Fruitful Words

Recently I wrote about whiteboard cleaning tips. I have another idea and this one is also non-toxic.

This morning I was trying to clean off stubborn notes from my whiteboard. - Yep, I used the green pen (which I should have thrown away.)

I didn’t want to use fingernail polish remover because the smell does bother my stomach and this morning I’m not feeling so great.

Baking soda popped into my head.I’ve used that as a non-abrasive, non-toxic cleaner for other things. I put a bit on my baby-wipe and had a go. Yep - it works!

At some point I will have to spray water on the board to get the residue off, but this is now my favorite way to get stubborn pen marks off my board.

Here’s part of our True/False quiz and their answers.

1. True. God determines and defines what sin is.
2. True. God’s definition of sin can change. (Trace the eating of meat throughout the Bible.)
3. False. All sins are always sin. (Context is important. There are many examples of this besides the meat issue.)
4. True. Some sins are always sin. (Obvious examples are murder and adultery.)
5. False. Sin is eternal. (Only God is eternal.)
6. False. Thinking about sin is just as bad as committing the sin. (We’re talking about consequences here.)
7. False. All sins are equal in God’s eyes. (This one was hard for me to swallow as I’ve been taught this since a young Christian. I was told it is man who makes distinctions. Well, so does God. If all sins are equal, then the punishments would also be equal, but they are not. See  Exodus 22:1-4; Exodus 21:12-14; Matthew 5:19 and James 3:1; Luke 12:42-48; Galatians 6:7.)
8. True. God leads people to be tempted to sin. (Matthew 4:1)
9. True. God does not tempt people to sin.
10. True. God tests his children. (Genesis 22:1)

My Theology 2 class studied hamartiology (the doctrine of sin) on Monday.

Here’s part of our True/False quiz:

1. God determines and defines what sin is.
2. God’s definition of sin can change.
3. All sins are always sin.
4. Some sins are always sin.
5. Sin is eternal.
6. Thinking about sin is just as bad as committing the sin.
7. All sins are equal in God’s eyes.
8. God leads people to be tempted to sin.
9. God does not tempt people to sin.
10. God tests his children.

So, what are your answers? This turned out to be harder than I expected.

This is allergy season and one of my younger nieces proudly told me she now has to take “swallow” medicine for allergy control. This reminded me of how I taught my little ones to swallow pills.

1.  Buy a bag of plain M&M’s.
2. Get a glass of water.
3. Give the child 3 M&M’s and the water.
4. Instruct child to put the M&M on the back of their tongue and then take a big drink of water.
5. Do this two more times.
6. Then reward with some of the M&M’s.
7.  Repeat 1-6 until the child has mastered the art of swallowing pills.
8. Wait several hours or better yet, until the next day before repeating. That helps ensure this is a positive experience.

For more Works-For-Me-Wednesday tips go on over to Rocks-In-My-Dryer.

According to Webster.com . . .

1. 3 : remarkable in magnitude, degree, or effectiveness <great aunt> I.e. “Susan is a great aunt; she is a remarkable aunt to her 5 nieces!” Yep, that me!
2. 8 : more remote in a family relationship by a single generation than a specified relative <great-aunt> I.e. “Susan’s oldest niece had a baby today; therefore, she is a great-aunt for the first time.” Yep that’s me again!

I am so excited! I’ll be visiting little E sometime today. Both my nieces are doing fine. 

Alright - fess up.

What’s the weirdest thing in your purse?

Mine is a passport because I am getting it renewed for an upcoming missions trip.

If you have too many weird things, read my next post (6 Purse Tips) and do #1  today. 

These 6 tips won’t change your life, but might help simplify it.

