The time between Christmas and New Year's is often a good time to reflect over events that happened in the past year. This year has been a "holding pattern" kind of year for me. I watched from the sidelines as things happened, but didn't feel the need to get involved. I recall now that I started this blog ten or eleven years ago. Back in 2009 we were just feeling the effects of the Obama policies. I'd got into a very unstable position. I was still working steadily, so I had that.
I do have a feeling that things will radically change this next year. The push for socialism and control will continue unabated. Democratic control ensures that the socialistic agenda will move forward. Some of us will be called to fight for our freedom. We will not be able to stand on the sidelines and watch.
In some ways we will witness the end of an era. No longer will we be able to stand back and wait on developments. As I listen to the fireworks go off, I cringe. I know that the lessening of laws have made it too easy to acquire and fire them off in residential areas. I pray for protection...that no stray embers fall on my roof or anyone's roof.
At times like this I admittedly feel helpless. I don't like this feeling. I know that I need to trust God more.
I need to remember that God does have a plan. It is a perfect plan. I may not like what I see before me. I may stress and worry about the future. Yet I do know that God has the future. I don't have to worry about what this new year will bring. The song I keep hearing is "I'm Almost Home."...At least I think that is the title of the song. When I hear these damn fireworks, I have to remind myself that I have no control over them. God does.
At times like this I feel needy. I know that this is a selfish feeling, because God fills all my needs. It is hard especially when I hear these damn fireworks and they seem so close! Oh, Lord...how I wish they were still banned.
I don't have any control. I pray that everyone's house is protected from fireworks, Lord God. Please place a shield around our homes that the fireworks will fall harmlessly to the ground and be put out without causing a fire. Please answer my prayer, Lord God for this country...that the fires that are now burning will be put out. We need you. I do claim your promise that you will not forsake us.
Tuesday, December 31, 2019
Monday, December 23, 2019
Celebrating Christmas and Looking Forward to the New Year
Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. When I think about the reason for the season, I realize how much we need to be reminded that God is in control. Jesus came to Earth at a time when Romans ruled the world. Israel was under Roman rule. The people were waiting eagerly for a savior. It wasn't known then that a savior had indeed come into the world. Most people were ignorant, wanting to believe whatever the Romans pressed onto them. Some were frightened by the world around them. They were oppressed and felt forsaken.
Jesus came as a baby in a manger. He was helpless and dependent on others. He was despised and rejected. No one wanted to hear him. He didn't come as a king, but as an ordinary person. Yet his birth is celebrated even now. The angels proclaimed his birth to the shepherds, not to "important" people. It was ordinary shepherds who first visited the baby Jesus and told others about what they saw. It is the same today. Ordinary people still share the story of Jesus in the manger.
It wasn't until almost two years after his birth, that wise men from the East came to Bethlehem to see Jesus. It wasn't until Herod heard about the Messiah prophecy that he decided to kill all the male babies from birth to two years old in Bethlehem. When I think about the very narrow escape that Jesus had that sent him and his family to Egypt, I know that God's timing is perfect.
I do look forward to the New Year knowing that God's timing is still perfect. He is in control of all things, for all things came into being by him. It is a good reminder that God loves us so much that he sent his son to die for our sins...that we may have eternal life with him.
Jesus came as a baby in a manger. He was helpless and dependent on others. He was despised and rejected. No one wanted to hear him. He didn't come as a king, but as an ordinary person. Yet his birth is celebrated even now. The angels proclaimed his birth to the shepherds, not to "important" people. It was ordinary shepherds who first visited the baby Jesus and told others about what they saw. It is the same today. Ordinary people still share the story of Jesus in the manger.
It wasn't until almost two years after his birth, that wise men from the East came to Bethlehem to see Jesus. It wasn't until Herod heard about the Messiah prophecy that he decided to kill all the male babies from birth to two years old in Bethlehem. When I think about the very narrow escape that Jesus had that sent him and his family to Egypt, I know that God's timing is perfect.
I do look forward to the New Year knowing that God's timing is still perfect. He is in control of all things, for all things came into being by him. It is a good reminder that God loves us so much that he sent his son to die for our sins...that we may have eternal life with him.
Tuesday, December 10, 2019
Reflections of the Second American Civil War
You might be thinking that I'm jumping the gun here. You may even think I'm crazy, but it does seem that all the signs are here. The sad fact is that many of us are taking sides. We may not think that we are, but we can't help it. Everyone of a certain age can probably understand where I'm going with this. They, more than I, have seen with their own eyes the deterioration of our way of life. I hear them lamenting about it more each day.
The reason why I believe that we are actually in the beginning stages of a second civil war is what is currently happening in Congress. If you have been following the impeachment proceedings closely you might notice that there is a definite "disconnect" with the rules of the government. Some may argue that the president is really guilty of all the charges put against him. The problem with this is that most, but not all the evidence is "hearsay" and there are no real facts. It is too easy to manipulate the content to make a damning case against someone else nowadays.
It is this manipulation of the facts and changing of the rules that turns my stomach. I have a feeling that the globalists are behind all of this. They hate nationalism and seek to destroy nations so they can have a one world government controlled by them.
If you don't believe that we're in a civil war right now, even though it hasn't really gotten physical for the most part, then you're not looking closely at history. The issue that was fought in the first civil war is the same one we're being asked to fight again. This time it isn't a physical slavery but a societal slavery that we're fighting against in reality. In essence we are fighting for the very soul of our nation. The globalist representatives that are pushing to impeach this president understand very clearly that to defeat this nation they will need to brainwash the population into believing that the president is a nationalist. Then they have to keep pushing the narrative that nationalism is a bad thing...and that we all should be one big "family."
The globalist may look pretty. They may say the right things or tell you that you have no choice but to comply. There are globalist Republicans and Democrats. They are following a globalist agenda that calls for the dissolution of all nations into one global union. Will we win this civil war? I don't know. Only God knows that.
The reason why I believe that we are actually in the beginning stages of a second civil war is what is currently happening in Congress. If you have been following the impeachment proceedings closely you might notice that there is a definite "disconnect" with the rules of the government. Some may argue that the president is really guilty of all the charges put against him. The problem with this is that most, but not all the evidence is "hearsay" and there are no real facts. It is too easy to manipulate the content to make a damning case against someone else nowadays.
It is this manipulation of the facts and changing of the rules that turns my stomach. I have a feeling that the globalists are behind all of this. They hate nationalism and seek to destroy nations so they can have a one world government controlled by them.
If you don't believe that we're in a civil war right now, even though it hasn't really gotten physical for the most part, then you're not looking closely at history. The issue that was fought in the first civil war is the same one we're being asked to fight again. This time it isn't a physical slavery but a societal slavery that we're fighting against in reality. In essence we are fighting for the very soul of our nation. The globalist representatives that are pushing to impeach this president understand very clearly that to defeat this nation they will need to brainwash the population into believing that the president is a nationalist. Then they have to keep pushing the narrative that nationalism is a bad thing...and that we all should be one big "family."
The globalist may look pretty. They may say the right things or tell you that you have no choice but to comply. There are globalist Republicans and Democrats. They are following a globalist agenda that calls for the dissolution of all nations into one global union. Will we win this civil war? I don't know. Only God knows that.
Tuesday, November 26, 2019
Practicing Thankfulness in An Ungrateful World
I have been thinking a lot about the concept of thankfulness. It is a word that comes up during this time of year when we sit down to eat a Thanksgiving dinner. In some cases thankfulness is a state of mind. We do tend to practice being thankful more when we start reflecting on all we have. It is good to reflect on the blessings God bestows on us every day. Sometimes it is hard to be thankful. We forget ourselves.
The world can be ungrateful and greedy. The words that are flung at you can sting. Yet when you practice thankfulness you can have a different perspective. You see the world in a new light. You understand that circumstances don't have to define you. You can rise above them.
I have been thinking about how blessed I am. I do have freedom to write and speak the words God gives me. I have the ability to see all the good in the people around me. I can choose to rise against the hate that builds near me.
The world doesn't have a hold on me. I depend on God through his son Jesus Christ. The world can't take that away from me. I am thankful for his provision in my life. The world is not my home. I wait eagerly for my home on high. One day I'll go there to be with him. There will then be a new heaven and a new earth.
An ungrateful world can only wallow in the darkness. I thank God for his light that cuts through the darkness. When I practice thankfulness, I leave the world behind in the darkness. I pray that his light shines through me so that others may see it.
The world is waiting for the second coming of the Lord. The time is drawing near. Will you be ready when he comes? That question resonates with me daily. The signs of his coming are all around me. Can you see them? I thank God for his promises. He is that shining light that will pierce the dark. The dark will cower in his presence. They won't be able to stand.
I see those promises and rejoice. I am his child. I practice thankfulness in every thing I do. Yes, sometimes I do falter when I let myself wallow in despair. Despair saps my strength, but God lifts me out. I can be thankful for all the blessings he bestowed on me. I don't have to wallow and embrace the darkness. Yes the world is ungrateful for the many blessings the Lord has given them.
The world can be ungrateful and greedy. The words that are flung at you can sting. Yet when you practice thankfulness you can have a different perspective. You see the world in a new light. You understand that circumstances don't have to define you. You can rise above them.
I have been thinking about how blessed I am. I do have freedom to write and speak the words God gives me. I have the ability to see all the good in the people around me. I can choose to rise against the hate that builds near me.
The world doesn't have a hold on me. I depend on God through his son Jesus Christ. The world can't take that away from me. I am thankful for his provision in my life. The world is not my home. I wait eagerly for my home on high. One day I'll go there to be with him. There will then be a new heaven and a new earth.
An ungrateful world can only wallow in the darkness. I thank God for his light that cuts through the darkness. When I practice thankfulness, I leave the world behind in the darkness. I pray that his light shines through me so that others may see it.
The world is waiting for the second coming of the Lord. The time is drawing near. Will you be ready when he comes? That question resonates with me daily. The signs of his coming are all around me. Can you see them? I thank God for his promises. He is that shining light that will pierce the dark. The dark will cower in his presence. They won't be able to stand.
I see those promises and rejoice. I am his child. I practice thankfulness in every thing I do. Yes, sometimes I do falter when I let myself wallow in despair. Despair saps my strength, but God lifts me out. I can be thankful for all the blessings he bestowed on me. I don't have to wallow and embrace the darkness. Yes the world is ungrateful for the many blessings the Lord has given them.
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Trials and Tribulations-Riding A Huge Shift in Local History
It has been a very tumultuous two weeks. I've had a lot to process with the election on November 5th that changed my local hometown's history forever. It was a huge shift that some weren't expecting when the electorate selected a black female to run my local hometown. She is going to have some trials and tribulations when she takes office in January. Her problems have already started with the abuse she received from those who disagreed with her selection. Some of her friends say she is a strong woman. She will have to be to bring this community together.
The local organization that ran out of the borough building took the selection hard. They cleared out their rooms, almost destroying their history in the process. It was fortunate that a member of the society was there to witness it personally. He successfully put a stop to it. The impression that the dissolution of their rooms remains. It is much the same as the impressions being left by those in the federal government at the present time.
This is a huge shift. No one is denying this. Unfortunately the impression that the new administration will "wreck" the rooms and steal the artifacts is a false one. The society has stepped in to offer our help. We're not sure what they will do. I will send out a proposal in January once I make a connection with the new administration.
The local VFW has been more than generous. I do hope that this organization will not abuse the privilege that has been granted to them. I am glad to hear that the organization will be meeting there. I was reminded of the success of the event we had on Veterans Day. I'm thinking that we were able to connect them with that space. I am blessed to know the commander there. It was his willingness to allow us to meet there that facilitated this.
Yes, this huge shift in local history will be felt for years to come. Some will say that change is unavoidable. I do pray that it will turn out to be a good change, and not the bad change that created the reaction of the organization when they dissolved their rooms.
