T.J.I.F.A

THANK JESUS IT'S FRIDAY AGAIN!
PASS IT ON ...& ON...& ON...& ON

MAY 16, 2003

SUBJECT: THE PRECIOUS

WHAT IS SO PRECIOUS TO YOU THAT YOU WOULD GIVE UP YOUR LIFE FOR IT?  WHAT DO YOU KEEP CLOSE TO YOUR HEART?  WHAT, IN YOUR LIFE,  IS  OH  SO IMPORTANT THAT YOU'D NOT GIVE IT UP FOR ANY MEASUREMENT OF WEALTH?  IS IT A PERSON, PLACE OR THING?  IS IT TANGIBLE OR IS IT INTANGIBLE?  

AFTER READING TJIFA THIS WEEK YOU MAY EXPERIENCE A SHIFT OR SETTLING OF WHAT WAS AND IS TO BE.  
"THE PRECIOUS"
NOTEWORTHY:    ANOTHER BENEFIT TO WALKING - HYPNOSIS AND CHRONIC INDIGESTION - YOUR PET AND YOUR HEALTH.

FRIDAY'S WORD: TACTILE  

IN THE MIRROR: SLC MAKES REFERENCE TO MAY 2ND ARTICLE;  
STATEMENT "ONLY BELIEVE"  

O TASTE AND SEE!:   HOME MADE SPAGHETTI! A DELIGHTFUL MEAL IN MINUTES WITH SALAD AND ITALIAN BREAD AND ICED TEA.

LOOKING FORWARD

SEE YA NEXT TIME

TER



THE PRECIOUS

That which is near to the heart,
Is dear, to the heart.

A young woman determined to exercise her independence, had words with her parents; and decided to leave home.  The first pass to the door she only took her purse.  Then she re-entered the home and grabbed a few necessities.  She was so mad at her old parents that words failed to express her determined desire for freedom.  

The parents, unmoved by her tactics, allowed her to leave.  Her mother chuckled.  The father was more concerned about the edges of disrespect that seemed to emanate from the twenty year old woman.    But the mother just chuckled.  

The young woman had a room full of stuffed dolls and animals that she had collected for most of her life.  But there was one animal which she kept very close to her.  It was a stuffed dog with soft fur and a gentle face.  Unlike the other animals, this dog was pliable and reminded the (child inside of the woman) of her own sweet dog, which she had recently lost to old age.  

The mother was a Warrior in the Faith.  She prayed for all of her children.  She would go into their rooms and sit on the side of their beds and cry and pray.  Her children were close to her heart.  

When she'd go into this young woman's room, that little dog was always on the pillow, so it became habit to hold the dog and pray.  The tactile sense reminded the mother, also, of the pet who was so faithful and dear  to the family.   

As the child-like woman prepared for her first flight to freedom, she was ill equipped,  or so it seemed.  The second time that she entered the home she took three items with her.  The first attempt, only her purse accompanied her.  The second time, she bravely took her pillow; her hair rollers; and...her stuffed dog.  Her mother chuckled.  

The Bible says: "Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh."[Matt.12:34b] and "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."[Matt.6:21]

In the past two years America  has been  uprooted with reports of unbelievable, reprehensible  and despicable inhumane treatment of people in many nations, even our own.  

Our young soldiers crawl in the heat of the desert on their bellies for the cause of Freedom.  A concept that is so powerful that its manifesto is spoken of all over the world.  Every man longs to be free.  To have the ability to live without shackles; to worship and to play.  Men desire to take care of their families; doing an honest ' day's  work for an honest day's pay.    Every man, woman and child desires freedom.  

But...there is something intangible which accompanies real freedom.  That intangible, if not in the hearts of men cannot even visualize real freedom, is THE POWER OF LOVE.  Not felio but Agape Love.  This love tempers freedom.  Otherwise, there is freedom for a portion of society, but bondage for another.

The objective in the heart of an American Soldier is two edged.  He will fight for his family to  remain free and he will fight to release others so that they can also taste the effects of freedom in their own personal lives.  

Recently, there have been powerful storms in the Southern States of America.  Many homes have been lost in this catastrophe.  The NEWS showed people going through rubble which once was their homes, and one man, in particular, was observed picking up his family BIBLE, with gladness.  


A mother prayed that her son would receive Salvation.  He was called to the front lines in the desert; but, before the troops were activated, this same young man along with many others gave his life to Jesus Christ and was Baptized in Kuwait, before leaving for his dangerous duty.  He was killed in action, but his mother will see him again.  

A Pastor in the mid West had been a Reservist for many years, in fact he had decided only to give two more years of reserve duty.  He was called to active duty, which meant that he had to leave his large congregation to become an enlisted, and active soldier.  He admitted that this was the last thing on his mind.  

He was put to work immediately in one of the Forts where soldiers depart from American soil  to  active duty.  He admits   that at first he couldn't understand his roll, but as he prayed GOD showed him the importance of his, seemingly, passive participation.  He reported that he had the premium position of offering Christ to young men who, until that time, hadn't taken time to give their lives to Christ.  He said that he wouldn't have missed that opportunity for ANYTHING.  

According to Gracia Berman, a Missionary who was held captive by  Terrorists in the Philippine wilderness, her husband could have escaped many times;  But he stayed there with his wife, who didn't have the stamina to endure the trek through the uncivilized terrain.   She reports that her husband began to tell her that he wouldn't make it out but he had confidence that she would.  He spent precious hours writing to his children.  

After an ordeal of this nature, the NEWS always reports a story that is similar to Hollywood's befuddlement of life.  But, this historic event leaves all with the evidence that there is something more ‘Precious' than being a hero and what seems like a winner in the eyes of the world.  

