Believing God

In 2002, I joined an online Bible study lead by Beth Moore, called "Believing God". I had been involved in several Beth Moore Bible studies and had even attending a "Living Proof Live" conference in Odessa, Texas in 2001. God has gifted Beth with an awesome women's ministry to lead women to seek God in His Word and find answers for their life through studying Scripture. I am continually amazed at how God uses these Bible studies in various times of my life to speak to my heart and mind concerning my relationship with Him. My God is an awesome God! I praise His Holy Name!
The women's ministry at my previous church had a wonderful group of dedicated Christian women who met regularly to study the Bible and often used Beth Moore studies. We became best friends as we bonded our lives through studying Scripture, praying for each other, our families, and any other needs that came to our minds. We truly became "sisters" in our study and time we spent together. We often attended other retreats and several of us became involved in an area musical group called "The Singing Women of Texas-Permian Basin".
"Believing God" was the first attempt to provide an online video Bible study by Lifeway-Biblical Solutions for Life. High-speed Internet connections were relatively new in 2002, so I often did my Bible study sessions at school, since my home computer still used a dial-up connection. I often stayed at school late to wait for my youngest son to get finished with after school athletics, so it was a good, quiet time for me to spend in Bible study. I only worked through the first six sessions of the study until my son and I no longer stayed after hours. I never did finish the study and put the unfinished lesson notebook in a shelf where it remained until we moved to Possum Kingdom Lake in 2008. Later, I packed up my Bible study library and moved it to a storage facility.
Several months ago, I found a briefcase/cart in storage which contained "Believing God" and several other Bible studies from my library. I brought these home and moved it around to various locations around the house. After I had finished my study of "Esther" with Beth Moore, God impressed me to look for the "Believing God" study and finish it next. As I reviewed the sessions I had previously completed, He encouraged me to start over again and discover how my belief in Him had changed or sustained over the past 8 years.
Today I watched the sixth of ten videos. God continues to amaze me as I have read my answers from 2002, seen how God has answered prayers and concerns that I had then and continues to inspire me to believe Him in my present and future situations. I am so blessed to have been raised in a Christian home, to have Christian friends and family, and know that my salvation is secure as I look forward to the day that I am called to Heaven to enjoy Eternity with my Heavenly Father and all the saints who have gone before me. I want to sing in St. Peter's choir and walk the streets of Gold as I enter the Pearly Gates.
Each day is a gift...that's why it is called the Present!
If you don't know Jesus as your personal Savior, I pray you will contact me or someone else you know and ask them to share how you can know that you know Jesus is Lord and died for your sins. Knowing Jesus is the most important decision you will ever make in your life.
"For God so loved the world, He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him will have everlasting life." John 3:16
As for me...I'm believing God!

Thinking Out Loud

God is challenging me to think more and more. He wakes me up in the early morning, or is it the middle of the night(?) and I crawl out of bed and make my way to my Quiet Place to read my Bible, pray of people who come to my mind or who are on my prayer list, read daily devotionals and study whatever in-depth Bible study I am persuing at the time. Sometimes I have an "ah-ha" moment and other times, I just sit in the stillness and try to let the Holy Spirit speak to my heart, mind, and soul.

Writing is not one of my gifts, but I often do it to organize my thoughts by putting them on paper or some techy device. Reading other friends blogs is a passion of mine. I enjoy the words they share about themselves, their families, and their journeys and experiences in life. "The Bridges of Madison County" inspired me to keep a diary by journaling my experiences and prayer requests. My son says he is looking forward to reading all my volumes of writing to see just what I was thinking and praying about during his life. Beth Moore also encourages journaling conversations with God and for more years than I know, I've been writing my life story through my notebook journals.

Today, I was catching up on "Living Proof Ministry" http://blog.lproof.org and was reading Melissa Moore Curtis's decision to take a leave of absence from LPM to devote more time to her husband and children. I remember being torn between motherhood and family finances. I thought I was "Super Woman" and could do it all. With the grace of God everyone survived and I won't let my choices haunt me. Even after retirement and empty-nest syndrome, I continue to see change in my life. God is changing me in so many ways. Let me quote Melissa and the scripture reference she gave: "Please know that when you cry out to the Lored, He hears you! He knows what you are going through. He is your Shepherd and He cares for you. Pray, pray, pray." First Peter 5:7-8 says, "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that He may lift yo up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you." (NIV) Ask God to show you His love, power, and care right now.

