I am clay

For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. (2 Corinthians 4:6-7 NIV)



--- --- ---


In the same way God spoke light into the darkness at creation, today he speaks light into the darkness of our hearts. He fills us with the light of the Holy Spirit, allowing us to see the face of Christ with greater clarity as he transforms us into the likeness of Christ. We carry God’s glory, and it shines from us so all the world can see that our God is an awesome God.


The glory that shines from within us is not our own; it is God’s glory and his alone. Our brother, Paul, explains that we are jars of clay – fragile, chipped, imperfect – exactly as God designed us to be. In this way, others see the “all-surpassing power” of God through our weakened frames and shattered lives. We are monuments of God’s grace with an inscription written in God’s own hand: “Within this earthen container, the One True God is at work.”


Yet we try to put our own “shine” on our simple jars of clay. We maneuver and posture to make our jars look better. We decorate the outside with ecclesiastical “vain glories” that we call image, power, position, wealth. Quite simply, we try to make ourselves appear more than what we are, failing to grasp that God loves us just for who we are – his own creations.


When we try to make it look like we are the ones who shine, we inevitably reveal our “easily surpassable power.” Yet this gives us greater understanding that in our weakness, God is strong. His light shines through even greater; his strength is revealed when we acknowledge we are God’s jars of clay.


What does this mean?


· See your weaknesses as a gift – You are God’s jar of clay, designed exactly the way he intended. Your weaknesses are an opportunity for God’s light to shine even brighter from within you.


· Stop trying to make yourself look good – Just be who you are, a frail human designed by God to reveal his glory. Frankly, we could use a whole lot more authenticity in the church. If you’re hurt, say it; if you’re angry, resolve it; if you’re in love; show it; if you’ve made a mistake, confess it; if you’re in need, reveal it.


· Don’t make others think they have to appear good – Accept each other in love, just as Christ accepted you – a jar of clay with chips and cracks.


· Magnify the glory of God – Magnify the glory of God by simply being you and letting him shine through. Magnify the glory of God in others, instead of magnifying their weaknesses.

Dating game begins

Well,
I think it's time to open myself up for more options in where the direction of my life's desires may be headed.

I know I have the Lord's Hand on me in all I do, but I also have others who have to give their opinions.
In listening to some, I hate to admit this, but maybe, just maybe, they are right in saying I might need some helping hands in the form of a male partner.
Just because things did not work out w/my marriage doesn't mean that my whole life has to be lived in solitude.

So, thanks to the internet form of dating, I won't have to go to the smokey bar scene
that I know won't produce anthing but grief. (I am sooooo glad I don't do that any more.)

So, LOL, not that I am trying to be too particular
but I am requesting certain criteria that needs to be strict in responses.
Devised this intro...

figure it will help weed out the unnecessary reponses.

What ya think.
Put this into a on-line dating thingy.

Sorry if this is alittle long.
Just want to save you some time and trouble.
This is me and it will help in your decision.
I am a grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt and daughter.
I love my family. I want to end up sometime, someday in the future closer to where my family is located and that is on the east coast.

My match would be a man who can stand strong in his beliefs. A man who is not afraid to commit and stand by that commitment no matter what the world may throw at us as a couple.
A man who can be honest about who their inner self really is, know what that self needs in life and go after it and take me with him.
A man who can be a big teddy bear yet protect me from the worlds hurts and disappointments.
Someone who put his strong arms around me and tell me "it's ok.
I gotcha, everything is gonna be all right, now" on a bad day.
I have always enjoyed the country living, having a garden to run out and grab something fresh for dinner.
Grow flowers, herbs, attract wildlife just so I can watch nature enjoy itself around me.
I have enjoyed horses in pleasure and in the business of racehorses.
I have always enjoyed riding( not had the opportunity to do so lately), pretended to be a cowgirl for the better part of my life. Just never had a cowboy on the same wave-length as me.
I have always wanted to be able to visit other areas of this world. I traveled for 30 years but it was always for business not pleasure.
Never had the opportunity to leave the states except for Canada.

