Mother's Flower Pot Garden

Friday nite supper at the parents consisted of fresh picked green beans, boiled butter potatoes, fried catfish, and homemade peach cobbler! My mother threw down last nite! Nothing like fresh green beans! I considered growing green beans this year, but decided not to. Next year, it's on! Mom has 7 tomatoes! Yeah mom! One is almost red enough to pick. She doesn't work in the yard anymore, so she buys this huge commercial flower pots and grows her vegetables and flowers in the front yard. Among her actual flower pots you'll see her tomatoes, greens later in the fall, onions, and herbs. You'll never be able to get Brownfield out of her veins. When she bought her tomato plant at Wal-mart last month, it already has 2 tomatoes on it. OMGosh, it took her forever to decide on THE perfect plant! LOL! She did good. I drove by, but couldn't stop the other day, and dad was sitting under the Bedford pear tree, watering her flower-pot garden with the garden hose. I called back later, and he said he and mom had finished up working in the yard and he was her water boy. He used to not like gardening. He was the city boy and she was the country girl. He's enjoying himself now, cause he likes to eat out of Mother's flower-pot garden.

FLOWERCHIC

If God Doesn't Agree With It, Don't You As The Redeemed Go Off On A Limb And Agree With It

“I tell you the truth, whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven. http://bible.us/116/mat.18.18.nlt
I love how Christ is always forthcoming, never mincing His Words, never allowing any grey matter in his speech in how the kingdom of God works.

The word permit according to the dictionary, means to allow access, to let thru, to send.

In recent weeks, the state of Illinois has been considering same-sex marriage, which as those of us who are of the Redeemed by Christ know, is not acceptable, nor sanctioned by God. God flat out does not mince His words in how He feels about homosexuality. In the months leading up to the vote, according to the secular media, the vote permitting same-sex marriage was toted as being a slam dunk, don't even waste your time praying against it. So much so, they almost had me convinced. But not so fast! Within my Spirit I was lead to pray against the passage of this law, because I read my Word, and God was quite clear where He stood, and where I, as a Redeemed follower was to stand with Him. So knowing His will, I prayed that His will be done in permitting the passage of this law for the people of Illinois. Not only did I pray, but a whole lot of Redeemed followers of Christ prayed God's will. Over and over again I read in the news how the vote would be overwhelming, only a few would vote against it. But you know what, one or two plus more prayed in the name of Jesus against this, and this law did not pass.

The word permit is a two-edged sword in God's kingdom. You can permit good in and you can permit evil in. In the passage above, You can also forbid good in and forbid evil in. Jesus Christ does not mince His words, which are the same as the Father's words. What we as the Redeem permit on earth will be permitted in heaven. We are the Redeemed. We are not sinners anymore. God has given us free will. If we choose to live with sin all around us as the Redeemed and do nothing about it, guess what? God will allow it.

But thank God for as Paul Harvey says, "...For the rest of the story! 

Matthew 18:19-20 New Living Translation (NLT)
“I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.”
A special note, it is always good to read the whole bible and have a relationship with God to where you can interpret from His word where He stands on all issues, because even though God hates a sin, He still loves the sinner. It is always God's desire that the sinner become the Redeemed thru Christ Jesus. Never expect to win God's approval of any sin under the sun, because it will never happen. For true happiness, leave the sin behind, and follow after God approval. 

FLOWERCHIC

FAITH IS WHAT CAUSES THE SHIFT

"Hear this, and just think about it, meditate on it. If God were moved by need, tears, or trouble, God would be running around the earth to and fro, without focus. He'd end up being like a worn out cheerleader from trying to encourage the discouraged throughout the entire world. What would happen is Satan would be successful in distracting both us, and God.  Instead, God has chosen to be moved by one thing-faith. Fear and discouragement do not change not one circumstance, but faith moves mountains. When we choose to operate in sync with God, our circumstances change, all because of faith, because that's what moves God"~FLOWERCHIC

COME HEAR WHAT I HAVE HEARD

Come hear what I have heard. For every crisis in America, God has been in our midst. Remember this, there are no secrets or hidden agendas from God. There is no hiding of sin. There is no running from sin. There is no fooling God. He is aware of it all. Do not be dismayed, for nothing is outside of His control. Nothing God has created can tie His hands or bind His feet from moving on our behalf, and God is the Creator of all things. For every crisis in America, watch and wait patiently for your eyes to adjust, so that you may see our Deliverer.

