Deli Stories

I really have a fun job working at the local deli. Because I'm a substitute teacher during the school year I have this very part time job slicing meat and serving salads. It's something like "job security."

I live in an interesting neighborhood, rural, for the most part, and nice. It's not "gold coast" or anything, but it does have its local flair. I do love it here.

I get to see all the local folk, gals I grew up with, people from my home church. My husband stops in on his way home from work. Margaret works there sometimes too, so we're kind of a mother and daughter team.

Both of us remarked on a regular customer who always wore black leather and sunglasses. He's a friendly guy, and we'd exchange small talk.

Last night we had a real conversation, and I discovered something. He's a world famous concert pianist.

I'm not going to say his name. Clearly he enjoys his anonymity. Isn't it interesting to think that I've been helping out a world-class musician all these months?!

And I never knew.

Sometimes you find little interesting things in the every day life. I do.

High Summer at Corgi Hollows

The house is surrounded by the greenest green you can imagine. Our recent rains and the precipitation from the last few wet years has gifted us with the most unimaginable vegetation lushness that I've ever seen.

It's rainforesty.

The rest of the world is suffering temps in the one hundreds, but here at Corgi Hollows a blanket feels nice all night long.

This morning my husband and I took our 2 mile walk with Corwyn and Blackberry. We kept exclaiming at the perfects temps and the variations of green all around us.

Blue greens of the soy beans and the dew on the grass and spruce---deep Kelly green of the pastures---pine green. The colors of your crayon box should come to mind. I found a thicket of plums. I'm not telling where. They are still green, except for the one that I picked. I got it before the birds did.

I am thinking about Plum Kuchen, and maybe even plum jam.

This is a food post. I'm busy preparing food, (cinnamon raisin bread is in the oven) and food elicits  many memories. Today my husband and I went on errands and spotted a farmer's market. I posted earlier that I'm planning my own kitchen garden ala Tasha Tudor for next year, but now I must find everything at the local markets.

In the last few years farmers markets around the Twin Cities have families of Hmong immigrants who sell perfect vegetables and flowers. We have very fertile fields around here and I see these vegetable farmers out working and harvesting all around here. I've glanced out at fields and seen the classic wide brimmed Asian hats bobbing down rows of green and I've wondered if I'm in Minnesota! It's delightful.

I picked out some perfectly sized eggplant, some gorgeous garlic, onions, and green beans.

It is the time of year when my life rhythms remind me of the summer I spent in Turkey, 29 years ago.


I was young, a know-it-all, and extremely out of place there, but I fell in love with the sights and sounds of that country. I lost a friendship over that trip----a young Cypriot woman who was my friend and fellow chamber singer at the University of Minnesota. Her name was Tonia Bayada, and when she got my letter telling about my trip to Turkey she completely cut me off.

This was before Facebook.

Her loyalty to Cyprus, and her hatred for Turkey was too powerful for a friendship to withstand.

Life lessons.

I loved the food in Turkey. I determined to learn how to make Moussaka, and I have made it almost every summer since my trip---at least once.

I crave it, but my family does NOT. Eggplant is low on their list.

I make it anyway, and I've cut corners over the years. I don't soak the eggplant in salt water anymore. I just peel it and use it. I try to make the tomatoes into more of a sauce, since that goes over better with the family.

I do use plenty of olive oil and garlic and the best ground beef (grass fed up by Brainerd on my cousins' farm!). I buy a loaf of french bread, as similar as I can find to the delicious bread you could buy on the streets of Istanbul.

I bake it all afternoon, and it is SO GOOD!

If I am up to it and have the time I bake a baklava to have as dessert. My co-workers from Germany gave me a beautiful Turkish tea set and I've been able to order Turkish tea from Amazon.

Each summer I have the perfect Turkish meal, and it brings back my time in Turkey----good and bad.

It's good to revisit the not-so-pleasant memories and see how far you've come, how much time has passed since, even if it can be painful. Turkey is an Islamic country, and 30 years ago it was trying desperately to become more western. There was a feeling of needing to tread softly wherever I went. I was constantly afraid of doing the wrong thing, and I certainly did the wrong thing more than I should have!

For me it was proof that I was not fit to live there, all the enticements of Turkey aside.

I'd love to return to a quiet seaside resort on the Aegean Sea called Ayvalik. It was a haven for me while I was there. I tried so hard to fit in, but I did not. I made too many mistakes for Islamic culture.

