Making important choices in Life

 

This is my first "poster" design.  It is a bigger version of my CHOICES design that I had created into a magnet (but forgot to add my contact information) to sell.

When I was young I loved serious, beautiful, meaningful posters.  Every time I have checked on what is available today (whatever year it was), I only found sports and other stars for kids and teens to purchase.  I could see the reason we had problems in our society.

I'm not sure my poster could ever be compared to the ones I loved, but it was a first effort.  I think my magnet design would be better for a fridge.  I think a lot of Christian products are suffering and companies are closing.  The society we live in wants to get rid of GOD, and all the products that remind people of Him.

Today I have been thinking about what I want to create and sell to improve my income... and be worth investing my time in.

It has been the hardest part of my life because I don't have what I want to do what I want to do.  :-)  The same cry of most everyone.  So I need to "use up the supplies I already have" to get to the place I want to be.  This is my goal for 2024 - to use what I have already.

Today is a day of thinking and praying and seeking the best direction to reach GOD's place for me.

What did I discover today, again, because I forgot this bit of information over time.  I sold 5 items in my ETSY shop in the past few days, all to the same person.  After the costs of the items, shipping charges I had to cover, and fees to ETSY (about 25% of the order income), I ended up with about $7 in profit.  :-)  Not good.  If you look at the amount ETSY will put into my bank account, it seems like I made money.  But that amount doesn't cover the costs outside of ETSY.  That's the thing I forgot after all these years of inactivity.

So, I have been thinking again about what I want to sell to earn income.

This is a copy of an ad I had in a Christian newspaper in the state I live.  I never had one response.  I would have thought there would be some kind of response.  What do you think?

I am considering focusing on mugs and small posters, so I can share my words and designs with other Christians and people browsing ETSY.

Or I may just carry a few products that are "Print on Demand" (POD) and begin to list my art and vintage and other items for sale online.  Maybe some digital inspiration would work. 

I have had my writing called SERVANTS listed for many years and no questions or purchases yet.  ETSY said I couldn't sell my booklet about the Rapture there, with no ability to respond to whatever their objections were (because I didn't get told what was wrong with it).

I see this as part of the End Time process.  It is that same hidden persecution that humanity has always inflicted on their "enemies."  It is the Black issue, the Mexican issue, the Jewish issue, the disabled issue, and the issue for anyone someone hates.  I might include the Gays in this list, but they are also perpetrators of anger and hate toward anyone that disagrees with them.  True Christians would not purposely hurt others, but there are people in churches that are not true Christians.  How would anyone know they didn't represent GOD?

I found this design again today.

I have two on this topic, but I want to share this one here.  Once we are truly saved, we want everyone we love or know to find salvation through Christ.  We discover the difference GOD makes in our lives.  We change.

We don't want to hurt anyone ever again, even though we will somehow.  If we do hurt someone, we try to make amends for what we have done.  And we try never to do it again.

I think we choose to suffer ourselves because we know we will be going to heaven when we die, we understand others don't have the GOD we do, and we just wait for GOD to heal their hearts and bring them to salvation.  It isn't easy.  We hurt as much as anyone else.  We just want to trust GOD for whatever is wrong in their heart and life.  I am always so glad GOD found me and saved me.  Life without Him is so much harder.  I have seen trials and persecutions as a Christian.  They can be very hard, but life without GOD would be unbearable.

We are in times no one could have imagined before.

How to get through the times we live in without hating back... that's something we will have to learn.  I hope we can find a way to do it together, and the whole Body of Christ.

In Christ,

Deborah Martin, work2gather.us

Any day can be the last one...

I was thinking about what to write today and the idea of how unknown our lives are is really big with me these days.  Not just my personal humanity, but the unknown nature of all the things we are "prepping" for.  

The election year and daily politics.  

The grid going down.  

Food issues.  

War.

Terrorists.

Economic threats and inflation.

I guess there are a lot of dangers in our lives right now, and we have no idea when they will happen.

I want to create designs with thoughts about GOD and salvation and heaven and hell and life and unborn children and more, so I am always thinking about statements that would work for prompting people to think about their everyday choices, especially salvation.  The reality of our temporary place in this life is always coming into my thoughts.

I am concerned for a number of public people.  I think about them and know they are not yet saved but hate the thought of them spending eternity in hell and the Lake of Fire.  There is nothing I can do to reach them.  I wonder if GOD has tried.  I wonder about their children... and other loved ones.  I wonder if anyone is in their lives that might show them the way to a better life here and in eternity.

We only have this life to decide.  Once we are gone, there are no second chances.  The Bible tells us this is the only life we have, and we have to decide before we die.  

Public people face so many pressures I would never want to deal with.  The things and people they are surrounded by affect the directions they would choose.  Their incomes, their jobs, their daily lives are affected.  It is hard to be different.  If we work in a very ungodly place, it affects our faith.  

The price that is paid by public people can be very heavy.  I don't know that many can deal with the issues they face and stay faithful to GOD.

Then I think of other classes of people.  In truth, we all face the pressures of our peers, the hard burdens of our jobs, our families, our incomes, and our environment.  The choices of someone living on the street may seem worse than someone living in a penthouse or mansion, but it is just a different location.  We all face the same issues in different locations in life.

I have been wondering how I will end this life.  Will I stay true to my faith?  Will I stand firm, trust GOD for all the daily needs I have as an older person, or will I grumble in my heart and feel abandoned.  It isn't easy to keep believing when GOD does not provide things you assume He will.

What will happen to those I love and want to find in heaven someday?

I am beginning to understand "One day at a time" in a new way.  Any day might be my last day.

I wonder if my life has made a difference for anyone.

I have been changed, but nothing happened the way I thought it would.

What purpose has GOD used me for?  

It's really difficult to know.

I hope GOD helps me to see why some of the things that have happened in my life were necessary to make me who I am.  Why I didn't achieve what I thought His purpose for me was.

Can any of us really know how GOD works in our lives to accomplish HIS will for us?  I don't think so.  That may have to wait until we get to heaven.

In Christ,

Deborah Martin

https://work2gather.us

FAITH FRIDAY :: 11 MAR 2022 - Tomorrow is near...

My list of things to get done seems to be forgotten when I start watching a movie.  I realized it's getting late and may watch a 3-hour western... maybe.  

Not much to say because I don't want to go into the videos I discovered about Lauren Chapin and her family... yesterday.

We don't really know what others are suffering.

And we don't always understand the effects abuse has on our lifetime.

It's a place I haven't visited for many years.

