Where Was God on 9/11? Just A Reminder!

"How could God let something like this happen?" For years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?"

In light of recent events...terrorist attacks, school shootings, etc., I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found recently) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school...the Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.

Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem . We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said OK. (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide) Then someone said teachers and principals better not discipline our children when they misbehave. The school administrators said no faculty member in this school better touch a student when they misbehave because we don't want any bad publicity, and we surely don't want to be sued (there's a big difference between disciplining, touching, beating, smacking, humiliating, kicking, etc.). And we said OK.

Then someone said, let's let our daughters have abortions if they want, and they won't even have to tell their parents. And we said OK. Then some wise school board member said, since boys will be boys and they're going to do it anyway, let's give our sons all the condoms they want so they can have all the fun they desire, and we won't have to tell their parents they got them at school. And we said OK.

Then some of our top elected officials said it doesn't matter what we do in private as long as we do our jobs. Agreeing with them, we said it doesn't matter to me what anyone, including the President, does in private as long as I have a job and the economy is good. And we said OK.

Then someone said let's print magazines with pictures of nude women and call it wholesome, down-to-earth appreciation for the beauty of the female body. And we said OK. And then someone else took that appreciation a step further and published pictures of nude children and then further again by making them available on the Internet. And we said OK...they're entitled to free speech.

Then the entertainment industry said, let's make TV shows and movies that promote profanity, violence, and illicit sex. Let's record music that encourages rape, drugs, murder, suicide and satanic themes. And we said it's just entertainment, it has no adverse effect, nobody takes it seriously anyway, so go right ahead. Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves. Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with "WE REAP WHAT WE SOW."

Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace. Are you laughing?

This was Billy Graham's daughter's response on the Early Morning Talk Show after 9/11 when asked where was God on 9/11.

NEW ADDITIONS TO THE FAMILY

These are the new additions to the family. Two pomeranians and the brown and white one is half pomeranian and half rat terrier. I was wondering what you all thought I should name them? Got any ideas?

Here's the Baptism Pictures I've Been Promising!

I think the pictures pretty much speak for themselves. You can refer back to my previous post about the baptism on July 19th if you would like http://http://www.sweeterthanever.com/2005/07/baptism.html.

Stop By Mike's Site!!

Ok everyone if you haven't visited Mike at http://exscientia.blogspot.com/, then you have to go there! He has an awesome site and this week he posted on July 26th, "Don't You Just Love Justice!" You have to go there and play the audio post! Oh my!, I laughed so hard I was crying! Just go there and listen, I guarantee you will laugh too!!

It Was A Busy Night!

It was a busy night as usual in our city. It wasn't as busy as it has been in the past two weeks however, I just thought I would share a little about how things went.

Hundreds of calls come in day after day in our Dispatch center and on our non-emergency lines. Last night after 11pm we had a stabbing, a person who was hit in the head by a baseball bat during a fight, an injured person who claimed he had broken both arms, legs, his fingers and then advised his neck also popped, but the truth of the matter was he was intoxicated, a suicidal person who had a .45 to his head and a bottle of booze in the other hand, a runaway from another town who arrived at a party and was sexually assaulted, a vehicle containing drugs and guns outside of a motel and the usual traffic stops, reckless drivers, intoxicated persons, and domestics.

Many people think officers just sit around and look for someone to harass, but that is not the case. Rarely is there time for any officer to just sit around. Many times we do not even get to take lunch breaks due to the number of incomoing calls.

Our city is divided into six districts, two officers are assigned to each district. We patrol when we are not on a call. We have two traffic units who normally work the interstate unless we need help in the districts and no one is available.

Lines are ringing constantly into 911 and to the non emergency lines at the PD, officers are then dispatched to the calls in their districts. Officers are being told by Dispatch where to go and depending on the nature of the call, more than one officer may respond.

Priority is given to a Fight, Domestic, Suspicious Person, Suspicious Vehicle, Prowler, Indecent Exposure, Sexual Assault or Major Accident. These are all much higher on our list, than Loud Music or a burglary of a building or vehicle.

Of course if the burglary were in progress it would naturally be a Priority one call, but if it has occurred and the scene is secure, it would fall down on the list. This doesn't mean it loses importance, it just means that when something is in progress it becomes much more important to get to it to ensure it doesn't escalate.

So that is my tutorial for today, I hope to have some pics posted for you all tomorrow of the baptism so check back for some exciting updates on what's goin on here at Sweeterthanever and thanks for visiting!

Horror Movies

I do not like horror movies. When I was younger, I used to watch scary movies, but now that is the last thing I want to watch. I also don't like movies with lots of bloodshed, foul language, witchcraft or demonic images. You are probably now asking me, "what's left?"

I will not even look at a preview in the movie theater if I know it is questionable to what I want to put into my mind. I put my hand over my eyes, because I don't want to see the images of evil beings or things rehearsed over and over in my mind. The bible says the eyes are the window to the soul, so my soul isn't going to be afflicted with anything I don't want to watch.

