Archives April 2021

We can encourage others not in being disingenuous

but by putting on the best face we have and pushing on to be a better person.

When I was a child…

1Corinthians 13:11 “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child: now that I am become a man, I have put away childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know fully even as also I was fully known. 13 But now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; and the greatest of these is love.”

There are things adults should do—grow up is one of those things. In our world around us, we have far too many adults who are still in the childish stage. In their world life is all about them—but it isn’t.

For some reason when people see announcements of old people who have anniversaries of fifty or more years you often hear the comment such as, “they don’t make them like that anymore”.

It’s as if people from that era were just destined to stay together and the long life together fairy doesn’t exist any longer. Yet, if you question people who have been together for long periods of time I doubt any one of them would say it had always been easy.

Marriage as well as any commitment has up and down moments. I write this to encourage others to hold fast to commitments. For the people who say things like we fell out of love…excuse me, people don’t really fall in or out of love.

One of the interesting items in life is how we can grow together as we age. There are any number of marriage improvement books on the market. When I was young there were several and I’m sure there have been many written since. The bottom line is it takes two people working to make their marriage work.

I say this because the childish behavior of people, not one generation only but generation upon generation, is making a mess of the world. Folks who should understand the importance of what they are doing don’t. I don’t watch t.v. often—I don’t even know if it is a t.v. show, but on a few occasions, I’ve seen some “Judge Judy” shows.

Some of them are amazing at how foolish people can be however, the saddest cases are where young (should be) adults are acting like children who have made babies, and now what?

There was a time long gone now when society supported decent morality. As I wrote, that time is long gone now and often there is no support. Marriage was protection for women and children before feminism declared it to be an antiquated form of slavery.

Now, women and children become chattels of the government in such situations where there is no father. Statistics are making us more aware of how much children need both good fathers and good mothers in their homes.

There are things adults should not do—grow old is one of those things. Yes, our bodies will age but we should never lose the wonder we had as a child. The wonder of a new day, a new project, a new adventure.

In watching children grow we as adults are still privy to some of the miracles that happen around us. We can watch the wonder in their faces as they watch caterpillars turn into butterflies.

We can see the miracle of day turning into night or night turning into day. As a young mother, I remember a teenage girl admitting that she was watching me as a role model.

I was humbled at the time yet in looking back I wish I had been more centered in my life at that time. She didn’t know nor did I know how much I had to learn and how far I had to grow.

Thankfully people don’t always know the internal struggles a person has and there is something to be said for that. We can encourage others not in being disingenuous, but by putting on the best face we have and pushing on to be a better person.

As I wonder how I’ve come as far as I have and not become as disenchanted with the world and people as my mother and sister did I suppose that’s the reason.

It would be lovely if—if things could be made perfect, if life gave back the good that you gave it, if people didn’t betray those they love or don’t love those that they should love. But life isn’t like that. Life can and often is harsh and hard even in the best circumstances.

But we aren’t measured by what life gives us. We are measured by what we give. The scriptures tell us how to live, what God expects of us, and the more we study the more we know and the more we grow. There are other aspects of what should and/or should not be done.

There is no one-time try and you have it all down. It’s like climbing a rock wall, step by step, handhold by handhold. There are days when we do well and times when we slip and fall, but at the end of our life when we look in the mirror will we be pleased…will God be pleased with who looks back?

James 1:

21 Wherefore putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deluding your own selves.
23 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:
24 for he beholdeth himself, and goeth away, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
25 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.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.

The art of encouraging others is a fine line. Within the last year and a half going on two years, I have been having issues. Although I’ve been slowly climbing out of these issues it has been slow. In talking with my Adorable Cousin a few weeks ago she asked what we were having for supper.

Since these health issues I’ve not been cooking so it’s been up to poor Old Fuzzy and cooking hasn’t been his biggest repertoire. We had shared with Adorable some of our milk and she was thinking she would make pudding with that and I had a sudden idea that I could make some chocolate pudding as well, and fix some tacos…

Well, like Tigger in Winnie the Pooh who thought he could do all sorts of things and decided he could climb trees only to climb the tree but not figure out how to unclimb the tree. So, I am sitting on our ‘third little person’ (kitchen stool) in the kitchen and I have things measured and started for the pudding as I’m talking to Adorable when wham, I felt timed out. This is what happens when my energy level drops and leaves me barely functioning.

Meanwhile, Adorable who also decided on tacos had begun her tacos, a second dessert, and was working on the pudding while we kept talking. At that point I had my pudding started and was far too far along to unstart the pudding when Adorable says to me, so what are you doing now? I’m still sitting on the ‘third person’, but I’ve been unable to reach the next ingredient/step in my pudding making.

When I told her my dilemma that I couldn’t reach the next ingredient, she says, “You just get up there and get that. Right now, get up and get it…” I was sure I had told her I couldn’t reach it, but I repeated what she said and yes, after a few repeats I did get up and finish that pudding. I didn’t do tacos we already had a leftover soup in the fridge so that was alright and Old Fuzzy took care of that. But as my mother used to say, “with a wing and a prayer” I did finish the pudding.

Sometimes people need to acknowledge they are broken and get on with leaning on the grace of God to get back up and continue with life. Other times we need to listen to the words, ‘know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em…’ in other words look at the situation and figure it out.

When I was a young child I could tell things weren’t working well the way we were living our lives. My grandparents rejected organized religion telling their children that Christians were hypocrites. But that wasn’t the real problem, and as one preacher told my uncle, “You can come on to church there’s always room for one more” (hypocrite).

That was in a way rude, but the truth of the matter is that life makes hypocrites out of all of us. Most people would like to think of themselves as good people, but therein lies the dilemma. None of us are good except by the grace of God. The closer we live to God’s principles the better we are, but how do we know those principles?

And there is the lie of rejecting organized religion. The right organized religion will tame the beast within humans and bring out the best in people. But organized religion alone for the sake of religion doesn’t do that. The Aztecs and pagan religions as such only pandered to the lusts and desires of those people.

It wasn’t until Jehovah delivered to Moses the Ten commandments that there was something better than doing what was right in our own sight. There are two scriptures to be aware of here, both in Ecclesiastes, 7:20 Surely there is not a righteous man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not. And Ecclesiastes 7:29 Behold, this only have I found: that God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.

In the gospel, according to John, we have the truth and weight of that truth in: John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made through him; and without him was not anything made that hath been made.
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.

And therein was the hope of the ages, the light of the world sent to show us how to not just live but how to live and love. No man is an island and even those of us who are introverted have their circles of comfort. We need each other to learn to live and to grow in God’s grace and knowledge it doesn’t just fall on us as some religions teach.

Another really big lie is we are all going to heaven we’re just taking different paths. That began under the guise of why we have Christian denominations such as Methodist, Presbyterian, Baptist, Catholic, etc. That worked when people stopped studying their scriptures and didn’t realize Jesus said there’s one way and if you love me keep my commandments.

Instead of going to Jesus people went to their ‘pastor’ or preacher, or whoever was running their group and they would ask why there were different teachings, or they would shop around to find someone who agreed with them on what they wanted/wanted to do. Shopping around worked here and now, but here and now is not now and then.

This is to say if we compromise here and now our now and then is likewise compromised. We need to seek to follow the Word now in order to please the Lord and actually then get into heaven. That should be our goal, but as I’ve written, life tends to make hypocrites of all of us, not just Christians nor want to be Christians not even sideline criticizers of Christians.

It is popular to tell folks at funerals that their loved one is in a better place, but the real truth is Aunt Edith may not be in a better place. Since heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people everyone needs to be prepared. Being a good person is a good thing but being not just a good person but one of God’s blood-bought persons is a requirement as in:

John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except one be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God! 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born anew.

