Hugo

Last night, I dragged Yesfir out of the house and we went to a movie.  Initially, it was to Mission Impossible 4, but then we saw there was also some movie called Hugo.  Well, I had never heard of it, but some of her friends had recommended it.  So, we took the gamble and saw Hugo.

First off, this is an exceptional movie and I highly recommended it!

So the story revolves around a boy, a girl he meets and a strange old man whom is the girl's god-father.  I will not spoil the film for you if you have not seen it, other than to say that it revolves around the early days of film making - the silent picture era.

Many of the clips they used, or recreated were from my much loved days of viewing silent films. To good ol' days back when actors knew how to act, story tellers how to create a story, etc.  Yeah, I am not much of a fan for what passes as cinema these past sixty years.

I have three silent film favorites: Chaplin's The Prospector, Lang's Woman In the Moon, and of course, from the Earth to the Moon.  Jules Verne really knew how to write a story!  I loved that book and every film made on that story line since the first one!  Sure they are corny but they are entertaining.  Car chases were comical, fires were tragedies, shootings to be mourned and with only rare exception were the babes ever in "display" mode.  Yeah, the loss of innocence is always to be mourned!

Story is intriguing, acting is only so-so, but then again it is a kids movie, photography  pleasant, and more importantly - it is family friendly!

I am not sure if a child will actually enjoy this as much as adults whom are just plain tired of the Hollywood recipe of gun battles, car chases, explosions and scantily clad women.

You will love this movie if, like me, you are tired of what Hollywood has been producing.  A hearty "Good Job!" to those whom produced a fine film for a change!

El Futuro

In Christianity, there are Spiritual Gifts, what the Holy Spirit empowers His people with for His purposes.  Very safe, very sane.  The gifts belong to the Holy Spirit whom dispenses and uses these at His sole discretion.  They belong solely to the Holy Spirit, He gives, He takes, He uses.  Paul gives us a beautiful run downs on what they are even.  What could be simpler?

(If you are already chocking on this, you really need to stop learning from man's wisdom and start reading the Bible only has  your reference tool!  You will find it has quite a lot to say and none of it what man loves to publish and lead others astray with!)

Now enter the American school of religious (not Christian) thought - "Well, they were only active in the first century."  "Once we had our Bible, the gifts passed away become they were not needed any more."  etc, etc, etc.  Man's opinion being given, completely free of Scripture, because after all, if they acknowledge that the gifts are still valid - then they stand condemned for their own faithless lives!

Yes, I have SEEN every single one of the Holy Spirit's gifts in action, used in ministry, verifiable and within context.  Exactly how it should be.

Unfortunately, the Liar as the ability to mimic the Gifts, so that those present will think they are of the Holy Spirit, only they are being used outside of Biblical context and therefore not of God at all!

What is a believer to do?!?!?!!?

Well, test all things.  You think you just witnessed tongues being used at your local church?  Well, was it being used to witness to a foreign national in their own language because that is all they understood?  No?  Well, you  just saw a LIE in action!  Was it in a prayer closet (of course not!).  Another LIE!  And so you can do this with most of what you will see., hear and read about concerning the Spiritual Gifts.  It is ALL LIES!

So you then have to be oh so careful when the real item is stumbled across.  Someone with the gift of prophecy is not exactly going to be blabbing to anyone, anywhere, just to stay alive these days!  Yeah, I know a few God does reveal His ways to.  And due to our culture, even they are mighty leery of saying anything to anyone - because there only so much flak a person can take.

Why be commenting on this?  Because of what God did to me in November, when I was given rather special insight concerning New Daughter.  And it has continued ever since.  I am really not desirous of knowing another's future, though I do realize that I am expected to be preparing her for that future.  Expectedly, she finds herself torn between knowing that future and not wanting to.  I can understand that.  And it gets confusing for me because there is God's Determinative Will - so I see where she is to be and then there is the Permissive Will, which shows the paths she can take and the problems associated with each one!  Those problems all revolve around, how does she get from those paths to where she is to be eventually?  Yeah, some are harder, some are less so, but none of them are "easy".  I don't like that!  I want my children to have easy choices, not hard ones!

That is really hard responsibility there.  My desires versus what I know from God for this young woman.  It makes me fearful that I have to "get ti right" or I will be to blame if I miss direct her through the training she needs.  Yeah, you have to remember that Kris is a coward.

But imagine a world where God rules and people are not fearful to use their gifts and what God has revealed to them!

Sounds a whole lot like each of our futures in a new heaven and a new earth.....  We each really need to step up to that futurenow  and practice using them gifts today!

Hey, if I have to, what makes you special?!?!?!?

Experiential

Back when I was a wee-snapper of a Christian, I used to visit local Bible studies, mostly college age in attendance.  Nothing unusual there.  Most of the groups were borderline Charismatic in their faith.  Nothing unusual there either.  However, I am not a Charismatic by any sense of the word.  I find it quaint that there are those whom are - but my faith has always been based on my Bible and meditation.  Emotional outbursts and experiences I give very little credence to.....

Oh make no mistake, I fully and completely believe in the existence of the Holy Spirit and its ministry both in our lives and through us to one another.  However, through the years I have seen far to many train wrecks caused by youthful exuberance of those experiencing the Holy Spirit.  In fact, it seems it is often hard for those being used by the Holy Spirit to actually control themselves.

