Friends

He's Alive!

The following was written in January 2008 by Jon "Kurel" of Florida.
His testimony is posted here at Sojourn With Luz Leigh as "The Prodigal."

James and John are sitting at the table across from each other. I can't believe he's dead! I know; I was sure he was the messiah. Now, we are cowering like dogs in this room hiding from the roman soldiers, hoping they won't find us. The door bursts open. HE'S ALIVE! Mary screams out. What are you talking about woman? Jesus, I just saw him! That's ridiculous, I saw him die myself. He even charged me with the care of his mother.

Look, I went to the tomb to anoint the body, and the stone had been rolled away, I saw what I now know are angels. Before I could say anything they said; why are you looking for the living among the dead. I didn't really understand what he meant. I saw another man I thought was the gardener, I asked him; sir, do you know what they did with the body of Jesus? I don't see it anywhere! Then the man says to me; MARY, IT'S ME! I was about to hug him. He says to me, PLEASE DON'T TOUCH ME. I HAVEN'T ASCENDED TO MY FATHER YET! Then Jesus said, GO TELL MY DISCIPLES AND PETER!

So, I ran as fast as I could to tell you.

Mary, don't you think if Jesus were alive he would tell me first? I'm his brother after all! Just then Jesus walks through the wall and appears to them and says, YOU ALL HID HERE, WHILE MARY AND THE OTHER WOMEN WERE AT THE TOMB! Just then Thomas walks in, Mary excitedly says, look Thomas it's Jesus. Thomas says, I won't believe it unless I put my fingers in the wounds in his hands and side. Jesus says, LOOK AT MY HANDS AND FEEL MY SIDE. Thomas does and says, MY LORD and MY GOD! Jesus said ... Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.

The Prodigal- Jon's Story
Posted in January 2008

This was written by Jon, a friend of Luz Leigh. Jon is a quadriplegic who lives in Florida and has caregivers who see to his needs a portion of each day. Jon's sister and her family live in his home with him. This story was originally written about 2 years ago and except for a few grammatical corrections, these are his words. With Jon's permission, the corrections were made for clarity and did not change the intent of the story.

Although I have only known Jon for a short time, I have come to see a very loving, caring, dedicated Christian man. He wants to encourage others, never drawing attention to his disabilities. Jon uses an on-screen keyboard. These are used by individuals who need an alternative to the physical keyboard. Using two fingers, Jon types his words, At the time I met Jon in early 2008 he had just celebrated his 39th birthday. Almost 17 of those years he has been paralyzed. Now read what Jon wrote about his life ... his testimony.

It all started when I was 2 or 3 years old. My dad was involved in a car accident. His truck was T-boned by another car. He was ok, just was in the hospital for a couple days for observation. I can't remember much, I just remember him sitting in a wheelchair waiting for us to pick him up. He looked like he hadn't shaved for a week.

I would pray for him all the time, Even though I had not had the salvation experience. See, he slipped a disc in his lower back and fractured a vertebra. I don't remember when actually, I just remember him walking around like Bella Logosi in The Mummy. Always dragging one leg.

Well I went to a private Christian school. Dad busted his rump, just so he could afford it, because the public school education system was bad and getting worse. He also wanted us kids to have our mom at home. My parents also didn't want us kids to be latch key children. So dad worked from before dawn until 7 or 8 at night.

Now I remember sitting on his shoulders and playing with his flat top haircut as we walked to church. Which we did a few times. Our church was just down the street and across a major highway. Now it wasn't very major, but to a little kid it might as well been freeway. I was involved in couple of children's activities, but I was so shy, I just liked my couple friends and kids in the neighborhood.

I would go everywhere with my dad. I was a daddy's boy. It's like momma's boy, except I was my dad's shadow. Now don't get me wrong. I loved my mom immensely, but if dad was available, I wanted him. I been like that all my life. When I was a baby, if I had an earache or something, I wanted dad to rock me. Please don't think bad of my mom; I just wanted dad.

When I was about 6 years old or so, I got mad with some kid at church; for what, I don't remember; but instead of dealing with it, I left the church grounds without telling anybody. I was going home. It was around 8 o'clock at night. Another case of my temper getting the best of me. Everyone was looking for me and calling me. I just ignored them. Well my parents found me when I was half way home. I lost my temper and my dad helped me find it.

Same kind of thing happened when I was 4; not same kind of incident exactly. I had lost my temper, but that time I screwed myself. My dad was replacing the asphalt in driveway. .well when you put asphalt down you set it on fire so it melts down and also bonds to the old stuff.

My dad had an old, heavy tamper. Little genius that I was; I saw dad trying to put the fire out, I thought. So I threw a handful of sand on it. Not a good thing to do. Well dad tells me not to that. A few minutes later I did it again. This time he popped my bottom. Nothing was hurt except my pride. Well I took off running, with my eyes shut. Right into dad's open truck door. I busted my forehead open. At the time it wasn't funny, but now, looking back it makes me laugh hysterically every time I think about it. Don't think that my parents were bad people. I did it to myself with my temper. I had a stubborn streak a mile long, still do. I just have more patience now, (like I have a choice?)

I had a great childhood. My dad use to let me sit in his lap and put my hands on steering wheel as we drove around town. I'm sure some people that are reading this are saying, HE SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE THAT! Well hey, it was my childhood and I loved it! By the time I was 7 I was big enough for me to drive with him sitting in passenger seat while I would drive to the dump. I learned to drive just by watching my dad.

That was including vehicles with a stick shift too. His work truck had a column shift. When I was 15, I was helping my sisters learn to parallel park; I never officially learned to drive a stick shift vehicle, I just did it; And they still can't drive stick shift vehicles.

At the age of 5 or so, we had a man come to our school and share the message about the crucifixion, death, burial and resurrection, of JESUS CHRIST. It was the Wednesday before Easter Sunday and after I got back to the classroom, my teacher gave an invitation to invite JESUS CHRST into my heart. I wanted that more time more than anything. I guess that God has had his hand on me for my entire life.

When I was 5 or 6 a friend in my class had an accident with his dad's gun. He was playing with his dad's shotgun while he was at work; he dropped it and it went off, and it blew his shoulder apart. His mother was one of my dad's customers. So I went on a service call with my dad, to his house, and visited him for a couple of hours.

I have always been a compassionate person. My dad, at that time, was a television repairman, and back then people made house calls.

