What I REALLY Think!

We keep our dearest opinions to ourselves, mostly for fear that they will be ridiculed or mocked.

People guess worldviews all the time, and we give lots of hints about how we think. But isn't it remarkable how people can see things so differently?

We can change no one's heart or mind, but an accumulation of events can often lead to a "conversion." The Holy Spirit plays a vital role in changing hearts, but we can often speak for God.

As a Christian conservative, I tend to be pretty unimaginative. I toe the party line on most issues. Sometimes here I try to express why I think that way on particular issues---gay marriage, abortion, for instance, (Mr. Obama) but I find it really difficult to express the complete picture---the world view that drives me to that stance.

What are blogs for?

Mine is for my children primarily. Mostly it is my attempt to fulfill a life-long dream of tract-writing. It's really because I do love to write. I must write. I fill journals. I imagine story lines and fairy-tale worlds. But I'm a busy mom, and novels are hard to churn out at this season of my life.

I also want to speak truth, and help others see truth----as the Lord has revealed it to me.

http://amos37.com/?p=4811
This is a video presentation on creation science. It's multiple lectures and books like this that brought me to my current worldview. It just seems so reasonable to listen to scientists like this. Why wouldn't I? I have nothing to prove.

God proves Himself.  To deny His existence is folly. The fool says in his heart that there is no God.

Why would God contradict Himself? There is balance in Scripture. God has said enough. Why must we question the Creator? He instructs us to ASK FOR WISDOM. 

Those who deny God, or go so far as to define Him as something or someone not described in the Bible, must have an issue with God, or they haven't met Him.

The issue is probably moral. Having done something immoral the seven deadly sins kick in and Pride usually wins. "So what if I did that....???"

It takes humility to meet God.

And if you've never heard of God, the Creator of the universe, shame on us believers. We need to be more bold and TELL YOU.

Go ahead and disagree, but ask for answers!  Don't assume that you understand WHY someone believes what they do. Don't just go off and label the different worldview 'stupid' without examination. Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that never need be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

And if you were wondering, I think being a housewife/mother is the highest calling a woman could have. It is a privilege that God has given me, and I am so grateful.

There is nothing to be ashamed of in simply following Christ, following a prescribed role for women in Scripture.

And when you do, bucking the trends of society, you will find peace and fulfillment.

It is so restful to believe Christ.

Do you believe?

Lilacs

When I was a child our church had "Lilac Sunday" on or around Mother's Day.  It was an event I looked forward to every year.

It meant spring.

It started with a lovely bunch of lilacs on the communion table before the pulpit. It progressed, over the years, to several bouquets arranged artfully on the podium.

Each year the display grew, and it was quite a show.

Then one year, in the early 80's sometime, an entire lilac bush appeared in the front of the church!

Someone was thinking to change the landscape of his yard, and decided to grace the church with an entire bush!

The smell was overwhelming. Lovely. I don't think anyone remembers what Pastor Wood said that day. The mass of purple and scent was enough.

That was the end of "lilac Sunday."

image by Galina Kochergina

Our lilacs are really doing what lilacs should do right now. They are in full bloom and they are wafting heavenly scents, especially the little lonesome white lilac.  I planted them 12 years ago, and this is the first year that they are thriving in our sandy soil. I am so happy. I just wish we had our bees here to enjoy them.

By Grace

It was a long weekend---some say because the weather was chilly---but it was Memorial Day, and we did our patriotic duty, willingly, attending a service at the cemetery where my grandparents are buried.

Afterwards we went to my parents' house for a delicious meal, and what was even more special, all of us were there, including two fiancees!

It's nice to get to know them better and chat of upcoming events. Exciting times!

But there are a few clouds on the horizon.

Two people we are connected to have been diagnosed with cancer, and our hearts ache for them, and we pray--continually---that they will be healed.

It is a trial.

I watched another documentary on the plight of bees. There was really no new information regarding disease and pesticides, but one quote worth repeating:

"It isn't the beekeeper with 60 hives that will save the bee, but 60 beekeepers with (each) one hive that may---"

As we see the world suffering, and really, it is, we may see our faith become stronger. How quickly we could see dire consequences of food shortages and genetic anomalies.

