Bags of Gold
I have recently been reminded of a story from the Bible that I believe tells us to invest our money. Notice I said, “Our money”. Since everything we have is because of the blessing God has given us, it all belongs to “our master” anyway. Read the following excerpt from Matthew Chapter 25 in the New International Version of the Bible and I’ll tell you how it relates to mine and Summer’s lives at the end.
“Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’ His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’ His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’ His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’”
I mention this story because we have our own business where we buy and sell both online and at flea markets and festivals. Like most business owners, we have looked into a variety of products to carry and weeded through the ones that did not meet our criteria. We do however keep an open mind about opportunities that come our way.
In fact, just the other day we had a company contact us about some surplus Christian t-shirts they had and needed to move them to make room for their new designs. We took advantage of the opportunity put before us and now have about a hundred left that we can sell for only ten dollars. Keep in mind that the man who called had never done business with us before. Also keep in mind that we were looking for a good product to sell at a friend’s bike rally he was hosting to raise money for a mission trip. We have taken what God has blessed us with to hold and used it to increase our financial position.
Another example is a product we’ve been drinking for some time. It has personally gotten rid of my acid reflux and joint pain that resonates from a knee surgery I had. It has also boosted Summer’s energy level. After drinking it for a while, we realized that we were being like the last servant that hid his gold. We were drinking it and both feeling better, but we weren’t making any money off of it. With a small investment, we went from just drinking to drinking and making money. I’ll insert our website for it here, http://www.robertandsummer.iamlimu.com/. Even though we have been in business for ourselves for years, we were scared to invest in something that we knew worked until just recently.
You may have your own example of not following God’s expectations for you to do with your share of money. You can also change money into abilities. You may have a gift that He’s given you and you are keeping it hidden from the world because of fear. I believe this is the same as that bag of gold in the hole.
To quote one of my good friends, “Let go and let God.” Maybe you’re not supposed to be the next Madonna, but you can lift up your voice to the ones around you. Maybe you’re not supposed to be the next Mark Twain, but you can share your story with the stranger on the bus. And, maybe you aren’t supposed to be the next Denzel Washington, but you can be the leading role in a lost person’s walk to salvation.
I encourage you to search your soul and look through your life to find those hidden bags of gold just waiting to be invested. To take a quote from somebody (origin is disputed), "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results." Are you wasting what God has given you? May God bless you and keep you safe in all that you do in His name. Remember, the fastest way up is to kneel down.
Written by: Robert Lemoine
writing@foreverandalwaysonline.com
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Monday, July 16, 2012
Family Vacation of 2012
Family Vacation of 2012
There we were, just sitting at the house days before our vacation would actually start, with no set plans. We could go to Six Flags Over Texas like we had done last year. We could go to the Diamond Mine in Arkansas. We could go to a beach…somewhere?
Then, out of nowhere (actually it came from a Google search for vacation ideas) there it was…Houston, Texas. What? There’s nothing in Houston. Is there? This is where it gets exciting.
My wife found these great little things called City Pass. They allow you to choose five area attractions for one low price. And, it just so happened that it was about half the normal price. (For those of you who know me, this was going to be a great vacation). OK, it cost forty dollars per adult and thirty per child. You add that to a few nights in a hotel room, pack your lunches, and about fifty gallons of gas and you’ve got a very affordable vacation. Oh yeah, we filled up the first time for $2.95 a gallon!! And, the highest we got was $3.19.
Anyway, we chose to go to the Houston Zoo, the Museum of Natural Science, The Children’s Museum, The Downtown Aquarium, and NASA. If we had done our research before hand, we would have also seen the Health Museum. The Museum of Natural Science and History has FREE admission on Tuesdays. It worked out for the best because we ran out of time anyway.
The zoo was awesome. We spent about five or six hours there and still didn’t see everything. While we were there, they had a dinosaur exhibit that featured life size, animated replicas. They were complete with movement, roars, and even a spray mist for fighting off threats (the kids loved getting sprayed with “dinosaur spit”). We continued through to see other exhibits like the elephants, birds, reptiles, and even got to feed the giraffes. It was worth the roughly eight hour trip itself.
The next day we went to the Museum of Natural Science and also to the Downtown Aquarium. The museum was featuring dinosaurs. Yeah, real dinosaur bones were all over the place…actually confined to one large room, but WOW! There’s even a piece of dinosaur skin you can touch. We also saw my wife’s favorite exhibit, the jewel room. It featured all kinds of royal jewelry that was given as gifts to kings and queens for centuries. We also got to see the Western exhibit that was dedicated to the Indians, the gem collections, a real mummy from Egypt, and some other cool stuff. We didn’t pay extra for the Titanic or Warriors exhibits, but they looked pretty interesting, too.
We left there and headed to the Aquarium. If you don’t know Houston, get a map! We circled this building on Interstate and on highways and on side streets before we finally reached it by the mercy of God. Now, I can’t say a whole lot for this stop because we had visited a Ripley’s Aquarium in Myrtle Beach years before and it’s no Ripley’s. But, we had fun and the kids got to play in the free water area outside for longer than we stayed inside. And, inside we got to pet sharks and rays, which the kids loved.
Now, we make it to our final day. We started at the Children’s Museum, which is very close to the other museum. Again, get a map! This place was a kid’s dream come true. Everything was hands on. From pulleys to water projects to a kid sized town operated by children, it was a lot of fun. They even had an “obstacle course” that spanned at least three stories.
From there, we drove about thirty or forty minutes to NASA. Yes, we concluded our trip with the Houston Space Center. Amazing enough, the lady taking our ticket was from Louisiana…just outside of Shreveport. We started with the tram ride into restricted areas. I know it was restricted because they took everybody’s picture before they could get on the trolley thing and we had to go through a metal detector. Anyway, we got to see where the astronauts train and learned about some of the new things NASA has planned in the future. After we got back into the museum area, we looked at the insides of a space shuttle and different space suits. There were demonstrations to test your fear. I failed most of them. We went into the rock museum where you got to see “life” in space inside the space station. Then we continued through the halls to find a room full of Moon Rocks. And, yes, there was a piece of the moon on display that you could touch.
All in all, this is one of the best vacations we’ve taken. The kids now get to go back to school this fall with an exciting story to tell when asked, “What did you do this summer?” And their answer will be that they got to pet a dinosaur, play with sharks, feed a giraffe, and touch the moon. I wonder how many of their friends can top that.
Now for the background stories…we left out on Faith that we would find a good room. Summer, my wife, had started looking at the recommendations on where to stay and apparently, Houston has a lot of “bad” neighborhoods. We realized this firsthand as we approached the less costly hotel we were planning to stay at. We quickly did a u-turn and headed back northeast of Houston to get a room. The other nights, we found a room to the northwest thanks to the help of a security guard, who informed us we were in the WRONG part of town. Thank God for His angels. So, use the street views on Google maps to see what an area looks like before you book it. We could have stayed closer in, but figured we’d yield to safety (especially with three kids).
The other thing we would have done differently is visit the other museums in the area. Excuse me, the FREE museums in the area. If we’d have had one of the hotels in the good part of downtown, we could have seen much more.
As we traveled, we got to use the Cross Pennies we had with us to uplift peoples’ day. If you don’t know about the Cross Penny, email me. Anyway, there was a lady in one of the museums that was just boo-hooing, so I gave her a penny and let her know that Jesus is watching her. You see, the museum district is close to the hospitals, including MD Anderson and the Children’s Hospital, so we don’t know why she was upset. But, she mustered a smile to say thank you.
We also had an opportunity to promote our book, On Bended Knee, to a whole new group of people. We talked advertising opportunities with several attractions (we could help you, too). We even got to share Limu with several pizza delivery guys and hotel maids that looked like they wanted a change in life. We also met some Mexicans from Chihuahua, Mexico who spoke mostly German to each other with a mix of Spanish. And, yeah, they spoke English to me or else I wouldn’t have known what they were talking about.
While we were there, there were several camps going on. I don’t know what those workers were paid (I fear they volunteered), but it wasn’t enough for all of those kids. But, it was great to see people taking the time to give these kids something to do during the summer months that is productive and educational.
We had an amazing time and just wanted to share this experience with you. Believe it or not, this is one of the cheapest and most exciting trips we could have taken. Just goes to show you that you don’t have to spend a ton of money to have fun. Or, to use the old expression, “Money doesn’t buy happiness”.
