I was having my usual stressful and hectic week. I was headed to work listening to a preaching tape when the guy, who I had never heard of before, said that God had prepared a table for me in the presence of mine enemies.
I seized hold of his message with both hands and my whole heart.
“Yes,” I thought, “God has prepared a table for me in the presence of mine enemies.”
It doesn’t matter what devils of Hell and Earth assail me, I can still sit eating from the smorgasbord of spiritual gifts that God has for me. In the 23rd Psalm, I am told that God has prepared a table for me in the presence of mine enemies.
Earlier in the week, I was made painfully aware of the depths that my enemies will stoop to. Still, God calls me to love them, no matter how bad they mistreat and use me. Still, God has a table set before me in their presence.
I thought that the enemy had won, but, once again, the devil had lied. I have won and they don’t even realize it yet.
It is so amazing what God does for you. The food at His table tastes so good. Come and dine with me.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
A House Filled With Company
My house has been filled with a lot of company lately and I enjoy the buzz and the hubbub of it. When you have company, it makes you feel like your family has expanded.
Family members have been the main source of the company. Sure, my father has had some physical therapists, occupational therapists and home health nurses that have come in but the home is usually filled with family and friends.
This past Saturday, my aunt Kathy visited. She and her son, Jamie, have become frequent supper guests. We enjoy their company. Also on Saturday, my friend Melissa stopped by, as did Coleman Raines, Jr., who brought us some political signs. He and my father enjoyed a little chat about Coleman’s relatives, the Whighams, the Raineses and the Howards.
My sister, Debbie, has been staying with us and she usually has a pot of coffee on or a cold soft drink or tea available for guests.
One day, before it gets too cold, I would love to have a potluck supper and invite my friends, relatives and neighbors. We could all eat outdoors. I would invite some of my friends over to play some music and enjoy the gift of life and music that God has given to each of us.
So many times, I realize that I have been ungrateful for everything that God has given to me. This year, my family and I have encountered numerous health problems. God has tried us and we are coming forth as gold. We continue to face health and financial problems, but God is supplying all of our needs. I have to constantly remind myself that while life might not be good at the moment, God is always good!
Family members have been the main source of the company. Sure, my father has had some physical therapists, occupational therapists and home health nurses that have come in but the home is usually filled with family and friends.
This past Saturday, my aunt Kathy visited. She and her son, Jamie, have become frequent supper guests. We enjoy their company. Also on Saturday, my friend Melissa stopped by, as did Coleman Raines, Jr., who brought us some political signs. He and my father enjoyed a little chat about Coleman’s relatives, the Whighams, the Raineses and the Howards.
My sister, Debbie, has been staying with us and she usually has a pot of coffee on or a cold soft drink or tea available for guests.
One day, before it gets too cold, I would love to have a potluck supper and invite my friends, relatives and neighbors. We could all eat outdoors. I would invite some of my friends over to play some music and enjoy the gift of life and music that God has given to each of us.
So many times, I realize that I have been ungrateful for everything that God has given to me. This year, my family and I have encountered numerous health problems. God has tried us and we are coming forth as gold. We continue to face health and financial problems, but God is supplying all of our needs. I have to constantly remind myself that while life might not be good at the moment, God is always good!
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Another Career Path
Although I love my job, I sometimes consider what it would be like if I had chosen another career path and, then, I think, they have many of the same problems I do.
If I had been a policeman, I wouldn’t only have to deal with angry people. I might even have to deal with them shooting at me. I would also have the awesome responsibility of protecting them.
If I had been a teacher, I would sometimes have to deal with angry parents and angry children, plus I would have the awesome responsibility of a child’s life in my hands.
If I had been a minister, I might have to deal with church members getting upset with me. I would also have the awesome responsibility of presenting the gospel of Jesus Christ to them each and every service.
If I had been a paramedic or a doctor or a nurse, a person’s life would be in my hands at any give time. I don’t know if I could handle this type of responsibility.
There are responsibilities and stress factors in each and every job there is, whether it is a farmer, a laborer at a plant or a house cleaner.
Maybe I don’t mind my job so much. Sure, I might have to deal with half of the county being angry at me at any given time and half of the county applauding me. Sure, I might have to deal with the tremendous stress of the newspaper business and the tremendous stress I have had to deal with at home and with my own health for the last year. I would rather be working than not working.
My ideal job would be as a bestselling novelist. I’m sure that, even then, I would find plenty to stress me out about.
I salute all the business people, the firefighters, the police men and women, the farmers, the soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen, the school teachers – everyone who has a job and makes America the great land that it is!
If I had been a policeman, I wouldn’t only have to deal with angry people. I might even have to deal with them shooting at me. I would also have the awesome responsibility of protecting them.
