USELESS BURDENS

(Images courtesy of:www.Pixabay.com)

Why do those of us who are Christians insist on carrying

useless burdens?

Those who belong to this old world do not know any better.

They think that the more they have to carry through life,

the better off they are.

It is interesting that when Jesus called Simon Peter and

his fishing buddies to go with him,

"They pulled the boats up on the beach,

left everything, and followed Jesus."

And when Jesus called Levi the tax

collector,

"Levi got up, left everything and

follow him."

(Luke 5:11 & 28 GNT)

I know a certain woman, who I will not name for 

my own personal safety,  who decided to clear 

out her "excess" clothing.  She donated it to 

a homeless shelter and a battered women's

shelter.

I am not exaggerating, I helped load it, I know.

It was three SUV loads.  It would have filled 

my little pickup.  Now how can one woman

wear that much in just one lifetime?

[Did you notice, I did not say anything about

how much I might have passed on?]

"What did we bring into the world?

Nothing!

What can we take out of the world?

Nothing!

So then, if we have food and clothes,

that should be enough for us."

(1 Timothy 6:7,8 GNT)

THIS WORLD IS NOT MY HOME

Are you getting tired and feed up with this old
world and the condition it is in?

(Images courtesy of:www.Pixabay.com)


If you are, and you have invited Jesus Christ 
to take control of your life - you can sing

Albert Edward Brumley's song. 

"This world is not my home I'm just a-passin' through
My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue

The angels beckon me from heaven's open door

And I can't feel at home in this world anymore"

Jesus Christ said to his followers,

"If you belonged to the world,

then the world would love you as its own.

But I chose you from this world, 

and you do not belong to it;

that is why the world hates you."

(John 15:19 GNT)

GENUINE HAPPINESS

"Happy are those who reject the advice of evil people,

(Images courtesy of: www.Pixabay. com)

who do not follow the example of sinners or 

join those who have o use for God.

Instead, they find joy in obeying the Law of the Lord,

and they study it day and night.

They are like trees that grow beside a stream,

that bear fruit at the right time,

and whose leaves do not dry up.

They succeed in everything they do."

(Psalms 1:1-3 GNT)

HANG IN THERE LIKE GARLIC

Perhaps I should start this way.

What looks like garlic,

smells like garlic

and taste like garlic -

but is not garlic? 

You know the answer, "Elephant garlic".

The smart people tell us that "Elephant garlic"

is not a garlic, but a leek. 

[I understand "leaks".  Nearly everything

I have "leaks".]

So for you folks who like to pretend to be 

smart I am talking about  "Alliumampeloprasum."

And what is the big deal about "Alliumampeloprasum",

Simple.

I try to be honest and accurate - not like a lot of 

our so called "scientist" who take the facts they

want and mix them into whatever theory they can

concoct, and call it science.  Except, of course,

when I make it obvious that I am joking or jesting.

So, to be exact, these photos are not true garlic,

but "Alliumampeloprasum".  But to us simple 

folks it taste like garlic - and that's good enough.

The "garlic" in the image above is in an area of the yard that

was an Elephant garlic bed a couple of years ago.  The bed was

taken out - but the garlic continues to come up anyway, even

with constant mowing over it.  Garlic hangs in there.

And the garlic above is in an area of the yard that was an 

Elephant garlic bed three or four years ago.  But the garlic still 

persists in coming up.  Garlic hangs in there.

In another area of the yard (Not pictured.) what you smart people

call "Spanish Roja" and we common folks call "ophioscorodon",

the garlic keeps coming  back even after being mowed over and

mowed over and mowed over.  Garlic hangs in there.

I love this photo because it is some straggly garlic plants that

I was trying to save, but did not have room to plant.  So I just

laid the plants down on a bare spot and put a little dirt on top

of them.  I did not even plant them, but they were happy and 

came up anyway.  What a lesson, garlic hangs in there.

What is the big deal about hanging in there?

About two thousand years ago God told us that this

period of time we are living in was coming.  He even

told us what people would be like today.  And, it is 

just like he spelled it out.

However, he told us a lot more.  Things that you do

not want to hear.  But they are going to happen anyway.

God told us that there would be a great turning away

from faith in God.  You see it happing right now.  He

also told us that a time is coming when there would be

a one world government or system.  And a one world 

religion. You can see the signs of that happening 

even now.

However, the man at the top of that government or 

system is not from God, but Satan himself.  And

anyone who gives their allegiance to that world 

system  and religion is bound for the Devil's 

eternal hell.

The point is,

get your faith rooted deep in God and his 

Son Jesus Christ.  Then hang in there like

garlic.

WHEN LIFE FALLS APART

"Then the one who sits on the throne said,

'And now I make all things new!".

(Revelation 21:5 GNT)

"Anyone who is joined to Christ 

is a new being; the old is gone,

the new has come."