Here’re a few more traveling tips we’d like to share. You can save quite a bit of time if you carry an ice chest with drinks in it with you. That makes the gas station stops faster and cheaper. With a family of five, we easily spend an extra twenty dollars on snacks if we don’t carry them with us. By the way, when traveling through Louisiana, you can have a firearm anywhere in the vehicle. But, in Texas it must be out of sight and out of reach such as in the glove box or console. And, the Bible goes on the dash within arms reach no matter what state you’re in.
Let me know if you know of any other vacation spots where we can have fun, save money, and spread the Love of Jesus. We’d also be glad to write a review of your vacation spot. May God bless you in all that you do in His name. Remember, the fastest way up is to kneel down.
Written by: Robert Lemoine
writing@foreverandalwaysonline.com
Referenced Websites:
City Pass
http://www.citypass.com/?mv_source=foreverandalwaysonline
City Pass Houston http://www.citypass.com/houston?mv_source=foreverandalwaysonline
On Bended Knee
http://www.foreverandalwaysonline.com/arwrbyrole.html
Limu
http://robertandsummer.iamlimu.com/
Cross Penny Ministries
http://crosspennyministries.com/
There we were, just sitting at the house days before our vacation would actually start, with no set plans. We could go to Six Flags Over Texas like we had done last year. We could go to the Diamond Mine in Arkansas. We could go to a beach…somewhere?
Then, out of nowhere (actually it came from a Google search for vacation ideas) there it was…Houston, Texas. What? There’s nothing in Houston. Is there? This is where it gets exciting.
My wife found these great little things called City Pass. They allow you to choose five area attractions for one low price. And, it just so happened that it was about half the normal price. (For those of you who know me, this was going to be a great vacation). OK, it cost forty dollars per adult and thirty per child. You add that to a few nights in a hotel room, pack your lunches, and about fifty gallons of gas and you’ve got a very affordable vacation. Oh yeah, we filled up the first time for $2.95 a gallon!! And, the highest we got was $3.19.
Anyway, we chose to go to the Houston Zoo, the Museum of Natural Science, The Children’s Museum, The Downtown Aquarium, and NASA. If we had done our research before hand, we would have also seen the Health Museum. The Museum of Natural Science and History has FREE admission on Tuesdays. It worked out for the best because we ran out of time anyway.
The zoo was awesome. We spent about five or six hours there and still didn’t see everything. While we were there, they had a dinosaur exhibit that featured life size, animated replicas. They were complete with movement, roars, and even a spray mist for fighting off threats (the kids loved getting sprayed with “dinosaur spit”). We continued through to see other exhibits like the elephants, birds, reptiles, and even got to feed the giraffes. It was worth the roughly eight hour trip itself.
The next day we went to the Museum of Natural Science and also to the Downtown Aquarium. The museum was featuring dinosaurs. Yeah, real dinosaur bones were all over the place…actually confined to one large room, but WOW! There’s even a piece of dinosaur skin you can touch. We also saw my wife’s favorite exhibit, the jewel room. It featured all kinds of royal jewelry that was given as gifts to kings and queens for centuries. We also got to see the Western exhibit that was dedicated to the Indians, the gem collections, a real mummy from Egypt, and some other cool stuff. We didn’t pay extra for the Titanic or Warriors exhibits, but they looked pretty interesting, too.
We left there and headed to the Aquarium. If you don’t know Houston, get a map! We circled this building on Interstate and on highways and on side streets before we finally reached it by the mercy of God. Now, I can’t say a whole lot for this stop because we had visited a Ripley’s Aquarium in Myrtle Beach years before and it’s no Ripley’s. But, we had fun and the kids got to play in the free water area outside for longer than we stayed inside. And, inside we got to pet sharks and rays, which the kids loved.
Now, we make it to our final day. We started at the Children’s Museum, which is very close to the other museum. Again, get a map! This place was a kid’s dream come true. Everything was hands on. From pulleys to water projects to a kid sized town operated by children, it was a lot of fun. They even had an “obstacle course” that spanned at least three stories.
From there, we drove about thirty or forty minutes to NASA. Yes, we concluded our trip with the Houston Space Center. Amazing enough, the lady taking our ticket was from Louisiana…just outside of Shreveport. We started with the tram ride into restricted areas. I know it was restricted because they took everybody’s picture before they could get on the trolley thing and we had to go through a metal detector. Anyway, we got to see where the astronauts train and learned about some of the new things NASA has planned in the future. After we got back into the museum area, we looked at the insides of a space shuttle and different space suits. There were demonstrations to test your fear. I failed most of them. We went into the rock museum where you got to see “life” in space inside the space station. Then we continued through the halls to find a room full of Moon Rocks. And, yes, there was a piece of the moon on display that you could touch.
All in all, this is one of the best vacations we’ve taken. The kids now get to go back to school this fall with an exciting story to tell when asked, “What did you do this summer?” And their answer will be that they got to pet a dinosaur, play with sharks, feed a giraffe, and touch the moon. I wonder how many of their friends can top that.
Now for the background stories…we left out on Faith that we would find a good room. Summer, my wife, had started looking at the recommendations on where to stay and apparently, Houston has a lot of “bad” neighborhoods. We realized this firsthand as we approached the less costly hotel we were planning to stay at. We quickly did a u-turn and headed back northeast of Houston to get a room. The other nights, we found a room to the northwest thanks to the help of a security guard, who informed us we were in the WRONG part of town. Thank God for His angels. So, use the street views on Google maps to see what an area looks like before you book it. We could have stayed closer in, but figured we’d yield to safety (especially with three kids).
The other thing we would have done differently is visit the other museums in the area. Excuse me, the FREE museums in the area. If we’d have had one of the hotels in the good part of downtown, we could have seen much more.
As we traveled, we got to use the Cross Pennies we had with us to uplift peoples’ day. If you don’t know about the Cross Penny, email me. Anyway, there was a lady in one of the museums that was just boo-hooing, so I gave her a penny and let her know that Jesus is watching her. You see, the museum district is close to the hospitals, including MD Anderson and the Children’s Hospital, so we don’t know why she was upset. But, she mustered a smile to say thank you.
We also had an opportunity to promote our book, On Bended Knee, to a whole new group of people. We talked advertising opportunities with several attractions (we could help you, too). We even got to share Limu with several pizza delivery guys and hotel maids that looked like they wanted a change in life. We also met some Mexicans from Chihuahua, Mexico who spoke mostly German to each other with a mix of Spanish. And, yeah, they spoke English to me or else I wouldn’t have known what they were talking about.
While we were there, there were several camps going on. I don’t know what those workers were paid (I fear they volunteered), but it wasn’t enough for all of those kids. But, it was great to see people taking the time to give these kids something to do during the summer months that is productive and educational.
We had an amazing time and just wanted to share this experience with you. Believe it or not, this is one of the cheapest and most exciting trips we could have taken. Just goes to show you that you don’t have to spend a ton of money to have fun. Or, to use the old expression, “Money doesn’t buy happiness”.
Here’re a few more traveling tips we’d like to share. You can save quite a bit of time if you carry an ice chest with drinks in it with you. That makes the gas station stops faster and cheaper. With a family of five, we easily spend an extra twenty dollars on snacks if we don’t carry them with us. By the way, when traveling through Louisiana, you can have a firearm anywhere in the vehicle. But, in Texas it must be out of sight and out of reach such as in the glove box or console. And, the Bible goes on the dash within arms reach no matter what state you’re in.
Let me know if you know of any other vacation spots where we can have fun, save money, and spread the Love of Jesus. We’d also be glad to write a review of your vacation spot. May God bless you in all that you do in His name. Remember, the fastest way up is to kneel down.
Written by: Robert Lemoine
writing@foreverandalwaysonline.com
Referenced Websites:
City Pass
http://www.citypass.com/?mv_source=foreverandalwaysonline
City Pass Houston http://www.citypass.com/houston?mv_source=foreverandalwaysonline
On Bended Knee
http://www.foreverandalwaysonline.com/arwrbyrole.html
Limu
http://robertandsummer.iamlimu.com/
Cross Penny Ministries
http://crosspennyministries.com/
Family Vacation of 2012
Family Vacation of 2012
There we were, just sitting at the house days before our vacation would actually start, with no set plans. We could go to Six Flags Over Texas like we had done last year. We could go to the Diamond Mine in Arkansas. We could go to a beach…somewhere?
Then, out of nowhere (actually it came from a Google search for vacation ideas) there it was…Houston, Texas. What? There’s nothing in Houston. Is there? This is where it gets exciting.
