Treasures

by

Wilma Clark Erwin

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Readers: This is an email that came to me and it has a powerful message. Engage brain and react to it.

You will never look at a cup of coffee the same way again.

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word.

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her Daughter, she asked, 'Tell me what you see.' 'Carrots, eggs, and coffee,' she replied.

Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg.

Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma the daughter then asked, 'What does it mean, mother?' Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same
Adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in Strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

'Which are you?' she asked her daughter. 'When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength? Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart? Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor.
 
If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human and enough hope to make you happy.

The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way. The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; you can't go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches.

When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling. Live your life so at the end, you're the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying.

May we all be blessed to be COFFEE!!!  Thanks Teresa.

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     Someone asked me recently to write a Treasures about “How to disagree in a right spirited way?” Wow! What a topic! I’ve spent some time on this one. My first attempt at ‘a’ method to disagree in a right spirited way goes like this.

     1. You have to decide how deeply rooted, within the real you and your personal belief system, the issue at hand lies. There are strata or layers with respective negotiable or non-negotiable issues within every person. For example, few would really end a relationship over whether one drank Diet Pepsi or Diet Coke. Which cola we choose rarely is deeply rooted enough to separate friends. Many decisions are simply personal choices and usually do not enter into mature people’s  ‘disagreement’ territory.

      However, if you are involved in a deep, deep strata layer, like whether you are Muslim or Christian in belief, you have a totally different matter. People who have totally different content in a strata layer will not ‘agree’ by the very nature of the issue. If you believe Jesus is not the Christ, the only begotten Son of God and did not die for the sins of man you will not want to agree with a person who believes Jesus is the Christ, the only begotten Son of God and did die for the sins of man. On that issue you are poles apart just as the earth’s North and South Poles. That shouldn’t keep you from working side by side, speaking friendly, caring about each other, standing in line together, or being on the same highway.

      2.  Next, practice looking at the real issue and attack the problem-never the person. Attacking the person, even verbally, will not bring good will much less resolution, even when it is possible. Gossip and backbiting the person, belittling them, ignoring, being rude to them and the such will cause the basic disagreement to become much, much more abusive and damage outward from the event like throwing a stone in a pond.

      Words once spoken can never be taken back. As a minister I’ve heard people tell verbal hurts they experienced decades ago. Hurtful words kill in more ways than one. Don’t be guilty of attack. Stand your ground on deep issues but care that you cannot agree. This will come through and soften the scene.

      3.  Look at the truth, the real truth and let it reign. Listen to what the other person says. Listen to understand where they are coming from. Walk a mile, mentally at least, in their shoes. Try to see things from their viewpoint. Even if you can’t agree on the issue, you can find common human grounds to care about each other.  On issues where you can ‘give and take’ consider what you can ‘trade-off’ to get part of your wants while giving the other person part of theirs. Remember people and relationships are far more important than material goods or winning.

      4. In my case, or a Christian’s case, you can think on Word, “What would Jesus say? What would Jesus do? How would Jesus show love?”

      5. Ask yourself to think on the initials WAIT-Why Am I Talking? Mentally think on why you are talking. What do you want to accomplish?

      6. If the disagreement is a deep issue and you know you are not going to move from the ground you stand on consider all the tools you have to at least remain friendly, though on different sides of the issue. Don’t take things personal. People do not make deep, inner decisions, for or against other people; but on what they truly believe.

      7. Remember you do have tools. The list of tools available to practitioners include negotiation, mediation, advocacy, diplomacy, activism, nonviolence, meditation, counseling and for some of us the most powerful one of all, prayer. Do not resort to being a bully and trying to force your point of view. Do not bully by trying to destroy the person because you disagree. Neither try to lift yourself up above them because you believe you are better. Keep good will.

      Disagreements happened in the past. They happened today and they will happen tomorrow. Some will be as simple as to who waters the flowers. Others will be as serious as who get custody of the baby. Some are money and material issues while others are deep emotional ones. Each will need a varying amount of meditation, mediation and prayer.

      Choose your battles wisely.

      Sometimes a quiet withdrawal can speak more than a million words and leave no mess to clean up.

      Silence is golden and thus valuable in many situations.

      Remember you do not always know the truth. You may think you do; but you do not always. Know this. Know also that people get in the middle and distort so don’t fall victim to one who sows discord.

      Remember people can’t always reveal their true reasons-for that matter you do not always either. Sometimes people have things to hide and digging in their trash will not make anything cleaner.

      Once you know you are on two different sides of what looks like a permanent issue, move on to other ways to have a relationship. Don’t continually go over the battle ground but rather take a walk on common ground. Love and care.

      Jesus would suggest a quick resolution and is quoted in Matthew 5:25 (KJV) with this advice.  Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.
      I’m not sure if I’ve answered what you asked me to write friend; but you gave me a tough topic.

       If we plant a tree, it begins to grow; if we set a post, it begins to decay.  You think, maybe.

       There was an old farmer who, in the prayer meetings of his church in describing his Christian experience, always said: "Well, I'm not making much progress, but I'm established." One spring when the farmer was hauling some logs, his wagon sank in the mud in a soft place in the road, and he could not get out. As he sat on top of the logs viewing the situation, a neighbor who had never accepted the principle of the old farmer's religious experience came along and greeted him: "Well, Brother Jones, I see you are not making much progress, but you're established.

       I seriously doubt the old farmer sat there or went home and left his wagon there for years, just continuing to say, “My wagon isn’t making progress but it is established.”

       I truly suspect the rule he thought gave him a good result spiritually was not even close enough for results he expected for a simple wagon full of logs.

       I’m astounded that people insist their couch match the wallpaper but do not find it necessary their life’s teachings match their doing.

        I think this world needs people who want to make progress in all good and Godly things. I think we need people:

...who cannot be bought;

...whose word is their bond;

...who put character above wealth;

...who are larger than their vocations;

...who do not hesitate to take chances when the right thing is at stake;

...who will not lose their identity in a crowd or in the dark;

...who will be as honest in small things as in great things;

...who will make no compromise with wrong-believing good will win in the end;

...whose ambitions are not confined to their own selfish desires;

...who will not say they do it "because everybody else does it;"

...who are true to their friends through good report and evil report,

in adversity as well as in prosperity;

...who do not believe that the end justifies the means;

...who can and will do good to them that hate them;

...who can and will pray for those who despitefully use and persecute them;

...who love their enemies and stay clean inside;

...who are not ashamed to stand for the truth when it is unpopular;

...who can say "no" with emphasis, although the rest of the world says "yes;"

...who can say “yes” with emphasis, although the rest of the world says “no;”

...who insist to themselves that they must be accountable for Jesus’ Kingdom,

their own personal growth, their family’s growth and their church’s growth, daily.

     The great preacher Charles H. Spurgeon says: "We have the likenesses of our boys taken on every birthday ... so that we see them at a glance from their babyhood to their youth. Suppose such photographic memorials of our own family life and spiritual life had been taken and preserved; would there be a regular advance, as in these boys, or would we still have been exhibited in the baby carriage or play pen? Have not some grown awhile, and then suddenly dwarfed? Have not others gone back to childhood? Here is a wide field for reflection."

     What if the plantings of Spring had remained only seed or small plants? Where would the tomatoes, beans, cucumbers, cabbage, corn, etc. be now? We expect things God created to grow and mature. Shouldn’t we expect the same of ourselves?

     Blessings on true growth and maturity!

     It seems I made quite a stir with the financial data about America’s debt to China. Well, I just gave data on one country-try, not researching how much we owe to other countries! I want to give you one more little tidbit about our economy and how off the ‘strait and narrow’ we are.

     Here is an article, printed in the Columbus Dispatch, from the The Atlanta Journal-Constitution written by Tammy Joyner this month. It is titled, Double Take-Bush didn’t have this kind of stimulus in mind.  

     It reads: “Atlanta-Seems Uncle Sam’s economic-stimulus checks are boosting an unlikely part of the economy. Adult entertainment Web sites began seeing a spike in business shortly after the first wave of checks went out in mid-May, according to Adult Internet Market Research Co., a New York company that tracks the adult online world.

     The checks paid up to $600 to individuals and $1200 to married couples. The online spike is unusual since the warmer months-beginning in May-tend to be slow for the adult online entertainment industry, said Kirk Mishkin, director of the market research firm.

     The firm was alerted to the increase by one of its for-pay Web sites. ‘Thirty-two percent of respondents referenced the recent stimulus package as part of their decision to either become a new member or renew an existing membership,’ said Jilliam Fox, a spokeswoman for LSGModels, the company that tipped off the research firm.

The market researchers polled the rest of its 800 pay-site members and 4,000 affiliates’ sites and found similar results after compiling data over seven weeks.

     Some 20 percent to 30 percent of the people who responded said the stimulus checks were an incentive to go on to the sites, Mishkin said.”

      The above is not the words from a country preacher/teacher; but those garnered from professional news people. My point being that we Americans know we’re funding wrong things but we don’t seem to care. Congress could have earmarked those funds for utilities, medical bills only, or whatever they wanted. Instead they put the money into hands of people to choose and they knew how America spends their dollars. Congress knows how they spend their dollars.

     Now, off my soapbox and back to here and now in the Erwin home.

     While people are squandering big bucks on Satan’s devices, the churches and Jesus’ kingdom is spending all they get their hands on to stand up for RIGHT. Look about you and you will still find CHRISTIAN people, homes and churches. They still scrape up money to send youth to camps to learn Bible, Jesus and righteous living. They are still trying to buy Sunday School materials, radio air time, television time, and such to get Jesus and His saving power out to the world. They still use dollars to keep lights on in little churches around the world. They still buy and distribute little crafts that teach Godly principles to children-any children they can get long enough to teach. They still give gifts to mothers on Mother’s Day and to fathers on Father’s Day to encourage families. They still spend big bucks on Vacation Bible School to bring in the neighborhood’s kids and give them some Real Bread and Spiritual Water.

      While the world is flocking to all places except Jesus’ church, The Church is still practicing the only true financial system ever founded-tithes.  Tithing was started when Abraham gave tithes to Melchizedek. God thought so much of this system that He had Abraham pay tithes, when the Hebrew Tithe Collector tribe, Levi’s seed, were still in Abraham’s loins and three generations unborn. God is such an awesome God! (Read Genesis 14 and Hebrews 7 if you want an absolutely perfect financial system.)

      While the world is selling itself and drowning in debt, the faithful Christian is simply putting a tenth into The Bank of Heaven with the promise their needs Will Be Met. (Psalms 37:25  I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.)

     While the world is selling itself, the faithful Christian is investing in houses where Jesus is Lord so the Bible can be preched and taught. They continue to partner with Heaven, God, Jesus and The Holy Ghost-Branch Offices of Heaven! Yeah! 

      Though the end of time will be perilous for The Christian-those who endure will be saved! It is a promise. Death is the door through which one goes to heaven; but death will be the last enemy. All of heaven’s riches will be theirs for eternity and the gold people sold themselves for on earth will be pavement in the New Jerusalem. The world and the worldly people will descend to their place and victory will be forever for the Christian.

      Blessings on putting your money to work where it can be an eternal investment!

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     Do you think gas at $4.00 a gallon is the sign of other, much larger, problems? Do you think food prices soaring and the housing market problems are symptoms of any other larger issues? Is it possible Americans have played the games we’ve played too long? Is sending our work overseas and buying foreign products catching up? Should we have noticed that drugs, alcohol and family deterioration make us vulnerable? 

     Do you think our democracy’s foundation is at risk? How does a country keep operating with debt that has such a high number most of us cannot imagine its real meaning? In 2007, according to author Bill Bonham in The Evangelical Advocate, we owed $5.1 trillion (5,100,000,000,000) or $17,000 per American. Much of this debt is owned by the Peoples Republic of China. What percent of Americans could pay their share of that money if it took it to keep America free?

     Many, many people talk now about their own indebtedness. Many are seeing themselves getting into deeper and deeper debt. Many fear they will have no home to live in if prices keep soaring. Once families are pressed to choosing between the house payment, food, gasoline and other bills the late fees on unpaid bills are killing them. Some places now charge those who get behind $29-$50 a month, and increase their percentage rate also. One person recently showed me a bill that had $15 interest on the hundred for one (1) month interest. That would be $180 interest in a year on $100 dollar debt. If you can’t pay the hundred how are you going to pay the $280?

      June 11, 2008, New York Post article, “CHRYSLER BUILDING ON THE BLOCK SOVEREIGN ARAB FUND TO PAY $800M”, by LOIS WEISS read in part, “The latest Big Apple trophy being coveted by oil-rich sovereign wealth funds is the landmark Chrysler Building. Sources say the super-rich Abu Dhabi Investment Council is negotiating an $800 million deal for a 75 percent stake in the Art Deco treasure that has defined the Midtown skyline since 1930.” How many of America’s businesses and properties are owned by other countries? Should we be concerned?

