The Question of the Day

How many times in the past week have you been asked, “Did you get your shot(s) yet?”  For me, it seems to be in the topic of discussion more times than not.  For those of you who have already decided and followed through with action, know that I respect your decision.  For many reasons, I am remaining on the “not yet” side of things.

Today I was given a video to watch from someone who is also cautiously waiting.  My intent to share the video was met with a notice it was against YouTube's terms of service.  At any rate, I have multiple allergies, compromised kidneys, and a liver that often needs help.  According to the doctor in the video, common adverse effects often attack both kidneys and liver.  

I have managed to survive a year without knowingly contracting the virus.  I try to do all I can to support the natural immune system God gave me.  I fully trust God has, according to Psalm 139:16 and Acts 17:26-27, a beginning and end date for my time here on earth.  Therefore, my answer to the question of the day is “No, I haven’t.  Please respect my choice.  Blessings to all on both sides of the fence!

[Since this post was written, my husband did contract COVID, and I lived in close proximity to him, caring for him for five days before he was eventually admitted to the hospital.  I was tested at that point and the results came back negative.  I experienced none of the symptoms he did, although the stress did put me into a bipolar depression, which lasted longer than normal.  My bipolar doctor suspected I perhaps did contract COVID, was asymptomatic, and it affected my bipolar.  The only way to know would be to check for antibodies, which I have not yet done.  Taking things one day at a time!] 

 

Lessons from the Past

Only two months left, and we will find ourselves at the end of 2020.  Looking back, there are many parts of the year 2020 we would have liked to skip over.  Instead of complaining, however, it is best to remember God has a purpose for everything He allows in our lives.  Perhaps there are even lessons learned throughout the challenging months of 2020 which will be of benefit for years to come.

This morning, as I was doing my Bible reading for the day, I found myself in 2 Chronicles, chapters 29-32.  According to one study Bible I have, this book was written between 425 and 400 BC.  That is a long time ago!  And still, as I read through the passages, I found lessons I could apply to my life today.

These chapters cover the life of a man named Hezekiah, who was 25 ears old when he became king of Israel.  At the beginning of his reign, he discovered the temple of the Lord was in need of repairing.  He called on the priests and Levites, and told them to get to work.  They proceeded to purify the temple following the word of the Lord.  Sacrifices and offerings were made, and according to verse 30 of chapter 29, "they sang praises with gladness, and bowed their heads and worshiped".

Following this, at King Hezekiah's command, couriers went throughout both Israel and Judah with a message asking the people to return to the Lord.  He told them not to be stiff-necked, to submit to the Lord, and to serve the Lord.  In the 12th verse of chapter 30, we are told the hand of God was on the people to give them unity of mind, following the word of the Lord.

Back in these times, there were feasts to celebrate, and rules about being ceremonially clean in order to participate.  Many who wanted to be a part of what was happening weren't considered "clean" or "purified", so King Hezekiah offered a prayer on their behalf:

"May the Lord, who is good, pardon everyone who sets his heart on seeking God--the Lord, the God of his fathers--even if he is not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary. -2 Chronicles 30:18b-19    

In the following verse, we are told the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people.  Later, in chapter 31, we are told Hezekiah sought his God in everything he undertook, working wholeheartedly, and because of this, he prospered.

Looking back over the reading, I found several lessons we can apply during these challenging days of 2020:

        1.  Examine the condition of "the temple of the Lord".  Moving from Old Testament thinking to New Testament, we find in 1 Corinthians 3:16 we ourselves are God's temple, and God's Spirit lives in us.  So, how is the condition of your personal "temple"?  What does God see when He looks into your heart?

        2.  Singing praises with gladness, and bowing our heads in worship are important.

        3.  Those who set their heart on seeking God, no matter their current condition, will be pardoned and healed by God.

        4.  When we seek God in everything we undertake, then work wholeheartedly at it, God will reward us with prosperity.

So many are thinking the outcome of today's election will determine the state of our country going forward.  As it turns out, a change in the country starts with a change in each individual heart.  Are you ready to do your part?  Perhaps, hundreds of years from now, someone will look back on how we handled things in 2020 and learn a lesson or two.  My prayer is the lessons learned will be ones based on the truths in God's Word, and not the selfishness of mankind.  

Homecoming Week

The following blog entry was written a month ago, but was not posted.  Sharing now, and praying blessings over all your "homecoming memories". . .

We turned the calendar over to October this week.  With the new month, we have been seeing more and more fall colors, a brisk coolness is in the air, and, at the local school, it was Homecoming Week.  Thinking back to my own days of Homecoming back in the early 70's, lots of memories came to mind.  

There was always a contest between classes to come up with a float for the Homecoming Parade.  The students spent evenings at the Sports Arena stuffing napkins into chicken wire which had been formed into some type of football theme.  Queen candidates were selected from the Junior and Senior Class girls, and a campaign ensued with signs covering the walls of the school to entice votes. Typically, all the Senior football players where the King candidates.  A football game against a rival team would hopefully culminate in a win, followed by a bonfire to celebrate, and possibly a Homecoming dance.

