it crystal clear that we were trying to be anonymous at all costs. One of the recipients of our good works was in the class. That could have been very embarrassing for them, and I know it was for me. I tried to make sure that the elder knew that I didn't want recognition for our works. I gave up. He named DH and myself, and two other couples before I got him to stop. To avoid the questions, and to avoid any more issues until our group spokesperson can tell the elders to be more tight-lipped about our works, I decided that I wanted a change of venue.

We have been going to the College class for two weeks now. I wanted to see what they were talking about, and our friend teaching said that he didn't care who was in the class. I don't want the kids in there thinking that we are trying to recapture our youth. We just wanted a different subject... and a different teacher. The elder accused me of "skipping" his class this Sunday. It took a lot for me to be quiet. I felt like yelling, "Yeah, and so what? I am not paying for your class at College, I can go to any class I wish!" or something worse, like, "Yes, and because you wouldn't shut up, I won't be going back, either!" That wouldn't have been good. I feel ashamed for just thinking it. I probably should have actually explained the situation to him. I need to have our spokesperson with me, and a copy of our Mission Statement. I may try to do that on Wednesday.

Why is it that teachers get personal with their classes? All the adult classes are studying the same subject, but the three different teachers have three different styles, and I had just picked the one that I thought would not put me to sleep on Sunday mornings. Honestly, I picked the room, because it had ceiling fans, and I would not be so hot in the building. I could have easily picked the Auditorium Class, and slipped in late every time. The College class is thinking on more deep issues, and I really feel they fit where I am right now. How can I be guilty of skipping class, when I actually attend one?

I have spoken with the teacher of the College class. He is also a teacher at Oklahoma Christian. He said that he needed some of his students to hire an editor. I had a hard time not jumping up and down and waving my arms, while crying out, "Oh, pick me, pick me!" I could do that. I just need a book about the style they require (MLA or whatever other style they pick for a standard). I found out that the going rate is $5 per page. Considering many of these are 10 page reports... I could be making the big bucks. From home. In my spare time. I could seriously do that. A step in the right direction for my dream job; a God Wink. I am certainly paying attention.

For those of you who know DH, you know that he does not like Strawberries, and I love them. I thought this was funny. This comes from an email I received. It appears to be designed by the people who put out that book called "Play With Your Food".


When all is said and done, as long as you have love, you have happiness.
Have a great day!

Am I Fragrant, Or Do I Stink?

Word of the Post
Today's word is: often
/off"en/ adjective (So oft mispronounced as /oft"en/ that it is the first pronunciation I found; this is a sad state of the language.)
Not seldom; frequently; many times at short intervals; common; repeated.
Teh Club often gets together to celebrate; birthdays, accomplishments, holidays. We look for reasons to gather around food.
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This is a continuation of the discussion sparked by the Fragrant Oil post a few days ago. I start with the question that Niki presented. "Why do you believe THAT power was only given to the Apostles,etc. and why are you sure that those types of miracles aren't happening today? Or did I misunderstand?"

I suppose you could have misunderstood my meaning. I don't feel my thoughts were clear, so I don't blame you for feeling confused. I am still trying to stretch my own boundaries, while not "falling for anything". I am still not solid on my thoughts here. This post, and probably several more like it, will be me mumbling, and opening my study to hear what others have to say, while keeping the Bible as my first witness.

I am most certainly NOT sure that those types of miracles are not happening today. They can, and probably should. You (directly to Niki) have heard stories of miracles happening, and you have had a few in your own life. I have not witnessed anything like that, but I do not doubt that it can happen. As I said somewhere in here, God's power has not changed.

I have also seen "healing" gatherings that were just as fake as the sleight of hand at the circus. Mike Warnke did a stand-up bit about going to a "healing service" and getting hit in the head... "In the name of JESUS! (hit)". He says he got back in line, and the guy says, "I already healed you!" and Mike says, "Yeah, but now I got a headache." Impersonators were a problem in Jesus' time, and have not gone away.

I see this rather like the early baptisms, where the converts were using the Apostle who converted them to lift their own status. "I am of Paul, I am of Apollos". The gift of healing is rare, and precious. Paul said the gift of prophecy was rare, but that other gifts were just as much a part of the whole of the church. In Romans 12, he listed many gifts: prophecy, service, teaching, exhortation, giving, leading, mercy. I believe that the next few verses, while most will apply them to the gifts, are also gifts themselves: perseverance, devotion to prayer. So, if I believe that all of these gifts ever existed, I can be sure that they still exist today. If they are rare, then maybe I have not seen the truly gifted. Is that an issue of location or unbelief?

I believe that demon possessions and influence still happen. I have recently become aware that some "diseases" may actually be supernaturally caused. I have personally experienced removal of headaches by prayer. So, if the bad exists still, why not the good? We all want to believe in the reward of Heaven, but we don't really believe in the punishment of Hell. Why is that? I think we have been lulled into forgetfulness.

Maybe Americans are jaded, to the point that even miracles won't sway them. We are so caught up in our own glory and instant gratification, that we tell God that we can do without Him. Which, of course, is folly. Lazarus and the Rich Man come to mind. Luke 16:19-31 The Rich Man is told that his brothers had their chances, and even if they saw a dead man, they would not believe.

I believe that the gift that the Apostles received, to heal by laying on of hands, was a gift they could pass on. In Acts 8, we see Simon the sorcerer trying to buy the ability. All gifts to others seem to come from the Holy Spirit only, not from a human decision. I don't know if that can be given to another anymore. I don't think that the Apostles' gift was carried on beyond that first generation. I don't believe that there is anyone alive today carrying an Apostolic gift of healing. Like the "Apostolic Churches", I think that the gift specifically handed down would make more glory for man than for God. The gift still exists, but not directly from the Apostles. Does that make sense? God chooses who will be blessed, and it is God who deserves all the glory.

I will have to do more searching. I welcome any thoughts you (all my lovely readers) have, any ideas you present, any discussions you can spark. Those things I said about you, Niki, from the "Nice Matters" award, I meant. You truly do humble me; you keep me sharp and on my toes. That thing had a ballet slipper on it, didn't it?

Soda Or Pop? Name That Fizz!

Word of the Post
Today's word is: ecclesia
/ec*cle"si*a/ noun
Public legislative assembly of Athenians; a church, either as a body or a building. When the early Christians were finally called something, the Greek word used to describe them referred to being "called out", or a special group. Iglesia is a transliteration into Spanish.
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I found this wonderful answer to the same basic question I had. Should we or should we not now use oil and anoint the sick? Go check it out for yourself. I have come to a similar conclusion. I just did a lot of reading on the subject, because it landed in my brain. Being a medicinal instruction, we are not required to smear olive oil on our sick friends. Which is, most likely, a good thing. But, if you feel you must try, I have also found the perfect (local to me) outlet for purchasing such oils. They seem to have the Lord at heart. I still think that it might be a good thing to add back, to focus the attention of the people doing the praying, or to help the faith of the sick person. It would require touch, which requires a little bit of intimacy, and that is good for intercessory prayers.

The Oklahoma State Fair opens tomorrow, and in honor of the Centennial of our fine state, the admission for opening day is 100 cents. Yep, for one small dollar, you can get into the fairgrounds and enjoy all the craziness that the State has to offer. I am sorely tempted to go and take it in two rolls of pennies. Opened, in a Ziplock baggie. Make them count it, and make the people behind me mad. But, oh, such fun!

I bet many Oklahomans don't even know what I am about to tell you. Did you know that Watermelon is a Vegetable? It was announced on April 26th of this year that Watermelon is now the official State Vegetable. I want to know some answers. Seriously. Who thought we needed a State Vegetable? Who decided that it needed to be a Watermelon? And why, Why, WHY did it need to be decided in April of our 100th year as a State? We got along just fine for over nine decades, without a dome on our Capitol Building and without a State Vegetable. Someone was really wasting time and money, and they really need to cut it out.

