word study

One way to study scripture is to break the verse down word by word and find out the meaning of each word or phrase. This is helpful in making an personal application of a verse to your life. I have used this when trying to memorize a verse, and it is also helpful when a passage is just hard to understand. If you do not have a concordance handy, just get out the old dictionary or go to www.m-w.com (Merriam-Webster online)

Isaiah 55:6 "Seek ye the Lord while he may be found,

call ye upon him while he is near."

• Seek - to go in search of, to look for, or to try to discover
• ye - originally used as a pronoun for the plural of "you"
• the - used as a function word to indicate that a following noun is unique
• Lord - another name for God or Jesus
• while - a period of time especially when short and marked by the occurrence of an action or a condition
• he - pronoun - refers here to God
• may - have the ability to
• be - to have an objective existence : have reality or actuality
• found - to come upon by searching or effort
• call - to make a request or demand
• ye - originally used as a pronoun for the plural of "you"
• upon - Function: preposition: On
• him - pronoun - objective case of He
• while - a period of time especially when short and marked by the occurrence of an action or a condition
• he - pronoun - refers here to God
• is - used to indicated of state of "being"
• near - in a close or intimate manner

new on the world wide web

cartoon of the week

Many of our friends enjoy making scrapbooks.

Now you can create your own Scrapblog using your digital pictures.

The Scrapblog Builder is an easy-to-use web-based application. It's 100% "what you see is what you get" (WYSIWYG), so you can move, resize and rotate text and graphics as you wish. Add stickers, backgrounds and comments. Let others comment too.

You can listen to a message at this link about the Da Vinci Code . The audio message is by Ray Comfort of Living Waters Ministries.

surprise!!

We received these cute photos in our email box last night. Our granddaughter, Natalie, sent us this "message" printed on her shirt



And now I am announcing it to the rest of the world - yes, we have another grandchild on the way!!

world cup soccer 2006

Get ready for some football... or as we call it soccer...

At this site you can keep up with the latest on the 2006 World Cup Soccer tournament in Germany this summer...FifaWorldCup.yahoo.com

a great senior year for JJ Redick

One more post about Duke basketball and I will let it rest until next season. J.J. Redick will go down in history as one of the best players in Duke history. In addition to all the "Duke" records he broke as a player, he also won "best player" of the year awards galore. I admire him not just because of his talent, but he also has great character and is not ashamed to let people know that he is a Christian. Maybe you did not know this, but he quotes scripture in his mind before every free throw. I just hope he gets a chance to play in the NBA next year. I think he has a lot of the same "moves" as Michael Jordan, but Mikey was 6'6" and JJ is only 6"4", so time will tell. Just to recap below, here are a few of the awards J.J. won this spring. You can click on the link to read the entire articles.

• 03.22.06 Redick Repeats As Rupp National Player of the Year Recipient
• 03.27.06 Redick, Williams Named First Team All-America By AP
• 03.30.06 Redick, Morrison Named USBWA Co-National Players of the Year
• 03.31.06 Redick Wins AP National Player of the Year
• 04.02.06 Redick, Morrison Split NABC National Player of the Year Award
• 04.02.06 Redick Wins Senior CLASS Award, Williams Also Honored
• 04.02.06 Redick Wins Naismith Award As College Basketball's Top Player
• 04.08.06 Redick Wins Wooden Award As Nation's Top Player
• 04.13.06 Redick Wins Sullivan Award As Nation's Top Amateur Athlete

who do you believe? the media or the scriptures?

I enjoy reading Gary Varvel's cartoons. His website on the Indianapolis Star-News mentions that he is a Sunday School teacher. This one was published on April 21, but you can view his previous works, as well as many other cartoonists at http://www.cagle.com/politicalcartoons/PCcartoons/varvel.asp

strange but true

A few years ago, a $100,000 mistake was made because someone failed to wait for complete instructions. As reported in Entrepreneur magazine, a dispatcher for a cement company was instructed to send a fleet of trucks to Portland. For some reason he failed to wait for the rest of the message. The result: eight trucks of cement went to Portland, Oregon, when their real destination was 3,000 miles away in Portland, Maine.

An Oregon man who went to a hospital complaining of a headache was found to have 12 nails embedded in his skull from a suicide attempt with a nail gun, doctors say...read more at yahoo.com

songs from the Bible

How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be
clean that is born of a woman? Behold even to the moon, and it shineth not; yea, the stars are not pure in his sight. How much less man, that is a worm? and the son of man, which is a worm?