I've done much reading since then about Islam and I think I understand better my mistakes. At the time I just felt helpless and worse than helpful!

Memories. I still pull out my Turkish language books from time to time to brush up on it, but I think my days of speaking Turkish will never come again.

Merhaba! Cay iciyorum! Tessekkur Ederim. Alaismarlidik.

The heat of Turkey in July always comes to mind on the hottest days of summer, but we're either past them or they are yet to come here in Minnesota.

My Turkish feast will be prepared sometime this week, I plan. If you want to partake, please come over!

Succinct, Issues

https://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/?p=28585

Thoughts on the World We're In

https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2018/07/new-york-times-targets-kavanaughs-wife.php

If I were ever to run for public office (and that's completely off the charts of unlikely) I'm afraid my public opinions would be fair game for my opponent.

I am unapologetically pro-life----in all instances---(because I know God determines our days and we don't. Satan is a murderer.)

I am pro Biblical values, so that puts me in a very unpopular place with people who like to redefine "sin."


There is a book written called "None of These Diseases." I've picked up copies and given them out to various people over the years. For me it was a convincing work proving the effectiveness of Biblical principles in accordance with human health.

The old laws of Leviticus get such a bad reputation among deviant-sexuals.

There are, of course, reasons why God has his people follow his rules and they are to benefit, not to harm.


So, knowing that a loving God is seeking to give you the best possible life, (not ala Joel Osteen, but truly spiritually AND physically) the rules He gives are totally worth following.

This world is absolutely not willing to listen. Every human heart seeks a selfish goal. It's human nature. God can change a heart that is repentant. Once the heart repents a new life in Christ Jesus is the joy set before you.

And the suffering, and the persecution, and the trials....

But mostly the joy.

As we navigate this existence where grossly differing messages assault our brainwaves daily it is most important to get the facts of life right.

The book of Jude is very descriptive. It's only a few verses long, but such images! It is the book second to last in the Bible, which interestingly corresponds to its timing for history. It perfectly describes what we see right now all around us. It's as if Jude had a vision of our society and wrote the vision down as best as he could describe it. Eerie.

We can only know what is right by knowing God's word. It's all we have.

God gave each of us a conscience, and that is truly a gift, but we can violate it and even kill it by repeated sin. When we tell a lie there is a pricking of conscience, right? When we steal something there is a painful moment of reckoning. What a gift.

It's pretty easy to kill it, though. The prick isn't as deep the next time we say something untrue, and so on. We're on the road to becoming pathological....

But God.

Don't let Satan kill your conscience about sin: murder, hatred, lust, anger, envy, greed, gluttony, pride or sloth. Don't go against God's perfect rules. Truly there is grace when we fail, but there is a conscious need to repent and start again. We must follow Christ moment by moment.

Repent today.

I was listening to Larry Ollison on Prophecy Watchers. He had the delightful teaching that only believers of the Church, the Bride, will be given glorified bodies. These will become changed in a twinkling of an eye at the Rapture. Those that go through the Tribulation and come to faith will receive a resurrected body, but not a "glorified" body. It's a teaching from Scripture that bears extra study.

Come to Christ today. The Rapture can occur without any warning, as we are truly in the last days. Jude describes them so perfectly, and here we are.

It's about to get very scary in the world. Start moving to Israel if you don't plan on becoming saved in Christ soon. The wrath of God is going to be unleashed on the earth, and God's bride and friend Israel is only guaranteed survival through this time of tribulation. The anti-Christ, the one of end-times fame, will be driven by Satan to destroy anything that reeks of Jesus Christ, the true Christ.

Hey, I'm a prophecy watcher! I'm just sounding the alarm.

Jesus said he was coming again. He is.
The rapture must occur before He comes back. The Bride of Christ is not under God's wrath---that payment was made by Christ, who redeemed us from that punishment. The Bride will be whisked away, caught up, harpazo, raptured as it says in Thessalonians.

And such sadness and mayhem will commence soon thereafter.


Don't miss the rapture. Repent now. Ask the Lord Jesus Christ to forgive you, to be your Lord and Savior. Follow Him. Believe, and you shall receive the Holy Spirit and be born again.

