Birthmarks of a Christian

1 John 5:1-5

Love
God Loves You.
You choose to love God.
God loves His people.
So, you must love His people.
You are not allowed to hate.
Or, separate from:
- His people
- His Church
- The Jews

But this does not make us lovable.

Nor will the world embrace us, for it hates God and His people!
Want to know where someone is with God?
Find out where they stand on the Middle East issue ...

No not to condemn them, but to all us to participate in the restoration of fellowship with God ...

Obedience
Creation praises the Creator.
We must choose to.
Nature obeys the Lord.
We must choose to.

And yielding our will to anyone is not a part of this culture!
As the song says, "Trust and obey, for there is no other way ..."

Victory
Living your faith.
No longer hearing the siren cry of the world!
No longer yielding to Satan's influences.
Or memories of the past ....

A great many Christians get hung up here.
Our pasts do not yield to being forgotten by us.
Or others.
And Satan attempts to tailor our future to be just like our pasts!
Then we fail ... repeatedly.

But, our past was forgiven.
And buried.
We just have to stop repeatedly digging it up.

Doubt

One of Satan'a better weapons against us!
If we are truthful, at least with yourself, doubt has to rate right up there.
And certainly true across believers of all age, maturity, denomkinations and nationalities.

Think of Eve in Eden.
Cain refusing to sacrifice correctly.
Abraham with Hagar.
Jonah.
David, over and over again!
The list is endless of man's unfaithfulness to God.

I am not an exception, I went thru a period of doubt.
I went from everything in hand, to not so good - literally overnight.
Everyone was against me.
And being in the midst of horrible surgeries did not help either.
Loosing all memories, only complicated everything.
What happened to God?
Where did He go?

So, what to do, when you doubt, foul up, etc?

1 John 3:19-24

Take Comfort
You are not alone!
We are all doubters.
Old and New Testiments are full of doubting examples.
So, is your Church.
In my Bible, God did not punish doubt.
God answers the doubt.

Does not mean you will not have to be corrected to see straight again.

Take Care
Doubt is not what you think!
We trust the Scriptures and assume them to be truth.
Doubt is not lack of faith, it is uncertainty.
Struggle is not a lack of faith eith.

When in doubt, you seek the light.
When you have unbelief and seek the darkness.

Take Action
Push yourself towards God!
God is greater than your doubt.
He can, and will, prove it.

Admit your doubt
Borrow on others faith
Act on faith, not doubt
Doubt your doubts
Go back to what you know is true

Narcissism

I heard an interesting quote last night:

Men are always smarter, braver and accomplished in their memories than in real life ....

Of course, I thought this an interesting thought.
But is it true?
Is it true for me?
So, this morning was spent hauling out my trophy boxes.

Smarter
If you get almost perfect scores on US, European, military, IBM and last test results for IQ, are you smart?
Unfortunately, with stroke damage, it is a mute point, these days.
sigh
But always been dumber than a stump ....

Braver
Is it brave to climb 56 mountains over 14,000 feet?
Or maybe adopting 4 Russian older children?
Or rescuing trapped climbers?
Or crawling and hopping 9 miles on a broken leg?
Or pulling 3 junior highers from a burning building?
Or standing down armed anarchists?
Or preferring a knife to my issued rifle?
Or telling your Nazi father he is headed straight to Hell?
Yup, dumber than a stump!

Accomplished
What I value is not what others value:
I tried out for the Olympic Games twice.
When I was 12, I held the German Men's 2km running record, for 4 months (LOL).
I held longest shot for sub .50 caliber rifle round, for over 30 years!
I climbed most of Colorado's peaks over 14,000 feet tall.
I passed all parts of the Chef's requirements, at 11!, but French law would not allow me to operate an oven.

Never mind, I was already running a croissant oven in my village at the time!
I have a long list of failed attempts to do most things!
My first 14,000 foot peak took 53 attempts to summit!
Yeah, I just don't give up.....

But if I looked for what culture values, I only have a grouping accomplishment.
I created the very first relational and random database manager.
At a time when "databases" were nothing more than sequential files with an index.
Then I rewrote the IBM disk drive operating system to read a random record.
And the royalties for this feat have been much needed these past few years!

So, I guess one ...

Looking back at this little effort to answer the question, I am reminded of many things.
But, as we have qualified, I am not normal in my tenacity.
I do not value what normal men seem to care about.
Been called all manner of names throughout my life to describe me as being dumber than a stump.
But, I can't imagine what it would be like to care, one way or another.

Maybe my left leg is a mite shorter than the right used to be, but I know three people are alive because I was willing to risk the leg.
On cold winter days my right leg throbs, but that is the price of that 9 mile hop and crawl out of the Rocky Mountain National Park.
And my hands ache in winter as well, the cost of millions of lines of code typed and keypunched for decades.

So, not much of a narcissist.
At least nothing has been written ever in this blog, to be boastful!
Maybe I am not the smartest, the bravest, nor the most accomplished but I am usually content.
And content is much to be preferred.
To my way of thinking.

Wedding Drama

What would a wedding or a funeral be without drama?
And son's wedding would not be the exception!

Now father of the bride does not believe in marriage.
Neither does the bride's mother.
Nor any of the many pseudo-mothers whom the bride invited.
Though there seemed to be three major "mothers".
The birth mother,
The woman whom replaced her in the father's life,
And the current woman.

Not sure which street corner in Vegas he found her, but .......

So, birth mother wanted nothing to  do with the father of the bride.
He did not care and enjoyed encroaching upon her "space".
He was uncomfortable with the second woman.
Third woman tactfully avoided the other two and hovered over the father.
I imagine to beat off all comers.

All I could think of was this "father" is the perfect example of this generation's, narcosis.
And God-lessness.

So, it quickly became obvious that bride recognized the issues her parents have.
And, I now know the distance she must come to make peace with her Creator!
Perhaps you are up for long term prayer?
If so, remember my son in those prayers as well!

Wedding

So, it took almost all of my friends and kids to pull it off, but my son's wedding went quite well!

I got to play Best Man. 
Absolutely stunned me!
I was positive son hated me.
At least until he asked me stand with him!

I was Dutchman's Best Man when he got married in 1980.
So, I have done it before.
But many long decades ago!
So, I was a bit nervous ...

Of course, I knew NO ONE in the wedding party.
But I knew that traditionally, if son did not show up, I was expected to marry the bride!
Never heard of it happening, but I did not wish to be the test case in American culture!
And, if both of them pulled a no show I would be expected to wed the maid of honor.
Luckily, I was to find out that European wedding tradition is not followed here!

As it turned out, the Maid of Honor was a tall stunner.
Twenty-five with no prospects!
She was an eye full!
Most of the guys there were not sure if they should stand for her!!!!!

So, this was my fifth experience at wearing a tux.
And, I really hate it!
It took five guys to get me into this monkey suit.
Everyone was quite complementary - which I hate!
Looks mean nothing, except in our vacuous culture!
And though I have been wholly misled by beauty in my past - this was about the only way I would ever have spoken with this woman.
She needs much prayer if she is to succeed in life.

My grandson was the Ring Bearer.
So, I got him a real Bear ski8n head.
But he refused to be a Ring Bear!

So, the wedding was short and sweet.
Son made a good selection in a bride.
Though .... never mind, my values are not his ...

I am glad it is over .... utterly exhausted.

I wished them well, from my heart.
I told my son I was proud of him.
And, I wished her into my family.

The term is meaningless to her.
But she will learn much in the years ahead......

Musical Saturday Morning

Today, my son is getting married!
A day I honestly never thought I would live to see!
His relationships have by far been one sided and self-centered.
Then two years ago he met a young lady whom was not going to tolerate that kind of treatment.
And yah can't blame her!

So across two years he has been learning how to behave in a relationship.
About a year ago, he suddenly started to wake up.
And it has been amazing to see my son transform into someone you might want to know!

So, in honor of his wedding (photos to follow!), a little Carpenters seems appropriate:

Thanksgiving!

A little fun for my readers!

I am being hosted by oldest daughter, so no cooking for me!
On the other hand, no left overs either!
And I love turkey sandwiches!

Gobble, gobble, gobble!

Its a Morning!

Yes indeed it is a morning!
Argy-Bargs!

