Compliments

I went down to local park the other day with a good view of the Olympic Mountains.  And I got a chance to paint for the first time, in very long time!

I was able to park in a great spot, thank you dsisabled parking pass!  A very painful scootering course of about 60 feet to an overlook bench, about a dozen trips to get my gear all to the bench.  And, I was now done for the day!  What whimp I have become after six months of sitting on my backside!

My plan was to work quietly and just enjoy one of my first days of semi-freedom - but people!  Yeah, it was a sunny day and across four hours sitting in the sunshine - I might have gotten 20 minutes of painting time!  Literally, everybody, including their grandmothers wanted to talk with me or comment.

Amazingly, as I slowly progressed with clouds, water, mountains and islands - everyone was being complimentary!  It stills looks like a bad attempt by a grade schooler to me though!  I really only intended to a color value study with a rough sketch, any picture I would do I planned to do at home later.

Yet people were being positive towards the picture.  Hmmnnmnm.  Well, old people I can understand, no one talks to them and they are lonely.  I have always liked older people anyway.  So that leaves all of the mothers walking their children to the beach.  No reason they should have felt compelled to be complimentary.

And as I painted, my 9 year old grand-daughter played on the beach, in the water, on the playground and buzzed all over the place!  She had a ton of fun!  Ah, the joys of youth on summer vacation!

V-roooooom!

I needed to drive over to Renton to pick up some magnetic pads.  One way to get there is via a road here in town, which turns into a short freeway, attaching to two other freeways.  I rolled up to a stop at the light.  And I heard something I had not heard in decades - the v-rooom v-rooom of a challenge from the car next to me!  I turned and looked - it was my neighbor's Dodge Charger!  I looked to the driver and it was a female - I had seen her before but just never connected her with that car.

The light turned green, her engine roared to life, I thought - oh, what the heck!  The Toyota flowed easily through its gears, running up to 6,000 rpm as the turbo kicked in.  There was no contest.

It was as I had suspected: Dodge never had addressed their engine float issue, nor handling problems.  My Toyota performed very well just as advertised - the Dodge did not.

The Dodge blew its engine and never has made it home again ..  thinking about it, I wonder if that was why the Dodge was missing for so many weeks earlier this year?

Well, I will not be doing that again, for that matter either ....  In the days since, I awoke to find my engine compartment open and my turbo gone.  So it will be a spell until I will be driving it again......

July 6th is its appointment for repair.  :(
Guess we will see how well a non turbo Supra runs ...

Sigh

Grandson

So, poor little guy!

Before they knocked him out he was clinging to his teddy bear and curled up in a fetal position.  :(
A few quiet days and he ought to be well on the road to healing.

His sister has been playing with me.
We did Daniel Smith for art supplies.
Lots of places to eat.
Lots of stories.
Lots of laughter.

Add to this, youngest daughter turns 26!
So, a busy week in progress ...

And psycho mama wants to buy one of my dead cars to rebuild.
I am not even remotely interested in having her near any car I own - again!
She has a long history of blaming you for decades over something she did or did not do!

Jittery

About two years ago my grandson suddenly stopped talking.
I figured this was a power play on his part - "you can't make me talk to you!"
It may have started that way, but by today, his throat is blocked by huge tonsils!

So on Tuesday, he will be undergoing surgery to remove them.
Poor kid.

Daughter is of course a bit shaky, her tonsil experience was less than desirable by her!
Never has any child thrown up so much!
Her sister, whom she had hers out at the same time - woke up and demanded a steak!
Yup, not appreciated at all ....

So, as of Sunday, I have oldest grand-daughter for several days while grand son recovers.

Now, what to do with a ten year old?

Maybe some artsy fartsy stuff?
Eating out?
Visit the beach?
Kid movie at an air conditioned theater?

I already feel exhausted!

From Bad To Worse

It never ceased to amaze me at how something I am thinking on - I end up in a conversation with someone at just the right time, or hear a sermon on.  It is sort of freaky, the way it works!

So for about two weeks I have been thinking upon generational failure - how someone makes the wrong choice and everyone downstream from them gets to suffer the coincidences.  Which  led to the idea that even when yopu do it all right - things still can get complicated!