Since leaving the horse industry, I have learned to live a much simpler life.
I have learned to enjoy what I need rather than the things I want.
It would be nice to have such another person in my world that can appreciate the simpler joys of what life has to offer rather than trying to keep up with the Jones's of this world.
I have learned to not control everything in my life.
There is a Greater being doing that very nicely, Thank You

That is also very big on my list of importance.
I need a man who can be my spiritual leader and walk strong in our beliefs.
Follow the path and purpose together that we are here for.
Help me to learn more spiritually and stay on the path of righteousness that is expected of us in order to be blessed with a long, good, happy life with each other.

I am an adult woman who does not smoke or drink and I prefer not to be around anyone who does indulge.
I have found I don't want or need all that to enjoy what life is all about.
I am a woman who once was overly self concious of my looks and tried to keep other people happy by trying to be someone I was not.
Now I am a mature woman with no games or baggage. With maturity comes a lot of changes.
I am not as fit as I used to be, I am not short or slender.
I am tall.
I have a few extra pounds, that does not take away from who my inner self is.
If you need all the outer beauty that most of you seem to be looking for, the high maintenance woman I choose not to be any longer, than I am not who you are looking for.
I have been around a few extremely handsome and beautiful people in my life, but their actions made them very ugly in the end.
I carry myself with respect.
I know who I am.
I am A woman that has a desire to just enjoy the remaining years of my life with someone who can be honest, faithful, loving and appreciate who I AM and who I CANNOT be.
By the way, I think it would be totally cool to learn how to drve a harley instead of sitting behind someone.
A granny riding a Harley down the highway, hair blowing in the wind. Yuppers, I could do that.
Some say I have had a radical re-birth because I am now standing strong with Jesus by my side and loving every minute of it.
I am still learning to walk the walk, I have found that you don't have to become a preacher or a teacher.
All you have to do is shine for Him and the rest comes easy.
Live and love by example.
All that entails is to be willing do the do's and don't do the don'ts.
Love me for who I am, a hard-working, happy, honest, straight-forward, dependable, compassionate, passionate, laid-back country girl at heart wanting the simpler life with same type of man.
Not into games, life is to short.
You never know what plans has been set forth for us.
I am looking for the doors that the Lord is opening for me.
I have decided to put my foot thru the door, just need someone to take my hand and help me the rest of the way.

Meet the Man With Blue Skin

When Paul Karason, now 57, developed a case of dermatitis 14 years ago, he decided to use a treatment called colloidal silver. The treatment, which is not considered safe or effective by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, turned his skin blue, and he’s been living with it that way for over a decade.

Colloidal silver is made by extracting silver from metal. Manufacturers often describe the liquid as a cure-all, and Karason both drank the silver and rubbed it on his skin.

Because the changed happened so gradually, Karason says he didn’t even realize it was happening. That is, until an old friend came by and asked what he’d done.

It appears Karason may have suffered from argyria, an irreversible blue-gray discoloration of your skin, nails and gums that’s linked to colloidal silver. Other potential side effects of the liquid include:

Seizures and other neurological problems
Kidney damage
Indigestion
Headaches and fatigue
Skin irritation
Karason has not sought medical attention for his skin discoloration, and he says he’s still drinking smaller amounts of the silver.

The change in his skin color prompted him to move from Oregon to California, where he hopes to be accepted.

Still, Karason says, “I do tend to avoid public places as much as I can."

Knowing

This is an e-mail I received.
Had to share.

I Still Know Who She Is!

It was a busy morning, about 8:30 , when an
elderly gentleman in his
80's, arrived to have stitches removed from his
thumb. He said he was
in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00 a.m.

I took his vital signs and had him take a seat,
knowing it would be over
an hour before someone would to able to see him. I
saw him looking at
his watch and decided, since I was not busy with
another patient, I
would evaluate his wound.

On exam, it was well healed, so I talked to one of
the doctors, got the
needed supplies to remove his sutures and redress
his wound.

While taking care of his wound, I asked him if he
had another doctor's
appointment this morning, as he was in such a
hurry. The gentleman told
me no, that he needed to go to the nursing home to
eat breakfast with
his wife.

