Love One Another

by Elizabeth Silance Ballard

There is a story many years ago of an elementary teacher. Her name was Mrs. Thompson. And as she stood in front of her 5th grade class on the very first day of school, she told the children a lie. She looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same. But that was impossible, because there in the front row, slumped in his seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard.
Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he didn't play well with the other children, that his clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a bath. And Teddy could be unpleasant. It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then putting a big "F" at the top of his papers.
At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each child's past records and she put Teddy's off until last. However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise.
Teddy's first grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners…he is a joy to be around."
His second grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is an excellent student, well-liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle."
His third grade teacher wrote, "His mother's death has been hard on him. He tries to do his best but his father doesn't show much interest and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't taken."
Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and sometimes sleeps in class."
By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas presents wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Teddy's. His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper that he got from a grocery bag. Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents. Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing and a bottle that was one quarter full of perfume.
But she stifled the children's' laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on her wrist.
Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to say, "Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mom, used to." After the children, left she cried for at least an hour,. On that very day, she quite teaching reading, and writing, and arithmetic. Instead, she began to teach children.
Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. By the end of the year, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class and, despite her lie that she would love all the children the same, Teddy became on of her "teacher's pets."
A year later, she found a note under he door, from Teddy, telling her that she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life. Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy. He then wrote that he had finished high school, second in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.
Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had stuck with it, and would soon graduate from college with the highest of honors. He assured Mrs. Thompson that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had in his whole life.
Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had. But now his name was little longer. The letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, M.D.
The story doesn't end there. You see, there was yet another letter that spring. Teddy said he'd met this girl and was going to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years and he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit I the place at the wedding that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom. Of course, Mrs. Thompson did. And guess what? She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. And she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing on their last Christmas together.
They hugged each other and Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson's ear, "Thank you, Mrs. Thompson, for believing in me. Thank you so much for make me feel important and showing me that I could make a difference."
Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back. She said, "Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn't know how to teach until I met you."

Peace

Patricia

Lesson Of The Homeless Man

It was a cold winter's day that Sunday. The parking lot to the church was filling up quickly. I noticed as I got out of my car fellow church members were whispering among themselves as they walked in the church.
As I got closer I saw a man leaned up against the wall outside the church. He was almost laying down as if he was asleep. He had on a long trench coat that was almost in shreds and a hat topped his head, pulled down so you could not see his face. He wore shoes that looked 30 years old, too small for his feet, with holes all over them, his toes stuck out.
I assumed this man was homeless, and asleep, so I walked on by through the doors of the church.
We all fellowshipped for a few minutes, and someone brought up the man laying outside. People snickered and gossiped but no one bothered to ask him to come in, including me.
A few moments later church began. We all waited for the Preacher to take his place and to give us the Word, when the doors to the church opened.
In came the homeless man walking down the aisle with his head down.
People gasped and whispered and made faces.
He made his way down the aisle and up onto the pulpit where he took off his hat and coat. My heart sank.
There stood our preacher...he was the "homeless man."
No one said a word.
The preacher took his Bible and laid it on his stand.
"Folks, I don't think I have to tell you what I am preaching about today. If you judge people, you have no time to love them."

~ Author Unknown

Peace

Patricia

In The Beginning

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

Genesis 1:1-4

Peace

Patricia

The Seed

A successful Christian business man was growing old and knew it was time to choose a successor to take over the business.
Instead of choosing one of his directors or his children, he decided to do something different. He called all the young executives in his company together.
He said, "It is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO. I have decided to choose one of you. "The young executives were shocked, but the boss continued."I am going to give each one of you a SEED today - one very special SEED. I want you to plant the seed, water it, and come back here one year from today with what you have grown from the seed I have given you. I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next CEO"
One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly, told his wife the story.
She helped him get a pot, soil and compost and he planted the seed. Everyday, he would water it and watch to see if it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other executives began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow. Jim kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew. Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still nothing. By now, others were talking about their plants, but Jim didn't have a plant and he felt like a failure. Six months went by--still nothing in Jim's pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Jim didn't say anything to his colleagues, however. He just kept watering and fertilizing the soil - He so wanted the seed to grow. A year finally went by and all the young executives of the company brought their plants to the CEO for inspection. Jim told his wife that he wasn't going to take an empty pot. But she asked him to be honest about what happened. Jim felt sick at his stomach, it was going to be the most embarrassing moment of his life, but he knew his wife was right. He took his empty pot to the board room. When Jim arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other executives. They were beautiful--in all shapes and sizes. Jim put his empty pot on the floor and many of his colleagues laughed, a few felt sorry for him!
When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his young executives. Jim just tried to hide in the back."My, what great plants, trees, and flowers you have grown," said The CEO. "Today one of you will be appointed the next CEO!" All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered the financial director to bring him to the front. Jim was terrified. He thought, "The CEO knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me fired!"
When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happened to his seed - Jim told him the story.
The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim, and then announced to the young executives,
"Behold your next Chief Executive!
His name is Jim!"
Jim couldn't believe it. Jim couldn't even grow his seed. How could he be the new CEO the others said?
Then the CEO said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone in this room a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today.
But I gave you all boiled seeds; they were dead - it was not possible for them to grow. All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees and plants and flowers.
When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Jim was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new Chief Executive!"

If you plant honesty, you will reap trust

If you plant goodness, you will reap friends

If you plant humility, you will reap greatness

If you plant perseverance, you will reap contentment

If you plant consideration, you will reap perspective

If you plant hard work, you will reap success

If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation

If you plant faith in Christ, you will reap a harvest.

So, be careful what you plant now; it will determine what you will reap later.

Peace

Patricia

I Believe

Kindness

Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.

~ Mark Twain

So Little Time

So little time to say the things you'd really like to say;

before you even find the words, the time just slips away.

So little time to do the things you feel that you must do;

so treasure, like the purest gold, the time God's given you.

So little time to dream your dreams,

for youth has passed its prime;

and all too soon you realize that there's so little time.

So little time to reach the height to which you're bound to climb,

for swiftly pass the waning years, and there's so little time.

