Life & Faith in Caneyhead

Goodbye Mrs. Johnson

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 00:32:35 GMT

Folks there's an old saying around these parts: "If you want to know how a Christian should be living, go in any honky-tonk and ask someone there." Pure and simple, if you grew up around Christianity, church, religion at all you probably have a pretty clear idea of what is expected by and large from someone professing the faith. And the other point is that most sinners know they are a sinnin'. There's an old country song that goes about like this: "Goodbye, Mrs. Johnson. You self-righteous biddy. I don't need your loud mouth and I don't need your pity. So can go back to whatever you hypocrites do and when I speak to Heaven be nice and I'll put in a good word for you."

Now have I got everyone good and stirred up? Let's simmer down and I'll tell you what I'm up to. A dear friend of mine sent me a note today. Talking about the vast differences she sees in Christians and how so many times they seem not to do the things Christ did, and to do the things he didn't.

And that got me a thinkin' about my own walk with the Lord. And the many changes and, I hope, growth over the years. And I want to share a little of what I discovered as I pondered, here, with you all today. Reason being two-fold: to explain some of the discrepancies between us Christians to non-Christians and to give brothers and sisters in Christ a little eye opener as to what stage they may or may not be in. I'm not gonna sort out who's who. I'll leave that up to the Holy Spirit as He is significantly capable.

More often than not when someone accepts the Lord Jesus as their Savior they are floating on a supernatural high for some time afterward. This can make new converts extremely willing to share their experience with anyone and everyone. They are thrilled and, by golly, you should be too! They'll hound you to go to church with them. You'll find there is not a topic under Heaven they can't tie into needing to be saved. Now all of this may make them very annoying. But it's only right and natural as they have just found their One True Love. It's an exciting time! Try to be patient and just let what you don't want to hear go in one ear and out the other.

After one has been a Christian for a time, some sooner than others, the Holy Spirit will begin His reconstructive work in their lives. (Although a few fall away before ever getting here or once it starts.) See Jesus loves us all as we are but He does love us too much to leave us that sorry old way. This time can be very painful, because the crux of it is to get the person to see sin as God sees it. OUCH. Not pleasant. God Almighty can't even look upon it. It's vile and revolting. But necessary to see it. Why? So that we can recognize it in our lives, confess it and allow him to take that filth away and replace it with some good pretty stuff. The problem area is that while we are becoming more sensitive to sin of our own, we are also becoming much more sensitive to all sin. And like a child who has just learned a thing is bad to do, we go around trying to correct or stop everyone we see doing it. So that person who always just took you as you were may suddenly seem down right fed up with you. And no one wants to be around anyone who finds them disgusting. So the best you can do is try to avoid these sin policemen and be on your best behavior when you do by chance encounter them. God have mercy on the man trapped with his wife at this time. (Pete said AMEN)

Oh, but after God is through sweeping up the dirty old house of a soul He's now indwelling, He begins to teach the disciple all about love. Real love. God's love. If you are a Christian please don't miss this step! You'll begin to see those around you as He sees them. He has John Conlee's rose colored glasses in one hand and mercy in the other. He looks at folks with love. He understands why and how they went astray. What's wrong grieves Him as he only wants the best of them, expects the best of them. Motivated by love and mercy He wants to lift them up and fix all that is wrong. He wants to show them kindness and compassion. At this stage the Christian may be strangely quiet. As they know God cares more for everyone they know more than they ever could. As they realize that it is God's Holy Spirit who reaches men and women, not our contrivances. You may not be talked to nearly as much about spiritual matters, but you can bet you are being talked about a lot! In prayer. In intercession. That aggravating Christian is on their knees in front of their Heavenly Father crying and praying for your soul. Loving you more than you may ever know. This is the time of sowing. Every Christian is missing the most beautiful burden they will ever bear if they do not get here. So, enjoy the peace and allow them to reconnect to you. You'll be glad you did.

On down the road a Christian comes to realize they are mostly tending their own garden. Busy working on and refining themselves. They are kind without thinking. They are giving without reason. They occasionally have to put their foot down and say not in front of me or we don't do that here. But over all they are welcoming. Inviting. Pleasant to be around. They are trustworthy. They hesitate to say anything harsh, but when they do they try to temper it in love. They are doing the things God has been refining in them without effort, without pondering. Above all they are acutely aware of how far they have come and that it is only by the grace of God that they have. This makes them very humble about it all, not proud. These are those people who have the "glow". The very glory of Christ seems to rest upon them. If you have some in your life treasure them! Oh, that I would be there. Oh, that I will get there by His grace! Have no fear of these Christians. They are leaving it all up to His Holy Spirit. Trusting God to do all He can to call you to Him while there is still time. And lovingyou deeply in the meantime.