Exodus 5:1-6:12

Your Life Gets Harder

If God is with us, not not mean the road will be easy to travel.
It can get a whole lot harder!
Can you endure?

The Hebrews blamed Moses for the burden they now were forced to bear!
Understand - your life gets Harder to live.
Your road harder to travel.
Your companions fewer!

Enough Already!
Pharaoh was addicted to cheap labor.
So much so, he made slaves of the Hebrews.
Slaves to build cities to his greatness!

We are no different today:
child labor
foreign child labor
sex trade
outright slavery

Cheap products we do not really need.
And only you can break the cycle!

Celebrate!
God is faithful - always.
His will, will be accomplished .....

He used Moses in spite of his protests!
He used, ultimately destroyed Pharaoh.
The Hebrews were freed.

Musical Saturday Morning

God, Moses, You

Yes, back to Moses again!
I read, I think, sometimes I write about it.
But it is hard to read, 10 - 15 minutes and my mind becomes very confused.
And writing is in 5 minute spurts.
Very draining.
But, thinking I can do for hours on end ....
So, read or listen to sermon, over think it, sometimes jot down notes ....

Read Exodus 3:1 - 4:17

God Is Calling YOU!
God calls us where we are
Who we are
What we are doing!
But you have got to be listening!

Moses, just a shepherd in the desert for 40 years.
Normal guy
Normal place
Normal activities.

A bush, which was burning, but not burning attracted his attention.
He stops what he is doing to investigate.
God speaks to him through the bush.

God Has A Name
Just like all of us do.
Depending upon whose argument you follow:
YAHWEH
JEHOVAH
and several other less popular names.

However either title can be used to refer to:
LORD
(all caps as this reference to the bsupreme Lord)

God Knows You Are Inadequate
Yeah, if He asks you to do something, it is because yoou can not do it without Him!
Succeed without Him?  Guess what you were never asked to do .....
Just sayin' the truth ...

Whether Large or small in our mind, we are all inadequate without Him!

Learn to hear His voice.
Know His call.
Learn to rely on Him.

Both require much prayer and Bible study (not reading books about the Bible, but actually reading the Bible!).  I tell starters to read John, then: Luke, Acts and Revelation!

New Site

Hey, been working quietly and not exhausting myself - just letting my heart recover from last Thursday.  So, got a little bit done rebuilding my old metal detecting blog.  Depending on the weather, I may have some entries up by Monday! :)

My little 'puter does not like heat - at all!  Usually the Seattle area runs in the 70's to lower 80's during summer.  Which fine by me - I start to meat at 70 degrees!  And it has not gone under 70 for a week now!  I keep seeing that the airport is running in the upper 60's at night.  It is only three miles from me.  So again a problem with the odd weather reporting around here.  It is like some form of political correctness to make this place look drier and cooler than it really is.

But back to my old metal detecting site.  I killed it back in 2013 due to the leg issues getting so horrible.  But, now, I am on the trembling edge of getting back out in the field again!  I am so ready to do something again!

First up will be short hunts to re-find the undocumented graveyard of Evansville.  But first I need to find it again.

Now, where is that machine of mine ........?

Ants

Christmas Eve was when the house was invaded.  I guess they had quietly been around for some period of time but when the invasion came - OMG!  Of course no one works it seems through the holiday season!

So, at the start of the year I scheduled an extermination - but, it seems if you have had major surgery ... you can not be exposed to the poisons they use!  Argh!  For six months I have battled the waves of millions of ants which have swept through the house!  It is just amazing these creatures belief they belong here - and I need to be one of their food sources!  And, I can't poison them ...

But, with the final sealing of the leg wound - I scheduled the extermination.  All was well, stay out of the house for 4 hours, they said, and then it will have dried.  Reality was a bit different though.

After four hours, it was still impossible to breathe in the house!  It was so bad that after 15 minutes I took off to book a hotel room.  But, there was only one room in all of the south end of King County!  And the greasy swine managers had upped their room rate to $399 for the night!  OMG!  A $130 room for only $399!  And now my heart failed ...

