Book Review--Outlive Your Life by Max Lucado

Have you ever labored in prayer over God’s plan for your life? What great thing would He have you do? Do you want to impact your world for God’s kingdom? It might be simpler that you ever imagined.

In Outlive Your Life You Were Made To Make A Difference, Max Lucado shows us how the first-century church, a group of ordinary, unsophisticated, uneducated people, lived out the teachings of Jesus Christ and changed the world forever. In 2010 God still uses the ordinary, common man who is willing to extend a helping hand and loving heart to a dying world.

This book not only inspires the reader to step up and reach out, but it also offers practical ideas and advice on how to take the first steps into simple ministry. It is well organized with each chapter clearly covering a wide range of topics such as breaking out of our shell, simple hospitality, preparing for persecution, humility, loving and helping the needy, and more. All sixteen chapters are stuck together with one strong common bond: “You want your life to matter. You want to live in such a way that the world will be glad you did.” We all want to outlive our lives.

The back of the book contains discussion questions and ideas for action that makes making a difference super simple right where you are.

Like most of Lucado’s works, this one is full of great quotable one-sentence thoughts that wake you up like a splash of cold water and comforts your soul at the same time.

I will recommend this book many times.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Where bad is good!

If you ask me why you should go to South Dakota, to see Mt. Rushmore would NOT be my answer. Oh sure it was impressive, but it didn't take my breath away. Maybe because I too often lean toward the side of being a realist, or maybe because I'm a lover of nature as God saw fit to create it and allows it to continually take new shape and form. Or maybe it's because I know that the faces that are carved in the side of that mountain represent just men.

Granted, they did more than the ordinary man to shape this great nation, but it was only by God's grace that they were able to do great things and be elevated, by other men, past ordinary into a stone memorial. If we were to carve into the mountains the face of every man or woman who ever did something great for this country, there would be no mountains left. America if full of unsung heroes.

I admire the many men who worked so hard to accomplish the task of sculpting a mountain, but for some reason their work doesn't make me want to sing praises or bow and worship the God who created all things. It did make me feel grateful though.

It's just my opinion, but I suggest you go to South Dakota to see the beautiful grasslands, the Black Hills mountains, and the Badlands. Oh, and while you are there, don't forget to visit Mt. Rushmore.

From Key West to Seattle, Maine to southern California, this country holds so many beautiful places. A few have taken my breath and put tears in my eyes--made me sing praises and worship the creator. Just to mention a couple of them--Niagara Falls, NY and The Badlands, SD. (The day we went to the Grand Canyon, it was so foggy and snowing so hard you couldn't see the road, or even the front of the truck, so my list is not complete I'm sure.) Both those places gave me goosebumps as I gazed and pondered the power and imagination of THE GOD who creates such beautiful things.

I'm only going to post a *few pictures because our internet access at this campground will only allow me so much bandwidth for a 48 hour time period. Since I don't have a clue about what all that means, and since I'm already at almost 50% of my allowance, I don't want to use it all up, just in case hubby might need it for work. (And just in case I might get to Skype with the grandkids.)

Another reason I'm only going to post a few--I can't decide which pictures are my favorite. So I'll show you  some and give you a link to my Photobucket so you can see them all if you want. I hope you enjoy them--I sure did enjoy taking them! I promise if you don't take a little time to look at some of the others, you will be missing out. We were going to take a quick drive through the area, but once we got in there, we were captivated. No quick drive through would do!

*Yes, this is a FEW since few is a relative term as in comparison to the number I COULD have posted.
Click here for my whole Badlands collection. 

We had an overnight stop in Mitchell, SD--the home of the Corn Palace. This time of year, undergoes its annual "redecoration" but there was enough of last year's design still up that I was able to get some pictures. If you've never heard of the Corn Palace--in short--it is a building that takes on a new look every year, decorated with corn and straw and other such natural materials.

Yes all those pictures and words are made from various kinds and colors of corn cobs placed just so. Pretty amazing.

Whew, what a remarkable two day drive.

Now here we are in Nebraska and I barely got this post done before we are have to pack up and go again. You know by now that we really never know how long we will be any one place, but it looks as if we will be here only a few more days until...

Yeah, bold and dashing.

Memorial Day--Consider yourself blessed

blessed - highly favored or fortunate (as e.g. by divine grace)

If you went to church at the church of your choice yesterday, you are blessed.

If you went to bed last night without concern or fear that your sleep would be disturbed by bomb blasts or foreign invaders, you are blessed.

