Looking Back In Peace At Peace

Not every year is shared here, but a few of my Fine Dry Wit posts from the end of Decembers. I was looking forward-now back. Enjoy.
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Tuesday, December 27, 2005

Year New Happy

I am Happy. My mood could be described as ‘cheerfully optimistic’ for the coming year. I know that God is working in our lives, taking care of His children, so I don’t fear the future OR the present. I wish more people could know the peace that God puts in the hearts of those who belong to Him. Even when circumstance encircles us with troubles, even what terrible things happen-we are sustained, because God loves us.
I am looking forward to 2006, just as I was 2005 a year ago. I enjoy life, and living at peace with God.

 Sunday, December 31, 2006

Safe Harbor

This post may confuse some of you out there, but bear with me. I’ll try to keep it short.
Just a few minutes ago a friend mentioned that she is “Not afraid to die.” and I know exactly what she means. There is no fear of death for a child of God. I do not want to live a single second longer than God has use for me on this earth.

{2018 note-she passed away two years ago, and is now in Heaven.}

 

Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Not Live Blogging The New Year

...I'm just here, and it's happening as I write this. 2008 was...off-putting. Even those who should be cheering like football ruggers seem to be quietly awaiting impending bad times.

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Once More and Forever, With Feeling

It has appeared here before, but this time, with this picture I am remembering a decade. I took this picture on December 31st, 2001. Ten years since, my life has changed dramatically-half my family has passed, I've changed careers, graduated from a business university, bought a house and am now living a quiet life. 

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Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Remonstrance Free

No argufighting today. No my facts vs yours. Keeping it simpler than easy:
As the world gets darker, we Christians are here to point you towards light.
We don't care what you've called us, or think of us.
Peace with God is not only possible for you, but it is the air which keeps us breathing.
Seek God, and find Peace.

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Once more, with feeling. Happy and at Peace with God no matter what happens. May God so Bless you this coming year.

Still Again For Once Always

Citizens of Earth!
Always we can trust in God.
Once more I have seen God working.
For He rules from Heaven and in our hearts.
Again and twice more again He makes Himself known.
Still.

Yeah Once More

So yeah, it happened again.
Friday after work I see a friend who invites me to the United Church free Supper, happens every third Friday o the month. Surprised her and myself by showing up-I sat with her son whilst she chatted at another table.
When I went through the line I thanked the lady serving the food, and it was a nice meal. I looked for and found a donation basket which was marked, "Donations are not expected, but are appreciated."
That's fine-something in the basket and was about to leave when I remembered that time when Christ cleansed 10 lepers, and only one, a Samaritan, came back and thanked him for the cleansing.
I went over and thanked the lady serving again, which was right.
So...what do you think Pastor's sermon text was today?
Luke 17:11-17.
Peace happens-the only true Peace-Peace with God.
Our reaction to that Peace?
Thankfulness.

VOTE With Your Heart AND Your Head

My friend and I (pictured above) encourage everyone to VOTE on Election Day!
Feel ffffrrreeeee!!!! to assume that every political advert that you've seen/heard has been full of subjective lies-candidates puff up their OWN accomplishments and denigrate their opponents. It's enough to make cry.
You needn't slough through the cesspool to get to the voting booth-take the high road and ignore the political Ish.
But vote, please. 
One vote each.
If you partook of 'early voting' and have already achieved your citi-Zen...don't show up at the polling station to attempt the double dip.
That's just criminally wrong. It would make you a bad person.
But everyone allowed to VOTE should. Too many populations of peoples on this planet have never had the opportunity to have a say in their governance-you may recall that that was THE major issue which brought about our own Declaration of Independence.
So VOTE! and be the better citizen. My friend and I thank you for reading.

Please Do Not Misunderstand

Please...PLEASE do not misunderstand this post!
I am using Amy Klobuchar as an example simply because she is my Senator, and so is known to me. 
Amy K is a Democrat, yes? 
A leader in the Democratic Party, well respected by her base constituency.
No argument so far, right?
PLEASE do not misunderstand the next part~
Amy K fully accepts the Democratic position on issues concerning the country.
But what if she didn't?
Pick an issue-LGBTQ, Immigration, Healthcare, Abortion...it doesn't matter which one you choose-if there were ANY single issue on which Amy K broke with the party...what would you think of her?
Remember, please-I am NOT suggesting that Amy K DOES disagree with any issue-I am asking a simple question: 
IF she DID...would your opinion of her change?
I am now arriving at the point of this post:
Any Democrat who does not toe the Party line, no matter how right they are on 99% of the issues...would be considered a turncoat, an enemy if they dared to disagree on any primary issue. 
I am not a Republican. I walked away from the party for my own reasons, one of which is that the Republican 'label' doesn't define who I am. 
I am a Christian.
There will be some who say, "We are Democrats AND Christians!"
Really?
Don't say that too loudly at the next meeting or you might find yourself labeled a turncoat.
At the very least you will be eyed with suspicion, and every statement you make going forward will be sifted and checked to see if you are one of 'Those'.
 

whadzit

 What is this?

Synchronized Yammering

Read on, wayward sons. There will be Peace. When we are done with all of the
confuserated assumpticatings, when we turn deaf to persifilagents, result: Peace.
Let your yes be yes and your no only mean no.
If the entire world keeps chorusing that there is no God, remember that their
synchronized yammering will one day fall silent before Him.
We cannot create our own Reality-we live in His.
And it's not a bad gig. 
"HEY!" you exclaim.
"The Lord is MY Shepherd! I have that psalm memorized!"
Yahbut, if your life says otherwise, there's another psalm:
 ^"12    Man in his pomp will not remain;      he is like the beasts that perish.
¹³    This is the path of those who have foolish confidence;      yet after them people approve of their boasts. Selah
  ¹⁴    Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol;      Death shall be their shepherd,      and the upright shall rule over them in the morning." Psalm 49:12-14

In a Perfect World

Simple. I won't spoil the movie for both of you who haven't seen it, but the film came to mind today as I was thinking about how different this world will be once
Christ returns and sets up His Kingdom in His city, Jerusalem. City of Peace.
Back to Serenity for a mome~ brave browncoats struggle against a 'Verse-wide totalitarian regime-think Luke/Leia VS the Empire and you've grasped the gist of what's gone on.
ALL of the problems faced by the heroes are caused by Men in Power behaving badly. Which sums up our world throughout History.
Nimrod behaved quite badly, and so has every wannabe Nimrod since his time-Alexander, Attila, Napoleon, Hitler-you've got the nod.
ALL of that nonsense ends when Christ returns.
How sure am I that this will happen? 100% positive, as I believe God, and He tells us in His Word that this is going to happen.
Then, at the time, we who are His will know perfect Serenity eternally. Mighty cool.

A Day Like A Day

Forgive, please-I was going to scribe of another subject, but it was kind of depressing. So I go another direction, having mentioned Ginger Rogers in conversation recently. Here she is, all kinds of beautiful. She was a 'triple threat', a term regarding her great talents as a dancer, singer and actress. They still said Actress back in her day, so deal.
Two of my favorite of her films: "Once Upon a Honeymoon" and "The Major and the Minor". In the second film Ginger's mother plays her mom. And Bob Benchley has a small role, which probably means little to anyone but me-you can also see him in Hitchcock's "Foreign Correspondent" from 1940. I have a dozen or so of his books, including "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea or David Copperfield". 
Bottom line-cherish those elements that make your day better, wherever you are found.

For Such a Time As This

Yes, really. Not that President Trump or Melania ARE King and Queen, but the story of  Esther points us to the fact that God is in charge of ALL nations and circumstance.
Mike Pence is not Mordecai, but he is a man of God placed in a position of power to benefit the nation.
Melania Trump is not Esther, but is wife to a man who holds great authority over both our nation and world.
President Donald Trump is not a king, but a servant. He serves God's purposes, as have all of his predecessors. He serves the people of our nation and world.
We look forward to the return of our true King, Jesus Christ, who will rule the nations and all of Creation. Until that wonderful Event...may God Bless and have Mercy on us all.

