Author Archives: MzEllen

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I uploaded a broken link finder...and there are roughly 250 of them.  Considering all the work that was done moving, that's pretty good!  (Thank you)

I thought my pages were lost, but they're here...they just turned into posts, so I need to copy them into pages.

My blogrolls are gone, but it was time to update that anyway  😉

Over Christmas I'm planning on wiping out my categories and going through posts and organizing.

There's still an issue with pre-posting, but this time it's me, not the webhost.

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I AM A CHRISTIAN:

I affirm the Trinity - One God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

I affirm that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.

I affirm that Christ, born of a woman, eternally existant, creator of all things, was crucified, buried and risen from the dead.

I affirm that by grace we are saved, through faith.

By grace, we have faith in the saving power Christ.I am "Reformed".

I am "Calvinistic" in sotierology, but not in ecclesiology.

Reformed theology differs from both Roman Catholic theology and Arminian theology (Wesleyan/Nazarene/most of what most Americans think is "mainstream")

There are two fundamental "nutshells" that are recognized as "Reformed". The first are the "Five Solas" and the second is "TULIP". There is a lot more to "Reformed theology" than these two pieces, but these are the very basics.

The Five Solas

(along with links to other posts I have written):

SOLA SCRIPTURA

SOLA GRATIA

SOLA FIDE

SOLA CHRISTUS

SOLI DEO GLORIA

"TULIP":

Total depravity of man

Unconditional election

Limited Atonement

Irresistable grace

Perseverence of the saints

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Not much going on - I started chiropractic and massage.  And "body cleanse" - it's either the best thing since sliced bread or a complete hoax.    I lean toward hoax, but it feels good.

You put your feel in a bath with a little machine that supposedly charged the water with ions that magically draws toxins out of your body through your feet.  Those who believe it's a hoax say that the water changes because the ions oxidizes the water.  Here is a photo of my water after half an hour.Doesn't thatlook very nasty for being a hoax?

But here's a question...if it's the machine ionizing water, and they always use distilled water, why do different people's water turn different colors with different "floaters"?

Here's a list of colors and supposed toxins

  • Yellow-green: detoxifying from kidney, bladder, urinary tract, female/prostate area
  • Orange: detoxifying from joints
  • Brown: detoxifying from liver, tobacco, cellular debris
  • Black: detoxifying from liver
  • Dark green: detoxifying from gall bladder
  • White foam: detoxifying from Lymphatic system
  • White cheese-like particles: Most likely yeast
  • Black flecks: Heavy metals
  • Red flecks: Blood clot material

And the massage is wonderful.  Seriously, a lot of folks don't like chiropractic, but for years I've had a very sore spot in my neck and upper shoulders.  It's nearly gone.

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A while ago (years) I read an article about a woman who had a wretched childhood and grew up into a wretched adulthood.  Prostitution, porn, drugs, etc.

Then Christ made her His child.

There were a number of bloggers out there who had problems with her telling her whole story and the issues they had were varied.

One was - why does she glorify sin by telling of the sin she was in?  That is not the way to look at it...she is glorifying God by telling the depths to which she had sunk and that God can nobody is beyond God's grace.

Another - who is she to think that she can just repent  and have a "get out of consequences free" card?   Does she really think that she can just become a Christian and be accepted?  Hello?  do you know what she did?  That is not the way that it is!  If the Father embraced the prodigal, so should we.  It is our job to raise up the children in the faith, not keep them down.

Next - Okay, she's a Christian?  but she will never be qualified for ministry - after all, she may be forgiven, but there are earthly consequences.  No...no...  Paul was  a murderer.  So was Moses.  David was a murderer - and an adulterer.  They were all ministers of God's Word.

The prodigal should be restored.  Period.

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the first day of "the Seven Pillars of Health" (and several after) are about water and getting enough of good water.

  • your body is about 70% water
  • your muscles are about 80% water
  • your brain is about 85% water.

If you don't get enough water, your body suffers.  And...you lose about 2 quarts of water every day just by living.

Short story...get enough water.  Take your weight, divide by two and drink that many ounces.  yes.  that many.

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I am working my way through "Prodigal God" and I am reminded that I am thankful for the "Fathers" and "neighbors" in my life.

I am thankful for those who welcome me back, who rejoice at my homecoming.

I am also increasingly aware of those who resent the grace extended - I am aware of the "older brother".  Those who will not ony "not forgive", but also resent the forgiveness extended by the Father.

There was a time when I was the "older brother" - that was a lead up in my life to a time when I could be either the "older brother" from the parable, or I could choose to be the "right" older brother - the one who welcomed the younger back.

There are many people who are not ready to restore.  Restore!  That is the point of forgiveness.

Forgiveness is not a hoop to jump through in order to get God's favor.  Following God's pattern for forgiveness is the way that we show that we are forgiven.  So much so that Scripture tells us that if we do not forgive, God will not forgive us.

Forgiveness is a witness to the world that we are forgiven.  And if there are debts that we are holding, it is those sort of debts that will be held against us.

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Okay...I made two pieces of knitting - one in garter stitch, the other in stockinette.  I took before and after photos...

This first piece started out (cast on 30, knit for 20 rows) 11 inches by 4 inches and ended up stretched width-wise, but only 3 inches tall.

This second piece (stockinette, cast on 20, work for 20 rows) started out 6 inches wide and 6 inches tall.  It ended up 7 inches wide and only 4 inches tall.

Lessons learned:

  • bind off very (VERY) loosely - in fact, try knitting the last row and binding off with a huge pair of needles.
  • get to the washed piece quickly in order to block it while it's wet (although this may not be as important if you bind off loosely)
  • stockinette and garter stitches don't act the same.

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Yippee.  Just as the "big three" are gasping their last breathes, our wonderful legislature is talking about raising gasoline taxes and 50% hikes in vehicle registration.

And Obama tags our faithful (Democrat) governor to be on his economic advisory team.

Okay..."Which state has the worst economy in the country?

Highest unemployment rate?  check.

Highest forclosure?  check."

Let's pick THAT governor...yeah...we want HER to explain to fix the economy."

Business are leaving the state?  Let's raise business taxes!

11% unemployment?  Let's raise gasoline taxes!

Massive looming layoffs?  Let's raise vehicle registration!

Yes...kick us when we're down.

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If favorite books in the Bible can be judged by the amount of underlining, highlighting and note-taking, mine is Philippians.

The first thing I have underlined is v.1:6 -

Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it out to completion until the day of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The note that I have in the margin reminds me that Paul was in prison when he wrote this - and still he wrote of peace and joy, surety and grace.

I am reminded that for the "remnant", persecution brings strength. There are places in this world where Christians are truly persecuted - tortured and killed; fired from their jobs. They watch their families tormented.

And still they praise our God. May we remember the persecuted church; pray for them daily - pray for strength and courage, pray that God will change the hearts of those to hate them. Pray that God will be glorified in all.