I was almost molested by a young girl in the neighborhood, because I'm a helpful person. She said she was looking for a cat. She said she saw it in my next door neighbor's back yard. They coincidentally were not home. Well, I did kiss her a few times. My dad fortunately started yelling for me; or more had happened; I was only maybe 3 or 4.I still started thinking about sex too early. Maybe it all started way back then. (My attraction to sin)

When day I was about 7 my dad takes us out to sandy, dirty piece of land out in the woods west of town. We walk about and look all over it, and he asks us if we would like live out here one day. We all say sure. Not really thinking he is serious. Now I love being out in the woods, but I had no idea he was serious about it. He had a back still and I figured he needed to be near the city. Little did I know how much it would become over crowded with sidewalks, traffic lights and stop signs; and now it's all paved.

He bought 5 acres. So for about the next 4 years my dad and mom, with a little help from my uncle, built a nice 2 story house, separate garage and a convenience apartment behind it. He built the apartment for my grandmother. After a few years my grandmother moved to FORT MYERS, FLORIDA. and so now we had a good guest house, for when company came for a visit.

My 10th birthday was my first birthday in the house my dad built. We even started going to a new Baptist church. We were raised Baptists, but really I guess we were non denominational; because my attitude was, GOD did it before and he can do it again; NO BIG DEAL!

That was just the way I felt. I remember all the Old Testament Bible stories I had heard in school, and I wasn't surprised by the miraculous. One Sunday morning my dad woke up very excited ... the reason? He had woke up and without even thinking about it, he sat up straight in bed, without any pain in his back. See for years he had to roll onto his side, and push himself into a sitting position using his arms; and my mom had to put his pants on, up to his knees. She also had to put his socks and shoes on for him. Then he would go to work.

The doctor tried to make stop working and stay in bed, but he told the doctor that he would hurt whether or not he worked, so he would rather work. My dad couldn't stand not doing something.

Now I suppose the reason my parents didn't tell anybody about his healing, except friends, because Baptists didn't really believe that miracles happen, I guess; or maybe I just was never around when they talked about it. I didn't tell people just because it wasn't that big of a deal to me. I GOD SAID IT, I BELIEVED IT, THAT SETTLES IT! In my opinion.

Well my dad and I did a lot of work on the church; my mom was the treasurer/bookkeeper and when we started attending that church it had a bare concrete floor and about 4 rows of mismatched chairs. My dad was in prison ministry, mom would buy the prisoners children gifts at Christmas time; not with her money; she managed the churches money. I'm not saying my sisters didn't do anything; just I was a kid; I wasn't concerned with what my sisters did. I JUST DON'T REMEMBER! Well I was baptized when I was 11, in that church. That church was a big part of my life. I'd seen it grow from just bare floors and walls, to carpeting and many members.

One day a very large man was baptized in our baptismal pool and his weight broke the drain and the water went all under the stage. .My dad volunteered to fix it. He crawled under the baptism tank to replace the pipe. From laying on his back and with his head turned at a strange angle. He got a pinched nerve in his neck. He was in severe agony.

He went to chiropractor every week with no improvement. He decided to accompany my mom to a women's AGLOW meeting; because he had a doctor's appointment later and he was in such pain he needed something to occupy his mind. I guess being Baptists we were never taught about healing and miracles. But we weren't against them either; and Baptists aren't very keen on women preachers.

The guest speaker asked people if anybody needed healing? My dad reluctantly got in the line. He kept stepping back, letting people go ahead of him; until it finally became his turn. He told me that after the lady laid hands on him, he don't even know what she said, until she had him remove his neck brace and move his head around. He was completely healed. He went to the chiropractor's office that afternoon; and he poked, prodded and twisted. He said to my dad; I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT, BUT EVERYTHING IS BACK IN PLACE!

That Sunday us kids didn't go to church, but my parents did. When my parents got home, they told us that the pastor said that healing was from the devil when my dad's friend stood up and announced that my dad's neck had been healed.

That was when I started going kinda wild. Our family and a few other families left that church and started attending an ASSEMBLY OF GOD church, (We were given the left foot of fellowship.) I wasn't rude or nothing. I just stopped attending church on a regular basis. Then year after year, I did more and more bad things.

At the age of 12 I tried chewing tobacco, at age 14 cigarettes, at 15 I had a couple very minor scrapes with the law, and at 16 marijuana and alcohol. I started becoming very daring. Running with worldly friends. Not what you call bad people. Just getting drunk, smoking marijuana and staying out all night and partying. No drug or alcohol poisoning or nothing. Just being stupid or acting the fool. I came close to being killed or seriously maimed a few times.

Got in a car accident and was knocked unconscious because I wasn't wearing a seatbelt. My friend and I pulled out of a convenience store just near an intersection. The speed limit at the store was 20mph, but after the intersection was 45mph. I made a joke about ramming speed and slouched down in the seat. A girl was coming in from the other direction and she turned right in front of us. Well all I remember is yelling an expletive and the next thing I remember is waking up crumpled up on the floor board of my buddy's truck. He had a sprained wrist from pushing the steering wheel through the windshield. A friend went through the back window of his buddy's truck when he was playing around and slammed on his brakes.

My friend and I were riding our 3 wheelers through the woods, we pulled out onto a dirt road and my friend was hit by a truck. When I was in the 8th grade, a buddy was riding in his brother's jeep. He was horsing around; stuck his head out and hit a sign with his head; he spent about 3 weeks in the hospital;

When I was 15 I had a long time friend come for a visit, I took him out for a ride on my 3 wheeler. I was riding on top of a long hill about 30 or 40 feet high. I just been on it the day before, so I wasn't expecting it to be being cut up with a front end loader. The dirt was being loaded into dump trucks and hauled away. Long story short, I was traveling at about 20 mph, showing my friend about and wasn't paying attention. I didn't have any brakes; I suddenly saw that I was about to ride off about a 15 foot drop off. Thinking quickly, I gunned the throttle and pulled up on the handlebars; that was just enough to make me land on 3 wheels at the same time. The bad part was, my friend pushed down on my shoulders and stood up, pushing me down on the gas tank. My back was messed up for a couple weeks.

Not long after that I was flying along going at least 50 mph. I wasn't stopping for paved roads. Just zooming across them. Well there was a Ford van coming down the road. I was downshifting furiously and stomping on the brake pedal that I had tied up, because I didn't have any brakes. Well to shorten the story. My front tire missed the van's back bumper by 3 inches. I was certain I was about to die. There was a girl in the passenger seat of the van. I could hear her screaming at the top of her lungs, seeing me coming down the road toward them. And I was still traveling at about 20mph. I should be, by all accounts, dead! Yet all my life, God has been watching over me. Satan has been after me a long time.

I used to live in, WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA. Then we moved up here to OCALA FLORIDA, I didn't know anybody, yet, I somehow got ahold of marijuana easily. Again I started the party lifestyle. Except I also started learning to be a mechanic. I was a very good at one. I was well thought of; as a mechanic. I also got heavy into cars, working on them and racing them.

I shared a house with a friend when I was 19. I gave away my virginity at that time to a 18 year girl. That was a big mistake. Because when we broke up, I even went a little more wild. She had not been a virgin; I had been one; and I fell in love. So now I really didn't want anything to do with girls after that. Just cars, work and partying. I was training to be manager of the shop I was working at. I wasn't hired as a manager. GOD just showed me so much favor with people, along with my natural eagerness to learn things!

One Saturday right after spring break, we decided to go to Daytona Beach. On Palm Sunday, March 24 or 26 1991, I was at Daytona Beach with some friends. We were throwing a nerf football back and forth, in and out of the water. Four friends were in the water; and a guy and I were on the beach. After a few minutes; that guy and I decided to run into the water. There was a little wave coming in and I decided to dive under it; just to get my hair wet.

Well, I don't know what exactly happened, but it my hit head on something and I bit my lip. Hard enough I tasted blood. I could move my arms and fingers and talk still, but I just barely touched the sand, and didn't have the strength to lift myself up or anything. Here's the strange part. I was not panicking or nothing, cuz I was face down. A strange peace was on me. I was on in water maybe 15 or 20 seconds when 2 of my friends grabbed me under the arms and dragged me to the beach. I have NEVER been an excitable person, and this was no different. People were touching me here, to see what's paralyzed; I could still talk and use my and fingers. (I was thinking; people, leave me alone, I'm ok! (WELL BESIDES THE FACT I'M PARALYZED FROM THE CHEST DOWN.)

Well 7 hours later I had a brain stem stroke. Whatever wasn't paralyzed before, was now; and now I can't speak. I have regained a little movement in my arms and fingers; and now I can eat and swallow and sit in the wheelchair without a headrest. I'm a heck of a long way from where I need to be, but thank GOD I'm not where I use to be. I was saved at the age of 7; around 11 or 12 I began backsliding, until the accident; I can honestly say. I'd rather be paralyzed with JESUS, than completely whole without HIM.

I spent 10 months in 3 different hospitals. I was in Hallifax hospital in Daytona Beach, for 4 months; 2 months of that time, I was in a coma. One day the nurse was giving me a bath. I had been on a respirator and because she was bathing me, she disconnected me from the respirator and put a mask pumping pure oxygen on my open trach. She noticed that I wasn't having any trouble breathing so she talked to the respiratory doctor and from that moment on, I was never on the respirator again.

I didn't like the respiratory doctor because he didn't talk to me, he ignored me and just talked over me and talked to my dad. My dad knew I didn't like him. When he would want me to breathe for him so he could listen to my lungs; I would stop breathing.

Then about 2 months later; I went to a small hospital in AUBURNDALE, FLORIDA. In that hospital they removed the long trach from my neck and put a little plastic trach in my neck called an Olympic button. It covered and closed the hole, but a person could still access my lungs for suctioning. You may be wondering what suctioning is. I have no voluntary cough, just a reflexive one. Means that I can not cough on command or clear my throat; so, from time to time I need the mucus sucked out of my lungs, with a suctioning machine. While I was there I became mad, really mad at the situation. Not at any one person, but I blamed God. One day my parents said something about God and I said; I don't believe in God anymore! Now, that really wasn't true, I just needed to blame somebody. I could no more stop believing in God; than I could've stopped believing in the wind. One day I broke down and started crying uncontrollably. One nurse and an occupational therapist hugged me and repeatedly wiped my tears. This went on for a couple hours. I was there for 2 months.

Then it finally seemed that things were changing for the better. A male nurse was talking to my parents about a small rehabilitation hospital near my home that his wife worked at. Well my parents made all the necessary arrangements. I would come to a rehabilitation hospital only 45 minutes from my home. Less then 24 hours from that time I was scheduled to be transferred. The Florida governor LAWTON CHILES tried to abolish Medicare. Now everything was straightened out eventually, but for me and many many Medicare patients, we were scrabbling for help.

I was sent to TAMPA GENERAL REHAB. I know many people talk about how great that place is; but in my personal opinion, that place sux! All they did for me was warehouse me; the same day I was admitted, they told my parents that when the funding runs out, I will be discharged. Talk about government bureaucracy! Then when I finally was discharged, they told my parents that they wouldn't be able to care for me; put him a nursing home. My dad said, WATCH ME! and he put me in the car and brought me home.

When I got home there was already a hospital bed set up and a manual wheelchair there. I was just so glad to be home; I had been in 3 different hospitals in exactly 10 months; and I came home the day before my birthday. Guess when my birthday is? Christmas day. I later learned that my dad's brother tried to get my parents to put me in a nursing home. (Some family huh?)

Well basically that is what it took to get me back in church and serving the Lord again. Now I know that just going to church no more makes you a Christian, than a bath and red ribbon will make a pig into a poodle. The 2 greatest gifts were; coming home and a little yorkie-poo puppy. My parents gave her to me the day I came home. At first I named her precious. My dad kept saying; that's not a name, that's a description, not a name. Well I ended up naming her RUNT; she was the runt of the litter, the only female and the only one of a different color. All the puppies were black males and she was a champagne colored female.

About a week later, my parents took me to church. It wasn't a big church; only 20 or 30 people plus children. Kind of small but friendly. I knew just about everyone there. The pastor was my parents' lawyer, as well their friend. I remember his wife and him having supper with them one Friday night as I was getting ready to go out. My mom told me the next day, that I had made a big impression on them because I was not ashamed to show affection to my parents, in front of them, like their son. LIKE MOST TEENAGERS! I've been that way all my life. Polite to strangers and elders. Heck I even say yes mam/sir no mam/sir to kids younger than me.

I've been paralyzed approximately 17 years now, since the accident; I think. (I'm a man and we men are terrible with dates and for asking directions.) One weekend my parents had been invited to a friend's home in North Carolina, for a break. He and his family use to go to church with us, when I was a teenager. It was his wife and him that invited my mom and dad to the women's' AGLOW meeting where my dad's neck was healed.

Anyway! They even told my parents that they would pay for their airfare; and my mom was scared to fly. But it was chance for a small vacation. When they got back my mom had constant irritable cough; she couldn't get rid of it. She finally went to the doctor, but it was too late. She contacted viral pneumonia. She had to have her lungs drained of the fluid that built up. The worst part was; the viral pneumonia caused congestive heart failure; all because airplanes recycle their air. (Now that's just my opinion). My dad started doing everything. He wouldn't let her do anything, from the dishes and the cleaning, to taking care of me.

I one day asked my mom why hadn't Dean visited me. Dean was my best friend. My mom tells me to wait til my dad gets home. So when my dad gets home I ask him. He tells me that was Dean killed on his motorcycle about 6 months after I got hurt and my dad didn't want to upset me while I was still in the hospital.

One day my mom tells me that she and my dad are going to have a house built on the lot next door. My mom met with the architect to design it with a wider hallway and doors. My dad had his own business; so he left at 4 in the morning, and come back around 11 in the morning. Then he and my mom would eat lunch; take care of any business that needed to be done; then my dad would get me up in the wheelchair and we would go out the garage; listen to some talk radio while he got things done for the next day. It wasn't the ideal situation, but looking back, it was great. (I guess what they say is true; you never miss the water til the well runs dry).

Then about 4 years later my dad comes in from a doctor's appointment and tells us that he has been diagnosed with colon cancer. I didn't know how serious colon cancer was. Now I don't mean that cancer wasn't serious. I didn't know colon cancer killed so quickly. My dad and I use go outside after he and my mom were finished eating lunch. We would stay outside til just before dark, listening to talk radio and getting ready for the next morning's work. Then dad would put me in bed and he and my mom would eat supper while I watched T.V. Then he would come back to my room and feed me. Thank God, my dad was in business for himself; so could set his own hours.

It's not all bad news. I have made some progress. I used to not even have the strength to click a computer mouse or eat and drink, I couldn't sit in my wheelchair without trunk support or a head rest. Now I don't need support of any kind and I can drive my electric wheelchair with my left arm. So I have much to be thankful for.

Now I have to just take it day by day. It's frustrating when I think about where I was physically and now. I have help doing just about everything; but praise God, still have my mind and it's as sharp as ever, maybe sharper! You know the doctors, when I was in a coma still, told my dad that I would be a blind vegetable. Now that my mind is not clouded by drugs and alcohol, I have almost a photographic memory. I wish I could tell you that everything is fine now and that I'm walking and talking now. I'm not though.

I do get depressed quite often; saying why God why? and when God when? But after I calm down, I realize that God is in control and I am going to spend eternity with him; and that is a long time. You're probably wondering why I call this The Prodigal. Well because I was always a good kid, I didn't get into real trouble; then I started doing things like first trying chewing tobacco, then looking at pornography, then trying to be cool I started smoking cigarettes; then I tried marijuana, really crappy quality marijuana; but then my friend bought some quality stuff, after that, I was hooked. Now, I never tried cocaine or harder drugs, yet I really got into drinking alcohol and partying. I just want people to understand. No matter what you have done, you have never gone so far that you are out of God's love.

I'm not going to sit here and blow smoke up your butt. Life doesn't become great just because you're a Christian. Yes, I do get mad at God; then I think about it and it's not HIS fault. My mom kept putting off going to the doctors, making excuses; saying it's not that bad. My dad finally went with her making her tell everything, but the damage was done. And dad was an extreme workaholic, never letting his body rest. And if I had been behaving myself, I wouldn't have been at the beach that day or messing with drugs. I get asked a lot why I always say, I'm chatting on the computer. The reason is, it won't change anything, and I won't let satan know he has gotten to me. Satan can't read your thoughts, but he can read your computer screen. I just know that this life is just temporary; eternity is forever.

The only thing that makes a person become a Christian is repentance of your sinful ways and acceptance of JESUS CHRIST (YESHUA HA MESHIAC in Jewish), as your Lord and Saviour. God father, the creator of the universe, sent his only naturally born son to die in your place. To pay for the sins you committed in your sinful nature. Now you ask, so you have to be perfect? Absolutely not! That is an impossibility. God know we make mistakes. The blood of JESUS CHRIST washes away the penalty. See God is absolutely perfect and the penalty for sin is death; but JESUS paid the price for us; all he asks is that we accept him as Saviour.

I'm not a preacher or nothing like that, I just don't want anybody to have to spend a eternity separated from God, in hell. I would rather that you think that I'm a complete fool, as long as you spend eternity in paradise with God. Satan thinks he finally has won! But now I'm not afraid to proclaim my faith to anybody. Satan should have left me alone, I was backslidden and had no plans to change.

Living Water
Written by Jon (Kurel) - February 2008

Jesus was traveling from Judea to Galilee; he had to go through the land of Samaria and he stopped to rest at a well in the little town of Sychar. Jesus sees a woman coming to draw some water. It is a pleasant day isn't it sir? You look tired; the woman said. Yes ma'am, I'm traveling to Galilee and stopped here to rest a bit. May I trouble you for a drink please? Jesus asked. Sir I'm a Samaritan and Jews don't have anything to with Samaritans; the woman says. If you knew who you were talking to, you would have asked me for a drink; Jesus said. Where can you get this Living Water sir? Are you greater than our father Jacob? Jesus said, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water." the woman said. Well go call your husband so I can tell him too. Sir I'm not married, I'm divorce, the woman said. Jesus says, That is true. You have been married and divorced 5 times and the man you're living with now isn't your husband. WOW! How can you know that? You must be prophet. Our fathers worshipped here, but you Jews say I have to worship in Jerusalem; the woman said. Believe me woman, the time is coming where you can worship God anywhere!

Easter Holiday
The following was submitted by my friend Tommy, who uses the pen/screen name of Baachus.
Written by Baachus - February 2008

As I sit and think about the approaching Easter Holiday, I think about how the Christian world and peoples celebrate this holiday as the day our savior gave his all ... I think also about how that same man Jesus will come back.

It is also the Passover, which commemorates the time when the angel saw the blood on the doors of his people, and would pass over them and then go to finish the task that he was to do. But what is important, is when he saw the blood, the blood that was a symbol of the times when a savior would come to this world and shed his own blood, that we could pass from death unto life. Eternal life ... promised to us by a faith in a loving and kind God that so loved the world that he would give his only begotten son, that we could be partakers of this holy promise.

I tried to think of some scripture that would be good to write at this time. We have all heard the stories and read the good words of God, about how Mary on the 3rd day went to the tomb and the man that was buried there was gone ... this man, called Jesus ... the son of God ... a living God that is as much alive in people's hearts today as he was at that time a long, long time ago.

I also want to remind myself and all that are sitting and reading these humble words, that this same man, Jesus, that overthrew death a long time ago, will soon come back to receive us again unto himself ... As he said "wherever the carcass is there shall the eagles be gathered together."

