So I’m up really late here…yawning, but happily content. Why? Well…first, I got rid of the futon! I had the equivalent of 5 beds in this house. The full size futon, which the church’s thrift store picked up today; a single futon, which is currently in my living room as my loveseat, and the rollaway bed in the storage room, as well as my current bed and my son’s bed, both of which are solid, good beds.

I finally have no need to keep the big futon. I always have these around, because of “bed issues,” meaning for example, the last bed I personally had was given to me by pops because my previous futon bed broke, and I was sleeping on the double full size mattresses on the floor. Pops gave me his old bed when he bought the new one, and I took the futon mattresses and put them on the box spring to help support the mattress which had a big sagging area in the middle.

Well…turns out that mattress was very comfortable on top of those two futon mattresses, (which btw, gave me a rather elevated bed, slightly reminiscent of the princess minus the pea.) but I needed a pillow under my knees for low back support. (I still need that now with the newest mattress/boxspring I got…at a major steal…like new from the thrift store…$40 for both! So lately…I’ve been sleeping in luxurious comfort on my elevated (yes, still…) mattress above the futons.

But today…aside from getting rid of that big futon which took up tremendous space in my living room, I’m happy for another reason…actually several, but one I will focus on.

I think I mentioned that I am now a Mary Kay consultant. I am also working on my writing career, and in the midst of researching with the intention of initiating a non-profit organization.

At the time that I was debating on what option I was going to go for (being offered 3 at one time), when God told me to do the Mary Kay. So the same Thursday nite that He given me my answer on this (actually, He told me during that day), I told Him that He would have to bring me the people He wanted me to help, because that is my reason for getting into Mary Kay in the first place.

So that same nite, I meet this lady Deidra. After several weeks of missed connections, and reminders from God about this lady, I finally see her in church Sat. and arrange to pick her up today to take her to the business office for a facial/makeover class.

So we get there and when Samra starts explaining what everyone will be doing…she freaks out and gets nervous, saying that she never has used makeup and is afraid to do so. Now understand…this lady has a slight speech impediment, and I don’t know what this is called, but her eyes go in different directions. No one has ever taken the time with her…more often than not, to even listen to her. They just blow her off.

So here she is shaken and starting to cry, and I ask her why she’s crying. She says that she never put on makeup because she never wanted to attract any other man than her husband. Her husband has an alcohol problem, and apparently from the little she’s told me…he’s abused her. Apparently…society as a whole has abused her. She has just started to be strengthened because her husband is gone, and she’s by herself with God. 

I reminded her that she and God are doing a new thing, and He’s strengthening her, and changing her life as evidenced by her husband’s changing attitude from indifference and taking her for granted, to caring and missing his wife, and being tender with her when he does see her. She said that before, she was always running behind him, being nice and loving to him while he treated her like garbage. The picture is now changing, and I told her that God has them apart right now, so that he can not only get himself together, but learn to appreciate what he has.

I told her that since God is doing all of this for her, and bringing beautiful changes into her life, that she should try the facial and the makeup just to see what God was going to do with it for her life. So she stopped crying and agreed to try it. I told her I would help her. So she did the facial cleansing and I coached her. Then I did her makeover.

If you could have seen this woman’s reaction just from trying the skin care products. Her skin had never been cared for…she had never been pampered in any way. Her skin looks like the skin of someone who is homeless, because she is constantly in the sun waiting for buses to get to Publix where she works. She loved the skin care products, and kept remarking how nice her skin felt.

When I put the foundation on her and smoothed it around her face, evening her skin tone…and she saw her skin…she was so enthused. She loved it…and I hadn’t even done anything yet. As I was applying her makeup, she kept looking in the mirror and saying…”I can’t believe how beautiful I am. My mother always told me I was beautiful, but I never believed it…I never saw it, but I can see it now.” She was crying. I could hardly get her eyemakeup on for all her crying. And she kept thanking me over and over. She said no one had ever done anything like this for her before. No one had ever taken the time to be bothered with her.

When my director called me to the front as a new consultant, and asked me in front of all the ladies, guests and all, why I got into this…I said…”To help women.” The girl next to me that had already answered, said she liked my answer better.

When my director was asking the guests what they liked about the products, Deidra said “Everything!” and began to explain that no one had ever done anything like that for her, and that she had been afraid to put makeup on; saying how she cried and everything. All the women were like…”Awwww.” Prior to her saying all of this…I could see that some of them had dismissed her with a look, but now…suddenly…they all understood, when I said, “That is why this one is my favorite makeover that I’ve done so far.”

So when I dropped Deidra off, I told her that I would come over and help teach her how to use the makeup up…she needs lots of practise (coordination issues I think) to learn how to use the products. I also told her…”Let’s do a total makeover…since God is changing your life.”

I suggested a change of hairstyle…she has a very unflattering blunt haircut…like a neck length bob. I suggested some layers and a hairdresser I know. I also told her that if she wanted, I could help her pick out a special outfit, or some new clothes to give her something more flattering to wear, because every time I’ve seen her at church…she’s in what looks like logger shirts (maybe her husband’s) and she said her mother bought everything in black for her because she used to be much heavier.

So I’m going with her next week to help her create her new look…free. She says God has blessings for me in heaven. I say…I’m already blessed here and now. And helping her…it made me realize how many people…women in particular… who do not fit society’s beauty standards…are overlooked and ignored. Whether they are just not generally attractive in features or are overweight, reclusive, or what-have-you…I started seeing these women as well as my mission…the cancer patients.

I also saw the ones in prisons…my mission is expanding. As I explained to Deidra…makeup and fashion…is a natural thing for me (as she knows…I look different every time she sees me at church)…so it is nothing for me to help her…and I’m blessed to be able to do that for her.

I’m trying to think if I have any recent pics in the pc that I can post so you can see what I mean when I say it’s a natural thing for me. I know I have previous pics…shots I took when I thought I might be modeling…but that was a while ago. Well…I don’t know…you all tell me. Should I post the older ones? They’d certainly let you see my versatility if nothing else. I have nothing from this year that is in the computer now…just pics from the last couple of years and the modeling pics. I figure…I’ll let you guys decide, since I don’t think I’ve ever posted any pics of me on this particular site.

OH! I almost forgot to tell you! I think I mentioned in a previous post about meeting that cancer patient in the Whole Foods Market on the day I decided on my non-profit business. So here I was, talking to her and telling her about that cancer fashion show I did, and I had given her my card, but forgotten to get her info. I left there, so wishing I had gotten it, becuase I decided that she would be the first one I blessed from my non-profit. So for the last week or so, since I met her…the week before thanksgiving, I had been just thinking about her and wishing I had gotten that info so I could keep in touch with her.

BUT GOD! Saturday…I’m in the Daily Grill with two girlfriends…both of whom are MK consultants, and we are talking at a table by the snack bar. I go to the counter to get the pizza Lori and I ordered, and who is standing in the line, but this same woman from WholeFoods. I’m flippin’!

I start screaming and hug her, and she’s just shocked, because I’m so daggone glad to see her, and she can’t quite remember who I am, as she saw me sans the glamour look in my running around, everyday casual, no makeup look.  I looked a little familiar, but she couldn’t place me. I reminded her, and told her how much I had wanted to get in touch with her, and here God goes and puts her right into my path again! So I invited her to sit with us, and we were all talking and Deb asked her alot of questions about the cancer. She really educated us on it.

I actually had a dream this morning…uh…yesterday morning at this point, in which I was actually feeling the effects and the sensations of the treatment…the chemo. It was like I had it and could feel what a woman in that position was going through. It was awful, and I’m sure I only got a glimpse.

But what blew my mind was the fact that they were using poison to defeat poison. That just didn’t make sense to me. In my mind’s eye…I saw family curses, and pain, and a spirit of bitterness as well as liver malfunction as the cause, because if the body cannot properly deal with toxins…a buildup occurs and disease sets in.

I also saw a failure to let go as one of the sources of the cancers. I asked God to make me a vessel of healing, and I now understand why He has wanted me to research sickness in scripture. So…yeah…my mind is whirling. There’s so much to do…so many hurting, and I want to share God’s love for them. It will be great. Peace and blessings to all.

Thanksgving day was great! First of all, I went to see a friend in the hospital. He was recovering from a hernia. I boycotted dinner at moms. I know that sounds bad, but it was necessary. It was a matter of self-respect. Every year at either easter, Thanksgiving, Xmas or New Years…at one of these I ask if I can invite a guest. There is always an excuse, justification or reason as to why I can’t. When I want to invite someone, it’s always, “We just want our family to be there,” or they come up with some other reason why I can’t invite the person; like, “I don’t want to be uncomfortable with someone I don’t know.” 

However, if my brother wants to invite someone, it is always ok, even when it was already stated that it would just be our family. Every year I have complained about this discrepancy in treatment, but they have talked me into coming to dinner anyways. This time, I asked after being told that my brother’s friend who was depressed, and my brother had invited, had gone to his wife’s (they were separated). So my mom was already expecting my brother’s friend and it was ok, and then we found out he wasn’t coming after all. So I asked about my friend, who, to my knowledge at the time, had no family here and nowhere to go. All this I told my mother. At first my mom said yes after much prodding from me, then an hour later, she calls and leaves a message saying for me to tell my friend no. She just didn’t feel like making the “extra effort.”

I decided that I needed to make a stand…to make a statement, because I was tired of being disrespected in this manner by both of them. So I boycotted the dinner…sending a text message to my brother about 2 hours prior to the time I was supposed to be there. I told him that it was not a family occassion when respect and consideration was only being extended to some and not to all.

I didn’t go to the house again until Sat., and moms attempted to say it was a misunderstanding, and that it wasn’t fair of me to say that they never allowed me to bring a guest. She cited one occassion with my bf on thanksgiving. I didn’t recall that as being a thanksgiving dinner, just a dinner. Neither did my bf, but I gave her that one. But that was like…ten years ago. She tried to claim some other guy I had invited, but that never happened. Then she tried to claim my ex…well, hello…I married the guy! But again…I let it go. I let her say her piece and only stated firmly that they never let me invite anyone, and that my bf was the one exception to that rule.

However, on thanksgiving…we visited my friend in the hospital, and then went to the church and had lunch there. It was nice. Plenty of people…more volunteers than people to eat. My pastor later remarked that everyone was so eager to serve that they were stumbling over each other. Guests to eat: 250; Volunteers to serve: 300. But that’s a good thing.

