Rescue Dogs - A Good Investment in Love

Photoshop by Norma Boeckler

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GJ - I am not sure whether Sassy is more German Shepherd or more heeler in personality. Both breeds are very smart. I missed Sacket so much, after she died of cancer, that we got Sassy. Sacky was  all-heeler and typically a shy, one-person dog. She slowly accepted Chris and was very loving toward her, but she did not welcome any stranger approaching her.

Heelers are super-smart, interactive, and independent. They are top dog, no matter what breed is around. Sassy yields to bigger dogs, even to her little Sheltie fur-sisters. However, she does rule the bed and barks when T-Girl gets an invitation to jump up.

German Shepherds look solemn but they are gentle, loving, and protective.

Here are some Sassy characteristics, which make her the star of the dog park:

She loves everybody and just wiggles with delight when people want to pet her.
She catches her ball in spectacular fashion, grabbing balls out of the air when a a man with a baseball glove would have trouble.
She saunters back with the ball when a crowd is gasping and applauding.
She can roll the ball to a stop at my feet or place it in my hands, depending.
If she likes someone, that person gets to throw her ball.
She asks to meet all the dogs in the next fenced-in area, so we often switch so she can make more friends.
She manages me so much that children look at me and say, "That is a bossy dog."

At home:
Sassy always has a front or back leg over Chris during jewelry time on the bed.
Sassy asks for hugs many times during the day.
One trick is to stop my writing by holding down my right arm.
She may knock the mouse away.
Switching to my left arm, away from her, does not work, because she reaches over for that one too.
When I laugh about her persistence, Sassy laughs and rolls over for a tummy rub.
Coming back from the dog park, Sassy listens to the latest stories about her.
She helps me with all my chores, supervising whatever I do.
As a heeler, she follows me and bumps me every few seconds, to make sure I know my place.

The Mormons (Latter Day Saints) Remind Me Of the Olde Synodical Conference

When I read in Christian News about a Mormon facing the facts about her religion's actual history and claims, I thought of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, the Wisconsin Synod, and the Little Sect on the Prairie. The micro-minis are far worse examples of the same tendencies.


Each group has faithful ministers and pastors, but everyone is kept in ignorance about the group's actual doctrine and history.


Like Mormons, they go into shock when they learn the truth. Like Mormons, the ones who know the facts are forced to submit or they are driven away.


Both religions love-bomb people into the group and hate-bomb them out.


They keep going with secrecy and corruption. When I mentioned the WELS missionaries who went Pentecostal, possibly in Taiwan, I was told, "Never speak about that."


Most Lutherans realize that Mormons are not Christians. But the singular tenet of the Synodical Conference is not Christian either. Do Lutherans really believe they are born forgiven? Do they imagine that all the head-hunters, Buddhists, atheists, and Mormons are already saved? The WELS evangelism banner said that, "You are saved, just like me."


Joseph Smith and Bring'em Young were pathological, lying polygamists. Bishop Martin Stephan was, too, and the Saxon leaders knew it, too. Smith denied the truth, and so did Stephan, but the leaders knew the sordid truth in both cases. The public records and histories of the LCMS have extensive evidence of the colony's knowledge of Stephan's adultery before the trip to Perry County and prior to the Walther-organized mob. Court records. Testimony from Mrs. Stephan. House arrest of Stephan. Obvious meeting with young ladies. Groupies in Europe in America.


Walther has this tidbit about the bishop he pledged to obey - Mrs. Stephan was the cause of their problems. And that was passed on, as a private explanation, in Suelflow's hagiography. Cults slander the innocent, but many readers know that already.


The turning point for the Stephanites was the spread of syphilis among the young women in the cult. The dramatic confession story--launching the mob scene-- was a lie, as acknowledged in their defense of Walther against the charge of violating the confessional. Everybody knew about the adultery - 'twar no secret. Stephan brought his main mistress over, but left his sick wife and syphilitic children behind.


Mormons and Lutheran intermarriage in the early days made telling the truth about origins...awkward. Every secret was a family secret. Ludwig Fuerbringer's mother was also married to CFW Walther's brother - and she knew about the kidnapping and mob that no one ever discussed.


The Lutheran and Mormon leaders are all obsessed with money and use their religion to feather their own nests in the Name of the Lord.


Mormons and Lutherans would rather look at shadows of puppets on the wall (Plato's Cave Analogy) than be dragged to the entrance of the cave and forced to face the sunlight.

http://humanitiesartlit.wordpress.com/2011/11/12/platos-cave/

Mega-church downsizes, cuts non-essential members - LarkNews.com - A Good Source for Christian News

"Wolves are those people who resist our claws and fangs.
They are a danger to the Kingdom, we swear by our Father Below."

Mega-church downsizes, cuts non-essential members - LarkNews.com - A Good Source for Christian News:


WINSTON-SALEM — Julie and Bob Clark were stunned to receive a letter from their church in July asking them to “participate in the life of the church” — or worship elsewhere.

“They basically called us freeloaders,” says Julie.

“We were freeloaders,” says Bob.

In a trend that may signal rough times for wallflower Christians, bellwether mega-church Faith Community of Winston-Salem has asked “non-participating members” to stop attending.

“No more Mr. Nice Church,” says the executive pastor, newly hired from Cingular Wireless. “Bigger is not always better. Providing free services indefinitely to complacent Christians is not our mission.”

“Freeloading” Christians were straining the church’s nursery and facility resources and harming the church’s ability to reach the lost, says the pastor.

“When your bottom line is saving souls, you get impatient with people who interfere with that goal,” he says.

Faith Community sent polite but firm letters to families who attend church services and “freebie events” but never volunteer, never tithe and do not belong to a small group or other ministry. The church estimates that of its 8,000 regular attendees, only half have volunteered in the past 3 years, and a third have never given to the church.

“Before now, we made people feel comfortable and welcome, and tried to coax them to give a little something in return,” says a staff member. “That’s changed. We’re done being the community nanny.”

Surprisingly, the move to dis-invite people has drawn positive response from men in the community who like the idea of an in-your-face church.

“I thought, ‘A church that doesn’t allow wussies — that rocks,’” says Bob Clark, who admires the church more since they told him to get lost.

He and Julie are now tithing and volunteering. “We’ve taken our place in church life,” he says. •


'via Blog this'

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rlschultz has left a new comment on your post "Mega-church downsizes, cuts non-essential members ...":

Behold the true face of the Theology of Glory. It is in your face, complete with lots of Law pounding. The mega-churches began to feel the crunch a couple of years ago when the economy went sour. Their business model is fickle and transient. Now, they are trimming the fat. So much for the care of widows and orphans. Does the recent transplant from Cingular Wireless make house calls?


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GJ - Yes, Schuller, the founder of Church Church, lost his church building to the Roman Catholics, and he wants members to bring food so the limo can take it out to the palatial Schuller mansion.

Lutherans do not need to look too far to find the same attitude.