Home

Today I am blessed to be a guest blogger on my friend Tammy's blog. Or should I say, "I'm tickled pink!" If you click over, you'll see what I mean. Life has been moving at a pretty rapid pace for our family these days. I am trying not to let the "busyness" of fall roll over me. Sometimes, you just have to purposefully pause. God is good, is He not? Hope you will pause and enjoy my post today entitled, Home. 

Crying in my Wheaties

If you are struggling with your diet, the gluten-free lifestyle, food allergies, or just having a good 'ole game of tug-of-war with your food...

...hop over to Finding Heaven Today with Jenn and check out my guest post "Crying in my Wheaties."

Caped Crusaders + their Southern Belle Sidekick

It looks like our community can rest safely at night knowing these guys are around!

Disclaimer: Why I smelled at church on Sunday

I'm not so sure if this post should be A) public knowledge or B) tagged under 'Playroom' or 'Dirty Laundry' for it was surely some dirty laundry.

It all started Sunday morning with I know you'll be shocked a late start. Yet, despite my waking up 30 minutes late for church I managed to get out the door with make-up, hair straightened, and my favorite pair of black winter boots. Yes, it was cold in Texas for like a day. I was sans hubby and 1 triplet, but they were going to catch up with us at church. I can't remember why that happened either. So, I crawl into the car and notice that my car smells realllyyyy funky.

Moms know.

It's that combination between a hot dog and a dirty penny and no that's not Texas slang for anything. My car stunk. And it had not smelled the night before. There is evidence of life in my car at all times: jackets, old Sunday school papers, the occasional wrapper from Sonic, but I keep a pretty nice smelling car. And gratefully leather seats don't soak up spills whew!

I turn on the air and roll down the windows to make the smell go away.

At this point, I'm wondering if I'm crazy and maybe the smell was breakfast and in my head. I get out, check out the contents of the car and set my phone on the hood. I turn on the car and when I blast the air....the smell multiplied as fast as the dirty laundry does in my house. I put the car in reverse and slam on the brakes as I see a car pulling out behind me while I watch my cell phone fly across the hood.

And whose husband insisted that my phone doesn't need insurance. Oh yeah, that would be mine.

Baby A & C and I all start to gag.

Thankfully, no one throws up as Baby A has been known to trigger buckets of throw-up when she simply thinks about something gross. 


We arrive at church.

I stink.


I figure all I need is a little time. Time was my friend. However, time was not on my side as we were already 5 minutes late. To make matters worse, I was visiting a new sunday school class for the first time.

I head to the bathroom to let myself air out praying all the way that God would take away my smell!


 This smell had some serious staying power. 

I head to class. I arrive into a very intimate setting of ladies. Of all days... The only lady in the whole class I know comes to sit right next to me. Gosh. I didn't even know what to say, cause I knew I totally wreaked!

I lean in and whisper, "I'm sorry you're sitting next to me, I totally smell like food for some reason." And she just giggles while I'm sure she was quietly throwing up in her mouth.


Sunday school ends and I dodge as many people as I can to get to my seat. But, lo and behold my two new friends head over to give me a big hug (Sorry girls). I shake some hands and pray that no one sits next to me.

Enter in husband. 


I immediately go to explaining under my breath "I smell like a hot dog and a dirty penny and I cannot figure out why. Something is in my car or maybe a mouse died in my air conditioning vent or there is some penicillin growing on my floor board! I don't know but I stink so bad I cannot stand it myself!"

Husband holds nose and leans far away. 


Thanks, yeah thank you for YOUR UNDIVIDED LOVE AND SUPPORT! 


The service marched forward. I think I threw up in my mouth and knew everyone around me could smell me. There was just something about that smell. With time, it only grew worse, not better.

Once the service ended I told Robb to get the kids. I didn't want them to smell like me, even though I feared for their smell through sunday school too. I practically ran out of the sanctuary so that no one else would want to chat or hug although I am usually all about verbal and nonverbal communication alike.

As I pull out of the parking lot, Robb and the kids are heading to their car. And being the LOVING, SUPPORTIVE, MATURE person that he is, he has the children yell at the top of their lungs...

"YOU STINK!"

...as I bolted from the parking lot. Thanks guys - love you TOO!

When I get home, I began cleaning out the big blue beast. It wasn't so bad. And I still couldn't figure out why it smelled so bad. I set my keys in the seat and started lugging jackets, old Sunday school papers, and the occasional wrapper from Sonic to our big blue trash can. Why our neighborhood only allows one trash can, I am still not sure. Don't they know who we are? Anyhoo...

Then, I spot it.

A double-knotted Wal-Mart sack.


Now, if you are a mom and you have double-knotted a Wal-Mart sack, then we all know what that means. It means...dirty underwear. It means that the kind of incident that occurred happened at someone else's home who did NOT WANT THOSE THINGS IN THEIR WASHER. And in the name of thriftiness cause you throw away the REALLY bad ones already you get a Wal-Mart sack and you bag them up. You bring them home and you contaminate your own washer. Yes, I raise boys! From time to time, that little, double-knotted sack gets left...in....the...car.

And apparently, because I love to draw conclusions, if you leave a sack of streaked laundry in your car for 4 days ...it will smell the equivalent of a hot dog and a dirty penny. And so will you. Just a little word of warning.

To everyone that follows me on Facebook, somewhere before the discovery of doublet-knotted Wal-Mart sack with a surprise inside but very unlike a Happy Meal  is how my keys also found their way into the big, blue trash can.

Happy Tuesday Everyone! Happy Tuesday! And to whoever suggested it, you are so right, they need an APP FOR THAT!

