Wow what a beautiful sky this morning, deep, deep blue – I call this blue Crater Lake Blue.

However, around the rim of the hills were grey clouds for a few feet, and they are pushing up the Gorge towards us, now.  Mt. Hood was gleaming in the sunshine; however, Mt. Adams was covered with those grey clouds.

Got 22 inches of snow between yesterday morning and this morning; 17 degrees when I got up.  Took a long time to dig out the cars and clear them off.  Carla needed to have the Toyota to get to work so did it first, just in case.

I-84 is closed between Hood River and Troutdale, I understand it is pure ice and in the Gorge that is not good.  First heard about it around 08:30 and it is supposed to stay closed until sometime this evening.

This storm is laying pretty snow on the ground, but also deadly ice.  But, it’s just another winter in the Gorge.

Not much cloud covers, so figure it will get cold once again tonight.

Forecast for next day or two is some rain, that could really make for hazardous driving around here, we shall see.

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1 Corinthians 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

We meet people every day that do not believe in God.  Most won’t say anything, some will challenge us, given the opportunity.

AND some will not only challenge us, but seek us out so they can try and humiliate us for our belief in a ‘God’ that they do not believe exists.

Unfortunately many of those people are in a position of power, especially if they are teachers or professors.  I have seen these people bully others and hammer them down if they profess their beliefs.  Often they will make statements to make sure they offend Christians, just to see who will answer them so they can humiliate them in front of the rest of the class.

We need to be sure our children are grounded in God’s Word so that when those challenges are made they can hold their own.

Jesus warned us, many times, that in following Him we would be hated by the world.

And even in this season that hatred comes out loud and clear. 

I once heard that ‘Christmas is the day the whole world loves a baby.’  Not sure who said that and I am pretty sure he wasn’t right when he did say it – but it sure isn’t right today.

The world denies the Jesus of the Bible.  They deny His deity and His rightful place in history as well as their spiritual well-being.

However, we do not have to be afraid of these encounters.  Every Christian has the Holy Spirit living within them.  That is the power we can rely on when we face opposition from the world.

We may not be able to say very much, some circumstances and those in authority might block that, but we can stand for the God the Son, God the Father and God the Holy Spirit.

Who knows who may be watching and how our reactions and stands might affect – even those who choose to challenge and harangue us may someday come to Him from what they learned from us.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

Later, Art (-: