The journey begins for the couple from our story when they decide that Indiana is a state of distress for them, it is their comfort zone full of everyone they know yet none of that is fulfilling. Many of their "friendships" are based on drugs and partying and the future seems lifeless there. They want to experience the countryside, to live life, and luckily for them he has some money in the bank that could fund just such an expedition.
The plan:
He owns a pick-up truck and so they decide to find a travel trailer and move out of the apartment world and into the camper world. The goal is to find a camper that is big enough for them and their dog and 4 cats to live in comfortably and yet still be small enough for his truck to pull through the mountains; because it is for the mountains that they are headed. They wanted to see the west.
The Number:
After several weeks of shopping around for used campers that are nice yet affordable, they visit an RV dealer that they had been to several times. The salesman tells them that a camper just came in that day that they might like to see. As soon as they entered the trailer, they knew that was the one. It was perfect. 27 feet long and still under the weight limit of the truck and the price was right. They negotiated over the final sales price and finally came to an agreement. The salesman put together their total which included a trailer hitch package for the truck and taxes and title. You may be wondering why I seem to be going in to so much detail about the price and I will tell you. I am building up to something profound. At least it seemed profound to him at the time. When the total was tallied, the bill was placed in front of him and he was immediately taken aback. The grand total was exactly $7770.00. Even as a non-christian this meant something to him. He had grown up in a church but had deliberately walked away from Jesus. He felt in his heart that somehow this meant that this was the right thing for them to be doing and that their trip may be more important than they imagined.
It was the first week of May, the lease on the apartment was up and they were heading out. Unbeknownst to her he had actually never even driven a truck with a trailer before, but God must have blessed him with the knowledge because he felt confident behind the wheel and it seemed to come naturally.
Go West Young Man (and woman):
Narrowing down their possessions to the bare necessities and putting the rest in storage they said good bye to Indiana, their family, and "friends" and headed for the state line; destination unknown. They saw the country through the windshield and enjoyed the scenery as it changed before them. They crossed Illinois, Missouri, and Kansas keeping a leisurely pace and stopping when they were tired. They felt freedom. There was no one to answer to, no where they had to be, nothing they had to do. It was invigorating. They stopped in Denver for a few days to see the Rocky Mountains and to visit some of his family.
The Lord Works in Mysterious Ways:
They wanted to see the Grand Canyon so that was their next destination. In case you haven't seen it, it is a BIG hole in the ground. Very pretty but quite expensive to visit.
For some reason, while in Arizona they picked up a local Nickel Classified newspaper. They thought it might be fun to find some land somewhere and park their trailer on it and just live. Oddly enough they found some ads for open land that was quite cheap in Oregon. A place called Klamath Falls. They weren't exactly sure why Oregon would advertise in Arizona (perhaps the ads were placed by "Alpha and Omega" realty) but it caught their eye. They headed for this Klamath Falls. Originally they had wanted to end up in either Albuquerque New Mexico or Eugene Oregon, there was no good reason for either of these places to be on their list of places to live but then they didn't end up in either one either. Having seen Arizona they figured New Mexico couldn't be that much different and Arizona didn't seem to suit them.
Two days later they made it through California and landed in Klamath Falls (there are no falls there by the way). The place was beautiful. The sun shined everyday they were there. It was early summer then. The weather was not too hot and not at all cold. After 2 weeks they thought they should at least see Eugene and find out if that is where they wanted to go.
It wasn't:
Two weeks in Eugene seemed like an eternity. The sun never made it through the gray clouds, and the people left much to be desired. They stayed in a nice trailer park but their neighbor was a camper full of drunk rednecks that enjoyed staring at her through binoculars. Had they stayed longer a fight surely would have ensued and nearly did anyway. They left after a long yet short stay.
