Definitely, curl up in a chair with a good book and hot cup of cocoa weather today.  Woke up with about 4 inches of snow on the ground and at this time, 1300, it has stopped snowing after giving us another 4 inches or so.  Not sure if it will start back up or just sit for a while.  Started up again as I write.

We are supposed to be getting rain mixed with snow – freezing rain – so it will be a bit hazardous for a few days.  Gorge is always dangerous in this weather so we will be hunkered down for quite a while.

We had hoped to have a quick get together with most of our kids before Christmas, but there is no point in putting stress and worry on our backs. 

We only traveled once on Christmas and I vowed never again, consequently for the past 46 years we have stayed at home and those here have joined us on Christmas Eve for dinner.  And a bit of gift exchange and opening – along with meat and cheese platters Christmas Day.

Unfortunately, those that are here are working and the others understand why we stayed home – so they don’t ‘brave’ that treacherous Gorge and all those drivers that don’t know what they are doing.  Smart.

I can't begin to count the number of accidents I have investigate over the holidays – all of them – in years past.  Christmas and Thanksgiving are the worst since the weather creates more danger and they are family holidays that have more meaning, thus more pain when we lose a loved one.  

No one wants a memory of a loved one lost during that time – we have had one in our family, many many years ago and I remember the pain that his wife and family went through each year on that holiday for a long time.  We still remember the loss.

BUT is IS pretty out there.

I have two cats sitting their post at windows looking outside, and I presume, glad they aren’t.  The other animals are snuggled in sanctuaries sleeping.  The birds are taken care of, fortunately I don’t have horses (only time I am glad about that) cows or goats that need to be fed.

Yesterday was a challenge, eyes were really bothering me so didn’t get much reading or writing done – doing much better today.

Carla is off today and doing some sewing.  Not sure what I will be accomplishing the rest of the day – but I don’t feel pressure to get anything done.

Philippians 3:18-19 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:

¹⁹ Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)

Woke up this morning thinking of the state of our country and its relationship to God.  Who is to blame for this huge cavern that keeps growing every day?

Of course, as anything that goes wrong in this world, we can lay it at the feet of satan; but people have willingly followed him, and/or refused to condemn his lies.

I have seen prairie style grass land fires and forest fires, if they are not dealt with immediately they can quickly spread and the destruction can be massive.

The smallest ember may sit and fester for a bit and then a slight wind comes up and a small flame appears, then larger flames as the wind blows and the grass and trees take off.

It is even worse when the trees and grasses are dry and without moisture.

The fire jumps ahead and may leave a spot, which may be quickly consumed as it closes.  The fire can spread at considerable speeds and it consumes all in its path.

You can fight it by cutting a trail, a fire lane, in its path, trying to remove the grass or trees that will burn and hopefully it will stop at the fire lane.

Or, you can sat a back fire, which is setting a fire in the path of the fire in hopes that you sacrifice some ground to save the ground behind you.

Or, of course, you can pour retardant on it and hope it suffocates the fires.

And water, insufficient amounts can drown the flames and wet the fuel so it doesn’t burn as readily.

I have the highest admiration for the men and women that battle these blazes, it is hot dirty work with the possibility of the fire jumping the fire lane and/or catching you from behind.

Even though some of these blazes have thousands of fire fighters doing battle, it may take days and even weeks to get it under control.  They sometimes have to allow some ground to be burned because of terrain or preparing the ground in its path, but they don’t give up until they have conquered the fire – it is an enemy that must be defeated; or it destroys everything in its path.

What has been happening it America is that same kind of thing.

The embers of sin have been here all along.  It raised its ugly head many times and it has been beaten back.

But sin has continued, it was never eradicated, it was never fully extinguished so it lay there waiting for the next wind to blow and fan it into flames.

In the past Christians prayed, they witnessed, they shared their concerns and they did something about the flames of sin.

However, our country has become a dry and thirsty land, we no longer have the tears of prayers from enough Christians to tamper it.

In the 1960’s satan fanned the flames higher and higher.  He convinced millions of people that the basic principles this country was founded on no longer mattered.

He said God was either non-existent or just didn’t care anymore, so why try and live up to His standards.  More and more people were trapped by his lies and the flames roared higher.

Christians stayed away from the ballot box, they didn’t support candidates that could head off the flames, instead, they removed themselves and wrung their hands.

Meanwhile almost every home had a television, and satan used it to promote his agenda.  Magazines, movies, books were written that proclaimed sin was non-existent.  That we must feel good about ourselves and do whatever it took – except go to God and ask forgiveness – to get that good feeling. 

Don’t feel guilty about your activities, don’t allow it to be called sin, embrace it as your right to do what you want.

And the flames went higher.

Decades passed and finally some Christians realized what was happening and some actually tried to stop it, but they were steam rolled and the flames went higher.

Other Christians thought that they had to compromise the Word of God to match the fervor of satan and blend the world’s values with God’s, instead of the other way around.  And the flames got even higher.

Now, sin is running rampant in our country at the speed of an unchecked prairie fire.  Spreading quickly with few who are willing to stand in the way, few willing to do what is needed to combat it.

The most effective way to stop a fire is water and lots of it.

The most effective way for us to stop satan’s fiery charge is water, the tears of Christians praying for God’s Holy Spirit to intervene and put out the fire that is consuming America today.

The Holy Spirit can set backfires in the hearts of sinners, He can heal the areas that have been burned and make them whole once again.  He can use their tears of shame and sooth them with His loving arms.

We are in a battle and if we do not stand united in prayer and determination our nation will be burned to a crisp.  We will suffer the same fate as other nations who have turned their back on God and found that when they continue to do so, He turns His back on them.

He then makes them accountable for their sins and unwillingness to ask forgiveness.

Christians are the only firefighters that can fight the fires that are consuming us, we need to get busy, kneel in prayer and pray the tears that can extinguish it.

Later, Art :-)

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