Remember, Jesus spent His time here among the sinners. That's part of what led to him being cruxified. The "Mrs. Johnson's" of his day didn't like the company he kept. And the only harsh words he ever spoke or hollering he ever did was at those "snakes and vipers", the chief priests, sadducees and pharisees who should have known better.

Please take note that some of this is tongue in cheek. And whether you be calling yourself Christian or not, I hope you see the love I have for each of you. I know this is not the entry I promised you next, but Someone had a change of plans.

Love,

Barbara

Seattle, Washington.........1,904 miles from Caneyhead.....SALUTE!!!

Hello, Mrs. Johnson by Tom T. Hall

Tags: honky-tonk, Hello Mrs. Johnson, Tom T. Hall, John Conlee

That puts me in mind of a song..........

Sun, 22 Jun 2008 00:31:51 GMT

Old Man, A Boy And A Donkey...

An old man, a boy and a donkey, were going to town. The boy rode on the donkey and the old man walked.

As they went along they passed some people who remarked it was a shame the old man was walking and the boy was riding.

The man and boy thought maybe the critics were right, so they changed positions.

Then, later, they passed some people who remarked, 'What a shame, he makes that little boy walk.'
So they then decided they'd both walk!

Soon they passed some more people who thought they were stupid to walk when they had a decent donkey to ride.

So, they both rode the donkey.

Now they passed some people who shamed them by saying how awful to put such a load on a poor donkey.

The boy and man figured they were probably right, so they decide to carry the donkey.

As they crossed the bridge, they lost their grip on the animal and he fell into the river and drowned.

The moral of the story?

If you try to please everyone, you might as well...

...Kiss your ass goodbye!

(Found the precious picture on a photobucket public album.)

My friend and long time neighbor, Lloyd, sent me that little joke. A whole lot of truth wrapped up there. Makes me think of all the political correctness run amuck these days. Brings to mind all the musical philosophers that have hit upon this chord.

Like Ricky Nelson said, you can't please everyone so you got to please yourself. And then there was Aaron Tippon's wise counsel that "you've got to stand for something or you'll fall for anything." And American Poet Laureate, Merle Haggard, "I take a lot of pride in what I am."

Please folks. Take wise counsel. Cover it in prayer. Decide what is right and best and God's will for you. Plot a course. And remain true to it. Don't blow with the wind.

Hats off to my last visitor...from Kerrville, Texas...........298 miles from Caneyhead. SALUTE!!!

**Newsy type entry coming soon.**

Tags: donkeys, political correctness, Merle Haggard

Bestowed and Bestowing

Sat, 07 Jun 2008 22:11:55 GMT

Geez, louise! When AOL finally gives you something, they really give it!! We have asked for more mood choices for how long?!? And now I come today and find a list so long I can't even make up my mind!!!

Pam, at Almost Forty has bestowed upon me a precious. I'm flattered. And would love to pass it on. But as I was reflecting upon doing that, I couldn't think of anyone who blogs here and comments here that I wouldn't pass it on to. You have all become very special to me for verious reasons; kindness, humor, friendship, prayers, information, helpfulness, etc.

And as I considered the dauntless task of naming each one, I was much too fearful I'd leave someone out. So please, consider youself as special to me!! And consider yourself awarded!

Want to share with each of you a picture of Blaze's colt. Bug took this with her disposable camera not long after she was born.

She's filed out now. And bouncy and happy. Blaze is super protective of her, after having that still born colt last year.

Bug and her Prissy horse are getting along great. She's been seperated from her mama now. She's so calm! Bug pets and loves all over her. Looking forward to and dreaming of the day she can ride her.

From SE Texas, Bridge City........just 32 miles from me....SALUTE!!

Tags: special friend award, colts

Monday Morning Question

Tue, 27 May 2008 22:40:36 GMT

I couldn't resist jumping in on this one. Krissy asks:

Where did you first find out about AOL blogs/journals, and what made you want to start one?

Truth be told, I must of discovered AOL Journals very near the beginning of thier existance. We were newly online for the first time. I followed a link from the welcome page. I set up a journal under the screen name I had then. Not sure how it all worked. Uncertain of what I was doing. But I wanted to connect with other Christian women. The statement at the top of the journal read: "A place to share our thoughts, feelings, experiences, testimonies, trails, etc." Only made two entries. Never got a comment. This was Nov. 2004.

