ANYONE HAVING INFORMATION SHOULD CONTACT
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
1-800-843-5678 (1-800-THE-LOST)
Monroe County Sheriff's Office (Michigan) - 1-734-243-7070

RENESHA SHANTE GRINER VICE GRIMER Missing from: NC Missing Since: May 24, 2009 Age Now: 17 View Poster

ANYONE HAVING INFORMATION SHOULD CONTACT
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
1-800-843-5678 (1-800-THE-LOST)
Hoke County Sheriff's Office (North Carolina) - 1-910-875-5111

52 Year Old Rev. Jose Rosa Missing Since 5/21/09 in Milton, Pennsylvania

A 52 year old pastor in central Pennsylvania, Reverend Jose Rosa, has been reported missing. The well known Hispanic pastor was last seen headed out for a walk. Rev. Rosa was reported missing Sunday, May 24, 2009; however he may have been missing since Thursday.

That’s when witnesses saw him walking through a housing development in Lewisburg, wearing shorts, sneakers and a backpack.

Rosa is pastor of Congregacion Menonita Shalom in New Columbia.

Rosa and his wife, Maggie, are both pastors. They moved to the area about seven years ago to open their church.

According to reports, Rev. Rosa was last seen at approximately 11am on Thursday, May 21, 2009.

About 11 a.m. that day, a neighbor saw Rosa — wearing shorts, sneakers and backpack — walking toward Lewisburg Penitentiary through a new housing development northeast of Kelly Elementary School.

That is the last he has been seen by family or friends, police reported.

Police are asking anyone with information about Rosa’s whereabouts to call (570) 524-2662.

Psalms 103:1-22  By David: Bless ADONAI, my soul! Everything in me, bless his holy name!  (2)  Bless ADONAI, my soul, and forget none of his benefits!  (3)  He forgives all your offenses, he heals all your diseases,  (4)  he redeems your life from the pit, he surrounds you with grace and compassion,  (5)  he contents you with good as long as you live, so that your youth is renewed like an eagle's.  (6)  ADONAI brings vindication and justice to all who are oppressed.  (7)  He made his ways known to Moshe, his mighty deeds to the people of Isra'el.  (8)  ADONAI is merciful and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in grace.  (9)  He will not always accuse, he will not keep his anger forever.  (10)  He has not treated us as our sins deserve or paid us back for our offenses,  (11)  because his mercy toward those who fear him is as far above earth as heaven.  (12)  He has removed our sins from us as far as the east is from the west.  (13)  Just as a father has compassion on his children, ADONAI has compassion on those who fear him.  (14)  For he understands how we are made, he remembers that we are dust.  (15)  Yes, a human being's days are like grass, he sprouts like a flower in the countryside -  (16)  but when the wind sweeps over, it's gone; and its place knows it no more.  (17)  But the mercy of ADONAI on those who fear him is from eternity past to eternity future, and his righteousness extends to his children's children,  (18)  provided they keep his covenant and remember to follow his precepts.  (19)  ADONAI has established his throne in heaven; his kingly power rules everything.  (20)  Bless ADONAI, you angels of his, you mighty warriors who obey his word, who carry out his orders!  (21)  Bless ADONAI, all his troops, who serve him and do what he wants!  (22)  Bless ADONAI, all his works, in every place where he rules! Bless ADONAI, my soul!

Praise is a choice. Sometimes we fall into the trap of thinking that praise to G-d is something that just wells up inside us and comes out every once in a while. David saw worship as a choice he made. He saw it as something that he needed to tell himself to do. We need to make a choice of praising G-d, even in tough circumstances.
I think that one of the finest examples of true worship comes from Job after learning that his flocks had been destroyed, his servants had been killed, and all of his children had died …

Job 1:20-21 Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, {21} And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.

When we praise G-d in tough times, it shows that we trust Him. It demonstrates faith. This is the kind of praise that is sweetest to G-d, when we trust Him in our difficult times.

Heb 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Faith is pleasing to G-d. Praise that is most pleasing is that done in faith, done in times when we don't understand, when we don't get it.

G-d is very gracious and merciful, but if we continue to reject Him there comes a point of no return for us (death) and we are eternally lost.

G-d did not say "He cast our sins as far as the north is from the south", why? Because you can travel 24,859.82 miles from the south pole to the north pole, and when you reached the north pole you would then be heading south again. Now approximately 25,000 miles is a large distance for our sins to be cast away, but G-d does even better. He says "As far as the east is from the west". You see, you can start out going east and you can go for an eternity, that is how far away G-d has cast our sins.