So little time to pass regrets, and less, to make amends,

yet God can heal the deepest wounds in chosen, cherished friends.

So little time to share God's love and beauty here on earth,

and know, before His endless time,their meaning and true worth.

Oh, yes, there is so little time to seek the hidden door;

that opens up to heaven's time,where time's forevermore.

~ Author Unknown

Peace

Patricia

All The Messianic Prophecies Of The Bible

This compendium of all the prophecies in Scripture concerns the promised Messiah. Dr. Lockyer's discussion is divided into two sections, "Specific Messianic Prophecies" and "Symbolic Messianic Prophecies." A Fascinating Look at How Biblical Prophecies Paved the Way for Jesus Christ
In this remarkable volume, Dr. Herbert Lockyer examines all the prophecies in Scripture concerning the promised Messiah, his ministry, and his message. From the mundane to the mystifying, you’ll get a close look at how different prophecies portrayed with stunning accuracy the coming Christ: his ancestry, his birth, his character, his death and resurrection, and more. Divided in two sections, All the Messianic Prophecies of the Bible helps you understand not only "Specific Messianic Prophecies," but also "Symbolic Messianic Prophecies."

Book Review By Bible Probe

Peace

Patricia

The Sparrow At Starbucks

The Sparrow at Starbucks

The song that silenced the cappuccino machine

by John Thomas Oaks

It was chilly in Manhattan but warm inside the Starbucks shop on 51st Street and Broadway, just a skip up from Times Square. Early November weather in New York City holds only the slightest hint of the bitter chill of late December and January, but it's enough to send the masses crowding indoors to vie for available space and warmth.
For a musician, it's the most lucrative Starbucks location in the world, I'm told, and consequently, the tips can be substantial if you play your tunes right. Apparently, we were striking all the right chords that night, because our basket was almost overflowing.
It was a fun, low-pressure gig—I was playing keyboard and singing backup for my friend who also added rhythm with an arsenal of percussion instruments. We mostly did pop songs from the '40s to the '90s with a few original tunes thrown in. During our emotional rendition of the classic, "If You Don't Know Me by Now," I noticed a lady sitting in one of the lounge chairs across from me. She was swaying to the beat and singing along.
After the tune was over, she approached me. "I apologize for singing along on that song. Did it bother you?" she asked.
"No," I replied. "We love it when the audience joins in. Would you like to sing up front on the next selection?"
To my delight, she accepted my invitation.
"You choose," I said. "What are you in the mood to sing?"
"Well. … do you know any hymns?"
Hymns? This woman didn't know who she was dealing with. I cut my teeth on hymns. Before I was even born, I was going to church. I gave our guest singer a knowing look. "Name one."
"Oh, I don't know. There are so many good ones. You pick one."
"Okay," I replied. "How about 'His Eye is on the Sparrow'?"
My new friend was silent, her eyes averted. Then she fixed her eyes on mine again and said, "Yeah. Let's do that one."
She slowly nodded her head, put down her purse, straightened her jacket and faced the center of the shop. With my two-bar setup, she began to sing.
Why should I be discouraged?Why should the shadows come?
The audience of coffee drinkers was transfixed. Even the gurgling noises of the cappuccino machine ceased as the employees stopped what they were doing to listen. The song rose to its conclusion.
I sing because I'm happy;I sing because I'm free.For His eye is on the sparrowAnd I know He watches me.Holy momentWhen the last note was sung, the applause crescendoed to a deafening roar that would have rivaled a sold-out crowd at Carnegie Hall. Embarrassed, the woman tried to shout over the din, "Oh, y'all go back to your coffee! I didn't come in here to do a concert! I just came in here to get somethin' to drink, just like you!"
But the ovation continued. I embraced my new friend. "You, my dear, have made my whole year! That was beautiful!"
"Well, it's funny that you picked that particular hymn," she said.
"Why is that?"
"Well . …" she hesitated again, "that was my daughter's favorite song."
"Really!" I exclaimed.
"Yes," she said, and then grabbed my hands. By this time, the applause had subsided and it was business as usual. "She was 16. She died of a brain tumor last week."
I said the first thing that found its way through my stunned silence.
"Are you going to be okay?"
She smiled through tear-filled eyes and squeezed my hands. "I'm gonna be okay. I've just got to keep trusting the Lord and singing his songs, and everything's gonna be just fine."
She picked up her bag, gave me her card, and then she was gone.
Was it just a coincidence that we happened to be singing in that particular coffee shop on that particular November night? Coincidence that this wonderful lady just happened to walk into that particular shop? Coincidence that of all the hymns to choose from, I just happened to pick the very hymn that was the favorite of her daughter, who had died just the week before? I refuse to believe it.
God has been arranging encounters in human history since the beginning of time, and it's no stretch for me to imagine that he could reach into a coffee shop in midtown Manhattan and turn an ordinary gig into a revival. It was a great reminder that if we keep trusting him and singing his songs, everything's gonna be okay.

Peace

Patricia

The Starfish

The Starfish Story

adapted from The Star Thrower by Loren Eiseley (1907 - 1977)

Once upon a time, there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work.One day, as he was walking along the shore, he looked down the beach and saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought of someone who would dance to the day, and so, he walked faster to catch up.As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, and that what he was doing was not dancing at all. The young man was reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects, and throwing them into the ocean.He came closer still and called out "Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?"The young man paused, looked up, and replied "Throwing starfish into the ocean.""I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?" asked the somewhat startled wise man.To this, the young man replied, "The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them in, they'll die."Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, "But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can't possibly make a difference!"At this, the young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water, he said, "It made a difference for that one."
This story has appeared all over the web in various forms, usually with no credit given to Mr. Eiseley. Sometimes it is a little girl throwing the starfish into the ocean, sometimes a young man, once even an elderly Indian. In any form it is a beautiful story and one that makes you think.Loren Eiseley was a anthropologist who wrote extensively. He was the 'wise man' in the story, and he was walking along a beach after a storm and encountered the fellow throwing the starfish back. I have not had a chance to read the original book yet myself but will post more background info here after I do.