Imagine the new State Seal, with the fancy cut Watermelon, full of little melon balls, next to a Peace Pipe , a Horse and an Oil Rig. What's next? The State Slouch? The State Shoe? The State Tattoo? A note for you non-Okies... Oklahoma was the last State in the Union to legalize tattooing, and that also happened in our 100th year. Go to Texas for a few years more if you want a good one. Give these guys a little time to practice. You want experience when you get a tattoo. Otherwise, you get a junky tattoo or a disease.


Speaking of disease, this looks like Magenta has chicken pox. No, really we just painted her (Magenta is a girl, right?) with strawberry marshmallows stuck on by using strawberry icing. This was a variation on Pin-the-Tail-on-a-Something. Jelly Bean's 2nd Birthday Friends Party was a Blues Clues party, and it was the cutest thing! The kids got their own Handy Dandy Notebook, and followed BIL all around the building, and find the Clues that had been planted. They found a tattoo/sticker, a package of Fruit Snacks, and an empty goody bag. Then, they came back where they started, and sat in their chairs to Think, Think, Think. Then Jelly Bean gave everyone a goody bag. This was really a clever way to do a party! One of Jelly Bean's gifts was an inflatable red Thinking Chair, like the one pictured below on the Handy Dandy Notebook. I even got DH to wear a striped shirt to the party.


This is me, holding the Gum Drop, at Jelly Bean's party. That little foot is only as long as my index finger.


On Labor Day, we went to Stillwater to have lunch with some friends. Ferret's daughter Ani would turn 5 on the 5th, so we had a party for her. We ate at Eskimo Joe's. We got our drinks in the famous cups (this time we got yellow cups that turned green when they get cold) and had a grand time. They even announced her (twice, because we missed the first one). On the way back to town, we ended up taking the Mother Road less traveled. We came back by way of Route 66. We passed the Big Round Red Barn, and then we came to a nifty little attraction that I didn't even know about.

This is a Soda Shoppe of the old fashioned variety. They have rare, odd and popular sodas of all shapes and colors. The biggest one is... this.


This is the Pops Soda Shoppe bottle. {Edit: I found out that the bottle has a name. It is "Bubbles". Isn't it cute?} It is (you could guess) 66 feet high. The cool thing about it for me was that it lights up at night.


Each of those rings lights up individually. They have it in motion, looking like the bottle is filled and then emptied for each color of soda the thing has. I saw Green, Red, Orange, Yellow, and Purple, as well as the basic White. I got this picture because of the "perfect" filled height. This was close to the example we saw when we went to see the Dr. Pepper factory in Dublin, TX. I hope Fuzzy looks at this page, because they carry more than one variety of soda from the same company that makes the Black Lemonade he so loved. They also had a Cherry Bomb Jolt (pretty good, better than the Black Cherry Soda we also tried) and lots of other amazing and long-lost soda favorites. If you ever get a chance to come see me, I can take you there. It is fun. This is a link to show you the "raising of the bottle". Here is the link to their official website.

Note for today's post: All photos by me or my Dear Hubby, on our digital camera. Designs of products pictured are property of individual copyright or trademark owners. I took my own pictures in a public forum, and gave credit to the official site. This way, Pops can thank me for the free ads instead of persecuting me for plagirism or something else just as ugly and not intended.

Have a great weekend. Think deep thoughts, and blog them for the world to see!

Fragrant Oil and Healing Prayer

Word of the Post
Today's word is: anfractuosity
/an*frac'tu*os"i*ty/ noun
The state of being anfractuous (yeah, like that helps), or full of windings and turnings; i.e. spires on a horn, or roads near cliffs.
Like a road full of hairpin turns, the mystery was full of anfractuosities.
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Enough about my mood....

