Apparently, some executive only saw dollars signs when deciding to make this toy. It's a ridculious idea that a toy company would try to market a carabet group as dolls to 6-year-olds!
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/05/26/business/main1659192.shtml
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Proverbs 31:10
Who can find a virtuous and capable wife?
She is worth more than precious rubies
I was reading Proverbs 31 on the virtuous woman this morning and before I even finished verse 10 this thought struck me: There are men out there looking for a woman who is virtuous and capable to be his wife.
I know this sounds quite simplistic, but how special it feels to realize when a man has found you--either married you, is pursuing you, or has stated his intentions--he finds you to be a virtuous and capable woman to be his wife.
It's then that the latter part of the verse makes sense, "She is more precious than rubies." How special that woman feels to know she is cherished so.
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
God gave kids wisdom...
Today on the playground the kids were making ditches to keep them safe from tornadoes (because we're learning about weather this month), and one little girl said the tornado was going to be really bad because it was from Lucifer. I quickly chimed in and reminded her that God's the one who makes the tornadoes. "Oh yeah!" was the answer in reply.
Then a few minutes later I heard the word "Buddha" pop up and for some background clarity all of these children are Chinese. So I was definitely interested to hear how they would talk about Buddha. Then, one little girl--who is quite in tune spiritually--spoke out, "We shouldn't follow Buddha because he is not the truth." Amen! She continued, "Jesus is the truth, and we want to follow him." Woo hoo!
Next a another little girl said, "Yeah, Buddha can't hear us."
When another girl chimed in, "And he doesn't give us food."
Amen!
To anyone who's ever said or thought that children don't understand "spiritual things" let me tell you: there is no Junior Holy Spirit.
(Thanks to Caril and my church for always emphasizing and teaching our children with that point.)
Then a few minutes later I heard the word "Buddha" pop up and for some background clarity all of these children are Chinese. So I was definitely interested to hear how they would talk about Buddha. Then, one little girl--who is quite in tune spiritually--spoke out, "We shouldn't follow Buddha because he is not the truth." Amen! She continued, "Jesus is the truth, and we want to follow him." Woo hoo!
Next a another little girl said, "Yeah, Buddha can't hear us."
When another girl chimed in, "And he doesn't give us food."
Amen!
To anyone who's ever said or thought that children don't understand "spiritual things" let me tell you: there is no Junior Holy Spirit.
(Thanks to Caril and my church for always emphasizing and teaching our children with that point.)
Monday, May 22, 2006
I wish there was a way I could describe you to the world
To share the wonderfulness of you
the man you are to me,
the innate goodness our Creator has bestowed in His mercies
To display it before the world
for all to see and know,
the wonderfulness of my man
his character,
his cause,
his loyalty,
his affection,
his perseverance
You are so much more than I can speak of
My heart is filled.
To share the wonderfulness of you
the man you are to me,
the innate goodness our Creator has bestowed in His mercies
To display it before the world
for all to see and know,
the wonderfulness of my man
his character,
his cause,
his loyalty,
his affection,
his perseverance
You are so much more than I can speak of
My heart is filled.
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Five months ago...
There was once a hope, a quiet whisper of longing and waiting. When suddenly and quite unexpectantly, a circle of light [light in the light of love] enthroned the princess, and that once quiet whisper sprang forth from hope to greet her with a gentle kiss. And so, a new journey begins...
Five months ago this started...five months ago today. The time has pasted so quickly, and yet there seems a million memories and growth spurts in between! Five months...some may laugh at that, but we're building and we're investing. We are laying a sure foundation. This journey we are on, my darling, I wouldn't let it go for the world. Sometimes it seems to long, sometimes I don't know what I'm doing. But I'm here with you...living and learning and growing and delighting.
When I read what I wrote five months ago, I smile because that once quiet hope of a whisper is full grown into the reality that we are moving ahead to meet that hope of a life together. And I love it so!
And so, the journey continues.
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
This is still so true...and I hope it always will...
