What will they come up with next?

I will admit that if I was Catholic this probably would be pretty convenient lol....

MEXICO CITY — Capitalizing on momentum from recent papal events, the Catholic church yesterday acknowledged its "insane jealousy and rabid envy of Pentecostals" in Latin America, and launched an ambitious plan to re-assert itself in countries where it has lost ground. Fleets of CC-Mobiles, new roving confession and Communion trucks, are plying neighborhoods in Mexico and the U.S. "When I heard the tinkling music, I thought it was the ice cream man, so I sent the kids out with money," says Maria Gonzalez. "Then I saw a priest at the wheel. He invited us into the truck to have brightly-colored Communion wafers and confess anything we needed to confess. I have to admit, it was convenient." The Church hopes to appeal to youth with Radical Rosary conferences. The PromiseKeepers-style events will promote church rituals under new names like "Man Your Stations" stations of the Cross and "Kickin'-It Confessionals" which Church literature describes as "hang-out sessions with priests where you can talk about anything that's on your mind except subjects relating to child abuse." Priests are also distributing bumper stickers that say, "Sì, Catolico!" and "Catholic … And Cool." But long term success depends on the new pope, they say. "We are excited about the potential of our 78-year-old German conservative pope to dazzle people with his proven 'rock star quality,'" says a priest from Oaxaca. "He will help us take back ground we conquered five hundred years ago." •

http://larknews.com/may_2005/secondary.php?page=4

In the picture of the tree you will notice a flower at the bottom of the tree, that flower is the grave site to the headless bird Kersh and I found. After we stabbed the bird with a stick we made him fly and walk just like any normal bird would love...although you may be wanting to check us into the hospital or maybe turn us in for animal abuse we still had fun. It may be gross and weird, but Kersh is a six year old boy and I am his weird cousin that eggs him on. Either way it was a good bonding time for us. I really enjoy being around Kersh. You never realize just how much you can learn from a six year old until you take the time to do things they enjoy (even if it is gross). Kids see the world different and from a much simpler perspective because they do not have to pay bills or feed a family, but sometimes it is good to stop and look at the world through their innocent eyes. It never hurts to stop being a "grown up" and dig a grave for a dead bird or go splashing in puddles. Take time to enjoy the simple things in life, maybe stop for a moment and smile like a kid, or run down the block chasing a lightning bug. Do not pass up the moments to have a little fun or invest love into a child... You will not regret it if you take a moment and stop worrying about what people will think if they see you acting like that.(trust me I am sure I look dumb splashing in puddles and having a ceremony for a dead bird, but it is those things that keep you laughing and keep you young). So take a moment and learn from a child, learn about what is really important, take a moment to listen to their honest words and you might just be surprised at what a kid can teach you.

Book of Hope International

I have just been thinking about what God wants me to do with my life and where he wants me to go and if I want to go on another missions trip with Book of Hope and it got me to remembering stories and smiles and hope.

If you do not know much about Book of Hope, I encourage you to visit there website and get to know more about them. Http://www.bookofhope.net

They are an organization that cares about the lives of young people and their families. They partner with local churches, they talk to those in charge of the countries,and they put their sweat and love into students. Book of Hope takes teams into countries and does school assemblies that include dramas and skits talking about making good choices and letting everyone know how important they are. Then they are presented with a gift, which is the Book of Hope. It is made up of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John and they will read about Jesus and his love and they will also read about making good choices.

It is an incredible, God ordained ministry and the stories that come out of it are amazing. I could tell you story after story of how God is changing the lives of students and teachers around the world. I remember a little girl named Carla, she is from El Salvador. She had those beautiful brown eyes and a smile that would make you melt. We played a hand game, just like girls all over the world love to play, then we presented the gospel to her and after she came up and gave me her bracelet. I do not know what happened in that little girls life that day, but I do know that she knows someone loves her. There are incredible stories of kids lives changing because Book of Hope is stepping up and fulfilling the great commission to spread the love of Jesus...

