This section will usually be for something old & trusted...like Scriptures (which are from old & are everlasting), long-standing quotes, and who knows what else. So let's start first with an old expression...have you ever heard someone say that they "feel like they've been stringing pearls with no knot in the end"? Well, that's how our days can become when we lose our focus. So, here's a few scriptures on that topic...

1. 1 Timothy 4:8 (The New King James Version)    For bodily exercise profits a little, but Godliness is PROFITABLE (emphasis here is my own) for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come. (Profitable? Now THAT sounds like a worthwhile pursuit doesn't it?)

2. Isaiah 55:11 (The New King James Version)    So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. (G-d's pearls ALL have reasons for their being and are ALWAYS profitable. Go ahead & string some!)

3. And finally, Phillipians 3:13b & 14 (from The Complete Jewish Bible by David H. Stern) ...forgetting what is behind me, and straining forward toward what lies ahead, I keep pursuing the goal in order to win the prize offered by God's upward calling in the Messiah Yeshua. (THIS is the focus.)

{And here, I think, is a good place to let you know that I've created & updated the God's Kitchen Sink Home Page so that you all can look up some of the Hebrew & Messianic references & terms I'll be using.}

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Now, this section will generally be used for links to some new sites. I won't give more than 2 or 3 usually, because I really don't want to overwhelm you. So, for our first tour, let's try the Focus On The Family Homepage. I mean, since we spoke of focus, right? Their address is, "http://www.family.org and they have much more than I can ever tell you about here. This is the place that was started by Dr. James Dobson. It's also the place where they create those adorable radio shows called "Adventures in Odyssey".

And, just one other site today would be the place I go to search for scriptures or topics for study. The place is Goshen.com and they're a part of Crosswalk.com. They have scriptures in many translations, plus study tools like Strong's Concordance & Matthew Henry Commentary. If you search for a scripture in the King James Version, you can even click on the speaker icon to have it read to you by Alexander Scourby. The address is "http://www.goshen.com and has plenty to offer. Enjoy!

I'd love some feedback on the sites I include here to see what you think...at least as long as we have a slightly small audience (which I hope will not be for a long time, even though I like it this way right now.)

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This space will be for the stuff, usually the cute stuff, that I find in various places, like having been sent to me. I will give credit as it has been given to me, or if I know the correct party to give credit to, but if I'm wrong, just tell me & I'll fix it. Now, for this week it's about some exercises we all do every day that don't get us very far.

Now, take a few deep breaths, stretch lightly, and begin...

1) Beating around the bush
2) Jumping to conclusions
3) Climbing the walls
4) Swallowing my pride
5) Passing the buck
6) Throwing my weight around
7) Dragging my heels
8) Pushing my luck
9) Making mountains out of molehills
10) Hitting the nail on the head
11) Wading through paperwork
12) Bending over backwards
13) Jumping on the bandwagon
14) Balancing the books
15) Running around in circles
16) Eating crow
17) Tooting my own horn
18) Climbing the ladder of success
19) Pulling out the stops
20) Adding fuel to the fire
21) Opening a can of worms
22) Putting my foot in my mouth
23) Starting the ball rolling
24) Going over the edge
25) Picking up the pieces
and now I'll add a few...
26) Patting myself on the back
27) Running up my bills
28) Cooking up ideas
29) Putting in my 2 cents
and, of course,
30) Carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders.
(I just had to get an even 30 in there.)

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And, this area will be where I usually put most of my own thoughts & ideas about the specific topic, or whatever. This time, though, I think you get the general idea from the other stuff. The main thing remember to remember to never forget (did ya get that?) is that G-d loves you, no matter what, He's always watching, He wants you to give Him your worries because He cares for you, and He has planned a place for us that is exceeding abundantly above anything we can ever ask for or think about. He is so good!

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I want this section to be for subscribers special days like...birthdays, anniversaries, and other special events. Just send me the event you'd like posted within the week you wanted it posted & I'll try to get it put here, and maybe even create a special poem or greeting to go with it if you give me some information about the person or people who are being celerated with the event.

Also, as a group member, you have use of free calendars & reminders services. Just go to the egroups home page & sign up with a password to use the many services.

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And this spot will be reserved for some of the stuff written by group members themselves. It may be a note about a topic; a question; a prayer request; a praise report; a poem, song or story you've written; a thought; or whatever you'd like to send. All messages to the group, even if you create them on our group site at egroups, are sent to me first for moderation, and--even when I say no to something--I don't bite, so send away!