No President can override God, or veto God's Plan for America. No government body can legislate God out of anything God has created, and this nation was created by God.  So forever decree, "We are one nation under God, and no man or woman, nor their man-made gods can do a thing to change that fact." For every crisis that strikes, I will pray, and I will look for God-who is present with The Plan. My ears may not be adjusted to hear, and my eyes may not be adjusted to see The Plan of God right away, but never the less, God is speaking solution to the crisis.

FLOWERCHIC

THE SLIPPING OF OUR HEDGE OF PROTECTION

They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth. As a result, many Jews believed, as did many of the prominent Greek women and men. Act 17:11 NLT


What happens when a nation's hedge of protection is removed? They are no longer hidden from their enemies. The eyes of their enemies are open to a breach in the nation's security. They are not given permission to enter in, it's just that what was once hidden from their sight is no longer hidden, it's exposed as it would have normally been, had there never been a hedge of protection.

How does a nation lose it's Godly hedge of protection? Easy, it pursues, goes after, a "New" god or gods. They, and their nation's leaders resolve they can do better. They look for new gods who will let them do what they want. They begin praying to their new gods, who will let them be free! For example, they create legislation overriding the Creator God's marriage law, for a new law where marriage is no longer between a man and a woman, but is instead legal between same sexes, not only is homosexuality a promoted sin against the Word of God, but it is a protected sin against the Word of God in their courts, the notion that an unborn child has rights in the womb is reviled. The people become their own little "gods" where the sanctity of the unborn life is considered inconvenient, and can be discarded like yesterday's trash. Sound and look familiar? We are indeed being led into a new era. But not all of us are deceived!

It is sad to watch others be deceive by Satan. I'm speaking in regards to the notion that if you don't like the way creator God does things, "I'll just find me a god that allows me to do what I want." The only problem with that is there is no other God, only false gods conjured up by Satan to lead you astray. Satan's goal? To keep you forever searching, and to keep you from accepting Christ. Satan is all about delays, and distractions. That is why I find it hard to agree with the President and some very prominent mega church ministers who join in ceremony in his interfaith prayer vigils. I'm like, "What are you thinking?" All roads do not lead to the same God. Each road leads to a false god, outside of the God of Jesus Christ. These meetings are different from denominational prayers where the Baptist pray with the Methodist, in which case all roads would lead to the same God. I'm watchful, I'm prayerful, and I'm conscience of the intermingling of the goat with the sheep. For it will only be by my own steps by the grace of God to renew my mind in the Word of God daily, that I will hear Him when His Spirit leads me to step aside from the others, and stay close to His-God's side. My hedge of protection comes from creator God, and not the gods of those being led to deceive, or who are deceived. The closer to the Word of God I stay, the less likely I can be led astray. Let us all turn to the God who keeps us safe!

God is our refuge and our strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea. Let the oceans roar and foam. Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge! Interlude http://bible.us/116/psa.46.1.nlt

"Remember that the majority is not always right. Don't ever let what the majority is thinking or saying influence you to go against the Word of God."~Bill Winston Ministry

FLOWERCHIC

WHO COULD HAVE EVER IMAGINED?

"Worship is no longer worship when it reflects the culture around us more than the Christ within us." AW Tozer

Who would have ever imagined we as a nation would go from one nation under God, to one nation under many gods, and the ring leader would be our own elected President in fostering interfaith prayer meetings of many gods, instead of the one Creator God, who has been the God of this country since it's beginning. The sad thing....is that we do know better. We know better, and we know the Word of God. Yet there are those that choose to follow with eyes wide open, but minds swayed by the secular world for a new thing, that is actually an old thing, that God has always said to beware of, for He is a jealous God.

Serve only the L ord your God and fear him alone. Obey his commands, listen to his voice, and cling to him. http://bible.us/116/deu.13.4.nlt

FLOWERCHIC

What's Right? What's Wrong? The Question is Rhetorical, "What Does The Word Of God Say?"

