In our neck of the woods, we still have snow, and as if it wasn’t enough already, we had a bit more last night – dusting, but still a reminder that it is still winter.

The advantage of the low temperatures is that the snow is slowly melting – and as I said before, that allows it to go away without causing a flood and hope for full water sheds.

Went out to feed the birds, well over 100 pounds of feed this year – and more to be given, and felt the small pellets of moisture – freezing fog that is condensing as it comes closer to the ground?

And with exciting anticipation I read where for the next several days we will have the benefit of even more snow and freezing fog.

Carla was off yesterday.  Hopefully, she pulled back the curtain on the south side of the house so she could see if the sun was coming out.  She finally got a glimpse as it silhouetted itself behind Mt. Hood, but no more.

Still, I have friends in other woods that get to have below zero temperatures with their moisture.  I am happy where I am.

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Joshua 1:8-9  This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

⁹ Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

I remember the 1960’s and 1970’s when traditional churches, when God and Christianity were no longer wanted by the world.

However, their spirit cried and yearned for a connection with God – enter the Eastern religions that had many gods and the promise that the best way to take care of that yearning was by mediation.

For many of us, meditation became a forbidden word, one that led people away from God in its practice.  I can remember hearing sermons and attending classes that condemned the exercise.

I am not sure just when I realized that meditation was actually a benefit that God has given His believers in order for them to grow closer to Him.

It isn’t a focus on oneself, or some empty words, but the focus is on God and His Word.

How many times had I read verses like that above and not seen the word meditation? 

I struggle to remember, I was under the tutelage of some excellent Bible scholars, but I cannot remember them talking about meditation in a positive light.

We study God’s Word, but do we really look at each word and understand what it means to us?

We read the Bible through in a year, but does that mean we know what it says and are meditating on it so that we can draw closer to God, or has it become a habit without meaning?

There is nothing wrong with reading the Bible through, but it shouldn’t end there.  If we read with a desire to understand it is amazing what things we learn that we may have just ‘skipped’ over before.

The Bible really is a living document, in as much as it tells us of the struggles and triumphant of man over satan.  It tells us that God richly loves us, His desire is that we worship Him in truth, not just reading, but understanding, searching out the verses’ meanings and when applying them to ourselves, it is alive within us.

I am not good at memorization.  I would make a very poor actor, my director and the rest of the cast would, undoubtedly, be quite upset with my in inability to recite the lines written for my character.

As I grow older that ability is even less effective – however, as I read God’s Word I understand the concept, the meaning and while I have a difficult time remembering the exact words, I can call upon God to fulfill promises based on the totality of His Word.

I grasp the meanings of certain verses and use them to bolster me through the day.

One thing that most officers miss when we retire is the ‘hot’ calls, the ones where you roll with lights and sirens, where someone is in danger.  The adrenalin flows and surges through your veins as you focus on safely arriving and assisting the victim.

For years after leaving office I would hear the sirens and wonder/wish I was going.  Then one day, and I can’t remember when, it occurred to me that I can still help both the responder and the victim by saying a prayer for everyone’s safety.

My calling now isn’t to respond, but to support in prayer all individuals involved.  It surprises me sometimes that the very verses I had been studying and meditating on that day are very appropriate for the needed background to pray.

Meditating the way the Eastern religions do is just a process of trying to deal with the empty places within us.  It doesn’t truly make a difference – yes, there are those that will staunchly defend the practice, but it is a self-serving process, not a tribute to God.

When we meditate on God’s Word, when we take the time to not only read His Word but ask the Holy Spirit to help us apply that to our service to Him, not only do we reach a higher plain, spiritually, but we find ourselves closer to and understanding God.

We are more able to serve Him and to assist those that He places in our path.

Meditation is just part, but a very important part, of our obligation to draw closer to God and become much more effective at serving Him.

Later, Art (-:

Carla left for work today, she wasn’t supposed to she was supposed to have the day off.

Her manager resigned this week and she had to help fill in the holes.

Her new manager is a great young lady who, I am sure, will do well.  She has been working as the assistant for a couple years or so.

Carla has had eight managers since she was hired almost 20 years ago.  In between a few of these she was asked if she wanted the position, she declined, preferring to work without the “pedigree” as she called it, behind her name.

The ability of the past managers ran the gamut from poor to very good. 

Her last manager would be in the very good column.  While not perfect, none of us are, she did a good job.

More importantly, to me, is she cared for her employees and treated them with respect – and I felt gave Carla her due respect.

No matter what, if the manager called and needed her, Carla would go, she like working for her.

We all have new territory we must go through, even in our old jobs.  Changes are inevitable, and when management changes hands new policies and procedures – even in a corporate store – will be enacted.

Some will get used to it quickly others will not.  The store employees are fortunate that their new manager has learned a lot from the old one; knows them and their abilities.  They do not have to prove themselves to her.

I wish the old boss well, I liked her.  She is the one that would call me up when I was out of town for a few days and tell me to come back home, Carla was eating at McDonald’s again.

She knew I did all the cooking and had left things for Carla to eat, but sometimes it is just easier to get a fast food burger.

She had a great since of humor, and, like I said she gave Carla a lot of respect.

I will miss her, I will miss her humor; as she embarks on a new horizon she is in my prayers.

