I spent the morning remembering Paul Scott.  Who is Paul Scott, well let me tell you.

I first met Paul Scott when I lived in Southfield, Michigan.  Southfield is a cool city.  It is a Northern Suburb of Detroit.  Major Companies are housed there because of the low taxes.  And at the time I lived there it was a wonderful mix of races and cultures.  My childrens bus stop looked like a mini-United Nations.

One morning in my kitchen I noticed a little skinny black boy out in the street, he looked to be about 5 or 6 years old.  Now, this normally wouldn't be odd, but there was a major rainstorm going on at the time.  Winds were blowing, the sky was pitch black, the rain pour was hard and there was thunder and lightening going on all over.

But here was this little boy I would soon know as Paul Scott, playing out in the street...and had been for quite a while.  My first reaction was "Where in the heck are his parents?"....but I got past that, opened my front door and yelled "Hey....come here!".....So this soaking wet boy entered my house, I handed him a towel and told him he shouldn't be playing in the storms, it was dangerous.

He started playing with my children, though my daughter Jackie who was Pauls age had discreetly whispered in my ear "Mom, thats Paul Scott, no body likes him, he is trouble".

Well, I didn't notice the "trouble" in him, but he wasn't an easy one to like right away.  He was extremely non-disaplined and loud, but he had the biggest smile I had ever seen on a child.  Unruly he was, but I liked him.

Over the years, though never actually meeting his parents, I had heard rumors that they were parents who rarely were ever awake, they were always in bed, he had sisters who all became pregnant around the age of 14, and Paul as he grew up, you rarely saw that beautiful smile he had as a child.

By the time they were teenagers and in high school, I never saw Paul any more, I didn't think he even attended school anymore, and perhaps he had even slipped from my mind.......

Until one day...............................

I was pregnant with my daughter Taylor, so this was about 9 1/2 years ago.  My daughter Jackie who was about 16 at the time and her friend Jessica came racing into the house hysterical.

"Mom!!!  Paul Scott is walking down the street with a gun and he's threatening people with it!!", both girls were in tears.

So I went to the front door, and farther down the street I see this tall dark menacing figure,  I took my pregnant body outside to the street and yelled his name...

"Paul Scott!  Come over here!!"

In the meantime, while Paul was walking slowly towards me, my daughters friend was calling her Mom and telling her I was going to get myself shot!...grin

Paul was no longer a skinny little boy with a big smile.  He was mean looking, he was tall and built and his eyes showed nothing....blank....and he kept his hand in his pocket.

But I loved Paul, I had always loved Paul, and though this was a stranger to me now, I knew that I had to appeal to the Paul I knew

So I started talking.....

I told him I knew he had a gun (which at first he denied) and told him I was not going to leave his side until he turned the gun over to me....this went on for about 15 minutres with little response from Paul.  But then the Holy Spirit led me from there,  I told Paul not only was I concerned for others in the streets, but I was also concerned about him, I was concerned that someone would shoot him, I was concerned that if he was brave enough to walk down the street with a gun that next he would be unafraid to rob people.....at this point Paul interrupted me and told me the gun wasn't a real gun, it was a be-be pistol....at last some reaction!  But I didn't stop...I said, well thats worse, because wouldn't it be tragic if someone saw you with that gun, got threatened and then shot you over a stupid be-be gun........


Then I got personal,  I told Paul how special he was, how I loved him and always would, and that if he only took all his free time and restlessness and used it for good, what a man he would be!  I told him that God loved him, and I don't want to see him in prison or dead, which is the direction that he was headed.

Jessica's mom at that point came running up, she was hysterical and I think she was shocked at how calm I was...she kept demanding that I "call the police"

I could see Paul's wall go back up, so I said to her "Kathy, please trust me on this, I know Paul will give me the gun"

We then had a staredown...He stared straight at me and I stared right back at him, no emotion on either side

Paul then reached into his pocket and pulled out the gun, and handed it to me...and he walked away

Kathy at that point couldn't resist yelling "Your lucky Lisa got a hold of you before I did...you would be going to jail!!"...but Paul didn't respond, didn't turn back, he just kept walking

Thats the last I saw of Paul Scott, though he never left my thoughts.  Until one day 3 years later....

There was a knock on the door, and when I answered it, there was this tall, handsome, well dressed black man standing there

I opened the door and said "Yes, may I help you"

"Don't you recognise me Lisa?"..........

I looked and it didn't register.......

I am praying that Amber Frey is searching for her Heavenly Father, and I pray that she accepts Jesus Christ as her Savior.  Why?...Because I see such potential in this young woman.

She has some great qualities, she is straightforward and seems unafraid, though I sure she has moments of fear.  She seems to see the need to setting the record straight, and to help get answers to the murders of Lacy Peters and her baby Connor.

She has some less than redeeming qualities also...........

But I cringed the other day when I heard a reporter call her a "tramp".  After all that she has been through and offered in this case, thats all it came down to for this reporter...she was a tramp.

I know God doesn't see her that way.

I don't know about you, but I could of been Amber Frey at different times in my life, running around, worldly people, worldly events, bars....

Thank God I have a heavenly Father who still looked at me as His precious daughter.  And He drew me out of all of it.  Jesus died for Amber Frey too.

So, I pray...even before this is all over, someone that loves the Lord and in return loves Amber Frey, says to her.  "Sweetheart, let me tell you how to put all your good qualities to work for the Kingdom of God. Let me tell you how you can be forgiven for all your past, because when the trial is done and over with, and even though you have done the very very right thing....you are still going to be so troubled by this relationship and by the deaths of 2 innocent people.  There is forgiveness in Jesus Christ."

You can also know that once this trial is over, she will get offers....offers from Playboy and Penthouse to exploit this very sad story, and this very sad woman.  Pray that she is able to resist. Pray that she takes the high road and refuses any further offers of evil.

My final prayer for her is this....I pray Amber that you allow God to take over your life.  That He will give you a Christian husband who adores you, and that you will find that staying at home with your husband and your precious children is so much more rewarding than the life you have been living. I pray that once you are saved, you reach out to others just like you.

Amen and Amen!

Lisa

There are a lot of people out there who have a cell phone addiction and need help kicking their habit.  Will someone please launch a Twelve Step recovery program for cell phone addicts! 

 

So far I’ve managed to use my CP sparingly.  That’s because I give my number to family and a few friends – and instruct them not to call me unless it’s important.  Recently I saw a woman in the checkout line at Target that must have been on a really important call because she yakked on her CP during the entire sales transaction.  The phone rested between her shoulder and left ear while she searched through her purse for her checkbook and it remained there as she wrote the check.  Had she been paying attention to the items being scanned, she would have noticed that a towel someone had tossed on the counter was included in her purchase.  Still on the phone, she used one hand to steer a cart the size of a Volkswagen toward the exit.  A moment later she returned to the check out counter. “This is not mine!” she admonished as she thrust a red bath towel at the checker.  Unruffled, he replied, “It was on the counter, ma’am.  I assumed it was yours.”  She assured him it wasn’t.  As politely as he could manage, he told her she would have to go to customer service for a refund.  This was not what she wanted to hear.  She snarled, “I’m in a hurry!” to which he replied with a smile, “Sorry, only customer service can do refunds.”  (I silently chuckled.)  When the woman stomped off in a huff, he wagged his head and said, “Cell phones.”

 

Which brings me to people who use CPs while driving.  The other day while I was in my car waiting for a light to turn green at a busy Los Angeles intersection, I counted six CP users with a phone pressed to their ear, making a left hand turn.  Children were in two of the cars!  What could they have possibly been talking about that was so important that they couldn’t lay the phone down for a few seconds and place both hands on the wheel, just in case the unexpected were to occur, like another vehicle plowing into the rear end of their car?  I mean, accidents are usually unexpected, aren’t they?  Normal people don’t leave their houses thinking, “Gee, I think I’ll crash into a Greyhound bus today!”  Most folks leave home assuming they’ll arrive at their destination safe and sound.  When it comes to CPs, intelligent people are dumb!

 

Making a left/right/U turn, or margining into traffic while talking on a CP is bad enough, but what I saw last week takes the cake.  At another busy intersection I noticed a teenager perched on a bicycle in the left turn lane, waiting for the light to change.  Evidently he was working on his tan because he was shirtless.  The only things covering his body were cut off shorts and several tattoos.  Any normal person would have found sitting in traffic on a bike slightly daunting, but this kid was grinning from ear to ear, like he didn’t have a care in the world.  Maybe because he was too engrossed in his conversation to realize 4,000-pound automobiles driven by other CP users surrounded him on all sides!  When the light turned green, his left hand gripped the handlebars, his slippery flip-flop found the pedal, and the bike proceeded forward.  Amazingly, he remained on his CP through the turn.  I couldn’t help but wonder if this teenage boy will live to see twenty.

 

In His steps…

Marsha West

E-Mail Brigade

Recently I've been writing asking the question - Is the American Church Falling Apart ?
Today I just have an observation I'd like you to think about and comment on.

This past Sunday I attended a church I've visited about 5 times now. This church appears to be on fire for Jesus, the worship is powerful, the people are extremely friendly - especially for Southern California and the message is biblical.

However, one thing I have observed and I often wonder about is how people really are after they leave the worship service.

I tend to be extremely skeptical and leary of people who jump up and down and scream "Jesus" at the top of their lungs during a worship service. Why? Because these are usually the same people who are so biblically illiterate that their brains will fall out if they are challenged with a basic question regarding Christianity....such as, "Can you explain the trinity to me?"

And I'm not saying everyone who worships so outwardly like that is this way, but unfortunately, it's been my observation that often in the passion of the moment, in a worship service where the music is essentially rock music, and emotions are being manipulated, that those who appear to be the most spiritual, aren't.

So I guess I'm wondering today if I'm the only one with this observation or do you think that I should just stop being so observant!

Since, people are often not what they present themselves to be in church, I think it's a fair question.

Michael Moore of “Fahrenheit 9/11” fame faced off with Fox News channel’s Bill O'Reilly Tuesday night.  I cannot figure Moore out.  Why does he always dress that way?  The least he can do is wear a baseball cap that fits his head!  And it wouldn’t hurt to trim that shaggy beard. What is he trying to prove?  That he’s a nonconformist?   Or does he not own a full-length mirror?

Anyway, it was an interesting debate.  O’Reilly agreed to let Moore ask questions.  Since it’s his show, O’Reilly went first, then it was Moore’s turn.  Like two billy goats, they butted heads, but in a good humored sort of way.  At one point Moore asserted that no American in their right mind would let their child join the military to fight in Iraq. “It’s Bush sending the children there,” he said in an accusatory tone. 

Excuse me, but aren’t U.S. soldiers adult men and women? They join the military for a variety of reasons; no one holds a gun to their head.  And take my word for it; no soldier would appreciate being called a child!  Especially by Michael Moore who acts, and dresses, like a ten year old.  

Several minutes into the debate Moore asked O’Reilly if he would "sacrifice your child to secure Fallujah." What an unfair question!  Most parents wouldn’t sacrifice their child to secure Fallujah or anyplace else for that matter.  And Moore knows that!

I have a fair question for Mr. Moore: Would you be willing to put your life on the line to free millions of innocent people from a brutal dictator, from a life of fear, torture, rape, imprisonment and death? 

 

If you were to ask a U.S. Marine that question, the answer would be yes! 

 

My husband served in the military for twenty-four years.  When he was a young soldier he served two tours in Viet Nam. (He received more medals than John Kerry did, and has kept all of them!)  He went because it was his job.  Today I asked him the fair question.  “For that I’d be willing to die,” he said. “And so would most soldiers, without question.”

           

Michael Moore said to O’Reilly, “I’d be willing to sacrifice my life to track down the people who killed 3,000 people on our soil.”

           

If only he would.

 

In His steps…

Marsha West

Founder & Editor

E-Mail Brigade

EMBrigade@aol.com

 

 

 

 

There is a sad sad movement going on today in liberal America. 

The Pro-Abortionist's have gone to a new level.  Be proud that you have had an abortion!

Planned Parenthood is selling t-shirts that say just that.  It simply says "I had an Abortion"

Who would wear such a thing?  Is abortion now not only legal, but a thing to be PROUD of?  And how is Planned Parenthood now going to defend their stand that "they are not in the abortion business"?

I guess they are now out of the closet.  I guess now, not only are they in the abortion business, but they want everyone who does business with them to advertise it.

God help us.

If you would like to see for yourself the t-shirt, here is the link:

The media has lambasted Arnold Schwarzenegger because of the “girlie men” joke he made to motivate his political opponents.  What are California liberals so upset about? Let’s face it.  In this upside-down world we live in, there are girlie men, and manly girls.  Homosexuals who take on the role of the girl in a relationship are what?  Girlie men!  Lesbians who take on the man’s role in a relationship are what?  Manly girls!  They’re not called “butch” because they’re womanly. 

 

It’s getting to the point where public figures back off from saying anything spontaneous anymore.  No wonder President Bush prefers to stick with a script.  Who can blame him?  One slip of the tongue and the liberal media is all over him like white on rice. 

 

Several months ago I watched the reality TV show, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.  In case you don’t know, the shows about five “gay” men—the Fab Five—who are out to make over straight men – and degrade them in the process.  (Straight men actually allow them do this.)  Carson is the fashion cop who can't seem to utter a sentence that doesn't have sexual innuendo in it and who loves to try to get his hands into the men's trousers.  Carson is the stereotypical “queen.”  This means he’s effeminate and proud of it.  What’s more, he flaunts his girlie ways to millions of viewers!  If someone were to call Carson a girlie man, which he is, would that make him or her homophobic?  Would that person be mean-spirited?  Insensitive?  I hardly think so.   

 

I mean really…. Why is the truth so hard to take? 

 

As for Arnold, he was only joking.  C'mon.  The homosexual community and all the pro-sodomites who are on his case need to cut him some slack. 

 

I mean really….  Why are they so sensitive anyway?

 

In His steps…

 

Marsha West

Founder & Editor

E-Mail Brigade

EMBrigade@aol.com

Headlines in recent years about the Presbyterian Church:


1.  Gay Rights Advocate To Lead Presbyterian Church

2.  Committee approves ordination for gays in Presbyerian church

3.  The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) assembly has reaffirmed support for abortion if the baby is too      young to survive outside the womb

4.  Presbyterian General Assembly Approved Late-Term Abortion Statement


So it really shouldn't surprise anyone that the latest headline reads:

[Presbyterian] Assembly endorses Israel divestment (Condemns wall, disavows Christian Zionism)

But it knocked me through a loop!

Now mind you, I am no expert on Presbytarians, but from what I understand there are 2 camps, a liberal Presbytarian Church and a more Conservative one.

My feelings about this rollarcoaster from angry to sad.  But I read an article today, that pretty much sums up what I am feeling and I invite you to read it:

Presbyterian Church defames Christianity
http://wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=39534

I read another term for it: Presbyterian Jihad

Peace to all,
Lisa