     This article could go on and on but ‘a word to the wise is sufficient.’ I hear people say they will have to cut back. Duh! You think maybe! I hear some say they will have to miss church or miss tithes to ‘help’ themselves. Here is one that suggests we start with anything and everything else. The symptoms above might just not be only about America-they might also be symptoms of Bible prophecies.

     Joshua would suggest we choose who we’re going to serve. He said for him and his house they were going to serve The Lord. That is my choice also. A fallen world, getting more fallen all the time, calls for serving the One who knows all things, controls all things and owns all things. My advice to us all is to get out of debt as much and as fast as we can. As for me I want to be owned by Christ and heaven. The tougher times get the more I want to commit to Him and honor Him and His teachings. We can all do better!

        Families used to live without hundreds of things we think we have to have. Families did a lot of things they aren’t doing so much now, like growing gardens, cooking in the home, and even drinking water from the tap or well. How did we ever survive?

        Enough from me but so many people in trouble has urged me to give us all a “HEADS UP” call.

        Blessings.

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     Have you recently known the Presence of The Lord-known it for yourself? Many people today seem to be searching for something to fill their inner longings. The television is full of policemen warning that they will be out during the holiday celebrating the birth of our country. They will be out to stop drunk drivers from occupying the road with the rest of us-or they will be trying to stop them-the police seem to know they are far outnumbered.

     Have you ever thought what the reason is, that so many must seek alcohol or drugs to numb their inner self? If you look about you, or listen to news, you will see and hear, that people are seeking something (or someone or some activity) to fill their inner longings. They make news doing it. They do all the usual, predictable forms of vice and now are adding many lower animal level behaviors, all in search of filling their inner longings. I observed on the news that a young couple became intoxicated with some of their friends, put their couch on wheels, tied it to a vehicle and rode it through town, even took the Golden Gate Bridge before a policeman stopped them. What inner longing were they trying to soothe? Is this a filling for some inner longing?

     Again I ask, have you recently known the Presence of The Lord-for yourself? Few seem to be finding their way into the Presence of their Maker, to come under the Heavenly Spout where The Glory of God is dispensed. How long has it been since you, yes, you, have prayed, repented, praised and grown so close to God’s throne, in Jesus’ name, that you felt your life’s load lift and you felt the very Presence of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Acts 3:19 gives you that privilege to soothe your inner longings. Read it new and consider its promise: Acts 3:19 (KJV) Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; Doesn’t that scripture tell you that repentance with a mind to convert (change from seeking to fill inner longings in earthly ways to seeking to fill inner longings in spiritual ways) will bring a pure condition before The Lord (your sins will be blotted out-in heaven) and the TIMES OF REFRESHING SHALL COME FROM THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD! Wow! Wow! Wow!

       People do not seem to know there are answers to their inner longings!

       People seemingly have forgotten or no longer practice getting into His Presence and having Peace.

       People seem to keep getting another PIECE of drink, deed or activity and missing the PEACE.

       People seem to always be on another SEEK only to have what they sought run through their fingers and off again they go SEEKING. They are NOT happy people; but people always on a quest. The home doesn’t interest them. The spouse doesn’t interest them. Their own flesh and blood children doesn’t interest them. The last drunk or drug binge only makes them want one more-it doesn’t fill their need. Having a job and paying their own house rent or electric or water bill doesn’t interest them. They are on a quest much like the dragon hunters of myth. They seem to seek their own special dragon, that when finally found and conquered, will bring their elusive filling of the longing inside. People can’t seem to lay hold on life-simple, satisfying life-much less LIFE!

       Few seem to know they can be blessed for seeking Jesus and His Kingdom above all other things. They can seek Him as first in their life and ‘have all they need (food, drink and clothing) added to them.’ The number of thieves we have in our midst plainly tells they either do not know this truth or they can’t attain to it or else they would have no need to steal.

      Even fewer seem to ‘get it’ that Jesus promised open rewards and blessings to those who will give their alms (helping hand to others, good deeds or tithes) to Him, on in His Name, to draw close to Him, trust Him,  and not always be ‘doing’ to be seen of men.

      He likewise promised open rewards and blessings to those who will truly come to Him and talk to Him (pray). He said if one talks to Him in secret (shares life with Him) they will be openly rewarded. Also He gave a third way to be blessed or rewarded, to fast. Fasting is pretty much nixed in today’s world. Since so many are still on the milk, this meat totally eludes them. So many mighty Spiritual principles are unclaimed because so few can understand His Word and so many are ignorant of the Truth, Life and Way.

      The four inner ‘longing fillings’ suggested by Jesus above, are only a few of what He has promised, in the Word He left for us, to tell us how to find that illusive filling for our inner longings.

      If stealing could fill one’s need, wouldn’t thieves be happy?

      If drugs and alcohol could fill one’s need, wouldn’t addicts be happy?

      If money, status or popularity could fill one’s need, wouldn’t those people be happy?

     I find it strange that so many are being deceived into chasing their own dragons when all the time we’ve been told and shown how to really be happy. I’ve lived among those who know PEACE. I’ve been under the spout where The Glory comes out. I’ve talked with and been blessed by The One who can dispense the filling for my longings.

      I’ve laughed in His Presence!

      I’ve cried in His Presence!

      I’ve come away with Word for myself and for others!

      I’ve had answers to prayers and direction to steer me in good times and bad!

      My question again is:  Have you recently known the Presence of The Lord-known it for yourself?

Blessings.

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     A positive attitude and positive words can build what nothing else on earth can build. Attitudes are actually the emotional underpinnings of motivation. And, motivation gives, even compels, incentive and action. The Big Mo, as author John Maxwell, leader in Leadership across the Christian and secular world, calls it, gets things done. Shut down Big Mo and your system will slow, lose inner strength and drag.

     Attitude determines our predisposition to many things. Attitude can cause us ‘to try’ and can cause us to ‘throw in the towel’ without even giving something or someone a chance. Eagerness and zeal come from attitude being positive. Good attitudes enhance the probability of positive outcomes-no matter what we’re talking about. Zig Ziglar states, “Your attitude will determine your altitude.”

       I hear people who constantly ‘feed upon’ the negative. They tell you about their sicknesses, their troubles, their lack of finances, their children’s inadequacies, and on and on and on and on and on. Well, you get the idea. They are feeding their minds on the negative. They are Spiritually speaking the evil that Satan wants them to dwell on and speak of. Undesirable circumstances feed their Spirit. The results are never good.

       I hear other people who constantly ‘feed upon’ the gossip and ill happenings in others’ lives. They tell and rush to tell bad truths and often enhance or create much of what they say (lies). They are Spiritually speaking Satan’s words and helping his kingdom thrive and spread. The undesirable circumstances feed their Spirit and the results are not good.

       If we speak of our lack of ability, education, health, finances, and on and on, we speak of negative—we are speaking ill health to ourselves. What we need to do is feed upon what ‘can be’ if we truly serve Jesus and allow His Holy Spirit to lead our lives. All can be whole. All can be Holy. All can work to our good if we claim our calling in His will. He created us for a purpose and will enable us to achieve our purpose IF WE WILL OBEY HIS WILL. It is impossible to get into circumstances He cannot bring us through-IF WE WILL OBEY.

      We need to possess our minds, hearts, and souls with Word and claim what is possible. We need to speak what can be and claim it. Jesus, the greatest teacher of all time taught us how to handle negative things. He said if someone hits you-turn the other cheek to him. It is He who defends us.

We are to love our enemies!

We are to bless them that curse us!

We are to do good to them that hate us!

We are to pray for them that despitefully use us!

We are to pray for them that persecute us!

       Doing the above is what makes us His children. Though Jesus has died for all men He still gives those who ignore Him, curse Him or try to destroy Him sun and rain. He applies His goodness to all men whether they serve Him or curse Him though a day of judgment will come.

We are to love all people-not just those who love us!

We are to salute or greet all people-not just those who salute or greet us!

       Jesus was good to ALL people. He was truthful to the scribes, Pharisees and others but He was good to them and continued to teach and preach the truth to them. He was perfect! He wants us to put His principles to work and become perfect.

Mat 5 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy.  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;  That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?  And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

We should not use the words like dummy, (I was recently corrected on that one. I don’t usually use it but slipped in silly fun and said it to someone-The Lord corrected me. I repented and want to convert from it.) stupid, silly, and such. We should never use curses (damn or worse) in speech unless we want a curse or destruction to come. The word hell describes a place of destruction. Recently I heard a man say his grandchild was “as cute as hell”.  What on earth was he saying? His grandchild was as cute as outer darkness, gnashing of teeth and misery. I think not! He was foolishly allowing negative and Satanic language attitudes to be what he expressed over his generations. Foolish! Foolish indeed! Fooling in the eyes of heaven’s citizens!

We need to speak good!

We need to think good!

We need NOT to be destroyers but BUILDERS!

Blessings on good, Godly attitudes that spill out and pour ointment over those you are near and love.

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        Have you noticed how much confusion there is among people today?  It was prophesied that variance would come, in the last days especially. Luke 12:53  The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. We should not fall into the trap of helping confusion build walls where love should be. Know that Satan wants to destroy unity for unity has power for God and good. There will be differences of opinions and times when people who love each other go separate ways; but we need to keep our souls clean and not help confusion. What is confusion and what power does it have?

        Confuse is a word that means: 1. to cause one to be unable to think clearly-to throw off, 2, to cause one to act without true understanding by giving false information, 3. to mistake one thing for another, to blur, to assemble without order or sense, to jumble, to make something unclear or incomprehensible, or to bring to ruination.

 God is not for confusion. He is The God of Peace, especially in the church of the saints. One way to tell if you are a saint or on your way to being one is whether you author confusion.  1Co 14:33  For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. Envy, bitterness, strife  and lying against the truth is wisdom that is sensual and devilish while wisdom from above is pure, peaceable, gentle and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. The fruit of righteousness requires peace to be sown in.  Jas 3:14-18  But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.  For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.  But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.  And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

God hates seven things which includes many that bring confusion.    Pro 6:16-19  These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:  A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,   A heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,  A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

     God states that people defiling His laws for sexual purity and sex only within marriage of a man and a woman will cause confusion. He states two specific examples in Leviticus 18:23 and Leviticus 20:12.

      God says that a man calling his children the son of a perverse rebellious woman as part of correction is bad. King Saul tried to justify, with strong language to his righteous son, his wanting to kill young David. Strong language about his son’s mother did not hide Saul’s evil heart. Rather it exposed it more.

      1Sa 20:30  Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own confusion, and unto the of thy mother's nakedness?

      God’s man Ezra explained that confusion comes to nation when they trespass God’s laws.  Ezr 9:7  Since the days of our fathers have we been in a great trespass unto this day; and for our iniquities have we, our kings, and our priests, been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to a spoil, and to confusion of face, as it is this day.

      Job felt confusion for all the troubles that came upon him when God bragged to Satan that Job would be true and Satan was allowed to confuse Job’s life. God allowed Satan a season to confuse and try Job; then God came to Job and restored and replenished him.

    Confusion can be a trial to allow us to prove we will remain true to our Lord no matter what is said about us or how others reproach or blaspheme us. We do not have to forget God just because others deal in confusion. Psa 44:14-17  Thou makest us a byword among the heathen, a shaking of the head among the people. My confusion is continually before me, and the shame of my face hath covered me, For the voice of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth; by reason of the enemy and avenger. All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant.  We can pray as the Psalmist did and proclaim to Christ, that in Him, we have put our trust and we will never be put to confusion.  Psa 71:1  In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion.

     David often prayed for confusion to hinder the work of his enemies knowing this would be enough to give him the victory. Confusion can bring ruination. David wanted God to put confusion as a mantle upon his enemies. Isaiah said that confusion could break down a complete city. Isaiah also said to trust in Egypt (not God) would bring you to confusion. Jeremiah takes the power of confusion a step further and says we will lie down in shame and cover with confusion when we sin.    Jer 3:25  We lie down in our shame, and our confusion covereth us: for we have sinned against the LORD our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even unto this day, and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God.

     Blessings on speaking and living Peace to have peace-not confusion.

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This week I’d like to try my hand at bragging on Kentucky-Lewis County-our home. We have taken some time to go fishing and how wonderful it is.

      Drifting along in Kinney one can look up and see the beautiful sky and the green canopy of trees above. In days past Kinney has rolled to heights and roughness that the trees have had their roots ‘dug out’ and exposed on the creek side. This lack of the earth’s stability has caused them to lean over the creek. Even though one knows this eventually means doom for each tree so affected, the canopy overhead is beautiful.

      In the canopy one sees squirrel, their nests and their play. If you sit quietly you can watch the squirrel at work and see them climb about in ease. They chatter to each other and chomp on treasures they have brought back to their high, safe place.

     And, their intended safe place may not be so safe. Roger and I sat one day in the boat and watched, what was to me at least, an eerie sight-a snake climbing in the canopy. This long, huge black snake slithered it’s coils back and forth on the tree bark until it rose to great height in the tree. At one point it stretched itself (I do declare it truth) about three feet straight out like a yard stick to reach the next branch. It stopped me from sitting in a boat under trees and fishing!

     Not too long ago we were silently floating along and came into a sycamore that was down in the water. Our boat slid against the tree and we began catching fish. Soon we noticed slight movement in the tree. It was a beaver lying as still as he could to be unnoticed. For a few minutes we watched him hide then he gave up on us and down under he went. The next time we saw him, he was several feet from us.

     Upon occasion we have watched deer as they swam the creek to evade dogs on their heels. It reminded me of the Psalmist writing about the hart (deer) panting for the water. Psalm 42:1  To the chief Musician, ... As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. The Psalmist thought we should, and indeed we should, have souls that pant for the Lord, as the thirsty deer pants for water.

      And this year the cicada are humming loudly to add to all the usual bug, frog, bird and other creature sounds. The cicada is an insect with large eyes wide apart on the head and usually transparent, well-veined wings. They are commonly called locusts, although they are unrelated to true locusts, which are a kind of grasshopper. These cicadas are related to leafhoppers and spittlebugs. They do not bite or sting, are benign to humans and are not truly considered pests; although they destroy certain young trees. Now, they are lying about everywhere, dying. The creeks catch their share of them. You can hear them loudly buzz as they hit the water.

      As you watch the cicada on the water you can see the usual dragonfly and the all too despised gar. His long nose according to most fishermen need NOT be stuck into fishing. Most fishermen moan and groan at their quick splashes giving the allusion of a muskie and only being a gar.

      Oh! The wonderful, illusive muskie! How we hunt the creeks and lakes in search of him and when he gives us a quick look we are thrilled even if we don’t catch him. And there are the bass-they are fun. And we even like to find the blue gill for baiting a trout line.

      We have a beautiful place to live. We have such beautiful greenery! We have birds, butterflies, and all sorts of wildlife. We have horses in fields to take our early American hearts for a pleasant feeling. We have been blessed to live here. There are other pretty parts of the world. That is for sure and certain but Kentucky can hold her own with any of them.

      Get out this summer and take all the generations to the creek. Play. Swim. Picnic. Have good Godly fun. Enjoy what you have all about you.  We do!

     Blessings.

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     I would like to send this tribute to all Moms, Dads or substitute parents who are brave enough to be ‘mean’ in their children’s eyes-to withstand the pouting and ‘fits’ to hold for the right, regardless. It is written about Mom but will apply to any mature adult willing to suffer children’s ill will in order to rear children in the right way.

     When my own Mother died she had a poem about being a ‘mean’ Mom in her purse. She knew we were then old enough to understand the logic that motivates a parent. I pray more of us will be able to tell our children, as my Mean Mom told me:

I loved you enough to ask where you were going, with whom, and what time you would be home.

I loved you enough to be silent and let you discover that your new best friend was a creep.

I loved you enough to stand over you for two hours while you cleaned your room, a job that should have taken 15  minutes.

I loved you enough to let you see anger, disappointment, and tears in my eyes. Children must learn that their par ents aren't perfect..

I loved you enough to let you assume the responsibility for your actions even when the penalties were so harsh they almost broke my heart.

But most of all, I loved you enough to say “NO” when I knew you thought you would hate me for it-temporarily.

Those were the most difficult battles of all. I'm glad I won them, because in the end you won, too. And now that your own children are old enough to understand the logic that motivates parents, you will tell them.

Was your Mom mean? I know mine was. We had the meanest mother in the whole world!

While other kids ate candy for breakfast, we had to have cereal, eggs, and toast or even gravy & biscuits.

When others had a Pepsi and a Twinkie for lunch, we had to eat sandwiches and soup.

And you can guess, our mother fixed us a dinner that was different from what other kids had, too.

Mother insisted on knowing where we were at all times. You'd think we were convicts in a prison.

She had to know who our friends were and what we were doing with them.

She insisted that if we said we would be gone for an hour, we would be gone for an hour or less.

We were ashamed to admit it, but she had the nerve to break the Child Labor Laws by making us work.

We had to wash the dishes, make the beds, learn to cook, vacuum the floor, do laundry, empty the trash and all sorts of cruel jobs.

I think she would lie awake at night thinking of more things for us to do.

She always insisted on us telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

Our Mom actually had the nerve to require us to learn Bible, go to church and live by Bible laws. Can you

Imagine. Telling her others ‘didn’t have to do it’ didn’t dent her determination one bit.

By the time we were teenagers, she could read our minds and had eyes in the back of her head.

