Soul Tickles  

  -A Christian Blog

April 9th, 2007 04:24:10, CDT

We have a new feature on this site! In addition to the new guesbook,
i have decided to start an administrator's blog to keep you updated
on site happenings and such. I don't intend to use this as a personal
diary of everything from the sandwhich i had for lunch to my mom's maiden
name kind of stuff. While detailed blogging can be insightful and helpful,
it can be abused, and i personally believe that projecting your every move
to the internet comes off as attention starved, tacky, mindless, and above all
dangerous and a self-imposed invasion of your God given privacy and dignity.
So, as in the site, i want to use it post information that is HELPFUL and
encouraging to you the user. Also, i would like to use it as place to give
thanks to God and to our visitors as they have helped each other in the
cystine world. God bless! (Note: All posts in descending order,with the
oldest at the top)
~*Holly*~



April 9th, 2007 04:57:56, CDT

Check out the On-the-Go Info link below the blog link.
I have created a directory of very useful information links.
Just think of it as a favorites list of sites you visit again
and again! There are 11 categories-

1-On the Go Info
2-People & Places
3-Community
4-Crime & Safety
5-Reference Tools
6-Entertainment
7-Web Tools
8-Christians Tools
9-Health Info
10-Learning Tools
and
11-Shopping & Goods

Portals such as these are what help make the internet so successful,
as seen in the the Yahoo mainpage and many other search engines.
What makes this one different is that the subjects are VERY general,
rather than specific interests such a gaming or stocks. It's nearly
all the infomation a typical person would use in a year, or maybe for
a busy or traveling person or serious student of research, a month.
Check it out and see if you don't agree!

Rest Area



God's Hand in the Clearinghouse

April 9th, 2007 05:23:53, CDT

The Clearinghouse has been up and active for nearly 2 years now,
so how has God blessed this project? Well, for starters, just look
in the guestbook and guestbook archives and see what your friends in
the cystine world are saying about the site and how it has helped them!
God has richly blessed this site and used it for his glory. The queries
of out visitors have led them right here! Not only for cystine-related
subjects, but out visitors have found comfort and strength and help in
related topics as well. And, providing the search engine matches the home
country of its user, we have had visitors from not only the U.S. but the
U.K., Canada, Aussie, New Zealand, Japan, The Philipines, Brasil, Germany,
Italy, and several others! The Clearinghouse has to objectives~ to minister
to the needs of the body, and the needs of the heart & soul. It always amazes
me how God can use the internet as an instant tools to spread information all
over world! A wonderful witnessing tool that even as a kid i couldn't have
imagined! And while i often get discouraged because the physical drain of
the disease makes it hard to leave the house, or even my bed at times,
iv'e realized even in my seemingly useless state i can be very useful to
God thru the power of the net. I am so pleased at the continued growth of
the clearinghouse, and pleased that its information, links, former
newsletter, answering emails, and just the sense of community has helped
stregthen me and others. I want ot thank every one who has ever visited
or particapted, without you and your input this site would have never
been possible. This is not my site, but OUR site. Don't ever forget that!



