thornyone's Blog

-------------------------------------------------------
-------------------





  Can I Borrow $25?

   A man came home from work late, tired and irritated, to find his
    5-year  Old son waiting for him at the door.

    SON: 'Daddy, may I ask you a question?'
    DAD: 'Yeah sure, what it is?' replied the man.
    SON: 'Daddy, how much do you make an hour?'
    DAD: 'That's none of your business. Why do you ask such a thing?' the
  Man said angrily.
   SON: 'I just want to know. Please tell me, how much do you make an
    Hour?'
    DAD: 'If you must know, I make $50 an hour.'
    SON: 'Oh,' the little boy replied, with his head down.
   SON: 'Daddy, may I please borrow $25?'

    The father was furious, 'If the only reason you asked that is so you 
Can borrow some money to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then
   You march yourself straight to your room and go to bed. Think about
   Why
    You are being so selfish.. I don't work hard everyday for such   
Childish
   Frivolities.' The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the
    Door.

   The man sat down and started to get even angrier about the little   
Boy's'
    Questions. How dare he ask such questions only to get some money?   
After
   About an hour or so, the man had calmed down , and started to think:
    Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that $25.00
   And  he really didn't ask for money very often. The man went to the door
     of
     The little boy's room and opened the door. 'Are you asleep, son?' He
    Asked. 'No daddy, I'm awake,' replied the boy. 'I've been thinking,
     Maybe I was too hard on you earlier' said the man. 'It's been a long
  Day and I took out my aggravation on you. Here's the $25 you
    Asked for.'

     The little boy sat straight up, smiling. 'Oh, thank you daddy!'    He
yelled. Then, reaching under his pillow he pulled out some   
Crumpled
     Up bills. The man saw that the boy already had money, started to get
  Angry again. The little boy slowly counted out his money, and then
  Looked up at his father. 'Why do you want more money if you already
    Have some?' the father grumbled.. Because I didn't have enough, but
     Now
     I do,' the little boy replied. 'Daddy, I have $50 now. Can I buy an 
Hour of your time? Please come home early tomorrow. I would like to
  Have dinner with you.'


     The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little son, and he
    Begged for his forgiveness. It's just a short reminder to all of you
     Working so hard in life. We should not let time slip through our   
Fingers without having spent some time with those who really matter 
to
    us, those close to our hearts. Do remember to share that $50 worth of
  Your time with someone you love..

     If we die tomorrow, the company that we are working for could easily
  Replace us in a matter of hours. But the family & friends we leave
  Behind will feel the loss for the rest of their lives.


     From my house to yours


    'The light of God surrounds us.
     The love of God enfolds us.
     The power of God protects us.
    The presence of God watches over us.
    Wherever we are God is and all is well.'

 
 Who is Jesus?
HE IS JESUS
WHO IS HE?

IN CHEMISTRY, HE TURNED WATER TO WINE.

IN BIOLOGY, HE WAS BORN WITHOUT THE
NORMAL CONCEPTION;

IN PHYSICS, HE DISPROVED THE LAW OF
GRAVITY WHEN HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN;

IN ECONOMICS, HE DISPROVED THE LAW
OF DIMINISHING RETURN BY FEEDING 5000 MEN WITH
TWO FISHES & 5 LOAVES OF BREAD;

IN MEDICINE, HE CURED THE SICK AND THE
BLIND WITHOUT ADMINISTERING A SINGLE DOSE OF DRUGS,

IN HISTORY, HE IS THE BEGINNING AND THE END;
IN GOVERNMENT, HE SAID THAT HE SHALL
BE CALLED WONDERFUL COUNSELOR, PRINCE OF PEACE
IN RELIGION, HE SAID NO ONE COMES TO
THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH HIM;

SO, WHO IS HE?
HE IS JESUS!

JOIN ME AND LET'S CELEBRATE HIM;
HE IS WORTHY.