What is the Precious?  

The ‘Precious' is what you are when you're   alone; what you hold close to your heart; what you are willing to die for; what will follow you across the lines of death.  

The Precious can't be measured by this world's standard measurements.  There's no price tag that will buy it.  The Precious results in a noble and heroic life.   It creates a life envied by most for its extreme sacrifices and willingness to exchange life for eternal life.     

Until you experience and have something that is more
Precious' than life, LIFE is not worth living.  

In the opening story(which is true) the young woman married after a few years.  She had children of her own, and she still had the barrage of stuffed animals.  When her own daughter was able to reach the beautiful stuffed animals, the one that took her attention was the stuffed dog.  The  same stuffed animal we previously mentioned as the point of contact with her mother.  So, now the ‘Precious', hidden in the obscurity of a comfort toy, continues.  

GOD has given us something so ‘Precious' in His Son, Jesus Christ.  This intangible, unshakable unmovable reality, is EVERYTHING you'll ever need.  

"The Precious" is for Everyone.  Everyone who humbles himself to accept the FREE GIFT.  

Looking Forward

See Ya Next Time!

TER


Noteworthy:

Walking is in the NEWS again.  According to John Hopkins Research: A supervised walking program can significantly reduce Claudication(The leg pain associated with Peripheral Vascular Disease.)   The best plan is to walk until you experience mild to moderate pain.   Continue for a few minutes; rest for a few minutes and then continue walking.    This cycle should be repeated several times during each session.  The goal is to walk up to fifty minutes without experiencing pain.  (Check with your physician before engaging any walking programs.)

Hypnosis may be beneficial to sufferers  of Chronic Indigestion. According to a study published in "Gastro Enterology."     The study shows that those who received Hypnotherapy took less medication for indigestion  and decreased the  number of Doctor visits.
They also reported a better quality of life.  
From "The John's Hopkins Newsletter: Health after 50."  March 2003

Pets and You:
Your Pet  may help to keep you healthy and active.   Those of you who own dogs know that taking your dog  for a daily walk will also increase heart health.   
Pets help to buffer stress.  
People with Pets have lower heart rates and better Blood Pressure.
Senior Citizens are less likely to be depressed when they own Pets.  
Patients suffering with AIDS have been found to experience less depression when they own a Pet.
Pets decrease the frequency of loneliness.
From "The Mayo Health Newsletter." March 2003

If you own a gentle Pet, why not  consider sharing it's love with other  people. You   can easily remember the elderly and those who are alone or suffering with Chronic Illnesses and are unable to  own a  Pet themselves.

FRIDAY'S WORD: tactile; tac*tile; (adj.) relating to, or perceptible through the sense of touch
A tactile relationship with God would only serve to deprive us of the experience of knowing Him in Spirit, and in Truth.

IN THE MIRROR:
Have you ever said something that you know for sure, "Here comes the controversy."
I'm the guy that told my [thousands] of readers, "only believe." Some have already discovered where I got such a ‘bright idea', while others are still questioning my supposed theology.

If I were to select a particular passage in scripture, the one that seems to have caught my attention in an expanded sense is in John 6:26-29; But in love, and respect to you the reader, I'd like to share something with you which I was able to learn in my Christian experience.

Everything that I was able to learn from Jesus Christ came ‘after' I believed, and not ‘before.' I have found it to be true that Christianity is not a "human struggle" but it does become the,"Power of God unto Salvation to everyone that believeth."

There is a reservoir of misinformation waiting somewhere out there for you if you've claimed the name of Jesus, because you have to remember that the most valuable experience that you can ever have is taking place right inside your very life on an everyday basis, and whether  you decide to believe, or live in unbelief, you will surely discover the consequences of either decision.

It's my prayer that you'll take another long, and perhaps hard look at what you really believe, and why you believe it. It may just contain ETERNAL values....Believe It!    
S.L.C.

O TASTE AND SEE!

SPAGHETTI

INGREDIENTS:

1   PACKAGE SPAGHETTI BOILED UNTIL SOFT & TENDER
1   POUND GROUND TURKEY OR BEEF
ITALIAN SEASONING SPRINKLED OVER GROUND MEAT
1   ONION CHOPPED
½   GREEN PEPPER CHOPPED
1   CLOVE GARLIC CHOPPED (OR GARLIC POWDER)
1/4   CUP OLIVE OIL
2 CANS TOMATO SAUCE.    
1      CAN DICED TOMATOES
4   TABLESPOONS SPAGHETTI SEASONING
1   TABLESPOON SUGAR (IF DESIRED)

DIRECTIONS:

BOIL SPAGHETTI, DRAIN AND RINSE - SET ASIDE
IN A LARGE PAN HEAT  OLIVE OIL
ADD GROUND TURKEY, ONION, GREEN PEPPERS GARLIC BROWN MEAT - DO NOT OVERCOOK. SPRINKLE ITALIAN   SEASONING OVER THIS MIXTURE.   
ADD TOMATO SAUCE AND DICED TOMATOES TO THIS BROWNED MEAT MIXTURE.  STIR OCCASIONALLY TO PREVENT BURNING.
ADD ALL SEASONINGS
BRING THIS SAUCE TO A QUICK BOIL THEN LOWER AND LET SIMMER FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES.
COMBINE THE SPAGHETTI WITH THE SAUCE AND SERVE .

SUGGESTIONS: SERVE WITH ITALIAN BREAD; TOSSED SALAD AND ICED TEA
NOW WE'RE COOKING

TER