On their way back to the land of sunshine their adventure was nearly cut short as were their lives. A 5000 pound truck pulling a 7000 pound trailer and traveling 60 MPH is not easy to stop on short notice. The road was a standard highway, one lane in each direction separated by yellow paint and the competency of the drivers. They approached a spot in the road where for some reason there were lots of Semi's parked on both sides of the road. There was no truck stop just a gas station with a parking area not made for such large vehicles. Our couple found this interesting and his attention wandered from the road ahead... When his attention returned he realized that a at the end of the bridge they were about to cross was a Semi carrying a load of logs that was stopped waiting to turn left. Behind the truck was a car and in the other lane was an oncoming vehicle...BRAKES...all four tires lock, eight counting the trailer...concrete wall to the right...too much momentum to stop...
It is amazing to look back on life and see all the places where God was there either gently guiding or aggressively saving ones life. From the future one can see the past clearly. Even when Jesus was the furthest person from their minds He was there.
...something supernatural seemed to take hold of the vehicle. Their truck and camper slides to the left and completely misses every car on the road. The oncoming car skids to his right and onto the shoulder before the bridge. When they finally come to a halt they are even with the cab of the Semi. The truck driver shakes his head and waves them around...
They made it back to Klamath unscathed and ready for the next adventure. They were spared from this collision but, little did they know, they were headed for "a brick wall and His name was Jesus..." What we want and what God wants are often quite different. Our couple wanted to go to New Mexico, God took them to Arizona. They thought about staying in Eugene Oregon, but God took them to Klamath Falls instead. God's plan is always better. To look at it metaphorically; what we think is a good idea is sometimes covered in gray clouds, yet the sun always shines on God's plan. However, living God's plan isn't always easy as we shall see from the future of our couple.
Thursday
Sunday
The 144,000 Epiphany
An epiphany; not mine but by someone close to me. There are many different theories floating around about who the 144,000 are from the book of Revelation. Some say that they are Christian Jews that are marked by God to be here as witnesses during the tribulation but whom will not be harmed by the plagues. One religious organization would have you believe that it is the number of their people that will be worthy enough to reach the Heavenly kingdom and everyone else will be left here on earth...There are probably others as well.
Here is the epiphany: What if this is the number of Christians that are still alive when the final seal is opened and the trumpets begin to sound? That doesn't sound so profound but what if they are the only ones still alive, as in have not been killed for the Gospel yet. Perhaps the rapture is not going to happen the way everyone says.
Rev 6:9 And when He had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the Word of God, and for the testimony which they held.
Rev 6:10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, Until when, Master, holy and true, do You not judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?
Rev 6:11 And white robes were given to each one of them. And it was said to them that they should rest yet for a little time, until both their fellow servants and their brothers (those about to be killed as they were ) should have their number made complete.
Those under the altar are Martyrs for Christ, perhaps from the past or perhaps from the future or both. It is the mention of the word number here that is interesting. In the next chapter the 144,000 are sealed. Are these the only Christians left on earth that have not been killed? We know that the world will persecute Christians and it does now, just not in America yet. At least not to the point of death. For now we are merely pushed aside to make room for the politically correct and we are made to look weak, and crazy by the media. The persecution will only get worse.
Let's look back a bit. Many would have you believe that by the time the 144,000 are sealed the Christians will have been raptured from the earth. However, does not II Thessalonians 2 say that concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, this day will not come until the son of perdition has come first? One would think that this means that the anti-christ will have to come first then. When he does he will bring with him great persecution to those that do not take his mark or worship his image. If there are no Christians left here then who will he persecute? He will begin to destroy the Christians. The world will be turned upside down in those days, the days of the first 6 seals. But the worst is yet to come.
What if 144,000 is the amount of Christians still alive. Think about that for a minute. It seems like such a high number. But when one looks globally, the current population of the world is estimated to be around 8 Billion people. Let's do the math; 144,000 is 0.0018 of 1% of 8 billion. That is 9/5000 of a percent. Take a penny which is 1% of a dollar and then cut that penny into 5000 pieces, now pick up 9 of those pieces...
