Last night was rerun night on PBS along with their usual campaign to raise funds. We’ve seen this series many times and it never fails to satisfy. Ken Burns always brings us to a different plain when it comes to how we feel about our country. In this series about the National Parks, it reignites those feelings of pride in our country and one of the best ideas it ever had.
As we look at the magnificent photography of these wild and natural places, filled with beauty beyond compare its hard not to be thankful and amazed all at the same time. These places are like the “beginning of creation,” and they need to remain that way. The parks have grown in number and are visited by their owners (the citizens of America) every summer. I remember going through some when our children were younger. Because they are part of us we have an obligation to keeping them safe and free from the infestation of those who would turn them into side shows and tourist traps. Fortunately that hasn’t happened – yet.
I can’t help but wonder how long that will last. Remember, if you will, how the land was eaten up by early American settlers in search of a better place to live, along with the very rich who built up that land with factories, cities, railroads and industry of all sorts. In the process, a whole nation filled with Native Americans was displaced or destroyed. Not to mention those who searched for their fortune in the land itself during the gold and silver rushes of our history. Then the land poured out its oil and a whole different group of investors made yet another fortune.
I also wonder where all these newcomers to our nation will live as we keep making room for more and more immigrants. Mind you, I’m not saying anything about those who legally enter our country. I am descended from immigrants as most every American is. What will our America look like in another hundred years? Will the wild places be devoured by humans? Will our national treasures turn into landfills or slum filled cities? I pray that never happens, but it is something to think about.
When the National Parks came into being, we were in the middle of a civil war. Even in a time of crisis our leaders were looking out for the unbelievable landscapes that remained unscathed by human hands. These places are a heritage that we must maintain as they are today.
As Americans we often look at this word as a means whereby discussions lead to agreement on one thing or another. The word itself was derived from the Latin and basically meant to do business. Unfortunately, the tact involved in negotiation has somewhat slipped into the abyss. Even in our own country, where freedom of speech is allowed, standing up for our own principles and ideas has taken a back seat to following the crowd, or doing what is popular or politically correct. We are asked to tolerate everything and yet our own opinions are very often overlooked and not tolerated at all.
Having a discussion or negotiating involves more that one person. The ultimate negotiation comes when both or all parties come to a satisfactory agreement. Usually this doesn’t happen when one side or the other refuses to budge.
“What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask.”
James 4:1-2
The above Bible verse explores the possibility of disagreements being caused by inner fights within the mind or thoughts of one of the parties. In such cases, negotiation is pointless, because you will never change the mind of someone who is conflicted themselves. When we dive into the realm of politics and discuss these things with others, we can always plan on a fight of some kind. Most often it results in the defeat of one of the people involved. That defeat can lead to anger, revenge or retaliation in some form or another.
When we come together to share ideas – to try to come up with solutions to problems – make the necessary concessions – we need to come with an open mind, not rigidity, relentlessness or immovability, If we can’t do so, we’re shutting the door before we even have a chance to voice our thoughts and opinions.
Many who have this strong, stubborn streak are advocates for being tolerant and kind to everyone, but that doesn’t always manifest in their actions. Jesus wants us to love one another, even when we don’t always agree. Part of kindness is being willing to open yourself to other people’s opinions along with sharing your own without being negative.
We could use a little kindness right now. Our civilization is living on the edge. People are unsure of what lies ahead. They’re insecure, frightened and deeply concerned about the state of affairs in our world and in our homes. Please, if you are going to talk about vaccinations, COVID19, masks or the political climate in our world, stop and think before you speak and do so in a way that you’d want to be treated.
Every day it seems something new hits the headlines. We’re fearful of a variant of COVID. We fear for the safety of our country. We wonder about our political leaders and their competency. We hear of horrific crimes against humanity. Death is at the gate.
Kids will soon be returning to school. Will they be wearing masks? What will they be taught? Are they becoming more and more confused by issues that used to be pretty cut and dried? Some will be graduating and moving on to life changing careers. What does the future hold for them?