Mario Murillo

https://mariomurilloministries.wordpress.com/2018/06/08/christians-who-hate-trump/

Occult

https://youtu.be/KrOT4WE05lM

Alien Intrusion

https://youtu.be/w5m6MUkWh5w

Boston Ivy, Not Virginia Creeper

The vine which shuts in our porch is Boston Ivy. I'd thought it was Virginia Creeper, but that's on my mom's porch.
Boston Ivy is amazing here! Love the green walls that give privacy and keep out rain.
I'm planning my kitchen garden this summer.
I'm using Tasha Tudor's plan.

Dr. Grady

https://youtu.be/uJGairhrPGc

Why?

http://dailycaller.com/2018/07/22/she-hates-me-wapo-reveals-why-evangelicals-jumped-aboard-the-trump-train/

Treason

https://youtu.be/I-kzQAvlwsM

Jan's Program goes hand in hand with my post:

https://www.oneplace.com/ministries/understanding-the-times/custom-player/

Danger: Deception in the church

Strange Fire

In the Old Testament book of Leviticus, chapter 10, something frightening happened.

The sons of Aaron took fire and attempted to burn an offering to God, instead of letting God Himself burn the offering.

God burned Aaron's sons. Completely.

God's response:

"Among those who approach me I will be proved holy."


As someone who wants to glorify God in everything (and who is painfully aware of the dark spots in one's person) I must continually ask myself if my thoughts, motives, beliefs, actions, life itself is right to God.


Lately I've seen many references to apostasy in the church. Discernment ministries usually come off sounding harsh and judgmental, and each different organization, denominational or missions oriented, has differences of opinion about what is right, what is false, what is true.


In my last post I wrote about truth and how we can filter it out by having a Biblical worldview. I couldn't be more convinced of this.

I have been a believer for 50+ years. I have had this question of discernment in my head  since I knew what the word was.

I have an opinion. I think that God works in mysterious ways to draw all men unto Himself. I think that there are levels of knowledge and discernment. I believe God directly speaks to some people about sin in their lives! Conviction is a wonderful thing. It's also terrible.

I think that God is merciful, but there are absolute standards regarding faith.

Holiness is perfection, and we should all be obeying the command of Christ, "Be perfect." I loved Bill Gothard's explanation of that command---It had to do with being a mature and ripened believer. The image in the "Commands of Christ" book was a "perfect" apple hanging on a tree.

We cannot be perfect, because of our sin nature, but we can be ripe and mature believers, understanding what holiness is and making that our goal.

That said, back to strange fire.

In this age many self-identified Christians believe that you can take practices from other religions and use them to honor and glorify God.

I like to think of Sadhu Sundar Singh, one of my favorite people of all time. (No, I'm not a fan of Todd Bentley, who also loves Singh!)

Here is a person who met God and became completely devoted to Jesus in his own culture. It's an example to me of a pursuit of holiness within a non-western climate.

We must be aware that we are influenced by western things, like Catholicism, Paganism, Deism, patriotism, nationalism. These ideas creep into our faith.

So does the New Age, Hinduism, Buddhism, Zen.

I do like Japanese gardens. They are so tranquil. Did you know that each element of the garden has symbolic meaning?

Is this "strange fire?"

Would this garden be pleasing to God? It's worth asking. It's worth getting to the core of being holy and and understanding what truly pleases God.

And if I'm not sure, would I simply follow my desire to enjoy a Japanese garden despite the ramifications?

I'm using the garden as a metaphor for many, many other things that really could be deemed "strange fire."

Our whole lives should be lived in a pursuit of holiness. AW Tozer wrote a book about that, and I think he is one of my favorite theologians. He writes so clearly about the believer's walk. So much of what he wrote resonates in my spirit.

He wasn't perfect. His wife "accused" him of loving Jesus more than he loved her....

Some of us would say that that was right and good! Others would say that it wasn't showing Christ's love.

And that is what it boils down to, really. We know that the mountain top of holiness is our pursuit, but we may get dirty with serving others in Christ's love down here below at the same time. That's life as a follower of Christ.

But offering strange fire, once you understand it, is unacceptable. God is holy. He doesn't need you to practice yoga (a spiritual discipline). He doesn't need you to become involved in energy healing or Reiki. He doesn't want you to become a Gnostic, or pursue wealth like the Prosperity Gospel folk. He wants you to test the spirits and not be sucked into things like the New Apostolic Reformation. Watch out when a person or preacher holds the reins on everything in a follower's life!