This is a very small number when one looks at the big picture. Now I know that the bible says that the 144,000 come from the 12 tribes of Israel so they must be Jews right? But, we were all grafted into the vine by Jesus so perhaps this means spiritual Jews. Many of us will have been killed for our faith if we don't submit to the world.
This epiphany did not come to me but to someone close to me. Jesus reveals the truth of His word in mysterious ways sometimes and in this case it was merely during a conversation. I can't say for certain that this is the meaning of the number but I do know that the bible does not say explicitly that we Christians will be taken out of the world before anything bad happens. It says that God will keep us from that day of trial which shall come upon the earth. Keyword, Keep, this does not mean taken out but protected. Those that are sealed in Revelation are protected from the plagues that follow.
The point is this. In all things give thanks and praise to Jesus. Even if the rapture doesn't happen the way "we want" it to, we need to stay strong and vigilant for Christ. Preaching his word to the end. To be beheaded for Christ is better than to live as a trader to Him and face the ultimate death after judgment.
Matthew 10:28 And do not fear those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul. But rather fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
Here is the epiphany: What if this is the number of Christians that are still alive when the final seal is opened and the trumpets begin to sound? That doesn't sound so profound but what if they are the only ones still alive, as in have not been killed for the Gospel yet. Perhaps the rapture is not going to happen the way everyone says.
Rev 6:9 And when He had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the Word of God, and for the testimony which they held.
Rev 6:10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, Until when, Master, holy and true, do You not judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?
Rev 6:11 And white robes were given to each one of them. And it was said to them that they should rest yet for a little time, until both their fellow servants and their brothers (those about to be killed as they were ) should have their number made complete.
Those under the altar are Martyrs for Christ, perhaps from the past or perhaps from the future or both. It is the mention of the word number here that is interesting. In the next chapter the 144,000 are sealed. Are these the only Christians left on earth that have not been killed? We know that the world will persecute Christians and it does now, just not in America yet. At least not to the point of death. For now we are merely pushed aside to make room for the politically correct and we are made to look weak, and crazy by the media. The persecution will only get worse.
Let's look back a bit. Many would have you believe that by the time the 144,000 are sealed the Christians will have been raptured from the earth. However, does not II Thessalonians 2 say that concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, this day will not come until the son of perdition has come first? One would think that this means that the anti-christ will have to come first then. When he does he will bring with him great persecution to those that do not take his mark or worship his image. If there are no Christians left here then who will he persecute? He will begin to destroy the Christians. The world will be turned upside down in those days, the days of the first 6 seals. But the worst is yet to come.
What if 144,000 is the amount of Christians still alive. Think about that for a minute. It seems like such a high number. But when one looks globally, the current population of the world is estimated to be around 8 Billion people. Let's do the math; 144,000 is 0.0018 of 1% of 8 billion. That is 9/5000 of a percent. Take a penny which is 1% of a dollar and then cut that penny into 5000 pieces, now pick up 9 of those pieces...
This is a very small number when one looks at the big picture. Now I know that the bible says that the 144,000 come from the 12 tribes of Israel so they must be Jews right? But, we were all grafted into the vine by Jesus so perhaps this means spiritual Jews. Many of us will have been killed for our faith if we don't submit to the world.
This epiphany did not come to me but to someone close to me. Jesus reveals the truth of His word in mysterious ways sometimes and in this case it was merely during a conversation. I can't say for certain that this is the meaning of the number but I do know that the bible does not say explicitly that we Christians will be taken out of the world before anything bad happens. It says that God will keep us from that day of trial which shall come upon the earth. Keyword, Keep, this does not mean taken out but protected. Those that are sealed in Revelation are protected from the plagues that follow.
The point is this. In all things give thanks and praise to Jesus. Even if the rapture doesn't happen the way "we want" it to, we need to stay strong and vigilant for Christ. Preaching his word to the end. To be beheaded for Christ is better than to live as a trader to Him and face the ultimate death after judgment.