I love to watch movies that leave a lasting impression like Diary of a Mad Black Woman, Guess Who, Men of Honor, or Coach Carter. I love movies that are fun, but you feel good when you walk out of the theater, such as Guess Who, Herbie, or Because of Winn Dixie.

I am not a big movie watcher, but I sometimes take the boys from the Ranch out for a burger and movie and of course they want to watch action movies or thrillers. I tell them they can see Walt Disney, Finding Nemo, or Care Bears. They usually laugh but they watch whatever I choose. I figure they've experienced enough action and thrills in their lifetimes, and when they get out, some will probably experience it again. But as long as they are in my custody, they will be brainwashed by what I consider the finer things in life.

Playing the Blame Game

Recently I was confronted with a situation that caused a certain person in my life to play the blame game. Tell me, do you know anyone like that? No matter what happens, this person has to blame someone. It's never, well this is the problem or issue, and this is what we need to solve it. It is always whose fault is it?

Most of the time in situations like that, I am not a person who ever places blame. Things sometimes just happen that are beyond our control, when they happen, we have to take it in stride and do whatever it takes with the resources we have to correct the situation. You have heard me say before I am proactive, not reactive. I do not focus on problems, I focus on solutions!

This person I am writing about causes me a tremendous amount of stress. I am stretched like a rubber band in her presence, but she is not one of those people you can just cast out of your life and say no more.

I normally have a solution which I got from reading TD Jakes' book....Maximize the Moment....
in this book he stated when you have certain persons in your life who are draining you, it is your responsibility to correct the situation. You are to confront them, if they do not compromise, then cut them off. In the past, when it was a friend who was the instigator, I sometimes went straight from the confronting stage to the cutoff stage. lol! When I have had enough, I am ready for it to be over.

In this situation, I confronted the person and advised her it didn't matter who was responsible for not fixing the situation in the past. This thing happened and now we have to correct it as quickly as possible. This is the real world and CRAP HAPPENS! And when it does, we gotta clean up the mess!

Fourteen Boys Were Baptized!

This is a followup of a previous post. Fourteen boys were baptized on July 17, 2005, I will be posting pics later this week for all of you.

We had a wonderful time as we listened to each young man give an account of his life, of the past, of the day they received Christ as their Lord and Savior and of why they were being baptized.

Many of them were close to tears as they turned to face their peers. Some confessed hatred they had in their heart and asked for forgiveness and even asked if there were any who hated them to please lay it down.

I was so humbled and amazed at what God was doing in their lives. These kids are ex drug addicts, gang members and for them to almost break in front of their peers was amazing to me.

The peers who attended were clapping and encourging them. It was a wonderful time of seeing Christ at work softening hardened hearts and changing lives. I am so thankful God has allowed this work to be a part of my life. It humbles me each time I see him move in such an incredible way. One thing I know and believe is God is able to do abundantly more than I could ever ask or think and He works in the impossible realm.

I will post pics later this week. God Bless all of you!!!

What I was doing ten years ago:

Ok, Heidi tagged me a few days ago and I am just now getting around to doing this...are yall ready?? Yall Go visit Heidi at heidillydoo.blogspot.com!

What I was doing ten years ago:
Can't remember that far back!

1 Year ago:
Working at the PD, Volunteering at the Boys Ranch

Yesterday:
I went to Oklahoma to see my mother, had a wonderful trip!

5 Snacks I enjoy:
Sunflower Seeds, Fruit, Cold Cereal, Beef Jerky, Mixed Nuts

5 Songs I know all the words to:
You Raise Me Up, Come to Jesus, Who Am I?, Amazing Love, Here I Am to Worship

5 Things I would do with $100 million:
Give to The Lord's Work, Start an After Care Program, Buy a Mercedes Benz,
Help My Family, Travel

5 Locations I would like to run away to:
South Padre Island, Niagra Falls, Paris, France, Hawaii, Alaska

5 Things I like doing:
Ministry, Watch the Mavericks play, Watch the Texas Rangers, Read Swim, Boat, Fish

5 Bad habits I have:
Talking on the Phone, Trying to Save the World, Loving Hot Wings too Much!,
Shop A Holic, Kidding Around too much

5 Things I would never wear:
Flannel PJ's, Do Rag, Stretch Pants, 6"heels, Bright Red Lipstick

5 TV shows I like:
Doc, Law & Order, Seventh Heaven, Blind Justice, Discovery Channel

5 Biggest joys of the moment:
My Relationship w/ Christ, My Children & Husband, My Job, My Pomerainians, My Friends

5 Favorite toys:
Compaq Laptop, Digital Camera, Hp Photosmart Printer, Telescope, Dodge Truck

Baptism

Matthew 28:19-20 Jesus said, Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always even unto the end of the world.

Tomorrow morning we will get up early and go to the Boy's Ranch where we presently have forty eight boys who are incarcerated. We will be having a baptismal service for the boys who have accepted Christ as their Savior and who want to make an outward expression of an inward change by being baptized. The service will take place outside of the facility in a portable baptistry underneath the canopy.

The teaching will be on the meaning of baptism. Romans 6:3 says, Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death; that like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we should walk in the newness of life.

