BIBLE BRAIN TWISTER by John Kezer

I once made a remark about the hidden books of the Bible. It was a lulu, kept people looking so hard for facts, and for others it was a revelation. Some were in a jam, especially since the names of the books are not capitalized, but the truth finally struck home to numbers of readers. To others, it was a real job. We want it to be a most fascinating few moments for you. Yes, there will be some really easy ones to spot. Others may require judges to help them. I will quickly admit it usually takes a minister to find one of the 17, and there will be loud lamentations when it is found. A little lady says she brews a cup of tea so she can concentrate better. See how well you can compete. Relax now, for there really are the names of 17 books of the Bible in these sentences. (One preacher found 16 books in 20 minutes. It took him three weeks to find the seventeenth one.)

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A friend gave us this Bible brain twister at one of our monthly "Martha's Circle" meetings at our church. However, she didn't have the answer sheet with her so we put our head together and we found 16 of the 17 books. I have been looking for two weeks now and I still cannot find the last one!

I will post the 16 that we found on a later posting - I promise!

A COUPLE OF THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

COMPLACENCY...and other thoughts on life.

I once told a man that I no longer voted. He responded by telling me this: The choice of whether I voted or not was why he waded through rice paddies, toted guns, and fought battles. It wasn't long afterward that I began to vote again.

I one told a man a lie. He responded by telling me this: All of the decisions that he made were based upon the words that I spoke. I have long since told the truth.

I once became upset over a gift I received, because it wasn't what I wanted. The giver saw the disappointment in my eyes and told me this: He chose the most valuable gift he could find, because he felt I should have it. I am since very joyful over each gift that I receive.

A man once told me a secret which I quietly whispered in an other's ear. The man told me this after hearing his own secret repeated: The reason he told me the secret was because he trusted me, not my friend. I no longer take trust so lightly.

I once gave a gift to a friend and she cried. I told her it was just a small gift I had found. Her response was that it was not the gift, it was that I had thought of her. I now give gifts often.

The shiny coin was not to be mine, so I had been told. But on my way out the door, it found its way in my hand. When it was discovered that I had stolen the coin, I was quietly taken aside. The owner of the coin told me this: Integrity is given with a choice. I have since chosen to stand with integrity.

Once I told a man of all my dreams. He smiled warmly and even chuckled then asked if I ever planned on living any of them. I now choose the spending of my days very differently.

I was cleaning out some folders the other day and found this email. It had been sent to me in June of 1999...somehow it seems even more appropriate today and I wanted to share it with you.

SPIRITUAL SUNDAY

Recently I purchased a CD called Best of Bluegrass and on it are some wonderful old spirituals such as, I'll Fly Away, When the Roll is Called up Yonder, Lily of the Valley, Standing on the Promises and one I had never heard before called, The Great Speckled Bird by Mac Wiseman, lyrics by Lucinda Williams. I was immediately taken by the melody and words to this song.

1.What a beautiful thought I am thinking

Concerning a great speckled bird

Remember her name is recorded

On the pages of God's Holy Word.

2. All the other birds are flocking 'round her

And she is despised by the squad

But the great speckled bird in the Bible

Is one with the great church of God.

3. All the other churches are against her

They envy her glory and fame

They hate her because she is chosen

And has not denied Jesus' Name.

4. Desiring to lower her standard

They watch every move that she makes

They long to find fault with her teachings

But really they find no mistakes.

5. She is spreading her wings for a journey

She's going to leave by and by

When the trumpet shall sound in the morning

She'll rise and go up in the sky.

6. In the presence of all her despisers

With a song never uttered before

She will rise and be gone in a moment

Till the great tribulation is o'er.

7. I am glad I have learned of her meekness

I am proud that my name is on her book

For I want to be one never fearing

The face of my Savior to look.

8. When He cometh descending from heaven

On the cloud that He writes in His Word

I'll be joyfully carried to meet Him

On the wings of that great speckled bird.

I have become a big fan of bluegrass music ever since becoming a member of my present church ten years ago because of a family of member musicians who sing and play bluegrass gospel. The songs and words are a great source of inspiration to me.

1.Shout with joy to the Lord, O earth!

2. Worship the Lord with gladness.

Come before him, singing with joy.

Psalm 100: 1-2

-NIV

PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH COOKBOOK

One of my favorite places to visit is Pennsylvania's Amish or "Dutch" country. The quaint covered bridges, Amish families in their two-toned, horse drawn, gray buggies, the farm markets, auction houses and antique stores are a big draw to many tourists over the year (I don't think there is really a "season" - it is popular all year long!) Anyway, at one time or another, I acquired a Pennsylvania Dutch Cookbook that has been residing in my pantry with all the other cookbooks that I have accumulated over the years (I am not a great cook, by any means, but I love to look at recipes!) Yes, I know it is one of my many quirks. In this cookbook, which was published in 1960 by Culinary Arts Press of Reading, PA, are many old recipes that have been "compiled from tried and tested recipes made famous and handed down by the early Dutch settlers in Pennsylvania."

Scattered throughout the book are old Dutch sayings such as, "You will have good luck in fishing all year if you fish for first time in the year on Good Friday" or "The first shot from a new gun will not kill."

It is very entertaining just to read through the cookbook as it also includes many pencil and ink drawings and sketches and pictures of many antiques from ceramic plates to a wood-carved butter mold.

Also, in the front of the paper bound book are poems written by William J. Meter and I've included these:

COUNTRY SALE

When it gives a real good sale

You ought to see the crowd,

There's such commotion in the field,

And everything so loud.

The auctioneer he stands up right

And shows off all the stuff,

And you can bet he don't sell none

Unless he gets enough.

There's everything was hid away:

Old guns, and books and shoes,

The attic and cellar is redd out

For quilts and picture-views.

The people come from far away

In big machines and small,

Some dressed so awful fancy like

It wonders me they call.

I seen them buy a butter-mould

For fifty cents or more

That we could get for twenty cents

Down at Chon Grumber's store.

They take old dishes all with dust,

And buy old rusty pans,

And one she glutzed so up and down,

To get some painted fans.

Yes well, the country sell makes good

For auctioneer and all,

Enough old stuff gets redd away

To fill the fire hall.

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THE BLUE-EYED MAEDLE

When the sun is outened

I stand sometimes in the fields

And look where the sky gets dark,

And see the moon, so big like, so yellow,

It wonders me often

She don't come no more,

Down there by the scheier, under the

Apple trees,

Making as though she was in no hurry,

But, just the same, patting her hair,

And redding her dress.

Then I think, yes well,

Super is waiting,

And I go in from the field,

To the kitchen.

All night then, sitting close by the fire,

I can't think right,

Or rest none,

Because she goes through my mind so,

The blue-eyed maedle.

~~~~~~~~~~Recipe follows:~~~~~~~~~~~~~

PICKLED EGGS AND RED BEETS

2 cups (about 1 lb.) young beets

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup vinegar

1/2 cup cold water

1/2 teaspoon salt

Small piece stick cinnamon

3 or 4 whole cloves

6 hard-cooked eggs

Wash beets; cut off leaves and stems, leaving on about 1 inch of the root end.

Cook until tender. Drain and skin. Boil together for 10 min. all remaining

ingredients except the eggs. Let beets stand in this liquid for several days.

Add whole hard-cooked, shelled eggs to the liquid and let stand in refrigerator for

2 days.

-Or the modern way, (my way) buy a jar of pickled beets, drain beet juice into separate

bowl add 2 teaspoons sugar and stir until sugar is dissolved, then pour beet juice and sugar

mixture over 4 shelled, hard-cooked eggs. Refrigerate for two days. Cut eggs in half

lengthwise to serve.

SPIRITUAL SUNDAY

Here is another selection from from the old book called WORDS OF LIFE:

These excerpts are from the section entitled "Prayer."

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven,

Hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is

the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Matthew 6: 9-13

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-Prayer begins where human capacity ends.

--Norman Vincent Peale

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-God's Will-

I know not by what methods rare,

But this I know: God answers prayer.

I know not if the blessings sought

Will come in just the guise I thought.

I leave my prayer to Him alone

Whose will is wiser than my own.

-Eliza M Hickok

Our local airline advertised a special and a friend sent me the email alert. The promotion was get $35.00 off a round trip fare if booked within 35 hours. Well, I jumped on that as quick as I could as my sister and I were planning a trip to Florida to see our parents soon anyway! The booking online was pretty easy. I was a little aggravated when I got to the part about paying $15.00 for one bag each way but I was really burning when I was told that in order to get the "seat of my choice" I had to pay upfront or risk a "randomly chosen seat" they would pick for me when I arrived at the airport! Not only that, but I soon saw that the prices for the "chosen" seats had gone up, from Heavens only knows when, until now! I could choose my preferred seat from the bulkhead back (I usually like to be in rows 7 or 8 if I can get them and a window if possible) with the window seat and aisle seats being $12.00 up from $10.00 and middle seats from $5.00 to now, $7.00. The last time I flew this airline was June of 2008 and the seats were still free at that time. This really frosted me and I guess because I was so aggravated, I thought I had "purchased" seats 8A for the trip down and 8F for the trip back but when I printed out the paperwork - - the seats were not purchased! I realize now that I probably didn't hit confirm purchase at the end and just ended the session...and oh, yes, my computer froze at one point and that may have been when it happened! Does this get you steamed as much as it does me? I was offered a "special" and then saw it melt away with each addition to my ticket. AAAARRRHHHGGG!!

WORDS OF LIFE

I found a book at a yard sale a few years ago, entitled "Words of Life" by Charles L. Wallis published in 1966 by Harper & Row. In the preface, Mr. Wallis writes, "Within the pages of this album are found heart-enlarging and faith-empowering words by which men live and grow and achieve a fuller, richer relationship and understanding with God, their fellow men, and themselves...the words in prose and poetry have come from the pens of sensitive and discerning writers of many centuries...these words are lamps, kindled by others, for our feet. These words are lights, illumined by inspiration and genius, for our paths..."

FAITH AND SIGHT

So I go on, not knowing,

--I would not, if I might--

I would rather walk in the dark with God

Then go alone in the light;

I would rather walk with Him by faith

Then walk alone by sight.

-Mary Gardner Brainard

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"The steps of faith fall on the seeming void and

find the rock beneath."

-Walt Whitman

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On the first page is a bookplate that says, "This book belongs to" and under it written in pen and ink: Mike and Julie. I don't know how it ended up at a yard sale as it seems to be something that was cared for - maybe given as a gift to a young couple. My hope is that they loved and used it in their everyday lives.

HAPPY HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Happy New Year everyone! It is now more than an hour after the lighted ball descended in Times Square declaring the beginning of 2009. I can't decide if we should be saying 2 thousand 9 or as they did in the first decade of the 20th century - 20 ought 9? What do you think? What sounds better to your ear? Then, when we get to 2010 we can say twentyten, twentyeleven, etc. instead of 2 thousand 10, etc. as it gets to be pretty much a mouthful. Okay, I'll stop now as it is getting very late! Ha!

But first, I want to say how much I've enjoyed blogging and meeting and making so many sweet, wonderful blogger friends. My daughter, Jillian, (of Jillian's Pages) introduced me to blogging in May of '08 and I've not stopped writing since.

I hope you all have the most wonderful, happy, healthy NEW YEAR!