#209 Rest

On Thursday, my man, me, and my Mustang are hitting the open road and heading north to one of our favorite places on earth. We'll be celebrating 20 years of marriage. I am so looking forward to spending a lot of hours right here, listening to the waves beat against the shore, and soaking up some sun.

My son-in-law asked me what our plans would be for our time away. I told him that we would go to the beach, eat out, have some Dairy Queen, and basically do a whole lot of nothing. His response was, "That sounds so boring." I guess it does, but boring is just what we're aiming for on this trip. Most folks that I've talked to about our get-away had the same words of advice..."Get some rest." 

It's kind of a sad state of affairs that in order to get some rest we have to pack our suitcases and drive hundreds of miles away from home. 

Our DVR's are backed up with shows we haven't had the time to watch. Our e-mail boxes contain hundreds of entries that we just can't get around to reading. When I step away from Twitter for a few hours, a couple hundred posts are waiting for my return. (Until I decided that I don't have to follow each and every person that follows me.) Facebook is blowing up. My phone blinks from missed texts. And that's only the media part of our lives in the year of Our Lord, 2011. 

We work. We raise children. We have spouses to love and care for. We volunteer. There are groceries to buy, lawns to mow, houses to clean, errands to run, books to read, laundry to wash, appointments to show up for, and people in our lives that need tending to. We're overworked, over stimulated and over-over-overly in need of rest.

But what do you think? Do you think it's possible that we can be at rest without hitting the highway and getting away from it all? Can we be at rest right in the middle of life and all it's craziness? 

The Bible talks a lot about rest. The word "rest" is mentioned 275 times in 265 verses of the King James Version of the Bible. I wanted to search out some of these instances so that I could find the secret to living a life characterized by rest. Rest amid busyness. Rest amid problems. Rest amid sorrow. Rest amid being pulled in a hundred different directions. Rest from the noise, the clamor, and the bombardment of the world around me. You and I don't have the luxury of being on never-ending holiday, so we need to find a way to live in rest, in the daily Mondays through Fridays of our lives; day after day, month after month, year after year. 

More often than not, we feel like David when he penned these words, "I said, "Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest--I would flee far away and stay in the desert; I would hurry to my place of shelter, far from the tempest and the storm." (Psalm 55: 6-8) But what if it's just not realistic to run away? What if...

What if we could find rest in the goodness of God? David did his fair share of running and hiding, but he also comforted himself in those times when he spoke a reminder to, "Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to you." (Psalm 116:7)  Look at the Message: "I said to myself, "Relax and rest. God has showered you with blessings. Soul, you've been rescued from death; Eye, you've been rescued from tears; And you, Foot, were kept from stumbling." We can find rest by meditating on every good thing that the Lord has done in our lives.  Being reminded of the Lord's goodness to us in the past, will slow the pulse a bit when we are anxious about the future, and during those times when we're feeling overwhelmed.  

What if we believed God? The nation of Israel fell in the desert and "were not able to enter [God's rest], because of their unbelief." (Hebrews 3: 19) What if we could truly believe that God is sovereign over the affairs of our lives; that He has ordered each of our days according to His plans and purposes, and that nothing reaches us without being sent from Him, or allowed to first pass through His loving hands? What if we believed every single stroke and punctuation mark of His Word about who we are in Him, about His priorities for our lives, and about what He would have us pay attention to and take care of on a daily basis?

How often do you ask God what He wants to do on any given day? More often, I think we tell Him what we're going to do, and hope that He tags along. We might find that we can truly do "all things through Christ who gives us strength" (Philippians 4: 13), when those "things" are His "things". A lot of our hairiness is of our own making. We try to do it all, being everything to everyone, adding task upon task to our "to do" lists, and end up stressed out, burnt out, and just plain old out. Believe that God wants to be involved in every bit of the minutia of your life. Involve Him. Include Him. He will never give you so much to do that you keel over from exhaustion. He wants you to have boundaries that are set up according to the parameters of His Word. Your Bible has something to say about every situation, problem, and question in your life. What if you believed God and His Word today? Might it give you some much needed rest?

