My good friend Carolyn--with a Master's in English, Drama and the Arts--keeps me straight when I misspell or use a wrong word.  I am grateful.  Because even though I go back over what I have written at least twice, I make mistakes.  Yesterday I used "iconic" for "iambic".  I read the entire blog three times and didn't catch it.  And I know the difference.

Mistakes are a part of life.  What we should never do is make one on purpose.  That is what God's Word is for.  An instruction manual for coming to the end of your life with a minimum of regrets.  It is also a guarantee  of God's promises to bless us throughout our days if we follow Him.  And he has our best interests at heart.  He loves us and has a plan for us.  Following His plan is in your own best interest.  You can't fulfill God's plan if you are reading the wrong texts.

"For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord.  They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."  Jeremiah 29:11  I certainly don't need any more disaster in my life.

Another translation puts it this way:  "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, said the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end."

You may not be thinking about Him, but He is thinking about you.  And you can only follow him if you know what He wants from you.  You have to read the instruction manual.

The most popular book of all time is the Bible--but people don't read it.  They buy it and put it on a shelf.  I don't get it.  What's the point?  The Creator of the universe is speaking.  It might be a good thing to listen, because  He certainly isn't trying to hoodwink you.

I bet most of you think I am serious all the time.  Not so.  I got a giggle today when I was going through a stack of paper from at least forty years ago.  Papers that I had put off sorting.  I didn't know what all was in the stack, so I didn't think I could just toss it.

Turned out it was poems etc. that I had written in a Creative Writing class in college.  Since most of my classes were science or math related, I took this class just for fun.  The teacher was quite elderly, but the college retained her to teach this one class every semester because of her ability to inspire.  She certainly inspired me.  I had always been rather rigid.  This class changed all that.  She said we had to let the cat out of the box.  We had to imagine.

She would give us a topic, tell us to write in iambic pentameter, haiku, or some other style, then turn us loose.  It was one of the most fun classes that I ever took.   Here is the poem I wrote that made me giggle.

There was a green tube of tooth pastey,
Which somone squeezed out much too hastey.
It split on the side,  And a gooey green tide,
Ran all down the sink, what a wastey.

I once knew a frog named Magastor,
Who fed upon old oil of Castor.
He lived in a slue, A real good thing too,
Since the next day was quite a disaster.

There.  That was creative.  Aren't we glad God gave us the ability to think.  There are three other stanzas.  If you don't make fun of me, I might share them.

I was awakened this morning a little after 5:00 by an earthquake.  Mag. 4.3 with an aftershock of 3.4 centered in Edmond very, very close to my house.   Haven't felt one that big since I left California in the sixties--and there, earthquakes were common--usually weekly.  It knocked a few pictures and a shelf off the wall and made a lot of noise.   It was the loud noises of things falling off the wall that woke me up.  The noise was worse than the shaking.

Freezing rain, gale force winds, tornadoes and earthquakes--all in a week.  Must be Oklahoma.  All we need is a hurricane or a volcano.  It sure isn't boring. 

Luke tells us that Jesus said: "Whosoever comes to me, and hears my sayings, and does them, I will show you to whom he is like:  He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock."  Luke 6:47-48.   That rock is Christ.

1.  Comes to me...
2.  Hears my sayings...
3.  And does them...

"Doing" what Christ said to do is necessary.  When we build our life on him, nothing will shake us.  Not even an earthquake.

Don't tell me what you are thinking...show me what you are doing.  Then, and only then will I know who you really are.

I started praying yesterday that my power lines won't break.  After 60-70 degree weather over Christmas week, we have been hit with another blizzard.  High winds, freezing rain, then sleet and now snow.  Freezing rain is the worst.  It collects on the power lines, becomes heavier and heavier until they snap.  I feel for all the linemen out there working to restore power.  God bless them.

This has been the craziest December in terms of weather that I have ever experienced.  Most days I didn't even have to wear a coat.  A friend in Pryor posted a picture of the water flooding Pryor.  They have had a lot of rain.  I have never seen water that high there in my life.  And tornadoes.  That's not supposed to happen until March.

My power lines are still working.  The house is warm.  This is all supposed to be over by tomorrow.  I do not like cold weather.  I do not like Oklahoma wind.  I especially don't like them at the same time.

When things go wrong here, I am reminded of the poor unfortunate people living in countries where staying warm, having enough to eat, clothing to wear, and medicines in times of sickness is a luxury that they can't afford.  We are so blessed.  God has been so good to us that sometimes we forget to thank him for our daily bread--and all the rest of his blessings.

Isaiah 55:10  For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater."

You have to love King James:  "cometh, returneth, watereth, maketh..."  I usually change those words to modern day vernacular, but every now and then, when the wind is howling like it is right now, its nice to wrap up in a blanket and read the old text and be thankful for modern translations and a warm house. 

The packages have been opened.  The paper trash has been collected.  The food has been eaten.  The children have already broken something they received.  (I remember one Christmas that Becky pulled the string out on her "Chatty Cathy" doll and cut it off.  It only took her ten minutes.  No more chat.)  And everyone is stretched out somewhere wondering why they ate so much.  It must be Christmas.

For weeks we have been looking for that special gift--for that special someone.  We've been baking cookies, making candy and wrapping presents to go under the tree.  And now the day is almost over.  And God willing, we will do it all again next year.

I am sure that in your family of friends and acquaintances that there are some who have real needs.  I am also sure that you helped them in some way.  We must remember the poor--especially at this time of year.  The time of  year when we focus on giving.

"Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6:38  

I told Becky last night that she always does everything to excess.  She does.  Cooking, travel...and that includes giving.  She is always giving someone something.  Instead of one package of Turkish figs--which I adore--she gave me four.  And five or six other presents.

^"In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”  Acts 20:35

Merry Christmas.  God bless you every one.

Christmas Eve.  A world changing event happened 2015 years ago and we mark time by that date.  A child was born that would change the world.  No other person in history has had the impact that Jesus Christ has had.  AD and BC.  All time is recorded from that day.

He never wrote a book.  He never raised a family.  He never owned a house.  As far as we know he didn't even have a change of clothes--the soldiers cast lots for his robe when he was dying.  He had no place to sleep.  Of worldly things, he had nothing.

And yet.  He lived a life that the world, millions of people try to emulate.

Born to die.  Dying to save.  Raised from the dead to give us eternal life.

Oh, come let us adore him.

I don't know why I said that Jennifer was in Syria.  Probably because I had been watching the news and had it on my mind.  She is in Saudi Arabia.  I wonder how she is going to celebrate Christmas.  Christmas is not on the list of celebrations in Saudi.

Christmas.  Some people would keep the baby in the manger.  It is much more appealing than the grown man on the cross.  But God came to earth to die for us.  He took pity on us.  He humbled himself and became a man--limited in every way as we are.  Going through every stage of life just as we have.  "And (God) being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." Philippians 2:8

Some people would say that  Jesus lived a perfect life because he was God.  That it was easy for him.  But he faced every temptation that we do--yet without sin.   He chose to face every temptation.  "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. "  ‎Hebrews 4:16  When Philippians 2:8 says that he became a man--it means just that.  In every sense of the word.

The thing He had that other people didn't have was God within the body of a Human.  The Holy Spirit.  But once Christ saves us--by grace--he gives us his Spirit.  So we have the power to live the life.  We are regenerated.  We are restored.  We no longer are what we once were.  Our "want-to" has been changed forever.

God has written on our hearts.

Christianity has premises:
1.  There is a God who wants to be our Father.
2.  He communicates with us in prophecy, and in His Word.
3.  There are two forces in the human world:  Good and Evil.  And we know the difference.
4.  We choose evil, and there is no way for us to undo that--no matter how much good we do.
5.  We are doomed.  God, who is righteous, placed a penalty on sin:  Death. 
6.  If we are ever to be pure, we have to totally eliminate all the bad we have done.
7.  We are incapable of doing that on our own.
8.  God devised a plan to do that.  A sacrifice for sin.
9.  He became a man and died in our place.  Jesus was that man--God incarnate.
10. He did that because for some reason, he loves us.

I will never understand why he loves us.  We are unlovely.  He loved us first--in all our wretched condition.  He took pity on us and extended mercy.  Why?  Why would He do that?

God has conditions for the forgiveness of sin.
1.  You must recognize your condition and repent from your sins.
2.  You must give him control of your life.

Romans 10:9 "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."  Believing that Christ is raised from the dead is part of it.  He is alive.

1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

He then forgives us. And gives us:  1. His Spirit, 2. Eternal Life. 3. A clean heart.  Amazing Grace!