I had scootered too far
I was too tired
My lungs were shutting down
I needed my Albuterol
But I could not reach mine n the house!
And like a sledge hammer, I was overcome with pain.

It took me 1.5 hours to drive the 6 miles to an acquaintances house.
They made me a bed
And I slept like the dead!

And I have been coasting ever since!
Monday I am in for further testing.
Who knows, maybe they can figure out why this happens so often ....

Nothing like fine Hapsburg generics .....
And father was far worse than me ... sigh ...

Father's Day

Friday, for fun, I thought I would do an informal survey about fathers.
It was quite distressing as the majority really had nothing too positive to say about their father!
In fact, only one felt her father had been a positive influence!
WOW!

Yes, all of them sent cards, were going to call, it is expected after-all.

For me, my father died in 2010 - and was a train wreck as a man.
All of the men whom had been important in shaping me are now all gone.
sigh
I thank God always for those men.

My Cossack daughters joined me for Father's Day.
The others too busy ... it happens.
 And my oldest grand-daughter made me a wall hanging of pictures and a paper she entered in a contest.  It was very touching.  I read her paper out loud (everyone was bored in the Famous Dave's waiting area!) - not a dry eye in the house!  Yeah she took third place with her entry...

And what would Father's Day be without my mother calling to tell me that I am fat, stupid, do not eat right, and ripe for death! - if only I would follow her example!  Etc, ad nauseum.  I hung up on her, after-all she seems to have forgotten her 5 by-passes a few years ago..

But, add Famous Dave's BBQ and it was a good day ....

Signs

"When you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near." - Luke 21:31

No one can tell us with certainty what tomorrow's weather will be except the one who causes it - God - but by listening to the weather report or looking at the sky, people use their eyes and their brains to at least make an educated guess about tomorrow's weather. Likewise, no one can tell us with certainly when the exact timing of Jesus' return will be except the one who will cause it to happen, God the Father (Mt. 12:36), but by listening to the right information sources, people can use their eyes and their brains to at least make an educated guess about how close we are to the return of Jesus Christ. Jesus said that when you see certain things begin to happen:

"Look up and lift up your heads, for your redemption draws near," and "when you see them happen the kingdom of God is near" (Luke 21:28,31).

Jesus and Paul both taught that the proper way to wait for His return is to therefore be watchful, ready and sober (Matthew 24:42-44,25:13; 1 Th. 5:6).

The apostle John wrote that when Jesus appears, we who believe in Him will become like Him, and everyone having this hope in Him purifies himself (1 John 3:2,3). John also wrote that the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy (Revelation 19:10). So two benefits of studying Bible prophecy and comparing it to world events are personal purification and a better understanding of Jesus. Also, in 1 Th. 4:18, Christians are commanded to encourage each other with words about the return of Christ. Hebrews 10:24,25 also says that as we should regularly meet to encourage one another, especially as we see the Day of Jesus' return approaching.

Although we cannot say with certainty how today's events are related to Bible prophecy, it is unwise to ignore them. Following are 10 for your consideration. The first seven are already happening. The last three are in preparatory stages:

Signs that are already Happening

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1. Wars and rumors of wars

"And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom."(Matthew 24:6,7)

Since World War II, many countries have been building up massive arsenals of conventional and nuclear weapons. The potential for war grows day by day. In addition to potential nuclear war, we have todays war on terror.

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2. Famines, Pestilence, Earthquakes

"And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows." (Matthew 24:7b,8).

Due to flooding and droughts, world food supplies are running very low. Many people are expecting a global food shortage and famines in many places.

In 2007, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a warning that infectious diseases are emerging more quickly and spreading faster around the globe than ever before, and they are becoming increasingly difficult to treat. The UN said in its 2007 annual world health report that an outbreak or epidemic in one part of the world can easily threaten billions of people in other parts due to large numbers of modern day air travelers.

Regarding earthquakes, scientific data does show that we have been seeing a large increase in seismic activity. According to a number of scientists (whom I strongly disagree with!), another star or large planet is affecting the sun's magnetic field, which is also affecting the earth's magnetic field - both the core and the ionosphere. The north pole is shifting at an accelerated pace, and the earth seems to be expanding. Thus, we should see a continual increase in earthquakes and volcanic activity in coming years.

