In my neck of the woods:

0828 changed the hummer’s feeder, grey clouds but quiet, came inside, looked out the window at 0830 and snow is falling.  Didn’t see where we were supposed to be getting snow today – freezing fog and stagnation was in the forecast – of course, it could be falling freezing fog, is that better than snow?

No, I don’t think it is freezing fog, I think it is indeed snow. 

Depending on which outdoor thermometer I am reading it is 8.5 degrees in the garden, 9 degrees on the porch, or 10.3 degrees in the back area, 11 degrees at a school a few blocks away and 9 degrees, the official site for The Dalles, at the airport (several miles away and over 200 feet difference in elevation.)

Some forecasters are saying it will reach 22 today, others 15 and others 18.  Not that it makes all that much difference, it is still kinda chilly out there.

Reminds me of that old saying, if you have one clock in the house you know what time it is, if you have two you can never be sure......

Winter is an interesting time of year.  But as long as I have a warm place I much prefer it to the over 100 degree summer days we get.

Writing about the differences in the temperatures reminded me of the time one of my ‘customers’ pled not guilty on a speeding ticket.

He challenged the time; he said his watch gave one time while my ticket was a couple minutes different.  Therefore he couldn’t have been speeding at the time my ticket said, because I was standing there writing the ticket at that time according to his watch.

Judge just looked at him and said, ‘guilty.’

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1 John 4:20-21 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

²¹ And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

Does that mean I must embrace everyone?

Does it mean that I have to associate with everyone?

Does it mean that no matter who they are and what they have done, I must stand beside them?

There are many people in this world.  We cannot possibly agree with all of them.

We cannot possible condone everything they have done.

We cannot support their way of living.

But we can love them.

Everyone that has a child – or a parent – sees them do something they should not be doing. 

Some see their love one commit deplorable acts, yet, they still love them.  It doesn’t mean that they approve of the actions, they may have even been the one to turn the person into the authorities, but they still loved them and want to stand by them.

I realize that is a general statement and that not everybody feels that way about their family – and often for good reasons – but in general we tend to forgive those we love and want the best for them.

That is the kind of love God has for us, and wants us to have not only for blood relatives, but our brethren in Christ.  And even beyond that, for man kind.

But the love of someone who is unlovable, who is a terrible person doing terrible things is almost impossible; without the intervention of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

It can be a struggle.  It can be a burden when we, especially as Christians, cannot see past the exterior and see people as God sees them, lost and in need of help.  The Holy Spirit reminds our conscience of our duties, yet we often ignore it.

Still we debate, with ourselves, and sometimes feel these people are not worth our time; they are beyond redemption.

We are not alone, God’s people have been arguing and categorizing the worthiness of people to receive their love and attention since time began – and Christians are no different.

Acts 15:7-9  And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.

⁸ And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;

⁹ And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.

We need to look past the exterior, and see the heart that God sees – a most difficult thing for me; most difficult.

Later, Art (-: