"Only one life, 'twill soon be past
Only what's done for Christ will last."

Saturday, June 30, 2018

Something New at Corgi Hollows

I'd like to Remind Everyone

With all of the reaction to President Donald Trump lately I wanted to remember how horrible it was for us Believers to watch how Barack Obama dismantled our world during his eight year reign.

It is because of Obama that we have President Trump.

Obama did things which made us weep.

His narcissism and lack of experience, his secrecy  and disdain for the constitution, his demeaning of America as a whole all made us shudder.

We barely survived.

But we did by God's grace.

Now we have the ultimate anomaly in the White House, a showy entrepreneur. Someone no one imagined, except Ann Coulter.

As one who couldn't believe he won the nomination for the Republican party I have been pleasantly surprised by his abilities as a politician.  I approve his actions.

I think abortion is murder. Always.
I think there should be secure borders around our country.
I think Islam should be watched.
I think laws should be enforced OR done away with.
I think Israel should be supported.
I think the United  Nations  General assembly is a sham .
I think the media leans left. (This is an understatement.)
I think there should be freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of conscience.
I think that Moses' ten commandments were pretty foundational for common law.
I think marriage is a union between a genetic male and a genetic female.
I think peace is achieved through power because the Bible says we have a sinful human nature. A powerful and benevolent government can suppress a lot of evil and promote a lot of good.
I think that a Judeo-christian society is the kindest of societies to most people.  It understands sin and allows for it.

There is a false notion of the left that conservatives are less compassionate. That simply isn't true, and we never address it because these is no need to argue something patently false.

There is a false notion that capitalism is evil.

I argue that socialism has killed far more millions than capitalism ever did. Colonialism saved heathen tribes from human sacrifice, tribal wars, and cannibalism.

This is history. This is truth.

This does not excuse the inhumane treatment of anyone. People are dirty rotten sinners, and left to themselves they will ALWAYS choose rebellion.

It is a low view of human nature.

But when God is in the mix things are the most positive way they could be on earth. His designs are simply the utmost. A compassionate, loving God balances the abuses of capitalism.

The atheism of socialism cannot do that. It drives into the dust any form of compassion for the good of the "state," the principle, the idea.  It is evil.

Study philosophy. Study history. Socialism doesn't work, and never has.

WE stand here on American soil because of capitalism, despite its abuses.


That sticks in the craw of most liberals. They must admit the truth someday, however.


Truth always prevails.

"I am the Way, the Truth, the LIFE."  ----Jesus

Thursday, June 28, 2018

To Age

I love getting old, just hate the pain.

I love being able to forget that everything is hinging on our appearances---
and people start to love us for who our souls are.


I've always been homely and overweight, and that has limited relationships with certain people. We all love beauty, and when you aren't beautiful there are those who simply, unconsciously perhaps, shun you.


The beauty of the soul is what truly matters though, right?

People are worthwhile, even if the "shell" isn't attractive.


As I age, I feel more acceptance for what I look like.

The kids at school expect a Grandma who cares about them, not a stunning young thing who is easy on the eyes.

I'm happy that my husband looked past the facade and saw ME. He decided I was worth spending life with despite my looks.


He saw my soul.

But now that I'm old it doesn't matter so much. I am finally confident in my own skin. Ed, Margaret and Cheri love me for my self, not my looks. The Corgi seems to agree too. She follows me wherever I go.


Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and it says much about the people who ignore those whose beauty is deeper, not surface. These folks are programmed to their senses, and they reveal their own shallowness.

I know too many people like that.

Thank the Lord for age, experience, and the opportunity to get past that veneer-orientated existence.


I love beauty. I'm thankful that my own lack of physical beauty doesn't affect my sense of beauty!
Thank God for that!

And I've learned, that those who shun you for your lack of beauty aren't worth your time and concern.
Their surface-y sense of life isn't where the soul lives, and you can pray for their souls to go deeper.

Yes, pray for them.

And thank God for making all things beautiful in HIS time.

Your looks matter to Him, and it's okay when your beauty doesn't match the worldly sense of beauty. Be glad that you matter to Him no matter what.

Age is a gift that teaches what truly matters.


Lake Minnetonka

Minnetonka means Big Water.

There is a lake not far from Corgi Hollows which has 125 miles of shoreline. I tried to find out how many homes are on the lake, but homes have about 100 feet of shoreline. Do the math. That's many houses!

Some have a 1,000 feet of shoreline. Those are the homes that are priced in the multi millions.

