The arts have always been a wonderful way for us to express our thoughts and emotions and to use our God given talents to communicate them in one way or another. There are those who have the ability to share their ideas with the spoken word. The words can incite, excite, ignite or inspire others to action. The singing voice can uplift, delight and stimulate. The pen of the writer can create words to motivate, entertain or bring about change. The artist who creates pictures is taking us to other places with the use of his pencil or brush. Music has been known to soothe the savage beast and a dancer can use creative movement to breathe life into a piece of music.
We may not all be artists, musicians, orators or writers, but God has created us with certain gifts. Maybe you have the gift of encouragement. You might be good at building things. Your talents may lie in business or the medical arts. It is up to each of us to use what our gifts, to thank God for all He has done for us and further His kingdom. May He continue to use us for His purposes in this sinful world.
“Let none hear you idly saying, there is nothing I can do. While the lost of earth are dying, and the Master calls for you; take the task He gives you gladly; Let His work your pleasure be; Answer quickly when He calls you,
It seems that most important events in the Bible take place in the wilderness and many of those same events occur over a period of 40 days or years. Jesus has just spent 40 days of fasting and prayer in a remote, desert place. During his time of preparation for His upcoming three-year ministry, He is weak and weary from His days in isolation. He has eaten no food, so His stomach is crying out for food. He is probably dehydrated, worn and weathered by the dry, dust filled desert and vulnerable. Vultures could very well have been hovering overhead. His prayers have been ceaseless and undoubtedly, He has not had any restful sleep during this entire time.
Certainly, His heavenly Father could have sent His angels to minister unto Jesus – to feed and provide for Him – to tend to His needs. Jesus, after all, was the true Son of God, but He was also human and His humanity and divinity were about to be tested. God’s purpose for Jesus was the plan He laid out for mankind on the day that Adam and Eve fell into sin. Jesus would become the living sacrifice, the unblemished and perfect lamb of God. Jesus would follow through on every step of that plan and win the victory for our inheritance into heaven. At this particular low point of his journey, He was about to come face to face with His adversary, Satan.
In this hour of temptation, Jesus was able to defend Himself with the Word of God. The devil knows our weaknesses and how to use them against us. Jesus was just another victim for Satan, because he obviously didn’t acknowledge Jesus’ divinity. He may even have thought that he had the advantage over him, by using that very Word to destroy Him. Ultimately his plan backfired and he departed from Jesus with his tail between his legs.
Jesus fought the devil in the desert and defeated Him with the Word. He fought the devil on the cross and carried every sin – past, present and future – to the grave and punched the devil in the gut. When He rose again on the third day, He laid Satan out with his power over death when His risen body left the tomb, He proved to the world that He is risen indeed.
The devil is still among and we constantly need to be on guard. He comes in insidious ways so we need to protect ourselves from his arrows with the armor of God. Using God’s Word is our sure defense – another gift. With that, the devil doesn’t stand a chance.
Blood flows from a beaten, smitten corpse, hanging on an instrument of torture.
This One not taking life, but giving it through holy, precious blood.
That is righteousness, bought and paid for the ugliest and most sinister of us.
Complete payment for all.
The victory over death has been accomplished.
Refreshing,
Cleansing rain falls softly on an eager earth,
Thirsting for relief,
Longing for renewal and rebirth.
The tears of God bring respite for the dying soul,
He gave His only Son to fill a gaping hole,
The hole that widens every day,
When we forget to turn to Him and pray,
As branches dance and lightening fills the air,
I think of Him who takes away each care.
We see the need for God’s power to inspire us once again,
To cleanse our hearts and wash our dark souls in His refreshing rain.
