Tuesday, May 31, 2016

'The Crumbling of the Church' ...Wow.

Much worth the listen and look, a bit over 4 minutes:



A Christian missionary was able to meet Ghandi...He asked Ghandi:  "Mr. Ghandi,  though you quote the words of Christ often, why does it appear that you so adamantly reject becoming His follower?"

Ghandi:  "Oh, I don't reject your Christ, I love your Christ, it's just that so many of you Christians are so unlike your Christ..."


No set of programs, no set of rituals can replace the Love of Christ...
 

True love is two pillars, Grace and Truth.

(as the video refers to)
Truth alone makes a person legalistic and self-righteous; conversely, grace alone becomes deception and moral compromise and anyone who disagrees with you is being judgemental and hateful.


Edit: 6.7.16  It's interesting, *real* Phariseeism can masquerade either in long skirts or faded jeans, both can be just as filled with pride and exclusion.  It can masquerade as tolerant or relevant calling *others* 'Pharisees' because the other party calls things out, out of a heart of grief.  They perhaps make fun of modesty, calling and labeling others rigid etc.  It can also masquerade as straight and narrow, perhaps calling names, labeling, sizing up and such with no love for others.  Oh how tricky the enemy is!   


.       .       .       .        .       .       .       .       .        .        .       .        .        .       .        .       .


Here is the sermon Jem and I listened to on our way to "our Church in the park" last Sunday:


 A Bride Worthy of Christ’s Attention by Carter Conlon

Topic: Bride Of Christ

Description: Can you say that your life, devotion to God, love for His word and your kindness to other people has caught the eye of Jesus? Can you say you've been honest with God and you are dedicated to His purposes? In this last hour of time, let the Church of Jesus Christ cry out for boldness and ask God to do something so sovereign that everyone will see His mercy through our lives. We must cry out to God and ask Him to increase our testimony so it can be a virtuous bride who brings glory to the name of Jesus.


 

 Goodnight Loves,    ~Amelia in the Forest

Can you say that your life, devotion to God, love for His word and your kindness to other people has caught the eye of Jesus?   
 ~Carter Conlon

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Show N Tell: Sermon, Rescue Pets, Pics, Old Movie, Book, Recipe and Soapbox, Oh My!


Hi De Ho Everyone,  Here's a good ol' Show n' Tell post.

You will see and read:

A few casual shots around here including two of our precious rescue dogs.  Just picked up a simple little camera on clearance, just tryin' it out.

A sermon plus a great site suggestion for those of you who may also be experiencing a drought in churchdom.  Let's just say, there are some who think that cultural relevance; the equivalent of marking a mustache on the Mona Lisa and in one case which actually brings tears to my eyes...A spiritual spattering across stained glass windows of Jesus holding His little Lambs...The spattering in the spiritual realm is graffiti of sorts... It says in ugly brash scrawl:   Cultural Relevance.

Pretty cracked if I may say so.  If we open our mouths we are considered phariseeical.  Perhaps it is those who are so very bent on their mod-squad and litany of television programs that sadden God who are truly the Pharisees.  It seems they must think everyone must be lukewarm like them or are rigid.  Is this willful deception?  It may be the 21st century but there are certain things that don't change with God.  Aren't we supposed to be heart broken over the things that break God's Heart?  Aren't we supposed to expose Light to darkness, not allow darkness in?  

Interesting that women like me who have the freedom in our homes and honor that freedom, taking it seriously as a divine office and place, we and our families are many times labeled, rigid and have some imagined need to be freed.  I can educate myself in any way I choose as long as my home is taken care of. Honestly?  Our daughters are adults now and if I am spending time with God, being quiet enough to *hear* from God, EDIT 5.26.16:  MAKING MY HOME A PEACEFUL PLACE, creating art, designing and creating clothing, using my own patterns, creating Little Dresses for Africa, enjoying cooking I don't have time to study anything else of a structured nature.  I have a Level I as a Family Herbalist and I said... Never.  Again.  I study and retain best on my own.   I have to put one thing down to do the other. Let's get real.  The same as my husband, he can do that same thing as long as things are taken care of.  First things first.  Our daughters know that too and always have.  And trust me, we have a home full of laughter and perhaps a few dirty dishes as well.  Those who would like to and are in the habit of saying we need to be freed or are rigid in some strange way in their culturally trained, deceived imaginations, fail to see the real bondage of submitting to some boss, leaving children behind to strangers to raise.  This is not referring to single mothers, God be with them. 

We have a precious younger friend who is a medical specialist, a surgeon, a friend of our family...He tells us he sees quite often his fellow female medical students etc. weeping, (his actual wording was bawling) after dropping off their infant baby as soon as 4 weeks old. 


loading ... Robert Stock

The young doc also agreed as I shared...There is nothing wrong with education if that is what you prayerfully discern at that time, but someone has to rock the cradle!   We cannot get around that!   Dropping our babies off does not sound freeing to me!  What bondage!  What heartache!  How un-natural can it get?!   I could go on... That does not sound like freedom to me.  

One of our daughters was courting a Christian math professor from California.  His mother had been a feminist speaker, he shared:  No Women can't do it all.  None of us can. 

