Platform...

"You {children} have the world by the tail, on a down hill slide!" My grandmother used to tease us. I have never quite figured out what she meant--exactly. It seemed at the time to mean, 'you children have life just pretty well near perfect--it couldn't get much better'. 'Down hill slide', of course would mean it was going like a sled on a good sledding hill. Sometimes though, it also means 'going down hill fast' as in things are getting much worse--fast!

Two years ago I attended a 'writers' conference', and I first heard/read that as a writer I needed a 'platform'. I will admit that I'm still scratching my head, attempting to understand the concept. I thought as a writer I sat down and began putting words on an empty sheet (or computer screen) and voila'! I'm now a...

Luke 2:49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?

As a Christian, and as a Christian writer--what should be my platform? What is my 'Father's business'?

For the moment--because when we stop to think on it we have different nuances to that question--let's consider the Old Testament:

Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. 1Corinthians 10:6

Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. 1Corinthians 10:11

I enjoy reading and teaching about the Old Testament. There is much to learn from here. In the beginning it tells how the earth was created, how humans came to be sinful. Judges, Ruth, all the way through Esther shows how God deals with his children, all the way through the Old Testament scriptures it points to the Savior. And it does bring us to the New Testament:

Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. Galatians 3:24

History--we should realize that history is full of people, and full of their stories. We break the word 'history' into 'His story'--and it tells us how God deals with us, and what our relationship is to God.

But does that bring me to a platform? Sigh...unfortunately, no. I gather that a platform is supposed to be like a 'soap box'. Something that you stand on, in like manner as a 'bully pulpit', and tell people something they need to know.

From the perspective of 'my Father's business' there are many things this generation needs to know.

Number one thing this generation needs to know? God~ The society that we live in has swallowed the myth of evolution to the extent that it denies there is a true God. The concept of 'god' therefore was something that history-- ie. ancient people-- made up to explain our existence. Wake up world! Evolution is not a fact. It has not been proven, and not only that there isn't even a shred of evidence that supports it. It was invented by people who did not want to believe in God, and since they needed an explanation as to how the world came to be--besides the one of Genesis chapter one...they invented something. That something just happened to be evolution.

Number two thing this generation needs to know? Jesus~ 'As it is written, "Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame." Romans 9:33

There have been enemies of the cross; enemies of Jesus all the way back in history. Satan attempted to snuff out truth, and salvation all the way back to the garden. Cain killed Abel the righteous son; the world was destroyed for wickedness, but there was still Noah...still--we are given Jesus the 'righteous one'. If Satan can discredit Jesus...and so it goes.

But where oh where is my 'platform'!?

So, I get a short conference with an agent. Knowing that I need a platform--a type of voice that says something to my audience, I want to catch the agent's interest. "My message needs to be heard..." I begin an introduction...

"Oh," he says, "publishers really aren't interested in platforms/messages. They are interested in what will sell, and what will make money..."

Sigh...I think I'll go back to John the Baptizer and his message--Matthew 3:2 "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

And the message of Jesus; Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

It may not be a popular platform, but it is scriptural...

No Matter What...

Many Christian Hymns are lovely and inspiring. I enjoy the ones by S.E. Samonte on you tube, the ones recorded by the Mennonite choirs. Sometimes I take time to watch the pictures and read the words, and as I do I wonder...

Most songs, especially the more modern they are, have the element of encouragement, some call for introspection--looking within before looking above. The 'martyr' hymns are different. The hymn, "Faith of Our Fathers", speaks of 'dungeon, fire, and sword', it speaks of 'chained in prison dark', and like them 'die for thee'. We often sing songs without much thought of what we are singing. In watching some of the pictures that go with other Martyr hymns I wonder...

Quite honestly, I don't really think I would choose to be chained in a dungeon, burned at the stake, or any of the various means of torture devised by wicked and evil people. And you may wonder...

Would the numbers change, or would they remain the same? The numbers of the faithful and the unfaithful...

You may wonder what do I mean by that? Well, I use the term 'I don't think I would choose..." but Satan is a master at what he does. He tempts humans to deny God. He tempts them to turn away from the Heavenly Father. I pray that if I had to 'choose' between God or something less, I would --no matter what-- I would choose to do right. Satan may 'choose' the torture--dungeon, fire, sword; or darkness dressed in modern licentiousness, fire posed in pornography, sword sheathed in lies and dishonesty...

