Messick Homecare Reunion

Click on the picture for full view.

Sweet memories...how they linger.

THANKSGIVING MEMORIES

Happy 2 days after Thanksgiving. I am still giving thanks...even though the "official" day for giving thanks is over. It's kinda like prayer. Many people...me included...pray when there is a need...which a lot of times for me is not a need but a greed...BUT...prayer is always in order....just like rejoicing is always in order...and thanking is always in order. (I Thessalonians 5:16-18 and Philippians 4:4)

We had a wonderful time as an eclectic grouping of people arrived at our home for feasting, fun, and fellowship. Chip Payne and J.R. Becker along with myself... baptized the bird in hot peanut oil. Remember that the word baptized is rooted in the Greek language as bapto...baptizo...which means to DIP...to wholly immerse and object into an element and to withdraw it from said element. Various baptisms mention in the Bible are John's baptism...where John the Dipper...dipped people into the element of the Jordan River because they had repented. God dips us into the body of Christ...while Jesus dips us into the Holy Spirit and fire....and Christians are dipped into water as we become followers of Jesus. The questions begs to ask....should we DIP our turkey into the element of PEANUT OIL...or should we DIP the TURKEY...in GREECE? (Sorry).

Steve Burkett...and Dr. J (Dr. Frank Jones)...brought along their musical instruments...and more important...their musical giftings....and entertained with various selections. Ol' Ruminatin' Rod even played a few. I have got to change those strings. I mean...3 years is a long time to be playing on the same strings.

For a brief minute...we thought that we may not have enough food...but the Lord was gracious and everyone got plenty of food...plus some.

It was a perfect day weather wise...in the 60's...no rain...sunshine. This is especially good...since it opens up the deck for people to congregate.

We had one mishap on this joyous day...of Thanksgiving. Someone...went through some purses...and stole over $100.00 worth of other peoples money.
Brenda and I were devastated. In all our years of opening our homes...this has never happened. As we were playing our music...while people were eating... while people were laughing...someone was giving thanks...that no one was in the bedroom where the purses were....and they were very thankful that God had supplied them sweet pickings for their Christmas.

The question is....WHAT DO WE DO NOW.

The answer is....REJOICE ALWAYS...PRAY WITHOUT CEASING...IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS....FOR THIS IS THE WILL OF GOD CONCERNING YOU IN CHRIST JESUS. (I Thessalonians 5:16-18)

NOTE: The WILL OF GOD...is NOT...that someone absconded with the money....but the WILL OF GOD...is NOT to lose focus on who is in CONTROL of our lives.

"And we know that God CAUSES ALL THINGS (the good, the bad, and the ugly)...to WORK TOGETHER...for GOOD...to those who love God...to those who are called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28)

FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!

Lord....bless this individual that stole the money....but more importantly speak to this person...convict them of their sin...and let them realize that they need an intimate relation with you.

They can't steal from us...because we are only stewards of what God has given to us.

Love and Very, Very, Very, Thankful Kisses
Rodney "Lovin' How God Can Take A Bad Thang...And Turn It into a Rambling" Boyd

Merry CHRISTmas and Happy HOLYdays

Seasons Greetings to one and all...and God bless us...everyone.

May Ruminatin' Rod be the first to wish you a Merry CHRISTmas and Happy HOLYdays. What's that you say? I'm not the first? Walmart, Target, Macy's (fill in the blank with commercial retailers)...has already started humping the holidays?

Before the Halloween candy and costumes were packed up...the commercialization of CHRISTmas has begun. Take not of the photo taken from the photography class that was held at Smyrna Assembly. It's a picture of a name...my name to be precise...made up of various images of letters. The name...R...O...D...N...E...Y. My favorite letter is the N...done in mustard.

By the grace and mercy of God...we do not celebrate this season by saying Merry RODNEYmas.

"And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, in order to register, along with Mary, who was engaged to him...and was with child. And it came about that while they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her first-born son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger/feeding trough, because there was no room in the inn. And in the region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields, and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. And the angel said to them, Do not be afraid, for behold I bring you GOOD NEWS of GREAT JOY which shall be for ALL THE PEOPLE; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a SAVIOUR...who is CHRIST...the LORD." (Luke 2:4-11)

"And she will bear a Son...and you shall call His NAME....JESUS, for it is He who will SAVE His people from their SINS. Now all this took place that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled, saying, 'Behold, the VIRGIN shall be with child and shall bear a Son...and they shall called HIS NAME...IMMANUEL...which translated means GOD WITH US. And Joseph arose from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him...and took her as his wife...and KEPT HER A VIRGIN...until she gave birth to a son...and he called His name....JESUS." (Matthew 1:21-25)

NOTE: For full details of the birth of Jesus...Read the Matthew and Luke account.


During this season...you will either be celebrating Christmas...or CHRISTmas. One will be politically incorrect...the other will be THE REASON FOR THE SEASON.

Hey...I love this time of year...even with the trappings. I love the "Christmas" songs...the movies...the flavours...the smells...the merriment...and even the idea of Santa Claus...BUT... CHRISTmas Rules.

JESUS...IMMANUEL... the CHRIST...the SAVIOUR...the LORD.


JESUS: God is Salvation (deliverance, safety, healing, sound mind, wholeness, etc.)
IMMANUEL: God with us
CHRIST: Anointed One...anointed with yoke destroying, burden lifting, oppression removing, healing power of the Holy Ghost
SAVIOUR: One who saves
LORD: The Boss


We are celebrating...the entrance of God Himself into planet earth...this third rock from the sun...to SAVE US...from ourselves...from our sins.

"In the beginning was the Word (Jesus)...and the Word (Jesus) was with God...and the Word WAS GOD...And the Word (Jesus) became flesh, and dwelt among us...and we beheld His glory, glory as of the ONLY BEGOTTEN from the Father...full of grace and truth." (John 1:1,14 Read John 1:1-14 for more info...actually read the entire Gospel of John for full details).

"Beloved...do not believe every spirit...but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By THIS you know the Spirit of God...every spirit that CONFESSES THAT JESUS CHRIST HAS COME IN THE FLESH (came from heaven to planet earth for D.B.R.)...is from God...and every spirit that DOES NOT CONFESS...JESUS (coming in the flesh)...is not from God; and this is the spirit of the ANTICHRIST (aka anti-Jesus...anti-yoke destroying, burden lifting, oppression removing, healing power of the Holy Ghost..and anti-D.B.R.), of which you have heard is coming and NOW it is already in the world." (I John 4:1-3)

NOTE: The good news is...that even though the spirit of antichrist is around..."...greater is He who is in you...than he who is in the world."
(I John 4:4)


Again...the birth...of a little baby...in a little manger...in a little city...in a little country is about the entrance of a little baby...who would grow up to be a 33 year old man...who would allow himself to be nailed on a cross...in your place. When Peter was explaining to what was happening on the day of Pentecost...his first sermon status post the Holy Spirit outpouring...He underscored the D.B.R. "Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene...a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst...just as you yourselves know--this Man...delivered up by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God...you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. And GOD RAISED HIM UP AGAIN...putting an end to the agony of death...since it was IMPOSSIBLE FOR HIM TO BE HELD IN ITS (death's) POWER." (Acts 2:22-24)

NOTE: Thanx and a Tip O' Da Hat to Pastor Ronnie Meek for the sermon Sunday...that points out that it was impossible for death to hold Jesus down in the tomb.