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3. Deceivers who claim to follow Jesus

And Jesus answered and said to them: "Take heed that no one deceives you for many will come in My name saying that I am the Christ and will deceive many." Mt. 24:4,5

Although the Bible teaches that Jesus is the promised Jewish Messiah and is "the only begotten Son of God" (see John 3:18), who created the world and everything in it (see Col. 1:16), at the end of the Church Age many people will be teaching these truths, yet they will have other teachings that that are not consistent with the Bible and will deceive many. Perhaps the majority of professing Christian teachers in the world today fall into this camp, as most have fallen away from sound Biblical teachings and instead place traditions of men and/or the goal of increasing church attendance figures above the authority of the Bible. Some are subtle, and some are blatant. Sincere followers of Jesus should come out of these wayward institutional churches and seek to fellowship with people who follow and teach what Jesus and His apostles did.

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4. People of Israel return to their land

"Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that ... I will bring again captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them. And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God." (Amos 9:13-15)

"Thus says the Lord GOD: 'Surely I will take the children of Israel from among the nations, wherever they have gone, and will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land; and I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel.'" (Ezekiel 37:21,22)

• During the last 140 years Jews from 108 nations have migrated to the land of Israel.
• In 1882 the first wave of modern immigration to Israel started as Jews fled persecution, or followed the Socialist Zionist ideas of Moses Hess. From 1882 to 1919 around 75,000 Jews immigrated to Palestine, mostly from Russia. They bought land from Ottoman and individual Arab landholders and established agricultural settlements. During this period the Hebrews language was revived, newspapers and literature were published in Hebrew and political parties and workers organizations were established.
• In 1917 during World War I, the British government in its Balfour Declaration supported plans for a ?national home? for the Jews in their promised land. Later, the Ottoman Empire (Turkey) lost control of the Middle East. This made it possible for hundreds of thousands more immigrants to arrive from Europe. Anti-Semitism drove most there. Many more would have come had it not been for Arab protest and resulting British restrictions on immigration.
• During World War II, the Nazis killed around 6 million Jews in the Holocaust, so it became clear to the Jews that they needed a homeland. Many Holocaust survivors immigrated illegally to Palestine. When the British pulled out of Palestine in May 1948, the state of Israel formally declared its independence. It was immediately recognized by the USA, followed by Guatemala, Nicaragua and Uruguay. A few days later, the Soviet Union, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia and South Africa did the same. No Arab states have ever recognized Israel, but several have attacked them. However, Israel has successfully defended itself against numerous Arab attacks. As a result, Jews throughout the Middle East have also been forced to immigrate to Israel, and the nation has grown strong. It has turned a desert into an agricultural success, and it?s technology industry exports cutting edge innovations.
• Today, Israel's population is over 7 million. In 2018, Israel will celebrate it's 70th anniversary, but some of its neighbors hate it and want to "wipe it off the map". It is still mostly a secular state, but it has a growing percentage of Orthodox Jews and Christians. Today, the Aliyah immigration movement continues to embrace Jewish newcomers, help them become a part of communities and help them learn Hebrew.

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5. Increased wickedness & loss of love

"And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold." (Matthew 24:12)

Today, more and more people are living primarily for themselves and their own happiness. The idea of denying themselves, taking up their crosses daily and following Jesus (Luke 9:23) is a foreign concept. What TV and movies show as "normal" has affected the values of those who indulge in them. At the same time, couples are divorcing, and children are growing up with deep unmet needs as a result. Many couples are not even marrying but living together without approved community knowledge (in blatant sexual sin). The result has been the blood sacrifice (murder) of hundreds of millions of innocent, helpless children through abortion and the birthing of even more children who lack a healthy home where they can receive love and training from their own father and mother.

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6. Reemergence of Demigods

Jesus said, "As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man." (Matthew 24:37, Luke 17:26).

