How Would You Fix the Economy?

Dear Mr. President,

Please find below my suggestion for fixing America's economy. Instead of giving billions of dollars to companies that will squander the money on lavish parties and unearned bonuses, use the following plan.

You can call it the Patriotic Retirement Plan:

There are about 40 million people over 50 in the work force. Pay them $1 million apiece severance for early retirement with the following stipulations:

1. They MUST retire. Forty million job openings - Unemployment fixed.
   
   
2. They MUST buy a new American CAR. 40 million cars ordered - Auto Industry fixed.
   
   
3. They MUST either buy a house or pay off their mortgage - Housing Crisis fixed.

It can't get any easier than that!

P.S. If more money is needed, have all members in Congress and their constituents pay their taxes...

Friday Fill-In

And...here we go! Replace my bold words with YOUR words!

1. Apparently there's some sort of misunderstanding regarding facebooks security.
   
2. RE: YOUR snow day. WE had a very sunny day.
   
3. 2009 has been a BUSY year so far.
   
4. I said all I could say and that was it.
   
5. For too long I've been batteling depression.
   
6. I am not obsessed with Farm Town; I am not!
   
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to watching the movie Fireproof, tomorrow my plans include studying the group leaders Fireproof kit things and Sunday, I want to chillax!

You can get your 'Friday Fill-In' clicking on the title above or using the button in the left ♥FAVORITE SITES column. *or re-post in a comment below!*
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In God's Hands

by Tracie Miles

"When I am afraid, I will trust in you.". Psalm 56:3 (NIV)

As I aroused from sleep, my first thought was, "Uggg. It is going to be cold outside." But to be honest, my anxiety wasn't so much about the cold mountain weather, but about my teenage daughter's safety that day.

We had been planning the trip for weeks and the girls were so excited that their snowboarding day had finally arrived. The wind was cold and the snow was slippery, but the sun was shining, the mountains were beautiful, and the enthusiasm of three teenage girls outweighed their shivers. We had arranged for them to take a one-hour snowboarding lesson that morning, as this was their first time on the slopes. Once we got them bundled up in their coats, scarves and protective gear , we parted ways as they walked off with the rest of the group to begin their lesson.

Suddenly, I felt this little rush of panic come over me. It was a familiar feeling, because for the past 15 years I have mastered the art of worrying about the safety of my children. When there is even the most remote possibility one of them could be hurt, my mind floods with irrational thoughts about what could happen in the worst of circumstances.

What if she has trouble getting onto the ski lift properly, and slips and hits her head? What if she can't get off the lift quick enough at the top of the mountain, and falls off and gets hurt? What if she falls off the lift seat while hoisted five stories up in the air? What if she gets too close to the edge of the slope and falls off the side of the mountain? What if she gets separated from her friends and panics all alone? What if she breaks her arm/leg/neck? What if ...

As I said, irrational thoughts. Unwarranted panic.

Since I could not run up the ski slope after her, looking like a crazed, over-protective mother, I headed back to the lodge. There I found myself praying a simple prayer something like this: Oh, Lord, I cannot be with her today. I cannot protect her. I cannot watch after her. She will be out of my sight, at the top of a mountain, far from my reach. Only You can see her. Only You can protect her now. Please keep her safe. Instantly I felt God's reassurance, and heard Him quietly speak to my heart, "Put her in My arms Tracie. Entrust her to Me."

Although I secretly preferred to hold her in my own arms and keep her safe, just like when she was a little girl, I knew I had to entrust her fully to God – just not on the ski slope, but every day of her life. I am a mere human, but God is a sovereign and powerful God. Any physical protection I could offer her pales in comparison to the spiritual protection given from our Savior.

As e ach of my children grow and live, I know they will face new dangers. Peer pressure will be heavy, temptations will prowl, people will hurt their feelings, dangers may cross their path and life may be hard. Our modern culture will cause them to face challenges and decisions that I did not have to deal with as a child. My comfort must come from believing that they will be in God's hands, and that He will always be with them, no matter where they go. Not just on the top of a mountain, but every minute of every day in every circumstance.

Do you know that the word "children" appears over 450 times in the Bible? Our children matter to God, and He loves them, even more than we love them. Being a parent allows us a window to see God's amazing perspective of that love.