So, then there really is something to be said of going to church on a regular basis, learning how to be obedient to the Word of God, and encouraging others as well as receiving encouragement.

Matthew 11:

11 Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not arisen a greater than John the Baptist: yet he that is but little in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and men of violence take it by force.
13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
14 And if ye are willing to receive it, this is Elijah, that is to come.
15 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
16 But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the marketplaces, who call unto their fellows
17 and say, We piped unto you, and ye did not dance; we wailed, and ye did not mourn.

Exodus 4:10 And Moses said unto Jehovah, Oh, Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant; for I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.

How many posts from an older person sound like they are coming from the hermit on the mountain top? Much of it is spot on about how people need to slow down and enjoy the moments, enjoy raising their kids, living their lives, loving their loved ones, but…

Then comes the difficult part—actually slowing down and following the script. Because how do you pay for food, clothing, rent, car payments, doctors, dentists, and…

The rub is no one except the hermit on the mountain top lives on a mountain top or a hermit on an island lives on an island. I on occasion would pray that God would show me how to do the things I thought I should do but couldn’t figure out how to do.

I believe our problem is that we aren’t serious. If in a giant voice God would speak to us we would be like the children of Israel who told Moses, you go talk to God for us… We would be afraid and make excuses much as Moses when God spoke to him at the burning bush.

I’ve come to realize how amazing Moses response was in Exodus when he said to the Almighty:

Exodus 4:10 And Moses said unto Jehovah, Oh, Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant; for I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.
11 And Jehovah said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? Or who maketh a man dumb, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, Jehovah?
12 Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt speak.
13 And he said, Oh, Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send.
14 And the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is there not Aaron thy brother the…

Moses was saying paraphrased here, I don’t feel worthy, I don’t want to go, send someone else, please—And Jehovah was not pleased. I can’t imagine having the nerve to speak to the Creator of all things in such a manner yet I’m ashamed to admit we might all be somewhat guilty of saying not me, not today more often than we know.

One thing we should know is if we are doing what everyone else is doing we will get what everyone else is getting. Consequently, if we are doing what we’ve always done we will likely get what we’ve always gotten. If we want something better we have to look to see what we can and should do to better our life.

The story of a young girl wanting to know if God allowed cats into heaven comes to my mind. I’m not sure why, just because it involves God speaking to her. When asked what she thought would happen if during the second coming she was holding a cat and she said “God would look down on me holding the cat and say, Hannah, put down the cat Hannah.”

What a surprise it would be if God said to us, “Ok, I want you to leave your homeland and move to a place where I will show you. You won’t need to worry about getting there you’ll just pack up your camels and wander until I tell you to stop…”

Maybe that’s why we don’t really ask, we aren’t sure we want to know or to go.

1Peter 3:

8 Finally, be ye all likeminded, compassionate, loving as brethren, tenderhearted, humbleminded:
9 not rendering evil for evil, or reviling for reviling; but contrariwise blessing; for hereunto were ye called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
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.

Job 2:10 But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God…

So then, we all have days—good and not-so-good days. Today began bright then turned cloudy and back to sunny again. This same pattern runs during our lives the good and bad jumbled together woven into a pattern we will not know the finished pattern until the end. Sometimes it’s because of choices we make or sometimes good and evil just comes to us.

In this passage, Job has lost everything. He’s lost his wealth, health, most of what has been important to him, except his wife, and their exchange goes like this: Job 2:9 Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still hold fast thine integrity? renounce God, and die. Job 2:10 But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.

The entire book of Job deals with trusting God, conversations, doubts, and fears that we may have in our struggles here on earth, and coming back/keeping our faith in God.

In the hymn ‘My Savior, As Thou Wilt’ there is a line that reads: My Savior as Thou wilt, If needy here and poor, Give me thy people’s bread their portion rich and sure; The manna of thy word, let my soul feed upon, and if all else should fail, My Lord thy will be done.

