Musical Saturday Morning

You Know

John, writes to little children, young men and fathers.
This was easily understood at the time as New in the faith, those Discipling and Leaders.
We know rthis from the early Church Father's Letters.
Today, like many things, it gets overly analyzed.

The Church was not predominate in the culture, at this time.
John is reminding the Church, you/we, have these attributes:

You Are Forgiven
Because you know this.
Because you are a victor.
Children you are forgiven!
(new converts)

You Know God
 Young men, you know God!
He is not saying this to the new nor mature Christian!
You are not new nor mature, but have overcome!
Christianity is a relationship - not a checklist.
And we all naturally desire a checklist!
To know we are there ...

But, it is a relationship with Him.
And in His control, not ours ....

You Are Victorious
Fathers are the mature Christians.
Know Him.
Overcome the evil one!
You are loved by God.
No one can take it from you.
You are in the victory of the Lamb .....

Buried Treasure

one of my friends asked the question last month,
"We are told to search the Scripture, as if for gold.  What does that mean?"

I looked at him incredulously, and thought, "Really?".

And I have thought on this question for the whole of the month.

If you want to find buried treasure, how do you go about?
Well, you:
Have to understand that what you seek really exists.
That you have some idea as to the general area to search in.
You have the tools to search with.
You have the time required.
You have the passion to actually find it.

Of all of these, passiion is the hardest.
We live in an affluent society.
And a doubting culture.
The need is barely there.
The nay-sayers greatly out number those whom understand passion.

And it is not as easy as just reading the book.
You have to study, for no visible reward.
You have to research on topics perhaps poorly documented.
If not intentionally misleading!
You have to always remember, our haters greatly out number believers.
Probably half, if not more, of the books out there point to a god we do not know.
The real God can be found, but it is darn hard!

After 18 years of being a screw-up, it was with vigor with which I set off to meet this unknown God.
I was in college up to 12 hours a day.
I had a part time, 4 hour a day, job as well.
Then I spent four to six hours a night in Bible study.

Yeah, I only got 2-4 hours a night of sleep - for two full years!
And my hunger was satisfied.
And I stopped searching.

Alas, my brain damage has robbed me of all I knew.
And the search begins anew .....

How Do We Know

In spite of European history, or our own tendencies, we are to be people of LOVE not hate.
Just the fact that the world sees our history as one of hate shows how far we have allowed our faith to be high-jacked but the despots of history!

When we ALLOW someone to wear a representation of our faith, without public comment, whom espouses violence or an immoral lifestyle ..... well there you have our problem.
And the world sees a Madonna with a sinful lifestyle, and she becomes our poster child.
Or some intolerant bigot shooting people, yet a member of a fringe "christian" group.
Or a mysterious bomber killing people whom he does not agree with.
Or a pastor whose whore-mongering lifestyle has been exposed.
Or me.
Or you ......

Yeah we miss the target of our faith.
More ot lessor extent.
We fail.

LOVE is to be our faith in action ...

1 John 2:7-11

It Is Old and It Is New
Love your neighbor as yourself.
Darn hard to do at times!
But, in Jesus, you can do this!
Jesus demonstrated love - at a whole new level.

It Is Love or Hate
John, sees the issue as being black or white.
You either love someone or you hate them.
Aaaaaack!
I have a great many I would state as being in a grey area.
Hate according to John.

You are either seeking the best for all in Jesus or you are hating.
We are to see people as family or not.
Love is not "liking".
Does not ignore the past.
Is not given to the deserving only.

It Is Light or It Is Darkness
are you known for what you hate?
Or for love?
Hate can not drive out hate.
Only love can.
Pride, selfishness,petty arguments and ingratitude block the light of God.

And, light is supposed to be what we reflect into the lives of those around us ...

(this why I love John - he continually challenges me)

Washington State Fair

Gaelic Girl has been working 12 hour days, 7 days a week for months!
I really feel for her.
I know my job was similar.
And, why I am glad I was forcefully retired!
I would have died on the job years ago!
And this schedule is killing her
But no one ever listens to me.

So, Sunday, she unexpectedly got the day off when the night crew hosed up the clean room.
And suddenly not able to access her area, we seized the day.
Off to the Washington State Fair we go!

But, with her broken knees we could not walk far.
So we just viewed the Hobby Hall entries and Art sections.
Flat wore me out!

Now GG has been entering various sewing contests for years.
Usually wins a few ribbons every year.
Then, two years ago, she entered her photos of desert cactus in bloom, and won Grand champion!
This year, she entered photos of tulips.
And won Reserve Grand Champion!

This, with a Nikon point ant shoot poor excuse for a camera!

So she was delighted.
I was delighted to have a 2 pound deep fried turkey leg to gnaw on!
Ugh, I am still so full!

In all, it was an excellent day.
I ended the fun for her on Monday when I bought her a new digital Canon EOS camera system.
Time for her to get serious with her new interest!

And I snored through the night!
Not a common event at all!

Reading

As I am still in recovery from scrod poisoning, I have done a great deal of reading.
Luckily, I have been working on my reading.
Following the accident and ensuing brain damage, I was dropped to only being able to read a few lines at a time!
And the styress of that was of particularenough to knock me out for hours!

But, I have continued to try.
Today, I can read a book in a single setting.
Without mental trauma.
Or sleeping for hours to recover.

So, in  my many bathroom hours, I have done some interesting reading:
Gods, Graves & Scholars
    The story breaking the Egyptian hieroglyphics code
    and many other stories
Writing Great Fiction
     Lots of suggestions I never would have thought of
The Creative Artist
     Yeah, I don't think I fit their definition of creative!
Cooking the Caribbean Way
Traditional Cooking
Betty Crocker's Outdoor Cooking
A stack of magazines on coin collecting, painting and shooting
The ingredients on every bottle on the bathroom counter

And you read them again!
Ugh, I was so ill and spent way too many hours in the bathroom!
But, thankfully, it has now passed.
I think.

Swede brought me down a copy of James Hogan's, Multiplex Man.
Unfortunately, in just random leafing through the book I found it highly inappropriate!
So, like so many sci-fi books, I am not going to read it.
Yes, Kris is a reading prude.
I really appreciate books from the era of censorship.
At least I did not have to fear for my standing before God, in that regard!

Remember, I am the one whom took a pile of youth to a James Bond movie and made them close their eyes, when appropriate?
Movie prude too.
Yeah I still refuse to watch some scenes - even when alone.

And now I worry about Swede and his choice in reading material ....

Musical Saturday Morning

Another song from my high school days in Denver.
I really liked the Grassroots.
No idea why.
But, as with 1980's music, it just seems to speak to me.
To put into words, what I could never say ....