Milestones 11.28.07 Restoration Hardware

I'm terribly sorry.

I am typing this rather late. Guess, not really so tardy from last Sunday. Just lots has happened in our little corner of world so it only seems that way.

All this to say that i have just pulled out my notes from class and due to time passage, poor note taking skills and probably too much chatting with neighbors Kristie and Joe R. I am --

well, a little confused as to their meaning. Just like x2 +y2 (x-y) = ?

i think i used to love that stuff.

But it must have been a fickle love for i have no idea what it means at moment. Kind of like some of my notes from Sunday. So here i go...

Do remember it was a great class. Bob.com did a great job finishing up Job. Sorry for all who missed it.

Do remember we started very, very tardy ourselves. But once class started......

We were finishing up our 4th week on Job. Remember..

Job was righteous.
He had all taken away.
Satan railed against him.
He repented.
What next? (this is where i get foggy)

Think Bob asked group something like:

Of all the suffering Job went through, do you think it would have been any easier if he knew that restoration would be the end result? That he would be made whole?

Pete: Spoke of loss of children being irreplaceable.
Kathryn: It would be easier to have faith, if you knew the end result.
Ron: Something would be much harder to endure, if you didn't know the end result.

Bob: How does that notion affect you personally? Suffering without knowing the end result.

Ron: If we knew the end result, we wouldn't place it in His hands.
Katie: Once you've been through something really big -- it is easier to trust Him with other sufferings.
Laree: Job didn't get everything back (his first children) so how could his pain have been made fully whole.

Cindy brought up observations she gleaned from a cancer ministry. Those with a knowledge of Christ had hope. Those with terminal illness and no Christ had no hope.

How it ends -- Rev. 21: 1-7

A childhood friend lost his earthly battle with cancer this week. Loving husband, father to 4 beautiful children -- and huge Gator (he enjoyed their recent national championship with relish!)

Have not been able to get him out of my mind. But rereading this passage helps. It helps a lot.

"Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth....God himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." v. 1,4

"no more death.." The word death here means separation. In spiritual terms...conscious existence in separation from God. All are born in this condition. But those who believe in Christ are delivered.

Restored.

Will live in spiritual communion with God forever.

There is no way (that i can see -- anyone free to comment) that we are going to be able to understand all the suffering that goes on in the world.

But the good news is that we can be restored now on earth, by belief in Christ -- then experience complete reunion with the Father in heaven where there will be more no suffering.

(guess all will be gator fans)

Great job Bob. Next week Terry with our Spiritual Gifts. All take those tests!

Prayer Requests

Please keep Rebecca's sister Kate in prayers as she is experiencing problems with her endocrine system and recovery from surgery.

Margaret announced that a long time family domestic employee needs to find other avenues of income (babysitting, ironing, etc.) due to shorter hours at her primary place of employment. Please call Margaret for info.

Keep the Zander family in prayers. They had the trailer that burned last weekend.

The Speyers ask for prayers for a coworker of Steve who has been diagnosed with stage 3 cancer.

Please keep Carol Bozeman and her family in your prayers on the passing of her father Sunday. The funeral was today in Elberton.

Keep Pete's parents in prayers as they will be traveling to Dark Continent to see Janice. Hope they are bringing lots of flashlights.

God Bless, Good Week and i never really was a very good note taker.

This was huge problem in law school with each class having one test every 12 or so weeks at end of semester. ugh!

(talk about suffering -- that was usually moment of sharing grades with parents.)

Milestone Minutes 1.21.07

January 21, 2007

A very "Happy Birthday" to our very own Mark Smith today.

and God Bless him -- little Stevie wonder? Speyer will be 29 tomorrow (1/22). (My sincerest apologies Mark on cake selection if you are in no way affiliated with Bulldogs.)

Bob.com showed why he is the best in the computer biz with a neato powerpoint presentation on Job. We were in small groups. i did not care for my small group -- the Masseys, Lori, Rick, Cheryl and Katie. Such a nice little circle of friends you say, how could they be a contrary lot?

Well, let me tell you. They actually thought about this Job stuff and had a lot of great observations. Which i didn't like -- because it made me think.

And Job is really tough to contemplate if you ask me.

So if you weren't among the gathered here's the run down:

Why do bad things happen to God's people?
Why does evil exist in the world?
Does God allow/cause bad things to happen?

I really don't like those questions, but it seems as if those at my table being the much more mature lot -- discussed and came up with quite a few observations.

We turned to Chapter 38 which was God's first answer to Job.

"Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?" verse 4. Okay -- that's were it starts and goes on and on for 41 verses.

Terry commented that it shows us how little we know. Rick also brought up not only as individuals, but collectively as the human race. There is so much that we can't comprehend about God.

Job responds 40:4 -5

Then God challenges Job again 40:6-14.

Job's second response: "...But now my eye sees You,
Therefore I abhor myself,
And repent in dust and ashes." 42:5-6

God allows all to be taken away from Job -- possessions, family, health.

And Job becomes somewhat incensed and asks God question after question -- What did i do? How did i betray you to deserve this judgement?

Then God comes back at him with -- "I am." basically that is the gist of what He said.

And in the end -- when Job finally sees himself as he truly is in light of the enormity of God -- he is filled with self-loathing.

Or that is at least how i saw it -- and why i have been in fitful mood today. Well, that and the cold and rain. I mean what is it -- January?

Because in the end, in my humanity how am i any different than Job?

Why should i view myself in relation to God any different?

Of course, this afternoon my husband went on and on about how that is without Christ. But i don't know. Guess, i just won't think of it anymore today for the Colts/Patriots games is about to start.

Great Job or job Bob and thank you to my much-loved tablemates.