I inquired as to her health. He told me that she
had been there for a
while and that she was a victim of Alzheimer's
Disease. As we talked, I
asked if she would be upset if he was a bit late.
He replied that she no
longer knew who he was, that she had not
recognized him in five years
now.

I was surprised, and asked him, 'And you still go
every morning, even
though she doesn't know who you are?'
He smiled as he patted my hand and said, 'She
doesn't know me, but I
still know who she is.'

I had to hold back tears as he left, I had goose
bumps on my arm, and
thought, 'That is the kind of love I want in my
life.'

True love is neither physical, nor romantic.
True love is an acceptance of all that is, has
been, will be, and will
not be.

With all the jokes and fun that are in e-mails,
sometimes there is one
that comes along that has an important message. I
had to share it with
you.

Oh, by the way, peace is seeing a sunset and
knowing who to thank.
The happiest people don't necessarily have the
best of everything; they
just make the best of everything they have.

I hope you share this with someone you care about.
I just did.
' Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but
how to dance in the
rain.'

Sweet

> Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room.
>
> One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to
> help drain the fluid from his lungs.
> His bed was next to the room ' s only window.
>
> The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back.
>
> The men talked for hours on end.
> They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their
> involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation.
>
>
> Every afternoon, when the man in the bed by the window could sit up,
> he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he
> could see outsi de the window.
>
> The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods
where
> his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and
color
> of the world outside.
>
>
> The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake.
> Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model
> boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color
and
> a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.
>
>
> As the man by the window described all this in exquisite details, the
> man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine
this
> picturesque scene.
>
> One warm afternoon, the man by the window described a parade passing
> by.
>
>
> Although the other man could not hear the band - he could see it in
his
> mind ' s eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with
> descriptive words.
>
>
> Days, weeks and months passed.
>
> One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only
> to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died
> peacefully in his sleep.
> She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body
> away.
>
> As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be
> moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and
> after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.
>
>
> Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his
first
> look at the real world outside.
> He strained to slowly turn to look out the window besides the bed.
>
> It faced a blank wall.
>
> The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased
roommate
> who had described such wonderful things outside this window.
>
>
> The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the
> wall.
>
> She said, 'Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.'
>
>
>
> Epilogue:
>
> There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own
> situations.
>
> Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is
> doubled.
>
>
> If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that
money
> can ' t buy.
>
>
> 'Today is a gift, that is why it is called The Present.'

Blue

I saw a blue man , yes blue, on TV with an awesome attitude about people and life in general.

Made me think about how small minded some people can be toward others.

LoL, After years of thinking I was fat when actually I was too skinny for my frame.
After years of having a man always in my life and others constantly approaching me, never once did I think it was because I was attractive.
I was.
In fact some people thought I was beautiful. Some people thought I had that aristocratic, so called classy look about me.(whatever that may be)
I can look back at some pictures and think WoW I really did look good, and I really was built like a "brick shithouse" as some also would say.

So stick with me, I getting to where I was originally going.

What is going on now.

People's attitudes about me now.

People look at me and see an old, overweight woman,
( I really am now).
Soon to be 59, yikes....closer to retirement age all the time,
that's old.
The men don't look at me the same way now.
Hmmmmmmm, wonder why??
Fat
Would that be a clue?
What if I was blue?
People would still look at me with question.
Why am I like that.
I must be something that I really am not.
First thing some people think is that I probably eat toooooo much.
Wrong.
I really don't.
In fact, with me, some or most of my problem is my thyroid is out of whack.
I just don't want to take all these stupid pills that I am supposed to take. They are very costly. If I was to get the kind that I am supposed to take it is over $100. Not in my budget.
I will try to do the proper intake of foods that help regulate.
Am I ever going to be a slender hot mamma again?
Nawwww
I know that with my personality, someone out there is gonna have to love me. I know it is in God's plan for me to have a happy life. I just have to learn to be patient.
I am currently working very hard to get where I need to be with my family and that is a test of patience also.
I will succeed. I will not be defeated on my goals.
If it doesn't work one way it will work another.

to be cont: