Disappointment and Travel Plans

 More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us. (Romans 5:3-5, Revised Standard Version)

Shortly before the pandemic, a friend and I made plans to go to Cambodia this fall. As in the end of September, as in I should be in Cambodia right now. I’ve wanted to go to Cambodia since I was in sixth grade. I know, it’s maybe not high on too many people’s bucket lists, but I can’t help who I am and what I’m fascinated with.

As you certainly realized, I did not go to Cambodia. I have not been on a plane or out of the country since coming home from Kenya eleven and a half months ago. Am I disappointed? Of course. Am I devastated? No, of course not. I will continue to hope to get there some day.

In the meantime, I turned that disappointment into a family trip to a cabin up north. The cabin and our surroundings are beautiful, the fall foliage is at its peak. Am I going to enjoy the color on the trees? Of course. Am I going to witness maximum color? No, of course not, because the forecast is overcast with little chance of sun all week. We had rain off and, on all day, yesterday. And our first night here, we had a tornado warning!  

But just because things don’t seem to be perfect, doesn’t mean they aren’t. I’ll still have these six days with my son, daughter and son-in-law and their dogs, sharing adventures and laughs and love.

Thank You, Lord, for giving me this vacation, a chance to spend time with my family and enjoy the wonders of the world, if not around the world but within the world where I live. Amen.

How Our Government Was Set Up - Countdown 5 Weeks

Here’s one of my posts where I dredge up what I learned in high school civics class. Yes, I verified things on the internet, but I surprisingly retained the gist of the matter.

When our Founding Fathers began building the foundations of our government one of the things they wanted to be sure of was that there would be a system of checks and balances so that we never fell into the clutches of a dictatorship. Or worse.

The three branches of government in the US are, of course, the Legislative, the Executive and the Judicial. The Legislative Branch is Congress, made up of the House of Representatives and Senate. Their duty is to make the laws. The Executive Branch is the president, vice president, Cabinet, and most of the federal agencies. They are tasked with enforcing the laws. The Judicial Branch, or the Supreme Court, interprets the laws. Or that’s how it was all set up.

When I think of the two branches that are not the Supreme Court, I usually don’t see them dealing so much with the laws. Sometimes, honestly, I’m not sure what they are doing most of the time. Arguing, it seems like, if you follow the media. But I digress.

Of course, as you know, the American people elect the president and the members of Congress. Each state has only two representatives in the Senate, but the members of the House from each state is based on the population of each state. Sort of another system of checks and balances, a way to ensure each state has a reasonably equal voice in Congress.

No matter what all these people are doing, or how they got there, none of them is supposed to have ultimate power. For example, both houses of Congress must vote to enact laws, the president can veto those laws, and the Supreme Court can rule laws unconstitutional. Congress can override presidential vetoes and can also impeach and remove the president or a member of the Supreme Court.

Here’s the example on everyone’s mind right now. As you all know, one of our long-term Supreme Court justices passed away last week. The president has the duty to nominate her replacement, but that replacement needs to be approved by the Senate. In these days, where all that seems to matter in Washington is what political party you belong to – well – hard telling what will happen. It just makes me question if those checks and balances that our Founding Fathers instituted really work out so well anymore.

Which brings up the bigger question. Why do we have political parties? And why basically only two? George Washington hadn’t belonged to any political party and he had hoped they wouldn’t be formed, fearing they would only breed conflict and stagnation. Wow! What a smart man.

I don’t know. This is where my thought process hits a snag or where all the fuses in my brain burn out. I guess I will have to save this for next time – my thoughts on what our two political parties stand for. And a whole lot of controversy. 

May you have Peace

With everything going on in the world right now, I wanted to write about peace today. Couldn’t we all use a big dose of that in our hearts right now? I wrote the following blog post last year on April 28. I’m not sure what was going on then, or if it was just something that God put on my heart that day. But it seemed so totally suited to how I’m feeling today, so I thought it right that I share it again.

    Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. James 1:12 (NIV)

 When bad things happen, people sometimes blame God. They say, “a loving God wouldn’t let these things happen”. Or “if there really was a God, I wouldn’t have to go through these struggles.”

    Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV)

 Nowhere in the Bible does it say that life will be easy. In fact it says otherwise.

    “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 (NIV)

 In times of trial, instead of turning from God, we need to lay all our burdens on Him.

    “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)

 I’ve added one more verse to this original post. I thought it also quite fitting.

    “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27 (NIV)

 May God bless you all with His peace. 

Countdown Begins

I’ve been thinking about writing this series of blog posts for quite a while now. And even though I “write” about this a lot in my head - when I am trying to get to sleep or driving somewhere in my car - when I finally sit down at the computer, my brain goes a little bit blank. Plus, I am so fearful that I won’t get my points across the way I mean to.

Then, when I sat down last night, I looked at the calendar and realized that it is now or never. There are just over six weeks to the 2020 presidential election. I’m sure that things will continue to heat up between now and then. And come the morning of November 4? I can only imagine what is going to happen.

I don’t understand the whole process, actually. Hubby’s pretty smart on politics, government, and history, so he tries to explain it to me. I do research online. I send my brain cells back in time forty-plus years ago to civics class. I try not to stress. I pray a lot.

And even if I ever do figure it out – things like: What is the electoral college all about? What did our founding fathers really mean to do by creating this country? Why are there only two political parties? Why are there any political parties? What does the rest of the world think of the way we are acting? Do they still think of us as the greatest country in the world? Do they laugh at us? Why can’t we all be friends?

Okay, so forget about that. Who can figure out any of that?

Here’s the only answer I have. Paul Harvey eluded to it in his message I shared here last week.

It’s like the United States, maybe even the whole world, is a single giant organism which has been infected with an insidious bug. I don’t mean COVID19, though that could be just one creation of the bug I’m thinking of.

The bug I’m talking about silently penetrates its victims, worming its way into various organs, weakening the host organism in minuscule ways, totally unnoticed at first, until it has begun to grow to an uncontainable size, enveloping its host, changing the very makeup of the host. Think of a camp science fiction movie – The Blob, maybe. Who would have ever thought it would grow to take over an entire town? A state? A country?    

Like a cancer a hundred years ago, before chemo or radiation or safe surgical procedures. A death sentence. From the inside out.

My, this has become quite dark and depressing. I guess that’s why I’ve been avoiding writing about this. Let me give myself one more week to get it together. Check back next Friday and I promise to have composed my thoughts by then. 

The Tallest Point

The first of September, I had posted pictures of the beautiful park in my own hometown. A few weeks after I had taken a walk through that park, I was able to drive to another amazing place, this one twenty-some miles from where I live.

Once again I was reminded of how blessed I am. I’ve been to Timm’s Hill, the tallest point in my state, many times over the years. Of course, in another week or two the colors will be stunning. I will take what I can get though, and just be grateful that I made it there yet this year. 

 I hope you get to enjoy the changing of the seasons wherever you are.

Asking for Forgiveness

  If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them. (James 4:17, New International Version)

The other day I heard someone say something which stopped me in my tracks. I can’t remember exactly what it was, but I took it to mean something like, “this is what’s wrong with Christians – they think they are above other people because they say they believe in God, but they just keep right on sinning”. I was caught so off-guard that I couldn’t respond. And besides what could I possibly say?

Well, actually, I would like to say something like this. I am a poor, miserable sinner just like everyone else. I am so far from perfect that I feel guilty just praying to God to ask for forgiveness. I pray for patience and acceptance and humility and gentleness and a long list of other attributes which I struggle with.

“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:41, New International Version)

So, why can’t God just heal me of my sins? Grant me patience and kindness and a gentle spirit, so that I wouldn’t keep having to sin and ask for His forgiveness.

I don’t know and maybe I’m not supposed to know. It’s not for me to question why God made me the way He did. I try to be a good person, I really do. I try to obey the commandments. But I continue to fail miserably. I fly off the handle with little provocation. And I know I treat others unkindly.

 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9, New International Version)

Last night in church, the sermon was on forgiveness. God will forgive me; all I have to do is ask and remember the very little He asks of me. And then ask for forgiveness from others. 

 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.” (Matthew 18:35, New International Version)

I have to believe

It’s hard to believe that someone reading this wasn’t alive on September 11, 2001. Or was too young to realize what happened that day.

The hijacking of those four different planes and their subsequent crashes amounted to the single deadliest terrorist attack in human history. There were 2,983 fatalities, over 25,000 injuries, and at least $10 billion in infrastructure and property damage. 343 firefighters and 72 law enforcement officers were killed. Over 3,000 children lost at least one parent in the attacks.

Fear gripped this country, but somehow, when the literal dust settled, when we realized our mortality and our vulnerabilities, we were able to rally. We came together as a nation. We turned out in droves to donate blood. We sent teams of volunteers to help with clean efforts. We flew our flags. We vowed that we would never be defeated.  

Other countries around the world supported us. They stood with us and offered whatever aid we needed. They assured us that they would join us in retaliation against the terrorists.

How different things are nineteen years later. Why would other countries stand with us now when we can’t even stand with ourselves? And our enemies? All they have to do is sit back and watch our country fall in on itself, destroy itself.

Paul Harvey said it best in 1965. He called it. How did he know that fifty-some years later his predictions would have come true. It’s sad, so very sad.

I’d like to hope there is time to turn things around for our country. I don’t see how, but I still have to believe it, have to have faith in the goodness of humankind.

And off we go to school

 You know those logic puzzles that start out something like: Joe is married to Sally; Sally’s sibling runs a restaurant; Mary has red hair and likes pizza; Bob is allergic to tomatoes and works at Home Depot. And then you have to figure out what each of them had for dinner. Ok, they give you a few more hints, but you know what I’m talking about, right?

I used to love working on those, and so did Hubby, until he had to spend the entire weekend working on a real-life logic puzzle.

School started here yesterday, which meant my husband went back to driving school bus. Which meant he had three lists of students riding his bus – the elementary school kids who ride every day, half the middle schoolers and high schoolers who ride Mondays and Wednesdays, and the other half who ride Tuesdays and Thursdays. Only siblings can sit in the same seat together, and optimally the bus fills in the morning from back to front, so students getting on aren’t passing the kids who were already picked up.

So, now, dear bus-driver, come up with a seating chart for these forty-plus boys and girls and label each of their seats. 

At that point, my organizational skills kicked in and my OCD flipped out. “Hubby,” I nearly shouted at him, “we have to color-code and laminate those name tags!”

Is it any wonder I get any sleep at night!

I do, however, need to mention, that Hubby and the other bus drivers are only one tiny segment of the nightmare which COVID19 has created for our educational system. Every teacher on the planet has my full sympathy. And you parents, trying to hustle your kids off to school, while on your knees praying that school doesn’t get called off AND that your precious babies don’t catch the virus? I wish I could be your literal shoulder to cry on. Lord knows, nobody has gotten enough hugs since this pandemic began.

Hang in there, everybody. We will get through this thing, braver and stronger people than when this started. And hopefully, our kids will be smarter. 

A Day of Rest

  “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” (Exodus 20:8-11, New International Version)

Over the years, I’ve thought about doing a series of blog posts on the ten commandments. Hopefully, some day I still will. Right now, today, however, the third commandment is on my mind.

I don’t know about the rest of you, but Sunday – the Sabbath – seems to be my day to do housework. I try my hardest to clean through the house on Saturday, so I can take the next day off, but somehow, I always get distracted, become engaged in extra chores around the house, or take a nap. I wake up Sunday morning with the realization that I am going to have to do some work and not get the rest which the Lord instituted back in the Old Testament. And even if the house is clean as a whistle come Sunday morning, I always find something to do – clean out a drawer or wash clothes. How does a person take an entire day off without doing any work whatsoever? The Jews weren’t even supposed to cook on the Sabbath. I’m all about that, but then Hubby does most of our cooking anyway.

If you really think about it, God gave us the commandments to help us out, not to hinder us. He knew what was best for us and that’s why he gave us a list of rules to memorize in confirmation class and try to retain into adulthood. The third commandment seems to demonstrate that the most.  

I think we are all tired - if not exhausted - physically, mentally and emotionally. It’s been a rough eight months. Maybe today, or tomorrow as it will be Labor Day, we need to just relax and not do a thing. Just reflect on the good things which God has given us and not worry about doing a thing.

 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

(Matthew 11:28, New International Version)

Time for a little humor

   I thought it was time to share a little humor, just be silly. 

Two weeks ago, as Hubby and I were pulling out of the driveway to head to church late Saturday afternoon, I spied this fella on the road. 

 He seemed pretty confident in where he was going. We had seen what we thought was his relative in our swamp earlier this spring. 

 Sure, enough, he sauntered right up to our vehicle and kept on going, up our driveway. No doubt heading to our swamp, which would be a disappointment, as it has dried up in the late summer weather. 

 
Here’s where my weird sense of humor comes in. This little guy’s trek reminded me of a much bigger fella I watched stroll up to our vehicle in Kenya in 2015. 

 Not that my little muskrat is any match for a majestic Simba on the wild African plain. But my active imagination still came up with the comparison. 

Have a great holiday weekend. Be safe. Be smart. Don’t get attacked by any wild animals.  

And Summer is Over

   Hard to believe – as well as very sad – that summer is pretty much over. It’s September and autumn will be upon us soon.

I don’t know where the last three months went, but I don’t feel as if I’ve spent nearly enough time outdoors exploring. My little four-acre plot has been about it.

Except for a few weeks ago when I did take a walk through our town’s most amazing park. It’s been a few years since I’ve been to Bradley Park, which is quite unfortunate. It is a beautiful, peaceful place. 

I was really excited to spy this osprey. Bald eagles are okay, but ospreys are my favorite.
I'll have to tell you a story about them another time. 

If you live in Tomahawk, or nearby, and haven’t walked Bradley Park, get over there in the next couple weeks. The trees will be turning soon and it will be even more breathtaking.