If I had been a teacher, I would sometimes have to deal with angry parents and angry children, plus I would have the awesome responsibility of a child’s life in my hands.
If I had been a minister, I might have to deal with church members getting upset with me. I would also have the awesome responsibility of presenting the gospel of Jesus Christ to them each and every service.
If I had been a paramedic or a doctor or a nurse, a person’s life would be in my hands at any give time. I don’t know if I could handle this type of responsibility.
There are responsibilities and stress factors in each and every job there is, whether it is a farmer, a laborer at a plant or a house cleaner.
Maybe I don’t mind my job so much. Sure, I might have to deal with half of the county being angry at me at any given time and half of the county applauding me. Sure, I might have to deal with the tremendous stress of the newspaper business and the tremendous stress I have had to deal with at home and with my own health for the last year. I would rather be working than not working.
My ideal job would be as a bestselling novelist. I’m sure that, even then, I would find plenty to stress me out about.
I salute all the business people, the firefighters, the police men and women, the farmers, the soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen, the school teachers – everyone who has a job and makes America the great land that it is!
Monday, September 1, 2008
Grow Our Local Economy
Is GOLE really interested in growing our local economy? Why are they putting all their eggs in one basket and calling on liquor to grow the economy. Will downtown Madison look the way that this downtown in this video does? GOLE should try to get things here that will help our economy and not cause more problems!
Ridiculous
I just heard the most ridiculous thing I heard since a storm knocked down a sign that was allegedly shot in Madison County, Fla. I heard that vice-presidential candidate Gov. Sarah Palin's daughter was actually the one who gave birth to a Down's syndrome baby instead of Gov. Palin.
The people who are purporting this are sorry left-wing liberal bloggers! I will not even mentioned the name of the blog. They have already gotten national coverage with their accusations!
While it is true that 17-year-old Bristol Palin is five months pregnant and set to marry the father, I think that it's ridiculous that anyone could imagine something so stupid!
We will probably be reading more about the Palins in the National Enquirer and other sleazy tabloids, but the stupid bloggers beat them to making up the lie about Bristol giving birth to the Down's syndrome baby!
What is our world coming to?
Why do they have to attack Palin for anything her family did or did not do? Because they are afraid if they look at her policies, she will outshine them all!
The people who are purporting this are sorry left-wing liberal bloggers! I will not even mentioned the name of the blog. They have already gotten national coverage with their accusations!
While it is true that 17-year-old Bristol Palin is five months pregnant and set to marry the father, I think that it's ridiculous that anyone could imagine something so stupid!
We will probably be reading more about the Palins in the National Enquirer and other sleazy tabloids, but the stupid bloggers beat them to making up the lie about Bristol giving birth to the Down's syndrome baby!
What is our world coming to?
Why do they have to attack Palin for anything her family did or did not do? Because they are afraid if they look at her policies, she will outshine them all!
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Madison County Liquor Referendum
My county -- Madison County, Florida -- is considering placing a liquor referendum on the ballot.
Madison County is currently considered a "dry" county. It is one of only five in the state which maintain a dry status. Beer and citrus based wine (or wine coolers) are sold in the county because state law says that they can be sold in any of Florida's 67 counties. Hard liquor and wine cannot be sold.
Proponents of Madison County becoming wet maintain that it will help the economy. I don't really see how that is possible. For Madison County to get $150,000 in sales taxes from liquor being sold, $10 million worth of it will need to be sold through three beverages licenses. Being a rural county, I don't see that happening. That $150,000 would have to be split three ways -- $50K for the new hospital debt retirement, $50K for the new infrastructure debt retirement and $50K for EMS. If a Florida law passes in November, another half-penny will have to go towards funding community colleges throughout the state. That will reduce any income to the hospital, infrastructure and EMS to $37,500 -- if Madison County somehow miraculously gets that much money from the sale of liquor and wine.
If people want Madison County to become wet so that they don't have to drive 15 minutes to get their liquor, they should just say that and not try to fool people with an economic picture that is distorted just so they can pick up votes from people who may think that the picture is correct and think that Madison County will benefit from it.
Another picture that they try to paint is one of Madison County becoming a spot for restaurants that serve liquor and alcohol. They argue that his will help the county. Restaurants do not bring newer money into the county. The money just shifts from one place to another. They then argue that the restaurants will go at the interstate exits. Take a trip across the country, or just down the north Florida I-10 corridor. What kinds of restaurants do you see along the interstate? Fast food restaurants and when you look at the older ones in the area they are hurting because the money has shifted from them to a newer place.
I realize the reason that most people who want the county to become wet are probably those who don't want to have to drive to Valdosta, Ga. or Perry, Fla. to get a fifth of Lord Calvert or some other branded label. They don't care one bit about the economic impact.
I realize that those of us who are opposed to it oppose it because of personal convictions such as our personal relationship with Jesus Christ and because of our legitimate concerns about the youth, the families and the individuals in Madison County. Because of my stance, I have been called "self-righteous," accused of being "holier than thou" and been labeled a hypocrite. Other people who are opposing it are also subject to the same abuse.
We have also been called unpatriotic because of our efforts to keep people from signing the petition and for not signing the petition ourselves. That is our First Amendment right!
The chairman of the group pushing the liquor referendum has sent letters, along with his petitions, which are muddled and confusing. Maybe he is trying to play on the fact about what he thinks of Madison Countians. He basically said that people from Madison County are a "bunch of idiots." This man has made the accusation that two people in Madison County threatened him. He refused to identify them to the sheriff although he told me and other members of the press that the sheriff has their names. The sheriff told me that he was never given the names. Someone else told me that he had identified them as a Baptist and a Methodist. Wow! That only rules out about ten percent of Madison County.
The man's second letter was basically a personal attack against me filled with hysterical inaccuracies. The letter for some reason had a slew of restaurants that he had eaten at on it. Seems like he doesn't like to spend his money in the county.
If the issue gets on the ballot I will be there voting against it. I know that others will vote for it. If it doesn't get on the ballot, I cannot be blamed. I did my job. The others will not have done theirs. Let's just be honest about it and leave the economy out of it!
Madison County is currently considered a "dry" county. It is one of only five in the state which maintain a dry status. Beer and citrus based wine (or wine coolers) are sold in the county because state law says that they can be sold in any of Florida's 67 counties. Hard liquor and wine cannot be sold.
Proponents of Madison County becoming wet maintain that it will help the economy. I don't really see how that is possible. For Madison County to get $150,000 in sales taxes from liquor being sold, $10 million worth of it will need to be sold through three beverages licenses. Being a rural county, I don't see that happening. That $150,000 would have to be split three ways -- $50K for the new hospital debt retirement, $50K for the new infrastructure debt retirement and $50K for EMS. If a Florida law passes in November, another half-penny will have to go towards funding community colleges throughout the state. That will reduce any income to the hospital, infrastructure and EMS to $37,500 -- if Madison County somehow miraculously gets that much money from the sale of liquor and wine.
If people want Madison County to become wet so that they don't have to drive 15 minutes to get their liquor, they should just say that and not try to fool people with an economic picture that is distorted just so they can pick up votes from people who may think that the picture is correct and think that Madison County will benefit from it.
Another picture that they try to paint is one of Madison County becoming a spot for restaurants that serve liquor and alcohol. They argue that his will help the county. Restaurants do not bring newer money into the county. The money just shifts from one place to another. They then argue that the restaurants will go at the interstate exits. Take a trip across the country, or just down the north Florida I-10 corridor. What kinds of restaurants do you see along the interstate? Fast food restaurants and when you look at the older ones in the area they are hurting because the money has shifted from them to a newer place.
I realize the reason that most people who want the county to become wet are probably those who don't want to have to drive to Valdosta, Ga. or Perry, Fla. to get a fifth of Lord Calvert or some other branded label. They don't care one bit about the economic impact.
I realize that those of us who are opposed to it oppose it because of personal convictions such as our personal relationship with Jesus Christ and because of our legitimate concerns about the youth, the families and the individuals in Madison County. Because of my stance, I have been called "self-righteous," accused of being "holier than thou" and been labeled a hypocrite. Other people who are opposing it are also subject to the same abuse.
We have also been called unpatriotic because of our efforts to keep people from signing the petition and for not signing the petition ourselves. That is our First Amendment right!
The chairman of the group pushing the liquor referendum has sent letters, along with his petitions, which are muddled and confusing. Maybe he is trying to play on the fact about what he thinks of Madison Countians. He basically said that people from Madison County are a "bunch of idiots." This man has made the accusation that two people in Madison County threatened him. He refused to identify them to the sheriff although he told me and other members of the press that the sheriff has their names. The sheriff told me that he was never given the names. Someone else told me that he had identified them as a Baptist and a Methodist. Wow! That only rules out about ten percent of Madison County.
The man's second letter was basically a personal attack against me filled with hysterical inaccuracies. The letter for some reason had a slew of restaurants that he had eaten at on it. Seems like he doesn't like to spend his money in the county.
If the issue gets on the ballot I will be there voting against it. I know that others will vote for it. If it doesn't get on the ballot, I cannot be blamed. I did my job. The others will not have done theirs. Let's just be honest about it and leave the economy out of it!
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