After hanging out there for about 3 hours and letting lil man run about with some kids, we went to see…

It was really cute. I loved the “Honex” factory inside the honey comb.  If you haven’t seen this…I recommend it. It had a good moral about lack of purpose, and how detrimental and adverse that can be.

So after this, I gave lil man an option. He could come to an all adult party with me, or hang at home and watch some of his favorite DVD’s that I checked out from the library. He opted for the DVD’s. So I went to a party at the home of some people I didn’t even know. And guess who invited me? The same guy that I thought had nowhere to go. Yeah…it turned out that he invited me to a great party…a wonderful house. There was a diversity of people there…three guys from the Calvary House, a Jamaican lady with her mother (I think it was her mother), a Jewish lady and her Italian husband from the church, my friend, who is Trinidadian, and me…the 7 nationality split; as well as the owners of the house, who I think were also Jewish.

Their home was so warm and inviting. It was this beautiful light blue on the walls with white accents. It was light and airy. They had several pets…all of which I hit is off with immediately. The chichuawa mix dog, and a cat with a kidney condition that had to be hydrated every other day (so the poor thing was wasn’t feeling very well). They also had 3 sizes of parrots/parakeets. The large grey and white with the red tail fell in love with me and kept kissing me. It was hilarious. The owners said that he never gets that friendly with someone in the first meeting, but he was quite enthralled with me and was so attentive every time I spoke to him. So I was very entertained with all of the animals, as I was able to communicate with each one of them.

The lady of the house cooked a fantastic meal….it was soooo good, and we sang songs afterwards, praising God. It was just fabulous….exactly the kind of holiday I was hoping for. I would not have gotten this at my mom’s. It would have been nice, but not like that. We would not have a bunch of people there, and be singing praises to God. I really wanted something more open to others…more sharing and God blessed me with that, so I am very grateful and blessed to have had that opportunity to share the holiday with total strangers.

I did nothing on black friday. I’m just not into it, so I chilled. The whole weekend has been basically relaxings. Only today I went to do laundry…and exhausted myself after being there for about 5 hours….that’s how much we had to do. Anyways, I’m still happy and grateful for the wonderful holiday. I hope everyone else’s was just as blessed. Peace all.

Hey all. I figured I’d update you again…seeing as how apparently, I’m being tested/challenged. I think the best way to give you an idea of what’s going on is to simply post the email correspondence that has occurred in the last few days. So here goes.

11/14/07

Hi Mrs. M,
 
Alfonso told me about the project assignment. He chose China, but he wants to change it to Christianity. This is our faith, and he would be able to give a better report on it, as it is something he knows about personally. 
 
He was supposed to let you know this today, but he had an accident this morning at school and I had to pick him up before he attended classes. His left arm is fractured, and it was splinted today, but we have to return tomorrow to get the casting done so he will not be in school tomorrow as well.
 
Considering this, I will have to give him some assistance in the typing the report, but everything will be done in his own words. As a result of this situation, I am not sure we can get the project done by Tuesday, and if you could give an extension it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
 

Understand…my son told me this was about religion, so I was wondering why he picked China for the country. I got no response from her. The following is a copy of the second letter to the liberty counsel minus some email addy info, which contains my response to both the teacher and the school board.

Hi C,
 
I figure your office might be closed tomorrow for the holidays, so I’m emailing this info to you. First, a copy of what I sent the supt’s of our county’s school board after his office received the same copy of the letter I sent to the teacher, that you received. I sent this reply to their response:
 

The Next Cycle of 40

Part 11 Section 1

It took me a while on this one simply because I had my scripture base, and my word breakdown, but nothing else. I kept feeling like there was more to this than met the eye, so I went to the book study as opposed to the online study. I started cross referencing in my bible, and this is what I found.

2Sa 15:1   AFTER this it happened that Absalom provided himself with chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him.

Absalom or Abishalom: “my father is peace”

father of peace; i.e., “peaceful” David’s son by Maacah (2Sa 3:3; 1Ki 1:6).

Maachah:  “oppression”

First I find it interesting that while his name meant “my father is peace,” he is also the son of oppression and he brought dissention and division. The fact that he “provided” for himself in the above verse indicates purpose, and his purpose was to overthrown the “beloved one.”

The question is why did he even think he could? The answer is that he saw an opportunity. He saw an open door. David fell short somewhere. Let’s see if we can find the open door.

2Sa 19:8  Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. And they told unto all the people, saying, Behold, the king doth sit in the gate. And all the people came before the king: for Israel had fled every man to his tent.

David gets up and takes his seat in the gateway at this point, but prior to this?

2Sa 18:24  And David sat between the two gates: and the watchman went up to the roof over the gate unto the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold a man running alone.

 Here, clearly, David was between two positions: the inner and outer gates, which is indicative of impaired vision. Still…he had the watchman up on the roof over the wall, so he still had a partial view/interpretation of what was happening around him, or what was approaching the city. In addition, being between the inner and the outer gates also speaks of his relationship with God…surface Christianity vs a real relationship. It’s just like when Abraham camped between Bethel and Ai…a heavenly place and essentially hell. Its a position of being on the fence…being lukewarm, and this puts you out of relationship with God.

