A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....10-07,08,09-05....T.G.I.F. at the Finest

Billie

[Billie]

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day

Free Republic made its debut in September, 1996, and the forum was added in early 1997.   Over 100,000 people have registered for posting privileges on Free Republic, and the forum is read daily by tens of thousands of concerned citizens and patriots from all around the country and the world.

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day was introduced on June 24, 2002. It's only a small room in JimRob's house where we can get to know one another a little better; salute and support our military and our leaders; pray for those in need; and congratulate those deserving. We strive to keep our threads entertaining, fun, and pleasing to look at, and often have guest writers contribute an essay or a profile of another FReeper.

On Mondays please visit us to see photos of A FEW OF FR'S VETERANS AND ACTIVE MILITARY

If you have a suggestion, or an idea, or if there's a FReeper you would like to see featured, please drop one of us a note in FR mail.

We're having fun and hope you are!
~ Billie, Dutchess, Dolly Cali, Mama_Bear ~

Welcome to TGIF at the Finest!   We hope you've been having as much fun as we have with our essays and/or spotlight on various FReepers. From the beginning, we've been kicking back on Saturdays and Sundays and simply reviewing the features of the week; our weekend threads now start on Friday and continue through Sunday. If you missed seeing any of this week's threads and want to say hello there now, just click on the link for that particular day. If you'd like to drop in and out of this thread today through Sunday, please feel free to do that also. One of us will try to be around to see the welcome mat is still out, put the coffee pot on, and maybe even bring fresh flowers for the table. : )

~ Billie, Dutchess, Dolly Cali, Mama_Bear ~



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


"Getting to Know You"

THIS WEEK'S THREADS


10-03-05 ~ Military Monday
By Billie
Presented by The Mayor

10-04-05 ~ Welcome ~ and Another Fascinating Question!
By Billie

10-05-05 ~ MOVING Stories from FReepers
ByDollyCali

10-06-05 ~ Experts hopelessly stuck in Harriet Quag-Miers
By JohnHuang2
Presented byDutchess

Have a wonderful weekend!

09-27-05 ~ Hall of Fame #13

Click on the photo to view the album. To submit your photo, please contact dansangel or .45Man at danbh59@yahoo.com and include Freeper Photo Album in subject line.

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' Every Thursday at the Finest The guy's good, folks!

"Wear Red" Friday

You will soon see a lot of people wearing Red on Fridays. Here's why..... The Americans, who support our troops, are the silent majority. We are not "organized" to reflect who we are, or to reflect what our opinions are. Many Americans, like yourself, and all their friends, simply want to recognize that Americans support our troops. Our idea of showing our solidarity and support for our troops is starting Friday and continuing on each and every Friday, until this is over, that every red-blooded American who supports our young men and women, WEAR SOMETHING RED.

Word of mouth, press, TV -- let's see if we can make the United States, on any given Friday, a sea of red much like a home football game at a University. If every one of our memberships share this with other acquaintances, fellow workers, friends, and neighbors, I guarantee that it will not be long before the USA will be covered in RED - and make our troops know there are many people thinking of their well-being. You will feel better all day Friday when you wear Red! So let's get the word out and lead by example; wear RED on Fridays.

SUPPORT OUR TROOPS! WE LIVE IN THE LAND OF THE FREE, BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE. FOR US, THEIR BLOOD RUNS RED!! GOD BLESS AMERICA.

received this in my email June 10th, the author is unknown.
I am wearing red today and every Friday ~ Billie

[LadyX]

Still up after a day of serious cleaning in my bedroom...
listening to the gentle rainfall, so badly needed.

Seems strange that so many had so much devastating rain (and wind), and we - not that far away - were short of rain for a month and a half.

Is it cooling down in Illinois?

[tuliptree76]

Yes, it is very cool here. Today's high was in the 60s. I'm glad fall is finally here. :-)

[LadyX]

We left Greensboro, NC ten years ago after both my husband and I were disabled. Remaining there made no sense with our daughter in SC and both sons in Florida.

Although reared a Floridian, I had no desire to live there again with the influx of "others," and decided to find a small town in SC with a low cost of living, easy pace and pleasant folks.
My mother was from SC and lived all over the state, her father a minister, and both my sisters married SC men.

I've lived in SC 4 other times, and my husband (from Dayton originally) likes it, so we ended up in an area where the weather is almost never extreme!
It in general will be mild until Christmas, with a few brief cold snaps - early February brings flowering bulbs and shrubs, and March full blown spring.

Contrary to the supposition, it is not as hot and humid here as commonly thought. I cannot remember a day that exceeded 100 degrees, and most summer ones were low 90's or upper 80's. Many nights in the 60's.

I am delighted to never have to walk on ice or snow, nor shovel same!
Did my years of that in extreme climates..:))

[LadyX]

After midnight here, and thus it is Sunday.
Going to bed, confident God is in the heavens
watching over us.

Asking Him to bless each one of you
and your loved ones and friends --
and especially to hold in His hands
our military, wherever they are.

[tuliptree76]

Good night!

[DollyCali]

In the cycle of "baby steps" after a major disaster, getting power is a DADDY step and that is great. Hope you will share the before / after pix with us.

Know it must be very discouraging.

[DollyCali]

Glad there is some work on the horizon for you Rus...and apparently some good jobs! You have had such an intense spirng/summer with the election. So many here at the Finest have a lot on thier plates it seems.

[DollyCali]

May ALL have a
blessed Lord's Day

Find a "SPECIAL TREAT" here

[Just mythoughts]

Sounds like parents and grandparents have done a wonderful duty.

I have similar high expectations for my three children. My middle one is at Clemson and his graduation date is May 06, but then he wants to do grad school, so we shall see. Clemson is nearly a 1,000 miles from me and it has been really hard only having a couple of visits during the school year, this son turned 20 in past June, and I got to say I wasn't ready to send him off into the world when he decided it was his time to go.

Fortunately my oldest is 45 minutes away and my youngest is a senior in high school.

I wish your granddaughters all the best.

[DollyCali]

Angry Boss?

[The Mayor]

October 9, 2005

The Strongest Weak People

Read:
2 Corinthians 12:1-10

Most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. —2 Corinthians 12:9

Bible In One Year: Ezra 8-10

If there is anything that we love to hate more than the arrogance of others, it would have to be an awareness of our own weakness. We detest it so much that we invent ways to cover our personal inadequacy.

Even the apostle Paul needed to be reminded of his own frailty. He was jabbed time and again by a "thorn in the flesh" (2 Corinthians 12:7). He didn't tell us what the thorn was, but author J. Oswald Sanders reminds us that "it hurt, humiliated, and restricted Paul." Three times he pleaded with the Lord to take it away, but his request was not granted. Instead, he used his thorn to tap into God's all-sufficient grace. The Lord promised, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness" (v.9).

Courageously, Paul began to "own" his weakness and put the Lord's grace to the test, a pathway that Sanders calls "a gradual educative process" in the apostle's life. Sanders notes that eventually Paul no longer regarded his thorn as a "limiting handicap" but as a "heavenly advantage." And his advantage was this: When he was weak in himself, he was strong in the Lord.

As we accept our weaknesses, in Christ we can be strong weak people. —Joanie Yoder

May the Word of God dwell richly
In my heart from hour to hour,
So that all may see I triumph
Only through His power. —Wilkinson

God's strength is seen best in our weakness.

FOR FURTHER STUDY
How Do You Live The Christian Life?

[luvie]

"I am weak but Thou art strong.....". Thank you, Mayor, for your lesson in God's Word.

I have been missing you lately--my hours have been messed up--but it's good to see you on a Sunday morning. God bless you and yours! ((((((hugs)))))

[The Mayor]

Going to church right now.

[luvie]

I'm there in just a few myself---have a blessed day! See ya later! "Hi" to Mrs. Mayor!

[Mrs.Nooseman]

Good Morning FR Finest.

Have a blessed Sunday.

[Kitty Mittens]

Happy Birthday Dear Colleen!

[Kitty Mittens]

Beautiful Post, Sweet Lady!

A Blessed Sunday to One and All!