Recently as I read this portion of scripture from Job 25:4-6, it reminded me how well the hymn writer Isaac Watts knew the Bible. As he wrote the words to the hymn "At the Cross", the first stanza begins with these words:

Alas! and did my Savior bleed? And did my Sov'reign die,Would He devote that sacred head, For such a worm as I?

Isaac Watts lived from 1674-1748 and wrote about 750 hymns. Many including this hymn have become a standard in every hymnal, no matter what denomination. But times are changing and as recently as 1986 the publishers of hymns started changing words. In 1986, Word, Inc. published "The Hymnal for Worship and Celebration". If you read the words to this hymn on page 188, the first line now ends in the phrase, "for sinners such as I." I checked all of my hymnals from earlier years- Inspiring Hymns, Great Hymns of the Faith, All American Hymnal, Broadman Hymnal, even an old copy of the Methodist Hymnal - and they all read the same, "for such a worm as I." I suppose some newer version will be changing the last line to read "for others such as I," or something less offensive. You can read the words and listen to "At the Cross" at hymnal.net

The Great 1906 San Francisco Earthquake

Sega Tech has much information posted today about the 1906 San Francisco earthquake which took place on this date, April 18, 100 years ago.

There are a number of ways to bring context to understanding the
nature and ramifications of one of the most important geologic events in the history of our nation and earthquakes in general at this site...

reading eye witness accounts of the quake,
poring over web-based versions of newspaper clippings from the era,
examining a list of those who died as a result of the tragedy,
looking at photographs of the destruction,
taking a virtual tour of the 1906 Earthquake using Google Earth

and more at segatech.us

images of the Easter season

Without the shedding of blood on the cross there could be no resurrection and no salvation!





Worship the risen Christ this weekend!






Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week,
he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.
read more...

the murder of Jesus

Read the following at this link excerpted from The Murder of Jesus by John MacArthur.

Human courts have an uncanny knack for turning justice completely on its head. The wicked frequently prosper while the righteous suffer wrongfully. Nowhere is that seen more graphically than in the arrest, trial, and crucifixion of Jesus Christ. No victim of injustice was ever more innocent than the sinless Son of God. And yet no one ever suffered more agony than He did. He was cruelly executed by men who openly acknowledged His faultlessness. Yet at the same time Barabbas, a murderous, thieving insurrectionist, was summarily set free. It was the greatest travesty of justice the world has ever seen.

we are Easter people

The American Tract Society has a new offering called DigiTracts.com and I found this one for Easter entitled "The Cross"


As I was reading the USA Today at work on Monday, I was surprised to find this article about Easter - "We are Easter people"

One of the lowest points in my life occurred years ago when I was living in Washington, D.C., at Easter time. My older sister had recently died and both of my brothers were seriously ill; my best friend was leaving town, and on top of that I was questioning my work.

In my journal that April I wrote, "Am I depressed?" When I read those pages now I laugh and shake my head. "Depressed?" That I even had to ask. In that long year I thought I'd never laugh again, just as I thought I'd never again feel love, the joy of easy friendship, or the satisfaction of good work. I went to church that Easter out of both habit and desperation. I had grown up in a church-going family. It was what we did. And so to honor the family that I was losing I went. Easter after all, is the centerpiece for Christians, honoring and recalling Christ's triumph over death.

I chose a big downtown church for Easter services — one with hundreds in the congregation — not daring to visit a smaller church where I might have to speak to people or be embarrassed by my own tears. I wanted the paradoxical safety and anonymity of being in a crowd. The minister that Easter Sunday said many things that I don't remember, but one sentence has stayed with me all these years. He said, "We live in a Good Friday world." link to read the article

as our thoughts turn to Easter

An Easter Greeting from President George W. Bush

I send greetings to everyone observing Easter this year. During this joyful season of new life and renewal, Christians around the world celebrate the central event of their faith -- the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, whom Christians believe is the Messiah, the Son of God.

Read the entire Easter greeting from President George W. Bush...


Easter Topics

"He is not here; He is risen just as He said." So spoke the angel at Jesus Christ's empty tomb; so we proclaim today. Join us as we celebrate the ascension of our Savior and eagerly await His return.

more at Easter topics from family.org...

this will make you proud

Thanks to Uncle Kelsea for sending this link to news from the war that you will never see on CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN, etc...

This will make you proud

family ties

Celebrations this month include . . .

