Be At Peace

    He said, she said, we said, and they said, all went to town on a summer's day. Sitting in the back of the wagon, spirits began a dragin' until tongues they commenced to waggin', and the journey went downhill from aye.   
   Ever notice how things go?  It can be something that IS said, or something that IS NOT said.  It can be a look, or not looking at all.  Have you ever tried to make someone happy who is determined to be angry?
   The day is steamy.  Sweat drips down my face, and I'm just sitting still...in the house...I'm hot, and tired, and no matter what the kids do...
   "I'm hot and miserable, and I'm determined that everyone else will be too!"  I  tell the kids, and we laugh.  It lightens the moment and we make it through the day knowing 'it's the heat' and we just need to 'chill out'.  If we back off and give each other some space...things will be fine.  
   "Well, you couldn't make that person happy if you whacked 'em with a new stick!"  This is true with some folks.
  When we were growing up some of our adult   neighbors were friendly enough but their youngsters were a different critter.
      Those were the days when walking wasn't thought of as an affliction.  The neighbor kids would walk by our house on their way to visit their grandpa who lived about a mile away on the other side of us.  Our dog was a good mannered German Shepherd.  However, Like most living things he never liked being teased. 
   We tied our dog, Rocky, on a long lead when we went to town.  When we returned from town we could tell if the neighbor kids had walked by when we were gone.  We lived on a gravel road, and we would find rocks that had been pitched at the dog.  He never did like being teased...and he never did like those kids. 
   Matthew 7:12  All things therefore whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, even so do ye also unto them: for this is the law and the prophets. 
      Funny how we perceive or judge things.  If you don't like the exact things someone else likes, that doesn't make you a bad person. 
Drama—too many people live in dramavilIe. Dramaville people are self-centered. Whether they think the world revolves around them or not, they at least WANT it to. They want to be the center of the universe. They connive to make it so.
That would create the opposite world of peaceful.  The ability to be thankful under easy or perverse situations is a good beginning on being at peace.  
   Romans 13:8  “Owe no man anything, save to love one another: for he that loveth his neighbor hath fulfilled the law.”
  Romans 12:16  “Be of the same mind one toward another. Set not your mind on high things, but condescend to things that are lowly. Be not wise in your own conceits. 17)  Render to no man evil for evil. Take thought for things honorable in the sight of all men. 18)  If it be possible, as much as in you lieth, be at peace with all men.”
Being at peace starts with self. A person must learn to give up self. When people stop trying to make life ‘all about them’, much of the drama fades away, and life becomes more simple, life becomes more peaceful—at least on the inside. Hallelujah, What a Savior.

Balm in Gilead

   "There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole",  What a beautiful song!  How often we miss the very thing that would 'make us whole'.  Very few people come from a 'perfect' home.  Every day the statistics warn us that homes and families are crumbling. 

   "Yes," she says to me, "one of his brothers is an alcoholic—for the most part the rest have done alright." 

   I have seen alcoholism up close and personal.  In my opinion the cause of my mother's alcoholism was a deep inner wound.  A wound that would not heal, and she drank to ease the pain.  Even so, it would not go away.  No matter how anyone tried-- the very help she needed--she wouldn't accept, and she fought against it.

   Why is it that some folks make it out of poor situations, and some don't?  One man told his children as they left home, "Your mother and I aren't perfect, we have our faults.  Some of those faults you have picked up, but now as you leave home you have to make a decision. If you take them with you, they are no longer ours, but yours.  You make the decision."

   "My mother did this, my father did that, that's the reason I do what I do."  No, we make our decisions.  Why do some children follow in their parents footsteps and become alcoholics, single mothers, smokers, druggies?  To some people it is the way they expect life to be, and that is self-fulfilling.  And then there is Amy.

   "I saw my mom, and I thought, I'm not gonna be no single mom."

   Is life perfect for Amy?  No.  It isn't any more perfect for her than for anyone else.  But she's smart enough to see how hopeless the other life is.  She has laid hold on something better.        

   Ecclesiastes 4:9&10 "Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.
10)  For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him that is alone when he falleth, and hath not another to lift him up.

     "She wasn't really a very good mother, was she?"  my cousin stated the fact. 

  "No, she wasn't, but maybe she did the best she could with what she had to work with," I reply.

   "Yeah, that's probably right."

   And maybe that's why some people make it and some don't.  Some wallow in self-pity, blaming others for their problems.  Others accept that we all fall, we all have problems, and that's just the way things are.  We would like for things to be different, but they aren’t.

Hebrews 11:13-16 "These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14)  For they that say such things make it manifest that they are seeking after a country of their own. 15)  And if indeed they had been mindful of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16)  But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God; for he hath prepared for them a city.

Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Rivers We Must Cross

Crossing the Rubicon is a phrase that means a particular spot--in life-- in which there is no turning back. It comes from the life of Julius Caesar. Julius Caesar was a general before he was an emperor.

Many rulers were popular war heroes in history, and Caesar had endeared himself to the common population through the many war campaigns he had won. The assembly had ordered him to stay where he was, however Caesar disobeyed and crossed the Rubicon River and headed back to Rome. In so doing he declared his intention of becoming the ruler of Rome. An action from which he would either be the victor, or the vanquished.

Hence the phrase Crossing the Rubicon came to mean an action from which there was no turning back. Once he crossed the Rubicon the ruling assembly fully understood what Caesar's intentions were.

In each of our lives we find many Rubicons. Oh, we may not recognize them as such, but none-the-less they are points from which we make no turning back decisions.

Isaiah 28:10 "For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, there a little.... 12)  to whom he said, This is the rest, give ye rest to him that is weary; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear. 13)  Therefore shall the word of Jehovah be unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, there a little; that they may go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken. "

Jehovah is not happy with Ephraim. He's trying to teach them, but will they listen? No, they will not listen. Therefore he leaves them to their own devices.  A lesson here is that God gives us the truth. He instructs all people as to how to get to heaven, but just as it says in Ecclesiastes 7:29  "Behold, this only have I found: that God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions."

God made man (people) to be upright. He made us to fear him and seek him,  but all fall short of the glory of God. All have sinned and erred from the truth. Not just stumbling from the truth, but to seek out --as it says--inventions in order to go astray. They work to do evil. They work to misunderstand truth.

2Thessalonians 2:11 "And for this cause God sendeth them a working of error, that they should believe a lie: 12)  that they all might be judged who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness."

When a person goes out of their way to look for a lie to believe they will surely find it.

Day by day we want to search out good, not evil. Day by day we want to make wise, godly decisions, but we can't make those decisions without honest, humble prayer. There are decisions day by day we are making that may not look big, but it's the small minute decisions we make to be honest in our dealing with friends, relatives, maybe even strangers. Making good choices line upon line, time after time, gives us good standing with God, and it should give us good standing with others as well. Seek the good paths; don't seek out workings of error. If you are going to cross a Rubicon, it needs to be into the grace of God. It needs to be the river into righteousness, and for righteousness.

Isaiah 28:16 "therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner-stone of sure foundation: he that believeth shall not be in haste."


What Rubicon are you crossing today? Choose wisely.    Hallelujah! What a Savior.

Balm in Gilead II

   "There is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin-sick soul; Sometimes I feel discouraged and think my work's in vain".  Very few people can say they have never been discouraged. 

   2Timothy 1:15  "This thou knowest, that all that are in Asia turned away from me; of whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes." 

   2Timothy 4:16-17 "At my first defence no one took my part, but all forsook me: may it not be laid to their account. 17)  But the Lord stood by me, and strengthened me;”

   The apostle Paul-- such a great inspiration-- yet even he felt sadness, and rejection at times.  We can hear his sorrow in these verses.  'All forsook me'.  Yet it is during just such times as these that we can learn more about--and draw closer to--the 'true balm of Gilead'.  