We bemoan the sad reality of people leaving the church, or people in general turning away from religion, but no matter how sad the reality, only the 'tried and true'-- those who have been through one fire or another-- will be found faithful. And that leads me to the wonder--no matter which test we undergo, would the faithful be faithful --no matter what?

To Walk With...

I think on the poem by Dylan Thomas, 'Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night'. When I was young I felt like I was fighting everything. As if I could never 'Go Gentle...into anything. The adults in my life did not have answers to many questions...at least not very good answers. They apparently were still fighting through their own set of problems. I sought for answers, and observing the problems the adults were having, I thought, there just has to be a better way.

When I found Christ and His Way, it was still a fight. There were some right things I had been taught as a young person, but now I had to try to sift through those things in light of what my Saviour taught through the scriptures. And now, I was the adult...according to the world's standards. And according to even my own ideas, I was supposed to have the answers and raise my own children, and yet it was still a fight.

As I draw nearer to the end of life my perspective changes with time. I do have the answers as it says in 2Peter 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us...'all things that pertain unto life and godliness'...through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

The irony is that it is still a sifting. It is still a fight. There is so much dross in our lives today that there is a constant barrage of things that MUST be thrown away.

2Peter 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

It SHOULD come easier as we grow older to throw away those things and escape the 'corruption that is in the world...', but alas, and I say this with a sigh, the 'lust' may change, but there is still the fight to distinguish the dross from the gold.

Yes, even growing older is still a 'growing' and 2Peter 1:5-8 exhorts us: And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6) And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7) And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 8) For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Well, I have spent a life time trying to grow in this manner, yet it still is a fight, because like a little girl playing dress up in her mother's dress, trying to hold up the skirt seems like an un-do-able task. I get one thing where I want it, and something else slips to the floor.

However, even as I think on the past, present, and future I sense a change. Maybe even a hope. 1Timothy 6:12 says: Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life...,

What I want--as I near the end--is to be able to say with the Apostle Paul in 2Timothy 4:6&7: For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7) I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith...

2Peter 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,

-- I want to be able to say, yes, I can go gentle. I want to be able to walk with a peaceful heart...into that good night-

Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Who's It All About?

What matters in life? How do we know what matters in life? If you are a young person certain things seem to matter that people older would no longer understand. For instance if you ask a soldier just returned from a tour overseas, 'what about the pimple on my nose?' They would think maybe there were other things more important, but to a young person the pimple is a real problem.

Perspective...it matters who you are and where you are in life.

Matthew 19:23 And Jesus said unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, It is hard for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven. 24) And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. 25) And when the disciples heard it, they were astonished exceedingly, saying, Who then can be saved?

Looking at things from different perspectives can be like viewing a precious stone in the light.

An older friend of mine tells me, "When I was first a member of the church I was so envious of some of the other members. I just thought they had perfect lives," but she goes on to explain, "Then I got to know them, and I saw some of their problems, some of their struggles..." she shakes her head. "You know, I decided then and there I would not trade my few paltry problems for theirs. I'll just keep my life, and what I have."

From the outside vantage point other people may appear to have perfect lives. However, we need to be thankful for the lives that we have. Some people have the opposite situation. Their lives come across as a constant soap opera with problems oozing out of every corner.

'The buck stops here.' I do not know where the phrase originated from, but I do know what is meant by it. It means 'I have the authority to do what must be done, and I AM GOING TO USE IT!'

After reading an article about a child that survived an attempted abortion that sentiment was used. The child had been adopted by an --apparently-- loving family, and had been raised to be a responsible adult. She was now married, and now was expecting her first child. When as a teenager she had discovered the facts about her adoption as well as the attempted abortion, she had a mighty struggle in her emotions. Many questions, much anguish, but she overcame those feelings because, 'the buck stopped here' attitude.

In the same vein, I know of several cases that after coming from 'bad' situations, children grow up and decide on their own--this is not going to be repeated in my life, with my family...it stops here.

In the gospel of Matthew Jesus had just spoken to the 'rich young ruler'. He had just told him 'one thing thou lack'. (I wish I only lacked one thing to be perfect--sigh...but I digress...) The disciples are astonished...how hard is it for the rich to enter heaven? Who then can be saved? Their perspective was that when someone was 'rich' God was blessing them for the good things they were doing.

"If you give her the gospel, that will do more to bring her life up than anything else."