Becky--my world traveler--got back from Istanbul, Turkey last week.  Jennifer, her daughter in law, is working in Syria and met her in Turkey.  They called it a one week vacation.  I called it scary.  But I am a chicken.  So I prayed all week that they would come to no harm.  Someone set a bomb off in the subway the first day they arrived.  I am glad Becky is safely home.  Jennifer will be able to come home when she finishes her job in Syria.  I think that will be in a few weeks.   I hope that is the end of her working  there, but I doubt that will be the case.  I am going to have to "up my game" of trusting God.  I thought I was doing that pretty well until Becky got on a plane to the Middle East.

I have been reading a few of the Facebook comments, the newspapers, and watching the television commentaries, and have found that most people want to believe that God and Allah are the same.   I personally have to reject that premise due to the fact that Jesus is God--God incarnate.  But the Muslims say that Jesus is  a nothing but a prophet.  Which is to say, Jesus is not God.

Therefore, Allah is not Jesus, and therefore Allah cannot be God.  You can't have it both ways.  The entire Old Testament is based on the prophecy that a Messiah was coming (actually I think there were 72 prophecies) and they were fulfilled, in total, in Jesus.  To reject that, is to reject the Bible as truth. 

Philippians 2:5-6 "Your attitude should be the kind that was shown us by Jesus Christ, who, even though he was God, did not demand and cling to his rights as God, but laid aside his mighty power and glory, taking the form of a slave and becoming like men...God raised him up...and gave him a name which is above every other name, that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow in heaven and on earth...and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord..."  (Living Bible)

That includes Muslims.  Jesus said, "I am the Way.  No man comes to the Father (God) but by me."
That pretty well sums it up.  Mohammad visited Jerusalem over 600 years after Jesus rose from the grave.  Mo. then wrote a book, declared that Allah was God and found some people to believe it.

I don't think so.    

Praise God!!!!!!!  My house in Pryor sold and we closed on Monday.  I cannot express how thankful I am that I don't have to try and keep two places up any more.  As I was driving from Pryor back toward Oklahoma City and Edmond, I was euphoric.  I kept thinking, "I'm going home.  Edmond is my home now."

But my friend Sally Casey--who just moved out of state to be near her daughters for the same reason that I did--reminded me today that Pryor would always be a dear part of our lives because of all the memories we have there.  How true.  I have many, many spiritual daughters in Pryor that I have taught and discipled through the years that are so very close to my heart.  God is good.  We have phones and aren't separated like our people were in years past.  We can talk, every day.

I moved there when I was four years old.  World War II was raging, and the government built a powder plant at Pryor to make ammunition for the war.  Men came from all over to find a job--including my father.  Ken's father was the pastor of the Baptist Church.  He and his wife, Mary Jane, changed my parent's lives.  Which changed mine.  And Ken's.  Who could have known that fourteen years later I would marry him.  I was in the third grade when he graduated from high school and I didn't even know him.  God moves in wondrous ways as he plans out our futures.

It is easy to look back and see God's hand in our lives.  While we are going through hard times, or we are suffering, it is hard to see God's plan in it all.  I don't think he causes us to suffer, but I do know that He is there, watching over us.  I know this because I can look back and see where he has led me.  Where he has planned my future.  I know because the Bible tells me so. 

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

So those are the nine things that we never would have known about Jesus if Matthew hadn't told us.  I got an email from my sweet Christian friend Amy Smith saying, "How do you know that Mary and Joseph went to Bethlehem alone?  Joseph's father would have been from the house of David, as well as all of Joseph's brothers.  And there were probably many others living in Nazareth who went to Bethlehem as well."

The thing I love about the church community is that there are many members like Amy who actually read the Bible and think about what they have read.    If someone says something that they aren't sure about, they go to the Bible to check it out.  It causes all of us to be in a state of continual learning.  When you discuss things with them, they make you think.  So, I retract my statement that they were alone.  There is nothing to suggest that in God's Word.  There is also nothing to suggest that they went with a group. 

However, there is some historical evidence that people traveled in groups for safety.  Thank you Amy.

There is also some evidence that they all wrapped their waist and arms with strips of cloth so that if someone died on the trip, they would have plenty of cloth to wrap the body in for burial--a Jewish custom.  One reader suggested that this was the swaddling that Mary wrapped Jesus in when he was born.

That is a really interesting thought.  Jesus was born to die and his first clothes might have been burial wrapping.   He died for our sins, and for the sins of the world--if they accept his gift and repent. 

We are heirs of the kingdom, joint heirs with Christ because of His unspeakable gift of his life.  "And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ..." Romans 8:17a

 

#9 The great Commission.  Matthew 28:18-20

Matthew was writing his account for Jewish readers in order to validate the authenticity of the claim that Jesus was the true Messiah--the one they had been waiting for.  Matthew probably had not envisioned that Christ had also died for the Gentiles when he wrote his Gospel.  He begins his book by systematically listing the lineage of Jesus to validate Jesus' right to the throne of King David--as prophesied.  We trace Jesus from Abraham to Joseph. Each generation.  He even mentions women: Rahab--a prostitute, Tamar--a harlot, Bathsheba--an adulteress, and Ruth--a Gentile.

Then he immediately gives an account of the fulfillment of Jesus' birth in Bethlehem, and that Mary was a virgin--as prophesied.  As well as a number of other fulfilled prophesies--so that the Jews who were on the fence would know for sure that Jesus was the promised Messiah.  And believe.

And then he gives us one of the greatest passages in the Bible.  The last two verses that Matthew writes in his Gospel.  The summation and purpose of all that he has told us.  He gives us marching orders straight from the mouth of Jesus.

"And Jesus...spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.  Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.  Amen"

We are to teach.  And for all of you out there who are reading this, you can't teach what you don't know.  And knowing is not listening to preachers, priests, popes or fanatics or television, or me.  Knowing comes from the word of God.  You must read it.  You must.  We have a direct command from Jesus himself. Get with it.

#8 The bribery of the soldiers.   Matthew 28:11-15  Only Matthew tells us about this.

The two Marys went to the tomb and were told by the angel that Christ had risen.  They ran to tell the disciples that Christ had risen from the dead.  And "...when they were going, (at that same time) behold, some of the watch, (soldiers) showed the chief priests all the things that were done...and after they (the chief priests of the Jews) assembled with the elders...they gave  large money to the soldiers saying:  Say you:  His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept.  And if this comes to the governor's ears, we will persuade him, (we will lie) and secure you. "

"So they took the money, and did as they were taught:  and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day."  That is where the doubt about the resurrection started.  Tell a lie often enough and people will believe it even when the truth is evident.

Ken always said that the Roman soldier at that time was like a Marine sentry.  They would never, never have fallen asleep while on watch.  And if a Roman soldier did fall asleep, he would never, never have gone to the priests and elders to tell them about it.   It was punishable by death.

But the Jewish priests and elders had already rejected Jesus as their Messiah and didn't want anything to interfere with that decision.  It is hard to imagine such hate.  But look around you at what is happening today.  Those who believe in Jesus, Christians, are systematically being beheaded, or shot, murdered or tortured  if they don't deny him.  So much hate for the one who said, "Peace I give you."

At Christmas, we sing, "Glory to the new born King."  He will reign and we will be with Him in his kingdom.  "Peace on earth, good will toward men."

"Thy kingdom come."  Please.  Quickly.

#7  Other resurrections:  Matthew 27: 50-53  (From the Living Bible)

"Then Jesus shouted out again, dismissed his spirit, and died.  And look! The curtain secluding the Holiest Place in the Temple was split apart from top to bottom; and the earth shook, and rocks broke and tombs opened and many godly men and women who had died came back to life again.  After Jesus' resurrection, they left the cemetery and went into Jerusalem, and appeared to many people there."   It scared the soldiers to death.  They exclaimed that "Surely this was God's Son."  vs. 54

The Holy of Holies had a veil that was a number of stories high.  You couldn't reach the top of it and certainly couldn't tear it from top to bottom.  God tore it.  Up till the moment Christ died, the penalty for sin had not been paid and people didn't have direct access to God.  The Old Testament has many references written about this Holy of Holies.  Once each year, the priests cast lots and one of them was chosen to take their offerings for sin into the mercy seat.  They tied a rope and a bell to him so that if he touched the Ark of the Covenant and died, that the other priests could drag him out.  No one had access to God except this one priest.  No one could touch the Ark and live.

But when the veil was torn, God was saying, "Come on in.  Now you can be with me.  The price for sin has been paid for all time by my Son."  And at that moment, Christ stormed Paradise and "...set captivity captive."  Ephesians 4:8  "Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive..."  A similar prophecy is in the book of Psalms.  Those that had been held there after they had died, but before the Messiah had come--who were waiting for redemption--were released from the grave and arose with Christ.   They were seen by many people in Jeresulem.

