In Loving Memory: Myra Cook Ackman

Myra (Cook) Ackman

Her memorial at FindAGrave

Twelve years ago today, I lost my precious step-mother of 36 years. She was a determining force for the better part of my life. Since her passing I have tried to hallow her memory with praise because of the endearing impression she's made on all who knew her. Many times I find myself reminiscing about some funny quip or some bit of advice that has helped me through the years.

She was blessed with a raiper wit that comes from growing up poor in the Kentucky mountains. Her humor was quick and merciless. Myra grew up in a coal mining community but she was "trained to virtue and grace, in faith and God's fear." An expert self-taught seamstress, she was rarely not at the old Singer sewing machine. Memory is sometimes muddled but with fondness I remember one joke in particular she would say when 'caught' sewing on a Sunday. Because Myra was of the die-hard Baptist faith, she would say she would have to remove all the stitches with her nose when in Heaven because she sewed on the Sabbath.

Her cooking was superb. A kind of cordon bleu but with a country flair. She could take an ordinary meal and make it special. We are still serving many of her delicious recipes, especially around the Holidays.

When I hear a Polka, her favorite music, it still brings a smile. Her favorite song, though, was Last Date by Floyd Cramer. She would crank that tune up and sway to the melodies that spilled out of that old cabinet record player. Last Date is one of my fav's now too.

In 2008, four years after her passing, her memory was still fresh, I wrote a brief story about how she came into my life.

Rest in peace dear lady. I'll bet you're sitting next to Floyd Cramer listening to him play for the heavenly bodies. I look forward to seeing you again in Heaven with our blessed LORD Jesus.

Got Questions: What does the Bible say on the importance of accountability?

Mill Creek Church Cemetery at sunset

There's been several discussions about maintaining our faith in God on many of my favorite blogs. I feel cheered by their showing of faith. I appreciate these wonderful Saints more than words can express. Along this same line of thought, I thought it would also be edifying to discuss how important it is to encourage one another in the gathering shadows of these Last Days.

Every day He tarries is a day to witness. Every day He tarries is a day to love the sinner but hate the sin. And every day we draw nearer to our sweet LORD's return for His faithful.

Since almost all who read this blog are professing Christians, this next year will be especially bumpy spiritually, financially, morally, not just for America, but for the world. The world has told God to leave our schools, science, government, politics, entertainment, work places, and even many of our places of worship. In His place the darkness has crept in.

As we earnestly pray for God to forgive our ignorance and to return to our every day lives, let's try to remember to be upbeat and friendly to others. Let's share the joy of Jesus Christ in spite of the wickedness that envelopes our nation and fight the fear that grips our souls. Perhaps we can make, even if just for a moment, someone's world a little bit brighter so they won't feel desperate. May our kindness help lead them to Christ while the light lasts. Let's also show others WE ARE HIS and nothing, yay, NOTHING can come between the love of God and those who put their faith in Him.

"These are the times that try men's souls." [Thomas Paine, founding father]

"So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." [Romans 10:17]

"Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing." [1 Thessalonians 5:11]

With Christian Affection,

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www.GotQuestions.org

Question of the Week

Question: "What does the Bible say on the importance of accountability?"

Answer: There much temptation already in the world today, and Satan is working overtime to create even more. In the face of such temptation, many Christians seek out an “accountability partner” to pray with and help share the burdens that come with doing spiritual warfare. It is good to have a brother or sister we can count on when we are facing temptations. King David was alone the evening that Satan tempted him into adultery with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11). The Bible tells us we fight a war not of flesh but of the spirit, against powers and spiritual forces who threaten us (Ephesians 6:12).

Knowing we are in a battle against the forces of darkness, we should want as much help as we can gather around us, and this may include making ourselves accountable to another believer who can encourage us in the fight. Paul tells us that we must be equipped with all the power that God supplies to fight this battle: “Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand” (Ephesians 6:13). We know without a doubt that temptation will come. We should be prepared.

Satan knows our weaknesses, and he knows when we are vulnerable. He knows when a married couple is fighting and perhaps feeling that someone else might better understand and sympathize. He knows when a child has been punished by his parents and might be feeling spiteful. He knows when things are not going well at work and just where the bar is on the way home. Where do we find help? We want to do what is right in the sight of God, yet we are weak. What do we do?

Proverbs 27:17 says, “Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens his friend’s countenance.” A friend’s countenance is a look or expression of encouragement or moral support. When is the last time you had a friend call you just to ask how you were doing? When is the last time you called a friend and asked her if she needed to talk? Encouragement and moral support from a friend are sometimes the missing ingredients in fighting the battle against Satan. Being accountable to one another can provide those missing ingredients.

The writer of Hebrews summed it up when he said, “Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:24–25). The Body of Christ is interconnected, and we have a duty to each other to build each other up. Also, James implies accountability when he says, “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” (James 5:16).

Accountability can be helpful in the battle to overcome sin. An accountability partner can be there to encourage you, rebuke you, teach you, rejoice with you, and weep with you. Every Christian should consider having an accountability partner with whom he or she can pray, talk, confide, and confess.

© Copyright 2002-2016 Got Questions Ministries

When Insults Had Class

These inglorious insults are from an era before the English language became boiled down to 4-letter curse words.  

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A member of Parliament to Disraeli: "Sir, you will either die on the gallows or of some unspeakable disease."

"That depends, Sir," said Disraeli, "whether I embrace your policies or your mistress." 

"He had delusions of adequacy." - Walter Kerr

"He has all the virtues I dislike and none of the vices I admire." - Winston Churchill

 "I have never killed a man, but I have read many obituaries with great pleasure." - Clarence Darrow 

   

"He has never been known to use a word that might send a reader to the dictionary." - William Faulkner (about Ernest Hemingway).

"Thank you for sending me a copy of your book; I'll waste no time reading it." - Moses Hadas

"I didn't attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying I approved of it." - Mark Twain

"He has no enemies, but is intensely disliked by his friends." - Oscar Wilde

"I am enclosing two tickets to the first night of my new play; bring a friend, if you have one." - George Bernard Shaw to Winston Churchill

"Cannot possibly attend first night, will attend second .... if there is one." - Winston Churchill, in response.

   

"I feel so miserable without you; it's almost like having you here." - Stephen Bishop 

   

"He is a self-made man and worships his creator." - John Bright

 "I've just learned about his illness. Let's hope it's nothing trivial." - Irvin S. Cobb

 "He is not only dull himself; he is the cause of dullness in others." - Samuel Johnson

"He is simply a shiver looking for a spine to run up." - Paul Keating

 "In order to avoid being called a flirt, she always yielded easily." - Charles, Count Talleyrand 

    

"He loves nature in spite of what it did to him." - Forrest Tucker

"Why do you sit there looking like an envelope without any address on it?" - Mark Twain

"His mother should have thrown him away and kept the stork." - Mae West

 "Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go." - Oscar Wilde

"He uses statistics as a drunken man uses lamp-posts ... for support rather than illumination." - Andrew Lang (1844-1912)

"He has Van Gogh's ear for music." - Billy Wilder

"I've had a perfectly wonderful evening.  But I'm afraid this wasn't it." - Groucho Marx

Wordless Wednesday

[click to enlarge]

Got Questions: What Is Catharism?

Like many of my readers, I also peruse a great deal of medieval literature and history. During these mental travels into the past I had come across a few references to the Catharism cult and a few others. Curious as to what they practiced, I looked them up and thought I'd share the findings. From all this reading, I've learned that our ancestors where a superstitious lot!

Cathars where a strange bunch, weren't they? They vaguely remind me of the present day cult of worshiping the earth (i.e. Climate Change, Progressives, etc.). I guess that's because they worship the same 'god of the air', the great deceiver, the father of all lies, satan.

Many years ago I read part of the Kingdom of the Cults by Walter Martin book, referenced below. If you don't have that in your home library, I highly recommend it. Knowledge of what's right and wrong help to understand the enemy that we may fight for Him. This is a spiritual warfare, after all. [Ephesians 6:12, Ephesians 6:11, 1 Peter 5:8]

Thank you LORD Jesus for protecting us from such deceits that we may worship you in truth. Amen.

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www.GotQuestions.org

Question: "What is Catharism?"

Answer: Catharism is the term used to describe a set of quasi-Christian beliefs held by a group of medieval ascetics known as the Cathars (or Cathari), which means “pure ones.” According to Catharism, everything physical was created by the evil god of the Old Testament, and everything spiritual was created by the good god of the New Testament. The Cathars believed that human beings are really angels trapped in corrupted matter, forced to reincarnate until finally released by a ritual of purification.

One of the tenets of Catharism, which began in the 12th century, was a rejection of marriage. Cathars forbade marriage for a couple of reasons. First, they believed that humans were simply angelic beings imprisoned in flesh—and angels are genderless. Also, the Cathari believed that procreation was an evil act, since it prolonged the suffering and evil of the physical world. Cathars were also vegetarian and pacifistic.

Catharism taught that salvation required a ritual known as a consolamentum. This was vaguely similar to baptism, with the addition of speaking in tongues and fasting. A Cathar typically observed the consolamentum as late in life as possible, since he believed any pleasure taken in the world after the ritual would corrupt his spirit and prevent him from ascending to heaven. Many Cathars undertook the consolamentum on their deathbeds, then voluntarily starved themselves to death in order to guarantee purity in the afterlife.

Theologically, Catharism was dualistic; biblically, Catharism is completely false, although the Cathars claimed to be Christians. Scripture says that the same God who created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1) is the One who came in human form for our salvation (Acts 3:13). Unlike Catharism, the Bible says that each person is born and dies only once (Hebrews 9:27), has a human soul (Genesis 2:7), and is saved by grace through faith in Christ (Ephesians 2:8–9). No ritual can save us (Titus 3:5), nor are all worldly things inherently evil (Genesis 1:31).

In modern times, Catharism might be seen as a quirky or even progressive religious group. But in medieval Europe the Cathars were considered radical and profoundly dangerous to the stability of a fragile society. Those who denied the authority of the government to wage war and who refused to procreate were seen as anarchists threatening the culture. Catharism also rejected the Catholic sacraments and almost all other religious traditions. Unsurprisingly, Catharism was heavily persecuted by the Catholic Church; they were the particular targets of at least one minor Crusade and parts of the Inquisition. Catharism died out in the 14th century.

© Copyright 2002-2016 Got Questions Ministries
Recommended Resources: The Kingdom of the Cults, revised and updated edition and Logos Bible Software.

Alison Weir Has A New Publication

Anyone else a medieval history freak fan like I am? Nothing gets me more excited than a new book on this subject, especially the Tudor dynasty (think Henry VIII, Bloody Mary, Elizabeth I, etc.) I have multiple books covering these Monarchs and more. One of my favorite authors, after David Starkey, is Alison Weir. Imagine my joy when I learned that Ms. Weir has a new book that is set to be published January 12th. Of all the people I've studied from that era, I know very little about Lady Margaret Douglas.

I've restocked the tea stash, hubby will cook scrumptious scones sprinkled with sugar, and my favorite reading chair is all set to go. After the 12th I'll be the one in the corner reading quietly about life 500 plus years ago. History is a marvelous teacher if we'll all just listen and learn from our ancestors mistakes. Which reminds me of the saying:

"Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it." -- George Santayana

And I pray (literally) that our Nation will learn from our current horrendous mistake making 2017 the start of our own Renaissance. Wouldn't that be splendid?! One can hope.

Have a blessed day folks.

Blogger Is Changing The Rules Again

Apparently, Google is changing things around again. If you're one of my "followers" and do not have a Google account (who doesn't have a Google account these days!?), it will be necessary to create one and re-follow anyone on Blogger.

As part of this plan, starting the week of January 11, we’ll remove the ability for people with Twitter, Yahoo, Orkut or other OpenId providers to sign in to Google Friend Connect and follow blogs. At the same time, we’ll remove non-Google Account profiles so you may see a decrease in your blog follower count.

I wondered why I suddenly lost about 10 or more 'friends' in the past week. This is why. So, I went ahead and deleted the old "Follow" button since it will be rendered inactive by the 11th, and placed the new Google+ Followers button on the right hand side. If you would be so kind as to click, I do appreciate it. I've placed it below the Motorcycle Websites list (you can see where my priorities lay ... lol).

This is new to me also. Please let me know if I need to re-follow any of you. Thanks.

I'm still nursing a mild head cold. Just my luck, the sun is shining and it's lovely outside. *sigh* I would so love to ride. Maybe by the end of the week ...

Sources For More Information: Google Friend Connect, Blogger Videos

PS: Now I just noticed that the Google+ Followers button on this page is not working. *sigh* Can't figure out why and I'm too weary to check any further. Sorry for the inconvenience. Stay tuned sports fans ...

PSS: It's been fixed ... I hope. ~:)