Each day of the week was assigned a special "theme".  Usually one of the days was an "oldies day", which meant we were to be dressed like students of the 50's.  Fast forwarding to when my own kids were in high school, the "oldies day" meant digging out my box of "memory clothes" so my kids would have something to wear!  What precious memories!

Over the past 10-20 years, Homecoming had become rather ho-hum.  No longer were there parades, and the bonfires had long ago been deemed too dangerous.  Crowning of the King and Queen was always a big production after the football game, with the girls dolled up in fancy dresses, and the guys looking sharp in a shirt and tie.  This was fine, but gave them no time to "reign" as the events of the week were behind them.

Enter our new high school principal.  He brought with him some ideas. . .or perhaps better stated, he brought back some of the old ideas in a new way.  The King and Queen were crowned early in the week, giving them a full week of being royalty.  A group of students headed downtown to decorate the store windows.  

On Friday, a parade was held, featuring a color guard, law enforcement vehicles, the football players decked out in their maroon jerseys, and a float with the royal court.  Behind was the rest of the student body, minus those in the band, which was assembled in front of the courthouse to play the National Anthem (no knees were taken) and the School Song.  Several local businesses also provided floats, and smiles were plentiful as this "first time in many years" parade took place on a beautiful day of sunshine.

In the evening, the team came away with a 36-6 win at the football game, and a dance took place in the school parking lot.  It is safe to say the students filed away their own set of precious memories to look back on 40+ years from now!

It was also a different kind of Homecoming week.  Yesterday we laid to rest a man who, with his family, had been our nearest neighbors on the farm I lived on from ages 10-19.  He was the last of my dad's generation of farmers who kept the township acres producing crops year after year.  One by one, their farming was taken over, usually by a son, and some have even been handed down yet another generation.  Somehow it seemed fitting to have his funeral just prior to the Homecoming Parade, as I thought of the heavenly gathering of farmers who had welcomed him to his eternal home.

Finally, this afternoon, we received news of another death.  In my closest circle of friends from school days, there were six of us.  All but one of us have lost both parents, and the sixth only had her mother still living.  Today, she joined us in the "orphan club" as her mother had her heavenly homecoming early this morning.

Looking back, my eyes filled with tears as I processed the news.  This mother had been hostess to many a gathering of friends "back in the day", always with a kind and loving heart.  With a family of seven kids of her own, she never minded having the "extras" thrown in.  Blessed be her memory!

As I look at the events happening in our world, I can't help but wonder if the "Final Homecoming" trumpet will soon be blown.  Since none of us knows the day or hour, it is best to always be ready.  Are you?  If not, open your heart to receive the free gift of salvation God offers us through the death of His only Son on the cross, which was miraculously followed by an exciting Resurrection Sunday.  If you are among those who believe, don't sit idle.  According to 2 Peter 3:9, the Lord isn't willing that any should perish, and it's up to us, as His modern day disciples, to spread His Word in our hurting world.       

Debate or Debacle?

How many of you watched last night's Presidential debate between Donald J. Trump and Joe Biden?  My husband and I took most of it in, and when asked to evaluate who "won the debate", my reply had to be "no one".  Neither candidate won, nor did the American people.  It was embarrassing for me to think about people around the world watching, as the impression both men left was not one of civility.

As a member of an organization called the "Presidential Prayer Team", we were asked to pray for three things prior to the debate:

                1.  For God to be glorified through the debate

                2.  For the truth of God to be made known and for His will to be accomplished

                3.  For civility, honesty, and fairness to prevail over division, spin, and bias

It appears to me too many of us were watching last night, and too few were praying, as I can't say #1 and #3 were accomplished.  As for #2, all I can say is God's ways are much higher than my ways (Isaiah 55:8-9) and whether His will was accomplished is beyond my evaluation.  The enemy, I'm sure was pleased with all the "acts of the sinful nature" displayed.  Taking from the list in Galatians 5:19-21, a few I can pick out are hatred, discord, fits of rage, selfish ambition, and dissensions.  

It is my continued prayer during this election cycle to ask God to reveal evil and untruths, while at the same time shining forth His truth to the people, so an informed decision can be made when voting.  It is hard to sort out information these days, with so many "back and forth" jabs from supporters on both sides of the fence, and access to far too much information, which may or may not be true.

Sadly, the battling over politics has caused conflicts between friends, and even family members.  I have had some difficult conversations with a couple of people, but am thankful it has not thus far affected our love for each other and friendship.  Perhaps it is best if we avoid political discussions, and keep to sharing fun updates on our families and encouraging posts which point people to God as we navigate our social media platforms.  It is He, after all, who sits on the eternal throne, and will be the one still in charge come election day!  

Meanwhile, let's all turn our focus to the other list in Galatians 5. . .the fruit of the Spirit.  Show some love and joy, be at peace, be patient with others, share kindness and goodness to those in your sphere of influence, be faithful and gentle, and [the hardest one!] exercise some self-control.  

Peace and blessings to all. . .regardless of who you support in this election cycle! 

Prayer March 2020

Today an estimated 50,000 people showed up in Washington, DC for one reason. . .they came to pray.  The event, known as "Prayer March 2020", was an idea God planted on the heart of Franklin Graham, son of the late, great evangelist, Billy Graham. 