The whole song is a rich hymn with much thought. Life will always have its trials and Satan knows the ones that are difficult for each individual. It may be the loss of several things such as health, wealth, friends, death of family or friends any number of things.

Job’s loss was sudden and catastrophic reaching into the depths of his soul. There are several aspects of the trial of Job and what it taught but it does show that in spite of the struggle and that in spite of everything Job still believed. Unlike when our faith sometimes just slips away like items that you’ve put down and forget to pick them up again, Job didn’t let go didn’t let faith slip away.

After several chapters of back and forth with his friends the younger of the group speaks up in defense of God, and at last, God speaks up and asks Job questions with several chapters worth of beautiful poetry. Job is a very beautiful book and carries with it memories. I laugh when Job tells his friends speaking in chapter 12:1 and 2 “Then Job answered and said, (Job 12:2) No doubt but ye are the people, And wisdom shall die with you.” He’s saying to these friends you who think you have all the answers.

Job 42:

1 Then Job answered Jehovah, and said,
2 I know that thou canst do all things, And that no purpose of thine can be restrained.
3 Who is this that hideth counsel without knowledge? Therefore have I uttered that which I understood not, Things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.
4 Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak; I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
5 I had heard of thee by the hearing of the ear; But now mine eye seeth thee:
6 Wherefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes.

When I was a youngster I fantasized over the idea of homesteading and the type of sturdy entrepreneur that lifestyle would require.

Often the reality is different than the fantasy. Old Fuzzy and I had both grown up in farming backgrounds. His parents were current day farmers and I had grown up on my grandparents’ farm.

There was a generational gap between his and my experience even though they were both farm backgrounds. I have found time and time again it is easy to make broad assumptions about history even though those assumptions are not always true.

I’ve been reading a book on a newer diet and in the text, the writer says on more than one occasion: People living one hundred years ago were (generally) healthier because they used/ate the whole animal in their diet.

That’s an interesting assumption. This year is 2021 and a hundred years ago would be 1921. Here’s a list of ‘new’ foods from said year: [1921] Wonder Bread, Betty Crocker (General Mills baking mixes), Land O’Lakes (brand butter), Sanka (freeze dried decaffeinated coffee), Chuckles (fruit jelly candies), White Castle (fast-food chain), Lindy’s (NYC restaurant famous for cheesecake), Sardis (NYC restaurant of the stars), Quaker Oats quick oats…

The assumption is number one, that people were healthier, and number two, that people used the entire animal in their diets. Now, I’m trying to put into perspective what history tells me, and what I can discern about what was happening historically in the time frame of 1921.

At one time people did use more of the animals they consumed. My daughter’s husband told his mother while visiting her twenty years ago, No, Jenny won’t eat that… I don’t know if it was something they were using from the entrails or the chicken feet, but he knew she wouldn’t want to take part in it.

When we butchered one of our first hogs Old Fuzzy had it ready to be cut up. He used the loader on the tractor to ‘hang the hog’, and the kids on the school bus distinctly were sure you couldn’t butcher your own meat at home any longer. During that operation, I made my own liverwurst also known as headcheese.

Through butchering things on our own and historically we know that most civilizations did use the entire animal. This is noted from sayings such as living high on the hog. This shows that the higher the person was in society the better part of the animal they ate with the lower class eating the leftover parts.

And out here in the farmlands we still do some of these things. Although I’ve never partaken of ‘mountain oysters’, I’ve heard tell of that as well as some people eat brains, pickled pigs feet, and the using of chicken feet for chicken broth.

As a child, my mother-in-law’s mother had a huge garden and even in town, they had a milk cow on a second lot. They raised the vegetables and canned their own produce. But this time was well after the 1921 time period, this was during the depression era.

After marriage, my mother-in-law lived with her in-laws for a time and learned about butchering and being a farm wife. It came in handy even after the end of WWII when her farmer husband came home from the war and they went into farming and raising their family.

So, back to 1921—this was just a little past WWI, during Prohibition, and led into the Roaring twenties. As Charles Dickens wrote in The Tale of Two Cities, it was the best of times, it was the worst of times. This saying can and probably has been true with almost every day in some part of the world since Eve ate of the fruit and enticed Adam to do the same.

From the very elite wealthy to the extremely poor tenement dweller they were part and parcel of this country. From one source which I read they were touting how by 1925 the refrigeration had extended the keeping length of daily/weekly shopping. And with the advent of the telephone, a housewife could telephone the local grocer and have her weekly groceries delivered.

Assumptions—we have to be careful when we make assumptions because they are usually based on unproven ideas or faulty information. As with Tale of Two Cities, there were healthier people and not so healthy people, just not all the same diseases.

I’ve heard people say that farming practices have depleted the soil therefore our food products are not as healthy…That’s an assumption and not always true. There are people touting the benefits of ‘grass fed’ everything. There are points to be made with grass-fed, but it isn’t the end-all or best in every situation.

Psalms 84:

1 …How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Jehovah of hosts!
2 My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of Jehovah; My heart and my flesh cry out unto the living God.
3 Yea, the sparrow hath found her a house, And the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, Even thine altars, O Jehovah of hosts, My King, and my God.
4 Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: They will be still praising thee. Selah.
5 Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; In whose heart are the highways to Zion.
6 Passing through the valley of Weeping they make it a place of springs; Yea, the early rain covereth it with blessings.
7 They go from strength to strength; Every one of them appeareth before God in Zion.
8 O Jehovah God of hosts, hear my prayer; Give ear, O God of Jacob. Selah.
9 Behold, O God our shield, And look upon the face of thine anointed.
10 For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, Than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.
11 For Jehovah God is a sun and a shield: Jehovah will give grace and glory; No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
12 O Jehovah of hosts, Blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.

How many times does what we think should happen or will happen actually does happen?

Trying to see down the tunnel of time is impossible. The best we can do is take what we know—our experiences collective and individual and work from there.

Over thirty years ago our two oldest boys were about to go into eighth and ninth grades respectively. Because of a previous discussion with our local school we were informed that there would be school programs that we probably wouldn’t want our children to attend and the teachers of our children would quietly pull our two kids out and let them sit out of the program in the library in order that our children would not be made fun of by their peers.

As you can imagine, we were scratching our heads in wonder over this happening. At that point, I was contacted by someone from a local homeschooling group wanting me to be part of the phone tree in passing information to others of the group.

There was an ensuing conversation about homeschooling when I told her I would pass on the info, but we didn’t h-school. After that conversation and much hashing and rehashing we did commit to h-schooling and thus began our journey.

And a journey it was. I have heard through the years people shake their heads and saying, Oh, I could never do homeschooling. I have to laugh and shake my head back. I didn’t ever think I couldn’t do it.

 I was fascinated by the Little House stories. Their perseverance and their freedom and independence were intriguing to me. We were told by outsiders that ‘you don’t know enough to teach your kids.’ And my optimistic reply was, “I don’t have to know everything to teach them. I have to know enough to inspire them to learn.” And we persevered.

It is amazing what you can do when you have to do it. The Lord led and we followed. In looking back down that tunnel I do wish we had been able to homeschool all of the kids all the way through school.

We didn’t know what kind of indoctrination was happening then and now…

We are hearing much since the virus began and people are complaining about schools reopening. I’m back to scratching my head. God has done what no amount of preaching has been able to do.

God is revealing firsthand what is happening from one extent to another in our schools across this nation. Yet all parents can ask is ‘when will they reopen?’

What is wrong with parents? Do we not care that our children are being brainwashed? Do we not care that our children are being dumbed down and much much worse?

I have whispered this on many occasions. Fathers and mothers we must get back to raising our own children. Especially Christian parents need to stop worrying about being two paycheck families, suck it up, and at least one of the parents needs to stay home with the children.