1. Clean the inside often. Set the timer for 15 minutes. Dump the contents. Put away all those migratory items that don’t belong there. Be selective in what you put back. Do you really need to be prepared for every emergency?
2. Protect the wallet. Go to your nearest photo copier and copy all those cards that you’d be “lost” without if they were lost or stolen. I’m thinking driver’s license, credit cards, insurance cards.That way if the unthinkable happens, you will have a copy of the identifying numbers and phone numbers in order to get them replaced. And be sure to put those copies away right NOW in a safe place you will remember. 
3. Give gift cards a home.Whenever you receive or buy a gift-card, put it in your wallet as SOON as you get it. Don’t put it back in the gift envelope or in a pile of papers thinking you will get to it later. I’ve misplaced many cards this way.  :-(  Keep these cards together in one place. I just found one in another purse yesterday.
4. Swipe cards need their own ring. Does your key ring have numerous keys and numerous swipe cards for the local book store, grocery stores, library, etc. Pick up a key chain at the dollar store to put the swipe cards on. I put this key ring in a special pocket in my purse and bring it out only when needed.
5. Make key copies. I have an extra house key in my purse (on the ring with the swipe cards) and one at my sister’s. She also has a copy of my car key. When I worked outside the home, I had an extra set of keys at work too (in a safe place of course).
6. Emergency information is a MUST. On a paper (or business card) list 2 emergency numbers, whether you have any medication allergies, taking any ongoing medication, or have a life-threatening illness/disease. I slipped in the store yesterday and thought (afterwards) what would have happened if I became unconscious and no-one was able to contact my people? That piece of paper is now in the purse pocket with my swipe card/house key key chain.

This Wednesday post is sponsored by Shannon at Rocks in my Dryer. Go here for more tips.

Campus Crusade for Christ International has a good article on Where is God in the midst of tragedy?

My prayers are with all of you who have been impacted by this unimaginable horror.

I’m finding it hard to sleep tonight
With so many people staggering under a canyon of grief
and questions

Multitudes of prayer that God will be your comfort

I’m thankful my two college-aged children are safely tucked in their beds
Alive

I feel guilty somehow that I’ve let these 33 down
I’m alive - they aren’t

My children live another day
Other moms and dads don’t have that privilege

My kindergarten through 3rd grade years were punctuated
with siren drills
where obedient children scurried
under neat rows of small desks
confident that insignificant barricade would protect
from nuclear fallout

That phantom never put on skin

And yet fear hitch-hiked from my school days
to when my children entered middle school

Responsible parents, we, uprooted in 1998 -
4 months before April 20, 1999
From violent, unpredictable CA to pastoral, safe CO

And yet while sipping soda - that fiercely ugly day -
talking about the importance of Truth and morality
My son and I watched evil unfold in Columbine
My daughter scared in a locked down school
wondering would evil find her too?

While answers to why are hard to find
heroes aren’t

Multitudes of prayer that God was their comfort

Speed dial 2001
Disbelief spills and collects on the ground
of campus where the news first assaulted
my loose skin of security
as evil unfolded on September 11

While answers to why are hard to find
heroes aren’t

Multitudes of prayer that God was their comfort

October 5, 2006 - that fiercely ugly day -
Evil spit up more destruction
While an Amish community pulled in to grieve
and heal

While answers to why are hard to find
heroes aren’t

Multitudes of prayer that God was their comfort

And now on April 16, 2007 - that fiercely ugly day -
in class while learning
financial principles and security
My loose skin of security shot through again
Evil claimed more tender victims

Virginia Tech
Dear Virgina Tech
Prayers that you will prevail

While answers to why are hard to find
heroes aren’t

And prayers that God will be OUR comfort
in this violent, unpredictable world

Most of you probably know the verse where God says, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you.”  One place that is found is in Hebrews 13:5.

I am taking a money class at church and recently I was reminded in class that those words, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you” are actually the second part of verse 5.

The first part says, “Keep your character free from the love of money, being content with what you have.” Ouch! That is challenging for me to do at times.

At the weekly class, Sydeny shares money principles and sometimes I find I have areas of discontent and even fear.

That’s why I am so encouraged by the truth of Hebrews 13:5. Because God is eternally faithful, I can experience freedom and contentment.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father and Mighty God, Thank you for the Truth that it is safe to follow your money prinicples because YOU will never ever desert of forsake any ONE of Your Children. Lord, Help each of us to discern how You want us to spend Your money. Holy Spirit, please fill us with Your peace about all matters financial. Finally, Lord, please bless the money we tithe and use it to advance Your Kingdom and to glorify Your name. Amen.