Solid, staunch men of Christ I have known, have pulled some of the dumbest blunders I have ever seen - and reaped some of the most incredible miracles because of it!  Imagine a crippled man whom suddenly gets the bright idea that he needed to drive quite some distance, by himself, because God told him to.  He had been a severe stroke victim and really had to be supervised just to go to the grocery store.  But, he believed God, not his physical limitations.  The family had the police looking for him when he turned up missing!

Oh did I mention that he also had to travel through several different countries to do this?  Yeah an impossibility.  Yet, he bought a VW van, made his trip, arrived at his destination and then sat there.  He had no idea why he was there, but he was, and now he was doubting his sanity.

In the course of dinner, he met an odd family.  They knew him, but he pretty much was sure he had never met them before.  They knew he was to take them to freedom.  Their bags were packed, they were ready to go, oh - and by the way, the police and army were hunting them!  So, wanted posters out on them, no passports, their id papers had already been seized.  Yeah.

So, they piled into the van and headed for the border using back roads to avoid all of the police and the officials.  They became incredibly lost, got stuck in the mud and buried their axle.  And along comes a column of tanks.

Yeah, the officer was very interested in them.  Here was a foreign vehicle, in an area used by smugglers, being driven by a man obvious handicapped by a stroke!  Then it started raining, heavily.  The van was blocking the road, the tanks needed to get by.  The officer could not even have a conversation with the stroke victim.  And then as the situation became tense, the lightening hit.

Now I do not know if you have ever taken a lightening hit or not, it is not pleasant.  I came close one time - it missed me by just under a foot and that was still enough power to just about smoke my climbing boots, fry my hair and throw me a good eight feet!  It is very real and very powerful.

Our hero of this tale however was thrown about thirty feet!  The army aid unit rushed up to help the stranger and their officer.  Only neither was harmed!  In fact the stranger was now completely healed of his paralysis and suddenly could speak their language!  The officer was not dumb, he knew he was facing something far more powerful than himself.  He was facing that non-existent God he had heard about.  He ordered one of the tanks to pull the van out of the mud and tow it the short distance over the border.

Apparently, the whole issue of this hunted family sitting in this van the entire time never came up!  Yeah, they were Christians, the father a pastor whom had refused to be silent.  And God worked a miracle to move them out of harms way.  I heard this tale from one of the kids.

Now, how do you deal with something like this in your daily life?  Sure we credit God with the ability to do anything He wants, just as long as it is what we expect.  But, what happens when He begins working in unexpected ways in our lives?  Our handicapped stranger really was only obedient and desiring to be used.  And used he was in a tremendous way!  The Christian pastor only had faith that God would help them to escape and spare their lives.  And God did do just that!  Both had to step out in faith to do the unexpected!  And because of this, God worked a few miracles!

Yeah, not necessarily a Bible quality tale, but a true on none the less.  And I can find examples in my Bible of God managing to do even greater things than this.  Then looking in my own life and seeing the miracles across the past months, incredible!  And last night having a daughter lovingly look me in my eyes and tell me she never could have imagined ... this change going on inside of her.

Wow!  What an incredible God - using "foolish" men to perform His deeds.....

Chuckle

I have to chuckle. Sometimes life is like that. No sooner had I written Friday's post than the phone rings. It is my friend.

Now mind you, I never said anything to him about my disapproval with his Saturday plans. I never say anything to any of my friends over their TV and game based wastage of their lives. I live my life, I invite them along, I usually am alone in my endeavors. Outside of Yesfir, I am pretty sure no one I know, knows about this blog any more!

So, my 81 year old friend is on the phone. "Hey lets do breakfast on Saturday!" Now, that is a jaw dropper! There a zillion basketball games on, and he wants to go to breakfast with me? Oh -oh, what did I do now?

But, he and his wife just wanted to visit. Talk about yesterdays, with someone whom loves history and them.

As for the basket ball games? He told me he bought three recorders to hold all of the games for him so he could watch then in the afternoon!

Now there is a changed man!

One of these days, in the not so distant future, he will be gone and his children - whom learned his life habits at an early age will suddenly discover that maybe they needed to take a little time for their father, whom rarely sees them. I can see his pain in that regard. Yeah, everyone is busy, everyone is working hard, everyone has no time for an old man in his waning years.

Think about maybe making an extra phone call or visit with your aging relatives. They probably would appreciate the time you spend with them. Even if they are unpleasant and smell funny.

Standing Alone

When I stepped out in faith, back on November 22nd, I was not blind.  God had forewarned.  I already knew the cost of the task He had set before me. Of course, I may have not completely understood. Or perhaps not. Yeah one of those quandary problems.  hard to understand except in retrospect and I am not far enough long at this point to see clearly concerning my personal cost.

I saw clearly my daughter's struggle, I saw clearly part of the personal cost. And you know, I was not really worried because I expected my support base, Gaelic Girl, to remain in place. With that, I could weather almost anything. I never expected that foundation to collapse.

Sure there are probably plenty of reasons for that crumbling, all of them not associated with the battle ND faces. Yet, interestingly enough, as we come closer and closer to the real work, that base has eroded further and further. 

No, there is no such thing as coincidence.

This is but evil's latest swipe at the healing process for ND. I expect more and more distractions to be thrown at us, but ..... Well, and that is the point. No matter what happens, I know my duty is to my family, which includes my new daughter.

But, when involved in an overwhelming spiritual.struggle, alone, you might just question your sanity - as the ground becomes only your faith and what you know as truth. And, now that ground has to steady others as well.

Thank God He answers prayer!  Because it is sorely needed if I am to get my almost life long best friend and prayer partner back on board.....

Letting Go

So, if you were on line very early this morning you saw a post I have now rescheduled for release on Wednesday because this one is more important. I generally write most of my posts for a week on Sunday evening and just schedule them for each day. It freaks ND out because quite often I comment on things, which have yet to happen, but we will just call that a God thing.

Today, she and I begin the ordeal of freeing her.

And as I lay in bed, thinking about today and what all must be done, it struck me that I have a bit of clean up to perform as well.

I have harboured one piece of hate in my heart for decades. The real reason I left home, the real reason I hated my family and especially my mother, the real reason - that like ND - I too was broken. Yeah, my mother.

It serves nothing to go into it, if you can not figure it out from what I already said, well I envy you.

As I lay in bed I knew I had to finally let go of that hatred for her and what she did to that young man. I finally understood last year, when my favorite uncle in a fit of rage said something no one had ever said about my mother, and why a 13 year old had already been written off by her family. Which explained quite a lot, since I have long been very irritated at having a mother just barely older than me! Yeah life is interesting when most people thought your mother was your older sister! Not to mention, once older, realizing what that said about my father.....

So, I lay in bed, the anger once again surging through me. I knew I had to let go. I knew I had to, but it is my precious.....

Yes, I did confess my hatred and anger and unforgiveness to God and begged His forgiveness for me and in my heart for her. But, I did not do this for me or my relationship with my mother, I did this for Yesfir. I can not expect her to do, what I can not.

Yeah, I feel sort of empty now. But, I know that I can face ND with a clean slate and be honest in working with her as we free her from her demons.

I am struck at how much my work with ND is as much for me as it is her..... God has a bizarre sense of humor.

March Madness

Yes, my sport nut friends are all excited by the prospect of basketball du jour! (yawn...)

I have to admit to being completely unable to understand that with all of life which surrounds us, how is there time, much less interest in a bunch of overpaid people pretending they are doing something of value.....

So one of my close friends is getting prepared for the games starting tomorrow, getting everything prepared for NOTHING to interrupt his TV time! Whereas I got to spend hours with two of my daughters. He could do the same, but TV and sports comes first, not people. Not a condemnation, not a value statement, just thinking at how if I was 81 I might want to invest myself in children and grandchildren.

The TV is not going to remember you when you drop dead. The basketball team is not going to care either. But, now your children and grandchildren are going to remember times with you and the stories you share with them.

Well, okay, maybe that is just my theory on the subject!

So, instead of hunkered down at the TV this weekend, locking out the family, I am expecting to do the exact opposite.

For my sport nut readers, enjoy! For my people oriented readers, enjoy! For those inbetween - hop one way or the other!

James 4

And he said it all so well!

¹ What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?
² You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God.  
³ When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
⁴ You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.  
⁵ Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us?  
⁶ But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:
   “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”
⁷ Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
⁸ Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.  
⁹ Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.
¹⁰ Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

Hmmmm, just might be a song in that last verse!

 

A Wedding!

So, Kris is heading for Ohio!  Well, actually it is somewhere on the Indiana - Ohio border. 

Timothy is getting married in July.  He lives and works in Ohio, twelve feet off of the Indiana border.  The wedding is to take place about 100 yards inside of Indiana from where he lives.  Of course my being there is dependent up on finances.

Yes, Timothy called and asked me to be his best man.  I can hardly say no since I have known him for so long!  But, it was something I struggled with, my going to his wedding when I first heard of it months ago, because he is divorced (which I do not believe in) and his divorce was just about as weird of one as you could have!  His wife left him about six years ago now.  I could understand why she did, I could understand why Timothy could not/would not meet her even half way.  Of course, that little problem he only made worse and she only more insistent.  Palm plant on face!

Personally, as with most of my divorced friends, I pray for their reuniting and their hearts to soften.  Unfortunately, I have yet to see this happen once, but I am a romantic and I know God's will is that you reunite with your (ex-) spouse.  Yeah, there are situations where I do not pray that, especially when the guy is a complete mess and really should have been shot.  Mostly the guys that pull the flight routine.

But, given that Timothy's wife did abandon him, he did want to work out the situation and she refused all counseling, my Bible tells me that remarriage is acceptable.  Not the best, but allowable.  And, God will bless them.

So I have 15 weeks to lose more tonnage (I have lost 18 pounds so far this year!), get my feet healed so I can walk, get over my displeasure with the TSA for two flights, save up some money and get his car fixed!  Yeah, he is going out here for his honeymoon, so I know he is going to want to use that car and it is in major disrepair!  (It was in bad shape when he left for Texas three years ago!)

I wonder if any of my readers are in eastern Ohio, western Indiana.........?

Well, I must close and be off for the local college.  Today I have to do a paper on Technology and its impact on culture (like I really care!).  So hi-ho, hi-ho, its off to the research library I go!

Point of View

Outside Selah, Washington there is a rest stop with a a view point.  Although the view of the upper reaches of the Yakima valley are very beautiful, I always have to admit to worrying more about rattlesnakes than observing the view!  Yeah, pretty view - real concern - rattlesnakes.  I have no knowledge if a rattlesnake has ever been found at the rest stop, I sure know they are present in the hills not far away!  Our point of view can really make a difference in how we perceive everything!