Our last picture is of the album by Randy Stonehill...called WELCOME TO PARADISE. Randy is one of the pioneers of Christian Rock and Roll. On the album...among the other jewels...is a song called CHRISTMAS SONG FOR ALL YEAR 'ROUND....and it goes a little something like this:

I wonder if this Christmas...they'll begin to understand
The Jesus that they celebrate is much more than a man
Cause the way the world is...I don't see how people can deny
The only way to save us was for Jesus Christ to die

And I know that if Saint Nicholas was here he would agree
That Jesus gave the greatest gift of all to you and me
They led Him to the slaughter on a hill called Calvary
And mankind was forgiven...when they nailed Him to a tree

But most of all the CHILDREN...they're the ones I hope will learn
That Jesus is our Saviour and He's going to return
And Christmas isn't just a day...and all days aren't the same
Perhaps they'll think about the word
And see it spells his name

And I know that if Saint Nicholas was here he would agree
That Jesus gave the greatest gift of all to you and me
They led Him to the slaughter...on a hill called Calvary
And mankind was forgiven...Mankind was forgiven...Mankind was forgiven
We were all forgiven...when they nailed Him to a tree

So Meeerrry Christmas...Meeerry Christmas...Meeery Christmas
I wonder if this Christmas...they''' begin...to...under...stand?

FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY!!!!!

Santa Claus...St. Nicholas was NOT crucified on the cross in your place. The Easter bunny was not bruised for your iniquities. The latest political Messiah was not chastised for your peace. It is not by the stripes of your own attempts to be good...that you were healed. It started in heaven...was revealed in a manger...walked out for 3 years as Jesus went about, doing good, and healing all who were oppressed by the devil for God was with Him (Acts 10:38)...was lifted up for the world to look at on a cross...was buried in the ground...and was raised up again to seal the deal. As Larry Norman...Randy Stonehill's mentor...stated in his song WHY SHOULD THE DEVIL HAVE ALL THE GOOD MUSIC..."They nailed Him to a cross...they laid Him in the ground...but they should have know that you can't keep a good man down."

Love and Merry Kisses to One and All
Rodney "Ho...Ho...HOLYday" Boyd

ANATOMY OF A RUMINATOR

Greeting O Ye Cud Chewers. If you are receiving this...you most likely are a RUMINATOR. A ruminator is someone who chews on the Word of God like a cow (a ruminant) chews the cud. A little while back...I began teaching a class at Smyrna Assembly on THE TOPICAL MEMORY SYSTEM. This was systematic memory course where we memorized verses of Scripture that were arranged in various topics. You can get the system at your Christian book stores. It is a system designed by THE NAVIGATORS...and found at NAVPRESS.

One of the verses was found in the first section called the WHEEL One of the spokes in THE WHEEL was for THE WORD. It was Joshua 1:8.

"This book of the law...shall not depart from your MOUTH...but you shall MEDITATE on it day and night...so that you may be careful to DO according to all that is written in it...for then you will make your way prosperous...and then you will have success." (Joshua 1:8).

The word MEDITATE...is from the Hebrew word...hagah (haw-gaw)...which means to murmur (in pleasure or anger)...by implication to ponder, imagine, mediate, mourn, mutter, roar, speak, utter, study, talk.

I began to think about this verse and started "ruminating" about how the verse links...the MOUTH...and MEDITATION...and DOING with the cause and effect being Biblical prosperity (having enough to meet your needs and an overflow to help others) and Biblical success (accomplishing the purposes of God in your life). The LATIN word of meditation is RUMINATE. A quick study shows that a RUMINANT is an animal (cow, sheep, etc)...that has four chambers in the stomach that chewed food passes through and is regurgitated back into the MOUTH in the form of a CUD...that is viewed as standing in a field...contemplating life while chewing away. That is what we do in the RUMINATOR SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS...and the premise for these RAMBLINGS. The COW has become symbolic of moooooooooooving in the Spirit as we study the Word of God. Many members of the HERD have passed through over the years. Always remember this...once a Ruminator...always a Ruminator.

Last Sunday...a fellow chewer of the CUD/WORD OF GOD...Saint John...my Key man...passed on something he found in his files...called
THE DEFINITION OF A COW (A Big City Boy Describes A Cow). The author is unknown but was a found in the September issue of the 1977 American Red Angus magazine.

DEFINITION OF A COW

"A cow is a completely automatic milk manufacturing machine. It is encased in untanned leather and mounted on four vertical, movable supports, one on each corner. The front end contains the cutting and grinding mechanism, as well as the headlights, air inlet, and exhaust, a bumper and foghorn. At the rear is the dispensing apparatus and an automatic fly swatter. The central portion consists of four fermentation and storage tanks connected in series by an intricate network of flexible plumbing. This section also contains the heating plant complete with automatic temperature controls, pumping station and main ventilation system. The waste disposal apparatus is located at the rear of this central section. In brief, the externally visible features are: two lookers, two hookers, for stand uppers, four hanger-downers, and a swishy-wishy. There is a similar machine known as a bull, which should not be confused with a cow. It produces no milk but has other interesting uses."

FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY!!!!

Moo to you.

Love and Bovinian Kisses
Rodney "Chewing the Cud" Boyd

Townes, Turkey, and Thanks

Greetings O Ye Thankful Friends. "Tis da season...to be thankful...gobble, gobble, gob..gob, gob, gob gob" (sung to the tune of Tis The Season...aka the Fa La song).

What does TOWNES have to do with THANKSGIVING...and for that matter...with BOB HOPE. Well...in 1903...in London England...Leslie TOWNES Hope was born. In 1907...Leslie and his family moved to Cleveland Ohio...and eventually was discovered by Fatty Arbuckle and toured as a dancing partner with George Burns. His name is changed to Bob Hope (also know as Hopelessly (Hope.. Leslie)...and then in the movie THE BIG BROADCAST with W.C. Fields. It is in this movie that Bob Hope sang what was to become his theme song...THANKS FOR THE MEMORY written by Ralph Rainger and Leo Robin.

Thanks for the memory
Journeys on a jet
Our wond' rous week in Martinique
Vegas and roulette
How lucky I was

Throughout the years...Bob's writers would change the words of the song to met the need of times.

Well...once again...we start of with something that appears to be of no consequence on what we end up Rambling about. Today is no difference. We want to chew on TURKEY....let's talk TURKEY.