When bruised and injured we do fall, before our Father’s throne And look upon the lamb once slain for all sins to atone, Our pain is nothing next to His, our wounds are all but naught. The blood He shed, His torturous death, were all with insult fraught, But still the Son of God went forth in dignity and strength, He took our place and bore the cross until His dying breath, Three days went by. He shunned the grave and rose to life again. He did this so I too could claim a life in heaven with Him. Sweet Jesus you have walked the road that I deserved to go. You did this oh so willingly and You knew just what to do So when I’m feeling battered and pulled in many ways, Remind me of the walk you took and please accept the praise.
I think it began when I was three. Mother enrolled me in ballet, tap, jazz and baton lessons – thinking I would someday become the next Shirley Temple. I learned to step, shuffle, ball and change before I knew my ABCs. I failed at baton twirling, but felt the need for such a skill probably wouldn’t serve my future career anyway. After about a year of lessons, I felt qualified to go on to Broadway. Instead I gained gratification for my show business career, by holding backyard productions – complete with a full set of curtains (a pair of sheets clotheslined next to each other), concessions of homemade lemonade and popcorn and a wide variety of talent, taken right out of my circle of friends.
I became the youngest director of my time and lost several of my friends in the process. Show business is like that. Here today and gone tomorrow. Still I persevered. Soon I had a regular troupe of about five kids that agreed to follow my direction. The concessions were a hit at least. I started with the classics, rewriting them into funny renditions of the old fairy tales we had grown tired of. It was time to put a new spin on things.
As I progressed through elementary, the stories began to pour out of me. By the time I reached eighth grade, I was an old hand at it. In fact, all my Saturdays spent at the movies continued to spark ideas for new renditions of old or redone stories. When we were assigned the task of writing a play for English, I put pen to paper and created a masterpiece. At least I thought it was. It consisted of a cast of thousands, exquisite costumes, a hundred elaborate sets and I was convinced I’d receive an “A” and be well on my way to my first Academy Award. My teacher put a damper on any such thoughts, by telling me it was creative, but would be impossible to produce. I was crushed.
I guess you could call me a theatre nerd – or one who was born to entertain, but it was much more than that. It was the only team sport I was interested in. I call it a team sport, because it indeed is the result of several people working together for the end result. This is when it finally hit me. I didn’t have to be a jock. My less than adequate physical status wasn’t necessary for this task. It was a way to express myself through words, actions and personal dynamics.
This is why I do theatre. This is why I’m addicted to the art form. Though I am soon to be 80, I still can find a use for this passion of mine. When we grow old, we don’t need to stop living. I will undoubtedly die while directing a show, writing one or teaching a group of kids the basic skills of acting. That’s why every show is special – why every performer contributes to the success of a show and why it gets imbedded in your blood.
No one likes to acknowledge that they will die. It’s one of those things we try to keep in the back of our mind until a friend or loved one passes away. It raises its ugly head when you receive a difficult test result from the doctor. We’re reminded of it during this season of repentance as we think about the great sacrifice Jesus made to pay for our sins so we can be with Him in heaven.
Today is Ash Wednesday – a day when we’re reminded of the cost of our salvation. Ashes on the forehead is a reminder of that cost and also give us time to repent of all our wrong doings and sins. Some will give up something important in their lives – something that has controlled them for a while – something that takes them away from God – something that we’ve grown accustomed to over a long period of our existence. It is necessary for us to repent before God will grant us forgiveness. We must first put our faith in Him and trust that He has our lives in His hands.
No one likes to admit their wrongs. We don’t like to be reprimanded, reminded or forced into submission. God doesn’t want that for us either. Our sins have already been forgiven through the final sacrifice of the most holy, unblemished lamb. However, our God wants us to be like the woman who was accused by the Pharisees of adultery – and told by Jesus to go and sin no more. This time of repentance is for us a time of grace which God gives us to admit our guilt, ask His forgiveness and go and sin no more.
I used to have a computer that enjoyed pointing out my mistakes. The beast of a box would chastise me whenever I made an error. It would verbally scream, “it’s not my fault” at the slightest flaw. That infernal machine put up with my yelling back at it, “Yes, it is!” for a number of years. Sin is like that. We make a mistake, and a little voice goes off in our heads to tell us about it. We’d rather not be reminded, so we throw the voice away or muffle it with self-righteousness. We try to cover up our wrongs with good deeds, but none of that is going to get rid of the sin. That little voice within us (our conscience) is like a trigger, sounding an alarm. It’s an alarm we need to pay attention to.
Today, as we observe Ash Wednesday remember that we are all mortal and will experience death, but because of a loving God, we will receive eternal life through Him.
We know that grief is a very common emotion among us humans, yet when we’re experiencing it, there is nothing anyone can say or do to keep the tears from falling – the heart from longing – the mind from remembering. Our Savior, Jesus, knew all about grief. He wept when his friend Lazarus died and yet he waited to go to Mary and Martha for a little while. When he got there, He cried with both of them and proceeded to raise Lazarus from the dead. I often wonder how Lazarus felt to awaken from his death and come face to face with Jesus. I’m confident that will be the case with all believers who pass from this world. We will meet Jesus on a very personal level, because he alone has made it possible.
Recently we’ve lost many friends due to COVID. There have been those who passed because of natural causes, or it was just their time. Part of that has to do with the fact that our friends and relatives are growing older along with us. Some have passed quietly while others fought bravely until the end. We never know for sure when our final breath will come, but we can be sure that it will come one way or another. The grief and pain we feel when we lose a friend or relative is something that can’t really be described in a few words. There are many stages to go through, according to the “experts.” The “experts” can’t predict how the tears will fall unexpectedly at inopportune times. The “experts” can’t heal the pain inflicted as you recall times spent with your loved one. The “experts” can’t explain away the heartbreak you experience as you go through this process. Those who hope in the Lord will also grieve, but they have something to give them peace in their loss. That is the perfect promise of eternal life with our Brother, our Savior, our Redeemer, our King, our Jesus. He will be there when we rise, just as he was for Lazarus, welcoming us into his kingdom with wide open arms and tears of joy.
As we look at our world today, we could get angry, frustrated, hopeless and even vengeful. What we tend to forget is that there is a much greater power that exists – a power that transcends all human understanding. It is the power and greatness of God. He is the One who created the world. He had nothing to do with messing it up, but because of His love for His creation and us, He had a plan of rescue. We have access to him in times of peril. We can ask for His help when we need Him the most. He will deliver us from the evils that surround us. Even though it seems that everything looks totally hopeless, He is there to lift us up – to encourage – to comfort – to heal – to understand – to answer our requests.
So, do we wait until there is no other choice but to pray? Do we feel we can control the mindless acts of a power-hungry dictator? Do we think we know the answer for injustices, unfairness or political intervention? Do we think we can go it alone? God certainly doesn’t need our words. He knows exactly what’s happening and has a plan to make something good out of it. Yet we try to involve ourselves in the solution. The best way to get involved is to turn to Him in prayer. He wants us to depend on Him completely and the best way to do that is to turn it over to Him. He, in His divine wisdom, has already figured it out.
Why is it when we come in prayer We just don’t have the words to share? The struggles still continue on, Our hopes diminish and are gone.
We lift our voices, but we fear That God’s too far away to hear. We grow impatient and cannot wait We think our problems aren’t that great.
Our ego soon gets in the way. We think that we don’t have to pray, But God knows all our needs and cares; He wants to hear our inmost prayers.
He sends His spirit to our side, To speak in words we cannot hide. He goes to God to intercede, In royal language does He plead.
So, take your troubles to the Lord. Don’t worry over the right word. He loves to hear from you each day. Don’t feel inadequate – just pray!
POETRY BY KATHY BOECHER
Don’t underestimate the greatness of our God. He can part the seas. He can move mountains. He can deliver us from our sins. He saved a wretch like me. HE CAN DO ANYTHING!