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Well, that's it for this issue. I'll close with a quick bit o' wit...when the weather begins to turn cold, I start wondering if The Creator formed me from the same lump of clay that He formed the bears out of & that's why I feel like hibernating. I mean, He DID make the animals out of soil also, so I gotta wonder sometimes, ya know? And that brings me to one final thing...Just because we're all made out of the ground, there's no excuse for treating another person like dirt.

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And last comes the biz stuff, like info to subscribe & unsubscribe, copyright info, and all that. So, here's the newsletter creation page where you can send your friends (and yourself if you haven't done it yet) to sign up for the newsletter..."https://www.angelfire.com/j ournal/godskitchensink/index.html. This is also what I mentioned above with Hebrew info, plus many other newsletters you can sign up for if you like. Also, you can visit my first home page at "https://www.angelfire.com/ky/shorterstuf f1/index.html. You can also find a newsletter sign up box on here.

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And so, good bye for now. May YaHVeH, Elohim (our G-d of all) bless you in every moment you live for Him, and may He have mercy on you in every moment you fail Him. Shalom, Love, Laughter & Joy to all who read this & to Israel...

(All scriptures are from the King James Version this issue. (*) means I added my the emphasis myself.)

Colossians 2:10 "And ye are complete in Him, which is the HEAD (*) of ALL (*) principality and power."

Jude 1:25 "To the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, DOMINION (*) and power, both now and ever. Amen.

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"Quick: Who were the eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth Presidents of the United States (under our current Constitution)?
If you're like the typical American, you probably have no clue.  So here's a refresher for you: 

#11 was James K. Polk 
#12 was David Rice Atchison 
#13 was Zachary Taylor 

Hold it! I can hear you screaming all the way over here - David Rice who?"

The above quotation is just the beginning of a very interesting article about a man who was President for just ONE DAY. He was born in Frogtown, (now Kirklevington) Kentucky & was 36 yrs old when he became a U.S. Senator for the state of Missouri in 1843. Besides the enjoyable and informative article, you can find links to other articles on this subject, and even find Mr. Atchison's family tree. To go to the article just click (below) or type in... "http://members.tripod.com/~earthdude1/a tchison/atchison.html".

And another bit of trivia...what if we celebrated President's Day on the birthday of our REAL first president, John Hanson, on April 14th? Oh, you thought George Washington was our 1st President? Well, the article I will refer you to now explains how G.W. didn't become President until April 30th, 1789, and was actually our 9th President. Mr. Hanson became President in 1781 when the original "Articles of Confederation" (proposed on June 11, 1776) were signed. Mr. Hanson was among 8 men who served one-year terms as president until George Washington took the reigns under our current constitution. To read all about it, go to... "http://home.nycap.rr.com/useless/washin gton/washington.html".

Both of these sites are at a place called, "Useless Information" that is a lot of fun to visit, but don't stay there too long because I might use more of their stuff one day.

And the last place I'll take you will be just a quick diversion where you can play Virtual Rock, Paper, Scissors. Go to...
'http://www.2street.com/rock-paper-sciss ors/".

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(This was sent to my husband & some fellow soldiers he works with. It's beyond thought-provoking, it's sadly true.)

Our beloved President shares our pain . .
'NUF SAID?

I was embarrassed to read that President Clinton and his advisors have said, "The older generation must learn to sacrifice as other generations have done."

That's my generation! I knew eventually someone would ferret out the dirty secret: we've lived the "lifestyle of the rich and famous" all our lives. Now I know I must bare the truth about my generation and let the country condemn us for our selfishness.

During the Depression we had an hilarious time dancing to the tune of "Brother Can You Spare A Dime?" We could choose to dine at any of the country's fabulous soup kitchens, often joined by our parents and siblings... those were the heady days of carefree self-indulgence.

Then, with World War II, the cup filled to overflowing. We had the chance to bask on the exotic beaches of Guadalcanal, Iwo Jima and Okinawa; to see the capitals of Europe and travel to such scenic spots as Bastogne, Malmedy and Monte Cassino.

Of course, one of the most exhilarating adventures was the stroll from Bataan to the local Japanese hotels, laughingly known as death camps.

But the good times really rolled for those lucky enough to be on the beaches of Normandy for the swimming and boating that pleasant June day in '44. -- Unforgettable -- !

Even luckier were those that drew the prized holiday tickets for cruises on sleek, gray ships to fun filled spots like Midway, The Solomons and Murmansk. Instead of asking, "what can we do for our country, "an indulgent government let us fritter away our youth wandering idly through the lush and lovely jungles of Burma and New Guinea.