Books by Loren Eiseley

Peace

Patricia

Growing Through Life

Peace

Patricia

Faith....Love.....Hope

What a wonderful way to express one's love for the Lord. This sand sculpture masterpiece is one of the many stunning works of Artist Randy Hofman. There is so much more to see at Randy's web site so be sure to stop by when you have the time....you won't regret your visit.

Randy Hofman

Peace

Patricia

Shaky Foundations

Peace

Patricia

Heaven And Earth

What can be more foolish than to think that all this rare fabric of heaven and earth could come by chance, when all the skill of science is not able to make an oyster.

~ Jeremy Taylor

Peace

Patricia

Footprints On Our Hearts

Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Others stay awhile, make footprints on our hearts and we are never, ever the same.

~ Author Unknown

Peace

Patricia

When You See Someone Without A Smile....Give Them One Of Yours

The best thing about giving of ourselves is that what we get is always better than what we give. The reaction is greater than the action.

~ Orison Swett Marden

Peace

Patricia

Weave In Faith

Weave in faith and God will find the thread.

~ Author Unknown

Peace

Patricia

When Life Knocks You On Your Knees

When life knocks you on your knees, you're in the perfect position to pray!

~ Author Unknown

Peace

Patricia

Apples vs. Apple Seeds

Any fool can count the seeds in an apple. Only God can count all the apples in one seed.

~ Robert Schuller

Is Your Hut Burning?

The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him, and every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming. Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements, and to store his few possessions. But then one day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky. The worst had happened. Everything was lost. He was stunned with grief and anger. "God, how could you do this to me!" he cried. Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship that was approaching the island. It had come to rescue him. How did you know I was here?" asked the weary man of his rescuers. "We saw your smoke signal," they replied. It is easy to get discouraged when things are going bad. But we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of pain and suffering. Remember, next time your little hut is burning to the ground, it just may be a smoke signal that summons the grace of God. For all the negative things we have to say to ourselves, God has a positive answer for it.

You say: It's impossible. God says: All thing are possible. (Luke 18:27)

You say: I'm too tired. God says: I will give you rest. (Matt.hew 11:28-20)

You say: Nobody really loves me. God says: I love you. (John 3:16 & John 13:34)

You say: I can't go on. God says: My grace is sufficient. (IICor.12:9 & Psalm 91:15)

You say: I can't figure things out. God says: I will direct your steps. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

You say: I can't do it. God says: You can do all things. (Phil 4:13)

You say: I'm not able. God says: I am able. (IICor.9:8)

You say : It's not worth it.God says: It will be worth it. (Romans 8:28)

You say: I can't forgive myself. God says: I forgive you. (I John 1:9 & Romans 8:1)

You say: I can't manage. God says: I will supply all your needs .(Phil 4:19)

You say: I'm afraid. God says: I have not given you a spirit of fear. (II Tim. 1:7)

You say: I'm always worried and frustrated. God says: Cast all your cares on ME. (I Peter 5:7)

You say: I don't have enough faith. God says: I've given everyone a measure of

faith. (Romans 12:3)

You say: I'm not smart enough. God says: I give you wisdom. (I Cor 1:30)

You say: I feel all alone. God says: I will never leave you or forsake you. (Heb.13:5)

~ Author Unknown

Peace

Patricia

Lessons From A Treehouse

by Debra K. Matthews

The Bible has a lot to say about God providing for our needs, but it also talks about us getting out there and doing our part, such as working to earn a living, or setting about to prepare a meal or other tasks. Do you ever wonder, though, when it's time for us to do certain things, and how to know when to just turn it all over to the Lord and let him do the work?
I remember reading about Moses and the children of Israel when they came to the Red Sea. Things looked pretty frightening to them with Pharaoh's army hot on their trail, and a sea and other things blocking every route of escape. At this point, the Bible said:
"And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace." (Exodus 14:13, 14)
Then the Lord told Moses to stretch out his rod over the sea, and God caused the waters to divide, making a safe escape route for the Israelites to cross over.
In this case, the Lord did the fighting for Israel. When Pharaoh's army tried to pursue after them, the Lord brought the waters back down and drowned the entire enemy army.
Other times though, Israel was instructed to do the fighting. Over and over again, we see times in the Bible when the Lord fought the battle, and times when he told his people to fight.
One awesome story to me is when Joshua went up against the Amalekite army in Exodus chapter 17. There was a partnership going on in that battle. Moses went up on top of a hill overlooking the battlefield, and lifted his hands toward heaven while Israel and Amalek fought. While he kept his arms up, Joshua and the people of Israel prevailed, but when he let his arms down, Amalek prevailed. So Moses' brother and a man named Hur had him sit on a rock, and then they stood on either side of him to keep his hands up until the Israelites finally won.
One time, when I had been praying and asking the Lord about different scriptures about him doing things versus telling us to do something, I asked him to help me understand how to know the difference. He didn't speak to me in an audible voice. Instead, I had a picture come to mind. It was of a little boy and his father working together to build a treehouse.
Someone once said 'a picture is worth a thousand words,' and that's exactly what this one was to me. As I considered the picture, I thought about how very young the child was, and that he wouldn't be able to do a lot of the work by himself. I mentally pictured the steps that they would go through to get the job done.
I imagined that at times, the father and son would work side by side, putting boards in the proper places and nailing them down. Other times, when the little boy wasn't tall enough or strong enough, the dad would be the one to raise a board high over his head and nail it in place while the child watched or worked on something else.
Then I imagined the father sometimes just standing back himself and proudly watching his little son as he labored determinedly over a part of the project. Sometimes the son would do well, but occasionally the father would see the task was too big for his young offspring. I thought of him watching patiently as the child struggled, and then at just the right moment, when the child would look at his father with that certain look, the father would step in with a loving smile and the two would finish it together.
As I thought about this laboring together of father and son, I thought how very much their building of that tree house is like our Christian walk. Throughout our whole life God works together with us in different ways. Like the father providing the wood to build the house, God does provide us with lots of things; sometimes meeting our needs outright, sometimes by giving us the skills and talents to accomplish things, and of course by helping us find good jobs to earn a living, too.
Some things he lets us do -- as we are able. Some things that are too big for us, he does himself. But for the most part, he's there as a proud and loving father, co-laboring with us just for the joy of being with us and letting us be with him.