Minnetonka is a beautiful, interesting, historic lake, and yesterday we rented a pontoon to spend a few hours boating on several bays.

The children were "made" to accompany us, but they all agreed that it was a day well spent.  A good friend who also attends our prophecy study on Sunday evenings came along too.

We started under cloudy gray skies, but the forecast became true and the day ended with a severe sunburn on my legs and face for me.

The water is so beautiful, reflecting the shore, the sky. Margaret was the only one to jump in and take a swim. She chose the bay south of Spring Park, near Island Park. She said the water wasn't cold, just right.

We saw some huge fish caught, netted. One boat nearly capsized during the struggle to reel the creature in. Must have been a Muskie.


I never have spent much time on the lake in a boat, but I do think there wasn't nearly the traffic on Lake Minnetonka yesterday that was on it in my memories.

We had entire bays to ourselves, yesterday.


I wonder if it is a sign of the times. People are so focused on their phones and computers that they don't care about getting out much.

My own children seem to be somewhat affected by this trend. Big Brother has captivated us all.

Philosophizing aside, the beauty of God's Nature was in full evidence to us. The trees were incredibly green. Perhaps Lake Minnetonka has more weeds than it should, but it really seemed to be a healthy ecosystem. We saw plenty of fish, and the water seemed really clean.

I've been swimming in Lake Independence this summer, and although rather weedy (Millfoil, probably) it seems like the water is clean. I don't itch when I get out. I think that's a good sign. I assume that Lake Minnetonka has similar conditions. We've had so much rain and snow that the water has perhaps rejuvenated.

There's a book I read when I was in high school, "Once Upon a Lake," written by an erstwhile Wayzata Public Library Librarian. I found it at Half Price Books recently and bought myself a copy to re-read.

It is a history of Lake Minnetonka, and it fascinated me then,  fascinates me now.

She wrote that we tend to overlook the most interesting things that have happened in places that become mundane to us. We need to be jarred into awareness to appreciate our surroundings.

I agree.

I could mention so many things learned in that book, the significance of the lake to the Natives, the first settlers that developed apples for harsh winters, the old hotels that drew people from the South for cool summers, the streetcar boats, the estates owned by the Pillsburys, (yes, THOSE Pillsburys) Noerenburgs, others. The lake has been mentioned numerous times in literature and song.

It's a jewel in Minnesota.





Wednesday, June 20, 2018

But Not Enough

"Sense and Sensibility" is a novel by Jane Austen.

The movie made with Emma Watson and Kate Winslet was really beautiful, very well done, and pretty true to the book.

There's a poignant moment when "Marianne," Kate Winslet, acknowledges that the object of her adoration loved her-----but not enough.

Not enough.

Not enough to make the changes needed to be her true love.


I think about that phrase often.

I have had some interaction with atheists on Twitter, and there is one person who claims to have sought Christ his whole life, but now fails to believe. I have a friend who was on track to be a minister, now disillusioned with all things faith-related, not believing in God.

I have dear ones struggling with sin in their lives, unable to rise above the failure.


They don't have enough.

Enough of what? You ask.


There is a human nature that will struggle with sin in this mortal body. But there is victory in Jesus, too.

How do we get from A to B?

God invites all who will come. He is not willing that ANY perish. One must seek the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness. The Bible plainly teaches this.

We must seek.


Not hopelessly! The Bible promises we will find!

But we must seek, and I'm thinking there aren't many who seek enough.

Enough.


Seek enough.

Seek enough to be filled with the Holy Spirit everyday. Seek enough to spend hours in reading the Bible and prayer.

Seek enough to deny yourself food, alcohol, whatever your body craves.

Seek enough.

It's what will get you through the darkest moments of pain and doubt. It will seal your soul in Christ. Seek that you shall find, knock, ask, PURSUE.

And it WILL be given to you.

God's promises are never empty.

Saturday, June 16, 2018

Many Will Cry LORD

21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

Matthew 7 KJV

Of course there are many interpretations of this passage. The devil loves to confuse. Let's look at it plainly, though.

The implication is clear. There are people who think they are on God's side and God doesn't know them at all.


I think this is the scariest passage in all of Scripture. The Bible tells us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, and although salvation is a perfect gift we are still responsible to make sure we are standing with God, and not on our own merit.

Standing with God is being in the Word of God, His gift to us. The Bible is literally the only way we can be sure of anything of God. He wrote it. He affirms it. He makes all the promises in it, and THEN we can apply those promises.

Do they work? Are they true? Is God lying?

Yes. Yes. No.


The "lamp" in Scripture always refers to the WORD of God. It's a fascinating Bible study. 

When we look at the parable of the ten virgins we see that their lamps play a huge role. Those that don't have oil are cast away.

Here's the picture for you and me. Are you putting your faith in Christ by standing on the promises of the Word, or are you fabricating a nice little god in your mind that you agree with?

Are you believing in a religious tradition that crafts its own regulations? Does it agree with God's Word? If not, why are you following that lie?

Are you obeying Scripture daily? Are you reading the Word daily? Are you rooted in His promises?
Or are you seeking experiences that give you a rush, make you feel good, or simply don't care?


Some of you don't believe in God.


You've had some moral failure in your life, and you simply can't forgive yourself. You can't believe God could forgive you. (You are full of pride!) So you decided God just doesn't even exist. You are the master or mistress of your own morals.

That works for your lifespan on earth. It won't do for eternity.


JESUS is coming again. 

We believers are looking for his coming in the clouds, to be caught up to be with Him. We're OUTTA HERE.


And, I hope, soon. 

Open that little door of your heart to truth. Your soul, your mind recognizes truth. You know it deep down. Don't stifle that little voice of conscience that God gave you when you came into existence. It's there in two-year-olds! LISTEN TO IT!


Please, please, please. As one who truly cares for your eternal soul, I plead with you to listen to that voice of truth within you that affirms God's Word. You need a Savior. You are a sinner. You need to repent and ask Jesus to fill you with His Holy Spirit.

It's simple, but oh, so hard.


KEEP YOUR LAMPS TRIMMED AND BURNING. 

The time is drawing nigh.

Filled With the Spirit

When we ask the Lord to forgive our sins, purpose in our hearts to turn away from sin, and put our trust in Jesus Christ and all that he did for us, (nothing that we do on our own!) we become God's children, born again into God's eternal family. Our spirit is born again.

All people have souls. I'd even argue that animals have "soul."
We define soul as mind, will, and emotion for ease, but naturally there are other interpretations and I'm not here to nay say those thoughts.

But souls are eternal, and I believe this deeply.

Spirits are something else. I believe that spirits come alive spiritually when a spiritual transaction takes place, and this is only possible with the power of the Holy Spirit.

Born Again.

Jesus describes this in John chapter 3.

This explains spiritual darkness on so many levels. Spiritual blindness. Spiritual deafness.
Inability to understand the Word of God.

When you are filled with the Spirit, as a part of that spiritual transaction, your soul is opened up to new truth, new experience, new life.


If you do not ask the Holy Spirit to fill you and make you born again your soul is doomed to burning in hell for eternity.

That's Biblical.

The spiritual dimension is fascinating on so many levels. It interacts with our souls AND bodies on occasion. There is spiritual evil running amok all over this planet, deceiving, manipulating, controlling, hurting, fighting, battling, wounding, addicting.

We see it every day.

It speaks evil words, swearing, vulgarities.
It produces sensual thoughts, lusting, pornographic.
It is violent, in virtual worlds and in reality.
It rapes, murders, steals.
It takes God's name in vain.
It produces harshness and pain, lies and pride.
PRIDE----Oh you evil one!
The biggest liar of all is Pride. Pride consoles the soul with the idea that you are good enough.

You are not.

You never will be.


YOU ARE NOT GOOD ENOUGH.

Only Jesus is good. Only Jesus can save. Only JESUS.

You are loved by Him, but you simply aren't good enough for anything. Satan/Lucifer/Beelzebub/Asmodeaous/Leviathan/Belphegor/Mammon have deceived you into thinking it's alright. Everything is alright.


Baal, Lord of the flies, is alive and well, and planting lies in the souls of men.

WAKE UP!!!

Time is passing, and we have so little time left.

Many of us have given up on friends and family who continue to pridefully turn away from the Holy Spirit. Jesus weeps. We see evil dominating their lives through deception, substance abuse, and addictions.

We weep.

The power of the Holy Spirit is there for ANYONE to access it. Perhaps you had a "born again" moment, but you are living in bondage to a besetting sin. God's grace covers all sin, but you need the victory.

Ask, you shall receive. Seek, and you shall find. Knock, and the door shall be opened unto you. Humble yourself in the sight of the LORD.

And He will answer. He will give.

You shall receive.

Are you spending time in the Word of God? Are you in prayer and supplication? Are you fasting? Are you obeying Christ's commands? Are you asking the Holy Spirit for his filling DAILY?

