My thanks to Luanne Gerig who attends a small group of women here once a month.  We studied quite some time ago about the Full Armor of God and consequently renamed our group "Women, Armor in Action!"  She can't remember where she got this, but I knew exactly what to do with it.

On my facebook Faith Souder it is spelled out.  John put together our hand out and it loaded on that site.  But will not load here.  I ran copies of the brochure that came with the statue.  The brochure goes into detail what each piece was for back in Roman days and then how we can apply it to our need for full armor each day.  Some of you will get copies, and some of you need to let me know if you want this mailed to you.  shirley.faith.souder@gmail.com

Ephesians 6: 10/18  

AND ANOTHER YEAR FOR JOHN!

www.soudersentinel.blogspot.com - if you want to know more about our evening January 19th.
or facebook.  I put a whole photo album of pictures there.  faith souder.  If you are not a facebook participant, I will put those on here too.

John's 32nd year with ACD Festival Group as their volunteer Poster Artist.  The ACD Festival had their annual Board of Directors Meeting at the Museum.  Dinner was catered for free from Goegleins'
and always, their food is fabulous.  The poster is revealed at the foot of the staircase each year where
Dave Kurtz from the paper takes a group picture and also John revealing this year's Poster.

It is a 1936 Auburn - who is owned by Rick James, CEO of Metal Technologies.  The airplane is owned by Phil Allison who is the pilot for Metal Technologies and was part of his family owned business downtown Auburn.  The Auburn Airport that was located out on North Indiana Street is also featured. 

Afterwards we were invited to the open house for Bill and Maary Hohler's new automobile museum.
It is the former station owned by Dick Foster.  It is across from the old YMCA.  Bill Hohler is the President for the ACD Festival.  Everyone is excited this year, because of the new Director Sarah Payne who is also part time administrator for the RiverFest in Ft. Wayne.  She grew up here and has since returned to live and work part for the Festival.  She will lend a lot of new ideas and fund raisers to the ACD Group.

I added that top picture because it was 50 degrees out and years past when we went to these functions, I would have snow boots, and all kinds of extra clothing, plus have to run the car before we went home.  Its amazing!  The lake was totally unfrozen again.  Last year, we had sun and 25 degrees.
And, so for some of you this is overkill, but there is new life breathed into the group this year, and everyone is enjoying new ideas and working together in a way they haven't for the past few years.

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As for other news:  I am volunteering to work with the Dekalb County Community Foundation for Scholarships.  I will be assisting them with taking in applications for scholarships, grading, scoring and interviewing upon occasion.  They are a very impressive organization and am looking forward to learn more and be a part of all they do for the community.

My book Embracing Emotional Forgiveness is being reinvented.  I have changed the name and size of the book and will be adding more pages.  "Fix Your Future So It Does Not Reflect Your Past" (Embracing Emotional Forgiveness) will be in a 5 1/2 by 7 1/2 format.  2nd edition will be reprinted before April 1st.  I really should write a piece on Women living with retired husbands 24/7.  I thought I would split laughing last night when four of us were comparing notes.  One of the car owners wives, was telling how her husband just had to accompany her to the grocery store.  She said, "You just haven't experienced life until you reach up for a product to put in the cart, step back and run into your husband instead."  Then she said, He wanted to know "why did you chose that particular product. . .", and then she said he was grounded fro the grocery store.  We had some good chuckles and how I should write about what to do.  Yeah, what?

While you ponder that, have a good week.  Assume the position of prayer and asking God for how you can help Him this week bless others.

SET YOUR MIND! KEEPING IT!

Surely you have heard the saying, "I just got my face cleared up and my mind went fuzzy!"

"The older I get, the less I know!"   "I'm in that gofer stage, I go for it, but I can't remember why I went looking for whatever I started. . . "

So how in the world am I going to set my mind to something, when I can't remember why I should keep it on that particular commitment I started?    I had a gentleman in my office telling me that there is just too much outside stimulation and distractions.  He feels he gets sidetracked and taken off task very easily.  I agreed that our television and news media keeps us "going all over the place".  He and his wife can't find anything on television that is age appropriate or family friendly to watch with their grandchildren.  Or, it could be that you've set your mind to eat better this year.  You are already taken off task with the cooking shows on every station and at all times of days.  I have had to remove a lot of Rachel Ray's recipes from my sight because they are so scrumptious looking and full of calories.
Everyone but me has an exercise DVD out now.  Just turn and point.  Its coming up to the middle of January and you are sliding already, right?