This is the point. Wealth does not get you to heaven. Jesus did not tell the ruler that his wealth had bought him a ticket to eternal life. The man was not a 'bad' person. In Mark 10:21 the text reads: 'And Jesus, looking at him, loved him', but he did have something standing between him and the eternal life he sought--his unhealthy love of his wealth.

Another point--poverty doesn't get you to heaven either. While it is true that the gospel can change or upgrade a person's life, it only works to the degree that it is applied. It is like medicinal ointment. If it is only left in the jar, no matter how lovingly it is looked at or fawned over--it will do no good unless it is applied.

Pride can be a problem whether one is rich or poor. Some have suggested that the term, "needle's eye', refers to a small door in the side of the wall surrounding Jerusalem. It was such a small door that you could only enter with the clothes on your back, and a person had to bow down to squeeze through.

Matthew 23:2 "The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat, 3) so practice and observe whatever they tell you--but not what they do. For they preach, but do not practice.

If you want to upgrade in life, begin by taking responsibility for your failures. Apply the gospel, like medicinal ointment let it work in your life. Some times it may be painful, or it may cause a struggle in our lives.

Life will have problems, just don't let the problems in life be self-inflicted. When we are obedient to God, we must let God lead our life. Not in miraculous ways, but in honesty and truth. When Jesus tells us, 'Seek ye first the kingdom of God,' that is what he wants us to do...seek first the kingdom of God...

Who Am I!

On a dark night, a night that has very little moonlight--how much bigger and brighter the stars in the nighttime sky appear! You can almost see the objects in the sky pulse and rotate around each other like beautiful dancers. How small and insignificant one human life gazing up at the creation of God seems!

Hebrews 2:6 But one hath somewhere testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? Or the son of man, that thou visitest him?
7) Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; Thou crownedst him with glory and honor, And didst set him over the works of thy hands:

'What is man'?--this has been asked many times, and even though there are many variations on the question--who am I? What am I here for? Where am I going? Usually the person asking is looking for answers that will clear up their clouded mind.

Yet for all of this and in spite of our smallness, our wonder, and our confusion it would be comical if it were not for the audacity--many people still try to tell God what he wants and needs.

John 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth: for such doth the Father seek to be his worshippers.
24) God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship in spirit and truth.

From the worship of God to living and keeping the will of God, people have their own ideas--and God ought to agree.

Just how do I know that 'God ought to agree'? I can't even begin to tell how many times when talking to another person about what the Bible says I hear the phrase, "It's my opinion".

And if the scriptures tell them plainly something other than what they believe, 'but it's my opinion, that'--and suddenly that scripture doesn't count.

When I was young, the movie "Wizard of Oz" was scary. That old witch seemed real to me. I remember the scene in the City of Oz when Dorothy and her companions went before the Great Oz. The old man behind the curtain was pulling levers-creating booming sounds, smoke, and what was supposed to be his image--out front. Dorothy, Tin Man, Lion, and Scarecrow were all frightened--shaking in their shoes so to speak. Then Toto pulls the curtain back and reveals the originator of the smoke and mirrors known as the Wizard. Dorothy is incensed...how dare he perpetrate this fraud on the unsuspecting victims!

Look around us. How many today are using the same tactics? How many let themselves out to be 'intellectuals', either of learning or doctors, scientists, financial instructors? The list could go on of the intelligentsia that are qualified to 'tell us something'. For example the ones that can tell us how to raise our children--though they have none of their own, or at best have only begun to raise theirs. How to be healthy? No problem, just plug in the right formula, and voila! You're good to go...How about scientist telling us how life began? No God involved of course, just a big bang...

Job 38:2 Who is this that darkeneth counsel By words without knowledge? 3) Gird up now thy loins like a man; For I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. 4) Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding.

Where were these chief scientists when God laid the foundations of the earth?

I'm reminded of Dorothy and the Wizard, except...Dorothy was scared by the smoke and mirrors, until she learned the truth. I can not imagine how this would play out if you flip the scene.

What would happen if the 'All powerful' appeared in humble clothing, but in the end turned out to be--'All powerful'? Instead of attempting to frighten us with his smoke and mirrors what if he appeared as...

Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29) Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30) For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

What if he was easily approached; as it were someone gentle and loving?

It is easy to be confident when boasting to your friends, family, or even to just lowly fellow human beings. However, what happens when a person is boasting about something, and then they realize someone in authority, or someone bigger than they are is right behind them ready to call their boast or bluff?