On November 27th...Thursday...2008...we will be celebrating the day of THANKSGIVING. This is a time when we get a day off (some do/some work)...gather together with family and/or friends...eat too much turkey...loosen our pants and zonk out in front of some football game...and then guzzle a couple of Alka-Seltzers. Plop Plop...Fizz Fizz...Oh what a relief it is.

The roots of this thing called THANKSGIVING goes back to our American tradition to October 1621...where the Plymouth Colony Pilgrims...gathered together with the Massasoit tribe in appreciation of assistance and celebration of the 1st harvest. I am pretty sure they did not have deep fried Cajun turkey. Depending on which historian you are listening to... the facts and motives of this celebration shift and change.

THANKSGIVING DEFINED

1. The ACT of GIVING THANKS. Grateful acknowledgement of benefits or favor...especially of God.

2. An EXPRESSION of THANKS...especially to God.

3. A PUBLIC CELEBRATION in acknowledgement of DIVINE favor or kindness.

4. A day SET APART for GIVING THANKS to God.

As with most holidays...we tend to forget or bypass the intent of the holiday... and just us it as a day to consume upon our own pleasures.


The true ROOTS of Thanksgiving...has nothing to do with TOWNES or TURKEYS...but does have to do with THANKS.

PSALM 100 (A Psalm of Thanksgiving)

1. To-daw: An extension of the hand, that is adoration, specifically a choir of worshippers, confession, praise, thanks, offering.

2. Teh-hil-law: laudation, a hymn, praise



3. Yaw-daw: to use...to hold out the hand; physically to throw (a stone or an arrow); especially to revere or worship (with extended hands).

4. Baw-rak: Bow down to

"Enter into his gates with thanksgiving (TO-DAW)...and into his courts with praise (TEH-HIL-LAW). Be thankful (YAW-DAW) unto him and bless (BAW-RAK) His name." (Psalm 100:4-4. All Men Exhorted to Praise God: A Psalm of Thanksgiving)

As the people come into His temple to offer up sacrifices...they are encouraged to enter in with an ATTITUDE. The attitude is one of THANKSGIVING...the giving of thanks...BEFORE the sacrifices...before the forgiveness...with ANTICIPATION of acceptance and blessing.

So many times...we thank AFTER the fact. The VERBS...ACTIONS on our part before the fact are: (1) shout (2) serve (3) come (4) sing (5) know
(6) enter (7) give thanks (8) bless Him (9) bless.

QUESTION: When you come to church...to worship the Living God... do you come with anticipation...preparation...consecration...or do you run in late and plop down and say gimme, gimme, gimme (give me, give me, give me)?

Our current series at church is on HOPE. Hope in the world's eyes is kind of a whining..."I hope...but it probably won't" mentality...BUT true BIBLICAL HOPE...is when faced with impossibilities....has a CONFIDENT EXPECTATION that our FAITH can hook into. We should think differently, speak differently, and act differently with CONFIDENT EXPECTATION as we come into His presence...with SALIVATING EXPECTATION.

Notice the tone set for the VERBS OF WORSHIP

1. Shout...JOYFULLY...to the Lord
2. Serve the Lord...with GLADNESS
3. Come before Him...with JOYFUL SINGING

WHY? Because we KNOW that the Lord Himself IS GOD. It is He who has MADE US...and NOT we ourselves. We are HIS PEOPLE and the SHEEP of His pasture.

NOTE: It ain't about me baby...it ain't about me.

4. Enter...His gates with...THANKSGIVING
5. Enter...His courts with...PRAISE

WHY? For the Lord is GOOD...His lovingkindness is EVERLASTING... and HIS FAITHFULNESS to all generations.

NOTE: It is all based on who HE IS...versus what WE ARE NOT.


FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY!!!!

This year...I encourage you to begin to RUMINATE on GIVING THANKS, before... Thursday November 27th. Start mooing and chewing of who He is...and get ready for the next time you gather as a congregation...to ENTER IN differently.

Now...you may be thinking to yourself..."Self...I've got to much going on in my life. Self...I am in the middle of trials, troubles, and tribulations.
Self...when things GET BETTER....THEN I will thank and praise Him."

THE FILTER FOR ALL THINGS PRIOR TO THANKSGIVING

"Rejoice ALWAYS...Pray WITHOUT CEASING...IN EVERYTHING give thanks...for THIS (rejoicing always, praying without ceasing and giving thanks IN...not for...EVERYTHING) This is equated with the WILL OF GOD FOR YOU IN CHRIST JESUS. (I Thessalonians 5:16-18)

"And we know that God CAUSES ALL THINGS (the good, the bad, the ugly)...to work together for good to those who love God...to those who are called according to HIS PURPOSE." (Romans 8:28)

Happy THANKSgiving...Happy HOLYdays...Merry CHRISTmas.

Love and Thankful Kisses
Rodney "Deep Fried" Boyd

RUN devil RUN

Greetings Believers in the D.B.R. For those new to the Ramblings...the D.B.R. stands for DEATH...BURIAL...RESURRECTION...NOTHING MORE, NOTHING LESS. The GOSPEL...aka...the Good News...is the power of God... for salvation...to EVERYONE who believes...to the Jew first...and also to the Greeks. (Romans 1:16) That word POWER/DUNAMIS...means dynamic ABILITY.

This thing called salvation is NOT just our train ticket to glory. We don't just "get saved" and then wait at the railroad station of the glory train to come on down and pick us up. Between the point of salvation and the point of homecoming...there is a little thing called life...that we are still living. The difference is...we now live with a different perspective.

QUESTION: What does Paul McCartney and C.S. Lewis have in common?
ANSWER: (1) England (although C.S. was born in Ireland) (2) Words (songs, poems, literature) (3) The devil/demons.

In 1999...Sir Paul...fresh off of the Beatles Anthology series...had recorded Flaming Pie...and now releases an album by the name of RUN DEVIL RUN. It was a collection of obscure oldies that compliments another of his projects of oldies called CHOBA B CCCP.


Paul saw a herbal medicine shop in Atlanta Georgia that was selling various products including RUN DEVIL RUN products. These included various powders, potions, poultices designed to deal with (1) trouble makers
(2) meddling relatives (3) evil neighbors (3) the devil.

Paul was inspired to write a song based on that phrase...RUN DEVIL RUN. He wrote it...keeping with the theme of obscure oldies...in the style of Chuck Berry where he told a story. The story line is about a Holy Roller lady in the swamp of Alabama (with a mission on her mind)..who has got to spread to Word to "anybody she can find". She fights the devil for her brother and sister who are drinkin', fightin', and getting thrown into jail. The chorus that she fights with is:

Run devil Run...angels havin' fun
Makin' winners out of sinners...better leave before it's done
When he gets through...he'll be comin' after you
Listen what I'm saying...Ruuuuuun....RUN devil RUN.

Once we enter into this thing called salvation....we become an active participant in the WAR. There is an enemy...who is the devil (little d...never give him the respect of capitalization). The enemy...the devil was defeated at the CROSS. He thought that he had won...but if he only realized what was about to be unleashed on the gates of hell....he would never had incited the death of Jesus.

C.S. Lewis...a former atheist...who returned to his roots and proclaimed Jesus Christ...wrote many books including: The Chronicles of Narnia, Mere Christianity, Surprised By Joy, The Space Trilogy (to many books to name here)...and THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS.

The Screwtape letters was released in 1942...as a series of letters from a senior demon (screwtape) to his nephew...a junior tempter (wormwood). He was giving wormwood advice on methods for damnation of an earthly man (the Patient). There were a series of 31 letters...and ended with the phrase...
"Your affectionate uncle, screwtape". Screwtape also refers to his superior as "the father below"...and refers to God as..."the enemy".

For our purposes in this Rambling...realize (1) that there is an enemy (2) the enemy has schemes against you (3) the enemy is an accuser, a liar, a thief, a manipulator, a destroyer, a prideful fallen angel who desires the worship that God receives (4) is like/as if a roaring lion seeking who he can destroy (5) tries to steal the seed of the Word of God out of your heart/soil whenever it is sown in you (see Mark 4).

QUESTION: How can we deal with the devil
ANSWER: He has already been DEALT from the cross to the empty tomb.
WHAT NOW: We begin to take authority.

CAUTION: The devil and his well orchestrated demons are not to be underestimated or taken lightly. We just can't resist the devil.

"You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with HUMILITY toward one another, for God is OPPOSED to the PROUD...but gives GRACE to the HUMBLE. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all of your anxiety/cares upon Him, because He cares for you. Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your ADVERSARY the devil...prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour/destroy. BUT RESIST HIM...firm in your faith...knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. And after you have suffered for a little, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you." (I Peter 5:5-10)

RESISTANCE FORCE PREPARATION

1. Learn authority chain of command. (be subject to your elders). There is wisdom with experience.
2. Let humility be directed towards each other. (internal fighting can pull a house down). We are not each others enemy...the devil is.
3. Don't oppose God (by your attitude toward one another). When you oppose God...you will be on the losing end of the deal.
4. Don't wait for God to force you down. (we have a choice). Placing yourself under the hand/authority of God will give you authority on
the battlefield
5. Get ready for the proper time (not your timetable). God's proper time is the perfect time.
6. Take control of anxiety instead of anxiety controlling you. (take what is pulling you in twenty different directions and cast it to Him...
the one who can actually cares about you...and can do something about it)
7. Sober up in your spirit (be clear in your communication system with the Spirit of God...so you can understand His directives)
8. Keep your eyes wide open all the time (ala Johnny Cash).
9. Realize that you have an adversary...and the adversary is not flesh and blood...but is the devil (Ephesians 6)
10 When you hear the roar of fear...realize it is your adversary...the devil...trying to strike fear in your heart and negate your faith.
11. Know that your enemy...adversary...the devil...is seeking someone to devour. (He ain't playing a game).
12. BUT RESIST HIM. Do not allow the devil to devour you. You have authority because of the D.B.R. over this lying devil.

WARNING: Do not try to RESIST the devil...if you are not walking in steps 1-11. If you are rebellious over the authorities that God has placed over you...if you are arrogant against each other...if God is opposing you because of your pride...if you are still standing in your pride and not humbling yourself under the hand of God...if you are walking in anxiety and holding onto every fearful thing instead of letting God handle things....THEN...you have NO AUTHORITY...other than yourself...and the devil will TEAR YOU UP!!!!

13. Be firm in the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not revealed to the senses. (that would be faith in the D.B.R.)
14. Realize that you are not the only one under attack by the devil. You have brothers and sisters all over the world that are going
through the same things you are dealing with in the warfare.

NOTE: That this SUFFERING...is not God making you SUFFER...but is the result of an attack by the devourer...aka the devil.

15. Instead of focusing on the current suffering...focus on the outcome of being IN CHRIST (with that yoke destroying, burden lifting, oppression removing, healing power of the Holy Ghost)....which will be done by God Himself as He (1) perfects (2) confirms (3) strengthens
(4) and establishes you.

FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY!!!!!!

Now...with this mindset in place....

RUN devil RUN...angels havin' fun
Makin' winners out of sinners...better leave before he's done
When he gets through...he'll be comin' after you
Listen what I'm saying to you...ruuuuuuuun.....RUN devil RUN (in the name/authority of JESUS...and not in the name of Rodney)

Love and Devil Bustin' Kisses
Rodney "Under The Mighty Hand of God" Boyd

THANKSGIVING WITH THE BOYDS

Hello fellow Thankers. That would be people who love to GIVETHANKS...at the time of THANKSGIVING...which is reality should be 24/7.

It is that time of year when we have passed by the time of spooks and goblins... and enter into the season of THANKSGIVING and CHRISTMAS.

As some of you know...years ago...during the time when I was going to graduate school...over a period of a few years my dad and mom and uncle and Brenda's mother all passed away. Rough times...but as the word says...Weeping may endure for the night...but JOY comes in the morning.

We found ourselves without our normal places to go for THANKSGIVING. We talked about it...and decided that we wanted to give Phillip (our son) a tradition to remember....SO...we opened up our home to anyone who did not have a place to go (for whatever reason) for Thanksgiving...to come and share with us.

14 years later...the tradition continues. Each year an eclectic group of people come...and we have food, fun, and fellowship. People bring a dish...we deep fry a few turkeys, people have brought poems, skits, music...and we reflect what THANKSGIVING is all about.

This is an OPEN INVITATION TO YOU...AND SOMEONE YOU MAY WANT TO BRING WITH YOU. Here are some of the particulars:

WHO: You
WHAT: THANKSGIVING WITH THE BOYDS
WHEN: Thursday...November 27th 2008
TIME: We eat at 1:00 P.M.
WHERE: 1502 Jarratt Drive
Rockvale, TN 37153
WHY: (1) Why Not? (2) Food (3) Fun (4) Fellowship
HOW: Call Brenda and tell her what you will be bringing and/or check with her and see if she needs anything.
CONTACT: (615) 890-3209 or rumiator12@comcast.net

Those who will be going somewhere else...or if you are in another part of the world/country...send me an email and let me know what you are thankful for...and we will read them and pray for you on that day.

Love and Deep Fried Kisses
Rodney "Thankful for YOU" Boyd

GET BACK TO WHERE YOU ONCE BELONGED

Howdy-do Buckaroos...where are you? Oh...you may be in Montana (shout out to Pat and Charlotte)...you may be in Tanzania (shout out to John...yeessssss!)...
you may be in Kenya on the shores of Lake Victoria (shout out to Don and Nancy)...you may be in Peru (shout out to Ron and Annette)...you may be in America (shout out to....well...you know who you are).

The question is...WHERE ARE YOU? The other question is...ARE YOU WHERE YOU ONCE BELONGED? The Beatles last live concert was on the rooftop of their recording studio. The album was the last released (Let It Be) but was not the last recorded (Abby Road). The movie was a chronicle of the breakup of the Beatles...in a last attempt (led by Paul) to get back to their roots.

