Trying Simple Life in Taiwan

We've been being frequented by a couple of Jehovah's Witnesses lately.  We've talked briefly, though I haven't invited them in.  I have never heard of a Jehovah's Witness being converted to the Christian faith.  I was wondering if any of you have ever successfully witnessed to a JW.  I think the next time the JW's come over I will say (though I'm not sure how to get to this point) that if Jesus is not God, they do not believe in the Trinity and do not believe that Jesus is God, then he cannot have been perfect.  And if he was not perfect, then his sacrifice for us was meaningless.  It was just as if I were to die for mankind - a nice gesture, but that's about all.  Of course, they don't believe that anybody goes to hell either.  So I'm not exactly sure what they think Jesus died to save us from. 

Any wisdom?  They usually stop by our house on Thursday, so I could use some Godly advice by then.

Happy Trails!

www.allposters.com

1-8 oz. Cool Whip

1-8 oz. pkg. cream cheese

1 c. sugar

1/2 t. vanilla

1 stick margarine

3 c. graham cracker crumbs

1 can pie filling (your choice)

1. Melt the margarine & mix with crumbs.  Pan into 9 X 13" dish.  **Save a few crumbs for topping!

2.  Mix cream cheese, sugar, & vanilla until well beaten.  Add Cool Whip. 

3.  Pour mixture on top of crumbs.

4.  Pour pie filling over top Cool Whip mixture.

5.  Sprinkle reserved crumbs on top.

July 5

When Things Go Wrong

And not only so, but we glory in tribulation also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience.

Romans 5:3

Most of us are acquainted with adversity. And most of us don’t appreciate it. We regard it as an enemy as old as Job, who lamented, “Man that is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble” (Job 14:1).

There is, however, a positive side to trouble. It was Thomas Edison, standing in the ashes of the fire that destroyed his laboratory, who spoke these inspiring words, “Wonderful! All our mistakes have been burned up and we can start over.”

Even in nature, life depends on resistance. A fish, without the buoyancy of water or the thrust of the current, would be unable to swim. Birds, without the lift provided by the air against their wings, would remain earthbound.

In its metamorphosis from larvae to caterpillar and finally into the beautiful creature we call a swallowtail butterfly, the vital principle of struggle and resistance is striking. In its final stage, there is so much visible effort as the fully developed butterfly struggles to emerge from the chrysalis, that a sympathetic observer is tempted to come to its aid and slit the cocoon open with a sharp knife. This, however, would be a good deed gone awry. Without the benefit of the effort involved, its wings, which were intended for flight, would be mere appendages. The poor little creature, deprived of the life supporting benefit of struggle, would be doomed.

“When things go wrong.” How dare I entertain such a thought? The Word says, “All things work together for good.”

Jerry Yoder, Auburn, KY

Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.

—Psalm 34:19

Bible Reading: Job 5:1–7

One Year Bible Reading Plan:

Acts 13:1–24

Job 31, 32

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Phone:  877-488-0901

E-Mail:  [cs@vision-publishers.com]

Ok well today is going to be a busy day.. I have not slept but maybe two or three hours in two nights.. Satan is really coming up against me again...  I want to get a few things done here around the little homestead.. It is going to take the children to help me.

So far today i have put up a 1/2 bag of okra this morning. I tell you for us to have such a little row of okra it is really producing..  So right now i have enough okra for a nice big meal, a meal of green beans, squash, and peas..That is just in the freezer. In the pantry we have put up plum jam, plum slices, all kinds of jellies, peaches, dill pickles, and mixed greens.. It is little jars quart/ pint size jars here and there that we are putting up but every jar is another jar of food for the winter time.

We still have pickles to put up today.. And I am going to go outside and pick the beans and anything else that needs to be picked. I would like to put up some more plums slices.

question for you all. Have you ever had a pain in your left side.. That hurts like a sharp pain..  I am going to call my doctor and let him know what is going on and see what he says.. Lord take this away from me.

God bless all

glenda

I am not an American, but want to say Happy 4th of July to all of you who are. As I read over your blog entries and see how proud you are to be Americans, you all have got me feeling patriotic today, but towards my own country of New Zealand. I live in a free land too - we are still part of Great Britain, but in name and heritage only these days.

I have spent two 4th of July's in America, and I love America. There was a time in my life when I wanted to become a citizen of the USA . I did not miss my country at all - I never got homesick. I learned the words to your national anthem. I recited the Pledge of Allegiance until I knew it by memory. I know all the States and most of the State capitals. I can tell by your accents which part of the USA you're from, and I'm following your elections closely with interest. In my heart I adopted America as my homeland. I love Americans and there is something about your culture that just suits me, but it all changed dramatically for me one June day in 1993, and I had to return back to New Zealand.

It was hard for me at first to accept that I was back in New Zealand, and may in fact never return to America (especially now as I hate to fly). But I have had a change of heart - I think New Zealand is the best place to be on earth! We are so blessed to live in these beautiful south sea islands. We're way out in the middle of nowhere - at the bottom of the earth, you might say, surrounded by the ocean. We're old-fashioned compared to the rest of the world, and slightly unsophisticated. If you turn your clocks back about 20 years, that's where you'd probably find us.

We're surrounded by the sea, no way out except by air or boat. We have four definite seasons, so we can be self-sufficient. We have mountains, lakes, rivers, valleys, volcanoes, golden beaches, no snakes, no poisonous spiders, no wild animals that will kill you and we only have about 4 million people, so we're not crowded. I love it here. As much as I love America still and miss some of things over there that make America unique, I am in love with my country - with my heritage - with my people. I am a true daughter of New Zealand. Some of my ancestors were Maori (native New Zealanders), and some were English and some were Scottish.  Some people in the world don't even know where New Zealand is. We're not a super power, we're not influential, we're not famous for anything except our beautiful scenery and Sir Edmund Hilary. And in these days of uncertainty it's nice to be unknown.

We have a beautiful national anthem. Here is a youtube link to a more upbeat version of our anthem that was popular in the 1980's. It has wonderful pictures of some of our scenery.

New Zealand National Anthem

I also found this tv promotional ad that captures the essence of our culture.

The Youngest Nation on Earth

(Thank you Laurie for the link help).

Five interesting facts about New Zealand

1. The only country in the history of the world where christian missionaries preceeded the settlers.

2. The last great land mass discovered, therefore we are the youngest country on earth.

3. One of the few countries in the world where the indigenous people and the new immigrants have lived in relative harmony without racial wars. (We did have a war between England and the Maori in the 1800's, but it was over land, not race), and I think that's something to be proud of.

4. We were settled mainly by hardworking, God-fearing, honest English immigrants looking for a better life, and who have passed this heritage on.

5. We're even mentioned in the Bible! Yes we are! Did you know that New Zealand is the furtherest point on the globe from Israel, therefore we are officially 'the ends of the earth'.

I am proud to be a Kiwi - I am proud to call these islands my home, and I'm proud to bring my children up in this beautiful free land down under.

"....... God defend our free land.
From dissension, envy, hate,
And corruption guard our state,
Make our country good and great,
God defend New Zealand. ."

(From the second verse of our national anthem)

It is my earnest prayer that God will defend my free land and yours in the days to come.

This is something I have had to learn first hand this past year. Not only me but my children. He will if we allow him still our peace, our health, our children, our animals, you name it he will if we allow him  he will still everything away from us...

For me this has been really on my heart these past few weeks.. It all started when I got sick again.. I was at deaths door. I prayed and prayed to God to help me.. He did he sent a wonderful person in my church that was a nurse.. She knew something was not right with me when she looked at me. She then set up a appoitment with a friend who is a doctor. The next day I was in the hospital. All I could do is lay in a  fetal shape and hold on to my bible. I could not hardly even stay awake.. It was one of those times when your mind is going in all directions and yet there is nothing you can do about anything.. I had to trust in the Lord that one i would live and two that my children would be taken care of..  Satan tried to take my health and honeslty he is still trying but I trust in the one who made me.. His word says that by my stripes you are healed.. That ends it.. I am healed... My body might take a little while to find that healing but it was already promised to me... So that makes it so.. PERIOD...

When i got home from the hospital I was worried about bills.. Again God showed me that he had it all under control to just trust him.. Money was there.. From friends, From people i did not even know.. People who do not want me or any one to know who they are... It has been taken care of.. Food has been taken care.. Everything that Satan would bring to my mind that well how are you going to do this.. Or YOU will never be able to do this.. And you know what he is right. I CAN NEVER.. But God can.. And honestly he has bigger shoulders than i do.. He can hold a whole lot more than i can.. So I have learned to just give it to him.. HE already knows  the out come anyway... He sees the big picture i see the small picture of today... So with that Satan LOST AGAIN...

Then as I was healing as God had promised our animals started dieing for no reason.. NONE.. They would be fine one minute and died the next..  I mean with in a few hours.. Everything from ducks, chickens, rabbits, and then finally the little kittens that were brought to us. We all even me had got so close to those kittens. All but one was doing great. WE were feeding them , takeing great care of them.. And one by one they died.. We had even got them meds from the store.. Everything one could do.. Our hearts were broken.. Again Satan was stealig our joy, something that we all loved.. With each of those animals it was like a piece of our dreams were dieing.. Then it hit me agian it is satan.. He is doing his best to steal our joy, our little homestead. Anything to make us think that God is not for us... So we say it and we went up agaist him..  So Satan LOST AGAIN..

As that was ending then came up my SS #... How in the world did someone like this man get my number.. After going to the layor I have done all  i can do at this point. I will go to the ss office on monday and see about getting a new ss number. Until then i have to just trust in the LORD with this one.. Again Satan tried to steal my peace.. HE LOST AGAIN...

Then last night.. I was not feeling well. I was hurting and well could not sleep all  night. I hurt from my head to my feet. Plus on top of it all my kidneys were hurting again.. And i feel as if i am trying to get a head cold again.. NO GOD SAID THAT BY HIS HIS STRIPES WE (I) am healed.. That is his promise... SATAN WILL NOT WIN.... HE WILL NOT TAKE MY HEALTH.. PERIOD... I have five people in this house that needs me.. I have a life that God wants me to live and I have much yet to do for God in this life.. So sorry SATAN YOU WILL NOT TAKE MY HEALTH.. So i am standing right now with you all to say.. I AM speaking my healing.. I know that God has other plans for me and it does not have anything to do with me being sick..  I am going to be healed and this sickness that Satan keeps putting on me will go away. period.

So Satan does still work here on this earth, He still does his best to steal our peace, our health, our families, our children, our animals, our property, anything that he can to make us not trust in our heavenly father..  It is up to us to stand and say NO I WILL NOT BELIEVE WHAT HE IS SAYING. HE IS A LIER..  I WILL BELIEVE WHAT MY HEAVENLY FATHER SAYS. HE WANTS HIS CHILDREN TO HAVE A LIFE OF PLENTY, A LIFE OF GOODNESS, A LIFE OF HEALTH.. 

God bless

glenda