This life is like a vapor, it's what we do with the time that G-d has given to each of us that really matters.

G-d's mercy has been extended to all generations to all that fear Him. And you are responsible for your own walk, your own relationship with Him. You can't blame anyone else for your rejection of G-d, nor will the sins of your parents be held against you.

Bless G-d!!!

Psalms 102:1-28  Prayer of a sufferer overcome by weakness and pouring out his complaint before ADONAI: ADONAI, hear my prayer! Let my cry for help reach you!  (2)  Don't hide your face from me when I am in such distress! Turn your ear toward me; when I call, be quick to reply!  (3)  For my days are vanishing like smoke, my bones are burning like a furnace.  (4)  I am stricken and withered like grass; I forget to eat my food.  (5)  Because of my loud groaning, I am just skin and bones.  (6)  I am like a great owl in the desert, I've become like an owl in the ruins.  (7)  I lie awake and become like a bird alone on the roof.  (8)  My enemies taunt me all day long; mad with rage, they make my name a curse.  (9)  For I have been eating ashes like bread and mingling tears with my drink  (10)  because of your furious anger, since you picked me up just to toss me aside.  (11)  My days decline like an evening shadow; I am drying up like grass.  (12)  But you, ADONAI, are enthroned forever; your renown will endure through all generations.  (13)  You will arise and take pity on Tziyon, for the time has come to have mercy on her; the time determined has come.  (14)  For your servants love her very stones; they take pity even on her dust.  (15)  The nations will fear the name of ADONAI and all the kings on earth your glory,  (16)  when ADONAI has rebuilt Tziyon, and shows himself in his glory,  (17)  when he has heeded the plea of the poor and not despised their prayer.  (18)  May this be put on record for a future generation; may a people yet to be created praise ADONAI.  (19)  For he has looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven ADONAI surveys the earth  (20)  to listen to the sighing of the prisoner, to set free those who are sentenced to death,  (21)  to proclaim the name of ADONAI in Tziyon and his praise in Yerushalayim  (22)  when peoples and kingdoms have been gathered together to serve ADONAI.  (23)  He has broken my strength in midcourse, he has cut short my days.  (24)  I plead, "God, your years last through all generations; so don't take me away when my life is half over!  (25)  In the beginning, you laid the foundations of the earth; heaven is the work of your hands.  (26)  They will vanish, but you will remain; like clothing, they will all grow old; yes, you will change them like clothing, and they will pass away.  (27)  But you remain the same, and your years will never end.  (28)  The children of your servants will live securely and their descendants be established in your presence."

When we cry out to G-d we want Him to respond immediately. But, when G-d calls for us to take a step of faith, we tend to drag our feet. And when we do something that is wrong, we want G-d to be patient with us.

We have this notion that if we follow the Lord we won't have any more troubles in life. Wrong. Sometimes when we go through difficulty, we think there must be something wrong with us.  Not necessarily.  It could be that you're just normal. We all go through trouble.  That's why we can relate to this psalm.

The answer to trouble is prayer

James 5:13-18  Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. {14} Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: {15} And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. {16} Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. {17} Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. {18} And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.

Everything around us is going to change.  G-d isn't.
If you're looking for stability by being in a job you can count on, you'll be disappointed.
If you're looking for stability by counting on the people around you, you'll be disappointed.  Even those around you who are good companions, those who are faithful, can change.  They can move away.  They can die.  They can fall away.
We want things to stay the same.  We like to have stability and a feeling of security.
But things change.  The only place you'll find stability and security is by clinging to G-d

Perfect song for this weekend. Hope you  like it....

Today (Sunday 5/24/09) I was at my first Family gathering on my father's side of the family since Christmas 2003. So the first family gathering that I have been at in a little over 5 years. That is longer then my youngest son is old. He was not even born yet at the last gathering we were at.

I took some pictures or you could say I spent a lot of the time hiding behind my camera.... So here are some of the pictures.

What would you do? What are your thoughts?

I saw someone today that I hadn't seen in awhile. I knew her from work before I was married. Back when I dressed in Mennonite style clothes. (She isn't Mennonite though)

So I saw her today and heard the  Ignorant comment of the day: Haven't seen you in awhile. You haven't gone A Rab have you?

Ok a few reasons why this is ignorant.

Reason #1... She said A  RAB as if it is two words. It is Arab not A Rab. Also it is not nice to mock someone for being Arabic. And you can not "become" Arab as she was saying. It is something you are born.