Later, Art (-:  

For those that post on a regular basis, especially young people, you might want to remember once it is on the internet; it is going to be available forever.

Forever as in when your future boss looks at your internet posts; when law enforcement can find your posts on criminal behavior; as an adult, when you look back and see some things you were posting were embarrassing and you hope YOUR children never see them.   

I was surfing on a subject last night and my name came up – curious I clicked on the link.  This was about the final of the first season on History channel’s “Alone.” 

To us it was an interesting video history of 10 people going through the daunting experience of being all alone, with only certain possessions allowed. 

The eventual winner also reminded us, early on, of her brother, Norm.  Mannerism, phrases, and many other things were exactly the way Norm is – so we had the added interest on how well Alan, would do – we both figured that Norm would have done well and he too would have won at the same age.

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Below is what I found, note the date:

Posted Aug 21.2015

The final episode of ‘Alone,’ a show on the History channel that placed ten men on Vancouver Island with a minimal amount of gear and cameras to record their adventure.  But, they had no contact with each other.  Their lifeline was a satellite phone.

Some gave in almost immediately, but two held on for weeks, the second to the last giving up on the 55^th day.  The last man probably could have gone on for several more weeks, if not months.

The thing that hit them the hardest, even more than lack of food, fierce storms and other essentials was the isolation from society and their families in particular.

Some ‘psyched’ themselves out, dwelling so much on their predicament that they couldn’t focus on working within their environment.  They were all trained in survival techniques, but none of them had experienced the challenges of an environment that they were dropped into – being unprepared, mentally, some broke early – others took several weeks to finally give in and go home.

Because they were filming themselves, we could see the progression of their mental and physical state over time.  The longer they stayed the more weight they lost, the more important food became to them and the feeling of isolation became a physical burden to them.  It was reflected not only in their recorded thoughts, but also in the physical pain they were enduring.

It was an interesting program.  It makes those oh-dark-thirty moments we go through seem like nothing.  These men had no way to avert their thoughts.  They had nothing but survival to distract them.  They had to live and deal with those inner-most things that all of us try to hide and not deal with – they either overcame, or were overcome by those memories, it was a struggle with one’s self.

As the last one said, “It is just you, the Creator and the Creation.”

Psalm 107:8-9 Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

⁹ For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.

We all too often focus on our trials and forget all the things God has done for us.  We become distressed at our burdens and forget that it is carried by Jesus.

We boast of our abilities, forgetting they are gifts of God.  We look at our endeavors and pat ourselves on our back for our accomplishments, forgetting that they are gifts of God.

We rejoice over our children and brag about their undertakings, forgetting that they, too, are gifted by God.

We fall into the well of self-pity asking ‘why me?’ instead of asking, ‘Lord how can you use this for our glory?’

We look at sunrises, sunsets, the beauty of the landscape and are in awe over their magnificence, forgetting to praise God who created it all.

A person comes to us in sorrow, and we forget that God is touching his heart and wants to reach out to Him.  Instead of praising God and guiding Him with scripture, allowing the Holy Spirit to comfort them, we give worldly advice and comments.

We have an obligation to God.  An obligation to Praise Him; to thank Him; and to share Him.

Mathew 28:19-20 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

²⁰ Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Too often we read verses such as these and think it only applies to those that are in full-time ministry.  After all they have the training and the responsibility to tell others, teach others, baptize others; we aren’t in the ministry so it doesn’t relate to us.

But it does.  While we may seldom have the opportunity to baptize others we can – and many of us have – but we do have the opportunity AND the obligation to share our faith with others.  To teach and disciples others.

Being a Christian is a 24 hour a day, 7 day a week relationship with God.  We may need to be reminded from time to time – and the best time to have that conversation is the first thing in our day.  We may meditate at a different time, but just contacting Him, thanking Him for the gift of life and asking Him to guide our steps this day, is enough to help us realize we are His, not our own.

Colossians 4:6  Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.

What a wonderful gift God has given to us, we need to share it with others allowing them, too, to experience the great comfort and love of God.

Later, Art :-)

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

Hey, in our neck of the woods we didn’t receive any snow – at least yet – today. 

Had a doctor’s appointment this morning and was reminded just how treacherous driving is right now.  While I feel for those on side streets it is just so difficult for the City to hit them all.  Street after street has cars parked in front of their homes that, of course, is expected.

However, it makes it extremely difficult for the street crews to clear all but the center of the streets. 

It amazes me when people complain because certain things aren’t done in what, they consider, a timely manner – especially when the circumstances are extreme and not normal or even close to what is normal.

But, it also speaks well for the different departments involved; usually nobody notices the work they do.  They go about their daily duties almost invisible, and do it so well that we expect that same perfection under these difficult circumstances.

I appreciate them.

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James 4:10  Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

We call God ‘Father’ and it is fitting we do so.  We have been adopted into His family through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and His resurrection from death.

We speak to Him daily, like a good friend who knows everything about us and still cares for us.  We are informal with Him; many times not standing on any protocol.

But that very casual attitude can hamper us.  While He is our heavenly Father and has become a good friend, we forget that He is God and deserves all respect and reverence.

We can become too lackadaisical with that relationship and start taking it for granted.  We do that the time with family and friends, we tend to be around them so much we take them for granted that they understand who we are and what we thing of them, but seldom tell them.

We don’t treat Him with the respect He deserves; we need to approach God with hat in hand, bowing before Him and with a heart open and willing to listen.  Not as if He is an equal, but as the supreme God, the Creator, the King and Ruler of this world.

He wants us to be comfortable with Him.  He wants us to be able to enter His presence without fear; but He also wants and deserves our humility towards Him, in recognition for His great love and mercy.

The two are not incompatible.  When we begin our meditations and our prayers with that respect, thankfulness and praise, we find ourselves in awe, but at the same time, relaxed and ready for a conversation that is open and without barriers.

As Jesus is approachable to the masses, so too is God the Father; the same respect the masses, who believed in Jesus, must also be given to the Father.

It reminds me of the young man who ran for office and was elected.  He was talking, later, with an elderly woman who had been a neighbor and a customer of his paper route for many years.

She asked him why he didn’t come to her and ask for her vote. 

He said we have known each other for so long, that I knew you would be voting for me.

She said, “Yes, but it is always nice to be asked.”

Let us not take God for granted.

Frankly it isn’t all that hard, we just have to remind ourselves that this good friend IS the CREATOR, IS the SAVIOR and deserves our humbling ourselves before Him.

Later, Art (-:

For those that are getting tired of all the snow and this seemingly never ending winter – winters in Uranus last 21 earth years; not so bad now is it?

Go up this morning to find a very fine dusting of snow on the sidewalk – it was like being reminded, “Hey, winter is not yet over.”

However, very slowly the snow is receding, it will be a while in our neck of the woods before it is gone, but that is a good thing; it allows the ground to absorb the moisture and not have massive flooding. 

Our poor cars are sitting and ‘wondering’ what this is all about, they haven’t been driven in over a month.  Instead they watch as that old pickup carries Carla off to work and back; in this weather with the roads as they are, we don’t head out for much more that doctor’s appointments and the store; just too sloppy to drive in.

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“Every person is really what he or she secretly admires. If I can learn what you admire, I will know what you are, for people are what they think about when they are free to think about what they will.”  AW Tozer

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.  KJV

This verse is probably more significant in this day and age than any other time; at least for me.

The nation, and obviously the world, is so full of hate and viciousness that it is literary on every television channel, every social media, in every city; you cannot go very far without being challenged by someone who hates one person, one thing, or another.

Political correctness is so divisive that sin is not allowed to be called sin; preachers are being threatened for proclaiming God’s Word that ‘offends’ societal norms that are traveling farther and farther away from God.

Tozer’s quote also came in this morning and I am thinking, what DO these people think in their quiet moments, that they are so vitriolic?  They wear their anger like a badge of honor; they get upset over the slightest perceived slight.

Do they practice that?  Do they sit in their homes and plan their method of bringing down those that offend them?

(By the way, for whatever it is worth, that is exactly what the Rajneesh did before they came to public meetings, planning ways to disrupt the process.)

Who are they ‘channeling’ so they can imitate that person’s style?

Christians, too, can get caught up in this process if we are not careful.  Since satan knows who we are, he knows the ways of pushing OUR buttons and having us react in a way that is not a credit to Christ.

I am very careful about watching the news, reading the negativity of politics, etc.  The only thing it does for me is raise my blood pressure and makes me angry; and I don’t like that in myself.

When I think of Christians that act like I truly believe reflects the love and demeanor of God I think of Julius Jepson, Pastor; Bill Hulse, County Judge and John Nichols who was our Jail Chaplain – and it does bother me that my behavior falls far short.

We cannot compare ourselves with others, we can admire them and strive to accept their character, but at the bottom is not only who we admire and want to be like, but how does that line up in OUR relationship with God. 

I have a far different personality than any of those three men, it doesn’t make me bad, it just is.  However, I can learn from them, I can reflect on their style and try and emulate what fits in with my personality.

What do I think about in my alone time?  Who do I think about in my alone time?

Family of course, my wife, kids, grandkids, in-laws, all people who mean a lot to me.

Right now I am composing a number of stories on people who have had significant impact on my career in law enforcement.  Many of those men and women are Christians and their testimony and actions as well as their assistance allowed me to grow and become a Sheriff, who – FAR from perfect – and in conjunction with many good people, did make some difference in our community.

But that is not enough.

I have realized through the years, that I HAVE to read God’s Word.  In His Word are dozens of men and women that have led their lives for Him; even in their failures we see the love and mercy of God as He forgives them and brings them back into His arms.

The more I read of and the more I hear of, the anger and the threats, the fears, the hatred, the more I realize that I MUST find things to follow the directive of this verse:  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

We need to listen to positive people, read stories and articles that lift us up, if watching TV watch the programs that have meaning and do not deny the Word of God.

We need to make being around fellow Christians, being around positive people a priority. 

But above all, we need to meditate on God’s Word.  For in that bound volume of books we find Christ and His passion for the lost.

Christ is the one person who should always be first in our minds and hearts.  He should be first in the way we talk and respond to others. 

He is the one person who we should secretly AND openly most admire.

He is the person we should be most like! 

And while we may live in a divisive world full of hate we will find peace in Him.

Later, Art (-:

In our neck of the woods we are still seeing snow coming down, haven’t yet today, but yesterday morning it added a touch to what was there already.

It is warming up a bit and snow is sliding off the metal roofs of the garage and carport.  However, it is slushy and makes it difficult to get up and down our driveway, I am thankful that Rich kept the truck in the family and sold it to us.

Carla puts it in 4X4 low and slowly fishtails up the driveway, but wouldn’t even make it on it if we didn’t have that truck.

The next few days into next week we are promised winter mix and low temperatures, which are weatherman speak for snow with a possibility of freezing rain – such fun.

Fixed up a big pot of homemade chicken vegetable soup, yesterday, it tasted wonderful.  We will have enough to partake again over the next day or two – other meals not withstanding.

Yesterday, I was asked if I thought a woman’s place is in the kitchen, I answered it, but as I thought about it for a while, the following came more into the light.

Deed said that she really liked her Grandpa Lynds, he allowed her to follow him around and ‘help’ him from an early age.  He never differentiated men’s work from women’s work.  The only time he insisted on her helping her grandma was on wash day – and when it was over she was back by his side.

That is significant because he was a carpenter in the days that women didn’t do that type of labor.  Even today it is still an affront to some men that women are doing ‘men’s’ work.

Deed has fought through stereo-typing and attacks on her when she worked as an electrician for contractors – she had to prove herself over and over.  And, though she is in a different role, she still has to overcome that bias.

Teresa, too, has had to fight through those biases as she has worked at the different dams.

Both are strong and doing well.

But it isn’t just my girls that push that envelope.  My older son is a police officer who is married to a Veterinarian who owns her own clinic and has a number of employees working for her.

My younger son is a minister, AND he has married a minister.

Both ladies are in a profession that is also not considered traditional for women – but both men were raised by their mother and I to respect women and to treat them as equals.

As far as the kitchen is concerned, all our children, and their spouses, (and all but one grandchild, who is 4 but likes to help in the kitchen) are good cooks.  As a matter of fact several of them – including their father – have won awards for their cooking and presentation.

Men and women are different, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t celebrate that difference and have respect for each other.

My children are teaching their children to have that respect.  They are not the only ones in this world doing that, but I am glad they are and proud of them for doing so.

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“The Christian who is willing to put herself in a place where she must get the answer from God and God alone—the Lord is in that Faith Beyond Reason”  AW Tozer

Acts 4:29-30 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,

³⁰ By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus.  KJV

There was a time that I thought my preparation to teach a Sunday School class was good enough for my private time with God.

It wasn’t and isn’t.  When we prepare things for public education, that is what it is, preparation to share specific truths with others whether it is in a formal or informal setting.  It may, or may not, reflect our own needs to communicate with God in private.

To be on the safe side, we should set aside time, different from any other obligation, Christian or secular, to be with God.

I know it isn’t simple and I still wrestle with that, getting busy and then realizing I didn’t take that alone time that day.

Habits come from performing the function day after day.  If we neglect our ‘performing’ we tend to fall back.  Sad to say that is usually only the good habits we are trying to commit to our lives, the bad ones seem to just not go away unless completely destroyed within us.

It isn’t just a temporary change in our demeanor.  One of the things we learned early in our professional career is that people can change for a while, but without a concerted effort they will soon revert back to their old habits.

It is one of the reasons why law enforcement requires long probationary periods, to weed out those that on the surface appear okay, but deep down they have problems that are not consistent to being a good officer.  Very few people can maintain that façade for more than a few months.

It has to be a heart change and the only way that can happen is to concentrate on God’s Word and make it part of our daily lives every, single, day.

and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,  That only comes when we put God first and dedicate our lives and our time to study with Him and to gain the insights that He is willing to provide us if we truly submit to Him.

Through all these years, I still have to remind myself of that truth.

Later, Art (-:

Remembering my grandparents reminded me of a couple who were good friends of my parents.  They were at least 15 to 20 years older, but they immediately bonded together.

Wendell (Scotty) and Doris Scott.  When I first met them they lived in Alfalfa, Oregon; a very small community a few miles east of Bend.  It was an unincorporated area with a combination gas station and small grocery store like a lot of other little communities spread out across our state.  

They were in walking distance of the store, but back then that could mean a couple of miles.

Now, it is almost included in the town of Bend since Bend has extended so much in that direction.  The store is gone.

I used to love going out there.  They didn’t have running water; the only water in the house was a hand pump over the kitchen sink.  They did have electricity and phone, but if I recall right they had a wood kitchen stove and heated their house with a wood stove.

No matter when we walked into that home, it smelled of fresh baked bread and pastries.  Even today, when I smell bread baking I am transported back to Doris’s kitchen.

I can remember going to the outhouse (had never seen outdoor toilets) and one week I spent a few days with them, that’s the first time I learned that people bathed in the irrigation ponds, in fact first time I ever saw one.

Scotty was an outdoorsman.  He hunted in all the seasons, fished in season and filled his freezer with wild game.  I know he and dad spent a lot of time together on the Deschutes River fishing for steelhead.

Scotty was a mechanic, but a farmer at heart.  They had cows, horses and turkeys – probably some chickens but I only remember the one.

My grandmother, the one that raised chickens for eggs and meat to sell, sent me a full grown hen for my 2^nd or 3^rd birthday.

We lived in the center of Redmond, in a converted garage and the only place we could keep it was the storage shed the landlords let my folks use.  So, it had to go.

We took it out to Scotty and Doris’s place.  I can remember every visit I had to see ‘my chicken,’ now who knows if it was the same one or not, but they always had her there for me.

One time an animal had taken down one of the turkey hens and killed it.  My hen sat on the eggs and when they hatched she raised them as her own.  It was a funny sight as they followed here around the barn yard, several sizes larger than her.

I remember the time we visited them and Scotty was so proud of the new pasteurizing machine (for milk) he had in his kitchen.  He showed it off to my Dad like it was a luxury car.  Can’t remember just what he said, but I ‘think’ it had to do with getting more money for his milk.  I just remember the pride he felt in showing it.

They had one son in the Air Force and another in high school.  If the son was sent out to get the cows I was always elated – he would saddle up a horse and I got to ride with him to get them.  If was just Scotty we walked through the pastures to get them, not as much fun.

They moved over to the Willamette Valley so we didn’t get to see them as often.  They actually worked with my grandparents on harvesting their crops.

The first time we visited them it was like I was once again back in Alfalfa, similar type house and acreage AND that wonderful smell of bed baking.

I lost touch with them over the years.  Then one day I was in Hood River on the road towards Odell, when I walked into a gas station/mini-mart and there was Scotty coming out.  They had moved to a small orchard in Hood River.

I told my folks where they were and my mom told me to tell them to come down, my dad would serve them fresh salmon from the ocean.

I relayed that to Scotty.  He said he would do it but only if my dad caught the fish himself, “understand?”  Don’t know if they ever connected.

We visited them a few times after that, I wanted Carla to meet them.

Loved those two!

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2 Samuel 22:47 The Lord liveth; and blessed be my rock; and exalted be the God of the rock of my salvation.

We are so fortunate that we can claim this verse as our own.  He IS the rock of our salvation.  He is able to support my fears, my concerns, my questions, and most importantly my deliverance from a life of eternal damnation.

But to claim such a verse, we must understand that God IS God.  That His Word is written so that we shall know the truth, so we shall not only understand and learn about the history of the Jewish nation, but how their response to Him either lifted them up or put them in grave danger.

We learn the nature of God and His demands on His people AND the compassion, the mercy and the forgiveness He provides. 

We can rest on such promises because, through Christ, we have become one of His children.  An inheritance that is far greater than any other.

One of the greatest gifts, outside of salvation, is His desire to provide us with the wisdom we need in sharing His love, working and serving Him and countering the attacks of satan.

I lack His wisdom in so many ways.  But James helps make it clear that we can go on from fearing God as the beginning of wisdom to gaining the wisdom and knowledge He has to offer.

James 1:5-8  If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

⁶ But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

⁷ For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

⁸ A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

⁸ A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

We ask for things, but forget that in order to receive them we must trust Him, believe in Him and follow Him. 

The promises are there for us to claim, but only under the conditions God puts down, not what our opinion of what He should do, but what He tells us to do.

So many times in my life, I have forgotten that fact.

I need to focus on my obligations to Him, not just to the benefits I receive by accepting him.

Later, Art (-:

It is interesting how little things can trigger pleasant memories.

I have used Vitalis for my hair – even now when there isn’t much of it - for as long as I can remember.  This morning, as I was taking it out of the cabinet, I was reminded that the bottle is several years, at least a decade, old.

It is faded and touched by the time that has gone by.  I remembered how, when staying with my Grandma and Grandpa, I would open the medicine cabinet and look at HIS bottle of Vitalis. 

It was old and faded, in all the years I visited, I don’t think I ever saw a new bottle, it was that same bottle.  It never seemed to go down, even though he used it all the time.

My bottle brought back the memories of staying and helping them in the summer.  Gathering eggs from the hundreds of chickens Grandma kept, helping Grandpa with the cows, bucking bales of hay, helping in the garden, just being with them for weeks at a time in the summer.

Watching my tiny grandmother wielding a 10 inch cimitar knife as she sliced the bacon every morning and then cut it away from the rind.  In her hands that huge knife looked like a scimitar sword the Turks used to carry.   

The smell of that bacon sizzling in the pan and the fresh eggs with bacon, potatoes – both cooked in that bacon grease - toast and cold fresh milk – that came from that gallon jar she kept in the refrigerator - was a treat to indulge in every morning.

It was simpler times, good times.

Times, that unlike today, you valued the old and familiar things and used them for as long as they lasted – sometimes repurposing them, but never discarding until the very last drop of usefulness.

I am sure that old bottle of Vitalis was thrown away when my grandmother was moved to a Nursing Home.  It served, faithfully, my Grandfather for many years and, for me, it was a sign that things don’t always have to change, the old doesn’t need to be discarded, just because it is old.

If it is still good, use it.

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Psalm 91:2  I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.  KJV

I had an interesting dream last night.  I was sitting at my desk and a man knocks on the door. 

When I answered he said, ‘the giver of life has sent me to show you how all life has been created.”

Interesting term, ‘the giver of life.’  I asked who he was, the man said, “that is what I have been sent here to show you.”