Only God should be doing that.

All week I've been thinking of that horrible illustration about the pan of brownies. You know it. I almost hate to bring it up, but it's so true, so helpful in understanding strange fire and discernment.

Here goes; You make a pan of fresh brownies (chocolate cookie bars.) All the ingredients are perfectly fresh----the flour, the eggs, the chocolate---but you put a teaspoon of cat feces in the mix.

WOULD YOU EAT THE BROWNIES?

You can't see the feces. You can't even smell it. The brownies smell wonderful.

I couldn't eat them.

That is what a tiny fraction of strange fire does to your holiness. It pollutes the entire thing.

God understands us better than we understand ourselves. He is asking us to pursue HOLINESS.

He knows that we struggle with sin in our hearts and minds. He understands! He works in all sorts of ways to draw each and every person on this earth to Himself. Some come through extremes, some through deception, some through a direct (but narrow) path. He's working on people!

We can't be condemning judges, but we MUST be discerning! Don't get upset with discernment ministries when the spotlight comes too close to something you have okay-ed. Take it as a word from the LORD GOD that you need to discern yourself if this is STRANGE FIRE that you are offering to God.


Perhaps you are entirely okay with meat offered to idols. Paul says give it up so that others won't stumble.

You can give it up, can't you? Must you have your way?

Why keep something in your life that is only a hindrance? It may be "legal," it may be harmless, but do you need it to glorify God?

Give it up.


Please, give it up.

Holiness is something we all need to pursue, and God requires it.


Here comes the spotlight!

Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire

John 8:44 King James Version (KJV)

44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

As we navigate this tempestuous world we are increasingly aware of the elusiveness of Truth.

I watched a testimony this morning from Germany on "MenschGott" from a young woman who was delivered from a "Sucht" of Lying.

A "Sucht" in English is a compelling spirit. I always think languages don't exactly translate, but we can try to get the feeling of words. It conveys a sense of being driven, of compulsion, of addiction, of dependence, of lust, of besetting sin.

This woman was a pathological liar.

The story ends happily. She's delivered from this spirit by Christ Himself. Total transformation!

Truth.

"What is Truth?" asked Pilate of Jesus. We don't know the answer He gave, if given.

We know that Jesus declared Himself the way, the Truth, and the life. Jesus is the truth.

This is a key piece of information. We need it to survive and serve in this life.

Lying politicians are a given. We all know this. We never know who or what to believe from the mainstream media. 

I'll give you some helpful advice that has never failed me in my search for truth. NEVER FAILED ME----

If Jesus is the truth, and he is, whatever He says is truth, and anything that contradicts His truth is a LIE.

This shapes a worldview that can handle just about anything. Build your life on a worldview of trusting Jesus and you can't lose.

If people lie to your face and you believe them you are in the hands of a loving God who will use that lying evil for good in your life.

That's His promise.

This is a worldview that works. God takes care of you.

It's also a worldview that assumes most things are a lie, or partly a lie, EXCEPT the truth from God's word.

Hmmmm. 

Don't believe that statement without reservation---

Don't believe that news story without reservation---

Don't believe that book without reservation---

Don't believe that textbook without reservation---

Don't believe that friend---

Don't believe that one who is beloved----

You see, we are all sinners, and we all have a temptation to stretch the truth. We see things from our own perspective, for our own good (We are all selfish. If you don't believe that you are believing a lie!)

We can selectively share the truth, or part of the truth to our good.

It's really a lie.

I have a better half who likes to make sure whatever I'm saying is the absolute truth. His mother always said he had a hatred of gossip from the time he was a very young child. He's really commendable. 

He likes to re-say whatever I say, certainly in my best interest. Most of the time he just says it for me!

It really keeps me thinking! I'm constantly thinking about my words and whether or not they are true. It's a gift from God. I must tell the truth. I must not shade the truth. I must state exactly what I know to be the truth, and I must tell only that, no embellishment.

As a self-stated "artist" that can irk someone like me. Artists do see the world through rose-colored glasses. We can leave out the garbage dump in the foreground, the cemetery to the left...

We like the world to be only beautiful.

But that isn't the truth, and I acknowledge that to my truth-loving husband.

I can choose to admire all the good President Trump is doing to promote good things and choose to abhor the things Obama did without paying attention to the negative or positive each one represents too. Politics are so polarizing.