Reasom #2... I believe the word she was actually looking for was Muslim and I was not dressed in Hijab.
This is NOT Hijab

See how the neck is uncovered? That is not Hijab!!! True Hijab is covering everything except the face and hands in public. That would include the neck.

The way I am dressed is just me dressing in what I deem modest and covering my head like I believe the bible says that we should. It  me trying to follow the bible.

Reason #3 It was insensitive to all the people around us. Some of them could have been Arab or Muslim and her she was spouting of her prejudice to all around to hear. Saying Arab like it was the most degrading thing in the world.

Reason #4 It is really rude to go up to someone you have not seen in years and say something like that. This woman would consider herself a Christian. What would that do to her Christian witness to me if I indeed had converted to Islam?

Reason #5 Our children were along. I think it is sad that my children had to be subject to this woman's racism, Religious bigotry and ignorance. We try to teach our children to act compassionately to all people from all walks of life. To show the Love of G-d to all people be they Muslim, Wiccan, Hindu, Atheist, Buddhist or any other religion.

How would you have handled a situation like this? Or would the comment have even phased you?

Psalms 101:1-8  A psalm of David: I am singing of grace and justice; I am singing to you, ADONAI.  (2)  I will follow the path of integrity; when will you come to me? I will run my life with a sincere heart inside my own house.  (3)  I will not allow before my eyes any shameful thing. I hate those who act crookedly; what they do does not attract me.  (4)  Deviousness will depart from me; I will not tolerate evil.  (5)  If someone slanders another in secret, I will cut him off. Haughty eyes and proud hearts I cannot abide.  (6)  I look to the faithful of the land, so that they can be my companions; those who live lives of integrity can be servants of mine.  (7)  No deceitful person can live in my house; no liar can be my advisor.  (8)  Every morning I will destroy all the wicked of the land, cutting off all evildoers from the city of ADONAI.

We are all leaders in a sense. Someone is looking up to us as parents, teachers, at work or whatever. You have to make sure your heart is right with G-d. That you are doing what is right with G-d. You need to set an example to others no matter what others may do to you.

We can do good in public, but what are you putting before your eyes in private. We are living in a day when we can enter our homes and turn on the TV, go to the computer, drop in a video, and fill ourselves with all kinds of evil, that no one will know about, except you and G-d. Don't put anything wicked, anything worthless before your eyes.

Sin will start in the heart and it will grow till it fills your life. Cut if out before it has a chance to grow and control your life.

What kinds of influence do those closest to you have?
Are your closest relationships those that help you grow closer to God, or take you away from Him?
Qualities to look for in friends:
No wickedness (vs. 3)
No perversity (vs. 4)
No gossip (vs. 5)
No pride (vs. 5)
Faithful (vs. 6)
No deceit (vs. 7)

I have always had this fascination and draw to Waverly Hills Sanatorium. It has always drawn and intrigued me.

Here is a video done by the government back in the day promoting Waverly Hills.

Many patients survived their stay at Waverly Hills but it is estimated that hundreds died here at the height of the epidemic.

In many cases, the treatments for the disease were as bad as the disease itself. Some of the experiments that were conducted in search of a cure seem barbaric by today's standards but others are now common practice. Patient's lungs were exposed to ultraviolet light to try and stop the spread of bacteria. This was done in "sun rooms", using artificial light in place of sunlight, or on the roof or open porches of the hospital. Since fresh air was thought to also be a possible cure, patients were often placed in front of huge windows or on the open porches, no matter what the season. Old photographs show patients lounging in chairs, taking in the fresh air, while literally covered with snow.

Other treatments were less pleasant --- and much bloodier. Balloons would be surgically implanted in the lungs and then filled with air to expand them. Needless to say, this often had disastrous results, as did operations where muscles and ribs were removed from a patient's chest to allow the lungs to expand further and let in more oxygen. This blood-soaked procedure was seen as a "last resort" and few of the patients survived it.

The patients who survived both the disease and the treatments left Waverly Hills through the front door. Many of patients left through what came to be known as the body chute or death tunnel. This enclosed tunnel for the dead led from the hospital to the railroad tracks at the bottom of the hill. Using a motorized rail and cable system, the bodies were lowered in secret to the waiting trains. This was done so that patients would not see how many were leaving the hospital as corpses. Their mental health, the doctors believed, was just as important as their physical health.

What are your thoughts on Waverly Hills? What are your thoughts on the treatment the people received? Would you want to visit it? Do you think it is haunted?