Pledges in Life

Pledges are common in many facets of our life. The most familiar is the Pledge to the United States flag:
"I pledge allegiance to the flag, of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

Texans learn the pledge to the Texas flag in 4th and 7th grade social studies:
"Honor the Texas flag; I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas, one state under God, one and indivisible."

As a young child, I added two other pledges to my memory:
1) Pledge to the Christian flag: "I pledge allegiance to the Christian flag, and to the Savior to whose Kingdom it stands. One brotherhood, uniting all mankind in service and love."
2)Pledge to the Bible: "I pledge allegiance to the Bible, God's Holy Word; and will make it a lamp unto my feet, a light unto my path, and hide it's words in my heart, that I might not sin against Thee."

Those same Christian pledges are still recited in many fundamental Vacation Bible Schools although, many churches have replaced those "Opening Ceremonies" with trendier activities and formats. As an adult working in VBS, those pledges brought back wonderful memories of my childhood and those pledges take on a deeper meaning in my life today.

This week, one of my friends posted the following pledge on their wall and I copied it to mine:

“I pledge allegiance to Jesus Christ, And to God’s kingdom for which he died— One Spirit-led people the world over, indivisible, With love and justice for all.”

I had never heard it before, but I like it and think it is something I need to pledge daily. Jesus is the most important thing in my life and I need to share it not only in my words but in my day to day living and the witness I present through my actions and speech.

As the world tries to hush the name of God and Jesus Christ, we as Christians need to shout all the louder. We are "one nation under God", and "God bless America" should remain on our currency and our lips. Why do we continue to let a few offended people justify "political correctness" by taking away our religious freedom to be Christians? Wake up American Christians! Pledge your allegiance to God!

Location! Location! Location

Nine months ago, Ranch Brand Jewelry, Possum Kingdom relocated to a new, larger, and more visible location. We are near the intersection of Park Road 36 and North FM 2353 in Lakewood Shopping Center right behind Mr. C's convenience store. We can see everyone going and coming to and from the east side of the lake from Graham or Mineral Wells and hopefully more people can see us.

With the bigger store, we have expanded our inventory to include gift and greetings cards for all occasions. We have decor flags, frames, flameless candles, 14K roses, and several collegiate and professional sports mugs, coozies, and even some novelty furniture. We feature Road Kill scented candles in Awesome Possum, Too Slow Doe, Buck on my Truck, Essence of Cowhide, and Armadillo on the Half-Shell! Our selection of MooreMaker knives and tools is the most complete of any where you have found.

Ranch Brand Jewelry, Possum Kingdom continues to showcase a wide selection of rings, pendants, and earrings in diamond, white and yellow gold, and all gemstones. Alan provides excellent repair, but custom creations are his trademark. We recently acquired Jody Coyote earrings and Bauble LuLu bracelets and necklaces.

Check out our website: http://www.rbjpk.com/

Dorothy...Jake's New Dog

Dorothy is the latest member of the Fires family. She is a Border Collie and Labrador mixed mutt that we rescued from the pound. We are attempting to make her an inside dog, but she has violent opposition from the other fur-balls already established in the house. HB, Pete, and especially Holly wish she would go away. Being all puppy, she is very rambuncious and chews on/up everything. Alan and I are too old to maintain a youngster, so she may soon become an outside pet.

Jake's old Border Collie, Boots died several weeks ago. For the time being, we are all trying to train her and encourage her to be a good dog. Only time will tell who will survive.

Get Up and Pray

I receive a daily e-mail called "Word For the Day" by Ed Stevens (estevens@sillyprillygifts.com). Every day there is a scripture, motivational thought and an interesting article to read. Some days I quickly read the message and at other times, really stop and ponder the message. Today is one of those thought provoking articles that I would like to share with you. May you be encouraged and blessed by the message. Contact Ed if you would like to be added to his e-mail list.

Thursday ***The Word for 2/05 7 Open up, ancient gates! Open up, ancient doors, and let the King of glory enter. 8 Who is the King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, invincible in battle. Psalms 24:7,8

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I'VE LEARNED.........that maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had and what you've learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.

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NEHEMIAH: LESSONS IN REBUILDING

Get Up And Pray, By Eric Elder, www.theranch.org

There’s a scene in the middle of the classic Christmas movie “It’s A Wonderful Life” that I hardly noticed in all the years that I’ve watched it--until I became a Christian, that is. The message of the movie is so powerful, I missed the fact that the whole chain of events that takes place throughout the movie starts with a prayer.

