The New Dollar Bill

I am thinking that this might be a good idea , especially in light of the recent finical distress.

Randy's Ramblings

Talk about busy weekend. I sometimes wish that there were 3 days in a weekend.

Saturday ECC had the Living Faith food and clothing give away. We gave food and clothes to 26 families in the North Daviess area. That means that 101 people will have a better thanksgiving because of this ministry. What was really awesome is that in the few weeks before the give away we asked for the ECC family to donate a total of 30 turkeys for the give away. The final total of turkeys donated was 36. I am blown away by that, and in the coming weeks we are going to host a community dinner for anyone who would like to come in and eat and fellowship.

I feel like the current message series the Jesus Language is going real well. Of course we think of Jesus as a great teacher and preacher, but when we look at his actions, we see that He did not just talk about what we should be doing as His people, but he showed us by example. My continous prayer through out this series is that all of the family at ECC will begin to speak the Jesus Language.

Sunday afternoon ECC had 7 folks go to the nursing home in Odon to lead their church service. It is great that we had these 7 servants go out and show the love of Jesus to the residents at Ketcham. I will be the first to admit that there are times that I dread things like that at times, but when I listen to God instead of fighting what he want, He always blesses me. (I certainly do not deserve that blessing, but thankfully He blesses me regardless of my unworthyness.)

Then Sunday night we had a huge crowd out for our Thanksgiving dinner. I don't know how many were there, but I do know that we had to set up more tables and get chairs from classrooms. Of course the food was great and we even had enough to deliver a plate to some of the senior folks who don't get out as often as they would like.

I never thought I would ever say this, but after a big weekend like last weekend, I thank God for Monday.

I need a bailout too.

700,000,000,000 here 25,000,000,000 there. Hey Washington, I have school loans I am still paying, car payments, and I need a big expensive vacation, and don't forget a couple million bucks in bonus money. Oh yeah I also want a Jeep, but mind you I want an older one, not a new one, (that would be irresponsible) Why can't I get a bailout?

Can you tell all this bailout talk is frustrating to me? My family and I have to live on a budget, when we want something we either save for it or do without. It is that simple. For years now the majority of this country has been living on money that they did not have, and when their greed catches up with them, they want someone to bail them out. Houses are being foreclosed on, companies are closing down, bankruptcies are being filed. Why is all this happening? Now I am not an economist, but maybe it has to do with the fact that we are living beyond our means.

Maybe it has to do with the culture if greed that has possessed the majority of this country.

Maybe it is because folks in our country think that they are entitled to anything and everything they want.

Folks is here is the truth. If we lived within our means, became good stewards of the things that God has blessed us with, and done without a few of the luxuries (for instance learn how to read a map instead of a computer navigator, skip out on the TV and Xbox in your next car purchase, and if you have a family of say 5 then don't buy or build a house with 7 to 10 bed rooms, and 4 or 5 bathrooms.) life would be so much simpler.

Give the FIRST of your money to God as an offering (While the New Testament does not say 10% for most of us that is a faith stretcher, so that is what I always suggest), then live off the rest.

Let's try living every area of our life according to what God desires and not just the parts that we like.

Let's quit living on borrowed funds, and let's live on the funds that God has given us.

Then when we realize that our bailout has come not from the government, but from God then we can point to Jesus and give God the glory.

Our New President

I will be the first to admit that I am not a fan of President-elect Obama. I do not like his policies, I do not like his past associations, I don't like the fact that he can become president with only two years in Washington. I do not like the fact that he spent more on an election that many 3rd and 4th world countries spend in a year. Believe me I can go on and on about what I don't like about our future president, but that is will not change anything.

Instead I am going to elect to pray for our future leader. Not for anything bad, but that he will lead with wisdom. God has the person in office that he choose for whatever reason. It is not my place to question God's judgment, my place is only to trust that He (He being God, not Obama) has it all under control. Because at the end of the day God is still on his throne, no matter who is in the White House.

Welcome to The Big Dog's Bark. As I write this first post I am listening the presidential elections. All I have to say is thank God it's finally over.