From Genesis 6, we see that not only that "the wickedness of man was great on the earth" (Genesis 6:5), but we see another interesting phenomenon, demigods, i.e., powerful hybrid offspring of gods (fallen angels) and humans:
There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. (Genesis 6:4)

Some Bible translations use the word "Nephilim" instead of "giants", because in Hebrew the word is נָפִיל (nĕphiyl). This word occurs three times in the Bible, once in Genesis 6:4 and twice in Numbers 13:33:
And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight. (Numbers 13:33)

 Will we see a return of "super" humans?  (by what ever means!)

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7. Strong delusion

And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie. (2 Th. 2:11 NKJV)

The primary focus of the deception is use of the controlled corporate media by the Prince of the Power of the Air. TV, radio, Internet, cell phones, PDAs, etc. keep people completely preoccupied and oblivious to the fate that awaits unbelievers. The goal is also to prevent people from hearing the Gospel of Jesus, and if they do hear it to forget about it and be entertained constantly. Most people in developed countries are now in a fog due to the impact of these media that lull them into a false sense of security and into a false sense of right and wrong. This delusion can be seen in three areas:

• Spirituality, today's pagan church has become so pervasive that most churches in developed countries will tolerate abortion (murder), sexual sin and almost any other violation of God's law. Just think: how many churches will excommunicate a person for involvement in these sins?
• Finance, many people are unaware that an international government / banking cartel partnership is stealing their wealth and using the funds to control the world.  The stealing is done through the printing of fiat money (money not based on gold or silver but on debt), through interest on money that does not exist (due to fractional reserve banking laws) and through the saw tooth effect of markets that draws people into bad investments over a long period of time and then makes them lose large portions of their life savings when markets drop.

Signs that are still in preparatory stages

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8. One world government

"And the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron, inasmuch as iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything: and like iron that crushes, that kingdom will break in pieces and crush all the others. (Daniel 2:40 NKJV)

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9. One world ruler and an assistant emerge

I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name. Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon [Satan, or the devil] gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast. So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?" (Revelation 13:1-4)

It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. (Revelation 13:7,8)

Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (2 Thessalonians 2:3,4,9-12)
Most religions expect a savior or a man who will bring world peace, justice and unity. Here are three examples:

• Muslims are waiting for the Mahdi or the 12th Imam. Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has stated that his mandate is to pave the way for the coming of this Islamic messiah. An Islamic film has been produced about this current hope of many Muslims.
• Buddhists are waiting for the Buddha of compassion, Maitreya, or a world teacher and unifier, the 5th and coming Buddha of the present era.
• Hindus are waiting for their completer and savior, Kalki, the name of Vishnu in his tenth and last avatar. According to the Usborne Encyclopedia of World Religions, "The tenth and last avatar has not yet appeared.  It is said that at the end of the present age, Vishnu will come to Earth as Kalki, riding a white horse, to destroy the wicked and re-establish order."

A false prophet emerges to assist the world ruler and savior.
"Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed."(Revelation 13:11-15)

Muslims are waiting for Isa Bin Maryam (i.e., Jesus, the son of the virgin Mary) to appear with the Mahdi, praying behind him
Jews are still waiting for their Messiah, Emmanuel.
Christians are waiting for the second coming of Jesus, but most no longer believe in the literal interpretation of the Bible, so many will be deceived.
Recently, the Roman Church has elected a new pope whom some people say will be the last pope and may be the beast out of the earth described in Rev. 13:11-15.

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10. Technology to control the world

"He [the second beast] causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666."(Revelation 13:16-18)

Today, smart cards are popular, but they can be lost or stolen. It is likely that the eventual solution will be an implantable RFID chip or some form of high tech tattoo on the right hand or forehead. Already, 99% of commercial transactions in many countries are done without cash. Most paper money is not even backed by gold or silver anymore, so it's value is purely psychological. When the current monetary system crashes, technology is available to redefine currency and commerce in a seamless way that people will want as a solution to their need for quick spending.

Musical Saturday Morning

Another song from my teen years but never heard until I was in America.  Guess in Germany a great many groups never got any airtime!


I remember in High School, in South Carolina, much time was wasted discussing what the heck an age of Aquarius is ....

In Uncertrain Times

Luke 13:18-20
The mustard tree, equated to the Kingdom of God ... hmmmmmm!