April birthdays:

Sharon Baggett on April 7th. . . Deborah Franklin Logan on April 12th . . . Colby Blackstock and his brother Dustin Blackstock are celebrating today at Aunt Robbie's house in Pine Bluff (I heard she made two Italian Cream Cakes and two pans of Irish Potato Casserole and more! Sorry we cannot be there!) . . . Joel Blackstock on April 15th . . . Roxanne Baggett on April 28th . . and Monk Franks on April 29th

Happy Anniversary:

Uncle Les and Pam Baggett celebrated their wedding anniversary on April 4th

Retiring:

Cindy's cousin Daniel Baggett will be retiring from the U. S. Navy on June 1, 2006. Dan attended the U. S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD, and upon graduation in May, 1986, continued in the Navy for 20 years. The retirement ceremony will be at the Navy Memorial in Washington, D.C. on April 27, 2006 at 1000 hours. Dan is a Lt. Commander and is working for the Chief of Naval Operations educating personnel to newly installed equipment aboard ships. Dan's last sea assignment was the USS Theodore Roosevelt, a nuclear aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean. His dad and mom, Uncle Kelsea and Roxy, along with Jessica will be going to DC on April 25th for the ceremony. Later this summer, Dan plans to relocate to San Diego. Congratulations on your retirement and thanks for serving our country since 1986!

7/15/05 - The USS Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group conducts a close quarters exercise while underway in the Atlantic Ocean, July 15, 2005.Clockwise from top, USS Donald Cook (DDG 75), USS Oscar Austin (DDG 79), Alvaro De Bazan (F 101), USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), and USS San Jacinto (CG 56).

songs from the Bible

This passage from Psalm 19 was one we memorized as a child in song. Singing the words really helps the memory of passages like this, but we sometimes sing songs so much that we forget to think about what the words actually say. I was reminded of these words at church today from Psalm 19: 7-10 -

The law of the LORD is perfect,

converting the soul:

It is true that we are not under the law, but under grace, but do not forget that Christ actually came as the Messiah in order to fulfill the law, so that we could be saved (our soul converted)

The testimony of the LORD is sure,

making wise the simple.

When you think about how much wisdom there is in the world today, you must also remember that knowledge does not save you, but that knowledge only makes you think you are better than someone else. With the testimony of the Lord, the simple becomes wise.

The statutes of the LORD are right,

rejoicing the heart:

We definitely need joyful hearts, and we can have that joy only by following the statutes in God's Word. Apart from the Word, we will be sad and miserable. Maybe that is why suicide is one of the top killers of young people today ages 18-24.

The commandment of the LORD is pure,

enlightening the eyes.

The commandments found in the Word are pure, or spotless, and give us instruction and spiritual insight. We can then apply what we learn to our everyday life.

The fear of the LORD is clean,

enduring for ever:

This is an interesting statement because the scripture says the fear of the Lord is clean. We usually think of the word fear as being applied to something bad, evil or scary. The word as used here implies having a reverential awe of God.

The judgments of the LORD are true

and righteous altogether.

We need to realize that the Lord God is true and righteous. We need His truth today more than ever and it can only be found in the Bible.

More to be desired are they than gold,

yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also

than honey and the honeycomb.

This verse is telling us that all these things are to be desired more than gold - the law, the testimony, the statutes, the commandments and the judgments of the Lord.

sky high

We made our trek to Exit 3 in Georgia last night to buy gas as the gas prices went sky high this week! We saved 16 cents a gallon and had a great meal at the Cracker Barrel. We had bought our last tank of gas in Georgia on Monday, March 27, on our return trip from SC. At that time the price was $2.28 per gallon. Last night it was $2.61 per gallon, 11 days later! Just to compare, on February 20 we bought gas in Ga and SC for $1.95 a gallon. And there is no hurricane to blame it on this time! All we can do is try to use less gas, less trips around town, more one-stop shopping, etc. If everyone will make an effort to use less, the demand will drop and prices will go down. One other thing we as Christians can do is add it to our prayer list.

Romans 12:12
12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing
instant in prayer;

adding to the list of bloggers to read...

Another Christian blogger can be read at Zealous Endeavor, written by "Brian W." His blogs are thought-provoking and his focus is on culture and religion, an interesting combination - such as this one from March 29 called "Battle of Desires"


Recently I stumbled upon this blog by Dan Forrest. Dan is a music arranger and composer from Bob Jones University. He is currently not on the staff at BJU but is working on his doctorate.

His blog is appropriately titled The Music of Dan Forrest and can be found at danforrest.com. The excerpt below is from his March 30 posting "Before the Throne" - you can click on the link to read it in it's entirety.

Before The Throne

My new arrangement of Before The Throne Of God Above

is now available from Soundforth. The octavo is in print

(call them or email; it’s not on their website yet),

and the recording for which it was written (A Quiet Heart)

is now available as well.

more online resources

Clean Flicks.com

Have you ever watched a movie and were disappointed by
unnecessary language, sexual innuendo, extreme violence or even partial
nudity? We have turned many movies off after the first few minutes because
of the above.

I have had a lot of requests for information about edited DVD's lately, so I think it is time to post this link again. CleanFlicks.com is an online rental site for edited DVD's, but you can also purchase an edited copy of the movie if you desire. The rentals work like netflix.com and you pay $19.95 a month and rent two edited DVD's at a time. When those rented DVD's are sent back in the provided postage-paid envelope, then the next two DVD's in your queue are sent to you. Clean Flicks.com has edited these movies removing all profanity, nudity, graphic violence and sexual content. Another option is to buy the edited DVD from CleanFlicks.com. If you already have an original copy, then the edited copy is only $12.95. If you do not have the original, then you can buy the original and edited copies for $19.95 and up. You do not have to send your DVD to them in order to buy an edited copy.

Basics of web design

Are you interested in creating your own web page? Here is a site you might find helpful - webdesignfromscratch.com 'Web Design from Scratch' aims to be a complete guide to web design for eveyone interested in creating effective web pages.

Desktop backgrounds
(wallpaper)

Are you tired of the same old desktop background? Would you like some variety in your life? Wikepedia, the online free encyclopedia, features many backgrounds that you can download to your desktop at this link - featured desktop backgrounds.

nutritiondata.com

Nutrition Facts & Calorie Counter

Here is a neat site with nutrition information for all the foods you love to eat. You can analyze the food you eat, track your consumption, estimate your daily needs, etc. There is a sidebar feature with "fast food facts" - Here nutrition data can be found for every item you might order from these restaurants. Just click on the link to Taco Bell, for example, and the data is available for 79 menu items. If you need to find out what vitamins are in a certain food, type in the name in the "food search" on the home page.

Just go to NutritionData.com

Go Gators!

Gators clamp down on UCLA to win NCAA title

It's a small world after all

Leah shared this site with me recently and I will be adding it to my sidebar links. This Christian radio site is from Harvest Baptist Church in Guam - KHMG 88.1 Just go to the homepage for Harvest Ministries.net and click on the link for KHMG, choose dial-up or broadband. Another link to music pops up automatically when you first enter the site, but you can close that link and proceed to the KHMG button. I have listened for a few weeks and the music is always solid. Many of you may know Kevin Inafuku who traveled with the Steve Pettit Team for several years (I love to hear him play that accordion) He also graduated from Bob Jones University the same year as my oldest son, Josh. He is now on the staff of Harvest Bible Baptist Institute in Guam in charge of the music. It's a small world after all - thanks to internet christian radio!




Kevin has a solo CD published by Soundforth
music of Bob Jones University and you can
listen to clips at this link to OldChristianmusic.com

Jacob and Esau

Check out Jacob and Esau at this link to light night rains by Cory Godbey.

tribute to C.C.Franklin

you can read the latest tribute on my companion blog - to those who left their mark.

new music from the Wilds Christian Camp

THE WILDS newest recording, Everlasting God, reminds us that God not only has made a thorough plan, but also is continually working to carry it out in us. This CD features various men’s ensembles of THE WILDS staff and friends. Selections, other than the title song, include:

The Whole Earth is Full of the Lord
In All Things God Works for Our Good
Some Trust in Chariots
I'm a Soldier
For Me to Live is Christ
He's an Unchanging Savior
Sunrise, Resurrection
I Gave My Life for Thee
Let this Cup Pass from Me
My Father Planned It All
Is It Gonna Burn?
Holy, Holy
Shout to the Lord with a Song of Praise
Almighty, Unchangeable God
Bow the Knee

Also new from the Wilds music dept is Holy, Holy - SATB book of the 13 songs available in Choral Series 22. A demonstration CD and an accompaniment CD are also available.

Songlist:
For Me to Live Is Christ
Found Faithful
Holy, Holy
In the Shadow of the Highest
Let This Cup Pass From Me
Lord, Keep My Focus on You
Love Divine
Shout to the Lord With a Song of Praise
Some Trust in Chariots
The King of Glory Standeth
The Whole Earth Is Full of the Lord
Though He Slay Me Trust Him

You can vist the Wild's new online store at http://store.wilds.org

The Everlasting God CD is $13.95, Holy, Holy listening CD is $7.95 and the SATB book is $6.95