We will explain when they are immersed under the water it is symbolic of being buried with Christ, when they are raised up out of the water, it is symbolic of being raised up in the newness of life, and when they walk out of the water, it is symbolic of leaving the old life behind and walking with Christ.

We will give each young man the opportunity to speak before he is baptized. He will be able to share his testimony and why he has chosen to be baptized, we will pray with each one of them and as they are being baptized we will take pictures to share with their families.

I have seen young men in the past whose parents have come and wept during the entire service. Some of the young men have written down all of the things in their lives they want to change or the things they want to confess before Christ and they take it into the water as a symbol of burying the old life they lived. It has been a very sobering experience for all of us. I will post some pictures so I can share with all of you some of the joy we will experience as we see these young men openly confess their confession of faith and repentance through baptism.

Does God Approve of War?

This is a little long but I thought this was a good read in a time such as this.....

A Nation at WarIn a time of uncertainty and the global threat of terror, Christians must ask the bold question, "Does God favor war?"

Ecclesiastes 3:8 states that there is a "time for war and a time for peace." In these times of warfare, we often ask, "How should we respond? What should be our attitude?" We will find biblical answers for these questions when we explore the ultimate issue: What does the Word of God say about warfare?

When a nation goes to war, God's people need to fully understand their heavenly Father's viewpoint about this matter. Naturally, God is not excited about war. He does not enjoy bloodshed and vengeance. However, He is dealing with a world of people who have a fallen nature-sinful, wicked and vile. Romans 3:10-11,15-17 describes mankind without God: "…there is none righteous, not even one; there is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God. . . . Their feet are swift to shed blood, destruction and misery are in their paths, and the path of peace they have not known."

God battles with people who oppose Him, who fight against Him and His followers. So, even though He hates war, God is not against it. Throughout the Old Testament, there are examples of God using warfare to carry out His plans, to punish the wicked and preserve His people (Deut. 9:4-6; Deut. 20; Jer. 5; Numbers 33:55-56). You may think, "How could God do that?" He says in Isaiah 55:9, "My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts are higher than your thoughts." God has divine reasons for choosing to use war as a vehicle to accomplish His will.

In Scripture, God clearly establishes the government's responsibilities and authority over us, as well. In Romans 13:1 and 4, Paul writes, "every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. . .for it [the government] is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil."

The government is ordained by God with the right to promote good and restrain evil. This includes wickedness that exists within the nation, as well as any wicked persons or countries that threaten foreign nations. Obviously, there are times when a country should not go to war; but there are also times when, if a nation does not do so, they suffer the consequences. Therefore, a government has biblical grounds to go to war in the nation's defense or to liberate others in the world who are enslaved.

You may think, "Well, how do we reconcile that with what Jesus said about loving our enemies and turning the other cheek?" (Luke 6:27-30) In that passage, Jesus was speaking to us as individuals. If someone treats us badly, we should love him anyway. We can pray for our enemies, and do good to those who hate us. The way someone treats an individual is one thing; the way he treats an entire nation is a completely different issue. The Bible teaches that it is the responsibility of the government's leaders to protect the nation against those who would destroy it.

The Bible also instructs citizens in the proper way to respond when their country goes to war. For example, it is a violation of the Word of God to refuse to defend your country if ordered. Recall Romans 13:1-2: "every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God. . .Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves." According to this verse, we're to be submissive to the laws of the land. The only reason we have for disobeying the government is if it requires us to behave in a way that clearly violates some specific verse or command of God (Acts 5:27-32).

Someone might say, "But I can't go to war because shooting the enemy would be murder, and the Bible says 'you shall not murder'"(Exodus 20:13). Actually, when a man in combat shoots his enemy under the command of the government, without personal hatred, he is not committing murder. Instead, he is simply being obedient to the purpose for which he is fighting. To commit murder, a person must have vengeance and hatred against another. Many men have died on the battlefield without animosity toward anyone--they were fighting for a cause, defending or freeing their land. Therefore, if called, it is a citizen's national and biblical responsibility to defend his country.

Even if we do not actually participate in the fighting, we are also called to create unity and harmony within the country. We need to support whatever decisions our nation makes, as long as they do not directly violate the Word of God. How can we justify the protests and marches against war? I understand that, in America, for example, we have a right to express our different opinions. However, there comes a time when our personal opinion is not a priority. The only reason we have the freedom to protest in this country is because thousands were willing to die for that liberty in the past.

Instead of resisting, we should offer to serve the war effort in any way possible during this time, especially by encouraging and helping the families of our soldiers. And the most important and powerful thing we can do for our nation is pray. Pray for our President, leaders, military, and even our enemies. God honors the prayers of His children and expects us to support those in authority.

Despite the many different opinions and philosophies about war, the most important consideration is God's viewpoint. Throughout Scripture there is evidence that God favors war for divine reasons and sometimes uses it to accomplish His will. He has also given governments and their citizens very specific responsibilities in regards to this matter. This is a frightening time for all of the world's citizens, but it is also a time for God's people to rise up as a unified body against the global threat of evil and terror. I challenge you, as a child of God, to respond to this conflict as He desires: with an attitude of prayer, submission, and an unwavering dependence upon your heavenly Father. -Charles F. Stanley

Guess What Happened Today!

