I am not a Roman Catholic so I do not attend church and have the mark of burned ashes placed on my forehead, but this year, as in years past, the ache in my heart for the Father of all things has been growing.  I have recognized that I have been falling short in so many areas and I am concerned.  I find myself wishing to be able to do something, perhaps to prove my faith and achieve salvation, but I know this is impossible.  There is no work any of us can perform to make Him want us.  I sometimes think how I have turned away from the direction of the gospels and done things my own way or watered down what I know is right because it was too hard.  Then too, my natural rebelliousness is always in play.  I find myself thinking, “Certainly I could make a better world than my Father in heaven!!”  How He is able to abide my attitude is amazing in and of itself.  I know that should He offer to strike down those who are evil with a single blow, I should be one of those hit hardest for I am deserving of judgment.  I try and remember that when I become angry at others, but I do not remember that often enough.  I know in my heart of hearts how poorly I have done. 0 1 3

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This is from my student study Bible. 1 1 6

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As long as I remember I’ve been walking through the wilderness Praying to the Father And waiting for my time I’ve come here with a mission And soon I’ll give my life for this world I’m praying in the garden And I’m looking for a miracle I find the journey hard but It’s the reason I was born Can this cup be passed on Lord, I pray your will be done In this world So I’ll carry my cross And I’ll carry the shame To the end of the road Through the struggle and pain And I’ll do it for love No, it won’t be in vain Yes, I’ll carry my cross And I’ll carry the shame I feel like I’m alone here And I’m treated like a criminal The time has come for me now Even though I’ve done no wrong Father, please forgive them They know not what they’ve done In this world Three more days and I’ll be coming back again Three more days and I’ll be coming back again [ Carry My Cross Lyrics on http://www.lyricsmania.com/ ] 0 1 1

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We rode into town the other day Just me and my Daddy He said I'd finally reached that age And I could ride next to him on a horse That of course was not quite as wide We heard a crowd of people shouting And so we stopped to find out why And there was that man That my dad said he loved But today there was fear in his eyes So I said "Daddy, why are they screaming? 0 1 3

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Thought I'd share a site a Stumbled to. 0 1 15

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I read a devotional this morning that really hit home with me. 0 1 8

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I don't know how to start this, but I guess to begin: I was not brought up in a family of 'Faith'. 0 1 34

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I need a little bit of help. 0 1 12

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I just watched this yesterday on TBN and thought this was too good not to share with you all this Christmas. 0 1 5

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Teenage girl, much too young Unprepared for what’s to come A baby changes everything Not a ring On her hand All her dreams and all her plans A baby changes everything A baby changes everything The man she loves she’s never touched How will she Keep his trust A baby changes everything A baby changes everything And she cries, oh she cries She has to leave, go far away Heaven knows she can’t stay A baby changes everything She can feel it’s coming soon There’s no place, there’s no room A baby changes everything A baby changes everything And she cries and she cries oh she cries Shepherds all gather round … Star shines down… Choir of Angels say Glory to the newborn king A baby changes everything, A baby changes everything, everything, everything, every day Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah My whole life is turned around I was lost and now I’m found A baby changes everything A baby changes everything 0 1 0

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According to The Washington Times, the United States may be a secular nation, but its people are anything but. 0 1 15

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The most beautiful night of the year All the stars light up the sky And the city is sparkling with silver and gold From a million points of light A reflection of something that’s deeper within Just a flicker of something more Jesus, Light of the World Shine through the darkness Bright as the day Jesus, Light of the World Shine in our hearts Show us the way tonight Who is this child in a manger? 0 1 3

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Mary Had A Baby Born In A Manger Mary What To Do, Mary What To Do? 0 1 2

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It was not a silent night There was blood on the ground You could hear a woman cry In the alleyways that night On the streets of David's town And the stable was not clean And the cobblestones were cold And little Mary full of grace With the tears upon her face Had no mother's hand to hold It was a labor of pain It was a cold sky above But for the girl on the ground in the dark With every beat of her beautiful heart It was a labor of love Noble Joseph at her side Callused hands and weary eyes There were no midwives to be found In the streets of David's town In the middle of the night So he held her and he prayed Shafts of moonlight on his face But the baby in her womb He was the maker of the moon He was the Author of the faith That could make the mountains move It was a labor of pain It was a cold sky above But for the girl on the ground in the dark With every beat of her beautiful heart It was a labor of love For little Mary full of grace With the tears upon her face It was a labor of love 0 1 2

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Sure he must have been surprised At where this road had taken him 'Cause never in a million lives Would he had dreamed of Bethlehem And standing at the manger He saw with his own eyes The message from the angel come to life And Joseph said... (CHORUS) Why me, I'm just a simple man of trade Why Him, with all the rulers in the world Why here inside this stable filled with hay Why her, she's just an ordinary girl Now I'm not one to second guess what angels have to say But this is such a strange way to save the world To think of how it could have been If Jesus had come as He deserved There would have been no Bethlehem No lowly shepherds at His birth But Joseph knew the reason Love had to reach so far And as he held the Savior in his arms He must have thought... (CHORUS) Now I'm not one to second guess what angels have to say But this is such a strange way to save the world ...this is such a strange way to save the world...Saving the World 0 1 3

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Interview With God 0 1 2

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