Periodically...I find myself asking myself those questions about location in my Christian journey/walk. Am I progressing...regressing...possessing...obsessing?

In an ever changing world...I feel like I am teetering on the brink of an abyss...
without a safety net. It makes me think of the album by The 77's...PING PONG OVER THE ABYSS. With all of the world events swirling around me...I feel like I am out of control. Everything seems so complicated. I long for the GOOD OLD DAYS. Sometimes I long for the BAD OLD DAYS before I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Saviour.

"Get back...Get back...Get back to where you once belonged." (The Beatles: Get Back)

"Take me back...Take me back dear Lord...to the place...where I first believed you." (Andrea Crouch: Take Me Back)

Gotta gotta get back...gotta gotta get back...(Wayne Cochran: Going Back To Miami)

"Having Jesus for my FIRST LOVE makes the darkest day shine...He has filled me with His Spirit...and I'll love Him until the end of time...and that's a long time." (Joe English: First Love) NOTE: Joe played with Paul McCartney and Wings during their hayday...and played with a rock jazz group called SEA LEVEL with former Allman Band members...and then became a Christian and added a groove to Christian music.

QUESTION: Where are you? Are you where you once belonged?
NOTE: I am not talking about maturing in the faith...but talking about BASIC ROOTS.

You may be asking yourself...why does Rod have these pictures of this flamboyant...overdressed...over styled hair yahoo? I'm glad you asked yourself this question.

This is Mr. Wayne Cochran? Wayne Cochran...aka THE WHITE KNIGHT OF SOUL...was a rock and roller from the 50's, 60's and 70's. His big song that he wrote was LAST KISS...recorded by Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers. Wayne was discovered by Jackie Gleason who T.V. show was filmed in Miami Florida. Wayne had a hit with the song GOING BACK TO MIAMI. Wayne also wrote the song C.C. RIDER (big song for Elvis...and a movie with Joe Namath was based on the song...also recorded by multiple artists including Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels). NOTE: The C.C. in C.C. Rider stands for Wayne's Band...
Cochran's Circuit Riders. Wayne is also noted for his HAIR. He brought the POMPADOUR to new heights. Take a ruler to Elvis' Pompadour and then measures Wayne's. And the last bit of trivia for you Trivial Pursuit Vault... Wayne was responsible for Elvis' costumes during the Vegas/70's touring years.

Another question...why am I saying all of this about Wayne Cochran..and what does this have to do about GETTING BACK TO WHERE YOU ONCE BELONGED?

In 1981...Wayne along with his wife Monica became a BORN AGAIN CHRISTIAN. Since that time he has been ministering Jesus to people who would never set there foot in the door of our comfortable seeker friendly sanctuaries. He has been ministering out of the North Miami Christian Center and is a Harley riding pastor. WAYNE GOT BACK...TO WHERE HE ONCE BELONGED. So many of us take sojourns into the land of sin...I know I have.

As I started this Rambling out...I need roots...grounding...security...a place where things make sense to me. My answer always come back to the basics.

"I know you are enduing patiently and are bearing up for My name's sake, and you have not fainted or become exhausted or grown weary...BUT I have this [one charge to make] against you...that you have LEFT [abandoned] THE LOVE THAT YOU HAD AT FIRST---you have deserted [Me]...your FIRST LOVE." (Revelation 2:3,4)

YIKES...the message was for the church of Ephesus...but it penetrates my heart. What could the solution possibly be. The problem is...I appear to be doing all the right things...but my MOTIVE is skewed. I am running on automatic pilot versus love. What is the answer?

"REMEMBER then from what heights you have fallen. REPENT--change the inner man to meet God's will---and DO the works you did previously [when FIRST YOU KNEW THE LORD]. Or else I will visit you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you CHANGE YOUR MIND.... and REPENT." (Revelation 2:5)

THE FORMULA FOR RESTORED LOVE

1. Remember (ruminate)
2. Repent (change)
3. Redo (implemented action)

I think back to 1968 when Brenda Sue Williams walked in a garage on a sunny Sunday afternoon to listen to THE BLIND DISTORTION practice. Immediately...I was in love...she wasn't. But...I was persistent...like a fly buzzing around sugar...and eventually wore down her resistance. NOTE: Today this would be called stalking. Once she allowed me to date her...I was consumed with sending her love notes, calling her, going out with her, spending time with her...even to the point of going to church with her. I lavished her with gifts...and would be the first thing on my lips when I talked to other people. Today...I still love her with a passion...give her coffee in the mornings along with cookies or muffins, or whatever is around the house. I love being with her...love to hear her voice over the phone during the day.
Sometimes...we have to REMEMBER...CHANGE...AND REDO those FIRST THINGS...to keep the fires of romance burning. NOTE: Men, do you need to REPENT.

There is a a great teaching series by Derek Prince called the FOUNDATIONS SERIES. It is currently out in book form as THE SPIRIT FILLED BELIEVER'S HANDBOOK...and in workbook form called SELF-STUDY BIBLE COURSE These are Ruminatin' Rod's Recommend Reading.

They are based on FOUNDATIONAL principles/teachings that are found in Hebrews 5:11-6:3) They are considered the MILK OF THE WORD...and are expected to be mastered...and then taught to others. The MEAT would be DOING the MILK. Jesus told His disciples that "My MEAT is to DO the WILL of Him who sent me...and to accomplish His works" (John 4:34)

When you read about the BASIC...the ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES...you see that the way to walk in the MEAT vs. the MILK...is by PRACTICE. We become mature by practicing the basics.

"But solid food/meat is for the mature who BECAUSE OF PRACTICE have their SENSES trained to discern good and evil." (Hebrews 5:14)

FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY!!!!!!

Get back...get back....get back to where you once belonged...gotta gotta gotta get back...take me back to the place where I first believed....having Jesus for my FIRST LOVE.

Get back...to reading the Word...praying to God...fellowshipping with fellow believers...and get back to sharing your faith. Get back to loving God with ALL your heart, soul, mind, and strength...and love your neighbor as yourself.

Love and FIRST THING KISSES
Rodney "Still in love with Brenda...and most of Jesus." Boyd

THE RESISTANCE FORCE

Greetings and welcome to THE FAMILY FEUD...the game show that pits one family against the other. In the past there have been the Hatfields versus the McCoys...Elliot Ness versus Frank Nitty...Hitler versus the world...blacks versus whites...illegal aliens versus America...dictatorship versus the free world, the devil versus YOU...Republicans versus Democrats...Socialism versus Democracy. What's a BELIEVER to do?

BELIEVER: Someone who BELIEVES in the Death, Burial, Resurrection of Jesus (God is Salvation), Immanuel (God with us)...the Christ (God's Anointed One...anointed with yoke breaking, burden lifting, oppression removing power of the Holy Ghost).


The question is...in this crazy, mixed up world...how do we mix our FAITH...with the WORLD that we live in...that is diametrically opposed to what we believe?

Are we as Christians to become MODERATES....PASSAFIST...who rolls over and allows EVIL MEN...who in turn run EVIL GOVERNMENTS. NO!! As one brother points out..."If we Christians continue to adopt the "hold the fort" mentality...it will cost us a lot more. It's almost as if being POLITICALLY PASSIONATE is mutually exclusive to DEVOUT FAITH." The answer to the question is NO! Just like we are not called to commit INTELLECTUAL SUICIDE...we are not called to go down quietly.

"All that is necessary for triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." (Edmund Burke)

On Larry Norman's 1972 MGM/Verve record called ONLY VISITING THIS PLANET...the songs about Jesus were mixed in with commentary of the times with songs like SIX O'CLOCK NEWS...THE GREAT AMERICAN NOVEL...and READER'S DIGEST. These songs did not sugar coat the state of America...but spoke out against injustice, war, state of the union. When we become citizens of heaven...and are placed in colonies of heaven here on planet earth...we are called to be SALT and LIGHT in a tasteless and dark world.

As my brother continues to point out..."I contend they (being politically passionate and devout faith)...were historically, scriptural, and need to be now, two cornerstones in the house of liberty GOD GAVE US in 1776." He questions..."Why are we ambivalent to the Christian faith being further marginalized in a society GOVERNED BY POLITICS?"



Back in the old day...in Israel...there were no ELECTIONS...there was no talk radio...there was no political process that the people were allowed to speak into. They spoke you jumped. If they called for a census...you packed up and moved...even if you were pregnant with child.

In the good old U.S. of A...we have a vehicle by which we can participate in the political process. Heathens, pornographers, homosexuals, adulterers, child molesters, murderers, illegal aliens, socialists/Marxists, good people, bad people, Muslims, atheist, agnostics, multiple polytheistic religions, denominations, fundamentalist, racists (on all sides of the color spectrum), KKK members, Black Panther members, Nation of Islam members (with their glasses and bow ties), rednecks, and even followers of Jesus...can participate in the process.

The thought is...if I am a Christian...I cannot voice my opinion...or stand against the flood of EVIL that is washing through America. On the contrary...WE MUST STAND UP...SPEAK OUT...and enter into the process...HOWEVER...our motivation cannot be fear, hatred, or the tactics used by the non-believer. We have been given the forum of FREE SPEECH to speak out against corruption...and if we don't utilize that...if we don't do good when we know to do good...then it is sin (James 4:17)

As someone who has been involved in the political process before...I have seen believers overtaken by the passion of the battle...and loose focus of the ATTITUDE that we have been called to...IN THE STEPS OF JESUS. I have seen those who take a stand against the evil...but the politics become their religion.

Jesus was a radical. He stood against injustice...he spoke out against evil...especially in corrupt religion. He spoke out against the stiff necked and uncircumcised of heart...and turned over the tables in their corrupt temples and wielded a scourge to drive out EVIL.


We are called to a RESISTANCE FORCE.

RESIST: To stand against, oppose, resist, withstand.

As we walk in our Resistance to evil...we must be tempered with Jesus' directives.

"You have heard that it was said, an eye for an eye...and a tooth for a tooth...but I say to you...DO NOT RESIST him who is evil..but whoever slaps you on your right cheek...turn to him the other also. And if any one wants to sue you, and take your shirt let him have your coat also. And whoever shall force you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks of you...and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you. You have heard that it was said...you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy...but I say to you love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you...IN ORDER that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the EVIL and the GOOD and sends rain on the RIGHTEOUS and the UNRIGHTEOUS. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax-gatherers do the same? And if you greet your brothers only., what do you do more than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5:38-48)

As we walk in this world...that we are just passing through...we are called to be REPRESENTATIVES...AMBASSADORS...MINISTERS OF RECONCILIATION...of the Kingdom of God. (II Corinthians 5:17-21)

Can the age old teachings of Jesus...be used in modern day politics? Can the laws, rules, regulations of the political process be walked out in conjunction with the laws of the Kingdom and the teachings of Jesus...OR...are the teachings of Jesus only good for the politics of the age he was living in? Can the principled of God be utilized in a Democratic society?

I believe that we CAN walk in this world...and utilize principles of the Kingdom of God.

"A disciple is not above his teacher, not a slave above his master. It is enough for the disciple that he BECOME AS HIS TEACHER...and the slave above his master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household. There do not fear them for there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be made known. What I tell you in the darkness, SPEAK IN THE LIGHT...and what you heard WHISPERED in your ear...PROCLAIM/SHOUT UPON THE HOUSETOPS. And DO NOT FEAR those who KILL THE BODY...but are unable to KILL THE SOUL...but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." (Matthew 10:24-28)

King David had his Nathan to out his evil...King Herod had his John the Baptist to condemn his sin...religious people had Jesus to shake them up...and where ever we are...we are called to take a stand for GOD....and speak the truth when it goes against the grain of right.

Love and Politically Incorrect Kisses
Rodney "Take A Stand For God" Boyd

NOVEMBER 5TH...NOW WHAT?????

Greetings citizens of the United States...and citizens of the world. If you woke up this morning and you were breathing...raise your hand.

Yesterday...millions of people were exercising their rights as Americans...to cast their vote for who they thought should be the 44th President of the United States. After two years of campaigning...finger pointing...lies...speculations...promises...plans, from each side of the political spectrum...it has come down to one man. That man is Barak Huessin Obama. He is now the president elect. One group of people are in despair...the other group of people are elated. The question is...as a believer in the Death, Burial, and Resurrection of Jesus the Anointed One...NOW WHAT?

Many people fear that this is the beginning of the end of the world as we know it. Others look at this time as the birth of new beginnings...a dawning of a new age...a shift in the lines that have been drawn in the sand throughout the ages. To some...hope is dashed...while others hope is come alive.

But the question still remains...NOW WHAT? If you disagree with the politics that are now represented...what do you do as a believer? Oh...by the way...there are believers on BOTH SIDES of the spectrum.



In a previous Rambling...we talked about how we are to respond to kings, governors, masters... especially the UNREASONABLE ONES. We saw that Jesus led the example for us to FOLLOW IN HIS STEPS...who (1) committed no sin (2) no deceit found in his MOUTH (3) did not REVILE in return to his REVILERS (4) uttered NO THREATS while SUFFERING (5) KEPT ENTRUSTING HIMSELF to Him who judges righteously. (I Peter 2:17-25)

We also saw in the previous Rambling...that first of all...that (1) entreaties (2) prayers (3) petitions
(4) thanksgivings...be made ON BEHALF OF ALL MEN. This includes (1) kings (2) all who are in authority. The reason for entreating, praying, petitioning and thanking being made on behalf of all men (aka intercession)...that we may LEAD A TRANQUIL AND QUIET LIFE in all godliness and dignity. In the sight of God...this is (1) good (2) acceptable. God desires ALL MEN to be (1) saved
(2) to come to the knowledge of the truth. (I Timothy 2:1-4)

The natural REACTION to change that we don't like...is to grumble, complain, open our MOUTHS and spew venom. IF we are to follow the EXAMPLE of Jesus....IF we are to follow IN HIS STEPS...then at the minimum...we need to watch out for what we SPEAK.