Would they find themselves in the predicament as Job did when he was confronted by God? Job 40:4 Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer thee? I lay my hand upon my mouth. 5) Once have I spoken, and I will not answer; Yea, twice, but I will proceed no further.

Here in lies the problem. We may think we know the answers, but quite often we don't even know the questions. Who do we think we are to give God advice? It seems fashionable that religion--Christ's religion--is out of style. Eastern mysticism? that's fashionable. Islam? yeah, that's fashionable. Some call these things 'ancient' religions. Under the humanist manifesto, however, Christianity--a much older religion--is a 'dead, decaying corpse'.

I have seen the 'O look', trick on old cowboy shows used to deceive the person holding the weapon. In an attempt get them to look away from the victim, or to look 'behind' them self they say 'watch out behind you!'. That trick is used to take the attention somewhere else. We also see it with the kingdom of Satan.

1Peter 5:8 Be sober, be watchful: your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour,

Satan knows that if he can convince people that religion is irrelevant, or convince us that we can 'choose' our way to heaven (or better yet convince people there is no heaven, or hell), those people are no longer a threat to him.

Ephesians 3:10 to the intent that now unto the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places might be made known through the church the manifold wisdom of God,

We must wipe away the smoke and mirrors to see the wisdom of God. Wipe away the smoke and mirrors that Satan uses. Come back to the Bible, the scriptures, and find what was originally intended. We must stop trying to tell God what he wants. We must stop it--and begin to listen to what He wants.

Gilbert K. Chesterton said it well: "Christianity has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and not tried."

Genesis 3:14 And Jehovah God said unto the serpent,...cursed art thou above all cattle, and above every beast of the field;... 15) and I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: he shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Jesus has dealt Satan a death blow. Satan, the prince of darkness, knows this, but is determined to take as many with him as he can. God has sent/left/given us the Truth, but the world chooses to ignore it, and thus seals it's own doom.

Ephesians 5:8 For ye were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord: walk as children of light 9) (for the fruit of the light is in all goodness and righteousness and truth), 10) proving what is well-pleasing unto the Lord;

Christians were once part of Satan's kingdom, part of the darkness. But, thanks be to God who through Jesus sacrifice allows us an avenue of escape from that kingdom of darkness into the heavenly kingdom of light:

Ephesians 6:12 For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

And the refrain of the song, and the question runs in my thoughts: Who Am I that a king should come and die for? Who Am I that He would pray 'not my will, (but)thine for?

Isaiah 53:1 Who hath believed our message? and to whom hath the arm of Jehovah been revealed?
2) For he grew up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
3) He was despised, and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and as one from whom men hide their face he was despised; and we esteemed him not.
4) Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5) But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
6) All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and Jehovah hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7) He was oppressed, yet when he was afflicted he opened not his mouth; as a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and as a sheep that before its shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth.
8) By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who among them considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people to whom the stroke was due?
9) And they made his grave with the wicked, and with a rich man in his death; although he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
10) Yet it pleased Jehovah to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of Jehovah shall prosper in his hand.
11) He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by the knowledge of himself shall my righteous servant justify many; and he shall bear their iniquities.
12) Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he poured out his soul unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors: yet he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Indeed, who am I? Hallelujah--what a Savior!

Questions/answers

Proverbs 16:1 The plans of the heart belong to man; But the answer of the tongue is from Jehovah.

Beauty...what is beauty?

When we look through the pages of magazines we will often find what the world sees as beauty. It glitters, it sparkles, it shines and shimmers. As Christians what should we see as beauty? From ancient times until now, in all societies beauty is a thing to be desired.

Proverbs 31:30 Grace is deceitful, and beauty is vain; But a woman that feareth Jehovah, she shall be praised.

This chapter in Proverbs has been almost beaten to death, yet for all of that beating it has just been barely touched for its lessons.

I have seen women who are 'graceful' in their lives. They do so many things with just the right touch, say the right things, at the right times...

I have seen extremely beautiful women. At least to look upon...

I have seen women who are a combination of the two qualities; both beautiful and graceful. The question comes, however, as the Proverb says grace is deceitful, and beauty is vain...what is true beauty?

The Quakers, for example, believed any frivolous ornamentation (jewelry, lace, fancy additions of those types)was wrong...was frivolous and as such vain.

I believe the Amish have similar beliefs and are very careful as to patterns in clothing, style, and the such like.

