Month: October 2016

There is a God

Afternote: This has been a significantly difficult post to write. When typing words, they morphed into completely different words than I was typing. As I  have gone back to re-read this, I have found words and odd misspellings randomly interspersed throughout. Why? I can only guess, but I expect that it the enemy doing his best to undermine my efforts to glorify God. Satan, GET BEHIND ME. Jesus is my Joy and my Salvation! 

  “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” – Genesis 1:1 (http://bible.com/116/gen.1.1.NLT)

THERE IS A GOD.

He defies explanation and description.

How do I know there is a God? Easy. I open my eyes and look around me. I close my eyes and listen to the symphony of His creation. I reach out and touch. Babies have a distinct smell and their skin is incredibly soft. The various types of fur and hair of the animals is almost like a signature, and the plants of the earth are distinctive in smell and touch. Even the earth itself, from the highest mountain peaks with their rocks and crags to the deepest valleys; soft sandy beaches and the endless plains to the darkest forests…. add the warm dark loam of a fertile river valley and the smell that can overwhelm your senses.

Look at the stars and the planets. Hold a baby. Pet an animal. Hug someone. See the flowers and grasses and trees and rocks and sands of the earth. Look in a microscope. Can you say where it all of this came from? Very intelligent people maintain the “Big Bang Theory” – and I love the show by the way – but my question to them is this: where did the ‘ingredients’ for the Big Bang come from? If 2 atoms colliding made all this, where did the atoms come from? Who made them?

The “Big Bang” is a theory. Evolution is a theory. A theory defined is “… possibly true … but not proven to be true …” Although I respect the intelligence of the scientists who believe this theory to be true, I challenge them to prove the theory so they can stand on fact, rather than standing on supposition. I stand on the reality of this earth. God created this incredible universe and all that it contains, including us humans with all of our senses. In addition, He set us to be in charge of the care of the earth and all of its inhabitants . … and we aren’t doing a very good job being caretakers. It seems that if we could take the energies of all the people who spend their days trying unsuccessfully to prove God doesn’t exist, and channel that energy into ways to save our planet, we would all be much better off!

Whether or not you agree, GOD exists. Not a god, but GOD, the God of the Universe. Creator of all things. The reason bad things happen is because as humans with free will we have chosen to live outside of God’s Love and Mercy and Grace. When we are outside of His shelter, we are susceptible to the lies and coercion and manipulation of the enemy of God, who is Satan. So live your life as you choose to today, but remember this fact: Jesus is returning, and we don’t know when it will happen. Our lives can end in an instant – no matter how healthy or carefully we live, we can die at any time. 

So, how will you live? What do you choose? Who do you choose? A theory that cannot be proven, or the awesome creation around us and the Creator of it all; the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? I choose God.

  “For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for Him and how you have shown your love to Him by caring for other believers, as you still do.” – Hebrews 6:10 (http://bible.com/116/heb.6.10.NLT)

AMEN.

From a Pinkish-tan, Hillbilly born, Native American

​If I don’t manage to offend you with this post, well….. it ain’t for lack of speaking the truth! African-American, Native-America, Greek-American, Russian-American, Chinese-American, Vietnamese-American Mexican-American. Black skinned, yellow skinned, brown skinned…. Everybody has to be treated with kid gloves so we don’t inadvertently offend someone. Heaven forbid! I take issue right off the bat with being called “white.” The only white humans (or animals, for that matter) are albinos, who are white due to lack of pigmentation in the skin and hair. I’m so sorry to disappoint, but I am not white.

Oh HELL yeah I’m gonna rant! I am so sick of all the ridiculous, I’m-so-scared-I’m-gonna-offend-somebody, political correctness going on. People! There is ONE race! ONE! It’s called the HUMAN race! ONE people! Cut us, and we ALL bleed the same. Peel away the skin, and we are all built the same! Check our DNA, and we ALL come from the same ancestors! God spoke and here we are:

Then God said, “Let Us make human beings in Our image, to be like Us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.” So God created human beings in His own image. In the image of God He created them; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.” – Genesis 1:26‭-‬28 NLT (http://bible.com/116/gen.1.26-28.NLT)

I am a pinkish-tan human, female in gender, born in the U.S. of A. My parents were born in America, and so were their parents. I think I have to go to the great-great great-greats or even further back to get to the generations that immigrated here from Ireland,  Scotland, England, Wales… and others. That makes me a Native-America, right? It doesn’t take anything away from anyone else to claim my birthright does it?

