Mind-Reading Artist

Went to the Plaza Art Fair. Does anyone have $4000 that they could give me?

On a Friday evening, I was driving home at midnight. There was a mist that gave the lights in the park an interesting effect.

I sped home and begged my husband to go back with me as my bodyguard. He turned off the TV, got dressed, and cheerfully-yes, cheerfully accompanied me to the park. I took pictures of the fountain and the big tree. My FAVORITE tree. "Jeremy, did you know that this is my favorite tree? Yep, on the whole planet. This is it."
The next day, at the Art Fair, I saw the tree on an artist's canvas! "Jeremy! Jeremy! He drew my favorite tree!!!" The artist heard my excited babbling, and explained that he had simply drawn it from his imagination. What a tree, too! He had drawn in every stick and leaf! I was like a kid on Saturday morning during the toy commercials, "I want that!" He wanted $4000. I couldn't afford that, so I left him with my compliments.

I went back and took more pictures in the daytime.
Gonna use fancy shmancy effect tools from my computer and see if I can make it REALLY cool.

Bible Verses that Preach Against the RULE FREAKS

How to Test Your Denomination's Rules
The silly rule that the early churches struggled with was an Old Testament regulation concerning circumcision. Imagine the preacher telling you to get some of your privates trimmed off in order for you to go to heaven!!!!! Galatianss 5:6 "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love."

If someone's rules do not come from the verse, " Love GOD and your NEIGHBOR as YOURSELF," it is suspicious. If there are no commands in the Bible that say, "It's a sin," then it's not a sin.

So many people would come to Christ if they knew they would not need to listen to all those extra laws. Jesus said that His yoke is EASY and His load is LIGHT. (see Matthew 11:29-30)

What the Bible Says
Colossians 2:20 says: Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: 21 "Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!"? 22 These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. 23 Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.

Romans 14:16 "Do not allow what you consider good to be spoken of as evil."
It seems that the pastor in Russia thinks that tradition is more important than souls repenting. He is trying to do right, but he is doing wrong.

Matthew 15: 1 Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, 2 "Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don'?t wash their hands before they eat!" 3 Jesus replied, "And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? 7 You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: 8 These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 9 They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men."

Here's a good one! 1Ti 4:4 "For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving." Now, don't go overusing this one, thinking it applies to marijuana and such.

Real Life Stories
My boss Mary and my husband's boss Dave both came from legalistic churches who made up extra "sins." Both have fallen away from the church. Both are angry and hurt.

I, myself, was in an organization in Wichita called Teens for Christ. It was headed by Dane Massey. He fired me because I no longer believed that Christian rock is a sin. It didn't matter that I had raised my own financial support. It didn't matter that I had a good ministry. It didn't matter that I offered to avoid actually listening to the music. I was forced out. I am still out of full time Christian service. That was in 1985.

My good friend, Jill, turned away from church for many years because of it's legalism. Her father owns a DJ franchise. They condemned her for her association with secular music. It took her many years to come back to God. Her best friend fell away at the same time. The friends has never returned.
Conclusion We must preach against these misconceptions. We must deal strongly with those who deceive, and show them the devastation that they have caused. We must tell them the stories of the fallen. We must comfort those who have been ploughed under by sharp blades of the pharisees. We must share in their hurt and anger. We must erase the image of God as they see Him, and show them the true God, who wants only what is good for us. Show them the God who wants us to enjoy all the blessings He has given us.

Add your own story!

That's NOT a SIN!

The Problem with the Church
Discovering "new sins" is an old problem in the Christian faith. Here is a list of things that some Christians think is a sin:
coffee, musical instruments in church, jewelry, cosmetics, playing cards, jeans on women, casual attire at church, women without a hat at church, eating meat, worshiping on Sunday instead of Saturday, shorts, short sleeves, short hair on women, long hair on men, all dancing, theaters, dating, contraception, married church leaders, minced oaths ("dang" and "heck"), secular music, any Bible except King James Version, blah blah blah. It's obvious to any casual observer that all of these are harmless. (Most are blessings.... coffee, for example.) Those rules make it nearly impossible to do the right thing, because there are just TOO MANY HARD RULES. It turns people AGAINST the church.

I Will Name Names
Some guilty parties are: Church of God Holiness, Catholics, Church of Christ, Bill Gothard seminars, Pete Ruckman, Pentecostal Holiness, Seventh Day Adventists, Independent Baptists. They are Slamming the Gates of the Kingdom of Heaven on the Seekers of God. They are what the rest of the church calls, "legalistic," because they put so much emphasis on a myriad of laws.

Why are These Misguided Rules a Problem?
I've seen it enough times to detect a pattern. A legalistic Christian (meaning a "rule freak" Christian) is working so hard to keep all these harsh laws. He is facing his deprivation with courage. He is sure he is pleasing to God. Yet, he accidentally steps over the line in the subtle areas, because his will power is completely tapped out. He is full of anger, lust, unkindness. Predictably, he is an out-of-touch geek who can't relate to those around him. He spends more time arguing about peripheral issues than he spends sharing the gospel. The Christian life is a narrow road. He makes that road not just narrow, but narrow and HARD and STEEP. Matthew 23:4 says about these people: "They tie up heavy loads and put them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them."

WE MUST STAY STRONG AGAINST SUCH THINGS.

I know I have been guilty of this, too. At one time I preached against contemporary Christian music and against all movies. I have argued that adult Christians should still obey unbelieving parents, instead of obeying God. I have put pressure on male new believers who wore an earring. I have congratulated them when they cut their hair short. I have looked with contempt at people who dress, "rebelliously." (Try to define, "dressing rebelliously!") But I couldn't find anything in the Bible that condemned these things, so I changed my stand.

How many people did I scare off?

Fragrant Vagrant

I was looking for houses to buy and found a place that was really pretty on the outside, as you can see. Work had already begun and it seems they completed the exterior. Neighhorhood looked well-kept.

The back door was open, (what back door? It was paneling!), so I nervously crept in. Senses heightened. The place was a wreck! Unfinished work every where. It stunk of damp and leaks.

I called out in case there was a worker or vagrant or drug lord in there, "Just looking at this house for sale! I won't bother you!" When I walked into an upstairs room, I smelled perfume! (It wafted me back to summers spent at youth camp, where all of us females were squirting various products at ourselves every morning.)

There on the floor, sitting in the drywall dust, was a woman's overnight case and a sleeping bag. I thought it would be fun to paw through the case, but decided against that. It might scare her when she came back. Besides, it's rude. Have you ever met a homeless person who was fragrant? Me neither.

Then I went downstairs and noticed a bag of fresh pampers.

How does a woman find herself homeless and with a baby? What a situation.

I wonder if she was hiding in the house.

Pit Bull Bites Me

Stupid pit bull. Always barking. It relishes the hate it has for me and Jeremy. Her name is Nina.

I was setting up a ladder, and I had to get close to her yard. She stuck her snout right through the chain link fence. Pinched me right on the butt. How RUDE!

Here she is attacking her master's lawnmower:

My New Philosophy of Life

It doesn't seem that Life has a Plan to make my Journey Pleasurable. It seems that its main goal is to get a reaction out of me. You want a reaction, Huh? YOU WHAT A REACTION, HUH?

I am on my way to squeezing the real tasty juice out of life: I will learn to savor challenge. I will focus on the gratification that comes from beating tough obstacles. I will learn that the best feeling in the world is ACCOMPLISHMENT, rather than RELIEF. There is was. The world's shortest self-help book.

Instead of dreading the obstacles, I will be more of a problem-solver. I will focus on the thrill of triumph, instead of doing my best to ignore the unpleasantries of my life.

THIS QUOTE FROM BACKPACKER KAREN BERGER HAS CHANGED MY LIFE!

"The first strategy isn't physical at all. It's mental. In fact, many experienced backpackers think that the key to enjoying their sport is as much a matter of attitude as it is a matter of physical strength. The secret lies in learning to deal with - and enjoy - the challenges.
Backpackers who have mastered the art of living comfortably in the wilderness learn to expect the unexpected. They accept the fact that not everying will be easy, or convenient, or fun, or predictable.
They expect to work for a ridgeline or a summit, and they enjoy the feeling of muscles that strain. They know that a view is better when it is earned, than the experience of someone who has taken an automoble or a ski lift or a snowmobile to the top.
They also accept that certain things are beyond their control: the weather, the trail conditions, the climbs that the guidebook didn't warn them about. They remember that it's the adventures that make the best stories- including the empty water sources and the week of nonstop rain and the bear that scared them at three o'clock in the morning. They know that there is pleasure in coping with adversity, in gaining confidence in skills and judgment, and in being able to say, "I can do that!" They know that the key to getting somewhere is simply to keep going- no matter how slowly." From the book Hiking and Backpacking: A Complete Guide, by Karen Berger. http://hikerwriter.com/ She has hiked the full length of the Appalachian Trail, which in over 2000 miles long.

___________


For example, winter is on its way. How will I beat it? How will I generate lower gas bills? How will I maintain the 5-lb weight loss that I accomplished this summer? How will I find mental energy in the fading light? I am picturing myself concocting the different plans of attack, trying them out, and EUREKA! I find the plan that works! I am gloating over the tiny little gas bill in my hand, relishing my victory. I am gazing down at the bathroom scales with the expression of a knight standing atop a defeated dragon. I am basking the the energy-giving light of my new chandelier in the living room, scoffing at the 5pm sunset. I have gained mastery over WINTER!



Other obstacles to master:
Learning Russian
Getting involved in some kind of a group
Selling house on White Ave.
Remodeling projects at Brighton house
Finding fixer up house ... HA! DONE!!
Going full time in real estate


sitting for a moment...............Reading my "Things to Vanquish" list.............. . . . . WOW! I've got a lot to look forward to!

Looking for a House, Hope to be a Blessing

New strategy: Look for cheap houses to renovate in poor neighborhoods. Fix 'em and sell 'em cheap to lower income people. Finding lots of houses for $10,000 to $30,000. We could be a blessing to lots of families if we don't get greedy. We will have less money tied up in the process, therefore less interest percentages.
The street it's on gives me the hebejeebies, but the alley behind is as neat and cozy as a little nest. It seems the residents stay off the street, and function from the alley.


The street is passable, but the next door neighbor is a pack rat. Do people who suffer from low cash flow care about who lives next door, provided that they are nice?

Brand new roof, new windows. Enormous!

Well now, doesn't THIS look nice?..............

HOORAY! WE GOT IT!!! $28,000 It's near Rockhurst College, just across Paseo.

I found it by searching a real estate map, http://www.mlsfinder.com/moks_hl/angelacutter/index.cfm?action=newsearch&searchtype=map

and comparing it to a Kansas City MO Police crime mapping site. http://www.kcpd.org/

I looked among the low income areas, and picked the neighborhood had the lowest crime.

All of the exterior work is done. It just needs a new kitchen, new bath, all new flooring, all new interior paint, AC, maybe a furnace. A similar house 2 doors down, already remodled is asking for $59,000, which is double what we paid. That house has no special touches, and some crucial stuff was left, "as is." OUR house is gonna be so adorable, with good taste everywhere. Ooo! The tile! The millwork! The trim! The snazzy paint colors! The shining hardwoods! What a pleasure this will be!

When a Church Makes Extra Rules

DON'T DO THIS AND DON'T DO THAT.

I'm just mad as a mother bear robbed of her cubs.

Why do some churches make up extra rules that aren't even in the Bible?

The Background Story
This is our dear friend Daniel, who lives in Russia. He was a youth pastor. He ministered in the city of Bryansk. His pastor kicked him out of the church last week. WHY? Because Daniel plays modern music during the youth services. The kids shamelessly clap along to the drums and guitar. The pastor says, "It's not Christian." He says that DANIEL IS A SINNER. If anyone from the youth group talks to Daniel, that person will be kicked out of the church, too. Now Daniel has lost all of his friends and his ministry.

He is in his early 20's. He was giving concerts with his brothers and brings the gospel to the small towns, he was sharing with teenagers on the street, he was organizing trips for his youth group. He was changing lives. NOW WHAT? Now where will he go? I hope he doesn't quit.

No music is wrong. Music is just mathematics. How can numbers be a sin? Only the words are important to God. It is very wrong to do this. The Christian life is already so hard for some people. The pastor doesn't need to make it harder. The people on the outside of the church look at all those extra rules and say, "That's so senseless. Those Christians are crazy." Then they discount us all.