   Ephesians 3:16 "that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that ye may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inward man;"

  As a Christian, one who has been washed by the blood of the lamb, and risen to walk in newness of life, added to His body, the church, I have the right and confidence to lay my sorrows at His feet and ask for strength and power.  Some days getting back up and continuing on is a triumph.  Proverbs 24:16  “For a righteous man falleth seven times, and riseth up again; But the wicked are overthrown by calamity.”

   "If you can't sing like angels, if you can't preach like Paul...."  Well, as I get older, I'm afraid my 'joyful noise unto the Lord', doesn't always come out exactly as I plan it.  And I consider myself as Mary and many women in the Bible describe themselves, 'a handmaid'.  I wouldn't even think of giving myself 'airs' that I am anything other than a servant of the Lord.  But each person is responsible to do their part.

   James 5:13  “Is any among you suffering? Let him pray. Is any cheerful? Let him sing praise.”

  Hey, I can do that!  "There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole; There is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin-sick soul...." 

   *note: Song from; Praise For The Lord; There Is a Balm In Gilead--Work's Folk Songs of the American Negro, 1907 (st. #2Daniel March, 1868, Ref. Revivalist 1868.

When Time Doesn't Matter

"When do I need that?" My husband laughs as he answers the parts person as he orders a part to repair the tractor. There's a dubious greasy item laying on his desk as he speaks into the phone. "I needed it yesterday, but when can you have it in?" He pauses listening to the answer. "If that's as early as you can get it..."

We like our service to be fast in this country. If things don't hum right along we get a bit testy. At least in this corner of Oz. If it doesn't suit us, ofen there is someone else who will compete to give us what we're looking for.

My mother told about several incidents her first husband had when they were living in Texas back in the 1940's. He went in to check on a car repair and was told it would be done tomorrow--manana.  So he came back the next day--manana, but it wasn't done yet. He was told come back manana. This happened several times, until he said, "Listen you told me manana on Monday. It is now Friday, and why isn't it done?"

The long and the short of it was that the word manana that he thought meant tomorrow actually meant--tomorrow or any day there after.

One of the frustrating things when working in some areas overseas is the attitude many of the local people have toward schedules. Bible study and worship service are scheduled to begin at 10:00 A.M. A few people are there on time, and others trickle in until just before services are over.

Not everyone has transportation, consequently they begin by walking. In Jamaica, for example, common citizens act as 'taxis' and stop to give pedestrians rides. These taxis are expecting to be reimbursed for the services of course. But travel is not always predictable in this manner.


At one time in this country we were more laid back with our schedules. Not that people were lackadaisical about keeping their schedules, but it took longer to get from one place to another, and that was the way things ran.

In this country the saying 'Time is Money', is quite accurate, but is it wise? In the two examples it is quite rude to know when something is scheduled and trickle in, or give someone a 'time' and not be interested enough to get it done. It is thoughtless, but as an old writer, Rebecca McCann put it in her book of clever quips, The Cheerful Cherub: I'll never work to long or hard--I think it would be funny, Since life is worth so much to me, To spend it all for money. (Thrift, Rebecca McCann)

There will come a time in this life when time doesn't matter. During the delivery of a baby--for that time at least to the woman delivering the child, the only thing that is important is taking care of the business at hand. When someone you love is sick--or in an emergency, or--why is it we don't seem to know how to slow down and live our lives unless there is extenuating circumstances?

I raise my hand. I'm as guilty as anyone. Push, push, push! Have to get this done, or that, or...but there will be a time when all that we thought was important won't be. There is a song by William J. Gaither entitled,          I Believe In Mount Calvary.

There are things as we travel this earth's shifting sands
That transcend all the reason of man;
But the things that matter the most in this world,
They can never be held in your hand.

I believe that the Christ that was slain on that cross
Has the power to change lives today;
For He changed me completely, a new life is mine,
That is why by the Cross I will stay.

I believe that this life with it's great mysteries
Surely, someday will come to and end;
But faith will conquer and darkness and death,
And will lead me at last to my friend.
I believe in a hill called Mount Calv'ry, I'll believe whatever the cost; And when time is surrendered and earth is no more, I'll still cling to the old rugged cross.

1Corinthians 15:52 " in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. . . 55) O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting? . . . 57)  but thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
                                                   Hallelujah, What a Saviour!

Average and...God

   Something evil is chasing me.  In my dream I am running, running, putting forth all of the effort that I can possibly muster.  What ever the evil is that is chasing me is gaining.  It is moving swiftly, and is reaching out to 'lay hold on me'.  I, however, am running with all my might, but--in slow motion.  I just can't move fast.  I must have lead blocks on my feet...I can't move them. Wait a moment!  --I don't even know how I wandered into this dream. I don't like it...it's time to wake up.  Whatever was chasing me...I left it behind...but...

   I have days that all I seem to do is run, not in slow motion, but with all of my might.  At the end of the day when I am ready for sleep...it looks like I've been running in slow motion.  I  can't remember a lot of accomplishment. 

   "So, what have you been doing this morning?" my son asks.

   "Well," I hesitate, trying to recall what I've been doing, "I brought the checkbook up to date, put bills in order, and got the ones that need sent ready..." what a relief, I not only have done something tangible, but I can remember what it is!

       The more I study and read the scriptures the more fascinated and amazed I am at their wisdom, beauty, and instruction.  How the creator took average human beings and changed them into heroes--warriors--magnificent leaders.  What made them different?  They were willing to allow the creator to finish the work that he began in them.

   Birth is only the beginning of our sojourn here; death is only the beginning of the rest of our existence...there.  What do we see our paltry few years here as?  A time to...live it up?...or to refine our soul and fit it for eternity? 

   Turning our lives over to God.  For Moses it was the burning bush.  For Joseph it was when he was sold into slavery.  For Daniel?--perhaps, when he and his people were taken into captivity.  God, in one way or another, gets their attention.  But at what point will it be when we realize it isn't about us...it's about God and His will. 

   "Well, you know, we have to witness to other people.  We have to tell them what God and Jesus has done for us," my religious friend and I are talking.

   What is a witness?  Well, A witness is a person who was present or saw something them self that they can tell about.  A person who can give evidence. 

   If you believe something strongly, even if your belief is based on something false, it can impact your life.  A good Buddhist, a good Hindu, and those of other 'religions', can be 'good', most religions have an 'element' of good.  And those people can 'witness' about what their religion has done for them, and what it has the ability to do for you.  Christianity has the power to change lives today, but...is that what our 'witness' is?  If these other religions can change lives today, why then...it doesn't really matter...we can all find our way, just taking different paths.

    But wait!  There is a problem...1Corinthians 15:19  If we have only hoped in Christ in this life, we are of all men most pitiable. 

   John 20:28  Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. 

   You see, Thomas had a problem with the report of the rest of the disciples.  He had seen a crucified Lord, one that was...dead.  Now they are telling him, no, indeed Jesus is alive. 
"No," Thomas says, "I won't believe unless I see and..."  When Jesus appears to them all, Thomas' response is awe and worship: "My Lord and My God!" 

   And Jesus responds: John 20:29  “Jesus saith unto him, Because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.”

   Yes, I do believe, but not because of what Jesus has done for my life, not because of what he can do for-- not just my life-- but others as well.  It is not because I've SEEN any of these things written in the scriptures.  I have not witnessed these things first hand, but I believe the testimony of the ones who WERE eye witnesses. 

   John 20:31  but these are written, that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God;....  I do believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. 

   This is what sets Christianity and following Christ apart from any other religion--good or bad.  Because-- John 20:31 "...and that believing ye may have life in his name." --one word: salvation!  Jesus has set us free, given us hope, and the chance for ETERNAL LIFE...WITH HIM IN HEAVEN. That’s something no other religion can do.     1Corinthians 15:57 "but thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

 

Making a Difference Is there any use?