Btw -- Will have to pull for Peyton for that bad Tom Brady broke up with Bridget. Guess she's better off without him. the stinker!

Prayer Requests and Announcements:

Katie asked for prayers for Kathryn as they are doing more indepth testing to gain knowledge on how to proceed with her adjusted learning needs. We pray God's blessing on the entire process.

Terry brought up a family who had lost their home in a trailer fire yesterday. Please keep them in your prayers and i think we are investigating ways to help.

Bob's friend Dante is making adjustments to working world and he would appreciate your prayers. And he will come play Basketball with the church team this week. and that is a praise!

Praise...James Bearden is reigning state champ in 85 lb. division and Morgan County Bullpups were champs as well! hurrah!

okay -- there is my bestest buddy in whole entire universe Cindy Dickson finishing a blistering pace in the Atlanta Women's' 5k .

Everyone join the fun this year. Saturday, March 24. http://www.atlantatrackclub.org/at04003.htm

You look so cute -- Stephanie dear.

i on the other hand took such great pains to be so color-coordinated. But look at my gloves. One brown and one navy. I guess we did leave in a rush that morning and it was dreadfully cold.

But a good time was had by us ( as evidenced by Step's sweet smile and my grimace -- due entirely to the cold am sure, rather than any pained physical exertion)

and there is a Starbucks really, really close by for which i was very thankful.

Look at those little beauties all lined-up there in a row.

See why i am worried about this Job/God thing when i trauma over miss-matched gloves spoiling my race look or a little cold on race morning.

Oh well -- guess Bob will straighten things out for us and me next week.

God Bless, Good Week and

it's the Colts and da Bears.

Peter, Paul and Mary... Mstone 1.14.07

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour."

1 Peter 5:8



"There's a fine line, between reckless and courage
It's about time, you understood which road to take
It's a fine line, your decision makes a difference
Get it wrong, you'll be making a big mistake."

Fine Line, Paul McCartney 2005


Peter, Paul and Mary... i really need a Mary, but don't have anything written down that you said Mary DeVane.

So just will have to go with Spongebob since yesterday was holiday and all the Bikini Bottom doings were in continual loop on Miles' television.

See Episode #66_, Spongebob stepped up to a fishhook just dangling. The yellow fellow wanted to hop on a take a ride so desperately.. But he boldly said aloud to the hook, "No...you're a liar, a deceiver..Mr. Crab said i have to stay away from you." then he defiantly marches off...

only to turn around seconds later and come racing to the hook with gleeful smile -- powerless to not hop on for a joyride ... and of course, he gets the hook caught in his very square pants. Oh Spongebob!

Well, our SpongeBob Dickson was the very able Mteacher yesterday for week 2 on Job.

subject...Satan

i am not going to post lots of pictures of the devil in this -- for in gazing over a few out there -- they are very creepy.

Yes, it was Satan who takes center stage in first part of Job. "And the Lord said to Satan, "From where do you come?" So Satan answered the Lord and said, "From going to and from on the earth, and walking back and forth on it." Job 1:7,8.

Once again, i think creepy and scary...that image of this figure prowling around...but enough of my editorializing...

Back to SpongeBOB.com.

Those who weren't there please ponder as the gathered Mfaithful..

"What comes to mind when you think of the devil," Bob asked..

Laree, "Fire."
Jules, "Lion imagery."
Pete, "C.S. Lewis' Screwtape letters."
Rick, "Something just enough to pull you off course."
Cindy, "He knows your weaknesses.'

Dianne spoke of Isaiah 14:12 "How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning."

Bob asked us all "how is Satan involved with our lives...what are his tools?"

Lots of discussion about Lucifer -- and his fellow fallen angels.

How much power he has over us verses how much we allow him to have.

In Job -- the Hebrew for Satan translates adversary.

When Christ is being tempted in the desert (Matt.4:1) the word in Greek means --- false accuser, slanderer.

In 1 Peter 5:8, devil = false accuser.

But the lion imagery might be more telling. Here the word "lion" in Greek was most probably figurative of the imminent peril of death.

Some supposed the reference to be the lions of the amphitheater. hmmm.

i really, really wouldn't want to be there.

So then must question self...Why do you leave any room for an adversarial assault? And it is such a fine line between some of those decisions we make...Well -- aren't we human after all?

Whatever or whomever this Satan is... one thing is for sure. Seems every reference to him is complete opposite to any reference of God.

liar/deceiver v. Truth
adversary v. Advocate
death v. Life

That can't possibly be good. So stay away from those dangling fishhooks and listen to Mr. Crab (or read your bible) ... no matter how fun you think the ride will be.

Next week: God's answer to Job. Many thanks Bob..

Prayer Requests and Announcements

Please keep Bob Efrid in your prayers as he is in Taiwan this week on business. He travels home Monday.

Praise for Pete's dad health. He will be able to travel to Africa to visit Janice in a few weeks. Aren't there lions in Africa? oh dear... but i guess Janice will look out after him.

Rebecca offered praise for her sister Kate's surgery. She seems to be doing much better. We pray that her body continues to respond to the removal of the tumor.

Margaret speaking for our very stupendous cookbook committee -- asked if we wanted to order more books to sell. The class needs a few good men and women to step up and offer to take on this project.

Feb. 10 -- Ferst Books Motown Madness. Cheryl Efrid for tickets.


"Puff, the Magic Dragon lived by the sea."

Guess Revelation tells of one big bad dragon that will one day be cast in to a sea of fire.

i know there are quite a few of you who don't get that reference -- anyway it was a song. Seems it was quite popular back when fire-breathing creatures roamed the earth.

God Bless, Good Week and that's not a CD it's something they called a 45. (which btw is not my age -- yet)