My wife found these great little things called City Pass. They allow you to choose five area attractions for one low price. And, it just so happened that it was about half the normal price. (For those of you who know me, this was going to be a great vacation). OK, it cost forty dollars per adult and thirty per child. You add that to a few nights in a hotel room, pack your lunches, and about fifty gallons of gas and you’ve got a very affordable vacation. Oh yeah, we filled up the first time for $2.95 a gallon!! And, the highest we got was $3.19.
Anyway, we chose to go to the Houston Zoo, the Museum of Natural Science, The Children’s Museum, The Downtown Aquarium, and NASA. If we had done our research before hand, we would have also seen the Health Museum. The Museum of Natural Science and History has FREE admission on Tuesdays. It worked out for the best because we ran out of time anyway.
The zoo was awesome. We spent about five or six hours there and still didn’t see everything. While we were there, they had a dinosaur exhibit that featured life size, animated replicas. They were complete with movement, roars, and even a spray mist for fighting off threats (the kids loved getting sprayed with “dinosaur spit”). We continued through to see other exhibits like the elephants, birds, reptiles, and even got to feed the giraffes. It was worth the roughly eight hour trip itself.
The next day we went to the Museum of Natural Science and also to the Downtown Aquarium. The museum was featuring dinosaurs. Yeah, real dinosaur bones were all over the place…actually confined to one large room, but WOW! There’s even a piece of dinosaur skin you can touch. We also saw my wife’s favorite exhibit, the jewel room. It featured all kinds of royal jewelry that was given as gifts to kings and queens for centuries. We also got to see the Western exhibit that was dedicated to the Indians, the gem collections, a real mummy from Egypt, and some other cool stuff. We didn’t pay extra for the Titanic or Warriors exhibits, but they looked pretty interesting, too.
We left there and headed to the Aquarium. If you don’t know Houston, get a map! We circled this building on Interstate and on highways and on side streets before we finally reached it by the mercy of God. Now, I can’t say a whole lot for this stop because we had visited a Ripley’s Aquarium in Myrtle Beach years before and it’s no Ripley’s. But, we had fun and the kids got to play in the free water area outside for longer than we stayed inside. And, inside we got to pet sharks and rays, which the kids loved.
Now, we make it to our final day. We started at the Children’s Museum, which is very close to the other museum. Again, get a map! This place was a kid’s dream come true. Everything was hands on. From pulleys to water projects to a kid sized town operated by children, it was a lot of fun. They even had an “obstacle course” that spanned at least three stories.
From there, we drove about thirty or forty minutes to NASA. Yes, we concluded our trip with the Houston Space Center. Amazing enough, the lady taking our ticket was from Louisiana…just outside of Shreveport. We started with the tram ride into restricted areas. I know it was restricted because they took everybody’s picture before they could get on the trolley thing and we had to go through a metal detector. Anyway, we got to see where the astronauts train and learned about some of the new things NASA has planned in the future. After we got back into the museum area, we looked at the insides of a space shuttle and different space suits. There were demonstrations to test your fear. I failed most of them. We went into the rock museum where you got to see “life” in space inside the space station. Then we continued through the halls to find a room full of Moon Rocks. And, yes, there was a piece of the moon on display that you could touch.
All in all, this is one of the best vacations we’ve taken. The kids now get to go back to school this fall with an exciting story to tell when asked, “What did you do this summer?” And their answer will be that they got to pet a dinosaur, play with sharks, feed a giraffe, and touch the moon. I wonder how many of their friends can top that.
Now for the background stories…we left out on Faith that we would find a good room. Summer, my wife, had started looking at the recommendations on where to stay and apparently, Houston has a lot of “bad” neighborhoods. We realized this firsthand as we approached the less costly hotel we were planning to stay at. We quickly did a u-turn and headed back northeast of Houston to get a room. The other nights, we found a room to the northwest thanks to the help of a security guard, who informed us we were in the WRONG part of town. Thank God for His angels. So, use the street views on Google maps to see what an area looks like before you book it. We could have stayed closer in, but figured we’d yield to safety (especially with three kids).
The other thing we would have done differently is visit the other museums in the area. Excuse me, the FREE museums in the area. If we’d have had one of the hotels in the good part of downtown, we could have seen much more.
As we traveled, we got to use the Cross Pennies we had with us to uplift peoples’ day. If you don’t know about the Cross Penny, email me. Anyway, there was a lady in one of the museums that was just boo-hooing, so I gave her a penny and let her know that Jesus is watching her. You see, the museum district is close to the hospitals, including MD Anderson and the Children’s Hospital, so we don’t know why she was upset. But, she mustered a smile to say thank you.
We also had an opportunity to promote our book, On Bended Knee, to a whole new group of people. We talked advertising opportunities with several attractions (we could help you, too). We even got to share Limu with several pizza delivery guys and hotel maids that looked like they wanted a change in life. We also met some Mexicans from Chihuahua, Mexico who spoke mostly German to each other with a mix of Spanish. And, yeah, they spoke English to me or else I wouldn’t have known what they were talking about.
While we were there, there were several camps going on. I don’t know what those workers were paid (I fear they volunteered), but it wasn’t enough for all of those kids. But, it was great to see people taking the time to give these kids something to do during the summer months that is productive and educational.
We had an amazing time and just wanted to share this experience with you. Believe it or not, this is one of the cheapest and most exciting trips we could have taken. Just goes to show you that you don’t have to spend a ton of money to have fun. Or, to use the old expression, “Money doesn’t buy happiness”.
Here’re a few more traveling tips we’d like to share. You can save quite a bit of time if you carry an ice chest with drinks in it with you. That makes the gas station stops faster and cheaper. With a family of five, we easily spend an extra twenty dollars on snacks if we don’t carry them with us. By the way, when traveling through Louisiana, you can have a firearm anywhere in the vehicle. But, in Texas it must be out of sight and out of reach such as in the glove box or console. And, the Bible goes on the dash within arms reach no matter what state you’re in.
Let me know if you know of any other vacation spots where we can have fun, save money, and spread the Love of Jesus. We’d also be glad to write a review of your vacation spot. May God bless you in all that you do in His name. Remember, the fastest way up is to kneel down.
Written by: Robert Lemoine
writing@foreverandalwaysonline.com
Referenced Websites:
City Pass
http://www.citypass.com/?mv_source=foreverandalwaysonline
City Pass Houston http://www.citypass.com/houston?mv_source=foreverandalwaysonline
On Bended Knee
http://www.foreverandalwaysonline.com/arwrbyrole.html
Limu
http://robertandsummer.iamlimu.com/
Cross Penny Ministries
http://crosspennyministries.com/
There we were, just sitting at the house days before our vacation would actually start, with no set plans. We could go to Six Flags Over Texas like we had done last year. We could go to the Diamond Mine in Arkansas. We could go to a beach…somewhere?
Then, out of nowhere (actually it came from a Google search for vacation ideas) there it was…Houston, Texas. What? There’s nothing in Houston. Is there? This is where it gets exciting.
My wife found these great little things called City Pass. They allow you to choose five area attractions for one low price. And, it just so happened that it was about half the normal price. (For those of you who know me, this was going to be a great vacation). OK, it cost forty dollars per adult and thirty per child. You add that to a few nights in a hotel room, pack your lunches, and about fifty gallons of gas and you’ve got a very affordable vacation. Oh yeah, we filled up the first time for $2.95 a gallon!! And, the highest we got was $3.19.
Anyway, we chose to go to the Houston Zoo, the Museum of Natural Science, The Children’s Museum, The Downtown Aquarium, and NASA. If we had done our research before hand, we would have also seen the Health Museum. The Museum of Natural Science and History has FREE admission on Tuesdays. It worked out for the best because we ran out of time anyway.
The zoo was awesome. We spent about five or six hours there and still didn’t see everything. While we were there, they had a dinosaur exhibit that featured life size, animated replicas. They were complete with movement, roars, and even a spray mist for fighting off threats (the kids loved getting sprayed with “dinosaur spit”). We continued through to see other exhibits like the elephants, birds, reptiles, and even got to feed the giraffes. It was worth the roughly eight hour trip itself.
The next day we went to the Museum of Natural Science and also to the Downtown Aquarium. The museum was featuring dinosaurs. Yeah, real dinosaur bones were all over the place…actually confined to one large room, but WOW! There’s even a piece of dinosaur skin you can touch. We also saw my wife’s favorite exhibit, the jewel room. It featured all kinds of royal jewelry that was given as gifts to kings and queens for centuries. We also got to see the Western exhibit that was dedicated to the Indians, the gem collections, a real mummy from Egypt, and some other cool stuff. We didn’t pay extra for the Titanic or Warriors exhibits, but they looked pretty interesting, too.