THE EYES BEHOLDING THIS MESSAGE SHALL
NOT BEHOLD EVIL,

THE HAND THAT WILL
SEND THIS MESSAGE TO EVERYBODY SHALL
NOT LABOR IN VAIN,

AND THE MOUTH SAYING AMEN
TO THIS PRAYER SHALL SMILE FOREVER.

REMAIN IN GOD AND SEEK HIS FACE ALWAYS.
AMEN

IN GOD I'VE FOUND EVERYTHING!

The Greatest Man in History
Jesus had no servants, yet they called Him Master.

Had no degree, yet they called Him Teacher.

Had no medicines, yet they called Him Healer

He had no army, yet kings feared Him..

He won no military battles, yet He conquered the world.
He committed no crime, yet they crucified Him.
He was buried in a tomb, yet He lives today.
I feel honored to serve such a Leader who loves us!
If you believe in God and in Jesus
Christ His Son ... Send this to all on
Your buddy list.
If not just ignore it.
If you ignore it, just remember that Jesus said.
'If you deny me before man, I will deny you before my Father in Heaven.'

                                   Baptizing A Drunk

 

 A man is stumbling through the woods totally drunk when he comes upon a preacher baptizing people in the river.

 The drunk walks into the water and subsequently bumps into the preacher. The preacher turns around and is almost overcome by the smell of booze.

 Where upon he asks the drunk, 'Are you ready to find Jesus?'

 'Yes I am' replies the drunk, so the preacher grabs him and dunks him in the river.

 He pulls him up and asks the drunk, 'Brother have you found Jesus?'

 The drunk replies, 'No, I haven't.'

 The preacher, shocked at the answer, dunks him into the water again, but for a bit longer this time. He pulls him out of the water and asks again, 'Have you found Jesus, my brother?'

 The drunk again answers, 'No, I have not found Jesus.'

 By this time the preacher is at his wits end so he dunks the drunk in the water again, but this time he holds him down for about 30 seconds.

 When the drunk begins kicking his arms and legs, the preacher pulls him up. The preacher asks the drunk again, 'For the love of God, have you found Jesus?'

 The drunk wipes his eyes and catches his breath and says to the preacher, 'Are you sure this is where he fell in?'

Pastor Has Guts

                        It seems prayer still upsets some people. Please  
              Read....

                        When Minister Joe Wright was asked to open the new
                Session of the Kansas Senate, everyone was expecting the
usual                 Generalities, but this is what they heard:


 
                        'Heavenly Father,

                        We come before you today

                        To ask your forgiveness and

                        To seek your direction and guidance.

                        We know Your Word says,

                        'Woe to those who call evil good'

                        But that is exactly what we have done.

                        We have lost our spiritual equilibrium

                        And reversed our values.

                        We have exploited the poor and

                        Called it the lottery.

                        We have rewarded laziness

                        And called it welfare.

                        We have killed our unborn

                        And called it choice.

                        We have shot abortionists

                        And called it justifiable.

                        We have neglected to discipline

                        Our children and called it

                        Building self esteem.

                        We have abused power

                        And called it politics.

                        We have coveted our neighbor's

                        Possessions and called it ambition.

                        We have polluted the air

                        With profanity and

                        Pornography and called it

                        Freedom of speech and expression.

                        We have ridiculed the time Honored values of our  
                      Forefathers and called it enlightenment.

                        Search us, Oh, God, And know our hearts today;
                        Cleanse us from every sin and set us free.

                        Amen!'

Subject:  CARL

 

I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright and enough rain to appreciate the sun more.' Author Unknown

 

 

Carl was a quiet man. He didn't talk much.   He would always greet you with a big smile and a firm handshake.   Even after living in our neighborhood for over 50 years, no one could  really say they knew him very well.

 

Before his retirement, he took the bus to work each morning. The lone  sight of him walking down the street often worried us.

 

He had a slight limp from a bullet wound received in WWII.

 

Watching him, we worried that although he had survived WWII, he may not  make it through our changing uptown neighborhood with its ever-increasing random violence, gangs, and drug activity.

 

When he saw the flyer at our local church asking for volunteers for caring  for the gardens behind the minister's residence, he responded in his   characteristically unassuming manner. Without fanfare, he just signed up.

 

He was well into his 87th year when the very thing we had always feared finally happened.

 

He was just finishing his watering for the day when three gang members  approached him. Ignoring their attempt to intimidate him, he simply asked, 'Would you like a drink from the hose?'

 

The tallest and toughest-looking of the three said, 'Yeah, sure,' with a malevolent little smile.

 

As Carl offered the hose to him, the other two grabbed Carl's arm,  throwing him down. As the hose snaked crazily over the ground, dousing   everything in its way, Carl's assailants stole his retirement watch and his wallet, and then fled.

 

Carl tried to get himself up, but he had been thrown down on his bad leg. He  lay there trying to gather himself as the minister came running to help him.

 

Although the minister had witnessed the attack from his window, he couldn't get there fast enough to stop it.

 

'Carl, are you okay? Are you hurt?' the minister kept asking as he helped Carl to his feet.

 

Carl just passed a hand over his brow and sighed, shaking his head.  'Just some punk kids. I hope they'll wise-up someday.'

 

His wet clothes clung to his slight frame as he bent to pick up the hose.  He adjusted the nozzle again and started to water.

 

Confused and a little concerned, the minister asked, 'Carl, what are you doing?'

 

'I've got to finish my watering. It's been very dry lately,' came the calm reply.

 

Satisfying himself that Carl really was all right, the minister could only marvel. Carl was a man from a different time and place.

 

A few weeks later the three returned. Just as before their threat was unchallenged. Carl again offered them a drink from his hose.

 

This time they didn't rob him. They wrenched the hose from his hand and drenched him head to foot in the icy water.

 

When they had finished their humiliation of him, they sauntered off down the street, throwing catcalls and curses, falling over one another laughing at the hilarity of what they had just done.

 

Carl just watched them. Then he turned toward the warmth giving sun,  picked up his hose, and went on with his watering.

 

The summer was quickly fading into fall, Carl was doing some tilling when he was startled by the sudden approach of someone behind him. He stumbled and fell into some evergreen branches.

& lt; /DIV>

 

As he struggled to regain his footing, he turned to see the tall leader of his summer tormentors reaching down for him. He braced himself for the expected attack.

 

'Don't worry old man, I'm not gonna hurt you this time.'

 

The young man spoke softly, still offering the tattooed and scarred hand to Carl. As he helped Carl get up, the man pulled a crumpled bag from his pocket and handed it to Carl.

 

'What's this?' Carl asked.

 

'It's your stuff,' the man explained. 'It's your stuff back.  Even the money in your wallet.'

 

'I don't understand,' Carl said. 'Why would you help me now?'  The man shifted his feet, seeming embarrassed and ill at ease. 'I learned something from you,' he said. 'I ran with that gang and hurt people like you . We picked you because you were old and we knew we could do it. But every time we came and did something to you, instead of yelling and fighting back, you tried to give us a drink. You didn't hate us for hating you. You kept showing love against our hate.'

 

He stopped for a moment. 'I couldn't sleep after we stole your stuff, so here it is back.'

 

He paused for another awkward moment, not knowing what more there was to say. 'That bag's my way of saying thanks for straightening me out,  I guess.' And with that, he walked off down the street.

 

Carl looked down at the sack in his hands and gingerly opened it. He took out his retirement watch and put it back on his wrist. Opening his wallet, he checked for his wedding photo. He gazed for a moment at the young bride who still smiled back at him from all those years ago.

 

He died one cold day after Christmas that winter.

 

Many people attended his funeral in spite of the weather.   In particular the minister noticed a tall young man that he didn't know sitting quietly in a distant corner of the church.

 

The minister spoke of Carl's garden as a lesson in life. In a voice made thick with unshed tears, he said, 'Do your best and make your garden as beautiful as you can. We will never forget Carl and his garden.'