If you say no to any of those questions you need to GET ON IT.

Time is fleeting. We are at the end, dear ones. Deception is par for the course of the day, and we need the Holy Spirit to TEST the spirits.


The Spirit and the Bride say COME!

What are you waiting for?

Your sin is so not worth it. 

Thursday, June 14, 2018

Successful Surgery

Thank you prayer warriors!!!!


Ed's surgery is over, wonderfully done, and he is managing his pain very well.

What a trooper!!!!


WE are home from the hospital already. Surgery was Tuesday morning.

He was up walking three times the day of the surgery.

Now for the queasy part: (Don't read if you are easily nauseated!)

Ed's bones were broken. He had to replace the pieces in his knee to be able to stand up without excruciating pain. Like building blocks.

The implants that they used had to be adjusted to an even longer length than the ones they used last time. This being said, the necrosis is GONE from that right knee, and Ed should have the device for DECADES.

The fragments are gone, the skin is closed up and already almost healed. I am the 24/7 "nurse" for the next week, then I can leave him for short periods of time.

He's up and walking with a walker. The terrible pain was yesterday morning, but they still let him go home. He's already looking forward to hiking and living a normally active life.

His job as a bank teller required him to be on his feet a lot, so that should be going far better too.


So happy. So grateful. So relieved! I credit the LORD for answering all our prayers!

PRAISE THE LORD!

Thursday, June 7, 2018

CINOS

The Winds of Fate

Corwyn, our affectionate, sweet, rambunctious year-old Corgi has been finding specific items to destroy recently.

When we don't get out with her she seems much more destructive.

In the mornings I've been sitting by the fireplace to read my four chapters from the Bible. I placed my KJV large print on the ledge beneath the fire after reading.

I came home after school to find my Bible's cover ripped apart!

She is such a heathen.



I duct-taped it back together, but it most certainly doesn't have the appeal it had. The contents are the same :)


I picked up:

I've been working on several foreign languages these past few years.

German is my second language. I studied German for foreigners at the University of Munich years ago. I also studied Spanish for two years in high school. In Germany I studied Turkish for a year. Recently I've been dabbling in Hebrew, and this fall I'm starting Greek. That's the plan.

Spanish is something I've been trying to re-learn, since at the jail there are some only-Spanish speakers. I have substitute taught in the Spanish classes at my school this year, too, so I really need to brush up on Spanish.

But I am so much more proficient in German----yet my grammar is atrocious. I understand most of it, but I have issues writing and speaking it. 

Enter Corwyn's direction.

I've decided to read the rest of this year's Bible reading in Deutsch. I had just started in Isaiah, so it's a great place to begin.

Just excited to continue learning----both language AND what the LORD is teaching me through His word.

Auf Wiedersehen.
















Moments

Ed's Graduation Speech

Ed, As your mom and teacher I know much more about you than any other human being on earth. God knows your heart.

Today I'm going to give a glimpse of you to everyone else sitting here.

I know they all appreciate you---but I want them to see a bit of my view.

You have become a bright light.

This dinner marks your academic progress---ongoing, of course:

You have directed your own education, and you've succeeded masterfully.

"The world is your oyster" comes to mind, at least in the academic sense. I see those high marks in all subjects.


I am not good at math, so I take pictures of the assignments in my math classes I sub for, and text them to Ed so he can help me teach things I don't understand!

But academics is only a part of the whole that is Ed.

Music. I'm thrilled you share my love of the pipe organ. I am the most fortunate mom. I get to hear you practice. I love it.

I'm impressed, too, as is anyone who listens to you.

And then I must speak of your character, your personality.

You shine here, Ed.

From the day you were diagnosed with Leukemia I told you often, "I'm so glad you exist."

We didn't know how long we'd have.

You'd already been battling bi-polar disorder, instability, life challenges for sure...but then you had a whole new challenge----CANCER---and you managed that, with aplomb, even,

Now you face challenges with artificial knees----surgery coming up just weeks from now---but I feel you'll manage that too.

The bank where you work is lucky to have you. You've benefited from them too.

How many teenage boys deal with a half dozen middle aged women on a daily basis?

Your world and my world are inverted right now! :)

So, Ed, whatever path you choose----engineering, music, linguistics, computers, banking, philosophy, theology----I feel confident that GOD will keep you, bless you, make His face shine upon you.

I'm glad you EXIST!


