Well, now then, the Lynds tribe arrived here around 1800 yesterday, had a quick meal – I cheated we got Kentucky Fried Chicken – and went on their way.

Josh and Deed are back home where the animals are happy to have them back.

3000+ miles in five days, five long days.

Carla reserved some Zucchini to send home with Velma, so they received a bit of produce before leaving.

Everyone was in good spirits and there were no bruised shown, so they did fine cooped up in the van those many hours.

Poor Josh, he is a very quiet guy; he will bend over backwards to help anyone, but he prefers solitude to crowds.  He did well, but I am quite sure he was glad to be home.

I sincerely appreciated his taking off work to help.  He is a blessing to them, and certainly to Deed and us.

Hebrews 11:36-39  And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:

³⁷ They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;

³⁸ (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

³⁹ And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:

I have very little patience.  It is a bit better than it used to be, but I have to continually remind myself that just because I want something to happen, ‘right now!’ doesn’t mean it will.

Fretting, getting upset doesn’t change the timing; it just becomes a burden to my mental health – and unfortunately to those around me.

The whole 11^th Chapter of Hebrews deals with the faith of those that trusted in God, went through incredible trials and tribulations and then many didn’t even SEE the results of their prayers and faithfulness to Him.

In deed many Christians today are suffering and many are losing their lives, even though they may have been praying for years for release.   They are dying violent deaths, watching their families being destroyed even though they have prayed that they be spared.

And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:

Impatience is the curse of many of us and seems to be even more prevalent in America as life goes on.  People want instant gratification in everything they ask for; to wait is too heavy of a burden.

Before the late 19^th Century, weeks, months and often years would go by before a letter or message would arrive from another person.

Now, if people don’t answer e-mails or texts within a few minutes the sender is upset thinking the recipient is ignoring them.

It used to be when a person wanted produce they prepared the ground, planted, cared for the growing plants and then harvested weeks and months later.  Now we just go down to the store and get almost any fruit or vegetable – even if out of season in our area.

We have taken that attitude of ‘I want it right now,’ to our prayers with God.  We ask, we should receive immediately, and if we don’t we either get upset, we figure what is the use or we just do what we think is best – and it often turns out wrong.

God’s timing is not our timing.  He has a master plan and He doesn’t share the details with us – we would be overwhelmed if He did.

The Old Testament if full of stories where the Israelites were given promises and suffered until those promises were met – and many who suffered didn’t see the results of their prayers.

Yet, they still believed, they still served God, they still worshipped and shared their faith with each other, encouraging and helping each other.  They had faith in God.

We would do well to remember the first verse of this chapter:

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

If it happens, then we know; if it doesn’t and it is a promise of God, then we believe it will happen.

Our whole existence is based on having faith in God.  That being the case, then we need to act like we have that faith.

Later, Art :-)

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