Thoughts go in and out of my mind at lighting speed. Why can't I remember everything?
Memory
Organization
Diligence
Perserverance
Several things I'm working on.

"He Speaks to Me" by Prisella Shirer is the study I am currently doing. The book is published through Lifeway. http://www.lifeway.com/lwc/article_main_page/0%2C1703%2CA%3D159286&M%3D200358%2C00.html It is a great study in worship and hearing God's voice.

The holiness of God. How do you approach God when you're worshipping Him? What does He want you to do and not do? Do you have any idea? Do you want to hear His voice? I'm taking a Bible Study this summer that might answer many of these questions and more. Stay tuned.

Back from NC State University where we learned Green Building Techniques and much more. Wow what we can do, if we just do it. We can be part of the solution and not part (at least not as much a part) of the problem. Check out their programs at their website http://www.ncsc.ncsu.edu/programs/programs.cfm

It's amazing what you can learn right here in North Carolina. Their program is just one of three in the country. So, take advantage of it if you're interested.

Happy Mother's Day one and all 

Are there any Levites out there. Anyone from the tribe of Levi?
Calling once, calling twice, for I have great news. News that I never knew.
Today I was doing my daily devotions. Studying Gen. 49: 1-7 together with Dew 10:8-9, 33:9-10, Numers 18:20. I found out some interesting blessings that God has especially for this tribe.
Here they are I've condensed them. God set the Levites apart to carry His Ark, to minister before Him, to pronounce blessings in His Name, these are still their duties says the LORD.
The LORD Himself is their inheritance. The Levites were faithful and loyal servants of God, Moses said. God turned around and gave them the priesthood and blessed them. He instructed them to teach His people.
Now this is very interesting stuff for you and for me. My grandmother was a Levite and my grandfather a Cohen. I'm thinking what does that mean for me today and for my children after me. I really like that part where God says we are to teach His people and to pronounce blessings in His Name. Wow that sounds wonderful. I've read the Bible over and over again and missed these verses which are vital for us. Tell me your thoughts.

Reading about Jacob's faith regarding God's promises really makes me feel confident that GOD does what He says He is going to do despite our circumstances. No matter what the difficulty may be GOD can and will do what He says He's going to do.
In Gen. 47:27-30 We see Jacob's absolute confidence that God will one day take his descendants back to Canaan and also give them the land for an everlasting inheritance. (Compare Gen. 48:4 with 17:8.) Jacob is certain that his descendants will inherit the land as if they already do. THAT'S FAITH, LORD GIVE ME THAT UNWAVERING, UNFALTERING, CONFIDENT FAITH.
Then earlier in the chapter it Gen. 46:8 - 47:10
One is reminded of God's registration of all who belong to Him. His desire to separate us from the world yet protect and provide for us no matter where we are.
In Rev. 20:15 It talks about the Lamb's Book of Life. It is even more important that our names are written there. Are you sure that you're name is? Have you made your deliberate choice to receive Him forever as your Savior from sin, Lord of your life? If so, your name is written in the Lambs book of life. (Rev. 13:8) According to the promises of the Bible, you can know this for sure. (See John 1:12 -13, 5:24, 6:37; Eph. 1:13-14.)