If you woke this morning with the security and  peace of knowing that you can travel about the country if you choose, or sit at home if you choose, or work hard if you choose...you are blessed.

If you have clean water to drink and there is no sewage in the street in front of your house, you are blessed.

If you are enraged by something you read in your local paper and you know you have the right to write a letter to the editor, stating your opinion and beliefs, and you write that letter without fear of harm or persecution, you are blessed.

If you voted, or even had the opportunity to vote in the last election, you are blessed.

I could go on and on...and if you live in The United States Of America, YOU ARE BLESSED!

May we never take that blessing for granted. May we never forget that with our freedoms come responsibilities. May we always acknowledge the fact that the God of the universe bestows these blessings upon us. And may we never, ever, forget the men and women who have sacrificed so much, who have been the tools in God's hands, that have made such wonderful blessings a reality.

Thank you, men and women, husbands and wives, children, parents...for your sacrifices. May God bless you, and may we all live so that we might, in clear conscious pray, God, bless America.

Tea, Anyone?

Today, April 15--tax day. Did you get yours done before midnight? I'm happy to tell you that I had all our paperwork to the CPA a long time ago. I got with it early because we needed the refund due us just to get buy for another month. No big purchases or splurging, not even any debt reduction. Just the necessities, and still I'm wondering how far I can stretch a dollar.

Not only was it tax day, but also Tea Party day. This evening the Amarillo Tea Party Patriots met to hear Sheriff Richard Mack, teach, give testimony, and encourage Americans to know, love, and live by the Constitution of the United States of America. And is it too much to ask the political powers in Washington, D.C. to do the same? (Please check out his web site through the link. You will be inspired and encouraged I'm sure.)

I was glad to see that this year the Tea Party folks have gotten past simply carrying signs of protest and complaining and moved into finding solutions to the problems we face. The solution is in our own beloved Constitution.

It was an enjoyable evening of entertainment and inspiration--somewhere between a pep rally and tent revival meeting.

Ed Montana used his talents to stir and entertain the crowed that numbered over 1000 people from all over the Texas Panhandle. Here is a catchy little number you might enjoy. Please excuse the one little bit of frank language--this IS Texas, after all.


I'm glad I spent the evening at the Tea Party. I ran into several old friends, some I have not seen in almost 30 years. It got me out of the house for a little while, and I walked way with a renewed sense of pride and appreciation. I'm still proud to be a Texan, and an American. This is STILL the greatest country in the world, and I appreciate all the patriots throughout our history who have protected and defended the freedoms guaranteed by our Constitution and Bill of Rights.

Now, it is time for this generation to become a generation of patriots and take a stand against tyranny--may our grandchildren and great-grandchildren grow old in the land of the free, and the home of the brave!

Socially Unacceptable Prayers

I've been away from my blog WAY too long. I wonder--do I have any readers left? If so, thanks for hanging around and please bring a few of your friends over. I love meeting new people!

I think it is time for a word for the day and today it is--

perplexed:

1. Filled with confusion or bewilderment; puzzled.
2. Full of complications or difficulty; involved.

Boy, if that doesn't describe me right now I don't know what does. I'm hoping you, all my precious readers, will chime in on this one and let me know your thoughts and opinions, because my situation, I've discovered, is a ticklish topic that deserves discussion.

Let me set the stage. Most of my faithful readers know that my husband is an independent catastrophic insurance adjuster. (The independent part means he works and gets paid only when his company calls on him, and the rest of the time he is unemployed.) If you are new to my blog--well--now you know too. At the end of May, Rick signed himself out because he was suffering from burn-out, needed to have some major dental work done, and had to have cataract surgery. (It has been a costly summer as we are some of those uninsured Americans--targets of liberal government control. But that's another post for another time.) Now my man can chew his steak, sees better than before, is rested and ready to go back to work. Only one problem--no work to be had.

After two and a half months of no income and major expenses, we need money. There are only a few methods of financial acquisition. You can be gifted it, steal it, borrow it, inherit it, or earn it. Our society frowns upon beggars so I'm not expecting a gift, society and heaven frown upon stealing so that's not an option, borrowing when you have no income to pay back is just stupid, we don't have wealthy relatives, and if we did, certainly we would not want them to die just so we can pay the mortgage, so we choose to work for the money that we need. And our work depends upon--I flinch and squirm--storms. I put my faith in God, (El-Shaddai, the God who is sufficient for the needs of His people & Jehovah-Jireh, the Lord our provider) therefore I am praying for a storm.

Yes, you read that right--I'm asking God to provide a storm so my husband will have an opportunity to do what he does best, and then we can pay our bills like upstanding citizens should do. I've even asked some of my friends and family to agree with me in prayer. Responses have been varied, but all have come with hesitation. Here are a few.

• How about if I pray that God just bless you?
• I'll pray that if there is a storm, you will benefit from it.
• I'll ask God to give you work.
• (Deer-in-the-headlight stares but no words.)

I've discovered that it is not always socially acceptable to pray specifically for what you need. But pray specifically I feel I must! God has, and continues to bless us beyond words. A Christian heritage, wonderful healthy children and grandchildren, a free country in which to live, good health, a sound mind, a good marriage...even some very beneficial rain on our tiny plot of land are just some of the ways in which He has blessed us. Yes, we always ask for God's blessings though we are already so richly blessed, but those blessing won't pay the doctors or the electric bill. My precious friend that offered to pray that if there are storms we might benefit was thoughtful and meant well. But, we could find ourselves in the middle of foreclosure if there are no storms. What about the generic prayer for work? We have plenty of work. Remember all the rain that came as a blessing? It has made mowing our 1.5 acre plot an almost full-time job. And the mud and grass that hubby tracks into the RV keeps me sweeping up between washing his dirty clothes. Weed pulling, trim painting, bush trimming...there is plenty of work around our house to keep us busy, but that work does not produce income.

My prayer request perplexes my friends and honestly sometimes even myself. People have a hard time asking God for something they see as negative or "not good." Nobody wants to be known as the person who prays evil or disaster into the lives of others. Not even me! So I am especially and personally perplexed because what seems good for me might seem not good for someone else. (I think I know how the tax collectors might have felt during the first century.)

I find a little comfort in the realization that we are not the only people that benefit from another person's misfortune. Doctors need people to get sick. A dentist and an eye surgeon profited greatly because my husband is plagued with rotten teeth and cataracts. The guy that owns the local tire shop needs folks to have a blowout ever now and then. Your mechanic needs your car to break down, police officers, lawyers, and judges have jobs because of unlawful deeds done to law abiding citizens, and guidance counselors, psychologists & therapists all profit when someone else has a problem. Even evangelists and preachers have jobs because lost sinners have yet to find salvation through Christ. Have you ever wondered if your doctor prays that one of his patients break a leg? I dare you to ask him the next time you are in for a check up.

Insurance adjusters are not the only people that profit from storms or wildfires or other disasters. Roofers, tree trimmers, contractors, painters, landscapers, electricians and linemen, shingle and siding manufacturers, trash companies,...(I could go on and on.)

Even the people whose homes are damaged and lives are disrupted sometimes reap a harvest. Life's trials give opportunity to seek God, place priorities, comfort and be comforted, gain strength and character, learn something new and grow faith. Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trial, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1: 2-4) Could it be, that if I pray for a storm, rather than praying evil into someone's life I might actually be praying for the maturity and perfection of their faith?

I've given this a lot of thought. I know God cares about the tiny details of our lives, so I know it is okay to pray specifically for what we need. I know I feel encouraged and comforted when my brothers and sisters in Christ pray for us. I know I can't stand the look on their faces or the hesitation in their voices when tell them I'm praying for a storm and I ask them to pray for one too. I know that none of us have the mind of God and what seems good to us is not always good and what seems bad is not always bad. I know our bank balance is nearing the "E" mark and God needs to move on our behalf soon. And I know I want to hear what you have to say about my perplexing situation. Do I continue to pray my socially unacceptable prayers or do I lift up a less offensive version? If you were in my place, how would you pray?

Call It What You Want...

I don't like to talk politics. I like to try to look on the bright side of life and politics is not my idea of sunshine and rainbows. But I read some articles today that stirred me, so here I go, ranting again.

First, I have to say this whole flu scare is like nothing I've ever seen before. I've never seen so many people in so many places acting so foolishly at one time. Don't misunderstand me. I have sympathy for those people who have lost their loved ones to the virus. But I think the press and the powers that talk to the press have created--well--I hate to say it--they've created a state of panic and fear.

I was in a state of panic and fear once. I'm talking REAL panic and REAL fear when my husband's life was threatened. You could say that my husband and I were both terrorized. In fact, the charges filed against the person who caused this panic and fear included the charge of terroristic threat. Hmm. Now let me think. Someone who causes another person to panic and live in fear could be considered to be a "terrorists," right? So I guess that makes the press and all the powers that have been talking to the press, "terr..."

Oh wait! One of the articles I read today reveals our President's new terms regarding terrorism. We are no longer to use the term terrorist or terrorism. The destruction of the World Trade Center was not an act of terrorism, it was a "man-caused disaster." The article also points out that we are not engaged in a war on terrorism, but an "overseas contingency operation."

And in other articles, the "swine flu" is not the swine flu but is the "New H1N1 flu."

Call it what you want, a virus is a virus, creating fear and panic to convince someone that their life is in danger is terrorism, and war is war. Politically correct terminology changes nothing except our willingness to accept lies in the place of truth.

My opinion? Don't kiss any pigs, be leery of those who stir up world-wide panic and fear even if they do wear the Stars and Stripes on their lapel, and remember that our men and women stationed overseas probably still feel like they are fighting a war.

God, help us.

I Don't Like To Rant And Rave, But Give Me A Break!

I'm sorry, but this whole "Go Green" thing has finally pushed me over the edge! I'm all for being good stewards of this earth which the good Lord created. There's no room for abuse when you're taking care of something that doesn't belong to you. Though God did put man here and told him to take charge over the place.

But a good thing can be overdone, and, like that big red dot on those insurance ads, we're there!

I was wasting time reading the Yahoo headlines and came across a story about picking our green battles. It talked about the paper vs. plastic (bag) dilemma and how it really doesn't matter that much. (I've been saying that for years.)

And it mentioned the choice between cloth and disposable diapers. Apparently either choice is equally bad for the environment, so short of disallowing bodily excretion from your baby, there's not much you can do to save the planet from poop. (That was my opinion twenty-five years ago before big bucks were spent on government studies that concluded "it" happens and we can't do anything about it.)

Next the article mentioned the choice of drinking your coffee from a throw-away cup or a ceramic mug. I'm glad that the official call on that one is that it is no big deal either way, because honestly, I've never given it much thought. And I don't care to.

All these little arguments aren't worth our time and effort according to the article's author. But there are things, says this promoter of green living, that we should do to make more of a difference.

(Grab a cat by the tail, rub its fur the wrong way all the way to its head, and you'll get an idea what this bit of stupidity did to me!)

"Eat less meat."

It seems..."Raising livestock is one of the most significant contributors to a long list of environmental problems from climate change to deforestation to water pollution."

OH PA-LEEZE! (I'm slapin' my forehead.) God created the earth, He created the cow, a cow is biodegradable, her poop is organic matter, (unless she eats a plastic Wal-Mart bag, a disposable diaper, or a styrofoam cup) yet bovine is one of the biggest threats to our planet? (Are you picturing the furred up cat here?)

I come from a family of cattle raisers. Rifle totin', hat wearin', horse ridin', steer ropin', slow talkin' full of common sense, Texas cattle raisers. Yeah, my fur is standin' on end!

But what really popped my cork was the stupidity, the idiotic idea, (sorry) the method in which the climate conscientious human should go about cutting down on his or her meat intake. "Start by trimming down your portion size to about three ounces (the size of a deck of playing cards)."

Now what kind of a difference is that going to make? If I eat a three-ounce steak, or an eight-ounce steak, or a four-pound roast, I still slaughter a one-thousand pound animal to get it. It's not like I go out in the pasture and whittle three ounces off a cow at a time until she's gone. How much sense does it make to go to a steakhouse, order up their 6 oz. sirloin, eat half for the sake of going green, then throw the rest away? I guess if I gave the other half of the steak to the guy in the booth behind me and he didn't order a steak at all...but still the one whole cow was needed to produce that "deck-size" piece of meat.

Honesty, I wish some people would stop and think before they open their mouths or put their pen to the paper.

As for the cow being responsible for deforestation--I don't buy it. As I see it, trees need carbon dioxide and some good fertilizer to grow strong and healthy. A cow provides both. The cowman and the tree hugger may not be able to live peaceably among one another, but I think the cows and the trees do a pretty good job of it. I've never yet seen a cow chop down a tree. And unless you're in the habit of drinking out of an earth tank where A cow has crawled in to cool down, I'd not worry too much about her polluting your water. She's got better things to do, like munching grass, chewing cud, and giving milk. Which, by the way, is safe for human consumption.

Now that I've got that off my chest, I think I'll go fire up the grill and leave a big ol' footprint on the planet!

EAT MORE BEEF!