A great tree under which the animal kingdom seeks shelter.
Of course, there is no mustard tree - only a bush that we know of.
And the word used, does not point to a plant we know ..

Oh, yeah, Aramaic is a pictorial language meant to convey an idea via pictorial examples.
So what can be figured out here?

The Kingdom Starts Small
It grows large.
Or, insignificant to massive.
Jesuis, then 12, 120, then thousands!

Between plague, war and this new religion - the Roman Empire collapsed.

The Kingdom Moves From Inside Out
Like yeast fermenting dough.
Change: from your soul to your behavior.

The Kingdom Affects Everything
The tree makes a home the animal kingdom.
It is not about you, me or Jesus - it is EVERYTHING!

The Kingdom Victory Is Sure
Your and your life is to draw others to Jesus.
Jesus will prevail over Satan, man and the world "system"!

Terrorism

So I awoke yesterday morning to nothing but news about the Congressional shooting.

Really a political shooting is inevitable.
America has fanned the flames of hate speech for decades.
It is called "freedom of speech".
Now I am sure that those whom hate what stands for are quietly cheering.
I am sure that thoise whom generate hate speech are cheering.

The talking heads are the ones directly responsible.
It is just that simple.

Now to watch for all of the calls for gun grabs.
After-all we can not hold people directly responsible.
sigh

But one can hope and pray for common sense to come into vogue once again!

We may have home grown haters, whom this society has refused to hold accountable.
But, the world has imported haters, under which they must endure.
Until the horror of what the populations must endure touches their leaders.
It sickens me to read daily of what goes on DAILY in Germany, Denmark, France and Britain!
But in the US news you would never know what really is going on!
No, just a steady diet of Trump-hate speech.

Expect worse to come, without change.

Pray for this world and a return God.
Pray for this culture and a return to values.
Pray our leaders that they will be men and women of quality.
Pray for our religious leaders that they may not fail.
Pray for your families and children - often!

We are in this situation because those whom are believers have not been doing this,
Have failed in their personal walks,
Have allowed the godless to force their agendas,
For generations ......

Good luck if you seek real change.

Wonder Woman

I lived for many years in the Ardennes district of the French, Belgium and Lux borders.  From the old men of my village I learned much about the battles.  So I am a hard person in any war movie to please ...

Wonder Woman did an exception job.  I actually was in tears as I watched and remembered their words from so many decades ago.  No, you would not be able to figure out the where the movie got me - because it is about the feeling and you do not know their stories ....

Costuming was good, dialogue good, situations a bit cartoon-ish at times, settings good, vehicles were British being run by Germans apparently, and horrible music!  Of course it is a fantasy movie so you suspend reality from the get-go.

Holes:
British used captured German equipment - US and Brit equipment were junk over-all!
Ice cream was very rare in England
Without exception, a person's first ice cream is equated to fire - not yummy!
An airfield in the Turkish area, only hours to England!

A few more niggles, but over-all this was a surprisingly well done movie!  With a plot twist you do not see coming!

It is an owner.

And  yes Gal Gadot reminds me greatly of someone whom really wants to, "Just smash 'em the face!"

LOL  ;)

Venturing Out

So far all of mt short trips I have made have been fully escorted.  Usually Swede is out and about with me.  If not him then one of several past students.  And I try to drive daily - got to regain my skills and ability!

Saturday, I did one of extremely few adventures by myself -Fred Meyers for some grocery shopping! n nI actually like grocery shopping.  I think it is somewhat of carry over of growing up in war Europe when food selection was limited and supplies always low.  My children suffer from the same affliction - though in their case it may be a hold over of seeing if food is even available!

I fired up my new car, spritzed trhe windshield to get all of the douglas fir sap off of it!  I cruised slowly past mt neighbor's new Dodge Charger.  One day, we will see who beats whom!  For now he works nights and everyday at 11:15pm, he fires her up to go to work.  Vrooom,cvreooom, Vrooom.  So. I know he has headers, perhaps a street grind cam, and guessing at no form of intake modifications.

