GMO #2

We used to watch a science-fiction show, 'Doctor. Who' when our children were growing up. In at least one show the good Doctor was fighting against another being that among some of the atrocities he had done, he had crossed different species and came up with some odd creatures. It was one of those moments to shudder over. Another sci-fi show not related to Doctor Who, a scientist, in stages, turned a young man (who had been interested in the scientist's daughter) into a snake with human characteristics. That wasn't a happy show either.

I bring those shows up to highlight how things and times change.Back in 1980 scientists produced the first GE (genetically engineered/ GMO?) rabbit. Today we are looking at GE goats. A cross between a goat and a golden orb-weaver spider (a cannibalistic spider that produces: "silk, tougher than Kevlar, is a hundred times stronger than human ligaments.)"

While as a scientist this may be intriguing, as a regular human being I kind of put this up there with the Doctor Who and that other sci-fi show. Of course, one might ask, what's the big deal? The goat is still a goat. A cute lovable animal...right? At this point I'm thinking about Asian Beetles.

You know those stinking things that look a lot like Lady beetles, but aren't? That someone from the department of agriculture brought over from Asia to help (as an experiment?) control soybean aphid pests. That's a freebie, just in case you ever wondered where they came from and why. No, that doesn't answer why they swarm into our houses, bite, and stink, and etc.  But that's what I'm thinking about when people, say like scientists, and unsuspecting citizens ask 'so what', and 'what could go wrong?. 

I don't know how far these folks want to go with this. You can't tell by looking at the goats if they have the added traits, by the way. Not all do, but they do pass it on in their genetic code. And of course we need another government agency to regulate all of this...and this is part of the questions being asked. What if down the road some or all of these things come back with unintended consequences? Consequences that can't be controlled.

  There are many on both sides of the GMO issue. To the grain/crop farmer, as far as I can see it is a wash. Good and bad. In some ways it may be contributing to super weeds and pests. That's the bad side. Europe and foreign markets aren't real keen on GMO crops, but so far the U.S. has come out on the upper hand of (it looks like forcing) selling them our products GMO and all. Many of our own consumers want and in many cases are willing to pay extra for non-GMO (and organic).

I don't trust the research in either direction. I've been told anonymously by researchers, I can prove what ever you want—all it takes is money. However, some people do notice a difference when they and their families go organic and non-GMO. I've raised our garden, and we raised our truck farm organic and non-GMO for forty-five years. It isn't easy, sometimes it's gotten ugly, but I wouldn't change it. And I've gone back to using 95% heirloom varieties.

We've been business owners. We've worked for business owners, and one of the fundamentals is that the market and the customer determines what you sell. If there isn't a market for a product, or the customer doesn't want what you've got what can you do? I would think you would give them what they want.

There are fads that will pass, but the consumer keeps getting more vociferous, insisting on what products they want. I haven't waded into the grass-fed arena. I'm waiting a couple of years to decide if chicken eggs really know their mammy ate grass. I do like the home-grown brown eggs with their dark orange color. Brown eggs are reported as having a bit of a higher protein than white eggs.

I haven't even gotten into the ethics of some of these things, other than alluding to Doctor Who, and the sci-fi show. These things do bother me for several reasons. Scientists are acting like little kids with a new toy. They've found this wonderful information, and they want to manipulate it. To play God as it were. There are a number of things that are wrong with that.

• Only God is all-knowing. Only He can see all of the nuances and end results. 
• They/we aren't God and they/we are playing with a loaded gun. Like Pandora, something we may not be able to get back in the box.

In the Old Testament God had some laws for His people after they entered the Promised land. We today don't need to follow those commandments and statutes, but as I said last article they still make me wonder as to why they were there, and if we should be more careful with what we are doing.

"Ye shall keep my statutes. Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a diverse kind: thou shalt not sow thy field with two kinds of seed: neither shall there come upon thee a garment of two kinds of stuff mingled together." (Leviticus 19:19 ASV)

"Thou shalt not sow thy vineyard with two kinds of seed, lest the whole fruit be forfeited, the seed which thou hast sown, and the increase of the vineyard." (Deuteronomy 22:9 ASV)

Hallelujah! What a Savior!

What Do You Know About GMOs?

The term GMO in today's vernacular means Genetically Modified Organism. That's what we're talking about.

