Feb

27

By Tammi

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Categories: Education, Health issues

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The Spoon Theory

This is the best thing I’ve ever read for explaining what it’s like to live with a chronic illness involving fatigue:

http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/wpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/BYDLS-TheSpoonTheory.pdf

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    Copyright 2010 by Tammi Mossman.

    Feb

    18

    By Tammi

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    Categories: Counting My Blessings, Encouragement, Faith, Spiritual Growth

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    Romance Realized

    “New moon, true moon, trusty, tell me who my true love must be; the color of his eyes, the color of his hair, and the everyday clothes that he used to wear.”

    Put a piece of wedding cake underneath your pillow, chant the above, then lay down to sleep… you’ll dream of the man you’re to marry.  That’s what my teenaged great-grandmother and her friends were told; and much excited, they tried it.

    Martha dreamed she was walking along a dirt road and saw a man in a field with his horse and plow.  He was dressed a particular way… an outfit she recognized when she first saw him a few months later.  He had just moved into the area and begun to farm.  Soon after, he needed a housekeeper, and she was hired for the job.  It wasn’t long before they fancied one another and decided to set a wedding date.  The dream and the outcome was the most romantic real story I ever heard as a child.

    Five children, fourteen grandchildren and scads of great-grandchildren were the result of their union.  Real life turned out to have little romance, however.  Alfred had a horrible temper, tales of which were still told thirty years after his death.  He and Martha grew estranged, and if she ever knew about the “other child” he fathered, she never mentioned it.  (Her children didn’t find out until they were very old, when their surprise half-brother came looking for a picture of his father.)

    She outlived him by several decades, and had some time for a more peaceful life.  I don’t recall ever hearing loving words about him, only details of memorable incidents, including physical abuse.  No talk of missing him, no emphasis on positive, lasting traits passed down from his side; whereas, my main memory of her was seeing her big black Bible in her lap every morning, even when her fingers were so stiff she needed help to turn the pages.

    I don’t know at what point she accepted Christ into her life.  Was she a Christian as a child, but only accepted Jesus as the lover of her soul through life’s disappointments?  Did she recognize the significance of His love for her right away, or did she learn to depend on it over time?  Whatever the details of her journey, she made her relationship with her True Love a priority, influencing lives down through her offspring, creating memories and lessons as pieces of a godly heritage.

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    Copyright 2010 by Tammi Mossman.

    Feb

    8

    By Tammi

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    Categories: Faith

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    This leaves me speechless


    Marine SSgt Dan Clay was killed in Iraq on December 1, 2005.  The letter he left with his father, to be opened in the event of his death, can be found here –

    http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1544551/posts


    “This letter being read means that I have been deemed worthy of being with Christ.”

    “It has been an Honor to protect and serve all of you. I faced death with the secure knowledge that you would not have to. This is as close to Christ-like I can be. That emulation is where all honor lies.”

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    Copyright 2010 by Tammi Mossman.

    Jan

    31

    By Tammi

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    Categories: Music

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    New Starfield Single

    The new single is called “Rediscover You,” and it’s from the album to be released sometime in February.  I’ve loaded it onto the blog mp3 widget  for your listening pleasure…

    Have a good week,

    :~)

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    I need to just admit
    my faith is paper thin
    I’m feeling so burned out
    On religion

    I say an empty prayer
    I sing a tired song
    I need to just admit that the passion’s gone

    And I want to get it back

    You told me
    Look for You and I will find
    So I’m here
    Like I’m searching for the first time
    Revive me, Jesus
    Make this cold heart start to move
    Help me rediscover You

    I want to learn to pray
    The way that David prayed
    I want my soul to burn when I hear Your name
    I want to feel like new
    I want to hunger for you
    Bring me back to life like only You can do
    Cause I don’t want to stay the same

    You told me
    Look for You and I will find
    So I’m here
    Like I’m searching for the first time
    Revive me, Jesus
    Make this cold heart start to move
    Help me rediscover You

    Lord, I want to be Yours today
    I want to know the passion of the saints
    And how they were changed

    You told me
    Look for You and I will find
    So I’m here
    Like I’m searching for the first time
    Revive me, Jesus
    Make this cold heart start to move

    I want to burn for You
    Bring me back to life, Jesus
    Help me rediscover You

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    Copyright 2010 by Tammi Mossman.

    Jan

    30

    By Tammi

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    Categories: Encouragement, Faith, Spiritual Growth

    A Ponderment

    During childhood, I was in some churches that talked about the Christian life like it was a vale of tears, a cross to bear for all of life.  We were constantly reminded that we were sinful.  I’ve since known some people who lived with that mindset, who were so “holy” and full of works, literally striving for righteousness through outward means, that they weren’t enjoying the blessings God had placed in their lives.

