Just A Silly Story But I Hope It Helps Somebody

[johiyom]

I had a dog for 19 years. The day before Thanksgiving '06 she had to be euthenized. She was in renal failure, had suspected cancer on her lungs, went blind, was suffering from dimentia, and I believe she experience a stroke, as she lay on the garage floor unable to get up, seemingly paralyzed on one side. She would whimper and cry out from pain every minute or so. I didn't want her to go but she had lived a long life for a canine and I couldn't stand to see her suffer anymore. I took her to the vet at 6PM and they gave her a shot to relax her. After 10 minutes they gave her another injection and within less than a minute, she was gone. I carried her home in a blanket in the back of my car and buried her in my back yard. All this time I wept like a baby. I told myself I would never have another dog because I would get so attached and didn't want to experience that kind of sorrow and pain again in losing it.
Nine months passed and I changed. I wanted another dog so I looked up some dogs online and went to the humane society. I was looking for a 3 year old Beagle but he had already been adopted. I asked, Do you have any other Beagles? They showed me a 5 year old Beagle. He had been a stray that nobody ever claimed. When I saw his golden yellow eyes I told the lady, "I'll take him!" I filed an application to adopt him. Three days later, I brought him home.
He was on the urgent list. Had I not adopted him, he probably would have been put down because the humane socieities are overwhelmed with animals and can only give them a certain window of opportunity to be adopted.
He was cared for but still in a cage, walked, fed and watered daily, but still on death row, as it were, and I rescued him. I simply, chose him. The lady brought him out of the cage, put him on a leash and walked him into an open area. He jumped up on my legs because he wanted to be petted and loved.
I just want people here on this site to know that while my analogy may fall short and be very silly and crude, God loves you. He cares for you. He just looks at you and chooses you. Not based on anything you did or could do, or didn't or won't do.
We love him because he first loved us.
He just chooses you and chooses to love you.
And what a handful this rabbit huntin' dog has been. Sometimes, because he has to be in the house while I work, he makes a mess, but he can't be expected to hold himself for 10 hours. It's cleaned up and he is still loved and cared for. People, with all their problems, failures and natures, can be a handful. But the Lord is present to continue to take care of them.
If I am not mistaken, I remember that one of the words for worship in Greek is to prostrate oneself like a dog, lapping at his Master's hand. The Lord chose you. He cares and He's there. No matter what in regards to your experience with Hobart Freeman's teaching and FA, you're gonna be OK. It's OK.
Everything will be OK for you. It's just simply GRACE-unmerited favor. I hope this helps you.

[odysseus]

Thanks, I had a similar experience with our dog. The way you relate your story to God’s unmerited favor is touching. God bless.

[hombre]

<blockquote><hr size=0><!-quote-!><font size=1>quote:</font>

PhoneyYom: I had a dog for 19 years.<!-/quote-!><hr size=0></blockquote>

I didn't bother to read any further. It sounds too much like the theme for a popular country/western ballad.

...was 'ringo' his name?

...snooooorrrrre.....

[hombre]

<blockquote><hr size=0><!-quote-!><font size=1>quote:</font>

Odd Suess Creature: Thanks, I had a similar experience with our dog. The way you relate your story to God’s unmerited favor is touching. God bless.<!-/quote-!><hr size=0></blockquote>

Ya know what's even more touching?

2 unbelievers hugging.

http://www.factnet.org/discus/clipart/kiss.gif

[passin_thru]

I too lost a beloved dog. I got a new dog a week later. It was too soon. I bemoaned him as having no personality and would never come close to my poor dead ‘Molly’. But, soon ‘Sam’ wormed his way into my heart. I found he had his own beautiful merits and more personality than Bayer has aspirin. For ten years now, he’s been the best dang huntin’ partner I’ve ever had. I’ve written stories of our exploits together. Sometimes I look at him, with his old gray muzzle, and say, “I’ll sure miss ya’ when you’re gone.” Then there’s times when he looks at me and says the same darn thing.

It’s odd there are at least three dog lovers among this small group.

Anyway, I agree Odysseus.

[william]

<sniff> <sniff>

[odysseus]

I’ll take that little snippet to be an insult aimed towards us. I’m surprised at you William.

You’ve become as your master Hombre. My instincts were right about you. You’ve demonstrated you’re not a leader at all, your just a little toady. Some advice to you little fella; stay away from prison because you’ll be used nightly.

[hombre]

<blockquote><hr size=0><!-quote-!><font size=1>quote:</font>

William: <sniff> <sniff> <!-/quote-!><hr size=0></blockquote>

I'm crackin up. http://www.factnet.org/discus/clipart/rofl.gif

<blockquote><hr size=0><!-quote-!><font size=1>quote:</font>

Odd Suess Creature: Some advice to you little fella; stay away from prison because you’ll be used nightly.<!-/quote-!><hr size=0></blockquote>

...did you know that from personal experience?

...what else can you tell us about life, O great one, I have my paper and pencil handy.

[william]

Don't worry odysseus, I'll still be able to lead you guys from prison... Paul did it, so can I.

.....What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?

[hombre]

....I wuz out in ma truck,
huntin' wif ma hound,
when out frum the dump,
come a skitterin' sound,
it wuz loud and wuz clere
tho I dint think nere,
till ma hound got aroun'
an cornered ma fear...

(chorus)
..it wus uh mean 'ol rat,
that called me ta bat,
and finisht ma poor dawg 'Hank',
..with one quick leap offa his feet,
tha mean 'ol rat bit down,
...he gave poor Hank
a dose uh poisun thankz
an Hank, my good dawg dahd.

it wuz a rat, a rat, a mean 'ol rat
that cornered my gud dawg hank,
I shooda knowed, it was told
'bout tha dumps' dangerous bait
even tho' ah lived ther since I wuz 8.