It's about truth. It's about what you WANT to believe, isn't it?

My truth is different from yours, right?

(Well I hope not, but it certainly appears to be so.)

That is where we MUST have an objective filter to find absolute truth. 

Enter Scripture. 

The Bible is either truth or not. It claims to be the Word of God, and God is truth. It's circular, and one must embrace all or nothing.

When you pick and choose what to believe you are placing yourself on the throne of your life and committing idolatry. The Bible is true, or it is not.

We can get into reams of arguments about the authority of Scripture, its origins, its veracity, its inerrancy. We can talk about manuscripts and councils, tradition and evidence. Believe me, I've looked into all of it.

I am content to believe that the Bible is God's Word. All of it. I'm content to trust the translations of Scripture (I do like the KJV) and believe the text as inspired. I'm willing to "argue" that the Holy Spirit speaks through Scripture to all things yesterday, today, and forever.

I trust the truths that God has shown me through His word. I trust the Holy Spirit to guide me in paths of righteousness for His name sake.

This helps me navigate the truth about life, this existence, the morals I must hold, AND it puts the searchlight on SIN in my heart and life.

Because God is holy, and He doesn't like sin ruling our temple, our bodies. He's going to point it out.

Gently, yes. But if you want to serve God you will eventually have to clean out the closets of your heart from immoral behavior. It's a process, but it's happening.

IF you think that God tolerates sin of any kind (and just open your Bible to Romans 1 for a pretty good list) you are believing a lie.

God is working on you to repent from sin.

So, when you have a Biblical worldview you can spot lies from a million miles away. It's just so clear. If you are duped by a "friend" or even a loved one who is trying to protect you from the truth, NOT a problem. God will see to it that the truth always comes out. I think this verse may apply here:

Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops. Luke 12:3

I think there will be an ultimate truth filter that will sift out the lies. It's coming, and I look forward to it.

I think we all know this, if we trust in a Holy, perfect, truthful God.

The God who made everything, He made the world we see in six days. He said so. Truth, or not?

Truth.

OR else He IS A LIAR, LIAR....

I don't think so. I'm going with the God of truth.

He hasn't failed me yet, and He never will. 

Snark

ALWAYS read Greenfield

http://sultanknish.blogspot.com/2018/07/did-russians-hack-dnc-to-help-left-take.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook&m=1

Spurgeon

Hollywood

https://youtu.be/bLlNMecWY3E

Stories must be told

https://youtu.be/cfD2SHlkPOE

And the OTHER whistleblower:

https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-07-14/majority-clinton-emails-funneled-foreign-entity-when-ig-told-strzok-he-completely

And the slave trader was....John Newton

https://youtu.be/mRJzWRTaXTM

Two of my favorites chatting:

https://youtu.be/i_utKTbkp5Y

Dear Beloved Europe

https://www.hoover.org/research/why-europe-gets-no-respect

Brilliant

Beware the Religious Spirit

I'm reading two autobiographies right now.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon's, and John Newton's---"Out of the Depths."

You know I love biographies. They reveal so much about the spirit of individuals and we can learn so much from their experiences!

Spurgeon's autobiography is really a collection of things he wrote, not intending exactly an autobiography. There are letters/perspectives from others in the book too. He certainly was colorful, and probably suffered from bi-polar disorder. That becomes evident on reading. The possibilities of amazing things done by someone suffering with this disorder is really evident. Comforting. Brilliant minds have unique and sometimes dark experiences.

It's John Newton's story that is getting to my heart, though.

I see his mother, a homeschooling, God-fearing woman, teaching John to read at an early age. I see his astute memorization of Scripture and prayers. He had such a fantastic start in life with everything we homeschooling moms would have desired in our own home grown scholars.

He learned Latin, Greek, Aramaic. He practically memorized all six books of Euclid. He thought deeply about philosophy, reading the thinkers of his day (not that that helped him, but he certainly was a deep thinker!}

This young man from England had so much going for him, but he was swept into sin and desired the temporary pleasure of sinful association over the things of the True Spirit.

His mother tried.

Then came the interesting part---all of the miraculous rescues, the torments, the evil doings and mischiefs. Some of these events in John's life resulted in a change of heart, a desire to please God, to re-find his spiritual roots.

But alas, it never held.

John suffered from a "religious spirit."


I wonder if we actually understand what that is. Let me try to define it simply, and see if you recognize its temptations and torments in yourself.

The religious spirit says "I can do it. I can make myself better for God."
It says that I'm worth nothing aside from my spiritual actions.
It says "I know the Word of God. I know more than others."
It says, "I am better."
It has little repentance, little heartache for the lost. It cares only superficially for those that are stuck in the maelstrom of sin.
It appears proud often, if not all the time.
It's sinful.
It doesn't love, and the classic fruits of the Spirit are little in evidence.
It doesn't strive for holiness, but "goodness."

There's more, but this is a start. This spirit loves to indwell us. What a crafty, sly, Sneak it is! It really fools just about everyone.

But it doesn't fool God.

John Newton did become a Spirit-filled believer in time, but it was a long struggle with the religious spirit that he got as a child.

I think most children run the risk of getting it, perhaps especially home-schooled children.

They really are smart, knowledgeable, and incredibly talented for the most part. They parrot their parents' faith. They've been given a safe  environment to experience the world, with loving attention and direction. They've been given time to find their true strengths and weaknesses and home in on careers that fit them well. They have time to hone their talents.

What a wonderful start to life!

But when they are afflicted by a religious spirit, like John Newton was, they are complete fakes spiritually. There is no true relationship with the Holy Spirit. There is not true understanding or sorrow at the state of mankind. There is a tendency to fall back, be carnal, choose badly because the Holy Spirit is stifled by the religious spirit.

The secret desires are not of Christ, but of the "flesh," or of one's own heart.

Psalm 37:4; Delight yourself in the LORD and HE will give you the desires of your heart.

These are HIS desires having become yours. It's not the BMW, or the mansion down here, the perfect body or the travels to exotics. His desires are your delight, His desires are your mainstay. You see His desires as your own.

This is true spirituality.

How do I get rid of that religious spirit, you ask?

First of all repent. Ask forgiveness. Go to God on your knees and pray for deliverance by the blood of Jesus Christ.

Secondly cry out for the filling of the Holy Spirit. Believe that God saved you through His death on the cross in 32 AD. It was HIS sacrifice, not anything you can do religiously, that saved your soul from hell.

Stop sinning. Right now, this moment. And stop sinning moment by moment. Don't pick up that glass of alcohol. Don't pick up that sensual book. Don't click on that pornographic image. It's a moment by moment thing, friend.

Maybe you struggle with an intellectual superiority issue. You like to read all sorts of "literature." (I can hear that word with a haughty British accent.) You know way more than most people, don't you?
Repent of that prideful heart. I think the religious spirit is mostly characterized by Pride. I'm good enough already, right? WRONG!

Sensuality is a gift from God. It's intended for pleasure. It's intended to be enjoyed within God's guidelines. It's mentioned even in the ten commandments: (written in stone in our nation's capitol) DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY.

That means sensual thoughts and acts outside of a heterosexual marriage. That's adultery.

Oh, yeah, there are lots of names for different kinds of sensuality or sexual fantasy. It's all adultery outside of marriage.

That is why the Bible is so good about warning us to NOT awaken these desires before their time.

Fat chance in this era, right?

It takes a moment by moment commitment to Christ. Do you want to grieve your Savior? Do you want to experience His love and comfort?


Conquering sin is a life-long activity. We're sinners. We need help here!

Being filled with the Holy Spirit is the ONLY way to conquer sin, truly. Anything else is simply the fruit of a religious spirit.

And a religious spirit dwells in people of all persuasions, be they Hindu, Buddhist, New Age, Wicca, Muslim, whatever. Even atheists can display a religious spirit.

Beware the religious spirit. It probably is lurking at your shoulder right now.

Tell it to GET OUT. 

Fortressing Again

Ed is recovering from the operation well. This week he had a little setback with a small part of the incision not healing yet.

This is discouraging, and a little infection was apparent. It's been one month since surgery.
We are tired and anticipating better health.

Dealing with deep things can be very exhausting.

I think it was about a year after Ed was diagnosed with cancer that I thought of a word describing my mentality during that time.

Fortressing.

It was a time of pulling back, healing, evaluating, putting up walls, recalculating, analyzing, reinforcement, quiet.

It was time to build up the foundations that had been damaged or hit by the enemy's fire.

Of course I'm talking spiritually as well as physically.

Going through a child's hardship is one of the most difficult things I've ever had to do.