Tearing Up Chicken

Garlic chives. That's what started this dayventure.
I love soup. Soup is good and, if you do it right, financially sensible (cheap).
Stopped by the local Farmer's Market today and bought fresh Basil and garlic Chives from one of my besties. Beasties-whatever.
Right now I have a batch of two gallons of Chicken soup cooking on the stove.
I can take hours making soup, as it is therapeutic and fun. I especially like tearing up chicken for soup. Roasted chicken thighs, broasted chicken breast-it's all good.
Once soup is ready to portion up, it goes into the freezer and becomes the basis for many, many meals. I rotate Chicken, Split Pea soups and Chili.
This weekend my town celebrates "Heritage Days"-activities all weekend, the highlight being the Heritage Days Parade which took place this afternoon.
I need only walk two blocks over to watch the parade; I caught the beginning of it but needed to get back to my soup.
Hope that your weekend is just as fine as mine. Sunshine.

Evidence or Ever Dense

Those who do not believe in God make invalid assumptions about those of us who do believe.
They think that we are fools for believing in something we cannot see.
They think that we are wasting our lives praying to a god who isn't there.
They think that we are wrong.
As always, their self-interest causes them to dis-believe. 
If God is real, if His Moral Law is real, then their lives are wrong-they are sinful and wrong.
So they pretend that God is not real. 
"EVIDENCE! They cry. I would believe if there were PROOF, but there is no proof!"
Of course, their self-interest keeps their eyes shut-if they were to admit that such evidence existed, their card-house lives would tumble into ruin.
I have evidence which convinced me, 40 years ago. And I have now 40 years of being indwelt by God's Holy Spirit, which is more than enough Proof for anyone.
This morning I sat next to a seasoned saint over 80 years old.
In front of us was a little baby six months old.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
God Proved Himself to my friend way before I was born.
God will be there for that little baby when she is as old as my friend.
May God open your eyes and make Himself real to you.

WORLD IS BROKEN!

If you hate all of the troubles in your life, hate all of the troubles that you see in the world...it is all because of sin.
Your sin. The world's sin, in that the world is full of sinners.
You are part of a broken system which continues to fall further apart each sinful day.
But God's people are not part of your broken system-we've been redeemed, saved from it.
God still saves sinners, redeems souls from this broken creation to His better, fuller, perfect Creation.  
It's been said many times-the only Peace that lasts is Peace with God, and that
happens on His terms, not yours or mine.
Seek the Lord while He may be found.

Errant Perfumerists

Meet Chuck.
Chuck is one of 'those' Christians, who cannot be trusted to remain polite
in polite company.
He offends many, with his sin and damnation talk.
Chuck's own family is embarrassed by his constant yammering of hell existing, need for repentance and Salvation.
Chuck is one of 'those Christians'.
But Chuck is their brother and friend.
Family and friends try to modify his behavior by letting him know that he is welcome in their homes and family functions...if he drops that 'sin' talk.
He can be a great guy when talking sports scores, blockbuster movies or even politics. 
But Chuck offends.
Even as they "spritz him" with the perfume of their best intentions, trying to make nice with him... he stinks.

But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. 
For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is adequate for these things?

Great News For All, Even You!!!

Guns, nukes, cucumber salad. Wait-what?
Guns, nukes-all ordinance have triggers. Wait for it...
We all mourn when terrible tragedies, school or concert
shootings take lives.
It IS horrible!
THIS POST is about the WONDERFUL taking away of all triggered
ordinance. Can't happen soon enough!
I know, I know-some may say it's a human issue, as the shootings
are perped by flawed, very human humans.
Some others, demanding laws against what they don't like,
demanding NO laws for things that they do...seem to want to ban certain
weaponry. 
My friends and fams:

⁴    The LORD will mediate between nations      and will settle international disputes.      They will hammer their swords into plowshares      and their spears into pruning hooks.      Nation will no longer fight against nation,      nor train for war anymore. Isaiah 2:4

What is impossible for "Man(un)kind" to accomplish the LORD WILL do!
Swords into plowshares, spears into gardening tools-ordinance eliminated!
Nation will no longer fight against nation-PEACE RULES the planet.
Nor train for war anymore. No armies needed, no nukes or other 'deterrents' which in this present evil time are used to haphazardly achieve co-existence amongst the nations AND amongst you, me and our neighbors.
No cops and no cop killers.
PEACE.
God will make this happen.
May it happen soon!