“I wonder if I’ve been changed in the night. Let me think. Was I the same when I got up this morning? I almost think I can remember feeling a little different. But if I’m not the same, the next question is ‘Who in the world am I?’ Ah, that’s the great puzzle!” Alice in Wonderland
I remember a time when I was still directing K-4 actors. After presenting to their classmates, we met for a little “down time” before their next show for their families. After a few theater games, the room suddenly erupted into total chaos. I finally got their attention and asked them what they thought about their behavior. One sweet little gal piped up and said, “I think we just spun out of control.”
That honest statement made me pause and think how I often react when things aren’t going well. When my world is spinning out of control, I often throw up my hands and scream, “why?” Over the past few years, we’ve all experienced a downward spiral. Our emotions are like worn down lightbulbs, ready to burst. Two + years of a pandemic – vaccination controversy – a waning economy and now a possible world war. Not to mention the other things that eat away at us. Things like a pending ugly divorce – a financial disaster – loss of a loved one – health issues that can’t be explained. The list goes on and on.
We may feel overwhelmed, but over 2000 years ago a man suffered for every sin committed throughout time. He was overwhelmed by the crowds who smothered Him. They wanted to learn, get a look at Him or take advantage of His superpowers. He withstood the tongue lashing of the Pharisees. He bled as the scourge cut through His flesh – a beating which would have killed any other man. He was mocked and spat upon as He carried the means upon which He would be executed. He was deserted by His Father as the final sacrifice for the sin of all humanity. He died and was buried. On the third day he rose from death and lives triumphantly at the right hand of His Father.
So, when we think we’re having a bad day, take a minute to breathe and think about how valuable you are to Jesus. His life, ministry, death and resurrection are a foreshadowing of what we can look forward to. We’ve been adopted into His kingdom and will one day leave this world to join Him in His.
It sometimes seems that every day brings another story of man’s inhumanity towards man. There is the noise of violence in every corner of our country. Dissatisfied and enraged voices scream for change. People are divided in their opinions, their beliefs and their politics. There are rumors of wars which could wipe out the human race from nations equipped to do so. Headlines proclaim stories of murders in the streets, in the safety of our homes and within our churches. The fierce winds of destructive hurricanes and floods have destroyed people’s property and lives. It seems this must be the beginning of the end as promised in God’s Word.
When you’re expecting a child, you know the twinges and pangs that overtake your body on a daily basis. You balloon to twice your size. Your feet swell. You experience cravings, hot and cold flashes and difficulty getting in and out of a chair. You may experience morning sickness. When labor finally begins, the pains start slowly. Soon the contractions become unbearable. You writhe in pain. You wonder why you ever put yourself in this situation. When the baby arrives, all those pains disappear and bring forth a new life. It’s all part of God’s plan to keep things moving forward.
When it comes to the state of affairs in the world, this isn’t something new. The world has always experienced violence, hatred, division, intolerance, unnecessary and necessary wars. Today we have access to information regarding all this in an instant. God tells us not to be surprised by these events. It’s like the birthing process. Once we have endured these pangs, new life begins. It may not be on this planet, but we have been promised eternity in heaven when we turn our lives over to the Lord.
Do not be alarmed. Do not let your heart be troubled. All of this must happen before the end result occurs. We have no idea when that will occur, but we know, by God’s communication with us, that the end is coming. With the end of birth pains, comes new life. Let’s turn it over to Him and know that He’s got this!
My husband is back in the hospital again. I needed a pick me up so turned to one of my old posts. Sometimes we just need to laugh in spite of our circumstances. God gives us a sense of humor for just that purpose. Some folks might think I should be crying or giving up at this point, but I would much rather look ahead with hope and the promise that God won’t give me more than I can handle. So, laugh with me this morning and say a little prayer for Paul’s return to good health.
The things children say can be the most delightful, embarrassing, fearful, joyous words you will ever experience. I never did this when my kids were young, but I think it’s a good idea to jot those little tidbits down for future reference. They may come in handy down the line. Instead of keeping a journal, I often relied on memory and repeating those clever little thoughts over and over to burn them into my brain.
