Volcano-a blast in the past

Seeing that volcanic ash caused a chill to go up and down my spine. How foolish we are to think that we have any control over anything! Yet we still do clamor for it. We say that we'll figure a way out ourselves. We try to blame each other for what's happening. We don't understand why we can't have things our own way.

Do we see God in this? Yes. He is listening, even when it seems as if we're heading down a long, dark tunnel. Is there something to be learned here? Yes. There is...and that is that we need to be grateful for all the things God has blessed us with...and that we need to redeem time.

More end time reflections

I'm not surprised that he cancelled the National Day of Prayer. I do fear for our nation. God has us in his crosshairs. The only reason we've been spared thus far is that he has promised to save those who come to him from his wrath.

Unfortunately this has been coming for a long time. I know. I felt ever since I was a child that my generation....that is everyone born in 1960-1969...was somehow marked as what some would consider the "end-times" generation. This means that the anti-christ would be my contemporary. The signs are all there:

1) The year the anti-christ would be born would be marked as one where there would be a complete and total break from the Judeo Christian heritage that you and your contemporaries grew up. (This is not to say that Mr. Obama is...but some of his policies have that feel to it)

2)The 1960's were marked by a break with everything...and with no foundation...everything fell apart.

I do fear that we need to be prepared for:

More restrictions on a number of things
More hatred towards Christians
God's wrath in the form of more natural disasters

Yet, we must hold out hope. The Lord will sustain us, and take us home to be with him.

Do you remember the bonus question on the Easter quiz? Luke 23:28-29 But Jesus turning unto them said: "Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves,and for your children. For the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck.(KJV) I believe that those days are coming upon us now. So I weep for my niece Aydia, and for all those that are with child. It is not going to be pleasant for those who decide to stand up against the evil forces.

Anti-Christ reflections

More and more the times grow dark. You realize with each breath that you seem to be living on borrowed time. You long for a time that isn't there anymore. You feel tired and a bit overwhelmed by the forces that threaten to take your very soul away if they could. Everyone tells you that you should have known. You didn't. You wanted to ignore the signs, and pretend that everything was normal. It wasn't, and it never will be.

Are you a prophet? No...but the visions come anyway. They talk of an oppressive government that threatens to suck the life out of you. You want to scream. You don't. What good will it do? They call him Messiah, and seemingly worship him. He promises good things and tells everyone to follow him. He says everyone who opposes him are fools. "Why wouldn't everyone want these good things?" he asks with a hint of sarcasm. Yet they don't understand the enormous cost they will to pay. A cost that will enslave a whole world...

They called him "Messiah" because he promised to bring them out and make them whole. He wore a black man's face and smile that told Cassandra that his promises would soon prove to be false. Even now, his words stabbed Cassandra's conscious being with a force that she never reckoned with in her short forty-five year existence. She was afraid of what he could do.

His eyes seem to meet hers, even though he was a thousand miles away and his image was being projected on a television screen. Cassandra shivered, noting that he condemned her as well. Images flooded her soul at the prospect of what would now happen to her. Would he decide to end her life? At this moment, Cassandra felt a resistance to that thought. She didn't want to die, but knew that most thought that she deserved to die for her part in what transpired. He had to fulfill his promise to punish those that had been involved, even though in her case, it was a very limited involvement.

Easter reflections

What do we usually think about during this time of year? My thoughts wander more readily to the sacrifice the Lord made for us. I realize that he didn't have to do anything. He could have stayed in Heaven, forgot about us and let us drift away. If we were honest with ourselves, we would admit that sometimes we think that he has. It isn't true. He holds us in his arms and waits for us to notice him. I admittedly struggle with the concept of sacrifice. I wonder why. I see in my mind's eye the images of the Lord hanging on that cross. He did his father's will. How many of us can say the same?

Most, if they would admit to themselves, focus more on the pagan aspects of the celebration of Easter. It's hard to fathom what the Lord went through during those hours. Yet we also know that if he hadn't, then we would all be lost.

A time to be born, a time to die

I treasure the time I have to reflect on the wonders of life. New life is precious. You see a smiling newborn, and realize that this new life rejoices in its newness. It is a renewel. A time to reflect on the preciousness of life.

I realize this in the midst of a season where death seems to hover over us. I reflect on the Lord's sacrifice. I ponder how he could love me so much to die in my place.

I long for the time to see Christ in all his glory. Yet I know that I am needed down here.

Just like the flowers, I bloom in the sunlight of his love. Lord, thank you for that great love. Sometimes it's so hard to be thankful. The world tears you down, making you think that nothing is worthwhile or that you're worthless. You, O Lord, make me feel worthy. You bless me daily with the friends I see, my family and the challenges I face.

God's time

Often I wonder about what it would be like not to have to worry all the time about the things I can't do anything about at all. It's funny how often things seem to grow all out of proportion. You think that you can control it. Yet you can't. Once you let go, it all falls into place. I have been thinking lately about how I'm spending my time. I try to box it, but it doesn't seem to stay in one place. I try to regulate it...portion it out so that each second has some meaning or purpose. It doesn't work. I try to pretend that it's not passing or that my puny efforts will make it stop. I then recall a story I read in the bible about the sun standing still for six hours. I have to stand back then and realize that God has a plan for me and my life. So I have to stop worrying. That's easier said than done....and goes back to the first sentence of this blog.

Can you picture what it would be like? I imagine God smiling at me, encouraging me to let go and let him rule in my life.

End Times

More and more lately I feel that we're definitely in the period of time commonly referred to as the "End Times." I feel anxious at times, knowing that there are so many that don't know the Lord as their Savior. Yet, I also know...and have had it re-enforced in the past week or so...that everything is in God's hands. I'm thankful that this is so. I then realize as I look around, how blessed I am.

I recall even now the "Footprints" poem that is posted on my refrigerator. How true it is! God's timing is not ours. I walk along the beach, noting the hotels in the horizon and wonder at God's provision for me. I know I'm unworthy of his love. He gives it freely.