What we know?? And what we don't, or forgot ...we can look it up.

Jude 5-10 ...Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord at one time delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe. And the angels who kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after unnatural lust, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not himself dare to condemn him for slander but said, "The Lord rebuke you!" But these speak evil of those things which they do not know; but what they know by nature as animals without reason, in those things they corrupt themselves.

Genesis, Judges, Jude ...Ezekiel, all speak the truth on this. And we need also to include the 39 Books which Jesus held in His hand, and read from.  And then the 27 Books we find in the New Testament.

Thank God for His Word ...and praise Him!!!

                      ******************************************

Many of us remember Summer Camp.

Well, this one particular Summer Camp had a theme of celebrating Earth.

Now, once again, I never want to give anyone the wrong impression on a subject that so many people seem to so readily flare up their emotions about.  I am grateful for this dwelling place God gave us ...and I appreciate it, enjoy it, and honestly depend upon it for my present survival. 

But, I don't celebrate it.

I celebrate He who created it ...and created me.

That aside, though Earth is my present dwelling place, I was speaking of a particular camp ...and it's not my camp, so let's move on.

This camp handed out two different color of shirts.  One shirt was to represent the sky & the reflection of it on the water ...blue.  The other shirt represented the grass, trees, and other vegetation ...green.

Now, I don't know how they passed the shirts out.  The first in line could have chosen their color ...and the latter children could have been handed out what was left.  Or they could have initially alternated passing out green and blue. 

Like I said ...it wasn't my camp.  There were just equal numbers of each color of shirts (and likely, some kids traded shirts).

There were many games, and the shirt colors were an easy selection ...to indicate teams.

I'm sure some of the kids enjoyed the camp ...and others perhaps not so much.  Like I said, it wasn't my camp.

There was another selection, and I wasn't there to know how that was either.  I wasn't born yet ...actually, none of you were.

Yes, it was very long ago.  And some were designated to be archangels ...and I believe Lucifer was one.

There were many different and varied designations ...all to live on the blue & green planet.  There were many creatures who were created with the distinction of male and female. (I will not get into how you can tell them apart, nor whether each feels they know which they are ...this is not about that.) This is not so much about physiology ...as it is about roles and designations.

A particular male and female ...were educated as to a certain designation of trees, and what tree they were not allowed to eat the fruit of.

Well, the one who had been designated as being a special angel ...wanted more, and got less.  Then he tempted the woman with the same thing ...of wanting more, and she got kicked out of the garden society. (Actually, there were only a couple members ...and that society of two was disbanded, and they went on a road trip.)

God doesn't decide everything for us ...but, what He has decided, we should honor.


It would seem silly to say that you are a plumber, but God wanted you to be an electrician. But, it is not silly when people are troubled, disillusioned, or very much uncomfortable with who God created them to be. Yes, some would claim that God created them a female ...but they are a male. (Actually, they would probably just claim they are a male in a female body ...and attempt to do something about it, not even bringing the words God or created into the conversation.) But, still the same, they need prayer ...not condemnation or ridicule. It is difficult to understand what God has for you, if you have difficulty with God's role in your life.

So, speaking of the most basic of roles that we are familiar with, male and female ...some people would think it not to be a just comparison, nor an equal dispersion of fair expectations. Yet, if I were to make a list of all the good qualities or advantages of being a man, and also a list of all the good qualities or advantages of being a woman ...I would find no advantage of being what I'm not, but my list of good qualities of a woman would probably be a much more extensive list. Of course, I have a natural bias ...being attracted to, and married to one.


Yet, I've heard it being said that families, societies, and the Bible favor men. God designed the family unit to be a man, woman, and often children. Any society which follows God's standard as shown in the Bible ...does not minimize the importance of each family member. But, those who feel the Bible favors men ...well, I don't think they've considered it entirely.


Let's use the example of a daycare center. Supposed all the children were assembled at the play area. The daycare instructor calls all the boys together. At this point, the girls may feel slighted ...if they assume they are going to pass out candy to the boys. But, what if they instead pass out a list of rules? They may be getting all the attention at this time ...but, I somehow wonder how it could be anything to be jealous about. The boys would likely think the girls had the better deal, not having been given the rules.

Here is a story of the sort of natural competitive nature that exists:

Aaron is watching a football game, and his wife feels he is not paying her enough attention.

Callie: Remember what your brother said that got him in trouble.

Aaron: He wasn't ever convicted in a court of law of any unlawful act ...perhaps you can define trouble, and give me a time frame of when you are talking about.

Callie: When your brother was with a bunch of guys and girls at college.

Aaron: Oh, so we're talking about 35 years ago ...at least that narrows it down.

Callie: You've mentioned this story before, and we laughed about it. The girls were talking about Jaclyn Smith.

Aaron: Oh, yes, she is a stitch ...she's one of my favorite comedians.

Callie: Now, you're trying to mess with me ...you know she's not a comedian, they were talking about how beautiful she is.

Aaron: That's understandable ...women are always comparing other women's looks.

Callie: It was your brother's comment about how far apart her eyes are.

Aaron: Just for the record, that was his comment, not mine.

Callie: Oh, so you think she is perfect?

Aaron: I didn't say anything about her.

Callie: You said Megyn Kelly's eyes were too far apart ...what is it with your family, do you guys calibrate eye distance?

Aaron: Well, their ages are 25 years or so apart ...that's further apart than their eyes.

Callie: But, for both of them to come to mind, you're worse than your brother.

Aaron: I never mentioned Jaclyn Smith ...I haven't even thought of her in years.

Callie: You mean, you used to think of her? In order to say their eyes are too far apart ...you would've had to been looking at her eyes. You think they are both beautiful, don't you?

Aaron: I didn't say that!

Callie: But, you thought it.

Aaron: Do I get credit for not saying it?

Callie: So, you do think it?

Aaron: Unbelievable!

Callie: You think they are unbelievably beautiful?

Aaron: I was referring to that play. They had an easy touchdown ...and I can't believe he dropped that pass.

Callie: I was talking about your 'incomplete' explanation about eye distance ...not football yardage. How far apart is 'too far' when talking about eyes.

Aaron: Well, if one eye is on one side of the head and the other eye is on the other side ...that's too far apart. That would be like a bird ...and if you had just one glance you couldn't say beautiful eyes, it would have to be singular. You'd have to say 'beautiful eye' ...unless you walked around to the other side, to see the second eye.

Callie: And how about the hair ...would it have to be a little tuft?

Aaron: It would be okay if it was feathered ...but, I also like it when you just wing it.

Callie: So, overall ...my eyes, my hair ...how about if I just perch over here on the end of the sofa?

Aaron: I think you're beautiful.

Callie: You're just saying that because it's halftime ...so, you feel you can settle the score with me before the next half starts. By the way, what do you think of my eyes?

Aaron: I think you should look through them ...instead of trying to look through other people's. And did you notice, that through this whole conversation, your eyes and my eyes were too far apart?

Callie: Your eyes are laughing at me now!

Aaron: I like it when your eyes are laughing ...but, they are equally beautiful when you are upset.

Callie: You are not supposed to know what my eyes look like now ...your eyes are supposed to be closed when you kiss me.

                        Or perhaps you are an ear person, if you see the point ...

...and this may fit a new standard for eye distance too.  And with the blue skin and green eyes ...perhaps to save the earth, you have to look like the earth.  Does it really matter whether it is this fiction, or the current one which is so widely accepted??

Blue is attractive ...and there is a generation that grew up with the Smurfs, so is that of special significance??

I think the problem is ...that by taking God out of the picture, so many people don't realize how much they are loved by God, for who they are.

You Are Special, is a children's book authored by Max Lucado.

Max calls the one character, Punchinello ...dreaming of what could be.

The other character is Lucia ...already confident that she is special in God's eyes.

God loves us all ...and that's why Jesus came ...to not only tell us, but to show us.


But, I don't say: "I'm a gambler ...and God loves me for who I am, so what does it matter that I've destroyed my family.  I spend our life's savings ...but, I am still able to steal enough to support my habit.  The little boy who was crying because I stole his bicycle ...he'll get over it.  Everybody has to deal with hardship ...it makes them strong. I was drunk the other night ...after I lost everything at the casino, and stole that bottle of liquor. Some little child will be sad tomorrow when they find their pet which I ran over ...but death is a part of life.  People just have to deal with things ...as long as nobody asks me to."

God loves us for who we are ...yet, we have to receive that love. And the truth is, that love isn't truly received unless we also accept the Giver. Otherwise, we are accepting a beginning of something that doesn't really go anywhere ...a certain kind of love can begin as a handout, but, there is no growth without a hand up.

And though I often hear that God loves me for who I am ...I'd prefer to say God loves me, in spite of who I am.  I am a sinner ...yet, I do not want my sin to define who I am.  I'd rather just admit I'm a sinner ...and define who God is, by glorifying Him, praising Him, and worshiping Him.

Mark Twain reportedly once remarked that he wasn't bothered so much by what he didn't understand about the Bible ...it was those parts that are abundantly clear that bothered him most.

Everything we do ...we either do with God, or without God. 

That does not mean we should sing praises while trimming our toenails ...though that would not be wrong in itself.  I also believe it would not be wrong if we didn't.  But, hopefully we don't curse the hangnail either.

Stephen Hawking is supposed to be one of the intellects of our time.  He says, "There is no heaven. ...that is a fairy story for people afraid of the dark.
(another) Stephen says, "Don't be afraid of the Light ...and attempt to comfort yourself in your own fairy tale. Don't take that route, as it may lead only to a Grimm outlook."

I'd hope to think every person knows deep inside what is right. But, because of many other things that may not be right ...the right thing is often sought among all the wrongs, where it cannot be found. The only thing available to be found, is more wrong ...disguised as solutions.

When each mind which has no mind for God, feels it is able to act and survive independently ...it perhaps also believes it has evolved to a new level, of which I still call arrogance (or ignorance, you can choose which one is least offensive).

And I believe that arrogance (or ignorance) is often just a step away from not surviving ...as it believes that its own thinking is not in danger.

And with some things it is just not healthy to say ...that'll never happen!!

(http://howmuchofourlivesdowesimplydismiss.blogspot.com/)

Okay, I began writing this a few days before Father's Day ...and in the past few days, inclusive of that day, as well as afterwards, there were many stories.  Most of the stories were conducive to a happy and comical spirit.  Last week I probably watched a lot of news ...and it was rather serious.  It's difficult to be fully happy about everything when everything is not happy ...and many people are in pain.  Of course, that is always the case ...that many people are in pain.  And I don't take that lightly.

When I was in school, I used to read short pieces out of the Reader's Digest.  I know it varies ...with what people think is funny.  But, one segment was called, Laughter is the Best Medicine.  And when it's appropriate ...and that is saying, when it is not inappropriate, laughter does have its merits.

They probably wouldn't even understand my jokes ...and maybe it gives you some pain, but I want to finish with something that made me smile.

Jake tells his wife, "Mabel, how about we go out to eat tonight ...since it's your birthday?"

Mabel knows what he is saying, "You always pride yourself with your great memory ...so, I'm sure you remember that my brother invited us over."

Jake sighs, "I know, but can't you just call him up ...and tell him we'll come over tomorrow night?"

Mabel smiles, "My memory is pretty good too, you know. I know you have to work late on Tuesdays ...so, it would be me going without you tomorrow night."

Jake smiles, "Well, you know you always say you wish you could spend more time with your brother ...you can think of it as a birthday wish come true."

Mabel sighs, "Okay, but I think the real reason you don't want to go is not a good reason."

Jake admits, "Can I help it if I'm a city person?  I just can't feel at home with it like you can ...you were raised with it.  The beef cattle smell just is ...is everywhere.  And you can't even talk without fear that a fly is going to attempt to inhabit your mouth."

They get to the restaurant, after Mabel phones to tell her brother she'll stop by to see him tomorrow.

Mabel suggests, "How about we do something fun for my birthday?"

Jake smiles, "Okay, but that will be after we get back home, right?"

Mabel slides over closer to Jake in the booth which the restaurant employee had escorted them to, "How about we order for each other?"

Jake smiles, "You've never suggested that before ...but okay."

The waitress is ready to take their order, and Jake goes first, "My wife will have the New York Strip steak ...and with that she'll have a sweet potato and a side salad."

Mabel smiles, "My husband doesn't like the smell of beef, so he will have a plate of your cottage flies ...I mean, fries."

Jake interrupts, "Do you serve crow?"

The waitress smiles, "No, but for those who're disappointed we don't serve crow ...for dessert, we do recommend the humble pie." 


Each year Mom's birthday is either on Father's Day, or within that week that follows it. Happy Birthday, Mom ....love you & Dad, so much.

Dad is the storytellers of the family ...and don't know if he embellishes the story or not, he never said he walked to school five miles uphill against the wind both ways. Though I've seen that homestead and the school many times ...and it was about five miles, much of which was uphill.

Mom tells of something she thinks is funny, usually at the time it happens. Mom told me this one:
Mom participated in quilting parties. For those of you who don't know what those are ...they simply are when a number of women get together to work on a quilt, as it can be completed much faster when more people work on it. Dad used to call them 'hen parties'. But, we children made another sort of adventure out of it ...as we'd pretend we were spies, or whatever. The point was that we couldn't be seen by the ladies ...or they'd gush over us.  We would climb into and out of windows ...whatever it took not to be noticed.

We were too busy with our own elusive game ...the point being not to be seen, though neither did we eavesdrop.  So, that is why this is Mom's story.  And it so happened that one lady mentioned that she had bought an expensive dress for her daughter to wear for the Homecoming Court.

My Mom mentioned, "Isn't the voting for that still a couple weeks away?"

The lady said, "Yes, but I know my daughter will be voted onto the Court ...because she is the most beautiful girl in the whole school. How could they not vote for her!"

At the next quilting party, that same lady told of how her daughter had cried for days ...after not being voted onto the Homecoming Court.

My Mom didn't say anything to her ...but, when she later told us the story, Mom said she could imagine the wild, happy excitement of when the girl's mom had presented her daughter with the dress ...and had likely told her what she had previously told the quilting party, that she was a cinch to be voted on the Court. And my Mom felt that in a way, the young girl's emotions were the result of her own mom's perspective ...and it being a crying shame.

How often do we create a false reality, setting ourselves up, and others, for unnecessary emotional drama ...only to blame others for our lack of good sense, when the result is what we had never anticipated??

I know all of you already know what I'm about to say, but I sometimes find it beneficial for me to write down what I know.

When we know something, we often think less often of it than when we don't know something ...and then, sadly, it often becomes as if we also don't know what we assumedly know.

Sin is ...separation from God.

Yes, we all sin.

God wants to restore us ...meaning, He doesn't want us to be separated from Him.

It does not endear us more to Him by sinning more, so that we can lean more upon His mercies.

(Romans 6:1-2 ---"What shall we say then? Shall we continue to sin, that grace may abound? God forbid." ...)  As a child, we may have at times acted out to get attention ...but, as adults, that should not continue to be the case.  That is not what the verse "be like little children" means.

We need to truly recognize His love ...yet, should we be so absorbed in that love, that we ignore the very things He is quietly compelling us to do??

Do we have a tendency to rationalize ...which could be more accurately described as 'interpreting'??

I mean, while looking at God's Word, do we look at what others have interpreted, or do we lean on what we feel is the Holy Spirit's leading??  It can be troublesome to do either of these exclusively. Yet, I would suggest we do both ...to a degree.

If we put too much faith in another person's interpretation ...that can lead to problems, because people are not without error.

If we put our entire faith in the Holy Spirit ...who would argue that is nothing less than absolutely good, though it is my experience that this may become just like the first??  This may entail looking to a person we feel is filled with the Holy Spirit, or I may feel I myself should only look to the Holy Spirit ...which becomes problematic if I bring to myself self-proclaimed exclusivity.

But, admittedly, I, myself ...do not proclaim to be a prophet, who speaks for God.  I think God would let me know ...and He hasn't. So, I let His Word, the Bible, speak to me ...and I pray for His guidance, the Holy Spirit to enlighten me, and also to direct me to fellowship with those whom I feel are also sincerely seeking His Word. 

Are those whom I choose to fellowship with going to have differences with how to interpret the Bible??

Yes ...that is nearly unavoidable. But, that should not be a problem. It may be more of a problem if we all agree ...about everything. There are some things I personally think we should agree upon, but the Bible is so expansive and rich with what it shares with us, none of us could totally recall all that there is, let alone understand it all. So, it's beneficial to have a group of people who all believe the Bible is the sole authority. And together, that group of believers should pray that the Holy Spirit gives them all direction ...in discerning what is being said.

No, it is not just a group of believers, who assemble together solely to make decisions on interpretation. It is this assembly of believers ...that can give more thorough input into recalling verses applicable to that which is being discussed.

Perhaps you are not clear with what I'm saying ...and have your own ideas on what is the best way to interpret the Bible. But, after saying all that I've said, my answer is simply this: that the best way to interpret the Bible is by the Bible itself.

Verses in the Bible should be looked at not in a way that they can just be quoted.  Pastor Myron says that we should adequately read what it says before the verse ...and also read substantially beyond the verse, to get more fully what is being said.  And if you believe the entire Bible is true, as I do ...then we can't favor Luke over Matthew, nor feel Ezekiel holds more weight than Thessalonians or the Book of Revelation.



(What do we actually know?? Know that God has assembled a special team, whom He entrusted with the writing of His Word.  And within that Bible, He has shared with us enough for us to know in this life.)

What makes it a bit easier for me, is ...

If Jesus thought it serious enough not to sell things outside the house of God ...certainly, Jesus would not want us to be sold anything false about God.

Jesus was no stranger to the temple. Jesus read the Word. I believe Jesus would have protested if any of the Hebrew documents they read from had been false.  And I believe Jesus would have brought it to their attention if any part of it were missing.

Jesus did not protest this ...and therefore, what was satisfactory to Jesus ...suits me fine.

That covers the Old Testament.  Now, for the New Testament ...those who followed Jesus were called disciples, and some were called apostles.  The apostles continued to meet and interact with one another ...and they seemed to vouch for one another. And again, the importance of their testimony and the truth of God which they were giving account of ...seems vastly more important than what Ananias & Sapphira did.  Yes, I believe Jesus made it very clear that the apostles were to represent Him ...and this also included the directing of a blind man to a chosen person's house, to validate that fact that this person was now chosen too.