We left there and headed to the Aquarium. If you don’t know Houston, get a map! We circled this building on Interstate and on highways and on side streets before we finally reached it by the mercy of God. Now, I can’t say a whole lot for this stop because we had visited a Ripley’s Aquarium in Myrtle Beach years before and it’s no Ripley’s. But, we had fun and the kids got to play in the free water area outside for longer than we stayed inside. And, inside we got to pet sharks and rays, which the kids loved.
Now, we make it to our final day. We started at the Children’s Museum, which is very close to the other museum. Again, get a map! This place was a kid’s dream come true. Everything was hands on. From pulleys to water projects to a kid sized town operated by children, it was a lot of fun. They even had an “obstacle course” that spanned at least three stories.
From there, we drove about thirty or forty minutes to NASA. Yes, we concluded our trip with the Houston Space Center. Amazing enough, the lady taking our ticket was from Louisiana…just outside of Shreveport. We started with the tram ride into restricted areas. I know it was restricted because they took everybody’s picture before they could get on the trolley thing and we had to go through a metal detector. Anyway, we got to see where the astronauts train and learned about some of the new things NASA has planned in the future. After we got back into the museum area, we looked at the insides of a space shuttle and different space suits. There were demonstrations to test your fear. I failed most of them. We went into the rock museum where you got to see “life” in space inside the space station. Then we continued through the halls to find a room full of Moon Rocks. And, yes, there was a piece of the moon on display that you could touch.
All in all, this is one of the best vacations we’ve taken. The kids now get to go back to school this fall with an exciting story to tell when asked, “What did you do this summer?” And their answer will be that they got to pet a dinosaur, play with sharks, feed a giraffe, and touch the moon. I wonder how many of their friends can top that.
Now for the background stories…we left out on Faith that we would find a good room. Summer, my wife, had started looking at the recommendations on where to stay and apparently, Houston has a lot of “bad” neighborhoods. We realized this firsthand as we approached the less costly hotel we were planning to stay at. We quickly did a u-turn and headed back northeast of Houston to get a room. The other nights, we found a room to the northwest thanks to the help of a security guard, who informed us we were in the WRONG part of town. Thank God for His angels. So, use the street views on Google maps to see what an area looks like before you book it. We could have stayed closer in, but figured we’d yield to safety (especially with three kids).
The other thing we would have done differently is visit the other museums in the area. Excuse me, the FREE museums in the area. If we’d have had one of the hotels in the good part of downtown, we could have seen much more.
As we traveled, we got to use the Cross Pennies we had with us to uplift peoples’ day. If you don’t know about the Cross Penny, email me. Anyway, there was a lady in one of the museums that was just boo-hooing, so I gave her a penny and let her know that Jesus is watching her. You see, the museum district is close to the hospitals, including MD Anderson and the Children’s Hospital, so we don’t know why she was upset. But, she mustered a smile to say thank you.
We also had an opportunity to promote our book, On Bended Knee, to a whole new group of people. We talked advertising opportunities with several attractions (we could help you, too). We even got to share Limu with several pizza delivery guys and hotel maids that looked like they wanted a change in life. We also met some Mexicans from Chihuahua, Mexico who spoke mostly German to each other with a mix of Spanish. And, yeah, they spoke English to me or else I wouldn’t have known what they were talking about.
While we were there, there were several camps going on. I don’t know what those workers were paid (I fear they volunteered), but it wasn’t enough for all of those kids. But, it was great to see people taking the time to give these kids something to do during the summer months that is productive and educational.
We had an amazing time and just wanted to share this experience with you. Believe it or not, this is one of the cheapest and most exciting trips we could have taken. Just goes to show you that you don’t have to spend a ton of money to have fun. Or, to use the old expression, “Money doesn’t buy happiness”.
Here’re a few more traveling tips we’d like to share. You can save quite a bit of time if you carry an ice chest with drinks in it with you. That makes the gas station stops faster and cheaper. With a family of five, we easily spend an extra twenty dollars on snacks if we don’t carry them with us. By the way, when traveling through Louisiana, you can have a firearm anywhere in the vehicle. But, in Texas it must be out of sight and out of reach such as in the glove box or console. And, the Bible goes on the dash within arms reach no matter what state you’re in.
Let me know if you know of any other vacation spots where we can have fun, save money, and spread the Love of Jesus. We’d also be glad to write a review of your vacation spot. May God bless you in all that you do in His name. Remember, the fastest way up is to kneel down.
Written by: Robert Lemoine
writing@foreverandalwaysonline.com
Referenced Websites:
City Pass
http://www.citypass.com/?mv_source=foreverandalwaysonline
City Pass Houston http://www.citypass.com/houston?mv_source=foreverandalwaysonline
On Bended Knee
http://www.foreverandalwaysonline.com/arwrbyrole.html
Limu
http://robertandsummer.iamlimu.com/
Cross Penny Ministries
http://crosspennyministries.com/
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Living Without Fear
Recently, there has been a picture being passed around of a “demon” that destroyed someone’s deer camera. At first look, it sends chills through the body. It ignites a deep disabling sense of fear.
That feeling is very understandable. Especially if it is of a demon. But, we have a defense against that feeling of uncontrollable helplessness. God has given us power over all things on earth.
I don’t know the exact scripture, so I’ll paraphrase what I mean. God has told us that if our faith is strong enough we can move a mountain from here to there. If He has given us the power to move mountains, then why should an image scare us. Jesus taught that we have the power to bind evil. And, we’re also told in the Gospel that even though we walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death to FEAR NO EVIL.
It’s funny how Satan can use technology to spread his fear and we allow his influence to overcome what we know. I’m not saying not to continue sharing this photo, but it should not instill fear in us.
Fearless living should not be constricted to just the physical. It should also be used in following what you feel led to do. Many of us have matters pressing on our hearts that we keep fighting back because we’re scared. Scared of failure, scared of what others may think, scared of change, scared of any number of things.
He has told us that He will provide for us. He will not let us fall farther than we can handle. Sometimes we are allowed to fall far enough to realize WHO is in control.
If you ask for His guidance, He will give it to you. Chances are that you will not receive the answer that you want. But, you’ll receive the answer you need. Sometimes you have to crawl longer than you want so you can learn the basics before He’ll allow you to run.
Every experience you have, either good or bad, will offer a lesson if you listen. Life can not be “lived” in fear. Kneel down so you can raise up. He made us fearless.
Now is the time to step out on faith. We are not promised tomorrow, so quit waiting to live your life. Whether you want to change jobs, open a business, go back to school, join a mission trip, preach, teach, or heal, He will lead you if you let Him.
I welcome your comments and suggestions. Please send emails to writing@foreverandalwaysonline.com. May God bless you and keep you safe.
That feeling is very understandable. Especially if it is of a demon. But, we have a defense against that feeling of uncontrollable helplessness. God has given us power over all things on earth.
I don’t know the exact scripture, so I’ll paraphrase what I mean. God has told us that if our faith is strong enough we can move a mountain from here to there. If He has given us the power to move mountains, then why should an image scare us. Jesus taught that we have the power to bind evil. And, we’re also told in the Gospel that even though we walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death to FEAR NO EVIL.
It’s funny how Satan can use technology to spread his fear and we allow his influence to overcome what we know. I’m not saying not to continue sharing this photo, but it should not instill fear in us.
Fearless living should not be constricted to just the physical. It should also be used in following what you feel led to do. Many of us have matters pressing on our hearts that we keep fighting back because we’re scared. Scared of failure, scared of what others may think, scared of change, scared of any number of things.
He has told us that He will provide for us. He will not let us fall farther than we can handle. Sometimes we are allowed to fall far enough to realize WHO is in control.
If you ask for His guidance, He will give it to you. Chances are that you will not receive the answer that you want. But, you’ll receive the answer you need. Sometimes you have to crawl longer than you want so you can learn the basics before He’ll allow you to run.
Every experience you have, either good or bad, will offer a lesson if you listen. Life can not be “lived” in fear. Kneel down so you can raise up. He made us fearless.
Now is the time to step out on faith. We are not promised tomorrow, so quit waiting to live your life. Whether you want to change jobs, open a business, go back to school, join a mission trip, preach, teach, or heal, He will lead you if you let Him.