Looking at our world, with its corrupt politicians, its dying health, its heavenly signs, its despair----can it be long before our Lord returns?

By Grace you have been saved, not of yourselves. It is a gift of God, not by works, lest any man should boast.

Grace is the key. We can gracefully watch the demise of our world, since we know Who is in charge. We trust in the Creator, who sustains us.

In Grace is the power to overcome, to forgive, to live.

By grace we conquer sin, touch souls, feed starving spirits.

Grace is God's powerful gift to those who believe. It keeps and restores, sustains and cleanses. It balances.

It is power, and we know it.

Corgi Inventory

Misty ran outside eagerly this morning to do her morning business, but it was very hard to lure her back to the house.

You see, about 30 people showed up for "general merriment" celebrating Margaret's graduation from high school.

Little snippets of food and smells lingered by the campfire on this unusually cold morning here, in May.

I hear there is frost just north of us.

With marigolds planted by the pond, lilacs and cherries in full bloom, tulips lingering, we have one burst of late spring here in Minnesota.

A cold night really does strike fear in our hearts!

Everything was mowed yesterday, the lawn chairs situated, and yard projects done (for now.)

The party was a wild success, for a "school night."  Many of the attendees were also home-schooled. What a nice bunch of kids.

My eldest son is off to his ROTC duties. He'll be in and out all summer, same with my second son. They have launched themselves, I really think, when I look at them all spiffed up in uniform I burst my buttons. My boys are my joy.

Cherie has a cold. She got to play "Ghost in the Graveyard" last night, one of her favorite yard games. Our older children played it nightly, but she has few friends in the neighborhood---so it is a rare treat for her. Such joy on her face. She loved Margaret's friends.

Ed, with his sunny disposition, sacrificed his evening to teaching about bees  at an elementary school environmental fair. He's so good at it! We taught together a couple of weeks ago, at a University of Minnesota Extension school field trip outing event. He is a natural in front of people.

He has to learn that everyone is NOT as interested in the details of beekeeping that he eloquently shares! But he certainly knows his material! He probably needs to take a "methods" course in elementary education to hone his skills.

His pipe organ playing continues to delight us. I can't say enough about the local Catholic church which graciously allows him practice time every Thursday. They are so generous with their organ, and the beautiful space.

School is wrapping up. We finished the "Character Sketches" series this week. All three volumes!!! It took this whole year to get through them. My only regret is that my older children didn't get to read them. We never even tried!

We also finished a book by Alfred Duggan about the Middle Ages. That book is amazing. It's written for children, but the history of economics and politics is so complex that we had to read only short excerpts each day, especially toward the end of the book.  Really, it should be required reading FOR EVERYONE.

Today I'm the recipient of several Stella d' oro daylilies that my friend's wild deer are decimating. I get them to save their lives.

How beautiful.

The sky is blue. The yard is perfect. It's May.

Perfection on earth.

(Tomorrow there is a significant astronomical event: the chains of Andromeda will be 'broken' by the comet Lemmon. Since Andromeda is the symbol of the church, this is a sign of something very dear to believers! Signs in the heavens, predicts the Word of God. Can you look at the events of the week and not begin to see God's redemption drawing closer? Look up, fellow believers!)

Quirky Connections

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2011/07/mountain-lion-killed-in-conn-had-walked-from-south-dakota/1#.UZ4Om0qneuh                                                                          Mountain Lion

This is the lion that apparently terrified people in Minneapolis and St. Paul a few winters ago. It seemed to stick to the Mississippi River, which flows near my home.

That he ended up in Milford, CT near to where my brother lives, and where my husband lived for a time when he was a very young child, makes me think warmly of him. We connect.

It is a remarkable story, really, that it could have had such a wide range, or long journey.

He was photographed just across the river from here. http://cryptozoologynews.blogspot.com/2009/12/dnr-confirms-cougar-sighting-in.html

Roberta Brown's Testimony

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special/2012/campaign/amendments/marriage/timeline/home/

This is a lengthy program aired last week on Minnesota Public Radio.  Roberta Brown is an old friend of my mother. They prayed together years ago on the phone, for the legislature, and all government issues relating to spiritual matters.

We live in a spiritual war. 

God wins.  We need to remind ourselves of this in light of a battle.

Now What?

http://www.atgrace.com/information/general/sermon-archive/sermon/now-what

This is the sermon by the pastor at Grace Eden Prairie last Sunday. This is a large church south of the Twin Cities. Those of us concerned about the political trends in our state should listen in.

Today's Treat--Millie's Rhubarb Cream Pie

I can't remember if I've posted this absolutely delicious pie that my husband always asks for every spring when the rhubarb begins to pop above the earth.

Ours is big enough to harvest enough for one pie right now. I'm making it.

We divided our two rhubarb hills three years ago into 9 rhubarb hills, out in a former garden spot. It's rather shady now, but it's the only place we could think of where we could continue to grow our much-loved ingredient!

Millie gave this recipe to my mom. She went to our church where I grew up.

Crust:

1 1/2 c. flour
2 T. milk
1/2 c. oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. sugar

Mix all ingredients in pie plate with fork. Press into the plate with fork or fingers.

Filling:

1 1/2 c. sugar
3 Tbs. (heaping) flour
1/2 tsp. nutmeg or cinnamon
1 Tbs. butter
2 well beaten eggs
3 cups rhubarb

Blend. Pour into the crust shell.
Bake 9"  pie at 450° for 10 minutes, then 350° (F) for 30 minutes

I'll get you photo tonight when it's done :)

Comfort Ye, Comfort Ye, My People

In times of severity, in times of catastrophe, we have only one hope: God is on the Throne of the Universe, and He holds it all in His hands.

Satan is trying a masquerade of power grabbing, but he won't succeed.

God wins.

The tornado in Oklahoma is on everyone's hearts today.

The destruction is monumental. That so many have survived is truly miraculous. I felt the same way when the 35W bridge collapsed here in Minneapolis a few years ago: such potential slaughter, but only 13 died that day.

Remarkable.

When you see the world in a reverse to what culture sees, things seem so much more positive.

When men deserve evil, and God withholds it, it is more miraculous and wonderful to know God, and see His infinite mercy-----not the condemnation.

But the condemnation is coming, just as it did in Noah's day.

We must enter the Ark of salvation, and escape the judgement of the Lord.

Surely it is not far off. Birth pangs are sounding everyday. They are unavoidable now, daily.

But in this terrible warning we find peace.

He is our peace.

He is our comfort.

I say what he says:

http://www.raptureready.com/soap/worline6.html

I know some of you prefer my own posts to the articles I post, but sometime I read something that so completely says what I think EVERYONE should read, and pass on. (Please do!)

I am so thrilled to see the body of Christ become so evident in these days of world-wide linking of the internet. It is a joy and an encouragement to see how Christ is working in the lives of people all over the world, revealing His truth, and His soon coming.

I encourage my children daily to walk in the Spirit, to be mighty in Spirit, to guard their hearts. I encourage anyone who reads this blog the same.

Jesus is coming soon. We grieve at what we witness around us:

moral decay, wasted time, wasted energy, sinful behavior, garbage for the mind and heart, and a dying world. You can't avoid it.

But as believers we stand strong as lights in the dark. We have Jesus Christ to comfort and strengthen us. What a beautiful advantage.

The Word of God becomes more precious as the days dim. His praise is the power to face our enemies. What a joyful reunion in His presence!

This world is not my home. We're only passing through. Destination: holiness. Eyes fixed on the Creator, nothing else matters.

Here's to a sunny, productive day, filled with love.

Letters to SUFTT: Blasphemy in the Church

Letters to SUFTT: Blasphemy in the Church

Fascinating story of the Holy Spirit's conviction.

Ode to Minnesota

via Bryan Knauber

Center of a continent, spring of a mighty river, Minnesota is a lovely place.

Rich soil nourishes the bread-basket of the world.

Countless lakes, pure water, bogs rich with life fill every low spot.

Iron ore, gorgeous granite, precious agate.

Corn, potatoes, soy beans, wheat. Gardens and trees. Apples and blueberries.

Moose, bear, wolves, eagles, deer, and pheasant.

Racoons, beaver, and mink.

Songbirds.

Prairie and Forest.

Ojibwa, Sioux.

Good people of faith and history, education and music.

Germans, Jews, Norwegians, Africans, Swedes, Russians and Finns.