Many Questions, One Answer

April 11, 2007 21:12:55, CDT

In talking about searches, there are literally billions of subjects in the
web world to search for and to research. It's mind blowing how many endless
facets and sub-facets are in God's world... all meant to help us understand
the bigger picture better...but all of this wouldn't and couldn't exsist if
it weren't for one thing-God, and Jesus Christ. It's interesting how one might
research millions of subjects and avenues...being fascinated and enlightened
along the way....but never being fullfilled in a completely lasting way.
Deep down, man has 2 great quests- to be immortal and to be loved.
Immortal, of course, to live forever, and to be loved in any of its
various forms- acceptance, happiness, fellowship, appreciation, romance,
belonging, contibuting, forgiveness, humor, and the list goes on and on.
A good way to understand the ONE Answer in Jesus Christ is that by becoming
a Christian, you will have achieved man's 2 greatest quests- to be immortal
and to be loved. And let's ask ourselves-who of us, deep down, doesn't have
those things at the top of our list? Who really wants to die? Who REALLY
doesn't want to be loved or accepted? We can see the quest for immortality
in each and every day~not only a fear of dying but an explosive media
including self-help books and gurus promoting the concept of anti aging.
To age means to fear not being accepted (aka unloved)-and lacking personal
happiness- we fear losing our supposed looks, our firm skin, our sexual mojo,
and popularity. To age ultimately means that we acknowledge we are mortal-
to age means to move towards death! And the quest to be loved appears in
everyday too-even in negative emotions-social cliques (even among adults),
lack of trust, fear, and timidness. While there are a few actions in life
that seem to make little sense-pure selfishness, sensless sin, etc,-these
negative emotions mentioned reflect a need to be loved-that trust has been
broken, that we fear being hurt-we don't WANT to be hurt, we WANT to be
loved. BUT if you accept Jesus Christ into your heart & life, you life
WILL make sense. Even if no person ever loved you, Jesus will. You will never
truly have to die, only pass for a brief moment from this life to the next
as you pass into that perfect, literal paradise called Heaven. Jesus doesn't
seek to have you feeling unfullfilled forever. He would have you come to Him,
so he can fulfill ALL your needs! The following verse block says that our
lives will be happy and filled if He is our God~

"That our garners may be full, affording all manner of store:
that our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets:
that our oxen may be strong to labour; that there be no breaking in, nor
going out; that there be no complaining in our streets. Happy is that people,
that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD."

~Psalm144:13-15~

Come to Him today!



Christians & A Sense of Humor

April 11, 2007 22:19:56, CDT

In the last post, we talked about humor as a source of love & happiness.
As Christians, one of the most important things we can have is a hearty sense
of humor in everything we do. The Bible speaks often of the joy & happiness
of the Lord and that "a merry heart doeth good like a medicine." Modern
medical "discoveries" don't need to tell us that laughter is neccessary-it
should just come naturally! Some Christians are mistakenly too uptight day in
and day out for fear a good does of humor is not God-pleasing or is just
improper. Of course, there are times when being funny ISN'T appropriate,
such as a funeral or when it is to somebody's face when it is truly at their
expense. But good humor should be a groudwork on which we base our lives,
it will help us tremedously to get thru our days and take the little things
in stride. There are many kinds of humor-quiet humor, loud humor, deadpan
humor, subtle humor, LOL humor, and we all have our own kind- or maybe all
of these! An attitude in some that humor should be "portioned out" to an
