The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2014 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 1,100 times in 2014. If it were a cable car, it would take about 18 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

I was recently asked by a group of friends from my church to share a short story about someone who has shown me the way to Jesus? I am happy to say, it will not be a short story. As far back as I can remember I have been blessed with knowing amazing women of faith. I began attending church at a very young age and my very first memory of someone sharing Jesus with me was my Sunday school teacher, “Birdie.” Everyone loved her, she loved everyone equally in return. I remember hearing stories from the Bible about Jonah, David & Goliath, Zacchaeus and the sycamore tree, just to list a few. She read stories, lead the children’s choir and always had goodies and snacks. Summers growing up I attended VBS and she would share stories of the Bible and helped us create great craft projects. There are lots of uses for popsicle sticks & glue, and glitter & paper. When I was just starting the seventh grade, I met a lot of new people when my brother and I switched schools, from public to private. My brother made friends easily and his cuteness definitely didn’t hurt him much. I eventually made friends as well, a particular family of three sisters and a brother became close friends of mine as well as my whole family. I became close friends with the middle sister Marcie; our parents didn’t understand why after being in school all day together, our need to be on the telephone after school. Marcie’s family had something I wanted…I just wasn’t at all sure what “it” was exactly. It was something I couldn’t find words to describe right away. Their family was not much different than mine; a mom, dad and kids; they went to church, went to work, and went to school. After some time and reflection, I told my mom that I wanted to talk with the pastor from the church affiliated with the private school my brother and I attended. It was on that night through a conversation with that pastor, I realized it was Jesus I saw in them and that I needed to ask Jesus to save me. God is the Great Creator, He knows our hearts long before we were formed in our mothers wombs. Our lives are not mere chances but part of God’s Divine plan. I thank God for the gift of the Kempf family. I saw Jesus in their lives through their actions, sharing and values. As time past and all our lives changed, we all began chasing after our own dreams. I went off to college and lost contact with lots of people and friends from home. I met lots of new people and tried my best to “fit” in. I met lots of new people during my college days, all made lifelong impressions upon me and as much as I wish I could list them all by name I would inevitably miss someone; however, I would like to briefly mention three very special and dear women that befriended me and to this day I’m not exactly sure why they did, but I am ever so thankful they did. Linda, Margaret and Nancy…all upper class mates to me, here I was a shy, backward, county girl who was as awkward as the day is long to say the least. I loved them like sisters. They gave me something I still have to this very day, “worthiness.” There was nothing to be gained for them by befriending me, but they did. I am grateful for each one of them and through the years we have shared the love of Jesus with one another, we have comforted one another through grief and sickness, and we have cheered and celebrated together. We may be separated by place, time and distance but our friendship and love for one another is ever-present in our hearts and minds. God has continued to bless me over the past several years, I have had the pleasure of meeting three remarkable women ministers. All have motivated and challenged me in different ways over the years since we met, when hearing them speak it ignites a spark within me. They all are vastly different in their approach and delivery of God’s message to the world. One is free and charismatic, one is scholarly and formal while the other is gracious and humble, they all have had a profound influence on me and are sources of great encouragement to me. I continue to seek and to learning what God’s Will is for my life. I know there’s more I can and should be doing. I feel a “calling” of sorts, I strive to share my faith with others through my actions, words, Twitter & Instagram accounts, my blog, and through fellowship with my friends, family, church and my community. I have two additional women who need to be recognized for their contributions, character and influence on me. Without them, I would not be here. These two women were strong, gentle, determined, kind, caring, loving, dependable, respected, admired, and accepting…they are a part of me, I am part of their legacy…my mom and her mom, my grandmother. I have no idea what my legacy will be but my hope is to be remembered as a believer and follower of Jesus, a daughter, a granddaughter and friend.