(2 Corinthians 5:17 GNT)

TIRED

"Don't you know?  Haven't you heard?

The Lord is the everlasting God;

he created all the world.

He never grows tired or weary.

No one understands his thoughts.

He strengthens those who are weak and tired."

(Isaiah 40:28,29 GNT)

Jesus said,

"Come to me, all of you who are tired

from carrying heavy loads, and I 

will give you rest.

Take my yoke and put it on you,

and learn from me, because I

am gentle and humble in spirit;

and you will find rest."

(Matthew 11:28,29 GNT)

HOW TO HAVE A GREAT CHRISTMAS

FINALLY,

AN ENJOYABLE 

CHRISTMAS.

But it is not Christmas yet.

I know.  But it's coming soon.

The coming of Jesus Christ into the world is the pivotal

point of history in heaven and earth.  That is, 

his birth "Christmas" to his resurrection and ascension.

All of history and creation hang on this fact.

My point is, I believe in "Christmas".

BUT.

The materialistic consumerism of the world

has been used to destroy the meaning and joy of 

Christmas.  It has been years since I have been able

to enjoy Christmas because of all the hustle and bustle

around the Christmas season.

But this year was different.

I recognize that the wife and I are old people,

"empty nesters".  And a lot of you are young with

children.  That does create a problem.  But hang on.

Last year my wife had been helping a number of 

people by house setting while they were gone for 

the holidays.  As a result, she did very little decorating

(Which she loves to do.  And I care little about.)

So last Christmas she was house setting out in the 

"boonies" over Christmas.

I joined her for the day.

We did not exchange gifts, or go

to parties or even family gatherings.

She cooked a very SIMPLE meal of

things I like and could eat.  We visited,

looked at things together and just spent 

our time enjoying each others company.

IT WAS ABOUT THE BEST CHRISTMAS 

I EVER HAD.

The point is,

if you want a great Christmas,

SIMPLIFY.

You may enjoy having all the family together.

Then do it.  But make it simple.  Concentrate

on the important things and tell the merchants

to go peddle their wares somewhere else.  But

SIMPLIFY.

I know one woman who is not happy unless

she is going crazy.  If that's your style,

then go crazy.  But simplify and go crazy

with all your heart.

You will enjoy Christmas a lot more if you

will cut out a lot of the activities and expenses.

Then just enjoy Christmas because of what it is, 

and in as simple a manner as possible.

May you have a 

MERRY CHRISTMAS

NEXT YEAR.

UNCHANGING

The longer we live, the more we see that life is ever
changing.  Technologies change, opinions change,
attitudes change, customs change, diets change.
There seems to be no end to changing things.

And after a time most of us get tired of the
constant change.   We want something that is
 unchanging.  We want things to stand still
long enough for us to get our "bearings" or
sense of direction.  [Well, except for a few things.
We all have something that we want changed.]

We are tired of being dizzy.  We want the
merry-go-round to stop so we can get off.
We want to throw out an anchor to keep
our little boat from drifting down stream.

But what can we attach our anchor to.  Or what foundation

can we build on that will not be constantly shifting?

THE HOLY BIBLE.

God assures us over and over that his word is unchanging.
His word is going to outlast the heavens
and earth.

Is that stable enough for you?

Some one once said,

"God's word won't change!!!
Either we say 'Amen' or 'Ouch.'"

The creator himself said,

"So then, anyone who hears
these words of mine and obeys
them is like a wise man who built
his house on rock.  The rain  
poured down, the rivers flooded
over, and the wind blew hard
against that house.  But it did not
fall, because it was built on rock.
"But anyone who hears these
words of mine and does not obey
them is like a foolish man who
built his house on sand.  The 
rain poured down, the rivers
flooded over, the wind blew hard
against that house, and it 
fell.  And what a terrible fall
that was!"
(Matthew 7:24-26 GNT)

Build your life on the unchanging
word of the God who created you.

WORLD OF COPY CATS

Meet the copycats in our area.
The men in our area are kind'a
like "One size fits all.".  So one
picture fits them all.

Right now the "in" thing is this
little beard.  So if you see this
little beard, you have seen them
all.

It appears they are all trying

to look smart.  It works on a couple

of them.  The rest looked better

with something else.

But, this little beard is the in thing now.

So we are stuck with it until something

else comes along.

May it hurry.

More copy cats.

And the female copy cats in our area.

I confess.  It has been a busy 

week for my self.  So I have 

not had time to go out and

see what the current fad is.

I may be behind.  And this may

be how the women in another area

look right now.

But either way is just
fine.

But God bless our women, 

even if they are trying to look

like someone else.

"Do not conform yourself to the

standards of this world, but let

God transform you inwardly by

a complete change of your mind.

Then you will be able to know

the will of God - what is good

and is pleasing to him and is 

perfect."

(Romans 12:2 GNT)