Blessings

Okay, faithful friends, you know by now that when I entitle something "Blessings" I am in need of a little boost.

I must count my blessings.

Count with me, as I bet that you and I share many of the same ones, and if we don't, then you can hear the testimony of God's work in my life!

Gorgeous spring!
School year about to end!  (This one is new for me these past two Junes)
Warmth from the sun, seasons, quiet, and a peaceful home
Birds: hummers at the feeder all day, Oriels, Cardinals nesting right above the porch door at my mom's and dad's house next door
Cranes, pheasants, indigo buntings, killdeers, robins galore!
Bach playing on an old cassette tape I got from Germany
health
wealth
food--strawberry pie I'm making for a chorale potluck tonight
fellowship with like-minded friends, watchmen (we had our prophecy study on Sunday, and it was so good to be back together after hiatus)
Grandchildren
Help for health issues, family who can step in, doctors who are trying to piece together what is wrong
Healthy, funny pets, always entertaining, always affectionate!
Gainful employment, contentment with that employment---despite interpersonal issues that come up!
Athletic children
Healthy children
Help for the hard times---cancer, depression, addictions, diseases
Understanding, wisdom, knowledge, brains that work pretty well, interesting things to occupy thoughts
Cars that actually drive
Air conditioning
cool water
plumbing (when it goes out you really do appreciate it!)
Horses to love on next door (they are being boarded at our neighbors' farm)
Beauty everywhere
clothes to wear--excellent thrift shops in the neighborhood, sewing machines, friends who are expert sewers
Fun things to do! --sewing, knitting, painting, drawing, reading
Fascinating books, thousands of them. (Once I dreamed of having "Corgi Hollows" be a place to share home schooling sources and lessons in music and fine arts, also a private lending library. That may still happen....)
Church family and a caring pastor
Amazing friends---GOD HAS BLESSED ME!
Time, sleep, freedom from pain (usually)
Bikes to ride, gravel country roads to jog, lilacs to sniff
A canoe to paddle (yesterday's canoe trip down the Crow River ended with a severe thunderstorm. All's well! They got 19 miles of the 23 planned)
A loving, infinite God who has a big plan for all time, one that includes you and me, each moment of time
A Father God who understands my heartaches, and knows that I trust Him in my little world.
Let the storms rage about me, let the evil one try his wiles on us---God wins. He's got this.

Look up, your redemption draws nigh! Comfort ye, my people!

Change in the Weather

Did you feel it? Once again there was a feeling of a spiritual downturn. In the past few days and weeks the events all over the world seem to be influenced in a sinister way.

It's a change, and it isn't positive.

Perhaps it was the situation in Israel with the new embassy and expected Hamas reaction. Maybe it was the tightening noose on the Democrats. Could it be the Beyonce mass that was held?

The weather? The volcano in Hawaii? The multiple earthquakes?

The school shootings by demonically driven murderers?

The abortion now allowed in Ireland?

I saw a video on Facebook about the rise in witchcraft all over the world. Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft. Nothing is more abominable to God.

It could be the spiritual attack and battle waging in my own little corner of the globe. Recently members of my family have experienced severe health issues, problems with sin, broken hearts.

Some days you want to get up and cry "Abba! Father! Save us! Maranatha!"

I've been pushing my own health with extra work teaching, track season for Cheri, no time for exercise and an occasional shift at the deli. Thank the LORD that someone new joined the team at the deli! God provided!

Now the evening and weekend shifts won't fall to just two people. Relief!

I wonder how long the little deli will be in business. There's a rumble of change going on, and none of us are certain of its future. The summer months should be interesting.

Ed's surgery looms on the horizon. We are getting prepared: hotel reservations, medical devices, general packing. What a summer.

He truly looks forward to the surgery, so significant is his pain.

Today Cheri and my husband canoed a river nearby. Storms came, so they didn't make their goal of 23 miles. I'm thankful they are safe

The world turned summer overnight. We broke a record for a hot Memorial Day. I can't count the Memorial Days we've had that were cold and rainy. Not today! We did have rain, but it was a thunderstorm. Lightening and hail made the canoe trip shorter.

We're weary. School is almost over for the year. Our minds and bodies are looking forward to peace and rest.