Today I went to town to get my oil changed. As I was getting ready to leave, a woman walked up to me and handed me a CD. I have never seen this woman before, she was about five foot, two inches tall, small build, blonde, approximately forty years old. She appeared to have kind of quiet personality from the impression I received. She explained to me that she felt God wanted me to have this CD. So I took it and said, thank you and got into my vehicle to leave. I looked at the label, it read, God's Power. I thought that was curious, because I am a believer in His power, that He is not limited, that He works in the impossible realm.

I have even told people when they limit God, that their God may be a midget, but I serve a Big, Incredible God and nothing is impossible to Him. I immediately began to wonder if God really wanted me to have this CD, if by some divine intervention, He had brought this lady to me, so I could hear what was on it. I had never heard of the preacher or the ministry before. I stuck the CD in my purse and started home to pick up some overtime slips that I needed to take back to the PD since our time sheets were going in today.

So I arrive at home, go get my slips, put them in my purse, wait for my husband to come home and then I head to town to the PD to turn in my slips to my Sergeant. On the way, I thought about this CD and how I needed to listen to it. So I pulled it out, slid it into my CD player and began to listen. The message was about the authoritative voice of God and how He speaks to us. It was about how God is who He says He is and if He said it in the bible we are to believe it, to take Him at His word and believe in faith, then He will do what He said He will do. There were some amazing testimonies of miracles and healings.

One of the testimonies was about a twelve year old boy who was healed and the strange thing about it, was he had our same last name. My husband and I looked at each other and he said, "what was his name?" Now is that a coincidence that a strange lady walks up to me on the street and wants to give me a CD and one of the healings mentioned on it, the kid had my last name? I don't know, but my husband and I both thought it was a little unusual, but maybe God intended it to be a confirmation to me.

Anyway, I couldn't quit listening to this CD, it was so simple but so incredible. It confirmed everything I believe, but it had me thinking about how we get so busy, we don't listen for the still small voice of God. Even in my bible study, I need to stop, slow down and listen more. I want God to speak to me, I want Him to guide me, maybe this was His way of slowing me down, I am not sure, I am just praying about it for now. So tell me has anyone come up to you on the street and given you anything lately or have you given something to someone?

CREMAINS

When I posted yesterday, I was only thinking of being cremated and having my remains spread out in the ocean at South Padre Island by way of Parasailing. I came to post today and was reading the comments left by Lita at Litaharris.blogspot.com. (great site by the way!)

Lita brought to my attention that you can now have your remains made into a diamond or blasted deep into space. (lifegems.com) (spaceservicesinc.com) So think about it...why have your remains buried in a boring ole casket in a hole, when you can have them made into a diamond or blasted into space. So I thought wow, what a fun idea. lol!

I decided to check out the website and I found the human body has enough carbon to make fifty to one hundred diamonds. I knew I was valuable but never did I imagine. LifeGem's least-expensive product is a $3,950 quarter-carat diamond. So if you decide to have gramma made into a diamond and she gets lost or stolen, don't worry: The company stores extra carbon so she can become a gem again.

More ideas...

If you are an ocean-lover, check out Eternal Reefs, which integrates cremains into artificial coral reefs. President Don Brawley already owned a company that manufactured "reef balls" -- spheres of cement used to form artificial reefs -- so when his ailing father-in-law announced he wanted to be cremated and mixed into a reef ball after he died, Brawley didn't think twice about it. "He said he'd rather spend eternity with all that life than in a field with a bunch of dead people," Brawley said. Since then, Brawley has mixed the cremains of over 100 people into his reef balls, which are placed off the coastline of Florida and South Carolina.

Want the deceased to hang around a little longer? Eternally Yours Memorial Art, a Mississippi company, incorporates cremains into paintings. Bettye Brokl first used her mother's ashes to make a series of abstract paintings that she gave to family members as Christmas presents. The word got out, and soon other people were asking her to commemorate their relatives as well.
The cremains aren't mixed into the paints; rather, two to three tablespoons are sprinkled over the canvas and affixed with sealant. Customers can order customized themes to match their home décor or request paintings reflecting the deceased's favorite place or object, such as a beach scene or flower. Brokl has done over 300 paintings, half from the cremains of pets and half from humans. Prices range from $350 to $950. "My customers want to keep part of their loved ones with them," said Brokl. "The artwork is designed to bring a smile to the family's face and not tears. Their memorial should be as unique as their loved one was."

Other ideas I found....

• Cremation monument-an eight inch bust of your head complete with facial expression, hairstyle, the size of a human head. (imagine if I gave each of my children one so I would be able to be right in their home, watching to make sure they remembered what their mother taught them. ( lol)
• Keepsake jewelry - this is a heart locket, cross or small cylinder you can carry the ashes of your loved one with you around your neck or if you prefer a lock of their hair.
• Card - they can make a card out of ashes from your loved one, that you can display in a picture frame if you like.
• Christmas ornament - they can put your ashes in blown glass and make a Christmas ornament out of them. (Glassmomentos.com)
• Candle urn - this is a candle that has an urn below it with the cremains of your loved one. It has their picture and dates of birth and death on it.