2Sa 15:2   Now Absalom would rise early and stand beside the way to the gate. So it was, whenever anyone who had a lawsuit came to the king for a decision, that Absalom would call to him and say, “What city are you from?” And he would say, “Your servant is from such and such a tribe of Israel.”

Absalom stood by the side of the road leading to the city gate. If he was able to stand in this position, this means that David was not in the gate at all…the door was wide open to enemies and there was no watchman in the tower. Therefore, David was not aware of what Absalom was doing.

Amazing, Amazing, Amazing

things are happening!

Where do I start? I mean, so much is happening that this is the reason you all have not seen me out here posting. I’m happily trying to keep up with the move of God. Oh…and btw…this means that this will be a long post…just catchin’ yall up on the wave.

Let’s see. Well…most of you don’t know that I got into Mary Kay. So let’s start with that. The lady that recruited me is a really nice sister that I know from church, who had just been admiring me for a good while. She always commented on how different as well as how nice I look, and how well I do my makeup. So she presented Mary Kay to me, and I was skeptical at first, but I figured that since I have a natural talent for style and makeup…it might be a good match.

My sister/shield did not like the idea. She thought that this would take me away from my purpose in God, and from my writing and ministry. I assured her that it wouldn’t, but we prayed about it. In fact, I was sitting at her house a few weeks ago, and she had fixed this killer split pea soup with ham in it…the bomb. Anyways, she was expecting some guys from our church thrift store to stop by and pick up some large items.

The guys did come by…I was snoozing when they arrived, as I needed a catnap, but I got up upon hearing them only to discover it was Mark with this guy Skip I didn’t know. So my sister/shield, Gail, invited them to have lunch with us, and it turned into this really joyful event.

At some point during the conversation, Skip started giving his testimony…or at least a portion of it. He had formerly been in ministry in another state, but something had happened that left him angry with God…I think it had much to do with that lack of a generous spirit in the majority of Christians in the church.

Anyways, as a result of this anger, he ended up with a drinking problem, and on the streets. That’s where he was when one of our missions teams traveled to another state…I think it was either GA or LA to assist with some disaster recovery. They found him and now he is in our Calvary House recovery program.

So anyways…Gail tells them that we were just praying for direction, and I told him that I was concerned with finances, because I really wanted to work for the Lord. Here I was, unemployed and now with the flexible hours I had asked for, yet with no certainty that this was the answer to my prayer about working for God. He told me not to worry about the money…give it all away. He said that when he was ministering, that was what he did, down to the last dime, and God always multiplied it so many times over…it was like he couldn’t give it away fast enough. I was blown away with that idea, because we are all taught about saving…and some of us were taught just about spending…on ourselves.

I told them that my goal was to work for God, so I wanted whichever business opportunity that allowed me to do that.

God didn’t answer me that day, but I had a fabulous day anyways. The next day, I was sitting on my couch, when the Lord gave me my answer. He told me to go with the Mary Kay. I know…sounds strange right. You might be thinking, “Why would God tell her Mary Kay?” I think for several reasons. First, my objective… to help other women. So He said to me…when you get into position to financially help another sister make a start in this…and she can’t afford the $100 start up fee…seed it in for her. This will demonstrate your faith in her, and will boost her faith in herself because someone believed in her enough to give like that so her life can change. Man…when I got that…my head just went back on the back of the couch and tears rolled down my face. He told me that He was going to use this company through me to bless others. I was so happy.

So here I go to the sister who recruited me to sign up, only to discover the other half to the half truths she told me about the company. When I started to question it, she glossed it over with, “Oh, but I know you’ll do well sister!I can see you driving that pink cadillac, girlfriend!” My response? “I may be driving a cadillac, but it won’t be a pink one. I don’t like pink.” She just didn’t hear me, because she kept repeating that at different times, always with the “girlfriend” thing. She kept telling me about the “gifts” and “prizes” I could win. I wasn’t impressed.

I told her straight up that if those gifts and prizes can’t be converted into money, I’m not interested. I don’t need any more “stuff.” I’ve got more than enough “stuff” and can’t get rid of it fast enough. Nevertheless, after she finally told me the whole truth, I signed up anyways because my agenda was God’s agenda, not hers.

So when I get the material…I start reading it, and I find more things that she only partially told me. I was disgusted and discouraged, and I started to just let this go, but God moved me to go to the Monday night training instead of the Tuesday night training with all the screaming cheerleaders. Not my style at all… and it so turned me off. So I went to the Monday session, and met the director after avoiding her calls for about 2 weeks. Not that I didn’t want to meet her, but I was so turned off by that time because of the half truths, and the screamers that I just didn’t want to hear more of that, and that’s what I thought she’d do. I had already been bombarded in my email by her…so I was really in my retreat mode.

But when I met her, she sensed that I was not (let’s say) pleased, and she sat me down and started talking to me to see what was going on. Her group was more settled and mature in how they handled the class and training, so I liked it better. After I explained, she told me that her job was to find out what I wanted out of Mary Kay, and help me to achieve it. Sounded good, right? I felt better, and I like her. She’s very nice.