I welcome your comments and suggestions. Please send emails to writing@foreverandalwaysonline.com. May God bless you and keep you safe.
The Power of Christian Support
We all know that as Christians we are supposed to tithe. You’ve probably heard the argument that you can tithe money, time, or resources. Well I want to elaborate on the influence a Christian dollar makes.
As a Christian, it makes sense for you to use your money in the Christian community whenever you can. Most people don’t think about how their money is used after it leaves their hands. Here is a short example of what happens when your money is spent with a Christian business owner.
You pay the merchant for the products you received. The merchant then takes tithe out. The merchant also reorders the merchandise you just bought. Let’s say that the product was a Christian t-shirt.
The merchant reorders from the supplier, which most likely is a Christian company. Now that company takes tithe out and reorders the raw materials needed to make its product. Chances are it uses a Christian supplier as well. Now you have at least three Christian companies all giving tithe to help spread the Word of Jesus.
Let’s look a little deeper though. These companies have employees that are Christian and give tithe from their paychecks. They also use the remainder of their checks to buy Christian whenever possible. This effect is now rippling all through the Christian community.
What you thought was an insignificant purchase may have helped feed a family or provided a Bible to a lost soul. By making a conscious effort, you can help magnify the Glory of God. Not only did you buy a Christian t-shirt that point blank says, “Look at Jesus”, but you have spent your money where it can ripple throughout the world spreading the Gospel.
Next time you make a purchase, I urge you to step back and think about where your money is going. Is it going to help spread the name of our Savior or is it going to help fund a terrorist camp in some third world country or is it going to be donated to a gay rights group for an easy tax write-off? The choice is yours.
As a Christian, it makes sense for you to use your money in the Christian community whenever you can. Most people don’t think about how their money is used after it leaves their hands. Here is a short example of what happens when your money is spent with a Christian business owner.
You pay the merchant for the products you received. The merchant then takes tithe out. The merchant also reorders the merchandise you just bought. Let’s say that the product was a Christian t-shirt.
The merchant reorders from the supplier, which most likely is a Christian company. Now that company takes tithe out and reorders the raw materials needed to make its product. Chances are it uses a Christian supplier as well. Now you have at least three Christian companies all giving tithe to help spread the Word of Jesus.
Let’s look a little deeper though. These companies have employees that are Christian and give tithe from their paychecks. They also use the remainder of their checks to buy Christian whenever possible. This effect is now rippling all through the Christian community.
What you thought was an insignificant purchase may have helped feed a family or provided a Bible to a lost soul. By making a conscious effort, you can help magnify the Glory of God. Not only did you buy a Christian t-shirt that point blank says, “Look at Jesus”, but you have spent your money where it can ripple throughout the world spreading the Gospel.
Next time you make a purchase, I urge you to step back and think about where your money is going. Is it going to help spread the name of our Savior or is it going to help fund a terrorist camp in some third world country or is it going to be donated to a gay rights group for an easy tax write-off? The choice is yours.
A Fearless New Year
Another year is here. Many people experience dread and anticipation along with fear as the new begins. Will I keep my job? Will I find a job? What about all the bills I have because of the loans or credit cards I used for Christmas? These questions scare most of us.
I don’t think it is so much these questions that scare us, but what they represent…THE UNKNOWN. This is where I urge you to think back to Sunday School or the sermon where you’ve heard, “Ye though I walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, I shall Fear No Evil.” I’m not sure what verse it is, but I know what it means.
Sometimes we get so caught up in ourselves that we forget that we don’t have control anyway. We can seek guidance by getting down on our knees and talking to God. A lot of people like to “make deals” with God when they know they can’t control a situation. The simple fix would have been to just ask for His guidance in the beginning.
An example of how easy it is the story of how Summer, my wife, started working at Sonic. We had been selling merchandise at flea markets where we made a comfortable living. A couple of years ago, the media hype got so strong about how horrible the economy was that people quit buying. And just like that our income stopped. We tried “fixing” the problem ourselves without success. One night, we sat down and asked God for his help.
Keep in mind that we were hoping for our business to increase and things to stay like they had been. That’s not what happened. Instead, we stopped by Sonic the next day to get the kids a quick bite while we were “fixing” our situation. God answered our request by sending out a carhop that Summer used to work with. She excitedly looked at Summer and asked, “Are you coming back? They’ve got you on the schedule for next week.”
Needless to say that is not the answer we were looking for, but it has been sufficient to get our finances back on track. It has also been a great exposure to potential work from home opportunities and friends who stop by at the markets we attend. By listening to Him, we have also been rewarded with festivals where we can sell our merchandise at. Granted, the economy still hasn’t fully recovered, but we have seen an increase in sales.
My point to all of this is simple: Quit letting fear hold you back. Get down on your knees and ask God for help. You probably won’t be given the winning lottery numbers, but He will give you what you need. If you feel it has been on your heart to change jobs, start a family, get saved, open a business, go back to school, join a mission trip, then stop worrying and step out on Faith. He won’t let you fall farther than you can handle. Now is the time, because we aren’t promised tomorrow. As long as you have “One Fear”, you’ll be just fine.
I don’t think it is so much these questions that scare us, but what they represent…THE UNKNOWN. This is where I urge you to think back to Sunday School or the sermon where you’ve heard, “Ye though I walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, I shall Fear No Evil.” I’m not sure what verse it is, but I know what it means.
Sometimes we get so caught up in ourselves that we forget that we don’t have control anyway. We can seek guidance by getting down on our knees and talking to God. A lot of people like to “make deals” with God when they know they can’t control a situation. The simple fix would have been to just ask for His guidance in the beginning.
An example of how easy it is the story of how Summer, my wife, started working at Sonic. We had been selling merchandise at flea markets where we made a comfortable living. A couple of years ago, the media hype got so strong about how horrible the economy was that people quit buying. And just like that our income stopped. We tried “fixing” the problem ourselves without success. One night, we sat down and asked God for his help.
Keep in mind that we were hoping for our business to increase and things to stay like they had been. That’s not what happened. Instead, we stopped by Sonic the next day to get the kids a quick bite while we were “fixing” our situation. God answered our request by sending out a carhop that Summer used to work with. She excitedly looked at Summer and asked, “Are you coming back? They’ve got you on the schedule for next week.”
Needless to say that is not the answer we were looking for, but it has been sufficient to get our finances back on track. It has also been a great exposure to potential work from home opportunities and friends who stop by at the markets we attend. By listening to Him, we have also been rewarded with festivals where we can sell our merchandise at. Granted, the economy still hasn’t fully recovered, but we have seen an increase in sales.
My point to all of this is simple: Quit letting fear hold you back. Get down on your knees and ask God for help. You probably won’t be given the winning lottery numbers, but He will give you what you need. If you feel it has been on your heart to change jobs, start a family, get saved, open a business, go back to school, join a mission trip, then stop worrying and step out on Faith. He won’t let you fall farther than you can handle. Now is the time, because we aren’t promised tomorrow. As long as you have “One Fear”, you’ll be just fine.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Earning a Dollar - repost with update
A dollar. It used to be so much. Now it seems like it's nothing. The new generation has no appreciation for the cost of a dollar. The youth of today see us go to the store and slide a piece of plastic through the machine and we leave with "stuff". They have no idea how it works. My wife and I try to pay with cash on most items so our kids see it's not magic. They watch us at flea markets when people give us money in exchange for merchandise. I think this summer we will let our kids bring back the "lemonade stand". I think it will help them to understand how a dollar works. When I was younger, I wanted a toy that cost about $50 and that was a lot of money for a toy in the early '80's. I was told "NO". But then my very insightful step-Dad said I could work for it. He had a pile of bricks that had just been thrown into a pile in the wrong spot in the yard and needed them stacked neatly by the fence on the other side of the yard about 250 - 300 feet away. I carried bricks one in each hand, then stacks of 4 or 5 at a time, and then just whatever I could handle. I was so tired. Every day after school for about a week I carried and stacked bricks until dark. When all of the bricks were moved, I was given the money to go get that toy...it was the first Optimus Prime Transformer. I paid for it with my HARD EARNED DOLLARS and had maybe a couple of dollars change back. A few years ago, they moved that stack of bricks to almost where they started out at. Anyway, I hope to give our kids the same life lesson that a dollar is not just something everybody has and that you have to EARN it. Keep in mind that when we were growing up, our parents went to the bank to deposit a paycheck and went to the bank to get money. It was real, not just a "magic" piece of plastic.