Yes, it's all true: we were pampered, we were spoiled rotten, we never did realize what sacrifice meant. We envy you, Mr. Clinton, the harsh lessons you learned in London, Moscow and Little Rock. My generation is old, Mr. President... and guilty; but we are repentant. Punish us for our failings, sir, that we may learn the true meaning of Duty, Honor, and Country.

Robert J. Grady, Lt. Col., USAF
(Ret), Colorado Springs

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Well, you know that all of what I put in here will be true, unless it's not true, right? (ha ha) Anyway, the thing I really feel led to share this week is from Romans 8:28...ALL (*) things work together for the good to those that love God and are the called according to His purpose. It seems as though G-d has really been trying to run this one home for me. I've seen it as the usual strength, hope, trust, etc., but lately I've also seen it as a way to forgive others since, if all will work for good, then even the evil deeds of others have to fall into that category. I mean, even if bad service from an employee somewhere makes me late to an important meeting or something, G-d can use their carelessness as a way to keep me out of harm's way. Just like when Joseph's brothers meant harm, G-d meant for it to come out to good. No wonder Joseph was so able to forgive them. And it worked out for ALL of their good, not just Joseph's.

In my own life, I think about the times I prayed for Yah-Shua to heal me that I could bear children. But, in my barren state, I have not had children out of wedlock (and I would have because of my wild & unthinking teen years,) I was able to take a job traveling around the U.S. & eventually ending up working with the lady from Kentucky that put me on the phone with the man I'm now married to (and I certainly couldn't have traveled with kids in tow,) and I have had the privilege of planting seeds into the lives of 4 young men who might otherwise not have had someone to take them in. Even when I don't see the growth of the seeds I plant, YaHVeH, The Creator & Master Gardener, knows of the watering, the germination, and the growth that takes place before the first sprout peeks through the soil. I can trust Him to give the increase that is within His perfect will. So, again, I'm back to trusting His promise that ALL things truly will work together for the good; for HIS good, which is THE good that counts anyway.

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SPECIAL DAYS & SPECIAL WAYS have nothing to add at this time, but they will. I am truly thankful for the opportunity to share, within this newsletter, the bits & blessings that The Father lays upon my heart. I pray that this finds you all being blessed by Him in every moment that you live for Him, and may you fall onto your knees & into His mercy should you fall at all. Shalom, Love, Laughter & Joy to you all and to Israel...

James 2:18 (from The Complete Jewish Bible) "But someone will say that you have faith and I have actions. Show me this faith of yours without the actions, and I will show you my faith BY* my actions." (*emphasis mine)
And why actions?

Because, James 2:15-17 (from The Complete Jewish Bible) says, "Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food, and someone says to him, 'Shalom! Keep warm and eat hearty!' without giving him what he needs, what good does it do? Thus, faith by itself, unaccompanied by actions, is dead."

And, finally, this quote from (I don't know where I got it)..."Prayer is asking for rain, Faith is Carrying (verb=ACTION word here) the umbrella."

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The next is a collection of beautiful, tear inducing, sometimes funny, stories from a guy in Texas who calls himself Mr. Mom. I have never NOT enjoyed a visit to his site. Go to "http://mrmom.amaonline.com" and you will be blessed. Most stories also have music to accompany them.

And last, well, I'll send it next week, will be my updated archive page. I will have a page with all the stories from a particular month in one place. Also, so you don't have to save all of my messages until you can get to the sites mentioned, I am giving the links for all used sites in that month at the bottom of the archive page. Next week I'll send out the February page with the March 1st letter.

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(And this is the long part 'cause I just had to put in all 4 of these.)
This first one is what can happen if you DON'T take the right actions...

   1. Begin at infancy to give the child everything he wants. (He will grow up believing that the world owes him a living.)   

2. When he uses bad language, laugh at him. (He will think he is cute.)

3. Never give any spiritual training. (Wait until he is 18 and let him "decide for himself.")

4. Avoid using the word "wrong." (He may develop a guilt complex.)   

5. Pick up everything he leaves lying around: books, shoes, clothes.(Do everything so that he learns to place all the responsibility on others.)

6. Let him read any printed matter he can get his hands on. (Be careful that the silverware and dishes are sterilized, but let his mind feed on garbage.)

7. Quarrel frequently in his presence. (This way he won't be too shocked when the family breaks up later.)   

8. Give him all the spending money he wants. (Never let him earn his own. Why should he have things as tough as you had them?)   

