Well, I am sitting here in a hotel alone…..
I haven’t been alone for 3 days in a long time….
In fact I can barely remember the last time.
I am not quite sure what to do.
Perhaps enjoy the silence, get a good night sleep and prepare for tomorrow’s PREP Training.
More to come
INTERNAL INTERFERENCE
We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error (1 John 4:6).
People who know they are having spiritual problems usually have severe perceptual problems too. Satan seems to be more present, real and powerful to them. These types of people usually hear opposing arguments in their head. They are constantly confronted with lies, told to get out of the counseling setting, or threatened with harm or embarrassment.
One dear lady I was ministering to suddenly bolted for the door. “Tell me what you’re hearing,” I said.
“You’re going to hurt me,” she answered fearfully.
“That’s a lie,” I assured her. Slowly she returned to her chair.
Some people experience internal interference when demonic powers are confronted by the truth. They may become dizzy or glassy-eyed. If you proceed without regard for their reaction, they may lapse into catatonia.
The goal in helping people find freedom in Christ is to avoid all demonic activity which would short-circuit their ability to participate in the process. With this in mind, I usually begin the time of ministry with prayer, acknowledging God’s presence, claiming His authority, and binding the enemy to silence.
I require one major point of cooperation from all those who want help: They must tell me what inner opposition they are experiencing. If they have a thought that is contrary to what we are doing, they are to share it with me. Some thoughts can be very hostile or threatening. Others will be very deceptive, such as “This isn’t going to work.” The power of Satan is in his lie. The moment the counselees bring the contrary thought to light, the power of it is broken. The power for the Christian is in the truth. That is why it is truth that sets us free.
Static Factors that are hard to change once married:
* Having divorced parents
* Living together prior to marraige
* Being previously divorced, yourself or your partner
* Having children from a previous marraige
* Having different religious backgrounds
* Marrying at a very young age (for example 18 or 19; the average these days is about 25 or 26 for first time marraiges).
* Knowing each other for only a short time before marraige
* Experiencing financial hardship
* Having a personality tendency to react strongly or defensively to problems and disappointments.
Dynamic factors that couples can change to improve their odds:
* Negative styles of talking and fighting with each other, like arguments that rapidly become negative, put downs and the silent treatment.
* Difficulty communicating well, especially when you disagree.
* Trouble handling disagreements as a team
* Unrealistic beliefs about marriage
* Having different attitudes about important things
* A low level of commitment to one another, reflected in such things as not protecting your relationship from others you are attracted to, or failing to view your marriage as a long term investment.
Do you and your spouse have fun together?
People typically don’t get married to engage in conflict. People usually chose a mate to have a friend and to enjoy life together. Research tells us that “The degree to which couples reported having fun had the greatest bearing on overall marital satisfaction”.
The bad news: Many couples do not keep fun alive in their marriages. So, what should you do?
1. Make the time- don’t neglect time together that is needed to build and keep a bond together.
2. Protect the time from conflict- keep relationship issues and conflicts off limits during your “fun time”.
3. Get going. Just do it!
4. Don’t get stuck in a rut. Do something different. Have fun!
So, let me ask you… What are some of the most enjoyable, interesting, fun things you and your spouse have done together?
(got this in an e-mail today)
You’re from Oklahoma if…….
You can properly pronounce Eufaula, Gotebo, Okemah, and Chickasha.
You think that people who complain about the wind in their states
are sissies.
A tornado warning siren is your signal to go out in the yard and
look for a funnel.
Your idea of a traffic jam is ten cars waiting to pass a tractor on
the highway.
You’ve ever had to switch from “heat” to “A/C” in the same day.
You know that the true value of a parking space is not determined
by the distance to the door, but the availability of shade.
Stores don’t have bags, they have sacks.
You see people wear bib overalls at funerals.
You think everyone from a bigger city has an accent.
You measure distance in minutes.
You refer to the capital of Oklahoma as “The City.
It doesn’t bother you to use an airport named for a man who died in
an airplane crash.
Little smokies are something you serve only for special occasions.
You go to the lake because you think it is like going to the ocean.
You listen to the weather forecast before picking out an outfit.
You know cow pies are not made of beef.
Someone you know has used a football schedule to plan their wedding
date.
You have known someone who has had one belt buckle bigger than your
fist.
A bad traffic jam involves two cars staring each other down at the
four-way stop, each determined to be the most polite and let the
other go first.
You know in which state Miam-uh is and in which state Miam-ee is.
You aren’t surprised to find movie rental, ammunition and bait all
in the same store.
Your “place at the lake” has wheels under it.
A Mercedes Benz is not a status symbol.
A Ford F 350 4 X 4 is.
You know everything goes better with Ranch.
You learned how to shoot a gun before you learned how to multiply.
You actually get these jokes and are ‘fixin’ to send them to your friends.
Finally, you are 100% Oklahoman if you have ever heard this
conversation:
“You wanna coke?”
“Yeah.”
“What kind?”
“Dr. Pepper.”
Children Who Watch TV More Likely to Bully - Study
Mon Apr 4, 4:12 PM ET
CHICAGO (Reuters) - The more television 4-year-old children watch the more likely they are to become bullies later on in school, a U.S. study said Monday.
At the same time, children whose parents read to them, take them on outings and just generally pay attention to them are less likely to become bullies, said the report from the University of Washington.
Bullying can now be added “to the list of potential negative consequences of excessive television viewing along with obesity, inattention and other types of aggression,” said Frederick Zimmerman who led the research.
“Our findings suggest some steps that can be taken with children to potentially help prevent bullying. Maximizing cognitive stimulation and limiting television watching in the early years of development might reduce children’s subsequent risk of becoming bullies,” he added.
Previous research had indicated that emotional support from parents helps young children develop empathy, self-regulation and social skills, making them less likely to be bullies, said the report published in the April issue of the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.
Researchers have also found that early gaps in learning and understanding may make children less competent in dealing with their peers and that violence on television leads to aggressive behavior, it added.
The Washington study reached its conclusions by looking at data from a study of 1,266 four-year-olds whose bullying — based on assessments from their mothers — was tracked at ages 6 through 11. Overall, about 13 percent the children turned out to be bullies.
The study also took into account the stimulation the children received as measured by outings, reading, playing and what role the parents played in teaching the children.
Whether the child ate meals with both parents, whether parents talked to the child while working were also measured, along with the average number of hours of television viewed.
10 Tell-Tale Signs of Depression
Do you feel like crying more often now than you normally have in the past? Do you feel sad or blue much of the time? When you see yourself in the mirror, do you appear to be sad, or do others comment that you no longer seem happy?
Do you frequently have a sense of hopelessness or helplessness? Do you think that nothing matters or that nothing will do any good? Does the phrase, ³What¹s the use?² comes to mind frequently?
Do you have less motivation and interest in activities, hobbies, work or relationships you have previously enjoyed?
Has your sleep pattern changed? Do you find yourself unable to sleep at night, or struggling with restlessness that leaves you tired in the morning? Do you have trouble getting out of bed, wanting to sleep all day?
Have you had thoughts recently that life is just not worth living? Do you wish God would just take you home?
Do you dread the beginning of a new day, the anticipation of your responsibilities, decisions, and meetings with co-workers or others?
Are you anxious and stressed? Are you worried and concerned about the past or about what the future may hold?
Have your eating patterns changed? Have you lost your appetite? Is even favorite food no longer of interest? Are you eating much more than you previously did, perhaps even an excessive intake of junk foods?
Do you have less energy than usual? Are there other physical symptoms that differ from the past, such as frequency of headaches, upset stomach, constipation, or rapid heartbeat?
Do you feel that you are not functioning as well at work as you have in the past, and that others are beginning to notice this?
What is Depression?
If you think you may have depression, you’re not alone. In fact, more than 20 million adults in the US suffer from depression, and there are millions more around the world. Depression affects people of all ages, genders, backgrounds, lifestyles, and ethnic groups.
Depression is a medical condition that affects your body, the way you think, and how you feel and act. Everyone feels sad, disappointed, or upset at some time in their life. But when you have depression, these feelings of sadness can go on for weeks, months, even years. Depression is painful and can make it hard sometimes for you to do even the simplest things.
Depression is treatable
Depression is a medical condition that requires treatment, just like a broken bone. Fortunately, just like a broken bone, depression is treatable. And remember, depression is a condition you have, it doesn’t define who you are.
Learning more about depression and the treatment options available, including psychotherapy (“talk therapy”) and medicine, is the first place to start. Talk to your healthcare provider to determine if you have depression and what form of treatment may be best for you.
Well, it has been another crazy week. It seems like time is flying by. Sunday, when I left to go out of town I had to tell my crying children goodbye. It broke my heart so see and hear them crying as I walked out the door. They made me promise I would call them twice a day, once in the morning and once at night. I kept my end of the deal and we made it through the three days away.
Today, we had to say another goodbye. My husband left for an out of town training event too. Here we go again. I don’t mean just little tears either but sobbing and begging, “Daddy, please don’t go, please take us with you!” My son was distraught. As we were all three hugging him goodbye and the two kids we crying, my son asked if we could pray for him. I said, “sure go ahead” and he said “no, momma I want you too!” (he was obviously crying too much!) So, here we stand, the three of us around this man we all love with all of our heart, holding hands with him in the middle of the circle and I begin to pray. I pray for safety and protection, I pray for refreshment, and then I thank God for this wonderful man and then I loose it!!! Words cannot describe the husband and father that lives at this house. The Godly example of love and sacrifice and Christ himself. We are so blessed.
I finished praying and then my son said he wanted to pray and then my daughter chimmed in too. It was a sweet sweet moment. I love it that we are dedicated to family. I love it that we like to be around one another and engaged in each others lives. I love it that we enjoy playing together and laughing and acting silly. I love it that my husband chooses family over golf, fishing and hunting, etc. One things for sure in this house, we obviously don’t leave each other for business very often. You can tell that by the heartbreak of our departures. SO, like my husband said to night… It is a sad moment to say goodbye for a short time period but it is a happy thing that we are sad about it. That means we love each other and like to be with each other like a family should.
After he left my son said, “Now, who is going to play battle with me?” I said, “bring out the swords!” He looked at me and laughed and said, “You will mom??????” I said, “bring it on!”
And what a battle it was!
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