~Blessings and Peace~

I guess it happens sooner or later to all of us. It’s funny I don’t “feel” old on the inside, although there are signs of aging. Pills for this ache and that pain, stuff to make to go and stuff to make you stop. It becomes a never-ending cycle. I have nothing but the words and spoken experiences from others describing “growing old.” My feelings are mine alone and  as much as I try to empathize with others, there’s no exact sharing of feelings. I am still a daughter, sister, aunt and cousin…I still crave and want love, encouragement and support from my parents. All those feelings came to an abrupt standstill on the day I was told by an emergency technician my mom was gone. Almost instantly everything changed in my life. The sudden loss of my mom left me numb for several months, I immediately stepped into the shoes once worn by my mom, they were big shoes and I tried my very best to fill them. I love my family, perhaps more deeply because of this experience. My sadness is selfish, I miss my Saturday phone calls from my mom, the voice messages saying, “This is your mom, call me.” I miss hugs and kisses, I miss her laughter, I miss her spirit and spunk, her strength, her dedication to her family and friends, her sacrifices for her family, her sense of morality, fairness and commitment. She was not perfect, she was not a saint, she was strong-willed and made no apologies for the things she believed in. I’m selfish because I know that I’ll never celebrate another holiday or birthday with her, I’ll never taste her cooking again, and never hear her say “I love you, Charlotte.” With all that said, I am thankful that she is no longer in pain from working too many hours for way too many years, she is remembered by many and she touched many lives and her character will live on in her legacy. As Thanksgiving is fast approaching, I am thankful for all I have and for the things I no longer have. Loss, though painful is part of the cycle of life. Death, may have taken the body of my mom, but her spirit continues and she lives on in my memories. Grief is a process, so I’ve been told and even read about…my grief is a part of me and we are learning to co-exist with one another. In closing I want to impress upon you that we are all a work-in-progress…I’m still learning and growing, I know God is in me and He has a plan. At this Thanksgiving make a list of things you’re thankful for, I’m sure you will see that you have an abundance! Not perfection, definite blessings!

~Blessings and Peace~

I am thankful for…
Freedom
Clothing
Food
Shelter
Clean drinking water
Electricity
Medication
Job
Health insurance
Family
Friends
Vehicle
Books
Bibles
Computer
Paper
Pens
….you give it a try!

Tenth Avenue Nation has a song titled “No Man is an Island” when I hear it on the radio I see snippet’s of my life as if I’m looking through a viewfinder or watching a slide show. Seeing single moments in time, frame by frame. Life often seems so much clearer when viewed in hindsight with the advantages of time, experience and maturity. One important thing to remember when looking back, do so with mercy and grace most especially because with years gone by one learns bits of wisdom along the way. I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, “if only I knew then, what I know now…” I know I have used this saying more than once in my life, but truly the statement holds no truths, we know now because of experiences, time and maturity. The truth for me is my life experiences; the good and the bad, because they have allowed me to learn life lessons and hopefully gained some wisdom along the way. Some of these life lessons took longer to learn than others and some I’m still trying to learn and understand. It can become easy to pass judgment on others when see mistakes others make that we have already experienced and learned from, but this is a dangerous, slippery slope to traverse and one that puffs up our egos and pridefulness.  It is often easier to see the faults in those around us, before we recognize our own due to our pride and conceit. Not one single human being is without sin, God’s Word is very clear that we are not to be a “stumbling block” to others and that God is the one and only true judge. 1 Corinthians 8:9 “Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak.” Romans 14:13 “Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother.” Psalm 75:7 “It is God who judges: He brings one down, He exalts another.” He alone knows our hearts, our minds, our actions and our words. We are to help one another, encourage each other and to seek God’s Will. God calls us to be His hands and feet in this world, to show compassion and share His love. Be kind to yourself, seek God and share all with God. He delights in His children. Psalm 149:4 “For the Lord takes delight in his people; He crowns the humble with victory.”