So many park in the handicapped parking spaces, it took me forever to find anything near a door, much less wide enough for me to get out of the car door.  And I gat yelled at by a frustrated parker whom felt that I should be limited to just handicapped spots!  I just pointed to the four cars witrhout handicap tags, whom had taken ALL of the spots.  So he just cussed at me for the entire distance to the store's door.  Yup - friendly Seattle!

Traversing the store went well.  Twice I had to have help getting something off of the shelves - friendlier people inside the store!  But, I was exhausted!

Back home it appeared I was headed for yet another heart attack or perhaps a stoke as my blood pressure soared.  At the cardiologists it was 238/178 ... gaaaack!  a .1mg Clonidine pill and Kris is still knocked on his butt - three days later!

Might be while before I venture out again ......

Timing Is Everything

Much to our frustration at times, God moves at His own rate to cause change to happen - to support His ultimate goals.  And, at times, it seems to take FOREVER!  Interestingly, it often that it is only in retrospect when we do see God's hand moving in the midst of human affairs.  Day to day, not so much it seems!

I am sure that during the course of his life Moses often thought on the question as to where is God?  What is He doing?
And why so slowly!

God? 
What God?
How did he even know the was a real God ... and he was not Egyptian?

Remember that Moses' mother was hired to be his wet nurse by Pharaoh's daughter?

Exodus 2:11-25

Everyone Messes Up
Moses murdered a man for beating a slave.
He acted without God's leading.
At this point he was about 40 years old.
Josephus tells us that Moses had being groomed to become the next Pharaoh.

Now that would have changed the story significantly!

Time Out
Pharaoh seeks to kill Moses.
The slave must have ratted him out!
So Moses ends up in the land of Midian for 40 years.

40 years as royalty.
40 years a shepherd.
To come: 40 years in the wilderness.

If we are honest with ourselves:
We must allow God His due in our lives
We must allow Him to walk through our lives.

Moses had to have questioned.
Moses had to have stumbled.

Yet God used it all and that certainly changed the geo-politics of the ancient world, impacting ours - to this day .....

Musical Saturday Morning

I always liked Donovan's music as a kid.
Of course then you wonder whom Jennifer is/was .....
A woman he drugged to take advantage of, it seems.

Yup, a creep just like Cosby ......

Jalapeno

I love all foods of Mexico - all of the regions, though the further from the border - the better for me!

I can eat any form of chili pepper, except jalapenos.  Some mystery properties of the jalapeno chili causes a a violent response in my digestive track ...... yup, not pretty!

In the pre-tourism days, the further south from the border you went - the more edible food became!  Yeah, no Jalapenos!

So, I thought I would make dinner last night ...... Mexican - and NO jalapenos as an ingredient!

Or so I thought.
Still in recovery ......

Memory?

Was it a memory of something I did or know of?
Was it just a dream?
I do not know!

If its a dream, my brain must be whacked!
My father was in it - I almost never dream of people I know!
But if a memory .... OMG!!!!!

It becomes something beyond belief!
Warped and twisted, exactly like my father!
The paranoid delusions of the Cold War.

So I set out to research the subject of the dream.
To my horror, I discovered that my dream too close to possible!
Last night I was quite ill from what I confirmed!

And I knew things that my conscious mind had nothing concerning.
Too much detail as if real it seem.
It worries me as a lifelong pacifist, for a great many people died because of it.

Did father really do something so without excuse?
Did thousands really die due to his Soviet paranoia?
How could I have known about this?

Isn't amnesia fun?!?

I think I might rough this out into a story -
It is truly appalling!
;)

Its Offical!

So my surprise surgeon review went very well.
He agreed the wound has finally closed and healed!
And he did not stab it with a stick this time.
So, he is done with me!

Then the artificial leg guy was next.
He is not real sure what do as the wound did not heal smoothly.
So I have to go with a friction/pressure fit leg.
Not as elegant as mt bayonet mount.
Sigh ...

Nothing in life seems simple anymore.

So - major achievement!
I am ready for the leg!

Moses

Thinking on Moses' life and his role in Exodus 1:1 through 2:10.

