From My Mouse 2 Your House

Just Sayin'

2011-02-27T16:59:00.000-08:00

I have a friend and sister in Christ who always says things and ends her statements with 'just sayin'. I like how that makes yout think. I am hoping that my sharing here will make you think, smile and be amused. I am starting to reflect back as my children get older. Tomorrow is my youngest son Josiah Caleb's 8th birthday. Did I say 8th? Wow how time flies! I remember how God orchestrated each event of his miracle birth. I am going to share more in my next post.

They Don't Really Care About Us

2009-07-09T16:55:00.000-07:00

I am posting here as a Christian and not as an unbeliever. I am posting in response to my niece's video on You Tube recently shared on facebook. It was in reference to some Christian's basically forgetting where they once were and being judgmental to people we need to reach out to. She referenced homosexuals for example. I too as she does stand on the word of God that a man should be with a woman, however many homosexuals who are wanting to come to church and learn the truth are simply made to feel as if those Christians don't care about us. I for one have friends who I know are homosexual and I would not hesitate to invite them to church. One of my female friends has 3 children and said to me, I do not believe the same way that you do but you accept me as I am. That is what the body of Christ should do as well. As Khia quoted in the video, you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. We have to not let our light shine so brightly we forget we were once in darkness. I mean our sins of pride, prayerlessness and lack of faith are just as bad as any other. Remember our sins were as scarlet not pink like we sometimes like to think they were. It is time for the body of Christ to reach out to others in love and not feel as if we are better than anyone else because we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. He found me I did not find him. One of my favorite sayings is 'Pride is like a beard. It needs to be clipped daily.' Tony Evans
I ask the Lord to help me to see others as He sees them like the Brandon Heath song
'Lord, Give Me Your Eyes.' We need to be careful that we do not think higher of ourselves than we ought to. I want to be known as a godly Mom and a true friend to all who know me. If I am asked by my friend I simply explain in a loving way why I believe the way I do and she listens. She pays attention to what I am saying because I am not speaking from an 'I am better than you,' viewpoint. I am speaking in love for the soul of the person. The Church should focus on getting out the gospel more, once people come to faith in God their lives can be transformed. After all we all should be stoned for our sins and transgressions but we have been shown grace. We need to try offering some to others. Then the people we are trying to reach can stop saying 'They don't really care about us.' Jesus cares enough to have given His very life. Let's remember that!

Heaven's Grocery Store

2009-05-12T19:55:00.000-07:00

I was walking down life's highway a long time ago.
One day I saw a sign that read, "Heaven's Grocery Store".
As I got a little closer the door came open wide,
and when I came to myself I was standing inside.
I saw a host of Angels, they were standing everywhere.
One handed me a blanket and said, "My Child shop with care".
Everything a Christian needs is in that grocery store,
and all you can't carry, come back the next day for more.

First, I got some Patience, Love was in the same row.
Further down was Understanding, needed everywhere you go.
I got a box or two of Wisdom, a bag or two of Faith,
I just couldn't miss the Holy Ghost, it was all over the place.
I stopped to get some Strength and Courage to help me run this race,
but then my blanket was getting full, and I remembered I needed Grace.

I didn't forget Salvation, which like the others was free,
so I tried to get enough of that to save both you and me.
Then I started to the counter to pay my grocery bill,
for I thought I had everything to do my master's will.
As I went up the aisle, I saw Prayer and had to put it in,
for I knew when I stepped outside, I would run right into sin.
Peace and Joy were plentiful, they were on the last shelf.
Song and Praises were hanging near, so I just helped myself.

Then I said to the Angel, "How much do I owe"?
The Angel smiled and said, "Just take them everywhere you go."
Again, I politely asked "How much do I really owe?"
The Angel smiled again and said, "My Child, Jesus Paid Your Bill
A Long Time Ago."

Ron DeMarco

2009-04-11T23:33:00.000-07:00

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2009-03-29T20:54:00.001-07:00

When I See The Snow

2009-03-28T16:59:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not it is snowing here in Missouri and it is almost April. I love the snow because it is so pretty when it is freshly fallen. No two snowflakes are alike and neither are two people. Isn't it amazing that the same God who is in charge of the weather and the snowflakes, made you unlike any one else? Also like you are different so is God different than us. What I mean is that God doesn't deal with us like people do. When we mess up after we accept the Christ Jesus as our personal Lord and Saviour, He will forgive us when we confess to him our wrongs. It is truly amazing to me that before the foundation of the world, God decided to do something about our 'dirty snow' of sin. He sent the perfect sacrifice to clean our hearts, minds and purify us from the world. I am personally thankful whenever I see the snow because it reminds me of one of my favorite Scriptures. It is found in the Old Testament, book of Isaiah Chapter 1 verse 18. This is God speaking to you and me, Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord; though your sins be scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. Similar to the road crews we anxioulsy await to ensure we have safe travels on the highways, we have assurance that trusting in Jesus for safe travels throughout our lives. This doesn't mean we will never go through any thing in life, but He uses sometimes the most difficult times to show us His faithfulness. For those reading this that do not know the Lord Jesus the Christ as their personal saviour, He is willing to save you no matter what you have done. As if the miracle of no two snowflakes being alike, how much more of a miracle is it that God so loved YOU that He sent His only begotten Son, that whosoever (YOU, yes, YOU) believeth (trusting wholeheartedly, relying on, faith in) in Him should(will not, can not, absolutely not, no way) perish (suffer for all eternity in Hell, absent from the Lord in utter darkness) but have (possess right now and keep forever) eternal (forever, everlasting) life. John chapter 3 verse 16. The thought of eternal life may be repulsive based on how miserable your life may be or it may be a pleasant thought based on how happy you are right now. But eternal life is not an extension of man's miserable, mortal life; eternal life is God's life embodied in Christ, given to all believers now as a guarantee that they will live forever. In eternal life there is no death, sickness, enemy, evil or sin. To believe means more than intellectual agreement that Jesus is God. It means to put our trust totally in Him that He alone can save us. (you) I have learned it is in putting Christ in charge of my present plans and eternal destiny. I implore you do not live life as if this one on this earth is all you have. This life is just an introduction to eternity. Recognize the insufficiency of your own efforts to find salvation and ask Him to do this work in you. Jesus wants you to spend eternity with Him and if you doubt it remember His promise when ever you see the snow.

The Trip

2009-03-13T11:51:00.000-07:00

I am ten years old now and live in New Jersey. In my small town mostly everybody knows everybody else. By the way my name is Dana. My friends call me 'Smiley.' I guess it's because I smile a lot. Anyway today my Dad and brother Darren are downstairs watching football. It is the weekend and it is about 85 degrees outside. I love when the weather is nice outside but I can't stand bugs. When I was littler I used to have a plastic pool and every time I would go swimming, if a bug got in the water I would scream at the top of my lungs. The back door would fly open and my Mom would come running outside and say, "Dana, what is wrong?" I would say, "Eeeewwww! Mom! There is a bug in the pool!" I thought it was the end of the world. There were dead bug germs all up in my pool. My Mom would then empty the pool and refill it with more water until the next bug came and I screamed all over again. My Mom said she is not buying me any more of those plastic pools. I wonder why she said that.

Anyway even though it is warm enough outside I am not getting in the pool today. Me and my brother are going on a trip with our Dad. We have to wait until after the game is off of course. I am getting my favorite sneaks out of my messy closet. I am not a neat person like my brother is. My Dad is neat too. He even sweeps the dirt in our driveway! I wonder why he needs to sweep outside. Because when we come home from school we have to wipe our feet outside so that's where the dirt belongs right? My Dad can't stand to have the dirt in our yard so he sweeps it in the street. So when he drives his truck over the dirt on the street it comes right back anyway. It doesn't make sense to me.

I just told you my Dad has a truck and it is old. It has rusty parts on it and it is light blue. I see it parked on the street below my bedroom window. When we go on the trip today we are going in the truck. It is cool to ride in the back of the truck. It makes funny noises when we ride for a while. One night a man tried to steal my Dad's truck while he was at work. My Mom heard the guy and kept flushing the toilet to scare him away. It worked because he left.

I hear my Dad calling me and my brother to get in to the truck. It is going to be so cool to go on our little trip today. I am climbing into the truck and my big head brother is sitting on the other side of the truck. He is 15 and lots of people know him because he plays football for Paulsboro High School. He is a running back and is very fast. He says I get on his nerves because I talk alot. I do not think so. Oh! Here comes my Dad!

Vrooommm! That is the truck noise and we are ready to go for this little trip. We are now going down 295 playing license plate games. We have to spot different license plates from different cities. "Hey, Darren! There is one from New York! I saw it first!" My brother doesn't see any yet. I see one from Philly. He still didn't see any yet.

People are waving at us from their cars. My brother still didn't see any license plates. He says, " I don't want to play this game. I am too old to be playing with you." I said, "Well, excuse me! Don't ask me to play Crazy Eights with you anymore then! " He said, " And I do not care anyway." He is steady laughing at me. Boy he gets on my nerves.

We are almost there and my Dad yells through the window, "Hey you guys! Make up your mind what you are getting before we get there." We say together, "Yes Dad!
Finally we are here! Yay! I am thinking of what I am going to get and my Dad wants to go to the window and order. Oh! Didn't I tell you where we were going on the trip?
I guess I forgot. We are at the favorite spot of all! Dairy Queen! They have the best ice cream in the whole wide world.

My brother said, "I want chocolate and vanilla twist. " I said "I want vanilla Dad!" He goes to the order window. Then he ordered my brother's cone first. I said, "How come you got yours first?" He said, "Two reasons, I am older and I look better! " Then he starts laughing in his deep voice. I remember his voice wasn't like that a couple of years ago. It was higher. My Dad orders my cone and brings it to me and it is vanilla. I said quietly, "Dad, can I change to a twist?" My Dad said, "I already paid for this one!"

He was talking a little louder than he was before. He said something I couldn't hear and went back to the window to get me the twist cone. My brother said, "You are spoiled and you always get what you want ." I said, "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me. " I said it but didn't mean it. Who made up that saying anyway? Words do hurt me.

My Dad came back from the window with my twist cone and the man at the window gave him the other cone for free! Isn't that cool? Because of me we got three cones for the price of two! I know you are wondering where the other cone went. Well, my dog Boomer was happy because he ate it. He is in the side of the truck where my Dad is wagging his tail. I knew he liked vanilla!

I hope we go on our little trip again soon!

Yes I have a Blog!

2009-03-04T13:34:00.000-08:00

I actually am starting a blog! Amazingly enough it was painless to start. I guess part of blogging consists of introducing myself. My name is Dana Rankin. This blog will be about my opinions and observations about single parenting, Motherhood as a whole, faith, finances, children, love,weight-issues, family,learning disabilities,domestic violence, and business. These observations, opinions and musings are sometimes going to sound funny as people say I have a weird sense of humor. But the Bible does say Laughter is good medicine. :0)
I am a Jersey Girl born and raised. I am a fraternal twin but my twin died 24 hours after she was born. I am sure Donna Lois is in Heaven with Jesus watching over me. I am the youngest of three children and have a sister and brother. Thankfully both of my parents are still alive and well.
I have 4 children, 2 boys and girls. Their ages are 14,9,8 and 6. I am just glad none are in diapers anymore or I would be pulling out my hair! I even actually had a daycare center in my house in Jersey. What was I thinking then? I am an advocate for home school also. I believe parents should take an active role in their children's education.
I went to public school in Paulsboro, NJ. My elementary school was Loudenslager and my high school was good ole Paulsboro High School. I got my G.E.D. in 1986 after fooling around in high school. I thought at 16 I knew it all and decided I did not 'need' school. Boy was I wrong!
I attended college at Shippensburg State College in Pennsylvania near Harrisburg, the state capitol.
One of my favorite childhood memories is riding to Dairy Queen in the back of my Dad's blue pickup truck with my dog and brother. Riding with the dog was more fun! Just kidding Darren! LOL
My next post will continue with more about me and my rides to the Dairy Queen. Stay tuned to the From My Mouse 2 Your House. God Bless!