If that causes a loss in numbers of people wanting to follow my blog and I'm sure it has?  So be it.  Italian styling with German engineering, that's me.  (My mother is Italian, my father, German)   It's also that tiny twinge of prophet there in the midst of much mercy but it is something that needs to be said of late.  Our churches are full, absolutely full of this twisted deception! Grandparents even in the churches sit and say nothing, I suppose many are first and second generation feminists and may not even realize that is what their warped thinking pattern is.  Feminism.  The Emperor's New Clothes!   It's heartbreaking to me.  I'm grieved on what I so often see, hear and read.  Unfortunately?  As an old acquaintance once said... Amelia, you are very honest.

People may not like it but they will remember what was said and I think as older Italians said... 
And I think that's-a pretty good.



Back to Show n' Tell....
 

Below you will also see:

A recipe below for one of my groovy pasta dishes. : )

An old movie good for the entire family.


Okay.   Let's go, let's try out the little camera:


Our screen porch Jem is working on, check out the Lilac bush?  Smells glorious.




A book I'm starting,  Letters of the Scattered Brotherhood  by Mary Strong

Here is a quote from the book:   

For one soul that exclaims, "Speak Lord, for Thy servant heareth," there are ten that say, "Hear Lord! for Thy servant speaketh," and there is no rest for these.   -Pamela Grey





Here is our precious and most recent dog rescued by Marianna.  This precious creature was literally bones, much like the photos we see.   She was grey, no hair, shaking with fever, her skin was so frail and sick that it would bleed if it were barely touched.  Marianna spotted her on a country road and threw a fancy red tablecloth she had from Christmas over her...(so funny I think.)  ...For as you Readers would agree, this Creature that God entrusted us with is far more valuable than any tablecloth.  When Mar and I gave her a medicated bath, the front of my top was bloody.  She is beautiful now and brings such a smile to us as she is so very expressive.  She says, Thank you.  Thank you for my Life.  I tell her she is beautiful...This is our Gracie.



Buddy Heart Cupid Valentino.  Great and Mighty Wonder of the W-ORLD!  He is a Love indeed, has a white heart design on the top of his head and I kiss him on the cheek calling him....Big Baby.  Someone dumped him out here and we thought he belonged to someone else until he cried out so very pitifully one day...He was starving and it didn't show because of his muscle mass...  A gentle giant.  Very sensitive creature.

Stormy skies recently.   It is like our lives, blue with clouds, we appreciate the blue shining through.



  Mrs. Amelia's Groovy Pasta Recipe:

Saute quite a bit of squash or zucchini or both of your choice, any kind of squash along with a chopped onion in olive oil.  Sprinkle liberally with parsley, basil and a teensy bit of oregano.  My Grandma always said, just a little bit of oregano!   It makes it bitter if you use too much!  After your squash and onion is a bit browned, add a half of a large box of 32 oz. tomato sauce, and an entire large 26 oz. box of chopped tomatoes.  I also add a sprinkle of crushed red pepper.

Make your pasta.

You may also add garlic powder to the gravy to keep it easy on this most groovy and satisfying dish.

Serve over pasta.  One bowl dinner.  Enjoy!


 Movie:
Angels in the Outfield  (1951)      A most delightful movie for the entire family!  A really sweet and swell movie.  We all just loved it...The main character, the little girl from an orphanage is a darling.



 
 Sermon:

Erlo Stegen

FALLING STARS - A MESSAGE FOR PREACHERS BY ERLO STEGEN


Listen | Download mp3 file

Jem and I listened to this on the way to uso town last Sunday.  The message is in African, translated to English so be ready for that.   SermonIndex.net is a fantastic resource for a treasury of great sermons.  Many from years gone by.  Our oldest daughter Lea, reminds... There is a SermonIndex Apple app too! 


Well Loves, I must go.  It's evening time.  Remember the same moon shining over me is shining over you too. Let's pray one for another.   ~Amelia at the Forest Cathedral



Old photos (Lady w/baby, cook, scales of Justice) by Robert Stock.

Saturday, May 14, 2016

Precious Pics and 'A Child is Waiting' (1963)

A sweet pic from a few years ago of little Esther and Grace one morning.  Quiet time.  Is this not the most precious thing?   I miss little Esther and called Muffie, Esther the other morning. 





Guisseppe.  He is our elder dog at this time...he is almost totally blind, and this angel is needing much care these days.  


I thought some may enjoy seeing a sampling of our fur angels here:
Blog of Dec. 2012


May the Father be with you and minister to you all....   ~ Amelia at the Forest Cathedral  

ChildWaitingPoster.jpgP.S.  You may enjoy this movie:   A Child is Waiting (1963)  This movie has made an impression on my heart, although there are some light curse words in two instances. (God's name is not used in vain).  

It is unusual for me to recommend a movie with any cursing at all but this movie is very real and the couple of words said in anger, once (damn-it and hell) are what we may hear an uncle say at a holiday table.  One instance is where Burt Lancaster, the kind doctor is challenging a most arrogant, Dr. Lombardy.  (Lombardy deserves it by the way).  

These children are so very precious.  Burt Lancaster had a child that was mentally disabled thus this movie was very dear to his heart.  These movies from the early 60s such as To Kill a Mockingbird send an important social justice message.  ...A Christ-like message for all to take notice.  You can see many clips online of this poignant movie.