Now…I have to go back a bit. After God had initially given me my mission on the couch about Mary Kay…He later elaborated on it. He told me I could go to the hospitals and visit patients that had cancer etc; and just be a blessing by pampering them…giving them free facials and makeovers. I was thrilled with that idea. We even discussed nursing homes and retirement homes and doing the same. So I call Gail and tell her what God showed me…and I’m ecstatic (spell checker please…). So I tell Gail….I don’t know how God will work this out, because I’m trying to figure how I’m going to get connected with people in these places to do this. So I tell her that if God works it out…I’m there.

Back to the director. While I’m sitting there telling her what’s going on, she asks me what I want to do with Mary Kay. So I told her that my goal was to help other women and if I cannot do that, I’m not interested. So she said that she would do what she could to help me, and I went on to tell her about the pampering at nursing homes, and for cancer patients etc; and what does she say? She says…”I am a cancer survivor, and I can get you in to do the makeup for a cancer fashion show.” I’m suddenly like Scooby Doo…”Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah…”in utter surprise. I was like…”Yeah…I soooo want to do that.”So this past Monday…I did the makeup for a cancer fashion show. It was so cool.

First, I wasn’t sure what stage of recovery these women were in…if they had hair, wigs, turbans…whatever. So I decided to relate. I put my hair up and wore a turban and did my makeup. Well, guess what? I was mistaken for a model for the show!I thought it was amusing. Some of the women did have wigs…in fact it was kinda half and half. Most had grown their own hair, but also brought wigs for a different look. There was this one spunky little lady beside me….was so cool. An entertainer…definitely, and she was the first one on that stage. That lady got out there and shook her moneymaker all over that stage and just had a great time.

I did take pics on my brother’s digital camera. Trust me…an experience in and of itself, because I’ve never used a digital camera before. (Yeah, I know…I’m a bit behind the times, but not for long.)Anyways…I actually figured out how to work the video…and mind you, he did show me all of this, but about 3 days before. I couldn’t remember anything…not even how to turn it on. Someone had to do that for me. I know….its sad, but bygones. As soon as I can get the cord from him and figure out how to download the videos, I will post them.

Dillards supplied the clothes for the ladies, and they even had a raffle of about 30 gifts for the audience, which was really nice. My son won 4 tickets to Butterfly World. He was so thrilled.

The lady I went to this event with from Mary Kay, told me afterwards that we were supposed to be getting these cards filled out by the ladies with contact info. She said our director would probably be mad at her, but she didn’t feel it was appropriate, as the ladies were quite flustered backstage, and there wasn’t any real room…it was like a long narrow hallway with only room for one to pass due to the makeup tables along the walls.  I agreed with her. The director called me the next day to see how it went, and of course asked the question about contacts. I told her that the situation didn’t permit that, and aside from that, it was totally inappropriate, because if you go do something to be a blessing to someone, you don’t expect or try to receive anything…you just bless those you went to bless and that’s it.

She doesn’t get it. She still was trying to say that we could have gotten some referrals. I figure that if God wants that…the people who put the show together will call saying that some of the ladies asked about us. You know…its really hard for me to believe that as a cancer survivor…she doesn’t comprehend this…she doesn’t have more faith…she doesn’t understand true generosity. So it appears that part of my Mary Kay experience is to show her this. Last Sunday she did my orientation with me. So she’s doing this consultant profile with me, and she asks the question at the bottom of the page: “I am motivated by: circle one…” and the choices are 1. Financial Security; 2. Winning Prizes; 3. Career Advancement; 4. Reliable Bonus Structure.

Now, before I tell you how I answered her, I want you to bear in mind that Mary Kay’s actual philosophy was God first, family second, and business third. This is supposed to be a Christian based company…the operative words being “supposed to be.” This is why the whole cheerleader, screaming group turned me off so much. They were screaming and raving over trinkets. It was surreal for me. So anyways, she asks this question about what motivates me and my answer was, “None of the above.” She was like…”What?!?” She couldn’t believe my answer, so I explained again. “I got into this company to help other women, so that is my priority. If I cannot do that, then this company is not for me. None of this stuff really impresses me, but if I were to pick a second choice from the group, it would be #1. However, the ratio is maybe 70/30.”

She looks at me somewhat skeptically, and says can you live off of 30%? I said, “I’m not worried about it, because I don’t even need the 30%. God takes care of me. He always has.” So now, she’s shaking her head in disbelief. So of course… you know what I told God after I left, right? I said to Him, “You do realize that I just boasted on You, so You have to prove Yourself; cause this is a reflection on You not me…and she doesn’t believe my faith.”So I know that I’m definitely going to be a witness of sorts for her, because she follows the “program” and pushes the new people into buying product right away. The reason for this is of course, she gets a percentage of whatever the girls spend on inventory. She and the other directors don’t seem to be too concerned with the fact that alot of these women are struggling to make ends meet and cannot afford to by a bunch of inventory upfront, that they may never be able to move.

Several of the “red jackets” told me they have too much inventory, and they can’t move it. Their regular customers don’t purchase it, some has become obsolete with the company…and they are just stuck with it. This is a ludicrous practise. It helps no one but the directors, and ultimately, this practise will hurt them in the long run, as I met a director this weekend whose teaching was great, but I found out…is losing her “pink caddy.” Why? Well…one of her girls that I have become friendly with, told me that 12 girls came in with her under this director, but she’s the only one remaining. Again…the director pushed too much about inventory purchases…these girls could not move the product they purchased due to this pressure, and they got discouraged and quit. Not a good practise. Helps no one, but the directors do this because the company only promotes you based on inventory purchases, and maintaining a certain number of recruits downline. All I see is a lot of sweating. Not in my plans.

My approach to this issue will be very different, and I may not recruit as fast or “sell” as fast as they want; ie: purchase inventory as fast as they want, but again…different agenda. And whoever I bring in…will stick…will stay. God is hand picking them for me. There’s another objective at work…which really hasn’t much to do with busting butt to become a MK director. I may end up holding that title, but not because I worked myself to death, or pushed people to put themselves into a financial hole for my benefit. If I’m there to help…it will be genuine help. I think Mary Kay will be the training ground for me to select my team, but my team will be doing much bigger and greater things than MK.

Well…I’ve written a small book here…and I’ve just gotten started updating you. Greater things than this have already happened, but that’s for another post. Have a God filled day. Peace and blessings.

The Next Cycle of 40

Part 10 Section 7

2Sa 10:1   In the course of time, the king of the Ammonites died, and his son Hanun succeeded him as king.

Ammon = “tribal”

1) a people dwelling in Transjordan descended from Lot through Ben-ammi

The Hebrew tradition makes this tribe descendants of Lot and hence related to the Israelites (Ge 19:38). This is reflected in the name usually employed in Old Testament to designate them, Ben ‘Ammi, Bene ‘Ammon, “son of my people,” “children of my people,” i.e. relatives. Hence we find that the Israelites are commanded to avoid conflict with them on their march to the Promised Land (De 2:19).

2Sa 10:2   David thought, “I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, just as his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent a delegation to express his sympathy to Hanun concerning his father. When David’s men came to the land of the Ammonites,

Hanun = “gracious”

Nahash = “serpent”

2Sa 10:3   the Ammonite nobles said to Hanun their lord, “Do you think David is honoring your father by sending men to you to express sympathy? Hasn’t David sent them to you to explore the city and spy it out and overthrow it?”

2Sa 10:4   So Hanun seized David’s men, shaved off half of each man’s beard, cut off their garments in the middle at the buttocks, and sent them away.

2Sa 10:5   When David was told about this, he sent messengers to meet the men, for they were greatly humiliated. The king said, “Stay at Jericho till your beards have grown, and then come back.”

2Sa 10:6   When the Ammonites realized that they had become a stench in David’s nostrils, they hired twenty thousand Aramean foot soldiers from Beth Rehob and Zobah, as well as the king of Maacah with a thousand men, and also twelve thousand men from Tob.

Aram or Arameans:  “exalted”

1) Aram or Syria the nation

2) the Syrian or Aramean people

3) fifth son of Shem

4) a grandson of Nahor

5) a descendant of Asher

Beth-rehob:  “house of the street”

1) a place in Dan on road to Hamath

Zoba or Zobah:  “station”

1) the name of a portion of Syria which formed a separate kingdom in the times of Saul, David, and Solomon; located northeast of Damascus

Maachah:  “oppression”

Ishtob:

man of Tob, one of the small Syrian kingdoms which together constituted Aram (2Sa 10:6,8).

2Sa 10:7   On hearing this, David sent Joab out with the entire army of fighting men.

2Sa 10:8   The Ammonites came out and drew up in battle formation at the entrance to their city gate, while the Arameans of Zobah and Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah were by themselves in the open country.

2Sa 10:9   Joab saw that there were battle lines in front of him and behind him; so he selected some of the best troops in Israel and deployed them against the Arameans.

2Sa 10:10   He put the rest of the men under the command of Abishai his brother and deployed them against the Ammonites.

Joab:  “Jehovah is father”

Abishai:  “my father is Jesse” or “my father is a gift”

2Sa 10:11   Joab said, “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you are to come to my rescue; but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come to rescue you.

2Sa 10:12   Be strong and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. The Lord will do what is good in his sight.”

2Sa 10:13   Then Joab and the troops with him advanced to fight the Arameans, and they fled before him.

2Sa 10:14   When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans were fleeing, they fled before Abishai and went inside the city. So Joab returned from fighting the Ammonites and came to Jerusalem.

2Sa 10:15   After the Arameans saw that they had been routed by Israel, they regrouped.

2Sa 10:16   Hadadezer had Arameans brought from beyond the River; they went to Helam, with Shobach the commander of Hadadezer’s army leading them.

Hadarezer: “Hadad is help”

Helam: “stronghold”

Shobach: “expansion”

2Sa 10:17   When David was told of this, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan and went to Helam. The Arameans formed their battle lines to meet David and fought against him.

2Sa 10:18   But they fled before Israel, and David killed seven hundred of their charioteers and forty thousand of their foot soldiers. He also struck down Shobach the commander of their army, and he died there.

2Sa 10:19   When all the kings who were vassals of Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with the Israelites and became subject to them. So the Arameans were afraid to help the Ammonites anymore.

 Footnotes:

10:16 That is, the Euphrates

10:18 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 19:18); Hebrew horsemen

The Next Cycle of 40

Part 10 Section 6

2Sa 5:1   THEN all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and spoke, saying, “Indeed we are your bone and your flesh. (family)

Tribe:

1) rod, staff, branch, offshoot, club, sceptre, tribe

a) rod, staff

b) shaft (of spear, dart)

c) club (of shepherd’s implement)

d) truncheon, sceptre (mark of authority)

e) clan, tribe

Israel = “God prevails”

David = “beloved”

Hebron = “association”

2Sa 5:2   “Also, in time past, when Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel out and brought them in; and the LORD said to you, ‘You shall shepherd My people Israel, and be ruler over Israel.’”

Saul or Shaul = “desired”

In other words…when we were ruled by our passions and desires, you led us…you brought us back to the Lord.

2Sa 5:3   Therefore all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the LORD. And they anointed David king over Israel.

2Sa 5:4   David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.

2Sa 5:5   In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.

It’s been awhile since I focused on this study, so for those who are just coming into this: the number forty here, represents the Spirit, and this means David’s rule was led by the Spirit for the entire time period, as forty is the number of the Spirit.

Judah = “praised”

So He reigned over praise for 7 years and six months.

Seven:

This number occurs frequently in Scripture, and in such connections as lead to the supposition that it has some typical meaning. On the seventh day God rested, and hallowed it (Gen 2:2,3). The division of time into weeks of seven days each accounts for many instances of the occurrence of this number. This number has been called the symbol of perfection, and also the symbol of rest. “Jacob’s seven years’ service to Laban; Pharaoh’s seven fat oxen and seven lean ones; the seven branches of the golden candlestick; the seven trumpets and the seven priests who sounded them; the seven days’ siege of Jericho; the seven churches, seven spirits, seven stars, seven seals, seven vials, and many others, sufficiently prove the importance of this sacred number” (see Lev 25:4; 1Sa 2:5; Psa 12:6; 79:12; Pro 26:16; Isa 4:1; Mat 18:21,22; Luk 17:4). The feast of Passover (Exd 12:15,16), the feast of Weeks (Deu 16:9), of Tabernacles (13:15), and the Jubilee (Lev 25:8), were all ordered by seven. Seven is the number of sacrifice (2Ch 29:21; Job 42:8), of purification and consecration (Lev 4:6,17; 8:11,33; 14:9,51), of forgiveness (Mat 18:21,22; Luk 17:4), of reward (Deu 28:7; 1Sa 2:5), and of punishment (Lev 26:21,24,28; Deu 28:25). It is used for any round number in such passages as Job 5:19; Pro 26:16, 25; Isa 4:1; Mat 12:45. It is used also to mean “abundantly” (Gen 4:15,24; Lev 26:24; Psa 79:12).

There is clear evidence in the cuneiform texts, which are our earliest authorities, that the Babylonians regarded 7 as the number of totality, of completeness. The Sumerians, from whom the Semitic Babylonians seem to have borrowed the idea, equated 7 and “all.” The 7-storied towers of Babylonia represented the universe. Seven was the expression of the highest power, the greatest conceivable fullness of force, and therefore was early pressed into the service of religion.

Six:

whence Eng. prefix, hex—, is used separately from other numerals in Mat 17:1; Mar 9:2; Luk 4:25; 13:14; Jhn 2:6; 12:1; Act 11:12; 18:11; Jam 5:17; Rev 4:8. It sometimes suggests incompleteness, in comparison with the perfect number seven.

Jerusalem = “teaching of peace”

The Number Three:

The number three seems early to have attracted attention as the number in which beginning, middle and end are most distinctly marked, and to have been therefore regarded as symbolic of a complete and ordered whole.

In other words, 3 readily suggested completeness, and was often used with a glance at that meaning in daily life and daily speech.

The number 3 is also used in a literary way, sometimes appearing only in the structure. Note as examples the 3-fold benediction of Israel (Nu 6:24 ); the Thrice Holy of the seraphim (Isa 6:3); the 3-fold overturn (Eze 21:27 (Hebrew 32)); the 3-fold refrain of Psalms 42—43 regarded as one psalm (Ps 42:5,11; 43:5); the 3 names of God (the Mighty One, God, Yahweh, Jos 22:22; compare Ps 50:1); the 3 graces of 1Co 13; the 3 witnesses (1 #Joh 5:8); the frequent use of 3 and 3rd in Revelation; the description of God as “who is and who was and who is to come” (Re 1:4); and ‘the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit’ (Mt 28:19).

I find it interesting that David the beloved ruled Jerusalem for thirty and three years, and Christ was thirty when he began his ministry and it lasted three years, and he came with a teaching of peace. It’s like a double confirmation of completeness, because there are two 3’s in this.

2Sa 5:6   And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who spoke to David, saying, “You shall not come in here; but the blind and the lame will repel you,” thinking, “David cannot come in here.”

2Sa 5:7   Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion (that is, the City of David).

2Sa 5:8   Now David said on that day, “Whoever climbs up by way of the water shaft and defeats the Jebusites (the lame and the blind, who are hated by David’s soul), he shall be chief and captain.” Therefore they say, “The blind and the lame shall not come into the house.”

I’m looking at his methodology. In order to break the stronghold against a spirit of crippling blindness, it required a trial (or baptism) of water. It is reminiscent of Christ being the living water.

Water of Purification:

used in cases of ceremonial cleansings at the consecration of the Levites (Num 8:7). It signified, figuratively, that purifying of the heart which must characterize the servants of God.