This all came about because daughter and I were talking and somehow what she was saying was only true from an odd view point, whereas I see something completely different!

I will just use what you already know and build around this: I am her new father.

So, possibilities for odd view points based just on this is one example:

• I am an adult, why do I now need a father?
• God can talk to me anytime He wants, why do I need an intermediary?
• Why does it have to be him?
• If an intermediary is needed, then is something wrong between me and God?
• Why can't I fix what is wrong, without him?
• So something must be wrong with my faith?
• If my faith is messed up, then all of my missions work has been for whom/what?
• I know God has been leading me, but if my faith is bad, then has He been leading me?
• Then if he has not been leading me I must be just a project .....

and on, and on, each tick getting closer to annihilating whom she is and God is.  So, that is one possible viewpoint - all negative and all pointing an accusing finger at herself.

But, you know each of those points can be answered in an affirmative way as well.  Respective of herself and what God is working in her life.

• So God gave you a father at this time in your life in order to help you.
• Perhaps God needs someone you can trust, for whatever is ahead!
• You have known him mot of your life, you trust him, he can comfort you physically.
• May be something is wrong, or maybe you need a physical father in order for God to be real.
• Pride now is stepping in and telling God you don't need what He has given you.
• Perhaps, but then again, maybe faith is not the problem, but something blocking faith.
• God will always use those whom are willing to be used.  I have seen him use non-believers.  You are a believer.
• If something is blocking the fulness of faith, then you could mislead yourself easily!
• And we are now back to why you have a flesh and blood father in your life.....

Yeah, perspective can change quite a bit in our way of thinking!

(Pieces of this have been parts of several conversations and are not really where daughter is, nor what my actual answers have been or will be when other areas are addressed!  This is illustrative of the point we often do not really understand what God is doing in our lives, where He is taking us, nor how clues often do not fit together!)

 Second guessing God is futile, I learned that long ago.

As for daughter?  She kicks back, but she knows she has a father and I think it gives her comfort.  She knows she is loved and I imagine this is quite a quandary for her.  I hold her hand, showing her the union and tell her that is a miracle.  I am not sure she understands yet.  God gave her a flesh and blood father, she can hold him, hug him, throw things at him.  But, he is still her father.  That is a miracle.

All of the points of view melt away.  A father represents God to the growing mind, heart and soul.  For whatever reason, He gave her a physical father.  Was it because her heart/soul longed for one so badly, for so long, that He finally had to supply one?  Was it because something has bewitched her and she needs the parental model to pull her through?    Whatever the reason, it is a miracle what He is working - no matter your point of view.

The Last

John was the last living apostle, but not for sake of trying by the Roman magistrates!

The Gospel of John was written at the end of the first century, maybe even into the very early years of the second century.  We do not really know when John died.  As the first century was ending we know that he was being carried between parishes on a chair by groups of young men, so as to oversee those churches in what is today Turkey.

Read the Gospel of John!  It is my favorite of the four Gospels and very different from the others.

Matthew wrote to the Jews, portraying Jesus as the Messiah.
Mark wrote the words of Peter, the letter to show Romans/gentiles that Jesus was the Servant.
Luke wrote the memories of Mary and many others whom he interviewed, in order to tell his friend (and Greeks) about Jesus the Man.

John worte to the world (Jew and gentile) to tell them about Jesus' divinity and being God.

90% of John is unique to John.  There are 8 miracles and 6 signs only found in this Gospels.


John is not too proud to admit he messes up!  Consider Pride, Anger and Self-Serving.
Luke 9:49-54; Mark 3:17; Mark 10:35-45; Mark 13:1-4
(and isn't it interesting how Peter kept track of John's failures!?!?!?!?

John had direct access to, and love from, Jesus!  He was the one Jesus 'loved'.

He was a faithful witness to the end.


Let the point of John's Gospel get to you.
Not every 'Jesus' is the real Jesus!
John 20:30-31 - "you might believe" and "have life in Him"
Believe is used 98 times in this Gospel!

For now, to drive home the point of this Gospel, it does not matter how accurate of a shot you are - if you are shooting at the wrong target.....

Finals

So it is finals week for this struggling college student.  LOL!

I managed to make it through all of the math homework this weekend and take the final Sunday afternoon.  What a killer of a test that one was!  Two and a half hours of performing as a monkey to solve equations, using techniques with no life applicability.  It is a real shame that academia have not caught up with reality and what is really needed for the various jobs this county needs to fill.  It angers me the waste of students time and resources performing as seals to overcome courses that will never be of value.  Sigh.

 Monday I get to turn in a research paper to an instructor that I am fair sure has been overcome by dementia of some kind.  And he has a test for us - which is not objectively graded, none of them are, he lives in a dream land where Gothic English is still spoken.  And, oh, did I mention he hates Germans?  Oh yeah.

Well time to stop complaining and get back to my research paper's first draft.

Adulthood

So, today is a special day.  It is the day when the prevailing laws of this land place upon Yesfir the title and responsibility of adulthood.  And I could not but stop and think.....

It used to be 18 when the State made you an adult.  Yeah, a by-gone day of the draft and war protests, beer drinking and pizza, being careful because "now it counts".  As soon as I was out of school, my friends and I all took off for what was supposed to be a celebration of my new adulthood conferred upon me by the State.