The only journal I found at the time, read and commented in was Jackie's Deployment Diary. The journals were formatted very different then. Then we encountered a trojan that was impersonating AOL. We were very new to the internet and very green. Too scared to do otherwise, we canceled our AOL service and went with another company for awhile until we could get our PC cleaned up.

We lost our original screen names. I could never update that journal again or delete it. So, in about 6 months when we came back to AOL I started this journal under my new screen name.

I still had a desire to connect with other Christian women, but had a broader goal to also reach out to those who were not Christian and to share more of my rural lifestyle with others. The title of my journal sums it all up perfectly.

Thanks for asking Krissy!

Tags: AOL Journals, J-land, blogs

Remembering

Sat, 24 May 2008 20:41:09 GMT

What is it to you, this holiday called Memorial Day? Has it become another three day weekend to escape to the lake or the beach? Is it all Bar-b-que's and sales spectaculars? Time off to get a jump on home improvement?

I challenge myself and each of you to harken back to the original intent of the day this year.

"Let us, then, at the time appointed gather around their sacred remains and garland the passionless mounds above them with the choicest flowers of spring-time; let us raise above them the dear old flag they saved from dishonor; let us in this solemn presence renew our pledges to aid and assist those whom they have left among us a sacred charge upon a nation's gratitude, the soldier's and sailor's widow and orphan."

The fairly recent resolution of 2000 asks us all "to pause for one minute at 3:00 p.m. (local time) on Memorial Day, to remember and reflect on the sacrifices made by so many to provide freedom for all."

How can we remember and honor them?

We can visit grave sites and lay flowers and place flags upon the graves of the fallen.

If you have a flag at your home or place of business you can fly it at half mast until noon.

You can visit a memorial.

Aid or honor their widows, orphans or a disabled veteran.

Personally, I plan to pick some of my flowers and take to the cemetery or memorial in town and place there. Spending some time to reflect upon their names and their sacrifice.

Don't live in the USA? Chances are you may live in a country where some of our service men and women have died. Join us in honoring them. Or pause with us at 3:00 p.m. your local time Monday and honor them and your own.

Whatever method you choose, please take the time to remember and to pass on the significance of the day.

Thanks to Sugar for the beautiful graphics to honor them.

Manchester, United Kingdom 4,636 miles from Caneyhead SALUTE!!

Tags: Memorial Day, sacrifice, freedom

Assorted Things

Thu, 08 May 2008 13:25:17 GMT

Hello, all! Blaze had her colt yesterday morning, before daybreak! It's a girl. Looks just like her mama; brown with black mane and tail. Pete says he's gonna call her Precious because "Oh, she's precious!" is the first thing both Hannah and I said when we saw her. I'll try to rope Bubba into taking a picture with his cell phone.

Nat over at Interface is asking all AOL bloggers to post a link to thier favorite summer entry. And that we post a link to our funniest entry. So look them up and help her out.

This week is Teacher Appreciation Week. My children have both been blessed with good, caring teachers. I can't remember a "bad" one. Some were tougher, some were easier, but they all seemed to teach them well. Of course, now only Bug has teachers. Hers this year seem to have helped her excell to be her very best. Hats off to Ms. Jill Powell and Ms. Laura Kelley!

May 6th-12th is also Nurse Appreciation Week. I want to spotlight one very special nurse. My nephew. Anyone who has been in ICU at St. Elizabeth Hospital has most likely had some interaction with this caring, knowledgable, warm and humorous young man. Robert Clayon Puntes. I have often heard others speaking of their time there and when remembering this blonde haired male nurse, they had only good things to say.

He's a real country boy. All into the hunting and the fishing. Two beautiful little girls for he and his wife. I remember the day Sarah brought him home from the hospital. Mama, Daddy and I had driven down to pick them up. Sarah was holding him on one side of the car in the backseat. I was against the other door and suddenly through a crack in the diaper a stream started to splatter against the door panel by me! LOL We all had a lot to learn about little boy babies.

He and his sister, Holly, lost their mom at way too early an age. I remember Clay went through a time of stuttering. The family would help him calm down and slow down when he spoke. Finally he out grew it. And look what he went on to become!

I don't see any where near enough of either of them. Their work schedules and mine. Living on seperate sides of town. But I'm proud of how each of them turned out. Holly has proven to take after her mama, being smart as a whip with numbers and successful in the business world.

So, Clay, and all the wonderful nurses I have known, I hope you know how important and appreciated you are.

Thanks to Sugar for her special effort to create a male nurse tag!

Tags: new colt, Teacher Appreciation Week, Nurse Appreciation Week

De ja Vu?!

Sun, 04 May 2008 18:25:40 GMT

Funny how much things stay the same. Three years ago on a May Sunday I was doing the same thing I'm doing today. Frying Catfish, hushpuppies and tators for dinner.

Here's a recipe you definately need to have!: Aunt Billie's Hush Puppies

Hsting, Jihomoravsky Kraj Czech Republic 5,470 miles from Caneyhead..............SALUTE!!!!!

Tags: Hushpuppies

Welcome!

Sat, 03 May 2008 20:35:58 GMT

Well, hello! How have you been? Come on over here in the shade and sit down. Want a cup of coffee?

Did I tell you about Bubba? He got his stencil at work the other day!! Well, it's a big deal. You see as a helper he has been able to weld on structures and pipes that wouldn't have product moving through them. But the other day, after looking over some of his welds, his supervisor and one of the welders bestowed upon him his own stencil! This means that now he can weld pipe with product or that product will move through. See each welder must stencil his welds so that if there is any leak they know who did it. Your stencil is your mark of quality assurance. You're saying when you put on your stencil that you guaranteeing this weld not to leak. It's proof he's good at the craft he is learning. One more step toward being a real welder.

And Bug? Oh, she's something! Little stinker made a 100 on her reading TAKS test!! Took her math TAKS last week. Judging from the work she's been bringing home I expect her to do well on it also. She's been playing with her miniature goat, Rosabell. And now she has a rabbit! It's 4-6 weeks old. White with black markings. She's named it Pocket. That's because the woman who raises the rabbits had found it pushed out of the nest. When the rabbits do that they are singling them out to die. So the lady picked it up and put it in her pocket. Walked around with it about a day. Then placed it back in with the others and the mama took it.

Prissy? Well, Bug's little filly will be a year old at the end of June. She's something else! I need to get Bubba to make a new picture of her. Hannah pets and rubs her all the time. Her Dad and Uncle Ricky worked her with a rope halter/lead in the pen last week. She did real good. Just needs some more of that.

Blaze, the poor mare who lost a colt about a year ago, is due to have one any time now. I hope things go better for her. And Pete's done bred Emmy, Prissy's mom, again. He says these two are to sell. I'm gonna hold him to that! He brought the neighbors boar hog down to breed our sow. So hopefully, we'll be piggy before long. The hens are laying well. Don't let me forget to fix you up a carton of eggs before you leave.

And Pete can dig you up a mess of new potatoes too! They are so pretty! We have don't have anything else really coming in yet. Although Pete did get a zucchini I'm going to cook to go with the lasagna leftovers tonight.

No, we still haven't gotten him into Galveston for that MRI yet. Seems we can't get any help any where. If we get that money the government is supposed to be sending, I suppose we'll send him down there with that. He's so miserable and so tired of being miserable!

Yes, you don't realize how blessed we are to be here until you get away from here. I work in Beaumont. Always the background noise. Up here, just the breeze in the trees, birds, crickets, frogs. I hope it stays that way a long time yet.

Do you remember Hee Haw? How they'd have a segment each week where they picked a town and saluted it? Well, I am ever amazed at the many places in the world that stop by Caneyhead to visit when I check my sitemeter. I believe I'm going to start ending each post with a salute to one of them.

Now, tell me what's been going on around your house. How are you and yours? Ready for more coffee?

- Barbara

Jakarta, Jawa Barat Indonesia 10,274 miles from Caneyhead........SALUTE!!

Recommended reading: Scars of Hurt and Resentment . From April 2005.

Tags: welding, goats, rabbits, colts, eggs, potatoes, sitemeter

On My Mind

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 00:45:20 GMT

So, this evening I have a few things on my mind. First off, the other day Bug picked some blackberries and dew berries so that I could make some dumplings for her daddy to eat with ice cream. That brought up a memory of me picking berries and how God used it as a lesson in my life. I wrote an entry about it in my journal back in '05. I feel it was one of my best. So if you are new around Caneyhead, you might enjoy reading it.

Berries Among the Briars

Then I got online and was reading my email when I saw one from my friend, Rachel that was one of those jokes that is meant to make you think. Here it is:

One day, God was looking down at earth and saw all of the bad behavior that was going on. So he called one of his angels and sent the angel to earth for a time.

When the angel returned, he told God, 'Yes, it is bad on Earth. 95% are misbehaving and only 5% are not'. God thought for a moment and said 'Maybe I had better send down a second angel to get another opinion'.

So, God called another angel and sent her down to earth for a time, too. When the angel returned, she went to God and said, 'Yes, it's true. The earth is in decline; 95% are misbehaving, but 5% are being good'.

God was not pleased, so he decided to e-mail the 5% who were good because he wanted to encourage them and give them a little something to help keep them going.

You know what the e-mail said?

No?

Okay, just wondering. I didn't get one either.

My first thought was "funny". My second thought was "ouch". Ouch because I wondered if God was really to do this, would I get an email? After all, the joke doesn't say if you have accepted Christ as your savior. Nor does it say if you call yourself a Christian. It was if you are "being good".

None, no not one is TRULY good accept for Christ. But we who claim Him should be trying daily to be as good as we can. We should be trying to follow the laws and commandments of the Bible. Jesus said that "if you love me you will obey me". That's pretty straight forward. We should be being the "best we can be", as the old army commercial theme song used to say. After all, we are in the Lord's army! And Jesus is our General. Are we following His "marching orders" or have we gone "AWOL"?

Or have the trials and trouble of this world left you feeling "shell shocked" and unable to proceed? Are you lying in the "infirmary" of confusion and self doubt? Have the enemy of worldly things taken your heart or mind "captive"? "Missing in action" because you are afraid you won't measure up, don't trust your training. Did you indeed become AWOL? Are you "dodging" your calling and your "duty"? Step up and get your "field orders" from the Holy Spirit! "March" in time to His will! "Enlist" in some soul searching and confession. Get in "basic training" through the word and the church.

Present yourself "ready for action", one of the "few, the proud, the called"!

National prayer day would be a good place to start. Prayer for our misguided nation. For our leaders. For the world. And most importantly, for yourself and His leadership, scrutiny, forgiveness and blessing. For the only way to truly change anything is to change yourself.

- Barbara

Tags: berries, email, army, National Day of Prayer

Challenging Myself

Sun, 20 Apr 2008 01:06:57 GMT

Have you checked out Magic Smoke lately?!? You know, the AOL Journals Journal? Always been there with technical advice and such about our journals and J-land. But Magic Smoke is evolving and changing. They are now inviting journalers all over J-land to post there. And many are hosting games and weekly assignments there. If you've never been, you should drop by. If you were there a good while back, you should pop in again. In fact, if you blog in J-land you should have it on alerts! Just click on the Magic Smoke Icon and you'll be there! ;o)

Tonight, I'm participating in something totally new. The author of Inspiration has posted a challenge on Magic Smoke. The Challenge Yourself Challenge! Now, I don't know her. Wasn't aware of her journal until I read this. But that's just one of the great things about connecting up at Magic Smoke. And though this is a little different for me, I decided to give it a whirl.

"Now for the challenge! The last two weeks over at Inspiration we have been talking about that voice in side your head that convinces you that you can't succeed. This week I asked my readers to spend two days and write down all of the negative things that their Gremlin said to them. Now that you have a list, pick the top five things that your Gremlin says and re-write them. Use your own words, and imagination as to what you would say to it."

Gremlin: You're just a forgetful old lady.

Me: Yeah, let's see you keep track of all I keep up with!

Gremlin: You aren't the Christian you ought to be.

Me: At least I'm no way near what I used to be, and praise God, He's not finished with me yet!

Gremlin: What a terrible housekeeper you are!

Me: I do what I can. There are four people in this house and I'm not going to work myself ragged all by myself. Besides, I've learned all too well how brief the important things can be and I'm not going to miss any of them. The dirt and clutter will be there any time I get to it.

Gremlin: You've lost all your good looks and sex appeal!

Me: Measure people by the outside if you want to. I'm done and through with that! Appreciate my mind, my humor, my heart.

Gremlin: You don't deserve ______. (Fill in with Bubba or Bug.)

Me: Maybe not. But God saw fit to bless me with them. And I'm gonna cherish and drink them in to the last drop of my life!!

"I would also like you to draw your Gremlin....Only you know what your Gremlin looks like."

- Barbara

Tags: Magic Smoke, Gremlins, Challenge