Presignify

Memory is a very tricky thing, at least for me it is. Looking back, over a year’s span of activity my memory seems to pick and choose what it remembers. It amazes me not so much what a person remembers but what a person forgets.

Often some old-timer will moan about how much he misses the good old days. I’m not sure if he is thinking of World War II or the great Depression. I’m positive that during the great Depression some wonderful memories were created, but I’m not sure anyone wants to return to those thrilling days of yesterday.

The bad was not as bad as we remember and the good was not as good as we boast.

Some things are best forgotten and some things should never be forgotten; my trouble has always been remembering which is which. (Personally, I don’t know the difference between “which” and “that.”)

Several things about the old year bear serious consideration. The past year, in my opinion, was not just one year but several years flowing together. Sometimes I’m not sure which year I lived.

The year 2004, like all its brothers before it, actually consisted of three years.

First, there is the year that really was. “Just the facts, ma’am.”

I’m a little fuzzy about this one. For one thing, looking at my checkbook entries (at least the ones I remembered to enter) the past year was a completely different one than I recall.

I really do not recollect having all the fun indicated by my bank statement. Why is it that no matter how much money I put into my bank account, more money comes out.

Evidently, some phantom creature has access to my checkbook.

President Ronald Reagan was accused of voodoo economics. Reviewing my bank statements, I could be accused of “Who-do” economics.

My income tax statement is another perplexity. I can never figure it out. If the government said I made that much money, I must have made that much money and owe that much in taxes.

Speaking of the government, what I don’t understand is how they know how much I owe, to the penny, along with millions of other Americans and cannot find Osama bin Laden. I know exactly how to solve this conundrum.

One surefire way of finding him is leaking to the government that Osama bin Laden owes taxes and he will be caught before April 15, guaranteed.

Second, there is the year I re-member.

This year is much shorter than the previous one, for some odd reason. The year I remember had only two months; this month and last month. And believe me, “last month” is a stretch for me.

Honestly, I remember paying the electric bill, contrary to what the electric company says. My problem with the electric company is that during the space of a year they send me 12 bills and I can only remember two.

They penalize me for screwing up but they do not credit my account when they screw up like being without electricity for four days twice this past year. Oh, that I remember and remember it well. In fact, if my memory serves me correctly it was more like 90 days.

I remember deducting the monthly service charges from my bank each and every month. Well, maybe not “each and every” month. Why those three checks bounced is beyond my comprehension.

Should the bank charge a larger fee for a bounced check than the face value of the check? I don’t think so. Isn’t it the bank’s business to keep their records straight? Why do I have to spend so much time each month on my checkbook account?

Last, but certainly not least, is the year the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage remembers.

At times, I am tempted to think (at least it’s what I call thinking) my wife lives one life and I live something altogether different from hers. The things she remembers that took place during the year are beyond my remembering.

I am beginning to believe she remembers things that never took place. Of course, and I say this with all sincerity, I would never contradict her memory.

For the life of me I don’t know where I was when all these things happened that she says happened. Nor do I know where I was when I promised to do all those things she said I promised.

Even in my right mind, (of which I don’t have much left) I would never concede to help remodel the family room. I would never accuse her, heaven forbid, of taking advantage of me in this area. The thought is not a stranger inside my head, although rational thoughts are.

King Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, framed his thoughts this way, “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;” (Ecclesiastes 12:1 KJV.)

Solomon’s idea was, “now” is more important than “then.”

The Apostle Paul had the right idea with this matter of remembering. “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14 KJV.)

It is not important how much I can remember about the past, as long as I don’t forget to set Christ before me in all I do in 2005.

James L. Snyder is an award winning author and popular columnist living in Ocala, FL with his wife Martha. Snyder has written 9 books and published over 400 articles/essays.

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Faith is describe in the dictionary as belief, confidence, trust, security, and in keeping faith is describe as having obligation, verbal pledge, word of honor, promise, and loyalty. Let’s look into the Bible and see what faith really is and how faith is accomplish. Look at 2Chronicles 20:20 it says Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Listen to me, Judah and people of Jesrusalem! Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful. After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying; Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever.

Look in Habakkuk 2:1 The Lord answer habakkuk’s complaint it says Then the Lord replied: Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay. See, he is puffed up; his desires are not uprightbut the righteous will live by faithindeed, wine betrays him; he is arrogant and never at rest.

Now look a Matthew 9:27 it says As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” “Yes, Lord they replied. Then he touched their eyes and said, According to your faith will it be done to you; and their sight was restored.

Look at Matthew 17:19 it says Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” He replied, “Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, Move from here to there and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.

Now look at Mark 11:22 it says “Have faith in God.” Jesus answered, I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, Go, throw yourself into the sea, and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.

Look at Luke 12:27 it says Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow it thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Now look at Romans 1:16 it says I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes; for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness form God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from the first to last, just as it is written; The righteous will live by faith.

Now look at Romans 10:12 it says For there is no difference between Jew and Gentilethe same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How, then can they call on the one they have not believed in?
And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And can how can they preach unless they are sent. As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news! Now look at verse 17 it says Consequently, faith comes form hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.

Look at Romans 14:22 it says So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves. But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.

Now look at 2Corinthians 13:5 it says Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in youunless, of course, you fail the test? And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test. Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong. Not that people will see that we have stood the test but that you will do what is right even though we may seem to have failed. For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth.

Look at Hebrews 11:1 it says Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

Now look at 1Peter 1:3 it says Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fadekept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’ power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trails. These have come so that your faithof greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by firemay be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

Look at 2Peter 1:5 it says For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In closing look at 1Corinthians 16:13 it says Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love.

Your Sister in Christ,
Mellody Davis

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