Christian mothers need to stop worrying about what they want and start doing what is right. Children don’t ask to be born children are a gift from God. If a single parent can raise their family on one paycheck a two-parent family should be more than competent to raise a family on one paycheck.

What we should be seeing instead of parents wondering when schools will open is parents rising up demanding to see what their children are being taught. Many parents are realizing for the first time the horrible studies their children are going through.

Parents need to demand that their children be taught Christian principles that match their own principles. Instead of allowing children to be dumbed down, instead of looking for ‘new techniques’ to teach children to learn, go back to where children were learning and teach them from there. Wake up people, I’m almost afraid it’s too late, Wake up.

Romans 13:

11  And this, knowing the season, that already it is time for you to awake out of sleep: for now is salvation nearer to us than when we first believed.

12  The night is far spent, and the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.

13  Let us walk becomingly, as in the day; not in revelling and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and jealousy.

14  But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

Not ever in my wildest dreams will I ever on this earth achieve perfection.

Do I want to be like Jesus? Yes, I do—some days and in some ways and I work on to achieve that goal—but…

The word is martyr and means:  a person who is put to death or endures great suffering on behalf of any belief, principle, or cause. There have been many Christian martyrs and I honor those who have the strength of character and have stood for what they believed.

I know there are quite a few of us out here who pray that we have the same strength of character and perseverance to continue throughout our lives to worship and serve the Lord. We pray that when Jesus spoke of the greatest commandment we don’t have any ‘Peter’ moments.

I pray that I always keep in mind what Jesus said the greatest commandment is: (Mark 12:30  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 a line in a song that runs like, Let me learn to pray like he did (Jesus) in the Garden of Gethsemane. It’s a beautiful song, but I don’t even want to go there. Not only that, I can’t understand how anyone could go there.

I could be a wimp, you can even call me a wimp…maybe even several other names. But I can read and my whole thinking is didn’t the writer of that song read the part where the Son of God sweat as it were drops of blood?

Luke 22:44  And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became as it were great drops of blood falling down upon the ground.

I remember watching part of a movie about Joan of Arc. When she’s been betrayed and the Catholic Church wants her to denounce her visions or be burned at the stake she tells them she can’t stand pain. “Under torture, I will recant my visions, yet that won’t make them less real when I’m not being tortured.”

And she almost does pretend they weren’t real. Until she realizes that she will be kept in chains in a dungeon for the rest of her life even if she denounces them. The idea of being a prisoner for the rest of her life is more unbearable than the alternative.

Being brave isn’t easy, being a martyr is unthinkable yet, some days we must be like Joan of Arc. It isn’t that we really want to be slapped with suffering. It is that we have to put our heads down and just push through the pain. For better we pray not for worse we need to press onward toward the light.

Ephesians 4:

1  I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beseech you to walk worthily of the calling wherewith ye were called,

2  with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;

3  giving diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

4  There is one body, and one Spirit, even as also ye were called in one hope of your calling;

5  one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6  one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all.

This is another copy and paste. One of those that I’m not sure who to give credit to. It appears to be anywhere from ‘author unknown’ to Ward Tanneberg or somewhere/someone else. It of course is very poignant and again is telling younger people to not necessarily slow down, but to savor your life as you go because it will soon be gone.

You know. . . time has a way of moving quickly and catching you unaware of the passing years.

It seems just yesterday that I was young, just married, and embarking on my new life with my mate. Yet in a way, it seems like eons ago, and I wonder where all the years went. I know that I lived them all. I have glimpses of how it was back then and of all my hopes and dreams. But, here it is… the winter of my life and it catches me by surprise…How did I get here so fast? Where did the years go and where did my youth go?

I remember well seeing older people through the years and thinking that those older people were years away from me and that winter was so far off that I could not fathom it or imagine fully what it would be like. But, here it is…my friends are retired and getting grey…they move slower and I see an older person now. Some are in better and some worse shape than me…but, I see the great change….Not like the ones that I remember who were young and vibrant…but, like me, their age is beginning to show and we are now those older folks that we used to see and never thought we’d be.

Each day now, I find that just getting a shower is a real target for the day! And taking a nap is not a treat anymore… it’s mandatory! Cause if I don’t on my own free will… I just fall asleep where I sit!

And so…now I enter into this new season of my life unprepared for all the aches and pains and the loss of strength and ability to go and do things that I wish I had done but never did!

But, at least I know, that though the winter has come, and I’m not sure how long it will last…this I know, that when it’s over on this earth…it’s NOT over. A new adventure will begin!

Yes, I have regrets. There are things I wish I hadn’t done…things I should have done, but indeed, there are many things I’m happy to have done. It’s all in a lifetime.

So, if you’re not in your winter yet…let me remind you, that it will be here faster than you think. So, whatever you would like to accomplish in your life please do it quickly! Don’t put things off too long!

Life goes by quickly. So, do what you can today, as you can never be sure whether this is your winter or not! You have no promise that you will see all the seasons of your life…so, live for today and say all the things that you want your loved ones to remember…and hope that they appreciate and love you for all the things that you have done for them in all the years past!

“Life” is a gift to you. The way you live your life is your gift to those who come after. Make it a fantastic one.

LIVE IT WELL! ENJOY TODAY! DO SOMETHING FUN! BE HAPPY! HAVE A GREAT DAY!

REMEMBER:….

“It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.

“LIVE HAPPY IN THIS YEAR AND EVERY YEAR!

LASTLY, CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING:

TODAY IS THE OLDEST YOU’VE EVER BEEN, YET THE YOUNGEST YOU’LL EVER BE SO – ENJOY THIS DAY WHILE IT LASTS.

~Your kids are becoming you…….

~Going out is good.. Coming home is better!

~You forget names…. But it’s OK because other people forgot they even knew you!!!

~You realize you’re never going to be really good at anything

~The things you used to care to do, you no longer care to do, but you really do care that you don’t care to do them anymore.

~You sleep better on a lounge chair with the TV blaring than in bed. It’s called “pre-sleep”.

~You miss the days when everything worked with just an “ON” and “OFF” switch..

~You tend to use more 4 letter words … “what?”…”when?”… “what?” . ???

~Now that you can afford expensive jewelry, it’s not safe to wear it anywhere.

~You notice everything they sell in stores is “sleeveless”?!!!

~What used to be freckles are now liver spots.

~Everybody whispers.

~You have 3 sizes of clothes in your closet…. 2 of which you will never wear.

~But Old is good in some things: Old Songs, Old movies, and best of all, OLD FRIENDS!!

Stay well, “OLD FRIEND!” Send this on to other “Old Friends!” and let them laugh in AGREEMENT!!!

It’s Not What You Gather, But What You Scatter That Tells What Kind Of Life You Have Lived.

Hebrews 11:

13  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.

Daffodils are blooming and soon we will have tulips and peonies. Birds are already singing and celebrating.

Last week we had some really nice weather, today we brought the garden plants in from the cold frame since cooler weather is threatening for the next few days. They hadn’t been out long but already the plants looked sturdier and to me, they looked happier.

Sunday we had our springtime celebration. We are somewhere caught in the middle with this celebration. I know some folks who try to slap a ‘pagan celebration’ label on ‘Easter’, but it isn’t.

As I asked one preacher who was ragging on it as such, We know Jesus was crucified at Passover, Easter is supposed to be Passover so how can we not know it as the actual time of crucifixion’?

For some reason, it is true that Easter and Passover aren’t always the same day. I’m not sure why that is, but they should be in my estimation. Nonetheless, we celebrate every Sunday in remembrance of the sacrifice –in remembrance of Jesus giving his life in exchange for ours. And whether the Passover is a special remembrance or not we enjoy the ability to remember.

So, we get together and eat a big meal and the children run around looking for eggs, and they end up with a goody bag, and we all get to celebrate and be thankful for all of our blessings we enjoy because…

Because Jesus came, because he paid the price, because we are part of the blood bought family of God and it all began those many centuries ago.

And this year was special because our daughter was back for a very short, very brief visit. Monday she and her family were off for home, and Old Fuzzy was off to get a tooth pulled. Thursday I was off to the chiropractor, and today I’m just my normal off person.

Weeks come and weeks go, this week we’ve had rain which has been much needed—what a blessing. And the reminder to count our blessings day by day.

Hebrews 6:

7  For the land which hath drunk the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them for whose sake it is also tilled, receiveth blessing from God:

8  but if it beareth thorns and thistles, it is rejected and nigh unto a curse; whose end is to be burned.

Wonder of wonders and miracle of miracles, our crab apple tree outside of the kitchen window has small tender leaves emerging.

This morning it was so lovely with the bright red cardinals.

This time of the year we look around at the budding flowers, grass beginning to turn green, and the many other promises of spring. We don’t often stop to wonder at the miracle of life and its renewal. It happens automatically without any input from us.

My father-in-law used to quip, ‘I think I’ve lost control of the weather’, and of course, we’d all laugh. I have used that phrase as well and it has not failed to bring about a chuckle.

The seasons roll around right on cue, the day, the night, all of the wonders we take for granted come around on their given schedule. Primitive cultures often built their feasts and rituals around the cyclical nature of nature itself.

Most of us never stop to think about these promises. We accept the blessings without thought. Many in our society are nurtured by grocery stores, clothing stores, and mall stores. Disclaimer here I made up the last item since being informed by a granddaughter about ‘malls with stores where you can find anything, like a girl’s dream’.

I might have burst her delusion when I told her that yes, there were many stores with all sorts of things, but the people there expected you to pay for things, they didn’t give them away…

Yet in this country, we haven’t had to suffer from droughts. Going to the mall in America is nothing like going to the bazaar or market in Africa. The year 2020 was the closest we’ve come to shortages. There were a few times Old Fuzzy went to the grocery for bread and there wasn’t any on the shelves.

That is not normal here, neither were any of the other shortages in our stores last year. Our abundance of products often amazes citizens of other countries who are visiting our shores.

Mostly we don’t see our blessings. When we wake up to a beautiful sunrise or enjoy a beautiful sunset or the other beauties around us we enjoy these things for free. Beginning today let us be thankful to God.

The Apostle Paul tells his audience:

 Acts 14:

15  “and saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and bring you good tidings, that ye should turn from these vain things unto a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that in them is

16  who in the generations gone by suffered all the nations to walk in their own ways.

17  And yet He left not himself without witness, in that he did good and gave you from heaven rains and fruitful seasons, filling your hearts with food and gladness.

18  And with these sayings scarce restrained they the multitudes from doing sacrifice unto them.

We enjoy the blessings of God while here on this earth, but God doesn’t promise us life eternal here on this earth. After this life, we will either go on to spend eternal life with God in his prepared place for people who have prepared to live in that place or we will depart from the blessings of God. For some reason too many people have sadly been led to believe in death everyone will wake up in a better place.

Other than vile reprobates the popular view is everyone is going to heaven no matter what their views here on earth. God doesn’t promise that. “For narrow is the gate, and straitened the way, that leadeth unto life, and few are they that find it.” (Matthew 7:14) Satan has been very busy.

Even primitive cultures could look at the world around them and know that there is a god. Though their conception of Him may have been warped they were wise enough to believe in a god. We tend to believe that we are much smarter than they yet our view has only changed from a god to ourselves as a god.

But we are only in rebellion and need to turn back to God who created all things.

Act 17:

30  The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked; but now he commandeth men that they should all everywhere repent:

31  inasmuch as he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.