Rebellion

My last blog was basically a pity party. I know exactly how to change my attitude. I need to surrender this issue to my Lord and Saviour. Most issues have been handed over, but for some reason I don't want to hand this over to God. My rebellious nature wants to keep this issue in my pocket to bring out from time to time. I want to keep this issue so I have something to be angry about. This is not Christ-like. However, God will not yank it from me. He will wait until I submit it to Him and willingly surrender it to Him. I've had other struggles and this is how He's worked in my life.

Many people think God is up there waiting to zap us. To lord it over us, but honestly, that's not how He works. He doesn't like the attitude, but He'll patiently wait while I struggle and remove it when and only when He knows I'm serious about handing it over. That's not to say I might not struggle again. It's like learning to ride a bicycle. Sometimes you fall down even after you've learned to balance yourself and ride pretty good. We are not perfect, we are human. God understands that, He'll be there to help us up again. He'll run alongside of us as we gain our balance and take off down the road again. The only difference with this analogy is that He runs alongside of us all the time, not like the father who stands and waves as we take to the road again, thinking he's finished his part in it.

Pride is the root of my problem. I need to have a heart to heart talk with God. That is a private talk, so I have to go for now.

Friendships and choices

I consider myself a kind-hearted person. I'm flexible and don't get upset often with my friends. However, there is a person in my life who has always known how to push my button. Actually I should say why do I allow this person to push my button. I know i have choices in life. I know this person can get under my skin, but yet, I always find a way to take whatever they say and take offense to it. How do I get beyond this? I don't like this aspect of me. I want to change. How do I do that? I don't have an answer for this problem in my life. If you have any ideas, I'd love to hear them.

A gentle man passes into eternity

Today we celebrated a man's life. He'd lived 92 full years. Many wonderful years but some very difficult years as well. And yet he lived life joyously and fully. There was always a smile and a kind word for those who knew him.

He cared about his fellow man. He spent countless hours visiting with men and women who probably never had many people truly listen to them. Through their poor upbringing or poor choices found themselves behind bars, unable to live life as they liked. He shared how they could find freedom even behind bars. He didn't force his views, he just shared his understanding of who Jesus Christ, the liberator is and how they could be liberated from their sins by accepting Him into their hearts.

He was a man who committed his life to a woman which lasted 66 years until she died. He was the father of 5 children who watched as he honored and cherished this woman for all those years. He was a man who loved and modeled to his children how they should live their lives. He was a man who cherished his grandchildren and great grandchildren. He relished the times when the whole family gathered.

He experienced good times, full of prosperity. He spent years knowing what it was like to appreciate what he had for just that day. He witnessed the inhumanity of men against other men during World War II. And yet through all of these situations, his faith in God remained true and pure.

He shared his multi-faceted skills both at home, at work, and within the church family. He served generously and happily wherever needed. No job was too menial.

He was a gentle man who loved God and now he is in His presence. He will be missed by those of us who had the privilege of knowing him.We are all the richer for having known him.

Country Living

There is a saying "You can take the girl out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the girl." I truly believe that saying. I grew up on a little family farm. We grew our own vegetables, had a few fruit trees and berry bushes. Cows and pigs rounded out our existence. Every summer we worked hard to harvest the crops as they came on. Canning, freezing, pickling, making jams and jellies were all a part of the life rhythm. Feeding the cows, cleaning the stalls and herding the animals from the pasture continued throughout the year, no matter what season it was.

We didn't have too much fun but we sure did eat well!!

As a kid, this lifestyle was not the greatest, in my estimation. I couldn't wait until school started in the fall when I could spend time with my friends. However, as I've grown older, I realize the skills I learned on the farm were important. I learned discipline, following through with a project, working hard, and enjoying the fruits of one's labor. Our family worked together to make our life more productive and prosperous. Many of my fondest memories are of the activities we did during the summer.

What are some of your favorite memories?

An Invitation

Each of us have been called into existence. We have a purpose in life. For most of us, it can be frustrating trying to figure out what that purpose might be. I have known since I was a child that expressing myself in written form was a part of who I am. I have no choice. Writing is something I must do in order to feel fulfilled. It is like breathing. One does not think about it, it just is. Without it we would die. You might think that writing is something that does not keep you alive, but for me, writing is like breathing because I am more alive when composing than any other activity I do in my life.

This blog will be a way to express what I'm learning on this walk through this world. Some of it may be trivial. Other times it may be of a serious note. At other times it will be creative in nature. I invite you to come along and share yourself with me as I share myself with you.