I am continuing my downsizing activities... sorting, shredding, filing, organizing.  I found my old kitchen gadgets again. I love OLD utensils.  It's like seeing how people changed the way we do things in the kitchen.  Some are perfect for my prepping supplies (non-electric), others I just love to have.  Some I have to figure out how to use them, still. 

By the time we get to the Antichrist there will not be much that isn't connected to the internet.  I found a JOHN DEERE video that shows how the tech equipment they use in harvesting crops creates a crop amount as it goes.  These tractors can't be fixed by the farmers. It's scary.  Everything in our lives is moving to surveillance mode. 

I started to see our need to capture all the non-computerized parts of our lives a long time ago.  It began with laundromat equipment.  Keeping all the quarter-run machines we can.  Computerized anything can't be fixed by normal people.  It's trash or it has to be fixed by someone who knows what to do.  

With software issues getting big, new versions of programming make continued use a problem.  That's all about new phones, new routers, new endless updates we never know what's in them or are they even needed or is it just another way to collect all our private details...  and we can't refuse them anymore.  The computers just wait for a moment to update, usually when we sleep.

I really want to collect as much non-internet options as I can.  I wish I could afford to.

In news stories you see the growing ability of law enforcement to track our phones, our calls, our texts, our pings, out life.  DNA is becoming a new force in crime solving.  I like to see crimes solved and the bad guys get caught, I just hate all the invasive tracking.

Off-grid, controlled internet, separate technology and software (no "cloud"), creative abilities with the possibility of hacking.  Those are what I would like.  Maybe a cell phone that calls 911 when you need help.  :-)  Or, I would have the option to only have internet attached to my phone.  Well, something.

Years and years ago I discovered people used microphones the size of a sewing needle to spy on people.  Now I read there are Apple tracking things people can attach anywhere they want to and you won't know they even exist... like the old movies we use to watch.

Criminals use these things to for their goals, Government uses these things for their goals.  Technology is going to become a difficult opponent of freedom.

I wn't get started about medical technology!

I don't know what Christians, or anyone, can do about all this as we try to protect and help each other, but I keep hoping to try.

Think about the two sides of technology in your life... The same things that appear to help you "stay connected" can also be used to violate your lives, your freedoms, your work, your faith, your ability to protect yourself and survive.  

What can we do?  I don't know.  We are slowly becoming ruled by technology.  

When the satellite service to help you if you ever needed it was in the news every day, I realized that the same device that locks your doors to keep others out and protect you from harm could also be locked to keep you in if someone wanted to keep you from escaping.  It's a scary thing.  It all depends on who is in charge -- a good person or a bad person.  We are heading into a world where the bad people will out number the good.  How do we prepare for that?

FAITH FRIDAY :: 8OCT2021 - Watching Some Christian Movies

 I seem to find my movies on YouTube now... since I decided to pay for no-ads every month.  It is so great... I hope I can afford it until I die!  haha  I guess it's my entertainment budget, but it is also a research tool and income tool someday.

I am getting to the point where I have watched most of the ones that come up on my feed.  I don't know how that equals what is available.  I tend to go through spurts of movie watching... most of the time on my Sabbath time, or the weekends.

In the search for a decent movie, I end up clicking on some that are very bad in terms of content.  There isn't a real way to decide what a movie will have in it when it's on YouTube.  And I sometimes wonder if it's not a good thing to watch them if I have no idea where they are sourced from.

I find it's an ongoing battle for me.  No answers yet.  

Hallmark movies come up all the time. Tonight I checked on one that was called a Hallmark movie but it wasn't.  It turned out to be an R rated movie.  I found out when I searched for the title on a new page.  This seems to be a tool of the Enemy... trying to deceive with false information.  I don't always find out before I start watching, but this time I did.

It is always a question for me because it directly relates to my faith and the choices I keep trying to make to honor GOD more with my life.  These battles get worse as my desire to honor GOD gets bigger.  I wonder how to deal with hidden "temptations" that become sins if we don't fight them.

What the digital age has brought to us is algorithms that can be manipulated to force on us things we would never choose on our own... including those terrible ads that are pushed on us at every website.  I can't afford to pay every website to remove the ads from my view.  So, how do we deal with the new future of our world?

I don't know.

It is the ongoing topic in my prayers and seeking GOD for answers.  Morality is a big thought in my head and heart these days... and it will get even bigger as the world grows darker.

In terms of wanting to build a Christian Community through Working Together, the need to decide about these problems is important.  There are technical issues to consider... security, content, costs... how do we function as Christians in a global internet world if we are attached to the world by our "internet provider?"  There's no way to build our own system, other than a small community in a defined space... by acres, by houses, by location.

I don't know what would be possible for us as we work to survive a world leading up to the Antichrist.

Plus, what do we do now... this is the time when the internet is growing to cover the world.  When the gospel is shared with every person, it will fulfill prophecy.

I guess I keep doing battle with the idea of how to live without the internet, without YouTube, without all the growing necessities of contact through the internet.  I have movies that are VHS and DVD.  As long as I have a device to watch them on, I can still enjoy movies... the ones without too much dirt in them.  

I have some that are not fully clean, that are violent, that are not about godly topics, etc.  I don't watch them all the time, but I want them as a reference...  Are they choosing to sin?  I suppose they are.  I'm not yet able to decide if I MUST get rid of them.  Will it cause GOD to reject me?  

I can't recall all the titles I have right now, but some in this category might be Hotel Rwand - about the genocide of a people group. Maybe Waterworld - about a man becoming a fish creature as a testament to evolution.  Anything with profanity, violence, crime, sex, lying, nudity, or other sinful things.

In listening to music I face the same problems.

I am going through my belongings again, trying to downsize the the very least amount of possessions I can.  I say downsizing to the things I still want to have when I die, for whatever reasons.  My treasures have changed in that new definition.

How do we make our lives holy in a world like ours?  What does GOD expect of us?  Are we a true example to others when we haven't eliminated all these questionable possessions from our daily lives?  Can we even control what is pushed on us - like the ads we are forced to see in our emails, on search results, etc.?

If you have some answers, please share them with me so I can think about them.  I am still searching for answers I can believe in.

In Christ,  Deb  <3

FAITH FRIDAY :: 1 OCT 2021 - When GOD is 24-hours

I have a hard time separating life from GOD... compartments of life that some think GOD is not involved in.  Every day, 24-hours-a-day, that's the real GOD.

So, where is He when people are hurting?  When I am hurting.  I still think about that, more when I am in the middle of a hard season.  The answers are never clear.  We want Him to do everything for our suffering, but that is not GOD.

As I search for my answers, different parts of the Bible come to mind.