9. Satisfy his every craving for food, drink and comfort. (See that every sensual desire is gratified. Denial may lead to harmful frustration.)

10. Take his side against neighbors, teachers, & police officers. (They are prejudiced against your child.)

11. When he gets into trouble, apologize for yourself. (Say "I could never do anything with that child.")

12. Prepare for a life of grief. (You will likely have it.) ======================================== ==============
Now in this one, the student takes the right actions...
STAND UP FOR JESUS (YAH-SHUA)

This is said to be a true story about something that happened just a few years ago at USC. There was a professor of philosophy there who was a deeply committed atheist. His primary goal, for one required class, was to spend the entire semester attempting to prove that God couldn't exist. His students were always afraid to argue with him because of his impeccable logic. For twenty years, he had taught this class and no one had ever had the courage to go against him. Sure, some had argued in class at times, but no one had ever really gone against him because of his reputation.

At the end of every semester, on the last day, he would say to his class of 300 students, "If there is anyone here who still believes in Jesus, stand up!" In twenty years, no one had ever stood up. They knew what he was going to do next. He would say, "Because anyone who believes in God is a fool. If God existed, he could stop this piece of chalk from hitting the ground and breaking. Such a simple task to prove that He is God, and yet He can't do it." And every year, he would drop the chalk onto the tile floor of the classroom and it would shatter into a hundred pieces. All of the students would do nothing but stop and stare.  Most of the students thought that God couldn't exist.
Certainly, a number of Christians had slipped through, but for 20 years, they had been too afraid to stand up.

Well, a few years ago there was a freshman who happened to enroll. He was a Christian, and had heard the stories about his professor. He was required to take the class for his major, and he was afraid, but for three months that semester, he prayed every morning that he would have the courage to stand up no matter what the professor said, or what the class thought. Nothing they said could ever shatter his faith ... he hoped.

Finally, the day came. The professor said, "If there is anyone here who still believes in God, stand up!" The professor and the class of 300 people looked at him, shocked, as he stood up at the back of the classroom. The professor shouted, "You FOOL!!! If God existed, he would keep this piece of chalk from breaking when it hit the ground!"  He proceeded to drop the chalk, but as he did, it slipped out of his fingers, off his shirt cuff, onto the pleat of his pants, down his leg, and off his shoe. As it hit the ground, it simply rolled away UNBROKEN. The professor's jaw dropped as he stared at the chalk. He looked up at the young man, and then ran out of the lecture hall.

The young man who had stood, proceeded to walk to the front of the room and shared his faith in Jesus for the next half hour. 300 students stayed and listened as he told of God's love for them and of His power through Jesus. ======================================== ==============

And in this one, a parent takes the right actions. (It's a poem, but I hope it has inspired many true stories.)

My son came home from school one day,
With a silly grin on his face,
He thought he was smarter than me, his mom,
And he could put me in my place.
HE SAID:

Guess what I learned in Civics Two,
That's taught by Mr. Wright,
It's about the laws of the land, today,
It's called The Children's Bill of Rights.
IT SAYS:

That I don't have to clean my room,
I don't even have to cut my hair,
Nobody can tell me what I can eat,
Or choose the clothes I wear.
IT SAID:

Freedom of speech is
My constitutional guarantee,
And it's my choice of what I read,
Or what I watch on T.V.

I have the freedom of religion, and
Regardless of what you say,
I don't have to ask your God for help--
I don't have to pray.
IT SAID:

I can wear an earring in my ear,
And, if I want to, I can pierce my nose,
It's my choice if I so desire,
To tattoo satan's numbers across my toes.

Hey, if ever again you try to spank me,
I will charge you with the crime,
And I can back up all my charges,
With the marks on my behind.
HE SAID, NOW:

Don't ever touch my body again,
This body of mine is for me to use,
And not for your hugs and kisses and stuff,
That's just another form of child abuse.
HE CONTINUED WITH:

And stop trying to fill my head with morals
Like your mama did to you,
Things like that are called mind control,
And that's illegal too!

Mom, I have these children's rights,
You can't do a thing to me,
I can call the children's services,
Better known as C. S. D.

MY TURN!!!!

My very first impression was,
To toss this boy right out the door,
But here was a chance to teach him a lesson,
For once and for ever more.

I took my time and mulled it over,
But something like this I couldn't let go,
This kid of mine didn't realize,
That he was messing with a pro!
AND AWAY WE GO!