Talked for a little while on the phone last night with my oldest friend.
But, I am so weak from whatever whacked me last week, I could barely hold the phone!
Then to bed, about 7:30!
Yeah, just as weak as a kitten.

And I guess it triggered something in my mind.
Of course you have to remember all memory stops at 1978.
So, my mind is still trying to figure out the mess from 1975!
And memories flooded back, augmented by a few newer memories that completed stories.
It is weird living with what is left of my mind!

Once again having to struggled through Oona's abandonment of our marriage.
Add the betrayals of my two best friends at the time.
And, yeah, you have a sickening soap opera on your hands,
Much less having to relive it in your dreams!
Nothing like waking up in a murderous mood .....

So, now that I was awake, I thought on her parents, whom bare full responsibility for what happened.
And I wondered if her sins were really on them?
They set a chain of events in motion which could only end the way it has.
Or, is the fact that her sins were voluntary, leave them on her?
Sure glad I am not God.
I don't have to worry on such things!

But it was a nightmare being reminded of such things.
It helps me understand my own issues with trust now.
Three people I had blindly trusted all betrayed me in a very short space of time.
And interestly, all three felt it was my problem, not theirs!

And her path of destruction, was on her and not them.
I don't get it.
But then we lived in a no fault - no responsibility society.
Too bad God does not agree with this outlook on life!


Oh well.
Old news.
And I have no idea why this came roaring back this morning.
It would have been so much more pleasant to have dreamt of my Danish Uncle's farm.
Memories I cherish - preferred over horror stories, such as Oona represents.

Well, enough of my start to the day.
Running down to Orting to take my mother shopping for turkey and all the fixings!
Yeah, she prefers NOT to associate with anyone anymore ......
sigh

Gonna be a bad afternoon.
I can just tell ......

Unequally Yoked

Long ago,
before my return to Europe,
before getting back into ministry,
I meet a troubled young lady.
She was completely without resources,
Direction,
Or hope.

Yeah, she had hosed up her life.
Now came the payback for living it her way,
When she knew better!

Getting back on her feet was a slow process.
Several years in fact.
She really was not into God,
But pressure from me,
For I knew God would continue His call on her.

She did eventually become a Christian,
Selected a church which still makes me shutter.
But, it was baby steps.
As she reached her mid-thirties,
The alarm clock went off and she was man hunting.
Of course she found one!

And he is a very smart man.
A NASA mathematician,
And a decade her junior!
But he was cursed like so many smart men - there is NO ONE interested in him!
It took three years for her to convince him that he had no choice in the matter - LOL!
They married, had a child and settled down.

Last night, she called and asked  me to come over.
I have known her now for 32 years!
And she knows I can be trusted.
About half way through the evening, her husband split.
Ummmm, that was odd.

And she talked of.him, unloading 13 years of angst.
His lack of even looking for a job.
His absolute refusal to discuss her beliefs in Christianity.
Were the main issues.
He was a great dad.
Less than successful husband it seems.

Yeah, she is feeling her age.
She know realizes that he is still young - she is not.
She strongly desires the peace she has in Jesus, would be his as well.
And her faith is failing this will ever happen ....

Oh sure you can say she should have never pursued a non-Christian.
She did know better.
You could say she was repeating an established pattern.
But she is smart enough to already know this.
So that leaves prayer.

Of course this challenge had to come during one of the greatest illnesses I have had in at least 3 years.
Yeah, it is hard to top MRSA.
But whatever this medicine reaction is - it comes darn close!

I feel greatly for her because she has been a real friend for many years.
No lies, no walls, just truth has existed all these years.
And now she again needs a friend.
All I can do is pray for her situation - and his change of heart!

It is sad so many women I meet are in similar stages of this situation!
But they do not accept Paul's warning to singles - stay in the faith!
And the outcome is always heartbreak!
Then they will repeat the error yet again .....

So we are praying for Thom's salvation.
It may take another 30 years ...

Experiment

So, between an auto accident in October 2017 and using Metaformin for being diabetic, I lost my kidneys.
And if that was not bad enough, I was literally brought to the point of death.
Death by suffocation is not pleasant.
Your lung fill with fluid, gurgle-gurgle!
With no love of this life, I finally had my pass out of this existence!

But God impressed upon me the importance of recognizing that He alone chooses when and why I am to die.
And, unfortunately, this was not my time.
Sigh .....

So, I have submitted to the needles, three times a week, to save what exists of my life.

But, it is sort of a wasted existence.
Can't actually work any longer.
I have NO memories, just fragmentary snapshots.
And some no so flattering!
Can't really drive anywhere or very far by myself.
What's a bear to do?!?!?!?

Then I had a chance to participate in a drug study about kidney disease.
The drug is Anakindra.
It certainly seems to be doing something about my kidneys.
But oh-my-God!, the side-effects!

Every time I get a shot of this stuff -
Everything inside of me comes roaring out!
Currently at 72 straight hours of toilet time.
Face in or the reverse!

One would be tempted to quit.
But, I do have a positive side.
Like weight loss!

Drop twenty pounds and pants fit better.
Maybe i will think about stopping
If I can reach my pre accident weight!
That would be so nice ......

Musical Saturday Morning

Dedicated to the memory G-Bear ....

In Memory of G-Bear

Never mentioned before, in any of my blogs, is Ron Holt.
It would not be family fare to speak of him.
Yet, my heart is broken today, so I must.

The Holt family was very close to me.
Sister Bekka, Her brother Ron, sister Linda and their parents.
They all played an important part in helping to shape me as a Christian.

Ron's life was tragic though.
That's the stuff I can't relate to you.
Man, choosing to live in direct defiance to God.
Yeah, you are going to lose.
It took a motorcycle accident 14 years ago to bring him to Jesus.

In rehab, he met a Christian nurse, whom changed his life.
Led him to Jesus, in salvation.
And married him!
We honestly had thought G-Bear would never be broken.
And then God forced him to look up!

As a cripple, from the horrible accident, he had no real choice.
And how we praised God for his salvation!
I tried staying in touch with him after the accident.
But he became somewhat paranoid across time.
And pushed me away.
You can delete me on social media.
But that did not stop me praying for him.
Nor my affection for him as extended family.

So G-Bear aka Granny Bear aka Ron Holt is gone.
We are richer for having known him,
And the memories of our many adventures of long ago.

Why Granny Bear?
He had really bad back problems.
And walked like an old grandmother!
Yeah, we had lots of fun ...

Please keep Bekka and Linda, plus his wife, in your prayers.
Thank you ......

Fourth Reich

This was a gift book from someone in my church.
It sounds like it might be German, right?
It isn't.

So, I reluctantly started this book on Sunday and it is hard to put down!

It is an eschatology book, on steroids.
Imagine The late great planet earth, only written by someone obviously Christian.
Nothing would surprise me more than to find either Hal Linsay or CC Carlson in Heaven!
Much less Dwight Pentecost!

What do they have in common?
Well, Carlson wrote much of TLGPE and was Pentecost's understanding of the end times.
Yeah, he spearheaded the purposeful obscuring of prophesy for generations of Christians!
Carlson, had her own agenda.
And in many ways Lindsay was more a victim of bad theology - just like the generation he helped mislead.

Oh, that is not to say that Robert Van Kampen got it all right.
But it is one of the better books on end times fiction.

Even though I am only 2/3's the way through the book - I think it is a keeper!

ISBN: 0-8007-5650-9

More importantly it reignited a fire in me.
Not sure to why or what.
But, I sense a real change inside of me ...

Sense of Family

So late posting today as the darn router is no loner working!
So trying to do this via turtle net at a local wi-fi spot!

First daughter decided to do her DNA via some site other than Ancestry.
And she almost instantly got an eMail from a lady here in Seattle!
From someone 5 generations back in her family's past!

So jealousy!
She HAS some in computer-landia related to her!

For those of you whom do not know her history:
Her life began about age of 5;
She was found by some policemen hunting a bank robber.
She was laying off the trail,
In January,
Above the arctic circle,
And became the longest documented Arctic survivor at 10 days!

There was no hint as to whom her mother or father was.
Other than they died a horrible polar bear death!
So a bit of a mystery child and VERY damaged emotionally!

So my prayer is that she will recover a bit now that someone in the world is related to her - ?