And did you know Edward "Steady Ed" Headrick, who invented the Wham-O Frisbee, told his family that he wanted his ashes molded into flying discs and tossed around.

What will they think of next? ...

Not Trying to be Morbid!

I'm not trying to be morbid, but recently I have been making some arrangements in the event I were to die unexpectedly. I have been putting together a new will, and deciding whether I want to be cremated, buried, taken to the taxidermist, freeze dried, or frozen. In speaking with my brother this week, he was telling me people are now able to be freeze dried when they die. I had heard of being frozen and then being brought back to life but being freeze dried, that is something else. He was saying of course you would be all wrinkled and your skin won't be very soft! lol! I am not sure if he was pulling my leg or not, but I was like...You gotta be kidding me!!!

So after church last Sunday, my husband and I went to lunch with my daughter and her friend. I was explaining to her that I am thinking I want to be cremated. I was telling her it is only $1750 and she could spread my ashes in the ocean at South Padre Island. I said, "if you want you can come there on vacations and we'll chat." She was like, "sure mom, that sounds like a wonderful idea!" We were laughing and trying to be lighthearted about a serious issue. You would have to know this kid, she is extremely funny.

She then says, "why pay $1750, when we could just build a bon fire and one of us will get your hands and one of us will get your feet and we will say, one two, three and then throw you on in." Lol! She then said, "you won't be in your body anyway!"

My husband speaks up and says, "don't worry about taking me to the funeral home, just throw me out back in the pond and let me be turtle bait." Again my daughter says, "sure dad, that sounds great, I will bring my guitar and we will sing..."Ain't no turtle gonna hold my body down, ain't no turtle gonna hold my body down, meet me, meet me Jesus, Meet me in the middle of the air, I'm goin out to meet my Lord, gonna say Goodbye down here." It was crazy! We were all laughing.

We continued on with the conversation as I said, "if you want you could just take me to a taxidermist and have me stuffed, then sit me in a rocking chair so we can visit from now on, then I could go visit all of you from time to time, or better yet have me freeze dried and I won't weigh as much if you have to move me around. " It kept getting crazier and crazier, but if you were to know any of my family, we are always laughing and joking. When we get together it's like one big party, we enjoy ourselves to the ultimate and no one gets offended. It's all in fun!

On a serious note though....I hate to think about death but we will all die one day. It's a serious issue and an issue no one likes to talk about. I want to discuss it with my children so when my time comes, they will have peace about this issue, knowing that I had peace and that my hope is in Christ and I will be rejoicing on that day, because the Word of God says, to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. As Christians we believe we have already passed from death to life the moment we accepted Christ as our Savior. We are new creations, the old is gone and the new has come, we will have eternal life in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I know my children all love the Lord and we will all be reunited one day in Glory. So for now I will continue to get things in order, so they don't have to take care of those things when the time comes!

Incarcerated Juveniles

My husband and I are Chaplains at a Minimum Security Juvenile Prison. We have been volunteering for nine years at this facility. We have forty eight boys, sometimes fifty two boys ranging from age thirteen to eighteen years of age who have been classified as general offenders and will serve a minimum length of stay for nine months for the crimes they have committed. Most of them will serve at least fifteen months before they are released.

Most of these boys have been involved in drugs, they were neglected and undisciplined. Before I became involved, I had no idea what goes on in the lives of juvenile offenders. Most have raised themselves, they crave attention, someone to give them hope, to show them there is a better way.

Upon arrival at our facility each juvenile is assigned a caseworker and parole officer. The caseworker will develop a Resocialization plan or ICP (Individual Case Plan), which is mailed out monthly to the youth's parents. The ICP consists of three main areas, they are known as the ABC's of Resocialization, A stands for Academic/Workforce Development, B stands for Behavior, and C for Correctional Therapy. No youth is allowed to just do time, they are required to attend school, attend behavior groups and core groups.

The boys must earn privledges by working through a Phase system. When they reach Phase four they are almost home. Before they are released, they go home for the weekend and set up their parole, community service, etc. They must return to the facility, it will then be about a month before they are released. Some of these juveniles will not want to return home and will asked to be placed in a trade center program, halfway house or mentor program.

I can say it is rewarding as well as trying at times to work with these kids. I have seen several who have moved away from home and changed their lives. They have jobs, cars and are living on their own in apartments. There is a great need for volunteers in these facilities. We have to try to make a difference and in doing so we will not only help to save their lives, but maybe someone else's as well. One less drug pusher on the street will be one less person who might sell drugs to one of my kids, or to one of yours!

My Mother Is Home Now!

On Monday I will be traveling to Oklahoma to see my mother. For those of you who don't know or don't remember my last post about mom, she is at a point she has to have someone with her twenty four hours a day, she's had some seizures and now she is afraid of being alone.

About two weeks ago, mom was at my house, she has been staying with each of us for a little while. But as soon as she gets to my house or to my younger sisters house, she is wanting to go home. She really wants to be where her home is.