In the days of Jesus, the Jews would ask "is this man Elijah or is that man Elijah" because they know that in Old Testament prophesy Elijah would come before Christ.

Now Elias is the New Testament version of Elijah ... but Elijah didn't come in the flesh but John the Baptist had the spirit of Elijah that was prophesied would come before Jesus came on the scene. As Jesus said Elias is come already.

Now in Jerusalem, there are several gates to the city, but one gate in particular I want to bring out. It is called the Eastern gate. When Christ returns the prophesy says that he will enter that gate and the scribes I think were believing that Elijah would come in also,

In history the conquering armies that had held Jerusalem in the past heard these same stories but during the Turks reign in Jerusalem, they decided to prevent that from happening. They would wall up this gate. They bricked it up and on top of that they put a muslim graveyard at the front of the gate because they knew no priest or holy man of God would cross this ground. This was all done to prevent the inevitable return of Jesus to the city

But all they did was bring to pass another prophesy that states the gate would be sealed until the time of Christ's return. That's just like the world today. The enemy is doing everything in his power to prevent that event from happening, but his efforts are futile. This same Jesus that arose on that morning and the angel told Mary that "he is alive" ... "why seek him among the dead." Praise the lord ... He is risen and his return is coming ... to fulfill his promise of salvation ... Amen.

I can just see that day now ... The trumpets will sound ... the sky will break open and we will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with a host of angels. He will set foot on the Mount of Olives and as in the Old Testament days when Joshua and the people marched around that city of Jericho and the walls came tumbling down. I can see this walled up, bricked up gate that was there to prevent him from entering the city ... I can see those bricks begin to shake ... just like in the days of Paul and Silas when they were imprisoned in that jail. They would sing praises to the King and those walls would begin to shake and those walls came tumbling down ... and Paul and Silas walked out unharmed

I can see my King and Savior and the people that have served him here on this earth faithfully, beginning to praise and worship him. Those same walls that are in front of this gate will start shaking furiously, and then brick by brick they will come tumbling down ... And my Savior ... my Lord ... my King ... will enter and answer all the questions that I have in my heart that only he can have the answer to. Oh what a sweet day that will be ... Praise the Lord ... please come soon my Lord.

And on this Easter day that is soon upon us ... I would wish that all his people will take a moment and think about those gates ... and each person see in their mind ... by faith ... those gates come falling down. Because they will! And our Lord and Savior will walk into that city. To the amazement of the whole world ... saying truly ... we have crucified an innocent man ... Amen.

Have a blessed and happy Easter Holiday ... Amen ... bacc (Tommy)

Emmaus
The following was written in February 2008 by Jon "Kurel" of Florida. His testimony is posted here as "The Prodigal."

Did you see the crucifixion yesterday? Cleopas asked his friend. Yes. I know that the chief priests and rulers in Jerusalem handed over Jesus of Nazareth, the prophet, to be crucified. We had hoped that he was the one who would redeem Israel. Also, some of our women went to the tomb on the third day, to anoint the body and HE was gone! Just then another man walked up and asked them what they were talking about. Sir, don't you know what has been happening these past few days in Jerusalem? Cleopas asked. The man said, Don't you remember? The prophets talked about this. Doesn't it say that the Christ will suffer all these things? He explained all the scriptures that talked about HIMSELF. As they came to their house Jesus acted as though he were traveling on. They invited him in for the night, because it was getting dark. They all sat down to eat something. Then Jesus gave thanks for the food. Suddenly! They realized who he was. THEN HE DISAPPEARED!

The Blessing of the Fish
The following was written by a friend of mine. These are words the Lord placed upon his heart. Other than a few grammatical changes for clarity, I have not changed the content. ~ Luz Leigh

I know as do some of you, that on this earth, we go through some difficult times ... and unfortunately, financial ones seemed to be the ones that give Christians the most difficulty ... We pray and say "oh God, bless my finances, cause I don't know where my next meal is coming from or where am I going to get the money to pay the car insurance or the house rent or mortgage this month" ... Or in my case, I was wondering where I was going to get the money to do some much needed repairs on my house ... My house was starting to get to the point of needing repairs, and I knew last year that they were going to be done in the coming months ... and I had no clue how I was going to do it ... I prayed under my breath a lot about it, and in my mind, me figuring out how I was going to do it, (helping God out), I figured I would just have to go borrow the amount of money needed to do the job then pay payments until I got it paid for ... naturally, this was an unpleasant option seeing how gas and other increased prices has made paying any bills more difficult in these trying times ... well ... back in the early part of this year, we had some severe storms roll thru and one of the by products of these storms was some of the most severe hail I've ever seen ... and I've been around a few years ... well needless to say, that by accident, I found out that some of these storms caused some damage to some folks houses ... then I began to think, well, I was right in the middle of them and after some conversations with my insurance agent ... I have the repairs in the works as I write this down ...

Only God can take an event that at the time seemed like a curse and turn it into something of a blessing ... PRAISE GOD ... and on top of other blessings that have been coming my way, such as raises and bonuses and other things that I give God the glory for, I sometimes will buy a scratch off lotto ticket ... I know, I can get some heat from that because most believe that is wrong ... and its kinda like this in my view ... if you are an alcoholic, and you get saved ... God is not going to send you to a bar to minister because of the temptation ... and if you are a habitual gambler then God wont send you to a casino to witness ... I'm neither ... I was just going to have a little fun and indulge myself a bit ... so ... I did it ... and guess what ... I won 600.00 bucks ... and you know what ... I gave God the glory because I believe that all good and perfect gifts are from above ...I have been told that I don't see how a lotto ticket could be called a blessing but in Matthew 17:27 ... Jesus told one of his disciples to go catch a fish ... and inside the first fish, look in his mouth, and there you will find some money ... well I reckon if God can send a blessing by the fishes, then I'm sure he can send a blessing by any other means ... after all, they didn't have a lottery back then ... then he can bless us even with a scratch off lotto ticket ... So what I'm saying is that we as Christians shouldn't limit God in how he will bless us ... the first thing we do when we pray and ask God to bless our finances, is we begin to tell him how to go about doing just that ... and God wont be told how to do his job ... that's his job ... my job is just to believe that he is God and that he is my provider, and that if I put him first, bless him with the increase which I do with a glad heart at my church, then he will bless me in return a hundred fold ... well my faith hasn't gotten to the hundred fold yet but its getting better ... I just cant imagine what that will be like when my faith increases to that 100 fold point ... Amen ... Tommy

Sermon Notes
Dr. Richard Rogers
Sunday 10 August 2008

The following is only a smattering of what the pastor told us, but I tried to at least jot down the highlights.