Peace

Patricia

Until We Meet Again

Never part without loving words to think of during your absence. It may be that you will not meet again in this life.

~ Jean Paul Richter

Peace

Patricia

Bless Them That Curse You

But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

Matthew 5:44

Peace

Patricia

Ask And You Shall Receive

"Have faith in God," Jesus answered. "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you will receive it, and it will be yours."

Mark 11:22

Peace

Patricia

The Epitome Of Friendship

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

John 15:13

Peace

Patricia

Lilies Of The Field

Lilies Of The Field

~ Author Anna Quindlen

I'm a novelist. My work is human nature. Real life is all I know. Don't ever confuse the two, your life and your work. You will walk out of here this afternoon with only one thing that no one else has. There will be hundreds of people out there with your same degree; there will be thousands of people doing what you want to do for a living. But you will be the only person alive who has sole custody of your life. Your particular life. Your entire life. Not just your life at a desk, or your life on a bus, or in a car, or at the computer. Not just the life of your mind, but the life of your heart. Not just your bank account but your soul. People don't talk about the soul very much anymore. It's so much easier to write a resume than to craft a spirit. But a resume is a cold comfort on a winter night, or when you're sad, or broke, or lonely, or when you've gotten back the test results and they're not so good. Here is my resume: I am a good mother to three children. I have tried never to let my profession stand in the way of being a good parent. I no longer consider myself the center of the universe. I show up. I listen. I try to laugh. I am a good friend to my husband. I have tried to make marriage vows mean what they say.I am a good friend to my friends, and they to me. Without them, there would be nothing to say to you today, because I would be a cardboard cutout. But I call them on the phone, and I meet them for lunch. I would be rotten, or at best mediocre at my job, if those other things were not true. You cannot be really first rate at your work if your work is all you are. So here's what I wanted to tell you today: Get a life. A real life, not a manic pursuit of the next promotion, the bigger paycheck, the larger house. Do you think you'd care so very much about those things if you blew an aneurysm one afternoon, or found a lump in your breast? Get a life in which you notice the smell of salt water pushing itself on a breeze over Seaside Heights, a life in which you stop and watch how a red tailed hawk circles over the water or the way a baby scowls with concentration when she tries to pick up a Cheerio with her thumb and first finger. Get a life in which you are not alone. Find people you love, and who love you. And remember that love is not leisure, it is work. Pick up the phone. Send an e-mail. Write a letter. Get a life in which you are generous. And realize that life is the best thing ever, and that you have no business taking it for granted. Care so deeply about its goodness that you want to spread it around. Take money you would have spent on beers and give it to charity. Work in a soup kitchen. Be a big brother or sister.All of you want to do well. But if you do not do good too, then doing well will never be enough. It is so easy to waste our lives, our days, our hours, our minutes. It is so easy to take for granted the color of our kids' eyes, the way the melody in a symphony rises and falls and disappears and rises again. It is so easy to exist instead of to live. I learned to live many years ago. I learned to love the journey, not the destination. I learned that it is not a dress rehearsal, and that today is the only guarantee you get. I learned to look at all the good in the world and try to give some of it back because I believed in it, completely and utterly. And I tried to do that, in part, by telling others what I had learned. By telling them this: Consider the lilies of the field. Look at the fuzz on a baby's ear. Read in the backyard with the sun on your face. Learn to be happy. And think of life as a terminal illness, because if you do, you will live it with joy and passion as it ought to be lived.