Update: Daniel's youth group has decided to join him in an all-night prayer meeting for this situation. So at least the youth haven't bailed out on him. He has decided to use the city park for his concerts and worship services, but he is missing some musical instruments that I assumewere provided by the church.

After the "night prayer" as Daniel calls the all-nighter, they went to the church for Sunday services. To the youth group's surprise, the head deacon LOCKED THE DOOR so they couldn't get in!! Unbelievable. Deeply wrong.

Our brave friend Daniel didn't let his group just scatter, they launched an impromtu DEMONSTRATION! They put Bible verses on posters and played their evil banned music, worshipping God on the church steps. Russian history being made!

...And Another Thing
While we are discussing the matter of ruined lives because of condemnation, What about that person who in church who actually IS a sinner? How would THEY be received at a church who can't even get past the fact the some believers listen to electric guitars? (When I was struggling sinner with all of my legalism, my church friends were very gentle with me and my crazy ideas.) There absolutely MUST be sinners in church. Otherwise, how will they ever grow? It's sure not going to happen very fast outside of church. If all the people in my church were already mature believers, how much could they possibly learn from me? Not much. All I could do is learn from them. That would make me lazy, because I could never give or share. The ones living the ideal Christian life are probably already leading or serving. Do any of us want to go to a church where it's all leaders and no one in the pews?

What did Jesus say? "It is not the healthy who need a physician." Religion isn't a crutch. It is the whole hospital.

Rope Swing

Rope Swing was scary. About a third of the people stood in line only to chicken out. The rest of them were hesitant. I HAVE NEVER BEEN IN A MORE POLITE QUEUE OF PEOPLE. "No, you go ahead." "Are you before me?" "I think you're next."

The tree slants towards the water and it has muddy notches and boards to access the rope. The rope is tied off far out over the water. Then you reach high up the rope, high enough for the swing to drag you into the water. I closed my eyes and said, "This is insane!" and then just kinda leaned off my rung. I was hoping to miss the water and get a little loft before jumping in the river, but I was too chicken to grab a high enough spot on the rope. I plopped into the water. The real daredevils climb onto the very topmost rung and then get into "canonball" position. That makes them miss the water and then the rope carries them way out and way up. That's when they let go! They fall amongst the long tails of rope that allow the swing to hauled back up the shore. For a demonstration, go to STUPID VIDEOS and search, "Rope Swing." It's very similar.

I prefer a rope swing that allows you to swing from off the shore, and doesn't have coils of rope to avoid on the way down. Then, if you chicken out, you can ride the rope back to the safety of the shore. But safe isn't what we ride rope swings for, now is it?

Niangua River Float Trip

Nice floating down the river. Camped beside it, too.

I haven't felt that good in a long time. It's like I stretched my capacity of how good I can actually feel.

I loved the campfire and the beautiful mist early in the morning. The brightness of the stars is what I remember most.

House is DONE!

90 years old, gave it a new kitchen, a new bath. Painted the walls. Stripped the hardwoods. Fixed all the MANY broken things like doors that wouldn't close or cracked glass. Replaced virtually all the outlets, switches and light fixtures. Landscaped and planted grass. Got the water out of the basement. New furnace and AC.

IT'S SO PRETTY! I LOVE IT!!!

Fish Jerky

Can't wait to go backpacking. We are slowly collecting the gear towards our first overnight.
Food options are matters that require lots of experimentation. The food should be good energy sources, but not be heavy to carry. Dehydrated foods are common.

Saw some dried fish in the Russian market, decided to give them a whirl. I like some fish. Tried just gnawing on the fish belly. AAK! WOW! That was much worse than I expected. Went back to the store and asked a helpful Russian how to eat dried fish. "Peel off the scales and skin first, then watch out for bones. I like it with beer. "

It's as salty as a pretzel and chewy as beef jerky. It tastes really, really fishy. Took a long time to extract the edible parts. Sing the song that Tonya taught us:

Fish heads! Fish heads!
Rolly polly fish heads!
Eat 'em up! Yum!

Fish heads! Fish heads!
Chumby wumby fish heads!
Eat 'em up! Yum!

Of course I did no such thing as eating those frreakky heads. I didn't include the beer, either, because beer doesn't backpack that well. Fish jerky on the right.