I have been doing a lot of reading in the past few days. I love to study. The Bible, Dictionary, Encyclopedia, the Harry Potter series, whatever book I can get my hands on. I love to have discussions with people who read the same things, and actually think about what they have read. Ideas get stuck in my brain, and I have to express them, generally in writing. Usually, I make notes in a binder, and either tear up the paper (the angry writings) or keep it forever, to clutter up my house and make me wonder what I was thinking.

Today's ramblings were inspired by Niki's miracle story. Go check out her Journey blog (there is a link on the left side of my front page). She expressed sadness that the people who raised her (religious family) told her that the miracles died out with the Apostles. I was brought up with this notion as well. Now, I think the reasons for those early miracles are no longer valid. The Apostles were given the power (I believe THAT power was given to the Apostles, and only the people they laid hands on to pass it on. That bit of power DID die with the Apostles) because they were spreading the Gospel to a world that could not read the Bible for themselves. The miracles were performed in public, to glorify the God who was offering salvation to the masses. I think that the frequency of the miracles is no longer necessary, either. Any miracle can be done at any time, with the approval of God, but we no longer need to have public forums with multiple miracles in order to share Jesus.

Now, having said all those classic ideas, I agree with Niki that I (we humans) have no right to limit God's power. I do not want to express hubris by telling others that miracles are not possible anymore. God's power has not changed. The God who created the "laws" of physics can just as easily rewrite DNA, clear leprosy, remove tumors and allergies, and relieve physical distress. The fact that I do not have the faith enough to bother to ask Him to do it is not a limit on God's power, but on me.

I have said for years that the churches I grew up in didn’t seem to believe that the elders could pray and lay on hands, and that they could really bring about healing by these things. What a sad loss to the faithful! The church has missed out on a great power. In all my years in the churches of Christ, over 5 states I have lived in, through 8 congregations I have been an active part in... I have never seen, or even heard of, an elder in the church going to visit the sick, anointing the person, touching them and praying over them. The elders go visit, and pray, and sometimes touch. But the anointing is overlooked.

James 5:14-15 (New American Standard Bible translation) ~ "Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him."

I think that the practice of anointing has fallen out of popularity. I see this New Testament verse as a direction. It is the responsibility of the elders to do, but also the responsibility of the church members to call the elders. In Niki's story, there is no mention of anointing, but only prayer. God is powerful, and I believe that the hearts of the petitioners were pure in their request to God. I see that anointing is not the only component, but it is the one that I know the least about, so I decided to research it.

When the Bible talks about anointing a King, or things in the Temple, there is an Holy Oil mixture. There is a recipe in the book of Exodus. It speaks of fine spices and the measure of olive oil. The Holy Oil is supposed to be very fine, the work of a Perfumer. This is not to be any run-of-the-mill oil. Like tithes, it is to be made of the finest ingredients, the best of what we have. However, there is a warning. Exodus 30:33 ~ "Whoever shall mix any like it, or whoever puts any of it on a layman, shall be cut off from his people." So this is not the oil intended for anointing a sick person.

Most of the "oil" references in the Bible, that I have found anyway, are speaking of Olive oil. It seems that Olive is a good "carrier" oil, that works well with other scents, and does not overpower the spices used with it. Almond oil tends to have its own (while usually sweet) aroma, and the mixtures would smell differently. There are many spices, fruits and essences that are mentioned in the Bible. Cinnamon, Myrrh, Frankincense, Henna, Rose, Lily, Apple, Grape, Fig, Pomegranate, Milk, Honey, Cedar, Cypress, Dates, Balsam, Fruit Tree Blossoms, Herbs, and "mountains of spices".

I had trouble finding any example of anointing oil recipes, other than the Holy one. It seems that the oil itself is good. I need to research the customs of the Jews, hoping that they have a "common man" oil recipe. I have seen bottles of "anointing oil" that are used by others, in places like Mardel and Cokesbury (local Christian supply stores).