Matthew 10:28 And do not fear those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul. But rather fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
Thursday
Undesired Memories
The Visit:
14 years old, no longer a boy; not quite a man. The beginning of the insecure years, that time when a young human is very fragile. He sits at home watching nothing on TV (no cable) just commercials. His step-father is the only other person home. Ding Dong...the door bell rings. The boy greets the two policemen at the door, apprehensive of the reason for their visit. They ask for a parent and the step-dad is paged. The boy goes back to the TV as the men enter the kitchen to talk. He thinks about turning the TV down so he can eavesdrop, but something inside him cautions against it; so he just sits there speculating on the reason for their visit.
The conversation ends and the cops leave. The boys older brother arrives sometime later. His mother comes home and the step-father spends a long time conversing with her outside the back door. She looks confused and worried; he seems very matter of fact but their words do not reach the ears of the young lad. What seems like forever goes by and someone else arrives at the home; the pastor from their church. Very unsuspected. Everyone is in the living room now. Apparently there is bad news for the boys...
Speculation:
Tuesday, February 5th, 1991; perhaps around 4:30pm when he got off work. A man has reached his limit in life. Stress has overwhelmed him to the point of collapse. He knows not what to do or who to turn to. He was always so quiet and unwilling to talk about his feelings. He parks his car on the side of the highway and...
Reality:
...children should not have to deal with the death of a parent. Unfortunately, death is part of life. Everyone is in the living room when the news reaches the young ears of the two teenage boys...Confusion sets in on the youngest. He sees his brother cry, his mother cry; the tears come reluctantly. Thoughts pierce his brain,
"Why are you crying!!?"
"Aren't I supposed to?" he answers himself silently.
"I don't know!"
He cries so they won't suspect that he actually doesn't feel like it. He doesn't feel...
The pastor leads in prayer. The boy resents him for being there during this time. He's not part of the family and I hardly know him...so out of place. Someone asks how the father died. The answer is provided...they didn't want to know, but they know. Someone asks why. There is no answer to provide. 17 years later and still no answer.
The days go by and the pain is surreal. The funeral comes and realization sets in stronger for the youngest son. The casket is carried out, the two sons Pallbearers; leading the march in his Class A Army uniform a supposed "friend" of the deceased in reality his betrayer.
7 guns, three shots, and a flag...The Vietnam Veteran father is laid to rest.
As the years go by the boy finds many chances to take advantage of the state of mind that society would believe him to be in. He should be depressed, a little out of control. That's what they want, that's what he gives them. Rebellion seems fun when you have an excuse.
His rebellion led to drugs, alcohol, partying, promiscuity. This led to betrayal by a "friend", realization that he was buying the party and his "friends" weren't true friends. This realization comes as he lays on an iron balcony in the French Quarter doped up on enough hallucinogens to kill a rat. Death is knocking at his door along with the devil; they are both laughing. Rebellion...this time rebellion leads to redemption.
He returns home, the prodigal son and gets a job at Meijer...
The rest of the story is written on the hearts of a man and a woman...he was a grocery stock clerk and she was a waitress...
Even undesired memories have a purpose with Christ, they make up our testimony for Jesus.
The Present:
That young boy is now a man and a father. He stifles anger and regret now and then that arises towards his father. Why didn't he get to know him better when he was around? The boy should have spent more time with his father. He loves him to no end. So many things he could have been taught. He goes to war twice and comes home twice (praise Jesus)...his dad was a Veteran. He kicks his car trying to figure out how to fix it...his dad was a mechanic. He has a car for the demolition derby, and not a clue where to start...his dad competed for 16 years. The list goes on but nothing can change. He is stronger now...Jesus never leaves him.
14 years old, no longer a boy; not quite a man. The beginning of the insecure years, that time when a young human is very fragile. He sits at home watching nothing on TV (no cable) just commercials. His step-father is the only other person home. Ding Dong...the door bell rings. The boy greets the two policemen at the door, apprehensive of the reason for their visit. They ask for a parent and the step-dad is paged. The boy goes back to the TV as the men enter the kitchen to talk. He thinks about turning the TV down so he can eavesdrop, but something inside him cautions against it; so he just sits there speculating on the reason for their visit.