I was going to buy this for each of the rascals for Christmas this year.
May still do this, if it helps her a bit.
Ancestry has a much larger database, perhaps more hits?
Though I have little hope there are many related to my children.
But, it is worth the price ......

Needing A Miracle

When I returned to Denver that first Christmas - all was not as I expected.
Oh yeah, the parents were still works of "art", it was obvious that leaving home had been the correct choice!
But my high school friends had continued their drug idled lirock scrambling up ves - we no longer had anything in common!
But at least I still had one friend.
And he wanted to go climb Longs Peak.

I used to guide on that mountain while in high school.
So, good choice!

It was a typical December morning, clear and cold.
Every thing went according to plan until we were on the West side, rock scrambling up a draw.
Due to the ice, we had roped up.
So, I was at the top of rhe draw.
The peak rising 400' to my left.
Before me, a sheer drop of 2,500 feet.
And behind me, 150' of rope, attached to my friend 130 below.
Then he uttered those memorable sounds, "Ooooops...."

I heard him start his fall.
Only 9,000' to the bottom!
Since I had just reached the top of the draw, I had no protection yet with which to hold him.
I uttered a short prayer and swung my ice axe!
I really needed a miracle!
Or we were both going to die.

The axe hit the ice and the rocks under the ice.
And I realized that the butte of the axe had gone into my leg!
The axe had a good bite but now the rope was drawing taunt.
It snapped tight and I was thrown backwards.
The axe was forced to release its hold on my leg.
But  with an incredible wave of pain!

The axe remained solid.
I was hung by my left wrist strap!
My friend dangled on the rope.
The pressure on my wrist was only less than the shattered bone in my leg!

He climbed up to my perch.
I got back on the rocks.
Placed a tourniquet on the leg.
And caught my breath.

There was no going back.
And going over top seemed to be suicide.
We decided to summit.
Perhaps someone was up there - with more rope!

Nope, a barren wind swept landscape.
Going back was improbable.
Going forward could be done, at least down to 13,250'.
But it really would take a miracle.
I was hopping on one leg .....

In my 76 times summitting on this mountain, I knew the north side well.
So, in distances of roughly 120', I would slide down the face.
Then my friend, would slide down.
We repeated this for the full 1,000' of the north face.
You better believe we said quite a few prayers!!!!!

Of course, once off the face, my friend had to half carry me!
For 4.5 miles back to the car.
Yeah, it took most of the day!
And we offered many prayers of thanks!

But, was the first flat out miracle I had ever seen.
Sure I had read about miracles.
But that was long ago, to people far more worthy than I!
God really cared about me and my friend!
Else why defy gravity to save us?

God knows what we need, before we need it.
He meerly awaits our asking.
Then stand back and watch out!

Sense of Family

I would be the first to admit my life is far from normal.
Nothing is simple.
No question  has a normal answer.

Take my family, for instance.
Yes, I have a mother and father.
But neither of them should have been allowed near children!
They had no concept of what to do with a child.
Much less, a less than normal me!

My one grandmother was more my mother than my real one.
In fact, my great-aunt I would have loved to have had as my only mother!

I was beyond any affection for my weird parents by age 9.
I was only a captive, held by violent insane people!
When I was forced to come to America at 13, I was literally under house arrest, MPs and all!
I left home from 15 through 18 as often as I could save up enough to run.
I just could not take that atmosphere of hate!
Of course the cops constantly would haul me back.
Sigh .....
But once at 18, I just sat on my tongue and waited.
At graduation from high school, plus one day, I was in Seattle.
There were no tears.

As the saying goes, "No man is an island ..."
Nor was I.
I really need a family.
Need one for decade!
I was eaten by loneliness.
I got my grandmother out of holding in California, but she was no longer the same.
Sigh
So I started the long process of building an ersatz family. (German for fake)

Back home, I had two brothers and two sisters.
I found that I clicked with Swede and Dutchman almost instantly at my uncle's church.
Later that fall I met Becky, a student from California, at a Bible study.
And Critter stumbled into our lives.
Again, an instant identity.
Well, two sisters and two brothers was good.
Though Critter was to run off a year later.
(But, the rest of us are still a group 45 years later!)
We very much were family.

