Enjoying the beautiful fall weather

I do enjoy the fall weather. I like to walk in the leaves and hear them crinkle under my feet. I love the smell of the damp leaves after an autumn rain and the touch of warm wool on my skin. I marvel at God's handiwork as he paints the leaves yellow, red and orange.

Fall is a time of reflection and of harvest. I know that winter is not far ahead now. Yet when I breathe in the crisp, cool air and feel the warm sun on my face, I don't think of the coming winter. I thank God for the bounty he has given me and my family. I praise him that he continues to provide for me. I may not understand everything, but I do know that God is in control. That's enough for me. I hate the rush of pushing Christmas ahead of Thanksgiving. I'm reminded that we should be thankful for all the Lord gives us. I look at these golden fall days and want to stop time. It is in the fall when we can reflect on God's goodness and marvel at his handiwork.

Yes, some equate fall with the sense of loss. It doesn't have to be that way. Falling leaves are part of the renewal process. We all must go through the autumn and winter of our lives before the spring renews us.

Growing In Christ And Reaching Out To The World

The above sentence is the motto of Aldan Union Church. The members of this church do believe in growing in Christ and reaching out to the world. The pastors there preach the Word of God literally word by word as it is written. Admittedly it has been hard to follow recently as they changed from the NIV to the ESV. I do like the old NIV better, but that's just me. Yet I can still follow the passages, especially when the pastor uses the old NIV as a reference.

The church will be celebrating its 100th year next year....a whole year of celebration! Wow! I do like that there are plans in the works for the celebration. I look forward to seeing all that history.

Waiting In A Virtual Siberia

I'm not sure how I feel at this time. Anxious....yes. I have to admit that. Alone...yes. It's my fault though for this isolation. Scared...yes...at times I am. Yet I also feel strangely elated, like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I can't explain it. All I can say is that this mixture of feelings comes from the mixed messages I've been receiving lately. It's almost like I'm waiting in a virtual Siberia.

Siberia, as most historians and geographers know, is a desolate place. Back in the twentieth century (really not that long ago), children were threatened with the words; "We'll sent you off to Siberia!" This meant that you would be subjected to harsh punishment and be isolated from the world. Actually without the punishment part that might not be a bad thing. Being isolated, you wouldn't be bombarded by well wishers and advice. You'd have to work things out on your own. It might be hard though not to have human contact. I can only imagine what is going through the minds of those who are under quarantine right now. I know that they must be thinking that they are lost.

I do find myself praying for the Lord's coming on a daily basis. Yet I'm anxious that I'll succumb to the temptations and fears that are swirling around me. I know this "Siberia" time is for my good. I pray that I can be a light to others and show them God's love for them.

Quiet Time Alone With God

This is a beautiful country club. I've never been in it myself, but the woods and the lake are beautiful. I do like to walk the park across the street with the beautiful waterfall.

The bridge above is finally being fixed so cars can go through...but I kind of liked it when they were barred. It is so peaceful there...or at least it
was.

I spend my quiet time with God there. I read the bible and listen to the quiet. When I look at these pictures, I'm reminded that I have to stand still and not let things get to me. I need to take one day at a time.
Walking in the autumn woods settles me. I realize that whatever is bothering me now will soon fade away. My eyes rejoice to see the reds, yellows, oranges, brown and green of the trees. I am blessed. Yes, I'm still in a somewhat precarious situation without a steady income. Yes, I've had people question me about my choices and why I've been in this particular situation for so long.

It's only when I take the time to sit quietly and reflect on all the Lord is doing for me that I realize that I'm in the place he wants me to be in now. I can't change the fact that I'm considered unemployable to some....of course they are wrong. I've learned so much that at times I've been overwhelmed by it all.

Everyone, at one time or another, comes to a place where they have to think about what legacy they will leave behind them. This time for me has been just that. I've reflected much about what I'm doing and how I'm reflecting God's love to others. What will they think of me? Will they bless the time they had with me? Will my actions and words bring people to Christ or turn them away?

In looking for gainful employment and/or a steady stream of revenue, I've had to ask myself some hard questions. Would I be willing to condone and/or encourage someone to keep sinning just to have a steady position? How would my image be affected if I compromised my ideals to get a job? It's tough. You do want to project a positive image to the people around you....but at the same time you don't want to compromise on your beliefs either.

I cherish my quiet time with God.

Pandemic Fears

I have been following the news lately about Ebola, and frankly I'm scared to death. I can admit that freely even though I know the Lord has me in his almighty hands. I'm not sure what to do. I know that a lot of people are feeling the same way. The pandemic fear is spreading faster than the pandemic itself. Will we survive it? Will we want to survive it? These are the questions that keep rolling around in my head when I stop to read the articles and comments about Ebola. There are a lot of unknowns about this disease that has grown to pandemic portions within a period of six months.

It has given rise to questions about where to live as well as whether or not to stock up on food and sanitary supplies now before they become scarce. I do think a lot of it is geared towards stirring up panic and to get people to buy their supplies. Yet I can't help thinking that a lot could be just common sense reasoning too. You do have to build up your own immune system by nutritional supplements if you can't get fresh fruit and vegetables in you. You do have to be wise about food stocks, making sure that you're storing canned fruit and vegetables as well as other food stock. You do have to have a way of saving water as well.

I pray continuously to God to spare us from the ravages of a quarantined city where food and medical supplies are scarce. I pray that calm remains the law of the land, and wise decisions are made to thwart violence.

Moving Forward In A Bog

Yup...this is the scene. You've made it through what at the time seems like the worst thing that could happen. You know that you are still struggling to understand why it happened or how you can fix it. At this time you can't imagine yet that things will get better for you. It does seem like you're moving forward in a bog with no direction.

This is the time to realize how much the Lord has already blessed you. You need to be thankful for the people supporting you, not complaining that things are not going the way you expected them to go.

The above photograph, an autumn scene from last year, reflects my current mood. It seems like everything is dying, yet we all know that spring will come again. Just like I know in my heart that though I'm moving forward in a bog right now, I will see spring again.

I think of this tree, seen here on the left, as symbol of growth and promise of a better tomorrow. I hold onto to hope and press forward to the light.

A boost when it was needed most

It did seem for a time that all was lost. I wanted to throw in the "towel" and let the organization die. I told myself that no one cared. Of course that wasn't true. I had much to learn. I realize that. I couldn't do it either by myself. I knew that too. Yet amazingly so many others have came to my rescue...they stayed when it seemed that everything was falling apart at the seams. They told me not to quit and gave me a reason to continue.

Yes, the society is still in a critical phase. There is no denying that. I could wallow in self-pity and shame for some minor offenses or I could pick myself up, admit that I failed and move forward. Moving forward after a crisis isn't going to be easy. It is going take guts and courage to face the ugly naysayers who long to pull you down to their level.

It would be easy to give in to the naysayers. It takes courage and guts to stand up for what you believe and be willing to sacrifice everything for them. I had to tell myself that it was God's will that this situation happened, and that I was being tested. Would I stand up for him? Yes. I can't do anything else...God hates sin. There is no compromise here. Sin is sin. To believe that God will accept sinners who keep sinning is wrong and dangerous. If we condone sin, what is the unbeliever to believe about us? Yes, as painful as it still is....I believe that this happened for a reason. Have I learned something? I have. I learned a lot about the people around me, and about my own strengths. I realized that this whole situation is bigger than just what's currently happening in the society. Everyone needs to ask this pertinent question. How willing are you to stand up for what you believe in? Would you crumble at the least provocation? Or will you stand and reach out to others who need to see your stance?

I appreciate the strong Christian who is willing to make necessary sacrifices so others may know God and follow him. They give me a boost when I need it most. It is through their example that I see the Lord working. It is through God's word that I gain strength to face each day.