A Positive Influence

I saw this post and wanted to share:

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."

— Matthew 5:16

When I was in elementary school, we had a little game that we would play in which we would touch someone and say, "You have cooties." Of course, we had to have a way to defend ourselves, so when someone would touch us and claim they just gave us cooties, we would say, "Not me, I don't have cooties." Then we would hold out our hands, revealing the handwritten initials, C. P., which stood for "cootie protection."

I think Christians are sometimes that way around unbelievers. They appear as though they are avoiding all contact with them. I can understand not wanting to be influenced in a bad way. But how about influencing others in a good way?

Jesus said that as Christians, we are to be salt and light. In Jesus' day, salt was used as a preservative. It was rubbed into meat to stop the rotting process. So as salt in a culture, Christians are to stop the spread of corruption. But another thing salt does is stimulate thirst. So we are to stop the spread of corruption and stimulate a thirst for God in others.

In addition to being salt, Christians are to be light, which means that we are to proclaim the gospel and do good works. Jesus said, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:16).

We are called to be salt and light—to live a godly life. It is God's job to identify the fake Christians, to determine the true from the false.

God has planted us as believers in this world. He has put His people in the culture to influence it, to make a difference. God is not calling us as believers to isolate, but to infiltrate.

Daily Devotions

with Greg Laurie

IBD's 10 Secrets to Success

Investor’s Business Daily has spent years analyzing leaders and successful people in all walks of life. Most have 10 traits that, when combined, can turn dreams into reality.

1. How You Think is Everything: Always be positive. Think success, not failure. Beware of a negative environment.

2. Decide Upon Your True Dreams and Goals: Write down your specific goals and develop a plan to reach them.

3. Take Action: Goals are nothing without action. Don't be afraid to get started. Just do it.

4. Never Stop Learning: Go back to school or read books. Get training and acquire skills.

5. Be Persistent and Work Hard: Success is a marathon, not a sprint. Never give up.

6. Learn to Analyze Details: Get all the facts, all the input. Learn from your mistakes.

7. Focus Your Time And Money: Don’t let other people or things distract you.

8. Don’t Be Afraid To Innovate; Be Different: Following the herd is a sure way to mediocrity.

9. Deal And Communicate With People Effectively: No person is an island. Learn to understand and motivate others.

10. Be Honest And Dependable; Take Responsibility: Otherwise, Numbers 1–9 won’t matter.

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“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,” (Titus 2:11-12)

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Updates from my FB

These are just random updates from my FB that I thought I'd share, besides, FB is Flash-based and I don't have any idea where all those posts go after a while!

11/13/2010, Saturday, 11:00 a.m.
Thais Wilson: Headed to get a 90-minute deep tissue massage with the best masseuse Hannah Gelabert!

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“For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves.” (1 Peter 2:15-16)

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Updates from my FB

Thais Wilson: Had a great time with the ladies: Ashley McCall, Alecia Collins, and Jessica Ncube! Thank you for all the fun, and we MUST do it again!

Amy Stewart-Harrison: ummm, I didn't get an invite! :(

Alecia Collins: Oh yes... We must!!! Thx for bringing ur FUUNNNNNNYYYY!! Bhahaha

Ashley McCall: yay had a blast.....even though you"ll EMBARRASED the heck outa me LOL

Thais Wilson: Awwww Amy, you know that I have soooo many friends, I just have to spread the love in small groups! LOL.

Thais Wilson: ‎@Alecia-you brought the funny too! LOL.
@Ashley-if we're going to hang, you'll have to get used to it! LOL.

Thais Wilson: BTW, Ashley reaps the benefits of her friends making a scene!!! LOL. It's all good Ash!!!! :) You're learning from the best.

Alecia Collins: ‎@Thais that's so true!! We'll teach her soon enough!! lol

Zach Lost His Other Front Tooth

This is Part One



This is Part Two




November 7 at 9:54am
Thais Wilson: Vaughn R Wilson doesn't just "Love me"...he "Adores me!" Thank you baby for being a wonderful husband and loving father. And I'm not just saying this because you served me breakfast in bed today...LOL.

November 7 at 9:02am
Thais Wilson: One time for all the church-goers who are going to be there an hour early!!!! LOL.

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Thais Wilson: It's not enough to just have faith, you have to put your desires in your heart, because when the Spirit of God comes to bless you, that's the door they are going to open. What will be in your heart when your blessing time comes?

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November 4 at 1:42pm
Thais Wilson: Black Friday is a rip-off, you better buy your stuff now! #DatsRightISaidIt

November 4 at 12:03pm
Thais Wilson: Why am I so jealous of her? Who?! The future me who I visualize in the mirror. Visualize a better you...make plans for yourself and write out how you will execute them (Habakkuk 2:2-3).

November 3 at 11:59pm
Thais Wilson: My son is running back and forth from being in one room with his father Vaughn R Wilson, making music, to running into another room with me editing photos...so what's he going to be when he grows up? Does anyone know? Any guesses from the pit crew: Kimberley Dixon-Richardson, Tiffany Wilson Ardley, Lyndon Dallas Jr. or Yanela Mio Gordon?

Greg Dawson II: a track star with all of this running around he's doing!!

Tiffany Wilson Ardley: The CEO of MegaAce Multimedia!!

Cecka Rose Green: The next Gordon Parks mixed with Kid Capri... :-)

Ezra Masters: A starting forward for the Miami Heat!!! Keep him running just make him dribble a mini basketball at the same time.

Ezra Masters: At the very least put a football under his armpit and make him wear a weight jacket at all times. Ain't nothing cute or respectable about a 6'9" 275lbs photo editing music producer.

Terri Roberts: LOL @EZ

Kimberley Dixon-Richardson: He's gonna be a high powered sports agent with a healthy seven figure income and a long and impressive waiting list of star atheletes.

Yanela Mio Gordon: Little Zacky, because he will always be your baby. By the way Ezra, that was pretty funny.

Zach Lost His Front Tooth

Zachary lost his front tooth today! How cool. Of course the tooth-fairy gives the babies $20 per tooth!

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“But, "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord." For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.” (2 Corinthians 10:17-18)

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Beautiful Text From Brother

I received the most beautiful text from my brother this morning, it read:
"Good Morning Beautiful Sister of mine! Just woke up thinking about how smart, entertaining, lively, wonderful and nutty u r! LOL. I'm so proud of the work you've accomplished and the woman and mother u have become. You're a GREAT woman with fantastic blessings lined up for u. I love you for the wonderful person u r and I'm so grateful to have u as my sister. Make it an incredible day Queen! U deserve it :)

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“Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.” (John 1:12-13)

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“The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.” (Romans 13:9-10)

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“He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.” (Proverbs 17:9)

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“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39) 

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Happy Valentines Day to Everyone

We blessed Lifeway Church with a free family photo shoot. My husband woke up out of the bed this morning and just asked if I wanted to be on board with what he felt like doing. So we did it! And FUN it was!

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“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35) 

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“Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” (1 Corinthians 13: 6-7)

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“ If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:1-3)

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“ We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing.” (2 Thessalonians 1:3)

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“Let those who love the LORD hate evil, for he guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.” (Psalm 97:10)

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My brother is here to visit for the weekend!

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“He who pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor.” (Proverbs 21:21)

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“ I love you, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” (Psalm 18:1-2)

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I cannot believe that the entire family is up at the kitchen table doing homework! The eight year-old has to write six paragraphs and the six year-old has math homework! The hubby just finished making a graphic sign for his department and I have a lot of catching up to do. Hopefully by being up this early, I can get my work done and make it to work on time. :)

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“But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.” (Psalm 59:16) 

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