It is interesting as we ride this huge shift that our small town in its own way reflects the whole country's attitude. I can see it so clearly as I pray through the hearings that are literally tearing this country apart at the seams. There are questions about whether or not we'll even have a viable country when everything is said and done. There are forces that threaten to destroy any vestige of humanity from us. They pull us in and goad us on. They love to fuel the hatred and anger that simmers on the surface. They embrace the dark, and hate the light. Yet there is still an undeniable light in the darkness. I can see it. Jesus is that light. In him is no darkness at all.
The local organization that ran out of the borough building took the selection hard. They cleared out their rooms, almost destroying their history in the process. It was fortunate that a member of the society was there to witness it personally. He successfully put a stop to it. The impression that the dissolution of their rooms remains. It is much the same as the impressions being left by those in the federal government at the present time.
This is a huge shift. No one is denying this. Unfortunately the impression that the new administration will "wreck" the rooms and steal the artifacts is a false one. The society has stepped in to offer our help. We're not sure what they will do. I will send out a proposal in January once I make a connection with the new administration.
The local VFW has been more than generous. I do hope that this organization will not abuse the privilege that has been granted to them. I am glad to hear that the organization will be meeting there. I was reminded of the success of the event we had on Veterans Day. I'm thinking that we were able to connect them with that space. I am blessed to know the commander there. It was his willingness to allow us to meet there that facilitated this.
Yes, this huge shift in local history will be felt for years to come. Some will say that change is unavoidable. I do pray that it will turn out to be a good change, and not the bad change that created the reaction of the organization when they dissolved their rooms.
It is interesting as we ride this huge shift that our small town in its own way reflects the whole country's attitude. I can see it so clearly as I pray through the hearings that are literally tearing this country apart at the seams. There are questions about whether or not we'll even have a viable country when everything is said and done. There are forces that threaten to destroy any vestige of humanity from us. They pull us in and goad us on. They love to fuel the hatred and anger that simmers on the surface. They embrace the dark, and hate the light. Yet there is still an undeniable light in the darkness. I can see it. Jesus is that light. In him is no darkness at all.
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
Finding Stability in an Unstable World
This title is the title for many sermons. It is appropriate because so many of us are feeling unstable. We no longer have the anchors we depended on for so long. It wasn't that long ago that most of us could depend on the news media for accurate and timely news. It hasn't been that long that we depended on our government officials to do the right thing. I can remember when the world went a lot slower and honored those who stuck with an organization. I can also still remember when you had a job for life.
Now we do struggle. There are no solid positions, at least I haven't found any. Everyone is being pushed into the gig economy where you contract out jobs and people. We have reached the point where machines can do all the mundane work. Even our money is transitory. One minute it is there and the next it is gone.
This is an unstable world. It is difficult to find stability when everything moves at lighting speed. You have stop but are not sure how. Finding stability in an unstable world is impossible without God. He is outside time and space. He is all-knowing and all-powerful.
We don't have to struggle once we realize that God is in control. He is our stable core and the answer to the "six blind men and the elephant" puzzle. Only God can bring all the perceptions together as a whole. I admit that I have been struggling with this puzzle for awhile now. I wondered how all the perceptions of one animal could be brought together.
It shouldn't surprise me that the "six blind men and elephant" puzzle stumped me. I was looking at it all wrong. I thought wrongly that because everyone perceived things differently that there could be no consensus. Solving this puzzle though is a key element to finding stability. Right now the world is unstable because no one is willing to attach themselves to the one stable element in the universe. That stable element is God. He is the answer to that puzzle.
With God in the picture things definitely become clear. The perceptions of men that design to lead people away from God have no power. It is only through God that we can find stability in an unstable world.
I know now that I need to rely more of God than on my own devices. Thank you, Lord for stability.
Now we do struggle. There are no solid positions, at least I haven't found any. Everyone is being pushed into the gig economy where you contract out jobs and people. We have reached the point where machines can do all the mundane work. Even our money is transitory. One minute it is there and the next it is gone.
This is an unstable world. It is difficult to find stability when everything moves at lighting speed. You have stop but are not sure how. Finding stability in an unstable world is impossible without God. He is outside time and space. He is all-knowing and all-powerful.