So I was thinking about a story my friend Raymond told me not too long ago. It was about his friend's mother. He said she had cancer, but she was eighty years old and she didn't want to have an operation. Well, to make a long story short, her son told her .... his words...."By God you are going to have the operation!!" Raymond looked at his friend and said, "No it is not by God, you mean By you!!" He then proceeded to tell him, "Your mom still has her right mind, she has the right to make her own choices, so let her decide what she wants to do." Needless to say, the guy's mom contracted pneumonia and died, she did not have the operation. So Raymond told his friend, "I guess your mother got her way after all, she didn't have the operation and now she is with the Lord."

So in saying that, I decided it was time to ask mom what she really wanted. Her reply was to be in her own home, so I put an ad in the paper in the town she lives in, I was interviewing people over the phone for the past month, calling their references, sending them to go to the Family Dollar in the town where my mother lives to get an application from my sister who is also lives in the same town my mother lives in. My sister wouldn't call anyone, she would just take the application, and call me with the information. Who knows why, insecurity I guess.

Anyway, I found a lady whose references checked out wonderfully. I got my sister to meet with her, we did a background check and now she is staying with my mother. I don't think I have ever seen mom so happy. She is in her own home, the lady stays with her Mon-Fri, twenty four hours a day. She takes mom to town, they go to McDonalds and to get a coke, they sit out in the yard, and now mom is laughing and sounding better than I have heard her sound in a long time. So again, God has answered my prayers and my mother's prayers. I am happy for her, I hope she enjoys life to the fullest and I thank God for providing this lady who seems to be enjoying her newfound friend!

Do You Take Spiritual Inventory??

In my life, I always try to take spiritual inventory. I continually look for the things in my life I need to change or improve. Am I the person God intended for me to be??? My desire is to do all I can do, to enjoy life to the fullest, to take full responsibility for my actions but also to leave footprints wherever I go. I haven't always been the person I am today, God continues to change me even now as I write. One of my favorite quotes is ... "If you meet me and forget me you have lost nothing, but if you meet Jesus and forget Him, you have lost everything!" I want to allow Christ to live through me, I want to decrease and allow Him to increase in my life.

The bible says we are to be imitators of Christ. Everywhere Christ walked He impacted people, they felt loved, there was a difference in their lives because of the love He shared. I hope I can make a difference in my family's lives, in my friend's lives, in my relationships with people at work, in my community, in the ministry I am involved in, and in the Blog World. I don't want to look back and regret wasting a single moment of my life. I want to live, love and laugh! I don't want to live life on automatic, I want to be proactive and not reactive. I believe one person can make a difference, as Ghandi said, "be the change we want to see in the world."

In this life, Mother Teresa had an amazing impact on people, she gave of herself unconditionally. I am not Catholic, but Mother Teresa is a tremendous role model. I have read all of the books I could find about her life. She did not seek her own desires, she allowed Christ to live through her and she gave all she had. I thought I would share with you, some of her quotes, she never wrote a book, but has had numerous ones written about her. It's a little long, but it's worth the time to read it!!

Mother Teresa Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat.
Mother Teresa Do not think that love, in order to be genuine, has to be extraordinary. What we need is to love without getting tired.
Mother Teresa Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person.
Mother Teresa Everytime you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.
Mother Teresa Good works are links that form a chain of love.
Mother Teresa I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world.
Mother Teresa I am not sure exactly what heaven will be like, but I don't know that when we die and it comes time for God to judge us, he will NOT ask, How many good things have you done in your life?, rather he will ask, How much LOVE did you put into what you did?
Mother Teresa I do not pray for success, I ask for faithfulness.
Mother Teresa I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.
Mother Teresa I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish that He didn't trust me so much.
Mother Teresa I want you to be concerned about your next door neighbor. Do you know your next door neighbor?
Mother Teresa If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.
Mother Teresa If we want a love message to be heard, it has got to be sent out. To keep a lamp burning, we have to keep putting oil in it.
Mother Teresa If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one.
Mother Teresa If you judge people, you have no time to love them.
Mother Teresa In this life we cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love.
Mother Teresa Intense love does not measure, it just gives.
Mother Teresa It is a kingly act to assist the fallen.
Mother Teresa It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish. Mother Teresa It is easy to love the people far away. It is not always easy to love those close to us. It is easier to give a cup of rice to relieve hunger than to relieve the loneliness and pain of someone unloved in our own home. Bring love into your home for this is where our love for each other must start.
Mother Teresa It is not the magnitude of our actions but the amount of love that is put into them that matters.
Mother Teresa Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless. Mother Teresa Let us always meet each other with smile, for the smile is the beginning of love. Mother Teresa Let us touch the dying, the poor, the lonely and the unwanted according to the graces we have received and let us not be ashamed or slow to do the humble work.
Mother Teresa Loneliness and the feeling of being unwanted is the most terrible poverty. Mother Teresa Love begins by taking care of the closest ones - the ones at home.
Mother Teresa Love is a fruit in season at all times, and within reach of every hand.
Mother Teresa Many people mistake our work for our vocation. Our vocation is the love of Jesus.
Mother Teresa Our life of poverty is as necessary as the work itself. Only in heaven will we see how much we owe to the poor for helping us to love God better because of them.
Mother Teresa Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.
Mother Teresa Sweetest Lord, make me appreciative of the dignity of my high vocation, and its many responsibilities. Never permit me to disgrace it by giving way to coldness, unkindness, or impatience.
Mother Teresa The biggest disease today is not leprosy or tuberculosis, but rather the feeling of being unwanted.
Mother Teresa The greatest destroyer of peace is abortion because if a mother can kill her own child, what is left for me to kill you and you to kill me? There is nothing between.
Mother Teresa The hunger for love is much more difficult to remove than the hunger for bread. Mother Teresa The miracle is not that we do this work, but that we are happy to do it.
Mother Teresa The success of love is in the loving - it is not in the result of loving. Of course it is natural in love to want the best for the other person, but whether it turns out that way or not does not determine the value of what we have done.
Mother Teresa There are no great things, only small things with great love. Happy are those. Mother Teresa There is always the danger that we may just do the work for the sake of the work. This is where the respect and the love and the devotion come in - that we do it to God, to Christ, and that's why we try to do it as beautifully as possible.
Mother Teresa There is more hunger in the world for love and appreciation in this world than for bread.
Mother Teresa There must be a reason why some people can afford to live well. They must have worked for it. I only feel angry when I see waste. When I see people throwing away things that we could use.
Mother Teresa There should be less talk; a preaching point is not a meeting point. What do you do then? Take a broom and clean someone's house. That says enough.
Mother Teresa We are all pencils in the hand of God.
Mother Teresa We can do no great things, only small things with great love.
Mother Teresa We, the unwilling, led by the unknowing, are doing the impossible for the ungrateful. We have done so much, for so long, with so little, we are now qualified to do anything with nothing.
Mother Teresa Words which do not give the light of Christ increase the darkness.

