When God is Most Real

When I felt the wiggling movement from my little friend, my constant companion, my soon to be babe in arms, I could hardly grasp the concept of a whole human being being shaped with wonderful working parts inside my womb. While he grew, my belly extended as proof of his existence, and as proof that while I ate to facilitate growth and development, I most certainly did not create this human child. God did, and I was, and am still, grateful. 

Holding my son in my arms made God more real to me than any other experience I had had, prior to becoming a mother. I recall my vision being impaired (temporarily, thank goodness) because of the amount of time I spent in near sighted staring at tiny little grasping fingers with perfectly tiny matching nails. That button mouth, the sweet perfectly round head, and those eyes that seemed to speak innocent wisdom when they gazed into mine, had me melting and weeping with gratitude. Thank-You God, Thank-You, for the gift of my son. 

When my father died, my world went grey and stayed murky and muddled for a very long time. His death was one of the most challenging experiences of my life, and just as I had no say in the making of eyes, ears, a brain, and other gloriously crafted body parts when my son was being shaped and formed, I had no say in the decline, the decay, and the dying of my father. 

Birth makes us weak in the knees, death makes us drop to them. 

As I consider the dying, because dear reader, there are so many people dying, I think of the time God graciously gives us to come to our senses, so to speak, to reconcile with him as Author of life, and death date stamper. I think of God and how real he must be in the end; how merciful and kind he is to us, even when we deserve his disdain. One way or another, we will be on our knees before Jesus, dear one. Just like you cannot deny your own death and try to wiggle out of it, you will not be able to stand before the King: that will not be an option for any of us. 

Philippians 2:10-11

That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 

Let us understand God's ways together, dear reader. The following is an excerpt from Matthew Henry's Commentary On The Whole Bible, page 707:

2. He has never been rigorous and severe with us, but always tender, full of compassion, and ready to forgive.

(1.) It is in his nature to be so (v.8): The Lord is merciful and gracious; this was his way which he made known unto Moses on Mount Horeb, when he does proclaimed his name (Ex. 34:6,7), an answer to Moses's request (ch. 33:13), I beseech thee, show me thy way, that I may know thee. It is my way, says God, to pardon sin. [1.] He is not soon angry, v. 8. He is slow to anger, not extreme to mark what we do a amiss nor ready to take advantage against us. He bears long with those that are very provoking, defers punishing, that he may give space to repent, and does not speedily execute the sentence of his law; and he could not be thus slow to anger if he were not plenteous in mercy the very Father of mercies. [2.] He is not long angry; for (v.9) he will not always chide, though we always offend and deserve chiding. Though he signify his displeasure against us for our sins by the rebukes of Providence, and the reproaches of our own consciences, and thus cause grief, yet he will have compassion, and will not always keep us in pain and terror, no, not for our sins, but, after the spirit of bondage, will give the spirit of adoption. How unlike are those to God who always chide, who take every occasion to chide, and never know when to cease! What would become of us if God should deal so with us? He will not keep his anger forever against his own people, but, will gather them with everlasting mercies, Isa. 54:8, 57:16. 

(2.) We have found him so; we, for our parts, must own that he has not dealt with us after our sins, v. 10. The scripture says a great deal of the mercy of God, and we may all set to our seal that it is true, that we have experienced it. If he had not been a God of patience, we should have been in hell long ago; but he has not rewarded us after our iniquities; so those will say who know what sin deserves. He has not inflicted the judgements which we have merited, nor deprived us of the comforts which we have forfeited, which should make us think the worse, and not the better, of sin; for God's patience should lead us to repentance, Rom. 2:4.

Is God's patience, leading you to repentance? 

When the body is frail and sickness prevails and no end seems in sight, the sickly are weak, vulnerable, and in need of compassionate care. Who, pray tell, can be salve for a perishing soul, than the Lord Jesus Christ? There is nothing like imminent death to make one ponder what will happen to their spirit when they pass through the thin veil that separates the physical and spiritual realms; and pass through it we all must. While the body erodes and becomes worm meat, the spirit lives on. As Matthew Henry states so eloquently, The hope of deliverance is built upon the goodness of God, page 706. 

Deliverance is being born again, dear reader, and being adopted into the family of God. There are two births for some, and two deaths for others. In the first birth, we come into the world as babes; in the second birth, we die to self and are reborn in Christ when we know him as our Saviour from sin. In the first death, our bodies are no longer animated with spirit, and as a result, they become useless carcasses, that soon enough, lose shape and form and become part of the earth once again; in the second death, the spirit is sent to hell for eternity, to live in perpetual torment and torture. 

Does the concept of eternity in hell, terrify you, as it does me? Do you agree, you had no say in being born, and you will have no say in your death? Is this reasonable, and sensible to you, dear reader? If not, how come? 

If you are here, reading this, do you think it is time now, to reconcile with the God that formed and shaped you in your mother's womb; tended to you as you grew into adulthood, and sustained you when your world tipped this way and that, threatening to fling you far from safety. Is it time that you thank him for his tender mercies, his long-suffering, his compassionate caring, when you deserved it least and sinned the most? 

What, pray tell, will drop you to your knees willingly, before Jesus Christ as King, and have you confessing him Lord, for the glory of God the Father? 

One way or another, we will bow, we will confess. Perhaps you can choose, rather than be forced ... that would be one of those wise decisions that so few make while they are able. Don't be the type that waits until their death bed, to honour and magnify the very God that made you. 

Do it today. You have a lot to be thankful for. 

Satan Counterfeits Prophecy

PAY ATTENTION! 

I think this is what God is saying to us, dear reader, in bold capital warning letters: PAY ATTENTION!

The Devil knows The Bible, and my question is, do you? I do not mean to sound aggressive and rude, I am asking out of genuine concern for your well-being. The fact of the matter is, we have a whole lot of news coming at us, being broadcast from many moving mouths, and there is a theme showing up repeatedly that we must all be aware of, and pay attention to. The talkers speak of ushering in the golden age, and by God in heaven, the golden age surely is upon us, but not in the ways the mouthpieces for Lucifer suggest. Satan counterfeits prophecy, and his demonically animated workers of iniquity speak the words he places like saccharin, in their mouths. The president of the United States of America is letting you know to whom he belongs when he proclaims, and I quote:

"The golden age of America begins right now. From this day forward our country will flourish and be respected again all over the world. We will be the envy of every nation. We will not allow ourselves to be taken advantage of any longer. During every single day of the Trump administration, I will very simply, put America first."

While this part of Trump's speech may be music to the ears of many an American, to the Christian ear, there is an echo of emptiness. Put America first? Has God been conveniently displaced? In a pagan world, it makes perfect sense for men that represent their country, to speak of elevating their countries degraded status, and to profoundly ignore their Creator. Alas, Christ is King, and there is this:

... let the enemy of his kingdom tremble; for he will either bring them into obedience to his golden sceptre or crush them with his iron rod (an excerpt from Matthew Henry's Commentary On The Whole Bible, page 703). 

Hating Donald Trump

You may be wondering if this writer hates Donald Trump? I do not hate the man, but I do vehemently hate sin. I find pride and arrogance distasteful, and when men boast, I feel embarrassed for them. I see not the humble serving heart of a Christian in this man that plans to put his country first, before all other countries. There is this oddity too: he believes he can bring about peace amongst people that have been warring with one another since Ishmael and Issac's time on earth. Donald reads from a script and periodically inserts his personality into his speeches, and I see that he is playing his role well, with much applause from an adoring and deceived audience. 

Some may think me a fool for perpetually beating this drum. Perhaps I am seen as someone that just does not know what I am on about, and maybe it would be better for me to sit back and watch the show, as America is made "great again". I am not too concerned for my reputation as naive or perhaps stubborn in my position. I am more concerned with people taking their eyes off of the mouthpieces with the microphones, and lifting them heavenward ... and perhaps, turning their eyes to the Word of God and soaking in some wisdom so that discernment leads, rather than deception. 

The Golden Age is indeed upon us. Jesus Christ has authority, he reigns and rules, and his golden sceptre is extended to each of us. Obeying him is my delight, and I pray it becomes yours too, if you have yet to know him as your King, your Sovereign. There will come a time when every knee will bow, and every tongue confess, that Jesus is Lord, and I would not want to be caught dead, standing behind any of the men and woman that believe the propaganda promoted by the Devil's spokesmen. 

Read The Bible. Ask God for Truth to lead you. Listen to what trusted commentators on The Bible have to say and learn for yourself. The people that have the most air time, have the prince of the air as their producer ... meaning the Devil is their promotion manager and they do his bidding, whether they are aware of it or not. Performing monkeys work for treats, and that is exactly what we are seeing with all the showmanship from the presidents of this carnal world. 

If you have yet to open a King James Bible, now is the time, dear one. If not now, then when? Soon is not soon enough if now never happens. That last sentence is a mind bender. Untwist yourself and get your hands on the Word of God for the salvation of your own soul. 

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16)

King Of The Jews

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east of Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen a star in the east, and are come to worship him (Matthew 2:1-2)

When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel (Matthew 3-6)

The scripture above is the detailed fulfillment of prophecy, and what is written is historically verified. The gospel of Matthew opens with an introduction to the long awaited King of the Jews, and dear reader, the Alpha/Beginning, and the Omega/End, fills in all the blanks in the synaptic spaces of our knowledge of him, when we open our minds to the wisdom he generously bestows. 

The birth of the King of the Jews was a promise, and Herod, like any seed of Satan, did not take kindly to his earthly kingdom being threatened, even if the Little King was a baby boy wrapped in swaddling clothes. Herod intended to murder the new born.The devil likes to think that killing makes him the ruler, but alas, his end is near, his time is nearly up, and that too, is prophesied. 

And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven (Luke 10:17-20)

Satan fell from heaven ... see now, how he is associated with serpents and scorpions. The Kingdom of Christ is built, according to Matthew Henry, upon the ruins of the kingdom of the devil. But, dear reader, we are not to brag about the power Jesus gave us to trample upon demons that are serpentine and scorpion stingy, we are to rejoice that our names are written in heaven! How marvellous for us to see this progression: Satan falls from above, and our names, when we belong to Christ the King, are written in heaven. This is cause for rejoicing; do you agree?

And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night (Revelation 12:9-10)

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time (Revelation 12:11-12)

When we consider how wrathful the Devil is, we can comprehend how wrathful his children are too. If you and I, Christian, are to love like Jesus, does it not make perfect sense that the seed of Satan, hate with a vengeance, just like their father? 

What delights me is how clearly God delineates for us, where he begins and where Satan ends. Jesus is the promised Messiah, the fulfillment of prophecy, born the King of the Jews. Nothing and no one could stop this from happening, despite the hate heaped upon God incarnate by those that clearly, worshipped the Devil rather than their creator. Heathens like Herod and Pontius Pilate did what they were meant to do, and so did the Jews that denied their own Christ, and wanted him put to death, as though death can conqueror the King of the world, and Author of life. Ridiculous really, isn't it?

And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? and he answered him and said, Thou sayest it (Luke 23:3) 

And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS (Luke 23: 38)

What we know, is that people either love and live for Jesus, or they don't. What we witness is some people proclaim him King, while others deny his deity. There were Jews that knew Jesus as their Saviour and there were Jews that wanted him dead, and they plotted to kill him ... and nothing has changed over the last 2000 plus years. 

