Category Archives: It’s a Bonus Post

2023, Holy Soap Box, It's a Bonus Post, Psalms

First Blush!

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I am eager to open and use this Daily Planner. img_0478I am hopeful that I will do better in the coming months than I did with the last one.
Thanksgiving Day is just a week and a day away. In some windows of the houses on the streets we turn to get here, I have seen some lighted trees. Already!

I anticipate we will enjoy Thanksgiving Day. LORD willing there will be family, love, laughter, food, and prayer. Yes, I will enjoy that immensely.  And then Black Friday as it has been known for a while now will be attended by many.

By the late 1980s, it had caught on around the U.S., and retailers began to market around it. Specifically, the event became associated with the idea that stores operate at a loss (or are “in the red”) throughout the year, but are able to earn a profit (or, go “into the black”) on the day after Thanksgiving, as it’s when shoppers are most likely to spend money on gifts. source

You may read more about Black Friday HERE.

From now to the end of the year, is not my favorite time of the year.
I do treasure time with family and friends, happy get-togethers, special treats, and the like, but the excitement ends about there.

Little that will go on til the end of the year is GOD-honoring. It does not exalt JESUS or His coming to earth to save sin-lost people. Christmas, and I hesitate to use the word is about making money for merchants, lying to children, and having obligatory parties.
Sounds harsh I know.
It took me many years to admit it to myself and to muster the courage to walk away so far from just about all of it.
For one thing, walking away makes you different, and different in this society is not acceptable unless your difference is anti-Bible, then you are applauded.

So, my Friends, as secular as it sounds at first blush, 😊 my favorite holiday is NEW YEARS!
We eat what used to be considered poor man’s food, we pray seeking the LORD for new beginnings, and new visions of service, and we make once-a-year phone calls – well, J does.
And it is super special if I get to spend some of the time with my oldest in PJs, eating popcorn, and watching an old movie. That doesn’t happen every year — but when it does! 😊

Mainly, I just want to be surrounded by family, friends, good food, laughter, prayer, and the PEACE OF GOD, within.
Who am I kidding?! I want this every day!
So I guess we could say every day is a potential holiday!!

Nothing wrong with that, right?

“This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”  Psalm 118:24 KJV

Psalm 145:17-18
Kathie Whitestone Thompson

2023, Colossians, Giving Thanks, Gospel of Matthew, It's a Bonus Post

Always Salty

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The right amount of salt makes everything taste better.

Standing alone and out of context (which by the way, is NOT the best way to read Scripture), are two words I want to speak about this morning.
Always and Salt.
Your speech must always, this is what The LORD says.
What does He mean, always?
Has He commanded us to ALWAYS speak correctly?

YES

I’m just saying what I see.
And we shall give an account for every idle word.  (Matthew 12:36)
If that does not make us thankful for the Blood of Jesus that cleanses every repentant sinner I don’t know what would!

So yes, always.  So how does this walk out for us?
Here’s what I see. I hope it helps.
We walk this out by accepting the GRACE (another word for Grace is GOD’s POWER) of GOD to be continually practicing our speech.
Continually practicing speaking what HE wants us to say, not what WE want to say to every person crossing our path.
It’s a tall order but He would not have said it if He didn’t mean it AND if He was not able to empower us to learn to obey Him, moment by moment.
We have no excuse.
We are to continually practice always speaking with grace – GOD’s Grace – His power within us.

Salt. What about salt?

salt

Salt gives flavor. It also helps heal, even preserves.
Our words are to give flavor to conversations. Our words are to help heal wounds, not make wounds. Our words are to preserve – to help rescue people from dying, or at least give them the Good News that JESUS SAVES.

The Right Amount of Salt Always enhances and by GOD’s GRACE, we can practice till we see Him Face to face.
And let me just be honest — this message stings (as it should) because I have not been practicing it well, BUT by His GRACE, I shall learn better!

Take care, My Friends, Kathie 

2023, Christian Living, For What It's Worth To You, Gospel of Matthew, It's a Bonus Post, Questions

Come Along

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Matthew 28 18 Yeshua came and talked with them. He said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore, go and make people from all nations into talmidim, immersing them into the reality of the Father, the Son and the Ruach HaKodesh, 20 and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember! I will be with you always, yes, even until the end of the age.”   source 

First thing I noticed this time reading these verses. 

immersing them into the reality of the Father, the Son and the Ruach HaKodesh, 

Other translations say: baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  And I don’t dispute that. Baptism after conversion is a command, unless, of course, you are the thief on the cross or some other reason beyond your control. But baptism is more than being lowered under a body of water and brought up again and I believe JESUS was saying more than we are generally taught here. 

Let us remember from the verses that He said “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. And does not ALL mean all? All authority is given to Him. We will come back to this.

Hang with me.

What are we commanded to do in this passage? immersing them into the reality of the Father, the Son and the Ruach HaKodesh,
Just what does this mean? What is immersing?

im·merse

  (ĭ-mûrs′)
tr.v. im·mersed, im·mers·ing, im·mers·es
1. To cover completely in a liquid; submerge.
2. To baptize by submerging in water.
3. To engage wholly or deeply; absorb:
 
For purposes here let’s take number 3. 
To engage wholly or deeply; absorb. This I believe describes what we are to do. 
All people. All Nations. Anyone who will believe and come along we are to aid in engaging them wholly, deeply; so they can absorb the ways of GOD. 
We introduce them to JESUS and then we keep on with them, discipling them,  or making sure there is someone else to come alongside them to teach them the Ways of GOD. 
And what do we teach them?
We teach them to OBEY GOD per the Scriptures. 
 
NOTHING IN THIS LIFE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN OBEYING GOD.
 
Let’s go back now. 
 
All Authority in heaven and on earth is given to JESUS.
This is BIG, Y’all! 
JESUS has all authority! All authority! 
 
And some may say, so. What does that mean for me? 
The best news ever!
It means as we are immersed in GOD, we are taught the ways of GOD and we obey Him we too have authority. We have the authority and the power to forsake and overcome SIN. 
 
We do NOT have to live defeated lives. 
We can and must be overcomers. 
When we are immersed in GOD all power and authority that we need to command the flesh and the enemy, we have. We CAN live victoriously. news-clipart-k11232926We do not have to be slaves to sin anymore! 

Now why would we not want to proclaim this to people everywhere? 

It’s Good News! The Best News! 
 

Until next time — Shalom, Kathie 

2023, A Quick Hello, It's a Bonus Post, Just a Short Pop-In

Whipping Up Mayo

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This post is written with no specific one in mind.
This post is not for everyone.
It’s just me wanting to share something that to me is good and good for me.

I’ve gained a few pounds since the beginning of the year.

I gained those pounds emotionally eating – even eating when I was not really hungry and eating things I did not need.  A few days ago the magic number flipped a switch in my thinking.

That number was not going to stand period the end.
And tonight while I was whipping up some mayonnaise for tomorrow’s potato salad I realized I really wanted to come here and talk about this.

For me eating what I do not need is a spiritual thing.  When I eat more than I need or when I eat foods that are not helpful to me, it wounds my soul.

istockphoto-1002529260-1024x1024

When I surrender to those not good for me now food images dancing in my head, I feel bad — physically and emotionally.
Whipping up the mayo tonight, I recognized, hey, wait I’m a happier soul these recent days.
And I know why!
I’ve been saying NO.
No to certain foods.
No to amounts.  And No to the times I eat.
When I say no. I’m not going to eat that and you can’t make me. It’s a really nice spiritual high.
I like it.  And I’m grateful.
It encourages me to know I CAN say NO to anything I need to say NO to.

cookiesThere is indeed VICTORY in JESUS! 

That’s it. That’s all I had to say.

Thanks for listening and being a means to hold myself accountable.

Love, Kathie