From: R & S Scarcella & Family [inbox@webpastor.com] Sent: Wednesday, 15 March 2000 10:35 AM To: inbox@webpastor.com Subject: CoGS Weekly Hits!2000 Vol.3 No.3 YOUR CoGS WEEKLY HITS! - FREE NETMAGAZINE distributed by Rev. Rocco & Mrs. Susan Scarcella from Church of the Good Shepherd Bossley Park NSW Australia WEBSITE: www.webpastor.com ITEMS, JOKES ETC TO: hits@webpastor.com SUBSCRIBE: subscribe@webpastor.com UNSUBSCRIBE: unsubscribe@webpastor.com (Please write "no hits" in the subject frame) WHAT IS CHRISTIANITY?: http://www.christianity.net.au +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Dear NetFriends, We have got the girls off to school for "mufti day" (in OZ our kids normally wear uniforms - and don't we love it!). Glad we don't have to deal with their preferences on what to wear each day. Commiserations to those of you in countries where you deal with this daily!!! LOL READING FROM THE WORD OF GOD This week's devotional comes from Pastor Lyndon: "He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities....for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust." PS 103:10,13 There is an old saying "they treat me like dirt!".These statements are often made in reference to the way a boss treats an employee, an abusive spouse treats a mate or a teenager treats a parents (or vise versa). But, there is a deeper meaning here that we need to grasp. Now don't get me wrong, I am not for any kind of abuse or degrading treatment, but the comfort of this passage lies in the fact that God remembers that we are only dirt and, even "treats us like dirt" in order to cover our mistakes! How wonderful this is! When we make mistakes and mess everything up, rather than expect perfection, "He remembers that we are dust" and withholds His wrath-HE FORGIVES!! God remembers that we are dust, but do WE remember that we are dust? Some of us grew up in homes that demanded perfection.We always had to be the best at everything we did, so we grew up with unrealistic expectations of ourselves and others. Now, as an adult, no matter how much we try, we feel we are never "good enough" at anything! Not only that but others, (spouse and children included) are never good enough to reach the unrealistic standard that we have set for ourselves and them! Thus, they grow up with the same "perfectionist" complex that we have grown up with. The result of this perfectionist mentality is that, when others hurt us, we can't forgive them! When we sin, make mistakes or hurt others, we can't forgive ourselves! So, maybe it's time to accept the reality of the scriptures. The truth is (and God knows it) that all of us are only--DUST!! Loved, accepted and forgiven-dust! As strange as it sounds (and I will probably be misunderstood for saying this), everyone would be a lot happier and the world would be a lot better place--if we all treated each other like DIRT! THINK ABOUT IT!! -- Adapted from Totalechurch Devotional Email March 14 2000 *** Why not subscribe? Go to: http://www.totalechurch.com TESTIMONY "I am the single parent of a son who is nineteen. Last night he wanted to go to a "party". I let him go, but I did so asking that Jesus cover him with His blood and wrap my child in His loving arms. My son woke me at 1 AM to let me know that he was home. This morning he told me that, as he was dancing, HE HAD THE FEELING THAT HE NEEDED TO GO HOME. He left and passed several sheriff patrol cars on the way. Later, a friend called him to tell him that someone came into the party and started shooting at everyone. The young man that my son was standing with was the first to be shot (several times) and then the gunman proceeded to shoot others. I just wanted the world to know that God does answer PRAYER." --Sally. PRAYER POINTS *Thank God, that he does, indeed, "treat us like dirt" ! * Praise Him for his mercy, that he sent Jesus to pay for our imperfections and failures. * Thank Him that he is not a heartless taskmaster. *Thank Him for more than 1 million who accepted his rule in Africa recently. *Pray for the flood victims in Mozambique, Australia, Mexico and Central and South America. Also for victims of other natural disasters such as volcanic eruptions, cyclones and heavy seas. *Pray for Bill, Rose T's stepfather, who underwent 7 hours of open heart surgery yesterday. He came through it, but is not out of the woods yet. *Keep praying for Patti who goes to the specialist March 15th. Pray for improved liver function. *Thank God for the generosity of businesses such as GoPromos(US) who have donated amply to the orphanage in Blimbingsari, and for our brother Vince Ricci who paid for postage from US to Australia. *Keep all those pregnant mums in prayer: Trisha C, Violet F, Gina L & Lyn D. *Also pray for Yvonne M's mum and Jenny N's mum, both ill. Also give thanks for Vera's recovery,and improvements to the health of Hamid's mum. *Pray this week for Aida J, who is still in acute neck & shoulder pain following a severe car accident over two years ago. Pray for complete healing,as this agony is making daily living just an existence. HAHAHA CORNER *** Top 10 Things Men Understand About Women: 1. ??????????? 2. ??????????? 3. ??????????? 4. ??????????? 5. ??????????? 6. ??????????? 7. ??????????? 8. ??????????? 9. ??????????? 10.??????????? --submitted by Pat Croisant ***A young boy ran into the kitchen where his mom was cooking dinner. All out of breath he asked, "Mom, is it true people are made out of dust?" "Why, but yes?" answered his mom with a tone of concern. "Well then, is it true they turn back into dust when they die?" he asked. The puzzled mom responded, "Yes, that's true too. Why all these questions?" "Well," the boy replied, "there's somebody under my bed either coming or going!" --submitted by Rose T ***Daffynitions Arbitrator \ar'-bi-tray-ter\: A cook that leaves Arby's to work at McDonald's. Avoidable \uh-voy'-duh-buhl\: What a bullfighter tries to do. Baloney \buh-lo'-nee\: Where some hemlines fall. Bernadette \burn'-a-det\: The act of torching a mortgage. Burglarize \bur'-gler-ize\: What a crook sees with. Control \kon-trol'\: A short, ugly inmate. Counterfeiters \kown-ter-fit-ers\: Workers who put together kitchen cabinets. Eclipse \i-klips'\: what an English barber does for a living. Eyedropper \i'-drop-ur\: a clumsy ophthalmologist. Heroes \hee'-rhos\: what a guy in a boat does. Left Bank \left' bangk'\: what the robber did when his bag was full of loot. Misty \mis'-tee\: How golfers create divots. --submitted by: joseph l freeman ***...and similarly... Paradox \par'-u-doks\: Two physicians. Parasites \par'-uh-sites\: what you see from the top of the Eiffel Tower. Pharmacist \farm'-uh-sist\: a helper on the farm. Polarize \po'-lur-ize\: what penguins see with. Primate \pri'-mat\: removing your spouse from in front of the TV. Relief \ree-leef'\: what trees do in the spring. Rubberneck \rub'-er-nek\: what you do to relax your wife. Seamstress \seem'-stres\: describes 250 pounds in a size six. Selfish \sel'-fish\: what the owner of a seafood store does. Subdued \sub-dood'\: like, a guy, like, works on one of those, like, submarines, man. Sudafed \sood'-a-fed\: bringing litigation against a government official. --Anon. ========================================== Sue and I are continuing to gather gifts for the kids in the Orphanage at Blimbingsari and for others in need. God willing, we hope to visit and minister amongst them again soon (this year). Some of you have asked how you could be of help to them. If you would like to know more, please email us at orphans@webpastor.com. You can also see web-site pics of our last visit to the orphanage at www.webpastor.com/miss&supp.htm . Thanks for all your prayers and concern. Keep those emails a-coming! Until next time! --Rocco and Sue +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++