Sonic's Junior Banana Split

Has anyone out there experienced Sonic's new Junior Banana Split for $.99? The other day I was bringing my mother home with me. I had traveled about 150 miles to go get her, then turned to come back this way, so I thought I would stop and get a drink. Mom wasn't hungry, but the banana split sounded good to her.

I ordered and when the carhop brought the Junior Banana Split out, I looked at it and said if I were in uniform I would have to call in a theft report and issue a citation, talk about robbery!! If you haven't experienced this, I want to let you know it is not a $.99 banana split, it is a $.25 banana split. lol!! I mean really, it was not a Junior Banana Split, it is not even a Baby Banana Split, it is a Just born infant banana split. haha!

I am glad my mom was not very hungry, it was just a taste and for her it was fine. I pray Sonic quits lying soon and puts it out there as it really is, the new Infant Banana Split, for the person who just wants a taste!

Target Practice

It's 10pm, or should I say 2200, officers have to cover the front desk at night when we don't have a duty officer to work or one of the jailers who wants overtime. It's a Tuesday night, I work evenings from 3pm to 11pm, or 1500 tp 2300, however you want to say it! I will be changing shifts on the 9th of July and going to night shift for awhile, so I will work the 11pm to 7am shift, or 2300 to 0700 shift.

The night shift Sgt calls me to ask if I mind working some overtime, so I volunteer to work a 16 hour shift and cover the front desk. The dispatchers are calling me on the phone, saying what are you doing up there? They are telling me they heard I was coming to nights and did I know what I was getting into? We are laughing, when all of a sudden I hear this loud pop, something hits the glass and I almost hit the floor.

A truck just drove by and I don't know if they hit a rock and it hit the window, but something definately hit the window. So another officer comes to help me investigate as I go outside to find out what is going on. I don't see anything out of the ordinary, just a rock, but it sure was a loud pop, it must've hit the glass pretty hard.

So now I am wondering why I am not getting some hazard pay or if someone is trying to teach me some new warfare tactics, or maybe I am just plain target practice, but one thing is for sure, I have my eyes open and my ears tuned in. When someone drives by I just weave and bob, so they will miss if they are shooting at me or throwing rocks. haha! Really I think a tire just picked up a rock and the tire shot it toward the window, so I am not worried, just caught me a little off guard. No one better be shootin at me, cause I would have to shoot back!! Then the whole department would be dispatched to the PD, wouldn't that be a sight to see!!

They Just Came out of Nowhere!!

Today we live in a time when we need to be aware of our surroundings. I go to work everyday and take calls regarding many different types of crimes. We read and hear on the news of all kinds of crimes, the BTK Killer, Natalie Holloway’s disappearance, I could go on and on. The city is buzzing with burglaries, sexual assaults, theft of vehicles, stalking and more.

People are overwhelmed daily, their vehicles are taken, their purses are snatched or they are assaulted in some way. Violence doesn't just come out of nowhere! Maybe by writing this post I can help you to prevent a crime in your own life or the life of someone you love. I have listed a few warning signs you might not have noticed before.

One thing to remember is criminals do not want to be caught, even habitually violent criminals usually mentally prepare themselves.. It may be a preplanned decision or an emotional reaction to circumstances, but either way there are usually warning signals.

A criminal will also try to decide if you are safe to attack. “Can I get away with it?” is a major motivation for what people decide to do or not to do. If an assailant decides he cannot successfully or easily attack you, he may seek easier prey.

Some of the ways a person may try to decide if it is safe to attack you is to approach you needing information or a small item, to distract you. While he is talking he may be getting into a position to attack or checking your awareness about what he is doing and your commitment to defending yourself. Always answer with No and insist on him keeping his distance.

An unexpected emotional blitz, like they just popped out of nowhere is another strategy which relies on you not being accustomed to dealing with extreme emotional violence. You must be willing to immediately shift into an extreme of physical violence, if you display this commitment, the attacker will often abort.

Someone may be observing you. They may never speak until they attack, but they have been watching you all along. They may follow you or position themselves out of sight, or may make their presence known and decide to attack if you show fear.

Remember a criminal wants to overwhelm you quickly and effectively, not fight you. If someone walks up to you, the closer he gets, the more chance he has to overwhelm and control. Five feet is the closest you should allow someone you don’t trust to approach, whether you know him or not. If they insist on coming closer, their intentions are not good. They may also try to approach you in a direction that traps you between a car or large object, or between you and an exit, or in a place where you don’t see him, so they have the element of surprise working in their favor. Beware of individuals splitting up when they approach you, one may circle around while the other distracts you.

Just keep in mind, you need to be aware of your surroundings, look around when you come out of a store or your home. Trust your instincts, if you feel something is not right, it may not be. Pay attention to suspicious vehicles or persons in your neighborhood or workplace, report any suspicious activity. Don’t let strangers into your home. Don’t leave with someone you don’t know. Pay special attention to where you park, try to get close to the entrance if you can. Just be aware, don’t go out on automatic, we have to be proactive, not paranoid, but aware. I hope this information helps. Take Care!!

It's A Boy!

Not too long ago, I posted about my daughter being pregnant. Well, we just found out it is going to be a boy!!! I am so excited, today I was reminded of Psalm 139:13-18. I really love all of Psalm 139, the first part talks about how we can never get away from God's presence, but as I think about this new baby who will become a special part of all our lives, I was thinking of how the Hand of God is creating him even now as I write this post, so I thought I would share this with all of you....

Psalm 139:13-18
13 O Lord, You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb.
14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous--and how well I know it.
15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
16 You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.
17 How precious are your thoughts about me, O God! They are innumerable!
18 I can't even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up in the morning, you are still with me!

I am praying for him now even as I write this, one day I will hold him, and as I hold him I will tell him how much he is loved by the Lord and by his whole family. I am anxious to see this little guy that God has decided to bless us with!

229 YEARS AGO

Two hundred twenty nine years ago on July 4,1776, our great nation, the United States of America in a struggle for what was right and free was proudly born...May we celebrate that freedom which our founding fathers fought for so bravely. The freedom that is inherent in the Stars and Stripes of our revered flag.

Let's all fly our flag on the 4th of July and let us remember our sons, daughters, husbands, wives, friends who are fighting today for what is right and good. Let's say a prayer for them, for their safe return, their successful missions, for wisdom, strength, courage and peace. Let us also pray for their families, I am sure this Independence Day has an even greater meaning to them as they celebrate while their loved ones are in foreign lands. God bless our troops and God bless America.

As we celebrate July 4th, let's remember why we went to war. Let's pray also for the Iraqi people. I wanted to share this clipping from the Washingon Post with you.

Why Did We Go to War? (from the Washington Post)
In Bush's first post-9/11 State of the Union address (January 2002), he framed Iraq as part of a larger and more enduring problem, the overriding threat of our time: the conjunction of terrorism, terrorist states and weapons of mass destruction. And unless something was done, we faced the prospect of an infinitely more catastrophic 9/11 in the future.
Later that year, in a speech to the United Nations, he spoke of the danger from Iraq not as "clear and present" but "grave and gathering," an obvious allusion to Churchill's "gathering storm," the gradually accumulating threat that preceded the Nazi invasion of Poland in 1939. And then nearer the war, in his 2003 State of the Union address, Bush plainly denied that the threat was imminent. "Some have said we must not act until the threat is imminent." Bush was, on the contrary, calling for action precisely when the threat was not imminent because, "if this threat is permitted to fully and suddenly emerge, all actions . . . would come too late."
The threat had not yet even fully emerged, Bush was asserting, but nonetheless it had to be faced because it would only get worse. Hussein was not going away. The sanctions were not going to restrain him. Even his death would be no reprieve, as his half-mad sons would take over. The argument was that Hussein had to be removed eventually and that with Hussein relatively weakened, isolated and vulnerable, now would be more prudent and less costly than later.
He was right.
In fact, Bush's case was simply a more elaborate and formal restatement of Bill Clinton's argument in 1998 that, left unmolested, Hussein would "go right on and do more to rebuild an arsenal of devastating destruction. And some day, some way, I guarantee you, he'll use the arsenal."
That was true when Clinton said it. It was true when Bush said it. The difference is that Bush did something about it.