Charo Singing Price Tag

So my brother's iPhone has this karaoke thingy so I thought I try :-)

Me singing "Price Tag".

 http://karaokeanywhere.api.joltsoft.net/public/view_performance/c45ae64fa263499a6f605b9ee351c7d2

10 Ways to Love

1. Listen without interrupting. (Proverbs 18)

2. Speak without accusing. (James 1:19)

3. Give without sparing. (Proverbs 21:26)

4. Pray without ceasing. (Colossians 1:9)

5. Answer without arguing. (Proverbs 17:1)

6. Share without pretending. (Ephesians 4:15)

7. Enjoy without complaint. (Philippians 2:14)

8. Trust without wavering. (Corinthians 13:7)

9. Forgive without punishing. (Colossians 3:13)

10. Promise without forgetting. (Proverbs 13.12)

Circle of Friends

Many high school students with autism or Down syndrome feel excluded and ignored. They often eat alone in a crowded cafeteria because other students don’t know how to relate to them or simply don’t care.

 

To address this need, speech therapist Barbara Palilis began “Circle of Friends” - a program that pairs students with disabilities with nondisabled peers for lunch dates and social activities.

 

Through this outreach, they continue to be enriched and changed through the gift of acceptance, friendship, and understanding.

 

Being included is at the heart of the gospel of Christ. “God, who is rich in mercy, . . . even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together.

Through faith, we “who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ”  Eph 2:13

Our privileged place as members of the “household of God” (v.19) should give us eyes to see and hearts to care for those around us who are ignored and alone.

If each of us would reach out in caring friendship to one person today, what a difference it would make for us all. 

Reach out in friendship and encourage the lonely; energize the weary.

- ODB

Confession Leads to Transformation

God allows a crisis to get our attention, and then he uses it to develop our character.

One thing that signals we’re changing is when we confess that we are  the problem.
We stop blaming other people, and we admit, “I am the problem with my life.”

Until you understand this, there can be no major change in your life.  
This is the breakthrough God knows we need.

Here’s the insight into this: We will never be able to change until we openly and honestly  and authentically admit our sin, our weakness, our fault, our frailty, our  character defects, confessing this to ourselves, to God, and to other people.

Talk About It

What do you think  you need to admit about yourself?

To  whom do you need to admit a sin or weakness?

-SD

Winning and Losing

The Masters Tournament is one of the most prestigious in professional golf. In 2009, Kenny Perry placed second after leading during the final round.

Writing in The New York Times, Bill Pennington described Perry as “disappointed but not despondent” after the loss.

“I’ll look back on it occasionally and wonder what I might have done differently, but I won’t dwell on it,” Perry said. I won’t let it dog me. There are many other things in life that matter more . . . . I’ll go home tonight with my family and we’ll have fun.”

The ability to look beyond our disappointments is essential. Our focus determines how we face the victories and defeats in life.

"Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth” (Col. 3:1-2).

This way of thinking looks to Christ, rather than our achievements, for significance and validation. We seek Him, not success.

When we strive for excellence and give our best effort, losing hurts, but it doesn’t have to harm us. The key is where we set our minds and hearts.

Lord, thank You that You are the one who measures how we’ve done in life and determines
whether we’ve been successful. Help us to keep that focus even in disappointments.

When Christ is the center of your focus, everything else comes into proper perspective.

-ODB

Faulty Thinking

Four people, a pilot, a professor, a pastor, and a hiker were flying in a small plane when the engines died. The pilot said, “There are only three parachutes. Since this is my plane, I’m taking one of them.” He put it on and jumped out.

The professor said, “I’m brilliant and the world needs me, so I’m taking a parachute,” and he jumped out.

Then the pastor told the hiker, “I don’t want to be selfish, so you take the last parachute.” The hiker replied, “There are still two left, so we can each have one. The professor jumped out with my backpack instead of the parachute!”

Though the professor thought he would land safely, his assurance was based on faulty thinking.

Some people have an assurance of salvation based on faulty thinking. They believe that church attendance, baptism, or just being good will gain them approval from God.  But our thinking is faulty if it isn’t based on what God says in His Word.

God says that “all have sinned” and that we are His enemies. But through the death and resurrection of His Son, we can be made right with God (Rom. 3:23; 5:8-10).

By faith in what Christ has done, we can have peace with God and the assurance of eternal life in heaven.

If we could earn our salvation, Christ would not have died to provide it.

Ready For Love

Just love the song, her voice and intimate music vid.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxkMlS2nuU8

I am ready for love
Why are you hiding from me
I'd quickly give my freedom
To be held in your captivity

I am ready for love
All of the joy and the pain
And all the time that it takes
Just to stay in your good grace
Lately I've been thinking
Maybe you're not ready for me
Maybe you think I need to learn maturity
They say watch what you ask for
Cause you might receive
But if you ask me tomorrow
I'll say the same thing

I am ready for love
Would you please lend me your ear?
I promise I won't complain
I just need you to acknowledge I am here

If you give me half a chance
I'll prove this to you
I will be patient, kind, faithful and true
To a man who loves music
A man who loves art
Respect's the spirit world
And thinks with his heart

I am ready for love
If you'll take me in your hands
I will learn what you teach
And do the best that I can

I am ready for love
Here with an offering of
My voice, My Eyes, My soul, My mind

Tell me what is enough
To prove I am ready for love

I am ready.