Information in support of or against GMOs is all over the board. Listening to local talk show host Simon Conway lately he encourages people to 'check out and use sources that are trustworthy'. That's not as easy as it sounds. A few years ago discussing projects with a 'researcher' we were told, "I can prove anything you want me to prove, in the way you want me to prove it. All it takes is enough money."

I didn't need that confirmation of my cynicism. We were not talking about GMOs with the researchist, but all research is suspect (especially now) no matter what side of the fence a person is on.

"But we've had all of these hybrids all of these years, so what's the big deal?"

I've heard/read this argument, or a spin off of it: all of these plants have been co-mingling and that's why we have so many health problems today (ie. leaky gut).

Answer number one:

• remember science class and Gregor Mendel's hybrid pea work? Hybrids occur naturally in nature often by cross-pollination, but in other ways as well. 
• yes, as in the case of Mendel humans can speed these up in various ways, but hybridization is a natural phenomenon and not the same as GMO
• hybridization may or may not have a leaky gut connection. I'm becoming leery of all of the leaky gut theories

GMOs are developed in the laboratory by using highly complex technologies. A technology known as 'gene splicing', where the genes of one organism are cut out of their DNA and spliced into another
organism, not even necessarily of the same kingdom. For instance Bacillus Thuringiensis (Bt) a natural bacteria that kills caterpillars and some other larvae being spliced into the DNA of corn, potatoes, and cotton so they are resistant to caterpillars and worms.

As in many areas in life there often is an up and down side of these things. One voice that was raised against Bt being spliced into the DNA is:

•  as regular farmers have used more and more commercial herbicides, weeds and pests are growing an increasing resistance to those products.We are seeing super weeds that are uncontrollable. 
• As an organic producer, Bt has been one of our most effective sprays against caterpillars through out our vegetable (truck) farm.It only affects caterpillars and larvae, not mammals. 
• If they, scientists, produce a 'super-pest' that Bt won't control by splicing it into the DNA (instead of using it discriminately and only where necessary) it stacks the deck against organics. And organic is a difficult field to grow without throwing up another obstacle.
• Some of the affects of the GMO are not studied sufficiently. Some of the products of this technique aren't fully vetted. They have done some GMO modifications on any number of things. For example fruit trees. With GMOs it doesn't necessarily end with the one plant. If the plant (for lack of a better term) gets loose it can ruin a neighbor's non-GMO crop, or the fruit can also reproduce more GMO trees...want it or not.

I would like to continue with these thoughts in a short series of posts, so if you are interested, as they used to say 'stay tuned'. 

I'd like to leave you with this thought from the Old Testament. (Yes, I know we're not under the Old Testament law, but this scripture still gives me pause:

Thou shalt not sow thy vineyard with two kinds of seed, lest the whole fruit be forfeited, the seed which thou hast sown, and the increase of the vineyard. 

(Deuteronomy 22:9 ASV)

Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Living the Busy Life~

"And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there who had his hand withered. And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him.

"And he saith unto the man that had his hand withered, Stand forth. And he saith unto them, Is it lawful on the sabbath day to do good, or to do harm? to save a life, or to kill?
But they held their peace. And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved at the hardening of their heart, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he stretched it forth; and his hand was restored." (Mark 3:1-5 ASV)

Jesus said in more than one place in scriptures I must be about my Father's business, or I must do the work I was sent to do:

"But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh even until now, and I work." (John 5:17 ASV)

"We must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work." (John 9:4 ASV)

In Ephesians 4:11 we are told: "And he gave some to be apostles;" the commentary by Gill says thus:

And he gave some apostles,.... That is, he gave them gifts by which they were qualified to be apostles; who were such as were immediately called by Christ, and had their doctrine from him, and their commission to preach it; and were peculiarly and infallibly guided by the Spirit of God, and had a power to work miracles for the confirmation of their doctrine;  this was the first and chief office in the church, and of an extraordinary kind, and is now ceased; and though the apostles were before Christ's ascension, yet they had not received till then the fullness of the Spirit, and his extraordinary gifts to fit them for their office; nor did they enter upon the discharge of it in its large extent till that time; for they were not only to bear witness of Christ in Jerusalem, in Judea and Samaria, but in the uttermost parts of the earth: 