Scripture reference was a familiar one: Matthew 16:13-20

The region of Caesarea Philippi was located near the hills that contained several caves. In one there was a spring which provided the headwaters of the Jordan River. This region was about 25 miles from Northern Galilee. There were many little niches carved out in the hills where idols were placed for folks to worship.

When Jesus was talking to the disciples who were there with him, He told them He had a plan. His plan was for the Church ... meaning YOU. The church is not a place, a building, but it is the believers and followers of Jesus. Today WE are the church, but that day He was talking about Peter and the other believers.

The following points were made:

1. God has a Plan ... A community of people who depend on Him. We as humans sometimes find that our vision leaks ... has to be refilled and who but the Lord can do the refilling? The cave to which I referred earlier, the people who lived in that area and worshiped the false idols believed that that particular cave was "the gates of hell." The Lord was telling his followers that he would be building his church on the Rock ... not on Peter, but on their Faith in Jesus.
2. It is dangerous (God's plan). But as He always does, He provides us with armor to protect us. See Ephesians 6:10-18. After we equip ourselves with the "whole armor of God," we were challenged to look at the needs of those around us. Take a different route "home" from worship today. Notice neighborhoods that need to be touched by Jesus Christ. Dare to enter.
3. We have the responsibility. Many times we are afraid our life will change ... that it will cost us to follow. It cost Christ His life. He did not come to make us safe, but to make us brave. We need to shake off the dust and step up ... that is the only way out of the pit.

Then we closed the service with the singing of the old familiar hymn, "I Need Thee Every Hour."

What I have typed does not begin to do justice to the Words of the Lord shared by Bro. Richard. We were blessed to have the entire Bearkat football team and their coaches from the local university in our worship service. He challenged them to be good role models for those around them (and in his usual lighthearted manner, he gave them the thumbs up sign and said "We will be praying for the Bearkats to win!"

Jesus walks on the sea ... "but that's not all"
Written by "bacchus" 28 August 2008

This scripture kinda reminds me of our everyday walk ... we are walking with the Lord, seeing the things he does for us day in and day out ... so what happens...we get a little brave and then go get in a boat and don't wait for Jesus ... that's what it says the disciples did ... it says that Jesus hadn't came down to them yet ... so they struck out on their own ... now there is nothing wrong with stepping out ... and the word tells us that we should have NO fear ...

But it tells us in this scripture that they made out to sea...then after having fought the wind and waves for several miles...they saw Jesus walking out to them on the water ... then what does it say happened ... it says THEY WERE AFRAID ... so what went wrong ... the disciples were the chosen that would carry the gospel to all the world and set up the christian faith from the foundation...and Jesus being the cornerstone ...

Kinda like us in our everyday walk ... we decide that we want to do something for the Lord, and first off not having conquered the fear factor yet ... we strike out and then what happens ... we meet some adversity ... much like the waves beating against the boat ... then the disciples, I think, fell into a little doubt ... why? ... because it says they became afraid ... now I don't know how I would have reacted if I had seen a man walking out to my boat ... after I had fought the seas and waves for several miles ... and here he is overtaking them with several men that were rowing with all their might ... I may have reacted the same way so I cant deride the disciples too much ... and I'm not ... just saying that when we decide to go out to be a minister for Jesus ... be sure we have our faith in good standing and don't become afraid when the waves come ... because they will come ...

So first off ... don't fear ... he is our protector and our rock ... we should fear nothing ... and the second thing is this ... we notice that Jesus was overtaking them with the men in the boat rowing away ... fighting the wind and waves ... they probably could have made some decent time had the waves not been so high..it says the sea rose and the wind was blowing, and not only that ... it was already dark.

But just like in our own lives ... what happens when we wait on the Lord?

The word says here they allowed Jesus into the boat immediately ... then what happened next? It says they were immediately on the other shore! Amen ... That's kinda how things go when we wait on Jesus! ... He is the great calmer of the seas in our life ... the great deliverer of our lives when the winds blow and the seas arise ... wait on the Lord! ... He will come to you...it says to seek him and you will find him ... I just bet the disciples were wishing they had waited on Jesus when they struck out in the dark on those cold blackened seas ... the winds will come, the seas will rise ... but be about the fathers business and wait on the Lord to tell you when! Amen bacchus

The Scourge
Written by "Bacchus"

I was thinking and my mind began to race ... thinking about my savior

I was thinking of the awful beatings that he received ... and for what?

My sins, your sins, and the sins of a lost and dying world.

Why did he have to be beat the way he was, beyond recognition ... in the natural eyes, he probably wouldn't even have survived the beatings from the soldiers ... even if they hadn't crucified him ... he most likely would have died from the wounds, he was beat beyond recognition ... even in today's modern medical wonders...it would be hard to survive such a beating ...

Then my mind wanders as to why, did he endure such a beating? ... why? so harsh a punishment?

Then it dawns on my feeble mind ... Those stripes were what I deserved ... those beatings were what we as the world deserved ... No man is without sin ... we were born into sin...by Adams transgression in the garden, sin has passed onto all mankind ... He took the sins, the punishment for those sins upon himself that day ... HE could have called down ten thousand angels, to deliver him ... but HE didn't ... why?

because, he loved me ... he loved us ... he loved and cared for all mankind...that he endured those scourgings...to atone for the sins that we were born into ... an undeserving world ... lost ... dying ... and what did he ask in return?

That I would love him ... for those beatings that i deserved ... he just asked that I love!

That's all!

And you know what ... At 17 I accepted him as my savior ... and he said these words ... when the world hates you, remember that it hated me first ... when they persecute you ... they persecuted me first ... when they denounce you for the stand you take ... they denounced me first ...

He took the scourgings that I deserved ... he was guiltless ... unblemished ... sinless ... blameless ... he deserved none of those things and he said "If I be lifted up, then I will draw all men unto me" ... and I am lifting his name up ... Jesus ... the wonderful name of Jesus

He died for me ... He died for us ... Even when He didn't know us ... Jesus died for us.

Captain Todd's Reflections on Gulf Coast
Written by Captain Todd Casey, cousin of Luz Leigh - 28 September 2008

The following was taken from the weekly fishing report of Capt Casey. He spends his time doing what many people would almost give an arm to do. He is a fishing guide and a hunting guide. Lives close to nature year round. Todd sounds much older than he is; wise in many ways.

The water flowing with the tides under the Causeway in South Padre Island is soothing and blue. The blue water seeping in from the Gulf is a comforting reminder that during some wearisome and demanding situations, there is going to be something good that follows troubled times in our lives. South Padre Island just went through hurricane Dolly and soon after, hurricane Ike decided to visit Galveston and surrounding areas. These incredible storms have dented the routines of many lives and have ruined others.

As a fishing guide, I realize, and I am reminded the importance of the people that step on to my boat each day from a sturdy dock. I realize that the people that want to go fishing for a day or two are enjoying their lives and doing what they love. When there are storms in life, we have to survive and take care of family and friends. Going fishing or a walk on the beach will come later once everyone is safe. The Texas Gulf Coast has been hammered this summer. Even though it has been a tough summer for some people on the coast, there is always a place to look up, somewhere in the sky, on a dark starry night ... and just realize that we still do have a study dock to walk on. Soon, we will step off of that dock, onto a boat of joy and serenity.

The mornings are getting a little bit chilly and the weather during the day seems like a perfect painting of a bay. This is a great time of year to fish. Pleasant weather, high tides and big schools of redfish. Soon I will be going to the ranch and chase deer and quail until the end of February. There were many ups and downs this summer on the Texas Coast. I have a friend who told me back in January ... "It's going to be a great summer." You know, my friend was right. It was a great summer. It is definitely one I will always remember...with a smile.

The Good Ol' Days are Now ...

The Great Neighbor
Posted November 08, 2008 by Searcher

I have had the spirit dealing with me for a few weeks about that ... About the concept of who would be "the greatest neighbor?"

I have one example that I believe would be, the best neighbor, best friend a person could have ...

Now how is that for a neighbor? Jesus saw this man in a sad state but never looked down on him, never reviled him for his status ... even when his disciples asked him who sinned that caused him to be in this state, all Jesus said was that "neither sinned" ... "He just needed to have the great work of God in his life" ...

I see churches all the time in this day and age that will tell you they are not like the other churches ... that they are somehow better cause they do things this way or that way ... and will excommunicate you if you don't line up as we shall see this is what happens to this man that had the great work of God performed in his life ...

They somehow began to be religious...they get high minded like they are leaders of the church ... but Jesus never made those claims even though he would be seated at the right hand of the Father one day ... and before the world began ... he was ... Amen ... he remained a common man ... not reviling anyone ... making statements like this man didn't sin nor did his parents to place him in this awful predicament ... just needed a great work of God ... that's a true neighbor ...

How many times have we passed by a beggar not even acknowledging him? but Jesus did something better than acknowledge him ... he caused his eyes to be opened because he didn't look down upon him as some nothing ...

he didn't cast him out from among them because he didn't smell right or didn't line up exactly as they were ... he was a beggar ... not even having worked a day in his life ... probably poor hygiene ... probably smelled bad ...

I can see these so called churches that are better than other churches doing those things for a man in his condition ... Jesus the great neighbor!

Just like the so called better than other churches ... the first time they see that someone doesn't line up exactly like them they say he is not of God or is possessed or can't be forgiven because he doesn't do this or that ... those great churches ... Jesus had just healed a man ... given a beggar his sight ... but that was beside the point ... it didn't matter the good he had done ... it didn't line up to them ... the religious folks ...

Jesus said if someone is not against them then they are for them ... a house divided can't stand ...

Jesus the great neighbor...the everyday Joe that lives next door ... that causes folks' sight to be returned to them ...

It must be sad to live in a state of fear to be excommunicated from the church or synagogue as they said ... some great religious folks there for ya ...

Now that's giving God the glory ... the foolish beggars and forgotten people of this world confusing the so called righteous and religious ...

Ewww ... I think that went over well ...

Kinda childish ... "my boss is bigger than your boss" ... even though your boss just performed a miracle to the eyes of one that had been blind from birth ... that doesn't matter in the religious folks eyes ...

I guess it doesn't matter that Jesus came speaking the word of God from his heart ... I guess it wouldn't matter if a person in this life came speaking the word ... if they don't act like us then they must not be of God ... mmmm

As I said how can it be that anyone comes speaking the word ... how is it that we can say they are not God's own even though they come speaking in his name or doing works in his name ... but we may say that couldn't happen now ... not so...it happened to the son of God it can happen to any man ...

Threw him out of the church ... Why? ... because he didn't say what they thought he should say...he was a bit different ... but one thing he had ... his eyes were once blind ... but now they see ... by the great neighbor Jesus

I see in these times, lots of division...mostly because of lack of understanding ... and in part because we want to lead but the problem with that is ... that's not what Jesus called us to do ... he called us to serve ... not lead ... I have been put in many situations in life where folks have told me that those around me are just waiting for you to step up and lead them ... but that's not me ... I will serve them ... but I have a leader ... that's an actual remark made to me by one of my bosses at my present company ... but Jesus desires that we remain humble ... remain average ... remain a true to life neighbor ... not a man or woman on a pedestal like some beacon that is going to save them ... that's not in our power ... that's his job ... ours is to live humbly and serve ...

Jesus to me was an everyday human that had the same desires and wants we all have ... but he would never succumb to the sin element ... he remained true to himself and his God first ... he didn't get all full of himself as the religious of his day did ... he remained humble ... even to the cross that was supposed to be reserved for the dregs of society at that time ... the king of the world dying like a common thief ... being crucified with two such men ... the common man ... there is much more glory in being humble and common than trying to be something that God disdains ... the proud ...

Jesus ... The greatest neighbor!

Amen.

Written by Searcher

Offending

Now the Lord has been dealing with me..many days about something ... and these words as well as others have been strung together in my heart and soul ... This is not about God telling the King to destroy a people, and all that is in the belongings of these people ... but it is about an un-swerving commitment to obey God even when we think within ourselves, that it would be wrong ... King Saul told God later that he kept back some of the stuff to offer God as a sacrifice ... But the God we serve takes no pleasure in our sacrifices ... but what he deems as our natural service is an un-failing love and commitment to obey his words and commandments.

God rejected Saul as King because he failed to obey God fully ... in our minds eye, we can look at this story and think that Saul didn't really do anything all that bad ... after all he kept the stuff as Saul had said to offer God ... we can look at King David, his sins against God and think that, David committed adultery, then had the woman's husband sent to the front so he would be killed to hide his sin ... but one thing about God that most times we as Christians and people fail to acknowledge ... as the following scripture will testify ...

God doesn't look at us in the way that we should or would see things ... God sees our hearts..and he knows what we in our hearts would do, and that if we truly love him ... as God stated, about David..he said here is a man after my own heart ...

And to me that speaks volumes about David ... even though he committed an atrocious act ... having the man killed at the front after committing adultery with his wife ... God knew David's heart ... and God knows my heart ... as well as he knows all our hearts ... the only question to this is, what are we willing to do for God ... are we willing to obey his word to the letter ... and give up something that he deems as no value ... something maybe even that we place great value on in ourselves ... as Saul did ... he thought he saw some value in bringing back the good things that they found when they destroyed the Amelikites ... but God found no favor in his actions because he had commanded him to not bring anything back ... but to destroy all things that pertained to this un-Godly people ... sometimes God will deal with us about a situation ... and he will desire that we destroy a situation in our lives ... and not hold back anything ... why ... because God sees things we dont always see ...

The next verses will clarify ...

I think of this scripture and reading it, I know with the exception of the revelation of John, there is probably not another scripture that is harder to comprehend than this one. It would be a hard thing to think that I would have to pluck out my own eye ... or cut off a hand or foot ... But one thing I learned from my youth is that God's word is a spirit the same that he is a spirit ... and thinking that maybe something that we value as much as our own eye, or our own hand ... or any other member, thinking that we can't do without this thing. I cant do without my eyes ... I would think! ... but we have a supernatural God that can make a way even if I didn't have my eyes.

But anything that we place of greater value than obeying the word of the Lord ... is what this scripture is referring to.

As Saul did. Amen!

Now we know that God sees things in a different view than we do ... why? ... because he sees the hearts ... not the outward appearance ... such as the beggar that Jesus healed his sight ... then used to confound the Pharisees ... the puny weak things to confound the wise ... sometimes God sees things that maybe we think ... well this is ok ... I can use it for the glory of God ... sounds like something Saul said ... but God knows things that we ourselves cannot know ... he sees the things that in a way can corrupt our souls ... even though we may be using this thing for the glory of God ... not all that call me Lord Lord will enter the kingdom of God as the word says ... God sees beyond the natural ... God sees beyond our mortal comprehension when he calls us to do a hard thing ... he won't call us to do anything that he won't give us the power to do ... he wont place us in a situation that he thinks we will fail in ... but we can disobey ... and then we can fail

Are you dealing with something ... has God dealt with you about something ... something he wants you to rid your life of ... something that maybe seems to vex your soul on a day to day purpose? We can be like Saul ... and hold back ... and say well this is for the glory of God ... but if it is in direct disobedience ... then its not for the glory of God because he takes no glory from it ... he only wants a willing heart ... not a sacrifice ... an obedient heart ... not a sacrifice ... a loving heart ... not a sacrifice

Obedience ... the only cure for what ails a dying world ... an obedience to him ... and knowing that he doesn't judge as we judge ... but he judges the hearts ... not the outward appearance.

( With this I close and submit my heart to the Lord ... and to obey his words that he directs to me, with all knowledge that he sees beyond my comprehension, in full trust ... Amen) in mine own hand ...

Searcher ... (Tommy)

God's Pharmacy
Received via email from James 23 Nov 2009

It's been said that God first separated the salt water from the fresh, made dry land, planted a garden, made animals and fish ... All before making a human.

HE made and provided what we'd need before we were born.

These are best & powerful when eaten raw.

We're such slow learners ...

God left us a great clue as to what foods help what part of our body!

God's Pharmacy! Amazing!

A sliced carrot looks like the human eye. The pupil, iris and radiating lines look just like the human eye ... And YES, science now shows carrots greatly enhance blood flow to and function of the eyes.

A tomato has four chambers and is red. The heart has four chambers and is red. All of the research shows tomatoes are loaded with lycopine and are indeed pure heart and flood food.

Grapes hang in a cluster that has the shape of the heart. Each grape looks like a blood cell and all of the research today shows grapes are also profound heart and blood vitalizing food.

A walnut looks a little like brain, a left and right hemisphere, upper cerebrums and lower cerebellums. Even the wrinkles or folds on the nut are just like the neo-cortex. We now know walnuts help develop more than three (3) dozen neuron-transmitters for brain function.

Kidney beans actually heal and help maintain kidney function and yes, they look exactly like the human kidneys.

Celery, bok choy, rhubarb and many more look just like bones. These foods specifically target bone strength. Bones are 23% sodium and these foods are 23% sodium. If you don't have enough sodium in your diet, the body pulls it from the bones, thus making them weak. These foods replenish the skeletal needs of the body.

Avocados, eggplant and pears target the health and function of the womb and cervix of the female - they look just like these organs. Today's research shows that when a woman eats one avocado a week, it balances hormones, sheds unwanted birth weight, and prevents cervical cancers. And how profound is this? It takes exactly nine (9) months to grow an avocado from blossom to ripened fruit. There are over 14,000 photolytic chemical constituents of nutrition in each one of these foods (modern science has only studies and named about 141 of them.)

Figs are full of seeds and hang in two when they grow. Figs increase the mobility of male sperm and increase the numbers of sperm as well to overcome male sterility.

Sweet potatoes look like the pancreas and actually balance the glycemic index of diabetics.

Olives assist the health and function of the ovaries.

Oranges, grapefruits and other citrus fruits look just like the mammary glands of the female and actually assist the health of the breasts and the movements of lymph in and out of the breasts.

Onions look like the body's cells. Today's research shows onions help clear waste materials from all of the body cells. They even produce tears which wash the epithelial layers of the eyes. A working companion, garlic, also helps eliminate waste materials and dangerous free radicals from the body.

I had received this before but did not save a copy. Thanks, to James the paramedic, I now have a copy I can share with friends who are not on the Internet.

A Talk With Mother Nature
Written by my friend Vern

Today I went out to clean my yard. There was a ton of leaves and limbs all over the place. I had just cleaned them up a couple of days ago. That made me think, it was time to have a talk with Mother Nature so I looked up and asked her WHY? I have worked since early spring, planting flowers, mowing grass, hoeing weeds, spreading mulch and doing everything I could to make my little part of the world look as nice as possible. Then, along comes fall and all of a sudden all my labors were for naught. WHY did you do this to me?

There was a pause, and then a small voice come into my head. Mother Nature said to me, "That is my way of doing things. I have always done this for eons. I must continue to do this forever for it is the mission assigned to me by our maker. I am sorry that it is an inconvenience for you but you must understand, I will be here when you are not. Be grateful for all the seventy seven years you have been allowed to enjoy this world and quit complaining about having to clean a little in preparation for the next phase, because winter is on the way."

What could I do? She was right as usual. So I cleaned up as best I could and kept my tools available for use again soon. I know there is more on the way because my trees are still full of leaves that have not been shed. Oh well it's been wonderful living here so I'll just do what I need to do and quit complaining.

Vern
October 14, 2010