Three days later I came to, awakening to the realization that those I had trusted had slipped me a "mickey".  No chance of really knowing what had occurred, other than a fairly long laundry list of charges I received as I was let out of holding by the Colorado State Patrol - after "coming to".  Yeah, that made that birthday memorable!

I think I can guarantee Yesfir's birthday will be less memorable!  It would be so nice if I could have done something special for her; bring her family together to celebrate and heal.  Or make her a present of a trip, perhaps back to Italy, or to see her mother and sister, or even to the rest of her family.  But, alas that darn bank account problem!

Yet in one regard, God has made this a special birthday for her - one where she has a father.  No small gift if you consider either my size or what it took for the two of us to meld into this relationship.  He probably gave her the longest term present she is likely to receive this year, assuming that I have some longevity left in me!  LOL!

On the other hand I was commenting to her that it is so bizarre to see how she is being made a child, with a father, at exactly the same time as the world sets her apart as an adult.  You have to admit there is a very dark sense of humor in that!  "Learn to be a child.  Oh yeah, by the way, you are an adult today!"

But, I think Yesfir has found being my child is to be treated as an adult and to be loved.  She has not discovered the depths of unconditionally yet, but I have no doubts she will try.

:^)

Happy Birthday dear daughter and know.....

Living In The Moment

Yeah, I can already see my mentors cringe at that title!  But, it is true, as Christians we are to live in the moment - not the world's definition of party hardy and not worry about tomorrow, but from the standpoint of we are supposed to be in the service of God!  That means you are prepared to be used, literally when your next breath occurs and before you can "plan" what your service is to be, before you can put together a Power Point presentation and then gone off to Bible School for for the next ten years......  Yeah, service is here and now, right outside your door!

Act Like a Christian, Not a Cheerleader!
Be involved in life!  Not just watching it pass by!

Having Christian friends is great but if you can think you are more than a baby Christian, you really need to be having friends outside of the Church whom you care enough about to witness to with your life!

We are to be the LIGHT of the world (Matthew 5).  That means we stand out in the crowd, not because we dress funny but because there is something different about us.  Think of it this way: if someone you know is hurting and they are getting bad advice, you are the one to give the good advice.  When other Christians are back pedaling on their witness due to social issues - you are the one to be standing on the Word.  Yes, it is possible to stand for truth and not alienate others to the point you get your lights punched out.  But, you have to be willing to make that stand none the less!  And if your prayer life is terrible and/or so is your sin life, maybe you need to stay indoors and spend time in prayer and study.

We are to be  the salt of the world.  Yeah, salt, the thing that adds zest to our meals.  The thing that is required for us to live.  Those around you should know that life is more FUN, more MEANINGFUL, when you are around.  Yeah, think on that one and the stereotype of the walking dead zombie-ized Christian.  Hmmmmm.

Be Jesus.
You are supposed to represent Jesus to a world that really does not know much about Him.  Yeah, that includes our churches today too.  (No offense, but mighty few anymore realize exactly whom God is, Jesus is, or even what salvation is.)

You are His hands and feet.  If it is going to be done, either you or someone else will be the one to do it.  You just have to be willing to be used - in the moment.

Yes, He does do miracles.  But, guess what!  He uses you to perform them!

It is the small acts of service which matter most in this world. (Matthew 25:31-40)

Be careful concerning what you do not do! (Matthew 25:41-46)

You will be surprised at what a difference even small acts of Love will make in the lives of those around you!


Check in with God regularly for opportunities for service in your everyday life.
If you ask and you are willing to be used, He is going to use you!

Be of service to others and those around you in your everyday life.

Expect, the unexpected.

Change

Change is one of my favorite topics.  I more than once have said on this blog that change is evil, change causes reactions - often poor ones, change unfortunately is inevitable.....

From FaceBook with their change nazi's to Blogger's insisting on twiddling with the templates, we are all subjected to changes we do not want.  (By the way, thanks for letting me know that I had lost my Followers' List!)  In our personal lives we do have some say in the changes we are willing to expose ourselves to, but then there is another source of change and though voluntary, one we can not actually control.  Yeah, God.

God can implement some very life changing situations in your life to point you in directions you would never have followed.  So, when He begins to change your life - watch out!

Not Everyone Wants You to Change!
As you come grow closer to God, expect people (especially those closest to you) to subtly, even stubbornly put up roadblocks to your growth and/or walk of faith!  Expect the unexpected!  Rejoice in the opposition you will be facing!  It is proof of your walk and will only strengthen your faith!

Single and want a date?  Jjust try and walk close to God and suddenly witness the opportunities to sidetrack yourself with all forms of opportunity!  It is just amazing how that happens.


Your Change is NOT Just About You!
Why would someone not want you to change in a positive way?

• Jealousy - we want the changes that others experience
• Confusion - is this real or not?
• Fear - that change might have to include me!
• Selfishness - that change might just impact my desires!
• Discomfort - you are changing, I am not, you are not thinking as I think.

Sometimes we can get hung up by the past, which victimized us, rather than being conquerors over that past.

Your Change is About Holiness, not Happiness!
Everyone can tell you that you made your bed, now lie in it!  Jesus said, you made the bed, let me help you get out it!

Your Change is Powered By God.
As God is working His Miracle in your life, do not expect people to endorse or go along with what is happening!  I have to admit that I find myself where I never thought God would take me or use me.  I have never even heard of such an action before.  And yet, that is where I am, confirmed by a host of others (now) that this is God in action......

If Jesus can make all of creation, you know he can re-make your life.

When God starts change in your life - rejoice!  And keep a sharp eye out for the joy-suckers, those whom unknowingly want to destroy what God is doing.

Expect the unexpected.....

Waiting On God

We live in a "want it now" generation.  Instant everything: from coffee to credit, "fast" food to stripper clips (for your rifle silly!).  We want it NOW!  Everything is a shortcut.  In my old company we even had to change how work assignments were made so that the worker could have the feeling of "instant gratification" at having produced something - when in fact, what they did was quite worthless without the 99% of what had to still be done!  Shorter attention spans, more demands of gratification, no one thinks in terms of craftsmanship or that the real prize is found at the end of the struggle.

Christians, of course, are not exempt from this cultural trend.  Not only do we want our coffee, how we want it, when we want it, we also expect God to be doing some performing because we haven't the patience to wait on Him.  That is how pragmatism stole into the Church and now we have left God in the dust, making excuses all the time for having to do it all ourselves.  After all, God just is not performing as expected.  Welcome to the 21st century American Church, God has been left in the dust.  The church of man, for man, by man, all about man and his viewpoint.  Not much room in that statement for God.....

Naturally, a few of Jesus' friends had to deal with this problem.  In John 11:1-16, Mary (Miriam) and Martha are a bit excited because Jesus shows up a few days late to see his dying friend!  On the one hand, one can argue that Jesus anticipated showing His power of resurrection through the raising of Lazarus, so being late made him right on time.  On the other hand, that did not exactly instill confidence in Mary and Martha whom knew He could heal.  But, raising the dead?!?  Heaven we are talking Elijah here and that was a few centuries ago!  From Jesus viewpoint though, He was showing His power over death, because very shortly He was going to be stone cold too - and His friends and disciples really needed to understand that He was not going to be staying dead for long....

As in this example, God's timing is not our own.  In fact, His timing is always perfect (in retrospect) and I think my faith has been tested more in this regard than any one thing!  It has taken a great many licks for me to realize that I have to TRUST in His timing and have faith that it is perfect.  Whereas, I would much rather run ahead and get it done  or take a pill.  But, somethings are worth waiting for you know.

So, being calm and waiting.  Knowing that God is never late to His Will.

Stay on solid ground because God's Love for you is strong and perfect.

Rather than running off and chasing the next rainbow, stick around - God is not finished with any of us yet!

(I sort of think when God is finished with us, we get recalled to our real home.  Else why exist if we are not serving or glorifying Him?)

In other words, we need to gain an eternal perspective on our lives, our ministries and God's Will.  These past few months have driven home this point in ways it would take me days to figure out how to express.  I would so love to have the secret pill that could cure all.  Take it you are healed.  Take it you are now right with God.  Take it and you can bypass years of pain and testing of your faith.  Oh yeah no stretching!  I want that pill!

But, in reality, that struggle through pain and faith is what allows us to grow.  Not to our own perfection but to the ability to minister to others, to bring about their healing as they too walk and wait and stretch.

Just like Miriam and Martha, we face a God whom is "late" in our books, when in fact He is right on time with another miracle we can not fathom before hand.  Now I am at the point where I am wanting to brag on my God, so that makes it time to close.

Status Update

I thought I would let my internet friends know how all is going on all of the fronts I have been asked for prayer on:

Swedish Rocket Scientist (now Retired) has been continuing through a long list of surgeries to help recover from last October's bizarre occurrences when all of my friends and I were hospitalized on the same day!  Still too weird to believe.  But only SRS still is undergoing treatments, so continue prayers for him!  The rest of us are ok on that count anyway.

My high school friend whom had the heart attack that same day and three stents installed, has undergone some form of a personality change which no one can quite fathom.  I am wondering if this is some form of a reaction to what was used to knock him out or not.  Really too weird.  I expect his oldest daughter to be out for a visit shortly, so perhaps I can get a better idea of how to pray then.  But do continue your prayers for him and his family!

The lady whom teaches the high school/college class with me, and badly injured her hand last year, is slowly regaining movement in her fingers.  We, as a class, had set aside some time several weeks ago to pray over her for her hand - and that seems to have been the turning point in her healing!  Yeah, starting later that day was the first movement she had!  Awesome!  So keep up those prayers for her complete healing!

As for New Daughter, she has moved back in.  I know what it took for her to do this and I am very proud of her for being able to overcome, in order to do so.  I know in this culture, it is so easy to say that her being obedient in this is appalling, but she IS a servant of God and really does want to do what is right and needs to.  Like all of us, we kick back at  God but if we are honest, He will get His way with us.  Far better to do has He asks, earlier than later.  So for her, a life she has not experienced, is now her norm.  We will need much prayer across the next several years.

Then there is me.  All of my organs seem to be doing well, save for my stress levels.  My badly burned fingers from January are still healing and doing well.  Friday I had an MRI and completely lost it in the machine.  I have had dozens of MRIs without so much as a twitch but Friday I got to shaking so hard that I could not control it.  So, not sure if anything will come of that one!  But, honestly, I could easily see me having a heart attack in that stinking machine I was so stressed!  If you want to be praying for healing of my neck and nerves which have been pinched - there is a real need  there, and that my stress levels will drop!  I really do not need to be hospitalized for finals week!  Yeah, you can pray for me for finals too!

So that is about it from this side!  Have a great week.

Increase Jesus by Decreasing Yourself

John 3:31-36

"He who comes from above...."
Jesus is worthy of our praise.  The Bible is very plain: we exist to give Him glory.
He does not need our praise, but we will not know real joy until we give Him what is His.
Jesus is above all, and that means EVERYTHING.

"He bears witness to what He has seen and heard....."
Jesus has a testimony.
God has the authority to speak life changing truth into our lives.
If you want to know God - ask Him.  He will answer, you can talk to Him, read about His witness in the Bible, read about His payment for your disobedience.

"Whoever believes in the Son (Jesus) has eternal life....."
The testimony of Jesus  is not: moralistic, therapeutic, feel good, or a Gospel of niceness.
Today's youth are stuck in the "Do Good", "Feel Good" trap.
Today's believer is called to a radical faith, far more so than previous generations!

We are to worship a Great God, an Almighty God.  One worthy of all of our lives.

God is Big.  God is Radical.  God wants  you to have more of Him and far less of you.....

On Being A Substitute Father

Being a substitute father is sort of an odd situation.  It means that there was a father, but for whatever reason, that father is no longer around in that child's life.

In my commune days, there were usually six kids around and not a father to be found.  Lots of mothers but no one to hold the kid accountable, no one to encourage, no one to teach them.  So I got to play papa-bear to a bunch of kids.  And, actually, I did not mind this as the only job I had in high school that I loved was as a daycare worker.  Of course, what possible impact could one lone teenage male have on a group of kids?

Well, a few years ago I was in a store and this guy kept looking at me.  Weird.  So, he walks up to me and says, "Are you Kris?" and I cautiously replied yes.  "Well, I am Dino ....." and suddenly I knew those eyes!  He was the oldest of the kids and the most trouble for me of all of them.  He continued, "I just want to thank you for all of the time you spent with me as I was growing up.  It really made a difference......"  Yeah, he burst out crying and the conversation was really over at that point.  Two sobbing men in the meat department probably is bad for business.

But the thought stuck with me.  Two years, daily in that young man's life, had made some sort of difference even he was aware of.  Really? Interesting.

Then I consider the odd role I played in a young man's life, whom entered mine when he was 12 and stayed through adulthood.  He now has a family of his own, is an awesome father and is still in my life twenty years later.  I hear at least weekly, sometimes daily from  him.  And I am very proud of the man he has become.  I never considered I had any real role, but now I am beginning to understand a child's mind and where a father fits.

Although I seem to be in this role, looking back across time, I am amazed that none of this was understood by me.  But, then my model was a bit warped for me to have a point to understand from.

Your Heavenly Father plays an important part in your life, much as your earthly father should!

Which brings me today to 1 Timothy 1:12-17

Your Father/father should bring joy to your heart.
Your Father reveals to you the depth of your sin.  He searches your heart and your thoughts, which only He can know.
Sometimes the father has to correct you as well.  
Think of all of those fun problems: sins, anger, bitterness, rebellion, lack of gratefulness, lack of love/compassion.


Your heavenly Father fills you with His Grace.
Your earthly father fills you with love.  I like the illustration of each of us having a love bank.  Your father fills that bank by making deposits of love, time, touch, healing words, etc.  That bank allows us to make withdrawals when things go sideways and keeps us on track and sane.
Likewise, your being filled with His Grace is what gives you  the necessary strength to perform His tasks and walk the walk.


In the absence of His Love or a father's love, we create a host of laws and rules to make up for what we are now lacking.  We substitute the things of this world (materialism) to compensate.

So, I guess there is no substitute for your Heavenly Father or your earthly one.  But at least the earthly one can be modeled by another - preferably  Godly man.....

Who Is Watching Over You?

Psalm 23
Psalm 40:11
Psalm 100 
John 10
Philippians 4:19

I have enough.
We do not appreciate what we have in this culture.
We always want more, the nature of natural man.
We always hunger for wat we do not have.

"I shall not want"  We are tempted but choose not to take:
     temporary possessions, lust, money, etc.

I am protected.
Jesus Christ protects the door to reach the sheep.
One Shepherd = One door
Must go through Him - or - not at all!

Jesus was sent, He was sinless, He is all powerful, He is coming again!

False shepherds undermine the Bible, use experience in-place of the Bible, are culturally pleasing, ignore whom Jesus IS!

Sincerity, Social activities, Self righteousness - none will lead to Jesus!

It is ALL about Jesus, and Him alone!

I am loved.
Yes, Jesus is the payment for our sin, yes He is the basis of our salvation, yes He is part of the God-head.
But, Jesus is God's ultimate expression of love.  Without Him we perish.  Without Him we are without hope.
And though I really hate all of the Amy Grant songs referring to him by 'love', rather than name, He is indeed Love.

If you are a Christian, they you have already seen all of the evidence of His love you will ever need in your lifetime.  Need more, think back to the person you were, before.  If you are not a Christian, it is hard for you to understand real love.  I never could have, even after I became a Christian.  I had no understanding at all.  It took years of work on me by my best friend for me to grow and learn what love is.  It is sacrificial, it is physical, it is emotional, it is mental, it is spiritual.  Love is Love is Love (to quote a really korny song!).

(at this point I am so tempted to use New Daughter as an example as to how far God will go to reach out to one of His own. you have no idea how the experience of seeing God deal with her, through me, has affected my own faith!  and by application, how far has God gone to reach out to me, across the years.....eepah!)

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want, nor should I be desiring more.....

Bill Cosby, via a friend

"I'm 83 and I'm Tired"

I'm 83. Except for brief period in the 50's when I was doing my National
Service, I've worked hard since I was 17. Except for some serious
health challenges, I put in 50-hour weeks, and didn't call in sick in nearly
40 years. I made a reasonable salary, but I didn't inherit my job or my
income, and I worked to get where I am. Given the economy, it looks as
though retirement was a bad idea, and I'm tired. Very tired.

I'm tired of being told that I have to "spread the wealth" to people who
don't have my work ethic. I'm tired of being told the government will take
the money I earned, by force if necessary, and give it to people too lazy
to earn it.

I'm tired of being told that Islam is a "Religion of Peace," when every day I
can read dozens of stories of Muslim men killing their sisters, wives and
daughters for their family "honor"; of Muslims rioting over some slight
offense; of Muslims murdering Christian and Jews because they aren't
"believers"; of Muslims burning schools for girls; of Muslims stoning
teenage rape victims to death for "adultery"; of Muslims mutilating the
genitals of little girls; all in the name of Allah, because the Qur'an and
Shari'a law tells them to.

I'm tired of being told that out of "tolerance for other cultures" we must let
Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries use our oil money to fund mosques
and madrassa Islamic schools to preach hate in Australia , New Zealand ,
UK , America and Canada , while no one from these countries are allowed to
fund a church, synagogue or religious school in Saudi Arabia or any other
Arab country to teach love and tolerance..

I'm tired of being told I must lower my living standard to fight global
warming, which no one is allowed to debate.

I'm tired of being told that drug addicts have a disease, and I must help
support and treat them, and pay for the damage they do. Did a giant germ
rush out of a dark alley, grab them, and stuff white powder up their noses
or stick a needle in their arm while they tried to fight it off?

I'm tired of hearing wealthy athletes, entertainers and politicians of all
parties talking about innocent mistakes, stupid mistakes or youthful
mistakes, when we all know they think their only mistake was getting
caught. I'm tired of people with a sense of entitlement, rich or poor.

I'm really tired of people who don't take responsibility for their lives and
actions. I'm tired of hearing them blame the government, or discrimination
or big-whatever for their problems.

I'm also tired and fed up with seeing young men and women in their teens and
early 20's be-deck them selves in tattoos and face studs, thereby making
themselves un-employable and claiming money from the Government.

Yes, I'm damn tired. But I'm also glad to be 83.. Because, mostly, I'm not
going to have to see the world these people are making. I'm just sorry for
my granddaughter and their children. Thank God I'm on the way out and not
on the way in.

There is no way this will be widely publicized, unless each of us
sends it on!

This is your chance to make a difference.

" I'm 83 and I'm tired. If you don't forward this you
are part of the problem".

Tears of Joy

On a whim, I called up New Daughter and invited her to join me for an art lecture on Saturday morning.  It was a gamble she would even be talking with me - but she did agree to come.  My prayer as I drove to get her?  No walls, honesty, no fights - I am so terribly tired of fighting.

Before we went in,  she turned to me and said almost at a whisper, "I have decided to adopt you dad."

I think my eyes may have crossed and my head spun around a few times.  Did she know what she just said?  Apparently.

So it is official, Kris has a new daughter.  Yeah, he had one before but she just had not agreed that this was in her best interest.

As for the art lecture, it was probably the finest I have ever attended and I haven't a clue what the lady talked about - other than the title of it.

Wow.

How perspectives change....

Musical Saturday Morning

Just a little something from extended family.  Sorry about the YouTube 'everythings got a have an ad' campaign.  If I can get a link to work off my cousin's site, then I will link there instead.  Yeah.

Oregon Commemorative

To my way of thinking, this is one of the most beautiful of all US coinages.  From back in the day when the US Mint was capable of creating works of art, not laser induced disasters.

I have wanted one for years and finally bit the big one and picked a perfect example (that would be a MS65 for those of you whom care about such things.).  My way of celebrating the nicest day I have had in half a month!  ;^)

A nice addition to my small US collection.  I wonder what the next US one will be..........

Changes

Regular readers will instantly notice a big change on this blog - three months of posts have mostly been erased.

Why?  Well, God laid on my heart that they needed to be removed.  They were too revealing of me, too revealing of New Daughter, too revealing to each other.  Somethings just do not need to be said. Some parts of my heart should remain invisible.

So sorry but I declared the soap opera officially declared dead last night and it took me until noon to finish the clean up.

No ND still appears in some posts and that is well and good.  One post, which will mean nothing to you - means the world to my heart, so gets to stay - unknown and not understood by any but me and perhaps ND, if she even bothers to read anymore.

As for ND, however her heart leads will either lead to an active role in my life or just my heart and prayers.  Either way her role in my life remains the same but perhaps not in hers.  We will see if evil or God triumphs in the short run, fear or love.  It has been heartbreaking to be a part of and never really knowing day by day which will run the day.

Yesterday my doctor flat told me to end the stress or have it end my life in the very near future.  So, the reminders of the battles goes away.  I have told her no more fights.  I have buried the hatchet with a number of people whom have attacked ND and I over the past week.  Did that really reduce the stress?  No, but it is a start.  God will have to provide the rest, it is all within my control to do......

So, I am being good, i am trying to stay alive (in good condition), because ND has so far to go and until replaced - I have a role with a task assigned to it.