This story was originally written on April 16, 2009. I failed to mention in the story that I still have that toy tucked away in storage. Jeffy Cole, the man who taught me about a dollar, left this world on April 24, 2010. His birthday is quickly approaching and I thought this would be a great tribute to him. After his passing, those bricks moved once again. They are now in my yard, stacked neatly where my boys placed them. That’s right, I used them to teach the same value I learned as a small boy. Who knows, those same bricks may be used in the future to teach another generation the value of a dollar.
May you all have a Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year. God bless you all.
This story was originally written on April 16, 2009. I failed to mention in the story that I still have that toy tucked away in storage. Jeffy Cole, the man who taught me about a dollar, left this world on April 24, 2010. His birthday is quickly approaching and I thought this would be a great tribute to him. After his passing, those bricks moved once again. They are now in my yard, stacked neatly where my boys placed them. That’s right, I used them to teach the same value I learned as a small boy. Who knows, those same bricks may be used in the future to teach another generation the value of a dollar.
May you all have a Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year. God bless you all.
Merry Christmas
It’s that time of year when the decorations go up, the sale papers swell with bargains, and the stores tell you “Happy Holidays!” WHAT?! What holidays? I only know of one holiday this time of year, Christmas.
We have gotten so misled and brainwashed by the non-believers that we tolerate this kind of action. If employees of a store can’t tell me “Merry Christmas” when I spend hundreds of dollars on what is obviously gifts, then why should I choose to patronize them? We have set back and remained silent about this night for too long. It is now time to rise up and tell the person at the check out and the person behind you in line, “Merry Christmas”.
My wife and I set up and sell at flea markets and festivals around. We say “Merry Christmas” and our neighbors say “Merry Christmas” because WE own our businesses and know that the Public Relations department won’t get a call about our obscene language. If a customer tells us “Happy Holidays”, we are free to ask “what other holiday are you celebrating other than Christmas”. If you’re Jewish or Muslim or atheist or whatever else, why are you even participating in a holiday celebrating the birth of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ? Why do you care if another Christian tells me “Merry Christmas”?
CHRISTians, get off your butts and stand up for what is right. If you are ashamed of Him, He will be ashamed of you when you stand before the Throne of The Father. If we don’t put CHRIST back into CHRISTmas, then no one will.
Chances are that this article will not make it out in time for Christmas, but the point is not lost. We all know the true meaning of Christmas and we should show it and spread it throughout the year. Christmas is a time of joy and laughter, a time of peace and brotherly love, a time of family and friends, and most of all a time of remembering and celebrating the birth of Jesus. I have a t-shirt that I love to wear during the hot summer months that simply says, “Christ is Christmas”. Remember Him during the New Year. Remember Him during the spring, summer, fall, winter, as well as on Christmas.
Hopefully, when you are checking out at the “After-Christmas” sales the cashier can say, “Did you have a great Christmas?” instead of “Did you have a good Holiday?”
Merry Christmas to all and may God bless you. Remember the Reason for the Season and thank Him often for the gifts He gives you all year long as well as for the Greatest Gift of All, His Sacrifice for you.
We have gotten so misled and brainwashed by the non-believers that we tolerate this kind of action. If employees of a store can’t tell me “Merry Christmas” when I spend hundreds of dollars on what is obviously gifts, then why should I choose to patronize them? We have set back and remained silent about this night for too long. It is now time to rise up and tell the person at the check out and the person behind you in line, “Merry Christmas”.
My wife and I set up and sell at flea markets and festivals around. We say “Merry Christmas” and our neighbors say “Merry Christmas” because WE own our businesses and know that the Public Relations department won’t get a call about our obscene language. If a customer tells us “Happy Holidays”, we are free to ask “what other holiday are you celebrating other than Christmas”. If you’re Jewish or Muslim or atheist or whatever else, why are you even participating in a holiday celebrating the birth of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ? Why do you care if another Christian tells me “Merry Christmas”?
CHRISTians, get off your butts and stand up for what is right. If you are ashamed of Him, He will be ashamed of you when you stand before the Throne of The Father. If we don’t put CHRIST back into CHRISTmas, then no one will.
Chances are that this article will not make it out in time for Christmas, but the point is not lost. We all know the true meaning of Christmas and we should show it and spread it throughout the year. Christmas is a time of joy and laughter, a time of peace and brotherly love, a time of family and friends, and most of all a time of remembering and celebrating the birth of Jesus. I have a t-shirt that I love to wear during the hot summer months that simply says, “Christ is Christmas”. Remember Him during the New Year. Remember Him during the spring, summer, fall, winter, as well as on Christmas.
Hopefully, when you are checking out at the “After-Christmas” sales the cashier can say, “Did you have a great Christmas?” instead of “Did you have a good Holiday?”
Merry Christmas to all and may God bless you. Remember the Reason for the Season and thank Him often for the gifts He gives you all year long as well as for the Greatest Gift of All, His Sacrifice for you.
Personal Freedom or Herd of Cattle?
My family and I were in the local mall today doing some last minute Christmas shopping. As we were walking and looking, I picked up our three year old and put him on my shoulders. We took a few steps when out of thin air appeared a mall cop, who quickly told me to get him down.
Apparently, it is too dangerous for me to walk around with my child on my shoulders, so it’s against mall policy. That’s right, it is against the rules to let a child ride on your shoulders. I have never heard of such a ridiculous statement. My wife just looked at me in awe. We were both dumb struck.
Now keep in mind that I was born in the mid-1970’s and such rules didn’t exist then. Which then again, neither did rules about wearing seat belts, spanking your kids, or praying in school, but I, along with millions of others, lived through it. We have come so far as a society since then.
We have allowed ourselves to be conditioned into submitting into whatever the “bell cow” tells us to do. We are people. We are Americans. We live in the Home of the Free…or so I thought.
I know some people are not as smart as others and need extra guidance, but we are an intelligent people. We have allowed the safety nuts to chase us into cattle chute just waiting to…well, I don’t know yet.
Some of these rules aren’t necessarily bad such as speed limits and age requirements for the military. Let’s get real with some of the others though. Children have ridden on shoulders for generations without tragedies. Seat belts should be a personal choice, except on kids. My Bible says that sparing the rod spoils the child, again, a personal choice. My Bible also tells me to pray, so I should decide if I want to participate or not.
I’m tired of being told what I can and can’t do when it doesn’t affect other people. No man should have the right to tell me how to live my life. It just seems that life was simpler when we didn’t have all the “safety” in it.
In closing, we need to look around and see just who we’re following. If you’re not following God’s Law, then you’re just another head in the herd waiting for slaughter. We are Americans living in America. In God we trust!
Apparently, it is too dangerous for me to walk around with my child on my shoulders, so it’s against mall policy. That’s right, it is against the rules to let a child ride on your shoulders. I have never heard of such a ridiculous statement. My wife just looked at me in awe. We were both dumb struck.
Now keep in mind that I was born in the mid-1970’s and such rules didn’t exist then. Which then again, neither did rules about wearing seat belts, spanking your kids, or praying in school, but I, along with millions of others, lived through it. We have come so far as a society since then.
We have allowed ourselves to be conditioned into submitting into whatever the “bell cow” tells us to do. We are people. We are Americans. We live in the Home of the Free…or so I thought.
I know some people are not as smart as others and need extra guidance, but we are an intelligent people. We have allowed the safety nuts to chase us into cattle chute just waiting to…well, I don’t know yet.
Some of these rules aren’t necessarily bad such as speed limits and age requirements for the military. Let’s get real with some of the others though. Children have ridden on shoulders for generations without tragedies. Seat belts should be a personal choice, except on kids. My Bible says that sparing the rod spoils the child, again, a personal choice. My Bible also tells me to pray, so I should decide if I want to participate or not.
I’m tired of being told what I can and can’t do when it doesn’t affect other people. No man should have the right to tell me how to live my life. It just seems that life was simpler when we didn’t have all the “safety” in it.
In closing, we need to look around and see just who we’re following. If you’re not following God’s Law, then you’re just another head in the herd waiting for slaughter. We are Americans living in America. In God we trust!
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Soldier's Christmas Peom
TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,
HE LIVED ALL ALONE,
IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF
PLASTER AND STONE.
I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY
WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,
AND TO SEE JUST WHO
IN THIS HOME DID LIVE.
I LOOKED ALL ABOUT,
A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,
NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS,
NOT EVEN A TREE.
NO STOCKING BY MANTLE,
JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,
ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES
OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.
WITH MEDALS AND BADGES,
AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
A SOBER THOUGHT
CAME THROUGH MY MIND.
FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,
IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER,
ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.
THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING,
SILENT, ALONE,
CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR
IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.
THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE,
THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,
NOT HOW I PICTURED
A UNITED STATES SOLDIER.
WAS THIS THE HERO
OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?
CURLED UP ON A PONCHO,
THE FLOOR FOR A BED?
I REALIZED THE FAMILIES
THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,
OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS
WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.
SOON ROUND THE WORLD,
THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,
AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE
A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.
THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM
EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,
BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS,
LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.
I COULDN'T HELP WONDER
HOW MANY LAY ALONE,
ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE
IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.
THE VERY THOUGHT
BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE,
I DROPPED TO MY KNEES
AND STARTED TO CRY.
THE SOLDIER AWAKENED
AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,
"SANTA DON'T CRY,
THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;
I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,
I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,
MY LIFE IS MY GOD,
MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS."
THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER
AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,
I COULDN'T CONTROL IT,
I CONTINUED TO WEEP.
I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS,
SO SILENT AND STILL
AND WE BOTH SHIVERED
FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.
I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE
ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,
THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR
SO WILLING TO FIGHT.
THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,
WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,
WHISPERED, "CARRY ON SANTA,
IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE."
ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH,
AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
"MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND,
AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT."
This poem was written by a Marine stationed in Okinawa Japan. The
following is his request. I think it is reasonable.....
PLEASE. Would you do me the kind favor of sending this to as many people as you can? Christmas will be coming soon and some credit is due to our U.S. service men and women for our being able to celebrate these festivities.
Let's try in this small way to pay a tiny bit of what we owe. Make people stop and think of our heroes, living and dead, who sacrificed themselves for us. Please, do your small part to plant this small seed.
Saturday, December 11, 2010
How Strong Is Your Faith?
My wife and I sell merchandise at flea markets and festivals. We have recently been exposed to different groups and individuals that make us question how strong our faith is. I feel led to share some thoughts and observations with you.
We have met people who have taken up the Cross and carried it into foreign lands. We have met supporters of a group that provides transportation to Christian leaders in other countries. We know many that participate in prison ministries, mission trips, and other Gospel spreading trips.
It has been pressing on my heart to share what these dynamic people of Christ have made me realize. Most of us that call ourselves Christians are falling short of spreading the Word as we are instructed in the Bible. Hopefully, some of us will have our spirits energized and renewed by these observations.
These Christian Americans are risking their lives around the world to tell the less fortunate about Jesus Christ and His Love for us all. By providing natives with motorcycles and bicycles, paths are being blazed to new churches being established in hard to reach villages. Bibles are being sent to places where it is illegal to worship the One True God.
We complain about having to drive a few miles to a heated and cooled building with relatively comfortable seats while natives of other countries walk miles through treacherous weather, persecution, poisonous spiders and snakes, and other obstacles to listen to the Gospel of Our Lord and Savior in a shack or ragged tent. Our brothers and sisters in Christ huddle around a single Bible while we each have two or three we don't even open most of the time.
We talk ourselves out of going to Church because we had a long week, we want to hunt, fish, or watch TV, or we just don't feel like going today. Our fellow brethren put aside their time to relax and possibly time to perform necessary chores just to attend a service. We complain about not having anything to wear to Church, while there are those who go with whatever threads or animal hides they have.
After just a quick look at myself, I know I have room for improvement. With the events that surround us today, I wonder where America stands in God's eyes. I urge you to step back and look in the mirror and ask yourself that simple question, "How strong is my Faith?" How badly do you desire to be around the Lord? Will you tell him to wait when He comes because of a football game or you don't have shoes to match what you're wearing?
If you're not able to travel to these lands, you can still help by giving to causes that already have the logistical abilities to make the most of your donation. Some of you may be led to get up and go. I urge you to find a group to join. May God bless you and keep you safe.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
FREE CHRISTIAN T-SHIRTS
We are pleased to announce our FREE DRAWING for Christian T-shirts.
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. ONE ENTRY PER PERSON.
Earn an Extra entry for every $25.00 you spend on merchandise (tax and shipping does not count towards $25.00 increment).
To enter, simply email your Name, Address, Phone Number, and Email Address to drawing@foreverandalwaysonline.com.
The drawing is for your choice of any Christian t-shirt or jewelry item from our website. (Banners, Hoodies, Avon, and items not on www.foreverandalwaysonline.com are not included in prize choice.)
Four (4) prizes will be given away on November 30, 2009. The winner will be notified via email and must respond with his or her prize choice by 6:00 PM CST on December 1, 2009 or another winner will be chosen. The new winner will have until 6:00 PM CST on December 3, 2009 to respond. If no response is given by then, the first winner to respond will receive an additional prize of our choosing.
The SAME person can win all four (4) prizes.
Prizes include free shipping to anywhere inside the Continental U.S. Prizes can be shipped to an address other than the winners. Gift wrapping, however, is not available.
To enter, simply email your Name, Address, Phone Number, and Email Address to drawing@foreverandalwaysonline.com.
This contest is open to All Ages. An active email is required. Please do not create fictitious people and emails.
By signing up for our drawing, you are agreeing to receive promotional emails from us. Us includes www.foreverandalwaysonline.com and Summer Lemoine, Avon Independent Sales Representative. Your name will be added to our database and can be removed at any time after December 3, 2009. WE DO NOT SELL, RENT, OR SHARE YOUR INFORMATION.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Reflections
Now is the time of our lives. Not waiting until we retire. Not waiting until the kids are grown. Not waiting until all of our finances are in order. NOW. Now is the time.
I encourage each of you to take a look around. Reflect on your life. Are you living to the most of your potential? Are you waiting to LIVE? Look at the ones around you. Is this the group you wanted to be a part of?
Don't procastinate on living...you may never get the chance.
If you are a leader, LEAD.
If you are a follower, FOLLOW.
If you are a salesman, SALE.
If you are a cook, COOK.
If you are a poet, WRITE.
My point is that too many are sitting and waiting without doing. You have to be who you are led to be. God created us each with our own talents. Do not waste your talent waiting to live. God gave you a gift and the ability to recognize that gift. Put it to use and see what God truly had in store for you to do.
When we decide to listen to what God has told us, we will know what happiness is. I was lost in a world I didn't care for until I took a chance. God blessed me with a very supportive wife who stands with me through the good times and the bad. She saw my unhappiness with the work I was doing. She listened as I told her idea after idea after idea of things I would like to do. She simply said who she thought I was and reassured me of my abilities. I'd like to pause here to publicly thank her for her support and love. Babygirl, it's because of you that I have found my true happiness. You told me that no matter what, you would be here and as long as I did what God wanted me to do, I would be ok.
She was right. God has blessed us. We have gone through quite a few trials since stepping out on God's word, but Satan likes to create trouble. We have stood fast on our faith in the Good Lord and He has brought us through it all.
Crazy as it seems, He has led us around through many different ventures to get us where we are and to land us in total happiness. We still have difficulties from time to time, but we are always taken care of.
My point to all of this is simple. Look at your life. Look at your job. If you are unmarried and have not yet found that person who completes you, LISTEN TO GOD and be who you are supposed to be. If you live the life He has in store for you, He will take care of things.
In closing, I would like to thank God for the gifts he has given me. He has given me a wife who makes me whole, great children who add to the everyday enjoyment of life, and several abilities and talents that make me who I am. All of these things I give Him credit for.
May God bless you and keep you safe in all that you do.
Please feel free to comment or share your story with us.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
AVON
More exciting news!! We've added Avon to our line up of products we sell. Now you can go online to www.youravon.com/summerlemoine and receive FREE SHIPPING on orders of $30 or more.
No more setting up appointments. You can shop and buy online while wearing your "comfortable clothes". Since its shipped to you, you don't have to make arrangements to get it.
This information is being provided by an Independent Representative.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Life and All of its Wonders
God is truly AMAZING. He created the whole universe and still has time for you and me. He answers prayers and makes things work out.
Life is a special gift we are given that everyone doesn’t appreciate. We are put here to give glory to our Lord, yet some are ashamed, some don’t believe, and some just don’t care. We are in a world of turmoil and disease; uncertainty and hardships; distrust and misrepresentation.
We are also in a time of great opportunity. We now have the ideal opportunity to turn things back by putting our faith and trust back in GOD. It is our duty as Christians to proclaim to the world that our Lord God is in control and has power over all of the bad things. He can take away the bad things if we put our faith in Him.