What's on the horizon for us? I am thankful for God's help, his plan, his assurance. What would we do without him?

Darker days may be hard, but his presence goes with us.

Keep going. Keep going!

Toxic

I am seeing all kinds of things about eliminating toxic things from life.

Toxins, toxic environment, toxic situations, toxic people.

It's a good idea, overall, but we all come in contact with toxins at some time or another, by choice, or by accident.

How many of us can truly control our entire lives?


None of us.


First of all, we should ask ourselves, "Am I toxic?"

"Who am I a toxin to?"
"How am I toxic to this person?"
"What is the antidote?"

I think, as Christ instructs, we need to pull the proverbial log out of our own eye before we extricate someone else's.

So, we establish that certain people may think we are toxic to them. It is a big clue to recognize who is toxic to you. You probably have found the ones that think YOU are toxic!

Let's look at the antidotes.

Avoidance

Wouldn't it be nice just to avoid these toxins in your life? To an extent you may, but perhaps this person is related to you. You see them every day? You may want to gently confront the person about the toxic behavior. They will hear you, though they may not listen. That is their choice.

If they don't listen, it's time to put up boundaries.

Boundaries are good. They are protection. They are definitive of rights and rules. We all need them, because humans function with rules and rights better than without them.

Boundaries are God-given. Elemental. We are separated from God by our sin. That's a big boundary. God kindly and lovingly saves us from that separation through Christ Jesus. Only Christ. That's a boundary.

When we translate boundaries to our mundane lives they may look a little different. If there is a breach of human love in the form of abuse of any kind there are grounds to separation and legalize a boundary.

But perhaps this toxicity isn't quite so dramatic. Perhaps you are bound by a family tie, or a child. Maybe you are a sibling, or even a son or daughter, mother, father, husband, or wife. Toxic abuse requires a severing of even those ties.

But maybe it isn't quite abuse. Maybe it's just personality. Maybe it's a huge difference of opinion. Maybe it's misunderstandings that have accumulated over the years, never clearing up. Maybe it is a lack of Christian love and brotherhood, or just plain sin.

So many things can draw wedges between people. People can try to overcome the division, but it always takes both sides to meet in the center, and that isn't possible for those who adhere to strict lifestyles, especially for those who cling to a faith that defines them more than anything else.

Everything is relative---except the black and white of a faith founded on an unchanging creed.

It's true.

There are lots of people out there claiming to be Christian, or Muslim, or Jewish, perhaps Buddhist or New Age, and these terms have little to do with their own personal definition of those terms. It's all relative to them.

We cannot define God. We must let Him define himself. If we let ourselves define Him we will always have division. When we accept Him as he defines Himself we have unity.


Back away from those that seek to define God in their own way. Back away from toxic people who insist on a  prideful and selfish definition of god. It isn't worth arguing with such folk. They will never see the true God. Their toxicity will only poison you and your peace in Christ!

Back away from the ones that hurt you, use you, wound your spirit. Place that boundary carefully, and give it to the Lord. He alone can nurture you and comfort you. He alone can heal the pain of poison in your heart.  You must turn to Him to enforce that boundary and that healing. It's truly the only way.

He may protect you from the toxin. He may heal the breach. He may even help you love and understand the one who has so hurt you. Why do you think He says, Love your enemies? It's the first step in applying the antidote to toxins.

Start by praying for them, and asking the Lord to give you love. Boundaries are fully enforced, yet there is a supernatural option for breaching the situation. It's the most exciting option, and it takes courage to trust in it. Sometimes the solution is very long in coming, and we like our quick fixes. Be assured that God is working things out in you, too. Your toxicity is also under treatment.

God is good. Always. He's the omnipotent Ruler of Creation. He can do anything. He chooses to define Himself in the Bible, and we need to trust Him in that. We need to humble ourselves and put our faith in Him, as He defines Himself, in His word.

That's so hard for people. So get those boundaries up!
The Lord has all the answers.


Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. All these things will be added unto you.
Peace of heart, mind and soul, the greatest treasures that exist.

Cheri loves Track

Hansen; MUST READING

https://amgreatness.com/2018/05/15/why-trump-is-a-president-like-no-other/

Urgent Bible Prophecy Update - Thursday, May 10th, 2018