The question that stood out in my spirit this morning is what blessing which Jacob gave his grandsons do you think they would always remember?
Genesis 48
Jacob Blesses Manasseh and Ephraim 1One day not long after this, word came to Joseph that his father was failing rapidly. So Joseph went to visit him, and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. 2When Jacob heard that Joseph had arrived, he gathered his strength and sat up in bed to greet him.
3Jacob said to Joseph, "God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me. 4He said to me, `I will make you a multitude of nations, and I will give this land of Canaan to you and your descendants as an everlasting possession.' 5Now I am adopting as my own sons these two boys of yours, Ephraim and Manasseh, who were born here in the land of Egypt before I arrived. They will inherit from me just as Reuben and Simeon will. 6But the children born to you in the future will be your own. The land they inherit will be within the territories of Ephraim and Manasseh. 7As I was returning from Paddan, Rachel died in the land of Canaan. We were still on the way, just a short distance from Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). So with great sorrow I buried her there beside the road to Ephrath."
8Then Jacob[a] looked over at the two boys. "Are these your sons?" he asked.
9"Yes," Joseph told him, "these are the sons God has given me here in Egypt."
And Jacob said, "Bring them over to me, and I will bless them."
10Now Jacob was half blind because of his age and could hardly see. So Joseph brought the boys close to him, and Jacob kissed and embraced them. 11Then Jacob said to Joseph, "I never thought I would see you again, but now God has let me see your children, too."
12Joseph took the boys from their grandfather's knees, and he bowed low to him. 13Then he positioned the boys so Ephraim was at Jacob's left hand and Manasseh was at his right hand. 14But Jacob crossed his arms as he reached out to lay his hands on the boys' heads. So his right hand was on the head of Ephraim, the younger boy, and his left hand was on the head of Manasseh, the older.
15Then he blessed Joseph and said, "May God, the God before whom my grandfather Abraham and my father, Isaac, walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life, 16and the angel who has kept me from all harm--may he bless these boys. May they preserve my name and the names of my grandfather Abraham and my father, Isaac. And may they become a mighty nation."
17But Joseph was upset when he saw that his father had laid his right hand on Ephraim's head. So he lifted it to place it on Manasseh's head instead. 18"No, Father," he said, "this one over here is older. Put your right hand on his head."
19But his father refused. "I know what I'm doing, my son," he said. "Manasseh, too, will become a great people, but his younger brother will become even greater. His descendants will become a multitude of nations!" 20So Jacob blessed the boys that day with this blessing: "The people of Israel will use your names to bless each other. They will say, `May God make you as prosperous as Ephraim and Manasseh.' " In this way, Jacob put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.
21Then Jacob said to Joseph, "I am about to die, but God will be with you and will bring you again to Canaan, the land of your ancestors. 22And I give you an extra portion[b] beyond what I have given your brothers--the portion that I took from the Amorites with my sword and bow."

Up at 3:20 am this morning. I have not been sleeping too well. Getting up for frequent potty breaks, then not being able to return to sleep, especially when nearing my 4:00 am get up time.
I feel somewhat sluggish but that will fade in time.
Yesterday was really special. I must tell you about it. Having arranged for 35 of my New Friends to enjoy a cooking class at the Art Institute we played chef for a day. Producing a French meal fit for a king. In our case, a queen. What fun to learn the secrets from tomorrow's master chefs. Future resturant giants of great cities and small country places. I never knew food could taste so good. Three cheers for Ron Smith, Chef Martin and the students from the Art Institute. Well done!

As I was doing my study on Gen 49 I came across Romans 11 which always seems to touch my spirit. It is so deep and revealing. As a Jewish believer it is an important witness of God's faithfulness and His love for Israel. Please pray that God would work out all the details for my trip to Israel and that I would have deep peace about it. Read this section and tell me which verses cry out to you. Which words touch your spirit. Meditate on His Word, pray back His promises, feel the power of God working richly in your life.