In most modern congregations you can find almost any teaching that will tickle your fancy. We, of course, are often told that there is 'no such custom' for any of these things. Most teaching is very vague on the subject as to what is 'proper' these days. (We don't want to be 'old fashioned' we might turn someone 'seeking' Christianity off/turn them away from seeking--as it were, but...

As a Christian who is attempting to please God first, what is right?

These are some of what I have come to observe, and it may be helpful for others who are looking for some guide lines along the path.

I hadn't been converted long when the question about make up came to me, and true to my nature I wrestled with the question. I asked the preacher at our congregation about this question, and he took me to the scriptures. We went to I Timothy 2:9-10; I Peter 3:1-5.

1Timothy 2:9 In like manner, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefastness and sobriety; not with braided hair, and gold or pearls or costly raiment;
10) but (which becometh women professing godliness) through good works.

1Peter 3:1 In like manner, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, even if any obey not the word, they may without the word be gained by the behavior of their wives; 2) beholding your chaste behavior coupled with fear. 3) Whose adorning let it not be the outward adorning of braiding the hair, and of wearing jewels of gold, or of putting on apparel; 4) but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in the incorruptible apparel of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. 5) For after this manner aforetime the holy women also, who hoped in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection to their own husbands:

My fist reaction was that make up and jewelry would be wrong. Then we began to look through the items. I Timothy begins with the goal of modest apparel, shamefastness, and sobriety, and then contrasts it with braided hair, and gold or pearls or costly raiment.

So, are these opposites? Are modest apparel, shamefastness, and sobriety, an opposite to braided hair, and gold or pearls or costly raiment?

It depends. Some to whom this writing is addressed to will remember my mother-in-law. Marie had some very nice jewelry, but none of it would have been considered 'gaudy', or showy. I would describe it more as 'elegant'. It wasn't worn to draw undue attention to her person, but rather to compliment the 'modest apparel' that she wore. Marie didn't wear 'make up', but she did spend time taking care of her complexion so that she appeared pleasant.

In I Peter we can focus on verses 3 and 4.-- 3) Whose adorning let it not be the outward adorning of braiding the hair, and of wearing jewels of gold, or of putting on apparel; 4) but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in the incorruptible apparel of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

Here is the outward adorning ie. braiding hair, wearing jewels, and putting on apparel. These are contrasted to the hidden man of the heart: incorruptible apparel ie. meek and quiet spirit.

The apostle here is speaking to a culture, not much unlike ours of today, in which women based their worth on the outward physical beauty. Women would spend hours braiding their long hair (or having their hair braided). Having pearls, ornaments, ribbons, and etc., braided into their tresses, as well as wearing gold and jewels, and 'costly' garments--in order to be noticed, to be thought highly of. The braiding of hair in order to keep it contained and neat in itself isn't what is being spoken about. The apostles both are drawing contrasts between the extra ordinary care of the worldly--those things which will pass away. The dead, dying, decaying things of the flesh (body), and the things of heaven (spiritual) which are eternal.

God enjoys beautiful things. We see those things all around us in His creation...the beauty of the sunrise/sunset, light shimmering on the water, moon rise, stars twinkling, flowers...and more. So, here is the rub, where does a Christian draw the line?

A Victorian woman accepted that she had a duty to look and conduct herself as a lady. She took care of her body, but it wasn't supposed to be her focus. I believe if we look back to the Victorians we could see grace and beauty combined in such a fashion. Men attempting to be gentlemen, and women striving to be ladies.

Contrast that to a walk in the mall today. Things that should not be seen in Christian females ( or Christian men either for that matter)? Punk hair sticking out all over (or outlandish hair style/colors)or too much make up done in an outlandish manner. The women may not have spent hours to achieve the 'look', but their objective is to shout to the world 'look at me, ain't I something!'. There is no 'meek and quiet spirit' there. Tattoos are the same, again seeking to draw attention to the person, and ditto with outlandish body piercings. Women (and men as well) seeking personal recognition through vanity.

Clothing should not be gaudy, even though we are encouraged to want dazzling. We want to be the 'fairy princess' in the shimmering gown no matter what age--it's just sometimes the shimmering gown may look like a pair of 'cool' blue jeans, or whatever the 'in' thing is. (Mothers, here is a caution. Is it right to encourage your young girls in these choices ie. wanting to be the 'fairy princess'? My caution is that it gives them a false goal. It encourages them to set their heart on frivolous/vain things of this world, wanting to be the 'center' of attention. Help them first and foremost to make wise choices. To understand heavenly as contrasted to earthly.)