So between our age, or media stimulation, and our wonderful carnal nature always rising to the surface, who could set and keep any part of their mind.

I have noticed that I was very good at discipline or setting my mind on a change that I wanted to make, and after 60, something happens.  It is like going up a slide.  Those steps take a long time to get up to the top, however, the trip down is in seconds.  I went from "No thanks, it looks great, but I will need to pass."   Now, I think, "I wonder how many pieces I could eat without getting sick!"

Geesh!  Everyone of us has a set point.  It could be food, golf, sports, drinking too much Dr. Pepper, to television junkie, to you name it.  I believe this is all to simple actually.  It is still a choice.  I knew I needed to set my mind before the first of the year.  I did pray and seek God, looked up scriptures, books, made phone calls, and ask friends their opinion.  I John 5: 15.    If we ask and know He hears us whatever we ask, He answers.  Sure enough, the education, the re-entry begins.  It is painful but rewarding.  If you don't need rewards, or see the fruits of your painful labor you won't find this worth reading.  I got through the rough part, had to do forgiveness for myself for being so lazy and stupid, and then the reward.  It has been so fun to achieve and see that I can do it, I still got it.  I don't got it by myself, however.  I still had to have help, and He does.  Keeping it - well that takes work. 

Whatever you need to get  to do - start the process.
a.  Take your concerns to God -  Phil 4: 4- 9
b.  Be humble and repentful -   I Peter 5: 6-10
c.  Ask, Seek, and Knock for a strategy.
d.  Wait for it!  Its coming.
e.  Implement it
f.  Reap the benefits
g.  Celebrate - but keep at it.

ACTING OUT!

We had been looking at how God utilizes our talents and abilities.  Sometimes we worry we don't have any or are not using them to help our fellow men and women.  I have listened to many women and men talk about how they just aren't worthy.   They don't feel they have anything to offer and now have no purpose.   In Psalm 139 - it becomes very clear that He chose us, he created us in our mother's womb and so therefore we are His design.  If He is the greater creator of all you see, then why would He single you out to be unworthy?  I admit I get a little unsympathetic about those statements I hear.  He has a perfect design made in you.  You have the choice, of course, to not believe that. 

Psalm 57: 2 comes along and says:  I will cry to God Most High, Who performs on my behalf and rewards me (Who brings to pass His purposes for me and surely completes them)! 
(you could read on in that chapter, there is more to glean)

Then Phil 1: 6 wraps it up for us:  And, I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ! (right up to the time of His return), developing (that good work) and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you.

So, if you desire to be a great football player, pianist, singer, writer, golfer, garden planter;  whatever it is, it is most likely something He created in you.  Why then, would you say, I am unworthy?

Deut. 31: 8 starts off saying - He goes before, and He marches with you. . . so know He will not forsake, leave you or fail you. .  it is a great promise to learn and keep with you. 

I have had the nerve to tell some people "Who do you think you are, God?"  Meaning, do you think you are higher and more judgmental then God?  He loves you as you are, and by the way, how He made you.  So stop dissing yourself!  Get to know without a doubt, you can be convinced that whatever He started in you, can be utilized, completed, and bring about change. 

Set your mind this year to know Him better, believe Him better, and act on Him better.

HAVE A GREAT 2013!

And, again, I defer to the holidays and busyness!  I will be back next week to finish some things I started two weeks ago.

I pray your Holidays were good, safe and you enjoyed celebrating Jesus's birth.  If I could I would design Christmas Eve this way:   Have someone you haven't seen for a long time over for lunch.
About 4:00, you get ready to go to a 6pm Church service where you get to see the live animals, and the birth scene of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Have a candlelight prayer at the end and then return home.  There you have a candlelight Grilled Salmon and Steak dinner.  Coconut Cream Pie for desert.
Ah! then you open presents and take pictures.  Maybe one of these years if I could find just the right service.  Sunday at County Line they sang the Handel's Messiah, Hallelujah Chorus.  Then at the end, they brought in the mother Mary and Jesus, Joseph joined her, then the kings and Shepherds.  It was very moving and impactful.  So I got snippets of it.  I'm good.   How was yours?