We Can Prepare And Wait
The Israelis were refugees at this time
Pharaoh fears their numbers
- Makes slaves of them
-  Orders murder of all male babies
- Orders everyone to kill Israeli males

We Can Go Against Authority
- Law
- Rules
- Political correctness
- Peer pressure

They knew enough to trust and follow what they knew of God

We Can Know God Is Working
Mother hid Moses.
Then becomes his nurse.

So often we can see God's hand in our lives - retroactively!
Everyone I know wishes God would act - quickly - with no question Gods is acting!
But He seems content to let evil reign unmolested far too long!
It is hard to remember to see life through God's eyes and values - not our own!

And though Moses certainly did not score a 100%, God found him ... righteous ...
And that is not half bad ...

Spinnin Wheels

I must be getting better.
I am almost bored enough to spit on the wall and watch it run down!
Gees, I am so tired of just sitting!
TV is pretty horrible during the day.
Still can not read more than three pages a day.
Sigh ...

Today is the meeting yet again with the surgeon.
I have no idea where this is going to go.
It would please me no end if they would go ahead with mold making for the leg.
But, not holding my breath!
All in God's timing it seems.

Yesterday I took my longest drive yet.
I took of and headed down Puyallup - about 35 miles.
But the northbound freeway was a parking lot, thanks to rolled over truck!
It was lunch time by now, so I headed up to Federal Way via back roads.
Had lunch at the Bear Diner.
But I-5 was gunnysacked thanks to road repairs, so the back roads again!

Eventually I made it back home - about three hours and 90 miles covered!
Utterly exhausted me!
So, I can do okay driving now.
But sure not going to for Oldest Daughter's, much less my mother's for a while!

Musical Saturday Morning

I was sitting having breakfast and the radio was playing some old archaic song ... and it reminded me of something.  Several hours later I had remembered the group name and then came the question - "what was their song I really liked by them?"  Many more hours later I had a name - and there is NO video them performing anything it seems!

So, at least this is Supertramp's lead singer and songwriter, performing the song- albeit they had died by the release of their best album!

Thankfulness

When I was informed that the wound's closure - I burst into tears for several hours.
Thhis has been emotionally exhausting.
Admittedly, it does not take much to exhaust me.

So, yesterday, I took my nurse to the local cantina for lunch.
I do not think that nurses get very much thanks.
We dined on the new Mexican menu.
It was good.
She had fun. I had fun, the waitress had some good laughs as well!

And she talked about how in 22 years No One had ever thanked her for doing what she enjoys.
Make no mistake, her insights certainly were what has brought to this point.
And her wagging tongue is why I have to see the surgeon on Monday .,,,

Sigh .....

I guess I need to be thankful for that as well ...

Ohhhh Grrrrrrrrrrrr!

Amnesia, Lord how this drives me crazy!
It is as though I can not even have a conversation sometimes!
People have to prompt me with words to express a thought as I get randomly stuck!
UI forget that I bought dairy and twelve hours later put it in the fridge ...sigh.
Hope I do not die from the cottage cheese at dinner tonight!

And as I sat down to write this post ,,,,
All of my notes are now gone.
They always sit beside the computer - except this morning. apparently ... sigh
And "winging" it usually leads to random words in French or German!
Then I get frustrated because I understand ... why can't the dictionary?!?

So, on to something completely different and not thought out  ...

Swede was over yesterday, his new car in the shop and a few hours to kill.
So we did lunch at the local cantina.
Of course much laughter ensued to the amusement of those around us and waitresses.

Now you might remember from other post concerning Swede:
He is literal
He is linear in his thought process
Math requires a slide-rule!
He had his DNA run two years ago ...

So he was raised to believe he was descended from Swedish Vikings.
But, his DNA analysis said his ancestors were German!
And he was devastated.
Personally I thought it just fine to be of Teutonic descent!

Now he starts running down relatives, close and extended.
Down further as he finds he is probably Finnish.
 No, I really do not understand his trauma here ....
So, yesterday I was helping him run percentages so he can be Swedish again!
He is happy again ....

Amazingly across these last few months, it seems where ever I go people are talking about their DNA testing and trying to figure it out!.
So very odd!
It made me wonder what happened to my DNA I had run back at the beginning of the year....
Still being run I guess.

Sigh ...

Still related to anyone!
:)