"The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever."
Isaiah 40:8 New Living Translation (NLT)

There is right, and there is wrong, based upon the Word of God. Otherwise we will have chaos in our world. We never have the authority to determine whether or not God's Word applies to us as human beings. His Word always applies to us. Did any of us create ourselves? Did any of us formulate The Plan of creation, or set the foundation of the earth, or how it all works? How can we as humans change The Plan of God and His creation, when we were created only to be apart of The Plan, not authors of The Plan? And how can changes be made to a plan that is not our own to begin with. None of us can save or destroy another's soul. The final destination of each of our souls however, is in God's authority, and His alone. The Judgement will come through His Son, Jesus Christ. You can speak against what is wrong according to the Word of God without being evil, but in love. That is the key. Speak the truth and leave the rest to the Holy Spirit and to God. But to speak the truth, you must not just speak the words, you must understand the truth. To understand the truth, you must study the truth, and have a relationship with the author of the truth. For a man or woman to just speak the words, but not have a relationship with Father God is where evil begins, and it is where the danger is of becoming one's own god. 

The relationship between Christians is to always interceded for one another. As Christians, we are to never allow Satan to lead us astray, or our bothers and sisters. We can speak up and speak the truth from the Word of God without fear of sinning. As fellow Believers of Christ, we are to recognize, accept, and obey the Word of God as final authority. We are not to plead ignorance of the Word of God, by avoiding studying and renewing our own minds in God's Word daily for ourselves. Nor are we to neglect the assembly of other believers in a church setting. Jesus Christ specifically speaks of His love of the church. Christ is not anti church, far from it. He has every intention of coming back for His church. 

We absolutely are not allowed to go off scripture and, "Do OUR own thing" or "Do whatever we want to do Our own way." And we should always be of a good heart to pray against whatever God's Word speaks against. And pray for whatever God's Word speaks support of. Don't let Satan confuse your mind, or tie your hands about speaking against what God says is wrong or is right. To not do so, is to turn our world over to Satan to reign. Satan's allowed, brief time to reign, before his final destruction has not yet come. Satan is NOT to rule our world. We as Christians have work to do-telling the Good News about our Christ, so as to lead souls into the Kingdom of God. We cannot tell our four and no more within our families. Salvation is for the masses, abundant living is for the masses, healing and provision is for the masses. We are to leave no friend, no foe, no family, no stranger, nor the bad, nor the good behind. We as Christ's disciples are to lead them to Christ to benefit as we do from the Father's Plan.

If you do not have a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, I invite you to do so. He is awesome! To die on the cross for you and I, the way He did, so that we can have a relationship with His father, means He thinks His daddy God is like no other! God is the Creator of all things, and love is one of those things. You will never find anyone else that will love you more than the Creator of love. 

Salvation is very simple, "God I believe You sent your Son, Jesus Christ from heaven to earth to be born of a virgin, Mary; I believe He died on the cross, and was raised from the dead on the third day, with the sole purpose to save my soul from death, for which He took my place instead. I repent of, and am sorry of all my sins, and I give them to You, Jesus. Come into my heart, and set up residence there forever. Amen." Praying that is all there is too accepting Christ as your Saviour!

What is right? What is wrong? The answer to those two questions, will never be what I determine it to be. I can never do my OWN thing, my OWN way, if my OWN way and my OWN thing is in direct conflict with the final authority of the Word of God. If I do, I am no longer in the will of God. To be clear, what I would be is a disobedient, saved, Believer in Christ swimming in the same cesspool of sin with the unsaved. Once again, there is a way out of sin, through true repentance, or sorriness of sin before God as a Believer who has chosen to sin. Because we are saved by grace once, thru the repentance of sin, and have Jesus as our Redeemer, does not mean we will never again go to God to ask for repentance of our sins committed after becoming saved.

Forgiveness of sin will always begin on our knees at the feet of our Lord with repentance, for the saved and the unsaved alike.  

The Lord Has No Equal
Who else has held the oceans in his hand?
Who has measured off the heavens with his fingers?
Who else knows the weight of the earth
or has weighed the mountains and hills on a scale?
Who is able to advise the Spirit of the Lord?
Who knows enough to give him advice or teach him?
Has the Lord ever needed anyone’s advice?
Does he need instruction about what is good?
Did someone teach him what is right
or show him the path of justice? Isaiah 40:12-15 NLT

FLOWERCHIC

From One Nation Under One God to One Nation Under Many Gods

I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me.~Isaiah 46:9


I was meditating on this scripture earlier, and later I was discussing it with a friend of mine. If you turn on the news any this week, you will hear a great deal about freedom of religion(s) in America, and the list of spiritual leaders to be on program for the Inauguration. For a very long time this has been a nation of One God, whose Son is Jesus Christ our Redeemer. It has only been in recent years that this nation, The United States of America has become a nation under many gods in the minds of some, including our POTUS. This is a new thing in America. For many years the tradition in our country was every Sunday, the media would show the President and his family entering a Church of their choosing for a Christian church service, where they received instruction from the Word of God, and their minds were renewed of God's promises. At the end of service they'd show the first family heading back to the White House to enjoy the rest of their Sunday, like most other Americans. But this is not so with this President. I will say, for I will be honest, I miss that. It speaks volumes. It speaks of who is really in charge in the heart and mind of a leader. 