..now the winturs' chill grips,
an' it sets me ta' fits,
whin I wanna get warm in bed,
'cause Hanks not aroun',
an durned thet I a'int found
uh better feller back in town.

(chorus)
it wuz a rat, a rat, a mean 'ol rat
that cornered my gud dawg hank,
I shooda knowed, it was told
'bout tha dumps' dangerous bait
even tho' ah lived ther since I wuz 8.

[healed]

"Odd Suess Creature: Some advice to you little fella; stay away from prison because you’ll be used nightly"

Thats funny.http://www.factnet.org/discus/clipart/lol.gif

[johiyom]

Come and listen to a story 'bout a man named HEF
Who left a congregation all bewildered and bereft
Driven over a cliff like a herd of mindless swine
Must o' been some poison in that Pentecostal wine

Charismatic that is, dottin' i's and crossin' t's

First thing you know ol' hombre's head's full of air
Waxin' all nostalgic for more faith formulated years
He says, Indiana is the place you ought to be
Cause nobody gets in the kingdom unless with Hobart you agree

Straining gnats that is, and swallowing whole camels

Interlude: Banjo while you clog dance like the man in the movie Deliverance, rotten teeth and all. Make sure it's a Deeper Deliverance too, especially from those Medical Deities and Demons.

Well now it's time to say goodbye to hombre and all his kin
He'd like to dominate you folks accusing you of unbelief, apostasy and sin
You're all invited back next week to this locality
To have a heapin' helpin' of legalistic conformity

Ham radios that is, set a spell(musn't use that word, it might be related to witchcraft), take your glasses and lift shoes off, y'all come back to the fold now, y'hear?

[johiyom]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esl2NNOtHQE

[passin_thru]

Good one Johiyom! It’s much better than the overcomers venomous name calling and inane condemnation. That’s good old hillbilly humor with a point!
_____

Hey, William! Tell us more about your bifocals. After 30 years of following Hobart Freeman and never going to a doctor or dentist, why can’t you pray your eyes 20/20?
_____

Hey, Hombre! Tell us more about your divorce and possibly adulterous remarriage. Is your ex an overcomer?
_____

One of my overcomer relatives was also divorced and remarried. He had a vision from God when his second wife was dying from cancer. God had pity that his sexual needs were not being met. So, God suspended the seventh commandment just for him because his wife lay on her deathbed too sick to perform her wifely duties. With God’s blessing, he took up with the local Casey’s gas station clerk.

I learned long ago that overcomers can justify their own misdeeds (no matter how sinful), but all others are condemned for the least little infraction of a meaningless Freemanite statute.

Hobart Freeman and his dwindling band of hypocritical overcomers are such a farce. Do you really believe you’re fooling God?

[healed]

Thats one of the greatest of all time scenes from any movie. Dont disrespect by comparing it to any of these people.

[hombre]

<blockquote><hr size=0><!-quote-!><font size=1>quote:</font>

PhoneyYom: Come and listen to a story 'bout a man named HEF.....<!-/quote-!><hr size=0></blockquote>

...I would say that I hear an echo, but instead, I'll quote Charles Caleb Colton:

'Imitation is the sincerest of flattery'.

..... thanks, Yom!

http://www.factnet.org/discus/clipart/kiss.gif

[healed]

"Ham radios that is, set a spell"

I sure remember having to hear about all those ham radio speeches on the tapes. The freaking garden of eden on the lake and the ham radio. I wonder who is living at the "garden of eden" now? Must of been nice to own such a nice estate while the rest of the congregation was living in trailers.

[hombre]

<blockquote><hr size=0><!-quote-!><font size=1>quote:</font>

UNHEALED: ....The freaking garden of eden on the lake.....Must of been nice to own such a nice estate while the rest of the congregation was living in trailers.<!-/quote-!><hr size=0></blockquote>

...do I sense just a little bit of jealousy and class envy?

...oh yes, he was sucking the laity dry wasn't he?

Never ONCE a coersed offering like the rest of 'Christianity today', and even a stand against the tithe, which thing is sacred to the rest of the unbelieving church.

...or perhaps the fellow speaking here who generally makes common spelling and grammatical errors, never listened to the testimony of Hobart and where he came from, nor yet about his education and scholarship unto doctorate degree....or perhaps he really just never understood the message...we all had the same tools that HEF did, and since when has it ever been against the law to prosper?

The bitterness and resentments you carry are truly mountainous.

God help you to turn your life and mind around.

[passin_thru]

Yeah right, I’m sure the FA membership felt no obligation to tithe and then some. It’s like they felt no obligation to take menial jobs approved and dictated by Hobart Freeman on high. It’s also like they felt no obligation to let babies die rather than get simple medical assistance. There’s no limit to what fools will believe!

Overcomers defend a failed dead man and his warped faith message. Never mind no one can make it work. Freeman certainly couldn’t make it work. Overcomers still can’t make it work. However, that’s the way Freeman taught it. So, it’s just gotta be so. There’s no understanding the insane logic!

Hombre wrote, “The bitterness and resentments you carry are truly mountainous. God help you to turn your life and mind around.” Hombre’s words epitomize his own life’s problems and solution!

[johiyom]

I don't believe in tithing myself. I came to the conclusion that if tithing is binding upon New Testament believers then so is circumcision. Neither originated with THE LAW of Moses, but with Abraham. Many churches are guilty of teaching tithing as a commandment binding upon Christians. They do spend more time on coercing tithes and offerings(especially the charismatic churches)as part of their worship services. I admire FA for putting an offering box in the back and letting people give according to their ability and conscience, no show involved.