My main reason for this post is to tell you to pray for Book of Hope. Pray for safety, pray that lives are continually changed, pray for open doors into countries, and pick a country and pray day and night for that country.

If you are looking for someone to support, Book of Hope always needs support. Without support the gospel could not be taken to the nations. There are also a lot of amazing missionaries who could use support so that they can go to the other countries and love on kids. So if you have never thought about supporting Book of Hope, prayerfully consider it because the gospel needs to be taken...

CHINA

I think China is an interesting nation and would love to learn as much as I can about it...

China is a beautiful nation that is covered mostly with mountains and plateaus. You need to enter this country prepared for any type of weather because depending on where you are depends on the weather since this place covers such a large area of land. Over 1 billion people live in China and it is officially an atheist nation. There are some religions practiced in China such as Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity and it is defiantly a communist nation. It is not an extremely expensive place to live, but if you travel there you will be seen as rich so you will be charged more.

I read a story of a girl who on Sunday's her family goes to the park because of the strict rules put on religion. It kinda made me wonder how she feels about that. If she wants to believe in something or if she is ok with what her family does. She goes to school six days a week and Sunday is the family day.

Some other facts:

Currency- Yuan

Men in China smoke....period. It is good for business reasons and if you travel there as a male you will be offered a cigarette. Women do not smoke because its bad for them...? ok...do not get that but whatever.

Entering a house you should bring a gift...flowers or fresh fruit will work.

Some cities in China:
Beijing, Chengdu, Chongqing, Dalian, Guangzhou,Kunming, Nanjing, Shanghai,Shantou, Xi'an

Pray for China, pray for the world....love people.

"Only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing." Socrates

I realize I know nothing and that I need to be teachable...

I realize im bored at work...

So I am going to find something to learn about. I want it to be something that I am interested in so I am going to learn about people, nations, and ways of life... I am going to start with China. China is interesting to me and I want to know more about it...

Any other suggestions?

I hate the transition from high school to college... I know everyone has to go through it and everyone has to make a decision, but when you are in the middle of it, it is a big nightmare.

I do not know what to do or where to go or what God wants for my life. I am registered at one college, have a job, and do not want to leave my puppy, but what does God want? Maybe he wants me at another college in Texas, maybe he wants me to wait. I DO NOT KNOW! It is driving me crazy. I like to know what is going on and where I should go. I wish I came with a manual. I realize God does not usually work how I want him too, and I know his plan is perfect and his timing is perfect, but there is so much pressure put on you at this time in your life. Everyone wants to know what you are doing, where you are going, who you want to be...

I do not know yet. I simply want to do what God wants. I want to please him, and maybe sleep for three months and wake up with everything in place. I realize that is not going to happen...but its a nice thought. Just be praying for me and for all the other graduates who are being forced to be adults even though they do not want to... we need lots of prayer.

Pray we do what God wants...pray that we are not so stressed...pray that we do not give up...pray for peace...just pray.

Going on a fast

I have never been able to go on a food fast, maybe one meal but I only last two hours and now I really cannot go on a food fast because I am having blood sugar problems and I cannot skip meals. So I am going on another kind of fast...

A BOYFRIEND FAST...

At least for thirty days...maybe longer. Its going to be a time for me to talk to God and not worry about the opposite sex. I need to figure out what I am doing this fall I need to find out where God wants me and what he has to say to me. So boys step out of the way...im going on a journey,One to find who I am and what I like. An adventure of discovering things that are good about me and things that I need to work on. Its going to be a hard and messy one...but its one I am willing to take. I need this...

Love the Hell out of Them

I think a few people might have just gasp for their breath because of the "foul" language I used in my title, but before you throw you judgement at me read on...