 

The following spring another flyer went up. It read:  'Person needed to care for Carl's garden..'

 

The flyer went unnoticed by the busy parishioners until one day when a knock was heard at the minister's office door.

 

Opening the door, the minister saw a pair of scarred and tattooed hands holding the flyer. 'I believe this is my job, if you'll have me,' the young man said.

 

The minister recognized him as the same young man who had returned the stolen watch and wallet to Carl.

 

He knew that Carl's kindness had turned this man's life around. As the minister handed him the keys to the garden shed, he said, 'Yes, go take care of Carl's garden and honour him..'

 

The man went to work and, over the next several years, he tended the flowers and vegetables just as Carl had done..

 

In that time, he went to college, got married, and became a prominent  member of the community. But he never forgot his promise to Carl's memory and kept the garden as beautiful as he thought Carl would have kept it.

 

One day he approached the new minister and told him that he couldn't care   for the garden any longer. He explained with a shy and happy smile, 'My wife   just had a baby boy last night, and she's bringing him home on Saturday.'

 

'Well, congratulations!' said the minister, as he was handed the garden  shed keys. 'That's wonderful! What's the baby's name?'

 

'Carl,' he replied..

 

That's the whole gospel message simply stated.

  this is so good for all of us who sometimes forget just exactly what our
Savior did for us

  The Duck and the devil ~ I'm in the 93%


  There was a little boy visiting his grandparents on

  their farm. He was given a slingshot to play with out

  in the woods. He practiced in the woods; but he could

  never hit the target. Getting a little discouraged, he

  headed back for dinner. As he was walking back he saw

  Grandma's pet duck. Just out of impulse, he let the

  slingshot fly, hit the duck square in the head and

  Killed it. He was shocked and grieved!


  In a panic, he hid the dead duck in the wood pile;

  only to see his sister watching! Sally had seen it

  all, but she said nothing.


  After lunch the next day Grandma said, "Sally, let's

  wash the dishes" But Sally said, "Grandma , Johnny told

  me he wanted to help in the kitchen." Then she

  whispered to him, "Remember the duck?" So Johnny did the dishes.


  Later that day, Grandpa asked if the children wanted

  to go fishing and Grandma said, "I'm sorry but I need

  Sally to help make supper." Sally just smiled and

  said, "Well that's all right because Johnny told me he

  wanted to help" She whispered again, "Remember the

  duck?" So Sally went fishing and Johnny stayed to help


  After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and

  Sally's; he finally couldn't stand it any longer. He came

  to Grandma and confessed that he had killed the duck.


  Grandma knelt down, gave him a hug and said,

  "Sweetheart, I know. You see, I was standing at the

  window and I saw the whole thing, but because I love

  you, I forgave you. I was just wondering how long you

  would let Sally make a slave of you."


  Thought for the day and every day thereafter?


  Whatever is in your past, whatever you have done...

  and the devil keeps throwing it up in your face

  (lying, cheating, debt, fear, bad habits, hatred,

  anger, bitterness)...whatever it is ..You need

  to know that God was standing at the window



  and He saw the whole thing. He has seen your whole life.



  He wants you to know that He loves you and that you are forgiven.


  He's just wondering how long you will let the devil

  make a slave of you. The great thing about God is

  that when you ask for forgiveness; He not only

  forgives you, but He forgets. It is by God's grace and

  mercy that we are saved


  Go ahead and make the difference in someone's life

  today. Share this with a friend and always remember:

  God is at the window!

Jabs so far: 0 A fifth grade teacher in a Christian school asked her class to look at TV commercials and see if they could use them in some way to communicate ideas about God.  
   
Here are some of the results: scroll down.

God is like.
BAYER ASPIRIN
He works miracles.

God is like.
A FORD
He's got a better idea.

God is like.
COKE
He's the  real thing.


(This is great)

God is like.
HALLMARK CARDS
He cares enough to send His very best.

God is like.
TIDE
He gets the stains out that others leave behind.

God is like.
GENERAL ELECTRIC
He  brings good things to life.