Know this, dear one And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him (Revelation 12:9) and;

Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time (Revelation 12:12)

The King, Jesus Christ, rules and reigns, and is our Governor. No matter what the Devil does, our Sovereign in heaven is undeniably in charge. When you want comfort and peace of mind, you can go to his word, and rediscover what I have this very day, that he goes before his people, and we must be fearless and anxious for nothing. If anyone ought to be afraid, it would be those that recklessly live as though there is no God. That is what The Bible calls, a fool. 

The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good (Psalm 14:1)

Severe Soul Spanking

The nightmare I had early Wednesday morning scared the hell out of me, and I mean this in the most literal sense. When I consider the people I have loved while they walked the earth, and the possibility of in their death, hell became their eternal reality, I cannot help but weep. There is nothing more horrifying than these thoughts. My recent glimpse into the dark side has drastically changed me, and is exactly what I needed.

Days before my horrifying awakening to the terrors of damnation, I had asked God with some reluctance, some hesitancy, to see what he sees. He gave me a glimpse that felt like a severe soul spanking, and I am ever so grateful to him for loving me in my chastisement. I knew I needed a change in my thinking. My well worn patterned thought track was faulty; derailment was required to recalibrate to Christ as righteous Ruler, Redeemer, and Judge. My old thinking wasn't serving me, or anyone else for that matter. The saints in my life have prayed, and from their hearts to God's ears, I am newly broken, and filling up with compassion for those that know not God, work against themselves, and worse yet, against him. I admit, I am shy to admit, how much the saints sweetly prayed, never rubbing in my face how very wrong I have been. In hindsight, mercy is the prettiest blessing to the newly rebuked. 

What, you ask, was my thought error and grand sin? First let me ask you, have you figured out yours, dear reader? If we are going to share in a soulful and vulnerable come to Jesus way, you must address yourself, stand before your maker, and ask him to teach you a thing or two that may feel like a whooping! Go on now, do some salvation recognizance with fear and trembling, before the God that made you. 

Confession time

Okay, confession time for this writer. I wanted justice, NOW. This isn't my first foray into being demanding in my thoughts and feelings. This isn't my first time on the bench, impatiently waiting while suggesting that now, now is a good time for the tomfoolery to be stopped and for the tom fools to be held to account. Vengeance is the Lord's, I knew this, but Hurry up God I can't wait all day, was my mentality. For shame, how dare I?

Thankfully, God is kinder to his wayward saints then we deserve, and on the heels of Wednesday morning's nightmare, I had some instructional insights that are salve to my soul. Matthew Henry's Commentary On The Whole Bible is my resource, page 699:

... look upon the pride of oppressors with a holy indignation and the tears of the oppressed with a holy compassion. Look upwards to the righteous judge with an entire satisfaction, and look forward to the end of all these things, with a pleasing hope 

My checklist for what I had right:

holy indignation regarding the pride of oppressors

holy compassion for the tears of the oppressed

My checklist for what I wasn't doing:

Look upwards to the righteous judge with an entire satisfaction

Look forward to the end of all these things with a

Pleasing hope

Once we leave these tents, these shells that house our spirits, there are two possible outcomes and only two, for each human being, namely, eternity in heaven or eternity in hell. To actuate eternity in one place or the other, there are two possible ways and only two, namely, repentance or rebelling, which in turn lead to redemption or ruin, respectively. My sin was wanting the ruin of those that have hurt the oppressed and vulnerable to the point of severe injury and death. My sin was believing that the oppressors are unforgivable and damned, knowing full well that where there is life, there is hope. Who am I, to want the damnation of others based on what they have done? My nightmarish realization taught me that only God is truly just, and but for God, go I ... meaning, I too could be damned, if I start acting as Judge in his place. Vengeance is the Lord's and while I take breath and walk the earth, I want my conscience and hands clean. I want to be blameless before him and this is only possible when I turn away from my own sin and walk in his ways. 

Justice

Justice, yes. I want those that have committed heinous crimes against their fellow man, that have acted as though they are un-human, and work on behalf of Satan, to be judged in a court of law, given death sentences, making them pay with their own lives for what they have done to the innocent and vulnerable. This attitude is godly and displays my holy indignation against the enemies of God and his people; it also displays my holy compassion for the tears of the oppressed. The change in my thinking and heart is the looking up, the looking forward to the end of these things with a pleasing hope, that God will bring many to repentance, redeeming them and securing their place with him in heaven, and that he will damn those that bring themselves to their own rebellious ruin, for believing they are not accountable to anyone, including him. 

The bottom line, is God knows what we think, how it tenderizes or hardens our hearts, and ultimately, where we will end up ... and no one else does, not one amongst us, and praise God, while their is life, there too, is hope.

Now I pray for the wicked without resistance or reluctancy. I truly desire, none to be lost, in Jesus name. 

Nightmare About Damnation

It was one of those gripping I can't escape dreams, the kind that has me praying as soon as I shake loose and come awake. I have tried, without too much effort, to remember what I dreamt. I don't really want to recall what terrified me in slumber, so I write, not to share what I saw and heard, but rather, to impart the lesson I came instantly away with that had me praying with zeal. 

I learnt about damnation. In the dream I was trapped, held hostage to things that horrified my soul. That is how nightmares work: you see what you never want to see, feel what you never want to feel, and just can't seem to make a get away because arms and legs are somewhat immobilized during sleep, and rightly so, otherwise we would be a hazard to ourselves and others in dream states. Sleep is an oddity, a thief of consciousness, and when it is done just right, it restores, rebuilds, revitalizes. Bad dreams, however, traumatize, demonize, and leave one feeling somewhat wrecked upon waking. 

