I've heard a large number of speakers in my lifetime.  Some have interesting subjects, but a horrible delivery.  Some have a great ability to deliver a speech, but nothing to say.  I heard a speaker last year where the guy who spoke had a terrible delivery style--really no style at all--really horrible, and had absolutely nothing to say.  That was the worst I've had to endure.

But every now and then, a rarity occurs.  You get to hear a superb speaker with a great delivery style who also has something to say that is interesting.  Last night I got to listen to a speaker like that.  I already knew the subject he was speaking on, however, he was so interesting to listen to, so fresh in the way he spoke, that he had my attention for the entire thirty minutes that he was speaking.

Holding someone's attention for thirty minutes is hard.  When I was a full time teacher at a college, (math) I programed fifteen minutes of talk and thirty minutes of hands on instruction.  Talking, and getting people to listen, is hard to do.  Showing them how to do it is easier.

Last night the speaker talked about the ways that people learn things.  I knew the subject--having lived with a Sociologist--Ken, after he retired from the Marines.  The speaker reiterated six ways we learn with interesting examples for each category.  Experience, knowledge we learn from experts in a field, reading, intuition, the five senses, common sense with reasoning, and revelation.  I knew these under different titles.  And am not completely sure that there aren't others.

But one thing I took away was his definition of wisdom.  Knowledge, gleaned from what we learn, needs to be coupled with understanding before it can produce wisdom.  What we do with the knowledge is what is important.  I'm sure you have all had teachers who knew a lot about their subject but didn't have a clue how to apply it to life.  I surely have had a few teachers like that.

I am reminded of the verse in Proverbs 4:7 which says, "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all your getting, get understanding."  It isn't what you know that saves you, it is understanding what to do with it.  Knowing everything ever written about Jesus is interesting, but understanding what you know, and accepting it into your life is the key to wisdom.

Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law. For I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding (Proverbs 4:1-7).Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law. For I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding (Proverbs 4:1-7).

Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law. For I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding (Proverbs 4:1-7).Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law. For I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding (Proverbs 4:1-7).Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law. For I was my father’s son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding (Proverbs 4:1-7).


Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding (Proverbs 4:1-7).Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding (Proverbs 4:1-7).
Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding (Proverbs 4:1-7).

So, I'm addicted to lipstick.  What are you addicted to--I hope nothing that is damaging your body.  I hear that prescription opioid addiction is rampant in America.  Which reminds me of what they say about the fall of Rome.  It fell from within.  Rotted from the inside out.  And fell.  The way to conquer America is to wait.  We will die from the inside out if we don't get back to the principles we were founded on.  One nation under God.  His principles.  His priorities.

I can't help but remember that Rome began to use mercenaries to fight their wars.  We are now doing the same thing.  If you will sign up,  the government will pay you.  We have been in undeclared war for 14 years(?).  Those who are fighting it are not from a national draft.   And that being said, they are the only ones who have any skin in the game.  The rest of America just goes on doing what they have always done.  And the war goes on and on.

And those who sign up, go back, and go back--again and again.  They eventually get hurt, killed, quit, or end up with Ptsd.  Mercenaries.   Hired to do a job.  They end up being patriots who are not appreciated for the job they have done because the rest of America has no stake in the war.  Our sons have not been drafted.  We are free to go about our business.  Institute the draft and you will get the attention of every mother, father and 18 year old person in America.

The last time we had the draft, we were fighting a war in Vietnam.  The politicos thought that if we didn't get over there and fight that a "domino effect" would take place and that China and communism would move to take over all of those mid east countries.  The government drafted our young men to fight a war that we should not have been in.  And there was revolt on college campuses in America.  Young, 18 year old people changed the politics of our government.  We got out of the Vietnam war.  And communism didn't move in.  Neither did China.

Now, our business seems--more and more--to be addiction.  Addiction to things, drugs, sports, stuff, politics, money, sex, power--and on and on and on.   Entitlement.  We deserve all these things because we are Americans.  We have put our government into debt up to the hilt.  Trillions.  And China holds the paper.  They probably won't even have to fire a shot.  We have spoiled, glutted ourselves on God's blessings, and have discarded the God part of the equation.

Yesterday, I was getting ready to go out, and noticed that my current lipstick was at it's end.  (I use a brush to get the last bit out.)  So I opened the lipstick drawer to get another tube.  Yes, I said drawer--there's a bunch of tubes of lipstick--they need their own drawer.

I started using lipstick back when I was in the 8th or 9th grade, and through the years have purchased the latest color, hue, shade--whatever--that guaranteed to make my lips luscious.  Which, of course, never happened.  So by now, I have tried a zillion tubes of lipstick.  Which goes to show that a woman will believe anything that is guaranteed to make her look beautiful, pretty, attractive or just "better."  And of course, I couldn't ever throw any of those tubes away--it would mean I had given up.

And in addition to all the lipsticks I bought, back when my mom died I cleaned out her things because my dad couldn't bear to do it, and sure enough there were umpteen zillion tubes of lipstick in her lipstick "drawer."  Estee Lauder--gift with purchase items, etc., which had never been used.  So naturally I couldn't let them go to waste.  I took them home and added them to the lipsticks in my drawer.  Red, pink, mauve, umber, bronze, gloss, etc., etc., etc....

Well, yesterday, when I dipped into the drawer, I realized that even though I had bought two new lipsticks this year, there were only twenty or so lipsticks left out of the dozens and dozens and zillions that had accumulated through the years.  I had determined some time ago not to buy any more until I had used up the ones I had left--I do have a little will power.  (Yes, I bought two more this year, but they promised to make me look young again--what was I to do?)

I have been using up all those lipsticks for the last twenty years or so.  And was able to reduce the total to a manageable number, and yesterday, I gave up the designated drawer--so it could be used for something else.  And from all that, I have learned one important fact.  Lipstick doesn't work like the advertisements say it will.  But I heard the other day that there is a new kind out that may do it trick.  It's called a stain.  And I'm not going to buy it.

I am in lipstick recovery.

  

I found out that the Oklahoma Metropolitan Library in OK City will mail books free to senior citizens who are over 65.  All you have to do is call and enroll.  I have been receiving books by mail for a few weeks now and have already read over 20 books.  They even pay the postage.  Great service.

I love murder, mystery and mayhem.  And like for the book to have redeeming qualities as well.  And I am totally sick of the new trend to use language that I think is beneath my idea of intelligent communication.  So finding an author that I like is difficult.  Of course there is John Grisham--but I have read everything he has written already.

I ordered "Fahrenheit 451" yesterday.  I want to read it again.  None of the members in my Sunday class had ever heard of it!!  I was telling them that we are dependent for truth from the written accounts of those who have gone before us, and many times all we have are oral accounts--and Fahrenheit 451 is a classic on that subject.  I mentioned the book "Roots" as well, and only one person knew what I was talking about.  Am I ancient, out of date, or don't people read anymore?

I have to fit reading into everything else I am doing, but can usually read 3 to 4 books a week.  Reading is so much more satisfying than watching TV.  (Which I also do.  Mostly the news.)  I told you that my mom didn't make us do housework if we were reading, so of course, I always had my nose in a book.

I was reminded of my first experience of reading this week when I was working at the antique store, and because I didn't have anything to do most of the time, I picked up a comic book--Nancy and Sluggo.  I had completely forgotten about reading comics.  But pictures came into my mind of when we used to stack them up and meet the kids on our street and swap comics.  I bet I read a million of them.  Most of the ones I remember were from the 40's.

My mom just said, "Read."  So we did.  We read everything we could get our hands on.  We traded books as well as comics.  But the Bible is still my favorite.  Because it gives us a story that no other book can give.  Hope.  I just keep rereading it.  It never gets old.

I failed to mention when I was writing about the 23rd Psalm that we are likened to sheep over 200 times in the Bible.  And yet, we continue to behave as if we know everything.  By the time a person is into their mid to late twenties, it is hard to get their attention on the important things that God wants them to know and respond to.  Last week, over 25 young people in Bible school chose Christ.  And all of them old enough to understand and know what that meant.  "A little Child will lead them." is what the Bible says.  So true.

They say that it is an extreme rarity for someone over 40 to come to Christ.  Many times because they have strayed so far off the path that God wants them to follow that they don't know how to get back.  Their friends are not people who can help them get there.  They are" hardened" in their minds.  Unable to humble themselves and admit they have been wrong and need to repent and return to a God that loves them.  "...they will say...we are going to follow our own plans and...(they) will act according to the hardness of their evil heart."  Jeremiah 18:12

"For the heart of this people has become dull, with their ears they scarcely hear, and they have closed their eyes, otherwise they would see with their eyes, hear with their ears, and understand with their heart and return,  and I would heal them." Matthew 13:15

Sometimes those verses describe the reason people refuse God's mercy.  But sometimes  God's voice no longer reaches them.  Their ears no longer hear Him.  Their eyes no longer recognize Him.  And there comes a point that they reach a place...so far away...that they are blind and deaf and God gives up on them.

I have said before, that for me the most horrible verse in the Bible is Romans 1: 28, "And...as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them up..."  God gave up on them.  No hope.  No eternal future.  No ability to hear His voice or see his truth.  Utterly lost.

"...God gave them over to a reprobate mind to do those things which are not convenient..."  Things which are not moral in the eyes of God.  He left them to themselves.  "And every man did what was right in his own eyes."  If that is where you are, turn around.  "Seek me, and you will find me."

Yesterday was our last Bible School day.  Brady went home last night because his family is going to Dallas today.  And I can't go today...I have an appointment I made two months ago--but I still feel like a Bible School dropout.  (I feel like humming the Beauty School dropout tune from "Grease")

Sunday our lesson was on the 23 Psalm.  Piece of cake--right?  Well, even though I memorized it years ago, and must have taught the lesson who knows how many times, I learned some new things getting prepared for it.

I knew that sheep were dumb and that David was comparing himself (and you and I) to the sheep--who, left to themselves would end up dead.  And was saying that Jesus is the Shepherd that cares for us.  I knew that the sheep had to be hooked with the curve in the staff to be brought back into line.  I knew that sheep would chew the grass down to the roots rather than move to a green pasture where they would be better fed, (because their eyesight is only 15 feet), and that they needed "still" water so that they wouldn't get their wool soaked--which could drag them down and drown them.

What I didn't know was that if the shepherd had an errant sheep that kept straying, he would break one of the sheep's legs to keep him close to the herd so that the sheep wouldn't become prey for wolves, etc. Which, of course, is applicable to you and I when we keep wandering off into sinful practices.  God will do what is necessary--not because He wants to do us harm, but because He doesn't want us to do ourselves harm.

I also didn't know that when they had travelers who stopped and asked for a meal back then ("he prepares a table before me") that if you wanted the visitor to leave after they ate, you would fill their glass half full--and not refill it.  Which is a reference to the line, "...my cup runs over..." Because when you wanted the guest to stay and visit, you would fill their cup full, and keep it full.

I am always amazed at the new insight I receive every time I read scripture.  My cup runs over.

Chicken nuggets every day.  That's what Brady wants.  When we come home from Bible School, we have to stop at Chick Filet (Fillet?) first.  (I had never eaten there that I remember.)   I don't like chicken all that much--and every day, well, let's just say, I may not eat chicken again for a month or two.  Then we come home and Brady lets Squig and me take a nap--because Bible School is exhausting.  We run and jump and play at Bible School--and 5 year olds don't stop.  They are like the energizer bunny.  I am not.

The theme for the week has been the galaxy.   And how God created everything.  And how He created the first people.  Stars, moon, sun, animals...

The children liked the snake in the garden the best.  Of course.

To say the least, it has been an interesting week...I will be glad to get back to adults on Sunday.  But I couldn't help but be reminded this week of the scripture...

Proverbs 22:6,  "Train up a child in the way that he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it."  Which is such a comforting verse for a parent.  Especially when our children go astray from time to time.  The truth of God, that is put into their thoughts when they are young, is so important.  They always have a "fall back" position when they take a wrong path.  God will remind them.  God can lead them into righteousness if they know Him.  But we parents can lead them to God.

Brady has been singing our theme song and humming it under his breath after we come home each day.  It is in his thinking and memory.  "I love God, and He loves me..."

He helped me tie up the tomato bushes yesterday.  Singing.

I'm about sung out.  Today is our last day.  I'm going to miss him when he goes back home.