That must have been quite a day.  And what a testimony to the people who had been waiting for the Messiah--to see that not only Jesus had conquered death, but he had freed those, who had died through the ages, from death as well.  They were held, having been saved by faith in God that Christ was coming.  We are saved the same way.  Faith in God.  Faith in the resurrection.  Faith that Jesus paid the price for us.  Salvation has always been by faith.   Praise God for his unspeakable gift.

Exclusive information from Matthew.  Number 6:  The dream of Pilot's wife.  Matthew 27:19
  
Jesus was a threat to the old order--the priests and scribes.  The Pharisees and Sadducees.  He made them look bad and they hated him.  Matthew 21: 12-13 "And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all those who sold (sheep and doves, etc. for sacrifices)...and overthrew the tables of the money changers..."  Then he said, "It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but you have made it a den of thieves."

I imagine there was a kickback from all the sales going on in the temple.  But Jesus began to heal the blind and the lame which came to him in the temple.  Vs. 15 "And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying the temple, and saying Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased."  I'd say they were jealous and bitter and mean.

Things went downhill after that.  Eventually the priests and elders convinced Pilot to condemn Jesus to death.  Matt. 27:1 "When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death..."

Pilot gave the people a choice of whom he would release: Jesus or Barabbus--who was a horrible criminal.  Pilot knew that they (the priests) had delivered Jesus to him because of envy. (vs. 18)  At this point, Pilot's wife approaches him:  (vs. 19) "When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him saying, Have...nothing to do with that just man:  for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him."  Pilot's wife knew Jesus was an innocent man.  I am sure she was disgusted that Pilot--who had the power to release Jesus--was too weak and afraid of the people and the priests to do so.  He didn't want an uprising.  I would have been disgusted.  Here's a man with all the power to do the right thing.  And he doesn't.  He should have listened to his wife.

Interesting how God uses people.   I think that God gave her the dream.

At this Christmas season, we can be thankful for the four things that Matthew told us about the birth of Christ.  He continues with other stories at the time of Christ's death starting with Judas repenting.

Fact number 5.  Read Mathew 27: 3-10  "Then Judas, which (who) had betrayed Jesus, when he saw that Jesus was condemned (and going to die), repented himself, and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders.   Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed innocent blood.  And they said, What is that to us?....And Judas cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself."

It is generally agreed by Bible scholars that the disciples expected Jesus to set up an earthly kingdom.  And when Jesus entered Jerusalem and didn't try to overthrow the government, they were discouraged and confused.  According to scholars, Judas was trying to force Jesus to stand up for himself and fight.  That seems reasonable in light of Matthew's account.  We don't know for sure.

We do know, thanks to Matthew who was there, that Judas realized that he had made a horrible mistake.  He threw the money back at the priests and elders and tried to undo his mistake--to no avail.  The priests and elders wanted nothing more to do with him.  He was now an outcast from Jesus, from the eleven other disciples and the priests.  And his despair drove him to suicide.

Was he saved in the long run as far as eternity is concerned?  The Bible doesn't tell us.  But it does say, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  1John 1:9

The critical point is this:  Did Judas simply feel "sorry" for what he had done?   Or did He ask God for forgiveness.  What does "repented himself" mean?  The Bible doesn't say.  I guess we'll find out some day.

 Number 3 and 4:  (in the list of stories in the Bible that only Matthew tells us.)  The flight to Egypt and the reason for it:  Slaughter of  baby boys. We wouldn't know that Joseph and Mary and Jesus fled to Egypt and didn't go home to Nazareth if Matthew hadn't told us.  So, thanks Matthew.

Don't you know that Mary and Joseph's families were worried sick when they didn't come home.   But Joseph, Mary and Jesus stayed in Egypt until Herod died. (Also recorded in the book of Luke) Some scholars say that it was three years before they went back home to Nazareth. 

Matthew 2:13-23  (I hope you will read this yourself.)  An angel appeared to Joseph and told him to take the child and his mother and to flee to Egypt.  Herod was furious with the wise men because they hadn't come back and told him where this child-king was, so Herod proceeded to order that every male child two years old and under be killed.  Which fulfilled a prophecy given in the book of Jeremiah.  (Old Testament)  So there was a slaughter of innocent little boys by a wicked, fearful king.

When Herod was dead, an angel appeared in a dream to Joseph and said it was now safe to go back home to Nazareth.  (Which fulfilled another prophecy that the Messiah would be called a Nazarene.)

Imagine the rejoicing when they returned to their families--who must have assumed that they were dead after not hearing anything for three years.  When they left, they were only going to pay their taxes. That shouldn't have taken that long.  Allowing for the fact that Mary was ready to deliver, you might could have added a couple of months onto that.  But three years???  No way.  I'm a mother.  If I was Mary (or Joseph's) mother, I would have been beside myself not knowing where my child was.

Prophecy is what we base our belief on (that Jesus was the promised Messiah).  I've told you before, that when you take all the prophecies in the Old Testament that were fulfilled in one man, the statistical probability that Jesus was the Messiah is bigger than the number of all the people who were ever born in the history of the earth.  Impressive statistic.

The second thing that only Matthew, (and no one else) records is:  (I hope you will get your Bible and read these accounts for yourself.) 
Number 2 :  The visit of the Wise Men.  Matthew 2:1-12 "...there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east and are come to worship him."  Herod, the king, drew all the priests and scribes into his chamber to hear what the wise men said, and asked where this Messiah would be born.  They told him:  Bethlehem.

They quoted what Micah, the prophet had foretold.  Micah 5:2 "But you, Bethlehem, you are little among the thousands of Judah.  But out of you shall he come that shall be the ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting."  So Herod sent the wise men on their way to Bethlehem to find the child and bring back word so that he could go there and worship him, too.  (But his plan was to kill him--he didn't need a rival ruler.)

A decree from Caesar had forced everyone to go the city of their lineage to pay taxes.  Joseph was a descendant of King David, so he and Mary went to Bethlehem.  Eight and a half months pregnant, riding on a donkey.  Mercy.  Our King was born in a barn.  Talk about humble. 

So the wise men followed the star going before them which came and stood over where the young child was. They fell to their knees and worshiped him, and gave him gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  A regular church service.  The first Christmas gifts. They (the Wise men) then had a dream warning them about Herod's intentions.  So they left and went back to their own country by a different route.

Matthew gave us a wonderful story that we wouldn't know about if he hadn't written it down.
Thank you Matthew.  

Sometimes you just need to follow your star.  Who knows what you'll find.

When Jesus was choosing his twelve apostles, an unlikely choice was Matthew.  He was hated by the Jews because he had become a tax collector--for the Roman government.   The tax collectors were notorious for taking more than the Romans demanded to line their own pockets.

But when Jesus passed by, he looked at Matthew, and chose him.  Mark 2:14  "And as he passed by, he saw Levi (Matthew) the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him. 

Jesus saw something in Matthew that others didn't.  Because of that, we have a wonderful story that Matthew wrote about Jesus that gives us at least nine incidents that Mark, Luke and John didn't.  We only have  these four accounts of the life of Jesus.  Luke wrote his account by interviewing people who knew Jesus personally.  Mark was from Jerusalem, but was usually identified as a friend of Paul, not Jesus.  Matthew wrote to the Jews.  His desire was to prove that Jesus was the Jewish Messiah.

 In the book of Isaiah it is prophesied (7:14) "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign...a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel."  (Which is one name for God.)  Isaiah continues in verse 16 "...the child shall know to refuse the evil and choose the good..."
  
Number 1.  The first thing that Matthew shares with us that is found no where else, is Joseph's dream. Joseph was worried about Mary being pregnant out of wedlock.  Matt. 1:20-24 "...while he thought on these things, behold the angel of the Lord appeared to him...saying...fear not to take...Mary to be your wife.  That which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost...she shall have a son, and they shall call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.  Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet (Isaiah)..."

And then Matthew quotes the verse above from Isaiah 7:14.  "They shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is God with us."  Prophesy fulfilled.

Do you have sins in your past that haunt you.  Satan loves to throw them up to you and keep you on edge.  We must remember--at times when we are discouraged about past sin--what God has promised and not be weakened by that evil power.

In Hebrews 10:9 Paul compares God's old plan to the new: (I am quoting from the Living Bible) "Under this new plan, we have been forgiven and made clean by Christ's dying for us once and for all.  Under the old agreement, the priests stood before the altar day after day offering sacrifices that could never take away our sins.  But Christ gave himself to God for our sins as one sacrifice for all time... "

This works because of the Holy Spirit.  Paul explains:  vs16-17: "I will write my laws into their minds so that they will always know my will, and I will put my laws in their hearts so that they will want to obey them."  Wow.  No more tablets of stone!!  Isaiah summed it up when he prophesied in the Old Testament:   Isaiah 36:26  "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh."

If you are a Christian, the desire to sin is gone.  You want to please God.  You have a new heart.  There isn't anything wrong with the ten commandments, but they just showed us how badly flawed we are.  I love the words, "...once and for all..."  and, "...one sacrifice for all time...".  Those words reassure us that we will never fall from God's grace.   If our our current sins caused us to be "lost" again, there was no point in Christ's death.  Instead, he would have to die over and over again.  Just like the old sacrifice of lambs, goats and doves.  "Once and for all," means what it says.

The Holy Spirit within us reminds us of what God expects.  And our new heart causes us to want to obey Him.  We are new creatures.  When we sin, our hearts are heavy.  We repent and don't do that  thing again.  If you keep doing the same sin over and over again, you need to worry.  If you have truly given yourself to Him, you won't do that.  You will keep short accounts with God.

Have you ever had a close encounter of the third kind?  When I have one of those, I try and think what caused it, where it came from, and why it happened--which can't be explained or it wouldn't be that kind of encounter--the third kind.

I had one of those day before yesterday.  Six months ago, when I moved in, I connected one of those lighted, rotating photograph picture screens--and turned the switch to "off."  It hasn't been turned on since, nor has the setting been changed in all that time--I just hadn't felt like looking at pictures--yet--those pictures that we took when Ken was alive and our children were little and growing up.  Well, I got up at five on Monday,  sat down in the recliner to read the paper and noticed that the screen was lit and pictures were scanning.  Of Ken.

No, I don't sleepwalk.  No, I didn't turn it on.  And no, no one slipped into my house during the night and turned it on.  And yes, I checked it.  It had been turned on.  I sometimes wonder if the dead are around us trying to say "hello."  The Bible doesn't cover things like that--at least not that I can find.  But I think we all would all like to think that the ones that we love are still with us in Spirit.

I don't deal in superstition.  I limit my faith and belief system to the words of the Bible.  But sometimes, sometimes, I am like you.  I wonder.  What if????

There is a God who loves us, takes care of us, and promises us eternal life--and gives us new bodies.  We trust that He will do what he says that he will do--that is called faith.  And we are saved by faith.

1 Corinthians  15:42-44 "Our earthly bodies die...but when we live again, they will be full of strength...when they come back to life, they will be superhuman bodies.  For just as there are natural, human bodies, there are also supernatural, spiritual bodies."  Like I said, I'm wondering.

I'm a piecemeal house keeper.  I've always followed the rule of never leaving the room you are in--unless you have something in your hand that needs to go somewhere else.  That way, junk that needs to be put away, hung up, or stowed is moved one room closer to its ultimate destination.  Next time I pass by it, I move it further along with me.  Eventually things make it to where they go.  Keeps me from a lot of running back and forth.   It actually works really well.  I am always "picking up"  but I never have to "pick up the house."  It's always in progress and stays pretty neat.

I told you once that I get my best work done when there is a job that "has to be done" that I really don't want to do.  I am the ultimate procrastinator.  I keep skirting around it, doing other work, avoiding the inevitable, staying busy.  I get a lot done that way.  And the job that has to get done will get done eventually--at the last possible minute.  I have that method so perfected that I am always accomplishing something.

I also rarely do anything "start to finish."  I just do a little bit.  Then stop and do something else for a little while.  I usually have six or seven things going at once.  The good part is that I am always finishing one of the jobs.  I kinda rotate through them,  piddling along but  making progress.

Ken, on the other hand, started something and finished it.  You couldn't interrupt him even if something more important came along.  He was going to finish what he started before he started something else.

Both methods work.  If you have a passion to work.  If you have a plan.

"Wherefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." Philippians 2:12
One step at a time.  One day at a time.  A little bit here and a little bit there.

We got through Thanksgiving with not a single argument.  Everyone was sweet.  Everyone was pleasant.  All 38 of them.

I am tired of politics.  I am tired of people who believe that whoever we elect as President is going to save the world.  I've been voting since Eisenhour won back when I was eighteen.  1956.

Ken had a wonderful philosophy for voting.  He said if you had a Democratic Congress, vote Republican for President.  If you had a Republican Congress, vote for a Democrat for President.  That way, they can't get anything done.  It seems like every thing they do makes things worse.   We are further in debt.  We are constantly at war, the moral structure is falling apart...shall I go on?

The basic problem is that politics won't save us.  Only God can do that.  The reason that America is a great country is because it was founded on Christian principles.  "With liberty and justice for all."

On Saturday I woke up to the worst weather in Oklahoma--and that includes tornados.  The trees were so loaded with ice that if they hadn't already split from the weight of the ice on the branches, the limbs that had been twenty feet in the air the day before were bent to the ground in semi-defeat.

The ground was still wet, but everything over one foot off the ground was frozen.  What a mess.  I got in the car to drive to Becky's and it was like driving in a mine field.  Tree limbs lying across the roads, with electric and phone lines either broken or hanging in huge draping arcs covered with ice cycles drooping under the weight.  The weatherman said that Edmond got the brunt of it.

It is the single worst type of weather that we get in Oklahoma--as far as I am concerned.  It affects everyone for days and days.  My house in Pryor was all electric (gas wasn't available in our area) and in one ice storm that we had,  Ken and I were without power for seven days.  You really don't know how much you depend on electricity until you don't have it.

After that, I had a propane fireplace built into the family room and bought my own propane tank.   I really don't like to suffer.  I am a city girl.  I want the grocery store to stay in business.  I don't want to milk a cow or gather eggs or feed livestock in any kind of weather.  When I need eggs, I call Pat.  She has chickens and brings the eggs to my door.  She is definitely not a city girl.  At all.

I am sure God has a reason for ice storms--if only to make us thankful for good weather.  And make us long for Spring.

"For...the rain comes down and the snow (and ice) from heaven, and returns not thither, but waters the earth and makes it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater."  Isaiah 55:10  I guess I will accept that reason.  But I do prefer rain or snow.

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving.  I hope you can spend it with your loved ones.  God has given us so much to be thankful for.  I always start with thankfulness for my eyesight.  My mind.  My family.  My home.  My church....and on and on.

Sometimes it's good to just list all the good things.  We have a tendency to think about what is wrong rather than what is right.  Talk to God about the good things He has given you.  I am sure he gets tired of us only telling him what is wrong.

People are going to start arriving today.  I am thankful that I have four bedrooms.  When I started looking for a house here in Edmond, I asked for two or three bedrooms.  I wanted to downsize.  That didn't happen because there wasn't anything available within a mile of where I wanted to live.  So up till now, I've been thinking the house is too big.  It isn't.

I've been cooking all day.  I think I am ready for the influx.

Don't forget to thank the cook.

I will return on Monday.  I am going to take the next four days for family.

God bless you.  And yours.

In my family, everyone has strong opinions.  (Imagine that.)  With Thanksgiving coming up, strong opinions would be okay if everyone had the same opinions.  But they don't.  And of course, everyone wants to get their opinion out there.

We have 35 people coming to Becky's on Thursday.  We have people who think we shouldn't take the Syrian refugees in--that we should help see that they are settled in Lebanon, Iran, Kuwait, or some other Asian country.  And we have people in our family that not only think we should admit them immediately, but take them into our own homes.  We have falling off the left-wing liberals, and right wing anti-government interventionists.  I bet you have some of both of those in your family, too.

That is what you get when you raise your children to think for themselves and obey the dictates of the Bible.  You get the "Love your neighbor as yourself," group.  And the "Come out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord," group.  You gotta love them both.  God does.

I got so tickled at Becky today.  She said, "Well, Mom, some of our family can't stay but a couple of hours because they have other obligations.  They'll have just enough time to eat, get into a political fight, get mad and go home."  I said, "Sounds like a plan."

One good thing, they all have been raised to love God and love his people.  So they will go home still loving each other.  I hope, I really hope that they will keep their opinions to themselves and simply catch each other up on what has been going on in their lives.  They are coming from Chicago, Orlando, Dallas, and who knows where else.  We don't get together on any other holiday.

"I have an idea," Becky said.  "I'll just tell everyone that wants to argue about politics--and get mad--to go eat in the kitchen, and the rest of us will eat in the dining room.  What do you think about that idea?"  By then, Becky was laughing along with me.

We have a wonderful, loving, funny, opinionated family.  Thank God for every one of them.

What does it mean to be a Christian?  I went to the doctor yesterday, and while I was there, we started talking and I asked him if he was a Christian.  He said, "We all believe in the same God.  Hindu, Muslim, Jew and Christian.  It will turn out ok because we all have one God."

I said, "Well, I believe that Jesus was God.  That he is God.  That makes a difference."

The problem with religion is that people get "religious."  They quit thinking.  They quit listening.  They don't read the account of God speaking to us--the Bible.