God is like.
SEARS
He has everything.

God is like.
ALKA-SELTZER
Try Him, you'll like Him

God is like.
SCOTCH TAPE
You can't see Him, but you know He's there.


God is like.
DELTA
He's ready when you are.

God is like.
ALLSTATE
You're in  good hands with Him.  


God is like.
VO-5 Hair Spray  
He holds through all kinds of weather.


God is like.
DIAL SOAP
Aren't you  glad you have Him?  Don't you wish everybody did?

(that one is my favorite)
  God is like.
The U.S. POST OFFICE
Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet nor ice will keep Him from His appointed destination.  
  God is like.
Chevrolet. . . .the heart beat of America  
  God is like
Maxwell House. . .
Good to the very last drop  


God is like.
Bounty. . .  
He is the quicker picker upper. . Can handle the tough jobs. . .and He won't fall apart on you

Just to make sure this was true, I went on Oprah's website and there it
is.  The below article is very interesting, so I thought I would share.

Sent: Thursday, January 03, 2008 4:50 PM

Subject: Oprah joins false prophets Bible warned about

http://www.crossroad.to/articles2/007/smith-oprah.htm
or

"Oprah and Friends" to teach course on New Age Christ

Jesus Christ being reinvented, redefined, and blasphemed and, this
false
New- Age Christ teaching is about to make huge inroads into the world,
with the help of the queen of television talk shows, Oprah Winfrey.

Oprah Winfrey, beginning January 1, 2008, on her daily radio program
will
offer a year-long course on the New Age Christ , in a lesson a day and
completely cover the 365 lessons from the Course in Miracles
"Workbook."

Listeners will be encouraged to buy A Course in Miracles for the
year-long
course, and an audio version, recited by Richard (John Boy  Walton)
Thomas
will be available on compact disc.

Those who finish the Course will have a wholly redefined spiritual
mindset-a New Age worldview that include the beliefs that there is no
sin,
no evil, no devil. A Course in Miracles teaches its students to rethink
everything they believe about God and life, and, bluntly  states: "This
is
a course in mind training" and is dedicated to "thought reversal."

The Course in Miracles -in reality-is the truth of the Bible turned
upside
down.

Oprah told her television audience that Williamson's book, A Course in
Miracles was one of her favorite books, and that she had already bought
a
thousand copies and would be handing them out to everyone in her studio
audience. Oprah's endorsement skyrocketed Williamson's book to the top
of
the New York Times bestseller list .

A Course in Miracles is allegedly a "new revelation" from "Jesus" to
help
humanity work through these troubled times. This "Jesus"-who bears no
doctrinal resemblance to the Bible's Jesus Christ-began delivering
channeled teachings in 1965 to a Columbia University Professor of
Medical
Psychology, Helen Schucman.

One day Schucman heard an "inner voice" stating, "This is a course in
miracles. Please take notes." For seven years she diligently took
spiritual dictation from this voice that described himself as "Jesus."

Here are some quotes from the "Jesus" voice of A Course in Miracles :

·         "There is no sin . . . "

·          A "slain Christ has no meaning."

·         "The journey to the cross should be the last ' useless
journey."

·         "Do not make the pathetic error of 'clinging to the old
rugged
cross.'"

·         "The Name of Jesus Christ as such is but a symbol... It is a
symbol that is safely used as a replacement for the many names of all
the
gods to which you pray."

·         "The recognition of God is the recognition of yourself."

·         "The Atonement is the final lesson he [man] need learn, for
it
teaches him that, never having sinned, he has no need of salvation."

Popular author Wayne Dyer told his PBS television audience that the
"brilliant writing" of A Course in Miracles would produce more peace in
the world.

The Course in Miracles-based book, Forgiveness, continues to be sold in
Robert Schuller's Crystal Cathedral bookstore as Schuller prepares to
host
a January 17-19, 2008, "Rethink Conference" at his Crystal Cathedral.



