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| A Bible Math Lesson |
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Have you noticed how bad them gas prices have got lately? Well, I had somethin happen to me this week concernin the gas prices that I want to share with ya'll.
See money has been real tight around my house the past month. We been tryin to save money by eatin sandwiches at home, and splurgin once a week by goin to McDonalds and orderin somethin off the dollar menu. But that just wont good enough. So I had an idea... I told my family that we was goin to have a meetin, and that they needed to meet me in the livin room at 7PM sharp.
That evenin Kathy and Jr. met me in the livin room and I laid out my idea. I said "We're gonna have a contest to see who can save the most money. I wont each of you to come up with a money savin idea, and at the end of the month the winner gets a special prize, they get to keep half the money they save!"
Kathy and Jr. was real excited about my contest, and they immediately started comin up with ideas...
1. Kathy came up with only usin half a paper towel at dinner, and usin two sheets of toilet paper to wipe instead of four.
2. Jr. came up with only takin a shower every other day, and drinkin water instead of pepsi.
3. I came up with a way to save gas. I decided I'd park my truck about two miles from the house, and then ride my bike each mornin to the location of my truck. That way I was cuttin 4 miles off my trip to work each day.
Well, we all left the meetin feelin pretty confident that we would win. I told Kathy and Jr. to make sure they stick to there plan if they wanted to win, cause I had this one in the bag. Kathy and Jr. were just as competitive and told me I didn't havea chance of winnin. We'll see about that I said.
The next 4 weeks were real fun. Kathy got so into it that she quit usin paper towels all together (she had some dirty sleeves though). Jr. cut his bath time down to once a week, but I noticed that my spray deoterant can was empty at the end of week 2. And me, well there was some mornins that I rode my bike all the way to work... I lost 10 pounds too.
At the end of the competition we all met back in the livin room to figure up how much money we had saved.
1. Kathy saved $10 that month, by not havin to buy paper towels, and cuttin her toilet paper use in half
2. By lookin at our current utility bill we saw that it had dropped $20. No doubt a result of Jr. not using any water that month.
3. When it came my turn I just knew I was gonna win. I took out last months gas reciepts and started comparin them to this month... This couldn't be right. It showed that I had spent $2 dollars more this month than last month! I had traveled 13 miles less this month, but I had spent 2 dollars more! I was really confused cause I couldn't understand how this was possible. I started examining my reciepts a little more, and I soon figured out the problem. It turns out that last month, the price of gas was $2.85 a gallon, but this month it was $3.25 per gallon!
I was really upset, but I tried to be a good sport about it. I held my nose and handed Jr. his $10. "Now go take a bath son", I told him. Kathy hopped up to go help him.
As I sat there alone on the couch, I felt myself start gettin a little anxious. We had given our best effort for a whole month and still were only able to save $18. The worry started gettin stronger, "What in the world are we going to do?" "God please help us."
No sooner had I got the words outta my mouth God spoke back to me "BillyRay, have I ever let you down?"
"Well, no" I said
"Have you ever gone without a meal?"
"No" I said again.
"Have you ever gone without transporation, have you ever been without clothes, have you ever been homeless?"
"No, no, and no" I said.
"Well what on what precedence can you justify worrying now"? God said.
I sat there for a moment, cause I really couldn't think of any time in the past where I had gone lacking for anything I needed. So, I spoke back to God and said, "But God it just looks so bad, thangs are so tight right now that one little unexpected expence will ruin us"
God said, "BillyRay, you are so worried about the variables in your life that you are forgetting the one thing that is constant."
I sat there for a moment ponderin what God had said to me. "God, you are right I shouldn't be worrying. No matter how big the variables get in my life, you will always be bigger!"
Then God brought this verse to my mind. 4:19 And my God shall supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 6:34 "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day's own trouble be sufficient for the day. So I just want to encourage all of y'all. Take a math lesson from the Bible. Add up all the problems in your life, all the worries, fears and doubts. When you compare them all to God, He is still way bigger. Put yer trust in Him today, and walk through your storm holdin His hand! God Bless Y'all BR |
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| To add a comment to "A Bible Math Lesson" |
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| April 04, 2008 |
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| Fantastic!! Hey, can you lend me $20? LOL |
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| April 04, 2008 |
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| I would but I hain't got but $18. lol |
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| April 04, 2008 |
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| Billy Ray! You are Fantastic. Thanks man! |
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| April 04, 2008 |
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I second Cathy! and I need $15.00 hehehe
Love you guys!~ |
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| April 04, 2008 |
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| Them beers at the hockey game last night were $8 bucks a shot!! OUCH!! |
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| April 04, 2008 |
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| Oh how I have missed your blogs!!! Great one!! |
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| April 04, 2008 |
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Thats why you need to quit yer drinkin, Cathy. Thanks Cheryl and Cheryl and Evangelist! |
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| April 04, 2008 |
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I been wondering if yer truck had broke down or somethin'. I didn't want to ask cause I figured you would try to bum a ride, and them gas prices are high ya know?
Thanks for clearing up the reasoning behind that funky smell in the trailer park. I'll chip in if you ever need to give that youngin a bath. |
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| April 04, 2008 |
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So good to have you back MP! And with an on time word at that. your right. He aint dropped us yet....no need in thinkin' he'll start!
Now I got to have a contest at our place. :0)
Bhek |
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| April 04, 2008 |
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| Sometimes we need a little reality check. Great blog! |
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| April 04, 2008 |
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| Awesome blog |
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| April 04, 2008 |
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| Thanks for the [spiritual] math lesson. It was a good un. |
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| April 04, 2008 |
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MP as i live and breath it is good to hear from you.....You and God do math good together..... |
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| April 04, 2008 |
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Thanks Rosie, it's good to be connected to y'all again too. Bhek, Deb, Patrick, JayKTX - Thank y'all Rich - Sorry bout Jr.'s smell man. We went through 3 washrags to get him clean. |
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| April 04, 2008 |
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| That right there is the best sermon I've heard in long time! God is still God no matter what things look like! The Bible says the young lions lack and are hungry but I have never seen all all my days God's seed begging fo bread." God takes care of us...He is obligated to take care of us. I think that is great that y'all did what you could, God will honor that faithful stewardship! You will see that money come back in other ways I promise. That's good stuff thanks for sharing BR. |
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| April 04, 2008 |
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God Bless you Billy Ray,
Your blog was such a blessing to me... |
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| April 04, 2008 |
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| Thanks, Billy Ray--one surefire way to keep from worrying--I've found--is to take time to thank the Lord for all He's blessed me with. God bless. |
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| April 04, 2008 |
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I had this little paper in my car for a long time, but lost it it said Stop telling God how big your storm is. Instead tell your storm how big your GOD is. |
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| April 04, 2008 |
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| Awesome dude your COOL! God Bless,Bro. |
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| April 04, 2008 |
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| Good stuff Bro Mullet |
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| April 04, 2008 |
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| Todd, Preachergirl, suzanne, Gary, Doyle, Donna - Thank y'all for reading. I hope it blessed you. |
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| April 04, 2008 |
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| Amen Brother. I am always a tight wad. Although I do have the priveledge to go to the commissary, I can save a ton. I found 32 cans of tuna for $5. Hey We are going to have a BBQ next weekend. Would love to have you Kathy and Jr come down. Serious dude, message me. |
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| April 05, 2008 |
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| Such grace Mulletpreacher, all this time and in the basis of all of this there is love to be found just to see the family come together, to unite and agree with one another. Although the message was immensely intense. It was the love behind the scenes that helped minister to me. Thanks for havin the guts to preach from the heart. God bless you and your family. |
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| April 05, 2008 |
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| Great post BillyRay! |
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| April 06, 2008 |
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i have to tell you i know where you are comming from,
we recently lost our home in Floida to the mortage crisis. And didn't know what we would do, my husband moved to another state ,and stayed with my family, making money to send back to me, we couldn't save it. I cashed in my retirement, had a huge sale,sold EVERTHING we owned and still couldn't make it work, homeless but i had a great job! and so Jerimiah 29:11 says it's my plan for you!
I never thought I live in a "Trailer"I always thought I would live there forever.
So i quit my job, said good bye to my friends and my church and moved with my husband...
we have been blessed with a mobile home ,we have a place to call ours. God didn't want us in Florida with mortage of $1200.00 a month. he wanted us to have this place for $250.00 a month!
I have bad health, so now I don't have to work.as God gave my husband a great job.!
What I wanted, wasn't what God wanted for me!
Knowing this I am greatful for the things I was able to keep and I am greatful for my husband's new job, and for this mobile Home!!
Give your worries to God, I did!! |
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| April 07, 2008 |
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Becky, Larry, G2S - Thank y'all kboyet1 - That sounds like the makins of a good blog! I seriously thank you ought to write a blog and share that testimony with everybody out here cause it sounds real powerful. |
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| April 07, 2008 |
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| yeah, I agree, I want to here more from kboyet1 |
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| April 07, 2008 |
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| this blessed me! |
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| April 07, 2008 |
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| I'm gonna send her a message Gary, she might not thank about coming back to see our comment here. |
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| April 07, 2008 |
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That speaks volumes to me at this point in my life. I have all kinds of changes and they are all the big ones , job, where I'm going to live, my church, dating/not dating.
Thank you for helping me put things into perspective!
God Bless |
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| April 07, 2008 |
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| Great post MP, good to see you back! |
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| April 07, 2008 |
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Mullet OUTSTANDING BLOG 
I so Glad your back I love your stories and how God talks to you.and it reall come togather LOVE IT.
You make me laugh so hard when you come up with things to do.
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| April 07, 2008 |
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Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I really, really needed to hear this message today.
Love you,
Joey |
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| April 08, 2008 |
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| Missy, Victorious, MaKay, Joey - Thank y'all I'm glad it blessed ya |
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| April 08, 2008 |
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When will it end, you ask. It will end when He returns. Until then, we carry on, push forward, not murmuring, but praising the Lord. Whether gas prices are $15.00 per gallon, or bread is $4.50 a loaf, we trust that He will provide. If we have to catch a fish to pay the tax, then we do it in ALL joy. We don't mumble and grumble. We praise Him in all things. |
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| April 09, 2008 |
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Hi MP, Great Blog.
My story in a nut shell. I had a car that had a blown headgasket since last April. I kept praying that God would keep it running until the day He got me a new one. Well, that car ran until Feb11th this year. At the end of it's life it had foam on the oil dipstick for 3 months and I put water in the radiator everytime I drove it. Finally it died, on the freeway, then I coasted up the on ramp. Not good. I didn't have a new car yet. So I ended up walking to work the next morning. I do worship songs in sign language, so I got a mp3 player and worshiped all the way to work. 1 1/2 miles. Not far? It is to someone who doesn't walk very far and was totally out of shape. But I kept plugging along. On March 7th I went to see a Prophet and planted my seeds for my car. One of my friends that drove me there, I paid for her gas for 3 days. I told her I was planting seeds for my car. The next Sunday I walked to Church 1 3/4 miles, doing the same thing, Worshiping in sign language. People asked if I needed a ride and I told them no, because I wanted to spend time with my Lord. Well, it paid off. I had an old boss from 2003 call me out of the blue March 10th. He said that he had a job for me driving to Yuma,AZ starting April 1st. I told him that I didn't have a car. He said not to worry about it because he has a car for me to drive. A 2007 Dodge Caliber. I don't have to pay a car payment, insurance, or even the gas! He pays for it all! Plus I get to use it for my personal use too! Plus I make almost double what I was at my last job. God's plans are always best. Being faithful, not complaining, making the best out of a bad situation. That's what I found He wants, or at least from me. I pray that all will turn around for you and your family as it has for me and for kboyet1. God is always faithful! God Bless you brother! |
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| April 11, 2008 |
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| wonderful blog, thank you for sharing |
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| April 11, 2008 |
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| God is always in control, we as his Children must learn to trust him |
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| April 11, 2008 |
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| thank y'all |
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| April 14, 2008 |
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| Excellent. You are right on time with this one!!!! |
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| April 17, 2008 |
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| Hey Billy Ray you wanna live in England before you complain about the unleaded!! Man it's almost $2.20 ......not per gallon.......per litre!! I caint afford to run my lawnmower never mind my truck LOL I am burning rubber on my wheelchair like you never known man, Steel Horse! |
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| April 17, 2008 |
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| Man, whats that come to in gallons? We don't believe in that metric system stuff around here. |
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| April 18, 2008 |
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| Amen. I think all of us need to take a math lesson from God. Too many times we let our troubles overshadow what God has given us so freely. God bless you. Cliff |
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| April 19, 2008 |
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| amen brother! |
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| April 21, 2008 |
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| Great post as usual. LOL I was stuck (without cash) in Boston once. God brought a miracle! (I was able to leave!) |
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| April 21, 2008 |
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| lol!! |
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| April 21, 2008 |
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| Yep, God is bigger than all of those things... |
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| April 21, 2008 |
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| He sure is much bigger than all my problems!!!! THanks for the reminder! |
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