The problem with people  is that they are sinful.  They have an inner thermostat that measures whether something is right or wrong.  They know when they do wrong.  And do it anyway.  And somehow, they know that they need forgiveness.  But where is a person to go??

Living with the wrong things you have done is hard because you can't undo them.  Ken always said that the mind is like a picture gallery where you hang the events of your life.  And when you least expect it, a picture pops up  that you desperately want to forget.  But it hangs there, and haunts you.  You can't get rid of it.

But then Ken would add that when the master painter comes into your gallery, he is able to paint over those pictures and paint new ones.  He is the only one who can do away with our sins.  That is what Jesus (God) died for.  No other religion offers forgiveness of sin, and redemption.  The death of Christ gives us a path to God.  His resurrection offers us hope.

Clean.  We can be clean.  "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God."  Romans 3:23
"In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness 1 John 1:9

Ken passed away two years ago today.  I guess I will mark that anniversary for the rest of my life.  When he asked me to marry him, he said, "I am eight and a half years older than you.  It won't matter much now, but someday it will."  He was right.

He had an amazing life.  I am glad I got to share it.

I drove to Pat's house for supper.  She lives in the country on a farm.  Back roads.  Two lanes, no side shoulders.  It was alright going there, but coming back in the pitch black, no moon, dark of night was a challenge.  I'm not sure that I will try that again.  On the other hand, if I quit doing things, well, I will end up not doing things.  And I don't want that.

I am amazed at how much paper I have collected over the years.  I just threw it all in boxes when I moved, and now, I am going through it all.  What a mess.  I try to do a little bit every day, but it seems endless.  Things that seemed important enough to keep are now just junk.  One thing I never  did was put anything in the attic.  Or a storage shed.   I am thankful for that.  It just ends up as mouse food.  Or it molds.  If I don't need it now, then my philosophy is that I need to give it to someone who can use it.

Except for paper.  I found a ledger from l957 that I had kept--with every penny I spent.  The numbers were funny.  You get a real sense of inflation when you find records that are fifty-eight years old.

God has taken care of me for a long, long time.  It's easy to see his hand in my life when I look backwards.  At every point, in every tragedy, sickness and crisis,  He was there.  I spend a lot of time living in the past.  Things are much clearer to me looking back.  And our stories are the fabric of who we are.

Autumn is over as far as I am concerned.  Once the leaves fall, once you get up and there is frost on the ground, once the temperature drops below forty, and once I reset the thermostat to heat instead of cool--winter is here regardless of what the calendar says.

I used to like cold weather.  But now, it takes me so long to don coat and gloves and scarves, etc. that I dread it.  I am already thinking of spring.

Pat has a friend who said that he would build me a raised bed for my vegetable garden.  I missed out on everything this year for the most part because I was moving.  I find myself already thinking about March and planting tomatoes and parsley, green peppers, kale, lettuce, spinach and okra.  I will plant asparagus even though it will take three years before it can be harvested.  That is called faith.  And at my age, hope.

"The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle (dove) is heard in our land;"  Song of Solomon 2:12

"O, wind, if winter comes, can spring be far behind?"  (by Percy Shelley) says it all.  And especially in Oklahoma where the winter winds are so bitter.

The man that takes care of my yard planted something that came up green after the bermuda turned brown.  So at least the yard doesn't look dead.  And God, in his mercy, designed some plants and shrubs that stay green throughout the winter.

I do not want to wish my life away, but I can hardly wait for spring.  I lived in Southern California three different times.  But all that sunshine got boring.  So I guess I will be thankful for winter.

"In (not "for") everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."
1 Thessalonians 5:18  I guess that includes winter.

I have just finished reading the book of Acts again.  It is the only designated history book in the New Testament.  It is somewhat like reading a diary.  Luke wrote it and gave a observational account of the events following the resurrection--both in Jerusalem and during the ensuing trips with Paul.  I am amazed at the number of cities and towns that Paul visited.  Considering how difficult travel was, you have to be in awe of the drive and passion he had to spread the gospel to the Gentiles.  I am also very, very thankful that Luke wrote it all down.

We owe Paul a great debt.  Without his determination, we who are not Jewish might not have received the gospel.  And he died because of that determination.     When I was in Rome, I visited the place where he was incarcerated.  It was a cistern, a hole in the ground carved in stone to hold water, but used as a prison for Paul.  Cold, dark, and lonely.

You can almost hear how chilled he was when he asked Timothy to come to Rome and to bring "... the cloak that I left at Troas with Carpus when you come.  Bring it with you, and the books but especially the parchments." 2 Timothy 4:13

Paul was a great student of Scripture.  He wanted his books and parchments.  And a cloak to wrap himself in to keep from freezing.  And then he wrote letters--for which we must be eternally grateful. He was the most prolific of the New Testament writers, under the most difficult of circumstances. His letters have endured and we take comfort in the messages he wrote us concerning Christ.

Some people make tremendous sacrifices for the good of others.  It is a God-like trait.

As the weather turns cold, remember those who have no cloak.  At this time of year, legitimate charities make appeals for assistance.  It might be a good time to pick one to support.  Better still, volunteer your time in your own community.

The political cartoon in today's paper was a picture of the Statue of Liberty--a gift to us from France-- shedding tears.  The French are our oldest allies.  The world--the free world--cannot help but weep with them in this tragedy.

The emperor has no clothes.  We have become so politically correct that we are afraid of speaking the truth.  Who blew up Paris?  Who is killing and beheading people in the middle East?  Who are the refugees fleeing from and trying to get away from?  Who is raping women, and degrading them in every possible way?   Who is lining Christians up and shooting them?  Who is holding hostages for political reasons and cutting off their heads?

I'm sorry, but I don't seem to be able to rectify the message that the Muslims are giving me that they are "really" a peaceful people.  The only peaceful Muslims I have ever heard of are those living in countries where other political systems prevail.  Where they are legally protected from their own fanatical religious philosophies--by democratic governments.  In countries where they have control, there is only misery and death.  Murder and mayhem.  Abuse of women--who have no rights.

I hope that we can unite the world to destroy these terrorists.  Their ideology is sick.

Christianity gives the world a message of peace.  Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.  Let not your near be troubled, neither let it be afraid."  John 14:27

To the people of Paris, the people of France, may this message from the Apostle Paul comfort you:  "Now the Lord of peace himself (Jesus) give you peace always by all means.  The Lord be with you all."   2 Thessalonians 3:16

I join Paul in saying:  Peace by all means.  The Lord be with you.

I've been deleting Facebook friends because of the sheer number of them.  They are still friends, but they send me so much junk that it wearies me.  I don't need mottos.  I don't need those "Send this to your friends if you love Jesus" messages.  And I really don't need a million pictures.  One will do.

However, I do like to get a notice if something unusual happens.  I got a picture of a parade yesterday from Pryor, in which Marines were marching with flags and a banner that read "Marine Corps League,  Stanley-Jacks Detachment."  Two of Pryor's native sons.  Monroe Stanley fought in Iwo, and three other horrible Pacific Island landings in WW2 and by some miracle he survived.  He was wounded, but even though he was on disability, he talked the USMC to reenlist him when Korea broke out--knowing that he would lose the disability payment.

And Ken.  Well.  Two wars.  Korea and Vietnam.  Hundreds and hundreds of missions.  Two Distinguished Flying Crosses and the Bronze Star.  Air medals, etc.  Hit many, many times but somehow got back.  (A couple of planes that he returned to home base were trashed because they were so badly ground-fire damaged.)  Also, the North Koreans  would hang wires from mountain top to mountain top and the pilots were so heavy with 500 pounders that they couldn't get high enough to miss them.  And of course, you couldn't see the wires.  Most who hit a wire were finished.  Ken hit one, bent the fuselage but got home.

I said yesterday, "Where do we get such men?"  I don't know.  But they keep coming.  And we keep sending them into harm's way.  God bless them.  And women as well.  My granddaughter Amy just got back from a tour in Afghanistan--four years, and now out.  Thank God she came home.

Wars and rumors of wars.  Will it never end?  I have six grandsons.  I certainly don't want any of them to get shot at.  However, I am proud of both my sons for serving.  Scott in the Marine Corps and Jon in the Navy.  We must pray for our leaders.  Leaders of all nations--that they will make better decisions.  "And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many."  Matthew 24:11  Lord, please give us the wisdom to recognize them.

I am writing this on Nov. 11.  Veteran's Day.  Thinking of all of the Marines that I have known and the sacrifices they made.  I am also thinking of the families of those Marines and how difficult it was (and is) for them to hold everything together at home when their Marine was deployed.

I am ashamed to say that, at the time, I never gave much thought at all as to how those deployments affected my children.  I was too busy holding down the fort.  When you grow up as a child of a Marine who is actively engaged in a career in the Corps, you don't know any other way to live.  You think your life is normal.

It isn't normal.  Just when you make a friend, you move.  Or they move.  We were always moving.  Two children were born in California.  Two in Virginia.  One in Oklahoma.  With many moves  in between.  There were deployments to Spain, Greece, Cuba, the Philippines, Japan, Korea, Viet Nam.  And always, we were left behind.  If the Marine Corps had wanted you to have a family, they would have issued you one.

So I grieve for the families of those who are deployed.  I honor those who serve.  It is a double edged sword of separation that bleeds in both direction.

When I went to Normandy and stood on the cliff overlooking the beach--the cliff on which the German pillboxes were set up--I could close my eyes and see the young boys drowning in the surf--weighted down with gear.  I could imagine them crossing the beach, trying to reach and climb the cliffs all the while being strafed by machine guns.

Where do such men come from?   God protect them.

I forgot to post this this morning.  Sorry.

When we went on our adventure last week, Pat--who is my horse-woman--took me to see the Clydesdale horses twenty miles west of here.  They won the World Championship this year in Ottawa.

When I stood up by one, his head rose at the least, another three feet above mine.  They are huge.  Probably nine to ten feet tall.  The only animal I have ever seen that is bigger is an elephant.  They are also very tolerant and placid.  Their feet are as wide as a person's head.  "Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body."  James 3:3  Even a horse that big can learn to obey.  James is saying that we, too, must come under control.

God has made wonderful creatures for us to enjoy.  "And God said, let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that has life, and birds that may fly above the earth in the open sky of heaven."  Genesis 1:20vrv

My dog Squig is probably my best friend right now because he is with me every moment of every day.  He is very loving and sweet.  He spends most of his day curled up in my lap, and every night under the covers on my feet.  Wherever I go, he is trotting along behind me.  I am thankful for him.

Science would have us believe that life sprang up all by itself from molecules that aren't alive.  How that happened, they don't have a clue.

But we know that He is the life.  In him is life.

I am truly amazed at how many people around the world are reading what I write every day.  My daughter Becky has some wonderful friends in Paris who read it.  Christophe, and his wife Carine.  He manages a hotel that Becky always uses when she takes groups to Paris.  I've stayed at that hotel a few times when I have gone with her.  I dearly love the little street that it is on.  And the people are wonderful. I understand why Cole Porter wrote "I Love Paris...".

My grandson called me today and said, "Grandmother, I will never forget something that you once told me.  You told me that there are three questions that a person needs to ask someone who is searching for meaning in life." So I asked him what they were. (I had forgotten the conversation.)

"First, ask, do you believe that there is 'something' out there.  Second, ask if that 'something' would try to communicate with you.  And third, ask how do you think that 'something' would do that?"

Of course, when he told me the questions, I remembered.  I still use those three questions to open dialog with people who are searching for God.  The current buzz word is "spirituality."  People like to say that they are spiritual.  Whatever that means.  Believing that there is a supreme God, however, means that you are accountable to Him.  You have to answer to him, not to your current guru.

"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows his handiwork.  Day unto day they utter speech, and night unto night show knowledge.  There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.  Their message is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world..."   Psalms 19:1-4

There is something out there.  It's God.  And He has communicated with us.  "God...spoke in times past...by the prophets..has in these last days spoken to us by his Son..."  Hebrews 1:1-2

On December 24, of 1924, there was a horrible fire at the Babbs-Switch one room schoolhouse near Hobart, Oklahoma.  Many children were killed when a Christmas tree caught on fire.  There were bars on the windows--secured from the outside--and only one door.  Which opened in, not out.  Escape was practically impossible.  The tragedy prompted a new law that required two doors in all of the schoolhouses, and required that all doors had to open out, not in, so that if people piled up at a door, it wouldn't trap them.  Now, all public buildings have doors that open out.

I knew about this first hand, because Ken's mother was hired the next year (1925) as the replacement teacher for the new school.  When she talked about it, you could hear the sadness in her voice.  She knew those people.  As I recall, Ken's dad was the preacher at Hobart's Baptist church at that time, so all of the families at Babbs-Switch and Hobart were close.

Friday, Tom and Pat took me to El Reno to the museum (which was truly wonderful).  One of the exhibits was a one room school house that had been moved to the grounds of the museum.  It was very typical of all of the one room schoolhouses of the day.  The sign over the door said "1906-1936, Possum Holler'." As expected, the doors opened in.  There were signs at the front of the room that listed rules for the teacher, and students.  Infractions by the students were given, along with the number of licks for breaking that rule.  One of them was:  Dirty fingernails, 2 licks.

The desks were just like the ones that were in my first grade class-room.  Inkwells and all.  And a chart of the alphabet in Palmer penmanship (developed in 1888) on the wall.  I hear that the schools are discarding penmanship.  That is really sad.  My great-grandchildren won't be able to read Ken's letters he wrote me from Viet-Nam.  That will be a loss.

We can't go back.  However,  back then, children learned to read, to write, to do arithmetic, to get along with others and to follow the rules.  The older children helped the younger.  And there was a Bible in every classroom.  All moral questions had an answer in God's Word.  Without it, we have no compass to guide us.

When Ken went overseas to Japan, or somewhere East one time, he was gone for thirteen months.  We couldn't afford to phone.  It was before social media, so letters were our only form of communication.  "What do you want me to bring back for you?" he asked.  "I have no idea," I answered.  "But there is one thing I know I don't want and that is anything fur.  I don't really like fur."

When he returned, he had bought a huge duffel bag and filled it full of presents.  "I've got birthday's, Christmas, Mother's day and everything in between covered for at least five more years, " he said.

I just grinned at him because I knew he wouldn't last a week.  He would want to give it all to me right then.  He didn't last the day.  There were silk dresses, beaded sweaters, pearls, and dozens and dozens of other things.  And a mink stole.  "You bought me fur...because...?

"All the other guys bought their wives mink.  I didn't want you to feel left out."

Flash forward.  (I've already told you this story, but it is a good one about gifts, so I will tell it again.) Ken had gone to Spain for three months.  I was irritated with him for some reason when he left--I have no idea why.  I wrote him a letter, and told him that I was going to cut the mink up and make potty seat covers out of it.  (Surprise.  I have faults.)  I expected to win whatever argument we were having--you would think I would remember, but I don't.  But no.  He took my letter and posted it on the bulletin board in his office.  (He was the commanding officer)

So every time anyone got sent in with "women" problems, he would point them to my letter and say, "Son, we all have problems with women.  You will just have to stick it out until we go home."

When they got back, I couldn't figure out why the troops were pointing at me when they got off the ship.  "That's her."  You could read their lips.

I still have the mink.  I didn't cut it up.  I wore it once to the Marine Corps Ball and then gave it to Pat.  She wore it to the opera in Tulsa a bunch of times and gave it back to me last year.  I have it hanging in my closet where I can see it every time I open the door.  I don't wear it, but I like to touch it.  It reminds me of how lucky I am.

I never particularly liked the kind of presents that men usually give to women.  Roses, candy, fur, jewelry, etc.  I didn't need that kind of "Wooing."  All my girlfriends thought that I was nuts, but for me,  I would much rather have the gift of "picking what I want."  I always loved it when Ken went shopping with me and I picked out what I wanted.  My tastes are eclectic.

I took that "Love Language" test and realized that I had a love language that didn't need gifts.  My love language is "Help Me."  I want someone to give me a hand with my projects.  When I was making raised beds for my vegetable garden, I went to the lumber yard, got the boards cut to size and the screws and corner braces.  And when I brought all that home, I could do it all except that I needed help holding the boards while I braced and screwed them together.  That kind of help with my projects beats candy and flowers for me any day of the week.  "Here, let me help you with that," are sweet words to me.  Having Craig and Becky help me hang drapes gets a star rating.  And Pat helping me unpack boxes.  And my sister Lisa helping me hang pictures.

Ken's greatest quality was generosity.  With everyone.  Not just me.  I could have had the roses, candy, etc.  It just wasn't my thing.   It was a good thing that I have the gift of frugality or things could have gone South.  Because whatever I wanted, he wanted me to have.

God is a generous giver like that.  When I went to bed last night and was saying my prayers, I went through the ACTS thing, (Adoration, Confession, Thanks) and when I got to Supplication, I couldn't think of anything to supplicate.  I'm not rich.  I'm not poor.  He has given me all I want or need.  The only thing I could think of, was to ask for the health of other people, and solutions for their problems.

"If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children (husband, wife, friends), how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?"  Matthew 7:11

I have been here for months with no drapes hung.  I can't put them up by myself, and haven't wanted to bother Craig (Becky's husband) since he is in the middle of a rehab on a house he bought.  But day before yesterday, I fed him filet mignon for dinner and he looked the windows over and made a plan.  (He would have done it without the filet.  It was his birthday and I cooked.)

Beggars can't be choosers!!  I am just thankful he is going to do them.  There is some sewing I have to do before they go up, and I am going to start that this week.  With drapes, this will finally be home.  My house in Pryor is under contract.  I signed the papers, and now we just have to pass inspection--which will not be a problem I don't think.

I called the realtor and told her that there was something that needed to be fixed that the inspector would not find--and that I would pay to fix it.  The back flow preventer (which is outside connected to the sprinkling system) is missing a part that wouldn't turn up as a problem until next spring.

The realtor seemed shocked that I told her about it.  I guess people don't point out problems if they can get out of it.  But I really want to believe that if I "...do unto others as I would that they should do unto me," that I can always do what is right.  I sure wouldn't want to go to heaven face the judgement over $300.

"Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord: but they that deal truly are his delight." Proverbs 12:22

"Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly."  Hebrews 13:18

"And as you would that men should do to you do you also to them likewise."  Luke 6:31

I want to live like that.

Last week when I went to Red Rock Canyon, I got to see something that I had only seen on Television.  Huge, huge, huge windmills.  Hundreds and hundreds of them stretched over fifty miles.  They probably went even further west than the distance that we drove.  It is so flat out west of Oklahoma City that "the wind comes sweeping down the plain."  There isn't anything to stop it.  So it is a perfect place for windmills.  (And dust storms.)

They are almost entirely silent.  But the power they generate is tremendous.  And clean.  It isn't like coal fired generating plants which spew out bad stuff.  (I lived next to one of those in Pryor.)

When I was a little girl, there were water wheels that generated power on farms lucky enough to have a stream running through their property.  I have wondered why the scientific world can't seem to come up with a cheap way to harness the power of the ocean tides and waves.  I know they are working on it, but so far it has proved to be too expensive to generate.

But the greatest power we have is at our fingertips.  As children of God, we can tap into His power.  He is the ultimate power over all the earth.

"For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he lives by the power of God.  For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you."  2 Corinthians 13:4

"And they were astonished at his (Jesus') doctrine: for his word was with power." Luke 4:32

"Who (Jesus) being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high."  Hebrews 1:3

God alone has the power to save us.  He alone has the power to grant our requests.  He alone has the power to forgive us our sins.  We have a powerful friend in God.  We are weak.  He is strong.

Years ago, there was a list of seven words that you couldn't say on Television.  Now there aren't any.  Most of them had sexual connotations.  But equally offensive to Christians was the blasphemy of God, Jesus, Christ, and Holy things.  Have your ever heard anyone say "Buddha damn" or "Allah damn?"  Of course not.  You never hear anyone swear in any name but our God and our Christ.  That is because there is no power in "...any name under heaven, given among men whereby we must be saved."  You can't blaspheme Allah, Buddah, or any other so-called god because they have no power.  There is only one God.  His name is Jehovah.  He is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

We have become a people with no culture.  "Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks."  I think our nation must be a nation with sewage in their hearts because that is what is coming out of their mouths.  I cringe when I hear those seven words on my television.  I hurt when I hear God's name taken vainly--lightly.

There is nowhere to go with bad words.  They've hit bottom.  The only thing someone can do now when they want to swear is to say the worst word they can think of over and over.  Bad words have lost all meaning.  I especially am sickened by the way women speak.   I think the concept of "She is a lady," has been lost.

It is a tragic condemnation on us that we have become so filthy mouthed.  There should never be that kind of language in the life of a Christian.   We need to be above such language.  We need to be an example to the world.

When I was growing up I never heard bad words.  People had class.  Now they don't.  It's a pity.  Even children use God's name lightly.  They repeat what they hear.  It is sad.

But let "...all uncleanness...not be once named among you, as becomes saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, not jesting...but rather giving of thanks."  Ephesians 6:3-4  That pretty much covers it.

My prayers are always very simple.  Every morning when I go down to the curb to get the paper, I look up and tell God, "Good job.  Awesome. That's a really pretty sky this morning."  Or if it is raining, "Thank's for the rain.  My plants and yard need it.  I appreciate your rain."  I don't have long prayers.  I just try to keep in contact with the Father.

Think of all the people all over the world that are speaking to Him at the same time.  It is a wonder that he listens to me at all.  But then, He is God.  He loves us every one.  Why?  I don't know.  

He is easy to love.  I don't think that we are.  He must be immensely patient.

In the Psalms, David had those same feelings of smallness.  He said to God:  "What is man that you are mindful of him? And the son of man that you visit him?"  Psalms 8:4

The writer of Hebrews felt exactly the same way because he quoted David in Hebrews 2:6  "But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man that you are mindful of him? or the son of man, that you visit him?"

I cannot imagine the bigness of God.  My mind is too small to comprehend that.  I end up reducing him to a throne and apologizing to Him for my inadequate imagination.

He is God.  He is huge.  Imagine that.

I am glad God has a sense of humor.  I have been quoting scripture to Him for weeks.  "Do you remember that you wrote....",  and, "Dear God, I think I need to remind you..."  All over selling a house.  I have looked up every "ask and you shall receive..." scripture in the Bible (Of which there are dozens) and brought them to God's attention over my house in Pryor.  It should have sold months ago.  My asking price is under the appraised value by a considerable amount because I just can't keep up with the long distance maintenance.

I can close my eyes and imagine God smiling at me.  "You have so little faith," He must be thinking.  Which is true.  I have short-term faith.  When I don't get what I ask Him for--now--I think I must be doing it wrong.  Saying the wrong words.  Praying amiss.  I start checking myself.

When all I need to do is wait.  I am a terrible waiter.  My patience factor is almost zero.

It's a good thing that God loves us or he would give up on us.  Even though we are His children, we are so imperfect.  Flawed.  When I pray, I almost always ask, "Lord, show me where I can do better, and then help me be better."   It is really easy to see where others can do better.  It is really hard to see that in yourself.

After I got home from Pryor yesterday, I got a call that the realtor had a signed contract for my asking price.  It will arrive today.  I will sign it.  The relief is unimaginable.  It is not the money, it is the effort involved in keeping two houses running.  Mowing, weeding, cleaning, mulching, etc.  When you are two and a half hours away, you just can't keep up with it--so you depend on others.  Who may or may not do their job.

Thank you God.  Sorry I questioned you.  I'll try not to do that again.

My grandson, Sam Jacks (early twenties) did something last month that we are all kinda proud of.  He had two 69 back to back golf rounds in a PGA qualifying event that now classifies him as a pro.    "I asked him, "What does this mean?"  He told me that now he can now get a job as a pro on a golf course.  "But, can't you go on with PGA and play tournaments?" I asked.  "And where am I going to get that kind of money?" he replied.

So I don't guess I am going to get to be the grandmother of a famous golfer.  But I am the grandmother of a super grandson.  He has a good heart.  But I think he will have to find a second job to have enough money to buy a bean or two.  (He has asked Tiffany to marry him.  She said yes!!)

His dad, Scott, got to OU on a baseball scholarship, but tore his shoulder and knee up and squashed his pro-dreams.  He should probably have gone on to the minor leagues when they drafted him.   But, I'm glad he didn't.  It isn't much of a life.  He went to the Marines (like his father) after he graduated from college.  Some of you probably think that that isn't much of a life either.  But I love the Marines. They are some of the finest young men I have ever known.  I would marry one all over again.

My house in Pryor still hasn't sold.  I am totally befuddled.  So are the realtors.  Tomorrow, I am going to go there and take a look.  I've hired a woman to keep it clean.  I've hired a man to mow.  Scott checks on it.  God must have someone in mind to buy it that doesn't have the money yet??

My grand-daughter-in-law is in the middle east for three months in a God forsaken place where she has to wear a burka.  She has a fabulous job--but.  And of course, Becky--my traveler--is going to see her. That will give me something to worry about.

Ken and I never thought about all the people that would be involved in our lives back in 1956 when we got married.  Children, grand-children, great-grandchildren, in-laws, out laws and whatever else. They certainly enliven my life.  I never know what they will do next.

I ate something last Saturday that tore me up.  I was so sick I thought dying might be preferable.  And just when I thought I might be getting better, I came down with a fever, aching joints, headache, etc., etc.  For the first time in my life, I was having a reaction to a flu shot.  It is still better than getting full blown flu.  I am starting to think I am going to live.  Not up to par yet, but a little better.

Being sick is such a waste of time.  I had a lot of things that I had planned to do today.  Instead, I spent the day in bed.  Stupid, stupid waste of time.

Friday, when I went to Red Rock Canyon, I climbed up an escarpment of rocks to get to the top of one of the cliffs where a maple was in full "orange and red."  And pick some leaves.  They were so very pretty.  Pat called the next day and said, "Mom, I am so proud of you.  You didn't let those rocks stop you."  It was probably stupid at my age, but she held onto me and up we went.  With Pat pushing and pulling and me saying, "This is stupid."  And Tom, who is still recovering from ten broken bones from his bicycle accident saying, "We can do it."  But I am glad I did it.  It was fun.  Pat is the one that took me down into the back ten acres of her farm to pick morel mushrooms.  In a dry gulley with trees rotting and lying on the ground everywhere.  And ticks and chiggers.  She keeps me young.

I love the world that God created.  There are so many interesting, and beautiful things to see.  You need to go see them when you are young.  God's world will make more of an lasting impact on your children than DisneyWorld.  I would love to see the Sequoias again.  And the Grand canyon, the Maine Coast and Yellowstone.  I would love to stick my toes in the Pensacola white sand.  I would like to drive through the painted desert again.  America has so many wonderful natural wonders.  One of the perks of military life is that you are always going across the land to somewhere else.

"He has made everything beautiful in his time: also he has set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God made from the beginning to the end."  Ecclesiastes 3:11.  You may not be able to find it all out, but you can try to see some of it.

Friday I went on an adventure.  Pat (and hubby Tom) wanted to take me to Red Rock Canyon to see the maples.  They are unique in this canyon in Oklahoma because this is the only place that they are indigenous.   I had a great time.  You are riding along west of Oklahoma City for an hour and a half on flat land.  Then you turn south at Hinton and suddenly the ground falls down into a Canyon.  Totally unexpected.  And very beautiful.

Wagons came this way on the southern trail to Oregon--and the ruts of the wheels are impressed in the rocks where they came down into the canyon looking for water.  I couldn't help but thank God that I was born in 1938 instead of 1838.  Those women had it so hard.  There were so many people that died on their way west.  I can't even imagine the hardships that they faced.

I sit in my house and watch TV, go to the fridge and get ice, turn on the stove and fry chicken, and draw water from a tap.  I turn on the lights with a switch and sleep on a mattress at night.  I take a shower in hot water and drive my car to the store for milk.  We take all of this for granted, but much of the world even in this century can't even imagine these luxuries.

I thank God that he decided to put my soul in a body born in America.  In a Christian family.  In a little town.  And yes, in Oklahoma.  I've lived all over the US and Oklahoma is home.  The people here are for the most part good to each other.  And they still go to church, feed the poor, tithe their incomes and mow their lawns.  (Most of them)

I could have been born in a war torn place in the middle of Africa and be holding a dying, starving baby in my arms.  Wondering where our next meal will come from.  How I will get water.

"Every good and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights in whom there is no variableness neither shadow of turning."  James 1:17

How in the world did I miss the fact that archeologists who were looking for ancient ships and artifacts from the stone age in the Red Sea found stacks of human bones--and identified them as an army from the period during which Moses and the Israelites were escaping Egypt and the Pharaoh.  Armor, chariots and hundreds of bodies.

I try to keep current with this kind of stuff.  I love it when archeologists corroborate the truth of the Bible.  I love it that many of them keep an Old testament in their hip pockets.  The record of the Jews is the most comprehensive historical record of a people that the world has.

I have never understood why the community of non-believers are so eager to say that the cities and kings and wars recorded in the Old Testament aren't true.  Over and over again every year, archaeologists have dug up validating evidence of the events recorded in the Bible.  You would think that the events of the Bible would eventually get through to non-believers that the writers from the Old Testament did not scheme to write lies and to do it consistently over thousands of years.  There was no conspiracy.  What would have been the point?  They wrote what they knew.  They wrote about their God.  They wrote as God told them to write.

"God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spoke in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Has in these last days spoken unto us by his Son..."  Hebrews 1: 1-2a

The Old Testament is the story of God creating man with whom He could fellowship.  And God's plan to restore his creation by sending his Son as the ultimate sacrifice for sin.  Every Old Testament book looks forward to a day when the Messiah would come.  All the prophecies in those books point to Jesus as the Christ.  Those writers could never have come up with over seventy prophecies that ultimately became the truth in one man.  It is statistically impossible

Validating the truth of the Bible is critical.  That is why we must always defend it with truth.

Last night when I went to bed, I lay there and apologized to God for being such a poor "prayer."  I can't think of what to pray about after asking for mercy for four of my friends who are having problems.  I always mention someone in my immediate family, but there are twenty-nine of them if I don't count nieces, nephews, aunts, and cousins.  There is no way I can concentrate for that long.

I am sure God understands my lack of focus.  But I wish I was a better "Prayer".  Someone suggested that I use the acronym "ACTS".  That way you can remember what you are trying to communicate without drifting off.
A:  Adoration.   I don't have any problem with this part of prayer.  The commandment to love the Lord your God with all your heart is a part of my being.
C: Confession.  I try to stay caught up on this.  I concentrate for the most part on having nothing to confess.  My desire is not to do anything wrong.  I work at it.  I don't want to embarrass God.
T:  Thanksgiving.  This usually takes awhile.  I have so much to be thankful for that I never get through my list.
S:  Supplication.  Asking for what I want him to do.  I usually get this part of the acronym out of order because--being human--it's all about me most of the time.  But when I find I am doing this, I go back to the other steps.

The part of prayer that I have never understood is that God tells us to ask for what we want.  But then he says we are to desire His will.  Sometimes God's will and my will aren't on the same page.  I want what I want.  And He is the only one with the power to give me what I want.

So I keep asking.  Maybe I will wear God down.  Jesus said:  "And all things, whatsoever you shall ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive."  Matthew 21:22

"...whatsoever you shall ask in my name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  If you shall ask anything in my name, I will do it."  John 14:13-14

Three conditions:  1.  In His will,  2.  Believing He will do it, and  3.  In Jesus name.   Getting all three of those things going at the same time is difficult.

I am in my late seventies.  Thank God I still have my mental faculties.  (Or at least I think that I do.)  Given pain, or a clear mind, I'd choose the pain--if I had to choose.  One thing that is interesting is that my hair is still brown.   I have never treated or colored it in all those years.  My daughter Pat, on the other hand turned silver in her twenties.  Our genes determine those kinds of things.  My dad had black hair into his nineties.  Many of the Danish and Norwegians have a white streak in the middle of their hair.  Some people are black, some white.  Some have slanted eyes, some don't.  But we are all of the same species, and easily identifiable as such.

Brown eyes are more common than blue eyes because the gene for brown eyes is dominant.  Given that Ken was blue eyed, he had to have had two genes for blue eyes.  (If he had one blue and one brown gene, he would have been brown eyed since brown is dominant).  I must have one brown and one blue gene because even though I am brown eyed, one of our children is blue eyed.  Which means that between Ken and I there was a one in four chance for a blue eyed child.

Regardless of our physical differences, we are all identifiable as human beings.  We aren't frogs.  We aren't chickens.  We are people.  The word "evolution"--which simply means "change"--has taken a bad rap among Christians who are Creationists.   What they should be objecting to is "Evolution Theory."  That concept takes more faith than is scientifically even reasonable.  You have to believe first of all that something can come from nothing.  Then you have to believe that things get better and better--which violates all scientific facts.  Especially the two laws of Thermodynamics.

 "The invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made...they are without excuse...professing themselves to be wise, they became fools."  Romans 1: 20-22.  This verse is followed by the most terrible verse in the Bible--in my opinion.  "Wherefore, God...gave them up...they changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator...".  God gave up on them.

I went out to get the paper this morning and looked up into the dark sky at the stars.  God's stars.

I have been going to Physical Therapy.  They torture you for an hour and when you leave you think you are going to die.  I'm not sure how causing you severe pain is the cure for the pain you started with.  The general consensus is that I am not moving enough, and not stretching my I-T band.  Whatever that is.  I think they are probably right.  Once the planting and gardening season is over, I tend to sit and read.  I think of September to March as the "reading" season.

The big problem with the entire PT scene is that they send you home with exercises to do.  I detest doing exercises.  So...they torture me, I end up hurting worse than when I did when I went to PT, and then I have to do stuff I don't want to do.

Sometimes you have to do things you don't want to do to accomplish a greater good.  I don't think any of us like to do that.  That is why some people never make any progress in their lives.   They never grow.  Think of all the time you spent learning to add, subtract, etc.  Boring.  But the end result is that you can function with numbers for the rest of your life.

I learned to type in the tenth grade.  Horrible.  Hour after hour of tedious exercises to trick the brain into using a particular finger to type a particular letter.  But now, I can type 65+ words a minute without ever looking at my fingers.  And all that piano practice for an hour a day for years.  You get my drift.

The reward of practice is perfection.  Read your Bible.  It is a practice that leads you into the perfection that God intended for you.  No, you won't ever be perfect, but you will be better.  Our goal is to be pleasing to God.  It is the effort, not the result that he blesses.