FROM BEAUTIFUL BELLEAIR BLUFFS, FLORIDA

ACTION ITEMS

We must be intentional as Christians. As we have our quiet times each day, when we read the Bible we must intentionally put the truth from God's word into action. We are all guilty of being hearers but not doers. As a matter of fact we have been conditioned to get moved, touched, excited about a message we hear or a video we've seen, but then we just walk away - the emotion leaves and we have done nothing with what we have learned.

Here is a simply principle that will help you put into action what you are learning from the Lord. Each day when you read your Bible pick out one truth and commit to applying it in action THAT DAY - and then be faithful to your commitment.

Examples:

1) Proverbs 2:2 …turn your heart toward wisdom, apply your heart toward understanding …. ACTION ITEM: I will read 30 minutes TODAY in a book that will better help me understand God.

2) 1 John 2: 15 …Do not love the world or anything in the world (the cravings of a sinful man, the lust of the eyes, the boasting of what he has or does). ACTON ITEM : I will search my heart, then list on paper anything in my life that falls in these categories, and start TODAY to eliminate them with God's help.

3) Luke 6:27 … love your enemies… ACTION ITEM: I will send a note of encouragement TODAY to someone who has offended or hurt me.

Get the idea. These little action items will help you grow tremendously in the Lord. It is vital for a disciple to actually start doing what he has learned. It is time for you and me to raise the bar on spiritual growth and step it up. When you begin to be obedient to God's word you will be amazed at the obvious indications from God that He is well pleased with you!!

FROM THE SUBLIME TO THE SILLY

(Sent in by Melanie Hale in Romania)

Signs that you are no longer a kid:

You're back goes out more than you do.

You quit trying to hold your stomach in, no matter who walks into the room.

You're asleep, but others worry that you're dead.

You buy a compass for the dash of your car.

You are proud of your lawnmower.

Your best friend is dating someone half their age, and isn't breaking any laws.

Your arms are almost too short to read the newspaper.

You sing along with elevator music.

You would rather go to work than stay home sick.

You constantly talk about the price of gasoline.

You consider coffee one of the most important things in life.

You no longer think of speed limits as a challenge.

People call at 9am and ask, "Did I wake you?"

You answer a question with, "because I said so."

You send money to PBS.

The end of your tie doesn't come anywhere near the top of your pants.

You take a metal detector to the beach.

You know what the word "equity" means.

You can't remember the last time you laid on the floor to watch TV.

Your ears are hairier than your head.

You get into a heated argument about pension plans.

You get cable for the weather channel.

You throw a party and the neighbors don't even notice it.

DAFFYNITIONS

(From Bonnie Nystrom in Papua New Guinea)

1. ADULT: A person who has stopped growing at both ends and is now growing in the middle.

2. BEAUTY PARLOUR: A place where some go to dye.

3. CANNIBAL: Someone who is fed up with people.

4. COMMITTEE: A body that keeps minutes and wastes hours.

5. DUST: Mud with the juice squeezed out.

6. EGOTIST: Someone who is usually me-deep in conversation.

7. GOSSIP: A person who will never tell a lie if the truth will do more damage.

8. HANDKERCHIEF: Cold Storage.

9. INFLATION: Cutting money in half without damaging the paper.

10. MYTH: A female moth.

11. SECRET: Something you tell to one person at a time.

12. SKELETON: A bunch of bones with the person scraped off.

13. TOOTHACHE: The pain that drives you to extraction.

14. TOMORROW: One of today's greatest labor saving devices.

15. YAWN: An honest opinion openly expressed.

16. WRINKLES: Something other people have. You have character lines.

THE "MEANEST" MOM

(From Duane Williams the Panhandle of Florida)

I had the "meanest" mother in the whole world When others had candy and pop for lunch, I had to eat a sandwich. As you can guess, my supper was different that the other kids' also. My mother insisted upon knowing where we children were at all times. You'd think we were on a chain gang. She had to know who our friends were and what we were doing. She insisted that we said we would be gone and hour, that we be gone one hour or less--not an hour and one minute. I am nearly ashamed to admit it, but she actually spanked us. Not once, but each time we had a mind of our own and did as we pleased. We had to wear clean clothes and take a bath. The other kids always wore their clothes for days. We couldn't sleep till noon like our friends. So while they slept--my mother had the nerve to break the child labor law. She made us work. We had to wash dishes, make beds, learn to cook and all sorts of cruel things. I believe she laid awake at night thinking up "mean" things to do to us. She always insisted upon our telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, even if it killed us--and it nearly did. By the time we were teen-agers, she was much wiser, and our life became even more unbearable. None of this tooting the horn of a car for us to come running. She embarrassed us to no end by making our dates come to the door to get us. If I spent the night at a girl friends, can you imagine she checked on me to see if I were really there? I never had the chance to elope to Mexico. That is if I'd had a boyfriend to elope with. I forgot to mention while my friends were dating at the mature age of 12 and 13, my old fashioned mother refused to let me date until the age of 16, and that was maybe twice a year. Through the years, things didn't improve a bit. We could not lie in bed "sick" like our friends did, and miss school. If our friends had a toe ache, a hang nail or other serious ailments, they could stay home from school. Not us. Our marks in school had to be up to par. As the years rolled by, first one and then the other of us was put to shame. We were graduated from high school. With our mother behind us, demanding respect, none of us was allowed the pleasure of being a drop out. My mother was a complete failure as a mother. Out of the children, some have received higher education. None of us has ever been arrested. And whom do we have to blame for the terrible way we turned out? You're right, our "mean" mother. Look at all the things we missed. We never got to march in a protest parade, nor to take part in a riot, burn draft cards, and a million and one other things that our friends did. She forced us to grow up into God--fearing, educated, honest adults. Using this as my foundation, I am trying to rear my four children. I stand a little taller and I am filled with pride when my children call me "mean".

A TRIP TO THE DENTIST

(From Fred Kemp in the Carolinas)

A man went to his dentist because he feels something wrong in his mouth. The dentist examines him and says, "that new upper plate I put in for you six months ago is eroding. What have you been eating?" The man replies, "all I can think of is that about four months ago my wife made some asparagus and put some stuff on it that was delicious...Hollandaise sauce. I loved it so much I now put it on everything --- meat, toast, fish, vegetables, everything." "Well," says the dentist, "that's probably the problem. Hollandaise sauce is made

with lots of lemon juice, which is highly corrosive. It's eaten away your upper plate. I'll make you a new plate, and this time use chrome." "Why chrome?" asks the patient. To which the dentist replies, "It's simple. Everyone knows that there's no plate like chrome for the Hollandaise!"

FINAL WORD FROM KEN

Do your ACTION ITEMS.

See ya - Ken