Ephesians 4:11 continued: "and some, prophets;" Gill again says:

by whom are meant, not private members of churches, who may all prophesy or teach in a private way; nor ordinary ministers of the word; but extraordinary ones, who had a peculiar gift of interpreting the Scriptures, the prophecies of the Old Testament, and of foretelling things to come; such were Agabus and others in the church of Antioch, Act_11:27

4:11 continued: "and some, evangelists;" Gill commentary: 

by whom are designed, not so much the writers of the Gospels, as Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, some of which were also apostles; as preachers of the Gospel, and who yet were distinct from the ordinary ministers of it; they were below the apostles, and yet above pastors and teachers; they were the companions of the apostles, and assistants to them, and subserved them in their work; such were Philip, Luke, Titus, Timothy, and others; these were not fixed and stated ministers in anyone place, as the following officers be, but were sent here and there as the apostles thought fit: 

4:11 continued: "and some, pastors and teachers;" Gill: 

but whereas the pastors are the shepherds of the flock, the overseers of it, and the same with the bishops and elders, and the teachers may be the gifted brethren in the church, assistants to the pastors, bare ministers of the word; so the difference lies here, that the one has the oversight, and care, and charge of the church, and the other not; 

So, then, the Apostles prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers all had different roles in the early church. These men had a special work given to them from God. 

The early church didn't have the complete revealed work of the New Testament at this time, but they would eventually. Until that time, they had the Holy Spirit to guide them into all truth. 

"Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he shall guide you into all the truth:" (John 16:13)

"To whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto you, did they minister these things, which now have been announced unto you through them that preached the gospel unto you by the Holy Spirit sent forth from heaven;" (1 Peter 1:12 ASV)

"Love never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall be done away; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall be done away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; but when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away."(1 Corinthians 13:8-10 ASV)

The special work of the Apostles prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers was designed for:

"the perfecting of the saints, unto the work of ministering, unto the building up of the body of Christ:" (Ephesians 4:11-12 ASV)

We still have the need for this work, but not a special revelation and not in the same way.The apostles, of course have passed on. No one alive today has lived long enough to have physically walked with Jesus on earth. We still have evangelists, pastors, and teachers. An evangelist is one who preaches the word. A pastor, unlike the general idea is not a preacher per se. A pastor may preach ("The bishop therefore must be without reproach...apt to teach;" 1 Timothy 3:2 ASV), but is actually an 'elder, leader, or bishop' in the congregation. One who 'rules' the individuals of a congregation. 

See also: "Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit to them: for they watch in behalf of your souls..." (Hebrews 13:17 ASV)

All of us are teachers in some way. Try to keep a positive attitude, a Jesus attitude. Remember, our lives are all busy with something. If we don't fill it with something purposefully ourselves, it fills itself.

Hallelujah! What a Savior! 

Getting It Right

How do you only put a title on a post? When you come back don't you wonder what it was supposed to be about? I remember losing control of the weather, but must I lose my mind as well....

What I'm saying here is that I began this post some time ago, and I had thoughts that went with it. Now I have thoughts that WILL go with it, but I can't be exactly sure what the original spark was.

My mother was a perfectionist. If she did something it was perfect. Be it cleaning a room, making a bed, or even preparing a meal. That is a rather daunting heritage to live up to.

If my grandmother ever was a perfectionist it got knocked out of her by living a 'real' life. I remember her telling of just finishing washing the dining room floor, and company suddenly showed up, and...well, you guessed it. Good bye clean floor.

I don't believe that type of scenario ever played in my mother's theater. I don't think she ever quite understood the life and times of other players either. There was always an unspoken (most of the time unspoken) rift between my mother and grandmother. I can only guess at what the reason may have been, and it causes me sorrow to this day.

I have one sister. She's a perfectionist. We for most of our lives have lived on different planets. She chose not to have children, worked hard, did the things she needed to do, and...