You want to know what offends me? Probably not, you’re saying, but I’m going to tell you anyway. It offends me deeply when I have to check a box and choose what kind of American I am on applications. I am deeply offended that I have to “Press 1 For English” during a phone call. I am offended that I have to pay higher and higher taxes so that people who are perfectly able to work collect welfare and government assistance – they can stand in line at the grocery store with their manicured nails and tattoos and hair extensions with a basket full of steaks, when I work hard just to try to make ends meet. It offends me beyond description that so many of our elderly and our veterans are subsisting, or are homeless, but we sent billions in aid to other countries, and reward illegal immigrants with food and homes.

What is going on, America? When did it become okay to disrespect our flag and what it stands for? How did we reach the point where rapists and murderers in prison are treated better than our parents and grandparents? There are so many things that offend me, but because I am a pinkish-tan human who happened to be born in America, I’m not allowed to be offended. So, from a pinkish-tan, hillbilly born, native AMERICAN…… that’s my rant for tonight.

“Then if My people who are called by My Name will humble themselves and pray and seek My Face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.” – 2 Chronicles 7:14 NLT (http://bible.com/116/2ch.7.14.NLT)

Ah, the blessings of insomnia! 

9am

“Oh what a beautiful mornin’

 Oh what a beautiful day

 I got a wonderful feelin’

 Everything’s going my way”

The chorus from Gordon Macrae’s play, Oklahoma! describes how I feel this morning. Despite being without a job for the past 5 1/2 months, my savings depleted, and my unemployment benefits having run out last week, I am confident that God is in control of my life. He just showed me a red-headed woodpecker in the neighbors tree, and up until about 2 minutes ago, it has been quiet and peaceful. (The neighbors dogs started fighting – again – which causes all of the dogs around us, including mine  to become agitated and start barking. It’s annoying and scary at the same time because one dog sounds as if it is being mauled. Lots of yelling and hitting sounds usually follow…..)

By 9:30, it’s quiet again. Just me and God and my little boys in my lap, gently rocking in the old wooden swing. I wonder what is going to happen in my life. Hundreds – literally – of applications submitted…. and nothing. God has a plan; I just don’t know what it is. Pray with me on this? Today’s scripture is so appropriate:

“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” – Matthew 6:34 NLT (http://bible.com/116/mat.6.34.NLT)

Amen.

And All of Creation…

I am Blessed. Even though I am still unemployed  (and actively looking for work!), last week I was able to go to Colorado and New Mexico with my best friend. All of God’s beautiful creation spoke to us throughout our trip.

    “Then God looked over all He had made, and He saw that it was very good! And evening passed and morning came, marking the sixth day.” – Genesis 1:31 NLT

Not only did we enjoy virtually perfect weather, we were there very close to the peak of the aspens turning gold, and saw a tremendous amount of wildlife. From butterflies to bison, valleys to mountain peaks; from racing rivers to desert. Incredible. How is it even possible for anyone to see the leaves changing colors on the plants and trees, or the breathtaking scenery of the mountains and valleys, or the variety of wildlife, and not believe in the Creator God??? AmNot believing is something I just can’t comprehend!

“And all of creation sing with me now

Lift up your voice and lay your burden down

And all of creation sing with me now

Fill up the heavens let his glory resound…”

(The Artist is MercyMe, from the album: The Generous Mr. Lovewell )

Listen to the song. I love to sing it out loud:”And ALL of creation sing with me now…” That’s what I felt was happening as we drove through all of this amazing country. When we actually open our eyes to the world around us, and open our ears to experience it, it can blow our minds. One stop we made was between Cimarron NM and Pagosa Springs CO so that we could step off the road and be close to the river. Even being so close to the road, the water running over the rocks made it so easy for me to tune out the modern sound of traffic,  and immerse myself in the sounds and colors and smells and the feel of the air as it poured over me. Powerful.

These are words I use to describe our God: Blessed, beautiful, perfect, incredible, breathtaking, amazing, powerful… when we immerse ourselves in God, He overwhelms us with His Grace and His Mercies.

Are you immersed and overwhelmed today?