Beware of the Heelots...

Before you buy that boat, car, or fancy-phone....think about the "Heelots"...

Beware... You may be in danger...





The Heelots may get ya and if you're not careful you may turn into one yourself...Before ya know it! Yes indeed. I've heard reports that the Heelots are especially aggressive this time of year.... Beware. ; )

"Heelots" ...From Meet John Doe.

When they got ya, you've got no more chance than a road rabbit...You're walkin' along, not a nickel in your jeans, you're free as the wind. Nobody bothers you. Hundreds of people pass you by in every line of business. Shoes, hats, automobiles, radios, furniture, everything, and they're all nice loveable people. They let you alone...Then you get ahold of some dough and what happens? All those nice, sweet, lovable people become heelots. A lotta heels! They begin creepin' up on ya, tryin' to sell ya something. They get long claws and they get a stranglehold on ya and ya squirm and ya duck and ya holler and ya try to push 'em away, but you haven't got a chance. They've got ya. The first thing you know, you own things - a car, for instance. Now your whole life is messed up with a lot more stuff. You get license fees and number plates and gas and oil and taxes and insurance and identification cards and letters and bills and flat tires and dents and traffic tickets and motorcycle cops and courtrooms and lawyers and fines - and a million and one other things! And what happens? You're not the free and happy guy you used to be. You've gotta have money to pay for all those things. So you go after what the other fella's got. And there you are - you're a heelot yourself.

(You may want to mute the music at the player at the bottom of the page before viewing clips)





To watch Meet John Doe see Part I in the following clip. All parts are there on youtube in a nice quality...




You can also see the movie in entirity here as well, you may decide what picture quality is best for you.


...Someone already died for that once. The first John Doe. And he's kept that ideal alive for nearly 2,000 years. It was He who kept it alive in them. And He'll go on keeping it alive for ever and always - for every John Doe movement these men kill, a new one will be born. That's why those bells are ringing...

~The movie, Meet John Doe (1941)

Lighthouses, John. Lighthouses in a foggy world.

~ The movie, Meet John Doe (1941)



What will we be? A heelot? A John Doe? A lighthouse in a foggy world? I hope we will be a John Doe...that Lighthouse in a foggy world. I especially hope we will be a Christ Bearer...

Remember...We are the Christ Bearers this season...Take the time to be that Christ Bearer to others....The malls, stores and hospitals are full of those thirsty for Jesus...They are looking for the blessed Hope...Take the time, be prepared to share Jesus, smile, keep it real (never canned)...Love, use words and a hug if necessary...Take the time to share Jesus...It's one of the most valuable lessons our children will ever learn...And in some cases it may just be the most valuable lesson our children may teach us.





I hope everyone is enjoying the Christmas Season, remember it's Christ-mas not Me-mas. : )

For encouraging tips to help us with our homes you may enjoy, and especially if you feel invisible at times? You will be blessed!: http://www.thats-italian.blogspot.com/




Enjoy. Be blessed. Be that Christ Bearer...The World is waiting... Keep the bells ringing......

~Amelia

Teach Us Lord...A Peaceful Protest

As I went through our bags and boxes of cards and Christmas things I ran across this card, it was a simple Christmas card, one I loved and still do. The verse is simply:



Little baby on the hay,

born to us on Christmas day,

Show us how to live the way

that brings us peace and love.



Merry Christmas





Now contrast that simple little verse to what we have now......Parties for children, youth and even adults with what is supposed to be a simple, fun, white elephant game-gift to trade, priced at 10 dollars and up....Oh my. For our family, that is the price of one normal gift that we as parents may bestow on our children . Oh friends... what has happened?



I wonder what my grandmother would think of that? She often shared of her one doll she would receive for Christmas.

I wonder what my friend who was raised in the 50s is thinking? She had a lovely childhood and shared how a normal Christmas for her was usually a nice robe, a pretty doll and perhaps a neat game or other toy on Christmas morning.