Peace

Patricia

The Matchless Pearl

David Morse - American missionary to India - became great friends there with the pearl-diver, Rambhau. Many an evening he spent in Rambhau's cabin reading to him from the Bible, and explaining to him God's way of salvation. Rambhau enjoyed listening to the Word of God, but whenever the missionary tried to get Rambhau to accept Christ as his Savior - he would shake his head and reply, "Your Christian way to heaven is too easy for me! I cannot accept it. If ever I should find admittance to heaven in that manner - I would feel like a pauper there...like a beggar who has been let in out of pity. I may be proud - but I want to deserve, I want to earn my place in heaven -- and so I am going to work for it. "Nothing the missionary could say seemed to have any effect on Rambhau's decision, and so quite a few years slipped by. One evening, however, the missionary heard a knock on his door, and on going to open it he found Rambhau there. "Come in, dear friend," said Morse."No," said the pearl-diver. "I want you to come with me to my house, Sahib, for a short time -- I have something to show you. Please do not say 'No'." "Of course I'll come," replied the missionary. As they neared his house, Rambhau said: "In a week's time I start working for my place in heaven; I am leaving for Delhi -- and I am going there on my knees." "Man, you are crazy! It's nine hundred miles to Delhi, and the skin will break on your knees, and you will have blood-poisoning or leprosy before you get to Bombay." "No, I must get to Delhi," affirmed Rambhau, "and the immortals will reward me for it! The suffering will be sweet - for it will purchase heaven for me!" "Rambhau, my friend - you can't. How can I bear you to do it - when Jesus Christ has suffered and died to purchase heaven for you! "But the old man could not be moved. "You are my dearest friend on earth, Sahib Morse. Through all these years you have stood by me in sickness, in want - you have been sometimes my only friend. But even you cannot turn me from my desire to purchase eternal bliss...I must go to Delhi! "Inside the hut Morse was seated in the very chair Rambhau had specially built for him - where on so many occasions he had read to him the Bible. Rambhau left the room to return soon with a small but heavy English strongbox. "I have had this box for years," said he, "and I keep only one thing in it. Now I will tell you about it, Sahib Morse. I once had a son..." "A son! Why, Rambhau, you have never before said a word about him!" "No, Sahib, I couldn't." Even as he spoke the diver's eyes were moistened. "Now I must tell you, for soon I will leave, and who knows whether I shall ever return? My son was a diver too. He was the best pearl diver on the coasts of India. He had the swiftest dive, the keenest eye, the strongest arm, the longest breath of any man who ever sought for pearls. What joy he brought to me! Most pearls, as you know, have some defect or blemish only the expert can discern, but my boy always dreamed of finding the 'perfect' pearl - one beyond all that was ever found. One day he found it! But even when he saw it - he had been under water too long... That pearl cost him his life, for he died soon after. "The old pearl diver bowed his head. For a moment his whole body shook, but there was no sound. "All these years," he continued, "I have kept this pearl - but now I am going, not to return, and to you, my best friend - I am giving my pearl."The old man worked the combination on the strongbox and drew from it a carefully wrapped package. Gently opening the cotton, he picked up a mammoth pearl and placed it in the hand of the missionary. It was one of the largest pearls ever found off the coast of India, and glowed with a luster and brilliance never seen in cultured pearls. It would have brought a fabulous sum in any market.For a moment the missionary was speechless and gazed with awe. "Rambhau! What a pearl!" "That pearl, Sahib, is perfect," replied the Indian quietly. The missionary looked up quickly with a new thought: Was not this the very opportunity and occasion he had prayed for - to make Rambhau understand the value of Christ's sacrifice? So he said, designedly, "Rambhau, this is a wonderful pearl, an amazing pearl. Let me buy it. I would give you ten thousand dollars for it.""Sahib! What do you mean?" "Well, I will give you fifteen thousand dollars for it, or if it takes more - I will work for it." "Sahib," said Rambhau, stiffening his whole body, "this pearl is beyond price. No man in all the world has money enough to pay what this pearl is worth to me. On the market a million dollars could not buy it. I will not sell it to you. You may only have it as a gift.""No, Rambhau, I cannot accept that. As much as I want the pearl, I cannot accept it that way. Perhaps I am proud, but that is too easy. I must pay for it, or work for it..."The old pearl-diver was stunned. "You don't understand at all, Sahib. Don't you see. My only son gave his life to get this pearl, and I wouldn't sell it for any money. Its worth is in the life-blood of my son. I cannot sell this - but I can give it to you. Just accept it in token of the love I bear you. "The missionary was choked, and for a moment could not speak. Then he gripped the hand of the old man. "Rambhau," he said in a low voice, "don't you see? My words are just what you have been saying to God all the time. "The diver looked long and searchingly at the missionary, and slowly, slowly he began to understand. "God is offering you salvation as a free gift," said the missionary. "It is so great and priceless that no man on earth can buy it. Millions of dollars are too little. No man on earth could earn it. His life would be millions of years too short. No man is good enough to deserve it. It cost God the life-blood of His only Son to make the entrance for you into heaven. In a million years, in a hundred pilgrimages, you could not earn that entrance. All you can do is to accept it as a token of God's love for you - a sinner. "Rambhau, of course I will accept the pearl in deep humility, praying God that I may be worthy of your love. Rambhau, won't you accept God's great gift of heaven, too, in deep humility, knowing it cost Him the death of His Son to offer it to you? "Great tears were now rolling down the cheeks of the old man. The veil was beginning to lift. "Sahib, I see it now. I have believed in the doctrine of Jesus for the last two years, but I could not believe that His salvation was free. Now I understand. Some things are too priceless to be bought or earned. Sahib, I will accept His salvation!"

~ Author Unknown

Peace

Patricia

Show Me Thy Ways O Lord

Peace

Patricia

The Geese And The Snowstorm

The Geese and the Snowstorm

~Author Unknown

There was once a man who did not believe in either the virgin birth of Christ nor the spiritual meaning behind it, and was skeptical even about God. He and his family lived in a farm community. His wife was a devout believer and diligently raised her children in the faith. He sometimes gave her a hard time about her belief and mocked her religious observances."It's all nonsense -- why would God lower himself and become a human like us? It's such a ridiculous story," he said.One snowy day, she and the children left for church while he stayed home. After they had departed, the winds grew stronger and the snow turned into a blinding snowstorm. He sat down to relax before the fire for the evening.Then he heard a loud thump, something hitting against the window... And, still another thump. He looked outside but could not see anything. So he ventured outside for a better view. In the field near his house he saw, of all the strangest things, a flock of geese. They were apparently flying to look for a warmer area down south, but they had been caught in the snowstorm. The storm had become too blinding and violent for the geese to fly or see their way. They were stranded on his farm, with no food or shelter, unable to do more than flutter their wings and fly in aimless circles. He had compassion for them and wanted to help them. He thought to himself, the barn would be a great place for them to stay. It is warm and safe; surely they could spend the night and wait out the storm. So he opened the barn doors for them.He waited, watching them, hoping they would notice the open barn and go inside. Nevertheless, they did not notice the barn or realize what it could mean for them. He moved closer toward them to get their attention, but they just moved away from him out of fear.He went into the house and came back with some bread, broke it up, and made a bread trail to the barn. They still did not catch on.Starting to get frustrated, he went over and tried to shoo them toward the barn. They panicked and scattered into every direction except toward the barn. Nothing he did could get them to go into the barn where there was warmth, safety, and shelter. Feeling totally frustrated, he exclaimed, "Why don't they follow me? Can't they see this is the only place where they can survive the storm? How can I possibly get them into the one place to save them?"He thought for a moment and realized that they just would not follow a human. He said to himself, "How can I possibly save them? The only way would be for me to become like those geese. If only I could become like one of them. Then I could save them. They would follow me and I would lead them to safety."At that moment, he stopped and considered what he had said. The words reverberated in his mind: If only I could become like one of them, then I could save them. Then, at last, he understood God's heart towards mankind... and he fell on his knees in the snow.For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

John 3:16-17

Peace

Patricia

Isaiah 65:5

As birds flying, so will the LORD of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also he will deliver it; and passing over he will preserve it. Isaiah 65:5

Peace

Patricia

An Interview With God

An Interview With God

~Author Unknown

I dreamed I had an INTERVIEW WITH GOD.

"So, you would like to interview me?" GOD asked."If you have time," I said. GOD smiled. "My time is eternity... what questions do you have in mind for me?"

"What surprises you the most about humankind?"

GOD answered... "That they get bored with childhood, that they rush to grow up, and then long to be children again."

"That they lose their health to make money... and then lose their money to restore their health."