It was several decades until I found a pseudo mother and father.
I was now had what I needed emotionally, or stability wise.
And thankfully they all stayed with me after I picked up four kids!
God chose wisely.

And this little story mirrors well, Psalms 68:6.

I was completely depleted by the time I reached Seattle.
My uncle and Grandmother I had placed my hopes in, completely failed me.
I really could not blame my grandmother.
She was very broken when I caught up with her.
But blood relations had failed me ...
And God built me a family, as I needed one.
And across time, that God appointed family has miraculously not failed me!

I think too much emphasis is placed upon "blood" relations.
Versus those whom we should have in our lives.
Helping or leaning on.

Those whom you turn to in times of trouble,
The place were you can rest.
Your true family ....

Musical Saturday Morning

Narcissism vs Whom You Should Be

Narcissism, the single word to describe our culture.

I sit in church and read the words of the "hymns" the leader chooses.
I don't sing them, ever.
They are ALL about OUR approval of God
OUR singing about OURSELVES praising God
OUR seeing our world and what is around US - with or without God.
And often utterly meaningless repetitions  of pseudo-Christian phrases ...
They could just as easily be sing about their dog or cat.
The songs are that meaningless!

The list is endless.
Worship songs do not exist anylonger in our church.
The old hymns are gone.
True worship does not exist either.
Neither does praise.
Just half an hour of vacuous songs about US, not God.
Vacuous 'testimonies' of what WE do.
But this is not the God I know ...

As one of my god-sons observed many years ago:
"There seems a whole  lot of  'ME-ism' and less 'Theism' in the church anymore."

Narcissism rules the modern Church.
It is the way of the world.
Yet, in Colossians 3:9-10, this is not to be our way!

 Consider Luke 10:25-37

We are supposed to be changed from the self-center creature we are all born as.
We are supposed to put on Jesus like behaviors.
We are supposed to put others first in our life.
We are supposed to love our neighbors ......

In the tale of the Good Samaritan we find essentially a non-believer, behaving exactly the way we are supposed to live!
Titles, labels, anything we use to set ourselves or others apart from us - are of the world, not God.
We approach God from whom He is, not from whom we think we are.

Whom are you supposed to be?
As a believer in Jesus, you are a child of God - in process of taking on the image of our Creator.
The LEAST amongst men?
The servant of ALL?
Looking for opportunities to serve God by SERVING our neighbors?

Yeah, if you think about it, our culture is completely based on fluff
Of no eternal value.
And devoid of all that is of eternal value.
Even in our Churches and Christian Organizations.

Time to start the process of separating ourselves from the "rat race".
Time to start living our faith.

Breakfast

On my calendar this morning was a note to go to breakfast with the seniors group in my church.
I have done a few of their activities through past trips.
Generally life remains the same, I can be totally ignored in any crowd.
But I continue to try.

So, they planned a breakfast for this morning to a local pancake house a few miles away.
I thought it would be fun to go, if only because the owner was one of my kids back in 1982.
Yeah, she was in a junior high group I was a youth leader for.
She was memorable only because she possessed the WORST attitude for any teenager I have ever encountered!
And, that says something!

We felt so sorry for her parents.
Many prayers by lots of people for that young lady.
But, she grew into a woman and hardened.
She could never understand why "life" was so against her.
It was just God honoring those many prayers to draw her back to Him.

So, I thought about it.
Decided to take my youngest daughter to breakfast ....
Besides my spirit is already troubled.
Last night I had a call from one of my girls from 1995 to 1997.
Her call was completely a mis-dial.

But there are no coincidences in life.
So I knew that her call might have been an accident on her part by not on God's part!
I found out she is moving to a new life.
And very elusive to anything requiring a real answer.

I wish we could have talked longer, but she was in a hurry.

So bizarre.
To hear from a kid that I have not heard from in decades.
Once, she had been a part of my extended family.
One of only three females I ever invested myself in.
I really wanted NOTHING to do with her, but she was desperate to have me be her father.
Not exactly a role I was looking for at the time.
But I could try to help her - at a distance.
Mostly I kept her out of jail.
Over, over and over again!

Comparing her to a feral cat would not be untrue.
And her memory has always haunted me.
I could have done more early on, before her path was set.
I could have let her in.
But, I may have been overly wary.