Clothing doesn't necessarily need to be plain and ugly. There is a difference between much of what is worn today and true 'style'. The french call it 'je ne c'est quoi'...that little something (but I don't know exactly what it is)that sets something/someone apart from others. You can see it in the quality of the material used, the tailoring on the garment (mostly lacking in off the rack clothing of today)--it's called 'style'.

Buying expensive name brands for the sake of impressing others...not a good idea either. Now, for certain items the name that you buy denotes 'quality'. I love percale sheets. The higher the thread count, generally the better the sheets. But I don't buy the brand to impress others. My mother used to tell us girls, 'buy the best you can afford'. Meaning buy 'quality', because it is quality for a reason. It was not that she intended to impress her neighbors, it was because it wore or lasted, or had some value above that of lower quality.

Another caution for Christian women. Listen to your men folk. God did put the husband to be the head of the household for more than one good reason. How many times I have heard women say things like, "My husband doesn't want me/our daughter to wear such and such item, but I think...". Warning bells should go off when our guys say things like 'That's not something you/our daughter should wear. As a married woman, let me tell you, men don't think like women. That could be funny, but it is true. Women may wear an item thinking they look 'good', but looking 'hot' to a guy, doesn't necessarily mean you need a fan.

True, some fellows have an over active mind, but are those the kind of men you want following after you, or someone you love? And why would a Christian woman want to put those kinds of thoughts into someone's mind (other than their mate)and/or tempt someone who is trying to live godly? In the current world that we live in it is growing increasingly important for women to listen when their men caution them about their clothing, or demeanor.

It is important as well that we protect our men by not wearing ungodly clothing. We see it quite often, even among the 'elect'. Clothing that is: short, tight, clingy, low cut. Even things that could be modest that are too tight. I've watched 'Gone With the Wind' a number of times, and I remember what happened when Scarlet was told not to drive through shanty-town, but did anyway. Her husband ended up getting killed... We live in an increasingly hostile and dangerous world.

It is said that hostile acts committed against women is not based necessarily on what 'the' women are wearing. Honestly? It may not be based on what the woman attacked was wearing, but by what the man/men were viewing before the attack. Think about that one. The society we live in is very lax, lazy, and immoral. Since Christians are to be the salt and the light, have we been showing the preserving 'gospel'? Or are we just showing a reflection of the world around us?

Look around you...back to the magazines with the dolled up beauties and the warped sense of beauty. A Christian woman needs to keep in mind this world is not our home, we have a treasure and a citizenship beyond this world.

---But a woman that feareth Jehovah, she shall be praised.--- Proverbs 31:30

Some Wonderful Day...

Odd how a song can get stuck in my mind and just repeat itself. Events are often the same with me. Something can upset me and I'll worry at it all day like a puppy with a chew toy. What should I have done? What could I have done...all sorts of questions run helter skelter in my thoughts, and at the end of it all most of the time I still don't have a good answer.

Ecclesiastes 7:13 Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?

Consider the work of God...

Do we stop to think on the things that God has done, is doing, and will do?

This morning was beautiful--the autumn leaves beginning to turn and fall. The smell of wet leaves permeates the air along with the other smells of farm crops waiting for the harvest, gardens waiting for their fruit to be taken care of and the garden space to be put to rest for the winter. The squirrels scamper about to find and tuck away walnuts for their pantries, and a number of other duties clamor that winter is coming.

God set in motion (and upholds) the seasons. Each season has its beauties, but

Who can make that straight which he hath made crooked...

"You may not believe this, but I don't always drive fast, Mom..." my son says to me.

"I don't either, Buddy, I've found that getting there quicker isn't always all it's cracked up to be..."

We both laugh. Some times things don't always make sense. They just flat don't. Some days it is our limited knowledge, sometimes things just are what they are. That's alright, God knows. We are all His work in progress, and how much better we would all be if only we would let Him do the polishing, and just co-operate. Too often we turn our lives over to God--for a little while, but then we want it back! (We want to do what WE want to do.)

So, the song by Tom Holland continues to run in my mind: Some wonderful day, when my Lord shall call--

Too many people live as if there is no God, there will be no final giving answer to God's judgement, as if this life here were the only thing there has been or ever will be.

Revelation 20:12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne; and books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works.

Some wonderful day when my Lord shall call! Hallelujah, what a Savior!