"That by thinking anxiously about the future, they forget the present, such that they live in neither the present nor the future."

"That they live as if they would never die, and die as though they had never lived.

"GOD's hand took mine... and we were silent for a while.

And then I asked, "As a parent, what are some of life's lessons you want your children to learn?"

GOD replied, "To learn they cannot make anyone love them. All they can do is let themselves be loved."

"To learn that it is not good to compare themselves to others."

"To learn to forgive by practicing forgiveness."

"To learn that it only takes a few seconds to open profound wounds in those they love, and it can take many years to heal them."

"To learn that a rich person is not one who has the most, but is one who needs the least."

"To learn that there are people who love them dearly, but simply do not yet know how to express or show their feelings."

"To learn that two people can look at the same thing, and see it differently."

"To learn that it is not enough that they forgive one another, but they must also forgive themselves."

"Thank you for your time," I said humbly."Is there anything else you would like your children to know?

"GOD smiled, and said... "Just know that I am here." "Always."

Peace

Patricia

The Dead Sea

The Dead Sea At Sunset

One of the most fascinating places to visit when touring in The Holy Land is the Dead Sea. I was amazed to see that people will actually float even in a sitting position as you can see by the photo below. The reason for this is that the Dead Sea is so rich in salt content that it can enable one to float. There is no marine life whatsoever in the Dead Sea, again, due to the massive amounts of salts which could not sustain life below its surface. People come to The Dead Sea from all over the world to take advantage of the Sea's rich mineral deposits which are known to aid in many healing situations. It is of a particluar advantage to those people who suffer from arthritis. I have a friend in Jerusalem that bathes frequently in the Dead Sea just for that purpose. There are many companies that extract these mineral deposits and sell them throughout the world. They are often referred to as Dead Sea Salts. Dead Sea salt refers to salt extracted or taken from the Dead Sea. It is a popular ingredient of many common bath products including bath salts, salt scrubs, foot scrubs, body wraps, bath bombs, soaps, and cosmetic products, including makeup.

The Dead Sea is popular with visitors and tourists alike from all over the world for its therapeutic effects. The water of the Dead Sea is unique, as it has ten times the salt content of other sea water. This allows anyone to easily float on Dead Sea water because of its greater density. Its mineral composition is also different from ocean water since only 12-18% of Dead Sea salt is sodium chloride. In comparison, 97% of the salt in normal ocean water is sodium chloride.

After my first visit to Israel, and having severe back problems myself, I purchased some Dead Sea Salts and found them to be extremely helpful. They are available for purchase from many online web sites in Israel as well as the U.S.

Man Floating On The Dead Sea

The Dead Sea: Rich In Salt And Mineral Deposits

The Dead Sea; Hebrew: יָם הַ‏‏מֶ‏ּ‏לַ‏ח‎, Yām Ha-Melaḥ, "Sea of Salt") is a salt lake between Israel and the West Bank to the west, and Jordan to the east. It is 420 metres (1,378 ft) below sea level, and its shores are the lowest point on the surface of the Earth on dry land. The Dead Sea is 330 m (1,083 ft) deep, the deepest hypersaline lake in the world. It is also the world's second saltiest body of water, after Lake Asal in Djibouti, with 30 percent salinity. It is 8.6 times saltier than the ocean. Experts say that it is nine times saltier than the Mediterranean Sea (31.5% salt versus 3.5% for the Mediterranean). This salinity makes for a harsh environment where animals cannot flourish and boats cannot sail. The Dead Sea is 67 kilometres (42 mi.) long and 18 kilometres (11 mi.) wide at its widest point. It lies in the Jordan Rift Valley, and its main tributary is the Jordan River.

Also known as Bahr Lut, Eastern Sea, Lake of Asphalt, Salt Sea, “Sea of Sodom and Gomorrah,” Sea of the Arabah, Sea of the Devil, “Sea of the Plain,” Sea of Zoar, Stinking Lake.
Known in the Bible as the "Salt Sea" or the "Sea of the Arabah," this inland body of water is appropriately named because its high mineral content allows nothing to live in its waters. Other post-biblical names for the Dead Sea include the "Sea of Sodom," the "Sea of Lot," the "Sea of Asphalt" and the "Stinking Sea." In the Crusader period, it was sometimes called the "Devil's Sea." All of these names reflect something of the nature of this lake.

The Dead Sea, unlike the Sea of Galilee to the north, does not figure prominently in the biblical narratives. Its most important role was as a barrier, blocking traffic to Judah from the east. An advancing army of Ammonites and Moabites apparently crossed a shallow part of the Dead Sea on their way to attack King Jehoshaphat (2 Chron 20). Ezekiel has prophesied that one day the Dead Sea will be fresh water and fishermen will spread their nets along the shore.

The Dead Sea is located in the Syro-African Rift, a 4000-mile fault line in the earth's crust. The lowest point of dry land on earth is the shoreline of the Dead Sea at 1300 feet below sea level. That the lake is at the lowest point means that water does not drain from this lake. Daily 7 million tons of water evaporate but the minerals remain, causing the salt content to increase.

Figures for the Dead Sea's salinity today range from 26-35%.
Nearly ten times as salty as the world's oceans and twice as saline as the Great Salt Lake in Utah, the Dead Sea is rich with minerals. The Dead Sea Works company on the southwest side of the lake employs 1600 people around the clock to harvest the valuable minerals from the water. Potash is the most valuable of those extracted today and is used in the manufacture of fertilizer. The best article on the minerals in the Dead Sea is in the Encyclopedia Britannica.
The unique concentration of the Dead Sea waters has long been known to have medicinal value. Aristotle, Queen of Sheba, King Solomon and Cleopatra were all familiar with this and modern doctors as well often prescribe patients with skin ailments to soak in the waters of the Dead Sea. Because of the dropping level of the Dead Sea, the southern end is no longer under water, except for that which is channeled by aqueducts for the purpose of extracting minerals.