I broke my back when I was 17 (lifelong problems thereby), I've had loss of friendship, loss of dreams, loss of love. Loss.
But I've come through these things with God's help and simply went on with my life.

When my children go through the deep waters of pain or trouble I really feel it.

Of course I'm not in control. Never was.

I can't make it better. Impossible.

With God all things are possible. This is when I look to Him more and more! I can go through these times with His help. He makes it possible to get through.

Fortressing is a time of reminding myself that I can rely on God, but I have some responsibility to buck up and get my act together, too.

So I'm getting my act together right now. My dear friends know that my interests are so varied that I need to organize my time fairly closely in order to accommodate all the "normal" activities!  I am constantly reevaluating my activities and projects, my work demands.

I swam this afternoon at the lake. I found that the beach I had been going to was really weedy compared to the other one at the park, closer to the campground. It was a pleasure to swim today---the temperature of  the lake is perfect.

When one swims in a blue-sky-reflecting lake one realizes how small one is.

There you are in all of that water. You can't see the depths or guess the gallons. You are surrounded by tons of water held together by mud, rocks and sand. Northern Pike lurk beneath you.

It's rather awesome. You feel your fragility.

God cares about each human life in that lake more than he cares about the lake itself.

Of course we need to take care of the lake. I'm just pointing at the beauty God provides for us to enjoy. It's amazing. God is so good.

As a tiny human body swims in a Minnesota lake the picture of the totality of our significance comes into focus. We are significant.

And God protects us.

A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing.

I'm fortressing. I'm feeling the reinforcements even now.

Please Pray

Ed is experiencing some infection in his surgical wound.

We are hoping that it can be taken care of by antibiotics, and we are asking for your prayers.

Thank you.

The Most Benevolent Society

People wish for all the advantages of the Judeo-Christian based society, but not the consequences.

Atheists wish for all the benefits of a godless society, but they naively expect also the benefits of a society that obeys a moral deity.


Plainly spoken, anarchy belongs to the atheists. Whose rules are more powerful? One does what one wills.


With the belief in the Creator God of the Bible the paradigm shifts. We have a Being who makes the rules, and we must obey them whether we like them or not.


Anything else is a form of idolatry, picking and choosing the things that please us.


This is one of the main problems I have with the current Pope. I am not Catholic, but I understand that the Pope is "vicarious Christ" and his word is as good as law.

This pope has made statements that completely disagree with the Bible, let alone past Catholic doctrine. He is truly a law unto himself.

I prefer to honor and obey the Biblical God----whether I like him or not.


Think about that.

He is the same yesterday, today, forever. He hasn't changed one iota. He's all-powerful and all-knowing. He's omni-present.

He defines Himself in the Holy Bible, and we MUST either accept Him as He defines Himself or make Him up to be how we like him. In other words we like to make Him in our own image.

I needed to repent from doing this. I still think I can think of better attributes for God sometimes. I want Him to save everyone. I want Him to show Himself more forthrightly. I want there to be peace on earth. Force it, Lord! I want there to be no poverty, no sickness, no death.

But I'm not God, and God has His own designs for this existence. I'm given the opportunity to CHOOSE HIM, or the other option; not Him.

There are only two options. God or not.

Not has many faces. It looks pretty innocuous most of the time. Not has become dozens of different religions and cults. Not pretty much makes up most of the world.


Not ends up in hell.


Everyone dies, but eternal death is for those who do not choose Jesus Christ.

God doesn't change. We do. We always make our gods okay with us. God is not okay with us. He loves us, but we need a savior to establish a relationship with God.


Choose life today. Choose the Creator of the Universe. Choose YHWH, the God who gave you His Word.

Enemies Within

https://olivetreeviews.org/radio-archives/the-enemies-within/

Read

https://pjmedia.com/trending/border-medic-explains-the-horrifying-reasons-why-children-are-separated-at-the-border/?utm_source=PJMTwitter&utm_medium=post

Lake Minnetonka Outing

Thanks to photographer friend Elaine

Socialism

https://youtu.be/b-SHZxplMmM

UFO'S

https://www.techtimes.com/articles/231514/20180630/ex-nasa-scientist-says-that-ufos-are-real-and-the-government-covers-up-alien-life.htm

WHAT?????

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/nov/4/majority-millennials-want-live-socialist-fascist-o/