As I watched the live stream of the event, I found myself praying along with them, even though I was many miles away.  The good thing is God's throne room is never far away, and prayer unites us no matter the distance.

After the event had concluded, I decided to do my own Prayer March 2020 around my hometown of Crosby, ND.  I made a special point to pray outside of the three churches, our City Hall & Fire Station, and the County Courthouse which overlooks Main Street. I prayed for all of our businesses, both schools, our local clinic and hospital and the facilities which serve the seniors of our community.  I prayed for people by name, if I knew them, in the houses I walked by.  I prayed for people I didn't know.  Although I didn't walk all the streets, I covered all areas with prayer.  I prayed not only for all currently living in Crosby, but also for the many who grew up here and moved on to other places. 

Do I tell you this to brag?  No.  I share with a humble heart, because I want to challenge you to do the same for your community.  Prayer moves the hand of God.  His hand is one desiring to heal our nation, but first there are things we must do, according to this verse often quoted these days:

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways;  then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sins, and will heal their land. ~2 Chronicles 7:14

When you identify yourself, is being a Christian part of who you are?  If so, this verse is a challenge for you.  Humble your attitude, pray, seek more of God, and spend time in His Word so you know which of your ways are wicked in His sight.  Then, look forward, as I do, to the day God's healing will come!

In the News!

It seems these days all the news focuses on is one of three things:  coronavirus, riots, or politics.  It gets old and is very wearisome to watch.  In fact, it is a good idea to make it a practice to limit the amount you take in if you want to avoid a headache and high blood pressure.

Today, however, we found good reason to watch the NBC Nightly News, and it all started with a Facebook post written by my brother-in-law, Don Anderson.  In our community, he is known as the man behind the camera.  You see him at all the sporting events, community functions, and area happenings, as he captures memories for others to enjoy.  He also has a real “way with words” and has quite a following of friends on his Facebook page.  Along with the “locals”, he also has a following of people who no longer live in our community, but still have a fond connection to it, and enjoy seeing what has been happening.

What happened earlier this month involved a local farmer who was harvesting his crop when a fire started in the combine.  In his efforts to get the fire out, he suffered a heart attack, but thankfully those who came to help with the fire were able to get him to the local hospital, where he was airlifted to a larger hospital, where he remains as he recovers.

In true North Dakota form, friends of the family wasted no time in organizing a “harvest bee” to help finish the combining.  Neighbors showed up with 11 combines, along with trucks and grain carts to finish the 1,000 acres left in 7 hours.  Others brought food and fed the crowd, while Don was there to capture it all.

One of the advantages of social media is how quickly a story can spread when there is an interesting post.  This one definitely passed the test, as in one day it had over 5,000 “likes” and 3,000 shares.  It wasn’t long before he was hearing from the Washington Post, CNN, Fox News, and other media outlets.

Today we were blessed to see the story featured on the NBC Nightly News.  Needless to say, we are proud of the way it came into the spotlight, but really, isn’t this how things should be?  When you see a need, you help.  Our community has proved this over and over again.  And if you need evidence, check out Don Anderson’s Facebook page.  It’s all there, preserved through his wonderful pictures and creative writing!  “Thanks, Don!  We appreciate you so much!”

To see the NBC News coverage, follow this link:

NBC News Feature

Where My Help Comes From

A few days ago I found a “new to me” song while listening to some YouTube videos.  Laura Story is one of my favorite Christian artists, and this particular song was actually on a Christmas album she put out in 2015, one I was unaware of.  Hearing the words of the song brought me back in time to when my oldest grandson was two and a half years old.

He, his mom, and his baby brother were headed down the road in their van when they were rear ended. It was quite a jolt, and a rather scary incident when you are two.  As a side note, this was when my grandson acquired his “imaginary friend” a/k/a guardian angel, who comforted him until his daddy came.  This all came out over time when his parents talked him through the events of the day. [Truth be told, I have even played “Hide and Seek” with this imaginary friend. . .his name is Dack!]

Back to being two and scared after a car accident, my grandson found it hard to get to sleep in the days following, and his wise parents came up with a plan.  Each night, they would read Psalm 121 to him:

1 I lift up my eyes to the hills— where does my help come from? 

2 My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. 

3 

He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber; 

4 indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. 

5 The LORD watches over you— the LORD is your shade at your right hand; 

6 the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. 

7 The LORD will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; 

8 the LORD will watch over 

your coming and going both now and forevermore.

As it turned out, it wasn't long before he caught on to the words, and was quoting it as they read.  From there he progressed to reciting the verse for proud grandparents!  The sweetest memory of this time took place at his great grandparent's house.  They had one of those "Bread of Life" Scripture verse holders with verses on little cards.  

Our "smart as a whip" little boy would pull out a card and pretend to read as he recited each verse.  It was adorable!

As for the song that brought on the memory, the title is "I Lift My Eyes", and it is based on the words of the 121st Psalm.  If you are like me, it will give you a sense of peace, much as hearing this Psalm read comforted my grandson.  You can listen to Laura sing it at this link:

Laura Story - "I Lift My Eyes"