Still focusing on Isaiah 46:9, there have been many prayers over the last four years in America. Within that period, we have gone from freely invoking the name of Jesus over our gatherings to being condemned for doing so, and the new move is to ban the name of Jesus, so as to not offend other gods worshipped by other religions. This so saddens me. What happened? God's Word has been quoted quite a bit recently in the past four years. Yet God's intent, and the circumstance in which they are spoken are totally different. For this, I am shocked, and dismayed. I read the same Word of God for myself as others do. Yet, how does this happen? The answer, in one instance the Holy Spirit watches over the Word of God, to bring redemption from sin, convicting the heart of mankind, and in the other instance, mankind disregards the Holy Spirit and attempts to mold the Word of God to approve man's sin. To me, this is dangerous territory to be treading for any man or woman, regardless of their stature.

The main thing that America loses when we forget we were created as one nation under one God is wisdom. Not just any wisdom, but Godly wisdom. Counterfeit gods have no wisdom. Only the Creator God of heaven and earth and all things has true wisdom. When we as acountry abandon this Creator, we settle for not second best, but nothingness. Man cannot solve his own problems. Neither can gods made of stone, or wood sitting on a shelf, crafted from the hands of man. For how can man who cannot solve his own problems, craft a god of wood or stone capable of solving that same man’s problems. Do they NOT know that Jesus Christ’s Father, our Creator; is the only god that is capable of creating something out of nothing? He is the only god that can raise the dead. Without God, no other god can be created! God says in His Word, “My name is the great I AM. God’s Word also says, He is a jealous God and will not share his glory with no other, except His Son, Yeshua-Jesus Christ.

I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me.~Isaiah 46:9

The last I will speak of, however there are many more losses that come from this new One Nation Under Many Gods, as opposed to One Nation Under One God is the loss of our blessings. God will not share His platform, planet earth, with any man made god, be it human or otherwise. Out of obedience to God’s spoken Words come blessings. Yes, God does extend His grace and mercy. But it is out obedience that comes abundant living. Right now, America is not experiencing abundant living. Granted there are many things contributing to this loss, however it is thru obedience, that we as a country will find our pathway to blessings, regardless of the challenges before us. 

"God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied. (Matthew 5:6 NLT)"  

I personally have vowed to be apart of that remnant that pledges it's allegience to God, God’s Word, and His principles. Together, we will be blessed, and be a blessing to others. A prayer without invoking the name of Jesus Christ is an empty, useless attempt at receiving anything from His Father-our Creator God.  This is Faith 101. Anyone who attempts to pray otherwise, simply does not know God, and has not read their bible; or they have chosen to DENY God.

"But now I find that I must write about ...urging you to defend the faith that God has entrusted...to his holy people. I say this because some ungodly people have wormed their way into your churches, saying that God’s marvelous grace allows us to live immoral lives. The condemnation of such people was recorded long ago, for they have denied our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ".http://bible.us/116/jud.1.3.nlt

Today, I have discerned two camps of the Redeemed by Christ. First, is the camp made up of those who try to follow Christ, but sometimes fail, but thru the conviction of the Holy Spirit repent, and carry on in their relationship with Christ Jesus. Second, is the camp of the Redeemed in Christ, who pick and choose, when and which written Words of God they will follow. Essentially, they have become their own god. They like to do things their way. They know what God’s Word says about moral, lifestyle issues, but they out of their own disobedience, choose a pathway opposite of God’s instructions. This is shocking to me. Where is the reverence to God?

What is my response to this new American way of One Nation Under Many Gods? God is Sovereign and on the thrown. America will find it’s way back to One Nation Under One God, one changed heart at a time. One by one, we as citizens will have to get sick enough of being our own little god, worshipping other gods, and of the abundant living that fails to come to pass. We will find our allegience to God, on bended knee in prayer, and thru repentance like the children of Israel on their way back from exile.

"Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name." Hebrews 13:14

FLOWERCHIC

LOVE PLANTED DEEPLY

"Love planted deeply becomes what it ought to be" ~Audrey Assad. I love that about what my love for God can be. I may be going thru some things at any one time in my life, but each time I overcome a situation with God by my side, my love grows as my dependence on His faithfulness grows. When you're in a relationship, and the circumstances of the life you are living together is a crazy mess, your love for one another is not always flashy with presents, phone calls, and an abundance of time together. Sometimes it's just that deep love you have for the other person that is conveyed in a meaningful meeting of the eyes, just as you walk out the door in a mad rush. Sometimes instead of a demand, or a command of something that one of the two of you must do, or it won't get done, that you say one word, "Please" in such a way that conveys, "I just can't go anymore, can you step in? "I know you are tired too, but I really am at my limit." Love planted deeply becomes what it ought to be when the other person simply, silently, does whatever is needed-out of sacrifice in their love for you. To me, that is what this songs means. When the words, "I love you" is known, but may not be spoken constantly, but is conveyed thru action, and is multidimensional is when love is planted deeply and does become what it ought to be.

In His love planted deeply for us, Jesus gave up all that was good, and perfect to become a human sacrifice for us. Think about it. He came in human form, became like us-but without sin, lived among us, in a non-perfect world, so that He could die in our place, allowing us to become one with Father God. Jesus was not made to do this, He agreed to do this. But to do this, He had to be around the stench of our sins. He loved us so much, that He stepped in and took our place once and for all, and pulled Himself and us out of the pit of sin so that thru Him, we would one day reign with Him and the Father! Now that, is "Love planted deeply [becoming] what it ought to be" is all about!

Can't nobody love you like Jesus!


FLOWERCHIC

STARTING THE NEW YEAR OFF STOCKING MY QUIVER

In raising my sister and me, my parents always encouraged us to try new things. When it came to new foods, it worked with me, but not so with my sister. We always went grocery shopping when Daddy got paid. Once in teaching us not to be afraid of trying new things and failing even, my mom bought a tiny jar of caviar. Now, one would think what a waste for a family with 2 small kids living off a plant worker's earnings, but not my mom. You see, my parents brought us up on life's lessons and new experiences. Some you lived thru yourself, and others you learned by watching others. Some result in successes and others in failures. Regardless, we were taught to never fear change, because change is inevitable.  I remember us all gathering around the kitchen table with crackers and small mounds of caviar on top. With the exception of sister, it was a hit! It was the only jar we ever bought, but it was a fun experience! I guess that's where my love of different foods came from, and my love of cooking. So today, us girls went shopping for the new year! I bought more octopus! I love it! They had gnocchi on sale, so in the buggy it went. I've always wanted to see what it tasted like. I got my chi tea concentrate. I have a recipe and I'm sure it would be best if I made it myself, but I decided to try the quick method. I may regret it later, I'll let you know. I found my favorite olive oil on sale. You may think that EVOO is EVOO regardless of brand name, but I beg to differ. My two favorites are STAR and Colavita. Especially STAR, makes a difference in dipping toast with parmesan cheese melted on top. I also used it for dipping a garlic spinach toast in too. Oh, la, la! It's simple, and went over big at a family dinner once. So good, my sister got up and a toasted another cookie sheet full. I had to remind them that I was serving dinner too! LOL. Oh, egg rolls-I got 2 boxes. I love egg rolls for lunch at work. Let's see, what else? Well the rest of my purchases were just good bargains. So I stocked up on them. SMH I almost forgot! The other day I threw together a spaghetti sauce that was out of this world! My best spaghetti sauce is made in the summer when I grow my herbs fresh, but this was a throw together, out of jars and tins! Parsley, oregano, nutmeg, sea salt, garlic, chopped orange peppers, mushrooms, black olives, tomato sauce, and ground beef. Parmesan cheese at the end, and it was heavenly! I was out of basil even, and it was still delish! Now what else? Oh yeah, I returned a Christmas gift and bought an 8 quart stock pot. I have needed one this size for cooking. I had a small one and a large one, but not a medium sized one. I all but skipped down the aisle with it nestled in my shopping cart.  All in all, my quiver is full of fun goodies, ready to be tried out for a new experience. What a fun way to begin the new year!~FLOWERCHIC