The conversation ends and the cops leave. The boys older brother arrives sometime later. His mother comes home and the step-father spends a long time conversing with her outside the back door. She looks confused and worried; he seems very matter of fact but their words do not reach the ears of the young lad. What seems like forever goes by and someone else arrives at the home; the pastor from their church. Very unsuspected. Everyone is in the living room now. Apparently there is bad news for the boys...
Speculation:
Tuesday, February 5th, 1991; perhaps around 4:30pm when he got off work. A man has reached his limit in life. Stress has overwhelmed him to the point of collapse. He knows not what to do or who to turn to. He was always so quiet and unwilling to talk about his feelings. He parks his car on the side of the highway and...
Reality:
...children should not have to deal with the death of a parent. Unfortunately, death is part of life. Everyone is in the living room when the news reaches the young ears of the two teenage boys...Confusion sets in on the youngest. He sees his brother cry, his mother cry; the tears come reluctantly. Thoughts pierce his brain,
"Why are you crying!!?"
"Aren't I supposed to?" he answers himself silently.
"I don't know!"
He cries so they won't suspect that he actually doesn't feel like it. He doesn't feel...
The pastor leads in prayer. The boy resents him for being there during this time. He's not part of the family and I hardly know him...so out of place. Someone asks how the father died. The answer is provided...they didn't want to know, but they know. Someone asks why. There is no answer to provide. 17 years later and still no answer.
The days go by and the pain is surreal. The funeral comes and realization sets in stronger for the youngest son. The casket is carried out, the two sons Pallbearers; leading the march in his Class A Army uniform a supposed "friend" of the deceased in reality his betrayer.
7 guns, three shots, and a flag...The Vietnam Veteran father is laid to rest.
As the years go by the boy finds many chances to take advantage of the state of mind that society would believe him to be in. He should be depressed, a little out of control. That's what they want, that's what he gives them. Rebellion seems fun when you have an excuse.
His rebellion led to drugs, alcohol, partying, promiscuity. This led to betrayal by a "friend", realization that he was buying the party and his "friends" weren't true friends. This realization comes as he lays on an iron balcony in the French Quarter doped up on enough hallucinogens to kill a rat. Death is knocking at his door along with the devil; they are both laughing. Rebellion...this time rebellion leads to redemption.
He returns home, the prodigal son and gets a job at Meijer...
The rest of the story is written on the hearts of a man and a woman...he was a grocery stock clerk and she was a waitress...
Even undesired memories have a purpose with Christ, they make up our testimony for Jesus.
The Present:
That young boy is now a man and a father. He stifles anger and regret now and then that arises towards his father. Why didn't he get to know him better when he was around? The boy should have spent more time with his father. He loves him to no end. So many things he could have been taught. He goes to war twice and comes home twice (praise Jesus)...his dad was a Veteran. He kicks his car trying to figure out how to fix it...his dad was a mechanic. He has a car for the demolition derby, and not a clue where to start...his dad competed for 16 years. The list goes on but nothing can change. He is stronger now...Jesus never leaves him.
Friday
The Wake of Mammon Worship
Money. The love of which is the so called root of all evil. America suffers from this love. Our economy is based on greed. When the people don't spend enough on materialism and junk the don't need our economy suffers. The corporations pull manufacturing from this country and send it overseas where the children work cheaper. They do this so they can cut costs and their profit margin grows. Unfortunately quality always suffers and along with that the customer is left with junk that, not only do they not really need, but it usually doesn't live up to their expectations based on the price they paid. The other downfall to this trend is that major suppliers of jobs for American working class people disintegrate. One day a man walks up to the door of the factory he has worked at for 20 years and there is a note there that says they are closed, never to open again. He has nothing to fall back on and suddenly realizes that he has been living just above his means because the economy needed him to spend, spend, spend, and that is what he did. Now his credit cards are through the roof his second mortgage is unpayable and there is nothing he can do about it. Soon he and his family will become a statistic, they will be forced out of their home into a rental if they can find one and their empty house will sit on the bank's books for a year or two until it is about to fall apart from lack of love and then the bank will off it to someone at about half the price of the original mortgage.