Be safe Monday and Tuesday - Will spend time at the movies, dinner with friends and then Tuesday some fellowship and food with good friends.  ENJOY!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

Since we all have so many events this weekend , Monday and Tuesday, I will not be posting until Friday the 28th.  Today Ellen, Jordan and Emily will be coming, and from here on out, it is a very busy time until Wednesday.

I am celebrating the FACT that Jesus, the Son of God came out of His own sacrifice to set us free from ourselves.  He came as a baby to grow up and experience what we experience.  Without Him, I would be such a psychological, emotional and spiritual mess.  I celebrate Him.  I pray you are too!

Enjoy your families and events. 

TYRANNY OF THE URGENT!

It has been quite a week across our nation, has it not?  Seven miles from cousin, Gwen in Portland, Oregon there was a shooting.  They use that mall several times a week not only in Gwen's work format, but personally.  It gets closer and closer, larger and larger.  Let us keep everyone in our prayers that will have a much different Christmas then we will. 

I chose the title to cover several areas that we experience.  Not only this time of year as we fit in all the get togethers we celebrate.  Small Groups, work related, friends, church, family and that is just the tip of the iceberg.  We also have regular work, or meetings, or volunteer, and our home environment to keep up with.  Some of us have college kids coming home, or family coming to visit.  One of the gals in my small group was getting on an airplane the next morning to fly into the Fort Lauderdale area to see her daughter who lives there.  Her daughter asked her to fly down to see her former roommate who is only there for a few days.  Then she will fly back Sunday night, and Angie comes home four days later to spend a few days.  It is insane. 

This is that one specific month of the year, we HAVE to become PERFECT.  Great decorations, new recipes, perfect housekeeping, the best party, best gifts, etc.  I could never figure out why I always got a cold or got sick by Christmas.  Now I know.  I made a decision years ago about starting in November and pacing myself.  It works.  I am no martyr, just got tired of being exhausted and sick in December.  Waving to the New Year as I went to bed at 10p.m.

Oh, and be sure you find time in there to HURRY up and read the Christmas Story. 

This small series will be about trying to be all things to all people.  The Tyranny of the Urgent.  People like everything to be perfect and pretty sure it is up to them to make it perfect.

Psalm 138: 8.  "The Lord will perfect that which concerns me, your mercy and loving kindness O Lord, endures forever - forsake NOT the works of Your own hands."

Do you see anything in there that says "I am to perfect that which concerns me!"?????  Does it say You are to not forsake the Works of your own hands?  Sure, we are to be willing to do what we need  to do.  Unto you O Lord, do I bring my life.  Yes, that means you.  The fine line is very thin here.
Let us use an example.  As a leader of the small group and because I know they like to get together in December for a small exchange and cookies - tea thing;  it is up to me to orchestrate it.  It is not up to me to do everything.  I pray, think, and plan.  Oh and delegate.  Now there is a foreign word for some of you. Delegate.  You can do that in your home, in the office, in your group.  We have had three parties here this season in our home.  In each case, I delegated and that left time and energy to enjoy the party and people in it.  It is a simple illustration, but very effective.

Next time, we will talk more about this perfection thing that women, in particular, take on.

We will be looking at PS 57: 2 and Phil 1: 6.

Here is a prayer:

Unto You Oh Lord, do I bring my life.  It is my intention to ask You to lead me where and how to use
those specific abilities that You have given me.
I ask that You remove any and all demonic distractions that been or will be set up against me this day to bring ungodly, imperfect thoughts ideas or actions into my life that may hurt others in any way.  I turn myself over to you Lord God.  Thank You for what You are going to do through me.  Holy Spirit check my spirit of all negative inputs as I commit to utilizing all your fruits of the spirit.  I praise Your Holy Name and thank you above all else.