He said “the giver of life knows everything about you and one of the things he told me to do was to wear casual clothes, because you don’t like formality.”

He then told me many things about my background, my family, my likes and dislikes, etc.

He then asked, “will you come with me?  The giver of life wants to have you come to him so that he can use you as one of his preachers.  He said you have great passion and promise.”

I said, ‘where is it, how do we get there, how long to you propose it will take, explaining to him that I have responsibilities here.’

He replied, “It is like a time machine.  We will be transported in an instance and when we are through you will be brought back home at the exact moment we leave.  Only you will know that you have gone and seen the giver of life.  But, he wants to make you a spokesperson for him, so those around you will know something has happened, because you will be so enthralled with him you will want to serve him.”

I agreed, I was curious.

We arrived in the center of a building that seemed to go on for miles in every direction.  It was filled with computers, all interconnected.

I saw no humans anywhere in the room.

He turned me around took me to an office, located behind me, in the center of the room.  It was large, paintings of different people were on the walls of the room, there were hundreds, maybe thousands, of them.

Behind an ornate desk was a man.  However, as I grew closer I realized he wasn’t really there, it was a hologram.  

He immediately introduced himself as the ‘giver of life.’  We didn’t shake hands of course, but he did motion for me to take a seat.

He then went on to explain that the ‘giver of life’ was a giant computer.  One that had all the answers of the universe.

It was in constant communication with people, on an individual basis.  It was in fact the ‘god’ that I had been worshipping for the last 50 years.

He went on to say “ we have many planets like earth where we have tried the Adam and Eve process, the paintings you see around us are the original Adam and Eve of each of those planets; although they go by different names they were created the same way.”

I asked, ‘and how did that work out for you?”

He said, “some planets went for two, three and even four generations before they succumbed to the wiles of satan, but I am still experimenting.”

So how did you come to be, I asked.

“What do you mean?”

I said, God said, “ I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.”  Rev. 1:8 KJV

“How did you come to be, you have all the answers, so you must know?”

He said, “I just am.”

“How?  Who created you?”

“I did,” was his reply.

Again I asked, “How?”

“Just did,” was his reply.

As we talked it became clear that any information he had gleaned about me had come from records here on earth, some from e-mails I had sent, some from news articles and some from phone calls the computer had been set up to intercept.

He couldn’t tell me my inner most thoughts.  He could not give information to me that was not available through other sources.

He could not tell me the intricacies of each plant I named, or the animals I brought to his attention – and to the human body and all that it entails.

As I continued to quiz him I could see his anger building; he looked at his messenger and told him to take me back.

I awoke – one of those times when you aren’t quite sure if you are still asleep or awake, so you lay there waiting to figure it out.

One of the shows I used to enjoy watching was “Person of Interest.”  A storyline much like this one where the ‘machine knows everything about you.’

That is probably what this dream was built on.

However, as I laid in my bed, half awake, half asleep I realized that satan uses every tool that is at his disposal, and there are plenty. 

AND this dream could be one of his ways of trying to influence me to question the existence of God.  Frankly, it did seem real as I was dreaming.

Some people think, because they have had an education, traveled extensively, they have a better idea of what the world is all about and look at me and other Christians as poor backward folk who still be leave in fairy tales.

However, they have no foundation, they live at the whim of whatever society says is appropriate, they have allowed the world to infiltrate their minds and hearts.  They are proud of themselves for being able to overcome the need for or even the belief in God.

They have come to believe that experience and education gives them more credibility in the world and therefore they are more enlightened and wiser that those that trust in God and believe in His Word.

They search for inner peace, or a higher purpose, but do not want God to be involved, that is too bad, for without Him everything is for naught.

Satan takes many forms.  His guile is smooth and he does have a knowledge about us that we find aggravating, since he knows our weaknesses and loves to exploit them.

He uses our pride, our fears, our desires and anything else that will compromise our relationship with God.

All the education, all that travel, all the experiences we have in life CAN be used by God to further His kingdom.  But, when we think that because of it we are wise and knowing, we falter and fail; and, we will be held accountable, not by some phantom machine or ideology, but by God Himself.

The life and guidance they seek can come from God, IF they allow Him to talk to their heart AND listen to what He is saying.

Mathew 7:7-8 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

⁸ For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.  KJV

AND then, they too can say:   I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

Later, Art (-:

In our neck of the woods it is still very much winter with several feet of snow and the likelihood of seeing some more.  It has gotten to 37 degrees but the next few days, we are told, it won’t get much over that and at night it will be in the 20’s.  Snow here won’t be going away very soon.

I-84 from Troutdale to Hood River and from Pendleton to Ontario remains closed.  Don’t know about farther east, but the news people are saying the Gorge won’t be opened up until tomorrow, maybe. 

Across the river in Washington, Highway 14 is back open, so there is still a path leading from Portland to Hood River, IF there really is a need.

Talking with Norm last night and he said that several passes in Washington are also closed due to this weather.  Our passes, at least for now, are pretty clear, but not sure how long that will last.

Cleared the sidewalk of ice from the last couple of days – can’t tell just how thick since the freezing rain fell on a trace of snow, but the ice filled snow came off in large sheets and I had to break them in order to lift and throw them to the side.  They were a good half to three quarters of an inch thick.