Dead Sea (Dead Sea Tourist Board and Dead Sea Hotel Association) The official site for Dead Sea Tourism. Hosts categories such as "Fast Facts and History," "Sights and Sites," "Medicine/Research," "Photogallery," and even "Travel Themes."
Dead Sea (Walking in Their Sandals) Gives easy-to-read information on the location, biblical significance, etc. Features links to photographs and on-line scripture references.
Dead Sea and Wilderness of Judea (Christian Travel Study Program) Discusses the barrenness of the Judean Wilderness as a place of solitude, even refuge, in both biblical and modern times. Gives a brief description of the Dead Sea in this context.
Dead Sea (Catholic Encyclopedia) Highlights the biblical significance of the site while clearly describing geographical and physical properties of the sea and surrounding area.
The Dead Sea Research Center The home page for the Dead Sea Research Center. A great resource for studying the medical potential of the Dead Sea area. Includes a "News & Research link," a "Publications" bibliography, and an "Ask the Doctor" feature.
Dead Sea (Extreme Science) An upbeat, scientific description of the Sea, answering common question such as, "why is the Dead Sea so salty?" Reflects an evolutionary bias.
Madaba Mosaic Map: The Dead Sea (Franciscan Cyberspot) Features the Dead Sea portion of the 6th century Madaba Map. See more detail at their Virtual Travel link.
Dead Sea keeps falling (BBC News) An interesting news story reporting on the findings of the European Space Agency in their survey of the region.
Dead Sea 'to disappear by 2050' (BBC News) "Environmentalists in Jordan are warning that the Dead Sea will disappear by the year 2050 if its level continues to drop at the current rate." Presents the problem and proposed solutions.
Dead Sea (Dead Sea Scrolls Home Page, Personal Page) Observes the Dead Sea in its geographical context, including references to nearby sites and insight into how the climate of the region affected the preservation of the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Welcome to the Dead Sea (inisrael.com) A site for tourists with basic information about the area and links to hotels, cars, and other travelers resources.
For Dead Sea, a Slow and Seemingly Inexorable Death (Washington Post) Fascinating article on the steady decline of the water level of the Dead Sea, with numerous useful facts.

For some addition information on the therapeutic efficacies of Dead Sea Salts, I recommend you have a look at the following web site:

The Dead Sea Research Center

A couple of resources where you can find Dead Sea Salts can be found on the right hand panel of my Blog.

Peace

Patricia

What's Important In Your Life?

Maybe God wants us to meet a few wrong people Before meeting the right one so that when we finally meet the right person, we will know how to be grateful for that gift. When the door of happiness closes, another opens, but often times we look so long at the closed door that we don't see the one which has been opened for us. The best kind of friend is the kind you can sit on a porch and swing with, never say a word, and then walk away feeling like it was the best conversation you've every had. It's true that we don't know what we've got until we lose it, but it's also true that we don't know what we've been missing until it arrives. Giving someone all your love is never an assurance that they'll love you back! Don't expect love in return; just wait for it to grow in their heart, but if it doesn't, be content it grew in yours. It takes only a minute to get a crush on someone, an hour to like someone, and a day to love someone, but it takes a lifetime to forget someone. Don't go for looks; they can deceive. Don't go for wealth; even that fades away. Go for someone who makes you smile because it takes only a smile to make a dark day seem bright. Find the one that makes your heart smile. There are moments in life when you miss someone so much that you just want to pick them from your dreams and hug them for real! Dream what you want to dream; go where you want to go; be what you want to be, because you have only one life and one chance to do all the things you want to do. May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human, enough hope to make you happy. Always put yourself in others' shoes. If you feel that it hurts you, it probably hurts the other person, too. The happiest of people don't necessarilyhave the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way. Happiness lies for those who cry, those who hurt, those who have searched, and those who have tried, for only they can appreciate the importance of people who have touched their lives. The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past, you can't go on well in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches. When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling. Live your life so that when you die, you're the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying. Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.

~Author Unknown

Peace

Patricia

Matthew 7:7

Ask, and it shall be given you; Seek, and ye shall find; Knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

Matthew 7:7

Peace

Patricia

Who Packs Your Parachute?

Charles Plum, a U.S. Naval Academy graduate, was a jet fighter pilot in Vietnam. After 75 combat missions, his plane was destroyed by a surface-to-air missile. Plumb ejected and parachuted into enemy hands. He was captured and spent six years in a Communist prison. He survived that ordeal and now lectures about lessons learned from that experience.
One day, when Plumb and his wife were sitting in a restaurant, a man at another table came up and said, "You're Plumb! You flew jet fighters in Vietnam from the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk. You were shot down!"
"How in the world did you know that?" asked Plumb.
"I packed your parachute," the man replied. Plumb gasped in surprise and gratitude. The man pumped his hand and said, "I guess it worked!"
Plumb assured him, "It sure did -- if your chute hadn't worked, I wouldn't be here today."
Plumb couldn't sleep that night, thinking about that man. Plumb says, "I kept wondering what he might have looked like in a Navy uniform -- a Dixie cup hat, a bib in the back, and bell bottom trousers. I wondered how many times I might have passed him on the Kitty Hawk. I wondered how many times I might have seen him and not even said 'Good morning, how are you,' or anything because, you see, I was a fighter pilot and he was just a sailor."
Plumb thought of the many hours the sailor had spent on a long wooden table in the bowels of the ship carefully weaving the shrouds and folding the silks of each chute, holding in his hands each time the fate of someone he didn't know.
Now, Plumb asks his audience, "Who's packing your parachute? Everyone has someone who provides what they need to make it through the day." Plumb also points out that he needed many kinds of parachutes when his plane was shot down over enemy territory -- he needed his physical parachute, his mental parachute, his emotional parachute, and his spiritual parachute. He called on all these supports before reaching safety. His experience reminds us all to prepare ourselves to weather whatever storms lie ahead.
Recognize and be gracious to people who pack your daily parachutes, and strengthen yourself to prevail through tough times.

- Charles Plum

Courtesy of Tim Puffer

Peace

Patricia

What Is Messianic Judaism?

