I missed my dancing tree this morning, all was quiet.  He stood there as the stately being he is, but it is much more fun to see him dance.

Carla and I canned 6 quarts of pears this morning, looks like they have all sealed.  She is going to pick up some more this evening.  I would like to have at least 30 – 40 quarts of pears and at least half again as many peaches.  They taste especially good when the snow is on the ground and the temperatures are below freezing.  It is like a taste of early fall and a promise of the spring flowers on their trees to bring even more.

Also cut up some fresh melons from the garden, nice to have those also.  Tomatoes are still coming along, I might have to can some more juice so we take advantage of the smaller fruit.  Not sure how much of the other sizes we have, but may have to can some of those, also, before Celinda and Steven come down.

Carla frequently takes gallons of the little ones into work.  The other day she was at the cutting counter helping a customer when she was asked over the radio, by her boss, ‘how many tomatoes can you eat before you get sick?’

Carla’s answer was, ‘I don’t know, haven’t reached that level yet.’  Those little guys are addictive, almost as good as a nice piece of chocolate.  

1 Peter 1:15-16 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;

¹⁶ Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

The expectation of God is that we be as Holy as Jesus was, how can we possibly fulfill that requirement?

First I must get past the feeling that I am inadequate in being Holy.  If I ask Him to search my heart and He tells me He can make me Holy, then who am I to say He cannot?

Just as accepting Christ was an act of my will; so too is being Holy an act of my will.  I can choose to be Holy, or not.  God is not going to force me to be Holy.

I must focus on His Word and Him.  I cannot be holy if I am engaging in activity – listening, watching, reading, etc. – things I know He not only doesn’t approve of, but I know is placing things in my mind that call into question who God is and how He relates to me.

I must put aside those things that draw my mind away from a holy attitude and into a lustful, greedy, arrogant, etc. attitudes. 

Being holy is not something that just comes upon me.  It requires me to make a conscious effort to turn from sinful habits, thoughts and activity. 

I must actively focus on the purity of God, the examples of Jesus as He confronted many of the same kind of challenges I do today. 

To be Holy I must follow the examples of the apostles and ‘listen’ to their words to the early church and apply those principles and truths to my daily life.

If I fail in my quest for Holiness, it is not the end of the world.  I must pick myself up, ask God for His forgiveness and strive to become more in tuned with Him and His Spirit.

I cannot become Holy on my own.  It is a spiritual quest that requires an active submission to God.

God sent Jesus to me so that I can have complete communications with Him and have that for eternity.  If He did not want to make me Holy, He would not have done that.

Verses 17-19    And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:

¹⁸ Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;

¹⁹ But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

It is God’s desire for me to be Holy.  I must also, consciously, make that my desire.

The wonderful thing about that is He is willing to help me with my desire to become Holy, even as He is Holy.  He is not going to leave me to my own devices, He is going to lead me into that righteousness; I but have to follow.

Psalm 143:10 Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.

All too frequently we focus on what we cannot become because of our weaknesses.  Instead, we should be focusing on who we can become with God’s strength.

Our requirement is to follow God, listen and learn; He has the hard part, working with us.  But, He is more than capable of doing just that.

Philippians 4:13  I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Later, Art :-)

From the ColumbiaRiverGorgeous
May Our Good Lord Bless and Keep YOU....’til we meet again