My own children had some funny things to say during their youth, but the most recent memories come from their children. Here are a couple of examples: My teenage grandson, while comparing himself to his older brother – “He’s a complete set of encyclopedias. I’m just a pocket dictionary, with pages missing.” My granddaughter wrote this on a Christmas card she created for me a while back, “To my favorite grandma – on my mother’s side.”
Some of my young students have had some funny things to say also. When I arrived a few minutes late, a child piped up with this comment, “We thought you died and went to heaven.” Another announced to the class that I had brownchitis. Another precocious young actress took time during rehearsal to let me know that the boy she was playing opposite of, was picking his nose and it was gross.
When kids have something to say, there are usually no boundaries. They say what they think and you never know what it will be!
If you’ve ever heard young children singing in church, you will understand their exuberance. We can learn a lot from them. Praising God should be joyful. I think many of us lose some of that excitement as we become comfortable in our faith. Jesus often referred to little children when talking about their faith and acceptance. Maybe we can learn some lessons from them at times.
I love how they give new meaning to God’s Word from time to time. Here are some excerpts spoken by children regarding just the subject of Moses:
“His real name was Charlton Heston. He led the Israel lights out of Egypt because of the bad Pharoah. God sent ten plagues on the Egyptians. Some of the plagues were mice, frogs, bugs, lice and no cable. Every day in the desert, God fed the Israel lights some manicotti. He gave them His “Top Ten” commandments. They were things like: don’t lie, don’t cheat, don’t dance, don’t smoke, don’t covet your neighbor’s stuff (whatever that means). He also told them to humor their fathers and mothers.”
God often uses examples of the weakest human beings who have been used for the most difficult situations. In Matthew 21:16 we read Jesus response to his disciples, “”Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him. “Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read, “‘From the lips of children and infants you, Lord, have called forth your praise?”
Lord, you have given the most precious gift of life to this ailing world. Little children come to know you through simple faith. Even though I am old in years, may I continue to come to you in childlike faith and accept the plans you have laid out for me. Amen!
God gives us some good advice in James 1:3 & 4. He tells us to hang in there – to hold on to our beliefs – to trust in His wisdom. It isn’t always easy to do that, especially when our lives our packed with tough times. More often than not, we can feel defeated before we even start to move forward.
Don’t let outside influences affect your walk each day. Be confident that God has a plan and He is making it happen on His timeline. Trust in your own good judgment and with His help don’t give up on your goals. He has instilled those goals in you. He knows what you need even before you do and He’s the one who will help you fulfill the desire of your heart if He thinks it’s good for you.
When we’re young we listen to our parents’ advice because we trust them. When God tells us something, we can have faith that He is going to make good on His Word. He is the perfect Father.
Here is your Tuesday pep talk. You can do all kinds of amazing things when you have God with you. You are an important member of His family. He loves you so much that He sent His own flesh and blood to suffer and die on our behalf. He then rose from the clutches of death and went back to heaven to get our spot ready for us. He’s also going to make sure we’re ready for that place by refining us. Refining requires going into the fire at times. Life isn’t perfect. We’re going to have difficulties. There’s even a plan for all the junk we encounter. All our cares, worries and losses are designed to temper us into pure gold. God will be with us in every struggle – carrying us when times get too hard to endure. Don’t despair – don’t lose faith – never give up and trust in God.
Somewhere between then and now it became politically incorrect to use the Bible as a reference point by presidents of our country. Ronald Reagan wasn’t afraid to talk about God or about the founding of our nation under God’s laws and neither should we.
America grew out of a group of immigrants who wanted something better. They were dissatisfied by not being able to worship as they chose – by not being able to voice their opinions without fear of being labeled insurrectionists- by using God given talents to construct a whole new nation conceived in liberty; a nation that would go on to be one of the brightest and best because of the people not their leaders.
Unfortunately times have changed, but I believe the spirit of America is still alive. Most of us still know what the American dream is. There are those who realize that our accomplishments are the result of hard work and determination. The brilliance of a nation under God still glows and even though it may appear a dying ember, the fire is still there.
As citizens of this great nation, we set a day aside to honor the men who served as President. Most of them were men of honor. Some were self-serving. Some had their own agenda. Some were corrupt. Some were sincerely concerned about the future of America. They were all chosen by the people they would lead. Isn’t that the one great freedom we still possess?
On this President’s Day, let’s remember all the men that served their country in this high office, but let’s never forget our God who made this nation possible
Psalm 103:19 The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules overall.
The skies are filling up with crystalized water which will soon turn into more snow. By this time of the year, I shouldn’t be surprised by more of the white stuff, but when a major event is predicted, it kind of puts a hold on our lives – even here in the frozen tundra.
Shakespeare wrote these words many years ago. “You have such a February face, so full of frost, of storm and cloudiness.” We are expected to receive a huge amount of snow upon our roads, sidewalks and roofs. When you’re a child, fresh snow that’s perfect for making snow forts and snowballs is delightful. When you’re nearing 80, it brings added aches and pains, anticipation of the same and sadness that you can’t help in the removal of it.
When our lives reach the winter of our existence, it’s even harder to put on a happy face. For one thing, our faces have been frozen into blank expressions. Our eyes have lost their sparkle. Our bodies just can’t keep up anymore. However, I don’t think the elderly are the only ones that feel that way. We struggle through the mounds of crud in our lives every single day. We often face obstacles one right after the other, but God does have a purpose for all of it.
It’s not easy doing anything alone. When God is our strength, we can endure just about anything.
Lord, you have promised to be with me in every stage of my life. Help those who are suffering with pain and loss. Give hope to those who have lost hope. Watch over and protect our brothers and sisters in Ukraine and allow the world powers to make the right decisions. Be with all of us in the storms of life and give us the wisdom to trust in your will for whatever comes our way. Amen!
“Life is a train of moods like a string of beads, and, as we pass through them, they prove to be many-colored lenses which paint the world their own hue, and each shows only what lies in its focus.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
When I was a kid I thought that an optimist was someone who fitted you for glasses. In a way, I wasn’t too far off. An optimist is described in the dictionary as someone with thetendencytoexpectthebestandseethebestinallthings. In a way, the optimist has a tendency to clear up your vision.
As hard as I try, my rose colored glasses often get fogged up or smudged. I can’t always see as clearly as I would like to. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could just wash away the stuff that gets in the way of our perfect vision? One of the problems with being optimistic is that we are often setting ourselves up for disappointment. It would be great if we could wake up each morning with the hope of a perfect day, but this isn’t a perfect world. We start out with good intentions, but someone or something often gets in the way of making those dreams come true.
We may set our goal to make a difference in someone’s life, only to face a day with a difficult child or an aging parent. Our intentions may include being an encourager and suddenly we are brought down by a difficult problem of our own.. We may wish to look for the best in someone only to be put down by that very person. Our heart may be set on being a better listener, but our ears our suddenly filled with other distractions.
My God has made it possible to view the world in a different way. He looks at us and should see nothing but filth and ugliness. The smog and pollution that covers the earth is nothing in comparison to my sin. However, when Jesus died on the cross He cleaned up every last bit of the poison that infects my soul and yours. Because of that, we can look at the world in a different way.
“For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.” I Corinthians 13:1.
Call me a cockeyed optimist. Call me a dreamer. Call me a redeemed child of God!
Howling, whistling, streaming through a patch of aging trees,
The wind surprises and upsets and strips them of their leaves,
One day a lush green canopy, another turned to gold,
Soon withered, dry and sapped of life, they waiver in the cold,
The signs of life are all but gone, the snow will soon be here,
The days grow short, the sun subsides, but still we do not fear,
Beneath that cloak of white shall rise, new life again in spring,
Like we shall someday rise again. when new life God will bring.
We all are swept by winds of time, our days are very short,
We live, we dream, we try, we fail, the problems we can’t sort,
We’re pushed and tossed and crushed at times it seems,
But in our every trial, the blood of Christ redeems,
Our sins have been forgiven, our life is guaranteed,
God promises us His Kingdom if only we believe.
The wind is howling this morning and empty tree branches are snuggling up against the house to stay warm. The sound of wind can be peaceful, or it can carry fear within its wings. Meteorologists can predict weather, but they haven’t found a way to hold it back or contain it.
When God sends different forms of weather to us, it might be a wake-up call for us to remember He’s in charge. We don’t have the benefit of having God speak to us directly like He did to Moses and the Prophets, but we do have the sound of His voice and His very words in the Holy Bible which He inspired. Those words are His, and like the wind, they were whispered into the minds of those who penned them by God alone. He is in our lives even though we can’t see Him.
Job 26:14 “Behold, these are but the outskirts of His ways, and how small a whisper do we hear of Him! But the thunder of His power who can understand?”
I haven’t written a political post for a while. I’m trying with all my strength to avoid such things. There’s enough crud going on in our world today, however, I feel compelled to repost an article I wrote several years ago. During the pandemic I have developed a growing interest in world history. The internet is full of stories of war and how they were most often motivated by greed, power and politics. Our blogging friend, Salvageable, has written many interesting articles on war over the span of this world’s history and he seems to agree. I may be considered a nut case, but there are so many things about this Ukranian situation that just don’t sit right with me. Will we all be wiped off the face of the earth for political reasons?
PUBLISHED 09/24/2016
In 1997 a film was released which was filled with espionage, media hype, a war, a scandal, a movie producer with exceptional PR skills and lots of things that eventually came true. It was right before the Clinton-Lewinsky incident. The movie was an interesting story intended to be comedic, but it stirred the imaginations of many conspiracy theorists.
Could such a plot be unfolding right before our very eyes? The President’s ratings go down and there is another crisis to handle. The Congress has pretty much lost the confidence of its employers (us) and the Senate seems to have totally forgotten who they work for.
Rahm Emanuel quoted this early at the beginning of the Obama administration.
“You never let a serious crisis go to waste. And what I mean by that it’s an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before.”
Another movie, “the Manchurian Candidate” also dealt with the possibility of a Vice President being groomed by the Manchurian Global Corporation. The man’s mother basically sells her soul to the devil to make this happen. The plan is that once he’s elected, an assassination attempt will be made on the president, thus giving the job over to the son. The main plot is a global takeover by the Communist regime. These stories can make us wonder just how much of this stuff is true.
Our world is and will be in constant turmoil until the Day of Judgment, but we must never lose sight of the fact that God remains in control. If we continue to trust Him, we can be assured of a great outcome.
Lord, our world seems to be imploding. We see signs of end times each day. The ugliness of sin has inhabited every civilization. We turn to you in prayer, to bring comfort to all who suffer and are being persecuted. We pray for those who are starving and diseased. Protect them with your caring hands. Strengthen us through your Holy Word. Amen!
Last night I had the opportunity to attend a performance of “The Miracle Worker,” performed by young actors. It is the story of Helen Keller’s journey of inner strength learned through her teacher Annie Sullivan. The relationship between these two beautiful minds melds into a journey which gives Helen the ability to overcome deafness and blindness. The acting was amazing. The final scene left me in tears as it did many others in the audience.
The play brought to mind many things that are going on in my own life right now. I’m nearing the age of 80. I’ve been losing the ability to hear and often make mistakes when I respond to others because of it. It’s a frustrating situation – at times very painful, because of the embarrassment it causes – most of the time quite humorous. The cost of hearing aids has prevented me from getting them, along with the problems they can cause – like picking up a lot of unwanted noise, voices, static, etc. So, I tend to rely on closed captioning and lip reading of a sort. Maybe someone will come up with an Alexa that can transfer closed captions to people’s faces so I could see what they’re saying. It could happen.
The beauty of Helen Keller’s story is that even though what started as a game of imitating, turned into a complete understanding within the mind of this very intelligent young lady. We all hold that same inner strength, because that’s how God created us. He gave each of us the mind, soul and heart to fight the outside world even when we lack the outer tools. Whether we are physically disabled or not, we can overcome obstacles that seem insurmountable.
The mind is a wonderful gift from God. Some folks are gifted with compassion – some with physical strength, artistic abilities or scientific and analytical reasoning. Each mind is unique and individually designed for each of God’s creations. That’s what makes each one of us a unique part of the world around us.
My hearing may go away completely someday. I’m still holding out for an electronic device that clearly shows me what people are saying, but it probably won’t happen in my lifetime. I do know that I am a child of God and when I leave this world, I will possess a perfect body – the one that God intended for me in the first place. There will be no more tears, no sadness, no death or pain. Everything will be made new again.
PSALM 91:9-13 “Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place—the Most High, who is my refuge, no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the adder; the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.
Valentines have been shared. Hugs and flowers have been sent and received. I even went out yesterday and bought a valentine shaped box of candy for half price. You can see where my romantic side has been taken over by my Scrooge-like side. This year romantic love has taken a back seat to care giving, medical problem, ups and downs of a roller coaster ride that doesn’t seem to want to stop. Still, we push on towards the prize.
Life can be like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get. We’re born, we grow, we have relationships, we find out who we are and where we’re going, we fall in love, we overcome obstacles, sometimes we don’t, we live until there are only memories and then we die. The common thread in life is where we’re going and how we’re going to get there. For most, it will include a trail of tears, a ton of laughter, goal setting, failure, facing fear, building a future and living it. At the end, there’s only death. Then what?
Life is full of challenges. Some have more than others. How we face those obstacles will determine what happens when our life on earth ends. We can depend on ourselves, our intellect, our savvy or pizazz. We can find a partner whom we can trust completely. We can become part of a large organization where we can shine and make a name for ourselves. We might achieve some level of success in business, the arts, politics, sports or in the everyday jobs that run our nation. We could become famous. We might reach the top of the ladder only to fall suddenly to the bottom rung.
When we place our trust in things of this world, we’re clinging to something that soon loses purpose. We need the assurance that death isn’t the end of things. For those who trust in God, it’s only the beginning. When the final page is turned, we can be confident of eternal life – a life without disease or pain – void of hatred and fear – one filled with peace, purpose, love and perfection. I’d say that’s the greatest love story ever.
As I reach the end of my years, I find I have a lot of good information stored up in this old decrepit mind of mine. If I don't write it all down, it may vanish and no one will have the advantage of my thoughts. This is why this blog exists. I love the Lord, Jesus with all my heart and soul. I know I'm undeserving of all He's done for me, but I also know that His love is beyond my comprehension.
I've always wanted to write. I never kept diaries, but tucked my thoughts in my head for future reference. I use them now in creating stories, plays, poetry and my blog.
I continue to learn every day. I believe the compilation of our time spent with God will have huge affect on the way we live. I know I'm a sinner and I need a Savior. I have One through Jesus, Christ.
My book, "Stages - a memoir," is about the seven stages of life from the perspective of a woman. It addresses all the things girls and women go through in life as they travel it with Jesus, and it is available on Amazon.com.
Life is a patchwork of moments — laughter, solitude, everyday joys, and quiet aches. Through scribbled stories, I explore travels both far and inward, from sunrise over unfamiliar streets to the comfort of home. This is life as I see it, captured in ink and memory. Stick around; let's wander together.
atimetoshare.me 
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