Corwyn's Antics










Everything's Coming Up Roses

The sun is shining. Peonies are madly blooming. I just read a book by Frances Hodges Burnett titled "Miss Crespigny" that was published in 1878.

I got it from the Minneapolis Public Library, and it is a treasure. It's been rebound, but the pages are fragile.

The subtitle is "A Very Romantic Love Story."

These sweet stories from old are so innocent and pure. I had ordered a stack of books from the library by or about F.H. Burnett. I had no intention of reading all of them, but I perused through them and chose a couple to read. She was a prolific author. "A Little Princess" is perhaps one of my all-time favorites by her.

"The Making of a Marchioness" is really good, but "Miss Crespigny" sort of captured my own heart. I doubt that there are many copies around, so good luck finding one. I enjoyed it.

Roses, romance, sweet innocence, good character----nothing dark, nothing evil! What a contrast to today's young adult literature.


Sometimes we need to focus on something uplifting in this dark world.


Jesus is coming soon! We watchers are sensing a "thinning of the veil" and only those with closed spiritual eyes do not see the closing act of time approaching.

But now we see these days we're bound by, June 2018. Today is the last day of school where I substitute teach. I wasn't called today, and of course I wasn't expecting to be called. I subbed two days this week, and left the school with a sweet fragrance of closure for the school year.

I hardly know what to do with myself.

Just kidding.

Ed's surgery looms. Next week. Yesterday he had his regular appointment at the oncology clinic and his platelets are still low. All was cleared for surgery, though. Everything else looked really good.

Please pray with us for a rise in the platelet level (and insight into what will help increase platelets in the blood) and a successful surgery.

Please pray for a good night's rest for our surgeon before the surgery.
Please pray for no great surprises when they open Ed up.
Please pray for a quick and low-pain recovery.
Please pray for mental health and good response to medications.
Please pray for my husband and me to have peace during the week.

Thank you!

I had a few days of problems and issues that arose over the past two weeks. Sometimes things come up that you have no control over, for no apparent reason even. Yet these problems affect the spirit! Our days are full of questions, wondering, pleading with the Lord to work things out...

And He does. Always, eventually.

Those of us who love the Lord can see His gentle guidance, and we always know that we are anchored in something far bigger than ourselves. He is in control, even in death, and those of us who are saved by Him should have no fear.

So, roses, indeed. The June blooms are just starting here in Minnesota.

Rise up, oh my love and now come away! The winter is past and the rain has come. The time of the singing of birds has come.

These verses from the Song of Songs are beautiful and fitting.

The greenest of greens is all around me, the dew of each morning is perfectly cool. The birds are still wildly active and full of life! We must mow almost every day because the grass is so verdant. Beauty and new life, a picture of our place in Christ Jesus.

Ask the Holy Spirit to fill you today with strength and wisdom, with Himself.




Monday, June 4, 2018

Confusion

Who is the author of confusion?

The Devil.

He's a liar. He hates you. He is evil. He is at work today in the world.


The previous post is worth watching on YouTube.

The speaker's take on gender and the confusion it seems to render is very thought provoking. Body modification is something that I've always recoiled from (even though I could DEFINITELY use a new body!). I think his ideas about evil deception behind it makes a lot of sense.

Can you sense things taking a down-turn even now, dear ones?

Are you rock solid in the Word of God? Are you standing on His promises? Are you aware of the deception that pervades our culture, our churches, our families, our own minds?

Stand guard! Keep watch! This is for real.

Demons are manifesting so many times recently that people are beginning to actually believe in aliens.


Remember, these beings manifested as fairies, gnomes, elves, ----in the Middle Ages, whatever was convenient for the current culture. They manifests as "saints" sometimes. They manifest now as aliens from different planets. They used to be from our solar system. That wasn't convenient for the lie anymore. They're now from the star constellations---the Pleiades, for instance. Just far enough to make the culture believe it.


Don't be deceived. God is not mocked.

Seek the Lord while He may be found.

Brothers and Sisters, I don't think it can be long before we can see Jesus face to face. The darkness is almost such that it is hard to escape.

Come Lord Jesus! Maranatha! 

What illuminati DON'T want you to know about Aliens (R$E)

Saturday, June 2, 2018

Passages

I have to say it grieves me to recognize when a mother's worth as "just a mom" is overcome by the worth of a paycheck, eagerly cashed as soon as it is earned.

There's something wrong in the world.

I cannot change it, but I can grieve.

God always provides, and He chooses to do it this way for now.

Time passages.

Piecing together