[DollyCali]

Really good read

[DollyCali]

Beautiful Mrs. N! Love the paisely "star" border to frame up that great story.

[LadyX]

Oh, yes, Miss Kitty - HE IS TO BE PRAISED and THANKED!!

===============================================

This email has circulated before, but bears repeating for anyone who have not seen it, and I've added some illustrations.
I did not have the joy of knowing my paternal grandfather, who died when my father was 15, and my paternal grandfather was in another state - visits few; perhaps two dozen in number.

The most memorable was in 1952, visiting my grandparents for a weekend when I was stationed at Parris Island, during the Korean Conflict.
They insisted I go to church on Sunday in my Marine Corps uniform (in a day when few women were in service!), sitting, of course, on the front row.
My second cousin in the choir sang a solo - Bless This House - so very stirringly, it brought my tears, and my grandfather, the minister, then proudly announced my presence to the congregation.
(Many were relatives..:))

My last visit with them was a special one in 1958 with my mother, to show them my two precious sons, ages 3 and 4.

However, his hands had written to my parents upon my birth of my grandparent's joy and with a special prayer - penned letters to me on my birthdays - crafted telegrams to congratulate me when I excelled - I still have those cherished pieces of paper! - and guided in prayers and comforted many, in his being a minister into his 70's and far beyond, much loved, living to age 92.

This made me look at my own hands, and review the Stages of My Life and their role in that..:))

They are wonderfully worn and somewhat impaired, but it can be said that even if I am paralyzed and can physically no longer lift them, in my heart they always will be lifted upward toward Him - -

===============================================

~~ Grandpa's Hands ~~

Grandpa, some ninety plus years, sat feebly on the patio bench.
He didn't move, just sat with his head down staring at his hands.
When I sat down beside him he didn't acknowledge my presence and the longer I sat I wondered if he was OK.

Finally, not really wanting to disturb him but wanting to check on him at the same time,
I asked him if he was OK.
He raised his head and looked at me and smiled.

"Yes, I'm fine, thank you for asking," he said in a clear strong voice.

"I didn't mean to disturb you, Grandpa, but you were just sitting here staring at your hands and I wanted to make sure you were OK," I explained to him.

"Have you ever looked at your hands?" he asked. "I mean really looked at your hands?"

I slowly opened my hands and stared down at them. I turned them over, palms up
and then palms down.
No, I guess I had never really looked at my hands as I tried to figure out the point he was
making.
Grandpa smiled and related this story:

"Stop and think for a moment about the hands you have, how they have served you well
throughout your years.
These hands, though wrinkled, shriveled and weak have been the tools I have used all my life
to reach out and grab and embrace life.
They braced and caught my fall when as a toddler I crashed upon the floor.
They put food in my mouth and clothes on my back.
As a child my mother taught me to fold them in prayer.

They tied my shoes and pulled on my boots.
They dried the tears of my children and caressed the love of my life.

They held my rifle and wiped my tears when I went off to war.

They have been dirty, scraped and raw, swollen and bent.
They were uneasy and clumsy when I tried to hold my newborn son.

Decorated with my wedding band they showed the world that I was married and loved someone special. They wrote the letters home and trembled and shook when I buried my parents and spouse and walked my daughter down the aisle.

Yet, they were strong and sure when I dug my buddy out of a foxhole and
lifted a plow off of my best friends foot.
They have held children, consoled neighbors, and shook in fists of anger when I didn't understand.
They have covered my face, combed my hair, and washed and cleansed the rest of my body.
They have been sticky and wet, bent and broken, dried and raw.
And to this day when not much of anything else of me works real well these hands hold me up,
lay me down, and again continue to fold in prayer.

These hands are the mark of where I've been and the ruggedness of my life.
But more importantly it will be these hands that God will reach out and take
when He leads me home.
And with my hands He will lift me to His side and there I will use these hands to touch the
face of Christ."

I will never look at my hands the same again.
But I remember God reached out and took my Grandpa's hands and led him home.

When my hands are hurt or sore or when I stroke the face of my children and wife
I thank Grandpa.
I know he has been stroked and caressed and held by the hands of God.

I, too, want to touch the face of God and feel His hands upon my face.