I have not completed the research I wish to do on this subject. Please do not think that I have made any definite findings. I don't want anyone who reads Niki's story to be critical. Her son is healed. God did it, and God gets all the glory for it. Humans asked for it, with fervent prayer. In her post, she quotes a Scripture in reference to one healing Jesus performed.

Mark 9:24b ~ "I do believe; help my unbelief."

I am ending this open post with part of my response to Niki's story.

"We are bound by the limitations of our finite thoughts, and I think God laughs. He wants us to break out of the limitations and jump like crazy into trusting only Him. I must confess, I was skeptical when I started reading. Now, I am convinced, and convicted. God also used you to help our unbelief!

Praise be to God alone!"

Down Time

Word of the Post
Today's word is: morose
/mo*rose"/ adjective
Sullen, austere, of a sour temper. Ill humored, gloomy, gruff.
An illness or depression can lead to a morose affect.
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I have a tendency to be morose. In the moment, I don't think about others, or even the future, just about me and the now. I don't play chess very well, because I don't think on the strategy of the thing. Not that I couldn't learn, but that I have not bothered to. I spend a lot of time alone, and that doesn't help.

I am a perfectionist, so I like to complete each task to the highest standard. I am also a procrastinator, so if it can be done later, I ignore it now. The fall happens when I want to do something perfectly, and I know I cannot. The job never gets off the ground. I am by no means lazy, just cluttered. And I have lost my joy.

They say you will never forget your first love, no matter how many others you encounter in your lifetime. The First is always the love of youth, passion and the forgiveness of modified memories. Being a Christian, the goal is to remember that God is the First Love, and everything else is just secondary.

Lisa (the one with the Perspective) said that she lost herself in her attention to others. I have lost myself in the attention to me. Odd as that sounds, it is true. I have paid so much attention to me, that I have neglected the God and His people that I needed to be loving. I have done only things that make me happy, and somehow came out of the forest wondering where the trees were; I am less happy than ever.

It strikes me that I cannot be the person I so desire to be. I cannot be the faithful Hannah, giving up her first son to God. "Sorry, God, the church won't function as an orphanage." I cannot be so unselfish. I am a selfish human, and I am stuck in my pride on that matter. I want a child! I have done nothing to show that I would be faithful in raising a child. I have, in fact, done nothing but complain that I didn't have what I wanted. Any mother will tell you that complaining and pitching the fit won't get you anywhere. God uses the parental analogies all the time. He is our Father. He hears every thought in our hearts. And I have done nothing but be a pitiful child.

I have decided that I need to sit. Be still. Be patient. Be prayerful. Be busy working and not so busy complaining. God doesn't always grant a request immediately. Sometimes the answer is "No". I don't want God to just give me a child. (Basket on the doorstep is so cliche') So, what do I want? The sad truth is that it does not matter what I want. I am a mere human, who does not understand the ways of God. While He promises to give me the desires of my heart, he also promises that life and ministry will be a challenge. This is not to say that I don't matter to God, because each of us does, but to say that the will of this tiny speck may be in conflict with the plans of the God of the Universe.

In a recent lesson, Curt Niccum said that God doesn't mind when we ask questions, and even when we yell a bit. He wants to know what we think, how we are feeling, and that we are willing to use Him as our shoulder. It all should come back to God. We get our life and every thing we have from Him, and we also get our comfort from Him.

Job was in misery, sitting in ashes and sackcloth. His friends showed up and, for the first few days, did exactly the right thing. They sat quietly with Job in the ashes. It is when they opened their mouths that the trouble started.

Granny had a poem above her sink, and I need to remember it. I would give the author's name if I had it. Until I find an author, I will attribute it to "Anonymous" (who has written and said many more profound things than any other thinker, alive or dead).

Thank God for dirty dishes,
They have a tale to tell.
While others may go hungry,
We're eating very well.
With Health and Home and Happiness
I shouldn't want to fuss;
For, by the stack of evidence,
God's been good to us!

I need to get back to work. Laundry and Dishes await. The multipurpose sink is in need of my attention, as well as the prayer life I claim to have.