Romans 11
Gods Mercy on Israel
1I ask, then, has God rejected his people, the Jews? Of course not! Remember that I myself am a Jew, a descendant of Abraham and a member of the tribe of Benjamin.
2No, God has not rejected his own people, whom he chose from the very beginning. Do you remember what the Scriptures say about this? Elijah the prophet complained to God about the people of Israel and said, 3"Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars. I alone am left, and now they are trying to kill me, too."[a]
4And do you remember God's reply? He said, "You are not the only one left. I have seven thousand others who have never bowed down to Baal!"[b]
5It is the same today, for not all the Jews have turned away from God. A few[c] are being saved as a result of God's kindness in choosing them. 6And if they are saved by God's kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God's wonderful kindness would not be what it really is--free and undeserved.
7So this is the situation: Most of the Jews have not found the favor of God they are looking for so earnestly. A few have--the ones God has chosen--but the rest were made unresponsive. 8As the Scriptures say, "God has put them into a deep sleep. To this very day he has shut their eyes so they do not see, and closed their ears so they do not hear."[d]9David spoke of this same thing when he said, "Let their bountiful table become a snare, a trap that makes them think all is well. Let their blessings cause them to stumble.
10 Let their eyes go blind so they cannot see, and let their backs grow weaker and weaker."[e] 11Did God's people stumble and fall beyond recovery? Of course not! His purpose was to make his salvation available to the Gentiles, and then the Jews would be jealous and want it for themselves. 12Now if the Gentiles were enriched because the Jews turned down God's offer of salvation, think how much greater a blessing the world will share when the Jews finally accept it.
13I am saying all of this especially for you Gentiles. God has appointed me as the apostle to the Gentiles. I lay great stress on this, 14for I want to find a way to make the Jews want what you Gentiles have, and in that way I might save some of them. 15For since the Jews' rejection meant that God offered salvation to the rest of the world, how much more wonderful their acceptance will be. It will be life for those who were dead! 16And since Abraham and the other patriarchs were holy, their children will also be holy.[f] For if the roots of the tree are holy, the branches will be, too.
17But some of these branches from Abraham's tree, some of the Jews, have been broken off. And you Gentiles, who were branches from a wild olive tree, were grafted in. So now you also receive the blessing God has promised Abraham and his children, sharing in God's rich nourishment of his special olive tree. 18But you must be careful not to brag about being grafted in to replace the branches that were broken off. Remember, you are just a branch, not the root.
19"Well," you may say, "those branches were broken off to make room for me." 20Yes, but remember--those branches, the Jews, were broken off because they didn't believe God, and you are there because you do believe. Don't think highly of yourself, but fear what could happen. 21For if God did not spare the branches he put there in the first place, he won't spare you either.
22Notice how God is both kind and severe. He is severe to those who disobeyed, but kind to you as you continue to trust in his kindness. But if you stop trusting, you also will be cut off. 23And if the Jews turn from their unbelief, God will graft them back into the tree again. He has the power to do it.
24For if God was willing to take you who were, by nature, branches from a wild olive tree and graft you into his own good tree--a very unusual thing to do--he will be far more eager to graft the Jews back into the tree where they belong.

Gods Mercy Is for Everyone 25I want you to understand this mystery, dear brothers and sisters,[g] so that you will not feel proud and start bragging. Some of the Jews have hard hearts, but this will last only until the complete number of Gentiles comes to Christ. 26And so all Israel will be saved. Do you remember what the prophets said about this?
"A Deliverer will come from Jerusalem,[h] and he will turn Israel[i] from all ungodliness.
27 And then I will keep my covenant with them and take away their sins."[j] 28Many of the Jews are now enemies of the Good News. But this has been to your benefit, for God has given his gifts to you Gentiles. Yet the Jews are still his chosen people because of his promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 29For God's gifts and his call can never be withdrawn. 30Once, you Gentiles were rebels against God, but when the Jews refused his mercy, God was merciful to you instead. 31And now, in the same way, the Jews are the rebels, and God's mercy has come to you. But someday they,[k] too, will share in God's mercy. 32For God has imprisoned all people in their own disobedience so he could have mercy on everyone.
33Oh, what a wonderful God we have! How great are his riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his methods! 34For who can know what the Lord is thinking? Who knows enough to be his counselor?[l] 35And who could ever give him so much that he would have to pay it back? 36For everything comes from him; everything exists by his power and is intended for his glory. To him be glory evermore. Amen.

My head is full this morning of things to do, people to call, and generally feeling behind even before I begin. That sounds somewhat self defeating doesn't it?
I was in the WORD today which always helps. I was reading about trusting God and not leaning on your own understanding. In all your ways He will guide you. I'm paraphrasing but that's the essence of it. That was actually in my study this week. I did blog it but it was one of those occurances of the disappearing blog. Have you ever blogged something only for it not to process and post?
Next week I'm off to NC State University to learn green building techniques. I'm so excited! Anyone up there have any space? I will probably book a room but rather stay with a friend. Only I don't know anyone up there yet.
I'm trying to get ten support letters out today for my mission's trip to Israel. Maybe God wants many people to participate?

How do you know my son asked me yesterday at about 6:30 pm. How do you know if this girl is the one. The one that GOD has deemed his soulmate? How do you know? That's a valid question. I answered it from my point of view. But counseled him to ask several people who have long standing marriages and find out from them how they knew. I'll ask you, how did you know?