Can you imagine what it would be like to not know how to love or what it would be like to not experience love? I am a big believer in loving people no matter what they do. When a person hurts you, no matter how bad love them. I have found that love always wins. I have had a situation recently where people are asking why I am even talking to a certain individual because of what they did to me, but the way I see it no matter what anyone did they still need to know that they are important and loved.

When some one does something that hurts you, turn around and forgive them. Let them know you hold no grudge and allow them to experience real love. No one can give love that they have never experienced so maybe you should be the first person to love the one who hurt you the most so they can then turn around and love someone else.

Love is not just a mushy feeling, love is much more. Love never walks away when the going gets tough, love is patient even when the one you are trying to love just does not get it, and love never quits. People have flesh on them and that makes them real...real people need real love.

May we go through life experiencing love, may we love the hell out of others, may we know that they are important and need love no matter what they do, and may we never go through life without letting our Father in heaven and those around us love us.

I have been reading stuff like I posted below all morning and I am convinced that people have nothing better to do than talk bad about others... One website I was looking through bashed every minister that they could think of from Shane Claiborne, Rob Bell, Mother Teresa, to Joel Olsteen. Whether or not every view of these people is correct or not there is no reason to find every bad thing you can about them...


I found this article
"Evangelicalism worries chronically about its youth. Polling by the evangelically oriented Barna research group shows that at least half of regular churchgoers ages 16 to 29 think their church is too judgmental, too political and too negative about homosexuality. Princeton sociologist Robert Wuthnow describes today's young adults as spiritual "tinkerers."
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1692051,00.html

Are we afriad that our young people will wake up and realize that homosexuals and prostitues have flesh on them? These are human beings, with flesh, that are real and have real feelings. Are we afraid that this generation of young people just might rise up and realize that love is more important than politics, judgment, and seuality? Not that I am saying I am for homosexuality, but they are humans and there is no reason to sit around and be jerks to them.

Jesus' life was a constant reflection of love...all the way to his death he was loving and forgiving. I mean what did he say hanging on the cross? "Forgive them Father..." after being beaten and torn he still found it in him to love those around him. I do not think it is such a horrible thing that young believers are beginning to catch ahold of this love movement that Shane Claiborn and Rob Bell are after... maybe this generation of young people will rise up and show the world the real God that is full of love and forgiveness. I just do not think we can bash those who are showing love to those they come in contact with. I am not here to say that everything they say or do is perfect, because they are human and there is no way they are perfect, but they are doing their best to get the gospel out in the most effective way. Sorry if they do not use thees and thous...if you are expecting that you have a rude awakening coming because young people today would not know who thee or thou was... so stop bashing people for trying to be relevant and for loving people...its dumb.

Coughing, stuffy nose, itchy, burning eyes, headache....You gotta love allergies

So life has been a little crazy lately and its not like life ever goes how you plan...but somehow through it all God has a plan and his plan is better even if we do not understand it in the moment.

Right now I really do not understand why things are going the way that they are, but I do know that God's love will break through all the heartache. I know that he will always remain faithful even when I feel like he is somewhere distant. He is right there...always despite how I feel. You probably want the details of what is going on, but at the moment it is not necessary for me to give those away. Right now I just want to encourage all those who are hurting and feel like giving up. Even if your life feels like its caving in and if there was a cliff you would like to go over the edge, do not give up. Allow your heavenly father...your daddy to wrap you in his arms and love on you through the pain. It may hurt right now, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel and your daddy is never going to leave you. Surround yourself with people who love you and allow yourself to be loved by them and by God. As we go through life there is going to be trouble and heartache, but God's plan is perfect. We may not understand it, but it is a perfect plan and his timing is perfect...trust him.

As we face the trials in life may we know that we are loved by a God who will never leave, may we understand that he made us with purpose, may we always lean back on him and be loved through the pain, and may we know that we are special, loved, and we can make it with the help of our daddy

Im not really all that fond of blogger these days...im set in my xanga ways, but since it is the only blog site that I can access at work...IM BACK!!!