The Cup of Shadows

The Cup of Shadows Draws Near

Filling My Mind With Fear.

Shadows Swirling, Thoughts Churning

Eyes Darkened By Loathing.

Goodbye, My Love, My Only One

I Hope You'll Miss Me When I'm Gone.

The Memory of Your Kiss Upon My Lips

The Feel of Your Skin On My Fingertips.

Curtains Are Drawn, Candles Alight

Prayers Said, No One In Sight.

My Spirit Now Freed From My Body

My Only Wish Is That You Loved Me.

(Note: I'm sorry about that this poem is substandard. I promise I will try to do better next time. This poem is kind of depressing, well that what came out of my mind. Please click this link.)





Charmedwishes...
Blessed be!

Gorgeous Eye Designs

The eyes are said to be the mirrors of one's soul. Check out these cool eye designs and maybe you can try one or two on yourself.

Charmedwishes...
Blessed be!

The King of Hearts

Modern playing cards are filled with layers of meaning and symbology that can be traced back centuries. The four kings, for example, are based off of real rulers: the king of diamonds represents the wealthy Julius Caesar, the king of clubs is the brutal Alexander the Great, Spades represents the strong but kind David of Israel and Hearts represents the… emotionally disturbed, shall we say, Charles VII of France. It is this king that we will be dealing with today. It should also be noted that Charles was the only one of the four who was actually there to see the day that his face was printed on a playing card, which may rationalize why he acted apart from the others.

Charles’ visage was put on the king of hearts at the very beginning of his rule, but he never really got a chance to come into contact with playing cards until many years later when he became very ill with a fever and was informed that he would be bedridden for the rest of his life. It was during this period that Charles began learning card games to pass the time, such as an early version of black jack, “vingt-et-un” (twenty one).

Charles lay in his bed for two years, constantly fiddling with the cards and always getting weaker. As time continued to pass, there were reports that Charles had begun obsessing over the idea that the king being the thirteenth card in a suit was causing him bad luck. He talked about how he was starting to see the number pop up everywhere and that he was close to figuring out its secret. Of course, his ramblings were blamed on the fever, and by the end of the second year, he had been declared insane, and his son Louis XII took over the thrown.

One day, several months after the end of his reign, one of Charles’ physicians went to his chamber to find the frail old man standing in the middle of the room wielding a large sword. Before the doctor could react, the king said, “Ils m’ont montré la vérité de treize, et il n’est pas signifié pour les yeux mortels.” which roughly translates to, “They have shown me the truth of thirteen, and it is not meant for mortal eyes.” Without hesitation the king proceeded to ram the blade in through the left side of his head (between the ear and temple) until it came out the other side. He wavered a moment, before collapsing to the floor dead.

After the incident was announced and it was made public that the king had gone mad, the image of Charles on the king of hearts was altered to show himself offing himself. Although the picture is now shown significant-ly less graphically, the image of Charles thrusting the sword into his skull can still be found on modern day playing cards. Perhaps the strangest part of the whole story, however, is the day that Charles chose to kill himself: 7/6/1462. Whether or not it was intentional of the king, the facts that 6+7=13 and 1+4+6+2=13 can only be explained as coincidences.

Charmedwishes...
Blessed be!

Top 10 Ingredients You Didn't Know Used In Make-up and Cosmetics

Make-up and common cosmetics have been around for centuries. In the olden days cosmetics were at times, very dangerous, and could be fatal. Egyptian women would use kohl as a method to line and darken the eyes. Women throughout the 19th century would often use lead oxide and carbonate as a way to create whiter skin. Others used belladonna in their eyes in order to create a sparkle.
While cosmetics are meant to enhance beauty and make one prettier, the ingredients used aren’t always the prettiest. Some of these are very common while others are used far and between. However, it’s safe to say that these ingredients aren’t ones you’d probably think are in your cosmetics bag.


10. Waste cooking oil

Scientists and cosmetic lines have found out that by using waste cooking oil, a certain type of surfactant is created which is then put into cosmetics. So what’s it do to make you a little bit prettier? Supposedly, the surfactant helps to regenerate damaged skin. Many of these companies will get the waste oil from fast food restaurants and cafés. A little gross but if you can put something to good use, do it!



9. Oleoresin Capsicum

If you’re a police officer or someone who requires some painful self-defense, you may know what Oleoresin Capsicum is. Better known as “OC spray” or just “pepper spray,” this substance is widely used in sprays by police men, law enforcement, and often hikers who may encounter dangerous animals. It’s definitely known for being painful, and even able to cause temporary blindness when it makes contact with the eye. However, the substance, usually extracted as capsaicin from chilies, is also used in cosmetics. If you’ve ever used a lipstick or lipgloss, or some other cosmetic that has a “tingly” feel to it, you can rest assured that it’s the oleoresin capsicum giving you that feeling. And no, shoving your lipstick in the eye of your ex boyfriend won’t keep him away.

8. Chicken bone marrow

Chicken bone marrow is just one of the many animal parts used in the making of cosmetics. It is said that chicken bone marrow is full of glucosamine, which is great to use on the skin as it promotes new healthy growth for a youthful look. Chicken bone marrow is also considered to be an anti-inflammatory. You’d more than likely find this product in moisturizers as well as face creams.


7. Fish scales

Ever used any type of cosmetic that had a shimmer to it? Maybe lotion, nail polish, or lipstick? If you have, that lovely shimmer you wore more than likely came from the use of fish scales. Pearlescence, as it’s called, is the silver shiny substance found in fish scales that is often used in cosmetics to give them that glow and shimmer. Herring is mainly used to obtain the pearlescence and today it is one of the most supplemented fish by-products in the world.

6. Cochineal dye

While you’re not likely to find cochineal dye listed as an ingredient in your cosmetics, you just may find carmine, cochineal, or carminic acid. If you find any of these ingredients listed, you probably are using a cosmetic that has some sort of red hue to it, such as lipstick. Though it seems pretty harmless, this dye used in a lot of cosmetics comes from cochineal beetles. The bugs are drowned in hot water, dried, and then ground to a fine powder. The crimson red dye is then extracted and used in whatever beauty product you can imagine. It’s also used in food products as well, such as gelatins, juices, and even candy.

5. Bull semen

As surprising as it seems, using semen in cosmetics didn’t just start. It’s been a long-time tradition to use cod sperm in lotions as it provides a quality that binds water. However, most recently, some companies and salons have begun to use nothing other than bull semen. According to a U.K. salon, bull semen provides any type of hair with a brilliant sheen that no other substance can match. The salon, known as Hari’s Salon, uses bull semen mixed with katria root, to neutralize the odor, and viola, shiny hair. If you’re up for some semen in your hair, take a trip to the U.K. with $90 in hand. Maybe the cowboys know something we don’t.

4. Human foreskin

Looking for the fountain of youth? Look no further than foreskin. It probably sounds a little bit gross, and probably a little bit unethical to some, but human foreskin is actually used by numerous cosmetic companies around the world. In the medical field, human foreskin has been used for years as a method to cultivate new skin growth, instead of performing skin graphs on burn patients. It’s been proven to work much more effectively. The same method is also used in the cosmetics world. Companies, the most notable being SkinMedica, use foreskin fibroblasts in cosmetic creams and collagens, especially those made to reduce wrinkles. It is said that one piece of foreskin from a baby boy can be used to create about 4 acres of new skin.

3. Ambergris

Ambergris; sounds like something nice, maybe pretty, however, it’s everything but that. It’s actually a gray or black substance that is found in the digestive system of sperm whales, we’ll just call it bile, or “whale by-product,” both work. Despite its dark color and waxy texture, ambergris is said to have a very earthy and sweet smell to it. The substance was widely used in cosmetics, especially perfumes because of its smell. However, not many companies use it today as synthetic scents have become much more popular. Whoever decided to smell this definitely has some guts!

2. Urea

Who knew urine contained something cosmetic companies would flip over? Urea, a chief waste product of our body as well as from animals, is used in antiperspirants, moisturizers, mouthwashes, deodorants, and shampoos. That’s right; you’re getting all beautified with the help of an organic compound in urine! Urea is used because it is known to absorb, attract and retain water, and contains vitamins A, D, E, and K. Not only does it work wonders on sweat and moisturizing, it is also a great anti-inflammatory as well as a sun protection. Thankfully, most companies now use synthetic urea instead of extracting it from a horse.

1. Human placenta

If you’re Tom Cruise, a mom, or a father brave enough to stay in the delivery room, you probably know what a placenta is, and I doubt it’s something you want to remember knowing about or even seeing. Despite how disgusting they look, some people have actually found a new use for them: cosmetics. The company Plazan has created and manufactured an entire line of cosmetics made with human placenta. Why placenta? Apparently cosmetics that use hormones extracted from the placenta, such as Hyaluronic Acid and Protein Hydrolysate, help to promote tissue growth, which is very effective in removing wrinkles. As if it’s any better, our bodies don’t become reliant upon products with human placenta because it’s made with our biological structure, both those products that use animal placenta are another story.

Charmedwishes...
Blessed be!

Kokkuri San: The Japanese Version of Ouija

Two girls, sitting across from each other over a paper scrawled with the hiragana alphabet grasp a pen between them, chanting the name softly. “Kokkuri-san, Kokkuri-san, tell me, when is the date of my death?”

The question hangs in the air as the pen slowly begins to move, spelling the answer out on the sheet of paper. The rest of the group watches in breathless anticipation.

Kokkuri-san, Japan’s answer to the Ouija board, has graced schoolrooms across the country for years with answers from the beyond.

In this game, the hiragana alphabet is drawn on a piece of paper, and two people hold a pen, ballpoint touching the paper, in the center.

Closing their eyes, they ask “Kokkuri-san” a question, and the spirit is supposed to move the pen in an answer.

According to a Japanese friend, much like Ouija, most people realize that the other person is moving the pen purposefully, but everyone makes their dutiful squeals of “sugoi!” and “kowaii!” anyway.

Also, in line with its Ouija board counterpart, the game has been subject fodder for horror movies such as the aforementioned “Shinsei no Toilet no Hanako-san,” and one called simply “Kokkuri-san.”



Kokkuri-san is something that calls out fox spirits and other minor spirits to answer questions.

Having become popular in the 1970's, it's said that about half of the people who play with it feel something, or their minds get clouded and strange, and there are even stories of people who were hospitalized due to it.

Even recently, amongst grade schoolers and middle schoolers, versions of this “game” appear, with names like “Cupid-san,” “Kirakira-sama,” “Angel-sama,” “Shugorei-sama” [Protective Spirit-sama], and other names like it.

Because of several social problems caused by the use of Kokkuri-san, it's been banned in many schools.

THINGS TO PREPARE
-White paper
-A pen to write with
-A ten-yen coin [I don't know if other coins work... -AS]
-A table big enough for the paper and everyone sitting around it

HOW TO DO IT
1.First, get the Kokkuri-san paper ready. On white paper, write “yes” and “no,” and in between them draw a Shinto shrine archway. Under that, write the numbers one through ten, and the Japanese Syllabary [Probably in Hiragana; I wonder if it works with the English alphabet. Someone let me know! -AS].
2.Get two or three people to sit around the paper, and put the ten-yen coin on it. Have everyone put their index finger on the coin, and say the Kokkuri-san invocation. [Invocation? Invitation? That kind of word. -AS]
3.“Kokkuri-san, kokkuri-san, please come to us. If you have come, please say 'yes.'” This is the chant; after this, the coin should start to move on its own.
4.Ask questions. The ten-yen coin will move to answer them.
5.After each question, say “Please go back to the archway,” and the coin will move back to the center of the Shinto arch.
6.When you are finished asking questions, say the following to make Kokkuri-san stop: “Kokkuri-san, kokkuri-san, please go back,” and after Kokkuri-san has answered “Yes” and gone back to the archway, be sure to say thank-you.

STUFF ABOUT WHICH TO BE CAREFUL
-Do not do Kokkuri-san alone. [It does not say why... -AS]
-Don't do this half-heartedly or mess around while doing it.
-If you have a weak heart or are easily frightened, please do not participate in Kokkuri-san.
-Never, ever take your finger off the coin until you're finished.
-Do not stop in the middle of doing this. [Also does not say why. -AS]
-If Kokkuri-san refuses to leave, keep asking it to go back and only stop when it does.

-Once you are finished, cut up the paper into 48 pieces the day you do it, and spend the ten-yen coin within three days.


Charmedwishes...
Blessed be!

50 Interesting Trivia About Angels

1. ANGELS CARE ABOUT MILITARY PERSONNEL. The very first Gentile convert was a military officer. "About the ninth hour of the day he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God who had just come in to him, and said to him, ‘Cornelius!’ and fixing his gaze upon him and being much alarmed, he said, ‘What is it, Lord?’ And he said to him, ‘Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God’ " (Acts 10:3-4)

2. PRISON BARS CANNOT KEEP ANGELS FROM US. What glorious things angels have wrought in prison. "But an angel of the Lord during the night opened the gates of the prison, and taking them out he said, ‘Go your way, stand and speak to the people in the temple the whole message of this Life’." (Acts 5:19-20)

3. LITTLE CHILDREN HAVE GUARDIAN ANGELS. Jesus lovingly spoke of children seven times in this, the children’s chapter of the Bible. "See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you, that their angels in heaven continually behold the face of My Father who is in heaven. For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost." (Matt 18:10, 11)

4. ANGELS HAVE NOT ALWAYS EXISTED, BUT WERE CREATED PRIOR TO ADAM. Only four angelic beings are mentioned by name in scripture: Michael and Gabriel (Holy): Lucifer and Abbadon (Fallen). "And He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities - all things have been created by Him and for Him." (Colossians 1:15, 16)

5. ANGELS ARE SUBJECT TO JESUS, THEIR COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF. Angels cannot work the works of the Holy Spirit, nor grant forgiveness for sin. "And corresponding to that, baptism now saves you - not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience - through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him." (I Peter 3:21,22)

6. BECAUSE NAKEDNESS IS A MARK OF APOSTASY BEFORE GOD, ANGELS IN THEIR NATURAL STATE ARE CLOTHED IN PURE, FINE, WHITE LINEN. So was the High Priest when making access to God. Jesus was wrapped for burial in fine linen prior to His resurrection. "And his appearance was like lightning, and his garment as white as snow; and the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men." (Matthew 28: 3,4)

7. A NUMBERLESS HOST OF ANGELS DESCENDED UPON MT. SINAI. There Moses received the law from God, which the angels themselves had ordained. "Why do you look with envy, O mountains with many peaks, at the mountain which God has desired for His abode? Surely, the Lord will dwell there forever. The chariots of God are myriads, thousands upon thousands; the Lord is among them as at Sinai, in holiness." (Psalm 68:16,17)

8. GOD’S ANGELS ARE HOLY (SINLESS) BY CHOICE. Angels are spoken of more in the New Testament than in the Old Testament. "For what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels." (Mark 8:37,38)

9. ANGELS LIVE IN CLOSE AND CONSTANT COMMUNION WITH GOD, CONTINUALLY PRAISING HIM. If man were the only creature giving praise to God, how little glory He would receive from His creation. "And Zacharias said to the angel, ‘How shall I know this for certain? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years,’ And the angel answered and said to him, ‘I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God: and I have been sent to speak to you, and to bring to you this good news." (Luke 1:18,19)

10. THE ANGELS’ CAPITOL IS IN A HEAVEN FREE FROM SIN, THE BUSIEST PLACE IN THE UNIVERSE. To deny the existence of angels and of heaven is to deny the Deity of Christ, for He spoke of them both quite often. "Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Because I said to you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You shall see greater things than these.’ And He said to him, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, you shall see the heavens opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man." (John 1:50,51)

11. ANGELS ARE VASTLY NUMEROUS. The Hebrew language had no word for "million", so when speaking of angels, they expressed a million as "a thousand thousands (which is a million) and ten thousand times ten thousand (a hundred million)". "But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living god, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of righteous men made perfect." (Hebrews 12:22,23)

12. ANGELS DO NOT MARRY OR REPRODUCE. There is no mention in scripture of "baby" angels. "But Jesus answered and said to them, ‘You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures, or the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are like the angels in heaven." (Matthew 22:29,30)

13. ANGELS NEVER DIE, NEITHER IS IT MENTIONED THAT THEY CAN WEEP. There will be no hospitals, graveyards or jails in heaven. "But those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage; for neither can they die any more, for they are like angels, and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection." (Luke 20:35,36)
ANGELS ARE NOT "ALL KNOWING". "heaven and earth will pass away, but My words shall not pass away. But the day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone." (Matthew 24:35,36)

14. ANGELS CAMP AROUND THOSE WHO FEAR GOD. "The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and rescues them. O taste and see that the Lord is good; how blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!" (Psalm 34:7,8)

15. ANGELS ARE WISE AND HAVE DISCERNMENT. "In order to change the appearance of things your servant Joab has done this thing. But my lord is wise, like the wisdom of the angel of God, to know all that is in the earth. Then the king said to Joab, ‘Behold now, I will surely do this thing; go therefore, bring back the young man Absalom." (II Samuel 14:20,21)

16. ANGELS ARE MULTI-LINGUAL. "If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing." (I Corinthians 13:1,2)

17. ANGELS CAN VIEW US FROM THEIR ROYAL COURT AND HAVE THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE AS THEIR COLISEUM. "For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men condemned to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are prudent in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are distinguished, but we are without honor." (I Corinthians 4:9,10)

18. ANGELS EAT HEAVENLY MANNA. It is possible that Jesus ate angel food (manna from heaven) when angels ministered to Him after His 40 days of fasting in the wilderness. "And He rained down manna upon them to eat, and gave them food from heaven. Man did eat the bread of angels; He sent them food in abundance." (Psalm 78:24,25)

19. AROUND THE THRONE OF GOD SERAPHIM STAND ABOVE AND CRY, "HOLY", CHERUBIM STAND BELOW TO GUARD, BUT NO ANGEL IS ALLOWED TO SIT AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, AS THAT IS RESERVED FOR HIS SON AND OUR SAVIOR. "For to which of the angels did He ever say, ‘Thou art My Son, today I have begotten thee’? And again, ‘I will be a Father to Him, and He shall be a Son to me’? And again He brings the first-born into the world, He says, ‘And let all the angels of God worship Him’." (Hebrews 1:5,6)

20. ANGELS PATROL THE EARTH. The "real" God-squad. "And the man who was standing among the myrtle trees answered and said, ‘These are those whom the Lord has sent to patrol the earth’. So they answered the angel of the Lord who was standing among the myrtle trees, and said, ‘We have patrolled the earth, and behold, all the earth is peaceful and quiet." (Zechariah 1:10,11)

21. ALTHOUGH HIS DISCIPLES SLEPT, JESUS WAS NOT ALONE IN THE GARDEN OF PRAYER, FOR AN ANGEL FROM HEAVEN WAS PRESENT AND STRENGTHENED HIM. "Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him. and being in agony he was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground." (Luke 22:43,44)

22. ANGELS ARE CURIOUS. "It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven - things into which angels long to look. Therefore, gird your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ." (I Peter 1:12,13)

23. ANGELS WILL BE JUDGED BY US. "Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is judged by you, are you not competent to constitute the smallest law courts? Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, matters of this life?" (I Corinthians 6:2,3)

24. ANGELS PROPHESY AND INTERPRET DREAMS. "But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for that which has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for it is He who will save His people from their sins." (Matthew 1:20,21)

25. OUR LORD HIMSELF APPEARED AS AN ANGEL TO JACOB, GIDEON AND MENOAH...ONLY TO MENTION A FEW. If this had not been the Lord, He would have constrained them when they began to worship and pay tribute to Him, just as the angel did in the revelation when John fell down to worship him. "Yes, he wrestled with the angel and prevailed; he wept and sought his favor. He found Him at Bethel, and there He spoke with us, even the Lord, the God of hosts; the Lord is His name." (Hosea 12:4,5)

26. THE TOMB OF JESUS WAS NEVER EMPTY, FOR THE ANGELS WERE THERE AND PROCLAIMED THE FIRST RESURRECTION STORY. "But Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping; and so, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb; and she beheld two angels in whit sitting, one at the head, and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying." (John 20:11,12)

27. SATAN WAS AN ANOINTED CHERUB, BUT HE HAS THE ABILITY TO DISGUISE HIMSELF AS AN ANGEL OF LIGHT (THEREFORE AS A MESSENGER). "And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their deeds." (II Corinthians 11:14,15)

28. HELL WAS NOT PREPARED FOR MAN, BUT WAS PREPARED FOR THE DEVIL AND HIS ANGELS. If you force yourself into Hell by purposely rejecting Christ, you will be going to a place not at all prepared for you...God prepared Heaven for you. "And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’ Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels." (Matthew 25:40,41)

29. ANGELS CAN APPEAR AS WINDS AND FLAMES OF FIRE. "And of the angels He says, ‘Who makes His angels winds, and His ministers a flame of fire.’ But of the Son He says, ‘Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever, and the righteous scepter is the scepter of His kingdom." (Hebrews 1:7,8)

30. ANGELS CANNOT SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF GOD. "For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor thing present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38,39)

31. ANGELS REJOICE OVER REPENTANT SINNERS. "And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost!’ In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." (Luke 15;9,10)

32. ANGELS ARE NOT ALWAYS RECOGNIZABLE. Only seraphim and cherubim are mentioned in scripture as having wings, and never does it mention that angels have halos. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it. remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them, and those who are ill-treated, since you yourselves also are in the body." (Hebrews 13:2,3)

33. ANGELS ARE SO STRONG THAT IT TOOK ONLY ONE TO KILL 185,000 ASSYRIANS...AND NOW THEY ARE FIGHTING ON YOUR TEAM. Then it happened that night that the angel of the Lord went out, and struck 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians; and when men rose early in the morning, behold, all of them were dead. So Sennacherib, king of Assyria, departed and returned home and lived at Nineveh." (II Kings 19:35,36)

34. ANGELS WERE CHARGED TO GUARD JESUS IN ALL HIS WAYS. This is why they are mentioned more in the Gospels and Revelation...because where Jesus was, the angels were en masse. "For He will give His angels charge concerning you, to guard you in all your ways. They will bear you up in their hands, lest you strike your foot against a stone." (Psalm 91:11,12)

35. AN ANGEL ALMOST DESTROYED JERUSALEM. "So the Lord sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning until the appointed time; and seventy thousand men of the people from Dan to Beersheba died. When the angel stretched out his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, the Lord relented from the calamity, and said to the angel who destroyed the people, ‘It is enough! Now relax your hand!’ And the angel of the Lord was by the threshing floor of Arunah the Jebusite." (II Samuel 24:15,16)

36. ANGELS ARE IN CONSTANT WARFARE AGAINST SATAN AND HIS AGENTS. Many times they are mentioned as driving chariots of fire pulled by the only earthly animal mentioned that will be in heaven, the horse. "Then he said to me, ‘Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia was withstanding me for twenty-one days; then behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia." (Daniel 10:12,13)

37. ANGELS CAN CAUSE THE EARTH TO QUAKE AND MOUNTAINS TO TREMBLE. "Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave. And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it." Matthew 28:1,2)

38. ANGELS DESIRE TO COMFORT US. "And the angel answered and said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying." (Matthew 28:5,6)

39. MAN IS CREATED LOWER THAN THE ANGELS. "But one has testified somewhere, saying, ‘What is man, that Thou rememberest him? Or the son of man, that Thou art concerned about him? Thou hast made him for a little while lower than the angels; Thou has crowned him with glory and honor, and has appointed him over the works of Thy hands." (Hebrews 2:6,7)

40. ANGELS DIFFER IN CLASS, CALLING and RANK. The list is not exhaustive and not necessarily in this order: Seraphim, cherubim, archangel, princes. "But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, ‘The Lord rebuke you.’ But these men revile the things which they do not understand; and the things which they know by instinct, like unreasoning animals, by these things they are destroyed." (Jude 9,10)

41. ANGELS ARE NOT TO BE WORSHIPPED. "Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast to be head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God." (Colossians 2:18,19)

42. ANGELS ARE NOT TO PREACH "ANOTHER GOSPEL". Only fools rush in where angels fear to tread. "But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to that which you received, let him be accursed." (Galatians 1:8,9)

43. ANGELS CAN CAUSE AFFLICTIONS. "And the people kept crying out, ‘The voice of a god and not of a man!’ And immediately an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and died." (Acts 12:22,23)

44. ANGELS ARE ALWAYS OF MASCULINE GENDER WHEN MENTIONED IN SCRIPTURE AND WHEN REVEALED IN HUMAN FORM. "And I saw another angel flying in midheaven, having an eternal gospel to preach to those who live on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people; and he said with a loud voice, ‘Fear God, and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment had come; and worship Him who made the heaven and the earth and sea and springs of waters." (Revelation 14:6,7)

45. ANGELS WILL CAST THE UNSAVED INTO A FURNACE OF FIRE. "The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (Matthew 13:41,42)

46. ANGELS WILL GATHER TOGETHER THOSE WHO ARE SAVED. "And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other." (Matthew 24:30,31)

47. IN GREAT GLORY ANGELS WILL RETURN WITH JESUS, LED BY A SHOUT FROM THE ARCHANGEL, MICHAEL. "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord." (I Thessalonians 4:16,17)

48. ALL ANGELS WILL BE PRESENT AT THE JUDGMENT WHEN JESUS IS UNVEILED IN HIS FATHER’S GLORY. Man has never before seen Jesus in full glory...neither did the friends of the bridegroom (the prophets and disciples). "But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. And all the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats." (Matthew 25:31,32)

49. 72,000 ANGELS (TWELVE LEGIONS - 6,000 TO A LEGION) WERE WAITING FOR CHRIST’S COMMAND AT HIS HOUR OF BETRAYAL, AND ANY ONE OF THEM COULD HAVE, AND GLADLY WOULD HAVE, RESCUED HIM...BUT JESUS WILLINGLY LAID DOWN HIS LIFE FOR YOU. "Then Jesus said to him, ‘Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword. Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?" (Matthew 26:52,53)

50. Angels are mentioned about three hundred times in the Bible. The first description of an angel appears in Genesis 16:7, the last in Revelation 22:16. The angel is portrayed at the beginning as carrying a message from God, and in the closing chapter of scripture as carrying a message from Christ.

Charmedwishes...
Blessed be!

The Haunted Bathtub

Ever since her parents bought the clawfoot bathtub, Grace had felt ill at ease when she went to the toilet. Her father said it was a vintage Victorian tub, but she suspected he had just gotten it cheap from an old antique store. Almost everything they owned was used. Her father could never resist a discount.

Something about the antique bath bothered her. Perhaps it was the dark, ugly reddish-brown stains on the porcelain. Maybe it was the way the gnarled cast-iron legs of the bath jutted out at an odd angle. They looked like the paws of some monstrous, misshapen beast. Sometimes she imagined the bathtub suddenly standing up and scuttling out of the bathroom while her back was turned.

Grace was almost 13 years old, but her mother still treated her like a child, telling her when to get up, when to do her homework, when she could watch TV and when she had to go to bed.

Her parents seemed to argue constantly about everything. Even the slightest thing would spark a feud that lasted for hours. She couldn’t remember a time when there had been peace and quiet in the house. All day long, her mother and father would be at eachother’s throats, having argument after argument.

Often, at night, when her parents were yelling and screaming, Grace would put a pillow over her head to block out the noise and cry herself to sleep. With all the chaos at home, the young girl sometimes felt as if she was losing her mind.

Lately, she had begun to doubt her sanity more and more. Every time she went into the bathroom to take a shower or brush her teeth, she would see things out of the corner of her eye. Reflected in the mirror, she could see the clawfoot bathtub behind her.

Once, she thought she saw blood running out of the faucet. But when she turned to look, the taps weren’t running. On another occasion, she fancied she saw some dark, shadowy shape lying in the tub, its head barely peeking over the side. Of course, she spun around, her heart facing with fear, but the clawfoot bathtub was empty.

Whenever she undressed and stepped into the tub to take a shower, she had the strangest sensation that she was being watched. The hair on the back of her neck stood up and she felt like someone was staring at her naked body.

One night, while she was taking a shower, she dropped the soap. As she bent down to pick it up from the bottom of the tub, she lost her balance and fell backwards. Suddenly, it felt as if hands were grabbing her and holding her under the water.

The terrified girl kicked and struggled, eventually freeing herself from the invisible paws that seemed to clutch tightly at her skin. Spluttering and gasping for air, she thought she could hear faint laughter echoing around the small bathroom.

In the morning, she decided to pay a visit to the local antique shop where her father had purchased the clawfoot bathtub. When she asked the owner about the vintage bath he had sold a few days before, she was shocked by the horrifying tale he had to tell.

Apparently, the old clawfoot bathtub dated back to the Victorian era. The man said that it had once belonged to an infamous and reviled serial killer named George Haigh. Grace’s jaw dropped and she began to shake with fear.

The man said that the serial killer would lure young girls back to his house and run a bath for them. Then, while they bathed, he would spy on them through a hole he had drilled in the wall. When they least expected it, he would pounce on them and hold their heads underwater until they drowned.

The evil murderer then chopped up their bodies with an axe and disposed of the pieces in the garbage. After a number of young girls went missing in the area, his terrible deeds finally caught up with him.

A neighbor was snooping through his trash when she came across the grisly remains and contacted the police. They arrested him and put him on trial. He was found guilty and executed by hanging.

Grace was terrified beyond belief. She realized that she had to convince her parents to get rid of the clawfoot bathtub before something horrible happened. The young girl ran back to her house as fast as her legs would carry her.

When she got home, she found her father sitting alone on the living-room sofa. The TV was off and the house was deathly quiet.

“Where’s Mom?”, asked Grace.

“She’s upstairs taking a bath”, said her father. “I’ll go check on her”.

Grace sat on the sofa while her father went upstairs. The house was so quiet, it unnerved her. She wasn’t used to this much silence. Suddenly, she heard a series of short sharp clunks coming from upstairs followed by slow, deliberate footsteps that echoed across the ceiling and traveled down the stairs.

Her father appeared at the door to the living room. His eyes were glazed and he had an odd look on his face. Then, she noticed he was holding a bloody axe.

“Your mother’s finished”, he growled. “Now it’s your turn to take a bath”.





Charmedwishes...
Blessed be!