~Peace Be With You~

As a believer and follower of Christ Jesus, who has been blessed with gifts of giving and helping others should I ever feel depleted of time and energy? I find myself questioning my call, asking if there’s something wrong with me. Some days it’s difficult to get up and even pursue things known to bring feelings of fulfillment and giving back to others and to the world around me. I am conscientious of people and things even when I feel like saying “why?” “What differences do I made in this crazy mixed up world?” Things like taking a shopping cart from the parking lot as I’m walking into a store and once I’ve emptied the cart into my vehicle, take the time to return it to the store or at least the designated cart returns. I know it’s not much but I feel compelled to do it. I often observe people in the building where I work and if they seem lost or confused, I will approach them and ask if they need help. I also like to make eye contact with others and give them a “nod” “smile”or a “friendly word” most especially when they seem down or distracted. Another way of helping others I learned a long time ago listening to a student pastors message, she helped me to see that often we have the power to help endless people on a daily basis, this smallest of things yet more powerful than physically doing a task is to PRAY! To this day when I see or hear sirens I say a prayer for the emergency personnel as well as the people involved in and around whatever emergency is happening. The power of prayer is impossible to measure and we may never truly know the consequences or outcomes but we do know that God’s Will, will be carried out and His promises are everlasting. God loves all His children and He most certainly loves you, whatever your gifts and talents may be, most importantly love yourself and do the things you need to do to re-energize and fill your tank so you will be active and alert to do God’s Will. Back to my original question, “Should I ever feel depleted of time and energy? The answer, we are human and experience human emotions. Tell yourself what you would tell someone else…our humanness requires rest and rejuvenation, find the things that fill you, energize you and feel alive…do these things often and stay connected to God, most especially when you’re questioning and tired. God wants all of us, not just the days we are feeling our best.

~God loves you, You are so Loved!~

Matthew 11:28-30 (NRSV)
“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

http://youtu.be/yANkGJcobH

A strange question, indeed. It could mean how’s your vision 20/20? It could mean weather conditions. It could be existential. Any or all can be true; however, I am specifically asking about the future. Your future as well as the future of our world. Honestly, the future can be quite frightening to me, realizing the uncertainty of things and accepting my role in things. I heard a sermon recently and it stirred emotions in me that were very uncomfortable. I was asked to visualize the world in 2020 or even 2040. What did things look like and how do people interact, what things are primary and essential to living? To all the visionaries and ideologists I know you have maps, pictures and blueprints of future earth, even the universe and on a very small-scale I guess I do too. What I found out about myself as I pondered questions was that I can not see very far. My peripheral view only extended to family, friends and coworkers, but my heart, mind and my soul ache for much more. The sermon was like being forced to choose bad or something worse? Really, not good or bad just bad or worse. You see, my vision was me and the universe circling me when in fact that is not the case at all. To use a metaphor, if this were a puzzle I am not the border, I am a single piece of blue sky in a picture of 5000 pieces of blue sky. Not to say I’m not important because the picture would be incomplete if my piece were missing it would be so very obvious. We all have a part, big and small…we all matter. We all have value! The future I visualized was very limited and only included my own…my career, my family, my life…me, me, me! Shamefully I thought to myself…where is God in my future, where is my church, where are my brothers/sisters in faith? I had tricked myself into thinking “I” was the center of the universe, at least the one I visualized in my head. Let me point out a very important piece of information, I did not purposely place myself above God or in place of God, I just assumed “He” was a “given” entity in my story. I am gravely mistaken and I am acutely aware of the importance of this bible passage I memorized as a child, Ephesians 6:14 (NIV) “Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place…” To be fully Christian, God is not and should not be an assumption! Inviting God into our lives is not a chore or task we complete daily like getting dressed or brushing our teeth, He is more important than the air we breathe, without God we are nothing, we do not exist. God wants to share our joys, our sorrows, our everything! He does not rush in, He so desires to be invited in, into your heart and into your life. All too often, God is second place…He should be the last thing we think of before going to sleep and the first thing we seek when we rise to meet a new day. Please do not think I am pointing fingers, I am not…I am guilty of all these things and more, I share these truths in hopes that God can use my words for His good. As I pointed to earlier, I had limited my vision of the world as to how it affects me, but how shallow that is…there’s so much pain and torment in the world, we can no longer put a blind eye to the cruelty that us occurring at a dangerously high rate. Pray, that’s something we can all do…not just pray, prayer is mighty, mightier than all the wickedness in the world. Identify with a cause and then start your own franchising…own it! Look for the commonalities in others, not our differences. Be more open to discussions, less about debates. More about liking and accepting than of hatred. In Matthew 5:44 God says, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…”

In closing, whether friend or critic thank you for the time you gave in reading this and I leave you with these words from John 14:27 (NRSV) “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.”

