Let's Wrap This Up - My List

Rethinking My Thinking, Angela Mackey

Bridging the Gap Africa

The Pastor’s Blog, Charles R. Swindoll

Exodus Road, Matt and Laura Parker

Bible Studies, Ken Raggio

Life Coaching, Tsh Oxenreider 

Author, Writer, Speaker, Recovering Know-It-All, Sarah Bessey

Bossy Mom, Susan E. Hill

The list are at the top of a long list of blogging people having influenced my life and those I know. Others are not listed because:

1. I did not ask their permission to publicize their name
2. They are not public writers and therefore, you might not be able to see or hear them unless you attended their church or private seminars. 

These people are non the less very important to my life and many others. They have wisdom, patience, life experiences that could relate to most of the population; storms, illness, abuse, dysfunction, disaster, etc. 

What I have observed during the past decade among these people I know about in one form or another, is how life has changed them and ME. 

WOW! 2017!!!

Natural disasters of every type, human made disasters of every kind, and their emotional impact on everyone. We band together to help (as much as we can) each other and in many circumstances ask ourselves and "the experts", What happened and Why????

I am a practicing, professing Christian and these events challenge me to fall in the Word of God (Bible), pray/converse/ask/communicate with God to know how to handle the specific ones I, my family, neighbors and people in our area experience. 

Thanksgiving and Christmas find many of us recovering from SOMETHING. In all of this, I believe the Call to Find Something Good to be Thankful for. When I was sitting in our House Cave, talking to my daughter as the repairman worked on our AC system, I wondered HOW it was going to be repaired. 

Then, I thought of: 

• Bridging the Gap (building bridges in native villages) working in foreign countries to help save people walking across streams. 
• Exodus Road staff saving and relocating children and adults from human sex trafficking.
• TED talks and the incredible people that open their lives to help others adapt or recover to some of life's most challenging situations or just how to improve your speaking skills. 
• Blogs, sermons, books, internet streaming and YouTube channels provide exposure to incredible thoughts, suggestion, comments on how to live or rebuild your house/car/bicycle. 

There is SO MUCH to offer, if you just try. 

BUT, you say, I cannot write our build or travel. 

CAN you get a pen/pencil and paper and write a note to an author or speaker telling then how much they helped you? SURE YOU CAN! You local stores sell envelopes and stamps. The Post Office will actually sell One Envelope and One Stamp to put your note in. 

Recently, a person told me, REPEATEDLY, how she never won a lottery or had any talents and life was such a struggle. Later, my wife told me, that person just sold a house she could not climb the stairs anymore and paid cash for the one we were standing in. She has a better, prettier home in a beautiful neighborhood and the few items needing repair or replacement can easily be handled by help from family or friends. 

OH, YES, regarding our home. Nine 9 inches of water had two days to soak and ruin everything touching the floor. Our power remained on the entire storm and after and remained below the electrical plugs. The AC kept running drying out our house. We have appliances (frig, oven, bath, toilet) that sustain living and our mattresses were kept above the flood by their frames. 

SO, unhappy? Yes. Thankful? YES! Have spent four months with family (which, honestly, is always a strain on everyone) I mean, OMG, FOUR MONTHS of everyone's schedules being disrupted in some form. They have and are Gracious Hosts and gone to great lengths to make our stay as comfortable for all us. We have had visitors for up to one week (5 days) and were happy when the time came for Normal to return. FOUR MONTHS!!!

any way....2017 You have been a Monster. I am thankful it was NOT worse but REJOICE you are leaving!!!!

2018....REMEMBER YOUR MANNERS!!! Please.

And to ALL the Writers, Speakers, Workers of every sort, Keep doing what you are called to do, you have encouraged Many, MANY people, most of all...ME!!

God bless. 

WHY?

Do I have the Right/Privilege to know?

When I think and write about life and questions that arise because we do not understand or know information about our lives, I focus on Christian philosophy. I know more about Christianity than all the other religions, which is to say I do NOT know very much. People have studied the Bible and related material all their lives (50 years, 80 years, 125 years) and concluded, at their end, they barely knew God or how he works. 

AND they Definitely did NOT understand Christians!

In the Bible book Genesis and Exodus, God focused on individuals to mold and save nations, primarily Israel. He focused on Pharaoh and Moses, in one account, to prepare his people Israel and to announce himself to the Egyptians. 

Pharaoh and Moses had HUGE egos and massive tempers. One eventually destroyed a nation, while the other set free a nation; because ONE rejected and defied God and ONE accepted and obeyed God. 

Moses could have returned to Egypt, announced God's plans, packed everyone and left. He COULD have, but God told him, this is going to take some time because I want to save more than My People.

Pharaoh COULD have told Moses and all Israel to Get Out NOW and the entire event would have been over in about a month. BUT he did NOT! God had hand picked this man to be the Key to the year long display of God's power and control over Earth. 

Here is my point: Parts of your and my life may be flowing smooth as greased glass while other parts are moving as if mired in Winter mud. Consider the following: 

• Part of your life ONLY involves you
• Part of your life involves another person or people

God told Moses, I will send you to Pharaoh to deliver my people Israel BUT he will not let you/them go. THEN I will display my power/control of their gods and this Earth. Moses and Pharaoh both had a huge tempers and egos, while the entire Nations of Egyptians and Israelis were basically watching God perform and these two men react. 

Christians often/regularly ask God to use them/us but our understanding of the consequences of our requests is so limited that we (like Moses and Pharaoh) end up re-asking God, WHY is this taking so long or happening like this? WHAT is going on?

Hurricane Harvey comes to the USA for a visit. Half a million people suffer mild to complete devastation, and others are not touched. Some are victims in need and others are Caregivers with resources to aid victims. News reporters observe how the best and worst surfaces when people undergo severe stresses and we focus on the Best because we REALLY want to Be Good and Do Good and Help our Neighbor. 

In that process is God, working to improve us and help us improve. Sometimes, the Victims become the Caregivers as "tools" to improve/purge/cleanse/educate/refine those taking care of them. One home is repaired in days or weeks, while another takes months, and the delays begin to look as if SOMEONE is directing the slow downs. 

While reading a novel or watching a movie, we are often given clues to the Plot which allows us to "engage" ourselves in the rationale of the characters and author(s). This Freedom of Information also, to some degree, causes us to "feel" in control and agree/disagree with the plot and outcome. LIFE does not always grant us such freedom. In fact, Very OFTEN we are blind to the What and Why of our scenarios as they play out. 

I have a carnal/flesh/resistant spirit/attitude/nature which make me fight what is happening in my life without my permission. Prayer/confession/humility and asking forgiveness gradually realigns me with God and we move forward (his pace, his direction) and I learn. 

Remember Pharaoh? He proclaimed, "I do not know your God and do NOT have to obey him." That statement is not entirely correct. He was governing GOD's people and they were praying/studying/conversing people about their God. Pharaoh HAD TO KNOW SOMETHING about Moses's God. Remember WHERE Moses originally came from?

SO, if you are in the Tool part of your Play and you think the other performers are ignorant of Your God, I suggest that may NOT be the case. God CHOSE Pharaoh and put him on the throne to Use Him; and I am persuaded to CHANGE him. Ask God which part are you playing in this scheme (and how well are you performing). 

NOTE: Personally, I am not doing well (in my opinion). 

When these times are over, I believe we will observe a deliverance on the scale of the Exodus (in a Spiritual/Emotional/Health sense) in our families, neighbors, towns and nation. Also, consider that a mixed multitude left Egypt with Israel to serve their God; but that mixed multitude was also emotionally and spiritually mixed up. 

If you have ever searched for THE perfect Church? It DOES NOT EXIST!!!

BUT the imperfect ones that work together to serve God and each other Do VERY well and have for thousands of years. We are almost there (End of Time) sort of concept, so let's give these remaining years our absolute best. We HAVE MUCH TO GAIN!

Closing out 2017 with anticipation of 2018 wonders and blessings and growth.