10 ways to build confidence in children

1. Give unconditional love  (Love that is not based upon what they do.) 
2. Pay attention (Be there) 
3. Teach limits (Consistent boundaries that do not move by feelings)
4. Offer choices (Let the child make decisions)
5. Support healthy risks 
6. Let mistakes happen  (It’s better for the child to fail at home, where teaching can happen)
7. Create success
8. Celebrate the positive
9. Listen well
10. Provide encouragement  (Sometimes just a smile is enough)

BIBLE STATISTICS:
Number of books in the Bible: 66
Chapters: 1,189
Verses: 31,101
Words: 783,137
Letters: 3,566,480
Number of promises given in the Bible: 1,260
Commands: 6,468
Predictions: over 8,000
Fulfilled prophecy: 3,268 verses
Unfulfilled prophecy: 3,140
Number of questions: 3,294
Longest name: Mahershalalhashbaz (Isaiah 8:1)
Middle verse: Psalm 118:8
Longest verse: Esther 8:9 (78 words)
Shortest verse: John 11:35 (2 words: “Jesus wept”).
Middle books: Micah and Nahum
Middle chapter: Psalm 117
Shortest chapter (by number of words): Psalm 117 (by number of words)
Longest book: Psalms (150 chapters)
Shortest book (by number of words): 3 John
Longest chapter: Psalm 119 (176 verses)
Number of times the word “God” appears: 3,358
Number of times the word “Lord” appears: 7,736
Number of different authors: 40
Number of languages the Bible has been translated into: over 1,200

One of these is a urban legend the other is true.  Which is which?  A or B
A is the urban legend.  

A. [The first atomic bomb was tested] at Trinity Site in the New Mexico desert at 5:30 a.m Mountain War Time, July 16, 1945. For those who understood what was happening, it was a cosmic revelation that would change the world forever. For those who didn’t, it was still one big explosion. Georgia Green, 18, of Socorro was in a car 50 miles north on Highway 85. She was being driven by her brother-in-law, Joe Wills, to a music lesson in Albuquerque. There was a tremendous flash. “What’s that?” she said. Georgia was blind.

B. Locked in a war with Westinghouse over which of them would control the future of electric power, Edison worked to discredit his rival’s alternating current with claims that it was unsafe — so unsafe that it could be used to kill people. So Thomas Edison invented the Electric Chair.

Breaking News:
Police in Saudi Arabia have arrested 172 suspected militants who
were allegedly plotting to carry out suicide attacks against oil
fields and military targets, including some who had trained as
pilots, a Saudi intelligence official said Friday.Saudi state
television showed footage of a large weapons stash discovered
buried in the desert including plastic explosives, ammunition,
handguns and rifles.
I find this interesting because I’m reading Oliver North’s book, “Assassins”.  It’s plot line is very similar to the above Breaking News.  (Very good book by the way.)

 The Arithmetic of God
Five stands for Grace. 
The word “Grace” occurs 5 times in Romans 11:5
The word “Grace” occurs 5 times in Exodus 33:12-17
The 5th time the name of Noah appears is says, “Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.”
The name of Ruth is found the 5th time in Ruth 2:2, “And Ruth said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the field, and glean ears of corn after him whose sight I shall find grace.”
The 5th time the word “God” is found in the book of Ephesians it is connected with grace.

I’d say this is a picture of grace. (No that not her name. lol)

Pet peeves plague the United States

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (UPI) — California psychologist Sally Dhabi says people could be irritated by small things, commonly known as pet peeves, because they are smart.

“People with high intelligence pay more attention to detail,” she says. “They find little things irritating to them.”

But the Riverside, Calif., psychologist adds that they might also just be insecure.

“Insecure people get upset very easy because they’re not sure of what’s going on around them,” she said.

Pet peeves include being annoyed by things such as people who use improper grammar, being cut off on the freeway. But what seems to offend people most is other people, the Riverside Press-Enterprise reported Monday.

“Most of my pet peeves have to deal with people not being considerate of others,” said Carolyn Thistle, 47, of Murrieta, Calif., “I think our society is so me-oriented that people don’t even consider their neighbors.”

What’s your Pet peeves?   (Be careful according to the article pet peeves reveal lack of or presence of intelligence. – lol) 

Two caterpillars

Two caterpillars are sitting on a leaf when a butterfly zooms by, startling them.

One turns to the other and says, “Boy, you’ll never get ME up in one of those things.”

This reminds me of the time I was driving our “Wild Thing” bus.  I was picking up kids and stopped in a parking lot of an apartment building.  I had to back up.  Well I didn’t see the small truck and actually pushed it several feet before one of the kids (who had been watching me do it.) said: “Pastor Randy, you’re pushing a truck backwards.”

The Arithmetic of God
The number 4 is associated with the 1st Creation and the Flesh.
Applied to man it’s associated with the unsaved state.
1 Corinthians 15:39 Paul uses the word “flesh” 4 times: flesh of men, flesh of beasts, of fishes, of birds.
The word “creature” is found 4 times in creation: Gen 1:20,1:21,1:24 & 2:19
Colossians 1:16 states that there are 4 things which God created.
Rev 5:13 shows the creatures in 4 different locations.
Peter’s Vision – four corners, four-footed beast
Men did 4 recorded things in the days of Noah. Genesis 6:12  & Luke 17:26,27

Question:  Do your kids like following your rules?  If you have no kids:  Do you like following rules?

 

A father passing by his son’s bedroom was astonished to see that his bed was nicely made and everything was picked up. Then he saw an envelope, propped up prominently on the pillow that was addressed to “Dad.” With the worst premonition he opened the envelope with trembling hands and read the letter.

  Dear Dad:

  It is with great regret and sorrow that I’m writing you . I had to elope
  with my new girlfriend because I wanted to avoid a scene with mom and you. I have been finding real passion with Stacy and she is so nice.  But I knew you would not approve of her because of all her piercing, tattoos, tight motorcycle clothes and the fact that she is much older than I am. But it’s not only the passion…Dad she’s pregnant. Stacy said that we will be very happy. She owns a trailer in the woods and has a stack of firewood for the whole winter. We share a dream of having many more children. Stacy has open ed my eyes to the fact that marijuana doesn’t really hurt anyone. We’ll be growing it for ourselves and trading it with the other people that live nearby for cocaine. In the meantime we will pray that science will find a cure for AIDS so Stacy can get better. She deserves it .
  Don’t worry Dad. I’m 15 and I know how to take care of myself. Someday I’m sure that we will be back to visit so that you can get to know your grandchildren.

  Love,

  Your Son John

  PS. Dad, none of the above is true. I’m over at Tommy’s house. I just wanted to remind you that there are worse things in life than the report card that’s in my center desk drawer. I love you. Call me when it’s safe to come home.

The Arithmetic of God
*When the body is separated into two parts there is a division or separation.
*We have 2 parts of the Bible: Old Testament and New Testament 
*Ebner had 2 sons; the name of one was Peleg; for in his days the earth was divided. Genesis 10:25
*In John 10:18 the word “Power” is used twice and the next verse speaks of division.
*In Revelations 16 hail, plague & earthquake are used 2 times in connection with the word divided.
*Genesis 1:4 it’s said, “and God divided the light from the darkness.  – 2 things: light & darkness
*Mark 6:41 – 2 fishes were divided among them.
What’s your favorite number? Why?

Virginia Tech Tragedy is a Wake-Up Call to Parents
The greatest thing a parent can do for their child is connect with them.  It appears that Cho did not connect with a single person upon this earth.  I do find it interesting that Cho did not harm his roommates.  I’ve heard other mass murders say that they would not hurt anyone they “knew”.  Why?  I tend to believe it’s because of a desire to connect.  People do not want to be seperated.  Dillian the killer of Colombine targeted Christians simply because he went to a church youth group and was not accepted. (That was in his writings.)
I give this challenge:  Seek to connect with those around you, especially the quiet and withdrawn. 

My Life Be Like

I grew up in when the Apollo missions were going to the moon.  I followed all the missions from Apollo 11 to Apollo 17.  I was clued to the TV nearly throughout the entire time.  What stayed in my memory the clearest was the “3 minutes.”  The returning spacecraft entered a “blackout” space of time that lasted approximately 3 minutes.  During that time there was no communication with Mission Control. Walter Conkrite would talk really low explaining the reason for the 3 minutes.  We held our breaths wondering if the craft would make it through the atmosphere.  TV cameras would span the clouds looking.  Cheers would go up once the astronauts would reestablished contact with NASA and the cameras caught the parachutes. 

I think of those clouds, the 3 minutes, and Jesus.  One day He will break the clouds and return. 

The Arithetic of God – Number 3 -Resurrection
The number 3 stands for resurrection in the Bible.  Here’s the evidence:
“Destroy this temple, and in 3 days I will raise it up.” John 2:19
Jesus raised 3 people from the dead.  (Interesting: 3 people were raised from the dead in the OT & 3 in the NT – Jesus was the 7th)
When Jesus called Lazareth from the graves he used 3 words, “Lazareth come forth.”
There are 3 records of the Sadducees asking Jesus about the resurrection of the 7 men who married the same woman.
The 3rd time Peter’s name is mentioned in Act, Peter speaks of the ressurection.
(The is just a few of the many occurances in the Bible with the number 3)

Why God made Moms — BRILLIANT Answers given by 2nd grade school
children to the following questions!!

Why did God make mothers?
 1. She’s the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.
 2. Mostly to clean the house.
How did God make mothers?
 1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
 2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring
 3. God made my Mom just the same like he made me. He just used bigger  parts.
 What ingredients are mothers made of?
 1. God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.
 2. They had to get their start from men’s bones. Then they mostly use string, I think.
Why did God give you your mother & not some other mom?
 1. We’re related
 2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people’s moms like me.
What kind of little girl was your mom?
 1. My mom has always been my mom and none of that other stuff.
 2. I don’t know because I wasn’t there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.
 3. They say she used to be nice.
What did mom need to know about dad before she married him?
 1. His last name.
 2. She had to know his background. Like is he a crook? Does he get
drunk on beer?
 3. Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?
Why did your mom marry your dad?
 1. My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my Mom eats a
lot.
 2. She got too old to do anything else with him.
 3. My grandma says that Mom didn’t have her thinking cap on.
Who’s the boss at your house?
 1. Mom doesn’t want to be boss, but she has to because dad’s such a
goof ball.
 2. Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.
 3. I guess Mom is. But only because she has a lot more to do than  dad.
What’s the difference between moms & dads?
 1. Moms work at work and work at home & dads just go to work at work.
 2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.
 3. Dads are taller & stronger, but moms have all the real power  ’cause that’s who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your  friend’s.
 4. Moms have magic, they make you feel better without medicine.
What does your mom do in her spare time?
 1. Mothers don’t do spare time.
 2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.
What would it take to make y our mom perfect?
 1. On the inside she’s already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.
 2. Diet, you know, her hair. I’d diet, maybe blue.
If you could change one thing about your Mom, what would it be?
 1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I’d get
rid of that.
 2. I’d make my Mom smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did it and not me.
 3. I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on the  back of her head.. 

 Who is this? 
He was born March 14, 1879 to jewish parents living in Germany. 
He died in 1955.
His dad was a feather bed salesman.
His mother was an heiress to a fortune from her father’s side.
He was a shy child who disliked authority.
He hated conventional ideas.
He loved math.
His 1st job was in a swiss patent office.

       As a patent clerk
You know him.