In The Wilderness

The Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years.

{That's}

...480 months

...2086 weeks

...14,600 days

...350,400 hours
...21,024,000 minutes
and 1,261,440,000 seconds.

{After the death of Moses the Lord's servant, the Lord spoke to Joshua son of Nun, who had served Moses: "Moses My servant is dead. Now you and all the people prepare to cross over the Jordan to the land I am giving the Israelites. I have given you every place where the sole of your foot treads, just as I promised Moses. Your territory will be from the wilderness and Lebanon to the great Euphrates River- all the land of the Hittites- and west to the Mediterranean Sea. No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. I will be with you, just as I was with Moses..."} Joshua 1:1-5a

Are you wandering through the wilderness today? 

Your promised land might not be as far away as you think. 

Let's trust God today to lead us there. May we be willing to examine our hearts to make certain we are on the right road. 

{"...I will not leave you or forsake you."} Joshua 1:5b

Christian Witchcraft

Questions and Answers with Kristine McGuire Part 2

Q1: You mention in your testimony that you were co-mingling your Christian faith with witch-craft. Do you believe this is common in Christianity and other religions? Ever run any stats?

 I have never run the stats but I think it would be a good idea. No. I listen to what people are saying, the teaching made available in books or from pulpits. I've noticed the influx of mysticism into church thought (Eastern practices such as meditation, yoga). The prominence given to experiences over sound biblical teaching. The interest in the supernatural or paranormal (Christian Ghost Hunting groups are on the rise, Christians are going to mediums, or acting as mediums and psychics).The idea of being "spiritual but not religious" seems to allow some Christians to incorporate many beliefs into their own.

Q2: What has God shown you since you left your pagan roots about the danger of mixing light and darkness?

His mercy is never ending. He will chase us high and low, drawing us back to Him. The enemy is very good at counterfeiting God's good gifts (especially the spiritual ones). He put warnings about those practices in His word for our protection because nothing good comes from mixing the things of God with the things of the enemy or the world. 

Q3: I listened to the audio file on your website, wow! Can you tell us a little more about how you felt when you heard that recording for the first time?

Stunned. As I heard the scream (upon realizing what I was listening to) I thought "this is straight up scripture stuff. I'm listening as a demon responds to the name of JESUS!". It kind of freaked me out. And I'd seen and heard a lot of strange and scary things over the years but especially as a medium and ghost hunter. This topped them all in the significance of what it represented. 

Q4: I know my readers are probably wondering this: how do you biblically explain the presence of ghosts? Or do you?

I've actually written several articles on this subject. I'll share what I wrote most recently in "Why Are There Ghosts?":

The Bible clearly teaches that human beings do not remain on Earth after death. InHebrews 9:27, we learn "…each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment…". Those who have accepted Christ as Savior enter into God's presence (2 Corinthians 5:6-8, Philippians 1:23). Those who have not enter a place of punishment for sin, separated from God (Matthew 25:46, Luke 16:22-24). 

The dead do not remain among the living.

The Bible does teach there are spirit beings who can and do interact with our physical world. Angels are spirit beings created by God to serve Him. They are holy, righteous, and good. Demons are angels who have rebelled against God. They are fallen, evil, destructive, and deceptive.

2 Corinthians 11:14-15 tells us "But I am not surprised! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no wonder that his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. In the end they will get the punishment their wicked deeds deserve."

Impersonating a human spirit is certainly within a demon's capabilities.

The goal of a demonic spirit is to deceive human beings, draw us away from God. Appearances by and communication with the dead are one means by which they can accomplish that goal. People begin trusting psychics and mediums for spiritual counsel, adopting false beliefs about God and the after-life. This is why God vehemently opposes the practice. Even if the information obtained seems good, positive, or true when received through demonic sources (ghosts, ascended masters, spirit guides, etc) the result is corrupt and misleading.

Q5: I found a striking similarity in both yours and Marni Arnold's testimony: both of you mention how badly you were seeking answers to questions that Judaism and Christianity weren't giving you. Do you think Christians are failing at discipleship and why?

Yes, I do. When I began having serious doubts (started asking questions) I was told my problem was that I didn't have enough faith. I should stop worrying about just trust Jesus. No one was willing to talk to me. No matter how much I reached out, tried to make friends at church I couldn't break into anyone's circle. I was on my own. I think we as Christians have this idea that Sunday morning worship or attendance in Sunday school/home group, is meeting people's discipleship needs. Discipleship is more one on one or very small groups of people. Christians need to be studying the Bible for themselves (in addition to listening to pastors and teachers), walking out faith together. I'm sure there are many people who have that kind of fellowship/discipleship going on, but it wasn't my experience. I think a lot of people are being left out in the cold trying to figure things out on their own. This makes a person vulnerable to wrong teaching or belief. 

Q6: I know there are some practicing Wiccans reading today, what would you say to them about who Jesus is to you today? 

Jesus is everything to me. My rock, my deliverer. My teacher and friend. He is my Lord. 

Q7: What advice do you have for Christians that are dabbling in the dark side?

Don't. Playing with anything which has ties to the occult is opening a spiritual door into your  life. The Bible is our source of truth, wisdom, and life. Make it your goal to study it, absorb God's word into your heart and mind. Why turn to the things of this world (which may seem good/light/right for a time) when we can have an intimate relationship with God?

In Christ,

Kristine

www.kristinemcguire.com

Note from Jessie: I hope you have enjoyed Marni & Kristine at Jessie's House for the past four days. There is no end to how far our Father in Heaven pursues a love relationship with us. There is nothing that can separate us from the love of Christ. 

³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38 & 39