And her life did not go well back then, nor has it gone well since.
I learned.

Perhaps she will call again sometime.
Perhaps she will share so I can pray for her more in detail.

And how did she get my number!?!
Truly only God knows at this point.

Worship

Worship is one of those concepts in Christianity, a hardo ne because it is not exactly defined anywhere.
You can find examples, but if you want to find God saying, "This how I demand worship of me ...."
Too bad, it is not there.

But we know that worship is a matter of what is in your heart.
As Cain discovered with his rejected sacrifice.
As anyone with a problem with another has been told.
As anyone in sin has been told.
Yeah, it is all about our heart.

But, we do have a good example of the worship God desires:

Mark 14:3-9

Worship is a decision
The woman choose to approach Jesus.

Worship is demonstrative
The woman broke her jar of precious perfume.

Worship is bound to offend 
Someone is sure to object to:
The message
The methods used
Personalities involved

Yet we are called to a higher calling than nit-picking His work!
We are to serve God.
To seerve His purposes.
To accomplish His outreach.

Worship is a form of spiritual Warfare
We are told that Satan flees from our our strength gained through:
True worship of God
Our songs of praise
Time spent in the Word
Our charity to others
Our helping others
Serving His purposes

Worship spreads
We are the aroma of God.
From person to person.
We share.
We worship.

Worship is prophetic
Speaks of what is to come.
Calls us to ministry.

Worship lingers
When we experience true worship:
We want more
We want to stay

Worship is unforgettable
This woman's worship of Jesus would be remembered for all time!

Reading

Although I am not the best reader on the planet, I do love to read.
It was all that got me through college!
That and a memory with perfect recall ...
Of course that also means I have to go about ten years before rereading something!

I got into reading in 7th grade.
We had no TV in Germany.
In fact, I only know of one (1) in my entire town!
If I was well behaved, I could watch the latest episode of, Get Smart!

Yeah, warped even back then!

But I made weekly pilgrimages to the local NATO libraries.
Zane Grey, Alfred Hitchcock and Leonard Wibberly were amongst my favorite authors.
But anything having to do with history or the para-normal viable was well.

Today, I still love Wibberly, but Agatha Christie and Tony Hillerman are now favorites.

Since my brain damage, I have been reading my Bible in short stints.
I even tried going back to my German Bible but it is even slower for me than in English!
And French?
Oh forget that one!
And it used to be my strongest language to read in!

So, just finished some old books by Barbara Johnson.
A Christian author and humorist, she wrote some very thoughtful stuff.
I wish I could write like that!

So much more to say, but alas, I am out of time and in too much pain!

Waking Up

Halloween excitement has past, thank Heavens!
Not much of interest happened around here at all this year.
But, the political parties were out in such great numbers, they should have been trick or treating!
Washington is apparently a battleground state.
Socialist versus the last of the conservative groups.
If the socialist deal a death blow to the rule of Republican law and common sense, then welcome to California North!
Such is the price a nation pays when it turns its back on God.
Stay tuned, we are holding our breath!

I was able to take the weekend to actually pre-plan my future posts, for the first time since 2010!
Yeah, been reactionary mode for most of the decade.
Maybe some tiny part of my brain is working again?
Be nice if true!
I am so tired of not being able to THINK!

My son is getting more comfortable with his pending marriage.
They finally have taken care of their arrangement for the wedding.
We rented tuxes on Saturday.
My artificial foot caused a bit of frustration, as I wear a size 12 shoe.
But, we ended up with a size 15 in their shoe!
Getting it on again before the wedding is going to be interesting!
And I may well wear a clown nose to go with the canoes on my feet!
Twenty days more to go.

Met up with his son as well.
He was hateful towards me for the two hour visit.
But, when it was time to go, suddenly he was all tears and "loved" me.
Thank God I take rejection like rain off a duck's back!
I gave him a book about sea life and some gummi bears.
:)
I know what four year olds like.

How I wish his father would be in his life!
But, Ivan has always been super sensitive to any form of embarrassment.
And I am not so sure his to be bride is excited about him being a father ....
cough - cough - cough!

