Funny Friday

Have a blessed day.

Happy Birthday To Jack And Sam III

I was contemplating participating in Wordless Wednesday, then a quick glance at the calendar changed the post's direction. My chicken scratch scribblings noted that today is Jack and Sam III's Second birthday. It seems like only yesterday I was still inconsolable over losing my dear little Miniature Schnauzer of 15 years, Maxie. Where has the time gone?

Above is when they where first settling in (do JRT's ever settle?!) and a rare moment of being sedate. At first they seemed to view us with distrust, as if these strange giants (us) where going to eat them or something equally disagreeable.

I wouldn't do that.

Too stringy.

*lol*

Here they are in a life-or-death tussle over a stick. I buy them nice, healthy toys and what do they do? Play with debris. Go figure.

Now they're sparing over who can stretch the longest.

I've noticed that in many ways Jack Russell Terriers act like cats. As many know, JRT's do not like anything of the feline persuasion. We where warned vehemently about that before bringing them home. "Do not own a cat ..." "Ok, ok," I remember thinking, "I won't own a cat." Well, I finally figured out why. It's because they don't like the competition. JRT's are fastidious, stealthy, alert, love to stretch and never seem to sit still for long. They really are wonderful dogs if one can get past the first year or so. During that time either stay medicated or get a hobby that requires multiple hours away from home. They almost drove us to distraction with their hyper activity those first few months. Now, of course, I couldn't imagine my life without them.

Happy Birthday little guys. I look forward to many years of enjoying your antics.

And if I could just teach them how to ride on the handlebars ... (wouldn't that be a hoot!?).

Two Minutes With The Bible ~ Simple As Can Be

Simple As Can Be 

by Pastor Cornelius R. Stam

Berean Bible Society

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Have you ever heard some preacher say: “There are many things in the Bible which are hard to understand but, thank God, the plan of salvation is as simple as can be.”

Well the plan of salvation is simple IF we obey II Timothy 2:15, “rightly dividing the Word of truth.” Otherwise it is far from simple.

The Apostle Paul wrote: “We conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law” (Rom.3:28). Yet James wrote: “By works a man is justified, and not by faith only” (James 2:24).

Again, at Sinai God said to Israel through Moses: “If ye will obey My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me above all people …” (Ex. 19:5). But our Lord said, as He sent His apostles to witness for Him that, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved… and these signs shall follow them that believe: in My name shall they cast out demons, they shall speak with new tongues…” etc. (Mark 16:16-18). Thus, according to their “great commission” water baptism was required for salvation and miraculous signs were the evidences of salvation.

Confusing? Contradictory? Not if we “rightly divide the Word of truth.” It was after “the law was given by Moses,” after our Lord’s earthly ministry, after the commission to the twelve, that God raised up another apostle, Paul, and sent him forth with “the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24).

It was Paul who was sent to declare: “But NOW, the righteousness of God without the law is manifested…” (Rom. 3:21). “To him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness” (Rom. 4:5). “Therefore, being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1).

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To the Reader:
Some of our Two Minutes articles were written many years ago by Pastor C. R. Stam for publication in newspapers. When many of these articles were later compiled in book form, Pastor Stam wrote this word of explanation in the Preface:

"It should be borne in mind that the newspaper column, Two Minutes With the Bible, has now been published for many years, so that local, national and international events are discussed as if they occurred only recently. Rather than rewrite or date such articles, we have left them just as they were when first published. This, we felt, would add to the interest, especially since our readers understand that they first appeared as newspaper articles."

To this we would add that the same is true for the articles written by others that we continue to add, on a regular basis, to the Two Minutes library. We hope that you'll agree that while some of the references in these articles are dated, the spiritual truths taught therein are timeless.

Wordless Wednesday: Rural Georgia

[click to enlarge]

The Great Trane Robbery Or The Air Conditioner Saga

Finally, I am back from the local hotel after several nights of absence. You may well ask what has occurred that I had to leave my comfortable, quiet country home for a local 4 star accommodation? Five days ago, on the 3rd of July, our eight year old Trane air conditioner breathed it’s last. After my husband wrestled the club from my hot hands (I was going to cause it pain too), reservations were made at a Comfort Inn and ice applied to my throbbing temples. The hotel was quite nice but this was very ill timed for our meager savings. Will the sudden expenditures never end this year?! Oh, well, c'est la vie, right? It’s only money. Gee whiz, you know, I’d like to get familiar with our money for more than a few minutes, though, just once. Back to being calm, God is good and necessities were supplied as needed. 

Anyone who has lived in, or had the great misfortune to visit the Southeast during the summer months knows where I’m coming from with our brutal heat. Most modern houses are not made with the idea in mind that there will not be central heat or air. Ours is no exception.

But back to the story.