The next day we went shopping,
And though it made him cranky,
I didn't buy him 501s
Or shirts designed by Nike.

I had called and talked to the C. S. D.,
They said that they didn't really care,
If I bought him Volume shoes,
Or a pair of Nike Airs.
AND THEN:

I cancelled his appointment with DMV,
Where he could test his driving skills,
I'd probably be dead by now for sure,
If only looks could kill!
I SAID:

By-the-way, we have no time to stop & eat,
Or pick up stuff for you to munch,
I think you should follow C. S. D.'s advice,
And make yourself a big sack lunch.

So, you say what? that you're not hungry,
That you can wait til dinner time?
Well, I am fixing liver and onions,
'Cause that a favorite dish of mine.

Can we stop to get a movie,
so you can watch on the VCR?
Gosh no! I sold what was your T.V.,
And bought four new tires for my car.

I also rented out your room,
You really don't need your own bed,
All I really have to do for you,
Is put a roof over your head.

As long as I have to buy your clothes,
And the food that you must eat,
The money I gave you for an allowance,
Is going to buy ME something neat.

No more eating after we shop,
No more joking along the way,
Son, I too have a BILL OF RIGHTS,
That go into effect today.

What's the matter, why are you crying?
What are you doing down on your knees?
Why are you asking God to help you,
Instead of C. S. D.?
(And I think the ending is my favorite part, besides the liver & onions 'cause I like them too...and broccoli.) ======================================== ===============

And in this last one, we see a contrast of actions vs complaining.

If you go outside on a cold day and forget to wear a coat, the wind will have no mercy on you. You can complain and protest all day long that you had every intention of wearing a coat. You can offer dozens of sound and reasonable excuses for why you didn't wear a coat. Still, the icy wind will continue to chill you to the bone. When you go out in the cold without a coat you, suffer the consequences. Should you expect any other endeavor to be different?

...If you want to stay warm, you remember to wear a coat.

...If you wish to be believed, you always tell the truth.

...If you desire to accomplish anything, you discipline yourself to take the necessary action.

...If you'd like to be wealthy, you find a way to create value.

Complaints, excuses, trying to control others, anger, violence and stubborness will change none of that. There is an undeniable connection between actions and their consequences. Attempt to break or shortcut the connection, and your efforts will be in vain. Yet to the extent that you respect and employ the connection, life will bend to your every wish.

You say you don't like the chill of bad grades, punishment, lectures, loss of pay or privledges? Then, put your coat on!

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And what more can I say here that hasn't already been said? I will say that I have heard that in the removal of prayer from schools, only 3% of parents wanted it removed. Another 7% didn't really care one way or another, but 90% wanted it to stay in. So why didn't it? Because the 90% was afraid to speak up or take action. Just like the many blacks that agreeably took their seats in the back of the bus until Rosa Parks took action to save the rights of those who had lost them.

Our children's schools actively promote all of their "healthy" programs, but these all cover only the physical. I've spoke to many parents who are at their wit's ends because of how mentally & emotionally UNHEALTHY their kid's schools are becoming. The schools teach the first half of Martin Luther King's statement against judging people, but leave out the most important words of all...the part that said he dreamed of his children being judged by the CONTENT OF THEIR HEARTS. What kind of content is being carried by our current political agendas? Abraham Lincoln warned that the children of today are the government of tomorrow. So today's government is run by the 1st generation of children trained in Godless & prayerless schools.

Do we really want tomorrow's government in the hands of a group of people raised with metal detectors in their schools & from a society where some 800,000 new cases of violent teenagers are reported annually?

I say "No". The Bible says that there is nothing new under the sun, so the child abuses, rights demonstrations, poverties, etc., existed before as they do now. In Noah's day, it was so bad that mens thoughts were ALWAYS ONLY CONTINUALLY EVIL! But at least someone took it to G-d in prayer. Yes, we are heading toward days like Noah's as per prophecy, but they're not upon us yet. When the prophet thought that everyone was against him & he was all alone, G-d showed him the many who had not yet bowed their knee to Baal. I pray that those who can, will find the L-rd's leading to a provide refuge for those who hurt. And I pray that He will show us all who have not bowed to the evil of this world and will help us fight for their rights to serve a G-d who loves their souls, rather than wanting to please their flesh.

And so much for not having anything to say, huh?

Well, that's it for this issue. I have no requests yet for people to be added to special days, or anything sent in that you all want posted. I do want to wish a "Happy Birthday" to my husband, David, on the 28th of this month. And that's the end for now.

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