Tuesday, March 07, 2006

Keeping this handy!

http://autos.msn.com/as/minishow/default.aspx?s=geneva2006

Monday, March 06, 2006

Some of my basic beliefs outlined:

What does it mean to accept Christ as one’s personal savior?

Ÿ The Bible tells us that we have all sinned. No man can measure up to the standards of God’s holiness. Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Our sin separates us from a loving God who wants us to live with Him in heaven when we die. In order to be rid of this sin someone who hadn’t sinned had to die to make the payment for our sin. We couldn’t earn our way to Heaven because we had already sinned, “But God Commended His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

Ÿ A sinner is a person who has done something that will keep him from being in fellowship with God because God cannot look upon sin. Being a sinner also comes with a death penalty because the wages or payment that we owe for sin is death. Romans 6:23 “For the Wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” John 1:8-9 “If you say that you have no sin (have not sinned) you are deceived, If you will confess your sins he will forgive and cleanse you.”

Ÿ We cannot save ourselves but God loves us, and he gave us the gift of salvation through grace by sending His son Jesus to die for our sins. This grace keeps us from being separated from Him. “For by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of yourselves it is a gift of God. Not of works lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through Him might be saved.” John 3:16-17

Ÿ He sent Jesus his son to die in our place. The Bible says that if we believe that God’s Son Jesus died in our place and if we are willing to accept His gift of salvation, we will be saved (9) “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead thou shalt be saved.
(10) For with the heart man believeth unto
righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made
unto salvation ” Romans 10:9-10

Ÿ He gives us a way of escape from our sin. He says that we are to call on His name and be saved. “But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.” John 1:12

Ÿ He died to save everyone. That includes you! Jesus Christ is the advocate (intercessor, consoler, or comforter) for our sins, but not for ours only! He is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world.1 John 2:1-2

Ÿ Call on His name today and be saved. “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” John 10:13

A sinner is a person who has done something that will keep him from being in fellowship with God. The Bible tells us that we have all sinned. God loves us, and He gave us the gift of salvation through grace by sending His son Jesus to die for our sins. If we believe that God’s Son Jesus died in our place, and if we are willing to accept His gift of salvation, He gives us atonement for our sin. He says that we are to call on His name and be saved. He died to save everyone, that includes you! Call on His name today and be saved.

A Sample Prayer:

Dear Lord,
I come before you today realizing that sin separates me from you. I know that you cannot look at sin and that my sins will keep me from being with you in Heaven when I die. I believe that you sent your Son Jesus to die for my sins, and that He rose from the dead. Please take over my life. Forgive me of my sins and cleanse my life, I want you to become my Lord and Savior. Come into my life and save me.
I ask these things in the name of Jesus.
Amen


Eternal security

I believe that when a person becomes a Christian he is given eternal security. This security is received through salvation as a gift from God.
I am secure in my salvation for these reasons:

 I have heard His voice and know Him. He has given me the gift of eternal life.

John 10:27-30 “My Sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

 After hearing the Word of truth and trusting in the gospel of salvation, I believe I was sealed with the Holy Spirit. The Lord takes pleasure in giving us this gift.

Ephesians 1:7, 9, 10, 13
(7)“In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace;”
(9) Having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself.”
(10) “that in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in Him:”
(13) “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of Promise.”

 My works will be judged, but I shall be saved.

1 Corinthians 3:15
“If any man’s works shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet as by fire.”

 Jesus blotted out the handwriting against me.

Colossians 2:14 “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.”

 God keeps his promises.

Hebrews 1:16-20
“(16) For men verily swear by the greater oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife.
(17) Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by oath:(18) That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: (19) Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entered into that within the veil;(20) Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

 Christ said it was finished when He died.

John 19:30b “He said it is finished: and He bowed His head, and gave up the ghost”

 I have become a new creature in Christ.

2nd Corinthians 5:17-21 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to Himself be Jesus Christ, and hath given us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us; we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.

 I am persuaded that nothing can separate me from the love of God.