This week I remembered Paul's sufferings.  They didn't go away, they weren't prevented, he didn't see his ministry as separated from his sufferings.  

This week I thought of the martyrs under the throne.  I think of them a lot.  Some are linked to the sufferings of the Tribulation.  All have died for their faith.  As I have often thought about them, and their place in the 1000 years of being with the Lord as priests, I decided that suffering is what leads to our place in heaven.  These martyrs will not experience the second death, those of us who just die in salvation will have to go through that event.

I wonder if I am strong enough to die because I am faithful.

The Bible tells us our family might become our enemies because they choose not to believe.  That has been a hard one for me.  Watching this world take over their faith, lead them astray.  

I understand Brittany Spears was raised Christian.  It must be very hard for her parents.  

I have heard that Marilyn Manson was raised Christian.  

Now I hear that the children and grandchildren of Anita Bryant have fallen away from their godly heritage.  

How hard it is to think of our loved ones in the suffering of hell and the Lake of Fire forever.  The daily hurts we have to endure.

The world wants the eternities of those we care about.  That is when I think of Samson and his parents.

My children know the difference between right and wrong, have been baptized, and battle the problems of surviving and addictions and choosing GOD over the temptations of this world.  It is their choice, and sometimes their pain.

I had to choose.  You have to choose.  Each of us can only save ourselves.

With the internet I suffer with the things I see done to women and children because men are the "leaders" in their cultures.  I thought we need to find a way to share how GOD sees a man's place in a family, in a community.  

How can we live in this world that keeps growing more evil?

I really don't know.

I keep seeking GOD for the answers -- for myself and for all Christians.

I think about these global problems in case GOD allows me to do something about them, through Working Together, as myself, in the final years of my life.  What would you do to solve some of these problems if GOD provided you with the ability to do something?

It all takes money.

What is the priority of our ministries when our own are suffering?

With the pandemic we have seen a huge change in what it means to live, work, spend.  We have lost faith, freedoms, and our future.  What will we become now?  

The Antichrist is near.  Maybe not in our lifetimes (Boomers), but soon.  All these changes with the government in the pandemic seem to be orchestrated to get us to be willing to let the government be our absolute ruler and authority, without GOD.

Prophecy is true.  It will happen.  It is happening.  How can we prepare for it?

How can we become the ONE Body of Christ in this world?

Deb  <3

FAITH :: Still thinking about things...

 It is now MARCH !!! 

I didn't post much last month.  I was thinking about GOD and all the things attached to a life where He is the one we follow.  I was praying to Him for help, for guidance, for some kind of provisions for the work He has put in my heart and life to do, and trying to find the way through all these questions.  I am still praying and looking for His directions.

Today was a busy day going through my things because I bought ten more storage containers, small gasket boxes I like am slowly collecting.  Right now they are packing my books and my crafting supplies.  When I get to a permanent place, they will become my selling boxes and inventory storage.  That's part of the plan.  I want to do TWO crafting fairs at Christmas when I can reach that level of commitment... time, health, money, and local options.  Today, though, I am trying to make more easy-access options for my supplies.

Motivation seems to be a mountain to climb.

I am working on it.

Space to work is still a problem, and shipping... and photos.  I am beginning to find answers, so things will get better I hope.  My goal for this year is to increase my income... I would like to reach $5K a month and see what that is like.  :-)

I could get the equipment I want with that much.  I think it's the same old chicken and egg situation... what comes first, the chicken or the egg?  

I'm working on my technology options... for photos and uploading to listings. 

I have a small amount of money to invest in some equipment, or whatever.  I am trying to decide what the most important thing to get first is.  :-)  You know I am pretty slow about those kind of things... trying to spend wisely.  That's why I decided to buy the gasket boxes finally.

Faith is hard when the resources are low.

I guess that is why wealthy people forget about GOD, they think they don't need Him.

I have started my Prayer Journal again... and will try to catch up on the days I missed.  Prayers are good any time.  I'm sure it is good to keep praying even if I am late with my planned schedule.  :-)

I'm back to praying for my sons daily... it just seemed like they need prayer and I want to seek GOD for their souls.  The other five spots are a mix of National and Family and Friends and Public People.

I don't know what will happpen to my writing commitments yet.  I am still trying to figure out how to make PATREON the main effort.

I guess that will be it for tonight.

Pray for me, too -- if you can.

Thanks.  Deborah Martin

http://work2gather.us

STILL my favorite !!

FAITH :: Thinking about what matters...

This has been a different kind of year.

In starting a PRAYER Journal for my kids and others, I began to see things differently.  I added old friends, and included some famous people I have prayed for over many years, and then decided to add ministries to my list.  I prayed for our nation and the election we faced.

The Internet has become a soft porn space, growing toward hard core porn.  I don't watch much TV anymore, but the ads I see when I'm online tell me it isn't a nice space.  I have tried to find some way to eliminate that problem from my life, my internet, my house, my work, but there isn't one that I can find, yet.  

I have to think it's organized crime hidden behind corporations, or the evidence of no GOD in our public spaces... or both.  This matters to Christians and their families.  I assume its a negative application of algorithms, purposeful, violating opposing opinions.  How it exists is beyond me.  I figure it is prophecy becoming reality.

I have spent a lot of time trying to understand the lives of the wealthy, the famous, the "leaders" of our world.  What does it mean to find happiness for them... real happiness.

I was going to title something I wanted to write about this topic "The Blessings of Being a Nobody."  We don't have to worry about being photographed with "casual clothes" and "bad hair days."  I live in my socks most of the time.  I have taken to wearing a hoody sweatshirt so I can pull the hood up when I go outside with messy hair.  :-)  The pressure reaches us all at some level, I suppose. 

I suppose our popular preachers face the same pressures as the public famous.

Since many years ago I assumed I would become wealthy in order to operate Working Together, but that hasn't happened.  I prayed for so many years about the topic of money and the organization of any ministry I might create.  When GOD did not provide the funds I expected, I searched for answers about the why.  

I don't know why.

I have come to believe that GOD has His own reasons for the issue.

I have felt the wars going on in my life over spiritual matters, I just didn't have the ability to fight against them.  I trusted GOD for each day.

I look at the "images" we admire.  I try to find a matching moment in the Bible.  I wonder who will be the ones that Jesus never knew.  They are people who think they are doing all kinds of good things for GOD, for Jesus, for the faith of others.  But they don't make it into heaven.

Finding REAL people of faith in this world is more of a challenge than I ever thought it would be.

Before the LEFT BEHIND series appeared, the only "rapture" was the one at the end of our world's existence.  The Antichrist was the one to fear.  Now we have a world of Christians who are expecting to get out of standing for their faith, dying for their faith, believing in what others tell them without searching for their own answers in the Bible.  

I don't understand the reasons why some are lifted up and others are not.  

TRUTH seems to always be thwarted, hidden, covertly changed, misinterpreted....  What does it mean in our lifetime?  Who do we trust?  Where do we find answers?  With so much technology and the increasing dependence on the Internet, will we really know if what is there is the Truth?

I know what Hollywood does.  I didn't think they would have the same effect in the church, but it seems they do.  We produce our ministries like Hollywood produces a movie, advertisement, freebies to entice us into giving - even when they border on being idolatry. It's really a scary thing when you take the time to think about it.

In my looking more deeply at the lost in our public spaces, there is so much pain.  I don't know what they turn to in their despair.  I have GOD.  I have the deepness of my faith.  I have hope for my tomorrow.  I have faith that there is a purpose to all that happens.  I know the pain of today will help others tomorrow.  I don't see that kind of perspective in the lives of those we see in our news, movies, government, schools, and every other public influence.  How do they cope?  What is the basis for their decisions?  What do they value?

They seem to have more power than those who love GOD, are saved by Jesus Christ, and seek to make the world and the lives of others better.  This is talked about in the Bible, but seeing it in our lives is different.  

The big word is "seem" - like Satan's ongoing battle for supremacy.  Though He doesn't continually make an example of evil activities, GOD has the power to stop them.  My thoughts have led me to believe that the issue of "free will" is the reason.  It suddenly made sense to me when I was writing a statement about Herod.  GOD didn't stop Herod from killing all those innocent babies, but he warned Joseph to flee in order to save the baby Jesus.

GOD's interventions are always as small as they need to be, and work to preserve His Will and/or the lives of important people in the process of faith and history.  Search the Bible and think about how GOD actually moves in our world.  It changes the way you see everything.

So... What matters in our lives?  Faith in the GOD of the Bible.

When we don't have this foundation, life is miserable.  We ache and there is no one to help us.  We look for answers and cannot find them.  We struggle to find meaning in all that exists.  We vainly search for love and truth and hope and happiness.

Those famous people are willing to give up everything in their lives for money, fame, and the lives they are accustomed to.

Their children don't know any different.

How will GOD judge their souls?  I don't know.  

Do they know about Jesus?  I don't know.

They have until they die to find Him.  

We can pray for them, but who will reach them for salvation?

In Christ,

Deborah Martin

FAITH :: The power of Money in our lives.

I hate to say it, but I went to bed so tired and fighting off a headache, forgetting it was SATURDAY, and my new posting date for this blog.  So sorry.  I will get the hang of this!  :-)

I have been watching old movies this weekend.

I finally watched a Shirley Temple movie again... Poor Little Rich Girl.  I had no idea it was suppose to be about Barbara Hutton, the Woolworth heiress.  I searched for some info on her as I was linking around and she had the saddest (and richest) life for her day.  The Shirley Temple movie wasn't about that... so I don't know if it was really linked to her. 

Barbara Hutton's mother died when she was 4, and her father abandoned her.  She was passed around and never loved by anyone... throughout her entire life it seems.  She was married at least seven times and died alone in a major hotel where she lived at the end of her life, virtually broke.  One comment made about her was the waste of her money on things that had no meaning, how her life could have been so different if she would have found a passion in some form of community service.

It was such a study in wealth for me.  I really had no idea she existed before the other night.

I am having a hard time thinking of what else to share since I brought up that topic.  Money is the biggest distraction we have from faith in GOD and salvation and values that bring us happiness.

The Bible tells us the biggest choices we have is between GOD and money.

As I have struggled with poverty, I have seen different parts of the battle and why money has such power.  It becomes a tool of Satan in the Christian community as well... in churches, in ministries, in fame, in power, in the hidden pride of what it means as we think it's GOD's approval for our lives.

I created a statement to keep me focused on the right side of this war ::

Money is a weapon or a tool. 

A weapon to hurt, or a tool to help.

It's hard to be without it.

It's a burden when you have too much.

Finding the right place for money in our lives can be the biggest challenge we face.

Well, it's time to finish this.  I will try to do better next Saturday.

In Christ,

Deborah Martin

work2gather.us

and more...

FAITH :: Remembering the past and changing the future.

Hello, everyone... it's about 12:30 am now... I just finished watching the very old version (1936) of SHOW BOAT... in two parts.  Today was a YouTube and search result movie day. I'm not sure how I ended up with the old version.  I really LOVE the 1951 movie version of the song OLD MAN RIVER and tried to find a way to listen to it.  Now I have it saved at my YouTube space so I can listen any time I want. 

Old movies really are different from what is made today.  I suppose they were considered too revealing in their time... but it's a big change to watch singing and dancing and stories and then today's idea of "progress" is to watch people having sex, swearing, hurting each other, and more.

This week I watched a replay of a talk about MORALITY. It is a forgotten concept in our time.  We don't fully understand what this means to our society, our laws, our relationships.  I see it online, but if you don't have moral boundaries, what do you base your decisions on?  Right.  Nothing... "Just Do It"... If it feels good, it must be good... and other phrases like these.

I remember when I was a teen in the 1960's - during the "sexual revolution" and Woodstock and bra burning... and women's lib. We don't see the consequence of these changes until it's too late.

I have had the thought that "reality shows" are just the newest version of breaking down the values that protect us.  I don't watch them... don't want to.  I remember checking on some shows a long while back and thinking it's just a way to "watch" people, push them into bad places, and see how far they will go.  

In watching the old version of Show Boat there was a scene with "black face" and I wondered if there would be an uprising to rid the world of this old movie... like taking down historical statues because you disagree with the times that they represented.  

Our world is really in trouble... we can't respect our history.  It is important to remember what the past was like so you can make a better future.  

I didn't like my past, but I can't change what it was. I can change the parts I didn't like, make new decisions, learn how to do things I didn't know about back then, and work toward better results. 

This is the essence of Christ's forgiveness. It doesn't erase the past, it helps you to overcome the habits and choices you had so you can build a new future.  I think I have shared before my idea that Christ erases our criminal record, but the results of our sin and bad choices don't go away, we still have to deal with them.

How to keep from making bad choices... in a world with little ability to engage with it and not have it forced on you somehow.  I might watch a G-rated movie but the ads that go with it are more like porn.  It's something I am trying to find answers for these days.

Right now, I am torn between wanting to buy copies of all these old movies I love, that aren't explicit, rated R, filled with things I don't want to see or hear, and realizing I won't be here much longer so I guess just watching replays is enough.  

I think I will be happy just to be able to listen to OLD MAN RIVER when I want to.

How do we survive with our morals intact in this time in history?  What do you do to be at peace with GOD in the midst of things you cannot control?

Let me know.

In Christ,

Deborah Martin

work2gather.us

and more...

PS... I updated the website a bit, on the homepage.  I am getting it ready for the DECEMBER Membership Drive... the Membership info and links will be done by December, GOD willing.  :-)   Who knows WHAT the rest of the year will hold!

18 SEP - Late again... what was I doing?

It was the early hours of today that I realized it was Friday and I missed my Thursday update here... oops!  I tried to think of why I did that, and all I can say is I was in bed most of the day, up to eat something, then back to bed.  Somewhere along that way I didn't think about posting a blog.  :-)

I received my Vistaprint order, finally.  This was the order with my first window cling and my magnets with my CHOICES statement on them...  my favorite so far.

This is the updated version, with my name under the statement and a contact point.  I guess I need to find out how to attribute the image... which I found at Canva (.com) I think.  Once I get my art going, I will design my own images and text... or do whatever is needed when you use someone else's image.  

I got 25 images in the minimum order, two had production issues, but that will be dealt with later.  I'm saving at least 20 for Christmas I think, but not sure.  I'm going to order more with the contact info. 

The window cling is a new thing for me.  I have been trying to find a way to put my designs on some window clings.  This looks nice.  I got a free squeegee with the order and it has a soft tip... really interesting.  I will keep it in my art supplies and see when I can use it.

Now that I have something produced with it, I am seeing the missing space after "goals" - I thought I had a period there, but it isn't there now... only the space.

Getting sample orders is a good thing.  It helps to find the problems before you try to sell to the public.  My big goal with one of my Patreon tiers... the one called Design Tools... for now.  Once I build up my finances, it will become a part of the creation process for each product.

I have warned people on my Patreon site that I am still in CHANGE mode with my page... thinking about 2021 and how to organize everything.  My New Projects tier MIGHT go away, or maybe focus on different things.

I also received my research package of sourdough starter on spoons!  They look simple enough.  I need to wait to do the starting process.  I will save the one from Alaska starter and use the one from his hometown.  FYI - check out the main site I know of for the wilderness man...  Richard Proenneke  I have his first documentary DVD on its way, and a book that is suppose to be about his Alaska experience.  There is a second documentary also, but I am waiting on that one.  There is a site that has some clips of his documentaries and it is worth looking at... if I remember right, you have to search his name at the blog.  (NOTE: I can't find it right now... there seems to be a WordPress issue... but the main site is  theoffgridcabin.com -- they have lots of small housing designs to look at, too.)

I will try to remember to share my sourdough starter adventures when I get to them.  :-)

I have started some painting projects for possible Christmas selling.  One thing leads to another.  Finding the space to let things sit between the parts of creating them has risen to the top of the list again. I am working on that.  I am beginning to see cardboard as a wonder product.  :-)

I guess I will go for now.  I need to rest again.

I do hope and pray that everyone is well and safe and finding their way through this year. 

In Christ,

Deborah Martin

work2gather.us

and more...

Been THINKING a lot this week...

 It's been a tough week.

My thoughts have been captured by the people on the news feed I end up with every time I check my emails... they are a reflection of what people either want us to care about or what people really do care about... and none of it is godly.

I am so deeply saddened by the values they represent... 

Women, especially, are seen in their need to expose as much of their breasts as possible, as much of their legs and hips as possible, as much of their butts as possible.  The goal seems to be who can appear the most naked so they can get a photo in the media.

In my eyes they are demeaning themselves, and then I think about the difference betwee true Christian values and the values of the world and the values of Satan.

I lived in Hollywood for a short-ish time, but when I was a teen driver I use to travel those streets all the time.  I don't see much difference between their version of "selling" themselves and the prostitutes that line certain streets in the area.  

It pains my heart because I have been praying for some of these visibly public "stars" we look up to and emulate... well, some emulate them.

I guess this is high in my attention right now because I just finished my emails and browsed the long feed that shows up.  

I have been seeking GOD for how to deal with these issues... and my prayers.  We become emotionally involved with people that we pray for... like our mates, our kids, our families and our friends.  We so want the best in life, in GOD's blessings, for them.  Salvation changes all of us, a true salvation.  Wanting that best for others means we suffer when they stay in sin and increase the consequences that come of those sins.

I also have become so aware of those who don't really know the BIBLE, or what GOD really says in it.  It is just hated because it does not approve of those things that hurt us.  And, as a result, the things that cannot be seen with the eyes get focused on those who love GOD and all that He represents.  We become the targets of all that emotional bitterness and pain.

The headlines seem to point the world to this kind of hatred.

How do we, here in America, reach people in the headlines with what is true?  I think we assume they must already know everything in the Bible.  The conversations about ending the existence of GOD in our nation don't really include what matters most about our history.  Being a Christian doesn't make people perfect, so there's a lot of failure to discuss about us, but the inside difference that a real relationship with GOD and Christ creates is the true blessing our nation receives.  We are losing that blessing.

Tomorrow is the anniversary of the TWIN TOWERS attack.  I have been filled with thoughts about that event, too.  PragerU had an email by a young adult about the lack of history his generation had about that attack.  I never thought about that before.  I just assumed they knew what happened and how it changed our world. 

I see that day as a turning point for our nation.  To me it is the evidence of GOD taking away His Hand of Protection for us.  We no longer love and serve Him so He has no responsibility to be our national protector, as promised to those who love and honor Him.  

Maybe it was a warning, like the battle that was lost when the Israelites didn't do what was required by GOD.  Even though most didn't know anyone had stolen the offering that was GODs, the entire nation was chastised.  ONE man's actions cause the loss of GOD's protection.  Eventually that one man was pointed out, and his whole family was destroyed because of it.  That was the "rule" in those days... like when the enemies of Daniel (think Lions Den) were all destroyed, including their whole families.

We don't really understand a lot of things in the Bible as GOD sees them, but we try to.  In the early days, it was a purging of sin... trying to keep sin from infecting the whole nation.  We understand the principle in the fact that children learn their morals and many of their views by the daily lives they live with their parents.  Now, GOD has changed the punishment to an individual accounting.  Whole families are not punished for one member's sins.  We are dealt with because of our own choices.  The influence of our choices still affect those around us, but we are held accountable for our own choices.

The people that Hollywood lifts up pay for their choices as well.  Their values are seen and felt by their families, but they also affect us.  Our media affects us.  The movies they make affect us.  The conversations that become "viral" affect us.  What we lift up is a statement about what we value... including the motivations behind it.

I don't have the desire or the power to "make" people choose what is right in GOD's eyes, but I can pray for them, hope they will find the blessings that are found in choosing GOD and salvation through Christ, and believe that at lease some of my prayers will help.

I might see the evidence of change in my children, possibly some changes in the public people I pray for, but only GOD knows the depths of each heart... what they want, need, hope for, and are struggling with.  We won't know until we get to heaven if anyone will be there... anyone we know and love.  Parents know that our children can pretend to be good.  GOD knows if they really are.

On another topic...

This is a design I had printed up to go with my MOUNTAINS writing.  It is nice to see my writing as a product, but I think I need to fine tune it for selling.  So, I am working on that.  I also has my CHOICES design printed up, and my TODAY statement (like the wallpaper I sell at ETSY).  My goal is to have it all on my selling sites by NOVEMBER... keep watching for these new listings.  (etsy.com/shop/work2gather) 

Where I live there are fires raging and imminent evacuation threats.  PRAY that GOD will help me to not lose everything again.  It has taken so many years to recover to this point.  I am hoping GOD will be kind and prevent this kind of loss... please add your prayers to mine.  Thank you.

In Christ,

Deborah Martin

work2gather.us

and more...

#My2020PatreonChalleng update for 23 JAN 2020

It has been a long day.  I have been thinking about what to blog today.  Making a planned schedule changes a lot of things.  I want to decide on topics that relate to #My2020PatreonChallenge.   I haven't decided what those topics would be... yet.

I have tentatively made Tuesday and Wednesday sales related... things like making listings, creating products to sell, etc.

This week I spent hours at PRINTFUL making new designs for my ETSY integration with them. I had lots of problems with my computer later in the evening and couldn't get several efforts done.

I may have lost one design/listing and have to do it all over again.  It's a hard learning curve to work so long on a design and have it get messed up on upload.  The design was fine on my computer, but not OK when it went to Etsy.

Today I went back to ETSY for hours and checked my listings, revised and updated almost all of them, and made posts to PATREON and Facebook (the only site available at the time).  I am getting an idea of a workable schedule.

Sunday - planning
Monday - Patreon updates
Tuesday - sales activities
Wednesday - sales activities
Thursday - blog updates
Friday - Sabbath prep and whatever I can fit in
Saturday - Sabbath rest and whatever I can do in the evening

This is just the beginning effort to get everything checked and done.  As I actually face the needs of my days, the "schedule" has to change to deal with them.  :-)

What did I list?

A new mug design.
A new long-sleeve t-shirt design.
A new sweatshirt design.

I ordered my logo cup as a sample from PRINTFUL and it is on its way - according to my email notification.  :-)   I tried out the process already with a mug.  This time I ordered the 15oz mug instead of the 11oz .  I haven't decided on which shirt design to order yet.  I can't afford to buy all my designs, but that is a goal for the future.

I had a great design on a black large eco tote, but it got lost in the computer issues.  I also tried to transfer my t-shirt design to a different style t-shirt and couldn't get that to work.  I tried making a design on the blanket they have.  I just wanted to see what it looked like with words.  Interesting, but not a job for their software.  I have to wait until I get a better computer and the ADOBE software to really explore my design options.  I am praying for a quick and positive answer from GOD!  :-)

One of my pages at Facebook is called Prayers.  I originally set it up to go with ACTION PRAYER at Working Together  (work2gather.us) but have passed through a valley on how to get it going.  A recent experience has focused me on public prayer for people who would never know someone is praying for them and others.  Today I entered another post about my process and thoughts.  It shared something (in bold below) that has had me thinking since I wrote it.

23 January 2020
about noon my time

I am almost ready to start posting... I just need to decide my format - a pattern to keep up, if there can be one. I know there are millions of news stories I could pray about, tons of post topics to pray about, and my own goals and experiences to pray for... but this new direction I am going in needs to be focused on sharing my prayers for people GOD has placed on my heart. That is very different. I have been praying for some of these people for many, many years but they don't know that. Public prayer is hard. Public prayer for people who may hate, oppose, dislike, disagree with, and become angry about is much harder. I think prayer is the first step in reaching people, it is like bringing them into GOD's attention. I hope everyone finds heaven, but I know so many will not... and that means their eternity will be in hell and in the Lake of Fire. It's hard to know that.

In Christ, Deborah Martin

The world believes that GOD is a myth, that faith has no meaning.  I have always wondered how GOD reaches people when their lives are so "successful" in their eyes.  The Bible talks about the "rich man" and what happens.  As I have noted their lives, prayed for them, and wished I could do more, the words of the Bible always become attached to our world's existence.  It leads me to keep wondering what "success" really looks like.

It's a difficult issue to even think about.  Each one is a living person just like me and you... but their reality is so different.  Some have been trying to find their place in our world their whole life.  We can't change the place where we come from, the lives we had no control over... we can only make a decision to be saved today, and go on from there.

These "rich" people fight the same battles we do, but at a different level.  Being homeless showed me the same battles exist at every financial level, and in every kind of people - including Christians we think are so much higher on the spiritual ladder than we could ever be.

With my focus on the End Times and how we will survive, the things of the world are going to be hard to leave... and may cause that Great Falling Away we read about in the Bible.  I had hoped to be so much further along with Working Together than I am, but this is the reality, today.  I wanted to create a place to go to when Christians had to make that big decision, when life became something they never expected it to be.

We, in America, like to think we can pray and GOD will always provide what we want.

The fulfillment of prophecy and our idea of GOD's provisions are not quite the same.

Being poor and homeless taught me many things I never would have considered before.

Whatever happens with my PRAYERS page, I hope GOD is able to reach some of the souls I say are looking for love in "all the wrong places."

Pray with me when I begin posting there.
Maybe GOD will hear and help them to find Him.

In Christ,
Deborah Martin



NOTE ::  I am looking into Affiliate Marketing as an income option, but I currently DO NOT post any kind of affiliate links.  When I decide on this, I will be sure to let you know.  Deb

Thursday, 19 April 2018

My goodness... 

I decided to download Open Office for my workload... I just don't want to pay for OFFICE 365 right now... I hate the idea of the cloud, but I really don't even know if Open Office does the same thing... I hope not.  I have to find a way to do computing the old way and still be able to function in today's internet.  Is that possible?  I don't know.

I'm getting use to my new computer system... trying to find my CD for the printer I have.  It is a challenge to fit everything into this space.

My food supplies seem to be OK for now, I'm using soft (bottled) hand soap for shampoo because I wasn't able to buy my regular shampoo.  I did buy a huge substitute bottle, but I am going to give that to a mission when I can reach one of the downtown locations.  It is just not my "flavor"...  My laundry is done... It is going to be warm soon.  I may get to wear some shorts without "leggings" to keep me warm.  :-)  I think I am set for the weekend.

I downloaded a PDF on writing from COMPEL, via an email I get from them.  One of my sons in jail has been saying he wants to write things, so I will copy it and send it to him.  It seems like writing is a relatively easy thing to do, but it isn't.  I think this will help him decide if writing is really what he wants to focus on.  People in jail are desperate to succeed, and grasp at anything that might work.  I know that feeling... poverty, homelessness, etc., can create the same feelings.  Finding something that will work is harder, but better in the long-term.

I have so many economic issues myself that it is hard to help anyone else.  I try to forward info when I can... on social media as well.

I received an email on selling things online that had a link to video/s, too... so I watched some of them.  I think the best option for me is to find a good "drop-ship" product for some of my selling efforts... where to put it, I don't know.  The videos I am watching today are a series on AMAZON selling.  They had several web links, YouTube links, etc.... the main one is ASM, amazingsellingmachine.com --- I think.  :-)  I need help with my listing creations, and I think this kind of information helps at any selling site even though it is specific with Amazon.  I got some great hints.  And I found out the photo dimensions I need for that website.  Their fulfillment option is a lot like drop-shipping, but a bit different, and a little more costly (a problem for me).

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I had to go do something, did you miss me?  :-)
It is kind of funny how you can start writing with one train of thought and then just go off in another direction... when you come back to the keyboard! 

I am trying to get better at making links with my posts... so readers can go check out the things I am discovering.

It is almost midnight again... I get carried away with the online tasks and lose track of time.  This new computer is really a challenge to discover.  I had to search for the screensaver, and then I wasn't able to put in the words I wanted to have on it.  A big disappointment.  I have my  logo/mission statement on my old computer... it wasn't a problem there.  (One God, One Bible, One Christ, One Salvation, One Body)  I decide to have "Change the Future!" on this one... that fit.  I think this unit allows 20 characters... and the display choices were a pain.

I wonder what brand new ones allow you to do.

This weekend should be fun... getting my routines back to as normal as they can be.  I have a lot to catch up with.  I can't wait to get my new (used) food documentaries... I haven't even seen the GMO one.

Well, better go for now.

Until next time,
In Christ,

Deborah Martin
work2gather.us

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May GOD bless our lives, our country, our world, with the greatness that comes with truth, mercy, love, kindness, goodness, and joy.  If only we all could be the people that GOD meant us to be... and "work together" to help each other.

It may seem selfish, but I continue to pray that GOD will provide the finances I so desperately need to make Working Together established before I die.  There is so much I wanted to do... and there's so little time left.  May GOD have mercy on my dreams for helping as many as I can.

Amen.

Thursday, 25 January 2018

Interesting day.  I re-watched some of the food documentaries on my Netflix list.  I originally just wanted to see one, In Defense of Food with Michael Pollan, but it really made me want to see two others -- so I did.  I watched Sugar Coated again. Then I watched Forks Over Knives again... to see what the details were again.  I am working out my plan to buy all the documentaries I want to have in my collection.  It has become one of my goals for this year.

I am trying to understand the meaning of "whole food, plant-based diet" because it was clarified from the simple "plant-based diet."  I think it means only real food that is in its original form... maybe.  I'm not sure where bread and pasta fit into that formula.  I can see produce as whole foods, but not sure of the rest.  It will be figured out eventually.

Right now, I am working on depleting my food reserves... trying to decide how I can live without butter on my popcorn and olive oil in my salad dressing.  I just don't know what the veterans of this lifestyle choice do for these issues in eating.  So, I am walking into more fruits and veggies, more grains, and less salt/sugar/and oil.

When I watch the films, I try to see what they serve.  Some things I can figure out, but others are strange.

I have to say that I was glad to understand the problem with margarine as a food option... I had watched one food documentary that made me think margarine was better than butter because of the saturated fat contents.  Today I discovered that margarine has an even deadlier fat issue in the process that makes it margarine... trans fat.  I have to admit I really don't understand all this stuff yet.  It takes time to wade through all the different viewpoints and decide what you want to do for your own life.

I think my "mantra" will remain :: reduce the amounts I consume.  I am trying to notice any changes in how I feel, etc.

One guy mentioned that dairy allergies cause lots of problems with ear/nose/throat issues... that is a problem area for me (ear, nose, and throat issues) so I am going to watch to see if my reductions in dairy make a difference or if I have to fully give them up.

I haven't had an egg for a long time.  It feels strange.  I am trying to decide about the baking problems that brings up... I have to make some cornbread one of these days, maybe tomorrow.  I found a great recipe in Laurel's Kitchen cookbook... no flour!!!!  I want to make it into a small loaf shape so I can cut slices that will be like sandwich bread or maybe english muffin and bagel shapes.  Small slices.  It helps me to eat less... I hope.  :-)

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I did start working on my goals again... started making lists of what I need to do to make listings on my sales sites (etsy, ebay, fiverr, etc.).  I was surprised by the process.  I avoided making such a detailed list in the past... never really thought about all the steps as separate items.  Today I started figuring out how to make these steps fit into a weekly goal.  That seemed to change a lot.

I still have much more to do.  I am working on my photo guidelines for each selling site.  Taking photos is step one.  Then I have to edit them to the size each site requires.  In the process of getting them ready to upload, I need to work out a file naming template.  By next week, I should have this process figured out.

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I am praying for GOD to do some changes around my life.
I hope my prayers get answered soon.

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I discovered recently that a property I have been praying about is up for sale again.  I am not sure what is happening on the owner's end as the price has increased a lot.  I suppose GOD is big enough to handle that.  The owners are Christians, retiring or already retired, and have their own financial prayers for GOD to deal with.

I lived in Olney (Illinois) once.  Walmart decided to build there while I was there.  I had checked on property prices before they even thought of building there, and the costs were about $1000 and acre for farmland.  That price went up to $5000 and acre for Walmart.  It was quite a lesson for me on how people get.  (I suppose Amazon will have the same problem.  I guess the tax break is the only thing that makes up for this increase in costs.) 

Small towns suffer from the same issues that every community seems to suffer when Walmart comes to town (or a neighborhood).  I have called Walmart the "poor man's blessing" in the past... When finances are hard, poor families need to save as much money as they possibly can.  Walmart helps them do that.  Now, even Walmart is suffering from competition... places like the Dollar Stores and WinCo and other options.  You may want to think about the fact that thrift stores are also suffering because of the low-cost options now available to their customers.  I cringe every time I go to a thrift store these days... even when they are next door to Walmart and Dollar Tree, they charge huge amounts of money for some items that should be priced a LOT less.  If I didn't go to the sale day at Salvation Army, it would be hard to shop there.

I'm not sure it is any one person's fault, it is the way things are changing.  Automation is changing the job markets, the internet is changing the way we shop, education is moving online, and security problems are leading us right into the Mark of the Beast.  I don't know how we are going to deal with these issues as Christians... it will mean we have to change the way we act as churches and as the Body of Christ.  Many people will suffer before we figure that out.

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I am really down low on my fresh food stores.  I have one squash left... and three limes.  :-)  This should be fun.  I see lots of cans, pasta, and other ideas for meals in my immediate future.  :-)

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Well, that's enough for tonight.
Until next time...

In Christ,
Deborah Martin

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May we all find a way to prepare for the future... as churches, as families, as communities.

May GOD help us to be wise with our resources, so we will have them for the future.

May we all study the Bible and look for GOD's Truth instead of what we want to find there.  :-)

May our lives be focused on what GOD has planned for each of us, and not be compared to the lives of others.

Amen.

Friday, 29 September 2017

Here I am again...  :-)

I finished the book by Marie Frost.  It was good... maybe an ending to go with the preface, a summary of some kind, would be nice.  It ended with a chapter story.  Maybe I need to read that one over and see if that was the summary.

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Been working on my product development today... trying to figure out chocolate... how to use it and make it look good.  I see lots of practice ahead of me.  Good thing the holiday season is upon us!

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I finished a loaf of Orowheat bread today and decided to check out the calorie count.  I had to laugh at the name of the manufacturer ::  BIMBO Bakeries USA Inc.  --  :-)  In my youth, BIMBO was not a nice name... for a woman, I think.  I don't know if it's still in use...  I hope the owners are some of those people who gathered together and started a CO-OP, employee-owned, company with a cause.

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I have been controlling my caramel consumption pretty good so far.
Now to overcome the exercising problem...

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I opened the CD package with Joyce Meyer's 12 Power Thought strategies.  I just started the 3rd of 4 disks.  It will be good to have as a revival message when things get confused by the enemy of our souls.  I will check out the book over the weekend... it is nearly my Sabbath... that will be good to do on the Sabbath.

Our lives are deeply affected by our minds, our thoughts, what we see, what we hear, what we feel... we need to control what goes into our mind because it affects our life... what we choose.  When things enter my life against my will, I sometimes close my eyes and be still, letting my soul talk to GOD through the Holy Spirit.  I pray out loud.  I distract myself, look away, close my eyes, or change something about my situation... go to a different place, get up, go do something else, talk to GOD, pray and wait.  Technologies that have made our lives better have also become tools of evil... we have to find a way to deal with them, keep our faith in GOD, and trust that God is able to walk with us through every problem we face.  Keeping our minds on scripture, on good things, on the power of God, and prayer will help us.

I don't know what all the categories are yet (for her strategies) so I can't share them yet.  Maybe on Monday I will include some of them.

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I will try to find a solution to the photo problem for posting here.  There are a lot of photos I would like to be including here with my text.  I just have to find the help section for that problem... I hope!  :-)

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I need this rest... I hope I get some.

In Christ,
Deborah Martin

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Thank you, Lord, for all that we have and are able to do.
Protect those who love You, who trust in Your Word, and believe You are in control.
Bless this weekend, make it restful, fun, joy-filled, meaningful, and special.
Thank you for what I have and often take for granted... food, shelter, life, rest, etc.....
Bring us to your heart, Lord... help us to know your will for our lives... provide for us.
Amen.

Monday, 1 FEB 2016 :: Found an old writing of mine

Yesterday (Sunday), I began the process of "cleaning" up the room I live in because a realtor is going to be looking at it next weekend.  I was trying to decide what to keep, what to recycle, what to give away, what to get rid of... and praying for the miracle I am always praying for  :-)...  In the middle of one of my pile sorting, I discovered a copy of an old writing of mine.  I thought it would be a good thing to share on this blog. 

Lord,
I daily offer my life to you.
Help me to see clearly.

May I never be afraid
of the hidden attacks of the enemy,
who would like to destroy
your precious orchestrations
of humanity.

Move my life toward complete
submission to your decisions.
May I always be your obedient child
because I love you so much.

I long to honor you with my life.
It is for your glory that I live.
Make me worthy of your love,
a benefit to Mankind.

In Jesus' Name I pray.
Amen.

I also decided to share it on one of the forums I regularly post at on Etsy.com -- one on the inspiration of the Bible in our lives.  Since it wasn't an actual Bible verse, I began to attach it to other things in my life, what I remembered about writing it.  It became more than I expected to share.

I don't remember what inspired me to write this, I have rewritten the OUR FATHER prayer, but this isn't that writing. I think I titled it "Daily Offer" - it's been awhile... -- which is what we do as Christians. We aren't promised any more than the moment we are living.

It is a challenge to stand with GOD against the pressures of this world, to trust that GOD is what we know about Him and will do what we have been promised... that His warnings are true. I think it was a huge moment when I realized the way out that GOD tells us exists was sometimes just to say "No." In the hardest times, each day can be a big battleground, and we need to remember that GOD will help us through it.

When we are young, and trying to find our own lives, the things we know as kids don't always "fit" our search, especially if the people we hang out with are very different.  I try to understand the way my life went, but it isn't really something we can answer. 

I guess the "proximity" rule is very true, though.  We end up having to choose from the ones that are around us... friends, work, schools, activities... mates.  This may be why wealthier parents want their kids to go to the "best" schools, have the "best" friends, and live in the "best" neighborhoods.  We don't all have that choice, so we have to recover from the effects our pasts may have had on our lives.

Proximity rules affect a lot of things.  I don't want to develop this thought tonight because it is late and I just wanted to enter a quick post.  Think about the topic if you can.  Our choices are affected by the ones we have in our lives.  If we can choose their influence, that is good.  If we haven't got a choice about who we are around, we have to find a way to deal with the negative issues they can bring into our lives.  We may need to learn how to say "No" in a really nice way.

Remember that GOD walks with us through the hard places, but we have to make the right choices as we walk through those valleys... they are the places we often fail.

I pray that GOD will help you, that you will have the strength to choose what is right and good in GOD's eyes, that blessings will be yours with every godly choice.