What if you made spending time with God the first thing on your "to do" list each and every day? Jesus said these beautiful words over 2000 years ago and He is still speaking them to you today. "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11: 28-30) The Son of God Himself knew that this principle was vital, rising early every morning to spend time with the Father. If Jesus needed this precious time of fellowship with His Father, we certainly cannot begin to fool ourselves into thinking that we don't. 

Quiet time with God ... well, there's nothing like it. Praising Him for Who He is and all that He has done gets your eyes fixed on Him, and away from the anxious thoughts about what is pressing  ahead of you on any given day. Confessing your faults to Him, in honesty and repentance, will give you the freedom to get up and spend your day without guilt, shame or regret, because you will be secure in His forgiveness. Telling Him all of your concerns, praying for what is ahead, and placing the coming day in His hands takes the pressure off of you. He will carry the yoke with you. You will feel His presence, sense the impartation of His wisdom in whatever you face, and know that His Holy Spirit is right there with you.  Ask Him how He wants you to order your day, what really needs doing, and what has no value at all and can be forgotten. He will be your Guide. He will be your Good Shepherd. Might that bring you some much needed rest?

My man and I will enjoy our four days away, that's for sure. But the majority of our days aren't spent on a get-away vacation. I'm going to work on implementing these Biblical principles of rest on the other 361 days of the year. Won't you join me?

"Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls." (Jeremiah 6: 16)

Coming August 31, 2011

E-Book



#208 "Evil Forebodings"

So it's Tuesday again. Here I sit, with my fingers poised over the keys. That's about all that's poised right now. I have a million thoughts running through my head, but nothing that's making it's way down the circuits from my brain to my fingertips. I need to write something. It's Tuesday. My title is "Tuesdays with Jesus", right? 

I'm thinking about how the meteorologists predicted severe storms in our area yesterday. I laughed when I saw that my man had put the sprinkler out in the morning. But I guess the joke was on me because it never rained; at least not in our neck of the woods. 

I had some profound statement to make about that a few minutes ago. I didn't write it down and now it's gone. I hate when that happens.

It had something to do with the way we get all worked up over storms that we think are on their way into our lives. I've heard them called "evil forebodings."

We're about to have a conversation with someone, and we imagine the worst exchange. We have to go to the doctor and get our test results, and we imagine the worst possible diagnosis. Our child is late coming home, and we imagine the dreaded telephone call. We shake and quiver and feel nauseous. The mind races, the stomach turns, and the knees get weak. 

We did get a few ominous clouds appearing overhead, and the winds kicked up. But it never rained. It never stormed. No thunder. No lightning. The sun came out. The winds turned to light breezes and the clouds became light and puffy.

Just like those evil forebodings. How many times have your worst fears NEVER come to pass? You realize how ridiculous you were being and you became ashamed by your lack of faith. Why on earth do we do that?

Your enemy, the devil, throws some pretty hefty darts and aims right for your mind. A dart of evil foreboding here. A flaming arrow of unnecessary fear there. 

When you hear thunder in the distance and the storm clouds are gathering over your head, there is only one thing to do.   

Ephesians 6:16 

Feed your faith and your fear will starve to death. Put the shield of faith in one hand and wield the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, with the other.  

"We capture every thought and make it give up and obey Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:5 NCV)

Straight out, don't be afraid of imaginary things. The skies can look fierce. The winds may howl. But that doesn't always mean that a storm will come. I guess I had something to say after all.

"I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened."
Mark Twain

#207 Clearly Mislabeled

This spring, we decided to uproot our perennial garden and replace it with a vegetable garden. Because there ain't a thing more scrumptious than a homegrown tomato, we planted four of them. Not four tomatoes... four tomato plants. Our mouths have been watering as we've anticipated the late August harvest of those beauties.

My man and I are not seasoned gardeners. In other words, we're part of the group known as "the-growing-our- own- food challenged."  We didn't do too badly with the Romaine lettuce. We got a small, but good crop, and have just a little left over for one more salad. Now we're watching cucumber plants spreading on the ground, green beans that are getting big enough to pull, and small buds of sweet peppers and strawberries starting to appear.

But it's those tomatoes that have had us stumped. The plants just keep getting bigger and bigger, and there are literally a hundred small tomatoes on those branches. We've been wondering how they will ever grow when they're so close to one another. Picture us. Dumb and Dumber, standing with our mouths agape, wowing at all the tiny tomatoes that we just know will turn into big ole ones any day now. I have already been planning to have a tomato sale on my front lawn, because we will never be able to eat them all. 

Those plants have been expanding. I mean they have been growing up AND out. These greens were taking over the rest of the garden. 

 

The label on the plants that we bought in May said, "Early Girl Tomato".

This is a picture of a full size "Early Girl":

This morning I knelt down and took a good look on the inside of all that foliage and this is what I found:

No "Early Girls" here! These were cherry tomatoes! Those four plants had been clearly mislabeled.

The moral of the story is....

No matter how badly I want those cherry tomatoes to be full sized, succulent, "Early Girl" beauties, they never will be, because that is not what they were created to be. They may have a sign on them that says, "Early Girl", but they were "cherry tomatoes" that someone put the wrong label on. They have been, they are, and they will forever be, what they were created to be.

Maybe someone has mislabeled you and called you by the wrong name. They have unrealistic expectations of who they would like you to be. They put the wrong label on you because of things that you have done in the past. They give you another name because of the circumstances that you find yourself in. 

They call you by that name to your face. They whisper it behind your back.

The good news is, no matter how badly they want you to be the person they expect you to be, and no matter how badly they want their labels to define you, you will never be those things because that is not who God created you to be.

You have been, you are, and you will forever be loved, chosen, valued, and highly esteemed in the eyes of your Heavenly Father.

You have been, you are, and you will forever be forgiven, free, changed, and redeemed by your Savior.

You have been, you are, and you will forever be beautiful, precious,  beloved,  and cherished by God.

You are His darling, His dearest, His pet, and His treasure.

You are worth a King's ransom. You are worth your weight in the precious blood of God's own Son.

You have been clearly mislabeled!

 

I'm linking at

#206 Dear Sweet Sixteen

A few days ago, someone that I went to high school with "friend requested" me on Facebook. Later that day, I saw that he tagged me in a picture. I couldn't for the life of me figure out what kind of a picture he could have. This is what I saw when I looked.

This is me, circa 1973, during our high school production of "Bye Bye Birdie". O. My. Gosh! I laughed so hard that my sides hurt. Besides the fact that I looked stoned, I couldn't get over how young I was. By the way, I was NOT under the influence of anything . I was always too afraid to do those kinds of things at that age. You know, visions of dying from an overdose, or the wrath of my parents. I don't know which one would have been worse.

After my initial laugh and re-posting it on Facebook, I forgot about it for awhile. Later that night, it began to haunt me. I stared at that picture and remembered that girl. It's so weird. It seems like a lifetime ago. Really, it was. When I look at her, it's like looking at a different person. Thirty-eight years have passed since I've seen her. I started to think about what I would say to her, if we could sit down and chat, in the spring of 1973. I'd like to think we would sit down and have a tender moment singing, "You Are Sixteen Going On Seventeen", like Maria and Leisl in the Sound of Music. The words to that song seem a little trite in comparison to what I would tell this particular sweet sixteen. There can be no songs and no chats. Maybe I could write her a letter and begin with the words, "Dear Sweet Sixteen."

Dear Sweet Sixteen,

Someone gave me your picture today. For some reason, it brings tears to my eyes. I get all choked up when I think about you. I have so much to tell you. A lifetime of things to tell you. You probably won't want to listen, because after all, you know it all, don't you? I am the only one that is really qualified to tell you these things. I'm the only one that can, because I know you so well. I know you through and through. 

I know that today, on the set of that high school play, you're just sixteen years old. You've got your first job at the hospital. You're driving around in that '65 Mustang like there's no tomorrow. Did you know that it will be a classic car someday? I want to tell you that when you see Kenny on the side of the road, DO NOT look! That way you won't hit the car in front of you and total it out. If you do, you'll have to wait 35 years to get another one of those Pony's. 

Sweet Sixteen, you're just months away from falling in love. I'm not talking about the crushes you've had so far. I'm not talking about those times you "thought" you were in love. You are about to fall head over heels, over the moon, for someone. It is going to be the best of times and the worst of times. There will be obstacles too great for that love to overcome, but I want you to know that it's for the best. It will be okay. I see it all today through 20/20 vision and you would never have wanted it to turn out any other way. Dry your tears. 

Today you are innocent. Oh, if I could get you to understand the precious gift that your innocence is. Maybe I could get you to hold onto it for awhile longer. I know what you think of yourself. I know what you long for. I know your hopes and dreams. I know why you will do the things that you do. I wish I could stop you! I want you to understand how precious you are. How valuable you are. Value yourself. Treat yourself with respect. 

If you could just get that, it would save you so many years of continued heartache. You are loved. You don't have to keep running here and there and everywhere, looking for love in all the wrong places. Your heart will just break over and over and over again. Your self-respect and self-esteem will erode, piece by piece until you find yourself in a deep, dark pit, surrounded by mud and mire. Oh, if I could just stop you now. Stop you from the sin.. Keep you out of the stink. Save you from the darkness. 

But I can't stop you, can I? There is no stopping you. 

Que Sera, Sera. Whatever Will Be, Will Be, right? 

Sweet Sixteen, I wish it wouldn't have to take 30+ years for you to see why you feel the need to do the things you do. One day, understanding will bring healing. You know that I know what you've been through. I know how you're hurting even though you don't even know that you do. One day you will know. One day you will see.

You will see that you didn't have to make crucial life decisions just because that's what your friends did. You will see that you didn't have to choose a career path because that's what someone else wanted. It all stemmed from your intense need to be accepted. To be perfect for everyone else. To have no one ever be displeased or disappointed in you. You never had to do that, Sweet Sixteen. Oh, how I wish you'd known.     

One day, when you are right in the middle of the deepest pit of sin that you will ever find yourself in, Someone will be standing at the top of that pit, in the light, holding out His hand to you. He will come to you in an old white Bible and start to woo you with His words, and court you with His truth, and call you to come to Him. You've never had to be perfect for Him, you see. You've never had to earn His love. He's been right there all along. He will prove it by coming closest to you while you are a sinner. A sinful woman. A sin-full woman. 

On that day you will have found what you've been searching for. He is the Prince that you've been looking for all along. He will sweep you off your feet and you will never be the same again. He is the only One Who will never hurt you, leave you, reject you or forsake you. No matter what. Oh, sweet sixteen, can you hold on until He comes?  

Alas, I know that you won't. I know that I can't stop you. I am you. I never listened.      

I want you to know that one day that Prince will save you from yourself. You will come out of that pit and breathe the fresh air that is freedom. He will bring you a man who will love you as close to the way your Heavenly Father loves you as is humanly possible. You will be a mom, Sweet Sixteen. It will be the greatest joy of your life. Nothing compares to it. Except of course the children that YOUR children will bring into the world. You will be able to stand in the gap between the generations and leave a legacy. A different legacy. Your Prince will rebuild and restore and renew things through you and your obedience to Him. He will use you in a mighty way to serve Him. 

Would I stop you, really, if I could? Come to think of it, I don't know. I would love to save you so much heartache. But in the end, I think it was all necessary. I believe it was all part of the plan. His plan. It was all a road map to your destiny. I'm not saying your choices were always smart or beneficial. But God was able to make all things work together for your good. I can't wait for you to get to that day where you meet Him, truly meet Him, for the first time. And perhaps the only way that would ever happen was for you to live the life you did all these years. It was all a path toward the arms of your perfect Prince Charming, the One you were always searching for. The One you will fall head over heels, over the moon, in love with. And that love will overcome every single obstacle you will ever face. 

Carry on, Sweet Sixteen. I won't get in your way. I know the end of the story.

And they lived happily ever after.



   
        

A Repost From August, 2008

The jury in the Casey Anthony murder trial has been deliberating for almost an hour and a half. I remembered this post that I wrote way back when it all began. Today we know that Caylee Anthony is in fact, dead. Perhaps we really don't know a whole lot more than that for certain, and perhaps we never will. After re-reading my post today I believe the message is timeless and remains the same. I'd like to share it with you. 
    
From August, 2008:


Casey Anthony sits smugly at home in Orlando, Florida this morning. She's wearing her ankle monitor, having hot showers and saying absolutely nothing to investigators about what really happened to her three year old daughter, Caylee, who has been missing since the middle of June. Mind you, Casey didn't even report Caylee missing until weeks after the fact. In the meantime, she was out partying with her friends and doing who knows what else. (Read more at http://www.foxnews.com/)

Closer to home, here in Detroit, another mom is grieving the loss of a baby, only a few months old. I received the news last night that as the family was getting ready for church, the baby was found dead and it looks like SIDS.



I don't even know what my point there was, but I just saw the contrast between the two, and had to write about it. I'm sure that this young mom in Detroit would give anything to hold her baby in her arms...alive. The young mom in Orlando...I don't even know...seriously!



God's Word tells me that He is a just God. So that's where I leave Casey Anthony today. To the Judge, who will see that justice is carried out. "Jesus, you know exactly where Caylee is. Reveal that to those who are still searching. We hold out hope in You that she is still alive." Jesus...



Here in Detroit, there is no media, no bounty hunter and no bail bondsman. There is no hope that this baby will ever come back. There is just a simple family with unimaginable pain and there are those of us who know them, wondering what to do. Praying for them, words fail and all I can say is... Jesus...



When you search the Scriptures you can find many verses that deal with death, dying and eternity. But what does the Bible have to say when the pain is so deep, and the words just seem to fall flat? As I searched concordances, expository dictionaries, and websites, only five little words seemed to fit. "Mourn with those who mourn." (Romans 12: 15b) Seems to me that being present for grieving people is not about what we have to say, but entirely about what we do. Mourn with those who mourn. Be present. Be a shoulder to cry ON. Be a friend who cries WITH. That's our part.



The prophet Isaiah wrote long ago about One who would come and "bind up the brokenhearted" and "bestow the oil of gladness instead of mourning." (see Isaiah 61:1-3) About 730 years later that One walked into a Jewish synagogue, picked up a scroll, and read from that same passage in Isaiah. After He finished reading, "He rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down". Then He spoke, saying, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." (Luke 4: 14-21) He still sits today. Only now He sits at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. (Hebrews 1: 3) In the Greek, "sat" means to "settle, hover or dwell." He sat down when the work was done, when the words were fulfilled, when He said, "It is finished." Jesus Christ is alive, not predicted. And He is the only One able to bind up broken hearts and give gladness for mourning. I don't know how He does it. I can't say when He will do it. But I know that He will. And I entrust this grieving mother and extended family to His care, knowing that I know, that He is the only One who is able. That's His part.



There is no answer to the "why?" Job never did get an explanation as to why he lost seven sons and three daughters all at the same time. Let none of us be presumptuous or so full of ourselves to think that we can tell families like this why tragedy entered their lives. Don't be like Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite who thought they had all the answers and made God very angry. (See Job 42: 7-9) Be honest enough to admit that you don't have a clue! Sometimes there are just no words when the unthinkable hits a life. When it doesn't seem fair. When one mom doesn't care what happened to her daughter, and another mom longs to hold her baby in her arms and her heart is a big, giant, gaping hole. Mourn with those who mourn. Call on the name of Jesus...That's all I know.



Fall to your knees with me today, whether you know this family or not. Intercede for them that God would bring His comfort and tend deeply to each one. Ask Him to lift them up in the coming days and months as they struggle to go on. Never forgetting their precious little one. Pray for God to be God and provide strength, sustenance and His love. I heard Kathy Troccoli tell a story of her time of intense grief after the death of her mother. As she sat sobbing in a chapel, God said to her, "Am I not still God?" He is still God! Hallelujah! And because He Is, He is the only One who can heal and mend and bind up the broken pieces of our shattered lives.



"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." (Revelation 21: 1-4) Eagerly wait for the day of God to come.



Jesus...For the Anthony's in Florida and for this family in Detroit....do what only You can do, in the way that only You can do it. We'll do our part and we are more than confident that You will do yours, in Your perfect way, and in Your perfect time. Amen.

Have Yourself a Merry Little Heart

I love how the above verse flows off my lips. "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine." (Proverbs 17: 22) Go ahead. Say it out loud. Tell me it didn't make you smile. It just sounds cheery to me. I don't know. Maybe it's just me, but I like it.

I've noticed this week that we are just too serious. Don't get me wrong. We have a whole lot on this planet called earth to be seriously serious about. Wars, earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, poverty, and human trafficking are just some of the issues that are on the pages of our morning newspapers. Not to mention the particular tragedies we face in our own everyday lives. Death, sickness, loss of jobs, rising prices that leave more month than money left over to meet the family's needs. I used to know a guy who would always say, "I don't read the news because it's all bad news, and I have enough bad news." Anyone?

That being said, I find it hard to believe that God would want us walking around with scowls on our faces all the time, deepening the furrows of our brows, because we think we have to be so darn serious all the time. Right in the middle of the book of Proverbs, God speaks about being cheerful. I've already shown you the verse about a merry heart. Look at some others.

"A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit." (Prov. 15: 13)

"The cheerful heart has a continual feast." (Prov. 15: 15b)

"A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones." (Prov. 15: 30)

But can we be of good cheer in spite of what's going on in the world? In spite of what's happening in our worlds? Watch this.

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33 KJV) 

That's Jesus talking. He's saying "Cheer up. Be of good cheer. I have overcome the world." There you go!

I remember when the Jesus Film first came out. My eyes filled with tears when I saw Jesus portrayed in a film... oh no, could it be? Smiling!!! I have to believe that Jesus smiled. I have to believe that Jesus laughed. He was fully God, but He was also fully human. It does my heart a world of good to know that Jesus would've laughed and smiled, and told a few jokes. Clean ones of course.  

   
It's been proven that laughter is good for us.     

Physical Health Benefits: Boosts immunity Lowers stress hormones Decreases pain Relaxes your muscles Prevents heart disease	Mental Health Benefits: Adds joy and zest to life Eases anxiety and fear Relieves stress Improves mood Enhances resilience	Social Benefits: Strengthens relationships Attracts others to us Enhances teamwork Helps defuse conflict Promotes group bonding

Source: http://www.helpguide.org/life/humor_laughter_health.htm



I actually know a woman named "Mary Hart." Do you think that every time she signs her name she's reminded to have a "merry heart?"  

This picture hangs in my kitchen, above my stove. It always reminds me of what's important. 

 "Live well, Laugh often, Love always."

Friend, take seriously and treat seriously those things that you must. But don't forget to laugh. Don't forget to have fun. Don't forget to smile and joke and have a good time. If today, you can't find anything to laugh about, know that above all else, God loves you. Psalm 90: 14 says, "Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days."

It's okay to laugh. It's okay to be silly now and again. What kind of a witness is a continual sour face and dead serious countenance anyway? Do you think an unbeliever will be attracted to that? Let's show the world some joy. A joy that comes from being a believer, saved and dearly loved by an amazing God! If we have a joyful, cheerful attitude, we can change the atmosphere of our homes, our workplaces, and our churches. We will feel better physically, emotionally and spiritually. There is no downside to being cheerful; to laughing often. Find the humor in the little annoyances of the day. Laugh at yourself. Don't take yourself so seriously. Watch a funny movie. Sing, dance, and be silly once in a while.

One of the things I love about my marriage to my man is that after 20 years, we can still make each other laugh. I cherish that so much. My children make me laugh like none other . We've got to laugh. If we don't, we'll be so serious that we will seriously lose our ever-lovin' minds.   

My son posted these words on Facebook a few days ago: 

"A woman has twins and gives them up for adoption. One goes to a family in Egypt and is named Amahl while the other goes to a family in Spain and is named Juan. Years later Juan sends a picture of himself to his birth mother and upon receiving the picture she tells her husband she wishes she also had a picture of Amahl. "But they're twins," says her husband, "If you've seen Juan you've seen Amahl..."



 

I think Jesus might have even laughed at that one.

 
*All images taken from Google Images