Smarts Businessing

So, here we are again, again. Picture above is from the movie "Coco" from Pixar and Uncle Walt. On the wall we see a poster for "The Incredibles 2", coming out later this year. Cool, and...good marketing.
Recently watched an old RKO "Dick Tracy" film from 1945-there's a scene on a street with a movie palace showing a double feature-curious, I checked IMDB and the two films were coming out from RKO the next year.
I thought, "Sharp promoters, RKO. I wonder if the other studios practiced this promoting?"
Yup. Also happened to watch Warner Bros. "Torchy Blane-The Adventurous Blonde" from 1937 and once again a movie house is shown showing one of Warner Bros. films, "Strike Up The Band" with Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney.
Very cool, and very smart marketing.
Sometimes it can be...odd.
In 1985's "Echo Park" there's a film poster on a wall of the low rent horror movie hostess "Elvira", who was played by Cassandra Peterson...who is IN Echo Park as another character. I doubt that RKO or Warners could have pulled that off.
Keep you eyes open, and there's all kinds of stuff happening.

World's Casino

"⁹But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. 
¹⁰For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows." 1 Tim 6:9-10
 Not just the gold seekers who pierce themselves with many sorrows, but they are a fine example of bad living.
'people who long to be rich'-that is, rich in this world's treasure.
Christians, those belonging to Christ are, according to Romans 8:17, co-heirs with Christ of EVERYTHING.
" ¹⁷And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering."
So, if we inherit everything, why should any Christian 'long to be rich' in this world's casino?
I lived in Vegas for years, and I can tell you that the glitz and glamour of Sin City is founded on the idea of promising riches whilst emptying your pockets.
My boss once said, "Las Vegas wasn't built on the backs of Winners."
So, this world system which promises riches will glitz your eyes, sell you their fools gold and laugh at you as you try to become 'rich'.
Soft sell, hard sell, fear sell, sex sell. Whatever bait the world tries to hook you with, you don't have to take the bait, and you don't have to pierce yourselves with many sorrows.
So, WHY? Why do Christians take the bait?
Ego. Stubbornness. Rather go our own way than go with God.
But God, 'who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.' 
God has been dealing with stubborn egotistical knuckleheads forever, so you might as well save yourself some pain and heartache by returning to Him, begging the Forgiveness you desperately need...and He will Forgive.
He forgave me when I was that knucklehead.
Right at the cusp of becoming a Christian, one of the verses which tore me up was
Mark 8:36 "And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?" 
I was a poor sailor, but I realized at that time that even if I were the richest man in the world, it would only count on this side of eternity. But my soul is forever.
Give up the ego. Trust that God has more riches for you than this world could ever offer, AND...be safe and rich for eternity. Wonderful.

Talking To YOU, Human

I will Moses you out of bondage, friend.
Here, on the Ninth of January, get in front of your TV (or other temple/altar) and proclaim loudly,
"I WILL refuse to complain about anything until I have appreciated FIVE things in my life which I love!".
No complainy until after 5 appreciates!
Be tough on yourself. Honest with thee to thee.
Also...
do five good things for others without expecting any thanks.
One thing you can do: when you're walking into the grocery store, grab a cart from the remuda in the parking lot and walk it in. Costs you nothing; each cart in is one less that stock persons have to deal with. I've been doing this for years; it makes me happy and doesn't hurt anyone.
Do stuff like that-discover your own 'good things'.
You will no longer be in bondage to a complaining life. Freedom is good.