YOUR WORDS CAN HELP OR HARM OTHERS
BY PAT GULLEY

Prov 25:11
A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver. (KJV)

It is a wise person who knows how to guard their mouth and speak forth words that help others and do them no harm.. I love this Psalm of David that tells us a word spoken at the proper time can be compared to a picture of beauty. It is a beautiful thing to be able to bless others with our words. It is an ugly thing to harm someone with our words.

The Apostle James tells Christians that human beings will offend others in many different and various ways. But if we would learn not to offend with our words, we would be accounted as mature adults and would also be able to keep our whole body under subjection

James 3:2
For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. (KJV)

He goes on to tell us that it is impossible for the tongue of fallen human beings to be tamed by the carnal nature of man. It is then that we realize that those who are born-again by the blood and body of Jesus Christ have the Spirit of Christ dwelling within our new hearts thus giving us the power or ability to bridle the tongue and choose our own words.

The Lord Jesus told His Disciples just before returning to Heaven that there were certain signs that would follow those who believed in Him. (Mk 16:17) One of those signs is speaking with a new tongue. It is obvious that out of the abundance of our heart the mouth speaks.

Matt 12:34-35
(34) O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
(35) A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. (KJV)

It is also obvious that when a person's heart is washed in the blood of Jesus and is made clean, then his tongue is also made clean. The one thing a person looks for in a new Christian is the cleaning up of the mouth. That is the first thing I noticed about myself after being born again. I marveled at the words of life that flowed out of me. If I heard the words from the "old me" spewing forth, I felt bad and immediately asked the Lord to forgive me. I hated it when I said anything that made someone sad or unhappy.

The people most harmed by our tongue are our loved ones. Sometimes we say things that tear them down instead of words that build them up. If we begin at home to say words that are like apples of gold in pictures of silver, we will be surprised at how happy and peaceful our lives will become and how loving and forgiving our children, parents, husbands or wives will be towards us and toward one another.

THE DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING DAY

Today is the day after Thanksgiving Day. My children are doing their part in keeping the American economy in the black by taking advantage of all the bargains offered in the Malls and Wal-Marts of our area. My husband is doing his part to help the tourist town of Metamora end the 2005 Season on a positive note by parking cars on our private parking lot. Grandson Patrick is his right hand man. My Dad is out to lunch at the Hearthstone with his brother John and wife Ronnie and niece Arlene and husband Stanton.

Our local Lions Club is having a Chili Supper in the basement of the Metamora United Methodist Church and donating half of the proceeds to the Church treasury and by the will of God we will have a good Christmas Walk.

This is my favorite time of year. I love to say Merry Christmas to friends and strangers and I love the fact that we celebrate the birth of God's only begotten Son, Jesus the Christ. (December 25 may not have been the actual day of his birth, but after 2000 years I doubt if that is of much importance. Jesus was born and that is all that matters.)

And here I sit at my computer writing for this blog. How much better can it get?

METAMORA PATTER SAYS HAPPY THANKSGIVING

THANKSGIVING IS A DAY FOR GIVING THANKS
By Pat Gulley


2Cor 4:15
For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. (KJV)

We owe a great big THANK YOU to so many people that if we were to begin to name them all we could take all THANKSGIVING DAY to do so. I am so very grateful to my family and friends for the many ways they have affected my life.

Our "thank you" can also be said by our actions in the little and big things that we do to make others aware of our gratitude and appreciation. A smile goes a long way on a cloudy day. A twinkle in the eye lets someone know that we like having him or her in our company. A pat on the head or a high five tells that we approve of what is going on at any particular moment.

It seems that often we say our best and biggest thank-you over food. We celebrate the most cherished times of our life with food. We gather together to say good-bye with a meal. Jesus told His Disciples good-bye at their Last Supper and He has a wedding feast awaiting us. We try to impress a new friend by taking them out to a nice place to eat and we reward a job well done with a trip to the Dairy Mart.

This Thanksgiving Day I pray that we remember those who are going through their worst of times and say a prayer for them and for their future best of times. We never know what tomorrow will bring, but we still say bring it on. We are Americans. We are Christians. We are human beings and we will find a way to reach out to one another.

I know and believe that all things happen for good to them that love the Lord and we should be thankful for the very air we breathe and the fact that we are able to breath it.

Hope is a beautiful thing and faith gives hope its substance. But the greatest gift of all is the love that flows from the heart of God to the heart of mankind. There is not a single person born who does not need to know that he or she is loved. If you know who it is who loves you, please take this day tell them thank you. If you do not know the person or persons who love you, then ask yourself who it is that you love. Then let your love go forward and do not worry about getting it back.