Back to the damnation. For the first time in my life I was truly terrified for the damned. There are people in this world that are hell bent on proving they belong to the devil. It is as though they have preordered their trip to hades; like it is a hot vacation location, to be looked forward to and counted on as the best place they have ever been. If my disturbing headache causing nightmare mildly approaches the horrors of hell, I am afraid for those that will go there. This is why I started praying with fervency; I don't want anyone to arrive in the inescapable place, where never ending torment and torture are the rewards for breaking God's commandments, and having the gal to perpetually and often publicly, go against our Creator. 

It occurs to me that perhaps sleep is a warning to all humans to heed and acknowledge, how very vulnerable we are to one another, to circumstances beyond our control, to perpetrator's and predators of the nocturnal and demonic variety, that aim to seize control of the senses, when rest is what we require to face the next, new day. Sleep is also a wonderful gift that lets us know that we cannot be on perpetual duty, on guard vigilantly protecting ourselves and our families, and that God is watching over us when clearly, we are made inept and incapacitated. When sleep blankets us in the night, it is meant for everyone to partake and participate in, without our choosing. Sure, we can decide to delay sleep, ignore our need for it and pretend we require very little, but that is a self-told lie. Eventually, sleep will "catch up" with us, taking us to the land of slumber, whether we want to go or not. 

Yesterday, a new person in my life said: There's nothing like a nightmare to make you appreciate what you have. This struck me as a simple and powerful statement, and stuck with me. This morning I am appreciating what I have, namely: Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour. In my waking hours he is my light, my life, my all in all. Jesus is my King, my God, my delight, my favourite Name. When I pray I have peace and my heart is whole. Nightmares steal what in the daytime, I know is mine, when I am lucid; and dear reader, I fear that the day is drawing near for the wicked, the day when they awake from this wonderful place, this wonderful God created world, to a perpetually dying damnation, a hell from which there is no escape, no waking up and shaking loose from the sharp tooth and nail gripping on their soul. 

Prayer was on my lips for those in my immediate sphere of perception that are vicious, self-serving, God denying, and damned if they do not repent of their sins, plead for forgiveness from God, and from those they have grievously injured. Jesus is the only one that can chase away the nightmare of hell, because he has the keys to hades and he is the one that sets captives free. 

Revelation 1:8

I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. 

I am learning the meaning of praying for the enemies of God and man. This is what I have resisted, wanting instead for them to pay for their persecutions of people that they want to hurt and maim in their service to the wicked one. The thought of eternity in hell is still fresh and lingering this morning, and I am recognizing why God, the all powerful all knowing God of the universe, wants none to be lost. 

Luke 23:24

Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

The men that killed Jesus were the very men Jesus prayed for, requesting mercy for them from the Father. This is what we must do too, plead for mercy, for hearts tenderized by God's love, so that they are forgiven and can be with Jesus in paradise for all eternity. This, dear reader, is the work of intercessory prayer. We have a ministry of reconciliation when we are in Christ, and by God, my night is affecting my day, and I am chastened and humbled to the point of wanting what God wants: 

Matthew 5:44-48

Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? 

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. 

It is easy to love the lovable, and quite the challenge to love those that display their hateful inclinations. God gives breath, life, sun and rain to all his creatures, no matter their dispositions and intentions. He gives each of us abundant time to thank and praise him, and also to look away and pretend, if we so choose, that he is not there and that we are self-made and can live independently from his care. This thought has me chuckling! Try to hold your breath for five minutes ... you just can't. Try to stop your heart from beating for ten seconds ... you just can't. Try now, to stop the sun from rising and then exchanging places with the moon ... you just can't. Make the rain stop and the snow start, go ahead, try ... you just can't do it, dear reader. 

What you just can't do, God can. You can't save yourself, but Jesus surely can save you. 

That is all from this cat this morning. I pray your nightmares are scared away and your daydreams are filled with the Light of the world. 

Filtering Coffee Grounds

Procrastination is the putting off of what we don't want to do - I am aware, you already know this to be true. It may be a task, it may be a conversation, it may be the self-care you committed to once again, on January first; whatever "it" is, you haven't gotten to it ... yet?

In a previous blog entitled, Conversation With Things Undone, I wrote about doing what I don't want to do. In this piece of writing, I am adding to the theme of getting things done, with this: While I Am Waiting. Let us visit a for instance. 

I want coffee in the morning, and I quite enjoy the smooth and aromatic heat waves that travel to my nostrils, coming off the dark brew that pours out of my new stainless steel french press (Thank-You for my birthday gift baby sis). The end result of coffee made, takes time in the beforehand. In the beforehand, water for one mug is measured and boiled. While I wait for the water to boil, I measure a heaping tablespoon of previously ground coffee (I buy the beans and grind them in a convenient little machine), and drop it to the bottom of the french press. When the kettle of water gurgles and then switches off, I pour the hot water onto the coffee in the french press, apply the lid with the filter-plunger attached, and set a timer for four minutes. 

Mundane, you say? Boring description, you think? Maybe, but that is not the point. I don't want to bore you or tell you about things you already know and perhaps do yourself regularly, I want to share the before-hands, the in-betweens, the opportunities to accomplish what waits to be completed and doesn't get done, because you and I don't feel like it, you and I think we can put it off, you and I would rather, do something else. 

Water boiling, timer set ... there is a stretch of moments in the waiting, and I am keenly aware that I have wasted more time than I have made use of. This is what I want to avoid, change, stop doing. I want to do what must be done in order to savour the good. Work goes into every little marvellous achievement. Work is the mundane, the minuscule, the unseen and unsung hero that makes our world go round. Did you know, God keeps all of creation working, round the clock, world without end? 

Let us return to my morning kitchen, and the pile of washed the night before items that rest ready in the drying side of the sink, waiting to be put away in cupboards and drawers. I have never liked putting away dishes, but hey, someone's got to do it, why not me? While I wait for boiled water to soak up the essence of coffee and become a drinkable brew, I buzz around the space between the sink and the various places plates, pots, lids, knives, forks, spoons, and spatulas go. I could play a game on the near-by iPad as I wait, but that is a form of procrastination that will steal valuable time away from doing something productive and worth while, because those sink things, still need to be put away at some point in time. 

I love something my father used to say: When you are at work, your time is sold. Is your time sold, dear reader? Is it only sold, for pay? Will you work when money is at stake, or do you value work so much, that you see what needs to get done, whether you feel like it or not, and just plain old, do it?

I made my coffee this morning, and enjoyed sipping while I read Matthew Henry's Commentary On The Whole Bible. I read a page, and knew that this topic, the one that has been brewing in my head for weeks on end, had to be tapped out from my fingertips. While I am waiting ... our time must be put to most excellent use, to do what is mundane, so that important items on our personal check lists can get done. 

With tasks done, will you, dear one, move on to the more vitally important items on your list of things to accomplish? Will you take a look at your thought life, your inner workings, the emotions you plunge to the bottom of your mental french press and never wash out? What is stale and growing mould in that mind of yours? What conversations do you need to have, that will filter the grounds that can catch in the throat, so that you can enjoy the essence of relationship? 

Maybe while you are waiting can turn into something wonderful, as in, I am not waiting anymore, I am doing. Do not get me wrong, I wait on the Lord when I am in my most excellent state of godly mind. I wait for his timing because it is perfect, but in the beforehand, in the mean time, I am learning about who he is and how he runs our universe, and it is a never stop, won't stop way of being that we must admire and assimilate. 

You have time, the same amount of time you had yesterday and the day before. You have time, the same amount of time as your super successful friend, brother, sister, former spouse, present boyfriend or accomplished girlfriend. Come on now, you have time, to think about what is valuable, what is important, what needs to get done that is a tasky tasky, that feels mundane but contributes to your overall well-being. 

That french press is sitting in my kitchen, waiting for me to wash it. If I don't dump the grinds in the garbage pail and rinse the stainless steel container, tomorrow morning won't be nearly as delicious for me. Bigger on the list though, dear reader, are the people in my life. I take care of what needs to get done, so that I can be with the ones I love the most. I kill procrastination so that I can savour the good things and people in life. 

What, do you do, while you are waiting? What are you avoiding that is soulful and has been pushed to the bottom of your to-do list? 

You have time to read this ... you have time to do what you know you need to do. Do it now. 

Smoke & Mirrors

If only I could take one big inhale, filling my lungs to capacity, to blooooooow and disperse the smoke that clouds vision ... If only. 

If only I could take a massive sledge hammer, lifting it to shoulder height followed by a powerful swing to strike and smash to smithereens the warped and wonky mirror that distorts and contorts truth; the mirror that bends truth out of shape in order to deceive ... If only.  

I would if I could, blow away the smoke that clouds vision, and smash to smithereens the deception glass, and I guess I try, and try again, because for some reason I just cannot help myself. I think of all the reading I have done that has convicted me when I wanted to be justified in my own clouded vision, my own warped and wonky distortions and contortions of truth; I have overwhelming gratitude for authors like Dr. Scott Peck, C.S Lewis, Charles Spurgeon, St. Thomas Aquinas, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, John Bunyan, Matthew Henry, and the greatest Author of all, God Almighty. I am hard pressed to recall all the authors that helped me course correct my thinking and recalibrate over and over again to Christ; there are so many, and I pray that you read from the offerings of the men of God mentioned, that are from the distant and not so distant past.

Thankfully, every generation has men and women that love God with all their mind, with all their heart, with all their soul, and we get to pick-up where they left off: we get to carry the torch they have passed along to us, to light a darkened world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

I am alright

I am alright, I don't need Jesus, is what we are seeing and hearing. My truth and your truth are different, so let us agree to disagree, is what we witness. No ... No ... not so. We aren't alright until we realize we need Jesus. We don't know that there is only one truth until we know The Truth, Jesus Christ. Once we comprehend and incorporate these essential concepts into our thinking, and have them on lock, the smoke clears, the mirror straightens itself out, we can start to see ourselves The Way God has designed us, as we are meant to be, images of the living God incarnate.

The smoke, the mirrors, they are fun-house everywhere, placed by ugly clowns that think it funny and entertaining, to trick the vulnerable, the hopeful, the gullible, the easily mislead and betrayed, out of their relationship with God. That is the point, dear one, they don't want you to have a relationship with the Author of life: the wicked ones prefer to haze you, and have you follow them deeper into the darkness of deception.

So, as a writer, I must insist, that you read ... not my writing silly adorable bunny, although I am deeply appreciative of your being here with me! Read the great writers that spoke boldly for the sake of truth, for the sake of souls, for Christ's sake. They break up and dispel deceptive smoke, and they straighten out those looking glass mirrors, and by God, they course correct deviants like you and me, and get us on track for recalibration to Christ. 

If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed (John 8:36)

JABBER Jaws

WARNING ⚠️  Hero Worshippers May Get Irritated

I have taken the liberty to give you some visuals of a very small section of JABBER Jaws, the guys - one woman too - that circle the waters looking for prey. They talk and talk and talk and INSERT shots here and then there and they hope IN YOU and your friends and family. 

Are they guilty by association? Why yes, yes they most certainly are, because the company we keep is a great indicator of what activities we mutually enjoy. These JABBER Jaws have many things in common, and one main character flaw that runs through all their sin soaked veins: they love to lie, mislead, misrepresent, and deceive their listening, and viewing audience. It is thrilling for them to trick people they believe are too stupid to know the truth. 

Let us say this together ... Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, thrice or a THOUSAND TIMES, shame on me. 

Here is another ... Once burned, twice shy. 

If you don't see the dots connecting yet, I suggest you adjust your lenses, and pray to God for some vision assistance. 

We can join together in prayer against the enemies of God and his people; the alternative is joining hands with them, and skipping along to their dissonant hurt the ears tune, right over the cliff into the abyss. 

You get to decide of course, until you realize they are deciding FOR you, because that is what tyrannical ego maniacs do; it is how they play with their prey. 

Cat 🐈 and mouse 🐁. 

Me Wallet

Sometimes I like to take on a pirate persona, just for fun, so bear with me as I playfully engage my goofy side in the telling of this tale. 

Yesterday me girlfriend Janice and I were having a marvellous discussion about God's providential care for me little family of three, me Mom, me son Matthew, the duo I refer to as M & M, and me. We were heading toward me car after shopping in Costco; once we had reached my vehicle, we put our purchases in the boot (that's what the English call the trunk of the car), and then into our seats we went to zoom off to our next destination, Janice's home. We had gotten as far as the first set of lights exiting the place, when me phone went off: Did you lose your wallet at Costco?, me son asked. Did Costco say I lost me wallet there? I respond. Yes, go to Customer Service, he says. So I did. 

Now, dear reader, I will drop the pirate goofiness, in the hopes that you picked up the use of me, and use it yourself to periodically break tension and give yourself permission to not take yourself or life, too seriously, since after all, God is good, merciful, kind, generous, gracious, and the keeper of wallets and what is in them, when we have no clue that our wallet is missing. God truly goes before us, is our rear guard, and with parental protectiveness, periodically lets us know that he is the God of the lost, and found. 

Leaving my friend in the car, I breeze my way into Costco, headed for Customer Service. A woman behind the counter is helping a customer; she lifts her gaze from the keyboard in acknowledgement, looks me in the eye, and says, Linda? I respond, Yes, gold wallet (it is gold on the outside). I locked up your wallet in there, she says, as she waves toward the secure room that contains all things mysterious. I wait, as she finishes typing, and watch, as she goes to the room to get what customer number one is waiting for, and retrieves what belongs to me, customer number two. In one fell swoop, this wonderful lady served two people to our satisfaction. As she handed me the wallet, I asked, Do you know who turned it in? She replied, No, it was cold though, so it must have been outside. A customer gave it to a staff, the staff handed it in to me ...

I looked inside the wallet, and counted the money there. I am embarrassed to say that I had no clue how much money was in there ... $190. My Costco Mastercard, drivers license, health card, CAA card, were all in the wallet. This wallet went through three sets of hands, and I am overwhelmed with gratitude at the speed at which it was returned to me, in tact, nothing missing. Do I dare tell you, at the risk of sounding nonchalant with me money and property, that on a recent trip, I had put my Costco card in a side pocket of my workout pants, it slipped out, and when I noticed, and went to Customer Service, it had already been turned in? 

Long ago, $500 had been withdrawn from my bank account. I prayed all day in faith that the money would be restored, and that night, I got a call from the people that had taken the money. They gave it back, much to the surprise of my family: my father and former husband had insisted I just forget about that money, telling me it would never be returned, despite my faithful prayers. But they didn't know the God of The Bible, the One I prayed to and trusted in as my Provider. They didn't know that material things are gifts from God, all is his, and he hears our prayers, what we need, what we cry out for when all seems to be lost to us. 

Money is stuff and nonsense, faith is substance and essence. I look to God for soulful provision, for the filling up of my spirit, and he has provided for me and my family in ways I cannot count, that exceed mere monetary value. Back when the $500 was returned to me, my faith in humanity was bolstered, and I wrote about the experience to The Free Press, and they published the story. Today, with the sun shining into my front room, I am feeling the delight of a restoration of my faith in the kindness of strangers, and by God, I hope by some stroke of God's grace, the three that touched and handed off my wallet to me, see this tribute to them, and feel a sense of goodness and pride in their souls for doing right by me, someone they do not know and will probably never meet. 

I needed this experience, dear reader. I needed to see the bright side in a darkening world. I needed to be able to trust again, and not be wary or weary in a strained and drained of colour world. I weep in gratitude, and am reminded that God is ever present, created man in his image, and when we live with love in our hearts for our neighbours, wallets are returned without removing the contents, so that faith can flourish and the family of God can be added to, one member at a time: each soul counts and matters to God. 

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure (Philippians 2:12-13)

NOTE: Please recall that I had been sharing with my girlfriend Janice, how God has provided for my little family. On the heels of this discussion, the wallet was "lost" and almost immediately, "found", and I cannot help but think God really wants us to trust in him for all things material and spiritual, including of course the souls of those we love deeply. God is GOOD, and works in and amongst us, and sometimes, we see his hand in the hands of the invisible ones that have helped us along The Way. May God richly bless you as you take strides to live and love his will for you. 

Guardian Angels for Perpetrators

I am terrified, dear reader, of being a hypocrite. The one thing that frightens me the most, is being lied to, believing lies, and propagating them. If I lie, or you do, and we are associated, I fear the guilt that taunts and haunts and torments my soul. 

Covid was the greatest lie told in my lifetime (I cannot speak for you, but perhaps you can think for a moment and ask yourself, What is the greatest lie I have ever heard, and or told?) The horror of covid grips and squeezes hearts, blocks arteries, forms cancers and clots, blinds eyes, blocks insulin, and so much more. Covid rips family and friends apart, and is sending people early to the grave; the clean-up for this chaos induced catastrophe is impossible and never ending. 

There is no such this as post traumatic stress disorder for covid, because the trauma hasn't stopped. People promote, vote for, and protect killers, and the injections continue to be offered and administered, like candy dispensed from a giant gum ball machine - Get your head of lettuce at your local grocery store and when you are passing the pharmacy, stop by for your covid poison shot too: it is that easy guys and gals. 

If it hasn't happened to you yet, if by some miracle you have escaped knowing someone that is suffering and dying from the effects of the poison that has been administered to approximately 80% of the population world-wide, then you are fortunate, and perhaps you think me silly and self-indulgent, as I belly-ache about loss and suffering, death, burial, cremation, grieving and sorrow. Perhaps you think me a pessimist that just doesn't want to "get over it", and that I am selfishly absorbed with macabre topics that ought to be relegated to the annals of history at this point. Wait, just wait then, because it is only a matter of time before you are the driver for a sick loved one that needs "medical care". Good Lord help us, the administers of poison are the people that we run to for "treatment" when the body fails ... but it wasn't the body that failed us all in the beginning of this fiasco, it was logical, deductive reasoning. 

I said us all, in the sentence above. Forgive me if I sound condescending and arrogant in my assertion, that I did not fall for the fiasco, I did not believe for one moment what was being sold and bought as the cheapest shell game bait and switch carnival trick going. I saw the murderers lying up their ducks, taking aim and firing, and en masse, masks became part of the fabric of faces all over the world. Sick, it is sickening, it speaks of soul sickness and is nausea inducing to see a sea of blue cloth coverings ... the image is burned into my memory and so are the words that I wanted to shout, HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MINDS?! The worst was yet to come, after those damnable things on strings that continue to linger, clinging to breathless people that believe they are protecting themselves from you and me ... they don't know that they are killing themselves, and their fear is misplaced. 

Logical, deductive reasoning, is the cognitive function that I see as missing in action. Either it was never taught, never learned, never offered, never considered, or, OR, dear reader, it was shoved out of the way as inconvenient and inconsequential, a useless old timer way of thinking that no longer suits a society that prefers self and other deception. Here is how things ought to work, when people are thinking past now into consequential results after thought becomes action: If this, then that ... If I do this, then that might or probably will, happen: i.e. If I drink a bottle of wine in the hour just before retiring for the night, chances are good that I will slur my words, feel off balance, not be able to see straight, have a restless night, and wake up with a doozy of a headache and an accompanying upset stomach. Makes logical, deductive reasoning sense, does it not? Now, stay with me, and be prepared for a punch to the gut, because I want to be very clear and have you get my meaning.

If you, dear reader, voted for any of the politicians that currently hold office, that are pro abortion, pro promotion of gay rights, pro "vaccines", otherwise known as clot shots and poison injections, and you actually believe that somehow they are trust worthy and will have yours and your families best interests in mind when they make decisions that impact the people they govern, then you have LOST YOUR MIND: You are an accomplice, and I call you guilty by association. You cannot be duplicitous and get away with it, dear reader, none of us can. To be a hypocrite is to be the worst of offenders; it belies what is in the heart to say one thing and do another ... it does not bode well for the soul or for society. 

If a politician approves the killing of babies, what makes you think he or she will protect you? If a politician surrounds him or herself with homosexuals and vaccine pushers, what makes you think they will do right by you, your children, or your grandchildren? Where is your deductive reasoning? Did you lose it along the covid way, as you walked away from The Way, The Truth, and The Life? You cannot have the world and Jesus too, that is incongruent. You cannot protect killers and then be surprised later at their viciousness. That means you are blind and the mask has moved over your eyes. 

As the wicked align and maliciously demean, debase, and debauch humanity, mocking all the way, as servants of the evil one, they continue to aim at the sitting ducks they want to take to hell with them, namely those that belong to Christ. How better to take them to hell, then to have people that profess Jesus as their Saviour, acting as guardian angels for perpetrators? This is treacherous, traitorous behaviour for anyone that truly knows Jesus. To suggest that those that go against God's word, can somehow redeem a sick and dying world, and restore it to some semblance of decency, is to deny what scripture reveals about Jesus Christ as the Saviour who died for the sins of the world. 

Let us not be deceived, dear one. The enemy of our souls roams and looks for a place in the mind, the heart, the soul, in homes. He wants us to say one thing and do another, and clearly, I am desperately trying to save anyone reading this from perpetually lying to self and other. Dear reader, you cannot promote, support, encourage anti-christ characters, and expect that the blood will not splatter onto you ... that, is not logical or deductive in reasoning. 

I John 3:7-8

Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 

I'm Waiting, Hello?

I had an exceptional client years ago. Our training relationship spanned seven or eight years. She was reliable, conscienous, thoughtful, generous, and wise. She said things that have stuck with me, one saying was: There is no excuse for bad behaviour. I liked that, and I use the phrase often, when I learn that someone is being mistreated and accepting the mistreatment. We really do, train people on how to handle, mishandle, treat, mistreat us. 

Today I had an appointment with a hairdresser. For the second time, I waited for her to mix colour in the backroom. The first time, I grew impatient, because I could hear her talking to a colleague in hushed tones. I thought about leaving, after having waited so long, but instead, I rose from the chair, stuck my head through the open doorway, and said, Excuse me for interrupting you, but I need to have my hair done, I have company visiting from Alberta. The hairdresser had her butt up against the counter, mixing bowl in one hand, stirring brush in the other, poised in the air ... her colleague was facing her, and had her back to the door, they looked cozy in the sharing stance and I startled them a bit. The hairdresser immediately came out, and was pleasant, and I thought, she won't do that again, but she did, today, just this morning. 

Last time I had my hair done, I stated, You are the quietest hairdresser I have ever met. She replied that talking to clients too much can put her behind schedule. I just thought she hated me and that's why she didn't talk much, but I think she hates clients in general, because I learned she doesn't waste her breath on talking to any of them ... but she and her colleagues, talk a lot, smile at one another a lot, and I observed, the other ladies that work in the shop, barely speak to their clients either. That's a secret code, dear reader, that speaks volumes of disdain. They want money, but don't care one bit for the people they service. 

Are you curious about how I handled the situation I found myself in this morning, while I heard her whispering to someone for ten minutes? What would you have done, dear one? How do you handle yourself when someone behaves badly at your time, energy, money expense?

I will tell you what I did ... I recalled the wise words that when accessed, speak instruction to those that are being dismissed without reason: There is no excuse for bad behaviour. I got up from that chair, grabbed my belongings, and went out the door. I suspect it surprised the hairdresser when she finally decided to exit the backroom to provide service to a waiting client, to discover she no longer had said client. She sent me a message, at the twenty minute mark from the start of our appointment, and I shared my perspective and experience of unnecessarily waiting for her while she spoke to someone in the backroom. Her response was weak and she lied, suggesting it was a brief call from a colleague, and some other nonsense, but dear reader, I can tell time and heard her voice, while I waited, and waited, and waited ... 

I have made errs as a trainer, as a coach, as a daughter, sister, friend, human being! but I always feel very badly when I have misspoken, or misstepped, because I truly do not want to injure anyone and I always want to make amends. Not so with some, with so many in fact. Blaming someone for something I have done means I believe there is an excuse for bad behaviour, and I know, there really is no good excuse to treat anyone with disregard. This hairdresser either hates herself, her life, her work, or just the clients that sit in her chair, held hostage waiting, because they need a service done and don't want to be "impolite" by asking the service provider to hurry the heck up. That is on her, and I, for one, refuse to accept or excuse, bad behaviour. 

I will tell you this; I have left conversations that were one sided, without a backward glance. I have stated, I am bored, when in a group of people, one person makes a show of themselves, never displaying any interest in others and simply, wanting to be in a perpetual spot light ... I have walked out of restaurants after being seated when the wait staff choose not to say hello, or acknowledge me and whomever I am with. I am not a prima donna, or someone that demands attention, in fact I prefer not having too much attention, but, I do so enjoy courtesy, customer service, kindness, and accountability when someone needs to say, That was on me, I am so sorry. I like the expression, Don't ruin a perfectly good apology with an excuse, and I will keep my standards high, not making excuses for myself or anyone else, because we must have high standards, dear reader, otherwise we become slaves to the ugly inelegance that mars the human race.

Stuck Squeaky Toys

Lips, tongue, cheeks, throat, and every part that follows downward from there, burn, when drano is ingested. A friend of mine reminded me just last night, what can happen to a person when poison is taken into the body ... it burns, doing damage that can result in death. 

Tasting social media has felt like a burn to me of the more insidious variety, compared to the immediate reaction one would surely have if they dropped drano on their tongue. At least there are warning labels on drain chemicals that clear clogs ... social media causes clogging of the thoughts, chokes up discernment, and prevents the effected from freely observing without having a visceral reaction. 

There is a ping-pong match being played, and most of us are the viewing audience members, that occasionally get up to retrieve a wayward ball, only to place it back in the court of the one we think is worthy of a win. The silly truth is, you and I are the light as air balls being volleyed, tapped to table top corners, then smashed hard from side to side, to prove a point: and the point is, it is the fool that plays the pawn, or table tennis ball in this scenario, in a game with no competitors. When both sides pretend to play to win, but in fact are on the same team, and all is even-steven for them during game play, then the witless, clueless ones in the audience end up being the big duped losers. 

A lot has been said and written about psychological operations, short formed to psyop, and that is precisely what I am going on about here, in this brief piece of writing. I will tell you what the game play is truly about, dear reader. There are two sides, and you are on one or the other. There is the Truth Team that belongs to Jesus Christ, and he is known as The Way, The Truth, and The Life. There is another team, and only one other, and they are Dem Dare Liars, and they are members under the headship of the dark one, known as the father of lies, a marauding murderer under the title of Satan. We pledge our allegiance to one team or another, and sometimes a person like you and me, might get caught being somewhat duplicitous and confused, forgetting that this game is being played for keeps, meaning souls are the booty being bet on, and many a soul will be lost for want of having chosen to stay on the righteous side of the court. 

Satan hates God's children, and blood lust drives him to get his team aboard in the killing. All the posing and posturing of the players belies their inner workings. They are the foot soldiers of the damned one, and the goal is to take as many down to the pit with them as is possible in their lifetime, which is short, very short: each human has a limited time to live their life purpose, and this is why there is a frenzy and feverishness to their actions ... they know their time is short and that our time is too; signs are all around us that we are marching en masse to the completion of our time as humans walking the earth. Soon enough planet earth will be rolled up like a scroll, and well, some are just gonna fall right off it when that happens, into a very deep, dark, godless pit of terror. 

I don't want to be a pawn, or a ping-pong ball being batted back and forth across a low net. I don't want to be battered and bruised with the pushing and shoving of the enemy that wants me to feel as though they are the ones calling the shots and they have all the power to make my life good, miserable, or otherwise. They lie, and I don't buy or believe what they spew. God must be magnified, and when he is magnified in our thoughts, our prayers, and then our actions, the little pea-ons that have the microphones in their faces day and night, sound like squeaky toys stuck on a broken note. 

No one likes a squeaky toy for very long. Give one to a dog and he will manage to chew the thing up until it no longer makes a sound. I think the stuck and broken note of the toys is raucous to the ears that listen for the sound of their Father's voice, and want only to please him. We are living to see this scripture come to life:

He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still (Revelation 22:11)

Our work, if we call ourselves Christians, is to believe in Jesus and live our mission as ambassadors of reconciliation between the lost and God. I do not put my trust in mealy mouthed double speak men and women of this world: that, dear reader, is foolhardy, anti Biblical, and a dangerous endeavour that may result in burning. 

NOTE: I realize I used many a metaphor in this writing: maybe you can come up with your own to describe what you see. Don't leave me to do all the work over here! And please, no political jostling, I don't give a damn about the demon infested ones that feign caring, they are the squeaky toys that hurt my ears.