"Well, look at that picture. There's Jackie and her perfect Christmas tree..." our adorable cousin is scrutinizing my Christmas card from my sister. It is a card from the year before, and I've looked at that card several times since receiving it, but I never honestly noticed the foolish tree before. The tree isn't really foolish, it's exactly like adorable cousin said, it's perfect. It's perfectly shaped, perfectly decorated, and just perfect. Sigh

As I said, in my family there are two siblings—my sister and I. My mother at least got half of her perfect children. My sister rode and competed in Western horse shows. She was grand champion one year, she was that good. Then along came me. I rode bareback and a lot like an Indian. I don't say this to impugn Indians in any way, but... I did have a bridle, but the faster my pony and I could fly the better I liked it. They called me 'grasshopper' because Wee Willie (pony) would be flying along and I'd be kicking and kicking sitting on his back. I was a very young child, so Wee Willie probably thought I was a grasshopper and my short legs were probably sticking out to the sides and kicking nothing. Note here that my oldest cousin said I learned to ride before I could walk, and if she wasn't totally right she was pretty close.

That was a summation of our lives. My sister, the self-disciplined achiever. Always on the honor-roll, always perfect. I was so proud of her for doing what I could never do. The only thing she didn't get that she should have had was Homecoming Queen. She was cheated out of that honor, but she was a gracious lady about it even then, not spiteful or vengeful.

If I happened to be on the honor roll, no one was more surprised than I was. If I did something right no one was more surprised than I was. One of my mother's oft repeated barbs at me was, 'You're just like you grandmother.' That would have been a poke except I realized I loved my grandmother, I was not just like her, and it was not a big deal either way.

It might come as a surprise to people to know that I'm a perfectionist as well. However, just as my grandmother's theater had a different movie playing, so have I. I've learned survival techniques that my mother—and sister—never needed. I realized that just getting several children clean and presentable for Sunday worship, making it to church on time (sometimes just by a nose) AND having a pair of shoes and a pair of socks on each set of feet was an accomplishment.

I realized that being a perfectionist is sometimes secondary to being alive, and success isn't always how clean my house is, or perfect my Christmas tree is, or a whole host of other things that I would like to be perfect. I don't know exactly how to measure success. I can't point to my fine house, car, furnishings, or any 'thing' I have. Except, I have a loving God and Jesus is my Savior. Therein lies my comfort and strength. On a number of occasions people have asked me about my amazing family. The first time that happened I was about to answer, 'I don't know, it just happened'. This wee small voice in my head said, 'No, it didn't just happen'. I thought about the years of loving them, teaching and nurturing them. I thought of the years of giving up a monetary income to stay home and bake cookies, bake bread, read stories, and so many other things. Just as having a house is not the same as making a home, giving birth to children isn't the same thing as raising and nurturing a family.

God's plan is always right:
"In the fear of Jehovah is strong confidence; And his children shall have a place of refuge. The fear of Jehovah is a fountain of life, That one may depart from the snares of death."(Proverbs 14:26-27 ASV)
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Naturally

In my Bible reading this morning I was reading in Exodus chapters 14 and 15. These are the chapters where Jehovah shows his ultimate power and strength against Pharaoh and the Egyptian army. Moses and Miriam sing their songs, then Moses leads the Israelites forward, and they continue their journey. They come to Marah, the water is bitter, and the people murmur. Thus begins the rocky relationship between these people and Jehovah God which culminates in their final sentence of wandering in the wilderness for forty years—

"And Jehovah's anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander to and fro in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, that had done evil in the sight of Jehovah, was consumed." (Numbers 32:13 ASV)

There is a lesson here, and I'm not the first to throw it on the table, but I will put it there anyway. Human nature does not really change. We still have the tendency to murmur. These people have just been freed from slavery and are given the responsibility of choosing a better life. Surely the life of bondage wasn't good. 

"And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigor: and they made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field, all their service, wherein they made them serve with rigor." (Exodus 1:13-14 ASV)

Their lives were 'bitter' with hard service. Yet how many times after they are freed do they say, we should have stayed in Egypt? There was a responsibility in freedom they weren't prepared for. They had the mindset of slavery and that whole generation (other than Joshua and Caleb) were sentenced to die in the wilderness. We see throughout history the same pattern repeated time after time. 

•  As someone has suggested we need to pray as if everything depends on God then work as if everything depends on us.

Another lesson here is, the Nature of Jehovah doesn't change either. Some folks say that in the Old Testament God was vengeful and full of wrath, but now He's a God of love. And they point to:

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life." (John 3:16 ASV)

"Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is begotten of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love."
(1 John 4:7-8 ASV)

There are other verses in the New Testament that tell us God is a God of love, and that's what we are led to believe. Old Testament God / angry and wrathful, New Testament God/ God of love.