Let us begin at the begin. I called our usually most trusted A/C Guy Friday one week before the event for something was troubling the compressor. It was “making a weird noise”. (Ok, so I’m not a technician.) He didn’t call back ... didn’t call ... didn’t call … finally Guy showed up early Thursday the 2nd. After much hemming, hawwing and noodle scratching, stated firmly it was the compressor and ordered said item from the closest Trane distributor in Memphis. We further requested it be sent overnight and offered to pay extra for the expense. The A/C Guy did so. The next day, Friday the 3rd, the compressor, tired of living, in revenge tried to destroy the electric breaker, causing the All House Generator to run. Then the local power company had to be dispatched to fix the problem. It seems the Trane was no longer viable. IN SHEER PANIC NOW I yelled at telephoned the A/C Guy again. At that time, the compressor had not arrived as Trane stated that it would. Therefore, I had to stay all weekend at the very nice Comfort Inn, traveling back and to several times a day to be with my husband (he opted to stay behind and watch the dogs and now unsecure house ~ he’s such a good man), eating out because the house was just too hot, and so forth. When the old compressor was still non compos mentis, with me close behind, I urged Husband to buy something, for goodness sake anything, from Wal-Mart that would cool our new sweat(ing) house.

This is what he showed up with:

I don’t know who Haier is

but I want to marry him and have his children.

Hubby installed this nifty little machine in the guest bedroom since it was the only room with the proper size window. Do you know, this little 8,000 btu unit actually cooled a large portion of our 1,200 sf home? That’s amazing.

And happily, as of this morning, the Trane has new guts and mine are still in knots from all the expenditures. What a week! I'll admit it’s been a learning curve. I will henceforth make it my life's goal to have some kind of back up for hot weather. May the Lord lend me understanding that I will learn what He wants me to know from this experience. Right now I’m too busy basking in the cool dryness of modern convenience.

Two Minutes With The Bible ~ The Love Of God

The Love Of God 

by Pastor Cornelius R. Stam

Berean Bible Society

Printer Friendly Version

Millions of people — even religious people — are afraid of God and are struggling to earn His favor. They suppose that salvation is the reward of showing enough love to Him. If only they would believe what God Himself says, that if we are ever saved it will be entirely because He loved us and graciously provided for our salvation.

The Apostle Paul, in the Bible, called God “the God of love” (II Cor. 13:11) and John declared that “God IS love” (1 John 4:8). Thus John goes on to say:

“HEREIN IS LOVE, NOT THAT WE LOVED GOD, BUT THAT HE LOVED US and sent His Son to be the propitiation [satisfaction] for our sins” (1 John 4: 10).

This is why salvation is so often called a “gift” in the Bible. It is the expression of God’s love to sinners. And so St. Paul tells us:

“[We] were by nature the children of wrath, even as others, BUT GOD, WHO IS RICH IN MERCY, FOR HIS GREAT LOVE WHEREWITH HE LOVED US, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved)” (Eph. 2:3-5).
“…after that THE KINDNESS AND LOVE OF GOD OUR SAVIOR TOWARD MAN appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to HIS MERCY He saved us…” (Tit. 3:4,5).

Does all this mean that God overlooks sin or condones it? By no means! In His love He paid for our sins on Calvary’s cross “that He might be Just, and the Justifier of him that believeth in Jesus” (Rom. 3:26). This is why we read in Rom. 5:8:

“…GOD COMMENDETH HIS LOVE TOWARD US, IN THAT WHILE WE WERE YET SINNERS CHRIST DIED FOR US.”

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To the Reader:
Some of our Two Minutes articles were written many years ago by Pastor C. R. Stam for publication in newspapers. When many of these articles were later compiled in book form, Pastor Stam wrote this word of explanation in the Preface:

"It should be borne in mind that the newspaper column, Two Minutes With the Bible, has now been published for many years, so that local, national and international events are discussed as if they occurred only recently. Rather than rewrite or date such articles, we have left them just as they were when first published. This, we felt, would add to the interest, especially since our readers understand that they first appeared as newspaper articles."

To this we would add that the same is true for the articles written by others that we continue to add, on a regular basis, to the Two Minutes library. We hope that you'll agree that while some of the references in these articles are dated, the spiritual truths taught therein are timeless.

Schnauzer Puppy Live Cam

We've been lulled into a major summer tedium around Red Bird Acres. I could discuss the news (ugh, no thanks), or the weather (it's hot, no surprise there), or I could talk about how our not very old Trane A/C has suddenly decided to go to Air Conditioner Heaven and we need a new one. Nah, too depressing. Rather than all those exciting topics, I thought I'd share a website that I find mind numbingly entertaining. Try not to show your disappointment in me too much. *grin*



I have a special penchant for Schnauzers. I do love them in all shapes and colors, with their little fuzzy faces, cropped tails, and happy-go-lucky attitude, but after losing Maxie, decided to not own one anymore. They're too much work.

By the way, there are other Live Cam's available at YouTube. It's a pleasant way to waste an hour or two.