When George Bailey, the character played by Jimmy Stewart, finds himself at a loss for what to do next, he prays: “God . . . God . . . Dear Father in Heaven, I’m not a praying man, but if You’re up there and You can hear me, show me the way. I’m at the end of my rope. Show me the way, God.” And God does.

There’s a time to weep over the losses in your life, but there’s also a time to move forward. And the best way to move forward is to get up and pray. Although you may feel like George Bailey at times, not even sure if God’s there and listening at all, I assure you He is. God is there and God does care. Knowing that can make all the difference in your prayers.

If you think of prayer as just a time to be alone, or a time to talk to yourself and try to work things out on your own, then you may not have much incentive to pray at all. But if you truly believe that God is there, and that when you talk, He listens--and responds--then turning to prayer takes on a whole new meaning.

When the prophet Nehemiah suffered a great loss in his life, he sat down and wept, but the next thing he did was to get up and pray. Listen to the words of Nehemiah, and his prayer, as recorded in Nehemiah chapter 1:

“When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. Then I said:

‘O LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love Him and obey His commands, let Your ear be attentive and Your eyes open to hear the prayer Your servant is praying before You day and night for Your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s house, have committed against You. We have acted very wickedly toward You. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws You gave Your servant Moses.

‘Remember the instruction You gave Your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for My Name.’

‘They are Your servants and Your people, whom You redeemed by Your great strength and Your mighty hand. O Lord, let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of this Your servant and to the prayer of Your servants who delight in revering Your name. Give Your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man’” (Nehemiah 1:4-11).

Nehemiah knew that God was there, that God was listening, and that God knew best what to do next. Nehemiah mourned, fasted and prayed. He confessed his own sins, as well as those of his countrymen. And he reminded himself--and God--of God’s promises, asking for God’s favor as he moved forward.

I don’t know whether you’re more like George Bailey, who didn’t think of himself as a praying man, or more like Nehemiah, who prayed regularly, or somewhere in between. But I do know that whoever you are, you can pray to your Father in heaven and He will hear you--and He will respond. That prayer could very well be the one that starts the whole chain of events of the rest of your life.

Come to God today and pray, even if it’s as simple as saying, “I’m at the end of my rope. Show me the way, God.” And He will.

Let’s pray...

Father, I’m at the end of my rope and I don’t know what to do next. I confess my sins to you. Show me the way, Lord, and help me to know what to do next. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY……….. For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper. He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy. He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight. Psalm 72:12-14 The King James Version

from God is the opportunity to try. C. H. Spurgeon

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Merry Christmas

As we are all busy with Christmas shopping, parties, and numerous "to do" lists, let us take time to remember the reason for the season...Christ was born. What a wonderful story that we have to share with the world. The "political correctness" of the season makes me sad...I still greet everyone with "Merry Christmas" and am saddened that the world wants to promote "Seasons Greetings" or "Happy Holidays".

This year, we are down-sizing our celebrations. Our grandchildren now stay at their house to anticipate Santa Claus and are creating their own Christmas memories. We are seeking a more moderate gift-giving and looking for alternative ways to spread the joy of Christmas with others who may be less fortunate than we are. The commercialism of Christmas has become ridiculous.

Last night I watched the Billy Graham Christmas Special. It was so heart-warming to see clips from previous Christmas shows and see the legacy that his evangelistic crusades and associations have created. What a testimony of faith the Graham family is. To check out this ministry website: http://www.billygraham.org/

We'd love to share our latest Peck family picture:

The GRANDsons are busy with school activities, football and baseball. Cheering on the TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS is our family pasttime.

We wish you all a Merry Christmas and the happiest of New Years.

Texas Tech Red Raiders

McCain/Palin Real Americans

I received this story about a Down's Syndrome family who were invited to meet the McCains and Palins personally during a campaign stop. It was NOT a pre-planned publicity photo opportunity. The story and pictures are posted on Rush Limbaugh's site. You will realize that this duo are real people and they want to change America for the good. God bless John McCain and Sarah Palin as they face these days of campaigning. Keep them in your prayers and God bless America!

http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_090908/content/01125113.guest.html

Life After Life

Life After Life Twenty-four years ago, I had a near death experience...it was really a "life after death" experience. I had just given birth to a 14 week premature baby boy, who only survived for 36 hours. I had been in labor for 3 or 4 days and at death's door from toxemia and related physical problems. After Daniel's birth, I was waking up in the recovery room and was administered Demerol for pain. The Demerol literally burned in my veins and when it reached my heart, my heart stopped beating. I was dead. I was conscious of everything that was happening in the room to try to revive me. My spirit floated to the ceiling and I lingered to watch my lifeless body on that bed and wondered, "Why are they trying to revive me? Don't they know I'm dead?"

I turned and walked toward the Light...Heaven was just as I expected. I walked on floating clouds just like in the movies "Heaven Can Wait" with Warren Beatty and "Ghost" with Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, and Whoopi Goldberg. Those movies didn't come out until after I had experienced this...I wept when I saw them because it was so real and just like my personal experience with death.

While being drawn toward the Light, I had the conscience thought, "I wonder when I get to see St. Peter and the Pearly Gates"?

Three days later, I woke up in intensive care. The first words from my mouth were, "I died, didn't I"?

That experience is as real to me today as it was those many years ago. I have been priviliged to share it with Christians and unbelievers alike. I KNOW there is a Heaven...I been there for a short period of time and I'm looking forward to my eternal return. Because of this experience, I now view death as a "homegoing", a beginning to eternal bliss and happiness. I'm anxious to return because obviously God had other plans for my young life and I've tried to take advantage of my "second life".

During these years, I have suffered many heartaches and struggles, but I know my God is in control. These experiences have made me a stronger person and I hope to share my gifts with Christians who need encouragement and unbelievers who need the Lord. God has blessed me beyond measure and I'm so thankful for His ever abiding grace. Blessed be the Name of the Lord! Praise His Holy Name! Amen

Have you trusted Jesus as your personal Savior? All you have to do is ask Him to forgive your sins and trust Him with control of your life. He's waiting to save your soul from a life of sin and unhappiness.

"God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that anyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16

Ask Jesus to come into your heart. Then find a Bible believing church that will help you grow in your new Christian faith. It's the greatest gift you can give yourself. Welcome to the family of God!

Changing Seasons of Life

Life at Rocking F Ranch is changing. We just opened our Possum Kingdom store this past weekend and will return for our GRAND OPENING March 15-22 during Spring Break.

Next week Jake will be participating in his last 4H goat show at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. This will be the end of an era for Jake and Alan. We plan to get out of the goat business when we return home. Jake has been attending livestock shows his whole life and Alan was a 4Her all his life.

Jake informed me that he only has 50 more school days until graduation. He is looking forward to attending Odessa College this summer and transferring to Texas Tech in the fall. Alan & I will be back and forth to PK throughout the summer as we try to decide if we want to make the move to the lake permanent. As of now, only God knows the answer to our future.

Possum Kingdom

The Fires are now the proud owners of another house at Possum Kingdom Lake near Graham, Texas. We found the perfect "fixer upper" and are busy making plans to spruce up the place and have a place to store the boat and jet skis, plus enjoy PK even more. Here's a picture of the house. The welcome mat is out and we would love to have all our friends and family come for a visit. Alan and I are also looking at the possibility of opening another Ranch Brand Jewelry store in the very near future.

Summer 2007

SK has officially been retired from teaching for one year and what a wonderful year it has been! Alan and I have enjoyed working at Ranch Brand Jewelry together and the business has continued to grow and be a prosperous endeavor.

Jake is officially a SENIOR! He will be working at Circle 6 Ranch this summer. It is a Baptist encampment that he has attended since he was a child; now he gets to fulfill his dream to be a staffer. It will also be a trial "moving away from home" period for us all. He plans to attend Texas Tech after graduation to major in broadcast journalism, theatre, and music.

The goats still rule at Rocking F Ranch. We have cut down the herd to about 50 Boer Goats which is considerably less than we have raised in years past. Jake only has one more year of 4-H, so we plan to drastically down-size after this year's stock show season.

Welcome to the Fires' Place! We will also include news from Rocking F Ranch Boer Goats and Ranch Brand Jewelry.

Alan retired March 2003 after 33 years as a County Extension Agent for Texas A&M University. Sharron Kay retired August 2006 after teaching for 28 years. Retirement is wonderful! To keep us busy, we decided to open a jewelry store. Alan has been repairing jewelry as a hobby for several years and decided to turn it into a professional career. He specializes in custom design and refurbishing heirloom jewelry. We are a full line jewelry store with a complete showroom. We also take advantage of traveling to jewelry shows, seminars, markets, and conventions.

Jake is a junior in high school. He is already planning to attend Texas Tech University in Lubbock to major in broadcast journalism, theatre, and music. He aspires to be an actor or writer on Broadway in New York City.

We all just returned from the family trip of a lifetime to Vienna, Austria. Jake is a member of the Kermit Honor Choir and we accompanied them to the Advent Sing. The choir toured and sang for a week. It was an awesome experience!