When I was a little girl, stocking stuffers consisted mostly of candy, oranges, and if you were very fortunate, perhaps a skipper doll or a puppet. Now I hear of Chanel...




I wonder what my dad would think?
Roll back your watch to the 1930s...a small town....

Daddy shares of the family that lives in a train caboose during the depression in his little town....The fragrance of orange peel gently warmed by candles on the huge tree at the big log community house as the children there put on a Christmas program... He tells of the young lady with the beautiful voice anointing the atmosphere as she sings....O Holy Night..... My dad as a darling curly blond headed little boy thinks she is the most lovely being ever as he hears and treasures her angelic voice as she stands in her simple cotton dress.... The young lady? She lives in that caboose. These families don't even know they are poor. They have joy and the love of family and friends...They know and understand the wonderment and joy of Christ in that Holy Season.








...What do we have now? What are we hearing? What is this world demanding and dictating of and to us?



...I wonder what Jesus feels and thinks?




I wonder if we should get little Susie the new iPhone now or wait for the second generation to come out with more features?




Oh folks.... Please don't fall into the trap this Christmas. As I see the out of touch price suggestions being suggested for party gift game exchanges and such....oh my heart is grieved. Jesus said His yoke is easy and His burden is light.

What is this excessive spending and wanting, teaching our children and youth?


I don't know what your area of town is like in the way of values, but apparently our area is slipping into the world of bondage when it comes to the excessive consumerism and what is viewed as the normal.



Please be careful.

I'm not writing about taking the wonder or generosity of Christmas from our families...I love Christmas more than anyone, and yes, I love the surprised faces as our daughters open their gifts. But when I see suggestions of ipods and iphones and such for a normal gift, as if it was a bottle of aftershave or cologne it grieves my spirit....When I see white elephant gift price suggestions, being the normal price of a gift that a parent might be giving their children....Or a cherished gift a child may give to their sibling....I have to take a second look and wonder what burden this is putting on families and teaching children and young people.




What happened to the way Christmas used to be? Sitting by the fire, simple, more normal gifts, gifts given and wrapped with love, thoughtfulness and care....Let's get back to a Peaceful Christmas filled with wonderment as we mediate on Christ.

And let's not forget those who are less fortunate this Christmas season, not only in material possesions but those heavy of heart, perhaps those who have lost loved ones, those who need encouragement. It may be in the form of a sweet thoughtful gift or perhaps a tender hug and meaningful conversation...Perhaps both. We can ask God what He would have us to offer Him. Let's be Jesus with skin on to others.

May our homes be a Peaceful protest to the world....

Jesus is the Prince of Peace...

~Amelia

P.S. For more Christmas suggestions please see my other blog with fun & helpful flylady videos and a mighty sweet movie suggestion. My other blog? It can be found here: thats-italian.blogspot.com.

Take a Deep Breath...Simplify

We all need a portal through which we can find a quieter life, at least occasionally. For too many of us, Christmas is a nightmarish revolving door in which we're spinning faster and faster. But the wiser among us find it a sort of time-warp portal, rotating us from the hustle and bustle of twenty-first century life to the sedate world of a quieter time.

So this year, slow down, look up, breathe deeply, spend less - and simplify, simplify! The way of a calmed Christmas - simplicity.

The 12 Ways of Christmas by David Jeremiah





I hope you enjoyed this quote from what is quickly becoming one of my Christmas book favorites.


Let us all keep Our beautiful, precious Savior first and foremost in our hearts and lives...Sweet Baby Jesus, the greatest Gift of all... His yoke is easy and His burden is light...He is the Savior of the World. He is my glorious Savior; I hope He is yours today too. Pour out your hearts to Him. He is worthy to be praised and adored.


Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah. ~Psalms 62:8


Please see my other blog, http://www.thats-italian.blogspot.com/ for a most wonderful old movie, Meet John Doe. (1941) Enjoy, be blessed! Speaking of our sweet and dear Savior, this movie has a most wonderful unique ending that will have you on the edge of your seat...we most likely would never see or hear the Lord Jesus being glorified in this beautiful manner in the modern secular movies made today.

Blessings to all! ~Amelia

Home Church Sermon: "Right Song, Wrong Dance"

May I suggest this sermon our family enjoyed just this morning:


Right Song, Wrong Dance by David Wilkerson

November 15, 2009 - Anybody can praise the Lord after the victory is won but there is a song that God is yearning to hear on the testing side. We must get to the point where we say Lord I am not going to allow the devil to harass me and put me into a pit of fear and despair. We must fix our minds on Jesus and take a stand to trust God in every impossible situation. This generation is demanding a song of hope. We are the song of hope in these last days. The song we sing is that God is faithful and He is able to take us through every trial!


You can join Time Square Church LIVE every Sunday at 10 am ET


Also....I have found David Wilkerson's blogspot very encouraging.

See: God's Great Concern Nov. 20. 09.


An interactive timeline of David Wilkerson's life; very interesting and inspiring. This is the man who was called from a small mountain town to the streets of New York City.

"What's the matter with me?" I wondered, impatiently brushing away a tear. Then I looked at the picture more carefully. The boys were all teenagers. They were members of a gang called the Dragons. Beneath the picture was the story of how they had been in Highbridge Park in New York when they brutally attacked and killed a fifteen-year-old polio victim named Michael Farmer.

The story revolted me. It literally turned my stomach. In our little mountain town, such things seemed mercifully unbelievable. Yet I was dumbfounded by the next thought that sprang into my head. It came to me full-blown, as if from somewhere else: Go to New York and help those boys." ~David Wilkerson (1958)


May God be glorified. May we be challenged to be the hands and feet and mouthpiece of Jesus. The heart of Jesus should shine from us. It may not be to gang members but it may simply be to those right around us....Wherever that place is...May God be glorified in my life and yours. We need to be quiet and listen...we must be quiet and listen to hear the voice of God....It's very important that we do that... We must spend time with the Lord to know Him...There is around a 12 inch difference between our heart and our heads...Oh that we might know Him with our hearts.

I hope everyone has a blessed Thanksgiving week as we enter into the Holy Season.

For holiday entertaining, homemaking & family entertainment suggestions don't forget to check my other blog, thats-italian. Blessings to all!

You Can't Take it With You!

Oh what a delightful movie this is! You Can't Take it With You. 1938.

Another wonderful movie directed by my fellow Italian, Frank Capra. Frank Capra was born in Bisacquino, Sicily, Italy...The exact place my Italian grandfather immigrated from. Actually, the two bear a resemblance to one another and were born several years apart as well, both being immigrants. My grandfather came here to America around 1915.

You have got to enjoy those poignant and meaningful Frank Capra films...It's a Wonderful Life, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Meet John Doe, Little Shop Around the Corner and many other movie greats. Frank Capra was conservative in his politics, a very patriotic and proud American and was actually part of an anti-communist movement even later in his life.

This is one of our personal family favorites and as I see the materialism that many are tempted by as the Christmas season approaches, not to mention the misplaced priorities that have swept into our society...Please allow me to suggest...Can't Take it With You (1938) ... Laugh and listen to the heart of this movie. I think you too will be blessed and refreshed.

One of the recurring themes of the movie is:

Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin... Matthew 6:28


A very valid life question given by Lionel Barrymore...What are you doing that for?

I too would like to ask many... What are you doing that for?

Part I "You Can't Take it With You"


Part II....I have to laugh and laugh when I see this part, it so reminds me of our home in various ways. Ballet dancing in the background, music studio, mom typing up her book manuscript with their family kitten ever so innocently multi-tasking as a "paper weight"....This movie is wonderful stuff indeed.



I'll let the movie speak for itself....As far as I can tell all parts are on youtube at this time.

Please feel free to mute the music on the bottom of the page here.

Enjoy, be blessed and remember.... K.I.S.S. "Keep it simple sweetie!"

Have a wonderful week, ~Amelia

P.S. I have Esther's Marmalade Cake recipe from the heartwarming Mitford book series by Jan Karon as well as the great Nelson Brothers dance routine on: thats-italian "Fred Astaire once called this performance 'the greatest dance number ever filmed.'"

How Will We be Remembered?

~Princess Grace of Monaco

I was recently watching Turner Classic Movie channel, many of you who may know me know I love 40s movies....At that time in the 40s there was a love for country and a healthy fear of God as our country went through WWII.

Between two old delightful movies there was a short bio on Grace Kelly by her son. It was so heartwarming to me to hear him tell of his mother sitting next to him as a little boy as they would watch her movies that she had made as a beautiful American actress. She shared as a mother to her little boy, what she was thinking....how she felt during each part in each movie...

Her son quoting the poignant words by Jimmy Stewart touched my heart:

Everyday I saw her it was a holiday of my own....

~Jimmy Stewart, from the eulogy he delivered at the funeral of Princess Grace.


I hope we as mothers or fathers will be remembered much in the same affectionate way in our homes.

Hoping sons and daughters are appreciating loving parents, and remembering not all children or young people have the luxury of living in a loving, Godly home. Hoping parents are appreciating their children and young people realizing not every adult has the luxury of having children.

May we as parents be alert to the character of our children...and never become sleepy to that character nor our own character in our responses to them or others. Let's take time to share our thoughts, our feelings, what we remember....how we felt, how we feel now...how the Lord was used and is used in these times, happy or sad...

Are we reflecting Christ and a true love for others? Real Christianity? Or synthetic churchianity? Is our passion for Jesus or for proving points that don't matter in Light of Eternity? Do our children see us care for souls? Care for people?

One of the most beautiful things I've seen lately is when I see compassion and genuine care shown for others...Images of a younger brother in Christ's hand reaching out to his sister in Christ's heart that is broken or perhaps a little discouraged in a bewildering journey in her life...A most pleasant picture in this mother's mind... That is what it's all about and then couple that with the power of Jesus behind it....There are no words adequate to describe it. That's where it's at. Jesus is there.

Christian tracts are wonderful to give to clerks with a smile and a care... One night this week, I gave one to a clerk, a sweet but very tired woman in a coffee bar and she held it against her chest, she told me I was an angel. We hugged each other and I had that knowing in my heart that the Lord was so happy in this situation...This is not to boast on anything I've done but just to encourage that people are so very thirsty for the Lord! She told me the tract was a confirmation to her. All day Tuesday at the mall, I would give a tract to the various clerks as I paid for my items from store to store...Every single clerk was so glad to get that tract, it was very evident, the need and hunger for Christ in people.

Once I was at an event, and a checker from Walmart came up to me as she sweetly, humbly pulled a card from her pocket, showing me the Jesus card I had given her at the checkout months before, the front of the little card had a painting of Jesus holding a grieving and broken man, the back had a sweet message of salvation....She carried it with her wherever she went...Don't underestimate God's power and our hand to carry it through with love. A loving smile, a sincere heart, I simply say..."I would like to give this to you today." We can leave the rest to the Father...



The tract I've used this week is entitled, "Have a Good Day" by Rod and Staff Publishers. 606-522-4348

More than just a good day, God wants us to have a good eternity, a wonderful eternity with Him.

I've also have started a new blog entitled: thats-italian A fun-perky carefree blog with poignant reminiscing, recipes, encouragements and life. LIFE...and more LIFE.


I am so enjoying a new cd by David Lanz, entitled Christmas Eve, a most beautiful and peaceful instrumental for your holiday season even now....I've been very pleased with the music, so very peaceful.

Let's make our homes a peaceful haven, a peaceful protest to this world. ~Amelia

What Character do we Play?

"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view . . . until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."



“Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy . . . but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird." To Kill a Mockingbird

Scout and Atticus played by Mary Badham and Gregory Peck



A movie I hold very dear to my heart....To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)...This is a good time of year to watch it, the movie begins in summer...but concludes in the autumn...from the Pullitzer prize-winning classic novel, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee..


This movie does contain real-to-life subject matter, there is a false accusation of rape so please be aware of that as to what is appropriate for your children. Our daughters have grown up with this movie, and we've always explained to them in age appropriate terms the cruel and false accusation against Mr. Tom Robinson, the precious black man in the movie.




Not only does the movie address racial prejudice but prejudice of many kinds as well as rumors, gossip, false assumptions, etc. It also shines light upon a most just and courageous attorney, Atticus Finch, the widowed father of two children, Jem and Scout, a small town attorney willing to take a public stand for what is right and good in spite of public opinion. Impeccable integrity.

Atticus with his children and their young friend, Dill; facing a literal lynch mob, as he physically protects Tom Robinson as he awaits trial.





Scenes in this movie are some of the most poignant scenes ever. Atticus, the father played by Gregory Peck is a beautiful example of humility and wisdom.

There is a household down the street, the Radley home...It's the home of mysterious Boo Radley played by Robert Duvall. Watch and see how Boo's true character is exposed in time...Reminding us of how very Just God is in our lives. If we give things time, God is faithful to expose and reveal true character.

Scout, Boo and Jem



In one particular tense scene Atticus is spat upon in the face. Humility is shown in a way that most would have miserably failed.



I always enjoy the familiarity in the way in which the narrator opens the movie up as only a fellow Southern gal could do...The movie score by Elmer Bernstein is on my playlist here, it's contemplative and almost hauntingly beautiful, very deep, and evokes many emotions as to when I was a little girl and my growing up years.


The opening of the movie is a reminder, much of the way I would play and draw pictures in solitude as a little girl in a small town. Youtube at one time had all the parts of this poignant and touching movie but I'm not seeing many genuine parts lately, but I did find this trailer.

Edit. 11.05.09. I have found this clip as well with Gregory Peck himself, who plays Atticus, giving a narration of the movie...I love the way he pronounces the word, "Pulitzer"... He is such a picture of a gentleman. In the clip there are also some very interesting reviews, one being from Good Housekeeping magazine. Most interesting! See it: here.




Gregory Peck, oh he is a gem in this movie as Atticus, the just attorney and loving widowed father. Beautiful. Oh that we might have his godly character and wisdom.


.........................................................................................................................


Narrator as movie opens: Maycomb was a tired old town, even in 1932 when I first knew it. Somehow it was hotter then. Men's stiff collars wilted by nine in the morning. Ladies bathed before noon, after their three o'clock naps, and by nightfall were like soft teacakes with frosting from sweating and sweet talcum. The day was twenty-four hours long, but it seemed longer. There's no hurry, for there's nowhere to go and nothing to buy... and no money to buy it with. Although Maycomb County had recently been told that it had nothing to fear but fear itself... that summer, I was six years old.

"Atticus, he was real nice. . . . His hands were under my chin, pulling up the cover, tucking it around me."

"Most people are, Scout, when you finally see them."

Narrator as movie closes: He turned out the light and went into Jem's room. he would be there all night, and he would be there when Jem waked up in the morning.

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Many, if not all libraries will have a copy of this movie.

To Kill a Mockingbird (Collector's Edition) (1962) Gregory Peck, John Megna, Frank Overton, Rosemary Murphy, Ruth White

Joy in the Journey

Michelle, our 19 year old daughter....Photo by our daughter, Rebecca (15)


Today is a small celebration in our home, the fragrance of Italian meatballs is wafting from my oven awaiting the tastebuds of my husband...a birthday celebration dinner. It's these simple things that truly bring happiness...As I form each meatball with my hands, I think of my Italian grandma and the love she put in her cooking...and that is me too. I look upon my plain hands as I make our dinner of meatballs to simmer so artfully in our pasta gravy and I see my grandma's hands. And yes, I said pasta gravy. You see, all real Italians know that what Americanas call sauce is truly our gravy. Yes, gravy. Pasta gravy to be exact!


Our four daughters above, me and my dear husband below.

Just arriving from out of town our girls were having a discussion in the car on introvert and extrovert people....deciding how some people were both, intro and extroverts....and their mama (me) was one of them. Some of our daughters argued that I was more of an introvert, only to hear another say...."No way, mom is an extrovert for sure!" "She can't even go into a store without sharing with the checker and asking how their day has been talking about the jar of nutella she is buying!" My husband jumps in..."Mama is like me, she likes to talk and laugh when she likes to talk and laugh but when she is tired and feeling quiet she really doesn't like to mess with people, we like to be quiet at those times and keep to ourselves."

Yes, my husband was right, I'm a bit of both, and he is a bit of both. Not to mention my Italian and German heritage. Yes, being one half Italian and one half German makes for a rather colorful personality, subdued but bright, merciful but discerning, salted with a teensy hint of prophet and I pray always saturated with the love of God.



It's in these quiet times and seasons that many who don't understand quiet solace with God might look upon me and think and even say... What does she do? I work in my home, and I am on most days content in the Lord. Is that to say the walls do not scream at me at times when the girls are all away and my husband is at work? No, we mothers will all face that at some time in our life and my season is already showing glimpses of that...But the secret is contentment and knowing who we are in Christ, with a clear conscience. Knowing we are whole in Christ.


One of the best gifts we can give our families is contentment and quiet of heart and that we should never depend on people to make us happy. Let's make sure and teach our children it is okay to be alone, that our walk with the Lord is what the world may call a lonely walk at times.... It's okay. Some of the alone times will always be our best times with the Lord.



When that fellowship of others does come at times, it's the Lord and we will know that, it will lift us up, it will make us feel loved, never pull us down or demean...although many times it will quietly, sweetly and privately challenge and convict our hearts. It should spur us on in a loving way unto the Lord and a deeper walk with Him, our Father.




To those who run across this blog, please be blessed. God's ways are simple. Rest in Him. : )



I must say ciao, and check in on the meatballs baking, our oldest daughter, Lea (26) just came in exclaiming..."It smells so good in here! It smells like Grandma Oddo's house!" Yes. (big smile) That is my aim this day. Mission accomplished. : )

~Amelia




Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, ~1 Thessalonians 4:11

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The Saint Must Walk Alone, an Excerpt from Man - The Dwelling Place of God by A.W. Tozer



This chapter, in entirity: The Saint Must Walk Alone



The complete book: Man - The Dwelling Place of God


Excerpt:

The truly spiritual man is indeed something of an oddity. He lives not for himself but to promote the interests of Another. He seeks to persuade people to give all to his Lord and asks no portion or share for himself. He delights not to be honored but to see his Saviour glorified in the eyes of men. His joy is to see his Lord promoted and himself neglected. He finds few who care to talk about that which is the supreme object of his interest, so he is often silent and preoccupied in the midst of noisy religious shoptalk. For this he earns the reputation of being dull and overserious, so he is avoided and the gulf between him and society widens. He searches for friends upon whose garments he can detect the smell of myrrh and aloes and cassia out of the ivory palaces, and finding few or none he, like Mary of old, keeps these things in his heart...

Two things remain to be said. One, that the lonely man of whom we speak is not a haughty man, nor is he the holier-than-thou, austere saint so bitterly satirized in popular literature. He is likely to feel that he is the least of all men and is sure to blame himself for his very loneliness. He wants to share his feelings with others and to open his heart to some like-minded soul who will understand him, but the spiritual climate around him does not encourage it, so he remains silent and tells his griefs to God alone.

The second thing is that the lonely saint is not the withdrawn man who hardens himself against human suffering and spends his days contemplating the heavens. Just the opposite is true. His loneliness makes him sympathetic to the approach of the broken-hearted and the fallen and the sin-bruised...