Our driveway, of course, is as slick and ice covered as the side walk.  I put rock salt on the rest of the path, on the driveway, to the truck, and hopefully that will get it melting down.  It is gravel and the shovel couldn’t break it up.

Carla was able to get the pickup going down the driveway with little difficulty – hope she is able to come up, later tonight, with the same ease. 

There are times I miss wearing the uniform, during times like this I don’t; not even a little bit.  I am quite happy that others have picked up the baton and are running with it.

But, with all that, as I look out my window at this winter wonderland, it is shore purdy.

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John 3:29-31 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.

³⁰ He must increase, but I must decrease.

³¹ He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.

He that hath the bride is the bridegroom

It is so easy for Christians to slip into a false since of confidence in their ministry.  They do well and forget that they are but the friend of the bridegroom, not the center of attention when it comes to serving God.

I have felt resentment that others have good ideas and the Lord blesses them, forgetting that each of us have a role in God’s plan to bring the sinner to Him. 

I have started programs that were very successful, but in the process, in the operation of those programs, I forgot to give the credit to where it was due, in the mind and guidance of the Holy Spirit.

I have felt that my skills and abilities were enough to get the job done, forgetting that without the Holy Spirit we can accomplish nothing; while things may go well for a while, without His true blessings they are doomed to failure in the long run.

We cannot forget that our service is to God, not the other way around.

He is not a genie that we call upon to fix things, He is the master and we but humble servants that owe Him our salvation and owe Him the credit for anything and everything we have accomplished.

When we see others succeeding in their ministry to Him we should be praising God for His support of that ministry.

We can never be bigger than God.  Without Him, without His guidance we will not succeed, and we risk failure and falling away from Him.

He must increase, but I must decrease

John KNEW that his ministry was to point people to Christ, when Christ began HIS ministry it was John’s responsibility to support Him, not to usurp His authority.

If we keep the fact that God is in charge in mind; if we accept the responsibility that our job is not to place ourselves on a pedestal, not to try and boast about our holiness, not to tower over others so they submit to us instead of the Holy Spirit, then He can use us.

Yes, people with strong personalities are used by God; they put themselves out there as having the wisdom to present God’s Gospel so others will accept Him.  They advertise and show themselves as the person whom others should listen to – they become evangelists who have a gift from God and use it to His glory.

AND as long as they are in continual communications with God they can truly present His Word.  But in their private lives, out of man’s sight they must be very careful and live the Word that they have been preaching.

We have seen far too many Christian leaders that have been given a gift by God, forget who gave it to them, and believe it is their skills and abilities, alone, that are important and must be proclaimed. 

And they have fallen.

I do not want that to happen to me – again.  I want to continually be in touch with God so that my service to Him meets with His approval and others learn of and are drawn to Him.

John’s key message was that those that listen to Him must understand that the Son of God would soon be coming forth; and we must accept Him to have everlasting life.

 Verse 36  He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

Later, Art (-:

Saw the sunshine for a couple of minutes.  Temperature actually got up to 34, but dropping again, now it is 31.  I-84 is still closed between Hood River and Troutdale, along with a couple of hundred miles between Pendleton and Ontario.

With the freeway closed in the Gorge in Oregon, many people take Highway 14 that runs along the north side of the Gorge.  Not now, it too, is closed for about the same distance.

Emergency vehicles on emergencies can still get through of course, but I got to thinking about the employees at Bonneville Dam.  They can’t go home if they are working today, and their replacement can’t make it in.

They have to have, at the least, a skeleton crew to make sure the dam is operating as it should.  They have some food that can be used in an emergency, but would have to make sleeping arrangements off something other than what now resembles a bed because they don’t have cots, etc.

I am sure this has happened before, where both the freeway in Oregon and the highway in Washington are shut down, but I can’t remember it being like this since we have been up here – 50 years.

Just glad we have a bit of groceries put away.  Almost out of milk, but that isn’t a big thing.

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Genesis 2:15-17     And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.

¹⁶ And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:

¹⁷ But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

I sometimes wonder what would have happened had Adam not partaken of the forbidden fruit.

Would he have been able to redeem Eve?

What would the world look like today?

Since every creature was told to be fruitful and multiply, there would have been a lot of humans and animals on earth.

Since before Adam sinned there was no death, would that have held true for all these thousands of years?

The only obligation Adam had was to keep the garden growing and healthy; weeding it, watering and fertilizing it and partaking of the many vegetables and fruits that grew there.

Since there would be no sickness we would not need doctors or medications.

Since there would be no crimes, then laws, police, courts, armies and anything else designed to protect humans would not be necessary.

The life would be ‘simple’ without stress, without the burden of having to work hard, worry about our children hoping we raised them correctly and they would always be safe from harm.

We would not have to worry about people going hungry or having to survive the cold or heat.

There would be no need for weapons or anything else to protect ourselves.

How much of modern technology we now have would be necessary, since most of it is not necessary, but more entertainment value?

If Adam had not sinned, would one of the children have submitted to satan’s wiles and ate the forbidden fruit?

If he had, would the world be as it is now, or would the rest of the family be able to redeem him?

All the world’s ills can be laid on the shoulders of Adam, or could it?