(7) Washing with water held a considerable place in the Jewish temple-ceremony (Le 11:32; 16:4; 17:15; 22:6; Nu 19:7; Ex 30:18; 40:7). Sacrifices were washed (Ex 29:4; Le 1:9; 6:28; 14:5).

(8) The lack of water caused great suffering (Ex 15:22; De 8:15; 2Ki 3:9; Ps 63:1; Pr 9:17; Eze 4:11; La 5:4).

And this journey through water caused them to take the city, and it became the city of David.

Psa 1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

2Sa 5:9   Then David dwelt in the stronghold, and called it the City of David. And David built all around from the Millo  and inward.

2Sa 5:10   So David went on and became great, and the LORD God of hosts was with him.

 The Next Cycle of 40

Part 10 Section 5

2Sa 2:11  And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.

2Sa 2:12 ¶ And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.

What I want you to note is the fact that it was the son of the “father of light” who went forth with the servants of the “man of shame” son of desire; and went out from a place of “two camps,” or indecision to Gibeon.

Gibeon = “hill city”

1)    a Levitical city of Benjamin, modern ‘el-Jib’, which lies 5 miles or 8 km from Jerusalem

The following is the history of this site: I’ve underlined the section that relates to my study, but the whole history of this was interesting reading so I decided to post it here. It seems to me that this place represents a place of decision.

Gibeon:

hill-city, “one of the royal cities, greater than Ai, and all the men thereof were mighty” (Jos 10:2). Its inhabitants were Hivites (11:19). It lay within the territory of Benjamin, and became a priest-city (18:25; 21:17). Here the tabernacle was set up after the destruction of Nob, and here it remained many years till the temple was built by Solomon. It is represented by the modern el-Jib, to the south-west of Ai, and about 5 1/2 miles north-north-west of Jerusalem.

A deputation of the Gibeonites, with their allies from three other cities (Jos 9; 17), visited the camp at Gilgal, and by false representations induced Joshua to enter into a league with them, although the Israelites had been specially warned against any league with the inhabitants of Canaan (Exd 23:32; 34:12; Num 33:55; Deu 7:2). The deception practised on Joshua was detected three days later; but the oath rashly sworn “by Jehovah God of Israel” was kept, and the lives of the Gibeonites were spared. They were, however, made “bondmen” to the sanctuary (Jos 9:23).

The most remarkable incident connected with this city was the victory Joshua gained over the kings of Palestine (Jos 10:16-27). The battle here fought has been regarded as “one of the most important in the history of the world.” The kings of southern Canaan entered into a confederacy against Gibeon (because it had entered into a league with Joshua) under the leadership of Adoni-zedec, king of Jerusalem, and marched upon Gibeon with the view of taking possession of it. The Gibeonites entreated Joshua to come to their aid with the utmost speed. His army came suddenly upon that of the Amorite kings as it lay encamped before the city. It was completely routed, and only broken remnants of their great host found refuge in the fenced cities. The five confederate kings who led the army were taken prisoners, and put to death at Makkedah (q.v.). This eventful battle of Beth-horon sealed the fate of all the cities of Southern Palestine. Among the Amarna tablets is a letter from Adoni-zedec (q.v.) to the king of Egypt, written probably at Makkedah after the defeat, showing that the kings contemplated flight into Egypt.

This place is again brought into notice as the scene of a battle between the army of Ish-bosheth under Abner and that of David led by Joab. At the suggestion of Abner, to spare the effusion of blood twelve men on either side were chosen to decide the battle. The issue was unexpected; for each of the men slew his fellow, and thus they all perished. The two armies then engaged in battle, in which Abner and his host were routed and put to flight (2Sa 2:12-17). This battle led to a virtual truce between Judah and Israel, Judah, under David, increasing in power; and Israel, under Ish-bosheth, continually losing ground.

Soon after the death of Absalom and David’s restoration to his throne his kingdom was visited by a grievous famine, which was found to be a punishment for Saul’s violation (2Sa 21:2,5) of the covenant with the Gibeonites (Jos 9:3-27). The Gibeonites demanded blood for the wrong that had been done to them, and accordingly David gave up to them the two sons of Rizpah (q.v.) and the five sons of Michal, and these the Gibeonites took and hanged or crucified “in the hill before the Lord” (2Sa 21:9); and there the bodies hung for six months (21:10), and all the while Rizpah watched over the blackening corpses and “suffered neither the birds of the air to rest on them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night.” David afterwards removed the bones of Saul and Jonathan at Jabeshgilead (21:12,13).

Here, “at the great stone,” Amasa was put to death by Joab (2Sa 20:5-10). To the altar of burnt-offering which was at Gibeon, Joab (1Ki 2:28-34), who had taken the side of Adonijah, fled for sanctuary in the beginning of Solomon’s reign, and was there also slain by the hand of Benaiah.

Soon after he came to the throne, Solomon paid a visit of state to Gibeon, there to offer sacrifices (1Ki 3:4; 2Ch 1:3). On this occasion the Lord appeared to him in a memorable dream, recorded in 1Ki 3:5-15; 2Ch 1:7-12. When the temple was built “all the men of Israel assembled themselves” to king Solomon, and brought up from Gibeon the tabernacle and “all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle” to Jerusalem, where they remained till they were carried away by Nebuchadnezzar (2Ki 24:13).