Farming, Forestry, Industry, all integral to our state economy, all thriving.

Technological and medical ideas conceived here in our womb of invention---pacemakers, adhesives, computer technology.

The good people of Minnesota rely on old mores of right and wrong.

Common sense and a self-deprecating humor.

Giving the benefit of the doubt when something sounds awry.

Minnesotans are helpful people. We need each other.

It's so cold up here, in order to survive we trust our neighbors to be there for us just in case...

But we're pretty self-reliant. We're stoic. We take it on the chin, get up and start over.

We really like hockey. And football, and baseball. Basketball has been fickle to us.

Our children are all above average. (You've heard that already)

There's a sense of loss today as we watch the cultural trends drive us down the road away from wholesomeness.

Wholesome. That was a good Minnesota word.

And it's gone now.

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2013/03/27/when-did-idolatry-become-compatible-with-christianity/

E'en So, Lord Jesus Quickly Come- Paul Manz, Exultate Choir

Don't Miss

http://www.intercollegiatereview.com/index.php/2013/05/13/engaging-gay-activists-on-campus-101-2/

Even So, Come Lord Jesus

Even So, Come Lord Jesus

By A. W. Tozer

He which testifieth these things saith,
Surely I come quickly. Amen.
Even so, come,  Lord Jesus.   Revelation 22:20

    The people of God ought to be the happiest
people in all the wide world!

    Fellow Christian, consider the source of our joy
and delight: redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, our
yesterdays behind us, our sin under the blood forever
and a day, to be remembered against us no more forever!

    God is our Father, Christ is our Brother, the Holy
Ghost our Advocate and Comforter!

    Our Brother has gone to the Father's house to prepare
a place for us, leaving with us the promise that He will
come again!

    Don't send Moses, Lord, don't send Moses! He broke
the tables of stone

    Don't send Elijah for me. Lord! I am afraid of Elijah
he called down fire from heaven

   Don't send Paul, Lord! He is so learned that I feel like
a little child when I read his epistles.

    0 Lord Jesus, come yourself! I am not afraid of Thee.
You took the little children as lambs to your fold. You
forgave the woman taken in adultery. You healed the
timid woman who reached out in the crowd to touch
You. We are not afraid of You!

    Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

    Come quickly!

Sick at Heart

Today Minnesota voted to legalize homosexual marriage.

It isn't that we didn't see it coming, but some of us optimists really hoped that reason would prevail and the good people of this state would vote against immorality.

IMMORALITY.

What an ugly word.

CONDEMNATION.

Terrifying.

Come let us reason together, says the Lord.

As a spirit-filled believer, I grieve at the moral unmooring of our society.

It used to be, not so long ago, that right was right, and wrong was wrong. No longer.

It's okay to kill----a baby in the womb.
It's okay to have sex---outside of marriage.
It's okay to lie and cheat----if you are a politician.
It's okay to make war and punish righteous people---when they don't agree with you.

It's okay to mock someone---if they have "intolerant" beliefs.

Right?

Well, I say "wrong."

And we who love God will see the wrath of God poured out on all men, but those who BELIEVE. God is just. God does not change.

God is beyond your comprehension.

God condemned a third of the angels to everlasting punishment.  I heard someone say that He will save a third of mankind.

Some would say that that seems a generous number. Man has truly rejected God. We have done what is evil in His sight.

Oh, and one thing; I'm talking about the God of the HOLY BIBLE. The inspired and inerrant Word of God. Not the god you make up in your mind with everything you like. God is God.

Maker of the Universe. Creator. Savior. Lover of souls. Just and Merciful. Yahweh, Age to Age. Revealed in Scripture.

We are in awe. We are amazed at His long-suffering patience with us. God is so good.

The Greening

This week has its insanity aspect: guests, son home from college, new temporary job for him, teaching a class about bees to 200 students, final classes for Margaret, huge garage sale for Scouts that I'm helping to organize, final party/social event for the chorale, and EVERYTHING ELSE.

Spring comes and the energy returns.

I made a cheese danish last night that I shouldn't have: it's just too good. I've never made anything like it before, but I think I'll do a Repeat sometime soon. I'm not sure what possessed me to make it. Drooling over a photo, perhaps.

Ed is learning a new skill: video editing. I think it will serve him well, since he SO enjoys that sort of technical endeavor. He gets to edit our pastor's sermons now. Such power!

It's really just the coughs and pauses, but it's learning.

Yesterday, this class I taught on bees, was really well attended. The concern for bees was well taken. I am always amazed at how little people know about bees, but then I remember how little I knew before we became beekeepers.

It just happened that yesterday the bees were again headlined in the news. Very serendipitous. Of course we all should know that bees are in trouble.

I explained our current dependence on bees and their pollination, the threats to their existence, and the life cycle of the hive.

We stood outside at the park nearby with our sample frames, some with dead bees, some with honey. The children were fascinated, as they should be. Bees are truly fascinating.

Such incredible creations.

Someone is power-walking by the house right now. He is certainly inspired by the lush green of the grass we now have. I need to get going. I'm purging the house today for the garage sale. It is not a job for the faint of heart.

Fortified with cheese danish and my morning caffeine: Off I go.

Seeing Dimly

Wow, what a day. It's Monday, and it's a really busy week, but somehow things really took a downward pitch today.

We were reading about Samuel's response to Saul when he offered a sacrifice that was in rebellion to God's plan this morning.

Samuel said, "To obey is better than sacrifice."

He also said that rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft. Hmmmmmmmm.

Off I went my merry way to my book club where we discussed the book, "Molokai."

Here's where it went downhill:
I stated that the book was supposedly historical fiction, yet the characters were acting like they were from 2000, not 1890.

My friend (who is a believer) said that the titillating parts were completely unrealistic and unnecessary. (I agree.)

And I got the biggest outburst I've ever received for my opinion at book club: "______________ your ___________!!!!!!!!!"----said someone who I'll call J.

Wow. Up until now I've felt we could all share our ideas and thoughts on the book with little fear of being verbally attacked.

After turning a shade of embarrassed pink I tried to be gracious.

I didn't walk out. One of the gals said something soothing to J, "So, tell us how you REALLY feel, J!"

After a few titters we resumed a quieter discussion, and as it unfolded I was blessed with a thought: she's not rejecting me, she's rejecting what I believe. She knows I am a believing Christian.

It really helped me get  through the discussion, but after coming home I have been smarting, licking my wounds, and feeling sad.

I realize that my beliefs about God are different from what most people believe. I believe in the God of the Bible, a just and loving God, who means what He says, who is beyond my comprehension, but who makes perfect sense.

I believe that mankind is separated from God, evil, and only by His Grace through Jesus Christ are we saved. We can do nothing to earn our salvation, we can only believe, put our trust in Him and repent (turn away) from sin.

The Gospel.  I believe it, with all of my heart, and if someone else believes in a different sort of God, that is their prerogative.

But I will still love, still share, still try to be Christ-like, gracious, accepting, even as the message of Christ's Word is rejected.

Welcome to the last days. The lights are dimming all around us. We must be light in this ever-darkening world. It's a calling.

Discerners Anonymous

Once I had a conversation at a women's gathering that ended up as a love-fest between several women who identified as "discerners." 

I took one of those Myers-Briggs type tests long ago that identified strengths and spiritual aptitude (okay, it was a spiritual gifts test) and I had the not-so-surprising-to-me gift of "discernment" as one of my "strengths."

What was so funny about the conversation at the gathering, years later, was the bond of fellowship we discovered in being mutually eschewed by people without that "gift."  Priceless. All of us felt our discernment was unwelcome, unwanted, and worthless to no one but ourselves.

Can you say humility?

Oh, well, because it just happens to be in our make-up, and God obviously had SOME purpose in giving SOME people that gift, it must have SOME meaning for SOMEONE. Right?

Well, even if it didn't, we ARE called to practice our spiritual gifts, whether or not they are appreciated.

Discerners are the nay-sayers. We are the ones who check out the facts. We listen, have our ears to the ground. We put pieces of the puzzle together. We read copious amounts, listen, and judge. Yes, that is a part of discernment; judging.

No WONDER we get a bad "rap!"

We build trust in few, we watch and observe.

Above all, like counterfeit finders, we acquaint ourselves with Biblical Truth, and measure what we see against it.