The weakness of so many modern Christians is that they feel too much at home in the world. In their effort to achieve restful "adjustment" to unregenerate society they have lost their pilgrim character and become an essential part of the very moral order against which they are sent to protest. The world recognizes them and accepts them for what they are. And this is the saddest thing that can be said about them. They are not lonely, but neither are they saints.

By A.W. Tozer

Catalogue of Books

Others May You Cannot

I was recently reminded of a most cherished writing entitled Others May You Cannot on The Bravehearted Blog.

We've used tracts printed with this very writing by G.D. Watson for years. Others May You Cannot...A truly life changing writing. These particular tracts we use, are printed by Christian Light Publications. It's one of our favorite tracts for Christians.

Many times in our home we will remind one another...

Others May You Cannot

Things are perking along here, God answers prayers and He is so good! Life has it's challenges but the Lord and His guidance are the answer. Thank God for His truly miraculous and faithful answered prayers.

Without further ado....

Others May You Cannot

By G.D. Watson

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live;

yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I

live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Galatians 2:20

If God has called you to be really like Christ in all your spirit, He will draw you into a life of crucifixion and humility and put on you such demands of obedience, that He will not allow you to follow other Christians, and in many ways He will seem to let other good people do things which He will not let you do.

Others can brag on themselves, and their work, on their success, on their writings, but the Holy Spirit will not allow you to do any such thing, and if you begin it, He will lead you into some deep mortification that will make you despise yourself and all you good works.

The Lord will let others be honored and put forward, and keep you hid away in obscurity because He wants to produce some choice fragrant fruit for His glory, which can be produced only in the shade.

Others will be allowed to succeed in making money, but it is likely God will keep you poor because he wants you to have something far better than gold and that is a helpless dependence on Him; that He may have the privilege of supplying your needs day by day - out of an unseen treasury.

God will let others be great, but He will keep you small. He will let others do a great work for Him and get credit for it, but He will make you work and toil on without knowing how much you are doing; and then to make your work still more precious, He will let others get the credit for the work you have done, and this will make your reward ten times greater when He comes.

The Holy Spirit will put strict watch over you, with a jealous love, and will rebuke you for little words and feelings, or for wasting your time, which other Christians never seem distressed over.

So make up your mind that God is an infinite Sovereign, and has a right to do what He pleases with His own, and He will not explain to you a thousand things which may puzzle your reason in His dealing with you. He will wrap you up in a jealous love, and let other people say and do many things that you cannot do or say.

Settle it forever, that you are to deal directly with the Holy Spirit, and that He is to have the privilege of tying your tongue, or chaining your hand, or closing your eyes, in ways that others are not dealt with.

Now, when you are so possessed with the Living God that you are, in your secret heart, pleased and delighted over this particular personal, private, jealous guardianship and management of the Holy Spirit over your life, you will have found the vestibule of heaven.

I hope all is well and things are perking along in your homes. Take care now... Until the next time...Rest, trust and hope in the Lord, keep a quiet heart in the stillness with joy... ~Amelia

Run For Your Life!

For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. ~Romans 8:13


(You may mute the music at the bottom of page)


Enjoy the video, I just loved it, it stirred my heart, it squeezed my soul as an earthly rag after a good mopping, this video bore such witness to me...You see....this is the reason why our nation is seeing such grief I do believe.

May the real church please stand up. And may we we as children of the King....Please stand up.


We have got to lay our lives down for the purposes of God.

This is a war for the souls of man! Come out from among them!

Run for your life! Because this is about your life! It's not just about an imposing theology or conflicting viewpoint...This is about your life!

~Carter Conlon


So to those who have a listening ear and are hearing the Lord's heart and are seeing the times we are in....Here it is. Enjoy- be stirred as I was. Be warned, please be warned...and most of all...be challenged in Jesus...


Run from churches where you're comfortable in your sin!

~Carter Conlon


To hear more sermons by Carter Conlon and others see: http://www.sermonindex.net/


Hope everyone is enjoying the autumn weather, things are ticking along here...Life goes on, we are focusing on Jesus here and that is the very best place to be. : )

Oh that we would have ears to hear and eyes to see!

Wake Up O Church!

Ephesians 5:14 “This is why it is said: ‘Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’”

Hope this isn't us...

Our daughter and I recently watched this.... A very, very worthwhile 10 minutes.

Wake Up Church!!!!
(You may mute the music at the bottom of the page.)

Just wanted to share this powerful video with you all... Be blessed. Our nineteen year old and I watched this and were in awe. We both felt an urgency to post this.

A young man had posted the video on his blogspot, I don't know about you, but that gives me hope for coming generations.

Some of our favorite preachers....Holy Desperation

You can also find these men of God, such as David Wilkerson, Leonard Ravenhill, Paul Washer, A.W. Tozer, Carter Conlon as well as Paris Reidhead on: SermonIndex.net

My husband receives the weekly podcast from Sermon Index, and he has really enjoyed those sermons.

"I'm going to tell you something...A diluted gospel is no gospel at all." ~David Wilkerson

"Because if you're going to get mature in God all the dwarfs around you will criticize and sneer at you and say you're trying to be holier than the rest of us huh?" ~Leonard Ravenhill

Until the next time...Let's all keep looking to Jesus. And may we remember our land in prayer this solemn day of 911. Awake O Church!

~Amelia

Those Wonderful Years...the 40s

I like what Jimmy Stewart in the part of George Bailey said in It's a Wonderful Life:

Do you know how long it takes a working man to save five thousand dollars? Just remember this, Mr. Potter, that this rabble you're talking about. They do most of the working and paying and living and dying in this community. Well, is it too much to have them work and pay and live and die in a couple of decent rooms and a bath? Anyway, my father didn't think so. People were human beings to him, but to you, a warped, frustrated old man, they're cattle. Well, in my book, he died a much richer man than you'll ever be.


George Bailey had it right...

"It's a Wonderful Life" ~1945 Directed by Frank Capra


Speaking of Frank Capra? How is this for an Italian immigrant's success story? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Capra

Frank Capra reminds me much of my Italian grandfather, Vincent Oddo.

Capra was a Republican who was active in the anti-Communist cause and also donated funds to the Human Life Amendment PAC

Before the making of "It's a Wonderful Life"? Jimmy Stewart served our country courageously: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Stewart_(actor) taking a leave from Hollywood as other stars also did: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clark_Gable

Col. Stewart being awarded the Croix de guerre with palm by Lt. Gen. Henri Valin, chief of Staff of the French Air Force, for his role in the liberation of France. Many of our movie stars went to war during WWII. They voluntarily and proudly supported and served this country. It is shameful what we see now and what this country elected.

The Year? 1944

Speaking of things from the golden days....

Just came across the neatest site, it's all the old Sears house plans they once sold from 1908 to 1921.
This is neat-neat-neat! One thing I noticed right off. The kitchen in even the smallest bungalow is the largest room in the house! The pantry is over TWICE the size of the two bedroom closets! People cooked and enjoyed their kitchens, that was the hub-bub of the home!

Enjoy!
Sears House Plans Index

My, my, my have values changed. As some may know, my husband and two older daughters are Realtors, we own a Real Estate company in an old town. Our office there is in an old convent, it's eclectic, very old, our conference room is in what once was the chapel, a very interesting place where walls have many stories indeed.

There are days where we cannot help but notice the warped material values we sometimes see in families and the sacrifices to Babylon made to keep up with the Jones, only to impress friends and family at the expense of their precious children.

Does it make sense to impress people we don't even care for? My goodness. So many pridefully driven status symbols in this world, education achievements, sought for status of any kind... Who and what are we living for?

Signing out from the old fashioned gal and romanticist who fiercely loves her family.... Coming from a most transparent homeschool mom and hopelessly merciful artist's heart.... ~Amelia