We don't have to struggle once we realize that God is in control. He is our stable core and the answer to the "six blind men and the elephant" puzzle. Only God can bring all the perceptions together as a whole. I admit that I have been struggling with this puzzle for awhile now. I wondered how all the perceptions of one animal could be brought together.
It shouldn't surprise me that the "six blind men and elephant" puzzle stumped me. I was looking at it all wrong. I thought wrongly that because everyone perceived things differently that there could be no consensus. Solving this puzzle though is a key element to finding stability. Right now the world is unstable because no one is willing to attach themselves to the one stable element in the universe. That stable element is God. He is the answer to that puzzle.
With God in the picture things definitely become clear. The perceptions of men that design to lead people away from God have no power. It is only through God that we can find stability in an unstable world.
I know now that I need to rely more of God than on my own devices. Thank you, Lord for stability.
Tuesday, October 15, 2019
Riding The Waves of Change
You might be thinking right about now why I titled this blog post "Riding The Waves of Change." This week I've really felt that I have been literally riding the waves. One day would be great. The next day I'd feel as if the bottom dropped out. It hasn't been easy adjusting to the life I now have. Some very wise people tell you that you really can't predict how grief will affect you. No one has the guidebook on how you're supposed to live after this type of loss.
There are still some things I can't get past. I do want to get past them at times. Other times I just want to cling to stuff I probably should be letting go. I am slowly learning to let go and not rally against the changes that are taking place. I do want to ride those waves of change knowing that God is unchangeable. I sometimes doubt that. I reason that God has changed because he can't remain static. I don't grasp then that God has to remain stable.
There is something deep inside me that yearns for that stability. In this ever changing world where everything seems unstable, it is good to know that God remains stable. He is the one unchangeable focus in the universe. It is because God is always there and constant that I can confidentially ride the waves of change. I know that I can depend on him to see me through and bring me home.
Some of you reading this now can probably relate to the feeling of being tossed to and fro by the waves of change. You can't understand all that is happening around you. You want to. It seems impossible and a bit overwhelming. I can definitely relate to feel overwhelmed by all that is happening in our country. I admittedly hate change, even when it's a good change. It has been a struggle for me to accept the changes and move on. I am not the type of person who readily embraces change. I guess it is in my makeup to question the changes, balk a little and then test the waters. I like having a solid base in which to lean on when these changes occur.
I am not someone who changes "just because" someone says that the change will be good for me. I like to take my time and analyze the change first. Some people hate that I just don't jump when opportunity shows itself. I am a steady and dependable person even when I'm riding the waves of change. I thank the Lord that he is my rock and fortress in the storms of life.
There are still some things I can't get past. I do want to get past them at times. Other times I just want to cling to stuff I probably should be letting go. I am slowly learning to let go and not rally against the changes that are taking place. I do want to ride those waves of change knowing that God is unchangeable. I sometimes doubt that. I reason that God has changed because he can't remain static. I don't grasp then that God has to remain stable.
There is something deep inside me that yearns for that stability. In this ever changing world where everything seems unstable, it is good to know that God remains stable. He is the one unchangeable focus in the universe. It is because God is always there and constant that I can confidentially ride the waves of change. I know that I can depend on him to see me through and bring me home.
Some of you reading this now can probably relate to the feeling of being tossed to and fro by the waves of change. You can't understand all that is happening around you. You want to. It seems impossible and a bit overwhelming. I can definitely relate to feel overwhelmed by all that is happening in our country. I admittedly hate change, even when it's a good change. It has been a struggle for me to accept the changes and move on. I am not the type of person who readily embraces change. I guess it is in my makeup to question the changes, balk a little and then test the waters. I like having a solid base in which to lean on when these changes occur.
I am not someone who changes "just because" someone says that the change will be good for me. I like to take my time and analyze the change first. Some people hate that I just don't jump when opportunity shows itself. I am a steady and dependable person even when I'm riding the waves of change. I thank the Lord that he is my rock and fortress in the storms of life.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)