extreme- even in the privacy of our friends and family-shows a misguided
understanding of humor and laughter, and a self consciousness that leads to
supressing even good emotions! Another mistake is believe that humor should
ALWAYS be dark, serious, or revolving around serious subjects. Mindless humor
is one thing, silly humor is another! If we can't learn to laugh at the silly,
inane, or non sensical things in life, we will be very unhappy. Smiting humor
or those who chose to laugh is to smite the Lord himself. What many fail to
realize is that while SOME types of humor are wrong or mean, humor is not a
strictly a HUMAN generated concept, but coming staright from the Lord himself.
Because is he didn't exsist, neither would humor! The Bible says "Every good
and perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of Lights".
Some Christians seem to believe anything outside of sacredly bowed heads and
solemn faces is to trivalize an Almighty God-but because humor is really a
display of happiness-it's really THAT attitude that discredits God! There
will always be THINGS about which we may not be able to laugh- a bout of
depression- a terrible tragedy, a death. The Bible says " a time to mourn
and a time to dance." But even thru those TIMES, if we can find the strength
and fellowship in humor-then we become even more like our Creator would have
us. We understand that his personality is not put in a square box- but rather,
infinite, boundless beyond what we are able to undertand. To constantly be
humorless reflects a selfishness in us. To never even be able to joke about
oursevles shows that we choose to victimize ourselves, never being able to
ease the pain of our problems with smiles because our every problem
(no matter how minor) is oh-so-darn dramatic. If we take offense at even
mild, well intentioned humor, we show that we think we are too good and
superior to bow to the joy of humor. We are soo important that we cannot
laugh at ourselves. Even worse is to take offense at jokes that aren't
directed at us and don't apply to us or our surrondings. To bristle in
offense and disgust every time a GENERAL joke is made if it has to do with
people, shows pc-ness and lack of insight. If we get to that point, we have
oursevles totally regualted and ready to snap at every turn. Then we lack
HAPPINESS. One thing i have learned in life tho, genrally, a lagging sense of
humor coinsides with pickiness, perfectionistic standards, a closed mind,
and a lack of TOLERANCE. A person who routinely has trouble finding humor
in even simple things is probably going to be fussy towards people
in general- whether towards children, family, friends, lovers, or spouses.
A person may not "make the cut" simply because the other person can not
see the charm and humor in a variety of situations. Looks, personality,
quirks, faults, and other differences are judged more severely because
for the recipient, they hold no charm or interest. Of course, this can
be just plain selfishness, but humor plays a part. Men or women may be
this way of course. Just a thought to remember when selecting friends,
lovers, or a spouse. As simplistic as it sounds, many problems stem from
the fact that someone cannot find humor in a situation. How can you
succussfully build friendships, parent kids, work a job, create a romance,
or even drive thru traffic if you don't use humor? Humor should be the
foundation for ANY relationship you build. It's one of the key secret
ingredients to making it strong. Humor translates into FORGIVENESS. Humor
translates into FUN. Humor translates into TOLERANCE. Humor translates into
LOVE. As Christians, we SHOULD be the one to reflect happiness thru humor.
Many non-Christians seem to understand that better than many Christians.
Great for our non-christian friends~ but not a good testimony for God's
people! Rememember, you may be the only Bible some people will ever read-
so reflect that in your lifestyle- thru your love, your caring,
your prayer... and your smiles & your laughter!