Radiantly Glowing
12/26/05
Smiles are interesting things, once you get to know them. A true smile, that is. I was watching the princess as she conversed with her valiant warrior, and it seems to me that he is the tool that lights her face. Hmm...it's an interesting thing.
Smiling.
It shows such pleasure, such delight. The eyes begin to sparkle, and you know it's a real smile when the eyes begin to scrunch up and then disappear. The beauty of a smile? When it can't be helped. When the person, like the princess, tries to keep the smile down, but can't as the corners of the lips continue to turn up. It's then that joy radiants and their skin begins to glow...no need of a bronzer. It's all natural.
Can I say just one thing? The princess is under that spell every time she talks to her warrior, every time she sees him or hears his voice. She lights up in a smile that can't be helped.
...the most beautiful kind there is.
12/26/05
Smiles are interesting things, once you get to know them. A true smile, that is. I was watching the princess as she conversed with her valiant warrior, and it seems to me that he is the tool that lights her face. Hmm...it's an interesting thing.
Smiling.
It shows such pleasure, such delight. The eyes begin to sparkle, and you know it's a real smile when the eyes begin to scrunch up and then disappear. The beauty of a smile? When it can't be helped. When the person, like the princess, tries to keep the smile down, but can't as the corners of the lips continue to turn up. It's then that joy radiants and their skin begins to glow...no need of a bronzer. It's all natural.
Can I say just one thing? The princess is under that spell every time she talks to her warrior, every time she sees him or hears his voice. She lights up in a smile that can't be helped.
...the most beautiful kind there is.
Darn those rabbits!
Rabbits ate my sunflower seedlings today. I'm not too happy with them. I started off with nine little seedlings, then four succumbed to either crows or the gardener's weedwacker (the verdict hasn't come in on that one yet) and now I have four half-eaten, nibbled on, and wilted little plants. Oh, and out of all the flowers I planted I wanted my sunflowers to grow the most!
Monday, May 15, 2006
Psalm 128
How blessed is everyone who fears the LORD,
Who walks in His ways.
When you shall eat of the fruit of your hands,
You will be happy and it will be well with you.
Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
Within your house,
Your children like olive plants
Around your table.
Behold, for thus shall the man be blessed
Who fears the LORD.
The LORD bless you from Zion,
And may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life.
Indeed, may you see your children's children
Peace be upon Israel!
Thursday, May 04, 2006
Love is the perfect bond of unity. Can anything exist and survive without love? Is there any existence without love?
Let us love one another, because love is from God ( 1 Jn. 4:7). Through Christ's humility the love of God was manifested in us, in that we live through Him (1 Jn. 4:9). And my dear brethren, we did not love because we knew what love was or how to love, no we love because our Lord sent His Son to die as the sacrifice for the deeds we had done (1 Jn. 4:10). And this is true: if we love one another God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us...it runs its full course into maturity (1 Jn. 4:12). There is no fear in love--no dread or anxieties--but love, the kind that is full-grown, complete, grounded in Christ, turns fear out and expels every trace of terror (1 Jn. 4:18). The idea of fear in love shows that the love who fears is not yet made complete, because fear [in love] has to do with punishment and those who fear in love have not yet reached their full maturity in love (1 Jn. 4:18).
What is love? What is the sacrifice of love? When you give in love do you give in the abundance which you have stored up, (essentially) saving some for yourself? Or do you give everything, even to your last penny that you had to live on? Which is the sacrifice of love? (Mk. 12:41-44)
Is there any greater topic, any greater discussion in the world than that of love? Love that which our Perfect Divine has so graciously blessed us with and given us the faculities to love the same...
Love is refining...it is defining. When we love truest and purest, love covers a multitude of sins (Prov. 10:12). Our Lord delights in love unchanging (Mic. 7:18)...love that is pure, unselfish, giving, a reflection of His very own compassion and ceased anger toward us. He showed this display of love in Christ, and tells us that in the same way, God demonstrated His love for us that while we were sinners Christ died for us (Ro. 5:8), inasmuch greater love has no one than this: to lay down his life for his friend (Jn. 15:13).
Pursue love (1 Cor. 14:11). Above all else, love one another, love the Father, love your neighbor, love yourself, love your wife, love your husband. Feverently love one another out of the purity of your heart (1 Pe. 1:22). If we have not love then our living has sounded like an annoying, useless noisy gong or clanging cymbal (1 Cor. 13:1). So then, put on love.
If you have the gift of prophecy and know the mysteries and knowledge, but no love then it is worthless. If your have faith to move mountains, but no love, then you are nothing. If you give all you have to the poor and offer yourself as a sacrifice, but still no love...then all of that profits you nothing (1 Cor. 13:1-3).
Love is great...beyond great. It is the pinnacle of all living, it is the mark of a full life. Love is beauty, and beauty is truth. And as Keats has said that's all you need and all you need to know. Life is summed up in all its majestic forms and paths in one overused and misunderstood four-letter word: LOVE.
So, take note:
Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking,
it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects,
always trusts,
always hopes,
always perseveres.
Now take hope with you...
Love never fails.
Know this and know love. Live this and live love.
Love is as strong as death...
many waters cannot quench love, neither can
floods drown it.
Song of Songs 8:6a, 7a
Let us love one another, because love is from God ( 1 Jn. 4:7). Through Christ's humility the love of God was manifested in us, in that we live through Him (1 Jn. 4:9). And my dear brethren, we did not love because we knew what love was or how to love, no we love because our Lord sent His Son to die as the sacrifice for the deeds we had done (1 Jn. 4:10). And this is true: if we love one another God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us...it runs its full course into maturity (1 Jn. 4:12). There is no fear in love--no dread or anxieties--but love, the kind that is full-grown, complete, grounded in Christ, turns fear out and expels every trace of terror (1 Jn. 4:18). The idea of fear in love shows that the love who fears is not yet made complete, because fear [in love] has to do with punishment and those who fear in love have not yet reached their full maturity in love (1 Jn. 4:18).
What is love? What is the sacrifice of love? When you give in love do you give in the abundance which you have stored up, (essentially) saving some for yourself? Or do you give everything, even to your last penny that you had to live on? Which is the sacrifice of love? (Mk. 12:41-44)
Is there any greater topic, any greater discussion in the world than that of love? Love that which our Perfect Divine has so graciously blessed us with and given us the faculities to love the same...
Love is refining...it is defining. When we love truest and purest, love covers a multitude of sins (Prov. 10:12). Our Lord delights in love unchanging (Mic. 7:18)...love that is pure, unselfish, giving, a reflection of His very own compassion and ceased anger toward us. He showed this display of love in Christ, and tells us that in the same way, God demonstrated His love for us that while we were sinners Christ died for us (Ro. 5:8), inasmuch greater love has no one than this: to lay down his life for his friend (Jn. 15:13).
Pursue love (1 Cor. 14:11). Above all else, love one another, love the Father, love your neighbor, love yourself, love your wife, love your husband. Feverently love one another out of the purity of your heart (1 Pe. 1:22). If we have not love then our living has sounded like an annoying, useless noisy gong or clanging cymbal (1 Cor. 13:1). So then, put on love.
If you have the gift of prophecy and know the mysteries and knowledge, but no love then it is worthless. If your have faith to move mountains, but no love, then you are nothing. If you give all you have to the poor and offer yourself as a sacrifice, but still no love...then all of that profits you nothing (1 Cor. 13:1-3).
Love is great...beyond great. It is the pinnacle of all living, it is the mark of a full life. Love is beauty, and beauty is truth. And as Keats has said that's all you need and all you need to know. Life is summed up in all its majestic forms and paths in one overused and misunderstood four-letter word: LOVE.
So, take note:
Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking,
it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects,
always trusts,
always hopes,
always perseveres.
Now take hope with you...
Love never fails.
Know this and know love. Live this and live love.
Love is as strong as death...
many waters cannot quench love, neither can
floods drown it.
Song of Songs 8:6a, 7a
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