But take a second look at that Old Testament God:

How many times during the Exodus and right up until they were set to enter the promised land did they murmur, complain, and even want to turn back to Egypt. Yet Jehovah suffers with their foolishness until they go beyond the murmur button and hit the out and out rebellion alarm, and he sends them to wander. He's always been a God of love and mercy. We can know that what Zophar accused Job of is more our problem: 

"...For he is manifold in understanding. Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth." (Job 11:6 ASV)

'The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some count slackness; but is longsuffering to you-ward, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."(2 Peter 3:9 ASV)

Jehovah God did not want any to perish under the Old Testament any more than He wants people to perish under the New Testament. 

Do I know better than to murmur and complain? Well, yes I do. Do I find myself doing the old murmuring thing on occasion? Hm, again I'm embarrassed to admit, I do.

• First, remember, God loves His children. Is something making you unhappy? Tell Him in prayer asking for a solution.
• Once you've laid it at His throne, leave it there. I believe you can continue to pray over it as long as needful, just don't pick it up and 'worry' over it.

Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye doubleminded. (James 4:8 ASV)

Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Who Will Feed the Cows?

 I read an article about a conference that a man had driven many hours to attend. He was at the conference a short time and had to turn around and drive the many hours back home. When asked why he had driven that many hours to attend for two hours. He was urged to rent a room, then to drive back the next day, but his reply was, "Who will feed the cows?"

Responsibility. That's a big word. Integrity is another big word. They are similar, but not the same.

Being responsible is having the responsibility of caring for something or someone else.That man had the responsibility to care for the cows. Being responsible is having the duty to care for something, having integrity is doing your best to take care of your duty.

I've come across these notes on integrity.

Integrity is:

Choosing courage over comfort,

Right over fun, or fast, or easy,

Choosing to practice values,

Rather than just professing them.

Indeed many scriptures rank amongst works of poetry and beauty. The fourth chapter of Philippians is commendable, yet Philippians 4:8&9 shine a bit brighter. Verse 8 because of its call to excellence, and verse 9 because the Apostle Paul though not boasting of himself gives a picture of himself.  

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honorable, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. The things which ye both learned and received and heard and saw in me, these things do: and the God of peace shall be with you." (Philippians 4:8-9 ASV)

In comparing what we know of the life of Paul we can understand that although he wasn't perfect, neither did he ever claim to be perfect: 

"Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief:" (1 Timothy 1:15 ASV)

Yet he lived a life that chose integrity, that chose courage over comfort, right over fun or easy. He chose to practice values, and in that way his actions professed his convictions. When he writes: 

"The things which ye both learned and received and heard and saw in me, these things do..." that is the same as saying 'do as I do, not just as I say'. Or as he says in another place,

"Brethren, be ye imitators together of me, and mark them that so walk even as ye have us for an ensample." (Philippians 3:17 ASV)

Oh, how we need righteous people. Not self-righteous people, but people we can look up to and follow, not because they are perfect, but in the ways that they imitate Christ and follow in His steps.Choose Jesus, choose life, choose today. 

Hallelujah! What a Savior!

If Ye Will Receive It?

Could any one receive better praise than that given unto John the Baptist than that given by Jesus when he said:

"Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not arisen a greater than John the Baptist:" 

But the second part of that verse says: "yet he that is but little in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he."(Matthew 11:11 ASV)

How can that be? How could the least of us believers be greater? 

"For verily I say unto you, that many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things which ye see, and saw them not; and to hear the things which ye hear, and heard them not." (Matthew 13:17 ASV)

"but when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, that he might redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons." 

(Galatians 4:4-5 ASV)

We have a revelation which John the Baptist and those under the Old Testament had not received. And we have the full revelation unto salvation. We have the blessings to be able to look into the mirror of the law of liberty and see what we need to become saved. 

"But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deluding your own selves. For if any one is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a mirror: for he beholdeth himself, and goeth away, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But he that looketh into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and so continueth, being not a hearer that forgetteth but a doer that worketh, this man shall be blessed in his doing."(James 1:22-25 ASV)

We can become a hearer, and then a doer. People before John couldn't see what we see. We as human beings aren't physically, spiritually, or morally better than John. We at this point have a better hope.

Hallelujah! What a Savior!