Okay, that's kinda cute

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I'm no country music fan (no offense), but I just saw this video and gotta say that it's kinda cute and catchy and a whole lotta fun: 

Songs about Whiskey from Christian singer, Anne Wilson

Listen to it before you judge it.

Most Popular Posts of the Week:

Hardest Spiritual Lesson #1: Let Go

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I wrote about some of the "hardest spiritual lessons" years ago on another blog of mine, but I am updating and reposting it here.   These are normal, typical (often painful) lessons that we will all eventually struggle with (it's okay to struggle) if we continue to walk with God and to chase after a deeper relationship with Him.    (And I know there are more than I've listed here.)   In no particular order (and broken up into individual posts), here are some of the hardest lessons I've learned over the years when it comes to faith and walking with God: 1.    Let Go or Hold on? Imagine you fell over the side of a cliff and are hanging onto a tiny root sticking out the side of the cliff with one hand, and God throws a rope down to save you.  But in your other hand, you're holding onto a water bottle you think you need.  You need both hands to grab the rope and climb, but you're afraid to let go of the water bottle.   After all, we need water to live, right? 
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List of Calvinist Preachers, Authors, Theologians, Websites, etc.

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I  found a lot more names to add to my list of known Calvinists (found in my various  "How to Tell if a Church, Pastor, or Website is Calvinist"  posts).  But instead of adding this huge list to all those posts, I am going to put it here, and I'll just provide a link on those posts to this one.  [FYI: I added a note at the bottom of this post on May 5, 2021.] So here it is, a "master list" of known Calvinists to help you be careful and discerning about who you listen to and where you get your theology from.  There are plenty more Calvinists out there, but these are just the names that I ran across the most.   These are either definite, self-professed Calvinists or "most likely Calvinist," in my estimation.  (I haven't heard of most of them, but it's good to know their theology before I do.)   After finding these names in various places online, I looked up each person to see if they are Calvinist.  If they did not self-identify as a Calvinist, I
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9 Marks of a Calvinist Cult #4 (strategic tactics)

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[This series is  "The 9 Marks of a Calvinist Cult"  split up into smaller, individual posts.]   4. The Fun Stuff (Strategic Tactics) Besides their hidden "buts" and multiple layers, Calvinists employ a wide range of other tactics to hook, trick, trap, and reel us into Calvinism slowly, covertly.  (But they don't do it to just us.  They are victims of these tactics too, having allowed themselves to be tricked and trapped by them also.)   The tactics they use (no matter how unintentional they might be) are things such as:  ...  false dichotomies .         "Either God saves us, or else we save ourselves... Either God controls everything, or else He controls nothing... Either God is in charge, or else we are in charge."  It's super-polarized - and badly-polarized - on purpose, to force you to reject the ridiculous option and pick the Calvinist one.  See  Calvinist Bad Logic #7: False Dichotomies .   ...  fallacies and bad logic.           "In the
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God Set Pharaoh Up

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(Part of the "Predestination vs. Free-Will" series) If you’ve read the previous posts, you know that I believe that God does not cause us to sin or to be disobedient.   We decide if we want to believe in Him and obey Him or if we want to rebel against Him.   But I read a post recently by a strong Calvinist who believes that God causes people to sin, for His reasons and His glory, such as causing Adam and Eve to eat the fruit and causing Pharaoh to have a hard heart so that he wouldn't release the Israelites.  (Can you guess who wrote it?  Yep, my pastor.  He says that God "ordained" those things, but he really means God "caused" those things.  FYI, when a Calvinist says God "ordained" something, they don't mean He knew it would happen and just allowed it to happen; they mean He preplanned it and caused it to happen.  Big difference!)    I don’t agree.   I do not think God causes (“forces”) people to sin, to rebel, to resist Him
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Be Wary Of The Christian Post

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(Written 6/15/18)  Occasionally, I check in with the Christian Post to see what's going on in the world that specifically relates to Christians.  And generally, I've never really had any red flags go up about this website ... until now. A recent article by Stoyan Zaimov, with a title that starts "Christian Lesbian rock star ..." goes on to share this woman's story about being assaulted by a male priest when she was young.   However, I don't think the reason for this article is to talk about the abuse she suffered and her courage in speaking up.  I think this is a deliberate attempt to affirm Christian homosexuality.  The very fact that they put "Christian" and "lesbian" in the title makes it sound like it's indeed possible to be a Christian and a practicing homosexual who sees no need to change. And it seems to me that this article paints her in a heroic light, as though she is in the right and should be applauded and e
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If They Mated ...

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I think I stumbled upon the perfect "If They Mated ..." scenario for who I look like and how I act.  (You know, when they take two people and morph their faces into one to show what their offspring would look like if they mated.)  I wasn't trying to figure this out or anything; it just came to me as I was watching The Hobbit recently.  And once I saw it in my mind, I couldn't unsee it.  Then after I thought about possibly sharing it with all of you, my mind won't let it go until I do.  And so here it is, much to my chagrin... I kid you not, if you mixed these three characters - their looks and their personalities - you would totally have me.   Frankie Heck from The Middle (Someone once told me I looked like her, when I was a lot younger.  Actually, it was when she was in Everybody Loves Raymond , but we're both a lot older now.  And I was told once I looked like Winona Ryder, for a split second.  Ah, to be young again!) Bard the Bowman , minu
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Feminism Nonsense (repost)

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(Oh, how we love nonsense in our country!) We women are fighting so hard to be like men, to downplay femininity, to be perceived as more masculine, to overtake any "men's realm" we find.   Because it’s “cool” and “progressive” and “strong.” But do we not realize that we are not “leveling the playing field” so much as we are destroying ourselves , the things that make women special? Women can be strong, too.   And they don’t have to be like men to do it.   Trust me, I know.  I've had four children, one by c-section and three by natural, drug-free homebirth (with over 15 hours of labor for each one).  And then I work in the home every day, all day long.  No pay.  No vacation time.  No weekends off.  No bonuses.  No overtime pay. But I do it because my family and I value my position, my role.  Even if the world doesn't. W e women can be strong and capable and accomplished in our own ways. We can be strong in our feminine grace.   We can be confi
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Okay, One More ...

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(Update September 2021: I'll be adding new random posts over at my other blog, https://heathersgardenandhome.blogspot.com .  And I'll have new ones about Calvinism until the end of 2021 at  https://anticalvinistrant.blogspot.com .) Dedicated to all my brothers and sisters in Christ, the faithful few, in these crazy, uncertain times:   Eyes on the Prize   (from the movie Greencard) Listen to the words.  Hear the message.  And hang in there.  It's gonna be okay. Psalm 121:1-2 : “I lift up my eyes to the hills – where does my help come from?  My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Joshua 1:9 : “Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Deuteronomy 31:8:  “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” Isaiah 26:3 : “You will keep in perfect peace he whos
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Calvinist (Bad Logic) Comment #4: Why Don't All Accept Christ?

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4.   A Calvinist says:   “What is impossible to explain – on the basis of free will – is why some will reject Christ when others, who are no different, accept Christ. If free will is valid, then one person accepting Christ should mean that all accept Christ as all are equally capable of understanding the gospel and their need for Christ.” My reply   (First, notice how they think all people are the same and so they would all have to choose the same thing if free-will is real.  Yet, in "Comment #1," note that a different Calvinist says that in Calvinism - where Calvi-god controls us - we all have different desires, unique to us.  Interesting!  So having free-will means we would all make the exact same choices, but if free-will isn't real, then we all have different, unique desires!?!  Where do they get this garbage from!?!) : It’s impossible to explain why some people reject Christ and others accept Him!?! Wow, that’s sad!   Do you really think p
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What Does The Bible Say About Homosexuality?

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So Christian musician Lauren Daigle says she doesn't know either way what the Bible says about homosexuality, whether it's right or wrong.  She says that if anyone finds out, let her know.   Okay, so there's several possibilities about what's happening here.  Among them are: 1.   She has never really read her Bible.  (Or she doesn't want to know what it says, so she isn't studying it very closely.) 2.   She is afraid to say what she really thinks because she knows it would destroy her career.  Maybe it's about her desire to be popular.  Maybe it's about money.  Maybe it's about fear of losing potential listeners that she wants to reach through her music. 3.   She doesn't want to say the truth because she knows it will hurt people (particularly her homosexual friends) and turn people off, and she feels bad about offending anyone.  Maybe she is trying to protect people from the sting of Truth, of out genuine (misguided) concern for them. 
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