And what do we get for our "discernment?"

We get judged. We are disliked. We are pilloried. We are labelled judgemental. We are mocked and made fun of.  We listen to people justifying ANYTHING we might be discerning about. We hear their arguments, and feebly attempt to assuage the contempt.

No wonder we need a support group!

It's funny any of us stand a chance at practicing our discernment!

But because we are simply discerners, we don't just cease to be. Despite the reactions we plow on, weighing, watching, and pointing out danger. We don't quit, because we love. We care. We follow a higher calling of obeying God rather than man. We risk the pain, because we want the ones we love to be "in the fold." We care too much for their souls to leave the words unspoken.

We really aren't curmudgeons, wringing wet rags on people's "fun."

We are truth tellers.

If we step on your toes, it's only out of concern, and we'd rather your toe be put out of joint than your soul damaged.

So we risk. And we bear the scars. And we look to our beautiful Lord and Savior to heal those wounds.

And we fear one thing: that we would be accused of being silent and have the blood of someone unsuspecting on our heads.

So try to understand.

In Response to an Article on Yoga

I'm copying and pasting this response to an article in Sojourners about yoga.

This gentleman had a great response.

He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

"How can Christian believers be SO naive. The kind of yoga that Jacobs learned in India denies the gospel of Jesus Christ. It denies the divinity of Christ. To them, embracing Jesus as "just a good teacher" is their way of attracting westerners (with $$) to come to their ashram. They encourage you to embrace your OWN divinity. Jesus is NOT the way, the truth and the life, but only a shining light for us to find our OWN divinity. It is a subtle and attractive deception that easily lures the ignorant and naive Christian to repeat the story of Genesis 3 where Satan encourages Eve to rebel and be her own autonomous god , saying, "“You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”.
The goal of all yoga is to obtain oneness with the universe. That's also known as the process of enlightenment, or union with Brahman (Hinduism's highest god). The word "yoga" means "union" or "to yoke." It is based on the philosophy of pantheism. It is a mystic and ascetic Hindu discipline for achieving union with the supreme spirit through meditation, prescribed postures and controlled breathing, etc. The goal of Jesus was to heal us from the mistake of thinking that we could DO something (like Yoga) to bring about union with God. "For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus" - 1 Timothy 2:5.
Jesus brings a union that Yoga cannot.
Yogi authority Gopi Krishna writes:
"All the systems of yoga...are designed to bring about those psychosomatic changes in the body which are essential for the metamorphosis of consciousness".
Psychosomatic means "The constant and inseparable interaction of the psyche (mind) and the soma (body)."
The Bible says that our transformation comes from Christ alone.
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" 2 Corinthians 5:17.
Our transformation comes from the Holy Spirit, not Yoga.
"And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit" 2 Corinthians 3:18.
The article says that Jacobs took to "Kundalini Yoga." In Hindu mythology and occult anatomy, the goddess Kundalini is thought of as a female serpent lying dormant at the base of the spine. Arthur Avalon comments that "kundalini is the Divine Cosmic Energy in bodies." She represents the female half of the divine polarity in man. While lying at the base of the spine, she is separated from Shiva, her divine "lover" and masculine counterpart, who resides in the brain. When aroused by yoga practices, she uncoils, travels up the spine toward her lover, opening the alleged psychic centers called chakras in the process. When the crown or top chakra is reached, the union of Shiva/Shakti occurs, supposedly leading the practitioner to divine enlightenment and union with Brahman. "Traditionally she is known as Durga the creatrix, Chandi the fierce and bloodthirsty, and Kali the destroyer. She is also Bhajangi the serpent. As Chandi or Kali she has a garland of skulls around her neck and drinks human blood."
Kundalini arousal is not, as commonly thought, restricted to hatha yoga practice. Even yoga authorities have said that all yoga is ultimately kundalini yoga and that yoga is meaningless without it. Have you ever seen anyone who is in the process of experiencing a Kundalini "awakening" or "arousal?" The "union" one experiences here is NOT with God.
1 Timothy 4:1 "The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons."

2 Timothy 4:3 "For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear." 

Nothing was said about physical therapy or making any connection with yoga. When you do physical therapy, do you do so with a goal of attaining "spiritual health?" Does your physical therapy help you to cultivate "compassion and consciousness in relationship with God and others?" Is your physical therapist a "yoga prodigy" who teaches you how to have a "Kundalini arousal?" that is "highly spiritual" , "more traditional and spiritually authentic?" No? Maybe you are just getting physical therapy and it really has nothing to do with yoga? Then, why call it yoga? Why not call it physical therapy?



The problem with Yoga is that you cannot separate Yoga from it's spiritual roots. Imagine treating Baptism and Communion as an Underwater Therapy and Wine Tasting business! Envision a Fitness Rabbi, Diet Pope and Gaming Imam! Picture Hot Baptism (at your local gym), Power Mass and Gentle Genuflecting! How about a 200 hour Certified Communion Teacher greeting students with Hallelujah and denying any Christian connection? How about marketing Baptism pants to display one’s physical accomplishments! Silly, ain't it?
The roots of Yoga are found in Hinduism. Hinduism is not like a recipe ingredient that can be extracted from yoga. Professor Subhas Tiwari of Hindu University of America. “The simple, immutable fact is that yoga originated from the Vedic or Hindu culture. Its techniques were not adopted by Hinduism, but originated from it… The effort to separate yoga from Hinduism must be challenged because it runs counter to the fundamental principles upon which yoga itself is premised…“Efforts to separate yoga from its spiritual center reveal ignorance of the goal of yoga.“ (HinduismToday.com – 9/1-3/09). Christian yoga is an oxymoron.
What are some of the positions that are taught in yoga and where did they come from?

Yoga teaches that each posture reflects a mental attitude, whether that attitude be one of surrender, as in a forward bending asana, or the strengthening of the will, through backward bending postures, or the creation of a physical prayer or meditation with the body, as in the practice of the Lotus position.

Surya-namaskar or "salute to the sun" posture, used at the beginning of most classes, pays homage to the Hindu sun god.The Sanskrit word surya means sun. Namaskar is the Hindi word for Namaste, from the root nam, to bow. Namaskar means salutation, salute, greeting or praise. Namaste literally means, " I bow to the divinity within you.” In other words, there is no need for God because you ARE God!

Savasana (the Corpse Pose)-The Sanskrit word shava means corpse hence this is the Corpse. The shava-asana is also known as the mrta-asana. It is suggested that you start and end each yoga session with this pose.

Bhujangasana (the Cobra or Snake Pose) - The Sanskrit word naga means snake or serpent. The naga-asana is also known as the bhujanga-asana. The Sanskrit word bhujanga, which also means snake, is derived from the root bhuj which means to bend or curve. "This posture increases the gastric fire; it destroys all diseases and by constant practice leads to the awakening of Kundalini." - The Gheranda-samhita II.42-43.

The so-called "Praying Hands" gesture (putting one's palms together with fingers pointing upward) is a mudra (Hindu prayer gesture) which pre-dates Christianity? This is closely linked with the Hindu "Namaste" greeting ("I bow to the divine within you") and other Eastern religious practices.

Nataraja-asana - The King of the Dance Pose - The Sanskrit word nata means dancer and raja means king. Nataraja is another name for Shiva (Hindu God), the Lord of the Dance, whose cosmic dance is the creation and destruction of the world.

Garuda-asana - The Eagle Pose - The Sanskrit word garuda means eagle. In Hindu mythology Garuda is known as the king of birds. He transports the God Vishnu (shown with a bow and arrow in the illustration to the left) and is said to be eager to help humanity fight againt deamons.

Catholics face a more formidable skeptic. In 1989 the Vatican issued a document saying the practice of Eastern traditions like yoga "can degenerate into a cult of the body," warning Catholics against mistaking yoga's "pleasing sensations" for "spiritual well-being." It was signed by then Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger. In a 2003 document the Vatican further distances itself from New Age practices, including yoga.

“But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!

“6 For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth“ (2 Timothy 3:1-7).

Don't be gullible."

Jeff Iversen

Little Beggarman

Northern Lights Chorale

I'm playing the flute.

Did You Know?

Please consider this article if you have "The Message" in your home.  It's the best summary I've seen to date.

http://www.crossroad.to/Bible_studies/Message.html