~Blessings and Peace~

References:
http://www.marilynsewell.com

Movie : “Raw Faith” (available on Netflix)

Ephesians 6:11-20
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+6%3A11-20&version=NRSV

Matthew 5:43-46 (NRSV).
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%205:43-46

Emma Watson’s speech on feminism
http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/world/2014/09/22/sot-emma-watson-un-heforshe-feminist-speech.united-nations.html

Check out this video on YouTube:

The sermon this past Sunday was entitled, “What’s on Your Bucket List?” Interestingly, two years ago I started a “bucket list” for myself. I currently have seven items listed, only one of which I have sort of completed, so since it’s partially completed I feel it’s okay to share. “To have my writings published,” I have had a few poems printed in poetry books of which I’m certain not many eyes have seen, but nonetheless less they do exist in printed bounded books. In many ways I feel as though my words are being shared through this medium of blogging and back when “MySpace” was cool, I had a few paragraphs on there as well. Almost daily, I am reminded that my words and thoughts are gifts from God, I love sharing them with friends, family, coworkers and even strangers these are all counted as blessings (+) because just writing and being able to articulate my feeling, fears, strengths and dreams is a blessing as well as an answered prayer. When I become distracted, busy with busy things or am just being lazy and sometimes defiant as if I’m hurting someone by choosing not to write. The end result is I’m not honoring God with the gifts He has so generously blessed me with, but I am hurt myself, carrying the words and thoughts around in my very soul not giving them breathing space and places to grab hold of or simply the freedom to fly. One thing I’ve learned to accept is the fact I may never know who or how my words may help others, this knowledge keeps me grounded to not become prideful and take credit for what is “God’s” work. I don’t have the answers to solve the mysteries of the world and those of our vast universe, or to solve the world’s social and economic hurdles. I am a woman seeking to be present and involved in the process, choosing to recognize that I was created and created with a purpose uniquely mine. As I looked at my life today and took time to revisit some very fond memories, I found myself smiling and even laughing out loud a few times, I even shed a few tears…I reminisced and visualized my heritage, where I started from, my beginning, to whom I belong and a future that only God knows, He’s the best travel guide, no matter where the journey may lead. I heard this quote in a movie I recently saw, “A planned life cannot be lived; it can only be endured.”by Ken Williams. Be brave enough to live the life you were created to live. Expect the unexpected and be prepared for the unexplained, count your blessings each and every day!

~Blessings and Peace~

Casting Crowns-Thrive
Check out this video on YouTube:

What or who inspires you? It may be one or both, a person or a thing. Whatever it is, embrace it and seek it often. I have found that throughout my life different things and people have inspired me at different stages of my life. As a kid I aspired to be a great softball player, it was something I loved doing and I excelled in the sport. It was a way to meet new people and my parents were always my biggest fans. I started playing on an organized team at 5 and gradually moved into competitive play and playing for two or three different teams at one time. I was fortunate to play with the same group of girls from my pre teens throughout my teenage years. My dad would play catch with me, he even taught me to pitch and designed a pitching target for me (this was way before fancy equipment was available!) but the old car tire dad hung on the side of the garage and a bucket of balls entertained me many afternoons. I had a coach when I was in my teens that inspired me and help mold me into a versatile player, I learned I could pitch a little, loved the catcher position, I played shortstop as well as outfield. I was known for stealing bases and for being obnoxiously loud! (HaHa!). My coach was so knowledgeable about the game and made it fun! I lost touch with him but I’ll never forgot him either, his name was “Ottie” he was confined to a wheelchair but an awesome coach, sitting or standing! I can’t lie, I also loved the attention and popularity that came with being a notable player. I played summer league ball and when I went to college I was fortunate enough to make the team all four years. After college I played summer leagues again and continued through my mid thirties. During all these years I’ve met a lot of interesting individuals, sadly I don’t really have any connections or contacts with my former teammates, but it’s fun to look back and reminisce. Inspiring…I believe the sport itself was an inspiration for me, I was challenged to hone my skills and develop attributes that helped me to become the person I am today. Teamwork is a skill I continue to use daily in my life, a valuable lesson indeed! Playing a sport also prepared me for competition, there’s lots of competition in the business world. The sense of fair play and following pre established rules prepared me for many of life’s challenges. I’ve had the opportunity to have met wonderful role models within the workforce of places I’ve worked. I met a lady that was the director for a company I work with for only a few years back in my early twenty’s and I still think of her often. She was well-educated, successful business woman, a divorcee and the mother of twins in her mid 40’s. I have continued to meet inspiring people in my life, people who made an impact on my life without even trying. It is because of these individuals that I am able to be typing these words and paying tribute to a few special people who have forever changed my life. God continues to bless me with incredible people, I thank you for taking the time to plant seeds of courage, strength, humility, and authenticity in my life. Here’s to a few and I’m sure I’ll miss someone please know it is not intentional should you read this…grandparents, mom, dad, brother, aunts, uncles, coaches, friends, lovers, enemies, bosses, teachers, co-workers, family and to these few but many more…Darrell, Kim, Dan, Debbie, Connie, Bev, Kelli, Leo, Carolyn, Michael, Mike, Barb, Jennifer, Jan, Janiel, Beth, Julie, Marcie, Stacy, Greg, Tom, Bill, Margaret, Lin, Nancy, Kathy, William, Helen, Betty, Clyde, Hunter, Esther, Regina, Pam, Sandy, Susie, Diana, Michele, Jodi, Leah, Jim, Denise, Betsy, Michelle, Eric, Barry, Cody, Kiela, Robert, Shae, Garrett, Sherry, Lisa, Marty, Oland, Beverly, Everett, Yvonne, Brandi, Leslie, Greg, Joe, Kalya, Teresa, Nancy, Gary…I do apologize for all the people I missed, each person listed made an impact to me whether it was good or bad, I learned and they helped me recognize how I want to live my life and what my life will look like. The single most significant person in my life is ironically the person that gave me life…mom, dad and God! With them I became a reality and at times a force to be reckoned with! My mom taught me so much, she was strong, determined, committed, loyal, fair, friendly, sympathetic, fun, loving, dependable…what a blessing to have had her in my life. My mom continues to inspire me daily, I miss here daily and I’m thankful to God for blessing me abundantly!

~Blessings and Peace~

References:
“Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and i…http://www.jctrois.com/dailybibledevotion/devotion.html?devo=QbDGa7cpfL

http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/10-inspirational-bible-characters/

Moses, The Man Of Patience

Abraham, The Man Of Faith

Noah, The Man Of Endurance

Elijah, The Bold

Daniel, The Man Of Devotion

David, The Man After God’s Own Heart

Job, The Man Of Perseverance

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, The Underdogs

Paul, The Man Against All Odds

Jesus, The Sacrificial Lamb

I used to think that life was difficult because I didn’t understand boundaries. I have spent a considerable amount of time talking, readings and visualizing “boundaries” now that I am better at understanding boundaries both figuratively and literally I can now recognize them more clearly. Now I find myself leaning on the posts of my invisible fence signifying my boundaries. I find myself wanting to help out on the other side of my fences but I realize I am here not to just watch but more importantly to be supportive and watch as life unfolds before me and I have to say it can be just as frightening no matter what side of the fence you are on.

Even when the borders and boundaries of our lives are clearly marked, our needs and desires to simply help, care for and even to keep others from being harmed or make mistakes is our natural defense mechanism and it is so strong and difficult at times. It’s at this moments I realize I’m not supposed to proceed or intervene or change the natural progression of life’s experiences. Sometimes we just have to experience things for ourselves. My intuition and soul are telling me that I can do something: “I can pray,” I can ask for God’s intervention and God’s direction and the Holy Spirit but it is at these times and entirely to often my humanism/selfishness wants to tell myself that this is weak, “I am weak,” but I know in my heart that is the power of God the Father, the Holy Spirit working in me drawing me to pay attention and to know that this is the strongest and bravest thing to do. God is always the best and the bravest choice to make. Yet time and time again I think I can deal with this one little issue, telling myself, I don’t need God’s help.” I don’t need to bother God with this small problem! It is in these instances I make myself placing myself superior to God and the simple truth is I am not God! Some days not even “godly!”  We are all created by God for God’s purposes, all that is required of us is obedience. It is ironic that God has already given us instructions for life, these instructions can and do answer almost any given circumstance experienced in life. These instructions are known as the Ten Commandments, many Christians, myself included like to think that we hold these ten little rules in high regard when; in fact, we only pay attention to the ones that matter the most in the public eye and in doing so we leave our hearts and our souls aching for the things this world can never give us and that is peace, love, forgiveness and hope…all of these things are only possible through the Son, Jesus Christ, God, the Father and the Holy Spirit. When we stop looking at the world for approval and love, and turn toward Jesus our view of the world changes, our hearts are filled with love beyond our own imagination.