Romans 8:37-39
“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Relationships with unsaved individuals and organizations:

In my relationships with those that have not yet known the forgiving grace of my Lord, I strive to be a genuine example of love and hospitality. It is important to present a living example of what it means to be a Christian. For this reason, I try to limit my activities with people to things that I know are pleasing to the Lord. I believe that Christ loves the unsaved and that, as his representative, He is able to demonstrate that love through me.
Relationship is a broad word. I do not believe that a Christian should marry someone who isn’t saved or hold them as a close friend. In the case of unsaved children, a mentoring type relationship is acceptable in most cases. When speaking of adults, a casual, friendly relationship seems to be the surest way of pointing them to Christ. In extreme cases, a relationship may not be possible at all.
My relationship with organizations vary slightly. If an organization is not openly defiant to the Word of God and has an activity that does not conflict with Scriptural principles or my personal convictions and standards, then I am very likely to participate in some aspect of it.

View on Speaking in tongues:
I have never personally spoken in tongues. I believe that the Scripture teaches that the gift of tongues is a communication tool the Holy Spirit uses to make His message clear through a speaker to a crowd of mixed languages. It bothers me to see a service or prayer time disrupted with utterances of an undistinguishable nature as I believe that God is a God of order and not confusion.

Tuesday, February 28, 2006

If you wonder what I am doing with my spare time...

Spending more time playing with pictures lately!



Down by the bank...

Well....

Ok, so there was this little duck swimming around in the river the other day. I wanted a picture so bad but I'm afraid he is a little camera shy.

Saturday, February 18, 2006

New nickname!

Well, I have a nickname! I've never really had a good nickname before but I have one now... :)

They call me "Church." Hehe....how's that for set apart?

Saturday, February 11, 2006

23 and looking younger everyday!

Wow! Tomorrow is my birthday! I'll be 23 years old! The funny thing is that I seem to look younger and younger as the years fly past. Someone was discussing a painting job today when she asked my Grandmother if I was old enough to drive. My gosh, you only have to be 16 to drive! How old did she think I was??!! I am told that I will appreciate this fact one day, is that before or after all the nice men in the right age group are married?

Thursday, February 09, 2006

Hairstyles!

Here is one of the hairstyles I did for my cousin the other day. What do you think? Her hair hangs below her waist when it is down so creating an updo can be a challenge!


Conducting a survey...

So, you have a choice: Send your kids through a traditional system of eduction, send them to a private institution, or educate them in your home. Which would you choose and why?

My thoughts...

My thoughts...
Ok, so someone sent me a video from PETA on the treatment of animals used for food. He and asked me for my thoughts on the subject.
(To view the video www.myspace.com/actionforanimals
friend ID..14080598)

My thoughts...hmm...regulations for large production companies should be put in place. Proper treatment of animals during the raising process is a good thing. I still believe that an animal is an animal though so PETA and I might not agree in the accepted standards of living.

I can't really think of a humane way to kill something. Even the use of lethal drug doses seems to be cruel to me.

I don't eat pork, so I haven't contributed to that market in years. They still manage to sell them though so I guess someone eats them.

I have a problem with the use of hormone injections but that is mainly because I see it as a health concern to human beings. Non natural growth seems to be unhealthy on all levels.

My grandparents buy a longhorn calf every year. It is raised with some other cattle down the road, until it's death, it has a good life. Then we have it butchered and processed. I hate the killing part and don't get involved on a personal level but I love hamburgers! I eat them even if they are part of a dead cow. I tried the whole vegetarian thing for four months; it isn't going to work for me.

If you have ever raised chickens you would know that broilers (which are one of the most common type of chicken to be raised for meat) have a tendency to die for no reason, or for very dumb reasons. They can be let out to roam freely, fed daily on a regular basis, live in a large shed with a fenced in chicken yard and still just plop over. Heat plays a big part in the cause of death and even fans do not guarantee that a chicken will live a long, wonderful life. I guess we should build all chickens a special air-conditioned condo so they can live the happy life of a PETA member?

I dunno, life is real, it can't be perfect. People in India have starved because they won't eat cattle. Is that what we really want??

Hehe, I met a peta member once. In an airplane. I was wearing my suede leather jacket. She tried to get me to help close down a horse processing plant because they are such beautiful creatures. ~I agree, they are beautiful and I love them but if someone in France wants to eat one...I don't have a problem with it. If the Vietnamese eat dogs, and they do. Well, good for them. I've eaten many interesting animals. Squid, shark, ostrich, emu, buffalo, audad, elk, mule deer, turkey, cows, chickens, game hens. Most of whom were shot. They stopped dead in their tracks or had their necks rung off, or were pulled out of their natural environments and suffocated...I'm heartless I guess. How about you? You going to be a vegetarian?

Thursday, February 02, 2006

I've been really busy this week. I spend most of my day painting. Right now I am painting two columns. When they are finished they are supposed to look like marble.

I added a few new students to the art classes I teach. They were really cute. No one wanted to leave at the end of class. It was kind of funny...one of the little girls begged me to ask her mom if she could stay longer. Considering she was 7 and had already been drawing for the last hour I thought that was pretty cool.

I'm going to be babysitting this weekend. A two year old boy named Dakota. I've never met him but I've known his mom for a while now. It was really kinda strange because I have seen her a few times a week for about six months but she didn't mentioned that she had a little boy until she asked me if I would move in with her to be his nanny. His dad is leaving and she will have no one to take care of him while she works. I'm not really interested in being a nanny but I did tell her I would help out while she is looking for one. Her job requires her to be away every evening from 5:00pm-1:00am. I would have no social life if I were to take on that responsibility full time. ~I hate telling people no though, it makes me sad.

Ginger and I went to the park today. We just took a walk and did some running. I love the fact that she has short legs. Even when she is running pretty fast I can keep up with her with an easy jog...my other dog liked to run a little faster and trying to keep up with him was not as simple.

I had to renew my registration this morning. I can't believe how much we let people charge us to prove we own a vehicle every year. I wonder who came up with the original idea? Why someone didn't use a gag on them, stuff them in a truck, or distract them during the all important meeting is beyond me. The lady at the registration building gave me a reciept. When she handed it to me she made a comment about giving them out so that people wouldn't forget they paid. She sounded so serious but it struck me as being pretty humorous because I can't imagine many people forgetting that they went somewhere and paid $60.00 for a sticker. Would you forget and try it again a few days later?? ( I can think of other reasons why they might hand out reciepts but for conversational purposes I'll just stick to laughing at her comment.)

Wednesday, February 01, 2006

The Perfect Partner...

Ok Mr.David said,"You have been tagged by me.
Write ten things about your perfect partner. Then pass it on if you wish.
PureMood afflicted me with it, but was nice about it."

Ten things I would appreciate in a partner:
1. Passion (For the Lord and others)
2. A servant's heart
3. Leadership skills
4. Conversational skills
5. Intelligence
6. A basic knowledge of construction and plumbing
7. Good physical health
8. A love for life
9. A spirit of adventure/being willing to try new things
10. A steady, fun loving personality

Thursday, January 26, 2006

She squeaks...

My new dog seems to be working out so far but she does have a minor defect. She squeaks. Her bark in not at all typical. It is much more like the sqeak of a rubber duck or maybe the bark of a squirrel. Very small and very...squeaky.

Tuesday, January 24, 2006

Sunday, January 22, 2006

Jan 22

Wow! Can you guys believe it is already the 22nd of Jan.? I am amazed at how quickly time flies. In twenty days I will turn twenty three years old. How crazy is that?

If you would had asked me what I planned to be doing at that age when I was ten, I would have said I'd training drug dogs.

If you had asked me when I was sixteen, I might have been planning to be overseas serving as a missionary.

So what am I doing when I turn 23? Well, I'll be teaching art, painting murals and hopefully going to the San Antonio Rodeo!

Friday, January 20, 2006

Keyboard art...sent to me by a friend.

Body: : ..._...|..____________________, ,
....../ `---___________----_____|] = = = D
...../_==o;;;;;;;;_______.:/
.....), ---.(_(__) /
....// (..) ), ----"
...//___//
..//___//
.//___//

Wednesday, January 18, 2006

Like who?

You Are Most Like Charlotte!

You are the ultimate romantic idealist
You've been hurt before, but that hasn't caused you to give up on love.
If anything, your resolve to fall in love is stronger than ever.
And it's this feminine optimism that men find most appealing about you.


Romantic prediction: That guy you are seeing (or crushing on)?

Could be very serious - if you play your cards right!

Fire!

Your Element is Fire

Your power color: red

Your energy: hot

Your season: spring

Like a fire, you are full of power and light.
A born leader, you easily draw people toward you.
You are full of courage and usually up for anything dangerous.
You have a huge ego and love to be the center of attention.

The Color Green

Your Power Color is Green

You feel most at home in a world of ideas.
You're curious and logical - and enjoy a good intellectual challenge.
You're super cool, calm, and collected. Very little tries your patience.
Your only fear? People not realizing how smart and able you are!

Hehe...

Well, it says I would wear this...but probably only on a dare. Give me a ball cap or a cowboy hat over this any day!

Your Hat Personality Is A

Cloche Hat