Gaelic Girl is getting ready for a knee replacement.
So your prayers are needed, December 4 is the day.
I am more nervous than her.
I am too aware of the problems which may arise.
She only sees all positives!
So, I get to prepare for her worst.
And with her lack of friends, guess who will be doing as much as possible!
Albeit that three days a week I am in dialysis and worthless for the rest of the day.
Gonna be interesting!

And of course how can I close without venting my frustration at the time change?
Beyond stupid.
Conceived of by power hunger politians.
Forced on the sheep, whom only follow.
But never think!
aaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrgggggggghhhhhhhhhhh!
It has driven me crazy since I was old enough to understand what is going on.
Yeah, I was in second grade - 7 years old!
ARGH!

Many I know agree with me but like me they realize you can not wake up slumbering sheep!

Thinking of which - time for bed!

Musical Saturday Morning

All Saints Day

Back in the day, when the Roman Catholic Church ruled the "world" - or most of it, today was dedicated as a memory day of all of those whom have been martyred for the faith.

This matched well with the pagan holiday around the death of life - the coming of winter.
So all Hallowed's Eve or Halloween was born.
The celebration of the saints eventually forgotten.
Thus today, most do not even understand there IS a price you will pay for being a Christian and following in Jesus' footsteps.
But bring on the witches and goblins!
It is only about getting candy right?

Saturday was my little town's trick or treat in the downtown district.
Zillions of children running around!
I had to run to the post office, so got drive REAL carefully!
No one was watching for cars!

One little girl, about 3, was walking along with mothef.
The three year old was dressed as a yellow fairy.
When she saw a table in front of a shop loaded with candy,
She squealed, "YYYYYYYEEEEEEEsssssssss!!!!!!"
And flew to the table on her ballet slipper toes.
You would have sworn those gossamer wings had carried her!
Lots of people were laughing at this spectacle.

But, as for my neighborhood - no trick-or-treat'ers.
So I am looking at some 800 pieces of candy.
Whatever will I do with it?
;^)

John 5

Well, just because I was flat on my lips all of last week - in no way implies I was doing nothing.
I was reading my favorite Gospel, John of course!

I hear so often locally the drone by the Mormon and Jehovah's Witnesses, that Jesus never said He was God, nor equated Himself with God.
Never mind that this happened numerous times in the Bible!
But then you would have to read real translations - not paraphrased Bibles!
My personal favorite is a transliteration of the Syriac Bible (Aramaic ...).
(I can't recommend it as it is a hard read, but does layout well what is said and done!)
I only break it out when someone is trying to prove a point with flimsy verses.

Of course, John 5 is where Jesus flat comes right out with this!
It was eluded to in chapter 4, but here ... verse 18, the Jews clearly understood His claim to being God.

So, another Sabbath and Jesus is in Jerusalem.
At a pool known as Bethesda.
Tradition said that once a year an angel would descend.
This was signaled by the troubling of the water - if no wind and no one was in the pool.
First one in would be healed!

Can't you just envision all of the cripples and those needing healing laying around the pool.
Crawling to reach the water.
Perhaps clawing their way to be first and claim the prize for themselves!
Shudder!

Of course, God does not work this way.
But superstitious man!
Even to this day!
Man is the same and the "religious" TV shows prove just how superstitious man still is!

But, it is interesting to note that Jesus - whom could heal the lot of them, singled out a hopeless cripple.
He had come.
He had hope someone would help him into the water.
But no one had for 38 years!
Now that is some strong hope!

And Jesus heals him.
And tells him to sin no more.
So was this an infirmity brought on by sin?
Certainly some sins do carry a stiff immediate penalty!
But just because we have not been "caught" and infirmed is no reason to think we are in the clear!
No, it is all the more reason to praise Him for His mercy!

The Jews objected to this and sought to kill Jesus.
And Jesus gave them the ammunition they needed under their laws to condemn Him.
In verses 46-47, He stings them with the words of Moses.
Even to this day, Jews still identify themselves with Moses.
The Orthodox ones with his teachings.

But, as Jesus asks, "If you believe3d Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote of me.

Ouch!
And the verse that dropped a Rabbi that had "taken me on" to prove Christianity fraudulent.
To his knees because he suddenly understood!
And as it turned out, just in time, as he died shortly there after.
Very much at peace with his creator.