It seems that each day brings some bad news that definitely will test our will to go on and create fears in our mind. It does become overwhelming to even those who place their trust in God. We have no control over the wind, the rains, the sun. We can’t count the stars in the heavens. In the face of God’s magnificence, we are very small. We think for some reason that we can change things – that we can find the answers to the world’s problems – that we can interfere in God’s plan for life.
It would be nice to look ahead and see the light at the end of the tunnel. If only we had the proverbial Genie in the magic lamp or a true fortune teller who could give us a glimpse into what lies ahead. But, would that be any better? If we knew what was coming next, it might be very depressing and draw us further into the pit of despair.
Many might say that all the things going on in our world right now are signs of the coming of the end of the world. Well the Bible tells us that no one knows when that will occur. There have been signs since the beginning of the first human beings. Death was one of those signs. We all have that to contend with. We can’t escape death, but we have the promise that because God delivered us from sin, we will inherit eternity in heaven. That’s the truth and a promise you can depend on. We may not know what will happen next, but we do know that our future is in God’s hands and even before we die, He will be there to take care of us.
2 Timothy 3:1-7
“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. 6 For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, 7 always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.”
Left to right bottom row – Pearl played by Kathy (me), Ruby/Christine, and Opal/June – back row Gail our sound effects person and Todd, the auctioneer and plumbing salesman
For the next three days we will rehearse our next episode of Jewels of deNial. This is the show I’ve been collaborating on with my senior acting and prolific writers. This show is about the theatre I work at, which was once a children’s theatre and now has classes for all ages. The restrooms have created an unforeseen problem. All the toilets are designed for children and with the addition of 55+ actors, we have to replace them. Our group, which spans three decades, has a lot of ideas how to solve the issue. We’re going to have an auction to raise money to raise the toilets.
I’ve been blessed to be part of this project for almost two years. We’ve written a few episodes – recorded three of them and will present “The Auction” this weekend to a live audience. There’s nothing like live theatre. You never know for sure how your work will be received. There’s an energy that flows from stage to audience and back to the stage, which can’t be described. It’s almost magical. I never get tired of the feeling. Undoubtedly I will spend the remaining years of my life involved with theatre in some form or another. It’s really true what they say about it getting into your blood.
During the course of the collaboration, we’ve been sharing from our own life experiences. You know the stories the keep getting bigger with the telling. They become more and more hilarious as they’re repeated and often go further than reality, but isn’t that what creativity allows us to do.
Life in its final chapters can be a series of visits to the doctor – becoming addicted to the TV – with limited physical and mental activity. The lack of exercise for our minds and bodies, soon gives way to death. What fun to be able to live life to the fullest right up until the last breath.
Five years ago, we downsized after 24 years of living in the same house to one half the size. It was a time of purging – release – letting go and giving up. I believe I had about five garage sales that year. Whatever we didn’t sell, we donated to the local thrift stores and finally hired a truck to pick up the things that we couldn’t get rid of any other way.
My husband had crates of stored art work and equipment along with many items he just couldn’t let go of. He has a sentimental heart and loves to hang onto things that have a personal memory. I’m more of an organizer and tend to toss without thinking, even though I found it difficult to give up thirty years of costumes from my children’s theatre.
To get to my point of this post today. Since we moved in our little 1875 farm house, we’ve been to many garage sales – rummage sales – liquidation & downsizing sales and yard sales. No matter what you call it, it comes down to getting rid of things we no longer need to carry as excess baggage. Are you toting an extra load today? I’m not talking about physical things, but more about the emotional heaviness we place on ourselves.
Wouldn’t it be nice if we could just simply snap our fingers and get rid of it? Our burdens can lead to so many more difficult problems – like depression, anger, anxiety, fear, loss, grief. Compounded all these elements add a lot of weight to the already stifling encumbrance. It’s really much easier than snapping your fingers. Jesus invites us to cast our burdens on Him. He will carry them for us. Sounds like a pretty easy way out. When we create the mess, we often want to fix it ourselves. In other words, we get in the way of His doing what He does best. We need to let Him.
So, we continue to collect old stuff – nostalgic and inspirational things from another time. It’s not like we need any of it. In fact our backyard sometimes looks like an ongoing yard sale. These items give us interesting things to look at while we’re outdoors. They are a collection of art objects in a way and often fodder for a painting or two. Sometimes we need to clean up the clutter though and get rid of some of those things that occupy so much of our time and effort.
Today is Garage Sale Day. The weather is perfect for it. There’s really nothing I’m in great need of, but the pull of a garage sale is always there for me. I usually find something to add to the mess. When it becomes to overwhelming, I ask for help.
In a world that’s filled with instant mashed potatoes, instant rice, instant news, instant results and instant madness its hard to wait. In the famous infomercials where they tell you, “But wait, there’s more,” it’s usually followed by a buy one, get one free offer, or more. We’re assured that they are assured that we will like the product so much that we will be willing to wait for it. So much so, that we will wait for two or more of said product.
I’m not considered a very patient person. As years progress, I find myself not wanting to wait for anything anymore. I don’t have that much time left after all. Oh, I know what you’re thinking. We’re all going to die someday and I’ll probably live another twenty years (heaven help us) or more. I know I could get hit by a car today and maybe go straight to heaven, but I’ve waited for 79 years for that blessing and I’m glad I’m still looking forward to it. When we are forced to wait, the waiting seems almost unbearable. We don’t like timelines, especially when it interferes with the plans we’ve already made and sealed in blood. The interrupted trips, because of the infernal virus, come to mind. Kids can’t wait for summer vacation – going back to school – getting out of school again – waiting for a home cooked meal – waiting for the cookies in the oven – waiting for report cards to come out. We all have an agenda when it comes to waiting.
Lately we’ve been asked to do a lot of waiting. Maybe that’s a good thing. When we have a lot of time to consider the repercussions or blessings that might ensue, it makes the decisions easier to make. When we wait for a test result – a “yes” to a proposal of marriage – an acceptance of an offer on a house – time seems a little more imperative. The answer will often dictate our future.
God wants us to wait for Jesus’ second coming. We have no idea when that will occur. Even Jesus’ human side can’t answer that question. But all the signs around us are pointing to the end of the world as we know it. Why can’t it just be over with so we can experience paradise right now?
Winnie the Pooh was a wise little bear. He once said,
“Sometimes, if you stand on the bottom rail of a bridge and lean over to watch the river slipping slowly away beneath you, you will suddenly know everything there is to be known.” He also said, “Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there some day.”
There is a reason for all things under the sun. God is the only One who knows what the reason is. Yet in His infinite knowledge He allows us to be refined through the process and gives us the truth that ultimately we all win in the end. We can be assured of that. But wait! Nope, that’s all there is to it.
“When the whole world is running towards a cliff, he who is running in the opposite direction appears to have lost his mind.” C. S. Lewis
I’ll bet you thought this was going to be a post about us becoming a herd of sheep. It isn’t really, though I probably will write that one someday. Today I’m thinking about the foolish things that were said to us as children and we continued to perpetuate to ours and they to theirs. It’s kind of a right of passage. “Eat your vegetables. Don’t you know that children are starving in China?” When I heard that as a child, I often wondered how my eating my vegetables was going to benefit some starving kid in China. Or how about this one? “Eat your spinach, it will grow hair on your chest.” Why would I even want to grow hair on my chest?
When we’re parents, we often say dumb things. We repeat what we heard as children. We speak without thinking and often leave a negative memory in the mind of those we’re talking to. For example: “Don’t step on a crack, you’ll break your mother’s back.” So now we are laying the blame on our children for his mom’s backaches.
When I was a child, I heard that sitting on cement would give you piles. I couldn’t imagine what that meant. Piles of what? Would I be glued to the cement and it would climb all the way to heaven? Later I discovered that piles was another name for hemorrhoids. Another falsehood came when I was told that cracking my knuckles would later cause arthritis. I’m still wondering about that one.
Currently our words and actions are on display for everyone to judge. So we must be extra careful about how we use them. Instead of worrying about walking on cracks in the pavement, we’re being led to believe that we must walk on eggs and not say anything that could be misinterpreted. However some of those old sayings have some merit. The book of Proverbs is full of them. Thinking before we speak doesn’t always happen when you’re on Twitter or Facebook. We tend to respond in the moment and that’s when we get into trouble.
But is some of our individuality being challenged when we must be like everyone else? Maybe it’s best to just keep quiet and say nothing. Well, like I said, that’s a whole different post which I will someday write. Oh, maybe I just did.
Since another school year is about to begin, I thought it might be a good idea to get organized. First I’ll write a “to do list.” I used to be really good at that until the “to do list” became too overwhelming. So I started making mental notes instead. When you reach your 70s, it’s not a good idea to rely on memory, so I’m thinking about revisiting the list idea. OK, here’s my list:
Get out of bed, put my teeth in and brush the few I have left.
Don’t look in the mirror until you can bear the reflection.
Write devotion for the day.
Get dressed.
Think of all the things I have to do today.
Go back to bed.
Albert Einstein once said, “Out of clutter, find simplicity. From discord, find harmony. In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” I guess you could say I’m waiting for my opportunity.
The image I’m showing today has nothing to do with the topic of this post. I just had to chuckle and share it with you, because I sometimes need reminders of the important things in life. Laughter is always beneficial to our well being, unless we’re the ones being laughed at. I have always believed that making a joke about something or laughing at my own stupid mistakes helps me to get over myself. I guess you could call that humbling oneself, but more often it causes more attention to be drawn to myself.
Most of us today have become hermits. Some because of fear – some by necessity – some because of a permanent phobia called COVID19. Lately, this dreadful disease is in the news again. Sometimes change is necessary for our well being, but I think it’s basically good for helping us move on and beyond. Our world is in a constant change of flux – and I’m not talking about acid reflux – although that can be a real problem too. We tend to resist change. Most of us like order. We like the structure of worshiping a certain way. We feel cheated if we don’t see familiarity in the things we do. We are creatures of habit and even though God has changed our hearts – He never changes. We can trust his consistency to lead us through any of the changes that come our way.
We should be used to those alterations by the time we reach our senior years, but often we are so deeply seated in tradition, we refuse to change. We might even ignore the good that will come from change. We defend our right to continue as usual. We get angry and even fight change, because it doesn’t blend with our way of thinking. Sometimes, we simply avoid the situation that’s undergoing change and refuse to be part of it. We might make excuses for not changing or worse yet avoid the situation altogether.
It seems that the older I get, the stronger my stubborn attitudes get. I think I know better. I refuse to try something new, because the old way of doing things always worked for me in the past. I’m even fearful that change is going to effect the way I think about my God, my worship, my pride. There’s that word – “pride.” One of those words that used to have a different meaning, but has now transcended all of my former thinking. Pride used to mean the feeling we get when we can accomplish something that might’ve been inconceivable before.
So, can you teach an old dog new tricks? I think you can. I’m an old dog and I don’t feel I will ever stop learning. We should never become so set in our ways, that we refuse to change. Who knows, it may even be for the better?
Water color paintings at Parley Lake Winery, by Paul Boecher
“Proverbs 3:9-10 Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the first fruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.“
Every day is a blessing from God. We have another chance – a time to try again – an opportunity to share what we have with others. The simplicity of water color paint has many obstacles to overcome. The artist needs to learn to control the flow of the paint, otherwise the paint will take over. What we exhibit through our talents are like that too. If we try to do things alone, we are more likely to make mistakes. We need the Master Artist to shape, form and mold us. When we put ourselves first, we’re setting ourselves up for failure. With God beside us, we can make a masterpiece.
The simplicity of Yoda’s words should be made into a plaque and hung in a conspicuous place in our homes. Fear has the ability to disable – to cripple – and crush us, if we let it. I’ve gotten hooked on the old television series, “Monk,” in which the protagonist is in this state of existence. His phobias are many. He’s afraid of germs, afraid of heights, afraid of flying, fears anything that’s out of order (OCD,) afraid of not finding his wife’s murderer. His fears are cause for him to see a psychiatrist, as often happens when people experience fear of any kind. When the fears outnumber the positive things in life, it becomes a curse. Even in his state of constant fear, Monk is able to put pieces together to solve an unsolvable crime. He refers to his talent as a blessing, but also a curse.
His case is extreme by most standards, but can you imagine what it would be like to be controlled by your fears? We all have them. I have lots of them. I fear heights, I’m claustrophobic, I am afraid of dying from drowning. I’ve even had visions of drowning as the Titanic went under and so did I. Some might call that premonition of a past life. I think it’s something I’ve dreamed up in the recesses of my creative mind.
At times it seems that our entire nation is being controlled by fear. Right now we’re wondering if the pandemic will ever end. We’re afraid to get vaccinated or we’ve been sold a bill of goods that makes us think the cure will be worse than the cause. We have a government that is ruled by a wealthy, aging group of Senators who seem destined to keep their jobs forever. Doing those jobs is something else again. An aristocracy, not unlike the government that ruled our first colonies from England, has insidiously grown into more of the same. Our leaders can’t be trusted. Our media is beyond our trust. The general population has opted for the easy way out and no longer puts its trust in law enforcement. We fear death, depression, mental illness, anxious moments, fear of failure and so much more, Some are even afraid of living and choose to end it. Who do we trust? For many, the answer is that we can only trust ourselves. For some of us, we’ve learned that trust in God is the only answer.
Our fears can capture us and like Monk, we can be enslaved by them. So what is the solution to this madness? Who do you trust when everything is closing in on you? Where do you go when life seems impossible? Is there any place, person or thing that can relieve your fears or allow you to live with them? I think we might be surprised to know that we aren’t alone in our fears. I would venture to say, everyone has given in to one or another of the fears that plague us. The fact is that not all of us will be disabled by them if we trust in the only One who can be trusted. God is our Shield – our Protection – our Champion – Our Leader – our Shepherd – our Comfort and our promise of life everlasting. He alone can wash away our fears and He did so when He gave up His earthly life and died. But it didn’t end there. He rose and overcame death on the third day after His crucifixion. He returned in a glorified body, with only the remnants of scars left by the nails that held Him and the sword that pierced His side.
So join me today, outside of the dark side. We are no longer slaves to darkness. Jesus has made it possible to see our fears, repent of them and lay them at the foot of the cross. When you flee from those fears, you will be able see the Light and place your trust in the One True God.
On our watch list for last night – the movie, “D.C. 911 Time of Crisis.” We’re coming up on the 20th anniversary of this horrific event and hadn’t seen this flick, so decided to take a look. It was well worth the two hours. This was an unbelievable, incredulous and organized planned attack on our own United States by terrorists. This movie guides us through the day of the attacks and the days that followed. Filled with compelling performances and well defined characters, I found it to be sensitive to the issues at hand.
When we reach 9.11.2021, twenty years will have passed since that paralyzing event. I recall the resurgence of patriotism and anger that ensued towards the perpetrators. So when did all the love of country and taking a strong hand against our enemies get swept into the closet, never to be recalled except once a year when names are read and bells toll? Most of the young people in America today weren’t even born yet. Many were too young to know what was going on. Many of the patriots have since died in defense of their country.
As I watched the events unfold on the screen, I couldn’t help but recall some of the things that were going through my head on that day. We had just finished breakfast and were looking out on a beautiful autumn day. The skies were exceptionally clear and blue. There wasn’t a cloud anywhere. We had the morning news on the TV when the first plane crashed into the tower. It was like watching a movie – something surreal and outlandish. The blue skies on that screen were quickly filled with flames and clouds of black smoke. We soon realized that it was actually happening – right in the hub of America, NYC. With each of these attacks, it seemed more and more unexplainable. Who was doing this? Why were they crashing into buildings using planes as the accelerant? As days went on and facts came forth on the perpetrators, it became apparent that we were dealing with a mob of terrorists intent on destroying the core of our nation. My first thought was to purchase a flag and fly it proudly outside our house. There were none to be found. Everyone else had the same idea, People attended special church services to ask for God’s intervention – to pray – to hug each other – to hold tightly to the faith that had sustained them for years. Suddenly the freedoms we held so close to our hearts had been singed by the power of evil. Fear set in. We didn’t feel safe anymore. Going to the store or walking outside was a fearful experience. In a way the terrorists had already won the battle. In their effort to destroy lives and infrastructure, they managed to take away a piece of our freedom.
I wonder what would happen if that event were to occur today, rather than 20 years ago. Would we still be filled with a patriotic spirit? Have we grown so distrustful of our government that we don’t even believe they have our best interests at heart? As God has shown us in so many eras, His timing is always perfect. Such a time as this – is now being reserved for physical well being, fighting a virus, wearing a mask, taking on a battle against a disease rather than a weapon of mass destruction. Still it isn’t much different is it?
I pray that our country will again gain the trust of its people. When we are united we are so much stronger. When we have the same goals, yet fight among ourselves, we are self-defeating. Maybe it’s time to return to God and build our relationship with Him again. Maybe when we do that, the love of country will be rekindled as well.
“Let us not forget that the cultivation of the earth is the most important labor of man. When tillage begins, other arts will follow. The farmers, therefore, are the founders of civilization.” Daniel Webster
I’d like to add to Daniel Webster’s quote. God is the Creator of all things, therefore civilization is ultimately under His protection.
We took our weekly drive yesterday afternoon and couldn’t help noticing the bounty of sweet corn still in the fields, waiting to be harvested. There’s still a haze covering the heavenly expanse, but life continues to exist in the parched ground below. Some farmers are facing drought conditions, while other more affluent farmers have access to irrigation systems. No matter what the weather, no matter how much we fuss or fret over it, God is still present in His creation.
Paul is finishing up a camp with seniors 55+. They’ve been focusing on watercolor art, which is new for some of them. The goal of all of Paul’s classes and workshops is to have his students realize it’s never too late to start something new – to explore your inner talents – to expand your horizons – and in the process make some new and lasting friendships. One week and his mission has been accomplished. Since my husband is known for his gift of gab as well as his gift for art, it’s easy for him to communicate those very things to his students.
In a way he’s a farmer. He plants the seeds, nurtures them as they grow, tends to the weeds that get in the way of their growth and provides tools for them as well. Both of us have always felt this way about our talents. They are indeed gifts from God and a means whereby we can magnify His name. Even as we are aging and withering, like many of the crops this year, there is still life in us. As long as that exists, we have an obligation to share our knowledge and blessings with others. God makes the difference in the sowing of the seeds.. He is the Master Gardener and will bring life when it looks like there’s none to be found. We are merely the caretakers of His creation.
Thank a farmer today. They are the backbone of our nation – even when it looks like there’s no hope for a fruitful harvest. They take chances every day in their occupation so that we can reap the benefits. Many of the difficult tasks connected with farming have been replaced by machines, but the willingness to risk everything is still alive and well.
Who can forget the trouble Wylie Coyote got into as he pursued the infamous Road Runner. It all began with a stick of dynamite and a short fuse. The same was true for dear, sweet Elmer Fudd. He also was known to run to Acme’s arsenal for ammunition to blow up Bugs Bunny’s rabbit hole. In both cases, the short fuse backfired and often blew up one of the instigators in the process, but never fear. They always reappeared in the next scene – fully restored and back to their nefarious tricks.
Anytime we succumb to anger, we’re in fact lighting a very short fuse. Without thinking, we say and do things that we ordinarily wouldn’t say or do. The insidious emotion of anger has a way of doing that to even the most sane among us. Sometimes we don’t even need to be motivated by anger. A wrong word – an empty phrase – a thoughtless act can have the same result. Anger, in my opinion, is usually associated with a bomb exploding. There’s no thought process, just action. Once the fuse is lit, the action has been set in motion and if the fuse is short, it will explode before we have the chance to snuff it out.
In the world today, we’re seeing more and more short fuses. Part of that conundrum is caused by misunderstanding. Some is because of the not thinking before doing part. Sometimes we simply are letting off steam and someone gets in the way. With all the madness of the world, we are inundated with negativity and the fuse simply gets shorter and shorter. Therefore, before we even light the fuse, we all need to take a trip to the only arsenal that will deliver us from evil action. That source is the Word of God and it never fails to eliminate the negative things we face each day.
Proverbs 14:29 “Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.’
Ephesians 4:26-27 “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger and give no opportunity to the devil.”
James 1:26 “If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless.”
Romans 12:2 “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Let’s put Acme’s Arsenal out of business. The short fuse is useless against the Word of God.
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.