2 Timothy 3 (King James Version)

King James Version (KJV)

2 Timothy 3

1This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.  2For
men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud,
blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,  3Without
natural
affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce,
despisers
of those that are good,  4Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of
pleasures
more than lovers of God;  5Having a form of godliness, but denying the
power thereof: from such turn away  It's not surprising at all that
Oprah
Winfrey is supporting Barak Obama!!!Christians.....Take heed!!

 

Hot Chocolate

 

A group of graduates, well established in their careers, were talking at a reunion and decided to go visit their old university professor, now retired.
During their visit, the conversation turned to complaints about stress in their work and lives.

 

Offering his guests hot chocolate, the professor went into the kitchen and returned with a large pot of hot chocolate and an
assortment of cups -porcelain, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite - telling them to help themselves to the

 

Hot Chocolate.
***
When they all had a cup of hot chocolate in hand, the professor said:
"Notice that all the nice looking, expensive cups were taken, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones.

 

While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress.

 

The cup that you're drinking from adds nothing to the quality of the hot chocolate.

 

In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink.

 

What all of you really wanted was hot chocolate, not the cup; but you consciously went for the best cups...

 

And then you began eyeing each others cups.
***
Now consider this: Life is the hot chocolate; your job, money and position in society are the cups.

 

They are just tools to hold and contain life.

 

The cup you have does not define, nor change the quality of life you have.
Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the hot chocolate God has provided us.
***
God makes the hot chocolate, man chooses the cups.

 

The happiest people don't have the best of everything.

 

They just make the best of everything that they have.
***

 

Live simply.

 

Love generously.

 

Care deeply.

 

Speak kindly.

 

And enjoy your hot chocolate

>
> The growing idea for many atheists is to convert
> people to their way of
> thinking.  On December 7th, 2007 the movie, The
> Golden Compass, will make
> its mark, as the author of the series of books put
> it, to kill God in the
> hearts of our children.  The Golden Compass, or The
> Northern Lights in the
> UK, is part of a trilogy of books written by Phillip
> Pullman, a devout
> atheist.  These books are written to show, in his
> words, the other side of
> the picture.  The trilogy entitled, His Dark
> Materials, ends up with the two
> main characters finding God as a fraud.  The
> Authority is the name given to
> God in the books and in the last book, The Amber
> Spyglass, found to be a
> senile, old, decrepit man that is carried away by
> the winds aft er his
> death.  Our plea is for God-fearing people to make a
> stand and not allow
> this movie to prosper.
>  We ask you to help us by doing two things: 1)
> Forward this e-mail to
> everyone in your address book and let all be
> informed and 2) We invite you
> to join us, not in a loud demonstration, but in a
> silent movie theatre. The
> weekend of December 7, 2007, we are encouraging all
> Christians to boycott
> all movies at your local theatre. We are asking that
> for the entire weekend
> (Dec. 7-9), you not attend, rent, or purchase any
> movies. Hollywood
> understands one thing for sure: money.  We, as a
> body of believers, can show
> Hollywood that although we are quiet, we still have
> strong voice. My hope is
> t hat the silence in the theatres will be deafening
> to the producers,
> actors, sponsors, and supporters of movies like The
> Golden Compass.
>  On December 7th, 1941 the Japanese attacked Pearl
> Harbor and began the
> events of World War II for our country.  I find it
> ironic that this movie
> will be released on the same day.  If this movie
> succeeds, the second movie
> is ready to be produced and the atheistic teaching
> will continue to infect
> our children! I pray that we will, as a body of
> believers, let our voices be
> heard. God needs us to be His voice and speak out
> boldly!

I'd rather see a sermon than to hear one any day

I'd rather one should walk with me than merely show the way

I can soon learn how to do it if you'll let me see it done

I can watch your hands in action but your tongue too fast may run

All the lectures you deliver may be very wise and true

But I'd rather get my lessons by observing what you do

Though I may not understand you and all the fine advice you give

There is no misunderstanding how you act and how you live.

                                          Author.....Unknown