One of my favorite PRO-VERBS (Positive-Action)...is Proverbs 30:31. "If you have been foolish in exalting yourself or if you have plotted evil...PUT YOUR HAND ON YOUR MOUTH. For the churning of milk produces butter and pressing the nose brings forth blood (cause and affect)...SO the CHURNING OF ANGER....produces STRIFE."

The mouth is the churn...anger is the milk...talking/complaining/griping is the agitator...and the product or butter is STRIFE. The solution...PUT YOU HAND ON YOUR MOUTH.

Abraham Lincoln...in A Proclamation For A Day Of Fasting and Prayer...declared:

"We have been the recipients of the choices bounties of Heaven. We have been preserved in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth and power as no other nations has ever grown. But WE HAVE FORGOTTEN GOD. Intoxicated by UNBROKEN SUCCESS...we have become SELF-SUFFICIENT to fell the necessity of redeeming grace, TOO PROUD...TO PRAY...TO THE GOD WHO MADE US."

In Derek Prince's book...SHAPING HISTORY THROUGH PRAYER AND FASTING...Derek calls us to corporate and individual praying and fasting...to be used as a tool to SHAPE HISTORY. For those who do not believe in God...we are either self-made or on a cosmic roller coaster ride...but to us as BELIEVERS...there is a God...and he uses fallible human beings. The key to this is not the prayer or even the fasting...but the HUMBLING OF OURSELVES...and yielding our ARROGANCE to God. So the question is...NOW WHAT?

This year is 2008...back in 1999...there was the anticipation of the coming year of 2000 as something significant. It was a new millennium...to some the end of the world...to some new beginnings. There was a little glitch in the system called Y2K. This was a computer problem...where dates were recognized by the last two numbers ie. 1998 would be 96...97...98...99 but the next numbers would be 00. Yikes...the world as we know it would fall apart...because of all of the computers crashing and sending us into a tailspin. People began to prepare and hoard...and were motivated by FEAR. The Y stood for year the K stood for kilo, so Year 2000. This was also know as Millennium Bug, Y2K bug, Computer Bug.

Well...the Apocalypse did not happen...the world did not fall apart...and life went on.

Bruce Cockburn...at that time had a song called THE LAST NIGHT OF THE WORLD. The picture is the set list of one of Cockburn's concerts I attended. See toward the bottom on the left side...the song LAST NITE. Also the song If I Had a Rocket Launcher...and my personal favorite...NIGHT TRAIN.

LAST NIGHT OF THE WORLD

If this was the last night of the world
What would I dooooo
What would I doooooo that was DIFFERENT
Unless it was champagne with you

NOW WHAT? What are you going to do differently?

Charles Wesley...brother to John...and one of the founders of the Methodist Church...had the habit of tending to his garden. Someone once quizzed him about what would he do if he knew Jesus was coming back today. His answer was that he would do what he does everyday. There would be no significant changes. He would tend his garden, write songs, be a Christian.

So the question is ....NOW WHAT? What are you going to do...that is different from what you were doing on November 4th?

As Americans...we have the right and privilege to voice our opinions. We have the right to vote in representatives. We have the right to disagree. Our country was founded on disagreement with a government...and led to an American Revolution. So most definitely we can continue to voice our opinion of what we feel is right or wrong. We can be passionate about what we believe...HOWEVER...we have to not let our PASSION BECOME OUR GOD.

For me...I sense a need to focus not on the OUTCOME...but on the INCOME...of my own personal life. I will still SPEAK OUT...but only after I have humbled myself...after I have prayed...after I have fasted...after I have prayed for those that are unreasonable and only after I have put my hand over my mouth IF I would be churning evil and strife.

In the days of the Jesus Movement there was a musical experience in worship and intercession called IF MY PEOPLE. It was a call to God's people to prayer for this nation and this world. It was based on II Chronicles 7:14


"And IF MY PEOPLE...who are called by My name...HUMBLE THEMSELVES...and PRAY...and SEEK MY FACE...and TURN from their WICKED WAYS...THEN...i WILL HEAR FROM HEAVEN...WILL FORGIVE THEIR SINS...and WILL HEAL THEIR LAND. Now My Eyes shall be open and MY ears attentive to THE PRAYER OFFERED IN THIS PLACE." (II Chronicles 7:14,15)

That was the prayer...now what about the fasting. Well...you can do without food...but it is not a fast but a diet. A true Biblical Fast...that will change history...is found in Isaiah 58. As we pray let us act out the fast: (1) loosen the bonds of wickedness (2) undo the bands of the yoke (3) let the oppressed go free (4) break every yoke (5) divide your bread with the hungry (6) bring the homeless poor into the house (7) See the naked and cover them (8) don't hide from your own flesh. The cause and effect of this kind of FASTING...is (1) your light will break ou t like the dawn (2) your recovery will speedily spring forth (3) your righteousness will go before you (4) the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard (5) you will call and the Lord will answer (6) you will cry and He will say HERE I AM. The CONDITION is...
IF...lyou remove the yoke from your midst and the pointing of your finger and speaking wickedness and IF you give yourself to the hungry and satisfy the desire of teh afflicted...THEN your light will rise in darkness and your gloodm will become like the mid-day and the Lord will CONTINUALLY GUIDE YOU and SATISFY your desire in scorched places, and give STRENGTH to your bones...and you will be like WATERED GARDENS...and like a SPRING OF WATER whose WATERS DO NOT FAIL. And those from among you will REBUILD THE ANCIENT RUINS...you will RAISE UP THE AGE-OLD FOUNDATIONS...and you will be called the REPAIRER OF THE BREACH...the RESTORER of the streets in which to dwell. IF because of the sabbath, you TURN YOUR FOOT from doing your OWN PLEASURE on My holy day...and call the sabbath a DELIGHT...the holy day of the LORD HONORABLE...and shall honor it...DESISTING FROM YOUR OWN WAYS...from seeking your OWN PLEASURE...and speaking your OWN WORD. (Isaiah 58:1-14)

WOW...what a powerhouse...praying and fasting that brings about POSITIVE ACTION instead of GRUMBLING AND COMPLAINING.

WHAT NOW? Make Christ the Center of your life...Study the Word...Pray...Fellowship with other believers...and continue to Witness the Death, Burial, and Resurrection of Jesus. Put your faith and trust in your healer, supplier, righteousness, peace, banner, shepherd, etc.

Love and Hopeful Kisses
Rodney "Jesus is Lord" Boyd

STANDING IN THE LIGHT

Greetings all of you LIVING PEOPLE. If you are reading this...then you are ALIVE. If you are ALIVE...then you were not ABORTED. To some...that is a good thing...to others...they may at times... or at this very moment be wishing THAT THEY NEVER WERE BORN.

Thursday night...Brenda and I were table hosts at the PREGNANCY SUPPORT CENTER FALL FUNDRAISING BANQUET.

The PREGNANCY SUPPORT CENTER was started in Murfreesboro...as a vision of some close friends by the names of Trent and Laura Messick. Laura is currently the Executive Director of the Center while Trent is the Chairman of the Board. Many moons ago...I'm not exactly sure how many...but many moons ago...in the early 80's...Laura was watching the 700 Club and saw a story about how thousands of fetus' and body parts were found in the dumpster of an abortion clinic. The seed of compassion was planted. Actually...the compassion was already in her...it was watered and the seed was opened of a desire to be involved.

At that time...the abortion debate was heated...with even the Christian's getting so impassioned that they would BLOW UP THE ABORTION CLINICS or cause violence against those who were
PRO-ABORTION. Trent and Laura...wanted to do something POSITIVE...in a NEGATIVE situation.
The end results of this vision was...an organization that was started to...express THE LOVE OF GOD towards people who were in a CRISIS PREGNANCY. This included counseling...giving other options instead of abortion...helping with the physical, financial, emotional needs. Instead of BLOWING UP THINGS...they were BUILDING LIVES. As a result...hundreds upon hundreds of babies were born... and lives were changed for the better.

The abortion debate rages on...but in Murfreesboro Tennessee...the is LIGHT.

Two foundational verses were part of the beginning back i n the 80's...and they are still the guiding LIGHT.

"Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the DAY OF EVIL comes...you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything...to stand." (Ephesians 6:13)

"...now you are LIGHT IN THE LORD...Live as children of the LIGHT...everything exposed by the LIGHT...becomes VISIBLE...for it is the LIGHT that makes everything VISIBLE." (Ephesians 5:8, 13-14)


On June 10th 1989...the LIGHT was made visible to us...Rodney Lewis Boyd and Brenda Sue Boyd. On June 10th, 1989...a little baby was BORN.
On June 13th...3 days later...this little baby boy...became a member of the Boyd Household as Stephen Phillip Boyd was adopted.

His birth mother had the options to GIVE BIRTH...or ABORT him....but she CHOOSE LIFE. Now that is PRO-CHOICE. Oh by the way...Trent and Laura were there with us...to celebrate the joy of the moment.

ABORT

1. To bring forth a fetus from the uterus before the fetus is viable; miscarry
2. To develop incompletely; remain in a rudimentary or underdeveloped state
3. To fail, cease, or stop at an early or premature stage
4. Rocketry: to stop before the scheduled flight is completed.

Thank God...Phillip was not aborted...but his SCHEDULED FLIGHT was completed....and he was launched into this world with plan, purpose and destiny.

"For Thou didst form my inward parts; Thou didst weave me in my mother's womb. I will give thanks to Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Thy works, and my soul knows it very well. My frame/bones were not hidden from Thee...when I was made in secret...and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth...Thine eyes have seen my UNFORMED SUBSTANCE; And in Thy book they were all written...the days that were ORDAINED FOR ME...when as yet there was NOT ONE OF THEM." (Psalm 139: 13-16)

"For I know the PLANS that I have for you declares the Lord...PLANS for welfare...and NOT for CALAMITY...to give you a FUTURE and a HOPE." (Jeremiah 29:11)


At the fundraiser...there a special testimony of a lady named Megan Johnson...who as a teen became pregnant...and was considering abortion...came to the center...and then made a PRO-CHOICE...not to ABORT. Three years later...she is the mother of the joy of her life. There was also special music by Jaime Theitten who sang and also had her latest video of her song...My Chance...about going through with an abortion...and now she is "missing her Chance."

The guest speaker was DR. WILLIAM LILE. In the revamped words of Butterfly McQueen who was in the movie Gone With The Wind...he KNOWS "something about BIRTHING BABIES." He gave an inspiring and informative talk about the birth process from CONCEPTION to birth....with video via the WOMB CAM...where you could see the viability of the PERSON IN THE WOMB. He kicked off his talk with a reading from the 1954 book by Dr. Suess...called HORTON HEARS A WHO.

Horton the elephant was walking along in the Jungle of Nool on the 15th of May...when he hears a SMALL speck of dust talking to him. The speak of dust turns out to be a planet that was home to a city called WHOVILLE..inhabited by microscopic-sized inhabitants know as WHOS. They were crying out to PROTECT US FROM HARM.

The phrase that was used over and over again in the book...was..."A PERSON'S A PERSON, NO MATTER HOW SMALL." This is what Dr. Lille was emphasizing with scientific data... and actual video from the womb as we saw cells divide and the spark of life at these levels.
"A PERSON'S A PERSON...NO MATTER HOW SMALL."

There are all kinds of reasons...why it's O.K. to abort a baby. The arguments range from a woman has a right to do whatever she wants to do to her body.... TO...it's only a lump of unformed flesh. It's O.K. to be PRO-CHOICE...as long as the CHOICE is abortion.

NOTE: Usually the male species is castigated as the ones who are trying to make the CHOICE for WOMEN on whether or not they should give birth or abort...BUT...at the meeting...I looked around...and I saw a lot of WOMEN who were there...whose views were that ABORTION IS NOT RIGHT.

Phillip Stephen Boyd was born and not aborted...and he has touched and changed lives from Tennessee (Wherry Housing)...to Mexico (orphanage)...to Peru (Iquitos)...to Biloxi (rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina). And most of all... Phillip has changed OUR LIVES.



FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In this crazy...mixed up...topsy-turvy world that we live in...there is a reversal of morality. Isaiah speaks of this...

"Woe to those who call EVIL GOOD...and GOOD EVIL; Who substitute DARKNESS...for LIGHT...and LIGHT FOR DARKNESS...who substitute BITTER for SWEET and SWEET for BITTER! Woe to those who are heroes in drinking wine, and valiant me in mixing strong drink; Who justify the wicked for a bribe...and TAKE AWAY THE RIGHTS OF THE ONES WHO ARE IN RIGHT." (Isaiah 5:20-23)

Thank God...that Laura and Trent...heard from God...and did not just DO NOTHING...but STOOD UP as LIGHT in a DARKENED WORLD...and expressed LOVE instead of HATE.

NOTE: If you have committed abortion...or whatever crisis you are in...there is HOPE. God can REDEEM your PAST...to give you a hope in the NOW...so you can have a FUTURE.

If you would like to DO SOMETHING POSITIVE in a NEGATIVE WORLD...you can contact Laura at:

P.O. Box 2305
Murfreesboro, TN 37133
Phone: (615) 893-0228

If you are not in the Murfreesboro area...I bet they can help you with how you can be a LIGHT in your community.

Love and PRO-LIFE KISSES
Rodney "Let Your Light Shine" Boyd