Dear Lord, forgive me for forgetting how much You love my children and that You are always with them. Thank You for surrounding us with Your angels. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources: Do You Know Him?

Most Dangerous Cake In The World

I got this recipe email from two differnent friends, so thought, 'what the heck, I'm going to try it!'

Well, I did and aside from it needing, in MY opinion, a lil "kick" of some sort, it will definitely cure the craving for chocolate! Give it a try and see what you think could be added to give it that missing "kick" then let me know so I can try it, too!

5-MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE

• 4 tablespoons flour
  
• 4 tablespoons sugar
  
• 2 tablespoons cocoa
  
• 1 egg
  
• 3 tablespoons milk
  
• 3 tablespoons oil
  
• 3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
  
• 1 small splash of vanilla extract
  
• 1 large coffee mug
  
  Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly.
  
  
  
  
  
  Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add the vanilla extract and chocolate chips (if using), and mix again.
  
  
  
  
  
  Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes (at 1000 watts) on high. The cake may rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed!
  
  Allow to cool a little; run a knife along inside to loosen and tip out onto a plate if desired.
  
  
  
  
  
  EAT! (this can serve 2 if you want to be generous).

And why is this the most dangerous cake recipe in the world?

Because now we are all only 5 minutes away from chocolate cake at any time of the day or night!

P.S. I liked mine with strawberries and cool whip!

Friday Fill-In

1. Join me in bowing your heads .. .


2. Put a little sunshine in your day!


3. Happiness is good coffee first thing in the morning.


4. Drunk and confused.


5. I'm waiting for hell to freeze over.


6. For me, chocolate is hard to resist.


7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to bunco, tomorrow my plans include seeing Jen's new house and Sunday, I want to chillax!

You can get your 'Friday Fill-In' clicking on the title above or using the button in the left ♥FAVORITE SITES column. *or re-post in a comment below!*
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Friday Fill-In

1. Anonymous...signatures make research hard.


2. LIFE is a trip.


3. Let me embrace thee, sour adversity, with gentle mellifluous arms..


4. New life blooming is what I look forward to most about Spring.


5. Who needs therapy when I have YOU for my friend.


6. A big SOLID chocolate bunny MUST go into the Easter Basket!


7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to seeing Crucify Him, tomorrow my plans include grocery shopping and Sunday, I want to chillax!

You can get your 'Friday Fill-In' clicking on the title above or using the button in the left ♥FAVORITE SITES column. *or re-post in a comment below!*
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Following My Father's Directions

by Karen Ehman

The Lord said, 'It is because they have forsaken my law, which I set before them; they have not obeyed me or followed my law.'" Jeremiah 9:13 (NIV)

The car was packed; the gas tank full; a cooler stood chock-full of sandwiches for the long ride. This was it! My three kids and I were excitedly off on a summertime adventure. In the midst of a stressful and busy move and while waiting for the kids' bedrooms in the basement to be finished, we threw caution to the wind and took my friend Marybeth up on an invitation to join her at an ocean beachfront home she was being allowed to use for free.

Now this was no small undertaking. It was going to be a 17-hour trip with three kids in the car. Besides the necessities we needed to pack, most of all we needed dir ections. We had to see on paper just how to get from our little home in the middle of Michigan to sunny Ocean Isle, North Carolina, without getting lost!

Should be a piece of cake in this era of online sites that spit out detailed directions, right? Of course! So I printed them off, tucked them in a folder and revved up the car's engine. Before I left, however, my father called me. He winters near Ocean Isle and he wanted to give me verbal directions since he has traveled that course twice a year for the past 18 years and is very familiar with how to get there.

I reluctantly wrote down his instructions, complete with highways to avoid and exit names, etc. Then, I tossed the directions into the glove compartment. I thanked him for the gesture but assured him I probably wouldn't need it since I had the newest, slick Internet directions already. But "Father knows best!' he assured me. I smiled and headed off.

About half-way to our destination, I noticed that the exit number and name on the Internet's directions didn't match up. I began to panic. Should I take the exit number it gave or the exit name it listed? I chose the exit number. Soon after that, we became completely lost. None of the directions made sense any more. We got off the exit, headed back to where we'd made the turn and tried again.