1 Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

It is so easy in today’s world to blame others for our troubles and not accept any contributing factors on our part.

It is the way I was raised, or the way society has treated me, or I just fell in with the wrong crowd, or I was tricked and the government should have done this or that.

But God deliberately gave man a free will.  We do not have to sin; sinning is our choice – as hard as that may be to accept.

Everything we do has consequences, either good or bad.  Sometimes it just happens and the best of intentions just didn’t work; but many times we make a choice we know is wrong – and then there is no excuse.

God does make a way for us and will not allow us to be tempted beyond our abilities. 

Sin is in the world.  But with a dedication to God, satan will have a very difficult time in trapping us where we feel we have no choice but to sin – either for our own enjoyment or to protect ourselves from something else we shouldn’t have done.

The Holy Spirit is within us, He will work with our conscience to keep us aware of satan’s wiles, it is up to us and our free will to listen and follow the Holy Spirit’s lead so not to sin.

It matters little what this world would look like if Adam had not sinned.  The facts are he did and we now live in a sinful world because of it.

There will come a time when all God had planned for this world, and for us, will come to fruition when He welcomes us to our new home in heaven.

Later, Art (-:

In our neck of the woods we are having mixed weather – still cold, but mixed.  Yesterday the sun shone brightly and while it didn’t do much for warming things up, it was a spirit lifter.

Today, no sun, but at 1030 it is already a couple degrees warmer than yesterday.

We are expecting freezing rain today, tonight and tomorrow.  How much seems to vary with forecasters – and it changes almost hourly.  Those that are deep within the Gorge – basically from just west of Mosier, through Hood River, Cascade Locks and Multnomah Falls and even into Troutdale, although it tapers off a bit as it gets there – are in for some heavy freezing rain, it could be well over an inch, depending on location.

I am thankful that neither Deed nor Teresa is working at Bonneville Dam any longer - that is the very epicenter of the Gorge’s ferocious weather.  Not only working around it, but driving to and from work is very hazardous.

Deed still has to drive for an hour and a half in good weather to get to work (and back home) every work day, and it is still a hazard in this weather, but at least she doesn’t have to brave the center of the challenges of the Gorge any longer.

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"Commune with your own heart upon your bed and be still" is a wise and healing counsel, but how can it be followed in this day of the newspaper, the telephone, the radio and the television? These modern playthings, like pet tiger cubs, have grown so large and dangerous that they threaten to devour us all. What was intended to be a blessing has become a positive curse. No spot is now safe from the world's intrusion.”  AW Tozer

Mathew 14:23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.

Many times the devotions I subscribe to have a common theme, other times, like today, they do not – yet all of them touched my heart and made me realize how important it is to be close to God.

This particular theme has been brought to my attention several times in the past few days, which, since I don’t believe in coincidences, has to mean God is concerned with my lack of setting aside more time with Him.

Several years ago I began writing these almost daily tombs at the request of one of my children to help her come up with a personal daily calendar which would have a different thought for each day; thoughts that came from Dad and other people she knows. 

I then started sending it to all my children as a reminder that I think of and pray for them, and their families, daily.  It went from there to sharing it with many friends via e-mail and from there, Facebook.

As I have told my friends I know that they might not have the time to always read these, and I understand, they also know that they can request removal from the daily e-mails.

I write to help me think of and meditate on God’s Word.  What I write is what I am struggling with in my own life – if it has meaning for others that is good and several have commented on how it does help them.

So, I continue to put it out there.

I understand that many who read these lead very busy lives.  My children – as well as most of those that read these - work, raise their families, have various responsibilities and their schedule is full of activities.

As was mine when they were growing up.

I know it is difficult to set aside a specific time in our day to spend time with God.  I know that it is difficult to get away from not only the responsibilities but all the noise of modern society, it is even greater now than in Tozer’s time.

Still, as Jesus found that solitude, that time separated from everyone in the presence of God, and extremely important - so too must I.

As a retired person, my days are not as filled.  With the health challenges I have had these past few years, my time away from the house has grown less – thus I do have more time to be with God.  AND He expects me to spend more time with Him.

There is no guideline that says you have to spend X amount of time with Him.  For some a few minutes, worked into a busy schedule, may be enough – for now.

For others who have more flexibility, to fully appreciate, understand and grow closer to Him, He expects us to spend more time with Him. 

I find that if I cut back on that time, I am not fulfilled, I know that I need a ‘stronger dose of His medicine’ – the Holy Spirit - and it only comes with dedicated time which includes reading His word and being by myself meditating on it, praying and listening.

During the day, for all of us, there are lots of times we can just praise Him, thank Him, recognize that He is there with us – we can pray without ceasing by remembering everything we do has been given us by God and say a brief thank you when things go well, and ask for guidance when things are more difficult.

But those times are not the same as setting a side time – maybe even writing it in on our scheduling calendar – to simply sit with and talking with Him.

But even with a daily meeting with God we still need to be able to get away, away from ALL distractions, even if but for a few hours and just ‘be’ with Him.  How often that is between myself and God, but it must be done.

I need to thank God for the extra time He has given me to be closer to Him; and I can only do that by taking advantage of that time.  It is a gift.

Later, Art (-: