Spring.  We will be doing more driving and the Lincoln has been resting for the past few months, just driving it long enough to keep the battery charged.

So before we take a trip up to Kirkland tomorrow we decided to get it serviced by Rich this week.  It was a good thing – the serpentine belt was about ready to give out.  Not a good thing.

Then we always have the tires checked to make sure we have tires that will hold up under the miles – and shure nuff, we needed a couple of tires.  I had been a bit concerned about the front two the past few weeks, so it was good they found a problem, here, at home, rather than out on the open road.

Steven graduates on Saturday with a Bachelor’s Degree.  Ken decided not to walk when he got his, but we did get to see Teresa’s and Wendy’s graduations.  It is a good thing.

I am not sure how it works now, but the Board on Police Standards and Training was more interested in the fact that a person ‘stuck with it’ and graduated from college than the actual degree when it came to giving credit for college.

You still had to have a lot of training AND time on the job, but a Bachelor’s degree got you some of the certifications a couple of years earlier.

I can remember one of our officers had a degree in Music, and it took him eight years to get it, had to work and pay for it.  But the fact that he didn’t give up is an indication of his character and, while I kind of shook my head, I also admired him for his dedication and hard work.

1 Kings 22:8 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may enquire of the Lord: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil.

Those that have followed God’s bidding and tell the truth, no matter to who or how bad it may be, are always going to find someone pushing back. 

People don’t want to hear they are sinning.  They want God to sanction everything they do, but don’t want Him – or His people – to tell them they are wrong.

Unfortunately, far too many Christians feel the same way and look for Bible verses they can twist to make it seem that God’s sanctions their sin – it makes it difficult to help unbelievers see the sin in their lives when we as Christians do some of the same things.

America has fallen fast and far these past few decades.  What is sin is now considered to be okay, and even encouraged.

It is sad is that people do not learn from history.  When a nation goes rogue, as America is doing today, God will punish them.

Great nation after great nation has been brought down by the hubris of its leaders accepted and encouraged by the citizens.

It is so very frustrating.  I look at headline after headline, story after story and I see our nation being destroyed.  Sometimes by people genuinely trying to make our nation a better place, but they are just making things worse and give excuses to those that are more interested in destruction than improvement.

Then there are those that are deliberately attacking every facet of righteousness and calling it intolerance, hatred and all manners of foul language and actions.

But regardless, we are to stand in Christ and His Word.  Millions of people have done so in the past, some to the point of losing their lives – but God expects nothing less than complete obedience.

He gave His Son to us as a sacrifice for our sins.  HIS SON, why should we expect to live our life free of conflicts if Jesus did not. 

He could have done many things to protect Himself from those that tortured, humiliated and killed Him – but instead did what the Father wanted and gave us His life for us.

2 Timothy 3:11-13 Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.

¹² Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

¹³ But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

Whatever God requires of us we have the Holy Spirit to guide us, to comfort us and to give us peace.

Philippians 4:6-7 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

⁷ And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Later, Art :-)