    How is it beneficial to dwell on sin?  We’re supposed to count our blessings, not our shortcomings.  We’re to turn things over to the Lord, heed the promptings of the Holy Spirit, and let Him do the work in us while we joyfully follow the stepping-stones of growth He has set before us.

    “Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain who build it,” so what does it profit me to search myself constantly for weeds to pluck?  If God isn’t prompting their removal, they’ll probably grow right back.  (And next time, they might have thorns!)

    I’m not saying we shouldn’t ever examine our hearts; merely, that it shouldn’t be our focus.  “Me” isn’t necessarily supposed to be the motivation for change.  Our eyes are to be fixed on Jesus, our ears attuned to the Holy Spirit, our hearts receiving words from the Father about our worth in His eyes.

    We were born with a sin nature — but we have since been redeemed, bought with a great price.  I’m not a “lowly worm” of a person, I’m a Princess in an almighty kingdom.  You aren’t a mess of contradictions with so many problems you’ll never get them all sorted out, you’re a worthy work in progress.  Where God doesn’t see fit to change or remove something in you, the Holy Spirit will change your mindset about that area to acceptance, possibly even to gratitude.

    You are His work, not your own project.  “He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it.”

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    Copyright 2010 by Tammi Mossman.

    Jan

    29

    By Tammi

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    Categories: Humor

    Indicating Intelligence-malfunction

    Several of my great-uncles used phrases like these all the time — not because they felt superior, but because they were incurable teases and there were several familial “good targets.”

    Can you add to the list?

    ***********

    A taco short of a combination plate

    Not the brightest bulb in the marquee

    A few dimes short of a dollar

    Not the sharpest crayon in the box

    Not the sharpest tool in the shed

    A few bricks short of a load

    A few peas short of a casserole

    The lights are on, but nobody is home

    A few sandwiches short of a picnic

    A few olives short of a martini

    A few fries short of a happy meal

    The elevator doesn’t go all the way up

    Not the brightest bulb in the chandelier

    Ain’t enough chlorine in that gene pool

    Too bad the gene pool doesn’t have lifeguards

    Sharp as a marble

    The wheel is turning but the hamster is dead

    Doesn’t have both oars in the water

    A few Bradys short of a bunch

    The gates are down, the lights are flashing, but the train isn’t coming

    Fell out of the stupid tree and hit every branch on the way down

    Another brain would be lonely

    If you stand close enough to them you can hear the sea

    Not the quickest bunny in the forest

    If you gave them a penny for thoughts, you’d get change

    The driveway doesn’t quite reach the road

    Couldn’t pour water out of a boot with instructions on the heel

    Not playing with a full deck

    If brains were dynamite, he wouldn’t have enough to blow his nose

    A mind is a terrible thing to waste — good to know she’s saving hers

    He’s a butter knife in a steak world

    A few clowns short of a circus

    Has a natural talent for finding subliminal messages in ice cubes

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    Copyright 2010 by Tammi Mossman.

    Jan

    23

    By Tammi

    10 Comments

    Categories: Children, Counting My Blessings, Faith, Parenting

    Our someday daughter

    We’ve always been open to the idea of having another child by adoption, and I realized the other night that it’s time. Kevin feels the same, and has surprised me with some of his anticipatory comments and enthusiasm. I even pointed out that if we do this, we will put off by 6-10 years the Empty Nest Syndrome that I’m dreading and HE’s anticipating, and he just laughed.

    We’re agreed on a girl, and Kevin asked what ages we were thinking because he doesn’t want to do diapers again.  I said optimally 1-4 yrs, and of course depending on how old she is when we’re matched, she could be 5 or 6 when she joins our family.  I would prefer less culture-shock and adjustment to a new family for her, so the younger the better in that regard.  I’m open to a pair of siblings so they wouldn’t be separated — but if that came up in the process, we’d have to be in agreement.

    So, we’re planning to adopt from Haiti.  We’re both researching and reading, and one grandma, four aunts and many friends are already joining us in praying over her. Please add some prayers of your own. ;)

    I haven’t been able to get to sleep easily for several nights because I can’t concentrate on my book for thinking of her and praying.  Aislynn has mentioned before that she really wished she had a sister, but when I told her it could be a reality and to ask the Lord, she was very excited. She’s planning how she’ll share her room, and wants to appropriate Brendon’s bunk beds.

    We’re going to try to get on a fostering list ASAP, with adoption later on if our child’s orphan status can be verified.  With the mass graves in Haiti and no time for identification of bodies, who knows how long the Haitian government will wait for adoption approval.  That will be one more area to trust God and watch Him at work.

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    Copyright 2010 by Tammi Mossman.

