Sunday, January 25, 2015

Forth Coming Explanations

My last post might have caused querulous scratching of heads and puzzled looks, so this is a bit of an explainer, with hopefully clearer understanding.
My premise is that we are shaped by the events, good and bad, that happen to us in our lifetimes. We can be 'warped', as in turned, twisted from what we were to what we are. Sometimes the warping can cause us to Loop.
In the center of the picture on the last post is the image of a young woman whom I described in the comments as being 'half my age with twice my IQ' which may sound funny, but is pretty much true.
Without personal details, she (who will remain unnamed), by the are of 18 had already been 'warped' by the death of her father. It hurt her, changed her in some ways which are part of her still.
I have been warped also-for the last five years of his life, my father had progressively worsening dementia. My mother and I took care of him, shooting him with insulin, keeping him healthy, doing all of what goes with such a condition.
Yeah, it warped me. It was a relief when he died; what we didn't know was that my Mother would pass a few months later.
Moving away from personal experience, here's what I meant by the looping.
A person drinks alcohol to excess. Warp.
The alcoholism destroys his life, affects his family relationships, job performance, warping him until he's so twisted up that it is all he can do to survive another day.
He tries to stop drinking, but falls back into drinking time after time. Loop.
Loop. Loop.
Sometimes there are no happy endings.



Saturday, January 24, 2015

Warp And The Loop


Mune. As in not im-mune.
Often here at FDW I point out the differences between Christians and everyone else-differing beliefs, world views and...um...
destinations.
But we have common ground, as, according to Genesis, God formed us out of dirt. We ARE common ground.
We begin knowing nothing; the wisdom that we accumulate through our lives helps define who we are, opposed (usually) to who everyone else has become.
We clique together with those we share commonalities with.
But.
One heartfelt commonality: we all want to do well, to make it through life with as few catastrophes as possible.
Not easy.
For some, impossible.
But we try.
Life events (which are Life) Warp us. Good events or bad, we are turned, bent, warped by what happens throughout our lives.
And sometimes the warp turns us so greatly that we Loop, going round and around the same old difficulties with the same tired results.
We all share that common-reality.
Mune. Muse. Hope.
As I've gotten older,  the loops are more infrequent, and the warping seems to have been sanded down (by Life. Again) to the point where I am straighter than I was, traveling a less convoluted road.
But I'm not immune to the warping and looping-none of us are.
But I got HERE, when and where I am in 2015 only by the Grace of God.
May He do for you what He is doing for me.




Sunday, January 18, 2015

Cookie Cutter Christians Need Not Reply

Heard the term 'cookie cutter Christians' today-I understand the concept represented, but in my life I have never met one.
The diversity of peoples whom God has saved is remarkable.
There is no superior Race.
No gender supremacy.
All have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God so guess what?
We all are dependent not on our color or gender or strength or mental prowess
or any other discriminating "thing" by which the world measures success.
We Christians all share the same label:
Saved by the Grace of God.
Now, in this present age, we are all different.
But one day we will all be together in Heaven, our impurities and failings washed away.
We will all be alike. Conformed to the image of Christ.
May that Day arrive soon.





Friday, January 16, 2015

The Past Relax (vs) The Present Tense

Norway. That's what the picture on the interwebs said, that this is a picture of Norway.
I would love to visit Norway as I am now, with time and money enough to really SEE it.  When I visited as a young sailor, I couldn't get out of my own way, as I was a troubled kid.
Possibly it is a feature of muddled-age, but I no longer worry about events that happened in the past.
I can't change them.
I can't revisit events or ages.
Good or bad, they have no claim on my life now.
Some (poor, unhappy) people expend mucho emotional currency trying to 'change' or 'get over' the past. And fail. Hit the wall of emotional bankruptcy.
One of those 'inspirational sayings' allegedly quotes Babe Ruth:
"Yesterday's home runs don't win today's games."
Yah. And whatever may have hurt you in the past can't hurt you now IF you don't let it. Because it's In the PAST.
Today is problemathmatical enough (events seems crazy bad, nothing adds up).
But today is only tomorrow's yesterday, and sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.






Sunday, January 11, 2015

Stand Or Kneel

Purported to be a picture of Paris right now, a demonstration (opposite of angelstration) of unity in the face of attacks by Islamic terrorists.
It's easy over here, sitting in my computer chair, to denounce Islamic murderers, and to claim that I stand with those in Paris.  I do so right now.
Here's one for you paganistas out there: If standing strong against Islam meant that you must join arms and stand together with Christianity...all the while opening yourselves up to charges of religious bigotry, of being hateful towards someone based on their religion...could you do it?
France is part of the alleged "Post-Christian Europe", with empty churches
and populations too 'evolved' to need religion.
Well, they are getting a whole bunch of religion stuffed down their throats,
and whatever issues the French people had with Christianity pale into insignificance compared to the "Submission" under which Muslim controlled peoples live. Submission which France might be less than a generation from seeing as a reality.
Could it happen here?
Could Islam plants it's flag (metaphorically speaking) not only over Europe, but also the United States?
I think so.
According to Scripture, 'all the nations of the world' will be brought together against the Lord-read Psalm 2 for just one example.
At that time, whichever civilization or portion thereof "owns" whichever lands is moot-the entire world will be united against Christ, unified in attacking
Israel and Jerusalem (Now who does that sound like?).
The good news, as far as we Christians are concerned, is that Islam and all others who oppose God will be defeated by God when He returns and sets up His New World Order, sitting enthroned in Jerusalem.
But, what do we do now? How to answer an implacable  FOE of over a billion adherents who would rather die than see Islam defeated? Or even insulted?
Right now, stand with Paris. Denounce Islam as a false religion; if you feel that all religions are false, remain constant in your character and refuse to kneel before Islam. Loudly. I'll be doing the same.




Wednesday, January 07, 2015

At It Again 2015 woo hoo!!!

Didn't expect to have my first post of the year be about more Islamic terrorism-France is the new battleground.
 I've been at this awhile-I joined in on the previous "Draw Muhammed Day".
                                                       Sorry-nothing this time.
The satirical magazine that got the Islumic murderers all hot and bothered
mocks ALL religions. Christianity, too.
But you know what?
I ignore such stuff. It doesn't bother me because I expect 'the world' apart from Christ to be mockers, haters, etc.
"17Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. 
18If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. 
19Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. 
20“But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 
21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." Romans 12:17-21 

 I may not appreciate my God being mocked, but I would be wrong to start a holy war against the mockers/haters. 
I'm leaving room for the wrath of God. He will repay.