Then, life was really tough! Mom wouldn't let our friends just honk the horn when they drove up. They had to come up to the door so she could meet them.

While everyone else could date when they were 12 or 13, we had to wait until we were 17.

Because of our parents we missed out on lots of things other kids experienced.

None of us have ever been caught shoplifting, vandalizing other's property or ever arrested for any crime.

It was all their fault. They planted honest, Godly thoughts in our hearts that accompanied us everywhere.

Now that we have left home, we are all educated, honest adults.

We did our best to be mean parents just like our parents were and now are passing it to grandchildren.

I think that is what's wrong with the world today.

It just doesn't have enough mean Moms and Dads!

Blessings.

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     I hear so much in the business and education world today about the missing “fidelity, integrity, truthfulness or authenticity”.   This story is an email sent to me by my daughter-in-law, Kimberly, who knows I love a good illustration of old truths. Enjoy. I’m sorry the author is not on the email. It is called The Seed.

     A successful Christian business man was growing old and knew it was time to choose a successor to take over the business.  Instead of choosing one of his directors or his children, he decided to do something different. He called all the young executives in his company together.  He said, "It is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO. I have decided to choose one of you. "The young executives were shocked, but the boss continued." I am going to give each one of you a SEED today  one very special SEED. I want you to plant the seed, water it, and come back here one year from today with what you have grown from the seed I have given you. I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next CEO"
      One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly, told his wife the story. She helped him get a pot, soil and compost and he planted the seed. Everyday, he would water it and watch to see if it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other executives began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow. Jim kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew. Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still nothing. By now, others were talking about their plants, but Jim didn't have a plant and he felt like a failure.
      Six months went by--still nothing in Jim's pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Jim didn't say anything to his colleagues, however. He just kept watering and fertilizing the soil - He so wanted the seed to grow.
      A year finally went by and all the young executives of the company brought their plants to the CEO for inspection. Jim told his wife that he wasn't going to take an empty pot. But she asked him to be honest about what happened. Jim felt sick at his stomach, it was going to be the most embarrassing moment of his life, but he knew his wife was right. He took his empty pot to the board room.
     When Jim arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other executives. They were beautiful--in all shapes and sizes. Jim put his empty pot on the floor and many of his colleagues laughed, a few felt sorry for him! When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his young executives. Jim just tried to hide in the back.
       "My, what great plants, trees, and flowers you have grown," said the CEO. "Today one of you will be appointed the next CEO!"

      All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered the financial director to bring him to the front. Jim was terrified. He thought, "The CEO knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me fired!"
      When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happened to his seed - Jim told him the story. The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim, and then announced to the young executives, "Behold your next Chief executive! His name is Jim!"

      Jim couldn't believe it. Jim couldn't even grow his  seed. How could he be the new CEO the others said? Then the CEO said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone in this room a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds; they were dead - it was not possible for them to grow. All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Jim was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new Chief Executive!"
      - If you plant honesty, you will reap trust
      - If you plant goodness, you will reap friends
      - If you plant humility, you will reap greatness
      - If you plant perseverance, you will reap contentment
      - If you plant consideration, you will reap perspective
      - If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation
      - If you plant faith in Christ, you will reap a harvest
      So, be careful what you plant now; it will determine what you will reap later. Two thousand years ago Paul wrote to the church at Galatia the same story but with fewer words, "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap". (Gal. 6:7)                                                                                                                                                             Blessings on good seed sowing and good reaping.

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Recently Roger and I have had the opportunity to minister to many new congregations and meet new people. It is always a joy to do this. At times we can get ‘tunnel vision’ and only see one spot in time, people or geography; then we are given the opportunity to see a bigger picture. Roger and I have met so many great Christian people in so many denominations this year.

     In church after church you find great people like the ones you’ve known all your life. You soon learn that each church has its personality and probably, purpose for Jesus. I call them flavors. Some are quiet and some are quite jubilant. All are about the business of The Kingdom-each with people trying to get ready for heaven and to take others with them. Sadly, most if not all, with people in masks, hiding who they truly are behind a Sunday Mask. They sound and look good but their proof is not in the pudding-they do not live holy lives 24/7. They can’t trust Jesus and love people more than they …… Gossip outweighs the Gospel. You get the idea.

       You find the churches with different ‘Spiritual states of health or disease’ just as Jesus reported in The Book of Revelation. Jesus told of seven: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodiceans. He fo