Not a lot happening in our neck of the woods, right now.  As in most areas of Oregon we are looking at some rising temperature tomorrow.  The garden is getting dry, but watering it is rectifying that problem and it should be fine during those days of 100 plus (sometimes up to 115) in the garden.

I have never understood why the official temperatures of an area are taken in the shade.  I can appreciate that it should be taken over a parking lot or other surface that is reflecting heat, but there is plenty of open space that have grass or other organic matter on the ground. 

When it is 115 in the garden, the shade often reads 10 to 15 degrees lower – ‘twould be nice to just stay in the shade, but reality is that when things must be done, it sometimes must be done in full sun – and that should be the official temp – as far as I am concerned.

Interesting enough, there is a ‘weather bug’ placed there by Channel Six, at Colonel Wright school, just a few blocks from here – it usually reads about the same as our shaded porch, but, if a person must work outside it isn’t much comfort.

Another thing I always get a bang out of and ask ‘why?’ is the feels like temperature given by some weather stations.  I can appreciate that in the winter, when wind can put the chill factor much lower than the actual temperature.  But, to me anyway, it looks ridiculous when I see their official temperature reading 95, but ‘feels like’ 93.....

One of the nice things about retirement is that you can ponder such things!

John 17:13-17 And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.

¹⁴ I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

¹⁵ I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.

¹⁶ They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

¹⁷ Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

We look around at our world and see devastation; some by ‘nature’ others because men are imperfect and they create great havoc for their own purposes.

Who would choose to live in such a world?

These types of problems have been going on since Adam disobeyed God.  We know that America is in grave danger; too many have decided that they know better than God and have caused us to lose God’s hand of grace.

At the rate of decadence we are now experiencing it will not be long before we have the same thing happen to our country that has happened to dozens of others who have gone into moral decay and considered it okay.

We feel the crunch here in America, because we have not really been faced with the rampant hatred of Christians that other Christians in other nations have, until now. 

I don’t know about you, but I have often felt it would be so much better if God would just bring us home.  Asking myself is it worth all the pain and suffering I am seeing around me, why is He waiting so long?

But the timing is not up to us.  Christ made it clear that we are not taken into heaven upon acceptance of His sacrifice, but we are meant to be here as a living example to those that do not know Him – and we are to tell them of His Saving Grace. 

Who would choose to live in such a world?

Christ did. 

We often forget what the world looked like when He was sent, by the Father, to live and reside here for those 33 years +/-.  He came that sinners may have the opportunity to be saved.  It was far from paradise.

He came here, not only for the Jews, but for all of us.  As He knew when He died He would once again have a central place in heaven, we too have been given that same promise.  We live here in this world to share His Gospel and when we leave this world we go to a far better place, residing with Him, for eternity.

We may not choose the world we are living in, but we have the obligation to remain true to God and share His Word with others.

Later, Art :-)