    Jan

    21

    By Tammi

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    Categories: History, Miscellaneous

    Really old coffee advertisement

    From the Public Advisor (England, 1657):

    “In Bartholomew Lane on the back side of the Old Exchange, the drink called ‘Coffee’ is for sale.  It is a very wholesome and physical drink, having many excellent virtues, closes the orifice of the stomach, fortifies the heat within, helpeth digestion, quickens the spirits, maketh the heart lightsome, is good against eyesores, coughs or colds, rhumes, consumption, headache, dropsy, gout, scurvy, Kings evil, and many others.  Is to be sold both in the morning and at three o’clock in the afternoon.”

    If only even half of that were true.

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    Copyright 2010 by Tammi Mossman.

    Jan

    20

    By Tammi

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    Categories: Faith, History

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    Franklin’s worldview

    Benjamin Franklin’s parents not only attended church with their family, but also advocated Puritan values.  These were derived from the Bible and practiced in front of him during childhood.  I think this foundation planted the seeds of a Christian worldview into his growing young mind, and he then put the same values into practice throughout his own life.

    As an adult, Franklin rejected many Christian doctrines with which he was raised, including doubting the divinity of Christ.  He became a Deist, believing that truth can be found entirely through nature and reason.  He did, however, retain his faith in God, and this is evidenced many times in both his speech and writing.  In later years, he stated in his autobiography, “I never was without some religious principles.  I never doubted, for instance, the existence of the Deity;  that He made the world, and governed it by His providence; that the most acceptable service of God was the doing good to man; that our souls are immortal; and that all crime will be punished, and virtue rewarded, either here or hereafter.”

    Many, if not most, of the founding fathers believed to some extent as Franklin did.  Judeo-Christian values are evidenced not only in their personal correspondence and other writing, but also in their eventual drafting of important national documents.  I don’t think it came as a surprise to any when Franklin advocated the institution of daily prayer for the members of the Constitutional Convention.

    During his appeal, he reminded them of previous prayers and the answers that were “graciously” given.  He then said, “…the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth — that God Governs in the affairs of men.”  He alluded to Psalm 127:1, Matthew 10:29 and James 1:17, and concluded that the Lord’s blessings should be sought each morning before deliberations began.

    *************************

    Constitutional Convention Address on Prayer

    delivered by Benjamin Franklin on June 28, 1787, Philadelphia, PA

    Mr. President:

    The small progress we have made after four or five weeks close attendance & continual reasonings with each other — our different sentiments on almost every question, several of the last producing as many noes as ays, is methinks a melancholy proof of the imperfection of the Human Understanding. We indeed seem to feel our own wont of political wisdom, since we have been running about in search of it. We have gone back to ancient history for models of government, and examined the different forms of those Republics which having been formed with the seeds of their own dissolution now no longer exist. And we have viewed Modern States all round Europe, but find none of their  Constitutions suitable to our circumstances.

    In this situation of this Assembly groping as it were in the dark to find political truth, and scarce able to distinguish it when to us, how has it happened, Sir, that we have not hitherto once thought of humbly applying to the Father of lights to illuminate our understandings? In the beginning of the contest with G. Britain, when we were sensible of danger we had daily prayer in this room for the Divine Protection. — Our prayers, Sir, were heard, and they were graciously answered. All of us who were engaged in the struggle must have observed frequent instances of a Superintending providence in our favor. To that kind providence we owe this happy opportunity of consulting in peace on the means of establishing our future national felicity. And have we now forgotten that powerful friend? or do we imagine that we no longer need His assistance.

    I have lived, Sir, a long time and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth — that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the sacred writings that “except the Lord build they labor in vain that build it.” I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without his concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the Builders of Babel: We shall be divided by our little partial local interests; our projects will be confounded, and we ourselves shall be become a reproach and a bye word down to future age. And what is worse, mankind may hereafter this unfortunate instance, despair of establishing Governments by Human Wisdom, and leave it to chance, war, and conquest.

    I therefore beg leave to move — that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessings on our deliberations, be held in this Assembly every morning before we proceed to business, and that one or more of the Clergy of this City be requested to officiate in that service.

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    Copyright 2010 by Tammi Mossman.

    Jan

    14

    By Tammi

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    Categories: Humor

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    Amazing Home Remedies

    *A mouse trap, placed on top of your alarm clock, will prevent you from rolling over and going back to sleep after you hit the snooze button.

    ********************

    *If you have a bad cough, take a large dose of laxatives, then you will be afraid to cough.

    ********************

    *Clumsy? Avoid cutting yourself while slicing vegetables by getting someone else to hold them while you chop away.

    smiley

    HA! Some of you thought I was going to start talking about garlic… but that’s another post.

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    Copyright 2010 by Tammi Mossman.