Most people live aimless lives. They wander here and there going through the motions of living.How do we live a purposeful life? There are many self-help books. Many writers that tell us plans and plans of how to change our lives. Yet well over half the population of the world is` not living a purposeful life. And of the few that are purposing as to what the content of their life is--many of them don't have a good purpose.

“The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

 Where have the great people gone? Where have the people with lofty thoughts, intelligent behavior, and exemplary lives gone? Why do we appear to be living in a sea of half-hearted, shallow human beings? Many has been the time when we home schooled our children that we were castigated because 'they won't be socialized'. Thank God they weren't socialized. When you actually look at the word socialized--isn't that akin to socialist? That is what our children are being formed into. Public education has become social engineering centers.

If you like the things that are being socially engineered--in my opinion--you need your head examined, because this is what they are engineering:

Isaiah 5:20  "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" 

And the reason they are getting away with this?
Isaiah 5:21 "Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!"

The second reason is we have elected officials who, instead of following the 'will of the people', and/or doing what is right, are doing what they jolly well please. In most cases they are stomping over the people they are elected by.  There are non-elected judges as well, who instead of enforcing the laws are deciding to make their own laws. To both of these problems there doesn't seem to be an answer. We need better elected officials, but where are they to be found? We need people with not just courage, but principles. 

“Shallow men believe in luck or in circumstance. Strong men believe in cause and effect.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

John 1:5  "And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not."

The light has been shining for many years. It needs to be polished up in order to shine the brighter. God is still in control. We need to let Him lead us in our lives. We need soldiers of Christ to arise. Help, Lord, Save!

Ants? And Things

   "Ants?  When we first moved in I had a problem with ants on this counter.” I told an acquaintance at church. “Seemed like we had one of those science-fiction type 'trans-mat' things going here.  I would have the counter cleaned off, and no ants anywhere.  Then before my very eyes, there would be this stupid little creature scurrying around on my counter...right in the middle of the counter.  Just appear out of nowhere.  But for the last...oh I don't know...couple of years we haven't had a problem with ants."

   Ever had some of those 'famous last words'?  You've got it.  Within days after the above conversation, what should suddenly begin to appear on my counter?  Ants.  Stupid little ants that don't really want anything, except to scurry around on my counter!

   Words, famous or other wise, can some times cause us stress, and like an apparition of the night come back to haunt us. 

   "I don't know about that boy," I tell another acquaintance.  "He just opens his mouth, and things come out."  --Our youngest son had just made an interesting comment on something. However, after thinking it over, it came to me just who he had inherited this talent from. 

   Sometimes it's a tactless comment.  ('Your looking good today.  You only need to lose a hundred pounds now?'--well, it started off as a compliment)  Often it is a comment that just doesn't come out the way you mean it to, ('that shade of green goes with your complexion'--hmm) but there isn't exactly any way to make it come out any better (just different, and it would have sounded odd then as well). 

   "When God was passing out brains, you thought he said trains.  Since you weren't going any where you didn't get any," my mother used to tell me.  One of my sons used to chide me that I missed my 'calling'--whenever I had a 'blond' moment.  It is made more humorous because he is blond, even though I'm not.   Sometimes both my mother and my son are right.

   Psalm 19:14 "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in thy sight, O Jehovah, my rock, and my redeemer."

 Psalm 5:3 "O Jehovah, in the morning shalt thou hear my voice; In the morning will I order my prayer unto thee, and will keep watch."

   How much better to begin the day with a prayer, and instead of waiting for our 'adversary to trip us up' --1Peter 5:8  Be sober, be watchful: your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour,-- remember the Psalmist's prayer in the morning...and throughout the day.   

   As the children were growing up I would mentally chide myself with, "She openeth her mouth with wisdom; And the law of kindness is on her tongue."--Proverbs 31:26 .  Children need to hear words of kindness, lest the other 'words' become self-fulfilling. 

   I know that as Proverbs 31:30 tells us, "Grace is deceitful, and beauty is vain; But a woman that feareth Jehovah, she shall be praised," yet some days I crave the 'grace' to say the RIGHT kind words, as well as the needful words of encouragement.  Please, Lord, just a little more grace--of the right sort.

1Peter 3:10 "For, He that would love life, And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips that they speak no guile:"

   James 3:8 "But the tongue can no man tame; it is a restless evil, it is full of deadly poison."

   James 3:17 "But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without variance, without hypocrisy. 18)  And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for them that make peace.

Stupid Hurts Isn't A Suggestion

 The human race is amazing for their creativity, intelligence, and stupidity. For beings that are capable of the most amazing inventions, the most amazing accomplishments, we are also capable of the most stupid foibles. There is evidence of this on not just one but many videos.


*Life can be painful no matter where your life is.  Even if you are doing right, not everyone is. Some lives are  more, some are less--painful.


*We can learn lessons through pain that we won't learn any other way. Much of the pain happens due to our poor choices.

Proverbs 22:3 "A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished."


*Things do happen over which we have no control, but that doesn't mean we have to have a victim mentality. We do have the option to choose how we react in most situations.

Several years ago now there was a small book that went 'viral' as they call it now-a-days. It was based on 1Chronicles 4:9 "And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow. 10)  And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.

No matter how obscure a scripture might be we can find some real jewels. How often do we think to ask God's providence in 99% of our lives? And we become angry when He doesn't answer unasked prayers?

*Stupid does hurt, especially when we could avoid it, but as it says in Proverbs 22:3 we pass on and suffer for it.

1Peter 3:10  "For, He that would love life, And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips that they speak no guile: 11)  And let him turn away from evil, and do good; Let him seek peace, and pursue it."

 Hallelujah, What a Savior!

From This Day Forth...

 I walk into a writers' conference for the first time, wondering what things--if any--in my life will change. I preferr sitting in corners— out of the way corners— just listening and watching things go by. This is not my comfort zone, but I'm here to listen and learn—and meet new people.

Isaiah 28:10 For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, there a little.

How many different ways, and in how many different modes does God teach us? Are we open to those ways, or are we bent on ourselves and how much WE know?

Lamentations 3:26 It is good that a man should hope and quietly wait for the salvation of Jehovah.

In daily life most people today would say they are too busy. Rushing in all sorts of directions, attempting to do numerous things...all at the same time.

A wise person told me years ago, before I knew what the word 'busy' really meant, that—'to do more than one thing at the same time, is to do nothing'.

Being a perfectionist, I am often disappointed in the outcome of things I attempt to do for that very reason. I am doing one thing with the right hand, and something else with the left hand, and neither task is done well.

Multi-tasking:
 In the past multi-tasking was touted as the 'way to go'. Now, however, experts are saying, no, not good, too stressfull.

Did I learn anything at the conference? Yes. Has anything changed? I met people I hadn't know before, sat in lectures to learn, and moved out of my comfort zone.

Sometimes things are set in motion that we cannot see at the time...things that maybe only can be seen in heaven...ever. So, we work and continue. We continue to believe that God is working in and through our lives.

Lamentations 3:27 " It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. 28)
Let him sit alone and keep silence, because he hath laid it upon him."

Young or old, we need to wait in quietness, with patience, for wisdom, and answers from the Lord.


James 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall exalt you.


Some things we need to remember:
*Any journey begins at the beginning—make a conscious effort to chart your beginning in order to end up with the end you want to arrive at.
*Be open to what and how God is teaching you. The school of hard knocks teaches us things that the path of ease never does.
*Being too busy causes sorrow and stress. We can be 'too busy'.
*Don't be discouraged from doing the right and needful things.
*Not everything clamoring for your attention is a needful thing for you to do. some of those things are really 'wantful' things. (They want you to do them.)
*God is good. Anything that takes you away from God is wrong.
Hallelujah! What a saviour!

