EMERGENCY

    Towards the beginning of this year I started watching a show on t.v. called "Dooms Day Preppers." I totally enjoyed watching all the backwoods looney-bins talk about the end of the world, and how they were going to survive it! Before I knew it though, I was buying first aid supplies and stockpiling food! (Don't you judge me! Haha!) I tell you this, not because I think the end of the world is upon us, but because I believe it is practical to prepare ourselves for times of hardship. Having food storage, first aid knowledge, and an emergency plan in place is not unreasonable, but in fact a great idea!

   

    A while back on my facebook page I asked all 400+ of my closest friends (most of which live in Southern California) if they possessed an earthquake kit in their home. Out of all of my friends only 2 responded with a "yes". I felt both shocked and relieved; shocked because 2 is such a small number, and relieved because I wasn't the only one who didn't have a kit! As of late, the news has been plagued with fires in Colorado, Hurricanes in Florida, power outages in Virginia, and Tornadoes in numerous places. All these forces are things that we don't really have control over, and even the best prepared person might not come out unscathed when facing them, so how do we think an unprepared person would fair? In California we are faced with the possibility of an earthquake. Most locals will brush earthquakes off as no big deal, and consider them just a part of life here in So Cal, however, earthquakes are unpredictable and can cause huge amounts of damage in a matter of seconds. I think it would behoove us all to be prepared for one!
    Some steps to work through to prepare yourself:
      1. Be informed: know what kind of disasters can occur in your area, know what to do before, during and after one.
      2. Make a plan: construct an emergency plan for your family (do you stay put, or evacuate) Know how to execute this plan, practice it!
      3. Build a kit: The government recommends that each individual have a 3 day supply of food and water, and medical supplies.
    These are just some points to get you started towards protecting both you and your family in unexpected times. To explore these points further please visit: http://www.ready.gov/be-informed .
I have gone through these steps to prepare my family, and I hope that you will do the same! :)




*While I enjoy watching about dooms-dayers, I am not one! I believe the Lord will rapture the church before "the end of the world" happens! :) However, the Bible does state in Mark 5:8, " Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the the beginning of the birth pains." This is giving reference to signs of the end times. So family, be prepared so we can continue to be a light until He calls us home! :)

Living Proof

I recently finished school, and since graduation I have been looking for a "better" job. After months of applying at dozens of offices, law firms (my degree is in paralegal studies), and the food service industry (my current profession), I am still gainfully employed at the same place. It seems that the Lord has something else for me where I'm currently at, or at least that is how I am taking it, as no other doors have opened.

    During this process I have completed all sorts of applications, personality tests, math tests (AHHHH!), and so on and so forth! They really make you work just to apply for a job these days! The last job that I applied for was at my church. This was by far the most challenging job application I have ever completed. For the most part it didn't differ too much from other applications: job experience, educational background, references, etc. Attached to this rather standard job application though was a ministry questionnaire. Since this is a church they wanted to know that I knew what I believed on major Biblical topics such as: Salvation, baptism, the trinity, the rapture, and more. Though this took me some time to scripturally write all down, I am sure of what I believe on these topics. What made this so difficult was the last question on this Ministry Questionnaire, " Spiritual Commitment Statement: Please provide us with a brief description of your personal conversion and spiritual walk with the Lord at this present time." I had never sat down and written my testimony before, in fact I had never even spoken it to someone before. It took me several days to write down a few paragraphs, and it was extremely hard for me. I don't often talk about certain periods of my life because I am ashamed of them, let alone write them down for a stranger to read. After writing it though, I had the need to share it with my mother. While reading it to her I could barely pronounce the words through my tears, it was such a good feeling to let all the feelings out. That night while trying to fall asleep I was thinking about that moment and the word "Testimony". The dictionary would define it as "evidence in support of a fact or statement; proof, or open declaration or profession, as of faith.", and that is just what my testimony says about me, it is part of the evidence that God loves me and will fight for me, and never abandon me! So with that being said, I felt it only appropriate to share my Testimony with all of you in hopes that you too will see that God LOVES you just as much as he loves me!!

    I am blessed to have been born into a great christian home, with a family that is driven to serve the Lord. At the age of 10 I accepted Christ as my savior in a Sunday school class at Harvest Christian Fellowship. As I grew, my walk with the Lord did also. I became involved in several youth ministries in my teens, all the way up through my high school career. After high school, I joined the working class and met some non-christian friends. Their lifestyle was a bigger impression on me than my lifestyle was on them. I slowly began to fall away from God's plan for my life. I isolated myself from my concerned christian family and friends and lead a life full of selfishness and disregarded everyones pleas to turn back to the Lord. I remember feeling such bitterness and hate when people said they were praying for me. I thought my life was fine and felt insulted people thought otherwise. I was in denial about my backslidden state. When I was twenty-one I got pregnant from my boyfriend. Both my daughter and I were abandoned by her "father" shortly after her birth. As anyone with children knows, children change everything! I began to reevaluate my life and where it was headed, not for my sake, but for my daughter's. Through this tough time of feeling panic, and abandonment, and just so very lost; I came back to my first love, and recommitted my life to Christ.
    My daughter is now 10 years old and I am striving to raise her up to be a Godly woman with the help of her Heavenly Father, and my awesome family. My greatest mistake has turned out to be my greatest blessing!! The birth of my daughter woke me up from my denial, and she is my motivation never to go down that road again. Looking back I can clearly see God at work as he used my choices (both good and bad) to reconcile me back to him. It amazes me on a daily basis!
    At this current time I feel my walk with the Lord is stronger than ever. Though I still meet challenges everyday, I no longer deny them, but try to face them head on, seeking the Lord's will over my own. I don't always succeed, I'm not perfect, but I have a perfect God. I can see him at work in me and my daughter. Lately I have been learning patience in God's timing and that there is an opportunity for service in everything.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."~2 Corinthians 5:17-21

If you are willing to share, I would love to hear your testimony, and how the Lord has worked in your life! Please feel free to share in the comment section below or email us @ raspberrycordialmusings@gmail.com

Not Forgotten!

Hello Readers! Did you think you had been forgotten? Well, you haven't!

    I'll admit that when Raspberry Cordial was started, I thought it was going to be a walk in the park! I've always enjoyed writing and sharing it with people. Writing a blog was going to be easy, and something that contributed to my cool factor! (Ha!)  Well, blog writing is not for the faint of heart, and if it's a walk in the park; it's a barefoot in the snow, uphill walk. I often lack motivation  to write, and work on the blog. (This isn't because I don't love our blog and all of our awesome readers, because I do love the blog, and all of you!!) Why is writing on a consistent basis so hard for me?! Why do I feel so un-inspired for something that I love to do?! After pondering this for a few days, I've come to the conclusion that writing recreationally is, well, too relaxed! All my best work has been produced under the pressure of looming deadlines! So, there you have it folks, I am a lazy procrastinator motivated by fear. Now, that I have come face to face with this fact, I am working on changing this! I have worked out some goals for Raspberry Cordial, and even some deadlines for reaching those goals!

    That means there is some new things coming to Raspberry Cordial! There is already some new content in the works, and I hope that you check back frequently to see what is going on over here with us!:)