Homesickness & Hospitality

April 11, 2007 05:08:09, CDT

When we think of homesickness, we tend to think of kids and their first
stay at Grandma's or summer camp. But did you know it's been reported
that nearly all adults get that queasy, uneasy feeling from time to time
all thruout their lives? I know iv'e had it as an adult, and i'm sure
you have to. So wer'e going to explore an interesting view on homesickness
and surrondings. While adults tend to adjust to their surrondings more
quickly than children, it may happen in different ways and places-
even right at home or with companions! There are two basic reasons for
homesickness~ 1)the obvious, and that's a lack of familiar surrondings,
missing the familair things we love. Even that trip to Grandma's as a
kid can feel uneasy, even if you feel loved and welcomed, the different
sites, smells, sleeping schedules, and other things give you the feeling
that something's "not right", even tho you know logically that everything
is perfectly harmless, even safe and warm. It's a totally natural and normal
feeling of course. But let's get to reason number two- why exactly do we,
as adults, experience that queasy feeling? I've thot of an interesting
theory- that homesickness is NOT just a lack of familiar surrondings
(it is)-it's what we attach to those surrondings, it's more a feeling a
loneliness, a feeling of lacking love! For kids, it's more of feeling of
'i miss mommy & daddy & my doggie' kind of thing. But for adults, while
you certainly may miss parents, it's an eerie feeling of displacement, a
feeling of a threatening/and or new enviroment, and feeling that nobody
is around to care about you. And it may happen in the most familiar of
surrondings! Suppose you went to a loved one's house, somebody you knew
well, and a house you knew inside and out. But the person you were
visiting met you with a cold reception and kept distant from you.
Even tho you know them and know the surrondings, you are MUCH more
likely to fall into homesickness because you are feeling a lack of love.
Interesting! This is why hospitality is SO important. Hospitality is not
only opening up your house and throwing an extra pillow on, that's
certainly a big part of it, but you can show hospitality to your
companions even if it's just a short trip to the park or grocery store.
Warmth & hospitality are a major part of helping to quell homesickness.
You showed your guests a good time..you showed love! Now let's suppose
you were going to see a loved in a relatively unfamililar surronding.
You may drive across town, state, or the country even. The house is not
familiar, the weather was turning bad, and you had a flat. But you don't
feel homesick-at least not as much-why-?-because the person you were
meeting made you feel loved! Some people, even new friends, we feel
"at home" with right away. And the more love shown, the LESS likely we
are the feel homesick. And as far as surronding go, the more "close to home"
they feel, the better. Waves of homesickness in adults can occur right in
or near your home. For example, talking to a group or forum of internet
strangers or about subjects that are unfamilair or creepy can bring this
one. Visting a neighbor's house you've never been to can make you feel
a milion miles away, while Aunt Mary in Chicago is just like home. Youv'e
always heard the expression "A House is not a home without love". So true!
Even for a person living alone, contacts by phone or email or whatever can
bring love into the house across the miles. But a full house with a feuding
husband and wife and unhappy family is the worst homesickness of all!
Homesickness can obviously be brought on by college students going to their
dorms for the first time, or somebody moving to another state. But what's so
amazing is, a person can adjust just like that if surronded by loving family
or new friends waiting to greet them. If we find companions who are very
similar to us in many ways, we feel less homesick. It's been said that hell
is the ultimate loneliness. Why? Because it's a separation from God-a
separation from love. When Christians meet together with other Christians,
it can feel just like home. That office of nasty co-workers can feel like
Mars, but this new church you're visiting may feel instantly like home.
There is a lack of love being presented in the office- but this church
feels all warm & cozy. That's not to say that Christian or non-Christian
beliefs are the ONLY deciding factor in loneliness, as personality, etc
plays in, just that Christians have that in common. In fact, alot of true
Christians tend to get along just as well with Christians as well as non-
Christians. In all honesty, many non-Christians tend to experience that
homesick feeling in other ways in addition to what was mentioned-they may
feel lonely in the world as whole. Whether our homescikness is merely a
temporary adjustment, or a lack of love, there's ONE who can ease it all-
that's Jesus! For Christians & non-Christians alike, keep using your
talents of hospitality and love to make your neighbor feel comfortable,
always. To those looking for Jesus~ HE is the one who can fill your heart
and take away your discomfort. Because HE is the author of hospitality.
He's waiting at the door to say" Come on in! I'm so Glad you're here!"

Little Things

"It's the little things, that make you smile, it's the little things, that make it all worthwhile, it's the little things..." This ditty was used for a commercial several years ago in the mid-90's, but which one it was escapes me at the moment. Pillsbury biscuits or something. But there is so much truth in that statement, isn't there? :) There are two types of "little things" in life- little things we receive or encounter, and little things that we give. We'll talk about the giving of little things and why the "little things" are usually the biggest- and because of that why they're so important. I can't emphasize how important it is to be mindful of the little things you do for others, because paying attention to the deeds we do is really about mindfullness & responsibilty. Responsibility? Shoo, that's a word that seems unpleasant to the taste in much of today's culture! Responsibility? What's that? Do we really HAVE to do pay dues to responsibility outside of requirements such as work or home? You bet we do! And if we don't already, we should learn to enjoy it! No, that's not some far off idealism over the horizon- it's straight from the Bible itself! You've heard "God loves a cheerful giver." While the passage is talking about tithing money to the church, i think we can see the bigger picture and message here. If we are to give, we should do it with a good attitude, as "unto God." Unatainable? While we may not enjoy giving at first, if make a practice of it with a sincere attitude to improve, our attitude WILL improve over time and we will become more generous, more sincere, and aligned to our Savior's instructions, and, as the ultimate theme woven into all the subjects we talk about, more LOVING. Because one again, the reason for taking responsible action is LOVE. Our Savior does not ask us to take responsibility to burden our poor little old selves, but to spread the love he intends, to build a wonderful world, to give good things to others, and to set forth the love and example of Christ. But, why are the little things so important? Surely Joe or Mary isn't going to mind if you skip this small request just this once. Fine, but what about when once becomes once a week instead of day? Or once a month? Or one a year? What if we become so lazy and preoccupied that even the smallest needs of our loved ones or even others NEVER get fulfilled? Providing we have reasonable time & health (and most do, even those who don't find small amounts of time), then what are we waiting for? Another pathetic sap to come along and help out our friends with their HUGE needs? The ultimate answer is that small gifts of love are the most important because for most people, they are the BIGGEST thing you can do! They provide the groundwork and the framework for many, if not all things to come. Yes, there are many people who are very selfish and spoiled and not even porsches, mansions, and moolah are not going to satisfy them, much less small deeds that they may choose to overlook. But even for selfish people and the rest alike, what they are craving (and many times secretly craving) is even a small dose of sincere, unadulterated caring that can come from YOU! I remember when i was in second grade, the teacher was emphasizing the point that if EVERYONE chose not to take responsibility, then nobody would, and nothing would get done! That stuck with me, and while i realize that is something of a generalization, the point is that while one person can't carry the whole world, we should do our part in truly making it a world for GOD. Because one of that is one of the greatest truths i've encountered in life- that if YOU don't do something, very likely, nobody will. Because, to my amazement, i have come across people in my life that will say things like "wow, nobody's ever done something like this for me before. or "you were the only one who was ever nice to me!" And i thot i was just being friendly! I realize the true weight of my actions even when i think they're small...and i come to the haunting realization that while others may have many people of support, many DON'T...and if God hadn't given me this oppurtunity..... .You really can make a difference for God. But, before we get too far into the dissscussion, i do want to emphasize that we can't, by any means, save the world. If we could, we would have to be God, and the whole picture is better left for him. Our job is to snap our pieces of the puzzle together. While some get the piece with two notches and some the round piece, and we may feel like our piece is trickier than the rest, it is nonetheless our job to take what's in our hand, and find a place to make it fit. (lol yeah that sounded kinda weird, but anyway...) You get the point. It's not our place to try to necessarily be big brother or big sister to the whole world. We simply can't do it! It's easy to get caught up in June Cleaver mode, making lasangua in pearls, but we don't have to be a constant "people pleaser" or we end up being a doormat or a whipped puppy. Too many are waiting out there to take advantage of the generous kindness of some, but we have to have a balance. Here's a good strategy to go by- please others as long as you want to, as MUCH as you want to, in every way you want to (you can never do too much for God), but if that's all they ever WANT from you, then stop. Pretty much as simple as that for most cases. If a person can't accept love not only in deed but in the form of quiet communion and other expressions...then split! If a friendship or relationship is based soley on the what the other person does at the second party's request- or if we have to behave perfectly at all times- then that is not love, its is selfish manipulation. There is truly nothing wrong with taking care of your own needs and even wants, because you are a child of God's too, perhaps equally as vulnerable, needing and in need of love as the next person. It would be selfish, in fact, to pretty much neglect yourself, as the way we are to treat others should be a model of what God wants for US as well- if your fellowman has needs, then so do you. It's just that NEITHER side should so outweigh the other that one party ends up getting neglected. Make sense? We can do so much with so little....saving the world doesn't necessarily mean traveling the world, joining the military, becoming the CEO, going to Harvard, or protesting in the streets. Bettering the world has to start from the ground up...start by improving yourself and your outlook on life, and give to your loved ones right beside you..it makes much more sense to serve a loved one FIRST rather than a stranger or an exotic parrot in the rain forest. If we score big in the world's eyes but neglect our loved ones, then it becomes selfish and our priorities are screwed around. It's so easy to do the big things, because we get to be the star. But if we can't do the lowly things that don't seem to sparkle, what good is it? If you make a difference to the ones you love and then move outwards, your love will ripple from a puddle to a pond and to the sea, and back to the tide at your own feet. Doing for others is REALLY doing for you. It's the best form of selfishness known to man.