When This Day is Done

I walk out the back door. The smell of wood smoke permeates the fog that hugs the earth like cotton stuck to wet fingers. A few days ago the lawn looked like a garish 1960ish shag green carpet laden with with gruesome glumps of gold patches.

Some people see days without the sunshine as dark and dreary. I, on the other hand, tend to view these days that smell like a primitive settlement, as a primeval adventure. Or, perhaps with an element of--Sherlock Holmes mystery--mystery about them.

The sun is finally shining again, its golden light filling the world. What riches we posses and we seem to be unaware of. The grass still reminds me of a shag carpet, but the leaves, instead of gold are a salmon colored brown, and they have broken down a bit into lesser glumps.

"Isn't that depressing?" a friend is relating an episode in which city folks were viewing a farmer's field. "All that corn just rotting in the field!" the city folks said.

You see, the way with farming is, in the spring you plant the corn, it grows tall and green--the ears of corn grow and ripen. In the fall the stalks of corn and the leaves all turn brown, but the corn is glorious gold in its brown sheath.
When I was young, my grandpa and I would walk beside the 'wagon' and 'pick the corn' by hand. We had a pair of common draft horses, not fancy ones like Percherons, or Belgians, just common ones. The first team I remember was an old black stallion named "Dick" and an old grey mare named "Nellie".
Grandpa would always pick at least two rows to  one of mine. I don't remember how he 'opened' a field, but once we got the row opened, and the horses were started on a row, he would wrap the lines around what I remember as the brake, and begin picking corn. Note here, in the old movies the stage coach driver had long reins -2 per horse-which conected to each horse. These are called the 'lines'.

To pick corn (and shuck it at the same time), grab an ear at the shank with one hand, and about mid-ear with the other hand and give it a snap. Out the ear would com, then with a quick throw the golden ear flies at the bang board. Bang! It hits the board where it falls back into the wagon.



When we got too far ahead of the stationary wagon, he'd call to the team, "Get up!" and they would pull up to where he wanted them to stop, "Whoa!" he'd call, and they would stop and wait till he repeated his command.

Of course now-a-days we have combines that can do in a day what it used to take Grandpa and I days to accomplish. And that's the way it is, but the brown corn fields bring back golden memories to me.

"That's not rotting corn..." and Brother Waymon goes on and explains to the city folks what happens and they feel better when he's done. But later he uses his tale to illustrate just how much difference a person's point of view makes. To the city people it started out as rotting corn. To a country person it is a crop in the field, it's their livelihood, their past...and their future.

Some days our world is covered with sunshine...some days our world is covered with clouds. Some times it seems the more things change--in this world--the more they stay the same.

2Corinthians 4:16 Wherefore we faint not; but though our outward man is decaying, yet our inward man is renewed day by day.

Perspective...when we look around us what do we see? Do we see sunshine...or do we see cloud?

Hebrews 12:2 looking unto Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising shame, and hath sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

A Sweet Aroma

Ezekiel 20:41  “As a sweet savor will I accept you, when I bring you out from the peoples, and gather you out of the countries wherein ye have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you in the sight of the nations.”

Lest I be thought to take this passage out of context, please bear with me for a short while. 

Many times in the history of God dealing with humanity, we see God becoming disgusted, or worse as in the case of Noah’s world angry, that he sends a punishment on people. There are some people who take exception to God’s anger, but in reality as a righteous judge he has the right to be angry. In looking about our world we occasionally think that we've seen it all.  Nothing new (better/worse) can top what we've seen or heard. Solomon tells us in Ecclesiastes 1:9 "That which hath been is that which shall be; and that which hath been done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun."

But God’s people are supposed to be light and salt in this world.

Matthew 5:16 “Even so let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

Mark 9:50 “Salt is good: but if the salt have lost its saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace one with another.” 
                                                                                         Yes, God’s people are to be both salt and light. Light to show the way to heaven, and salt to help preserve this present world.

Ephesians 5:1 “Be ye therefore imitators of God, as beloved children; 2) and walk in love, even as Christ also loved you, and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for an odor of a sweet smell.” 
                 Praise the Lord. 

Psalms 106:1 "Praise ye Jehovah. Oh give thanks unto Jehovah; for he is good; For his lovingkindness endureth forever."

A Friend

   Obadiah 1:11"...even thou wast as one of them."

   'A friend in need, is a friend indeed.'  That is to say when you are in need of something—anything—and someone reaches out to comfort and help you--that is a friend indeed.

   But what about the person who is maybe a 'fair weather friend', or in some other way 'lets you down'? 

   Obadiah 1:11 "In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, in the day that strangers carried away his substance, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots upon Jerusalem,..."

   Edom, descendants of Esau, stood on the other side in the day of 'Judah's' calamity.  Judah, of course was a descendant of Jacob, Esau's twin brother.  God pronounces a 'woe' on them for not only standing on the other side, but helping against Judah (and even enjoying) in their time of trouble.

   Several things happen when we have difficult situations.  We can find out who our true friends are.  Psalm 41:9 speaks of: "Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me."

   And John, in chapter 6:70, shows how it came to pass as Jesus says: "Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?  71)  He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him,..."

   Judas Iscariot, one who had eaten, walked, lived in Jesus presence for three years, learning from the Master--then betrayed him.  Jesus knew this would happen.  Still, it was difficult to bear.  Difficult as Jesus tried to teach him, tried to encourage him to do right, difficult as he saw him making wrong choices, wrong turns in his life.  Difficult when he slipped away, making the final choices from which there was no turning back. 

   But wait, what did Jesus die for? He died, as a sacrifice, that we would all have a friend, an advocate with the father. Today, in our  society people allude to the idea that we are all going to heaven just taking different paths, but"If we can all find our own road to heaven," a talk show host said, “(implied here is the thought that 'we are all going to heaven, just taking different routes.  This used to mean 'all who professed to be Christians', but now means everyone who practices 'a religion' of any sort.)  "if we can all find our own road to heaven, it would be like Jesus went through the agony of the cross for nothing.  God had his son die for nothing.  Why, if I was Jesus I'd say, 'Thanks alot Pop.  I hung on that cross...and bled to death...for nothing.  I was spat upon, and beaten...for nothing." 

1Timothy 6:12 "Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses."

Hebrews 10:23 "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)"

   It is popular to believe that we are all finding our own way, but that talk show host was right in what he said.  It is popular because then you can 'do your own thing' and it all comes out right.  The problem is--it may be popular...but it isn't true.  Other wise Jesus died...for nothing.  So, when we get to 'the pearly gates', will we have been a friend to Jesus, or will he look out at us and say, "Who are you?"  Or as the scriptures put it: Matthew 7:23 "And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."

  Let us lay hold on life eternal, let us make Jesus' sacrifice worth every drop of blood...let's make it worth what it is...everything.   Hallelujah!  What a Saviour!

A Better Country

   Still the fair vision lives!  Say never more that dreams are fragile things.  What else endures, Of all this broken world, Save only dreams.  Anonymous-

   Dreams.  Hopes.  We all have hopes and dreams...I wishes, you know.  Where else can we live in a perfect world? 

   "In the mid-west you don't need air conditioned cars like we do here in Tennessee." 

  We needed to trade our little four-seat Pinto in for something that would allow us to seat the baby that was due in a few months. The car salesman was trying to bargain, and I don't know what dream world that car salesman was living in, but it wasn't reality. 

In the mid-west we have the pleasant possibility of weather that challenges the body and soul.  Not every summer is 'hotter-n-the journey to the center of the earth’...but that possibility is always there, along with the possibility of --in summer-- 100 degrees temperature, with100 percent humidity, that doesn't mean rain, it only means 100% miserable.  Not every winter is cold enough to freeze a fish's eye balls, but there is the possibility of thirty degrees --or less--below zero weather, and snow up to the top of the porch. 

   "I'm sorry I missed the blizzard," I say honestly to my brother-in-law.

   "I'm sorry you missed it too," he laughs. 

   He had been enlisted to do our 'chores' while we traveled to visit our daughter and her family. On our way home, we also caught a few days at the lectureship at the preaching school my husband had attended. We only got to watch the happenings from the television set. 

  The morning we left on our journey, we rolled out of bed about three o'clock in order to be ahead of the weather that the weather people warned was coming in.  We beat the 'weather' by about thirty minutes (give or take a few minutes) that day.  It chased us all the way south.  Storms and tornadoes cropped up behind us all the way to Georgia.  My brother-in-law sent pictures to my daughter's computer so that we didn't miss the blizzard completely. 

In years past when my daughter's neighbor saw pictures of our blustery state, she would say, “Why, would anyone live there?"  Now she sees a hunting show with snow and cold and, "Oh, she says, that's just Iowa."  As if it were the most logical thing in the world. 

     We missed that blizzard.  The interstate was shut down for several days.  We weren't sure we would be able to GET back in when we were due to arrive home.  During the storm there was enough snow th animals could (and some did) walk over fences into places they weren't supposed to go.  Yes, some folks still say, "Why would anyone want to live there?!" I suppose we are a bit crazy, but it is Iowa...and this is our home. 

  Hebrews 11:10,13-16 "For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. 13) These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14)  For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. 15)  And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. 16)  But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.”

"This world is not my home, I'm just a passin' through", the song informs us, and although we are accustomed to this world we should never get to the point that we believe this world is all there is. That is a real problem. People become comfortable here, and they just settle in like this is home. God created a beautiful place called heaven, and it will be so much better there. But only if we prepare for it.

   "Daddy," the little girl says as she and her father gaze upward at the star studded night sky.

   "Yes, dear?"

   "If heaven is this beautiful on the 'wrong side' just think how wonderful it must be on the right side."

 

Experience Keeps a Dear School

No, my husband and I are not rookies. The number of children doesn't equal experience. We have seven of our own children, and we have been blessed with 20 grandchildren. We obviously have a few experiences on our resume.

Some of the problems: both parents are leaving the home to go to work. They are leaving their children in godless daycare centers, until they can turn them over to a godless system of education. That means the children will not be taught even remotely principle upon principle of Godly training. This is our accepted society as a whole, and oddly enough, also embraced by professing Christians.

My husband and I refused to send our children to head start, preschool, and etc. We kept them until we were forced to send them to public school. Our oldest children were in public school until 7th, 8th, 3rd, and 2nd grades. The length of time they spent in public school determined the extent of difficulty we experienced raising them.

HOWEVER, having said that--homeschooling/ and christian education are not the end all answers. Our society lost the pattern for raising children when parents began substituting the advice of Godly parents, grandparents, church elders, for the advice of the newest 'teacher' (Dr. Spock for example). Now we don't have the previous generation to go back to because they are gone--long gone.
We are told by the 'experts' that only 'experts' know how to raise our children. Really?  And how has that worked for us?

Here are some random thoughts that I have gleaned from my Dear School:

*It is my theory if both parents work outside the home they pay almost all of the second salary to support the government.  One reason the government WANTS both parents to work outside the home.

*Know your children--as individuals. Each child is different, and what works with one may not work for each one. Too many people look at babies as blank sheets of paper that WE program.  Not so. Each child is born a bundle from God.  They have their personalities already intact. Study and pray over that child daily so that you will COMPETENTLY nuture and discipline them in the way fit for that child.
*Pray for each child--let them HEAR you pray for them. Pray that they 'will grow up to be fine young Christian men and ladies who will love and follow in the way the Lord wants them to go.
*Do not fail to seize each opportunity to teach Godly principles. A preacher friend of ours encouraged us that when we saw sin--point it out. Many times we see things (ungodly) and we turn away and hope our children didn't see 'that'. For example some person driving along with a cigarette hanging out of their mouth. Don't turn away, point it out, and point out why we don't do such things. Point out how disgusting sin is--why we wear modest clothing, so our bodies don't hang out. Why we don't curse, or perhaps why we do certain things. Teach them precept upon precept, line upon line.
*When young adult christians leave their first love--don't always chalk up our loses as 'free will'.
 I have read articles declaring that there is only one reason kids leave the church. The writers of these articles usually place blame on the parents.  The parents don't teach, the parents don't take, the parents...no, there is more than one trigger for people who choose to abandon the faith.  Ultimately the person chooses to abandon the faith because of  their own selfishness.
*Proactive, we must be proactive...remember children become adults with free will. As parents it's our job to combat the lies that Satan will whisper to them to draw them away. And do it BEFORE he whispers.
*Mothers--support your Godly husband. A house divided will eventually fall. I've seen men who try to set rules and boundaries for the children--and wives that come behind, and encourage if not open disobedience,  they encourage sneaky or delayed disobedience. And husbands, remember you and your wife need to be on the same page in these areas.

I wish we could go back through certain times in the past and apply what we've learned to all of our children, but of course we only get one shot. These are some things that hopefully will help others. Perhaps, you could say--this is for the rookies among us.
 Matthew18:4 "Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."

THINGS THAT DO AND DON'T WORK~

 The young man is shown rescuing a straggly dying bush, giving alms to a pair of beggars, helping an old woman vendor push her cart, sharing food with a hungry dog, and last of all he's shown hanging a bunch of bananas on an old neighbor woman's door before retiring to his apartment.  Before the end of his day he takes a moment to pray. Along the way several people are shown shaking their head, as if to say, What's he doing that for? That's pointless...


Many things shape our lives. My family was not religious, although they may have been shocked if I had called them 'heathen' in their presence, that's what they were. Their main idea when I was growing up (this is what I absorbed at least) was to keep the Golden Rule. If you kept that rule, you were all right with God and fellow mankind.
                    ~Do unto others as you would have them do unto you~
That was the 'law and the prophets' rolled into one.  We didn't even need to keep the ten commandments, as some people said.

How did that work for us?  Well, I'll tell you-- It didn't work well at all.

I remember as a very young child thinking, There just has to be a better way (to live) because this is really painful.
As Jesus said, 'Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings,' I was less than ten years old and that was how I summed it up. That is when I began to search for that something better.
The following years became a long journey, but like a salmon swimming upstream to where it knows it needs to be, I persevered.  And I found the truth.


* "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man; But the end thereof are the ways of death."
  (Proverbs 14:12, 16:25) No matter how 'right' my family thought they were, and no matter how many times they thought they could tell God what he should/would accept--they were wrong. 

The man in the beginning of this post? He found happiness in doing for others.  He was a good person, according to our definition of good.  Not all religions make better people, but many do.  So what difference does it make what religion you adhere to as long as you are a good person?
I've attended funerals where it was a celebration of the person's life. The theme was that the person did it their way. As Frank Sinatra used to sing.

What did that mean? It meant they wanted to do what they wanted to do, and everything, and everyone else be hanged. Maybe the person in question smoked, drank, maybe cheated here and there, philandered a little, but they were a great person that loved fishing (or baking, or you fill in the blank) and now they are fishing (or said activity) with God.
I am so sorry. I am so, so sorry. People have been listening to the devil and his lies far too long. Unless a person does it God's way, when they die, they aren't doing anything with God. All the celebration of that person's life is vain and meaningless.  Being a good person in this life may have temporal rewards, such as love toward others and their love in return, but all of that without Jesus does no good beyond this life.  

John 14:6  "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one cometh unto the Father, but by me."

I could not say it better than this:
 “~I am the way, the truth, and the life. ~
Without the way there is no going; 
without the truth there is no knowing; 
without the life there is no living. 
I am the way which thou shouldst pursue; the truth which thou shouldst believe; the life which thou shouldst hope for”   (Thomas a Kempis, “Imitation of Christ,” iii., 56). 

 John_1:4. "In him was life; and the life was the light of men."
Going home: "Heaven, a prepared place for a prepared people."  Begin the journey--make your preservations today. 

MOSES: WHAT DO YOU HAVE IN YOUR HAND?

Exodus 4:2  And Jehovah said unto him, What is that in thy hand? And he said, A rod.
 Moses--a humble man used by God to do great things.

“Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny.”--C.S. Lewis


He was named Moses by Pharaoh's daughter because, "... she called his name Moses, and said, Because I drew him out of the water." (Exodus 2:10)

"Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well." (Exodus 2:15)
Born as a slave-child, and one marked for death as well, his status was changed to 'son of Pharaoh's daughter, and raised in the palace of Pharaoh.  Reads like a dream come true...until one day when he is forty years old he visits his brethren and tries to rescue them from an Egyptian.  The Egyptian is killed, and now Moses becomes a marked man, who is forced to flee for his life.  Now he spends the next forty years in exile in Midian.  He becomes a shepherd for his father-in-law.  Does he intend to spend the rest of his days quietly tending sheep?  Probably, but then God appears to him in the flaming bush.  After commissioning Moses to GO bring God's people out of Egypt Moses tries to tell God, 'Thanks, but no thanks".  God will not be dissuaded, and at long last asks the all important question:  
   "And Jehovah said unto him, What is that in thy hand? And he said, A rod." (Exodus 4:2 )

 Was Moses thinking about his ill advised attempt at delivering the children of Israel in the previous attempt?  Did he think on the reply of the Israelite who had been "striving with his fellow" when the man asked him, 'who made thee a prince and a judge'?  Did he think about the people he had left behind in Egypt?  What had he learned in the last forty years, and how had it changed him from the prince Moses, and shaped him into the shepherd Moses?  And shaped him into God's leader, God's lawgiver, and God's prophet...Moses, what is in thy hand?

 "This is that Moses, who said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall God raise up unto you from among your brethren, like unto me." (Acts 7:37)

"And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth." (John 1:14)
"Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was born, I am. (John 8:58)

 "The good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth that which is evil: for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh." (Luke 6:45)
"For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (Luke 12:34)
And today Jesus asks us--What is in thy heart?  

 "But the things which proceed out of the mouth come forth out of the heart; and they defile the man.   For out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, railings:  these are the things which defile the man;" (Matthew 15:18, 19, 20)



"Who in the days of his flesh, having offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and having been heard for his godly fear,
  though he was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered;
 and having been made perfect, he became unto all them that obey him the author of eternal salvation;" (Hebrews 5:7, 8, 9)


 This is a little difficult to wrap my mind around, to get a grasp on, but...what did Jesus think when he came to this earth not as the Creator, but as the Son of God? How did it change him and mold him into the Savior; the author of salvation?


 "And he said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." (Matthew 22:37)

 "And that in the good ground, these are such as in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, hold it fast, and bring forth fruit with patience." (Luke 8:15)

And still Jesus asks you and I, "What is in thy heart?"

WHAT DO THESE THINGS HAVE IN COMMON?

WHAT DO THESE TWO THINGS HAVE IN COMMON?

*It's an important instance in my life, I've got some some important decisions to make, but something in the back of my mind keeps nagging me.  I feel like there is some information missing something isn't right.

*It's been a busy day, someone asks me a simple question, a simple yes/no answer should be enough.

In the first case, I have what I believe is all the right information.  I weigh that information carefully to make the right decision, but...

In the second case it is a simple question, and I answer it without much thought, but...

...FAILED
In the first instance I didn't ask the right question.  Just one question made the difference of several thousand dollars.  I had pages of information as a matter of fact, but not until later did I realize the one question I needed to ask.  All of the information I had didn't answer that one question. 

In the second instance I was busy, I assumed it was a simple question, but in the end it wasn't a good choice.  In order to make good choices it is necessary to ask the right question, maybe more than one. 

"INFORMATION IS INCREASING IN OUR DAYS EXPONENTIALLY" 
 The article boasted that we were gaining so much more information than any time in history, but...  
It might have been a clever way to catch attention, but I question its authenticity.   However, even if it were true, what good is a multiplicity of information going to do our society?  My mother used to say we were becoming a generation of educated idiots.  I don't think she meant it as a compliment.

CLOUDING AN ISSUE
Just as when I had pages of information and it just hid the question I needed to ask, so does much of the intelligence we are supposed to be gaining.  Far too many people are ignoring the important question of this life.  Instead of coming to the eternal question of 'justice, righteousness, and the judgement to come with an honest heart, they pretend it's a simple yes/no question and slough it off. 

THE IMPORTANT QUESTION NO ONE IS ASKING
Matthew 16:26  "For what shall a man be profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and forfeit his life? or what shall a man give in exchange for his life?"

Don't forget to join the conversation.

Looking For Answers

The cartoon shows a modern woman sitting at a bar talking to her girlfriend.  "I just can't seem to find decent men who are looking for a committed relationship."   There are a few men sitting in the background, all of which either have crazy hair, odd piercings. or all of the above and more.
    
Many thoughts fly through my cuckoo's nest on this one, however, our lives are similar at times.  Going on with the identification process, first you start with the question 'where do I want to end up?'.  Reverse engineering is a new term that has made its way into vocabularies. 

This is a term that I gleaned from a thirty day challenge I took from Chalene Johnson.  It means decide where you want to be, then working back from that point begin to ask what would be the step before accomplishing that...and ultimately brainstorming from that point back to where you are today.  At that point you can set the goals day by day, step by step to where you want to end up.  Set the daily goals by making your lists day by day, week by week.  A person needs increment goals.  When you set up your long range goals, then each month you will be able to see progress toward those goals by the weekly steps you set up. 

What else needs to happen on this journey to self discovery?   Yes, as you start this journey you will discover much about yourself...

While setting your goals ask yourself 'what are my priorities?'
For instance my number one priority is God.  Because God is my first priority there are certain things that I hold as basic, non-negotiable, attributes, such as:

Mark 12:29  "Jesus answered, The first is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God, the Lord is one: 30)  and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength.  31)  The second is this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these."

*There is one God--that means there are not many gods, and I am to listen to him and him only
*God is to be my Lord and I am to love him first, with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength
*I am to love my neighbor and myself

No, that wasn't a typo, we are to love ourselves.  It does not say, "if you hate yourself, you may hate your neighbor as well..." ~that is the way many people live today.  What God wants is for you to love yourself in a Godly manner, and love your neighbor likewise in a Godly manner.

Jesus tells the parable of the Good Samaritan then asks this question of the lawyer:
Luke 10:36  "Which of these three, thinkest thou, proved neighbor unto him that fell among the robbers?"

The lawyer answers in verse37  "And he said, He that showed mercy on him."  Jesus replies in the same verse:  "And Jesus said unto him, Go, and do thou likewise."
What do you think?  Important questions and important answers...
Have a good day, and don't forget to join the conversation...

More Thoughts For Your Consideration

What are people thinking?  I wonder about this very thing at times.
"He works driving truck, and she works as a nurse," so the conversation goes. "Well, she took a new position.  She doesn't like it as well, but it pays better...I don't know why that makes a difference..."

It is almost a national past time the making of more money.  Couples have a baby, and almost immediately the baby is slapped into daycare so the woman can 'go back to work', because we all know you can't live on one salary...

You would expect that these people are living hand to mouth so to speak.  They must be barely paying bills, and living on beans, rice, and hot dogs, or so it sounds.  It is getting tough I'll admit making ends meet.  Prices are rising, jobs are pretty precious, but...

Here are some questions, or exercises to help you focus.  To help each person to put things into perspective.

What do you value?    What would be your list of  priorities be?  The things in your life that if the whole world fell apart you would not want to lose?  For example for myself this order would run like this:
 *God--God is the stay of my life.  Without God and Jesus nothing else makes sense.
 *Family--next to God they are the most important priorities, the most precious things in my life.
 *Home--not so much a 'house', but where and how we reside. 

You see, in the long run, even though a comfortable nest egg would be...well, it would be comfortable, it isn't the most important thing in life.  What is really important isn't the things we accumulate. It isn't the fabulous house, car, boat, flat screen T.V., satellite dish, most modern kitchen, fancy computer...that list can go on indefinitely. 

Matthew 6:25  Therefore I say unto you, be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than the food, and the body than the raiment?

In life, why is it we put so much value on vain things?    Leave a comment, don't forget to join the conversation.

FINDING THE BEGINNING~

Getting to where you want to be requires thought.  Remember we will all get somewhere with or with out thought.  Life always moves on, that is why it has been likened to a stream.  No matter whether you go along with the current, or buck the tide you will end up somewhere.

*Make it count.  Either going with or going against the current doesn't make you a hero.  Making it count does.

*Quite often the hardest battle you will fight is the one which no one but God knows you are fighting, or that you have won.

There will be no one at the end of that finish line cheering and giving you high fives.  No one saying what a good job you did, how brave you were, or how wonderful.  No one--except God, but He makes the difference.

*2Corinthians 12:9  And he hath said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my power is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10)  Wherefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.


Some months ago I began listening/watching a motivational speaker, Brendon Burchard.  Mr. Burchard caught my attention when he --very early in his speaking--asked the question:
       
*  "have I really lived, have I really loved, and have I really made a difference".

With that in mind, just where do I want to be when I get to the end of my life's journey?  I'm not averse to having a comfortable nest egg.  Not just for myself, but in keeping with the three questions, I want to be able to help those around me.  I want to be able to help family, friends, and neighbors, and having a comfortable amount of money can do that.

 Way back when my children were young and most were still living at home when we received the mailings for, 'enter and win $10,000...' my children would look longingly at the flier, and say something clever like, "If I had $10,000 I would pay off all my bills, and give some to missionaries, and...".

I always chuckled to myself, thinking, just how many bills has a ten year old acquired?  However, their hearts were in the right place.  The point is, as Dave Ramsey says, money is neither good nor evil, it just makes you more of what you are...evaluate what do you want to be more of?

* John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (4) In him was life; and the life was the light of men. (5) And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness apprehended it not.

One of the reasons many of the Jewish rulers hated Jesus was because he showed up the areas in their lives that needed changed.  Areas where they were very comfortable at; areas that they did not want to change.  It involved humility, and going out of their comfort zone.

--For me some of my answers to the question, What do you want to be at the end? are: 
*Honest
*Have integrity           
*Kind                                         
*Faithful Christian
*Discerning
*Intelligent
*Busy, engaged with life, and engages with other people

*What are some of the things you want to be at the end?  Don't forget to join the conversation.

The First Step To Where You Want to Be

Going through the back pack there are numerous items of importance.  Hair brush and comb, tissues, aspirins, band aids, mirror, toothbrush and tooth paste, a deck of cards...

So, you are going on a hike, and suddenly find yourself in unfamiliar territory.  Now what would you want in your back pack?  Any of these articles?  All of these articles? Perhaps even none of these articles?  Some of these things could be helpful, but which ones, and would there be some other things you might add? You would probably add a compass and maybe even a map, a jacket, and there are other things you would find to be helpful. 

 I remember when I was in high school we were encouraged to take a test to determine what occupation we would be most suitable for.  By answering a number of questions on what we enjoyed doing, where our talents and interests lay, voila!  There is what we should pursue as our vocation.  

That sounds like a plan, and indeed throughout our long life of making a living we often asked ourselves (my husband and I) what do we want to do in life?  What are our talents, and what will make us happy as well as productive. 

Matthew 25:14  "For it is as when a man, going into another country, called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. 15)  And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one; to each according to his several ability; and he went on his journey."

For some folks this decision may not be hard .  Like the one talent person there is one focus in their life and they know what it is.  In our instance we had more than one area of interest and our focus became too wide.  Consequently, we went in more than one direction and we never really focused; and we were never successful in any one area. 

Now being successful is a subjective thing. One can be poor and appear unsuccessful to the world by not having lots of what society recognizes as success-items.  Another person can have all the signs of affluence, but be miserable and poor.

Spending all our life making a living and not having enough time left to live our life.  Life was difficult in the beginning because of the money factor, but the one thing we had was hope.  Hope that tomorrow we would find the jack pot.  The dream occupation that would fill our pockets with money, and also allow us the time to take time and enjoy life.

Tip number one:  first determine where you want to end up.   This is not about money...only.  Twenty million years ago when I was young and idealistic, my mother --who was no longer young nor idealistic--and I were having a discussion. 
"Marry a man with money," she advised.
"I plan on marrying for love.  You don't have to have money to be happy," I told her.
"Well, you just try living without it," she snapped back.

Who was right?  We both were.  Keep in mind that money is neither good nor bad.  It just makes you more of what you are, as Dave Ramsey says.  Yes, wealth of some kind is necessary, but wealth in and of it's self is not worth anything if our character is rotten. 

Luke 9:25  "For what is a man profited, if he gain the whole world, and lose or forfeit his own self?"

Tolstoy wrote in Anna Karenina:   “All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” 

Many people come to the end of their days and find they have thrown away true happiness hand over fist trying to make money, without having made a life.  

We'll carry on more of the discussion on the next post.

Matthew 6:33  "But seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

ABSOLUTELY THE FIRST STEP...

Have you had those days when you are talking to someone--family, friend, co-worker--who ever it may be, you are telling them something important.  They need to listen, but as you speak you feel like the people at the Tower of Babel.

Genesis 11:1  "And the whole earth was of one language and of one speech.... 5)  And Jehovah came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. 6)  And Jehovah said, Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is what they begin to do: and now nothing will be withholden from them, which they purpose to do. 7)  Come, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech. 8)  So Jehovah scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off building the city."

Imagine, here you have Dave and Jim, they've grown up together, played together, etc. all their lives.  They are working on this great construction project when, Wham! they are speaking two different languages, and neither one of them can understand the other!

And this is what it feels like.  Their eyes glaze over and they verbally pat you on the head and say in a placating sort of voice--there, there now, it will be all right--and soon they follow physically the path that their mind has gone.

Taking our self too seriously is a problem, but we can not take Jesus and the Word too seriously.  

2Timothy 2:15  Give diligence to present thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, handling aright the word of truth.

Marketing 101.  When the building is on fire how do you encourage people to leave where they are?   Have people drunk so much of the kool aide that...

The show is a sci-fi called Doctor Who.  Their space ship has crashed and is stranded some where in the universe, and of course there are people wandering around looking for help.  People are in a daze, not because of the crash, but because someone has mesmerized them.  For some reason the answer to their problem is right in front of them, but they can't see it.  Except for one or two people and they are trying to persuade the others, all to no avail.

Many people aren't happy at their core.  They have things on the outside that should make them happy.  The increase in unhappy families, unhappy men and unhappy women, people on drugs or into alcohol show us there is a problem. 

Where should people turn?  Is there help in this world, or do we just muddle through the best we can?  There is a solution, but like the people in the sci-fi show most people wander through this life and never come out of their fog...

John 14:6  "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one cometh unto the Father, but by me."

Gotta have it!

"I want, I want, I want!"  A good many years ago I remember a woman with a small child in a cart, ambling down the aisle in a store.  The child is brainlessly chanting I want, I want, I want--when the woman with a gentle yet firm flick to the head arrested the attention of the child.  He looked around curious as to what had occurred, and then sat quiet as they continued down the aisle.

Philippians 4:11  "Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therein to be content.12)  I know how to be abased, and I know also how to abound: in everything and in all things have I learned the secret both to be filled and to be hungry, both to abound and to be in want.13)  I can do all things in him that strengtheneth me.
 

Many is the time I have watched people that have nice homes, nice vehicles, nice clothes yet they need to go...maybe they need to go to the mall, or they need to go to this store, or that sale, or...
I have watched people that appear to have it all, yet they go out to bring home more.

"He who has enough of anything should be satisfied.  Do you know when you have enough?"  (Merril Speller, book one) 

Now, in my life there are things I've had enough of.  Just having enough of anything is a nebulous idea.  There have been days, weeks, months and even years that I felt as if I'd had enough trials, temptations and bad 'time and chance' to last for a lifetime.  Yes, I knew when I had enough of that!

Looking on the other side do we know when we have enough of this world's goods?  The real struggle is when we have ample, yet we have this nagging voice telling us there is still more that we need.  This is the voice that gets us in trouble. 

I Timothy 6:6  But godliness with contentment is great gain: 7)  for we brought nothing into the world, for neither can we carry anything out; 8)  but having food and covering we shall be therewith content. 9)  But they that are minded to be rich fall into a temptation and a snare and many foolish and hurtful lusts, such as drown men in destruction and perdition. 10)  For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil: which some reaching after have been led astray from the faith, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 11)  But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

Love of money, love of things, "We are supposed to love people, and use things." It is not wrong to enjoy good things that we are blessed with, at least to a point.  We don't want to let them become a snare that we drown in.

Dave Ramsey says about money, "Money isn't good or bad...it just makes you more of what you already are."  The things we 'gotta have' are very much like money--they make you more of what you already are.

The author of a diet piece was suggesting that, "imagine globs of cheese, butter, chocolates whatever you eat excessively, imagine it stuck all over your body".  That was supposed to help the over eaters to stop overeating.  That is a unique idea. I wonder how it would work if we imagined what we crave of worldly items stuck all over our self.  Just how would we look if we had a computer stuck on us, or a big screen t.v., or a fancy car, or...the possibilities are endless.

The question is, just what have you got to have?

How I could dream

And what could I dream? Many years ago a song was written titled, 'Imagine'.  Many people sing and dream about how wonderful things would be if only...  if only there was no pain, or sorrow,  no bad things that happen. 
This song erroneously blames many things including religion for killing and death in this world, and this song is a proposition that socialism is a good thing...if everyone were only free and equal, but take a look at the reality of what 'imagine' looks like:

Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people living for today
     First verse--no heaven, no hell, only people with nothing-- to live or die-- for.  People living as if they are animals.  Ecclessiastes 3:11 "He hath made everything beautiful in its time: also he hath set eternity in their heart, yet so that man cannot find out the work that God hath done from the beginning even to the end." Human beings are unique to our world.  Animals don't think about tomorrow.  They only live from day to day.  Yet, humans can think and reason into the future--just another way we are set apart from the animal world.

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people living life in peace
     Second verse--no country, no religion, nothing --to kill or die-- for...  Killing isn't good--violent death is not good, but death comes to us all.  It doesn't always come with countries or religion.  As a matter-of-observation, without the proper religion, violent death comes more often, to more people.
Ecclessiastes 3:16  "And moreover I saw under the sun, in the place of justice, that wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, that wickedness was there."
When our fellow man has no restraint he's no saint.  Where there is no admonition to 'love thy neighbor', we are less loving, caring, and forgiving.  True Christianity is is like that.  It offers a better life here on earth, and the hope of eternal life in heaven. We can know that there is a righteous judge and all will at some point be judged.
You, you may say
I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one
I hope some day you'll join us
And the world will be as one
     This is another misrepresentation of the real world we live in.  Even if the majority of the population were of a similar thought, the reality is that there is always a fly in someone's ointment.  It isn't human nature for everyone to think, act, and live the same way. Not only isn't it human nature, but often the minority is the fly that maketh the oil of the apothecary to stink...Ecclessiastes 10:1  "Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to send forth an evil odor; so doth a little folly outweigh wisdom and honor."

 Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people sharing all the world
     No possessions?  That is not realistic.  There has to be some elemental possessions.  How can I share in the first place if I don't have something to share?  If I'm in need how can you help me, or how can we help one another, if we don't have possessions?  We don't live in a world where what is mine is yours, and yours is mine.  A world where, since everything belongs to everyone, I can just borrow or use anything that I desire because of course it's all public property. There isn't a need for greed, but greed and hunger do exist.  Odd, that the singer of this song seems to support the communist type government, yet when you look into history, the communist elitist governments have used food and food shortages to control their citizens.  These governments are far from the peace filled fantasies offered in this ditty.  In Jamestown, Virginia the very first government was that 'all should work, and share the fruits of that labor equally'.  What happened was some worked, all shared, and eventually the 'some' decided that the system wasn't working, therefore they weren't going to work either.  The system was changed to, 2Thessalonians 3:10  "For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, If any will not work, neither let him eat."

 You, you may say
I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one
I hope some day you'll join us
And the world will live as one
     Without good dreams a person has no goals, nothing to look forward to, nothing to strive for.  Nothing to live...or die for.  The dreamer here isn't dreaming for anyone, but himself.  Different countries keep each other in check.  No one seems to remember this idea.  Some, smart, educated people have at times believed a 'one world government' is the way to go.  They are not supported by history or logic.  If we lived in a perfect world, our perfect government wouldn't be needed.  No heaven, no hell?  For many in this life of trial and trouble heaven and its hope is a fair vision.  For would be evil doers a belief that someday their misdeeds would be judged and punished by a righteous God with an eternal punishment is a stong deterrent. 
A speaker was encouraging his listeners to 'trust people to do the right thing'.  "Given the opportunity people will usually do the right thing," the man said. 
I look around me, and some people are trustworthy, but...
Ecclesiastes 7:29  "Behold, this only have I found: that God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions. "

Ecclesiastes 3:17  "I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work."  

No guarantees

In life there are no guarantees...the same situation that may lead to grand heights of accomplishments, may as well lead to failure.  Or at least a failure of sorts. 

When I was a youngster my cousin and I were being --youngsters.  We were running down the forest path (think Little House in a big woods) and me spying a branch hanging out over the path, and believing I could fly, I jumped up to grab the branch and swing on it.  The end of the matter was that, of course I couldn't fly, and although I was close that didn't count.  I landed with a thud flat on my back gasping for air. 

Did I fail?  In a real sense yes I did.  I made a split decision that didn't turn out well.  However, there were several lessons learned from the incident.  I learned my physical capabilities had limits, I learned that split decisions are not always good things--consider your actions more carefully, and I also learned when you fall down on the path of life...get up.

My cousin's favorite words to me during childhood must have been, 'Are you alright?' because of the numerous times I did something that left me gasping for air, or black and blue from the experience.  Being foolishly fearless is not a virtue. 

2Peter 1:5  "Yea, and for this very cause adding on your part all diligence, in your faith supply virtue; and in your virtue knowledge; 6)  and in your knowledge self-control; and in your self-control patience; and in your patience godliness; 7)  and in your godliness brotherly kindness; and in your brotherly kindness love. 8)  For if these things are yours and abound, they make you to be not idle nor unfruitful unto the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."

These are virtues.  Real attributes to strive for and emulate.  Many times on the path of life we encounter situations that demand we make decisions.  Most often where our focus is will determine where our future is.  Virtue is a nebulous quality that we know what it is, but it isn't easily defined.  I think of the virtuous knight, or a virtuous saint, someone above reproach.   Virtue helps us make right (irreproachable) choices in life.  We need knowledge, self-control, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love in order to make virtuous decisions, and the foundation knowledge is of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

In 2Timothy 1:7  we are told: "For God gave us not a spirit of fearfulness; but of power and love and discipline."

There is a difference between foolishly fearless, and the fearlessness that God gives us.  So, as you run down the path of life remember strive for the virtues that will lead you to make right choices...and if you fall down on the path of life...get up.