~Blessings and Peace~

The Ten Commandments-A Fun Way to Learn Them

Have you ever, just once in your life wished for a second chance or a do-over? Tonight I am wrestling with the idea of second chances and opportunities for do-overs. Logic and life in general, support the ideology that things “just happen.” But for me there’s much more to the story, and much like Paul Harvey (for those who know the name you get the reference point I’m making) and his iconic radio voice telling his audience …”The Rest of the Story.”…here’s mine. All too often, (we ) as Christians do not credit God for everything, we use the “just happen” phrase to explain so many things. What’s more believable…random acts just “happening” based upon the lining of the stars or merely cosmic luck or a Creator, purposely creating life unique and specific including everything on, in and around the earth with great majestic detail. I choose “Creator!” Don’t think for a moment I have always done that, or do that all the time, saying and doing are totally different, after all I am human and too often do things repeated proving my case over and over. You see, with God we get much more than second chances and one time do-overs. God knows we are sinful but He still loves us and forgives us over and over and over…He carefully and meticulously took the time using His divine power to create each of us in His image, no two completely alike. I was created for a reason and with purpose and so were you. As we seek to be more Christ like, we begin to make better decisions and sometimes it takes longer than expected to finally learn the lessons He is teaching us, God does not expect perfection because it is not attainable due to our sinful nature but we can strive to be more like Him and to seek Him daily for guidance and discernment. The more we seek God’s will for our lives and follow His teachings the less we are influenced to give credit to chance, I like to call it the “devil’s paradise” the blending into society and taking credit for things that clearly belong to God. I used to think that when bad things happened it was because I didn’t pray enough or I disobeyed or…the list goes on and on. The truth is bad things happen to good people, good Godly people…we may not (probably do not) understand at the moment why bad things happen but later…some later than others it happens and all of a sudden you see things in a different light and then, at least for me it’s a “God Thing!” Life is a series of events that if given the opportunity will build upon one another and as you look back at your life you will see the tapestry of God’s amazing love all around you and in all your experiences. As a child of God, I need reminded that I as much as I like to take credit for the things I do they are not truly mine, I was uniquely and wonderfully made by God and for His purposes. I am thankful for second chances, third, forth, fifth…you get the picture! I’ve had bad things happen to me and people I love have had bad things happen to them and although those experiences are and were sad and frustrating to say the least I can see that they were preparing me for the path I am traveling right now. I’m enjoying life with the most unexpected experiences and it’s all a “God Thing!” I had imagined and even made a list of what I wanted and didn’t want at this time in my life, guess what? If I had stayed true to “my” ideas I would not have met 2 amazing little boys and their pets (a cat and a dog) and a second chance with their amazing mommy! Whatever the future holds, I’m in good hands…God’s Hands! You see what I failed to mention earlier was I had made a list of do’s and don’ts for this particular time in my life and pets and kids were “don’ts” on my list and I would have been missing out on so many wonderful experiences and adventures had I stuck to my list and not listened to God. Sometimes, bad things happen to prepare us for experiences of a lifetime. God loves you and His word tells us that “…for the Lord disciplines those whom he loves, and chastises every child whom he accepts. Endure trials for the sake of discipline. God is treating you as children; for what child is there whom a parent does not discipline? If you do not have that discipline in which all children share, then you are illegitimate and not his children. Moreover, we had human parents to discipline us, and we respected them. Should we not be even more willing to be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share his holiness. Now, discipline always seems painful rather than pleasant at the time, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”Hebrews 12:6-11 (NRSV)

~Blessings and Peace~