Messianic Judaism is a religious movement whose adherents believe that Jesus of Nazareth, whom they call Yeshua, is both the resurrected Jewish Messiah and their Divine Savior.
As of 1993 there were 160,000 adherents of Messianic Judaism in the United States and 350,000 worldwide. As of 2003, there were at least 150 Messianic synagogues in the U.S. and over 400 worldwide. By 2008, the number of Messianics in the United States was around a quarter million. The number of Messianic Jews in Israel is reported to be anywhere between 6,000 and 15,000 members.
Messianic Jews consider themselves to be Jewish. However, Jews of all denominations do not consider Messianic Judaism to be a form of Judaism. Many Christians consider Messianic Judaism to be a form of Christianity.
Although words used to identify aspects of Messianic Judaism are frequently disputed and sometimes may seem contradictory, the term itself generally describes a belief that Jesus is the Jewish Messiah and that obedience of the Scriptures is the proper expression of faith. Adherents are described as Messianic Believers or Messianics for short. Messianic Judaism is a relatively new term, coined as recently as 1895 to help separate the practices of its followers from those of common Christianity as a whole, and in order to more closely align its faith with that of biblical and historical Judaism.
The Union of Messianic Jewish Congregations defines Messianic Judaism as "a movement of Jewish congregations and groups committed to Yeshua the Messiah that embrace the covenantal responsibility of Jewish life and identity rooted in Torah, expressed in tradition, and renewed and applied in the context of the New Covenant."
"Jewish life is life in a concrete, historical community. Thus, Messianic Jewish groups must be fully part of the Jewish people, sharing its history and its covenantal responsibility as a people chosen by God. At the same time, faith in Yeshua also has a crucial communal dimension. This faith unites the Messianic Jewish community and the Christian Church..."
Messianics believe that the first followers of Jesus of Nazareth were called Nazarenes (in Hebrew, Notzrim; "?????") or simply "Followers of the Way."
Messianic Jews practice their faith in a way they consider to be authentically Torah-observant and culturally Jewish.
The Messianic Judaism of today grew out of the Hebrew-Christian movement of the 19th century, which were evangelical attempts to make it easier for converting Jews to retain their Jewish self-images in spite of converting to Christianity. Hebrew-Christian congregations began to emerge in England; the first of these was Beni Abraham, in London, which was founded by forty-one Hebrew-Christians. This led to a more general awareness of a type of Christianity with a Jewish background. In 1866, the Hebrew-Christian Alliance of Great Britain was organized, with branches also existing in several European countries and the United States. A similar group, The Hebrew Christian Alliance of America (HCAA), was organized in the U. S. in 1915. The International Hebrew-Christian Alliance (IHCA) was organized in 1925 (later becoming the International Messianic Jewish Alliance). Additional groups were formed during subsequent decades.
Modern Messianic Judaism was reborn in the 1960s. A major shift in the movement occurred when Martin Chernoff became the President of the HCAA (1971-1975). In June of 1973, a motion was made to change the name of the HCAA to the Messianic Jewish Alliance of America (MJAA) and the name was officially changed in June of 1975. The name change was significant as more than just a "semantical expression;" as Rausch states, "It represented an evolution in the thought processes and religious and philosophical outlook toward a more fervent expression of Jewish identity."
When the movement began to become larger, new organizations such as the Messianic Israel Alliance, First Fruits of Zion, and the Coalition of Torah Observant Messianic Congregations arose. These organizations disagreed with UMJC's stance over the issue of Gentile observance of the Torah, and whether it is obligatory, or not.
Messianic Jewish theology is the study of God and Scripture from a Messianic Jewish perspective.
Messianic believers commonly hold the Old Testament to be divinely inspired. Theologian David H. Stern in his "Jewish New Testament Commentary" argues that Paul is fully congruent with Messianic Judaism, and that the New Testament is to be taken by Messianic Jews as the inspired Word of God. This is the mainstream view within the movement although, as with many religions, there are several schools of thought. A very few Messianic believers are troubled by the writings of Paul and may reject his writings, holding them in less esteem than those of the Gospel writers, or even reject him. Often, the emphasis is on the idea that the Old Testament is the only scripture the early believers had (most scripture scholars agree that there was not an established New Testament canon until the 4th century) and that, except for the recorded words of Jesus, the New Testament was meant to be an inspired commentary on the Old Testament.

Peace

Patricia

Jots and Tittles

Jots and Tittles

The Lord Jesus told His disciples that not one "jot" or "tittle" will pass away from the Law until all is fulfilled. See Matt. 5:18. The word translated "jot" (iota in the Greek New Testament) refers to the smallest Hebrew letter ("Yod"), and the word translated "tittle" ( keraia in Greek) refers to the "horn", or smalles stroke of a Hebrew letter, probably something like a "serif" in our modern English typefaces.
The "Jot" is the Hebrew word "Yodh" which is the 10th letter of the Hebrew alphabet. It is also the smallest letter. It's European or English equivalent is the letter "Y" as in the English term Yahweh or in Hebrew YHVH since there were no vowel's used in the ancient script.
The word "jot" itself is an English transliteration of "iota" which is the 9th letter of the Greek alphabet. "Iota," in turn, is the nearest Greek equivalent for the Hebrew yodh.
The "tittle" is the small decorative spur or point on the upper edge of the yodh. If you can imagine a tiny letter with a slightly visible decorative mark.
Tittle is used by Greek grammarians of the accents and diacritical points. It means the little lines or projections by which the Hebrew letters differ from each other. One example would be the difference between the letter L and I. The difference is only one small mark. We use phrases like "the dotting of the i, and the crossing of the t," and "every iota."
It is interesting that the Jewish scribes who copied the MT (Massoretic Text) of the Hebrew Bible scrolls paid the greatest attention to the minutiae of detail and such marks attached to each consonant throughout the entire text. They even numbered every letter, word, sentence, paragraph, chapter, section, and scroll to insure that the total equalled that of the text being copied before allowing it to enter the holy synagogue.
The meaning of the passage is very clear. Not even the smallest letter or even its decorative spur will ever disappear from the "God Breathed" Word until all is fulfilled. In fact when heaven and earth are replaced by a new heaven and earth, the Word of the Lord will have accomplished its purpose and will be fulfilled in every detail even to the very letter.

Peace

Patricia