But this way didn't work either! We were soon heading north instead of south and there wasn't an exit in sight for miles! When we finally got off, I popped into a gas station and asked for help. The attendant smiled and handed me a piece of paper with corrected directions already written on it. It seems that the Internet site does not completely have the directions. In fact, the station gets dozens of lost souls wandering into their establishment everyday longing just to get back on the right track. They were ready with printed directions to give out to such weary travelers.

Worried that the rest of my Internet directions might be wrong as well, I quickly fumbled through the glove compartment to find my father's handwritten instructions. I ran them by the gas station attendant. "Perfect!" he commented. My father knew the way without any wrong turns. "Just stick to your father's instructions and you won't be lost" I was told.

Like so much of life, we hear of new fangled shortcuts, ways to find happiness or even new paths for getting to heaven. Celebrities say they have found new spiritual dimensions or perfect peace in a New Age practice. We must resist the desire to trust these so called 'new ways' completely and instead follow our Father's original instructions: the Holy Bible. His ancient words ring true. He is the way, the ONLY way, and following His instructions will never result in our souls being lost.

Perhaps it is time we did away with the new and went back to the old. God's instructions are never wrong. They lead to peace and contentment and a home with Him in heaven forever. Why, that is even better than a week at the beach!

Dear Lord, help me to get and stay forever grounded in Your ancient instructions, the Bible. May I follow only Your holy ways. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources: Do You Know Him?

Friday Fill-In *on Saturday!*

1. Angel or not, I will always love you as only a mother could.


2. Take any way you want me.


3. As my mother used to say, you're full of piss 'n vinegar.


4. I drink a HUGE glass of water after I'm done working out or doing something strenuous.


5. Even in the most crowded of rooms I can find you with that laugh of yours.


6. 9/11 is a day fraught with peril.


7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to handing out tracts *did do this!*, tomorrow my plans include finishing things I didn't do on Friday and Sunday, I want to chillax!

You can get your 'Friday Fill-In' clicking on the title above or using the button in the left ♥FAVORITE SITES column. *or re-post in a comment below!*
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Walking Through a Valley

by Glynnis Whitwer

"Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell." Psalm 43:3 (NIV)

I live in a valley. Every direction I look there are mountains. Living in the West, my family also vacations in mountains. Because of that, it seems I spend lots of time in valleys. One truth I've learned is if you keep walking, you will eventually get out.

One summer we took a trip to Southern Utah, with a stop at Bryce Canyon. It was warm outside, and it only got warmer as we headed down into the canyon. It was a great hike as we circled the interesting rock spires called hoodoos. We wound our way down the valley with steep mountains on all sides. After a while, I was hot, tired and ready to sit do wn and relax.

As I rested on a rock, I looked up at the canyon rim, wiping salty sweat out of my eyes. It looked very far away. I wished for a shortcut to get out, but knew there wasn't any. Short of calling in a helicopter, there was only one way out, and it was to walk across the valley and up the mountain. Sitting there on that rock might give me a moment's rest, but it didn't get me out of the valley.

I've also been in other valleys: those of fear, worry and hopelessness. I'll be honest. When I'm in those valleys, my inclination is to sit. Fear paralyzes me. Worry straps itself to my feet like weights. Hopelessness misconstrues reality so I'm blinded to the truth. And so I stay, planted firmly in the valley of misery. Over and over, I review how others have hurt me, and forecast possible fearful outcomes. None of those choices gets me out of the valley of misery. In fact, they get me nowhere.

What does get me out of those difficult valleys is when I keep wal king, and walking to me is when I keep praying even though it seems like my prayers hit the ceiling. It's when I keep reading my Bible, even though the words seem to have less meaning. It's when I keep going to church or a small group even when I'd rather stay home. It's singing songs of worship, even though my heart isn't soaring with joy. But when I keep doing those things, I take steps toward truth and eventually get out of the valley.

Walking through a valley to me means doing the things that are healthy and God-honoring, even when I don't feel like doing them. There is always a way out of a valley. But it means I have to keep walking, then climb a mountain, and that takes work. But when I do the work, God rewards me with a breathtaking view.

Dear Lord, please speak to my heart in my darkest valleys. I need to remember that You are the truth, and not my circumstances. Help me have the strength to do the right things, and not stay planted in misery during a time of difficulty. I long to be out of this valley. But I will praise You now at the bottom and I will praise You from the mountain top – for You are worthy! In Jesus' Name, Amen.