I ask that each of you reading this ask God for his guidance on anything and all things in your life. Take the time to talk to him again. Talk to him about things that are bothering you like finances, swine flu, aids, layoffs, the broken washing machine, your lack of romance, and everything else in your life. Be sure to also thank Him for the gifts, both large and small.
Our lives are filled with such wonder that most of it goes unnoticed. Most people get up, go to work, come home, go to bed, get up, go to work, and so on. We have so much to appreciate if we just take a moment to think about it.
We have the power to influence people all around us. When you go to the store, do you give the clerk an attitude or do you smile and wish them a great day? When you’re driving, do you glare, yell, and give hand gestures to your neighboring drivers, or do you wave and smile at complete strangers? How many say, “God bless you” when someone sneezes and how many say something else if anything at all?
Use the power you have for good. Thank the people who help you or wait on you. Tip the waiter, waitress, or carhop who brought your food. Don’t yell at the person who cut you off. Enjoy the moments you’re given. I’ll end here because my boys are wanting me to play…one of the moments that changes both my life and theirs.
May God bless each and every one of you.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Earning a Dollar
A dollar. It used to be so much. Now it seems like it's nothing. The new generation has no appreciation for the cost of a dollar. The youth of today see us go to the store and slide a piece of plastic through the machine and we leave with "stuff". They have no idea how it works. My wife and I try to pay with cash on most items so our kids see it's not magic. They watch us at flea markets when people give us money in exchange for merchandise. I think this summer we will let our kids bring back the "lemonade stand". I think it will help them to understand how a dollar works. When I was younger, I wanted a toy that cost about $50. That was a lot of money for a toy in the early '80's. I was told "NO". But then my very insightful step-Dad said I could work for it. He had a pile of bricks that had just been thrown into a pile in the wrong spot in the yard and needed them stacked neatly by the fence on the other side of the yard about 250 - 300 feet away. I carried bricks one in each hand, then stacks of 4 or 5 at a time, and then just whatever I could handle. I was so tired. Every day after school for about a week I carried and stacked bricks until dark. When all of the bricks were moved, I was given the money to go get that toy...it was the first Optimus Prime Transformer. I paid for it with my HARD EARNED DOLLARS and had maybe a couple of dollars change back. A few years ago, they moved that stack of bricks to almost where they started out at. Anyway, I hope to give our kids the same life lesson that a dollar is not just something everybody has and that you have to EARN it. Keep in mind that when we were growing up, our parents went to the bank to deposit a paycheck and went to the bank to get money. It was real, not just a "magic" piece of plastic. That's all for now. We'd love to hear your thoughts. Tell us what you think. God bless you.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Recession - How REAL is It???
I have heard the stories and seen the news clips of how bad the economy is. But, how bad is it? I know in several areas, there have been plant closings and other such events that have taken tolls on the people of those communities. My thoughts and prayers are with you. On the other side...When my wife and I go through nearby towns, we see new shopping centers being built, new apartment complexes, new buildings and businesses popping up. Most of the working people I talk to have received a pay raise in the last year. The only ones that seem to be affected by the NEWS MEDIA telling us how broke we are is the self-employed, small business owner. People have flocked to "discount" stores such as Wal-Mart, Dollar General, Family Dollar, and others. According to people I know who work in these types of places, business is up. That's right, these businesses are GROWING!! The sad thing is that I can go to a local, small town, grocery store and buy milk and other products CHEAPER than the big, GROWING bigger, businesses. How is that possible? The big chains buy in bulk to get better pricing. Their sales are up and their cost is cheaper. Why do they charge more? Why do we as a society tolerate paying more? I think we have become brainwashed over the years by the MEDIA telling us what we "know". We have been told that the housing market has collapsed. It's not a surprise. I used to work in mortgage lending. The guy I worked with said it was coming because of appraisers inflating house values, mortgage companies not requiring correct documentation, and mostly of borrowers wanting adjustable rate loans instead of fixed rates. Yes, the payments are lower now, but in three years when that rate adjusts, the balance hasn't changed much. That means if you couldn't afford a fixed rate loan at that interest rate then, you couldn't afford that new adjusted rate in three years. Unfortunately, most consumers don't realize what takes place when doing a loan. The loan officers and brokers who made the loan knew better. The banks who carried the loan knew better. Unfortunately, none of them cared enough about "John Doe" off the street because making him a loan made them rich. What am I saying? Did GREED cause this to take place? YES, YES, YES!!! Now the banks that held these loans are hurting because the borrower can't afford the higher payments and when they go to forclose on the home, there isn't a buyer for that over-priced piece of property. I'm sorry for the people who lost their homes. I am not sorry for the banks and loan companies who are "suffering". It's hard to feel sorry for somebody who only made $100,000 to $1,000,000 last year. They could have gotten by without the government bailing them out. They didn't have to pay those huge salaries and bonuses to the people who made bad judgement calls. If you would like to save some money and have fun at the same time, I encourage you to visit a flea market or trade days or swap meet in your area. Most of the people there are hard working individuals trying to feed their families. Some places my family and I set up are Bonnie & Clyde Trade Days in Arcadia, LA and First Monday Trade Days in Canton, TX. There are also some near Dallas, TX; Burmingham, AL; Myrtle Beach, SC; and other places across the country. Another way to find bargains is to shop online. I personally recommend http://www.foreverandalwaysonline.com/ for a great selection of Christian t-shirts and other merchandise. I encourage you to truly look at your situation and see if you are hurting financially or if you just think you are because somebody told you you were. If you're needing more money coming in, try looking for a different or additional job. Yes, jobs are also everywhere you turn around. Let go of your pride and take one at the gas station, fast food chain, or what ever is available that doesn't violate your morality.
That about concludes my thoughts for the day. Please leave your comments about what you think. Also, please visit your local, small town stores. They need your support. Also remember, you might save $5 by buying that new whatever in the bigger towns, but it'll cost you at least $10 in gas to get there plus the extra miles you added to your vehicle. In closing, I ask that each of you reading this pray about your situation, pray for the ones who are without work and pray for the ones without a home. Remember that God is in control and He won't give you more than you can handle. May God Bless you and keep you safe.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Taking Time
Have you ever stopped to think? Have you ever stopped to see? Have you ever stopped to listen?
This morning my family and I were on the road at about 6:15 which is not unusual. This morning was different though. As we left the house, I noticed the full moon just above the horizon to our left. My wife commented how beautiful it was. It was "big" with a yellow glow. As we continued our journey, we had changed directions so that it was now directly in front of us. As we came up a hill, it looked as if we could drive to the moon. It was an incredible sight.
The reason I mention this is because we have made this trip most mornings for the last several months. Today was different. Have we been so pre-occupied in our daily running and doing that we haven't seen it before? Or, has it just not been there? Sadly, the moment passed as our conversation resumed and the moon "disappeared".
I have thought about that a lot this morning. What are we missing? I see my family everyday, but I may be overlooking parts of the day because of other events that cast huge shadows or maybe "outshine" the joy we have.
I personally haven't "seen" the beauty that fills this house for a bit of time because of "life". "Life" is the daily to do lists of updating our website, advertising, paying bills, taking out the trash, and other such tasks that occupy our time. That has made me stop to think, see, and listen. Tonight I plan to surprise my wife and kids with a night out. Putting "life" to the side so we can live. I plan to "see" my family and all of the joy, warmth, and hope they offer. I'm also making time to listen to all of the great stories that have to be told about school, friends, and all of the other meaningful events of the day that influence the ones I love.
Life is too short not to live it. I plan to redirect my motivations of living to work into working to live. I love my wife and kids and do not want to miss anymore time together. A quick sidenote: when my wife and I were dating, we would stay up until 2 or 3 in the morning just talking...It made it hard to be at work before 8AM. We are now self-employed and busier than before.
So, I ask you again...DO YOU SEE THE MOON? Take the time to think about this, to see what you're missing, and to listen to the ones who make your life complete.
May God bless you and keep you safe in all that you do. Pray for the ones you can't help and help the ones you can. Thank you for reading.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Christian Apparel and Accessories with FREE Shipping
Christian t-shirts, jewelry, hoodies, and gifts for sale with free shipping for a limited time. Hurry and visit www.foreverandalwaysonline.com before the sale ends.
Our Newest Blog
We will use this blog to discuss the important things in life such as Salvation, Family, Jesus, Life in general, and other suchs topics. We will also discuss some other topics such as politics, finances, and website promotions.
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