Ah, the beauty of being a country in love with Mammon. Our love affair with him has brought us to the point of ruin. Of course none of this is profound. No true insight here just common sense. One may ask the question about who is this mammon that is mentioned? The answer is in the book and many others. The common answer for this era is "...just Google it...". Check "Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia". Once understanding is reached, enlightenment can take place. Look at the world around you. If you are agoraphobic and don't like to leave the house just look at the internet, I know you have it because you are reading my mind. Everywhere you turn someone wants you money, or they want to show you how to live the "American Dream...to be rich and have all the material stuff you will never need". Of course you only need to pay $39.95 for the get rich plan. It used to be $19.95 but the price has been adjusted for inflation.
Again there is nothing profound about this, it is just common sense. The truth is, money comes and goes. Sometimes you have it and sometimes other people have it. The more one focuses on it the more that individual loses sight of the good in life. Too much time is spent in pursuit of the "Almighty Dollar". It invades every thought and every conversation you have. You begin to lose sight of the important things of life. It interferes with your spirituality. To borrow some words from a Charlie Daniels song "...Your bible is a checkbook and your church is a bank, you don't believe in charity and you don't give thanks; for what you've got..."
God provides if you let Him. Thank Him for what you have. Don't resent Him for not making you rich. Mammon is a very real entity and the pursuit of him and that which he represents only causes heartache and hardship. Look at the oil industry, they have sold their souls for mammon's glory and we suffer. They will have their reward in the end. Personally I would rather live in poverty now than spend a minute of eternity where the unrepentant rich man will end up.
Don't take my word for it, look around. See what people are willing to do for money. They steal, cheat, lie, and even kill. They start wars. They cut the funding to the schools so they can convince the people that a tax increase is o.k. and then they vote themselves a raise (who's gonna vote no to that? except maybe the last guy to vote when he sees that the "yeas" already have it. Then he can be noble and say "I voted no to that" he says pompously).
The bottomline is that money only gets in the way of happiness. Mammon and his master hate you and they love to see you infatuated with them. Whatever it takes to pull your eyes away from Jesus. They cheer, and when you die in your greed; they dance on your grave at the thought of having you suffer the same fate that they are destined for.
Mammon owns this world, from Walmart, to Exxon, to Proctor and Gamble, to the Fed. He even has his own tele-evangelists that preach that god wants you to be rich. They serve the wrong god. Jesus wants us to have a relationship with Him and to have faith in Him in our every need. If your faith is in your checkbook or your credit card, He is not there. Remember this, money is merely a tool to gather the things that you need to survive in this world don't focus on it just use it.
Ah, the beauty of being a country in love with Mammon. Our love affair with him has brought us to the point of ruin. Of course none of this is profound. No true insight here just common sense. One may ask the question about who is this mammon that is mentioned? The answer is in the book and many others. The common answer for this era is "...just Google it...". Check "Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia". Once understanding is reached, enlightenment can take place. Look at the world around you. If you are agoraphobic and don't like to leave the house just look at the internet, I know you have it because you are reading my mind. Everywhere you turn someone wants you money, or they want to show you how to live the "American Dream...to be rich and have all the material stuff you will never need". Of course you only need to pay $39.95 for the get rich plan. It used to be $19.95 but the price has been adjusted for inflation.
Again there is nothing profound about this, it is just common sense. The truth is, money comes and goes. Sometimes you have it and sometimes other people have it. The more one focuses on it the more that individual loses sight of the good in life. Too much time is spent in pursuit of the "Almighty Dollar". It invades every thought and every conversation you have. You begin to lose sight of the important things of life. It interferes with your spirituality. To borrow some words from a Charlie Daniels song "...Your bible is a checkbook and your church is a bank, you don't believe in charity and you don't give thanks; for what you've got..."
God provides if you let Him. Thank Him for what you have. Don't resent Him for not making you rich. Mammon is a very real entity and the pursuit of him and that which he represents only causes heartache and hardship. Look at the oil industry, they have sold their souls for mammon's glory and we suffer. They will have their reward in the end. Personally I would rather live in poverty now than spend a minute of eternity where the unrepentant rich man will end up.
Don't take my word for it, look around. See what people are willing to do for money. They steal, cheat, lie, and even kill. They start wars. They cut the funding to the schools so they can convince the people that a tax increase is o.k. and then they vote themselves a raise (who's gonna vote no to that? except maybe the last guy to vote when he sees that the "yeas" already have it. Then he can be noble and say "I voted no to that" he says pompously).
The bottomline is that money only gets in the way of happiness. Mammon and his master hate you and they love to see you infatuated with them. Whatever it takes to pull your eyes away from Jesus. They cheer, and when you die in your greed; they dance on your grave at the thought of having you suffer the same fate that they are destined for.
Mammon owns this world, from Walmart, to Exxon, to Proctor and Gamble, to the Fed. He even has his own tele-evangelists that preach that god wants you to be rich. They serve the wrong god. Jesus wants us to have a relationship with Him and to have faith in Him in our every need. If your faith is in your checkbook or your credit card, He is not there. Remember this, money is merely a tool to gather the things that you need to survive in this world don't focus on it just use it.
Wednesday
Thrown Together!
We find our couple 2 weeks into their relationship when everything begins to pick up speed. She had been living with her mother as a rent paying roommate for some time along with a friend of hers. He was living in a cramped no-bedroom just a living room and a kitchen apartment in a rundown building that probably should have been condemned. Friction began to develop at her house because the friend owned a dog the size of Kujo (but much nicer of course). There was a severe lack of love for this beast from the mother. The friction grew to a point where the girl found herself without a home and she petitioned him for a place to stay. He welcomed her and her cat with open arms (his three cats were not quite as welcoming, but they warmed up...sort of). They leapt off a proverbial cliff together in moving in together so soon. But this was only the beginning of the pace of their journey that would increase exponentially over the next couple of months.
Some would say this was folly for a relationship to share a dwelling so early on; however, unbeknownst to them God was behind the scenes pulling the strings. This was hidden from them because their minds were clouded with certain substances that produce those sort of side effects and they had a lack of interest in the Christian way of life. They were seeking a more a physically gratifying religious experience through Wicca/Paganism/whatever sounded good at the time. Fortunately for them God could see past all of that and see where they would end up in the future and He knew that they would be able to reflect back on this time in their lives as a testimony to others that may be struggling with the same aspects of this world. This world is full of temptations that appear fun and enticing on the surface, but they lead to destruction in the end. Our couple found themselves wrapped up in these "physical pleasures" whole heartedly and yet without regret at the time. What they lacked and sought in the religions they studied, was a spiritual connection that would give them purpose in life.
This connection can only be found in one place and it is not Wicca. But that is a topic for later discussion. Our couple has had that debate and they have even been on both sides.
Some would say this was folly for a relationship to share a dwelling so early on; however, unbeknownst to them God was behind the scenes pulling the strings. This was hidden from them because their minds were clouded with certain substances that produce those sort of side effects and they had a lack of interest in the Christian way of life. They were seeking a more a physically gratifying religious experience through Wicca/Paganism/whatever sounded good at the time. Fortunately for them God could see past all of that and see where they would end up in the future and He knew that they would be able to reflect back on this time in their lives as a testimony to others that may be struggling with the same aspects of this world. This world is full of temptations that appear fun and enticing on the surface, but they lead to destruction in the end. Our couple found themselves wrapped up in these "physical pleasures" whole heartedly and yet without regret at the time. What they lacked and sought in the religions they studied, was a spiritual connection that would give them purpose in life.