Tomorrow is THANKSGIVING DAY. Celebrate with those you love and with those who love you. Life is good. It may not always look good but if you are reading this then you have much to be thankful for. And so do I. I thank the Lord for you and for His many blessings on our community and our country. Have a great day of THANKSGIVING amd may all of our 'thanks' abound to the glory of God.

KIRSTEN IS ONE YEAR OLD TODAY

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KIRSTEN COLLEEN

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE LOVE OF MY LIFE
THE HUSBAND OF MY YOUTH
THE FATHER OF MY CHILDREN
THE KEEPER OF MY HEART
MAY THE NEXT 69 YEARS BE
AS GREAT AS THESE.

CHRISTIAN ONE LINERS

"Don't let your worries get the best of you, remember, Moses started out as a basket case"

Some people are kind, polite, and sweet-spirited - until you try to sit in their pews.

Many folks want to serve God, but only as advisers.

It is easier to preach ten sermons than it is to live one.

The good Lord didn't create anything without a purpose, but mosquitoes come close.

When you get to your wit's end, you'll find God lives there.

People are funny; they want the front of the bus, the middle of the road, and the back of the church.

Opportunity may knock once, but temptation bangs on your front door forever.

Quit griping about your church; if it was perfect, you couldn't belong.

If the church wants a better pastor, it only needs to pray for the one it has.

God Himself does not propose to judge a man until he is dead. So why should you?

Some minds are like concrete, thoroughly mixed up and permanently set.

Peace starts with a smile.

I don't know why some people change churches; what difference does it make which one you stay home from?

A lot of church members who are singing "Standing on the Promises" are just sitting on the premises.

We were called to be witnesses, not lawyers or judges

Be ye fishers of men. You catch them - He'll clean them.

Coincidence is when God chooses to remain anonymous.

Don't put a question mark where God put a period.

Don't wait for 6 strong men to take you to church.

Forbidden fruits create many jams.

God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called.

God grades on the cross, not the curve.

God loves everyone, but probably prefers "fruits of the spirit" over "religious nuts!"

God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage.

He who angers you, controls you!

If God is your Copilot - swap seats!

Prayer: Don't give God instructions -- just report for duty!

The task ahead of us is never as great as the Power behind us.

The Will of God will never take you to where the Grace of God will not protect you.

We don't change the message, the message changes us.

You can tell how big a person is by what it takes to.........discourage him.

The best mathematical equation I have ever seen:
1 cross + 3 nails = 4 given.

I LOVE MY MOTHER

* **_I LOVE MY MOTHER_**

1._ My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE_.
"If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished
cleaning."

2._ My mother taught me RELIGION_.
"You better pray that will come out of the carpet."

3._ My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL_.
"If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of
next week!"

4._ My mother taught me LOGIC_.
" Because I said so, that's why."

5._ My mother taught me MORE LOGIC_.
"If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to
the store with me."

6._ My mother taught me FORESIGHT_.
"Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident."

7._ My mother taught me IRONY_.
"Keep crying, and I'll give you something to cry about."

8._ My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS_.
"Shut your mouth and eat your supper."

9._ My mother taught me about CONTORTIONIST_.
"Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!"

10._ My mother taught me about STAMINA_.
"You'll sit there until all that spinach is gone."

11._ My mother taught me about WEATHER_.
"This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it."

12._ My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY_.
"If I told you once, I've told you a million times. Don't exaggerate!"

13._ My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF! LIFE_.
"I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."

14._ My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION_.
"Stop acting like your father!"

15._ My mother taught me about ENVY_.
"There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't
have wonderful parents like you do."

16._ My mother taught me about ANTICI_**_PAT_**_ION_**.
"Just wait until we get home."

17._ My mother taught me about RECEIVING_.
"You are going to get it when you get home!"

18._ My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE_.
"If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going to freeze that way."

19._ My mother taught me ESP_.
"Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you are cold?"

20._ My mother taught me HUMOR_.
"When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me."

21._ ! My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT_."If you don't eat
your vegetables, you'll never grow up."

22._ My mother taught me GENETICS_.
"You're just like your father."

23._ My mother taught me about my ROOTS_.
"Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?"

24._ My mother taught me WISDOM_.
"When you get to be my age, you'll understand."

25. And my favorite:_ My mother taught me about JUSTICE_.
"One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you!"
*