This connection can only be found in one place and it is not Wicca. But that is a topic for later discussion. Our couple has had that debate and they have even been on both sides.
Tuesday
Spaghetti Shopping
He was a grocery stock clerk and she was a waitress.
The story began one night in a grocery aisle at the local Meijer (plug). He was stocking cake and brownie mixes, and she was shopping for the meal she would make later that weekend. It was after midnight on a saturday morning. He noticed her before she spotted him. Something on her shopping list brought her down his aisle. He saw her coming and stopped all work. As he looked at her she looked at him. Their eyes met and time stopped. In that moment something passed between them; an aura of light surrounded her being and he beheld her in a different light. There was a connection, beyond the physical that materialized in that instance that lasted forever and yet no time at all. To steal a line from a movie, "...it was like, magic..." He had to speak to her but he knew not what to say. All that came out was "Howdy". She smiled a smile that was engraved onto his heart instantly. As she walked away her energy remained and he had to follow...at a distance of course. She felt the energy and connection as well and noticed his pursuit. He pretended to talk to co-workers while watching her. She shopped while watching him. Many smiles passed between them but no more words...for a bit.
Back in his aisle, she walked by the end and he waved at her. She approached him with confidence that made him nervous in his insecurity. Her words were few but effective.
"Are you spoken for?" she asked.
"No," was his simple answer.
"Can I give you my number?" was her second question.
"Absolutely!" was his reply.
She wrote it on the list she shopped by, which contained the ingredients for spaghetti. With a smile she left for the night, leaving him in a state of bewilderment about what just happened. It had seemed so unreal and yet as real as gravity. He was sober, so no good explanation came to mind. He had never felt such a connection with anyone upon first sight before. He thought about her all night and into the next day when he picked up the phone and dialed her number.
An invitation to dinner at her house followed a long conversation. She made spaghetti.
That was over 11 years ago and was only the beginning. The clerk and the waitress were about to embark on a journey that would bring them through many trials and many adventures. But most importantly they were headed for a relationship not only with each other but with Jesus Christ.
The story began one night in a grocery aisle at the local Meijer (plug). He was stocking cake and brownie mixes, and she was shopping for the meal she would make later that weekend. It was after midnight on a saturday morning. He noticed her before she spotted him. Something on her shopping list brought her down his aisle. He saw her coming and stopped all work. As he looked at her she looked at him. Their eyes met and time stopped. In that moment something passed between them; an aura of light surrounded her being and he beheld her in a different light. There was a connection, beyond the physical that materialized in that instance that lasted forever and yet no time at all. To steal a line from a movie, "...it was like, magic..." He had to speak to her but he knew not what to say. All that came out was "Howdy". She smiled a smile that was engraved onto his heart instantly. As she walked away her energy remained and he had to follow...at a distance of course. She felt the energy and connection as well and noticed his pursuit. He pretended to talk to co-workers while watching her. She shopped while watching him. Many smiles passed between them but no more words...for a bit.
Back in his aisle, she walked by the end and he waved at her. She approached him with confidence that made him nervous in his insecurity. Her words were few but effective.
"Are you spoken for?" she asked.
"No," was his simple answer.
"Can I give you my number?" was her second question.
"Absolutely!" was his reply.
She wrote it on the list she shopped by, which contained the ingredients for spaghetti. With a smile she left for the night, leaving him in a state of bewilderment about what just happened. It had seemed so unreal and yet as real as gravity. He was sober, so no good explanation came to mind. He had never felt such a connection with anyone upon first sight before. He thought about her all night and into the next day when he picked up the phone and dialed her number.
An invitation to dinner at her house followed a long conversation. She made spaghetti.
That was over 11 years ago and was only the beginning. The clerk and the waitress were about to embark on a journey that would bring them through many trials and many adventures. But most importantly they were headed for a relationship not only with each other but with Jesus Christ.
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